Flu Shots and Surgical Facemasks Part of Effort to Stem Flu

(Long Island, NY) Flu season is here and this year Eastern Long Island Hospital (ELIH) is taking additional steps to prevent the spread of flu, including enhanced efforts to vaccinate all employees and distribute surgical facemasks. When worn by employees, these masks offer a physical barrier to flu transmission. This is a comprehensive endeavor to protect patients, visitors, and employees from exposure to the flu virus.

While an annual flu vaccine remains the single best method for preventing the flu, a surgical facemask, when worn by employees, provides added protection to patients, employees, and visitors. ELIH offers the flu vaccine to all employees and, beginning this year, will also provide employees with surgical facemasks, as required by recent guidance from the New York State Department of Health.

As a matter of standard practice, ELIH enforces universally-recognized precautions to prevent the flu. These include hand washing, the use of hand sanitizers, placed conveniently throughout the hospital, as well as goggles, and gowns. In addition, ELIH adheres to rigorous infection control guidelines and policies every day to ensure a clean environment for patients, staff, and visitors. These practices are especially important during flu season. Antiseptic wipes are located in patient rooms, work stations, hallways, and other treatment areas and are easily accessible to hospital employees responsible for sanitizing medical equipment and surface areas.

During last year’s flu season, the New York State Department of Health recorded 45,352 confirmed flu cases, 9,537 patients hospitalized and 14 pediatric deaths from influenza.

“Flu prevention is a priority at our hospital and our employees work every day to lessen the spread of flu virus by adhering to strict infection control practices and prevention guidelines,” said Lloyd Simon, MD, Medical Director. “Starting this year, hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities must document the number and percentage of personnel vaccinated against the flu to state and federal authorities.”

For more information and flu facts visit: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm.

(Bethpage, NY) Bethpage Federal Credit Union, New York State’s largest credit union, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, are pleased to announce the United States Navy Blue Angels will headline the 11th Annual Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach, taking place on Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 24, 2014 and Sunday, May 25, 2014.  This will be the military jet team’s sixth appearance at the show.

Military performers confirmed to date include: United States Navy Blue Angels and the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.  A complete line-up for 2014 air show will be provided in the coming months.

“After the United States Air Force Thunderbirds were forced to cancel air show performances last year due to government sequester budget cuts, we couldn’t be more thrilled the Blue Angels have committed to perform at this year’s show.  We welcome the team back to Long Island with great enthusiasm,” said George Gorman, Deputy Regional Director, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

The Blue Angels’ last visit to the Bethpage Air Show took place in 2012 when over 400,000 spectators chose the air show as their Memorial Day holiday weekend destination.

“Memorial Day Weekend is an important time to honor the brave men and women of our country’s military,” said Linda Armyn, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, Bethpage.  “Our audience this year will certainly be grateful to have a returning military presence.”

Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, existing solely to serve its members and has experienced rapid growth in recent years to become a strong alternative to banks.  Bethpage was approved for the largest federal community charter in the U.S. in 2003 and now is Long Island’s largest credit union and leading community financial institution with over 228,000 members, 26 branches and 60 shared service center locations throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. As a financial cooperative, Bethpage offers better rates, lower fees and a full menu of personal and commercial financial services.

Bethpage maintains branch locations in Bay Shore, Bay Shore King Kullen, Bethpage, Central Islip, Commack King Kullen, Elmont, Farmingdale, Freeport, Glen Cove, Hempstead, Huntington, Levittown King Kullen, Lynbrook, Massapequa, Melville, Mineola, North Babylon, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Riverhead, Seaford, Smithtown, Roosevelt, Valley Stream, West Babylon and Westbury with over 425 surcharge-free ATMs in King Kullen, 7-Eleven, CVS Pharmacy and Costco locations throughout Long Island.  For more information, call 1-800-628-7070 or visit www.bethpagefcu.com.

Commissioner Mattox says 2 million eligible homeowners have registered, 86% online

(Long Island, NY) Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Thomas H. Mattox today testified before a State Assembly committee on the progress of the STAR Registration program.

In testimony before the Assembly Standing Committee on Real Property Taxation, Commissioner Mattox said more than 2 million homeowners who qualify for the Basic STAR exemption have registered with the Tax Department.  “Approximately 86% of them have registered online, a process that takes only 2 to 4 minutes,” he said.

The Commissioner said homeowners without computer access can call the Tax Department at 518-457-2036 and register by telephone.

