Bronx Voice - May 31, 2023

Photo by David Greene

Smooth talking mugger punches woman in face, steals her laptop

By Dan Gesslein

Cops are looking for a smooth talking mugger who tried to chat up his victim before robbing her. When she tried to get away, the man viciously assaulted her on a busy commercial strip in broad daylight.

At around 1:45 pm on April 13, an 18-year-old woman was in front of a store at East Fordham

Road and Morris Avenue. A man walked up to her and started up a conversation.

At some point the woman tried to walk away and the man gave chase. Cops say the man caught up to her, threw his cold drink at her and then punched her twice in the face.

The mugger ripped the victim’s bag off her shoulder and ran off southbound on Morris Avenue. The bag contained the victim’s laptop.

The woman was treated at the scene by EMS for a laceration, bruising and swelling to her face.

Police released surveillance video of the suspect. In the video the man is seen walking with a frozen drink. Cops believe this is the drink the mugger threw at the woman before she was assaulted.

The suspect is described as a male with a dark complexion. He has long dark, braided hair. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and camoufl age shorts and was wearing a dark face

mask at the time.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers. nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.

Police are searching for this man in connection with a vicious mugging on Fordham Road.

Bx. man claims stolen car nearly killed him in crash

By David Greene

An elderly resident of Bronx Park Avenue claims a stolen out-of-control SUV nearly ran him down after a head-on crash involving multiple vehicles that took place on the one-way street.

Providing few details, the NYPD has confirmed that a 2-vehicle crash was reported on Wyatt Street at Bronx Park Avenue, outside the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) West Farms Maintenance Yard parking lot. The incident was reported at 9:55 a.m. on May 23.

An NYPD official had previously told the Bronx Voice, "A 59-year-old male was at a red light in the vicinity... when an unknown motorist collided with his vehicle. The official continued, "The unknown operator then got out of the vehicle and fled westbound on Wyatt Street." He added that no injuries were reported.

"Angel" a resident of Bronx Park Avenue claimed he was cleaning his own vehicle when he was nearly mowed down as he was just steps away from the crash.

Angel later recalled, "Yeah, I almost got killed, I was standing right next to it. I was four inches away.”

Angel recalled how a street sign stood between him and the out-of-control vehicle that jumped the curb, struck another vehicle and the fence

to the MTA parking lot. Angel continued, "He made a turn here so fast... he lost control.”

Angel added, "The car crashed over there on the sidewalk... and then I took a pipe, I said you sons-ofbitches, they were a bunch of teenagers."

Angel recalled how he watched as four males, and one female teenager fled the crashed vehicle through its doors and windows before running down Wyatt Street towards Morris Park Avenue. He described the suspects as Black teenagers, between 16 and 18-years of age.

The Bronx Voice located two additional vehicle owners who claimed that their vehicles were also hit, but said that they did not file police reports for different reasons. This could be the reason why the NYPD is reporting that only two vehicles were involved instead of four.

Repeated requests to the NYPD to confirm the crash involved a stolen vehicle as well as confirming Angel's claim that 5 teenagers fled the scene-- went unanswered. The NYPD was

also asked if the crash involved a new technology called 'StarChase" that was announced on April 11. Officials announced the deployment of the StarChase GPS tag, the NYPD-used gadget can be fired at a stolen vehicle or a vehicle refusing to stop for police-- as the gummy like substance is attached to the fleeing vehicle and can be monitored by NYPD Aviation units from above. The technology is currently deployed during a 90-day pilot program, the trial program is set to expire in July.

During the announcement of the new technology, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell told reporters, "Throughout its history, the NYPD has leveraged the latest available technology and pioneered ways to

do our critical work safely and effectively." She added, "For the NYPD to adapt, to improve, and to continue exceeding public safety expectations. But we want to be clear: The implementation of these technologies will be transparent, consistent, and always done in close collaboration with the people we serve.”

A second version of StarChase for the general public is also now in use and is about the size of a credit card and is stored inside a vehicle and if stolen, the device is activated, and the NYPD is able to track the vehicle.

By May 29, the NYPD had still not reported any arrests in the case and was unable to provide a description of the suspect or suspects; however, police continue to investigate.

Police sat for hours at the scene of a crash involving a stolen vehicle at Bronx Park Avenue and Wyatt Street on May 23. -Photo by David Greene

Shoplifters beat clerk, threaten with knife in gas station robbery

By Dan Gesslein

Cops are looking for four men who beat one convenience store clerk and threatened another one with a knife when they tried to stop the group from shoplifting.

At around 11:30 am on May 18, four men entered the convenience store at a gas station on Jerome Avenue, across from Van Cortlandt Park. Cops say the group tried to exit the store with merchandise without paying. When the workers tried to stop them, the group pounced.

One of the shoplifters threw a bottle at the 33-yearold clerk. They then bum rushed the clerk and another 49-year-old worker. One of the attackers placed the 33-year-old clerk in a chokehold. Another in the group pulled out a knife and threatened the 49-year-old worker with it.

Then the group went rampaging through the store damaging shelves and merchandise. The shoplifters then ran out of the store and drove off in a white BMW toward Van Cortlandt Avenue East.

The 33-year-old worker was rushed to Montefiore Medical Center where he was treated for a broken thumb as well as bruises to his head and body. The 49-year-old worker sustained bruises to his body and his head.

Police released surveil-

lance video of the suspects who were caught on camera without wearing a mask or trying to hide their identity.

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 https://crimestoppers. nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Can Marjorie Velazquez win reelection?

This article originally appeared on The City website.

By Jonathan Custodio, The City

Labor unions are throwing their weight behind Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez as her competition aims to capitalize on her eventual support for a housing development that won her points with labor and City Hall while angering some constituents.

Labor Strong — a coalition of the city’s most influential unions that is comprised of SEIU-32BJ, DC37, New York State Nurses Association, Hotel Trades Council and Communication Workers of America District 1 — and the New York City District Council of Carpenters (NYCDCC) have both backed Velázquez for what they characterize as her strong prioritization of union jobs as seen in her crucial support last October for the controversial Bruckner Boulevard rezoning in Throggs Neck.

These labor unions play major roles in municipal elections, and with hundreds of thousands of members available for tried-andtrue door-knocking — as well as coffers to support advertising and outreach — they can help bring a candidate across the finish line. Since there are fewer competitive local elections this year than in 2021 — when Velázquez eked out a narrow win in a crowded field while collecting less than 10,000 votes — and turnout is expected to be even lower than it was then, labor unions are poised to have even more influence.

“They don’t have to spread their resources far and wide. In this election cycle, labor organizations can be even more strategic with their vast resources,” said Eli Valentin, founder of the Institute for Latino Politics and Policy. “Having a couple hundred soldiers out there in a low turnout affair — that could make a huge difference for Marjorie.”

That support may be key in a race where some of Velázquez’s challengers have out-fundraised her. Currently, she has just over $25,000 in her campaign coffer;

housing that they deserve, that’s not falling and crumbling around. We’re actually providing infrastructure needs, like better streets, safer streets,” Velázquez told THE CITY in a conversation earlier this month.

date Alex Mici by just 10 percentage points — in a race where Mici hardly campaigned.

plan, which she opposes, by noting her reversal on the Bruckner rezoning.

some of her opponents have at least four times that amount.

The carpenter’s union has had around 100 members canvassing for Velázquez each week since April, according to NYCDCC political director Kevin Elkins, who said the union is backing the Council member because she’s backed labor — most notably with her 11th-hour support of the Bruckner rezoning.

“She was under pressure from a lot of different angles. But she held firm that she was not going to support something unless she got ironclad commitments to help her district,” Elkins told THE CITY last week. “And one of those things was that the project would create good jobs for her constituents for those who are in a union, but also for those who want to join a union.”

After that, he said, “Jesus Christ could have come in for an interview and we’d still pick Marjorie.”

The Latino population in District 13 has risen to 44% of the population, up 17 percentage points since 2000, according to the latest census figures. Yet, Valentin notes, just 33% of the voters in last year’s general election were Latino, while 40% were non-Latino white.

The people vying to unseat Velázquez’— including Democrat Bernadette Ferrara and Republicans Kristy Marmorato, George Havranek and Samantha Zherka — have focused their campaigns on their opposition to various plans to further develop parts of the district and add additional housing, while hitting the incumbent for allowing a plan to build affordable housing to proceed.

“We’re providing them with

“As a Latina, I’ve been dismissed many times so I know what it is to not have my voice heard. And my promise to this community that is heavily Latino, that their voices are also going to be heard and they are going to be at the table as well where, historically, they haven’t.”

Turnout Could Swing Race

While labor support could prove crucial for Velázquez, low turnout could potentially favor Republicans who are steady voters in the district, one district insider told THE CITY. Valentin echoed a similar analysis, saying that “faithful” Republican voters will make for a competitive general election.

Registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in the district by a near 2-to-1 margin, according to state Board of Elections records. But that didn’t stop Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa from beating Mayor Eric Adams by one point during the 2021 general election and Gov. Kathy Hochul from winning by a less-than-comfortable six points against Lee Zeldin in the 2022 governor’s race.

Velázquez first ran for the Council seat in 2017, losing a five-way primary to Assemblymember Mark Gjonaj after she won endorsements from outgoing Councilmember Jimmy Vacca, who was term-limited out, the New York Times and the Working Families Party.

Four years later, she cruised through the primary after Gjonaj dropped out, saying that the political climate was “not favorable to a centrist ideology” without acknowledging allegations, which he denies, of engaging in unethical campaign financing that dragged down his support.

After that, Velázquez went on to defeat perennial Republican candi-

Since a 2017 bid on the Working Families Party line and her 2021 election victory, Velázquez has shifted away from a progressive identity to appeal to the more centrist Democrats in her district. Earlier this year, she and 14 of her colleagues left the City Council’s Progressive Caucus after refusing to sign a new statement of principles that she said did not align with her position.

“If your focus is only anti-law enforcement, you’re just coming in with your own agenda, and it’s not really considering every single person,” she said. “I’ve made it very clear. I need to fund NYPD. I need to fund law enforcement.”

Not Just Bruckner: Housing a Hot Button

Two years later, with Council members running again after maps were redrawn following the 2020 U.S. Census, Velázquez is facing primary and general election candidates lined up to her right — almost all of them aiming to take her down by focusing on her vote for the Bruckner plan that helped earn her labor’s support.

The race has focused on housing development plans —and candidates’ opposition to them.

Most immediately, the field is united in attacking a proposed Just Home facility to provide housing for formerly incarcerated people with complex medical needs including cancer and congestive heart failure.

That plan, which doesn’t need to go through the City Council’s land use process, has angered residents who baselessly say the complex on the Jacobi Medical Center campus that would include 70 apartments, including 20 prioritized for local residents, would make their neighborhood more dangerous.

At a chaotic Bronx Community Board 11 public hearing last September, opponents drowned out neighbors trying to speak out in support of the plan.

‘My Parameters’

A district insider told THE CITY that they expect Velázquez’s opponents to tie her to the Just Home

The first-term Council member made waves last October when she dropped her months-long opposition to the Bruckner rezoning project, a 349-unit housing development in the Throggs Neck neighborhood expected to include 168 affordable apartments. In the previous eight years, fewer than 60 units of affordable housing had been built in the district, according to Velázquez.

The shift came as Mayor Eric Adams publicly advocated for the deal as part of his “City of Yes” agenda and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams brokered negotiations between the carpenter’s union behind the scenes to push the deal forward in the midst of a housing crisis.

Velázquez’s last-minute support was crucial since the local member, by long-standing tradition, has sway to block any plan in their district that requires the Council’s approval. Her reversal drew a stinging rebuke from Vacca, who said he was “outraged” with the current Council member after spending years working to “downsize practically every inch of my former council district to protect us from overdevelopment.”

“The Bruckner fight was really tough, but I fought for 100 units for seniors with wraparound services with a senior center on top of that” which all ended up in the plan, Velázquez told THE CITY last week at a Starbucks coffee shop in Throggs Neck. “I got 25 units for veterans and their families. That’s huge. And I also got a homeownership component to it.”

“I can sleep at night knowing that I brought back an opportunity for folks that have literally been going to Westchester and Long Island because they are not able … to stay here. They don’t have an opportunity to buy and the apartments are ridiculously expensive.”

Asked if the mayor pressed her to support the rezoning, Velázquez said only that, “he knew where I stood. I defined what my parameters were.”

Can Marjorie Velazquez win reelection?

Candidates and Coffers

Unlike in most of the 51 Council seats up for grabs this year, District 13 in the East Bronx is expected to have both a competitive primary and general election.

In her primary, Velázquez must get past Bernadette Ferrara, who previously ran an unsuccessful primary bid in a special election in neighboring District 15. Ferrara, who has also qualified for public matching funds, regards herself as a conservative Democrat, telling the Bronx Times in February that while her platform doesn’t align completely with the Republican Party, it is “very comparable” to it.

Assuming Velázquez tri-

umphs in the Democratic primary on June 27, she will face the winner of a Republican primary.

Marmorato, who’s well known in the district, has already been endorsed by City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island) and the Bronx GOP, which is led by her brother Michael Rendino. Her husband is Gino Marmorato, the Republican commissioner in the borough for the city’s Board of Elections.

Havranek is the president of the Spencer Estate Civic Association, having lived there for six decades, a former member of Bronx Community Board 10 who led the opposition to the Bruckner upzoning. Zherka is an insur-

ance and construction business owner and former State Senate candidate.

Marmorato and Havranek have qualified for matching funds under the city’s campaign finance system. Havranek has the most left to spend at $144,640, with Marmorato not far behind with $106,157.

The next campaign filing deadline for the city’s campaign finance board is May 26, after which a new set of public matching funds will be doled out to qualifying candidates, which should give a boost to Velázquez who has just $25,531 on-hand ahead of that filing.

Labor Strong has already committed to spending $1 million on City Council elec-

tions this year, according to the Daily News.

Not trailing far behind, the carpenters’ union is also planning to cough up $500,000 towards City Council contests through its super PAC Carpenters for Progress, according to City and State.

The United Federation of Teachers also endorsed Velázquez this week.

Velázquez will use her labor support to amplify her messaging about why she deserves a full four-year term.

She touted $20 million she’s helped allocate in City Council funding to district needs in her first six months, half of which went to replace the hyper bariatric chamber at Jacobi Medical Center. She also highlighted the roughly

28 officers she helped add to the 45 Precinct, and the passage of a bill she sponsored to reduce plastic waste.

“We’re just beginning. We’re delivering for folks and making them feel proud of their neighborhood as one of the safest, one of the ones that has the most resources and that they have a champion in that,” said Velázquez. “And at the end of the day, don’t let a vocal minority make you fear where you live, make you feel that this community is not there for you, make you feel that this community is less than.”

THE CITY is an independent, nonprofit news outlet dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

The people’s moneyYour money to improve your community

By Mayor Eric Adams

Have you ever looked around your neighborhood and thought—it would be great if we could have a community garden here, or maybe more after school programs for students, or special services for seniors? Now, you can bring those ideas to life.

“The People’s Money” is the first ever citywide participatory budgeting process run by our Civic Engagement Commission (CEC), and from today until June 25th, all New York City residents ages 11 and older - regardless of immigration status - can vote on how to spend $5 million dollars of our city’s budget.

To do so, go to our website: on.nyc.gov/pb and vote on projects that your fellow New Yorkers have proposed.

You can vote on projects for your borough, and the residents of 33 equity neighborhoods can vote on one additional project that will be funded in their neighborhood.

The projects have been carefully selected from

hundreds of proposals that were brainstormed by New Yorkers in workshops across all five boroughs earlier this year. In fact, the CEC facilitated 523 Idea Generation sessions across the city in which 12,344 New Yorkers participated.

If you have ideas that you would like to suggest, please consider participating in this phase of the process next year.

Participatory budgeting gives you a direct say in the future of your community. You decide how our money is spent.

Participatory Budgeting strengthens our democracy and deepens civic engagement.

I championed the program as Brooklyn Borough President, and as mayor, I

have made it even bigger, giving New Yorkers more money to invest directly in their communities.

Some of this year’s proposals include: a youth multicultural arts program in Manhattan; workplace skills training for adults with autism in the Bronx; an intergenerational mentoring program in Brooklyn; a young entrepreneurs program in Queens; and a women and young girls health center on Staten Island.

