University Heights: Search for Missing 4-Year-Old Boy

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is asking for the public’s help locating the man seen in the attached photo who they say is sought in connection with a custodial interference incident reported in University Heights. Police said that on Sunday, July 2, at around 9.18 p.m., a 22-year-old father met with a 22-year-old mother and their 4-year-old son in the vicinity of East 182nd Street and Jerome Avenue. “After meeting at the location, the male placed the child on his motorized scooter without the mother’s consent and fled the scene with the child at a high rate of speed to parts unknown,”

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES

New York Public Library (NYPL) hosted the annual Bronx Anti-Prom event this year at Grand Concourse Library on Friday, June 9. Each year, NYPL organizes an Anti-Prom event in each City borough at different locations as an alternative to the traditional local high school proms for students celebrating the end of high school, to celebrate Pride and who may feel more comfortable in a different setting. NYPL had encouraged members throughout Pride Month to explore its world-renowned collections. The Library has one of the largest collections of LGBTQ+ history and activism, including hundreds of thousands of letters, manuscripts, photographs, posters,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced on June 30 that the agency will launch LockerNYC, a pilot program this summer to cut down on package theft and reduce delivery truck trips. The LockerNYC pilot program, which will run for one year, will allow New Yorkers to conveniently receive and send packages using secure lockers on public sidewalks, DOT officials said. The pilot will include 15 locations and offer customers free 24/7 access, according to DOT officials. They said the program will be available to anyone who is interested and, unlike other delivery lockers, the LockerNYC program

By SÍLE MOLONEY

City Island Rising, a community based, non-profit association working to improve the City Island community with open discourse and civility towards all, tabled at the City Island Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Spring Arts and Craft Fair alongside Bronx Bound Books on June 3. According to the organization, board members distributed hundreds of face masks, COVID-19 tests, and collected many signatures for a petition to expand the NYC Ferry Service to City Island. Currently, according to the organizers, the group has collected nearly 1,500 signatures for this effort. During the final days of his administration, former New York City Mayor

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Riverdale Y Sunday Market, which organizers say has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for fresh food and community in the Northwest Bronx, has announced that it will be open every Sunday through the winter. Since Sunday, Jan. 9, the market, which organizers say champions local, small-scale farmers, food producers, craftspeople, and artists, has been open every Sunday and will remain open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday throughout the year, including during the winter weeks. The Market is located at 4545 Independence Avenue in the Riverdale Temple parking lot (near 246th Street). “It’s amazing how popular

By VINCENT MARCHELLO

Building healthier communities requires deliberate action every day to improve individuals’ lives. Every time a person goes to a doctor for a check-up or gets important immunizations, health outcomes improve, and communities grow stronger. Ensuring people have access to quality, affordable health coverage is one of the most important ways to help accomplish this goal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment in Medicaid and Child Health Plus increased 23.4% to about 9 million people in New York State, according to the State Department of Health. Those 9 million people will need to act soon to keep their health

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Adha [Idul-Adha] was celebrated by hundreds of Muslims in the Williamsbridge Oval park on Wednesday, June 28. The religious holiday, which translates to “The Feast of the Sacrifice” continued through June 30, and is the second and the largest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). The former honors the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice one of his sons, either Ishmael (Ismail) or Isaac (Ishaq), as an act of obedience to God’s command. Norwood News spoke briefly to one male member of the congregation who said

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Eric Adams released a statement on Saturday, July 1, following the formal departure, as reported, of former Commissioner Keechant Sewell on June 30, in which the mayor announced that First Deputy Commissioner Edward “Eddie” A. Caban has taken up the role of interim police commissioner. In his statement, Adams said, “First, I want to thank Commissioner Sewell for her year and a half of service to the greatest city in the world,” the mayor wrote. “Commissioner Sewell not only led the NYPD with distinction and honor every day, but she inspired millions of young girls

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A group of around 200 people, including many kids, joined together for a walk in Norwood to promote autism acceptance, unity, and inclusion on Friday, June 16. The event was organized by the group Puzzle Life in conjunction with Norwood’s P.S. 168 and the 52nd Precinct. Kyle McClean and his wife, Liza, who live in Soundview, launched Puzzle Life, a group which aims to promote acceptance of people living with autism. Kyle told Norwood News, “Well, my wife and I, we have a beautiful princess on the spectrum and it’s the third year in a row we wanted to