Food Insecurity

Op-Ed: Manhattan May Not Notice Parks’ Budget Cut, Other Boroughs Will

By LIANA SMALE
Next time you walk through one of New York City’s 1,700 public parks, take a closer look at the names on the signs advertising park events, or at the shirts worn by people picking up trash. Do they say “NYC Parks” or the name of a private group? While NYC Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) performs many general park maintenance tasks, oftentimes private groups ensure that parks are clean, safe, and fun spaces.   According to New Yorkers for Parks, the City already spends less on its parks than other major U.S. cities, and this June, according to New


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Final Kingsbridge Armory Workshop Held at Walton High School

By DAVID GREENE
  Several hundred members of different trade unions from across the City stood vigil down the block from Walton High School in Kingsbridge Heights on Wednesday, May 24, as city officials joined local residents for the final community input meeting to determine the future of the massive, vacant Kingsbridge Armory, located at Jerome Avenue and West Kingsbridge Road, also in Kingsbridge Heights. It has remained all but dormant for the better part of the last 20 years. Only Bronxites were allowed inside the school for the meeting.   The Kingsbridge Armory residents meeting kicked off at 5 p.m. at the


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BX BP and BX Economic Development Corp. Announce $1 Million Sustainability Challenge to BX Students

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and the Bronx Economic Development Corporation (BXEDC) announced the launch of the first-of-its-kind environmental sustainability challenge on Monday, May 8.   BXEDC representatives said the Bronx Green Action Challenge will award up to $1 million to a Bronx-based college or university for the development and implementation of a project or set of projects that improve campus sustainability, and reduce that institution’s environmental footprint. They said higher education is one of the borough’s strongest and fastest growing industries, with 12 Bronx colleges and universities serving 50,000 students.   According to BXEDC, the grant will support improvements


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As Worshippers Return for Holy Week Services, One Lector Discusses Addiction Concerns & Mental Health

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
  Worshippers once again returned in person for the annual Passion of the Christ Reenactment in Bedford Park with several hundred parishioners and passersby seen watching members of Our Lady of Refuge congregation reenacting the Good Friday procession and  crucifixion.   The event was held outside Our Lady of Refuge church, located at 290 East 196th Street on Friday, April 7, as the street was shut down between Bainbridge Avenue and Briggs Avenue. The annual Bedford Park event is believed to have started in the 1980s and the current pastor of Our Lady of Refuge church, Father Patrick D’Arcy, said


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Elections 2023: Irene Estrada Lays Out her Case for her City Council Run in District 13

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Former Democratic female district leader for the 80th assembly district and Democratic candidate for city council in District 13, Irene Estrada, briefly broke down why she is running for the seat against incumbent, City Councilwoman Marjorie Velázquez when we spoke to her at the 25th Throggs Neck St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 12.   Estrada, whose two daughters serve with the NYPD, and who is on the clergy council of the 49th Precinct, said, “Our streets are a mess with crime.” She added, “We also need to bring back the school safety task force. They took it away after COVID.


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Bedford Park Resident Honored at Bridgefield Civic League Women’s History Month Celebration

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest edition.   Bedford Park resident and community volunteer, Miriam Quiñones, was one of five impressive women honored during a Women’s History Month celebration organized by Bridgefield Civic League in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx on Saturday, March 18. During the event, Quiñones, who is also a freelance photographer with Norwood News, along with each of the other four honorees, was presented with a plaque by president of Bridgefield Civic League, Debra Garland, as well as proclamations from both the City Council, presented by District


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Montefiore Einstein Announces $100 Million Contribution to Albert Einstein College of Medicine 

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Montefiore Einstein announced on Thursday, March 2, that an anonymous donor is making a $100 million contribution to Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Representatives from Montefiore-Einstein say the gift, one of the largest in Einstein’s history, will support biomedical research that includes basic, clinical, and translational research programs serving the nation and the world. They added that it will also provide direct financial support to students, ensuring greater access to what was described as “the vibrant and innovative learning environment that Einstein provides.”   Reacting to the news, Philip Ozuah, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Montefiore Medicine, the


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Norwood’s P.S. / M.S. 20 Hydroponic Farm Program Expands to 20 Schools

By DAVID GREENE
Members of NY Sun Works, a non-profit that builds innovative science labs in urban schools, through its Greenhouse Project Initiative to educate students and teachers about the science of sustainability, joined Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson at Norwood’s P.S. / M.S. 20‘s hydroponic farm on Wednesday, Jan. 25, to announce the expansion of hydroponics farm technology to 20 local schools.   According to verticalroots.com, put simply, hydroponics is a way to skip the soil, sub in a different material to support the roots of the plant, and grow crops directly in nutrient-rich water.   The $2.5 million boroughwide project would


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