MAYOR ADAMS’ STATEMENT ON HURRICANE FIONA DESTRUCTION IN PUERTO RICO

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after Hurricane Fiona ripped through Puerto Rico:

 

“We call Puerto Rico our sixth borough, and as Hurricane Fiona leaves behind a path of destruction, our administration stands ready to provide all of the support and aid our brothers and sisters need. An initial team of New York City emergency management specialists is being deployed today to assess the damage and determine how we can best help. Based on initial reports, we are also looking at possibly readying a larger multi-agency team to deploy in the coming days. We are in constant contact with those on the ground and are determining how we can be most helpful in the days and weeks ahead.”

NYGOP Chairman Langworthy Calls on Kickback Kathy to Donate Dirty Campaign Cash

NYGOP CHAIRMAN NICK LANGWORTHY CALLS ON "KICKBACK KATHY" TO DONATE $300,000 IN DIRTY CAMPAIGN CASH 

“It’s the very least she owes taxpayers to give this ill-gotten campaign cash to a charity instead of using it to run her nasty, dishonest attack ads.” 

New York Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy today called on “Kickback Kathy” Hochul to donate the $300,000 in campaign donations she received as a result of a massive pay-to-play scheme that cost taxpayers $637 million for a no-bid contract to a top donor. 

Hochul has been under fire for a kickback scheme whereby the governor abused her emergency powers to give a $637 million dollar no-bid contract to a company that charged the state double the value of covid tests. In exchange, Hochul received $300,000 from the family members of the company. Just recently it was revealed that California paid 45% less for the same tests. Langworthy has called for criminal investigations into the matter. This is just one of several examples of Hochul engaging in pay-to-play, following in the footsteps of her mentor, Andrew Cuomo. 

When the first expose on the deal was published, Chairman Langworthy submitted Freedom of Information Law requests to obtain all communications between the Hochul Administration and the company, Digital Gadgets. The Administration stonewalled and denied the request and the Party’s subsequent appeal is being ignored. 

“This crooked deal stunk on its face, but the more we learn about it, the more we see just how seriously corrupt it was,” said NYGOP Chairman Nick Langworthy. “This was a brazenly illegal kickback scheme that defrauded taxpayers to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. It needs to be criminally investigated, but the very least she must do is to give away this ill-gotten campaign cash. It should be donated to a charity to help the taxpayers who footed the bill for this corrupt deal, instead of using it to fund her nasty, dishonest attack ads.” 

 

NEW JERSEY MAN CONVICTED OF SCHEME TO DEFRAUD NYC DURING PANDEMIC SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS PROBATION, 600 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND AN $8,000 FINE

 

 Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), issued the following statement on today’s sentencing of RONALD ROMANO, 60, to five years of probation, 600 hours of community service, and an $8,000 fine. ROMANO pleaded guilty in May 2022 to conspiring to violate the Defense Production Act, a misdemeanor, in connection with a scheme to supply Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) to New York City that he did not possess or have authority to sell, at a substantial markup. ROMANO, a used car dealer from Manalapan, N.J., engaged in this illegal conduct during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when the City of New York was urgently seeking this essential equipment to protect its frontline workers. Today’s sentencing took place in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. DOI investigated this matter in partnership with the office of Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

 DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “Mr. Romano exploited this City’s need for PPE during a worldwide health crisis to turn a personal profit at public expense. But sharp-eyed City procurement specialists, DOI, and federal prosecutors thwarted his criminal scheme and, as a result, Mr. Romano has a federal conviction and other significant penalties as a result of his effort to defraud New York City. DOI and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York are committed to pursuing schemes that jeopardize the health and safety of New Yorkers and taxpayer funds.”

 According to the indictment, between February 2020 and April 2020, ROMANO participated in a scheme to price gouge the City of New York in the early months of the pandemic by making false and fraudulent statements to induce the City to pay more than $45 million for what ROMANO represented to be 3M-brand N95 respirators, an amount more than 400% above the list price for such respirators. As of March 25, 2020, certain PPE, including those N95 respirators, were designated as scarce materials under the Defense Production Act. At the time of the scheme, the City of New York was in critical need of lifesaving PPE. The false statements included ROMANO’s submission of a document to the City that identified a fictitious PPE deal with the Florida Division of Emergency Management in which ROMANO claimed to be involved.

 ROMANO was charged in May 2020 and you can read that release here: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doi/press-releases/2022/May/13RomanoGP05_31_2022.pdf. ROMANO pleaded guilty in May 2022; and that release can be read here https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doi/pressreleases/2020/May/RonaldRomano_arrest_PR_final.pdf.

