URBAN FARMING

Photo courtesy NYPD

LAST WEEK, police discovered an entire building, in Van Nest on Morris Park Avenue, dedi-

cated to growing and packaging marijuana. Inside, they rounded up 1,550 pounds of product.

Outside, they arrested three Bronx residents and charged them with illegal marijuana and

paraphernalia possession.

Pair Arrested forOctober Murder of

Bronx FatherBy ALEX KRATZ

It took three months, a relentless detective, some luck and a trip toNorth Carolina, but it appears 52nd Precinct Commander Joseph Dowl-ing has delivered on his promise to bring the men who killed BimalChanda to justice. Chanda, a 59-year-old Bengali immigrant who left behind a wife and

teenage daughter, suffered fatal injuries during a robbery and attack onOct. 29 inside his longtime apartment building at West 190th Street, nearGrand Avenue. He died five days later, sparking an outcry from local res-idents who felt the area was becoming an increasingly dangerous placeto live. In a cruel twist, Chanda was in the process of moving to anoth-er part of the Bronx for safety reasons. In response, Dowling vowed to track down the killers. The NYPD

posted flyers urging the public to come forward and offered a reward forinformation leading to an arrest.

www.norwoodnews.org■ Assemblywoman’s New Chief of Staff, p. 2 ■ MS 80 Talks Revamp, Gangs, p. 9 ■ Valentine’s Day Tips From a Pro, p. 11

Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights

NORWOOD NEWSVol. 25, No. 3 ■ PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION ■ February 9–22, 2012

By LINDSAY ARMSTRONG

There was only one item on the agenda for themost recent meeting of the Community Board 7Land Use Committee: the proposal to transformthe Kingsbridge Armory into a state-of-the-artcomplex for ice sports. In late January, a group of private investors,

known as the Kingsbridge National Ice Center(KNIC), presented their vision for the Armory,which included plans for a school and youth pro-grams, to the committee and a handful of com-munity members.“The idea isn’t to create just another rec cen-

ter in just another armory, but to create an icon-ic arena in an iconic building,” said JonathanRichter of KNIC. “The hope is that it becomes a

Locals Blast StateRedistricting Proposal

Norwood, Bedford ParkSplit in New Maps

By JEANMARIE EVELLY

A plan devised by a group of state lawmakers to redraw the bound-aries of New York’s legislative districts is drawing fire from a numberof Bronx residents and groups that are worried the new maps coulddivide the political power of certain neighborhoods. A bipartisan panel of Senate and Assembly members, known as LAT-

FOR, is charged with creating the new districts every 10 years based onCensus data to keep up with population changes. LATFOR released its pro-posed maps for the State Senate and Assembly two weeks ago and is hold-ing hearings across the state this month to collect feedback on the plans.

For years, good government groups have advocated for an indepen-dent redistricting process, arguing that politicians can’t map their owndistricts without bias. In the past, the majority parties — Republicansin the Senate and Democrats in the Assembly — have used the processto consolidate power. At a hearing in the Bronx last week, nearly 50 speakers testified,

many of them saying the new maps are gerrymandered and drawn inways that benefit incumbent candidates.“The lines were drawn for no other purpose than allowing an elected

official to handpick his own constituents,” said Fernando Tirado, chairof Bronx Community Board 7. Norwood and Bedford Park leaders said the proposed districts for

both Senate and Assembly split the adjacent neighborhoods politically,

At Armory, Hockey GroupWants School and Programs

Photo by Lindsay Armstrong

TWO WEEKS AGO, John Nolan (right) and

Jonathan Richter (left) talked with Community

Board 7 about their group’s vision for an ice

center at the KIngsbridge Armory. (continued on p. 8 )(continued on p. 5 )

(continued on p. 6 )

Council Candidate WantsTo End Political ‘Distrust’Cliff Stanton, a business owner and

education activist who lives in Kings-bridge Heights, says he is running forCity Council in 2013 because he is tired oflocal politics as usual. “There’s a distrust that permeates all

aspects of our life here, a destructive ‘usversus them’ culture, that I think hasbeen perpetuated by the elected leader-ship,” says Stanton, who is running forOliver Koppell’s seat, which includesNorwood, Kingsbridge Heights, Wood-lawn and Riverdale. “I think it’s time fora change. They’ve been in power now forgoing on two decades.”Known in the neighborhood for his role

with parents associations at Bronx Scienceand PS 24 and for organizing a boycott of alocal tabloid newspaper, the RiverdaleReview, Stanton said he felt compelled torun by what he sees as dysfunction in thecurrent local political landscape. “There’s a culture of pettiness and

cynicism in the community, which I thinkdoes not bode well for us,” Stanton said inan interview recently. The district is currently represented

by Oliver Koppell, a lifetime politicianwho defeated Tony Cassino in 2009. Cassi-no also ran as a challenger to the statusquo and lost badly. Stanton said he’s watched a number of

community projects — like the proposedice skating rink at Van Cortlandt Park,and attempts to recruit a charter schoolfor the area — get stalled because of whathe sees as political bickering. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot,”

he said.” These are things the communityneeds. There’s so much potential herethat we could unleash if we allow our-selves to take some risks.”Stanton has a few political jobs under

his belt. He was chief of staff to BrooklynCouncilman Noach Dear, and campaignedfor former Bronx Borough President Fer-

nando Ferrer in 1997 during his firstattempt to run for mayor. For his day job,Stanton co-owns a company that suppliessnack foods to pushcarts, “not a direct cor-relation” to City Councilman, he joked. “My business experience, I think, also

gives me a very unique perspective onwhat we need to lift ourselves [economi-cally],” he said. Who the competition will be in next

year’s election is yet to be determined,though several names have been thrownaround. Robert Press, a columnist for theBronx Times and a member of the politi-cal group Committee of 100 Democrats,announced in a letter to the RiverdalePress that he might run, after the paperreported on Stanton’s plans. It’s been rumored that Assemblyman

Jeff Dinowitz, who has represented thearea in Albany since 1981, might makethe switch to the City Council.Dinowitz would neither confirm nor

deny the possibility of a run. “The future is the future,” he said. “As

far as Cliff goes — everyone who wants torun should run. The more candidates, thebetter.” —JEANMARIE EVELLY

2 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

In The Public InterestVol. 25, No. 3

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Public and Community Meetings• Community Board 7’s committee meetings will be held at the Community Board

office, 229a E. 204th St., at 6: 30 p.m. on the following dates: thursday, Feb. 9—San-

itation, and traffic & transportation; monday, Feb. 13—youth Services; tuesday,

Feb. 14—Economic development; Wednesday, Feb. 15—Health & Hospitals, and

Senior Services.

