The New Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Can't Miss Events This Week With The Bronx Chamber

Don't miss out on this week's exciting events with the Bronx Chamber of Commerce! From networking opportunities to business resources and community celebrations, there’s something for everyone. Join us to connect, learn, and grow!

Check out the details below and RSVP today. For any questions, please reach out to our office at events@bronxchamber.org or give us a call at 718-828-3900.

Events This Week - Scroll Down for More Information

Con Edison & NY Power Authority: Energy Solutions for Bronx Businesses

•   Tuesday, March 11th | 12pm - 1pm
•   Virtual

Irish Heritage Celebration

•   Thursday, March 13th | 6pm - 8pm
•   The Rambling House | 4292 Katonah Avenue, Bronx, NY 10470

See you there!

VIRTUAL

Con Edison & New York Power Authority:

Energy Solutions for Bronx Businesses

Join us for an informative session on energy savings and incentives for businesses and nonprofits in New York!

Recharge NY, a statewide economic development power supply program through NYPA, offers businesses and nonprofits long-term, low-cost power and delivery discounts in exchange for their commitment to retaining or growing jobs in New York State and making capital investments in their facilities.

Con Edison will also present on incentives available through the Small Business & Nonprofit Program, which supports energy-efficient upgrades such as lighting, heating and cooling, hot water systems, refrigeration, and building insulation. These upgrades not only lower energy costs but also pay for themselves over time.

We encourage small businesses, individuals, schools, and other organizations to take advantage of these programs and learn how they can reduce their carbon footprint while saving money. Join the tens of thousands of businesses and nonprofits across NYC and Westchester that have already benefited from energy-efficient improvements!

Don't miss this opportunity to explore cost-saving solutions for your organization. Register now!

Register for free

IN PERSON

Irish Heritage Celebration

Join us for a festive and memorable Irish Heritage Celebration at Rambling House! This special evening will bring together business leaders, community members, and friends to honor the vibrant Irish culture and its lasting contributions to the Bronx and beyond.

Enjoy an evening filled with traditional Irish music, delicious bites, and lively conversations in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. As part of the celebration, we are proud to honor Mike McDermott, a longtime Bronx Chamber member and owner of the beloved local establishment, McDermott Pub. Mike has been a dedicated supporter of the business community and an integral part of the Bronx’s rich cultural fabric.

Come raise a glass, connect with fellow members, and celebrate the spirit of Irish heritage with us!

 Date: March 13th, 2025 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

 Location: Rambling House | 4292 Katonah Avenue, Bronx, NY 10470

We look forward to celebrating with you! RSVP today!

Register Today

See You There,

Bronx Chamber of Commerce Events Team

This Week at KRVC - Celebrating Women's History Month, The Irish Influence and More!

 

COMING UP AT KRVC.....

Celebrating Women-Owned Businesses

This month, we are showcasing women in business. Everyday, we are highlighting two women. Check out our Instagram and Facebook for the daily posts. We will share the entire directory here, once completed. 

KRVC Celebrates The Irish Influence

This month, we are highlighting The Irish Influence in our community. Join us on a journey of sharing the businesses and bios of Irish community members making a difference. We will share the entire directory here, once completed. 

We are partnering with The NYC Small Business Services (SBS) to bring Mobi to the small business community

They will have all of the resources needed for your business to succeed.

Join us for the 505 Gallery Opening of Denis Haxhija's solo exhibition, "Faces and Places"

KRVC Hosts Paint Night



Join Angie for a free Paint and Sip Event. Secure your spot now! 

We need YOU! 

 Please click on the link to donate. Your contribution ensures KRVC is able to continue with our programming. Thank you! 



https://www.505bx.org/donate.html

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES REMOVAL OF OVER 1,000 ILLEGAL FIREARMS FROM NEW YORK CITY STREETS SINCE BEGINNING OF 2025

More Than 20,700 Gun Seizures Has Led to Three Consecutive Years of Shooting and Homicide Declines, Shootings Down Over 21 Percent and Homicides Down Over 26 Percent Year-to Date 

  

New York City Has Broken Record for Fewest Number of Shootings in January and February in City History  

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced that the NYPD removed over 1,000 illegal firearms from New York City streets since the beginning of the new year — bringing the total number of firearms seized since the start of Adams administration to 20,700. The significant firearm seizure figure represents more than 3,000 additional illegal guns removed from New York City streets compared to three years before Mayor Adams came into office, between 2019 and 2021. Because of the Adams administration’s steadfast focus on eradicating gun violence, homicides and shootings have consistently declined over the last three years, dropping a total of 42.2 percent and 22.7 percent for shootings and homicides, respectively. 

