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Update: Bedford Park Residents Concerned Over New NYBG Apartments

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

When members of the Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) held their usual, virtual, monthly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 6, concerns were raised over the impact of New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) plans for two new housing developments at East Bedford Park Boulevard and Webster Avenue, which form part of a 2011 re-zoning plan to revitalize 88 blocks of Webster Avenue. According to Barbara Stronczer, president of BMCA, and as reported by the Norwood News, the $93 million housing and retail project was due to incorporate 188 reduced-income apartments for seniors at 2856 Webster Avenue in 2020. This was to

Elections 2021: Marcos Sierra on Housing, Education & Employee Protection

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The following story is an extended version of the one published in our latest print edition. Marcos Sierra’s lived experience is unique compared to his fellow candidates in the 11th City Council District race. As a front-line healthcare worker, a survivor of gun violence, and a dad guiding his daughter through the trials and tribulations of remote learning, he said all these factors have helped shape his political outlook. If elected to the now, vacant 11th District seat, following the resignation of former Councilman Andrew Cohen on Dec. 31 to take up a Supreme Court judgeship in

Norwood: Food & Mask Giveaway Lines Are Not Getting Shorter

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A further food and mask giveaway was held at Hull Avenue and 204th Street in Norwood on Sept. 3, 2020, as food insecurity continues to be a concern for many families across The Bronx. The event was promoted by the American Albanian Open Hand Association, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, City Councilman Andrew Cohen, State Committee Leader Elect Sandra Pabon, and Male District Leader Elect Marcos Sierra. In addition to those listed on the event flyer as the event organizers and promoters, among those who joined to volunteer on the day at the event

Op-Ed, Financial Focus: So How Many Jobs Have We Really Lost?

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

If you heard the jobs report and the stock market news last Friday, you would have thought we were just about all the way back! President Donald Trump held a press conference shortly after the report was released and said it was “stupendous”. In May, we actually ADDED 2.5 million jobs, and unemployment tracked in at under 14 percent. The doom and gloom experts thought it was going to be 20 percent. After all, in April, it was reported by the government that we lost 20 million jobs. So, how was the government wrong? Were the numbers tampered with?

Op-Ed, Financial Focus: Coronavirus has bankrupted some of our 20th Century Brands!

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

Well, pretty soon, I’ll be making a choice on Social Security. Yes, I’m getting “old”. I will be 60 soon. I’m ok with it. I have an adopted sibling that calls me “Uncle Tony”. Sometimes, I walk around elementary school, since I’m also a teacher, and I’ll hear whisperings of “Grandpa”. Yes, I have many good memories – the things, the people my age group can remember. Our fondest memories, I am sure, are the 80s and 90s, the latter parts of the 20th century. Hertz, you might remember, like brands such as Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly, was

Op-Ed, Financial Focus: China, Hong Kong, Coronavirus or Presidential Ineptness – Which Will Kill Us First?

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

As a money manager since 1992, I can tell you personally that one of the things managers do, way before the U.S. markets open each day at 9:30 a.m, is to first look at the world financial markets. One of the first to be examined is the “Asian” markets and most specifically, Hong Kong, which opens 12 hours prior to the U.S. markets. Hong Kong’s “capitalist” system, which has been going strong for over two decades now, has led many a U.S. market to boom. Although, of course, U.S. news affects U.S. financial markets, many money managers will also

Op-Ed, Financial Focus: The Fed Cautiously Believes A Second Half Rebound Is Very Possible

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

On Sunday, May 17, Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve Board Chair, was interviewed on the TV show, 60 Minutes. “The Fed” is a governmental body in charge of interest rates and money in our economy. President Donald Trump, wanting a new person to lead the Fed, nominated Powell in 2018, but since then, has been critical of his work. Trump has been pushing hard to lower interest rates further while Powell wants to take a more moderate approach. Then, in February of 2020, the pandemic hit. In Sunday’s interview, Powell said that the pandemic is the biggest threat to

Op-Ed, Financial Focus: The New Normal – The Coronavirus Investing Fund

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

My job as a financial advisor today is most interesting. The questions are abundant. What should I do about the stock market? Why is my 401(k) down? How can I increase my bank balance? If I could, we would throw away all the past logic, and we did! Today, “the new normal” begins. But what is this “new investing normal”? For one thing, it’s understanding that we live in a new economy, a stay-at-home work economy which we recognized, at one time, as self-employment or entrepreneurship. This will represent 15-20% of our economy. Some people will prefer to

Op-Ed, Financial Focus: Working from Home? Can You Write Off Expenses On Your Taxes?

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

So, you’ve been working from home for how long now? Two months? You’ve had to set up a space in your home, maybe reconfigure or buy an online platform, computer or laptop. I’m sure you’ve had to buy supplies or equipment, and, of course, you’ve used your phone and had lunch every day too. In all likelihood, you’ve probably been working longer hours than usual. Has your employer paid you for those extra expenses? If not, can you write these items off on your taxes? The answer is yes, but first a little history! Prior to 2017, working-from-home costs