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Out & About

By Judy Noy

Onstage

n JASA    Van Cortlandt Senior Center, located at 3880 Sedgwick Ave., presents Music of Latin America performed by classical guitarist Anthony Purdy, March 9 at 1 p.m., preceded by lunch at noon with a suggested donation of $3. For more information, call (718) 549-4700.

n The Bronx Library Center hosts A Musical Tribute to Tono Pepin, featuring Tono’s son, master percussionist Papo Pepin and his salsa ensemble, performing Latin jazz, the music of his father, Feb. 23 at 2:30 p.m. The Center is located at 310 E. Kingsbridge Road off Fordham Road. For a detailed schedule, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.

n The Mosholu Library, located at 285 E. 205th St., presents Conjunto Folklorico, a variety of dances performed by Dominican folk dancers, March 1 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.

n Lehman College’s Center for the Performing Arts presents Here & Now: The Legacy of Luther Vandross starring Terry Steele, with performers, dancers and musicians, and presented by Dionne Warwick, March 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $35. Also at the Center is Forever Freestyle II with Lisa Lisa, Stevie B, Noel, Nayobe, Safire, Johnny O. and Sweet Sensations, on March 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $45. The college is located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard W. For more information, call (718) 960-8833.

n Wave Hill, located at 675 W. 252nd St., hosts Philip Ying performing a viola recital on Feb. 24, from 2 to 3 p.m. For more information, call (718) 549-3200.

n Bronx Arts Ensemble presents jazz pianist Valerie Capers at the Russian Mission to the UN Residency in Riverdale on Mosholu Avenue at 255th Street, followed by a wine and cheese party, March 1 at 8 p.m.; and classical music on piano and violin at the home of William and Paula Luria Caplan, 761 W. 231st St., March 9 at 3 p.m. For more information and tickets, call (718) 601-7399.

Events

n The New York Botanical Garden presents Chocolate and Vanilla Adventures for children in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, March 1 through April 6, weekdays 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kids learn about the origins of vanilla; examine vanilla beans with hand lenses and microscopes; observe live vanilla orchids; grind, examine and taste chocolate seeds; culminating in vanilla and hot chocolate tasting. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
n Urban beekeepers at Wave Hill present a Beekeeping Day on March 8 which features a hands-on look at beehives. Wave Hill is located at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale.  For more information, call (718) 549-3200.

n The Methodist Church Home for the Aged, located at 4499 Manhattan College Parkway, hosts a lecture on Lead Awareness, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Lead can cause health problems including behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and death. For more information, call (718) 548-5100.

n The Church of the Holy Nativity, located at 3061 Bainbridge Ave. at East 204th Street, presents an Evening of Dining and Poetry Reading on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. Attendees are invited to bring their favorite poem, narrative or short reading to share following dinner. A donation of $20 per person is requested. For more information, call (718) 652-5853.

n The Museum of Bronx History, located at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street, holds a book talk and signing on March 29 at 1 p.m. on The Study and Writing of History by Dr. Gary Hermalyn. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

n Lehman College, located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd. W., presents Social Business Is the Solution, a lecture by Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus, March 9 at 2:30 p.m. in Lehman’s Lovinger Theatre. RSVP by Feb. 29 to deborah.farley@lehman.cuny.edu, or call (718) 960-8766.

n The Valentine-Varian House/Museum of Bronx History, located at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street, presents The Irish in Bronx History, an illustrated lecture by Anthony C. Greene, March 9 at 2 p.m. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

n The Bronx Culture Trolley, a replica of a 20th-century trolley, transports visitors on the first Wednesday of every month (except January and September), to Bronx hot spots. A reception is held at the Hostos Art Gallery, 450 Grand Concourse (at 149th St.) at 5 p.m., followed by three trolley departures at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. New attractions are added monthly. Trolley ride and all events are free. Riders can get on and off at any scheduled stop and spend as much time as they wish at any or all of the featured venues. Venues and activities vary each month. The next trip is on March 5. For more information call (718) 931-9500 ext. 33 or log on to www.bronxarts.org to confirm.
                 
Exhibits

n The New York Botanical Garden hosts The Orchid Show, Feb. 23 through April 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and in the Orchid Rotunda on the first floor of the Library building. Docent-led tours are available. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.

n Sound the Alarm, an exhibition of photographs, paintings and video that reveal landscapes in distress, runs from March 8 through June 1 at Wave Hill’s Glyndor Gallery, located at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale. A reception with the artists is on April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free to members and children under 6, and free all day Tuesdays and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit www.wavehill.org.

n The Bronx County Historical Society will exhibit BX, the Bronx African-American history-themed quilt created in 2006 by students of Co-Op City’s MS 180, in celebration of Black History Month. The quilt will be on display through Feb. 29 at the Valentine-Varian House/Museum of Bronx History, 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street. Group tours are available during the week by appointment. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

n See the Bronx from the perspective of Hunts Point photographers ages 9 to 19, with 35 black and white photos on view as part of I Love the Bronx, until May, just one of many rotating exhibitions at The Point, located at 940 Garrison Ave. at Manida Street. For more information, call (718) 542-4149.

n The Bronx River Art Center, located at 1087 E. Tremont Ave., presents Trappings: Stories of Women, Power and Clothing, March 7 (opening reception 6 to 9 p.m. with artists in attendance) through April 12. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (718) 589-5819.

Learning

n The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages:
For children, there’s a video screening on Feb. 27 and March 5 at 4 p.m. Also, for school-aged children, there’s The Industrious Mr. Franklin, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.; and Message Board Making, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m.
Young adults can Play Chess! in a workshop with Ramon A. Hernandez on March 3 at 4 p.m.; and attend Turn It Up, March 5 at 4 p.m.
Adults can attend MoMA at the Library, featuring Women Artists in MoMA’s Collection, March 1 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.

n The Mosholu Library presents Toddler Time, for babies, toddlers, and children, March 6 at 10:30 a.m.; and YTWL: You Talk! We Listen, for young adults, March 5 at 4 p.m. The library is located at 285 E. 205th St. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.

NOTE: Items for consideration should be received in our office by Feb. 25 for the next publication date of March 6.

Neighborhood Notes

By Norwood News

Free Computer Tutoring
Mosholu Preservation Corporation is offering a free computer tutoring class Mondays through Fridays from 2 to 5 p.m. at 3400 Reservoir Oval East. Topics range from basic computer skills to navigating the Internet. All are welcome. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Brenda Lucio at (718) 324-4461.

Navigating Medicare
Council Member Oliver Koppell, along with other local politicians and organizations, is offering a program on Medicare, including how to choose a Medicare, health or drug plan; how to protect yourself from fraud; and who to notify if you suspect Medicare fraud. Speaker Betty Duggan from the Medicare Rights Center will lead the program, which will take place on Wednesday, March 12 from 3:15 to 5 p.m. at PS 24, 660 W. 236th St. Enter on West 235th Street. Light refreshments will be served.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group
The Alzheimer’s Association’s New York City chapter provides a support group for Spanish and English speaking caregivers who have relatives with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia in Norwood. The support group meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 5 to 6:15 p.m. For exact location or more information, call Mark Goodwin at (718) 920-7377.

Charter School Information Sessions
The Bronx Community Charter School, a new progressive public school scheduled to open in District 10 this fall with a kindergarten and first grade, is holding five information sessions throughout the next month. Two information sessions will be held at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. and Thursday, March 6 at 6 p.m. There will also be sessions at Tracey Towers Community Room B, 20 W. Mosholu Parkway S., on Thursday. Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.; Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., on Saturday, March 15 at 11 a.m.; and Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, on Saturday, March 22 at noon. Admission to the school is by lottery. Applications will be available at the information sessions, by calling (347) 668-5229 or by e-mailing bronxcommunity@gmail.com. Applications must be received by April 1.

Fresh Air Camps Registration
The Fresh Air Fund is currently registering New York City boys and girls, ages 6 to 12, for free vacations in country and small-town communities. The program gives children from low-income urban communities a chance to experience the country at one of five Fresh Air camps or with a volunteer host family. For a referral to a participating agency or for more information about the program, call (212) 897-8900 or (800) 367-0003, or visit www.freshair.org.

Free Tax Preparation Days
Ridgewood Savings Bank will host free Tax Preparation Days on two Saturdays in March from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first will be on March 1 at Bronx Community Board 12, 4101 White Plains Road at 229th Street; the second will be on March 15 at the bank’s Soundview branch, 1626 Bruckner Blvd. The free tax preparation program is available to eligible Bronx households with a 2007 income of less than $45,000. Reservations are required. For the March 1 event, call the bank’s White Plains Road branch at (718) 882-0440. For the March 15 event, call the Soundview branch at (718) 589-1323.

Bronx Blood Drives
The Hudson Valley Blood Services are hosting two upcoming blood drives in the Bronx. The blood drives will be at St. James Park Recreation Center, 2530 Jerome Ave., on Wed., Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 52nd Precinct, 3016 Webster Ave., on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Evander Childs High School, 800 E. Gun Hill Rd., on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Interested donors can also call the New York Blood Center for other donation locations, at 1-800-933-BLOOD or visit www.nybloodcenter.org.

Food Drive
The Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture is seeking canned food donations to benefit the Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Marble Hill Food and Hunger Project, Inc. The food drive is ongoing. Please leave food donations at the Society, 4450 Fieldston Road, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon. No perishable foods accepted. For more information, call (718) 548-4445.

Teen Internship Program
The Educational Counseling Center, MMCC, is offering an internship program to young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not currently in school. The city funded short-term employment program targets low-income, job-ready youth. The program lasts 14 weeks and begins on March 10. For more information, contact Assistant Director Edith Bolanos at (718) 652-0470.

Income Tax Preparation
Local non-profit organizations have teamed up to offer Northwest Bronx residents free income tax return preparation service, provided by professionally trained income tax preparers. Households making less than $75,000 a year should call Andres Romero of University Neighborhood Housing Program before March 1 to make an appointment, at (718) 933-3101 ext. 15. Other participating groups are FoodChange, Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation and Fordham Bedford Children’s Services.
Lehman Open House
The Office of Continuing Education of Lehman College is holding an open house on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Information will be provided about spring classes for children ages 4 to 16 in reading, writing, math, Regents and SAT prep, computers, languages, video, music, art, theater, dance, swimming and sports. At the same time, an Open House for adult personal development classes will be held. Courses include languages, writing, computers for seniors, cooking, art, music, dance, photography, video, theater and physical fitness. For more information or a course catalog, call (718) 960-8512 or go to www.lehman.edu/ce.

