“Buckets for the Bronx: 3v3 Tourney” Held at Lehman College

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A free 3v3 basketball tournament: Buckets for the Bronx: 3v3 Community Classic for Bronx teens was held at the Apex Center at Lehman College on Saturday, Feb. 25. The event was organized by local community members, Jessica Altagracia Woolford, founder of Kingsbridge Unidos, and Haramritjot Singh, founder of Cash Cow NYC. The tournament was open to local high school students aged 14-18 of all genders. It was free to enter and winners earned prizes, including three tickets to a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, various cash prizes, two dozen brand-new Spalding basketballs, and exclusive Cash Cow NYC merchandise.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Following the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man in Belmont last month, as reported, the NYPD is asking for the public’s help identifying the person seen in the attached surveillance photos regarding the incident. Police said that on Sunday, Feb. 26, at approximately 1.24 a.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding shots fired at 526 East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue, where they said a 25-year-old male victim got into a dispute with an unidentified person who took out a gun and shot the victim, striking him multiple times. The individual fled the location by foot on Bathgate

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Black History Month was celebrated across The Bronx in February with several events held in honor of the country’s ancestors, while elsewhere, the ongoing debate over the teaching of Black history to children in schools continues to make headlines. Democratic State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), who broadly represents the neighborhoods of Norwood, Bedford Park, Jerome Park, Riverdale, Fieldston, North Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, parts of Fordham, Belmont, Tremont, Van Nest, Little Yemen and Allerton, held a Black History Month celebration at Tracey Towers housing complex, located at 40 West Mosholu Parkway South in Jerome Park on Saturday, Feb. 25,

By ARIEL PACHECO

State Sen. Robert Jackson carefully chose In-Tech Academy middle and high school campus in The Bronx’s Marble Hill neighborhood as the site for his latest inauguration as a veteran senator on Feb. 4, following his November 2022 reelection in redrawn District 31. In addition to a large swath of Manhattan, the district also includes the Bronx neighborhoods of Marble Hill, where the school is located at 2975 Tibbett Avenue, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Van Cortlandt Village, and parts of Fordham Manor, Jerome Park, University Heights, and Morris Heights. Education has always been one of Jackson’s central policy issues.

By MARY LOU POMPEII

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign designed to help people make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits. It was created 50 years ago by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), a trusted source of food and nutrition information. This year’s theme is “Fuel for the Future,” which aims to highlight how we can eat with sustainability in mind. The topic of food waste is not commonly discussed, yet it needs our attention to help protect our oceans and landfills from unnecessary debris. According to AND, Americans throw away billions of pounds of

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on March 8 that 24 bathrooms at 12 subway stations across the City will reopen to the public May 2. The 12 stations with reopened bathrooms are the second group in NYC Transit’s phased reopening of subway bathrooms since they were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bathrooms, one male and one female at 12 stations, will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a one-hour closure for cleaning from noon to 1 p.m. “Following a successful launch, we felt comfortable moving forward with the next group of stations,” said NYC Transit President Richard Davey.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Fordham Heights resident, Jose Gonzalez, was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday, March 8, of the murder of FDNY Emergency Medical Technician, Yadira Arroyo, who he ran over with her ambulance nearly six years ago, according to the Office of the Bronx District Attorney. Darcel Clark, Bronx district attorney, announced the news the same day. As reported, after years of waiting, the family of the victim received news that Gonzalez was finally fit to stand trial on Sept. 21, 2022. In the context of the conviction announcement, Clark said, “Jose Gonzalez was convicted today of first-degree murder in

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A New York City Parks employee who was arrested on Tuesday, March 7, in The Bronx on forgery and other charges, has had his case adjourned according to documentation from the Bronx Criminal Court. An NYPD spokesperson said that on Tuesday, March 7, at 9.35 a.m., Anibal Nieves, an off-duty, 47-year-old male employee of NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, was arrested in the 46th Precinct which covers the neighborhoods of Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights and Mount Hope. He was charged with forgery, possession of a forged instrument, unauthorized sale of a farecard, and loitering. On

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is seeking the public’s help locating a 14-year-old girl reported missing from Norwood. It was reported to police that Litzy Espinal Rojas, of 3599 Bainbridge Avenue, Apt 6I, Bronx, NY, was last seen on Sunday, March 5, at around 2 a.m. inside her home, located at 3599 Bainbridge Avenue. She is described as a female, is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds, is Black Hispanic, and has brown eyes and black hair. Police said she last seen wearing a black sweater, black leggings and black and gray sneakers. Anyone with information in regard to