Vol. 76, No. 21
Thursday, May 21, 2026
$1.00
What’s inside?
RiverSpring luxury senior home officially breaks ground By Olivia Young oyoung@riverdalepress.com
Creating a future A Lehman graduate’s resilience Page A3
GARY JEAN-JUSTE
Members of the NYPD’s Auto Crime Division climbed under cars to etch catalytic converters during the auto theft event.
Wheel locks and warnings at 50th Precinct auto theft event 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
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
River’s Edge, the luxury senior living home that is an extension of the RiverSpring Living campus, officially broke ground May 12. That day, elected officials, board members and RiverSpring staff gathered on the campus lawn at 5901 Palisade Ave. to celebrate, with the Hudson River as their backdrop. Those who spoke — including Council member Eric Dinowitz, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres and members of RiverSpring leadership — lauded the future life plan community as the first of its kind in the city. Also known as a continuing care retirement community, River’s Edge will serve as an independent living facility, offering the ability to transition to other parts of RiverSpring’s campus for assisted living care and skilled nursing services. It is “designed to adapt to your evolving needs,” the River’s Edge website reads. The project is on track to be completed by December 2028, according to RiverSpring. In March, community members had voiced concern about the incoming development, noting the potential for noisy construction and an increase in traffic as trucks carried in supplies. A Riverdale Construction Advisory Committee was established early on in 2018, made up of tenants from nearby apartment buildings and local advocacy organizations. Members negotiated terms with RiverSpring and developers. 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, RiverSpring on page A4
Student Comedy Kings prepare for night of Kitchen laughs at Lehman Center show brings cooking classes to Riverdale kids By Alexa Lewis
alewis@riverdalepress.com
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
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.
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 Comedy Kings on page A4