Landmarks Book to Feature 30 Bronx Hidden Gems, and Raise Borough Pride

By DAVID CRUZ The Keeper’s House in Norwood has long been a source of intrigue by history buffs who’ve come as far as Queens to admire its granite stone structure. Deemed a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Commission, the house standing at the corner of Reservoir Oval East and Putnam Place once served as the home to ever-present maintenance men overseeing the reservoir that’s now home to Williamsbridge Oval Park. Its landmark status protects it from ever being bulldozed.

PS/MS 95 Intertwines Teacher Collaboration to Meet Common Core

School Briefs Under the leadership of Principal Serge Marshall Davis, teachers at The Sheila Mencher School in Van Cortlandt Village continually immerse themselves in professional planning to help students learn. Schools have changed enormously since parents of today sat in the classroom. Curriculum is fluid, a work in progress built element by element utilizing best practices to meet the standards of Common Core, rigid academic guidlines set forth by the U.S. Department of Education. Teachers work their magic with the support and ideas from their colleagues, and other school staff. Through collaborative efforts, teachers weave facts and concepts, interconnecting various

By VIVIAN CARTER Monroe College recently welcomed hundreds of Bronx and Brooklyn high school female students to the Jerome Avenue campus for their annual “Aspire to Inspire” female empowerment event. The students were seated at more than 40 festively decorated round tables staffed by accomplished professional women. Colorful balloons, banners, flowers, photos, and posters featured inspirational quotes and images. Then, words of wisdom from the podium were shared by Sade Baderinwa, popular WABC-TV Eyewitness News anchorwoman. Following the speech, mentors presented ceremonial strands of simulated pearls to each participant, with the acronym P-E-A-R-L-S reminding participants of the concepts of personal

By DAVID CRUZ Where’s the Love, Mr. Mayor? Noticed these days that appearances from Mayor Bill de Blasio is next to nothing in the Bronx this year. Looking at the first quarter of 2015, Mayor de Blasio has made four appearances in the Bronx compared to 19 in Brooklyn and seven in Queens. Staten Island, heavily Republican, placed last with only one visit. Manhattan was discounted since it’s his home base, but if one were counting, there were about 50 appearances. Our guess. He has roots in Brooklyn, which he could no doubt need for another go at Mayor in

By DAVID CRUZ Community institutions, park advocates and neighbors are coming together with a shared goal in mind—pushing the de Blasio Administration to consider revitalizing Mosholu Parkway.

Officials With KNIC and NYC EDC to Meet With Public Tonight Over Armory Ice Plan

By DAVID CRUZ The public has a chance to speak directly with representatives from the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, whose plans to build the nine-rink, 5,000-seat arena at the Kingsbridge Armory appear, on its surface, to hit a lull. Neighbors are expected to gather at Tracey Towers to speak with KNIC representatives, along with its CEO Mark Messier, to pore over details on where the project stands. The $350 million redevelopment project hit a snag last year following infighting between developers and former parties involved with the project. The news comes amid the Albany Legislature approving a $1 million accessibility study

The Norwood News traveled to Saratoga Springs for the New York Press Association 2015 Journalism Conference.

Participatory Budgeting Nears Closure, With Organizers Pushing Public to Vote

By DAVID CRUZ Participatory budgeting, a drawn out process that seeks input from residents on how $1 million in taxpayer money should be allocated, has reached its zenith—your vote.

Inquiring Photographer

By DAVID GREENE With news that The Doe Fund is building supportive housing in Norwood for those living with HIV/AIDS, we asked residents whether everyone deserves a decent place to live or if the infected should live elsewhere. I was caught by surprise by this, but it all comes down to one thing: knowing the basics about protection and really following it through. That’s the common law of the whole world; you don’t want to catch something you don’t want so you protect yourself. But this community as a whole accepting a building for that, affordable housing, I think it’s all right, but at the