UPDATE Alleged Pimps, Former Hotel Employees Charged in Child Sex Trafficking Ring

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell announced on Thursday, April 6, that six men, three alleged pimps, and the manager, front desk clerk, and security guard at a Bronx hotel, have been charged with a host of offenses, including enterprise corruption, sex trafficking of a child, and promoting prostitution, and two of the alleged pimps were also charged with rape.   Clark said the defendants, Akeem Lee, 34; Marvin Flint, 32;  Anthony Reyes, 31; Golam Rabbani, 27; Robert Olaguibel, 45; and Patrick Walker, 51, were variously charged in an 80-count indictment


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UPDATE Elections 2023: Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark on Safety & Criminal Justice

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition.   Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark made history in 2016 when she was elected as the first African American woman to ascend to the role of district attorney in the State of New York, as well as the first woman to hold the position of Bronx district attorney. As she runs for reelection for the third time in June 2023, we take a look back at her career to date, and her mission “to lead with empathy and compassion” while balancing safety


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Westchester Square: Bronx Man Charged in Killing of 15-Year-Old Stepson

By SÍLE MOLONEY
         Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Wednesday, April 5, that a Bronx man has been charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death of his 15-year-old stepson, as reported.   In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “The defendant allegedly got into a dispute with his stepson, and restrained him by grabbing his neck, causing a lack of oxygen which led to the boy’s death. It is horrific that his life was taken at such a young age.” She said the defendant, Tyresse Minter, 28, was arraigned on Wednesday on charges of second-degree manslaughter


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Fordham Manor: Arrest Made in Fatal Shooting of Norwood Resident, Angel “Pookie” Cuasant

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE
The NYPD said the department has made an arrest in the fatal shooting in Fordham Manor of 26-year-old Norwood resident, Angel “Pookie” Cuasant, on Dec. 18, 2022.   An NYPD spokesperson said on Wednesday, April 5, that Andres Latorre, 37, from East 158th Street in the Melrose section of The Bronx was arrested, and charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. As reported, police said officers responded to a 911 call regarding a male who had been shot inside 2650 Briggs Avenue in Fordham Manor on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 11.13 a.m.   “Upon arrival, they discovered


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UPDATE Success Academy Charter School to Open at St. Brendan Catholic School Site

By SÍLE MOLONEY
After nearly 200 young students and parents rallied outside of St. Brendan School in Norwood on Feb. 24 to protest plans by the Archdiocese of New York to close the Catholic school in September 2023 due to declining income, one of 12 Catholic schools across the City, including six in The Bronx, scheduled to close, parents received a letter dated March 30 from the school’s representatives, confirming that the site has been leased to a Charter school which will open in September.   The letter reads in part, “After our sad announcement in February that St. Brendan’s Regional School would


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Norwood: Police Search for 13-Year-Old Girl Reported Missing

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance locating a 13-year-old girl reported missing from Norwood.   Police said Leanna Fernandez of 3070 Hull Avenue was last seen on Monday, April 3, at around 2.30 p.m., leaving her home. She is described as female, 5 feet, 3 inches tall, Hispanic, weighs 150 pounds, has a light complexion, a medium build, black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, a navy blue, hooded sweatshirt, and red and white sneakers.   Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this individual is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline


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ANHD Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship Deadline is May 15

By SÍLE MOLONEY
ANHD/Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship applications are open NOW, through May 15. ANHD (Association for Neighborhood Housing Development) and Morgan Stanley seek graduate students and ANHD Member organizations to apply to what it describes as its highly successful community development leadership program’s 12th cohort year, running September 2023 – June 2024.   The ANHD/Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship program builds the capacity of community development organizations in NYC by cultivating and empowering emerging community development leaders.   Nine (9) graduate students will be selected and paired with a neighborhood-based ANHD-member community development organization. Working on a unique, affordable


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Bronx Borough Hall Lit Turquoise, Pink & Purple as World Dyslexia Assembly Sits in NYC

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday, April 3, that City Hall and two additional municipal buildings, including Bronx Borough Hall, would be lit turquoise, pink and purple the same evening to raise awareness of the hosting by New York City of the “Made By Dyslexia’s World Dyslexia Assembly” on April 3 at the David Geffen Hall in the Lincoln Centre in Manhattan.   “Made By Dyslexia has made it their mission to train every teacher and help every workplace to spot, support, and empower every dyslexic mind,” said Adams. “As a student, I struggled with identifying my


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UPDATE Applications Open for 2nd Cohort of M/WBE Mentoring Program, Deadline Extended to June 30

Major Construction Along East Mosholu Parkway North Hurting Local Businesses
By SÍLE MOLONEY
Commissioner Thomas Foley of NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced that the application period for firms and small businesses interested in participating in the second cohort of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) Mentoring Program was open. The original deadline of May 15 has since been extended to June 30. City officials said the DDC M/WBE Mentoring Program is the first of its type for a New York City mayoral agency.   Qualifying firms must be in the construction industry, have been in business for at least one year, and are certified by the NYC Department of Small


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