Squatters Busted, Ousted From Norwood Home After Shooting

By MICHAEL TURAY

Scattered Budweiser cans, shabby clothes, and pieces belonging to a worn out cabinet lay strewn about the front lawn of a two-family home at 290 Reservoir Pl. near East Gun Hill Road. For all intents and purposes, the property appears vacant from the outside. Inside, squatters had invaded, creating an unsettling feeling shared by longtime residents. Things reached a tipping point on Dec. 2 when a shootout happened inside the property, sending officers to the home. Near a second-floor window of the house, multiple bullet holes can be spotted from the shots fired following the nighttime dispute that led to

Gates Place Tenants Unveil Anti-MCI Sign, Ratcheting Up Against Landlord

By DAVID CRUZ

The banner sign that hung diagonally above Silvia Estulillo captured her fellow tenants’ story: “Rent Strike; No Mas MCIs,” referring to Major Capital Improvements that took effect shortly after the landlord’s $1.9 million, top-down renovation of the six-story building on Gates Place in Norwood. It wasn’t easy for Estulillo—who’s joined in the MCI strike—to share her story, bursting into tears after speaking openly on the ongoing strife she and a handful of tenants, fueled by gumption, have had to endure. Last year, the tenants decided not to pay for the MCI fees they say are too costly. “We’re working. We’re

In Fight to Debunk Census Myths, MMCC Secures Grant (Picture)

By DAVID CRUZ

Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) is among the 150 groups slated to receive a financial boost in its quest to ensure everyone is counted in the U.S. Census, which is slated to touch off in March under new methods of getting counted amid the political climate that’s been hostile to undocumented immigrant communities such as Norwood. Lenora Sealey, MMCC’s director of support services, is mapping out what the organization will do with the $150,000 boost it received from New York City as part of a coordinated effort in ensuring New Yorkers are counted. So far, the monies will be earmarked

Carmen Corrigan, 40-Year Norwood Stalwart with Love for Mosholu Parkway, Dies at 79

By DAVID CRUZ

Carmen Corrigan, a longtime Norwood resident who carved a life for herself in the neighborhood–married and raising two sons, one of whom went on to an established movie and television career– while also establishing herself as a prolific artist mesmerized by the neighborhood, died on Nov. 30 at age 79 after a long fight with cancer. Corrigan is best known for her body of work that immortalized the borough’s landscapes, notably Mosholu Parkway, the lush greenway serving as the cornerstone to the neighborhood’s character. Over the years, Corrigan became something of a loving stalwart for Norwood, updating her old neighbors

By DAVID CRUZ and JONATHAN CUSTODIO

Perhaps this commercial should’ve done some fact-checking before releasing this video out. A heartwarming commercial by Nike featuring the highly utilized Williamsbridge Recreation Center and its impact on young people aired some glaring mistakes on the Norwood center run by the New York City Parks Department. Intended to promote the center in partnership with the Parks Department, the ad features multiple youth, who are presented as representing the Bronx, described as a “Williamsburg local.” Though it is a popular area of Brooklyn, there is no Williamsburg section of the Bronx. There was once a Williamsbridge section of the Bronx, which

Extra Police Incremental Dismissals Ideas on School Safety Bounced Around After Stabbing

By DAVID CRUZ

The 52nd Precinct’s commanding officer pledged to maintain safety outside DeWitt Clinton Campus during dismissal time following the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy on Nov. 20 shortly after school, prompting a meeting between engaged parents, elected officials and their representatives, and officers two weeks following the incident. The meeting was called by Sirio Guerino, the former PTA president for Bronx Collaborative High School, which is housed inside the campus along with DeWitt Clinton High School (DWCHS) and Worldview High School. The city Department of Education recently approved the opening of a D75 school to operate in the campus. For Guerino,

Samelys Lopez Gets Endorsement From NYC Democratic Socialists of America

By DAVID CRUZ

Giving her candidacy a much-needed boost, Samelys Lopez received the backing of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (NYC-DSA) in the race for the South Bronx’s 15th Congressional District seat. The endorsement, coming roughly six months before voters head to the polls, comes with a heavy volunteer base that’s ready to pound the pavement for Lopez, whose campaign is among those on a shoestring budget. The New York chapter currently boasts a membership of 5,500. “In a country with unsustainable levels of income inequality, worsening health outcomes and profound housing insecurity, and in a world with dangerously rising

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

USPS Holiday Hours The following United States Postal Service locations will be operating on Sundays during Dec. 8 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Williamsbridge Station, 711 E. Gun Hill Rd.; and Parkchester Station, 1449 West Ave. For more information, call (800) 275-8777. Heating Assistance Applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) for older adults and low- and middle-income New Yorkers will be accepted by local departments of social services. Eligibility is based on income, household size and how the home is heated. Residents can apply online at https://on.ny.gov/2Fn062M and mail it to NYC DSS/HRA/HEAP, P.O. Box

Bronx Music Teachers Look to Take $20,000 Grant a Long Way

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

This was music to these young teachers’ ears. The next generation of young musicians from the Bronx is getting a $20,000 grant from Edenwald-based Teddy Cars. The automobile dealership on Boston Road announced it is distributing the funds equally among 10 school music programs. The Teddy Cars Bronx Music Program is a year-long campaign aimed at providing funds to a diverse group of school music programs in the borough, where funding for music programs is sorely needed. The money couldn’t come sooner for Bronx teachers, who already envisioned what they plan to do with the funds. Travis Washington is a