Bronx Notes: Discussion on Improving Childcare Services

Assemblyman Nelson L. Castro, in collaboration with City agencies, including the NYC Administration of Children’s Services (ACS) and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), is hosting a town hall meeting to discuss improving childcare services in the Bronx and throughout New York City.

Bronx Housing Forum to Address Landlord Violations

This Monday, April 23 at 4 p.m., housing advocates, landlords and tenants are participating in a free panel discussion at Manhattan College to discuss potential reforms of the housing code enforcement system that would enable the city to more easily hold neglectful landlords accountable. The event, entitled,”Safe at Home: Putting Teeth in Housing Code Enforcement and Holding Landlords Accountable,” will take place on the first floor of the Leo Engineering Building, 3825 Corlear Ave., between West 238th and West 240th streets. All are welcome. Jordan Moss, a former Norwood News editor, is one of the organizers of the panel, which

Bronx Townhall Meeting to Address Healthcare Disparities

Bronx Health REACH, Assemblyman Nelson Castro, Senator Gustavo Rivera, and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to discuss inequities in New York’s health care system. “Make Health Equality a Reality,” will include a panel of legislators, doctors, community members, and lawyers. Audience members will be invited to ask questions about health care access. The event is open to all and breakfast and free health screenings will be provided for all attendees. The event will take place at P.S. 33 in the Bronx

Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column. It’s spring and baseball season is underway. While the sport means mostly fun for young players hitting the field, the threat of an injury still looms. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 282,000 people under the age of 18 were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for baseball-related injuries in 2010. Young players, parents, and coaches should be diligent in taking precautions to avoid injuries that could mean bench time, or even

Bronx Notes: 50+ Fitness Fair at Mosholu Library

Find out about free and low-cost fitness opportunities for older active adults in your neighborhood and throughout the Bronx on Saturday, April 14, from 12-4 p.m. at the Mosholu Library, 285 East 205th Street (near Perry Avenue).

Be Healthy! Wednesdays: More New Yorkers Getting Checked for Colon Cancer

Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column. Over the last decade, New York City’s colonoscopy rate has gone up by 62 percent, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced last week, the highest number since 2003, when the city first started tracking the data. Colonoscopy is a test that examines the interior of the large intestine, which allows doctors to look for abnormal or precancerous growths, making the procedure an important tool in catching colon cancer early. It is commonly recommended for

A local nonprofit that advocates for the rights of homeless residents is facing scrutiny after the New York Post ran a story about the group last month, alleging one of its board members gave a “crash course on squatting,” instructing people on how to break into vacant buildings–an accusation the organization says is completely false. Picture the Homeless (PTH) is a citywide nonprofit headquartered on Morris Avenue in the Bronx, just south of Fordham Road. The group, run largely by homeless or formerly homeless individuals, works to organize the city’s homeless population, advocating on policy and social justice issues that

State Offers Support to PS 51 Parents, City Another Story

In late March, the parents of current and former PS 51 students met with state officials to ask questions and discuss their concerns about potential health effects caused by exposure to contamination at the school’s former site on Jerome Avenue.

Rivera Says There’s No Plan to Protect The Bronx From Nuclear Disaster

The Bronx is just 24 miles from a major nuclear power plant and Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera wants to know why there isn’t a plan in place to protect the 1.4 million people living in the city’s northernmost borough. At a press conference in Norwood yesterday, Rivera publicly released her letter requesting state hearings on the emergency evacuation plans of local, state, and federal governments in case of a nuclear meltdown at the Indian Point Energy Center. Surrounded by kids from the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center as well as regional environmental watchdogs, Rivera said she is unhappy with the 10-mile radius