Proudly Serving Bronx Communities Since 1988 3URXGO\6HUYLQJ%URQ[&RPPXQLWLHV6LQFHFREE 3URXGO\6HUYLQJ%URQ[&RPPXQLWLHV6LQFHFREE ORWOODQ EWSQ FREE NVol. 27, No. 8 PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION N April 17–30, 2014 Vol 30, No 22 • PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION • NOVEMBER 9-22, 2017 ORWOODQ EWSQ NVol. 27, No. 8 PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION N April 17–30, 2014 INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER: SEE PICTURES: THE VOTING EXPERIENCE | PG. 4 HALLOWEEN IN NORWOOD | PG. 10 GJONAJ WINS Jerome Ave. Rezoning Vote Set for Nov. 16 COUNCIL SEAT pg 2 Victory opens Assembly seat covering Norwood to possible contenders Meet New Principal at St. Philip Neri School pg 6 Fordham Landing Shelter Here to Stay pg 11 Photo by Aaron Mayorga COUNCILMAN-ELECT MARK GJONAJ wins the seat for the 13th Council District covering the east Bronx. Gjonaj had represented Nor- wood since 2013. By WENDY JOAN the vote, and effectively open- 82nd Assembly District Fe- does not include Norwood, a BIDDLECOMBE ing his Norwood Assembly male Leader and Community neighborhood that Gjonaj rep- All that cash ultimately seat. Board 10 treasurer who ran on resented in the assembly. paid off. Gjonaj, an Albanian Amer- the Working Families Party Gjonaj got the most cheers Assemblyman Mark ican from Morris Park, de- ticket. Velazquez was backed at a Tuesday night victory Gjonaj, who set a new record feated Republican challenger by the current holder of the party at Pasta Pasta restau- for City Council spending, was John Cerini, an accoun- seat, the term-limited Council- rant in Morris Park when elected to represent the 13th tant and community leader man Jimmy Vacca. The 13th it was announced that he Council District on Election from Throggs Neck, as well District stretches from Morris would be the first Alba- pg 14 Night, securing 49 percent of as Marjorie Velazquez, the Park east to City Island, and (continued on page 15) 2 • November 9-22, 2017 • Norwood News IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST Vol. 30, No. 22 Vol. 27, No. 10 NorwoodVol. 27,News 27, No. No.is 10published 10 Borough Board to Vote on Jerome Avenue Rezoning Nov. 16 bi-weekly on Thursdays by By DAVID CRUZ MosholuNorwoodNorwood Preservation NewsNews is Corporation ispublished published (MPC) Norwood3400 Reservoir News isOval published East The Bronx Borough Board is expected bi-weeklybi-weekly on on Thursdays Thursdays by by bi-weeklyBronx, New on ThursdaysYork 10467 by to meet Nov. 16 to decide whether to ap- MosholuMosholuPhone: Preservation 718 324 Corporation 4998Corporation Mosholu3400 PreservationReservoir Oval EastCorporation prove or reject the Jerome Avenue Rezon- 3400Fax: Reservoir 718 324 Oval2917 East E-mail: [email protected], Reservoir New York 10467Oval East ing plan, a complex and sweeping proposal Bronx, New York 10467 Web.:Bronx, www.norwoodnews.org New York 10467 intended to create more affordable housing Phone: 718 324 4998 across the west and southwest sections of Fax: 718 324 2917 Publisher Phone: 718 324 4998 E-mail: [email protected]: 718 324 4998 the borough. Mosholu Web:PreservationFax: www.norwoodnews.org 718 324 Corporation 2917 The body, made up of the chairs and E-mail: [email protected]: 718 324 2917 ExecutiveE-mail: [email protected] Director of MPC district managers of community boards, Melissa Web:Cebollero www.norwoodnews.org Web: www.norwoodnews.org will meet two weeks after the Bronx Bor- DirectorPublisher of MPC CEO, Mosholu ough President got an earful from scores Mosholu Preservation 3UHVHUYDWLRQ Jennifer Tausig of residents, merchants and even doctors Corporation Corporation PublisherEditor-in-Chief, NorwoodCEO, News Mosholu largely opposed to the plan. PublisherEditor-in-Chief RobertoCEO, S. Mosholu Garcia MosholuDavid Cruz, Preservation [email protected] 3UHVHUYDWLRQ Diaz held a hearing on the issue Nov. 2. MosholuDavid Cruz Preservation 3UHVHUYDWLRQ Corporation Corporation The lofty proposal looks to rezone 92 blocks Photo by David Cruz AccountsCorporation Receivable Corporation Editor-in-ChiefDawn&ODVVLÀHG$GYHUWLVLQJ McEvoy Roberto S. Garcia of Jerome Avenue between 184th and 167th COUNCILWOMAN VANESSA GIBSON (at mic) testifi es at the Jerome Avenue Rezon- Editor-in-Chief Roberto S. Garcia ing hearing Nov. 2. Gibson testifi ed that investments are needed “today.” DavidProofreaderDawn Cruz McEvoy streets. The plan covers a two-mile stretch David Cruz Judy$FFRXQWV5HFHLYDEOH Noy along its commercial and major transit “Every time I walk around and see bill- Community boards 4, 5 and 7 have cast Dawn McEvoy corridors within community boards 4, 5 &ODVVLÀHG$GYHUWLVLQJInterns boards that say ‘affordable housing,’ I just a yes vote to the plan so long as some