The Latest Street, Bridge Closures and General Transportation Updates Through 2026 in The Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the MTA, NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), New York City Department of Design & Construction (DDC), the NYPD, and other government agencies and private entities have shared the following street and bridge closures and transportation updates for The Bronx through 2026, as of Friday, Feb. 3.   Bridge Closures  Madison Avenue Bridge over Harlem River Single-lane traffic in both directions will be closed off Monday to Friday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next morning, and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning, through Feb. 23. Additionally, the bridge


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UPDATE Police Say 23-Year-Old Man from Norwood No Longer Missing

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The NYPD said on Tuesday, Jan. 7, that a 23-year-old man from Norwood who had been reported missing has been located.   Prior to being located, it had been reported to police that Lino Cruz Ballinas Jr. of Webster Avenue had last been seen on Monday, Jan. 30, at around 11.34 a.m., inside St. Barnabas Hospital.   He was described as being around 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with a light skin complexion, brown eyes, black hair and a beard. Prior to being located, he had last been seen wearing a red jacket, gray jeans, neon


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NYC DOB & MTA Urge Caution during High Winds & Artic Conditions

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The New York City area may experience severe weather including freezing temperatures from an arctic cold front and potential wind gusts of up to 40 mph, starting Friday, Feb. 3, and continuing into Saturday, Feb. 4, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Accordingly, NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) is reminding all builders, contractors, crane operators, and property owners to secure their construction sites, buildings, and equipment.   Department officials said DOB will be performing random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the City, and if sites are not secured, DOB officials will take immediate enforcement action, issuing violations and


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Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine to Perform at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts will present the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, performing classic compositions of Brahms and Sibelius on Feb. 19, led by principal conductor, Theodore Kuchar, and featuring violin soloist, Vladyslava Luchenko. The special program will include Brahms: Tragic Overture, Op. 81, Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77, and Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43.   The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, based in the medieval city of Lviv, was officially established on Sept. 27, 1902. On this day, the first concert of the newly formed orchestra took


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Bowman, Booker Reintroduce African American History Act, Urge Nation to Tell the Truth About its Past

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  As February marks Black History Month, Democrats, Rep. Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (NY-16) and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker reintroduced The African American History Act in both the House and the Senate and are urging leaders across the nation to tell the truth about the United States’ history of racism and white supremacy. The bill was reintroduced on Feb. 2 with over 100 original co-sponsors in the House, representatives for Bowman and Booker said.   “It is our moral imperative to tell the truth about our past to finally reconcile with this nation’s history of racism and white nationalism, and our


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“Skip The Stuff” Bill Becomes Law, Ending Single-Use Plastics in Takeout and Delivery Orders

By SÍLE MOLONEY
District 13 Council Member Marjorie Velázquez and colleagues rejoiced as Int 559-A, also known as “Skip The Stuff” bill was signed into law by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Jan. 19.   Representatives for the Northeast Bronx council member said for years, local advocates have urged the City Council to pass legislation to decrease the usage of single-use plastics and unnecessary condiment packets or extras. They said the majority of these items are tossed directly in the garbage or a drawer, never to be used and local businesses simultaneously throw away thousands of dollars while overwhelming our landfills.


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Overnight Truck Parking Survey Launched

By SÍLE MOLONEY
City Hall has convened a Task Force with relevant City agencies to address overnight truck parking in NYC and to assess potential solutions. According to City officials, existing regulations prohibit commercial vehicles from parking on residential streets overnight, but the problem has persisted, particularly in outer borough neighborhoods.   They said that with the increased use of freight and expected industry growth, the City needs to examine the trends and data, and come up with solutions that will be long term and sustainable. To this end, a Please click here for Overnsurvey. has been launched to collect information on the topic.


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New York City Declares End to MPV Outbreak After “Nation-Leading Response”

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  City health officials announced on Wednesday, Feb. 1, an end to the MPV [monkeypox / “mpox”] outbreak. The news comes as transmission remains “very low” in the City for two consecutive months health officials said, adding that the declaration followed the successful vaccination of more than 100,000 New Yorkers, and community partnerships in education and behavior change.   The City had been the epicenter of the outbreak last year but according to health officials, DOH launched a number of successful response strategies to curb transmission. The declaration of the end of the outbreak also comes as the U.S. public


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UPDATE Marble Hill: Missing Girl Aged 12 Last Seen in Brooklyn, Home and “in Good Health”

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The NYPD said a 12-year-old girl from Marble Hill who was reported missing on Tuesday, Jan. 31, has returned home and is “in good health.”   It was reported to police that, prior to returning home, Dayana Vazquez of Adrian Avenue in the Marble Hill section of The Bronx was last seen on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at around 7.47 a.m., leaving Prospect Park station in Brooklyn. She was walking toward M.S. 442 Carroll Garden School for Innovation, located at 500 19th Street.   She was described as female, 5 feet, 4 inches tall, Hispanic, weighing around 140 pounds, with


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