ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — AARP New York today called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to include in his 2021-22 State Budget proposal a Five-Point Nursing Home Reform Plan to require minimum hours of direct care and increased staffing levels in nursing homes, ensure visitation and transparency, restore families’ legal recourse, and invest in cost-effective services that help New Yorkers remain at home.

AARP sent a letter to the Governor urging him to include the reforms in his 30-day Executive Budget amendments.

«The nursing home crisis is front and center in this State, as it should be; now, through the State Budget, is the time and way to end it,» said AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel. «We should not waste this golden opportunity to improve safety and conditions for our mothers, fathers, grandparents, spouses and other loved ones in New York’s nursing homes – and for the staff who care for them.» 

The Five-Point Plan for nursing homes and other adult care facilities would address:

1. Quality Care, by requiring nursing homes to spend more on direct care and increase staffing levels; ensure strict compliance with infectious disease controls; and provide regular and ongoing testing, adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and oversight through in-person access by formal advocates known as long-term care ombudsmen – including increasing staffing for the LTC Ombudsman program.
2. Retroactive Repeal of Legal Immunity, by no longer shielding long-term care facilities for any negligent care delivered earlier in pandemic. Pursuing legal action is not an easy thing to do, and no family member who has lost a loved one due to neglect or abuse pursues this course of action lightly. It is always an option of last resort and must remain an option for families.
3. Transparency, through requiring daily reporting of data on fatalities and infectious disease rates of staff and residents in all nursing homes and adult care facilities with a publicly available annual report to the Legislature.
4. Home-and Community-Based Services, by increasing State funding by $27 million to help New Yorkers remain in their own homes, as the vast majority want, and out of potentially unsafe nursing homes. This funding would help end waiting lists for over 10,000 people seeking these services, which support family caregivers in helping older loved ones avoid costlier, mostly taxpayer-funded nursing homes.
5. Visitation, by ensuring safe in-person and virtual visitation, including compassionate care visits, and thus addressing one of the biggest concerns AARP has heard from our members during the pandemic. Social interaction with family and friends is critical to the health and wellbeing of residents. In addition to the social connectivity and emotional support they provide, visitors are key members of the resident care team.

AARP New York also supports a package of nursing home reform legislation under consideration by the New York State Senate.

AARP New York recently joined with healthcare workers union 1199SEIU and nursing home consumer advocate The Long Term Care Community Coalition to urge minimum hours of care and other reforms in a letter to Governor Cuomo, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

«What has happened to our loved ones in nursing homes during the past 11 months is a tragedy,» added Finkel. «AARP New York stands ready to work with the Governor and Legislature to ensure it stops now and never happens again.»

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SOURCE AARP New York

LONDON and GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With ambitions to create the ‘best airport in Mexico‘ at its home base in Guadalajara, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP) plans to invest 10 billion Pesos (US$504m* see note) before 2026 in the development of Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport.  The plan includes an additional runway and new terminal building as well as, in the short/mid-term, a radical new 6 billion Pesos (US$302m* see note) redesign of the commercial space in the existing building.  The Design Solution has been appointed to deliver the redesign with the new space due to open on a phased basis over the next 2 years before being fully open in 2023.

The current terminal has benefited from numerous expansion projects since its opening in 1966 and today is a collection of airside zones, complex circulation patterns and architectural styles.  The objective of the terminal redesign is to rationalise passenger flows, creating a series of engaging touchpoints along the passenger journey, from security to gate, with a visionary design that unifies the entire experience.  The Design Solution has worked alongside the project’s commercial consultants, Pragma Consulting, in fulfilling the approved proposal.

The new plan optimises previously under-utilized space, creating a new vibrancy to the passenger experience with a significantly enlarged commercial zone.   The two security areas are retained and passengers are now drawn towards the airside heart of the terminal, a newly revitalised area overlooking the apron, surrounded by a dynamic mix of retail, bars, restaurants, pop-up sites and other customer service facilities.  

«Our first task was to rationalise the passenger flows through the terminal to create an intuitive route in the airside commercial area.  With this approach, passengers have much more direct engagement with the greater exposure given to stores, restaurants, bars, pop-ups and seasonal event experiences» explains Graeme Johns, Director of the Design Solution. «It is always a challenge to transform older terminals that have evolved through piecemeal development, especially those that were predominantly assembled before commercial revenues became so important.  These new designs will create a world class facility and passenger experience fitting for GAP’s ambitions to transform Guadalajara International Airport and to maximise its commercial potential.»

«Mexico is so rich in history, culture, craft and unique landscapes and so finding a special feature to tie the designs together was not difficult.  Guadalajara is the heart of the Tequila and we were inspired by the shape of the harvested Agave plant used in the production of this iconic spirt, which is also one of the fastest growing categories in travel retail.  Its unique form is evident throughout the decoration of the terminal, such as the decorative lighting grilles featured in the main walkways and in the food & beverage area.»  

Raul Revuelta, Chief Executive Officer, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico adds. «We first worked with The Design Solution at Sangster Montego Bay Airport in Jamaica, one of our other operated airports.  Shortly after, we appointed them to work at Los Cabos airport in Mexico and now on to Guadalajara.  We have worked together as a team over many months to create something we believe will transform the terminal, both in terms of bringing passengers the best travel experience as well as growing our commercial offer. In the core airside commercial area, we currently have 5,700 sq m and that will increase to 7,250 sq m.  The pandemic inevitably means the implementation of our ambitious plans will likely take longer than originally hoped but we look forward to a phased approach to achieving this vision.»

A key area of the redesign is centred on a flat roof canopy, located outside the centre of the terminal building, over an expanded baggage area.  The proposal is to transform this into a signature feature of the terminal, with an external garden terrace, surrounding an Agave-inspired architectural shade pod, offering casual seating, planting and a unique eating and drinking destination.  The ambience of this garden has also inspired the character of the indoor food & beverage zone and is further reflected in the outside feel that is brought inside to the gate seating areas. Heavily planted areas include trees to complement the minimalistic concrete benches with low level under-lighting, combining to create a light, contemporary and natural landscape look and feel. The exterior aesthetic is further enhanced with the application of resin-bound aggregate floor finishes and warm natural materials.

A large rotunda space is introduced directly after the wall-through duty free store, enabling passengers to pause, orientate themselves, check flight information and then plan how to spend their time before heading to the gate.  A large aura formation of pendant lights, made from Peltra, a Mexican porcelain enamel, designed by local contemporary design agency Bandido Studio in Puebla, is suspended within the space, creating a striking statement with a strongly local sense of place. 

Beside agave cultivation, Tequila and Mezcal production, Guadalajara is home to Mexico’s thriving software industry, known worldwide as Mexico’s Silicon Valley.  The airport is the country’s third largest airport, handling almost 15m passengers in 2019.  The new development will increase capacity to 30m passengers per year, an increase of 60% more flights.  Pre-pandemic passenger growth was double-digit and the airport anticipates a return to growth in due course. ENDS

Note: US$ amounts quoted in 1^st paragraph are approximate due to US dollar exchange rate on the date of publication and also according to the peso exchange rate on the date of investment approval.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About The Design Solution

The Design Solution is a London based retail architecture and design practice with a strong specialism in the $70bn+ travel retail industry.  The practice has over 30 years’ experience in developing world-class retail solutions for airports, rail, motorways and other retail destinations all over the world together with compelling merchandising and experiential designs for brands. 

About Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. of C.V. (GAP) is a Mexican company that develops its activity in the airport sector. GAP operates 12 international airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica, serving more than 330 destinations, through 35 airlines. Its shares are listed on the stock exchanges of Mexico and New York.

In 2020, GAP served 27.3 million passengers, achieving a 56% recovery compared to those served in 2019 (48.7 million passengers).

The airports managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico are located at:

• Guadalajara and Tijuana, serving the main metropolitan areas.
• Mexicali, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, and Morelia, serving medium-sized developing cities.
• La Paz, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Montego Bay, serving some of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.
• On October 10, 2018, GAP signed the concession contract with the government of Jamaica to operate, modernize and expand the Norman Manley International Airport («KIN») located in the city of Kingston.

The airports managed by GAP in Mexico are owned by the Mexican government and have been allocated in a 50-year concession starting in 1998, as part of a domestic initiative to privatize and improve the quality and security of the country’s airport services.

