Petitioners Gather Support for Mosholu Subway Elevator

Petitioners Gather Support for Elevator at Mosholu Train Station

By DAVID CRUZ

Ahead of the MTA Board meeting on Sept. 26, petitioners pushing for the installation of an elevator at the Mosholu Parkway No. 4 station stood outside the station just over a week before the meeting to collect signatures. The plan is to present the signatures at the meeting in downtown Manhattan. Jason Caraballo, a manager at Montefiore Health System’s Office of Community & Government Relations, broached the subject with straphangers during the evening rush. Caraballo teamed up with Frederic Klein, an employee at Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz’s office, and Kenny Agusto from Sen. Jamaal Bailey’s office. The petition gathering is part

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Teen Talk The 52nd Precinct is inviting children ages 12 to 18 to share their concerns on bullying, gangs, drugs, and domestic violence/teen dating over free McDonalds burgers and fries at a date that’s to be determined. Anyone interested can call the precinct’s Community Affairs Unit and speak to Police Officer Crystal Reveron at (718) 220-5824 for more information and to reserve a spot. Resource Expo The Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., is hosting the annual Resource & Career Expo on Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Employers in the retail, manufacturing, security and law enforcement,

At 76 years Old, Bedford Park Local in Fight for Better Quality of Life

By DAVID CRUZ

All Andrea Ortiz wants is peace and quiet. Sitting on her flowery couch in her fourth-floor one-bedroom apartment on Briggs Avenue, Ortiz is at her wits end, frustrated over the ongoing noise originating from her upstairs neighbor. But the problems didn’t just spring up this year, or the year before, but in February 2015, shortly after the sale of her building to The Related Cos., a multi-billion-dollar real estate firm that purchased a portfolio of properties with funds from the New York City Pension Fund. “From there, it’s been hell,” Ortiz said. Her only theory is that management is attempting

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO

Two Bronx senators are proposing separate bills that bear similarities towards improving lead level testing in children, in light of the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) lead poisoning crisis. State Senator Luis Sepulveda recently introduced a bill that seeks to raise the maximum testing age from 6 to 10 years old and lower the microgram threshold to match the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) danger level of five micrograms. In New York State, it takes ten micrograms of lead found in a child’s blood to trigger action. Under current state law, children under the age of two

Cabrera Chides NYCHA Over Legionnaire’s Ignorance

By MARIYA MOSELEY

“Is it safe to brush my teeth?” Those are the words of the 6-year-old grandson of Barbara Lauray, President of the Tenants Association at the Fort Independence Houses complex at 3340 Bailey Ave. Lauray, 61, said it’s “sad and heartbreaking” to see her grandchildren dig into their bookbags for a bottle of water and toothbrush every morning. This comes as two residents at the building have recently been treated and released from a local hospital after contracting Legionnaires’ disease. The disease is often described as a severe form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium that festers in water, leading health

By KATIE PANCZER

As the end of summer approaches, many families have sent their children off to college. As a parent or caregiver, the thought of sending a child to college may be the start of an adventure. To others, it can be overwhelming. You may question how your child will manage laundry, eating well, cleaning up after themselves and finding their way around. You may also wonder how your home life will change in their absence and how they will adjust to a new environment with new responsibilities. This transition will likely be stressful for your teenager, too, even if they are

By DAVID CRUZ

North Central Bronx Hospital (NCBH) has found its new CEO in one of ITS own, a week after officials with NYC Health + Hospitals initially snubbed her for the post. Cristina Contreras has been kicked upstairs to run the hospital after service as the city-funded hospital’s chief operating officer. Contreras succeeds outgoing NCBH head Maureen Pode, who announced her retirement. “We are lucky to have Cristina Contreras take on this new senior administrative post,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD, in a statement. “Her leadership and commitment to the hospital staff, patients, and the community

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, After taking a tiny break to rejuvenate ourselves, the Norwood News is back with its latest edition. Check out 24 pages of community news happening in and around your Bronx neighborhood. We begin with page one! This story previews the impending traffic headaches set to fall on Norwood. It’s thanks to two road projects that will take out lanes and test your patience. Jonathan Custodio spoke with residents on their thoughts on the dual projects. Read the city’s response to the first project. Inside the cover you’ll find my first-person account of serving jury duty with Mayor Bill

Editor’s Pick The public is invited to a street renaming in honor of Mary Vallati, to take place at Mosholu Parkway South and Perry Avenue on Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. In addition to being a Bedford Park community activist, she was a member of the Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) and an organizer for the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NBCCC). Vallati died on Sept. 13 at the age of 102. For more information, email bedfordmosholu@verizon.net. Onstage Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. presents the final free Bronx Summer Concert, Sept. 2, 1 to 5 p.m. on Orchard