p m preservation corporation 2012 in review: the year in

By ALEX KRATZ

Hope for the redevelopment of theKingsbridge Armory, the largest armory inthe world and one of the northwestBronx’s most fascinating and potential-filled pieces of undeveloped property, wasresurrected in 2012.

In his annual State of the City address,held in the Bronx last January, MayorBloomberg announced that the city wouldrelease another request for proposals(RFP) for the Armory.

The announcement marked a sharpturnaround from two years prior when theCity Council, backed by Bronx BoroughPresident Ruben Diaz Jr. and the commu-nity-led Kingsbridge Armory Redevelop-ment Alliance, voted down a proposal to

turn the Armory into a shopping mall.After the vote, the mayor said he couldn’tsee the Armory being developed in the“foreseeable future.”

But momentumwas building for anew Armory project.Diaz had formed astar-studded ArmoryTask Force to exploredevelopment options,which yielded lots of

ideas, but little in terms of solid financing. Then along came Kevin Parker, a for-

mer Deutsche Bank executive and LongIsland hockey enthusiast, who put togethera group of investors who wanted to turnthe Armory into the world’s largest ice

www.norwoodnews.org■ Year in Politics, p. 2 ■ Year in Crime, p. 4 ■ Year in Schools, p. 6 ■ Editorial: On the Death of Children, p. 8

Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights

NORWOOD NEWSVol. 25, No. 25 ■ PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION ■ December 27, 2012–January 9, 2013

THE YEARIN REVIEW2012

2012 in Review: The Year in Pictures

HAPPYNEW YEAR

2013!

The Year in Development

Year of Hope and Intrigue at Kingsbridge Armory

(continued on p. 9 )

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A martial arts group shows off its acrobatic skill during Bronx Week; Bronx Borough President smooches his wife after the State of the

Borough address; patients for special surgery at Montefiore have some fun; local kids paint garbage cans in Williamsbirdge Oval Park; the Walton softball team comes

together; dance enthusiasts get free salsa lessons at Beso Lounge; a crash on Bronx River Parkway killed seven members of a single family; Clinton and John F. Kennedy

battle for local high school hoops bragging rights; police busted an entire six-story building filled with marijuana plants in Morris Park; local kids take in the show at the

annual Jerome-Gun Hill BID street festival; Hurricane Sandy didn’t completely overlook the northwest Bronx, where many trees were uprooted.

Photos by Adi Talwar

(except Bronx River

Parkway crash and

storm photo, taken

by David Greene)

Photo by Adi Talwar

MEMBERS OF the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance rally for respon-

sible redevelopment this past summer.

By ALEX KRATZ

The northwest Bronx saw a flurry ofpolitical activity this year starting with afuror over redistricting, the realignmentof legislative district lines that happensevery decade following the Census.

So politically charged was the debateover district lines that a federal judge hadto step in and draw new Congressionallines. (State lines were agreed upon afterseveral delays.) The result of the judge’sdecision gave birth to the new 14th Con-gressional District, which stretches fromHarlem through upper Manhattan andinto the northwest Bronx. It includesmuch of Norwood News’ primary cover-age area, including Norwood, BedfordPark, Kingsbridge and UniversityHeights.

Along with a new Congressional dis-trict, a new federal law to assist overseasvoters meant that the 14th CongressionalDistrict would have its primary in June,months before the regular September pri-maries.

The early primary meant an abbrevi-ated and furious campaign that pittedincumbent Charlie Rangel, a legislativeicon who has served in Congress for morethan four decades, against AdrianoEspaillat, an assemblyman who repre-sents upper Manhattan (and, until redis-tricting, a slice of Riverdale).

Espaillat, often seen at the foot of theelevated 4 train stop on Kingsbridge Road,campaigned hard in the Bronx, butRangel received the backing of BronxBorough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and theBronx Democratic County Committee.

Rangel, a one-time student at DeWittClinton High School on Mosholu Park-way, ended up winning narrowly andEspaillat conceded on election night.(Espaillat, however, won the Bronx.) Butthe next day, as votes continued to tricklein and Rangel’s lead continued to shrinkto less than 200 votes, Espaillat beganraising concerns about potential vote-rig-ging and incompetence by the Board ofElections.

He eventually filed a lawsuit to pre-vent the vote from being certified andasked for a re-vote. However, as absenteeand other ballots came in, Rangel main-tained his lead and Espaillat gave up hischallenge just two days before he neededto file paperwork to run for re-election inthe assembly. (Legally, he couldn’t run forboth offices at the same time.)

