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POLLS OPEN TODAY. 6 AM TO 9 PM. DEMOCRACY SPEAKING!
DATA ON A POST-DOBBS WORLD
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WPCNR YOUR LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST By Dr. Katelyn Jetelina. November 7, 2022. Reprinted with permission.
Public health touches on all aspects of our lives, not just during a pandemic. Thanks to your feedback, this newsletter will continue with COVID updates but will start touching on other epidemiological topics, too.
Last week 5 new studies provided a first look into Dobbs v. Jackson’s impact on access to abortion care. This was largely thanks to JAMA Network that published a special issue on this topic. This is the story that data is telling.
Shift in location of abortions
Just like with COVID-19, data fragmentation touches nearly every other public health problem, including abortion. The Society of Family Planning anticipated this problem and started counting clinical abortions (i.e. at a physical location) beginning in 2022. They coin this effort #WeCount.
They just released their first report:
- Two months post-Dobbs, 10,600 fewer people had clinical abortions—a 6% decrease on a national level.
- Among states that banned or severely restricted abortion, there was a 95% decrease.
- States with the largest percent increases in abortions included North Carolina (37%), Kansas (36%), Colorado (33%), and Illinois (28%). California experienced virtually no change (1%), although still had the most abortions.
- This was an interesting pattern. Some states with restrictions in place (like North Carolina) experienced a surge because they were just closer in distance to states that banned abortion altogether, such as Indiana and Georgia. States on the East and West coasts, though, experienced little to no change.
A JAMA Network publication looked solely at Texas (remember Texas passed a highly restrictive before Dobbs in September 2021 called SB8). Specifically, scientists counted all abortions in the state of Texas from September 1, 2020 to February 28, 2022 and evaluated whether abortions increased, decreased, or stayed the same after SB8:
- Over the entire time period, there were 68,820 Texas facility–based abortions and 11,287 out-of-state abortions among Texas residents.
- After SB8, documented abortions among Texas residents decreased 33%.
- After SB8, out-of-state abortions among Texas residents increased from 17% to 31%. In other words, out-of-state abortions did not fully offset the overall decrease in facility abortions post-SB8.
Requests for medication abortion increase
Clinical abortion is not the only option for women. There is a very safe and effective alternative that people can access online and take at home—medication abortion. Another JAMA Network study looked at requests for medication before Dobbs, after Dobbs leaked, and after the Dobbs formal announcement. They found:
- More than 42,000 requests for abortion medications across 30 states.
- Requests in every state, regardless of policy, increased after the leak and the formal announcement.
- States with total bans had the highest increase in requests. Louisiana had the most medication requests followed by Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
Travel time increases
Clinics closed, which increased travel times for people seeking in-person abortion care. A study in JAMA Network assessed exactly how much:
- Travel times to abortion facilities, on average, increased by three times.
- The largest increases were across the South (see figure below). In Texas, for example, the new travel time to the nearest abortion facility increased by almost a full workday.
- American Indian or Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic populations experienced large absolute increases in travel time to abortion facilities.
Travel Time to Nearest US Abortion Facility Before and After Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health US Supreme Court Decision. FromRader et al., JAMA Network. Source here.
Pregnancies among young girls are risky
A news story post-Dobbs went viral after an Indiana doctor provided abortion services to a 10-year-old Ohio rape victim. A recent study published the risks of pregnancy to the youngest of girls. The scientists looked at the negative impact (morbidity, mortality, and delivery outcomes) of over 90,000 pregnancy hospitalizations among the youngest of girls (under age 13 years) compared to older females. They found that compared to other pregnancies, pregnancies among 10-13 year olds led to:
- More preterm births
- More C-sections
- More preeclampsia cases
- More ICU admissions
- No difference in stillbirths
It’s clear the youngest girls who give birth face significant medical risks.
Bottom line
Early data shows Dobbs significantly changed the way in which people access abortion care in the U.S.: where to go, how to get it, what barriers they’ll face, and who can get it (health inequities). In just four short months post-Dobbs, thousands of women’s lives were impacted. This is just the beginning of the story, but we have the power to decide how medical care for women, and this map, look going forward. Go vote.
