Archive

Coalition Seeks to Stop Republican-Led Lawsuit Challenging the “Our City, Our Vote” Bill

By SÍLE MOLONEY
LatinoJustice PRLDEF, community partners, and pro-bono counsel, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, announced on Tuesday, April 12, that they have collectively filed a motion to challenge a lawsuit which seeks to reverse the recently approved municipal voting rights bill in New York City, a bill which would extend the right to vote to eligible non-citizens in municipal elections. The move constitutes the first time LatinoJustice and partners will act jointly on the matter before a New York State judge.   According to its website, LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of


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Eric Adams Launches Expansion of Summer Rising Program in The Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on March 11, the expansion of the Summer Rising program, connecting 110,000 elementary and middle school students to fun, culturally-relevant, hands-on experiences to strengthen their academic, social, and emotional skills this summer.   Enrollment began in April for Summer Rising, a free program that, according to City officials will be administered by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and the New York City Department of Education (DOE). The program follows the mayor’s announcement of 100,000 summer jobs for city youth last month.   “Our children grow every


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Norwood: Construction Applications Filed for New 8-Story Building at 3547 Webster Avenue

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Building applications have been filed with New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) for a new, 8-story, mixed-use building at 3547 Webster Avenue in the Norwood section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. Located between East Gun Hill Road and Woodlawn Cemetery, the lot is near the Gun Hill Road subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Yoel Landau is listed as the owner behind the applications.   The proposed 85-foot-tall development will yield 73,121 square feet, with 59,895 square feet designated for residential space, 7,742 square feet for community facility space, and 5,484 square feet for


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Nonprofit “We Aim Higher” Seeks Volunteers for Bronx Clean-Up on Earth Day

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Local nonprofit, “We Aim Higher,” which focuses on holding “human service” events to help communities, is organizing a Bronx clean-up event in honor of Earth Day, Friday, April 22.   Meanwhile, Earth Day’s mission, according to the website, earthday.org, is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. According to earthday.org, the first Earth Day was held in 1970, and the organization behind it is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for the planet.   Symone Stokes, founder and CEO of “We Aim


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Phipps Neighborhoods Seeks Applicants for Summer Youth Jobs – Deadline April 22

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Phipps Neighborhoods, a non-profit social service provider in New York City, announced on Monday, April 11, that it is seeking applications for the City’s Department of Youth and Community Development’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which will connect youth from The Bronx and Upper Manhattan with career exploration opportunities and paid work experiences. This year, Phipps Neighborhoods aims to serve 1,000 students with employment opportunities, an increase from its previous record of serving nearly 575 students last year. Andre White, president and CEO of Phipps Neighborhoods, said, “This year, the Summer Youth Employment Program will employ 100,000 young people across


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Manhattan Man Gets 40 Years for 2015 Fatal Shooting of 40-Year-Old Man in Melrose

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Tuesday, April 12, that a Manhattan man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the 2015 shooting death of a man in Melrose.   According to the investigation, on July 23, 2015 at approximately 8:40 a.m. at 650 Westchester Avenue, the defendant, Unique Woodfin, 43, of Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem fired two gunshots at Luis Garcia, 40, striking him in the head. It was determined that Florencio Pinos, who was a co-defendant in the case before he passed away from illness in 2017, had a dispute with Garcia a


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UPDATE Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin Resigns following His Arrest for Campaign Finance Corruption

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Editor’s Note: On Jan. 17, 2025, the charges against Benjamin were dropped following the death of a co-defendant and witness in the case, as reported. Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned on Tuesday, April 12, following his arrest on campaign finance corruption charges. In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “I have accepted Brian Benjamin’s resignation effective immediately. While the legal process plays out, it is clear to both of us that he cannot continue to serve as lieutenant governor. New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence in their government, and I will continue working every day to deliver


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New York Blood Center Calls for Continued Blood Donations Amid Mass Shooting in Brooklyn, Nationwide Shortage

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The New York Blood Center continues to experience a shortage of blood supply and is calling on volunteers to donate blood if they can. The urgency had been made all the greater in light of the mass shooting which took place in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning, April 12, where reportedly 10 people were shot and 13 more injured according to police.   At 8.27 a.m. FDNY officials said units were dispatched to the subway station at 36th Street and 4th Avenue in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn for a report of smoke in the station. Upon arrival, FDNY Fire


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NYS to Create Statewide Accessible Absentee Ballot Program After Legal Battle Settled

By SÍLE MOLONEY
A coalition of activists and advocates for people with disabilities has settled a lawsuit launched in 2020 under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against the State Board of Elections (BOE). People with disabilities are now set to avail of a new, statewide, accessible, absentee ballot program in order to vote in future elections. A federal court approved and ordered the terms of the settlement agreement, under which the State BOE will create the new program. This will allow blind and disabled voters to complete, online, a remote, accessible, vote-by-mail ballot, print it out, and return it to their respective county board


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