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Out & About
June 28, 2007
By Judy Noy
Onstage
• Lehman Stages’ SUMMERWORX Festival will present free family summer events. Next up is Shakespeare’s The Tempest from July 12 to 22 at 8 p.m. at Lehman’s outdoor amphitheatre. The college is located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard W. at Goulden Avenue. For more information, call (718) 960-8211/8109.
• Lehman Chamber Wind Ensemble will present classical works at Lehman College’s Lovinger Theatre on June 30 at 4 p.m. The college is located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard W. at Goulden Avenue. For more information, call the college’s music department at (718) 960-8247.
• Join the Bronx Arts Ensemble in their Salute to George M. Cohan, a free holiday concert featuring the jazz and Dixieland favorites, on July 4 at 2 p.m. at Van Cortlandt Park’s Rockwood Drive Circle near Broadway and Mosholu Avenue. The event includes music by Cohan, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and others. The rain location is Vladeck Hall in the Amalgamated Houses, corner of Van Cortlandt Park South and Hillman Avenue. For more information, call (718) 601-7399.
• Traditional Music and Dance from West Africa comes to the Bronx Library Center, at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road, on July 7 at 2:30 p.m. For a more information, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.
• The Bronx River Alliance hosts Arts in the Parks, performances and activities for children at River Park on Thursdays, July 12, 19 and 26. For more information and to register, call (718) 430-4636 or visit www.bronxriver.org.
Events
• Barefoot Dancing in the Bronx includes free dance instruction and live music, with Caribbean, Mexican, Irish, West African and Northern Indian musical groups. It takes place Thursdays, June 28, July 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Van Cortlandt Park’s House Museum lawn. Enter the park at Broadway and West 246th Street. Bring chairs or a blanket. For more information, call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/parks.
• The Bronx River Alliance extends an invitation to enjoy the sunset and the rising full moon from a canoe, on June 29 with the South Bronx Sunset Cruise, followed by music and drinks on the riverbank. Also, on July 7, there’s Paddling: Tidal Paddle, to explore the tidal flats of the Bronx River, and on July 8, Second Sunday Cycling, a gentle-paced, 5-mile bike tour along the Bronx River Greenway. For more information and to register, call (718) 430-4636 or visit www.bronxriver.org.
• June is Rose Month at the New York Botanical Garden, featuring a variety of programs, tours and displays. Also, the Farmers Market continues at the Garden’s Tulip Tree Allée Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Oct. 31. Admission only to Garden grounds is free from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and all day Wednesdays. All other times, grounds admission is $6 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for students with ID and $1 for children ages 2 to 12. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
Exhibits
• Thoreau Reconsidered, one installment of an exhibition series that explores 19th century American writing about nature through the lens of contemporary art, features works by artists inspired by Henry David Thoreau, including his observations about light and life at Walden Pond. The exhibit runs through Aug. 26 in Wave Hill’s Glyndor Gallery and grounds. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit wavehill.org.
• Caribbean Gardens: Journey to Paradise, celebrating Caribbean flowers and culture, will run through Sept. 16 at the New York Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The new buds are accompanied by the Paradise in Print exhibition in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library through Aug. 19. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
Learning
• Wave Hill has a little something for everyone: Visit a room-sized camera obscura, then make a take-home version at Projection Magic, one of Wave Hill’s family art projects, on June 30 and July 1. Also, use recycled materials to build a miniature landscape with plastic puppets at A World of Bottles, on July 7 and 8. Both are in Wave Hill’s Kerlin Learning Center from 1 to 4 p.m. For adults, there is Summer Songbooks, a series of concerts in July and August. July 8 is a “Dickinson Songbook,” made up of Sunsan Narucki and Michael Boriskin’s performance of Copland’s interpretations of Dickinson’s poems, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Wave Hill House. Tickets are $24 and $15 for members at ext. 385. Also, a workshop called Urban Beekeeping – Summer Hive Inspection invites visitors to don a hat, veil and gloves for a hands-on look inside active honeybee hives on July 14 at 10 a.m. at the Perkins Visitor Center. Registration is required at ext. 305. Cost is $25 and $20 for members.
Wave Hill is at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit wavehill.org.
• The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages:
Children, ages 3 to 12, can see a film on July 11 at 2 p.m., while ages 7 to 12 can attend Fan Making, a crafts workshop (pre-registration is required), on July 12 at 3 p.m. For adults, there’s Crochet Club, a free workshop, on July 6 at 3 p.m. (bring your own materials) and Around the World in 20 Artworks, a slide and lecture by the Museum of Modern Art, on June 30 at 2:30 p.m.
The Center is located at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road. For a detailed schedule, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.
• Children ages 18 to 36 months have Toddler Time, featuring picture book stories and songs, with a parent or caregiver on July 5 and 19 at 10:30 a.m. Then, children ages 5 to 12 discover the world of Owls and make owl eyeglasses on July 17 at 3 p.m. (pre-registration is required), at the Mosholu Library, 285 E. 205th St. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
NOTE: Items for consideration should be received in our office by July 2 for the next publication date of July 12.
Dinowitz Awards BID $35,000
June 28, 2007
By Norwood News
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz awarded Mosholu Preservation Corporation (publisher of the Norwood News) $35,000 for neighborhood improvements in the area surrounding the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID).
The funds will be used for neighborhood beautification projects, including new garbage bins, painting, and improvements around the Mosholu Parkway subway station and Van Cortlandt Park.
According to Roberto Garcia, executive director of the Jerome-Gun Hill BID, it’s the sixth time Dinowitz has secured the funding for the Norwood area.
Entrepreneurs Get a Boost at Bronx Summit
June 28, 2007
By Heather Appel
Roberta Carvajal already has the name and the menu already for her catering business. Now she just needs a business plan and the financing to get it started.
Carvajal put herself through culinary school while working full-time as a paraprofessional at DeWitt Clinton High School, and she’s ready to take the next step.
At the second annual Northwest Bronx Economic Development Summit last week, Carvajal met representatives from New York City Business Solutions and Lehman College’s Small Business Development Center, as well as several alternative lending institutions that specialize in helping small businesses.
Carvajal said she had set up a meeting with New York City Small Business Solutions for later in the week and was ready to start her business “tomorrow,” or as soon as she can. Her sisters, an attorney and a business administrator, will be her business partners in her company, which she plans to call “Cucha Catering.”
Other guests at the Economic Development Summit, held at the Bronx Library Center on Kingsbridge Road, were in various stages of developing their businesses.
Meallie Rudd, a retired military officer, has a dream of opening a “unique recreation center,” where young single parents could drop off their children at any hour of the day so they can work.
“I want to know if it’s good to start it here in the Bronx or if it’s better to go to Manhattan, and that’s why I’m here,” Rudd said. “I didn’t know they had so much support for businesses here.”
Kathy Goldstein, who attended the summit with her 9-week-old daughter, Laila, wants to open a children’s consignment store. “There’s none in my neighborhood where I live,” she said. “Kids outgrow clothes very quickly – it’s not cost-effective to buy new clothes.”
At her store, which doesn’t have a name yet, Goldstein would offer parents a chance to buy and sell second-hand clothing, earning a commission from the pieces that are sold. There are two stores like this in Westchester, and parents from the Bronx flock to them on weekends, she said, so a local alternative that’s accessible by public transportation could be very popular. She’s scoping out locations in Riverdale and hasn’t settled on one yet.
Goldstein’s vision for the store would be for it to be a community space, where people can sit and have a cup of coffee and meet other parents. Along with children’s clothing, she plans to sell toys, maternity clothes and parenting books.
“I’m into conservation and recycling, so resale is a nice way to fulfill that,” she said. To help put her plans into action, she attended workshops at the Economic Development Summit and made an appointment with the Lehman Small Business Development Center, where they will help her write a business plan and prepare her to apply for a loan.
While most entrepreneurs at the summit had their eyes on the future, a couple of them were trying to return to the past. Darrel Jones and Wayde Williams set up a display of their indoor, boxed version of Skelly, the old New York City street game where children flip bottle caps between chalk-drawn squares numbered one to 13.
Jones and Williams are marketing the game to schools and institutions throughout the city. “Everyone thinks it started and ended with their generation, but it’s been around for a hundred years,” said Williams.
Roberto Garcia, director of economic development for Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC), which organized the event, said the purpose of the summit was to create a forum for business owners, prospective business owners and merchant groups to come together under one umbrella and get information about maintaining or creating a business in the north Bronx.
“The panelists that were put together brought a whole wealth of resources, from the Small Business Administration to the borough president’s office to Citibank and others who know the area and were able to give the attendees valuable information in all the areas we covered,” Garcia said.
The summit was organized by MPC (publisher of the Norwood News) and sponsored by Citibank. The organizations represented at the summit included ACCION New York, a non-profit micro lending organization, Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Bronx Business Alliance, and the Small Business Administration.
After School Programs Threatened
June 28, 2007
By Cassandra Lizaire
Due to a severe cut in federal funding, more than 100 after-school programs citywide, including a handful in the northwest Bronx, will not reopen this fall unless replacement money is found.
Families at two Bronx middle schools and three elementaries were recently notified that their after school services may not return next year, according to The After School Corporation (TASC), an umbrella organization for after-school programs.
Programs on this year’s endangered list began receiving funds in 2003 from the 21st Century Community Learn Centers program, the only federal funding source specifically dedicated for after school. The funding, set to expire in 2008, was not renewed this year, leaving many programs stranded for next year.
According to Susan Brenna, TASC Director of Communications, the five-year 21st Century grants, distributed by the State Education Department, were issued in three phases with the first of these set to expire in 2008. However, in February, schools awaiting the chance to re-apply for 21st Century funding learned that the education department would not be considering proposals for 2007-2008.
The unforeseen cut has reduced federal funding for after-school programs by over $30 million, based on TASC figures. On the heels of public outcry, the state appropriated $7.5 million to the 21st Century program, giving officials and community leaders hope that more funding might be forthcoming.
Don Bluestone, executive director of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC), remains optimistic that come next fall, MMCC-run after-school programs affected by the cuts, namely PS/MS 95 and PS/MS 20, will continue services.
"Right now the state has in its coffer $7.5 million and we’re trying to get them to release the money," Bluestone said. "That would extend the programs for four months, between September and December."
Counting on TASC funding to partially fuel PS/MS 95 and PS/MS 20 for the coming school year, Bluestone will also look to the city’s Out-of-School Time initiative for more support. These monies, appropriated by the Department of Youth and Community Affairs, amount to $32 million and would keep both programs afloat until next year.
"We are hopeful that between two of our plans, one of them will work," Bluestone said.
"What we have here is a gap," said Eleanor Edelstein of Councilman Oliver Koppell’s office. In addition to PS/MS 95 and PS/MS 20, Walton High School is the third school in Koppell’s district affected by the funding cuts.
"This [loss of funding] places the school in a bad position," Edelstein said, referring to future staffing losses and communities deprived of services. But if the programs can survive the year, Edelstein said, schools will be allowed to apply for new grants next year.
The community should also note that the city council has appropriated funds to CASA, the city’s after-school program. For the next school year, Koppell’s office has received a budget of $100,000 to support four after-school programs. In the past, these funds have supported PS 56 in Norwood. Edelstein said Koppell hopes to give that money to one of the schools affected by the federal cuts.
Filmmaker Celebrates Cuban Tradition, Receives Arts Award
June 28, 2007
By Cassandra Lizaire
There is a 150-year-old tradition of artistic and literary immersion among Cuban torcedores, or cigar rollers that continues to this day. While cutting and rolling cigars, torcedores spend their days listening to rich cultural tales such as "Don Quixote" and "Les Miserables."
Documentary filmmaker Pamela Sporn, a Norwood resident, will highlight this cultural practice in her forthcoming project, "Con El Toque de la Chavetta" ("With the Stroke of the Chavetta").
Sporn places the chavetta, a crescent-shaped blade used by cigar rollers to cut tobacco, at the center of her new project. Chronicling the birth and survival of the Cuban tradition dating back to the 1860s, Sporn hopes to better portray laborers "engaged in thinking, and involved with artistic literature."
Sporn returns to Cuba this month to continue filming her story, which she says is about the "struggles and adversity of laborers."
The project received a boost last month when Sporn learned she was one of 22 Bronx artists receiving a BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) Award. Under the program, the Bronx Council of the Arts (BCA) awards each artist a $2,500 grant.
"It’s definitely helpful to continue working on my piece and I’m glad to contribute to the culture of the Bronx," Sporn said.
Awarded her first BRIO award in 1997 for her compilation of work with high school students, Sporn used the funding to finish the critically-acclaimed documentary, "Cuban Roots, Bronx Stories." The film, which features her husband, Paul Foster, and the experiences of his family as Cuban immigrants to the south Bronx in 1962, will be screened in the Bronx Art Bicentennial.
This year, the BCA recognized Sporn with a BRIO for "Recordando El Mamoncillo," or "Remembering the Mamoncillo Tree," a 15-minute documentary about the annual dance at El Club Cubano Interamericano, a Bronx-based Cuban social club. Sporn, who filmed and attended the dance over the last five years, sees the event as a way of "maintaining Cuban culture in the U.S."
Police Report
June 28, 2007
By Alex Kratz
Shooter Apologizes
Last Friday afternoon, a 22-year-old man walked into a barber shop on Andrews Avenue near Fordham Road. There was a bit of a wait and the barbers told him to come back in a few minutes. The young man turned around, walked outside and headed slowly down the block.
Soon, an intense chase between two men headed straight towards him. The trailing runner was carrying a gun and fired it at the man he was chasing. Instead of hitting his intended target, the shooter blasted the innocent bystander, who had just emerged from the barber shop, in the leg.
Far from a heartless sort, the shooter stopped his pursuit to check on the innocent man in need of a haircut. He apologized and then jumped into a gray Dodge Charger and took off.
An onlooker helped the victim into a gypsy cab, who took him to St. Barnabas, where he is in stable condition.
Police say they’ve compiled video tapes from security cameras and are looking over them to identify the shooter.
Teenager Stabbed in Groin
While walking down East 190th Street on June 12, a 16-year-old Hispanic male was approached by a group of about five or six other male Hispanics. A verbal dispute ended quickly when the group jumped the 16-year-old and stabbed him in the groin with a knife.
Police say the paramedics took him to St. Barnabas and that the injuries were not life-threatening. The investigation is ongoing.
Charges in Perry Ave. Murder
In a follow-up to a story earlier this year in the Norwood News, police say they have captured and charged two suspects in the murder of Luis Fernandez, 49, who was stabbed to death in his home at 3136 Perry Ave.
At the time in late February, police said the prime suspect was a relative who they had apprehended in Florida, but were waiting to extradite him.
