A RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES STATEN ISLAND FERRY SERVICE FULLY RESTORED ON MONDAY

 

As ridership climbs, 24/7 half-hour departures return

 Mayor Bill de Blasio, Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman, and Borough President James Oddo announced today that the full restoration of round-the-clock 30-minute Staten Island Ferry service is to take effect as scheduled on Monday, August 16, 2021. In 2019, the free Staten Island Ferry moved 70,000 passengers on weekdays and 22 million people a year. 

 

“The Staten Island Ferry knits this city together, and the return of 24/7 half-hour service is a sure sign that a recovery for all of us is underway,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “No matter when you go to work, visit family and friends, or enjoy a night out in the greatest city in the world, you deserve fast, frequent, and reliable ferry service. That’s what we’re proud to deliver today.”

 

“Staten Islanders depend on the ferry for free and reliable service to Manhattan, and the return of full overnight service will make these two boroughs accessible for every New Yorker who calls them home,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “I’m grateful to every elected official, advocate, and City worker who made this restoration possible, and I look forward to full service starting on Monday.”

 

“I am pleased that full overnight service will return to the Staten Island Ferry on Monday, all thanks to the Mayor’s and Borough President’s commitment to getting us back to normal," said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “Staten Islanders and their elected officials have made it very clear how frequent service is critical to their quality of life -- and we are once again happy to oblige in bringing back service every half hour on one of New York City’s great commutes.” 

 

“Local Law 88 of 2013 lives! Years ago when in the City Council I fought hard to get this legislation enacted to compel increased Staten Island Ferry service. To his credit, early in his tenure Mayor de Blasio knew providing this level of service was the right thing and he fully funded it," said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. "Staten Island lived up to its responsibility during the economic difficulties brought upon by Covid and we accepted the reduction in service. But as the Mayor has made clear, we are in a 'Recovery for all' and that means helping all those essential workers and Staten Islanders who work outside of the typical 9-5 schedule. Local Law 88 of 2013 and 24/7/365 half hour service lives!"

 

The new service schedule’s additional trips will all originate from both St. George Ferry Terminal and Whitehall Ferry Terminals, starting with the first restored trip at 11:30 p.m. from St. George on August 15. The remaining 13 restored trips will depart St. George at 12:30 a.m., 1:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m., 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on weekdays and then 11:30 p.m., 12:30 a.m., 1:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m., 3:30 a.m., 4:30 a.m., 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on weekends. Each of these trips has a return run, one half hour later, out of Whitehall Terminal for a total of 28 runs.

 

DOT has hired and trained new personnel required for these additional trips since the restoration was announced in June.

 

On Staten Island, riders can get to the St. George Terminal using the following MTA/NYCT bus lines: S40 Howland Hook; S42 Clyde Place; S44 Staten Island Mall; S46 West Shore Plaza; S48 Mariners Harbor; S51 Grant City; S52 S.I. Univ. Hospital; S61 Staten Island Mall; S62 Travis; S66 Port Richmond; S74 Tottenville; S76 Oakwood Beach; S78 Tottenville; S81 Grant City (Limited); S84 Tottenville (Limited); S86 Oakwood Beach (Limited); S90 Howland Hook (Limited); S91 Staten Island Mall (Limited); S92 Travis (Limited); S94 Staten Island Mall (Limited); S96 Mariners Harbor (Limited); and S98 Mariners Harbor (Limited).

 

In Manhattan, riders can get to the Whitehall Terminal using the M5, M15, M15SBS, M20 bus service lines, and the R train to Whitehall Street Station, the 1 train to South Ferry Station, the 4 and 5 train to Bowling Green Station, and the J and Z train to Broad Street Station.

 

Cars, motorcycles and trucks are no longer allowed on the ferries. Travel time between Whitehall and Saint George terminals and vice versa is approximately 25 minutes. For more information visit nyc.gov/siferry, and for updates, please check nyc.gov/dot or contact 311.

 

“I’m thrilled that we can get back some normalcy in our commuting life. Many Staten Islanders are some of our most dedicated public servants, and with that comes untraditional hours. I hope this brings them a great sense of relief,” said Senator Diane Savino.

 

Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation Enacting the "Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act"

 

Legislation Allows for the State to Finance the Acquisition and/or Conversion of Distressed Hotels and Commercial Office Properties by Nonprofit Organizations to Increase Affordable Housing

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.5257C/A.6593B), enacting the "Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act," which provides a mechanism for the state to finance the acquisition and/or conversion of distressed hotels and/or commercial office properties by the appropriate nonprofit organizations for the purpose of maintaining or increasing affordable housing

"Putting empty buildings together with those in need of housing is common sense - there's no better way to revamp unused structures than to turn them into thriving, safe, comfortable homes," Governor Cuomo said. "Providing affordable housing to communities not only serves those living in the homes, but the communities around them. We look forward to all that HONDA will do to serve the people of New York and I am proud to sign it into law."

