What’s inside?
Creating a future
A Lehman graduate’s resilience Page A3
Wheel locks and warnings at 50th Precinct auto theft event
RiverSpring luxury senior home officially breaks ground
By Olivia Young
established early on in 2018, made up of tenants from nearby apartment buildings and local advocacy organizations. Members negotiated terms with RiverSpring and developers.
Riverdale celebrates Community block party and 5K Page A5 Studio finds its place
From a home office to official space Page A6
By Michelle Mullen mmullen@riverdalepress.com
As thefts of auto parts and vehicles continue to unsettle neighborhoods across the Bronx, the New York Police Department’s 50th Precinct hosted an auto theft prevention event May 17 aimed at helping residents protect some of the borough’s most frequently targeted cars.
The event offered free catalytic converter etching — a process that engraves identifying information onto the device to make it easier for police to trace it if stolen — along with free wheel locks for qualifying models.
The outreach effort comes as many residents across greater Riverdale say vehicle thefts have become increasingly disruptive and expensive, even as police tout recent progress
Student Kitchen brings cooking classes to Riverdale kids
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
At the Riverdale Y Sunday Market, 29-yearold Ben Averbuch stood behind a table spread with fresh ingredients such as corn and avocado scattered between spices, mixing bowls and a portable frying pan. A few young participants stood to the side, kid-friendly knives in hand or simply observing, as Averbuch walked them through a cooking class.
Averbuch, founder of the Student Kitchen, is a former special education teacher who now hosts cooking workshops for kids — from toddlers to highschoolers — and occasionally older adults. Along with measuring spices and chopping veggies is a conscious effort to instill confidence in students, build healthy eating habits and shine a light on citywide food insecurity.
The first time Averbuch taught at the market, he said the response from the community was positive, though attendance was limited by the cold. But at the May 17 workshop, with the sun shining bright and temperatures exceeding 80 degrees, kids and adults alike passed by the booth for a lesson or a free sample.
The meal of choice was esquites, a Mexican street food made from corn kernels. One young chef, six-year-old Eria Donohue, cut uniform slices of cucumber to add in. Donohue doesn’t cook often at home, but the chopping was her favorite part. She said she enjoyed the esquites, and offered some to her sister.
The kitchen has led to connections beyond lessons as well. Averbuch uses the olive oil of another vendor at the market, Hsi-Yun Hsiung Student Kitchen on page A4
against organized theft crews operating across the Bronx.
At a May 14 50th Precinct community council meeting, Captain Amadeo Oktrova warned residents that Hondas and Toyotas remain among the neighborhood’s most frequently stolen vehicles, particularly SUVs and sedans that thieves can quickly reprogram and drive away.
“Our top stolen vehicles are the Honda CRVs, Honda Accords, and also Toyota 4Runner or Highlander,” Oktrova said. “They’re reprogramming the keys. They’re showing up, and they’re starting those cars remotely and just getting in the car. And so it takes about 10 seconds for them to take the car.”
Kias and Hyundais, he added, also continue to be common targets because of vulnerabilities
in ignition systems that have circulated widely online in recent years.
“If you have those cars, please just park it in a well-lit area or under a camera, or maybe we should go back to the old days with clubs on wheels,” he said, referencing the use of steering wheel locks popular in the late 20th century. “They’re going to look for the next car. They’re going to look for an easy target.”
The warnings come just weeks after Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the takedown of “Operation Pit Crew,” a sprawling auto theft operation that authorities say stole cars, rims, tires and catalytic converters throughout the city, including numerous incidents in the Bronx.
Auto Theft on page A4
Years later, and particularly in the last few months, worries have largely been mitigated, according to those close to the project. New York-based Consigli Construction Company, which is undertaking the project, told The Press it has active, 24/7 sound monitoring at the site and along Palisade Avenue to evaluate the noise level.
In line with New York City Department of Buildings standards, construction will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. If required outside of those hours, Consigli will consult Bronx Community Board 8 before getting an additional permit. Rock chopping, a loud process that involves using hand or power tools to shape stone, should be done by 3:30 p.m., but an after-hours permit will be requested if anything changes,
By Alexa Lewis
alewis@riverdalepress.com
Comedian Joe Torry has begun to think about his life the way an athlete might think about a game: in quarters. The first quarter is birth to 20. The second runs from 20 to 40. The third takes you from 40 to 60. And the fourth — “hopefully,” he said — carries you from 60 to 80.
Torry is 60 now, newly arrived in what he has deemed his fourth quarter. That transition is informing his material, he shared. He describes the idea of life’s quarters as a progression of what one learns and loses, what one can still do, and what one can’t. For the longtime performer, entering this new era means, in part, showing audiences who he’s become with age. But it also hints at something larger — a comedic legacy spanning decades, and with it, the accumulation of mastery and community.
That sense of accumulation runs beneath the surface of “Comedy Kings Live,” a performance taking place May 23 at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts featuring Torry and fellow kings of comedy Talent Harris, Capone and Joe Clair, hosted by A.G. White. Lehman Center itself has been a cultural cornerstone of the Bronx for over 45 years, hosting performers ranging from Latin music icons and international dance groups to popular rappers such as Princess Nokia, scheduled as one of the venue’s opening performers for next season. Now, it welcomes a lineup of comics who are each cornerstones of the comedy community in their own right. On paper, the Comedy Kings show may read almost like a victory lap. Veteran comedians, familiar names, an audience ready for a greatest-hits set. But when Torry and Harris talk about the show, the nostalgia aspect is only part of the equation. What matters more is the work itself — comedic skills and bits that have been honed and polished for years to Courtesy Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
“Comedy Kings Live” is coming to Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, featuring longtime comedians Joe Torry, Talent Harris, Capone and Joe Clair, hosted by A.G. White. Comedy Kings on page A4 RiverSpring on page A4
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
Members of the NYPD’s Auto Crime Division climbed under cars to etch catalytic converters during the auto theft event.
POLICE BEAT
Man killed at train station
Police said on May 13, past 3 a.m., officers responded to a call reporting an assault at the 242 Street-Van Cortlandt Park subway station. Officers found a man lying on the floor, unconscious and unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead, police said.
Keith Plummer, a 68-year-old man from Queens, was taken into custody as a person of interest and charged with manslaughter, according to police. The investigation remains ongoing.
The identity of the deceased has not yet been released. The release is pending family notification, police said.
POLITICAL ARENA
State Sen. Jackson endorses Barrow for district leader
State Sen. Robert Jackson is endorsing Izaiah “Zeek” Barrow for male district leader of the 81st Assembly District, Barrow announced on social media May 18.
Barrow is running on a campaign tied to local political group Unity Democratic Club, against a slate of members from the other dominant political group in the area, the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club.
“Over time, I’ve had the opportunity to stand beside state Sen. Jackson not just during election season, but through real work in our communities,” Barrow wrote. “I’ve learned firsthand that leadership is not about status or headlines, it’s about showing up consistently for people.”
Marble Hill Council member De La Rosa on Mayor Mamdani’s budget
After Mayor Zohran Mamdani released the $124.7 billion executive budget, many elected officials spoke out. Marble Hill’s Council member Carmen De La Rosa was in favor, and called the budget a “moral document, guided by the values and needs of everyday New Yorkers” in a statement.
