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Mayor Adams on Wednesday defended Correction Commissioner Louis Molinas decision to bar a respected doctor from the jails over his social media posts critical of the Correction Department.

Adams said Dr. James Uhrig posted comments regarding the smuggling of fentanyl into the jails in contradiction to statements by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The mayor did not specify exactly what comments he was referring to.

Hes a doctor. He should know the level of professional standards that he should carry out, Adams said. He put out information that was in contradiction to the CDC. People were putting fentanyl in mail. They were soaking it in mail. His statement was in contradiction to that.

I think its just inappropriate to have someone that is openly going to contradict the CDC.

Mayor Eric Adams, left, and Correctin Commissioner Louis Molina (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

As the Daily News reported Monday, Uhrig learned in early November that he had been barred from access to the jails where he had treated thousands of patients over nearly five years. Correction Department officials gave no explanation at the time for the action, which effectively cost Uhrig his job.

Uhrig posted comments about fentanyl and many other things related to Rikers, including expressing support for the installation of a federal receiver to oversee the jails. However, he never discussed his own work or violated patient confidentiality.

He filed a notice of claim with the city alleging the ban violated his free speech rights and amount to retaliation by Molina.

Asked about Adams comments, Uhrigs lawyer Sarena Townsend countered: As usual, the law sharply diverges from Mayor Adams opinion and Commissioner Molinas actions. Now that we know the basis of their illegal actions, we are more confident than ever that we will succeed on Dr. Uhrigs legal claims.

Dr. James Uhrig

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Adams also reitierated his support for Molina and asserted that Uhrig was not an employee. Uhrig was employed by the Physician Affiliate Group, which works under contract with city Correctional Health Services.

This guy [Molina] is doing a good job, and, you know, were not going to spend our time talking about a doctor that wasnt an employee, Adams added. We have major things to deal with at Rikers Island, and thats my focus. The courts can deal with his lawsuit.

But City Councilwoman Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan) said barring an experienced physician from the jails for his social media posts sends the wrong message. Many people, she noted, supported a federal takeover of the jails.

Correctional health is not easy to begin with, and when you have someone so competent, I would think you would want to keep them, Brewer said. I was upset someone so qualified and committed would not be able to continue. You would want to keep someone like that.

DOC Commissioner Louis Molina (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

James Flannery, a retired physicians assistant who worked with Uhrig at the Eric M. Taylor Center at Rikers, described him as very well respected and called barring him a violation of his free speech rights. He was A1 in my book, said Flannery, who worked in the jails for 25 years.

Jerome Wright, co-director of the #HALTsolitary Campaign, said, The mismanagement of this department is astounding. [The Correction Department] should be bringing in the best possible health care staff and addressing its own often deadly failures to get detained people to their appointments.

Last year, a judge in the Bronx fined the city roughly $200,000 for failing to fix an ongoing problem at the jails on bringing people to their medical appointments. The city is appealing the ruling.

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Mayor Adams backs NYC correction commissioner in Rikers Island ... - New York Daily News

3/22/2023

Last week, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) highlighted the work of the Debris Task Force to remove and refloat 34 shrimp trawlers six months post-landfall of Hurricane Ian. The estimated cost for this project totals $9.6 million from the Emergency Trust Fund.

"Hurricane Ian caused widespread damage in Southwest Florida putting many in the seafood industry out of work due to their inability to access their shrimp trawlers, said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. I want to thank our team at the Division as well as the numerous contractors who have worked around the clock to take on this massive project and help this industry get back on their feet.

Hurricane Ian caused a devastating impact on the shrimping industry in Southwest Florida, which accounts for 43% of the total shrimp harvest for the state. Over 300 workers in Lee County were displaced as a result of the storm.

On Saturday, October 29, 2022, FDEM offered affected counties the option to have all Hurricane Ian-related personal property debris removal and commercial property debris removal handled by the Division. This is the first time the State has managed debris removal in the aftermath of a Hurricane.

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20230322 Florida Division of Emergency Management Announces ... - Florida Disaster

Water Corporation is making it easier for people with disability to join its workforce thanks to an improved recruitment process which has been recognised by the Australian Network on Disability.

The utility has become one of just 27 organisations nationally - and the first water service provider in Australia - to be accredited as a Disability Confident Recruiter.

Announced by Water Minister Simone McGurk today, accreditation recognises Water Corporation's work to identify and remove common recruitment barriers for people with disability.

