3 Days and Counting

 

Charlene while I still am mayor today, tomorrow, and on January 1st until Eric Adams is sworn in we are being kicked out of Gracie Mansion today so it can be set up for Mayor Eric Adams. Have you taken out everything we brought in, were given in the eight years that I was mayor, and everything else that wasn't nailed down?

I had a good working relationship with the city council, first Melissa, and then Corey, but it looks like Eric may have some problems with the new city council. They are already talking about overriding any veto he does, an have their own agenda that does not look like it goes with Eric's train of thought. I wonder how long it will take before we hear "I miss Mayor Bill de Blasio'.

Free Produce Giveaway at Loreto Park

 

Wednesday evening after sunset there was a free food giveaway of fresh produce organized by Mr. Christian Amato outside of Loreto Park in Morris Park. The event was next to the Christmas tree outside the fence where the baseball field is being restored from a lightly used hockey rink. Construction of the ballfield was scheduled to be completed by fall 2021, but that date came and went, and the new completion date is now mid 2022. There are mostly one family with a few two family homes around Loreto Park, in this middle class/upper middle class area. 

Unlike other free food giveaways where people line up, down the block and around the corner, here when the produce was set up there were only a few people in line. They picked the vegetables and fruit they wanted, and as people passed by they were asked if they wanted some free vegetables or fruit. This was top quality produce Mr. Amato picked up from the Hunts Point Market, and this was his second produce giveaway of the day. When asked about the poor turnout, Mr. Amato said he wanted to see how it would go at this location. Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez was also on hand, as the 2022 election season is a short time away having been pushed up several months by the state legislature two years ago.  

The unfinished ball field is behind the fence where the produce was set up.

Various vegetable boxes were opened to be given away.

Large top quality melons and fruits were available. 

It seemed that there were more servers than customers.

Once the initial rush was over people came one by one. 

DEC REMINDS NEW YORKERS: STATEWIDE BAN ON POLYSTYRENE FOAM CONTAINERS AND LOOSE FILL STARTS JAN. 1

 

DEC and Partners Continue Targeted Outreach and Education Campaign for Foam Manufacturers and Distributors, Affected Entities Including Schools, Hospitals, Restaurants

 Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today reminded New Yorkers that the State’s ban on expanded polystyrene foam containers and 'packing peanuts' begins Jan. 1, 2022. While an estimated 65 percent of New Yorkers are living in communities that have already banned polystyrene, New York’s statewide ban on polystyrene foam containers and loose fill packaging is among the first in the nation. DEC and partners continue outreach efforts to advise affected entities about the ban, particularly sellers and distributors of disposable food service containers, such as retail food stores, restaurants, hospitals, and schools.

 

"Nearly two-thirds of New Yorkers already live in communities that are ‘foam free,’” Commissioner Seggos said.  “New York City and Long Island are seeing the benefits of their foam bans with reduced litter on their landscapes and waterways. Now the rest of the State is poised to reap the benefits of a cleaner environment. DEC continues to focus on outreach to educate affected entities, but we know the foam ban will work and we look forward to less waste in our landfills in 2022." 

 

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is a major contributor to environmental litter, causing negative impacts to wildlife, waterways, and natural resources. EPS foam is lightweight, breaks apart easily, and does not readily biodegrade, rendering it persistent in the environment and susceptible to becoming microplastic pollution. In addition, EPS foam containers and loose fill packaging are not accepted by most recycling programs in New York State because the foam is difficult to recycle, easily contaminates the recycling stream, is often soiled, and has low value.

 

Starting Jan. 1, New York’s ban prohibits any person engaged in the business of selling or distributing prepared food or beverages for on- or off-premises consumption from selling, offering for sale, or distributing disposable food service containers that contain expanded polystyrene foam in the state. In addition, no manufacturer or store will be allowed to sell, offer for sale, or distribute polystyrene loose fill packaging in the state. Disposable food service containers made of expanded polystyrene foam banned under the law include bowls, cartons, hinged "clamshell" containers, cups, lids, plates, trays, or any other product designed or used to temporarily store or transport prepared foods or beverages, including containers generally recognized as designed for single use. Initially, DEC will focus its efforts to achieve compliance with outreach and education to ensure a smooth transition for affected stakeholders, with enforcement to follow as needed. 

