UPDATE: Bronx Legislators, Activists Call Out City Plan to End “Solitary Confinement”

By DAWN CLANCY

When Melania Brown, 33, heard that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had publicly vowed in June 2020 to end solitary confinement, Brown hoped she might finally make good on a promise she, herself, had made to her deceased sister. Brown’s younger sister, Layleen Polanco, 27, a transgender woman, died a preventable death following an epileptic seizure on June 7, 2019, while she was held in segregated confinement on Rikers Island. As reported last year, activists have long alleged that solitary confinement has killed and destroyed the lives of countless Black people and other People of Color, and

By DAVID GREENE

Video by David Greene A crowd of about 100 turned out for an anti-gun violence rally in Belmont on July 14, near the site where 13-year-old Jaryan Elliot was shot and killed on Sunday, July 11, as reported. A man believed to be Jaryan’s godfather used a bullhorn to temporarily disrupt the press conference held by elected officials which preceded the rally. The event was organized by recently elected, District 15 City Councilman Oswald Feliz, District 16 Councilwoman and Democratic nominee for Bronx borough president, Vanessa Gibson, and Assemblyman José Rivera (A.D. 78) and was held at the corner

Vendors and small businesses from all over The Bronx gathered at the new Fordham Flea Market to display their wares during its grand opening on Sunday, July 27, as shoppers showed up to support local enterprise. As it was a hot day, sellers congregated under tents and music was heard in the background, keeping the day moving along amid a convivial and relaxed atmosphere. Local handicrafts, arts and crafts, gifts, accessories, and self-care products were among the items on sale at the market. According to the market’s organizers, the goal is primarily to support those local businesses which

By CHAD FEAY

June is National Men’s Health Month; it’s important that men don’t overlook their health. This awareness month was created by Congress in 1994 to bring attention to men’s medical needs, as well as ways to improve their health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports reports that, on average, men die five years earlier than women and are also at a higher risk for some illnesses, including lung cancer and heart disease. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also show that, compared with women, men wait longer before seeing a doctor or other

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Kenny Agosto, district director to New York State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, announced that he has suspended his campaign for the 15th city council district seat in the upcoming June primary, releasing a statement on Twitter on May 21, as below.

Health Check: Celebrate World Health Hygiene Day!

By JOSEPH LOPEZ

When I was growing up, my mother always asked me if I had washed my hands. To be honest, I always said “yes,” whether I had washed them or not. Like most kids, I didn’t understand the importance of handwashing. As an adult, though, I realize that my mother’s constant reminders to wash my hands weren’t nagging; she was just teaching me good hygiene. And we can all recognize the importance of this, living through a global pandemic. On May 5, we celebrated World Health Hygiene Day. We celebrate this day each year by reminding ourselves of what proper

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York Lottery announced there were multiple top-prize winning tickets sold for the May 24 TAKE 5 drawing, with winning tickets sold in The Bronx and Brooklyn at the following locations: 1701 Grocery Corp located at 1701 Unionport Road in the vicinity of Van Nest in The Bronx, which sold one prize-winning ticket worth $27,933.50 Clary Deli Grocery Corp located at 85 Euclid Avenue in Brooklyn, which sold one prize-winning ticket worth $27,933.50 TAKE 5 numbers are drawn from a field of one through 39. Drawings take place every evening at 10:30 p.m. Winning tickets at all prize levels may be cashed up

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Cultured Kids Cuisine is a New York City-based, international, non-profit organization striving to foster cultural awareness through food. The group is currently recruiting high school and college students from the Bronx and other parts of the city for a fully funded internship opportunity. The group offers a variety of free services to children, such as virtual cooking workshops, food anthropology courses, educational podcasts, food blogs, eCookbooks, and more. While no previous experience is necessary, the organization asks that applicants be passionate about building a future of love and tolerance through food. During the internship students will be paired with

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York Lottery announced one top-prize winning ticket was sold for the April 28 TAKE 5 drawing. The ticket, worth $60,435.50, was purchased at Jannatul Ferdous, located at 49 West Fordham Rd., in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx. The five winning numbers for the TAKE 5 game are drawn from a field of one to 39. The TAKE 5 drawing is televised every day at 10:30 p.m. A Lottery draw game prize of any amount may be claimed up to one year from the date of the drawing. The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable