RSS
Norwood Actor Makes Home at Pregones
September 23, 2004
By Miranda Kaplan
In the Martin Luther King Auditorium, housed above the offices of SEIU 1199, the health care workers union, on West 43rd Street in Manhattan, the final performance of "Baile Cangrejero" is in full swing and all eyes are on one slight man. His grin is wide and mischievous, and the dips of his white hat alternately hide and reveal crow’s-feet. He dances loosely and carelessly, as if he were hosting a beach party instead of performing on a stage.
The basis of the show is weighty, an exploration of the points at which African and Latin cultures meet in the Caribbean, guided by the words of six Latin American poets. But the man onstage isn’t taking it all that seriously. Periodically, between the music from the small ensemble behind him and the poetry he and his co-star sing out, he stops, swivels his head to fixate on one audience member, and makes a coy remark in Spanish. Giggles spread across the room. Even those who don’t necessarily understand the words seem to get the meaning.
As the rousing finale approaches, he beckons to some of them to join him onstage for a dance. And they do, while the rest of the spectators lean out of their folding chairs, enthusiastically clapping the beat and hooting in approval. The easy communication between performer and observer is as evident during the show as afterward, when the star perches casually on the stage to chat with a cluster of well wishers.
The star is Jorge Merced, a 39-year-old Norwood resident and a veteran of Pregones Theater, the south Bronx theater company that serves as an outlet for Latino, and specifically Puerto Rican, arts and culture. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Pregones continues to be a vehicle for Puerto Rican music, poetry, dance and theater that normally go underrepresented on mainstream stages.
And Merced himself is marking a high point in his 17-year career at Pregones as he prepares to receive an award from the Hispanic Organization for Latin Actors (HOLA) in September. It’s the same group that has recognized the talents of artists like actor Alfred Molina and Pulitzer-winning playwright Nilo Cruz. "I’m deeply honored by that," Merced says.
His credentials as an actor and activist go back to his college days, but his identity as a performer goes back to his youth in Puerto Rico, where he studied music at a high school for the arts. When he came to the U.S. at the age of 17, he originally intended to study architecture, but "the passion was calling me back for the performing arts," he says with a smile.
Merced soon dropped architecture to study dance, first at the celebrated Alvin Ailey School, then in the BFA program at City College. Eager to move on to a career, he never completed his degree.
Instead, he found himself at Pregones in 1987. "I never looked back," he shrugs. "I think it was a great decision."
In his time with Pregones, Merced has acted in over 30 productions and directed several more. Last year, he won widespread acclaim for his role in "Ay Jesus," a show based on the life of Puerto Rican activist Jesus Colon. The New York Times’ Seth Kugel said of "Baile Cangrejero," "Mr. Merced mesmerized the crowd with an energy level so high that his eyes seemed ready to burst from his head."
But it’s his promotion of Latino theater, not his performance of it, that has earned him recognition from HOLA. Three years ago, Merced started the Asuncion Playwrights Project, which seeks out talented young Latino playwrights from across the country to receive mentoring from established writers. For him, the project represents part of the mission of Pregones: to allow Hispanic artists to define their own identities and defy expectations. "We provide opportunities for artists to really own their own work,"he says.
In its 25th year, Pregones has renewed its commitment to that goal with the approval of $500,000 in funds from the New York Empowerment Zone to build a state-of-the-art, 120-seat theater next door to the company’s current modest home at 571 Walton Ave. The expansion of Pregones, to be completed in December, promises jobs for residents, an added attraction for tourists, and affirmation of what Merced already knows to be true: that "arts in the south Bronx" is not a contradiction in terms.
"I always turn to the Bronx for my culture," says Merced. "I think a lot of people are beginning to understand that you don’t need to go far from your home to get good quality art."
During their touring season, when the Pregones players take their productions all over the Western Hemisphere and Europe, Merced considers it an honor to be part of the cultural voice of an ethnicity and a borough. "This is our home," he says. "We’re very proud to be ambassadors of the Bronx wherever we go."
And, thanks to its new facilities and the gumption of Merced and his colleagues, the theater looks forward to raising that voice for years to come.
"It’s been a great journey with Pregones," he says. "It’s been a long road, and we can finally say that Pregones is going to be here for a long time."
Three Local Schools Rise to Good Standing
September 23, 2004
By Heather Haddon
The year started on a high-note last week at PS/MS 15, PS 94 and MS 206 as the schools were recently removed from the states list of schools in need of improvement. The three local schools were the only ones in the district to join the 65 schools citywide that demonstrated sufficient improvement over the last two years.
"Its a real achievement," said Dr. Candido DeJesus, principal of MS 206 in University Heights. "Im very proud."
MS 206, along with PS/MS 15 in University Heights and PS 94 in Norwood, all adequately improved their test scores in math, literacy, or both. PS/MS 15 improved in math, and PS 94 and MS 206 in literacy.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, their students will no longer be granted transfers to better-performing schools. "Now other kids are trying to transfer in," boasted DeJesus, in his fourth year at MS 206. "The word is out in this community that this is a good school."
Under the federal law known as Title I, additional funding to schools in low-income communities is contingent on meeting state achievement guidelines. Schools that dont perform up to par for multiple years face restructuring or closure. NCLB upped the ante by creating standards for additional groups of students, like ethnic minorities and English-as-a-Second-Language learners.
As any principal would attest, meeting those benchmarks is difficult. The following 11 local schools remained on the list of those needing improvement: PS/MS 20, PS 33, MS 45, PS 46, MS 80, PS/MS 95, MS 143, PS 246, MS 254, PS/MS 315, and MS 399.
Harriet Kamiel, MS 206s literacy coach, attributed their success to well-attended optional sessions on Saturdays and 10 weeks of intensive test preparation. The school spends two weeks alone carefully designing small groups for the "blitz," as its called, and all the students and staff participate.
"We kill ourselves for this blitz," Kamiel said. "We make an effort to redistribute
resources. . . so everybody gets involved." Teachers are encouraged to give up their free periods to the effort, where students practice for the tests in a small group environment.
DeJesus thinks its the quality of MS 206s teachers that led to their progress. "Im the second most senior principal in the district, and this is the best staff Ive ever had," he said.
Scooter Success
September 23, 2004
By Editorial
Could it be? The incessant drone of those dastardly motorized mini-motorcycles that terrorized our communities over the summer has disappeared or at least dissipated?
