Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - NOVEMBER 15, 2022

 

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

69 Statewide Deaths Reported from November 11 to November 14

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

"As families prepare to gather to celebrate the holidays, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant and use all available tools to keep themselves and loved ones in their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Be sure to stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Earlier this month, Governor Hochul launched a new public awareness campaign featuring New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett speaking directly to New Yorkers about three viruses - Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), flu and COVID-19 - now circulating in the state with similar symptoms and the potential to cause serious illness. Produced by the New York State Department of Health, the videos include a short clip and a longer version geared toward parents; and a version aimed specifically at health care providers.

Governor Hochul continues to remind New Yorkers that children ages 5 and older may now receive the bivalent booster shots that are recommended to increase protection against COVID-19.

The Governor also urges New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations.

In addition, Governor Hochul encourages New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season is widespread across New York State. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both circulating, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.

The State Department of Health is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. Advertisements in both English and Spanish language began running last month.

For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Cases Per 100k - 16.02
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 18.77
• Test Results Reported - 40,564
• Total Positive - 3,131
• Percent Positive - 6.99%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.93%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,790 (+76)*
• Patients Newly Admitted - 1,302*
• Patients in ICU - 296 (+5)*
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 103 (+8)*
• Total Discharges - 362,018 (+1,073) *
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 69*
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 59,138*

** 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 - 75,473

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	Saturday,   November   12, 2022	Sunday,   November   13, 2022	Monday,   November   14, 2022
Bronx	6.73%	6.68%	6.75%
Kings	6.28%	6.26%	6.24%
New York	5.72%	5.74%	5.86%
Queens	6.84%	6.92%	6.91%
Richmond	5.36%	5.43%	5.68%

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS RELEASES NOVEMBER FINANCIAL PLAN UPDATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023

 

Amid Fiscal Challenges, Adams Administration Continues to Balance Need for Fiscal Discipline with Upstream Investments to Make City Safer, Cleaner, and More Resilient

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the City of New York’s November Financial Plan Update for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). The FY23 budget is $104 billion and remains balanced.

“Fiscal discipline has been, and continues to be, a hallmark of my administration. The city faces significant economic headwinds that pose real threats to our fiscal stability, including growing pension contributions, expiring labor contracts, and rising health care expenses — and we are taking decisive actions in the administration’s first November Financial Plan to meet those challenges,” said Mayor Adams. “Thanks to a successful Program to Eliminate the Gap, we have achieved significant savings without service reductions or layoffs. We are also investing in new needs that will address our housing crisis, make our streets cleaner, combat climate change, and much more.” 

Since day one of his administration, Mayor Adams has clearly outlined the fiscal challenges facing the city. Today these include the impact of increased pension costs caused by stock-market losses, new needs related to aid for asylum seekers, the threat to the budget of impending healthcare and labor cost increases, and economic stresses like high energy prices and elevated inflation. In response to these challenges, the mayor has taken strong and swift actions in the November Financial Plan to protect the city’s long-term fiscal stability and the ability to deliver quality programs and services without interruption by achieving substantial savings through an aggressive Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG), controlling new spending, and maintaining a record level of reserves. Along the way he is making New York City a safer and cleaner place to live, work, and visit.

 

The PEG was a success, achieving more than $2.5 billion in gap closing savings without service reductions or layoffs over this fiscal year and the next – more than $900 million in FY23 and more than $1.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Additionally, the administration achieved $1.5 billion of PEG savings in both Fiscal Years 2025 (FY25) and 2026 (FY26). As always, agencies must continue to find more efficient and effective ways to serve New Yorkers.

 

As a result of the PEG, the FY24 budget gap was reduced by more than $1 billion and is now a manageable $2.9 billion. Gaps are $4.6 billion in FY25 and $5.9 billion in FY26 because of the FY22 stock-market losses.

Budget reserves remain at a record level $8.3 billion, the most set aside by any administration in city history. There is $1.9 billion in the Rainy-Day Fund, $4.5 billion in the Retiree Health Benefits Trust, and $1.6 billion in the General Reserve, as well as $250 million in the Capital Stabilization Reserve.

 

Budget growth in FY23 since Adoption in July 2022 is the result of federal grant funds, including a projected $1 billion to fund the on-going cost of providing shelters and other services to the new asylum seekers in New York.

 

New agency spending of $211 million in FY23 and $138 million in FY24 is more than offset by PEG savings. As a result, the November Financial Plan shows a surplus of $705 million in FY23, which is used to lower the FY24 budget gap.

 

New FY23 investments honor the mayor’s commitment to making New York City cleaner, greener, and safer, and include:

 

• $19 million in additional support for the medallion relief program to help struggling taxi drivers.
• $14.5 million to launch “Get Stuff Clean,” an initiative that will create a cleaner city through a major upgrade to cleanliness protocols across the five boroughs. This includes funding to clean over 1,000 ‘No Man’s Land’ neglected areas around the city, increased litter basket service, expanded camera enforcement against illegal dumping, and funding for additional rat exterminators. New Yorkers will see faster and more reliable cleaning of every corner of the city.
• $15 million for the Shelter to Housing Action Plan, which includes a package of reforms to the CityFHEPS city-funded housing voucher program to make vouchers more widely accessible and easier to use more quickly. 
• $3.0 million to modify school boilers to burn cleaner fuel in support of the mayor’s “Leading the Charge” initiative to combat climate change. The conversion to cleaner-burning biofuel will improve neighborhood air quality, largely in Black and Brown communities disproportionately impacted by higher rates of respiratory illness, by reducing disease-causing particulates from onsite combustion.
• $2.6 million to run a pilot residential curbside organics collection program in Queens, which was announced by the mayor and began operating in October.

 

Read the November Financial Plan Update here.

Riverhead Man Sentenced to 27 Years' Imprisonment for Firearm Related Murder

 

Defendant Was One Of Three Shooters In East End Gang Murder

 Jason Langhorn, an associate of the “Red Stone Gorilla” subset of the Bloods, a violent criminal enterprise based in Riverhead, New York, was sentenced to 27 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert for his participation in the murder of Thomas Lacolla on November 17, 2015, which occurred while Langhorn and others were attempting to kill a rival of the gang.  Langhorn pleaded guilty to firearms-related murder in August 2021.  

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentence.

“Langhorn has been held accountable for his role in a heartless shooting that claimed the life of an unintended victim,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “We hope this sentence brings a measure of solace and closure to the victim’s family and sends a clear message that those who commit brutal acts of gang violence will be brought to justice and punished.” 

Mr. Peace also extended his thanks to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s East End Drug Task Force, the Suffolk County Police Department and the Riverhead Police Department for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution.

As alleged in the indictment and court filings, the defendant assisted members of the Bloods as they tried to kill a rival gang member, which resulted in the shooting death of Mr. Lacolla.  In an attempt to carry out a standing order by the leader of the gang to kill the rival, Langhorn accompanied several fellow Bloods members to a location in Riverside, New York, just outside of Riverhead.  There, Langhorn and two others fired more than 39 shots, collectively, into a vehicle they believed was occupied by their intended target, but instead was occupied by Mr. Lacolla, who was shot and killed instantly. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.