Sanchez Chairs Council Committee on Housing & Buildings, as Women Comprise Council Majority

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On Thursday, Jan. 20, the New York City Council appointed recently elected, Bronx, District 14 City Council Member, Pierina Sanchez, as chair of the council’s powerful housing & buildings committee, which has jurisdiction over New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Department of Buildings (DOB), as well as rent regulation policies and practices. HPD is responsible for promoting the quality and affordability of the city’s housing by developing new, affordable housing, enforcing the housing maintenance code, and engaging neighborhoods in planning. DOB is the primary regulator of the construction and real estate industries in

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem and Queens Defenders released the a statement on Monday, Jan. 24, in response to Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement earlier on Monday of his “Blueprint to End Gun Violence” in New York City. The mayor’s announcement follows a roundtable discussion held at a public school in Bedford Park on Saturday, Jan. 22, with crisis management teams and violence interrupters, amid a spate of high-profile police and civilian shootings which have taken place since he took office, including, as reported, the shooting of a now 1-year-old

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Lionsgate Studios has officially opened a 500,000 sq ft film and television, production studio in downtown Yonkers, located just 5.8 miles from Norwood, The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. The property is located on the shores of the Hudson River and is the latest component of an expanding production campus that will soon be the largest of its kind in the Northeast region, according to YIMBY. The builder and manager of the $500 million campus is Great Point Studios, an investment and development group led by Hallmark Channel founder, Robert Halmi, and media investment banker, Fehmi Zeko. Today,

EDITOR’S PICK Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernandez, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, will perform at The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m. The company’s US tour in Fall 2018 was a coast-to-coast success, packing out houses across the country and receiving an enthusiastic response from audience members new and old. Founded in 1952 by dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklórico brings together the music, dance and costume of Mexican folklore from pre-Colombian civilizations through the modern era. For tickets, go to: https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=LEHV_PL_MPV&orgid=54429&pid=8975819#/event/8975819. EVENTS Discover NYBG GLOW

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy is calling all young people aged 18 to 24 who are looking for a meaningful career in construction, historical preservation, and skilled trades and who would love to work with their hands to apply by Jan. 28, to be paid interns and receive specialized hands-on training in masonry and restoration. Each spring, the Woodlawn Bridges to Crafts Careers Preservation Training Program selects 20 interns to receive specialized hands-on training in masonry and restoration under the guidance of a resident craftsman. The program includes a 10-week, paid, career training and job placement workforce development program which

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a “Small Business Forward” executive order on Tuesday, Jan. 4, to reform existing business regulations, with the aim of helping local businesses face fewer and what was described as “needless” fines and penalties. The executive order builds upon Local Law 80, and calls on the City’s Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Fire Department (FDNY), Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (CWP), and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to review business regulations with the goal of reducing fine schedules, and allowing

By SÍLE MOLONEY

There are those who say the response by outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio to the Black Lives Matter protests of June 2020 defined his time in office. In attempting to meet the moment, while he refused then President Donald Trump’s proposal to send in the National Guard to quash the protests, he was criticized by some for not reigning in the NYPD when, in some instances, officers responded to the protests with violence. On the other hand, he was also criticized by others within the agency who believed he did not always have their backs. On Thursday, Dec. 30,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) announced bidding on Dec. 24 for four construction contracts listed below by county. Firms interested in receiving additional information or in acquiring bid documents should visit the OGS website at www.ogs.ny.gov and click on the Design & Construction link or call 518-474-0203. ALBANY COUNTY CONSTRUCTION WORK: Contract No. 46057-C Description Remove & Replace Roof, Building 21 Location State OB Campus – Albany, NY Bid Date 1/26/2022 2:00:00 PM Estimate $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 ALBANY COUNTY HVAC WORK: Contract No. 46057-H Description Remove & Replace Roof, Building 21 Location State

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Editor’s Note: The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. Elected officials from across New York State gathered inside the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College for the formal inauguration of Democrat, Eric Dinowitz, as the city councilman of District 11 on Sunday, Dec. 5. The Bedford Park ceremony was attended by a crowd of over 300 and was streamed live on BronxNet TV. The councilman has been serving in the role since April 2021, having won the District 11 seat in a special election in March. As reported, he went on

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Sanchez Chairs Council Committee on Housing & Buildings, as Women Comprise Council Majority

UPDATE Bronx Defenders Issue Cool Response to Mayor’s Blue Print to Curb Gun Violence

Lionsgate Studios Debuts 500,000 Sq Ft Production Facility in Downtown Yonkers

Out & About: MLK Days of Action, Ballet Folklórico de México, Ballet for Kids & More!

Applications Open for Woodlawn Cemetery Bridge to Craft Careers Preservation Training Program

Adams Reforms Process for Small Business Violations & DSNY Pilots New “Smart Bins”

De Blasio, Detective’s Endowment Association Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

NYS Office of General Services Announces Upcoming Construction Opportunities

UPDATE Eric Dinowitz Joined by Wide-Ranging Elected Officials for Inauguration at Lehman College