A Bronx Cheerleader Turned ‘Gladiator

June 26, 2008

By Stephen Baron

“Push your body as far as it can go,” read the text message from personal trainer Jessica Garcia’s father.

This was just one of the countless calls and text messages from friends, teachers and family members that the Bronx native and “American Gladiators” challenger has received the week before her upcoming debut on Monday night’s show.

“My mother always knew I was destined to do something big in fitness,” Garcia said in a phone interview. “She helps me remember where I’m from.”

Garcia, 25, spent her childhood living on Marion Avenue, but moved to Throgs Neck at the age of 9. At first, the peppy, pint-sized Puerto Rican found it difficult to fit in with the largely Irish and Italian neighbors, but became more outgoing and independent through cheerleading.

Garcia, who weighs in at 4’11 – 106 lbs, was a cheerleader for 14 years. She started at Saint Thomas Aquinas elementary school, and eventually rising to become captains at Cardinal Spellman high school and New York University.

“There’s such a stigma with being a cheerleader, but […] it’s just as challenging as any other sport,” she said. In high school, there were three-hour practices every weekday, lasting from May through March, which prepared the team for national competitions.

Garcia has been a cheerleading coach at Cardinal Spellman for the past two years, and hopes to open a cheerleading center in the Bronx in the next couple of years.

“A lot of high schools don’t offer top-notch cheerleading,” Garcia said. “But students learn to be a dedicated team member and keep their bodies in shape. You also get to meet kids from all over the country.”

Garcia has been a fan of “American Gladiators” since watching the original show. “I liked the hits and the crazy athleticism,” she said. Garcia relishes being the underdog, hence her moniker “Mighty Mouse,” after a trainer told her that she does “superhuman things” like 300-pound leg presses.

Garcia rigorously trained for three weeks before the tryout, working out at the gym six days a week — sometimes twice a day. At the tryout, she was up against 5,000 people from across the country, according to a New York Times profile in February. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/fashion/21fitness.html?_r=1&oref=login).

Though Garcia hopes to win, she is just as excited to be interacting with the top fitness trainers in the field. “I’m stoked dude!”

Tune in to “American Gladiators” on NBC, Channel 4 on Monday night at 9 p.m.

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Neighborhood Notes

June 26, 2008

By Alex Kratz

Proposal Writing Workshop

The Bronx Library Center and the Foundation Center will be hosting a Proposal Writing Workshop on Friday, June 27. The Workshop will be conducted in English from 10 to 11 a.m., and in Spanish from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The workshop will cover the basics of a traditional project proposal for foundations and corporations. The event will be held at the Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Road. For more information, call (718) 579-4257.

Housing Assistance Program

Community Board 7 and the West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center are offering housing counseling services, every third Tuesday of the month, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., through September. For more information call (718) 933-5650.

Prenatal Care Assistance Program

The Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) is now available for pregnant Bronx women and teens who meet income guidelines. The program, offered by the Montefiore Medical Center and the State Department of Health, provides medical care during pregnancy, delivery, and for at least two months after delivery. The program is available at the Family Health Center (FHC). 360 E. 193rd St.; Comprehensive Health Care Center (CHCC), 305 E. 161st St.; and Comprehensive Family Care Center (CFCC), 1621 Eastchester Rd. For more information, call (718) 933-2400, (718) 579-2500, or (718) 405-8040.

Youth Tennis Program

The New York Junior Tennis League will begin its free annual summer youth program for children and teenagers aged 6 to 18, on Monday, June, 30. All children are welcome, and tennis rackets and balls will be provided. The Program will be held Monday through Friday, (through August 22) at Crotona Park, East 173rd Street and Crotona Avenue, Co-op City Youth Tennis Center (Donizetti Place, near MS 181) and Kennedy High School, 99 Terrace View Ave., from 9 a.m. to noon. The program will also be held at the Bronx International Youth Tennis Center, 754 Thieriot Ave. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.nyjtl.org, or call (347) 417-8157.

Computer and Job Readiness Classes

Bronx Community College’s Displaced Homemaker Program will be offering free beginner/intermediate computer classes, job readiness workshops, and job placement assistance. Classes, which run Monday through Thurday, from June 30 through July 31, will be held at Bronx Community College, West 181st St. and University Ave., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students must be fluent in English and be able to provide a passport or birth certificate, social security card and proof of income. For more information or to register, call (718) 289-5828.

Free Computer Tutoring

Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC) is offering free computer tutorials for anyone interested. Lessons will cover topics ranging from basic computer skills to Internet navigation. Lessons are offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. MPC is located at 3400 Reservoir Oval East. For an appointment, call Brenda Lucio or Jennifer Mitchell at (718) 324-4461.

Couples Needed for Research

The Albert Einstein College of Medicine is looking for healthy, monogamous couples of at least six months to participate in a research study in preventing sexually transmitted infections. Males will have three visits, females on hormonal contraception will have four visits; there will be monetary reimbursement. For more information, call Julie at (718) 430-3253.

MetroCard Bus/Van Coming

MetroCard buses will be making stops in the west Bronx during June. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities may apply for the Reduced Fare MetroCard. Senior citizens must present valid photo I.D. proving that they are at least 65 years old, and persons with disabilities must present a U.S. Medicare Card and valid photo I.D. The buses will be at Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse on Friday, June 27, from noon to 2 p.m., and Van Cortlandt Village at 3880 Sedgwick Ave., on Friday, June 27, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. For more information, call (212) METROCARD.

Grading Bus Service

Bronx local bus customers can rate their rides by filling out Bus Rider Report Cards online at www.mta.info. Surveys are available in English, Chinese, and Spanish and must be submitted by June 27.

Teen Trailways Summer Camp

There are still openings for Teen Trailways, the largest teen camp in the Bronx. The camp for students entering seventh through 10th grades offers exciting daily day trips to amusement parks, beaches and sporting events, in addition to cross-country trips. The camp runs from June 30 to Aug. 27. A full session costs about $3000. For more information, call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0.

