Bronx Voice - May 11, 2022

BRONX VOICE

DEADLY STREETS www.bronxvoiceny.blogspot.com

Accidents

5 killed in 11 days Page 4

FREE May 11 - 17, 2022

6th Year, No. 1

An outpouring of love and support from the Morris Park community is shown in the growing makeshift memorial of 16-year-old Alissa Kolenovic, who was struck and killed on her way to school on May 4, 2022.

Photo by David Greene

Celebrating nurses Pages 14 - 17

Mural honors Twin Parks fire victims Photo by David Greene

Page 12

Commuter Shooter

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Gunman runs thru traffic firing near school, KFC

By Dan Gesslein A gunman chased down his target in traffic on a busy Bronx street and opened fire around cars and pedestrians near a school, new video shows.

The dramatic surveillance video was released by the NYPD who is searching for the gunman who opened fire beneath the Baychester Avenue Station of the Number 5 train. The shooting took place during rush hour at 4:15 pm on April 26.

The video shows two men running underneath the subway line and into the street - one chasing

the other. As cars stop to avoid hitting them, the men run around.

Suddenly as the man being chased steps onto the sidewalk near KFC, his pursuer pulls out a revolver and opens fire. Bystanders are seen walking on the street and crowded cars on the street as the bullets flew. Miraculously no one was hit.

Cops say the gunman fired mul-

tiple rounds near the KFC which is across the street from P.S. 169 Baychester Academy.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Surveillance video shows a gunman opening fire in traffic on Baychester Avenue near a KFC and a school.

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Recent crashes claim 5 lives, 3 arrested

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By David Greene At least five people were killed in separate motor vehicle accidents over an 11-day period across the Bronx-- and at least three of the drivers involved were taken into custody.

In the most recent incident, the NYPD reported a crash at Roosevelt Avenue and East Tremont Avenue, at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. A release issued by the NYPD, that stated, "Officers observed a 76-year-old male with minor external injuries. The victim was transported to Jacobi Hospital where he was pronounced deceased from internal injuries.”

Police later identified the victim as John Dellacava, 72, of Throggs Neck, who police say was operating a battery powered wheelchair and was attempting to cross East Tremont Avenue when struck by a grey 2005 Toyota Sienna. The unidentified 25-yearold female driver remained at the scene and was questioned by police, but no criminality is suspected.

At just after 4 a.m. on Friday, May 6, police were called to the northbound New England Thruway at Baychester Avenue, where officers from the 45th Precinct discovered a 2011 BMW-328i on fire, a 2017 Toyota Camry overturned, and a 2021 Dodge Durango stopped on the shoulder of the exit ramp. Police say no

one was in the BMW. Officials say a 53-year-old driver and 21-year-old passenger were removed from the Camry and rushed to Jacobi Hospital.

Police say the Camry passenger, identified as Shakir Simpson, 21, of Brunner Avenue died a short time later.

The unidentified driver of the vehicle was reported to be in stable condition.

Police arrested the driver of the Durango, identified as John Cetoute, 22, of the Edenwald Houses. Cetoute was charged with vehicular manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and driving while ability impaired (alcohol.)

Police are still looking for the driver of the BMW, which first struck the median and burst into flames, causing the chain reaction crash.

Officers in the 49th Precinct were called to the intersection of Neill Avenue and Paulding Avenue, at 8:22 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4, after a 16-year-old female was hit by a truck as she crossed the street. The victim, later identified by police as Alissa Kolenovic, 16, of Morris Park, died a short time later at Jaco-

bi Hospital.

The operator of the 2017 Ford F-750 truck, identified as Joseph Zillitto, 46, of Stadium Avenue in the Country Club section, was arrested later that night and charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to use due care.

At 9:22 p.m. on Friday, April 29, officers from the 44th Precinct were called to a single vehicle accident on the Major Deegan Expressway at Exit 7. Officers discovered a 35-year-old male who was operating a black Ford Taurus that struck the median in a single vehicle accident. The man was rushed to Lincoln Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. The man was later identified as Jose Alomar-Bruno of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Lastly, at 12:31 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, police were called to Burke Avenue and Bouck Avenue, where officers from the 49th Precinct found a 51-year-old female with trauma to the head and body after being struck by a white BMW. The victim was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where she died. The victim was identified as Elizabeth Wolmart of Burke Avenue.

Police arrested the driver, identified as Zavee Georges, 32, of Baychester Avenue, who was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and

Police arrested a 46-year-old truck operator from Country Club in the May 4th death of Alissa Kolenovic that took place on Neill Avenue and Paulding Avenue on May 4, 2022.

failure to exercise due care.