• tHE Croton FaCility monitoring CommittEE meets on thursday, Feb. 16 at 7

p.m. at the dEP outreach office, 3660 Jerome ave.

• Community Board 7’s general board meeting will be held on tuesday, Feb. 21

from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Scott tower’s Community room, located at 3400 Paul ave.

For more information about CB7 meetings and events, call (718) 933-5650 or go

online to bronxcb7.info.

Follow the Norwood News on Facebook and

@norwoodnews on Twitter

CEO, MosholuPreservationCorporationRoberto S. Garcia

• Daily NewsUpdates

• Be Healthy (Wed.)

• Bronx SportsReport (Thurs.)

• Bronx Breakdown(Fri.)

More coverage onnorwoodnews.org

Ex-Tourism Director Hired as Rivera’s Chief of StaffDoris Quinones remembers meeting

her new boss, Bronx AssemblywomanNaomi Rivera, more than a decade ago.Quinones was just starting out as thedirector of the Bronx Tourism Counciland Rivera worked for then-BoroughPresident Fernando Ferrer as his direc-tor of special events. Rivera would go on to seek elected

office and is now entrenched as the repre-sentative of the Bronx 80th Assembly Dis-trict, which includes parts of Norwood,Bedford Park and almost all of MorrisPark. Meanwhile, Quinones continuedher work at the tourism council, took upresidence in Norwood and then latermoved to Morris Park, where she liveswith her husband and twin boys. Late last year, the Bronx Overall Eco-

nomic Development Corporation, whichruns the tourism council, went throughwhat Quinones described as a process of“re-organization.” That re-organizationplan did not include keeping Quinones onas director of the tourism council. Fortunately for Quinones, Rivera was

also going through a similar re-organiza-tion, and so she invited Quinones to joinher as chief of staff. Quinones officiallystarted her new job on Jan. 5, but went upto Albany with Rivera for GovernorAndrew Cuomo’s State of the Statespeech a couple of days earlier. Quinones speaks with great pride about

her tourism council work fighting an“uphill battle” against the stereotypicallynegative perception of the Bronx over thepast decade. Over the last couple of years,Quinones says she noticed a sea change inpeople’s attitude toward the borough.Before, Quinones says she would go to

gatherings and parties and make smalltalk about work. When Quinones wouldsay she worked for the Bronx TourismCouncil, people would get a funny,“quizzical” look and say, “Oh, wow, real-ly?” In the last couple of years, however,she says people usually say the samething, only without the quizzical look andquestioning phrasing: “Oh wow, really!” This “amazing transformation” didn’t

happen overnight, Quinones says. “Good

news takes longer to travel than badnews,” she says. Obviously, with a high unemployment

rate and serious health problems, theBronx “faces many of the same chal-lenges as other urban communities.” ButQuinones says many of the current per-ceptions — like those portrayed on“American Idol” last winter, whichstirred a harshly-worded rebuttal fromBronx Borough President Ruben Diaz,Jr., — are based on “tired myths” that areno longer true. Quinones says she will be going up to

Albany periodically, but will spend muchof her time in Rivera’s Bronx district. Shewants the people, especially those in thewestern side of the 80th District, includ-ing the areas bordering the north andsouth of Mosholu Parkway, to know thatRivera’s office is open and able to helpwith any number of problems or issues. “I’m really looking forward to helping

the Assemblywoman continue to fight forthe needs of our communities,” saysQuinones. —ALEX KRATZ

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 3

The number of Bronx residents who died fromheart disease in 2009, according to the New YorkState Department of Health, the latest year forwhich there is data.BeHealthy! Vital

Stats3,500

By PETER MOSKOWITZ

When Montefiore Medical Centernurses and doctors walk or run throughhospital hallways, it’s not usually associ-ated with a celebration. But when 50 or soemployees took four laps through theBronx hospital’s central building lastWednesday, it was. They were kicking off “Heart Month,”

a series of national events sponsored bythe American Heart Association to bringgreater awareness to heart health. Thehospital began the festivities with itsfourth annual mile-long walk. Donald Stark, the hospital’s director of

cardiology, admitted the short walkaround the hospital was more symbolicthan about actual exercise, but he hopedit would inspire local employees to bringthe message of prevention outside thehospital. “This is where we live, and our people

who work here live here too,” he said. “Our goal is that we won’t have to go

all the way to heart transplantation,” saidDr. Mario Garcia, Montefiore’s chief ofcardiology. “That’s why we’re here today.”Garcia said that Bronx residents are

particularly susceptible to heart condi-tions. According to New York City HealthDepartment data, residents of the Bronxare admitted to hospitals for cardiovascu-

lar disease at a higher rate than the cityoverall. “We are handicapped in many ways

here,” Garcia said, adding that the geog-raphy of the borough puts Bronx resi-dents at a health disadvantage.“They have a very sedentary lifestyle,”

he said. “Transportation is usually a busor car. It’s not as convenient to walk inthis borough.”As if the lifestyle factors weren’t

enough to make the Montefiore cardiolo-

gy department’s job more difficult, Gar-cia said the current healthcare system inNew York doesn’t do enough to empha-size preventive care — addressing an ill-ness before it requires invasive and cost-ly solutions, like surgery. One goal of Montefiore’s Heart Month

is to raise awareness of the shift the hos-pital is making in trying to take care ofpeople before their condition lands themin a hospital. It is one of several dozenhospitals in the country, and the only one

in New York, participating in a federalprogram designed to shift Medicaid andMedicare spending toward primary care.

“The idea is that, if right now a per-son who has diabetes comes to the hospi-tal with a heart attack, that costs you$200,000,” Garcia said. “If we preventthem from getting sick to begin with, theydon’t have to develop those end-style con-ditions.”Heart Month is personal to some hos-

pital employees. “There’s heart disease in my family,”

said Registered Nurse Geraldine O’Con-nell. “My dad had his first heart attack at47, so it’s a risk factor for me.”O’Connell said she has been trying to

lose weight and is hoping to set a healthyexample for her patients.

