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Norwood Filmmaker Shares Passion With Students

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In her over two decades teaching at city high schools, Norwood resident Pam Sporn has kindled her students’ love of learning in some unlikely places, such as the deep recesses of libraries, storage rooms and other far-flung locales.

"It takes you all over the place," said Sporn, 47, about the process of teaching her students how to bring history alive through the production of documentary films.  

Documentaries have helped students explore race relations, homelessness, and media analysis. But to get to that point, Sporn had to first teach herself how to use a camera. "We stumbled along together," said Sporn with a laugh. Eventually, though, she ended up producing an award-winning documentary about her husband’s Cuban roots. 

Sporn’s enthusiasm for living history germinated early in her career. A social studies teacher at Bronx Satellite Academy in Hunts Point, Sporn frequently brought interesting people to her classroom to talk about their lives. She also began taking students outside to document personal histories with cameras and tape recorders. 

Her passion for video came in the late 1980s after watching "Eyes on the Prize," a TV series exploring the Civil Rights movement. "I started to do video as a way to preserve some of these wonderful people speaking in my classroom," she said.

Sporn’s list of student-produced documentaries is substantial. Her classes interviewed the producers and Civil Rights leaders profiled in "Mississippi Burning," analyzed relationships between blacks and Jews just as the Crown Heights riots broke, and produced an educational video for the American Civil Liberties Union. 

Sporn firmly believes that this work develops all kinds of skills Ñ from storytelling to writing Ñ and former Satellite student Linden Harrigan couldn’t be a better example of that. "To be honest, I had gotten bored with school," said the Parkchester native, now 33, about his early high school years. "I hadn’t ever thought about college, or a career."

That all changed when Harrigan got his hands on a camera. Working on two pieces with Sporn, his interest in history, and learning, grew exponentially. After hours editing the "Mississippi Burning" piece in "a storage room," as Sporn put it, the documentary won a film festival award. "I remember being very nervous about sharing my work, but the reaction was incredible," Harrigan said. "That kept me going forward."

In this Cinderella-like story, Harrigan now works for NBC as an editor and will go on to graduate school soon. "These classes really turned my life around," he said.

While enthusiastic about teaching, Sporn itched to direct her own movie. In 1994, she began a six-year odyssey to produce "Cuban Roots, Bronx Stories," a feature-length film exploring the complex identities of three Cuban siblings. 

One of them, Paul (Pablo) Foster, is Sporn’s husband and a Community Board 7 member. "I’m a very private individual," said Foster, 54. "But I think the younger generations needed to hear the history of our family."

Pablo Elliot Foster, Sporn’s 29-year-old stepson and a Norwood resident, narrates the film as he quests to learn about his family’s roots. The film travels from Co-op City, where the elder Foster talks about his family’s voyage after the Cuban Revolution, to the streets of Longwood where the Foster children grew up. 

It also follows Paul Foster on his first visit back to the island since he left in 1962. An emotional scene where Foster says good-bye to his elderly and frail aunt, just prior to her death in 1998, is especially poignant. "All immigrants have hardships," Foster said. "Migrating to another country, you have to leave people behind." 

While the film traces the path of one particular family, it brings up issues of immigration, race and identity that are applicable to many Bronxites. In one of its premiere screenings at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, the room was packed, according to Sporn.  "The audience gave Ômuch love,’ as my students would say," she joked. 

But making the video truly was a labor of love. Sporn borrowed cameras, edited 
intermittently after school, and traveled from Harvard to Florida to collect the film’s rich archival footage. She also wrote stacks of grant proposals for funding, and eventually, received $40,000 to hire a professional editor. But the vast majority of the film resulted from her handiwork.

Sporn gets a glint in her eye when she talks about screening "Cuban Roots" in Havana, or the prize it won in Brazil. But more than the awards, it is the emotional impact of her work that keeps Sporn going. She is now mulling over three or four possible future projects, including documenting the persecution of her radical parents by the federal government. 

But teaching video is still Sporn’s bread-and-butter, one she increasingly worries is jeopardized by the city’s push for a uniform school curriculum. For Harrigan, that prospect is tragic. "The students would lose big time," he said.

Hennessy Remembered at St. Brendan’s and Beyond

By Miranda Kaplan

On Friday, July 16, the entire block of East 207th Street between Bainbridge and Perry avenues was closed to all motorists -  except those headed for the Church of St. Brendan. Police officers clustered at either end to admit vehicles, which double-parked in long rows lining the street. 

They had all come to honor the life of the Rev. Patrick Hennessy, pastor of St. Brendan’s Roman Catholic Church, who succumbed to a four-year struggle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma on July 11. Cardinal Edward Egan presided over the funeral Mass in the company of 110 other priests. The church estimates that about 1,000 people attended the service. The pews overflowed, and latecomers had to flatten themselves against the walls and spill into the vestibule.

Many of those in attendance were parishioners at St. Brendan’s, where Hennessy served for only two years, but scores more who had known the priest through his dedication to other churches and communities.

"They loved him at St. Brendan’s, but they loved him from all over," said Lois Harr of Bedford Park, a friend and longtime colleague. "He was respected as a priest, and loved as a priest."

Hennessy was born on July 27, 1945, and raised on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. After being ordained in 1971, he taught part-time at Cathedral Prep High School and served at a series of churches in Manhattan and the Bronx, including St. Mary’s on White Plains Road. In 1987, Hennessy became the pastor of Christ the King Church in Morrisania, where he remained for 12 years.   

While there, Hennessy gained a reputation for activism through his work with South Bronx Churches, a grassroots organization affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation. In the early-to-mid-1990s, the group was committed to strengthening education in District 9, then infamous for corruption among school officials and poor performance among students. Hennessy organized rallies and meetings and encouraged students to attend the Bronx Leadership Academy, a school geared toward community involvement and a partner of South Bronx Churches. "He was interested in actions of justice, taking the gospel really seriously in the present world," recalled Harr, who taught at Christ the King School.

Harr also said he was passionate about making sure that children in public school were able to attend religious education classes at Christ the King.

In 1999, Hennessy left the Bronx to go on sabbatical, studying in Rome for three months before traveling on to Australia and the Philippines. He began to feel ill shortly before his return to the U.S. in the spring of 2000, and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Although the cancer eventually went into remission after a variety of treatments, Hennessy died just a couple of weeks before his 59th birthday.

"He trusted in God’s plans for him," while in the hospital, his sister, Sr. Christine 
Hennessy, said in a eulogy. "He taught me a new word  -  ‘equanimity’  -  which means patience and calm . . . Many times he mentioned how blessed he felt, looking back on his life."

Despite the circumstances, the atmosphere at St. Brendan’s Friday seemed less somber than fondly reverent. Groups gathered around collages of photos from the priest’s life and smiled at a list of quirky sayings for which he was well known.

For Harr, Hennessy will best be remembered for "his faithfulness and his generosity  -  those two things. He was faithful to the life he had chosen, or probably he would say that it chose him . . .He lived his whole life for his work."

Bloomberg and Car Alarms

By Norwood News

The City Council overwhelmingly approved a watered-down version of legislation to ban the sale of certain egregious car alarms. Advocates wanted a strict ban on all car alarms, but the mayor promised to veto even this weakened version.

We don’t get it. The mayor has waged war on those loud and incessant Mr. Softee jingles  -  a worthy cause  -  but car alarms are worse! They serve no useful purpose whatsoever and frequently pierce the calm night air to disturb sleep and the little bit of peace-and-quiet we have in city neighborhoods. 

The mayor should reconsider this one.

DEP Stonewalls

By Norwood News

Two months ago, the Norwood News sent a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection. We simply asked for the feasibility study for the Kensico City Tunnel, a massive and important project that could have a significant impact on the cost of building the water filtration plant at Eastview in Westchester. 

On June 21, we got a letter back saying the agency would make a decision on our request within two weeks. After a month passed with still no word, we called the agency. When someone finally got back to us, she said that she was still trying to track it down among the various departments in the agency. 

So, more than two months after we asked for a study of a project that will cost $2.5 billion, the agency says it can’t find the darn thing!

And these are the people we should trust to build an industrial facility in our neighborhood?

Armory Stumbling Block

By Norwood News

It appears that there is one final hitch in getting things going on the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory. For the project to include schools, the National Guard units that occupy the buildings on the northern perimeter of the facility need to find another home. 

If this is the stumbling block to issuing the long-delayed request for proposals (RFP) for potential developers, then everyone involved needs to start looking for a suitable space somewhere in the Bronx. Councilman Joel Rivera suggested the former military site across from Bronx Community College, but as we report in this issue, BCC already has plans for that site as the home for the Center for Sustainable Energy. 

Elected officials, community organizations and potential developers serious about this project should start canvassing the borough for a suitable property. 

Borough President Adolfo Carrión would be the logical official to lead the charge on this effort. His office could do a survey and report on the available space.

It’s been a decade since the Guard ceded the armory to the city. And it’s been almost a year since the city’s Economic Development Corporation promised to issue an RFP. It would be silly if we allowed this minor stumbling block to delay the rehabilitation of the armory any longer.

JEROME-GUN HILL BID CONTRACT RENEWED FOR 5 YEARS

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

After eight years of reviving a major Norwood commercial area, the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) has been granted a five-year contract by the city to continue its work.

The city had last given the Jerome-Gun Hill BID a three-year contract that expired in June. "The five-year contract that we have received is unprecedented," said Roberto Garcia, the BID’s executive director for the past two years.

The BID is funded through assessments to property owners on Jerome Avenue, Gun Hill Road and parts of East 208th Street and Mosholu Parkway North. Property owners and merchants comprise its board of directors. Mosholu Preservation Corporation, the nonprofit group that publishes the Norwood News, is employed by the Board to manage the BID.

The city’s 45 BIDs are given either a one-, three- or five-year contract. "The time periods are awarded based on the BID’s performance," said a spokesman for the Department of Business Services. "If the BID does well, it increases its chances for a longer contract. The Jerome-Gun Hill BID has shown a lot of improvements."

And those improvements have come particularly in the area of sanitation. Two years ago, according to Garcia, the BID received below 50 percent on city sanitation scorecard ratings.

"The BID has made a comprehensive and cooperative effort with contractors, property owners, merchants, and the city to work with the DOS to start enforcement and to educate the community," Garcia said.

Complementing its three-man cleanup crew, which sweeps the sidewalks seven days a week, the BID has distributed fliers, reminding residents and merchants of refuse pickup dates, and offered seminars on sanitation issues such as proper dumpster location. That focus has shown significant results. The area received 100 percent on last year’s sanitation scorecard ratings.

The BID’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by local merchants. "I see a difference in the stores around here," said Hwasook Kim, owner of Eden Flower Shop on Gun Hill Road. "The workers come by cleaning the area and more flowers have been planted. It looks good here."

"There is a significant difference in the area," said Hector Malpica, assistant manager at Payless Shoe Source on Jerome Avenue. "In the past year that IÕve been here, the graffiti has been cleaned, and the sweepers come by every day. The responsibility of cleaning the street is no longer on us."

But there is still room for improvement, BID leaders say. Dennis O’Brien, secretary of the BID’s Board, pointed out that more enforcement is needed and local residents need to take some responsibility for the area’s condition.

"There is more awareness of the strip, and that creates more visibility for the Norwood businesses," O’Brien said. "But the two most common reasons that I hear for people and businesses leaving the neighborhood are the dog feces and the individual garbage that are left in the streets."

Security is the other critical issue the BID seeks to address. In his first two years at the BID, Garcia oversaw the implementation of a 24-hour computerized surveillance system that monitors streets in the BID. Garcia said that loitering on Mosholu Parkway and 208th Street has stopped since police began monitoring the area with the cameras.

"About six months ago, after viewing the camera footage, the police tracked the offenders and assigned officers to patrol the area," said Garcia. "This police presence served as a deterrent to criminal activity and put an end to the loitering there."

The computerized security system is tracked by both the BID and the 52nd Precinct. The servers hold a week and a half of memory.

Despite the high-tech innovation, one merchant said he’d like to see a greater police presence. "The police need to enforce this area better," said Ed Greenspan, owner of Mosholu Optical on Jerome Avenue. "All day long, there is a group of people who roam around the stores, sometimes looking for trouble, and they keep customers away."

Garcia also plans to stress the appearance of the area. In the coming months, the BID will be adding hanging plants, information kiosks and maps, and decorative banners to the streets. In addition, the BID will work with the Department of Transportation and the MTA to install islands at the heavily used bus stops.

"Aesthetically, people want to come to an area that looks good, smells good, and is clean," said Garcia. "We want people to think of BID as a good place to come shop and not a thrift area."

Garcia said the quality of stores in the district has also improved "We’re seeing less of the 99-cent stores and more quality businesses that come here for growth," said Garcia.

Merchants say Garcia is in no small part responsible for recent BID accomplishments. "He’s been fantastic," said Tony Brea, owner of Most Wanted Wireless, which is now opening its second store on Jerome Avenue. "You see the improvements in the area. You can feel the BID."

Ed. note: For more information on the BID, call (718) 324-4946.

Floodplain Will Be Restored to Bronx River Forest

By Gary Pang

Natural floodplains will be restored to the Bronx River Forest just beyond the Allerton ball fields and French Charley Playground in Norwood, park officials and advocates announced last week. Construction began on July 12 and will take 12 to 18 months to finish. The results will benefit both wildlife and park visitors.

"The Bronx River came a long way since it was an open sewer," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe was at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony last Friday. "Now we need to make it a treasure both for the Bronx and for New York," he said.

The project was initiated by the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Bronx River Alliance, a coalition of local groups advocating for the once-neglected river. Besides restoring floodplains, boardwalks will be built along the same section of the river so park visitors can access the river even when the regular walkways are flooded.

Floodplains, the areas around a river that soak up excessive water, have an important place in the river environment. Rivers often flood during heavy rain or snow thaws. This slows the fast-flowing river and prevents it from excessively eroding nearby land. During the dry seasons, floodplains release the water into the river, maintaining the water level. 

Along the Bronx River, the Bronx River Forest is the only site in the borough that works as a floodplain. It is also one of New York City’s last floodplains. Many former floodplains were replaced over the years by street paving and buildings, or by concrete riverbanks. 

The Bronx River Forest, too, had been affected by urban development. Its bending path was straightened by artificial banks of earth for the construction of the Bronx River Parkway. The Forest no longer absorbed water during flooding seasons, and the fast-moving river eroded the forest.

Erosion led to the problem of heavy sedimentation in the river. Eroded soil and nutritious sediment that floodwater once washed onto the floodplains now collects in the river.

This damaged the Bronx River Forest’s ecology. Fish and other marine life suffered from the sedimentation in their habitat. And without the nutrients from the sediments, native plants suffered and were crowded out by more resilient and non-native plants. 

The most pervasive example is Japanese knotweed, a bamboo-like plant that can grow up to 10 feet tall and thrives both on the riverbanks and in the Forest, said Marit Larson, a Parks Department project manager. "It dominates all other native plants and prevents young trees and seedlings from growing up," she said. "There’s no diversity in the habitat, and that means less diversity in animals because there are less plants for foraging."

