A Secret Garden at Fordham University Springs With Life

By BEN ST. CLAIR

In September, while other Fordham University students finished class or relaxed before a Friday night out, sophomore Olivia Greenspan headed to the garden. Tucked away behind Fordham’s Faculty Memorial Hall and the building housing Fordham University Press, the garden is a far cry from the New York Botanical Garden across the street. But to her and many others who spend time there, this garden — St. Rose’s Garden — is one of the university’s hidden gems. Many students are not aware of the garden’s eight beds and numerous kiddie pools filled with soil. Despite the colorful sign on the fence

Gjonaj to Receive Bronx Democratic Party Endorsement

By DAVID CRUZ

State Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, whose 80th Assembly District edges into Norwood, has become the latest candidate to jump into the race for the City Council seat for the East Bronx. Four others have already declared a run in the Democratic Primary for the 13th Council District seat, which covers a portion of Norwood, as well as Throggs Neck, City Island, Morris Park, Country Club, Allerton and Pelham Parkway. The seat is now held by Councilman Jimmy Vacca, who is term-limited. The mudslinging has already begun, with one of Gjonaj’s opponents charging that a Gjonaj win could leave the Assembly District without

By DAVID CRUZ

The troubled DeWitt Clinton High School, considered one of the worst-performing schools in the New York City public school system, is now left without its principal amid accusations he fixed grades, according to reports. Santiago Taveras was removed as principal of the once-famed school early this week. The New York Times reported Taveras was removed after an internal investigation by the New York City Department of Education found he changed grades on student transcripts while threatening to remove an assistant principal in keeping it quiet by giving the principal a poor rating. Accusations Taveras altered grades was first reported by

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID CRUZ

With nearly half the Bronx population Hispanic or Hispanic-American, the New York City Department of Education is hosting a daylong forum exclusively in Spanish, offering workshops on how to navigate the school system. Carmen Fariña, head of the DOE, is scheduled to make opening remarks. She’s expected to be joined by Yolanda Torres, head of the Division of Family and Community Engagement (FACE). The division has spent the last year attempting to forge stronger ties between parents and schools. There are roughly 741,000 Hispanics or Latinos living in the Bronx, according to U.S. Census data, with residents of Puerto Rico

Hello Fellow Readers! The latest edition of the Norwood News, serving Norwood and other Bronx communities, is out with plenty of neighborhood news you can use. We’ve packed the paper with coverage on the historic general election, and our take on what lessons may have been learned. We first begin with a local story on a move by Community Board 7, the all-volunteer civic panel, looking to take the wheel in deciding Bedford Park’s future look. The Board has hired a consulting firm to carry out an independent study on the needs for the neighborhood, home to a hodgepodge of two-story

This presidential election will undoubtedly be pored over in history books for decades, examined by political scientists for its penchant for division over unity. It saw one of the unlikeliest of Republican presidential candidates, now President-elect Donald Trump, square off against Hillary Clinton, an entrenched politician whose road to the White House was indeed bumpy. Their common denominator? They were pretty unpopular outside their base. The race, bombarded into American minds to the point of exhaustion, also led to a civil war among Americans, turning political graciousness into a dysfunctional affair among the pols. It stands to reason that partisanship,

By DAVID CRUZ

Lehman College, which largely serves a Hispanic student body, is set to receive more than $1 million in federal funding for its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, in a move to close the gap between STEM-related jobs and minorities. The funds will be used to sponsor extra classroom help for students attending Bronx Community College and Hostos Community College, two-year colleges, and looking to earn a STEM degree from Lehman College. “This award will accelerate Lehman College’s efforts to advance its role as an engine of upward mobility,” Dr. Harriet Fayne Lehman College’s provost, said in a statement. “Through

By JALEESA BAULKMAN

DeWitt Clinton High School held its first annual “Commit to Graduate” event to increase student motivation by emphasizing the value of a high school diploma and the steps needed to complete their secondary studies, all in a major effort to reverse low graduation rates. “Every single day we make decisions,” Principal Santiago Taveras told his students at the pep rally-style announcement. “And when you make decisions, they have consequences.” During the campaign launch on Sept. 23, students spent the majority of their school day learning about graduation requirements, the college application process, and the importance of school attendance. “Commit to

By DANIELA BEASLEY

The new school year is underway, and for the kids who attend Public School 56 in Norwood, that means taking advantage of a new addition to their school that has been under construction since 2014. “They were over at a different school for first and second grade before the construction was finished,” Denise Gonzalez, a parent, said referring to her children who now attend PS 56. For a time, students were relocated to 3177 Webster Ave., a co-located school. “I’m so happy that our kids are over here again. I graduated from here, this is our school,” Gonzalez added. Construction