“I can’t be here being several poundsoverweight, and expecting people to takeme seriously,” she said. “You’ve gottapractice what you preach.”If employees like O’Connell are any

indication, Heart Month has been working. “Once you lose a little bit of weight,

you feel good about yourself and you gethealthy,” said Paula McFall, a medicalrecords staffer at the hospital. After par-ticipating in the mile-long walk previousyears, McFall says she now does the samewalk four times a day, every day, whetherit’s Heart Month or not.

National Heart Month Off to a Healthy Local Start

Photo by Peter Moskowitz

EMPLOYEES AT Montefiore Medical Center take a one-mile walk through the hos-

pital to kick off their celebration of National Heart Month.

4 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

Inquiring Photographer By DAVID GREENE

I think it’s a pretty goodidea. The minimumwage has been thesame for awhile, so it’stime for the poor peopleto get a little extra. Ifemployers can’t pay it,maybe they can giveclose to it, just find ahappy medium.Brian Fearon

This week we asked readers about a plan that would raise NewYork’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 an hour.

I agree with that. Foodprices are very high andpeople need the extramoney to get along,times are tough. I gowith the little people whoare trying to support afamily who go out andwork, they’re not on wel-fare, they’re working andprices just keep goingup, so let them get afew bucks.Walter Pofeldt

I think it’s a great ideawith inflation and every-thing. It’s only fair thatthey spread the wealtharound a little bit. I don’tknow how people do ittoday with gas pricesthe way they are andeverything going up. Idon’t know how theysurvive on that kind ofmoney. I could neverwork for it.Jody dePasquale

I feel that if small busi-nesses can’t afford it, it’skind of hard. As muchas it would help theworker in everyday lifeand what they have topay for, for some peopleit’s tough right now. It’stough for any [businessowner] to pay even theamount they are payingnow. The store that Iwork in now can’t doanything. Paul Bennardo

I think it’s a very goodidea because if youraise it, it will give theman incentive to actuallyget a job. At least they’dbring home a decentsalary, instead of sittingback and doing nothingand trying to collectunemployment or wel-fare and food stamps.In this day and age,everything’s going upand you need a littleextra money.nancy Weihe

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 5

best-in-class facility and a destinationon par with the [New York] BotanicalGarden.”The facility would include a 5,000-seat

arena and seven or eight additional iceskating rinks. Unlike other interestedparties, the group plans to fund the pro-ject with private investments and wouldnot rely on city subsidies. In his State ofthe City speech, Mayor Bloomberg specif-ically alluded to the group’s interest whenannouncing the new request for proposalsto redevelop the vacant Armory.KNIC representatives were tight-

lipped on many of the specifics of theplan, not wanting to reveal too muchinformation before the city’s March 22deadline for proposals. They did, howev-er, provide an overview of how the icecomplex could address community needs,specifically in the realms of educationand youth development.The KNIC group plans to build a K-12

school on the Armory grounds. Theschool would be focused around icesports and would provide seats for 750children. Students would participate inactivities like hockey and figure skatingand also learn about careers in the sportsand health field. In an area of the citywhere school crowding is an issue, thiscould be a major benefit for the commu-nity and give a boost to the group’s pro-posal in the eyes of the board.

KNIC would also create an after-schooltutoring and ice sports program open toany Bronx resident. Their idea is basedon a successful program that Philadel-phia Flyers owner Ed Snider implement-ed in inner-city Philadelphia.Board 7 Chairman Paul Foster said

that more work needed to be done todetermine if KNIC’s proposal is the bestplan for the Armory.“It sounds promising,” Foster said.

“We want to get something moving here,but we also want to make sure that ourcommunity is having our needsaddressed.”Several committee and community

members expressed concerns over theproposal, specifically in terms of how thedevelopment would impact traffic andparking and the lack of dedicated spacefor other sports.Gardenia Slade, a member of the

Kingsbridge Neighborhood ImprovementAssociation, said she is not sure that icesports would attract local residents.“Right now, I don’t see the interest,”

Slade said. “Maybe once it’s built andpeople see it, they’ll be interested, but I’dlike to see other options in there too: bas-ketball, baseball, soccer.”KNIC members plan to meet with

Community Board 7 again at the Feb. 21general meeting at Scott Tower (see Pub-lic and Community Meetings on page 2for details).

At Armory, Hockey GroupWants School, Programs

(continued from p. 1 )

Lamenting Loss of ‘Green’ProgramI felt compelled to address the article,

“For All His Success, Discovery HSTeacher Lands in the Basement.” I wishMr. Ritz future success and a supportiveenvironment. The problem is that thebureaucracy persists, such that the Prin-

cipal Rolando Rivera supports the struc-ture of education rather than thechild. His statement, “It didn’t fit withour vision for Discovery, which is a col-lege prep school and not a place for sus-tainable agriculture and job training,” isdumbfounding. Finding a way to engage astudent such that they become an inde-pendent and empowered learner is theultimate goal of an educator, it seems likeMr. Ritz has made that connection. Now ifcollege prep is the vision of Discovery,why not ask how such a program couldserve a student in that endeavor. Could itspark an interest in nutrition in a com-munity plagued by both diabetes andhunger, or activism in food justice. Willthe students pursue college at NYU Stein-hardt with programs such as Nutrition,Food Studies and Public Health, SUNYCollege of Agriculture and Technology —Cobleskill or Ivy League’s Cornell Col-lege of Agriculture and Life Sciences? Idon’t quite understand why the school iscalled Discovery if Mr. Rivera and otheradministrators have all the answers. Lorita Watson

Where do I start? It was three shortyears ago when we taught the very firstclass after meeting Steve. As a formerteacher I appreciate the way in which stu-dents were now engaged. Authentic learn-ing! STEM [Science, Technology, Engineer-ing and Math] at it’s very best. Wepersonally contributed time, materials andlove to the efforts of Mr. Ritz. He hashelped make a program that is now beingtaught at the State University of NY(SUNY) schools and other schools not onlyin NYS but now across the globe. He (Steve)is a champion within his domain. Rhetori-cally speaking….Data, data, data is what isimportant to the economic contribution ofa school. Our data for three years running:100% graduation rates, 93% attendance,100% post graduation employment or high-er ed learning! This one classroom andprogram has shown it can change lives! ToSteve’s point, it didn’t cost a dime and theprogram, after a small initial investment,pays for itself year after year after year!George IrwinGreen Living Technologies

Ed. Note: This letter was adapted froma comment posted on norwoodnews.org.

