Editorial: Expanding Discovery is the Right Course, But Don’t Exclude

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to expand the Discovery program as a way of increasing enrollment of black and Latino students in the city’s elite specialized high schools has drawn the ire of Pacific Legal Foundation. The group is now suing the city in federal court, relying on an argument similar to an affirmative action case it has against Harvard University: Discovery essentially discriminates against Asian students who overwhelmingly represent the specialized high school student population. Expanding the Discovery program—essentially offering rigorous summer classes for students who missed the cutoff in passing the specialized high school test—takes effect in 2020,

By DAVID CRUZ

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., enlisting a cadre of legislators, wants Amtrak to get on board with the long-awaited plan to bring Metro-North service to the East Bronx, which was supposed to have begun in April. In a joint news conference with Westchester County Executive George Latimer, given the mutually beneficial interest in ushering more Metro-North service to the East Bronx, Diaz labeled Amtrak a Scrooge for the holdup. “This is not a new idea,” said Diaz of the project. “This is an idea that’s been kicked around for the better half of the last three decades. We have

By JOSEPH KONIG

Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, Bronx Councilman Ritchie Torres called for a new law to help residents displaced by a fire find new homes in the same neighborhood. “Even in the worst of a fire, the loss of one’s home should never mean the loss of your community,” Torres said at a news conference in front of the boarded-up Belmont building that went up in flames last year. “It should be the public policy priority of the city of New York to keep people firmly rooted in their neighborhoods and their local support

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition covering the Bronx. In our last edition of the year, we bring you the latest! The front page story looks at Community Board 7 demanding concessions on a major project coming to Bedford Park. Ischia Bravo, CB7’s District Manager, is offering an interesting take on the building boom happening in the neighborhood. She has a fix she hopes the Bronx Council Delegation would consider. David Greene reports on the tragic death of a 17-year-old who died after allegedly being pushed onto oncoming traffic. Police now say the suspects are

By JOSEPH KONIG, DAVID CRUZ, and CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

A non-profit housing developer is open to reducing the size of planned projects on long-contested lots on East 202nd and East 203rd streets after pushback from Community Board 7, according to a revised proposal draft obtained by the Norwood News. The new proposal would shorten the building on East 202nd Street from 11 stories to 9 stories, shrinking the number of units from 164 to 139. In the original proposal, the East 203rd Street building was planned to be 8 stories with 164 units. It is unclear if the revised proposal will reduce the size of the 8-story building, but

A History Sign for the Namesake Behind Risse Street Park

By DAVID CRUZ

Learning about Risse Street Park’s ancestry is not exactly common knowledge to Norwood residents. In a few months, residents passing the tiny park will know the name. Pssst: it’s the grandfather of the Grand Concourse. Tom Campanella, a Cornell University professor and city Parks Department Historian in Residence and his assistant, Zachary Falk, a student from Cornell University, have been tapped to draft a brief history of the Norwood park. The findings will be included in a new signage slated to be installed by the Parks Department as part of its Historical Sign Program. The near 20-year program has acknowledged

By DAVID CRUZ

The holiday season is coursing through the Bronx this year, with several Yuletide events meant to brighten you up. It first began with the Festival of Lights, with Mosholu Montefiore Community Center lighting up the Menorah for the first day of Hanukkah. Councilman Andrew Cohen and Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz helped light the traditional candles on the second day of Hanukkah. There have been several events courtesy of Bronx Community Board 7, which held its annual tree lighting ceremony. Photographer Jose Giralt was there to catch the action. Carolers from PS/MS 20 laid the soundtrack to the nighttime event that also

By JULIA RIST

A Lone Private Eye’s Quest to Take Down the Trinitarios The Norwood News, WFUV Radio, and BronxNet Television continue their five-part series on the impact of gangs in the Bronx. At first glance, Manuel Gomez, a private detective, comes across as a modern-day James Bond. His pen doubles as a recorder, reading glasses serve as a video recorder, and he carries a knife and DNA collector. Gomez also carries a 40-pound black briefcase with him at all times that contains handcuffs and a laptop. Gomez, who operates in the Bronx, has a keen interest in bringing the violent Trinitarios gang

Editor’s Pick Holiday Tree Lightings The public is invited to attend the following community holiday tree lightings: Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. – Hosted by Bronx Community Board 7, at Mosholu Parkway Lawn at the intersection of Mosholu Parkway and Bainbridge Avenue. Featured are caroling, hot apple cider, holiday cookies, goodie bags giveaway and local elected officials. For more information, call (718) 933-5650. Dec. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. – Hosted by Jerome Gun Hill BID, at Jerome Avenue and East Mosholu Parkway. Featured are free toys for children, holiday shopping guides, pictures with Santa, and hot cocoa. For