The Department is offering extended STAR Hotline hours through December 31 – from 8:30 am to 8 pm weekdays, and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturday.  The Department’s call center already has fielded more than a half million STAR-related calls and its outreach staff has hosted more than 225 in-person registration events statewide.

The Department also has mailed letters and a postcard directly to all 2.7 million eligible homeowners encouraging them to register for the exemption by the deadline of December 31.  The average Basic STAR saving is $700 annually.

Seniors receiving Enhanced STAR (65 or older with incomes under $81,900) are not affected by the registration.

• Read the testimony
• Register Online
• Map of registration by county
• List of registration by municipality

Freezin’ for a Reason event to raise money for Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening diseases and their families

(CONEY ISLAND, N.Y.) Fundraising efforts are underway for the Coney Island Polar Bear Club’s eighth annual Coney Island Polar Dip to benefit Camp Sunshine, set for 1 p.m. on New Year’s Day at Riegelmann Boardwalk on historic Coney Island in Brooklyn.

Participants will ring in the New Year by plunging into the chilly waters off Coney Island Beach to raise money to help send more families from New York to Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Coney 13 f.jpgTo avoid lines at the event, organizers are encouraging polar dip plungers to register online soon. Online registrants who make a minimum $20 donation qualify for express registration on New Year’s Day and entry into the earliest plunge wave. In addition, any plunger raising $100 or more will receive a highly coveted, limited edition, long sleeve Freezin’ for a Reason event shirt.

The Coney Island Polar Dip is again partnering with CrowdRise, a popular online fundraising platform, to make it easier for the entire community to unite, support and fundraise for Camp Sunshine. To start raising funds, form or join a team, and donate online, visit http://www.crowdrise.com/ConeyIslandPolarDip2014. For more information, call (207) 655-3800.

Organizers encourage businesses and organizations from across the New York City region to form teams of co-workers to take the plunge together, creating holiday camaraderie in the workplace and helping a great cause at the same time.

The world-renowned Coney Island Polar Dip has set a goal to raise in excess of $25,000 in 2014, enough to send more than a dozen New York families to Camp Sunshine.

“The reality of this event is that the discomfort our plungers feel for just a moment will never compare to what our families go through during the course of their child’s illness,” said Michael Smith, Camp Sunshine’s Director of Special Events. “It’s for the families and children that we plunge…we call it Freezin for a Reason. “

Participants are asked to arrive early for the 1 p.m. event (registration begins at 10 a.m.) and to assemble on the boardwalk at Stillwell Avenue. Plungers are encouraged to bring warm clothes, surf boots or old sneakers, and towels. The NYC Parks Department is providing changing facilities.

Participants who make a donation to Camp Sunshine will receive a free breakfast and all-day admission to the New York Aquarium. For more information, visit the Coney Island Polar Bear Club online at www.polarbearclub.com.

Nestled alongside the shores of beautiful Sebago Lake in Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed on them on a daily basis.

The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family.

Since the opening of the Camp’s year-round campus in 2001, more ill children and their families have come from New York than any other state in the nation. In 2012, 152 families from New York attended the Camp. Even with multiple sessions being added annually at Camp Sunshine, there are still many more children from New York being newly diagnosed each year, Smith said.

Camp Sunshine’s program continues to be recommended by the following New York treatment centers: Mount Sinai Medical Center, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Schneider’s Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York University Medical Center, Brooklyn Hospital Center, Westchester Medical Center, Stony Brook Medical Center and numerous others.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine is a year-round retreat, which provides respite, support, joy, and hope to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families through various stages of a child’s illness. The program is free of charge to all families, and includes 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support. Bereavement groups are also offered for families who have lost a child to an illness. To support Camp Sunshine, call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

• WHAT: Eighth Annual Coney Island Polar Dip to Benefit Camp Sunshine
• WHEN: New Year’s Day – January 1, 2014 at 1 p.m. (registration begins at 10 a.m.)
• WHERE: Riegelmann Boardwalk, Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York
• WEBSITE: http://www.crowdrise.com/ConeyIslandPolarDip2014
• WHO: Presented by the Coney Island Polar Bear Club
• WHY: Event to raise money for Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org), a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families

MORE INFO: To avoid lines at the event, organizers are encouraging polar dip plungers to register online soon. Online registrants who make a minimum $20 donation qualify for express registration on New Year’s Day and entry into the earliest plunge wave. In addition, any plunger raising $100 or more will receive a highly coveted, limited edition, long sleeve Freezin’ for a Reason event shirt. All proceeds will benefit Camp Sunshine. The goal is to raise in excess of $25,000 – enough to send more than a dozen New York families to Camp Sunshine.

