• Home
• News
• Health
• Politics
• Schools
• Crime
• Business
• Opinion
• Sports
• Culture

 RSS

Bronx Week Wrap Up

By None

By THE NORWOOD NEWS STAFF

Thousands of Bronxites celebrated Bronx Week earlier this month through cleanup campaigns, business and cultural events, a festive parade along Mosholu Parkway, and the annual Bronx Ball. Nine celebrities who got their start in the borough were inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame. The seventh annual tribute went to Hollywood columnist Army Archerd, hip-hop pioneer Kurtis Blow, Sopranos actor Dominic Chianese, the doo-wop group the Chiffons, Latin musician Joseito Mateo, salsa legend Eddie Palmieri, former NBA star Ed Pinkney, former CBS correspondent Daniel Schorr, and a posthumous honor to Latin pianist Charlie Palmieri.

Back to Features Index Page

---

Hundreds Rally for School Safety Zones

By DANIELLE WHYTE

 

Hundreds of parents and teachers stopped traffic on the Grand Concourse at a rally earlier this month for safer streets near Bronx schools.

The rally drew about 500 people to East 170th Street, enough to block cars on the Grand Concourse. They shouted and waved signs and a few cars honked in apparent support.

The rally, organized by the Community Collaborative for Bronx schools (CCB), formerly known as the Community Collaborative for District 9 schools, called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement a 15-mph speed limit around all Bronx public schools.

A spokesperson for the DOT  said it is working to alleviate the school traffic problem.

“In recent years, throughout the city, we have installed thousands of school crosswalk markings and signs,” the spokesperson said. “We have placed speed bumps at 350 schools and, as a result of our dialogue with CCB, we will be conducting a pilot program to test 15-mph speed limits around five Bronx schools this fall.”

But parents are not satisfied.

“We are aware of the pilot program and we are not happy with that,” said Ronn Jordan, a parent leader from CCB. “It does not go far enough.” 

CCB activists were initially fighting to get the pilot program launched in 50 to 100 schools across the Bronx.

“We’ve been after them for a while, so for them to only choose five schools is a slap in the face,” said Teresa Anderson, a parent leader from the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, which is a member of CCB.

“Five schools will not make them want to make changes in the future,” said Jordan. “We’re not going to stop until 224 schools have these limits and speed calming devices.”

(As the Norwood News went to press Tuesday, CCB had plans to protest at Mayor Bloomberg’s campaign headquarters on Wednesday.)

 Over 25,000 parents, teachers, community members, local elected officials, the American Heart Association, and the Bronx Health Initiative have signed a petition to add traffic calming elements like school crossing guards, working traffic lights, and speed bumps around all 224 Bronx public school buildings.

According to CCB, which started four years ago and is made up of six community-based organizations, traffic accidents are the number one cause of death and injury for children ages 5 to 9 in New York City.

 “We have to put a stop to the senseless killing of our children,” said Edward Valentine, a CCB member. “They are educating our 5-year-olds on how to cross the street, but who’s going to educate those drivers?”

“What’s more important: the flow of traffic or the safety of children?” asked Christopher Moncrief, a 12-year-old speaker from the Bronx Repertory Charter School in District 9.

A survey of 143 principals in the Bronx, done by CCB, found that 80 percent of principals reported problems with speeding cars, 65 percent reported problems with crossing the street to the school, and 52 percent reported a need for 15-mph speed zones. 

Ana Fernandez attended the rally because she is concerned about her child, who goes to school in District 10. “My 9-year-old is in school and he comes home by himself and it scares me,” she said. “The cars act like it’s Nascar.”

World Leaders Meet On Fordham Campus

By Andreas SCHNEIDER

 

On Friday, June 17, under a tall white tent on a well-manicured lawn in front of the William D. Walsh Family Library at Fordham University, community advocates from around the world and a panel of high ranking global leaders engaged in a dialogue about how best to develop the world.

The Local-Global Leaders’ Dialogue highlighted the Community Commons, an event co-hosted by Fordham, the United Nations Development Program-me (UNDP) and several other agencies, which brought 150 community leaders from 44 countries to the university’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx from June 16-18.

Attendees and organizers said the Commons — organized and brought to Fordham by a group of seven Fordham graduate students — allowed grassroots activists from remote areas all over the world to create valuable networks, exchange ideas and, in a change from past Community Commons, present their development policy suggestions to those with the power to actually implement them.

“In past Community Commons, the focus has really been on celebrating prior successes,” said Nancy Gillis, the Fordham graduate student who brought together the organizing team. “This event had as its purpose to come up with specific policy recommendations.”

Gillis, who attended three of the previous six Commons, said that a lack of focus on policy recommendations prevented the past events from having any sort of long-term impact.

On June 20, a group of attendees announced their recommendations at a press conference at U.N. headquarters. At the top of the list was a suggestion that local communities play a leading role in planning and implementing the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Other recommendations included a global learning fund to allow communities to share ideas and fund pilot projects, the creation of community task forces at the global, national and local levels to strategize, review progress of MDG implementation, and more dialogues about partnerships that would enhance community access to finance, technologies, information and markets.

Conference attendees nominated Gladman Chibememe, chairman of the CHIBEMEME Earth Healing Association in Zimbabwe, to present the three-day conference’s policy recommendations to the Civil Society hearings of the Millennium Review Summit at the U.N. General Assembly in a five-minute speech on June 24.

The opportunity for exposure to global leaders, which Friday’s dialogue provided, was a rare chance for many of the community leaders in attendance, some of whom had trekked for days by foot, train and finally plane just to attend.

Friday’s global leader panel featured Shoji Nishimoto, assistant secretary general of the United Nations and director of the UNDP Bureau for Development Policy; John Robinson, director of international conservation for the World Conservation Society and Jan Bojo from the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

“[The panel members] are the working horses of these programs,” said Maria Cleofe Bernardino, executive director of the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. in the Philippines. “This is a great opportunity for us. By coming together we can have a voice.”

Bernardino was one of the attendees nominated by her peers to speak before the panel, and she used her two minutes at the microphone to challenge the efficiency and effectiveness of World Bank and UNDP policy.

Her speech, which drew loud applause and cheers from the audience, emphasized a complaint shared by many attendees: There is not enough community involvement in development policy implementation.

The U.N. and other aid agencies “come and stand around just like white elephants,” said Joyce Kores, of GROOTS Kenya. “We want to come here and train them.”

Almost every speaker asked for more “bottom up” involvement in policy decisions on the part of affected communities, as opposed to the top-down implementation of policies from foreign agencies.

In response to these challenges, Assistant Secretary General Nishimoto told the audience: “I am here to be trained.”

“This is part of our listening to people. We are sincere,” said Bojo, who will write a report based on his experience which will then be used as one of many reference tools when future World Bank policy decisions are made.

That Fordham University hosted an event that might lead to changes in international development policy was very exciting for Nancy Busch, dean of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences at Fordham.

“This is the first time that students have initiated something with the potential impact of this conference,” Busch said.

Plant Foes Make Case for New Form of Filtration

By Andreas SCHNEIDER

As blasting continues in Van Cortlandt Park, and the hole in the former driving range deepens, one environmental group holds out hope that it can convince a an appeals court that there is a better filtration technology than the one the city is planning to use.

The Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition (CWCWC) is suing the city over the process by which the Department of Environmental Protec-tion (DEP) selected Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) technology for the plant. The group presented its final oral arguments to an appeals court in Brooklyn on June 23, and is now awaiting the court’s decision.

None of the three other lawsuits fighting the plant has yet been successful, and the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park has dropped its suit entirely. The two other groups are considering appeals. 

CWCWC claims the city must reevaluate its choice of filtration technology for the Van Cortlandt Park plant in light of recent advances in the field of membrane filtration. If CWCWC wins, the city could be required to conduct another study comparing the impacts, costs and benefits of a membrane filtration plant to those of the dissolved air filtration plant being built right now.

The DEP favors dissolved air flotation technology but CWCWC insists membrane technology is a more economical and environmentally friendly choice that would result in a much smaller facility.

