Health

Health Check: Celebrating National Breastfeeding Month

By CLAIRE GARON
Imagine that you’re about to start training for a challenging sport. Perhaps you’re learning how to lift weights or training for your first race. Now, imagine doing this with a crying newborn and four hours of sleep. This is a lot like learning to breastfeed. August is World Breastfeeding Month and a perfect time to talk about the joys and (totally normal) challenges of breastfeeding.   There are many similarities between breastfeeding and starting a new fitness routine; both are physical activities with great health benefits. You will need knowledge and determination to reach either goal. At the start of


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Heat Advisory in Effect from Aug. 8 at 3.23 a.m. to Aug. 9 at 8 p.m., Temperatures in Lower 100s Possible

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a heat advisory which will be in effect from 3:23 a.m. until Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. NWS officials said heat index values indicate that temperatures  in the lower 100s are possible in The Bronx and in all of New York City, with high humidity forecast which may cause heat related illnesses to occur.   New York City residents are advised to call 311 to identify cooling center locations and obtain “Beat the Heat” safety tips. NWS officials said a heat advisory is issued when the combination of heat and humidity is expected


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UPDATE Neighborhood Notes: Polio Vaccine Updates, Free Legal Advice on DV, Overdose Prevention & More!

By SÍLE MOLONEY
August 23 Primary Election As reported, the NY Supreme Court postponed the congressional and State senate primary elections to Aug. 23, amid the latest court decisions around congressional and State redistricting which followed the 2020 census. A court-appointed special master approved new congressional and State senate districts in New York State on May 20. These replaced the maps previously approved by the State legislature in February 2022.   The CUNY Graduate Center has made available online comparative maps at the following link https://newyork.redistrictingandyou.org/ to enable voters to determine their current congressional and State legislative districts and to see how the latest redistricting


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City Announces New Measures to Reduce Overdoses, including Rates of 75.3 percent in Hunts Point-Mott Haven

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Mayor Eric Adams and the City’s health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, announced new measures to reduce the number of overdoses in New York City on Friday, Aug. 5. They intend to reverse what they said was the staggering increase in overdose deaths since 2020 by expanding access to technology that tests pre-obtained drugs for fentanyl and other possibly lethal substances. The City plans to do this at sites running syringe service programs (SSP) co-located at overdose prevention centers (OPC).   During a recent visit to an SSP and OPC, Adams and Vasan highlighted the use of drug-checking machines, operated by


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Missing Girl, 17, Likely Victim of Sex Trafficking, Located in Wakefield Motel

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition.   A 17-year-old girl, who police say had been reported missing from Brooklyn was located by a nonprofit representative at the Metro Motel in the Wakefield section of The Bronx on Saturday, July 23. The nonprofit representative, whose name we are not disclosing for security reasons, but who spoke with Norwood News directly about the incident, said the teen is a likely sex trafficking victim, one of millions caught up in an estimated, billion-dollar, global industry.   The nonprofit works with victims and survivors


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Heat Advisory in Effect from Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. to Aug. 5 at 8 p.m., Highs of 100 Degrees Possible

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory which will be in effect from 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4 to Friday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m.   NWS officials said heat index values indicate that temperatures of around 100 are expected in The Bronx and in all of New York City, with high humidity forecast which may cause heat related illnesses to occur.   Officials said New York City residents should call 311 to identify cooling center locations, and obtain “Beat the Heat” safety tips. They said a heat advisory is issued when the combination of heat and


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Disability Rights NY Highlights Healthcare Inequity among People with Disabilities

By EMILY SAWAKED & SÍLE MOLONEY
  From maltreatment by medical professionals to overpriced medication, disability rights activists say people with disabilities have been fighting for equity in healthcare for years. July marks Disability Pride Month and on Thursday, July 14, Disability Rights NY held a virtual discussion entitled, “Willowbrook & The Road to Inclusion: Ableism & Access to Health Care Systems,” to discuss the topic of healthcare equity.   Spearheaded by disability rights activists in the medical field, the forum explored historical beliefs about people with disabilities, systemic ableism, and how these views impact people with disabilities’ access to health care systems. It highlighted the struggles


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UPDATE Project Renewal’s Longtime Venture, Bedford Green House, Officially Opens

By EMILY SAWAKED & SÍLE MOLONEY
The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition.   Nearly 1,500 people are recorded as being homeless every month in The Bronx, according to City data, with many living in shelters located around the borough. According to State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) and one city agency representative we spoke to, various non-profits, government representatives, elected officials and some candidates running for office have been pushing over many years to reduce these numbers and raise awareness of the homelessness crisis in the city.   One positive result of these sustained local efforts


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Bronx Defenders, Advocates & Elected Officials Launch The Bronx Cannabis Hub

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The Bronx Defenders and The Bronx Community Foundation, along with U.S. senate majority leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer, State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, joined Bronx community leaders on Sunday, July 24, to announce the launch of The Bronx Cannabis Hub. Advocates included the Drug Policy Alliance, Mothers on the Move, 1 Freedom For All, TakeRoot Justice, and All That Jive NYC.   The launch follows a Bronx Cannabis Forum held last month, as reported, which aimed to tackle various open questions surrounding the emerging cannabis market in New York State, further to the passage


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