Statewide Demonstrations Demanding End to Solitary Confinement on July 25th

By Síle Moloney

On Jul. 25, three survivors of solitary confinement, along with members of the Coalition for Women Prisoners, other survivors, family members and allies will hold demonstrations across New York State to demand an end to what survivors call the racist and deadly torture of solitary confinement. Kevin Mays, campaigner for #HALTsolitary, Leonard Thomas of VOCAL-NY and Lady Kathryn Williams-Julien, along with their supporters and activists will be calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl E. Heastie to enact the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, with immediate effect. Activists say that solitary confinement has killed

By Síle Moloney

On Wednesday, Jun. 24, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced a series of personnel changes at the New York City Police Department. In the statement, the announcements were described as key to positioning the agency for 21st century policing, by strengthening the bonds between officers and residents. Chief Jeffrey B. Maddrey, the longtime chief of the NYPD’s Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, is being promoted to the position of chief of community affairs at a moment of historic importance in police-community relations. At the same time, Shea announced that Chief Nilda Irizarry Hofmann would be designated chief of transportation, to

By David Greene

Eighteen days after rioters burned and looted dozens of stores in the Fordham Heights and Kingsbridge sections of the Bronx, police say three men have been charged with the daylight burglary of Modell’s Sporting Goods on East Fordham Road, a store that had closed due to bankruptcy on Apr. 15 following a period of poor sales, and the statewide PAUSE order which went into effect in March. According to NYPD spokeswoman, Detective Sophia Mason, the burglary was reported at 9:22 a.m. on Friday, Jun. 19. “Officers responded to a burglary at 270 East Fordham Road in the confines of

By Síle Moloney

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and RecruitMilitary will host the Washington, D.C./New York Areas Virtual Career Fair for Veterans on Thursday, June 25th from 11am to 3pm EST to facilitate employment efforts for both job seekers and employers. The free, online event is open to all members of the military community, past and present, as well as military spouses and dependents. RecruitMilitary’s virtual events are technologically enhanced to provide personal interaction among job candidates and employers in large groups, small groups and one-to-one formats. According to DAV and RecruitMilitary, national unemployment claims have surpassed historic measures and veteran unemployment

By Síle Moloney

Silver Fern Farms, New Zealand’s largest red meat producer and exporter for 30 years to the Bronx, announced on Jun. 23 that it has donated 1,500 pounds of premium pasture-raised beef to ReThink Food NYC for their Restaurant Response Program, benefiting a number of Bronx-based entities. The Restaurant Response Program provides healthy meals for various communities in the Bronx, including Jacobi hospital, Cedar Tremont House, Macombs public housing, and Bronx Connect, a community and faith-based program that offers alternative-justice, cure violence, and re-entry programs to help communities build from within. The donation will be used to facilitate the

By Síle Moloney

The Office of the New York Attorney General has received a number of calls from New Yorkers reporting unemployment insurance benefits fraud. On Jun. 24, 2020, Attorney General Letitia James issued a press release warning people about new, recently reported scams using New Yorkers’ personal information to file fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits. “We must remain vigilant about potential scams and ensure residents remain alert,” James said. “During these uncertain times, unemployment benefits are a safety net for many individuals and families who have lost their jobs. To exploit the use of these funds and overload a system

By David Greene

As the Black Lives Matter movement continues with protests entering a fourth week in cities across America in response to the May 25th death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, individual cities are looking into their own practices and policies regarding the use of force, and are coming to grips with racial disparities within their own units. On Friday, Jun. 5, 2020, nearly 300 demonstrators gathered at Poe Park in Kingsbridge and marched to the Bronx County Courthouse where several speakers described what they said was a peaceful protest the previous night along Third Avenue in the South Bronx.

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

On Sunday June 7, 2020, police reported that a Mount Vernon man had been arrested for criminal possession of an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and criminal possession of a loaded firearm on Tuesday, June 2, at 11 p.m. in front of Behan’s Public House at 4299 Katonah Avenue in the Woodlawn Heights section of The Bronx. The location, in the 47th precinct, is a few blocks away from Van Cortlandt Park. The NYPD named the man as Nicholas Marc Bingman, 31, of 218 North High Street, Mount Vernon, NY, and in their statement, they said that Bingman’s motive for possession

By Síle Moloney

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi announced that a candlelit vigil to commemorate all lives lost to COVID-19 will be held on Wednesday, June 17 at 7 pm at Jacobi Pedestrian Mall (adjacent to Pelham Parkway). As of Jun. 16, 2020, according to the City’s department of health, total confirmed deaths (deaths following a positive COVID-19 laboratory test) in New York City amounted to 17,455, while probable deaths (cause of death reported as COVID-19 or equivalent, but no positive laboratory test) totaled 4,690. The number of deaths in the City and State peaked in early May. While New York State,