On Tuesday, police announced that they had apprehended two suspects, Luis Gonzalez, 30, of Tampa, Florida and Maria Rodriguez who lived with the victim at 3136 Perry Ave. It’s unknown if Rodriguez is related to the victim.
Both suspects have been charged with murder.
Concourse Home Invasion
Last Tuesday, at about 10:30 p.m., a man police identified as a male Hispanic between 18 and 25 broke into a first-floor apartment at 2715 Grand Concourse, where three females were inside taking care of their 2-year-old sister.
The intruder tied the women up with duct tape and demanded to know where the money was. They didn’t know what he was talking about. After a brief search of the premises, the intruder left without taking any property.
One of the women, the oldest sister, managed to free herself and call police. No injuries were reported.
Police said the perpetrator was obviously looking for something specific and thought there was money in the apartment. He was wearing a blue shirt and blue baseball cap. Police say they have some promising leads and are looking for a suspect.
2 Taxis, 2 Loaded Guns
In two separate instances over the past week and a half, police discovered two taxicab riders toting fully-loaded pistols.
On June 19, police noticed a cab driver failing to signal while taking a turn. While pulling him over, they observed the passenger in the back seat dropping a gun onto the floor of the vehicle. It turned out to be a fully-loaded .44-caliber automatic pistol.
The cab driver thanked police profusely as he had noticed the man carrying a gun and feared he might be robbed or worse.
The suspect, identified as Jose Martinez, 27, of Manhattan was charged with carrying a loaded firearm, a felony offense.
In another case, early Saturday morning, police responded to a call saying that a male had been shot at 3260 Hull Ave. in Norwood. The suspects were described as two Hispanic males.
A patrolling officer then pulled over a cab nearby at 211th Street and Putnam Place, right near Woodlawn Cemetery, carrying two Hispanic males. One of them happened to be carrying a concealed .380-caliber pistol.
Police say they never found anyone who had been shot, but that the caller may have known these two young men were carrying a gun and called in to say someone had been shot to increase the urgency level of the response.
After 18 Years at CB7, Kessler Says Goodbye
June 28, 2007
By Alex Kratz
Sitting in her Bedford Park office smoking an extra-long Kent cigarette, Rita Kessler, the venerable den mother of Community Board 7 (CB7), spent a recent Friday morning spinning tales about her early years as district manager.
"Oh, we used to laugh and laugh all the time," she says in her thick throaty Bronx accent. "I used to have to kick Nora [former Chair Nora Feury] and Dennis [late former board member Dennis Nagel] out of the office and tell them to come back when they stopped laughing."
Kessler talked about how she and Feury were the "good cop, bad cop" of the board and how they used to fight bitterly like sisters (Kessler usually prevailed, she says with a wink), but always kissed and made up in the end.
But now, after 18 years at the board, countless cigarettes and lots of laughs, Kessler is calling it quits.
This Friday, Kessler will resign from her post as district manager and retire from working for the city (previously, Kessler worked as an assistant teacher and an assistant district manager) after 33 years of service.
"I am very happy," Kessler says. "I’m at a very good time in my life."
Born in the Bronx to the parents of German immigrants, Kessler grew up near Crotona Park when "the Bronx was the best place to be," she says. "Everyone moved up here because the air was cleaner. There’s nothing like the Bronx."
(Kessler wouldn’t give her age.)
Every Wednesday as a teenager, Kessler went to Poe Park to dance, hang out with friends and meet boys.
After graduating from Herman J. Ritter High School, Kessler worked as a paraprofessional, or assistant teacher, at PS 7 for several years before she decided to get her education degree at Lehman College "as a mature woman." By that time, she had married and raised two children.
But Kessler decided she didn’t really want to be a teacher and became active in Bronx politics. She joined the now-defunct Riverdale Democratic Club and became friends with George Friedman, the state assemblyman who represented what is now most of CB7.
"If you wanted to be anyone, you had to belong to a club," Kessler says about the old days. When people had problems with landlords, city agencies, anything, they went to their local club, Kessler says.
It was Friedman who secured Kessler a job as assistant district manager at CB7 when she graduated from Lehman in 1989. Four years later, she became district manager.
"When she first became district manager she was very green," said Feury, who was chair of the board at the time. "She was kind of on her own and learned on her own."
But Feury says Kessler learned quickly and figured out how to get things accomplished for the community as well as appease the politicians. Kessler says she’s most proud of her ability to get city agencies to respond to complaints that came into the board, which included everything from drug dealing to tree pruning.
"It was very dicey at times," Feury says about the political climate during the mid-1990s. "[District manager] is a very political position, but we always worked for the quality of life in the community."
Kessler says that the biggest thing she learned was to respect the city agencies and in return they will give you respect back.
"There’s nothing in Community Board 7 that hasn’t been touched by Rita and it’s because of the person she was and her relationships with city agencies," Feury says.
Karen Argenti, a former board member (who was married to Dennis Nagle), remembers how tight-knit the board was back when Kessler first started and says the district manager knew how to get things done.
"She has a surprising personality," Argenti says. "You wouldn’t expect her to be the Pit Bull that she is. She’ll be missed."
While not going into detail about why she chose now to retire, Kessler simply says, "It’s time for me to move on." She’s spending her last days finishing up the budget and getting things in order for her replacement, who will have to learn on his or her own much like Kessler did.
Aside from spending more time with her grandchildren, Kessler says the first thing she is going to do as a retiree is drive to Florida (where she has a home) in her Cadillac.
"I’m going to go and hang out for about a month and see what it’s like to be a Floridian," she says.
7 Bronx Women Celebrate 100 Years
June 28, 2007
By Laura Sayer
St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged celebrated seven women who have each seen over 100 years of life last Tuesday, as staff, residents and family members gathered to say happy birthday to their "centenarians."
Cathryn Hauser’s nephew and cousin were there to celebrate with her.
"I get a little sentimental," William Hauser said, because she is his only aunt left living.
"She’s the oldest and the only," he added. "She just keeps saying over and over, ‘I never thought I’d live this long.’"
Hauser’s relatives said she lived all her life in Norwood after emigrating from Germany when she was a toddler.
Hauser, Margaret McNiff – the eldest at 103 years of age – and their fellow centenarians were all given a citation from Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, Jr., for the wisdom and strength they provide to their communities.
Staff members at St. Patrick’s presented poetry, gifts and compliments to the ladies of honor, after which hors d’oeuvres, cake and good times were had by all.
Passages
June 28, 2007
By Cassandra Lizaire
A former cartographer for The New York Times, Janet Norquist-Gonzalez of Norwood made maps for 22 years. Then one day, four years ago, “I noticed I was just staring at the screen,” she said. As a result of that revelation, Norquist-Gonzalez joined the ranks of career-changing professionals in the New York City Teaching Fellows program. The decision has since spawned several achievements, most recently the Teacher of the Year Award presented by the Bronx County Historical Society .
“It’s a great honor and recognition for all the hard work I’ve been putting in all these years,” said Norquist-Gonzalez.
She has taught social studies, geography and science at MS 180 in Co-op City, working with grades five through eight. Throughout, she has utilized the Historical Society’s resources. For Norquist-Gonzalez, the award symbolizes the “dynamic relationship between me, the students and the Bronx Historical Society.”
Last year, her students developed a graphic quilt of African-American history in the Bronx that was featured as part of the society’s Museum of Bronx History exhibit, “The Bronx African-American Experience.” This year, with the help of museum education coordinator Anthony Greene and county historian Lloyd Ultan, Norquist-Gonzalez is teaching students the history of Orchard Beach as they create a narrative map generated by geographic information system technology.
Norquist-Gonzalez’s own map of the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District won honorable mention in the 2002 annual map design competition of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, which now sits in the Library of Congress. As a teacher, she continues to integrate her mapping and technical skills into class activities. The mix focuses on the children’s learning experience, as opposed to “‘teaching to the tests’ which can discourage most teachers,” she says.
In return, her students have taught her to be strong. “You can’t be weak and survive in a Bronx middle school,” says Norquist-Gonzalez, who moved from Milwaukee to New York City in 1974. As a one-time resident in all the boroughs except Staten Island, she says, “The Bronx is my favorite and I will probably live here for the rest of my days.”
Of Swedish descent, Norquist-Gonzalez came to identify with Puerto Rican culture when she married her husband, Ibrahim Gonzalez, a radio producer and Latin jazz musician. A musician in her own right, Norquist-Gonzalez, enjoys playing the piano and also gardening. This summer she will travel to Mexico for a month to “live out of a tent, go hiking, and just get back to nature.”
Bronx Library Chief and Staff Recognized
June 28, 2007
By Laura Sayer
Michael Alvarez presides over a spectacularly successful Bronx Library Center. But, as he is quick to say, he could not have done it without his staff.
At a June 12 ceremony, Alvarez, chief librarian at the Center, and his staff received the 2007 Maher Stern Award for Excellence in Community Service, given each year to the head of a branch library or unit and his or her staff.
From his job as a page at the Webster Branch in 1984, Alvarez has been a fixture in the New York Public Library system in some way, shape or form for more than 20 years. While working at the Riverside Branch shortly after he graduated from the Pratt Institute’s Library Science program in the early 1990s, he even commuted to work on roller skates during a transit strike.
Library president Paul LeClerc noted that although the award is given "collectively," Alvarez is nonetheless a "remarkable individual," displaying "brilliant leadership."
The fact that the prize doubled this year to $2,000 – allowing the library to present $1,000 to Alvarez in addition to the $1,000 that goes to the Center – rewards the librarian’s leadership.
Modestly, Alvarez thanked his staff immediately upon receiving his award, directing his applause toward the gathering of clerks at the back of the room.
"Working here doesn’t feel like work," he said.
The award, Alvarez said, is a chance to take stock and appreciate his past ten years in the city’s libraries. While normally enthusiastic, Alvarez positively beamed during the ceremony, posing for picture after picture.
While introducing Alvarez, Allison Maher Stern, a philanthropist and founder of the award, said, "I think this is the most beautiful library I’ve ever seen."
Sketching Alvarez’ history briefly, she exclaimed in amazement, "Is this true? It’s just so fast, and you’re so young."
At a mere 38 years of age, Alvarez previously worked for nearly 10 libraries in northern Manhattan, serving as Senior Librarian at several branches and District Librarian for the Northern Manhattan Region. He was appointed chief librarian at the Bronx Library Center in August 2005, just a few months before it opened in January 2006.
School Leadership Shuffle
June 28, 2007
By Heather Appel
This fall will bring changes in the District 10 leadership, as district offices are re-opened with 32 new community superintendents responsible for evaluating the schools in their districts.
Yvonne Torres, who has overseen Districts 9 and 10 as the Region 1 superintendent since Irma Zardoya’s departure in 2006, was reportedly offered a position in Queens and is expected to leave the Bronx.
The larger regions will be dismantled, as the system continues to undergo massive structural changes.
District 10 Community Superintendent Sonia Menendez was asked to continue on in her position. Menendez has worked with area schools in many capacities, as a teacher and principal.
MS 399 is in the process of hiring a new principal to replace Yolanda Torres, who will take over as District 7′s Community Superintendent in the south Bronx. Torres was principal of MS 399 for five years and previously served as principal at MS 266.
Elena Papiloberios, currently a local instructional superintendent for high schools, will be superintendent of high schools for the Bronx, in conjunction with Joel DiBartolomeo, former leader for the network that includes Bronx High School of Science, the Roosevelt campus, and the Walton campus.
Mom Pleads Guilty in Son’s Beating Death
June 28, 2007
By Heather Appel
Aleisha Smith pleaded guilty on June 19 for her role in the beating death of her 4-year-old son, Quachaun Browne, last January in her Kossuth Avenue apartment.
Smith’s boyfriend, Jose Calderon, 18, is charged with murder for allegedly hitting the 4-year-old in the head and body using his fists, a belt, a plastic bat, and by banging his head against a wall. The child died one day before his fifth birthday and just two weeks after the brutal death of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown.
Smith will be sentenced next month at Bronx Supreme Court and could face up to seven and a half years in prison. She was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for failing to get prompt medical attention for the child even though she had observed multiple bruises, frequent bleeding from his ear and vomiting of blood.
Calderon has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
Neighborhood Notes
June 28, 2007
By Norwood News
Free Union Job Prep
There are spots available at Bronx Community College’s Project Hire, a 20-week program that prepares people to enter construction unions. Candidates must be between 18 and 60, low-income and a citizen or resident alien. No construction experience is necessary. There’s also a free GED preparation class beginning in June, for which citizenship is not a requirement. Sign up for one or both at the Department of Environmental Protection office at 3660 Jerome Ave., Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (718) 231-8470.
Summer Meals at MMCC
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Free meals will be made available to all children 18 years and younger from June 28 to Aug. 17. Breakfast will be provided from 7 to 9 a.m. at the annex, located at 3512 DeKalb Ave. Lunch from 12:20 to 12:50 p.m., and snacks from 3:20 to 3:50 p.m. will be served in the main building at 3450 DeKalb Ave. For more information, call (718) 654-0563.
Summer Law Program for Teens
The Monroe College Summer Law program, designed to introduce students to the civil and criminal court systems and the benefits of an education in legal studies, is now enrolling for the Aug. 12 to 24 session. Classes are taught by practicing lawyers, and students attend real criminal trials and get a taste of college life by residing in dormitories on Monroe’s New Rochelle campus. For more information or to request an application, contact Dean Karenann Carty at (914) 740-6429 or kcarty@monroecollege.edu.
Cancer Research Program
Albert Einstein Cancer Center is offering two free research programs for patients with cancer, a Yoga-Based Cancer Rehabilitation Program, which includes 12 weeks of yoga classes, and a Mind-Body Cancer Program, which includes eight weeks of mind-body classes. Both are designed to help cancer patients cope emotionally, physically and spiritually. For more information, and to find out if you are eligible, call (718) 430-2380.
Eco-cruises on the Harlem River
The Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy, located at the southern end of Roberto Clemente State Park, hosts the third annual Great Muscoota River Paddle on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 22 at 11:30 a.m. Bronx families are invited aboard a 32-foot giant-size family canoe for a tour of the Harlem River, led by experienced environmental educators who offer a fresh perspective on the history, ecology and geology of the Harlem River. Advance registration is required. The tours are free, but donations are welcome. To register, call (718) 901-3331.
PS 20 Kindergarten
PS/MS 20, at 3050 Webster Ave., has begun kindergarten registration for the coming school year. To register, Monday through Thursday, 9 to 10 a.m., you will need to bring the child, the birth certificate of your child (who must be 5 years old by Dec. 31, 2007), proof of address through a utility bill, and a complete immunization record. The school will be accepting applications throughout the summer. For more information, call (718) 584-5510.
