Politics

UPDATE Sunshine Brings Smiles at 25th Throggs Neck St. Patrick’s Day Parade

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Plenty of happy faces (as well as the occasional, green one!) were seen at the 25th Throggs Neck St. Patrick’s Day Parade held this year on Sunday, March 12. Parade organizers said they were proud to have Mrs. Lois Harr and Mr. Roger Slattery leading the marchers down the parade route as this year’s grand marshals.   To the rousing sound of pipe and marching band music, the parade kicked off around noon from the corner of East Tremont and Lafayette Avenues and the route, lined by revelers and well-wishers, bedecked in the obligatory green, was just about a mile


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Group of Elected Officials Visit Rikers Island, Alleging Hochul is “Pushing to Roll Back Bail Reform”

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  A group of eight State lawmakers held a press conference at the entrance to Rikers Island jail on Thursday, April 6, amid, they said, reports of “continued unsafe and inhumane conditions,” at the jail. The visit was scheduled as legislators awaited updates from three-way budget negotiations, and in the context of those negotiations, they allege Gov. Kathy Hochul was “pushing civil rights rollbacks that would result in many more people being held at Rikers without being convicted of a crime.”   Among the group were State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez (S.D. 34) who represents parts of The Bronx, State Sen.


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Why People Oppose Banning Assault Weapons

By DAVID GREENE
  This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the possibility of banning assault weapons, and what is driving the opposition by some to banning the use by civilians of weapons of war.     “Assault weapons or machine guns shouldn’t be in the hands of regular citizens; they should only be used by the military, but all citizens should be able to own handguns and rifles. No one should be dying. Lawmakers should just take some action. They should just make the right choice. My thinking is if you know the history of how the police first began, they were


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DC 37 Ratify New Contract with City with 1/4 of City’s Workforce Receiving a Raise & One-Time Bonus

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the commissioner of the New York City Office of Labor Relations (OLR), Renee Campion, hailed District Council (DC) 37 for voting to ratify its contract with the City on March 31 — passing with 97 percent of all members voting in favor.   The five-plus year contract is the first reached under the Adams administration, according to government officials and will cover roughly one-quarter of the city’s total unionized workforce, providing annual raises of 3 percent in the first four years, and 3.25 percent in the fifth year, as well as a one-time


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Councilman Kevin Riley Honors Local Community Leaders at Black History Month Brunch at NYBG

By JULES WEBBER & DAVID GREENE
District 12 City Councilman Kevin Riley teamed up once again with the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) to host the 2nd Annual Black History Month Celebration last month. The event was held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, in NYBG’s Garden Terrace room, located at 2950 Southern Boulevard, and was billed as a community fellowship brunch, a curated program which included a keynote address by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.   The event celebrated local community leaders who have dedicated years to creating a stronger community.   In a two-minute video advertising the event ahead of time, Riley said, “Thank you to


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UPDATE Bronx Elected Officials Weigh in on Indictment of Donald J. Trump

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx elected officials are weighing in on the indictment of former President Donald J. Trump, announced Thursday, March 30, relating to, as yet, unsealed criminal charges relating to an investigation by the Office of the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg into Trump over an alleged hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.   On Friday, March 31, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15) who represents a large section of The Bronx stretching from the Northwest to the South, said, “The indictment of former president Donald Trump by a


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Bedford Park Resident Honored at Bridgefield Civic League Women’s History Month Celebration

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest edition.   Bedford Park resident and community volunteer, Miriam Quiñones, was one of five impressive women honored during a Women’s History Month celebration organized by Bridgefield Civic League in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx on Saturday, March 18. During the event, Quiñones, who is also a freelance photographer with Norwood News, along with each of the other four honorees, was presented with a plaque by president of Bridgefield Civic League, Debra Garland, as well as proclamations from both the City Council, presented by District


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on the Possible Indictment of Former President Donald J. Trump

By DAVID GREENE
  This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the possibility of criminal charges being brought against former U.S. President Donald J. Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in connection with an alleged hush-money payment to porn actress, Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.   “I think he’s corrupted, and he deserves what he gets for what he did. He’s going to New York City first. Well, actually he’s got a lot of money, but I think he’s guilty – simple. He paid a lot of women off. They’re going to get


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ACS Recommends Three Entities to Run “Alternative to Detention” Programs for Court-Involved Youth

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) announced on Monday, March 13, the three organizations it has recommended for funding with the aim of operating the NYC Family Court Alternative to Detention (ATD) programs. These are the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), which will serve youth in The Bronx and Manhattan; the Justice Innovation Center (JIC), which will serve youth in Queens and Staten Island; and Good Shepherd Services, which will serve youth in Brooklyn.   As reported, the Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence program operates within the framework of Good Shepherd Services in The


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