Neighborhood Notes: A College Fair, Grant Campaign, and More

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

College Fair SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center, 1666 Bathgate Ave., hosts a free college fair on Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors can speak with college reps and learn about scholarships, financial aid and admission requirements. For more information, call (718) 530-7017. Grant Campaign NYC Service and Citizens Committee for New York City launched the 2019 “Love Your Block” grant campaign to support communities making local change in transforming public spaces. Resident-led volunteer groups should submit project proposals that address community concerns and highlight how the project will transform public spaces. Twenty-five community group winners will receive

A Rapidly Rising Company Settles in Norwood

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

After 35 years working as a taxi driver, Mario Sena started his own driving company. But he never dreamed of how far it would go. Taking his understanding of the vehicle-for-hire business to work for him, Sena and his wife, Olga, operated a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) service from a makeshift office in their apartment in Pelham Bay. In 2012, he only had three customers and one driver, Sena himself. Now, Agape Luxury, Corp. books an average of 5,000 trips per day. Last year, Agape drove over one million patients to and from medical appointments, and in the last three

By PROF. ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

Thirty years ago SoHo was created. Dumbo was created 15 years ago. Is Mott Haven in the Bronx next? Was it gentrification? Was it revitalization? Many people do not seem to understand the difference. According to Wikipedia, gentrification is a process of renovating deteriorated urban neighborhoods by means of the influx of more affluent residents. This is a common and controversial topic in politics and in urban planning. Many say this is the process of renovating and improving a house or district so that it conforms to middle-class taste. Or, as summed-up by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

More New York City Students Passing State Test, But Bronx Still Lags

By DAVID CRUZ

Test scores for New York City students from third through eighth grade have gone up this year, but the Bronx still lags. Scores released by the state Department of Education show 46.7 percent of all New York City public students met proficiency standards in the English test, according to city officials. They also saw 42.7 percent of students pass the math test. A borough breakdown shows 32.3 percent of Bronx students from third to eighth grade passed their English test, according to raw data by the state Education Department. This year represents a “reset moment” as Mayor Bill de Blasio

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of community news you can use. We have 20 pages of news and lots to cover. Our front page cover story focuses on the continuing trend of real estate speculation in Bedford Park. A Norwood News analysis shows an increase of transactions within the tiny section. We also give some brief history of what’s been happening over the last year. The Norwood News is also excited to announce our 30th anniversary celebration. Save the date for Thursday, November 1. More details are here including our honorees Sally Dunford, Mosholu Montefiore Community

By MATTHIWS ARCENTALES

Being healthy is a group effort that starts with you! Eating well is an important part of feeling well and being healthy. Another way to improve health is to increase how often you move your body, also known as exercising. Of course, it is recommended to have a conversation with your healthcare professional to ensure you are safe to begin an exercise program. There are different types of exercises that help reach certain health goals. Cardiovascular exercises help increase your heart rate to decrease body fat. Body building exercises help to build muscle and define your body shape. Endurance training helps

The Sept. 13 primary in the Bronx is one for the ages. It’s usually a tough one for challengers, but in the year when the reckoning on establishment Democrats reached its peak, no one was safe. Not even the state’s most powerful senator, Jeff Klein, ousted as the Democratic representative for the 34th Senate District by Alessandra Biaggi, a candidate with a Democratic platform that translates to a complete condemnation against President Donald Trump. The people made their voices heard in a race that should be seen as an example of what happens when there’s a more engaged voting bloc

Big Bands and Business Flair- JGHBID to Host 17th Annual Fall Festival

By ARIANA CIPRIANI

The Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District is gearing up for its 17th annual Fall Festival, slated for Saturday, Oct. 13. Join the BID for the annual event where Jerome Avenue between Mosholu Parkway and East Gun Hill Road is closed to traffic and full of people shopping, dancing, and celebrating the fall season. “The goal of the festival is twofold,” said Jennifer Tausig, the BID’s executive director. “We want to celebrate the neighborhood and say thank you to all the loyal local shoppers as well as attract new shoppers to the variety of quality goods and services offered in

By JOSEPH KONIG

“Right now, the Bronx is prime real estate. Prime, prime real estate.” Those are the words of Joseph Governali, a Norwood resident and realty investor who said he recently entered into contract to purchase four homes in Bedford Park. Governali and his Brooklyn-based partner, Emmanuel Marshall, are part of a larger movement of investors and developers buying up Bronx homes, and tearing them down to replace them with tall buildings, exploiting existing zoning laws. The section of Bedford Park–bordered by Grand Concourse, Mosholu Parkway, East 198th Street and Webster Avenue–saw 28 properties sold between January and August of 2018 (see