NYS Clears 16-year-olds to Join Community Boards

By David Cruz In a move intended to infuse young blood into community boards, Albany has approved a measure that allows Bronx residents as young as 16 years old to serve on a local community board. The bill, dubbed Resolution 115, came from the city level, with Councilman Ritchie Torres drafting the law that needed approval from the State Assembly and Senate. “With civic engagement rates among young people at critically low levels, we need to put forward every effort to replace apathy with enfranchisement, disengagement with opportunity,” said Councilman Torres, himself one of the younger members of the Council, representing the 15th

By David Cruz Last week, a crowd assembled at Gates Place wishing a neighborhood staple a happy 25th birthday. And the celebratory venue for Community Organized with a Visual of Excellence, also served as a tribute to a community center that’s sparked a teen’s interest in the arts.

With Bronx Women Businesses Gaining Momentum, Gillibrand Pushes For Greater Access To Contracts

by David Cruz For the past fifteen years, Sheila Mcqueen describes running a small business as brutal. Yes, her cleaning service has attracted clients that included the U.S. Army, but much of it requires the assistance of federal government awards.

Cheers And Thrills For Bay Plaza Mall Opening

By David Cruz The highly anticipated Bay Plaza Mall in Co-Op City opened with plenty of verve, a tsunami of crowds, and borough pride.

Free Concerts at Williamsbridge Oval Rec Center Tonight and Aug. 25

by David Cruz Take advantage of the warm weather and head on out to the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center for a special music presentation courtesy of the borough’s art dais and your local assemblyman. The venue will host Grammy Award winner John Benitez and his Latin Jazz Band, who plan to light up the crowd this evening with its brand of salsa. The musical gathering is part of Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz and the Bronx Council On The Arts summer concert series that kicked off July 29. Tonight’s event marks the fourth presentation, with Almagamated Houses and Park Reservoir Housing having

by David Cruz As FreshDirect gears up for a move to the Bronx, a faction of the borough’s legislators hopes the online grocer commit to a contract with its current roster of unionized workers. More telling, the letter shows broad support for FreshDirect’s move to the South Bronx.

Kingsbridge National Ice Center Receives $30 Mil Investment

By David Cruz A powerhouse philanthropist group is adding some financial investment for the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, an allocation that serves as a validation the project is not on “thin ice” despite a lawsuit endangering the project. The Kresge Foundation, a Detroit-based institutional equity investment firm, has agreed to be the lead investor in a $30 million equity raise for KNIC, a project that’s estimated to cost $350 million to build, according to sources close to the deal. “The Kresge Foundation is one of the most prestigious and successful foundations in America,” said Messier in a statement. “Its decision

By David Cruz Councilman Fernando Cabrera’s absence at a debate he declined to attend was certainly tangible, and illustrated, further waning a victory in his bid against incumbent State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

Tenants Set To Recoup Losses By Pinnacle Group

by David Cruz In a case that’s stretches back to 2006, thousands of Bronx tenants will begin settling their legal matters with a shady landlord who attempted to drive them out of their rent-regulated apartments in order to raise rents. An informational meeting is slated for August 14 in Harlem for locals affected by the Pinnacle Group, the owner of nearly five-dozen buildings in the Bronx. Tenants impacted by the group between 2004 and 2010 will gather Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at I.S. 172 in Harlem to understand the terms of the settlement ad how to file a claim.