Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

66,746 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours  

34 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

"Our fight against COVID-19 is not over - it is crucial that New Yorkers continue to wear a mask, wash their hands and get vaccinated if they haven't already," Governor Hochul said. "The vaccine is the best defense we have at keeping ourselves and our communities safe from the resurging virus. It is safe, it is free and readily available, and it is effective." 

  

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

• Test Results Reported - 203,374 
• Total Positive - 5,768 
• Percent Positive - 2.84% 
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.22% 
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,414 (+24) 
• Patients Newly Admitted - 321 
• Patients in ICU - 518 (+1) 
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 276 (+1) 
• Total Discharges - 195,775 (+276) 
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 34 
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43,918 

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 55,891 

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings. 

• Total vaccine doses administered - 24,255,789 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 66,746 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 334,470 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 78.8% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 71.2% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 81.3% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.0% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 66.5% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 59.9% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 68.8% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 61.4% 

NYS OASAS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF KINSHIP CARE TOOLKIT TO ASSIST FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE AFFECTED BY ADDICTION

 

Toolkit Provides Resources for Caregivers of Children Whose Parents Are Unable to Care for Them

 The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) today announced the launch of the Kinship Care Toolkit to support relatives and family friends who are caring full-time for children whose parents can no longer take care of them due to substance use or addiction, incarceration, death, or other circumstances. The toolkit was developed in partnership with the NYS Kinship Navigator.

“Unfortunately, there are many circumstances in which parents are no longer able to care for their children, often through no fault of their own.” (OASAS) Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “With the launch of this toolkit, we are giving non-parent caregivers the resources and information they need to help these children navigate a difficult time, as well as support their own well-being.”

Kinship care refers to extended family members such as grandparents, aunts or uncles or other extended relatives, as well as family friends who are caring full-time for children whose parents are absent or face limitations on caring for them. The toolkit was designed to help maintain family bonds and assist caregivers in having conversations about these topics with young people.

The toolkit provides information on subjects such as grief, identifying red-flag behavior in youth, having age-appropriate discussions and self-care for kinship care providers. It also includes interactive exercises for children in kinship care to help express their feelings and promote positive thinking and self-image.

The new toolkit is available at https://oasas.ny.gov/kinship-care-toolkit.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or e-mail at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.

Ribbon Cutting for New Bronx YMCA at 1250 East 229th Street.

 

It was a rainy Thursday morning, but that did not stop over one hundred people from coming out to celebrate the grand opening of the new Edenwald YMCA located at 1250 East 229th Street, two blocks off Boston Road. The Y was a dream of a group of area residents who wanted a place for neighborhood children and adults to enjoy and be safe. The group led by Shirley Fearon and Alonzo De Castro started their dream years ago when Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was only Assemblyman Carl Heastie, New Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was brought into the picture, and Larry Seabrook was the councilman. 

As time would go on Andy King became the councilman, Assemblyman Carl Heastie became Speaker Carl Heastie, and the mayor became Bill de Blasio. In August 2016 this Idea became a reality when Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Heastie, Councilman Andy King and others brought out the concept of a 50,000 Square foot Y with an Aquatics Center with two swimming pools, a wellness center, full basketball court, gymnasium, and programming for people of all ages and income levels. It would also create 100 permanent living wage jobs. the estimated cost was to be forty-eight million dollars with completion in 2020.

In 2018 ground was broken for this new YMCA.

On Thursday September 9, 2021 the ribbon was cut for the New Bronx YMCA. 

Mayor Bill de Blasio who said he was proud to help in building this new YMCA in the Bronx shows the Bronx X here. 

The song YMCA was played, and everyone then went into the YMCA dance of showing the letters.

Some people then went into the new gym to meet former New York Knick John Starks. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie showed off his hoop ability by getting five of six baskets, as you see one that went in here.

State Senator Jamaal Bailey wanted a photo of him with his two daughters and New York Knick star John Starks. Bailey said he and his family will be regulars at the Y, and that he wants to learn how to swim in one of the two regulation pools.

A photo of the entrance to the New YMCA located at 1250 East 229th Street. 

In observance of 9/11/2001 There Were no Posts,

 

  Photo Credit Wikipedia, Tribute in Light.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

 

58,138 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

43 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"Many New Yorkers are continuing to catch COVID-19 as we work to fight the pandemic across the state. Although many have gotten vaccinated, we need to push those numbers even higher to defeat this virus for good," Governor Hochul said. "We're working to get more vaccines in underserved communities across New York—particularly among 12 to 17-year-olds—and that's why we're opening new pop-up sites and leveraging a social media campaign to get the word out. The shot is safe, free and effective, so let's all protect our friends and neighbors and get vaccinated today."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 197,952
• Total Positive - 6,151
• Percent Positive - 3.11%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.30%
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,390 (-37)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 295
• Patients in ICU - 517 (-3)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 275 (+4)
• Total Discharges - 195,499 (+317)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43,882

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 55,891

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 24,189,043
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 58,138
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 335,686
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 78.5%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 71.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 81.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 72.8%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 66.4%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 59.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 68.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 61.2%

LOCAL LEADERS AND SAFE STREETS ADVOCATES CALL FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AFTER TRAGIC FATALITY IN BRONX

 

On Tuesday, September 7, a local community member in the northwest Bronx was killed by a bus in an intersection that has long attracted safety concerns from pedestrians.

 Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Community Board 8 District Manager Ciara Gannon, and advocates for safe streets gathered at the intersection of Kappock Street and Johnson Avenue on Friday, three days after a bus struck and killed a local woman, Ruth Mullen, who was crossing the street in this location. The local leaders and advocates were united in calling for the NYC Department of Transportation to take expeditious action to make the intersection safer for pedestrians.

 

Council Member Dinowitz and Assemblyman Dinowitz have both spoken with the Bronx DOT Commissioner about the need for safety improvements at this intersection.

 

The tragic pedestrian death in the northwestern Bronx comes amidst a concerning rise in traffic fatalities throughout New York City over the past two years, with NYPD reporting 176 fatalities citywide through September 5, 2021. This number corresponds to a nearly 25% rise in traffic fatalities compared to this point in 2020.

 

Local residents have long expressed concern about pedestrian safety at the intersection of Johnson Avenue and Kappock Street, which is a frequently-used thoroughfare that connects the Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood with nearby Kingsbridge. It is also a common pass-through for people connecting from the Henry Hudson Parkway to the Major Deegan Expressway as well as the Broadway Bridge. The intersection also serves as a bus stop for several major bus routes, including the Bx10, Bx20, BxM1, BxM2, and BxM18 lines.

 

Several years ago, Assemblyman Dinowitz was successful in getting a stop sign installed for northbound traffic on Johnson – alleviating a major safety concern where cars previously only had to stop in two out of the three possible directions at the intersection. Now, local residents and leaders are asking for additional improvements — suggesting that DOT consider installing traffic signals, speed humps, curb extensions, and other ideas to make it safer for people to cross the street.

 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: "There is nothing we can say or do that will bring Ruth back to our community, but we can work to prevent this type of tragedy from happening again. Walkable neighborhoods are livable neighborhoods, and there is resounding support in our community to make this intersection safer for pedestrians. We need DOT to take expeditious action and come up with pedestrian safety improvements quickly."

 

"On Tuesday night, our community suffered an incredible tragedy when a life was taken while crossing the street, just minutes from her home,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “We cannot skirt around the reality of the situation--traffic violence is a deadly epidemic in our city. We know for a fact that there are proven ways to better protect pedestrians, and we demand that the Department of Transportation take immediate steps to make this intersection safer with infrastructural upgrades that have demonstrated evidence of saving lives."

 

Community Board 8 District Manager Ciara Gannon said: "On behalf of Bronx Community Board 8, we send our deepest condolences to the family, friends and neighbors of Ruth Mullen. We thank the first responders of this community who rushed to Ruth's aide on Tuesday evening.  Community Board 8 is committed to working with NYC DOT and community members to ensure that this intersection, as well as others, are made safe for everyone."

 

"Our hearts ache for all who knew and loved Ruth Mullen. Burying our partners, parents, kids and friends should not be part of the New York City experience. But this is the reality we are faced with every day because our leaders have not confronted the public health crisis of traffic violence," said Irma Rosenblatt, Families for Safe Streets member. “In 2014, My mother, Ida Rosenblatt, was struck by a speeding SUV turning the corner on Netherland Ave. Like Ruth, she was vibrant, energetic, civically active -- and merely walking near her home. Mayor de Blasio must immediately enable the redesign of the Kappock Street and Johnson Avenue intersection and hundreds of other dangerous intersections in the Bronx.  Albany must pass the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act, which includes Sammy’s Law so safer speed limits could be set across the five boroughs. The power to stop traffic violence is in our leaders’ hands. We just need them to use it."

 

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez raises over $300,000 for TX abortion funds

 

OCASIO-CORTEZ RAISES OVER $300,000 FOR ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING ACCESS TO SAFE ABORTIONS IN TEXAS Fundraising spiked following Sarah Palin’s Fox News interview on Rep. AOC    Since September 1st, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has raised over $300,000 through email and social media channels for organizations providing much needed resources to folks seeking abortion care in Texas.  The fundraiser is in response to SB 8 which bans abortion as early as 6 weeks and puts a minimum of a $10,000 bounty on anyone that helps someone obtain an abortion in Texas.  Fundraising continued after Sarah Palin gave interview on Fox News criticizing the Congresswoman’s remarks on abortion and ‘menstruating people.’ “The gutting of Roe v Wade imperils every menstruating person in the US, every person who engages in sex, and every person who values our constitutional right to privacy, said Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter in response to SB 8.  100% of the donations will go to Texas Equal Access Fund, West Fund, Whole Woman's Health Alliance, Inc., Support Your Sistah at the Afiya Center, the Lilith Fund, Frontera Fund, The Bridge Collective, Clinic Access Support Network, Fund Texas Choice, and Jane's Due Process.  Over 4,000 people have donated to the cause.

