CB 7 Hosts First Women’s Empowerment Summit

By DAVID GREENE

A diverse group of successful women who all grew up or lived in the Bronx gathered for the first annual Women’s Empowerment Summit 2017, extending March’s Women’s History Month into April. The panelists came from high positions in government, with a surprise televised appearance from Merryl Tengesdal, an astronaut who grew up in the northwest Bronx. She was introduced by her cousin, Gwendolyn Thomas-Steed, a member of Community Board 7. The civic panel hosted the event at Lehman College’s Lovinger Theater on April 8. On hand panelists included Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, New York City Public Advocate Leticia James,

Could the curse of the Kingsbridge Armory be lifted? For decades, it seemed any time there’s some headway in turning it into a promising venue, a barrier gets in the way. There was the failed attempt to repurpose the enormous castle into a public school and then a mall by the Related Companies. The latest proposal that’s within reach of reality is the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC). And even then, that project has hobbled along, facing lawsuits along the way. But Governor Andrew Cuomo appears to have broken the spell. Even as the now-approved Fiscal Year 2018-19 $153 billion

NEW YORK CITY Comptroller Scott Stringer (r) glad hands members of the Tracey Towers Tenants Association at a meet-and-greet hosted at the Norwood towers on April 3. It had been more than three years since Stringer stopped by the Mitchell-Lama complex. This time, the city’s so-called “moneyman” ran down his role in the city and some reports his office has released including a report on the city’s senior population. Jean Hill (l), president of the tenants association, awaits him at the podium. Photo by Miriam Quinones

Healthfirst Honors Women

HEALTHFIRST HONORED 11 WOMEN who’ve risen to prominent positions in the private and public sector at a March 30 ceremony at Maestro’s restaurant in Morris Park. Among the honorees is Brooklyn Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo (second from right), who shares a moment with (l-r) Gaye Anderson, manager, Community Engagement Healthfirst; Council Member Vanessa Gibson; Sheimyrah Mighty (performer); and George Hulse, VP Community Engagement, Healthfirst. Photo by Jessica Gordon

Bill Seeks More Accountability on Capital Projects

By DAVID CRUZ

A bill that would create greater accountability on city agencies carrying out long term construction projects, or capital projects, has been introduced. Councilman Andrew Cohen, representing Norwood, introduced the measure amid long delays to capital projects he’s funded since his time in office, including a skate park at Williamsbridge Oval Park. The original completion date for the project, which Cohen earmarked $750,000 in 2014, was this year. So far, nothing has been done. The proposal for a skate park has been in the works since 2004. Much of the delay stemmed from a winning contractor dropping out of the project, according

By DAVID CRUZ

As the Trump Administration toughens its enforcement and policy on undocumented immigrants, with federal agents further zeroing in on immigrant communities, know-your-rights forums have dotted the borough’s landscape. For attorneys at the Legal Aid Society, which offers pro-bono services to immigrants sorting through their status, these forums are critical. After all, many are unaware that every immigrant, undocumented or not, have rights. Those tenets include the right to a lawyer, questioning the legitimacy of so-called “notarios,” and the variety of methods used to prevent deportation. Every case is different, they admit, and the best way to mitigate it is consulting

By DAVID CRUZ

Vital Stats: 35K – Number of children served by the Healthy Steps Program (Source: Montefiore Health System) For parents of developmentally delayed children, time is critical for improving their child’s outcome. But accessing behavioral therapies can be a slow and complicated process, posing a problem for children aged 3 to 5 whose developmental stalls can go overlooked. But a pilot program by Montefiore Health System, set to launch in a few weeks, looks to streamline the process, thanks to a $70,000 grant it received from the United Hospital Fund. Partnerships for Early Childhood Development, as the pilot program is called, intends

By SHANNON MEEHAN of WFUV

The Norwood News and WFUV continue their five-part series profiling ongoing challenges impacting the Bronx. When Dr. Eric Gayle, a family physician, began treating patients in the Bronx 20 years ago, assessing a patient’s ability to comprehend health information, known as health literacy, wasn’t part of his initial health assessment. That changed after a surprising revelation made by one of his long-standing patients. Despite his patient telling him she understood how to read directions he wrote on the back of a prescription, Dr. Gayle soon learned he was misled. His patient didn’t know how to read. “I was stunned,” says

By DAVID CRUZ

The New York State Appeals Court has ruled Junior High School 80 in Norwood receive a $3 million grant that was stripped away by the state last year after officials took the near century-old school off a so-called turnaround list for chronically failing schools. But the grant remains imperiled since the state has one last shot of denying the funds at a hearing in May. JHS 80, resting on a hilltop on Mosholu Parkway North, was part of a class action lawsuit filed last September claiming the state’s budget director illegally froze taxpayer grants intended to improve school performance