Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - DECEMBER 5, 2021

 

122,518 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours     

40 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

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

"With a new variant circulating in New York, the best way to stay safe this holiday season is by getting vaccinated and boosted," Governor Hochul said. "With holiday gatherings just weeks away, you can protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated and encouraging everyone in your life to do the same."   

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Test Results Reported - 234,516   
• Total Positive - 10,411
• Percent Positive - 4.44% 
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.84%
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,236 (+38)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 443
• Patients in ICU - 619 (+3)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 333 (+5)
• Total Discharges - 217,387 (+407)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 40
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS -  46,756 

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 - 57,212

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 - 30,435,388
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 122,518
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 809,136
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 86.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 78.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 91.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 81.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 74.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 67.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 79.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 68.9%

Allerton Avenue Menorah Lighting

 

Rabbi Pewzner of the Bronx Jewish Center stopped by the Allerton Triangle where Allerton Avenue, Bronxwood Avenue, and Boston Road intersect to light the Allerton Menorah Saturday night. Before going up the ladder to light seven oil lamps for the seventh of eight nights of the holiday of Chanukah the history of Chanukah was explained by the Rabbi. 

Gene De Francis president of the Allerton International Merchants Association lit the middle light that is used to light the other lamps (or in this case a propane torch was used). Rabbi Pewzner then went up the ladder to light the other seven oil lamps. 

AIM President Gene De Francis lights the middle oil lamp.

Rabbi Pewzner finishes lighting seven other oil lamps, leaving the far left and eighth oil lamp for the next night when all eight oil lamp are lit with the middle one.

Afterwards it was time to celebrate with potato latkes and jelly donuts, then dance as you see the photo. Community Board 11 member Kenneth Gelnick, Rabbi Pewzner, Gene De Francis, Steve Glosser, and others dance. 

  Most of the crowd who came to see the lighting of the Allerton Triangle Menorah. 

United States Attorney Damian Williams Announces Investigation Of The Mount Vernon Police Department

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), along with Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, announced that the Justice Department has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD).  The investigation will assess whether MVPD engages in a pattern or practice of discriminatory policing.  The investigation will also assess MVPD’s use of force, strip and body cavity searches, and how it handles evidence.  As part of the investigation, SDNY and the Civil Rights Division will conduct a comprehensive review of MVPD’s systems of accountability, including complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition, and discipline.  SDNY and the Civil Rights Division will also reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with the MVPD.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Police officers have tough jobs, and so many do their work honorably, lawfully, and with distinction, respecting the rights of the citizens they have sworn to protect.  But when officers break the law, they violate their oath and undermine a community’s trust.  We ask anyone who has information relevant to the investigation into the Mount Vernon Police Department to contact the Department of Justice via email at community.mvpd@usdoj.gov or to call (866) 985-1378.”

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke said: “An effective and accountable police department is a hallmark of a healthy and well-functioning democracy.  The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that law enforcement agencies across our country use their authority in a manner that is constitutional, transparent, and free from discrimination.”

This morning, SDNY and Civil Rights Division officials informed Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, MVPD Chief Marcel Olifiers, City Council President Marcus A. Griffith, Commissioner of Public Safety Glenn Scott, and Corporation Counsel Brian Johnson of the investigation.

The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law.  The Act allows the Department of Justice to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation.  SDNY and the Civil Rights Division will be assessing law enforcement practices under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division, in Washington, D.C., are jointly conducting this investigation.  Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at community.mvpd@usdoj.gov or by phone at (866) 985-1378.  Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov.

Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny.  Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Division’s Police Reform Work is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt and at https://www.justice.gov/crt/file/922421/download. 

Governor Hochul Announces Completion of Dynamic LED Lighting at Empire State Plaza

 

New Energy-Efficient Lighting System Unveiled at Holiday Tree Lighting, Illuminating Empire State Plaza in Holiday Colors

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of a LED lighting project throughout the buildings at Empire State Plaza that will allow the plaza to be dynamically colored on special occasions. The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) have partnered to complete the installation of more than 360 exterior LED lights with new color-changing technology that will transform the plaza's unique architecture into visual celebrations throughout the year. The new energy efficient lighting will debut for the public later today at the Empire State Plaza annual holiday tree lighting ceremony at 5:15 p.m.

"I am happy to announce the completion of this exciting lighting display in the heart of our state capital, just in time for the tree lighting," Governor Hochul said. "The tree lighting and the larger completed lighting project are symbols of hope and optimism after a rough year and a half, and reflect our state's commitment to a greener, more efficient future."

