State Comptroller Releases Economic Report on The Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Bronx harder than any other borough by several measures, according to an economic analysis released on June 8 by the New York State comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, with one finding showing that only 61.3 percent of households had reliable internet, compared to a range of 69.5 to 78 percent across the city, as previously reported by Norwood News. To address this, the comptroller’s office reported that as part of a recent deal, the City expects fiber-optic infrastructure to reach 500,000 new households citywide (no deadline was specified), including households in Norwood, Fordham, University Heights, Bedford

By SÍLE MOLONEY

MTA Bridges and Tunnels announced that on Wednesday, June 9, bridge and tunnel officers successfully apprehended three motorists for allegedly using fraudulent license plates, in an attempt to evade paying the toll on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. The arrests were made in a 30-minute span, and began at approximately 9:30 a.m. Personnel utilized intelligence provided by Bridges and Tunnels staff and electronic license plate readers for the purpose of stopping persistent toll violators. According to the officers, the first motorist was found to have a fraudulent temporary New Jersey license plate. Ten minutes later, at approximately 9:40

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

A jam-packed agenda extended the May Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) general board meeting to just under two hours. Much of the meeting, held on May 25, was spent going over the nominations for incoming officer positions for the upcoming year, including chairperson, first vice chair, second vice chair, third vice chair, treasurer, and secretary. Several motions were also passed, including those relating to requested letters of support from the board to different city agencies and elected officials. Each year, during the general board’s May meeting, nominations are made for new officer positions, and the final vote is

Mass Vaccination Sites All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first come first served basis. In addition, all vaccine providers are encouraged to allow walk-in appointments for eligible New Yorkers. People who would prefer to schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling (877) 829-4692. COVID-19 Testing Sites For a full list of COVID-19 testing sites, text “COVID TEST” to 855-48 or go to: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/get-tested/covid-19-testing.page. Reopening New York City There have been numerous

By SÍLE MOLONEY

One of the most heated rivalries in sports returns to Yankee Stadium this weekend, and Metro-North Railroad is marking the series by adding service to ensure fans can cheer on the Bronx Bombers as they take on the Boston Red Sox in night games at 7:05 p.m. Friday, 7:15 p.m. Saturday and 7:08 p.m. Sunday. Extra trains to deliver fans will run on the New Haven and Hudson lines. Cathy Rinaldi, Metro-North president said Metro-North is the fastest and easiest way to get to Yankee Stadium. “By adding extra service, we can ensure that all fans make it

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Dear Readers, In 2020, in acknowledgement of the diverse composition of the local communities the Norwood News serves, we updated our website, www.norwoodnews.org, to allow users to read our site in Spanish, Bengali, Arabic, Chinese and French, using a Google Translate function. Readers can translate the site from English into each of these languages by selecting the relevant language from the drop-down menu located in the top, right-hand corner of the home page. As a nonprofit news organization, with limited resources, we decided to include this translation function on our site to help you, our community of readers, access local

Latest Updates on Vaccine Eligibility According to New York State Department of Health, all individuals 12 years of age and older who reside in the United States are eligible to receive the vaccine, for free. While the vaccination process is underway, residents should continue to follow prevailing public health guidelines. FDA fact sheets for recipients and caregivers on each vaccine are available here: Pfizer-BioNTech: https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download Moderna: https://www.fda.gov/media/144638/download Johnson & Johnson/Janssen: https://www.fda.gov/media/146305/download COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available at pharmacies, local health departments, clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other locations across the state. Visit https://www.vaccines.gov/search/ to find appointments near you or contact your local pharmacy

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance identifying the individual seen in the attached surveillance video and photos regarding an assault that occurred in the 52nd precinct. It was reported to police that on Friday, May 14, 2021 at around 11.45 a.m., at the northeast corner of Van Cortlandt Avenue East and Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood, aboard the BX#28 bus which was heading towards Bay Plaza, the suspect approached a 67-year-old woman sitting in her wheel chair, and with a closed fist, struck the victim in the face, before exiting the bus. The victim sustained pain and discomfort.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday, May 13, the resumption of the Metro-North Penn Station access project, which had been paused by the COVID-19 pandemic and MTA funding uncertainty. According to government officials, the reopened process will select a firm to design and build four new Metro-North Railroad stations and make track upgrades in the Bronx. The MTA had identified three consortia, qualified to bid for the project in February 2020, three weeks before COVID-19’s arrival in New York raised questions about funding the historic 2020-2024 capital program. Devastating financial losses and uncertainty related to the pandemic led