RSS
Be Healthy!: Monte Kids Dance the Night Away
May 16, 2012
By Alex Kratz
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
The Royal Court 
l-r) Robert Roman Jr. (Prince), Ashley Ruiz (Queen), Anderson Morillo (King), Stephanie Wettstein (Princess). (Photo by Adi Talwar)
On May 5, the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore hosted a spring prom for chronically ill teens, ages 12 and up. The theme was Beach Paradise and the goal was to provide local teenagers who often end up missing school and social events due to their illnesses, the opportunity to have a good time they would always remember.
Montefiore teamed up with a number of organizations that donated their goods and services toward the evening – everything from dresses and tuxes, to decorations and party planning services, to food and drink.
“It was a cool way for the kids in and out of the hospital to be themselves and just have fun,” said Tyanna Legree, a prom participant.
Kids taught each other all the latest dance moves.
“It was fun teaching everyone how to Dougie,” said Zuwena McCurdy. “I taught Meghan how to jerk. I loved my dress.”
The goal was not only to allow the kids to have fun, but also to restore a sense of normalcy.
“We hope that this prom provides them with the chance to forget about their illnesses for a night and just have fun,” said Lindsay Davis, a Certified Child Life Specialist at The Children’s Hospital. “Normally when we see these teens they are in hospital pajamas and not feeling well, so it was great to see them all dressed up and on the dance floor. It’s also a good opportunity to make friends with other kids who know what they are going through and can relate.”
Ask Be Healthly! Send Us Your Health Questions.
Got a pressing health, fitness, or nutrition question on your mind? Send them our way! We’re ready to tackle your queries about food, sex, illness, health insurance, prescription medications–any health-related topics that puzzle or interest you.
We’ll answer your question in a Q&A feature appearing in the Norwood News‘ Be Healthy! column. If we don’t know, we’ll ask the experts. You can sign your name or send it anonymously.
Send your queries to: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Here’s a link to the first installment of Ask Be Healthy!
Advertising Note: If you’re a business or advertiser interested in targeting our Be Healthy! audience online or in print editions of the Norwood News, call Marketing and Advertising Solutions (MAS) at (718) 676.1626 or email info@masmarketingny.com.
Live Life Megan Charlop’s Way
May 10, 2012
Earlier today, on the corner of Futlon Avenue and E. 167th Street, Richie Powers held up a replica of the street sign dedicated in his late wife Megan Charlop’s honor. Charlop, a tireless community organizer, health educator and activist who lived in Norwood and dedicated her career to making the Bronx a better place, was killed in a bike accident two years ago. We’ll have more coverage of Charlop’s life and this powerful dedication ceremony in next week’s Norwood News print edition, but I wanted to share two quote from one of Charlop’s longtime friends and co-workers, Margaret Rogers. When asked about Charlop, she said, “We were like moths around the light and Megan was the light.” And when asked what a street named after her should mean to people, she said she hoped it would inspire people “to live life Meg Charlop’s way.”
Bronx Notes: Late Activist Megan Charlop to be Honored Tomorrow
May 9, 2012
Megan Charlop, the Bronx health worker and activist who died in a tragic bicycling accident two years ago, will be honored tomorrow morning during a street re-naming ceremony in Morrisania. At 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, Fulton Avenue, between 165th and 167th avenues, the street right next to Estelle Diggs Park, will be renamed Megan Charlop Way. Here’s an excerpt from the press release sent out about the event:
Sponsored by Councilwoman Helen Foster, the street renaming honors Charlop’s lifelong commitment to improving the lives of the residents of the Bronx. She first came to the Morrisania section of the Bronx in 1976 to work as a community and housing organizer. During those years, Charlop was instrumental in forming a land trust that saved this land, now Estelle Diggs Park, as a community park and garden. It is a fitting legacy to her commitment to the Bronx that over 30 years later this land has now been developed as a NYC Park.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Montefiore Medical Center President and CEO Dr. Steven Safyer (Charlop worked at Montefiore) are both expected to speak.
Here’s our story about Charlop’s death two years ago.
Be Healthy!: Cuomo Says Health Exchange Will Lower Insurance Costs
May 3, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
In a move to implement President Obama’s health care reform here in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered the establishment of a State Health Care Exchange last month, an online marketplace where individuals and small businesses can buy health insurance plans at prices much lower than current costs.
The exchange is in compliance with Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which, among other provisions, seeks to greatly reduce the number of uninsured Americans by requiring them to purchase health insurance, and providing subsidies and tax credits to help them pay for it. In New York, there are approximately $2.7 million people who lack health care coverage. Over 200,000 live in the Bronx, according to Census data.
“The bottom line is that creating this health exchange will lower the cost of health insurance for small businesses, local governments, and individual New Yorkers across the state,” Gov. Cuomo said in a statement.
Come 2014, residents will be able to access a website that allows them to review different state-approved insurance plans, compare prices and benefits, and see what tax credits they’re eligible for to help offset the costs of their monthly premiums. While anyone would be able to use the exchange, it’s geared toward small business owners looking to buy insurance for their employees, or individuals who don’t get coverage through their jobs but who make too much to qualify for public plans like Medicaid.
“The sky-high cost of insurance in New York is driving businesses out of the state and preventing lower income New Yorkers from being able to afford needed coverage,” Cuomo said.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Bronx ‘Teddy Bear Hospital’ Calms Youngest Patients
April 25, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Photo by San Mateo County Library via Flickr
On May 5, the pediatric emergency department at Montefiore Medical Center will be crowded with teddy bears nursing broken arms, stuffed dogs getting treated for asthma, and probably a doll or two in need of stitches.
The hospital’s 7th annual Teddy Bear Clinic lets young patients play the role of parent, where they can bring their favorite stuffed friends in for a check-up and treatment–an experience that staff says helps ease children’s fears about visiting the emergency room.
“They triage their bears, they get to say, ‘This is what’s wrong,’ they get to talk to an actual doctor, and the doctor can treat or repair their bear,” said Nicole Hollingsworth, director of patient health education at Montefiore. “It’s done in a calm environment, so they actually get the opportunity to learn.”
Journalists Revisit Deadly DeKalb Fire, Reignite Housing Discussion
April 24, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
A panel discussion at Manhattan College on April 23 addressed the issues of housing safety and landlord accountability. (photo by Jeanmarie Evelly)
A decade after an electrical fire at 3569 DeKalb Ave. claimed the life of an 8-year-old Bronx boy, journalists and housing activists are still trying to find answers to the questions posed in the wake of his death–namely, how the city should enforce housing code violations and hold landlords accountable for conditions that put tenants at risk.
That was the topic of a panel discussion held at Manhattan College last night, organized by the school’s Urban Affairs department, City Limits magazine and Jordan Moss, a former Norwood News editor. The event arose from an investigation into landlord practices and regulations that was published in City Limits last month, a series of stories written by Moss, journalist Tom Robbins and a team of students at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism which focused on wealthy real estate operative Frank Palazzolo, who has been tied to dozens of dilapidated Bronx buildings over the years–including 3569 DeKalb Ave., where young Jashawn Parker was killed in 2002.
