Bronx BP Hosts Prayer Vigil Against Trump Immigration Policy

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By ANGEL MINDANAO

Calling for “much-needed reform,” borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. is hosting a prayer vigil and rally today in collaboration with clergy, community leaders, and elected officials to demand that the Trump Administration immediately return immigrant children being held in the Bronx to their parents. The event will be co-sponsored by the Bronx Clergy Task Force and will take place on the steps of The Bronx County Building, 851 Grand Concourse (at the corner of East 161st Street), at noon. According to Diaz, his office has been contact with Catholic Guardian Services and Lutheran Social Services of New York, two organizations

By NORWOOD NEWS

The Norwood News, the community publication covering the Bronx and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, won a first place prize once again for Best Small Circulation Publication at this year’s Ippies Awards. The contest, now in its sixteenth year, celebrates the work of community and ethnic media outlets across the city. The Center for Community & Ethnic Media, which has its offices at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, has organized the show since its inception. Tom Robbins, investigative reporter in residence at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, cited the paper’s 2016 February 16 to March 1 edition

By ANGEL MINDANAO

Though at first glance, the garage at 383 E. 201st St. appears to be simply old and abandoned, in its alleyway is a historic relic that could come down. At the last monthly Bedford Mosholu Community Association meeting, president Barbara Stronczer announced that a developer had purchased the garage, putting a wall sign at risk while also lowering the chance the garage will ever be used for its intended purpose. The wall sign reads “Vote Henry Bruckn,” with a portion of its right side painted over. Stronczer told residents that she came out of her apartment building two weeks prior

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering the Bronx, is out and packed with plenty of Bronx news coverage. We begin our journey with page one and our front page story. This one focuses on Jean Hill, the newly voted chair of Community Board 7. The headline says it all: Hill’s stature is risen from her ascension to the role of board chair. Hear what Hill had to say on her expectations from Board members come September. We then head inside the cover and the local debate on the Specialized High School Admissions Test and a

By JOSE A. GIRALT

The Kingsbridge Heights Neighborhood Improvement Association (KHNIA) may not celebrate its 39th anniversary next year. The grassroots nonprofit faces eviction with no plans for an alternate location, entering an uncertain future that will be settled in Housing Court. The organization operates out of 2805 University Ave. by its vice president and outreach coordinator, Elizabeth Thompson. The building management company, The Morgan Group, is proceeding with an eviction action after KHNIA accrued $6000 in back rent. Until a final ruling is made on the eviction, a judge is allowing Thompson to use the apartment for one hour a day to take

25K Crops Expected to Grow at DeWitt Clinton HS School Farm

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

DeWitt Clinton High School is now home to the largest student-operated hydroponic system in New York and is expected to produce 25,000 lbs. of vegetables and herbs annually. That is enough to feed all 2,200 students lunch daily, with over 300 lbs. a week left over for the community. Officials unveiled the futuristic farm on June 2. Whatever produce isn’t used for school lunches will be donated to food pantries and emergency food assistance, like Good Shepherd Services at the school or City Harvest. The students will also set up a small farm market at the school, selling produce and

Fordham Farmers Market Now Accepts Food Scraps

By SOPHIA EBANKS

A weekly farmers market hosted by GrowNYC opens today in Fordham Plaza and is interested in compiling your organic waste. On top of its array of fresh regional produce, the Fordham Plaza Greenmarket will also feature a food scrap collection for visitors to dump their food waste. The food scrap collection is an initiative organized by the nonprofit in partnership with the city Sanitation Department that started last year in Fordham Plaza, on East Fordham Road between Webster and Third Avenues. Nearly 2,000 pounds of vegetable scraps, stale bread, and coffee grounds were donated and later turned into compost for

By ANGEL MINDANAO

After years of complaints from residents of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) problems such as lead poisoning in children, the city has agreed to provide $1.2 billion in capital funding over the course of five years and $200 million every year thereafter to improve conditions in public housing. Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) filed a legal complaint against the administration that houses a population of 400,000 after mismanagement of services led employees lying on inspection reports. According to

What to Expect from the Bike Share Program

By JOSE GIRALT

Officials from the city Department of Transportation (DOT) presented a slideshow to Community Board 7’s Traffic & Transportation Committee explaining how the new dockless bike share pilot program will work. Unlike the popular Citi Bike program that dominates Manhattan, the Bronx’s program will not include the bulky and space consuming docking stations. Instead, residents will use an app to unlock the bikes which will be parked on sidewalks. Bikes will be available throughout Community Board’s 5 and 6, with a small part of the southern-most section of CB7 included. Although the bikes will be only available in the designated areas,