stipu- Diego&ODVVLÀHG$GYHUWLVLQJProofreader Barcacel Peña, Stephanie Luciano, and 7, which make up the neighborhoods of DawnJudy McEvoy Noy stare at it and laugh and say ‘for whom?’” lations are met. Some stipulations by Com- YaraDawn Palin, McEvoy Aaron Mayorga Fordham South, University Heights, Mor- Ed Viera Jr., a resident living within the munity Board 4 include the creation of a $FFRXQWV5HFHLYDEOH3URGXFWLRQ ris Heights, Mt. Eden, and Highbridge. Regular$FFRXQWV5HFHLYDEOHNeil deMause Contributors impacted area, said. so-called anti-displacement fund, available DawnDavid McEvoy Greene, Adi Talwar “This has shown to be one of the rezon- Dawn5HJXODU&RQWULEXWRUV McEvoy During cross-examination of the plan, resources for existing autobody mechan- Proofreader ings proposed with the most emotion from ContributorsProofreaderDavid Greene, Adi Talwar Diaz had wondered whether HPD would ics, and the creation of an LGBTQ center. JudyMiriam Noy Quinones, Reggie Francois, folks who either support it or don’t support Interns consider lowering the AMI threshold to 30 Arguably, the most critical voice in WendyJudy Noy Joan Biddletombe 3URGXFWLRQShayla Love, Paolo Mossetti, Justin McCallum, it,” said Diaz in opening remarks. percent. the public review process could be Coun- 3URGXFWLRQ Neiland deMause Chelsea George The New York City Department of City Three people who testified spoke of the cilwoman Vanessa Gibson, whose district Neil deMause For Display Advertising Planning, the lead agency behind the re- racial undertone the Jerome Avenue re- largely covers the bulk of the area that 5HJXODU&RQWULEXWRUVFor display advertising, call (718) 324-4998. zoning plan, presented before the public, David5HJXODU&RQWULEXWRUV Greene,Call (718)Adi Talwar 324-4998 zoning represents, with Jessica Roque sug- will be rezoned (Councilman Fernando emphasizing that part of the plan looks to DavidSupport Greene, Your Adi Talwar gesting this is a new form of “colonialism” Cabrera’s 14th Council District covers Interns create more than 4,000 units of affordable SupportInternsCommunity Your Newspaper! toward the existing black and Hispanic some ground on Jerome Avenue). Dur- Shayla Love, Paolo Mossetti, Justin McCallum, housing, honoring Mayor Bill de Blasio’s CommunityShaylaThe Norwood Love, PaoloNews Newspaper!LVDQRWIRUSURÀWSXE Mossetti, Justin -McCallum, population living there. “The settlers ing her testimony, Gibson appeared to andlication Chelsea and relies George upon the support of its Housing New York Plan. New York City Theand Norwood Chelsea News George is a not-for-profi t publication here are the people right here on my left,” lean in favor of rezoning Jerome Avenue advertisers and readers to produce a quality and relies upon the support of its advertisers Housing Preservation and Development community newspaper. To support your paper, Roque, a Hispanic woman motioning to the so long as certain conditions were met. Forand display readers advertising, to produce call a quality (718) 324-4998.community (HPD) intends to offer tax breaks to devel- Forbecome display a member advertising, and receive call (718)a subscription 324-4998. largely white group of city officials tasked Her position will determine whether the newspaper. To support your paper, become for one year. opers who build housing for those making to formulate the plan, said. “And the na- New York City Council will vote in favor a member and receive a subscription for one Support Your a maximum income of $26,720 for a single tives is us here.” of the project. Council members typically year.SupportSimply mail checkYour or money order for $40 Community Newspaper! person, translating to 40 percent of Area Fitzroy Christian, a resident, com- defer their vote to the council member Communityto: Norwood News, Newspaper! 3400 Reservoir Oval East, TheSimply Norwood mail check News orLVDQRWIRUSURÀWSXE money order for $40- to: Median Income (AMI). pared the plan to a form of “ethnic cleans- whose project presides in that district. TheBronx, Norwood NY 10467. News LVDQRWIRUSURÀWSXE- licationNorwood and News, relies 3400 upon Reservoir the support Oval of itsEast, But many residents, particularly those ing” aimed at displacing minorities out of “As the Council Member of District 16, I Bronx,lication NYand 10467. relies upon the support of its advertisersNorwood News and isreaders not responsible to produce for typo a- quality from Community Action for Safe Apart- those communities. Dyaami D’Orazio, an- refuse to allow our community to be short- communityadvertisersgraphical errors. newspaper.and readersOpinions To expressedto supportproduce in your signed a quality paper, ments, got stuck on the word “affordable.” Norwoodletters and News bylined is columns not responsible represent the for sole other resident, wondered