Monroe College Hacked

By DAVID CRUZ

Monroe College in Fordham has been reportedly hacked, with hackers demanding $2 million worth of Bitcoin to undo the now encrypted files. The breach, first reported by the New York Daily News, is now being investigated by the NYPD. Monroe College, founded in 1933, has campuses in Fordham, Manhattan, and New Rochelle in Westchester County. The website is currently down. My school’s servers are currently being held hostage for $2M in bitcoin. Thank God. I had a term paper due today. #bitcoin #hostage #monroecollege #miracle — Jacklynn Hyde (@HydeJacklynn) July 11, 2019 Officials have turned to its Facebook account

A Bengali Womens’ Empowerment Group Walks A Tightrope in Norwood

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Sanjana Khan and Ayesha Akhtar grew up just a block apart in Norwood. Both their families hail from the city of Sylhet in eastern Bangladesh on the Surma River. Yet, it took a Bronx Narratives event last August at the Bronx Museum of the Arts for the two to finally meet. A month later, they founded LAAL, a non-profit group supporting Bengali women in Norwood live healthy, engaged, joyful lives. The two women spent June 23 “womanning” the group’s table stand at the “Bangla Bazzar Street Fair”, which took place at Decatur Avenue and East 204th Street in Norwood. Together, with

New Senior Residence In the Works Along Webster Avenue

By MICHAEL TURAY

The years-old rezoning of Webster Avenue could advance once again with the construction of a 12-story affordable housing senior residence near Bedford Park looming. The property at 2850 Webster Ave. by Bedford Park Boulevard is expected to see a 189-unit property exclusively for seniors. The property was recently owned by the New York Botanical Garden before selling it to Douglaston Development. The units, once built, will have an average size of 499 square feet. The development group applied for permits that are still pending before the Buildings Department. The building is expected to stand at 113 feet yielding 107,158 square

In Aftermath of Unsanctioned July 4th Parties- Trash, Lots of It

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

Despite signs banning open flames at certain green spaces across the Bronx, every year on the July 4th, for at least five years, ashes, bottles, and leftover trash are found along Mosholu Parkway the day after the holiday. The grassy strip that’s lined with benches on either side is home to several dozen trees, which the Parks Department is mandated to protect from fires. Yet despite several community meetings, and a history of complaints from Community Board 7 urging the Parks Department and NYPD to step up its ‘no barbecue’ enforcement ahead of the agency’s busiest time of the year,

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The year’s fourteenth edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of great community news stories to dive into and share. There’s plenty of news to report in this corner of the Bronx, and we’ve captured a good chunk of it. And as usual, we’ll start with page one! Our front-page story focuses on the results of the latest Community Board 7 elections, with board members going a different direction in voting for a new chair. Read about the new agenda for Emmanuel Martinez, the newly installed chair of Community Board 7 by myself and Síle Moloney.

Editor’s Pick Free Activities at the Oval Williamsbridge Oval offers a variety of free summer programs including sports, exercise, and dance. For more information and a detailed schedule, call (718) 543-8672. Onstage The Botanical Garden offers a variety of Brazilian musical performances weekends in July. For detailed information, fees, and a schedule, call (718) 817-8700. Events Wave Hill, a Bronx oasis at 675 W. 252nd St. in Riverdale, offers the following concerts: Niall Connolly, performing with his four-piece band, July 10; and Sweet Meg & the Wayfarers, band performing a variety of music, July 17; both on the Great

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By PROF. ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

Rent reform will be all the rage this summer as our elected officials will crow (now that tenants have the upper hand) about dealing with landlords. Yes, it is true. Now, landlords will have to find “new and innovative ways” to make money. Now, they can’t just throw you out or take advantage in the change of the Bronx. Yes, I mean the change! Not demographic, but from generational to transitional. For the last 25 years, the Bronx has become more of a transitional place where people move on. A borough president study from years ago shows that the average

SEE PICTURE: Man Still Wanted for Attempted Break-In of Kingsbridge Hair Salon

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

Police still don’t know who attempted to break into a hair salon in Kingsbridge Heights back in May, and now are soliciting the public’s help in identifying a suspect connected to it. Police say the man attempted to break into Elsa’s Hair Styles (Salon) at 212 W. Kingsbridge Rd. on May 30 just before 3 a.m. He failed to get in, and left the scene. The man is described as a 30-year-old Hispanic with short black hair. He is about 5’11” tall and 200 lbs, and he was last seen wearing a long-sleeve black shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

CB7 Backs Proposed Bike-Friendly Changes to Southern Boulevard

By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS

Community Board 7 voted to support a plan by the city Department of Transportation (DOT) that would overhaul traffic patterns on the northbound lanes of Southern Boulevard. As part of its last pieces of business before going on its summer break, the board voted to send a letter to the DOT backing the project. The plan dubbed Southern Boulevard Traffic Calming and Protected Bike Lanes Safety Project looks to narrow the northbound roadway, and add a two-way protected bike lane. The hope is to discourage speeding and make the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists. News of the board’s backing