In November’s general election,Rangel was easily re-elected for a 22ndterm in office.

In terms of population, the Bronx nowmakes up 26 percent of his district and 19percent of his registered voters. In aninterview, Rangel admitted he didn’t ini-tially want to take on the Bronx as part ofhis district.

“I am very pleased to say all of myapprehensions about leaving Harlemwere shattered because I went up thereand my name was so well known, therewere groups waiting to welcome me tothe Bronx,” Rangel said in an interviewshortly after the primary.

Rangel all but guaranteed he wouldopen a district office in the Bronx.

Saying Good-bye toNaomi

The contentious end to one of thecountry’s most widely watched Congres-sional races gave way to one of the state’smost intriguing Assembly races, whichalso happened to involve the Bronx.

Mark Gjonaj, an Albanian real estatebroker who grew upin Morris Park, wasalready poised tomake a strong run at80th Assembly Dis-trict (Norwood, Bed-ford Park, MorrisPark) incumbentNaomi Rivera, whose poor attendanceand paltry legislative record, made hervulnerable to a challenge.

Then the New York Post began run-ning front page headlines that raised seri-ous ethical and legal questions aboutRivera’s time in office. Two men whoRivera was linked to romantically bothreceived questionable jobs based on theirrelationship with her and at taxpayerexpense. Soon, Rivera was being investi-gated by several authorities for wrongdo-ing and she retreated, refusing to speakwith the media or answer specific ques-tions about her hiring practices.

But in the end, it may have been Gjon-aj’s work in helping tenants at TraceyTowers fight an enormous rent hike thatturned the race in his favor.

Ultimately, Gjonaj won the Septemberprimary easily and then cruised to gener-al election victory in November. On Jan.1, he will become the first assemblymanof Albanian descent in Bronx history.Rivera exits after eight years represent-ing the 80th Assembly District.

Klein’s Bold MoveIn the overwhelmingly Democratic

Bronx, State Senator Jeff Klein made abold move in early December. Klein,whose 34th District now runs from the fareast Bronx through Bedford Park andinto Riverdale, forged a power-sharingagreement with Senate Republicansdespite the fact that Democrats won amajority of seats in the election.

Klein, whose Independent DemocraticCaucus began working closely withRepublicans at the end of 2010, said themove would ensure a productive and bi-partisan approach to legislating.

In a joint statement, Klein and Repub-lican Leader Dean Skelos said the agree-ment “marks a bold new chapter in thispartnership that will allow the Senate tocontinue pushing New York State for-ward, while ensuring that there will beno returning to the failed leadership ofthe past.”

Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera,who worked hard this fall to win back themajority for Democrats, is skeptical, say-ing the move essentially keeps Republi-cans in power when the public votedthem out.

He said the new “so-called coalition willpresent watered-down versions of progres-sive issues that we, as Democrats, feel arethe best way to move New York forward.”

Because the coalition will choosechairmanships, Rivera said it will also bewriting the final drafts of bills that reachthe floor for a vote, which means “thebulk of us [Democrats] — 27 of us — willbe excluded from the conversation.”

2 ■ December 27, 2012–January 9, 2013 ■ Norwood News

The Year in PoliticsVol. 25, No. 25

Norwood News is published bi-weekly on Thursdays by

Mosholu Preservation Corporation3400 Reservoir Oval EastBronx, New York 10467

Phone: 718 324 4998Fax: 718 324 2917

E-mail: [email protected]: www.norwoodnews.org

PublisherMosholu PreservationCorporation

Editor-in-ChiefAlex Kratz

Classified AdvertisingDawn McEvoy

Accounts ReceivableDawn McEvoy

Proofreader Judy Noy

ProductionNeil deMause

Regular ContributorsDavid Greene, Adi Talwar, Ronald Chavez

InternsDanilka Infante, Diana Perez, BrittneyJackson

For display advertising, call (718) 324-4998.

Support Your Community Newspaper!The Norwood News is a not-for-profitpublication and relies upon the support ofits advertisers and readers to produce aquality community newspaper. To supportyour paper, become a member andreceive a subscription for one year.

Simply mail check or money order for$40 to: Norwood News, 3400 ReservoirOval East, Bronx, NY 10467.

Norwood News is not responsible fortypographical errors. Opinions expressedin signed letters and bylined columns rep-resent the sole opinion of the author andare not necessarily those of MosholuPreservation Corporations or MontefioreMedical Center. Editorials represent theviews of the editor and/or publisher only.The newspaper reserves the right to limitor refuse advertising it deems objection-able. Advertisements appearing in thispaper cannot be used without the writtenpermission of Norwood News. Letters tothe editor are subject to condensation andediting. Writers should include their affiliation or special interest if any.Anonymous letters are not published butyour name can be withheld if requested.