She went on to say she applauds the mayor and his team for “rejecting austerity and artificial scarcity,” as well as closing budget gaps and avoiding property tax hikes. De La Rosa emphasized the importance of being able to hire more teachers, support street vendors, stay on a path toward universal childcare and build affordable housing.
“From libraries to [The City University of New York] and parks,
our budget should not jeopardize access to vital city services or use them as bargaining chips in the annual budget dance,” De La Rosa said. “Now, we have baselined these necessities, avoiding the need to fight for their inclusion year after year.”
Three of state Sen. Rivera’s health bills make it past health committee
State Sen. Gustavo Rivera announced after his seventh Senate Health Committee meeting of the year, which he chairs, all 20 bills on the agenda passed the health committee including his own.
One of Rivera’s bills expands health coverage for asthma treatment to include a second rescue and maintenance inhaler, as well as any other medical necessary devices for kids under 19 years old. Another provides for updates to rates for residential health care facilities. The final bill creates a clinical trial access and education fund to give grants to patients with life-threatening or
disabling conditions. The three bills now sit in the Senate Finance Committee.
Assembly member Dinowitz secures $100,000 for public schools
Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz announced earlier this month he secured $100,000 for several schools in the district, including P.S. 24 Spuyten Duyvil.
“This investment will
support technological upgrades that empower students and teachers, modernize the learning experience, and create deeper connections in the classroom,” Dinowitz said in a recent newsletter.
Mayor Mamdani to add 2,000 3-K seats across five boroughs
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced May 18 the city will add 2,000 new 3-K seats across five boroughs, the mayor’s office said in a press release. A majority of the seats will go to communitybased child care providers, and the city will also launch a waitlist process for families to express interest in added sites, the mayor’s office said. “On day eight of this administration, we made a promise to New Yorkers: we would fix the 3-K system and build a city where every family can count on affordable, highquality child care. Today, we’re delivering on that promise,”
Mamdani said. “Over the past few months, we have opened nine previously vacant child care centers, added thousands of 3-K seats where families need them most and started rebuilding trust with working families across this city. And we’re just getting started.” The added 3-K seats come after Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an investment toward
photo
York Senate State Sen. Gustavo Rivera is the chair of the Senate Health Committee.
Lehman’s first CUNY Beyond graduates leave with careers in sight
By Michelle Mullen Michellemullen@riverdalepress.com
Lehman College is one of several City University of New York schools that will bid farewell this spring to their first class of graduates since the launch of CUNY Beyond, a sweeping CUNYwide initiative aimed at embedding career preparation and paid work experience into every undergraduate degree program.
Introduced last year, the five-year initiative was designed to address, as university leaders described at the 2025 State of the University address, a growing disconnect between higher education and career readiness nationwide. CUNY officials noted that while only about a quarter of students traditionally utilized campus career services, nearly all students attended class — prompting the university to begin embedding career development directly into coursework, advising and academic programs.
The program aims to triple the number of students participating in paid internships by 2030 and increase employer recruitment from CUNY campuses by 20 percent.
At the core of CUNY Beyond is an effort to strengthen employer partnerships and expand career-oriented learning opportunities within students’ degree paths.
For 23-year-old Jeffrey Gomez, opportunities for internships, networking and career preparation became just as defining a part of his college experience as the classes themselves.
At 10 years old he moved from the Dominican Republic to New York with his mother in 2014. He imagined they would live among the towering skyscrapers he had seen in movies and on television. Instead, the two arrived in the Bronx, moving into a crowded apartment near Yankee Stadium already shared by 13 relatives. Gomez and his mother slept together on a couch, living alongside grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and
cousins. Coming to the Bronx fundamentally reshaped his ambitions, Gomez said. Living in overcrowded conditions and lacking even a bedroom of his own motivated him to pursue financial stability and independence.
“My goal was to make it out,” Gomez told The Press. “I pretty much knew that I did not want to live there for the rest of my life.”
By the time he enrolled at Lehman College in 2020, Gomez, his mother and his younger sister had moved into a one-bedroom apartment of their own, though space remained tight. His sister occupied the bedroom while Gomez slept in a partitioned section of the apartment.
His college experience began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, with classes held virtually. While adjusting to college life, Gomez also completed his first internship through Project Destined, a real estate program that introduced him to commercial real estate and finance. The experience sparked a growing interest in business and wealth-building.
But financial pressures soon complicated his academic path.
After his first year, he stepped away from school for roughly a year to work fulltime at a Chick-fil-A on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to help support his family and contribute toward rent and household expenses.
The experience, he said, became a turning point. Working in customer service and observing management helped him better understand business operations and convinced him he wanted more long-term opportunities than the job could provide.
“Anytime I go into a place, I always think, how can I be good at it? And then how can I grow from there?” Gomez said. “Once I got good at the job, then I realized that there was nowhere else for me to grow.” By 2022, Gomez said he realized he wanted more
long-term opportunities than restaurant work could provide.
Though he still needed the income to support himself and contribute toward his family’s rent, he returned to Lehman in 2022, determined to continue pursuing internships and a career in business and finance. He moved through classes and work day in and day out, leaving early-morning shifts to head directly to class and working just under 40 hours each week.
“There is no balancing,” Gomez said. “It’s more like, what comes first?”
Through New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program, Gomez secured another internship in real estate management, which eventually allowed him to leave his restaurant job behind. He later became a lab assistant at Lehman’s Bloomberg Terminal lab, where he has worked for more than three years while continuing internships
and maintaining a full course load.
At Lehman, Gomez also became involved with the Financial Learning Group, eventually serving as president of the student finance organization. Through connections made there, he landed a competitive internship with Wells Fargo last summer in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The internship exposed him to corporate finance on a national scale and solidified his plans for the future. In August, Gomez will return to Charlotte full-time as part of Wells Fargo’s rotational analyst program.
Beyond the career milestone, Gomez said the moment carries deep meaning for his family, particularly his mother, who immigrated with him more than a decade ago searching for opportunity.
“My goal was always bigger than myself,” he said. “I knew that I had a bigger purpose in life for myself as well as for my family.”
Protect their future
Photos courtesy Jeffrey Gomez
Soon-to-be Lehman College graduate Jeffrey Gomez, left, moved from the Dominican Republic with his mother, right, at 10 years old.
After graduating from Lehman College this month, Jeffrey Gomez will be moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, to start a job at Wells Fargo.
23-year-old Jeffrey Gomez is among Lehman College’s first graduating class since introducing CUNY Beyond.
50th Precinct offers anti-theft help to local drivers
CONTINUED from page A1
A 971-count indictment charged 16 people accused of operating in highly coordinated crews that targeted vehicles overnight. Surveillance footage released by prosecutors showed masked thieves arriving in stolen cars, lifting vehicles onto milk crates and stripping tires and rims within minutes using power tools.
“It was systematic,” Tisch said during the press conference. “It was methodical and calculated.”
Authorities said the suspects often targeted common vehicles because their parts were easiest to resell online and through auto shops.