Abortion Laws by State (Source: Center for Reproductive Rights)
MANHATTAN DOCTOR CONVICTED AT TRIAL OF ILLEGALLY DISTRIBUTING OXYCODONE. 1.3 million prescriptions distributed from November 2017 to Sept. 2022
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WPCNR FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Tuesday, November 8, 2022:
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Friday that a federal jury found HOWARD ADELGLASS guilty for his participation in a conspiracy to illegally prescribe oxycodone.
The defendant was found guilty following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. Sentencing is scheduled for March 8, 2023, before Judge Rakoff.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:
“Doctor Howard Adelglass was a drug dealer, but instead of peddling drugs on the street corner, he distributed drugs with a prescription pad from his Central Park South ‘pain-management clinic.’
For years, the defendant prescribed enormous quantities of highly addictive and deadly opioids to people he knew were suffering from substance abuse disorders or were dealers.
By distributing mammoth quantities of oxycodone pills to people without a legitimate medical purpose, the defendant destroyed lives and families. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those responsible for fueling the opioid crisis that is ravaging our community and nation.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, the evidence offered at trial, and matters included in public filings:
HOWARD ADELGLASS was a licensed physician. Together with Marcello Sansone, the defendant operated a pain-management clinic located in Midtown Manhattan (the “Clinic”). The Clinic serviced purported patients seeking oxycodone and other pain-relief medications commonly diverted for illicit purposes.
In exchange for cash payments, and in some instances for cocaine, ADELGLASS wrote thousands of prescriptions for large quantities of oxycodone, and many he wrote to individuals whom ADELGLASS knew did not need the pills for a legitimate medical purpose.
When they occurred, ADELGLASS’s examinations were perfunctory.
The defendant’s purported patients included individuals addicted to opioids and, in some cases, who sold oxycodone on the street. Even when faced with clear evidence of his purported patients’ drug abuse and diversion, ADELGLASS continued to prescribe large quantities of oxycodone to them.
Initially, ADELGLASS staffed the Clinic with inexperienced young women, some of whom he addicted to oxycodone.
In approximately October 2018, after serving as a primary source of patient referrals, Sansone took over as the Clinic’s office manager. In that role, Sansone helped to control access to ADELGLASS and the lucrative prescriptions he wrote for medically unnecessary oxycodone.
With particularly vulnerable patients, the defendants solicited and, in some instances, received sex acts in exchange for oxycodone prescriptions.
Between in or about November 2017 and in or about September 2020, ADELGLASS prescribed more than 1.3 million oxycodone pills.
On October 13, 2022, Sansone pled guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone. Sansone is scheduled to be sentenced on February 13, 2023, before Judge Rakoff.
* * *
ADELGLASS, 67, of New York, New York, was convicted of conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo, Marguerite B. Colson, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.
GENEROUS DONOR INTENDS TO DISTRIBUTE 1,000 THANKSGIVING MEALS TO GREENBURGH’S POOREST
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Elmsford Irrigation Entrepreneur Bernardo Luciano Wants to Feed People in Need
If you want to volunteer and help distribute meals or if you know of residents, local non profits that would benefit from the meals please contact Greenburgh Supervisors office 914-989-1540
GREENBURGH, NY_ Central Turf & Irrigation Supply, headquartered in Elmsford, is a family business owned and operated by Bernardo Luciano. His daughter Camilla Sorvillo approached the Town Supervisor’s office recently about a vision her father has of serving up to 1,000 meals this Thanksgiving day to Greenburgh residents most in need. He and his company do various large-scale philanthropic acts several times a year, but distributing warm Thanksgiving meals is something he would now like to make an ongoing tradition. The Greenburgh Neighborhood Health Center will generously open their space on Knollwood Road to this large event on Thanksgiving day.
The Greenburgh Health Center, a site of the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that offers high quality primary, preventive, and affordable health care and support services in an atmosphere of humane care, dignity and respect to improve the health and lives of adults, teens, and children in Westchester County and the Bronx.