Fresh Air Camps Registration

The Fresh Air Fund is registering inner-city children ages 6 to 12 from low-income 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.

Blood Donor Shortage

The New York Blood Center is seeking blood donors. The recent heat wave caused several blood drives to be cancelled just as hospital demand for blood has increased. As a result, the Blood Center is experiencing a shortage. To schedule an appointment at any of the New York Blood Center locations in the Bronx and Hudson Valley visit www.nybloodcenter.org, or call (800) 933-BLOOD (2566).

Emergency Responder Training

Community Board 7 is recruiting residents to become part of the NYC Office of Emergency Management Community Response Team. Members receive training in fire safety, light search and rescue, terrorism awareness, disaster medical operations and mental health education. To apply or for more information, call (718) 933-5650.

Finger Lakes Trip

St. Brendan’s Leisure Club has spaces available for a trip to the Finger Lakes from September 8-12. The deadline to sign up for the $655 (double occupancy) trip is June 30. Itineraries are available at the parish house at Perry Avenue and 206th Street. For more information, call Sister Catherine at (718) 547-6655.

Research Patients Needed

The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center are looking for women ages 18 to 50 with a vaginal herpes blister or sore to undergo a gynecologic exam for a research study. A free, confidential screening will determine eligibility. Participants need to attend 3 visits in 2 weeks, and monetary reimbursement will be given for each visit. For more information, contact Julie at (718) 430-3253, or Tara at (718) 430-3061 or e-mail Microbicide@aecom.yu.edu.

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.

Summer Camps at Community Center

The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is offering summer sports day camps. The City Sports Camp teaches skills in baseball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, kickball, flag football. 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. Karate Camp, taught by Luis Morales, head Sensei at the Center, takes place on Mondays through Wednesdays and Fridays from 12 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. Swim Camp for youth ages 5 to 16 takes place at Fordham University on Monday through Thursday mornings. For more information, call Fordham’s head swim coach Steve Plotsklan at (718) 817-4256.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration

Registration for Pre-K and kindergarten at PS/MS 20 is currently underway. To pick up an application for Pre-K or to register for kindergarten, go to the school’s main office from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. For more information and a list of kindergarten registration requirements, call Mrs. Ryan in the main office at (718) 515-9370.

Foster Parents Urgently Needed

The Foster Care Network urgently needs adults who want to become foster parents for the hundreds of area children who need a home. For more information, call (800) 454-3727 ext. 110.

ESL and GED Classes

Fordham Manor Reformed Church is offering free ESL and GED classes at its building on 2705 Reservoir Ave. The ESL classes will be held on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. GED classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The ESL class requires a 15-minute test for enrollment. A longer three-hour test is necessary to take part in the GED class. For more information, call (718) 796-4980 ext. 16.

Free GED and Computer Classes

The State University of New York’s North Bronx Career Center located off of Eastchester Road is offering free day and evening classes for the GED and Business Office Technology to prepare for the GED exam or to learn basic to advanced skills in Windows XO, Vista, Word, Excel, and Power Point. Job readiness training is also available. All students must meet state income and academic guidelines. Classes began on April 28. For more information, call (718) 547-1001.

GED Program for Out of School Youth

The New Options Program and Young Adult Internship Program are offering General Equivalency Diploma classes to 16-21-year-olds who are working and no longer in school. The program also offers vocational job training and full placements with stipends.

The program takes place at the Educational Counseling Center, 3512 DeKalb Ave. For more information, call (718) 652-0282.

Housing and Job Help

National Student Partnerships provides free help with job searches, housing searches, education, job training, resume-writing, childcare and legal services. There are no eligibility requirements. NSP is located at 2715 Bainbridge Ave. at East 196th Street. Call (718) 733-3897 to set up an appointment. You do not need to be a student to obtain services. Se habla espanol.

Foreign Exchange Students Need Hosts

The Pacific Intercultural Exchange is seeking host families for foreign high school students who are arriving soon. Prospective host families can review student applications and select the perfect match. Interested parties should contact the program immediately. Call toll-free, (866) 546-1402.

AFS, the leading international high school student exchange program, also needs local families to host high school students for an academic year or six months. Students arrive in August. AFS is also looking for volunteer liaisons to work locally with families and their hosted students. Anyone interested in hosting or volunteering should visit www.afs.org/usa/hostfamily or call 1-800-AFS-INFO.

FTC Materials Available

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has Federal Trade Commission (FTC) materials on credit acquisition and protection available to the public or for groups. To obtain copies of any of these materials, call Mr. Kathryn Speller at (718) 365-0910, ext. 133. Materials may be picked up at the CAB office, 2054 Morris Ave., Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call to schedule a pick-up. Materials may also be sent by mail upon request. For more information, visit www.cabny.org, or call (718) 365-0910 ext. 122.

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.

Free Programs for Cancer Patients

The Albert Einstein Cancer Center is offering two free research programs for patients with cancer. The Yoga-Based Cancer Rehabilitation Program includes 12 weeks of yoga classes as part of a research study to see if yoga can help patients with breast, lung and colorectal cancer. The Mind-Body Cancer Program includes eight weeks of mind-body groups as a part of a research study for patients with most types of cancer. Some restrictions may apply and both programs are taking place in the Bronx. For more information or to find out if you are eligible, call (718)-430-2380.

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. Please leave only non-perishable 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 12 p.m. For more information, call (718) 548-4445.

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Construction Workers Escape Accident with Minor Injuries

June 26, 2008

By Alex Kratz

Two construction workers narrowly avoided death after a large panel of bricks unexpectedly ripped off the side of a Montefiore Medical Center research building earlier this morning, knocking them off their scaffolding rig.

Both workers were taken to the nearby emergency room, but they sustained only minor injuries.

