Inquiring Photographer

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers their thoughts on Pope Francis’ momentous visit to New York City. I watched it on TV; I didn’t even try to see him. My niece went and she asked me why he didn’t kiss her and I don’t have an explanation for that. I don’t know why he didn’t or if she was supposed to [have been], or if he was supposed to or not supposed to. I don’t have an explanation. But she said it was a good experience. Yeah, the traffic was really bad. It kind of got me upset. I didn’t know what was happening at first.

By JOLI HARRIS

For a long time I was blind to the fact that there was a name for unusual, controlling and abusive behavior. For many of days I felt a lot of confusion, sadness and a need to run. But for some reason I felt by doing so I would be hurting my abuser. After many nights of praying God would get me safely out of the situation, I decided to walk away and never return. I utilized the support and help that I was given to stay away and that was the birth of ‘I Don’t Owe U Nothin’.’ Domestic violence is

By DAVID CRUZ

It’s still unclear what caused an apartment to go up in flames at a Bedford Park building, which sent tenants rushing out the building. FDNY Captaion Dominic Caleri told the Norwood News the fire began at the fifth floor at 2701 Grand Concourse just before 2 p.m. Nine fire trucks rushed to the scene, finding tenants waiting outside as crews knocked out the fire. One truck utilized its turntable ladder to reach the roof of the building to knock out the blaze. Caleri pointed out no one was in the apartment. Tenants told the Norwood News the occupant of the building was at

Police are on the lookout for the husband of a woman found shot to death inside an SUV in Fordham Heights on Oct. 4. Officers from the 52nd Precinct were called to 2525 Morris Ave., between East 190 and East 192 Street’s near St. James Park, before 7:45 a.m. on Oct. 4, where they discovered the body of a 27 year-old woman in the passenger seat of a gray Chevrolet SUV. Officials later identified the woman as Jennifer Ortiz of Belmont, adding the mother of four had been shot one time in the head and died at the scene. Hours later police released a photo

New York faces a troubling statistic: the state ranks last in the U.S. in percentage of residents registered as organ donors. With just 25 percent of New Yorkers enrolled in the registry, the state is below the national average of 50 percent. Because of this, a New Yorker dies every 18 hours while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. To help move the state out of last place, LiveOnNY, formerly New York Organ Donor Network, is launching the first-ever Organ Donor Enrollment Day on Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at a number of Montefiore campuses throughout the Bronx. This event is being held to enroll as many

By VIVIAN CARTER

Chipmunks were not the only creatures scurrying among the headstones and fall leaves at Woodlawn Cemetery on Sept. 26. Dozens of people of all ages enthusiastically competed in the “Great Woodlawn Cemetery Scavenger Hunt,” sponsored by Women of Woodlawn and the Historic Districts Council of New York City (HDC). Proceeds were donated to Woodlawn Conservancy. Competing teams paid a small registration fee, then selected one of five routes to search (see photo at left). They looked for items such as famous stained glass windows in tombs, faces carved into headstones, and the monuments of the famous robber barons buried at

By DAVID CRUZ

With lawmakers now ramping up efforts to rid synthetic marijuana from the streets, Community Board 7 is once again doing its part by sponsoring a forum on the impact the drug has had on neighborhoods. Synthetic marijuana, also known as K2, has seen a growing number of users across the city, including the Bronx. The substance, packaged as incense, causes severe side effects that are potentially fatal. They are usually sold at bodegas with little to no oversight. Details are still being worked out by CB7 organizers. The first K2 forum by CB7 was held at North Central Bronx Hospital

By KIMBERLY JACOBS

The Twitter hashtag #PeaceInTheStreets now lives in Bedford Park, thanks to a new mural painted on 202nd Street and Briggs Avenue, across from PS 8. After receiving a grant in May for $1,250 from Citizens Committee for New York to paint the graffiti-tatted wall, Samelys Lopez gathered a team of artists to follow through with a mural. Teammates included Lady K Fever and Laura James from Bronx 200, and a group showcasing selections of artwork by 200 artists around the Bronx. Other artists with colorful names can be seen on the wall. Those include: TKid, CES, King Bee, Andre Trenier, Lizzy Alejandro, Trike,

Walk for Water A free 3K walk and 5K run calling attention to preserving water will be held Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. Walk begins at the Allerton Ballfields (enter at the dead end street of 204th Street off Webster Avenue). To register, log on to walkforourwater.org. Free Enrichment Program The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, 3415 Bainbridge Ave., CHAM 2 Conference Room, offers a free monthly art and enrichment program for children with developmental disabilities, to spend two hours with a supervised teenage mentor from the community from noon to 2 p.m. Classes begin on Oct. 3. For more information,