vanessa gibson

UPDATE Dinowitz, Hochul, Others Denounce Rally in Support of Palestinians following Terrorist Attack on Israel

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Jewish Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), who represents many of the Jewish communities based in the northwest Bronx, and New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul have denounced a planned rally on Sunday, Oct. 8, in Times Square organized by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. The rally comes a day after the Associated Press and various other media outlets reported that the Hamas militant group said it was holding “dozens” of Israeli soldiers captive in the Gaza Strip.

Gibson Launches “31 Days of Action Against DV” Awareness Campaign as North Bronx Sees Highest DV Rates

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson launched Domestic Violence Awareness Month at Bronx Borough Hall on Monday, Oct. 2. She was joined by elected officials, advocates, survivors, the DiVA (domestic violence awareness) coalition, and her domestic violence advisory council for the occasion. Gibson declared domestic violence a public health crisis in the borough and unveiled her “31 Days of Action Against DV” public awareness campaign.

Hip Hop Comes Home!

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Though most argue it hasn’t ever left, Hip Hop officially came home to 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Morris Heights section of The Bronx with a special free block party and concert, marking its 50th anniversary at its birthplace on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. Performers included KRS One, Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, The Sugar Hill Gang, Slick Rick, Talib Kweli of Black Starr, the Cold Crush Brothers, Chuck D, C.L. Smooth, Hakim Green, Wise Intelligent, Peter Gunz, and many more.

Jeremiah Ryan Gets 15 Years to Life in Prison for Fatal Shooting of Angellyh Yambo

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Jeremiah Ryan, who was charged last year with the 2022 murder of innocent bystander and high school student, Angellyh Yambo, 16, in the Mott Haven section of The Bronx, as well as the attempted murder of two of her friends as they walked home from school together, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 15, to 15 years to life in prison in relation to the gang-related incident. Ryan, who was 17 at the time of the unintended killing of Angellyh and the shooting of her friends, who were all hit in crossfire, pled guilty on Aug. 4 this year to second-degree murder, avoiding the need for a trial. 

Cricket: On the Van Cortlandt Park Cricket Stadium Proposal, the Bats are Out

By SÍLE MOLONEY
News of a planned, 34,000-seat, temporary cricket stadium in Van Cortlandt Park ahead of the Cricket Men’s World Cup in June 2024 shook the Kingsbridge community to its core when The City media outlet published details on July 15 of the as-yet, tentative plan for the venue. However, with New York City Mayor Eric Adams struggling to cope with the ever-increasing costs of handling the influx of migrants to the city, private funding from entities such as the International Cricket Council (ICC) for such an event would, no doubt, be considered a welcome investment in New York City’s local economy.

South Bronx: Street Co-Naming Held in Honor of Venancio “Benny” Catala Jr.

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Family and friends of the late Venacio “Benny” Catala Jr., joined together at 166th Street and Teller Avenue just east of Morrisania on Saturday, July 29, as Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and District 16 City Council Member Althea Stevens hosted a street co-naming ceremony to honor the popular community leader for what was described as his decades of public service and community leadership.