“Ghost Gun” Bill Introduced by Espaillat

By ADELINE HANSSEN

A Bronx representative wants to make so-called “ghost guns” disappear. “[They] are called ghost guns because they are oftentimes completely untraceable, assembled using a receiver that does not have a serial number, and are almost impossible to be tracked by law enforcement,” Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who represents Norwood and has introduced a bill to close the loophole, said. “These guns are more often used in violent crimes and pose serious safety concerns to our communities and law enforcement.” Espaillat announced the introduction of the Ghost Guns Are Guns Act on March 1, with Illinois Congressman Brad Schneider co-sponsoring the bill.

Crime File

Elderly Man Attacked An 88-year-old man was attacked on a Bedford Park street on March 6. Police say the victim was walking at the intersection of Briggs Avenue and East 196th Street when a young man between the ages of 15 and 20 randomly attacked him, hitting the victim in the face and taking off on foot. Nothing was stolen and the victim turned down any medical attention at the scene. The suspect is described as a male Hispanic with a medium complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing a dark blue jacket, blue hooded

By REBECCA LEWIS of WFUV

The Norwood News and WFUV continue their five-part series profiling ongoing challenges impacting the Bronx. The life of Bronx resident who only went by Mitchell could have taken a different turn had he known his rights. Mitchell, who is 22, was just 14 years old when he entered the criminal justice system, arrested on a gun possession charge. He was living in the Crotona section of the Bronx and said he was on his way to the local precinct to drop off a gun he had found for a gun buyback program. But a recent stabbing in the area had

By DAVID CRUZ

Gerri Gagliardi, a third grade teacher at St. Ann’s School, didn’t say much to convey the sense of grief over news that the Catholic school she’s taught in for a decade will close. Her hazel-green eyes did most of the talking. The same went for Tracy McGovern, Robbin Vails, and Sylvia Rini, all teachers at the parochial school and stricken with anger as they continued processing the Archdiocese of New York’s decision to close the school. The school is co-located with the Shrine Church of St. Ann, which closed its doors in August 2015 for financial reasons, according to

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers their thoughts on President Donald Trump’s revised Executive Order calling on a temporary ban of citizens from six largely Muslim countries. It’s basically the same thing. He’s still targeting certain countries, even though Iraq is no longer on the ban, but it’s really the same thing. It’s just that this time he’s going through the proper protocols. I support protecting our borders and I believe there are rules, there are ways to come into this country. However, I don’t think it should just target certain countries and not just mainly minority countries. Marie Destin Norwood

By ADELINE HANSSEN

Talk about a long shot. The demand for entry into Bronx Community Charter School (BCCS) in Norwood has increased now that Tech International Charter School (TICS) in Kingsbridge will close at the end of the school year. Parents of the soon-to-close school hope to win the lottery for entry into BCCS. But of the 28 applicants for the seventh grade class and 21 for the eighth grade class, only four of them may be allowed into the school, according to the school’s co-founder. And that’s if there are four slots indeed. Of these applications, 19 come from students who are

By CHRISTINA OWUSU-AMPAW

On Monday, Feb. 13, a meeting was held by the New York City Council discussing ways to improve public transportation to impact the lives of New Yorkers under the so-called Fair Fares campaign. Among the supporters is Councilman Andrew Cohen. Council Members argue the cost of a subway ride has been an issue for citizens, keeping them from job opportunities, education, cultural experiences, and more. The campaign looks to reduce the cost of a subway ride for low-income New Yorkers to as much as half price to ensure riders are able to travel affordably. “The cost of public transit continues

By DAVID CRUZ

An elevator is coming to the Bedford Park B/D line train station. The MTA revealed those plans at a Community Board 7 Transportation Committee meeting on March 9. They told members the lift will be installed at the center median of the Grand Concourse near Bedford Park Boulevard after reconfiguring the intersection with help from the city Department of Transportation. The plan requires no approvals from the board, though Transportation Chair Lowell Green backs the project, telling the Norwood News, “The more elevators we get, the better off we are.” Ridership on the B/D line has remained steady in recent

By DYLAN CROLL

During a New York City Council hearing last year, the NYPD addressed claims over the abuse of police placards displayed on a civilian car’s dashboard, indicating that the owners are police officers or emergency personnel looking to avoid getting a ticket. The police asserted it was a very minor problem of infrequent occurrence. Little did they know that a skeptical audience member was watching with every intention of holding them accountable, going on to create a Twitter page wholly dedicated to tracking abuse of police placards. Since early 2016, the “Placard Corruption” page has almost 5,000 followers and 6,000 tweets.