CONTACT: Michael Smith, Camp Sunshine (207) 655-3800 msmith@campsunshine.org

BACKGROUND
Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family – the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since the opening of the Camp’s year-round facility in 2001, more ill children and their families have come from New York than any other state in the nation. In 2012, ­­­­152 families from New York benefitted from a respite at Camp Sunshine. Sadly, even with multiple sessions being added annually, there are still many more children from New York being newly diagnosed each year.

Gather your family, friends, and co-workers to take the New Year’s Day Polar Dip for a great cause – and we’ll see you at the beach!

To support Camp Sunshine, please call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

Individuals Involved in Misconduct at RBS Terminated

(New York, NY) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Administration today announced that The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will pay $100 million for violations of law in connection with transactions involving Iran, Sudan, other regimes and entities subject to international sanctions. Additionally, individuals at RBS who engaged in misconduct were disciplined, including through employee dismissals. Those who were terminated include RBS’s Head of Global Banking Services for Asia, Middle East and Africa, and Head of the Money Laundering Prevention Unit for Corporate Markets, among others. Of the $100 million, $50 million will be paid to the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) and $50 million will be paid to federal authorities. 

“We have a vital responsibility to combat misconduct at banks and continue strengthening the long-term integrity of the financial system,” said Governor Cuomo. “In New York, we will continue our aggressive work rooting out global money laundering that puts our national security at risk.” 

Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of Financial Services, said, “Our continued objective is to create higher standards for ethics and accountability at large banks. That will not happen overnight, but through a sustained effort – including strong enforcement of our anti-money laundering laws – we will work toward that critical goal. RBS took an important step by terminating a number of individual employees who engaged in misconduct. If we truly want to deter future wrongdoing, we should move increasingly toward exposing individual misconduct and holding individuals accountable.” 

As detailed in a DFS consent order, employees at RBS acted to conceal the identity of sanctioned clients by various means, including implementing formal procedures to strip out identifying data from payment messages. This misconduct represented threatened the safety and soundness of RBS and violated New York Law, including the obstruction of governmental administration, failure to report crimes and misconduct, offering false instruments for filing, and falsifying business records. The Bank agrees that the conduct at issue involved more than 3,500 transactions through New York correspondent banks valued at approximately $523 million.

RBS employees in payment processing centers in the United Kingdom received written instructions containing a step-by-step guide on how to create and route U.S. dollar payment messages involving sanctioned entities through the United States to avoid detection. These instructions stated in relevant part:

IMPORTANT: FOR ALL US DOLLAR PAYMENTS TO A COUNTRY SUBJECT TO US SANCTIONS, A PAYMENT MESSAGE CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. The sanctioned country name. 2. Any name designated on the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) restricted list, which can encompass a bank name, remitter or beneficiary. 

RBS cooperated in the Department’s investigation and took disciplinary action against individual wrongdoers, and these factors were considered by DFS.

DFS, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Federal Reserve consulted on each agency’s money laundering investigation into RBS. Superintendent Lawsky thanked the federal authorities for their work and cooperation in this matter.

To read a full copy of the DFS consent order, please visit, link.

Defunct Company Dumped Radioactive Waste into Sewer System and on the Land

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed to add the Wolff-Alport Chemical Company site in the Ridgewood section of Queens, New York to its Superfund list of the country’s most hazardous waste sites. The soil and some nearby sewers are contaminated by residual radioactive contamination from past industrial activities at the site. Testing indicates that there is no immediate threat to nearby residents or employees and customers of businesses in the affected area along Irving and Cooper Avenues. Exposure to the radioactive contamination, however, may pose a threat to health in the long-term. In 2012, EPA began taking steps to reduce people’s potential exposure to the radiation and to address the potential health risks from the site.

The now defunct Wolff-Alport Chemical Company operated from 1920 until 1954, processing imported monazite sand and extracting rare earth metals. Monazite contains approximately 6% to 8% thorium, which is radioactive. Radiation can increase a person’s cancer risk.

“The EPA has taken steps to protect workers and nearby residents from immediate exposure to radiation,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “By adding the site to the Superfund list, the EPA can continue its work to protect people living and working in the area from long-term exposure to radiation from this site.”