At the 50th Precinct meeting, Oktrova noted that “a good amount” of the auto crimes connected to the operation occurred within the precinct.
While NYPD data shows auto theft numbers in the precinct have stabilized in recent weeks following the arrests, residents say the effects of the crime wave continue to reverberate.
For Marc Franzblau, a Riverdale resident, it changed his perspective on what he viewed as a quiet, safe neighborhood.
In 2023, Franzblau told The Press, thieves stole the catalytic converter from his 2007 Honda Accord while it was parked in South Riverdale, near P.S. 24. About a year later, he said, it happened again. Af-
ter the second theft, he paid to have a steel protective bar installed beneath the car in hopes of deterring future attempts, and said it’s so far proved successful.
Then, last November, he said, thieves stole an entirely different vehicle of his: a 2023 Toyota RAV4. Security footage obtained by Franzblau from a building on Hudson Manor Terrace, and provided to The Press, appeared to show a man parking nearby on West 236th Street before walking calmly toward the SUV in the middle of the night. Within moments, the rear passenger window was shattered. Then, the video appears to show the vehicle powering on.
“You can tell [it powered on remotely] because all the lights flashed, the alarm went off for a while, the rear gate opened,” Franzblau recalled. “Then they closed it really quickly and drove off.”
He eventually replaced the stolen vehicle with another Toyota, valuing the cars’ reliability despite knowing they remain frequent targets. But Franzblau said the repeated thefts have changed how his family views staying in the city long term.
Another Riverdale resident, Nelson, who declined to share his last name and moved to the neighborhood in 2025, was drawn to what he called the area’s reputation for peace and safety. However, Nelson
May
explained, he was warned shortly after arriving that Hondas were often targeted in the area, but at that point, there was not much he could change. Months later, he told The Press, his 2024 Honda Civic was stolen from a street near West 239th Street.
Weeks after it went missing, police recovered the vehicle in an abandoned Jerome Avenue parking lot, saying it was alongside several other stolen cars.
After replacing the Civic with a Honda CRV, Nelson said thieves struck again, according to a police report pro-
vided to The Press — this time stealing the radar sensor from the front of the vehicle while it sat inside a paid outdoor parking lot. Two other CRVs in the same lot were also targeted that night, the resident added.
“I paid $300 to put it in the outdoor lot, thinking it was secure,” Nelson said.
RiverSpring construction begins with groundbreaking
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Consigli said. The team will also be doing geothermal drilling, which involves creating holes deep into the Earth’s surface to access its heat. It’s considered an eco-friendly way to provide heating and cooling to a site.
Consigli said it will maintain communication with neighbors and RiverSpring to address possible concerns. Sound blankets are an option to mitigate noise, if needed, Consigli added.
Noise is not an issue for Martin Wolpoff, who lives near the construction site at Skyview. Wolpoff is a longtime committee member for the project, and chair of the Bronx Community Board 8 Law, Rules and Ethics Committee.
“I’ve lived there 57 years,” Wolpoff explained. “We’ve heard construction
around us. We’ve survived it. We’ll have to deal with the noise as it comes … I am sure the people here will do the best they can to keep the noise to a minimum.”
Sherida Paulsen, who is also a longtime committee member and board chair of the Riverdale Nature Preservancy, expressed confidence in the River’s Edge team too.
“Everybody is aware of the agreements that need to be upheld,” Paulsen said.
“If any issues arise, the people who live closest are going to raise them.”
RiverSpring president and CEO David Pomeranz said in a statement to The Press that the organization is committed to transparency and communication with both neighbors and the committee. The community committee and neighbors will continue to meet and provide updates throughout the construction process, he said.
The idea for River’s Edge was sparked 15 years ago, according to Jeffrey Maurer, chair of RiverSpring’s board of trustees. At the groundbreaking event, he said the idea was bold.
“We had no money and we didn’t have a plan,” Maurer said. “But we had an idea and we persevered.”
Gibson stated the significance of the continuing care retirement community being the first in the city, saying “We love to make history in the Bronx.”
Some of the River’s Edge amenities include casual upscale dining, a spa, fitness center and indoor saltwater pool, pickle ball and tennis courts, and a pilates studio. Entry fees range from $717,443 to $3.3 million, and monthly fees from $5,975 to $10,175. When a resident dies, either 50 percent or 90 percent of their entry fee is returned to their family depending on their
Student Kitchen brings culinary education to kids
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from Bear Bread Breadworks. Hsiung
traded Averbuch fresh bread for the Student Kitchen’s meal the first time they met, and kept up the exchange the next Sunday. Hsiung explained he appreciates the accessibility of the workshop.
“People make cooking too complicated,” Hsiung said. “He keeps it real simple.” While the Student Kitchen makes culinary education accessible to kids, its flavor speaks to adults too. At the workshop, 87-year-old Mary Lou took a bite of the esquites, and encouraged Averbuch to consider doing classes for older adults at the Riverdale Y.
“Seniors have a sense of going downhill once you get to a certain age,” Lou said. “This is very, very good — keeps us busy, keeps us learning.”
Averbuch said he was first drawn to teaching when he was a student at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. While at the school, he got involved with Peer Health Exchange, a nonprofit that trains college students to teach highschoolers mental and sexual health education. After graduating during the Covid-19 pandemic, Averbuch had the urge to work in a people-focused
environment, and soon after was hired as a paraprofessional at a Boston public school.
It was the first time at that stage in his life he was excited about a job.
“I saw how much energy and joy I was getting from working with youth,”
Averbuch recalled. “It was kind of like, ‘Okay, I’m in the right spot. I need to figure out the best role within it.’”
Still, he sought something new after living near Boston his whole life, and moved to Brooklyn to teach high school social studies at a charter school. He realized quickly that when it comes down to it, the job is less about subject matter, and more about playing a part in kids’ development. After recognizing a lack of home economics programs, now known as family and consumer sciences, he launched an after-school club to help his students learn to cook, which would later expand to become the Student Kitchen in 2023.
“There are a lot of chefs who obviously have the knowledge to do this, but they’re not teachers,” Averbuch said. “They don’t necessarily know how to speak to the kids, how to make something engaging, how to ensure everyone gets a chance to get their hands dirty.”
Part of the goal is for kids to try something new, Averbuch explained,
but it’s also about uplifting them. When kids are confident in their abilities, they’ll more easily integrate healthy cooking into their lives. This includes buying nutritious food, but also knowing how to substitute ingredients depending on what’s in their fridge, or avoiding costly speciality items.
Averbuch also uses the kitchen to examine a critical issue in the Bronx: food insecurity. According to the state department of health, 39 percent of adults in the borough have limited or uncertain access to food — the highest in New York City. With an issue as immense as food insecurity, Averbuch said he doesn’t need to “beat it over the head” when he teaches. Instead, he asks questions that offer a way forward: What’s the highest ingredient price students have witnessed? What impacts prices? Where do they see food get thrown out?
“There’s so much food that gets wasted, there’s so much need, but people aren’t meeting each other,” Averbuch said. He went on to say that he tries to shape the workshop around “connecting it to what’s happening at large in the community and in New York City as a whole.” Even younger kids are receptive to that conversation, Averbuch noted.
