Politics

Environmentalists to State Officials: Keep Commitment to Energy Equity

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On Tuesday, Aug. 8, leading advocates challenged the Cuomo administration to keep its commitment to the linked goals of environmental justice and fighting climate change by dedicating $89.7 million in funds, collected this year from polluters, to frontline communities and clean energy projects. The advocates call on the Governor to reject any plan that will use these funds to fill other budget holes.     Specifically, they are asking that $31.4 million be directed to communities on the frontlines of climate change in compliance with New York’s Climate Law—The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). They said this figure


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Tax Lien Sale Stopped for Homeowners, Emergency “PAUSE” Order Extended until October 4

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On Friday, Sept. 4, the ongoing, apparent feud between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio was, once again, played out in public when the governor undercut plans by Mayor Bill de Blasio to re-schedule the City’s annual tax lien auction to Sept. 25.   According to the Coalition for Affordable Homes, every year, homeowners who fall behind on their tax or water bills can find themselves subject to the City’s annual lien sale, a process through which the City sells outstanding tax and water debts, and the ability to collect them, to private investors. After the sale, the


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NYC Health Department to Spray Pesticide in Bronx to Reduce Risk of West Nile Virus

By SÍLE MOLONEY
To reduce mosquito activity and the risk of the West Nile virus, the City’s health department will conduct an adulticide treatment in the Bronx. Adulticide is an insecticide or agent used to kill adult insects. Trucks will spray pesticides in sections of the Bronx on Wednesday, Sept. 9, between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following morning, weather permitting. In case of bad weather or equipment malfunctions, application will be delayed until Thursday, Sept. 10.   The health department said it will use very low concentrations of DeltaGard® and/or Anvil®. The agency also said that the risks of


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NYC Sanitation Department to Reopen Compost Sites and Food Scrap Drop-Off Sites 

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  At the last hour, New York City’s executive budget restored $2.8 million to community composting for the financial year 2021. The City’s department of sanitation (DSNY) now has funding to reactivate all of the NYC Compost Project mid-scale, compost educational facilities, provide support to some small compost sites, and reopen some local food scrap drop-off sites throughout all five boroughs.   The NYC Compost Project, created in 1993, works to rebuild NYC’s soils by providing New Yorkers with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities they need to produce and use compost locally. Meanwhile, GrowNYC Zero Waste Programs were created by


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Alternate Side Parking Reform Extended, Residential Side Streets Cleaned Once Per Week

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday, Sept. 4, an extension of the recent reform to Alternate Side Parking (ASP). Residential side streets with multiple ASP days will continue to be cleaned once per week for another two weeks, through September 19, 2020. In June, the Mayor and Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia unveiled the reform, the most dramatic change to ASP in decades.   Amended rules pertain to residential “side streets” and not to commercial areas. Streets with multiple ASP days would be cleaned on the last day of the week, as posted on each street’s currently


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Norwood: Food & Mask Giveaway Lines Are Not Getting Shorter

By SÍLE MOLONEY
A further food and mask giveaway was held at Hull Avenue and 204th Street in Norwood on Sept. 3, 2020, as food insecurity continues to be a concern for many families across The Bronx.   The event was promoted by the American Albanian Open Hand Association, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, City Councilman Andrew Cohen, State Committee Leader Elect Sandra Pabon, and Male District Leader Elect Marcos Sierra. In addition to those listed on the event flyer as the event organizers and promoters, among those who joined to volunteer on the day at the event


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AG James Renews Suspension of Medical and Student Debt Owed to State for Sixth Time

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Friday, Sept. 4 that the State will renew, for the sixth time, an order to halt, for an additional 30-day period, the collection of medical and student debt that has been specifically referred to her office for collection.   James will renew the order first made in March, and renewed in April, in May, in June, in July, and in August to ease the financial burdens for many workers and families by halting the collection of medical and student debt owed to the State of New York, and referred to the OAG for collection through


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Police Seek Gunman Who Fired on Female Resident in Kingsbridge Heights

By DAVID GREENE
Police are looking for an individual who opened fire on a complete stranger in broad daylight for no apparent reason. The victim was a young woman who was simply headed to a supermarket in the Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx.   According to Detective Denise Moroney, officers from the 52nd precinct were called following a report of an assault outside of 2645 Morris Avenue, between East Kingsbridge Road and East 193rd Street, at 9:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28. Moroney said, “Upon arrival, officers were informed by a 22-year-old female [that] she was walking to the grocery store when


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NYC School Workers Solidarity Campaign Rejects School Reopening Deal with City

By SÍLE MOLONEY
In another rebuke of the Sept. 1 deal agreed between New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and UFT President Michael Mulgrew on the physical reopening of public schools this fall, NYC School Workers Solidarity Campaign rejected the deal, issuing a lengthy statement on the matter on Sept. 2.   “The New York City School Workers Solidarity Campaign stands behind our educators. We are a coalition of parents, educators, nurses, union and community members, and we support school workers’ demands to not reopen in-person schooling until it is safe,” the statement read.   “The recent deal negotiated between Mulgrew and


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