Killing of Shelter Director Inspires Talk of Policing Shelters

By DAVID CRUZ In the weeks following the death of Ana Charle, the director of a homeless shelter in Wakefield, security at the shelter has picked up. A parked security car sits outside the shelter. Three part-time peace officers and a supervisor from the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) now roam the facility, a reactionary response by DHS shortly after Charle’s death.

Another Property Sold in Bedford Park

By DAVID CRUZ Bedford Park is becoming the bedrock of development. The latest is the purchase of an abandoned piece of property at 232 East 201st St., which was at one point the home of squatters. Ariel Properties executed the sale for an undisclosed buyer for $650,000, translating to $36 per buildable square feet. It’s located at the corner of Valentine Avenue and 201st Street, deemed a R8 zoning district. Developers can build upwards to 17,982 buildable square feet as-of-right or 19,416 should developers work community space into the development. “With direct access to Grand Concourse and the Bronx Botanical

By DAVID CRUZ Hector Ramirez, the challenger in the 2014 race against Assemblyman Victor Pichardo, faces a 242-count indictment stemming from his challenge against Pichardo.

Inquiring Photographer

With President Barack Obama’s recent visit to the Bronx, we asked readers what issues they would raise with the President if they had one minute with him. Well, one issue that I would raise is the child support system that has caused a lot of people to be in a really precarious position, because if you have outstanding child support it oppresses you. You can’t make any moves, you lose your license, and you can’t work. It’s something that hinders you from progressing. That’s one thing that I would really like someone to address. That is one personal issue

By MOSES BUSTOS and DAVID CRUZ New York state’s housing laws make affordable apartments available to over a million low-income families by regulating tenant and landlord rights. The rent laws expire June 15, with the Albany Legislature tasked to strengthen, weaken or preserve them in accordance to the needs of tenants and the current housing market.

Digital Edition of the Norwood News Is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of community news you can use! There’s plenty to talk about, so here goes: The big story is on something of a rarity: a stop by a U.S. sitting President in the Bronx. President Barack Obama did just that, spending an afternoon at Lehman College. The Norwood News was there to capture Mr. Obama’s rare event, which detailed the formation of a nonprofit geared towards young minority men. Heading back to more hyperlocal terrain, we go to Mosholu Parkway, where community residents are hammering out a

Op-Ed: The Consequences of Over-Development in Bedford Park

By SHANNON LEE GILSTAD For over six years residents in Bedford Park, which lies in Community District 7, have heard buzz about the future of 150 Van Cortlandt Avenue East/186 St. George Crescent, a small curved street that currently has just five buildings on it. The block is a local gem hidden in plain sight, just off the Grand Concourse and Mosholu Parkway, yet quiet and serene, away from the bustle. Residents say that this is exactly how they like it and want it to stay.

In First Bronx Visit, President Obama Touts Mentoring Nonprofit for Minority Men

By DAVID CRUZ In his first, and perhaps, only stop to the Bronx, President Barack Obama visited Lehman College in Bedford Park to promote a non-profit aimed at reversing the disproportionate ill fates of minority men, a topic that continues to resonate in Bronx communities.

President Obama to Visit Lehman College for Nonprofit Announcement

By DAVID CRUZ In his first, and presumably, only official visit to the Bronx, President Barack Obama will deliver remarks at Lehman College on Monday, announcing the launch of a nonprofit initiative geared towards young minority men. The nonprofit, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, is an offshoot to the White House’s initiative of the same name. It was launched last year as a way to reverse the national trend of young men of color falling behind academically, which can often lead to fewer opportunities. President Obama has consistently pushed education as a gateway towards stability and future success, according to