University Heights: Man Sought for Forcible Touching Incident

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the person seen in the attached video in connection with a forcible touching incident which occurred in the 52nd precinct. On Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at approximately 9.50 p.m., inside a residential building in the vicinity of West 183rd Street and University Avenue, in the University Heights section of The Bronx, a 17-year-old female was approached by the suspect who forcibly grabbed her buttocks. The suspect then fled to parts unknown. Video of the person sought, taken from the vicinity of the incident location, is attached. Anyone

By SÍLE MOLONEY, DAVID GREENE, JOSÉ GIRALT & MICHAEL HOROWITZ

Jessica Haller, tech entrepreneur and environmentalist who recently finished in third place in the March 23 District 11 City Council special election, announced on Friday, April 16, that she will not be running in the District 11 Democratic June primary race. “After taking some time to reflect on the results of the special election, I am writing to share that our grassroots campaign has come to an end, and I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the June primary election,” Haller wrote in a press release. “I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York Lottery announced on Thursday, April 14, that there were multiple, top-prize winning tickets sold for the April 13 TAKE 5 drawing. The tickets were sold in The Bronx, Manhattan, and in Ridgewood at the following locations: 833 Discount Inc located at 833-835 E 149th St in the South Bronx, which sold 1 prize winning ticket worth $21,447.00 200 Candy Corp located at 200 Dyckman St. in Manhattan, which sold 1 prize winning ticket worth $21,872.00 Mona Grocery Corp located at 59-30 Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood, which sold 1 prize winning ticket worth $21,447.00 TAKE 5 numbers

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who represents New York’s 13th congressional district (NY-13) which includes parts of The Bronx and Manhattan, and who is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, released a statement on April 10 praising U.S. President Joe Biden’s fiscal year 2022 discretionary funding request, which aims to reverse decades of disinvestment and prioritize initiatives that the congressman said will help working families and the vulnerable. “The coronavirus pandemic has exposed serious needs in New York and across the country. President Biden’s funding request takes important steps to meet these needs and set our nation on a

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Less than a week after New York City announced that people aged 75 years and up could get walk-in vaccinations without an appointment at Bronx High School of Science, located at 75 West 205th Street in Jerome Park, the site has been closed entirely, – a blow to local seniors in the Northwest Bronx. The former school site has been relocated to Edenwald YMCA, which is over three miles away at 1250 East 229th Street in the Edenwald section of the Bronx, effective Thursday, April 15. The recently implemented walk-in vaccination program at the school site had allowed

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD re-issued an appeal on Wednesday, April 14, for the public’s assistance in locating a teenager who was reported missing in the 52nd precinct in August 2020. A photograph of the missing girl is attached. It was reported to police that Yessica Nivarrez Castro, 14, was last seen at around 11 p.m. on Monday, August 17, last year, inside her home located at 323 East Mosholu Parkway North in the Norwood section of the Bronx. Yessica is described as female, 5 feet, 2 inches tall, Hispanic, weighs 95 pounds, and was last seen wearing all dark clothing.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Shyan Coleman, 15, of 2741 Sedgwick Avenue in the Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx, who was reported missing in the 50th precinct. It was reported to police that Shyan was last seen on Sunday, April 11, 2021, leaving her home at approximately 1 p.m. She is described as female, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds, and has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, pink hooded sweatshirt, dark blue jeans and white sneakers. Meanwhile, anyone with information with regard to

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13, out of an abundance of caution, and following reports that six women who had received the vaccine developed blood clots. One woman has died, and an investigation is underway to determine what caused the blood clots. New York State followed the CDC and FDA recommendation and paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine statewide, while the health and safety federal agencies evaluate the next steps.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance identifying the individual seen in the attached video and photos in the context of an assault that occurred in the 52nd precinct. It was reported to police that on Monday, April 12, 2021 at approximately 11.30 p.m., inside a deli located at 2650 Briggs Avenue, located in the Fordham Manor section of the Bronx, the victim and the unidentified suspect engaged in a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical confrontation. The suspect stabbed the victim once in the back with a knife before fleeing the scene in