 

While the ban begins Jan. 1, DEC will release final regulations to implement the law in the coming months to assist stakeholders with complying with the law. Draft regulations were released earlier this year. Visit the DEC website to learn more: https://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/123704.html.

 

Examples of covered food service providers required to comply with the ban include: 

• Food service establishments, caterers, temporary food service establishments, mobile food service establishments, and pushcarts as defined in the New York State Sanitary Code;
• Retail food stores, as defined in Article 28 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, which include any establishment where food and food products are offered to the consumer and intended for off-premises consumption;
• Delis, grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, and coffee shops;
• Hospitals, adult care facilities, and nursing homes; and
• Elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities.

Under the law, any facility, regardless of income, operated by a not-for-profit corporation or by a federal, state, or local government agency that provides food and meals to food insecure individuals at no or nominal charge may request a financial hardship waiver of the requirements of the law. Examples include community meal programs, food pantries, and places of worship. For more information, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/120762.html.

 

DEC’s outreach and education efforts about the ban are underway, helping those affected by the new law get up to speed with the requirements. DEC continues to conduct outreach and education through the website, educational webinars, newsletters, listservs, magazines, social media, phone calls, and e-mail communications with stakeholders and the public. In addition, DEC is working in close partnership with other State agencies such as the Departments of Health and Agriculture and Markets to distribute outreach materials to retailers and covered food service providers directly affected by this law. DEC is also working with other partners, such as the Pollution Prevention Institute, New York State Center for Sustainable Materials Management, and New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling to ensure affected providers receive information regarding the ban.  

 

The EPS foam ban builds on New York's environmental leadership in preventing litter, reducing waste and supporting recycling through measures such as the ban on plastic carryout bags, the bottle bill, and food scrap recycling and food waste prevention efforts. For more information, go to: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/294.html

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES CITY CLEANUP CORPS HAS REMOVED ONE MILLION TRASH BAGS

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that the City Cleanup Corps (CCC) has removed more than one million bags of trash citywide, among other recent milestones and expansions, since the program’s launch in April 2021. 

The New Deal-inspired economic recovery initiative supports communities, businesses, and tourism by refreshing and revitalizing public spaces. As of December 20, 2021, CCC members had hand-swept nearly 70,000 block faces, maintained more than 40,000 rain gardens, planted over 10,000 plants across the five boroughs, and painted over 630 properties that had been defaced with graffiti.

 

“To build a recovery for all New Yorkers, we knew that supporting our city's workforce, helping people get back on their feet, and revitalizing our public spaces were critical,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “That was a shared vision across the City agencies, community-based organizations, and elected officials who have participated in the City Cleanup Corps, and that vision has been realized through the tremendous work of the over 10,000 Corps members across the five boroughs. We thank the CCC and our partners for helping beautify New York City and leading the nation's economic recovery."

 

Among the latest City Cleanup Corps program milestones and expansions are: 

• A partnership with the New York City Day Laborer Coalition to expand access to hands-on work experience and training for low-income workers;
• New programs, Youth Sustainability Corps (YSC) and Green Applied Projects for Parks x Pathways to Graduation (GAPP x P2G), to support and invest in young adults; and,
• The completion of 21 public art projects through BeautifyNYC to revitalize neighborhoods and empower communities.

 

“When we launched the City Cleanup Corps in April, we had clear goals to expand access to work experience and training for New Yorkers, and to restore and refresh our public spaces,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. “Today, we celebrate program expansions that build on those goals, and milestones that demonstrate the positive impact the Corps has had on our communities and will continue to have on the careers of Corps members, low-wage workers, and youth.”

 

“Since its inception during an unprecedented time in our City's history, the City Cleanup Corps has been a truly unique and effective team effort thanks to our partnership with more than two dozen City agencies and community-based organizations,” said Acting Director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development Chris Neale who leads the City Cleanup Corps. “These milestones and expansions are a testament to the collaboration and determination of Corps partners and members to serve our communities. We look forward to continuing our work to empower our Corps members with hands-on experience and training to prepare them for successful careers.”

 

Through the collaboration of more than two dozen City agencies and community-based organizations, members of the CCC tend to the needs of neighborhoods by hand-sweeping public spaces, cleaning defaced properties, power-washing sidewalks, tending to green spaces, and creating community murals, among other efforts to help bolster New York City’s economy. Since its inception, the CCC has employed more than 10,000 New Yorkers, and after surpassing this hiring goal, the program is supporting the extension of existing CCC members’ tenures through the end of Fiscal Year 2021, alongside the latest program expansions. 

