Opinion

Biaggi-Backed Bill Establishing Rape Kit Tracking System Passes Assembly & Senate

By SÍLE MOLONEY
State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D. 34) announced that on June 2 the State senate majority passed the bill she sponsored to establish a rape kit tracking system in New York State. The bill was also passed in the assembly, where it was sponsored by Assembly Member Amy Paulin, and now awaits sign-off by Gov. Kathy Hochul.   Bill S7867A/A9596 will direct the Division of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the State Department of Health, Office of Victim Services, Division of State Police, and the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Abuse to develop and implement a statewide electronic tracking


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UPDATE Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Security in Bronx Schools in the Context of Mass Shootings

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
  With a series of recent mass shootings taking place around the country, this week, we asked readers their thoughts on school security and if they felt Bronx Schools were prepared for a potential mass shooting in the borough.   “I work in a school, and I don’t think they’re doing enough for gun control either, and with all the mass shootings, I am concerned for myself and my family. I do have a son going to kindergarten, so I’m pretty concerned because the public schools are not too safe. I think the gun violence is terrible in The Bronx.


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on the Possibility of the Overturning of Roe vs. Wade Expanding to a Potential Ban on Contraception

By DAVID GREENE
    This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the possibility of Roe v. Wade being struck down and whether, in their view, such a Supreme Court decision could potentially lead to the banning of contraception. “I do believe everyone has a right to their own bodies, especially women. I also believe people have rights to do whatever they want with their bodies, but sometimes too many rights are given to people and it’s misused. Let’s just say, for example, if a woman is pregnant at a certain stage, that pregnancy should not be terminated, you understand? If the


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Mobile Car Washes

By DAVID GREENE
This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the apparent increase in the various curbside car washers who have sprung up across the city since the pandemic and who are using city fire hydrants for their businesses.   “I’m aware of them. I usually see them where I live in Soundview, and I see them in Fordham and in different areas. I think if it could be a hazard to the firemen or a hazard for the community, then yes, they must take them out. They can’t be allowed if it brings down the pressure of the water and it’s hampering


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Op-Ed: A New Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

By DR. ASHWIN VASAN
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers have stepped up time and time again to protect each other. Today, over 6 million New Yorkers are fully vaccinated, over 3 million are boosted, and we have more tools than ever before to take on the virus.   As the City’s doctor, I want to be clear with New Yorkers every step of the way as the pandemic continues to unfold. We are in a new stage of the pandemic, and our strategy to protect our city from COVID-19 is evolving. Currently, we are seeing a rise in cases across all five boroughs.


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UPDATE Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Subway Safety following Brooklyn Mass Shooting

By DAVID GREENE
This week, following the recent mass subway shooting in Brooklyn, we asked residents if they feel safe riding the subway.   “At this point, I don’t feel safe. I don’t think anyone feels safe due to the system that we have. They had no cameras at the 25th Street station, still no cameras. They got him, of course. They got him, but that’s not the point. The point is you could have avoided this if you had the cameras because you’re supposed to have the cameras, no? With the rise in crime on the subways, you weren’t supposed to have


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Op-Ed: Why the Vernon C. Bain Center Should Close

By EDWIN SANTANA
The Vernon C. Bain Center, also known as “The Boat,” is perhaps the only floating jail in the country. Advocates have equated it to a slave ship. It’s an extension of Rikers Island. I know both The Boat and Rikers Island well, since I’ve been detained at both places, and I know they both deserve to be a chapter in the history books and not part of anyone’s present.   The Boat opened in 1992 to make room for the ballooning population held pre-trial at the height of mass incarceration. Thirty years later, it’s still in use, even with the


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on the COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption for “Elite” Athletes

By DAVID GREENE
This week, we asked readers what message it sends to kids about sportsmanship and fair play when professional, “elite,” athletes and performers are given an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination rules, while employees like ticket sellers etc. at such venues are required to be vaccinated.   “The mandate should be equal across the board for the players as well as the community. That’s how I feel about it right now. Other than that, it’s crazy! You don’t know what’s going on from one day to the next. Things are changing too rapidly, and we’re not getting clear answers as to what’s


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First Generation and Low-Income Students Find a Path to College at Columbia

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
Most of the attention on COVID-19 revolves around the physical consequences of its spread, especially in communities of color, but a secondary effect has to do with a decrease in academic attainment, especially in the Latino community.   The educational fallout from the pandemic is seen in figures collected by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). During 2020, the first year of the pandemic, Hispanic enrollment in higher education fell overall by 5.4 percent.  More alarming is the decline in first-time enrollment among Hispanic students, at almost 20 percent. These statistics present a difficult future for one of the fastest-growing segments


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