Michael Tracey, community
enrichment manager at the Riverdale Y, said the organization first met Averbuch at last year’s Fall Festival. The Y had the funds this year to bring him back, and Tracey said they jumped at the chance.
“As a food justice-themed market, we’re always looking for ways that we can make people a little bit more food literate,” Tracey said. “Getting started with youth is wonderful because they’ll have that foundation from a young age.”
Averbuch operates the Student Kitchen full time, and along with his new gig at the Sunday market, also collaborates with
Seasoned comedians will take Lehman
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create an experience that brings everyone in the room together in laughter. Both Torry and Harris described the show as a “reunion” between seasoned comedians whose paths have crossed many times before in the comedy world. Throughout their careers, the comedians have variably appeared together in lineups for Apollo Theater sets, Comedy Central appearances, Def Comedy Jam performances and other high-profile events. Torry described the upcoming performance as an opportunity for their gang to link back up after being taken in many different directions by their own careers. Harris has been doing comedy for about 35 years, he said, and his career has branched into film, radio and television. Through those endeavors, he built connections in the entertainment and media worlds that led to even more opportunities — “branches on branches on branches” of relationships and knowledge, he said. However, he noted all of his creative endeavors have had one thing in common: having to be funny, and honing the ability to make many different audiences laugh. Pursuing comedy for years quickly trained him in the skills he needed to do just that, not only because of the practice he gained on stage, but the amount he had to travel to get to those stages. City after city, crowd after crowd, an endless geography of performance venues and hotel rooms, all culminating in valuable comedic knowledge.
That travel, Harris said, makes you
“worldly quicker than you would ever be.” The average person’s relationship to travel is occasional. The odd work trip, a family vacation. For a career comedian, travel is part of the job. By experiencing many different communities, cultures and comedic sensibilities, Harris picked up an essential skill for his trade: creating a shared experience through universality. His worldliness became part of his material, Harris shared, but it also became part of his technique. Comedy is not just about telling a funny story, but about learning how to tell it so it lands in any room. As Harris explains it, “comedy is 100 percent relatability.” He describes it as a kind of rule of comedy. You have to “get universal,” Harris said. If an act is too local, it limits a comedian’s expansion to broader audiences. The comedian who can’t translate his craft into something portable has a hard time taking off.
That universality, relating to and bringing together vast audiences, is central to Torry’s work as well. He observes that everyone, despite our differences, has core, human aspects in common. We all have family. We all work. We all eat. We all go to the bathroom. We all want to be free. The job is to speak to those common denominators without sanding down the texture that makes the comedy feel true. In that way, Torry and Harris take on the task of turning a room full of separate lives into a shared story each time they take the stage. But while there is immense value in universal comedy, Torry noted
the simultaneous importance of understanding the community you’re performing for. He recalled one of his worst nights on stage, when he arrived late to a show in Kentucky. He went onstage with his jokes, but immediately sensed some tension from the audience. It turned out, recent flooding was weighing heavily on the audience’s mind. When Torry stood before them, they didn’t just want to be entertained, they wanted to be seen. It’s why Torry has made a practice of checking the local news and studying up each time he lands in a new city, enabling him to add a local touch to his performances. That desire from audiences to be understood and connected with makes Harris particularly excited about the upcoming Lehman Center performance. He described Lehman as “the backyard,” explaining that he grew up in Mount Vernon, close enough that he feels like he’s returning to home territory. He argued that he and Capone, also a New York comic, will have an advantage at this performance, being able to lean into local nuance to strike the perfect balance between universality and specificity to connect with the audience. For Torry, who hails from St. Louis, performing in New York presents an exciting opportunity not only to connect with a lively audience, but with the generations of comedy greats who have called the city home and continue to inspire his own work.
Asked what the Comedy Kings performance will feel like, Torry reached for a musical metaphor. The show, he said,
will be like a concert where every performer has their own recognizable songs. Many in the audience already know what each comic is known for, and the pleasure comes from hearing all those distinct styles in one night. He compared it to a jukebox — drop in the coin, pick the track, let the room fill with something everyone can sing along to. Harris, similarly, said that a comedy fan is typically a “seasoned” audience member. Someone who understands the art form. But he predicts newcomers will fall in love with comedy through the show as well. He compared live comedy to his own experience with live music: once you experience it in person, you start wanting more of it. People bring friends. Those friends bring other friends. The audience
nonprofits Bronx Eats, Beazer’s Garden and Green Beatz to conduct classes. Once the school year ends, he’ll be working with the Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School.
At the market, Averbuch explained that aside from being instructional, the kitchen encourages passersby to linger, ask questions and “have a conversation with a stranger.”
“People stick around,” Averbuch said. “Food is just a vehicle for the community aspect.”
saying
grows and expands like a living
plan, RiverSpring said. The project is financed by Chicagobased investment bank Ziegler, which closed a $633 million deal in tax-exempt bonds from companies including Vanguard and
GARY JEAN-JUSTE photos
On
17, the New York Police Department’s 50th Precinct hosted a drive-up auto theft prevention event.
In addition to catalytic converter etching, the New York Police Department provided drivers of select Honda and Toyota models steering wheel locks.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
Elected officials and RiverSpring executives gathered for a ceremony May 12 to celebrate the River’s Edge groundbreaking.
Courtesy RiverSpring Living
Renderings of the inside of River’s Edge shows an upscale dining area. Other amenities include a spa, fitness center and indoor saltwater pool.
Photos courtesy Lehman Center for the Performing Arts Joe Torry has begun to think about his life in “quarters,” and expressed his excitement to show the world what the fourth quarter looks like for him.
Talent Harris shared that one of the most important aspects of comedy is relatability. He encourages audiences to relax and let loose at shows,
“Don’t take none of it personal — it’s just comedy.”
GARY JEAN-JUSTE photos
Ben Averbuch, 29, founded the Student Kitchen in 2023.
Eria Donohue, 6, carefully chopped cucumber for the esquites with a kid-friendly knife.
Fifth annual Block Party brings food, dance and dog parade to Riverdale
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
When the Riverdale Block Party first started, it was just a few tables scattered along the sidewalk of West 259th Street. Five years later, Riverdale Avenue bustled with dozens of vendors, kids with vibrant face paint darting up and down the block, and the rhythmic beat of live music.
The block party wasn’t the only attraction that day, as more than 140 community athletes took part in the annual Riverdale Y 5K, making the 80-degree Sunday a memorable one for the neighborhood.
Back at West 259th Street
Riverdale Main Streets Alliance, a volunteer-run network of community members and civic organizations, was behind the May 17 event. Alliance board secretary Denis Haxhija was at the helm, and said the block party aimed to shine a spotlight on local businesses and provide an opportunity for neighbors to connect.
Aside from food, drink and merchandise, the party included a Taekwondo demonstration by students at Powerspeed Taekwondo, a Zumba demonstration and the doggie parade — an annual hit.
For resident Brianne Figueroa, her 5-month-old daughter Lily and her 3-yearold son Frankie, the party allowed time to slow down their day-to-day routine.
