Marble Hill Senior Center reopens
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
After being forced to close for more than a month because of a sewage leak, the New York City Housing Authority Marble Hill Senior Center at 5365 Broadway is open once again.
In early January, senior center director Ana Bayron and program coordinator Sandra Nielsen encountered rising, murky sewage water in the center’s lounge as a stench Nielsen described as a “Molotov cocktail of horrible stuff” wafted through the air. This leak wasn’t the first. Last November, the center had another instance where water seeped into the center’s lobby and
dining room. After the January leak, NYCHA maintenance vacuumed up the water, and traced the problem to a collapsed underground waste line in one of the center’s storage closets. On Jan. 16, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ordered the affected areas be closed, since repairs would involve ripping up the floor, according to a NYCHA spokesperson.
A few days later, the pipe was patched up, and over the next two weeks the floor was replaced. Maintenance then painted and sanitized the affected rooms. But the incident left more than 50 seniors without a familiar place to connect with one another. They had come to rely on the center for its daily lunches, mental health and referral
services, clubs, parties, and classes such as belly dancing.
“They didn’t care for it too much,” Bayron said about the seniors. “They were looking to come back here — this is like their home, they feel comfortable here.”
Bayron and Nielson said they still went into the office to call the seniors and check in daily. They recommended seniors visit other adult centers in the area, but many refused.
For others, it was a matter of convenience. Charlyne Henry, a 69-year-old who has lived in the nearby Marble Hill Houses for 15 years, couldn’t make the time to go to another community center when she already had doctor’s appointments to attend and errands to run. Henry lost her
Under a plan announced by Mayor Zohran
reduced to 15 mph.
City to cut thousands of school zone speed limits to 15 mph
By Michelle Mullen mmullen@riverdalepress.com
New York City is set to lower speed limits near schools as part of a sweeping safety initiative aimed at reducing injuries and deaths on local streets.
Under a new plan announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn, speed limits in school zones will be reduced to 15 miles per hour at more than 2,000 locations across the five boroughs. The rollout, already underway, is expected to reach all eligible school zones by the end of Mamdani’s first term, including public, private, parochial and charter K-12 schools.
The initiative builds on Sammy’s Law, named for a 12-year-old boy killed by a speeding driver in Brooklyn in 2013, and has become a central piece of
the city’s effort to curb traffic fatalities.
The 2024 measure gives the city expanded authority to lower speed limits on individual streets and allows the DOT to reduce speeds in targeted areas without needing approval from the City Council, which still sets the default speed limit.
“Families spoke up after unimaginable loss to fight for Sammy’s Law and deliver our city the power to make our streets safer for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Today’s expansion of Slow Zones for schools across all five boroughs is just the beginning. Lower speeds save lives, and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect our neighbors as they move about our city.”
Under former Mayor Eric Adams, the city reduced the maximum speed to 20 miles per hour in roughly 250 designated “neighborhood slow zones,” typically on smaller, residential roads.
Lifetime local to release first photography book
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
At the age of 75, lifetime Van Cortlandt Village resident Ira Merritt is releasing his first-ever photography book, a series of 165 images that span themes of grief, nature and healing.
“Ephemeral Light Moving Through Time, Loss and Renewal in Van Cortlandt Park” draws heavily on the memory of Merritt’s son Benjamin Merritt, who died three years ago from unknown health complications.
Merritt described his son as an incredible, though complex, person. He was sociable, an avid reader and a watch collector, but struggled in school due to
husband at the start of the pandemic, and found comfort in the center.
“That was really traumatizing for me,” she said about her husband’s death. “They didn’t know what COVID was. I couldn’t have my family visit me. I couldn’t have anybody … The center was a therapy for me.”
Yvette Hoover, 71, has frequented the senior center for the last five years, and met Henry through St. Stephen’s Methodist Church on West 228th Street, where they both sing in the choir. Hoover said she kept busy with the Jewish Association Serving the Aging on West 231st Street, but was glad to see the center back open.
an attention deficit disorder, and had a tendency to tell stories that weren’t true. The cover of Merritt’s book is a photo taken in the early 1990s titled “Lost Boy,” which shows Benjamin walking after sledding on Van Cortlandt Park’s hills.
“I didn’t know if he felt comfortable with himself,” Merritt said. “He had a lot of questions.”
The book is separated into five sections : “Weight of Absence,” “Fragile Traces,” “Unspoken Connections,” “Breaking Light” and “What Remains,” with Merritt’s poetry interspersed.
Merritt said ephemeral light means that things quickly disappear — like his son — but in actuality, “remain with us
Since those changes were implemented, crashes in those areas dropped by 14 percent and injuries from vehicle incidents fell by 31 percent, according to DOT data.
However, all residents are convinced the lower limits will be practical in neighborhoods dense with schools. Bob Zolt, who lives across from the Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy and near P.S. 24, questioned how the changes would affect daily driving.
“There are schools all along Independence Avenue that we must pass to drive south,” he said. “I don’t think a 15 mph speed limit will make the area safer. There are schools all over the community and we likely will have to crawl before getting on the highway.”
City officials, however, point to transportation department data showing that speed plays a critical role in crash
By Michelle Mullen mmullen@riverdalepress.com
On a busy Kingsbridge street, parking has been replaced by infrastructure including a protected bike lane — improving safety, officials say, but removing dozens of spaces as business owners push for solutions that accommodate both customers and cyclists.
The redesign is part of a broader effor t by the city to address longstanding safety concerns along Bailey Avenue, a 1.1 mile corridor that the New York City Department of Transportation ranks among the top 10 percent of the Bronx’s most dangerous streets. Between 2020 and 2024, nearly 180 pedestrians, bikers and drivers were hurt on the strip, including 18 who sustained severe injuries and two who were killed.
The agency noted the corridor, which previously lacked dedicated bike lanes, was used by roughly 150 cyclists a day, many of whom navigated around double-parked vehicles or merged into traffic. When it came to pedestrians, more than 43 percent of injuries along the stretch were caused by drivers failing to yield to people crossing with the right of way.
Under the city’s plan, Bailey Avenue was reconfigured between Van Cortlandt Park South and West 225th Street to include a twoway protected bike lane separated by barriers. It also added pedestrian islands, curb extensions and redesigned intersections intended to slow traffic and reduce conflicts.
But for Gladys Grijalva and other business owners in the area, the changes have discouraged customers from visiting altogether.
“If they didn’t find [somewhere to stop], they’re gonna leave,” Grijalva said, who has owned Sugargirl for 17 years. “I have customers that come here daily for coffee and a danish. They won’t come anymore. They don’t take that risk of coming in if they can’t find parking right away, they just keep going, and those are the people I used to rely on every single day.”
Grijalva emphasized that her frustration is not with cyclists themselves, but with the design of the street.