This includes improving language in job advertisements, providing more accessible locations for job interviews, and helping applicants access a support person or interpreter.

Water Corporation's commitment to improving employment outcomes for people with disability is stated in its Disability Access Inclusion Plan, which supports a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Under the plan, Water Corporation works closely with disability employment providers to promote job opportunities, particularly through career entry and graduate programs.

One such initiative, undertaken with disability employment provider Edge, has seen three high school-aged students complete traineeships and go on to obtain permanent employment with the utility.

A further four school-aged trainees with disabilities will join the program in March.

More information on becoming a Disability Confident Recruiter is available at http://www.and.org.au

Comments attributed to Water Minister Simone McGurk:

"Applying for a job can be a difficult and sometimes stressful process, but hidden recruitment barriers make it even tougher for people with disability.

"By removing some of these barriers, Water Corporation is helping provide people with disability equal opportunity to find and enjoy a fulfilling career.

"It's fantastic to see government enterprises leading from the front in taking meaningful action to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

"I'm also pleased by the success of Water Corporation's traineeship program for students with disabilities, that will soon provide another four young people with an opportunity to shape their future at WA's principal water provider."

Comments attributed to Disability Services Minister Don Punch:

"Employment is so much more than just income, it can help people become more independent and have more control over their lives, which is why we're committed to getting as many people into the workforce as possible.

"As WA's largest employer, it is important that the State Government leads by example in ensuring that people with disability have the same opportunities to participate in employment and live their best lives.

"Making it easier for Western Australians with a disability to obtain meaningful employment doesn't just support the individuals, it also benefits their families and the wider community, while helping create diverse and inclusive workplaces."

Water Minister's office - 6552 6600

Disability Services Minister's office - 6552 6900

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Media statements - Water Corporation employer of choice for people ... - Media Statements

TikToks CEO faced an intense grilling Thursday on Capitol Hill over his social media platforms data privacy, content algorithms and moderation.

Shou Zi Chews appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Committee came as the Biden administration is demanding TikToks China-based parent company, ByteDance, sell the video-sharing app, threatening a ban if it does not.

The Biden administration as well as Democratic and Republican lawmakers is concerned the Chinese government could access sensitive data about American users or influence them by pushing misinformation on the app.

A 2017 Chinese law compels companies to turn over any personal data the government believes is relevant to national security.

From the data it collects to the content it controls, TikTok is a grave threat of foreign influence in American life, said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., the committees chairwoman. It's been said it's like allowing the Soviet Union the power to produce Saturday morning cartoons during the Cold War, but much more powerful and much more dangerous.

"Your platform should be banned," she added.

Chew, who is from Singapore, insisted ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government. TikTok, which has more than 150 million users in the U.S., in headquartered in Singapore and Los Angeles, he noted.

Chew said in the two years hes been TikToks CEO, hes not had any conversations with Chinese government officials and has seen no evidence to suggest Beijing has access to its data.

But Chew said TikTok takes concerns about the potential of unwanted foreign access seriously and has been taking action.

Among a series of pledges he made, Chew said TikTok is working on an initiative called Project Texas, which will result in American data stored on American soil by an American company, overseen by American personnel.

Chew said third-party monitors will have access to TikToks coding to help reassure users their data is safe.

While the goal of Project Texas is to build a firewall around U.S. user data, Chew acknowledged later in the hearing that some ByteDance employees in China might currently be able to access data personal information about Americans.

Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the committees top Democrat, said the Project Texas plan did not ease his concerns.

I still believe that the Beijing Communist government will still control and have the ability to influence what you do, and so this idea, this Project Texas, is simply not acceptable, he said.

Pallone urged Congress to pass legislation, which he and Rodgers introduced last year, that would give online users greater control over their personal information, require companies to only use data needed to provide their services and increase protections for children and teenagers. He also called for reforms to Section 230, the provision in the 1996 Communications Decency Act that gives online platforms legal immunity from liability for content posted on the internet.

Rodgers challenged Chews assertion that TikTok was insulated from interference from the Chinese government or the ruling Chinese Communist Party, citing reports that some ByteDance executives and a board member have ties to the party.

Several lawmakers also brought up reports that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating allegations that TikTok employees spied on journalists and that a member of TikToks Trust and Safety Department was recorded saying in a 2021 meeting, Everything is seen in China.

Chew claimed many reports about the social media app have been inaccurate. On the allegations of spying on journalists, he said TikTok does condone the effort by certain former employees to access U.S. Tiktok user data. We condemn these actions.

