Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 4

Welcome back to another edition of the Bronx News Roundup. Here are the Bronx stories we’re following today.

Win Free Passes to the Bronx International Film Festival

The Norwood News is a sponsor of this year’s Bronx International Film Festival, which starts today and runs through Saturday. Each day of the festival, we will be posting a trivia question. If you answer correctly, you win free passes to the festival. Just email your answer to contest@bronxfilmfestival.com and put “Norwood News answer” in the subject line.

Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 3

Following a longer-than-expected hiatus, we are back with a brand new edition of the Bronx News Roundup. Let’s get to it.

Bronx Notes: Tree Lighting at St. Ann’s Church Tonight

Saint Ann’s Church, 3519 Bainbridge Ave., will be holding its 7th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony tonight, Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in the church garden. There will be Christmas carols and hot chocolate for everyone.

Bronx Notes: Bedford Mosholu Community Association Meeting Tonight

The Bedford Mosholu Community Association will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. at 400 E. Mosholu Pkwy. So., apt. B1 (lobby floor). All are welcome.

Bronx Senator Klein Forms Coalition With Republicans

The full Bronx News Roundup (we’re back!) will cover this in more depth later on today, but this is big news in the Bronx and the rest of New York: Democratic State Senator Jeff Klein, whose 34th District now stretches from the far east Bronx to Riverdale (including a narrow stretch of Bedford Park), and his Independent caucus have formed a “bipartisan governing coalition” to lead the State Senate.

Bronx Photos: Jerome-Gun Hill Tree Lighting Celebration

Several hundred people came out to enjoy the first Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) Tree Lighting Celebration last Friday night at Green Streets Park on Mosholu Parkway North and Jerome Avenue. Above are a selection of shot taken by local photographer Adi Talwar.

Bronx Notes: Toy Drive for Children’s Hospital

LaSorsa Chevrolet Dealer and Montefiore Medical Center are sponsoring a toy drive to benefit patients at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. From now until Dec. 16, you can drop off unwrapped toys to the following locations (call the stores for hours).

Latino Muslims Search for Identity, Community in the Bronx

Al-Samat, a native of the Dominican Republic, converted to Islam in 2010 after a long period of faith exploration as she became increasingly dissatisfied with the Catholic Church. Now, she says she has found a welcoming home here at Masjid Annasr, one of several West African mosques in Morris Heights, a majority-Hispanic area increasingly dotted with Ghanaian groceries offering Halal cuts of goat meat.