She said that the tall knotweed is also a "visual barrier" that makes park goers feel isolated.Knotweed will be eradicated in select areas and replanted with native flora. New fish habitats will also be created.

By removing the artificial banks and allowing the Bronx River to flood naturally, park officials and river advocates hope to improve the river’s water quality. 

"I am really thrilled to see this," said Linda Cox, executive director of the Bronx River Alliance. "This will make the Bronx River better for wildlife and park visitors."

The floodplain project is part of a larger plan to create 11 miles of Greenway paths along the Bronx River, according to Bronx Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, who also attended the groundbreaking. The $2.9 million project is funded by the city, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department of State and the New York State Attorney General.

Ed. note: For more information on the Bronx River, visit www.bronxriver.org. 

Engel and Challenger McAdams Trade Charges

By Heather Haddon

An unusually lively local race for Congress in the 17th District is getting livelier as 
incumbent Eliot Engel and challenger Kevin McAdams exchange jabs.

While McAdams charged that his opponent has grown lax and out of touch, Engel 
characterized his opponent as a political opportunist. 

"He’s 32 and believes in starting at the top," said Engel, 57. "Every two years I have primary races against elected officials or community activists  . . . but he is neither." While still a political newcomer, McAdams is running a spirited, visible campaign, building on his connections as a firefighter and former union leader. He netted roughly 5,600 petition signatures, well above the required 1,500.

Engel, who collected 8,000 of his own, obviously takes the race seriously. Since redistricting two years ago, the district includes large sections of Rockland County and Westchester, where McAdams is from. But Engel is confident his constituents will reelect him.

"They know I’m a hands-on congressman," said Engel. "When you look at my record, it really reflects the wishes of the district." 

Engel emphasized that his voting record consistently garners high scores from labor, environmental, and other interest groups. He also highlighted his work on the international front, including stands on Ireland, Vieques, and Israel. 

"There’s no stronger supporter [of Israel] in Congress than me," said Engel, who is 
Jewish. 

Engel is particularly proud of authoring a bill that cracks down on terrorism against Israel sponsored by Syria. The law, passed last winter, imposes U.S. sanctions on Syria.

"I literally forced Bush to sign the bill," Engel said. "That shows my effectiveness in a Republican-controlled Congress."

But McAdams charges that the bill is the only piece of legislation that Engel has successfully enacted. "Anybody can co-author a bill," McAdams said. "This is the only one he’s actually finished the job on."

Engel said McAdams’ jab reflects his political inexperience. "The way that Congress works is that there are not only free-standing pieces, but larger omnibus bills," he said.  Engel said that just last week he successfully added language to a larger bill about safeguarding Indian Point, and lobbied the Senate to adopt it. 

"I can provide you with lists and lists of the [bills] that I’ve done over the years," Engel said. "He needs to be careful before coming up with things that aren’t true." 

As for the criticism that he fails to spend enough time in his district, Engel said that he meets with eight to 10 local groups on an average weekend. He challenged McAdams to substantiate his own community involvement. "Where has he been all these years? Where does he stand on the filtration plant?" Engel asked. 

McAdams was vague on that question. Though, as a Yonkers resident, he is concerned about the plant’s impact, McAdams also thought it could create jobs. "I need to look at it more closely," he said.

Regardless, McAdams defended his record of community involvement. "I’ve spent eight years as a firefighter, running into burning buildings in the Bronx and Manhattan," he said. "My entire life has been spent serving my community." 

Engel also criticized McAdams for being a Republican until 2003. "People don’t like party switchers," Engel said. "He should have the guts to run against me as a Republican." McAdams says he has voted for Democ18ratic presidential candidates, and is politically progressive. 

He is strongly opposed to the war in Iraq. "When we as a country are focused on going to war  . . .  then we are not focused on the home front," McAdams said. Engel voted for the war, but now he says the Bush administration has "bungled" it. "When I voted for the resolution, I thought it would have been handled better," Engel said.

McAdams was on the defensive after the Daily News reported that about $30,000 of his campaign funds came from investment firms that have a relationship with the Uniformed Firefighters Association’s pension fund, which he helped to handle as a trustee of the fund. "I think, frankly, that there is some kind of criminal act there," Engel said. 

McAdams brushed off that charge, saying that he was one of 12 Board members making decisions for the fund. "Any individual is allowed to contribute to a campaign," h he said.

McAdams still lags in fund-raising, banking roughly half as much as Engel, who had about $700,000 in his war chest as of last month. But he continues to win local union endorsements, the most recent from the city Sergeants Benevolent Association. Much of Engel’s support comes from state and national unions, like the New York  AFL-CIO.

Though he is fighting an uphill battle, McAdams genuinely seems to be enjoying himself. "I’m thinking about writing a book about it," he said of the campaign. Asked what his topic would be, he said, "the power of incumbency, and how to work a campaign from the ground up." 

Ed. note: The Norwood News profiled Kevin McAdams in its previous issue. It can be found on our Web site.

Guard Still Needs New Home

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s back to the drawing board for those looking to relocate the Kingsbridge Armory’s remaining National Guard units, a final stumbling block for moving the long-delayed redevelopment project forward. 

Bronx Community College (BCC) is nearing the end of negotiations to reclaim a facility that some officials and activists thought would be an ideal site to relocate the Guard Units to. 

Finding the Guard a home is critical as there is finally broad-based support for putting schools on land occupied by the armory’s annex on West 195th Street between Jerome and Reservoir avenues. But before schools can be built there, the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs must find a home for the Guard units. Some Bronx officials and members of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition hoped to move the two companies to a facility just north of BCC that once housed the 77th Patterson Army ReserveCenter. 

But Bronx officials were unaware that BCC had its own plans for the abandoned facility. "The process is well along," said Mike Seliger, a BCC assistant dean. 

New York University, the original occupant of BCC’s campus, leased the building to the military for 50 years, according to Seliger. BCC started speaking with the military four years ago to regain the space for their new Center for Sustainable Energy. "This is not new news," Seliger said. 

But it apparently was news to Bronx officials. "Since they [the military] already own it, we wouldn’t have to go through anything to move the entire unit there," said Council Member Joel Rivera earlier this month. 

The army vacated the building several years ago. Obviously abandoned, the Coalition, which has its own proposal to redevelop the armory, identified the site as an ideal location for the Guard. It has almost 120,000 square feet between the building and its lot, several wings, and a four-vehicle garage. 

For the past three years, the Guard has considered relocating the companies from the Armory annex for their own reasons, according to Staff Sergeant Dennis Flynn of the 145th Maintenance Company. 

"[The annex] is pretty small for two units," said Flynn, 39, whose company shares the space with the 258th Field Artillery. 

The units have about 300 soldiers, though the 258th is now at Fort Dix preparing for deployment to Iraq. Even without them, the annex is not roomy enough for the 145th to store the large equipment they repair. Instead, the 200 members commute upstate to do their work, according to Flynn. "It’s frustrating," he said.

Flynn thought the state had considered moving the companies to a space in Throgs Neck, near SUNY Maritime College, where a single Marine battalion operates. He’s also heard discussion of upstate locations. 

Since the state started closing Guard facilities in the 1990s, including the Kingsbridge Armory in 1994, finding appropriate new quarters has been a perennial problem, according to Flynn. In his 22 years with the Guard, the Soundview resident has moved to at least five different facilities. The city said earlier this month that it was in negotiations with the state regarding finding a new home for the Guard. At press time, Coalition members planned to meet with Assemblyman Jose Rivera to discuss the matter further. 

Ed. note: For more information on the Center for Sustainable Energy, go to www.bcc.cuny.edu   

Party Bosses’ Offspring Seek Assembly Seat

By Heather Haddon

In the race for the 80th Assembly District seat, there’s a lot riding on a name -  make that two names.

In a battle of some very well connected progeny, the race pits the daughter of current Bronx Democratic Party boss Assemblyman Jose Rivera against the son of former leader George Friedman. Throw in community activist Joseph Thompson and Anthony Chiofalo, an attorney, and you have the makings of an actual competitive campaign.

Naomi Rivera was the first to announce her bid for the seat now held by Jeff Klein, who is running for State Senate.

Rivera and Friedman both stand on their fathers’ shoulders.

"I’m not going to lie, my father has connections in the community that will be helpful for me," said Anthony Friedman, 34. In addition to his tenure as the Bronx Democratic Party Chair from 1986 to 1994, the elder Friedman was a State Supreme Court judge.

But whether the Friedman name can compete with the present-day clout of Assemblyman Rivera, who recently compared his family’s political dynasty to the Kennedys, is another question.  Rivera successfully steered his son, Joel, to the powerful City Council Majority Leader position when he was 23. Naomi Rivera, 41, most recently worked at the Bronx Board of Elections.

Before joining the Board in 2003, Rivera directed special events at the borough president’s office. She has also worked on a number of local campaigns. "I understand how government works," said Rivera in her first public interview. "I come from a family with a strong tradition of public service, and I realized it was a wonderful time to make a next step."

Rivera seemed to be placing some distance between herself and her father, who she said plays no real role in her campaign. "I’m just a mother from the district who is concerned about the neighborhood," said Rivera, who has a 4-year-old son.

But Rivera’s campaign team brims with the politically connected. Her staff, who say they are volunteers, includes Ellie Jurado, the campaign manager for Fernando Ferrer’s 2000 mayoral bid; Doris Quinones, director of the Bronx Tourism Council; and Bob Nolan, the borough president’s budget director.

Rivera defended her connection to the district, which mostly covers the Pelham Parkway area with a dash of Norwood, Bedford Park and Van Cortlandt Village thrown in. "I shop in the district. I take my son to the park," said Rivera, who grew up on Long Island, but now lives in Morris Park. "I want to make sure my son is raised in a safe and clean environment."

The younger Friedman, former director of the Pelham Senior Center, thinks he trumps Rivera in that arena. "I believe my experience has a broader reach," said Friedman, a longtime Mosholu Montefiore Community Center volunteer and former employee. "I have no idea what she [Rivera] has done in the community."

Surprisingly, Rivera, Friedman and Thompson have all come out against building the filtration plant in the Bronx, even though Assemblyman Rivera led the charge among Bronx Democrats to place it in Van Cortlandt Park. "We need to explore Eastview more," said candidate Rivera about the alternative plant site in Westchester. "It’s not a done deal."

Rivera said she would support lawsuits against the plant, and said she will explore whether less capital funds have flowed to Bronx parks since the city promised  $243 million in park improvements to site it locally. Asked if her father now shares her position, Rivera would only say, "We’ve discussed it."

Friedman, a Little League coach who uses Shandler Recreation Area in the park, which is next to the plant site, said that the project would be "a disaster." He also supports litigation against it.

Friedman grew up locally, attended Lehman College, and now lives on Sedgwick Avenue with his wife. His father manages his campaign, and they are now planning a fund-raiser. "I’m definitely relying on my father’s expertise," he said.

But that might not be enough, given Rivera’s name recognition and the changing demographics of the area. While nearly 60 percent of the district was white and 25 percent Hispanic in 1992, those groups were almost dead-even in 2002. That could be to the loss of Friedman, who is white, and Rivera’s gain.

"The district has changed so much," said Norman Adler, a veteran political consultant not affiliated with any of the candidates. When asked if the Friedman name still carried weight, he offered a hesitant "maybe."

As for Thompson, who is black, Adler thought he would struggle to raise enough money. "He’s got a good story, but the question is if he can let people know about it," he said.

While there are 36,477 registered Democrats in the district as of last April, only the most dedicated voters tend to vote in primaries, according to Adler. "One has to imagine, with Rivera’s pedigree, she will have some advantage," he said.

Ed. note: The Norwood News profiled candidate Joseph Thompson in its previous issue. That article can be read on our Web site. 

 

Not a Done Deal’

By Jordan Moss

Saying he’s "had it" with the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), State Senate candidate Jeff Klein changed his position to oppose the construction of a water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park. 

Klein, an assemblyman, said the project was "not a done deal" because the City Council still had to take up the matter before the DEP could start construction. And he echoed plant opponents in his charges that the city had fudged the numbers to make the Van Cortlandt Park site seem more palatable than the more remote Eastview site in Westchester that the city owns. 

"There is simply no doubt that DEP has committed an act of environmental racism," Klein said in a statement distributed at the press conference. "How can DEP justify using different comparative standards for the primarily Latino and low-income section of  Norwood and the predominantly white middle-class suburb of Eastview? It’s not right and as an elected official, I believe it is my duty to stand up and protect residents who are being wronged." 

Klein made the announcement at a press conference on Friday in the southeast corner of the park flanked by Councilman Oliver Koppell, who recently crossed the lines of enemy Democratic factions in the borough to endorse Klein, and by neighborhood activists who had pressed him to reconsider his stance. The event took place near the Saturn playground, a short distance from where the city intends to blast a hole the size of Yankee Stadium for the plant. 

Klein said he had tried to get more information from the DEP about how they would work to mitigate impacts in the surrounding community but that they had not been forthcoming.  He also said he was asking State Comptroller Alan Hevesi to look into the validity of DEP’s cost estimates. 

After the press conference, Klein wrote a letter to Council members urging them to block the city’s choice of the park by voting down an agreement -  known as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) -  delineating what park improvement projects would benefit from $243 million in water bond money that the city promised the borough’s Assembly delegation in return for their support of the project. (Klein is the first lawmaker affiliated with the Democratic machine to break ranks to oppose the park site.)

The announcement comes in the heat of an election campaign that may affect at least two races for the state legislature. Klein’s change of heart could gain him votes in Woodlawn, where residents have become increasingly opposed to the project and in Eastchester, a Westchester suburb that may have to build a filtration-related facility, but only if the plant is built in the Bronx. 

Klein’s opponent in the Democratic primary, Assemblyman Stephen Kaufman, is in favor of the city’s plans. "He’s in support of the filtration plant," his spokesman John Gallagher told the Norwood News, adding a charge that Klein had "flip-flopped" on the issue. (Kaufman may also run as a Republican in the general election and has said he will vote with the Republican leadership in the Senate. Mayor Bloomberg is supporting him.)

The filtration plant is also a central issue in the race to replace Klein in the Assembly. At least three candidates in the race oppose the park site, including Naomi Rivera, daughter of Bronx Democratic boss Jose Rivera, the chief cheerleader in the borough for the city’s plan. (See story on p. 1.) 

Meanwhile, plant opponents are busy lobbying any other state or city lawmakers who will listen. Activists swarmed City Hall last week, when word broke that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver may have already signed and sent the MOU to the Council for ratification. Klein said that there was a preliminary draft but that Silver had not signed it. A Silver spokesman, Skip Carrier, would only say on Tuesday, "It’s accurate to say it’s still being discussed." 

While they were at City Hall, activists had a meeting with the Council’s Black and Latino Caucus. Paul Sawyer, executive director of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, said the Council contingent, which included Helen Foster, Robert Jackson, Charles Barron and Bill Perkins, were receptive to their arguments. "Barron had the courage to stand up and say, ‘We did this wrong and this is our opportunity to make it right,’" Sawyer said.

The Council is expected to take up the matter of the MOU again on Aug. 12.

