Silence on Sex Trafficking, Elections 2021, Two Murders in Six Days in 52nd Pct: The Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out Now!

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Dear Readers, Hope you’re well. As if we hadn’t enough to contend with already, what with the ongoing pandemic, a global recession, stifling humidity, a rise in gun violence, and random shark-sightings in New York City, it seems we’re also set to be hit with the tail end of Tropical Storm Isaias later this evening, August 3, so batten down the hatches, hang tight, and check out this year’s ninth and latest edition of the Norwood News. Following the arrest earlier this month of Ghislaine Maxwell on charges relating to human trafficking, which she denies, our cover

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual depicted in the attached video in connection to a homicide that occurred within the confines of the 43rd precinct in the Bronx. On Friday, July 31, 2020 at approximately 10.41 p.m., police responded to a 911 call about a man who was shot in front of 1741 Randall Avenue, within the confines of the 43rd precinct in the Clason Point section of The Bronx. Upon arrival, officers observed a 21-year-old man, unconscious and unresponsive, with a gunshot wound to the torso. EMS

By SÍLE MOLONEY

It was not the high-profile nature of Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrest for various, alleged sex trafficking crimes on July 2 that shocked the world. After all, we’d grown accustomed to seeing various photo evidence, interviews with her accusers, and documentaries purporting to describe her relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein. More unsettling to some people, perhaps, was realizing just how ordinary the former girlfriend and alleged co-conspirator was. She is described invariably as funny, intelligent and charming. She may well be all of those things, and of course Maxwell denies all charges against her, but some would say that therein

By DAVID GREENE

After being shut for several months during the global coronavirus pandemic, the staff of the Dominguez Expert Martial Arts School on East 204th Street have restarted Tae Kwon Do classes. More than a dozen young students were taken outside of the Norwood school, for their first resumed Tae Kwon Do class since the shutdown, ensuring adequate social distancing and more access to fresh air. The youngsters were spotted on the open field of Mosholu Parkway at Bainbridge Avenue, throwing punches and kicks on Friday, July 24. According to Wikipedia, Taekwondo, Tae Kwon Do or Taekwon-Do is a Korean

By DAVID GREENE

In a pre-dawn raid on July 22, City officials reported that members of the NYPD moved in on the fifty or so remaining demonstrators who were part of the larger group of protestors to have occupied City Hall Park since June 23, and removed them from the area. As reported previously by Norwood News, the demonstrators vowed not to leave until the NYPD’s budget was slashed. On June 30, the much-anticipated vote on the revised $88.2 billion City budget was presented and passed by 32 votes to 17 in the City Council. Local elected Bronx councilmen Fernando Cabrera,

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

Next year, residents of New York City’s 14th District will vote on a new representative. Incumbent Councilman Fernando Cabrera has reached the end of his last term. He has represented the district, which extends from just south of the Cross Bronx Expressway to Kingsbridge Heights in the north, since 2010. In June 2020, Pierina Sanchez, 32, announced her candidacy to replace Cabrera with a focus on improving permanent housing and education, among other issues. “With 70 percent of our residents unable to afford their rents, I want to work to improve that number,” Sanchez said. “I want more

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On Wednesday, July 22, the results of a study carried out by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System, on the use of steroid treatments in COVID-19 patients, was released and published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. It identified the benefits and risks of steroid treatment in COVID-19 patients. The study built upon a larger, earlier British steroid study, called Recovery, involving 6,000 patients. The British study found that the steroid, dexamethasone, reduced deaths from COVID-19 by about one third in patients who were on ventilators, and by about one fifth among patients who needed oxygen

By DAVID GREENE

Having recorded just one homicide during the first six months of 2020, the 52nd precinct has since logged two additional homicides in July, both occurring within a six-day span. This equals the precinct’s homicide record for the same period last year. In the first of the two most recent cases, as initially reported by Norwood News, police were called to 3340 Decatur Avenue between East 209th Street and East Gun Hill Road in the Norwood area of the Bronx at 11.44 p.m. on Monday, July 20. Officials reported that upon arrival, officers discovered a 24-year-old male “unconscious and unresponsive” in

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Fresh Air Fund, in response to COVID-19, has created Fresh Air Summer Spaces, fun, free and safe play spaces for New York City children, ages five through 13. Fresh Air Summer Spaces provides children the chance to enjoy safe, supervised outdoor summer activities where they can laugh, smile, play and make new friends. Fresh Air staff supervise arts and crafts, interactive games and even dance parties! Summer Spaces would not be possible without the support of the local community. Fresh Air Youth Employment program participants will assist at sites. The Fund is helping to fill the gap