Looks like it. We haven’t seen or heard a scooter in quite a while.
According to Deputy Inspector Joseph Hoch, commander of the 52nd Precinct, his officers confiscated over 100 of the scooters this summer. Hoch also credits other Bronx commanders for making the scourge a top priority.
We commend Hoch and his officers for their success. And now we hope that to help prevent the noise of summer from returning next year, that the City Council act soon on legislation to ban motorized scooter sales within city limits.
A Filtration Myth
September 23, 2004
By Editorial
Is a mantra repeated by Bronx Democratic Party chief Jose Rivera and his allies: Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz wanted the water filtration plant built in Riveras district at Fordham Landing.
Just last week at a Council committee hearing, Council Member Maria Baez, a Rivera protégée, could only think to ask Dinowitz, who was testifying, one question: If youre so opposed to this project, why did you support putting it in my district at Fordham Landing? Of all the questions she could have asked, like, how can the Council be assured the jobs associated with the project will go to Bronxites?; or how will the DEP protect neighbors with asthma from the blasting?, she instead opted for a cheap political shot.
The Norwood News has been to every public hearing on the water filtration plant in the past decade. We have interviewed Dinowitz dozens of times. And we have never heard him advocate that the plant be built anywhere in the Bronx, including at Fordham Landing on the Harlem River.
The irony is that Rivera, who lives in Fordham Hill near the proposed Fordham Landing site, felt no need to attend a single meeting held by his fellow cooperators to plot their opposition to the facility. Nor did he attend a critical community meeting in October 2002 at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church. Baez, who sent a staffer, was also absent, angering the meetings organizers. Only State Senator Efrain Gonzalez attended the session.
Jeff Dinowitz is certainly capable of fighting his own battles. But our elected officials must take responsibility for their actions.
Blaming Dinowitz is just an excuse for doing a bad thing, which is the decision to
jeopardize the health and well being of Norwood residents in favor of serving the political interests of lawmakers elsewhere in the borough.
Manhattan Services Could Shift to Bronx VA
September 23, 2004
By Heather Haddon
The Bronx Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center could absorb an influx of additional patients from the closure of the Manhattan VA facility as early as next year, a possibility that alarms officials and veterans’ advocates.
According to a current federal proposal, outpatient services at the 378-bed Manhattan VA hospital would move to both the Bronx and New Jersey. Advocates say that the Kingsbridge Road facility is already too strained to absorb such an influx.
"They’re overloaded with patients," said Helene Van Clief, 53, a Bronx veteran who relies on the VA’s services. "It would make it a year and half to get an appointment."
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs first floated the idea of closing the Manhattan facility last year in its national Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services study (or the benevolent-sounding CARES). While the announcement set off a chorus of protest, including from Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, the administration is moving forward with a final version of the proposal.
The overhaul could hit as soon as early 2005, according to Phil Craft, a spokesperson for Manhattan Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, a leading opponent of the closure.
While spokespersons for the Manhattan and Bronx VA said it was too early to assess the impact of moving the services to the Bronx, there are clearly concerns.
"We’re obviously hopeful that all the hospitals in the area will remain open," said Jim Connell, a Bronx VA spokesperson.
The Bronx facility is already one of the busiest VAs in the city for outpatient services. Last year they totaled 430,000 visits from vets, according to Connell, while the Manhattan and Brooklyn facilities averaged 300,000 and above. "We stay pretty close to capacity," Connell said.
That’s self-evident to Van Clief who, as a diabetic, must make routine visits to the hospital. But Van Clief, who performed practice maneuvers during the 1980s in Germany, often feels frustrated with the lag time for her appointments. "They say ‘we’re too crowded,’" said Van Clief, who said she was severely disabled as the result of her service.
The VA is implementing a new system that allows patients to get an appointment the day they call, but the kinks are still getting worked out, according to Connell. "We have a lot of walk-in patients," he said.
And increasingly, the Bronx VA treats patients fresh from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Connell estimated that the hospital serves "dozens" of soldiers who were recently in battle, with more to come.
Critics charge that the CARES study overlooks these developments. The report bases its recommendations on estimates that the city’s veteran population will sharply decline in the coming decade, but does not include the effects of new casualties.
"They’re just handling Vietnam vets now," said Van Clief, whose husband fought in
Vietnam. "Do we have enough outpatient clinics to handle the [Iraq war] patients?"
Inpatient and outpatient services offered at the Bronx VA include everything from routine procedures like dialysis to cardiac care and prosthetics. But the Manhattan facility provides many specialized services like neurosurgery, which generates referrals from all around the tri-state area.
Van Clief anticipates using those neurological services if her disability worsens, and if the Manhattan facility closes she will have to trek to the Brooklyn VA for inpatient care. Those using public transportation must take a bus and a train to reach the hospital.
Opposition to the closure is still strong as officials and advocates continue lobbying and letter writing. "It’s not a done deal," Craft said.
At press time, Van Clief and other VA advocates were traveling to Washington, D.C. to protest the proposed changes.
Serrano Distances Himself from Arts Group
September 23, 2004
By Heather Haddon
The group, House of Artful Expression, became a major headache for Serrano after recent news accounts revealed that the group had little to show for the $1.7 million in government funding. According to Serrano spokesperson Ben Allen, Serrano grew concerned about their lack of progress two years ago, but waited to see if they could get back on track.
"I took a chance on a community start-up organization in the Bronx that seemed promising," said Serrano in a statement last month. "It didn’t work out, and I very much regret the mistake."
Allen says that, despite requests from director Noemi Santana, Serrano’s office refused to try to appropriate additional funds for the last two years because of their growing concerns. "They were giving us reports, but we wanted something more substantial," Allen said. "They didn’t come back with anything."
In a phone interview, Santana defended the group’s record and financial accounting. "As I’ve stated over and over again, we have so much great documentation of what we’ve been doing and what our plans are," said Santana, a former marketing executive from the Bronx. "It’s always been our policy to be very open. All of our tax filings are available for public inspection."
The group’s tax returns, however, do beg some questions. There are a number of dollar inconsistencies, and few details are given about the nature of their programming. Over half of the group’s funding went to salaries, including $82,515 in 2002 to Santana.