The Wolff-Alport Chemical Company site covers 1125 to 1139 Irving Avenue and 1514 Cooper Avenue in Ridgewood, on the border of Brooklyn and Queens. During its years of operation, the facility occupied three structures and two yard areas at 1127 Irving Avenue.  The company did not operate out of 1125 Irving Avenue or 1514 Cooper Avenue, but those properties were affected by the contamination.  Today the site consists of six parcels of land with five buildings that house several small businesses, office space and warehouses. Until 1947, the company disposed of thorium waste in the sewer and on its property. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission ordered the company to stop the practice in 1947.

EPA provided technical assistance to New York State and New York City in conducting radiological surveys at the site and have identified waste material and radioactivity throughout the property, beneath adjacent public sidewalks and streets and in nearby sewers above levels expected to be found in a comparable urban area. The EPA, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of Health are working together to reduce potential long-term exposure to radiation from the site.

Between August 2012 and December 2013, the EPA conducted work to better understand site conditions and to reduce the potential exposure of workers and area residents to the contamination.  Indoor air samples were collected at the Primo Auto Body Shop, the Terra Nova Construction Company, the Arctic Glacier ice-making facility, the Jarabacoa Deli and the apartments above, as well as at the nearby Audrey Johnson Daycare and Intermediate School 384.  Outdoor samples were taken from the Evergreen Railroad spur and along the sidewalk on Irving Avenue. Almost all sample results were below action levels established by a group of technical experts from EPA, New York State and New York City.

Where necessary, EPA took action to protect people from exposure in the short-term. At Intermediate School 384, radioactive gas was coming from a hole in an unoccupied storage area. The hole was sealed with concrete and followup sampling results were well below the action level established by the technical experts. At the Terra Nova Construction Company, increased levels were found in a small office. The EPA installed a mitigation system that reduced levels to below the action level.

Additional EPA actions included:

• Placement of shielding material, including concrete and lead and steel in under building floors and across (under) the sidewalk to reduce potential exposure.
• Installation of systems to reduce or address radioactive gas in the affected interior space of businesses and other measures.
• Outreach to the community and local businesses to keep them informed, including holding a public meeting.
• Installation of a fence around a vacant parcel of land adjacent to the affected businesses to prevent trespassing onto an area where radiation contamination is present.

The EPA has determined that proposing this site to the Superfund list is the best course of action to protect human health and clean up the contamination. The EPA periodically proposes sites to the Superfund list and, after responding to public comments, designates them as final Superfund sites. Final Superfund designations make them eligible for funds to conduct long-term cleanups. The EPA received a letter from the NYSDEC supporting the inclusion of this site on the Superfund list. Today’s proposal brings the total number of proposed and final sites on the Superfund list in New York to 87. It brings the total for proposed and final sites on the Superfund list in New York City to three.

After sites are placed on the Superfund list, the EPA searches for parties legally responsible for the contamination in an effort to hold them accountable for the costs of investigations and cleanups. The EPA is in the process of identifying parties potentially responsible for the contamination. The EPA has spent about $2 million on the site to date.

To see the Federal Register notice and supporting documents for this site, as well as other proposed and final sites, on the day of publication, visit: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm.

The EPA will take public comments in the proposal of this site to the Superfund List for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register, which is expected in the next few days. For instructions to submit comments, go to: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/pubcom.htm.

For more information on the Superfund listing process, visit: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm or contact Ildefonso Acosta, Region 2 NPL Coordinator, at 212-637-4344, acosta.ildefonso@epa.gov.

A.G. Raises Concerns Regarding Carriers’ Rationale Behind Rejection Of Proposal To Incorporate Free “Kill Switch” Application; Schneiderman: It’s Disturbing That Leading Smartphone Carriers Knowingly Dismissed Technology That Could Save Lives

(NEW YORK) Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today sent letters to the chief executive officers of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, United States Cellular Corporation, and Sprint seeking information regarding their decision to prohibit Samsung from pre-loading an opt-out “kill switch” application on approved smartphones. This default feature would enable legitimate smartphone users to “brick” their stolen phones remotely and render them permanently inoperable when they fall into the wrong hands.

As co-chair of the Secure Our Smartphones (S.O.S.) Initiative with San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and London Mayor Boris Johnson, Attorney General Schneiderman has been leading an international coalition of prosecutors, police chiefs, attorneys general, public officials and consumer activists in pushing phone manufacturers and carriers to roll out anti-theft technology immediately, to remove the economic incentives behind smartphone thefts.

