September 23, 2020

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BRUTAL 4th Year, No.8

Police released surveillance video of a vicious attack outside a Belmont deli. The victim was struck in the back of the head with a wooden post and then had his throat slashed.

September 23 - 29, 2020

Man beaten upside head, throat slashed outside deli Page 8

Who wanted to ‘bomb’ funeral parlor?

Page 13

Photo by David Greene Police investigate a pressure cooker left outside a Pelham Bay funeral home. The device turned out to be harmless.

Preparing to have a healthy Page 15 school year

NYPD searches for sandal wearing shooter?

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By Dan Gesslein The NYPD is searching for a suspect that is dressed more like he was heading for the beach

rather than wanted for gunning down a man in the street. Cops say he is wanted for questioning in one of two fatal shootings in the

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Bronx.

At around 11 am on September 10, officers from the 47th Precinct responded CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

The NYPD released surveillance video of a suspect who is wanted for a fatal shooting. The man was seen wearing sandals and camouflage shorts.

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BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 3

NYPD searches for sandal wearing shooter in killing?

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

to a call of a

shooting.

They found 40-yearold Caron Sessoms lying in the street at the intersection of 225th Street and White Plains Road in Wakefield.

Investigators said Sessoms was unresponsive with a gunshot wound

to the neck. The victim was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Sessoms was a regular customer at the local deli a few feet from where he was killed.

The NYPD released surveillance footage of

a man they are seeking in connection with the murder. The man is seen wearing camouflage shorts and sandals and holding a pink T-Mobile bag.

Five hours later police were called to another fatal shooting.

Kather Werst, 17, was found

shot to death near Crotona Park at around 4:42 pm on September 10.

Werst was found with a gunshot wound to the head in front of 1705 Hoe Avenue.

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (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, on Twitter @ NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

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6• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

Halloween tradition is back

Boo at the Zoo returns Summer may be coming to a close, but the

Bronx Zoo’s BOO at the ZOO is back. The Halloween-themed event is a family favorite for New Yorkers and a tradition that marks the beginning of fall with seasonal activities for all ages.

Photo by Julie Larsen Maher

Boo at the Zoo begins Thursday, October 1 and will welcome Halloween revelers each Thursday through Sunday until November 1 (including Monday,

October 12).

Activities will include traditional favorites such as daily magic and mind reading shows, professional pumpkin carving demos and

displays, and the spooky extinct animal graveyard. Animal-themed costumed stilt walkers and Halloween animal puppets will headline the MAS-

Kerade, and the Wildlife Theater will perform throughout each day on Astor Court.

While celebrating the season, the CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Reach more people

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BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 7

Halloween tradition is back

Boo at the Zoo returns CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

events and activities have been adjusted to ensure all safety guidelines as directed by the State of New York.

All guests over 3 years old are required to socially distance and wear face coverings, and all tickets are date-specific and must be purchased in advance online.

For a full list of COVID-19 protocols, visit the zoo’s Know Before You Go page.

Tickets for Boo at the Zoo are now available online.

Visit the website for tickets and the full schedule of performances and activities.

Boo at the Zoo is sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Photo by Julie Larsen Maher

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8• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

Man beaten upside head, throat slashed outside deli

By Dan Gesslein A Bronx man was beaten upside the head with a wooden post and had his neck slashed across the street from the Bronx Zoo. The brutal attack was caught on video.

The NYPD released the disturbing video which shows how the man was viciously beaten with a wooden post while a second man slashed his neck.

The attack happened at around 2:50 pm on September 16.

The video shows two men standing outside the Bronx Zoo Deli at 2325 Southern

Boulevard, across the street from the zoo entrance.

Once the 19 year old exited the deli, one of the men hit him upside the back of the head with the wooden post. As he was reeling from the blow, a second man slashed his neck with a blade. The video shows the man lying on the ground Photo released by NYPD

Police released surveillance video of a man being beaten with a wooden stake outside a deli. Another attacker slashed the man’s throat.

while the first attacker continues to beat him with the piece of wood.

The attacker removed the victim’s cellphone and both men jumped into a blue Honda Civic and took off.

The victim was rushed to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.

The first attacker is described as an adult male, with a medium

complexion, with a thin build. He was last seen wearing red track pants with a white stripe down the pant leg, a white t-shirt, a black durag, and white sneakers.

