May 2008

May 14 - Mayor Bloomberg launches (OM) second phase of "Schoolyards to Playgrounds" Project for PlaNYC goal of all New Yorkers living within a ten minute walk of a park or playground.

May 14 - Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) announces that hospital-acquired infections at its 11 hospitals have dropped dramatically since 2005 as part of a larger patient safety program to reduce preventable deaths and unnecessary hospital stays.

May 14 - Department of Design and Construction (DDC) launches its redesigned Web site.

May 13 - Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC (FUND) launches its new online donations form, allowing contributions to specific programs or to the general fund for the benefit of programs and needs benefitting New Yorkers.

May 9 - Latin Media & Entertainment Commission (LMEC) launches its redesigned Web site.

May 8 - NYC Business Express launches its retail sector.

May 6 - Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) announces launch of a Mother’s Day public awareness campaign to encourage women over 40 years old to seek an annual mammogram at any HHC hospital, community health centers, and mobile mammography van locations on Staten Island.

May 6 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) signs legislation codifying the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability.

May 6 - Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) releases its Climate Change Assessment and Action Plan.

May 5 - Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) launches a new awareness campaign to inform expectant mothers about its free and voluntary Newborn Home Visiting Program.

May 5 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Council Speaker Quinn and other elected officials announce that key parts of the plan developed by the Bloomberg Administration and the Speaker to bring ferry service to all five boroughs will begin May 12, when a new City Council-subsidized route from Far Rockaway to Lower Manhattan starts service.

May 2 - Department of City Planning (DCP) publishes "Going to Market: New York City's Neighborhood Grocery Store and Supermarket Shortage," a Citywide assessment of supermarket access at the neighborhood level.

May 2 - Department of Transportation (DOT) launches missing/damaged street sign and street, highway & sidewalk construction complaint forms that allow for picture/video submission.

May 1 - Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) launches ADA complaint and graffiti complaint forms that allow for picture/video submission.

May 1 - Office of Management and Budget (OMB) releases Budget Publications regarding Fiscal Year 2009 Executive Budget.

May 1 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) presents the Fiscal Year 2009 Executive Budget (in PDF).

April 2008

April 30 - The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) launches the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) Web site.

April 30 - Health & Hospitals Corporation (HHC) launches HHC In Focus that shows statistical measurements that assess the quality of the healthcare services the NYC public hospital system provides to New Yorkers.

April 28 - Department of Sanitation (DSNY) launches lot cleaning request complaint form that allows for picture/video submission.

April 28 - Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) launches public payphone complaint form that allows for picture/video submission.

April 22 - Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announces Shred Fest NYC (in PDF) at which NY'ers can shred personal documents they no longer need—but that identity thieves love to steal—for free.

April 21 - Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announces a new program to help cover mental health and substance use treatment for NYC residents affected by 9/11.

April 21 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces the expansion of the City's 311 Customer Service Center to provide information and referrals about social services, creating a simple entry-point for New Yorkers seeking social services, and fulfilling a promise he made in his 2005 re-election campaign.

April 21 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces that the Department of City Planning (DCP) initiated the seven-month Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) for the Willets Point Redevelopment Plan, the Hunter's Point South Plan, and the rezoning plan for the Rockaway Peninsula.

April 18 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces the launch of NYC TV's City Scoop, a weekly news magazine program highlighting City government news and events.

April 17 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Governor Schwarzenegger unveil 2008 New York City Card.

April 16 - Department of Health (DOH) announces 2008 Nicotine Patch and Gum Program and the launch of its new anti-tobacco ad campaign.

April 15 - Department of Transportation (DOT) releases 2008 edition of the New York City Cycling Map online. Free maps also are available in bike shops or by calling 311.

April 11 - Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) releases Health Bulletin #57: Kick Asthma (in PDF).

April 9 - Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (IMM) announces Immigrant Heritage Week April 14 – 20, 2008.

April 1 - Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) opens the application period for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), a paid, seven-week program open to all New York City residents between the ages of 14 and 21.

April 1 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM), Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announce the launch of Tune In For Child Safety, a new training resource which, for the first time, provides training for frontline child care center workers on how to identify and report the early signs of child abuse and neglect.

