Neighborhood Notes

Free Legal Services The Office of Councilman Andy King is hosting a free civil legal services mobile van for Bronx residents in front of his district office, 940 E. Gun Hill Rd., on Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lawyers will be on hand to assist with family issues, immigration, and more. To set up a required appointment, call (718) 684-5509. Grants for Nonprofits Cleanup and improvement project grants valued at $1000 are available to neighborhood groups who apply. Applications are due Nov. 7. To apply, visit www.citizensnyc.org/grants/love-your-block or call (212) 822-9563. Gjonaj Mobile Van The Office of

Editor’s Pick : Halloween Happenings The public is invited to an evening of Halloween fun on Oct. 31 for a party with music by DJ Krazy Rob, and featuring a costume contest and games with prizes at the plaza on Jerome Avenue and Mosholu Parkway North at 4 p.m.; and a trick-or-treat parade through the stores on Jerome Avenue and Gun Hill Road at 6 p.m. For more information, call (718) 324-4641. See additional listing of holiday ‘happenings’ under Halloween Events. Onstage Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance (BAAD), 2474 Westchester Ave., presents An Evening of Dance, featuring contemporary dance and folkloric

By JALEESA BAULKMAN

Stories telling of the exponential growth of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) under the leadership of Donald Bluestone will no longer be the only way to remember the executive director after he retires in 2017. On Oct. 20, board members unveiled the renaming of a central point of one of MMCC’s campgrounds in upstate after Bluestone, sealing Bluestone’s enduring legacy that saw the neighborhood center impact the lives of thousands of young Bronx residents. “We decided that the best way to honor Donald was the camp,” longtime MMCC board member Natly Esnard said at a dinner honoring Bluestone. The

Hello Fellow Readers! The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering Norwood and its surrounding Bronx communities, is out with plenty of community news you can use. There’s plenty of news in this 16-page packed paper, so let’s get to it. We begin with a story on the internal politics happening at the local Community Board 7, which covers the Norwood section. Read about members extending the probationary period of its district manager, and learn what may have really triggered this animosity. Inside the cover, we look into the impact the NYPD fatal shooting of Deborah Danner of Castle Hill

By DANIELA BEASLEY

It was the kind of crucible Andrew Sandler thought he passed, only by the end of the night he realized he had more to go. Eight months after Sandler, Community Board 7’s District Manager, was hired, members voted on Oct. 18 to extend his probationary period into February 2017, continuing the fractious relations members have had with the rotation of its district managers in the last four years. Prior to the vote at the community board meeting, several people defended Sandler, criticizing the board’s experience with Sandler’s predecessors. Since 2013, CB7, which covers Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge Heights, Fordham, and

By DAVID CRUZ

The head of the city’s homeless services agency has launched a full investigation into the death of a newborn baby inside a pop-up shelter in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Steven Banks, commissioner for the New York City Social Services Department, appearing at a forum with the CUNY Journalism School’s Center for Community and Ethnic Media, said the probe into the four-month-old’s death, is underway. The baby’s death is unclear, Banks told a room full of reporters that “we should await an outcome from the Medical Examiner’s report.” The body of Duane Pollard Jr. was found unconscious at the

By Daniela Beasley

A beloved flea market run by the Bedford Park Congregational Church is back and better than ever, offering bargains on a number of items as part of its Annual Fun Fair set for Oct. 22. The fair runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3008 Bainbridge Ave. next to East 201st Street. This is the church’s major fundraiser of the year and has been running for several decades. The fair doubles as an opportunity for the community to contribute to the church, as well as a fun way for people to buy things uncommon in mainstream stores. “It’s

By DANIELA BEASLEY

Within the next few months, what was previously PS 51 will be reborn as a school for autistic students living in New York City. PS 51, located at 3200 Jerome Ave. by Van Cortlandt Avenue, was shut down in August of 2011 after high levels of toxins were discovered. The renovated building, cleared for occupancy by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will house the special needs school run by Quality Services for the Autistic Community (QSAC). To accommodate the school, QSAC is working to change the parking restrictions to no parking 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday

Tenant Assistance The Office of Senator Gustavo Rivera offers assistance on tenant-related issues every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment at 2432 Grand Concourse. For more information or to make an appointment, call (718) 933-2034. Halloween at Gracie Mansion Free tickets for a Spooky Halloween at Gracie Mansion on Oct. 28 and 29 are available now through Oct. 17. To reserve a spot, go to www.nyc.gov/GracieHalloween or call 311. Donate Used Coats The Office of Councilman Andy King is accepting winter coats for the less fortunate, starting Oct. 31. Donate new or gently used, clean coats to 940 E. Gun