“I don’t have a problem with the bikers at all,” she said. “They deserve to be safe too.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
Ira Merritt, 75, was born and raised across from Van Cortlandt Park.
IRA MERRITT, PAGE A4
POLITICAL ARENA
Evers served as a Democratic state committee member for the 81st Assembly District from 2022 to 2024. If elected to the Assembly, she will be the first blind woman to serve in the New York state legislature.
Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz’s bill that requires mandatory arbitration clauses in certain consumer contracts to be printed in a 16 point or larger font size passed the Assembly on March 11. It has been delivered to the Senate and referred to the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection for review.
Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi endorsed U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres for re-election March 23, and said Torres represents a new generation of Democratic leadership against President Donald Trump.
“Rep. Ritchie Torres is a deeply devoted public servant and a
Dinowitz said consumers often agree to mandatory arbitration clauses that are hidden under the fine print of contracts and go unnoticed, especially by seniors. The bill requires businesses be fined up to $250 for the first offense and up to $500 for offenses after that if they do not comply.
tireless advocate for the Bronx,” Pelosi said. “Every day, he brings the needs and voices of his community to the halls of Congress with integrity, energy and purpose. Ritchie’s leadership on affordable housing, public safety and economic opportunity has made a real difference for working families.”
Missing 17-year-old boy
Police are asking for the public’s help in finding Kyree Corley, a 17-year-old boy who lives on Sedgwick Avenue.
Corley was last seen leaving his home on March 17 around 9:30 p.m., wearing a dark gray sweater, dark gray sweatpants and black boots. He is described as having a dark complexion, about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and around 220 pounds.
Anyone with information regarding 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 Crimestop-
pers website at https:// crimestoppers.nypdonline. org/, or on X @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.
Police search for golf cart thieves
Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two males in connection with a burglary.
On Sunday, March 15 around 4:30 p.m., the two broke into Riverdale Country School at 1 Spaulding Lane through a back door. They took a golf cart, drove it around school grounds and crashed into a tree. They also took a basketball and a walkie-talkie radio before fleeing to parts unknown.
The first person is described as having a medium complexion, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, gray hoodie, black pants and black shoes. The second person is described as having a light complexion, and was last seen wearing a black hoodie, white shirt, black pants and black shoes.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline. All calls are strictly confidential.
Three teens arrested in Christopher
Redding killing
Two 19-year-olds were arrested in Norwich, Conn. in connection with 16-year-old Christopher Redding’s death on Feb. 11, the Norwich Police Department announced March 20.
Zion Martinez from the Bronx was arrested on March 4 at 12:17 p.m. for being a fugitive from justice, possession of a controlled substance and interfering with an officer. These charges were unrelated to Redding’s death. Connecticut detectives contacted the NYPD, and discovered Martinez had two active felony warrants, including murder in the second degree related to Redding’s death.
Connecticut detectives learned Martinez was likely in Norwich with Anthony Caballero from St. Augustine, Fla., who also had an active felony arrest warrant for murder in the second de-
gree in connection to Redding’s death. On March 20, Caballero was arrested and charged with being a fugitive from justice and interfering with an officer. These charges were not related to Redding’s death, and were part of a large-scale arrest operation carried out by multiple law enforcement agencies.
A 17-year-old was previously arrested on Feb. 14 in relation to Redding’s death, and charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, manslaughter, two counts of assault and three counts of criminal possession of a loaded firearm. A 15-year-old male and a 13-year-old female were also both
ELLIS student Dylan Contreras released from ICE detention
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
Dylan Lopez Contreras, the now 21-year-old ELLIS Preparatory Academy student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a scheduled immigration hearing, was released March 18 after 10 months of detention.
A day later, elected officials, lawyers with New York Legal Assistance Group and activists with nonprofit Resources, Opportunities, Connections and Community NYC welcomed Contreras home at a rally in Middle Church at 50 E. 7th St., where Contreras spoke out about his experience in detention.
Contreras was being held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center, an ICE facility in Pennsylvania. He was the first known New York City public school student taken into ICE custody during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Contreras said in Spanish he was grateful for those that kept his name alive, as well as the messages and letters of support he had received while detained. He said he wished he could have brought the others in detention with him when he was released.
“As much as I’m happy that
I’m free and I’m out here, I’m still sad that there are people still in there unjustly that deserve to be free as well,” Contreras said.
City and state officials including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Council member Eric Dinowitz stood beside Contreras and his mom, Raiza Contreras, at the rally.
“He was taken from this city,” Mamdani said. “He was put in detention for nearly a year, and he was robbed of what should have been his. Because above all else, Dylan is a New Yorker. He belongs in New York City.”
Dinowitz, a former teacher at the Bronx Theatre High School, which is in the same building as ELLIS, said he was inspired by the city’s inclination to rally behind Contreras.
“There are so many people here still detained, just like Dylan, and we cannot stop fighting until they are all released,” he said.
Dylan Contreras is represented by NYLAG, which announced his release the day it happened and said it was a momentous step in the right direction.
“Nothing can undo the injustice of denying Dylan even a
modicum of due process, stealing his liberty and personal autonomy, and snatching away the precious time, education and experiences he’s been forced to miss for nearly a year of his young life,” said Kate Fetrow, associate supervising attorney at NYLAG.
Raiza Contreras said in a statement she was grateful to those that offered strength throughout her son’s detainment.
“All glory and honor belong to God, who opened doors and
made the impossible possible,” she said. “Very soon, my son will be back with his siblings and me — it is both a relief and a blessing.”
Kathy Valyi, a longtime volunteer at ELLIS, told The Press she and other members of the community were starting to lose hope, especially after he was denied asylum by an immigration judge last September.
“This whole period has been so unpredictable,” Valyi said. “As someone who has been watching
[the case] closely … it’s one little moment for celebration.”
Local elected officials also welcomed the news, and pointed to broader concerns with immigration authorities.
Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz stated Dylan Contreras’ release brings relief to the community and underscores ICE’s “improper and abusive practices and the complete overreach of the U.S. immigration system under the Trump administration.”
Dylan Contreras was arrested
DOT street repair initiative prompts area road closures
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
The New York City Department of Transportation’s street repair initiative swept through Riverdale starting on March 16, prompting road closures along Palisade Avenue from Spaulding Lane to Edsall Avenue in Spuyten Duyvil. Greater Riverdale has long been plagued by roads riddled with potholes, with residents filing more than 3,400 pothole complaints to 311 in the last year.
The first step of the process is milling, during which construction crews use heavy machinery to grind off the top layer of a roadway. They then cover it with tarmac, and later pave over it with asphalt. Milling was done through March 19 — targeting Douglas Avenue, West 235th
through West 237th streets, Hudson Manor Terrace and West 239th Street.