After being knocked from their scaffolding rig, the workers were dangling by their safety harnesses 10 stories above ground for five or six minutes, witnesses said, as fellow construction workers reeled them back to safety.

John Sullivan, chief of the fire department’s 15th battalion, said a panel of bricks came loose just above where the two workers were restoring the building’s brick façade near the top of the structure, which is about 11 stories high.

Alica Fernandez, who works at a hot dog stand directly across the street from the Montefiore building, said she heard a loud crash and then looked across the street to see two men hanging from their harnesses.

“They looked nervous,” she said.

Fernandez recognized one of them as a customer she serves coffee to every morning. After the initial shock wore off, she called 911 on her cell phone and told her daughter, who works with her at the hot dog cart, to tell people inside of Montefiore.

Fernandez was crying, she said, as her customer and the other worker struggled to get back to a nearby balcony with the help of other workers.

While the workers were being taken away, Fernandez said she gave her customer a hug. She said he was not hurt badly. Sullivan said they only sustained minor cuts and bruises from being hit by the bricks.

A fire department rescue team and the Building’s Department was assessing the damage and determining what additional safety measures, if any, should be taken.

No one was evacuated from the building as Sullivan said the damage was only to the exterior of the building.

Montefiore spokesman Steve Osborne said the building was used solely for medical research and no patients were inside.

At least 30 fire fighters were on hand, as was the Office of Emergency Management and the city’s Scaffolding Safety Team. Television and print news reporters were mingling among a crowd of a few dozen people taking in the scene and exchanging gossip.

The workers were replacing the brick facing of the building’s expansion joints, Sullivan said, adding that it probably contributed to the panel of bricks unexpectedly coming loose above the workers.

-Additional reporting by Stephen Baron

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Public and Community Meetings

June 26, 2008

By None

• The 52nd Precinct Community Council will meet on Thursday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Ann’s Church, 3519 Bainbridge Ave. After that, there will be no meetings until September. For more information, call (718) 220-5824.

• The next Community Education Council 10 meeting will be in mid-July. For more information, call (718) 741-5836.

• The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will not meet until August at the earliest. For more information, call (718) 231-8470.

• Community Board 7 will not meet until September. For more information call (718) 933-5650.

• There will be a block party on Saturday, June 28 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. in front of Scott Tower, 3400 Paul Ave..

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City Pushes Food Stamp Enrollment

June 26, 2008

By Stephen Baron

The city is ramping up an effort to reach out to some 100,000 Bronx households that might be eligible but are not currently enrolled in the city’s food stamps program.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and Bronx Council Members Oliver Koppell and Joel Rivera announced the push last week at the POTS (Part of the Solution) soup kitchen on Webster Avenue. POTS is the only seven-day-a-week soup kitchen in the northwest Bronx.

The outreach effort comes on the heels of a study completed by the Human Resources Administration (HRA) that identified more than 600,000 New York City households, 100,000 in the Bronx, that were on Medicaid but not enrolled in the food stamps program. City officials say eligibility requirements for Medicaid and food stamps are similar.

They are calling the effort, which will begin in earnest in August, the “Medicaid food stamp data match initiative.”

“With skyrocketing food prices adding to the burden of rising rents, gas prices, and other costs, hardworking New Yorkers are forced to stretch their dollar further,” Quinn said in a statement.

“Today’s announcement is welcomed news and an important step in the efforts to combat the constant battle against hunger,” Rivera said in a statement.

After running a data matching analysis this month, HRA found 111,869 eligible households in the Bronx. In August, HRA, in partnership with the City Council, will begin mailing letters encouraging those households to enroll in the food stamps program.

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Foreclosure Bill Passes

June 26, 2008

By Stephen Baron

It looks like help may be on the way for some Bronx homeowners facing foreclosure, following a rare, effective compromise between the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic-controlled Assembly.

The bill, which has passed the Assembly and Senate and now awaits Gov. Paterson’s signature, requires lenders to warn borrowers in writing at least 90 days before starting foreclosure proceedings and says those lenders must give borrowers contact information for housing counselors. Unfortunately, in the northwest Bronx, there is only one such counselor.

Courts must also hold a settlement conference between the lender and borrower facing foreclosure within 60 days of being served with legal papers.

The bill also requires mortgage brokers to present borrowers with the best loan for which they qualify, so people with good credit are not steered into overpriced loans.

“The bill makes sure the foreclosure crisis does not happen again, and tries to prevent as many foreclosures as possible,” said State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) in a telephone interview.

Statewide, one in 32 homeowners is projected to face foreclosure in the next couple of years. In the northwest Bronx, the areas of Fordham and University Heights have some of the highest foreclosure rates in New York City, many of whom took on bad sub-prime loans they couldn’t keep up with.

The bill does not include a one-year moratorium on foreclosures (despite a big push by local housing advocates) or force lenders to maintain foreclosed properties, amendments Klein said he tried to add to the bill.

The foreclosure provisions apply to sub-prime loans taken out between Jan. 1, 2003 and Sept. 1, 2008, but not to future loans. Any lender or broker who violates the provisions could face charges, fines or penalties from the attorney general’s office or the State Banking Department.

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Haile Rivera Suspends Council Bid

June 26, 2008

By James Fergusson

Community activist and University Heights resident Haile Rivera has decided to press the pause button on his run for City Council to work full time on the presidential campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barrack Obama.

“I’m suspending my campaign,” he said in an interview last week.

Rivera, 30, had been after Maria Baez’s 14th District seat. He first announced his candidacy last September, two years before the term-limited Baez would be forced to step down. Since then, Rivera has sent out a barrage of e-mails criticizing Baez, outlining his positions, and reaffirming his desire to run.

Just last month, Rivera sent an e-mail to the media that read: “As far as my 2009 City Council candidacy for the 14th District in the Bronx, I can tell you that IT IS STILL ON.”

