In Yearly Address, BP Ruben Diaz Jr. Bolsters Bronx’s Accomplishments, and Thinks Ahead

By DAVID CRUZ

In his yearly address highlighting accomplishments while pushing a heavy agenda, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.’s seventh State of the Borough speech addressed more city matters than in previous addresses, further underscoring his ambition to run for Mayor of New York. In the 44-minute speech, ripe with roughly 59 rounds of applause, Diaz took jabs at the city’s response to last year’s Legionnaire’s outbreak, its approach to its lofty rezoning plan, and made clear his support for charter schools, conflicting with the lukewarm take of Mayor Bill de Blasio. Issues relating to the borough, of course, took center stage in

Dear Loyal Readers, A brand new edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of local Bronx news you can use. We begin at the sprawling Concourse Yards in Bedford Park, where Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is proposing to build a platform to serve as the foundation for potential development. Find out what one professor of civil engineering has to say about the project and whether it’s even feasible. At Montefiore Medical Center, read the life story of Montefiore Health System’s newest cardiologist, and his circuitous route to the Norwood hospital. It’s a story you won’t want to miss.

By CATHERINE SKOPIC

The following opinion article is a rebuttal to one posted by Frank Fraley that posted on February 4, 2016. We applaud Governor Andrew Cuomo’s support for the closure of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. As he has clearly stated there is no evacuation plan and it is too close to New York City. No need to worry. New York City does not need Indian Point to keep our lights on. New York State energy regulators have already evaluated any potential reliability issues that could occur when Indian Point is closed and created a plan to ensure they are addressed:

This week we asked readers about the city’s response to the recent record-breaking blizzard Jan. 23-24, compared to last year’s cleanup efforts. I guess it was better for what we got slapped with this year. Some places got like 20 inches, you know? It actually doesn’t look too bad, it’s only been a couple of days. I actually got an e-mail about helping out shoveling, so I do like the fact that they were reaching out to residents to help out. Kyante Adams Hollis, Queens For me it was fast enough, they did a good job. I remember last year,

Hello readers! As usual, as promised, and right on time–the latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx community news for you to share. This week the paper heads to Bedford Park for a proposal by the New York Botanical Garden to convert its large space into a multi-used site, with the possibility of a hotel added to the fold. Only residents worry any new development could knock out the existing supermarket. Find out what one top official from NYBG has to say about that. We move from one development to another in Kingsbridge–the Kingsbridge National Ice

By DAVID GREENE

With winter settled in, and temperatures plunging, this week we asked readers their thoughts on the current homeless crisis. Well, I still think there are a lot of homeless on the streets and when I go to White Plains Road, there’s this one lady who’s been there for at least 10 years. She sits in front of Key Food supermarket and it’s a shame. Lots of times I give her a dollar, but she’s still there. I think it’s a good idea to get them off the streets. I don’t think anyone should be out in the cold and to

What is the Villa Maria Academy? The Villa Maria Academy is a Catholic, private, independent, co-educational elementary school situated in the Country Club section of the Bronx. Owned and operated by the Congregation of Notre Dame (CND), the Villa strives to provide a liberating education that develops the full potential of students, supporting them in becoming responsible citizens of the world. Over the course of 129 years, the Villa has established a reputation for academic excellence, a robust faith life and a deep and abiding sense of family and community. The Villa has been an outstanding member of the academic

Dear Readers, Have two weeks flew by already? The latest edition of the Norwood News is hitting your local diners, stores, offices, schools and busy corridors as of the time of this writing. But if you want to just view it from the convenience of your home, then here it is! We first begin with a story impacting our entire coverage area, revamping the NYPD sector maps to help improve crime fighting. Putting on his reporter cap is veteran newsman Bob “Kappy” Kappstatter, former NYPD beat reporter and Bronx bureau chief for the New York Daily News, who breaks down what communities

By DAVID CRUZ

Though the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) was approved to occupy the Kingsbridge Armory in 2013, loose ends relating to the mammoth project were brought up during a hostile public meeting involving an approved loan for the enormous project. In what was a barely publicized public hearing Jan. 14, residents and special interests groups testified before officials representing the Empire State Development (ESD) agency. The ESD’s Board of Directors had voted to approve a $30 million construction loan for the project, part of a larger $130 million project before the economic development agency. The Board’s approval of the loan sparked