Artful Expression’s board is closely tied to Santana and, some have alleged, to Serrano. Board member Francisco Lugovina, Santana’s longtime companion, is a businessman and former Bronx politico who was close to Serrano. The Board also includes Santana’s daughter and Lugovina’s son-in-law.
Allen dismissed allegations that Serrano steered money to his allies, saying that his
relationship with Lugovina cooled in the 1980s after Lugovina refused to endorse Serrano in his race for borough president. "This impression that he was some kind of crony of the congressman’s doesn’t jive with the facts," Allen said. "If you talk to the government entity that had authority over this, the clear message you get is there is no illegality here."
Beginning in 2001, Artful Expression was awarded federal funds to find a property for the museum, known as Casa Cultural Puertorriqueña. While they set their sites on the former Bronx Courthouse in Melrose, the building’s owner said he never received a serious offer from them, according to the Daily News.
The group also received $300,000 to establish a theater program in the basement of a former school on East 146th Street, but that never happened. If it had, it would have greatly benefited Lugovina, who was a partner in the company that owned the building, according to the News.
The only project the group seems to have completed is a short documentary on the lives of a number of first-generation Puerto Ricans. But Santana says that Artful Expression has accomplished a lot in its short lifespan, though she didn’t offer details.
"We’ve been working on behalf of the community," she said. "We’re looking to get the record straight on the great job that is being done by us."
The state attorney general (AG)’s office is aware of the situation, though they would not comment further. Santana confirmed that she’s heard from them. "[The attention] spurred the AG’s office to make a call, and we are working with their office at this time," she said.
Artful Expression also must conduct an audit of its spending by Sept. 30, 90 days from when their federal funds were terminated. The Department of Commerce’s inspector general will review it for inconsistencies.
"It will be up to him to see whether actions are taken," said Michael Newman, a
spokesperson for the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), the federal agency that made the grant.
The congressman’s office met several times with NIST to voice their concerns over the project’s progress, according to Allen. "They always said nothing was going wrong," he said.
NIST would appear to be an unlikely funder for an arts project as it typically funds research in areas like biometrics and analytical chemistry. But it is under the aegis of the Commerce Department, which Serrano has sway with as the ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary.
Serrano has put in a measure to reclaim roughly $500,000 of the money given to Artful Expression, according to Allen. The congressman’s office is now in discussion with several other groups to continue work on Casa Cultural, though Allen wasn’t sure where those negotiations stood. Gladys Rosa, a publicist hired by Artful Expression to help rehabilitate its image, said the group intends to continue moving forward on the museum project as well.
While the incident arose at a bad time for Serrano – just a month before his son’s primary race for a Senate seat – Allen says he thinks the worst is behind the veteran lawmaker. "At this stage of the game, we’re not worried anymore," he said. "We always knew that the congressman did nothing wrong. [It's] just an unfortunate waste of money."
Council Poised To Approve Plant
September 23, 2004
By Jordan Moss
The City Council is expected to vote on Sept. 28 on a deal that will allow the city to build a water filtration plant in the Norwood section of Van Cortlandt Park in return for spending over $200 million on Bronx park improvement projects.
If the attitude of many of the Council members who attended a hearing of the Council Committee on State and Federal Legislation last week is any guide, the city should have an easy time of getting the Council’s approval.
Only Councilman Oliver Koppell, who represents the district the park is in, and Gale Brewer, a Manhattan member who asked pointed questions of those who testified, aisapproved; all other members who spoke expressed their support of the controversial facility.
"As I sit here, I can’t even imagine how anyone would want to take it out of the Bronx," said Council Member Madeline Provenzano, whose district is in the east Bronx. Queens member James Genarro also registered his support as did Helen Sears, another Queens member.
Koppell, for his part, called the deal a "Faustian bargain,"and in a press release elaborated.
"What the city has offered the Bronx officials is a legal bribe," he said. "The parks
projects should go forward, and their approval should not be dependent upon the
community exchanging park improvement for park and community destruction."
On Sept. 28, the Council will be voting on what is known as the MOU – or memorandum of understanding – a document that delineates which park projects will be completed with $200 million in water bond money. The Bloomberg administration promised the borough’s Assembly delegation the money in return for their support of the project. The city cannot proceed with the project until the Council signs off on the MOU.
Several of the proposed park projects are in our area, including $15 million for
Williamsbridge Oval Park; almost $10 million for the Harris Park ball fields; $7 million for Aqueduct Walk; $3 million for Devoe Park; and $5 million for St. James Park.
The hearing aired many of the same arguments for and against the plant that have been heard at dozens of hearings and meetings about the plant over the last decade.
Union officials argued in favor of the facility, which will be buried in a giant hole the city blasts at the Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park along Jerome Avenue. They said it should be built in the Bronx, rather than a city-owned site know as Eastview in Westchester, because it will provide jobs to city union members and Bronx residents. There is, however, no project labor agreement in place to ensure Bronx residents would get the jobs.
The project’s opponents, who are mostly residents of the area, believe that construction of the project, which will take several years, will increase traffic and exacerbate air and noise pollution in an area already hit hard by asthma.
Opponents have been meeting with Council members in recent weeks, and even toured a few of them around the Eastview site in Westchester, seeking to secure the support of enough of them to defeat the plan.
But it seems now that the only arrows left in the quiver of plant opponents are lawsuits.Four lawsuits are likely to be filed as soon as the full Council votes.
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, an advocacy group, has indicated it will sue the city on the grounds that the park has not been properly zoned for the facility. Bronx Environmental Health and Justice, a new coalition of residents, has enlisted the help of the Environmental Law Clinic at Columbia University, which is considering a suit on environmental justice grounds. The Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition, which mainly consists of upstate residents who believe that building a filtration plant will embolden developers in the watershed and give them an excuse to pollute, also plans to sue. And the latest entry into the legal battle is the Westchester town of Eastchester which claims that it should have been consulted since building the plant in the Bronx will require the town to build an expanded pump station and chemical filtration facility next to its middle school and high school.
Bronx Dems Revel In Primary Victories
September 23, 2004
By Heather Haddon
It was a clean sweep for Bronx Democratic regulars last Tuesday when a small electorate helped deliver primary victories to the machine’s incumbent and rookie candidates. The results were a big ego boost for the organization, which has taken its lumps over the last year for a number of its controversial positions and potential legal troubles.