Junior Naturalist Camp
Friends of Van Cortland Park is offering a Junior Naturalists opportunity for kids entering 4th-8th grades who are interested in nature and doing hands-on research in the park. The program will take place July 9 to 26, Monday to Thursday, from 1 to 3 p.m. with an optional field trip on July 27. Program and field trip are free. For more information, call (718) 601-1553 or visit www.vancortlandt.org. Accepting applications through July 3 or until the program is filled.
Scheduled Night Work
Through July 27 there will be night demolition of the existing pier on the Gun Hill Road Bridge over the Metro North Rail Road from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The operations are subject to city noise regulations. One lane of traffic may be closed and one open in each direction on Gun Hill Road between Webster Avenue and the Bronx River Parkway from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Roy Goldman has been assigned as Resident Engineer to respond to project inquiries. He can be reached at (718) 231-9505.
COVE Club Events
The Knox Gates Neighborhood Association’s COVE Club offers movies on Friday nights, 7 to 9 p.m. and games such as ping-pong, pool, chess and video games for teens 13 to 16 years old. Team tournaments and competitions are open to teens who live on Knox Place, Gates Place, West Gun Hill Road and Mosholu Parkway. The COVE is located at 3418 Gates Pl. and is open Wednesday through Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. Membership is free. For more information, call (718) 405-1312.
St. Stephen’s Meals Open
The St. Stephen’s Meals Program at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 302 E. 206th St., will reopen July 2. Lunch is served four days a week for those in need. For more information, call Tony Bopp at (718) 652-6839.
Free Assistance
National Student Partnerships provides no-cost help with job searches, housing searches, education, job training, resume-writing, child care, legal services and much more. There are no eligibility requirements and all services are completely free. NSP is located at 2715 Bainbridge Ave. at 196th Street. Call (718) 733-3897 to set up an appointment. You do not need to be a student to obtain services.
DEP’s Communication Failure
June 28, 2007
By None
The following letter was addressed to Mayor Bloomberg. –Ed.
As a resident of Bedford Park for over 40 years, a member of the Board of Directors of the Scott Tower Cooperative and a member of the Jerome Park Conservancy, I attended the June 21 meeting of the Croton Facility Monitoring Committee. I spoke briefly to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) officials about the chlorine leak at Gatehouse No. 5 of the Jerome Park Reservoir on June 8. I was critical of the DEP’s lack of outreach to the community on this potential hazard. The officials present assured me and others at the meeting that there was no risk to the schools and residential buildings around the Jerome Park Reservoir. Why then am I and others in our community unconvinced and wary?
Unfortunately, in the past, DEP has not always been honest with us. We have had a difficult time getting information from them about their plans that directly impact our community. At the least, their communication skills need improvement. We at Scott Tower, a Mitchell-Lama cooperative of 351 apartments, live one block away from Gatehouse No. 5. Yet we had to learn about this potential hazard to us, not from DEP on the day it happened, but from reports in our local newspapers a week later. Why didn’t DEP contact the building manager of my cooperative and the managers of our sister cooperatives? Why didn’t DEP contact Lehman College and all the schools surrounding the JPR?
We who live here, work here and study here deserve honesty from the DEP. We love the Jerome Park Reservoir. We walk, jog, run and cycle along its perimeter. In addition to its use in our water system, the beauty of the reservoir is part of our daily lives. We are the eyes and ears of our community, yet the DEP views us with disdain and lack of respect. Is it any wonder that the community doesn’t trust the DEP?
I urge you, Mr. Mayor, to use your power and influence on behalf of our wonderful community. Please visit us, walk with us around the reservoir, and enjoy its beauty. Please encourage honesty and transparency at the DEP. Surely, our lovely, diverse, historic community deserves this.
Sonia Lappin
Bedford Park
Underpass Overlooked
June 28, 2007
By None
I’ve been a resident of the Bedford Park/Bainbridge area for over 25 years. I love this neighborhood for all the beautiful trees in this environment and the wonderful buildings and homes that we have. One thing that I’ve been doing some advocacy about is the situation with the underpass under the Grand Concourse at Bedford Park Boulevard that leads to the D train entrance. I’ve written letters to all our politicians. I’ve made phone calls to citywide government officials. I’ve reached out and spoken at Community Board 7 meetings. I’ve contacted the Sanitation Department, who referred me to the Department of Transportation, who told me that they cannot clean this underpass on a daily or weekly basis. For the past 10 years, the only thing that resulted out of all this was that we got huge clear bags strapped along the underpass, which overflow with garbage and are infrequently removed or emptied.
Every day, twice a day, thousands of people who go to work, to schools in the neighborhood (Bronx Science, Lehman College, Fordham University, etc.), to the Botanical Garden, and shopping, are forced to go through this bird poop and garbage-infested underpass. In the winter, the snow is never shoveled! Why is it that the building superintendents are given tickets if they do not clean up their sidewalks and the Department of Transportation can ignore an entire community for weeks at end? That underpass is swept up, perhaps once every three weeks. We are a much bigger community than we were 25 years ago, and believe we are entitled to more cleanups than once every three weeks.
The message I get twice a day is that my community is insignificant, and that we, as a diverse working-class neighborhood, do not deserve the quality of life and cleanliness that other neighborhoods have. I’m also sticking up for the underpass on Kingsbridge Road. On the other hand, the underpass of East 161st Street, not only gets a brand new beautiful underpass, but all the streets above it, get brand new sidewalks. And that’s because there is a spanking new Yankee Stadium being created for all the people that are considered significant, and they don’t even live here! My last resort will be to take pictures of the underpass and take it to one of those news stations on TV that enjoy confronting issues to see if that would make a change.
Mimi Medina
Bedford Park
Attack on Bush Shameful
June 28, 2007
By None
Your recent editorial opinion expressing your conviction that President Bush fails to recognize the importance of a free press or an independent Congress is quite remarkable — not because your assumption is accurate, but rather because it demonstrates, in a way I’m quite sure you never intended, that so much of the press in general, and your editorial staff in particular, has abdicated any pretense at impartiality or journalistic integrity. Your paranoid, victim mentality, shared by so many in your profession, is not justified by any objective evidence (never offered) to demonstrate this administration’s supposed crackdown on a free press. Quite the contrary occurs with most of the media who pursue a leftist, anti-American agenda in the same backhanded, sarcastic manner which you demonstrate in your editorial devoid of facts. Similarly, with respect to your snide intimation that this president doesn’t appreciate the historical role of the Congress and the separation of powers doctrine, I find this quite remarkable in view of this President’s unfortunate practice of never having vetoed a single bill (until last week) sent to his desk by Congress in some six years. I certainly am no fan of President Bush on many issues, but it saddens me to watch the press engage in this relentless attack on the presidency and the interests of the American people, all the more despicable in a time of war. You should be ashamed.
David Adler
Yorktown Heights
Save Opportunity for Yanks
June 28, 2007
By None
In 2006, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a report with alarming news for the Bronx community of Highbridge. In almost every health category: premature death, HIV infection, heart disease, drug and alcohol abuse, etc., this community has the worst record in the entire city.
No one is in a better position to address these serious issues than the management of the New York Yankees.
While publicized as philanthropists upstate and in Florida, the Yankees have never done much of anything for Highbridge, their host community. They took away Macomb’s Dam Park for the construction of the new stadium, destroying 400 mature oak trees in the face of community opposition. Today, many residents endure the effects of construction. dust clouds, construction noise, rusty tap water and flickering lights. In spite of all of these Yankee-generated hardships, they refused to contribute to the new Metro North station, of which their fans will be the primary beneficiaries.
Such selfishness cannot stand and it’s high time that the Yankees give something substantive to Highbridge. Nothing would be better than to fund the construction of the long-sought Community Resource and Recreation Center. The Center would provide comprehensive programs to deal with drug/alcohol abuse, HIV infection, etc., a major first step in addressing the area’s health crisis. It would feature youth programs and space for meetings. In addition, paramedics and doctors could provide services there which would alleviate overcrowded hospital emergency rooms.
There is a second way in which the Yankees can be good neighbors. The stadium project involves the construction of a huge parking garage (Garage B) only half a block from residential buildings in both directions. While all over the city, various initiatives such as congestion pricing and green roofs are being discussed to relieve traffic congestion and air pollution, this garage would bring more of both directly into the community. There is little doubt that car exhaust is a major contributor to the area’s health crisis.
There have been many problems in financing the construction of the parking garages to the point that, apparently, the proposed Garage D has been dropped even though it was to be located in an uninhabited area south of 161st Street. How this garage could be dropped while Garage B (in the center of the community) is retained is mind-boggling. Yankee management could easily request a second look at the construction blueprints so that a modified plan would place all garages south of 161st St. where no one lives. This would help to alleviate the health crisis and is in line with common sense.
Finally, the Yankees could work with the city to tear down the present municipal parking garage located on River Avenue and replace it with a park. This park would be a fair compensation for the taking of Macomb’s Dam Park, would place it right in the middle of the community for easy access and provide trees to absorb more pollutants.
The Yankees are in a position to help and have the resources to make a difference. Residents of the Bronx can help by writing to the Yankees at "Community Relations, Yankee Stadium, Bronx NY 10451" and challenging them to demonstrate their love for the Bronx by helping what is the poorest Congressional district in the nation.
John Rozankowski
Bedford Park
Condom Giveaway Makes Sense
June 28, 2007
By None
Re: Frederick J. Kurtz’s letter to the editor in your June 14-27 issue regarding free condom distribution.
It is an unfortunate fact of life that we no longer live in innocent times. With cable TV, computer porn, and R-rated movies, very little is left to the imagination, and young people, who seem to get younger and younger, are more influenced than ever by what they see, especially teens with raging hormones who are more likely to want to "test the waters."
Some young people who may actually want to use protection may be reluctant to visit a doctor or a pharmacy or may not have funds for a purchase. It’s easier for them to accept free condoms from a stranger who won’t judge them.
Of course we don’t want our young sons and daughters to have sexual relations. We don’t want unwanted pregnancies and out-of-wedlock births, but if couples decide to "play house," isn’t it better that they use protection? Protection can help prevent babies and sexually transmitted diseases. Ideally, parents may want their kids to abstain, but if that doesn’t happen, using protection is the smart thing to do.
Some parents think it’s not their kid who will sleep around, and may avoid discussions on the subject. Some kids think that getting pregnant won’t happen to them, and think using protection isn’t even necessary. But both ways of thinking is like playing Russian roulette. Chancy.
The distribution of the free MTA condoms is not a sign that "hooking up" is condoned, but rather a pragmatic approach to probable behavior. Mr. Kurtz mentions teenage pregnancies and a high percentage of out-of-wedlock births, and it is for this very reason that the distribution of condoms is helpful since using them should definitely cut back on these problems.
As for the mayor distributing condoms in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, this is something he shouldn’t do, especially since Orthodox Jews do not use protection. They believe that having children is a blessing, and besides, their religion dictates that couples should wait until they’re married. The same is true for Catholics.
It is probably just because most Norwood residents comprise an international mix, that the mayor may have selected this area and others like it for free condom distribution. As for those families who raise their children in the ways of the old country, it’s great if their offspring follow those conservative traditions, but for those youngsters who become totally Americanized, i.e., not waiting until after they’re married, isn’t it better that they have the opportunity to use protection, and thus improve their chances of avoiding unwanted births and STDs?
Judy Noy
Norwood
New Leadership
June 28, 2007
By None
Several of Community Board 7′s new officers and other members gathered together to march in the Bronx Week Parade last Sunday on Mosholu Parkway.
As we report in this issue, the Board has a lot of work ahead this summer, including reviewing and commenting on proposals for redeveloping the Kingsbridge Armory and hiring a new district manager. We wish the Board the best of luck as they begin addressing critical community issues.
Not So Fast!
June 28, 2007
By Editorial
The bulk of the borough’s political leadership quickly got behind Mayor Bloomberg’s environmental master plan known as PlaNYC, including the controversial congestion pricing proposal.
We know the mayor’s in a hurry to get congestion pricing through the state legislature because of a deadline to be eligible for federal funds, but why are Bronx elected officials running all the stop signs to get behind the rest of PlaNYC?
Certainly there are many innovative and exciting ideas in the plan, and we’re glad the mayor is thinking ahead.
But Bronx politicians need to think ahead, too, and engage in some of the political wheeling and dealing we pay them for.
Their first question should be, "Is there enough in the plan that will help the Bronx, particularly around transportation?"
Well, no.
There is one bus rapid transit line planned for Pelham Parkway and Fordham Road. The only other thing on the map for the Bronx is related to getting Long Island commuters to Manhattan’s east side.
In fact, too much of the plan seems to be about commuters to Manhattan, and not enough of them from the Bronx.
Very little of it is about improving life for the people who live right here.
Were our elected officials even aware of the Bronx Arterial Needs Major Investment Study (MIS) completed in 2004 by the state Department of Transportation, which studied the borough’s most serious transportation needs?
It includes several terrific Bronx transportation proposals. One is improving traffic and quality of life along the Cross Bronx Expressway. It calls for high quality bus rapid transit on connector roads, a multi-use path along those roads for pedestrians and bicyclists, and a landscaped buffer between the road and the path.
Now, that would be some great first aid for the deep, lingering wound Robert Moses left across the belly of the borough.
Closer to home, there’s an excellent proposal for fixing the perennially bottled up interchange at West Fordham Road and the Major Deegan Expressway.
These would have been perfect additions to PlaNYC and perfect bargaining chips for Bronx politicians to demand in exchange for their support of congestion pricing.
Doing it in that order doesn’t just make political sense. It makes policy sense.
Mass transit improvements like the bus lanes on the Cross Bronx should be made before congestion pricing is implemented, so that people have sufficient incentives to leave their cars at home.
As for congestion pricing itself, the proposal as it currently stands needs work. And so that the best ideas are considered, it should be subjected to rigorous public review.
Assemblyman Jeffery Dinowitz told us he thinks larger vehicles like Hummers and SUVs should be subjected to higher fees than compact cars. Likewise, he said, hybrid vehicles should get a break on the fee. Makes sense to us.
Also, subtracting bridge tolls from the congestion pricing fee of $8 is unfair to Bronxites, most of whom don’t pay a toll on their way to Manhattan. Having poorer residents pay $8 to travel within their own city, while more affluent New Jersey commuters get a $6 discount is just plain unfair.
The bottom line? Let’s slow down, consider existing policy proposals for Bronx improvements like those in the 2004 MIS, and give the public a chance to participate.