Adult Programs at Mosholu Library
The Mosholu Library, 285 E. 205th St., is holding a number of adult programs on Saturdays in the upcoming months. Conjunto Folklorico (Dominican folk dancers) is on March 1 at 2:30 p.m. Guitarras del Mar Caribeno (Caribbean Guitars) is on March 15 at 2:30 p.m. Silk and Sword (Red Silk Dancers) is on April 5 at 2:30 p.m. Music from Bangladesh is on April 19 at 2:30 p.m. Call (718) 882-8239 for more information.

Meeting on 8th Grade Promotion
The Department of Education is holding a town hall meeting on its proposed 8th grade promotion policy. The meeting will be on Tuesday, March 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Evander Childs High School, 800 E. Gun Hill Road. Members of the public can also submit comments via e-mail to promotion@schools.nyc.gov. Contact David Cantor or Andrew Jacob at (212) 374-5141.

Flea Market Seeks Donations
The Bedford Mosholu Community Association needs donations for a flea market to be held on March 1. Bring new and used items (except clothing) to the B.M.C.A. office at 400 E. Mosholu Parkway S., Apt. 1B, on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and Wed., Feb. 27, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Summer Camps at Community Center
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is offering sports day camps this summer. The City Sports Camp teaches skills in baseball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, kickball, flag football, and other organized games. Boys and girls entering 3rd through 8th grades in September can sign up for a 2-week session, a 4-week session, or a 6-week session. Swim Camp takes place at Fordham University on Monday through Thursday mornings, under Steve Plotsklan, the head swim coach of Fordham. Ages are 5 through 16; for information call Mr. Plotsklan at (718) 817-4256. Karate Camp, taught by Luis Morales, head sensei at the center, takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. for boys and girls entering 1st through 8th grades. For more information and free brochures, call the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center at (718) 882-4000.

Free Community Leadership Program
Applications are now available for Partnerships Academy Class of 2008. This one-year program provides skills, materials, and contacts to help your group succeed by learning the essential elements of partnering with groups. The 2008 program begins Thursday, May 15, and consists of 10 monthly sessions through February 2009. Completed applications must be received by Feb. 29, and decisions will be made by April 30. Late applications will not be accepted. Visit www.partnershipsforparks.org for more information. Call to discuss your application at (212) 676-6054 or email asaf.klein@parks.nyc.gov.

Street Trees Workshop
Partnerships for Parks and the New York Tree Trust are holding a workshop on caring for street trees. In this workshop, you’ll learn to care for young street trees, receive free tools, and get a Parks Volunteer Permit, which allows for care of street trees and greenstreets. The workshop is on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lost Battalion Hall, Rego Park, Queens. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. To register or for more information, call (212) 676-1929 or email channaly.oum@parks.nyc.gov.

Girls Softball League Enrollment
Registration is now being accepted for the Spring Girls Softball League at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center. The league accepts girls ages 9 to 15. Each player receives a uniform and a trophy for participating. For complete information and to register call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0 or ext. 280, or stop by the community center at 3450 DeKalb Ave. near Gun Hill Road.

Free Business Workshops
The Small Business Development Center is holding a free small business workshop: “Learn How to Finance Your Small Business” on Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The workshop will be at CUNY on the Concourse at 2501 Grand Concourse. Limited seating is available. Call (718) 960-8806 to register.

English, Civics and Computer Classes
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center offers free English as a Second Language classes (ESL), and civics and computer classes Monday through Saturdays. To apply, visit the Center at 3450 DeKalb Ave. (corner of Gun Hill Road). For more information, call (718) 882-4000, ext. 216.

Second Grade Performs Something Beautiful at PS 291

By Graham Kates

When Rita Martinez’s second grade class at PS 291 decided to perform a dramatization of the children’s book “Something Beautiful,” they were unaware that they were actually delving into the history of their own school.

After they began preparing for the production, about an African-American girl on a quest to find beautiful things in her neighborhood, the school’s librarian, Amy Raiss, noticed that a decade ago the book’s author, Sharon Dennis Wyeth, had actually dedicated the book to PS 291.

Wyeth came to PS 291 as a volunteer for four visits in the early 1990s to discuss her writing process with a fourth grade class. When she realized that many of the students she was meeting were from neighborhoods similar to the one she grew up in, in southeast Washington, D.C., Wyeth decided to share her book, which at the time was a work in progress, with the fourth grade class. She wanted to see how young people with backgrounds similar to her own, and to that of the main character in “Something Beautiful,” reacted to her story. She wanted her story “to be real, yet respectful and above all empowering,” she said.

Raiss, excited by the connection between the school and the author,  invited Wyeth to attend the show, and Wyeth was more than happy to oblige. The author was the honored guest on Feb. 8 when the second grade class performed their adaptation of her tale.

Local Students Sing in Disney World

By Allison Grande

Students from four music groups at the Cecilia Cruz Bronx High School of Music traveled to Walt Disney World on Feb. 15 to perform at its annual “Magic Music Days.” This honor marked the second time in three years the school has been selected to participate in this event.

The Walton campus school’s Symphonic Band, Major Orchestra, Select Choir, and Women’s Choir were chosen to perform at the Galaxy Palace Theater in Tomorrowland based on audition tapes the school sent to Disney. In addition to their performance, the 109 students also attended educational workshops where they learned musical concepts and recording techniques from professional musicians.

“It’s truly an honor to be performing in Disney World for the second time,” Symphonic Band Conductor Penelope Jacono said in a statement before the concert. “The students get so much out of it, and everyone has a magical experience.”

The Symphonic Band and Major Orchestra performed four songs each, while the Select and Women’s Choir treated their audience to three songs, including a compilation of tunes from the 1970s by the Select Choir and selected Motown hits performed by the Women’s Choir.

Stats a Crime

By Alex Kratz

Congratulations! Finally, someone has managed to get the NYPD to release crime statistics on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. Unfortunately for us, this only confirms that our neighborhood is what we have always considered it: the most dangerous place to live in the 52nd Precinct. Sector “G,” otherwise known as “George,” where Our Lady of Refuge Parish resides, is first in homicides and burglaries, tied for first in felony assaults (which includes shootings), second in robberies, tied for second in rapes, and third in grand larcenies.

We don’t live in precincts, we live in neighborhoods. We don’t want to hear the police from the Five-Two talking about crime statistics for the entire precinct; we want to hear about the statistics for our neighborhood. The statistics for Our Lady of Refuge are the worst in the entire precinct. Telling a neighborhood with the worst statistics that crime is at an all-time low in the precinct is like a doctor telling a patient that he is in terrific shape but his liver is rotten with cancer.

Monsignor John Jenik,
Pastor, Our Lady of Refuge

Congress: Get Juiced

By John M. Reilly

In a perfect example of “grandstanding,” Congress is conducting yet another investigation of the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball.

Now that baseball has so belatedly begun investigating and regulating itself, Congress sees an opportunity to avoid many of our most serious national issues by making a play for headlines, holding hearings on matters already brought to light in the Mitchell Report.

And what better headline grabber than baseball’s most celebrated pitcher, Roger Clemens. Fans have long loved Clemens when he pitched for their team and hated him when he was pitching against them. New York fans remember the famous feud between Clemens of the Yankees and Mike Piazza of the Mets.

But the current round of Congressional hearings seems more designed to get Clemens to commit perjury than to prevent the use of steroids or HGH (human growth hormones).

Major League Baseball, the Players Association, Congress, and yes, all too many fans, sat on the sidelines cheering as home run records fell by the handful in the years following the 1994 baseball strike. They all ignored the incredible new size and strength of many players.

Since then, a lot of new rules have reduced the potential for this drug abuse, as have numerous criminal investigations, public outcry and the Mitchell Report itself.

Meanwhile, Congress has failed to find answers for the continuing war in Iraq, healthcare, immigration reform and the mortgage foreclosure crisis. These are certainly issues that grab headlines, but Congress seems to have little to offer in the way of solutions.

If Congress feels compelled to act on the topic of steroid abuse in sports, it should find a way to make sure high school athletes don’t have access to the drugs as well as supporting efforts to teach how dangerous these substances are.

In the meantime, Congress should be spending time on the many daunting issues our nation faces. More than a few members of Congress should find ways to enhance their own performances.

John M. Reilly is the executive director of the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation and a longtime community activist.

Thousands Run a 13.1-Mile Tour of the Bronx

By Jennifer DeYoung

The cool weather on Sunday morning didn’t stop more than 4,600 people from running a half-marathon through the northwest Bronx.

The race was the second stop in the New York Road Runners Half-Marathon, a series of 13.1-mile races in each of the five boroughs.  

Every runner who completes at least four of the five races earns a commemorative patch, and those who run all five half-marathons receive a certificate and special gift.

Sunday’s run in the Bronx started and ended on Goulden Avenue, tracing a route around the Jerome Park Reservoir and up and down the Grand Concourse. Runners were timed up to three hours. Those who finished after the time can receive credit toward qualifying for guaranteed entry in the 2009 ING New York City Marathon, but didn’t have a time listed in the race results.

 

 

Brothers Head to State Swim Championships

By Allison Grande

Two of the best swimmers in DeWitt Clinton High School history, Leonardo and Abel Dupres, are heading to the Federation State Boys Swimming Tournament on Long Island to represent both their school and their borough beginning on Feb. 28.

The brothers earned a place in the state championships by winning multiple medals at the Open Swimming and Diving Trials at Lehman College on Feb. 9 and 10. Junior Leonardo captured the gold in the 100 fly and knocked four seconds off his previous fastest time in the 100 backstroke to earn the silver.

Freshman Abel beat his brother in the 100 backstroke to win the gold in that event and took home a silver in the 200 individual medley.

“We haven’t had two swimmers like them in 25 years,” Clinton head swimming coach Ray Ramirez said. “They’ve been doing it for a long time, and their technique is excellent.”

The Dupres brothers have been swimming together for the past nine years. They practice six days a week for 11 months out of the year, taking a break from training only in August. Besides swimming for Clinton, the duo also competes in the 15-18 Division at Riverbank State Park in Manhattan under the supervision of longtime coach Danny Trinadad. Both brothers are close to qualifying for the Junior Olympics.

