Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on People’s Faith in the Justice System

By DAVID GREENE
This week, following the not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and the guilty verdicts in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial, we asked readers if they have faith in the criminal justice system.   “The two very different decisions make me believe, more than ever, that when a case is properly prepared and adjudicated with care, the justice system works. The biggest problem with the system, as I see it, is in the people who are responsible for running the courts. Would Rittenhouse have been found guilty with a more thoughtful judge in the case? I don’t know, but we heard


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Williamsbridge: Police Ask for Public’s Help with Investigation into Fatal Shooting of 18-Year-Old

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Police appealed to the public for help on Wednesday, Dec. 1, with their investigation into what transpired to be the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old male victim, and the non-fatal shooting of three other people in Williamsbridge, in November.   As reported, on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 5.05 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding an assault (non-fatal shooting) at 815 Burke Avenue in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx, located in the 47th precinct.   Upon arrival, officers discovered an 18-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head, a 59-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to


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Bridge Lift Testing at RFK Bridge Scheduled for Early Morning Hours of Friday, Dec. 3

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bridge lift testing at the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge Manhattan span is scheduled for the early morning hours of Friday, Dec. 3, the MTA announced on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Intermittent Closures Planned for Both Traffic Flow Directions Intermittent, full closures at the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge’s Harlem River lift span to/from Manhattan are scheduled on Friday, Dec. 3, from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. for bridge lifts, to test mechanical functionality, and allow completion of routine preventative maintenance.   Each closure will last approximately 20 minutes. Customers traveling on the M60 bus, which offers service to LaGuardia Airport, should expect


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In First for NYC, Familial DNA Technology Solves 1999 Cold Murder Case of 13-Year-Old Bronx Girl

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced on Tuesday, Nov. 30, that a Westchester man has been charged in the 1999 murder case of a Bronx teenage girl. Familial DNA technology was used as part of the investigation and resulted in an eventual DNA match with the defendant. It is the first time that familial DNA technology has been used in New York City to solve a case.   Clark said, “The defendant allegedly killed 13-year-old, Minerliz Soriano, and then took her bound body in a garbage bag and left it in


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Bronx Man Indicted for Defrauding More than $35,000 from State Compensation Benefits

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx district attorney, Darcel D. Clark announced on Nov. 19 that a Bronx man has been charged with grand larceny (theft), insurance fraud, and additional charges for falsely claiming he was fully disabled and unable to work at his State job so that he could collect more than $35,000 in worker’s compensation.   Clark said, “The defendant allegedly continued working an increased number of hours at his second job while collecting compensation for being unable to work for the State. He took advantage of a system in place that helps New Yorkers who truly need it, and now he will


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Mount Hope: Construction Application Filed for New 12-Story Building at 130 East 177th Street

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Construction applications have been filed with New York City Department of Buildings for a 12-story, mixed-use, residential building at 130 East 177th in Mount Hope, as reported by YIMBY.   Located between Morris Avenue and Grand Concourse, the interior lot is two blocks south from the Tremont Avenue subway station, serviced by the B and D trains. FHMC Inc, a third-party real estate and financial arm of The Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, is listed as the owner behind the applications.   The proposed, 123-foot-tall development will yield 55,987 square feet, with 52,597 square feet designated for residential space and


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Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance Before Dec. 6      

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  With the deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance only seven days away, FEMA is reminding Bronxites who incurred losses or damage from Hurricane Ida that the agency provides financial assistance to eligible individuals and households who have incurred uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses as a result of the storm. FEMA officials added that such assistance is not a substitute for insurance, and cannot compensate for all losses caused by the disaster.   Homeowners and renters may apply for assistance if they live in the Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties and had damage from the


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Morris Heights: Housing Lottery Launches for Units at 1769 Jerome Avenue

By SÍLE MOLONEY
An affordable housing lottery has launched for units at 1769 Jerome Avenue, a 16-story, mixed-use building in Morris Heights, The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. Designed by Marvel Architects, and developed through the Jerome Housing Development Fund, the structure yields 175 residential units.   Available on NYC Housing Connect, the online portal for New York City Department of Housing, Preservation & Development,  are 60 units for residents at 60 to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $34,972 to $118,400. Amenities include a superintendent, elevators, front desk security, a community room, residential terrace, gym,


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AG Report Finds Only 2/3 of Charity Donations Went to Charities & Professional Fundraisers Retained the Rest

By SÍLE MOLONEY
In time for Giving Tuesday and the holiday season, on Monday, Nov. 29, New York Attorney General Letitia James released her annual “Pennies for Charity: Fundraising by Professional Fundraisers” report, which found that charities that used professional fundraisers received only about two-thirds of every dollar donated in 2020, with those fundraisers retaining the remainder — earning more than $380 million.   Analyzing 718 campaigns conducted by professional fundraisers in 2020, the report concluded that charities earned 73 percent of donations from those campaigns, a small increase from the previous year, and in line with the last four years’ results. “As


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