In a DAF plant, a combination of chemicals and air bubbles are injected into unfiltered water. The chemicals cause pathogens to cluster together and the air bubbles carry them to the surface where they are skimmed off the top. A membrane filtration system pushes unfiltered water through a series of membranes, plastic barriers with tiny holes in them, similar to microscopic coffee filters or sieves. These membranes allow water to pass through while stopping bacteria and other non-water pathogens.

At the center of the argument are the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) and the City Environmental Quality Review Act (CEQR), which require agencies to study the environmental impacts of any projects, and thus minimize overall impacts.

Charles Sturcken, a DEP spokes-man, says that DEP water quality scientists and engineers already performed a study in 1997, which they finalized before they released their final Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed plant in 2004.

“They decided that dissolved air flotation is the best way to filter this particular water system,” Sturcken said.

But Dr. Audrey Levine, a specialist in membrane filtration working with CWCWC, says membrane technology has undergone revolutionary advances since DEP conducted their study.

“When you look at it, it doesn’t make sense to embrace this DAF technology right away,” Levine said at a public forum on membrane filtration at St. Ann’s Church in Norwood. “You need to do [another] analysis.”

The state’s deputy comptroller, Kenneth Bleiwas, also requested a new analysis in an official letter to DEP Commissioner Christopher Ward last September.

“Considering the rate at which this technology appears to be advancing,” Bleiwas wrote,  “it seems appropriate for DEP to review this alternative filtration system based upon the most recent scientific data available.”

DEP sent a seven-page response to the comptroller’s office in January, which explained the decision to use DAF technology and concluded that a membrane plant could not, efficiently and cost-effectively, meet treatment goals for the Croton water supply.

For many years, CWCWC was firmly opposed to the construction of any filtration plant because they believed that a plant would encourage development and pollution in the watershed upstream. That position led many Bronx activists, who supported the construction of a plant outside the Bronx, to part company with CWCWC. But CWCWC says they began researching membrane filtration in 2003 after their lawyer in Washington, D.C. told them a plant would be needed to meet stricter water quality standards. With this in mind, they decided to challenge what kind of plant would be built.

“[Membrane filtration] is a clean, simple, direct way of stopping pathogens which can make people very sick,” said Dr. Marian Rose, president of CWCWC.

And James Bacon, an attorney for CWCWC, says that after the cost of a new environmental impact survey and the cost of undoing all the work that has already been done in Van Cortland Park, the city would save at least $600 million by constructing a membrane filtration plant. Addition-ally, a membrane plant would be one-third the size of the DAF plant, he said, citing a quote from membrane manufacturing giant Zenon Inc. 

The DEP challenged that assertion in a June 16 statement to Bronxites for Parks, a Norwood group, saying that, while membrane filtration is good for small-scale plants, DEP studies indicate a membrane plant for the Croton reservoir would have to be larger and would thus be more expensive and closer in size and cost to the present DAF plant.

“We’re confident that we will win,” Sturcken said in response to a question about the costs of another survey. Should they lose, he said, “we’ll have to go back and rethink a lot of things.”

Changing of Guard at CB7

By Heather Haddon

Veteran Community Board 7 (CB7) chair Nora Feury presided over her final meeting last week, officially handing over the gavel to board member Greg Faulkner while she faces allegations of embezzlement.

“I have a battle to fight by myself,” said Feury, who seemed tired but steadfast. “You will not be far from my heart and my thoughts.”

The shift is a seismic change for the Board, which Feury, one of its longest serving members, has presided over for the past 17 years. Faulkner, one of the newer members, was the only candidate for chair when Feury decided to resign earlier this month. 

Feury said she will step down from the Board entirely while she attends to allegations that she stole funds from the Catholic Charities Head Start program she ran for decades. The Archdiocese of New York fired both Feury and Ruth Ramos, the agency’s finance director and a CB7 member, after a federal investigation discovered that they had embezzled over $800,000 from the program for needy children in the Bronx and Manhattan.

Feury denies the charges and has retained a lawyer. She would not comment specifically on the situation, but said it was unfair. “When something like this happens, I am news. Not once over the years did they say anything about the good things I’ve done,” said Feury, 69.

Federal officials conducting a nationwide investigation into Head Start agencies earlier this year found that Feury and Ramos had nearly tripled their salaries by siphoning off funds from the general expense budget, according to the Archdiocese. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said that they were still looking into the situation, but federal officials would not confirm or deny if they planned a criminal investigation.

Board members were universally supportive of Feury during the meeting. “I just can’t believe these accusations,” said Stuart Davis, a member. “You have done so much for the community.”

District Manager Rita Kessler, who is a close ally of Feury’s, held back tears. “I am very sad what’s happened to you, but I know we will do well with Gregory,” Kessler said.

Typically outspoken, Faulkner was quiet for most of the meeting, giving a tactful but rousing speech at the end. “I know for some of you I’m not your first choice for chair,” said Faulkner, 52. “I’m going to work hard to gain your faith.”

Faulkner had been a long shot for the chairmanship, winning four out of 20 votes in initial balloting for the position last month. He and Hector Lopez, who ran for 1st Vice Chair, were the first members to challenge incumbents for the executive posts in years. Because they were out of practice, during the voting last week, members were confused about the proper procedure to cast and count the ballots.

“We’re wasting time,” said Elizabeth Errico, a member, as Board members debated whether or not the ballots should be secret and who would count them. Ultimately, the police counted the secret ballots.

Incumbent Sallie Caldwell was reelected as 1st Vice Chair by a margin of 16 to nine. David Laguer, Barbara Stronczer and Davis resumed their positions, and Andrew Laiosa was elected as secretary after Ricardo Parker chose not to run again.

Lopez, while disappointed, said he was pleased that Faulkner was the new chair. “Two months ago I thought we had no chance,” he said. “Things are going to change.”

The meeting was the last public session until the fall, but Faulkner seemed eager to roll up his sleeves. “I can’t wait to begin,” he said, huddling with members after the meeting ended.

***

Along with the elections, the board agreed on next year’s district needs, which are supposed to provide guidance during the budget process. Most of the items on the list are the same as in prior years, but Laiosa took issue with the priorities for cultural affairs, which were exclusively to benefit the Bronx Zoo and an Italian foundation. He suggested they include groups like the Bronx County Historical Society.

Kessler was dismissive. “They have no needs,” she said, adding that if the Society had budget requests it would contact the Board. “What do they need, a book?”

The Board did change language regarding youth services, now targeting the central and southern parts of the district. The northern part of the area has enough coverage for youth, according to Don Bluestone, a Board member and executive director of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center.

The Community Center recently received additional city money for after-school programs through a reorganized contracting system. The Tolentine Zeiser youth center in University Heights and the EARS violence prevention program were not refunded, according to Bluestone.

“I was really worried about this but it worked well for us,” Bluestone said. “Smaller programs didn’t do as well.”

In other matters, the Board refused to sign off on city repairs to the streets and landscaping surrounding the Botanical Square complex, since the project is not yet finished. The city has been working on the area, located in Bedford Park, since last year.

Kessler announced that a private developer is constructing an apartment building at 3242 Reservoir Oval East. Currently a vacant lot, the small space is slated to house a six-story building with 12 units, according to city Department of Buildings records.

Nabe Wonders Where It Fits in Yanks’ Plans

By RACHEL BREITMAN

By RACHEL BREITMAN

Highbridge Horizon
Twice a day, college freshman Ramon Acosta, 18, exercises at the Joseph Yancey Track and Field in John Mullaly Park.

When construction begins in Macombs Dam Park and John Mullaly Park to build the new Yankee Stadium, expected to start next year and finish in time for the 2009 season, Acosta will lose his workout space. Though he mourns this loss, he said, “Give me 10 more championships, and I guess it is okay."

Acosta echoed the mixed feelings of many in the Highbridge neighborhood about the plans for a new stadium. In the wake of controversial campaigns to construct stadiums for the Nets in Brooklyn and the Jets in Manhattan, rebuilding “The House that Ruth Built” has caused some anxiety for taxpayers, housing advocates and environmental activists.

On June 15, the Yankees, along with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, released formal plans for a new $800 million stadium. While the team has agreed to foot much of the bill for a new 50,800 seat open-air stadium, the city and state will supply funding for increased infrastructure and local development.

