Q&A with Michael Lambert: New Jerome-Gun Hill BID Director Settles In

Michael Lambert, a Bronx Science grad and longtime Montefiore Medical Center employee, was recently hired as executive director of the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) and deputy director of Mosholu Preservation Corporation. He sat down with the Norwood News to talk about his new position, the benefits of a BID, and why he might make a great Jeopardy contestant.

A Street Re-Renamed

A stretch of road between East Fordham Road and Allerton Avenue, known for the last three decades as Dr. Theodore L. Kazimiroff Boulevard, was renamed last week and restored to its original title — Southern Boulevard — a rare act by the city of revoking an honorary street name.

Post Office Reopens

The Mosholu Post Office on Jerome Avenue (finally) reopened last week. The post office, which closed due to structural damage last April, is once again open for regular business hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m to 4 p.m. “It was a pain in the butt that it was closed for so long,” Julissa Shapiro said. “But it’s great that it’s open now!”

After Finding Fields Closed, League Marches On

Opening Day for the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center’s youth baseball league is a big event. Players, parents, coaches and league organizers, all gather together at the Center, on DeKalb Avenue and Gun Hill Road, to march as one to a nearby field for the ceremonial first pitch and the first scheduled games. This year, things didn’t go according to plan.

Budget Woes Will Cut Deep Into Youth Jobs

New York State’s budget woes are going to take a huge chunk out of the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which allows thousands of young people to get their first job experience. The program received a drastic cut in their budget, meaning fewer jobs for kids and increased competition for the jobs available.

Op-ed: Show Me the Teachers!

“Mayor to Kids: Say Goodbye to Your Teacher” is the glaring headline on the front page of the Feb. 17 edition of New York Teacher, a bi-weekly periodical for teachers. Its sub-head reads “Bloomberg would rather lay off teachers than extend millionaire’s tax.” This state tax is due to expire at the end of this year, and my immediate thought on this sub-head was: I wonder if the mayor objects because he himself is a millionaire, which would mean his own taxes would be higher. It has been reported that this tax could add billions of dollars to the state budget which could prevent layoffs.

Letter: Grammy-Winner Plays at Norwood Church

Maybe you’ve seen him at Willie’s Steak House, or even at the Grammys in Los Angeles. Pete Nater earned his Grammy in 2005, along with the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. But has he forgotten that he’s from the Bronx? Not a chance. Even though he’s made it, he seems to have a soft spot for us.

New School Library Has PS 8 ‘Believin”

As guests filed down the aisles of the PS 8 auditorium during the Bedford Park school’s celebration of their new library, the Journey song, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” blared from a boom-box. “I love this song,” said 5th grader Iris Bermudez. “It just feels hopeful.” For many, the new library is just that — a symbol of hope.

State Budget Saves Some, Cuts Others

New Governor Andrew Cuomo and the legislature in Albany officially passed a state budget at the end of March, a day before the start of the new fiscal year. It marked the first time in five years that a budget has been approved in New York before its April 1 deadline and will eliminate a $10 billion deficit, Cuomo boasted in a press release. For the Bronx, the $132.5 million budget contains a mix of ups and downs. Certain funding that was on the chopping block was restored, while other cuts will mean major setbacks for a number of agencies, social service programs and local organizations.