Bronx Building Contractor Faces $300,370 Fine after 21-Year-Old Laborer Suffers Fatal Fall

By SÍLE MOLONEY

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation carried by the U.S. Department of Labor into a Nov. 13, 2020 construction incident which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old laborer has determined that Bronx-based company, Everest Scaffolding Inc., failed to ensure the laborer’s fall arrest harness was attached, as required. Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in construction, a fact sadly illustrated by the death of the 21-year-old, and others, as reported recently by Norwood News. The laborer in question who was the subject of the federal level investigation fell nearly 50 feet as he installed a supported

By DAWN CLANCY & MIRIAM QUIÑONES

Hip Hop enthusiasts across the five boroughs gathered on Sunday, June 5, at Gun Hill Playground in The Bronx to celebrate African American Music Appreciation Month and honor the legacy of hip-hop’s first female emcee, MC Sha-Rock. Against the backdrop of ample sunshine and live music, some of hip hop’s earliest titans, including Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Lil Rodney C of Funky 4 +1, DJ Breakout, and battle rapper Sparky D, paid tribute to MC Sha-Rock, whose musical talents and contribution to Hip Hop culture helped shape the scene for women in Hip Hop

By DAWN CLANCY

For his ongoing efforts in erasing graffiti from buildings in the Bedford Park and Norwood sections of the Bronx, the Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) has presented Sirio Guerino, co-founder of Guerinos Against Graffiti (GAG), with the Mary Vallati Memorial Award, an annual prize which honors those individuals who provide exceptional service to their community. Vallati was a longtime community activist who was active with the association until her death at 101. News of Guerino’s win was announced during BMCA’s final (virtual) meeting before the summer recess, held on June 2, and Guerino was physically presented with the

By DAWN CLANCY & MIRIAM QUIÑONES

Women from Norwood’s Bengali community threw a festive BBQ at Mosholu Park on Saturday, May 22, to celebrate the end of Islam’s holy month of Ramadan. The event, hosted by LAAL, a non-profit organization that provides resources and support to Bengali women in Norwood, also marked the first time the community had gathered in person since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as such, was also an opportunity to celebrate life beyond the various State-mandated lockdowns. “When everything shut down in March of 2020, we had to cancel all of our in-person programming,” said Alexandra Indira

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced details, on June 24, of another Bronx Gun Buyback event, where people can turn in operable handguns or assault rifles, no questions asked, and receive a cash card and free iPad. As reported, such gun buyback events have been held in the past in the Bronx and elsewhere, all in efforts to get more illegal guns off the streets. Clark said, “The Bronx has seen far too many shootings since last summer. One of the recent shootings involved two innocent children who were caught

By SÍLE MOLONEY, MIRIAM QUIÑONES & DAVID GREENE

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance identifying the person seen in the attached video and photographs who is wanted for questioning in connection to two arson incidents that occurred in the 50th precinct. It was reported to police that on Friday June, 11, 2021, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., inside a residential building in the vicinity of University Avenue and West 195th Street, an individual set fire to the door of an apartment. On Monday June 14, 2021, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., the person returned to the building and set fire to the

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) for Construction and General Building Laborers, Local Union #79 will carry out a recruitment drive over the summer for 200 skilled construction craft laborer apprentices, the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) has announced. The recruitment will take place online from July 23, 2021 to August 5, 2021, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Applications are limited to a first-come, first-served basis. The recruitment will be offered for 10 business days or until 2,000 applications have been issued, whichever comes first. Applicants who do not

By CHAD FEAY

June is National Men’s Health Month; it’s important that men don’t overlook their health. This awareness month was created by Congress in 1994 to bring attention to men’s medical needs, as well as ways to improve their health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports reports that, on average, men die five years earlier than women and are also at a higher risk for some illnesses, including lung cancer and heart disease. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also show that, compared with women, men wait longer before seeing a doctor or other

By DAVID GREENE

This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the new Citi Bike stations that have recently popped up across the borough, and are heavily concentrated in Bedford Park. “I actually came out of the building, and it just appeared there last week. That’s when I noticed it. I’m actually looking forward to using them, and I was just saying to my friend that I think it’s a great use of the space. I do think if you’re going to use these bikes, you definitely should have all the safety gear that you should wear when you’re biking.” Monique Robinson, Bedford Park