The second attacker is described as an adult male with a dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, a black White Sox's baseball cap, black jeans, black surgical

mask and white and red sneakers.

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (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, on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 9

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Street renamed in honor of local hero

Earned Bronze Star rescuing buddies in Iraq

By David Greene A street renaming was held in honor of a local hero who was seriously wounded in Iraq. The young man recovered from his wounds, helped raise a family and devoted time to local children-- teaching them the art of self defense. He was one semester shy of a degree in social work.

Family and friends of SSG. Santiago Frias gathered at West 183 Street and Grand Avenue in the University Heights section, as a new street sign was unveiled on August 28.

Councilman Fernando Cabrera, who sponsored the bill to rename West 183 Street as 'Staff Sergeant Santiago Frias Way,'

Councilman Fernando Cabrera presents members of the Frias family a street sign honoring Staff Sergeant Santiago Frias.

stated at the unveiling, "Today we're here to honor a great man... a hero that put his life on the line to save his fellow soldiers in the middle of a battle.”

Calling Frias, "A Bronx hero," Cabrera added, "A man that literally exemplified what it means to sacrifice for his nation and his fellow man.... he's an example to the rest of us, for what it means to love your neighbor.”

Frias' brother Jose thanked Cabrera for the honor to his brother, before stating, "I couldn't believe it when the Councilman offered to do this for us, because my brother felt that he didn't need recognition for anything he did.”

According to his sister Cristina Ali, Frias was

born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the Bronx as a child.

He grew up in University Heights and attended and graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Castle Hill, in June 1989.

He attended one semester at Hunter College, before joining the family business at the Bravo Supermarket on West 183 Street.

According to his mother, Frias was a master in Taekwondo and represented the Dominican Republic and captured an Olympic Bronze medal.

Ali recalled, "The birth of his first child and the needs of his family in their future, motivated him to join the U.S. Army," and in the fall of 1996, Frias was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Frias' unit was ambushed on March 7, 2004 in Kirkuk, Iraq. Despite being shot multiple times, he was able to return enemy fire and helped save the lives of two fellow soldiers. On March 19, 2004, Frias was visited at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center,

by President George W. Bush, who presented Frias with the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

Ali added, "No matter how much physical or emotional pain he was going through, he made sure everyone had a laugh, even if it was at his own expense.”

Frias died on January 23, 2019 at age 46 and he left behind a wife, daughter and two sons. He was buried at St. Raymond's Cemetery with full military honors.

10• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

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Back to School delayed again in NYC

Staggered school openings begin next week

By Dan Gesslein Back to School will be delayed for the vast majority of NYC school children with half returning September 29 and the rest returning on October 1st.

Pre-K, 3-K and Special Needs students will return to the classroom on Monday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the plan for a phased schedule for children to return to the classroom as well as the hiring of 2,500 additional teachers.

“For months, teachers, principals and school

staff have been working hard to make sure our students have the education they deserve while putting health and safety first,” de Blasio said. “Today, we are announcing the latest in our larger plan to reopen schools the right way and give working Photo by Mayor’s Office class families the in-perMayor Bill de Blasio announces the new phased in schedule for reopening NYC son education they’ve schools. asked us to deliver.” * Monday, September 21st: Blended learning students in grades 3-K and Pre-K, as well as all grades in District 75· * Tuesday, September 29th: Blended learning students enrolled in K-5 and K-8 schools. * Thursday, October 1st: Blended learning students enrolled in middle schools, high schools, secondary schools (schools spanning grades 6-12), and transfer schools/adult education.

All students in full remote programs will continue as planned starting full-day instruction on Monday, September 21. As students begin in-person learning according to the above timeline, they will do so according to the blended learning schedules their schools have provided them (e.g., coming in person on Tuesday and Wednesday).

“Our students, staff, and families have demonstrated tremendous resilience over the last six months, and we’re going to continue to build on all the work we’ve done as

we move forward,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “We are giving our schools more staff, more time, and more support to have the strongest possible start to the most unprecedented school year.”

The announcement comes after teachers balked at the original plan to reopen fully on Monday, claiming schools did not have proper PPE or were not properly cleaned.