The local slate of winners included Naomi Rivera (80th Assembly District), Jeff Klein (34th Senatorial District), and Efrain Gonzalez (33rd Senatorial District).
As the returns came in, officials, union representatives, and supporters gathered at the organization’s clubhouse in Westchester Square. "There are no Dems like Bronx Dems," said Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión to a packed house. "The road to Albany goes through the Bronx."
The victories were especially sweet in two hotly contested open races. Naomi Rivera, daughter of Assemblyman Jose Rivera, the party boss, triumphed over challengers Anthony Friedman, the son of former party leader George Friedman, and veteran community activist Joseph Thompson.
While Rivera clearly held the name-brand advantage, things turned vicious as her
challengers attempted to associate her with what they called a corrupt party machine. "We had a tougher campaign than most because we had to deal with a lot of negativity," said Rivera after her victory was secured. "Many times I had to bite my tongue. But this is really sweet and we did it right."
Klein, the current assemblyman in the 80th District prevailed in a bitter Democratic primary contest in the race to replace Guy Velella in the 34th Senatorial district. (Velella had to resign after pleading guilty to bribery charges.) Klein defeated fellow Bronx Assemblyman Steve Kaufman, who also ran in the Republican primary. Kaufman, who had the backing of Republican leaders in the state legislature and Mayor Bloomberg, lost both races. Kaufman did win the Conservative primary but dropped out of the race. Klein will face Republican John Fleming, a former detective, in the general election.
While Klein’s appearance at the clubhouse was brief, he did get plenty of applause earlier in the night. "My campaign was about, in some ways, this organization," he said. "We’ve heard a lot of negative things about this organization over the last few months. I want to say I will always be a proud Bronx Democrat."
Party regulars have taken tremendous heat over the last year for their roles in supporting the construction of a water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park and for backing a controversial plan to consolidate the Bronx’ Meals on Wheels program. (Standing awkwardly in the back of the room was Louis Vasquez, whose RAIN senior centers received two of the Meals contracts allegedly because of his close relationship with Bronx Dems.)
Gonzalez and Congressman Jose Serrano have also received negative publicity lately for their relationships with, and financial support of, Bronx nonprofits..
Gonzalez, who easily triumphed over former state senator Israel Ruiz, Jr., spent the beginning of the night looking detached and rather lonely. He noticeably brightened as the calls for party unity continued. "I’m not ashamed. [Efrain] is someone I’m proud of, someone who needs to be shown respect," said Rivera to resounding applause.
Former borough president and probable mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer, who had also been standing alone, kept the self-congratulatory ball rolling. "In spite of unfair commentary, we prevail," he began his sermon-like address. "In spite of any naysayers, we prevail. In spite of everybody, we are strong, we are united."
Also in attendance were important elected officials from outside the borough, signifying perhaps the resurgent clout of the Bronx machine. State Comptroller Alan Hevesi was there as was Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, who gushed over Naomi Rivera. "She is a great candidate, a great campaigner, and a great friend," said Gotbaum with her arms around Rivera.
The only disagreement came over the extent of the Rivera legacy. The elder Rivera, now with two of his children in politics (his son, Joel, is the majority leader in the City Council), compared, as he now often does, his family to the Rockefellers and other "dynasties." But his daughter had a different take.
"It’s not about a dynasty," she said. "The Riveras are a people who believe in struggle. We are the underdogs."
Engel Defeats McAdams, Flagg
Incumbent Eliot Engel won the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 17th Congressional District with a commanding 65 percent of the vote, despite a spirited challenge by firefighter Kevin McAdams, who campaigned hard with a large crew of staff and volunteers. McAdams regularly campaigned in Norwood, greeting voters at the entrance of the D train station on Bainbridge Avenue, and on the Friday before primary day, he campaigned with the actor Steve Buscemi, a former firefighter, at El Coral Restaurant on Bainbridge.
But McAdams lost by a large margin, netting only 23 percent of the vote. The fact that his campaign was well organized and had a relatively large contingent of volunteers and paid staff for a newcomer made the loss all the more discouraging for McAdams’ supporters. A third candidate in the race, Jessica Flagg, got half as many votes as McAdams despite having virtually no organization.
At McAdams’ election night party at Rory Dolan’s, a large Irish bar and restaurant just over the Bronx border in Yonkers, supporters – many of them firefighters – were disappointed.
"Kevin would have done everybody proud," said his lieutenant, Ritchie Mlecz. "The voters made a mistake."
McAdams, who is only 32, seemed to signal that he would be back. "This is only a beginning," he told his supporters. "Our campaign is going to keep going. We’re not stopping."
When someone yelled, "2006!" McAdams said, "We’ll see." After a pause, he smiled and reminded his listeners, "Bill Clinton lost his first Congressional campaign." - Jordan Moss
Status Bump for Koppell
Council Member Oliver Koppell extended an olive branch to the Bronx County Democratic Party just two months ago, and the unexpected move already seems to be bearing fruit. For the first time since he was elected to the Council in 2001, a press release from Koppell’s office was distributed by the Council’s press office last week, a courtesy reserved only for those loyal to the speaker and the Council leadership.
Koppell is the favorite son of the Riverdale-based Benjamin Franklin Democratic Reform Club, which is at perpetual odds with the regular organization. But in a surprising move last July, Koppell threw his weight behind regular Jeff Klein in his Senate bid. Even more startling to political observers was his endorsement of Naomi Rivera, the daughter of party chief Assemblyman Jose Rivera, in her race for the 80th Assembly District.
Koppell told the Norwood News back in July that his endorsements were tactical. "I won’t deny that I’m trying to establish better relations," he said. "[I hope] my reaching out to them will have a reciprocal effect."
The press release favor may appear to be a minor gesture, but it signifies that Koppell may be making progress toward his goal of gaining more leverage in the Council. Koppell has most likely been kept on the back bench due to Speaker Gifford Miller’s allegiance to the Bronx machine, whose backing made his ascent to the top job possible. Koppell has yet to chair any of the Council’s 32 committees – an obvious slight considering he was a former state attorney general and there are only 51 members total. But, if he continues to gain favor with regular organization, that could change when new committee appointments are made in January 2006 after the next Council election.
The committee chairs, usually doled out based on loyalty to the speaker, also come with $10,000 extra pay.
