Koppell Endorses Klein, And Backs Rivera Kin

In a startling local political development, Councilman Oliver Koppell, a Riverdale Democrat long at odds with the borough’s party machine, reached out to endorse party regular and state Senate candidate Jeffrey Klein on Wednesday. Even more surprising was Koppell’s decision to back Naomi Rivera in the race to fill Klein’s Assembly seat. "The principal reason [I am endorsing Klein] is that he is running as a Democrat and only as a Democrat and he will vote for David Patterson as leader," Koppell said in a telephone interview, referring to the current Senate majority leader. Democrats hope putting one of their

Game Over (Finally)

No resident of North Fordham can help noticing that the Fordham Arcade, a persistent eyesore wedged between Webster and Decatur avenues, has been demolished after decades of abandonment. In March, the Norwood News reported that the Bronx Council for Economic Development (BCED) and other neighborhood groups contacted Samuel Falack, the property’s owner since last August, about redeveloping the site. In a letter, Fordham community members and business owners expressed concern about the garbage piling up outside the fence and the rats that had found a

Thompson Vies for Seat in State Assembly

A rare open seat has ignited a heated Democratic primary in the 80th Assembly District, pitting a local community leader against the larger Bronx Democratic organization. Naomi Rivera, daughter of Assemblyman Jose Rivera, faces Joseph Thompson, a well-known neighborhood activist, in what will certainly be a lively battle. The competition began when current Assemblyman Jeff Klein jumped into the race for the 34th Senatorial District, left open by Guy Velella’s resignation after he pled guilty to bribery charges. At press time, the Norwood News learned

Fordham Hill to Develop New Housing at Old DMV Site

Within the next couple of weeks, the Fordham Hill Owners Corporation (FHOC) will name a contractor to the task of renovating the vacant office building across the street from the co-op complex on West Fordham Road and Sedgwick Avenue. That choice will come a year after the FHOC Board’s initial decision to expand its residential offerings by creating a block of upscale rental apartments in the abandoned building — a decision that came after nearly a decade of deliberation and failed negotiations. Redevelopment efforts for the building stalled after its lone tenant, a Department of Motor Vehicles office, moved out

The Commuter Tax and the Filtration Plant

In 1999, a group of Democratic state legislators from the Bronx contributed to one of the biggest public policy blunders in the city’s history. Six of them voted to repeal the commuter tax, depriving New York City of $400 million in annual revenues it had been receiving for years. In all, 23 city lawmakers voted for repeal. How could they do it? You’re probably thinking they must have gotten something good in return, right? Like more money for city schools or after-school programs, or a greater say in the state budget? Or maybe some largesse for an important project like

Marriage Programs Boost Community at St. Philip’s

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling — regardless of religious orientation — to focus on strengthening marital and family relations. "The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage – the two of us and God." The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who