civil rights

Espaillat, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Temporary Protected Status for Ecuador Act

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Congressional Reps. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), along with nine other original cosponsors, introduced the Temporary Protected Status for Ecuador Act (H.R. 7371) to the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday, Feb. 26. The bill, if passed, would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to over 300,000 Ecuadorians in the U.S. who have fled the current mass outbreak of gang-related violence in Ecuador to seek safety for their families.

Health Care Expands March 5 to All Vets Exposed to Toxins during Military Service at Home or Abroad

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The U.S. Department of Veterans Services announced on Monday, Feb. 26, that all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military, at home or abroad, will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care beginning March 5. VA officials said this means all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any other combat zone after 9/11 will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.

Love Your Heart During American Heart Month & Forever!

By ARIEL PACHECO & SÍLE MOLONEY
Heart disease is preventable, yet it is the leading cause of death in the United States according to the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) with more than 800,000 people dying of cardiovascular disease every year. Despite this, a recent poll conducted by Harris and the American Heart Association found that more than half of U.S. residents are unaware of these facts.

UPDATE Family & Friends Remember Cecilia “Ceci” Greene

By DAVID GREENE
The Amalgamated Houses and the larger Jerome Park community is mourning the recent death of Cecilia “Ceci” Greene at the age of 91. Friends have offered an outpouring of tributes to the German immigrant who grew up during and survived the Nazi occupation only to seek and find lifelong friends and a better life in America. Greene died on Jan. 23.

Bronx Book Swap Promotes Love for Reading and Beer in The Bronx

By SHERICA DALEY
In a quiet, industrial area located in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx, something unexpected took place in mid-December. The Bronx Brewery hosted a Bronx Book Swap event on Dec. 17 in conjunction with Norwood Community Library, a bookworm’s event at no cost. Participants came to donate, swap books, listen to live music with DJ Buddy Lee, and enjoy a cold brew beer. The event was the first such event when books in Spanish and in other languages were made available and sought, and it laid the ground for the “Books & Brews” Book Club which launched in January 2024.