I experienced several firsts today: It was my first time speaking directly to an elected official (rather than e-mailing, sending a letter, or speaking with an assistant) about an issue of concern to me; it was my first time being yelled at by an elected official; it was my first time telling an elected official to stop yelling at me.

Norwood mourns the loss of its neighborhood small businesses due to last Saturday’s fire on Bainbridge Avenue. All of the businesses that have been affected by the fire are neighborhood fixtures. The Fish Market, the Bakery and Sal’s Hillside Meat Market are among the unique businesses in Norwood.

A listing of events, programs, services and announcements for our readers.

A listing of arts, entertainment and recreational events for our readers in the Bronx and beyond.

Heavy metals have been discovered at Harris Field in Bedford Park during the park’s reconstruction, the Norwood News has learned. The Parks Department declined to answer specific questions about what heavy metals were found, the levels of contamination, or the steps taken to make the site safe.

Our Lady of Refuge Church, on 196th Street, is under siege. Nearly every night, after longtime maintenance worker Luis Lugo closes the church compound’s 15-foot-high, chain-link gates, neighborhood kids climb over them, looking to cause a ruckus. "It’s worse [now]," said Lugo, after testifying in front of a Community Board 7 public safety hearing held at the besieged church last Tuesday night. "The youth are domaining [sic] here and the police department doesn’t have the power to stop it."

It’s five o’ clock on a Friday and Eshawn Hall is just starting his evening. Slipping through the doors of the 4-train at Bedford Park Boulevard with CDs in hand and fat headphones wedged above his ears, the veteran rapper/entrepreneur drops his backpack as the train starts moving.

While most mothers are juggling work and home life, Francisca “Frances” Villar (pictured, center, right), a 26-year-old mom and a student at Lehman College in the Bronx, has started a fierce campaign to run against Mayor Bloomberg in November’s election.

Mayoral candidates Mike Bloomberg and Bill Thompson showed up to various Bronx events over the past few weeks.