Bronx Bike Share Program Gets Rolling

By SOPHIA EBANKS

The city Department of Transportation has picked five companies for the pilot bike share program in boroughs outside Manhattan. Two of those companies, the Hong Kong-based Ofo and Brooklyn-based JUMP, will supply bikes to the Bronx. The program will bring at least 200 bikes to the central Bronx and Fordham area. “Our goal is to make cycling accessible to anyone anywhere,” said Jordan Levine, head of northeast communications at Ofo. “We want to make it both as affordable and approachable as possible by taking away traditional barriers like having bikes being stolen or dishing out a few hundred dollars to

By JOSE A. GIRALT

Five blocks from where Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was attacked by members of the Trinitarios gang, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an $18.4 million investment for youth-based programs in the Bronx. Inside the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club in Belmont the governor described the initiative as “unprecedented” and revealed a multi-faceted approach to support activities for Bronx kids. The initiative, dubbed New Opportunities for Bronx Youth, will offer kids a variety of activities from academics to sports to the arts, in the hope that gang-related activities will decrease. The murder of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was still fresh on the minds of

“Junior’s Law” Orders Bodegas to Keep Minors Safe

By SOPHIA EBANKS

Following the brutal murder of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz outside a bodega in Belmont, two Bronx lawmakers look to make sure small businesses step it up to protect young children in the community. State Senator Luis Sepulveda and Assemblyman Victor Pichardo announced the “Safe Havens for Endangered Children” law, nicknamed “Junior’s Law,” alongside community advocates, religious leaders, and some of Junior’s family members outside of the bodega where Junior sought refuge. The proposed law would require small businesses to provide refuge and call police if a minor in danger were to seek their help. Another measure of the bill will

Editor’s Pick Free Concert at VC Park The Bronx Arts Ensemble presents free concert featuring oldies, pop and R&B on July 15 at 2 p.m. at Van Cortlandt Park’s Rockwood Drive Circle (Mosholu Avenue and Broadway) near the stables. In case of rain, concert postponed to Aug 5. For more information, call (718) 543-8672. Events Lehman College, 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd., W., presents Summer Jazz Institute, July 11 to 13, for educators, to learn teaching methods including improvisations, active listening, and syncopation. For more information and to register, visit JazzPower.org. Williamsbridge Oval presents the following events for ages 6 to

Breaking Down the Ocasio-Cortez/Crowley Race

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Democratic primary victory over incumbent Congressman Joe Crowley left many stunned, including members of the Bronx Democratic Party. Referring to the freshly defeated Crowley, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. told a The New York Times reporter, “We need [Crowley] in Washington, DC. Washington is about consistency and seniority.” Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, the Bronx Democratic Party chairman, told Politico that Ocasio-Cortez’s win “rattled” some members of his party. “I think we don’t have to view it all as a negative,” Crespo said. “There is an energetic new base that identifies as Democrats that are demanding and expecting change.”

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Excelsior Scholarship Applications for the Excelsior Scholarship are now open for new applicants pursuing a college degree at city- or state-funded colleges/universities for the 2018-19 academic year. Eligible candidates must be New York State residents, take 30 credits per year (including summer and winter sessions), a family whose annual household income is below $110,000, and be on track to graduate on time with an associate’s degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four years. Applications will be accepted through July 23. For more information, and to apply, go to https://www.hesc.ny.gov/excelsior/. Bird Walks Free bird walk tours with guides

CB7 Along With Other Boards Get Funding Boost (Web Picture)

By JOSE A. GIRALT

Community boards in the Bronx will see $42,500 added to their operating budgets starting in July. Community Board 7, representing a chunk of the northwest and west Bronx, will now see their budget increase from $223,000 to $265,500, according to figures released by Councilman Fernando Cabrera. Cabrera stopped by CB7’s last general board meeting to present the news. Cabrera chairs the Governmental Operations Committee which is responsible for funding community boards. With rising costs and stringent budgets, community boards across the city have been asked to do more with less. Initially, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 2019 budget did not include

In the aftermath of the street murder of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, the U.S. Attorney’s Office should once again take a hard look at the gang responsible for his murder, the deadly Trinitarios gang. It has been done before, with help from RICO. And it can be done again. An investigation under RICO, acronym for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, certainly fits well for the Trinitarios. The machete-wielding group, with roots in the Bronx, has engaged in racketeering, murder, attempted murder, illegal gun carrying, and drug dealing, according to an indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2013. The

Lehman College Art Gallery Doubles as Resource for Community Schools

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

The Lehman College Art Gallery (LCAG) was empty early one June morning when the Norwood News visited. The doors had just opened for the day, and artwork that included paintings on social justice to lifelike sculptures and stop-motion videos were on display. Attached to one of the glass walls in the gallery was a small donation box, the only suggested fee one could pay. Beyond serving as a hub for local art, the center also thinks outside itself, looking to inspire the surrounding communities through educational programs for children and their families. LCAG has been working with Bronx schools for