Dear Readers,

Whether you are a regular reader of the Norwood News or you are just checking out this website for the first time, I would like to personally thank you for your support of vital community journalism. Now, starting this week, we would like to reward you for your support by offering you more. More news. More photos. More information. More analysis. More multi-media. All of this for free. I know. Sounds too good to be true, right? Let me explain.

For nearly a quarter century (we began publishing in 1988!), the Norwood News has produced quality, vibrant and civically important journalism through its print edition. We began as a bimonthly newspaper covering just one neighborhood: Norwood. Today, we publish every two weeks and cover the neighborhoods of Community District 7 — Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights — plus anything else borough, city, state or nationwide that we feel is important or of interest to you.

The problem now is that our coverage cannot be contained in the limited space we can afford to produce bi-weekly. So, instead of having you wait for the next print edition for your news, we are working hard to deliver it to you digitally via several online platforms.

The heart of this extended coverage will be the Norwood News website, norwoodnews.org, where we will still provide you with every story produced in the print edition, plus features like Neighborhood Notes (our guide to local programs, services and announcements) and Out & About (our arts and entertainment calendar). We will also include a link to a pdf version of the actual print edition in case you want to read the paper, as it was produced, on your computer (or smart tablet or iPhone, etc.).

On norwoodnews.org you will also find our new blog, Breaking Bronx, which will not only still focus on our core readership neighborhoods, but will also branch out into covering more boroughwide stories when the news is, well, breaking; or blowing up into something everyone in the Bronx and, most importantly, you, should have access to.

Breaking Bronx will include stuff that we couldn’t fit into the print edition, like photos, graphs, maps or interviews with sources that we couldn’t squeeze into the body of a certain story. This will also be the platform where we will provide more multi-media. A photo slideshow that will further illustrate a local street festival. A video clip to go along with a sports story. An audio interview with a source from a housing piece.

We are also integrating all of our coverage with two popular social media outlets: Facebook and Twitter (handle: @norwoodnews). We’ll be updating you about events, announcements, meetings, stories and breaking news through both of these powerful vehicles.

You don’t even need an account to check out our Facebook page, which you can find by searching “Norwood News.” But you will need an account if you want to contribute to the conversation, which we strongly encourage you to do.

As for Twitter, you will need to set up an account at twitter.com and then choose to “follow” @norwoodnews.

These social media outlets will sometimes provide you with information you won’t get on norwoodnews.org, but for the most part, Facebook and Twitter will alert you to new stories, information and features that you will be able to find on norwoodnews.org, which will also give you access to Breaking Bronx.

We hope these new online features will not only bring the Norwood News into the digital age, but allow you to more fully engage with us and the community you live in. Start a running dialogue by commenting on a Breaking Bronx story or a Facebook post. Tweet us back with a news tip. Or write us a letter and e-mail it to us at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org. You know, the old fashioned way. (And you can still mail us a a letter at 3400 Reservoir Oval East, Bronx, NY 10467, the older fashioned way.)

Enjoy.

Alex Kratz,
Editor-in-Chief, Norwood News
akratz@norwoodnews.org