UPDATE Fordham Heights: Boy, 13, Arrested for Loaded Gun Possession at M.S. 363, Two Teens Shot in Longwood

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE

Police said a 13-year-old boy who is a student at a middle school in Fordham Heights was arrested after he was allegedly found to be in possession of a loaded gun on Thursday. Meanwhile, on the same day, in the Longwood section of the borough, two teenagers were shot, one fatally. An NYPD spokesperson said that on Thursday, Jan. 19, at around 9.20 a.m., police were alerted that there was a gun found inside M.S. 363 (previously M.S. 399) Academy for Personal Leadership and Excellence, located at 120 East 184th Street in Fordham Heights. “Upon arrival, school safety agents stated that

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Former president of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), Ed Mullins, has pled guilty to misappropriating $600,000 from the SBA, it was announced on Thursday, Jan. 19. The news was confirmed in a brief press release by the SBA, whose current president is Vincent J. Vallelong. “During his plea allocution, Mullins admitted to defrauding the union by submitting inflated expense reimbursement reports as well as characterizing personal expenses as SBA expenses, which he knew to be false,” the SBA statement read. “As part of the plea, the court entered a preliminary forfeiture order in the amount of $600,000. As

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah joined advocates and government partners on Jan. 19 in announcing the launch of the Westchester Misdemeanor Wellness Court (WMWC), which will offer eligible individuals community-based, mental health treatment and services as an alternative to conventional prosecution. Rocah said she was grateful to the courts and partner advocates for heeding the call and helping bring to Westchester County a misdemeanor mental health court. She said the court would serve as a practical and humane alternative for individuals who commit low-level crimes, and are in need of treatment and services. “In addition to

By SÍLE MOLONEY

NYC Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H) announced on Tuesday, Jan. 17, the appointment of Omar Fattal, MD, MPH as the public hospital system’s chief for behavioral health and co-deputy chief medical officer. NYC H+H officials said Fattal will lead the system’s efforts to expand psychiatric and substance use services, run what were described as innovative training programs for behavioral health staff, and implement strategies to recruit and retain staff. Hospital officials said Fattal is also a psychiatrist at the Pride Clinic at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, located in Manhattan and a clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A 14-year-old boy reported missing from Bedford Park has been located, police said. Prior to being located, it had been reported to police that Cain Pemel, 14, of Grand Concourse had last been seen Friday, Jan. 13, at around 1.45 p.m., leaving his home. Cain was described as male, is around 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 145 pounds, has brown eyes and black hair, and was last seen wearing a red sweatshirt, black pants, and black sneakers. On Jan. 19, an NYPD spokesperson said, “The missing has been located and is safe.”

UPDATE Bronx CB7 Looks Forward to Subway Upgrades & More in 2023

By ARIEL PACHECO

Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) held their final board meeting of 2022 on Dec. 13, following a successful annual tree-lighting event in Bedford Park on Dec. 8. The meeting was attended by around two dozen people, updates were shared by the different CB7 committee chairs and concerns of some community members were also heard. The meeting was the first to be presided over by recently elected Bronx CB7 chair, Yajaira Arias, following her election to the position on Nov. 15. As reported, Arias, the incumbent CB7 secretary, succeeds Emmanuel Martinez, who stepped down as chair in the summer of 2022.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Housing, Preservation & Development (HPD) announced in August 2022 that construction for Just Home, a housing project for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers with life-threatening medical conditions, was going ahead, as reported by YIMBY. Located at 1900 Seminole Avenue in the Morris Park section of The Bronx, the initiative will create approximately 70 studio and two-bedroom apartments. The existing property at 1900 Seminole Avenue currently sits vacant on the NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi Medical Center campus. According to City officials, tenants will have access to intensive on-site social services provided by licensed

By DAVID GREENE

This week, we asked readers their thoughts on 2022 and their hopes for the New Year. “I did not feel safe in 2022 and I couldn’t enjoy my summer. A few people dear to me passed away. Despite the few accomplishments that we had, 2022 was filled with disappointments, empty promises, and uncertainty. I hope that in 2023 we can put an end to the reckless motorcycle and motorized bike riding on the sidewalk and the senseless loud noise coming from passenger cars and SUVs. My hopes are to raise awareness to the needs of our folks with disabilities,

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA

Construction of Bedford Green House II, located at 2880 Jerome Avenue in Bedford Park, the second of a two-phase, supportive housing development, began on Friday, Dec. 9. The first building, constructed under Phase I of the development and located on the adjacent lot at 2865 Creston Avenue, was completed last winter and residents started moving in in January 2022. A formal ribbon-cutting opening ceremony took place in July. As reported, Mayor Eric Adams, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, State. Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), Adolfo Carrión Jr., NYC Department of Housing, Preservation & Development (HPD) commissioner, Eric Rosenbaum,