The Fordham Road Business Improvement District is renewing its Fordham Road "Advantage" program, providing the students, faculty and staff of all local colleges, institutions, medical facilities and healthcare training centers with discounts at 62 businesses on Fordham Road.

here’s culture for the whole family at ¡Retumba!, an all-women Afro-Caribbean troupe of singers, dancers and instrumentalists on Aug. 24 at 4 p.m.; and The Ray Abrams Big Swing Band, jazz music by a live 17-piece group on Aug. 25 at 2:30 p.m. Both are at the Bronx Library Center, at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road.

Women in Steel, an all-female steel drum orchestra and female development organization based in Brooklyn, will be performing Aug. 23 as part of the Carribean Nights series at the Botanical Garden. See Onstage.

Kids, parents and cops enjoyed an end of the summer barbecue last week outside of MS 80. The six-week youth program, run by the Police Athletic League (PAL), was the 52nd Precinct’s first attempt at conducting such a program. Officer Patrick McDermott deemed the program a success, saying it was a chance for kids to learn they can trust officers and also just have a good time. He said a lot of the kids "can’t wait to come back."

Tensions between residents of neighborhoods on both sides of Mosholu Parkway remain high after a shooting two months ago, but a coalition of community groups, elected officials, police and concerned residents have spent the summer working to alleviate some of the underlying problems.

First there were four. And then two. And now maybe none. Despite earlier assurances in official city documents, the city’s Education Department now says it has no plans to construct schools at the Kingsbridge Armory.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development added a feature to their Web site to check the status of housing litigation cases initiated by HPD or any cases involving HPD.

The rates for workers compensation insurance have decreased 20.5 percent for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, as part of a legislative measure that will save New York businesses about $1 million and put more money in the pockets of injured employees, according to Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

Senator Hillary Clinton is concerned about the Department of Homeland Security’s increasingly inadequate funding for New York State. So she took these concerns right to the source – Secretary Michael Chertoff, who faced her displeasure about this year’s anticipated funds head on when they met last Thursday.