New Permanent Eviction Protection For Tenants Impacted By COVID-19

Tenants who have been financially impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis may soon no longer have to worry about losing their homes. State Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz passed legislation on May 27, 2020 codifying the statewide eviction moratorium and extending it until the end of the COVID-19 emergency for anyone who has experienced financial hardship during this period. The state legislation represents a compromise between the Assembly and State Senate with the ultimate goal of creating a bill that would be signed into law by the Governor. It is viewed as an essential

By Síle Moloney

The New York State Department of Labor released preliminary local area unemployment rates for April 2020 on May 27. The unemployment rate in the Bronx was the highest of all City boroughs at 16.5% in April. This compares with a rate of 10.9% in Manhattan, 14.6% in Brooklyn, 16.4% in Queens, and 14.0% in Staten Island. The current unemployment rates for all 62 counties in New York State can be found by clicking on the following link: County Unemployment Rates. The rates are not yet seasonally adjusted, meaning they do not reflect seasonal influences e.g. holiday and summer

By David Greene

For about the last 18 years, volunteers across New York State have been placing American flags at the gravestones of thousands of U.S. military members on Memorial Day. Sadly, this year most graves went “un-flagged” because of prevailing social distancing restrictions. In past years, Lynn Radke and Bruce Campbell of Woodlawn Conservancy in the Bronx would organize hundreds of volunteers from groups like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Mellon Bank, and the Washington Grey Cadets for the annual ‘Flagging of the Graves’ at Woodlawn Cemetery. Volunteers would usually set out with maps and flags, and scour the

By Síle Moloney

The American Legion of Co-op City, Post 1871 gathered at 2049 Bartow Avenue, at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, 2020 for a wreath-laying ceremony and car parade, in place of the annual Memorial Day ceremony. The event went ahead despite the statewide ‘PAUSE’ order which is still in effect in New York City and in other regions of the state, and which precludes non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason. The PAUSE order dictates that parties, celebrations or other social events are canceled or postponed at this time and that any concentration of individuals

By Síle Moloney

Traditionally, the Muslim festival of Idul-Fitr (Eid Al-Fitr) is a time of joyous celebration, one shared among friends and family to mark the end of Ramadan, a month-long period during which Muslim Americans fast during daylight hours, and offer up additional prayer and reflection. The holiday is also usually an occasion to join together in prayer as part of a congregation. Due to the prevailing statewide PAUSE order, and related social distancing restrictions, celebrations which would normally have taken place on Sunday, May 24, were markedly quieter this year. Ahead of Sunday’s holiday, the Islamic Circle of North

The City will open 12 more miles of streets and an additional nine new miles of temporary protected bike lanes to pedestrians and cyclists starting tomorrow, May 14. The combined 21 new miles brings the City total to 30 miles of Open Streets since the program was announced on Apr. 27.

New Yorkers Encouraged to Discover Outdoor Spaces Close to Home

As New Yorkers begin to enjoy the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is encouraging people to engage in responsible recreation close to home during the State’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. DEC recommendations incorporate guidance from the CDC and the New York State Department of Health for reducing the spread of infectious diseases. The agency encourages New Yorkers to recreate locally, practice physical distancing, show respect, and use common sense to protect themselves and others. DEC is implementing additional measures at its facilities statewide, particularly in high

The Bronx Toastmasters Club of Riverdale will hold a virtual “Open House” meeting on Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom Video Conferencing. The committee is asking anyone interested in joining the meeting to RSVP to bronxtoastmastersclub@gmail.com. The club is an affiliate of Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization’s membership exceeds 358,000 in more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.

By Ndeye Thioubou

I am Ndeye Thioubou. I’m 17 years old, and a first generation Senegalese American. As a rising sophomore, I knew I wanted to do something with my summer. An internship and other summer programs would be difficult to secure because I had only finished my first year of high school. So, I applied to the only option I knew about: NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program. Some summer experiences are unpaid, which means students have to choose between compensation and the value of a summer job. But with a simple lottery you can get both through SYEP and also choose