In the Public Interest

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID CRUZ

Blake Announces PA Run Assemblyman Michael Blake, who, along with representing the 79th Assembly District while pushing a national Democratic agenda as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is throwing his hat into the race for New York City Public Advocate. The Public Advocate’s seat will officially be up for grabs come November since the current advocate, Letitia James, won the Democratic nomination for state attorney general. With an overwhelmingly Democratic state, James’s shot at winning the AG seat is all but secured. Should Blake win the advocate seat, it will open the door for his Assembly seat. The

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO

Known as the Right to Know Act, the law was sponsored and introduced by Councilman Ritchie Torres of the 15th District, who noted the importance of an effective police-civilian relationship in a news conference at his district office in Fordham on Oct. 19. “We cannot improve community relations without first improving day-to-day interactions between police and civilians. Requiring an officer to proactively identify himself serves to de-escalate the encounter,” said Torres.

Recognition for Sister Annunciata Admin.

LINDA MCCAULEY, DAUGHTER (at mic) of late Bedford Park resident Mary Vallati speaks during a surprise awards presentation to Patricia Burlace (r), Sister Annunciata Senior Center executive director, on Oct. 11. The Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA), represented by Ella Santos (l), Margaret Collins (2nd from l), and president Barbara Stronczer (2nd from r) were there to honor Burlace for being completely dedicated to the senior center located in Bedford Park. Burlace accepted the award named after Vallati. Photo courtesy BMCA

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition covering Bronx communities. With 24 pages packed into this paper there’s plenty of news to share. So let’s get to page one. The front page focuses on The Bedford Manor, which opened in 2016 and is already showing signs of decay. A tour by the Norwood News given by one resident shows a breakdown of services. Reporter Joseph Konig got word from the landlord. Read what he has to say. Other stories include the city Environmental Protection playing defense over poor water pouring out of northwest Bronx homes. We

Tenants: Repairs Now at New Stagg Buildings

By JOSEPH KONIG and DAVID CRUZ

Zxavier Simpson moved from Harlem in 2016 into 2985 Webster Ave., one of two buildings in a complex dubbed “Bedford Park Manor.” Less than two years later, he’s fed up with the flooding, broken elevators, loose wires, and squatters that plague his building. Simpson wants more effort from his landlords, but he says they have been nonresponsive and unhelpful. “No one ever answers the calls,” Simpson said. “The maintenance [workers] come in and take the garbage out. They don’t mop. They don’t clean… It’s like we’re just here and they’re just collecting money.” Shoddy living conditions and uncommunicative landlords is hardly abnormal

Flanked By Bronx Electeds, Schumer Rails Against CSX Land Deal Talks

By JOSEPH KONIG

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and a slew of Bronx lawmakers slammed rail transportation giant CSX for walking away from a deal to sell unused land in Kingsbridge to the city so it can be converted into a greenway and bike path. “We cannot allow this project to be delayed just because CSX wants to squeeze a few more pennies out of the community,” Schumer said at a news conference Oct. 17 held at the West 238th Street overpass near Broadway. “We are telling them, asking them to come back to the table or else.” What “or else” meant was unclear

By JOSEPH KONIG

Two men entered a MetroPCS store in Bedford Park on Monday night, flashed a box cutter at an employee, and left with $500 in cash and an iPhone, police said on Wednesday. The two suspects entered the store at 219 E. 198th St. store as a store employee was counting money from the cash register at around 7:45 p.m. A Hispanic man in his mid-20’s showed the knife and took $500 from the register. A black man in his mid-20’s, grabbed an iPhone SE from the counter. The men quickly ran out the store. The employee was not injured. Both suspects were spotted on surveillance

SEE VIDEO: Brazen Robbery Shorts Norwood Deli of $1100

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO and CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

The owner of a Norwood deli held up in an armed robbery is now taking extra measures to stay safe.Chris Lopez runs the store and told the Norwood News he and his employees will be “more careful.” “Just sand point in case something like that happens again,” he said, adding the store will be “closing earlier, temporarily until [the suspects] get caught. Then we’ll return hours to normal.” Prior to the robbery, the deli, in business for three years, was open 24 hours. The robbery took place in the early hours of Oct. 14 when three men wearing masks stormed

DEP Backtracks Following Outrage Over Tap Water Taste (Picture)

By JOSEPH KONIG

UPDATE: Michael Deloach, the DEP Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs & Communications, spoke at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Croton Facility Monitoring Committee on Tuesday night and addressed resident complaints of water taste and smell. Deloach conceded that the DEP could have done more in communicating with the public but insisted that there were no health risks in consuming city tap water. “No question it wasn’t quality and up-to-snuff as what we usually deliver,” Deloach said of the “metallic”-tasting water Bronx residents reported drinking over the last few weeks. “Moving forward when we do have a big shift from