Mayor, Council Speaker Strike Deal on $112.4 Billion Balanced FY 2025 Budget

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan, members of the City Council, and senior members of the Adams administration announced an agreement on Friday, June 28, for an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $112.4 billion adopted budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.

City Council Member Eric Dinowitz Confirms Full Restortion of Proposed Budget Cuts to NYC Public Libraries

By SÍLE MOLONEY

After months of what was described as dogged perseverance, District 11 City Council Member Eric Dinowitz, described by his office as a well-known champion for investment in local public libraries, confirmed that the previously proposed cuts to the public library budget will be fully restored as part of the latest FY 2025 $112 billion city budget, broadly agreed between Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council on Friday, June 28.

Lehman College Spring Fling Swings In

By EMILY SAWAKED

Bedford Park’s Lehman College hosted its annual gala and fundraiser on Wednesday, June 12, though this year it took on another moniker, the “Spring Fling.” The change in name was to make the event feel less “stuffy,” according to Lehman College President Dr. Fernando Delgado. This is the second year that the college has held an annual gala dedicated to raising money for scholarship funds and other facets of college life that require funding.

BronxNet Hosts Students for Launch of New Eco Show

By ARIEL PACHECO

BronxNet hosted second-grade students from Claremont Village’s C.S. 55 The Benjamin Franklin School on May 21 at BronxNet’s South Bronx Media + Technology center for the launch of “Eco-Leaders,” a new environmental TV show for children created by local Bronx puppetry artists.

Op-Ed: Wanted: The Grinches Who Stole Pride

By AJ RAMOS

As someone who has spent many an hour, day, and literally years advocating for the Norwood / Bronx LGBTQIA+ community to finally be represented locally, witnessing a group of people film themselves commit a hate crime by destroying the rainbow balloons and decor which decorated a nationally registered historic place, the Williamsbridge Oval during the inaugural Norwood Pride festival this past June 23 was heartbreaking.

School Safety Agent Arrested for Assault

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Police said an off-duty New York City employee was arrested on Wednesday in the confines of the 47th Precinct, which covers the neighborhoods of Woodlawn, Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Baychester, Edenwald, Olinville, Fishbay, and Woodlawn Cemetary.

Petition Launched on Change.Org to Stop the Sale of Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

By SÍLE MOLONEY

An online petition was launched by a group called “Van Cortlandt” on June 9 on www.change.org to stop the proposed sale to a developer, as reported, of the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center (VCJC), located in the Van Cortlandt Village section of The Bronx. Though petitioners were asked to sign the petition by June 21, it appears to still be available.

UPDATE Bernie Sanders Joins AOC, Jamaal Bowman, Unions & More in The Bronx for St. Mary’s Park Rally

By DAVID GREENE

Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and twice former Democratic presidential primary candidate joined Bronx Democrats, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), who represents parts of Brooklyn, at a last-minute campaign rally organized by the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress campaign team in St. Mary’s Park in the Mott Haven sectio of The Bronx on Saturday, June 22.

Op-Ed: Response to Ben Franklin Club VP Club Saying: “We Put Joe Biden on the Ballot”

By DANIELLE GUGGENHEIM

When you’re the local political boss (so reminds me of Tammany Hall), and have called the shots for as long as [Assemblyman] Jeff Dinowitz [A.D. 81] has, you may forget that it is “We the people.” I read with great concern the claims by Ira Bigeleisen in last week’s Riverdale Press that “Team Dinowitz” got President Joe Biden on the ballot this year.