Under the new plan, elementary school students return after the end of the Jewish holidays on September 29.

Remembering 9/11 in a social distancing world

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By David Greene Bronxites across the borough observed the exact moment when hijackers crashed two jetliners into the World Trade Center at several events. Police officers and firefighters marked the anniversary with somber ceremonies at police stations and fire houses across the city.

On September 11, an estimated two dozen officers stood at attention outside of the 49th Precinct on Eastchester Road. The officers gathered with members of the 49th Precinct Clergy Council and officers saluted as the names of the 23 police officers killed in the line of duty during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were read.

One unidentified sergeant told officers, "We honor the dead while protecting our way of life."

He added, "As we observe this anniversary... take pride in knowing that history will remember that

the New York City Police Department demonstrated the highest personal service and humanity that day.”

At the same time, a second event was being held a short distance away at the 9/11 Memorial at Jacobi Hospital. Closed to the public this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jacobi Hospital CEO Christopher Mastromano joined hospital staff and members of the hospital's Community Advisory Board and local elected officials who observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the exact moment Flight 11 crashed into Tower One of the World Trade Center.

At the conclusion of the service, two wreaths were placed at the two markers bearing the names of more than 140 Bronxites who perished that day in the attacks as attendees placed white carnations at the granite markers.

A third event was held

Mourners paid their respects to the over 140 victims of the September 11th attacks who lived or worked in the Bronx.

BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 11

later that evening at the Throgs Neck Monument, located at East Tremont Avenue and the Throgs Neck Expressway. This event also included the reading of the names of victims, according to an online post, those names were read by friends and family members.

The annual reading of the names at the Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan was held and attended by Vice President Mike Pence

and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. However, the event was closed to the public and the reading of the names was mostly pre-recorded.

About 100 mourners joined members of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation for an event in Zuccotti Park a short distance away, where the names of the victims were read live as the crowd wore masks and adhered to social distancing regulations.

Photos by David Greene

Two dozen police officers salute outside of the 49th Precinct as the names of the fallen officers were read on

12• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

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Grand jury charges Bx man in plank attack

Beat girlfriend with nail studded piece of wood- DA says

By Dan Gesslein A Bronx man has been charged in the horrifying beating in Queens in which he repeatedly smashed a piece of wood covered in nails into her face. The victim lost sight in her eye and has been disfigured, prosecutors said.

James Fitzgerald, 53, has been charged with attempted murder by a Queens grand jury. Prosecutors said after the victim tried to break it off with him, Fitzgerald savagely beat and punched his girlfriend to the ground.

As she lay defense-

less on the sidewalk, Fitzgerald allegedly picked up a piece of wood covered in nails and repeatedly hit her in the face with the board.

District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “This was a brutal crime. The victim was defenseless on

the ground when witnesses saw the defendant allegedly repeatedly strike her with his feet and fists. But that wasn’t enough. This man is alleged to have continued the attack using a nail-riddled wooden plank. It is remarkable that she survived. Domestic violence is a horrible scourge in our society and we must do everything possible to stop it.”

At around 6 pm on May 16, Fitzgerald attacked 35-year-old Victoria Chuminski, in front of a fish market on 150th Street in Jamaica, Queens. According to published reports, Chuminski had tried to break it off with Fitzgerald following his alleged obsessive and abusive behavior.

Prosecutors said in front of the fish market, Fitzgerald began beating his girlfriend.

A surveillance camera outside the store showed Chuminski tried to hide under-

Photo from social media

James Fitzgerald has been charged with assaulting then-girlfriend Victoria Chuminski with a plank of wood covered in nails.

neath a parked van.

However, Fitzgerald pulled her out and continued the assault.

As witnesses began yelling at the attacker, Fitzgerald left Chuminski laying on the sidewalk.

Prosecutors said he returned with a wooden plank covered in nails and began to smash the board in Chuminski’s face over and over again.

As police arrived, Fitzgerald tried to flee but was caught.

They recovered the plank covered in nails and blood.

Prosecutors said Chuminski underwent three surgeries

but lost the use of her right eye. Her orbital bone was crushed and her face is permanently disfigured.

Several teeth were knocked out as well.

Fitzgerald was charged attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of assault in the first and third degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.

He was also charged with another assault on the same victim one month earlier.

