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

A listing of community programs, services, events and announcements.

The Norwood News was recently featured in the “Best Of…” Awards in the Village Voice in this week’s issue. They call it the “Best Little Newspaper that Beats the Odds.”

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.

Your quick-hit guide to the November 3 general election.