Business

AG Report Finds Only 2/3 of Charity Donations Went to Charities & Professional Fundraisers Retained the Rest

By SÍLE MOLONEY
In time for Giving Tuesday and the holiday season, on Monday, Nov. 29, New York Attorney General Letitia James released her annual “Pennies for Charity: Fundraising by Professional Fundraisers” report, which found that charities that used professional fundraisers received only about two-thirds of every dollar donated in 2020, with those fundraisers retaining the remainder — earning more than $380 million.   Analyzing 718 campaigns conducted by professional fundraisers in 2020, the report concluded that charities earned 73 percent of donations from those campaigns, a small increase from the previous year, and in line with the last four years’ results. “As


Read More

Fordham Landing Developer Discusses $2 Billion Mega-Development in University Heights

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The following article is an updated version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. Since we went to press, we had the opportunity to speak further with Brad Zackson, director of development at Dynamic Star LLC, the developer behind the Fordham Landing project.     Steps for the planned, billion-dollar “Fordham Landing” mixed use, real estate development in the University Heights neighborhood advanced further last week amid news that developer, Dynamic Star LLC, had filed construction applications with New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) for a 17-story, mixed-use building at 320 West Fordham Road, a site


Read More

UCHC’s Mildred Casiano Honored as Woman of Distinction

By SARAH HUFFMAN
  Mildred Casiano MSW, LCSW-R, MPH, director of behavioral health at Union Community Health Center (UCHC), located in the Fordham Heights neighborhood, was honored as a 2021 Woman of Distinction by State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) during a ceremony held at the center, on Oct. 22.   During her acceptance speech, Casiano thanked Douglas York Ph.D., CEO of UCHC, her behavior health team, and the entire UCSC family along with friends and family who came out to support her on the day. She said she felt “overwhelmed and overjoyed” but overall, “truly blessed,” by the honor.   “I would


Read More

Lehman College Students Showcase on Film Resiliency of New Yorkers amid COVID-19 Pandemic

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Nearly two years after COVID-19 shut down New York City and changed life as we know it, a new series of public service announcements created by Lehman College students for the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) is exploring how New Yorkers adapted, endured, and came together during the pandemic’s early days.   The series, “Shift NYC,” was shot and recorded by 10 Lehman students, working with a team of 11 faculty and staff from Lehman’s Multimedia Center and School of Arts and Humanities, over the summer. It debuted this month, with five episodes set to air in weekly installments on Lehman’s Instagram account through early


Read More

UPDATE U.S. VP Kamala Harris Visits The Bronx as Immigrant New Yorkers Rally for Visa Amnesty

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE
  The following is an extended version of the story that appeared in the latest print edition of the Norwood News.    U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, visited the Bronx on Friday, Oct. 22, at the invitation of Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-14). The event took place at the recently opened, state-of-the-art Edenwald YMCA center in the Northeast Bronx, which falls within Bowman’s district.   The purpose of the visit was to promote the Biden administration’s “Build Back Better” agenda, and while the mood among those in attendance, inside the venue,


Read More

Halloween Celebrations Return After a Two-Year Absence due to COVID-19

By DAVID GREENE
After Halloween celebrations were all but cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it made a big return in 2021 as youngsters and their parents took to the streets, dressed in their favorite, purchased or home-made costumes, and large crowds of trick-or-treaters were spotted across the borough.   Larger than usual crowds were seen as children of all ages wore masks and costumes as they attended several Halloween-themed parties in Allerton, Norwood and Pelham Bay.     Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation reported an increase of 20 percent over last year on Halloween costume and treat sales. Americans spent


Read More

Op-Ed: How the Senate Will Decide the Fate of Local News

By STEVE WALDMAN
The Senate is now deciding the fate of local news.   As part of the Build Back Better Act, the Senate is, in the next few days, considering an important proposal: providing a payroll tax credit to local news organizations to retain or hire local journalists.   Why? Local news is in a deep crisis. The Internet has fundamentally broken the business model of local newspapers. The number of reporters has dropped by more than half since 2000.   There are at least 1,800 total “news deserts,” with no local newspapers at all, and thousands more have “ghost newspapers” that


Read More

UPDATE: District 14 City Council Race: For Pierina Sanchez, It’s About the Love

By JASON GONZALEZ & SÍLE MOLONEY
  For Pierina Sanchez, the Democratic nominee for the District 14 City Council seat in the upcoming general election, it’s all about the love. Sanchez is all in for the “Boogie Down,” saying passion for the community is a major driving force behind her campaign. With early voting already underway and only one day remaining before the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Sanchez is transparent and says a vote for her on Nov. 2 will benefit the borough.   “It’s about the love,” Sanchez said during a campaign rally held outside the Kingsbridge Armory in the Kingsbridge Heights section


Read More

UPDATE Attorney General Letitia James Secures $256M to Combat Opioid Crisis in NYC

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
  New York State Attorney General Letitia James is delivering more than $256 million to New York City to stem the tide of opioid addiction and overdose. The announcement was made as part of a statewide campaign called, “Heal NY: Turning the Tide on the Opioid Crises.”   James made the announcement inside the auditorium of Lincoln Hospital, located at 234 E 149th St, in Mott Haven, on Oct. 4. The funds are part of a $1.5 billion legal settlement reached with various manufacturers and distributors of opioids, according to the attorney general’s office, and are earmarked for addiction abatement,


Read More