On May 2, Mayor Eric Adams announced a new $4 million ad campaign that will target speeding and dangerous driving which comes on the heels of the Adams administration announcing on April 23, a $900 million investment in the redesign of 1,000 intersections across the five boroughs over the next four years.

During the April 23rd announcement, Adams said, "Too many New Yorkers have lost their lives to the traffic violence crisis, and we are seeing cities across the country struggle just like us, but this historic investment will allow New Yorkers to walk and cycle around our city without fear.”

According to the latest statistics provided by the NYPD and the Department of Transportation, in the first four months of 2022 the Bronx recorded 16 traffic related deaths compared with just 11 reported in the first four months of 2021, a 45.5% increase.

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Moped Riding Mugger Punches Women 6 women attacked in 1 hour from Crotona Park to Pelham Bay

By Dan Gesslein A pair of moped riding muggers are playing their own version of the knock out game, punching women in the face and stealing their handbags, police said.

The pair attacked six women in one hour throughout the Bronx and the latest attack was caught on video.

The NYPD released dramatic video of one of the attacks in which a Pelham Bay woman was knocked down twice by the robbers.

Investigators said the muggers struck on April 20 between 1 am and 2:20 am, in which six women were attacked on Crotona Park, Jessup Avenue, Boston Road, Archer Street, East 175th and Bruckner Boulevard.

The last attack occurred on Rob-

erts Avenue and Bruckner in Pelham Bay, and was caught on tape. In the video the attacker ran up to a woman standing in front of her building. He punched her, and grabbed her bag.

The victim, not letting go of the purse, was swung to the ground.

Another video shows the victim catching up to the mugger as he hops on his moped. He punches her in the face and she falls to the ground. Then

the attacker and his accomplice ride off.

The moped riding muggers covered an amazing amount of ground to attack their six victims in one hour. The pair struck throughout the Crotona Park area as well as Mount Eden, Morrisania and finally Pelham Bay. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @ NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

A woman in Pelham Bay is thrown to the ground by a man who stole her purse. The NYPD says the attack on Roberts Avenue was the last of six muggings throughout the Bronx in one hour.

Robber punches, kicks senior in face

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By Dan Gesslein An elderly man with a cane was sucker punched, knocking him to the ground and then kicked in the face by a man who attempted to rob him, the NYPD says.

The brutal beat down was caught on surveillance video in Mount Eden on May 2.

At around 1:30 pm in front of 1299 Grand Concourse, the 77-year-old man became engaged in an arguement with a much younger man in a hoodie.

The war of words soon escalated and the younger man punched the senior in

the face knocking him to the ground with his cane.

The attacker is then seen on the video throwing a cup of liquid he had in his hand on the victim. Finally he kicks the elderly man in the face before rifling through his pockets looking for money. Cops say he ran away without cash or the man’s property.

The wounded senior was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW. NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS. COM, or on Twitter @ NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

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George Floyd legacy 8 • BRONX VOICE• May 11 - 17, 2022

Crowd gathers to watch arrest

By David Greene A few dozen passersby stopped to witness and videotape a dramatic police arrest along the Northeast corner of East Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse.

The incident unfolded sometime before 12:30 p.m. on May 1, on the street outside of the former Platform NYC, located at 209 East Fordham Road.

As the Bronx Voice arrived on scene, five officers from the 46th Precinct were holding a man down on the ground, as an estimated three dozen people silently and intensely watched the arrest.

One woman who declined to

be identified and who briefly witnessed the scene, claimed that the barefoot man in custody was wearing leg restraints as he was pinned down to the ground.

The witness said of the incident, "You would think that after the death of George Floyd, that they (the police) wouldn't leave a suspect on the ground like that, that they would sit him up once he's restrained.”

According to an unnamed police official, the incident began as a call of a shoplifting incident at 11:45 a.m., at the American Eagle clothing store at 256 East Fordham Road at Valentine Avenue, more than a block away.

The official explained, "Reporter states suspect entered and proceeded to take $306 worth of merchandise from the store's shelves and attempted to leave without paying for the items.”

The police official concluded, "Police responded where the suspect resisted arrest. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident,” or apparently any injuries.

Police identified the suspect as Julio Cuevas, 34, who was charged with petit larceny, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Photo by David Greene

Several dozen passersby stop to watch officers arrest a shoplifter at the corner of East Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse.

The official declined to address told the Bronx Voice, "Oh, I don't the claim that leg restraints were know, I was not here. I did hear used on the suspect. about it, but I'm not sure we're A manager at American Eagle able to discuss" the incident.

