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

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

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

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

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

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

By SÍLE MOLONEY

“Letter to the President” is a highly anticipated/controversial single featuring some premier Hip-Hop artists from “The Young Millennials,” aka The YM Squad, RNB Nah (Bronx) featuring Big Boos, Nene Ali (Bronx), Lil Legin, Destiny Rae and JSA. On Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Community Board Athletic Leadership League (CBall) will host a virtual launch party and panel discussion to coincide with the music video release. CBall is a non-for-profit organization which, among other objectives, works to provide children from New York City with opportunities to participate in sports activities. Joining the artists

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson released a statement on indoor dining on Wednesday, Sept. 2. “It’s time to allow indoor dining in New York City with reduced capacity and clear guidance to ensure social distancing and safety,” Johnson said. “This is crucial for restaurant owners, who have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and the resulting drop in tourism. Summer is winding down, and they need to begin planning for the colder months. Of course, we will continue to monitor the City’s COVID-19 rates, just as we must for all of our businesses.” Johnson added, “We know

By SÍLE MOLONEY

In response to an announcement on Sept. 1 by New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio and United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew of an agreement to delay in-person instruction for the 2020-2021 school year by two weeks, the MORE-UFT caucus released a statement on Sept. 2, giving their lukewarm reaction to the news. MORE UFT is made up of members of UFT, and members of school communities, and their allies. “We welcome a slight delay of in-person school reopening in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, and recognize that our advocacy with our parent, student, and