Off-Duty NYC Department of Homeless Services Employee Arrested for Menacing

By SÍLE MOLONEY

An off-duty City employee was arrested in The Bronx on Monday, police said. According to the NYPD, Tonya Simmons, 47, an off-duty employee with NYC Department of Homeless Services was arrested on Monday, Jan. 9, at 9.24 p.m. within the boundaries of the 48th Precinct, which covers the neighborhoods of Belmont, East Tremont, and West Farms, while Fordham University’s Bronx campus is nestled in the precinct’s northern corner. Simmons was charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Following the settlement of a discrimination case regarding the delivery of housing ads last year, Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, Inc., is required to change its ad delivery system to prevent discriminatory advertising in violation of the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”). Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, along with Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights division, announced that the department reached a key milestone in its settlement agreement with Meta Platforms, Inc. (“Meta”), formerly known as Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) on Jan. 9. As required

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Building applications have been filed with NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) for a new, 6-story, mixed-use building located at 2460 White Plains Road in the Allerton section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. Located between Mace Avenue and Waring Avenue, the lot is one block south of the Allerton Avenue subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Zev Mayer of Skyrock NYC is listed as the owner behind the applications. The proposed 61-foot-tall development will yield 25,917 square feet, with 23,218 square feet designated for residential space and 2,698 square feet for community facility space.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Health Commissioner Issues Advisory NYC health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, issued a new advisory on Dec. 9 as NYC faces high levels of a triple onslaught of COVID-19, flu, and RSV cases. New Yorkers are strongly urged to wear masks in public, indoor settings, and crowded outdoor settings, to get vaccinated, test regularly, wash hands regularly and stay home, if sick. For more information, visit here. He said this is especially important for people who are – or are meeting – those who are at increased risk for complications from COVID-19, RSV, or the flu, such as those age 65

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

A resident of a transitional shelter and supportive housing facility located in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx said a deceased 62-year-old man, who died from a heart attack at the shelter on Dec. 10 and was later removed by emergency services, had earlier reported to staff of chest pains. He was later found unconscious and unresponsive in his shared dorm room. When contacted about the incident on the weekend it occurred, and which took place at the Bowery Residents’ Committee Inc. (BRC) shelter and transitional housing facility, located at 237 Landing Road, which is specialized in providing,

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

Police said the body of a man estimated to be between 50 and 60 years of age was removed from Van Cortlandt Park in Norwood on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 17. The discovery was made in the vicinity of Mosholu Parkway North and West Gun Hill Road. Norwood News witnessed officials from the City’s Medical Examiner’s Office and the NYPD carrying torches and emerging from a wooded area beside the roadway at around 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. A police spokesperson later told Norwood News regarding the timing of the discovery, “It was a little after 1 p.m., an

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Nov. 29 a new pathway forward to addressing what was called the ongoing crisis of people experiencing severe mental illnesses who are left untreated and unsheltered in New York City’s streets and subways. In a public address, Adams detailed what was referenced as a compassionate new vision to tackle the crisis, beginning with a directive issued immediately to city agencies and contractors involved in evaluating and providing care to individuals in psychiatric crisis. The mayor also laid out an 11-point legislative agenda that will be among his top priorities in Albany

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Voters across the State of New York have long expressed confusion over registering as independent voters, but soon that confusion will be eliminated. A new bill (A1819A) sponsored by Northwest Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) and Hudson Valley State Sen. James Skoufis (S.D. 39), which is now law, will prohibit the words “independence” and “independent” from being used in the names of political parties in New York. New York has an existing list of words that are prohibited from usage by political parties, including “American,” “United States,” “National,”, “New York State,” and “Empire State.” Representatives for Dinowitz and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Building applications have been filed with NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) for a new, 11-story, mixed-use building with affordable housing at 3041 Webster Avenue in the Norwood section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. Located between East 204th Street and East Mosholu Parkway North, the lot is near the Norwood-205th Street subway station, serviced by the D train. Peter Fine is listed as the owner behind the applications. The proposed 114-foot-tall development will yield 83,982 square feet, with 44,032 square feet designated for residential space, according to YIMBY, and 39,950 square feet for community facility space. The

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Housing

Off-Duty NYC Department of Homeless Services Employee Arrested for Menacing

Meta, formerly Facebook, Required to Change Ads to Prevent Violation of Fair Housing Act

Allerton: Building Applications Filed with DOB for New Building at 2460 White Plains Road

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Fordham Manor: Shelter Resident Says Dead Man Removed from Shelter Had Complained of Chest Pains

Norwood: Body of Man “at Least a Few Days” Old Removed from Van Cortlandt Park, Police Said

UPDATE Dinowitz/Skoufis Bill to Prohibit Misuse of “Independence” in State Party Names Signed into Law

Norwood: Building Applications Filed with DOB for a New Building at 3041 Webster Avenue