April 1 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) declares April 2008 MillionTreesNYC Month.

March 2008

March 31 - Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) announces 2008 Out-of-School Time Summer programs - more than 280 conveniently-located day camps throughout the five boroughs - at no cost to you.

March 28 - New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) recognizes 22 outstanding physicians for National Doctors' Day 2008.

March 26 - Mayor Bloomberg launches new Learning Network to share the City's experience designing and implementing Opportunity NYC, the nation's first conditional cash transfer program.

March 25 - The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Water Board Launch 'Pay-by-Phone' Bill Payment Service.

March 24 - The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announces that tuberculosis reached an all-time low in New York City in 2007.

March 24 - The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) releases HPV Vaccine Pamphlet (in PDF) informing women about the vaccine and how it can prevent cervical cancer.

March 24 - Starting today, Radio New York and KEXP are joining forces to bring fresh, independent music back to the New York airwaves.

March 20 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces X PRIZE competition to fuel sustainable car design will kick off in New York City next year.

March 20 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Executive Director and CEO, Elliot G. Sander announce what could be a new express bus route from the Throggs Neck Section of the Bronx to Lower Manhattan, if - and only if - the congestion pricing plan is approved by the State Legislature and the City Council.

March 19 - Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) has been selected by the Center for Digital Government, a division of e.Republic, to receive three of its 18 ‘Best of New York’ awards for 2008.

March 18 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announce the launch of Cities of Financial Empowerment (CFE), a coalition of City governments seeking to address and expand the role of municipal government in improving the financial health and security of residents with low and moderate incomes.

March 17 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) reminds parents to keep common poisons away from children.

March 17 - Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting announces that New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in cooperation with the Brooklyn Borough President, is seeking a developer and operator for the former Loew's Kings Theatre (the “Theatre”).

March 17 - Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting announces that celebrating NYC’s thriving Internet industry, the first-ever Internet Week, a weeklong festival, will take place in venues throughout the City – from performance spaces to cultural institutions – from June 3rd to June 10th, 2008.

March 12 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Transportation (DOT) announce that the congestion pricing legislation that will be introduced in the City Council and State Legislature in the coming weeks will include a Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program.

March 12 - Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announces that the Bureau of Water Supply (BWS) is sponsoring a summer internship program for 10 college students and graduating high school seniors who are presently enrolled in accredited college programs.

March 11 - Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) President Alan D. Aviles delivers testimony on the New York City Council Fiscal Year 2009 Preliminary Budget Hearing Committee On Health.

March 11 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) Commissioner Cosgrave congratulate the men and women of the 311 Customer Service Center on five years of excellence as New York City's non-emergency number.

March 6 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Education (DOE) release the first Annual Arts in Schools Report, which provides the most comprehensive analysis of arts education in New York City public schools ever produced.

March 5 - Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) announces that subway hero Wesley Autrey will serve as Colon Cancer Awareness Campaign spokesperson to urge New Yorkers over the age of 50 to get screened for colon cancer.

March 5 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Commission on Women's Issues (CWI) kicked off Women’s History Month and announced the New York City Child Care Tax Credit.

March 4 - Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announces the agency has secured a total of $5.3 million in restitution for New Yorkers who filed valid consumer complaints.

March 4 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Homeless Services (DHS) announce that street homelessness in NYC is down 12 percent since last year and 25 percent since 2005 – the first.

March 3 - Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) launches its first large-scale public advertising campaign to recruit Child Protective Specialists, the frontline caseworkers who investigate child abuse and neglect.

March 3 - Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announces a series of Spring Cleaning events, scheduled in March, April, and May that will give NY’ers the opportunity to discard unwanted items in an easy, environmentally responsible way!

March 3 - Fire Department (FDNY) announces it will be hosting fire safety events at major transportation hubs across the City this week to encourage NY’ers to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks this Sunday for Daylight Saving Time.

February 2008


February 29 - Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) announces that President Alan D. Aviles presented his third annual Year in Review to the New York City HHC Board of Directors.