This past season, team co-captain Leonardo, who began the season sidelined while recovering from tonsillitis, set school records in the 200 freestyle, 100 fly, and 100 backstroke, which is Abel’s best event.

“Leonardo’s backstroke record is not going to be there next year,” Abel predicted with a smile.

Competition is second nature to these brothers, who are only a year and four months apart. However, their favorite part about swimming at Clinton is being part of a team.

Besides swimming, both brothers say they are focused on keeping their grades up and getting into good colleges. They are encouraged by their parents, Leonardo and Miledys Dupres.

For now, the brothers remain focused on the immediate goal at hand: improving their times and bringing home the gold at the State Championships next weekend.

Lehman Overtakes Baruch Heading Into Tournament

By Allison Grande

The Lehman College Lightning women’s basketball team ended the Baruch College Bearcats’ three-year, 38-game regular season winning streak when the fierce rivals met at Lehman’s APEX Arena in Bedford Park on Saturday, Feb. 9.

The final score of the hard fought game was 60-58.

Both teams play in the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC). Baruch, located in Manhattan, traditionally has held the upper hand, but last year, Lehman turned the tables, upsetting Baruch in the CUNYAC championship game to gain their first-ever entry into the Division III national tournament.

“These two teams are like the CUNY version of a Red Sox-Yankees game,” Lehman Head Coach Eric Harrison said. “These two top teams, they go at it.”

And like most good rivalries, this latest matchup went down to the wire.

Lehman (15-10 overall, 11-2 in conference) held a slim 60-55 lead with 30.8 seconds remaining in the game. But after four missed free throws by Lehman freshman Paulie Tuazon and a clutch three pointer by Baruch junior Awa Diop, the Bearcats had the ball, down 60-58, with just 13 seconds left.

On the final Bearcat possession, Baruch freshman Lorin Clarke launched a three pointer that bounced out and landed in the arms of Lehman’s junior superstar Sally Nnamani as the clock ran out, ending the Bearcats’ (18-6, 12-1 in conference) quest for their third straight undefeated regular season in the conference.

Lehman attacked Baruch throughout the game with their strong passing and running game, led by senior Kimberly Kelly, who finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Nnamani, last season’s CUNY Conference Player of the Year, finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks. For Baruch, senior Chiresse Paradise, the 2005-2006 CUNY Conference Player of the Year, led her team with 20 points, nine rebounds, and six steals.

Kelly, along with fellow seniors Tiara Carroll and Maria Loor, were honored in a Senior Day ceremony before the game to celebrate the trio’s final regular season home contest. They were given commemorative framed jerseys. Carroll also received a 1,000-point ball recognizing her as just the ninth player in Lehman women’s basketball history to reach that plateau. She achieved the milestone at the team’s previous contest against the City College of New York on Feb. 6.

Harrison said he could not be happier with his team’s performance. “We just wanted to have a good momentum going into the tournament, and to beat a team that was undefeated gives you that momentum,” he said.

The Lightning entered the CUNY conference tournament as the third seed behind Baruch and College of Staten Island.

As part of the conference, the team last Sunday defeated York College (8-17 overall, 5-8 in conference) 72-48. Juniors Nnamani and Whitney Barnes led the Lightning scoring with 15 points each. Before the game, Nnamani was presented with her second straight CUNYAC Player of the Year award. During the regular season, Nnamani led the conference in scoring, three point shots made, and blocks.

The Lightning then advanced to the conference semifinals where they were scheduled to meet the team that handed them their only home conference defeat of the regular season, No. 2 seeded College of Staten Island.

 

Cancer Patients Stretch for New Kind of Treatment

By Katie Rogers

Doris Eugenio reads aloud to her yoga class of five women seated around a room at Montefiore Medical Center in Norwood. As soft music plays in the background, she tells them to listen to their bodies and think happy thoughts.

“The thought for today is ‘laugh more,’” Eugenio says. “Find something about yourself to laugh at each day.”

Sounds like the beginning of any yoga class anywhere, but this is not your typical yoga session at the local Y. These women are living with cancer, and are part of a medical study offered through the Complimentary Medicine Program at Albert Einstein Cancer Center. Through yoga-based rehabilitation, researchers are working to see if mind-body therapy can help those suffering from breast, lung, colon and rectal cancers.

So far, the results have been nothing but positive.

For an hour and a half each Friday, study participants take part in the yoga class. Over the past year, they have become more than just fit and flexible – they have become each other’s support system.

Eugenio has taught this group of women for two months now, instructing them in seated-chair yoga and some standing poses. She said the class emphasis is on calming and relaxing the patients through deep breathing and meditation.

“There is a level of appreciation and encouragement in this class that I really feel nice about,” Eugenio says. “They have a strong community here that gives a lot of support. This is a way for patients to meet face-to-face.”

Alyson Moadel, Ph.D., from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, developed the program in 2001 with Dr. Chirag Shah, an oncology fellow, after receiving a grant from the National Cancer Institute.

Moadel, a psychologist who specializes in helping cancer patients cope with the physical and mental aftermath of the disease and treatment, was interested in seeing how yoga could benefit the minds and bodies of patients. To date, the program has served over 300 cancer patients, many of whom choose to continue the class after their participation in the 12-week study.

“This is not only a research program, but it is a service for them,” Moadel says. “My hope is that this program will run indefinitely, because I want it to be a part of the treatment the patients can receive.”

Patients are studied over a period of six months through a series of interviews. Questions are based on quality-of-life surveys and then analyzed through statistics.

“For breast cancer, our results came in over a few years,” Moadel says, noting that 128 patients participated in that survey. “This class has proven to help preserve their quality of life.” Results for lung and colorectal cancer are currently being compiled, but so far, patients say the class is enjoyable and helps them to feel better, she says.

Ida Rosenblatt has been coming to the yoga class for more than a year.

“It’s beneficial for me,” Rosenblatt said while preparing for a recent class. “We are all in the same boat here. More or less we’ve all had the same surgeries so we compare notes and see how we can help each other.”

Priscilla Perez participated in the study last year and continues coming to classes, she says, because it helps her remain active and strong. “Today, if I didn’t have yoga to come to, I would be moping,” she says. “This energizes me. I know whatever it does for me is for the best.”    

Ed. Note: Cancer patients interested in participating in the yoga program should call (718) 430-2380.

Carrion to Meet with Armory Group

By Alex Kratz

Following a story about the Kingsbridge Armory in our previous issue, “Armory Rumors Fly as Waiting Game Continues,” representatives from the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) contacted the Norwood News. They wanted to say that, contrary to what Teresa Anderson, the president of Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (a member of KARA), said at the time, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión had indeed agreed to meet with them.

It’s unclear when, where or if this meeting took place. KARA representatives would not provide any additional information.

During his State of the Borough address two weeks ago, the day after the article came out in the Norwood News, Carrión specifically mentioned the long-delayed Armory project, saying he wanted to see a developer chosen quickly.

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which is managing the project, continues to maintain that it is still deciding between two potential developers: the Related Companies and the Atlantic Development Group.

The EDC and mayor’s office were supposed to pick a winner this past fall. Meanwhile, as Council Member Oliver Koppell says, the Armory remains “fallow.”

Public and Community Meetings

By None

•    The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the DEP Community Office, 3660 Jerome Ave. The agenda will include a DEP presentation about how water rates are set, as well as a report from DEP and from Parks about jobs. For more information, call (718) 231-8470.

•    The 52nd Precinct Community Council will meet on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Montefiore Children’s Hospital, 3415 Bainbridge Ave.  For more information, call (718) 220-5824.

•    The Bedford Mosholu Community Association will hold its monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 5 at 8 p.m., at 400 E. Mosholu Pkwy. S., Apartment B1 (lobby floor).

•    The 14th Annual Bronx Parks Speak Up “Greening the Bronx” Awareness Event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Lehman College Faculty Dining Room. The day will include workshops, presentations, and a panel. For more information or to register, call (718) 430-4641 or e-mail bxspeakup@hotmail.com.

Serrano Supports Stimulus Package

By Graham Kates

On Feb. 13, President George W. Bush approved an economic stimulus package that promises rebate checks for as much as $1,200 to taxpayers.

Congressman Jose E. Serrano voted in favor of the package, which he says will provide assistance to Bronx residents who have been hit hard by the country’s recent economic downturn. Serrano commented in a statement following the vote that President Bush’s previous tax cuts, which came while there was a Republican majority in Congress, “were aimed at the richest in our society.” However, Serrano noted that the aid approved on Wednesday, under the Democrat controlled Congress, benefits “folks who work for a living, not those who live off their investments.”

The package provides for at least $300 for almost every American whose taxable income was $3,000 or more last year. Families with children can also expect an extra $300 per child. However, the rebates are limited to individuals who earn less the $75,000 and couples who earn less than $150,000. In addition, the limit on Federal Housing Administration loans will be increased in order to give homeowners who were hurt by the subprime mortgage crisis the chance to refinance their mortgages.

With the stimulus package, Capital Hill politicians hope to rejuvenate an economy that some economists fear has slipped into a recession. While economic growth in the third quarter of 2007 was at 4.9 percent, by the end of the year it had slowed to a snail-like 0.6 percent. As a result, Congressman Serrano believes Bronx residents are especially in need of the rebates. Serrano commented, “People like those in our community are often the hardest hit by economic slowdowns.”

Koppell Slams Mid-year School Budget Cuts

By Alex Kratz

In a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Council Member Oliver Koppell vigorously protested the mid-year cuts to schools that will reduce funding by 1.7 percent, an average of $70,000 per school, as well as the proposed $324 million cut proposed for the 2009 budget.

“I am calling on the mayor to restore these midyear cuts,” Koppell wrote. “Teachers have already been hired, school schedules planned and commitments made for academic intervention services, enrichment programs and after-school activities. Forcing principals to scale back or eliminate valued programs will seriously undermine their efforts to provide students with the sound, well balanced and well rounded education the Department of Education’s ‘Children’s First’ Initiative  proclaimed was their right.”

In addition to the mayor’s cuts, Governor Eliot Spitzer announced the state was also trimming its education budget by $200 million.

“The extent of both the city and state cuts to education will be devastating,” Koppell wrote.

 

Hispanic Pols Upset With Hillary

By Alex Kratz

When presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won primary victories in New York and California, Hispanic politicians were quick to take credit.