“Seeing your neighbors out, it’s just a fun time,” Figueroa said. “Instead of just passing, you actually get to stop and have a conversation with people”
Yanni Metaxas, who was born in Riverdale and recently moved back, took a liking to the music. He and a friend hopped on stage after performances had slowed and only the DJ remained, and started to boogie and shimmy, Metaxas said. Before coming back to Riverdale, he was living in Bushwick. He recognized a contrast between the neighborhoods.
“In this season of my life, I’m looking for a different kind of community that I can plant roots in and really experience,” Metaxas said. “There’s no better way to do that than to get out there, meet the institutions, celebrate the community, support local businesses, have fun with my friends and meet other great people.”
Vendors included familiar organizations, such as the Friendly Fridge BX and Riverdale Neighborhood House. They stood alongside businesses that opened within the last year, such as Midnight Noodle and Guerreros Juice Bar, whose owners served consistent lines of hungry residents, or those seeking a refreshing drink to relieve them of the hot sun.
One local vendor, with a 10-year-old co-founder, was XO Eden Cosmetics. Under the supervision of her mom, Eden Santos creates sparkly lip glosses with themed containers, such as hearts for Valentines Day or pencils for back-to-school. Eden said she combines oils and vitamin E in a big bowl at home, and adds in fruity flavors at the end.
Eden’s mom, Michelle Guzman, said the endeavor started two years ago. In an
effort to get Eden away from screens, she suggested her daughter find something online that she could learn to do. Eden, who enjoyed playing with her mom’s makeup, chose lip gloss. XO Eden Cosmetics focuses on pop-ups to promote its products, similar to fellow vendor Christine Osoria, owner of Lavish Booktique. After self-publishing her own book, “Rosalia,” a children’s book about growing up Honduran-American, Osoria started a bookstore that promotes women authors.
Julissa Freire, owner of bilingual daycare La Escuelita de Sofía and also a board member at the alliance, helped reach out to local storefronts for the event. Freire said she started with businesses that had taken part last year, and made an effort to include new businesses that the community might not have been aware of.
Beyond those the alliance personally approached, the response was overwhelming.
Haxhija said over 100 vendor inquiries across the tri-state area came through, but the alliance prioritized merchants from the neighborhood, especially on Mosholu and Riverdale avenues. Haxhija said he believes those commercial corridors are lacking the attention they deserve. Planning was not an easy feat. From coordinating
vendors, pushing through the permit process, and five months of logistics — all while keeping up with full-time jobs and families — Haxhija and the alliance remained determined. Each year, they lean on the momentum from the community to create a bigger and better block party, Haxhija said. But years later, the work still pays off.
Before the block party, community members took part in the Riverdale Y 5K and Fun Run. One participant, Elrene Wittlinger, who ran the 1K Fun Run with her family, said it was not only an opportunity to connect, but to celebrate too. This past week marked the end of a threeyear process to finalize her
daughter Corinna’s adoption.
For the first-place 5K winner, athlete and model Nicole Sin Quee, the race was a lesson in endurance. Sin Quee ran the race with her husband, Jonathan Cane, and son, Simon Cane. Despite a tough start, Sin Quee said the support of her family kept her pushing.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
The fifth annual Riverdale Block Party brought dozens of vendors and hundreds of attendees to enjoy community and sunny weather on West 259th Street May 17.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
Among other activities, residents took part in a live Zumba demonstration put on by Female Fight Club, enjoying movement and exercise together in the street.
Olivia Young
At the Riverdale Y 5K, first place winner Nicole Sin Quee, middle, was encouraged by the support of her husband Jonathan Cane, left, and son Simon Cane, right.
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
The block party even brought out reptiles such as Sunny, a local lizard.
Olivia Young Elrene Wittlinger and her daughter Corinna ran the 1K Fun Run to celebrate the recent finalization of Corinna’s adoption. PHOTO
Michelle Mullen
By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
A Riverdale production company is moving up — from the home office of a Johnson Avenue apartment into a studio at 2735 Henry Hudson Parkway.
Dendera Studios was named by Head of Design and Co-Founder Christina Shrewsbury as a reference to the Dendera Temple complex in Egypt, known as an ancient creative and cultural hub. The Riverdale-based production company has clients ranging from local cafe Artizen to Princess Diana’s personal tailor Andrew Ramroop.
In a collaboration between Shrewsbury, Co-Founder and Creative Director Vito Di Maio, and Director of Client Relations and bespoke tailoring enthusiast Kevin Nipal, the studio creates video content for brands. The trio leans on their backgrounds in film to take what they say is a storytelling approach to their work.
So far, they’ve done promotional videos for gluten-free Riverdale bakery 3x3 Kitchen and Riverdale Y Sunday Market. They also provided coverage of Bronx Day in Albany and the Kingsbridge Armory revitalization.
Business has been on the rise recently, but there was a time just over a year ago when Dendera was confined to Shrewsbury and Di Maio’s Johnson Avenue apartment. The two were unknowingly neighbors growing up in Riverdale, but became close friends in high school. In college, their relationship found a romantic spark that’s still alive today.
Shrewsbury worked as a production and set designer, and Di Maio as a video editor. They launched the first iteration of Dendera in 2022 with the vision of creating an affordable space for filmmakers, but the timing wasn’t right. Described by Di Maio as a “perfect storm” of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, an unwise investment in a warehouse and the death of Di Maio’s father and aunt, the studio went under before it could really start.
But last April, after losing his job, Di Maio hit a turning point.
“I got into my home office, I sat at my desk, and I was like ‘Alright, let’s do this,’” Di Maio said. “I knew that there was a way.”
It didn’t come easy. The market was oversaturated and businesses were skeptical, Di Maio explained. But after uploading a couple reels of high-profile tailor Leonard Logsdail to Instagram — drawing 21,000 and 59,000 likes — Dendera started getting more attention.
Nipal, who also teaches at a juvenile detention center, had been a longtime collaborator. Shrewsbury and Nipal go back to their days as students at Manhattan University. In 2019, Nipal had an idea for a film, and Shrewsbury introduced him to Di Maio — who is now set to be the best man at his upcoming wedding.
“We all had a drink at An Beal Bocht,” Shrewsbury recalled. “And that was history. We’ve just been together ever since.”
Nipal’s fashion interests have also factored into the studio’s evolution. Always in a suit, Nipal said his interest in the bespoke stems from his tailor great-grandfather and his seamstress grandmother. Nipal was drawn to icons from Hollywood’s Golden Age, like Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney, always donning a highquality suit. He would even bring home suits from off-price stores for his grandmother to hem. There was something attractive about dressing up, Nipal said, and being taken seriously.
Meeting Ramroop was like “meeting Michael Jordan,” Nipal joked. The three started filming with Ramroop in 2022, and are now in the post-production stages of the project.
Navigating these projects and launching a studio together while still maintaining their friendship
hasn’t resulted in as much conflict as expected, the trio shared. Shrewsbury explained the three have a strong foundation, and prioritize honesty with one another. Still, in the throes of getting Dendera off the ground, they can struggle to find the balance between their professional and personal lives.
