Health

Bronx Father Gets Precious COVID-19 Shot from Daughter

By DAVID GREENE
Norwood dad, Tarek Ahmad, called it a “privilege” to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, but having the shot administered to him by his daughter was a complete surprise.   On Monday, Jan. 25, Ahmad told the Norwood News about the sweet moment that unfolded on Friday, Jan. 22 at the Fort Washington Avenue Armory vaccination site, located at 168th Street in Manhattan through a chance encounter with his daughter. “Initially, I was scheduled [for a COVID-19 vaccination] in one of the city hospitals in the Bronx, but they called and cancelled my appointment.”   He added, “Thankfully, I was able


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Bronx CB7 Residents Discuss Vaccination Shortages as Borough Sees Highest 7-Day Average Rate

By DAWN CLANCY  
On Jan. 31, as reported by Norwood News, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City’s taskforce on racial inclusion and equity announced a plan to prioritize vaccine availability to an expanded list of 33 neighborhoods hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial list of priority neighborhoods already included parts of the Northwest Bronx like Fordham Heights, Fordham Manor, University Heights, Kingsbridge, and Kingsbridge Heights.   The expanded list now includes the Bronx neighborhoods of Williamsbridge, Baychester and Edenwald. Also previously included were Mott Haven and Melrose, Belmont and East Tremont, Parkchester and Soundview, Highbridge and Concourse,


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Yankee Stadium Vaccination Site Opens Friday, Feb. 5

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) confirmed on Thursday, Feb. 4 that the Yankee Stadium COVID-19 vaccination site will open Feb. 5. Appointment slots are available now at the link below for Bronx residents only. CB 7 said it is expected the vaccination doses will go quickly.   The use of the stadium is a joint effort between New York State, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, The Yankees, Somos Community Care, and the New York National Guard, and it is hoped the site will help expedite vaccine distribution and alleviate the borough’s sustained battle against the spread of


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City Council District 11 Race: Jimmy Van Bramer & Working Families Party Endorse Mino Lora

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Mino Lora, candidate for City Council in the 11th District in The Bronx, and previously profiled by the Norwood News, picked up the endorsement of City Councilman and Deputy Leader Jimmy Van Bramer on Jan. 26. Lora is running in the March 23rd special election in the district. Van Bramer is chair of the City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries, co-founder of the Council’s progressive caucus, co-chair of the Council’s budget negotiating team and a candidate for Queens Borough President. Lora is an educator and the executive director of the People’s Theatre Project.   Van Bramer said that


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Update: Mayor Issues State of Emergency Restricting Travel ahead of Snow Storm

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a state of emergency on Sunday, Jan. 31, ahead of Monday’s expected snow storm, including restrictions on non-essential travel beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 1. The mayor warns New Yorkers to refrain from travel as the storm’s intensity worsens throughout tomorrow. The latest forecasts anticipate approximately 16-22 inches of snow and near-blizzard conditions across New York City.   “Make no mistake: this storm will bring heavy snowfall, and it will make travel dangerous in every neighborhood in our city,” said de Blasio. “New Yorkers should stay home, keep the roads clear


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Update: City Expands Vaccine Equity Effort to Include Williamsbridge & Baychester in The Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity announced on Sunday, Jan. 31, the next phase of its “Vaccine for All” effort and released demographic information of vaccine recipients. With an expanded list of 33 neighborhoods identified by the taskforce as being priority neighborhoods, the City will use this data to broaden its outreach and education to address vaccine hesitancy, prioritize appointments, add new vaccine sites, and improve the scheduling website to ensure the pace of vaccination is consistent throughout the city.   “We launched our vaccine effort with a clear commitment to


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Catholic Elementary Schools to Close Monday, Feb. 1, Due to Impending Snow Storm

By SÍLE MOLONEY
On Sunday, Jan. 31, the Archdiocese of New York said all Catholic elementary schools in the archdiocese would be closed Monday, Feb. 1, due to the expected major snow storm. As reported by Norwood News, the national weather service expects the slow-moving system to bring snow accumulation exceeding 12 inches in some areas, as well as winds gusting as high as 40 mph which will cause hazardous driving conditions and the potential for power outages throughout the metropolitan area.   Archdiocese officials said Monday, Feb. 1, will be a “traditional snow day” with no remote instruction. All Catholic schools have


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Op Ed: Community Resources for Dealing with Disputes

By LYNN WILLIAMS
In the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, I can’t think of a better time to evaluate how much of a part I play in the peaceful resolution of conflict or think of a better way to evaluate Dr. King’s legacy of nonviolence, than to discuss mediation. Mediation is a dispute resolution intervention tool used to resolve conflict. During intervention, a neutral party assists in facilitating a conversation between two or more disputing parties with the aim of finding a resolution.   All parties must decide if they are willing to participate in mediation because it is a


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Norwood: Beloved Martial Arts School at Risk of Closure

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Last year, having been shut for several months after the coronavirus pandemic first hit in March, the DEMA Community Martial Arts School, based at 283 East 204th Street in Norwood, restarted outdoor Tae Kwon Do classes in July in an attempt to keep the school afloat. Despite that innovative approach, and other collective efforts by the local Tae Kwon Do community to support the school, it is now, sadly, at risk of closure.   As reported by Norwood News last year, more than a dozen young students were seen throwing kicks and punches in the open air in Mosholu Parkway


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