Battle of the Bills on Lead Testing

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO

Two Bronx senators are proposing separate bills that bear similarities towards improving lead level testing in children, in light of the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) lead poisoning crisis. State Senator Luis Sepulveda recently introduced a bill that seeks to raise the maximum testing age from 6 to 10 years old and lower the microgram threshold to match the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) danger level of five micrograms. In New York State, it takes ten micrograms of lead found in a child’s blood to trigger action. Under current state law, children under the age of two

Norwood Local Lobbies Assemblywoman For Domestic Violence Bill

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

Local activist and president of Guerinos Against Graffitti, Heather Guerino, met with Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez to discuss issues surrounding domestic violence and how it is handled by authorities. The meeting came days after Lisa Marie Velasquez was killed while trying to protect her friend from an abusive boyfriend. In an ironic twist, Velasquez also witnessed the abuse and death of her mother, resulting in Velasquez’s grandmother raising her. Guerino wants to make life safer for victims of domestic violence by retraining police officers on how to deal with orders of protection. Guerino has found the system marred with loopholes that

Cabrera Chides NYCHA Over Legionnaire’s Ignorance

By MARIYA MOSELEY

“Is it safe to brush my teeth?” Those are the words of the 6-year-old grandson of Barbara Lauray, President of the Tenants Association at the Fort Independence Houses complex at 3340 Bailey Ave. Lauray, 61, said it’s “sad and heartbreaking” to see her grandchildren dig into their bookbags for a bottle of water and toothbrush every morning. This comes as two residents at the building have recently been treated and released from a local hospital after contracting Legionnaires’ disease. The disease is often described as a severe form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium that festers in water, leading health

By KATIE PANCZER

As the end of summer approaches, many families have sent their children off to college. As a parent or caregiver, the thought of sending a child to college may be the start of an adventure. To others, it can be overwhelming. You may question how your child will manage laundry, eating well, cleaning up after themselves and finding their way around. You may also wonder how your home life will change in their absence and how they will adjust to a new environment with new responsibilities. This transition will likely be stressful for your teenager, too, even if they are

Editor’s Pick Free Events in Norwood Bainbridge Adult Day Health Care Center, 3529 Wayne Ave., invites the public to the following free events: Sept. 13 – Welcome New Registrants Party; Sept. 17 – Hispanic Heritage Party; Sept. 21 – Karaoke; Sept. 28 – September Birthdays Celebration; and Sept. 27 – Zumba Party. All events are held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call in advance to arrange transportation. For more information, call (718) 653-2273 ext. 5608. Onstage Lehman College for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd., W., presents Mambo Legends Orchestra, tribute to the music of the Palladium Era,

Senator Jeff Klein, Bronx Political Heavyweight, Loses to Alessandria Biaggi

By DAVID CRUZ and JONATHAN CUSTODIO

The Democratic Party establishment, running parallel with the rest of the City, was hit with a blue tsunami on primary day as state Sen. Jeff Klein, a long term political fixture in the Bronx and former leader of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) lost to newcomer Alessandra Biaggi, along with four former IDC members. Klein, who had spent $2 million weeks before the Sept. 13 primary, did not appear to address supporters at Maestro’s Caterers in Morris Park, with many holding out until midnight before leaving. Unofficial tallies showed Biaggi had more than 53 percent of the vote over Klein’s

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS and DAVID CRUZ

On Election Day for this year’s primaries, the Norwood News took to the streets to see who the polls were favoring— state Sen. Jeff Klein of the 34th Senate District and once the co-leader of the Independent Democratic Conference who’s been in office since 2005, or Alessandra Biaggi, the new progressive Democrat. In Morris Park, a stronghold for Klein, campaign signs for Klein were abundant with some homes displaying several in their yards, but not one was spotted for Biaggi. Of the eleven people that the Norwood News spoke to in Morris Park, three expressed their devotion to Klein. One

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of community news you can use. With 20 pages of news, we have a lot to cover. Our front page cover story focuses on the street co-naming of “Mary Vallati Way” in memory of the late community activist who died at the age of 102. Read what the street co-naming means to those who knew Vallati and the impact her endearing legacy can have on Bedford Park and Norwood. Also, read up on the editorial praising the value her stewardship left on the neighborhood. The Norwood

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, neighbors, elected leaders and family members of the late community activist, Mary Vallati, gathered to honor her with the co-naming of the street she resided on. Councilman Andrew Cohen attended and, with help from Vallati’s son Dennis Vallati, and granddaughter Jamie McCauley-Iacocca, pulled the brown covering from underneath the East Mosholu Parkway South and Perry Avenue sign to reveal “Mary Vallati Place.” “I think this is a perfect tribute to her commitment, the really lifelong commitment to this community,” Cohen said at the street co-naming on Sept. 9. “I’m really grateful, and I know that