District 15 City Council Race: Candidates Receive Close to Half a Million Dollars in Public Funds

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Close to half a million dollars had been paid out in taxpayer dollars to candidates in the District 15 City Council race, according to a summary by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), as of Thursday, June 17. Under the CFB’s public matching funds program, participating candidates received a total of $464,181. The summary also shows that, as of June 17, collectively, participating candidates had raised a total of $144,186 in private funds, and had spent just over a quarter of a million dollars, $251,843, collectively, on their campaigns, ahead of the June 22 primary election. As

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a 16-year-old girl who was reported missing in Fordham Manor in the 52nd precinct. Cheyenne Jones, 16, of 2500 University Avenue was last seen on June 7, at around 7 a.m. at her home. She is described as female, about 5 feet, 1 inch tall, Black, and weighs about 110 pounds. Anyone with information in regard to this missing person is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A 29-year-old woman has died following as shooting in Fordham Manor. On Wednesday, June 16, at around 11.24 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a man who had been shot at East 194th Street and Marion Avenue, in the 52nd precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed two people with gunshot wounds: a 31-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds about his body, and a 29-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to her torso. EMS also responded to the location and transported both victims to Saint Barnabas Hospital, where the woman was pronounced deceased. She has been identified

By SÍLE MOLONEY

An affordable housing lottery has launched for units at 1728 Townsend Avenue in the Mount Hope section of The Bronx. The six-story residential building was designed by Badaly Architects and yields 22 units, as reported by YIMBY. Available on NYC Housing Connect are seven units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $48,000 to $139,620. Units will have smart controls for heating/cooling and name-brand appliances and finishes. Amenities include a garage, bike storage lockers, package lockers, a shared laundry room, and security cameras. At 130 percent of the AMI,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A Mount Vernon man who coached local youth sports teams and who engaged in sexual acts with a minor was arraigned on Wednesday, June 16, in Mount Vernon City Court, Westchester District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced. The 30-year-old man from Mount Vernon is charged with three counts of a criminal sexual act in the third degree. He is alleged to have engaged in sexual acts with a 16-year-old on two separate occasions in recent months. He is a volunteer coach at Mount Vernon High School and also coached other youth sports teams in the Mount Vernon area.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A Fordham Heights man has died following an apparent assault in Belmont. On Thursday, Feb. 25, at around 6.50 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a man who had been assaulted in front of 2308 Washington Avenue in the vicinity of Little Italy in Belmont, located in the 48th precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed a 50-year-old man with trauma to the face and head. EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to an area hospital, where he was treated before being transported to a long-term care facility, where he was pronounced deceased on Monday,

Report Finds Children’s Hospital at Montefiore One of Best in Nation

By SÍLE MOLONEY

For the 14th year in a row, the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best pediatric hospitals, hospital representatives announced on Tuesday, June 15. In the 2021-2022 Best Children’s Hospitals list, the hospital’s neonatology, pediatric cancer and gastroenterology & GI surgery units ranked among the top 20 programs in the country, and the nephrology, and neurology & neurosurgery units were in the top 50. CHAM is also highlighted as the number three children’s hospital in New York State. In compiling the list, U.S. News gathered data from

By SÍLE MOLONEY

An affordable housing lottery has launched for units at 516-518 East 147th Street Apartments in Mott Haven. The adjacent four-story, mixed-use developments are designed by Shahriar Afshari, and yield seven units each with community facility space on the ground floor, as reported by YIMBY. Available on NYC Housing Connect are six units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $63,429 to $139,620. Units will have air conditioning, dishwashers, and name-brand appliances and finishes. Residents will also have access to a shared rooftop terrace. At 130 percent of the AMI,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Local community and political organization, the Northwest Bronx Democrats (NWBx Dems) announced their endorsements and non-endorsements of various west side candidates running for City Council Districts 11, 14 and 15 in the upcoming primaries on Friday, June 11. They also announced their picks for Bronx civil court judge and Bronx borough president. Saying, this year, the NWBx Dems’ endorsement process was dictated by a combination of hope and alleged broken promises by candidates, Anthony Rivieccio, the organization’s founder, confirmed that in the District 14 race, the group endorsed Pierina Sanchez and Yudelka Tapia. In the Bronx borough president race,