Politics

Espaillat Calls on Hispanic Caucus to Condemn Yoho’s Verbal Attack on AOC

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On July 24, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), who serves as Whip of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), called on the Leadership of Congress to urge formal action be taken to condemn Congressman Ted Yoho (FL-03) for what he called Yoho’s unacceptable conduct directed at Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) while on the steps of the United States Capitol on Tuesday, as reported by The Hill.   Espaillat and CHC members have called for the censure of Rep. Yoho to allow all House members to formally vote on a resolution disapproving of Rep. Yoho’s reprehensible behavior. Yoho said he regretted and attempted


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Dinowitz: Vote By Mail Legislation Gathering Pace This Week, as Presidential Election Beckons

By SÍLE MOLONEY
As COVID-19 surges around the United States, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has been pushing for legislation that would expand New York voters’ ability to vote by mail in upcoming elections. Building on efforts to authorize absentee voting following the latest primary elections on June 23, it appears that legislation from Dinowitz will be passed in a flurry of Albany activity this week.   The legislation would temporarily alter the definition of illness with respect to absentee voting eligibility to include “risk of contracting or spreading a disease that may cause illness to the voter or to other members of the public”.


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Six Bronx Catholic Schools Abruptly Close  

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On Thursday, July 9, the Archdiocese of New York announced that 20 Catholic schools, including six in the Bronx, would be unable to reopen in September due to lack of finances in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.   The affected Bronx schools are St. John’s School in Kingsbridge, St. Luke’s School in Motthaven, St. Thomas Aquinas School in West Farms, the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady School in Eastchester, Our Lady of the Assumption School in Pelham Bay, and Sts. Philip & James School in the East Bronx. Meanwhile, three Catholic schools in the State will merge.   The archdiocese confirmed


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Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter Residents Quietly Move to Four-Star Manhattan Hotel Amid Pandemic

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
The residents of a 200-bed men’s homeless shelter in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx were quietly moved and are currently being housed at a four-star hotel in Manhattan due to concerns over coronavirus transmission. Some residents and workers from the area couldn’t be happier.   On Saturday, May 16, as New York City started to see the flattening of the COVID-19 curve, the City’s Department of Homeless Services (DHS) transferred 200 homeless men, many with mental illness, out of the Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter (JAMS), located at 3600 Jerome Avenue.   According to DHS, the shelter residents are currently


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Engel Wishes Bowman Well Following his Defeat in the 16th Congressional District race

By Síle Moloney
Congressman Eliot Engel released the following statement following news of his defeat to Jamaal Bowman on July 17, 2020 in the 16th Congressional District race, as reported by The New York Times, with Bowman winning 55.5% of the vote to Engel’s 40.4%. Christopher Fink won 2% of the vote.   “The numbers are clear, and I will not be the Democratic nominee for the 16th Congressional District seat in the fall election. Serving the people of the Bronx and Westchester in Congress has been the greatest privilege of my life, and what a remarkable 32 years it has been. We


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More Overdose Deaths in Bronx Than In Any Other County; Substance Use Treatment Programs In Danger

By Nickolaus Hayes
What Happens when Substance Use Treatment Programs Can No Longer Stay Afloat? Emergency funding could be needed to keep substance use treatment programs in operation as some governments continue to shut down their communities. The Trump administration has repeatedly cited the possible rise of overdoses and suicides when calling for states and businesses to re-open. However, only a hundredth of one percent of the nearly $2.5 trillion was dedicated to mental health and substance use treatment.   Many treatment centers, drug courts, and recovery programs have been forced to close, or they had to scale back during the shutdown. Many


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Barbara Stronczer, Green Space Advocate, Honored with Garden Plaque

By Marisa Marotta
Green spaces have held a special place in the heart of local resident, Barbara Stronczer, for many years. It was only fitting, therefore, that her many years of advocacy to keep Bronx communities beautiful, clean and safe were honored on Tuesday, June 30.   A lifelong Bronx resident, Stronczer is passionate about keeping the City clean, and over time has been involved in everything from organizing park clean-ups to beautification projects, and simply helping people in the neighborhood.   She currently serves as president of the Bedford Mosholu Community Association and is chairperson of Bronx Community Board 7 Parks’ Committee.


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Black, Brown and Blue in the Bronx: Stories of Pain, Profiling, and Measured Promise – Part II

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
The following article is the second of a two-part feature story on the resonance of the Black Lives Matter protests in the Bronx.   Part II   Stories like the ones that follow are all too familiar in the Bronx.   It is not only in the streets of the City where tensions are rising between law enforcement officers and the public. The incarcerated population has also been the subject of abusive practices by those sworn to protect.   Norwood resident, José Saldana, is the director of Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) and has firsthand knowledge of how the


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