Moss covered the fire for the Norwood News at the time (to read some of that original coverage, see here and here) and was shocked that no one was ever held accountable for the blaze, despite the fact that the building had hundreds of housing code violations. When the Norwood News began looking at other buildings linked to Palazzolo at the time, it found about a hundred Bronx properties with some 19,000 violations among them. In another of his buildings, a 7-year-old boy suffered brain damage from lead paint.
“Landlords like this somehow never see the inside of a criminal court,” Moss said. “Apartments shouldn’t make people sick, or scared.”
Bronx Notes: Discussion on Improving Childcare Services
April 23, 2012
Assemblyman Nelson L. Castro, in collaboration with City agencies, including the NYC Administration of Children’s Services (ACS) and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), is hosting a town hall meeting tonight to discuss improving childcare services in the Bronx and throughout New York City.
The town hall is tonight, Monday, April 23, from 6 – 8 p.m. at MS 390, located at 1930 Andrew Avenue. Topics to be discussed include childcare networks and providers, access to childcare subsidies, and related issues in the childcare industry.
Ed. note: Every weekday, we highlight Bronx programs, announcements, services, opportunities, public meetings/hearings or community events. Find a full listing on our Neighborhood Notes page. Send your neighborhood notes to us at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Bronx Housing Forum to Address Landlord Violations
April 19, 2012
This Monday, April 23 at 4 p.m., housing advocates, landlords and tenants are participating in a free panel discussion at Manhattan College to discuss potential reforms of the housing code enforcement system that would enable the city to more easily hold neglectful landlords accountable. The event, entitled,”Safe at Home: Putting Teeth in Housing Code Enforcement and Holding Landlords Accountable,” will take place on the first floor of the Leo Engineering Building, 3825 Corlear Ave., between West 238th and West 240th streets. All are welcome.
Jordan Moss, a former Norwood News editor, is one of the organizers of the panel, which arose from an investigation into landlord practices and regulations that was published in City Limits magazine last month. That series of stories, written by Moss, journalist Tom Robbins and a team of students at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, focused on wealthy real estate operative Frank Palazzolo, who has been tied to dozens of dilapidated Bronx buildings over the years (one of which was the scene of a deadly electrical fire on DeKalb Avenue in 2002, which killed an 8-year-old boy). To read the City Limits series, click here. To read some of the original Norwood News coverage of the fire, click here and here.
Bronx Townhall Meeting to Address Healthcare Disparities
April 18, 2012
Bronx Health REACH, Assemblyman Nelson Castro, Senator Gustavo Rivera, and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to discuss inequities in New York’s health care system. “Make Health Equality a Reality,” will include a panel of legislators, doctors, community members, and lawyers. Audience members will be invited to ask questions about health care access. The event is open to all and breakfast and free health screenings will be provided for all attendees.
The event will take place at P.S. 33 in the Bronx (2424 Jerome Avenue). For more information, call Bronx Health REACH at (212) 633-0800, ext. 1232.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays Presents Tips From the Experts: Avoiding Baseball Injuries
April 18, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
For young ball players, most injuries are to the elbow and shoulder and are caused by overuse, according to Montefiore’s Dr. Tony Wanich. (File photo by Adi Talwar)
It’s spring and baseball season is underway. While the sport means mostly fun for young players hitting the field, the threat of an injury still looms. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 282,000 people under the age of 18 were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for baseball-related injuries in 2010. Young players, parents, and coaches should be diligent in taking precautions to avoid injuries that could mean bench time, or even surgery later in life.
The most common baseball-related injuries are to the shoulder and elbow, and are often the result of overuse, according to Tony Wanich, an orthopedic surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Pitchers are especially prone to getting hurt. Most of these injuries can be avoided with proper training and by taking the right preventative steps, Dr. Wandich says. Here are some of his tips for avoiding injury and staying healthy throughout the season:
Bronx Notes: 50+ Fitness Fair at Mosholu Library
April 12, 2012
Find out about free and low-cost fitness opportunities for older active adults in your neighborhood and throughout the Bronx on Saturday, April 14, from 12-4 p.m. at the Mosholu Library, 285 East 205th Street (near Perry Avenue). Fully accessible to wheelchairs. The fair includes free admission, free raffles and free maps. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
Some participating organizations and activities:
- Outdoors Club – Walking, hiking
- Bronx River Alliance – Walking, biking, rowing
- Rocking the Boat – Community rowing program
- NYC Urban Park Rangers – Linking New Yorkers to the natural world
- NYC Dept. for the Aging – Demonstration of Stay Well exercises. And get a FREE copy of their book, Stay Well: Fitness for Seniors
- NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation – All sorts of activities
Ed. note: Every weekday, we highlight Bronx programs, announcements, services, opportunities, public meetings/hearings or community events. Find a full listing on our Neighborhood Notes page. Send your neighborhood notes to us at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: More New Yorkers Getting Checked for Colon Cancer
April 11, 2012
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
The citywide colonoscopy rate is the highest its been since 2003 (chart courtesy DOHMH)
Over the last decade, New York City’s colonoscopy rate has gone up by 62 percent, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced last week, the highest number since 2003, when the city first started tracking the data.
Colonoscopy is a test that examines the interior of the large intestine, which allows doctors to look for abnormal or precancerous growths, making the procedure an important tool in catching colon cancer early. It is commonly recommended for adults over 50, or people who belong to other high-risk groups.
“Colonoscopy screening saves lives,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley. Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer and kills approximately 1,400 New Yorkers each year, according to the Health Department. But when found at an early stage, the disease is 90 percent curable.
“Colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable,” said Alan D. Aviles, president of the Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Bronx Homeless Advocates Face Funding Probe After NY Post Story
April 11, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Picture The Homeless members at a rally at the Albany Capitol Building last year. (Photo by Sam J. Miller)
A local nonprofit that advocates for the rights of homeless residents is facing scrutiny after the New York Post ran a story about the group last month, alleging one of its board members gave a “crash course on squatting,” instructing people on how to break into vacant buildings–an accusation the organization says is completely false.
Picture the Homeless (PTH) is a citywide nonprofit headquartered on Morris Avenue in the Bronx, just south of Fordham Road. The group, run largely by homeless or formerly homeless individuals, works to organize the city’s homeless population, advocating on policy and social justice issues that affect them.
On March 25, the New York Post ran an article titled “City-funded activist group teaches homeless how to invade apartments,” saying PTH board member Andres Perez taught a group of people outside a Brooklyn housing complex “how to wrest ‘control’ of vacant apartments,” the article reads. It went on to allege that Perez was encouraging his audience to break into vacant, city-owned properties so they could squat there.
State Offers Support to PS 51 Parents, City Another Story
April 5, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly and Alex Kratz
In late March, the parents of current and former PS 51 students met with state officials to ask questions and discuss their concerns about potential health effects caused by exposure to contamination at the school’s former site on Jerome Avenue.
The building, which was home to the PS 51 (Bronx New School) for nearly two decades, tested positive last year for high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxin linked to cancer.
