Bronx Connections: 2020 Election Local Lens (Part 3 of 5) Health

By Eliot Schiaparelli & Síle Moloney

Norwood News, in partnership with WFUV radio and BronxNet Television, presents a five-part series on national issues affecting voters in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, seen through the local lens of Bronx neighborhood communities. Part three looks at health. Health and healthcare were always going to be pivotal to the 2020 presidential election, even before the COVID-19 pandemic catapulted them to the top of the political agenda. According to a recent Pew research poll, 68 percent of voters said healthcare was a “very important” issue to them, second only to the economy. People are rightfully

By DAVID GREENE

For our latest print edition, we asked readers for their thoughts on the U.S. Supreme Court justice nomination process. “I believe the Supreme Court should be expanded, especially if we get too many conservatives on the Supreme Court and not enough moderates. I think there needs to be a balance. Even though justices swear to be neutral, I believe people are swayed by their opinions, how they are raised. You have Catholic judges who’ve had strict Catholic upbringings as being pro-life and that’s a big worry for women, that they will repeal Roe vs. Wade. It shouldn’t even

By Síle Moloney

The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance in identifying the man shown in the attached photos in connection to a robbery that occurred in the 52nd precinct. On Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, at approximately 8:30 p.m., a 32-year-old man was walking in the vicinity of Aqueduct Avenue Extension and West Fordham Road when he was approached by an unidentified man who pushed him to the ground and demanded his property. The man forcibly removed the victim’s personal property which consisted of articles of clothing and jewelry and fled on foot in an unknown direction. The

By DAVID GREENE

A month after a series of hate crimes against the LGBTQ community were reported in Norwood, police are likely looking for a burly, shadowy figure caught on surveillance video as a suspect. Meanwhile, at least one of the remaining hateful messages is still visible on the front of a Decatur Avenue building. In response to an enquiry by Norwood News, on Friday, Oct. 16, NYPD detective and spokeswoman Sergeant Jessica McRorie said, “There are four anti-sexual incidents involving graffiti that occurred along 204th Street, reported on Sept. 18, that are currently being investigated as possible hate crimes.” McRorie

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The grand opening of long-awaited ADA compliant elevators at Bedford Park Boulevard subway station took place on the Grand Concourse on Thursday, Oct. 15. MTA Construction & Development President, Janno Lieber, launched the opening alongside a group of MTA colleagues, and was also joined by elected officials, Congressman Adriano Espaillat and State Assemblyman José Rivera. Speaking at the launch, Espaillat said, “There are three elevators, one up here [street level], and two downstairs [at subway level], and they were built at a cost of $38.2 million,” he said, adding that it was an extraordinary project. He then

By AUGUSTINA KWAFO-BAIDOO

October is National Dental Hygiene Month, a perfect time to remember to take care of our oral health. When people think about a healthy lifestyle, eating more fruits and vegetables, increasing physical activity, limiting alcohol, getting more sleep and making time for self-care often top the list. But, taking care of our oral health is also an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and the health of our mouth, teeth and gums affects the way we talk, smile, eat and present ourselves to the world. Just like the rest of our body, the mouth is full of good

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

Last November, residents living at 2558 Grand Concourse were unable to cook a Thanksgiving dinner on their stoves because the gas service was cut off by Con Edison. Stellar Management, the company that manages the property, provided the Fordham Manor tenants with portable hot plates, but it was an unsatisfactory solution for some. Daneiry Gonzalez is one of the affected tenants. “How am I supposed to cook a Thanksgiving dinner on a hot plate with two coils [burners]?” she said, when asked how she coped with the situation last year. Speaking in Spanish to the Norwood News, Gonzalez

By Síle Moloney

Police responded to a 911 call on Thursday, Oct. 22, at around 7 p.m. regarding a man who had been stabbed in front of 380 East Bedford Park Boulevard, within the confines of the 52nd precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed a 62-year-old man, unconscious and unresponsive, with a stab wound to the lower back. EMS responded and transported the man to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. The deceased has been identified as Kevin Smith, 62, of 2960 Decatur Avenue, The Bronx.

Election 2021: Abigail Martin on Housing, Schools & A Living Wage

By Síle Moloney

An educator and social worker, Abigail Martin, candidate for City Council in the 11th District points to equality in education as being key to breaking the cycle of generational poverty. As a student advisor and adjunct professor at Columbia University’s school of social work, she helps train the City’s next generation of social workers. “I mentor them throughout their first year of social work school, and work with them in their placements,” she said. “All my students are usually placed in the Bronx so, I’ve been in a lot of public schools in the Bronx, meeting with my students