We are glad to announce our Community Shred Days in District 13 between October 23rd and November 20th. Please share with family and neighbors!
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Governor Hochul Announces New COVID-19 Data Hub Website to Expand Public Access, Centralize Information and Improve the User Experience
New Website Offers Single COVID-19 Data Access Page
Expands Availability of Data on Health Data NY, Allowing Users to Access Health Information in Downloadable Formats Such as Excel
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of a new centralized website for New York State COVID-19 data. This website includes new data as well as a reorganization of previously released data to make it easier for the public to access, read and understand. In addition, more COVID-19 data is now being made available on Health Data NY.
"Providing new data about COVID-19 to the public and making existing data easier to access and understand is yet another step we are taking towards more transparency," Governor Hochul said. "We will continue to do everything we can to share the latest information with New Yorkers, especially during this unprecedented pandemic."
The new website marks the creation of a single landing page for COVID-19 dashboards that is easy to access, rather than having to navigate different dashboards on different platforms. The new data homepage links to 16 key data pages organized into five major categories. In addition, the Department of Health retooled several dashboards that were created early in the pandemic to provide information in a manner that is easier to understand and more relevant to current needs.
SUMMARY OF DASHBOARD UPDATE
On the new COVID-19 Testing Dashboard:
- The map of cumulative cases has been replaced with two new options - Cases per 100k, 7-day avg and Test % Positive, 7-day avg. This scales the information appropriately and makes it easier to compare counties. The county cumulative tested number has been moved and can now be found when clicking a specific county for more details. Other information has been reorganized to put recent data before cumulative data, and labels have been changed slightly for clarity.
- The "table view" information is now available on the map and the "Positive tests over time, by region and county" page. While the county's cumulative positivity rate has been removed, it can still be obtained by calculating the cumulative positive / cumulative tested, which is available in the map view.
- The "daily trends" graph is now available in the "Positive tests over time, by region and county" dashboard. In addition, the "Percentage Positive Results by County" Dashboard and "Percentage Positive Results by Region" Dashboard have been combined into one dashboard showing this information at both the regional and county level. The fatalities previously linked via the button on the bottom right of the COVID-19 Dashboard are now listed on their own page.
- On the Fatalities page, the same data that was previously available is now spread out on the page for improved readability. In addition, the nursing home and adult care facility fatality PDFs have now been consolidated under the long-term care fatalities section.
The COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard has been removed as it was built to support regional reopening metrics that are no longer relevant. Cases per 100k is available on the COVID-19 Testing Dashboard, and detailed hospitalization information is now available on Health Data NY.
SUMMARY OF DATASET UPDATES
In addition to the dashboards, additional datasets are now available on Health Data NY, a public database that allows users to access health information in multiple downloadable formats such as Excel. Health Data NY now includes additional self-reported data from the COVID-19 School Report Card, nursing home and adult care facility fatality data, and hospital admissions by gender and zip code, as well as hospital capacity and staff vaccination numbers.
Full list of additions to Health Data NY:
- Schools: All four datasets include the number of positive students, teachers and staff reported daily by each individual school and the number of screening and diagnostic tests performed at each school.
- New York State Statewide School COVID-19 Report Card BOCES data; 2021-2022
- New York State Statewide School COVID-19 Report Card Private school data; 2021-2022
- New York State Statewide School COVID-19 Report Card Charter school data; 2021-2022
- New York State Statewide School COVID-19 Report Card Public school data; 2021-2022
- Nursing Homes/ACFs: The cumulative number of nursing home confirmed COVID-19 and presumed COVID-19 fatalities available along with the number of confirmed out of facility fatalities available - the same as the nursing home PDF that's made available on the public site
- New York State Statewide COVID-19 Nursing Home and Adult Care Facility Fatalities.