Bernardo Luciano emigrated by himself to the US from Italy in 1970 at the age of 15. Once here, Bernardo began working in restaurants, supermarkets, and drove a taxi at night before landing a job as a landscape contractor. That started his lifelong career in the Green Industry. During his first few years on the job, he became intrigued by irrigation and its ability to create beautiful landscapes. Embracing his inner entrepreneur, Bernardo was determined to get into the irrigation business. And, he did just that. Bernardo left his job with the landscaping company and went to work for an irrigation contractor. After a few years as an employee, he became a partner in the business. Five years after that, he was ready to go out on his own, starting his own successful irrigation contracting business in Elmsford.
After selling his business in 1995, Bernardo purchased Central Irrigation Supply. With the help of his devoted wife Filomena, daughter Camilla, and son Anthony, Bernardo grew Central from one location in Connecticut to the largest family-owned and operated landscape supply company in North America—with more than 58 locations throughout the US and Canada and with 300 employees. The headquarters has been in Elmsford since around 2002.
The Luciano family has lived here in Elmsford since 1985. Though Bernardo and his wife recently moved to Connecticut, he still considers this home-base and wants to give back to the community and greater Greenburgh in general for the opportunities given to him here.
One-thousand warm Thanksgiving dinners – ordered from local fine grocer and another family business DeCicco & Sons – will be served by volunteers including members of Central Turf & Irrigation along with John DeCicco Sr. at the Greenburgh Health Center on 295 Knollwood Road Thursday November 24 from 11:30-1:30 pm.
We are attempting to track how many meals are needed as closely ahead of time as possible by handing out red ticket stubs to those attending. We ask for the assistance of local groups who serve the needy, like churches and shelters, to let us know how many meals you might need for your community. With advance notice, the meals can be packaged for take-out to distribute at your own location, or you can help hand out a batch of tickets to your community to come eat at the GHC in person at staggered time slots of 11:30 am, 12 noon, 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm.
Please contact Krista Madsen in Supervisor Paul Feiner’s Office for more information and to reserve tickets for your group at kmadsen@greenburghny.com or 914.989.1540. We also invite local youth groups to create Thanksgiving decorations to make the dining space welcoming and festive. We want to make sure that we are giving the meals to only those who are most deserving.
We are grateful for your assistance in helping us get these meals to the right people who need them most, and especially to the Lucianos, DeCiccos and everyone at the Greenburgh Health Center for making this event possible.
Paul Feiner
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
STATE ARRESTS 189 FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING OVER HALLOWEEN WEEKEND
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The New York State Police Issued More Than 11,500 Tickets During the Campaign, Including More Than 4,000 Speeding Tickets
Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that the State Police issued 11,601 tickets and arrested 189 people for impaired driving during the special traffic enforcement detail over Halloween weekend. The initiative, which targeted speeding and impaired drivers, began on Friday, October 28, and continued through Tuesday, November 1. The enforcement campaign was funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
“I applaud the State Police and our law enforcement partners for their commitment to keeping dangerous and impaired drivers off the roads this Halloween,” Governor Hochul said. “Through enforcement campaigns like this, my administration will continue to crack down on impaired and reckless driving to prevent needless tragedies and make New York roads safer for all.”
New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said, “I applaud the tremendous work put forth by our members and law enforcements partners that have attributed to the success of this enforcement. We know all too well the preventable tragedies caused by impaired, reckless and distracted driving. We want to remind drivers to make responsible choices every time they get behind the wheel. Our Troopers will remain committed and vigilant in keeping impaired and reckless drivers off the roadways every day.”
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J. F. Schroeder said, “It is important to keep driving home the message that impaired driving is completely preventable and a mistake that can come with a whole host of consequences. That is why GTSC is pleased to be able to continue to support State Police and other county and local law enforcement during these special enforcement periods, and to make sure that people go from the roads to home safe and alive.”
During the campaign, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, added more DWI patrols and ticketed distracted drivers who used handheld electronic devices. Troopers also used both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who were violating the law. These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic, but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.
State Troopers arrested 189 people for impaired driving – up 42 percent from the previous year – and investigated 1,006 automobile crashes, including three fatal crashes and 109 personal injury crashes. During the 2021 Halloween weekend enforcement period, which ran one day less than this year’s campaign, the State Police issued 7,824 total tickets and arrested 133 people for DWI.