If convicted, Fitzgerald faces up to 25 years in prison.

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BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 13

Who tried to ‘bomb’ funeral parlor?

Pressure cooker left in front of funeral home puts nabe on edge

By David Greene Business is back to normal along a busy shopping strip in Pelham Bay after a man reportedly left a pressure cooker outside of a funeral parlor. Leaving police to shut down the street as the Bomb Squad investigated.

According to residents and workers in the area, members of the NYPD's 49th Precinct, Emergency Services Unit and the Bomb Squad were joined by members of the FBI, who arrived on the scene around 9 a.m. on September 15.

The block was quickly shut down along Crosby Avenue, between

Westchester Avenue and Roberts Avenue-after a pressure cooker was found in the doorway of the funeral parlor.

Police eventually opened up the block around 12 noon after it was apparently determined that the cooking device contained no explosives.

Crime scene tape

Photo by David Greene

Detectives and officers stand next to the harmless pressure cooker left in front of a funeral parlor on Crosby Avenue on September 15, 2020.

roped off the front entrance of the Ralph Giordano Funeral Home, located at 1727

Crosby Avenue, as de- item. tectives continued to Restaurants on the inspect and photograph block began opening at the common household noon and workers were in a mad dash to fill delayed lunchtime orders.

By 1 p.m. detectives from the NYPD's Evidence Collection Team were observed dusting the pressure cooker for fingerprints, on the sidewalk in front of the funeral parlor.

Someone answering the phone at the Ralph Giordano Funeral Home, stated he was unable to talk at the moment, but stated that the funeral home had not received any threats before the device had been left.

Police shut down Crosby Avenue in the Bronx after a suspicious device was discovered at a funeral home.

14• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

Health Matters

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Aging with HIV/AIDS: ‘You CAN Modify the Aging Arc’

To mark National HIV/ AIDS and Aging Awareness Day on September 18, Arthur Fitting, LGBT Program Director at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, is interviewing key experts on this wide-ranging topic, looking at what people with HIV, partners, caregivers, communities and the health care industry can do to help expand knowledge, reduce HIV stigma, and promote healthy aging. Today’s conversation is with Stephen E. Karpiak, PhD, Director of GMHC’s lead researcher on HIV and aging and Director of the National Resource Center on HIV & Aging.

We invite you to add your insights and experience to the conversation.

Arthur Fitting: What are the most important issues that people should know about aging with HIV? Stephen Karpiak: Older adults living with HIV carry with them a number of other risk factors, which can include a history of substance abuse and smoking, high levels of depression, poor diet and a habit of being sedentary. Many people aging with HIV are on Medicaid and have limited resources. That’s a risk factor, too, as is being Black or Latino. All these risk factors contribute to inflammation in the body, and therefore increase their likelihood of having more comorbidities or more severe incidents of those illnesses.

AF: Can you expand on the role inflammation plays in

aging, particularly aging with HIV? SK:Inflammation (overstimulation of the body’s response system) is the common pathway through the disorders of aging. If you’ve lived 60, 70, 80 years, you’ve gone through a lot of inflammatory episodes, many of them unbeknownst to you. Smoking, depression, eating processed foods, drinking too much alcohol—all those things cause inflammation that can imperil your health.

A lot of people with HIV think, “Okay, I’ll take my pills for the rest of my life and that’s the only thing I need to change.” No, it’s not. Treating the HIV is the easy part. The anti-retrovirals tamp down the inflammatory response considerably. But, on the other hand, if you smoke, have Hep B, remain sedentary, eat poorly—that contributes to the inflammatory cascade.

So yes, you should take your pills. But you should also eat better, exercise, do not socially isolate. If you have mental health issues, don’t let them go unaddressed. These are the social determinants of health that make a huge difference in the lives of older people with HIV. AF: How do people with HIV build on the knowledge they have of their illness to learn more about their health as they age?

SK: Their concern for so long has been the virus, but now they should begin to understand: they’re aging.

None of us are prepared for

aging, as far as I’m concerned. We have to be preemptory, and that’s not the kind of medicine we practice in this country, preventive medicine. We wait until a plane falls out of the sky; we do nothing preemptively.