Mosholu Preservation Corporation is anot-profit support corporation ofMontefiore Medical Center.

Public and Community Meetings• Community Board 7 will hold its Land use and Zoning meeting on thursday, dec.

27 at 6:30 p.m. at the board office, 229a E. 204th St. For more information, call (718)

933-5660 or visit www.BronxCB7.info.

• thE BEdFord moShoLu Community aSSoCiation will meet on Wednesday,

Jan. 2 at 400 E. mosholu Pkwy. So. apt.B1 (Lobby Floor). all are welcome.

Follow the Norwood News on Facebook and

@norwoodnews on Twitter

CEO, MosholuPreservationCorporationRoberto S. Garcia


Redistricting Leads to Heated Political Races in NW Bronx

Photo by Adi Talwar

IN WITH the old, out with Naomi.

Bronxites helped elect Charlie Rangel to

a 22nd term in Congress and ousted

Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera.

www.norwoodnews.org

December 27, 2012–January 9, 2013 ■ Norwood News ■ 3


By ALEX KRATZ

The year began remarkably well forpolice in the 52nd Precinct, which encom-passes the Norwood News’ primary cover-age area.

Early on in 2012, investigators went togreat lengths, including a trip to NorthCarolina, to track down two suspectswanted for the murder of 59-year-oldBimal Chanda, a Bengladeshi man whowas beaten to death in his UniversityHeights apartment, apparently during anearly morning robbery, in late October of2011.

Inspector Joseph Dowling, the com-mander of the 52nd Precinct, vowed totrack down the assailants and, eventually,did. One of the suspects was arrested inlate January and the other was arrestedin and extradited from North Carolina.The pair is currently awaiting trial.

The precinct didn’t record its firstmurder until late May when 20-year-oldJose Arango was brutally stabbed dur-ing an altercation caught on video at thecorner of East Gun Hill Road andJerome Avenue. Arango laid in a comafor two weeks before doctors declaredhim brain dead and he was taken off lifesupport.

It later became clear that the charis-matic Arango, said to be the “center” ofhis close-knit family, became embroiledin a love triangle gone horribly sour. Thetwo suspects who were arrested for thecrime are awaiting trial.

An increase in robberies plaguedneighborhoods throughout the precinctin 2012. At the beginning of the year, Bed-ford Park was hit with a string of com-mercial robberies. The area also saw aseries of brutal cell phone robberies dur-ing the late summer. Overall, robberieswere up 3.1 percent from last year as ofDec. 9, the latest date crime statisticswere published for the precinct.

Speaking of publishing crime statis-tics, the Norwood News successfullyobtained neighborhood crime statistics(sector stats) from the 52nd Precinct for2006 through 2011, which allowed us topublish overall crime statistics in each ofprecinct’s 15 sectors for the previous sixyears leading up to 2012.

Not surprisingly, Sector G — the areanorth of Fordham Road between theGrand Concourse and Webster Avenue —emerged as the undisputed king of crimein the precinct.

From 2006 to 2011, 1,528 crimes werecommitted in Sector G. That’s 11.5 per-cent of all the 13,303 crimes committed inthe 52nd Precinct during that time andnearly 200 more crimes than Sector D, thenext worst neighborhood (and 331 morecrimes than in Sector C).

During those six years, more than onein every four of the precinct’s murders —25 out of 94 (26.6 percent) — and one ofevery five rapes — 29 out of 140 (20.7 per-cent) — occurred in Sector G. The areaalso led the precinct in felony assaults,which include shootings and stabbings,with 353 (13.7 percent of the precinct’sassaults). Its next closest competitor wasSector B in University Heights, which

had 80 fewer assaults during the sametime period.

In the background of all this was dete-riorating police-community relations inthe Bronx and citywide, which was thrustinto the spotlight by reports of excessiveand unwarranted “stop and frisk” stopswhere minorities were overwhelminglytargeted.

The backlash caused the Bronx Dis-trict Attorney’s office to announce itwould stop prosecuting violations at cityhousing projects, where a lot of the stop

and frisk stopsoccur, unless offi-cers appeared beforea grand jury. It’s alsospurred lawsuitsfrom the AmericanCivil LibertiesUnion.

The year ended with the mysteriousmurder of 46-year-old Gary Rodriguez onDecatur Avenue who was shot and killedjust two blocks from his house on anearly Sunday morning on Dec. 9. Itmarked the fourth murder of the year(compared to seven during the same timeperiod last year) and the second onDecatur Avenue in Norwood in the previ-ous two months.

