New Whalen Park Opens in Record Time

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS and ANGEL MINDANAO

Whalen Park quietly re-opened to the public in June with a colorful, brand new playground that features two slides, monkey bars, and toddler-friendly climbing blocks. To the delight of parents, the area previously known as the “sitting park” was revamped into a more traditional playground. Though the project was first proposed seven years ago, building the Norwood park took less than a year, an unusual time frame given the city Parks Department’s poor track record in completing projects promptly. In 2017, there had been seven projects delayed since 2009, including a bathroom for Ferry Point Park that had been in

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

Browsing the collage of colorful posters that make up the “Norwood Column,” Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, who represents the 36th New York Senate District which covers Norwood, came across one that caught his eye. “This is what the Bronx is about,” Bailey said at the unveiling of the public art installation on July 16, pointing to a poster describing the Bronx as a “mini United Nations. “This is the world’s borough,” he said. The “Norwood Column,” located at the southeast corner of East Mosholu Parkway and the Grand Concourse, across from the Pickwick Arms, is a temporary installation of the

Crime File: City Touts Low Crime Numbers

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

City Touts Low Crime Stats Overall crime is at record lows, according to newly released stats by the NYPD. Speaking to a room of reporters in the 40th Precinct on July 10, Mayor Bill de Blasio said total crime in the city is down 1.8 percent for the year to date compared to last year’s numbers. However, not all crime is down. Rape has gone up over 33 percent this year compared to the first six months of 2017, and shooting deaths have also risen. In the Bronx, fatal shootings are on the rise, with 12 more this year than

By SOPHIA EBANKS

The city Department of Transportation has picked five companies for the pilot bike share program in boroughs outside Manhattan. Two of those companies, the Hong Kong-based Ofo and Brooklyn-based JUMP, will supply bikes to the Bronx. The program will bring at least 200 bikes to the central Bronx and Fordham area. “Our goal is to make cycling accessible to anyone anywhere,” said Jordan Levine, head of northeast communications at Ofo. “We want to make it both as affordable and approachable as possible by taking away traditional barriers like having bikes being stolen or dishing out a few hundred dollars to

By JOSE A. GIRALT

Five blocks from where Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was attacked by members of the Trinitarios gang, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an $18.4 million investment for youth-based programs in the Bronx. Inside the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club in Belmont the governor described the initiative as “unprecedented” and revealed a multi-faceted approach to support activities for Bronx kids. The initiative, dubbed New Opportunities for Bronx Youth, will offer kids a variety of activities from academics to sports to the arts, in the hope that gang-related activities will decrease. The murder of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was still fresh on the minds of

Boy, 14, Charged With Attempted Rape at Bronx Park

By DAVID CRUZ

Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy wanted in connection to the attempted rape of a woman jogging inside Bronx River Forest Park. The boy, whose name was not released to the public, was arrested in his home by officers at the 48th Precinct. The crime happened within the borders of the 52nd Precinct. The 35-year-old female victim was jogging in the park around 7:50 a.m. when she was ambushed from behind by the suspect, who attempted to pull her backwards, police say. The victim fought him off and ran deeper into the park, escaping the suspect. She came across him

“Junior’s Law” Orders Bodegas to Keep Minors Safe

By SOPHIA EBANKS

Following the brutal murder of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz outside a bodega in Belmont, two Bronx lawmakers look to make sure small businesses step it up to protect young children in the community. State Senator Luis Sepulveda and Assemblyman Victor Pichardo announced the “Safe Havens for Endangered Children” law, nicknamed “Junior’s Law,” alongside community advocates, religious leaders, and some of Junior’s family members outside of the bodega where Junior sought refuge. The proposed law would require small businesses to provide refuge and call police if a minor in danger were to seek their help. Another measure of the bill will

By SOPHIA EBANKS

‘You are, what you eat’ is an old adage on the power of food to affect the quality of life. For Jodi Moise, curator of the Montefiore Fine Arts Program and Collection, it is also the message of the ARTViews Gallery’s latest photo exhibition, “Growing Your Own Food, A Declaration of Power,” on display through August. The exhibit looks to promote health and wellness in the Bronx, the unhealthiest county in New York State. The Bronx is known to have a high rates of diabetes and asthma. In Kingsbridge and Bedford Park, the rate of diabetes is 15 percent, higher

Attempted Rapist on the Run in the Bronx

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

Police need help finding a young Hispanic male (video above) wanted for an attempted rape that occurred on Monday morning in Bronx River Forest Park. The 35-year-old female victim was jogging in the park around 7:50 a.m. when she was ambushed from behind by the suspect, who attempted to pull her backwards, police say. The victim fought him off and ran deeper into the park, escaping the suspect. She came across him again, took a photo of him with her phone, then fled the park. She was treated for minor injuries by EMS on the scene. The July 9