Baymen Industries, a New York-based construction firm, was subcontracted by the Department of Transportation for the project. A crew of between 50 and 70 workers were assigned to greater Riverdale for the week. Eric Orocco works as a flagger for Baymen, directing pedestrians and traffic. He said the construction season has been off to a smooth start. However, neighbors have taken issue with some disruptions caused by the resurfacing, such as package deliveries or cabs not being able to reach their door, Orocco said. It is a reaction the team encounters regularly, Orocco said. But he noted it was easy to resolve complaints. “Communication skills are
everything,” he said. “Just be polite.”
But even with communication, confusion has been at times unavoidable. Aidan O’Brien, a Riverdale resident of two years, didn’t see the no-parking signs posted, and had his car towed
by Staten Island-based J&J Tow-
ing Inc. The car was only taken around the corner, and he and other community members told The Press they weren’t ticketed when their cars were moved. Despite the towing, O’Brien was happy to see repairs start-
ing, as he recently blew a tire on the Henry Hudson Parkway. He said the construction was “not that inconvenient,” especially because it meant a remedy to the potholes. With milling completed by Baymen, the DOT will move
onto paving. From March 25 to March 27, a crew will go over the recently milled areas. Further resurfacing work will continue through May, targeting Riverdale, Kingsbridge and Spuyten Duyvil roads.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani was one of several city officials who celebrated Contreras’ return at Middle Church in the East Village.
Olivia Young photos
Dylan Lopez Contreras, 21, returned home to New York City after 10 months in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainment in Pennsylvania.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE photos
The first phase of road resurfacing, milling, triggered road closures throughout the neighborhood.
Milling
Center welcomes back older adults after sewage leak
CONTINUED from page A1
The senior center, run by nonprofit Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, is one part of Marble Hill’s community center, which also provides English for Speakers of Other Languages classes and an after-school program for kids and young adults called Cornerstone. Though the senior program was paused, other programs continued. A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development said Cornerstone was able to keep operating in the center by relocating activities to other rooms.
Mike Halpern, assistant director of youth services at Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, said the affected areas were checked for asbestos, and the center was able to maintain programming for the kids.
“It’s not our property, but we are responsible for the kids,” Halpern said,
adding that he was in constant communication with staff and city agencies.
“We make sure that everybody’s safe at all times.”
Halpern said staff didn’t complain to him regarding the sewage odor, and when he visited the center in February he did not smell anything.
The community center as a whole is undergoing a $4.5 million upgrade, currently in the design phase and set to be completed by March 2029. The project focuses on finishes such as new walls, windows, lighting and flooring.
According to a NYCHA spokesperson, the project includes some plumbing updates to the kitchen and bathrooms, but not for the entire floor, or for waste lines and sewer lines.
Bayron expressed concern that the new upgrades don’t address the main issue of outdated piping.
“If they don’t do the repairs inside out, it’s just going to be cosmetic,” Bayron said. “It’s not going to last.”
Lower school speed limits draw mixed reactions
CONTINUED from page A1
outcomes. A pedestrian struck at 25 miles per hour is more than three times as likely to be seriously injured as someone hit at 15 miles per hour
— a key factor behind the focus on school zones.
Other residents support the goal but say implementation will be key.
Patricia Sorkin, a Riverdale mother of three young children, said clearer signage will be essential.
“It really depends on how many students go to those specific schools,” she said. “But in some places, you can’t even tell you’re in a school zone, so the city needs to make sure signage is visible.”
For some, the lower speeds are a reasonable tradeoff. Sam Hutchins said the change reflects a shared responsibility for safety.
“I think it is a great idea to lower the speed limit around the schools, because people do drive recklessly in the area during school hours,” he said. “Even any reasonable person who drives safely and lawfully should support more safety for children.”
At each school location, the DOT will provide a 60-day notice and comment period to local community boards before implementing the new limits.
The city has not yet released a schedule or list of locations for the rollout.
Kingsbridge businesses ask for bike lane redesign
CONTINUED from page A1
But it has to make sense. It can’t be that businesses suffer this much and nothing is adjusted to help us.”
She said the loss of more than 40 parking spaces has created daily challenges for customers trying to stop by.
“A lot of people that come in, they’re triple parking, they’re standing by their cars so they don’t get tickets, they’re rushing in and out,” she said. “It’s stressful for them, and at the same time it’s hurting us because people don’t want to deal with that.”
The financial impact has been steep. Grijalva estimates business has dropped by as much as 60 to 70 percent, forcing her to take on more of the workload herself.
“Now most employees only work five days, some people four,” she said. “One of my employees who used to come five days now only comes on weekends. I’m doing more myself, my brother helps — we’re just trying to keep it going the best we can.”
A few storefronts away, Fernando Quintuna, who has worked at Fernando’s Cleaners & Tailor Shop for more than a decade, said he has seen a similar decline in customer traffic.
“It’s terrible right now for us,” he said. “I lost a lot of customers, and the city doesn’t think about us. Nobody came to talk to us — they just painted and that’s it, and now we’re the ones dealing with everything that comes after.”
Still, Quintuna said he is not opposed to bike lanes, but believes the design should better reflect the needs of businesses, like putting in loading zones.
“Put it on the other side where there’s residential,” he said. “That would be better for business, but there are also some businesses there, so I’m not sure. I’m not saying don’t do bike lanes — I’m saying do it in a way that works for everybody.”
That call for compromise has also surfaced at Community Board 8 meetings, where members have raised concerns about the parking spot removal and the potential ripple effects on traffic and local commerce.
“I’m concerned that hard working middle class people who have businesses, who put their heart and soul in things are now are going to be in a situation where they have no income, their livelihood is going to be destroyed as a result of people not having access to come to their to their businesses,” said Debbie Allen, the chair of the traffic and transportation committee.
The DOT maintained the project was a necessary trade-off, noting the stretch had long been plagued by illegal double parking that contributed to crashes and created unsafe conditions.
“This redesign makes traveling on Bailey Avenue, one of The Bronx’s most dangerous streets, safer for everyone by providing pedestrian and bus boarding islands, dedicated cycling space and
streamlined traffic patterns for drivers,” Will Livingston said, DOT Deputy Press Secretary. “These design features have been successfully installed across the city and are proven tools to save lives and are good for local businesses.”
An agency spokesperson, however, said bike lanes can benefit local businesses, pointing to a 2022 analysis by transportation outlet Streetblogs. Using city data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, the outlet found that businesses along Queens’ Skillman Avenue saw a 12 percent increase in sales after protected bike lanes were installed.
Allen, however, criticized what she described as a one-size-fits-all approach applied citywide.
“We ended up passing a resolution against it, and I don’t know necessarily if bike lanes are appropriate for that specific corridor,” she said. “It feels like the decision was already made before the community weighed in.”