Good Samaritan Murder

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Bronx man killed, dismembered woman trying to help his girlfriend

A man who brutally killed and dismembered a Good Samaritan will spend the next 27 years to life in prison, prosecutors said. The victim was murdered when she tried to help her friend escape an abusive relationship.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 27 years to life in prison for the murder and dismemberment of Lisa Marie Velasquez in 2018.

“It was a horrifying series of acts against a woman who had come to the aid of her friend, who lived with the defendant,” Clark said.

"He mercilessly struck the victim with a hammer, then strangled her with a cord. The victim’s remains were placed in trash bags and the defendant and the friend Ms. Velasquez was trying to help dumped the bags in two Bronx parks.

“I send my condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones who have been waiting for justice, and hope today’s sentence gives them some measure of peace during this nightmare they are living,” Clark said.

The defendant, Daquan

Facebook

Lisa Marie Velasquez

Wheeler, 34, was sentenced by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Margaret Clancy to 25 years to life in prison on second-degree Murder, two to four years for Tampering with Physical Evidence, to run consecutive to the Murder sentence; and two to four years for Concealment of a Human Corpse, to run concurrently. A jury found the defendant guilty of the charges on April 14, 2022.

According to the investigation, in the early morning of August 22, 2018, Lisa Marie Velasquez, 25, had gone to the apartment that the defendant shared with

the mother of his child, co-defendant Ciara Martinez, at 1006 Longfellow Avenue, to help Martinez.

The defendant hit Velasquez once in the head with a hammer. The victim fell to the floor and Martinez tried to convince the Defendant to get her medical attention. The defendant refused and got on top of Ms. Velasquez, straddled her, and struck her with the hammer at least 14 times.

Wheeler then wrapped an electrical cord around her neck and strangled her to make sure she was dead. The defendant then dragged the victim’s body to the bathroom and placed her body in the bathtub.

According to the investigation, Wheeler and Martinez cleaned the bathroom and bedroom, and got rid of their clothes, the victim’s clothes and the towels used to clean up blood, in an effort to conceal the murder.

Wheeler and Martinez then went to a hardware store and bought trash bags and a machete. Wheeler dismembered the victim’s body using the machete, placed her remains in trash bags, and Wheeler and

Martinez left them in Crotona Park and in the water off Barretto Point Park.

Wheeler and Martinez then went back to the apartment and cleaned and painted the residence.

On August 24, 2018, a city Parks Department worker found the bags containing Ms. Velasquez’s remains in Crotona Park and

on August 28, 2018, people visiting Barretto Point Park discovered the bags containing the rest of her remains.

Martinez testified under a cooperation agreement and will be sentenced to time served on a misdemeanor charge of Conspiracy in the 5th Degree on May 10, 2022.

R.A.I.N. honors Joseph Kelleher of Simone Metro

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Joseph Kelleher, president of Simone Metro Properties, was honored for his ongoing support of Regional Aid for Interim Needs Total Care, Inc. (R.A.I.N.) at the Bronx-based service provider’s Sixth Annual Golf Outing on May 3rd at the Leewood Golf Club in Westchester County.

For the past 58 years, R.A.I.N. has offered compassionate, quality care through a continuum of services for people with disabilities of all ages, including the operation of full

service older adult centers; delivery of over 1,600 meals to homebound elderly; transportation services for medical appointments; home care; benefits and entitlements assistance; case management and Alzheimer’s caregiver support services; and operation of the Cucina Dolores Mobile Food Kitchen program. Mr. Kelleher has been a long-time supporter of R.A.I.N. He joined Simone in 2003 to direct the leasing and management of the Hutchinson Metro Center, the

company’s highly successful mixed-use complex in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, featuring 1.4 million square feet of Class A office, medical, retail and educational space, a Marriott hotel and top-notch amenities including a café, conference center, pharmacy, fitness center, car wash and more in a 42-acre landscaped campus setting. Kelleher also serves as President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and as an Adult Leader for The Boy Scouts of America.

Pictured with Joseph Kelleher (Left) at the event is R.A.I.N. President and CEO Anderson Torres, PhD, LCSW-R.

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Mural dedicated to Twin Parks fire victims

By David Greene The Bronx-based graffiti group Tats Cru teamed up with Clean Rite Laundry and have produced a mural dedicated to the 17 victims who perished in the Twin Parks North West fire on January 9.

More than a dozen survivors and family members joined members of Tats Cru, Clean Rite laundry and Borough President Vanessa Gibson, as several large tarps were lowered thus displaying the new mural at the corner of Southern Boulevard and Jennings Street in the Charlotte Gardens section of the borough.