Nipal takes calls day and night. Shrewsbury and Di Maio often take work home with them. For Di Maio in particular, hard work is a familial trait, and it isn’t easy to separate work from leisure. “I’ve been in survival mode for the last year,” he said. “Building this business has not been easy.” Di Maio said there was a three-month stretch where he was unable to pay his own rent, as he had to focus on paying the rest of the team — which has grown from just the three of them, and now includes video editors Graham Hubner and Kate Megaw, Content Strategist Briana Umpenhour, Director of Partnerships and Business Development Edwin Torres, and Lead Web Strategist Andy Persaud. At the core of the studio is a love for the arts, and an investment in the neighborhood that Di Maio and Shrewsbury said they’ve “talked about getting out of forever, but something keeps pulling” them back in. For small businesses especially, Di Maio said uplifting them with publicity is like turning the lights on, asking “‘Where have you been?’” “We’re trained in the art of storytelling,” Shrewsbury said. “We know how to get to the heart of the story, and we know how to bring out a spark in somebody.”
Photos courtesy Dendera Studios
Kevin Nipal and Christina Shrewsbury have been friends since college, and she and Vito Di Maio since high school.
From top left to right: Christina Shrewsbury, Vito Di Maio, Kevin Nipal and Andy Persaud. Bottom left to right: Briana Umpenhour, Kate Megaw and Graham Hubner.
In honor of Memorial Day and our Veterans Tribute
We proudly recognize Scott Kriger, an important asset to our team.
Lieutenant Scott Kriger served in the U.S. Navy from 1968–1973 as a Naval Aviator. His dedication, courage, and commitment to serving our country are deeply appreciated.
Scott, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service
As we observe
the brave men and women who served and continue to serve our country and our community. We are also forever grateful to those who made the ultimate
Veterans
We salute and appreciate their dedication
Charlotte M. Bishop, CEO
and
graduated from Boston University with a and and a minor in English Politics. She will report to March Air Force Base, California, to serve as an 83R Gold Bar Recruiter.
Barking up a Wave Hill Tree
At Kingsbridge Historical Society
Emergence
The Kingsbridge Historical Society hosts artist Daniel Hauben’s exhibit, “Emergence,” until June 30, at 2570 Independence Ave.
The show features the Bronx painter’s monumental cityscapes, sculpted oil reliefs and landscapes, both real and imagined, including the 21-foot “Reflecting on the Familiar” and the 9-foot “Emergence.”
On Sunday, May 24, Hauben will present a time lapse video and gallery talk, in which six years of painting his feature work, “Emergence”, goes by in 15 minutes. The exhibit will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the day of this event and will include two video presentations and gallery talks.
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.
Garden Fête
Join Wave Hill for its Garden Fête ho-
noring Katie Michel on Thursday, May 28, a celebration in full bloom inspired by the rhythms and vibrancy of New Orleans. The event raises critical support for Wave Hill, ensuring it can continue to inspire all visitors year-round. This year, the evening will also raise funds for the restoration of Wave Hill’s iconic pergola.
Arthritis
Awareness with Montefiore
Arthritis might be common, but it doesn’t have to define your daily routine. Join Riverdale Senior Services for an informative session on Tuesday, May 26, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. It is hosted by specialists from Montefiore, who will teach how to manage joint health and stay active.
At Riverdale Neighborhood House Ballet Fit
The Riverdale Neighborhood House invites you to join its Ballet Fit class on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. The class is a training program that combines ballet exercises with fitness exercises. Open to ages 13 and up, it is designed for individuals of all movement abilities.
Participants will work on toning and strengthening, coordination, balance
and flexibility.
Taught by Azucena Rollan Mas, dancer, performer and certified American Ballet Theatre and Ballet Fit instructor. Register at riverdaleonline.org/classes.
Sing Like A Star
This Riverdale Neighborhood House singing workshop runs every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. It will introduce participants to vocal techniques such as breathing, posture, tone and singing on key.
Students will learn basic music theory, vocal warm-ups, expanding vocal range and developing stage presence. They will sing both acapella and accompanied by live instruments.
Taught by Mike Flanagan, a musician and singer with over 40 years of experience, the workshop is open to anyone over the age of 15, and is designed for all levels. Register at riverdaleonline. org/classes.
Creative Nonfiction
Ready to unlock the power of your words? Taught by Anna Purves, a local writer and professor, this creative nonfiction workshop will give you the tools to craft rich and impactful writing that captures your story. Open to anyone over 18, this Riverdale Neighborhood House workshop is
the perfect place to refine your voice and explore your experiences. Runs every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Register at riverdaleonline.org/classes.
Belly Dance Riverdale Neighborhood House’s new belly dance class is open for enrollment. Belly dance is a group improvised style with deep folkloric roots. This class is designed for individuals of all movement abilities and it focuses on restorative movement that will increase mobility.
The teacher’s approach focuses on cultural literacy and on empowering students to take the risk of trying a new experience for the first time.
Open to ages 13+, participants can sign up for one class or the whole series.
Classes are on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., through June 10. Register online at riverdaleonline.org/classes.
Learn Guitar The Riverdale Neighborhood House’s spring session guitar class has begun. Learn key guitar skills such as chords, scales, music theory and playing songs.
This weekly class runs on Monday nights at 6:30 for beginner and intermediate players ages 8+. Register online at riverdaleonline.org/classes.
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 seven 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.
Stretch and Strengthen
Start your mornings 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. Visit riverdaleonline.org to register.
Leon G. Tsinberg, ESQ www.riverdalelegal.com
Courtesy Wave Hill
Visit Wave Hill’s treasured trees Saturday, May
At Inner Space Yoga
Mastery: Reiki & The Chakras
Self
In this 90-minute workshop, learn how to use Reiki — a Japanese term translating to ‘universal energy’ — to bring healing energy into the energy centers located throughout your body, called the chakras.
The workshop runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 24 with instructor Ben Alpern and costs $45 per person, or free with a monthly class membership. Register at innerspaceyogastudio.com.
Anniversary Celebration
On Sunday, May 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, enjoy free classes all day in celebration of Inner Space Yoga’s third anniversary. An open house will follow from 3 to 5 p.m., where light refreshments will be served. Registration is required. Visit innerspaceyogastudio.com.
Pilates Magic Circle
On Friday, June 5, from 6 to 7 p.m. with Kara Tatelbaum, learn how to use the Magic Circle to increase core connection, inner thigh work and upper body strength.
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 New York Public Library
Baby Fest
Join Baby Fest at the Spuyten Duyvil Library on Saturday, May 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy family activities, baby games, lawn games, giveaways and a special musical storytime in Seton Park, right behind the library.
This event is aimed at soon-to-be parents, babies and toddlers, and families who just want to come have fun in the sun. No registration is required.
Baby storytime
Join baby storytime at Kingsbridge Library on Thursdays at 11 a.m. 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 others, such as photograms.