“Seventy-three percent of the Hispanic electorate in New York State voted for Senator Clinton and 66 percent in California,” said Bronx Assemblyman Peter Rivera in a statement after the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday primaries. “With one out of three voters in California being Hispanic, it is clearly evident that Hispanic support has allowed Senator Clinton to remain a strong candidate for president.”

But just one week later, following a string of primary victories by Senator Barrack Obama, Clinton essentially demoted Patti Solis Doyle, her Hispanic campaign manager. The move caused a small furor among New York Hispanic politicians, including Bronx Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr.

Solis Doyle officially resigned, but Diaz, Sr. and Queens Assemblyman Jose Peralta sent a letter to the Clinton camp expressing their displeasure and questioning whether she indeed “resigned.”

The letter ends, “For now, we remain distressed that Patti Solis Doyle, a great Hispanic-American woman, is no longer serving in her leadership post in your 2008 presidential campaign.”

 

Dinowitz: DA Should Probe Filter Plant Mob Ties

By Alex Kratz

Nearly lost amid the sweeping roundup of more than 60 members of the Gambino crime family two weeks ago was the indictment of Anthony Delevescovo, director of tunneling for Schiavone Construction, which has $1.3 billion in contracts with the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, including more than $300 million for work at the DEP’s Croton Water Filtration Plant in Van Cortlandt Park.

For more than a year, as the filtration plant’s budget has ballooned to almost $3 billion, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has hinted that there may have been criminal involvement in the siting of the project in Van Cortlandt Park – the only potential site where a nine-acre, 100-foot-deep hole was required.

Now, following the indictment of Delevescovo, Dinowitz has even more reason to be suspicious.

“Outrage over astronomical cost overruns on the project are well documented,” Dinowitz said in a statement recently. “But with the arrests of organized crime figures, including an executive of Schiavone Construction, one of the filtration project’s largest contractors, it is imperative that the public be fully apprised of the extent of the influence of organized crime.”

Dinowitz, who represents the area surrounding Van Cortlandt Park, has asked for full investigation by Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson.

“We can leave no stone unturned in efforts to assure the public that this controversial project is 100 percent aboveboard,” Dinowitz said in his statement.

A DEP spokesman told the Daily News earlier this week that Schiavone has five contracts with the agency. “The DEP expects these important construction projects to continue on schedule. DOI [Department of Investigation] has advised that there is no reason to terminate the contracts as things stand now,” the spokesman said. “We will fully cooperate with any investigation.” 

Fordham Guards Rally For Job Security

By Jennifer DeYoung

Security officers at Fordham University are unhappy. They say their pay checks are too small, their health benefits are costly and inadequate, they have no retirement plan and they fear they could lose their jobs at a moment’s notice.

They blame their bosses and their union.

But last week, Fordham University presented the officers with an opportunity for change. After a lengthy meeting with officers and students, followed by a rally on campus of more than 100 students, security officers and clergy, Fordham University administrators announced on Feb. 11 that they would put the school’s security contract up for bid.  

University officials would not comment further on their decision, other than to say that the new contract will take effect July 1, but officers say they are certainly ready for a change.

In a closed door forum at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the northwest Bronx on Jan. 30, security officers were given the chance to voice their complaints to the Workers’ Rights Board, a group of clergy members and students that was created to hear the officers’ testimony and communicate their concerns to Fordham administrators.

At the hearing, the officers lashed out at both their union, Allied International, and the security company they work for, Summit Security. Many officers complained about their wages, which is on average about $10 an hour.

In addition, one security officer said that he “feels unprotected” by his union, while another guard added that they are “determined to get better representation.”

Job security was also a big issue. A few officers testified that they worry every day that they might lose their jobs, claiming that in several instances colleagues had been moved from the Fordham post to another location with no explanation.

“How are we supposed to do our work if [we’re] afraid to lose our jobs?” said one officer.

All guards who spoke asked that their names be withheld from this article for fear of retribution from their employer.

The officers have been trying to get better health benefits for months. In December, their union, Allied, which has been representing the Fordham officers since 1994, did offer them a new benefits package, but the workers say it is barely an improvement.  

And some officers who testified on Jan. 30 credited another union, SEIU Local 32BJ, a building service workers union, for enabling those changes. Last year, members of 32BJ began supporting the Fordham officers in their fight for better wages and benefits, as well as trying to get them to consider joining their union.

Allied officials insist 32BJ was not responsible for the changes in benefits, and that the officers would be better off sticking with Allied.

Changing union representation can be complicated. A majority of security guards must vote to de-authorize Allied. And even then, it is not clear how much would change. Because Allied still has a year left on its contract with Summit, a new contractor still might have to conduct any collective bargaining with Allied.  

In the meantime, Fordham officials warn that a new contract could create some new glitches. ”Job security cannot be guaranteed if Fordham cancels its contract with Summit Security,” said Fordham Communications Director Bob Howe. “As a practical matter, if a new contractor is retained, many of the current security guards can lose their jobs.”

Still, said Matt Fiess, a Fordham senior and a member of the Workers Rights Board, “The bid for a new contract is a step in the right direction for sure.” But he and other board members still need to make sure Fordham administration takes their suggestions seriously. “It’s not like it’s over yet,” he said.

Additional reporting by Jessica Glazer.

Tenants Send Broken Hearts To Landlord Over Rent Hike

By Alex Kratz

Upset with what they call a sudden, exorbitant and unwarranted rent hike, tenants from a North Fordham building stormed the Riverdale offices of their landlord group last week and demanded they drop the increase.

Though they were told supervisors at Rental Masters were not available, tenants taped angry Valentines outlining their grievances to a reception window.

Among other suspicious calculations, tenants from 2720 Grand Concourse said the rent increase, which they were notified of by letter in January and took effect immediately, does not match up with the money spent on the capital improvements the increase supposedly stems from.

The increase of $31.57 per room is hitting tenants, some of whom have up to seven rooms in their apartments, particularly hard this winter. Because many of them are either seniors living on a fixed income or working-class people living check to check, some tenants said the increase may force them to leave a building they’ve lived in for decades.

One such woman, a retired 30-year resident of the building who attended the rally last Wednesday but wished to remain anonymous because she feared retaliation from the landlord, said simply, “I can’t afford it.” Her rent jumped $120 last month. She and many others have refused to pay the increase.

Another senior living in the building has resorted to eating cat food to save funds to pay for the increase.

Dino Rossi is among those refusing to pay more and he’s done the research to show exactly why. Along with other vocal tenants and help from the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, Rossi is leading an effort to organize against their landlord, Jacob Selechnik.

Dubbed “Jake the Snake” by Coalition organizers who have fought him in the Bronx for decades, Selechnik is consistently ranked as one of Village Voice’s 10 worst landlords. (He was No. 5 in 2006.) According to Coalition organizers, Selechnik owns 110 buildings  throughout the city.

Known for his “stealth”-like presence, it’s difficult to find Selechnik’s name anywhere associated with the property. But tenants and organizers have identified Rental Masters, which employs Ellen Selechnik, Jacob’s daughter, and has offices in Riverdale, as the management company for 2720 Grand Concourse; it’s officially managed by a limited liability company (LLC) called 2720, LLC. (Larger landlord groups like Selechnik’s often use LLCs because they do exactly what they sound like they do – limit a company’s liability when they get in trouble.)

Selechnik took over ownership of 2720 in 2005, when repair work was being completed on the building’s brick work. A year earlier, bricks fell from the building’s roof, injuring a 10-year-old boy. Rossi, a former organizer, and other tenants say it appears Selechnik is taking credit for repairs and capital improvements that were the responsibility of the former ownership group, which was forced to make them after the bricks fell.  

According to city Department of Buildings documents, Selechnik’s company received a $2.1 million discount on 2720’s price tag because of the estimated cost of repairs and any subsequent lawsuit settlement. Because of this, tenants don’t believe the repair costs should be passed on to them.

At least three 2720 tenants also told Rossi that the previous owners, Property Services LLC, said insurance would cover all the costs related to the repair work. On Tuesday, before the Norwood News went to press, a representative for Property Services said she didn’t have time to look through property records to confirm this or anything else about 2720 Grand Concourse

But even if the current ownership did pass on the costs as part of the Major Capital Improvement (MCI) rent increase that was imposed in January, the numbers don’t add up. In its MCI increase application, the building’s managers claimed repairs and improvements amounted to $1.79 million. But in two job applications for 2720 Grand Concourse, the estimated cost of repairs was $257,000, according to buildings department documents. The work done in the job applications matches up directly with the work claimed in the rent increase application.

Rossi also uncovered that the MCI application claimed scaffolding costs of $59,832.68 for the repair work. But it was actually the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) that had the scaffolding erected because the former owner, Property Services, didn’t take care of it. HPD charged the building and was paid $20,805 for the scaffolding work, according to HPD documents. HPD could not confirm which ownership group paid for the scaffolding, only that the amount was accurate.

Tenants also believe 2720 LLC grossly inflated its claimed architecture fees, which amounted to $190,540.05.

Meanwhile, tenants also found out that the imposed rent increases were calculated wrong in the MCI application. According to the Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), which regulates rent increases, retroactive and permanent increases can only be phased in each year at a maximum of 6 percent. But Rossi and other tenants said they were facing increases of up to nearly 30 percent.  

On three separate occasions, Rossi said he went to the Bronx DHCR offices on Fordham Road to confirm the miscalculations. At least one staffer there confirmed his suspicions and told him to write a letter to ownership, which he did in mid-January. He did not get the response he was looking for. A lawyer for 2720 LLC, Lisa Oppenheimer, responded in a letter dated Jan. 23 that “the increase is well within acceptable guidelines.”

But it also said that two separate increases were being imposed at the same time, which is not consistent with DHCR guidelines for rent stabilized buildings such as 2720 Grand Concourse.   

Several phone calls to 2720 LLC (which has the same phone number and address as Rental Masters) requesting comment were not returned.

In the meantime, the tenants decided to take their case to the source of their displeasure last week on a slushy, rainy Wednesday morning. After gathering in their building’s lobby, about 30 tenants, many taking off work for the event, jumped into a yellow school bus and headed to the Riverdale offices of 2720 LLC, chanting protest slogans the entire time.