The exterior lighting is part of a nearly $16 million comprehensive LED lighting project at the plaza scheduled to complete in 2023. NYPA, which is financing and implementing the project, is coordinating with OGS on the replacement of more than 95,000 lights throughout the buildings in the plaza with new LED fixtures. The initiative directly supports the state's commitment to a green Empire State Plaza and the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act by increasing energy efficiency and annually reducing electricity demand by three percent—equivalent to 1.8 million New York households—by 2025.

OGS Acting Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, "This annual holiday festival at the Empire State Plaza is the perfect opportunity to unveil a new LED outdoor lighting system. It will reduce energy usage by at least 85 percent and illuminate the architecturally unique buildings at the Plaza in spectacular colors. The new lights will be a striking addition to the Albany skyline for this event and future special occasions. I am proud of what OGS and NYPA are accomplishing together to build a greener, more sustainable New York State."

NYPA Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, "NYPA and OGS are implementing a comprehensive energy transformation at Empire State Plaza through the development of significant remote solar generation, energy efficiency and resiliency projects for the benefit of the complex and we are very pleased to complete the new LED lighting system in time for the annual tree lighting and holiday season. The lights have the capability of dynamically illuminating the buildings within the plaza to correspond with the variety of celebrations throughout the year."

In September 2019, NYPA and OGS completed an evaluation of energy options for Empire State Plaza through a series of technical reviews, community listening sessions, and meetings with neighborhood associations. The developed comprehensive plan, which includes the LED lighting upgrade, comprises these additional initiatives:

• Development is underway on a more than 30-megawatt remote solar array in Oriskany that will provide up to half of the plaza's energy needs.
• Construction is underway on a nearly $30 million electrification upgrade to one of the on-site steam-driven chillers to reduce local gas use and emissions by 18 percent. The project is expected to be completed next year.
• Implementation is in progress on the $60 million replacement of the existing on-site emergency generators with state-of-the-art efficient, low-emission and low-noise units. The project is expected to complete within the next two years.
• The old, out-of-use steel smokestack at the former ANSWERS plant has been demolished.
• In addition, OGS and NYPA have plans to begin a comprehensive energy audit of the plaza to determine what further actions and projects should be pursued.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 = DECEMBER 4, 2021

 

148,236 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours 

42 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

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

"As we expected, we have found three additional cases of the omicron variant in New York State. Now is the time to get your flu shot, get vaccinated, and if you're fully vaccinated, get your booster if you haven't already," Governor Hochul said. "As we begin to add a layer of clothing to stay warm from the cold weather, getting your booster will give you the gift of an added layer of protection against severe illness from COVID-19. We are not defenseless against COVID-19 and its variants, we have the tools to beat it."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 207,831
• Total Positive - 9,907 
• Percent Positive - 4.77%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.85% 
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,198 (+91) 
• Patients Newly Admitted - 494 
• Patients in ICU - 616 (+21) 
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 328 (+19) 
• Total Discharges - 216,980 (+371) 
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 42 
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 46,715

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 - 59,354

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 - 30,312,870 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 148,236 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 758,165 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 86.2% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 78.6% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 91.4% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 81.0% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 74.6% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 67.0% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 78.8% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 68.8%

Councilman Mark Gjonaj's NYC Moving Forward Week in Review - 12/3/2021

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your families are doing well and in light of the Covid-19 new variants, to get vaccinated, wear a face mask while indoors and in public, and help our city beat this virus once and for all.

Last week we helped light the first candle in the Menorahs in our District from the Albert Einstein Hospital, Bronx House, Loreto Park and Pelham Parkway. The lights of the menorah serve as a reminder that despite the darkness of the world, there is hope that with each positive action we can create a brighter, stronger and more resilient world.

As Chair of the Committee on Small Business I held alongside the Committee on Veterans, and it’s chair, my friend and colleague, Councilman Eric Dinowitz, a hearing to examine the challenges facing veteran entrepreneurs and ways that the administration can support their prosperity. Out of this discussion it became clear that the city needs to make veteran-specific designations for business support and improve outreach efforts about existing programs. I’d like to thank all who testified and advocated, offering their wisdom to us, including leadership from the American Legion and District 13’s very own Lt. Col. Ron Watson, Navy veteran Gene DeFrancis and Sgt. 1st class Peter C Del-Debbio.

I am grateful that through my NYC Council funding Seniors in our District from North East Bronx Senior Center, PSS City Island and Bronx House are enjoying the Holiday Train Show and Luncheon at the beautiful NY Botanical Garden.

With the end of the year festivities approaching I am glad to sponsor Christmas Tree Lightings and Toy Giveaways around the district.

Please remember we are here for you, contact my office with issues or concerns at 718-931-1721 or email at MGjonaj@council.nyc.gov.