Housing created through HONDA will provide affordable permanent housing that meets safety, habitability and quality standards while also providing inhabitants access to supportive services.

Attorney General James Statement on Earthquake in Haiti

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement on the earthquake in Haiti: 

“The situation unfolding in Haiti right now is devastating and deeply concerning. Over the past few weeks, the Haitian people have endured so much pain and suffering, and today, they have been rocked by yet another disaster. We must do all we can to support the Haitian people both in the immediate aftermath of this earthquake and in the months to come. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and our Haitian communities here in New York.”

144 Days and Counting - Segregation is alive and well under Mayor de Blasio

 

As your mayor I want to dispel those rumors that the Department of Education is promoting segregation. It is just a coincidence that the lowest performing schools in New York City are those with Black and Brown students in the Bronx public schools. 

I also want to dispel the rumor that our homecoming events are also a form of segregation. One must have a valid vaccination card showing at least one vaccination shot was administered, or proof that one can not take the vaccine, and has a 72 hour letter stating that they are negative for the virus. 

It is not my fault that the Black and Brown communities, especially in the Bronx have the lowest vaccination rate in the city. It is the fault of the outgoing governor who did not give the city adequate supplies of vaccine for the outer boroughs, especially the Bronx. 

If elected governor I vow to return the name Tapan Zee to the bridge now named the Mario Cuomo Bridge.  

A RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: NYC HOMECOMING WEEK KICKS OFF WITH OVER 100 ARTS & CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS, AUGUST 14-22

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This proves by mandating a person must have a vaccination that segregation is alive and well under Mayor Bill de Blasio. It is the Black and Brown people who have the lowest vaccination rates in the city. 

In accordance with City of New York requirements:

●       Attendees who are age 12 or over must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter an NYC Homecoming Week Concert or Film Screening. Proof of vaccination includes at least one dose of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) approved COVID-19 vaccine. These are Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca/Oxford, Sinopharm or Sinovac.

●       Unvaccinated minors under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a vaccinated adult to enter an NYC Homecoming Week Concert or Film Screening. The vaccinated adult must present proof of at least one dose of a Food and Drug Administration or World Health Organization approved COVID-19 vaccine. These are Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca/Oxford, Sinopharm or Sinovac. Unvaccinated minors under the age of 12 must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test:

PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS STATEMENT ON THE EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

 

"The people of Haiti, who have already suffered so much pain and trauma in the last weeks, months and years, are once again reeling in the wake of a devastating natural disaster. My appreciation and respect for the Haitian people and culture runs as deep as the diaspora's roots here in New York City. I offer my prayers for peace and comfort to the families of those who have lost their lives, and to everyone in Les Cayes, in Jeremie, on the island and throughout the diaspora still waiting for information on their loved ones as so many lives and livelihoods have been destroyed.

"Together with our prayers, we must provide sustained support. In the past, people  and nations have rushed to Haiti's aid in the immediate moment of crisis, when the headlines are fresh and the cameras are present, only to abandon them in the aftermath and invite future crises. Just five weeks ago the President of Haiti was assassinated, and while that upheaval is ongoing, the world's attention has not been. This cycle cannot continue. We must come together today, yes, but stay together through recovery and rebuilding. L'Union fait la force." 

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - AUGUST 13, 2021

 

55,347 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

13 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19.

"COVID-19 and its Delta variant are still a threat to New Yorkers and people around the globe, and the clear path forward is vaccinating as many people as we possibly can," Governor Cuomo said. "The vaccine is safe and effective, and taking it is absolutely free to everyone who's eligible. I urge all New Yorkers who can take the vaccine to get their shots right away—this is how we protect ourselves, our families and our communities and defeat this terrible virus for good."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 147,718
• Total Positive - 4,591
• Percent Positive - 3.11%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.10%
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,561 (+113)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 279
• Patients in ICU - 298 (+9)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 122 (+4)
• Total Discharges - 188,543 (+187)
• Deaths - 13
• Total Deaths - 43,216
• Total vaccine doses administered - 22,811,713
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 55,347
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 313,019
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 74.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 68.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 77.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 69.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 62.4%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 56.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 64.8%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 58.1%

CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General James Issues Warning to New Yorkers About Scam Targeting Employees During Pandemic

 

“Boss Scam” Targets Employees With Texts and Emails From

Fraudsters Posing as Employers Asking for Gift Cards

With More Employees Working Remotely Due to COVID-19 Safety Measures, AG James Offers New Yorkers Tips to Protect Themselves 

 Ilan Graff, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced today the guilty plea of JEFFREY HASTINGS, the former chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of SAExploration Holdings, Inc. (“SAEX” or the “Company”), a publicly traded seismic data company based in Houston, Texas, for his role in a scheme to fraudulently and materially inflate the publicly reported revenue of SAEX by tens of millions of dollars, in 2015 and 2016, and also for misappropriating millions of dollars from the Company.  HASTINGS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud offenses.