But a month later, it is off again, as Rivera decided to focus on the presidential campaign instead of his own.

Earlier this year, Rivera upped and left the Bronx to work for Obama’s quest for the Democratic nomination (see Norwood News, May 15). With the nomination locked up, Rivera was offered a position as a campaign organizer in Florida. He plans to take it, meaning he’ll be tied up until November’s election, giving him little time to further his own political career.

“I’m putting aside my personal ambitions,” he said recently.

Rivera is also concerned that people will accuse him of wrapping himself in Obama’s success to further his own agenda. “I want to be able to say I’m 100 percent behind Obama, and not have people say I’m doing this for [my own] political reasons,” he said.

Rivera may resurrect his City Council campaign in early 2009, but he admits it’ll be difficult to build momentum again in time for the election. Plus, he has other commitments: he heads two small non-profits, one here in the Bronx, one in his native Dominican Republic.

With his campaign frozen – if not officially dead – Rivera must decide what to do with the $1,700 he raised for the campaign. He said he might ask his supporters if he can give their contributions to Obama.

So with Rivera out (at least for now), who else has their eye on Baez’s seat? Only Yudelka Tapia, a community activist who ran for Assembly in the 86th District, in 2002 has registered with the city’s Campaign Finance Board.

Others in the mix include: Nelson Castro, a former staffer of Washington Heights Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat; Fernando Cabrera, the pastor of New Life Outreach International Church; and Mount Hope resident Hector Ramirez, a Democratic district leader.

Ed. note: A version of this article first appeared on the Web site of the Mt. Hope Monitor.

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Mother Lives in Fear in Former Drug Den

June 26, 2008

By Alex Kratz

A single mom raising two daughters in University Heights is now in fear for her life after unknowingly moving into a former drug den. She only learned of the apartment’s checkered history after someone fired four shots through her second-floor window.

The mother, who does not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, woke up to the sounds of gunfire through her window on University Avenue, near West Kingsbridge Road, at 2:45 a.m. on May 30.

Following the shooting, the startled mother and her 11-month-old and 9-year-old daughters huddled on the floor until police arrived.

“The family was in the room and everybody was sleeping,” as four shots crashed through the window, the mother recalled.

Police would later remove three slugs from the window bars. One shot hit the apartment’s ceiling.

The woman said she moved into the building about a year and a half ago. Before that, she says, “crack dealers in this apartment ran the building.” Residents have since told her about, “Ramon,” who sold crack out of the apartment she now calls home.

Numerous attempts to contact the landlord of the building to ask how they could rent a former drug den to a single mother of two daughters, without letting her know, were unsuccessful.

Police did not respond to several inquiries about the incident and the apartment.

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Marking a Century of Bridging 2 Boroughs

June 26, 2008

By Chris Matthews

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, Jr. and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer gathered last week on the University Heights Bridge, high above the Harlem River, to celebrate the structure’s 100th birthday and announce the start of Bronx Week.

To accommodate the ceremony, police shut down two lanes of traffic on the bridge, which connects 207th Street in Manhattan with West Fordham Road in the Bronx. It was a chaotic scene as bumper-to-bumper traffic passed the enthusiastic onlookers assembled in the closed lanes.

The University Heights Bridge opened on Jan. 8, 1908. From the start, the bridge was received well in both practical and aesthetic terms. By the early 1980s, however, the bridge had fallen into disrepair and the city decided to destroy it. But the Landmarks Preservation Commission rescued the bridge in 1984 by declaring it a landmark. Ultimately, talk of demolition died and millions of dollars facilitated the bridge’s restoration in the 1990s.

After the press conference, Carrión and Stringer walked to the Bronx and Manhattan sides of the bridge, respectively, and then met back in the center for a celebratory handshake. Marching bands from both boroughs followed their elected leaders. DeWitt Clinton High School’s band represented the Bronx.

“When we perform an event like this, we become one city, one people,” said Stringer, who recalled walking across the bridge as a youth to shop on Fordham Road.

Carrión said it was the city’s infrastructure that allowed it to prosper. “This bridge is part of that success,” he said. “This global city works because of this.”

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Bronx Entrepreneurs Soak Up Biz Info at Summit

June 26, 2008

By Stephen Baron

Michelle Parks wants to open the only roller skating rink in the Bronx, which would be a boon for borough boys and girls who often lack venues for organized sports.

“The last rink in the Bronx closed six months ago, and I’ve always wanted to open one,” Parks said. But the 40-year-old from Parkchester did not know how to start a line of credit or how to apply for loans.

Which is why Parks was one of more than 100 prospective and current north Bronx business owners who attended the third annual North Bronx Economic Development Summit on June 19.

Attendees heard panel discussions on gaining access to capital and creating marketing schemes. They also networked with 19 city, state and community organizations that promote businesses in the Bronx, such as the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), Lehman College’s Small Business Development Center and the Bronx Business Alliance.

The free summit, co-sponsored by Citibank and Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC also publishes the Norwood News), was held in Monroe College’s new Ustin Hall Jerome Avenue, which houses its new King Graduate School of Business.

“It was absolutely successful,” said Roberto Garcia, MPC’s director of economic development. “Business owners received a wealth of information from different panelists, including lending, security, health care, staffing and creating a business plan.”

Before the first economic summit three years ago, there had not been one for the North Bronx in more than 15 years, Garcia said. But since the 1990s, the Bronx has undergone a wave of immigration and an economic resurgence.

In the Bronx, about 98 percent of businesses are small businesses, according to Kate Shackford, the executive vice president of the BOEDC, which acts as a liaison between the city and more than 500 Bronx businesses. The BOEDC’s “Buy Bronx” campaign encourages major developers of Bronx projects to use suppliers and contractors from the borough.

Despite the economic downturn and Bronx County having the third highest poverty rate among large counties in the country, panelists were optimistic that the Bronx’s economy will continue to improve.