“We have reached an agreement to build a stunning new stadium for the New York Yankees, as well as new public parks and recreational facilities that will continue to drive the incredible renaissance taking place in the south Bronx,” said Bloomberg, in a press release.

This came only days after the mayor had introduced plans for a new Mets stadium in Queens that could be used for the 2012 Olympics.

What will be done with the current space, considered hallowed ground by many baseball fans?

“That’s up to the city, not us,” said Randy Levine, the Yankees president.

The Parks Department plans to preserve the playing field with its current outfield dimensions, dugouts and about 3,500 field-level seats around home plate.

“We will work with the community to determine what elements should be incorporated into a new structure that would serve as a gateway to what will be called ‘Heritage Field’,” said Warner Johnston, spokesperson for the Parks Department.

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión shared his own vision for redevelopment of the park in his February “State of the Borough Address,” including the creation of little league fields, a baseball museum, a new public high school for sports careers and possibly a hotel. To improve transportation, the city has discussed an expanded ferry landing on the Harlem River waterfront and a new Metro North train station.

The city would pay $135 million of these infrastructure costs, with another $75 million coming from the state. This may still leave a gap of more funds needed for building and renovating the area around the park.

While increased local commerce could be a boon to storeowners, the cost of housing would likely soar as well.

Local activists, like Gilberto Rivera of Nos Quedamos, a non-profit affordable housing group, have joined together in an organization called Bronx Voices to demand that the community’s needs be included in the plans.

“We are working for the community,” Rivera said.

“What is going to happen to merchants, and will housing be displaced?” Rivera asked. “We don’t want to shut it down, but we want to know what is happening in our own backyard. We are concerned about garbage, traffic, trucks.”

Park advocates also want to make sure the lost parkland is replaced.

“The Bronx has the least amount of street trees of any borough,” said Rowena Daly, communications director of New Yorkers for Parks.

David Mojica, district manager for Community Board 4, was also anxious about the disruptions to community life from closing the park.

“Activities are going to be lost,” said Mojica. “They have to replace [them] with new baseball fields, benches, state of the art plans."

Anne Fenton, press secretary for the borough president, said Carrión “absolutely will not give up a large parcel of parkland without getting more.” She said that Carrión expected Yankee Stadium to be an area of economic development, bringing people and money into the Bronx.

Not everyone is so confident about the earning power of a new stadium.

“Stadiums are not good development tools,” said Doug Turetsky, chief of staff for the city’s Independent Budget Office. "They’re not big revenue generators. It sits unused for most of the year. However, it really depends on how it is integrated. In Denver, the new stadium there has been more successful because of how it was integrated in the neighborhood and the way it was used.”

Denver’s investment in a new field for the Denver Rockies, surrounded by an aquarium and shopping complexes, led to a marked increase in new apartments, new companies, and new customers.

Despite concerns among constituents, tt was hard to find a politician in the borough who was opposed to the plan, and all three members of Bronx Democratic chief Jose Rivera’s political family dynasty were on hand for the announcement with the mayor.

“This is an exciting public-private plan for Yankee Stadium that will truly transform the south Bronx,” Rivera said in a statement. “Not only will New York get a new Yankee Stadium, but our city will get over 3,600 construction jobs, a new waterfront park, as well as many other traffic, streetscape and infrastructure improvements. This is a smart investment in the future of the Bronx that will yield hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue in coming years.”

And even City Council Member Helen Foster, who chairs the Council’s Parks Committee is optimistic.

“I have been a critic of the Yankees for years,” she said. “But in this project, they’ve done their homework. I think there’s a commitment to work with the community.”

This article originally appeared in the Highbridge Horizon.

Bronx River Improvements Keep Flowing

By DANIELLE WHYTE

 

Last summer the Parks Department and the Bronx River Alliance laid out plans for adding boardwalks and restoring floodplains in the area of the river closest to Norwood and Bedford Park. A year later those plans are reality and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for June 25.

Both projects were done in the Bronx River Forest, the area of the river located just behind French Charley Playground and the Allerton baseball fields.

A floodplain is the area around a river that absorbs excess water and helps maintain water levels. Floodplains also soak up nutrients that can be harmful to fish and plants in the river.

“We restored the connection between the river and the floodplain, which will allow the floodplain to function more naturally,” said Teresa Crimmens, environmental coordinator for the Bronx River Alliance. “We hoped to improve ecology function and access to the community.”

A cricket pitch that used to flood has also been removed and restored as a floodplain, and berms have been installed to stabilize riverbanks. Japanese Knotweed, a bamboo-like plant, which stubbornly grows along the riverbank and crowds native plants, have been removed, and many more native plants have been added.

“People in the neighborhood have noticed things going on, and the boardwalk and lights will make people feel more secure,” Crimmens said.

The boardwalks are only the beginning of plans for improved access to the river. There is planning afoot to create a bicycle path the length of the whole river, which starts at the Kensico Dam in Westchester and flows through the Bronx into Long Island Sound.

“We are coordinating with Westchester to make a bike path run along the whole river,” said Maggie Greenfield, the Greenway coordinator for the Bronx River Alliance.

More pedestrian pathways and informational signs along the river are also in the works. “We want to draw more people to explore the nature here in the Bronx,” Greenfield said.

That goal is already being achieved. On June 10 and 11, volunteers participated in Bronx River Bio Blitz, a 24-hour event that drew scientific experts and volunteer teams who identified and counted the animal and plant inhabitants of the river. The first group to explore found clams, leeches and crayfish in the river.

The river is indeed home to many species of plants and animals including muskrats, crayfish, a variety of birds, and oak and maple trees. The 23-mile-long river is often called the “true” river of New York City because it is the only fresh water river that flows through the city.

“I think it’s good they’re rebuilding the park and showing the natural habitat,” said Shawn Curry, a volunteer and member of Sustainable South Bronx (SSB), a group that worked with the Bronx River Alliance to organize the Bio Blitz. “And I came to learn about the wildlife and natural habitat here.”

Lonnell Richardson, also from SSB, agreed. “The improvements are an excellent idea for those not familiar with the Bronx River Forest to explore and appreciate our environment,” he said.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bronx River Forest improvements is Saturday, June 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Burke Avenue Bridge in the Bronx River Forest. Sonia Manzano, who plays Maria on “Sesame Street,” will perform, and other games and activities will take place to celebrate Family Day by the River.

Walton Teens Dig Up New Interest

By Heather Haddon

 

Snapping off his headphones, Jose Hernandez excitedly held up a treasure he’d found in the dirt. “Una cebolla,” said Jose, brushing off a white bulb.

Jose had indeed found a wild onion, along with a greater appreciation of horticulture since joining Walton High School’s inaugural class of Green Teens this year. The new program teaches students about a range of environmental topics. It’s also instilled an appreciation of the outdoors, and school in general, in kids who haven’t usually cared about either.

“It’s a new experience for me,” said Ariel Francisco, 17, pausing from his job raking topsoil. “I never worked in this stuff before.”

Stephen Ritz, a dean at the Kingsbridge Heights school, started Green Teens after he observed students’ enthusiasm for parks during an event last year. Ritz knew of environmental programs for high performing students, but none for kids needing extra attention.

That’s true of many of the students at Walton, which struggles with severe overcrowding, violence, and low graduation rates. (Walton will receive one of the second largest allocations of dropout prevention funds in the Bronx next year.)

Ritz drafted a curriculum for the program with help from the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, an advocacy group, and the Green Teens debuted last winter. Interested students had to interview for a slot. “Some of them came dressed up in shirts and ties,” said Mark Conley, a Walton teacher running the program with Ritz.

The group consists of 18 mostly male students who spend a portion of their day learning about ecology, horticulture and environmental science. They put those studies to use after-school and on the weekends while beautifying local parks, planting vegetables for a soup kitchen program, and examining Van Cortlandt’s flora and fauna.

“They are giving up their own free time to do this,” Ritz said.

Students are moving up from the basics — figuring out what weeds and poison ivy look like— to testing water quality and conducting advocacy. Junior Tavarez, 16, was initially bored by the work.

“I thought all we were going to do was dig in the dirt,” he said. “But I got interested when we started learning science.”

Kristy Figueroa, 18, tested her fledgling advocacy skills at a recent parks event with officials. “We are learning in a different way,” she said.