Proposals in the equity neighborhoods include: teaching Bed-Stuy history in Bedford Stuyvesant; coding 101 for BIPOC youth in Fordham Heights and University Heights; food access support on the Lower East Side and in Chinatown; multilingual job fairs in Corona; and outreach to unhoused people with disabilities in St. George, Stapleton, Port Richmond and Tompkinsville.

Most projects can be

implemented in a year. So you don’t have to wait endlessly to see the results. The winners will be announced by July and the CEC will work closely with the organizations to make sure that all projects are completed successfully.

You may have voted on

Participatory Budgeting projects through your City Council Member, but “The People’s Money” is the first citywide process, and it uses mayoral funds.

Don’t miss this opportunity to vote on how to spend $5 million of your money. Visit on.nyc.gov/pb and vote today.

Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

Honoring Memorial Day at Woodlawn

Several local groups including members of Community Board # 7 fanned out across the 400-acre cemetery to place American flags at the graves of nearly 9,000 U.S. servicemen and women. The Flagging event was hosted by the Woodlawn Conservancy who expected that all of the graves would have a flag placed at the graves of all service members in time for Memorial Day.

Photos by David Greene

Mystery surrounds drowning death of two teens

By David Greene

Multiple questions remain as the NYPD continues to investigate the tragic drowning death of two teens-- one recovered from the Harlem River, while the other was retrieved days later in the Hudson River on the other side of Manhattan Island.

Police officials stated that Alfa Barrie, 11, was last seen leaving his residence on East 167 Street in the Bronx at 4 p.m. on May 12.

On May 16, the NYPD

reported that 13-year-old Garrett Warren, of West 143 Street in Manhattan was reported missing on May 14, after police were informed that the child left his home at

1:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 13.

Also on May 16, Daniel Osorio posted on Facebook, "On behalf of the Barrie family and my Muslim family in faith, our young king has not returned home since Friday 5/12. Please share this on all your platforms and pray for his safe return.”

At 10 a.m. on May 18, an NYPD Harbor unit retrieved a body from the Harlem River, in the area near the Madison Avenue Bridge. The body was later identified as Warren’s.

At approximately 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, an NYPD harbor unit was called to the Hudson River at West 102 Street for a report of a body in the water. The victim was retrieved and was later identified as Barrie.

The family has publicly questioned the NYPD's findings that the drownings were accidental as unconfirmed reports that a third teen was with the two boys as well as a report stating that a witness claimed that Warren had pushed Barrie into the Harlem River, before slipping into the river himself. The Bronx Voice has been unable to verify these claims.

WPIX is reporting that the Office of the City's Medical Examiner (OCME) has since determined that Warren's

death has been ruled an accidental drowning while Barrie's cause of death has been delayed, "pending further study.”

Residents took to Twitter to question several aspects of the mystery, as "@Fotogem" Tweeted, "Why did it take a week plus before the 3rd youth was mentioned? This needs to be investigated.”

As May is "Water Safety Month" Stew Leonard's, the popular Westchester food hub has announced plans to open the "Stewie The Duck Swim School" in Norwalk, CT., on June 5. The new swimming school and pool will offer low-cost swimming lessons to children in need from

the tri-state area with the goal of self-funding 20,000 free swimming lessons each year.

According to a press release for the swimming school, Kim and Stew Leonard, Jr., lost their 21-month-old son Stevie in an accidental drowning incident in 1989. The couple founded the Stew Leonard lll Water Safety Foundation and wrote a pair of books on the matter that has so far raised $6 million that helped fund the new pool and school in hopes of preventing similar tragedies happening to other families.

For more information on the Stewie The Duck Swim School, visit their website at: https://stewietheduck.org.

The NYPD released this photo of missing teen Alfa Barrie, 11, who left his home at 4 p.m. on May 12, and his body was recovered from the Hudson River on May 20.

Police say Garrett Warren, 13, left his Harlem home at 1:30 a.m. on May 13, while his body was discovered in the Harlem River on May 18.

Cops, community come together againafterCovidhiatus

After a 3-year absence due to COVID-19, members of the NYPD and community came together for the annual Fellowship Breakfast hosted by the 47th Precinct Community Council and sponsored by business, religious and community organizations at the Eastwood Manor.

