Bronx Connections: The Gang Impact (part 2 of 5)

By MARINA KOPF of WFUV

The Norwood News, WFUV Radio and BronxNet Television continue their five-part series on the impact of gangs in New York City. Kareem Nelson used to live what he calls the “street life.” He was involved in gang-like groups, sold marijuana and participated in gun violence. A gunshot wound paralyzed Nelson, but he still continued to work the streets. It wasn’t until after he did a stint in prison and was in a situation where he was forced to beg for his life, that he made the decision to change. In 2014, he created Wheelchairs Against Guns, using his experiences to

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 will hold its general board meeting on Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at North Central Bronx Hospital, 3424 Kossuth Ave. The following CB7 committee meetings will take place at the board office, 229A E. 204th St., unless otherwise noted: joint meeting of Public Safety & Quality of Life and Sanitation Committees on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.; Housing, Land Use & Zoning Committee on Nov. 13; Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Committee on Nov. 14; Budget, Personnel & Ethics Committee on Nov. 19; Executive Committee on Nov. 20; and Health & Human Services Committee on Nov. 20.

Editor’s Pick Two Free Zingers Coming Up! Bronx Arts Ensemble pianist Pablo Zinger will make two free appearances performing from his Great Mexican Songbook featuring his piano as well as singers as follows: Nov. 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. (info: (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visit www.nypl.org). Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 627 E. 187th St. (info: (718) 601-7399). Onstage Lehman College for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd., W., presents Eddie Palmieri & Lalo Rodriguez, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. (tickets: $55 to $85; $100/VIP);

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition covering Bronx communities. With 24 pages packed into this paper let’s get into the coverage! The front page focuses on the longstanding issue of mailbox fishing. The practice has become the ire of the NYPD, now trying to curb it with a new offensive. The Norwood News interviewed the lead cop at the 52nd Precinct behind the initiative. We also have an editorial on the NYPD’s tough task. The paper also has results on the General Election. The outcomes made the September primary official with some new faces going

Store Vacancies Draw Interest from Potential Business Owners in Norwood

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO

The Jerome Gun Hill Improvement District (JGHBID) recently led several prospective shop tenants across its commercial district, showcasing at least a dozen store vacancies while outlining needed services currently unavailable at the BID. The commercial vacancy tour is the first for JGHBID. Shopkeepers first met at the Keeper’s House, the BID’s headquarters, with BID Executive Director, Jennifer Tausig, and Ariana Cipriani, the BID’s community liaison. Prospective business tenants surveyed locations like a former T-Mobile store with intrigue, evaluating the neighborhood, foot traffic, and empty storefronts. “My business has been operating for over two years already. Right now, I’m just a

Past and present faces of the Norwood News came to break bread and hail the paper’s 30-year milestone with a celebration at Lehman College on Nov. 1. The event drew roughly 130 guests to the college’s Faculty Dining Room in the Music Building, which included an awards program and keynote address by Errol Louis of NY1. Opening the ceremony was Jennifer Tausig, executive director of Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC), the not-for-profit that produces the Norwood News. Dr. José Luis Cruz, president of Lehman College, and Dr. Peter Semczuk, executive director of Montefiore Health System’s Moses Campus, spoke of the paper’s

WWII Tribute for Dominican-Born Soldiers Unveiled at BCC

By JOSEPH KONIG

Bronx elected officials welcomed 10 diplomatic officials from the Dominican Republic at the Nov. 2 grand opening of the nation’s first monument for Dominican veterans of World War II. The monument, funded in part by $400,000 in state and local funding secured by Councilman Fernando Cabrera, is located on the campus of Bronx Community College (BCC) in University Heights. “More than 300 Dominican men and women risked and sacrificed their lives for the United States during World War II,” Cabrera, who is part Dominican, said. “These soldiers have been largely left out of U.S. history and I believed their rightful and

Five-Two Part of New Major Offensive Against Mailbox Fishers

By JOSEPH KONIG

Crime Prevention Officer Frank Pacella has spent much of the last few weeks visiting at least 60 U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mailboxes within the 52nd Precinct. At each stop, Pacella pulls out a clipboard and jots down the locations of nearby security cameras he’s spotted. The initiative is the most recent step taken by the NYPD to combat mail fishing, a tactic thieves use to steal checks and commit identity fraud. The order came down from the NYPD’s Crime Prevention Division ahead of the start of the holiday season, when rates of mailbox fishing and other mail fraud typically increase.

From Internship to Job, How MMCC Trains Young Workforce

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

The modest basement room at Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) was packed with young people, some there to celebrate their accomplishments and some to congratulate their peers. The mothers who sat in the corner beamed with pride while they took photos on their phones of the ceremony. After 12 weeks, this group of young adults, ages 17 to 24, was graduating from MMCC’s Intern and Earn, a program funded by the city Department of Youth and Community Development. Among the crowd was Peyton Wendell. After attending Mount Saint Michael Academy in Wakefield, Wendell was unsure if enrolling in college was