Jay Wright, the head coach of men’s college basketball power Villanova University, stood in front of about 50 Bronx middle schoolers earlier this summer at the Riverdale Country School.

The assembled kids were all members of New Heights New York City, a non-profit organization based in University Heights that provides athletic and academic after-school, summer, and weekend programs year-round for 155 middle and high school students.

The struggle over who will lead the Bronx Democratic Party has, as expected, landed in court with both factions trying to invalidate each other’s half of the meeting to elect officers at the Utopia Paradise Theater. The case will come before a state Supreme Court judge on Monday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.

As the city’s Department of Education begins crafting its next five-year capital plan, which will determine where new schools will be built and which schools will receive renovations, Council Member Oliver Koppell wants to make sure his district’s overcrowding issues are adequately addressed.

All three Council members from the Bronx that represent the Norwood News coverage area – Joel Rivera, Maria Baez and Oliver Koppell – have endorsed a plan to extend term limits to include a third term. All three were facing a job change or unemployment after 2009. The rest of Council’s 51 members are split or undecided.

A listing of public and community meeting in the northwest Bronx.

Woman Survives 4-Story Fall A woman miraculously survived a four-story plunge from the rear of a six-story building near the Woodlawn #4 train station. Police were called to the courtyard of 25 E. 213th Street, at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The unidentified woman, who either fell or jumped, from the window was said to be conscious and alert. She was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital with multiple injuries, but was expected to survive. Fordham Bank Heist Police were called to the Washington Mutual Bank at 257 E. Fordham Rd. after bank officials reported a holdup. The incident was

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The motto of Cornelia and James Pappas, owners of Allen Cleaners on Bedford Park Boulevard is simple. “Either you do it right, or you don’t do it at all,” they say. Allen Cleaners celebrated its 60th anniversary more than a month ago, evidence that the Pappases have done it – and continue to do it – very right.

If you happened to show up at the historic showdown between the two warring factions of the Bronx Democratic party three weeks ago at the Paradise Theater, you surely would have been entertained. It was a great show.

But amid all the shouting and the bush-league stunts (like Jose Rivera’s supporters cutting the juice on the microphones and Council Member Maria Baez ignoring the "no" votes), it would have been almost impossible for most Bronxites to see how any of it mattered in their lives.

But it does matter. Politics matters – or at least it should.

Party organizations like the Bronx County Democratic Committee have a huge influence on who we send to Albany, City Hall and even Washington. Once they get there, they’re supposed to represent our interests in the legislative process and make laws that address the most pressing issues facing Bronxites and their fellow New Yorkers.

The attempt to nullify term limits is a disgusting attempt to override the will of the people and to establish a permanent “ruling class.” The success of this action would totally undermine the purpose of voting and make democracy a sham in this city. Almost lost in all of the attention paid to Mayor Bloomberg is that ending term limits would enable Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion and the present Bronx City Council delegation to remain in their current offices. Such a development would be tragic for democracy and would result in the demoralization of Bronxites. Over the past four years, democratic

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