Before construction began, transportation officials conducted a walkthrough with Allen, board members and elected officials, but the project proceeded despite local opposition to several aspects
of the plan. A second walkthrough is scheduled for April 9, where the board and local leaders will continue advocating for a design that better reflects the needs of the neighborhood.
The spokesperson said that, in addition to meeting with community boards and sharing redesign plans with community leaders and residents, the agency held 10 community workshops and attended community events.
The DOT did not comment on whether it conducted direct outreach to businesses.
Local’s photography book explores grief and healing
CONTINUED from page A1
for years.” That concept can be seen throughout his work.
“When every step, every artifact, every fleeting imprint and relationship tells us life is fragile, we accept it as an immutable truth,” one of the book’s untitled poems reads. “Yet those fragile traces, even as they fade, have an essence of themselves where they touched the world.”
Merritt, born and raised in the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative, grew up playing basketball and punch ball in Van Cortlandt Park. He recalled spending the whole day outside, only briefly returning home for something to eat, and then right back to the park until dusk.
In his 20s, after studying political science at The City College of New York and a brief stint at New England School of Law in Boston, he started working as a media specialist in Lehman College’s Educational Program in 1975. Merritt said he always had a creative instinct, but didn’t fully invest himself in photography until two years later, when he and his wife, Sara Merritt, quit their jobs and travelled through Europe and the Middle East for a year.
“I slept with my cameras,” he said of that year.
Once they returned home to the Bronx, Merritt taught at Grace Dodge Career and Technical Education High School, and after spent 26 years at Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design. While he taught, he worked on his own photography projects through grants from the Bronx Council on the Arts.
Later in life, Van Cortlandt Park
took on a new meaning. His parents’ health started to decline in 2010, and Merritt adopted a caretaker role.
The park became an escape from the stress of his family situation, and he would take his camera to capture freshly fallen snow, plants, park goers, deceased and living birds, and Riverdale landmarks such as the Van Cortlandt House and remnants of the Putnam Railroad. Merritt’s mom and dad died four years later, but he said the series needed an ending, and he kept shooting until 2016. He drew inspiration from “The Solitude of Ravens,” a book by Japanese photographer Masahisa Fukase that contains images of crows, often blurred to evoke feelings of loss and loneliness. In the fourth section of Merritt’s
book, Breaking Light, photos are marked by a soft haze, “blurring the line of what begins and what ends,” Merritt said. Writings continue this exploration of the healing process after losing loved ones.
“Grief can blind us,” another poem reads. “It feels like a night that never ends. It’s navigating a strange new landscape with no map. Yet in unexpected places and unexpected ways, light insists on entering. Windows open. Curtains fray. A neighbor knocks on the door and it opens. Flowers bloom, and birds sing again.”
Merritt currently has a photo exhibition on display in Gallery 505 at 505 W. 236th St., running through May 3. “Ephemeral Light Moving Through Time, Loss and Renewal in Van Cortlandt Park” will be released next month.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE photos
Speed bumps were previously installed to deter speeding near the Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy. The school zone speed limit in front of P.S. 81 is currently 25 mph.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE photos
Marble Hill Senior Center’s sewage leak left more than 50 older adults without a familiar community space.
Charlyne Henry, 69, said she found comfort in the senior center after losing her husband during the pandemic.
Michelle Mullen photos
The Bailey Avenue redesign removed more than 40 parking spaces between Van Cortlandt Park South and West 225th Street.
Sugargirl Bakery, which has seen a significant drop in sales since the redesign, is among the businesses calling for an alternative design that takes the needs of both owners and bikers into account.
Merritt’s later photographs appear slightly blurred, representing a transition between phases of grief.
Merritt gravitated towards parkgoers in action while shooting in Van Cortlandt Park.
Photos courtesy Ira Merritt
“Lost Boy,” is featured on the cover of Ira Merritt’s book, and shows his late son, Benjamin Merritt, in the snow.
15 injure d in two-alarm fire at Kingsbri d ge apartment complex
By Michelle Mullen mmullen@riverdalepress.com
Flames tore through a third-floor apartment at 3410
Kingsbridge Ave. March 17, sending thick smoke billowing from upper-story windows as residents fled into the courtyard.
The call came in at about 3 p.m., reporting a fire on the third floor of the multiple-unit dwelling. Within minutes, the situation escalated to a two alarm blaze, drawing 46 units and 141 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene. The flames were brought under control just after 4 p.m., according to the New York City Fire Department. Fire officials said 15 civilians suffered minor injuries and were transported to area hospitals. At least one person was rescued from a window using a ladder as smoke and flames spread upward through the building.
The fire began on the third floor before quickly extending to the fourth and fifth floors, intensifying the emergency response and prompting evacuations throughout the building. Residents lingered in the courtyard, where scenes of panic and relief unfolded. One mother ran to the building in tears, embracing her baby who was brought to safety by its aunt. Others, many with tears in their eyes, clutched children and pets.
Tenant Richard Gomez described the moment the fire broke out as chaotic and fastmoving. He lives on the first floor, directly two floors below the apartment where the flames erupted.
“As soon as I got out from my room, yeah, I immediately started smelling the smoke,” said Gomez. As conditions worsened, neighbors began knocking on doors to warn others.
“As soon as the neighbors
knocked on my door, that’s when I started to get down here,” said Gomez, adding that when he reached the outside, he saw flames coming out of the building’s windows
Another resident, John D’Arconte, said he initially did not realize how severe the fire was because he was on the opposite side of the building.
“I just felt a lot of smoke, I heard a lot of yelling, and before I knew it there was a lot of firemen in the courtyard bringing up hoses,” said D’Arconte, a resident of more than a decade.
Firefighters broke windows and worked from the courtyard to ventilate the building, he said, as the scale of the fire became clear.
“But I had no idea that the fire was raging on this side,” said D’Arconte. “We’ve never had anything like this.”
Across the street, Deborah Montesinos, who lives in a neighboring building, said the fire appeared to intensify within moments.
“I heard a pop. And I just thought, okay, nothing,” she said. “And then I opened my door again, and [the smoke] was getting thicker.”
The fire also triggered a large-scale response involving children from a day care located in the building. Parents and tenants said well over a dozen young children were inside and had to be rescued by firefighters.
Those children were brought across the street to MyUnique Thrift Store, where the store manager, Abdulai Bah, said they waited for their parents to arrive.
“The fire department came… and they brought them in the store, and they are just taking care of them,” he said.
Bah said there were about a dozen children, and estimated they were between 1 and 2 years old.
“Some of the parents look traumatized, but they look like they’re fine,” he said.
Off-duty NYPD officer shoots man, residents fear rising crime
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
An off-duty New York Police Department officer shot a 30-year-old man in the head March 16 in front of 167 West 231st Street just after 9 p.m. As of March 23, the victim was in critical condition and the officer is suspended without pay, according to police. Police said the incident was related to a previously reported stolen vehicle, and the officer had an interaction with several men before firing. The case is under investigation by the NYPD Force Investigation Division.