We have speed limits on our highways for a reason. Driving slower makes for better decision making and deters disastrous accidents. The same is true for policy proposals.
MMCC Takes Over PS 86 Youth Center
June 28, 2007
By Cassandra Lizaire
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) will add a new school to its roster of Beacon Youth Centers when it begins operating the after-school program at PS 86 this fall.
In addition to PS 8 in Bedford Park, MS 113 in Williamsbridge, and MS 142 in Seton Falls, MMCC will take over programs at PS 86, located at 2756 Reservoir Ave. near the Kingsbridge Armory. With this new contract, MMCC will operate the most Beacons in the city, along with the Police Athletic League (PAL), which also has four Beacons, said MMCC Executive Director Don Bluestone.
The Beacon centers first appeared in 1991 as part of the city’s Safe Streets, Safe City anti-crime campaign. The school-based community centers serve children, youth and adults. Eight years ago, MCCC was awarded its first Beacon by the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and started programs at MS 80, which moved to the PS 8 site last fall.
Now DYCD has renewed funding for MMCC programs at all three locations, while assigning an additional Beacon, which Bluestone sees as a symbol of trust and appreciation of the Norwood community center’s continued service to thousands of Bronx youth.
The Beacon is also a product of the strong ties MMCC has built with neighboring schools like PS 86, according to Bluestone.
"We have done so many programs there," said Bluestone of MMCC’s initiatives including summer recreational programs in conjunction with the Summer Youth Employment Program.
The Beacon at PS 86 is currently operated by Aspira, a national non-profit dedicated to Latino education and leadership development, according to DYCD spokesman Ryan Dodge. The non-profit organization offers services such as academic support, leadership development, and recreational and arts activities such as football, martial arts and dance.
"In May 2006, DYCD began a comprehensive analysis of the Beacon program in preparation for new programs to begin in fiscal year 2008. Programs will now incorporate a focus on middle school youth, who often need extra help overcoming social and academic challenges," said Dodge.
When DYCD called for Beacon proposals in February for the coming school year, the city agency evaluated qualifying proposals and chose MMCC to oversee the PS 86 Beacon.
"I think we’re more connected to the community and we reach more students," Bluestone said.
MMCC will take over the Beacon on Sept. 1. The program is scheduled to be supported by DYCD funding through Aug. 31, 2010.
"DYCD will work closely with MMCC and Aspira to ensure an orderly transition of services," Dodge said.
Bluestone has already begun meeting with principals at nearby PS 360 and the Walton High School campus and hopes to provide services for their students at the PS 86 Beacon. At the new location, MMCC will host after-school, adult education and youth programs. The center will join with Tolentine Zeiser Community Center to create immigrant programs, and partner with the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center to develop counseling and teen-centered groups.
Bluestone welcomes the added responsibility. "Having four Beacons will help us coordinate programs even better," he said.
Board to Weigh in on Armory Proposals
June 28, 2007
By Annie Shreffler
Picture a mega mall on Kingsbridge Road, complete with a multi-screen cinema, food court, gymnasium and several floors of retail stores. It’s being called "a destination" by developers who submitted proposals to turn the landmark Kingsbridge Armory into a local hub of shopping, entertainment and community space.
About 20 people, including members of Community Board 7, the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC, which created the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, known as KARA), and a few interested local residents, attended a meeting hosted by CB7 at the New York Botanical Garden on June 12. It was an opportunity for the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to present plans for the Armory submitted by developers Atlantic Development Group, the Related Companies and Rosenshein Associates.
The three proposals, presented anonymously as A, B and C, would be anchored by large chains such as Home Depot, ShopRite or JC Penney and other well-known stores like Dress Barn, PC Richards, DSW and Marshalls. Where the plans differ is in suggestions for community use.
Project A suggested devoting 23,000 square feet to an outdoor farmers market and included a 6,000-square-foot daycare center. Project B included ideas for gardening education (perhaps in cooperation with the New York Botanical Garden) and, as part of a community center operated by YMCA, a full basketball court with viewing balcony.
(A year ago, the Atlantic Development Group presented an initial proposal to Community Board 7 which included a YMCA.)
All three proposals include chain restaurants, among them Dallas BBQ, Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesdays and Pizzeria Uno. However, project A incorporated a banquet hall into its space and allowed for fewer chains than projects B and C.
Project C scored points over the other two in its ideas for local employment. Like A and B, it agreed to work with nearby agencies, but it also suggested a mentoring program and a monitoring system to ensure retailers comply with agreements.
The EDC pointed out concerns with project B incorporating a home improvement store, which demands an excessive number of parking spaces. Only B, however, offered long-term parking. They also rejected project B’s plans to alter the armory’s brand new roof for a garden and questioned changes to the exterior of the building to create an entrance directly from the number 4 train station.
EDC officials evaluated the projects according to how detailed each proposal was about land use, environmental design and employment opportunities. Only A and B received passing grades, implying that proposal C was essentially out of the running.
In response, members of the community praised the suggestion of a daycare center, but expressed concerns over a lack of organized activities in designated community space for youth from nearby high schools. One CB7 member suggested a "computer clubhouse" to offer technology training and supplement on-line access provided by local libraries.
Other suggestions included inviting hospitals to offer patient outreach, and attracting health-minded retailers like Whole Foods.
Some attendees expressed dismay at the list of retailers, one calling it "generic stuff to develop a mall which you can reproduce a few blocks away." In fact, potential tenants Kids World and Modell’s Sporting Goods already reside on Fordham Road, only three blocks south.
At the meeting, members of NWBCCC, which has been heavily involved with discussions surrounding the armory since the late 1990s, distributed a list of suggestions supported by KARA.
They want retailers to work with a local organization to hire employees and more space for community gardening and youth organizations such as the Police Athletic League or YMCA. They want walking space designated for seniors and one cinema screen reserved for independent or foreign films.
They also suggested reduced parking fees for teachers and owners of hybrid cars, installation of bike racks and more reflection of the neighborhood’s ethnic diversity in the food court.
To end the meeting, EDC offered to take new suggestions to the developers and urged guests to submit any further ideas or concerns to District Manager Rita Kessler at the CB7 office.
CB7 Chair Greg Faulkner said he believes the city remains genuinely interested in giving the community a chance to respond to the proposals. And in fact, the EDC staff was scheduled to make the same presentation at the board office in Bedford Park on June 26 for the benefit of newly elected board members.
Based on discussions at the Tuesday meeting and before the month is over, Faulkner said CB7, per EDC’s request, will submit a list of its own recommendations. He said they are sympathetic to recommendations made earlier by the public and NWBCCC.
The EDC has said they will choose a developer sometime in July.
Math and Reading Scores Released
June 28, 2007
By Norwood News
The Norwood News looked at the latest test results for 21 local schools and here are a few highlights:
- 45 percent of local students passed the language test, compared to 50 percent citywide. On the math test, 54 percent of area students passed, versus 65 percent citywide.
- This year was the first year all English Language Learners students who had attended school for more than one year were required to take the exam. Previously, English Language Learners were exempted from the test until they had been in school for three years. Citywide, the percent of those who passed remained constant.
- Every school saw more students pass the math test this year than last.
- On the language test, more than half of local schools increased their number of passing scores.
- Students from four schools – PS/MS 15, PS 51, PS/MS 280 and PS 340 – passed the math test at a rate of about 80 percent, which is nearly 15 points higher than the city percentage.
- • Two schools – PS 51 and PS/MS 280 – saw 70 percent of their students pass the language test, 20 percent more than the city percentage. PS 340 followed closely with 64 percent of its students passing.
- • Other schools showed significant achievement compared to their own numbers as of just last year. MS 399 nearly doubled its amount of students who passed in math.
- Both MS 80 and the Jonas Bronck Academy increased the number of students who passed in math by half. At MS 80, 29 percent passed this year, versus 20 percent in 2006, and at Jonas Bronck, 37 percent passed this year, compared with 24 percent in 2006.
- Also, Jonas Bronck added 23 percentage points to its passing language scores, jumping from 33 percent to 56 percent from 2006 to 2007, an increase of more than two-thirds.
Source: New York City Department of Education. Percentages rounded to nearest whole number.
Koppell: ‘Best Budget Ever’
June 28, 2007
By Alex Kratz
At the VIP Café on Gun Hill Road, following the annual meeting of the Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District, Council Member Oliver Koppell sat at a back table, looking satisfied, having just finished a free meal and basking in the glory of what he called the “best budget in the history of New York City.”
It’s clear times are good in the Big Apple, which started this fiscal year off with a $6 billion surplus. Most of that money will go into a revenue-generating trust fund and to make down payments on future city expenditures.
But in the immediate future, it also allowed Mayor Bloomberg to institute an across-the-board 7 percent cut in property taxes and renew a $400 tax rebate for homeowners. (Koppell said he’d also like to see a $300 rebate for renters and the elimination of sales tax on shoes and clothing as well. Both proposals await approval in Albany.) Koppell attributed the budget surplus mostly to “Wall Street profits and a lively real estate market.”
While Koppell and his Council cohorts usually find themselves fighting to stave off library cuts, this year’s budget calls for city libraries to remain open a minimum of six days a week. Those who know about the annual library kabuki dance between the mayor and Council understand how important the added day of library service is.
Other highlights included increased funding for full-day pre-kindergarten, park maintenance and sanitation pickups, homeless shelters, bulletproof vests for auxiliary police and the creation of primary care clinics in the highest-need neighborhoods.
Increased city services, library access and tax cuts are one way the surplus will trickle down to Bronx communities, Koppell said. But, in addition, Koppell and other Council members are bringing back funding for various programs and organizations.
Among the local organizations that will be receiving city funding, Koppell said, are the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, West Bronx Housing, Epiphany Lutheran Church’s St. Stephen’s Meals, the Jerome-Gun Hill Road BID and schools like PS 8 (new air conditioners) and PS/MS 280 (computers).
“We still have our problems,” the former state assemblyman, attorney general, and school board president said. “But prospects for this neighborhood are good.”
In the Public Interest
June 28, 2007
By Cassandra Lizaire and Jessica Glazer
Rivera: Bloomberg Come Home
Mayor Bloomberg first changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican before his first mayoral run. Now, he’s neither. Amidst rumors that he may enter the 2008 presidential election, he became an Independent, which means he has no party affiliation at all.
Hearing this news, Bronx Democratic County Committee Chairman Jose Rivera saw an opening and urged Bloomberg to come back to the Democratic Party.
"I had a meeting with him where I asked him to come back home to the Democratic Party," Rivera said. "The mayor would be a great addition."
Rivera’s ‘Skinny Models’ Bill Approved
Both the Assembly and State Senate passed a bill that would create standards for child performers and models under 18. Assemblyman Jose Rivera, chairman of the Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy, introduced the legislation after two South American fashion models died from eating disorders.
"New York City is one of the world’s leaders in fashion and entertainment, and we don’t want to do anything to harm those industries," Rivera said. "At the same time, we need responsible protections in place, especially for young workers."
Under the legislation, an advisory board made up of health experts, industry representatives, models and entertainment professionals would report to the Commissioner of Labor on the need for employment restrictions, weight or body mass index (BMI) requirements, medical screenings, and other measures.
Another bill introduced by Rivera requires the state to develop guidelines for schools to prevent and treat life-threatening allergic reactions in schoolchildren. According to Rivera, an estimated 1 to 2 percent of the general population is at risk from anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) from food allergies and insect stings.
Dinowitz for Medical Marijuana
With time running out on the year’s legislative session, several high-profile efforts (think congestion pricing) stalled, prompting Governor Spitzer to declare that lawmakers would need to return sometime this summer to hammer out their differences and reach agreements on several pieces of legislation.
At the same time, however, local Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz announced the passage of a bill he co-sponsored.
The bill allows "the use of marijuana to treat serious, life-threatening illnesses under the supervision of a doctor," according to a press release. The bill passed easily in the Assembly and awaits Senate approval.
"Medical marijuana can be very beneficial and effective for patients who do not respond well to other medications," Dinowitz said.
Under conditions laid out in the bill, certified and registered patients could possess up to 2.5 ounces of weed and 12 plants. It also allows doctors to certify the use of marijuana as an alternative treatment for those patients suffering under life-threatening conditions.
Recently, New Mexico legalized medical marijuana and the Connecticut legislature also passed a similar bill that is currently awaiting governor approval.
While the federal government has approved THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, for medical use in synthetic pill form, consuming the drug in its natural form (which physicians say is more effective) remains illegal.
The bill would be a pilot program that would expire in four years.
Engel on Stem Cell Setback
President Bush recently vetoed a legislation bill that would lift federal restrictions on the use of stem cells that would be destroyed anyway.
Local Congressman Eliot Engel, a leading proponent of this controversial research practice, spoke out against what he calls the triumph of ideology over science.
Engel is determined to have stem cells become available, giving hope to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, spinal chord injuries, ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Correction
June 28, 2007
By None
In an article in our last issue (June 14-27) about the New York Botanical Garden’s plans for a new parking garage, we mistakenly reported information about the monthly membership fee the Garden will charge for overnight parking. According to Garden officials: “Pricing of the monthly membership for community access to overnight parking in the New York Botanical Garden’s new parking facility has not been determined yet. Once the new parking facility at the corner of Webster Avenue and Bedford Park Boulevard is open sometime in late 2009, the details of a monthly membership for overnight community parking will be developed including the actual fee. The then-current market price for monthly parking in local garages in the area will guide this decision.”
Starry Night
June 28, 2007
By None
Robert Klein, Dion DiMucci and Danny Aiello (far right) were among the stars who turned out for the 10th annual Bronx Ball at Loew’s Paradise on Saturday night. Aiello and Klein had been inducted in previous years. Dion was one of the inductees this year.
Monte Staffer Aids Kid After Bus Accident
June 28, 2007
By Heather Appel
Montefiore Medical Center employee James Adeola’s vacation got off to a dramatic start when he saw a young boy walk straight into the side of a commuter bus the morning of June 14.
Adeola was in his car when he saw 10-year-old Eliseo Oller collide with the bus and get thrown back, hitting his head on the pavement. He got out of his car and ran to help the boy, taking the shirt off his back to wrap Eliseo in and stop the bleeding.
"It was something I’d do any time," said Adeola, who works in Montefiore’s Nutrition Department. "Nobody was there, so in a split second he could have been dead." A father of two girls, ages 6 and 1, Adeola said he couldn’t just pass by the scene without doing anything. It was the first week of his four-week vacation, so he was able to accompany the boy to the hospital and help the family get his photo out to the news media.
Eliseo suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs and a broken shoulder. He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital and later moved to Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, where hospital officials say he was released from the intensive care unit last week.
