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Fire Claims Life of ‘Elegant’ Ex-Teacher

Former schoolteacher and longtime northwest Bronx resident Mary Mullen died on Monday morning when a fire confined to her third floor apartment on Valentine Avenue ended her life. She was 82 years old.

DOE Votes to Close Kennedy H.S.

The Department of Education voted this month to close down nearly two dozen schools throughout the city due to poor performance, a controversial decision that’s drawn outrage from students, teachers and parents alike. Included on the list of closures is John F. Kennedy in Marble Hill, which serves a number of students from across the northwest Bronx and is one of the last large high schools left in the borough.

DEP Works to Shift Filter Plant Pipe

Following the discovery of trolley tracks beneath the surface of Webster Avenue, the Department of Environmental Protection is exploring new options for routing a waste water pipe from the Croton Water Filtration Plant in Van Cortlandt Park to the South Bronx.

Velella Dies at 66

Former State Senator Guy Velella, virtually the only Republican representing the borough at any level of government during his entire legislative career, died of lung cancer on Jan. 27 at the age of 66.

With Nudge From Koppell, PSAL Adopts Pitch Limits

Dennis D’Alessandro, DeWitt Clinton high school’s varsity baseball coach, isn’t a huge fan of the PSAL’s decision to limit the number of pitches varsity pitchers can throw per outing next season. “I can’t understand why the city council wants to make the PSAL their plaything when there are other things to worry about such as playing field conditions,” he said in a recent interview.

Cuomo’s Budget Slashes Medicaid Spending

New Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget for this fiscal year hacks away at funding for all state agencies and local governments, but the axe fell particularly hard on the state’s health spending — including unprecedented cuts to the Medicaid program. Medicaid provides health care for low-income and disabled New Yorkers, and nearly 21 percent of residents in the Bronx rely on it for their medical coverage, according to the Department of Health — more than in any other borough.

City Passes Parks and Beaches Smoking Ban

Soon, you’ll have to think twice before you light up a cigarette at the beach, or when taking a stroll through your local park. The City Council voted in favor of a resolution last week that forbids smoking in both places.

Perry Med. Center Ransacked

Perry Avenue Family Medical Center, on Perry Avenue off East 204th Street, was burglarized last week. The thief or thieves made off with laptops, security cameras, medical supplies, and $80 to $90 in cash, according to Dr. Kishore Ahuja and his wife, Dr. Rita Ahuja, who have been running the center for the past 30 years and say they’ve never had any problems with break-ins before.