Tracey Towers Residents Wonder How Their Complex Became “Little Ghana”

By DAVID CRUZ

Tracey Towers is known for its robust representation of Ghanaian Americans new to the country or second or third generation. And their ample presence—complete with their own tenants association and yearly events highlighting the colorful culture of the West African country—has earned it a cute name among residents: “Little Ghana.” The fun fact has extended beyond the looming towers and to published works, where one book, African & American: West Africans in Post-Civil Rights America, mentions Tracey Towers as being home to “literally hundreds of Ghanaians and became the basis for the development of the most recognizable physical enclave of this

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Blood Drive A blood drive will take place on Jan. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the 52nd Precinct station house at 3016 Webster Ave. For more information, call (718) 220-5824. Social Security Expanded Office Hrs. Social Security offices in the Bronx will be remain open to the public until 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 8. The nearest Social Security offices from Norwood is located at 2501 Grand Concourse. For more information, call (800) 772-1213. Comment on Bus Reroute Plan The MTA is currently accepting comments for its plan to update the Bronx’s bus route network, which

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

Most people mistakenly think that tax preparation is tax planning time. But by thinking this way, they think they could “erase” or “add” things that happened in 2019 when it is now 2020. So in short, if you did not plan in advance, that’s why it’s called tax planning, folks! Your refund for 2019 is now complete! But what about your refund for January 2021? After all, it’s the first week in January; don’t you think you should start planning now? Well, if you’re smart enough to plan now for a higher tax refund in 2021 (for this year’s taxes

How The Jerome Gun Hill BID Fared in 2019 (Picture 4)

By JEROME GUN HILL BID

In 2019, the Jerome Gun Hill BID focused our efforts and resources to continue our work in supporting local businesses and community through advocacy and education, district marketing and beautification, and community events. We are working tirelessly to better connect the people who live and work in the neighborhood to the goods and services offered here at our partner merchants. With a focus on safety, cleanliness, and business development, the Jerome Gun Hill BID is dedicated to helping our member businesses and the BID community to grow and thrive. In 2019, we celebrated 25 of our legacy businesses that have

By DAVID CRUZ

As the 15th Congressional District race gets closer to its midpoint, it’s at this point (or perhaps even sooner) where Democratic candidates have laid out a platform they hope can resonate with voters of the district that covers virtually the entire Bronx. The Norwood News reviewed all the positions of confirmed candidates to that were made available on their websites. Here’s the list, which out of fairness, is an unedited, straight cut-and-paste look at their positions, complete with syntax and grammatical errors: Ydanis Rodriguez: Rodriguez’ campaign website, doesn’t explicitly lay out a policy agenda, though the language used on his site

Editor’s Pick Celebrate Three Kings Day NYC councilman Rev. Rubén Diaz. Sr. presents “Three Kings Day,” Jan. 4 at noon at Public School Mott Hall V, 1551 E. 172nd St. (between Ward and Manor avenues) for the children of our community. The first 500 kids between the ages of 1 and 10 will receive a toy and book bag with school supplies. Youngsters must be present in order to receive a toy. Event includes live music and entertainment. Info: (718) 792-1140. Onstage The Williamsbridge Oval presents a free nativity play in Spanish, “El Pesebre: A Theatre Celebration of Three Kings

By MARTIKA ORNELLA and DAVID CRUZ

The Bronx witnessed so much transformative change we’d be remiss not to mention how the borough fared this past decade. The paper pored over the last ten years to recap some of the more high-profile stories that have left a lasting impact on the Bronx. Development Within the last 10 years the Bronx has seen an enumerable population growth, coinciding with a historic development boom with lingering questions on housing security and affordability. Between 2010 and 2017, the Bronx became the fastest growing county in New York State, with over 86,000 new residents, bringing the estimated population to around 1.5

Norwood News Year in Review (Development)

By DAVID CRUZ

What a year in 2019 for the Bronx! In keeping with tradition, the Norwood News paused to look back on 2019 with a highlight of several ongoing stories we’ve followed this past year. Development Large-scale development became the operative word in 2019, with a flood of projects happening simultaneously in Norwood and Bedford Park, prompting a story recapping readers on those projects on the Vol. 32 No. 11 edition and an in-depth piece entitled “The Vanishing Homeowner” in the Vol. 32 No. 23 edition. The common denominator was simple: the Bronx has become such an attractive place for developers that it’s

Sholem Aleichem Makes Plea for Costly Roof Replacement Funds

By DAVID CRUZ

Whenever rain trickles into the Sholem Aleichem Cultural Center in Norwood, the blame is squarely put on the one-story building’s aging roof. It’s been the case for the last few years. Repairs would certainly follow, but David Braun, co-president of the center who teaches Yiddish language at Columbia University, acknowledged it was simply patchwork. A full replacement project is now in order for the small center at 3301 Bainbridge Ave. near East 208th Street, and raising the funds can’t be done alone. The nearly 71-year-old nonprofit center, which houses its institution’s archives dating back to the 1930s, is now engaged