Before the unveiling, Tats Cru artist Sotero Ortiz, known in the art community as "BG183" told the Bronx Voice, "Being that we're from the Bronx and we've been painting memorial walls for so many years, we really don't like taking advantage of tragedies so that we could get media coverage or whatever. We've never been about chasing the limelight, but for us being from the Bronx... this could have been our families.”

Ortiz recalled how Clean Rite reached out to Tats Cru about doing a mural and af-

ter scouting the different Clean Rite locations across the Bronx, the center at 1348 Southern Boulevard was selected.

Ortiz added, "Because there are so many tragedies... it's good that we come out here and at least tell our neighbors that we never forgot.”

Felicia Galitsky, a spokeswoman for Clean Rite, added, "We really just wanted to do something nice for the community. Obviously after COVID and then this terrible tragedy, we just wanted to give some joy to the community and just have a perma-

nent place where families can kind of remember the loved ones that they lost.”

Alex Weiss, the owner of Laundry Capital that owns 70 Clean Rite locations across 7 states, including 40 in New

Photo by David Greene

York City, said in a statement, "We want to honor the lives that were lost in this terrible tragedy by ensuring their memory will live on forever as a permanent staple of the Bronx community."

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Health Matters

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Next great evolution in nursing This week marks the start of National Nurses Week, a date that was selected in honor of Florence Nightingale, a British nurse whose experiences during the Crimean War significantly advanced the quality and standards of nursing care.

As we acknowledge this week, we not only celebrate our past and present nursing heroes, but also take delight in what is emerging as the next

great evolution in nursing – formalized and academic-based nursing research careers.

Nurse researchers are nurses that ask questions about health and illness to enhance the delivery of care over a person’s lifespan. We ask scientific questions about how we deliver care and how that impacts outcomes. We ask questions about how best to screen for diseases and why diseases impact peo-

ple differently.

We also look at healthcare inequities to identify how we can reduce obstacles that may be impeding optimal care delivery. These questions and quality improvement efforts are enhancing drug discovery, identifying new tools and devices that can better equip all care providers, and are enabling us to look at new ways to improve the care of each pa-

tient who walks in through our doors.

Florence Nightingale was our very first nurse researcher. She, after years of collecting data and analyzing it all, drew many conclusions that inform healthcare as we know it, ranging from the importance of hand washing to opening windows to maximize light and ventilation. She also advocated for improving drainage to combat

waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

Today, nursing research at Montefiore also looks at what we can be doing in our current environment to improve care.

A key difference though is that we’re formalizing this practice by aligning with our academic partners, like Albert Einstein College of Medicine, to complete interdisciplinary research CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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Next great evolution in nursing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

that will advance the practice of medicine and bring together a more resilient workforce to care for our community.

Nursing-led research in the areas of health equity, social determinants of health screening and health promotion, will shape nursing practices for years to come.

We are also aligning our nursing research agenda with the strategic plan just announced by the National Institute for Nursing Research, which has five research lenses: health equity, social determinants of health, population and community health, prevention and health promotion, and sys-

tems and models of care.

Our extensive training in developing, implementing and presenting research projects, and clear alignment with the National Institute for Nursing Research on how to solve today’s health challenges, folds the perspective of nurses into new ways of delivering care. It also enables us to work to the top of our license and will support patient safety and healing for years to come.

Nursing-led research efforts already underway at Montefiore include a device we’re evaluating called “Buzzy.”

“Buzzy” uses temperature and vibrations to decrease the sensation of pain during an intra-

venous catheter placement in our pediatric population.

We have also evaluated different types of pillows for the comfort and positioning of people in orthopedic settings.

The creation of new studies that evaluates these kinds of devices and even pillows, can only happen and be successful when education and a collaborative interdisciplinary team are supported by a sound framework for advancing care.

As part of our goals of leveraging data to enhance and support healthcare provider communication and be a true partner with our patients, we have studies ranging from

when is it best to initiate a “difficult conversation” with people experiencing chronic illnesses to evaluating the experience of a hospitalized child with and without guardians being present at the bedside.

As a major academic medical center, nurses are also partnering with physicians to lead large clinical trials. Our nurses are screening potential patients for clinical trial eligibility, consenting patients and are enrolling them into trials, in addition to conducting reporting on outcomes and adverse events.

What is particularly important and can’t be understated or

undervalued is that so many of us are members of the Bronx community. Because of this, we can convey the importance of participating in these trials, and genuinely communicate about the importance of better understanding causes of illness in our region and ensuring new treatments are informed by and account for genetic differences across race and ethnicities.

