Vagrancy in Whalen Park Raises Concerns

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

In July 2018, Whalen Park was reopened amid fanfare with family members of the park’s namesake present. At a cost of $1.8 million, Councilman Andrew Cohen said at the time, “Today we have a park that’s as good as any park in the city.” Now, some residents are worrying over activities inside the park that go beyond just “hanging out,” with some fears the playground may revert back to the days when vagrancy was such a normal occurrence. Indeed, the park had been such an eyesore that it left then-Deputy Borough President Aurelia Greene to declare it was once “plagued

By MICHAEL TURAY

Over two dozen construction workers gathered at the site where a partial building collapsed to honor Segundo Huerta, a construction worker from Ecuador who died in the collapse that crushed him on Aug. 27. The workers assembled a vigil at 94 E. 208th St. near Steuben Avenue, the site of the collapse, that included candles, flowers, a hard hat, and a T-shirt memorializing him. The crowd circled around the very spot Huerta took his last breaths. He was a father of five and had been working alongside other family members at the time of the accident. He was also the

By DAVID CRUZ

The city Department of Health (DOH) is investigating how two people contracted Legionnaires’ Disease in the Bronx’s largest Mitchell-Lama properties, the Norwood News has learned. A meeting is now being scheduled tonight to discuss the investigation. DOH staffers slipped notices underneath the apartment doors of tenants living in Tracey Towers, specifically 20 W. Mosholu Pkwy. S., in Bedford Park alerting them of the investigation, where two people in one of the massive towers were determined to be infected with the fatal disease that is known to be water borne. The bacteria is known to remain active in cooling towers, which has

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By PROF. ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

I get so tired of hearing it: President Donald Trump did this, he did that. Firstly, as my clients know, I do not integrate politics and finance together. Why? When it comes to personal finance, isn’t it about your money first? Thus, looking at the ending of this last decade, how are we doing? And if you wanted to play politics, who would have the answer? While many yell “fake news,” I tell my clients, “then try to read all news.” So, when you read stats from The U.S. Department of Labor, Goldman Sachs, Federal Reserve Bank, The Wall Street

By BOB KAPPSTATTER

Two men were under arrest in the shooting death of a 27-year-old Bedford Park man after detectives tracked them down through video security cameras, police said. Israel Lagares became the fifth homicide victim in the 52nd Precinct so far this year after he was fatally shot twice in the chest shortly after 10 p.m. on Aug. 16 in front of 2734 Bainbridge Ave., just blocks from his home. He was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital. After an investigation that a police source said involved scouring through a number of video security cameras in the area, detectives arrested Lucas Chajecki,

Following Through on a Promise, Norwood Shelter to Get Peace Officers

By SHA-NIA ALSTON

The Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter (JAMS) in Norwood will finally receive peace officers following efforts from Councilman Andy Cohen, Community Board 7, and several other elected officials, following through on a promise made by the New York City Department of Homeless Services for some. “I am really pleased they’re coming. I am very optimistic that they are going to reduce the overall impact of the shelter on the community,” said Cohen in a telephone interview with the Norwood News. DHS hopes the peace officers, who are expected to report for duty on Oct. 1, will relieve the 52nd Precinct from constantly

By DAVID CRUZ

Energy Drink Robbery The NYPD needs the public’s help in identifying a man possibly linked to stealing three-dozen cans of Monster Energy at a store in Fordham after threatening the clerk with a hypodermic needle. Police in the 52nd Precinct got the call around 5 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the Rite Aid store at 49 W. Fordham Rd. The 38-year-old suspect was stopped by the clerk until he flashed the needle. The suspect soon fled on foot on Grand Avenue. Police describe him as Hispanic, around 35 to 45 years old, weighing 170 pounds, and last seen wearing a

The Norwood News stopped by Wakefield on Aug. 30 for a back-to-school event complete with a backpack giveaway to local students ahead of the Sept. 5 start of public schools. Check out these photos by Miriam Quinones.

Back-to-School in Norwood

By MICHAEL TURAY

The onslaught of homework and pop quizzes will soon be on the agenda for young people as the first day of school approaches. Students are scheduled to return to the classroom on Sept. 5, which means parents should double check their school supply lists and preferred bookbag requests. Thousands of students in the Norwood area are preparing to attend one of the 11 local schools in School District 10. School officials have taken baby steps to chip away at its overcrowding issue. A 2016 capital projects report by the School Construction Authority (SCA), a city construction entity tasked to build