ICYMI: Inquiring Photographer

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

This week we asked readers their thoughts about the Thanksgiving holiday (Editor’s Note: This question ran in our November 23 to December 6 edition). Thanksgiving I spend with my family, my daughter, and it’s one of the best holidays because it’s also my birthday. I was born on Thanksgiving Day. So Thanksgiving is special to me because it’s about gratitude and about all the things to be thankful for. Merrill Robert Van Cortlandt Park South I am a religious person and we’re planning a gathering at the church and we’re going to share the day with the homeless. We will prepare meals

COMMUNITY BOARD 7, covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Fordham and University Heights sections of the Bronx will hold its monthly board meeting on Dec. 19 at Kittay House, 2550 Webb Avenue, at 6:30 p.m. CB7 committee meetings are held on the following dates at the board office, 229 E. 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Housing, Land Use & Zoning Committee meets on Dec. 12; and Executive Committee meets on Dec. 14. There will be no Parks Committee meeting as it’s happening on Dec. 7, the same time as the CB7 Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. For more information,

Lawmakers Advocate for Tenants at Pair of Morgan Group Buildings (Picture)

By YARA PALIN and DIEGO BARCACEL PEÑA

The ongoing hazardous conditions at a Kingsbridge Heights apartment building is now getting the attention of a Bronx legislator. State Senator Gustavo Rivera, representing the neighborhood, has stepped in to show support for the tenants of 60 E. 196th St., which has been plagued with disruptive construction. In response to the situation, Rivera attended a Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) investigatory conference with tenants and the Morgan Group, which owns the building. He also has secured legal assistance from Legal Services of New York (LSNY) in cooperation with the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) and organized

The following letters to the editor were published in the Norwood News December 7-20, 2017 edition Shelter Needs More Checks and Balances The title of the article from the Nov. 9-22 issue (“Fordham Shelter Housing Site Here to Stay”) written by Reggie Francois gives the impression that FHOC [Fordham Hill Owners Corporation] and the neighborhood were defeated when in fact FHOC played a vital role in mobilizing our community so that our voices could be heard. It was written recklessly and in an insensitive tone, where fear was invoked in the commentary. Francois mentioned many of the local legislators present

Canned Food Drive Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz holds annual Holiday Canned Food Drive until Dec. 13. Donations, which are given to Bronx non-profits for families in need, can be dropped off at his office, 3107 Kingsbridge Ave. For more information, call (718) 796-5345. Heating Assistance Sign up to receive free heating assistance through the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Eligible households can receive assistance of up to $725. A family of four with a yearly income of $53,482 can still qualify for help. For more information about eligibility, and to sign up, call (212) 331-3126. Public Engagement Workshops

Council Speaker Takes a Bow, But More Work Lies Ahead (Picture)

By DAVID CRUZ

As the first New York City Council Speaker of Puerto Rican descent, Melissa Mark-Viverito placed a high priority on immigration issues that have helped raise her national profile as a staunch Democratic supporter of immigrant rights and vocal critic of the Trump administration. And as she finishes her last month in office and as speaker, Mark-Viverito, representing the 8th Council District in the South Bronx and Harlem, sees herself lobbing even more criticism at the Trump administration sans a political pulpit. “That’s why we have to fight so hard,” Mark-Viverito said. “There’s so much at stake.” Those were some

“Bill Finger Way” Honors the Bronx Mind Behind Batman

By AARON MAYORGA

Much like his most-famous creation Batman, Bill Finger spent much of his life cloaked in the shadows of others. But on the morning of Dec. 8, Finger was at the center of attention in his hometown. It’s there were superfans of the Dark Knight assembled at the corner of East 192nd Street and the Grand Concourse to rechristen the cross street in honor of Finger, the man who many do not know is the co-creator of the Dark Knight. “It’s pretty surreal,” said Benjamin Cruz, the great-grandson of Finger, whose contributions to the creation of Batman have largely gone overlooked.

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers whether an accusation or allegation of sexual harassment is enough to dismiss someone or should there be a full investigation? Are these dismissals a knee-jerk reaction or justified? Sometimes the way that people are dismissed are sometimes based on just the immediate reactions that some people give after the accusation. I think that some of the dismissals might be justified if the person actually admits to it. I suppose then that people have a right to dismiss them if they feel uncomfortable with them or they don’t want to be associated with them. I think

Crime File: Alleged Repeat Robber Strikes Norwood

By YARA PALIN

The man who allegedly committed a string of robberies in Norwood and Bedford Park is now under arrest, police say. He robbed eight women before being detained. Police say Germaine Butler, who is being charged with five counts of robbery and three counts of grand larceny, was hiding at his sister’s in Long Island after having been identified by several news outlets. The doorman there, who is a retired cop, recognized Butler and called in a tip. “[Butler] eventually left the apartment to order a pizza and [the doorman] called us,” says Captain Kevin Coleman of the 52nd Precinct. Coleman,