City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson

Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. Endorses NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson for City Comptroller

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced his endorsement of City Council Speaker, Corey Johnson, as the City’s next comptroller on Monday, March 29, during a campaign stop on Arthur Avenue in the Little Italy section of the Bronx. The announcement marked the first by the borough president in a competitive 2021 citywide race. After the formalities, Johnson and Diaz Jr. spent time along The Bronx’s iconic Arthur Avenue hub, greeting voters and speaking to local business owners. Diaz Jr. said the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the residents of The Bronx, and that the people are going to need experienced


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D11 City Council Race: Eric Dinowitz Endorsed by Corey Johnson, Carpenter’s Union, Others

By SÍLE MOLONEY
City Council Speaker, Corey Johnson, became the first citywide leader to endorse Eric Dinowitz in the District 11 City Council race on March 11. Dinowitz, a teacher and district leader in the 81st assembly district and son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, earned Johnson’s support 11 days ago, giving his campaign another boost ahead of Election Day, March 23.      Johnson, who also represents Manhattan’s City Council District 3, which includes Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Greenwich Village, West SoHo, Hudson Square, Times Square, Garment District, Flatiron, and the Upper West Side, said he was excited to endorse Dinowitz who he said, over


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City Comptroller & Bronx BP Races: Four Candidates Cross-Endorse Each Other

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
During back-to-back campaign events in the Bronx last Friday and Saturday, two pairs of candidates running for elected office cross-endorsed each other ahead of the Democratic primaries in June. On March 12, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson endorsed fellow council member, Vanessa Gibson, for Bronx borough president, since incumbent, Ruben Díaz Jr., announced last year he was not seeking re-election. The following day, March 13, State Sen. Brian Benjamin endorsed Assembly Member Nathalia Fernández, also for the Bronx borough presidency. In return, Gibson and Fernández endorsed Johnson and Benjamin, respectively, for the position of city comptroller.   During the first event,


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Update: Nathalia Fernández Calls for Mass Vaccination Site in the North Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Assemblywoman for the 80th Assembly District in the Northwest Bronx, Nathalia Fernández, called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday, Feb. 24, to bring a mass COVID-19 vaccination site to the North Bronx. Despite the City providing free transportation for seniors to get vaccinated as well as efforts to deliver expanded access to the COVID-19 vaccine across those communities most at risk, vaccination rates are still relatively low, as reported earlier this week by the Norwood News, particularly in low-income and minority communities.   “If the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is


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New Assembly Members Back Fernández as Bronx BP Race Heats Up

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
  The following is an extended version of a story that was recently published in our print edition. Two of the newest assembly members representing the Bronx have endorsed Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernández in her bid for the Bronx borough presidency. Chantel Jackson and Kenny Burgos were both elected to the State Assembly last November, and on Wednesday, Jan. 27, all three assembly members showed up at Starlight Park, close to Crotona Park East, to make the endorsement public.   “I’ve known the assemblywoman for a few years now,” Burgos said. “I’ve worked with her in different capacities. I know she’s


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Update: NYPD Equal Employment Opportunities Inspector Reassigned Over Alleged Racist Remarks

Diaz Sr. Favors Keeping Rikers Island Open, Will Vote Against Neighborhood Jail Plan
By SÍLE MOLONEY
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and Oversight and Investigations Committee Chair Ritchie Torres released a Council Oversight and Investigations report on Nov. 6, containing substantial evidence pointing to the identity of an anonymous online persona responsible for “numerous and repeated unacceptable and disgusting online posts.”   In the report, they said the evidence reveals that the anonymous poster, who went by the name “Clouseau” on what was described as a vitriolic public online message board known as “Law Enforcement Rant,” appears to be Deputy Inspector James Francis Kobel.   They also said Kobel was the commanding officer of the NYPD’s


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Op-Ed Financial Focus: How Does the City Get Needed Money in this Coronavirus Year?

By ANTHONY RIVIECCIO
There is no doubt that New York City needs help.   With a current unemployment rate of 20 percent and City government threatening even more layoffs, the City is going to need increased revenue, quickly.   There was outcry last week when City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson were alleged to have tried to save revenues by savagely cutting many areas of the City budget, an allegation they denied. They said they were looking for federal government assistance first.   In the absence of that, and knowing it might be difficult to get money from the


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New Mobile Health Care Clinic in Morris Heights

By JASON GONZALEZ
Data analysis by both State and City health departments shows that the COVID-19 virus disproportionately impacted Bronxites for a whole host of reasons, one of which was lack of access to healthcare, especially in low-income communities. On Friday, July 31, City Councilwoman for District 16, Vanessa Gibson, took a step towards addressing that disparity in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx.   “We are here at River Park Towers unveiling a new mobile health care clinic facility in partnership with Morris Heights Health Center, following a disturbing article that we read about in June that talked about the unconfirmed COVID cases here at the towers,” Gibson


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Morrisania: Community Rises Up to Save Streets from Gun Violence

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On Monday, Aug. 24, NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced that, going forward, additional police officers would be rostered at the weekends in an effort to curb the increased rates of gun violence seen across the Bronx, and across the City in recent months. The NYPD reported that 44 percent of shootings in the last month occurred on Saturdays and Sundays.   For the week ending Aug. 23, murder in the Bronx, rose by 400 percent compared to the same period last year. In the 52 precinct alone, two murders were reported in July within six days of each other.


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