In Jamaica, the government owns the Montego Bay Airport and the concession granted for its operation is for a 30-year period, which will conclude on April 2033. The Kingston Airport was granted for a 25-year concession. GAP took control of the operation and administration this past October 2019.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico believes in the value of each individual and seeks to trigger his or her potential through education. Better-educated Mexicans will raise their quality of life and contribute towards the country’s development. GAP, in line with its business model and through its Foundation, is committed to be a factor of change. We work on two strategic pillars: work with the community, through the GAP Schools, and on training the airport community, with Community Training Centers.

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Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1440075/GAP_logo.jpg

SOURCE Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico

FINGER LAKES, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Villages of Brockport and Lima entered into a tri-party agreement with Joule and Generate Capital to provide community solar to residents on an opt out basis. Part of Joule’s Finger Lakes Community Choice program, the opt-out community solar program will be rolled out to 3,800+ households across the two upstate New York municipalities. Expected to launch this year, this program will be the first opt-out community solar program in the United States. Generate teamed up with 38 Degrees North to acquire from top developers the solar projects in the area that will provide residents 17 million kilowatt hours of solar power for 25 years. Joule, the program administrator, has been supporting the development of a community choice program in the Villages since early 2017, including the provision of public outreach and public education on the opportunities for both electricity supply and community solar. Joule is the only program administrator with approval from the State to integrate community solar and electricity supply in a community choice offering.

Lower Electricity Costs for All

The opt-out community-level agreement ensures equal access to the benefits of community distributed generation from renewable sources—including electricity bill savings made possible by NY State incentives for renewable energy generation. Both low- and high-income households have access to these benefits on equal terms. This first-of-kind opt-out community solar program and the signing of the tri-party agreements delivers participants a guaranteed 10% savings on solar credits without requiring them to sign an individual contract, undergo a credit check, pay a second bill for solar, or install solar panels on their home or property. As such, the program is the first community choice aggregation in NY State to serve low-income consumers. As part of the community choice program designed by Joule and approved by DPS on September 3, 2020, the two municipalities signed a community-level tri-party agreement on behalf of their residents and small businesses, enabling eligible account holders to be automatically enrolled in the program with any credits or charges accounted for on the consumer’s National Grid electricity bill. The credits, and the resulting electricity bill savings, are supplemental to any benefits delivered by a community choice electricity supply program.

Community Solar Attracts Local Investment, Creates Jobs

Re-localizing energy generation helps build local wealth. Solar projects distribute benefits back to individual households in the form of reliable savings, but also to communities in the form of job creation and community revenue. Jobs are created in the construction, operation, and management of the solar projects that are located in close proximity to the communities they serve. Local businesses will benefit from more and steady income flowing into the community. The projects themselves will also contribute to local revenues.

Progress Toward Achieving NY’s Clean Energy Goals

Opt-out community solar not only reduces carbon emissions, but it also moves NY State closer to achieving its clean energy goals. While benefiting communities and residents, opt-out community solar also provides significant benefits to solar project developers. Opt-out community solar effectively guarantees the solar developer all the generated electricity output will be purchased without any need to solicit interest or market to each potential individual customer. The municipal-level agreement essentially ensures that subscribers have been secured in advance, thereby fostering an environment that allows for at-scale development of solar projects throughout NY State.

Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman said, «We have been continually trying to find ways to save our residents money, and one of them has been through true renewable energy. We converted to municipal solar in 2019 and have been waiting and waiting for the opt out community solar program that Joule has offered. So, we’re really thrilled to now be a part of it.»

«Implementing community choice aggregation has been a goal that the Village of Lima has been working on for four years,» stated Lima Mayor John Wadach. «Thanks to the support and expertise of Joule and its local partner Roctricity, we are excited to bring renewable energy at a cost savings to our residents. Although our residents will not have to take any action to receive the savings on their National Grid bills, those of us on the Village Board know how much work with State regulators and utilities that Joule undertook to make this a reality.»

«Joule has cemented itself as a leading in clean energy solutions for New York residents, offering solar choice to communities that otherwise may not be able to access it,» said Peggy Flannery, principal at Generate, which currently operates over 50 MW of community solar in New York State. «Generate is proud to continue our commitment to expanding affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy options through this innovative partnership.»