Statement from Speaker Adrienne Adams and Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, Chair of the General Welfare Committee, on Death of Woman in a New York City Shelter

 

“We are saddened and concerned by the report of a death of a new resident of our city’s shelter system yesterday. The health and safety of all people within our city systems is paramount, and the loss of one of our most recent residents who likely endured great challenges before arriving here is heartbreaking. The City has a responsibility to ensure the effective coordination of services and overall support for all residents in our shelter system. The complexities with meeting the needs of those seeking asylum without family connections here requires additional efforts that we must undertake with the support of our partners at every level of government and the non-profit sector. The Council will constructively work with all stakeholders to ensure the City fulfills its obligation to all of our residents. It is reprehensible that elected officials from other states are transporting individuals and families with children for political gain. They must be accountable for the detrimental impact they are having on the health and overall well-being of these vulnerable individuals.” 

Governor Hochul Announces Completion of $8.6 Million Expansion of Pharmaceutical Plant in Tonawanda

 Economic Development Incentives Allow Pine Pharmaceuticals To Double Full-Time Employment

Demonstrates New York's Commitment To Fostering the Growth of Innovative Businesses and Supporting State's Future in Tech Manufacturing

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of the $8.6 million expansion of Pine Pharmaceuticals LLC's manufacturing plant in the Town of Tonawanda. The drug outsourcing company tripled the size of its facility at Riverview Solar Technology Park following the company's tremendous growth in the past three years. The expansion has allowed Pine to add almost 90 new, full-time permanent employees, doubling its initial projections and overall full-time permanent workforce. Empire State Development has agreed to support this project with up to $650,000 in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits.

"Manufacturing is part of New York's legacy, and our state is home to some of the best engineers, developers, and scientists in the world," Governor Hochul said. "Pine Pharmaceuticals investment in Western New York will help fill a critical need for U.S. manufactured drugs, retain and create much-needed jobs and continue to boost our state's economic growth."

Pine Pharmaceuticals is a family-owned business that has experienced exponential growth and success in Western New York. The company provides pharmaceutical compounding, including specialized sterile formulations serving ophthalmologists, retinal specialists, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, medical practices and clinics. The company uses cutting-edge technology and industry-leading quality assurance practices and addresses drug shortages by working with hospitals, clinics, medical practices and physician offices to provide sterile compounded pharmaceuticals.

Pine Pharmaceuticals invested $8.6 million for the 50,000-square-foot addition to the existing state-of-the-art facility. The firm also benefits from low-cost power awards from the New York Power Authority: a 400-kilowatt (kW) Niagara hydropower allocation and a 136-kW ReCharge NY power allocation as part of its commitment to create and retain jobs and invest capital. ReCharge NY, launched by New York State 2011, offers up to seven-year power contracts. Half of the power — 455 megawatts — is from NYPA's Niagara and St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt hydroelectric power plants, which provide some of the greenest, cleanest and lowest-cost electricity in the state. The remaining 455 megawatts is lower-cost power bought by NYPA on the wholesale market.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The health care industry is a growing sector in the Western New York economy, and with support from Governor Hochul, businesses like Pine Pharmaceuticals are creating more high-quality jobs for local workers. The company's move to triple the size of its facility, while adding 40 full-time jobs, reminds us that our recovery from Covid-19 is well underway."

Alfonse Muto, Owner of Pine Pharmaceuticals said, "We are so grateful for the support New York State has shown us during our expansion process. We are proud to be leading the charge right here in Western New York by creating dozens of new jobs and providing essential pharmaceuticals that will dramatically improve patient care across the country."

The new single-story addition to the sterile compounding facility include warehousing, quality, and manufacturing space. Other significant investment includes ISO-certified cleanrooms and manufacturing equipment. The company will use the additional space to produce IV bags and other complex products, as well as for inspection, packaging, labeling and storage. The entire building was designed from the ground up to comply with the FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP).

Permits Filed For 190 East 205th Street In Bedford Park, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a seven-story residential building at 190 East 205th Street in Bedford Park, The Bronx. Located between Ground Concourse and Lisbon Place, the lot is three blocks from the Bedford Park Boulevard subway station, serviced by the B and D trains. Moshe Katz of Quick Builders LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 70-foot-tall development will yield 12,730 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 25 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 509 square feet. The steel-based structure will also have a 31-foot-long rear yard but no accessory parking.

