RyeCity REVIEW THE
January 31, 2020 | Vol. 7, Number 55 | www.ryecityreview.com
County Health Department prepares for Coronavirus
In celebration of Black History Month, the Westchester Broadway Theatre pays tribute to Louis Jordan, the 1940s rhythm-and-blues singer, songwriter and bandleader, whose new approach to jazz paved the way for rock and roll in the 1950s. For more, see page 6.
Westchester kicks off Census 2020 at Pace University Census 2020 is coming, and Westchester County Executive George Latimer kicked off the county’s 2020 Census Campaign to ensure that every Westchester resident is counted. At Pace University’s Pleasantville campus, Latimer was joined by local municipalities who have their own Census Complete Count committees, Census advocates, community based organizations, college students and more, to stress the importance of a full and complete count for the 2020 Census. “Census 2020 is almost here, and our mission is a simple one—every resident of Westchester County must get counted,” Latimer said. “We have the reputation of being one of the most difficult to count communities, and the potential loss of representation, and federal dollars, is what is at stake here. We kicked off a robust awareness campaign a full year before Census was set to begin, establishing a Complete Count Committee that has put great focus on ensuring all sectors of the County are participating. We are partnering with our local municipalities and community-based
organizations to ensure that if you are a resident of this County—you will be counted.” Included in the county’s efforts to promote the 2020 Census is a robust public awareness campaign in both English and in Spanish, which includes advertising on billboards, county buses and bus shelters, bookmarks and stickers, and more. Latimer also rolled out a series of seven public service announcements, each one focused on a different target audience for the Census. The public service announcements will be released every week leading up to the mailing of the Census. The video topics are as follows: • Renters • The Disabled Community • Senior Citizens • Child Advocates • Spanish Speaking Advocates • Young Adults Below is the 2020 Census timeline. Letters from the U.S. Census Bureau will be arriving in mailboxes from mid- to late-March. • March 12-Mailing 1, Letter • March 16-Mailing 2, Reminder Letter
• March 26-Mailing 3, Reminder Postcard • April 8-Mailing 4, Reminder Letter plus Paper Questionnaire • April 20-Mailing 5, “It’s not too late” Postcard In October 2019, the Westchester Community Foundation awarded a grant of $50,000 to the county Department of Planning to support the work of the Westchester County Complete Count Committee through the hiring of a coordinator for the committee. Latimer introduced Heriberto Contreras as the county’s census coordinator. The coordinator will provide support for community based organizations engaged in Census operations; coordinate programs and volunteers where applicable; execute performance assessment and goal-setting exercises; analyze weekly field data reports; and coordinate with local municipalities and their Complete Count Committees. “Through the legacy of a donor who foresaw the need for practical assistance for complex programs and initiatives, we are pleased to be able to support the Complete
Count Coordinator position for the county,” said Laura Rossi, executive director of the Westchester Community Foundation. Through a partnership with T-Mobile, the county will have access to 200 tablets and 100 hotspots to be used at Census Hubs, where people can receive assistance in completing and submitting census forms. The county will be establishing census hubs throughout Westchester. This is also the first census where responses can be filed online. “The U.S. Census has a profound impact on our lives, affecting everything from our political representation to how much money is allocated for schools, roads, and other major initiative,” Pace University President Marvin Krislov said. “At Pace University, we know how important it is that everyone in our community—students, faculty, staff, neighbors—understands what’s at stake, and it’s why we’re committed to ensuring a complete and accurate count.” For more information, visit the Westchester County Census website. (Submitted)
turned from Wuhan, China, on Jan. 15, before federal health officials initiated airport screening. Measures are now in place to screen and monitor travelers from this region at five U.S. airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Cases of novel coronavirus have been identified in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, as well as China and the U.S. Symptoms may include runny nose, headache, fever, cough, sore throat and a general ill feeling. There is no specific treatment for illnesses caused by coronaviruses. Most people will recover on their own after resting and drinking plenty of fluids. To relieve symptoms, people with the virus can take pain and fever medication, use a room humidifier or take hot showers to help ease a sore throat and cough. Coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands, or rarely, fecal contamination. For more information about coronavirus, go to westchestergov.com/health. (Submitted)
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More than just a Moe?
With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, closely monitoring an outbreak caused by 2019 novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China, the Westchester County Department of Health is ready for the possibility that travelers with the virus could arrive in the county. The county Health Department is working with state and federal partners to learn more about this virus, is sharing information with local medical providers and has created a web page on coronavirus for the public. The county Health Department would coordinate any local response with the New York State Department of Health, the CDC, local hospitals, medical providers and emergency medical services. “While the risk to residents is low, our training prepares us to handle emerging disease outbreaks like this,” said Dr. Sherlita Amler, commissioner of health for the county. “Anyone who has symptoms and recently traveled to Wuhan or has had contact with someone from Wuhan should first call their health care provider and await further instructions to avoid exposing others.” The first U.S. case of this new coronavirus was identified in a Washington state man who re-
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