- Vaccine Completion: The cumulative daily number of first vaccine doses and vaccine series completion available by county
- New York State Statewide COVID-19 Vaccination Data by County
- Hospitals:
- Hospital Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) Hospital Survey COVID-19 Admissions by Gender - Statewide by day
- Hospital Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) Hospital Survey COVID-19 Admissions by Zip Code - Statewide by day
- Hospital Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) Hospital Survey COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Beds - Daily by Facility since 3/26/2020:
- Patients Currently Hospitalized, Newly admitted, positive after admission, discharged, currently in ICU, in ICU and intubated, expired, cumulative discharges, cumulative fatalities
- Total staffed beds/beds available/beds occupied, total staffed ICU beds/beds available/beds occupied
- Total new admissions reported and current admission by age group
- Hospital Staff vaccinated - total number of employees, number partially and fully vaccinated
Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr - My Two (2) Cents
IS GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AFRAID OF JUMAANE WILLIAMS?
You should know that the editorial page of the New York Post, published on Monday, October 18, 2021, gave me the impression that Governor Kathy Hochul is afraid of losing the governorship to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams or State Attorney Letitia James both, African Americans.
According to the Post editorial, since Kathy Hochul was appointed governor, she has gone out of her way to appoint people whose politics and ideologies lean toward the socialist and far-left wing of the Democrat party, as if to take the left leaning base away from both of them.
You should know that Governor Hochul's first step when she became governor, was to appoint Senator Brian Benjamin as her Lieutenant Governor, despite Benjamin’s support for defunding the Police. With that appointment, the message she sends is that she favors protecting the criminals more than the victims and the honest hard-working people of New York State.
As if that were not enough, Governor Hochul has signed into law different pieces of legislations that decriminalize those who have violated their parole and orders law enforcement not arrest people who publicly inject or use drugs, in public.
You should know that according to the NY Post editorial Governor Hochul has concentrated her energy on satisfying the communist, socialist wing in her effort to maintain the governorship next year.
As one highly concerned about this, I’m putting my two (2) cents in this matter. I strongly believe that Gov. Kathy Hochul is making a big mistake when she chooses to ignore New York State’s moderate residents and voters who lean more toward conservative principles. By doing so, Gov. Hochul risks losing the support of people of faith, religious groups, and those who oppose defunding the police. These are people who desire to live in a society where law and order is adhered to. Gov. Hochul should work to ensure that criminals are arrested and held accountable for the crimes they commit. She should not appease the criminals but work to prevent crime and reduce the high rate of violence and criminality that has plagued the City of New York and overall state especially since she took office.
According to the New York Post, Congressman Tom Suozzi of Long Island went to Buffalo (In Hochul’s backyard) to endorse Mayor Byron Brown against the Socialist India Walton. Gov. Hochul has refused to endorse Brown against the Socialist, sending one more message that she doesn't care about law and order and that police officers, not only in the city of New York, but also in Buffalo and across the state will have their hands tied and could face being arrested themselves if they try arrest those who violate our laws. OMG! What a mess!
I am Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz and this What You Should Know.
Monday, October 18, 2021
Attorney General James Announces the First Court Appearance of NYPD Officer on Murder Charge
Yvonne Wu was Off-Duty When She Allegedly Shot and Killed Jamie Liang, and Shot and Injured Jenny Li
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that Yvonne Wu, 31, of Staten Island, New York, appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court before Judge Joshua Glick. The Attorney General has filed a criminal complaint against Wu charging her with one count of murder in the second degree and one count of attempted murder in the second degree, in connection with the shooting death of Jamie Liang, 24, and the shooting of Jenny Li, 23. Yvonne Wu is an officer with the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
Through her attorney, Wu requested an examination to determine her capacity to understand the charges against her and to assist in her defense, which the court granted. The court remanded Wu pending the examination and set the next court appearance for November 19, 2021.
Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person, by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may have been on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may have been armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not have been in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - OCTOBER 18, 2021
16,320 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours
28 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday
Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.
"Many New Yorkers have been vaccinated for COVID-19 and are returning to normal life, but we can't get complacent," Governor Hochul said. "We have to get more New Yorkers vaccinated, end the pandemic and revitalize our economy. Lives still hang in the balance, and I'm urging everyone who hasn't gotten a shot yet to consider their friends, families and loved ones and use the vaccine to help end this pandemic for all of us."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 115,785
- Total Positive - 3,003
- Percent Positive - 2.59%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.46%
- Patient Hospitalization - 2,144 (+58)
- Patients Newly Admitted - 478
- Patients in ICU - 464 (+14)
- Patients in ICU with Intubation - 256 (+9)
- Total Discharges - 205,329 (+178)
- New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 28
- Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 45,137
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 - 57,288
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 - 26,291,069
- Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 16,320
- Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 362,658
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 83.1%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 75.4%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 86.1%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.4%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 70.4%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 63.7%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 73.0%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 65.5%
Douglaston Development Opens 18,000-Square-Foot Medical Facility At Crossroads Plaza In The South Bronx
Rooftop view of Crossroads Plaza - Photo Courtesy of Douglaston Development
Douglaston Development recently debuted an 18,000-square-foot medical facility at Crossroads Plaza, a mixed-use affordable housing development in The Bronx. The property is located at 828 East 149th Street in Mott Haven and will be operated by Essen Health Care.