After delivering their Valentines and demands, Rossi, standing out in the cold rain, told the other tenants that this was far from over and that they would have to continue ratcheting up the pressure.

On the bus ride back to 2720 Grand Concourse, the drenched protesters wondered how many other tenants had been duped into paying exorbitant rent increases. Willie Perales, who’s lived in the building for 23 years, said, “If you don’t know the laws, they will eat you alive.”

Out & About

By Judy Noy

Onstage

•  A free hand-crafted shadow figures show presenting Jack and the Beanstalk will be featured as a four-part mini series including short stories, vignettes and songs from children’s literature, traditional puppet theatre, and the puppeteer’s imagination. This presentation takes place at the Mosholu Beacon Youth Center at PS 8, 3010 Briggs Ave., on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. Please arrive at 12:45 p.m. for seating. For more information, call (718) 329-0595/6.

 

•  The Bronx Library Center hosts Flamenco Music and Dance by Gazpacho Adalu, a flamenco fusion band, a blend of Adalusian, Hispanic-American, jazz and North African music, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.; and Harpbeat, combining Mexican harpist Eduardo Acosta and Cuban born percussionist Nydia “Liberty” Mata, Feb. 16 at 6 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.

•  Lehman College’s Center for the Performing Arts presents For Lovers Only! featuring Brian McKnight and Tito Nieves, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $45 to $65. Also at the Center is the State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. Tickets are from $10 to $25 ($10 for children 12 and under). The college is located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard W. For more information, call (718) 960-8833.

 

•  Wave Hill, located at 675 W. 252nd St., will host two concerts in February including percussionist Bobby Sanabria and Quarteto Aché performing tropical rhythms on Feb. 10 and Philip Ying performing a viola recital on Feb. 24, both from 2 to 3 p.m. For more information, call (718) 549-3200.

Events

•  The Methodist Church Home for the Aged, located at 4499 Manhattan College Parkway, hosts a Valentine’s Day Celebration, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. featuring poetry and music with Marjorie A. Miller. For more information, call (718) 548-5100.

 

•  The Church of the Holy Nativity, located at 3061 Bainbridge Ave. at East 204th Street, will present an Evening of Dining and Poetry Reading on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. Attendees are invited to bring their favorite poem, narrative or short reading to share following dinner. A donation of $20 per person is requested. For more information, call (718) 652-5853.

 

•  The Museum of Bronx History, located at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street, holds a book talk and signing on Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. in honor of Tunneling to the Future: The Story of the Great Subway Expansion That Saved New York by Dr. Peter Derrick. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

                 
Exhibits

•  Beat the winter blues with Ornamental Instincts, installations that decorate interiors with shapes and patterns inspired by nature. It runs through Feb. 10 at the Wave Hill House, which is located at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue in Riverdale. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit www.wavehill.org.

 

•  The Bronx County Historical Society will exhibit BX, the Bronx African-American history-themed quilt created in 2006 by students of Co-Op City’s MS 180, in celebration of Black History Month. The quilt will be on display through Feb. 29 at the Valentine Varian House/Museum of Bronx History, 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street. Group tours are available during the week by appointment. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

 

•  See the Bronx from the perspective of Hunts Point photographers ages 9 to 19, with 35 black and white photos on view as part of I Love the Bronx, until May, just one of many rotating exhibitions at The Point, located at 940 Garrison Ave. at Manida Street. For more information, call (718) 542-4149.

 

Learning

 

•  The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages:

For children, there’s a video on Feb. 13 and 20 at 4 p.m. Also, for school-aged children, there’s Family Time, Feb. 9 at 11 a.m.; Letters to Harriet Tubman, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m.; Book Making with Mark Zman, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.; and Jewelry Box Making, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m.
Young adults can Play Chess! in a workshop with Ramon A. Hernandez on Feb. 18 at 4 p.m.
Adults can attend The Bronx African-American Experience, a lecture by Bronx County Historical Society historian and education coordinator Anthony Greene, in observance of Black History Month, featuring contributions and sacrifices made by African-Americans in NYC and the US, Feb. 9 at 2:30 p.m.; and MoMA at the Library, featuring Jacob Lawrence and the Migration Series, a slide/lecture show with works depicting struggles and achievement of African-Americans in their migration from the southern states to the north, Feb. l6 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.

•  The Mosholu Library presents Toddler Time, for babies, toddlers, and children, Feb. 7 at 10:30 a.m.; and Art with Jeannette Ornstein, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. for school-aged children. The library is located at 285 E. 205th St. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.

 

•  The Jerome Park Library presents Perfectly Penguin, for school-aged children, Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. The library is located at 118 Eames Place. For more information, call (718) 549-5200.

NOTE: Items for consideration should be received in our office by Feb. 11 for the next publication date of Feb. 21.

Neighborhood Notes

By None

Bronx Blood Drives
The Hudson Valley Blood Services are hosting blood drives in the Bronx during February. The blood drives will be at Love Gospel Assembly, 2315 Grand Concourse, on Monday, Feb. 11, from 2:30 to 8 p.m.; Monroe College-King Hill, 2501 Jerome Ave., on Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; St. James Park Recreation Center, 2530 Jerome Ave., on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 52nd Precinct, 3016 Webster Ave., on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 10:30 am. to 6:30 p.m.; and Evander Childs High School, 800 E. Gun Hill Rd., on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Interested donors can also call the New York Blood Center for other donation locations, at 1-800-933-BLOOD or visit www.nybloodcenter.org.

Food Drive
The Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture is seeking canned food donations to benefit the Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Marble Hill Food and Hunger Project, Inc. The food drive is ongoing. Please leave food donations at the Society, 4450 Fieldston Road, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon. No perishable foods accepted. For more information, call (718) 548-4445.

Teen Internship Program
The Educational Counseling Center, MMCC, is offering an internship program to young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 in Community District 7 who are not currently in school. The city funded short-term employment program targets low-income, job-ready youth. The program lasts 14 weeks and begins on March 10. For more information, contact Assistant Director Edith Bolanos at (718) 652-0470.

Business Training Breakfast
The New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce presents the Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple Business Breakfast. Participants can learn how to become certified as a Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise, Local Business Enterprise or Emerging Business Enterprise to conduct business with the City or State. The breakfast will be held on Friday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon at Hostos Community College, Savoy, multipurpose room, 120 E. 149th St. at Walton Avenue.  RSVP by Friday, Feb. 8, to Josefina Nidea, jnidea@nywcc.org, or call (212) 491-9640.

Income Tax Preparation
Local non-profit organizations have teamed up to offer northwest Bronx residents free income tax return preparation service, provided by professionally trained income tax preparers. Households making less than $75,000 a year should call Andres Romero of University Neighborhood Housing Program before March 1 to make an appointment, at (718) 933-3101 ext. 15. Other participating groups are FoodChange, Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation and Fordham Bedford Children’s Services.

Lehman Open House
The Office of Continuing Education of Lehman College is holding an open house on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Information will be provided about spring classes for children ages 4 to 16 in reading, writing, math, Regents and SAT prep, computers, languages, video, music, art, theater, dance, swimming and sports. At the same time, an Open House for adult personal development classes will be held. Courses include languages, writing, computers for seniors, cooking, art, music, dance, photography, video, theater and physical fitness. For more information or a course catalog, call (718) 960-8512 or go to www.lehman.edu/ce.

Summer Camps at Community Center
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is offering sports day camps this summer. The City Sports Camp teaches skills in baseball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, kickball, flag football, and other organized games. Boys and girls entering 3rd through 8th grades in September can sign up for a 2-week, 4-week, or 6-week session. Swim Camp for ages 5 through 16 takes place at Fordham University on Monday through Thursday mornings, with Steve Plotsklan, the head swim coach of Fordham. For information, call Mr. Plotsklan at (718) 817-4256. Karate Camp, taught by Luis Morales, head sensei at the center, takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. for boys and girls entering 1st through 8th grades in September. For more information and free brochures, call MMCC at (718) 882-4000.

Adult Programs at Mosholu Library
The Mosholu Library, 285 E. 205th St., is holding a number of adult programs on Saturdays in the upcoming months. Conjunto Folklorico (Dominican folk dancers) is on March 1 at 2:30 p.m. Guitarras del Mar Caribeno (Caribbean Guitars) is on March 15 at 2:30 p.m. Silk and Sword (Red Silk Dancers) is on April 5 at 2:30 p.m. Music from Bangladesh is on April 19 at 2:30 p.m. Call (718) 882-8239 for more information.

Meeting on 8th Grade Promotion
The Department of Education is holding a town hall meeting on its proposed 8th grade promotion policy. The meeting will be on Tuesday, March 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Evander Childs High School, 800 E. Gun Hill Road. Members of the public can also submit comments via e-mail to promotion@schools.nyc.gov. Contact David Cantor or Andrew Jacob at (212) 374-5141.

Arts Grants Work to Get Parents Involved

By Katie Rogers

In an effort to help involve parents in their child’s arts education, the Center for Arts Education, a New York City nonprofit, recently awarded a handful of local schools with grants for the spring semester.

The grants, called Parents as Arts Partners grants (PAAP), totaled nearly $450,000 and were given to 150 city schools. The grants are to be used to implement original arts programs for families and should be designed to meet each school’s individual needs.

For instance, PS 205’s fourth grade students and their parents will use their grant to create a permanent large-scale landscape mural for the school, which is located across from the Bronx Zoo. This is one of several grants the school has received from the Center for Arts Education (CAE) over the years, Principal Maria Pietrosanti said.

“PAAP is innovative because it brings in parents to learn alongside their kids,” Pietrosanti said. “Hopefully the parents will continue to educate their children and take it one step further.”

Norwood school MS 80 will use its grant money for the Arte Vida program for sixth grade students. Miriam Alejandro, MS 80’s parent coordinator who is actively recruiting parents to volunteer at the school, said the grant will help tremendously.

“Getting the parents to partake and having them entertain the children is what I found so intriguing about the program,” Alejandro said. “Our program will target the sixth grade because they will be new coming in to the middle school. It will have a positive and strong impact on them to start this off with their parents.”

The MS 80 program will investigate Latin American and Caribbean visual art traditions and is aimed to celebrate the school’s predominantly Latino population.

Among other honored Bronx schools were PS 46 in North Fordham; Jonas Bronck Academy on the Manhattan College campus; the Marie Curie High School for Nursing, Medicine and Allied Health Professions in Kingsbridge, and DeWitt Clinton High School in Bedford Park.