 

Partnership with NYC Day Laborer Coalition to Expand Access to Hands-on Work Experience and Training for Low-Income Workers

 

​​Through a partnership with the New York City Day Laborer Coalition and the New York City Council, low-income workers will receive compensated training and work experience in cleaning, community gardening, and landscaping in partnership with community-based organizations and local businesses. The NYC Day Laborer Coalition is composed of community-based organizations New Immigrant Community Empowerment, Third Sector New England/Worker’s Justice Project, Staten Island Community Job Center - La Colmena, Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New York. These organizations were collectively allocated nearly $3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding under the Speaker's Initiative as part of the City Cleanup Corps program.

 

New Programs to Support and Invest in Young Adults 

 

Youth Sustainability Corps (YSC)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) has partnered with the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), the Mayor's Office of Youth Employment, and the City Cleanup Corps to develop the very first Youth Sustainability Corps (YSC). The YSC is a specialized Parks green job internship program within DYCD’s Work Learn Grow program where students gain work readiness, explore careers in the green economy, and receive targeted employment training and skills development with a focus on environmental justice and the City’s overall recovery. Parks’ YSC students will get hands-on experience in the full scope of green roof installation, and learn about systemic environmental challenges and a broad range of sustainable solutions NYC Parks is piloting. These program components, combined and funded through Mayor de Blasio’s City Cleanup Corps economic recovery program, will serve 30 young people from New York City schools with 225 hours of program, for total earnings of $3,375 per student.

 

Green Applied Projects for Parks x Pathways to Graduation (GAPP x P2G)

Through a collaboration between NYC Parks and the New York City Department of Education (DOE), the City Cleanup Corps is also funding a new work study program, Green Applied Projects for Parks x Pathways to Graduation (GAPP x P2G). The program fosters career readiness and skills building through practical application: students served will tackle a complete project from start to finish—for instance, building, blazing, and landscaping a trail—alongside Parks Department employees. In coordination with the DOE, the program allows students to work and attend high school equivalency classes in the same location, on the same day, and aims to help participants build a strong peer network to support them in school and through their careers. The nearly $1 million work study pilot funded by Mayor de Blasio will serve 36 New Yorkers, between ages 18 to 30, who have been disengaged from work and school, and may have been involved in the justice system. The pilot will run 40 hours a week, for 26 weeks, for a total earnings of $16,068 per participant plus transportation costs.  

 

Completion of 21 Public Art Projects to Revitalize Neighborhoods and Empower Communities

 

In partnership with the City Artist Corps, NYC Department of Probation, and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, City Cleanup Corps supported Beautify NYC, a program through which local artists and young people collaborated on arts projects to revitalize community spaces. From July to November, local arts organizations ran weekly project-based workshops for youth ages 16 to 24 across a variety of artistic disciplines, with both artists and young people paid for their work. The 21 projects, which ranged from designing tree guards to painting colorful murals, took place in seven neighborhoods across the City with Neighborhood Opportunity Network (NeON) Centers:  East New York, Jamaica, Brownsville, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Harlem, and the South Bronx. Each project culminated in a final event that connected artists, young people, and organizations to the broader community. Beautify NYC leveraged the power of art and culture to advance recovery in some of the areas most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional number of workshops will continue through June 2022. 

 

Click here to watch a video recap of the Beautify NYC projects.

 

The City Cleanup Corps has had a significant impact on the local New Yorkers employed by the program, the supervisors they report to, and the communities CCC members have served. To read stories about the impact of this work, visit the CCC Instagram and Facebook Page. 

 

“Through City Cleanup Corps' support, Beautify NYC provided youth across the boroughs opportunities to explore the transformative power of art while centering our communities,” said Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals. “Just as they have throughout the pandemic, our City's arts community—now joined by Beautify NYC's promising young artists—have demonstrated how our cultural heritage and creative energy brings New Yorkers together, brightens our neighborhoods, and will help communities recover, now and in the future."