The other murder, which happenedjust a block from Rodriguez’s DecaturAvenue home in mid-October, was said tobe narcotics related.

The Year in Crime

Murders Down, Robberies Up, Police in Spotlight


JOSE ARANGO died after being stabbed repeatedly during an altercation on Jerome

Avenue.

The Murder Victims• Jose Arango, 20. Stabbed to death,

East Gun Hill Road and JeromeAvenue.

• Raphael Quashie, 39. Shot in thetorso, East 197th Street and Bain-bridge Avenue.

• Jesus Avando, 26. Shot in thehead, 3347 Decatur Ave.

• Gary Rodriguez, 46. Shot in thechest, 3089 Decatur Ave.


Inquiring Photographer By DAVID GREENE

I hope to see more kind-

ness in the world next

year, from everyone,

animals and people. And

I hope to be a better

human being with more

wisdom and patience for

the people I love.

Shelia Sanchez

This week we asked readers about their hopes and goals for 2013.

I don’t know: play cook-

ing, go to school, go to

a festival, hop like a

frog, and go to

Disneyland. I want to

see Santa. I’m going to

eat all my food so Santa

will give me presents

and if I finish my food I

will get a treat. I only

want to grow a little bit

so I can stay size four

so I can still play with

my toys.

darialis infante

I wish 2013 will bring

tranquility and peace. I

want to be more relaxed

and that my nerves

won’t get the better of

me. I want my daugh-

ters to organize their

room and that I won’t

have to repeat myself to

my family when I say

things.

nilda Santiago

That we all stay healthy,

wealthy and wise and

stay good in the mind.

That we all get some tax

return money, that things

get better and we all hit

the lottery. I think we

should all help other

people.

naima Cossette

Firstly, and above all:

happiness, prosperity

and a better life.

Everything else, like

money, is just a plus

and can come after.

derryck Samwaro


By ALEX KRATZ

Despite a re-invigorated staff and theimplementation of several new programsdesigned for improvement, the future ofJunior High School 80 looked dim at thebeginning of 2012.

The Mosholu Parkway school, whichboasts famous alumni like director PennyMarshall and designer Calvin Klein, wasin middle of year one of a Department ofEducation-imposed plan to improve theschool’s performance, which had plum-meted in recent years. The plan includedadditional federal funding for new pro-grams and a partnership with an outsideorganization, the Abyssinian Develop-ment Corporation, a Harlem-based group.

But when the DOE couldn’t agree on ateacher evaluation system with the teach-ers union, funding for the new programsand partnership was threatened. Theonly way to maintain that funding, DOEofficials said, was to place JHS 80 (morecommonly known as MS 80) into the so-called “turnaround” program.

The turnaround program mandatedthat the school change its name andreplace its administration and at leasthalf of its faculty.

Before the Panel for Education Policy(PEP) even voted to approve the turn-around model for MS 80, the DOE madethe move to replace its longtime princi-pal, Lovey Mazique-Rivera on a Friday inMarch. Teachers, parents and students

found out about the change on the follow-ing Monday. The move plunged theschool, which was in the midst of stateexams, into turmoil.

Still, a small group of parents, alumniand community members held out hopethat they would at least keep the name.But after a small turnout to a DOE hear-ing on the matter, the PEP approved theturnaround program and soon changedthe school’s name and started the processof hiring and firing teachers.

After many teach-ers were told theywould not be comingback, a successfullawsuit by the Unit-ed Federation ofTeachers stopped theentire process. A

judge ruled the turnaround plan to be inviolation of the union’s contract with theDOE. Almost immediately, the name waschanged back to JHS 80 and all of itsteachers were told they could return.

Still, the school’s principal remained acasualty of the process. Parents andteachers believed Mazique-Rivera had theschool on the right path and the numbersbegan to back up their assertions.

In 2012, MS 80 achieved a huge jump instate math exams. In 2011, only 14 percentof eighth graders passed the math exam.This past year, half of the school’s eighthgraders passed. Their scores were soimproved that MS 80 received a solid “B”

grade on its annual progress report.

340 Parents WinStalemate

In the middle of November, 20 parentsat PS 340 in Kingsbridge Heights receivedletters saying their kindergarten stu-dents would be transferred immediatelyto PS 310, a school more than a half mileaway.

They were told that their children

were a victim of capping at PS 340, mean-ing the school was too overcrowded tokeep them there.