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In her over two decades teaching at city high schools, Norwood resident Pam Sporn has kindled her students’ love of learning in some unlikely places, such as the deep recesses of libraries, storage rooms and other far-flung locales.

"It takes you all over the place," said Sporn, 47, about the process of teaching her students how to bring history alive through the production of documentary films.  

Documentaries have helped students explore race relations, homelessness, and media analysis. But to get to that point, Sporn had to first teach herself how to use a camera. "We stumbled along together," said Sporn with a laugh. Eventually, though, she ended up producing an award-winning documentary about her husband’s Cuban roots. 

Sporn’s enthusiasm for living history germinated early in her career. A social studies teacher at Bronx Satellite Academy in Hunts Point, Sporn frequently brought interesting people to her classroom to talk about their lives. She also began taking students outside to document personal histories with cameras and tape recorders. 

Her passion for video came in the late 1980s after watching "Eyes on the Prize," a TV series exploring the Civil Rights movement. "I started to do video as a way to preserve some of these wonderful people speaking in my classroom," she said.

Sporn’s list of student-produced documentaries is substantial. Her classes interviewed the producers and Civil Rights leaders profiled in "Mississippi Burning," analyzed relationships between blacks and Jews just as the Crown Heights riots broke, and produced an educational video for the American Civil Liberties Union. 

Sporn firmly believes that this work develops all kinds of skills Ñ from storytelling to writing Ñ and former Satellite student Linden Harrigan couldn’t be a better example of that. "To be honest, I had gotten bored with school," said the Parkchester native, now 33, about his early high school years. "I hadn’t ever thought about college, or a career."

That all changed when Harrigan got his hands on a camera. Working on two pieces with Sporn, his interest in history, and learning, grew exponentially. After hours editing the "Mississippi Burning" piece in "a storage room," as Sporn put it, the documentary won a film festival award. "I remember being very nervous about sharing my work, but the reaction was incredible," Harrigan said. "That kept me going forward."

In this Cinderella-like story, Harrigan now works for NBC as an editor and will go on to graduate school soon. "These classes really turned my life around," he said.

While enthusiastic about teaching, Sporn itched to direct her own movie. In 1994, she began a six-year odyssey to produce "Cuban Roots, Bronx Stories," a feature-length film exploring the complex identities of three Cuban siblings. 

One of them, Paul (Pablo) Foster, is Sporn’s husband and a Community Board 7 member. "I’m a very private individual," said Foster, 54. "But I think the younger generations needed to hear the history of our family."

Pablo Elliot Foster, Sporn’s 29-year-old stepson and a Norwood resident, narrates the film as he quests to learn about his family’s roots. The film travels from Co-op City, where the elder Foster talks about his family’s voyage after the Cuban Revolution, to the streets of Longwood where the Foster children grew up. 

It also follows Paul Foster on his first visit back to the island since he left in 1962. An emotional scene where Foster says good-bye to his elderly and frail aunt, just prior to her death in 1998, is especially poignant. "All immigrants have hardships," Foster said. "Migrating to another country, you have to leave people behind." 

While the film traces the path of one particular family, it brings up issues of immigration, race and identity that are applicable to many Bronxites. In one of its premiere screenings at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, the room was packed, according to Sporn.  "The audience gave Ômuch love,’ as my students would say," she joked. 

But making the video truly was a labor of love. Sporn borrowed cameras, edited 
intermittently after school, and traveled from Harvard to Florida to collect the film’s rich archival footage. She also wrote stacks of grant proposals for funding, and eventually, received $40,000 to hire a professional editor. But the vast majority of the film resulted from her handiwork.

Sporn gets a glint in her eye when she talks about screening "Cuban Roots" in Havana, or the prize it won in Brazil. But more than the awards, it is the emotional impact of her work that keeps Sporn going. She is now mulling over three or four possible future projects, including documenting the persecution of her radical parents by the federal government. 

But teaching video is still Sporn’s bread-and-butter, one she increasingly worries is jeopardized by the city’s push for a uniform school curriculum. For Harrigan, that prospect is tragic. "The students would lose big time," he said.

By Miranda Kaplan

On Friday, July 16, the entire block of East 207th Street between Bainbridge and Perry avenues was closed to all motorists -  except those headed for the Church of St. Brendan. Police officers clustered at either end to admit vehicles, which double-parked in long rows lining the street. 

They had all come to honor the life of the Rev. Patrick Hennessy, pastor of St. Brendan’s Roman Catholic Church, who succumbed to a four-year struggle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma on July 11. Cardinal Edward Egan presided over the funeral Mass in the company of 110 other priests. The church estimates that about 1,000 people attended the service. The pews overflowed, and latecomers had to flatten themselves against the walls and spill into the vestibule.

Many of those in attendance were parishioners at St. Brendan’s, where Hennessy served for only two years, but scores more who had known the priest through his dedication to other churches and communities.

"They loved him at St. Brendan’s, but they loved him from all over," said Lois Harr of Bedford Park, a friend and longtime colleague. "He was respected as a priest, and loved as a priest."

Hennessy was born on July 27, 1945, and raised on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. After being ordained in 1971, he taught part-time at Cathedral Prep High School and served at a series of churches in Manhattan and the Bronx, including St. Mary’s on White Plains Road. In 1987, Hennessy became the pastor of Christ the King Church in Morrisania, where he remained for 12 years.   

While there, Hennessy gained a reputation for activism through his work with South Bronx Churches, a grassroots organization affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation. In the early-to-mid-1990s, the group was committed to strengthening education in District 9, then infamous for corruption among school officials and poor performance among students. Hennessy organized rallies and meetings and encouraged students to attend the Bronx Leadership Academy, a school geared toward community involvement and a partner of South Bronx Churches. "He was interested in actions of justice, taking the gospel really seriously in the present world," recalled Harr, who taught at Christ the King School.

Harr also said he was passionate about making sure that children in public school were able to attend religious education classes at Christ the King.

In 1999, Hennessy left the Bronx to go on sabbatical, studying in Rome for three months before traveling on to Australia and the Philippines. He began to feel ill shortly before his return to the U.S. in the spring of 2000, and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Although the cancer eventually went into remission after a variety of treatments, Hennessy died just a couple of weeks before his 59th birthday.

"He trusted in God’s plans for him," while in the hospital, his sister, Sr. Christine 
Hennessy, said in a eulogy. "He taught me a new word  -  ‘equanimity’  -  which means patience and calm . . . Many times he mentioned how blessed he felt, looking back on his life."

Despite the circumstances, the atmosphere at St. Brendan’s Friday seemed less somber than fondly reverent. Groups gathered around collages of photos from the priest’s life and smiled at a list of quirky sayings for which he was well known.

For Harr, Hennessy will best be remembered for "his faithfulness and his generosity  -  those two things. He was faithful to the life he had chosen, or probably he would say that it chose him . . .He lived his whole life for his work."

By Norwood News

The City Council overwhelmingly approved a watered-down version of legislation to ban the sale of certain egregious car alarms. Advocates wanted a strict ban on all car alarms, but the mayor promised to veto even this weakened version.

We don’t get it. The mayor has waged war on those loud and incessant Mr. Softee jingles  -  a worthy cause  -  but car alarms are worse! They serve no useful purpose whatsoever and frequently pierce the calm night air to disturb sleep and the little bit of peace-and-quiet we have in city neighborhoods. 

The mayor should reconsider this one.

By Norwood News

Two months ago, the Norwood News sent a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection. We simply asked for the feasibility study for the Kensico City Tunnel, a massive and important project that could have a significant impact on the cost of building the water filtration plant at Eastview in Westchester. 

On June 21, we got a letter back saying the agency would make a decision on our request within two weeks. After a month passed with still no word, we called the agency. When someone finally got back to us, she said that she was still trying to track it down among the various departments in the agency. 

So, more than two months after we asked for a study of a project that will cost $2.5 billion, the agency says it can’t find the darn thing!

And these are the people we should trust to build an industrial facility in our neighborhood?

By Norwood News

It appears that there is one final hitch in getting things going on the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory. For the project to include schools, the National Guard units that occupy the buildings on the northern perimeter of the facility need to find another home. 

If this is the stumbling block to issuing the long-delayed request for proposals (RFP) for potential developers, then everyone involved needs to start looking for a suitable space somewhere in the Bronx. Councilman Joel Rivera suggested the former military site across from Bronx Community College, but as we report in this issue, BCC already has plans for that site as the home for the Center for Sustainable Energy. 

Elected officials, community organizations and potential developers serious about this project should start canvassing the borough for a suitable property. 

Borough President Adolfo Carrión would be the logical official to lead the charge on this effort. His office could do a survey and report on the available space.

It’s been a decade since the Guard ceded the armory to the city. And it’s been almost a year since the city’s Economic Development Corporation promised to issue an RFP. It would be silly if we allowed this minor stumbling block to delay the rehabilitation of the armory any longer.

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

After eight years of reviving a major Norwood commercial area, the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) has been granted a five-year contract by the city to continue its work.

The city had last given the Jerome-Gun Hill BID a three-year contract that expired in June. "The five-year contract that we have received is unprecedented," said Roberto Garcia, the BID’s executive director for the past two years.

The BID is funded through assessments to property owners on Jerome Avenue, Gun Hill Road and parts of East 208th Street and Mosholu Parkway North. Property owners and merchants comprise its board of directors. Mosholu Preservation Corporation, the nonprofit group that publishes the Norwood News, is employed by the Board to manage the BID.

The city’s 45 BIDs are given either a one-, three- or five-year contract. "The time periods are awarded based on the BID’s performance," said a spokesman for the Department of Business Services. "If the BID does well, it increases its chances for a longer contract. The Jerome-Gun Hill BID has shown a lot of improvements."

And those improvements have come particularly in the area of sanitation. Two years ago, according to Garcia, the BID received below 50 percent on city sanitation scorecard ratings.

"The BID has made a comprehensive and cooperative effort with contractors, property owners, merchants, and the city to work with the DOS to start enforcement and to educate the community," Garcia said.

Complementing its three-man cleanup crew, which sweeps the sidewalks seven days a week, the BID has distributed fliers, reminding residents and merchants of refuse pickup dates, and offered seminars on sanitation issues such as proper dumpster location. That focus has shown significant results. The area received 100 percent on last year’s sanitation scorecard ratings.

The BID’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by local merchants. "I see a difference in the stores around here," said Hwasook Kim, owner of Eden Flower Shop on Gun Hill Road. "The workers come by cleaning the area and more flowers have been planted. It looks good here."

"There is a significant difference in the area," said Hector Malpica, assistant manager at Payless Shoe Source on Jerome Avenue. "In the past year that IÕve been here, the graffiti has been cleaned, and the sweepers come by every day. The responsibility of cleaning the street is no longer on us."

But there is still room for improvement, BID leaders say. Dennis O’Brien, secretary of the BID’s Board, pointed out that more enforcement is needed and local residents need to take some responsibility for the area’s condition.

"There is more awareness of the strip, and that creates more visibility for the Norwood businesses," O’Brien said. "But the two most common reasons that I hear for people and businesses leaving the neighborhood are the dog feces and the individual garbage that are left in the streets."

Security is the other critical issue the BID seeks to address. In his first two years at the BID, Garcia oversaw the implementation of a 24-hour computerized surveillance system that monitors streets in the BID. Garcia said that loitering on Mosholu Parkway and 208th Street has stopped since police began monitoring the area with the cameras.

"About six months ago, after viewing the camera footage, the police tracked the offenders and assigned officers to patrol the area," said Garcia. "This police presence served as a deterrent to criminal activity and put an end to the loitering there."

The computerized security system is tracked by both the BID and the 52nd Precinct. The servers hold a week and a half of memory.

Despite the high-tech innovation, one merchant said he’d like to see a greater police presence. "The police need to enforce this area better," said Ed Greenspan, owner of Mosholu Optical on Jerome Avenue. "All day long, there is a group of people who roam around the stores, sometimes looking for trouble, and they keep customers away."

Garcia also plans to stress the appearance of the area. In the coming months, the BID will be adding hanging plants, information kiosks and maps, and decorative banners to the streets. In addition, the BID will work with the Department of Transportation and the MTA to install islands at the heavily used bus stops.

"Aesthetically, people want to come to an area that looks good, smells good, and is clean," said Garcia. "We want people to think of BID as a good place to come shop and not a thrift area."

Garcia said the quality of stores in the district has also improved "We’re seeing less of the 99-cent stores and more quality businesses that come here for growth," said Garcia.

Merchants say Garcia is in no small part responsible for recent BID accomplishments. "He’s been fantastic," said Tony Brea, owner of Most Wanted Wireless, which is now opening its second store on Jerome Avenue. "You see the improvements in the area. You can feel the BID."

Ed. note: For more information on the BID, call (718) 324-4946.

By Gary Pang

Natural floodplains will be restored to the Bronx River Forest just beyond the Allerton ball fields and French Charley Playground in Norwood, park officials and advocates announced last week. Construction began on July 12 and will take 12 to 18 months to finish. The results will benefit both wildlife and park visitors.

"The Bronx River came a long way since it was an open sewer," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe was at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony last Friday. "Now we need to make it a treasure both for the Bronx and for New York," he said.

The project was initiated by the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Bronx River Alliance, a coalition of local groups advocating for the once-neglected river. Besides restoring floodplains, boardwalks will be built along the same section of the river so park visitors can access the river even when the regular walkways are flooded.

Floodplains, the areas around a river that soak up excessive water, have an important place in the river environment. Rivers often flood during heavy rain or snow thaws. This slows the fast-flowing river and prevents it from excessively eroding nearby land. During the dry seasons, floodplains release the water into the river, maintaining the water level. 

Along the Bronx River, the Bronx River Forest is the only site in the borough that works as a floodplain. It is also one of New York City’s last floodplains. Many former floodplains were replaced over the years by street paving and buildings, or by concrete riverbanks. 

The Bronx River Forest, too, had been affected by urban development. Its bending path was straightened by artificial banks of earth for the construction of the Bronx River Parkway. The Forest no longer absorbed water during flooding seasons, and the fast-moving river eroded the forest.

Erosion led to the problem of heavy sedimentation in the river. Eroded soil and nutritious sediment that floodwater once washed onto the floodplains now collects in the river.

This damaged the Bronx River Forest’s ecology. Fish and other marine life suffered from the sedimentation in their habitat. And without the nutrients from the sediments, native plants suffered and were crowded out by more resilient and non-native plants. 

The most pervasive example is Japanese knotweed, a bamboo-like plant that can grow up to 10 feet tall and thrives both on the riverbanks and in the Forest, said Marit Larson, a Parks Department project manager. "It dominates all other native plants and prevents young trees and seedlings from growing up," she said. "There’s no diversity in the habitat, and that means less diversity in animals because there are less plants for foraging."

She said that the tall knotweed is also a "visual barrier" that makes park goers feel isolated.Knotweed will be eradicated in select areas and replanted with native flora. New fish habitats will also be created.

By removing the artificial banks and allowing the Bronx River to flood naturally, park officials and river advocates hope to improve the river’s water quality. 

