What the NYC Care Card Can Do For You

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

The goal of guaranteeing healthcare for all New Yorkers advanced on May 7. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at Lincoln Hospital the initial offering of the NYC Care card, guaranteeing all New Yorkers access to healthcare. “Healthcare is a human right. It’s as simple as that. . . . It’s a universal right. And we need, in this city, to prove that things can be done differently,” de Blasio said, at a news conference on May 8. The city estimates that 600,000 New Yorkers do not have insurance to receive healthcare, half of those are thought to be undocumented. As

The 46th annual Bronx Week celebration featured numerous activities and ended in Norwood with a parade that capped an 11-day extravaganza which answered why the Bronx is a special place to many. Before the parade, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. honored an accomplished boxer, musician, and planetary scientist for their contributions to their field and link to the borough.

Bx10 Could See Massive Changes Under Bus Route Revamp Plan

By DAVID CRUZ

Of all the bus complaints Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz’s office receives, the ire is usually directed at the oft unreliable Bx10, which snakes virtually around Dinowitz’s 80th Assembly District, ending and beginning in Norwood. The Norwood Assemblyman hears the usual about the beleaguered bus route: there are long waits, it’s overcrowded, and the idea of “bus bunching,” where two Bx10 buses arrive simultaneously, is the norm. “It’s such a long, convoluted route that has to be looked at,” said Dinowitz, joining advocates from the Riders Alliance, a transit advocacy group, in calling for greater resources to the bus route. Their calls

At Rally for Blake, Supporters Outline 15th Congressional District's Issues

By DAVID CRUZ

At the epicenter of a district partially on the mend, Assemblyman Michael Blake, who officially declared a run for Congress for the 15th Congressional District, told supporters he sought to remove the label that the district is the country’s poorest. “I’m not proud of that,” said Blake, standing before supporters on a stage erected on East 134th Street between Alexander Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard. Serving as the nation’s most impoverished district has prevailed since the current seat-holder, Congressman Jose Serrano–who announced he’ll retire after his current 15th term is up–took office in 1990. While the quality of life within the

By SHA-NIA ALSTON

As part of Bronx Week, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined business owners and students in announcing a new organization that aims to reduce the Bronx’s stubbornly high unemployment rate, which stands at six percent for the Bronx. The Bronx Private Industry Council (PIC) is leading the fight. Founded by HERE TO HERE, a Bronx non-profit that helps with economic development issues, PIC looks to create a pipeline between high school students and potential employers. It differs from the ordinary summer-youth employment program, according to PIC executive director Eddie Summers. “They get special development opportunities throughout their experience, whether its

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

Before the start of the third season of Papi Tennis at Williamsbridge Oval Park, its founder Daniel Arzuaga, is busy clearing the puddles left from an overnight rain. “There’s a real community aspect to tennis because it’s played all over the world,” says Arzuaga. As members of the group begin to appear on the nearly dried courts, the special bonds of the participants are clear as they hug, say hello, and laugh before the more advanced players start their serves accompanied by grunts and yelps. “I like to think of this group as a tennis family,” Arzuaga says. Founded in

New Anti-Gang Initiatives Added to Five-Two’s Arsenal

By DAVID CRUZ

The presence of gangs across the 52nd Precinct’s jurisdiction has become something of a staple. While the weight of the police force can put a stopgap to gang culture that leads to arrest, the agency has expanded its use of anti-gang groups that, while not necessarily falling under the NYPD, have been given carte blanche to stymie gang violence. And they’ve begun to make their way to the 52nd Precinct. David Caba, program director for Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (BRAG), falling under the umbrella of Good Shepherd Services, leads the newest anti-gang initiative within the precinct’s borders. Introducing the

Editor’s Pick Bronx Week Parade The public is invited to join the free Bronx Week Parade on Sunday, May 19 which closes out a week of borough activities and events. Marchers stroll along Mosholu Parkway from Hull Avenue starting at 11:30 a.m. to Van Cortlandt Avenue. Invited are celebrities, marching bands, community organizations, schools, sports teams and civic groups. The parade is followed by a Food & Arts Festival offering food for purchase, hand-crafted and specialty items, free health screenings and health insurance information. For more information on the week’s events, visit www.ilovethebronx.com. Onstage Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge

In Front of Bronx Housing Court, Advocates Bolster Benefits of Right to Counsel (Picture)

By DAVID CRUZ

As rent reform continues to be debated in the Albany Legislature, housing groups across the Bronx are spreading word on the city’s already established Right to Counsel law, which advocates say tenants may still be unaware of even as it’s helped many stay inside their home. The law, passed by the New York City Council in 2017 and fully implemented by 2022, offers tenants facing eviction with a free attorney to represent them in Bronx Housing Court. Still, families living within the Bronx zip codes of 10457, 10467, 10468, and 10462—where Right to Counsel has been activated—have still been evicted.