Assemblyman Michael Blake Announces Congressional Run

By DAVID CRUZ

The race for the 15th Congressional District seat may be more than a year away, but it’s already the hottest political ticket, with another politico jumping into the race. Assemblyman Michael Blake, the 79th Assembly District representative for the West Bronx and the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, announced a run for the seat, which will be left vacant by the long-time officeholder, Congressman Jose Serrano. Serrano, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, announced last month that he will not seek re-election. Blake’s rollout of his announcement veered away from standard rollouts. It was made via email while

How Residents and Merchants Are Defining Norwood's Consumer Needs

By DAVID CRUZ

By many accounts, Norwood’s commercial corridors represent a vibrant mix of mom and pop shops that largely comprise the makeup of the northwest Bronx neighborhood. And its commercial ranges are wide. There’s Hillside Meat Market, a staple in Norwood for more than 30 years, abutting La Mexicana Grocery, which caters to Norwood’s Hispanic population. But it doesn’t mean the corridor cannot do without add-ons or more stores. The question of what’s Norwood’s next big idea stood as the key question posed to residents by Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC), the 38-year nonprofit support corporation of Montefiore Health System (and publisher of

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers their thoughts on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s possible bid to run for President of the United States. I wouldn’t let him walk my dog, and I don’t even own a dog. He shouldn’t even be running the city of New York because he’s a complete imbecile. Edward Burroughs Norwood Maybe, I think he’s trying to do a good job, but it would be better for him to be in the White House, so he could do the right thing for people. But he has to deliver for the city first and then he

Lehman College Professor Tied to St. Patrick's Cathedral Incident

By DAVID CRUZ

A Lehman College professor was arrested for what appears to be an attempted arson on St. Patrick’s Cathedral. News of the arrest came days after the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in France went up in flames. Authorities arrested Marc Lamparello, 37, a philosophy professor who taught online courses for the school in Bedford Park. He was charged with resisting arrest, trespass and disorderly conduct. John Miller, the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner for Counter-Terrorism, said cathedral police spotted Lamparello walking inside the landmark church with two gasoline cans and butane lighters. Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and @NYPDCT John Miller provides

By DAVID CRUZ

A Bronx man is headed to jail for admitting to killing a deli worker using a police officer’s gun. Effrain Guzman was sentenced to 20 years to life for shooting the deli worker at A&M Deli at the corner of East 198th Street and Valentine Avenue on Aug. 9, 2016. Authorities say Guzman initially entered N&A Foods across from A&M to beg for money. Wally Camara, the victim, threw him out. When Guzman entered N&A Foods, he leaped across the counter and assaulted the workers the workers. Camara rushed to the store to help the deli workers as police were

Norwood News Wins Honors at Deadline Club and Society of the Silurians

By NORWOOD NEWS

The Norwood News will be among those honored next month at two journalism awards contests, adding to the growing number of honors the Bronx paper has received over the last few weeks. Nice news for me: Happy to be a finalist for the @deadlineclub annual awards for my series dubbed “Housing Matters”. Beyond happy standing in the company of talented journalists, particularly @TomZambito and @AsburyParkPress. Congrats everyone! pic.twitter.com/etNZbzcELz — David Cruz (@CWEBCRUZER) April 8, 2019 Editor-in-Chief David Cruz is being honored by both the Deadline Club and the Society of the Silurians for his work on a three-part series dubbed “Housing

By DAVID CRUZ

Norwood’s Councilman is exploring a run for Bronx Borough President, adding to a list of potential suitors for the borough’s top executive post. Councilman Andrew Cohen, the 11th Council District representative covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Woodlawn, Wakefield, Riverdale, Fieldston, Kingsbridge, and Marble Hill, told the Norwood News he’s weighing considering whether to enter a race that’ll open in 2021. He’s laying the ground work in some ways, crisscrossing different parts of the Bronx as a way of understanding its nuances and putting his name out there. “I’m not shy about it. I’m thinking about it,” said Cohen. “We’re approaching the

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers where the money collected through Congestion Pricing tolls should go to improve the buses and subways. Well, they need to accommodate women with carriages on buses; so I think they need to install more wheelchair snaps in so we would be able to snap in baby strollers in the same blue chair accessible spots. Right now, we’re not allowed to do that so they need to put some money into that, because their excuse is they are unable to accommodate so many mothers. Money should also be spent so that there’s elevators at every train station and create

Diaz Sr. Formally Declares Run for Congress

By DAVID CRUZ and DAVID GREENE

Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr., the socially conservative Democrat representing the Bronx’s 18th Council District, formally declared a run for the 15th Congressional District long held by Congressman Jose Serrano who opted not to seek re-election after nearly 30 years in office. Diaz is the second candidate to formally declare a run in a contest that’ll likely be one of the more closely watched and hotly contested. The first candidate to file was by political newcomer Jonathan Ortiz, according to federal campaign filings. “I could do a lot there in Washington,” said Diaz, in a phone interview with the Norwood News.