Norwood News Picks Up Ippies Awards, a Three-Peat

The Norwood News was recognized for several awards, continuing its streak in producing award-winning community journalism. The paper was recognized on May 18 at the Independent Press awards, commonly known as the “Ippies.” There, the paper took home a second place prize for Best Small Circulation Publication, adding to the first place prizes it received for the category in 2015 and 2016, a veritable 3-peat. “This feisty little bi-weekly produces an impressive variety of original stories with just one full-time staffer,” read Tom Robbins, lead judge and investigative journalist in residence for the CUNY School of Journalism, which sponsors the

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By BILL DE BLASIO

This week my administration is moving City Hall to the Bronx for a week. It’s something we like to call “City Hall in Your Borough.” Monday through Friday I’ll be working from the Bronx County Courthouse with many of the key people in city government. On Tuesday, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., we’ll be hosting the City Resource Fair at The Bronx County Building. You can sign up at nyc.gov/Bronx or call (212) 748-0281. You can meet with us and share your concerns, questions and suggestions. On Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m., we’ll be at the Adlai E. Stevenson High

City To Grant Jerome Park Reservoir Access on May 20 and 21

By DAVID CRUZ

The opening represents progress residents and lawmakers have made to gaining greater access to the closed-off reservoir perimeter.

De Blasio Administration Brings Essential City Resources to the Bronx

Bronx residents have the chance to take their gripes directly to senior administrators from various city agencies at a first-ever City Resource Fair on May 23, saving the cumbersome trip to downtown Manhattan where many officials are headquartered. Higher ups from city departments for transportation, parks, finance, health, education, Small Business Services, NYPD, and Economic Development Corporation are scheduled to arrive to lend their ears to Bronx residents who stop by Bronx Borough Hall that day. In some cases, as in the case of the City Resource Fair that took place in Staten Island last month to kick off the initiative, agency commissioners

The latest edition of the Norwood News is out, serving the Bronx community with plenty of news to use. We begin with page one and the local 52nd Precinct’s efforts to squash the heroin culture that continues to sweep the borough. It’s at the precinct, serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Fordham, and University Heights where officers are noticing an uptick that’s related to the use of fentanyl, a dangerous narcotic. We delve into just what the Police Department is doing to combat this sad epidemic. Behind the front pages you’ll find a related story on the Drug Enforcement Administration charging

COUNCILMAN FERNANDO CABRERA celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a street renaming fittingly named after the Mexican holiday. Cinco de Mayo Place (May Fifth Place) can be found at the corner of Jerome Avenue and East 193rd Street in Kingsbridge. Cabrera sponsored the bill that saw the street renaming become law. He joins in celebrating the occasion with members of the Mexican Coalition that include (l-r) President of Migrant Affairs Committee Estado Puebla Mexico Maritz Marin, an unidentified woman, Consul General of Mexico ambassador Diego Gomez, secretary of Migrant Affairs for Estado Puebla Mexico Ernesto Leyva, President of the Mexican Coalition

By JOLIE MILSTEIN

From the Mill Brook Houses to Lafayette Boynton, families in the Bronx have always been on the front line of fighting for affordable housing. That fight has only taken on greater importance as the borough gets less and less affordable for low- and middle-income families who are struggling to make ends meet. Thankfully, the borough of the Bronx – and all of New York – has taken a huge step forward in combating our state’s dire housing crisis, as the Governor and State Legislature recently approved $2.5 billion for affordable and supportive housing. With over 88,000 New Yorkers still homeless

"Villa Gardens" to Bring 52 Affordable Units to 204th Street and Villa Avenue

By WENDY JOAN BIDDLECOMBE

Excavation is under way to bring 52 units of affordable housing to Bedford Park by mid-2018, continuing the trend of more neighborhood development. Ground broke on the complex at 16 E. 204th St., at the corner of Villa Avenue, just east of Jerome Avenue, earlier this year. Galaxy General Contracting Corp., which develops properties throughout the five boroughs, is planning to call the mixed-income rental building “Villa Gardens.” As standard practice, those hoping for an apartment will need to enter a lottery through the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Richard Sica, Galaxy’s vice president, said the

By DAVID GREENE

With the recent closings of several popular stores in Norwood, we asked residents what types of stores the community needs. I think the neighborhood could use a gym and some more clothing stores. I just moved out here, maybe a movie rental store. Millie Sanchez Norwood Of course I noticed the stores closing. The butcher shop is not the same as they used to be. I don’t think the quality of the products is there because they no longer have the clientele of the community, so there’s not as much traffic to the store. So there’s less business.