Monday, November 15, 2021
DEC RECOGNIZES ‘NEW YORK RECYCLES DAY’
Annual Recycles Day Raises Awareness of Recycling's Benefits
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today recognized Nov. 15 as “New York Recycles Day,” celebrating the state’s leadership in promoting recycling and reducing waste. New York’s efforts complement America Recycles Day, a national initiative to raise awareness of the economic, environmental, and social benefits of recycling.
“New York continues to lead the nation in developing forward-thinking recycling strategies, programs, and policies focused on reducing solid waste and protecting the environment,” Commissioner Seggos said. “As recycling markets continue to fluctuate globally, DEC remains focused on streamlining the recycling process and helping communities reach recycling goals. On New York Recycles Day, I encourage all New Yorkers to commit to the core conservation principles of reduce, re-use, and recycle.”
Across the state, individuals, community groups, businesses, schools, and government agencies celebrate New York Recycles Day in a variety of ways, from encouraging others to reduce their waste by pledging to start an office or school recycling program, participating in the New York Recycles poster contest, hosting a reuse exchange, and improving awareness of local recycling requirements. These combined efforts help educate and inform New Yorkers about the advantages of recycling. Additional information about America Recycles Day events is available at the Keep America Beautiful America Recycles Day website (leaves DEC's website).
New York State has a long history of implementing some of the nation’s strongest recycling initiatives, including the Solid Waste Management Act of 1988, which requires the separation of recyclable or reusable materials from solid waste and has inspired local source-separation programs across the state that have captured and diverted millions of tons of recyclable materials from disposal resulting in the reduction of CO2 emissions, energy usage, and the use of natural resources.
Over the last three decades, New York State has invested millions in recycling grants through the State's Environmental Protection Fund to support municipal waste reduction and recycling programs with recycling infrastructure, equipment, collection vehicles, local education and outreach programs, and municipal recycling coordinator salaries. Targeted funding and focus over the last several years include food recovery, food waste collection and organics recycling, as well as electronic waste recycling. Other programs designed to encourage waste diversion in New York include stewardship programs like the electronic waste reuse and recycling act, the rechargeable battery recycling law, mercury thermostat collection act, and the drug take-back law, as well as the lead-acid battery recycling law and the bottle bill.
In 2020, New York adopted the nation's strongest statewide ban of expanded polystyrene, single-use foam food and beverage containers, and polystyrene loose fill packaging materials, commonly known as packing peanuts. The ban will become effective on Jan. 1, 2022. Foam packaging is one of the top contributors of environmental litter, causing negative impacts to wildlife, waterways, and other natural resources, as well as littering our communities and natural areas. It is lightweight, breaks apart easily, and does not readily biodegrade. When polystyrene foam ends up as litter in the environment, it can persist for a long time and may also become microplastic pollution. In addition, foam containers and loose fill packaging, such as packing peanuts, are not accepted in most recycling programs in New York State because the foam is difficult to recycle and has a low value. Proposed Part 353 Expanded Polystyrene Foam Container and Loose Fill Packaging Reduction regulations to implement the provisions of the ban are available for public comment until Nov. 22. ?
To help achieve the State's waste reduction goals and keep land and waterways clean, the New York State Bag Reduction Act took effect on March 1, 2020. This act prohibits the distribution of plastic carryout bags by retailers in New York State and is significantly reducing plastic bag waste. Get more consumer information on the plastic bag ban.
To decrease contamination in recyclables processed through single-stream facilities and increase the marketability of those recyclables, DEC encourages all New Yorkers to 'recycle right.' Each community has specific recycling rules and all New Yorkers should check with their municipality or waste hauler on the types of paper, metal, plastic and glass items that can be recycled. Recyclables have the best marketing value when they are clean and dry before being placed in the collection bin.
Tips to Recycle Right:
Keep recyclable items loose in the bin; do not use plastic bags (unless required by your municipality or waste hauler);
Do not recycle single-use cups and plates, condiment packages, coffee pods, stirrers, straws, paper napkins; plastic cutlery;
Return rechargeable batteries to retail recycling locations;
Compost at home or send yard trimmings and food scraps to a local or municipal composting program;
Donate dishware, mirrors, glassware and ceramics if in good condition;
Donate textiles --even if there no longer wearable or useable, as long as they are clean, they can be recycled;
Do not put any type of rope, hose, or twine into your recycling bin; and
Return needles to appropriate collection locations. Visit DEC's Household Sharps website for more information.
DEC urges the public to "keep it out when in doubt," as contamination in the recycling supply chain reduces the quality of recyclable materials. For more information contact your local recycling coordinator or visit the DEC website for information and resources on the "Recycle Right NY" campaign.
48 Days an Counting
Let me see now, I have only forty-eight days left in office while Governor Hochul and Attorney General James will be in office during the primary. They are handing out millions and millions of dollars of money all over the state, and what am I doing, fighting with my union members to get vaccinated.
