Retired insurance executive Marty Dolan to challenge AOC in June primary

Marty Dolan, 66, who describes himself as “from Main Street and Wall Street,” announced earlier this month that he will be challenging U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic primary in June.

Dolan faces an uphill battle in his quest to represent the 14th Congressional District of 700,000 people living in the east Bronx neighborhoods of Hunts Point, Co-Op City, Throggs Neck and Parkchester, plus the Queens neighborhoods of Astoria, East Elmhurst and part of Jackson Heights.

Ocasio-Cortez won the 2022 general election with nearly 70% of the vote and is one of the country’s most prominent elected officials. But she has not faced a primary challenger since 2020 — and Dolan believes the time is right.

Marty Dolan announced he’d be challenging U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in June 2024. Photo Rick Lash for the Dolan campaign

How do Bronx riders and MTA employees feel about the National Guard coming into the subways?

Roughly 750 members of the National Guard have flooded New York City subway stations over the past few weeks in an attempt to reduce crime on public transit — all part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s five-point plan announced on March 6, which aims to “rid our subways of violent offenders and protect all commuters and transit workers.”

Last week, the Bronx Times spoke with MTA employees and riders at Bronx subway stations to gauge the borough’s reaction to Hochul’s plan. And although Bronx residents may only encounter National Guard personnel in densely populated subway stations like Times Square or in lower Manhattan, they still had opinions of their own to offer.

No one that the Bronx Times spoke with had seen or heard of National Guard coming into Bronx stations — the closest station one rider had heard of riders being searched in was the 125th Street Station in Harlem.

Vincenta Roddey shares her thoughts on Governor Kathy Hochul's plan to send the National Guard into the subway system. Roddey has worked for MTA for 27 years. — Vincenta Roddey shares her thoughts on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to send the National Guard into the subway system on Friday, March 15, 2024. Roddey has worked for MTA for 27 years. Photo Camille Botello

HBCU College Fair comes to the Bronx

The Willie and Aikisha Colon Foundation made a stop in the Bronx over the weekend, reaching out to potential students about exploring higher education with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Students were able to check out and connect with colleges, as well as apply and look into scholarship opportunities during the event on March 16 at the BronxWorks Betances Community Center in the South Bronx. The Willie and Aikisha Colon Foundation works to foster local growth through economic development, education preparation, health and athletic programming, and more.

“We decided to do an HBCU college fair here in the Bronx because there has not been one done and for me that was very shocking,” Aikisha Colon, executive director and founder of the foundation, told the Bronx Times.

According to Bronx County data, Black students made up 26% of all kids enrolled in the borough’s public schools in the 2022-2023 academic year. The only borough with a higher proportion of Black students is Brooklyn at 33% — followed by Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island at 22%, 16%, and 12% respectively.

Bronx tenants, advocates rally for Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act

Lawmakers, housing advocates and tenants of 124 East 176th St. held a rally recently where they called on state lawmakers to pass the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), which would give tenants the right to make first offer on a building if a landlord decides to sell.

Tenants of 124 East 176th St. say the property owner, David Kleiner, has been negligent for years, causing a number of health and safety hazards in the building. If TOPA were to become law, residents could potentially take ownership of the building if Kleiner attempted to sell it, making it into permanent affordable housing.

Current conditions in the building, along with the owner’s track record, have residents worried. Kleiner also owned 1915 Billingsley Terrace, the building that partially collapsed in December — and residents of 124 East 176th St. are afraid theirs could be next.

Photo courtesy Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition

Thousands of Bronx kids receive free music education with the Harmony Program

In a bright, colorful classroom at Bronx P.S. 314, a group of 11 pre-K students gathered excitedly on the rug for what seemed like their favorite activity of the day: their twice-weekly music class.

Instructor Sarah Mullins (“Miss Sarah”) led them in rhythm patterns by reciting “pear-pear-apple-pear” and “watermelon watermelon” while clapping and stomping.

Next came a more advanced exercise. On a screen, the children followed along with quarter, eighth, half notes and rests that lit up karaoke-style. To learn the rhythms, they said “ta ta ti-ti ta” and other mnemonics. “Shhh” represented a rest. Students followed along adeptly, and it was clear they have practiced with Mullins many times.

These little ones are among thousands of Bronx kids who receive free music education thanks to the nonprofit Harmony Program, which recently expanded to 11 Bronx public schools.