So this Nurses Week, I encourage nurses in any stage of their career to be part of this next wave of nursing. And for every nurse out there, I thank you for your hard work, dedication and passion for improving the care of others.

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Living with Covid study - Pandemic vs. Endemic

As public health professionals consider how best to educate

the public about the shift from COVID as a pandemic to an endemic, EmblemHealth, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health insurers, released results today from its national Living With COVID-19 Research.

The study examined the public's interpretation of a pandemic vs. endemic and associated behaviors and public perceptions of other COVID-care terms. Findings will inform the medical community of the population's general understanding of these concepts and help improve communications around public health guidance and progression.

"Facing a growing sentiment of ‘COVID exhaustion,’ EmblemHealth drilled down into whether the public was ready to move from a global health crisis stance; to accepting COVID as the new long term normal," said Dr. Richard Dal Col, MD, and Chief Medical Officer of EmblemHealth. "Our research revealed that the public will practice fewer preventive behaviors in an endemic, at the same time the public primarily looks to and trusts clinical experts for direction, and words like "booster" [alone] do not incite public proactivity.”

While the COVID-19 vaccines have effectively helped reduce hospitalizations and death rates, the country has also seen adult vaccination rates stall — 76% of adults are fully vaccinated, and only 49% have received a COVID booster, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s April 2022 COVID Data Tracker.

The data, plus what is being seen on the ground, prompted EmblemHealth to explore

what the healthcare industry should consider in the next phase of the disease. Its resulting study--conducted in February 2022--found that people have a positive but mixed perception of "boosters." They see the term synonymous with extra protection and maintenance but less preventive than an "immunization" and “vaccination."

Moreover, when asked to describe what an endemic is to a friend or family member, the study found that the lack of

understanding of the term "endemic" varied among respondents. Based on a general misunderstanding of the word, a majority expressed that they are more likely to reduce participation in preventative behaviors in an endemic, particularly the likelihood of getting a booster.

Meanwhile, respondents also stated they were more likely to keep up and follow additional preventive measures when faced with a pandemic verses an endemic.

The study polled nearly 1,000 respondents nationwide, focusing on the New York Tri-State Area, where EmblemHealth primarily operates. Among key findings from the survey: • Consumers' adherence to public health behaviors – such as wearing a mask, testing, quarantining and more are slated to be much lower in an endemic vs. in a pandemic classification.

• The term "pandemic" is very well understood. When asked to define "endemic,” around 1 in 4 persons expressed they are unfamiliar with the term. The remaining themes described it as when the pandemic/disease is contained to a particular geographical area, allowing people to live more commonly, like with the flu.

• Slightly more than half of the respondents plan to wear a mask in an endemic, which is

a 30% decline compared to in a pandemic. In a pandemic, 1 in 2 people plan to get a booster, while only 37% plan to get a booster in an endemic.

• Consumers understand the term "booster," but it is associated more with "extra" or "maintenance." "Immunization" is associated more as "preventive," "effective," and "safe," even by more hesitant groups.

• Key behaviors that suppress the spread of disease — including quarantining and avoidance of others if tested positive — see drastic declines in an endemic compared to in a pandemic, with only 2 in 5 saying they will avoid seeing others if they test positive or quarantining if they experience symptoms.

• Most respondents believe COVID-19 will become a

seasonal disease like the flu and would be more receptive to getting an annual booster associated with a seasonal/yearly immunization rather than getting one, if at all, if COVID-19 becomes endemic.

"EmblemHealth's findings serve as a great snapshot of where public opinion stands and how we in healthcare can best meet people where they are," said Beth Leonard, EmblemHealth Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. "As we move forward, we will need to work in tandem and speak the same language across health systems and policies to ensure we do not lose any ground on our progress in beating back the virus.”

With a fourth COVID vaccine dose approved by the FDA, and now top infectious-disease experts stating the US is out of the

pandemic phase, Leonard, whose team oversees communications for EmblemHealth and its medical practice, AdvantageCare Physicians, suggests medical experts and communicators support vaccine rollouts by connecting the importance of "boosters" to keeping up with one's COVID-19 vaccinations.

Also, heath care insiders should consider increasing the use of terms like "immunizations and vaccinations" as opposed to only relaying to the public "boosters," "shots," or "jabs in the arm" -terms found to cause feelings of fear, pain, and potential side effects--especially among hesitant populations. In addition, stakeholders in health care should be cautious when using the word "endemic" to promote public safety behaviors in the current and future phases of COVID-19.

