Long Lives Celebrated at St. Patrick’s Home

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

When Dan O’Sullivan, a 100-year-old resident of St. Patrick’s Home, first saw his niece who came from Ireland to surprise him at the Home’s Centennial Celebration on June 18, he cried out, “Oh, thank you, Lord,” and rose to greet her. Both of their eyes were filled with tears as they embraced. His niece, Mairead Stringer, is a kind of surrogate daughter, since O’Sullivan has no children of his own. Originally from Cork, the second largest city in Ireland, O’Sullivan came to the United States when he was 47, and worked as a taxi and limousine driver. “He was looking

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The year’s thirteenth edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of great community news stories to dive into. There’s almost something happening in this corner of the Bronx, and we’ve captured a good chunk of it. And as usual, we’ll start with page one! Our front-page story focuses on more additions slated for the Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter, which will now see a drug treatment center offered to those not housed at the shelter. Read the story by Jose A. Giralt. Read why the move has irked Community Board 7. Inside the cover you’ll find a piece on a barely

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

The Bronx shoreline along the Harlem River is poised to undergo a massive change within Community Board 7’s (CB7) borders if developers win approval for their projects. But the city has already said this will be a complicated process. The area just south of the University Heights Bridge was bought for $31.5 million by Dynamic Star, a Connecticut-based developer headed by CEO Gary Segal. Their goal is to invest $3.5 billion in 5 million square feet that will include 2,800 residential units, with 30 percent set aside as affordable. A 700,000 square-foot Life Science Center, esplanades, and a stadium for

Future of Aqueduct Walk as Hammered Out By Advocates

By SÍLE MOLONEY

“Love your Park” were the three simple words greeting about 40 local residents arriving for an envisioning forum at University Heights Presbyterian Church on June 10. Each resident was armed with concrete plans for the revitalization of the historic Aqueduct Walk, stretching from West Tremont Avenue to Kingsbridge Road and Aqueduct Avenue. The evening was organized by Carlos Acosta, Pilar Maschi, and Ted Enoch from Partnership for Parks, a public-private partnership between the city Parks Foundation and the city Parks Department. The group supports and champions neighborhood volunteers and equips them with the tools to advocate and care for their

Following Through on a Promise, Norwood Shelter to Get Peace Officers

By JOSE A. GIRALT

Last July, the Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter (JAMS), managed by BronxWorks, opened at 3600 Jerome Ave. a block from the Woodlawn station of the 4 train. The location was chosen after Norwood parents, local officials, and Community Board 7 (CB7) protested the original site on Webster Avenue across from PS/MS 20, a K-8 school on the other side of Norwood. At the latest meeting of Community Board 7’s Housing, Land Use & Zoning Committee, members learned of the addition of a permanent clinic within the one-year-old facility. News of the expansion drew concerns, even surprising the committee, given how no

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The year’s twelfth edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of great community news stories to dive into. There’s almost something happening in this corner of the Bronx, and we’ve captured a good chunk of it. And as usual, we’ll start with page one! Our front-page story captures the conclusion to the New York City Department of Education’s plan to co-locate another school at the DeWitt Clinton Campus. Read the story by Jose A. Giralt. Read what Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza said about the hard fought, yet unsuccessful, campaign by the opposition. Inside the cover

Parkside Place Clean-up Dedicated to Domestic Violence Victims

By DAVID GREENE

More than a dozen volunteers from several different organizations turned out for a clean-up on June 1 along Parkside Place between East Gun Hill Road and East 205th Street in Norwood. Organized by Guerinos Against Graffitti, members removed debris and dead weeds from behind several buildings. An advocate from The Jewish Board, a domestic violence outreach program, was on hand to pass out literature. The group plans to make the clean-up an annual event.

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The year’s eleventh edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of great community news stories to dive into. There’s almost something happening in this corner of the Bronx, and we’ve captured a good chunk of it. And as usual, we’ll start with page one! Our front-page story analyzes the ongoing construction happening in Norwood and Bedford Park. It’s part of a larger trend of construction happening in the city. Read the story by me and Alondra Vasquez. Also, you maybe want to check out our map outlining some projects. Inside the cover you’ll find a piece

Bronx Connections: The Health Impact (Part 5 of 5)

By DAVID CRUZ

The Fail-Safe Fight Against Obesity The Norwood News, WFUV Radio, and BronxNet Television complete their five-part series focusing on health-related struggles impacting the Bronx. Jennifer Hernandez, 43, of Soundview faced a brick wall when it came to losing weight. At 248 pounds, Hernandez attempted to reverse the outcome for her obesity, a disease that’s often a nexus to even more debilitating conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. And so it goes for the 28 percent of Bronx residents considered obese, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 2015 Health Rankings. Stubborn obesity genes can be the culprit, with poor