The entire school community andlocal elected officials were furious andprotested by refusing to go along with theDOE’s plan and enroll at PS 310. InDecember, following an extended stale-mate, the DOE allowed all but three ofstudents to stay at PS 340 and said itwould make accommodations for them,despite the overcrowding.

The Year in Schools

Local Northwest Bronx Schools Struggle to Stay Intact


Photo by Adi Talwar

VERY FEW STUDENTS, parents or alumni came out to oppose the DOE’s plan to

close MS 80, but a lawsuit kept the school’s name and teachers in place.


As a nonprofit organization, Healthfirst’smission is to provide high quality healthcarecoverage to underserved populations in ourNew York/New Jersey service areas. We dothis by offering a variety of government-sponsored health insurance programs,including New York State’s Child HealthPlus, Family Health Plus, Medicaid andMedicare Advantage.

To further serve and accommodate theclose to 1.5 million residents of the Bronx,Healthfirst established our Bronx commu-nity office on Fordham Road in January2010. The office provides a convenient loca-tion for community residents and Health-first members to visit and speak with aHealthfirst representative about our plansand services. One out of 10 Bronxites areHealthfirst members.

As a community partner, Healthfirst hasforged relationships with a number ofBronx community-based organizations,leaders and elected officials to host eventsand activities that promote healthy livingand improved health outcomes. Forinstance, we teamed up with TD Bank to pre-sent our Parent Coordinator RecognitionBreakfast Series which honors and thankshundreds of New York City Parent Coordi-nators who help bridge the gap betweenfamilies and educators. Senators Ruth Has-sell-Thompson and Gustavo Rivera heldbreakfasts earlier this year to honor the ser-vice of their local parent coordinators.

We’ve also partnered with the Ameri-can Heart Association (AHA) to presentthe AHA Teaching Gardens program to PS

55 Benjamin Franklin. The program teach-es students how to plant and harvest freshproduce to encourage the value of goodeating habits. This program is especiallyimportant to fight childhood obesity in theBronx where nearly four out of 10 childrenin public elementary schools are over-weight or obese.

Partnering with Bronx-Lebanon Hospi-tal Center and the American DiabetesAssociation (ADA), we hosted our first“Diabetes Awareness Workshop” in theBronx this past May to educate residentsabout Type 2 diabetes prevention and treat-ment. According to the ADA, Type 2 dia-betes is more prevalent in African-Ameri-cans and Latinos.

As a member of the St. Barnabas Hospi-tal Community Service Plan, Healthfirstactively develops strategies that empowerBronx residents to improve their healthcare. The hospital’s Community ServicePlan fosters collaboration among diversegroups to respond to the public healthneeds of the Bronx.

“Healthfirst is an organization withstrong ties to the communities it serves,”said George Hulse, Healthfirst Vice Presi-dent of External Affairs. “We strive to makethe Bronx a better place to live by support-ing local groups, leaders and activities thatwe believe will benefit the community andour members.

Healthfirst’s Bronx Community Officeis at 412 E. Fordham Rd. Hours are Mondaythrough Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Formore information, call (866) 463-6743.

Fordham Toyota, on West FordhamRoad, has been assisting and satisfyingcustomers for 25 years. But now theywant to focus their attention on a specificgroup of customers — nurses. FordhamToyota love nurses and want to show theirappreciation for their honorable work.

They are showing their appreciationby offering nurses a complimentaryfirst month’s payment program and a$250 gift certificate. See a car dealer forfurther details.

Fordham Toyota is the number one cardealership in guaranteed lowest pricesand is the Bronx’s leading Toyota dealer.They have a large selection of new, usedand certified-used Toyota vehicles,including the 2010/2011 Camry, Corolla,Avalon, Venza, Matrix, and Yaris.

If something more spacious is needed,Fordham Toyota has several trucks and

SUVs. Their selections consist of a new2010/2011 Tundra, Tacoma, Rav 4, FJCruiser, Highlander, 4Runner, Sequoiaand Land Cruiser. In addition, the 2011Sienna and an immense selection of Toy-ota Camry, Highlander Hybrids, and theinnovative 2010 Prius are available.

Fordham Toyota has factory-trainedtechnicians who will service Toyotavehicles for repairs, scheduled mainte-nance, oil change, tire rotations, brakeservice and anything else needed. TheFordham Toyota parts department isalso located in the Bronx with a largeinventory with thousands of Toyotaparts including oil and air filter. Theirstaff will assist with any questions.

Fordham Toyota is located at 236 W.Fordham Rd. For more information, call(800) 653-7921 or visit www.fordhamtoyota.com.