A major part of that difference is being away from the thousands of other students jammed into Walton. Kristy says the overcrowding is stressful and makes it hard for her to pay attention. Jose is burdened by the school’s gang problems. “It’s a tough environment,” he said.

Many Green Teens say they get along better outside. “In school, it’s just about the way you dress,” Jose said. “Here we interact about other things.”

The time also seems to allow students to cultivate more meaningful relationships with their teachers, and the school itself. Green Teens will be planting 150 trees and bushes outside the school before summer break. “It’s all messed up now,” said Ariel, noting that cars tend to drive over the grass.

Walton’s administration has been supportive of the program, but it isn’t always easy to get space for them. “It’s not the safest environment for storing things,” said Conley, noting that another student ripped out a sapling planted in his classroom.

Despite the bumps, Green Teens has far surpassed Ritz’ expectations. Its participants have maintained a 90 percent attendance rate, he said, compared to Walton’s average of 75 percent last year. To remain in the program, students must stay in good academic standing.

“I’m shocked,” Ritz said about their success. “You usually can’t get these kids to school, and look at all they’ve done.”

Ritz says that others are noticing the program’s merits, and Discovery High School, a small school housed within Walton, will probably start a satellite Green Teens.

Ritz would love to expand the initiative at Walton but is limited by how much staff time can be devoted to the effort.

“It’s a tremendous amount of organizing work,” said Ritz who is an energetic cheerleader for the Green Teens.

Jose is looking forward to going to a vocational school next year, and while not looking to make a career out of it, hopes to keep doing horticulture as a hobby.

“I wish I had this program when I was a freshman,” he said.

Dancing for Miss Battles

By Heather Haddon

 

Life without Miss Maggie Battles just isn’t as sweet.

“I miss her,” said a frowning Muhammad Jogeh, 8. “She was so nice to us at school but then she got sick.”

Battles, known affectionately as “Sweet Magnolia,” has touched thousands of students in her 26 years as an aide at PS 8 in Bedford Park. After falling ill with cancer, she stopped working in March and is undergoing treatment. But PS 8 hasn’t forgotten about her.

“Someone visits her every day,” said Maria Quail, the school’s principal. “Our school is her family.”

Battles, 76, came to PS 8 in 1979, leaving the back-breaking work of migrant farming in the south. Originally hired on a temporary basis, the administration was impressed by Battles’ work and kept her as a full-time school aide.

Four principals later, Battles still oversaw the lunchroom, and helped students in numerous other capacities. “She always cares about people,” said Norma Melendez, 10, whose older sister, a former PS 8 student, used to get homework help from Battles.

Saira Rodriguez, 11, also fondly described Battles. “She’s very patient and considerate of others,” she said.

After a series of infections, Battles was diagnosed with cancer that spread from her lungs to her bones. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Wayne Avenue Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Students and staff have visited her often, but decided to do something special before the year was over. Last month, PS 8 started preparing a musical and dance tribute to Battles, and made dozens of drawings and written cards.

All the Center’s residents were treated to the performance last week, with Battles sitting in the front wearing a corsage. The school’s chorus sang three spirited songs with syncopated moves. The showstoppers were 25 first graders who shimmied to the swing. Pint-size boys twirled girls and threw them between their legs, while others did cartwheels.

The residents clapped and cheered, one man repeatedly shouting, “Viva Los Niños!”  (“Long live the children!”) Based on the positive reaction, PS 8’s choral director hopes to bring students to the Center annually.

A mountain of cards in her lap, Battles was especially touched. “I miss the kids so much,” she said, beginning to cry. After the performance, students surrounded Battles to give her hugs.

Despite her illness, Battles remains a fighter. “I want to go back,” she said through tears. “I will go back.”

City Must Limit Diesel Exhaust on Filter Project Machinery

By None

Recent articles in The New York Times and AM New York call our attention to the air we breathe. The articles report the American Lung Association gives the Bronx (and most of New York City) an F for filthy air. And it is getting worse.

Breathing particulate pollution in filthy air causes asthma and is tied to diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. In other words, breathing in New York can kill you.

According to the Lung Association, the two top triggers for New York City’s air pollution are diesel trucks and power plants. Hard to believe, but a significant part of the problem comes to us on the wind from coal burning power plants in Ohio. Particulate matter travels that far, and falls on us as acid rain, or sits on the city in clouds of smog on summer days.

Unfortunately, only the federal government can help us control emissions from Ohio’s power plants, but our City Council has taken on the first cause — diesel-fueled vehicles. In response to local legislation, both the MTA and the city’s Department of Sanitation are in the process of using cleaner fuel and retrofitting city buses and sanitation trucks to control diesel emissions.

Here in Norwood, however, the problem looms unresolved and close to home. Diesel powered bulldozers, backhoes, and drills have been at work preparing the filtration plant site in Van Cortlandt Park since late December. Last week, blasting began and diesel powered trucks began hauling away the broken rock and dirt. The city’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) predicts a diesel-powered truck will leave our corner of the park every two minutes for the next two years. The EIS also predicts a 2 percent increase in deaths and incidents of asthma caused by this construction in our neighborhood. The DEP is committed to use best available technology to control emissions from diesel-powered equipment, but their equipment has been at work in our park for six months and they have not yet completed research into what that best available technology might be!

In Van Cortlandt Park, the DEP has taken many measures to control the visible dust that rises from their work. Trucks are washed down and their loads of dirt and rock are covered. Grass is planted on exposed dirt surfaces. Blacktop roads have been built. All equipment is required to use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel, which cuts emissions by 10 percent.  But the invisible fine particulate matter emitted by use of diesel fuel — the invisible, killer dust that causes asthma, cancer, and heart problems — remains 90 percent unchecked.

Friends and neighbors concerned with the problem have suggested various solutions. Some propose tracking emergency room visits to see if there is the increase in deaths and incidents of asthma predicted by the EIS. But tracking can take more than a year to gather statistics, and won’t prevent a lifelong problem for those affected. Tracking is good, but will only tell us we were right — two years after the damage has been done.

Others have suggested planting additional street trees in the Norwood section. A great idea. We will all enjoy their beauty, and eventually those trees will help clean our air. But trees the size you can transplant won’t in the next two years significantly clean the air we breathe as the city prepares the park site for construction. More trees are not a sufficient solution.

The only way to prevent the health problems before they happen is to retrofit the heavy equipment and trucks with emissions controls that filter out 90 to 95 percent of the fine particulate matter.

Retrofitting the heavy equipment and trucks on this project with emissions controls will cost approximately $500,000. Fortunately, New York State law (SEQRA) requires the city to “avoid or minimize” environmental impacts, including impacts to air quality. City law (Local Law 77) quite specifically requires best available emissions controls on the heavy equipment used in city projects. The Mayor and DEP must follow the law.

Make no mistake. Although the $200 million promised for rehabilitation of other Bronx parks is a good thing, that $200 million does not satisfy the law’s requirement that environmental impacts in our neighborhood be mitigated. “Mitigate” under the law means to avoid or minimize the impact. To satisfy the law, $500,000 in mitigation money must be found to minimize impacts to the air we breathe.

And there is plenty of time. Site preparation in Van Cortlandt began four months before the published schedule in the EIS. The city can halt site preparation until they retrofit the dozen or so pieces of heavy equipment and a fleet of 40 trucks, and still be ahead of schedule. If they do not, increased death and ill health will come to Norwood and the Bronx, invisible with the summer breeze.

Gil Maduro, Fay Muir and Lyn Pyle are members of the COVE Environmental Justice Committee. Hal Strelnick, M.D., is professor and director of the Department of Family and Social Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center.

Stadium Lessons

By Editorial

There are many lessons the mayor might learn from the saga of his failed plans for a Jets Stadium on the west side of Manhattan. The most important is that the outer-boroughs are not outer-space. In all his public statements, even on the day when the entire city seemed to be behind the alternative choice of Queens for an Olympic stadium, the mayor couldn’t help repeating that Queens was not the city’s first choice. The mayor, it seems, found it difficult to believe that Olympians or their fans would enjoy visiting the borough that is already the most international county on Earth.

