14th Suspect Charged in Lesandro Guzman-Feliz Killing

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID CRUZ

Prosecutors have now charged a fourteenth Trinitarios suspect in the killing of a 15-year-old in Belmont which sparked citywide outrage throughout the summer. Frederick Then, 19, of Reading, PA, faces a litany of charges including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree conspiracy, in the killing of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz. Junior was stabbed outside a Bronx bodega on June 20 by a group of men. His killing was caught on surveillance video, prompting outrage over the brutality of his death. “The defendant, along with 13 others already indicted, allegedly plotted an act of violence with members of the “Los Sures” set

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers what they think about the city’s plan to expand the speed camera program that places cameras with radar detection around public schools, increasing the number from 140 to 290 locations. It doesn’t matter. I mean, people are going to drive any way they want. But around schools, personally I would drive the speed limit and just speed up afterwards. I don’t think it will change anything. People are going to do anything they want to do at the moment. They make laws for different reasons. If you’re passing a school you shouldn’t be speeding, that’s

Mary Vallati was honored with a street renaming just outside where she lived. Now, those who knew Vallati will tell you she was a person with a real love for the community up until the time she passed away last year. At 102 years old, almost 40 years after the average age of retirement, Vallati continued volunteering her time for causes seen as vital to the community. She was there to hand out raffle tickets at 52nd Precinct Community Council gatherings, and doing her part sending mailers for upcoming Bedford Mosholu Community Association meetings. At 102 years old you can’t

At 76 years Old, Bedford Park Local in Fight for Better Quality of Life

By DAVID CRUZ

All Andrea Ortiz wants is peace and quiet. Sitting on her flowery couch in her fourth-floor one-bedroom apartment on Briggs Avenue, Ortiz is at her wits end, frustrated over the ongoing noise originating from her upstairs neighbor. But the problems didn’t just spring up this year, or the year before, but in February 2015, shortly after the sale of her building to The Related Cos., a multi-billion-dollar real estate firm that purchased a portfolio of properties with funds from the New York City Pension Fund. “From there, it’s been hell,” Ortiz said. Her only theory is that management is attempting

By PROF. ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA, PFA

Yes, everyone wants that million dollar refund next year. But very few understand that it takes tax planning to execute your perfect tax return (and refund) for the following year. It’s like making a cake, right? To make a beautiful cake–in the evening–one must prepare and get the right ingredients in the morning. But wait. A new chef has been hired: President Donald Trump. And he created “new ingredients” for you to prepare your cake or tax return for next year. The 2017 Trump tax bill is not a tax reduction. It is not tax reform. It is, in my

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO

Two Bronx senators are proposing separate bills that bear similarities towards improving lead level testing in children, in light of the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) lead poisoning crisis. State Senator Luis Sepulveda recently introduced a bill that seeks to raise the maximum testing age from 6 to 10 years old and lower the microgram threshold to match the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) danger level of five micrograms. In New York State, it takes ten micrograms of lead found in a child’s blood to trigger action. Under current state law, children under the age of two

Norwood Local Lobbies Assemblywoman For Domestic Violence Bill

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

Local activist and president of Guerinos Against Graffitti, Heather Guerino, met with Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez to discuss issues surrounding domestic violence and how it is handled by authorities. The meeting came days after Lisa Marie Velasquez was killed while trying to protect her friend from an abusive boyfriend. In an ironic twist, Velasquez also witnessed the abuse and death of her mother, resulting in Velasquez’s grandmother raising her. Guerino wants to make life safer for victims of domestic violence by retraining police officers on how to deal with orders of protection. Guerino has found the system marred with loopholes that

Cabrera Chides NYCHA Over Legionnaire’s Ignorance

By MARIYA MOSELEY

“Is it safe to brush my teeth?” Those are the words of the 6-year-old grandson of Barbara Lauray, President of the Tenants Association at the Fort Independence Houses complex at 3340 Bailey Ave. Lauray, 61, said it’s “sad and heartbreaking” to see her grandchildren dig into their bookbags for a bottle of water and toothbrush every morning. This comes as two residents at the building have recently been treated and released from a local hospital after contracting Legionnaires’ disease. The disease is often described as a severe form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium that festers in water, leading health

By KATIE PANCZER

As the end of summer approaches, many families have sent their children off to college. As a parent or caregiver, the thought of sending a child to college may be the start of an adventure. To others, it can be overwhelming. You may question how your child will manage laundry, eating well, cleaning up after themselves and finding their way around. You may also wonder how your home life will change in their absence and how they will adjust to a new environment with new responsibilities. This transition will likely be stressful for your teenager, too, even if they are