‘What’s Worse’ Anti-Smoking AdsOn Monday, Jan. 30, New York State

Department of Health will launch amedia campaign ad entitled “What’sWorse” to promote cessation and the NewYork State Smokers’ Quitline. The goal ofthis ad is an appeal to smokers to keepmaking the attempt to quit for the sake oftheir loved ones. What’s Worse focuses ona woman reacting to the diagnosis of lungcancer from her doctor, and now forced totell her young children. “What could beworse: hearing this from your doctor orsaying it to your children?” It calls atten-tion to the real health consequences ofsmoking and how it affects not only thesmoker, but the family as well. Will thisad motivate smokers to quit? We sincere-ly hope so!In New York State there are 2.4 million

adult smokers. Of these, 41 percent or1,001,684 live with children in the house-hold. Smoking kills 25,500 New Yorkersevery year. Based on the most recent data,approximately 18 percent of adult NewYorkers over age 18 statewide are smok-ers. Smoking related-illnesses cost thestate over $8 billion in medical costsannually. Helping smokers to quitreduces morbidity and mortality andalleviate the social and economic burdencaused by tobacco use in New York State.For help quitting, talk to your doctor,

or call the New York State Smokers’ Quit-line, 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487).Cynthia Blount Bronx BREATHES

Applauding MinimumWage HikeI applaud the efforts of Assembly

Speaker Silver and his members forputting forth this proposal. As we allknow, $7.25 is not enough to maintain ahome and a family in New York anylonger. It’s obvious that New York hasbecome a very expensive place to live andincreasing the minimum wage is good forbusiness and most importantly, is goodfor hard-working individuals. I am confident that Governor Cuomo

will push this bill forward, since heunderstands that people on the groundare really struggling to get by, for thosewho are fortunate to have a job in thistough economy. As for the Senate, I hopethat they can do the math and come to thesame conclusion folks with commonsense have: $7.25 is not enough.Haile RiveraUniversity Heights Resident

Just Asking About ToxicBuildingsRegarding PS 51, the toxic elementary

school building closed due totrichloroethylene (TCE) exposure: Hasanyone contacted the surrounding areato see if the tenants there are worried ifthey have been exposed as well? Has anytesting been done or requested for thesurrounding area? Just asking.Annette MelendezNorwood Parent

6 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

Letters

Opinion We love, welcome and encourage letters to the editor and opinion articles from readers. Write to: Editor, Norwood

News, 3400 Reservoir Oval East, Bronx, NY 10467. Fax: (718) 324-2917; or e-mail: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.

Two weeks ago, Detective John Ferret-ti and other members of the 52ndPrecinct, acting on a tip from someonewho had seen the reward poster, trackeddown and apprehended Devon Downs, a29-year-old resident of Aqueduct Avenue.Downs was charged with murder androbbery. Downs pleaded not guilty and was

scheduled to reappear in court this week. According to Dowling and court docu-

ments filed by prosecutors, Downs toldpolice he and an accomplice robbedChanda and threw him down a flight ofstairs head first. At that point, police had identified the

suspected accomplice as 34-year-oldAbdul West, but were having troublelocating him. Last Wednesday, Ferrettiand Detective Joseph Ciatto of the vio-lent crimes unit, traveled to Charlotte,NC, because they believed West was hid-ing out there. On Thursday, Feb. 2, with the help of

local police, the detectives arrested Weston charges of murder and robbery. Fer-retti and Ciatto extradited West and hewas arraigned in the Bronx on Sunday. West pleaded not guilty. According to Dowling, prior to the

attack on Chanda on Oct. 29, video sur-veillance footage showed the two suspects“looking to rob somebody.” They evenattempted to rob somebody walking theirdog, but the dog freaked out and scaredthem off. They later focused in on Chanda, who

was returning to his apartment buildingon West 190th Street from a local storewhere he had bought packing tape for hisfamily’s pending move to a condo inParkchester. They followed him into thebuilding and attacked him in the secondfloor stairwell.

“They’re two bad guys with long trackrecords,” Dowling said. “It’s a relief tothe family and it ensures that they won’tdo this to anybody else.”He added, “It’s what’s right for Bimal

Chanda.”Mohammed Ali, a friend of Chanda’s

who launched a media campaign to bringlight to the crime after it happened, washappy about the arrest, but still fearful ofviolent crime in the area where theattack took place. He lives and owns abusiness nearby. “It’s good news for the community,” he

said. “For a long time we were hopelessand thought the men [who did this] wouldnever be arrested.”

Pair Arrested for OctoberMurder of Bronx Father

(continued from p. 1 )

Bronx Crime BriefsPolice: We CaughtCar/Child-jacker A Bronx mom got a scare on Satur-

day after a thief took off in her Hondamini-van — with her 3-year-son still inthe back seat. The woman had parkedon Jerome Avenue when a manjumped into the driver’s seat anddrove off, her boy still in the back. Theterrified mom attempted to stop thecar by jumping in front of it, but washit with the vehicle, breaking her leg. The suspect dumped the van and

the child a few blocks away on David-son Avenue. Police found them both anhour later, and the child was unin-jured. Police have arrested Harlemresident Joseph Fuscaldo, 58, andcharged him in the crime.

iPhone Robbery AttemptEnds in Gun ViolencePolice are looking for two suspects

who they say shot a 23-year-old manwho refused to give up his iPhone dur-ing a recent robbery attempt in Uni-versity Heights last month. The victim and a friend were walk-

ing on West 190th Street, betweenGrand and Aqueduct avenues. Twomen approached and demanded thevictim give up his iPhone; when herefused, one of the suspects shot thevictim in the back. Both suspects thenfled on foot. The victim was transport-ed to St. Barnabas Hospital and treat-ed for his injuries, which were not life-threatening.

Ed. Note: For more Bronx crimeupdates, check out the Breaking Bronxblog on norwoodnews.org.