The other thing we hope the mayor takes from this is that public opinion is not always the enemy. If he had listened to his fellow citizens, he might have championed a Queens stadium in the beginning, in which case he would have carried the torch across the finish line months ago. Instead, he staked his hopes on the ultra-obscure Public Authorities Control Board, which is the same shadowy three-men-in-a-room government (the governor, Assembly speaker and the sate Senate majority leader) New Yorkers love to hate. By doing that, a single assemblyman from a single legislative district (even the Speaker Silver himself admitted that he was acting on behalf of his lower east side constituents) was able to torpedo the mayor’s plan. Even though we’re happy with the outcome, the Control Board, which was created in the 1970s to make sure that other state authorities were not spending more than they had, should not be the place where mayors try to slip bad ideas (or even good ones) past taxpayers.

All this said, we applaud the mayor for taking only a day or so to mope over the demise of his West Side plans. If Rudy Giuliani were still mayor, we imagine he would have thrown a political tantrum, picked up his building blocks and gone home. Bloomberg wore his disappointment on his sleeve but he assailed no one and was quick to get back to the drawing board.

Now that the wheeling and dealing over stadiums is over, we hope the mayor and his administration will turn their attention to other outer-borough economic development projects like the Kingsbridge Armory. Only one small obstacle — finding a new home for the remaining National Guard troops stationed at the landmark facility — remains before redevelopment of the armory can begin. Getting this done would be easy. In an election year, it’s hard to imagine Mayor Bloomberg wouldn’t take the opportunity to take a victory lap around the Kingsbridge Armory.

Party in Our Backyard

By Editorial

For the third straight year, the grand finale of Bronx Week – the Bronx Week parade – will take place on Mosholu Parkway on Sunday, June 26. It’s a wonderful event that highlights not just Bronxites and their many organizations, but also our very own community.  Attendance at the parade has been less than it could be. Maybe that’s because people are not yet aware of the event. If they knew that a parade, food festival, and concert were in their own backyard, we can’t imagine they wouldn’t make plans to be there. So let’s show our community pride and get out to the Parkway!

Bronx Week itself is also an excellent opportunity to discover all the gifts our great borough has to offer.

Montefiore Health Center to Lose RNs

By Heather Haddon

Montefiore Medical Center is moving forward with a controversial plan to replace nine registered nurses at its Family Care Center with less skilled personnel. Announced last month, the change triggered protest among Montefiore physicians and nurses, but administrators remain steadfast in their decision.

The nine nurses from the Kossuth Avenue health center, a high-traffic primary care and specialties facility, will be transferred to other Montefiore sites in the coming weeks. Nine licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and patient care technicians, along with two administrative nurse managers, will replace the registered nurses (RNs).

“[The changes] will bring improvements in patient flow, customer relations and more efficient staffing,” said Steve Osborne, a Montefiore spokesperson.

The restructuring will also bring cost savings, as RNs tend to earn more than the other nursing personnel. But health care providers at the Center insist that RNs can perform additional tasks — from assessing drug interactions to diagnosing emergency situations — that lower skilled workers can’t.

“Having an RN over the past few years has actually saved patients’ lives,” said Dr. Peter Barland, director of the facility’s arthritis clinic. “We are very dependent on them.”

After they are transferred, the Center will have no RNs. Before the proposal was announced, union representatives from the New York State Nurse’s Association (NYSNA) were planning to ask administrators for additional RNs for the clinic during contract negotiations.

“The RN staff has slowly been decimated,” said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, a Montefiore nurse and NYSNA leader. “Because they’ve cut so many others, [these RNs] keep the ship rolling.”

The busy clinic sees thousands of patients weekly, many of whom are low-income and have a range of health issues. Services at the facility, located next to North Central Bronx Hospital, include pediatrics, primary adult care, women’s health and a variety of specialties.

RNs provide care that can’t be duplicated by LPNs or other staff, critics of the plan say. They assess patients, help speed emergencies through the Center, and can check for medication issues. LPNs can provide basic bedside care, monitor vital signs and administer injections, but cannot perform in-depth assessments. RNs typically go to school for at least three years, while training for LPNs lasts about a year.

“LPNs can only carry out orders, they can’t intervene,” said Sheridan-Gonzalez, who was formerly an LPN.

Bronia Lewin, a Montefiore RN for almost 20 years and an NYSNA leader, agreed. “We are the people who are the front line,” she said.

RNs also check that patients understand their diagnosis and treatment, which doctors often don’t have the time to do given high client loads, Barland said. “It’s difficult for physicians to take the time to show patients how to take their medication, or look for side effects,” he said. “All these things should be done with the help of an RN.”

Research has shown the advantage of an RN interacting with clients, including financial benefits for the medical facility. A 2001 study actually conducted in the Family Care Center concluded that RNs were effective in recruiting and keeping new patients. In the report, published in the American Journal of Nursing, nurses who talked to patients were able to convince them to bring in their family members for care, and 82 percent kept their appointments.

“I think [Montefiore] needs to look closer at the entire picture,” said Dolores Richards, a Center nurse. “The type of care people are accustomed to is being changed.”

Montefiore insists that the switch will not hurt service. “The majority of our ambulatory care sites are already staffed with licensed practical nurses and patient care technicians practicing under the supervision of an administrative nurse manager and/or physician,” Osborne said. “Our constant goal is to succeed in providing high quality care to all the patients we serve.”

Still, Barland, who has worked at Montefiore for 35 years, is upset. “It disturbs me a great deal,” Barland said. “I’ve never had to run a clinic without an RN.”

Roughly 30 doctors sent letters to Montefiore opposing the move. Sheridan-Gonzalez and other NYSNA members have protested the change, and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Community Board 7 wrote letters opposing the plan. “People should have the best possible care by highly trained people,” Dinowitz said.

Staff will continue their efforts against the policy, but Montefiore is standing firm. “I know Montefiore is trying to run with the vision and mission it has,” Richards said. “But this is a quick fix that … will affect so many people in the community.”

Two More Filter Suits Dismissed

By Jordan Moss

Two suits aimed at stopping the construction of the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park were dismissed last month by two Queens Supreme Court justices.

The suits were brought by Bronx Environmental Health and Justice (BEHJ), a group of Norwood residents opposed to the plant, and the Westchester town of Eastchester.

BEHJ had argued that the city engaged in environmental discrimination by not properly studying the health impacts of the plant on the densely populated community surrounding the park.

But Justice Marguerite Grays said the study was sufficient for residents to understand how the plant would impact the community.

The town of Eastchester sued the city because it said the city didn’t consider the fact they would have to build their own smaller plant if the Croton plant was built downstream from them. But Justice James Dollard said the city was not required to consider the impact on Eastchester in its Environmental Impact Statement.

Both the town of Eastchester and BEHJ are considering appeals.

The rulings on the two suits follow the decision of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park not to continue with legal action after their suit was dismissed late last year.

Board 7 Chair Steps Down Amid Fraud Charges

By Heather Haddon

Nora Feury, the chair of Community Board 7 for the past 17 years, stepped down last week in the face of accusations that she and an associate stole over $800,000 from their Bronx Head Start program, which is overseen by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. Greg Faulkner, the only Board member who was running against Feury for the chairmanship, is expected to replace Feury during elections next week.

The turn of events left those who know Feury in shock and disbelief. “None of this makes sense to me,” said Rita Kessler, the Board’s longtime district manager, choking back tears. “Nora doesn’t deserve this … after all the good she’s done for the Board and everyone in her life.”

The Archdiocese fired Feury and her financial director, Ruth Ramos, last month because they said the two nearly tripled their salaries by pocketing funds from the agency’s operating budget. While Feury and Ramos were slated to make $90,000 and $60,000, respectively, they brought home $250,000 and $180,000 annually for at least three years.

“A great deal of confidence was put into them,” said Joseph Zwilling, an Archdiocese spokesperson. “We feel that this kind of deception is a betrayal of that trust and the children that they were serving.”

According to Zwilling, federal officials discovered the discrepancies earlier this year during an audit of the Little Angels Head Start program, which serves hundreds of low-income Bronx and Manhattan pre-school children. Auditors visited the program last February as part of a national investigation into the salaries of Head Start managers, according to Steve Barbour, a spokesperson for the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF), which oversees Head Start. Caps were placed on salaries for the program last year after a report documented that some directors made upwards of $175,000.