February 29 - Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) announces the opening of the new Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatic Center, the first indoor public pool to be built in four decades.

February 27 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces that the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will require black cars that service corporate clients to increase fuel efficiency standards to a level currently achievable only by using hybrid technology.

February 27 - Department of Transportation (DOT) and the DUMBO Improvement District unveil the colorful mural "Nature Matching Systems," the first installation in the DOT's Temporary Art Program, which will enliven neighborhoods by working with local artists in partnership with business improvement districts and local community organizations.

February 27 - Department of Finance (DOF) unveils simplified, electronic tax forms (in PDF) for small business owners.

February 27 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) unveil the City’s next-generation electronic health records (EHRs), already in use at more than 200 primary-care providers across the City that care for more than 200,000 New Yorkers.

February 27 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announces that this week it began airing a new television ad to educate New Yorkers about the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on children.

February 26 - Commission to Combat Police Corruption (CCPC) issued its Tenth Annual Report (in PDF).

February 26 - Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the Prospect Park YMCA, and students from P.S. 10 in Brooklyn cut the ribbon on the newly renovated recreation center at Park Slope Armory that will serve local students and community members.

February 21 - Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has launched an online certification for the 421-a Partial Tax Exemption Program.

February 21 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announces that in response to a case of Hepatitis A in a bartender at Socialista in Manhattan it notified patrons of the exposure and urged them to get a Hepatitis A vaccination as a precautionary measure.

February 21 - Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announces that it issued more than 500 citations to over 130 income tax preparers as part of a Citywide sweep targeting illegal marketing practices.

February 20 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and NYC & Company announce the opening of NYC & Company's newest international office in Sydney, Australia, to promote and support travel to New York City.

February 19 - New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announces the reopening of the Boston Road Senior Center in the Bronx (in PDF).

February 14 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) releases the Preliminary Mayor's Management Report (PMMR) for Fiscal Year 2008.

February 14 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) unveils the Citywide Performance Reporting (CPR) system, a performance measurement tool that will help make the workings of government transparent to all citizens and ensure that City agencies are accountable for their performance.

February 13 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) unveils a brand new look for the NYC Condom and launched a cutting-edge media campaign.

February 13 - Administration for Children's Services (ACS) unveils a new Bright Space designed to support teen girls while they await placement in foster care.

February 12 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Super Bowl champion Giants deliver food and footballs won in the Super Bowl wager to City Harvest and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) for distribution to soup kitchens and youth sports programs across the City.

February 11 - Administration for Children's Services (ACS) announces the launch of a new Web site dedicated to the needs of youth who are transitioning out of foster care.

February 11 - NYC Fire Department (FDNY) unveils the largest fire safety public awareness campaign in FDNY history.

February 11 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces a long-term plan to reduce tropical hardwood consumption by City agencies.

February 7 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces that NYC TV, the official network of the City of New York, has been nominated for 48 New York Emmy Awards, local television's most prestigious peer-recognition award.

February 5 - Office of Emergency Management (OEM) announces winners of the What If NYC... post disaster housing design competition.

February 5 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) presented the Key to the City to the Super Bowl XLII Champion New York Giants in a ceremony at City Hall in dial-up or broadband.

February 4 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Transportation (DOT) accept the Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) Award from the League of American Bicyclists during a meeting at City Hall.

February 4 - Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announces the 22nd annual Water Conservation Art & Poetry Contest.

February 4 - Department for the Aging (DFTA) and Department of Cultural Affairs announce the launch of SM(ART)S: Seniors Meet the Arts (in PDF), a $1 million City-funded initiative to bring cultural organizations and senior centers together to enhance senior participation in the creative life of the City.

February 3 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announces the opening of five new sites for the Nurse-Family Partnership, the City’s successful home visiting program that aims to reduce poverty and improve health for new mothers and their children.

January 2008


January 30 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces the New York City launch of ReMix - Recycling Magazines is Excellent! - a national public education campaign aimed at increasing residential recycling of magazines and catalogs.