The other two buildings within the Crossroads Plaza complex are located at 501 Southern Boulevard and 535 Union Avenue. With limited urgent-care, medical, and dental facilities in the area, Essen’s new ground-floor space offers a much-needed resource to Crossroads Plaza residents and the surrounding community.
“Essen Health Care’s new facility completes the last phase of the Crossroads Plaza development and we’re thrilled to see this final piece of the project come to fruition,” said Jed Resnick, CEO at Douglaston Development. “Crossroads Plaza not only provides the Bronx community with a broad range of affordable housing options, but simultaneously serves the community with early childhood education, social services, and now healthcare as well.”
The Crossroads Plaza community comprises 425 affordable housing units, all of which are restricted to individuals and households at 40 percent to 130 percent area median income.
Additional components include 60,000 square feet of retail space, a 160-vehicle parking garage, a 20,000-square-foot public plaza, and a children’s playground. The commercial spaces will be occupied by a Universal Pre-Kindergarten program and social service facilities run by The Foundling, which services families with young children.
The complex was completed in collaboration with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York City Housing Development Corporation.
Bronx Metro-North Station Area Study - Hunts Point and Co-op City Remote Sessions
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NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: ESD Falls Short in Evaluation of Nearly $2 Billion of Economic Development Programs
Empire State Development (ESD), the public authority responsible for administering many of New York state’s economic development programs, has failed to fully evaluate most of its programs to determine if they are boosting the state’s economy and promoting promised job and business growth, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
ESD spends about $1.8 billion a year in taxpayer money for loans, grants, tax credits and other financial assistance to companies and projects.
“Empire State Development has an important role in helping New York’s economy grow and create jobs, especially now as we work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the authority has not fully evaluated which programs work and which don’t,” DiNapoli said. “ESD does not use the data it collects to assess the effectiveness of its programs and see if the billions of dollars spent are creating opportunities across the state. The agency must do a better job of analyzing whether these programs are achieving their goals and share this information with the public.”
ESD administers 57 programs with over 5,000 associated projects. State laws and regulations require ESD to perform certain program evaluations every two or four years.
DiNapoli’s auditors found that, with few exceptions, ESD does not monitor or evaluate its economic assistance programs to determine whether goals are met, identify program successes and failures, or apply successful strategies to other programs. This creates uncertainty about program effectiveness.
For example, ESD officials said they have reviewed data for their Excelsior Jobs Program and START-UP NY Program that showed positive results and led to some changes in those programs. However, when auditors asked for supporting documentation showing how data was analyzed, ESD was unable to provide it.
Auditors also found that while ESD has migrated, or plans to migrate, many of its programs to a central database (Dynamics), others remain tracked elsewhere, and only 37 of its 57 programs were fully tracked in the Dynamics system. Having its programs and all associated projects in a centralized project tracking system would allow for greater efficiencies in compiling and reporting on relevant data.
DiNapoli recommended ESD:
- Conduct and document evaluations of economic assistance programs to assess performance and ensure they are meeting desired outcomes.
- Identify additional economic assistance programs that would benefit from migration to Dynamics.
In response to DiNapoli’s auditors, ESD officials said they use a multi-level process to evaluate their programs. According to ESD officials, they issue more than 50 quarterly and annual reports each year, which are posted on their website. However, most of these reports do not clearly measure program results, track back to project agreements or examine where jobs were or what they paid. ESD disagreed with the auditor’s first recommendation but agreed with the second recommendation. The agency’s full response is included in the audit.
Audit
Empire State Development: Project Tracking Systems and Economic Assistance Program Evaluations