With HIV/AIDS, the sole goal has been viral suppression. We’re obsessed with it, and I get why: for the benefit of the patient and to stop the spread. I certainly get it. But that’s not the only thing that’s important about this person—this is a whole person. We’ve totally relegated other risk factors, especially mental health, to tertiary issues. COVID has elevated that issue again.

When we screen for depression, the numbers are always 3 to 5 times higher in people with HIV than in a similarly aged control group. And the average rate of PTSD is 35%. For me, that’s untenable. Suppression is treatable. But we have to expand the scope of what we treat.

AF: How should people navigate their health care as they get older? Should they seek to involve a geriatrician in their treatment along with their primary care provider?

SK: It’s generally conceded that the only physicians who know how to manage multiple morbidities are geriatricians or people who understand geriatrics. Certain HIV units are literally retooling care standards within the HIV clinics to include the methodologies of geriatrics. The geriatri-

cian is aware of function, that your quality of life depends on how functional you are, how independent you are in your own home.

Chronological age is a poor measure of aging. One of the challenges of geriatrics is how do you meaningfully measure age.

There aren’t enough geriatricians in this country.

The model now is if you think you have an issue related to aging—frailty, pre-dementia, limitation of ADLs (activities of daily living)—your primary care physician refers you to a geriatrician, who does a workup and sends recommendations back to your PCP. And that’s if you can find a geriatrician.

AF: What is the age breakdown of the U.S. HIV population today?

SK: In New York City, out of 127,000 people with HIV, 60% of them are age 50 or over. Nationwide, out of 1.2 million, 63% are 50+, and 15% are 65+. HIV patients might not be considered old but may have all the symptoms of being old.

AF: How do you find health care access is for people aging with HIV, and for the older LBGTQ+ population in general? The Visiting Nurse Service of New York, where I work, has provided SAGE training to every employee for LGBT cultural issues, sensitivities and best practices around sexual orientation and gender identity. But SAGE reports about 20 of LGBT people avoid medical care for fear of discrimination.

SK: There’s still a lot of bias in the health care system. Your PCP may see HIV-positive patients all the time, but as you get older, you may be referred to a rheumatologist, cardiologist, nephrologist, or another specialist who doesn’t see HIV people all the time.

They and their staff are not ready for that person, and the stigma of HIV is alive and well today. They may say or ask something injurious to the patient, who then gets turned off and never goes back to the doctor. I know home visitors at VNSNY are trained to avoid those pitfalls, but not everyone is.

AF: The old adage is you can’t stop aging. But you’re saying that’s not true. We can slow down the aging process if we pay attention to our health and get the care we need.

SK: Absolutely. You can modify the aging arc.

It’s always better to do it sooner rather than later. If you’re 75, you’re not going to behave like you’re 30—your body doesn't have those kind of reserves—but there are all kinds of things you can do to practice good preventive medicine. Eat right, exercise, stop smoking, avoid stress and attend to your mental health.

AF: Thank you Steve for this interview and all you are doing for our community, and thanks too for supporting the work we are doing at VNSNY in the areas of LGBTQ+ home health care.

Preparing to have a healthy school year BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 15

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With the new school year upon us, parents can help their children stay healthy and strong. In a school year in which children will be learning in person, remotely, or through a blended model because of COVID-19, here are some important topics to keep in mind: *Annual checkup: During an annual checkup, a pediatrician can help detect health problems early, when they are easiest to treat.

Even during the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s important for your child to keep having regular checkups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Now is a good time to call your child’s pediatrician to ask about making an appointment for a checkup or needed care. Before the next visit, whether by telehealth or in person, write down any questions you may have. *Immunizations: Follow your pediatrician’s advice and keep your child’s immunizations, including seasonal vaccines like the flu shot, up to date. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly supports continuing to give chil-

dren their shots during the COVID-19 outbreak. *Hand washing: Hand washing is one of the most important ways to reduce the spread of germs, including the virus that causes COVID-19.

Children should wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds each time. It’s especially important to wash hands before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing; using the toilet; touching animals or their food; or playing outdoors. *Healthy lifestyle: A lifestyle that includes regular exercise and good nutrition can strengthen your child’s immune system. Make sure your child eats enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and avoids saturated

fats. Also, incorporate physical activity in their daily routine. *Bedtime routine: The recommended bedtime routine has three key parts: brush and floss teeth, read a book, and make sure children have the same bedtime each night.

