A History Lesson, Over a Sip of Tea, at the Bronx Historical Society

By JASMINE GOMEZ Like characters out of a Jane Austen novel, several middle school girls from the Young Women’s Leadership Academy of the Bronx were decked in petticoats, corsets, and bonnets with smiles and stares from passers-by as they walked down Bainbridge Avenue. From there, the girls went back in time.

Out & About

Editor’s Pick Free Bronx Week Finale Culminating a week of events in the Bronx for the borough’s annual Bronx Week celebration, all are invited to attend the free Grand Finale to be held on Mosholu Parkway and Bainbridge Avenue on May 17: Noon – Parade featuring marching bands, celebrities, schools, and more with a reviewing stand at Mosholu Parkway East at Van Cortlandt Avenue; noon to 6 p.m. – Bronx Food & Arts & Music Festival which includes free health screenings and information on health insurance at Mosholu Parkway and Bainbridge Avenue; noon to 6 p.m. – Grand Finale Concert:

By JANAKI CHADHA Community advocacy for the building of a pedestrian bridge over the Major Deegan Expressway to connect the two sides of Van Cortlandt Park has gone on for over a decade. On May 8, community leaders and representatives announced $12 million has been allocated for the proposed bridge, thanks to collective efforts from community, city, and state officials.

Developing a New Roadmap to Upgrade Mosholu Parkway

By DAVID CRUZ They’re going back to the drawing board. A 2007 blueprint to rehab Mosholu Parkway has been tossed out, and community members have offered new input on some of the priorities needed to fix the parkway.

Digital Edition of the Norwood News Is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of community news you can use! There’s plenty to talk about, so here goes: The big story is on something of a rarity: a stop by a U.S. sitting President in the Bronx. President Barack Obama did just that, spending an afternoon at Lehman College. The Norwood News was there to capture Mr. Obama’s rare event, which detailed the formation of a nonprofit geared towards young minority men. Heading back to more hyperlocal terrain, we go to Mosholu Parkway, where community residents are hammering out a

Public & Community Meetings

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 will hold its general board meeting on May 19 at Montefiore Medical Center’s Cherkasky Auditorium, 111 E. 210th St. CB7 committees are held on the following dates at the board office, 229A E. 204th St. at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Traffic & Transportation meets May 14; Housing/Land Use & Zoning Committee meets May 20; Education/Libraries & Youth Services meets May 21; Economic Development meets May 26; Community Relations/LTP meets May 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Parks & Recreation meets May 27. For more information, call (718) 933-5650. COMMUNITY BOARD 7 will host a K2 Forum at North

By DAVID CRUZ Mr. Obama’s Visit to the Bronx President Barack Obama’s first visit to the Bronx was short and sweet, though attendance to see the Commander-in-Chief in person was somewhat of an exclusive affair, and away from the community at large. The Norwood News was granted access to hear the President’s half hour address on a new nonprofit for young minority men (see front page story).

Community Board 7 to Host First-Ever Public Forum on Synthetic Marijuana

By DAVID CRUZ Across 24-hour bodegas in the Norwood/Bedford Park area, buying synthetic marijuana requires little to no screening. Its legality is caught in murky technicalities, and virtually no enforcement, leaving prosecutors little room to try a synthetic marijuana case.

Remembering Margaret J. Mack With a Bittersweet Street Renaming

By WILLIAM MATHIS A crowd of about 70 community members, many of whom live in nearby Tracey Towers, gathered with local officials for a ceremony to rename a tiny strip of Jerome Avenue after Margaret J. Mack. Mack, who lived most of her life in Tracey Towers, passed away in February 2014.