—By NORWOOD NEWS

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 7

despite their common demographics andsocio-economic needs. They said the com-munity’s political clout is lessened whenit’s broken up by districts.“Norwood and Bedford Park are sepa-

rated and broken apart in this plan,” saidDon Bluestone, executive director at theMosholu Montefiore Community Centerin Norwood. “This is a poor community.Part of the reason it is poor, and has got-ten poorer, is because it cannot speakwith one voice.”“To break up what little political influ-

ence we have — you’re going to devastatethis community,” Bluestone added. He and others testified against the pro-

posed maps for the assembly districtsencompassing Bronx Community District7, which, like the ones put in place 10years ago, continue to divide the areaacross three separate districts — the 81st,80th and 78th, currently represented byAssembly Members Jeff Dinowitz, NaomiRivera and Jose Rivera, respectively. The changes proposed to local senate

districts drew even greater criticism. Forthe last 10 years, most of Norwood andBedford Park has fallen collectively with-in the 33rd District, now represented byGustavo Rivera. The new proposal would drive a jagged

dividing line through much of Norwood,splitting the community haphazardlybetween the 33rd district and the 34th dis-trict, represented by Jeff Klein. Williamsbridge Oval Park, for exam-

ple, would be divided in half between the

two districts, with its west side falling inKlein’s district and the east side remain-ing in Rivera’s. [See map, above]“Our community will again be sliced

and diced,” said Barbara Stronczer, of the

Bedford-Mosholu Community Association.“If Bedford Park is going to be in the 33rd,fine, just keep us in the same community.Don’t pick up a building here and there.”Several speakers were concerned that

some sections of Norwood, which the pro-posed maps would move into Klein’s dis-trict, appeared to be ones which are his-torically white, and more affluent.“This is so systematic, it makes me

think of redlining,” testified GregoryJobo Lost, a Norwood resident anddeputy director of the nonprofit Univer-sity Neighborhood Housing Program,referring to the old bank practice ofignoring certain neighborhoods. The proposed border between the 33rd

and 34th districts is so crooked and illogi-cally drawn, he said, that his 15 minutewalk to work would involve switchingback and forth between them five sepa-rate times.“Words cannot describe what this dis-

trict looks like,” he said. Klein said that while redistricting is

always a “heart-wrenching process,” he

does not think the map drafted for his dis-trict changes much. Under LATFOR’sproposal, Klein’s district would alsoabsorb most of wealthy Riverdale fromRivera’s 33rd District. Rivera, a vocal supporter of indepen-

dent redistricting, called LATFOR’s maps“laughable.” “We should not be picking our voters,

they should be picking us,” he said. “It’s aperfect example of how that process leadsto a bad product.” During the 2010 election year, Rivera

and hundreds other legislators and candi-dates signed a government reform pledgesponsored by former New York CityMayor Ed Koch, promising to establish anindependent panel to take over redistrict-ing. Two years later, that pledge has fall-en flat. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, however, has

vowed repeatedly to veto any maps putforth by LATFOR or any other legislatorsif they aren’t arrived at independently.The issue will most likely be decided incourt.

8 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

We’re Proud to ProvideSafe and AffordableHousing Throughout

The Northwest Bronx.

Studios and 1 Bedroom Apartments Available

Pick up application at:

Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation

2751 Grand Concourse, The Bronx

718-367-3200

Locals Blast State Redistricting Proposal(continued from p. 1 )

Maps courtesy LATFOR

THE DISTRICT LINES proposed by a group of lawmakers to define the 33rd State Senate District, currently represented by Sen.

Gustavo Rivera, would split portions of Norwood into Sen. Jeff Klein’s 34th District.

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 9

By RONALD CHAVEZ

At a town hall meeting to discuss per-sistent problems with gang activity in thearea, school officials at Norwood’s MS 80came out against a city plan to dramati-cally overhaul the school by replacinghalf of its staff.MS 80, on Mosholu Parkway North,

has been labeled a “turnaround” schoolby the city. If the turnaround plan isapproved by the state, the entire MS 80staff will have to reapply for their jobsand only a maximum of 50 percent of thecurrent staff will be able to return. While the school will remain a zoned

school and number of faculty and staffwill not be cut, according to Children’sFirst Network representative Bob Cohen,the changes would also include re-open-ing the school with a new number. Theturnaround designation also opens thedoor to increased federal funding, Cohensaid. The middle school is one of 33 the city

plans to overhaul after the schools failedto meet state standards, Cohen said.Parents were skeptical about the

changes having a positive impact. “The worst thing you can do [to stu-

dents] is not provide a consistent struc-ture,” said Parent Association head Cecil-ia Donovan. “You take away resourcesand expect them to function the sameway? It’s like you’re setting them up for

failure.” Donovan said the Parents Association

would look into networking with otherschools going through the same proce-dure. She said her daughter in the sixthgrade has a “great” relationship with herteachers. At the same time, parents at the hear-

ing discussed how to tackle the endemicgang activity and violence that has sad-dled the school for years. Parents said gangs hover around local

parks and wait for students leaving themiddle school in the afternoon. Donovansaid she’s heard of gang membersapproaching students to try to pull theminto the gang. She said that while fightsin the school do occur, students mostlyencounter problems outside of school.Fernando Tirado, district manager for

Community Board 7, said neighborhoodparents have a responsibility to theirkids. “We need parents to be moreinvolved,” he said. “When we try haveprograms here, nobody participates.”The school’s walls no longer promi-

nently display graffiti tags that identifycertain gangs, said Lovey Mazique-Rivera, the school’s principal. Still, sheechoed Tirado in emphasizing parentalinvolvement. “When parents call me andsay ‘the school is bad,’ what you aretelling me is that my kids are bad. Solet’s start collaborating about what’sgoing on.”

City Revamp, Gangs TakeFocus at MS 80 Meeting

10 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

By MARCOS SIERRA

Bedford Park merchants and vendorsare on guard following two commercialrobberies and a “noticed increase” incrime during the past month. The tworobberies happened on Bedford ParkBoulevard, near Jerome Avenue. No arrests have been made, but detec-

tives have video footage from both rob-beries and are seeking help identifyingthe suspects. At around 3 p.m., on Jan. 5, a robber,

described by police as a Hispanic male,standing between 5-feet-5 and 5-feet-7,and weighing approximately 150pounds, brazenly entered the K & CCandy Store, located at 239 E. BedfordPk. Blvd., while the store was filled withcustomers.According to the owner who declined

to be identified, he walked up to the cashregister and menacingly barked twowords, “Open” and “money,” while ges-turing as if he were armed.“I was in shock and afraid to move, so

he just reached over and grabbed all themoney; he didn’t care that the store wasfull of people and children,” said theowner who has been a staple in the areafor the past 21 years.At approximately 6 p.m., on Jan. 22,

after the last two customers had exitedConnie’s Laundromat, located at 39 E.

