A Cardiologist Brings Worldly Experience to Montefiore Health System

By DAVID CRUZ

At the administrative office of Dr. Jose Wiley, one of Montefiore Health System’s newest interventional cardiologists, a snapshot of his professional life adorns the four walls. There’s the picture of him huddled with his fellow soldiers in the U.S. Army, where he spent 17 years as a reservist for that branch (he retired as a Lt. Col.), a recognition award declaring him an honorary citizen of the City of New Orleans following medical volunteer work, and the endless degrees that paved the way to his work as a career cardiologist. With a focus mostly on endovascular disease on peripheral arteries,

By DAVID CRUZ

In his yearly address highlighting accomplishments while pushing a heavy agenda, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.’s seventh State of the Borough speech addressed more city matters than in previous addresses, further underscoring his ambition to run for Mayor of New York. In the 44-minute speech, ripe with roughly 59 rounds of applause, Diaz took jabs at the city’s response to last year’s Legionnaire’s outbreak, its approach to its lofty rezoning plan, and made clear his support for charter schools, conflicting with the lukewarm take of Mayor Bill de Blasio. Issues relating to the borough, of course, took center stage in

Dear Loyal Readers, A brand new edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of local Bronx news you can use. We begin at the sprawling Concourse Yards in Bedford Park, where Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is proposing to build a platform to serve as the foundation for potential development. Find out what one professor of civil engineering has to say about the project and whether it’s even feasible. At Montefiore Medical Center, read the life story of Montefiore Health System’s newest cardiologist, and his circuitous route to the Norwood hospital. It’s a story you won’t want to miss.

By DAVID CRUZ

A proposal to create a bike path connecting the Bronx to Westchester in Van Cortlandt Park won approval by Community Board 7’s Parks Committee, beating out environmentalists who objected to disruptions in the park’s ecology. The decision could end years of starts and stops for the project, which involved several revisions by the New York City Parks Department, which proposed the bike path. The meeting also offered CB7 members to meet their counterparts at Community Board 8, which voted for the proposed 1.25-mile bike path the day before. Arriving at the meeting were proponents of the bike path boosting the

By DAVID CRUZ

A new era of healthcare is slowly dawning in New York, and many of its city-run hospitals are spending the next four years preparing to shift gears before its event horizon. For NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx in Norwood, that strategy involves the patient experience and its nurses, often deemed the face of most hospitals. NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx is part of the Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), the city’s financially beleaguered hospital network that was once referred to as North Central Bronx Hospital. Making things tougher is cuts in state and federal subsidies by 2020, which

[URIS id=20221] In his third State of the City address, that once again captured the tenor of inequality, Mayor Bill de Blasio offered a synopsis of citywide initiatives while unveiling a short list of goals specific to the Norwood and Mott Haven sections of the Bronx. Presenting his evening address at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, the first for de Blasio, Mr. de Blasio summarized policies that he points have raised quality of life for New Yorkers, particularly the city’s downtrodden. Without the help of a teleprompter, Mr. de Blasio’s speech seemed to be refresher on

By WENDY JOAN BIDDLECOMBE

Though federal and city officials officially cut the ribbon on Fordham Plaza earlier this month, neighborhood residents shouldn’t expect vendors to move into the enormous concession area and kiosks for at least a year. The $34 million plaza in the largest transit hub in the Bronx includes a new bus depot, access to the Metro-North and a sitting area for pedestrians. The plaza also features a main concession area near the Metro-North stairways, and three smaller, newsstand-style booths, as well as a bathroom. The plaza could stand as boon for the BID, given the near 80,000 people who travel through

Hello readers! As usual, as promised, and right on time–the latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx community news for you to share. This week the paper heads to Bedford Park for a proposal by the New York Botanical Garden to convert its large space into a multi-used site, with the possibility of a hotel added to the fold. Only residents worry any new development could knock out the existing supermarket. Find out what one top official from NYBG has to say about that. We move from one development to another in Kingsbridge–the Kingsbridge National Ice

Bronx Youth Heard The Norwood News is accepting applications for Bronx Youth Heard, a free afterschool program that teaches journalism skills to Bronx high school students ages 14 to 18. Applications are available online at http://bit.ly/BYHFall2015. For more information, contact David Cruz, program director for Bronx Youth Heard and editor-in-chief of Norwood News, at dcruz@norwoodnews.org or at (718) 324-4998. The deadline is Monday, Jan. 25. Immigration/Legal Services Immigration and legal services are available at the Office of Councilman Fernando Cabrera, 107 E. Burnside Ave. Appointments are required. To schedule one, call (347) 590-2875. Free 2016 NYC Parking Calendar Free 2016