Though manufacturing has declined, health care and retail remain strong. Large retail projects like the Kingsbridge Armory and Gateway Terminal Market could provide opportunities for new and diverse small businesses. And the Bronx Business Alliance, a nonprofit business development group, hopes to revive many commercial corridors by creating new Business Improvement Districts.

Citibank was also eager to provide services for Bronx businesses. Of businesses that apply for its loans, 38 percent are first-time small businesses, according to Citibank officials. All of its free financial education classes are taught in numerous languages.

Brendon Smalls, a 21-year-old from Baychester, and Richard Stewart, a 24-year-old from Wakefield, were one pair of Bronx business partners hoping to create a social networking Web site for the fashion industry.

“Now that we got some marketing tips and know how to apply for loans,” Stewart said, “we hope to launch soon.”

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PS 246 Savors Undefeated Softball Season

June 26, 2008

By Graham Kates

Raucous cheering could be heard outside PS 246 from a block away in every direction last Friday when a boisterous crowd gathered behind the school to celebrate the Grand Concourse school’s undefeated co-ed softball team.

It was PS 246’s first season in the softball league.

One by one, as coach Pedro Cruz called Thunder players up front to receive their trophies, each player was showered with cheers.

As the event progressed, the student crowd’s enthusiasm escalated. Finally, when Yohan Leonardo, the team’s most valuable player, was called, the crowd reached a crescendo that could have broken glass.

Trophies raised to the sky, the Thunder then embarked on the hallowed tradition of champions: the victory lap.

The 9-0 Thunder breezed through much of thee season, but their quest for perfection almost ended before it even began. Fifth grader Solin Pillier acknowledged that the team had their backs against the wall in their very first game of the season. According to Solin, the Thunder “had to make a big comeback” against Accion Academy.

PS 246 found themselves facing a 12-run deficit early in their game against Accion, but showed steely nerves in responding to an early deficit. The Thunder ended up winning, 13-12.

While Yohan was the team’s MVP, everyone agreed on who dominated on offense. Student after student spoke of the slugger who seemed worthy of Ichiro-like, one-name status, “Jose.”

According to Cruz, Jose Abreu, who led the team in home runs, struck such fear into opponents that “a couple of times they intentionally walked Jose on his first at-bat of the game.”

Erica Daniels, the team’s shortstop, agreed that there was no questioning Jose’s offensive prowess. “Jose was definitely the best hitter,” she said. “He hit a lot of home runs.”

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Lehman College Graduation

June 26, 2008

By None

More than 2,000 graduate and undergraduate students representing 135 nations celebrated Lehman College’s 40th Commencement on May 29. At the ceremonies, guest speaker Antiguan Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs Bertrand Joseph urged the graduates to "go forth and make a positive difference in the world." Joseph, a Lehman alum, received an honorary doctorate.

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Norwood’s Cruickshank Named Valedictorian

June 26, 2008

By Norwood News

Norwood resident Stacy Cruickshank was named valedictorian last month for the New York City College of Technology’s (City Tech) 2007-2008 school year.

Cruickshank, 27, who received two degrees, a Bachelor of Technology in Facilities Management and an Associate degree in Civil Engineering Technology, spoke before her class at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. In her speech, she urged her peers to maintain a good outlook. “When you’re optimistic and positive, things seem to work out, not by sheer luck, but because people are more willing to help you when you have a good attitude.”

During her time at City Tech, Cruickshank compiled a 3.93 grade point average, and was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Order of the Engineer. In addition, she was president of the City Tech chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers as well as the International Students Alliance.

Cruickshank’s post-collegiate plans include taking a year off from her studies to work, and then pursuing a Master’s degree in Construction Management from either Columbia University or New York University.

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Monroe College Graduation

June 26, 2008

By None

In three separate ceremonies on Thursday, June 5, President Stephen Jerome conferred more than 2,700 college degrees at Monroe College’s 75th Anniversary Commencement. Held at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Jerome presented graduates with 101 MBA degrees, 1,110 Bachelor’s degrees, 1,475 Associate degrees, and 18 Nursing certificates, making the 2008 graduating class the largest in the college’s history.

The keynote addresses were delivered by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, New York State Education Department Sr. Deputy Commissioner Johanna Duncan-Poitier, and New York City Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott.

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Hold Yanks to Park Promises

June 26, 2008

By None

In the May 29 – June 11 issue, your article, “Report Says City and Yankees Deceptively Stole Parkland”), focuses on the New York Park Advocates’ report on replacement parks for the new Yankee Stadium. In it, the authors contend that the city did not fully replace the 25 acres of parkland taken for the stadium. If these numbers hold up under scrutiny, compensating the missing acreage is required by law. There are two ways this can be done:

First, not building proposed Parking Garage B would not only return some of the parkland but also would remove the worst of the new garages. Because of its location, Parking Garage B would lure traffic and pollution right into the middle of a community already beset by asthma and other health problems.

A second and more realistic possibility is tearing down the municipal parking garage and building a park in its place. After the other garages are constructed, the municipal garage will be superfluous. It is located in a perfect area for a park: just across the street from John Mullaly Park and right in the middle of the community. Some of the promised facilities such as tennis courts could easily be built there. There is no other more logical and practical alternative.

In addition to restoring the missing acreage, it’s necessary to place a tough new alienation law on the books. What happened with the new Yankee Stadium must never happen again and only legislation can guarantee this. As I wrote in the Norwood News a few months ago, Manhattan Community Board 6 has already proposed alienation legislation with a number of community boards in Queens and Manhattan following suit. It is mind-boggling that after the Bronx lost a sizeable part of Van Cortlandt Park and an entire park with Macomb’s Dam, that Bronx community boards have expressed little, if any, interest. And where are the Bronx park organizations who should be at the forefront of this legislative drive?