According to reporting by The New York Times and the Gothamist, the officer involved was 44-year-old Jonathan Baez. The NYPD declined to confirm or deny the officer’s identity to The Press. According to online police records, Baez joined the force in January 2014. He was assigned to the Intelligence Bureau Uniformed Operations Unit in February last year, and has no disciplinary history.
Security footage from Bronx Public, a bar and restaurant across the street from where the shooting took place, shows the officer stepping out of a dark-colored car behind a white sedan at 9:04 p.m. The victim appeared to be walking toward the white car, when the off-duty officer approached him with his right arm raised, holding a gun. The officer fired and the victim collapsed out of the camera’s sight behind the white car. About a minute later, the white car sped off.
A rogue bullet from the incident went through the window of Bronx Public, shattering the glass, interior security footage shows. No customers were sitting near the window. Bronx Public manager Ada Gomez said police searched for the bullet but did not recover it. The NYPD did not respond to a request for comment on the search for the bullet.
A 10-year Kingsbridge resident, Gomez said she’s noticed a recent increase in crime in the neighborhood.
Since December, tenants in her building on Irwin Avenue have been victims of car break-ins, according to Gomez. On the same block as her restaurant, police also reported a robbery and a sex crime in the last month.
The robbery took place on March 5, when an unidentified
person went into Y Tech at 145 West 231st St., broke the display case with a hammer and stole seven cellphones. On his way out, the person struck a customer with the hammer. The victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition, according to police.
Emily Gomez, who shares no relation to Ada Gomez, is a sales associate at Y Tech who was working during the robbery. She said she grew up in the Bronx, but never felt unsafe in the borough until now.
Roughly two weeks before that, on Feb. 17, a 37-yearold woman was walking near Albany Crescent and West 231st Street when a man came up and started talking to her. He kept following her from behind, and grabbed her buttocks over her clothing before
fleeing.
Police said no arrests have been made in either incident and the investigations are ongoing.
In the wake of recent crimes, Ada Gomez said she thinks greater Riverdale is no longer the quiet area it once was.
“Before, when you said you lived in this area, people would know you’re safe,” Ada Gomez said.
Ada Gomez has managed Bronx Public for a year and a half. Before that she owned Con Sabor Latino, the Dominican restaurant on Bailey Avenue that closed down due to a four-alarm electrical fire that ripped through four other businesses in November 2021.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
Ada Gomez, manager at Bronx Public, says greater Riverdale is no longer as safe as it once was.
Michelle Mullen photot
The two-alarm Kingsbridge fire took fire crews roughly an hour to put out. Fire marshals continue to investigate the cause of the blaze.
Day care children were brought into MyUnique Thrift Store, where they were later reunited with their parents.
Courtesy Bronx Public
A rogue bullet from the incident went through the window of Bronx Public. No bystanders were harmed.
man.
Gov. Hochul announces 1 train will receive new, upgraded cars
Staff Report
The 1 train will be getting an upgrade as part of a massive subway car replacement initiative by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Hochul announced March 19 the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is seeking proposals from rail car manufacturers for a contract to replace cars operating on the 1, 3 and 6 lines. The base order covers 1,140 subway cars to replace two models — the R62A, which services the 1 and 6, and the R62, which services the 3. It is the largest subway car contract in history, according to Hochul’s office. Upgrades are part of the MTA’s $68.4 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which looks to rebuild, improve and expand the MTA system.
“Thousands of new subway cars running better service and a more reliable ride for millions every day — that’s what we can achieve when we fully invest in transit,” Hochul said in a statement. “We are in the midst of a public transit renaissance in New York, with growing ridership, the best service in a generation and historic investments to modernize the lifeblood of our city.” If the MTA chooses, it can purchase an additional 1,250
cars to replace models on the 2,4 and 5 lines — potentially upgrading 36.4 percent of the subway’s entire 6,574 car fleet. The base order of 1,140 cars would revamp 17.3 percent of the fleet.
The new subway cars will improve reliability, Hochul’s office said, by offering a higher distance of how long a car can operate without issues or maintenance. The new model, called R262, can last an average of 200,000 miles without the need for repairs. The current models have an average of 89,000 miles.
Proposals from rail car manufacturers are due by Sep. 8, and a contract will be awarded by early 2028.
The request for proposals outlines technical upgrades such as higher quality announcement systems and assistive listening devices that allow hearing-impaired passengers to connect their hearing aids. It also aims to improve efficiency by installing an automatic passenger counting system to record the number of train riders, as well as electric braking control. Safety is also a priority, as the request includes cameras onboard the train, which the fleet currently has, and cameras on the platform edge.
New York City Tran-
sit President Demetrius
Crichlow stated the upgrades are long overdue.
“We’re talking about replacing cars that have been around since the 1980s — is anyone else driving 40-yearold cars?” Crichlow said. “Even though we’ve managed to achieve historic ontime performance while adding service with this fleet, it’s time to enter the modern era.”
Baron Hair Stylist 11 Knolls Crescent 718-549-9802
Burger King 6007 Broadway 718-549-9637 BK.com
Carlos & Gabby’s
Glatt Kosher Mexican Grill 5685 Riverdale Avenue 718-543-8226 646-361-0119 Ralphssd@aol.com
Chase Mortgages
Hector L. Rodriguez
Home Lending Advisor - NMLS #64791 1068 Morris Park Avenue 646-610-9840
Hector.L.Rodriguez@chase.com
Columbia Florist 210 West 231st Street 718-543-3753 FloristinBronxNY.com
Dino’s Pizzeria 5660 Mosholu Avenue 718-796-2339
Female Fight Club
5900 Riverdale Avenue 929-243-3327
FemaleFightClubNYC.com
Fieldston Pets
3476 Bailey Avenue 718-796-4541 FieldstonPets.com
Jake’s Steakhouse 6031 Broadway 718-581-0182
JakesSteakhouse.com
Kingsbridge Social Club
3625 Kingsbridge Avenue 347-346-5180
KingsbridgeSocialClub.com
Larry the Locksmith
3703 Riverdale Avenue 718-543-2095
LarryTheLocksmith.com
Le-Chic Salon
587 West 235th Street 718-548-9090 Le-Chic.com
Mathnasium of Riverdale 5919 Riverdale Avenue 929-949-6284 Mathnasium.com
Mosaic Mental Health
5685 Riverdale Avenue 718-796-5300
MosaicMH.org
New Heights
Construction 800-525-5102 718-767-0044
NewHeightsConstructionLLC.com
The New York Botanical Garden
Bronx River Parkway (exit 7W) End of Fordham Road 718-817-8700 NYBG.org
Priannag
Non Emergency Medical Transportation & Driving School 5925 Riverdale Avenue 347-427-0250 priannagcorp.com
The Riverdale Press 5676 Riverdale Avenue 718-543-6065 RiverdalePress.com
St. Claire Partners
Commercial Real Estate 3400 Corlear Avenue 646-705-3480
StClairePartners@gmail.com
TCR-
The Club of Riverdale 2600 Netherland Avenue 718-796-9099
TCR-NYC.com
What’s on?
