This week's Riverdale Review

Here are the stories in this week's issue (November 8 - 14) of the Riverdale Review:

* Troubled aftermath of hurricane horror > Local homes are slowly getting back on the grid but mail delivery has ground to a halt and residents are facing a crippling gasoline shortage following the devastation of superstorm Sandy. As city agencies, utility providers and elected officials continue relief efforts in the battered region, those in Riverdale are reeling from the damage caused by the historic storm.
* Long delays and foul-ups mar voting in Riverdale > Hundreds of voters inundated local polling sites on Tuesday to exercise their democratic right. Although many Riverdale residents turned up to vote for one of the presidential candidates, some were also concerned about weighing in on the local Congressional and Senatorial races. However, reports of lengthy queues and broken scanning machines trickled in as the day wore on.
* Police hunt two men in connection with string of armed robberies > Police fear that a recent rash of armed robberies in Riverdale, including two over the past weekend, could be part of a wider trend. Detectives from the 50th Precinct believe the same two suspects, both descried as black males in their late teens or early 20s, are responsible for at least five local robberies reported between October 18 and November 4. Police said the pair's modus operandi follows the same pattern: They target individuals traveling on foot and demand that victims hand over their smartphones and other valuables. On at least three occasions, the men even flashed a firearm.

Veterans' Day ceremony

* Local veterans honor fallen comrades > The crisp, sunny day made the perfect backdrop for the annual Veterans' Day ceremony in Riverdale on Sunday, November 4. Attendance at the ceremony, held at the newly-refurbished Memorial Grove, was much lower than anticipated, with around 25 Bronx residents there to celebrate the men and women who served our country. This was in part due to miscommunication within the parks department, which had been informing callers that the ceremony had been cancelled due to superstorm Sandy.
* Delayed Bronx Restaurant Week is now underway > Foodies, dining enthusiasts and bargain hunters, take note: Bronx Restaurant Week is still on. Borough officials kicked off the second annual event during a subdued launch preview at Oregano Bar & Bistro in Riverdale last Thursday. Dubbed Savor The Bronx, the promotion aims to showcase the borough's diverse gastronomical delights and elevate its culinary cred. Under the promotion, rescheduled due to superstorm Sandy, around 35 Bronx restaurants are offering diners a three-course lunch for $16.41 and a bargain dinner for $20.12 through Friday, November 16.
* Local renaissance girl awarded full college scholarship > Riverdalian Jessica Lavery, a freshman at the University of Scranton, is the winner of a four-year Presidential Scholarship that covers full tuition. She was one of only 19 students the university selected for this comprehensive scholarship award, reserved for incoming freshman with outstanding high school records and community involvement.
* HIR hosts Global Hunger Shabbat > There was an abundance of food, with choices for everyone from vegans to omnivores, so the concept of hunger seemed distant for 300 community members who enjoyed a Sabbath meal last Friday night at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. The November 2 Global Hunger Shabbat event was one of hundreds taking place worldwide through an American Jewish World Service initiative. 
* Local dentist plans relocations > Riverdale residents will soon have a brand-new dental care facility in town. Dr. Gabriel Shalmi of Riverdale Dental Care will be moving his practice on Riverdale Avenue to a location around the corner of West 259th Street. The move is planned for December or January.