The Twin Parks Tragedy: What’s Next?

By MONICA RICHARDSON & SÍLE MOLONEY

It has been almost three weeks since the deadly Twin Parks fire tragedy occurred in the Fordham Heights section of the Bronx, tragically taking the lives of 17 people, including 8 children, mostly of Gambian descent. Since then, Bronxites have mobilized to mourn and honor the victims, support the survivors, all while facing more tragedy in the form of gun violence across the borough. The NYPD confirmed 63 people were injured in the Twin Parks North West blaze, which, according to a report by The New York Times, was the deadliest since the Bronx’s Happy Land Social Club tragedy, which resulted

By SÍLE MOLONEY &. DAVID GREENE

Norwood News has received eye witness reports that around 3 people required medical assistance, possibly due to frostbite or heat or stress-related illness, during the funeral and prayer service held on Sunday morning, Jan. 16, for the 17 victims, including 8 children, of last Sunday’s tragic fire in Fordham Heights, as reported. Eye-witnesses told Norwood News during the service, which began at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning, at the Islamic Cultural Center, located at 371 East 166th Street in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, that around 3 people attended to by EMTs and reportedly treated in an ambulance,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A 20-year-old male passenger has died, and a 19-year-old male driver remains in hospital, following a motor vehicle collision in Hunts Point, police said. On Saturday, Jan. 8, at approximately 5.18 a.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Manida Street and Oak Point Avenue in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, located in the 41st precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed the 19-year-old driver, conscious and alert with injuries to the face and neck, and the 20-year-old male passenger, unconscious and unresponsive, with trauma about the body. EMS

By DAVID GREENE

The NYPD has confirmed that a second young man has died following a horrific car crash which occurred in the Morris Park section of the Bronx, just eight days before Christmas. NYPD Detective Denise Moroney said the crash occurred at the intersection of Morris Park Avenue and Haight Avenue at 12.15 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16. Moroney told Norwood News, “Police responded to a 911 call of a motor vehicle collision… within the confines of the 49th Precinct.” She continued, “Upon arrival, officers observed a 26-year-old male vehicle operator with severe trauma to the head and a 24-year-old male

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE

Video courtesy of Citizen A 57-year-old woman has died following a fire which broke out in a multiple dwelling in Kingsbridge Heights on Monday. Police said they responded on Monday, Dec. 20, at approximately 10.34 a.m., to a 911 call regarding a fire at 2835 Webb Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights, located in the 50th precinct. Upon arrival, police encountered FDNY personnel taking measures to put out the blaze. Once the fire had been extinguished at around 11.56 a.m., FDNY personnel discovered an unconscious and unresponsive 57-year-old woman inside Apartment 2B. EMS were at the scene and pronounced the

UPDATE Fordham Village Veterans Fed Up with Living Conditions

By SARAH HUFFMAN

While many Bronxites took the usual time to honor local veterans at various events held across the borough on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, as reported, residents of the Fordham Village veterans’ community, located in the Fordham Manor section of the Bronx, are fed-up complaining about reportedly substandard living conditions, and are demanding action. Addressing the needs of the Fordham Village veterans was the primary focus of the Veterans Affairs committee of Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7), during its Nov. 17 committee meeting, a follow-up on various complaints raised during the October committee meeting. A review of the

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Norwood News has been informed by officials of New Rochelle’s Salesian High School of the death of former student and coach, Paul Sousa. “The Salesian Family is deeply saddened to announce the loss of the Salesian baseball star and former coach, Paul Sousa (’72),” the notice read. “Paul was an incredible athlete, coach and friend.” Officials at the school, located at 148 East Main Street in New Rochelle, NY said Sousa’s two sons, Paul Sousa Jr. (’98) and Scott Sousa (’03), also attended Salesian High School. The following notice has been posted to the Pelham Funeral Home

By MICHAEL BENJAMIN

Former Bronx assemblyman, Michael Benjamin, announced that his mother, Kathleen A. Benjamin, née Conton, passed away at Calvary Hospital (Morris Park) on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at the age of 86. A native of Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Kathleen came to the Bronx in 1956 and later married husband, Ray Benjamin, in October 1957. She resided at Tracey Towers in the Jerome Park section of the borough, on the border with Norwood. After three children and ten years as a “stay-at-home,” mother, Kathleen became a para-professional at the school her boys attended, P.S. 130X, on Prospect Avenue

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Lehman College is partnering with the national mentoring organization iMentor to launch a new program that will provide 260 freshmen and transfer students, who are already enrolled in one of the organization’s high school programs, with one-on-one mentoring and support to help them excel academically and graduate college in four years. The Alice Griffin Scholars Program is named in honor of Alice V. Griffin, Ph.D., who taught at Lehman for 42 years until her retirement in 1991. Griffin was instrumental in founding Lehman’s graduate English program and served as its director. She was also the mother of iMentor founder,

Norwood News

Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights

Obituaries

UPDATE Medical Incident Reported During Prayer Service of 17 Bronx Fire Victims

Hunts Point: A 20-Year-Old Man Has Died following a Motor Vehicle Collision

Second Young Man Dies after Horrific Morris Park Crash

Kingsbridge Heights Fire in Multiple Dwelling Building Kills One Woman & Injures Two Others

UPDATE Fordham Village Veterans Fed Up with Living Conditions

Funeral Details Announced for Former Salesian High School Student and Coach, Paul Sousa

Family & Friends Mourn the Passing of Kathleen A. Benjamin, Mother of Ex-Assemblyman Michael Benjamin

Lehman College and iMentor Launch Program in Honor of English Faculty Member Alice Griffin