While state officials tried to calm parental fears and help them organize, those in attendance said they’re still looking for more help from the city’s Department of Education and remain concerned about the health of their children.
“It’s very scary when it’s your child, and it’s not something we really know much about,” said Helene Hartman-Kutnowsky, who sits on CB 7′s sanitation and environmental committee, and whose daughter, now 18, attended PS 51 for six years.
Rivera Says There’s No Plan to Protect The Bronx From Nuclear Disaster
April 4, 2012
By Destiny DeJesus
Surrounded by students from Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, Bronx Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera talks about the need for a better evacuation plan in the case of an accident at Indian Point Energy Center, the nuclear plant just 24 miles from the Bronx. (Photo by Destiny DeJesus)er
The Bronx is just 24 miles from a major nuclear power plant and Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera wants to know why there isn’t a plan in place to protect the 1.4 million people living in the city’s northernmost borough.
At a press conference in Norwood yesterday, Rivera publicly released her letter requesting state hearings on the emergency evacuation plans of local, state, and federal governments in case of a nuclear meltdown at the Indian Point Energy Center.
Surrounded by kids from the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center as well as regional environmental watchdogs, Rivera said she is unhappy with the 10-mile radius emergency plan that Point Energy Center has in place and argued that it leaves millions of New Yorkers in danger.
“The Bronx is the closest borough in New York City to Indian Point,” Rivera said. “Yet our city has no evacuation plan in place.”
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Bronx Photo Exhibit Spotlights Public Housing Health Hazards
April 4, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Photographs on display this week at the Bronx Documentary Center, by photographer Ana Brigida, capture hazardous housing conditions in NYCHA apartments. (Photo by Ana Brigida)
Bronx Photo Exhibit Spotlights Public Housing Health Hazards
When the ventilation fan in Maribel Baez’s bathroom stopped working, a black patch of mold began to grow on her ceiling. She called the New York City Housing Authority, which runs the Melrose Houses in the South Bronx, where she’s lived for four years, and tried to get the problem fixed. NYCHA told her it would be two years before they could send a repairperson out. The mold kept growing.
Then Baez began experiencing breathing problems: tightness in her chest and persistent coughing. Her doctor diagnosed her with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious condition that’s been linked to, and is aggravated by, long-term exposure to lung irritants like mold.
“It’s unfair that NYCHA is putting tenants in danger,” Baez said.
The plight of tenants like Baez is the subject of a photo exhibit on display this week at the Bronx Documentary Center, featuring dozens of images by photojournalist Ana Brigida that show NYCHA residents in apartments plagued by leaks, mold, mildew and crumbling ceilings.
Organized by the advocacy groups South Bronx Churches, Manhattan Together and Metro IAF, the exhibit, “How the Other Half (Still) Lives,” seeks to highlight the health hazards posed by poor conditions in the city’s public housing complexes — conditions that organizers say are the result of neglect by NYCHA and the Bloomberg administration.
“Conditions are beyond what words can describe, so we’re having a photo exhibit, so you can see for yourself,” said Father Francis Skelly, of Immaculate Conception Church in Melrose, who works with South Bronx Churches (SBC) to help organize tenants.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Healthy Eating Tips from Bronx Dietician
March 28, 2012
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
March is National Nutrition Month, and with just a few days left until the end of the month, we thought we’d share some diet and nutrition tips from Katie Downes, a Registered Dietician here in the Bronx who works with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
“Many of the patients I care for in VNSNY’s Long Term Home Health Care Program find eating healthy meals a challenge—especially those who live alone,” Downes said. “I spend time with each person to help them better understand the importance of proper nutrition.”
Read on for some of her nutrition tips and quick, healthy recipes. For more of Downes’ recipes, and some yummy looking pictures, check out the VNSNY Facebook page here.
Bronx New School Parents Meet With State Officials, Told Illness After Toxin Exposure ‘Not a Slam Dunk’
March 28, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly and Alex Kratz
More than two dozen former students and parents of former PS 51 students packed into the Community Board 7 office in Bedford Park for a meeting with state health officials. (Photo by Alex Kratz)
On Monday night, parents of current and former PS 51 students met with state officials to ask questions and discuss their concerns about potential health effects caused by contamination at the school’s former site on Jerome Avenue. The building, which was home to the Bronx New School for nearly two decades, tested positive last year for high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxin linked to cancer.
Representatives from the State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation met with Community Board 7 members and PS 51 parents, who have been organizing with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition under the name PS 51 Parents United.
“It’s very scary when its your child, and it’s not something we really know much about,” said Helene Hartman-Kutnowsky, who sits on CB 7′s sanitation and environmental committee, and whose daughter, now 18, attended PS 51 for six years.
Lenny Siegel, of the California-based Center for Public Environmental Oversight (CPEO), was on hand to discuss some of the possible health effects linked to TCE exposure. After explaining how and why they believe the contamination was present ever since the school moved into the former lighting manufacturing plant 20 years ago, Siegel sought to allay parents’ fears that their children are at a high risk for illness.
Photo Exhibit Documents Bronx Housing Conditions
March 27, 2012
This Friday, the Bronx Documentary Center is hosting a week-long photo exhibit that chronicles poor living conditions in Bronx public housing complexes, photos that advocates say show a desperate need for the city to address the health threats posed by the city’s affordable housing stock.
The work of photojournalist Ana Brigida Moreira, How The Other Half (Still) Lives,” depicts tenants living amidst leaks, mold and crumbling ceilings. The opening reception is this Friday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. Check the flier below for more information.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Proposed Medicaid Savings Could Mean Financial Hardships
March 21, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Can a couple live in New York City on $1,159 a month?
That’s the maximum combined income allowed for spouses to qualify for home healthcare coverage under the state’s Medicaid law. For years, those caring for an ill, disabled or elderly spouse at home through the public insurance program have been able to protect their savings through a provision known as spousal refusal — which allows someone to separate their income and assets from their partner who needs care in order to meet the strict income limits required by Medicaid.
As part of a cost-savings measure proposed in his budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Gov. Cuomo wants to eliminate spousal refusal, a move that advocates and elder care lawyers say would deal a financial and emotional blow to many couples and families.
“It will be devastating for people. It would force people to get divorced in order to pay for health care,” said Bernard A. Krooks, an elder care expert with the law firm Littman Krooks LLP, and former president of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. “It’s bad public policy.”
Bronx Notes: Fresh Food From Norwood Food Co-op
March 8, 2012
Consumers interested in fresh, organic vegetables and community-supported agriculture, can join the Norwood Food Co-op and receive wholesome, delicious food every week from June through November. Choose shares of organic vegetables and fruits, plus options for milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt for less than green market prices and in exchange for a few hours’ work with other Co-op members during the season. Share prices vary according to family size. Registration deadline is May 1. For more information or to register, go to www.norwoodfoodcoop.org.