Finally, it’s necessary to set the record straight. In your article, Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates is quoted as blaming the Bloomberg administration for the Yankee Stadium project. While the mayor certainly deserves a good part of the blame, the Yankee Stadium project would never have seen the light of day without the full support of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion and the Bronx Democratic machine. Mr. Carrion even punished those who opposed the project: He brazenly ousted Bronx Community Board 4 members — including Lukas Herbert, the co-author of the report — for voting their conscience and prevented community residents from testifying at the “abbreviated” public hearing of December 12, 2005. Bronx residents must never forget!

John Rozankowski

Bedford Park

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Don’t Blame Obesity on Schools

June 26, 2008

By None

The article in your May 29 issue, “Bronx Schools Lacking in P.E. Department,” implies that schools are responsible for keeping its students in shape, and by not having sufficient physical education facilities, the obese from losing weight. The article further notes that New York state physical education requirements say that elementary students must get 120 minutes of physical education each week. This equals to two hours for a seven-day period.

Are we to believe that the obese become less obese on two hours of exercise per week? Chances are at home they’ll continue on whatever diet they had been on which caused their obesity in the first place.

How could obesity possibly be blamed, even partially, on the school system’s lack of a P.E. program, or any lack of after-school programs? If kids, other than those with glandular problems, are obese when they enter school, the fault lies with their having overeaten at home.

Of course, it would be great for kids to have P.E in school. It can provide a respite from their academic subjects. But to even think that this would cut back on obesity is a lesson in futility.

Judy Noy

Norwood

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The DEP Strikes Again

June 26, 2008

By Editorial

An annoying tendency regarding the filtration plant project is that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is inclined not to listen to the ratepayers and citizens who are funding all of this.

Concerned residents, some of whom have become experts on the issue, turn up at hearing after hearing and tell the DEP important things.

Agency officials don’t really listen; they just “explain” why they’re right, as if all it would take for the community to agree is to have it explained in words we poor foolish citizens can understand.

But that’s not so. Local activists were right that the DEP could do with a smaller plant and filter less water or use another technology like membrane filtration, rather than just spend money like — well, like water, actually.

They were right that the plant would never go in the Jerome Park Reservoir. They were right that you couldn’t build something 20 feet high at the street and call it underground. And they were right that that the city had to get state legislative approval to put it in the park and that it would cost more to put it there.

If the DEP had really listened to the community and respected it as a valuable resource rather than just wait for the clock to run out at every hearing, we would have avoided many of the project’s problems, not least of which are massive cost overruns.

The DEP maintains that the blasting at the reservoir (see cover story) does not violate promises in the Environmental Impact Statement. That’s not true, but even if it were, that’s no excuse for once again ignoring the citizen ratepayers who pay their salary.

Will they ever learn?

This editorial was adapted from comments made by Norwood News publisher Dart Westphal at last week’s meeting of the Croton Facilities Monitoring Committee.

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Where ‘Summer Streets’ Began

June 26, 2008

By Editorial

It was Bronx Week last week, but that doesn’t mean the Bronx got its due from City Hall. Just the opposite.

On June 16, the mayor announced, with great fanfare and even rock icon David Byrne by his side, that the city was going to do something unprecedented and really groundbreaking by creating a car-free zone for three Sundays over the summer along a seven-mile stretch in Manhattan. The idea, they said was a big success in London, Paris, and even Bogota!

“…We have never been afraid to try new ideas, especially the ones that have the potential to improve the quality of life,” the mayor said.

If they had looked in the files, or maybe even asked a civil servant at the Department of Transportation (DOT), they would have discovered the idea was not at all new, and was implemented in the Bronx almost 20 years ago.

For five years, beginning in the early 1990s, 40 blocks of the center mall of the Grand Concourse were closed to car traffic, so residents could bike, walk, jog, skate and play along the historic thoroughfare for 12 summer Sundays.

Mayor Giuliani shut down the popular program probably because its chief cheerleader, Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, was expected to challenge him in the following year’s mayoral race. The program partially returned to a smaller portion of the Concourse the last two years, Crotona Park last month, and advocates are now trying to move it to Crotona Parkway.

We asked the DOT if they had any plans to bring something akin to Summer Streets anywhere in the Bronx. Crotona Parkway didn’t seem to be on its radar screen yet, but a spokesman told us, “We’re looking at places like the Grand Concourse and other corridors in the Bronx and elsewhere in the city for vehicle-free treatment.”

We shall see.

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Next Stop: Middle School

June 26, 2008

By None

The 100-plus graduates of the fifth grade at PS 291 were joined by parents and relatives for graduation ceremonies at the school, located in University Heights, on Friday, June 20. Guest speakers included Yankee staffer and children’s author Ray Negron and Maxine Zalez from the attorney general’s office.

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Annie’ a Hit at PS 56

June 26, 2008

By None

Young actors of the PS 56 after school program, known as "The Norwood Heights Players," performed the Broadway musical, "Annie," during a free show, held at the East 207th Street school, on Friday, June 20. The group put on a stellar performance for a near-capacity crowd. The show was directed by Elizabeth Corrao and Tashima Nole.

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Out & About

June 26, 2008

By Judy Noy

Onstage

The Bronx Library Center presents June Jazz Summer Sing with Mary Pearson, June 28 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.

Lehman College hosts a musical production of Cinderella on June 26 at noon and June 28 at 2 p.m. in room 306 of the Music Building. Admission is free, but confirmed reservations are required. Lehman is located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd. W. For more information, call (718) 960-8247/7796.

Wave Hill, located at 675 W. 252nd St., presents Midday Music, a free lunchtime series. George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” is July 2, and songwriter/double bass player Ritt Henn performs on July 9. Both are at 12:30 p.m. in the Wave Hill House. For more information, call (718) 549-3200.