To help your child get used to waking up earlier during the

school year, you can build the bedtime routine one part at a time, move the bedtime slowly to the desired time, and limit the use of electronic devices.

Sleeping enough each night leads to improved physical, mental, and emotional health in children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Fidelis Care is focused on children's health and wellness, and providing support and resources to parents as a new school year begins. We provide quality, affordable health insurance coverage to children and adults of all ages. To learn more, call 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888343-3547; TTY: 711) or visit fideliscare.org/everychildcovered.

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16• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

Keeping Bronx families healthy – at every stage of life

During these uncertain times, questions about health care can be confusing and overwhelming. Many families might not know where they can turn, and what they should ask of their provider or their health insurer.

For more than 80 years, EmblemHealth has worked to make quality health benefits accessible and affordable to all New Yorkers, including employers, individuals and families. Along with our physician partners, AdvantageCare Physicians (ACPNY) and community practice partners like BronxDocs, we offer a wide range of services and resources for each member of your family at every stage of life including: Staying healthy: Amid COVID-19, it can be hard to stick to a schedule that promotes a healthy lifestyle. As many of us are now spending more time at home, it can be difficult to maintain healthy habits.

Here are a few other ways to ensure your family will stay healthy: • Eat balanced meals: What we eat has an effect on our

overall health. A healthy, balanced diet is shown to improve many common chronic health conditions, including reducing risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease; improving mental health and memory; and, supporting the development of babies and children. When it comes to daily meals, make sure your family is eating three balanced meals each day.

Scheduling mealtimes can help everyone better manage their appetite and help reduce excess snacking.

• Make time for sleep: When it comes to sleep, try creating a set time for each family member to go to bed and wake up that is easy to follow each week. A sleep routine can help with everything from irritability to metabolism, as well as memory and productivity at work or school.

• Get some exercise: If you have fam-

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ily members who are working or learning from home, it’s a good idea to remind them to move every hour and set aside time each day to perform some type of exercise.

EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care offers exercise classes online, which are a great way to ensure a workout. We even offer tips for moving more that are easy to do at home!

Get your flu shot: As the colder weather approaches, it is important for your family to take precautions to prevent illness during this pandemic—and that includes getting the flu shot.

According to the Center for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC), anyone over the age of six months and older should get the flu vaccination, especially those older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions like cancer or diabetes. Getting the flu shot is quick and easy.

Contact BronxDocs today to get your flu shot. They even have Saturday hours to make it easier for the whole family.

Caring for Seniors: COVID-19 has us all thinking about ways to reduce our risk of contracting the virus, and how to care for our loved ones – especially seniors.

For individuals over the age of 60, the risks of getting COVID-19

is high. And for those seniors suffering from multiple chronic conditions, their risk of infection from COVID-19, flu and other diseases is even higher. That is why taking steps to avoid exposure is even more important for this atrisk population.

To further help these individuals and avoid COVID-19 exposure, EmblemHealth now offers virtual visits for members by both telephone consultations and telemedicine visits through our patient portal. With this service, you can talk with doctors in primary care and family medicine while they review your medical history, answer your CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Keeping families healthy at every stage of life BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 17

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questions, diagnose and treat medical conditions, and prescribe certain medicines. Patients wanting to schedule a virtual visit with E m b l e m H e a l t h ’s community practice partners can do so by contacting one of the three BronxDocs offices.

Utilizing BronxDocs for local care: Bronx families deserve access

to high-quality, coordinated and culturally competent care. Our community practice partner, BronxDocs is a topnotch medical practice offering care at three state of the art medical offices in different Bronx neighborhoods. The team at BronxDocs is committed to delivering care that is patient-centered, compassionate, and quality-driven at

in-person or virtual appointments.

You can count on BronxDocs to provide your family with access to the right type of appointment at the right time either in-person, via telephone, or through virtual video appointments and all Medicaid, Commercial and Medicare insurance plans are accepted.

BronxDocs offers prima-

ry care and pediatric appointments within 24 hours and appointments with specialists are available within one week of your call.

Providing high-quality, convenient care is the highest priority during these times, and Bronx residents deserve continued access to high-quality care.

