Op-Ed: Keeping Holiday Cheer for Family Caregivers

By JENNIFER RAJEWSKI, RN, VICE PRESIDENT AT PARTNERS IN CARE

Family caregiving can take many forms—from parenting a child with special needs who requires around-the-clock supervision, to caring long-distance for an elderly parent who is alone in the apartment they’ve spent their life living in. According to the Caregiver Action Network (CAN), there are “over 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age.” Undeniably this role is deeply rooted in love, and caregivers are happy to help their family members who need it. Still, it is important that family caregivers also acknowledge the added demands caretaking can bring. The holiday

By DAVID CRUZ

Two Bronx cultural institutions have been given the green light to generate more interest in STEM subjects thanks to a renewed grant by the state’s largest utility firm. The New York Botanical Garden in Bedford Park and Wave Hill conservatory in Riverdale will each receive a $25,000 grant by Con Edison to help pay for educators under the company’s STEM Days Out program. The program brings in teachers specializing in science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM subjects. “Students will see and touch exhibits, and learn from experts they would not ordinarily meet at school,” said Frances A. Resheske,

Crime File: Alleged Repeat Robber Strikes Norwood

By YARA PALIN

Police are looking for a suspect connected to at least eight related robberies in Norwood, falling within the 52nd Precinct. A 64-year-old woman at Valentine Avenue and East 204th Street was approached by a man who snatched her purse before escaping on Nov. 6. The woman did not suffer any injuries, police say. A 33-year-old woman was also robbed of her purse. The man approached her in front of 359 East 204th Street on Oct. 27 when he grabbed her purse and ran northbound on Decatur Avenue, police say. In a similar incident, a suspect approached a 20-year-old woman

Proposed EMS Charging Station to Cut Emissions

By STEPHANIE LUCIANO

Expected to take a little over one full parking space, and reduce the emission of fossil fuels contributing to pollution, the FDNY looks to install an ambulance charging station on the corner of Sedgwick Avenue and East Fordham Road in Kingsbridge. It’s now received the backing from Community Board 7 representing the Kingsbridge area where the proposed station will be installed. Far from the commonly known charging station, this station allows paramedics to turn off their EMS engine while remaining to a power source. Before then, EMS buses needed to stay on so the medicine inside the ambulance stayed cool

Vote on Jerome Avenue Rezoning Delayed Until Nov. 27

By DAVID CRUZ

The next leg of the public review process for the complex Jerome Avenue Rezoning plan has been pushed until Nov. 27, eleven days after its original date. The Bronx Borough Board, a panel made up of all Bronx community board chairs and their district managers, was expected to convene on Nov. 16 to discuss the plan. The large panel, headed by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., is part of the southwest Bronx proposal’s public review process. The board was to hear a presentation by the New York City Department of City Planning, the mastermind agency behind the proposal. The

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Public Engagement Workshops The Mayor’s Tenant Support Unit will hold a workshop on tenant rights on Nov. 16 and 30 at UNHP Refuge House, 2715 Bainbridge Ave., from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The unit works with those who may be at risk of displacement, experiencing landlord harassment, needs a rent freeze for those who qualify, and other resources. For more information, call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov. Excelsior Scholarship The Excelsior Scholarship application for students to attend SUNY or CUNY tuition free this spring semester is open through Dec. 4. The scholarship is open to New Yorkers with household incomes

History of Violence and Health Violations Force Closure of Tequilaz

By YARA PALIN

A popular go-to spot in Norwood permanently closed after a number of infractions were reported including selling alcohol to minors and numerous health violations. Tequilaz at 3489 Jerome Ave. had closed days before it lost their liquor license on Nov. 8. This followed three reports of illegal activities, says the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA). The NYPD reported that a large fight broke out inside the restaurant that spilled onto Jerome Avenue during an inspection on Oct. 22. This is in violation of The Alcoholic Beverage Control Law which bars licensees from allowing their premises to become disorderly. Prior

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The 22nd edition of the Norwood News , covering the Norwood section of the Bronx and its surrounding neighborhoods, is out! You can find them at 300 locations across the borough. We begin, of course, with page one and the election of now Councilman-elect Mark Gjonaj. Gjonaj, the Democratic nominee in the race for the 13th Council District, won his seat after spending $1 million. That number is significant since Council races ever get to that threshold. Find out who are some possible contenders for the soon-to-be vacant Assembly seat covering Norwood. Other inside the cover stories include Bronx

Editorial: Who Will You Hire This Election Year?

Nov. 7 will be the day you exercise your right to vote. In the Bronx there are 11 contests (not counting citywide), most of which have already been won, thanks to the power the September primary has on the Bronx. The general election simply formalizes those victories. The race for Mayor is largely along the same line. In the August 31-September 13 edition of the Norwood News, we wrote that the incumbent, Mayor Bill de Blasio, is likely going to win the general election namely since the two challengers, Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, and Independent Richard “Bo” Dietl, carry very