Fall IMP-act Day: Partnerships for Parks to Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 by Planting 70,000 Daffodil Bulbs with 1000+ It’s My Park Volunteers 

Annual Fall Planting Day Doubles in Size to Commemorate the Victims of COVID-19 through the Daffodil Project 

Approximately 1000 volunteers will gather in local parks across New York City on Saturday, October 16th for Fall IMP-act Day—an annual citywide park beautification day—to begin planting nearly 70,000 daffodil bulbs in all five boroughs. In recognition of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, many of these bulbs will be planted in remembrance of the victims of 9/11 through the Daffodil Project. Led and organized by Partnerships for Parks (PfP), a joint program of NYC Parks and City Parks Foundation, this year’s Fall IMP-act Day focuses on the borough of Manhattan—where the terrorist attack occurred—with hundreds of volunteers honoring the lives lost on that horrific day. PfP will also provide crocus bulbs to volunteers in Manhattan as part of an initiative started last year to memorialize the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Founded in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center with the vision of NYC garden designer and New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) board member Lynden Miller and NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and a gift of one million daffodil bulbs from Dutch supplier Hans van Waardenburg, the Daffodil Project has grown to be the biggest volunteer effort in NYC history. Run by NY4P, PfP has been a key partner since the first planting at DeWitt Clinton Park in 2001. That fall, over 10,000 volunteers planted almost 1.5 million bulbs to brighten the city after one of her darkest days, inspiring Mayor Bloomberg to name the daffodil the city’s official flower in 2007.

Thousands of volunteers participate in this project annually as a part of It’s My Park, PfP’s signature volunteer program, with hundreds of volunteers coming out on the third Saturday of October—once known as It’s My Park Day—to begin a season of planting bulbs, with nearly 700,000 daffodil bulbs planted over the last 20 years as part of the Daffodil Project. Each spring, New Yorkers across the city enjoy the bright yellow blooms as a symbol of rebirth and healing. The purple crocus flowers will now accompany this burst of color, recognizing the New Yorkers lost to the pandemic as well.

Notable IMP-act Day projects include Muslim Volunteers for New York at Ruppert Park on 2nd Ave, between E 90th St and E 91st St and Friends of Saint Nicholas Park at St Nicholas Park between W 128th St and W 141st St.

This Fall IMP-act Day comes at a critical time for parks and green spaces as New York City tentatively recovers from COVID-19, bracing for new variants and facing an economic crisis. Parks have been a place of refuge for New Yorkers since the pandemic began, increasing awareness about how crucial green space is to the overall health and well-being of the city.

This current climate harkens back to the early days of PfP, founded in 1995 to support community groups that had emerged to care for neighborhood parks in the wake of the fiscal crisis of the 1970s. With the aid of PfP and NYC Parks staff, these grassroots “friends groups” helped to transform once-neglected parks into thriving community spaces. Every year, It’s My Park programs engage more than 25,000 volunteers, and PfP now supports nearly 600 community groups working to sustain 400 parks across New York City.

“Even in the most trying times, New Yorkers consistently come together to create a better tomorrow,” said Sabina Saragoussi, director of Partnerships for Parks. “On IMP-act Day and throughout the fall season, community groups will beautify parks across our city, and many will remember the friends, family, and neighbors we’ve lost by planting daffodil and crocus bulbs in their honor, brightening city parks and bringing joy. We are proud to work with New Yorkers for Parks and our community partners in this effort.”

“Volunteering can be a therapeutic act, and the annual planting of daffodils has helped New Yorkers to collectively heal from the tragedy of 9/11,” said NYC Parks Acting Commissioner Margaret Nelson. “Now, 20 years later, more than 700,000 new bulbs have been planted in parks across the city. NYC Parks is so proud to once again join Partnerships for Parks and New Yorkers for Parks in hosting this significant tradition, and we thank all of the volunteers who have taken action to honor those who were lost, remind us of our strength in times of hardship, and make our city brighter.”

For a complete list of projects, please visit our website cityparksfoundation.org/volunteer-its-my-park/ or contact tomasia.kastner@parks.nyc.gov. 

About Partnerships for Parks: Partnerships for Parks is a unique public-private partnership between City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions neighborhood volunteers by giving them the tools they need to advocate and care for their neighborhood parks and green spaces. More information about Partnership for Parks is available at 
www.partnershipsforparks.org.