A group of New York lawmakers, including Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., came together for a second time recently to continue developing the Empire State as an "advanced energy center."

After saying earlier this summer he would not support the repeal of vacancy decontrol, which housing advocate say would protect hundreds of thousands of rent-stabilized apartments, State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. now says he will work to end it as head of the senate’s housing committee.

Since her primary defeat in mid-September, Council member Maria Baez has been conspicuously absent from events and Council meetings.

Speaking before a crowd of at least 1,000 people at St. Nicholas of Tolentine School on Oct. 25, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said the battle for living wages jobs at the Kingsbridge Armory was the beginning of a movement for economic justice in the borough, calling it "our new revolution here, our new civil rights movement."

The Related Companies’ proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a massive shopping mall is near the end of the city’s land use review process and is now in the hands of the City Council.

Public and community meetings for our readers in the northwest Bronx.

The city began protecting one of its most vulnerable populations, school-aged children, against the H1N1 flu virus last Wednesday with no reported issues by the Health Department. About 40 students were vaccinated at PS 51, the Bronx New School in Bedford Park, according to Principal Paul Smith. "It went really well," Smith said.

The Bainbridge merchants who lost their businesses overnight last weekend were part of all of our lives, whether you picked up salmon at Bainbridge Fish Market, dined on enchiladas at Diamante Poblano, bought your favorite snacks at the European Market, or had your hair done at Betty’s. Our hearts go out to all the merchants and their employees.

It will be a difficult road to recovery, but we hope that as many of the businesses as possible can reopen or relocate soon. Elected officials, community leaders and concerned residents have their work cut out for them, and many have already risen to the occasion. The key is follow-up and we pledge to keep you posted in the paper and on our blog (www.bronxnewsnetwork.org) about the latest developments.

The disappearance of at least 10 stores could mean less foot traffic on the rest of the strip. That would compound this tragedy. Each of us can make sure that doesn’t happen by shopping in the district whenever possible.

We are heartened by all the good wishes expressed on the blog, in conversations with readers, and just generally the words of concern expressed on the street in the hours and days following the fire.

If we all keep paying attention and helping wherever we can, Norwood will rebound. Let’s get to work.

Bronx politicians have a choice. They can keep making the same mistake over and over again by letting developers walk all over them (and us).

Or they can send a message that taxpayer subsidies like the tens of millions about to be handed over to the Related Companies to build a mall at the Kingsbridge Armory comes with significant responsibilities.