You’ll be simultaneously listening to
Music in the Garden: Sound Bridges
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.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Spring and Summer Journey through Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with violinist Anna Elashvili at the Spuyten Duyvil library. Vivaldi’s music depicts what we experience during the different seasons, from birds chirping and wind to thunderstorms and stomping through the snow. Learn how a composer makes music that sounds like these experiences and what tools a composer uses to create them. Runs Thursday, May 28 at 3:30 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
Association Meeting
The Riverdale Art Association’s last meeting of the season is Tuesday, June 2 at 7 p.m., at Hudson House, 3247 Johnson Ave. The meeting will recap the events of the past year, discuss plans for the upcoming year and plan a summer
get-together. Refreshments will be served. All meetings are open to the public.
Waiting for Summer
The Riverdale Art Association presents “Waiting for Summer,” featuring artworks by members Diana S. Catz, Olga Manthos and Danny Steiner. The exhibit is on view until July at the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, at 4450 Fieldston Road.
Diana Catz’s theme is “Exuberance,” Olga Manthos’ theme is “Grillin’ and Chillin’” and Danny Steiner’s is “Flowers of Summer.”
Reduce, Renew and Recycle
The Riverdale Art Association invites you to its exhibit, “Reduce, Renew and Recycle.” Member artists used recycled materials to create unusual artworks that challenge how you see the environment, as well as mixed media, photography, acrylics, watercolor and oils.
The show takes place at the parish hall of Christ Church Riverdale, 5040 Henry Hudson Parkway, and is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon. It runs until the end of August.
At Yoga Muse
Prenatal yoga
Join Melissa Ramirez in a Yoga Muse class designed to cultivate calm, focus and resilience, preparing both body and mind for labor and delivery.
Runs Saturdays at 9:45 a.m. Visit yogamuse.co to register.
At Van Cortlandt Park
Super Seedlings
Play and plant with your little one on Saturdays at 10 a.m. Super Seedlings is a free, drop-in gardening program for kids ages 3 to 7 and their caregivers.
Explore a fun theme at each session with nature crafts, planting, soil digging and more. Come once, twice or all five weeks for some playing and planting.
Overlapping Empires
Van Cortlandt House Museum presents “Overlapping Empires,” an exhibition by Jamaica-born, Bronx-based artist Samantha Box, on view through August 2026.
Installed throughout the historic house, the exhibition brings contemporary art into direct dialogue with one of New York City’s earliest colonial sites.
“Overlapping Empires” will be accompanied by a series of free public programs, including artist-led walkthroughs, talks, focused tours and panel discussions.
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.
Springtime Shindig
The Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is hosting a Springtime Shindig to celebrate the team that facilitated an important
milestone in the growth of the organization: It finalized its first license agreement with the New York City Parks Department.
The Riverdale Main Streets Alliance, a local nonprofit that supports and volunteers in the park, beautifying the garden at 261st Street, will also be celebrated. Join Wednesday May 27, 6 to 9 p.m.
At the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
Group meditation over Zoom
Join the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center for online group meditation sessions in collaboration with the Temple of Enlightenment. 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 is in session. All meetings held at the CB8 office are located at 5676 Riverdale Ave., Suite 100. Unless specified, all hybrid meetings will be in the office or via Zoom. To access the Zoom link for CB8 meetings, visit their website, cbbronx.cityofnewyork.us/cb8.
June 1 at 7 p.m. — Land Use June 2 at 7 p.m. — Economic Development
June 4 at 4 p.m. — Aging CB8 will not hold any meetings from Thursday, May 21 to Friday, May 28.
Physicians Services Directory
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
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For appointments, please call: 646.317.0130
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For appointments, please call: 718.601.4800
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For appointments, please call: 718.601.3700
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For appointments, please call: 844.311.1234
NY 10463
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Jennifer Caceres, MD
David S. Lee, MD
Enad M. Dawod, MD 3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 204 Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 212.932.4534
Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
St. John’s Medical Group
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St. John’s Women’s Health
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Courtesy Riverdale Neighborhood House
Join the Riverdale Neighborhood House for its first Music in the Garden concert of the season Friday,
Opinion
At this point, most of us have heard the news of the aggressive immigration enforcement encounters that took place in Norwood. It can be tempting, in a borough as large and varied as the Bronx, to treat troubling news from another neighborhood as something distant. These incidents might not have happened on our doorstep, but they echo through our streets. When our neighbors are forcefully detained, made to feel like criminals as they move through the community, it demands attention from anyone who cares about what kind of borough — and what kind of country — we want to live in.
In recent days, Bronx residents have heard of or watched the footage showing federal agents pursuing individuals on public streets and aggressively detaining them. We’ve seen politicians and advocates condemn these actions and call for change. In at least one case, a man who says he is a U.S. citizen was reportedly injured. Whatever one believes about immigration policy, the sight of armed officers tackling people in broad daylight should disturb anyone who values basic civil rights and public trust.
This is not the first time the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been felt in our community. Take the months-long detention of local student Dylan Contreras, who was taken into ICE custody while navigating the exact immigration system these officers purport to uphold. And still, it appears that these stories are unlikely to be the last of their kind in our borough and beyond.
The occurrence, and recurrence, of incidents like these sends a powerful message: that immigrant families are always one step away from being treated like criminals. That people who have lived here for years, who go to work, raise children and contribute to their neighborhoods, are not safe in the place they call home. That the great dream of carving out a life in the United States,
the dream this country was founded on, is only attainable to those who look a certain way, sound a certain way.
And it tells us something else as well. That government power is being exercised in a way that prizes fear over human dignity.
The Bronx is one of the most diverse places in the United States. That diversity is not a weakness. It is not something to apologize for or “manage.” It is our borough’s defining strength. It is the reason our streets are so alive with languages, food, music and culture. It is the reason we can attend a salsa festival one day and a Gaelic sporting match the next. It is why so many people come here, and stay here, to build their lives.
Immigrants are not outsiders in the Bronx. They are the Bronx.
When ICE operations take on the character of intimidation in the streets, they do more than target individuals. They sow fear. They cause parents to worry about walking their children to school. They cause workers to fear commuting. They discourage people from participating in the very frameworks they claim to protect. They weaken communities by eroding the trust that holds them together.
Supporters of aggressive immigration enforcement often frame these actions as “law and order.” But there is nothing orderly about terrorizing communities. There is nothing lawful about tactics that rely on panic, confusion and physical force over transparency and restraint. There is nothing American about treating neighborhoods as if they are enemy territory. A country that prides itself on liberty cannot accept a system in which residents fear being pursued, stopped or hurt simply because of where they were born or what language they speak.
The Bronx is better because it is diverse. It is stronger because it welcomes people who want to work, build and belong. Any enforcement action that undermines that reality is not protecting our community, but betraying it.