Events

Wave Hill offers up two family art projects, Build Up a Nature Wall, to draw and make a hanging paper wall on June 28 and 29, and Buildings Under the Earth, to create a large-scale world beneath the natural one on July 5 and 6. Both are in the Kerlin Learning Center from 1 to 4 p.m. Wave Hill is located at 675 W. 252nd St. For more information, call (718) 549-3200.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts, at 1040 Grand Concourse, presents Grand Concourse: Cultural Crossroads, a panel discussion about grassroots initiatives that foster and promote dialogue among diverse populations and how the Grand Concourse draws new waves of immigrant communities, June 27 at 7 p.m. It is preceded by cocktail hour at 6 p.m., and admission is $5. For more information, call (718) 681-6000 ext. 120.

The Bronx River Art Center offers free art classes, 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m., July 7 to Aug. 15, for ages 5 to 21. Registration runs June 23 through July 2. Fee-based classes for adults, school groups and community-based organizations are also available from 6 to 8 p.m. The Center is located at 1087 E. Tremont Ave. For more information, call (718) 589-5819 ext. 15.

The New York Botanical Garden’s Tulip Tree Allee hosts their Farmers Market, Wednesdays through Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It offers seasonal produce, home-baked goods and natural products from New York State farmers and merchants. There will be free demonstrations and educational and fun programs from noon to 2 p.m. on the first and last Wednesday of each month. The Garden is located at Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Road. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.

Continuing exhibitions at Longwood Art Gallery and the Bronx Museum of the Arts are joined by photography shows at both Haven Arts Gallery and the gallery at Bruckner Bar and Grill for July 2’s Bronx Culture Trolley. At Haven is “New York Press on the Wall,” from 20 New York press photographers, and at the Bruckner Gallery, “Departure,” the work of five photographers’ connection to their Bronx communities. The night begins at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by three trolley departures at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. The trolley ride and all events are free. For more information call (718) 931-9500 ext. 33 or visit www.bronxarts.org.

Exhibits

Take a peek into the story of Freedomland – New York City’s Disneyland, through Oct. 19, at the Valentine-Varian House or Museum of Bronx History. The exhibition tells the story of the American History-themed amusement park opened in 1960 on the 205-acre site now home to Bay Plaza and Co-op City. The museum is located at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

Inspired by the Feminist Movement, the Bronx Museum of the Arts explores women artists working collectively in new ways in Making It Together: Women’s Collaborative Art and Community through Aug. 4. Also on view at the museum is Teen Council Presents: Jamel Shabazz through July 27 in the North Wing. The museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street and is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. and Friday to 8 p.m. For more information, call (718) 681-6000.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts features How Soon Is Now? with artwork by participants in Artist in the Marketplace through Aug. 18. (Closing reception on Aug. 15 runs from 6 to 8 p.m.) Accompanying the exhibition is AIM28 Roundtable, a discussion about new trends in the art market, June 28 at 3 p.m. in the North Wing on the 2nd floor and is free with museum admission. The museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street and is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. and Friday to 8 p.m. For more information, call (718) 681-6000.

The New York Botanical Garden’s Everett Children’s Adventure Garden educates in summer with Darwin’s Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure, a new interactive children’s exhibit and hands-on program through June 29; and Henry Moore Sculpture, featuring approximately 20 pieces, through Nov. 2. Children can create works of art including a collage and clay sculptures, Tuesdays through Fridays from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Resplendent Roses is also on display throughout June. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.

The Bronx Library Center presents Essences Is, a solo exhibition by Moses Ros, on view through June 29. The work consists of prints and sculpture based on trees. 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.

Learning

The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages: For children and preschoolers, there is Eat Your Socks!, July 1 at 3 p.m.; films on July 2 and 9 at 2 p.m.; and Summer Reading Club Meetings, July 7 at noon.

Also, for school-aged children, there is Bugapalooza!, June 28 at 2 p.m.; Don’t Bug Me: I’m Reading, July 2 and 9 at 4 p.m.; Reading Journal, July 3 at 3 p.m.; Creepy Crawler Race, July 7 at 3 p.m.; and Bookmark Buddies, July 10 at 3 p.m.Young adults can Play Chess! in a workshop with Ramon A. Hernandez on June 30 at 4 p.m.; and attend The Art of African Head Wrapping, with the House of Tafari, July 3 at 4 p.m.; Game On: Madden ’08 Tournament, July 7 at 3 p.m.; and Fierce & Fabulous: Fashion Design, July 10 at 4 p.m. For adults, there is Book Discussion: The Joy Luck Club, July 2 at 3 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 Summer Fun Day, July 2 and 9 at 2:30 p.m.; and Toddler Time, July 10 at 10:30 a.m. The library is located at 285 E. 205th St. For more information, call (718) 882-8239. This branch will be closed Friday, June 27.

The Jerome Park Library at 118 Eames Place, hosts Independent Day Crafts, July 1 at 3 p.m.; and Tales for the Teeny Tiny, July 8 at 4 p.m., both for children; and Summer Reading: Metamorphosis, July 3 and 10 at 4 p.m. for young adults. For more information, call (718) 549-5200. This branch will be closed Thursday, June 26.

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Norwood Artist Inspired by Friendship With Film Icon

June 26, 2008

By Alex Kratz

When Norwood artist Ibrahim Gonzalez met film maverick Melvin Van Peebles in the Bronx three years ago, the two offbeat characters felt a strong connection and became immediate friends.

For Gonzalez, who dabbles in several artistic media but is best known as a conga-playing Bronx bandleader, the encounter also produced a sort of mid-life artistic epiphany that he hopes will propel him to new heights in his career. Already, it’s propelled him into the Tribeca Film Festival and given him the confidence to produce his own documentary.

“He really lit a fire under my butt,” Gonzalez says.

Gonzalez, a 52-year-old Nuyorican from East Harlem, and Van Peebles, a 76-year-old African-American Chicagoen, met through a mutual friend who works at Pacifica radio, where Gonzalez hosts a weekly music show.

