Norwood Neighbors for Racial Justice Pen Open Letter to City Officials Calling to Defund NYPD

By Síle Moloney

Following a historic week of legislative reform aimed at addressing racial injustice and inequality at both City and State level, a group of about 50 local residents gathered peacefully at Williamsbridge Oval Park in Norwood on Friday Jun. 19 for a kid-friendly Juneteenth celebration in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Norwood Neighbors for Racial Justice and allies is an unofficial, local group recently formed and spearheaded by four local, multiracial women, Miriam Neptune, Jatnna Ramirez, Carissa Smith and Pam Sporn. In addition to organizing the Juneteenth event, the first of its kind in Norwood, the group

By PS/MS 95 Staff

Like all schools in New York City, PS/MS 95, The Sheila Mencher School, was required to turn on a dime and enter the world of “remote learning” when the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in March, and the ensuing statewide PAUSE order went into effect. The school’s immediate response was to proactively reach out to students and parents to set up a viable, constructive, online learning program to connect teachers and students and continue with teacher lessons, student work, meaningful feedback and assessment. Now, over three and a half months later, having lived and worked through the experience, and as

By David Greene

A flyer circulating on social media under the title National Economic Withdrawal Boycott has called for a week-long boycott of large box-store chains, fast-food restaurants, and online retailers from Sunday, Jun. 21 through Saturday, Jun. 27. The week-long call to action appears to have grown out of other social media campaigns that aim to empower Black people through the control of economics, and to highlight the fight against racism in America through the power of the Black Dollar. A number of social media campaigns supporting the Black Lives Matter movement have existed since the group was founded. However, as

By Síle Moloney

Poe Park Greenmarket is opening for the summer season on Tuesday, June 30th, with Emil Alummootil, the market manager, saying, “It will be a great opportunity for community members to shop for the freshest, locally grown produce in their own neighborhood”. Community members will be able to use their SNAP/EBT benefits at the market, including the new P-EBT program, at the market. For every $5 spent using an EBT card, the person will receive an extra $2 Health Bucks coupon to spend on more fruits and vegetables. Greenmarkets are one of many programs falling under the GrowNYC

By Síle Moloney

The New York City Police Department is asking the public’s assistance identifying the individual shown in the attached video who is wanted for questioning in connection with a commercial burglary that occurred within the confines of the 52nd precinct. On Monday, Jun. 22, 2020 at approximately 8:00 p.m., inside 62 West Fordham Road (telecommunications store), an unidentified male gained entry through the roof of the building. Once inside, the man removed $1,500 and approximately $25,000 worth of cell phones and accessories before fleeing in unknown direction. Anyone with information with regard to the identity of this

By Síle Moloney

On Jul. 25, three survivors of solitary confinement, along with members of the Coalition for Women Prisoners, other survivors, family members and allies will hold demonstrations across New York State to demand an end to what survivors call the racist and deadly torture of solitary confinement. Kevin Mays, campaigner for #HALTsolitary, Leonard Thomas of VOCAL-NY and Lady Kathryn Williams-Julien, along with their supporters and activists will be calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl E. Heastie to enact the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, with immediate effect. Activists say that solitary confinement has killed

By Síle Moloney

On Wednesday, Jun. 24, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced a series of personnel changes at the New York City Police Department. In the statement, the announcements were described as key to positioning the agency for 21st century policing, by strengthening the bonds between officers and residents. Chief Jeffrey B. Maddrey, the longtime chief of the NYPD’s Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, is being promoted to the position of chief of community affairs at a moment of historic importance in police-community relations. At the same time, Shea announced that Chief Nilda Irizarry Hofmann would be designated chief of transportation, to

By Síle Moloney

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and RecruitMilitary will host the Washington, D.C./New York Areas Virtual Career Fair for Veterans on Thursday, June 25th from 11am to 3pm EST to facilitate employment efforts for both job seekers and employers. The free, online event is open to all members of the military community, past and present, as well as military spouses and dependents. RecruitMilitary’s virtual events are technologically enhanced to provide personal interaction among job candidates and employers in large groups, small groups and one-to-one formats. According to DAV and RecruitMilitary, national unemployment claims have surpassed historic measures and veteran unemployment

By Síle Moloney

Following a state primary marred by unprecedented confusion among voters seeking to use the state’s vote-by-mail or absentee ballot system, State Senator Leroy Comrie and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz called on the State legislature to pass legislation that will mandate the future use of ballot tracking technology for absentee ballots, as is already the case in some other states. The bill would require the New York City Board of Elections and the various county boards of elections to provide a user-friendly website for voters who request and submit absentee ballots, to track their ballots through the entire absentee voting