A Rapidly Rising Company Settles in Norwood

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

After 35 years working as a taxi driver, Mario Sena started his own driving company. But he never dreamed of how far it would go. Taking his understanding of the vehicle-for-hire business to work for him, Sena and his wife, Olga, operated a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) service from a makeshift office in their apartment in Pelham Bay. In 2012, he only had three customers and one driver, Sena himself. Now, Agape Luxury, Corp. books an average of 5,000 trips per day. Last year, Agape drove over one million patients to and from medical appointments, and in the last three

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

The Sept. 13 primary in the Bronx is one for the ages. It’s usually a tough one for challengers, but in the year when the reckoning on establishment Democrats reached its peak, no one was safe. Not even the state’s most powerful senator, Jeff Klein, ousted as the Democratic representative for the 34th Senate District by Alessandra Biaggi, a candidate with a Democratic platform that translates to a complete condemnation against President Donald Trump. The people made their voices heard in a race that should be seen as an example of what happens when there’s a more engaged voting bloc

By JOSEPH KONIG

“Right now, the Bronx is prime real estate. Prime, prime real estate.” Those are the words of Joseph Governali, a Norwood resident and realty investor who said he recently entered into contract to purchase four homes in Bedford Park. Governali and his Brooklyn-based partner, Emmanuel Marshall, are part of a larger movement of investors and developers buying up Bronx homes, and tearing them down to replace them with tall buildings, exploiting existing zoning laws. The section of Bedford Park–bordered by Grand Concourse, Mosholu Parkway, East 198th Street and Webster Avenue–saw 28 properties sold between January and August of 2018 (see

For the Traveling Art Lover All Roads Lead to Fordham

By DAVID GREENE

The spinning wheels inside a young artist’s mind and the wheels from vintage wagons discovered across the Bronx, collided at the intersection of Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse, creating a unique work of art that will be on display until next spring. Welder and artist Colin Nicodemo, 44, of Cold Spring, N.Y., beamed with pride during the unveiling of his ten-foot high a hand-welded, circular shaped statue entitled, “All Roads Lead to Fordham”. Nicodemo was surrounded by family members and members of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID), at the unveiling at the south side of the East

By FERNANDO CABRERA

Not since Hurricane Katrina have we seen the U.S. government fail so miserably in addressing a domestic humanitarian crisis as it has in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A full six months after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017, ravaging the island, our federal government continued dragging its feet in providing relief to rebuild Puerto Rico’s most basic infrastructure functioning and reliable electricity, healthcare, operational schools, bridges, roads and reliable communications. These aren’t luxuries; they are basic necessities for any community to jumpstart its own economy, generate and maintain jobs, and restore a sense of

Mary Vallati was honored with a street renaming just outside where she lived. Now, those who knew Vallati will tell you she was a person with a real love for the community up until the time she passed away last year. At 102 years old, almost 40 years after the average age of retirement, Vallati continued volunteering her time for causes seen as vital to the community. She was there to hand out raffle tickets at 52nd Precinct Community Council gatherings, and doing her part sending mailers for upcoming Bedford Mosholu Community Association meetings. At 102 years old you can’t

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

By DAVID CRUZ

North Central Bronx Hospital (NCBH) has found its new CEO in one of ITS own, a week after officials with NYC Health + Hospitals initially snubbed her for the post. Cristina Contreras has been kicked upstairs to run the hospital after service as the city-funded hospital’s chief operating officer. Contreras succeeds outgoing NCBH head Maureen Pode, who announced her retirement. “We are lucky to have Cristina Contreras take on this new senior administrative post,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD, in a statement. “Her leadership and commitment to the hospital staff, patients, and the community

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, After taking a tiny break to rejuvenate ourselves, the Norwood News is back with its latest edition. Check out 24 pages of community news happening in and around your Bronx neighborhood. We begin with page one! This story previews the impending traffic headaches set to fall on Norwood. It’s thanks to two road projects that will take out lanes and test your patience. Jonathan Custodio spoke with residents on their thoughts on the dual projects. Read the city’s response to the first project. Inside the cover you’ll find my first-person account of serving jury duty with Mayor Bill