"I am really thrilled to see this," said Linda Cox, executive director of the Bronx River Alliance. "This will make the Bronx River better for wildlife and park visitors."

The floodplain project is part of a larger plan to create 11 miles of Greenway paths along the Bronx River, according to Bronx Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, who also attended the groundbreaking. The $2.9 million project is funded by the city, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department of State and the New York State Attorney General.

Ed. note: For more information on the Bronx River, visit www.bronxriver.org. 

By Heather Haddon

An unusually lively local race for Congress in the 17th District is getting livelier as 
incumbent Eliot Engel and challenger Kevin McAdams exchange jabs.

While McAdams charged that his opponent has grown lax and out of touch, Engel 
characterized his opponent as a political opportunist. 

"He’s 32 and believes in starting at the top," said Engel, 57. "Every two years I have primary races against elected officials or community activists  . . . but he is neither." While still a political newcomer, McAdams is running a spirited, visible campaign, building on his connections as a firefighter and former union leader. He netted roughly 5,600 petition signatures, well above the required 1,500.

Engel, who collected 8,000 of his own, obviously takes the race seriously. Since redistricting two years ago, the district includes large sections of Rockland County and Westchester, where McAdams is from. But Engel is confident his constituents will reelect him.

"They know I’m a hands-on congressman," said Engel. "When you look at my record, it really reflects the wishes of the district." 

Engel emphasized that his voting record consistently garners high scores from labor, environmental, and other interest groups. He also highlighted his work on the international front, including stands on Ireland, Vieques, and Israel. 

"There’s no stronger supporter [of Israel] in Congress than me," said Engel, who is 
Jewish. 

Engel is particularly proud of authoring a bill that cracks down on terrorism against Israel sponsored by Syria. The law, passed last winter, imposes U.S. sanctions on Syria.

"I literally forced Bush to sign the bill," Engel said. "That shows my effectiveness in a Republican-controlled Congress."

But McAdams charges that the bill is the only piece of legislation that Engel has successfully enacted. "Anybody can co-author a bill," McAdams said. "This is the only one he’s actually finished the job on."

Engel said McAdams’ jab reflects his political inexperience. "The way that Congress works is that there are not only free-standing pieces, but larger omnibus bills," he said.  Engel said that just last week he successfully added language to a larger bill about safeguarding Indian Point, and lobbied the Senate to adopt it. 

"I can provide you with lists and lists of the [bills] that I’ve done over the years," Engel said. "He needs to be careful before coming up with things that aren’t true." 

As for the criticism that he fails to spend enough time in his district, Engel said that he meets with eight to 10 local groups on an average weekend. He challenged McAdams to substantiate his own community involvement. "Where has he been all these years? Where does he stand on the filtration plant?" Engel asked. 

McAdams was vague on that question. Though, as a Yonkers resident, he is concerned about the plant’s impact, McAdams also thought it could create jobs. "I need to look at it more closely," he said.

Regardless, McAdams defended his record of community involvement. "I’ve spent eight years as a firefighter, running into burning buildings in the Bronx and Manhattan," he said. "My entire life has been spent serving my community." 

Engel also criticized McAdams for being a Republican until 2003. "People don’t like party switchers," Engel said. "He should have the guts to run against me as a Republican." McAdams says he has voted for Democ18ratic presidential candidates, and is politically progressive. 

He is strongly opposed to the war in Iraq. "When we as a country are focused on going to war  . . .  then we are not focused on the home front," McAdams said. Engel voted for the war, but now he says the Bush administration has "bungled" it. "When I voted for the resolution, I thought it would have been handled better," Engel said.

McAdams was on the defensive after the Daily News reported that about $30,000 of his campaign funds came from investment firms that have a relationship with the Uniformed Firefighters Association’s pension fund, which he helped to handle as a trustee of the fund. "I think, frankly, that there is some kind of criminal act there," Engel said. 

McAdams brushed off that charge, saying that he was one of 12 Board members making decisions for the fund. "Any individual is allowed to contribute to a campaign," h he said.

McAdams still lags in fund-raising, banking roughly half as much as Engel, who had about $700,000 in his war chest as of last month. But he continues to win local union endorsements, the most recent from the city Sergeants Benevolent Association. Much of Engel’s support comes from state and national unions, like the New York  AFL-CIO.

Though he is fighting an uphill battle, McAdams genuinely seems to be enjoying himself. "I’m thinking about writing a book about it," he said of the campaign. Asked what his topic would be, he said, "the power of incumbency, and how to work a campaign from the ground up." 

Ed. note: The Norwood News profiled Kevin McAdams in its previous issue. It can be found on our Web site.

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s back to the drawing board for those looking to relocate the Kingsbridge Armory’s remaining National Guard units, a final stumbling block for moving the long-delayed redevelopment project forward. 

Bronx Community College (BCC) is nearing the end of negotiations to reclaim a facility that some officials and activists thought would be an ideal site to relocate the Guard Units to. 

Finding the Guard a home is critical as there is finally broad-based support for putting schools on land occupied by the armory’s annex on West 195th Street between Jerome and Reservoir avenues. But before schools can be built there, the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs must find a home for the Guard units. Some Bronx officials and members of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition hoped to move the two companies to a facility just north of BCC that once housed the 77th Patterson Army ReserveCenter. 

But Bronx officials were unaware that BCC had its own plans for the abandoned facility. "The process is well along," said Mike Seliger, a BCC assistant dean. 

New York University, the original occupant of BCC’s campus, leased the building to the military for 50 years, according to Seliger. BCC started speaking with the military four years ago to regain the space for their new Center for Sustainable Energy. "This is not new news," Seliger said. 

But it apparently was news to Bronx officials. "Since they [the military] already own it, we wouldn’t have to go through anything to move the entire unit there," said Council Member Joel Rivera earlier this month. 

The army vacated the building several years ago. Obviously abandoned, the Coalition, which has its own proposal to redevelop the armory, identified the site as an ideal location for the Guard. It has almost 120,000 square feet between the building and its lot, several wings, and a four-vehicle garage. 

For the past three years, the Guard has considered relocating the companies from the Armory annex for their own reasons, according to Staff Sergeant Dennis Flynn of the 145th Maintenance Company. 

"[The annex] is pretty small for two units," said Flynn, 39, whose company shares the space with the 258th Field Artillery. 

The units have about 300 soldiers, though the 258th is now at Fort Dix preparing for deployment to Iraq. Even without them, the annex is not roomy enough for the 145th to store the large equipment they repair. Instead, the 200 members commute upstate to do their work, according to Flynn. "It’s frustrating," he said.

Flynn thought the state had considered moving the companies to a space in Throgs Neck, near SUNY Maritime College, where a single Marine battalion operates. He’s also heard discussion of upstate locations. 

Since the state started closing Guard facilities in the 1990s, including the Kingsbridge Armory in 1994, finding appropriate new quarters has been a perennial problem, according to Flynn. In his 22 years with the Guard, the Soundview resident has moved to at least five different facilities. The city said earlier this month that it was in negotiations with the state regarding finding a new home for the Guard. At press time, Coalition members planned to meet with Assemblyman Jose Rivera to discuss the matter further. 

Ed. note: For more information on the Center for Sustainable Energy, go to www.bcc.cuny.edu   

By Heather Haddon

In the race for the 80th Assembly District seat, there’s a lot riding on a name -  make that two names.

In a battle of some very well connected progeny, the race pits the daughter of current Bronx Democratic Party boss Assemblyman Jose Rivera against the son of former leader George Friedman. Throw in community activist Joseph Thompson and Anthony Chiofalo, an attorney, and you have the makings of an actual competitive campaign.

Naomi Rivera was the first to announce her bid for the seat now held by Jeff Klein, who is running for State Senate.

Rivera and Friedman both stand on their fathers’ shoulders.

"I’m not going to lie, my father has connections in the community that will be helpful for me," said Anthony Friedman, 34. In addition to his tenure as the Bronx Democratic Party Chair from 1986 to 1994, the elder Friedman was a State Supreme Court judge.

But whether the Friedman name can compete with the present-day clout of Assemblyman Rivera, who recently compared his family’s political dynasty to the Kennedys, is another question.  Rivera successfully steered his son, Joel, to the powerful City Council Majority Leader position when he was 23. Naomi Rivera, 41, most recently worked at the Bronx Board of Elections.

Before joining the Board in 2003, Rivera directed special events at the borough president’s office. She has also worked on a number of local campaigns. "I understand how government works," said Rivera in her first public interview. "I come from a family with a strong tradition of public service, and I realized it was a wonderful time to make a next step."

Rivera seemed to be placing some distance between herself and her father, who she said plays no real role in her campaign. "I’m just a mother from the district who is concerned about the neighborhood," said Rivera, who has a 4-year-old son.

But Rivera’s campaign team brims with the politically connected. Her staff, who say they are volunteers, includes Ellie Jurado, the campaign manager for Fernando Ferrer’s 2000 mayoral bid; Doris Quinones, director of the Bronx Tourism Council; and Bob Nolan, the borough president’s budget director.

Rivera defended her connection to the district, which mostly covers the Pelham Parkway area with a dash of Norwood, Bedford Park and Van Cortlandt Village thrown in. "I shop in the district. I take my son to the park," said Rivera, who grew up on Long Island, but now lives in Morris Park. "I want to make sure my son is raised in a safe and clean environment."

The younger Friedman, former director of the Pelham Senior Center, thinks he trumps Rivera in that arena. "I believe my experience has a broader reach," said Friedman, a longtime Mosholu Montefiore Community Center volunteer and former employee. "I have no idea what she [Rivera] has done in the community."

Surprisingly, Rivera, Friedman and Thompson have all come out against building the filtration plant in the Bronx, even though Assemblyman Rivera led the charge among Bronx Democrats to place it in Van Cortlandt Park. "We need to explore Eastview more," said candidate Rivera about the alternative plant site in Westchester. "It’s not a done deal."

Rivera said she would support lawsuits against the plant, and said she will explore whether less capital funds have flowed to Bronx parks since the city promised  $243 million in park improvements to site it locally. Asked if her father now shares her position, Rivera would only say, "We’ve discussed it."

Friedman, a Little League coach who uses Shandler Recreation Area in the park, which is next to the plant site, said that the project would be "a disaster." He also supports litigation against it.

Friedman grew up locally, attended Lehman College, and now lives on Sedgwick Avenue with his wife. His father manages his campaign, and they are now planning a fund-raiser. "I’m definitely relying on my father’s expertise," he said.

But that might not be enough, given Rivera’s name recognition and the changing demographics of the area. While nearly 60 percent of the district was white and 25 percent Hispanic in 1992, those groups were almost dead-even in 2002. That could be to the loss of Friedman, who is white, and Rivera’s gain.

"The district has changed so much," said Norman Adler, a veteran political consultant not affiliated with any of the candidates. When asked if the Friedman name still carried weight, he offered a hesitant "maybe."

As for Thompson, who is black, Adler thought he would struggle to raise enough money. "He’s got a good story, but the question is if he can let people know about it," he said.

While there are 36,477 registered Democrats in the district as of last April, only the most dedicated voters tend to vote in primaries, according to Adler. "One has to imagine, with Rivera’s pedigree, she will have some advantage," he said.

Ed. note: The Norwood News profiled candidate Joseph Thompson in its previous issue. That article can be read on our Web site. 

 

By Jordan Moss

Saying he’s "had it" with the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), State Senate candidate Jeff Klein changed his position to oppose the construction of a water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park. 

Klein, an assemblyman, said the project was "not a done deal" because the City Council still had to take up the matter before the DEP could start construction. And he echoed plant opponents in his charges that the city had fudged the numbers to make the Van Cortlandt Park site seem more palatable than the more remote Eastview site in Westchester that the city owns. 

"There is simply no doubt that DEP has committed an act of environmental racism," Klein said in a statement distributed at the press conference. "How can DEP justify using different comparative standards for the primarily Latino and low-income section of  Norwood and the predominantly white middle-class suburb of Eastview? It’s not right and as an elected official, I believe it is my duty to stand up and protect residents who are being wronged." 

Klein made the announcement at a press conference on Friday in the southeast corner of the park flanked by Councilman Oliver Koppell, who recently crossed the lines of enemy Democratic factions in the borough to endorse Klein, and by neighborhood activists who had pressed him to reconsider his stance. The event took place near the Saturn playground, a short distance from where the city intends to blast a hole the size of Yankee Stadium for the plant. 

Klein said he had tried to get more information from the DEP about how they would work to mitigate impacts in the surrounding community but that they had not been forthcoming.  He also said he was asking State Comptroller Alan Hevesi to look into the validity of DEP’s cost estimates. 

After the press conference, Klein wrote a letter to Council members urging them to block the city’s choice of the park by voting down an agreement -  known as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) -  delineating what park improvement projects would benefit from $243 million in water bond money that the city promised the borough’s Assembly delegation in return for their support of the project. (Klein is the first lawmaker affiliated with the Democratic machine to break ranks to oppose the park site.)

The announcement comes in the heat of an election campaign that may affect at least two races for the state legislature. Klein’s change of heart could gain him votes in Woodlawn, where residents have become increasingly opposed to the project and in Eastchester, a Westchester suburb that may have to build a filtration-related facility, but only if the plant is built in the Bronx. 

Klein’s opponent in the Democratic primary, Assemblyman Stephen Kaufman, is in favor of the city’s plans. "He’s in support of the filtration plant," his spokesman John Gallagher told the Norwood News, adding a charge that Klein had "flip-flopped" on the issue. (Kaufman may also run as a Republican in the general election and has said he will vote with the Republican leadership in the Senate. Mayor Bloomberg is supporting him.)

The filtration plant is also a central issue in the race to replace Klein in the Assembly. At least three candidates in the race oppose the park site, including Naomi Rivera, daughter of Bronx Democratic boss Jose Rivera, the chief cheerleader in the borough for the city’s plan. (See story on p. 1.) 

Meanwhile, plant opponents are busy lobbying any other state or city lawmakers who will listen. Activists swarmed City Hall last week, when word broke that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver may have already signed and sent the MOU to the Council for ratification. Klein said that there was a preliminary draft but that Silver had not signed it. A Silver spokesman, Skip Carrier, would only say on Tuesday, "It’s accurate to say it’s still being discussed." 

While they were at City Hall, activists had a meeting with the Council’s Black and Latino Caucus. Paul Sawyer, executive director of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, said the Council contingent, which included Helen Foster, Robert Jackson, Charles Barron and Bill Perkins, were receptive to their arguments. "Barron had the courage to stand up and say, ‘We did this wrong and this is our opportunity to make it right,’" Sawyer said.

The Council is expected to take up the matter of the MOU again on Aug. 12.

Marriage Programs Boost Community at St. Philip’s

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling –  regardless of religious orientation –  to focus on strengthening marital and family relations.

"The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage -  the two of us and God."

The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who credit St. Philip’s family life programming for strengthening their relationships. "These services are very important to the Bronx," said Grand Concourse resident Vera Galeas, who serves as pastoral associate at the church. 

Galeas and her husband, Jose, helped St. Philip’s new pastor, Father John Bonnici, establish the program back in 2002. The services continue to expand, and are now offered in English and Spanish throughout the week. 