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Six things you may not know about home health care nurses

By Chandra Wilson May is National Nurses Month and this week is National Nurses Week (May 6-12).

It is no secret that nurses (one of the fastest growing jobs in health care) are considered by many to be the backbone of the health care industry.

Let’s take a closer look into the world of one kind of nurse who is always on the go—not in hospitals or doctor’s offices— they’re home health care nurses who visit patients at home.

What makes home health care nurses so special? I spoke with Ruth Caballero, RN, and Philip Leon, RN, of Visiting Nurse Service of New York to gain insight into what these “visiting” nurses do and how their tireless dedication impacts the people they serve. Here are a few key takeaways from those conversations.

1. You don’t choose home

health care nursing. Home health care nursing chooses you.

When asked what advice she would give someone interested in pursuing a career in home health nursing, VNSNY case manager Ruth Caballero says, “You cannot be in this job if you haven’t had a calling.”

A Bronx native, Caballero has been a nurse for 25 years in Manhattan and Washington Heights.

She goes on to state that nursing is not a “backup plan” or a job for the weak at heart; you must have felt the call to action. Ruth stresses the importance of home health care nurses having a true passion for what they do, so much so that it becomes part of their DNA. “I would do this job for free,” Ruth says, “I will do this job when I retire.”

2. Home health care nurses keep patients out of the hospital.

Visiting Nurse Service of New York nurse Ruth Caballero.

Photo by VNSNY

Ruth started her career in a hospital setting, but soon became curious about home health care when she noticed that patients who were receiving care at home returned to the hospital less frequently.

“People don’t realize that we’re the bridge between being well and being hospitalized,” she says. Expert care can make such a difference that research shows patients who don’t get home health care are twice as likely to go back into the hospital as those who do.

3. Home health care nurses treat patients of all ages and a wide variety of conditions.

There is a misconception that home health care nurses primarily treat elderly patients.

However, these nurses provide personalized, quality care in a comfortable and familiar setting for patients of all ages, regardless of diagnosis or health condition. The services they provide also range in complexity from skilled nursing after or to prevent a hospitalization, to care management and assistance with daily activities that help people age safely at home (even when battling several chronic diseases). Specialized care for specific conditions like diabetes, heart disease, COVID-19 as well as education for patients and their family caregivers about how to stay healthy and make lifestyle changes is all in a day’s work for home health care nurses.

Home health care nurses replicate a clinical setting in your home.

What’s the difference between a hospital nurse and a home health care nurse? “The main difference is the walls,” says public health nurse Phil Leon, who has been caring for patients in their homes for more than 20 years. “We bring the clinical setting to the patient’s house,

Photo by VNSNY

Visiting Nurse Service of New York nurse Philip Leon.

which is a facet of nursing that a lot of hospital people don’t really know about.” Phil adds that many of patients he visits are former nurses and doctors themselves who are often amazed about what home health care nurses can do right in the home.

4. Home health care nurses have the advantage of getting a full picture of their patients’ lives.

Treating patients in their homes allows nurses to employ a holistic approach to healthcare. Home health care nurses get to see what the patient’s home environment is like, whether or not they have family support, if there is access to food and medicine, and other critical components that make up a patient’s wellbeing.

“We’re often the ‘eyes and ears’ for the doctors,” says Phil.

“We keep those lines of communication open—and focused on our patient’s health and well-being, no matter where they are on their health care journey.”

5. Home health care nurses are

teachers.

Home health care nurses educate their patients on how to achieve what Ruth refers to as their “optimal level of wellness.” The goal is to get that patient to be independent and to understand their healthcare needs. Beyond cleaning wounds and administering medication, these nurses show patients the ins and outs of their conditions so they can better manage it themselves. They understand the value of hands-on care and constantly provide reassurance and connections, aiding with both physical and emotional healing.

“Every day we call on empathy, patience and persistence to help those we care for heal and live their best lives,” Ruth says.

“When we see that smile, or the glint of recognition in someone’s eye, that’s a true reward.”

To learn more or explore how home health care could help you or a loved one, visit VNSNY.org or call 1-800-675-0391.

Monte Einstein Cancer Center finds CAR-T Therapy effective in Black and Hispanic patients

18 • BRONX VOICE• May 11 - 17, 2022

CAR-T therapy, a form of immunotherapy that revs up T-cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells, has revolutionized the treatment of blood cancers, including certain leukemias, lymphomas, and most recently, multiple myeloma. However, Black and Hispanic people were largely absent from the major clinical trials that led to the U.S. Food and Drug Admin-

istration approval of CAR-T cell therapies.

