Sen. Gillibrand Visits Bronx Health Fair

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand checks out a display on healthy snack foods at Montefiore Medical Center.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made a stop in the Bronx this morning to attend a "healthy eating" fair at Montefiore Children's  Hospital in Norwood.

The senator took a quick tour of several booths set up in the hospital's lobby, where staff presented visitors with nutritional information and tips for eating healthier.

"This display is all about nutrition," said Gillibrand, who sits on the Senate's Agriculture and Nutrition Committee, the first New York representative to do so for nearly four decades. She's sponsored legislation to ban trans-fats in school lunches and increase funding for child fitness programs.

"Too many of our children are obese," she told reporters on her visit today. "We need to do much better."

The Bronx has some of the bleakest obesity statistics in the State. According to a 2009 report from Gillibrand's office, 62.7 percent of Bronx County adults are overweight or obese. In the South Bronx, a third of pre-schoolers enrolled in the city's Head Start program are obese.

Today's healthy eating fair was sponsored by Montefiore as part of the medical center's "Food Education Project," a series of seminars and events that aim to improve the community's eating habits by offering healthy recipes and nutritional tips.

Bronx News Roundup, March 15

[Note: This post has been updated and all broken-links have been repaired]

Hope everyone enjoyed the wet weekend. Now for some Bronx news!

In the aftermath of this storm filled weekend, 3,500 Bronx residents remain without power.

A fire in Morris Heights leaves a 39-year-old man dead in his apartment. A full investigation is underway.

A Bronx medical clinic registers its patients with iris identification technology. This consists of scanning the patient's eyes to locate medical records.

A wall collapsed from a two-story building in the Bronxdale neighborhood this weekend, leaving two people with minor injuries.

The city plans on dropping the contract with New York Organic Fertilizer Company in Hunts Point resulting in saving taxpayers some dollars and giving Hunts Point residents a chance at fresh air. You can also read more here.

The Bronx not only has some of the highest rates in obesity, but also some of the hungriest people. The New York Times is calling this the "Bronx Paradox."

The city is in search of a Bronx senior, age 74, who went missing yesterday. He is said to suffer from Alzheimer's and diabetes.

A major drug bust in the Pelham Parkway Houses last week led to 27 arrests and a whole lot of drugs.

City Island gets to play 'City Island' in the new film featuring Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies. The comedy debuts in theaters Friday, March 13. Read more on the film here.