Eliseo’s parents told reporters he was forced to take two city buses to get to PS/MS 95, where he attends fourth grade. He took the school bus previously but was told he was not eligible this year. The Department of Education has said Eliseo was never eligible for the school bus, but his family disputes that claim.
Bronx Week Brings Back Stars and Highlights Best of Borough
June 28, 2007
By Jordan Moss
They all came back to take the stage they knew so well.
Almost every star in the house – and there were many – at the 10th annual Bronx Ball at the Loew’s Paradise Theatre, had a story to tell of sitting in the fabled movie house’s balcony with their favorite girl.
When it was doo-wop pioneer Dion DiMucci’s turn to be inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame, he told the crowd of a girl named Susan and the seats they sat in, P1 and P3.
“I was trying to get close to her any way I could,” he said.
He succeeded.
When he finished his moving walk down memory lane, he took his chair and pushed it close to Susan, his wife of 44 years and muse for mega-hit “Runaround Sue.”
The chatter in the audience was that people wanted Dion to sing, but he chose to perform in a different kind of way – telling his riveting Bronx story, cataloguing the influences on his life from the Jimmy Reed and Howling Wolf albums he picked up at Cousin’s Record Store on Fordham Road, to the Jewish music he heard wafting out of a synagogue on Pelham Parkway and the rabbi who ushered him inside to study it further. He’d struck paydirt – “Jewish Fusion Rock ‘n Roll!” he said of the influence.
Then there was Rita Moreno, a 1998 inductee, who said she knew she had arrived when she starred in the “Night of the Following Day” in 1968 and the marquee over the very same Paradise Theatre said “Our Very Own Rita Moreno — with Marlon Brando.”
The next afternoon Moreno, 76, but acting and looking more like 46, was salsa dancing on a float with Sopranos’ star Dominic Chianese (2005 inductee) at the Bronx Week Parade on Mosholu Parkway.
Comedian and DeWitt Clinton alumnus Robert Klein (1997 inductee) joked that there was more DNA in the balcony than in “CSI Miami.” Then he said that he had to go to return a girdle with his mother across the street at Alexander’s.
The night also saw the induction of “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Doris Roberts, Bachata stars Aventura, Improv club founder Budd Friedman, and singer Luther Vandross, whose posthumous award was accepted by his mother, Mary Ida.
Actor Danny Aiello also made a return visit.
The Paradise Theatre itself was a focus of the evening as it was the first time many of the hundreds of attendees had been there in decades. The venue has gone through several owners and managers in recent years, but Bronx Week began with an announcement that 2002 Walk of Fame inductee and “Raging Bull” actress Cathy Moriarty, had taken over the theatre and renamed it the Utopia Paradise Theatre.
The event and the parade the next day capped a week of activities all over the borough, from Bronx history tours, to health walks, to facials and manicures for women to raise awareness of domestic violence.
Bronx Week is organized by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion’s office and the Bronx Tourism Council.
New Day’ at CB7
June 28, 2007
By Alex Kratz
The incumbent at the top of the ticket won, but it was an evening of change nonetheless at Community Board 7.
The veteran district manager, Rita Kessler, announced her resignation and Greg Faulkner, who became chairman two years ago after former chair Nora Feury resigned from the position just weeks before the election, defeated longtime board member Don Bluestone by an unofficial vote of 25-9 (official counts are not publicized).
"This is a new day at Community Board 7," Faulkner said as a deep smile spread across his face after the results were announced. "I’m going to celebrate this for about 20 minutes and then get back to work."
Faulkner’s slate of candidates for the three vice chair positions also prevailed by a similar margin, except for Paul Foster who became first vice chair when his opponent, the incumbent Sallie Caldwell, a long-serving member, was not reappointed to the board by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion a few weeks before the election. (Staff members of elected officials – Caldwell works for Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera – are no longer eligible for board positions, Carrion’s office said.)
For third vice chair, Hector Lopez defeated incumbent Dave Laguer, saying in his pre-vote remarks that, as a lawyer with a background in finance, he wanted to make all the board’s finances and dealings as transparent and tidy as possible. Andrew Laiosa, the former board secretary, unseated longtime board member Stuart Davis for second vice chair.
Meanwhile, Feury won an unopposed bid to take over Laiosa’s position as secretary and long-serving treasurer Barbara Stronczer retained her title without facing a vote.
Feeling of optimism
Following the announcement of the results, the atmosphere in the jam-packed board office was jovial as members, both new and old, expressed a general feeling of accomplishment and optimism.
Faulkner and running-mate Foster looked at each other, smiled, and embraced. "We did it," Faulkner said, allowing himself a moment to revel in his victory. "A clean sweep!"
Longtime member Dexter Cruzado said he liked the fact that the new officers were a good mix of older and newer members, which would combine the productive qualities of experience and fresh blood. For the past few years, he said a "divide-and-conquer" mentality between the old and new members had divided the board.
Praising Bluestone as a quality candidate, Cruzado said the board was lucky to be choosing between "two really good guys."
John Harris, a board member for the past few years, was ecstatic about the board’s potential under new leadership. "We haven’t seen the greatest part of this board," he said.
In defeat, Bluestone graciously praised Faulkner for his previous work on the board and wished him luck in the future.
"One of the reasons I ran was because Greg had never been elected by a majority vote," Bluestone said. "Now, Greg should feel very good and his leadership should have a clear mandate."
From the beginning of the campaign, Bluestone and Faulkner both said the fight would not devolve into a bout of personal attacks and both acknowledged at the meeting and afterwards that it never did.
But that didn’t stop departing District Manager Rita Kessler from letting her feelings be known once the sweep was announced. "Lord have mercy on this board!" Kessler blurted out for everyone to hear as she walked back to her office. Earlier, Kessler announced that, indeed, after 18 years she would be resigning from her position, effective Friday, June 29.
Faulkner said his most urgent point of business would be the hiring of a new district manager.
Following the vote, Faulkner addressed the board, thanked his supporters and reminded everyone that tough issues were facing the board this summer, including choosing a new developer for the Kingsbridge Armory (see story page 6). That means that instead of calling it quits for the summer, Faulkner said some committees would probably need to meet and some special sessions might be called.
Victory celebration
Also on Faulkner’s immediate agenda will be choosing committee heads, which he said he’d be looking at in the coming weeks.
After the three-hour meeting, both winners and losers milled about on East 204th Street as Faulkner rounded up his slate and supporters for a victory celebration at the Bedford Park Diner.
Under street lights, new member Fernando Tirado, who recently moved to Bedford Park from Queens and has been attending board meetings for the past few months, said he was excited to see Faulkner and his slate take over leadership. "I’ve been paying attention for the past few months and [the new officers] seem very sincere," he said.
Tirado is one of nine new members that attended the meeting, along with all 25 old members. Bluestone said the two best things about the meeting were the turnout (the only time anyone could remember that everyone showed up) and the talent and enthusiasm of the new members. One of Faulkner’s challenges, Bluestone said, would be finding ways to engage the vibrant cast of new members.
As Faulkner walked to the diner with board members Judith Freeman and Tirado, he received a congratulatory call from Deputy Borough President Earl Brown.
Meanwhile, Freeman said this election could be a turning point for the board.
"We can finally move on and push forward on some of the issues facing this community," Freeman said. "I think we can really make a difference for the first time."
Meet the Roses
June 14, 2007
By None
One species of rose, Cherry Parfait, to see before the end of Rose Month, at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden of the New York Botanical Garden.
Bronx Prepares For Meth Outbreak
June 14, 2007
By Alex Kratz
Dr. Penny Grant tells a horror story about an Oklahoma woman, a mother ravaged by the exhausting effects of crystal methamphetamine addiction, who slept through her baby burning to death.
Grant, who now works at Montefiore Medical Center’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine, spent years studying the effects of "crystal meth" on families in Oklahoma, where the cheap, versatile and potent drug swept through the state like sagebrush wildfire.
At a symposium on crystal meth at Montefiore last week, Grant and others warned an audience of community members that the drug and its devastating by-products are coming to the Bronx, probably sooner rather than later.
"I’m afraid to say there’s going to be more meth here, it’s just a matter of when," said Scott Adams, an agent for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Right now, less than one half of one percent of drug cases in New York City are meth-related, Adams said, but recently they confiscated a huge shipment of the drug in New Jersey. It was packaged with cocaine.
When meth does start to hit home, Montefiore and its auxiliaries will be ready, says Dr. Sarah Church, a clinical psychologist who has established two care units here in the Bronx in anticipation of an outbreak. So far, the units have only treated a handful of meth patients, Church said.
At the end of the symposium, Bronx District Attorney Nestor Ferreiro said the key to preventing or treating an outbreak of addiction would be communication. He said meth was like weeds in your lawn, and the problem, like weeds, would continue to grow without treatment. This symposium, he said, is the beginning of that treatment.
Out & About
June 14, 2007
By Judy Noy
Editor’s Pick
Out All Week
The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance celebrates gay pride in the Bronx with Out Like That!, a weeklong – Thursday, June 14 through Saturday, June 23 – festival of dance, theater, film and drag performances focusing on women, people of color, and the LGBT community. Performance artists Susana Cook, Michael Burke and Michael Lynch fill the bill, plus an evening of all female dancers. Queer films, including Jay Corcoran’s “Rock Bottom” and Bronx-based filmmaker Jose Vicenty’s “Behind Walls”, are free.
Finally, an extravagant evening of Bronx queens, comedy and personal stories of drag life in the Bronx closes the festival Saturday, June 23. All performances are at 8 p.m. at 841 Barretto St. Tickets are $12 to $15. For a full schedule of performances, call (718) 842-5223 or visit www.bronxacademyofartsanddance.org.
Onstage
• Everyone is invited to It’s Broadway!, a medley of Broadway tunes by baritone Gunther Stern, on June 16 at 2:30 p.m., and Chasing Rainbows: The Songs of Judy Garland, performed by Broadway veteran Karen Luschar, on June 23 at 2:30 p.m. Both are at the Bronx Library Center at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road. For a detailed schedule, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.
Events
• The Bronx River Alliance invites you outdoors with Paddling: A Father’s Day Float, a special day with dad on the Bronx River on June 17. Also, on June 23, there’s Family Day By the Bronx River, featuring games, boat rides, live entertainment, and food; and Paddling: Upper River Run, to canoe through the Bronx River Forest, the NY Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo. And on June 29, enjoy the sunset and the rising full moon from a canoe on the South Bronx Sunset Cruise, followed by music and drinks on the riverbank. For more information and to register, call (718) 430-4636 or visit www.bronxriver.org.
• The New York Botanical Garden presents Caribbean Storytelling, featuring Taino Indian and Caribbean folktales, on June 17 at 2:30 p.m. in the Conservatory courtyards. Also, June is Rose Month at the Garden, featuring a variety of programs, tours and displays. The Farmers Market returns to the Garden’s Tulip Tree Allée on June 27 and will run on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Oct. 31. Admission only to Garden grounds is free from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and all day Wednesdays. All other times, grounds admission is $6 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for students with ID and $1 for children ages 2 to 12. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
• The Story of the Weeping Camel, set in the Mongolia Gobi Desert, is showing June 16 at 7 p.m. at the Meeting House of the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture at 4450 Fieldston Rd. Donations are accepted. For more information, call (718) 548-4445.
Exhibits
• Thoreau Reconsidered, one of an exhibition series exploring 19th century American writing about nature through the lens of contemporary art, features works by artists inspired by Henry David Thoreau, including his observations about light and life at Walden Pond. The exhibit runs through Aug. 26 in Wave Hill’s Glyndor Gallery and grounds. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit wavehill.org.
• Caribbean Gardens: Journey to Paradise, celebrating Caribbean flowers and culture, will run through Sept. 16 at the New York Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The new buds are accompanied by the Paradise in Print exhibition in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library through Aug. 19. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
Learning
• All ages can attend Camera Obscura, to construct a cardboard camera obscura and walk through the woodlands, on June 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wave Hill House. It’s $25, or $20 for members, and registration is required at ext. 305.
Wave Hill is located at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit wavehill.org.
• Budding Botanists, children ages 2 to 5, study their ABC’s through nature at the New York Botanical Garden this summer. On Thursday, June 14 and Friday, June 15, the little learners will tackle L is for Ladybugs and Lovely Lavender. No registration is required. Free with grounds admission. Admission only to Garden grounds is free from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and all day Wednesdays. All other times, grounds admission is $6 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for students with ID and $1 for children ages 2 to 12. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
• The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages: Children can attend the Mighty Action Racket Theatre Workshop to learn acting, on June 16 at 2 p.m., Dinosaurs, to learn about these beasts on June 18 at 11 a.m. and Bug Magnet Making, a craft program, on June 14 at 4 p.m. for ages 7 to 12. Pre-registration is required. Young adults can attend Play Chess! to improve their skills, on June 18 and 25 at 4 p.m.
Adults can attend Crochet Club, a free workshop, on June 22 from 3 to 5 p.m. (bring your own materials) and Books and Poetry Reading, featuring winners of the 2007 Chapter One Competition and Reading Series, on June 23 at 1 p.m. The Center is at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road. For a detailed schedule, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.
Business Beat
June 14, 2007
By Laura Sayer
Norwood’s Young Star Wine and Liquors Store reopened a few weeks ago, way ahead of schedule, with the help of some friends.
A fire on April 17 devastated the store when water leaked into its electrical system, damaging two neighboring stores, JNS Jewelry and Best Nails, in the process.
There is still the faintest smell of smoke in the air and a telltale black swirl on the labels of a few bottles of red wine. But new white walls, windowpanes, and owner Sean Park’s warm smile say, “welcome back,” almost as loudly as the sign out front.
When Park reopened the doors on May 21, just over a month after the fire, he was pessimistic, despite the support and encouragement of customers and neighbors, said Young Shon, a customer who has been helping out since the fire. Shon translated during the interview with Park.
“We’re countrymen,” Shon said, explaining why, although she has her own work responsibilities as an antiques dealer, she also volunteers here.
Shon said Park and his wife, Gina, speak enough English to conduct their business, having been college educated in Korea before they came here 14 years ago.
When Park bought the business a year ago, he invested everything he had in it. But since he didn’t have insurance, the fire’s damage proposed a daunting challenge.
“It was just black in here,” Shon said. “It was like starting from scratch.”
Park said he faced at least two or three months of renovation, but, much to his surprise, he opened in a month because of his neighbors’ generosity.
Reda Serafina, his landlord, put up a lot of her own money to begin the repairs. She also stopped by almost every day to check how renovations were progressing and to see how Park and his family were holding up.
Also, Foodtown, a nearby grocery store, lent supplies, like a price labeler, until new equipment arrived. The supers in neighboring buildings helped dispose of debris from the fire.