Drums of Steel
September 9, 2004
By Alex Kratz
The CASYM Youth Steel Drum Band performed at Williamsbridge Oval concert on Aug. 26. Another concert featuring Latin Jazz is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 19 in Van Cortlandt Park at the corner of Jerome Avenue and Gun Hill Road.
The Oval Blues
September 9, 2004
By Alex Kratz
Mississippi native Floyd Lee and his blues band rocked the Oval and delighted hundreds of residents on Aug. 26 in a concert in Williamsbridge Oval Park. The double-bill concert, which included the CASYM Youth Steel Drum Band, was organized by the Mosholu Woodlawn South Community Coalition with funding from Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. Another concert featuring Latin Jazz is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 19 in Van Cortlandt Park at the corner of Jerome Avenue and Gun Hill Road.
Local Man Takes Poetry From Streets to Stage
September 9, 2004
By Gary Pang
Sam "Fish" Vargas has a very ambitious goal for his poetry: to represent both his own life and that of an entire borough.
"The Bronx represents overcoming adversity," said Vargas, a 33-year-old Puerto Rican slam poet who lives in Norwood. "At one point in the 1970s, it was the epitome of urban decay. We literally rose from the ashes."
At 240 pounds with tattooed arms, Vargas looks more like the semi-professional football player that he once was until three years ago, when he gave up sports and devoted himself to writing and slam poetry, or competitive performance poetry.
The laser focus on his passion paid off this summer when he went to St. Louis for the National Poetry Slam 2004. He competed in the Slam Masters Slam, a contest where he and 31 National Slam organizers and prominent slam poets fought for the unofficial title of national slam champion. The Bronx poet came home with the bragging rights.
Vargas’ odyssey is an authentic Bronx tale. He grew up in Soundview in the 1970s and 1980s. "There was a lot of drugs and decay," he said. "I saw people being shot."
Growing up, Vargas and his friends were hardly immune to the neighborhood’s problems. "It was typical school troubles, and also getting harassed by police officers," he said. "The chips were stacked against me."
"But I was passionate about poetry," he added, "and with it I could turn my experience into something positive."
One of Vargas’ poems, Perdido en La Calle Nene, or "Child Lost in the Street," describes scenes of life, violence, and death on the streets of his childhood and early adulthood. Its characters include hallucinating drug addicts and a man who had his best friend’s face tattooed onto his arm after seeing him die from a stab wound.
In 1995 on Manor Avenue, Fish saw a boy falling from a fire
escape to his death. In Perdido, this incident shows how violence pervaded everyday life:
"A six year old life ends, face down on concrete.
Clear
white fluid glistening on the blood pouring out of his mouth, ears, and nosebrings exclamations from the knowledgeable street thug
‘Once that liquid
comes out like that, he’s not coming back dawgs.’"
"I like to give it to you straightforward," said Fish about his blunt realism.Vargas values his difficult childhood. "Reflecting on my past makes me appreciate where I am and where I’m going," he said.
Perdido ends with "Man, let me borrow your dreams. Mine . . .don’t take me far enough." But Vargas feels that both he and the Bronx no longer need to borrow anyone else’s dreams. He said the Bronx now also represents "pride in culture and heritage."
"Unlike the ’70s and ’80s, the Bronx is now a place for community values, family, love, and everything positive," he said.
Vargas also cited the "cultural resurgence" in the south Bronx. "It’s no longer the South Bronx of Fort Apache times," he said. "It is becoming a beautiful art district, a safe place for poetry, painting, and other arts."
Contributing to this resurgence is Acentos, an open mike event at the Blue Ox Bar in Mott Haven, which Vargas and other poets founded in March 2003. Bronx poets were not well represented at poetry readings in lower Manhattan and the borough lacked a literary scene. "Acentos gives them somewhere they can have a voice," Vargas said. "We accept all races, ethnicities, and poets. We will treat you like family."
The open mike is also attracting prominent poets. During its first
anniversary in March 2004, it featured Miguel Algarin, a founder of the
Nuyorican Café, New York’s famous poetry venue. Algarin gave Acentos’
founders some high praise, Fish said. "He said to us, ‘You are the founders of the second poetry revolution,’" the first being the Nuyorican 30 years ago.
Vargas and Acentos participate in LouderArt, a non-profit arts
collective. Fish hosts LouderMondays, an open mic, at Bar 13 in Manhattan.
Fish plans to continue writing and performing, and would like to publish a book of his poetry. He has taught creative writing and poetry to inmates at Rikers Island and he would like to teach in the public schools.
Fellow poets and slam competitors alike admire him. "I haven’t been to the Bronx that many times, but that poem Perdido makes me want to go see it," said Taylor Mali, the president of Poetry Slam Incorporated and National Slam organizer who lost to Fish at Slam Masters Slam. "He’s filled with passion, and he speaks with fire. If you listen closely, your ears will get burnt."
For Vargas, the power of any art form is that it is a common language that everyone understands. "Using art, the artist speaks to people philosophically, spiritually, emotionally," he said. "It reaches them even when they thought they couldn’t be reached because it touched their heart."
City Explores Sites For Celia Cruz School
September 9, 2004
By Heather Haddon
The Department of Education (DOE) is investigating whether a permanent site for the Celia Cruz High School of Music can be found after parents protested its move from DeWitt Clinton High School earlier this year.
While now housed at Walton High School, parents of students at the 2-year-old small theme school are upset that it was abruptly moved after Clinton’s powerful alumni association intervened.
On a recent edition of BronxTalk, the cable talk show hosted by Gary Axelbank on channel 67, Cruz parents said the city was considering moving the school to the site of a building on the eastern perimeter of the Jerome Park Reservoir that once housed a demonstration filtration plant.
That possibility, explored by the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) angered some local activists. "You can’t start building schools in parks," said Anne Marie Garti of the Jerome Park Conservancy, a volunteer group, noting that the DEP promised to demolish the plant and restore the area as parkland. "We would oppose it with full force."
But Cruz’ chances of using the site appear slim anyway. According to DEP spokesperson Charles Sturcken, the School Construction Authority considered the building too costly to renovate. "They said it wasn’t worth their while," Sturcken said.
The DEP also proposed using a building at the Jerome Avenue Pumping Station, just south of Tracey Towers, for a temporary school site, which Sturcken says DOE also rejected. "They are looking for something permanent," he said.