“Parents who are directly involved with school arts programs often become advocates for arts education,” said CAE Board Chair Jill Braufman in a statement. “Through these rewarding arts experiences with their children, schools and cultural partners, parents see firsthand the important role the arts play in their children’s learning.”

The Parents as Arts Partners grant program was created in response to research that demonstrated the positive impact of parental involvement on a child’s success in school and the effectiveness of the arts as a means of cultivating that involvement. Since its creation in 1998, CAE has awarded some $4 million in PAAP grants to more than 500 schools in New York City.

18 Days, a Wedding, Then Back to Iraq

By Allison Grande

Army Private First Class and native Bronxite Jonathan Caceres is coming home from active duty in Iraq for 18 days in February – just enough time to marry his fiancée Serena Ramirez at the Inn at Fox Hallow on Long Island on Feb. 17.

Ramirez, 23, and Caceres, 22, both grew up in the northwest Bronx. They met four years ago when they were counselors at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center in Norwood.

While working at the community center, they were both assigned to help children after school at PS 20 on Webster Avenue. After spending five days a week working together for nearly a year, the two began dating.

Caceres asked Ramirez to marry him on the night he first returned from basic training this past August.

Since then, they have been doing all they can to share their lives from so far away. “His constant calls, e-mails, and mail keep me optimistic and has helped the time go by,” Ramirez said. “In his words, as long as I hold his hand, we’ll both get through this.”

Caceres enlisted in the Army last Independence Day and was deployed to Iraq in September. After the wedding, Caceres will be sent back to Iraq until his troop is scheduled to return home next December.

In the meantime, Ramirez wants to make their wedding day as special as possible. “The planning process was hard because I wanted this day to be his as much as it was mine,” Ramirez said. “Overall, his absence does hurt.”  

Ramirez attended Herbert H. Lehman High School and received her B.A. in communications from the College of New Rochelle. She teaches fourth grade at PS 56 in Norwood and is working toward her Masters Degree in literacy at New Rochelle. She plans to begin working toward a second Masters Degree, in English as a Second Language, this summer.

Caceres attended Christopher Columbus High School and earned an Associate Degree in criminal justice from Monroe College. After his term with the Army ends in 2010, he hopes to pursue a career in criminal justice.

 The bride is the daughter of Mary and Louis Ramirez of Norwood, and the groom is the son of Mary Carasquillo and Juan Caceres of New Rochelle. The bridal party includes Steven Caceres as the best man and Caitlin Marie Ramirez as the maid of honor.

Kennedy Prepares for Postseason Run

By Allison Grande

With the basketball playoffs a week away, the John F. Kennedy Knights boys team is looking to make another deep run into the city tournament.

“We’re already the Bronx AA Division Champs, now we want to do well in tournament,” Kennedy Assistant Coach Star Jones said. “We’re looking forward to the future.”

The Knights (14-2 overall, 9-0 in the conference) are currently ranked fourth overall in the City’s AA Division, which includes teams from all five boroughs.

The first place team in the AA Division is Lincoln High School of Brooklyn, who beat the Knights in last year’s City semifinals at Madison Square Garden on their way to winning the City and State Championships.

This year, the Bronx Division Champs ran into the Brooklyn Division Champs on Feb. 1 at the inaugural SNY Invitational at New York University. The Railsplitters, who are ranked 14th in the country by USA Today and have one of the top players in the country in junior Lance Stephenson, handed the Knights their second loss of the season, 81-61.

Just three days earlier, Kennedy showed their true colors when they beat borough rival DeWitt Clinton (1-15 overall, 0-9 in the conference). Twelve different players joined the scoring party for Kennedy, who easily handled the last place Governors 79-57.

“We started off a little sluggish, and Clinton came out to play,” said Jones. “Clinton’s got a good team, but we got it together and took care of them.”

Kennedy will begin their post season on Feb. 12. Until then, the team hopes to continue to grow and to have another chance at overtaking Lincoln and the rest of their Division.

“We have more depth than last year, but we’re still a team that hasn’t played together that much,” Jones said. “Once we learn each other’s flaws and strengths, we’ll become a better team.”

Kingsbridge Road Gets a Cleanup

By Jessica Glazer

By Jessica Glazer

On a recent Wednesday morning, Orlando Rivera walked up and down Kingsbridge Road clearing away anything from abandoned umbrellas, to dead birds, to discarded coffee cups.

“We clean whatever you see out here and nobody wants to pick up,” he said.

In a city of more than eight million people, keeping the streets clean is a constant battle. But now the New York City government, in partnership with community groups, merchants and property owners, is sending out reinforcements.

Rivera is one of two sanitation workers contracted by NYC Clean Streets, a new initiative of the city Department of Small Business Services (SBS), which is currently putting money toward cleaning up eight commercial corridors throughout the city to make these areas more attractive to shoppers and merchants alike.

In the northwest Bronx, Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC) is working as an intermediary between SBS and merchants to tidy up Kingsbridge Road from the Grand Concourse to Sedgwick Avenue, and on Jerome Avenue, from 192nd to 195th streets.

“At the foundation of any vibrant commercial district are clean streets, sidewalks and storefronts,” said SBS Commissioner Robert Walsh. He added that the agency chose MPC because it has a “solid track record of carrying out successful economic development initiatives,” such as the Jerome Avenue–Gun Hill Road Business Improvement District (BID) formed in 1997.

In the past few months, MPC has been handing out fliers and surveys and trying to raise awareness of the program.

Rivera and his partner, toting garbage cans with Cleans Streets logos on them, have been walking the streets five days a week since December; picking up garbage, tearing down posters and clearing snow from street corners.  

Many of the merchants in the area have noticed Rivera and his partner’s work and sometimes give them hot meals or coffee.

The program aims to eventually phase out the city funding of about $30,000 per area, which covers the entire cost of sanitation services the first year. In the second year, MPC, merchants and property owners must cover 25 percent of the cost, and 50 percent by the third year. By the fourth year, the idea is that merchants and property owners will see the program’s benefits and take on all of the costs, eliminating the need for assistance from the city and MPC.  

“It’s an experimental project,” said Roberto Garcia, director of economic development at MPC. Eventually, he said, the goal is to strengthen the merchants association on Kingsbridge Road and establish a Business Improvement District (BID) there. In addition to sanitation, a BID raises money for increased security, beautification and marketing.

The biggest challenge for MPC and SBS will be getting merchants to take ownership of the program.

Last week, several merchants in the area said they are supportive of cleaner sidewalks, which means fewer sanitation violation tickets. Although the merchants said they sweep their respective sidewalks multiple times a day, many of them have noticed a difference since December when the program started.

William Sloan, the owner of a grocery store on Kingsbridge Road, said he would support the effort. “I like the idea of keeping the area clean,” he said.  

Ed. note: The Norwood News is published by Mosholu Preservation Corporation.

Public and Community Meetings

By None

•    Community Board 7’s Economic Development Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Board Office. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.
•    The State of the Borough address will be held on Friday, Feb. 8 at 9 a.m., at the Fordham University Rose Hill Gym. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.
•    Community Board 7’s District Service Cabinet will meet on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. at the Community Board Office, 229A E. 204th St. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.
•    A public hearing on the 2009 Preliminary budget for Community Board 7 will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., auditorium (basement level). If you wish to comment, please sign in before the meeting. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.
•    Community Board 7 will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. in the auditorium (basement level). To speak at the meeting, please arrive beforehand. For more information call (718) 933-5650.
•    The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. at the DEP Community Office, 3660 Jerome Ave. The agenda will include a DEP presentation about how water rates are set, as well as a report from DEP and from Parks about jobs. For more information, call (718) 231-8470.
•    The 52nd Precinct Community Council will meet on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Montefiore Children’s Hospital, 3415 Bainbridge Ave.  For more information, call (718) 220-5824.

After Long Wait, Stadium Fund Board Set

By Alex Kratz

As part of its new stadium deal with the city, the Yankees baseball club signed a community benefits agreement that included a stipulation: every year until 2046, the team will funnel $1.25 million ($800,000 in grants and $450,000 in tickets, merchandise and equipment) back into the Bronx community through a fund that would give the money to various nonprofit groups.

Now, 17 months after stadium construction began, none of those funds have made it back into the community.

But things are moving along swiftly after a New York Times story in mid-January criticized Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion for dragging his feet. It was Carrion who was supposed to set up a special seven-member panel that would administer the stadium fund.

Serafin Mariel, a Manhattan resident who works for New York National Bank, has been named chairman of the panel, called the New Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Fund, Inc., now an incorporated non-profit organization.

The rest of the board includes: Ronald Bailey, pastor for Love Gospel Assembly Church; Leo Martinez, executive director of Alliance for Community Services; Ted Jefferson, executive director of Bronx Shepherds Restoration Corporation; Roberto Crespo, director of Knock for Freedom; and Harold Silverman, an ex-judge.

Mariel said they will announce a seventh member of the board, a woman, on Thursday, when this paper hits the streets.

He added that the board has met twice already and will be receiving the funds as early as next week. Soon, Mariel said, the board hopes to give some of those funds to local little leagues.

The community benefits agreement with the Yankees was signed in 2006 by Yankee President Randy Levine, Carrion and council members Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Maria Baez and Joel Rivera.

Only del Carmen Arroyo has spoken about it (Carrion is now directing all questions about the fund to Mariel). She told El Diario that she and the other signatories on the agreement should take responsibility for the delay and, if she could do it over again, she would have first told the public that the process would not be very fast.

Other Bronx elected officials, including council members Oliver Koppell and Helen Foster (who represents Highbridge, the area around Yankee Stadium), said they had been left out of the loop while decisions about the fund were being made.

On Tuesday, however, Koppell said he was back in the loop and had met with the new board last week. He said he hoped some of the money would trickle into the north Bronx, but added that the idea is to limit political influence in the distribution of the funds.

DEP Planning Water Shutoffs

By Alex Kratz

The city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently implemented a plan to shut off water service for certain single-family homes that are delinquent on their water bill.

This is a new tactic to try to collect water bills that are more than a year overdue and amount to at least $1,000. That means more than 6,000 single-family homes could be slated to have their water shut off in the next few months.

Greg Jost, of University Neighborhood Housing Program, said many of these properties are concentrated in minority communities, the very same areas suffering from the foreclosure crisis.

