Judges: Thou Shalt Not Worship In School

by David Cruz Church groups may have to look elsewhere if they were to celebrate Easter or Passover inside an available public school. A federal court has sided with the city Department of Education in ruling that religious practice in public schools is unconstitutional. The decision, part of a decades-long lawsuit brought by several Bronx church groups, now jeopardizes any Easter/Passover plans made by church groups. “Mayor [Bill de Blasio] with a single swipe of his pen can offer immediate relief to thousands of his fellow New Yorkers who now face the prospect of not knowing if they will have

The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with some noteworthy stories that can get the conversation going. First up, the Norwood News follows the aftermath of a three-alarm fire that knocked out several businesses in Mt. Hope. What are their options in rebuilding? Better read to find out. Next, some stinky news that is the bane of Bronxites–dog mess! It’s on the sidewalks, parks, you name it. All the reason why the 52nd Precinct has put this quality of life issue on the forefront, vowing to issue summonses. Check out what sparked the talk here. And finally, the first-ever Crunch Fitness

By JUSTIN MCCALLUM It’s a frequent topic for Community Board 7’s Environment and Sanitation Committee and universally disgusting–dog poop littering the streets year round. Whether along the greenways of Mosholu Parkway and Reservoir Oval, or other bustling thoroughfares such as Jerome Avenue, the prevalence of poop has certainly raised concerns. “People not picking up behind their dog is really a problem in our district, and I really don’t see any enforcement,” an anonymous complainant told the March 18 general meeting. But thanks to a recent addition to the 52nd Precinct’s Community Affairs office, the issue may finally come to

by DAVID CRUZ The charcoal scent still lingers along a stretch of small businesses on East Burnside Avenue just a week and a half after a three-alarm fire damaged them. Crews have since erected a scaffold, while police from the 46th Precinct have set up a barricade, fencing off the property from pedestrians and any would-be squatters. Passersby assess the rubble at some stores, staring pitifully at some of the establishments that have been gutted.

BP Envisions Vibrant Waterfront in Years Ahead

BY SHAYLA LOVE The Bronx wants to take back its waterfront property. With the successful transformation of crumbling riverfronts on the Hudson and East rivers, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is pursuing a new waterfront district along the Harlem River between 138th and 149th streets. The park is made possible because of the 2009 rezoning of the Lower Concourse, which encourages greater density, commercial and residential activity. An aerial view on the Google Maps website shows empty lots, piers and storage units, which would be revamped into 1.1 million square feet of residential space, 865,000 square feet of commercial space

Cars Found Smashed Along Stretch of Norwood

by David Cruz Norwood residents woke up early this morning to find several cars smashed on Parkside Place, a quiet street running parallel from Webster Avenue. The vandalism, first reported by News 12 the Bronx, happened during the overnight hours. Neighbors found front bumpers torn, glass on the floor and in one case tires slashed. Debris was found strewn about the hilly street. Car vandalism is commonplace in Norwood, according to neighbors. Police are investigating.

Bronx News Roundup for March 24-29

As the Norwood News finally gets some relief from this cold weather, albeit relatively small, we got you covered on some of the hot Bronx stories making the rounds. First up is the late-breaking story on several staffers from Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo heading to court over allegations of fraud. As reported by the New York Daily News, much of the heat on Arroyo’s trio of staffers stem from allegedly writing phony names on campaign petitions during Arroyo’s re-election bid last year. The trio faces upwards to seven years in prison. Arroyo maintains she knew nothing about the scheme. More

Arroyo Staffers Arrested On Forgery Charges

by David Cruz Three staffers for Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo have been arrested on charges of forging signatures during last year’s petition gathering . The story, first appearing in the New York Daily News, comes nearly a year after it was discovered the trio of staffers–Betty Julien, Elbin Lopez and Luis Vargas–allegedly wrote mock signatures that included known public figures Derek Jeter and Kate Moss. Arroyo, distancing herself from her accused staffers, denied having known about the collusion at a Board of Elections hearing last year. The three stand to face upwards to seven years in prison if convicted.

By David Cruz It’s a 21st century school for a 21st century world. Call that the mantra for Tech International Charter School in Kingsbridge Heights, a middle school settled in a relatively new ten-story office building on Corlear Avenue. Since the Norwood News first reported on the school back in 2011, TI Charter School has now added a seventh grade to its roster to its already established sixth grade, making up a student body of 215. An eighth grade class slated for the 2014-2015 school year will bump the population to over 300.