Lawmakers also pressed Chew on a Wall Street Journal report Thursday in which a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman said Beijing would oppose the forced sale of TikTok and need to approve it because it would involve exporting technology.

So the CCP believes they have the final say over your company, Rodgers said. I have zero confidence in your assertion that ByteDance and TikTok are not beholden to the CCP.

Chew said he disagreed with the China spokeswomans comments.

Some committee members, meanwhile, focused their attacks on TikToks content moderation and algorithms, which they say promote harmful and extreme content.

Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., showed a TikTok post of an animated gun firing bullets. The post included the caption Me asf at the, House Energy and Commerce Committee on 03/23/2023. It also used a hashtag with Rodgers name.

This video has been up for 41 days, Cammack said. It is a direct threat to the chairwoman of this committee, the people in this room, and yet it still remains on the platform. And you expect us to believe that you are capable of maintaining the privacy and security of 150 million Americans when you can't even protect people in this room?

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., alleged that 16-year-old Chase Nasca, whose parents attended the hearing, killed himself last year after TikTok recommended videos to him suggesting suicide. Bilirakis showed a montage of suicide-related content found on the app.

The content on Chases For You page was not a window to discovery, as you boldly claimed, Bilirakis said. His For You page was sadly a window to discover suicide.

Would you share this content with your children? he asked Chew.

The TikTok CEO said it was devastating to hear about Nascas death. He said TikTok takes such issues seriously and recommends help resources to users based on certain search terms.

Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., said she found examples of potentially harmful health misinformation on the app. When Chew said such content is not allowed, DeGette responded, I'm sorry to report it is on your platform, though.

You have current controls, but the current controls are not working to keep this information mainly from young people but from Americans in general, she said.

Chew conceded TikTok is not perfect, adding, This is a problem that faces our industry that we need to really invest and address this.

But he also touted the companys work to protect young people by implementing a default 60-minute daily limit for users 18 and under as well as parent tools.

Many of those measures are firsts for the social media industry, he said.

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'Your platform should be banned': Lawmakers blast TikTok CEO ... - Bay News 9

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The Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee met Tuesday in Indianapolis for discussions around key strategic and budget issues.

The committee approved a motion to send a formal recommendation to the Management and Presidents Councils to hire an outside vendor to evaluate Division III's Enrichment Fund programs and initiatives and determine whether the program outcomes align with the division's strategic priorities. Both councils supported the initial idea of an assessment in October 2022.

The evaluation would include all grants and programs currently being funded through the Enrichment Fund. Currently, the Enrichment Fund provides grants and programs in the following areas:

"As fierce supporters of Division III athletics and the role it serves at our institutions, the topics we covered in our Strategic Planning and Finance Committee meeting are crucial to the continued vitality of the division," said Jim Troha, chair of the committee, vice chair of the Presidents Council and president at Juniata.

After discussions at the 2023 NCAA Convention among the Management and Presidents Councils, the committee discussed the newly created Financial and Risk Management Working Group. It noted the working group will collaborate with the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee andbe responsible for reviewing the landscape of intercollegiate athletics, the division's financial standing, and the risks, threats and opportunities that confront the division.As needed, the working group will prepare alternatives for the Presidents Council to act on behalf of the division.

The committee also discussed Division III's review of its philosophy statement, using feedback from the Issues Forum at the NCAA Convention and recent meetings of the Philosophy Statement Review Working Group.

The focus of the conversation centered around the need for the philosophy statement to account for how the division has changed and provide adequate flexibility for its continued evolution.

The Strategic Planning and Finance Committee reviewed the latest draft and will forward it to the Management and Presidents Councils to provide feedback during their April meetings. After the councils' review, the working group will share the latest draft with the membership for feedback. The committee's goal is to review a final draft during its June meeting to forward to the councils to consider sponsoring a legislative proposal for the 2024 NCAA Convention to establish a new Division III philosophy statement.

The new CBS/Turner Sports broadcast agreement begins in fiscal year 2025, and Division III will receive a 13% revenue increase. With the additional funds coming, the committee received an update from the chair of the Championships Committee regarding discussions to enhance the student-athlete championship experience. Topics up for conversation include equal access to Pool C (at large), providing additional flights during opening rounds to protect higher regional seeds and/or providing more funding to the current championship experience.

The Championships Committee will be seeking feedback from the membership, via a survey to be distributed in April, regarding these potential championships enhancements.

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DIII Strategic Planning and Finance Committee recommends ... - NCAA.org