Veterans Not-for-Profit Breaks Ground on New Housing, Adding to Growing Portfolio

The Jericho Project, a not-for-profit group aiming to ease homelessness among the country’s veterans, broke ground for its latest veterans-only supportive housing on July 7. A total of 89 apartments will be available for veterans at 2065 Walton Ave. in Burnside–56 for veterans referred by the Bronx VA Medical Center and 33 for young adults ages 18-25 from Bronx Community Board 5, via referrals from BronxWorks, Covenant House, and other local non-profit organizations that work with young adults in need. Officials said they’ll also place a heavier focus in offering housing to veterans of the LGBT community. The project is aligned

By NORWOOD NEWS The Jerome Park Reservoir Access Task Force held its first meeting at the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center, reviewing plans and objectives for the scheduled August 6 meeting with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Agency over pilot access program. Committee members agreed that one step in a more permanent access program would be to open up the reservoir’s dividing wall to the general public. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, whose district covers the Reservoir, said that given the good condition of the walkway, it needed very little upgrade to make it a usable space for the public. When asked

By WILLIAM MATHIS As the city undergoes the outreach phase of a large-scale plan to rezone the southern end of Jerome Avenue, its large swath of mechanic shops are beginning to stage an exodus.

Musical Troupe Performs at Woodlawn Cemetery, with Poe Park Slated as the Next Venue

By VIVIAN CARTER The Bardekova Ensemble, founded in the Bronx more than 30 years ago, continues its melodious quest to bring free concerts to Bronx residents, regardless of age or socio-economic status, with two programs at landmark Bronx venues this week. On Sunday July 12, the group’s quintet, composed entirely of wind instrument performers, filled the majestic Woolworth Chapel at Woodlawn Cemetery with the classical sounds of groundbreaking European composers Mozart and Rossini. Guests also enjoyed the musical strains of George M. Cohan and Irving Berlin, two famed American composers whose final resting places are on the Woodlawn grounds. Breezes

Changes, Unexpected and Impending, Seen at Norwood’s Churches

By DAVID CRUZ Norwood’s catholic churches are undergoing a dual shift in its religious staffing, as one church is expected to close while another has seen the reassignment of its pastor. For the last few months, the community has been bracing for the closure the Shrine Church of St. Ann’s on Bainbridge Avenue, a historic parish that includes a catholic school. But lack of finances had put the church on a closure list by the Archdiocese of New York. It’s last day will be July 31 when parishioners are expected to take part in the church’s last Feast of St.

By DAVID CRUZ Police have been on a three-month hunt for an alleged cop impersonator exploiting kind-hearted Bronxites, and now need your help in tracking him. Police say Richard Gomez, 43, is suspected of hitting stores within the 52nd and 50th precincts in the northwest Bronx, addressing himself as “Sgt. Russo,” and asking employees to donate funds for sick children of officers. Gomez is swindling employees at Salsa Con Fuego at 2297 on Apr. 27 within the Five-Two and the Caridad Restaurant at 135 W. Kingsbridge Road, falling in the Five-O. Gomez is described as a male Hispanic at 5’8″

By DAVID CRUZ Plenty of community news you can use can be found in the latest edition of the Norwood News, which can also be found at 300 locations throughout the northwest Bronx. In this edition we take you to the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District and Fordham Road Business Improvement Districts, which are engaged in a fight to stem a move by a special interest group pushing for more licenses to street vendors. It’s a tale that spans 30 years, and the Norwood News will give you the low-down. We also go around the corner from the BID, and to a building

By DAVID CRUZ As an army of vendors mobilize for an increase in street vending permits, business improvement districts in Norwood and Fordham are gearing up to prevent an increase of vendors abutting brick and mortar establishments.

A Cleaner Northwest Bronx on the Way

By VIVIAN R. CARTER Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC), a not-for-profit support corporation of Montefiore Medical Center since 1981, wants the northwest Bronx to be healthy, safe and clean. It has garnered strong support from the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District and the merchants associations in three other local business corridors—Webster Avenue, East 204th Street and Bainbridge Avenue, and East 233rd Street and White Plains Road.