NYC Parents & Teachers Conference June 20: Sharing Ideas & Solutions for Reopening Schools

By Síle Moloney

NYC parents and educators will convene and present ideas for re-opening schools tomorrow Saturday, Jun. 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at a conference entitled, Sharing Ideas & Solutions for Reopening Schools: The Path Forward. The event will be held remotely, co-sponsored by Class Size Matters, NYC Kids PAC, and Community Education Councils from Districts 4, 8 (Bronx), 14, 17 and 32. During this conference, NYC parents, guardians, teachers and concerned New Yorkers will discuss and develop proposals around the reopening of schools in the fall and present them to invited decision-makers. If schools are to reopen, it

By Síle Moloney

Today, Jun. 19, as the country celebrates Juneteenth, the oldest nationally-celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that Juneteenth would become an official City and school holiday. The mayor also announced additional steps the City is taking to address disparities and structural racism that have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the creation of a new commission to understand the effects of structural and institutional racism in New York City. The Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission (RRC) will be established to promote social learning,

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

On Sunday June 7, 2020, police reported that a Mount Vernon man had been arrested for criminal possession of an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and criminal possession of a loaded firearm on Tuesday, June 2, at 11 p.m. in front of Behan’s Public House at 4299 Katonah Avenue in the Woodlawn Heights section of The Bronx. The location, in the 47th precinct, is a few blocks away from Van Cortlandt Park. The NYPD named the man as Nicholas Marc Bingman, 31, of 218 North High Street, Mount Vernon, NY, and in their statement, they said that Bingman’s motive for possession

By Síle Moloney

Spurred by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, eight esteemed arts organizations with deep roots in local communities of color have announced the formation of the Latinx / POC Arts Legacy Consortium. Partners seek to pool experiences, resources, and shared history in order to better prepare diverse populations for reopening, as well as to ideate new ways of overcoming historic undercapitalization well past the pandemic. The organizations are Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance, Bronx Documentary Center, Caribbean Cultural Center and African Diaspora Institute, El Museo del Barrio, Pregones / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater,

By Chelsea Andrews

Montefiore Health System’s Project Bravo Food Pantry, a community-based, hospital-driven initiative designed to combat food insecurity for high-risk individuals and families, serves thousands of Bronx residents nutritious meals each week. During these unprecedented times, many in our community have faced additional challenges accessing nutritious meals due to school closures. Food insecurity has grown for so many and Project Bravo has seen a wave of new clients. To ensure everyone still has access to food in as safe an environment as possible, we have adapted the food pantry to the new normal by implementing social distancing rules. With the

By Síle Moloney

The housing lottery is open for 494 affordable units in Buildings A & B of La Central in The Bronx. The Hudson Companies, BRP Companies, Kretchmer Companies, ELH-TKC LLC, Comunilife, and Breaking Ground together with the City’s departments of housing preservation & development, housing development corporation and local leaders made the announcement on Monday, Jun. 15, 2020. Located at 556 and 600 Bergen Avenue, the two buildings will bring 494 units of affordable housing to the Melrose section of the borough, all of which are available for lease through this lottery. Apartments at La Central range from studios to

By Síle Moloney

Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage’s “SummerStage Anywhere” digital series will honor the 155th Anniversary of Juneteenth, the national commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, with a free digital day of dance on Friday, June 19. Tribute performances will be presented on SummerStage’s Instagram channel throughout the day starting at 12:00 p.m. EST, including an excerpt from RudduR Dance’s ballet, “WITNESS”. The day will culminate on SummerStage’s YouTube channel at 7:00 p.m. EST with a panel discussion, Reflecting the Times, led by Hope Boykin of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, followed by a tribute performance of “HANGING TREE”, featuring Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet Dance

By Síle Moloney

New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea released the following statement on Jun. 15, 2020. “Today I have an update on a troubling incident involving a member of the department that occurred during recent demonstration activity. We are sharing an update as part of our efforts at greater transparency. On June 1, 2020 in Manhattan, an officer discharged mace at a group of bystanders. IAB [Internal Affairs Bureau] conducted an investigation and this Probationary Police Officer has been suspended without pay. This case has been referred to the Department Advocate for disciplinary action. There are other matters

By Síle Moloney

On Friday, June 12, 2020, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. launched a virtual tribute to remember and celebrate the lives of Bronxites lost during the coronavirus pandemic. The virtual memorial went live on the Bronx Borough President’s website bronxboropres.nyc.gov/covidmemorial and honors borough residents who lost loved ones to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those wishing to submit the name of a Bronxite to be included on the page can do so at bit.ly/bxcovidmemorial. “The COVID-19 pandemic hit our borough very hard, affecting us all as a community,” said Diaz Jr. “This virtual memorial allows us the opportunity to mourn