Nikolai Katz Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

MAYOR ADAMS LAUNCHES COVID-19 BOOSTER CAMPAIGN, ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY FOR NYC BUSINESSES, PARENTS

 

Citywide Digital and Print Vaccination Campaign Launches to Encourage New Yorkers to Get Vaccinated and Boosted

 

NYC Businesses Encouraged to Promote Vaccines, Boosters and Put in Place Own Policies as Private-Sector Mandate Becomes Optional Beginning November 1

 

Parents Encouraged to Vaccinate, Boost Children Students as Vaccines Becoming Optional for Participation in Sports, Extracurricular Activities Effective Immediately

 As New York City Mayor Eric Adams received his own COVID-19 bivalent booster shot today, he and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan announced the launch of a citywide campaign to promote COVID-19 boosters this fall. In the next week, print, television, radio, and digital ads will go live across New York City promoting booster shots. With the recent rollout of bivalent booster shots by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the new campaign will encourage all eligible New Yorkers to get their booster shot for an added layer of protection for themselves and those around them. In addition to promotion of COVID-19 booster shots, the campaign being launched in the next week will promote other annual vaccinations.

 

Mayor Adams and DOHMH Commissioner Vasan also, today, announced more flexibility for New York City’s businesses by encouraging private businesses to put in place their own vaccine policies after making the private sector vaccine mandate optional. And as New York City’s students head back to school, the city created more flexibility for parents and encouraged families to ensure their children have their primary and, if eligible, booster shots after making vaccines optional for students who participate in extracurricular activities, including, among other activities, New York City’s Public School Athletic League (PSAL).

 

“I’m thrilled to roll up my sleeve and get boosted and encourage all eligible New Yorkers to do the same,” said Mayor Adams. “The new bivalent booster is here, providing better protection against variants we are seeing now and quite likely against variants in the future as well. We are launching a new campaign in the next week that encourages all eligible New Yorkers to get their booster shot for an added layer of protection for themselves and those around them. And with so many tools now more easily accessible to keep New Yorkers safe from COVID-19, the additional flexibility we are announcing for private employers, students, and parents puts the choice back into each of their hands. We urge all New Yorkers to make a plan to get vaccinated if they are eligible, and we are grateful to the millions of New Yorkers who have already stepped up to keep themselves and their community safe.”

 

“While we continue to adapt to the virus with these changes to vaccine mandates for private-sector employees and students participating in sports and extracurricular activities, we must continue doing our part to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “The best way we can do that is to get vaccinated and get boosted. I strongly encourage every New Yorker to reach out to their primary care physician, local pharmacy, or any city-affiliated site to schedule their vaccine or updated booster shot appointment today.”

 

“As we reach this next important milestone in New York City’s recovery from the pandemic, I want to thank New Yorkers — businesses, individuals, and countless partners — who have done their part to protect themselves and their community by getting vaccinated,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “As we enter this next phase of our recovery and provide more options and flexibility for businesses and their workforce, we would do well to remember that this collective spirit is what got us here and what will enable us to tackle future challenges facing our city.”

 

“With updated boosters, we can head into the fall knowing we’re protected against whatever this season has in store,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and do our part to protect ourselves, our city, and our communities against COVID.”

 

“Vaccination is our best defense against infectious disease in schools — from polio to the flu to COVID-19. We encourage everyone who is eligible to get their regular COVID-19 booster shot to keep our defense strong,” said New York City Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks. “Additionally, we are proud of our work with DOHMH to increase vaccination amongst school-age children in parallel with the increased flexibility for extracurricular activities families will now have.”

 

The private-sector vaccine mandate — along with the city’s additional mandates and incentives — has helped New York City reach high levels of vaccination and kept millions of New Yorkers safe and healthy. New York City continues to strongly urge private employers to put in place their own vaccine mandates, as the city will continue implementation of the city worker vaccination mandate for its own employees.

 

The updated bivalent COVID-19 boosters are more effective at protecting against the latest variants and are recommended for all New Yorkers ages 12-and-up whose last COVID-19 vaccination was more than two months ago.

 

New Yorkers can check with their providers to see if they are offering updated boosters or search NYC Vaccine Finder online for locations offering booster shots.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF AN ASYLUM SEEKER IN A CITY SHELTER

"This death is tragic. A young woman who came to this country seeking support has become a casualty of cruelty and political schemes by leaders placing a higher value on fundraising tactics than families in need.

"We need to expand systems of support in New York City for people seeking asylum, and we need politicians to stop treating people as pawns– with dangerous, now deadly, consequences."