A Walk Along Webster Avenue Yields Talk on Its Longterm Future

By DAVID CRUZ

In the last days of December, New York City Council members Andrew Cohen and Ritchie Torres toured Webster Avenue with a burning question in mind: What will it take to spur more commercial development along the avenue? It has been seven years since a major push by community stakeholders ultimately resulted in the official rezoning of eighty blocks of Webster Avenue between E. Gun Hill Road and Fordham Road, considered a key but underutilized artery of the Bronx. New zoning laws in effect on Webster Avenue offer tax credits to developers who build affordable housing with a first floor storefront.

The Norwood News braved the temperatures during one of the biggest snowstorms the borough has seen in some time. Check out the pictures from David Greene. [URIS id=20130]

More Senior Housing to Abut Serviam Gardens

By WENDY JOAN BIDDLECOMBE

New units of senior housing are coming to Bedford Park on the grounds of Mount St. Ursula, abutting the Serviam Gardens senior facility, to address the growing need of affordable housing for the elderly. Once complete, the impending Serviam Heights will add 195 new affordable units of housing to the neighborhood. A new, nine-story tower is planned for 2848 Bainbridge Ave., just north of Serviam Gardens and Serviam Towers. The project will also rehabilitate the convent on the grounds to include apartments, while crews will repurpose the chapel into a senior center. John M. Reilly, the executive director of Fordham

Bronx Youth Heard The Norwood News is accepting applications for Bronx Youth Heard, a free afterschool program that teaches journalism skills to Bronx high school students ages 14 to 18. Applications are available online at http://bit.ly/BYHFall2015. For more information, contact David Cruz, program director for Bronx Youth Heard and editor-in-chief of Norwood News, at dcruz@norwoodnews.org or at (718) 324-4998. The deadline is Monday, Jan. 25. Immigration/Legal Services Immigration and legal services are available at the Office of Councilman Fernando Cabrera, 107 E. Burnside Ave. Appointments are required. To schedule one, call (347) 590-2875. Free 2016 NYC Parking Calendar Free 2016

By DAVID GREENE

With winter settled in, and temperatures plunging, this week we asked readers their thoughts on the current homeless crisis. Well, I still think there are a lot of homeless on the streets and when I go to White Plains Road, there’s this one lady who’s been there for at least 10 years. She sits in front of Key Food supermarket and it’s a shame. Lots of times I give her a dollar, but she’s still there. I think it’s a good idea to get them off the streets. I don’t think anyone should be out in the cold and to

What is the Villa Maria Academy? The Villa Maria Academy is a Catholic, private, independent, co-educational elementary school situated in the Country Club section of the Bronx. Owned and operated by the Congregation of Notre Dame (CND), the Villa strives to provide a liberating education that develops the full potential of students, supporting them in becoming responsible citizens of the world. Over the course of 129 years, the Villa has established a reputation for academic excellence, a robust faith life and a deep and abiding sense of family and community. The Villa has been an outstanding member of the academic

By JASMINE GOMEZ

In a playfully decorated room filled with pink balloons and bright tablecloths, friends and family of Mary Lauria gathered to hail her 100th birthday. But if anyone were looking for a centenarian, it was pretty tough to spot her. That’s because for a 100-year-old, Lauria moves like lightning, a fitting description for “Fast Mary” as many of her friends call her. But with a tiara placed on her head, Lauria was the center of attention at her birthday bash, hosted by the Sister Annunciata Bethell Senior Center in Bedford Park. Lauria, a tiny woman with golden curls and the spirit of

By DAVID GREENE

Friends of Father Richard Gorman, a prominent Bronx clergyman, community leader, and activist expressed shock and sadness just 24 hours after the Archdiocese of New York announced his suspension following accusations of child molestation. The archdiocese issued a statement that revealed the alleged abuse “would have occurred 30 years ago. As usual the archdiocese immediately reported the allegations to law enforcement officials for investigation, who have deemed the allegations to be credible, although they have not yet been substantiated.” The Archdiocese revealed little details on the matter, though it was alleged to occur in Westchester County. No longer permitted to publicly function as a priest until the matter

A picture is worth a thousand words. It’s also worth a moment of tranquility. At Montefiore Medical Center, a first-of-its-kind visual arts program looks to enhance and support a sense of calm for patients, their families, and employees of Montefiore. Dubbed the Montefiore Fine Art Program and Collection and founded in 2014, the program seeks to find new and challenging ways to integrate contemporary artwork into the daily life of the health system. Jodi Moise serves as founder and curator of the Fine Art Program, which is built through acquisitions, commissions, exhibitions and other related visual arts programming. Montefiore has now