Saturday, March 5, 2022

Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Bronx Business News You Can Use

 

Legislative Updates, New Grants, Events and Much More
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(Friday) Extra, Extra
Click here for this week's video, covering:

  • Updates on city & state mandates and other COVID regulations
  • Liquor sales
  • Upcoming event highlights
  • and more!
New York City and State COVID Updates
NYS Governor Kathy Hochul lifted the State's mask mandate for schools on March 2, citing strong vaccination rates, declining trends in new COVID cases, and updated guidance from the CDC.
  
NYC Mayor Eric Adams also officially announced today, March 4 that Key To NYC vaccine requirements and the mask mandate for the City's public school children will be lifted on Monday, March 7, as long as there are no sudden surges in COVID cases (masks will still be required for public school students younger than the vaccine-eligible age of 5 in NYC, however).

This means that restaurants, fitness centers, and other indoor entertainment venues will no longer be required to ask patrons and customers for proof of vaccination (however, private businesses and organizations may choose to continue requesting mask wearing and/or proof of vaccination at their indoor premises). Vaccination requirements and attestation for their employees remain in effect at this time. NYC's public employee vaccine requirement is also expected to remain in place, and masks continue to be required on mass transit.

"We will make proper public health decisions to keep our city safe. We will pivot if we see a reason to change any policies... COVID changes, it shifts, it modifies. We must be open to do the same," Mayor Adams said. "And if we see a rise in cases or hospitalizations, we're going to come back. It's imperative we know this battle is still on."
Hospitality Industry Updates from NYC Hospitality Alliance
The NYC Hospitality Alliance played an instrumental role in passing the recently-enacted Temporary liquor license law and is fighting hard in support of Governor Kathy Hochul's proposal to reinstate “Drinks To Go,” the popular policy that allows restaurants and bars to sell wine and cocktails for takeout and delivery.
 
The Governor announced that as part of her executive budget, she is seeking to double the workforce of the State Liquor Authority that is responsible for processing liquor license applications. The Bronx Chamber and the Alliance applaud the Governor's commitment to directing more resources to SLA to help improve the agency's processing times for liquor license applications.
 
The SLA also recently issued a new ruling that that interprets the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law in a way that will allow beer and wine to be consumed in movie theaters pursuant to a beer and wine license.  

 CLICK HERE to view the Governor's full March 2, 2022 press conference

Grant Opportunities
 NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU and the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation’s Project Innovation grant challenge is returning for a fifth consecutive year. $315,000 in grants are available in this year’s Tri-State grant challenge. Applications accepted starting today through March 25.

Apply For The American Small Business Growth Program
With Wells Fargo’s support, 700 small business owners will get access to the complete SLAP Program – with a value of $4,000 each! While all are welcome to attend the SLAP Bootcamps, only 700 US-based small business owners will get the comprehensive 13 months of support that comes with being enrolled in SLAP.
Don't Miss Our Upcoming Events!
Wed. March 16 6:00 - 8:00pm
St. Patrick's Day Networking Mixer

Jimmy Ryan's
3005 Middletown Road
Bronx, NY 10461

Member Tickets: $20 Future Members: $25



Join the Bronx Chamber and the financial experts at TD Bank for the next workshop in our free BXCC How to Get Bankable Series:
 Establishing and Fixing Business Credit

Tuesday, March 15
9:00 - 10:00am

Register HERE
FREE NYC Small Business Services Webinars
Improve Your Business With QuickBooks
3-Part Series: March 7, 8, & 9
Learn the key features & benefits of QuickBooks accounting software, to help you keep track of daily
transactions, as well as develop financial reports such as Income Statements, Balance Sheets, and Cash Flow Statements during this FREE 3-part workshop.
You will learn how to:
• Set up your chart of accounts
• Record purchases, bills & accounts payable
• Record your sales, receive payments, make deposits
• Create reports to understand business performance
El 9 de marzo a las 10:00am
El Departamento de Servicios para Pequeños Negocios (NYC Department of Small Business Services) lo invita a un taller sobre la certificación M/WBE (Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise) de la ciudad de Nueva York – una certificación para negocios cuyos dueños son mujeres o forman parte de un grupo minoría.

Aprendera sobre:
  • La certificación M/WBE
  • Como registrarse en el Portal de Información del Beneficiario (Payee Information Portal, PIP)
  • Como registrarse y eligir códigos de identificacion para servicios y productos (NIGP)
  • Como iniciar una solicitud para obtener la certificación MWBE

Bronx Chamber Foundation Signature Event
Women of Distinction Scholarship Awards Luncheon
Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope

Friday, March 25, 2022
11:30am - 2:00pm at Villa Barone Manor

Click HERE for Sponsorship Packages
Many thanks to our sponsors:
Con Edison, Ponce Bank, Verizon, The Monroe Foundation, Simone Development, New York Botanical Garden, Orange Bank & Trust Co., KZA Realty, Sandra Erickson Real Estate, Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy, and F&F Insurance (list to date)

For Tickets: foundation@bronxchamber.org

Now Hiring
The Bronx Chamber is now hiring two Fellows to add to our outreach team! Please check out the available one-year Fellowship positions, and share with qualified applicants!