After examining four years of records, auditors found that Feury and Ramos had paid themselves out of a general administration budget line, which was not itemized. The Archdiocese’s auditors had previously overlooked the discrepancy, according to Zwilling.

Earlier this year, the federal Government Accountability Office discovered rampant mismanagement among Head Start programs nationwide. Over two-thirds of agencies were not compliant with financial rules in 2000, and over half were still not compliant at a later review. Last month, the federal Head Start director was fired in the midst of charges of fiscal mismanagement.

Barbour said ACF is continuing to work with the Archdiocese to sort out Little Angels’ issues. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health and Human Services wouldn’t confirm or deny whether they were considering further action. Zwilling, however, seemed confident that a criminal investigation would take place.

But the ramifications have already begun. Feury, 69, was fired at the beginning of last month after 40 years at Head Start. After the issue was first reported on WABC-TV two weeks ago, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, who oversees the boards, spoke to Feury. “It was decided … that she step down as chairperson of Community Board 7 during this investigation,” said Carrión in a statement.

Feury formally announced her resignation as chair during an executive committee meeting last week. Usually feisty, Feury seemed subdued and sad, according to Kessler, who is close with Feury.

Feury did not return messages seeking comment, but is resisting the charges, according to Kessler. “She doesn’t think it’s fair,” Kessler said. “I know the fine job she’s done for the Archdiocese.”

Karen Argenti, the Board chair before Feury was elected, also thought she handled the large-scale Head Start program well. “She has been a credit to her community,” said Argenti, who has known Feury for decades. “I would be surprised if she stole that money.”

Current Board members, even those who sometimes disagreed with Feury, also expressed disbelief. “It doesn’t make sense,” said Andrew Laiosa, a longtime board member. “On a personal level, I really feel for her.”

Kessler thought that Feury would remain on the Board, but Feury might have to step down since she no longer lives or works in the area. The City Charter requires that members work, live, or have a “significant interest” in the district they represent. Feury moved from Bedford Park to Riverdale several years ago. But she was able to stay on the Board because one of the Head Start programs she ran operates in the former Mosholu Jewish Center on Hull Avenue in Norwood.

Ramos, who was also a Board member, had only served on the Board for about a year. She has had persistent health problems, and will probably resign, according to Kessler. Most members didn’t have a clear impression of Ramos. Sandra Erickson, who sat on the executive nominating committee with her, said Ramos participated in those discussions.
Faulkner remembers seeing Feury and Ramos leave together after Board meetings.

Leadership changes

The controversy comes at the precise moment when some members were looking to change the Board’s leadership. Last month, Faulkner and Hector Lopez, another member, decided to run against Feury and 1st vice chair Sallie Caldwell, respectively. Now that Feury has stepped down, Faulkner faces no opposition for the post.

“It’s all happening so quickly,” said Faulkner, 52, who is reeling from the news.

A 20-year area resident, Faulkner, who was appointed to the Board in 2002, had begun campaigning for the chairmanship, but was a long shot against the powerful Feury. Most members had elected to keep the incumbent slate during initial nominations last month.

Faulkner, who lives on Sedgwick Avenue, was judicious about the situation. “On the one hand, it’s a personal tragedy,” he said. “But I have to be honest, I’m excited about moving the Board forward.”

Some members are also eager for that prospect. “I’m very pleased to see there is another list of candidates for the Community Board to choose from,” said Lowell Green, a member.

But it will take time for Faulkner to forge his own path, as Feury has run the Board for many years. “He will have a lot to learn,” Kessler said. “We’ll help him through it.”

Faulkner says he hopes to develop strategic plans for the area, and increase the Board’s accessibility in the community. But first, he wants the Board to heal. “The theme for us is to try and unify, and then move forward,” he said.

Baseball League Chief Pitches Inclusive Game

By Heather Haddon

Try to find Chris Pinto, and you’re probably five minutes too late. “I had to secure an umpire for the girls and then run over here,” said Pinto, moving between baseball games at separate fields last week. “It’s just one of those days.”

That breakneck pace is all too common for Pinto when April rolls around and Mosholu Montefiore Community Center’s (MMCC) baseball season begins. Pinto has directed the Center’s large league for 14 years, and he shows no sign of tiring.

“I’d like to stay as long as they’ll let me,” said Pinto, 49. “I feel very blessed to be in a job I love.”

Under Pinto’s leadership, the Center’s baseball league program has grown from 200 kids when he started in 1991, to its current roster of 800. MMCC hosts over 40 teams ranging in age from kindergartners to 15-year-olds. The league is large enough to compete internally — except for the girls, whose numbers pale in comparison to the boys — and hold their own championships. Every day, Center little leaguers are playing games somewhere in the area for the 10-week season.

This bounty of baseball means plenty of time for kids to shine and parents to cheer, but for Pinto, it also requires fields to secure, umpires to coordinate, and equipment to haul. “It’s a lot of work,” admitted Pinto, a strapping fellow with a barrel chest. “But I’ve been doing it long enough that I know what to expect.”

Pinto, who lives in White Plains, starts his day at noon by answering his 50-plus daily phone messages. He confirms umpires, checks the weather, and by 4 p.m., he’s out to the fields. After securing them, Pinto and an assistant manicure the fields before games start at 6 p.m.

Pinto floats between games at Allan Shandler Recreation Area and Harris Field, located in Van Cortlandt Park and near Lehman College, respectively. He speaks with coaches and parents, resolving the occasional dispute over calls. After packing up, he’s home by 9 p.m.

Then he repeats it all over on Saturdays, and occasionally Sundays, starting at 6 a.m. “In this business, you have to work on the weekends. It’s just part of the job,” Pinto said.

It’s his love of kids, and the sport, that keeps him going. “I say to parents, ‘It is a pleasure to be a part of your children’s lives,’” said Pinto, whose office is lined with team photos.

Pinto prides himself on running a league that is not about cultivating all-stars. All players receive trophies at the end of the season, and no one is allowed to just sit on the bench.

The Center’s league has recently faced some competition for participants from the Fordham Bedford and New Millennium leagues. Pinto thinks the Center’s emphasis on egalitarianism makes their program unique. “We are not a league where only the best nine kids play,” he said.

Yanire Montanez of Rochambeau Avenue said that philosophy helped her son, who wasn’t naturally athletic, gain physical and academic confidence along with his best friend. Montanez, 31, now coaches two teams, and enrolled her 6-year-old in tee-ball.

Javier Trujillo, another coach, loves watching the kids have fun, and develop personally. “It instills a positive attitude in them,” said Trujillo, 50.

Parent Valerie De Jesus, of Hull Avenue, likes how the kids work together. “The younger ones help the older ones,” she said.

Not all parents value that cooperative spirit. Montanez said she occasionally has to ask Pinto to help her deal with overzealous fathers. On the flip side, Pinto has parents who don’t support their kids enough. “This is not a babysitting service,” he said.

The league can’t compete with those from higher-income areas, where fields are pristine and resources plentiful. Gabrielle Beauchamp, whose 11-year-old daughter once played in the suburbs, said the Center league is less organized in comparison.

Though he would love to have better conditions, Pinto is a pragmatist. “Part of the challenge is to make it work,” he said.

Baseball season also means that Pinto’s personal obligations must occasionally take a back seat. Last month, he had to miss his daughter’s birthday party because of Saturday games. “It gets tough, but you have to accept it,” said Pinto, who is married with two young children.

That dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. “Chris has brought his commitment to kids, his organizational skills, and a calmness to the program,” said Don Bluestone, the Center’s executive director.

After baseball ends, Pinto’s workload lightens some, but he’s still busy running the summer sports camp, football and soccer programs, and the Center’s weight room. He brings to all of them his intensity and a philosophy that sports are for everyone.

“[Playing] is about feeling good,” Pinto said. “Every time a child has success, it’s a milestone for me.”

Bronx Flag for Iraq Soldiers

By None

Region 1 Posts Big Literacy Gains Among 4th Graders

By Heather Haddon

Region 1 was thrust into the limelight last month when its fourth graders registered the city’s largest increase in state reading scores. Test results improved citywide, but local schools did especially well, many registering double digit improvements.

“It’s cause to celebrate,” said Irma Zardoya, superintendent of Region 1, in an interview.