“For the past six months, the Secure Our Smartphone Initiative has called on the industry to put safety before profits and stop this violent epidemic. Considering this, it’s disturbing that the nation’s leading smartphone carriers knowingly dismissed technology that could save lives,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “My office will determine whether these companies allowed their business relationships to influence their ability to take immediate action against theft. In the meantime, our coalition will continue to demand that the industry take every available step to ensure the security of our citizens.”

“When we met with the manufacturers in June there was agreement that these solutions would be implemented within a year,” said District Attorney Gascón. “That deadline is rapidly approaching, we cannot standby while the carriers continue to put up roadblocks.”

The Attorney General’s letter urges carriers to embrace kill-switch technology “as a simple yet effective way to protect subscribers” from the spike in violent street crimes involving smartphone thefts, which has been observed in communities worldwide. A Harris poll of phone owners found that nearly 10% said their phone had been stolen at one point. Notably, recent study found that lost and stolen cell phones cost consumers over $30 billion last year.

In addition, the letter raises concerns regarding the independence of each carrier in deciding to reject Samsung’s proposed “kill switch” from a competitive standpoint, as the first carrier to feature free anti-theft technology could use that as a selling point for consumers who care about safety and security. The letter notes, “The first carrier to incorporate a kill switch on Samsung smartphones would burnish its reputation not only as the carrier of choice for consumers who want the best anti-theft technology, but also as a responsible corporate citizen.” Attorney General Schneiderman has also made a “document hold” request, asking the carriers to preserve any documents and/or communications pertaining to the decision to reject the “kill switch.”

Attorney General Schneiderman is requesting that all the leading carriers provide a detailed explanation of their decision to reject Samsung’s proposal and any other kill-switch technologies. Their replies are due to the Attorney General’s Office by December 31, 2013.

For more information on efforts by Attorney General Schneiderman, District Attorney Gascón, Mayor Boris Johnson and your local officials to combat “Apple Picking,” visit the San Francisco District Attorney’s website, the New York State Attorney General’s website or the London Mayor’s website.

Copies of the letters sent by Attorney General Schneiderman can be read here:

• AT&T
• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• US Cellular
• Verizon

 

(West Islip, NY) Christmas Angels helped bring the joy of the Christmas season to Good Samaritan Hospital’s Tree Lighting this year. The event included fun activities and an opportunity to remember someone special with an angel bearing the names of those being honored or memorialized displayed in the hospital lobby during the month of December.

The lighting of the Christmas Tree was a symbolic tribute to these special “Christmas Angels.” The festival raised more than $4,000 for The Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation and was enjoyed by more than 500 community members, Foundation and Guild board members, staff and elected officials. The free event featured refreshments and lots of fun with a visit from Santa, courtesy of the West Islip Fire Department, along with his elves and friends from the North Pole. In addition, attendees had their photos taken in a 15 ft. giant snow globe. Students from St. John the Baptist High School and Harborfields High School were among the volunteers who helped make the event a success.

Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is a 537-bed (including 100 nursing home beds), voluntary, not-for-profit hospital located in West Islip. The medical center, which has more than 3,775 employees and 900 physicians on staff, had nearly 28,000 patient admissions and nearly 100,000 emergency department visits in 2012. Good Samaritan is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. Visit the website at www.good-samaritan-hospital.org.

The medical center supplies residents with the tools necessary to maintain good health. This includes community lectures, screenings, health fairs and other community programs and services.

(NEW YORK) Today, the United States Senate voted 57-41 to confirm Congressman Mel Watt as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The following statement can be attributed to Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman regarding this important confirmation:

“Today’s vote is a true victory for working families in New York and across the nation. I applaud the Senate for finally putting in place a permanent head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency who can advocate on behalf of homeowners desperately in need of mortgage relief. This confirmation marks a turning point for the FHFA and an opportunity to further our economic recovery by directly combating the foreclosure crisis. I look forward to working with Director Watt in our efforts to keep struggling New Yorkers in their homes.”

For more information on Attorney General Schneiderman’s push to confirm Congressman Watt as head of the FHFA, please read his statement on Congressman Watt’s nomination or this May 2013 op-ed in the New York Daily News.

A Winter’s Tale for Little Ones

(Medford, NY) Assemblyman Edward Hennessey toured the Developmental Disabilities Institute located in Medford, where he read “The Cold Lady that Swallowed the Snow” to a class of attentive preschoolers.

The youngsters are part of the Young Autism Program at DDI, which has methodologies designed to help the children gain the necessary skills to be successful at home, in school and in the community. The staff is highly trained to meet the individual needs of children living with autism.