Food Insecurity

COVID Closures Return Across The Bronx with Long Lines for Testing, Boosters & Food

By DAVID GREENE
As the COVID-19 Omicron variant continues to spread across the Bronx, local residents have been seen waiting on increasingly longer lines for vaccination boosters, for COVID-19 testing and for food. Meanwhile many local restaurants have, once again, suspended in-person dining.   On Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the COVID-19 mobile testing bus, parked outside St. James’ Park at Jerome Avenue and East 192nd Street in Fordham Manor, moments after being tested, one woman who declined to be identified was asked if she was feeling sick. She replied, “No, but somebody at work got sick, so I’m just being cautious that I


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Bronx Rabbi Brings Food to the Masses during Hanukkah

By DAVID GREENE
A Bronx rabbi continues to actively support the annual menorah lighting events all across the Bronx, amid the celebration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah while, together with members of his own Morris Park congregation, the annual festival is marked by feeding senior Jewish residents from all across the borough.   Canceled last year amid the pandemic, a public gathering for Hanukkah returned this year to the Bronx Jewish Center, located at 1969 Haight Avenue in Morris Park, once again. The center has been holding gatherings for the Jewish celebration, annually, since 2013. On Sunday, November 28, the congregation returned


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POTS & Church Volunteers Serve 600 Free Meals as Physical Thanksgiving Gatherings Resume

By DAVID GREENE
For the 25th consecutive year, volunteers with Part of the Solution (POTS), soup kitchen and food pantry, and the Church of the Resurrection in Rye, New York, joined forces to serve an estimated 350 turkey meals on site to community residents at Our Lady of Refuge Church, located at 290 East 196th Street in Fordham Manor on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25.   Another 300 or so residents who had concerns about sitting and eating in a public setting amid the ongoing pandemic, or who were unable to provide proof of vaccination to enter the venue’s cafeteria, were provided with a


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Price Gouging: What Consumers Can Do to Address the Situation

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Price gouging is illegal. In the early days of the pandemic, some Bronxites had complained of the cost of thermometers, hand sanitizer and other hygiene products, but in recent months, with more and more reports of supply chain and delivery issues, price gouging appears to have become more widespread.   On Wednesday, The New York Post reported that inflation was spiking as prices surged 6.2 percent, the most in over 30 years. It was reported that the Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index, which measures a basket of goods and services as well as energy and food costs, jumped 6.2 percent


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Kingsbridge: Food & Book Giveaway Held for 100 Families

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Jessica Woolford, founder of community mutual aid group, Kingsbridge Unidos, Latanya DeVaughn, founder of Bronx Bound Books and representatives from State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D. 34) held a food and book giveaway in Kingsbridge on Friday, Oct. 29. The event took place at 4 p.m. at 824 Broadway between 238th and 239th Streets.

UPDATE: District 14 City Council Race: For Pierina Sanchez, It’s About the Love

By JASON GONZALEZ & SÍLE MOLONEY
  For Pierina Sanchez, the Democratic nominee for the District 14 City Council seat in the upcoming general election, it’s all about the love. Sanchez is all in for the “Boogie Down,” saying passion for the community is a major driving force behind her campaign. With early voting already underway and only one day remaining before the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Sanchez is transparent and says a vote for her on Nov. 2 will benefit the borough.   “It’s about the love,” Sanchez said during a campaign rally held outside the Kingsbridge Armory in the Kingsbridge Heights section


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UPDATE Residents Unhappy with Tent “Encampment” on Mosholu Parkway  

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bedford Park residents have been getting more and more vocal about the unsightly, overflowing trash situation on Mosholu Parkway during their regular Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) meetings, as reported, but another issue which has also raised concern is the growing number of make-shift tents erected by homeless people along the parkway in recent weeks.   As one resident, who went by the Twitter username, @maminature30, tweeted on Monday, Oct. 18, “@EricDinowitzNYC, @norwoodnews, @NYCDHS, @NYPD52Pct How long before the encampment at Moshulu Parkway becomes a tent city? It already doubled in size since last week. Somebody needs to intervene.”  


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on What to Cut from the $3.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

By DAVID GREENE
  This week, we asked readers their thoughts on what the Democrats should cut from the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill to get it over the line to satisfy Republicans.   “Oh! Is that what they’re doing? No, I don’t think they should try and appease the Republicans. Well, they shouldn’t cut healthcare and they shouldn’t cut education. That’s a very hard decision. I know they have to vote on something. Kids need education because it’s bad out here. They need all the education they can get. Oh gosh, maybe the added healthcare for seniors is, maybe, the least important now.” Pamela


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Neighborhood Notes on School Reopening, Alternative Vax App, Arts Recovery Funding

COVID-19 Updates Transmission Rates & Trends  As of August 9, all five New York City counties have community transmission considered substantial or high by the CDC. On July 27, the CDC issued an updated recommendation that all people, regardless of vaccination status, should return to wearing masks in indoor, public spaces in areas of high COVID-19 infection rates. To see the risk of transmission in your area, visit covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.   Delta Variant An internal CDC document leaked by The Washington Post revealed that further research proved that the Delta variant causes more severe illness than other variants and is as


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