Politics

Manhattan College Holds Town Hall to Push for Closure of “Voluntary Intoxication Exclusion”

By ARIEL PACHECO
Lawmakers and activists gathered together with students and other groups at Manhattan College on April 11 for a town hall to discuss longstanding pending legislation aimed at protecting rape victims who may be voluntarily intoxicated at the time of the rape. The law aims to close a legal loophole in State law that currently helps protect those accused of rape from prosecution in situations where the victim is voluntarily intoxicated.

Norwood Co-Op Awaits Audit Findings Amid Frustration over Recent Maintenance Fee Increases

By DAVID GREENE
A few dozen shareholders of a private cooperative located in Norwood await the results of a promised audit of the co-op’s finances, after they were hit at short notice with what they see as steep maintenance fee increases, and dispute certain decisions taken in relation to the finances. The move follows a recent ownership shake-up which has seen a replacement majority co-op shareholder in the mix.

UPDATE Allerton: “Extremely Hungry” and “Dehydrated” Pitbull Abandoned on Bronx Park East

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Around two and half weeks after cat rescue group Little Wanderers NYC shared allegations of organized pitbull fighting taking place at certain locations around The Bronx, which the Bronx District Attorney has confirmed are under investigation by her office, an “extremely hungry” and “dehydrated” pitbull was found abandoned on Saturday, May 4, in the Allerton section of the borough.

South Bronx: Gibson Delivers 2nd State of the Borough Address at Cardinal Hayes High School

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson delivered her 2nd Annual State of the Borough Address at Cardinal Hayes High School in the auditorium named after Bronx legend and Bronx Walk of Fame inductee Regis Philbin, on April 18, 2024. The borough president outlined major accomplishments that include an investment of over $35 million in education and over $8.9 million in capital allocations to public and private health facilities. 

UPDATE Op-Ed: A Plea for a Path to Peace

By VIRGINIA KROMPINGER
I recently traveled to Israel as a member of the Bronx delegation of Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), sponsored and masterfully organized by the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York (UJA). The purpose was to send a message of solidarity to Israel. Torres is the strongest supporter of Israel in Congress, certainly on the Democratic side of the aisle.

UPDATE Sparks Fly at Bronx Community Board 7 April General Board Meeting

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Community Board 7 board members were the target of a stream of vulgar insults during last month’s general board meeting held at Scott Towers on April 23, when Norwood resident, AJ Ramos, berated the board, using profanities, and alleging they had not addressed matters he had raised at previous meetings.

Op-Ed: Urgent Action Needed to Restore Peace & Security to Woodlawn

By WILLIAM MURRAY
The Woodlawn community is facing an urgent issue with repeated and disruptive street parties, particularly on Jerome Avenue and near 233rd Street, escalating into more severe criminal activities. This behavior, once peripheral, now threatens our neighborhood’s safety, with a noticeable increase in crimes such as vehicle theft and disturbances during daytime hours, affecting residents’ daily lives and sense of security.

Some Jewish Constituents Call Out Torres on Gaza Again

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The latest demonstrations seen on the country’s college campuses are a reminder that many New Yorkers continue to vehemently oppose U.S. military support for Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. As of May 1, according to Al Jazeera’s live tracker, 1,139 people have been killed in Israel since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out a terrorist attack in southern Israel and took around 240 Israelis hostage, some of whom have since been released.