Queens Man Charged in Groping 4-Year-Old

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID CRUZ

A Queens man faces a litany of charges, including sex abuse, for allegedly groping a 4-year-old girl on board a southbound 4 train. Police say Kwame Johnson, 42, was picked up by police four days after the reported assault on the 4 train. The incident, which happened on board the train around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 27, took place at the East 183rd Street station, falling within the 52nd Precinct. The man sat down next to the daughter and placed his right hand under the daughter’s rear end, the mother claimed. Neither the mother nor the daughter was identified in

By DAVID GREENE

I will try and be a better person and make better decisions and, I guess, get better at school and make my mom proud. Hopefully, the Bronx can become a cleaner place and we can reduce the pollution. Chicago Smith Morris Park I’m not really giving up anything for the new year, but I guess I’d like people to be better to each other and be more friendly to each other instead of being bad. I hope the Bronx becomes a better place to live in; safer. I know it’s not that bad, but it could be better. Gabriel

By JOSEPH KONIG

Ahead of what Democrats say will be an historically active legislative session in Albany, here are some notable new laws coming to the Bronx at the beginning of 2019. Tobacco Sale Banned in Pharmacies As part of a bill passed in 2017, New York City pharmacies will no longer sell tobacco products. The nation’s largest pharmacy chain, CVS, famously stopped selling tobacco products in 2014, but now all New York City pharmacies will join them. The law will also affect big box stores and supermarkets with pharmacy departments. According to Councilman Brad Lander, the pharmacy ban and heavy taxation of

By DAVID CRUZ

The Top Stories This Norwood News’ Year in Review saw continued development in the Bronx, political newcomers combatting giants, and a troubling violent crime trend for the local precinct. The paper pored through all 25 editions of 2018 that graced the stands, stores, and other locations in the Bronx, sifting through repeat stories that had, from an editorial standpoint, the greatest impact. Here are the highlights: Homicides in Norwood The Norwood News was there to report on the rise in homicides happening in Norwood and the surrounding areas that comprise the 52nd Precinct. The body count went from a total

SEE VIDEO- Man Accused of Molesting Little Girl on 4 Train

By JOSEPH KONIG

A four-year-old girl was molested on the 4 train Thursday night, according to the NYPD. Her alleged assailant is still at large, and police are asking for help identifying him. Police said that around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 27, the four-year-old and her mother were riding on the southbound 4 train when a man got on the car at the Jerome Avenue and West 183rd Street station. The man sat down next to the daughter and placed his right hand under the daughter’s buttocks, the mother claimed. Neither the mother nor the daughter was identified in the police statement

By BRENDA BOATSWAIN, Ph.D., CGP

Research shows that having positive close relationships throughout your life has a positive effect on your physical health, mental health, and lifespan. In infants, warm and nurturing parents help them grow into adults that can successfully manage their lives. For young children and adolescents, close positive family relationships can serve as a buffer against stress. Reducing stress lowers the chance of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease. In adults, being socially connected and having access to social support is related to better health and self-care. For aging adults, social ties reduce risk for mental and physical decline and early

University Heights Woman, Unintentionally Shot by Police, Sues for $10 Million

By DAVID CRUZ and DAVID GREENE

Irene Ureña Perez, the woman accidentally shot by an officer of the 52nd Precinct as he was chasing down a suspect in University Heights, is suing the NYPD following the Dec. 5 shooting. Perez, 46, spoke inside her University Heights apartment alongside famed personal injury attorney Sanford Rubenstein, who announced the $10 million lawsuit. Perez was walking home with a small child near University Avenue and West 183rd Street when a bullet pierced her abdomen, damaging several organs, according to the criminal complaint. Perez, recuperating at home, told reporters she underwent three surgeries. “My liver has a cut, my pancreas,

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers their thoughts on the city Department of Transportation (DOT) plans for a “road diet” which calls for converting two-way Morris Park Avenue from a double lane to a single lane each way roadway. Somewhere along the line our elected officials at City Hall forgot that they serve the people. They got into office by saying that this was a tale of two cities and now it’s a tale of one city, run by a king: [Bill] de Blasio. Start listening to what the people have to say, they’re the ones that pay your salary. It’s

Dog, Left By a Hydrant in the Cold, Seeks Owner

By DAVID CRUZ

Police at the 52nd Precinct are trying to locate the owner of a dog left tied to a hydrant in Norwood. The precinct posted a picture of the pooch on Twitter pleading for anyone to find the dog. It was found at the corner of Tryon Avenue and East 211th Street just near Williamsbridge Oval Park. It was found with a fitted coat over its back and found sometime during the day. Temperature highs on Christmas Eve were in the mid-40s. Anyone with information is asked the call the 52nd Precinct at (718) 220-5811.