  

“In the first two months of 2025, New York City saw the fewest number of shooting incidents in the city’s history, a 14.5 percent decline compared to the same period in 2024, and a major victory in our campaign to keep New Yorkers safe,” said Mayor Adams. “Every day, the brave men and women of the NYPD are out there doing this dangerous work — working to protect New Yorkers against violent, armed recidivists ­— and this year alone, they have already removed more than 1,000 illegal guns from city streets. When you deploy well-trained officers to the right areas, New Yorkers can see and feel the difference, and because of our steadfast focus on eradicating gun violence, New York City continues to be the safest big city in America.” 

 

“Across the city, we continue to break crime records and make our communities safer. We saw the lowest number of shootings in recorded history for the first two months of the year combined, and we’re down double-digits in major crimes,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Today, we surpassed another milestone – seizing more than 1,000 illegal guns so far this year from our streets and subways. Each of these guns represents a potential tragedy averted and life saved. This is what relentless, targeted enforcement looks like, and it’s all because of the tireless work that the men and women of the NYPD do every day to keep us safe.” 

  

The NYPD is New York City’s first line of defense against gun violence, and officers continue to save countless lives every day by continuing to take illegal firearms off the streets every day. Last year marked the fourth lowest year in recorded history for shooting incidents citywide. In February 2025, shooting incidents decreased by 20.8 percent compared to the previous year, representing 22 fewer shooting victims, following a decrease of 21.5 percent in January 2025. For the first two months of the year, shooting incidents were at the lowest points in the city’s recorded history. 

  

Overall major crimes also continue to trend downward. In February 2025, there was a 14.5 decrease in major crime citywide — the third consecutive month of double-digit decreases in crime — following a 15.5 percent decrease in crime in December 2024 and 16.8 decrease in crime in January 2025, the largest one-month decrease since before Mayor Adams came into office. 

  

Every firearm taken off a city street is only one part of the equation — ensuring meaningful consequences for the small percentage of New Yorkers who possess illegal firearms and commit violence against one another. The 2019 state legislative changes to discovery were necessary to improve the fairness of the criminal justice system, however some of the consequences have crippled the system, leading to case dismissals for technical violations and increased case processing times, including for firearm charges. Prior to discovery reform, local district attorneys declined to prosecute or dismissed 32 percent of non-violent felony cases in New York City— that number increased to 51 percent in 2023.  

  

Out of the more than 20,700 guns seized since the beginning of the Adams administration, more than 1,400 of them have been identified as ghost guns — unserialized, and therefore untraceable, firearms that are put together by components purchased either as a kit or as separate pieces or printed through 3-D printers, and that are fully functioning as fully finished, serialized firearms. These untraceable firearms often end up in the hands of criminals, as well as underage purchasers. Incidents involving ghost guns reflect a dangerously escalating trend — one that the NYPD is leading the charge against. The NYPD recovered 17 ghost guns in 2018, 48 in 2019, 150 in 2020, 263 in 2021, 585 in 2022, 394 in 2023, 438 in 2024, and already 40 so far in only the first two months of 2025. 

  

In July 2024, Mayor Adams led the charge urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold commonsense ghost gun regulations. Along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., Mayor Adams announced the filing of an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Garland v. VanDerStok, in support of federal regulations issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that require ghost gun parts to have serial numbers and compel background checks for prospective buyers of ghost gun home-assembly kits.   

  

Ending gun violence continues to be Mayor Adams’ top priority. In his first month in office, in January 2022, Mayor Adams released the “Blueprint to End Gun Violence,” which laid out his priorities to immediately address the crisis of guns on New York City streets. Pursuant to the blueprint, in March 2022, the NYPD launched its Neighborhood Safety Teams to focus on gun violence prevention in areas that account for a disproportionate amount of citywide shootings. 