Bedford Pk. Blvd., the perpetratorentered brandishing a firearm. He force-fully pushed the lone employee towardthe back of the store, while rummagingthrough his pockets for the keys to thecabinet where the money was kept. Hewas able to get away with approximately$300 in quarters, and an undisclosedamount of bills. Two days later, employees said anoth-

er suspicious man barged into the storenear closing time and ignored theirquestions while walking straight towardthe back of the store. The employeespositioned themselves near theentrance. The man left without incident. Other businesses in the area say they

have experienced harassment in oneform or another, from rude and disrup-tive customers to employees being phys-ically assaulted. In one instance anemployee quit after being robbed andassaulted after leaving work.“I noticed it’s a lot of the young kids

in the neighborhood who seem to becausing the most trouble,” said oneemployee of a local business, who askednot to be named out of fear of retribu-tion.

Ed. Note: See video of the suspects onnorwoodnews.org by searching, “BedfordPark robberies” Anyone with informa-tion can call the NYPD’s Crime StoppersHotline at 800-577-TIPS.

Bedford Park Hit byCommercial Robberies

With Valentine’s Day just days away, we wentstraight to the most tenured and trusted jeweler in thearea, Allan Freilich, of Freilich Jewelers, which openedin Norwood in 1939, to get some advice on buying theperfect gift for your special someone. Here are the high-lights from our conversation.

What’s an “appropriate” Valentine’sgift? As a traditional old-time jeweler, I believe your gift

should be proportional to your relationship. If you metthe young lady on Friday night and Valentine’s Day isthe next Tuesday, a gift might be something slightly dif-ferent than someone who is in a long-term relationship,married or otherwise. Now that’s appropriate behavior.Of course in today’s world, everything’s thrown to thewind.

How much should you spend? That level of money has changed with our times.

The reality of it is that, for many of us, times aretougher. So times have definitely changed. You can buya lovely thing here for $20, no question about it. Thereal question is remembering and coming home withsomething, whatever it is. Yes, I would love for every-one to leave with a $5,000 item, but the realities arewhat they are.

Is it okay for women to buy jewelryfor men?Absolutely. There was a day many years ago when

men didn’t wear much stuff, but that is not the caseanymore. Men adorn just like the pirates in the olddays.

Rings can be trickyWhen you bring home a ring and it looks like an

engagement ring you can get into some trouble ifyou’re not prepared for that. Most rings, of course, arenot engagement rings, but if it even looks like one andthe young person who’s getting it was looking for [anengagement ring], that could be less than shrewd — ifyou’re not prepared for that [kind of conversation]. It’sa delicate line.

Start with a heartWhen you come to a jewelry store, you want to come

out with a nice piece of jewelry. And the first thing Ithink of is a heart. It’s Valentine’s Day, I can’t help it.To me, there’s nothing more beautiful than a diamondheart. I would suggest a heart, of any sort. Then wedecide on our budget and whether the heart should bein a ring or necklace or whatever.

A flowery alternativeTo compete with the florists, we have something

called a Forever Rose. It’s a lacquered rose that lastsforever. It’s lacquered and 24-Karat plated and it comeswith sterling silver earrings and a box of hard choco-lates. It’s a great deal at $99, considering a dozen rosesmay last you two, maybe three weeks.

Bottom line: It’s the thought! It’s the thought, I think, that mostly counts, without

the detail. The fact that you thought about it andremembered the day and that you came home with agift. Even though it is required it is still nice that youwent that extra mile and got that gift at whatever levelyou think is suitable. —Interview by ALEX KRATZ

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 11

It’s the Thought (and a Nice Piece of Jewelry) That CountsBusiness Beat

Photo by Alex Kratz

ALLAN FREILICH and the staff at Freilich Jewelers.

12 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

Neighborhood NotesBlood Drive at St. Brendan’s St. Brendan’s Parish, located at 333 E. 206th St.,

between Perry and Bainbridge avenues, is conducting itsannual neighborhood blood drive on Sunday, Feb. 12,from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the school’s cafeteria. SocialSecurity numbers are not required, but a valid picture IDis. Eligible donor ages are 16 to 75, but anyone under theage of 18 will need to provide his or her parent’s writtenconsent. For more information, call (718) 547-6655.

Bronx Town Hall EventMontefiore Medical Center, in collaboration with

Connect to Protect (C2P) Bronx, is hosting a Bronx TownHall meeting on Adolescent Sexual & ReproductiveHealth for teens, parents and educators, Feb. 16, from5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kings-bridge Rd. Free food will be available 5:30 to 6 p.m. Formore information or to RSVP, contact Bianca Lopez at

(718) 882-0232 or blopez@adolescentaids.org.

Support for Immigrant and MinorityEntrepreneursThe Center for an Urban Future and the Fund for Pub-

lic Advocacy are facilitating a discussion about the roleof immigrant and minority entrepreneurs in the Bronx,the challenges they face, and how to support theirgrowth, Feb. 14, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Hostos Commu-nity College, Savoy Building., 120 E. 149th St. (corner ofWalton Avenue), multi-purpose room, 2nd floor. A lightbreakfast will be served. To register, e-mail rsvp@nycfu-ture.org. Registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 13.

Teen Center Re-opens at MMCCThe free Teen Center at Mosholu Montefiore Communi-

ty Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., is open again, offering a vari-

ety of activities, including tutoring, Tuesdays to Thurs-days, 6:30 to 9 p.m., and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. For moreinformation, call Theodore Allen at (718) 882-4000 ext. 0.

Human Rights Activist Speaks atLehman CollegeFather Alejandro Solalinde Guerra, a Catholic priest

from Oaxaca, Mexico, a leading advocate for the rights ofmigrants travelling through Mexico to the U.S., willspeak in Lehman College Music Building’s East DiningRoom on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event isfree and open to the public. For more information, e-mailalyshia.galvez@lehman.cuny.edu.

Free Tax Prep Help• Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr., in con-

junction with Bronx Independent Living Services isoffering Free Tax Assistance and preparation toseniors in the Bronx, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 9a.m. to 5 p.m. at 4419 Third Ave., Suite 2C, (between181st and 182nd streets). You must bring your W-2and/or 1099 statements, and your 2010 tax return. Alltax forms are prepared by IRS trained certified vol-unteers. Complimentary refreshments will be served.For more information or to RSVP, call (718) 590-6248.• The University Neighborhood Housing Program is

sponsoring free Federal and State Income Tax Assistanceto low-income residents of the Bronx provided by IRScertified tax preparers at Refuge House, 2715 BainbridgeAve. (near East 196th Street), by appointment only. Ser-vices are provided on Wednesdays from 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb.15, 29, March 7, 28, April 4, and 11; and Saturdays from 10a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 11, 25, March 24, 31, and April 14. Formore information or to RSVP, call (718) 933-2539.• Ridgewood Savings Bank, 3445 Jerome Ave., is

hosting a free Tax Preparation Day for eligible low-income Bronx residents by IRS certified volunteers onSaturday, Feb. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more infor-mation regarding required documents, additionallocations, or to RSVP, call (718) 881-3430.