You can schedule an appointment at any location by calling (646)

680-5200.

Supporting and keeping your family healthy and safe is a top priority during these times. We encourage you to take advantage of everything EmblemHealth has to offer with additional COVID-19 resources. For information about topics and resources that might be helpful to you and your family, please visit emblemhealth. com/healthyathome.

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Social anxiety can still affect teens in a virtual world

By Dr. Hina Talib, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore For teens who spent the summer months social distancing and the months prior to that under stay-athome measures, the new school year may reignite feelings of anxiety.

Even in the new virtual world where most teens will be learning, at least in part, via remote or virtual instruction, interacting with classmates and teachers on video may leave teens feeling fearful, embarrassed or awkward.

Some teens may struggle more than others to adapt to these

new circumstances.

Teens who suffer from social anxiety disorder may need extra support, especially when these feelings cause distress or lead to avoidance of social settings. If these behaviors persist for more than 6 months, this is considered social anxiety disorder Anxiety disorders are the most

common mental health conditions in children and up 15% of teens may have social anxiety disorder, most of which are not recognized or treated. Social anxiety disorder is commonly seen in pre-teens and tweens, more often in girls and in children with other mental health disorders or family members with anxiety disorders.

Social anxiety disorder is an intense fear of social or performance-type situations. They may feel alone during virtual class and unable to connect with friends and teachers. They may express intense fear of doing or saying something embarrassing online, of asking questions or of being asked a question over the platform. They may appear shy, introverted, restless or inattentive on camera.

Some will be reluctant or unable to independently “log on” to class or enable their cameras so they can be “seen.” Physical symptoms like racing heart, feeling faint, nausea, shaking and sweating may be present and may be harder for teachers and parents to notice remotely than when in-person.

Dr. Hina Talib, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Returning students Mindfulness or meditawho feel anxious or tion practices help too. conflicted about back Chair yoga or schedto remote school uled movement breaks should be assured that can help ease stress these feelings are en- as well. Additionally, tirely normal in these role-playing a virtuuncertain times. So- al lesson or planning cial skills over remote a virtual study-date technologies are not with a smaller group of the same as in-per- peers or having tweens son; they require ori- volunteer to go first or entation, practice, answer questions, may troubleshooting and relieve the discomfort acceptance of the lim- of waiting to be asked itations. Coping skills, and be a good way to preparation and prac- get comfortable with tice are key for over- this new environment. coming social anxiety We know that teens in teens. The goal is to thrive on social conhelp them move from nections and adolesavoiding uncomfort- cence is a key time able parts of the remote to develop life-long school day, to facing relationship building the fears and practicing skills, so we need to “working-through it.” validate their conTeens can try breath- cerns, help to alleviate ing exercises and re- worries and provide member that no-one tools for a successful can tell on camera and rewarding school that they are doing it. experience.

BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020• 19

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Culinary Road

By Morris Gut

Restaurants gear up for indoor seating

Governor Cuomo and New York City Mayor DeBlasio have finally given the ok for restaurants in the 5 boroughs to open for indoor seating to 25% capacity starting on Sept. 30th.

Restaurant patrons will have to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines, including a temperature check at entry. Your party will also have to leave a phone number with the establishment for possible contact tracing. For some diners, it may be a bit restrictive, but it is a major step forward for the restaurant community in the city. The surrounding suburbs already allow up to 50% seating indoors.

With fall and cooler weather approaching quickly, demand for outdoor seating will diminish, though some eateries are going the extra mile, adding partial enclosures and heaters.

Restaurants owners are already complaining it will not be enough to sustain them.

We will watch and report on what happens…

MARIA SERVES UP VIBRANT FLAVORS! Brothers Peter and Giovanni Cucullo have been shaking it up in New Rochelle for the past year, drawing patronage from all over the area to their flavorful riff on Italian/ global cooking. Named after Grandma, Maria’s has become almost a regular haunt for me.

Love their happy hours from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the bar when they offer some of their favorite beverages and small plates each loaded with flavor. I am already hooked on such eclectic dishes as: Glazed Pork Ribs, Truffled Green Beans,

Grilled Kielbasa with sweet & spicy Peruvian peppers, Mom’s Meatballs, Cauliflower Fritters, and Roasted Shishito Peppers. Nostalgic dining room and bar filled with artifacts from Grandma’s. Friendly staff, too.