But DOE would not confirm or deny whether they are still exploring those sites. "The community has been making suggestions and we are looking into them," said Michelle McManus, a DOE spokesperson.
Cruz is one of several theme schools that the city seeks stand-alone spaces for, according to McManus. "There are a few schools in similar situations to Cruz that are being incubated in spaces," she said.
But parents are less than thrilled with Cruz’ temporary quarters. "We don’t want to bury it in Walton," said Soledad Franco, a Cruz parent. Franco and many of the school’s parents are worried about Walton’s severe overcrowding problem and its reputation for being unsafe.
In a recent meeting with Superintendent Irma Zardoya and Deputy Mayor Dennis
Walcott, Cruz parents were encouraged to give Walton a shot, according to Franco. "They emphasized that there have been safety improvements," she said.
But parents are determined for Cruz to stand on its own. "We’re not giving up,"
said Franco, who is planning a fundraiser to pay for assistance in identifying additional locations in the area. "We’re not staying quiet."
“No” to Filter Plant
September 9, 2004
By Editorial
Before month’s end, the City Council will vote on a "memorandum of
understanding" submitted by the state legislature that could be the final
action to pave the way for the filtration plant to be built in Van Cortlandt Park.
This should be an obvious "No" vote. There’s not enough space here to sum up all this project’s faults. Suffice it to say that the city has no business building massive industrial facilities in parkland, particularly across the street from residents, many of whom suffer from asthma; there’s a better, more remote site in Westchester County that local officials there approve of; and putting the plant in a park would set a dangerous precedent for the disruption of parkland all over the city.
This should be a public policy no-brainer for Council members. But the political system has been greased with the vague promise of money for Bronx parks. And Council members from other boroughs who vote yes will most likely be motivated by backroom horse trading with Bronx officials that we will never know the details of. Council Member Oliver Koppell is a vocal opponent of the plant. But Council Members Maria Baez and Joel Rivera will almost certainly vote for the project unless they hear from residents.
Vote Locally
September 9, 2004
By Editorial
While the country and the world focus on an important presidential election, it’s important to keep in mind that choosing the president is only one of our civic obligations. Local races for state legislature are also critical and arguably have more of an effect on the lives of our communities than the occupant of the White House.
Take any issue — education, health care, the environment, drug laws — and Albany controls all of it.
Unfortunately, our so-called "lawmakers" are better known for the avoidance of their collective responsibility for lawmaking, and for their silent collusion in a legislative system that renders the participation of an individual representative virtually irrelevant. If all the legislators left town, no one would much notice as long as the speaker of the Assembly, the majority leader of the state Senate, and the governor stayed behind. They are the "three men in the room" who decide everything.
The Empire State’s dysfunctional legislature has been well documented in newspaper editorials and a new report by the Brennan Center at New York
University that rates it the worst in the country.
So why vote for these lawmakers-in-name-only? Because they are, for better or worse, a permanent part of our democratic system and the more voters there are in these races the more accountable the politicians will be.
The state legislature is probably the least known level of government, probably because it’s not the subject of high school civics lessons (in Texas, it’s required) and because of how little gets done in Albany.
But not voting on critical issues like the reform of the draconian Rockefeller drug laws or a fairer system for funding New York City schools is an action that legislators should be held accountable for.
Of course, it doesn’t end with voting. Get to know your state legislators. Learn their positions. Hold them accountable. After all, you pay their salaries.
In Public Interest
September 9, 2004
By Alex Kratz
By HEATHER HADDON
The gloves came off at a debate last week for candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the 80th Assembly District. A flurry of bitter exchanges centered on current Party head Assemblyman Jose Rivera and former leader George Friedman, whose progeny are competing for the rare open seat.
While lawyer Anthony Chiofalo and community activist Joe Thompson accused their opponents of being opportunists too closely tied to the party machine, Anthony Friedman and Naomi Rivera scrambled to cast themselves as political independents with their community’s interests at heart.
The forum, sponsored by the 204th Street/Bainbridge Avenue Merchants Association and held at Epiphany Lutheran Church, brought together all four candidates in their first public debate.
Chiofalo set the tone for the evening by accusing the elder Friedman of throwing him off the ballot. (Chiofalo is running as a write-in, and as a Republican in the general election.)
"George Friedman is one of best backroom dealers ever seen," snarled Chiofalo, 43, prompting a retort from the elder Friedman, who was sitting in the last pew.
The younger Friedman, who spoke nervously at the debate’s beginning, deflected the attacks by lashing out at Rivera. "We don’t need political hacks or posers or career politicians in Albany," said Friedman, 34, in response to a question concerning reforming Albany. Rivera, 41, finished her response by saying, "Mr. Friedman, I hope you’re not calling me a political hack."
The other questions, posed by Paul Sawyer of The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and Allan Freilich of Freilich Jewelers on East 204th Street, spurred more finger pointing, especially at Rivera and her father. A question about asthma quickly led to discussion of the water filtration plant, which all the candidates oppose. But Assemblyman Rivera’s role in striking the deal that paved the way for the city to build the plant in the park became a target.
"This is a result of a club policy of cronyism and nepotism," said Thompson, 65, echoing similar attacks from Friedman and Chiofalo. An agitated Rivera said, "I don’t know how the deal was struck. I’m not going to speculate."
Rivera was less accusatory, emphasizing that she is a mother, neighbor, and leader. But she did conclude her remarks by addressing Chiofalo. "I’m an independent," she said. "If you want to take on Assemblyman Jose Rivera, I will give you his phone number."
That wasn’t necessary as the elder Rivera was in the audience – sitting across the aisle from Friedman – videotaping the debate. Asked what he thought of the debates’ harsh tone, Rivera said it was typical.
"You’ve got to let them vent," said Rivera, who was clearly amused by the proceedings.
Rivera called all the candidates qualified and, feeling generous, said whoever won the race would be invited to join the Party organization.
When the candidates were asked about their neighborhood involvement, Thompson’s resume appeared to be the most substantial. "That’s impressive," said Council Member Oliver Koppell, who has endorsed Rivera.
Gentler in his attacks than Chiofalo or Friedman, Thompson did jab at his challengers, especially Rivera, on their community credentials. Thompson’s work is almost exclusively in the eastern part of the district, which mostly covers Morris Park and Pelham Parkway with small sections of Norwood and Bedford Park. All of the candidates, except for Friedman, live in the Morris Park area.