“There must have been a hundred people who have come by,” Shon said, pointing to flowers from one customer and recalling how another bought Park and his whole construction crew lunch one day.
One customer, Greg O’Donovan, whom Shon and Park called a great, loyal customer, came into the store looking for a bottle of Barefoot wine. Park found one last bottle after searching the basement.
“These guys have a great selection for a low price,” O’Donovan said, while giving Shon advice on how to get rid of the lingering smell of smoke. Burning a few sage leaves or incense would probably do the trick, O’Donovan said. “I’ll bring some,” he added, “as my gift to the reopening.”
Ed. note: Young Star will be holding wine tastings on upcoming weekends to show their appreciation. Dates and times will be posted in the front window. The store is located at 288 E 204th St. For more information, call (917) 753-8373.
Photos by
School Briefs
June 14, 2007
By Alex Kratz
Ursula Students Win Awards, Scholarships
Awards for Darfur Work
At the 34th Annual Eddy Awards, sponsored by Instructional Television (ITV) of the Archdiocese of New York, Mount St. Ursula students took home five awards for their broadcast work on the theme, "The Cries of Darfur." Wendy Hado ’07, Enuma Igweatu ’07, Shani Ogilivie ’10, Kathleen Chiluiza ’07, Sakia Miller ’09, Sheryl Hado, and Chikaodili Okaneme ’07 formed the news team that won an award for their overall work and individual stories. The team was led by faculty member Joan Sipe.
Awards for Latin
Thirteen Latin students at Mount St. Ursula received awards in the National Latin Exam Program. The award-winners for Latin I are: Summa Cum Laude – Christina Ferrari ’07; Maxima Cum Laude – Suwanthika Fernando; ’10, Magna Cum Laude – Katherine Chung ’10, Amanda Laboy ’10 and Erika Wilson ’07; and Cum Laude – Grace Delgado ’07 and Cecilia Gonzalez ’10.
The Latin II awardees are: Maxima Cum Laude – Danielle Flores ’09, Ladylaura Bueno ’09 and Imani Palanque ’09; Magna Cum Laude – Christine Cerrada ’09 and Jenny Maria ’09; and Cum Laude – Yetunde Adetoro ’09.
Hado Receives Gates Scholarship
Wendy Hado, Class of 2007, was selected as a Gates Millennium Scholar entering Dartmouth College this fall. Hado was one of only 1,000 students selected out of over 11,000 applicants. The scholarship program provides funding toward her undergraduate education and may extend to graduate programs through the masters and doctoral levels in the fields of education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.
Students from the Science and Ecology Club (Eco-Sci) presented a workshop on "Fuel for Thought: Alternative Energy" at YouthCan, a telecommunications conference at the Museum of Natural History. The MSU team, led by Gertrude Battaly, has participated in the conference for the past 13 years.
Passages
St. Brendan’s Students Excel
The following Saint Brendan graduates have received scholarships to private high schools: Ivan Kaloyanov, Jesse Azubuike, Noel Quinones, Michael Crespo, Antonio Rosa, Alex Ramirez, Eric Lima, Gregory Scott, Janelle Bawayan, Orlando Rivera, Samira Ahmed, Karina Ortiz, Kelsey Cintron, Jenifer Perdomo and Desiree Figueroa.
In addition, Janelle Bawayan was admitted to La Guardia High School of Music and Performing Arts, and Antonio Rosa and Ivan Kaloyanov have been accepted by the Bronx High School of Science.
Monroe Graduates Largest Class, First MBA Students
Monroe College had its largest graduations in history on June 8 and 11. A total of 2,619 students graduated, including 53 students from the inaugural class of the King Graduate School, a three-semester Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program that started in January 2006.
Local Students Newest Recording Artists
June 14, 2007
By Alex Kratz
The students of the Bronx New School, all 250 of them, want to tell you about a few of their favorite things.
Raindrops on roses.
Whiskers on kittens.
These are just a few of their favorite things.
All right, so maybe they’re famous songwriting duo Rodgers and Hammerstein’s favorite things. Regardless, you can hear the entire New School student population singing about them on a CD they recorded at a Lehman College music hall last month.
In addition to “My Favorite Things,” New School students recorded a diverse collection of songs, including African-American spirituals and a variety of folk tunes such as Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.”
“We have a very diverse school community and we wanted the song collection to reflect that,” said music teacher Caroline Barnes, who joined the New School last November and has a background in choral music.
Every Monday morning, New School students come together for what the school calls All School Sing. For about a half hour, kids belt out songs as a way to get the blood flowing and also to enhance a feeling of cohesiveness and community, said Principal Paul Smith. For months, the school has used All School Sing to rehearse the songs chosen for the CD project.
Smith, who plays piano on a couple of the tracks, said he’s always wanted to produce a school album as a way of creating something tangible that students and their parents could be proud of. And also to raise a little money for the Bedford Park elementary school.
When Barnes was told about the idea, she said she made it her goal to get it done this year.
Smith’s vision and Barnes’ hard work came to fruition inside a huge studio at Lehman’s Lovinger Theatre, where students congregated in front of Barnes like a giant church choir. Between takes, kids chatted, joked and played hand-slapping games. But when Barnes told them to be quiet and get ready to sing for recording, the silence was absolute. You could hear a pin drop.
“The easiest part of the project was the kids,” Barnes said. “They were extremely well-rehearsed and well-behaved.”
Barnes played an acoustic guitar while a group of professional musicians provided the rest of the instrumentation. David Gross, a former bass player for Michael Bolton, among others, found the musicians, supervised the recording and essentially acted as the producer. He and his non-profit group, 144 Music and Arts, work with 94 different schools in the city, including the New School.
Gross attributed the students’ discipline to New School teachers and especially Barnes.
“Caroline is amazing,” he said. “These kids are really well-rehearsed.”
That’s a good thing because Gross also said that “time is the biggest challenge” facing any artist (not to mention a group of 250 elementary schoolers) going into a studio to record music. Barnes said she’s happy that the kids had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to go through the whole recording process.
The CDs should be available any day now, Barnes said last week, adding that her students can’t wait to hear the fruits of their labor.
“There’s really a sense of accomplishment,” Barnes said. “It’s something they’ve been working on all year.”
Unfortunately, this limited edition CD is only available to the school community. But maybe, someday soon, you can download the New School’s version of “My Favorite Things” on the Internet.
Police Report
June 14, 2007
By Alex Kratz
Knox-Gates Shooting
A little more than a month after four young men were shot outside of Tracey Towers (two suspects from across Mosholu Parkway in the Knox-Gates neighborhood were arrested for the crime), a 38-year-old man was shot in the chest in the woods near the Knox-Gates playground.
Police say there is no connection between the two incidents.
At around 10:40 p.m. last Friday, police responded to shots fired in the Knox-Gates area. A group of residents had congregated near a wooded area across from Mosholu Parkway North. When police arrived, the group pointed into the woods, where the shots had come from and a group of men were seen fleeing.
Police found the victim lying there with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to St. Barnabas and deemed to be in critical condition. It now looks like he will recover.
No suspects have been arrested and the investigation is ongoing, police say. Since the shooting incident at Tracey, police say they are keeping extra tabs on both Tracey and the Knox-Gates area.
Insult to Injury
Just after midnight last Wednesday, police responded to reports of shots fired inside a Norwood apartment building. Outside of the building at 3070 Hull Ave., a man told police that his friend had just been shot up on the second floor.
When the cops entered the apartment, they found a man shot in his left thigh and right ankle after an apparent home invasion. They also found an impressive amount of marijuana lying in plain view.
With paramedics on their way, police secured a search warrant for the apartment. They found 16 bags of pot, two air pistols, 66 bullets and $4,275 in cash. After being treated, the man was arrested.
Police say the shooting was probably the result of an attempt to steal the man’s drugs and/or money.
Stealing More Than a Subway Ride
When transit cops busted four young men for jumping the turnstiles at the Bedford Park D-train station, they discovered that one of them was carrying a black handgun.
A recent string of robberies in the Bedford Park area were reportedly carried out by perpetrators, usually a group of at least two, using a black handgun. The transit cops put two and two together and called in investigators from the 52nd Precinct. Detectives there linked the gun with five of the eight local robberies that appeared to be connected.
Two of the four turnstile hoppers, Edwin Hernandez, 23, of 2730 University Ave. and Samuel Espinal, 20, of 1159 Sacket Ave., were arrested and charged with five robbery counts and criminal gun possession.
Argument Leads to Bedford Park Shooting
A domestic dispute snowballed into a shooting two weeks ago in Bedford Park.
Two teenagers hanging out outside of an apartment building on East 203rd Street and Valentine Avenue began yelling at a man who was embroiled in a heated domestic argument in an upper-floor apartment.
The man told the two young men to mind their own business, which led to an exchange of words. Soon, the man in the apartment charged down to the entrance of the building to confront the loitering teenagers. One of the youngsters pulled out a gun and shot the man in the arm.
The victim managed to escape back into the building and call 911. The next day police arrested Victor Marquez, 18, who lives on East 203rd Street and the Grand Concourse.
Fireman Injured in Creston Fire
On June 7, a fireman from Engine 48 injured his right shoulder battling a blaze on Creston Avenue.
Two Impact Zone officers on foot patrol noticed flames and smoke coming from a building at 2608 Creston Ave. The Fire Department was alerted and quickly doused the flames.
Police say the fire was "non-suspicious" and that it was probably caused by a gas leak.
North Fordham Robberies
There have been three robberies in the North Fordham area over the past two weeks that may be connected, but police said they hadn’t identified a trend as of yet.
Last Sunday night, a man was stabbed and robbed on Valentine Avenue and East 194th Street. Two suspects, described as Hispanic men in their 20s, approached the 29-year-old victim. One stabbed him in the back, while another hit him with a gun. They stole his necklace and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Two other robberies occurred, one on Valentine and 197th and the other on 196th between Briggs Avenue and Valentine Avenue. Police say they are looking into the incidents.
Ed. note: The items in Police Report are based on 52nd Precinct crime reports, from reports e-mailed to the media by Police Department headquarters, and other official documentation such as press releases from the district attorney’s office. It is important to keep in mind that all those arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Neighborhood Notes
June 14, 2007
By Norwood News
Business and Credit Workshops
All State Foundation and ACCION New York are sponsoring two free upcoming seminars: “Marketing Your Business to Make More Money” will be held June 20 at 2:30 p.m. at SoBRO, 555 Bergen St., and “Maxed Out! Take Control of Your Credit Card Debt” will take place June 27 at 6 p.m. at the Bronx Business Solutions Center at 358 E. 149th St., Lower Level. For more information, call (212) 387-0377 ext. 309.
Speech and Literacy Program
The Mount Saint Ursula Speech Center is accepting applications for enrollment in its summer program. Children ages two to 16 in need of speech, language and literacy services may be eligible. The five-week program will run from June 27 to July 27. Children attend five days a week for 40 minutes and work either individually or in a small group. The center accepts Medicaid and some managed care and insurance plans and also offers a sliding scale for private pay clients. For more information, call (718) 584-7679.
Money and Energy-Saving Workshop
Want to save up to 75 percent on lighting energy costs? Bronx Community College hosts a free event on Friday, June 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. where participants can learn how to save money and energy for home and business. Experts from BCC’s Center for Sustainable Energy and Quality Conservation Services, Inc. will offer advice at the college campus on West 181st Street and University Avenue at Meister Hall, Room 228. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call (718) 289-5332.
North Central Bronx Hospital HealthFest 2007
North Central Bronx Hospital will sponsor its annual health fair, HealthFest 2007, on Wednesday, June 20, on Kossuth Avenue between 208th and 210th streets. Free services, including health screenings (mammography and other tests by appointment), and medication counseling (please bring medications) will be available to all who attend. HealthFest will also feature informational booths with advice on pediatrics, women’s health, and HIV/sexually transmitted diseases; and fun activities such as DJ entertainment, and carnival games. To find out more, call Luisa Hernandez at (718) 519-4840.
Chapter One Reading Series
The Bronx Council on the Arts presents this year’s Chapter One Reading Series on Saturday June 23 at 1 p.m. Come to the Bronx Library Center at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. to hear the work of Chapter One winners who submitted unpublished novels for the award. To RSVP and learn more about the series, call (718) 409-1265 ext. 13.
Cancer Research Program
Albert Einstein Cancer Center is offering two free research programs for patients with cancer, a Yoga-Based Cancer Rehabilitation Program, which includes 12 weeks of yoga classes, and a Mind-Body Cancer Program, which includes eight weeks of mind-body classes. Both are designed to help cancer patients cope emotionally, physically and spiritually. For more information, and to find out if you are eligible, call (718) 430-2380.
St. Brendan’s Parish Annual Blood Bank Drive
St. Brendan’s Parish will hold its Annual Blood Bank Drive on Sunday, June 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the air-conditioned school cafeteria on East 207th Street. Donors are required to bring a photo I.D. and to know their social security number. The Hudson Valley Blood Bank will conduct the drive to provide urgently needed blood during the summer months.
Art Classes
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park presents “Art Near the Park,” workshops on June 15 and 22. Amalgamated resident and art teacher Lucy Degidon will work with participants to create nature-inspired art from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Building 9 Community Room on Gale Place off Orloff Avenue. Pre-registration is required. A per-class material fee is $4 for adults, and $2 for children ages 5 to 12. Members of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park are free. For more information or to register, call Christina at (718) 601-1460 or fvcpeducation@hotmail.com.
Summer Law Program for Teens
The Monroe College Summer Law program, designed to introduce students to the civil and criminal court systems and the benefits of an education in legal studies, is now enrolling for the Aug. 12 to 24 session. Classes are taught by practicing lawyers, and students attend real criminal trials and get a taste of college life by residing in dormitories on Monroe’s New Rochelle campus. For more information or to request an application, call Dean Karenann Carty at (914) 740-6429 or kcarty@monroecollege.edu.
Eco-cruises on the Harlem River
The Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy, located at the southern end of Roberto Clemente State Park, hosts the third annual Great Muscoota River Paddle on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 22 at 11:30 a.m. Bronx families are invited aboard a 32-foot giant size family canoe for a tour of the Harlem River, led by experienced environmental educators who offer a fresh perspective on the history, ecology and geology of the Harlem River. Advance registration is required. The tours are free, but donations are welcome. To register, call (718) 901-3331.
Reduced Fare MetroCard Stops
The MTA New York City Transit Bus is scheduled to make the following stops this month: Fordham Road and Grand Concourse, June 22 from noon to 2 p.m.; Scott Tower at 3400 Paul Ave. on June 25 from 1 to 3 p.m.; and Van Cortlandt Village at 3880 Sedgwick Ave. on June 22 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Customers can add value to and purchase MetroCards or apply for reduced-fare MetroCards with proper ID. For more information, call (212) METROCARD or visit www.mta.info.
