UPDATE Bronx Elected Officials Hold Various Halloween Celebrations Across the Borough

By DAVID GREENE

Bronx elected officials teamed up in various groups to co-host a number of Halloween celebrations for youngsters across the borough last weekend, ahead of Election Day. In Pelham Bay Park in the Northeast Bronx, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez (NY-14) and State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D 34) co-hosted a Halloween celebration for families in the area, which included face painting, mask decorating, candy, and socially distanced, family-friendly games. Others contributing to the festivities included City Councilman Kevin Riley (C.D. 12) and, as reported, projected winner of the District 13 City Council race, Democratic candidate, Marjorie Velázquez, as well as community

By DAVID GREENE

Children of all ages, dressed in various costumes, turned out for the annual Pumpkin Party at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, located at 3225 Reservoir Oval East, in Norwood on Saturday, Oct. 30. Carnival games, a smaller and less scary “haunted house,” a photo booth for taking festive photos, and arts and crafts were all on offer this year at the event which was organized by Parks’ department officials. Castle Hill mom, Joanna Boala, brought along her two daughters Jasleen, 6, and Abbie, 2, to the spooky event, having learned of it from the Parks’ department website. Boala

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

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Jessica Woolford, founder of community mutual aid group, Kingsbridge Unidos, Latanya DeVaughn, founder of Bronx Bound Books and representatives from State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D. 34) held a food and book giveaway in Kingsbridge on Friday, Oct. 29. The event took place at 4 p.m. at 824 Broadway between 238th and 239th Streets.

Out & About: Ballet Hispánico, Illuminated Mausoleums Tour, Pumpkin Carving Demonstrations & More!

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Editor’s Pick Plentiful pumpkins and hordes of gourds will be on display at New York Botanical Garden’s ongoing Scarecrows & Pumpkins event, through Sunday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building, and on the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory Plaza, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458. To add to the seasonal fun, more than 100 whimsical scarecrows will line the twisting trails of the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. For more information, go to: https://www.nybg.org/event/scarecrows-pumpkins/. Events NYC Parks is hosting a True Crime Group hosted by Allerton & Eastchester libraries at Allerton Library,

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Fans of the “Rebel Girls” book series celebrated the publication of the newest addition to the series during an outdoor book launch, held on Saturday, Oct. 2, at The Lit. Bar bookstore in Mott Haven. Rebel Girls is a series of books that tells the stories of powerful Black women of different racial and cultural backgrounds, who live or lived in different time periods, going back to the 17th century, in different parts of the world. Examples include activist and poet, Amanda Gorman, Shirley Chisholm who was the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress, and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Bedford Park residents have been getting more and more vocal about the unsightly, overflowing trash situation on Mosholu Parkway during their regular Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) meetings, as reported, but another issue which has also raised concern is the growing number of make-shift tents erected by homeless people along the parkway in recent weeks. As one resident, who went by the Twitter username, @maminature30, tweeted on Monday, Oct. 18, “@EricDinowitzNYC, @norwoodnews, @NYCDHS, @NYPD52Pct How long before the encampment at Moshulu Parkway becomes a tent city? It already doubled in size since last week. Somebody needs to intervene.”

By DAVID GREENE

This week, we asked readers their thoughts on what the Democrats should cut from the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill to get it over the line to satisfy Republicans. “Oh! Is that what they’re doing? No, I don’t think they should try and appease the Republicans. Well, they shouldn’t cut healthcare and they shouldn’t cut education. That’s a very hard decision. I know they have to vote on something. Kids need education because it’s bad out here. They need all the education they can get. Oh gosh, maybe the added healthcare for seniors is, maybe, the least important now.” Pamela

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A 1970s vibe was in order on the tennis courts of the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood on Friday evening, Sept. 24. District 11 City Councilman Eric Dinowitz, District 16 City Councilmember Vanessa Gibson, and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation partnered to host a highly successful “Skate Night,” which drew a crowd of about 120 excited skaters, young and old, beginners and seasoned, some staying on until after the sun went down. Sponsored by NYC Health+Hospitals, BronxNet, Fidelis Care, Emblem Health and Essen Healthcare, the event was marked by an upbeat, backdrop of funk music, courtesy of an on-site