Van Nest: Police Appeal in Search for Missing 11-Year-Old Boy

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Police have confirmed they are searching for an 11-year-old boy in Van Nest, reported missing at 9.15 a.m. from 1975 Birchall Avenue on Friday, July 23 in the 43rd precinct. The cross street is Sagamore Street. Ervin Williams, 11, was last seen wearing a blue shirt, gray sweatpants, and white sneakers. He was carrying a blue suitcase. He is described as an 11-year-old boy, Black, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs 120 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. No photo is available. An alert was also posted on the Citizen’s App on Friday morning about

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE

Police confirmed on Wednesday, July 28, that a 21-year-old woman who had been reported missing on Thursday had been found in good health and condition. Norwood News received initial unconfirmed reports on Thursday, July 22, that police were searching for a 21-year-old woman in Norwood. The woman in question was reported missing at around 7.25 p.m., according to posts on the Citizen’s App and on social media. The NYPD later confirmed the missing person’s report on Friday morning. Citizen’s App users initially reported on Thursday that police were searching for the girl and that the incident had been

By SHANIA DEGROOT

A new public space and seating area, “Street Seat” was formally opened for residents along Jerome Avenue and East Gun Hill Road on Wednesday, July 14. It was organized by the Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) and will function as a social center for local residents. The space has been dedicated to the local medical community for the work they have done throughout the pandemic. Part of DOT’s revitalization of the intersection as part of its Public Space Unit and Art Program, the new space builds on Mayor Bill

By SÍLE MOLONEY

An affordable housing lottery has opened for units at The Arches, a housing complex which comprises two 25-story, residential towers located at 228 East 135th Street in Mott Haven, as reported by YMBY. Designed by Fischer & Makooi Architect and developed by The Chess Builders, the structure yields 430 individual residential units. Available on New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) platform, NYC Housing Connect, are 60 units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $72,000 to $167,570, in accordance with the City’s affordable housing program.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter announced, on July 8, their academic recovery vision for New York City’s public schools and students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the new “Academic Recovery Plan” as a bold, rigorous framework that will guide school communities and support students during the 2021-22 school year and beyond. According to the New York City Department of Education (DOE), there are six critical areas of focus under the new framework: early literacy for all, developing students as digital citizens, preparing students to be college and career-ready,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York City Board of Elections certified the results of the June primary elections on Tuesday, July 20. The results are attached below for the main citywide and Bronx Democratic and Republican primary races, as applicable. The Commissioners of the Board of the Elections in the City of New York have certified the June 22, 2021 Primary Election. Council Districts 9 and 50 require a manual hand count and are not included in the report https://t.co/QiGQqMOlou — NYC Board of Elections (@BOENYC) July 20, 2021 Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams won the Democratic mayoral primary race with 404,513

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAWN CLANCY

Bronx Community College (BCC) announced a new collaboration on July 8 with Building Skills New York (BSNY), an organization which helps New Yorkers in underserved communities find construction jobs. BCC and BSNY will work together to provide skills development and pathways to professional advancement for workers in the construction industry. The goal of the Construction Career Accelerator (CCA) program, made possible by a grant from the New York State Department of Labor, is twofold: to help BSNY participants who are already placed on construction job sites across the five boroughs to gain the necessary skills to advance their careers,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Bronx will soon be home to the country’s largest “passive house” high-rise development at 425 Grand Concourse in Mott Haven that will create 277 units of affordable housing. According to various real estate websites, a passive house is a highly energy efficient building standard used in specific buildings to make them energy efficient but also comfortable, affordable and ecological. Passive house is not a brand name, according to construction and real estate industry professionals, but a construction concept that can be applied by anyone and which has, reportedly, stood the test of practice. More information on the history

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Police are investigating an incident in Fordham Manor following the discovery of a dead man in a residential building. On Sunday, July 18, at approximately 6.35 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a report of an unconscious man on the fifth floor of 2608 Creston Avenue in Fordham Manor, in the 52nd precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed a 59-year-old man lying on the fifth floor hallway, unconscious and unresponsive with no obvious signs of trauma observed. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the aided man deceased at the scene. The Medical Examiner will determine the