Ed. note: Every weekday, we highlight Bronx programs, announcements, services, opportunities, public meetings/hearings or community events. Find a full listing on our Neighborhood Notes page. Send your neighborhood notes to us at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Raising Money for Healthy Smiles
March 8, 2012
By Destiny DeJesus
Some of the charity teeth that helped Concerned Dental Care raise $1,800 for charity. (Photo courtesy Concerned Dental Care)
Norwood Dentist Dr. Jay Fensterstock jumped into the holiday spirit early this past winter. By sponsoring a charity drive selling “Holiday Teeth,” Concerned Dental Care raised $1,800 in donations that were sent to Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children, a charity sponsored by The Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children aides low income families that cannot afford dental procedures.
The Charity Drive started Nov. 30 and ended on the last day of 2011. Concerned Dental Care printed out colored images of teeth and wrote the names of families who donated on the printout. The “Holiday Teeth” were displayed on the walls of Concerned Dental Care’s office on Mosholu Parkway.
In addition to the Bronx site, five other offices were involved with the charity work. Out of all five offices, Fensterstock’s Bronx office had the best turn out. Fred Madera, who works for all of the locations, said that although this was the first time Concerned Dental Care was involved with the holiday charity work, they plan on continuing the tradition next year in hopes of raising more money to help a good cause.
Ed. note: Concerned Dental Care is located at 55 East Mosholu Parkway North. For more information, call (718) 652-7370 or visit concerneddentalcare.com.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Q&A With Sleep Expert Dr. Steven Park
March 7, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep: Q&A with Sleep Expert Dr. Steven Park
March 5 to 11 is National Sleep Awareness Week, an annual public education and awareness campaign sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation, to promote the importance of sleep on your health and well-being. To get some expert advice on the topic, Be Healthy! recently chatted with Dr. Steven Y. Park, an otorhinolaryngolist (an ear, nose and thoat specialist) and integrative sleep surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center.
What are some of the negative health effects associated with poor sleep?
Not sleeping enough significantly increases your risk of gaining weight, of diabetes, cancer, and of death in general. Lack of quality sleep causes you to crave fatty, carbohydrate-rich foods, and also affects your metabolism. When it comes to transportation worker, or really anyone who operates heavy machinery or drives a car, not sleeping well can cause accidents and poor judgment. It’s a huge problem, and huge burden on society.
What are the most common sleep disorders you see in patients?
There are many different kinds of sleep problems. There’s not sleeping long enough—we recommend 7 or 8 hours. Then there’s insomnia, when people just can’t sleep at all, no matter what they do. Then there’s sleep apnea, a major condition that’s undiagnosed in 90 percent of people who have it.
What exactly is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is when you literally stop breathing at multiple times throughout the night for ten seconds or longer. You might not remember having any of these episodes — more commonly, bed partners are the ones that notice it — but it totally disrupts your sleep.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays
February 29, 2012
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Montefiore Children’s Hospital Celebrates Heart Month
For the 10th year, children who have had heart surgery at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore ran, jumped, danced and played on Feb. 15, showing that heart surgery had enabled them to have fun just like other kids. From infants to teenagers, dozens of boys and girls enjoyed the music, games and refreshments in this annual event, part of Montefiore’s celebration of American Heart Month. (Photos by Adi Talwar)
Upcoming Health Events, Courtesy of The Bronx Health Link
- “Caribbean Food Heaven-Caribbean Food with a Healthy Twist” at Coop City: Thursday, Mar. 8, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Garvey School, 950 Baychester Avenue. Harvest Home Farmer’s Market is launching a series of culturally-diverse, nutrition education and meal preparation workshops throughout Harlem and the Bronx, titled “Eating for Good Health.” This workshop series aims to address the unique nutritional, health and culinary needs of families on a limited budget. The second workshop titled “Caribbean Food Heaven- Caribbean Food with a Healthy Twist ” will be held on Thursday, March 8th, from 6-8pm at the The Garvey School in Coop City. If interested in attending, please call 1-212-828-3361 or email info@harvesthomefm.org. Limited seating available. For more information, contact Harvest Home via email at info@harvesthomefm.org or at 212-828-3361, or visit our website here.
- No-Cost Digital Mammograms and Clinical Breast Exams at Lehman College: Thurs., Mar. 15, look for the Mobile van at the Lehman College Gate 5 Entrance. Early detection of breast cancer can save lives! Coordinated by the Lehman College Student Health Center and sponsored by Multi-Diagnostic Service. Woman who are age 40 and older, have a New York City mailing address, and who have not had a mammogram in the past 12 months are eligible. For more information and to make an appointment, call 1-877-628-9090
Ask Be Healthly! Send Us Your Health Questions.
Got a pressing health, fitness, or nutrition question on your mind? Send them our way! We’re ready to tackle your queries about food, sex, illness, health insurance, prescription medications–any health-related topics that puzzle or interest you.
We’ll answer your question in a Q&A feature appearing in the Norwood News‘ Be Healthy! column. If we don’t know, we’ll ask the experts. You can sign your name or send it anonymously.
Send your queries to: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Here’s a link to the first installment of Ask Be Healthy!
Advertising Note: If you’re a business or advertiser interested in targeting our Be Healthy! audience online or in print editions of the Norwood News, call Marketing and Advertising Solutions (MAS) at (718) 676.1626 or email info@masmarketingny.com.
In State of the Borough Speech, Diaz Touts Bronx Businesses, Job Creation
February 28, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Photos by Adi Talwar
On Thursday, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., delivered his third State of the Borough address to a packed, darkened auditorium at Harry S. Truman High School. A bevvy of city and state elected officials were in the audience for the 54-minute speech, which covered the usual political topics–schools, health, transportation, crime–and recalled the accomplishments of Diaz’s last three years in office.
But the gist of Diaz’s speech was jobs, jobs, jobs. The Borough President spent much of the first portion of his address reeling off a list of recent economic efforts and business projects that are taking root in the Bronx: the Smith Electric trucking company, the mall project planned at the former Stella D’Oro cookie factory, negotiations for the Hunts Point Produce Market to stay put, Fresh Direct’s move to Harlem Yards and, of course, the potential redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory.
As we mentioned in Friday’s Bronx Breakdown, despite all the economic mentions, Diaz opted not to bring up the Bronx’s unemployment rate, which remains the highest in the state at 12.2%. He also didn’t address recent criticism of his financial support for Fresh Direct’s move–$1 million in capitol grant funds, of the $127 million in tax breaks and subsidies the company will receive from the city overall–which many have criticized as too generous for a company that pays 38% of its workers less than $25,000 a year, and doesn’t offer services to most neighborhoods in the Bronx.
There were a couple of Fresh Direct protestors outside Truman last week (see photos, above). You can listen to the entirety of the address in the embedded recording below. What do you think of his speech? Let us know in the comments section.
Bronx State of the Borough by Norwood News
Local Initiative Puts Focus on Teens’ Reproductive Health
February 22, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
The Bronx continues to have the highest teen pregnancy rate of any New York City borough. (Project courtesy NYC DOHMH)
As federal lawmakers in Congress continue to debate over whether health insurers should be required to cover the costs of birth control, a recent city initiative is looking to curb teen pregnancy rates in the Bronx, where it is higher than in any other borough.