Flea Market Donations NeededDonations are needed for the Bedford-Mosholu

Community Association’s Flea Market on March 10.Bring new and used items (except clothing) to theBMCA office, 400 E. Mosholu Pkwy. So. Apt. B1 (lobbyfloor), on Wednesdays, Feb. 15, 22 and 29 from 1:30 to 4p.m., Saturday, March 3 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. or Wednes-day evening March 7, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Literacy Connection Improve your reading, writing and math skills and

work toward you GED with the Literacy Connection, afree education and employment program for youngadults ages 16 to 24. The program is offered at the MottHaven, West Farms, and Bronx Library Centerbranches of the NYPL. For more information or toRSVP, call (718) 401-7453.

Free Computer and GED ClassesSUNY’s North Bronx Career Counseling and Out-

reach Center, 2901 White Plains Rd., is accepting appli-cations for all of its programs, including free comput-er literacy and GED classes. For more information,call (718) 547-1001.

Martial Arts at The COVEThe COVE, a Knox-Gates neighborhood organization,

3418 Gates Place (basement) between Mosholu Parkwayand Gun Hill Road, is offering Martial Arts classes forages 5 to adult, Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at$5/session. For more information, call (718) 405-1312.

For more Neighborhood Notes online, go towww.norwoodnews.org and click on “Neighbor-hood Notes” in the right-hand column.

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 13

HELP WANTED

Personal Assistant Needed: We arelooking for an office assistant. Dutiesinclude greeting clients, answering phones,and routing mail, data entry and retrieve,scheduling and calendar maintenance.Ideal candidates will have proven customerservice skills in an administrative settingand experience with Microsoft Office appli-cations. Email resumes to antho-nyadams0012@gmail.com.

Full and Part Time: Mar Inc. is currentlylooking for a trustworthy rep/bookkeeperand comes with an attractive salary andother bonuses. No experience needed.Quickbooks user preferred. For moredetails, email James at jgannon18@hot-mail.com.

Personal Assistant Needed: We are

looking for an office assistant. Dutiesinclude greeting clients, answering phones,and routing mail, data entry and retrieve,scheduling and calendar maintenance.Ideal candidates will have proven customerservice skills in an administrative settingand experience with Microsoft Office appli-cations. Email resumes tosmith.williams885@gmail.com if interested.

POSITION WANTED

Nurse’s Aide with 25 years’ experience inhospitals, nursing homes and private resi-dences seeks employment. Will live in orout. Call (718) 364-7771.

SERVICES AVAILABLE

Tutor: K-9 teacher NYS certified, ESL cer-tified, former NY Times cartographer/staffeditor. (718) 644-1083.

Yoga: Stretching, meditation, drumming ordancing on Fridays and Sundays. $10 persession. RSVP (718) 644-1083 or emailjnorQ@aol.com.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Glad Tidings Assembly of God: 2 VanCortlandt Ave. E. and Jerome Avenue.

(718) 367-4040. Prayer Wednesdays at 11

a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday School at 9:30

a.m. and Sunday Service at 11 a.m.

MISCELLANEOUS

THANK YOU ST. JUDE.

Professional Directory

James m. Visser, Esq.General Practice; Accidents,

Commmercial; Wills & Estates;Offices Bronx and Manhattan

(646) 260-6326

Lawyers

Classifieds

Pediatric Servicestiga Pediatrics

3510 Bainbridge Ave., Suite 5,Bronx, NY 10467

Ages 0 to 21 yearsGeneral Practice, Obesity, Asthma,

ADHDSame-Day Appointment Every Day!

(718) 319-8999

Real Estate2-Family House for Sale – Fullyrenovated. Includes 3 BR over 3

BR & master bedroom. Wood floorsand tile. Full 1-bedroom basement.This property has 7 bedrooms and4 full baths. Parking and back yard.

New kitchen. Wheelchair ramp.Great investment, it will pay for

itself. You will live for free! Location: Wakefield - Barnes,

between 228th and 229th streets.Minutes away from Montefiore

Hospital. Please call owner: (917) 622-5810 –PRICE: $455,000 (neg.) Lease with

option to buy, $2,400 per month.

Co-op for Sale: Large bright one-bedroom co-op for sale. Newly

remodeled. Steps to the park andclose to all transportation. Asking$135,000, price negotiable. Low

maintenance. Call (917) 972-5268.

Non-DenominationalServices

good news Christian Church3061 Bainbridge Ave.

(basement of the Church of theHoly Nativity)

Bronx, NY 10467(347) 329-0023

Pastors James and Andrea MillerSunday service at 2 p.m.

Home fellowship bible studies onWednesdays at 7 p.m.

Friday night prayer service at 7 p.m.

Visit us at www.goodnewscc.wordpress.com.

Beautician Services

Come to madame P’s BeautyWorld

The last old-fashioned hairdresserin the Bronx.

We specialize in haircutting, haircare, and provide consultations

on hair care and weaving to stim-ulate hair growth. We do tintingand use all manners of relaxers,

including Mizani, Affirm,Fiberguard, and Vitale. We use

Wave Nouveau Coiffure. We arestill doing carefree curls andpress and curl. 20% off for

seniors Tuesdays, Wednesdays,and Thursdays.

617 E. Fordham Road (betweenArthur and Hughes), Bronx, NY

10458. (Fordham UniversitySection). Call today for your

appointment: (347) 284-3834.

Classifieds: $9 for the first 20 words and 25 cents for each additionalword. Professional Directory: $144 for six months; $260 for oneyear. Business Cards: $360 for six months (12 issues); $625 for oneyear (25 issues). Deadlines: Deadlines for classified ads are one weekprior to publication. To place an ad, call the Norwood News at (718) 324-4998 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

3520 TRYON AVENUEPerfectly located co-op. Walk to Montefiore and Subway.

“Handyman Special”1 BR $97,000

Maint: $548.45

4380 VIREO AVENUE2 BR-JR $169,000.00

Maint: $543.69Studios for rent @ $900, No Fee

TO VIEW AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL:

Sherry and Sons, Inc.(914) 793-1793 ext.16

www.sherryandsons.com

CO-OPS FOR SALE

BRONX LOCATIONS: KINGSBRIDGE/NORWOODGRAND CONCOURSE/WOODLAWN

14 ■ February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News

Onstage■ The Lehman Center for thePerforming Arts, 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd.W., presents Salsa con Amor, featur-ing Latin entertainers, Feb. 11 at 8p.m. (tickets are $45 to $60); andTschaikowski St. PetersburgSymphony Orchestra, performingclassical music, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m.(tickets are $25 to $40; $10/12 and

under). For more information, call(718) 960-8833.