I may have to think this over, even though I can give millions of dollars as mayor of New York City, but people still want to know where the 875 million dollars I put into THRIVE New York went, while putting my wife Charlene in charge of it. I guess I have enough money to retire if I wanted to.
Hudson Valley Tequila Producer Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud Scheme
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH CIMINO, the founder of a tequila brand based in the Hudson Valley, pled guilty today to securities and wire fraud charges before U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti. CIMINO admitted as part of his plea that he fraudulently solicited investments for his company.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated: “As he admitted in court today, Joseph Cimino lied about his tequila business’s finances to lure investors and then diverted investor funds in order to line his own pockets. Now Cimino awaits sentencing for his fraudulent conduct.”
According to court documents and statements in court, from in or about 2014 to 2018, CIMINO raised approximately $935,000 from at least 25 investors based on fraudulent representations. To attract investors, CIMINO falsely inflated the amount of capital that he had raised from prior investors, and falsely described as investors several individuals who, in fact, had not contributed any funds. CIMINO also falsely inflated his company’s sales. For example, in July 2017, CIMINO claimed in an investor report that year-to-date sales totaled 3,410 cases of tequila, when the actual sales totaled only 350 cases. Similarly, in October 2017, CIMINO falsely claimed that year-to-date sales totaled 6,035 cases, which was approximately five times the actual total. CIMINO further claimed in October 2017 that his company would receive reimbursement for 800 cases of tequila supposedly destroyed at a Puerto Rican warehouse as a result of Hurricane Maria. In reality, no inventory was destroyed in the hurricane, and the company lacked insurance.
CIMINO also misused a substantial portion of investor money that was intended to fund the operations of his tequila business for personal expenses. For example, from 2014 to 2018, CIMINO transferred approximately $472,000 of investor money to his personal bank account in order to subsidize his food, entertainment, and other living expenses.
CIMINO, 57, of Warwick, New York, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
CIMINO is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Briccetti on February 18, 2022, at 2:30 p.m.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in the investigation.
Bahamian Man Sentenced To Five Years In Prison For More Than $1.2 Million Credit Card Fraud Scheme
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that KEVIN DION ROLLE, Jr. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan to 60 months in prison for his role in a $1.2 million credit card scheme. ROLLE, Jr. pled guilty before Judge Nathan on August 5, 2021, to one count of wire fraud.
According to the allegations in the Complaint, the Indictment, and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
From October 2015 to September 2020, ROLLE participated in what is known by various credit card companies as a “bust-out” scheme whereby the credit card user applies for a credit card and incurs numerous charges with no intention of paying the balance. As part of his multi-year fraud scheme, ROLLE submitted multiple credit card applications to American Express (“Amex”), which often included or were supported by documentation containing false identifying information. Once ROLLE received a credit card, he used the credit card for a short period of time to purchase luxury items, including, among other things, Cartier jewelry and a Bentley.
In total, ROLLE incurred $1,205,318.18 in Amex credit card charges that remain outstanding and collected an $209,500 in insurance proceeds based on a claim for jewelry pieces purchased with the fraudulent Amex credit cards.
On the basis of multiple Court filings, ROLLE admitted in the terms of his plea agreement to obstructing justice. ROLLE made numerous self-serving, false, and/or inconsistent statements to the Court and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico where he was first arrested regarding his personal background, possession of foreign passports, and his purported ties to New York. At the time of his arrest, ROLLE presented an Irish passport, which was later found to have been obtained with a fake United States passport. Additionally, ROLLE purported to be the president of a particular college in The Bahamas—the existence of which was unable to be verified by the FBI.
In addition to the prison term, ROLLE, 27, of The Bahamas, was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $1,414,818.18 and forfeiture in the amount of $1,504,818.18.
Mr. Williams thanked the FBI Foreign Influence Task Force for their outstanding work.
Comptroller Stringer Analysis: Residents Returning to New York City after Out-Migration Tripled During Pandemic
Net residential out-migration from NYC tripled during 2020, with residents in the wealthiest 10 percent of city neighborhoods 4.6 times more likely to leave
Since July 2021, the city has gained an estimated 6,332 permanent movers, indicating a gradual return to New York City
Today, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released a comprehensive analysis of the pandemic’s impact on monthly migration patterns into and out of the city. Using data published by the United States Postal Service (USPS) from change of address forms, the analysis confirms that New York City’s net residential out-migration tripled from 2019 to 2020. The data show that the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods experienced the most population loss; residents in the wealthiest 10 percent of city neighborhoods, as measured by median income, were 4.6 times more likely to move than other residents during 2020.
In more recent months, the reopening of office buildings, the return of in-person school, and the rebirth of arts and entertainment have helped to attract movers to the city. Since July 2021, USPS data has shown an estimated net gain of 6,332 permanent movers, mainly in neighborhoods that experienced the greatest flight.
“New York City is steadily reopening and New Yorkers are returning to the city we love—that’s why it’s vital that we invest in the value proposition that is New York City and make sure we continue to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Comptroller Stringer. “That means investing in our classrooms and teachers so our children get the very best education, investing in affordable and accessible child care so parents can return to work, and investing in our streetscapes and green spaces to ensure that our neighborhoods are walkable and breathable. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our city and build back stronger than ever from the losses of the pandemic.”
