Neighborhood Notes: Free Apple Air Tags to Curb Auto theft, Understanding Heat Stroke, BBQ Sites & More!

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Sanchez Announces $1 Million in “Participatory Budgeting” Projects

By ARIEL PACHECO

District 14 City Council Member Pierina Sanchez announced a million-dollar investment in various quality-of-life improvements going to schools, libraries, and senior centers in the district on June 20. The funding came by way of New York City Council’s participatory budgeting (PB) process which, according to New York City Council, is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. According to the council, the concept originated in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989. Today, there are more than 3,000 participatory budgeting processes around the world, most at the municipal level. PB was launched

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Bronx dads and their kids got together for a fun day of games and activities to celebrate Father’s Day in St. James Park in Fordham Manor On June 15. The event was part of the HERO Dads a free program at Montefiore-Einstein designed to empower low-income, non-custodial fathers to achieve family and financial success. HERO stands for healthy, empowered, resilient and open. Funded by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), and led by a team of psychologists, mental health counselors, and career development specialists, its mission is to help fathers become involved, nurturing parents to their children.

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES

New York Public Library (NYPL) hosted the annual Bronx Anti-Prom event this year at Grand Concourse Library on Friday, June 9. Each year, NYPL organizes an Anti-Prom event in each City borough at different locations as an alternative to the traditional local high school proms for students celebrating the end of high school, to celebrate Pride and who may feel more comfortable in a different setting. NYPL had encouraged members throughout Pride Month to explore its world-renowned collections. The Library has one of the largest collections of LGBTQ+ history and activism, including hundreds of thousands of letters, manuscripts, photographs, posters,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Riverdale Y Sunday Market, which organizers say has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for fresh food and community in the Northwest Bronx, has announced that it will be open every Sunday through the winter. Since Sunday, Jan. 9, the market, which organizers say champions local, small-scale farmers, food producers, craftspeople, and artists, has been open every Sunday and will remain open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday throughout the year, including during the winter weeks. The Market is located at 4545 Independence Avenue in the Riverdale Temple parking lot (near 246th Street). “It’s amazing how popular

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Adha [Idul-Adha] was celebrated by hundreds of Muslims in the Williamsbridge Oval park on Wednesday, June 28. The religious holiday, which translates to “The Feast of the Sacrifice” continued through June 30, and is the second and the largest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). The former honors the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice one of his sons, either Ishmael (Ismail) or Isaac (Ishaq), as an act of obedience to God’s command. Norwood News spoke briefly to one male member of the congregation who said

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES

A Juneteenth celebration hosted by the social justice committee of Bronx Community Charter School in Norwood was held at the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Monday, June 19. The school, located at 3170 Webster Avenue in Norwood, first launched what they intend to be an annual celebration last year, as reported. Held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event included musical performances, reading, arts and crafts, and reflections on the meaning of the holiday. One little girl seated on a beanbag was seen lost in a book during the event. Other children were assisted

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade’s Annual 152nd Street Cultural Festival was held on Saturday, May 27, under glorious sunshine in the South Bronx and drew a host of City and borough elected officials along with around one thousand festival goers to celebrate the occasion. The festival is a free, family-friendly event that celebrates Puerto Rican culture and heritage, held on 152nd Street between Jackson and Tinton Avenues, with food, music, games, live entertainment and lots of Boricua pride! Soundboy Ariel Cartagena, a Latin Hip Hop artist, had everyone on their feet during his lively performance. The festival is

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) hosted its 10th Annual Neighborhood Festival on Friday, June 16, celebrating both Pride and Juneteenth. The event was held at the center located at 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace. KHCC is a settlement house founded in 1974 by community activists Janet Athanasidy, Patricia Burns, and Mary McLoughlin, serving the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood and the Bronx. KHCC offers programs and services in multiple sites for more than 4,500 people annually from English language classes to childcare to early head start programs, a food pantry, gardening, a day summer camp and more. A planned barbecue was brought inside on the day due to a thunderstorm, but the