New Jacobi Wellness Center Helps Doctors Cope

By SARAH HUFFMAN

In April 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, The New York Times and other media outlets reported that Dr. Lorna M. Breen, medical director of the emergency department at NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, died by suicide in Charlottesville, Va., where she had been staying with family, as confirmed by her father and police. She had, reportedly, been treating many coronavirus patients prior to her death. According to a pre-pandemic, 2014 Work/Life Profile of Today’s Physician, most doctors work between 40 and 60 hours per week, but nearly one-quarter work between 61 and 80 hours per week. Meanwhile,

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Ridgewood Savings Bank held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 14 to mark the opening of its newest branch in the Norwood section of the Bronx, at 320 East 204th Street. It replaces the former Norwood branch located at 3445 Jerome Avenue. On May 24, a representative from Ridgewood told the Norwood News, “We are moving the Jerome Avenue branch because it is largely outdated and inefficient in terms of its size.” The representative added, “We are moving to a more modern facility [..] to better serve our customers and the needs of our community.” The opening ceremony was

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Cannabis, Photo courtesy of Elsa Olofsson via Flickr The New York State Cannabis Control Board held its first public meeting On Tuesday, Oct. 5. Board officials said members of the public were welcome to attend virtually via videoconference. On Sept. 22, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the final appointments to the five-member, Cannabis Control Board, which is charged with approving a comprehensive regulatory framework for New York’s cannabis industry. The board will oversee licensing of cannabis businesses and the approval of various actions taken by the Office of Cannabis Management. The members are Tremaine Wright, Cannabis Control Board

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on Friday, Oct. 1, that it is entering a new phase of the COVID-19 vaccination / testing program whereby unvaccinated employees will be required to test weekly for COVID-19, beginning Monday, Oct. 4. The MTA currently has 138 on-site locations where employees can get tested. The agency also announced that any new hires, beginning on or after Sunday, Nov. 14, must be fully vaccinated. MTA officials said these were the latest steps being taken by the MTA to protect transit workers and customers of the largest transportation network in North America. They said

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), the multi-employer group association representing the city‘s real estate industry, and SEIU 32BJ, the union representing 85,000 building service workers in the city, issued, on Saturday, Oct. 2, a comprehensive Memorandum of Agreement covering rules for implementing COVID-19 vaccine requirements for staff working in most city buildings. The agreement, which would cover thousands of commercial and residential properties in the city, sets the process and safeguards which must be followed in the event a site or an employer intends to implement a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Howard Rothschild, president of the realty advisory board

Missing Local People A 10-year-old boy has been reported missing from Jerome Park. For more information, click here A 23-year-old man has been reported missing from Olinville. For more information, click here. A 13-year-old girl has been reported missing form Laconia. For more information, click here. An 85-year-old man has been reported missing from Williamsbridge. For more information, click here. COVID-19 Updates On June 24, 2021, New York State ended the State disaster emergency (PAUSE order) declared on March 7, 2020, to fight COVID-19. On Sept. 15, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a series of universal mask requirements designed

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on Monday, Sept. 27, that the environmental review process for the Metro-North Penn Station Access Project is complete. The milestone makes four new stations in the Bronx as well as direct Metro-North service to Penn Station from the Bronx, Westchester, and Connecticut a step closer to reality. Acting MTA chair and CEO, Janno Lieber, said it was an important milestone for a project and will give people in several, transit-deprived areas of the East Bronx access to jobs, education, health care and everything New York and Connecticut have to offer. “By making use of

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli recently announced that Bronx residents have $353,393,103.00 in unclaimed funds waiting to be paid. According to the State comptroller’s office, banks, insurance companies, corporations and the courts are among the many organizations required by law to report dormant accounts to the State comptroller. These organizations must attempt to notify residents by mail regarding such dormant accounts, and publish the information in newspapers. According to the City, monies paid to the courts for legal matters, are held in an interest-bearing, NYC Department of Finance common trust account. Deposits and withdrawals of court

By SARAH HUFFMAN

During the height of the statewide shutdown in 2020, brought on by the need to curtail the spread of the deadly coronavirus, actor, director and writer, Steve Greenstein, like many others, was subjected to long periods of boredom. Lack of work in New York City’s normally thriving entertainment industry prompted him to begin taking walks around the Bronx’s Kingsbridge neighborhood, where he took the time to observe how the pandemic was affecting his community. His thoughts on this prompted Greenstein to begin writing the web show series, “COVID Ditty,” fulfilling a dual need in the actor to stay

Norwood News

Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights

Employment

New Jacobi Wellness Center Helps Doctors Cope

Ridgewood Savings Bank Formally Opens New Norwood Branch

UPDATE NYS Cannabis Control Board Holds First Public Meeting

MTA COVID-19 Vaccination, Testing Program for Current Employees Enters New Phase

Real Estate Industry Group and Union Reach Agreement on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Rules

Neighborhood Notes on Redistricting, Bronx Bus Redesign, Booster Vaccinations & More!

Environmental Review Completed for Metro-North Penn Station Access & Four New Bronx Stations

State Comptroller: Bronx Residents Have $353,393,103.00 in Unclaimed Funds

Bronx “COVID Ditty” Show Wins International Film Festival Awards