Demanding action from Manhattan
To the editor,
This is an open letter to Manhattan University because an MU student was loudly yelling “Wake up you [profanities]!” to his neighbors of all ages at 11:08 a.m. on Saturday, March 7. This was in the midst of other loud screaming and loud music coming from the backyard of 440 W 238th St. That day, MU students inflicted 18 hours of loud music and offensive hollering
To the editor,
As the Democratic primary approaches, the Bronx faces new challenges in affordability and global conflicts, and there is one candidate who possesses solutions for the good of the 15th Congressional District. That person is Michael Blake. He is a son of immigrants, an ordained reverend, a former State Assembly member and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. Blake has committed himself to fixing the
in this residential neighborhood, despite years of noise complaints from local residents. This is a recurring problem and my record of complaints, complete with audio recordings, goes back to 2023; it speaks for itself. Therefore, on behalf of countless aggrieved neighbors, I demand that you stop this continual assault on our quality of life. The noise is abusive and intolerable, detrimental to our mental health, and to our
Bronx in three areas: affordability, antisemitism and conflicts aboard. Blake understands that the Bronx is increasingly more unaffordable and will make this his focus when he heads to Congress, according to his campaign website. His solutions for affordability are expanding the supply of housing, funding NYCHA and creating more jobs in the Bronx.
Blake knows that antisemitism is a real problem in this country and has no tolerance for it. He plans
property values. Please act decisively with large fines, suspensions, and expulsions for students who disturb the peace in violation of the MU code of student conduct. No self-respecting university would graduate a student who yells profanity at their neighbors on a Saturday morning. You have ample resources to put an end to this insufferable state of affairs. Please do so without further delay. Thank you.
NICKY ENRIGHT
to tackle antisemitism by strengthening hate crime laws and provide funding for Jewish community centers. Blake is committed to not entangle the U.S. in more wars that raise the cost of goods or fund war crimes. He has pledged to end the war with Iran, support a ceasefire in Gaza and investigate cases of genocide and war crimes. Michael Blake has both the political experience and the necessary policies for the good of the Bronx.
LEONARDO ALCAIDE
To the Editor,
Allowing pharmacists to prescribe and administer the birth control shot would expand access for many New Yorkers like me by increasing the range of contraceptive options available. Yet despite its potential to improve care, legislation authorizing contraceptive injections in pharmacies has stalled for nearly a decade.
Pharmacists are already authorized to administer immunizations, making it easier and more convenient for patients to receive essential care. For many people, a local pharmacy is far more accessible than a doctor’s office or clinic that can prescribe birth control. By providing the birth control shot at pharmacies it would help remove unnecessary barriers to reproductive healthcare and en-
sure more New Yorkers can access the method that works best for them.
Increasing access to contraception through pharmacies would also promote greater health equity by making reproductive healthcare more convenient, affordable, and accessible across communities.
SHRUTHI SURESH NY Birth Control Action Fund
To the editor,
Daniel Hauben’s five-panel painting “Bronx Vortex” is an ode to one of the busiest intersections of the Bronx — Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse. A rough Vyse Avenue and 174th Street in the Bronx is the setting for a short story by Martin Kleinman that he shared at a reading. On a recent weekend, I had the pleasure of exposure to the work of both of these native Bronxites.
Friday evening, May 1, at Edgehill, the landmarked old church now home to the Kingsbridge Historical Society, I attended the opening reception of Daniel Hauben’s art show, titled “Emergence.” I was particularly drawn to the painting “Bronx Vortex,” and its rows of stores including Krums, which I visited as a little girl for candy or ice cream. I also loved the “Arthur Avenue Market” painting, with its mountains of fruits and vegetables.
The exhibit showcases Danny’s cityscapes as well as his newer fantastical works begun in the days of Covid-19. A resident of Kingsbridge, Danny has always lived in the Bronx, his work focusing on urban landscape.
His art is in the collections
of the likes of the Museum of the City of New York. Commissioned work includes “The El” — glass mosaics at the Freeman Street Station — and “A Sense of Place” — 22 paintings adorning the reading room and stairwells at Bronx Community College.
That Sunday, I went to a reading at Riverdale Temple, by member Martin Kleinman of three of his bittersweet short stories. I got goosebumps when his stories mentioned locales from my childhood as well as 9/11 and Covid-19.
Marty is the author of three collections: “Home Front,” “A Shoebox Full of Money” and “When Paris Beckons.” He has read his stories at such venues as our local An Beal Bocht Cafe. He grew up in the Bronx and, while he left for other boroughs, Marty returned, settling in Riverdale. I find these two Bronx sons inspirational. As a youngster growing up in the Bronx, I loved to draw and paint. Schoolwork and career squashed that passion. But now, after more than 35 years in Manhattan, having retired to Riverdale, I’m doing art again, however unpolished and naïve it may be, in a pastel drawing class at Riverdale Senior Services — taught by
Danny. And after decades as a writer and editor for various publications, I have had poetry and Point of View columns published in this newspaper, and recently wrote the last sentence of a memoir, which I will publish independently if not published by a traditional publishing house. Maybe we guessed correctly that Chazz Palminteri, playwright and screenwriter of “A Bronx Tale,” was Bronx-born. We likely did not know that E.L. Doctorow, author of the historical novel “Ragtime,” or Margaret Bourke-White, photographer of newly built skyscrapers, or Milton Glaser, designer of the “I Love NY” logo, or Yitzroch Loiza Grossberg, who later became painter and sculptor Larry Rivers, were all born in the Bronx. There are many more in the past — and the future is wide open. So, a call to action to native sons and daughters of the Bronx or to those who have adopted as home this mishmash borough: If you make literary works or pieces of visual art, or anything creative — especially depicting the beauty and grit of the Bronx — do get on with it.
MURIEL ADAMS
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Terms:
1. 617 WEST 227TH STREET
Spuyten Duyvil, New York.
5 Bedrooms. 3.5 Baths. Listing Price $1,650,000. Deena Spindler 917-301-3782
Lee Moskof 917-817-7158
2. 5030 TIBBETT AVENUE
Fieldston, New York.
4 Bedrooms. 3.5 Baths. Listing Price $1,825,000. Julie Gaynor 917-816-7529
Julie Gaynor Team 212-317-7850
3. 2521 PALISADE AVENUE, 11B
Spuyten Duyvil, New York.
2 Bedrooms. 2.0 Baths. Listing Price $999,999. Sandhya ‘Sanjya’ Tidke 917-701-3682
Scott Kriger 646-773-7231
4. 640 WEST 237TH STREET, 10C Central Riverdale, New York.
3 Bedrooms. 3.5 Baths. Listing Price $1,370,000. Sandhya ‘Sanjya’ Tidke 917-701-3682
Scott Kriger 646-773-7231
8.
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Sandhya Tidke & Scott Kriger of the Sandhya Tidke Team of Brown Harris Stevens Luxury co-op
Perched high above the Hudson River, the corner apartment at 2621 Palisade Ave., Apt. 14C is offering buyers a rare opportunity to enjoy panoramic waterfront living in the heart of Riverdale. Listed for $725,000, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom residence combines breathtaking scenery with spacious interiors and full-service amenities.
The apartment’s most striking feature is its unobstructed western exposure overlooking the Hudson River and two iconic bridges. Residents can enjoy daily sunsets, passing sailboats, soaring birds, and the peaceful movement of barges along the river — all from the comfort of their own terrace.
Inside, the home features a generously sized living room with a dining “L,” creating an ideal setting for both entertaining guests and relaxing after a long day. The layout also includes additional flexible space suitable for a den or home office, a valuable feature for today’s remote and