History of NYBG tour
At the Hudson River Museum
One World One Sky
Join Big Bird, Elmo and their friend
Hu Hu Zhu on a journey from Sesame Street to the moon at the Hudson River Museum planetarium. Kids will discover how each planet is unique, why kites only
fly on Earth, and learn about the Big Dipper, North Star, sun and moon. Runs on weekends in March at 12:30 p.m. Includes a 25-minute show plus Q&A.
At An Beal Bocht Cafe
Irish trad session
On Sunday, March 29th, the An Beal Bocht Cafe is hosting an Irish traditional music session with Lindsey Ceitinn and Michelle Bergin, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
At Wave Hill
Atom Moore: Second Nature
Still life and product photographer Atom Moore presents “Second Nature,” an exhibit centered on the anatomy of plants in Wave Hill’s living collection. View the series at Wave Hill through July 12.
Winter Workspace drop-in
The Winter Workspace Drop-In Sunday series provides an opportunity for Wave Hill visitors to deepen their connec-
tion with both the arts and their experience of the garden by learning how artists are drawing inspiration from the site.
Wave Hill’s Winter Workspace is a program that takes place over two seven-week sessions and provides artists with free studio space, a financial stipend and access to Wave Hill’s living collection. Since its start in 2010, the workspace has supported more than 175 artists.
During Winter Workspace, the artists have intimate access to the greenhouses, as well as horticultural and curatorial staff.
Experimentation is encouraged, and artists expand their practices while working on site. At the core of the Winter Workspace is the recognition that creating art within the context of a garden is a unique experience.
During Drop-in Sunday, visitors can mingle with participating workspace artists in their studios, ask questions, and learn about their creative practice. It runs weekly from 1 to 3 p.m., with a different group of three or more artists participating.
At Riverdale Senior Services
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Dinner Celebrate the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with an afternoon of delicious food, music and community connection at the Center
for Ageless Living. Enjoy music, light entertainment, a festive Irish-inspired dinner, raffles and fun surprises on Saturday, March 28, from 3 to 5 p.m.
At the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture
Ethics for Kids
Facilitated by Naa Pappoe, Ethics for Kids introduces children to social justice, science, history, self-expression and empathy through stories, the arts and play.
The series, held at the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture helps young learners explore what it means to live ethically. Designed for children ages 4 to 10, but open to all. Email growingethicsrysec@gmail.com to RSVP.
Sessions are held every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
At Riverdale Neighborhood House
Riverdale CSA
The Riverdale CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, is accepting members for its 2026 season. Deliveries of organic and biodynamic vegetables from Hawthorne Valley Farm are made weekly on Thursdays from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. from early June to November to the Riverdale
Neighborhood House. Full shares and partial shares are available and include 7 to 10 vegetables each week. Fruit shares can be purchased that include organic strawberries, blueberries, stone fruits, apples and pears.
Also available are a wide variety of local dairy products, baked goods, meats, poultry and eggs. CSAs are mutually beneficial for farmers and communities.
For more information about this and the current Winter-Spring CSA with Clatter Valley Farm, go to riverdalecsa.org or email riverdalecsa@gmail.com.
Masala Bhangra
Join the Riverdale Neighborhood House for this full-body dance workout. With easy-to-follow choreography adapted from Bollywood dance styles, participants are encouraged to move, touch and inspire. All ages are welcome. Runs on Tuesdays at 2 p.m.
Youth market
Stop by the Riverdale Neighborhood House youth market for fresh, local produce straight from area farmers. Other items for sale include sourdough bread from baker Annie Miller. The Neighborhood House accepts EBT, cash, credit, FAMM checks, vouchers, SNAP EBT and Health Bucks, helping ensure access for everyone in the community. The market
is open every Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m.
Stretch and Strengthen
Start your mornings this new year with a light movement class at the Riverdale Neighborhood House. Classes are held on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. A social hour with refreshments follows, offering a chance to chat with neighbors.
At the New York Public Library
Baby storytime
Join baby storytime Kingsbridge Library on Thursdays at 11 a.m. Come for a special time to bond with your little one and meet other caregivers. The program will explore the joy of movement, books and songs in addition to building early learning skills you can practice at home. Come prepared to sit with your child on your lap. Best for children who are pre-walkers or crawlers.
Mixed media art for pre-teens
Join every Tuesday at the Riverdale branch for a session of arts and crafts using different mediums such as acrylics, watercolors, clay, beads, paper and other mediums like photograms. You’ll be simultaneously listening to
What’s on?
podcasts like “Stuff You Missed in History Class” and “Night Vale” or just jamming to your favorite playlists. Related books and resources will also be available for checkout to spark your creativity and help you dive deeper into techniques and other crafts. Runs every Tuesday from 3 to 4 p.m.
Writing Circle Kingsbridge Library hosts weekly writing circle meetings in an intimate setting where participants can share unpublished drafts and give and receive feedback. Attendees must be at least 18 years old.
Registration is available at nypl.org; the Google Meet code will be emailed the day before the session. The group meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Riverdale Art Association
Blues
The Riverdale Art Association, in conjunction with the Riverdale Temple and Women of Reform Judaism, present The exhibit “Blues” at the Riverdale Temple.
The show runs through March 27.
Members artists interpret the theme in various ways, creating an exhibition with inviting works in a true “blues” diversity. Works span a range of media and styles, including photography, pastels, oil and watercolors and sculpture.
Places and Spaces
The Riverdale Art Association invites you to visit its latest exhibit “Places and Spaces” at the gallery at Christ Church Riverdale.
Member artists use an array of vibrant, contrasting colors to interpret ways to bring to life their interpretations of place and space using acrylics, watercolor, mixed media and collage.
The parish hall is open Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to noon. The exhibit runs until April 24. There will be an opening reception on Friday, March 27 at 5:30 to 7 p.m.
At Yoga Muse Yoga en Español
Yoga Muse offers a weekly yoga class taught entirely in Spanish. The open-level, slow-flow class is led by Meli Rios and meets every Saturday at 12:15 p.m.
At Inner Space Yoga
Vinyasa and meditation
This 90-minute workshop led by Ben Alpern and Deborah Sabalusk will give you the complete yoga experience, starting with a 45-minute vinyasa class, moving in and out of poses on and off the floor, followed by an extended savasana, or final resting pose, and meditation. You’ll learn techniques like visualization, breath control, and how to release resistance for ultimate relaxation.