Local officials weren’t as glowing about the middle school results. Scores for most local schools remained flat, or shifted slightly, in an exasperating trend mirrored statewide.

But something seems to be working at the elementary level. Scores rose by an average of nearly 19 percentage points at local schools over the last year, with bigger increases at PS 33, 46, 54, 56, 280, 291, and 340 (see chart). More than half of fourth graders received 3’s or 4’s (passing grades) at most schools, and many more succeeded at PS 8, 33, 51, 280, 291, and 340.

PS 33 has been the subject of citywide buzz, with 83 percent of its students passing and no Level 1’s (the lowest). The mayor visited the Jerome Avenue school last month to celebrate the scores, which he attributes to his reforms begun in 2003.

Elba Lopez, PS 33’s principal, says the school’s leap was aided by extra tutoring sessions before and after school, and on Saturdays. The initiative is region-wide, but PS 33 was especially successful in getting children to attend by involving their parents.

Teachers also devised improvement plans last fall for individual students. Additionally, Lopez brought back several retired teachers to work with small groups.

“It was a lot of work, believe me,” Lopez said.

Maria Quail, principal of PS 8 on Briggs Avenue, also employed small group work. Sets of students, divided by ability, were paired with teachers for five months. “We were very consistent,” Quail said.

Lopez and Quail also relied on detailed data about children’s previous test performance to tailor their lessons. The Department of Education (DOE) and Region 1 have recently made that information more available.

Both principals gave ample credit to Zardoya. For years, the veteran educator has put extra emphasis on professional development and literacy. “It has been a crusade of hers,” Quail said.

Region 1 did extra work training teachers how to incorporate literacy into other subjects, do daily reading and writing, and train students in testing. Zardoya said schools were given room to do intervention work as they saw fit. Some schools even utilized gym teachers in the preparation effort.

“It’s about creating a sense that every adult has ownership,” Zardoya said. “When it’s successful, everyone feels great.”

The middle school results didn’t offer such a lift. Less than one-third of eighth graders passed at local schools, and most saw their numbers barely budge. Many schools did succeed in keeping their number of Level 1’s low, and the district performed better than the citywide average in this respect.

“That’s really significant, especially when you look at where we were a number of years ago,” Zardoya said.

Bumping students up from Level 2 to passing scores has been a difficulty for many schools. For example, many students at MS 206, on Andrews Avenue, nearly passed. “Sometimes they missed it by only one or two questions,” said Ramona Barsuhn, an assistant principal at the University Heights school.

MS 206 will continue its Saturday preparation program for eighth graders, and plans to gradually expand it to younger students. They also conduct a preparation “blitz” before the test.

To address the chronic middle school problems all over the city, the DOE is breaking down large schools into mini-learning communities. MS 80 was separated into two houses last fall, and it will probably be further divided next year. Sonia Menendez, a regional administrator overseeing MS 80, said the change was too new to evaluate.

The city is also adding middle grades to successful elementary schools, like PS 280. Officials hope this setup will offer a smaller, more consistent environment.

Local administrators have found that middle schools aren’t adding enough analytical rigor to their curriculum, and that teachers need more training in building skills in literacy, not just literature.

Critics — either of the mayor’s, or testing in general — questioned the gains. Some limited-English students were exempt from the test, whereas other struggling students were held back in third grade after the mayor ended social promotion last year. “How do you compare apples and oranges?” asked Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

PS 8, 46, 54, and 94 did test fewer students, but Zardoya said that is due to an overall decrease in the Region’s enrollment. For the past few years, local kindergarten classes have steadily shrunk. That trend could eventually spell an easing of the area’s overcrowding.

Some teachers also wondered if the test was easier this year.

Even taking into account all the possible qualifying factors, Zardoya said Region 1’s city-leading gains were clearly significant.

Knowing they can’t rest on their laurels, principals now have to work at continuing to progress. “I’m hoping we can build on the good strategies that we put in place,” Quail said.

Really Supporting the Troops

By Editorial

While some lament that many Americans treat Memorial Day as just another day off from work or school, many in our community took the time to honor soldiers as well as those now serving abroad in a number of ways.

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión presented the 145th Maintenance Company, based at the Kingsbridge Armory, with a Bronx flag to fly over the unit’s overseas base in Iraq. A crew of volunteers at the Woodlawn Cemetery planted flags at the graves of fallen soldiers.

The Jewish War Veterans continued with their annual commemoration of their fallen brethren.

At the armory itself, some residents neatened up a memorial of ribbons on the fence at the Kingsbridge Armory and sadly added new ones. Each ribbon represents an American soldier who has died in Iraq. And those who created the memorial also added a sign mourning the thousands of innocent Iraqis who have died since the war began.

These are thoughtful actions that show that past wars, and the current war in particular, are very much on the minds of Bronxites.

People who engaged in these actions have various opinions of the Iraq war. Some support it. Some don’t. Other are ambivalent.

But maybe there’s something that we can all agree on. “Support the Troops,” emblazoned on virtually every other car on the street should not be synonymous with supporting the war. It should instead be a call to do whatever we can to make sure that the troops have the protective equipment they need and to support their families at home in whatever way we can.

Since the 145th hails from our area, we should particularly be concerned about the well-being of these National Guard soldiers. These are men and women who, most likely, could never imagine that they would serve in a war overseas. Before the war, they served one weekend a month and two weeks a year and were usually only deployed by governors in natural disasters. But National Guard troops are being heavily relied on to fight in Iraq. And yet their families do not have the same support services and networks at home that full-time soldiers have. Their families had no reason to expect that their loved ones would be deployed for long periods of time and they don’t have access to discount stores or commissaries. Legislation is being considered in Congress to offer these families greater financial support, but it hardly seems to be on the front burner.

Guardsmen are probably equally, if not more, prone to the equipment shortages that all the armed forces are experiencing in Iraq. Operation Truth, an organization run by soldiers who have returned from serving in Iraq, provides a great deal of this kind of information and suggests ways to get involved.

Supporting the troops does not have to be an abstraction. The men and women serving in Iraq and their families are our neighbors. As a community, we should put our heads together and think of concrete ways we can help them.

Then we’d really be supporting the troops.

Challenge to Community Board 7 Leadership

By Heather Haddon

An alternative slate of candidates for Community Board 7’s executive positions has emerged in the first challenge in years to the veteran leadership.

There were counter-nominations for half of the Board’s leadership positions at its public meeting last month. The chair and first vice-chair, Nora Feury and Sallie Caldwell, will be challenged by Greg Faulkner and Hector Lopez, respectively. Andrew Laiosa is running unopposed for the secretary position, which is being vacated by Ricardo Parker.

The counter-nominations stem from a growing desire for change among some of the Board’s newer members. “There are a number of us who came onto the Board a few years ago and served our apprenticeship,” Faulkner said. “We now feel its time to assume leadership.”

Faulkner, a 20-year area resident, joined the Board along with 16 others in 2002, adding new bodies and energy after membership had dipped to a low of 23 in 2001. Many of that bunch stayed on, and with six new members coming on last month, the Board’s membership now fills 34 of the potential 50 slots.

The Board’s leadership positions, however, have been slower to change. Feury has served as chair for almost two decades. Stuart Davis and Barbara Stronczer, the second vice-chair and treasurer, are also longtime executives.

Feury put in her resignation in 2001 due to health problems, but resumed the chairmanship later that year. Feury says will she will step down only when the newer members have a greater commitment and understanding of the Board. “When we have those kind of people, which we don’t have yet, it will be easier to let it go,” she said.

Feury does seem to be evaluating her responsibilities, saying she might leave her job directing Head Start in the Bronx for Archdiocese of New York later this year. While a staff person at her office thought that Feury had already left, Feury said she is just taking time off. Feury no longer lives in the area, and if she left her job, she probably wouldn’t be able to continue serving on the Board. Members must work or live in the district.

Faulkner respects Feury’s commitment, but thinks it’s time for new leadership. “There is a time to tip your hat and move on to new folks with new energy,” he said.

