Obama Endorses Ritchie Torres in 15th Congressional District Race

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Ritche Torres on Friday, Sept. 25, for New York’s 15th Congressional District, which covers the South Bronx. President Obama’s endorsement comes after Torres won the June 2020 primary. In a tweet in which he announcing a number of endorsements, Obama wrote, “I’m proud to endorse these outstanding Democratic candidates who will work to get the virus under control, rebuild the economy and the middle class, and protect Americans’ health care and preexisting conditions protections from Republican assault.” He added, “They’re dedicated to shoring up and strengthening our democracy, a project that’s going to take

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On Friday, Sept. 24, U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh ordered the Census Bureau to keep conducting the census count until October 31. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who yesterday announced his withdrawal from the mayoral race in New York City, and 2020 Census Task Force Co-Chairs, Carlos Menchaca and Carlina Rivera, issued a statement on the court ruling extending the census period. “This is a win for New York and gives us another month to get a complete count in the City. We have seen the Trump Administration try and fail, again and again, to exclude immigrants

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Bronx native, attorney, and board member of Northwest Bronx Democrats 4 Change, Oswald Feliz, is clear on what his top three issues are in running for City Council in the 15th District. “Number one, I will work to racially and economically desegregate our public-school system,” he said. “We actually have the most racially and economically segregated system in the country, and that has to change.” Feliz said that in a city which has the largest public-school system in the country, with over 1.1 million students, where 70 percent are from minority communities, it is unjust that only a

By DANIELA BEASELY

Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC) is partnering with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NYC to support local, small businesses in the Norwood and Wakefield neighborhoods through the LISC NYC Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund. The Fund will provide grants of $10,000 to minority-owned, small businesses, in response to their needs to successfully retool and adapt to new business guidelines and a changing marketplace, in the wake of COVID-19. LISC NYC embraces an inclusive, economic development agenda that prioritizes targeted investments in public infrastructure, human talent, innovation, diverse enterprises, and community organizations. This aligns with MPC’s efforts to advance the health

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

Catholic school children enrolled in schools in the Archdiocese of New York returned to class on Wednesday, Sept. 9 for the first time since March when the pandemic forced most of the city into lockdown. However, the return to school was quite different, and not just because of mask wearing. Children of all ages returned to their cathedrals of education at St. Raymond Academy for Girls in Castle Hill, Immaculate Conception in Olinville, St. Philip Neri School in Bedford Park, St. Brendan’s School in Norwood and dozens of others. Students were greeted with warm “hellos” as well as temperature

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sept. 23, that the City will furlough all managerial and non-union represented City employees, totaling 9,000 people. This announcement expands on an announcement made last week by the City of a week of furloughs of mayoral office employees which will take place between October and March. The de Blasio administration said the expanded furloughs announced on Sept. 23 will save the City $21 million. The administration clarified to Norwood News that under the previously announced furlough arrangement, also reported by Norwood News, which affects mayoral office employees, these employees will

By ANTHONY RIVIECCIO

Normally, when I have clients that want to discuss their credit score, I first let them know that there are many credit agencies out there, and each one rates you differently. But, of course the same principle applies at each of them. Your credit score will be good or bad, depending on the interpretation of the people and institutions rating your financial situation. Of course you want your score to be high. How do we do that? In simple terms, we get a copy of your credit report and clean it up! But, it gets much deeper. I

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sept. 16 the first weekday expansion of the “Open Streets: Restaurants” initiative. In the meantime, restaurant partner organizations have been organizing temporary street closures across the City to facilitate additional, weekday outdoor dining along select corridors. Earlier this month, the administration invited BIDs, community-based organizations, and groups of restaurants to submit applications to expand the existing “Open Streets: Restaurants” initiative that combines the existing “Open Streets” and “Open Restaurants” programs. Previously, car-free hours on streets had been limited to weekends. Expanded “Open Streets: Restaurants” locations in the Bronx which

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On July 31, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule (PDF) that increases fees for certain “immigration and naturalization benefit requests” to ensure that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a service which falls under DHS, recovers the cost of the services it provides. The increases become effective Oct. 2, 2020. According to DHS, unlike most government agencies, USCIS is fee funded. Fees collected and deposited into the Immigration Examinations Fee Account fund nearly 97 percent of its budget. As required by federal law, USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that the