Elections

Elections 2023: CFB Approves Final “Matching Funds” Payments to City Council Candidates

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The NYC Campaign Finance Board (CFB) approved, on June 23, public matching funds payments totaling $1,316,540 in the final round of payment opportunities for 2023 City Council primaries. Board Chair Frederick Schaffer approved the payments pursuant to a delegation of authority from the Board.   As reported, to qualify for public funds, candidates must demonstrate support by raising small contributions in their communities. This encourages the candidates to spend more time speaking to voters and less time fundraising. Click here to see the exact thresholds that candidates must meet to qualify for public funds.   The table below lists


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FDNY: Stove Fire at Tracey Towers Results in No Injuries

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  A fire at Tracey Towers housing complex, located on the Norwood-Bedford Park border, on Saturday resulted in no injuries the FDNY said. An FDNY spokesperson said the department was alerted to reports of a fire at the 871-unit complex, located at 40 West Mosholu Parkway South, at around 5.10 p.m. on Saturday, June 24. A security guard later told Norwood News the fire broke out on the 27th floor.   Meanwhile, the FDNY spokesperson said the incident was caused by an “oven fire” and was contained to the stove. The spokesperson said the gas was shut down on the


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UPDATE Elections 2023: Council Member Marjorie Velázquez Endorsed by NYC PBA in Re-Election BID in District 13

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  District 13 City Council Member Marjorie Velázquez announced on Wednesday, June 21, that she received the endorsement of the New York City Police Benevolent Association (NYC PBA) in her bid for re-election in the upcoming Democratic primary on June 27. The councilwoman won her seat in 2021. Her team said the endorsement highlights what they described as “Velázquez’s unwavering commitment to public safety and her dedication to supporting law enforcement officers who serve and protect the residents of New York City.”   Representatives for the union, which represents over 24,000 active and retired police officers, said they recognize Velázquez as


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Elections 2023: Voters in City Council Districts Where There is No Primary Should Still Vote in the Bronx DA’s Race

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Resident, Helen Krim, has contacted Norwood News to raise an urgent voting issue which she believes may mislead voters of City Council District 11.   Krim wrote, “I received a publication from NYCVotes.org. The about page states, ‘NYC Votes is an initiative of the New York City Campaign Finance Board, the independent city agency that ensures local elections are fair, inclusive, and open’.” Krim continued, “Page 14 of that publication announces, ‘There is no Primary Election in City Council District 11’.” She added, “This is not true. There is a very important primary election for the Bronx District Attorney


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UPDATE Elections 2023: Bradshaw Takes Challenge of District 14 Seat to the Streets

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
State committeewoman for Assembly District 78, Rachel Bradshaw, Fordham Hill Co-op board secretary, and candidate in the upcoming Democratic City Council primary election for District 14, joined a group of supporters on Saturday, May 27, as she took her campaign to unseat the incumbent, Council Member Pierina Sanchez who has held the seat since 2022, to the streets of Fordham Manor.   District 14 broadly encompasses some or all of the neighborhoods of Kingsbridge Heights, Fordham Manor, Fordham Heights, Bedford Park, University Heights, Mt. Hope and Morris Heights. It is bordered to the south by the Cross Bronx Expressway.  


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Former President Donald Trump’s Indictment on Federal Charges

By DAVID GREENE
This week, we asked readers for their thoughts on former U.S. President Donald Trump becoming the first former president of the United States to be indicted on federal charges.   “Well, if he did something wrong, he should be indicted. He seems like he’s scattered by one thing after another. I think he should be held responsible for it all. Will he be convicted? It’s hard to say because he has good lawyers and sometimes, he gets out of some things; it’s possible.” Mazie Robinson, Fordham Manor “Donald Trump is a person with every right accorded [to] someone accused of a


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UPDATE Elections 2023: Candidate for Bronx District Attorney Tess Cohen Profiled

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition.   A criminal defense and civil rights attorney who has represented victims of sexual assault, among others, both in civil and criminal court, Tess Cohen is challenging incumbent Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark for the role she has held since 2016 in the upcoming Democratic Primary on June 27. Cohen is broadly running on a platform of reforming criminal justice policy and prioritizing prevention over punishment.   Before working as a defense attorney, Cohen worked for 8 years at the NYC Office of the


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UPDATE “Early Vote by Mail Act” to Enable New Yorkers to Use Mail-In Ballots for Early Voting

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Assembly Member Karines Reyes, R.N. (A.D. 87) and Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris (S.D. 12) announced on Friday, June 9, that the State Assembly passed their new legislation (S.7394/A.7632) to expand early voting options to include an early vote by mail choice for all New Yorkers. The legislation passed the State Senate earlier this week and now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk for approval.   “We have seen how important it is to have access to mail-in voting,” said Reyes, who broadly represents the Bronx neighborhoods of Castle Hill, Unionport, Parkchester, West Farms and Little Yemen. “This critical


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UPDATE Elections 2023: CFB Approves Latest “Matching Funds” June Payments to City Council Candidates

By SÍLE MOLONEY
NYC Campaign Finance Board (CFB) approved on June 2 the latest public matching funds payments totaling $1,759,172 to 34 candidates running in the 2023 New York City Council elections. This total amount marks the fourth opportunity for 2023 candidates to qualify for public funding by raising small contributions from NYC residents.   To qualify for public funds, candidates must demonstrate support by raising small contributions in their communities. This encourages the candidates to spend more time speaking to voters and less time fundraising. Click here to see the exact thresholds that candidates must meet to qualify for public funds. The


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