Sincerely,

NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj

District 13, Bronx

Partnerships for Parks - $3,000 for Community Groups Dedicated to Parks

 

New York Community League runs a STEM project for Chinese immigrant families at Freshkills Park  CAPACITY FUND SHOWCASE: REACHING CHINESE IMMIGRANTS ON STATEN ISLAND New York Community League (NYCL) put their Capacity Fund grant to good use, reaching out to Chinese immigrant families living on Staten Island.  With funding, NYCL created a program called “STEM through Freshkills Park.” Working with Freshkills Park Alliance, NYCL’s project is designed to destigmatize the park - which is built on top of a former landfill, to raise awareness about STEM jobs in urban green spaces, and to build a sense of belonging and local identity. Have a creative idea for your local park? We give out grants of up to $3000 to community groups dedicated to their local parks, gardens, and green spaces. Join us at our Capacity Fund Grant Info Session Webinar and learn everything you need to know to apply. Registration for this session is required and will close the day before the event. You will receive information on how to join the webinar once you register.  Wednesday, December 15th from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm. REGISTER PfP HIGHLIGHTED IN CITY COUNCIL HEARING Ted Enoch, director of the Catalyst intensive outreach program, testified recently at a New York City Council hearing of the Committee on Parks and Recreation to highlight the importance of community involvement in parks in response to the new capital funding the Mayor allocated this month to the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), which seeks to reimagine, redesign, and rebuild parks in historically neglected neighborhoods. As Ted explained, parks are critical community resources whose value became even more clear during the pandemic. The highly successful CPI program, which intentionally engages community stakeholders in the re-design process and long-term care of parks, was modeled on Partnerships for Parks' Catalyst strategy of "Build, Connect, Sustain" and the need to pair physical improvements with programming and community participation. This helps ensure that renovated parks are responsive to local needs and continue to be used and maintained by neighborhoods for years to come. Check out the video here! Get in touch with us to find out more about Catalyst. LEARN MORE COMMUNITY PARTNER IN THE NEWS: LOVING THE BRONX Our long-time community partner and Loving the Bronx founder, Nilka Martell, created a campaign to address environmental racism in the borough called #CaptheCrossBronx, which seeks to cover the toxic Cross Bronx Expressway to create green space, mitigate pollution, and reconnect the community. With the passage of President Biden's new infrastructure plan, and the support of Congressman Ritchie Torres, Assembly Member Karines Reyes, and Senator Chuck Schumer, it looks like Nilka’s vision may finally become a reality. Check out this newsclip! Interested in joining a local community group involved with parks or starting your own? We’ll connect you to an outreach coordinator who can help. LEARN MORE

NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Ben Tucker Retiring December 31, 2021

 

 Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced today that Benjamin B. Tucker, who has served as the Department’s First Deputy Commissioner since November 2014, overseeing several of the department’s most integral operations, will be retiring on December 31, 2021.

Under his command, Commissioner Tucker oversees the Department’s Criminal Justice Bureau, Department Advocate’s Office, Force Investigation Division, Labor Relations Office, Office of Professional Development, Risk Management Bureau, Support Services Bureau, Training Bureau, and Trials.

Commissioner Tucker’s decision to retire is a capstone to an NYPD career that began in 1969 and led to his becoming the second-highest ranking departmental official – the NYPD’s 43rd First Deputy Commissioner, and the third African American to hold that position. Born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn, his passion for justice has honed an intimate understanding of crime, drug abuse, opportunities for kids, and the fundamentals of the law. Simultaneously, his experience on the frontlines of law enforcement, over an unprecedented period of American history, has given him firsthand expertise on the challenges facing both policing and the public.

“Ben Tucker has been a singularly thoughtful leader, friend, and colleague across the arc of time in our policing profession,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “Our city, its people, and our Department have benefited for decades from his position as a beacon of integrity and public service. We’ll miss him, but we’ll all be watching with great anticipation for the next storied chapters of his life.”

Commissioner Tucker’s history of service in the NYPD spans the modern era. He worked closely with many former police commissioners, including Benjamin Ward, the city’s first African American police commissioner, who guided his career in the 1980’s including his service as assistant director of the Department’s nascent Civilian Complaint Review Board before it was carved out as an independent city agency in the early 1990s.

The Commissioner also carried out key policy and law enforcement roles in the administration of two past United States presidents – Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama – before he was appointed by former Police Commissioner William J. Bratton to lead the NYPD’s training programs at the beginning of the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, in February 2014.

“All good things eventually come to a close,” said Commissioner Tucker. “It’s bittersweet to leave a Department I love and helped to shape. But my heart is full and I will forever stand proud as successive generations of New York City police officers step forward, on our foundations, to make even deeper and more lasting contributions to this honorable profession, for our great city and for all its people.”