Explosion at Alleged Marijuana Grow House Kills Firefighter, Injures 12

By DAVID GREENE

A firefighter chief is dead and twelve others were injured following an explosion of a home in Kingsbridge, which is now under suspicion for housing a so-called “grow house.” Battalion Chief Michael Fahy, a 17-year veteran with the FDNY, was struck with debris from the exploding home at 300 W. 234th Street as he directed operations from outside the home. “It’s a terrible loss for the family, for the Fahy family,” FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said at a news conference at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where Fahy was rushed to. “It’s a loss for the Fire Department family. We are a

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 will hold its general board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at Sister Annunciata Bethell Senior Center, 243 E. 204th St. CB7 committee meetings are held on the following dates at the board office, 229 E. 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Housing, Land Use & Zoning Committee on Sept. 21; and Economic Development Committee on Sept. 27. For more information, call the Board office at (718) 933-5650. THE 52ND PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL will meet Sept. 22 at 2455 Sedgwick Ave. (across from Fordham Hill Oval Cooperative) from 7 to 9 p.m. For

By DAVID CRUZ

Vital Stats: 3K: Average number of children and adult patients seen at Montefiore Health System’s Family Practice Center and Family Health Center (Source: Montefiore Health System) It used to be that when patients suffering from respiratory illness, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a primary care doctor and nurse would be the only available medical practitioners on hand. In some cases, patients would meet them at the emergency room if their condition worsened. But as the healthcare industry adopts a proactive method of care following federal health reforms, doctors at Montefiore Medical Center’s Williamsbridge Family Practice Center and Family

Greetings Loyal Readers! The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of community news you can use. We begin, of course, in the beginning with page one: coverage of the September Primary in the Bronx. It was a pretty predictable ending for the candidates, with no upsets. Typical for incumbents and party-backed candidates in the Bronx. Read up on the five races that could impact residents of the northwest Bronx. Inside the cover you’ll read on the opening of a dormant pizza stand in Norwood, and a stalwart saloon in Norwood that could be serving its last

By DAVID CRUZ, WENDY JOAN BIDDLECOMBE, and JALEESA BAULKMAN

The Bronx political landscape stayed on course in the northwest part of the borough, with incumbents and frontrunners predictably winning in the September Democratic Primary, a contest that closely predicts the outcome of Bronx races in November’s General Election. The victories once again signaled the party machine at work, as major support and campaign money helped secure victories for the favorites. 36th Senate District The 36th State Senate District, covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Wakefield, Edenwald, Co-Op City, and Mount Vernon in Westchester County, saw Jamaal T. Bailey edge out four other contenders in a decidedly easy victory for the young

Participatory Budgeting Workshop assemblies on Participatory Budgeting, a process where residents decide how $1 million of taxpayer money will be spent for community improvements in their neighborhoods, take place at the following locations: Bedford Park Senior Center, 243 E. 204th St., on Sept. 8, and at the Williamsbridge Oval on Sept. 28, both at 7 p.m. For more information or to RSVP, call the Office of Councilman Andrew Cohen at (718) 549-7300. September Primary New York State’s Primary takes place on Sept. 13. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. across the Bronx. To find your nearest

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 committees are held on the following dates at the Board office, 229A E. 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Budget, Personnel & Ethics Committee on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.; Public Safety & Quality of Life Committee on Sept. 1; Education, Youth & Libraries Committee on Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; Executive Committee on Sept. 6; Traffic & Transportation Committee on Sept. 8; Veterans Committee on Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m.; Environment & Sanitation Committee on Sept. 13; and Health & Hospitals Committee on Sept. 13. For more information, call the Board office at (718)

Greeting Readers! After a brief hiatus (depending on how you ask) the Norwood News is back with its regularly scheduled edition of the neighborhood paper covering plenty of Bronx news you can use. We begin with a story we’ve been following for some time, the saga involving a two-story home on Bedford Park. We bring you up to speed of the aftermath of a fire that impacted the tenants who were in the middle of fighting their landlord in court. Find out how the city is helping to restore the building. In other news: with the September Primary right around

Amid financial turmoil for the city’s network of hospitals, Maureen Pode, previously acting CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals in North Central Bronx, has officially been named CEO of the North Central Bronx Hospital, by president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Ram Raju. Earlier in her career, Pode held an assortment of positions at the Cabrini Medical Center before deciding to work at NYC Health + Hospitals where she has stayed for the past 14 years. As a senior executive, Pode will begin implementing the three new service lines that have replaced the hospital’s former network structure,