At Norwood Store, Cigars Are an Art

Francisco Rosario sits at a worn wooden desk behind a storefront window, transforming a pile of flat, brown leaves into cigars as thick as Italian sausages. He holds the butt of a cigar snugly between his lips as he works, tearing, smoothing, and rolling the fragrant leaves. Our Lady of Fatima, emblazoned on a gold medal hanging from his neck, presides over the ritual.

Cemetery Workers Say Problems Continue

Nearly two years after filing a grievance against the management of Woodlawn Cemetery, with claims of unfair labor practices and racism, employees continue to speak out, even after 15 of 37 workers were laid off in April.

Mayor’s ‘Young Men’s Initiative’ Focused on Reading

Mayor Bloomberg and a number of city and elected officials gathered at the Bronx Library Center on Kingsbridge Road last week to launch the first effort of the city’s “Young Men’s Initiative,” a $127 million multi-agency program unveiled this summer to address the disparities faced by the city’s young black and Latino men.

Be Healthy! Answers Your Questions

Q: I would like to know why my nose runs whenever I eat or drink. This has been occurring for a number of years and is very disturbing and embarrassing. I don’t have any allergies or an ongoing cold. I am a junior senior, in reasonably good health, of average height and weight, and do not take any medications. What is the cause and how can this be remedied — preferably without medication?

Assemblywoman Aims to ‘Fight the Bulge’

Teaming up with professional mixed martial artists, a celebrity fitness trainer and a dietician from Jacobi Medical Center, Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera has set out to tackle childhood obesity in her new “Fight the Bulge” campaign.

Sen. Rivera Teaching Free Civics Classes

Bronx State Sen. Gustavo Rivera is getting back to his roots as educator, teaching a series of free civics classes this month at the Bronx Library Center that cover topics like the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, elections and how different levels of government work.

Training Wheels Off: Tour De Bronx Returns

Bronx bicycling enthusiasts can get in gear for the 17th annual Tour de Bronx, as registration for the Oct. 23 event is now open. The tour is a joint project by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, and local hospitals to promote health and exercise.

Clinton-JFK Square Off Under Friday Night Lights

An ancient rivalry is back in the Bronx for an emotional showdown under Friday night lights. Dewitt Clinton’s Governors are headed to John F. Kennedy’s Riverdale campus in what should be a hard-fought contest that starts at 7 p.m.

Engel: With Qaddafi’s Death, Real Work in Libya Begins

Bronx Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the house foreign affairs committee, sent out a swift response to the news of former Libyan dictator Muammar el-Qaddafi’s violent death earlier today, saying it’s time for Libyans to get down to the business of setting up a functioning democracy.