January 29 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department for the Aging (DFTA) launch "Safe Streets for Seniors," a major new pedestrian safety initiative for older New Yorkers, which will work in conjunction with the new All Ages Project that's re-envisioning what it means to grow older in New York City.

January 28 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announce that four new heavily-trafficked sites have been added to the Department's successful Public Space Recycling Program.

January 28 - Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting congratulates the "Made in NY" winners of the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards and the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

January 28 - Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announces that the Department collected 160,896 discarded Christmas trees at curbside across the city from Thursday, January 3rd through Wednesday, January 16th.

January 24 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) announces New York City has again been named one of the country's 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise for a second consecutive year.

January 24 - Department of Small Business Services (SBS) calls for the nominations of individuals, small businesses, and community organizations for the 2008 Neighborhood Achievement Awards.

January 24 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) presents the Fiscal Year 2009 Preliminary Budget.

January 23 - Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) launches its redesigned Web site.

January 23 - Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) announces the launch of Operation: Secret Rider (in PDF) to ensure the best passenger experience possible.

January 23 - Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announces the launch of 6th Annual Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaign, part of Mayor Bloomberg's aggressive efforts to fight poverty in New York City.

January 23 - NYC Fire Department (FDNY) announces the groundbreaking on a new high-rise simulator at the Fire Academy.

January 22 - Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting announces the that The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the nominees for the 80th Academy Awards, and “Made in NY” films have received sixteen nominations.

January 22 - Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) launches a pilot Online License Renewal Service for cigarette retail dealers.

January 22 - Department for the Aging (DFTA) announces the launch of its aging services modernization effort (in PDF).

January 17 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) warns NYC parents and caregivers to keep products containing camphor away from children. Some camphor products can be toxic to children when accidentally ingested or excessively applied to skin.

January 17 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) publishes “Taking Your Medicine: How to make it easier when your health - and your life – depend on it” (in PDF).

January 17 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) delivers 2008 State of the City Address.

January 16 - Department of Small Business Services (SBS) announces the launch of "¡Salud! para Su Negocio" (Health for Your Business!), a four week seminar in Spanish on health insurance options for small businesses.

January 16 - Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announces a series of three local seminars aimed at educating the public about the growing problem of bedbug infestation throughout the City.

January 16 - Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) reports a 19% increase in influenza in New York City since November.

January 10 - Department of Transportation (DOT) unveils the first of 20 Automatic Public Toilets (APTs) to be installed under the City's Coordinated Street Furniture Franchise with Cemusa, Inc., in Madison Square Park, Manhattan.

January 7 - Department of Transportation (DOT) announces it will hold an open house (in PDF) on January 10 to discuss the proposed Downtown Brooklyn Blueprint, which will meet the transportation needs of Downtown Brooklyn for the next 20 years.

January 7 - Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT) launches 311 Service Request Look-up which allows customers to check the status of existing Service Requests (SRs) created through the 311 Call Center.

January 7 - Department of Small Business Services (SBS) announces the awarding of nearly $1 million in NYC Business Solutions Training Funds to help employers train a record 877 New Yorkers and create 135 jobs, and availability of up to $1 million to help other NYC employers train their workforce.

January 6 - Fire Department (FDNY) announces average Citywide response times for fire companies decreased for the second consecutive year in 2007 as firefighters continued to respond to more calls than ever before in Department history.

January 6 - Department of Corrections (DOC) announces New York City jails were safer in 2007 than they have ever been.

January 4 - Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announces the Department's Citywide Illegal Dumping Task Force seized and impounded 28 vehicles that were involved in incidents of illegal dumping and the theft of recyclables during the month of December.

January 3 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM) and Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) announce the 12th annual MulchFest, a Citywide event where New Yorkers can recycle their Christmas trees by converting them into wood chips.

January 3 - Voter Assistance Commission (VAC) announces voter registration drives in all five boroughs in January as it kicks off 2008 Voter Awareness Year.

January 2 - Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting announces a number of “Made in NY” productions will be featured at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The festival runs from January 17-27, 2008.

January 2 - Mayor Bloomberg (OM), the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) release new data today from the 2007 New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey showing that cigarette smoking among New York City teens declined by 20% between 2005 and 2007.