Building Woes for Stagg Properties in Norwood

By DAVID CRUZ

For more than a decade, The Stagg Group, a family-owned real estate and construction firm, has been a powerhouse in building hundreds of units of affordable housing across the Bronx, becoming a saving grace to many low-income New Yorkers. But an incident at one of its Norwood sites in late April, which exposed some deviations from approved construction work, represented some setbacks for the omnipresent construction group. Meantime, residents have some environmental questions for one of the group’s other properties slated to be built in Norwood. “I think we still need to keep asking questions. We’re not making accusations, but

Crime File: Another Heroin Death in the Bronx

By TATYANA TURNER

In the early hours of Thursday, May 25, a man walked into Montefiore Medical Center carrying a needle and a bag of heroin. He made his way to the bathroom, locked the door, and never stepped out. “He passed away,” said Lieutenant Brian Hogan of the Narcotics division as he informed the crowd of nearly 50 who attended the 52nd Precinct Community Council meeting. “That’s up to number 11 [this year]. Last year we had 23; we’re going to surpass that number.” Overdose and addiction is an issue that has been plaguing the Bronx, including Norwood. Authorities blame the spike in heroin deaths on fentanyl, a powerful narcotic that’s now mixed with heroin. “If you inhale a small amount, you’re going

By DAVID CRUZ

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who held off on advancing the $350 million reconfiguration of the Kingsbridge Armory into an ice center since entering office, is expected to turn over the lease to developers once the state releases a loan needed for the first phase of the massive project. “We’re ready to move forward with all the legal paperwork to make the project happen,” said de Blasio of the latest news as first reported by The New York Post. But the city is still waiting on the $138 state loan Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to release to developers of the Kingsbridge

New Website Centralizes Bronx Stories for Bronxites

By TATYANA TURNER

Long time BronxTalk host, Gary Axelbank, a veteran newsman who spent more than two decades leading many televised discussions of Bronx issues, launched a new website devoted to a variety of Bronx-specific news. Several dozen guests from organizations such as BronxWorks and SoBro, gathered at Bronx CoWorks, a shared office space at the Third Avenue HUB, providing a setting for start-ups and small businesses. In mirroring the concept of a daily newspaper, thisistheBronX.info will also collate content from multiple publications around the Bronx, allowing visitors to read a range of borough-related stories from different news sources. “Part of the reason

Editorial: USPS and Bronx DA Need to Squash Mailbox Fishers

For the past two years, the commanding officer of the 52nd Precinct has sounded the alarm on so-called “fishing” scams where thieves feed adhesive and glue into a mailbox on the hopes of hoisting, or fishing, out mail containing money orders and checks. But the crime has not only bedeviled the precinct, but the entire Bronx. Indeed, this crime of opportunity remains even in the face of consistent arrests made on the scam. It’s also time to call out the United States Postal Service for allowing this crime to continue. The United States Postal Service, which cries over loss of

By DAVID GREENE

More than 350 volunteers spent the last two weekends at Woodlawn Cemetery, placing American flags at the graves of members of the U.S. military in honor of Memorial Day. According to Lynn Radke and Bruce Campbell of the non-profit group Woodlawn Conservancy, members of the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, the Washington Grey Cadets, employees of Mellon Bank and other groups were handed a map of the cemetery and located about 7,000 known members of the military. For each servicemember’s grave, an American flag was placed, considered “flagged.” Capmbell, a 32-year resident of Norwood where part of the massive cemetery is

By DAVID CRUZ

As one of the few grocery stores within walking distance of the neighborhood, Mango Grocery & Meat Market seems to carry the must-have foods. And that includes fruits and vegetables. And it’s hard to miss. Even before entering the store, one can easily spot a robust spread of oranges, apples, peppers and plantains stacked neatly on the display rack. The owner, Sandy Ortiz, intended to make its presence clear. “Customers should be more health conscious about what they’re eating,” Ortiz told the Norwood News from his store at the corner of Creston Avenue and East 196th Street. “We added the

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Free Rain Barrels The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is giving away free rain barrels on June 3 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the office of Community Board 12, 4101 White Plains Road. Barrels MUST be reserved in advance. RSVP by calling Community Board 12 at (718) 881-4455. Tour MMCC Camps Free transportation will be provided to take a tour of Mosholu Montefiore Community Center’s Mosholu Day Camp at Harriman State Park on June 10. For more information about the camp, or to schedule the visit, call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0 or www.mosholudaycamp.com. Another tour with no

A Bittersweet Street Renaming for Kalief Browder

By DAVID CRUZ

A street renaming in the memory of a dead man was unveiled on his birthday. “To Kalief, I want to say happy birthday to him. My brother would’ve been 24 today,” Dion Browder said of his late brother, Kalief Browder. With a blue tent shielding him from punishing rain, Dion was joined at the street renaming by Kalief’s friends and family, and lawmakers who’ve used Kalief’s death as an example of the effects a flawed criminal justice system on an individual. A large black and white portrait of Kalief, staring stoically off camera, was propped up alongside the Browder family