Governor Hochul Announces State Actions to Address School Bus Driver Shortage

State Launching Outreach to More Than 550,000 Commercial Driver's License Holders in New York State

Governor Directs State Agencies to Utilize Creative Approaches to Support Schools

Recruitment of Drivers and Expand Commercial Driver's License Testing Sites 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a multi-agency plan to address the school bus driver shortage affecting schools across the state. The plan includes short-term steps to remove barriers and recruit traditional and non-traditional Commercial Driver's License holders, expand CDL testing opportunities, and enhance processes all designed to get more drivers into school buses. Additionally, New York State is launching outreach to more than 550,000 CDL license holders in New York State.

The longer term steps include changes to address the training and licensing of drivers, as well as broader recruitment into the bus driver profession. 

"Our schools and public health officials have moved mountains to ensure our children receive an in-person education this year, and we are leaving no stone unturned to make sure schools have adequate bus service to bring students to school and back," Governor Hochul said. "While the shortage of school bus drivers is not unique to New York State, I have directed state agencies to utilize creative approaches and use every tool at their disposal to help districts affected by the bus driver shortage, so we can bring in as many qualified bus drivers as possible as quickly as possible." 

Governor Hochul directed state agencies to utilize a multi-organizational recruitment effort to persuade CDL drivers to become school bus drivers. Interested drivers will be surveyed and their information then shared with local school districts who are seeking drivers. The schools can work through these lists to recruit interested drivers in their area. In addition, the state will target currently unemployed drivers through the Department of Labor. The state will also work with partners in law enforcement, firefighters, military and other organizations that have trained drivers in order to find more individuals interested in becoming school bus drivers. 

Those who are interested in obtaining a Commercial Driver's License can find information here.

Additionally, DMV is enhancing and expediting the process for CDL completion by removing the 14-day waiting period between the permit test and the road tests. Through enhanced cooperation with county-run DMVs the state will also help to increase capacity to administer written exams and road tests. 

The State is opening up new CDL Driver Testing sites by partnering with SUNY, the Thruway Authority, New York Racing Association, and the Office of General Services to use large lots on their various sites for the road test. For school staff who currently hold a CDL, the State will set up expedited testing to obtain a permit to drive vans and buses temporarily.

The State is continuing conversations with stakeholders to identify longer term strategies that will help to recruit and retain school bus drivers. This includes looking at alternative licensing entities and expanded partnerships with other state agencies to help train and recruit drivers. 

The State encourages schools to pursue creative and innovative ways to offer a wide array of benefits for school bus drivers that were previously not considered. This includes signing and retention bonuses, expansion of benefits to the drivers, and other options to recruit drivers in a nationally competitive market. Schools can use federal funds to provide these benefits. Many school districts receive a significant percentage of these funds in reimbursement from the state and are in a position to offer more competitive pay without absorbing the full cost at the local level. 

107 Days and Counting

 

I am still the mayor for the rest of the year, I don't want to be questioned about my policies. After all I've gotten no help from Albany under King Cuomo, and now it looks like Queen Hochul is doing her best to keep me out of the loop also. She is making policy, and I am waiting for her to make Remote Learning a must, since we are closing classrooms due to COVID all over the city.

We have only closed one school in Manhattan, and you can check our website here, https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/covid-information/daily-covid-case-map to see if your childs school has any closed classrooms. We are taking every precaution to keep our public school children safe. It is the unions who are fighting my vaccination order, beating me in court. Their members are the ones catching the virus, and they are going to force me to shut down the public schools.

Three Employees of a Long Island Information Technology Company Plead Guilty to Criminal Copyright Infringement

 

Constructure Technologies, LLC Also Enters into Deferred Prosecution Agreement to Resolve Charge Related to Illegal Installation of Software between 2011 and 2018

 Michael Calabria, Joseph Keegan and Casey Silver pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Central Islip to criminal copyright infringement.  Calabria and Keegan were principals of Constructure Technologies, LLC (“Constructure”), located in Melville, New York, and Silver was a Constructure employee.  The charge relates to the defendants’ installing unlicensed versions of software by using “cracking” programs or “key generators,” which allowed Constructure employees to activate copies of the software without paying for a license and obtaining a key.  In addition to the guilty pleas, Constructure itself is charged with a felony violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and agreed to pay a $60,000 fine.  The fine is part of a deferred prosecution agreement that Constructure has entered into with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The relevant portion of the DMCA prohibits the criminal circumvention of copyright protection systems, including encryption systems. 

Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty pleas and deferred prosecution agreement.

“With the guilty pleas and deferred prosecution agreement, Constructure and the individual defendants admit to committing a high-tech theft by installing unlicensed software they didn’t pay for, and cheating software companies of license fees they were owed,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis.  “Protecting intellectual property rights is an important priority of this Office, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute those who ignore those rights for their own profit.”  Ms. Kasulis also thanked the Suffolk County Police Department and VMWare for their valuable assistance with the case.

“We install software on our computers to protect us from hackers and criminals. Software companies are constantly updating and fixing programs with patches to stay one step ahead of the bad actors who work non-stop to exploit vulnerabilities.  The three employees who are pleading guilty in this investigation only saw the profit they could make if they gamed the system.  Users paying for security software should be able to rely on the legitimacy of it,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.

The Scheme to Circumvent Copyright Protection Systems

According to court filings, Constructure provided information technology services, helping install, manage and service various networks and other technology products for small and medium sized businesses.  Calabria was Constructure’s President, Keegan was the Chief Technology Officer, and Silver was a Project Manager.

Between 2011 and 2018, Constructure sold, installed and provided services for computer programs that were copyrighted and then sold by software companies (“Victim Software Companies”), including VMWare, a global cloud computing software company.  Some of those computer programs were designed so that they could not be activated until a user paid the company for a “license” to use that software.  In purchasing a license, the user received a “key”—a string of letters, numbers and symbols—that, when entered into the copy of software obtained by the user, activated the software.  Constructure’s clients generally paid Constructure to purchase licenses for such computer programs and to activate those programs with a legitimate license key.

Starting in or about 2011, Calabria, Keegan, and Silver helped to operate Constructure’s business in part by installing unlicensed versions of software from Victim Software Companies by using cracking programs or key generators, which allowed Constructure to activate copies of the software without paying for a license and obtaining a key.  Constructure employees, often at the express direction of Calabria or Keegan, used cracking programs or key generators to install software from multiple Victim Software Companies. 

Constructure employees, including Keegan, obtained license keys and cracking programs from the Internet.  They also tested those programs on a computer server located in the basement of Constructure’s office in Melville and on a file-sharing site controlled by Constructure, so that the programs could be used remotely by Constructure employees. 

By installing working, but unlicensed, versions of software, Constructure was able to bill a customer for the software, under the pretense that Constructure purchased a copy on behalf of the customer, while not actually paying for it.  Constructure employees did not inform Constructure’s clients or the Victim Software Companies that Constructure employees used “cracks” to install those programs. 

From approximately 2011 to approximately 2018, Constructure employees installed cracked software programs for multiple clients, including clients located in Hicksville, New York; Mineola, New York; Manhattan, New York; and Bridgewater, New Jersey.

When sentenced, each defendant faces up to one year in prison and a fine. 

The Deferred Prosecution Agreement and Criminal Information as to Constructure

Under the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement, Constructure will pay a criminal penalty of $60,000 and maintain a compliance and ethics program designed to prevent and detect violations of the DMCA and other applicable laws.  If the company breaches the agreement, it will be subject to prosecution for the charge in the criminal information that was filed today, charging Constructure with a criminal violation of the DMCA

SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $12 MILLION IN FEMA FUNDING TO HIRE NEW FIREFIGHTERS IN FIRE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS UPSTATE NEW YORK

 

Senators Say Upstate Firefighters Have Worked Tirelessly Throughout The COVID-19 Pandemic, Now Face Staffing And Budget Issues

Schumer, Gillibrand: Federal Funding Will Help Bolster Upstate Fire Departments

 U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $12,316,450 in federal funding for five fire departments across Upstate New York to hire new firefighters. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.

“Our brave firefighters worked around the clock during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to risk their lives to protect our communities,” said Senator Schumer. “These courageous first responders deserve all the federal support possible to help them do their jobs. I will always fight to bring more federal resources to support our brave firefighters, and I’m proud to deliver this funding so Upstate Fire Departments can hire new desperately needed firefighters without bearing the financial stress.”

“Firefighters across New York State have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to protect our communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will continue fighting for funding to ensure that our fire departments have what they need to remain adequately staffed, respond quickly to emergencies, and stay safe on the front lines.”