  • Click HERE for Restaurant-Hospitality Fellowship Position
  • Click HERE for Business Outreach Fellowship Position
CUNY Internship To Employment Program

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - MARCH 5, 2022

 Clinical research for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Wadsworth Laboratory

Hospital Admissions 7-Day Average Down 20% From Prior Week

Lowest Hospitalizations Since August 11

16 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday


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

"As we continue to make progress with the pandemic across New York State, it's critical that we follow the smart steps that put us in this position in the first place," Governor Hochul said. "Vaccines and boosters work, and are our most powerful tool in beating back this virus. We will continue to encourage every New Yorker to get the vaccine, get the booster dose, and stay home if you feel sick."   

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

  • Test Results Reported - 154,544
  • Total Positive - 2,574
  • Percent Positive - 1.67%
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 1.60%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 1,541 (-90)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 172
  • Patients in ICU - 282 (+7)
  • Patients in ICU with Intubation - 150 (+9)
  • Total Discharges - 286,864 (+235)
  • New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 16
  • Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 54,819

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 - 69,418   

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 - 37,108,989
  • Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 20,984
  • Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 324,532
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 91.8%  
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 83.1%  
  • 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) - 85.7%  
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 81.8%  
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 71.8%  
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 81.2%  
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 73.3%  
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 89.1%  
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 75.6%   

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

BOROUGH 

Wednesday, March 2, 2022 

Thursday, March 3, 2022 

Friday, March 4, 2022 

Bronx 

0.79% 

0.71% 

0.87% 

Kings 

0.96% 

0.94% 

1.00% 

New York 

1.30% 

1.28% 

1.33% 

Queens 

1.16% 

1.07% 

1.04% 

Richmond 

1.29% 

1.26% 

1.26% 


Man Pleads Guilty To Shooting At A Woman In A Bronx Apartment Building Doorway


 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RAKIM BROWN, a/k/a “Rah,” pled guilty yesterday to firearms and narcotics offenses, including for his participation in a January 28, 2018 shooting at a woman in an apartment building vestibule in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx.  BROWN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “For years, Rakim Brown was a violent drug dealer who sold crack cocaine on the streets of the Bronx.  In order to protect his drug crew’s territory and reputation, Brown resorted to violence, including shooting at a woman associated with a rival drug crew in the vestibule of an apartment building in the Bronx.  Brown now faces significant prison time for his crimes and the harm he inflicted on the victim and his community at large.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings:

RAKIM BROWN, a/k/a “Rah,” was a member of a narcotics conspiracy that operated in and around 183rd Street and Davidson Avenue in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx.  BROWN and others sold crack cocaine throughout the neighborhood.  In 2017, a rivalry developed between BROWN’s drug crew and another drug crew when a member of the other drug crew shot and paralyzed BROWN’s brother.  In retaliation, on January 28, 2018, BROWN and others chased an associate of the rival drug crew until they cornered her in the vestibule of an apartment building.  BROWN then entered the vestibule, beat the victim, and shot at her multiple times.  The victim sustained multiple injuries to her face and legs.  

In connection with BROWN’s guilty plea, BROWN specifically admitted that he committed perjury at a pre-trial hearing before Judge Stein and that he possessed crack on particular occasions in 2016 and 2017 in connection with the narcotics trafficking conspiracy.

BROWN, 26, pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, and using and carrying a firearm, which was brandished and discharged, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.  BROWN will be sentenced before Judge Stein on June 6, 2022.

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and thanked the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the  

Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 2/28/22-3/4/22

 

Senator Alessandra Biaggi

Dear Community,

Happy Women’s History Month! This month and every month, we celebrate and honor women who have shaped and continue to shape our world for the better. Women have always led the way in the fight for justice and equality– whether it be in the women’s rights, labor, or civil rights movements– and it is imperative that we honor and recognize their contributions.

On the first day of Women’s History Month, the New York State Senate reaffirmed its commitment to supporting and protecting survivors by passing a package of legislation aimed at strengthening protections against sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. This package includes two of my bills, S812A and S738

My first bill, the Let Survivors Speak Act (S738), protects survivors from facing financial sanction for sharing their experiences of harassment and discrimination. The bill bars settlements of harassment and discrimination claims from including any terms or conditions requiring a plaintiff to pay liquidated damages for violating an NDA. This bill is a crucial step to protect survivors who choose to enter into settlement agreements, and remove any financial punishment for survivors who decide to speak out about their experiences. 

My second bill, S812A, establishes a toll free confidential hotline for complainants of workplace sexual harassment. Almost 75% of workplace sexual harassment goes unreported, often because employees don’t know who to go to or what their options are. By creating a free legal hotline, employees across the state – in a variety of workplaces and industries – can easily access confidential legal guidance through the Division of Human Rights, and quickly identify the best next steps to stop the harassment from continuing.

Visit here to learn more about other legislation included in this package.

I am extremely grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, my Legislative colleagues, and advocates for their support in moving this legislation forward and prioritizing this issue in the Legislature. These important bills will have a tremendous impact, allowing us to center and prioritize survivor justice to build a safer, harassment-free New York. 

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi