Victoria Sanabria, Plena Libre, Prodigio Claudio Perform at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The folkloric sounds of Puerto Rican music will be flowing through the halls of Lehman Center for the Performing Arts as it presents Victoria Sanabria, with Puerto Rico’s number one plena group, Plena Libre, on Saturday, Dec 4, at 8 p.m., with special guest, Prodigio Claudio. Captivating and moving audiences over the course of a 26-year, 15-album career, Lehman Center officials say this fine-tuned ensemble of virtuoso musicians has only gotten better with age, as evidenced by their four recent GRAMMY® nominations and world-wide touring schedule. Lehman Center officials said Victoria Sanabria was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico into a

By DAVID GREENE

For the 25th consecutive year, volunteers with Part of the Solution (POTS), soup kitchen and food pantry, and the Church of the Resurrection in Rye, New York, joined forces to serve an estimated 350 turkey meals on site to community residents at Our Lady of Refuge Church, located at 290 East 196th Street in Fordham Manor on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25. Another 300 or so residents who had concerns about sitting and eating in a public setting amid the ongoing pandemic, or who were unable to provide proof of vaccination to enter the venue’s cafeteria, were provided with a

By DAVID GREENE

This week, following the not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and the guilty verdicts in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial, we asked readers if they have faith in the criminal justice system. “The two very different decisions make me believe, more than ever, that when a case is properly prepared and adjudicated with care, the justice system works. The biggest problem with the system, as I see it, is in the people who are responsible for running the courts. Would Rittenhouse have been found guilty with a more thoughtful judge in the case? I don’t know, but we heard

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A “coquerel’s sifaka” baby (propithecus coquereli), born at the Bronx Zoo, has made its public debut. According to Bronx Zoo officials, the birth is the result of the hard work and husbandry expertise of the zoo’s keepers and will be featured on this week’s episode of Animal Planet’s THE ZOO. The story follows the adult sifakas as they are introduced for the first time in hopes that they will eventually mate. The baby is a male and was born over the summer. The Bronx Zoo breeds sifakas as part of its Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, a cooperative breeding

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD announced that the annual balloon inflation ahead of the Thanksgiving Day parade celebrations in Manhattan will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 24, from noon to 6 p.m. Spectators may enter the queue at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. Large backpacks, coolers, alcoholic beverages, chairs and umbrellas are expressly prohibited and participants will be screened prior to entering the viewing route. At the organizer’s request, all attendees over aged 12 must be vaccinated and provide proof to the screeners in order to attend the balloon inflation. Children under 12 years may attend with a fully vaccinated adult.

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) held its annual Harvest Fest at the center, located in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood, on Oct. 28. The event featured raffles, vaccine and voting information, and various activities and stands. Margaret Della, chief executive director of KHCC, said the Harvest Fest used to be held indoors, but last year they moved it outside as a COVID-19 safety precaution. “This was, like, the first event that we had where we were bringing people back together again, and it was so fun,” she said. Activities on the day included temporary tattoos, a Wii station, a photo

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Editor’s Pick Bronx Film 48, founded in 2019, the group behind the annual, 48-hour film challenge has announced a fundraising drive to raise $20,000 for the 2022 fiscal year, to expand its offerings. The team is looking to offer an outdoor summer film series, more networking events and the return of its annual, “48-hour film challenge: The Bronx.” The summer film series is aimed at hosting roof-top, drive-in, and outdoor film screenings of curated, independent films across the Bronx, from Orchard Beach to the Andrew Freedman Home. The fundraising campaign will allow the group to connect Bronx filmmakers with

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Local People Reported Missing in the last Two Weeks A 72-year-old woman was reported missing in the Mt Hope section of the Bronx. Click here for more details. A 44-year-old Brooklyn man was reported missing in the 52nd precinct. Click here for more details. A 15-year-old girl was reported missing in Jerome Park. Click here for more details. A missing South Carolina Man Last Seen in Fordham Heights. Click here for more details. COVID-19 Updates As of Aug. 17, people 12 and older are required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine

By SARAH HUFFMAN

The inaugural Norwood Community Appreciation Block Party was held on Oct. 17 on Tryon Avenue in the Norwood section of the Bronx. Alina K. Dowe and Sedella M. Harvin, two Norwood residents, joined forces with the nonprofit, Using Positive Initiatives Effectively (UPIE), and The Dowe Twins, a brand created to bring awareness to, and empower kids who learn differently from others, to host the event. UPIE is Dowe’s nonprofit which she started in October 2020 with the mission of identifying and developing initiatives to make positive change in the community. Meanwhile, as previously reported, Princeton and Brazil

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Out and About

Victoria Sanabria, Plena Libre, Prodigio Claudio Perform at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

POTS & Church Volunteers Serve 600 Free Meals as Physical Thanksgiving Gatherings Resume

Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on People’s Faith in the Justice System

“Coquerel’s Sifaka” Baby Born at Bronx Zoo Makes Public Debut

Balloon Inflation Day & Thanksgiving Day Parade Traffic Advisories

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center Hosts Annual Harvest Fest

UPDATE Out & About: Thanksgiving Giveaways, Public Art Unveiling, NYBG Holiday Train Show & More!

Neighborhood Notes: Booster Shots, Public Hearing on Ethics Oversight, Mommy to Be Expo & More!

Norwood Community Shows Appreciation at Block Party