Safety

UPDATE Councilman Eric Dinowitz Calls on DOE to Investigate Education Council District 14’s Sponsorship of “Divisive Rally”

By SÍLE MOLONEY
District 11 City Council Member Eric Dinowitz released a statement on Thursday, Nov. 9, condemning what he referred to as the antisemitic call for a walkout earlier that day by students calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East, after the breakout of war in the region following the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, the kidnapping of around 240 Israeli hostages by Hamas, and the subsequent shelling and ground invasion of the Palestinian Gaza Strip by Israeli Defense forces since Oct. 8.

Elections 2023: Democratic CM Marjorie Velázquez Concedes District 13 Race to Republican Kristy Marmorato

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Democratic District 13 City Council Member Marjorie Velázquez conceded the general election in her district held Nov. 7 to her Republican opponent, Kirsty Marmorato, on Thursday, Nov. 9. As reported, Marmorato had a narrow lead on Velázquez on Election Night at poll closure with 49.97 percent of the vote to Velázquez’s 49.25 percent, but a few hours later, with 98.33 percent of voting scanners returned, Marmorato’s lead had stretched to 52.46 percent (6,571 votes) to Velázquez’s 46.81 percent (5,863 votes), based on Election Day and early votes. The Republican candidate who ran a campaign based on quality of life and public safety concerns, declared victory in the race later that night.

UPDATE “Kill Jews” Antisemitic (Darker) Graffiti Seen Once Again in Norwood

By SÍLE MOLONEY
A white van spray painted in red with the words “Kill Jews” was seen on Jerome Avenue in Norwood on Tuesday, Nov. 7 [Election Day]. It is the second such display of antisemitic vandalism seen in the neighborhood in the space of about a week, and a month after the Hamas terrorist group attacked Southern Israel on Oct. 7, causing an immediate shelling and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli defense forces.

Concourse: 11 Bronxites Arrested & Charged after $4M Active Fentanyl Packaging Mill is Dismantled

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Up to 400,000 packages of suspected fentanyl/heroin, plus quantities of loose powdered narcotics, carrying an estimated street value of $4 million were recovered by law enforcement on Wednesday, Nov. 1, during the disruption of an active drug packaging mill operation in the Concourse section of The Bronx. The seizure was part of an ongoing investigation into fentanyl trafficking in New York City, federal, state and local law enforcement officials said.