As part of the enforcement, Troopers also targeted speeding, aggressive and distracted drivers across the State. Below is a sampling of the total tickets that were issued.
| Speeding | 4,129 |
| Distracted Driving | 233 |
| Seatbelt violations | 406 |
| Move Over Law | 104 |
Below are the results of the campaign, broken down by Troop:
| Troop | Region | Speed | DWI Arrests (# of persons) | Distracted Driving | Child Restraint/ Seat Belt | Move Over | Total Tickets (includes other violations) |
| A | Western NY | 368 | 18 | 13 | 38 | 2 | 1,063 |
| B | North Country | 242 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 784 |
| C | Southern Tier | 483 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 10 | 1,094 |
| D | Central NY | 375 | 16 | 40 | 52 | 9 | 1,226 |
| E | Finger Lakes | 376 | 11 | 19 | 67 | 11 | 1,186 |
| F | Upper Hudson Valley | 392 | 45 | 25 | 32 | 17 | 1,191 |
| G | Capital Region | 392 | 12 | 17 | 42 | 16 | 1,051 |
| K | Lower Hudson Valley | 518 | 28 | 21 | 37 | 14 | 1,134 |
| L | Long Island | 232 | 27 | 28 | 32 | 2 | 804 |
| NYC | New York City | 79 | 6 | 21 | 20 | 0 | 550 |
| T | NYS Thruway | 672 | 16 | 34 | 40 | 17 | 1,518 |
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GOVERNOR HOCHUL CREATES THE STATE’S MASTER PLAN FOR AGING
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Governor Kathy Hochul today signed an executive order to create the state’s first-ever Master Plan for Aging to ensure older New Yorkers can live healthy, fulfilling lives while aging with dignity and independence.
Signed on Older New Yorkers’ Day, the Executive Order directs the Commissioner of the State Department of Health and the Director of the State Office for the Aging to head a Master Plan for Aging Council, which will then gather input from relevant stakeholders to draft guidance for building healthy, livable communities that offer opportunities for older adults.
“As the first age-friendly state in the nation, we continue to take important steps to empower and support older New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “This Master Plan for Aging will provide us with tools to ensure our aging New Yorkers have access to quality long term care in healthy, livable communities where they can thrive.”
Governor Hochul’s executive order is the first step toward building a comprehensive roadmap for meeting the socioeconomic needs of all generations of New Yorkers as they age.
Building on New York State’s status as the first state in the nation to officially receive AARP’s age-friendly designation, the Master Plan for Aging will help to coordinate existing and new state policy and programs for older adults and their families, while also addressing challenges related to communication, coordination, caregiving, long-term care financing, and innovative care models with the overarching aim of furthering the ability for more to age with dignity and independence.
The executive order was signed in advance of the New York State Office for the Aging annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration, which honors volunteerism among older adults statewide. Starting at 1 p.m. today, this year’s virtual celebration will honor 94 older adults across the state for their unique contributions through civic organizations, charities, in schools or libraries, on behalf of health and human services organizations or other non-profits, and through acts of kindness.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett or her designee will chair the Master Plan for Aging Council, Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen will serve as vice-chair, and relevant state agency commissioners and directors will serve as its membership. The council will then assemble a stakeholder committee, including members from health care and support service providers; consumers; informal caregivers; older adults – particularly those in communities experiencing disparities; health plan companies, labor and community-based organizations, employers, experts on aging, and academic researchers, among others.
Earlier this year, the State Department of Health established the Office of Aging and Long-Term Care to develop policies and programs to meet the needs of older New Yorkers and people with disabilities who require long-term care services and support. Created in July, this new office is working closely with the Office of Health Insurance Programs, the Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management, and the state Office for the Aging to coordinate Department of Health activities related to aging New Yorkers.