Health Matters Speaking the same language –How parents, teens can connect

By Maria C. Alba, Psy.D., Postdoctoral Psychology Fellow, Montefiore Medical Center

During the teenage years, parents and youth may have more conflicts and fewer opportunities to connect.

When parents and teens communicate effectively it can build trust, bring them closer together, encourage sharing of everyday experiences and buffer teens against feelings of isolation. Each parent, teen, and family are unique but adapting the below tips to suit your values and preferences can help to reduce conflict and increase communication.

Start with validation

Validation is communicating to the other person that their emotions, behavior, or experience are important and acknowledged. Validation shows the other person that we’re listening and want to understand. This method is scientifically proven to reduce emotional intensity, anger, and defensiveness, allowing us to have deeper conversations, rather than closing them off.

If your child comes home from school and shares that they are annoyed or upset, you

might say something like, “It sounds like you had a rough day! I would be tired and cranky too.”

This is not just for parents; teens can use this approach to communicate better too. If your parent is angry with you, you might say something like, “It makes sense you’re angry with me. I know I shouldn’t have broken your rule.”

Agreement and validation are not the same. Sometimes, we want to signal that we are listening without endorsing a behavior or action. If you want to address disrespectful words and actions, you can validate and set limits at the same time - saying something like “I understand you are angry with me right now. Still, please do not curse or raise your voice.”

For teens, if your parent imposes a rule you don’t agree with, you can both validate and start a conversation: “I know you want me to be safe and I want that too. Can we

find a way for me to be safe and still go hang out with my friend?”

Find the middle path. Parents and teens can disagree and become polarized quickly. To find a solution, we need to recognize the pieces of truth on each side.

For example, if a teen’s curfew is 10 pm, and they want to stay out at a party that ends at 2 am, parents should communicate that curfews are a way to keep teens safe.

From a teen’s perspective, it is understandable that they want to spend time with friends and ask for more freedom as they become closer to

adulthood.

A middle path solution is not the same as a compromise. A middle solution could look like extending the curfew to 11pm but requesting that the teen check in by text every 30 minutes. Another option could be allowing the teen to have friends over for a sleepover instead of a later curfew. In contrast, the compromise would be extending the curfew to midnight.

Create time to authentically connect

Parent-teen relationships can become tense and transactional. Incorporating conversations and opportunities

to connect while spending quality time together is important to your connection. Some ideas for activities include; watch a show and talk about each episode together, cook, play a game, walk in the park, listen to music, plan a fun trip for the future, talk about nice memories, etc. These activities will help you to connect and communicate openly, so when tensions arise, both parties have the tools to address them in a calm and respectful manner – speaking in the same language and coming up with solutions together.

Lincoln celebrates Nurses Week

Montehonors‘exceptional’nurses

In celebration of Nurse's Week 2023, officials at Montefiore Medical Center expressed deep appreciation for their colleagues and the vital role nurses play in positively impacting the lives of patients and the community by delivering exceptional patient care.

Lincoln Hospital honored its hard working nurses during Transformation of Nursing Practice Training conference.

For nurses, education is a lifelong and sometimes unexpected journey

By Bridget McQuilken

As I ride the train to East Flatbush, the car is quiet, with the rush of business commuters and students long gone. In the silence, I have a moment to catch my thoughts, and I am struck by how many times I’ve made trips like this—by train, by foot, by car, to go visit my patients. I remember when I first started as a home care nurse with VNS Health, how daunting but also exciting it felt to visit each new patient. Coming from my past career as a teacher, I knew how to be there for others, but this was a whole new world— one where I was there to care for my patients physically and mentally…and all in their own homes. It felt like a lot to manage!

Now, in comparison, with over a decade of experience as a nurse, I feel calm and ready for the day as I step off the train and walk to see my patient. This time, I am no longer a novice nurse but a Nurse Preceptor—a mentor for nurses entering the field of home health care. I’m on my way this morning to meet Nogee, one of the many nurses I have mentored. My role as a Nurse Preceptor is very much a combination of both education and nursing. As preceptors for VNS Health’s Nurse Residency Program,

my RN Preceptor colleagues and I provide hands-on, infield training to nurses who are new to home care. After all these years, I have now melded my past and current careers together, and I love that feeling.