«Joule and the Villages of Brockport and Lima have developed a market leading structure that will provide significant savings to the whole community. We are proud to have partnered with Joule and Generate to provide innovative financing solutions that will accelerate the growth of community choice aggregation throughout New York,» said Chris Bailey, Managing Partner at 38 Degrees North.

«New York has kept the community in community solar,» remarked Joule Founder Mike Gordon. «Because CCA [community choice aggregation] authority empowers our Mayors and Supervisors to grant credits to their residents, substantially all Brockport and Lima residents will see twenty years of ensured bill savings without lifting a finger. Because New York State allows leaders to direct these credits even to subsets of their community, we should see replication throughout the state and beyond—leaders will credit the utility bills for the neediest folk in their respective communities.»

National Grid will continue to deliver electricity to all residents and remains responsible for repairs, maintenance, and service. Residents can opt out of the program at any time with no penalty, but would lose the guaranteed 10% price reductions on the solar bill credits that lower their annual electricity costs.

ABOUT GENERATE
Generate Capital, Inc. is a leading sustainable infrastructure company driving the infrastructure revolution. Generate builds, owns, operates, and finances solutions for clean energy, water, waste, and transportation. Founded in 2014, Generate partners with over 35 technology and project developers and owns and operates more than 2,000 assets globally. Generate is the one-stop shop offering pioneers of the infrastructure revolution tailored funding and support needed to get projects built. Our Infrastructure-as-a-Service model delivers affordable, reliable, and sustainable resources to over 1,000 customers, companies, communities, school districts, and universities. 

ABOUT 38 DEGREES NORTH
38 Degrees North is an investment manager specializing in contracted renewable energy infrastructure with a primary focus on solar energy and battery storage. The managing partners have a track record of over 3GW of successful renewable energy project financings across a variety of asset classes. For more information, please visit.www.38degreesn.com.

ABOUT FINGER LAKES COMMUNITY CHOICE
Finger Lakes Community Choice is a community choice aggregation program—comprising communities in Western New York—that enables participants to save money on electricity by pooling local electricity demand in order to leverage the collective buying power of their residents and small businesses in effort to secure more favorable terms on their energy supply and/or community solar contracts, protect consumers, and choose renewable generation sources. The participating communities include the Town of Geneva and the Villages of Brockport, Honeoye Falls, and Lima. As of July 1, 2019, the default energy supply to homes and small businesses in the Town of Geneva is 100% renewable. The groundbreaking community choice solar program will be an important pillar in the NY State Climate Action Plan mandate to reach 70% renewables by 2030. Finger Lakes Community Choice was formed in partnership with Joule Community Power. To learn more, visit fingerlakescommunitychoice.com. 

ABOUT JOULE COMMUNITY POWER
Joule Community Power (Joule) works with municipalities and local partners to empower communities and facilitate their goals of providing residents and businesses with cleaner and cheaper energy. With no upfront cost to a municipality or its residents, Joule’s first-of-kind, integrated Community Power program helps municipalities and consumers (1) save money by gaining leverage to procure less expensive electricity for residents and businesses, (2) make money by creating new revenue opportunities through participation in energy markets, and (3) go green by gaining local control to opt for clean and renewable generation sources. Joule’s distinctive expertise in designing and implementing new consumer-protective energy supply contracts was instrumental in the creation of New York State’s first community choice aggregation (CCA) energy program.  Joule is the only company in NY State offering CCA administrative services with a Public Service Commission-approved implementation plan that integrates community solar projects; and only Joule has the expertise, relationships, and experience to effectively design, implement, and manage such a program. Joule’s innovative renewable energy strategy is driving new regulation and encouraging the NY State Public Service Commission to rapidly advance innovative solutions. Having created the blueprint to guide communities through a smooth and empowering decision process, Joule aims to scale its Community Power model across NY State and beyond. Joule also offers capacity tag management services to businesses wishing to reduce their electricity costs by strategically managing their energy consumption. Joule Community Power is a division of Joule Assets. To learn more, visit joulecommunitypower.com.

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SOURCE Joule Community Power