In a study published in Blood Marrow Transplantation (BMT), investigators at the National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) report that Black and Hispanic patients had outcomes and side effects following CAR-T treatment that were comparable to their white

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and Asian counterparts.

“Representation in cancer clinical trials is vital to ensuring that treatments are safe and effective for everyone,” said Mendel Goldfinger, M.D., co-corresponding author of the paper, a medical oncologist at Montefiore Health System, assistant professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and member of the MECC Cancer Therapeutics Program. “We couldn’t have been happier to learn that our patients who identify as Black and Hispanic have the same benefits from CAR-T therapy as white patients. We can only begin to say that a cancer treatment is transformational when these therapies benefit everyone who comes to us for care.”

People who identify as Black and Hispanic often have tumor biology, immune system biology, and side effects that are distinct from white people. However, very few minorities were enrolled in the major trials that led the FDA to approve CAR-T cell therapy.

Parity for Black and Hispanic Patients The new BMT study evaluated outcomes for 46 participants treated at Montefiore between 2015 and 2021. Seventeen of the participants were Hispanic, 9 were African American, 15 were white, and 5 were Asian.

Among Black and Hispanic patients, 58% achieved a complete response after treatment and 19% achieved a partial response. For white and Asian patients, 70% achieved a complete response and 20% had a partial response, indicating no statistical differences among racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Results were similar with respect to major side effects experienced: Approximately 95% of participants in each group had mild to moderate cytokine release syndrome, a common side effect to immunotherapy in which people experience fever and other flu-like symptoms.

Diversifying Cancer Clinical Trials “Our findings demonstrate that we are able to effectively treat people from historically marginalized groups using CAR-T; our hope is that more people from a diverse range of racial and ethnic backgrounds will be included in clinical trials,” said co-author Amit Verma, M.B.B.S., associate director of translational science at MECC, director of the division of hemato-oncology at Montefiore and Einstein, and professor of medicine and of developmental and molecular biology at Einstein. Ira Braunschweig, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Einstein and director of Stem Cell

Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and clinical program director, Hematologic Malignancies at Montefiore, is also co-corresponding author on the study.

At Montefiore, approximately 80% of clinical trial participants are minorities, compared with the nationwide figure of only 8%.

“As an academic medical center, it is not enough to make novel therapies like CAR-T available,” said Susan Green-Lorenzen, R.N. M.S.N., system senior vice president of operations at Montefiore and study co-author. “We need to be at the forefront of ensuring that these treatments are effective for the communities we serve – this research reflects this commitment.”

The study is titled “Efficacy and safety of CAR-T cell therapy in minorities.” In addition to Drs. Goldfinger, Verma, and Braunschweig and Ms. Green-Lorenzen, other Einstein and Montefiore authors are Astha Thakkar, M.D., Michelly Abreu, N.P., Kith Pradhan, Ph.D., R. Alejandro Sica, M.D., Aditi Shastri, M.D., Noah Kornblum, M.D., Nishi Shah, M.D., M.P.H., Ioannis Mantzaris, M.D., M.S., Kira Gritsman, M.D., Ph.D., Eric Feldman, M.D., and Richard Elkind, P.A.-C.

Culinary Road www.bronxvoiceny.blogspot.com

BRONX VOICE• May 11 - 17, 2022• 19

By Morris Gut

Where to get a great pizza slice

One of the most popular pizza shops in the Bronx-Westchester area, Pelham Pizzeria & Ristorante, has been marking more than 40 years in bustling Pelham, N.Y. with a renovation, classic Italian-American menu and first-rate pizza specialties.

Established in 1978, a second generation of the Ruffolo family has continued the flavorful legacy left by their founder Gino and John Ruffolo. Son John Ruffolo and son-in-law Pino Mancini create their delicious larder to a packed dining room daily. The phone rings incessantly, and take-out orders fly out the door. At peak times, the atmosphere can seem chaotic, but the crew gets the job done.

Some of the current crew have been working here for 25 years.

John Ruffolo refers to his shop as the ‘heartbeat of Pelham’.

However, the flavors emanating from this ‘neighborhood’ pizzeria now draws followers from throughout the metro area.

Pelham Pizzeria has consistently made the ‘101 Best Pizzerias in the US’ rankings on The Daily Meal national website.

It has received honorable mentions in Westchester Magazine, and raves from the community at large. They draw legions of followers every day, 7 days a week.

A Little History: “Pelham Pizza opened its doors in May of 1978. Originally, the restaurant was jointly owned and managed by two brothers from Italy: Luigi ‘Gino’ and Ettore ‘John’ Ruffolo. In 1988, John passed away and Gino ran the pizzeria as the sole proprietor until he passed away in 2009.