The lively contest was launched after State Senator Guy Velella pled guilty to bribery charges and resigned from office. Jeffrey Klein, who held the Assembly seat for 10 years, decided to run for Velella’s seat in the 34th District. Barbara Stronczer, a Community Board 7 member and Bedford Park resident, wishes Klein stayed.
"[Klein's] always been there for us," Stronczer said. "I hope whoever takes his place will not forget that we’re part of the district."
While Stronczer was still undecided on the candidates, she did find the debate helpful. "I got a sense of how they would react to criticism," she said. "That’s important because they have to work with others in Albany."
Sawyer thought the candidates’ answers were skimpy. "There was a lot of going at each other instead of focusing on the issues," he said.
But with the vast majority of the packed house being bused-in supporters (Rivera’s crew wore matching T-shirts), there weren’t many residents to persuade.
Still, many consider the contest a rare example of genuine political competition in the Bronx. "Politically, it has made them take a fresh approach," said Koppell, pointing to Naomi Rivera’s opposition to the filtration plant. "It’s a refreshing confirmation of democracy. They’re reflecting their constituents’ opinions."
Ruiz Debates Alone
There was, to say the least, less competition in the second debate of the evening for state Senate candidates in the 33rd District. Former state senator Israel Ruiz sat alone on the dais as the incumbent, State Senator Efrain Gonzalez, chose not to attend. Since most of the audience were supporting Assembly candidates – and promptly left after that debate ended – Ruiz was left to talk at length to the roughly 20 remaining attendees.
Gonzalez told the Norwood News that he didn’t think he had a challenger. While Ruiz had been knocked off the ballot, he was reinstated after taking the matter to court last week.
"I’m not avoiding publicity," said Gonzalez, whose relationship with three nonprofit
groups is being scrutinized by federal investigators (see story on p. 1). "I didn’t know."
Ruiz took advantage of the open forum to critique Bronx politicians at length. "They’re a bunch of Mickey Mouse politicians," he said. "If elected, I would work hard to bring in new leadership."
He also chided Koppell, his occasional ally, for going "over to the dark side" by
endorsing Rivera.
Ruiz failed to answer most of the questions asked of him, preferring to launch into long monologues about his work. But he did bite on a question about gay marriage.
"I believe in the traditional sense of the family, but it shouldn’t be the government’s business," he said. Continuing, Ruiz said that gay people tend to be too explicit when they first reveal their sexual orientation. "They should stop it," he said. "Sex is good, but there should be more in life than sex."
Gonzalez’ Ties to Nonprofits Probed
September 9, 2004
By Alex Kratz
By JORDAN MOSS and HEATHER HADDON
Federal prosecutors are investigating whether State Senator Efrain Gonzalez improperly funneled campaign contributions and government grants into three nonprofit organizations that employ family and associates of the Bronx Democratic lawmaker.
The New York Post reported in August that the U.S. attorney’s office and the city’s Department of Investigation have subpoenaed Gonzalez, his wife and other Bronx officials as part of a probe into taxpayer-funded nonprofits.
In his first interview since the scandal broke, Gonzalez said he was innocent. "I haven’t done anything wrong," said Gonzalez, who has retained veteran Bronx defense lawyer Murray Richman. "Everything is just speculation. Whatever the investigators are looking for will come out in the process."
Two of the organizations in question – the West Bronx Neighborhood Association (WBNA) and the National Hispanic Policy Institute – have offices in the same building where Gonzalez’ district office is located, 1780 Grand Concourse. The third organization, the Institute for Multicultural Communication, Cooperation and Development, lists its office at 1840 Grand Concourse.
Despite the fact that tax returns indicate that the WBNA has no staff, it spent almost $59,000 on travel between 2000 and 2002. The Post first reported on the travel expenses, and The Riverdale Press provided further details.
The WBNA also racked up over $57,000 in telephone expenses during those same years. WBNA’s officers include the senator’s brother, Angel, and Lucia Sanchez, who shared Gonzalez’ apartment until his recent marriage, according to The Riverdale Press.
Tax documents indicate that WBNA’s purpose is "Educational/Cultural/Youth Programs/Community Issues/Family Values/Environmental Issues/Voter Registration Drive [and] Scholarships."
But, despite this wide-ranging mission, and even though it spent over $210,000 on "conventions, conferences and meetings" over a three-year period, Bronx community leaders interviewed by the Norwood News say they’ve never heard of WBNA.
Asked why the Norwood News had never heard of WBNA or received press releases or events notices from the group, Jose Nicot, a volunteer who answered the phone at WBNA, said the group dutifully avoids the public eye.
"We shun any and all publicity," Nicot said. "We don’t really say all the things we do. We prefer to remain silent and help people. If the Lord acknowledges us in the afterlife, that’s good enough for us."
Nicot said the group sponsors "lots and lots of youth activities," including neighborhood concerts and education scholarships. As for conferences and conventions, Nicot said WBNA does not run its own but sponsors other people to organize such events.
Gonzalez also said that WBNA has kept a low profile, but defended their work. "Nobody knows what they’re about," he said. "They’ve done a lot of work … and that will come out."
The Institute for Multicultural Communication, Cooperation and Development lists Ismael Betancourt, Jr. as its president. Betancourt, who has run for several offices unsuccessfully, including Bronx borough president, received compensation of $100,000 in 1997 and $27,000 in 2000. The 2000 tax document says he worked 40 hours a week but the 1997 document lists no work schedule.
Reached at the phone number listed on the organization’s tax return and asked what the Institute for Multicultural Communication does, Betancourt said it produces concerts, conferences, videos, and provides "business assistance." Asked to name a recent concert, he mentioned an event at the Apollo Theatre in 2003 but ended the conversation when asked for more specifics.
The National Hispanic Policy Institute, which says its purpose is to "involve the private sector in economic advancement of the Hispanic community" fought the merger of two Spanish-language media titans, Univision and Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, last year. The Institute ran a series of advertisements against the deal and, once it was approved by the Federal Communications Commission, appealed the decision unsuccessfully.
Gonzalez says the merger hurts the Spanish-language market. The deal severely hurt Spanish Broadcasting Systems, which owns many national radio stations. The company donated $7,000 to Gonzalez’ Senate campaign in 2000.
