Eastchester REVIEW THE
June 4, 2022 | Vol. 10, Number 22 | www.eastchesterreview.com
State introduces 10 gun restriction bills
A remarkable run ends Somers’ Matt Kapica makes a leaping throw to retire John Russell during the Section I Class A finals on May 29. The Tuskers beat the Eagles 4-2 in a decisive Game 2 to win the Dom Cecere trophy. For story, see page 16. Photo/Mike Smith
Health department addressing baby formula shortage The Westchester County Health Department is urging residents to never dilute/water down infant formula in an attempt to extend their supply, try to make formula at home, or use milk or toddler formula to feed infants. This practice can have severe consequences beyond malnourishment. While the FDA has announced plans to ease the national shortage of baby formula,
it will take at least another six to eight weeks before an ample supply of formula is available on store shelves again. Additionally, the Health Department is notifying the public about the New York Milk Bank in Valhalla. The New York Milk Bank is the first comprehensive nonprofit milk bank based in New York State where breast milk is collected from
carefully screened donors, pasteurized and distributed to infants in need. Women looking to donate breast milk can also reach out to the New York Milk Bank to provide excess breast milk to babies in need. Clients of the Health Department’s WIC Program should contact their WIC clinic for support if their grocery store is out of their WIC infant formula. Yonkers WIC
clients should call (914) 231-2510 and Port Chester WIC clients should call (914) 813-7244. The Department of Health will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with families. For more information, support and WIC eligibility, visit the Health Department’s website at https:// h e a l t h . w e s t c h e s t e r g o v. c o m / (Submitted)
The Federal Government has issued the following links on their webpage to help families feed their babies Manufacturer Hotlines: • Gerber’s MyGerber Baby Expert: reach a certified nutrition or lactation consultant by phone, text, Facebook Messenger, web chat, or video call, who can help you identify a similar formula that may be more readily available. • Abbott’s Consumer Hotline: call 1-800-986-8540 • Abbott’s urgent product request line: ask your OBGYN or your infant’s pediatrician to submit an urgent product request by downloading and completing the form - PDF • Reckitt’s Customer Service Line: call 1-800 BABY-123 (222-9123) Community Resources: • Locate your nearest Community Action Agency (CAA). Your neighborhood CAA may be able to provide you with formula or connect you with local agencies that have formula in stock. • United Way’s 2-1-1: dial 2–1-1 to be connected to a community resource specialist affiliated with United Way who may be able to help you identify food pantries and other charitable sources of local infant formula and baby food.
• Feeding America: call your local food bank to ask whether they have infant formula and other supplies in stock. • Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA): certain HMBANA-accredited milk banks are distributing donated breast milk to mothers in need; please note that some may require a prescription from a medical professional. Find an HMBANA-accredited milk bank. WIC-Eligible Families: • Contact your local WIC office to identify or obtain additional sources of infant formula nearby. General Guidance: • Call your OBGYN or pediatrician to see if they have in-office samples or can suggest a similar formula that may be more readily available in stores and is nutritionally similar to your infant’s typical formula. • You should not water down formula, try to make formula at home, or use toddler formula to feed infants. Don›t discard formula unless it is expired or is part of the recall. Check your formula›s lot code to see whether or not it was affected by the recall. • You can find more guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Governor Kathy Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie announced Tuesday that 10 bills have been introduced in both the Assembly and Senate that would tighten New York’s gun laws, close loopholes and directly address the gaps in our laws exposed by the horrific shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and around the country. The bills would: require information sharing between state, local and federal agencies when guns are used in crimes; make threatening mass harm a crime; require microstamping for new guns; increase accountability for social media platforms; eliminate grandfathering of large capacity ammunition feeding devices; prohibit the purchase of body armor for anyone who is not engaged in an eligible profession; strengthen the Red Flag law by expanding the list of people who can file for Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and other measures; require that an individual obtain a license, with a minimum age of 21, to purchase a semiautomatic rifle; and close the “any other weapon” loophole. “Within the last month, two horrific mass shootings in Buffalo and in Texas have rattled this nation to our core and shed a new light on the urgent need for action to prevent future tragedies,” Hochul said. “New York already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country but clearly we need to make them even stronger. New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in schools, in grocery stores, in movie theaters, in shopping malls, and on our streets -- and we must do everything in our power to protect them. Working closely with Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and all of our partners in the legislature, we will strengthen our gun laws, help keep New Yorkers safe, give law enforcement the tools they need to prevent crime, and stop the spread of dangerous weapons. As New York once again leads, we continue to urge the federal government to seize this opportunity and pass meaningful national gun violence prevention laws.”
Governor Kathy Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie announced Tuesday that 10 bills have been introduced in both the Assembly and Senate that would tighten New York’s gun laws, close loopholes and directly address the gaps in our laws exposed by the horrific shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and around the country.
The legislative package includes: A.1023-A (Paulin)/ S.4970-A (Kavanagh) Requires all state and local law enforcement agencies to report seized or recovered guns to the criminal gun clearinghouse; participate in ATFs collective data sharing program; test-fire seized or recovered guns for national integrated Ballistic Information Network; and, enter the make, model, caliber, and serial number of the gun into the national crime information center. Also requires gun dealers to implement a security plan for securing firearms, rifles and shotguns; prohibit persons under eighteen and not accompanied by a parent from the certain locations of a gun dealer’s premises; provide training to all employees on the conduct of firearm, rifle, and shotgun transfers, including identification of and response to illegal purchases; adhere to record keeping requirements; and require the State police to conduct inspections of gun dealers every three years. A.6716-A (Wallace)/ S89-B (Kaminsky): Creates the crimes of making a threat of mass harm and aggravated making a threat of mass harm. GUNS continued on page 9