Veterans

UPDATE: Congress Passes 4 of AOC’s 7 Amendments to Defense Budget Bill, to Protect Human Rights

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Congress has passed four of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s seven proposed amendments to the U.S. Defense Budget Bill, which are aimed at protecting human rights.   In mid-September, ahead of the vote on the The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Bronx congresswoman who represents New York’s 14th congressional district, introduced seven amendments that collectively sought to end U.S. practices that, she said, have contributed to human rights abuses. “We must end the sale of weapons to countries that have violated human rights, and reorient our foreign policy to one of humanitarian, diplomatic, and economic engagement,” the congresswoman tweeted on Thursday,


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New Yorkers Gather to Remember the Victims of the September 11th Attacks, 20 Years Later

By DAVID GREENE
Twenty years after 2,753 people were tragically killed when two hijacked jetliners crashed into the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan on 9/11, family members, friends and strangers once again paused to remember them at gatherings held across New York City on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Those who gathered at the memorial reflecting pool, and around the 16-acre site where the Twin Towers once stood comprised a much smaller crowd this year than the tens of thousands who have come to pay their respect in years past.   Joined our first responders at @NYPDTransit Transit District 11 to reflect and


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UPDATE Neighborhood Notes on 9/11 Commemoration, Back-to-School Events, Help with Flooding & More

  9/11 Memorial Events Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the Supreme Court of Bronx County is hosting a 9/11 memorial service on Monday, 13th Sept. at noon, at Lou Gehrig Plaza. See attached flyer for more information.   Partnerships for Parks announced that on Saturday, October 16th, nearly 1,000 volunteers will gather in parks across the city for Fall IMP-act Day, the group’s annual citywide park beautification day.   For the 20th anniversary of 9/11, volunteers will begin planting 70,000 daffodil bulbs which will bloom in the spring of 2022, honoring the lives lost to the terrorist attacks through the Daffodil


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on President Biden’s Decision to End the War in Afghanistan

By DAVID GREENE
  This week, we asked readers their thoughts on U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to end America’s longest war in Afghanistan.   “I think it’s about time they did this. I am so happy to hear that they’re doing this. They’ve been in Afghanistan for such a long time, I think it’s about time they do pull them out. No, it wasn’t done the right way. I don’t believe so, but few wars end peacefully. I don’t believe this world learned anything from the occupation. I think it’s gotten worse. We’ve gotten very stupid.” Kendall Levine, Hunts Point “It was a


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Wakefield: Lottery Open for New Affordable Housing Complex

By SÍLE MOLONEY
An affordable housing lottery has launched for units at Muller Apartments, a four-story residential building at 555 Nereid Avenue in the Wakefield section of the Bronx, as confirmed by YIMBY.   Designed by MHG Architects, and developed by The Doe Fund, which works to break the cycle of homelessness, incarceration and recidivism, the structure, yields 90 residential units, 54 of which are being allocated to formerly homeless military veterans, as previously reported.   Available on NYC Housing Connect are 35 units for residents at 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $30,583 to $57,300. Amenities


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Bronxites Celebrate Dominican Heritage at Annual Dominican Day Parade

By SARAH HUFFMAN and MIRIAM QUIÑONES
The Bronx celebrated its many residents of Dominican heritage on Sunday, July 25, at the annual Dominican Day Parade which kicked off at the Grand Concourse and 172nd Street. The celebration brought together a host of Dominican Americans and Bronxites from all walks of life, many decked out in red, white and blue to honor the colors of the Dominican flag.   New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio and various elected officials, political candidates and community leaders led the parade behind a gigantic Dominican flag. Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY13), Bronx District Attorney, the Hon. Darcel Clark, State Sen. Jamaal.


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New Committee Elected to Bronx CB7 for Upcoming Year

By SARAH HUFFMAN
The election of the various officer positions to Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) for the upcoming year took place at the last general board meeting of the year on June 23. Most of the incumbent officers were re-elected, apart from one. In addition, four motions were passed on various, different matters. Most had already been reviewed at the board’s June 17 meeting, as reported.   Nominating committee chair, Sandra Erickson, gave each candidate a chance to pitch their candidacy to the board members at the beginning of the meeting before voting took place. Most positions ran uncontested, except for second


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Op-Ed: Why Veterans’ Issues Matter

  Veterans make up one of the most vital demographics within our local community. Many of us may have heard about our veterans, or know someone who is a veteran, but how much do we really know about our veteran colleagues, friends and neighbors, and the challenges they face?   Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7)’s Veterans Affairs Committee dug deeper into this topic by seeking feedback from several agencies and partners, and from veterans, themselves. To date, the committee has covered quite a few important veterans’ topics, such as the importance of accessing dental care, why caregivers are important, knowing one’s


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