Gonzalez says that the Policy Institute is a national organization with satellite space in his office. "They are based in Washington with an office here . . . next to my office," he said. Betancourt is a board member of the group.
Senator Gonzalez’ campaign committee, Friends of Senator Gonzalez, has donated $38,800 to WBNA over the last four years, according to publicly available campaign finance records. The Institute for Multicultural Communication received $1,500 in 2002 from his campaign fund.
Gonzalez defended his support for the nonprofits, saying he tries to help all the local groups. "What’s wrong with helping groups privately?" he asked. "It doesn’t have to be from government. What’s wrong with that?"
While Gonzalez wouldn’t comment about specific donations, he did say that "grassroots" groups like these needed all the help they could get. "People don’t understand what grassroots means – it means you got no money," he said. "We’re not the Bloombergs. We’re little people."
The organization’s budgets are not insignificant, however. The Institute for Multicultural Communication, for example, recorded $327,000 in revenue in 1999, including $110,000 in government grants. The tax documents do not specify the source of that government support.
Ruiz Challenges Gonzalez for Senate Seat
September 9, 2004
By Heather Haddon
The race for Senate in the 33rd District pits against each other two well-acquainted adversaries — incumbent Efrain Gonzalez and his one-time boss, former state senator Israel Ruiz, Jr. While yet to face a serious primary during his seven terms, Gonzalez has faced political turbulence in recent weeks as he was hit with news that he’s the subject of an investigation by the U.S attorney’s office.
Gonzalez’ hold on power has remained firm since he was first elected in 1989 to the district, which, after the latest redistricting, includes all of Community Board 7. He has been aided by his close alliance with the Bronx Democratic Party and his fundraising ability.
But the fact that the U.S. attorney’s office has reportedly opened an investigation into whether Gonzalez misused campaign contributions and public monies by steering them to nonprofit groups employing his allies (see p. 1) adds a wrinkle to an otherwise slam-dunk re-election bid for Gonzalez. While those charges could theoretically affect next week’s primary, the matter is just starting to gain attention.
"At the moment, all there is are allegations," said Norman Adler, a veteran political
consultant not affiliated with either candidate. "The electorate will take that with a grain of salt."
But for Ruiz, a Party outsider, the news is more fodder in his ongoing campaign against the machine. "Gonzalez is trouble," said Ruiz, 61. "He’s become a political hack."
Ruiz charges Gonzalez with a litany of failures, from poor constituent services to
ineffective lobbying in Albany. "There’s currently not one major project in the Bronx except for the [filtration] plant," he said. He also relishes attacking Gonzalez personally. "My opponent can’t put two sentences together," said Ruiz at the recent candidates debate in Norwood (see p. 2).
While Gonzalez failed to attend that event, he fired back at Ruiz during a phone interview last week. "Ruiz is a mental health case," said Gonzalez, 56. "I hope the doctors can help him."
Gonzalez defended his record, stressing that constituent services is one of his strong points. "I’m very accessible," he said. "I return everyone’s call. I even visit them."
Gonzalez repeatedly emphasized that he is a man of the people who comes from humble beginnings (he used to drive a bus). "I’m like rice and beans," said Gonzalez in his trademark idiosyncratic way. He also said that his intermittent support for Republicans reflected his ability to be "a uniter, not a divider" to get things done in Albany.
Ruiz characterizes himself as a "salesman" in personality — and he is not shy about
listing what he describes as his accomplishments. He takes some of the credit for
stabilizing the West Bronx during the 1970s, and champions his former district office as one of the best in the city. Currently a consultant for contractors, Ruiz spent 14 years in the Senate and six more representing the City Council’s 14th District.
Both candidates say they are against building the filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park, though neither has played a major role in opposing it. The Kingsbridge Armory is one of Ruiz’ top issues, and he supports the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition’s proposal to include schools in the redevelopment mix. Gonzalez said their plan was "not far off" but he would still like to see a police academy or other large institution included in the project.
The two foes do have quite a bit in common. Gonzalez was once an aide to Ruiz. Both were born in Puerto Rico, now live in the Fordham Hill Cooperatives, and are on their second marriage. Both have befriended powerful Republicans and have business backgrounds.
And with the U.S. attorney’s investigation, both have had trouble with the law, though Gonzalez has not yet been charged with any wrongdoing. Ruiz, though, was convicted in 1989 with failing to report his assets on a bank loan application for a supermarket. He was forced to leave the Senate for a five-month stint in jail.
Ruiz said his black mark is "like night and day" in comparison with the current charges against Gonzalez. He also accused the Democratic organization with helping to throw him off the ballot due to a faulty cover sheet late last month. The matter was taken up in New York State Supreme Court and Ruiz says he was reinstated last Tuesday.
While he may now be battling Gonzalez, Ruiz is out to get the entire Bronx Democratic establishment. He ran against Council Member Maria Baez in the last two Council elections, and if defeated in this race, will certainly run again for something. "I’m going to give these guys a hard time until we get rid of all of them," he said.
But Ruiz has channeled less verve into fundraising and campaigning. He has just a
handful of volunteers, no campaign office, and as of last month, had raised roughly
$8,000 – about a third of Gonzalez’ total contributions.
Ruiz says he collected more than 3,000 signatures during petitioning, three times the required amount. He also said that, like Gonzalez, he has name recognition.
Even with the investigation of Gonzalez, Adler thinks his seat is safe. "Gonzalez is pretty good at coming back home to his constituents," he said. "He’s not an absentee legislator.
"But Adler did give Ruiz credit. "You have to hand it to Ruiz, he just doesn’t give up," he said.
Current Print Edition
 |
Click here for PDF downloads of recent editions. Click here for all recent print edition stories. |
Latest from Breaking Bronx
- Tomorrow: Live Coverage From The Bronx BP’s State of Borough Speech Wed, Feb 22 at 5:27pm
- Bronx Nabe Note: Become Your Own Boss Workshop, Thursday Night Wed, Feb 22 at 4:35pm
- Wednesday’s Bronx News Links Wed, Feb 22 at 3:17pm
- Local Initiative Puts Focus on Teens’ Reproductive Health Wed, Feb 22 at 12:33pm
- Bicycles and Basketballs Could be in the Armory’s Future Wed, Feb 22 at 5:58am
