Diaz Jr. Hosts Virtual Discussion on Health Disparities, Highlights “Not 62: The Campaign for a Healthy Bronx”

Bronx Projects Take Center Stage in State of the City

By AURÉOLE RIBES & SÍLE MOLONEY

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the “#Not62 Campaign for a Healthy Bronx” steering committee held a virtual discussion on Wednesday, July 29 entitled, “A Discussion of Health Disparities and COVID-19.” The dialogue focused on why and how the Bronx ended up with the highest rates of COVID-19 cases in the State, from both a historical and an analytical perspective, as well as what could and should be done to shift that disparity. Since 2009, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s county health ranking report has ranked the Bronx in 62nd place out of New York State’s 62 counties

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York Public Library is hosting outdoor tabling events at several branches throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, staffed with Census representatives to help New Yorkers complete the 2020 Census before the extended census deadline of Sept. 30. The events are designed to encourage and support response rates in New York City, which currently stands at 56.5 percent. Federal funding is determined by Census response rates and Census information is used to determine New York City’s fair share of $675 billion in federal funds for public education, public housing, infrastructure, and more each year—as well as the

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Public Prep, the nation’s first non-profit network that exclusively develops exceptional, tuition-free PreK and single-sex elementary and middle public schools, is launching the new school year and welcoming students back to virtual classrooms with an annual tradition – a Male Heroes Walk on their first day at Boys Prep Bronx located in the Concourse Village section of the Bronx. This event began seven years ago as a way for scholars to interact with their heroes whether they are family members, professionals, or school staff. They give out high-fives on their way to class as they kick off the school

By DAVID GREENE

With the current pandemic, economic halt, and growing food shortage foremost in everyone’s mind, members of The Love Legacy Chapel, based at Westchester Square in the Bronx, recently embarked on an ambitious, “Feed a Thousand” campaign, whereby they hope to eventually feed 1,000 hungry Bronxites each week. According to Pastor Christopher Garcia, the church, located at 2500 St. Raymond’s Avenue, began the program in early July with a half dozen volunteers who handed out some 200 meals consisting of chicken and rice, potato salad, as well as fruits and vegetables. The church purchases food through donations, and food

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Raymond Morris, 75, of 6355 Broadway, Riverdale who was reported missing on Friday, Aug. 21 in the 50th precinct. He was last seen on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, leaving his residence at approximately 10:30 a.m. He is described as a Black man, is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds, is bald and has brown eyes. His clothing description at the time of his disappearance is unknown. Anyone with information in regards to this missing person is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Check out the latest SummerStage Anywhere hip-hop programming for the weekend. This week there is more programming with DJ Kool Herc & Cindy Campbell, DJ Rich Medina, and Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers with Buddy! More info below: Friday, August 21st: Culture Talk Artist: DJ Kool Herc & Cindy Campbell Time: 7:00PM ET Where to Watch: SummerStage Instagram, SummerStage YouTube, Facebook page and Twitch Info: Join one of hip-hop’s forefathers Kool Herc & his sister, the self-proclaimed “First Lady of Hip-Hop”, Cindy Campbell, for a historic walk through of the home of hip-hop around Cedar Park, and the now-legendary 1520 Sedgwick Avenue.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Sistas and Brothas United (SBU), the youth organizing arm of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, a 46-year-old organization of students, parents, clergy and community members across the Bronx are organizing a rally to take action against school policing, and what the organization says are all the practices and policies that criminalize young people in schools. For the last two decades SBU has been working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, organizing to eradicate suspensions, arrests, metal detectors, and school safety agents in schools that the organization says pushes young people out of school and into the prison system.

By DAVID GREENE

The NYPD is asking for the public’s help in locating an elderly man with dementia and Alzheimers who was reported missing in the 47th precinct. Winston Corrian, described as a 77-year-old Black man, disappeared after leaving his home at 1332 East 224 Street in the Baychester section of the Bronx, and was last seen at East 224 Street and Schiefelin Avenue in Edenwald at approximately 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17. Corrian is 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, and was last seen wearing a burgundy T-shirt, grey shorts, a black hat and black sandals. Anyone

By SÍLE MOLONEY

As part of a set of legislative election reforms to address voting problems that arose in the June 23 primary election, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed bill S8015D into law on Aug. 20 which will temporarily expand New York voters’ ability to vote by mail in upcoming elections, including the presidential election in November, and other elections taking place in 2021. The new law temporarily alters the definition of “illness” with respect to absentee voting eligibility to include “risk of contracting or spreading a disease that may cause illness to the voter, or to other members of the public,” such