The DEP is offering a one-time affordable payment plan called the Payment Incentive Plan (PIP) to avoid service termination, but that offer expires Feb. 21. Jost says housing advocates are working to get the deadline extended, but until then they encourage everyone in danger of service termination to sign up for PIP.

Ed. note: For more information about PIP, call (718) 595-7000.

Fordham Doctor’s Murderer Convicted

By Alex Kratz

On Monday, Samuel Saunders, 61, was found guilty of murdering Leandro Lozada, a popular Dominican-born pediatrician who founded and ran Hispanic Pediatrics on Kingsbridge Road near the Grand Concourse.

In addition to murder, Saunders was convicted of kidnapping, burglary, robbery and weapons charges.

Lozada, 46, was shot, execution style, in his Yonkers home in January 2007.

Saunders, a Bronx resident, used to own the Yonkers home that Lozada had purchased in 2006.

Prosecutors said Saunders and an accomplice, Juan Bernardez, 30, (whose trial starts Feb. 7) broke into Lozada’s house, tied him to a chair, forced him to sign a $57,000 check and then shot him in the head.

Saunders tried to deposit the check the day after the murder, but Lozada’s bank account had already been frozen. He told police that the check was for a real estate deal he and Lozada were working on. But police found blood on sneakers and a towel in a garbage bin at Saunders’ East Bronx apartment complex.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 26.

In our previous issue, the Norwood News ran a long piece about Lozada’s clinic, which is slowly rebounding from the trauma and still serving North Fordham’s low-income families. Read about it on our Web site, norwoodnews.org.

Engel Officially Honors Giants

By Alex Kratz

Congressman Eliot Engel signed on to a Congressional resolution on Monday honoring the New York Giants, their fans, and their owners for their Super Bowl XLII victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Arizona on Sunday.

“The Giants truly deserved their victory, and I congratulate them for their splendid accomplishment,” Engel said in a statement. “They have instilled a new pride in all of their fans.”

Bronx Democrats Split in Final Campaign Push

By Joshua Cinelli

In the days leading up to Super Tuesday, Bronx Democrats took to the streets, the parks, and the banquet halls to show their support for their candidate of choice. Before the votes were counted, support for Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton seemed divided. Obama got some vocal grassroots support, while Clinton had the endorsement of most of the borough’s Democratic politicians.  

(The polls had not yet closed when the Norwood News went to press Tuesday.)

University Heights resident Haile Rivera spent the morning of Saturday, Jan. 26, in front of the Target on West 225th Street with a dozen other Obama supporters and members of Latinos Con Obama, a group Rivera started last summer.

“This is Hillary country,” admitted Rivera, “but Obama is being underestimated.”

The reggaeton music of D.R. Flow blared from a minivan as volunteers passed out bilingual literature and spoke to potential voters before heading down to an Obama rally in Columbus Circle

A candidate for City Council in 2009, Rivera volunteered for Clinton’s senate campaign eight years ago. But he now feels Obama can provide the leadership the nation needs.

But, as much of his work targets Latino voters, national polls show that Rivera had a lot of work to do: The most recent Gallup poll had Clinton with a commanding lead over Obama among Hispanic Democrats, 57 percent to 29 percent.

But that did not deter the campaigners at Target. D.R. Flow member Manuel Vasquez, stage name “M. Sosa,” stood by as his group’s song “Obama Presidente” –  which has become a popular ring tone – played. Vasquez said they wrote the song to convey a message and a rhythm that Latinos are in love with.

Meanwhile, Clinton received powerful support from local Bronx politicians. Last Saturday, Feb. 2, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion headlined a Latinos for Hillary gathering in Manhattan with Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez at the upscale Ambar Room.

Clinton also has the support of City Council Member Joel Rivera and Representative Jose Serrano, who, earlier that day, joined other volunteers at the corner of Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse to campaign for their candidate. Why Clinton? Said Rivera, “One, she’s native. Two, she’s fighting for something I’ve been passionate about for a long time – good, quality healthcare.”

Some saw Super Tuesday as a test of the sway and clout local politicians have in their communities. Turnout would be an indication of this, said Angelo Falcon, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy.   

Not all of the borough’s politicians supported Clinton, though. Assemblyman Michael Benjamin chose Obama because he is the candidate most closely aligned with his beliefs. Benjamin said Obama shares his ability and willingness to work across party lines and considers him to be more electable in the general election.

For some, the election is about pride and leadership. Noreen Brooks, a retired accountant, hasn’t been active in a presidential campaign since John F. Kennedy ran in 1960. While leafleting for Obama in front of Target, she said voters would have to look deep into their conscience when choosing a candidate. “It doesn’t matter whether you are black, green or white,” she said. “The country is collapsing and we really need someone to bring it together. We voted for many white presidents. Now we can vote for a black one.”

Whichever of the two Democrats advances to the general election, Vasquez noted, “we will be making history.”

Update: As expected, Hillary Clinton ended up winning the state primary, taking about 60 percent of the vote. Hispanic political leaders said they had a lot to do with her impressive win.

*Additional reporting by Laura Sayer.

Fields of Broken Dreams for Little Leaguers

By Alex Kratz

With less than three months until opening day, the largest local youth baseball program in the northwest Bronx has no place to play. Because of construction projects in many of the borough’s parks, the city says everyone, even the kids, are going to have to sacrifice playing time this year.

“Every time we reconstruct a ball field, somebody gets displaced,” said Hector Aponte, the Bronx parks commissioner. “We are going through this unprecedented period of construction right now.”

This construction stems from the $240 million in park restoration money that the borough received in exchange for letting the city build a massive water treatment plant on the grounds of Van Cortlandt Park in the northwest Bronx. Aponte said about 16 of the Bronx’s 118 ball fields will be renovated this year.

Because that money is written into legislation, Aponte said, they must use it all by 2009 or risk losing it. That’s why many of the fields are being renovated at the same time.

The construction glut leaves the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) Little League, which accommodates about 800 young ball players annually, scrambling to find a place to play.

Don Bluestone, the community center’s executive director, is not happy about the situation. Last spring, Bluestone was worried something like this might happen. But after voicing his concerns, Bluestone said the Parks Department assured him the renovation projects would be staggered and his league would have a place to play.

Bluestone’s teams normally split games between Harris Field, across the street from Lehman College in Bedford Park, and Shandler Field in Van Cortlandt Park. The league’s backup field is Williamsbridge Oval Park in Norwood, which doesn’t have a traditional baseball field, though parts of it can be converted for baseball use in a pinch.

Unfortunately, all three potential sites are booked for renovations this spring. (Aponte said Harris Field will actually have two of its six fields open because they are rotating the construction schedule there.)

Construction at Shandler Field was originally slated to begin next fall, in September 2008, Bluestone said. Aponte said to his knowledge the date was never that late in the year.

“All (Aponte) cares about is construction,” Bluestone said.

Bluestone said he found out about Shandler’s status second-hand about a month ago and is furious about the situation. He’s sent two letters to the Parks Department requesting a meeting to discuss the situation, but has yet to receive a response. He has also written to Council Member Oliver Koppell and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, whom he hopes will help plead his case.

From his perspective, the Parks Department is essentially telling his 800 young baseball players to ‘drop dead,’ Bluestone said. "(The Parks Department’s) attitude is: Well, what do you want us to do about it?"

Aponte said the teams will simply have to make adjustments this season. “The reality and the bottom line is that leagues will have to reduce their playing time,” Aponte said. “This isn’t the major leagues, you know,” he added later.

In an interview on Tuesday, Koppell said he was happy to hear that at least two fields at Harris will be open. He said he was concerned, but that Aponte was probably right in saying that everyone is going to have to sacrifice while the construction is going on.

Bluestone realizes the city is not going to halt construction for his little leaguers, but he hopes the Parks Department calls a meeting to bring all the leagues together so they can figure out how they’re going to weather the coming field crunch.

Aponte said such a meeting is already in the works, though no date or location has been set.

IBO Will Investigate Ballooning Plant Costs

By Allison Grande

The New York City Independent Budget Office (IBO) has agreed to investigate the massive cost overruns that have plagued the construction of the Croton Water Filtration Plant in Van Cortlandt Park.

This decision comes one month after the Croton Facility Monitoring Committee, comprised of community leaders and local elected officials, passed a resolution calling on the IBO, as well as the city and state comptrollers, to conduct audits on the project. Over the past year, the filtration plant’s initial price tag of $890 million has ballooned to nearly $3 billion.

“We’re going to take a look at the project and where the increases have come from to try to determine what has driven the increased costs,” said IBO Chief of Staff Doug Turetsky.

Last spring, the IBO examined the stated costs for the plant to date and determined that the numbers, on paper, added up. This new investigation will take a closer look at how the developer arrived at their figures.

A spokesperson for City Comptroller Bill Thompson’s office said they have “received a request to perform an investigation, and we are currently reviewing that request.”

The State Comptroller’s Office did not comment by press time.

The city Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which is managing the filtration plant project, claimed early last year that the rising costs for the project were the result of an unprecedented spike in construction and material costs over the past four years.

The monitoring committee, with support from Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and City Council Member Oliver Koppell, found this explanation insufficient.

The filtration plant, the largest municipal project in the city’s history, has come under increased scrutiny over the last year as contractors have abandoned the project, construction has stalled, federal fines have accumulated, and public and political criticism has steadily mounted.

Supporters of the monitoring committee’s proposal hope conducting additional probes of the cost overruns will finally give the community members some of the answers they have been waiting to receive for more than a year.

“The community’s not just asking about the overbudgeting of plants; it’s about jobs, too,” Croton Facility Monitoring Chair Greg Faulkner said. “They want to know how soon they can get back to work.”

Cheers for Editor

By None

I just wanted to take a moment and tip my hat to Jordan Moss, editor-in-chief of the Norwood News.

During his tenure, he has been able to take what was once a very good “idea” and blossom it into a viable bi-weekly newspaper.

For almost 20 years, it has been wonderful to see the Norwood News cover our area and the problems within it, especially as the neighborhood and its problems evolve. A perfect example was to have the hindsight to cover the police news, by sector, as in your great 52nd Precinct map [Jan. 24–Feb. 6, 2008 issue].

Many people at Bedford Park/Mosholu have been asking for sector reports for months.  Now, it will be great to look at this in a much more detailed perspective.

