Health

DC 37 Ratify New Contract with City with 1/4 of City’s Workforce Receiving a Raise & One-Time Bonus

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the commissioner of the New York City Office of Labor Relations (OLR), Renee Campion, hailed District Council (DC) 37 for voting to ratify its contract with the City on March 31 — passing with 97 percent of all members voting in favor.   The five-plus year contract is the first reached under the Adams administration, according to government officials and will cover roughly one-quarter of the city’s total unionized workforce, providing annual raises of 3 percent in the first four years, and 3.25 percent in the fifth year, as well as a one-time


Read More

Nine Charged in $2.5M Drug Operation in The Bronx, Manhattan, Rhode Island & Pennsylvania

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Nine people were charged following a long-term, wiretap investigation into the manufacturing and interstate trafficking of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, stemming from drug-related activity that allegedly took place in The Bronx, Manhattan, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) in Manhattan Supreme Court announced on March 29.   The investigation resulted in the seizure of over 26,000 pills containing fentanyl; 2 kilograms of powdered fentanyl; nearly 50,000 pills, weighing about 41 pounds, containing methamphetamine; and 3 kilograms of powdered cocaine. The estimated street value of the drugs seized is approximately $2.5 million.   Bridget


Read More

AG Announces Prison Sentences for Five Bronx Gun & Heroin Trafficking Ring Members

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the sentencings of five people on Wednesday, March 29, for their role in a gun trafficking operation which resulted in the illegal sale of 16 guns in The Bronx. She said the five defendants, who were charged with trafficking numerous assault weapons, high-capacity feeding devices, semiautomatic pistols, and more than 300 rounds of ammunition, all pled guilty and were sentenced for their respective crimes.   Additionally, two of the defendants, Luis Alsina and Michael Alsina, were also sentenced for their roles in the sale of heroin, officials said. Altogether, all five defendants


Read More

Bedford Park Resident Honored at Bridgefield Civic League Women’s History Month Celebration

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest edition.   Bedford Park resident and community volunteer, Miriam Quiñones, was one of five impressive women honored during a Women’s History Month celebration organized by Bridgefield Civic League in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx on Saturday, March 18. During the event, Quiñones, who is also a freelance photographer with Norwood News, along with each of the other four honorees, was presented with a plaque by president of Bridgefield Civic League, Debra Garland, as well as proclamations from both the City Council, presented by District


Read More

NCB Staff Get NYBG Parking Due to Safety Concerns  

By ARIEL PACHECO
  During the health and human services committee meeting for Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) in February, a representative from NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx (NCB) provided updates to over a dozen participants in attendance on several topics, including a citywide behavioral health project, new-look ambulances, and Botanical Garden parking for NCB staff.   According to Alfredo Jones, a representative from NCB, NYC Health+Hospitals, the City’s public hospital system, received a memo from Gov. Kathy Hochul requesting the provision of 253 additional behavioral health beds across City hospitals to address the behavioral and mental health needs of New Yorkers.


Read More

ACS Recommends Three Entities to Run “Alternative to Detention” Programs for Court-Involved Youth

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) announced on Monday, March 13, the three organizations it has recommended for funding with the aim of operating the NYC Family Court Alternative to Detention (ATD) programs. These are the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), which will serve youth in The Bronx and Manhattan; the Justice Innovation Center (JIC), which will serve youth in Queens and Staten Island; and Good Shepherd Services, which will serve youth in Brooklyn.   As reported, the Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence program operates within the framework of Good Shepherd Services in The


Read More

Gibson Hails Bronx “Borough of Opportunities” in First State of the Borough Address

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The following is an extended version of the story which appears in our latest print edition.   Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, the borough’s 14th president, delivered her first State of the Borough address in sparkling attire at Manhattan College on Wednesday, March 1, outlining the accomplishments of her administration during 2022 and unveiling her strategic agenda for 2023.   With the college celebrating its 100th year this year, its president, Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, said college officials were honored to host the event. “We recognize that The Bronx is a special place and look forward to partnering


Read More

Health Check: Eat Better during National Nutrition Month & Beyond

By MARY LOU POMPEII
National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign designed to help people make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits. It was created 50 years ago by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), a trusted source of food and nutrition information.   This year’s theme is “Fuel for the Future,” which aims to highlight how we can eat with sustainability in mind. The topic of food waste is not commonly discussed, yet it needs our attention to help protect our oceans and landfills from unnecessary debris. According to AND, Americans throw away billions of pounds of


Read More

Applications Now Open for Summer Camp Named in Memory of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Calling all Bronx Parents! Now is the time for New York City families throughout the five boroughs to register their children for an unforgettable summer of free Fresh Air Fund experiences at sleepaway camps in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, or for them to visit volunteer host families along the East Coast.   The Fresh Air Fund’s Camp Junior in Harriman State Park, New York is named in memory of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, a 15-year-old victim of gang violence who was murdered on East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue in the Belmont section of The Bronx in June 2018. “Camp Junior,”


Read More