Information is the lifeblood of our democracy. Yet, too few citizens know that they have the right to see much of the information that our government produces.

The American Society of Newspaper Editors and dozens of other press organization hope to change that with Sunshine Week, which began March 16.

It can’t come soon enough, as more and more public information is being declared off-limits by government agencies, especially at the federal level.

Though it’s sponsored by press organizations, this is an event for all New Yorkers and Americans to participate in.

Why? Because secrecy in government is antithetical to American democracy and is harmful to its citizens.

Re: “New Mega-Station at Gun Hill Road,” March 6–19 issue: Elliot Sander offered the Bronx even more hope in his March 3 State of the MTA address.  In addition to Metro North and the extension of the D train to Gun Hill Road, Sander stated that he hoped to extend the Second Avenue subway into the outer boroughs and even showed a diagram containing a Bronx extension. Amtrak offers such an easy, efficient and relatively inexpensive route that this proposal is very realistic. Sander also mentioned that the third track on Bronx lines can be used for more express service. 

Read More

Re: “Card Companies Called Out,” March 6–19 issue: One doesn’t only have to make calls overseas using a prepaid calling card to get scammed. Using a calling card between states can cheat us out of part of the value of the card or number of minutes noted on the card. There are some calling cards that subtract minutes if they’re not used within a specific amount of time. For example, if the caller uses a card meant for 60 minutes, but speaks for less time, then puts the card aside for future use, he may be unpleasantly surprised to find

Read More

Here’s another mess the Norwood News would like to highlight near 199th Street and Marion Avenue. Notice the sheer magnitude of messiness. This trash-strewn parking lot is not only surrounded by graffiti, but its sole inhabitant is an abandoned old car on one wheel. In fact, we’re nominating it for mess of the year right now and it’s only March. We dare you to top it. Please send Mess of the Year entries to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.

A listing of community services, programs and events for our readership in the northwest Bronx.

I listing of entertainment and community events for our readership in the northwest Bronx.

Leaders at a Norwood-area mosque say their landlord is not only verbally threatening and harassing them, but also using them as a scapegoat for $9,000 worth of repair work that they say they had nothing to do with.

For the decade that ended last spring, the DeKalb Avenue Crew operated as a vast and violent drug organization that collected some $5 million in drug money and killed at least four people in the process, according to a federal indictment released two weeks ago.

As a prime example of how this rock of an institution has evolved since it first began 100 years ago, St. Brendan’s Catholic Church held a spirited multicultural festival a couple of Saturdays ago on Feb. 23.