 

“As New York City’s Strongest pick up 12,000 tons of trash and recycling every day, City Cleanup Corps members have been valuable partners in our shared mission of keeping our city clean and safe,” said Department of Sanitation Commissioner Edward Grayson. “We applaud the Corps on today’s milestone and their ongoing work in the revitalization of our city. With nearly 1,000 new Sanitation Workers joining our team this year, the Department of Sanitation looks forward to continued partnership with the Corps’ expanded programs in the months ahead.”

 

“We congratulate NYC Cleanup Corps for reaching this impressive milestone," said Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman. "The Cleanup Corps provides vital maintenance services to Open Streets locations, plazas, and other public spaces, and we are happy the program will expand and continue to keep our public spaces clean and vibrant."

 

“The de Blasio Administration’s workforce development strategy has focused on developing young people’s workforce readiness in growing industries. Thanks to support from the City Cleanup Corps, Parks is leveraging the talent and expertise of our staff to teach the next generation of green innovators through our Youth Sustainability Corps and GAPP x P2G program,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. “The City Cleanup Corps has made a significant impact on the lives of New Yorkers and proven to be an invaluable asset as we work towards recovery in every borough.”

 

“Every opportunity we have to invest in and support our young adults is valuable for the individual and for our city as a whole,” said Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “We are so excited to partner with NYC Parks on Green Applied Projects for Parks x Pathways to Graduation. This incredible work study program funded by the City Cleanup Corps will empower young adults by kick-starting their careers, forging strong peer networks, and fostering important professional skills all while revitalizing our beautiful public spaces.”

 

“DYCD and the Work, Learn, Grow (WLG) program are proud to partner with NYC Parks and the City Cleanup Corps on the exciting Youth Sustainability Corps, which introduces young people to green careers, environmental justice, and opportunities such as repurposing rooftops to help us combat climate change and extreme weather events. High schoolers interning with the Youth Sustainability Corps will get hands-on training while gaining work readiness skills and exploring careers with in-demand industries,” said Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Bill Chong.

 

“The City Cleanup Corps has been a terrific help in ensuring the City’s drainage infrastructure is operating as efficiently as possible,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “The Cleanup Corps has helped to clear trash and debris from catch basins and curbside rain gardens across the city. This is an important reminder that all New Yorkers can play a part in making New York a more livable city and support our drainage system by not littering on our streets.”

 

Attorney General James Issues Statement On New CDC COVID-19 Recommendations

 

  New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a statement to employers following new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolation periods:

“The health and safety of all New Yorkers has always been our top priority, and, in order to protect our communities, we must continue to act responsibly and carefully. It is essential that any employee who is exhibiting any COVID-19 symptom and tests positive not be pressured to return to the workplace before those symptoms subside. We must take the necessary steps to stop the spread of this virus, and this is a basic and common-sense approach.”

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - DECEMBER 29, 2021

 

139,264 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours    

97 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

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

“As we approach the New Year it is vitally important that we don’t let our guard down in our fight against the pandemic,” Governor Hochul said. “Let’s make it our collective New Year’s resolution to leave COVID in the past. We have the tools and we know what works – mask up, get vaccinated, get boosted, and exercise caution in large gatherings, especially this weekend.”

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

• Test Results Reported - 362,594
• Total Positive - 67,090
• Percent Positive - 18.50%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 14.61%
• Patient Hospitalization - 6,767 (+594)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 1,474
• Patients in ICU - 962 (+17)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 499 (-20)
• Total Discharges - 228,609 (+897)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 97
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 48,249

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 – 61,159

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 - 33,368,704
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 139,264
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 675,444
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 88.9% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 80.5% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 82.8%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 77.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 69.6% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 83.6% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 71.6%

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES SIX FIRMS TO COMPETE TO BUILD FOUR BOROUGH-BASED JAILS

 

Six design build teams will now develop detailed proposals to build four borough-based jails sites after responding to the City’s Request for Qualifications

 

Site preparation at all four sites to begin this January

 Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced today that the City has reviewed and approved six teams, who each submitted a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), to develop detailed proposals to design and construct four modern, smaller, humane borough-based jails. These jails will replace the aging facilities on Rikers Island, which will close permanently in 2027.

 

The firms will now prepare responses to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for each site, which will require detailed plans about how firms will approach designing and constructing the facilities.