Prior to the program’s availability, local couples were referred to similar services in larger settings within the Bronx. "I’ve always wanted to see how effective the family life programs would be on a local scale," said Bonnici, 39.

Salvatore DeStefano, a seminarian who has spent the past two summers at the church, thinks the small setting has really made the difference.  "We have a good lay involvement and a perfect balance between religious leaders and couples who lead the program," DeStefano said. 

The church offers a variety of seminars for both before and after marriage. "My fiancé and I particularly liked the exercises where we closely worked with one another to better learn our likes and dislikes," said Saint-Cyr, a former Mosholu Parkway resident, who commuted from Queens for the program.

St. Philip’s also offers parenting classes, which meet tover a six-week period, to promote positive discipline and address communication issues. After the classes conclude, Galeas holds monthly follow-up meetings with the parents. "The programs are based on families’ needs," Galeas said.

The church also addresses teen issues, offering abstinence programs with the goal of educating adolescents on STDs and AIDS, hormonal changes, and sexual encounters. 

Galeas directed similar programs at churches in Queens, Manhattan, and Westchester, and she believes that most family problems are based on a lack of communication. "Inner-city families suffer from communication problems because they can hardly survive due to their housing problems and long working hours," she said. "After long, tiring days, the couple tends to not communicate much and the relationship begins to strain."

Bonnici thinks the programs have benefited the church as well. "They create opportunities for the people to experience the church’s teachings in tangible ways," said Bonnici, who came to St. Philip’s in 2002. 

Bonnici directed the Archdiocese Family Life Office, where he met Galeas, from 1994 to 2002. His credentials include five years of theology study in Rome, a doctorate from John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C, and an appointment by Governor Pataki to CUNY’s Board of Trustees. 

When Cardinal Edward Egan offered Bonnici the position at St. Philip’s, he immediately accepted. "I knew this church was a great opportunity for me to exercise my priesthood," Bonnici said. "The people and the neighborhood are very welcoming." 

Bonnici believes that the family life programming has furthered St. Philip’s welcoming spirit.

"The programs have helped to unify the people with each other and with the church," he said. "There is an energy here that is contagious."

Ed. note: For more information and dates for Marriage Preparation sessions, call (718) 733-3200.

Marriage Programs Boost Community at St. Philip’s

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling –  regardless of religious orientation –  to focus on strengthening marital and family relations.

"The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage -  the two of us and God."

The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who credit St. Philip’s family life programming for strengthening their relationships. "These services are very important to the Bronx," said Grand Concourse resident Vera Galeas, who serves as pastoral associate at the church. 

Galeas and her husband, Jose, helped St. Philip’s new pastor, Father John Bonnici, establish the program back in 2002. The services continue to expand, and are now offered in English and Spanish throughout the week. 

Prior to the program’s availability, local couples were referred to similar services in larger settings within the Bronx. "I’ve always wanted to see how effective the family life programs would be on a local scale," said Bonnici, 39.

Salvatore DeStefano, a seminarian who has spent the past two summers at the church, thinks the small setting has really made the difference.  "We have a good lay involvement and a perfect balance between religious leaders and couples who lead the program," DeStefano said. 

The church offers a variety of seminars for both before and after marriage. "My fiancé and I particularly liked the exercises where we closely worked with one another to better learn our likes and dislikes," said Saint-Cyr, a former Mosholu Parkway resident, who commuted from Queens for the program.

St. Philip’s also offers parenting classes, which meet tover a six-week period, to promote positive discipline and address communication issues. After the classes conclude, Galeas holds monthly follow-up meetings with the parents. "The programs are based on families’ needs," Galeas said.

The church also addresses teen issues, offering abstinence programs with the goal of educating adolescents on STDs and AIDS, hormonal changes, and sexual encounters. 

Galeas directed similar programs at churches in Queens, Manhattan, and Westchester, and she believes that most family problems are based on a lack of communication. "Inner-city families suffer from communication problems because they can hardly survive due to their housing problems and long working hours," she said. "After long, tiring days, the couple tends to not communicate much and the relationship begins to strain."

Bonnici thinks the programs have benefited the church as well. "They create opportunities for the people to experience the church’s teachings in tangible ways," said Bonnici, who came to St. Philip’s in 2002. 

Bonnici directed the Archdiocese Family Life Office, where he met Galeas, from 1994 to 2002. His credentials include five years of theology study in Rome, a doctorate from John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C, and an appointment by Governor Pataki to CUNY’s Board of Trustees. 

When Cardinal Edward Egan offered Bonnici the position at St. Philip’s, he immediately accepted. "I knew this church was a great opportunity for me to exercise my priesthood," Bonnici said. "The people and the neighborhood are very welcoming." 

Bonnici believes that the family life programming has furthered St. Philip’s welcoming spirit.

"The programs have helped to unify the people with each other and with the church," he said. "There is an energy here that is contagious."

Ed. note: For more information and dates for Marriage Preparation sessions, call (718) 733-3200.

Marriage Programs Boost Community at St. Philip’s

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling –  regardless of religious orientation –  to focus on strengthening marital and family relations.

"The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage -  the two of us and God."

The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who credit St. Philip’s family life programming for strengthening their relationships. "These services are very important to the Bronx," said Grand Concourse resident Vera Galeas, who serves as pastoral associate at the church. 

Galeas and her husband, Jose, helped St. Philip’s new pastor, Father John Bonnici, establish the program back in 2002. The services continue to expand, and are now offered in English and Spanish throughout the week. 

Prior to the program’s availability, local couples were referred to similar services in larger settings within the Bronx. "I’ve always wanted to see how effective the family life programs would be on a local scale," said Bonnici, 39.

Salvatore DeStefano, a seminarian who has spent the past two summers at the church, thinks the small setting has really made the difference.  "We have a good lay involvement and a perfect balance between religious leaders and couples who lead the program," DeStefano said. 

The church offers a variety of seminars for both before and after marriage. "My fiancé and I particularly liked the exercises where we closely worked with one another to better learn our likes and dislikes," said Saint-Cyr, a former Mosholu Parkway resident, who commuted from Queens for the program.

St. Philip’s also offers parenting classes, which meet tover a six-week period, to promote positive discipline and address communication issues. After the classes conclude, Galeas holds monthly follow-up meetings with the parents. "The programs are based on families’ needs," Galeas said.

The church also addresses teen issues, offering abstinence programs with the goal of educating adolescents on STDs and AIDS, hormonal changes, and sexual encounters. 

Galeas directed similar programs at churches in Queens, Manhattan, and Westchester, and she believes that most family problems are based on a lack of communication. "Inner-city families suffer from communication problems because they can hardly survive due to their housing problems and long working hours," she said. "After long, tiring days, the couple tends to not communicate much and the relationship begins to strain."

Bonnici thinks the programs have benefited the church as well. "They create opportunities for the people to experience the church’s teachings in tangible ways," said Bonnici, who came to St. Philip’s in 2002. 

Bonnici directed the Archdiocese Family Life Office, where he met Galeas, from 1994 to 2002. His credentials include five years of theology study in Rome, a doctorate from John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C, and an appointment by Governor Pataki to CUNY’s Board of Trustees. 

When Cardinal Edward Egan offered Bonnici the position at St. Philip’s, he immediately accepted. "I knew this church was a great opportunity for me to exercise my priesthood," Bonnici said. "The people and the neighborhood are very welcoming." 

Bonnici believes that the family life programming has furthered St. Philip’s welcoming spirit.

"The programs have helped to unify the people with each other and with the church," he said. "There is an energy here that is contagious."

Ed. note: For more information and dates for Marriage Preparation sessions, call (718) 733-3200.

The Commuter Tax and the Filtration Plant

By Norwood News

In 1999, a group of Democratic state legislators from the Bronx contributed to one of the biggest public policy blunders in the city’s history. Six of them voted to repeal the commuter tax, depriving New York City of $400 million in annual revenues it had been receiving for years. In all, 23 city lawmakers voted for repeal.

How could they do it? You’re probably thinking they must have gotten something good in return, right? Like more money for city schools or after-school programs, or a greater say in the state budget? Or maybe some largesse for an important project like the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory? 

Nope. They did it just to get a Democrat elected to a state Senate seat for a special election in Rockland County.

Despite selling out their own constituents in the city, their candidate lost. 

Democrats are once again anxious to pick up a seat for their party and the open seat once held by Guy Velella offers one of their best chances statewide. And this time the Bronx party has a chance to use their political clout for a good cause – protecting the north Bronx from a disastrous plan to dig a hole the size of Yankee Stadium for a water filtration plant in the Norwood section of Van Cortlandt Park. 

The Bronx Democratic machine supports Assemblyman Jeff Klein for the Senate seat. So do Democratic bigwigs like Fernando Ferrer, Mark Green and Eliot Spitzer. But everyone knows endorsements have little effect on elections. What could have a tremendous impact is a clear difference on a local issue of importance to voters.

Yes, we know, these are the very same Bronx Democrats that voted for the "alienation" of Van Cortlandt Park, mainly for the $243 million the city promised them for borough-wide park improvements in return. So, why would they change their minds? 

Klein now acknowledges that the plant will be more of a burden to residents than he originally thought when he voted for the alienation bill. It is not far-fetched to imagine that that and his party’s desire to win a much-coveted Senate seat could tilt the balance in favor of saving the park and the community from a quality of life nightmare.

Klein, an energetic lawmaker with a talent for getting publicity, obviously has a good shot at winning, but his election is hardly a foregone conclusion. Assemblyman Stephen Kaufman currently represents a larger portion of the 34th Senate District than Klein. (Though he’s a Democrat, Kaufman is drawing fire for planning also to run on the Republican line and confer with Albany GOPers.)  So the race will be close. Klein could stand out if he came out firmly against the plant, and used his close relationship with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to derail the plant-for-parks deal. Kaufman, on the outs with Silver, has little ability to affect policy, but he could strongly oppose the plant and differentiate himself from Klein. 

The 34th Senatorial District includes Woodlawn, where many residents are fighting the plant. Kaufman and Klein are new faces there and the first one to take a position could gain an advantage. (For the record, both voted for the plant, but only Klein voted to repeal the commuter tax.)

This is the political equivalent of a jump ball. The candidate who can jump highest and fastest to take advantage of this opportunity might just find himself with a Senate seat.

Fordham Hill to Develop New Housing at Old DMV Site

By Miranda Kaplan

Within the next couple of weeks, the Fordham Hill Owners Corporation (FHOC) will name a contractor to the task of renovating the vacant office building across the street from the co-op complex on West Fordham Road and Sedgwick Avenue. That choice will come a year after the FHOC Board’s initial decision to expand its residential offerings by creating a block of upscale rental apartments in the abandoned building –  a decision that came after nearly a decade of deliberation and failed negotiations.

Redevelopment efforts for the building stalled after its lone tenant, a Department of Motor Vehicles office, moved out eight years ago. The Department of Education’s vision for a new school in the 25,000-square-foot facility fell through when FHOC Board members failed to reach an agreement with the city. 

Those involved in the project are pleased with the new plan’s progress, and more than a little relieved.

"I think it’s great for not only Fordham Hill, but for the surrounding community," said property manager Everton Moore, who has worked for the redevelopment for the past two years. "Whenever you have an abandoned building in any community, it has a negative impact overall. We’re definitely excited about it."

The building is currently undergoing internal demolition. By the middle of next year, FHOC plans to begin renting out approximately 30 new units. The apartments, the board hopes, will eliminate a public eyesore, generate revenue for the corporation and alleviate a scarcity of housing in the area.

"When you look at the demographics, and you look at the supply of apartments available, there’s definitely a shortage of affordable housing throughout the city," Moore said.

Elizabeth Tillman, Board president since 2000, agrees. Though the members considered commercial prospects, she said, "there was a greater need for residential living space . . . and we want to do our share for making the quality of life better for our surrounding neighbors." 

While she referred to the rentals as "luxury apartments," Tillman maintains that they will be affordably priced for middle-class tenants. FHOC has yet to determine what that will entail.

Thompson Vies for Seat in State Assembly

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A rare open seat has ignited a heated Democratic primary in the 80th Assembly District, pitting a local community leader against the larger Bronx Democratic organization. Naomi Rivera, daughter of Assemblyman Jose Rivera, faces Joseph Thompson, a well-known neighborhood activist, in what will certainly be a lively battle. 

The competition began when current Assemblyman Jeff Klein jumped into the race for the 34th Senatorial District, left open by Guy Velella’s resignation after he pled guilty to bribery charges.

At press time, the

Norwood News

learned that Anthony Friedman, son of former Assemblyman George Friedman, also jumped into the race. 

Klein, who represented the district since 1994, was withholding his endorsement until petitioning ended on July 15. But Klein is generally aligned with the Bronx Democratic regulars.

Assemblyman Rivera, the Bronx County Democratic Party chair, has used the race to continue his not-so-subtle campaign to fill vacant political offices with family members. Rivera’s son Joel is majority leader in the City Council, securing that powerful position when he was only 23. Naomi Rivera, 41, is Joel’s half-sister.

Ellie Jurado, a lobbyist volunteering for her campaign, said that Rivera would not speak publicly until she stepped down from her position at the Bronx Board of Elections on July 15. But Jurado did say that Rivera takes the race seriously. 

"Politics is something she’s dedicated her career to," said Jurado, the campaign manager for Fernando Ferrer’s 2000 mayoral bid. "She’s always been interested in a [political] run, and is following in her dad’s footsteps." 

It was the prospect of Rivera’s candidacy that prompted Thompson, 65, to run himself. "Frankly, this took our community by surprise," Thompson said. "All of sudden, a stranger was introduced to us, who has not done anything for our community. I decided to challenge this."

Though Jurado said that Rivera has lived in Morris Park for roughly seven years, 

Thompson has yet to meet her. "Nobody seems to know who she is," said Thompson, a district resident for 35 years. "I’ve been on the community board for nine years and I’ve never seen her there." 

Thompson is a well-known figure in the district, which mostly covers Morris Park and Pelham Parkway with a stretch of Bedford Park. In addition to Community Board 11, he serves on the 49th Precinct Community Council, the Pelham Parkway-Allerton Patrol, the Pelham Parkway Little League, and several agency boards. 

"I believe in this community, I love this community," said Thompson, who, during a brief stroll on White Plains Road, greeted several people by name. 

Thompson has taken a stand on a number of local issues –  mostly notably, against building the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park. "To me, this is one of the biggest misuses of parkland," said Thompson, who visited the alternate Eastview site for comparison. "Why are we building this in the Bronx?" 

Thompson said, if elected, he would support a civil suit opposing the plant, and try to lobby against it in Albany.

He also opposes the city’s overhaul of the Bronx’ Meals on Wheels program, which will give frozen meals to a portion of homebound elderly by fall. Assemblyman Rivera and most other Bronx Democrats support both the Meals revamp and the plant. 

Thompson enlisted about 30 volunteers to help him collect signatures, and he was confident that he would reach the 500 required. He has also been hitting the campaign trail, including Tracey Towers and other locations in Bedford Park. 

But his fundraising efforts are in the early stages. "We’re still getting professional," said Thompson, who operates out of a bare-bones campaign office on White Plains Road.