Join on Saturday, March 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Class costs $30.
At Lehman College
Lehman Lecture 2026
The Bronx’s own The Kid Mero will headline the 55th Annual Herbert H. Lehman Memorial Lecture, bringing his signature humor, insight and Bronx pride to Lehman College on Tuesday, March 31, at noon in the Lovinger Theatre.
Don’t miss this chance to see The Kid Mero live. Experience his unique style, sharp wit and unforgettable stories in person. Mark your calendars for what promises to be an unforgettable event.
Urban Environmental Challenge
Painted World exhibition
Until May 2, attend the “Painted World: Text, Gesture and Expression in Contemporary Art” exhibition at Lehman College Art Gallery. The Painted Word brings together three dozen contemporary artists who use powerful words and push the boundaries of written language through the physical act of painting.
At the New York Botanical Garden
The Orchid Show Head to the New York Botanical Garden through April 26 for the annual Orchid show, “Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle.” This year, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory transforms into a dazzling reimagining of New York City.
Orchids collide with concrete in scenes inspired by stoops, slice shops and even the subway, creating a vivid fusion of nature and cityscape artistry. Visitors can experience the flair and style of the Big Apple brought to life through thousands of flowers.
At Derfner Judaica Museum
Envisioning the Sacred: Modern Art
from the Collection
Envisioning the Sacred: Modern Art from the Collection features 49 prints, paintings, and drawings from the Museum’s permanent collection by 20th- and 21st-century artists working in a range of modernist styles — from figurative to abstract.
These 21 artists explore stories and
characters from the Bible, represent Jewish observances and traditions, or take inspiration from language and legend. Many of the artists express their Jewish identities and relationships to Jewish communal experience through their work.
For some, mysticism and quests for spiritual connection are essential features of their art. It runs until Sunday, June 21.
At the Kingsbridge Historical Society
At Edgehill, the Kingsbridge Historical Society will host four Thursday evenings in March for a community art project: the “Bronx 250th Tapestry.”
As an update to the bicentennial quilts that were sewn in our area in 1976, this tapestry will represent our community, historic events, and landmarks. Only this time, no needle or thread is required to contribute.
Participants will work with teaching artist Tijay Mohammed and the KHS team to produce “squares,” which will all be stitched together later to form the larger tapestry which will be displayed at different venues in the community and preserved for future generations.
The last session is on March 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Volunteer Cleanup
Given that the snow has melted and our streets and sidewalks are in dire need of cleaning, the Riverdale Main Street Alliance is hosting a large volunteer cleanup event on Saturday, March 28, at 10:00 a.m. sharp.
The alliance’s streetscape team is looking for as many volunteers as possible. The meetup location is on Riverdale Avenue and West 258th Street, in front of Chase Bank at 5656 Riverdale Avenue. The cleanup is weather-dependent. Supplies will be provided and community service hours can be awarded.
At Van Cortlandt Park
Forest Fridays Volunteer with the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance to remove invasive species from Van Cortlandt Park’s Northwest Forest every Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. The work helps promote biodiversity, protect young trees and improve forest health. No prior experience is needed. Tools and gloves are provided.
Trail Work Thursdays
Join the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and fellow residents every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon to help maintain trails in Van Cortlandt Park. Tools and gloves are provided for this small-group volunteer event, which is limited to five participants It’s a hands-on opportunity to give back to the community while enjoying the Bronx’s natural beauty.
At
the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
Prom drive
The Kingsbridge Heights Community Center’s Teen Center is collecting new and gently used formal wear, including gowns, suits, shoes, accessories and more
to help local teens feel their best on prom night this year.
Drop off donations at the community center, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, through April 23.
Explore early childhood services Families with children ages 0 to 5 are invited to explore the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center’s Early Childhood Service. Join on Thursday, March 27 from 10 to 3 p.m. at 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace in the gymnasium.
Group meditation over Zoom Join this collaboration with The Temple of Enlightenment for group meditation sessions online. It’s a great way to relax and let go during this stressful and uncertain time. This class is free and runs ever y Monday and Wednesday, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Community Board 8
Meetings
Bronx Community Board 8
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Opinion
Contreras’ release is a beginning, not an end
The release of Dylan Contreras is widely considered a relief. A correction. A step in the right direction. And it is those things, as far as they go.
However, the time for lowering guards and celebrating has not y et arrived. The conditions under w hich Contreras’ detention was made possible still persist, and so many stories similar to his remain largely invisible.
He was a student in the Bronx, attending school and following a process that, on paper, was meant to offer some measure of order. He went to a routine immigration hearing in May of last year. He left that hearing in handcuffs.
What followed was roughly ten months in a detention facility in Pennsylvania. It was time spent away from school, from family, from the ordinary expectations of a life that had, until that point, been moving in a different direction.
It is often said, in cases like this, that the system is complicated. That immigration law is layered, technical, difficult to navigate even under ideal conditions. A ll of that is true. But complexity has a way of obscuring something more basic: what actually happened.
A student, with no criminal record, who had entered the country legally and was complying w ith the process, was detained for most of a year. As talk continues to circulate about pursuing the immigration process “the right way,” people like Contreras are punished despite their efforts to do so.
To many observers, what distinguishes this case is not only w hat happened to Contreras, but w here it happened. An immigration courthouse. A place that, in theory, exists to process these cases, not to transform them into detention.
Homeless people in Riverdale need a safe home too Editorial
That detail has unsettled people for a reason. It introduces a kind of uncertainty that is difficult to reckon with. If appearing for a scheduled hearing can lead directly to confinement, the line between compliance and risk becomes less clear.
The response to his detention — rallies, statements from elected officials, sustained advocacy — suggests that the case was understood, at least by some, as an outlier. A situation that required attention precisely because it dev iated from what should normally occur.
But the question that lingers is w hether it was an outlier, or simply a glaring instance of a phenomenon that has become more
common, though often less visible.
His release did not come automatically. It followed months of advocacy, legal challenges and public demonstrations, sometimes involving high-profile officials. The case had to be made visible before justice could be realized.
That detail is worrisome, as it is nearly impossible for every such case to receive the same kind of attention.
Though Contreras’ release is being touted as a relief, a form of justice, his legal case continues. He is home, but not finished with the system that detained him.
This is the point at which the narrative often begins to settle. A wrong has been addressed, at least partially. The immediate urgency fades.
What remains is less defined, and requires the kind of sustained scrutiny that led to the release.
There is no mechanism that restores the time already spent in detention. There is no clear accounting that explains why this case unfolded as it did or what, if anything, will change as a result. Instead, there is an increasingly familiar pattern. An individual case draws attention, but the cycles of uncertainty and fear currently surrounding immigration to the U.S. remain the same.