Faulkner made an attempt two years ago to change the rules so that new members could assume Board leadership. That move failed, but it was symbolic of a rising outspokenness among some of the newer members. Earlier this year, Faulkner and others successfully reversed the Board leadership’s acceptance of closing meetings of the committee monitoring the filtration plant construction to the public. Feury and the Board’s district manager, Rita Kessler, had supported the policy.

Faulkner and Lopez have visited other Boards, and think CB7 could do better. A few weeks ago, they decided to run after speaking with Laiosa and other unnamed members. All three mentioned their desire for the Board to play a more active role in community affairs, and be more open to a variety of viewpoints.

“There’s new blood and new ideas on the Board,” said Lopez, a lawyer. “I think change is healthy.”

Laiosa has served on the Board for over 15 years but has often been critical of the Board’s direction and has never held an executive position. “The members of the Board have changed, in abilities and attitudes, from the past,” he said. “I perceive the whole process to be a natural evolution.”

In last month’s preliminary vote, the majority of members still chose to reelect the incumbents. Caldwell and Feury both are confident they will be reinstated during the final vote next month. “Everybody on that Board knows my work,” said Caldwell, a Tracey Towers resident.

Don Bluestone, a member since 1997, thinks the new appointees still aren’t familiar enough with the Board’s workings. “[They] need to learn the role and real power of the Board,” said Bluestone.

Nonetheless, Bluestone, along with Caldwell, Feury, and Kessler, said that the competition is healthy. “Why shouldn’t people want to run? It’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Kessler said.

Despite the obstacles, the insurgents are taking their run seriously, and plan to informally campaign before the vote. “We think we have a good chance,” Lopez said.

Even if they don’t win, Faulkner thinks the winds of change are blowing. “We have already had an impact,” he said. “It’s not necessarily about winning, but about saying things are going to be different.”

***

The Board also moved forward in creating a neighborhood strategic plan during last month’s public meeting. The Board will form a committee to create what is known as a 197a, a blueprint for future development. Under the City Charter, Boards may develop the proposals to guide city agencies.

Faulkner spearheaded the idea after witnessing a recent spate of housing construction. “We want the housing, but at the same time, we want a process where we can comment on it,” he said.

Boards have authority over institutional developments, but unless there is a zoning change, they have little jurisdiction over private housing construction. The 197a plan can offer some guidelines, but it doesn’t have binding authority.

Regardless, Faulkner hopes to get the process moving as soon as possible, even if it means meeting during the summer.

The Board also announced six new appointees who will begin serving this fall. They are Ozzie Brown, John Franco, Dexter Cruzado, Diana Perez, Peggy Drum, and Herman Anthony Sabido.

Armory Soldiers in Iraq Will Get to Show Bronx Colors

By Heather Haddon

A National Guard unit stationed in Iraq will finally get to display its Bronx colors, but it’s unclear how much longer the borough will be their home base.

The 145th Maintenance Company, stationed at the Kingsbridge Armory, was issued an official Bronx flag last month. The 200-member unit will hoist the flag over their base in Iraq.

“They’re eagerly awaiting the Bronx flag,” said 2nd Lt. Jonathan Rabinowitz, a unit member still stationed at the armory.

The company had received a state flag from state Senator Efrain Gonzalez, but they wanted something from their Bronx home. “New York is a big state,” said Rabinowitz, 32.

After they were deployed, company members wrote to Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión’s office about flying a little piece of the Bronx above their new surroundings. The flags aren’t made frequently, but Carrión’s office was able to procure one in time for Memorial Day.

Carrión presented the flag during a ceremony at Woodlawn Cemetery to honor Bronx veterans. “We don’t always agree why we are engaged in conflict, but once troops are there, we have to come together in unity to support them,” he said. After unfurling the orange, white, and blue banner, Carrión gave the flag to Rabinowitz to send to the company.

Troops stationed abroad were excited to hear about the flag — which bears the slogan “Yield not to evil” in Latin. “The support that the unit has received from the residents of the Bronx is greatly appreciated … and is something these soldiers will never forget,” said 1st Sgt. Lutchman Ramadhin, who is stationed in Iraq, via e-mail last week.

The 145th Maintenance Company is currently fixing vehicles in Iraq, as they do at the armory. The unit, along with the 258th Field Artillery, occupies a building to the rear of the armory on West 195th Street. The Artillery was also deployed to Iraq, but returned to the facility last March.

It’s uncertain how long they will remain at the armory considering the national push to close bases and consolidate troops. Last month, the U.S. Department of Defense announced 33 base closures and the realignment of 29 others across the country. The Kingsbridge Armory was not on that list.

But company members who are in correspondence with the Norwood News say that they have been hearing that they will be sent to Staten Island, and that the Guard will permanently leave the Bronx facility.

Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, a spokesperson for the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, said no decisions have been made. “There have been some discussions [about closures], but none have been finalized,” he said. Fanning thought that decisions would be made this fall.

The Guard vacated the armory’s head house and drill floor in 1994 when the state began closing other bases. The two companies remained, however, in the 50,000-square-foot annex behind the armory. The space is used for drill practice and repairing vehicles, and is home to a cadet program and a support group for unit family members.

The city began talking to the state last year about relocating the companies to make way for the armory’s redevelopment. A proposal formulated by the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, and favored by officials, would put schools in the area occupied by the annex. The head house and drill floor would house commercial and community space.

“We want to be able to go in there and have services and goods provided to us, which we now have to go to other neighborhoods to get,” said Phyllis Reed, a Coalition member, at the group’s annual meeting last month.

The city Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which is overseeing the armory’s redevelopment, started discussing a land swap with the state last year—in effect, giving the state space for the Guard in return for their relinquishing the annex. Negotiations appear to have stalled, however. “We have nothing new we can report at this time,” said Janel Patterson, an EDC spokesperson.

Fanning did not know details about the discussions, but didn’t rule out the move. “Given the potential changes … things like that might be taken into consideration,” he said.

If that happens, Sgt. Glenda Ngirkuteling of the 145th, said her company would miss the space, but would adjust. “Your heart goes with the unit,” said Ngirkuteling, 27.

Mayor Launches Parks Spending Spree St. James

By Jordan Moss

 

In his second appearance at St. James Park in six months, Mayor Bloomberg announced last Tuesday that the park would be the first to benefit from $200 million in park improvement monies made possible through the sale of water bonds.

The unprecedented infusion of money for Bronx park projects was the incentive offered to the borough’s politicians in exchange for their support of building the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park.

“Today, we kick off the largest investment in Bronx parkland since the 1930s,” Bloomberg said at the event.

The city will pour $3.75 million into a renovation of St. James over the next few years. Four of the park’s crumbling staircases will be restored in the first phase of the project, which will cost $750,000 and include new lighting and lawn areas at the entrances.

The second, to begin in 2006, will cost $3 million and will include the reconstruction of park pathways, the perimeter retaining wall, and fencing, plantings, lawns and benches. A small multi-use “turf field area” will also be created to address a shortage of local open space available for multi-purpose recreational activities.

While the announced facelift is likely to please area residents, some veteran park advocates who are still waiting for the completion of previously promised renovations are reserving judgment.

Cat Milland, president of the Friends of St. James Park, said he and other park users are still waiting for the city to complete a restoration of the park house, which has been fenced off for over two years and was scheduled to be finished last summer. Contractor defaults on the project have led to significant delays.

“If by [the mayor] coming … it hurries along the work that is being done right now, it would be greatly appreciated,” Milland said. “Because it’s taken two and a half years for that park house to be finished and it’s not near finished.”

Milland said that, because the park house has been off limits, the park no longer serves as a base for district park supervisors and doesn’t receive the attention it used to. The lack of bathrooms also makes the playground less of a destination, he said.

The city also should soon be at work renovating a central staircase with monies unrelated to the filtration windfall.

“They claim that these things [the park house and staircase] will be done by the middle of the summer, so let’s see if that’s true,” Milland said. “Seeing is believing.”

The St. James restoration is one of 70 Bronx park projects the city plans to complete over the next five years. Before summer, the city will break ground on four more, none of which are in Community District 7. However, the Parks Department said initial work on a $15 million restoration of Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood will begin this summer. That work will include the “reconstruction of pavements, fencing, curbing and paths located at the intersection of Reservoir Oval and Van Cortlandt Avenue East.”

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

Archives

Copyright © 2007 Norwood News · Log in