■ Lehman College, 250 Bedford Pk.Blvd. W., presents a free concert per-formed by the Lehman College ChamberPlayers featuring classical works, Feb.15 at 12:30 p.m., in the MusicBuilding’s Recital Hall on the 3rd floor.For more information, call (718) 960-8247.

Events■ The Bronx Council on the Arts pre-sents free craft workshop, PuppetMaking, as part of its third Saturday ofthe month series, at the HuntingtonFree Library, 9 Westchester Square,Feb. 18, 12:30 to 3 p.m. All suppliesare provided. For more information,call (718) 829-7770 or (718) 931-9500ext. 33.

■ The Bronx Museum of the Arts, at1040 Grand Concourse (165th Street),invites the public to submit up to fivehistorical or contemporary photographsof anyone playing baseball, from ama-teurs to pros, of any age or gender, inneighborhoods, parks, schools, etc., forits Baseball in the Bronx exhibition, tobe held April 13 to May 13. Submissiondeadline is March 16. Photos will bereturned only if they are submitted witha self-addressed stamped envelope withproper postage. For more information ofsubmission rules and details, call (718)681-6000 or write bronxitesinbase-ball@gmail.com.

■ The New York Botanical Garden pre-sents a trip to the tropics, through Feb.26, in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.Included will be a new virtual tour, photodisplay, children’s scavenger hunt andweekend salsa and photographylessons. For more information, call (718)817-8658.

■ Wave Hill, located at 249th Streetand Independence Avenue, presentsCooking Demonstration, featuringpineapple treats, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. inthe Ecology Building; and WinterWorkspace Open Studios, for artiststo develop new work and share theirspace with the public, Feb. 12 1:30 to4:30 p.m. (free with grounds admis-sion). For more information, call (718)549-3200.

Exhibits■ The public is invited to the BronxMuseum of the Arts, at 1040 GrandConcourse (165th Street), open house,Feb. 12 from 2 to 5 p.m. with a tour ledby guest curator at 1 p.m., free, in the

February 9–22, 2012 ■ Norwood News ■ 15

South Wing Galleries. The exhibit JuanDowney: The Invisible Architect, willbe on view through May 20. For moreinformation, call (718) 681-6000.

■ Lehman College Art Gallery, 250

Bedford Pk. Blvd. W., presents Underthe Influence: The Comics; andMichael Ferris, Jr.: The Bronx Seriesand Other Work (figurative sculpture),through May 12. For more information,call (718) 960-7492.

Library Events■ The Bronx Library Center, at 310 E.Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road, pre-sents programs for kids includingPreschool Story Time, Feb. 9, 16 and 23at 11 a.m.; Toddler Tales for the TeenyTiny (ages 3 to 5), Feb. 11 and 18 at 11a.m.; Be Tobacco Free (ages 3 to 12),Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.; Mad ScienceWorkshops at 4 p.m. (ages 3 to 12; reg-istration required): on The Science ofSport, Feb. 14; on Birds & Beasts, Feb.21; Global Partners, Jr. (ages 5 to 12),students connect worldwide via theInternet, Feb. 15 and 22 at 4 p.m.; AnimalMask Making (ages 5 to 12), Feb. 16 at 4p.m.; and Storytelling and ShadowPuppetry (ages 3 to 12), Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.Adults can attend SingleStop/Government Benefits, Feb. 9, 14,16, 21 and 23 at 9 a.m.; MOMA PresentsDiego Rivera, lecture/slide show onmurals, Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m.; MovieScreenings: (“Ocean Heaven With Jet Li,Feb. 9 at 11 a.m.; and “Defining Beauty:Ms. Wheelchair America,” Feb. 9 at 1p.m.); and It’s a Long Month: Living on aFixed Income, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. Formore information, call (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visit www.nypl.org.

■ The Mosholu Library, at 285 E. 205thSt., offers Knitting Circle, Thursdays at3 p.m.; and Wii Program, Tuesdays at 3p.m., each for seniors and adults;Toddler Story Time, Feb. 9 at 10:30a.m.; Holiday Arts & Crafts (ages 5 to12), Feb. 10 at 3:30 p.m.; Make YourOwn Greeting Cards (for teens andyoung adults), Feb. 9 at 4 p.m.;Storytelling and Shadow Puppetry(ages 3 to 12), Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.; andMovie (for teens/young adults), Feb. 23at 4 p.m. Speakers of other languages(ages 16+) may attend free EnglishConversation Program (intermediatelevel), Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.through March 13. For more information,call (718) 882-8239 or (212) 340-0918.

■ The Jerome Park Library, at 118Eames Place, offers Toddler StoryTime, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.; and Film(ages 5 to 12), Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. Formore information, call (718) 549-5200.

NOTE: Items for consideration may bemailed to our office or sent to norwood-news@norwoodnews.org, and shouldbe received by Feb. 13 for the next pub-lication date of Feb. 23. Find moreevents at www.bronxnewsnetwork.org.

a

Celebrate Black History Month■ In celebration of Black History Month, Woodlawn Cemetery’s MemorialChapel will host author A’Lelia Bundles, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. to discuss herupcoming book, “Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance.”Walker is the daughter of the first African-American millionaire Madam C.J.Walker and hosted many famous people of her era at soirees at her salon,The Dark Tower. Tickets are $15; $10/students/seniors. Woodlawn Cemeteryincludes the final resting place of many prominent African-Americans. Formore information, call (718) 920-1470.

■ The public is invited to enjoy an illustrated talk by Morgan Powell onthe Bronx River’s Afro-American Heritage in 100 Golden Moments, at theBronx Library Center, at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road, Feb. 18at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visitwww.nypl.org.

■ Lehman College’s Lovinger Theatre, 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd. W., presentstwo free events in celebration of Black History Month: Its annual tribute lec-ture to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.; and a one-man showabout Black political resistance. For more information, call (718) 960-8801.

E D I T O R ’ S P I C K

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www.norwoodnews.org