Despite recent gains, certain neighborhoods have a long road ahead to regain pre-pandemic population. Whether or not these gains continue and accelerate will depend on the trajectory of the pandemic and the city’s ability to maintain in-person activities and attractions, as well as the endurance of telework arrangements and workers’ ability and desire to live farther from their place of work as commuting becomes less burdensome.
Major findings of the analysis include:
- In the first three months of the pandemic, from March to May 2020, more than 60 percent of net moves from city addresses were marked as temporary, indicating that the person or household intended to return, but since then 79 percent of net moves have been marked as permanent.
- Excluding moves marked as “temporary,” net out-migration from the city increased by an estimated 130,837 from March 2020 through June 2021, as compared to pre-pandemic trends.
- Residents from the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods were the most likely to leave. Residents in the wealthiest 10 percent of city neighborhoods, as measured by median income, were 4.6 times more likely to leave than other residents during 2020, recording 109 net move-outs per 1,000 residents vs 24 elsewhere. Moves from wealthier neighborhoods were also more likely to be recorded as temporary. About half of net out-migration from the wealthiest 10 percent of neighborhoods was marked as temporary in 2020, compared to 44 percent in the next wealthiest decile and less than 30 percent elsewhere.
- In September 2021, New York City public schools and colleges opened to full-time, in-person learning; some employers, including city government, called office workers back; and the curtains rose on Broadway after an 18-month shutdown. Not surprisingly, these events coincided with an improvement in net residential migration to the city, particularly in the neighborhoods that experienced the greatest flight in the spring of 2020.
- Since July 2021, USPS data has shown an estimated net gain of 6,332 permanent movers, indicating a gradual return to New York City, mainly in neighborhoods that experienced the greatest flight. On a per-capita basis, the largest net gains over the summer were in Chelsea/Midtown, Murray Hill/Gramercy, Battery Park City/Greenwich Village, and Chinatown/Lower East Side.
The new report, including neighborhood-level and zip code-level interactive maps, is available here.
Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul on COVID-19 Boosters
"As Governor, I am committed to protecting the health and safety of all New Yorkers, and with the holidays coming up, we must continue to do everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"We know the vaccine not only slows the spread, but also improves outcomes and reduces the stress placed on our hospitals and health care system. Dr. Fauci recently noted that making the booster shot available to all is 'absolutely essential' to fighting this deadly virus - especially as people start to congregate indoors for holiday gatherings.
"I am strongly encouraging all New Yorkers who live or work in a high-risk setting to get the booster. I received the booster, and believe no one who feels they are at risk should be turned away from getting a COVID-19 booster shot. If you feel at risk, please get the booster."
Assemblyman Dinowitz and Bronx Democratic Party Leader Jamaal Bailey Condemn Sunday's Rally as Anti-Semitic, But do nothing when the 80th A.D. District Leader Marcos Sierra Does It.
In the above photo a woman on the right side is holding a sign against Assembly Bill A8378. She has a Swastika on it which is wrong, and should not have been allowed at the rally. One of the Republican governor candidate Astorino's people should have seen the sign, and told her to take it down or asked her to leave, but that was not done.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz put out a tweet before the rally to warn his supporters that a rally against his bill A8378 to mandate all school children between the ages of two and eighteen be vaccinated for COVID was going to happen.
After the rally assembly Dinowitz put out a statement continually mentioning antisemitism because of the lone Swastika on the two posters by one woman comparing the vaccine mandate to Nazi Germany and an old man who placed a gold star on his coat. Dinowitz called the rally a publicity stunt, and the work of a Right Wing Extremist of the Republican Party. Bronx Democratic Party Leader State Senator Jamaal Bailey also condemned the rally as anti-Semitic by the Republican Party.
When it comes to calling out Bronx Democrats, Assemblyman Dinowitz, and Bronx Democratic Party Leader Senator Bailey fail miserably. 80th Assembly Male District Leader Marcos Sierra at the Tracy Towers poll site broke two New York State Election Laws during the 2020 November General Election. 1 - DL Sierra said I was a Republican with a poll watchers certificate, instructing poll workers what to do. 2 - When I presented my Board of Elections media credentials to the poll coordinator, DL Sierra wanted to see it, and when I refused to give it to him, he had the poll coordinator read him word for word what the two pages had on them. That action caused interference with the operation of a poll site by ordering the poll coordinator to stop her work, to read him my media credentials.
I complained to Bronx Democratic Party Leader State Senator Jamaal Bailey to remove DL Sierra according to the Bronc Democratic Party By-Laws. I was told the senator hasn't read the by-laws yet, and that he would not do anything to the district leader who seconded his nomination to be the party leader. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is the Secretary to the Bronx Democratic Party, who said to take it up with the Party Leader. Both are a bunch of Hypocrites.