  

Mayor Adams’ comprehensive gun violence strategy also includes upstream solutions guided by the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force he established in June 2022, which focuses on diversion programs, prevention efforts, and expanded opportunities for young people — all targeting the root causes of gun violence to ensure a safer environment for all New Yorkers. The task force’s commitments are formalized in the “Blueprint for Community Safety,” an investment of nearly $500 million to create safer, more resilient communities, with a focus on intervention and prevention. 

  

The Adams administration also leads the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, a 30+ multi-agency law enforcement partnership focused on strengthening investigations and prosecutions of the most severe gun offenders who drive violence in New York City. Members of the team meet every weekday morning to review felony gun violence arrests from the previous 24 hours and share intelligence to ensure perpetrators are held accountable and New Yorkers are kept safe. The partnership reviewed more than 700 cases in 2024, resulting in 85.5 percent of individuals being held on bail or remanded. 

News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

 

WEEK IN REVIEW

 WALKTHROUGH WITH NYC PARKS

 

 Thank you, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, for the walkthrough, discussion, and vision of potentially building a permanent, brick-and-mortar swimming pool in Barretto Point Park - Hunts Point. 

CASTLE HILL BID WALKTHROUGH

 

 From my walkthrough of the Castle Hill Business Improvement District

 With 197 businesses within their boundaries, the Castle Hill BID is home to one of the most diverse business communities in the #Bronx - including a large concentration of Bengali-owned businesses

 During my tour, I had the pleasure of stopping by Varsity Uniform, who have faithfully remained on Castle Hill Avenue for nearly 90 years, and provides uniform services for every NYC government agency

WALKTHROUGH WITH WESTCHESTER SQUARE BID

 

 Westchester Square Business Improvement District Executive Director Yasmin Cruz for your hospitality during our recent walkthrough!

 With 236 businesses within their boundaries, Westchester’s business community stretches from Silver Street to Westchester Avenue

 Under Yasmin’s leadership, the BID has focused on offering supplemental sanitation and security services to its businesses, while also elevating and marketing their diverse small business community

BECK STREET HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WALKTHROUGH

I stopped by to view progress on the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition’s $25 million comprehensive rehabilitation project currently underway at the Beck Street Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC).

 Thanks to the Article XI tax benefits I approved in 2021, all residents were able to return to their newly-refurbished homes - complete with brand new appliances & common areas - with pre-renovation rental prices not exceeding 30% of their annual income

 It was not only important to me that we maintained permanent housing affordability for Bronxites, but that we also provided massive critical infrastructure improvements to our existing housing developments

CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS IN THE BRONX

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!   “Here's to strong women, may we know them, may we be  them, may we raise them.” Wishing a Happy International Women’s Day to all of the  incredible women in our lives  RAMADAN MUBARAK  Wishing a Ramadan Mubarak to all those beginning  their observations. I extend my warmest wishes to you during this holy month. UPCOMING EVENTS 2025 WOMEN OF DISTINCTION CELEBRATION    Team Salamanca, Freddy Perez Jr, and the Bronx Zoo cordially  invite you to our 2025 Women of Distinction Celebration! *RSVP’s are REQUIRED to attend and can be made using the  below link* https://forms.gle/2qRZiLDwT2bQdgT26 We hope to see you there! Visit our District Office at:  1070 Southern Boulevard Bronx, New York 10459 (718) 402-6130 salamanca@council.nyc.gov

New York State Inspector General Publishes Previously Non-Public Investigative Letters, Reinforcing Commitment to Transparency

 

As part of an ongoing transparency initiative, the Offices of the New York State Inspector General (OIG) today published a set of letters sent to New York State agencies related to findings of recent OIG investigations and reviews. These letters provide detailed information on investigative findings and recommendations made by the Inspector General.

“Today’s published letters demonstrate the range of issues illuminated by our investigations and reviews, and reflect our commitment to bolstering the integrity of government on matters big and small,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “In sharing our findings with the public, we aim to both strengthen and earn the public’s trust in the institutions on which New Yorkers rely.”

Today’s letter publication is just the most recent example of the Inspector General’s commitment to enhancing transparency and public awareness of the vital oversight efforts that impact state operations and the well-being of New Yorkers.  Other transparency efforts include a monthly public data dashboard reflecting complaints brought before OIG, the publication of historical letters and materials, a multi-platform social media presence, and regular community training and outreach.

To read the published letters and learn more about the ongoing work of the New York State Inspector General’s Office, click here. Follow @NewYorkStateIG for updates and further information.