Healthfirst: Serving the Bronx

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LASORSA CHEVROLET, the Dealer That Cares, is offering great financing deals

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Editorial

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: [email protected].

On the Death ofYoung Children

As a journalist, you’re supposed to bedetached from the subjects you writeabout. It’s how you maintain your objec-tivity when presenting facts and accu-rately depicting scenes you’ve witnessed.

All of that flew out the window ofWoolworth Chapel in Woodlawn Ceme-tery when I reached into my pocket forone of at least half a dozen pens andplucked out the one with purple ink. It’sthe color Lydia would have chosen.

I was at the funeral for Lydia “Nena”Stephen, whose life and subsequent deathafter a long bout with cancer has beencovered in the pages of the NorwoodNews over the last month. After “choos-ing” the purple pen, I immediatelythought of Lydia and knew objectivityand detachment would not be possible.

As journalists, we are also humanbeings.

When I first heard about the story fromSamantha Velez, a family friend whocalled Lydia a “Warrior Princess,” I knewit would make a powerful story of incredi-ble bravery in the face of our greatest fear:death. What I didn’t know is how it wouldaffect me as a person and as a parent.

To put it bluntly, it shook me to mycore.

My own daughter was born almost two

years ago and continues to be the bestthing I’ve ever done. I’ve found my lovefor her is stronger than anything I couldhave imagined. For the most part, I’mpretty laid back, but I find myself furi-ously worrying about her safety. Whenwe’re walking together, I sometimes envi-sion her breaking away and running intotraffic and me being forced to hurtle myown body in front of a car to protect her.And it always strikes me: I have noqualms about dying to save her.

To see another parent go throughsomething like Lydia’s parents, NicoleRamdin and Joseph Stephen (picturedwith Lydia), have had to go through, hitsvery close to home. No parent should everhave to watch their child die.

But then there was Lydia. Herstrength and perseverance made it seemalmost ok. If anyone could handle it, shecould and did.

Toward the end, Lydia was in tremen-dous pain and there was little hope forrecovery. Still, she kept fighting andbreathing and finding small joys inthings, like seeing her 2-year-old brotherwho loved to steal her socks.

Her mom hung out in a bed right nextto hers on the ninth floor of the Chil-dren’s Hospital at Montefiore. Two weeksbefore Lydia’s death, I talked with her formore than two hours there while Lydiaslept, her thin shoulders shuddering

when she breathed. Nicole laughed and cried, equally, when

talking about her second youngest child.She was so sad and tired, but so proud ofher baby. She loved talking about her Nena.

At the funeral on a gorgeous Fridaymorning inside Woodlawn Cemetery, oneof the most serene places in the entireBronx, a group of Franciscan nuns cameand sang a couple of songs.

During the first song, “We Have a Hopein Jesus,” I completely lost it. Tearsstreaming into my notepad, jaw flappinglike I was having a seizure. It wasn’t justme. Everywhere in the full chapel, peoplewere crying for Lydia’s loss.

This, of course, was not according toLydia’s plan. She wanted no crying at her

“going away party.” There would be wineand dancing, but no crying. That provedimpossible. As Father George Stewart ofSt. Brendan’s Church said, “Sorry Lydia,we can’t totally oblige you today.”

There was an open casket. Inside,Lydia was all done up, complete with abeautiful white gown (her “weddinggown”) and white wedding veil. Herfavorite stuffed animals were arrangedaround her as if in tight embrace. A sin-gle purplish-pink Hello Kitty balloonbobbed near her.

She was angelic. I cried all the way tomy car.

When I returned to my office later on,I read the first news reports about thedeadly massacre of 20 Connecticutschoolchildren and went completelynumb. It was too hard to fathom. It waslike 20 Lydias who I had never met all get-ting cancer and then immediately dying.There was no getting used to the idea ofdeath for these kids. They were justhappy children, full of unbridled poten-tial until they weren’t.

I can’t imagine the horror those par-ents are going through.

But I think about them and their inno-cent children, just as I have thought aboutLydia and her strong parents. And I thinkabout my daughter and I hold her closeevery chance I get.

—ALEX KRATZ, Editor

Photo by Adi Talwar

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE NORWOOD NEWS: The middle of Mosholu Parkway near Bainbridge Avenue is lit up by the area’s largest Christmas tree.


LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMIT-ED LIABILITY COMPANY. A&E COU-TURE COLLECTION, LLC. Articles ofOrganization were filed with the Secretaryof State of New York (SSNY) on October 9,2012. NY Office location at 4350 Furman

Avenue, Suite 1K, Bronx County. Secretaryof State NY is designated as agent of theLLC upon whom process against it may beserved. The Secretary of State of New Yorkshall mail a copy of process to the LLC,A&E COUTURE COLLECTION, 4350Furman Avenue, Suite 1K, Bronx, NY

10466. Purpose: For any lawful activity.

REAL ESTATE

One-Bedroom Co-op for Sale: 1st floorapt., low maintenance, 1 block fromMontefiore Hospital. Quick access to allbuses: i.e. #34 and trains. $110k. Call (917)517-0172 (Ray) or (347) 427-4774.

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

Cash Paid: For antiques, old items, col-

lectibles, artwork, jewelry, books, records,

coins, stamps, sports cards, bric-a-brac.

Moving sales, estates, contents of homes.

(718) 882-0598 (home), or (347) 734-9261

(cell).

Classifieds

Professional Directory

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

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.

Bedford Park CongregationalChurch

The Bedford Park CongregationalChurch, located at the corner of 201st

Street and Bainbridge Avenue, invites you toattend our Holiday services. Come

and enjoy worship and fellowship during this

wonderful Christmas season.

Sunday, december 30, 2012,Service, 11 a.m.

monday, december 31, 2012, NewYears Eve Service, 7:30 p.m.

all are welcome.

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

Commmercial; Wills & Estates;Offices Bronx and Manhattan

(646) 260-6326

Lawyers

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

10458. (Fordham UniversitySection). Call today for your

appointment: (347) 284-3834.

To place an ad, call the Norwood News at(718) 324-4998 between the hours of 9a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

Year of Hope and IntrigueAt Kingsbridge Armory

sports complex. They enlisted big nameice sports stars in New York Rangershockey legend Mark Messier andOlympic figure skater Sarah Hughes toback their project and installed a youthcomponent modeled after a successfulinner-city program in Philadelphia. Andperhaps more importantly, they said theywould finance the project without taxpay-er assistance.

The potential of Parker’s project, nowknown as the Kingsbridge ArmoryNational Ice Center, allowed the city, andits Economic Development Corporation,to issue the RFP just days afterBloomberg’s January announcement.

Though the ice project was widely con-sidered the front-runner, an alternativeemerged out of the RFP process. It camefrom Young Woo & Associates, the cuttingedge design firm that created the success-ful Chelsea Market. The proposal envi-sioned the Armory as a futuristic townsquare type of market that would includerecreational, entertainment, retail andbusiness incubator components.

The project evolved over the springand summer months to include thepromise of a youth basketball programrun by the Bronx-based New York Gau-chos and the inclusion of the nation’sfirst Hip Hop Museum with backing fromthe Afrika Bambaataa, the Zulu Nationand other Bronx hip hop pioneers. YoungWoo has also said it would finance theproject on its own.

Both groups have said they would cre-ate at least 175 living wage jobs ($10 anhour plus benefits or $11.50 an hour with-

out benefits), with Young Woo saying itwould create a total of 900 permanentjobs. Both would offer an exciting alter-native to another shopping mall.

In late August, Diaz and a handful ofother Bronx politicians, including StateSenator Gustavo Rivera (who lives twoblocks from the Armory) and Council-man Oliver Koppell (who wanted theArmory to be an ice center 15 years ago),voiced their strong support for the icecomplex, which would include nineOlympic-sized rinks and a 5,000-seatarena. Councilman Fernando Cabrera,who represents the area surrounding theArmory, decided not to take a position onwhich project he preferred.

The rumor was that the EDC would bemaking its decision between the two com-peting groups in a matter of weeks or bythe end of September. But as of Dec. 18,the city still had not chosen a winner forthe Armory project and it was not on theagenda for the EDC’s final executive com-mittee meeting of the year, scheduled forWednesday, Dec. 19.

The EDC is reportedly in negotiationswith both developers, which could be thecause of the holdup. In the meantime,another ice center proposal is makingheadway just a few miles upstate in RyeBrook, which could eat into the Armoryice center’s earning potential.

The clock is ticking. Once a project ischosen, it must pass through the city’sexhaustive land use review process(ULURP), which could take a year ormore. By then, we could have a newmayor and a new Council Speaker and allbets would be off.

(continued from p. 1 )

Onstage■ The Lehman Center for the PerformingArts, 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd., W., presentsPaul Rodriguez and Terry Hodges, Jan. 12at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $45. For moreinformation, call (718) 960-8833.

