“A Safe Place to Call Home,” Webster Green Officially Opens

By DAVID GREENE

State and local officials joined members of The Doe Fund for the official ribbon cutting of its recently completed, $30 million supportive housing project at 3100 Webster Ave., at the corner of East 204th Street in Norwood, adding to the number of new buildings popping up in the Norwood section. Construction on Webster Green began in 2016 and is part of a $20 billion, five-year plan of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration, which will expand and preserve more than 100,000 units of affordable housing, with 6,000 additional units providing supportive services for families at risk of homelessness or adults with disabilities.

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The year’s nineteenth edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of interesting community news stories to read and share. We have 28 pages packed full of news from this corner of the Bronx, so let’s start with page one! Our top story focuses on two more Legionnaires’ cases popping up at Tracey Towers. The New York City Health Department is now collecting water samples as part of the city Health Department’s investigation. Reporter Jose A. Giralt continued his coverage with a meeting urging residents to heed the city’s advice. Inside the cover you’ll read Michael

Financial Empowerment Part of the Solution (POTS) will host a series of personal finance workshops at 2759 Webster Ave., second floor, at the 2 p.m. on the following dates: managing your income and benefits workshop on Sept. 27; starting a budget workshop on Oct. 11; dealing with debt workshop on Oct. 25; how credit works workshop on Nov. 8; and banking on emergency savings and connecting food and finances workshop. Sessions include free drinks and snacks. For more information, contact hesteban@potsbronx.org and (718) 220-4892 ext. 135. Filmmaking Training Program Learn skills required for entry-level work in film and television production

By JONATHAN CUSTODIO

Smoke shops across the state are pulling flavored e-cigarettes off their store shelves after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an emergency ban of vaping products, considered to be heavily targeted towards youth. A Norwood smoke shop on the corner of Bainbridge Avenue and East 207th Street is breathing easy on this. Mo, who works there, says that e-cigarettes don’t make up a large percentage of the store’s revenue. Among those is Juul, a vaping product he says sells. “Juul is one section that sells. I sell other stuff. It’s a big loss but it’s not really gonna close me,” notes Mo.

Redefining American Greatness, Courtesy of Bronx Community College

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Nestled in the back of Bronx Community College (BCC) campus on one of the highest points in the borough with spectacular views of the city is a little-known secret fortress. Since 1907, a semi-circular enclave of solid bronze busts depicting various American historical figures from the world of politics, the arts, science, and others line a classical-style stone-arched colonnade, presiding majestically over the bustling University Heights neighborhood and Harlem River. The secluded monument, known as the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, designed by American architect Stanford White, was the first of its kind in the country when

By DAVID CRUZ

Call this a glass act. The newly-minted Lehman Center for the Performing Arts was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting that hailed the completion of the boxy, glass-exterior concert hall. The timing of the occasion came at the eve of the center’s 40th concert season debut. Dubbed the borough’s Lincoln Center, the $15.4 million redesign of the three-story venue adds another 5500 square feet of space that went towards a new lobby and restrooms. Guests couldn’t help but look up, admiring the grandiose look of the hall that was built in 1980. The building’s prior state was somewhat obsolete since it was

Pop-up Storytime in Norwood Looks to Boost Literacy Rates

By SHA-NIA ALSTON

Olga Baez is so worried over the Bronx’s low literacy rates it compelled her to improve them. And she called on her local cell phone store for help. “I know that the literacy rates in the Bronx are very low, so I wanted to start within my community a local storytime activity. Because I know the local library has a storytime, but they do it for toddlers; there’s no reason that kids that are a little bit older cannot enjoy storytime, especially elementary-age kids,” Baez said in a phone interview with the Norwood News. Illiteracy rates in the Bronx stand

Get to Know Your Local Businesses at Annual Jerome Gun Hill Fall Festival

Mark your calendars! The Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District’s 18th Annual Fall Festival is just around the corner! On Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Jerome Avenue between East Mosholu Parkway North and East Gun Hill Road will fill with thousands of festival-goers enjoying live music, free activities, and more than 100 vendors and small businesses selling their wares. This year’s festival is generously sponsored by Montefiore Health System, Agape Luxury Corp., Ridgewood Savings Bank, Con Edison, HealthFirst, and MetroPlus. “The BID provides convenient, affordable shopping for residents and the local workforce,” Jennifer Tausig, the BID’s

By DAVID CRUZ

Inside a busy convenience store in Norwood stood a goldmine that someone’s ready to collect. And while it’s still unclear who won the $10.7 million lottery prize at TS Stationery at 3401 Jerome Ave., one thing’s certain: the winner’s a store regular. News of the jackpot winner on Monday caused quite the buzz at the store that falls within the Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District, one of the few stores within the strip where customers can play the lottery. It’s there where Ms. Lee, the owner, worked the lotto machine on Friday. An employee with the New York State