He faces an uphill battle against Rivera, who has name recognition and her father’s political machine on her side. Before becoming the Board’s deputy chief clerk in 2003, Rivera directed special events at the borough president’s office. Previously, she worked as a real estate agent and holds an accounting degree from Borough Manhattan Community College. 

Thompson is a former detective and officer in the Air Force, but says he now devotes about 60 hours a week to community obligations. During the campaign, he plans to continue his two weeknight shifts with the Pelham Parkway-Allerton Patrol. "It’s something close to my heart," Thompson said.

Game Over (Finally)

By Miranda Kaplan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No resident of North Fordham can help noticing that the Fordham Arcade, a persistent eyesore wedged between Webster and Decatur avenues, has been demolished after decades of abandonment.

In March, the Norwood News reported that the Bronx Council for Economic Development (BCED) and other neighborhood groups contacted Samuel Falack, the property’s owner since last August, about redeveloping the site. In a letter, Fordham community members and business owners expressed concern about the garbage piling up outside the fence and the rats that had found a home in the vacant building. Falack assured the BCED that he had plans for the site, but claimed to be held up by inadequate funds.

According to Wilma Alonso of the BCED, it now appears that problem is resolved. A branch of Cookie’s, a Brooklyn-based children’s retailer of which Falack is an owner, will open where the arcade once stood.

Joe Muriana, associate vice president of government relations and urban affairs at Fordham University, was one of many community members concerned about inaction at the site. "It’s great that he’s demolishing the building, it’s been sort of an eyesore and a scourge," he said. "We welcome the development."

At press time, Muriana knew no details of the plan, such as when construction would be completed or when the store would open. Falack did not return a call from the Norwood News requesting comment.

Muriana noted that the demolition will not eliminate the vermin. But he is satisfied that the arcade has been razed, which, he says, "was really more of a major concern for people than what came afterwards."

Koppell Endorses Klein, And Backs Rivera Kin

By Jordan Moss

In a startling local political development, Councilman Oliver Koppell, a Riverdale Democrat long at odds with the borough’s party machine, reached out to endorse party regular and state Senate candidate Jeffrey Klein on Wednesday. Even more surprising was Koppell’s decision to back Naomi Rivera in the race to fill Klein’s Assembly seat.

"The principal reason [I am endorsing Klein] is that he is running as a Democrat and only as a Democrat and he will vote for David Patterson as leader," Koppell said in a telephone interview, referring to the current Senate majority leader. Democrats hope putting one of their own in the 34th District seat vacated by Republican Guy Velella will help them gain a majority in the state Senate. 

Assemblyman Steve Kaufman, a Democrat, has said he may also run on the Republican line and caucus with Republicans. 

"Kaufman has said he will vote for [Senate majority leader] Joe Bruno," Koppell said. "If he votes for Joe Bruno and sits on the GOP side of the aisle, he is supporting an agenda that is detrimental to the city of New York and in some ways is giving comfort to the national Republican Party." 

Koppell, who was a state assemblyman for more than 20 years and briefly served as state attorney general, also said he made the move partly to make an overture to party regulars. "Part of it is an effort on my part to show that I want to be cooperative where I can with the organization," he said. 

Asked if he discussed the filtration plant issue with Klein (see story on p. 1 for more on Klein’s position), Koppell, who opposes the city’s plans to build the facility in Van Cortlandt Park, said he had. "Klein indicated to me that he is moderating his position [in favor of building the plant in Van Cortlandt Park] and that he is not necessarily in support [of the city's plans] and wanted to work with the community . . . I think Klein is moving closer to my position."

But Koppell said he didn’t know whether Klein could successfully derail the plan in the Assembly. "While I certainly encourage that, I’m not counting on that," Koppell said. "I don’t want to pretend that’s the reason for my endorsement." 

Through a spokesman, Klein said, "It’s always a pleasure to receive support from a fellow elected official, but to receive an endorsement from a political reformer like Council Member Koppell is a true honor."

In the interview, Koppell also said he decided to support Naomi Rivera for the Assembly seat. "I think she is a very bright, capable young lady [and] it appeared that she had the broadest support." 

Asked whether his decision represents a thaw in his relations with the party organization, Koppell conceded that was a motivation. "I won’t deny that I’m trying to establish better relations," he said. "That’s true."

Koppell said that he had a "lengthy conversation" with Jose Rivera two weeks ago. He said Rivera did not promise him anything specific in return for his conciliatory actions. "But I think that he understood that I was not happy with the way the organization has interacted with me over the last years," Koppell said, adding that former party chair Roberto Ramirez blocked him from having a leadership position in the City Council. "I made it clear to Jose Rivera that that is not acceptable to me." 

Finally, Koppell said that he hopes that "my reaching out to them will have a reciprocal effect."

City Picks Van Cortlandt For Filtration Plant Site

By Jordan Moss

Shocking virtually no one, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has chosen Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park as its preferred site for the water filtration plant. Site preparation could begin as soon as early August, unless opponents are successful in getting a judge to halt the work while they file at least two separate lawsuits. 

To proceed, the city needs a memorandum of understanding from the governor, state legislature and City Council. That agreement will specify what park improvement projects in the Bronx will benefit from $243 million in water bond money that was the linchpin of the political deal that paved the way for building the plant in the park. 

The decision comes along with a mammoth document known as the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS). That study evaluates three sites. In addition to the park, it looks at the Eastview site in the Westchester town of Mt. Pleasant and a site at the Harlem River near Fordham Road. 

But the city has long preferred the park. Ever since officials secured approval from the state legislature to blast a hole in the Norwood section of the park for the plant, the city has gone to no lengths to hide that preference, even though –  in return for the lawmakers’ OK  –  it agreed to do another environmental study evaluating the three sites. Mayor Bloomberg told the Norwood News at a meeting with community newspaper editors last August that the "EIS is not gonna stop this." 

The filtration plant is for the Croton water system, the network of Westchester and city reservoirs and aqueducts that supply the city with 10 percent of its water, and occasionally 30 percent in times of drought. For many years, opponents charged that the plant was not necessary and that the city needed to do a better job of protecting the watershed. But the federal government and a federal judge did not agree, leaving the opponents to take the more practical route of pushing Eastview, an industrial location that is far more remote from residents than the corner of the park is from people living on the park’s perimeter in Norwood. There was no opposition to the plant in Mt. Pleasant; in fact, the town supervisor made clear that he would welcome it because of the tax revenue it would generate.  

Many residents of Norwood and surrounding neighborhoods like Van Cortlandt Village and Woodlawn fear the effects of at least seven years of construction on the area’s quality of life, including increased air pollution, noise and traffic. Park also advocates say the taking of parkland for an industrial facility is a dangerous precedent. 

The city’s announcement serves as a starter pistol for at least two lawsuits opponents are preparing. Though the lawyers involved have yet to wade through the FSEIS, which consists of thousands of pages, they will need to act soon, as lawmakers will be called back to Albany by Aug. 2 to deal with the long overdue state budget and other unresolved issues. 

The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park plans a lawsuit that will focus on zoning. The advocacy group filed suit in 1999 against the city the first time it tried to build the plant in the park, and the state’s highest court ruled that the city couldn’t go forward without the state legislature’s approval. 

Now the group says the city has failed to rezone the park for industrial use.  

". . . It appears that the city is still planning to go forward without formally rezoning the land, and if they do, then the park advocates will challenge them on that aspect of the plan," said Elizabeth Cooke, president of The Friends. "We feel it is very important that this not be a precedent for taking parkland for a facility that should have industrial zoning." 

Meanwhile, Norwood residents will be aided by a team of lawyers including Norman Siegel, the well-known civil rights lawyer, the Environmental Law Clinic at Columbia University, and possibly the law firm Davis Polk and Wardwell, which is considering taking on the case pro bono, according to Norwood resident Gwynn Smalls. 

The Law Clinic has been researching the project’s possible ramifications on environmental justice and has charged that the city vastly underestimates the plant’s effects on minority residents who live near the park, while applying much more rigorous standards to the more remote Eastview site. 

Two unusually competitive campaigns for the state legislature could also help determine the outcome of this saga, which stretches back more than a decade

The filtration plant could develop into a key issue in the race for Senate in the 30th District. The seat is currently open because longtime senator Guy Velella stepped down after pleading guilty to bribery charges.  

Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein, who is running for the Senate seat, told the Norwood News that he plans to play a key role in determining the final nature of the project. 

"I’m going to play a prominent role and the speaker assured me that I would," Klein said, referring to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, in an interview with the Norwood News last month. 

Though Klein voted to allow the park to be used, he now says there will be a greater burden on residents than he originally thought. "I’m also concerned that this is not a done deal," Klein said in a follow-up interview last Friday. "There is a lot more that has to take place before we walk away from the option of Eastview."

Stephen Kaufman, an east Bronx assemblyman running against Klein for the seat, did not return calls seeking comment. He also voted for the alienation bill last year. 

The plant could also play a role in the campaign to replace Klein in the Assembly. 
Candidate Joseph Thompson is opposed to building the plant in the park (see article on p. 5). Naomi Rivera would not comment until she officially launches her campaign this week, but it is likely that she will share the position of her father, Assemblyman Jose Rivera, chair of the Bronx County Democratic Committee. The elder Rivera led all but one member of the borough’s Assembly delegation to accept the plant-for-parks deal. 

Ed. note: To read the EIS on the Web, go to http://www.nyc.gov/-html/dep/html/news. 

Firefighter Turns Up Heat In Congress Bid

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On many weekday mornings and evenings, local commuters might see a tall, muscular man handing out campaign fliers and gathering petition signatures at subway stations. And while not a recognizable name yet, Kevin McAdams, a candidate for Congress, manages to get bleary-eyed commuters to stop and talk to him.

"It’s almost funny how well people receive him," said Andrew Hysell, McAdams’ 

campaign manager for his bid in the 17th District. "Most [politicians] don’t have that personal charisma."

It will take more than charm to upset eight-term incumbent Eliot Engel. But with a newly redrawn district that extends far north of the Bronx, the Yonkers native is not a total dark horse.

The 32-year-old political novice has about two months to gain name recognition before the Sept. 14 primary. While his opponent’s 16-year tenure may be formidable, McAdams seeks to use Engel’s incumbency against him. "With that [amount of time] comes a relaxed feeling," he said. "He’s not done enough to be at the forefront of things."

Engel, while taking the race seriously, dismissed those charges. "I think he has quite a nerve," said Engel, 57. "I’ve never heard of him. He’s the first candidate to run against me that has had zero community involvement."

McAdams traces his run back to 2002 when he went to Congress to lobby for additional funds for city rescue workers. A firefighter since 1996, McAdams left his honeymoon early to volunteer at Ground Zero after Sept. 11. Over 50 of his friends from the Fire Department were killed.

McAdams charges that despite responses from other local officials, Engel never met with his group –  the Board of the New York City Uniformed Firefighters union. Frustrated by the experience, McAdams and his wife, who is a lawyer, plotted his run. "My entire life has been about going out and trying to help and serve people," he said. "I’ve kind of grown into this position."

While Engel spokesperson Joe O’Brien did not have specific information about the 

lobbying visit, he did say that the congressman meets with firefighters regularly. 

Most recently, McAdams served as the treasurer for Uniformed Firefighters Local 94, a position he stepped down from in March. He has endorsements from his local and the International Association of Firefighters, along with ironworkers and carpenters locals.  

While still a firefighter based in Manhattan, McAdams took vacation time for his campaign. He and his staff, which includes four paid members and a group of volunteers, have been pounding the pavement for signatures in all parts of the district –  which includes Bedford Park and Norwood, along with large stretches of Westchester and Rockland counties. McAdams says he has over 9,000 names of those who are frustrated, or want a change, from the incumbent. "The Bronx is still upset with Engel," he said. 

Engel narrowly survived a tough primary battle in 2000 against current Council Member Larry Seabrook. On the campaign trail, McAdams says he encounters lingering resentment over the victory, and bitterness that Engel closed his Wakefield district office on 233rd Street after the race. "They took it personally," he said.

Paul Thomas, chief-of-staff for Assemblyman Carl Heastie of Wakefield, confirmed that sentiment. "The community is upset," Thomas said. "Some people

 . . . don’t have access to their congressman."

Engel said he closed the office because he needed an office in Rockland County after redistricting. "The way to do that most efficiently was to have one in each of the three counties," he said. The Westchester office is also only a mile from 233rd Street, Engel added.

McAdams has yet to gain any endorsements from elected officials, but Seabrook and Heastie collected signatures for him. "This community wants fair representation," Thomas said. "McAdams should have a say in the race and express his vision." 

Engel raised almost double the dollar amount of his challenger in the first quarter of the year, but McAdams continues to pull in funds. "He’s self-motivated in raising money, and that’s unusual for a candidate," Hysell said. 

While the candidates share labor as a top priority, along with other liberal causes, McAdams looks to distinguish himself as someone who understands ordinary people. "I’m an ordinary guy running for U.S. Congress during a time where people are tired of the same old politicians," he said. 

McAdams has been particularly outspoken against the war, which Engel voted for. "This is not a war we should have gotten involved in," he said. 

But McAdams only became a Democrat two years ago, which Engel sees as suspect. "I think it’s opportunistic," he said. "He has no record of battling for anything of importance for the district."

McAdams says he voted for Democrats in many presidential elections. "As I grew older, my tendencies have always been toward . . . middle class [issues]," he said. McAdams attributed his status as a Republican to his early years in the Navy, where he served on the Presidential Honor Guard during the first Bush administration.

While McAdams takes the race seriously, he is not shy about saying that future races are possible if he loses this battle. "I’m only 32 years old," said McAdams, with a smile. "It  leaves the door open."

Klein to Make Announcement on Filter Plant

By Jordan Moss

Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein said today that he would make an announcement next Thursday concerning his position on the water filtration plant planned for Van Cortlandt Park.

 

Klein made the statement at a press conference in Woodlawn, where he received the endorsement of Council Member Oliver Koppell in his bid for the State Senate in the 34th District.

 

Several Woodlawn residents showed up at the press conference with signs protesting the plant, but they dispersed after Klein powwowed with Karen Argenti and Sally Regenhard, two opponents of the project.

 

After the two politicians spoke regarding the endorsement, the Norwood News asked Klein for his current thoughts on the plant, which the city just officially announced it would build at Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. Klein said he was weighing the issue and that “there are major problems with the DEP’s” plans to build the plant at Mosholu Golf Course.

 

He then said he would make an announcement concerning his position on Thursday, July 22 and he asked his audience to bear with him until that point. 

 

In recent weeks, Klein, who voted last year to allow the city to use the park for the plant, has moved away from his full support of the project. In the upcoming July 15 – 28 issue of the Norwood News, which went to press before today’s press conference, Klein says, “There is a lot more that has to take place before we walk away from the option of Eastview.” He was referring to an industrial site in Westchester that the activists have been pushing as an alternative.

 

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling –  regardless of religious orientation –  to focus on strengthening marital and family relations.

"The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage -  the two of us and God."