The program, called Bronx Teens Connection, will offer affordable reproductive health services to the borough’s teenagers, as many here lack health insurance coverage and live below the poverty line. In New York City overall, one out of every 10 teenagers is uninsured, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
“Teens in the Bronx face many challenges as they approach adulthood,” said Dr. Jane Bedell, assistant commissioner at the Health Department’s Bronx District Public Health Office. “A community-wide effort will allow us to work together to invest in the well-being of our teenagers by providing access to services and making sure that teens are knowledgeable about sexual health and empowered to act on this knowledge.”
The new program will team the DOH up with the Department of Education to implement a new sexual education curriculum to be taught in ninth and tenth grade classrooms at 20 different Bronx high schools. Called “Reducing the Risk,” the lesson plans will stress the importance of using birth control and condoms, the risks involved in sexual activity and the benefits of waiting until they’re ready to have sex. A similar curriculum will be introduced through the city’s Administration for Children’s Services to reach teens in foster care.
Be Healthy Wednesdays! Bronx Students, School Health Advocates Advance on Albany
February 15, 2012
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Students from the Montefiore School Health Program at PS 95 in the Norwood Section join other Bronx schools to board the buses to Albany for School Based health Programs Advocacy Day.
Bronx Students, School Health Advocates Advance on Albany
A group of Bronx students, parents and teachers affiliated with Montefiore Medical Center traveled to the state capitol yesterday to take part in an advocacy day event, looking to drum up political support for school-based health centers–full service health clinics, situated in schools, which provide care for students there, a tactic advocates say is effective in improving health outcomes for young people in low-income and minority communities.
Over 200 people from across the state attended the Albany event, and students participated in open mic sessions to discuss the impact school health centers have on their lives, with the goal of creating awareness and demanding continued financial support from the state government for the program.
Studies conducted by Montefiore have shown that School-Based Health Centers (SBCHs) ultimately save money by stressing the importance of primary and preventative care for youths, reducing the annual number of expensive emergency room and hospital visits. A 2005 study conducted found that Montefiore’s school-based centers reduced hospitalizations by half for asthmatic student, and estimated that SBHCs saved the state $3 million in hospital inpatient costs alone for children with asthma.
Bronx Nabe Note: Forum on Adoloscent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Thursday Night
February 13, 2012
Every weekday, we highlight a Bronx program, service, opportunity, public meeting/hearing or community event. Find a full listing on our Neighborhood Notes page.
Montefiore Medical Center, in collaboration with Connect to Protect (C2P) Bronx, is hosting a Bronx Town Hall meeting on Adolescent Sexual & Reproductive Health for teens, parents and educators, Feb. 16, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. Free food will be available 5:30 to 6 p.m. For more information or to RSVP, contact Bianca Lopez at (718) 882-0232 or blopez@adolescentaids.org.
Bronx Nabe Note: Blood Drive at St. Brendan’s
February 10, 2012
Every weekday, we highlight a Bronx program, service, opportunity, public meeting/hearing or community event. Find a full listing on our Neighborhood Notes page.
St. Brendan’s Parish, located at 333 E. 206th St., between Perry and Bainbridge avenues, is conducting its annual neighborhood blood drive on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the school’s cafeteria. Social Security numbers are not required, but a valid picture ID is. Eligible donor ages are 16 to 75, but anyone under the age of 18 will need to provide his or her parent’s written consent. For more information, call (718) 547-6655.
Bronx Neighborhood Note: Martial Arts at The COVE
February 8, 2012
Every weekday, we highlight a Bronx program, service, opportunity, public meeting/hearing or community event. Find a full listing on our Neighborhood Notes page.
The COVE, a Knox-Gates neighborhood organization, located at 3418 Gates Place (basement) between Mosholu Parkway and Gun Hill Road, is offering Martial Arts classes for ages 5 to adult, Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at $5/session. For more information, call (718) 405-1312.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: National Heart Month off to a Healthy Local Start
February 8, 2012
By Peter Moskowitz
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Employees at Montefiore Medical Center, including President and CEO Dr. Steven Safyer (middle), take a one-mile walk through the hospital to kick off their celebration of National Heart Month. (Photo by Peter Moskowitz)
When Montefiore Medical Center nurses and doctors walk or run through hospital hallways, it’s not usually associated with a celebration. But when 50 or so employees took four laps through the Bronx hospital’s central building last Wednesday, it was.
They were kicking off “Heart Month,” a series of national events sponsored by the American Heart Association to bring greater awareness to heart health. The hospital began the festivities with its fourth annual mile-long walk.
Donald Stark, the hospital’s director of cardiology, admitted the short walk around the hospital was more symbolic than about actual exercise, but he hoped it would inspire local employees to bring the message of prevention outside the hospital.
“This is where we live, and our people who work here live here too,” he said.
Bronx Students Want Healthier Snack Choices
January 27, 2012
Editor’s Note: The following story was originally published in Bronx Youth Heard, a publication of the Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative, a free journalism program for Bronx high school students run by the Norwood News. We are currently accepting applications for our spring semester. To find out more about the program and how to apply, click here. The Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative is supported by the North Star Fund, the Johnson Family Foundation Fund, and City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, and is run in collaboration with CUNY’s College Now program at Hostos Community College.
Some Bronx students say they’d like to see healthier options in their school vending machines. (Photo by Dondre Lemon)
By Dondre Lemon
Two years ago, New York City installed healthy vending machines in 14 public schools throughout the city, with three of them in the Bronx.
These new vending machines, at Bronx Science, DeWitt Clinton and Herbert H. Lehman High Schools, are stocked with water, low-calorie drinks with no artificial flavors, fruits and vegetables.
Some students at other schools say they would enjoy having these healthy vending machines in their own cafeterias.
“I would like if the school had healthy vending machines because of obesity and diabetes,” said David Nelson, 14, a student at Mount Saint Michael Academy.
Bronx New School Parents Unite for Strategy Session
January 25, 2012
By Alex Kratz
Parents of past and present students of PS 51, the Bronx New School, which was housed in a highly toxic Bedford Park building for two decades before moving this past summer, are coming together tonight to discuss a strategy going forward as they look to keep pressure on the Department of Education.
Following the discovery of cancer-causing toxins at the school’s building early in 2011, the parents, who have formed a group called PS 51 Parents United, say the DOE has been unresponsive to their demands for the agency to come up with a way to track students’ health-related problems.
Tonight, they are meeting at the Concourse House, 2751 Grand Concourse, at 6:30 p.m. to start strategizing. All parents whose children might have been affected are encouraged to come. A representative for the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest will be on hand to help the group discuss their options. Two of the parents involved, Adaline Walker-Santiago and Helene Hartman-Kutnowsky, are members of Community Board 7 and can be reached through the board office, (718) 933-5650.
To Reach the Community, Health Advocates Look to the Pulpit
January 25, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Pastor Liz Townes-Shuler, of Jubilee Baptist Church, gets her blood pressure checked. The church participated in a months-long hypertension workshop with Montefiore Medical Center. (Photo courtesy of Montefiore’s Care Management Company)
Your body is a temple.
