Florida Man Pleads Guilty after DNA Match, Gets 20 Years to Life for Van Nest Murder of Bronx Woman

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Friday, Feb. 3, that a Florida man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the strangulation murder of a Bronx woman in a Van Nest apartment in 2000. The cold case was solved in 2017 when DNA and a fingerprint from the crime scene were matched to him. In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “The defendant killed a 19-year-old woman in December 2000 and her lifeless body was discovered by her mother. The defendant moved on and started a new life in Florida, but justice


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Allerton: Police Release Additional Video of Group Assault of 40-Year-Old Man

  Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, on Feb. 3, 2023, police shared an additional surveillance video of an assault incident that occurred at 679 Allerton Avenue in the Allerton section of The Bronx on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023 at around 6 a.m. Video courtesy of the NYPD. The NYPD has released additional video of an assault that occurred in Allerton in late January and is asking for the public’s help identifying the people seen in the video who are sought for questioning in connection to the incident.   As reported, police said that on Saturday, Jan. 28, at around 6


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Off-Duty Firefighter Arrested in The Bronx for Driving While Intoxicated

An off-duty firefighter has been arrested in The Bronx for driving while intoxicated police said.   An NYPD spokesperson said that on Friday, Feb. 3, at 9.44 p.m. José Valdez, 37, an FDNY firefighter was arrested in the 45th Precinct which covers the neighborhoods of Co-op City and City Island in the Northeast Bronx.   Valdez was charged with driving while intoxicated, leaving a scene with property damage as a driver, driving while impaired by alcohol, and refusing to take a breath test.   A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in


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The Latest Street, Bridge Closures and General Transportation Updates Through 2026 in The Bronx

New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the MTA, NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), New York City Department of Design & Construction (DDC), the NYPD, and other government agencies and private entities have shared the following street and bridge closures and transportation updates for The Bronx through 2026, as of Friday, Feb. 3.   Bridge Closures  Madison Avenue Bridge over Harlem River Single-lane traffic in both directions will be closed off Monday to Friday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next morning, and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning, through Feb. 23. Additionally, the bridge


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UPDATE Police Say 23-Year-Old Man from Norwood No Longer Missing

  The NYPD said on Tuesday, Jan. 7, that a 23-year-old man from Norwood who had been reported missing has been located.   Prior to being located, it had been reported to police that Lino Cruz Ballinas Jr. of Webster Avenue had last been seen on Monday, Jan. 30, at around 11.34 a.m., inside St. Barnabas Hospital.   He was described as being around 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with a light skin complexion, brown eyes, black hair and a beard. Prior to being located, he had last been seen wearing a red jacket, gray jeans, neon


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NYC DOB & MTA Urge Caution during High Winds & Artic Conditions

The New York City area may experience severe weather including freezing temperatures from an arctic cold front and potential wind gusts of up to 40 mph, starting Friday, Feb. 3, and continuing into Saturday, Feb. 4, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Accordingly, NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) is reminding all builders, contractors, crane operators, and property owners to secure their construction sites, buildings, and equipment.   Department officials said DOB will be performing random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the City, and if sites are not secured, DOB officials will take immediate enforcement action, issuing violations and


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Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine to Perform at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts will present the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, performing classic compositions of Brahms and Sibelius on Feb. 19, led by principal conductor, Theodore Kuchar, and featuring violin soloist, Vladyslava Luchenko. The special program will include Brahms: Tragic Overture, Op. 81, Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77, and Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43.   The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, based in the medieval city of Lviv, was officially established on Sept. 27, 1902. On this day, the first concert of the newly formed orchestra took


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Bowman, Booker Reintroduce African American History Act, Urge Nation to Tell the Truth About its Past

  As February marks Black History Month, Democrats, Rep. Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (NY-16) and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker reintroduced The African American History Act in both the House and the Senate and are urging leaders across the nation to tell the truth about the United States’ history of racism and white supremacy. The bill was reintroduced on Feb. 2 with over 100 original co-sponsors in the House, representatives for Bowman and Booker said.   “It is our moral imperative to tell the truth about our past to finally reconcile with this nation’s history of racism and white nationalism, and our


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“Skip The Stuff” Bill Becomes Law, Ending Single-Use Plastics in Takeout and Delivery Orders

District 13 Council Member Marjorie Velázquez and colleagues rejoiced as Int 559-A, also known as “Skip The Stuff” bill was signed into law by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Jan. 19.   Representatives for the Northeast Bronx council member said for years, local advocates have urged the City Council to pass legislation to decrease the usage of single-use plastics and unnecessary condiment packets or extras. They said the majority of these items are tossed directly in the garbage or a drawer, never to be used and local businesses simultaneously throw away thousands of dollars while overwhelming our landfills.


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