Small Business Counseling
SCORE provides free one-on-one counseling for small business owners and those interested in starting one. Counseling sessions are on Thursdays, June 14, 21 and 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Bronx Library Center at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road. Please call (718) 579-4256/57 to schedule an appointment.
Community Health Fest
PS 94, between East 211th Street and Gun Hill Road on Kings College Place, presents its fourth annual free Community Health Fest on June 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature music and refreshments and include free diabetes, glucose, blood pressure and balance screenings, HIV/STD education, prenatal care education, health insurance screening, and lots more. For more information, contact Miriam Seminario at (718) 405-6345 ext. 1050, or Krystal Serrano at (646) 670-8848.
Summer Meals at MMCC
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Free meals will be made available to all children 18 years and younger from June 28 to Aug. 17. Breakfast will be provided from 7 to 9 a.m. at the annex, located at 3512 DeKalb Ave. Lunch from 12:20 to 12:50 p.m., and snacks from 3:20 to 3:50 p.m. will be served in the main building at 3450 DeKalb Ave. For more information, call (718) 654-0563.
Free Union Job Prep
There are spots available at Bronx Community College’s Project Hire, a 20-week program that prepares people to enter construction unions. Candidates must be between 18 and 60, low-income and a citizen or resident alien. No construction experience is necessary. There’s also a free GED preparation class beginning in June, for which citizenship is not a requirement. Sign up for one or both at the Department of Environmental Protection office at 3660 Jerome Ave., Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (718) 231-8470.
Children and Van Cortlandt Park
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park presents Lil’ Explorers, in which third to fifth graders and a parent participate in free, fun, hands-on activities in the park, including a free field trip at the end. The group will meet in the park at Jerome Avenue and Gun Hill Road, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon through June 23. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call (718) 601-1553.
PS 20 Kindergarten
PS/MS 20, at 3050 Webster Ave., has begun kindergarten registration for the coming school year. To register, Monday through Thursday, 9 to 10 a.m., you will need to bring the child, the birth certificate of your child (who must be 5 years old by Dec. 31, 2007), proof of address through a utility bill, and a complete immunization record. For more information, call (718) 584-5510.
System of Reviewing Rent Increases Needs Gut Rehab
June 14, 2007
By Hilda Chavis and Margaret Groarke
Every June, the same circus comes to town. The Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), a group of nine appointed by the mayor, holds public hearings before determining what rent increases landlords may ask in the coming year. This year, the proposed rent increases are 2 to 5.5 percent for one-year lease renewals, and 4 to 7.5 percent for two-year lease renewals.
The process is fundamentally flawed. The RGB supposedly bases itsdecision on studies, like the Housing Vacancy Study, making it seem like an objective process. But when the studies are adjusted to support their preconceived conclusion, tenants become suspicious that the process is drastically flawed. For example, the studies look at median income of city residents, but they don’t look at landlord income. The 2005 Housing Vacancy Study, performed by the Census Bureau, showed that the incomes of rent stabilized tenants fell by 8.6 percent between 2001 and 2004, while rents rose 8.7 percent.
Two years ago, we convinced the RGB to hold hearings in boroughs other than Manhattan. The first of the outer-borough hearings was held in Brooklyn, and tenants were thrilled when one of the “public” members voiced tenant concerns at the final hearing. That person was later replaced. Last year a hearing was held in the Bronx, and this year it will be in Queens. Last year, we took some members of the RGB on a tour of Bronx apartment buildings to show them some of the awful conditions people live in. We showed them one Bronx apartment building where, despite the landlord’s receipt of a $3 million mortgage, significant violations were left unrepaired. Tenant protests against a rent increase were so adamant, they shut down the public hearing. Nevertheless, the Rent Guidelines Board voted for the highest rent increase in over a decade.
Usually, an unelected board is made up of experts on the topic at hand, who are more professionally qualified to make the decision than elected officials. Mayor Bloomberg has the power to appoint all the members of the Rent Guidelines Board, which includes a president, two landlord representatives, two tenant representatives, and four members who represent the public interest. The president, Marvin Marcus, is employed by Goldman Sachs, one of New York’s biggest investment firms. Does this make him an expert on rents and housing? Last year, tenants complained that Marcus was disrespectful to tenants and their advocates at the hearings, and were told he would be replaced – but once again this year, he will preside over the RGB.
The process isn’t democratic. The RGB members aren’t accountable to us – they are appointed by the mayor, and don’t depend on the public for their position. Mayor Bloomberg is able to avoid accountability, since the decision is made by the board, not by him directly. None of our other elected officials have any power over this process – they can’t appoint or remove RGB members, they can only testify like the rest of us.
Currently, all rent regulations are made by the state legislature – but these laws only apply in a few localities. This means that upstate legislators, who are not familiar with New York City, govern our rent laws but don’t have to live with them in their own communities. A return to Home Rule would lead to greater accountability.
Our organization, the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, along with many other tenant groups, are going to the hearing in Queens on Tuesday, June 19 to say it’s time to fix a broken process. The final decision will be made at a hearing in Manhattan on June 26. To join us, call Jeremy Saunders at 646-533-5302.
Hilda Chavis is a longtime tenant activist. Margaret Groarke is a government professor at Manhattan College (disclosure: she is married to Norwood News editor Jordan Moss). They are both board members of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition.
Low Costs, Big Rewards: How I Found My Future at Lehman
June 14, 2007
By Annie Shreffler
In a time of soaring prices for higher education, don’t overlook the City University of New York (CUNY), which costs less than $6,000 a year, but many question the quality of its education. In 2003, at age 33, I decided to give CUNY a try since it fit neatly into my schedule and budget. It worked out beautifully. At CUNY, I found a school that offered opportunities I had never considered and friendships that influenced the direction of my future.
It was when my husband finished training as a physician (first at NYU and then residency at Montefiore Medical Center), that I decided to enroll full time at CUNY’s Lehman College in Bedford Park, just minutes from where I live. At that point, four years ago, I had lived in the Bronx for 11 years, raised my children here and worked in some non-profit offices.
When I entered Lehman, my enthusiasm for getting involved in campus life gave me courage to do crazy things like rekindle my interest in softball. I joined the college team, with mixed results. Over three seasons I endured stitches to my lower lip, six weeks on crutches and orthopedic surgery to replace a knee ligament. But I have no regrets. I made friends I never would have met and saw a new side to the city with every away game. Besides, the coach honored me with the award for “Most Improved” and named me co-captain in my second season.
When I wasn’t getting injured, I enjoyed being a full-time student. I read literature and philosophy, studied the history of Western music and worked with fantastic professors on my writing (who took a genuine interest in me and patiently answered all my e-mails).
While working in fund-raising earlier in my life, I noticed how financial support often arrived because of the compelling stories that influenced the decisions of powerful, wealthy people. I began to see writing as a useful tool for persuading others to think critically and make good choices, so in school I focused on writing those compelling stories.
I learned about journalism and the real meaning of leadership by taking charge of the campus newspaper, the Meridian.
I joined the paper as a writer and the chief encouraged me to pursue stories with vigor. She assigned me tough cases, like finding out why disabled students on campus continued to wait for completion of a seven-year-old elevator construction project. She pushed me to ask hard questions. As I began to understand the importance of my own contributions to the campus community, I decided I would pursue journalism as my discipline.
By the time I was nominated to be editor-in-chief, I was hooked on reporting. I am inspired by the power it has to elicit conversation and investigation, to offer review, or introduce and broaden people’s awareness of their community, its problems and opportunities.
Thanks to my time at Lehman, I am prepared to continue my training as a journalist. With generous scholarships from both Lehman and the chancellor, I will attend the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism downtown this fall. I look forward to more reporting and becoming an investigator who will relay stories that inspire others to do good, seek change, speak up and participate in the world around them.
Annie Shreffler lives with her husband and two daughters in Bedford Park.
The author as she graduated from Lehman College in May.
Letters to the Editor
June 14, 2007
By None
New Unit Not Responsive
In reference to your article regarding the new commander for the 52nd Precinct (article, May 31 – June 13).
I tried to contact the new “Quality of Life” just yesterday and it seems not many officers know who is in it. In addition, did you know that there are only two officers assigned to that unit? How are two individuals going to handle all these complaints? Also, they will only be contacted if they are called thru 311. I called the precinct to complain about a tire shop on Webster Avenue that had their music blasting. The first time I was spoken to nicely but the second time the officer asked me what did I want him to do, stop what he was doing and tend to it? Now, I pay that officer’s salary.
N. Cintron
Sympathy for Dog Owner
I would like to express my sympathy to readers Angel and Jose, who lost their beloved dog to a pit bull on May 17 at 205th Street and Webster Avenue (letter, May 31 – June 13). The pit bull slipped its collar and dashed across the street; it attacked and killed their beloved pet. Lots of us understand the pain of that kind of loss. Our dogs are part of the family, and deeply loved. It’s a mutual affection. While nothing will ease the trauma of such a violent encounter, perhaps there is some comfort in knowing that many in the community do care.
Annette Porter
My heart goes out to Angel and Jose, the letter writers whose Shih Tzu was killed by a large dog. As the owner of two Pomeranians, I understand the kinship they felt with their little member of the family. I also noted the juxtaposition of that letter with Justin Arundell’s poem on the opposite page. Justin rightly decries the laziness of many dog owners who fail to clean up after their canines. I love my dogs. They are very real members of my family, and when I take them out, I have a bag with me to clean up after them. If you truly love your dog, do the same.
One other thing. Whether you own a dog or not, there is another pollution problem here in Norwood: chicken bones. Almost every day I have to pull a bone away from my dogs. Bones splinter when chewed by a dog, and those shards can pierce the dog’s intestines, sometimes leading to a fatal condition known as peritonitis. Whether it is poop, bones, bottles, or bags, we have trash cans on most corners. All of us need to use them! Let’s keep Norwood one of the best neighborhoods in NYC!
David Webb
Against Condom Distribution
I think “dismay” is the correct word to use to describe my feelings as I descended the steps of the Mosholu Parkway El station a few days ago during the evening homeward rush from work. A male and a female, both probably in their twenties, were earnestly and cheerfully distributing free condoms with the MTA logo on them. This was in the midst of a typical crowd from our neighborhood: many Hispanics, African-Americans, and representatives of the international mix that inhabits Norwood. As is normally the case, there were teenagers, possibly from nearby DeWitt Clinton High School, and no doubt they were accepting the offered condoms, as they might free lollipops or samples of a new flavor of chewing gum.
The significance of this scene is made even worse by the fact that it is our beloved mayor and city government that is behind the free condom distribution. We are being told that this is supposed to combat the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, but it is difficult to understand how this will be the practical result, in a community that experiences the gamut of social problems – teenage pregnancies, a high percentage of out-of-wedlock births, child neglect and abuse, drug dependency, etc. – many of them directly or indirectly related to irresponsible sexuality. Boys are wearing their pants below their hips, putting their hands on their crotch in public, while the girls are bursting out of tight jeans and exposing generous views of their midriffs and cleavages: do we need another public message that “hooking up” is just fine so long as you protect yourself?
Is our mayor sending his minions into orthodox Jewish neighborhoods to distribute free condoms? I doubt it. Would any mayor do this in a Mormon neighborhood, where the level of social problems reflects a conservative attitude toward sexuality, and a lower level of extra-marital sex helps the community prevent many of the problems we see around us in Norwood? Highly unlikely! Mayor Bloomberg’s free condom distribution is a misguided and patronizing quick-fix that encourages a self-defeating culture.
It also tends to divide our community, quite a few of whom espouse the conservative family values they grew up with in foreign countries and are trying to teach to their children.
Frederick J. Kurtz
School’s Out Forever!
June 14, 2007
By None
Ecstatic Lehman College graduates celebrate during the commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 31. Around 5,000 graduates, one of the largest classes in a recent years, listened to New York City Congressman Charles B. Rangel give the main address.
Change at Community Board 7
June 14, 2007
By Editorial
As we went to press, we learned that Rita Kessler will be retiring from her job as district manager of Community Board 7. Kessler will be remembered as a dedicated watchdog for our neighborhoods.
Unprepared or unresponsive representatives of city agencies who came before the board to address a particular problem did not leave meetings with Kessler unscathed. Loath to take “no” for an answer, the plucky district manager considered city inaction completely unacceptable. The district manager position is critically important. District 7 has more than 140,000 people, larger than many U.S. cities. The district manager serves as ombudsman, someone who can identify problems, field community complaints and cut through red tape to get action from city agencies.
This opening comes at a critical time for Community board 7. A plan for redeveloping the Kingsbridge Armory will likely come before the Board in the next few months (members looked at proposals on Tuesday evening). The board has already embarked on a 197-c planning process with a focus on zoning for Webster Avenue. The district manager is the paid staffer that facilitates these initiatives as directed by the all-volunteer board.
It is also boom time in the district. Residential buildings are going up in every neighborhood, sometimes on slivers of land previously unconsidered for development. Inevitably, construction brings safety violations, resident complaints and stalled work sites.
With all this in mind, the next district manager will clearly need to be someone who has relationships with community leaders and residents in every corner of the district and is well versed in city planning and navigating the bureaucracy.
The hiring of a new district manager will involve politics. The borough president appoints board members and he and the Democratic Party are certain to suggest potential candidates. We will watch that process closely.
But regardless of how the job is filled, we deserve a top-notch, energetic district manager whose primary allegiance is to the people of Community District 7.
Dr. Foreman’s Legacy
June 14, 2007
By Editorial
There are only a handful of nonprofit community newspapers like this one in the country.
Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC) created it almost 20 years ago for two reasons: there wasn’t one, and neighborhood residents and businesses had no way to communicate. The biggest ingredient to its success has been independence. Other community organizations and institutions publish newspapers or newsletters, but more often than not they carry the agenda of the organization, not the community.
One of the paper’s biggest champions is Montefiore Medical Center President Spencer Foreman, MD, who, in addition to running one of the largest academic medical centers in the country, finds the time to be an active board member of MPC, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore.
Obviously, he could influence the paper’s coverage if he wanted to. But he understands that if it weren’t independent, the paper would never be respected in the community and couldn’t play the positive role it does in local civic life.
In an interview for MPC’s 25th anniversary publication last summer, Foreman explained his thoughts about the paper this way:
“We don’t exercise any editorial control over that paper; that paper should be a community paper, and it should be driven by its own internal imperative. But I believe that as long as that paper exists, it’s a better community.”
