Public & Community Meetings

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 committee meetings are held on the following dates at the board office, 229 E. 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Community Relations/Long Term Planning & Economic Development Committee is on Jan. 19; and Website, Acknowledgment & Media Committee is on Jan. 25. For more information, call (718) 933-5650. There is no 52ND PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL meeting in January. The NYPD and Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit will host TOGETHER AS ONE NYC on Jan. 26 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Latino Pastoral Action Center, 14 W. 170th St., between Inwood Avenue and Plaza Drive. To

By DAVID CRUZ

Residents opposing a plan to rearrange trees along Mosholu Parkway secured a victory after Community Board 7’s Parks Committee voted down the plan, ending a yearlong question over whether the New York City Department of Parks (DOP) would move forward with a project that wasn’t well received. Elizabeth Quaranta, president of Friends of Mosholu Parkland, an advocacy group for the lea, didn’t characterize CB7’s decision as a win, but an education for the Parks Department. “[This] is really just doing the right thing for the environment and our future for Mosholu [Parkway],” Quaranta said via a Facebook chat. “I wouldn’t

Hello Fellow Readers! The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering all things Bronx, specifically Norwood, is out with plenty of community news you can use. As all stories go, we’ll begin on page one and our front page story focusing on the upcoming HOPE Count by the New York City Department of Homeless Services, which is still dealing with a major homeless crisis. Read what the count is all about and why it’s been met with controversy over the years. Turning to the inside pages, we take a look at some glimmer of hope to the topsy-turvy saga that’s

By DAVID CRUZ

At the corner of Kingsbridge Road and Jerome Avenue, amid snow, onlookers were attracted to the sounds of tambourines clanging and drumbeats popping from a roving band of residents in Kingsbridge Heights celebrating the Caribbean-born holiday of parranda. The holiday, usually celebrated during the Christmas season in the Caribbean, saw participants singing lively songs throughout Kingsbridge Heights, a largely minority neighborhood that’s home to Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. The island of Puerto Rico is known to celebrate parranda yearly. Jose Ortiz, a.k.a. Dr. Drum of BombaYo Culture En Vivo, a music group, led the crowd along Kingsbridge Heights on Jan.

WITH CHILDREN BY their side, officials hold up a $50,000 check awarded to Mosholu Montefiore Community Center that’s been earmarked for scholarships allocated to at-risk youth looking to complete an advanced certificate training program and other costs. Sharing in the celebration is (l-r) John P. McGann, Chief Administrative Officer, Bank Leumi; Avner Mendelson, Chief Executive Officer, Bank Leumi; MMCC Chief Executive Officer Rita Santelia; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.; MMCC educational advisor Jeff Coopersmith; MMCC Director of Development Laurie Meltzer Bandremer; and Jaya Bateman Nahmiyas, Associate Director, UJA-Federation of New York. Photo by Adi Talwar

After Debilitating Stroke, Norwood Man Fights to Stay in Home

By DAVID CRUZ

For 50 years, John McKee has lived the pious life in Norwood. He’s adamant in keeping it that way. But a misunderstanding has blunted that life. Now McKee, 79, a retired plumber and devout member of St. Ann’s Church, is in the worst shape of his life following a stroke that’s rendered him frail and homebound. Notwithstanding his condition, the landlord wants to throw him out of two-bedroom apartment on Perry Avenue. And there are no signs of letup from the landlord. McKee, a skilled plumber who uses a walker to get by, considers himself a target of MK Realty Group LLC,

By DAVID CRUZ

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his administration will issue an $108 million loan to the beleaguered Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) project, once again jumpstarting a project that plunged into judicial turmoil last year. The announcement came during Governor Cuomo’s roving State of the State address, this time held in Manhattan. There, Cuomo also announced $40 million in funding for Orchard Beach. “We will invest in the Kingsbridge Armory and Orchard Beach for more desperately needed urban recreation opportunities,” Cuomo said in his speech. Two state agencies, the Empire State Development Corporation and Public Authorities Control Board, had approved a $130

By ANTHONY RIVIECCIO,, MBA, PFA

Holiday time is over! The time for spending has finished! It is time to pay those holiday bills. Maybe you’re thinking your income tax refund will help? In some ways, it can. After all, who isn’t going to need a higher tax refund? Okay, cool. Did you tax plan? Tax plan? What’s that? What is tax planning? No, it is not tax preparation. That can take anywhere from 15 minutes to six hours, based on the preparation of the worksheets and schedules. Tax planning is much more comprehensive. I like to say that the difference between tax preparation and planning

By By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers if they believe the accuracy of the most current statewide jobless figure of 5.1 percent and whether these jobs pay enough for a person to pay their bills and grow into the job. I don’t think so. Maybe these jobs can pay a part of a month’s rent. I mean, I’m a college student. They’re not the kind of jobs you can sustain a life by yourself, but if you had a roommate or lived with family, it could help. A lot of these jobs seem like fast-food jobs. I’ve noticed that if you know