Neighborhood Notes: Join Your Community Board

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Apply to Local Community Board Applications for placement into a local community board are available. City residents who qualify must either reside, work or have a professional or other significant interest in the Bronx. Applications are open to anyone as young as 16 years old. Deadline for application submission is Feb. 9, 2018. For more information and to apply, call (718) 590-3913 or visit bronxboropres.nyc.gov/community-boards/. Summer Camp Applications Applications for summer camps sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will open Jan. 24, 2018. Applications should be submitted through the online registration program at http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html. Parents

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering the Norwood section of the Bronx and its surrounding neighborhoods, is out with its last edition of 2017! It’s certainly been a ride. To refresh your memory of some of this year’s happenings, we encourage you to take a look at our editorial. It’s worth a read. But let’s get back to the beginning and page one! On Dec. 19, Bronx Community Board 7 finally found another district manager. This time it’s Ischia Bravo, who becomes the first female district manager since the late Rita Kessler. Her hiring was met

Water Main Break in Bedford Park Shuts Down Street

Several business are working feverishly to open tomorrow after holiday shoppers visiting a strip of stores along East 198th Street will be turned away after an early morning water main break in Bedford Park. The FDNY was called to the “major water main break” at 7:17 a.m. on Tuesday, December 19, in front of 2842 Grand Concourse, at East 198th Street. According to witnesses, the water cascaded down the incline street, flooding parked cars and the basement of at least one apartment building and two stores. According to Genaro Parra, the owner of Lena’s Restaurant at 206 E. 198th Street, who told the Norwood News late Tuesday afternoon,

Cohen’s Construction Accountability Bill Clears Council

By DIEGO BARCACEL PENA

A bill that will increase accountability for roadwork has been passed by the New York City Council and awaits the mayor’s signature. Norwood Councilman Andrew Cohen, who represents the 11th Council District, co-sponsored the bill. He has noticed the amount of construction work around the area as of late. Norwood has seen work along East 208th Street and DeKalb Ave. and pockets of East Gun Hill Road. “Obviously, there’s a number of different people who tear up the street, whether it’s Con Ed, or DEP [Department of Environmental Protection],” said Cohen. “I’m sure the Norwood News has observed that there

This week we asked readers their thoughts about the Thanksgiving holiday (Editor’s Note: This question ran in our November 23 to December 6 edition). Thanksgiving I spend with my family, my daughter, and it’s one of the best holidays because it’s also my birthday. I was born on Thanksgiving Day. So Thanksgiving is special to me because it’s about gratitude and about all the things to be thankful for. Merrill Robert Van Cortlandt Park South I am a religious person and we’re planning a gathering at the church and we’re going to share the day with the homeless. We will prepare meals

COMMUNITY BOARD 7, covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Fordham and University Heights sections of the Bronx will hold its monthly board meeting on Dec. 19 at Kittay House, 2550 Webb Avenue, at 6:30 p.m. CB7 committee meetings are held on the following dates at the board office, 229 E. 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Housing, Land Use & Zoning Committee meets on Dec. 12; and Executive Committee meets on Dec. 14. There will be no Parks Committee meeting as it’s happening on Dec. 7, the same time as the CB7 Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. For more information,

The following letters to the editor were published in the Norwood News December 7-20, 2017 edition Shelter Needs More Checks and Balances The title of the article from the Nov. 9-22 issue (“Fordham Shelter Housing Site Here to Stay”) written by Reggie Francois gives the impression that FHOC [Fordham Hill Owners Corporation] and the neighborhood were defeated when in fact FHOC played a vital role in mobilizing our community so that our voices could be heard. It was written recklessly and in an insensitive tone, where fear was invoked in the commentary. Francois mentioned many of the local legislators present

Canned Food Drive Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz holds annual Holiday Canned Food Drive until Dec. 13. Donations, which are given to Bronx non-profits for families in need, can be dropped off at his office, 3107 Kingsbridge Ave. For more information, call (718) 796-5345. Heating Assistance Sign up to receive free heating assistance through the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Eligible households can receive assistance of up to $725. A family of four with a yearly income of $53,482 can still qualify for help. For more information about eligibility, and to sign up, call (212) 331-3126. Public Engagement Workshops

Council Speaker Takes a Bow, But More Work Lies Ahead (Picture)

By DAVID CRUZ

As the first New York City Council Speaker of Puerto Rican descent, Melissa Mark-Viverito placed a high priority on immigration issues that have helped raise her national profile as a staunch Democratic supporter of immigrant rights and vocal critic of the Trump administration. And as she finishes her last month in office and as speaker, Mark-Viverito, representing the 8th Council District in the South Bronx and Harlem, sees herself lobbing even more criticism at the Trump administration sans a political pulpit. “That’s why we have to fight so hard,” Mark-Viverito said. “There’s so much at stake.” Those were some