Politics

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

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


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

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


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AG Report Finds Only 2/3 of Charity Donations Went to Charities & Professional Fundraisers Retained the Rest

By SÍLE MOLONEY
In time for Giving Tuesday and the holiday season, on Monday, Nov. 29, New York Attorney General Letitia James released her annual “Pennies for Charity: Fundraising by Professional Fundraisers” report, which found that charities that used professional fundraisers received only about two-thirds of every dollar donated in 2020, with those fundraisers retaining the remainder — earning more than $380 million.   Analyzing 718 campaigns conducted by professional fundraisers in 2020, the report concluded that charities earned 73 percent of donations from those campaigns, a small increase from the previous year, and in line with the last four years’ results. “As


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UPDATE Hate Crimes Continue to Rise as Politicians Rally Around Jeffrey Dinowitz following Swastika Display Outside Office

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Hate crimes in New York City continue to rise as various elected officials across New York State have continued to rally around Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), who is Jewish, in response to the recent protest organized by Republican gubernatorial candidate, Rob Astorino, outside Dinowitz’s Bronx office at 3107 Kingsbridge Avenue on Sunday, Nov. 14. During the rally, which was held two weeks ahead of the annual, Jewish festival of Hanukkah, at least one protestor displayed two signs containing swastikas and another protestor had a yellow star affixed to his clothing.   Hate crimes in New York City are


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Fordham Landing Developer Discusses $2 Billion Mega-Development in University Heights

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The following article is an updated version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. Since we went to press, we had the opportunity to speak further with Brad Zackson, director of development at Dynamic Star LLC, the developer behind the Fordham Landing project.     Steps for the planned, billion-dollar “Fordham Landing” mixed use, real estate development in the University Heights neighborhood advanced further last week amid news that developer, Dynamic Star LLC, had filed construction applications with New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) for a 17-story, mixed-use building at 320 West Fordham Road, a site


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Community Organizer, Shanequa Charles, Announces Run for Assembly District 78

By JASON GONZALEZ
Some of the residents of Assembly District 78 showed up asking for change, while others voiced their frustration.   Despite erratic weather conditions of wind and frigid temperatures, a group of Shanequa Charles’ supporters joined the long-time community activist for a rally on Fordham Plaza in Belmont, close to the Fordham Manor border, early Sunday afternoon, Nov. 14, in hopes of hearing she would be throwing her hat in the ring to win the A.D. 78 seat, and they were not disappointed.   Charles formally announced that she will, indeed, be running in the primary election set for June 28,


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UPDATE: Veterans Day Recognized Across The Bronx

By DAVID GREENE
Following the recent withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in August, after 20 years of war in the country, local officials, veterans, and their supporters gathered across The Bronx at several ceremonies to take time to recognize Veterans Day on Thursday, Nov. 11.   At Woodlawn Cemetery, once again, a commemorative event was held under a large, outdoor tent located a stone’s throw away from where Revolutionary War troops fought off a British invasion from Queens in “The Battle of Gun Hill,” in 1777.   Meg Ventrudo, executive director of Woodlawn Conservancy, told the crowd that cemetery staff have been working over


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Whether Puerto Rico Should Become the 51st State

By DAVID GREENE
  With the spotlight on Puerto Rico following the recent Somos conference, this week, we asked readers for their thoughts on whether the island should become the 51st state or maintain its independence.   “I feel that Puerto Rico should stay the way it is and maintain their independence. They don’t get enough support. I really don’t know. I don’t live there so I don’t know what’s going on exactly. But I know from what I see, and from what my family tells me, it would be nice to maintain their independence, but I don’t think they will be able


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Op-Ed: What to Know About COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

By DR. DAVE A. CHOKSHI
Recently, important updates about the COVID-19 vaccine were announced – that certain people are now eligible for a “booster” dose. Since the beginning of COVID-19, our scientific understanding of the virus has constantly evolved, and many New Yorkers understandably have questions about this new development. I would like to provide the “who, why, and where” about boosters.   Who should get a booster? All three brands of booster shots are available for many New Yorkers — Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson — and “mixing and matching” of the vaccines is safe. But who is eligible for a booster depends


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