Good networking spot.

The family also operates bustling Fratelli’s Pizza and Pops Café next door. Maria’s, 11 Huguenot Street, New Rochelle. 914-636-0006 www. marianewrochelle.com A VISIT TO BEN’S KOSHER DELI! With the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur underway, I thought it would be nice to have a good old-fashioned meal loaded with memories at Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen on Central Park Ave. in Scarsdale. They had been closed for a while during the Covid pandemic and have now reopened.

By a ‘meal loaded with memories’ I mean this is the stuff I grew up with.

My ‘soul food’. There were many Jewish restaurants and delis back then in metro New York City and nearby suburbs, but over the years they have been in decline.

Every time I sit down at a Jewish deli it brings back many fond memories of friends and family sharing this special larder with gusto. To me, there is nothing like a good knish or Kosher hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut. I was looking forward to it.

Founder Ronald Dragoon opened his first Ben’s in 1972 on Long Island. Today there are 7 locations. We pulled into Ben’s, Scarsdale parking area early afternoon on a weekday. We opted for

a table in the dining room.

The place was quiet, and the staff greeted us cheerfully as soon as we came thru the door. Right now, with Covid guidelines in place, you must access their extensive menu on your cellphone. Our waitress brought us complimentary platters of coleslaw and sweet and sour pickles. A glass of Baron Herzog Chardonnay and a Dr. Browns Cream Soda kicked it up a notch, too. We started to indulge immediately.

It took a little while, but we finally decided to fill the rest of our table with a big bowl of Matzo Ball Noodle Soup, overstuffed Deli Double Sandwiches with tender and tasty corned beef and pastrami on soft Challah rolls, and sides of Kasha Varnishkes and fat crinkled retro-French fries. I was in foodie heaven! Every bite evoked the flavors of my childhood.

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen, 718 Central Park Ave., Scarsdale. Open Tuesday thru Sunday. Special Holiday hours. Check ahead.

Covid guidelines in place.

Take-out & Delivery. Free parking.

914-468-2367 www.bensdeli.net ART & SOUTHERN COOKING AT ALVIN & FRIENDS! Proprietor, artist, model, actor, and consummate host Alvin Clayton has been marking his 10th year in New Rochelle with solid doses of American Soul Food, a taste of the Caribbean, and spirited jazz sessions.

Alvin & Friends Restaurant has a sophisticated Manhattan vibe: Alvin’s col-

orful paintings dramatically line the walls, big hanging lighting fixtures, a sparkling bar and community table, and a staff that makes it all very inviting. If you visit for the cuisine check out the Classic Jambalaya, Shrimp & Grits, Fried Chicken, and Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops. Burgers and Mac & Cheese, too. Combine your visit with some live music.

Check ahead for their music schedule. The Sunday Jazz Brunch is a winning combination as well.

Alvin & Friends, 14 Memorial Highway, New Rochelle. 914-654-6549 www. alvinandfriendsrestaurant. com LOBSTER AT HOME, REDISCOVERED! I recently wrote about the dramatic increase in home cooking taking place during the Covid pandemic. Concerns about dining out are still running high, so what did people do? They have rediscovered their home kitchens and rekindled their cooking skills. It has been a tasty revelation.

In lieu of our annual trips to Maine, our latest home kitchen indulgence has been

with lobster. For most of the summer season the price of Maine lobster has been down due, in part, to the pandemic. Food markets in greater Westchester have been selling them for $6.99 per pound on average, up to l ¼ lb., a bit more for a 1 ½ lbs. or more.

We have taken advantage.

Our preferred preparation is a simple boil in a big lobster pot with perhaps some potatoes and fresh corn. Our outdoor grill is always ready, too. Melted butter or a good aioli for dipping on the side, of course. We might even treat ourselves to extra shellfish like clams or mussels, even a piece of beef for an old-fashioned surf & turf. It is simple to do, and always turns out great! The internet is loaded with easy lobster recipes.

(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 & Westchester for 30 years. He may be reached at: 914-2356591. Email: gutreactions@ optonline.net)

20• BRONX VOICE• September 23 - 29, 2020

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