This morning, Nogee is scheduled to perform a pneumothorax drainage, a procedure she’s studied in the classroom and performed with a patient once while shadowing me. Today, I let her take the lead, and she does a great job.

It’s heartening to see this talented new nurse grow in confidence. This being National Nurses Month, I am reminded of just how important the work we do is, and also how unique and special this career field is. I’m proud and privileged to help talented nurses learn and thrive in this highly rewarding profession. It truly brings me joy to help the nurses I mentor grow as caregivers, and build the skills they need to succeed as a home health care nurse.

With training and support, most of our nurses discover they have a true passion for delivering care in the home. As Nursing.org reported in 2022, home care nurses reported some of the highest rates of satisfaction compared to other specialties. Understandably, though, nurses

entering the field today have their fair share of challenges, especially those who started at the height of the pandemic in 2020, when all of us had to adjust to a rapidly changing health landscape.

One of VNS Health’s newer home care nurses is Robert Yore, who, like me, was also a teacher before he entered the health care field. Robert came to nursing because he was seeking a job in which he could earn more, have greater flexibility, and pursue a career where he could help others. This brought him to the Nurse Residency Program at VNS Health, which as I mentioned provides hands-on training for nurses new to home care. Given his background as an educator, Robert had a great appreciation for the nurturing and support that his VNS Health Nurse Preceptor, Nancy Girlando provided.

Robert, who now works in Nassau County, says the training and support he received from Nancy and others at VNS Health really helped him carve a clear path to where he is today.

“Nancy helped me build confidence in my skills and my ability to connect with patients in the home care setting,” Robert says. “She’s always there if I need guidance. Having Nancy as a

mentor has given me such a great foundation.”

Whether helping a patient learn how to take a new medication, or teaching a family caregiver about what symptoms to look out for, home care nurses not only care for patients and their loved ones, but educate them as well. A few years into home care nursing now, Robert notes that he has been pleasantly surprised to see how much his teaching expertise comes into play with his patients.

“Teaching comes easy for me, and having that past experience made me feel like I had a leg up,” he says.

While I work primarily as a mentor and teacher within the field of health care, I find self-growth and education never truly ends for

me or for any nurse. Even as a preceptor, there is still much I am learning myself. For example, my fellow preceptors and I have a group chat where we bounce ideas around, discuss new tools, resources and approaches, and enhance our own skills and learning. No matter where one is in their career journey, having support and guidance from peers, including those with more experience than you have, makes a world of difference. We learn and grow every day, and I’m so grateful to have found a profession where the work I do has such a meaningful impact on others.

To learn more about Home Health Care services or career opportunities at VNS Health, visit www.vnshealth. org

Culinary Road

By Morris Gut

Tasty Summer drives for foodies

Memorial Day signals the unofficial start of the summer season. Time to plan some road trips with good food in mind. Here are some suggestions within a 40-mile radius of the Bronx…

SOUTHERN COMFORT AT FREEBIRD KITCHEN & BAR!

The popular rooftop bar and lounge are open. Seasoned proprietor Nick Fusco serves up tasty versions of Fried Calamari, meaty Baby Back Ribs, Cobb Salad, spicy Chicken Wings, crispy Brussels Sprouts. Shrimp & Grits and Braised Short Ribs. The cooking here is very satisfying, and all done with a friendly southern theme. Portions are ample and shareable. The lighting and those artsy birds hanging from the ceiling in the dining room give it a magical atmosphere. Sprawling bar. Craft beers. Happy hours:

Tues.-Thurs. 4-6pm; Fri. 2-6 p.m. Weekend Brunch. Closed Mondays. Freebird Kitchen, 161 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. 914-607-2476 www.

freebirdkitchenandbar.com

ROBUST ITALIAN OUT OF A

DINER AT TRATTORIA VIVOLO!

Chef-owner and personable host Dean Vivolo serves his robust regional Italian cuisine out of a vintage diner just across from Harrison's Metro-North station. Sit at the counter, tuck into a booth, or take a table in the rear greenhouse and enjoy the surprising contemporary and traditional flavors emanating from his kitchen: tasty

thin-crusted pizza; Crostino di Polenta topped with wild mushrooms, gorgonzola, and tomato sauce; Grilled Lamb Chops; Braised Lamb Shanks; Lasagna Bolognese al Forno; and wonderful Spaghetti a la Vongole. Fine wine list. Sparkling lights in the evenings. The outdoor patio is now open. Free parking.

