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Bedford Park Mosque Organizes Coat Drive

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
On a cold but bright and sunny afternoon, members of Masjidus Sabur set up a table on Bainbridge Avenue in Bedford Park for their annual winter coat and essentials drive. Masjidus is the Islamic term for mosque. Iman Alprentice Talibudeen McCutchen helped manage the event on Feb. 5 in front of the mosque, located at 2975 Bainbridge Avenue.   “In today’s event, we’re giving away [free] coats for children as well as teenagers and adults… and book bags,” McCutchen said. A group of four to five volunteers joined McCutchen in manning a folding table surrounded by multiple boxes of coats


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Couple Share the Love on Valentine’s Day, Hand Out Gift Cards to Seniors

By DAVID GREENE
  A couple celebrating St. Valentine’s Day, who wanted to give back to elderly residents of Fordham Manor, spent some of the day attempting to hand out eight $25 gift cards at their local supermarket to surprised and grateful shoppers.   Early on Sunday morning, Feb. 14, Joseph Riley and his wife of ten years, Monique Ferguson-Riley, showed up at the Food Universe on East 194th Street, between Marion Avenue and Bainbridge Avenue, and handed out the $25 Visa gift cards to customers walking down the aisles, or at the checkout line.   Ferguson-Riley was born in Miami and raised in


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Bullying Survivor Inspires Kids at P.S. 294, Walton Avenue School

By SÍLE MOLONEY
When she was nine years old, Shira Blumenthal, founder of the nationwide anti-bullying movement, #HatNotHate, was a self-described, chubby girl with short frizzy hair, buck teeth, and very little confidence. At the start of fourth grade, she had two friends. “They were a little cooler than I was, but that didn’t faze me,” she writes on her website, hatnothate.org.   Then, there was another “cool” girl in her class, who, she wrote, was friends with everyone, boys and girls, and who always wore a bra strap headband, which she told other kids her mother had invented. Blumenthal said she can’t remember


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Armed Group Rob Couple’s Home in 49th Precinct

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The New York City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance identifying the individuals and vehicle seen in the attached video and photographs in connection with a robbery that occurred in the 49th Precinct.   It was reported to police that on Monday Feb. 15, at approximately 10.10 p.m., at a home in the vicinity of Barnes Avenue and Van Nest Avenue, close to Little Yemen, one of the suspects climbed to the second floor awning and forced open a window to gain entry into the home.   The individual then opened the front door for his four accomplices. Once


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Update: Gibson Honored by Crain’s New York Business, Gets Backing of Torres, Vacca in BP Race

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, representing the City’s 16th District, has been honored by Crain’s New York Business 2021 as a Notable Black Leader and Executive. The list spotlights Black men and women who have affected the city with professional, communal and philanthropic achievements, particularly in matters of diversity and inclusion. Gibson congratulated her fellow honorees, said she was blessed to be recognized during Black History Month, and that she stood on the shoulders of the pioneers and trailblazers who started the work before her.   As reported previously by the Norwood News, Gibson is currently one of six candidates running for


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City Council District 11 Race: Mino Lora Endorsed by Communications Workers Union & More

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Mino Lora, an educator and executive director of the People’s Theatre Project, who is one of six candidates running for City Council in the 11th District in The Bronx, has recently been endorsed by Run for Something, CWA District 1, Jewish Vote, and NYIC Action. A special election is being held on March 23 to decide who will represent the district.   According to its website, Run for Something provides a safety net for new and exciting progressive candidates — at all stages of their journey — to help them run efficient, grassroots & voter-contact driven campaigns so that they


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Update: District 11 City Council Race, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club Endorses Jessica Haller

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, named for legendary gay rights pioneer, Jim Owles, a citywide activist club with a mission to secure human rights, dignity, and freedom for all people since 2004, announced on Monday, Feb. 15, their endorsement of Jessica Haller, City Council candidate in the 11th District race, for which a special election will be held on March 23.   Jim Owles Club President, Allen Roskoff, said Haller’s passion and drive to implement progressive policies around climate change, economic recovery, and affordable housing will make her a powerful voice to help the community face the many crises


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Update: Rev. Ian Harris Runs for State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda’s seat in the 32nd Senatorial District in the Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On Monday, Feb. 15, Rev. Ian Harris announced in a campaign video that he was looking to become the next state senator of the 32nd senatorial district, a seat currently held by State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, who, last month, was arrested on charges of allegedly attempting to choke his estranged wife. As reported by the Norwood News, Sepúlveda was subsequently stripped of his chairmanship duties at the State senate in the wake of the media storm that followed, with many elected officials calling on him to resign.   According to his press release, Harris is a community activist who has


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Wells Fargo Provides $5 million to Local CDFIs to Help Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Wells Fargo announced on Friday, Feb. 12, that six New York-based community development financial institutions (CDFIs) have received a combined $5 million from the bank’s “Open for Business Fund” (OFB) to help local small businesses impacted by the economic struggles caused by COVID-19.   Wells Fargo representatives said the bank selected Accompany Capital ($500,000), Greater Jamaica Development Corporation ($500,000), Harlem Entrepreneurial Fund ($400,000), NDC Community Impact Loan Fund ($1 million), Pursuit Community Finance ($1 million) and Renaissance Economic Development Corporation ($1.6 million) as part of a nationwide small business recovery effort.   Representatives said the new Wells Fargo grants to


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