Webster Avenue Bus Route to Get Upgrades and More

By DANIELA BEASLEY

Commuters in Norwood can expect transit and pedestrian safety improvements along the Webster Avenue Bx41 Select Bus Service route now that the city green-lit a contractor to complete the project. The project is building on already completed upgrades that include one lane dedicated to buses and pockets of pedestrian islands that pepper the thoroughfare. Services included in the renovations are real-time bus arrival information and additional shelters and seating. Construction will take place between East 205th Street in Norwood and East 165rd Street in Claremont Village with a sidewalk extension on the East side of Webster Avenue between East 194th

Small businesses are booming in the Bronx, according to a small sample survey. The analysis, conducted by TD Bank, asked 495 New York businesses about their prospects for the coming year. Some 100 participatory businesses are located in the Bronx. The survey detailed citywide optimism for the year, with 86 percent of Bronx small business owners expecting higher revenue, the strongest mark of any borough. Additionally, 93 percent of those Bronx small business owners surveyed are optimistic or excited about 2016, making it the most optimistic borough in the city. Some indicators for a positive outlook included cost of office

By DAVID CRUZ, DAVID GREENE & DANIELA BEASLEY

SpA recap of how the candidates schmoozed voters in the Bronx From Mott Haven to University Heights, presidential candidates vying for the White House converged in the Bronx, bringing to the borough a week full of rallies, surprise stops, condemnation and a boost to its political influence. Those visits all boil down to today, with New York holding its most critical presidential primary in recent years. CHECK OUT THIS HANDY BREAKDOWN OF CANDIDATES ON BALLOTPEDIA Bernie Sanders, the U.S. Senator from Vermont, was the first to arrive, launching his New York campaign tour in the Bronx. Three weeks before the April

There are exceptions to everything. For reporters, that mostly involves revealing your personal biases, good or bad. That’s why it was so uncommon to witness some 200 journalists standing in a celebratory cheer for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the keynote speaker at the 2016 New York Press Association spring convention. The Norwood News stood with them, joining in several applauses, including a long ovation for Mr. Bharara at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs. Indeed, it’s largely his relentless assault against the culture of corruption long linked to the Albany Legislature that’s earned him rock star status among New

By VIVIAN CARTER

New York City’s trendy downtown culture visited the Bronx on April 2, as the Mobile Unit of Joseph Papp’s celebrated Public Theater presented the classic play by William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet, at Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. Obie Award winner Lear deBessonet directed the production, described in the program as “the classic tale of star-cross’d lovers caught between the world outside the bedroom window and passion as boundless as the sea.” The starring roles of Romeo and Juliet were played by Sheldon Best and Ayana Workman. The small indoor venue at the Oval was booked well in advance, with over

Greetings Loyal Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition, bringing you plenty of Bronx community news you can use. We begin with what was a late-breaking story into our newsroom: developers of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) taking the city to court over its delay of a lease developers say belongs to them. Read what KNIC is alleging in the 35-page complaint filed in Bronx Supreme Court. The development seriously endangers the project, which could force the community, elected officials and the city to start all over. Next, an editorial that shows our cards and respect

By DAVID CRUZ

[URIS id=20830] Appearing in her first campaign rally in the Bronx, Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton blasted Republican presidential frontrunner, Donald Trump, whose eponymous golf course rests in the same borough. “He wants to build walls; I want to build bridges,” said Mrs. Clinton, speaking at a gymnasium-style community center in Co-Op City. It was Mrs. Clinton’s second visit to the Bronx this month, ahead of the April 19 presidential primary in New York. She had surprised the press when her first visit to the borough was an adlibbed tour of the South Bronx. Setting the stage for her rally

By DAVID CRUZ Developers of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) have filed a lawsuit against the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the city’s real estate arm that had given developers another month to demonstrate it had enough capital to proceed with the project at the city-owned property, the Norwood News has learned. The development could signal further delay, and perhaps endanger the project altogether. SEE THE SUIT: KNIC V. CITY OF NEW YORK In a 35-page summons and complaint filed in Bronx Supreme Court on April 12, the lawsuit alleges the city had breached a contract and

By DANIELA BEASLEY

A major sewer system project is now under way in Kingsbridge Heights, which could snarl traffic and randomly cut water supply through the end of the year. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is overseeing the project that will replace worn out mains, install catch basins and hydrants, and restore roadways. Water service disruptions are expected, though advance notice will be given. While advance notice will be provided for daily disruptions, it will not be given if emergency water shutoff is needed. Work has already begun on several square blocks in Kingsbridge Heights–West Kingsbridge Road between