Specifically, the senators said the City of Albany, City of Auburn, Village of Johnson City, Town of Lagrange, and the City of Syracuse will receive the FEMA funding for hiring firefighters.

The SAFER grant program was established by FEMA within DHS to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities. The goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A breakdown of the funding appears below:

Location	Organization	Amount
Albany   Auburn   Johnson City   Poughkeepsie   Syracuse	City of Albany   City of Auburn   Village of Johnson City   Town of Lagrange   City of Syracuse	$3,328,488   $1,266,480   $923,214   $3,561,143   $3,237,125

Governor Hochul Announces New Yorkers and Visitors Can Fish for Free on Saturday, Sept. 25

 

Anglers of All Abilities Encouraged to Cast a Line, Experience Benefits of Fishing on Annual Free Fishing Day

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York's fifth Free Fishing Day of the year is on Saturday, Sept. 25, coinciding with National Hunting and Fishing Day, which is celebrated annually to promote outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and target shooting. New York provides anglers with six Free Fishing Days each year.  

"I encourage new and experienced anglers alike to take advantage of the upcoming Free Fishing Day, which gives everyone the chance to try the sport at no cost and introduce family and friends to a new hobby," Governor Hochul said. "Getting outside to cast a line is a perfect way to experience the outdoors and recharge at one of New York's many world-class fishing destinations. Fishing in New York State provides both recreational enjoyment and serves as a vital economic generator, supporting local economies statewide."

The sixth, and final, Free Fishing Day in 2021 is on Veterans Day, Nov 11. On Free Fishing Days, New York residents and non-residents may fish for free without a fishing license. Free Fishing Day participants are reminded that, although the requirement for a fishing license is waived, all other fishing regulations remain in effect.

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Fishing is a fun activity that can be enjoyed alone or with friends and family. From catching bass at a local pond, to seeking out brook trout on a secluded stream and everything in between, aspiring anglers have plenty of opportunities to choose from and Free Fishing Day is the perfect time to test your skills."

DEC's Places to Fish webpages are a reliable source for those ready to plan their next fishing trip. For beginning anglers interested in getting started, the I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing provides information on everything from rigging up a fishing rod to identifying catch and understanding fishing regulations.

When not participating in Free Fishing Days, anglers 16 years of age and older must have a current New York State fishing license to fish. Fishing licenses are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. More information on purchasing a fishing license can be found on DEC's website.

Affordable Housing Units Still Available In 1492 Bryant Avenue In Crotona Park East, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 1492 Bryant Avenue, a four-story residential building in Crotona Park East, The Bronx. Designed by Node Architecture Engineering Consulting PC and developed by Eduard Haxhari under the 1492 Bryant Avenue LLC, the structure yields 11 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are four units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $44,572 to $139,620.

Residents will have access to a landscaped outdoor space and bike storage lockers. Units include name-brand appliances and finishes, air conditioning, and hardwood floors.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are two studios with a monthly rent of $1,300 for incomes ranging from $44,572 to $124,150; and two one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,475 for incomes ranging from $50,572 to $139,620.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than October 7, 2021.

Assemblymember Nathalia Fernandez - Updated Office Hours

 

Greetings,

Our office is happy to announce our Updated Office Hours.

Beginning Monday, September 20th, we will be open between the hours of 9am - 5pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays - By Appointment Only.

We are happy to receive any calls or emails from constituents who would like to schedule an appointment.

Best Regards,

New York State Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez

Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation Into Civilian Death in Rochester

 

 The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of Dedrick James, who died on September 15, 2021, following an encounter with law enforcement in Rochester.

New York State Executive Law Section 70-b mandated the establishment of OSI within the Office of the New York State Attorney General, effective April 1, 2021. This law represents the codification and expansion of the role previously performed by the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit (SIPU) since Executive Order 147 became effective in July 2015.

On the morning of September 15, 2021, members of the Multi-Agency Fugitive Task Force, including the Rochester Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and United States Marshals Service, responded to 6 Vinewood Place in the city of Rochester to serve an arrest warrant for Dedrick James. Another individual answered the door, and after law enforcement entered the home, Mr. James allegedly fled to a bathroom. Once officers entered the bathroom, Mr. James allegedly displayed a firearm, and a brief struggle ensued while officers attempted to disarm him. During that encounter, the firearm allegedly in Mr. James’ possession discharged and one bullet entered his chest. Mr. James died as a result of that single gunshot wound.