Trattoria Vivolo, 301 Halstead Ave., Harrison. 914-835-6199 www.trattoriavivolo.com

ON THE LAKE AT

PRIME PUB, SOMERS

It’s a charming town to visit. Dynamic proprietor Simi Polozani, founder of Prime Pub gastropubs in Somers and Danbury, CT., opened his latest on Rt. 202 at the entrance to Heritage Hills. Walk in and you notice the extraordinary airy setting: the freestanding building sits right at the edge of a big pond which can be seen thru large picture windows, a seasonal fireplace highlighted with wood and stone, an attractive dining room with well-spaced tables and contemporary lighting, and a semi-enclosed bar/lounge area for schmoozing and munching. Outdoor seating. Best of all, the staff are all about hospitality from the moment you enter. Check out such menu specialties as: Honey Goat Cheese Flatbread, a great Chef’s Salad, their blast from the past Beef Stroganoff, Braised Short Ribs, and decadent Burrata Burger. Located across from DeCicco’s Market. Open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Kid’s menu. Craft beer menu. Prime Pub, 249 US-202,

Somers. 914-617-9818 www. primepubgroup.com

CLASSICS AT ALEX’S BAR & GRILLE, N. WHITE PLAINS! Proprietor Alex Ahmetaj offers tasty surprises. The handsome dining room is split into cozy sections with white tablecloths, colorful deVelleneuve impressionist paintings, and warming sconces. Mediterranean clay-colored banquets and chairs complement wooden walls and plush beige curtained windows. Out of Chef Nick Deimant’s kitchen come such specialties as: Pan Fried Calamari with hot cherry peppers, Linguini alla Vongole, a delicious fresh Branzino prepared tableside, classic Veal Parmigiana, grilled Filet Mignon, NY Sirloin Steak, a hefty Rib Eye, or the Pork Chops. The house made smooth Ricotta Cheesecake (available for take-home) is top notch, as are the Cannoli. Bar/lounge. Seasonal outdoor patio. Alex’s Bar & Grille, 577 N. Broadway, N. White Plains. 914-358-1444 www.alex577. com

BIRRIA AT CANTINA

TACO & TEQUILA BAR

Owner, host, and actor John Solo, of bustling Cantina Taco & Tequila in White Plains, is offering a 3-taco lunch for $9.95, or you can choose one of their tasty 3-cheese quesadillas with steak, chicken, shrimp, or a big Burrito. The special Birria Tacos are a knockout! A Street Bowl is available with a choice of protein, for $8.95. Might be a good time for one of their frozen drinks, too. Cantina is a playful, colorful restaurant. A bright aqua pastel façade attracts along Mamaroneck Ave. They serve a bouncy menu of reason-

ably priced south-of-the-border fare. Try the new Cheeseburger Tacos, and such ongoing house specialties as: Carnitas, Chicken Mole, Garlic Shrimp, and Steak Fajita. Cantina Taco & Tequila, 166 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. Open 7 days. Bustling Happy Hours. Cantina, 166 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. 914-461-3959. www. cantinawhiteplains.com

BRONX NIGHT MAR-

KET 6TH ANNIVERSARY!

The popular Bronx Night Market is back starting May 27th, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Upcoming dates: 6/24, 7/29, 8/26, 9/30, 10/28. Tickets must be reserved thru the website. There are scores of Bronx-based vendors and food trucks including Crabmeat Mike, Empanada Papa, Fried Lasagna Mama, Hungarian Hotspot, Mixto Tacos, and Island Love Cake all selling food, drink, crafts, and live entertainment. It

all takes place at: Fordham Plaza, East Fordham Road and Webster Ave. Belmont, The Bronx. For more info: https://www.maschospitalitygroup.com/bronxnightmarket , or Bronx Night Market on Facebook.

The Farmers Market at New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is open Wednesdays starting May 31st. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will run thru Oct. 25th. Admission and parking are free. Enter the market at the Mosholu Gate. www.nybg.org/event/ farmers-market/

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