 

“New York City deserves a smaller, safer, and fairer jail system. That starts with building modern facilities – and getting off Rikers Island once and for all,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m proud to see borough-based jails continue to move forward, and I look forward to celebrating more progress as expert teams design and build these new facilities.”

 

“We had an exceptional response from the industry given the size and scope of this program,” said Tom Foley, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction. “The response gives us further confidence that we will be able to deliver on the promise of a more humane justice system for New York City, on-time and on-budget. We were particularly impressed with the teams’ commitment to the values and goals of the Borough Based Jails program.”

 

"The City's commitment to closing Rikers Island permanently has never wavered. This crucial step in the construction process is a testament to the hard work, determination, and professional focus of the Borough Based Jail team. Soon New Yorkers will see active construction work throughout the City as we move ever-closer towards a new, improved justice system for all,” said Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Director Marcos Soler.

 

“The response from the design community is encouraging given the scale and importance of this incredible project,” said Department of Correction Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi. “As an agency, we are eager to continue to safely reduce the jail population, move off the Island and to be closer to communities, courts and services.”

 

A panel of the Borough Based Jail team, including DDC’s construction professionals, evaluated SOQs based on firms’ financial capacity, experience, design-build approach, and past performance. The City will now issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for each of the sites. The RFP will ask the Design-Build teams to offer more detail on their approaches for designing and constructing the new facilities, including how the team will achieve the City’s vision for building humane facilities and innovative approaches to ensure efficient, cost-effective construction.

 

Two firms will be the sole respondents to RFPs for Manhattan and Queens, respectively, based on evaluations of their SOQs. Two firms will compete for the Brooklyn facility, and two will compete to design and build the Bronx facility. Because of the time and resources required to prepare detailed RFP responses, stipends will be provided to firms who are not selected to work on one of the facilities.

 

RFP Process

• Manhattan: The first RFP was released last week for the Manhattan facility to a joint venture led by the Gilbane Building Company and the Alberici Corporation. After a collaborative process with the City to ensure project and technical goals are met, the final RFP submission will be due in the fall of 2022. After response review and contract negotiation, the project will move into design and construction late next year.
• Brooklyn: A similar process for the Brooklyn site will commence in spring 2022, with an RFP issued to two teams: one, a joint venture led by Lend Lease Corporation and Halmar International; another led by Tutor Perini Corporation. Project commencement is slated for winter 2022/23.
• Queens: An RFP for the Queens site will be issued to the Leon D. DeMatteis Construction Corp in summer 2022, with the project due to get underway in spring, 2023.
• Bronx: An RFP for the Bronx site will be issued in the summer of 2022 to Transformative Reform Group, LLC, led by SLSCO and Sciame Construction; and to Cauldwell Wingate 2022 Company, LLC. Once a team is selected, work will commence on the facility in summer 2023.

 

Work will already be underway at all four sites throughout this process; design build contracts for dismantling of existing structures and site preparation were all registered this week. In Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, the design-build teams will dismantle existing facilities on the sites and construct temporary “swing spaces” to facilitate NYC Department of Correction’s transfers of detainees for court appearances during construction. At the Bronx site, where the former Lincoln Hospital used to be located, the design-build team will remove debris from the old hospital and perform environmental testing to prepare the site for future work.

 

The entire $8.2 billion program is to be handed over to the Department of Correction in 2027.

 

Heavy construction began in June at the Queens site, where a new parking garage and a 25,000-square-foot community space will be completed in fall 2022. The structure is being built on an existing parking lot at Union Turnpike between 126th Street and 132nd Street.

 

The City highly encourages participation in the jails program by Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) and will set significant requirements for M/WBE participation in the program’s design-build contracts. To learn more about how eligible firms can become certified as an M/WBE, please visit Certify With the City. More information about opportunities in the Borough-Based Jails program and in other DDC design-build programs is available here.

 

Bronx Jewish Community Council - It's not too late to donate for a 2021 Tax Receipt

 

As the year draws to a close, please consider Bronx Jewish Community Council in your year end giving.  Your generosity helps us save lives.  We thank you all for your continued support of our agency. Thank You and Happy New Year!

Donate Here

Please mail checks to: Bronx Jewish Community Council 2930 Wallace Ave Bronx, NY 10467 *As long as the check is dated before Jan 1, you will still get a 2021 tax receipt*

Bronx Jewish Community Council I www.bjcconline.org I 718-652-5500