Politics

Love is in The Air

By SÍLE MOLONEY
For some, Feb. 14 has perhaps come to be seen as a commercial grab by opportunists seeking to capitalize on the sale of flowers, chocolates, lingerie, dining out, and more. For others, the holiday is regarded as somewhat contrived, cringe, a little outdated, and perhaps an unwelcome reminder of their prevailing relationship status.

UPDATE Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Accountability over the “Epstein Files”

By DAVID GREENE
This week, we asked readers for their opinions on the “Epstein Files” and if they believe anyone else will be held accountable for sex crimes or for assisting Jeffrey Epstein with the sex crimes he perpetrated. It’s been widely reported that Epstein died in custody in 2019 as he awaited his trial on sex trafficking charges. He was convicted a decade earlier and spent 13 months in a county jail, which included a work-release program, for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

To Balance the Budget, Mamdani Details Two Paths – Tax the Rich or Let the Middle Class Fund the Gap

By SÍLE MOLONEY
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Preliminary Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 17, outlining the scope of what was described as a fiscal crisis he said he inherited from the prior administration. The mayor presented two paths forward to balance the budget (a legal requirement): raise revenue from the wealthiest New Yorkers and most profitable corporations and end the drain of City resources to the State, or have working and middle-class New Yorkers fund the gap.   

UPDATE Eighteen in Custody after Organized “Takeover” of The Mall at Bay Plaza by Teens Results in Chaos

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE
Eighteen people were taken into custody on Monday, Feb. 16, police said, after an estimated one hundred to five hundred teens participated seemingly in an organized “takeover” of The Mall at Bay Plaza in the Baychester section of The Bronx. When contacted for details of the charges, the NYPD said the details of any charges / summonses were not yet available.

Mt Vernon Man Gets 13 + Yrs for Sex Trafficking a Minor Across The Bronx & Brooklyn

By SÍLE MOLONEY
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced Friday, Feb. 13, that Rai Thomas, 31, a/k/a “Bandz,” of Mount Vernon, NY, was sentenced to 160 months (13.3 years) in prison for sex trafficking a minor and for use of interstate facilities to promote sex trafficking and prostitution. He said in October 2025, Thomas was convicted at trial before U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román, who imposed the sentence.

Tisch Announces Division of Bronx into Two Patrol Boroughs in Efforts to Address Crime

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch delivered her 2026 State of the NYPD address at One Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, Feb. 10, during which she announced the division of The Bronx into two patrol borough commands, Bronx North and Bronx South. She also highlighted the department’s other new strategies aimed at keeping New York City safe, investing in accountability and training, and modernizing policing.