Ilan Graff, Attorney for the United States, said: “As he acknowledged in court today, Jeffrey Hastings schemed to inflate his company’s revenue, making it appear more profitable than it was.  Hastings then stole money from the company for his own use.  Hastings now awaits sentencing for his admitted fraud and deception.”

According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information, the Superseding Indictment, and the Complaint filed in this case, and statements made during the plea proceeding:           

At all times relevant to the Information until August 2016, HASTINGS was the executive chairman of the board of directors of SAEX (the “Board”).  After August 2016, HASTINGS served as both the chairman of the Board and the chief executive officer (“CEO”) of SAEX until he separated from the company in August 2019.  SAEX was a publicly traded seismic data acquisition company headquartered in Houston, Texas, that traded under the symbol “SAEX” on the NASDAQ.  In May 2020, SAEX was delisted from the NASDAQ and, in December 2020, was taken private.  SAEX provided land- and marine-based seismic acquisition services, including program design, planning and permitting, camp services, survey, drilling, recording, and processing.  Seismic data is used by oil and gas companies to identify and analyze drilling prospects and maximize successful drilling.

From February 2015 through May 2019, HASTINGS, together with Brent Whiteley, the then chief financial officer and general counsel of SAEX, Michael Scott, the then executive vice president of operations at SAEX, and “CC-1,” the founder and at various times president, CEO, and chief operating officer of SAEX, devised and carried out a scheme to defraud SAEX’s shareholders, bondholders, and the investing public by artificially and materially inflating SAEX’s reported revenue by making it appear that Alaskan Seismic Ventures, LLC (“ASV”) was an independent and reliable source of tens of millions of dollars of revenue.

In February 2015, HASTINGS and Whiteley discussed finding a way for SAEX to take advantage of certain tax credits offered by the State of Alaska to seismic data library companies, to offset the costs of exploring for oil and gas in Alaska (the “Alaska Tax Credits”).  The Board of SAEX was opposed to operating its own data library company because of concerns about the ability to ensure payment to SAEX, including through the monetization of Alaska Tax Credits, among other reasons.  To avoid the appearance that SAEX was operating a data library company that licensed data to third parties, HASTINGS and Whiteley set up ASV, to purport to operate as an independent customer purchasing seismic data from SAEX and licensing it to third parties.  HASTINGS recruited an acquaintance to serve as the owner and sole employee of ASV.  In truth and in fact, and as hidden from investors, ASV was not independent and could not pay SAEX for its seismic data.

After setting up ASV, HASTINGS and Whiteley created and caused to be created a number of shell companies (the “Shell Companies”) for the purpose of secretly transferring funds from SAEX into ASV.  One of the Shell Companies, Global Equipment Solutions (“Global Equipment”), was purportedly an equipment rental company from which SAEX rented seismic acquisition equipment.  In truth and in fact, and as HASTINGS and his co-conspirators well knew, SAEX did not rent any equipment from Global Equipment and did not owe Global Equipment any money.  The co-conspirators took steps to make the payments from SAEX to Global Equipment appear legitimate to others at SAEX.  For example, Whiteley drafted a lease agreement between SAEX and Global Equipment, and Scott caused fake purchase orders to be created that purported to show expenses incurred by SAEX as a result of renting equipment from Global Equipment.

By the end of 2015, SAEX had recorded on its books approximately $12 million in payables to Global Equipment.  HASTINGS and his co-conspirators ultimately routed approximately $5.8 million of SAEX’s funds through Global Equipment and the other Shell Companies to ASV.  That money then went from ASV back to SAEX to pay outstanding receivables.  The fact that these funds belonged to and originated with SAEX was not disclosed to investors.  HASTINGS and his co-conspirators referred to this portion of the scheme as “round-tripping.”  In addition, HASTINGS and Whiteley then misappropriated more than $5 million of the funds that SAEX transferred to Global Equipment for their own use, including making payments to Scott and CC-1, among others.   

HASTINGS, 63, of Anchorage, Alaska, and British Columbia, Canada, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, to make false statements in annual and quarterly SEC reports, and to make false statements to SAEX’s auditors, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

HASTINGS is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Woods on November 15, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. 

Whiteley and Scott have already pled guilty and await sentencing before Judge Woods.

Mr. Graff praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  He also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a civil enforcement action against the defendant, for its assistance in the investigation.