Neighborhood Notes

Flea Market Donations Sought Donations are needed for the Bedford Mosholu Community Association flea market scheduled to be held on March 4. Bring new and used items (except clothing) to the BMCA office at 400 E. Mosholu Pkwy. So., apt. B1 (lobby floor) on Feb. 15 and 22 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Feb. 25 from 1:30 to 4 p.m., and March 1 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more information, call (718) 367-2230 or email bedfordmosholu@verizon.net. Suited for Success The Community Affairs Unit of the Office of the Bronx District Attorney is requesting donations of clean ready-to-wear suits, ties, dress shirts and

By SARAH STEIN KERR

Three years ago, serial entrepreneur Gino Pacheco tried out a new career: stay-at-home dad. Pacheco, 40, a native Bronxite who started his first business at the age of 14, quickly became restless and began thinking about his next venture. “I always wanted to find things about the Bronx,” said Pacheco. “I was on Google looking for stuff and I just couldn’t find anything. I thought there was a void for that.” Last July, Pacheco launched Bronx411.com, a new Bronx-focused online directory that helps small business owners in the Bronx get more bang for their marketing buck – especially since it’s

By DANIELA BEASLEY

The familiar phrase, “ID please,” followed by the extended hand of a straight-faced towering bouncer with music drowning out conversation penetrating the door, could describe the scene of a typical night out in New York City. A ‘go ahead’ nod from the bouncer leads the way inside where people are dancing, smoking hookah and drinking, but not in the obvious Manhattan setting. Instead, they’re doing so in the Bronx, more specifically Norwood. Norwood is now home to more Hispanic oriented eateries and stores which once fostered a much more Irish atmosphere with pubs that lined both sides of 204th Street.

This week we asked readers their thoughts on what should be included in the proposed $85 billion New York City budget. I think it’s very important for the de Blasio Administration to fund transportation, education, health issues and children’s health and education, and to fund local colleges. There isn’t enough money being spent on higher education and money should also be allocated for senior citizens. Grace Chanke Norwood This money should go to people in need, like people on public assistance because they really need it to help pay their rent and buy food. They should spend some of

By DEBORAH CRUZ

The doors to a once so-called “toxic school” reopened with a well-attended ribbon cutting for Quality Services for the Autism Community school (QSAC). Administrators told the Norwood News the school is no longer a health hazard. “There is a whole new system in place, we have our testers come in quarterly and test our air and our water and we have passed all of our tests,” said Susan Silvestri, director of the QSAC school, at the school’s ribbon cutting on Jan. 26. “We are actually going to graduate to testing twice a year instead of four times a year.” The

By DAVID GREENE and DAVID CRUZ

Customers were caught by surprise on Feb. 2 when they noticed at least three stores in the Norwood section of the Bronx closed following fallout from President Donald Trump’s ban on foreigners from predominantly Muslim countries. The stores, a 99-cent store and a smoke show, are family owned and operated by those originating from the Middle East. Signs were posted on each of the stores with one reading, “My family detained in JFK.” Onlookers stopped to read the signs, talking among themselves as they noticed the show of silent protest against Mr. Trump’s ban. One resident, who went by Ray W.,

Repealing the Affordable Care Act. Building a wall. Holding federal funds to New York City hostage. A temporary ban on refugees. All this happened in one week of President Donald Trump’s America. And though his executive orders were theatrical at best (except the ban), they’re just getting warmed up. And so is the media. Since the Inauguration, there’s been a wake-up call among career politicians who believed none of this could happen. The reversal of fortune is tough to stomach for Democrats, who are now banding together to stymie the fallout of the Republican president’s policies, which appear to be

Dear Fellow Readers, Happy Groundhog Day! The Norwood News, covering the Bronx, is out with plenty of community news you can use! In this third edition of 2017 we bring you 16 pages packed with thought-provoking news items. As usual, we begin one page and a story we’ve been wanting to cover for some time: classroom space. With Mayor Bill de Blasio announcing the creation of 38,000, parents would prefer to see a school built. And so does local Bronx Community Board 7, which has made it its top request to the city. Read how many seats are needed and

By ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA, PFA

Rapid Refund. Remember that name? It was so misleading, the IRS and New York made tax filing firms correct it’s meaning because it was misleading advertising. So now, we have “Rapid Advance.” No, it’s not your tax refund, but a 0 percent loan given to you on a pre-paid debit card. Well, you might say, that sounds very convenient. It sure is! The tax filing companies want you to use this new card–to spend your money–and they will charge you every dollar for it. So, you’ve finished your taxes! Got your debit card and your loan? You want it now