Patrick Boyle, Who Led St. Brendan’s, Dies at 70

Monsignor Patrick Boyle, the folksy former pastor of St. Brendan’s Church in Norwood, died last week at the ageof 70 after a battle with cancer. Boyle, a Bronx native, spent almost 30 years at St. Brendan’s—first as a priest and then as pastor from 1987 to 2002.

A Street Named Inspiration

The more Allison Richardson sees and hears about her mother Phyllis Reed’s impact — on the lives she touched and the community she loved — the more she feels guilty. Last week, thanks to the efforts of Councilman Fernando Cabrera, the city officially recognized local activist Phyllis Reed’s indelible impact by re-naming the corner of Davidson Avenue and Kingsbridge Road “Phyllis Ivonne Reed Plaza.” The signage hovers over Reed’s Armory plot like a guardian angel.

Two Local Fires Cause Damage, Injuries

Firefighters at the scene of the fire at New Sweety nail salon on DeKalb Avenue. (Photo by Rachel Sander)

A pair of local fires last week, one at a nail salon near Gun Hill Road, the other at a women’s shelter on the Grand Concourse, inflicted damage to businesses and injuries to at least two small children and a firefighter. Fortunately, no one died and the damage was limited.

No Easy Fix for Gun Hill Road Congestion Problems

Earlier this month, inside Mosholu Montefiore Community Center in Norwood, local residents and traffic engineers stood over maps of Gun Hill Road, one of the city’s most congested corridors, and brainstormed ideas. Anything that might ease the flow of traffic or increase pedestrian safety was on the table. The brainstorming session followed a presentation of traffic data collected by the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT), which is using federal funds to get to the root of the congestion problems on Gun Hill Road and hopefully come up with some solutions. The presentation basically reenforced what local residents have long observed:

Cabrera Introduces Tenants Rights Bill

Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera introduced a bill in the City Council last week that aims to protect tenants against landlord abuse by informing them of their rights under the law.

Police Hunt Concourse Gunman

Police say they are searching for a suspect who shot a 29-year-old man in the ankle last week near the corner of East 197th Street and the Grand Concourse. A police spokesperson said the suspect was identified by the victim, who was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital for treatment and was said to be in “stable” condition.

Mosholu Post Office to Reopen March 14

After almost a year of being closed for renovations, the Mosholu Post Office on Jerome Avenue will reopen on March 14, according to a spokesperson for the United States Postal Service. “I’m so happy that it’s going to reopen!” local resident Tamara Rivera said. Since the post office closed its doors last April, Rivera said customers like herself were forced to go to other post offices, which were either “too far away or packed with 50 customers waiting in line.”

Palma Slams Bloomberg Budget “Fail”

Bronx Councilwoman Annabel Palma had an official response to the proposals of Mayor Bloomberg’s latest budget, which contains large cuts to many services constituents rely on —including $300 million to the city’s social service programs.

Bronx Reps Get Green Group Approval

Congressmen Jose E. Serrano and Eliot Engel, representing the Bronx, were both given stellar marks from the League of Conservation Voters, a political advocacy group that rates legislators based on how they vote on environmental issues.