Dear Readers,

Hope you’re well. As if we hadn’t enough to contend with already, what with the ongoing pandemic, a global recession, stifling humidity, a rise in gun violence, and random shark-sightings in New York City, it seems we’re also set to be hit with the tail end of Tropical Storm Isaias later this evening, August 3, so batten down the hatches, hang tight, and check out this year’s ninth and latest edition of the Norwood News.

Following the arrest earlier this month of Ghislaine Maxwell on charges relating to human trafficking, which she denies, our cover story highlights the bravery of Freedom Youth NYC, a Bronx-based, non-profit organization working to assist the borough’s youth who are being preyed upon by powerful human traffickers operating within a $150 billion industry. The story shows how young girls of color, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community are most affected, and why poverty is a trafficker’s best friend.

Regular contributor, José. A Giralt, interviews Bronxite and City Council candidate for the 14th District, Pierina Sanchez, as she continues with her campaign ahead of next year’s elections.

We highlight the best of the Bronx in sharing a story about the results of recent study carried out by Montefiore Health System and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine on the use of steroid therapy in treating COVID-19.

Regular contributor, David Greene, brings us up to date on the the status of the investigations into the two recent, tragic murders which took place in quick succession within the 52nd precinct. He also interviews local residents as part of our regular Inquiring Photographer feature about your views on the uptick in recent shootings across the City.

Intern, Auréole Ribes, writes about how a $30 million contract awarded to Voices of America – Greater New York, over a five year period, is going to hopefully benefit affected families in the borough by transforming the services offered at two domestic violence shelters. Auréole also compiled our Out and About section to ensure you get the most enjoyment out of what has been an unconventional summer.

We’ve included some of your letters to the editor, there is the usual run-down of the latest crime stories, some interesting news-in-brief stories like the announcement of a new National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall in Washington D.C., spearheaded by retiring Bronx Congressman José Serrano, and Ariana Cipriani provides a recap on some of our local restaurants which are now set-up for outdoor dining and ready to welcome you!

In some cases, longer versions of these stories are also available online.

Incidentally, as you know, under current federal guidelines, last week was the final week for $600 FPUC payments. Traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) continue to be available for New Yorkers, with extensions to both programs recently announced. Here’s a refresher on the differences between the programs, as provided by the NYS Department of Labor.

Some of you may be taking vacation this month. If so, we hope you have a well-deserved break. The Norwood News will be on its usual brief August hiatus and so, our next print edition will be available on Thursday, August 27. In the meantime, we have more stories in the pipeline so keep an eye on our website, and for the moment, please check out the latest edition of the Norwood News. 

Be well,

Síle Moloney
Interim Editor
Norwood News

admin

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.