While the new online newspaper site is also wonderful and your West Bronx News Network will now have great short term leadership, I must admit, I am worried a bit about the short term quality of leadership with Jordan gone. I know I am an old fuddy-duddy about change, but I ask all of the new members of the Norwood News to follow the steps of Jordan (and Dart Westphal) and, if need be, look at the past articles of the Norwood News. Lastly, let me wish all of the new contributors best of luck and success. Jordan, don’t take too long!

Anthony Rivieccio, North Bronx Thinktank

Cut the Crap Reminder

By None

Even though MS 80 is well within the readership area of the Norwood News, it would seem that no one in that surrounding neighborhood has read the paper’s periodic reminders to “cut the crap.”

The other day I had occasion to walk along Rochambeau Avenue on the MS 80 school side of the street from East 208th Street to Van Cortlandt Avenue, and that entire length of sidewalk had dog poop splayed every few feet, anywhere from the curb’s edge to the center of the sidewalk.

By the time I decided to start counting, I totaled no fewer than six “deposits” of varying amounts and sizes. Apparently the pet owners decided that that length of sidewalk was their own personal dumping ground.    

Even if those dog owners don’t read the Norwood News, they should know about New York’s law to clean up after your pet. It keeps the sidewalks clean.

Judy Noy, Norwood

Dustin’ Off That Armory Clock

By Editorial

Community leaders are getting very tired of waiting for the city to choose a developer for the Kingsbridge Armory.

So are we.

Almost 18 months ago, we celebrated the announcement of the release of the request for proposals by stopping our “Armory Clock,” the countdown of days that passed since Governor George Pataki visited the armory in 2005 and announced he would help figure out where to relocate the National Guard units that still occupied the buildings behind the landmark facility, which appeared to be the main stumbling block at the time.

The RFP appeared to put the project on a clear path to realization – three developers put in bids and two are still in the running, but local politics have reportedly become a stumbling block.

Community leaders who have worked on the project think that the borough president may be holding up the project because the city wants the Related Companies to take on the job and he wants Peter Fine’s Atlantic Development Group.

If the borough president and other Bronx politicians are not the ones gumming up the works, where are their press releases calling on the city to pick a developer quick?

If our borough leaders prefer Atlantic over Related and have a good reason for it, they should stop keeping it a secret and share it with the rest of us.

Otherwise they should get out of the way and let the city decide.

Meanwhile, we’re digging out that old Armory Clock graphic. Tick, tock …

Critical Moment for Cable Deal

By Editorial

This is not the kind of news that makes the front page of the city’s tabloids or the top of the 11 o’clock news (or even the bottom).

But it should because it will affect millions of New Yorkers and the city’s civic bloodstream.

As Juan Gonzalez first reported in the Daily News last month, the city is now negotiating a contract with Verizon to provide cable service in the five boroughs.

That’s important for two reasons. The first is obviously that it will introduce cable competition for the first time. Time Warner and Cablevision will no longer have virtual monopolies.

The second reason is that part of the deal will include what percentage of revenue will go toward public access television.

Public access TV – in the Bronx it’s BRONXNET – trains residents in production and airs their work. Yes, there are way too many monotonous videos of religious services, but there are also worthwhile public affairs shows and some terrific films and documentaries produced by Bronx residents.

The cable companies use public streets to run cable and fiber optics, so it is incumbent upon the city to make sure the public gets something in return. Sufficient dollars for quality public access is one thing the city needs to bargain hard for. The other is to make sure Verizon does not cherry pick the city’s more affluent neighborhoods to provide service. Council Member Gale Brewer, who heads the City Council’s Technology Committee, supports what is known as “universal buildout.”  This is important to Bronxites, many of whom remember how long it took to get any cable service in the first place.

There’s yet another reason why the Verizon negotiations are critical. The city will negotiate new contracts with Time Warner and Cablevision this fall.

The Verizon deal will set a precedent. The negotiations are going on now. If you care about public access and a choice of cable companies, call your Council member and encourage him or her to drive a hard bargain with Verizon.  

 

Whether Community Likes It or Not, Hotel Coming

By Annie Shreffler

Despite ongoing community concerns, work will begin this month on a 6-story, 48-room Comfort Inn on Webster Avenue in Norwood, as the McSam Hotel Group moves ahead after struggling for more than a year to convince neighbors that the project will be good for the area.

The hotel will be the developer’s first project in the Bronx, where they expect to see significant economic growth in coming years.

“Property values in the Bronx and Manhattan have gone up, unlike Brooklyn and Queens,” said Patrick Jones, special counsel for the McSam Group. Addressing a concern of local residents, Jones added that his client does not plan to sell the hotel once it is built, though the McSam group has done that with other properties.  

Last month, local Community Board 7 voted not to support the hotel, saying they believed it wasn’t the right fit for a Webster Avenue corridor that the Board is trying to rezone in an effort to attract more residential development. For years, the arterial street running alongside the Bronx River has been filled mostly with parking lots and auto and metal shops.

A new hotel – which residents fear will devolve into a “hot sheet” motel like others across the Bronx River in Wakefield – was not what the Board had in mind when it began planning for the future.

“Webster Avenue will undergo some positive changes. However, this change may not entail the need for a motel,” said Barbara Stronczer, a CB7 member who lives close to Webster Avenue.

Added Greg Faulkner, chair of Community Board 7, “We remain very much opposed to the construction of the hotel.”

Other nearby institutions, such as PS/MS 20 (located just 50 feet from the hotel lot) and Fordham University, have already expressed their displeasure at the location of the project.

A spokesperson for the United Federation of Teachers, whose members participated in protesting the hotel two summers ago, said the union’s position has not changed: They do not want to see a hotel constructed so close to a public school.

Critics say they simply don’t believe the hotel will succeed. That concern prompted the Bronx borough president’s office to request a feasibility report, which McSam completed in December.

The report, which evaluated the borough as a whole, said if it relies on Internet bookings and customer preference for brand-named establishments, they believe they will attract a diverse group of guests, from tourists planning to visit the Botanical Gardens, Bronx Zoo and Bay Plaza Shopping Center, to family and friends wanting to be close to the Montefiore Medical Center, Jacobi or Bronx-Lebanon hospitals, or the local colleges.  

The report determined that McSam’s hotel project is feasible and expects the rooms, rated at an average of $175 per night, to stay at least 65 percent booked each year.

Compared to the 200-room hotel McSam is developing in midtown Manhattan, the Bronx hotel is small change for developer Sam Chang, called “the Comfort Inn king of New York” by the New York Observer. To date, his firm is involved in 50 hotel projects throughout the five boroughs.

Faulkner read the feasibility report and said the Board remains “skeptical and leery” of the project and wishes the developer would choose a better location for business.  He pledged to monitor the hotel closely to see that they keep their promises to the community.

The Land Use Committee for CB7 meets again on Feb. 26. At the meeting they will talk with officials from the city Department of City Planning to begin envisioning what Webster Avenue could look like if rezoned for residential or mixed-use. But since McSam has the right to build with the street currently zoned for heavy commercial use, Faulkner said he just hopes the owners will be good neighbors.

“We’re not looking for failure,” he said. “Hopefully we’re wrong and [the hotel] will enhance the community. If we’re wrong, that’s great.”

 

 

Rumors Fly as Waiting Game Continues

By Alex Kratz

By Alex Kratz

While the city continues to deliberate about which contractor should develop the long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory in the northwest Bronx, community leaders and local elected officials wonder what’s taking so long.  

The city’s Economic Development Corporation, which is managing the Armory project, originally said it would choose a developer – either Atlantic Development Group or the Related Companies – by October 2007. It’s now February 2008 and the EDC says it is in no rush to make a decision.

“We don’t set a hard and fast deadline on these things,” EDC spokesperson Janel Patterson wrote in an email last week. “We want to be sure we have the time required to do our due diligence.”

As the community awaits an answer, speculation is running rampant.

“Well, the rumor is that they chose Related,” said Council Member Oliver Koppell on Tuesday morning. Koppell, who sits on an advisory Armory task force of local leaders and elected officials, said he didn’t have anything more solid than rumors.

The EDC would not confirm or deny the Related rumor.

Meanwhile, community leaders are beginning to wonder if politics has begun to enter the equation.

Teresa Anderson is president of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, an activist group that created the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), which is trying to negotiate a community benefits agreement with whichever group wins the Armory contract.

“I think part of it is that they’re taking into account that they need to choose someone who is willing to work with KARA,” Anderson said. She said the group, comprised of unions, elected officials and local residents, “has taken on a life of its own” and is a force to be reckoned with.

Anderson said she wonders if Borough President Adolfo Carrion, who has not signed on to KARA’s demands and will not agree to meet with them, is holding up the process.

Without mentioning Carrion, Patterson wrote, “When we have as many stakeholders involved as we do here, things can take longer than we expect them to.”

“The borough president has always maintained an open door policy and has met with numerous members of the community, elected officials and community organizations regarding this project,” Carrion spokesman Mike Murphy wrote in an email.

Community Board 7 Chair Greg Faulkner, who is a member of the task force but has also not joined KARA, said he doubts Carrion is to blame.

“I’ve heard I’m holding it up,” he said. Another explanation, he said, might lie in the recent changes in the mayor’s office.

Dan Doctoroff, who has business ties with the head of the Related Companies, Stephen Ross, recently stepped down as deputy mayor for economic development. He was replaced by former EDC president Robert Lieber, who was in turn replaced by EDC vice president Seth Pinsky.

It’s unclear  how this will impact the Armory plans, but Faulkner said that it’s possible the new leadership at EDC is taking a fresh look at the project following all the upheaval. “Maybe it’s a good thing,” Faulkner said.

While the waiting game continues, the Armory remains empty.

“The Armory has been lying fallow for more than a decade,” Koppell said. “It’s dreadful.”

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• Tomorrow: Live Coverage From The Bronx BP’s State of Borough Speech Wed, Feb 22 at 5:27pm
• Bronx Nabe Note: Become Your Own Boss Workshop, Thursday Night Wed, Feb 22 at 4:35pm
• Wednesday’s Bronx News Links Wed, Feb 22 at 3:17pm
• Local Initiative Puts Focus on Teens’ Reproductive Health Wed, Feb 22 at 12:33pm
• Bicycles and Basketballs Could be in the Armory’s Future Wed, Feb 22 at 5:58am

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