Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Unmasking with just 33 Percent of Bronxites Vaccinated

By DAVID GREENE

This week, we asked readers how they felt about unmasking, if fully vaccinated against COVID-19, knowing that the vaccination rate in the Bronx remains the worst in the city. As of May 24, only 33 percent of Bronxites were fully vaccinated, while 40 percent have had one shot. “Everyone has to wear a mask because you don’t know if the next person has the coronavirus and then they give it to you. No, I can’t trust some people because I don’t know who’s vaccinated. When I’m among people, I wear the mask regardless of vaccinations or not.” Richard

By RACHEL DALOO & SÍLE MOLONEY

Editor’s Pick Looking to start a new piece of writing or a creative project? Longing to get back to the page, but finding yourself blocked? Join the NYCWP’s Generative Writing Boot Camp from June 1 to June 3, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., for three days of generating your own creative writing! Over this three-day “boot camp,” writers will have the opportunity to engage with a variety of prompts, and participate in micro-studies of various craft elements, creative forms, and model readings. To register or for more information, visit https://www.lehman.edu and go to “All Events” or email jane.higgins@lehman.cuny.edu. Registration

As coronavirus restrictions are slowly being lifted and slightly larger gatherings are, once again, being held, Assemblyman Victor Pichardo and District Leader Yudelka Tapia, recently co-hosted an event honoring various mothers for their service to the community in University Heights. Both organizers represent the 86th A.D. in The Bronx. Held outdoors in Devoe Park at West Fordham Road and Andrews Avenue on Saturday, May 15, a few dozen community members sat side by side on lawn chairs under a tent, to observe the proceedings. Some chose not to wear face masks following the recent easing of CDC guidelines, as

By DAVID GREENE

L. Jimenez Business Solution (LJBS) is the place to go to fax a document, create a résumé or prepare one’s taxes, but for almost two months, hundreds of local residents have been lining up outside the location for food now also. On Friday, May 21, a crowd of well over 100 people once again lined up outside LJBS, located at 206 East Bedford Park Boulevard for a Food Giveaway sponsored by the Albanian American Open Hand Association (AAOHA), and organized by AAOHA, Miriam Quiñones, Norwood News photographer, and LJBS. The line stretched up Bedford Park Boulevard and around

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Local biking enthusiast and Bronxite, Kevin Daloia, recently re-formed the environmental group, Friends of the Hutchinson River Greenway. The volunteer group held its first clean-up of the greenway, located in the East Bronx, on Sunday, May 2, having postponed it by a week due to rain. Below is a selection of photographs from the clean-up. According to the group’s Facebook page, the Hutchinson River Greenway is a safe, clean and green, 3.5 mile, pedestrian and bicycle route from Brush Avenue to Einstein Loop. Based in the vicinity of Lehman High School, in the Pelham Bay section of the

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES & SÍLE MOLONEY

Nurses Week, a week-long, annual celebration, honoring nurses kicked off on Thursday, May 6, with many Bronx hospitals organizing special events to mark the occasion, all of which held special significance for the profession after such an unprecedented year. To date, 42,503 people have died from COVID-19, including 4,538 Bronxites. Over 2 million New Yorkers tested positive for the virus at one point or another. Among other events, NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi honored their nurses with a large breakfast on May 7. Chief nursing officer, Suzanne Pennacchio, addressed her colleagues with a heartfelt message of gratitude thanking them and

The Bronx Youth Empowerment Program will be hosting its 15th Youth Speaks 2021 forum on Wednesday, May 19, at 4 p.m. According to organizers, this year’s forum will be centered on music and art, as program participants will be joined by a dynamic guest panel. It will include Tara Wallace of Love and Hip-Hop New York; MC Sha Rock, the first female rapper and MC of Hip-Hop culture; Valerie Simpson, legendary songwriter, music producer, singer and performer; and Kylerr Bucano, social media manager of the Universal Hip-Hop Museum. Aside from the discussions on music and art, Youth Speaks

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

Residents of Fordham Manor will have a chance to voice their views on the eventual use of a building which formerly housed the Fordham branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL), located at 2556 Bainbridge Avenue. As reported last week by Norwood News, the virtual hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. The building has been selected by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) to house a Community Technical Assistance Center (CTAC), a new computer-based testing and application center, to facilitate more opportunities for a wider number of local candidates to apply for

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Dance Parade New York, an annual celebration of dance in all its forms, will host an interactive online dance festival on Saturday, May 22, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. According to its organizers, one thousand dancers from around the world will connect to family-friendly, fun and movement joy in DJ-lead dance rooms, free dance classes with top professionals, dance-offs between participants, and free dance classes. In addition, the winning videos from the Dare-to-Dance challenge contest will be premiered. Greg Miller is executive director of Dance Parade New York and said the past year has been really

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Out and About

Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Unmasking with just 33 Percent of Bronxites Vaccinated

Out & About: Family Fitness Festival, Revolutionary Walking Tour, Streams of Black Music & More!

Update: Mother’s Day Celebration Held at Devoe Park in University Heights

Bedford Park “Business Solution” Joins AAOHA to Help Solve Local Food Needs Also

Friends of Hutchinson River Greenway Hold Clean-Up Event

Jacobi & Montefiore Celebrate Nurses Week, as PPE Giveaways Still Very Much Welcomed

Bronx Youth Empowerment Program Engages Youth Through Art & Music during Annual Event

City Seeks Public Feedback During May 18 Hearing on Old Fordham Library

Dance Parade New York Goes Global