Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - AUGUST 25, 2022

 

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

15 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

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

"With school coming back into session and the summer season coming to a close, I encourage all New Yorkers to keep using the tools we know that work to protect against COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "Remember to get vaccinated or boosted when you're eligible if you haven't already. Test if you have symptoms, and if you do test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment. By remaining vigilant and responsible, New Yorkers will beat this virus."  

Earlier this week, Governor Hochul announced updated COVID-19 guidance and frequently asked questions for schools and childcare facilities that aligns with the new CDC recommendations. Among other things, this guidance specifies that asymptomatic children exposed to COVID-19 no longer need to quarantine and that isolation is now only advised for individuals that have tested positive for the virus. Read the updated guidance and frequently asked questions here. 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k - 26.90
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 22.68
• Test Results Reported - 71,310
• Total Positive - 5,257
• Percent Positive - 7.01%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.29%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,394 (-26)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 426
• Patients in ICU - 252 (-3)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 102 (+3)
• Total Discharges - 335,085 (408)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 15
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 57,546

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

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.    

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

       Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 73,541     

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.      

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:    

Borough	Monday, Aug. 22, 2022	Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022	Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022
Bronx	7.31%	7.29%	7.23%
Kings	3.66%	3.58%	3.52%
New York	5.59%	5.58%	5.35%
Queens	7.79%	7.78%	7.48%
Richmond	7.01%	6.74%	6.48%

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL SHOOTING IN FORDHAM HEIGHTS

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for a fatal shooting that occurred at a basketball court in Fordham Heights.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant shot and killed the victim after a dispute. The defendant will now spend more than two decades in prison for this senseless shooting.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Marquis Tanner, 30, last of 365 East 184th Street, was sentenced today to 22 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Lester Adler. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter on March 23, 2022.

 According to the investigation, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on December 26, 2020 at a basketball court at 365 East 183rd Street, the defendant argued with Alexandria Winchester, 24, and shot the victim once in the neck. Winchester was pronounced dead at the scene and the defendant fled. The shooting was captured on surveillance video. The defendant was arrested on December 29, 2020 and identified himself on the surveillance video. He also confessed to the killing, saying he shot Winchester over a scam.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Indiana McGowan-Anderson of the 46th Precinct Squad and NYPD Detective Patrick Sullivan of the Bronx Homicide Squad for their work in the investigation.

Florida Residents Plead Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Interstate Transportation Of Stolen Property

 

Pleas Follow Filing of Criminal Information Alleging Defendants Stole Property Belonging to Immediate Family Member of a Then-Former Government Official

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that AIMEE HARRIS and ROBERT KURLANDER pled guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property involving the theft of personal belongings of an immediate family member of a then-former government official who was a candidate for national political office.  HARRIS and KURLANDER pled guilty today before United States Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave and will be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Laura Taylor Swain. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Harris and Kurlander stole personal property from an immediate family member of a candidate for national political office.  They sold the property to an organization in New York for $40,000 and even returned to take more of the victim’s property when asked to do so.  Harris and Kurlander sought to profit from their theft of another person’s personal property, and they now stand convicted of a federal felony as a result.”  

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said:  “As they've admitted with today’s pleas, the defendants conspired to steal an individual’s personal property, which they subsequently sold to a third party and delivered across state lines.  As a consequence of their actions, they now face punishment in the federal criminal justice system for their crimes.  I’d like to thank the Public Corruption Units at both the FBI’s New York Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their dedicated effort in this case.”  

According to the Information and statements made in court:

In or about September 2020, HARRIS and KURLANDER conspired to steal, transport across state lines, and sell personal property that belonged to an individual (the “Victim”) whom HARRIS and KURLANDER knew was an immediate family member of a then-former government official who was a candidate for national political office.  The Victim had stored the property, including a handwritten journal containing highly personal entries, tax records, a digital storage card containing private family photographs, and a cellphone, among other things, in a private residence in Delray Beach, Florida, at which HARRIS was temporarily residing.  After HARRIS stole the property, she enlisted KURLANDER to help her facilitate its sale.  HARRIS and KURLANDER then made contact with an employee of an organization based in Mamaroneck, New York (the “Organization”), who instructed them to use an encrypted application to communicate with the Organization and requested photographs of the Victim’s property.  After receiving the photographs, the Organization offered to pay for HARRIS and KURLANDER’s transportation of the property from Florida to New York City.  HARRIS and KURLANDER subsequently traveled to New York City with the Victim’s property at the Organization’s expense and met with employees of the Organization.  During that meeting, HARRIS described the circumstances of how she had obtained the Victim’s property, provided the property to the Organization, and disclosed that the Victim had stored additional property in the residence where HARRIS continued to have access.  After the meeting, and at the Organization’s request, HARRIS and KURLANDER returned to Florida to obtain more of the Victim’s property in order to provide it to the Organization.  They later met with an Organization employee in Florida and gave that employee more of the Victim’s stolen property, believing that the Organization would transport or cause the transport of the stolen property from Florida to the Organization’s offices in New York, which the Organization subsequently did.  The Organization subsequently paid HARRIS and KURLANDER each $20,000 for the stolen property.

AIMEE HARRIS, 40, of Palm Beach, Florida, and ROBERT KURLANDER, 58, of Jupiter, Florida, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. 

Under the terms of their plea agreements, HARRIS and KURLANDER each agreed to forfeit $20,000, and KURLANDER agreed to cooperate with the Government.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Alessandra Biaggi - Thank you

Thank you so much for being a part of our campaign. Although Tuesday's primary did not end the way we had hoped, I feel an immense amount of gratitude.In just 90 days, we built a people-powered campaign that fought to end big money polluting our politics, to elevate the grassroots over the wallets of special interests, and to create a government that delivers for working people, not corporate donors.

Dark money super PACs spent nearly $1 million against us because when we're brave enough to tell the truth about systems that need to change, people in power feel threatened.

The NYC PBA spent hundreds of thousands of dollars against me because I come from a law enforcement family — my grandfather was one of the most decorated police officers in NYPD history, and that makes me a credible messenger for police reform and accountability.

I ran this longshot race to make the Democratic Party better. That is transformational work, and it takes time and sustained conviction.

We will see the day that the Democratic Party once again puts working people and the middle class first. That is what Americans deserve, and it’s what will win general elections.

We would be a better party if more Democratic leaders took personal career risk, instead of always protecting their own existing power. And while it isn’t fun to lose a race, I will always take a stand for what is right, rather than get complacent with my power.

I’ve failed a lot more often than I’ve won in my life, and it’s always been the failures that have fueled the future wins. But right now, this contest is over, and we must prevent a Republican majority in the House — that includes defending NY-17 with everything we've got.

After some much-needed rest, you will see me out on the frontlines working to keep this district in Democratic hands, and I hope I can count on you and our movement to join me in that fight.

Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who tirelessly made tens of thousands of phone calls and knocked on countless doors spreading our message of bold, progressive change to voters in every corner of the district.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to every single supporter that joined us in the fight for a more equitable future.

It is our relentlessness that will make everything we've worked for possible. I look forward to joining you in the fights ahead.

With gratitude,

Alessandra