Old Putnam Trail Plans Up for Community Review…Again

By VIVIAN R. CARTER

Wheeled vehicles powered by humans, not steam engines, may again be able to traverse the Old Putnam Trail in Van Cortlandt Park. But not anytime soon. Two community boards are considering a controversial $2.5 million proposal to redesign the trail by adding a 10-foot wide asphalt surface and 3-foot wide jogging trail. The trail, once the New York Central Railroad line, cuts through the center of Van Cortlandt Park, from its southern border, north to the city line with Yonkers. In 2013, a plan to redo the trail was rejected by Community Board 8 of Riverdale/Kingsbridge. The park is designated

Three Lehman College business majors have been selected to join the Bronx Arts Ensemble (BAE) as interns for the spring 2016 term. The Lehman interns will be responsible for assisting in the management of BAE programs. The entrepreneurial, dynamic office environment exposes the interns to many aspects of arts administration, including but not limited to, marketing, program management, accounting and fundraising. Lehman President Ricardo R. Fernandez commented: “I am delighted about this new initiative. Lehman and BAE have partnered in various artistic endeavors over the years. The partnership is now expanding into the business management realm and I am confident that

[URIS id=20221] In his third State of the City address, that once again captured the tenor of inequality, Mayor Bill de Blasio offered a synopsis of citywide initiatives while unveiling a short list of goals specific to the Norwood and Mott Haven sections of the Bronx. Presenting his evening address at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, the first for de Blasio, Mr. de Blasio summarized policies that he points have raised quality of life for New Yorkers, particularly the city’s downtrodden. Without the help of a teleprompter, Mr. de Blasio’s speech seemed to be refresher on

Editor’s Pick For the Hot-Blooded The public is invited to join the Bronx Polar Bears for a dip in the brisk waters of Orchard Beach, Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. Soup will be served to participants at 12:30 p.m. BronxWorks offers transportation pickup outside the #6 Pelham Bay subway station at 10:30 a.m. Bring new gloves, socks, hats or scarves to donate to BronxWorks homeless services program or drop them off through 5 p.m. Feb. 12 at Bronxnet Television, Lehman College Campus, 2790 Goulden Ave., Carman Hall room C19B. For more information and additional drop-off locations, visit www.bronxnet.org. Onstage Lehman

By WENDY JOAN BIDDLECOMBE

Though federal and city officials officially cut the ribbon on Fordham Plaza earlier this month, neighborhood residents shouldn’t expect vendors to move into the enormous concession area and kiosks for at least a year. The $34 million plaza in the largest transit hub in the Bronx includes a new bus depot, access to the Metro-North and a sitting area for pedestrians. The plaza also features a main concession area near the Metro-North stairways, and three smaller, newsstand-style booths, as well as a bathroom. The plaza could stand as boon for the BID, given the near 80,000 people who travel through

The Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) is edging close to actual construction at the Kingsbridge Armory, with progress in the form of the state’s financial support towards the project. Not much of a sound was heard about the Armory in 2015, though developers insisted plenty was going on behind the scenes. That’s true, and it’s thanks to the working relationship between Governor Andrew Cuomo and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Since the early part of 2015, the pair has forged an ever-strengthening bond that’s allowed Diaz to check off some items (though not yet achievements since certain projects haven’t

Hello readers! As usual, as promised, and right on time–the latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx community news for you to share. This week the paper heads to Bedford Park for a proposal by the New York Botanical Garden to convert its large space into a multi-used site, with the possibility of a hotel added to the fold. Only residents worry any new development could knock out the existing supermarket. Find out what one top official from NYBG has to say about that. We move from one development to another in Kingsbridge–the Kingsbridge National Ice

By DAVID GREENE

Residents and visitors to Jerome Avenue in Norwood were both shocked and saddened by the sudden closure of the local McDonald’s restaurant in early January, closing the book on a business with plenty of neighborhood history. It was on Friday, Jan. 8, when longtime resident Evelyn Perez noticed the establishment’s sign was gone and the doors were locked of the once thriving business. Outside stood a handwritten sign reading, “No Food, Closed.” Alice Kulick, the property owner and chair of the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (JGH-BID), said at a recent JGH-BID meeting that the restaurant owner “just closed up.”

By JASMINE GOMEZ

When one car door closes, another one opens. At least this was the case for one Norwood pastor who received a car donation from a Fordham dealership after his van was stolen. The 1997 Dodge minivan belonging to Pastor James Miller of the Good News Christian Church was filched from a parking spot near Reservoir Oval West on about Jan. 12. The van was special because it was not only Miller’s personal van, but it was also used for his parish’s work that included charity missions such as coat drives and shuttling people to and from church. Parishioners and friends