Ursula Liang: Sports Journalist and Filmmaker
Ursula Liang’s “9-Man,” was screened as part of the center’s Women’s Film Series in September.
Bronx River is classroom for seaweed scientists
The Rocking the Boat Environmental Program team cultivates a seaweed farm, just off the coast of Hunts Point to clean the Bronx River.
Longwood fire leaves about 20 homeless
A three-alarm fire erupted around 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 in a five-story building at 955 East 163rd Street in Longwood, damaging many of the apartments and leaving close to 20 residents homeless.
HPAC fair draws hundreds to Riverside Park
In a neighborhood with the city’s lowest high school graduation rate, the Hunts Point Alliance for Children’s Back to School Fair brought excitement to students and parents at the beginning of the school year, to counteract that statistic.
Bodegas agree not to sell K2
Bodega owners across the Bronx have joined the call of elected officials to rein in dangerous synthetic marijuana, by pledging to stop selling it.
Politics
Women lead demonstration for release of Puerto Rican prisoner
Chanting both in English and Spanish, several dozen women from the network 34 Mujeres NYC x Oscar gathered at Hunts Point Plaza on Sunday to demand the release of Puerto Rican prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera.
Transportation
Residents tell traffic engineers: ‘Leave our street alone’
In July, the transportation department converted part of Dawson Street to a two-way street to cut down on a major speeding problem. But when they extended the project to change traffic flow on an adjacent block without informing the community, residents were furious.
Business , Health
Planned marijuana dispensary divides Hunts Point
A company that specializes in selling medical marijuana is slated to open a dispensary in Hunts Point on Jan. 1 2016, worrying some residents that it will bring back with it the kinds of vice and crime the community has been fighting for decades.
Food
Church that fed Longwood’s poor evicted
A Longwood church with an in-demand food pantry was evicted in July. Though the social services nonprofit that owns the building says the church hasn’t been paid its bills, the pastor says greed is fueling the dispute.
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Art / Culture
Culture
Spain, Morocco take center stage at Heritage Center
Acclaimed flamenco dancer Nelida Tirado, and the Moroccan band, Innov Gnawa, showed the commonalities between two musical tradition when they performed together at “Castanet Connections.”
Government / Housing
Mayor touts new laws protecting tenants
Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced legislation to punish landlords who intimidate their tenants in order to force them out of rent control apartments, at a South Bronx press conference.
Culture
Block party brings neighbors together
A block party on Kelly Street in mid-August was ripe for reminiscence, because most of the people who attended the outdoor affair on the banana-shaped street between 163rd and Intervale Ave. have lived on the street most of their lives.
Environment / Food
Flood protection funds aren’t enough, say advocates
Community leaders worry that Hunts Point isn’t getting the focus it should from federal and city officials to help safeguard it from future storms that could potentially cripple the city’s food supply and flood the neighborhood.
Health
Legionnaires’ update: Community Board says city must do better
Community Board 2 says the city must do a better job keeping residents and landlords updated about developments in the recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, after cooling towers on three local buildings tested positive for legionella.
Education / Environment
Rocking the Boat hosts visitors from Africa
International exchange students say they’ll take lessons learned here to launch projects to help their communities back home.
Economy / Housing
Hunts Point debates Spofford’s fate
Plans to redevelop the notorious Bridges Juvenile Center, better known as Spofford, are finally moving ahead and organizations from the Bronx and beyond want in on the action.
Art
Young photographers pursue their passion
Vantage Point 23: Bronx Eyes, a new exhibit at The Point, features work by 23 students who attended the International Center of Photography’s education program.