Dr. Foreman’s philosophy has an extraordinary influence that readers would not be able to detect. This is why we’re telling you now that the Norwood News wouldn’t have lasted nearly 20 years without Dr. Foreman’s support and encouragement.
Dr. Foreman is retiring from Montefiore within the next year after two decades at the helm. He leaves behind not only a bigger and better medical center with strong roots in the community, but also the robust newspaper you hold in your hands.
Youth Want Old Fordham Library for Community Space
June 14, 2007
By Annie Shreffler
Members of Sistas and Brothas United (SBU), a grassroots local youth group affiliated with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, have their sights set on the old Fordham Library as a new community center.
The group rallied at Our Lady of Refuge Church on East 196th Street in May to show residents and city leaders that they want to convert the building on Bainbridge Avenue, originally built as a library in 1923 and containing 27,400 square feet of floor space, into a place that can once again be used by the neighborhood.
SBU currently runs all of its programming out of the Coalition’s building on the Grand Concourse, where space is limited. The bottom line is that the group needs more space and the vacant library building would be an ideal place to grow.
Elisabeth Ortega, a former DeWitt Clinton High School student now at Borough of Manhattan Community College, said SBU wants to offer a wide variety of art and technology classes.
"Having a place to do art will build unity and have people take ownership in this," Ortega said.
Jose Cabrera, a senior at the High School for Teaching and the Professions on the Walton High School campus, said students want to open a job center for young adults.
The Reverend Leo W. Curry of Fordham United Methodist Church, adjacent to the old library, said a community center would be welcome. To make up for the shortage of community space in the area, Curry said neighborhood churches provide room for people and groups to gather, especially seniors.
"Some type of senior program could be held there," Curry said. "I would endorse [the youth group's plan]; it might be good to mix all the ages in one building."
Jessica Mejia, a freshman at Lehman College who has served as a youth leader in SBU for four years, said SBU is pursuing the project partly because the resources aren’t available in their schools.
Last year, when SBU originally tried to acquire access to the library for its new school, the Leadership Institute, plans were scrapped after an environmental study ordered by the School Construction Authority found the library contaminated with Tetrachloroethelyne (PERC), a manufactured chemical used for dry cleaning and as a metal degreaser.
A spokesperson for the New York Public Library (NYPL) confirmed the study’s findings and said they submitted a request to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in May to clean up the building’s contaminants and make it safe for use.
The NYPL expects a response from the DEC this summer so work can begin in the fall. No estimated date of completion can be set before they receive a response. When the clean-up is completed, NYPL said it will cut ties with the building.
"Once approved environmental work is completed, our intent is to give the building back to the city and the Department of City Administrative Services (DCAS)," the spokesperson said.
During the Saturday morning rally, SBU and Coalition activists joined with politicians, including Assemblyman Jose Rivera and City Council Members Joel Rivera (the majority leader and Jose’s son) and Robert Jackson (head of the Council’s Education
Committee), on a march from Our Lady of Refuge to the library. Wielding a megaphone, the younger Rivera led a series of chants, as the procession implored residents to join them. The rally culminated with a series of speeches in front of the library.
The elder Rivera, who is being honored as the Coalition’s "Ally of the Year," agreed to arrange a meeting with DCAS to discuss SBU’s ideas and establish a timeline for a possible project. SBU members said they hoped the rally will persuade politicians to prevent the city from making other plans for the location.
Engel’s New Peace Tree
June 14, 2007
By None
A delegation of 3-year-olds and their teachers from the Amalgamated Nursery School paid a visit to the office of Congressman Eliot Engel on May 30, where they presented his chief of staff, Bill Weitz (pictured) with a 12-foot “Peace Tree.” The tree, made by 17 kids and their families, was decorated with messages of peace in multiple languages.
Coalition Rallies for Children’s Healthcare Bill
June 14, 2007
By Laura Sayer
Healthcare executives, union representatives and politicians, including Congressmen Joe Crowley and Jerrold Nadler, came together late last month at Montefiore’s Children’s Hospital to rally for Congress’ reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
The program’s original 10-year authorization period expires Sept. 30. But even as it stands today, the bill doesn’t provide enough money to states in order to cover the country’s nine million uninsured children, nearly seven million of whom qualify but are not enrolled. In New York, there are nearly 400,000 uninsured children, two-thirds of whom qualify for program funds.
A budget resolution in March set aside an additional $50 million for the program, but Congress must first reauthorize the bill and then finance the increase.
According to a study by Families USA, the increased funding could bring New York $4 billion for children’s health care over the next five years. The study also found that the money would enhance the economy, increasing business activity and wages, as well as creating jobs.
The coalition, Partnership for Quality Care, says the program’s reauthorization and increase is vital for the nation, particularly New York.
Crowley said: “SCHIP – the federal-state partnership that offers health care coverage to our children – must have the resources it needs to maintain the level of care for those receiving its benefits and to expand coverage for our uninsured.”
City Approves Garden Garage in Bedford Park
June 14, 2007
By Laura Sayer
With the city’s blessing, plans for the New York Botanical Garden’s new parking garage are now official, although there still may be a few details to work out with the community.
The New York City Board of Standards and Appeals approved plans for the garage, on Webster Avenue between Bedford Park Boulevard and Botanical Square South, on April 10. Now, nothing – as far as approval processes – stands in the way of construction, slated to begin in 2008, says George Shakespear, a spokesperson for the Garden.
But Barbara Stronczer, chair of the Community Board 7′s Parks Committee, said that the community has concerns that must still be addressed.
"We’re still hoping to negotiate for a better situation," she says, particularly as to how the garage impacts the surrounding residential and commercial areas.
The facility is, first and foremost, according to its zoning designation, an "accessory garage," providing parking for visitors, members and staff of the Garden only.
However, the Garden has also put forward a system that would allot a number of spaces for overnight parking by local residents. But this is contingent upon a resident becoming a monthly member of the Garden, which requires a $60 fee.
Stronczer says the community was looking instead for daytime parking for commercial traffic and perhaps for commuters, who park in Norwood and then take mass transit into the city, rather than overnight parking.
Also, one of the facility’s two exits is still a right-turn only onto Botanical Square South, possibly increasing traffic in a heavily-populated section of this one-way, residential street. Although Garden engineers proposed making Botanical Square South a two-way street, that change was not approved by the Department of Transportation.
Access and traffic aside, no one denies the aesthetic qualities of the plan: v-shaped columns supporting a flowering trellis comprise the façade of the garage, which was designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, the Garden’s master planner, and Desman Associates, a firm that specializes in transportation improvements and parking facilities.
Garden officials say the community will benefit when an attractive six-story garage accommodating 825 cars replaces the industrial space on Webster Avenue, currently filled by Atlas Welding and Broiler Repair and an abandoned gas station. (Atlas Welding is relocating to New Rochelle.)
Furthermore, the Garden claims that by more fully accommodating visitor parking, the new garage will prevent the overflow traffic that results in Garden visitors searching Bedford Park and Norwood for street parking.
As to any further discussion of community concerns, Shakespear says, "Whenever the Community Board has a question or issue, they know to call us and we will respond, as we always do. This is an ongoing, cooperative relationship."
Although the Garden is still not sure at this point how many spaces will be available and increased traffic on Botanical Square is not yet a reality, Stronczer says, "Later on, rest assured, the subject will be opened up again.”
Chlorine Leak Causes Scare at Reservoir
June 14, 2007
By Heather Appel
Elevated levels of chlorine vapors in Gate House 5 at the Jerome Park Reservoir on Friday, June 8 triggered an alarm and treatment of at least one city employee, but authorities say the leak was contained and presented no risk to neighbors and the many schools in the area. Gate House 5, on Goulden Avenue, is one of the facilities the city uses to chlorinate and add other chemicals to the drinking water.
On that Friday morning, an ambulance responded to a call from the site to treat a staff member who was concerned he had been exposed to chlorine vapors, according to a statement released by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
In the statement, DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd said there was a higher than normal presence of chlorine inside Gate House 5, but that there was no danger to the public. The chlorine was temporarily added to the water to disinfect water in the New Croton Aqueduct prior to placing the aqueduct into service to meet peak summer demands.
Staff at area schools saw the emergency vehicles and inquired about the situation but were told there was no need to evacuate the students.
“The message I got was it was inside the building, there was no leak outside the building, and a couple of staff were taken to the hospital,” said Stephen Kalin, Assistant Principal of the Bronx High School of Science. Kalin approached the workers to find out if it was safe to take the kids out at lunchtime, he said.
Local activists and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said the leak could have presented a major hazard to the people at the housing complexes and schools around the site, which include Lehman College, Bronx Science and Clinton High School. The chlorine level in the Gate House was two parts per million, double the standard set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In a letter to the New York State Health Commissioner, Dinowitz expressed his concern over the DEP’s handling of the incident, saying the public was not sufficiently notified.
Karen Argenti, a community activist, also criticized the agency and said the incident raises issues about the chemical filtration process the nearby Croton filtration plant will use.
“What this has done is it has shown that they’re not being careful enough,” Argenti said.
In the Public Interest
June 14, 2007
By Heather Appel and Cassandra Lizaire
Dropout Rates Could Cost Billions
New York State has one of the four highest school dropout rates in the country, and that could cost the state billions of dollars, according to a study released by Bronx Assemblyman Peter Rivera in May.
The report, "An Economic Doomsday Awaits New York State: The High Cost of the Inadequate Education of Hispanic Youth," says the nearly 50 percent dropout rate in the city and 33 percent statewide leads to low wages, costing the state billions of dollars in taxable income. The report also emphasizes the increased spending on health care, crime and social services for New Yorkers earning low wages.
Rivera is calling for government intervention and new vocational training, apprenticeship programs and other workplace development measures to prevent "large-scale economic troubles" for the state.
State and Federal Brownfields Proposals
State Senate Democrats plan to introduce legislation to improve and streamline a state program designed to clean up brownfields – contaminated and abandoned industrial and commercial sites.
Under the state legislation, the Empire State Development Corporation would be given the power to purchase contaminated properties, clean them to meet state environmental standards using local, state and federal grants, and sell the properties to businesses for $1.
In exchange, manufacturers would agree to build quality structures and create new jobs paying at least $9.50 an hour, plus benefits. At least 70 percent of those jobs would be required to go to local residents.
State Senator Efrain Gonzalez announced his support for the legislation, which could affect large areas along the Harlem River designated as brownfields, as well as other parts of the Bronx.
At the federal level, Congressman Eliot Engel is calling for continued funding of the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative, which offers competitive grants to stimulate development on formerly contaminated vacant land. The program was cut in President Bush’s budget for fiscal year 2008.
Dinowitz: DEP Admitting Mistakes
As far as Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is concerned, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Emily Lloyd’s latest remarks on the Croton Water Treatment Plant constitute admission of negligence and inefficiency.
The DEP is admitting that the project was approved despite the fact that they didn’t really know what it would cost to blast a hole 11 acres and 50 feet down," said Dinowitz in a statement.
The Bronx lawmaker referred to Lloyd’s comments in a recent WNYC radio news brief, which paraphrased Lloyd as saying that skyrocketing construction costs since the initial cost estimate in 2003 have led to budget increases. Lloyd has also said that there were unanticipated costs related to a more detailed design of the facility.
"This is an unacceptable level of irresponsibility by a city agency," said Dinowitz, who is also suggesting that something more sinister may have weighed into the decision to put the filtration plant in the Bronx.
"In particular when the potential for conflict of interest clearly exists with the former DEP commissioner landing a lucrative job with the project’s chief advocate, there absolutely must be an independent investigation launched," Dinowitz said, referring to former DEP chief Chris Ward’s new job as head of the General Contractors Association, which lobbied for the Bronx site.
The plant being built in Van Cortlandt Park, scheduled for completion by 2012, was spearheaded by union reps promising jobs and city officials who reasoned that construction at the Bronx location would be less costly than at a city-owned industrial site in Westchester.
City Council Passes Bill Forcing Negligent Landlords to Make Repairs
Under the Safe Housing Act, passed by the City Council on May 30, the Department of Housing and Preservation (HPD) will be required to identify 200 buildings each year with the worst code violations and force the landlords to make repairs, or the city will make the repairs itself and bill the landlord.
Councilman Oliver Koppell, who cosponsored the legislation, said, "This bill goes further than current regulations in making buildings safe and habitable, by not only forcing the owner to make emergency repairs, but also to address the underlying physical conditions related to housing code violations in order to halt the serious physical deterioration of these buildings."
Tenant organizations started lobbying the Council for similar legislation in 2004.
Council members expect the program to bring up to 1,000 buildings into compliance over the next four years. The mayor is expected to sign the bill into law this month.
Relief for Hungry New Yorkers
The thousands of Bronx residents who are struggling to make ends meet might soon find it easier to qualify for food stamps. Governor Spitzer announced that the state would take several steps to make it easier for all eligible New Yorkers to access federal food stamp benefits.
The state plans to eliminate the assets cap that prevents families from receiving food stamps if they have more than $2,000 in savings. Other changes to the program include allowing applications by phone or Internet, and waiving state fingerprinting requirements. The state expects to add 215,000 individuals to the program by 2008.
In the Bronx, 144,000 people participated in the food stamp program as of January 2007, according to the organization Food Change. Based on 2000 Census figures, 53 percent of eligible Bronxites may not be receiving food stamps benefits.
Crowley and Engel Vote to Expand Stem Cell Research
Local congressmen Eliot Engel and Joseph Crowley voted on June 6 to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, and the House approved the bill by a vote of 247 to 176. The Senate had already passed the bill, and the measure now goes to the president.
The bill would lift restrictions on the embryonic stem cell lines that can be used for federally-funded research – restrictions imposed by President Bush in 2001. Engel and Crowley urged the president not to veto the bill, arguing that stem cell research holds great promise in finding treatments for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and other serious medical conditions.
Public and Community Meetings
• Community Board 7 will meet on Tuesday, June 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the board offices, 229A E. 204th St. Officer elections will be held. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.
• Community Education Council 10 will meet Thursday, June 21 at 6:15 p.m. at PS 94, located at 3530 Kings College Place. On the agenda are the recently-released English language arts results, the number of students mandated to attend summer school and an explanation of the new school breakdown that will come into effect as of Sep. 1. For more information, call the office at (718) 741-5836.
• 52nd Precinct Community Council will meet Thursday, June 21 at St. Ann’s Church, at 3519 Bainbridge Ave. at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call (718) 220-5824.
• Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet Thursday, June 21 at 7 p.m. at the DEP community office, 3660 Jerome Ave. Rising costs of the project and jobs will be discussed. For more information, call the office at (718) 231-8470.
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