Gino’s son-in-law Pino Manci-

ni joined the business in 1997 and now manages the business with Gino’s son John and wife Rose.”

The dining room and signage were spruced up a bit recently.

The menu runs the gamut of popular dishes at reasonable prices for eat-in or take-out: Hot Appetizers, Soups, fresh crisp Salads, Hot & Cold Wedges, Pastas, Lunch & Dinner Entrees, and of course, Specialty Pizzas galore. On a typical busy day, says John, we prepare about 100 pies.

The display case at the counter beckons with its fresh baked pizzas by the slice: Sausage Pie with the house signature lumps of tasty sausage; Spinach Pie, White Pizza, and Chicken Cutlet Pie. Whole pies include Salad Pizza, Lasagna Pizza, Arugula Pizza and a big Combination Pie. Fresh made Calzones and stuffed Rolls are available, too.

Gluten free pizza available.

Many of the classic Italian American red-sauce favorites are here: Veal, Chicken, Shrimp or Eggplant Parmigiana; Homemade Lasagna; Baked Manicotti; Veal or Chicken Francese; Shrimp Scampi; Veal Marsala; and hearty Grilled Chicken with Broccoli Rabe and Potatoes.

Portions are very generous.

Pelham Pizzeria & Ristorante is located at 113 Fifth Ave., Pelham. The shop is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Monday thru Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Full take-out & Catering. Cash only. Booth seating. Table service. First-come, first-served. Casual dress. Municipal parking; free evenings.

Phone: 914-738-3554. www. pelhampizzeria.com

BRONX NIGHT MARKET 5TH ANNIVERSARY!

The popular Bronx Night Market has brought back its original hours: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Saturday. It will mark a 5th Anniversary on May 28th. Tickets for spots are free but must be reserved thru the website. There are more than 20 Bronx-based vendors including Crabmeat Mike, Empanada Papa, Fried Lasagna Mama, Hungarian Hotspot, Mixto Tacos, and Island Love Cake all selling food, drink, and all sorts of merchandise. It all takes place at: Fordham Plaza, East Fordham Road and Webster Ave. Belmont, The Bronx. For more info: www.thebronxnightmarket.com STANLEY TUCCI’S ‘SEARCHING FOR ITALY’ , SEASON 2!

Here is another tasty rec. It premiered on May 1st. Actor Stanley Tucci stars in an appetizing series on CNN entitled: “Searching for Italy” Season 2, and it is a delicious romp thru the scenic and delicious Italian regional culinary tour. Beautifully filmed and depicted, Tucci visits various cities and towns throughout the boot zeroing in on the incredible food scene in each region.

Stanley Tucci is originally from Peekskill and grew up in Katonah, attended John Jay High and SUNY Purchase. He has long been a food and wine aficionado, having owned a restaurant called Finch Tavern in Croton Falls back in 2007.

Who can forget his classic culinary-themed films: Big Night & Julie & Julia. He hosted a series called “Vine Talk” on PBS. His latest cookbooks: “The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family

and Friends” which he co-authored with his wife Felicity Blunt; ‘The Tucci Cookbook’; and ‘Taste: My Life Through Food’. My palate is longing for more. Check it out: www.cnn. com/travel/article/stanley-tucci-searching-for-italy-restaurants/index.html COOKING CLASSES RESUME AT WESTCHESTER ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTER!

After a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Westchester Ital-

ian Cultural Center in Tuckahoe is kicking off a new series of cooking classes in their in-house kitchen.

Chef Carlo Pollicina of long-running Sal & Dom’s Pastry Shop in the Bronx will demonstrate how to prepare classic Anise Biscotti. The class takes place on Monday, May 23rd. at 6:30 p.m. A Mozzarella making class and tasting will be hosted by AJ Cohen of AJ’s Burgers in New Rochelle, on Monday, June 6th, at 6:30 p.m. Wine and

antipasti will also be served. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Westchester Italian Cultural Center, One Generoso Place, Tuckahoe. 914-771-8700 www.wiccny. org

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN & THE DERBY!

As a tradition, I brought home an iconic 8-piece bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, extra crispy, as we watched this year’s Run for the Roses on May 7th. Surrounded the chicken with some good baked beans and our homemade coleslaw. For dessert Winner’s Circle Deby Pie. Turned out well, better than the horse bets we made. Rich Strike wins at 80-1. Can you imagine?

(Morris Gut is a restaurant marketing consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in the Bronx and Westchester area for 30 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net)

20 • BRONX VOICE• May 11 - 17, 2022

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