For those watching cases like this one, the lesson is not about the specifics of immigration law. It is something more diffuse. A sense that outcomes can shift abruptly, that following the rules does not always produce predictable results, that proximity to the system does not guarantee protection from it.
That kind of uncertainty has consequences.
It alters how people understand their relationship to institutions. It makes participation feel less like a path and more like a gamble. It contributes to the growing, persistent feeling that civic life exists at a distance, that it operates according to a logic that is not always visible, and not always responsive.
The release of Contreras is, unquestionably, significant. It changes his immediate circumstances. It returns him to a life that had been interrupted. But it does not, on its own, resolve the questions his case raises.
Those questions — about due process, about predictability, about what it means to engage with a system that can shift so abruptly — do not end with his release. We need to keep asking them. We need to keep paying attention.
By Alexa Lewis
Stepping into a leadership position at a paper with as storied a history as The Riverdale Press is no small task. The weight of this responsibility is one I’m honored to shoulder, and one I’m aware of each day.
Like many local papers, The Press has undergone myriad changes in recent years. One of the most noticeable to readers has likely been shifts in staffing, including the numerous editors who have held this post before me in a rather short period of time. Because of this, I think it is worth taking this moment to outline my vision and priorities for this esteemed paper — the first of which is to make every effort to offer the paper, its reporters and its readers some stability.
I come to The Press with a background spanning indepth print news and rapid-fire digital news. I carry a deep gratitude for these experiences, as vastly different as they are, because they have each shown me the unique merits and challenges of different newsgathering approaches. My hope is to take
the strengths I have seen from these other local publications and combine them with the many strengths already present at The Press to help it adapt to this unique moment in the media landscape.
One of my primary areas of knowledge and focus lies in breaking news. A few readers have reached out to remark upon the breaking news content that The Press’ reporters so diligently reported last week. I urge those readers and others to keep an eye on that coverage, as I aim to continue and bolster it so our community knows what is happening, when it is happening.
I also recognize that, despite the many varying opinions that surround social media, it has become essential to the modern information ecosystem. With that in mind, our newsroom is working to reinvigorate our social media presence. By sharing our stories on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, we can not only get more eyes on the work we proudly pursue, but also connect with our community in new and exciting ways.
Letters to the editor
To the editor, Years ago in a different city, our church offered a welcoming space, with food and shelter, to people who were homeless. What we found were people with stories not much different from our own: dads who missed
their children, men who sought to get a GED so they could get a better job — ordinary folks who had fallen on hard times. We also found human beings hungry for a smile, a kind word.
Some of our neighbors can’t see past their fears.
Of course, breaking news and social media content will not replace the fundamentals of what has made this paper so great for so many years. A prime benefit of weekly news is the time, space and depth it allows certain stories to benefit from. Long-form, community-based reporting continues to remain central to The Press’ work.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention my goal of getting to know the residents that make our corner of the Bronx so special. As I continue to get settled in this new city and position, I hope to become a familiar and friendly face. To those neighbors whom I have already had the pleasure of speaking with, your warm welcomes and enthusiasm has made me feel quickly at home.
I’m looking forward to learning and growing alongside the talented young reporters at this paper. We hope to make our readers proud. You deserve news you can rely on and trust. That sentiment will continue to be our driving force every day. Alexa Lewis is the new editor-in-chief of The Riverdale Press.
To the editor, I moved to Riverdale a year ago and was thrilled to find out that my congressional representative was Ritchie Torres. The legislative bills and resolutions he has introduced show his commitment to the diverse
neighborhoods and people he represents in the Bronx. While working for us in Washington, D.C., he somehow has the time to attend meetings and rallies in Riverdale and to always speak to constituents. From issues such as public safety, baby
What about instead of vilifying the men who will live at the new shelter at 6661 Broadway, we local residents organize a welcome event with pizza from local shops? We’ll be there.
MARGERY FREEMAN AND DAVID BILLINGS
Kudos to Ritchie Torres
boomers and education to health care, food rescue and more, he cares and has our backs. The choice is simple and clear: vote for Ritchie Torres.
JANET R. KIRCHHEIMER
Less stigma, more compassion still needed around mental illness
To the editor, We have come so far since those pioneers first chose to speak out about their mental health conditions. Mike Wallace, the television news reporter, spoke openly about his depression. Josh Logan, the storied American director and producer, penned an autobiography about his manic and depressive phases, which concluded with his introduction to the mood stabilizer lithium carbonate. These people were way out in front. Who could have imagined that the day would come when a new anti-schizophrenia medica-
tion would be advertised on a nationally broadcast sporting event, and when a national free mental health phone service would be available 24/7. Still, I wonder whether there is room for development in our country’s treatment of the mentally ill. Some illnesses, including bipolar disorder and major depression, may be discussed and even accepted. The terrible difficulties experienced by soldiers and others attempting to recover from emotional trauma, it seems to me, are also given at least some degree of understanding. But
might there be other forms of mental illness, including narcissistic personality disorder, that are treatable, but so scorned by our culture, that the help available goes disregarded?
The underlying reality remains. The human mind is an extraordinarily powerful and complex organ. Things can go wrong. When treatment is available, we do everyone a disservice by treating such ailments with disdain. Perhaps a little more compassion would help.
JOSH GREENFIELD Onward
Online and in print — Riverdale Press classifieds get results
It’s easy to place your ad online, by phone, by fax, by mail or e-mail and reach thousands of readers in next week’s paper — or instantly on our website.
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of
Fully renovated Riverdale co-op features sweeping river views
Afully renovated cooperative apartment in Riverdale has come to market for $988,000, offering expansive river views and modern upgrades in one of the neighborhood’s established full-service buildings.
The residence at 3671 Hudson Manor Terrace, Apt. 14LM, is in the sought-after Manor Towers complex and features sweeping views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. The turnkey home offers an open-concept layout that maximizes natural light and highlights its scenic surroundings.
At the center is an expanded kitchen and dining area with granite countertops, Europeanstyle cabinetry, and high-end appliances, including a Viking Professional wall oven, range top stove with self-cleaning oven, dishwasher, and refrigerator—ideal for everyday living and entertaining.
The home also features a large private terrace overlooking the river, creating an inviting outdoor space for relaxing or dining with panoramic views. Additional highlights include a separate laundry room with an approved in-unit washer and dryer, a second refrigerator, and extensive custom built-ins such as bookcases and a walk-in closet with integrated storage. Manor Towers offers a full suite of amenities, including a 24-hour doorman, live-in superintendent, seasonal heated saltwater pool, two HarTru tennis courts, central air, attended parking, bike storage, and pet-friendly policies. Pied-àterre ownership and subletting are permitted under certain conditions. Located in the heart of Riverdale, the property offers convenient access to schools, houses of worship, transportation, and shopping.
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