bronx borough president ruben diaz jr

Former BP Diaz Jr. & Hip Hop Legend Fat Joe Discuss Uplifting The Bronx at Lehman College Event

By ARIEL PACHECO, DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
Friends, former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Hip Hop legend Fat Joe, gathered at Lehman College on March 26 to discuss their respective professional lives, as well as their upbringings and their ongoing commitment to improving The Bronx. The annual event at Lehman, ordinarily held in the form of a lecture, was, this year, called, “Hip Hop with a Heart: The Civic Mind of The Bronx.” The lecture series itself dates back to 1970.

AG Announces Prison Sentences for Five Bronx Gun & Heroin Trafficking Ring Members

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the sentencings of five people on Wednesday, March 29, for their role in a gun trafficking operation which resulted in the illegal sale of 16 guns in The Bronx. She said the five defendants, who were charged with trafficking numerous assault weapons, high-capacity feeding devices, semiautomatic pistols, and more than 300 rounds of ammunition, all pled guilty and were sentenced for their respective crimes.   Additionally, two of the defendants, Luis Alsina and Michael Alsina, were also sentenced for their roles in the sale of heroin, officials said. Altogether, all five defendants


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Six “Los Sures” / Trinitarios Gang Members Sentenced in Murder Case of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Plugins 16 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Friday, Jan. 13, that six members of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the 2018 fatal stabbing of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman–Feliz, 15, bringing an end to the legal case.   In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “These six defendants, members of the Los Sures Trinitarios set, chased Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman–Feliz and dragged him out of [a] Belmont bodega where he was stabbed by five other defendants.” She added, “Their unconscionable actions led to the death of the


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Last Trinitarios Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Fatal Stabbing of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Dec. 13 that the last of the defendants in the June 20, 2018 fatal stabbing of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, who was also a member of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang, has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for his role in the killing. He had previously pleaded not guilty.   In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “This is the last of 13 defendants who had a role in the death of Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz to be held accountable. Although the defendant did not stab the victim, his actions


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Five Trinitarios Gang Members Plead Guilty in Fatal Stabbing of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced Wednesday, Nov. 30, that five members of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang have pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the June 20, 2018, fatal stabbing of “Lesandro Junior” Guzman-Feliz.   In the context of the announcement, Clark said the defendants’ actions culminated in the brutal attack on Junior. “They, along with seven other defendants, have been held accountable in the killing of the 15-year-old boy which horrified The Bronx and beyond. Since Junior was taken from his family, we have been relentless to attain justice for him.” She added, “These defendants


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Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Study Shows Kids with Obesity/Diabetes at Higher Risk of COVID-19-Related Hospitalization

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Researchers at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine have released a new study which highlights that children with obesity or diabetes who contract SARS-CoV-2 infection are at a higher risk of being hospitalized than children who are not obese, or do not have diabetes. They say this is particularly concerning since reports have shown that rates of obesity and diabetes have increased among children during the pandemic.   Building on research conducted early in the pandemic, CHAM investigators analyzed 319 patients from 0 to 21 years of age with SARS-CoV-2 infection, of whom approximately one quarter were hospitalized


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Hochul Announces Launch of $64.4M Project to Replace Bronx River Parkway Bridge in North Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Friday, Oct. 22, that construction has begun on a $64.4 million project to replace the bridge carrying the Bronx River Parkway over the Metro-North Railroad in the Wakefield and Woodlawn Heights sections of the Bronx. According to the governor’s office, the project will replace a 72-year-old bridge with a modern, multi-girder steel structure that will improve travel and enhance safety along this vital artery for commuters in the metropolitan area.   Hochul said investments in infrastructure are one of the surest ways to super charge New York’s economy and at the same time create a


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UPDATE Attorney General Letitia James Secures $256M to Combat Opioid Crisis in NYC

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
  New York State Attorney General Letitia James is delivering more than $256 million to New York City to stem the tide of opioid addiction and overdose. The announcement was made as part of a statewide campaign called, “Heal NY: Turning the Tide on the Opioid Crises.”   James made the announcement inside the auditorium of Lincoln Hospital, located at 234 E 149th St, in Mott Haven, on Oct. 4. The funds are part of a $1.5 billion legal settlement reached with various manufacturers and distributors of opioids, according to the attorney general’s office, and are earmarked for addiction abatement,


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UPDATE State and City Officials Join Bronx Democrats at Annual Fundraiser

By DAVID GREENE
Not having gathered last year due to the statewide shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, New York State’s top elected officials joined members of the Bronx Democratic Party at the Marina Del Rey in Throgs Neck, on Wednesday, Sept. 29, for the party’s annual fundraising gala.   State officials included New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul, Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, NYS Attorney General Letitia James, and NYS Comptroller Thomas Di’Napoli. Also in attendance were outgoing mayor, Bill de Blasio, Democratic nominee for mayor, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, the Bronx Democratic


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