That biblical message is one that a number of Bronx-based health and fitness groups are hoping to spread to residents — by reaching them at church.
Health advocates are turning to faith-based organizations as a means of reaching the community, engaging churches and other houses of worship in programs and activities that promote nutrition, fitness, and overall healthier living.
“What we found was a tremendous amount of support within the faith communities that we encountered,” said Nicole Hollingsworth, senior director of Community & Population Health at Montefiore Medical Center’s Care Management Company. “The theory was to provide education in a way that would be rooted in everyday life.”
Officials Step Up Efforts Against Cyber-Bullying
January 19, 2012
Editor’s Note: The following story was originally published in Bronx Youth Heard, a publication of the Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative, a free journalism program for Bronx high school students run by the Norwood News. We are currently accepting applications for our spring semester. To find out more about the program and how to apply, click here. The Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative is supported by the North Star Fund, the Johnson Family Foundation Fund, and City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, and is run in collaboration with CUNY’s College Now program at Hostos Community College.
A recent study found that 60 percent of kids have experienced cyber-bullying. (Photo by Giselle Lam)
By Giselle Lam
Last month, 17-year-old Kenneth Wong was tidying up his bedroom when his Blackberry vibrated on his desk. He was expecting to read a text from a friend, but instead found words that beat him up inside. The anonymous text accused him of being a bad friend who would “die alone from smoking” and need a “brain transplant for being a dumbass.”
Sixty percent of kids have experienced mean and hurtful things said to them either online or through their phones, according to i-SAFE, a non-profit foundation dedicated to educating the youth on internet safety. In addition, more than 50 percent have admitted to saying these insulting words to another person online.
Traditional schoolyard bullying has moved from campus grounds to the computers, and cell phones, of many teenagers. After a rash of bullying-related deaths last year, the public’s awareness of cyber-bullying has grown, and school administrators and government officials are taking more serious actions to prevent it.
Local Groups Campaign Against Cigarette Ads in Bodegas
January 18, 2012
Editor’s Note: The following story was originally published in Bronx Youth Heard, a publication of the Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative, a free journalism program for Bronx high school students run by the Norwood News. We are currently accepting applications for our spring semester. To find out more about the program and how to apply, click here. The Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative is supported by the North Star Fund, the Johnson Family Foundation Fund, and City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, and is run in collaboration with CUNY’s College Now program at Hostos Community College.
By Michaela Ritz
Bold colors, a large font, highlighted words and smiling people. Producers of cigarette ads use these design elements to lure customers. Health advocates say these ads prey on low-income communities of color, particularly in the Bronx.
“The tobacco industry saturates poor communities like ours, where there are high stress levels and unemployment,” said Juan Ramon Rios, of the High Bridge Community Life Center, which runs the Partnership for a Smoke-Free Bronx. The group has been pushing for legislation that would limit the number of cigarette ads displayed in city bodegas, and regulate where ads are placed in stores so that teens and kids are not targeted. The effect of such a law would be large in the Bronx, advocates say, as there are more than 1,600 bodegas and small groceries here.
Many teens, however, say they aren’t influenced by the advertisements.
Cigarette ads on display at a Bronx deli. (Photo by Michaela Ritz)
“I have never seen a cigarette ad before,” said Nusrat Ahmed, a 16-year-old student who lives in Parkchester. Nusrat says she’s never smoked before and that she has a built-in prejudice against it because her uncle smokes and her father chews tobacco.
“Cigarettes make you feel good for a short while, but they bring you closer to your death,” she said. “Cigarette companies try to promote the short-term experience.”
Nic Arenas, a 16-year-old smoker who lives on Allerton Avenue, says he thinks graphic anti-smoking ads — such as those launched by the Health Department — are more noticeable than those that advertise the sale of cigarettes. Read more
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Bronx Expert Weighs in on Country’s Best Diets, Free Lead Screenings & More
January 18, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Einstein Expert Helps Rank Best Diets
A nutrition researcher from the Bronx’s own Albert Einstein College of Medicine lent her expertise to the U.S. News & Reports Best Diets of 2012, the consumer magazine’s annual ranking of the country’s most popular diets and weight loss plans, which was released this month.
This is the second year that Dr. Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani (above), an associate professor at Einstein who specializes in nutrition assessment, has served on the panel of experts for U.S. News. She reviewed 25 different diet methods selected by the magazine–popular programs, like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig–and rated them on seven criteria, like their ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss.
Ex-Bronx Senator Espada and Son Indicted, Again
January 18, 2012
By Alex Kratz
Federal prosecutors piled more criminal charges on former Bronx State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. and his son, Pedro Gaultier Espada, last night, as first reported by Capitol Tonight’s State of Politics blog. The two were charged with using a for-profit janitorial services company to bilk money from Espada’s nonprofit Soundview Healthcare Network. Father and son already are already facing charges of the embezzling money from the health care clinics that Espada founded in 1978.
Both have pleaded not guilty to the previous charges and will be arraigned on the new charges, Jan. 25. For the past several months, Espada and his supporters have been fighting the government’s efforts to deny Soundview from receiving Medicaid funding, its primary source of income. Espada was ousted from his seat in the Bronx’s 33rd District in 2010 by Gustavo Rivera.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: Cuomo Calls for End to Food Stamp Fingerprints, Free Caregiver Resource Guide & More
January 11, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Gov. Cuomo Calls to End Fingerprinting for Food Stamps
Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered his annual State of the State address early this month, and one item on his agenda has food and hunger advocates cheering. While addressing his plans to eliminate child hunger in New York, the governor called to end the controversial practice of fingerprinting food stamp applicants in New York City.
“I’m saying stop fingerprinting for families with children for food. Stop it all across the state, and let’s stop it this year,” Cuomo said, echoing the concerns of hunger advocates who say the requirement further stigmatizes the food stamp program and discourages New Yorkers in need from accessing the benefits. New York City is one of only two places in the country — the other is Arizona — that requires food stamp recipients to get fingerprinted before receiving benefits. Mayor Bloomberg has defended the practice as a necessary protection against fraud.
But advocates and local officials have criticized the requirement as unnecessary and time-consuming.
“Mountains of evidence prove that the practice keeps nutrition benefits away from eligible families, costs the state millions of dollars and, even when working properly, finds only duplication that can be detected through less costly, less intrusive methods,” said Joel Berg, of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.
Free Resource Book for Family Caregivers
A new resource guide for Bronx residents caring for an aging parent, spouse, partner, child with an illness or disability, or someone else close to them is now available from Montefiore Medical Center’s Office of Community Health and the Montefiore Caregiver Support Program. “Caring for Yourself While Caregiving: A Bronx Resource Guide” provides 32 pages of helpful, low-cost and easily accessible resources, with information on support groups, lowering stress, staying healthy, seeking spiritual support and expanding your creativity/social life.
“Caring for a loved one can be a wonderful experience of giving, sharing and receiving, yet it is common for caregivers to neglect their own emotional and physical needs,” said Ronit Fallek, director of the Healing Arts Program at Montefiore. “The reality is, we are better caregivers when we are also taking care of ourselves.”