WHITE PLAINS WEEK THE 2022 ELECTION REPORT ANYTIME ON WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
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| Proposed 2023County Operating BudgetPresentation and Member Consensus Meeting Tuesday, November 15 White Plains Library Auditorium 2:00 – 4:00pm |
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| Join us for the LWVW Annual Review and Member Consensus Meeting of the proposed 2023 Westchester County Operating Budget.County Budget Director, Larry Soule, will present the proposed 2023 Westchester County Operating Budget and address all your questions. The Proposed County Operating Budget will be posted by November 10 at Westchester County Budget Department.The Public is invited to attend the Operating Budget presentation.After the presentation, League members will convene to formulate a consensus statement that will be read at a public hearing prior to legislative adoption. |
PLANS FOR GALLERIA DEVELOPMENT INTO RESIDENTIAL, MIXED USE AND AMENITIES DESTINATION — ANNOUNCED BY PACIFIC RETAIL CAPITAL PARTNERS, S.l. GREEN AND THE CAPPELLI ORGANIZATION
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WPCNR REALTY REALITY. Special to WPCNR from Pacific Retail Capital Partners. November 3, 2022:
Pacific Retail Partners (PRCP) and Aareal Bank, owner of The Galleria at White Plains, took a major step in securing the future success of downtown White Plains, New York, today forming a new joint venture partnership with two of the most prominent players in the White Plains and NYC Metro real estate market: SL Green Realty Corp. and the Cappelli Organization.
The Galleria, which opened in 1980, consists of approximately ten acres located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone in the heart of Downtown White Plains next to a major mass transit hub of Metro-North. The area is enjoying a renaissance, which over the last decade has seen a near complete transformation. High-rise residential towers have already drawn thousands of new residents to this rapidly evolving area. The 870,000-square-foot mall has become a focal point in completing the reimagination of downtown.
“This is one of the most exciting mixed-use development sites in the New York Metro Area,“ said Steve Plenge, Chief Executive Officer of PRCP. “We have worked over the past few years to acquire the Macy’s fee interest at the site, along with the leasehold interest of the former Sears. Working with our new partners, we will reimagine the site as a vibrant mixed-use project that will be centered on residential development and amenity-based retail.
With a proven track-record of evolving and repositioning properties and a keen focus on unlocking the value and enhancing the quality of its growing portfolio, PRCP, together with its new partners, is dedicated to creating a unique and strategic vision through master planning efforts and cutting-edge design for the Galleria at White Plains to transform it for the next generation.
The two new partners bring extensive local multi-family and office experience to the partnership. SL Green is the largest owner of office real estate in New York City and one of the largest in Westchester County. The Cappelli Organization has been the catalyst for the rebirth of the White Plains downtown and involved with numerous residential, office and retail development projects in greater Westchester County.
“We are extremely pleased for the opportunity to join with SL Green, Aareal Bank Group and Pacific Retail Capital Partners in the redevelopment of The Galleria site,” said Louis R. Cappelli, Chief Executive Officer of the Cappelli Organization.
“The reimagining of this property is integral to the dramatic transformation of downtown White Plains that is well underway. We are fortunate to be able to play a role in recreating the property with mixed uses which will link the city’s transit center with the Mamaroneck Avenue corridor.
The Galleria redevelopment comes as our company, is beginning the redevelopment of the former White Plains Mall property into Hamilton Green, also a mixed-use project. Together, the two major projects will effectively complete the transformation of the downtown that began as an Urban Renewal project more than 50 years ago.”
Company founder and CEO Louis Cappelli is responsible for envisioning and constructing City Center 20 years ago, the residential and retail complex which triggered the redevelopment movement that continues today.
He followed this with the 46-story Ritz-Carlton towers that remade the city’s skyline. The Cappelli Organization is redeveloping a former shopping plaza where they plan to develop Hamilton Green, an approved $600 million mixed-use complex featuring four residential towers. The site is the last large redevelopment site in the Hamilton Avenue-Main Street corridor that ties the city’s Metro-North station and transportation hub with the existing Galleria at White Plains in the heart of the downtown.
“The Galleria at White Plains is an important property in Westchester County and the region. With our experienced real estate partners, the new masterplan and design will build upon the remarkable renaissance under way in Downtown White Plains,” said Plenge. “The existing Galleria White Plains has been a community staple for many years. We anticipate closing a portion of the mall in early 2023 to evolve the asset and rebalance the mix of uses through a transformative development to meet the needs of the next generation.” Plenge added.