MTA to Retire 1960s Era “Brightliner” R-32 Subway Cars, Invites Public for Farewell Rides on D Line

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on Dec. 18 that, after 58 years of service, a fleet of subway cars known as the R-32s, nicknamed the Brightliners, and which are among the oldest subway cars to operate in the world, will officially retire from service. To commemorate the historic occasion and the subway cars’ unique design, New York City Transit (NYCT) is placing one R-32 train in service on four consecutive Sundays from mid-December through early January. The first run took place on Sunday, Dec. 19.   According to the MTA, the R-32s were the first large fleet of mass-produced


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Police Impersonators Rob 54-Year-Old Man’s Car & Cash

By SÍLE MOLONEY
    The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance identifying the individuals and the vehicle seen in the attached video and photos, following a robbery on Grant Avenue, in the 44th precinct.   It was reported to police that on Wednesday Dec. 8, at approximately 1.42 a.m., in front of 1240 Grant Avenue, southwest of Claremont Park, the two individuals stopped their car in front of a 54-year-old male victim’s parked car while he was standing next to it.   They told the victim they were police officers and that his car had been reported stolen. One of them then


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UPDATE Allerton: 40-Year-Old Man Dies Following Shooting

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  A 40-year-old man has died following a shooting in the Allerton section of the Bronx.   Police reported that on Wednesday, Dec. 22, at approximately 11.17 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding shots fired in front of 2309 Holland Avenue in Allerton, in the 49th precinct.   Upon arrival, officers observed a 40-year-old man lying on the ground, unconscious and unresponsive, with a gunshot wound to the chest. EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to NYC Health & Hospitals/Jacobi, where he was pronounced deceased. There are no arrests and the investigation remains ongoing.  


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Pelham Bay: Building Applications Filed for New Building at 3250 Westchester Avenue

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Building permit applications have been filed with New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) for a new, 17-story, residential building at 3250 Westchester Avenue in the Pelham Bay section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY.   Located at the intersection of Wilkinson Avenue and Westchester Avenue, the lot is one block from the Pelham Bay Park subway station, serviced by the 6 train. Marcal Group is listed as the owner behind the applications.   According to YIMBY, the proposed 176-foot-tall development will yield 322,501 square feet, designated for residential space. The building will have 187 residential units, most likely


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Kingsbridge Heights: Housing Lottery Launches for Units at 2779, 2781 University Avenue

By SÍLE MOLONEY
A new affordable housing lottery has launched for units in a pair of four-story residential buildings at 2779/2781 University Avenue in the Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx, as reported by YIMBY.   Designed by Woody Chen of Infocus and developed by Yaniv Zohar, the structures yield a total of 18 residential units.   Available on NYC Housing Connect, the online portal for New York City Department of Housing, Preservation & Development (HPD), are six units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $61,715 to $167,570.   According to NYC Housing


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Second Young Man Dies after Horrific Morris Park Crash

By DAVID GREENE
The NYPD has confirmed that a second young man has died following a horrific car crash which occurred in the Morris Park section of the Bronx, just eight days before Christmas.   NYPD Detective Denise Moroney said the crash occurred at the intersection of Morris Park Avenue and Haight Avenue at 12.15 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16. Moroney told Norwood News, “Police responded to a 911 call of a motor vehicle collision… within the confines of the 49th Precinct.” She continued, “Upon arrival, officers observed a 26-year-old male vehicle operator with severe trauma to the head and a 24-year-old male


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Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Honors Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz

By DAVID GREENE
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) was honored by Van Cortlandt Jewish Center on Sunday, Dec. 19, as part of a “Celebration of Appreciation” event held at the center in the Van Cortlandt Village section of the Bronx.   The assemblyman, who is Jewish, was elected to the New York State Assembly to represent the 81st Assembly District on February 15, 1994, and has been the elected assemblyman since then. The district broadly covers the Northwest Bronx section of the borough and includes Van Cortlandt Village where the the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center (VCJC) is located.   The gesture of appreciation


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Fauci & NIH Scientific Community Urge Pursuit of Universal Coronavirus Vaccine

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, on Thursday, Dec. 16, officials from the National Institute for Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said they are urging the pursuit of a universal coronavirus vaccine, explaining that there is a growing body of scientific evidence which, considered together with ecological reality, strongly suggests novel coronaviruses will continue to infect bats and other animal reservoirs, and potentially emerge to pose more pandemic threats to humans.   To counter future coronavirus outbreaks, the global, scientific and medical research community at NIAID said they should focus a major effort now on three goals: characterize the range of


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Kingsbridge Heights Fire in Multiple Dwelling Building Kills One Woman & Injures Two Others

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE
Video courtesy of Citizen A 57-year-old woman has died following a fire which broke out in a multiple dwelling in Kingsbridge Heights on Monday.   Police said they responded on Monday, Dec. 20, at approximately 10.34 a.m., to a 911 call regarding a fire at 2835 Webb Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights, located in the 50th precinct.   Upon arrival, police encountered FDNY personnel taking measures to put out the blaze. Once the fire had been extinguished at around 11.56 a.m., FDNY personnel discovered an unconscious and unresponsive 57-year-old woman inside Apartment 2B. EMS were at the scene and pronounced the


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