The guide is available free of charge, in both English and Spanish, by calling (718) 920-6576, or by emailing PCareSupport@montefiore.org. You can also download a PDF version by clicking here (for English) or here (for Spanish).
Ask Be Healthly! Send Us Your Health Questions.
Got a pressing health, fitness, or nutrition question on your mind? Send them our way! We’re ready to tackle your queries about food, sex, illness, health insurance, prescription medications–any health-related topics that puzzle or interest you.
We’ll answer your question in a Q&A feature appearing in the Norwood News‘ Be Healthy! column. If we don’t know, we’ll ask the experts. You can sign your name or send it anonymously.
Send your queries to: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Here’s a link to the first installment of Ask Be Healthy!
Advertising Note: If you’re a business or advertiser interested in targeting our Be Healthy! audience online or in print editions of the Norwood News, call Marketing and Advertising Solutions (MAS) at (718) 676.1626 or email info@masmarketingny.com.
POTS Officially Unveils New ‘Community House’; Dolan Visiting Today
January 11, 2012
By Alex Kratz
The “Mayor” of POTS Wally Johns (right) is congratulated after cutting the ribbon for POTS’ new multi-service center on Webster Avenue by (right to left) Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and State Senator Gustavo Rivera. (Photo by Alex Kratz)
Editor’s note: A version of this story appears in this week’s print edition of the Norwood News. Today, Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan is visiting POTS to officially bless the building for the Catholic Church.
After all the politicians, reporters and board members had left the grand opening of its sparkling new building on Webster Avenue, Part of the Solution, known as POTS, quickly got back down to business.
For POTS, a nonprofit organization that started 30 years ago as a soup kitchen and has since blossomed into a multi-service center offering everything from hair cuts to legal advice, that means putting food on the table and serving those in need. It was almost noon. Lunch was about to begin.
Bright-eyed high schoolers shuffled in to volunteer and friendly staffers, some of them former clients and volunteers, put them to work.
Though food wouldn’t be served for another half hour, a line 30-deep had already formed outside of POTS’ new building near the corner of East 197th Street. As it does almost every day, POTS would go on to feed around 400 people.
Less than an hour earlier, Speaker Christine Quinn helped Wally Johns, a former POTS client who volunteers and hangs around the place so much he was dubbed the “mayor” of POTS, cut the ribbon on the organization’s new $8 million, 15,000-square-foot building.
The facility has been operational since the fall, but POTS waited until its 30th anniversary, Jan. 6, to officially open its doors. The delay also allowed the group to fill its vacant executive director position with former finance director Chris Bean, who had left POTS for about two months before returning in his new role. They announced his hiring at the ribbon cutting. Read more
Monday Bronx Links
January 9, 2012
Happy Monday! Here are some local news stories that Breaking Bronx is following this morning:
Police are looking for a man who groped a woman in the Kingsbridge Road B/D train subway station.
Local Bronx activist Brian Hynes, of Bedford Park, was among a group of demonstrators arrested and convicted of disorderly conduct for protesting Guantanamo Bay detentions during a House of Representatives session in Washington, D.C. According to the blog Legal Times, Hynes was one of five people convicted for shouting slogans during hearing at the capitol; he told the website he was happy the incident could bring their cause to a wider audience.
Cops have identified the one of the suspects accused of shooting 11-year-old Ryan Aquari. According the Daily News, police arrested 17-year-old Kijana Jenkins as one of the assailants. Aquari was shot Thursday in his apartment building at 2735 Creston Ave.
Two off-duty corrections officers were arrested in the Bronx this weekend, one for getting into a brawl on E. 204th Street in Norwood, and the other for allegedly trying to pick up a prostitute in Hunts Point.
Meanwhile, a Bronx assistant district attorney was arrested for drunken-driving early yesterday.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., continues to make his case for the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, this time with a YouTube video urging the City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to talk a vote on the bill. For some background on the legislation, see some of our coverage here. Check out Diaz’s video below.
Be Healthy! Wednesdays: New Program Looking for 50+ Volunteers, Bronx Veterans Health Fair & More
January 4, 2012
Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.
Health Program Seeks 50+ Volunteers
Multi-service nonprofit Bronx House, on Pelham Parkway, is looking for volunteers who are 50 years of age and up to participate in a new, inter-generational health program called CATCH Healthy Habits, sponsored by OASIS and funded by Empire BlueCross BlueShield. Adult volunteers will team up with kindergarten and elementary school-aged children to teach about nutrition and fitness through fun events and activities.
If you’re interested in learning more, Bronx House will be hosting an informational session about the program this Saturday, Jan. 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. during the organization’s open house, 990 Pelham Parkway. For more information, please contact Dara Matthews, CATCH Healthy Habits Coordinator, at dara@bronxhouse.org or 718-792-1800 ext. 239.
Veterans Health Fair
The Office of the Bronx Borough President and the James J. Peters VA Medical Center will hosting a community service and health fair for veterans on Wednesday, January 8, from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Bronx County Building, 851 Grand Concourse. The fair will offer information for accessing a number of social and medical veterans’ benefits, including: employment rights and assistance, service claims information, GI Bill educational benefits and community educational programs, housing information and referrals, mental health assistance, legal assistance, women veteran assistance, on-site medical assessments, Social Security and HRA benefits and more.
Veterans not enrolled in VA health should bring a copy of their. DD214. If you have questions call (718) 590-6001 or (718) 741-4488.
Ask Be Healthly! Send Us Your Health Questions.
Got a pressing health, fitness, or nutrition question on your mind? Send them our way! We’re ready to tackle your queries about food, sex, illness, health insurance, prescription medications–any health-related topics that puzzle or interest you.
We’ll answer your question in a Q&A feature appearing in the Norwood News‘ Be Healthy! column. If we don’t know, we’ll ask the experts. You can sign your name or send it anonymously.
Send your queries to: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Here’s a link to the first installment of Ask Be Healthy!
Meet The First Baby of 2012: Bronx-Born Rania Ali
January 3, 2012
Mom Alia Ali and dad Imdad Ali holding first baby Rania are flanked by Karen Nelson, RN (left) and Nirmala Pillalamarri, MD, one of the doctors who delivered the baby. (Photo courtesy of Montefiore)
The first baby of 2012 in all of New York City was born in the Bronx this New Year’s Eve, just as the clock struck midnight. Rania Ali was born at Montefiore Medical Center’s North Division, weighing in at 7 lbs. 3.8 oz. and measuring 18 1/2 inches. Her parents, Alia and Imdad, live in Throgs Neck with 3 1/2-year-old big brother Ryan.
Strike Averted for Bronx Nurses, Office Cleaners
January 3, 2012
Unions that represent two sets of Bronx workers announced on Friday that they’d reached a tentative contract
Photo courtesy of 32BJ SEIU
agreement with their respective managements, avoiding a potential strike in both cases.
Over 2,000 registered nurses at Montefiore Medical Center were threatening to strike by Jan. 10 if a deal wasn’t negotiated with the hospital. But on Friday, the New York State Nurses Association, representing the group, announced they’d agreed on tentative four-year contract that provides salary increases for existing workers and positions for another 125 nurses.
