Grandma’s New Rap To Children: Wash Your Hands, Yo!

By DAVID GREENE

A North Bronx grandmother, frustrated that parents aren’t explaining to children why they are being told to wear masks and to wash their hands more frequently, has written a poem/rap and has been distributing copies of it to folks at different sites across the borough in an effort to enhance health education among kids and help them understand why it is important to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Long-time activist and Community Board 12 member, Barbara Gibson, 81, recalled, “As a teacher, I noticed society was not approaching the children and explaining to them what the virus

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Montefiore Health System announced a new agreement on Feb. 9 on improving access to quality healthcare for people throughout New York City, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. According to a press release, this latest multi-year agreement continues the longstanding relationship between the two organizations, and features several new community outreach initiatives including health events, a partnership to support nutrition services for at-risk populations, and a mobile health unit to deliver essential testing and screening focused on improving the health of the community. Alan Murray, president of Empire BlueCross BlueShield said the group is on a

By DAVID GREENE

As much as six inches of fresh snow fell across the borough, but that didn’t stop Bronxites from continuing with their daily routine of biking, shopping or getting their COVID-19 inoculations amid the ongoing pandemic, as the second major winter snow storm of the season battered the Northeast of the country for most of the day on Sunday, Feb. 7. As reported by Norwood News, on Saturday, Feb. 5, the New York City Emergency Management Department (EMD) issued a hazardous travel advisory for Sunday, Feb. 7, and the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for New York

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) chair, Fred Davie, issued the following statement after the Board voted to adopt new rules allowing the agency to investigate sexual misconduct committed by NYPD officers and false official statements made against civilians on official police paperwork or in official proceedings. “Sexual misconduct and false official statements represent some of the worst kinds of abuse of police authority. The Board’s vote today to empower the agency to investigate this misconduct is an important victory for civilian oversight of the NYPD,” he said. “I believe the CCRB is well-equipped to investigate

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On Thursday, Feb. 11, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) and more than 120 other partner organizations will host a virtual meeting with Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Noor Jihan Abdul-Haqq, Dr. Shereef Elnahaal, and AMHP’s President, Dr. Hasan Shanawani, will join Dr. Fauci to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine and address the pressing questions of the community. Muslim community members are invited to take part in the conversation. The event will include American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and closed captioning will be provided by Muhsen. Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci is an American physician and immunologist who

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Pediatricians at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) are hosting a series of live read alongs with children during school recess. The initiative started during winter break, and will continue next week with the doctors reading books focused on “healthy, happy hearts” in honor of American Heart Month. Led by the Office of Government & Community Relations at Montefiore, the live story time, carried out by English and Spanish speaking pediatricians, offers an opportunity for community engagement with children and reinforcement of literacy skills during the school break. The program is open to any children. They do not

By SÍLE MOLONEY

In what may be a first, 44 neighborhood organizations representing New York City’s five boroughs have joined forces to deliver messages of love and support to small businesses throughout the city, all in time for St. Valentine’s Day. The 44 associations are a combination of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), chambers of commerce, merchant associations and other community-based development organizations. Each of the 44 participating neighborhood associations will customize the “St. Valentine’s Day Sweethearts Shop Local” program to the individual neighborhoods across the city, with the following common messages to New Yorkers: Shop local Order direct Write a positive review

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Freshman, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, who represents New York City’s 16th congressional district in the Bronx, was formally and unanimously elected by colleagues on Monday, Feb. 8, to be vice chair of the U.S. Congressional Committee on Education and Labor for the 117th Congress. A spokesperson for Bowman confirmed to the Norwood News on Tuesday, Feb. 9, that the congressman’s placement on the committee and his election to vice chair was unrelated to Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s recent removal from it. “He was named to the committee in December prior to his swearing-in,” Bowman’s spokesperson said. The New York congressman

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) will hold its monthly public Board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m. via Webex, during which the Board will vote on some new rules governing its remit which were proposed last year, as reported by Norwood News. If adopted, the new rules will enable the CCRB to restart investigations of sexual misconduct committed by NYPD officers, and allow the agency to investigate allegations of false official statements made by NYPD officers against civilians in official proceedings or on official police paperwork. The final version of the rules can

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Blog

Grandma’s New Rap To Children: Wash Your Hands, Yo!

Empire BlueCross BlueShield & Montefiore New Agreement Focuses on Improving Community Health

Bronxites Push Forward Through Snow Storm Despite Pandemic, as More Snowfall is Promised on Feb. 10

CCRB Approves New Rules to Investigate Alleged NYPD Sexual Misconduct, False Statements

Update: Dr. Anthony Fauci Joins Muslim Americans in Conversation on the COVID-19 Vaccine

Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Continues Children’s Virtual Read Along Series

Update: Jamaal Bowman Joins House Education, Energy Committees, Does Not Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

CCRB to Hold Public Board Meeting on New Rules to Investigate Alleged NYPD Sexual Misconduct