The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who credit St. Philip’s family life programming for strengthening their relationships. "These services are very important to the Bronx," said Grand Concourse resident Vera Galeas, who serves as pastoral associate at the church. 

Galeas and her husband, Jose, helped St. Philip’s new pastor, Father John Bonnici, establish the program back in 2002. The services continue to expand, and are now offered in English and Spanish throughout the week. 

Prior to the program’s availability, local couples were referred to similar services in larger settings within the Bronx. "I’ve always wanted to see how effective the family life programs would be on a local scale," said Bonnici, 39.

Salvatore DeStefano, a seminarian who has spent the past two summers at the church, thinks the small setting has really made the difference.  "We have a good lay involvement and a perfect balance between religious leaders and couples who lead the program," DeStefano said. 

The church offers a variety of seminars for both before and after marriage. "My fiancé and I particularly liked the exercises where we closely worked with one another to better learn our likes and dislikes," said Saint-Cyr, a former Mosholu Parkway resident, who commuted from Queens for the program.

St. Philip’s also offers parenting classes, which meet tover a six-week period, to promote positive discipline and address communication issues. After the classes conclude, Galeas holds monthly follow-up meetings with the parents. "The programs are based on families’ needs," Galeas said.

The church also addresses teen issues, offering abstinence programs with the goal of educating adolescents on STDs and AIDS, hormonal changes, and sexual encounters. 

Galeas directed similar programs at churches in Queens, Manhattan, and Westchester, and she believes that most family problems are based on a lack of communication. "Inner-city families suffer from communication problems because they can hardly survive due to their housing problems and long working hours," she said. "After long, tiring days, the couple tends to not communicate much and the relationship begins to strain."

Bonnici thinks the programs have benefited the church as well. "They create opportunities for the people to experience the church’s teachings in tangible ways," said Bonnici, who came to St. Philip’s in 2002. 

Bonnici directed the Archdiocese Family Life Office, where he met Galeas, from 1994 to 2002. His credentials include five years of theology study in Rome, a doctorate from John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C, and an appointment by Governor Pataki to CUNY’s Board of Trustees. 

When Cardinal Edward Egan offered Bonnici the position at St. Philip’s, he immediately accepted. "I knew this church was a great opportunity for me to exercise my priesthood," Bonnici said. "The people and the neighborhood are very welcoming." 

Bonnici believes that the family life programming has furthered St. Philip’s welcoming spirit.

"The programs have helped to unify the people with each other and with the church," he said. "There is an energy here that is contagious."

Ed. note: For more information and dates for Marriage Preparation sessions, call (718) 733-3200.

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling –  regardless of religious orientation –  to focus on strengthening marital and family relations.

"The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage -  the two of us and God."

The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who credit St. Philip’s family life programming for strengthening their relationships. "These services are very important to the Bronx," said Grand Concourse resident Vera Galeas, who serves as pastoral associate at the church. 

Galeas and her husband, Jose, helped St. Philip’s new pastor, Father John Bonnici, establish the program back in 2002. The services continue to expand, and are now offered in English and Spanish throughout the week. 

Prior to the program’s availability, local couples were referred to similar services in larger settings within the Bronx. "I’ve always wanted to see how effective the family life programs would be on a local scale," said Bonnici, 39.

Salvatore DeStefano, a seminarian who has spent the past two summers at the church, thinks the small setting has really made the difference.  "We have a good lay involvement and a perfect balance between religious leaders and couples who lead the program," DeStefano said. 

The church offers a variety of seminars for both before and after marriage. "My fiancé and I particularly liked the exercises where we closely worked with one another to better learn our likes and dislikes," said Saint-Cyr, a former Mosholu Parkway resident, who commuted from Queens for the program.

St. Philip’s also offers parenting classes, which meet tover a six-week period, to promote positive discipline and address communication issues. After the classes conclude, Galeas holds monthly follow-up meetings with the parents. "The programs are based on families’ needs," Galeas said.

The church also addresses teen issues, offering abstinence programs with the goal of educating adolescents on STDs and AIDS, hormonal changes, and sexual encounters. 

Galeas directed similar programs at churches in Queens, Manhattan, and Westchester, and she believes that most family problems are based on a lack of communication. "Inner-city families suffer from communication problems because they can hardly survive due to their housing problems and long working hours," she said. "After long, tiring days, the couple tends to not communicate much and the relationship begins to strain."

Bonnici thinks the programs have benefited the church as well. "They create opportunities for the people to experience the church’s teachings in tangible ways," said Bonnici, who came to St. Philip’s in 2002. 

Bonnici directed the Archdiocese Family Life Office, where he met Galeas, from 1994 to 2002. His credentials include five years of theology study in Rome, a doctorate from John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C, and an appointment by Governor Pataki to CUNY’s Board of Trustees. 

When Cardinal Edward Egan offered Bonnici the position at St. Philip’s, he immediately accepted. "I knew this church was a great opportunity for me to exercise my priesthood," Bonnici said. "The people and the neighborhood are very welcoming." 

Bonnici believes that the family life programming has furthered St. Philip’s welcoming spirit.

"The programs have helped to unify the people with each other and with the church," he said. "There is an energy here that is contagious."

Ed. note: For more information and dates for Marriage Preparation sessions, call (718) 733-3200.

By AnnaMaria ANDRIOTIS

For the past two years, St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park has served as the only church in the Bronx where couples can receive guided counselling –  regardless of religious orientation –  to focus on strengthening marital and family relations.

"The program brings you closer to your spouse and closer to the church," said Madeline Saint-Cyr, who attended a St. Philip seminar with her fiancé, Clifford Saint-Cyr, prior to getting married. "It helped us focus on what really matters in a marriage -  the two of us and God."

The Saint-Cyrs are just one of the many couples who credit St. Philip’s family life programming for strengthening their relationships. "These services are very important to the Bronx," said Grand Concourse resident Vera Galeas, who serves as pastoral associate at the church. 

Galeas and her husband, Jose, helped St. Philip’s new pastor, Father John Bonnici, establish the program back in 2002. The services continue to expand, and are now offered in English and Spanish throughout the week. 

Prior to the program’s availability, local couples were referred to similar services in larger settings within the Bronx. "I’ve always wanted to see how effective the family life programs would be on a local scale," said Bonnici, 39.

Salvatore DeStefano, a seminarian who has spent the past two summers at the church, thinks the small setting has really made the difference.  "We have a good lay involvement and a perfect balance between religious leaders and couples who lead the program," DeStefano said. 

The church offers a variety of seminars for both before and after marriage. "My fiancé and I particularly liked the exercises where we closely worked with one another to better learn our likes and dislikes," said Saint-Cyr, a former Mosholu Parkway resident, who commuted from Queens for the program.

St. Philip’s also offers parenting classes, which meet tover a six-week period, to promote positive discipline and address communication issues. After the classes conclude, Galeas holds monthly follow-up meetings with the parents. "The programs are based on families’ needs," Galeas said.

The church also addresses teen issues, offering abstinence programs with the goal of educating adolescents on STDs and AIDS, hormonal changes, and sexual encounters. 

Galeas directed similar programs at churches in Queens, Manhattan, and Westchester, and she believes that most family problems are based on a lack of communication. "Inner-city families suffer from communication problems because they can hardly survive due to their housing problems and long working hours," she said. "After long, tiring days, the couple tends to not communicate much and the relationship begins to strain."

Bonnici thinks the programs have benefited the church as well. "They create opportunities for the people to experience the church’s teachings in tangible ways," said Bonnici, who came to St. Philip’s in 2002. 

Bonnici directed the Archdiocese Family Life Office, where he met Galeas, from 1994 to 2002. His credentials include five years of theology study in Rome, a doctorate from John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C, and an appointment by Governor Pataki to CUNY’s Board of Trustees. 

When Cardinal Edward Egan offered Bonnici the position at St. Philip’s, he immediately accepted. "I knew this church was a great opportunity for me to exercise my priesthood," Bonnici said. "The people and the neighborhood are very welcoming." 

Bonnici believes that the family life programming has furthered St. Philip’s welcoming spirit.

"The programs have helped to unify the people with each other and with the church," he said. "There is an energy here that is contagious."

Ed. note: For more information and dates for Marriage Preparation sessions, call (718) 733-3200.

By Norwood News

In 1999, a group of Democratic state legislators from the Bronx contributed to one of the biggest public policy blunders in the city’s history. Six of them voted to repeal the commuter tax, depriving New York City of $400 million in annual revenues it had been receiving for years. In all, 23 city lawmakers voted for repeal.

How could they do it? You’re probably thinking they must have gotten something good in return, right? Like more money for city schools or after-school programs, or a greater say in the state budget? Or maybe some largesse for an important project like the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory? 

Nope. They did it just to get a Democrat elected to a state Senate seat for a special election in Rockland County.

Despite selling out their own constituents in the city, their candidate lost. 

Democrats are once again anxious to pick up a seat for their party and the open seat once held by Guy Velella offers one of their best chances statewide. And this time the Bronx party has a chance to use their political clout for a good cause – protecting the north Bronx from a disastrous plan to dig a hole the size of Yankee Stadium for a water filtration plant in the Norwood section of Van Cortlandt Park. 

The Bronx Democratic machine supports Assemblyman Jeff Klein for the Senate seat. So do Democratic bigwigs like Fernando Ferrer, Mark Green and Eliot Spitzer. But everyone knows endorsements have little effect on elections. What could have a tremendous impact is a clear difference on a local issue of importance to voters.

Yes, we know, these are the very same Bronx Democrats that voted for the "alienation" of Van Cortlandt Park, mainly for the $243 million the city promised them for borough-wide park improvements in return. So, why would they change their minds? 

Klein now acknowledges that the plant will be more of a burden to residents than he originally thought when he voted for the alienation bill. It is not far-fetched to imagine that that and his party’s desire to win a much-coveted Senate seat could tilt the balance in favor of saving the park and the community from a quality of life nightmare.

Klein, an energetic lawmaker with a talent for getting publicity, obviously has a good shot at winning, but his election is hardly a foregone conclusion. Assemblyman Stephen Kaufman currently represents a larger portion of the 34th Senate District than Klein. (Though he’s a Democrat, Kaufman is drawing fire for planning also to run on the Republican line and confer with Albany GOPers.)  So the race will be close. Klein could stand out if he came out firmly against the plant, and used his close relationship with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to derail the plant-for-parks deal. Kaufman, on the outs with Silver, has little ability to affect policy, but he could strongly oppose the plant and differentiate himself from Klein. 

The 34th Senatorial District includes Woodlawn, where many residents are fighting the plant. Kaufman and Klein are new faces there and the first one to take a position could gain an advantage. (For the record, both voted for the plant, but only Klein voted to repeal the commuter tax.)

This is the political equivalent of a jump ball. The candidate who can jump highest and fastest to take advantage of this opportunity might just find himself with a Senate seat.

By Miranda Kaplan

Within the next couple of weeks, the Fordham Hill Owners Corporation (FHOC) will name a contractor to the task of renovating the vacant office building across the street from the co-op complex on West Fordham Road and Sedgwick Avenue. That choice will come a year after the FHOC Board’s initial decision to expand its residential offerings by creating a block of upscale rental apartments in the abandoned building –  a decision that came after nearly a decade of deliberation and failed negotiations.

Redevelopment efforts for the building stalled after its lone tenant, a Department of Motor Vehicles office, moved out eight years ago. The Department of Education’s vision for a new school in the 25,000-square-foot facility fell through when FHOC Board members failed to reach an agreement with the city. 

Those involved in the project are pleased with the new plan’s progress, and more than a little relieved.

"I think it’s great for not only Fordham Hill, but for the surrounding community," said property manager Everton Moore, who has worked for the redevelopment for the past two years. "Whenever you have an abandoned building in any community, it has a negative impact overall. We’re definitely excited about it."

The building is currently undergoing internal demolition. By the middle of next year, FHOC plans to begin renting out approximately 30 new units. The apartments, the board hopes, will eliminate a public eyesore, generate revenue for the corporation and alleviate a scarcity of housing in the area.

"When you look at the demographics, and you look at the supply of apartments available, there’s definitely a shortage of affordable housing throughout the city," Moore said.

Elizabeth Tillman, Board president since 2000, agrees. Though the members considered commercial prospects, she said, "there was a greater need for residential living space . . . and we want to do our share for making the quality of life better for our surrounding neighbors." 

While she referred to the rentals as "luxury apartments," Tillman maintains that they will be affordably priced for middle-class tenants. FHOC has yet to determine what that will entail.

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A rare open seat has ignited a heated Democratic primary in the 80th Assembly District, pitting a local community leader against the larger Bronx Democratic organization. Naomi Rivera, daughter of Assemblyman Jose Rivera, faces Joseph Thompson, a well-known neighborhood activist, in what will certainly be a lively battle. 

The competition began when current Assemblyman Jeff Klein jumped into the race for the 34th Senatorial District, left open by Guy Velella’s resignation after he pled guilty to bribery charges.

At press time, the

Norwood News

learned that Anthony Friedman, son of former Assemblyman George Friedman, also jumped into the race. 

Klein, who represented the district since 1994, was withholding his endorsement until petitioning ended on July 15. But Klein is generally aligned with the Bronx Democratic regulars.

Assemblyman Rivera, the Bronx County Democratic Party chair, has used the race to continue his not-so-subtle campaign to fill vacant political offices with family members. Rivera’s son Joel is majority leader in the City Council, securing that powerful position when he was only 23. Naomi Rivera, 41, is Joel’s half-sister.

Ellie Jurado, a lobbyist volunteering for her campaign, said that Rivera would not speak publicly until she stepped down from her position at the Bronx Board of Elections on July 15. But Jurado did say that Rivera takes the race seriously. 

"Politics is something she’s dedicated her career to," said Jurado, the campaign manager for Fernando Ferrer’s 2000 mayoral bid. "She’s always been interested in a [political] run, and is following in her dad’s footsteps." 

It was the prospect of Rivera’s candidacy that prompted Thompson, 65, to run himself. "Frankly, this took our community by surprise," Thompson said. "All of sudden, a stranger was introduced to us, who has not done anything for our community. I decided to challenge this."

Though Jurado said that Rivera has lived in Morris Park for roughly seven years, 

Thompson has yet to meet her. "Nobody seems to know who she is," said Thompson, a district resident for 35 years. "I’ve been on the community board for nine years and I’ve never seen her there." 

Thompson is a well-known figure in the district, which mostly covers Morris Park and Pelham Parkway with a stretch of Bedford Park. In addition to Community Board 11, he serves on the 49th Precinct Community Council, the Pelham Parkway-Allerton Patrol, the Pelham Parkway Little League, and several agency boards. 

"I believe in this community, I love this community," said Thompson, who, during a brief stroll on White Plains Road, greeted several people by name. 

Thompson has taken a stand on a number of local issues –  mostly notably, against building the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park. "To me, this is one of the biggest misuses of parkland," said Thompson, who visited the alternate Eastview site for comparison. "Why are we building this in the Bronx?" 

Thompson said, if elected, he would support a civil suit opposing the plant, and try to lobby against it in Albany.