Another major union, 32BJ, which represents tens of thousands of office cleaners across the city, came to a deal with the Realty Advisory Board, one that maintains family healthcare coverage benefits for workers.
Both groups still need to vote on the proposed contracts this month, but the threat of a strike has been withdrawn.
Tuesday Bronx Links: First Baby of 2012, Espada Drama & More
January 3, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Happy 2012! Everyone here at the Norwood News wishes you and yours a healthy and happy new year.
Here are some of the local stories Breaking Bronx is following this morning:
The first baby born in New York City in 2012 hails from the Bronx. Little Rania Ali was born at Montefiore Medical Center just as the clock struck midnight, weighing in at seven pounds. Her parents, Alia and Imdad Ali, live in the Boogie Down, along with 3 1/2-year-old big brother Ryan. Congrats!
In college basketball news: the Fordham University Rams will take on the Harvard Crimson tonight at Fordham’s Bronx campus.
File photo by Jeanmarie Evelly
Supporters of the healthcare network owned by former State Sen. Pedro Espada journeyed to Mt. Kisco, NY, yesterday to rally near Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s home, protesting what they say is the politically motivated decision to ban the Soundview Healthcare clinics from the state’s Medicaid program. The State Department of Health and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General booted Soundview from Medicaid over the summer, citing the network’s failure to comply with state laws. Espada is facing federal corruption charges that he embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Soundview, accusations that Cuomo first charged in a civil suit back in 2010, while he was Attorney General.
Weight Loss Surgery Information Sessions
January 2, 2012
Over the next several months, Montefiore Medical Center is hosting a series of informational sessions about bariatric weight-loss surgery. Seminars are offered in both English and Spanish. See the flier below for more information.
2011 Year in Review: Top Health Stories of the Year
January 2, 2012
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Editor’s Note: The latest edition of the Norwood News is out now, and its our annual Year in Review issue–-a recap of the biggest stories that took place in 2011, in the Bronx and beyond. Over the next week or so, we’ll be rolling these top stories out here on Breaking Bronx. Enjoy, and a happy and healthy New Year to all of our readers!
The following are some highlighted stories from our Be Healthy! column, that runs in each edition of the Norwood News.
Through Walks and Weigh-ins, Senator Promotes Healthy Living
Bronx State Sen. Gustavo Rivera spent much of this year — his first in office — looking for ways to make the Bronx healthier. Citing a slew of statistics that rank the borough last in terms of health indicators, Rivera launched the Bronx CAN (Changing Attitudes Now) Health Initiative this June.
A Bronx Health CAN event this fall (photo by Jeanmarie Evelly)
Partnering with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., local hospitals, a number of faith and community-based organizations and local schools, Bronx Health CAN held health-themed events across the borough throughout the spring, summer and fall, encouraging Bronxites to set small health goals for themselves, like cooking more meals at home or working out a few times a week. Rivera hosted weekly walks, health screenings and free exercises classes. He worked with bodega owners in an effort to get them to sell more fresh fruits and vegetables in their stores.
State Looks for Inmates to Share Health Care Experiences
December 30, 2011
The Correctional Association of New York, a nonprofit that advocates for improved conditions in state correctional facilities, is looking for formerly or currently incarcerated people who have been treated for HIV or Hepatitis C while in prison or jail to share their stories. The group wants to hear your/your loved ones experiences in order to assess how well the state’s correctional facilities are caring for inmates with these illnesses. See the flier below for more info and who to contact.
Lawsuits Filed Over PS 51 Toxins
December 29, 2011
By Jeanmarie Evelly
The Bronx New School, formerly housed in an old lighting factory on Jerome Avenue, moved this year after its building tested positive for dangerous toxins. (Photo by Adi Talwar)
A former PS 51 teacher plans to file a lawsuit against the Department of Education, claiming that working in the toxic Bedford Park building that used to house the school was the cause of a birth defect in her unborn baby, the Daily News reports today.
This summer, The DOE told parents and staff at PS 51, also known as the Bronx New School, that the Jerome Avenue building tested positive for high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical the Environmental Protection Agency says can cause health problems in humans. Nancy Tomassi, who filed the legal papers this week, worked at the school for five years. She was forced to terminate her pregnancy in October after her baby was found to have an unsurvivable brain defect.
Bronx Bodega Owner Honored for Healthier Fare
December 28, 2011
By Jeanmarie Evelly
Sen. Gustavo Rivera awards bodega owner Bakil Aljaradi for his efforts to sell and promote healthier foods. (photos by Nicki Fietzer)
Editor’s Note: From now on, we’ll be rolling out a health-related news story here on the Breaking Blog every Wednesday, an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column that appears in each print edition of the Norwood News. If there’s a health story or issue you think we should cover, or if you’ve got a question you’d like us to answer, let us know by sending an e-mail to: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
The owner of a West Tremont Avenue bodega was publicly honored last week for his efforts to increase the number of healthy food options offered at his store, swapping chips for fresh fruits and sodas for bottled water as part of a program run by students at nearby MS 331.
State Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Bronx Health REACH presented Bakil Aljaradi, who owns West Tremont Deli Grocery Corp. at 19 W. Tremont Ave., with a proclamation and certificate of recognition. For the last month, Aljardi has worked with students from MS 331′s Citizen Schools program to develop a special healthy lunch menu for students and teachers and to expand the number of healthy snacks he sells.
“Bakil Aljaradi has worked to ensure that his deli, West Tremont Deli Grocery Corp, is an example of how to make the Bronx a better place,” Rivera said. “Through his work, Mr. Aljaradi has inspired the community around his bodega to work together. He has fostered relationships with local community organizations and government officials to effect change and social justice in the Bronx.”
Before working with MS 331 students, Aljaradi participated in the city’s Healthy Bodega Initiative, a program run by the Department of Health that works with store owners in neighborhoods that have little other grocery options to expand the number of fresh foods they sell. Bronx Health REACH worked with a group of 14 sixth graders at MS 331 to launch an “Adopt a Bodega,” campaign at the deli.
“Together they created a special meal combo that was healthier than what was originally offered, and successfully advocated for drinks like water to be placed at eye level as opposed to soda,” said Citizen Schools director Lauren Long-Garcia. “Students learned about the importance of healthy eating and the power that they have to make a positive change in their community.”
Current Print Edition
 |
Click here for PDF downloads of recent editions. Click here for all recent print edition stories. |
Latest from Breaking Bronx
- Be Healthy!: Monte Kids Dance the Night Away Wed, May 16 at 5:00pm
- Bronx Notes: Open House for Webster Ave. Select Bus Service Wed, May 16 at 3:00pm
- ‘Vital’ After-School Programs on the Chopping Block Wed, May 16 at 1:31pm
- Ex-Bronx Senator Pedro Espada Found Guilty of Theft Mon, May 14 at 2:35pm
- MS 80, Other ‘New’ Bronx Schools, Get New Names; Hiring Stalls Due to Lawsuit Fri, May 11 at 2:46pm
