Op-Ed: Let’s Do More to Assist Rent-Burdened Bronx Seniors

By CATHERINE CLARKE

Community-based groups in the northwest Bronx care for their senior citizens! Significant local efforts to assist low-income seniors include the creation of new affordable housing for seniors, the promotion of city programs to keep rents affordable to seniors and a wide array of health, social and recreational services offered by religious institutions, community groups and senior centers. Affordable, safe and decent housing remains an urgent need for all Bronx residents, and more so for seniors who have limited incomes and often growing physical needs in terms of accessibility and safety. New York City recently increased the income limits for its

The polished décor of Nicky’s Coffee Shop now has an exterior to match, with a vibrant new awning on the corner of Bainbridge Avenue and 206th Street. “The sign was just old looking, but it’s been the only change,” said Nicky Manias, owner of the restaurant for more than 31 years. “Since we rebuilt from the fire, everything inside is still brand new.” In September of 2012 a fire forced the diner to close its doors for 6 months, while repairs took place. The Manias family also used this time to revive the restaurant’s interior adding new lights, wood detailing,

The Neighborhood Coordination Officer Program, which assigns officers to a specific sector instead of having them respond to one police call after another, has settled into the 52nd Precinct. These officers are embedded into the communities, serving as a familiar face for the NYPD. Each officer is equipped with an NYPD-issued phone intended to call them when a nagging issue arises. Each precinct taking part in the NCO program is now divided into four sectors: A, B, C, and D as indicated on the map to the left. Below is a list of each sector, the neighborhoods they cover, and

By ELIZABETH QUARANTA

This year was a turning point for the Friends of Mosholu Parkland (FOMP), which managed to organize two community visioning sessions on Mosholu Parkway’s only two on-site playgrounds. Now we have our first annual Fall Festival on the parkway, not to be confused with the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District’s Annual Fall Festival, which celebrated its 15th year on Sept. 17 (see pictures on page 8). The effort and summary of the Kossuth visioning led to its funding of $1.4 million towards the Kossuth Playground upgrades. The visioning of the Mosholu Playground at the corner of East Mosholu Parkway South

By DAVID GREENE

For the second time in as many weeks a pair of bandits has broken into a local GNC store and police and passersby were baffled to learn that the intruders were of the 4-legged kind. Police were called to the vitamin supplement shop at 3453 Jerome Ave. along the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District at 9 a.m. on Sept. 29, for an “animal incident,” involving raccoons. A dispatcher quickly reported it had “one in custody.” The four officers met the employee, who watched as the pair of furry creatures scurried about the store’s counter-tops and shelves in a search for food. Asked

Tenant Assistance The Office of Senator Gustavo Rivera offers assistance on tenant-related issues every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment at 2432 Grand Concourse. For more information or to make an appointment, call (718) 933-2034. Free Flu Shots Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Montefiore Health System, Walgreens Pharmacy, and others, are sponsoring free flu shots at Vladeck Hall, 74 Van Cortlandt Pk. So. on Oct. 6 and at the Riverdale YM-YWHA, 5625 Arlington Ave. on Oct. 27. Members of the community must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and cannot be allergic to eggs. For more

By DAVID GREENE

With recent convictions of several guards at the Rikers Island prison, we asked readers their thoughts on the troubled prison and its suspected culture of corruption. I’ve been at Rikers before and it’s not a good place. I was held there for like two days and what I saw in those two days, it’s not good. And I feel like they need to stop all of it. Shut the whole thing down. They should move all the prisoners out and build up a whole new jail with a whole new staff, everything. They have female COs bringing in contraband to

Editor’s Pick Friends of Mosholu Parkland presents its 1st annual fall festival on Oct. 8 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kossuth Playground, East Mosholu Parkway North between Jerome and Van Cortlandt avenues. Activities include a giant spider web obstacle, games, crafts and prizes, daffodil planting, and guitar by Steve Oates. All are welcome. Onstage The Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., presents Rafael Hernandez Music Festival, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m., featuring music performed by various Latin artists. For more information, call (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visit www.nypl.org. Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance (BAAD), 2474 Westchester Ave.,

Staffers with Councilman Andrew Cohen, representing Norwood, led a workshop session at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center on Participatory Budgeting, an initiative that empowers residents to offer input on how a portion of capital monies should be spent. The process on choosing a project can take months. Staffers helped civic-minded residents figure out what could work as a potential project. Photos by Miriam Quinones [URIS id=21876]