The Week in Rewind spotlights some of the editorial work of the Bronx Times for the week of Jan. 7- Jan. 12.
Meet Jamie De La Cruz: A Bronx teen shining too bright to ignore
Meet Jamie De La Cruz, a 13-year-old Bronx student who is leaving an impression on her community.
De La Cruz is the Bronx athlete and dancer getting attention from her community for her dedication and commitment to the arts. One person who can’t ignore the teen’s shine is her long-time basketball coach and friend, Jamie McCormick.
McCormick has been coaching De La Cruz since the third grade, watching her firsthand as she overcomes obstacles and pushes forward.
“I’ve been coaching for 30 years,” says McCormick, “but this kid is someone I had to make a call on. She’s a wonderful kid, she works really hard.”
McCormick can’t help but highlight De La Cruz’s loyalty to the sport and team, mentioning her ability to juggle responsibilities from her personal life and the responsibilities with playing for her middle school basketball team, the St. Clare’s Jaguars.But apart from basketball, De La Cruz has also had a knack for dancing her whole life.
“I’ve always loved dancing,” she told the Bronx Times. “I always loved dancing to Meghan Trainer songs and filming my own videos.”
Her mother, Abby De La Cruz, noticed this talent early in her daughter’s life.
“At a very young age I’ve always seen her have a talent in dancing,” Abby De La Cruz said. “You can really see that there’s talent there.”
At 3 years old, Jamie De La Cruz attended a local dance studio called City Stage Dance Academy and has been honing her skills since. She shows gratitude to her community and people around her, saying they inspired her, pushed her and provided her with role models.
It wasn’t until the third grade, in fact, that Jamie started to show an interest in other sports — specifically basketball.
Read more here.
The Bronx marks the second anniversary of the Twin Parks fire
On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Bronx borough president’s office displayed a floral wreath to mark the second anniversary of the Twin Parks North West fire that killed 17 people, including eight children. Flags at Borough Hall were lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims.
The fire at Twin Parks North West, which had been home to a large Gambian immigrant community, was the city’s deadliest in decades — and investigations revealed that it likely could have been prevented.
The fire, started by an overworked space heater, spread quickly due to malfunctioning self-closing doors that turned the 19-story building into a chimney, according to a New York Times investigation. The victims died not from the flames but from smoke inhalation.
“Twin Parks was a painful reminder of the work needed to invest in fire safety education and our city`s housing infrastructure so families are provided with safe and quality housing and we prevent a tragedy of this magnitude from ever happening again,” Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said in a Jan. 9 statement.
Read more here.
Gov. Hochul announces $50M to expand inpatient mental health care
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday was joined by Bronx elected officials, city agencies, advocates and providers to announce $50 million in funding for the expansion of mental health facilities.
The announcement was made Jan. 11 at the Bronx campus of the New York City Children’s Center in Westchester Square, a state-run facility with locations throughout the city. The $50 million is part of a $1 billion multi-year investment to significantly expand mental health services throughout the state.
“By building a full continuum of mental health services and supports for youth, we can ensure our young people and their families can access appropriate levels of care that will allow them to live and thrive in less restrictive settings,” said Dr. Ann Sullivan, commissioner of the state’s Office of Mental Health, in a statement.
“The Bronx is leading with so much innovative work on this issue,” Hochul said.
At the press conference, she pointed to the great need for mental health services, especially for youth, which she addressed at length in her State of the State address on Jan. 9.
Too many kids, Hochul said, are “spiraling” from the effects of the pandemic, and she blamed social media algorithms for directing kids to addictive and dangerous content that exacerbates their trauma. She is working with Attorney General Letitia James on a bill that would impose restrictions on the social media content shown to youth without parents’ consent.
Read more here.
Former Bronx anti-violence leader sentenced to 10 years in prison
Michael Rodriguez, the former director of the group Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.), was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Jan. 4 in Orange County after pleading guilty to narcotics and conspiracy charges.
Back in October 2023, Rodriguez, 49, of Yonkers, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and conspiracy in the second degree. Based on the plea deal, in addition to his prison term, he will serve five years of post-release supervision and will forfeit a car, as well as $165,000.
“The significant sentence imposed in this case is justified based on the appalling conduct of a person who claimed to advocate for reduction in gun violence,” Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler said in a statement.
Rodriguez was originally busted in July 2023 as part of a two-year drug investigation by the City of Middletown Police Department and Orange County Drug Taskforce. The investigation originally targeted Angelica Rodriguez (no relation), who had long been suspected of running a drug ring in the county.
Read more here.
Pickleball, the country’s fastest expanding sport, continues to grow in the Bronx
The country’s fastest expanding sport, pickleball, is also seeing its popularity grow at a rapid pace right here in the Bronx.
The borough is now home to a total of over 20 pickleball courts, both indoor and outdoor, with that number sure to increase in the near future due to the sport’s growing popularity, particularly in the last few years during the pandemic.
With the borough’s organizations and parks creating more pickleball-based programs to encourage more and more community participation, it seems like the sport will continue to expand in the borough, as it has nationwide.
“Over the past 12-18 months, I have noticed a surge in inquiries regarding pickleball,” said Jonathon Acosta, managing director of fitness, aquatics and wellness for Bronx House, located in the Pelham Parkway neighborhood of the Bronx. “Although many of the requests come from the older adult community, there have been inquiries from people of various ages and physical ability levels.”
Acosta added that he has already secured pickleball nets, paddles and, of course, a solid supply of pickleballs as the fitness and maintenance departments at Bronx House have been coordinating to establish at least two official pickleball courts in their gymnasium.
“One of my New Year’s resolutions is to make Bronx House a beacon for pickleball enthusiasts of all ages and abilities in the Bronx,” Acosta added.
Acosta also said that the rules of pickleball, such as no overhand serves and no spiking within seven feet of the net, make it a “truly universal activity.”
Read more here.
