Social Security Administration Notice re Appointments

By Síle Moloney

On May 21, 2020, the federal Office of Strategic and Digital Communications at the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced temporary (COVID-19) procedures to allow claimants to use different methods to sign the “notice of appointment of a representative and fee agreement”, if the fee agreement was submitted with the new notice of appointment. The agency said that while these procedures are in place, if SSA receives an appointment document, and if the claimant’s original signature does not appear to be a wet signature, SSA will make three attempts to contact the claimant to verify their identity and confirm the

By Síle Moloney

Public Notice New York State Attorney General Letitia James Public Hearing Via Video Conference on Police/Public Interactions During Recent Protests Wednesday, June 17th @ 11:00 AM The Office of the Attorney General has been designated by the Governor to investigate interactions between police officers and the public during recent protests. Attorney General James will be holding a public video hearing to examine the nature and details of these interactions. Members of the public are invited to provide written testimony relevant to this investigation. Oral testimony for the video hearing will be subject to hearing scheduling constraints and witness

By Síle Moloney

Mayor Bill de Blasio today updated New Yorkers on the City’s efforts to keep vulnerable New Yorkers cool indoors this summer. The Get Cool NYC program addresses the higher risk for indoor heat exposure for New Yorkers this summer, due to staying inside for social distancing, especially for those most at risk of COVID-19 complications. “Summer is upon us, and we must keep the most vulnerable New Yorkers cool and safe at home,” the mayor said. “We’re moving heaven and earth to get air conditioners to thousands of seniors in need, and I thank the Public Service Commission for

By Síle Moloney

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance identifying the individual depicted in the attached photograph and video in connection to a shooting that occurred within the confines of the 50th precinct. On Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at approximately 4:30 a.m., inside of a residential lobby within the vicinity of Sedgwick Avenue and West 197th Street, two unidentified individuals were involved in an altercation. A 66-year-old male tried to intervene and was shot one time in the left leg. The individual with the firearm then fled the scene in an unknown direction. The victim

By Síle Moloney

Community members are invited to a webinar hosted by Montefiore Nyack Hospital on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2020 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. to learn about various drug treatments for the treatment of COVID-19 and their current place in therapy. This presentation will also explain the importance of chronic care management in the community setting during a pandemic, and the benefits of telehealth in overcoming barriers to healthcare in a post-COVID era. The panelist will be Nirvana Awad, PharmD, BCPS Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Transitions of Care Department of Pharmacy, Montefiore Nyack Hospital. Advance registration for this webinar is

By Síle Moloney

State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblymember Ron Kim have introduced a new State bill that would repeal an amendment in the state budget that gives blanket corporate immunity to nursing home owners, shareholders, and trustees during the COVID-19 pandemic. If passed, repealing the amendment would enable families to pursue a legal pathway that could uncover evidence of poor care by nursing homes. To date, over 5,600 families have lost a loved one living in a nursing home due to COVID-19. On Friday, Jun. 12 at 12.30 p.m., Kim and Biaggi will hold a virtual press event and vigil

By Síle Moloney

In response to the uprisings across the globe demanding justice for Black lives, New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has created a Black liberation reading list. The 95 titles on the list represent books that the Center and the public regularly turn to as activists, students, archivists, and curators, with a particular focus on books by Black authors and those whose papers the center stewards. For 95 years, the Schomburg Center has preserved, protected, and fostered a greater understanding of the Black experience through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and scholarship. Most of the #Schomburg95 books

By David Greene

Two people have died as a result of an early morning crash on the Northbound Bronx River Parkway at East Gun Hill Road in Norwood. The incident was reported at 1:38 a.m. on Thursday, Jun. 11, when police were informed that a car was on fire at the location. Soon afterwards officers from the 47th precinct and the NYPD’s Highway Patrol quickly shutdown the roadway and attempted to remove one victim from the burning vehicle. One police official reported a male driver was pulled from a burning 2019 Dodge Challenger, “unconscious and unresponsive”. The man whose identity has

By Síle Moloney

A peaceful Black Lives Matter protest took place in Riverdale on Saturday, Jun. 6, 2020 as part of the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement sweeping the country following the death of George Floyd on March 25, 2020. Approximately 200 protesters, made up of different races, and including members of Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition started the day in Ewen Park and later proceeded through the Riverdale neighborhood to Van Cortlandt Park, gathering by the tortoise and hare statue where they sat, stood, and knelt down at various moments during the event. Opec Vistle captured the protestors marching