Councilman Andrew Cohen

Norwood Neighbors for Racial Justice Pen Open Letter to City Officials Calling to Defund NYPD

By Síle Moloney
Following a historic week of legislative reform aimed at addressing racial injustice and inequality at both City and State level, a group of about 50 local residents gathered peacefully at Williamsbridge Oval Park in Norwood on Friday Jun. 19 for a kid-friendly Juneteenth celebration in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.   Norwood Neighbors for Racial Justice and allies is an unofficial, local group recently formed and spearheaded by four local, multiracial women, Miriam Neptune, Jatnna Ramirez, Carissa Smith and Pam Sporn.   In addition to organizing the Juneteenth event, the first of its kind in Norwood, the group


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New Law Provides Relief for Tenants, Businesses, and Restaurants During COVID-19 Pandemic

By Síle Moloney
  Mayor Bill de Blasio signed seven pieces of legislation into law on May 27 providing relief for tenants, commercial establishments, and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.   The new laws support struggling small businesses by imposing limits on third-party food delivery services, extending the suspension of sidewalk cafe fee collection, and protecting commercial tenants from harassment and personal liability. Together, the bills offer sweeping protections for New Yorkers in a time of unprecedented financial insecurity.   “New Yorkers have been fighting every day to flatten the curve and get through this pandemic together. Now, it’s time for us to


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Elected Officials Distribute Masks, As New Study Shows They Work

By Síle Moloney
As New York State prepares to gradually re-open, State Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, and Councilman Andrew Cohen distributed free face masks, gloves and hand sanitizers to residents on May 20, 2020 outside Lexa Bar & Grill on East 204th Street.   Norwood News previously reported that although a number of free mask distribution events were held in the local area throughout May, mask supplies tended to run out in a very short space of time. So, why are masks so important?   A new study from the University of Hong Kong shows that wearing a mask does


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Elected Officials Call To Curtail Fireworks Out of Respect For Front Line Workers

In response to a distinct uptick in midnight fireworks concentrated in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Council Member Andrew Cohen, and Congressman Eliot Engel have issued the following statement:   “We appreciate that some of our neighbors want to show their support for essential workers and that using small firecrackers – although illegal in New York City – is a way for them to do that during the 7pm clap. However, the fireworks being set off later into the evening – even after midnight – are not firecrackers. They are massive, loud, and startling for many


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State Sen. Bailey, CM Cohen & AM Fernandez Organize Free Giveaway Today, May 20

With One Month Before Primary, Bronx Political Forces at Play
  State Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, and Councilman Andrew Cohen are organizing a free giveaway of face masks, gloves and hand sanitizers on May 20, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at Lexa Bar & Grill, 357 E 204th Street.   In his latest newsletter dated May 19, Councilman Cohen thanked all front line workers for their continued efforts throughout the pandemic. “Thank you to all the hardworking healthcare workers, first responders, grocery store employees, taxi drivers, transit workers, sanitation workers, cleaners, childcare providers, teachers, delivery persons, and mail carriers who continue to do their jobs under enormous pressure


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North Bronx Elected Officials Host Town Hall: Address Mail Delays & Vote-by-Mail

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
In the midst of a pandemic, public health is the number one priority. People need to know what is being done at every level of government to keep them safe. In the case of COVID-19, an additional worry is that there is currently no vaccine, nor any clinically proven treatment for the virus. Local officials have been kept busy reaching out through social media posts, newsletters, emails, and phone calls advising their constituents on how to stay safe and avoid infection.   However, if the latest town hall for North Bronx residents is any indication, people are not just concerned


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De Blasio Announces Budget Cuts but Prioritizes Health, Safety, Shelter and Access To Food 

By Síle Moloney
Mayor Bill de Blasio released New York City’s Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) on Thursday, Apr. 16. The budget prioritizes health, safety, shelter and access to food for all New Yorkers, and outlines the spending cuts that will be made to other services to address revenue shortfalls and budget gaps.   The mayor said, via a press release, that the cuts, detailed in the so-called Program to Eliminate the Budget Gap (PEG), would be temporary, that there would be no gap in “necessary” services, and that the budget plan would be reevaluated by officials over the course of


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UFT Gives Early Endorsement to Eric Dinowitz’s 2021 Run for Council 

UFT Gives Early Endorsement to Eric Dinowitz's 2021 Run for Council 
By DAVID CRUZ
Eric Dinowitz, the scion of Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz and a special education teacher in the New York City public school system, received his first endorsement from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), representing rare public support in an election cycle that’s less than two years away. Such an endorsement was also embroiled in an awkward rollout last year when the younger Dinowitz put the cart before the horse, telling supporters in May he was endorsed by the 200,000-plus strong union well before the union publicly supported him. Educators, school staff, classroom paraprofessionals, psychologists, and retirees make up the union. Dinowitz


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The Push to Expand Right to Counsel, Diaz Jr. to Retire: Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

The Push to Expand Right to Counsel, Diaz Jr. to Retire: Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!
By DAVID CRUZ
Dear Fellow Readers, The year’s third edition of the Norwood News for 2020 is out with plenty of community stories to read and share. We have packed 28 pages full of news from this corner of the Bronx, so let’s start with page one! Our top story focuses on a bill being championed by Councilman Andrew Cohen and housing advocacy groups that expands Right to Counsel. The act–which provides free legal counsel to those facing eviction–covers those considered extreme low income. New legislation looks to expand the income eligibility standards. Jose A. Giralt breaks it all down for us. Inside the


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