Victoria Sanabria, Plena Libre, Prodigio Claudio Perform at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The folkloric sounds of Puerto Rican music will be flowing through the halls of Lehman Center for the Performing Arts as it presents Victoria Sanabria, with Puerto Rico’s number one plena group, Plena Libre, on Saturday, Dec 4, at 8 p.m., with special guest, Prodigio Claudio. Captivating and moving audiences over the course of a 26-year, 15-album career, Lehman Center officials say this fine-tuned ensemble of virtuoso musicians has only gotten better with age, as evidenced by their four recent GRAMMY® nominations and world-wide touring schedule. Lehman Center officials said Victoria Sanabria was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico into a

By ADAM MCPARTLAN

Editor’s Note: The movie, The Last Duel, and the following review, contains content which some viewers and readers may find triggering and/or distressing. Ridley Scott is not known for making movies that shy away from their subject matter. More than that, he has become known for making movies that are societally appropriate. In 2005, just a few years into what then-President George W. Bush called “The War on Terror,” and at the height of Islamophobia, Scott made Kingdom of Heaven, a film about the Crusades, depicting the fight for Jerusalem. More than that, the film featured the Muslim

By SÍLE MOLONEY

With the deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance only seven days away, FEMA is reminding Bronxites who incurred losses or damage from Hurricane Ida that the agency provides financial assistance to eligible individuals and households who have incurred uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses as a result of the storm. FEMA officials added that such assistance is not a substitute for insurance, and cannot compensate for all losses caused by the disaster. Homeowners and renters may apply for assistance if they live in the Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties and had damage from the

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The following article is an updated version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. Since we went to press, we had the opportunity to speak further with Brad Zackson, director of development at Dynamic Star LLC, the developer behind the Fordham Landing project. Steps for the planned, billion-dollar “Fordham Landing” mixed use, real estate development in the University Heights neighborhood advanced further last week amid news that developer, Dynamic Star LLC, had filed construction applications with New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) for a 17-story, mixed-use building at 320 West Fordham Road, a site

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD announced that the annual balloon inflation ahead of the Thanksgiving Day parade celebrations in Manhattan will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 24, from noon to 6 p.m. Spectators may enter the queue at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. Large backpacks, coolers, alcoholic beverages, chairs and umbrellas are expressly prohibited and participants will be screened prior to entering the viewing route. At the organizer’s request, all attendees over aged 12 must be vaccinated and provide proof to the screeners in order to attend the balloon inflation. Children under 12 years may attend with a fully vaccinated adult.

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) held its annual Harvest Fest at the center, located in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood, on Oct. 28. The event featured raffles, vaccine and voting information, and various activities and stands. Margaret Della, chief executive director of KHCC, said the Harvest Fest used to be held indoors, but last year they moved it outside as a COVID-19 safety precaution. “This was, like, the first event that we had where we were bringing people back together again, and it was so fun,” she said. Activities on the day included temporary tattoos, a Wii station, a photo

By SARAH HUFFMAN

The inaugural Norwood Community Appreciation Block Party was held on Oct. 17 on Tryon Avenue in the Norwood section of the Bronx. Alina K. Dowe and Sedella M. Harvin, two Norwood residents, joined forces with the nonprofit, Using Positive Initiatives Effectively (UPIE), and The Dowe Twins, a brand created to bring awareness to, and empower kids who learn differently from others, to host the event. UPIE is Dowe’s nonprofit which she started in October 2020 with the mission of identifying and developing initiatives to make positive change in the community. Meanwhile, as previously reported, Princeton and Brazil

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Nearly two years after COVID-19 shut down New York City and changed life as we know it, a new series of public service announcements created by Lehman College students for the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) is exploring how New Yorkers adapted, endured, and came together during the pandemic’s early days. The series, “Shift NYC,” was shot and recorded by 10 Lehman students, working with a team of 11 faculty and staff from Lehman’s Multimedia Center and School of Arts and Humanities, over the summer. It debuted this month, with five episodes set to air in weekly installments on Lehman’s Instagram account through early

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

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Entertainment

Victoria Sanabria, Plena Libre, Prodigio Claudio Perform at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

Movie Review: Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel” Doesn’t Shy Away from History

Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance Before Dec. 6

Fordham Landing Developer Discusses $2 Billion Mega-Development in University Heights

Balloon Inflation Day & Thanksgiving Day Parade Traffic Advisories

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center Hosts Annual Harvest Fest

Norwood Community Shows Appreciation at Block Party

Lehman College Students Showcase on Film Resiliency of New Yorkers amid COVID-19 Pandemic

UPDATE Bronx Elected Officials Hold Various Halloween Celebrations Across the Borough