He also opposes the city’s overhaul of the Bronx’ Meals on Wheels program, which will give frozen meals to a portion of homebound elderly by fall. Assemblyman Rivera and most other Bronx Democrats support both the Meals revamp and the plant. 

Thompson enlisted about 30 volunteers to help him collect signatures, and he was confident that he would reach the 500 required. He has also been hitting the campaign trail, including Tracey Towers and other locations in Bedford Park. 

But his fundraising efforts are in the early stages. "We’re still getting professional," said Thompson, who operates out of a bare-bones campaign office on White Plains Road.

He faces an uphill battle against Rivera, who has name recognition and her father’s political machine on her side. Before becoming the Board’s deputy chief clerk in 2003, Rivera directed special events at the borough president’s office. Previously, she worked as a real estate agent and holds an accounting degree from Borough Manhattan Community College. 

Thompson is a former detective and officer in the Air Force, but says he now devotes about 60 hours a week to community obligations. During the campaign, he plans to continue his two weeknight shifts with the Pelham Parkway-Allerton Patrol. "It’s something close to my heart," Thompson said.

By Miranda Kaplan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No resident of North Fordham can help noticing that the Fordham Arcade, a persistent eyesore wedged between Webster and Decatur avenues, has been demolished after decades of abandonment.

In March, the Norwood News reported that the Bronx Council for Economic Development (BCED) and other neighborhood groups contacted Samuel Falack, the property’s owner since last August, about redeveloping the site. In a letter, Fordham community members and business owners expressed concern about the garbage piling up outside the fence and the rats that had found a home in the vacant building. Falack assured the BCED that he had plans for the site, but claimed to be held up by inadequate funds.

According to Wilma Alonso of the BCED, it now appears that problem is resolved. A branch of Cookie’s, a Brooklyn-based children’s retailer of which Falack is an owner, will open where the arcade once stood.

Joe Muriana, associate vice president of government relations and urban affairs at Fordham University, was one of many community members concerned about inaction at the site. "It’s great that he’s demolishing the building, it’s been sort of an eyesore and a scourge," he said. "We welcome the development."

At press time, Muriana knew no details of the plan, such as when construction would be completed or when the store would open. Falack did not return a call from the Norwood News requesting comment.

Muriana noted that the demolition will not eliminate the vermin. But he is satisfied that the arcade has been razed, which, he says, "was really more of a major concern for people than what came afterwards."

By Jordan Moss

In a startling local political development, Councilman Oliver Koppell, a Riverdale Democrat long at odds with the borough’s party machine, reached out to endorse party regular and state Senate candidate Jeffrey Klein on Wednesday. Even more surprising was Koppell’s decision to back Naomi Rivera in the race to fill Klein’s Assembly seat.

"The principal reason [I am endorsing Klein] is that he is running as a Democrat and only as a Democrat and he will vote for David Patterson as leader," Koppell said in a telephone interview, referring to the current Senate majority leader. Democrats hope putting one of their own in the 34th District seat vacated by Republican Guy Velella will help them gain a majority in the state Senate. 

Assemblyman Steve Kaufman, a Democrat, has said he may also run on the Republican line and caucus with Republicans. 

"Kaufman has said he will vote for [Senate majority leader] Joe Bruno," Koppell said. "If he votes for Joe Bruno and sits on the GOP side of the aisle, he is supporting an agenda that is detrimental to the city of New York and in some ways is giving comfort to the national Republican Party." 

Koppell, who was a state assemblyman for more than 20 years and briefly served as state attorney general, also said he made the move partly to make an overture to party regulars. "Part of it is an effort on my part to show that I want to be cooperative where I can with the organization," he said. 

Asked if he discussed the filtration plant issue with Klein (see story on p. 1 for more on Klein’s position), Koppell, who opposes the city’s plans to build the facility in Van Cortlandt Park, said he had. "Klein indicated to me that he is moderating his position [in favor of building the plant in Van Cortlandt Park] and that he is not necessarily in support [of the city's plans] and wanted to work with the community . . . I think Klein is moving closer to my position."

But Koppell said he didn’t know whether Klein could successfully derail the plan in the Assembly. "While I certainly encourage that, I’m not counting on that," Koppell said. "I don’t want to pretend that’s the reason for my endorsement." 

Through a spokesman, Klein said, "It’s always a pleasure to receive support from a fellow elected official, but to receive an endorsement from a political reformer like Council Member Koppell is a true honor."

In the interview, Koppell also said he decided to support Naomi Rivera for the Assembly seat. "I think she is a very bright, capable young lady [and] it appeared that she had the broadest support." 

Asked whether his decision represents a thaw in his relations with the party organization, Koppell conceded that was a motivation. "I won’t deny that I’m trying to establish better relations," he said. "That’s true."

Koppell said that he had a "lengthy conversation" with Jose Rivera two weeks ago. He said Rivera did not promise him anything specific in return for his conciliatory actions. "But I think that he understood that I was not happy with the way the organization has interacted with me over the last years," Koppell said, adding that former party chair Roberto Ramirez blocked him from having a leadership position in the City Council. "I made it clear to Jose Rivera that that is not acceptable to me." 

Finally, Koppell said that he hopes that "my reaching out to them will have a reciprocal effect."

By Jordan Moss

Shocking virtually no one, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has chosen Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park as its preferred site for the water filtration plant. Site preparation could begin as soon as early August, unless opponents are successful in getting a judge to halt the work while they file at least two separate lawsuits. 

To proceed, the city needs a memorandum of understanding from the governor, state legislature and City Council. That agreement will specify what park improvement projects in the Bronx will benefit from $243 million in water bond money that was the linchpin of the political deal that paved the way for building the plant in the park. 

The decision comes along with a mammoth document known as the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS). That study evaluates three sites. In addition to the park, it looks at the Eastview site in the Westchester town of Mt. Pleasant and a site at the Harlem River near Fordham Road. 

But the city has long preferred the park. Ever since officials secured approval from the state legislature to blast a hole in the Norwood section of the park for the plant, the city has gone to no lengths to hide that preference, even though –  in return for the lawmakers’ OK  –  it agreed to do another environmental study evaluating the three sites. Mayor Bloomberg told the Norwood News at a meeting with community newspaper editors last August that the "EIS is not gonna stop this." 

The filtration plant is for the Croton water system, the network of Westchester and city reservoirs and aqueducts that supply the city with 10 percent of its water, and occasionally 30 percent in times of drought. For many years, opponents charged that the plant was not necessary and that the city needed to do a better job of protecting the watershed. But the federal government and a federal judge did not agree, leaving the opponents to take the more practical route of pushing Eastview, an industrial location that is far more remote from residents than the corner of the park is from people living on the park’s perimeter in Norwood. There was no opposition to the plant in Mt. Pleasant; in fact, the town supervisor made clear that he would welcome it because of the tax revenue it would generate.  

Many residents of Norwood and surrounding neighborhoods like Van Cortlandt Village and Woodlawn fear the effects of at least seven years of construction on the area’s quality of life, including increased air pollution, noise and traffic. Park also advocates say the taking of parkland for an industrial facility is a dangerous precedent. 

The city’s announcement serves as a starter pistol for at least two lawsuits opponents are preparing. Though the lawyers involved have yet to wade through the FSEIS, which consists of thousands of pages, they will need to act soon, as lawmakers will be called back to Albany by Aug. 2 to deal with the long overdue state budget and other unresolved issues. 

The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park plans a lawsuit that will focus on zoning. The advocacy group filed suit in 1999 against the city the first time it tried to build the plant in the park, and the state’s highest court ruled that the city couldn’t go forward without the state legislature’s approval. 

Now the group says the city has failed to rezone the park for industrial use.  

". . . It appears that the city is still planning to go forward without formally rezoning the land, and if they do, then the park advocates will challenge them on that aspect of the plan," said Elizabeth Cooke, president of The Friends. "We feel it is very important that this not be a precedent for taking parkland for a facility that should have industrial zoning." 

Meanwhile, Norwood residents will be aided by a team of lawyers including Norman Siegel, the well-known civil rights lawyer, the Environmental Law Clinic at Columbia University, and possibly the law firm Davis Polk and Wardwell, which is considering taking on the case pro bono, according to Norwood resident Gwynn Smalls. 

The Law Clinic has been researching the project’s possible ramifications on environmental justice and has charged that the city vastly underestimates the plant’s effects on minority residents who live near the park, while applying much more rigorous standards to the more remote Eastview site. 

Two unusually competitive campaigns for the state legislature could also help determine the outcome of this saga, which stretches back more than a decade

The filtration plant could develop into a key issue in the race for Senate in the 30th District. The seat is currently open because longtime senator Guy Velella stepped down after pleading guilty to bribery charges.  

Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein, who is running for the Senate seat, told the Norwood News that he plans to play a key role in determining the final nature of the project. 

"I’m going to play a prominent role and the speaker assured me that I would," Klein said, referring to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, in an interview with the Norwood News last month. 

Though Klein voted to allow the park to be used, he now says there will be a greater burden on residents than he originally thought. "I’m also concerned that this is not a done deal," Klein said in a follow-up interview last Friday. "There is a lot more that has to take place before we walk away from the option of Eastview."

Stephen Kaufman, an east Bronx assemblyman running against Klein for the seat, did not return calls seeking comment. He also voted for the alienation bill last year. 

The plant could also play a role in the campaign to replace Klein in the Assembly. 
Candidate Joseph Thompson is opposed to building the plant in the park (see article on p. 5). Naomi Rivera would not comment until she officially launches her campaign this week, but it is likely that she will share the position of her father, Assemblyman Jose Rivera, chair of the Bronx County Democratic Committee. The elder Rivera led all but one member of the borough’s Assembly delegation to accept the plant-for-parks deal. 

Ed. note: To read the EIS on the Web, go to http://www.nyc.gov/-html/dep/html/news. 

By Heather Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On many weekday mornings and evenings, local commuters might see a tall, muscular man handing out campaign fliers and gathering petition signatures at subway stations. And while not a recognizable name yet, Kevin McAdams, a candidate for Congress, manages to get bleary-eyed commuters to stop and talk to him.

"It’s almost funny how well people receive him," said Andrew Hysell, McAdams’ 

campaign manager for his bid in the 17th District. "Most [politicians] don’t have that personal charisma."

It will take more than charm to upset eight-term incumbent Eliot Engel. But with a newly redrawn district that extends far north of the Bronx, the Yonkers native is not a total dark horse.

The 32-year-old political novice has about two months to gain name recognition before the Sept. 14 primary. While his opponent’s 16-year tenure may be formidable, McAdams seeks to use Engel’s incumbency against him. "With that [amount of time] comes a relaxed feeling," he said. "He’s not done enough to be at the forefront of things."

Engel, while taking the race seriously, dismissed those charges. "I think he has quite a nerve," said Engel, 57. "I’ve never heard of him. He’s the first candidate to run against me that has had zero community involvement."

McAdams traces his run back to 2002 when he went to Congress to lobby for additional funds for city rescue workers. A firefighter since 1996, McAdams left his honeymoon early to volunteer at Ground Zero after Sept. 11. Over 50 of his friends from the Fire Department were killed.

McAdams charges that despite responses from other local officials, Engel never met with his group –  the Board of the New York City Uniformed Firefighters union. Frustrated by the experience, McAdams and his wife, who is a lawyer, plotted his run. "My entire life has been about going out and trying to help and serve people," he said. "I’ve kind of grown into this position."

While Engel spokesperson Joe O’Brien did not have specific information about the 

lobbying visit, he did say that the congressman meets with firefighters regularly. 

Most recently, McAdams served as the treasurer for Uniformed Firefighters Local 94, a position he stepped down from in March. He has endorsements from his local and the International Association of Firefighters, along with ironworkers and carpenters locals.  

While still a firefighter based in Manhattan, McAdams took vacation time for his campaign. He and his staff, which includes four paid members and a group of volunteers, have been pounding the pavement for signatures in all parts of the district –  which includes Bedford Park and Norwood, along with large stretches of Westchester and Rockland counties. McAdams says he has over 9,000 names of those who are frustrated, or want a change, from the incumbent. "The Bronx is still upset with Engel," he said. 

Engel narrowly survived a tough primary battle in 2000 against current Council Member Larry Seabrook. On the campaign trail, McAdams says he encounters lingering resentment over the victory, and bitterness that Engel closed his Wakefield district office on 233rd Street after the race. "They took it personally," he said.

Paul Thomas, chief-of-staff for Assemblyman Carl Heastie of Wakefield, confirmed that sentiment. "The community is upset," Thomas said. "Some people

 . . . don’t have access to their congressman."

Engel said he closed the office because he needed an office in Rockland County after redistricting. "The way to do that most efficiently was to have one in each of the three counties," he said. The Westchester office is also only a mile from 233rd Street, Engel added.

McAdams has yet to gain any endorsements from elected officials, but Seabrook and Heastie collected signatures for him. "This community wants fair representation," Thomas said. "McAdams should have a say in the race and express his vision." 

Engel raised almost double the dollar amount of his challenger in the first quarter of the year, but McAdams continues to pull in funds. "He’s self-motivated in raising money, and that’s unusual for a candidate," Hysell said. 

While the candidates share labor as a top priority, along with other liberal causes, McAdams looks to distinguish himself as someone who understands ordinary people. "I’m an ordinary guy running for U.S. Congress during a time where people are tired of the same old politicians," he said. 

McAdams has been particularly outspoken against the war, which Engel voted for. "This is not a war we should have gotten involved in," he said. 

But McAdams only became a Democrat two years ago, which Engel sees as suspect. "I think it’s opportunistic," he said. "He has no record of battling for anything of importance for the district."

McAdams says he voted for Democrats in many presidential elections. "As I grew older, my tendencies have always been toward . . . middle class [issues]," he said. McAdams attributed his status as a Republican to his early years in the Navy, where he served on the Presidential Honor Guard during the first Bush administration.

While McAdams takes the race seriously, he is not shy about saying that future races are possible if he loses this battle. "I’m only 32 years old," said McAdams, with a smile. "It  leaves the door open."

By Jordan Moss

Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein said today that he would make an announcement next Thursday concerning his position on the water filtration plant planned for Van Cortlandt Park.

 

Klein made the statement at a press conference in Woodlawn, where he received the endorsement of Council Member Oliver Koppell in his bid for the State Senate in the 34th District.

 

Several Woodlawn residents showed up at the press conference with signs protesting the plant, but they dispersed after Klein powwowed with Karen Argenti and Sally Regenhard, two opponents of the project.

 

After the two politicians spoke regarding the endorsement, the Norwood News asked Klein for his current thoughts on the plant, which the city just officially announced it would build at Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. Klein said he was weighing the issue and that “there are major problems with the DEP’s” plans to build the plant at Mosholu Golf Course.

 

He then said he would make an announcement concerning his position on Thursday, July 22 and he asked his audience to bear with him until that point. 

 

In recent weeks, Klein, who voted last year to allow the city to use the park for the plant, has moved away from his full support of the project. In the upcoming July 15 – 28 issue of the Norwood News, which went to press before today’s press conference, Klein says, “There is a lot more that has to take place before we walk away from the option of Eastview.” He was referring to an industrial site in Westchester that the activists have been pushing as an alternative.

 

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