■ The Bronx Music Heritage Center Lab, 1303Louis Niñé Blvd. (#2 or #5 train to FreemanStreet), presents Bronx Rising! Music, Film &

Spoken Word of the Borough, through Jan.19, performed by Bronx artists: Music andjazz, Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m.; film, Fridays8 to 10 p.m.; comedy, poetry and literature,Saturdays 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. (visit www.bronx-music.org for details). For more information,call (718) 793-2211.

Events■ The Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040

Grand Concourse (165th Street), presents itsfree First Friday on Jan. 4 from 6 to 10p.m., featuring film, art performances, musicand other special events. For more informa-tion, call (718) 681-6000.

■ Wave Hill, a Bronx oasis at 675 W. 252ndSt. in Riverdale, offers Family ArtsProjects: Create Your Year: Hello, 2013!, tocreate a calendar for the new year, Dec. 29and 30; and Sunrise, Sunset, to combinepaint and dye to create an inspirationalscene, Jan. 5 and 6; both in the EcologyBuilding, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grounds admis-sion is free Saturdays until noon, and freeTuesdays all day. Glyndor Gallery tours takeplace Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m.;

garden walks are held Tuesdays andSaturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.,from the Perkins Visitor Center. For moreinformation and a schedule of events, call(718) 549-3200.

Exhibits■ The Bronx County Historical Society’sMuseum of Bronx History at the Valentine-Varian House, 3266 Bainbridge Ave., pre-sents Hail to the Chief and Hooray for OurSide, through April 7, 2013. For more infor-mation, call (718) 881-8900.

■ Lehman College Art Gallery, 250 Bedford


a

Free DancingThe public is invited to join a series of free dance workshops to be held at Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center, 260 E. 207th St. (between Bainbridge and Perryavenues). An introductory session of Zumba will take place on Jan. 12 from 2 to 2:30and on Jan. 19 at 4:30 p.m. Hip-Hop is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 3:30 p.m. Also fea-tured on Jan. 19 will be a special performance at 6:45 p.m. Refreshments will beserved. For more information, call (718) 652-6256 or visit www.mind-builders.org.

E D I T O R ’ S P I C K


1/31/13 1/31/13

Pk. Blvd. W., presents Space Invaders, featuring the workof 18 artists who make use of many spaces both inside andoutside the galleries, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.to 4 p.m., through Jan. 9. For more information, call (718)960-8731/8715.

■ Bronx Council on the Arts presents Public Art UnderHouse Arrest, through December 2012, at Longwood ArtGallery at Hostos’ Center for the Arts’ main gallery, 450Grand Concourse (149th Street), in the Project Room. Formore information, call (718) 518-6728.

■ The Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at165th Street, presents Rituals of Chaos, an exhibition fea-turing modern and contemporary art from Latin America,through Jan. 6, highlighting the work of Mexican photojour-nalist Enrique Metinides and 11 contemporary artists whosimilarly take the human experience in the city as their sub-ject matter. For more information, call (718) 681-6000.

■ Bronx River Art Center, 305 E. 140th St., #1A (temporarygallery location during BRAC’s renovation), presents free,Process and Progress, artists and architects explore andengage urban development in the Bronx and beyond.Exhibition 2 of 4: Aaron Jones and Art Jones, through Dec.29. For more information and schedule, call (718) 589-5819.

Library Events■ The Bronx Library Center, at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., pre-sents programs for adults including Free Computer Classesat 2 p.m.: Online registration required: MS Word 2010 forBeginners Dec. 27; Film at 2:30 p.m.: “I Am David,” Dec. 29;and Single Stop/Government Benefits, Jan. 3, 8, 9 and 10at 9 a.m. Teens and young adults can join Teen Art Club at3:30 p.m.:.Dec. 28; and Comets, Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. Childrencan enjoy Preschool Story Time at 11 a.m.: Dec. 27; and

Winter Magnet Making: Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. For more infor-mation, call (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visit www.nypl.org.

■ The Mosholu Library, at 285 E. 205th St., offers forseniors and adults: Knitting Circle: Thursdays at 3 p.m.;and Wii Program: Tuesdays at 3 p.m. Children can enjoyToddler Story Time at 10:30 a.m.: (ages 18 to 36 months),

Jan. 3 and 10. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.

A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS!

NOTE: Items for consideration may be mailed to our office orsent to [email protected], and should bereceived by Dec. 31 for the next publication date of Jan. 10.

Photo by Adi Talwar

LOCAL RESIDENTS take in the beauty of the Christmas tree during Community Board 7’s lighting ceremony on

Mosholu Parkway on Dec. 13. Students from PS/MS 20’s choir performed.

p m preservation corporation 2012 in review: the year in

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