Take-5, Top-Prize Lottery Ticket Sold in the South Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York Lottery announced one top prize-winning ticket sold for the March 1, TAKE-5 drawing. The ticket, worth $60,465.50, was purchased at Wesam Newsstand Corp, located at 2835 3rd Avenue in the South Bronx. The five winning numbers for the TAKE 5 game are drawn from a field of one to 39. The TAKE 5 drawing is televised every day at 10:30 p.m. A Lottery draw game prize of any amount may be claimed up to one year from the date of the drawing. About the New York Lottery The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most

By SÍLE MOLONEY

MTA Metro-North Railroad president, Catherine Rinaldi, announced on Monday, March 1, that Metro-North customers can now communicate with the railroad in real time using the popular messaging platform WhatsApp. “It is important that our customers are able to communicate in real time and it’s what we’ve become accustomed to as a tech savvy society,” said Rinaldi. “We will continue to work on new ways to deliver excellent customer service as part of our Way Ahead Plan.” Metro-North’s customer service representatives will receive messages from Metro-North customers via WhatsApp between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily and be able

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Bronx State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who represents the 34th senatorial district and who is a survivor of sexual abuse, called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on Saturday, Feb. 27, to resign in the wake of more assertions of sexual harassment by the governor, alleged by a second former aide. Other elected officials have called for an independent investigation into the allegations. “The assertions against Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo by Charlotte Bennett detail behavior that is unacceptable,” Biaggi said. “I am especially horrified by the comments the governor made to Charlotte about her experience with sexual assault –– comments he did

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Mitchell Katz, MD and president and CEO at NYC Health + Hospitals, the City’s public hospital system, announced on Friday, Feb. 26, that Cristina Contreras, executive director of NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx (NCB), located in Norwood, will be promoted to CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan based in East Harlem. It was also announced that Christopher Roker, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan in East Harlem, will serve as CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in Mott Haven. In these roles, Katz said Contreras and Roker will help lead the hospitals’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Teddy Cars, a car dealership in Nissans and Volkswagens based on Boston Road in the Bronx, is continuing its monthly commitment, which began in 2020, of awarding $20,000 to various music education programs in the Bronx, as part of the Teddy Cars Bronx Music Grant Program. This month, the recipient is Bronx House School for Performing Arts. Teddy Cars General Manager, Julio Batista, visited Bronx House in December 2019 to see the program in action, first-hand (see the video). “It’s an excellent program,” he said. “At Teddy Cars, we feel strongly about doing things to help the community and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Department of Sanitation’s refashionNYC program, a free and convenient clothing donation and recycling service, has announced that pick-up appointments are now available, and are encouraging New Yorkers to get involved in the clothing recycling program. Agency officials said its partnership with Housing Works provides convenient clothing bin collection, while also fighting the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS. As part of the bin collection program, representatives will visit residential or commercial buildings, as well as schools and other institutions to discuss with residents / workers how many bins they would like, what sizes are best, and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York Lottery announced there were multiple top-prize, winning tickets sold for the Feb 23, TAKE-5 drawing. The tickets were sold in The Bronx and in Huntington Station at the following locations: Lucky Spot Convenience Corp located at 3401 Jerome Ave in the Norwood section of The Bronx, which sold one prize-winning ticket worth $30,317.50 Huntington Card & Smoke Inc located at 517 East Jericho Tpke in Huntington Station, which sold one prize-winning ticket worth $30,317.50 Take-5 numbers are drawn from a field of one through 39. Drawings take place every evening at 10:30 p.m. Winning tickets

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Like shows on Broadway, live performances by Bronx Community College (BCC)’s Theatre Workshop have been shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its students found another outlet for their talents in Essential Bronx COVID Stories Part 1, a powerful short film written, performed and shot by the students themselves. Chronicled over the past year, these unique stories are now available to watch, and the public can get to know the lives of the students affected by the pandemic and experience them recounting their stories of struggle. Dr. John Socas is director of the workshop at BCC.

By DAVID GREENE

For the first time in over thirty years, the Bronx Polar Bears Club cancelled its annual St. Valentine’s Day swim at Orchard Beach, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, February 13, Anna Romanovich of Brooklyn, a 10-year member of the club, said, “This year is the first year we will have to skip the annual arctic adventure, a frosty tradition that brought the Polar Bear plunge to the Bronx.” The annual event sponsored by BronxNet and BronxWorks, helps raise funds and brings awareness to local groups working with the homeless. Romanovich continued, “This year, it’s become yet