Van Peebles, best known for his subversive independent films and outlandish style (“Sweet Sweetback’s Badaaaaas Song” is probably his biggest hit), was working on a new movie called “Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus Itchyfooted Mutha.”

Gonzalez, a gregarious man who is not shy when talking about his own diverse skill-set, speaks reverently about Van Peebles. “He’s a true renaissance man,” he says. These days, Van Peebles bounces from his homes in Manhattan, Los Angeles and Paris and basically picks and chooses the projects he works on, most of them his own. He writes, composes music and acts in addition to filmmaking.

Watching them hang out in Gonzalez’s apartment overlooking Williamsbridge Oval Park, Gonzalez’s wife, Janet Norquist-Gonzalez, said the two “really hit it off.” Almost instantly, she said, they started joking like old friends. Plus, “they both love cigars,” she said.

Gonzalez showed Van Peebles around the neighborhood and Van Peebles showed him a preview of his unfinished new movie. In the end, Van Peebles asked Gonzalez to do camera work and as well as some location scouting.

“He basically said, ‘this will look good for your portfolio,’” Gonzalez said. More importantly, though, as Gonzalez watched pieces of Van Peebles’ new movie, he says it gave him the confidence to explore his own vision for making motion pictures.

As an artist, Gonzalez is literally a child of two fathers. His father, an amateur photographer, taught him how to use a camera. His stepfather, a “semi-pro” musician, asked him to fill in on the congas one night and, at age 12, he held his own after more or less learning how to play on the streets of East Harlem.

“There was always street music going on,” he says of his childhood. “I would go to sleep listening to the rhythms of the street. It was like my lullaby.”

During his 20s, Gonzalez’s music career got sidetracked as he left New York and raised a family with his first wife (he has five children and five grandchildren). But he returned to the city in his 30s determined to restart his musical career. In the mid-1990s, Gonzalez decided to become a bandleader for the first time.

Gonzalez fronts three bands, though he laments that he only plays two or three gigs a month. (He played at the Bronx Ball last Saturday.) He not only shares his musical tastes as the host of a weekly show on Pacifica radio, he also teaches music at Manhattan College.

He’s always taken photos, but only recently began showing them publicly at an exhibit at a City Island restaurant. Van Peebles says Gonzalez is “full of ideas” and that he would work with him again “in a heartbeat.”

Since their meeting three years ago, Gonzalez not only worked on Van Peebles’ film (the four showings at Tribeca were sold out and drew rave reviews, Van Peebles said), but also has completed his own full-length documentary about an “exemplary” east Bronx middle school, which he spent a year shooting and editing. That piece recently ran four times on Bronxnet, where he also works as a freelance editor.

He’s calling his latest project “Innertube,” which he describes as a kind of experimental collection of moving images and scenes. It all exists in his mind at this stage, but Gonzalez hopes it will catch on at Bronxnet and maybe beyond. Gonzalez’s career might be served better if he chose to focus on music or movies or photography. But that’s not his style.

Choosing just one medium would be “like picking a favorite child,” he says. Norquist-Gonzalez, a Bronx middle-school teacher says, “He does a lot of different things. Maybe, it’s held him back, but that’s part of who he is.”

Still, he hopes to finally break out as an artist in his own right. For years, Gonzalez says, he’s always been “contributing to other people’s stuff. I’ve paid some dues. It’s my turn.”

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Reservoir Blasting Plan Bashed

June 26, 2008

By Alex Kratz

Local residents came out in force last week to vigorously oppose a city plan to blast away rock with explosives at the Jerome Park Reservoir.

The controversial plan is the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) contentious Croton Water Filtration Plant project currently under way in Van Cortlandt Park. The project has been plagued by massive cost overruns, federal fines, construction delays and contractor turnover.

Last Thursday, at the Croton project’s monthly oversight meeting, DEP officials vaguely outlined a plan to blast out rock to construct a shaft that connects a water tunnel from the reservoir to the filtration plant.

The original plan in the project’s final environmental impact statement (FEIS) called for using a large drill, called a hoe ram, to dig the shaft. It also says there will be no “surface blasting” at the Jerome Park Reservoir.

DEP design director Paul Smith said the blasting plan would save time (16 weeks, rather than 26) and reduce noise.

Residents, park advocates, members of the oversight group, and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, voiced serious concerns about the new plan and demanded the DEP produce a new study on how it would affect the community, which includes several schools and residential buildings.

DEP officials said it had yet to make a final decision, but presented the blasting plan as a no-brainer. The agency didn’t, however, offer any evidence that the plan would indeed be less noisy and disruptive, aside from a short and inconclusive video of both the blast and the drilling method. The DEP said a new study would not be needed because the blasting would have less of an impact than hoe ramming.

When asked how they were sure it would be less noisy and take less time, Smith said, “Experience.” Smith added that he couldn’t actually guarantee blasting would be quicker and that it would involve at least some hoe ramming.

Also new to residents was the DEP’s plan to cart away debris from the reservoir site by using trucks that would travel to and from the site using Goulden Avenue (which borders the reservoir), a plan not included in the FEIS.

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Youth Journalism Classes

June 12, 2008

By Norwood News

In the fall, the Norwood News, in conjunction with the Mount Hope Monitor, will run a youth journalism program for Bronx high school students in their sophomore, junior or senior years.

Classes will start in September and meet on Wednesdays, after school, for 12 weeks. We’re looking for students of all academic abilities, but students should be highly motivated, love to write, be naturally inquisitive, and care about what’s going on in their communities.

To request an application, e-mail James Fergusson, the program coordinator, at mounthopenews@gmail.com or call (718) 324-4998. The application deadline is June 26.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Neighborhood Notes

June 12, 2008

By Norwood News

Family Health Walk

The 6th Annual Montefiore Family Health Walk is this Saturday, June 14. Free registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of 242nd Street and Broadway. The four- mile walk begins at the 242nd St. subway station (1, 9) and ends at the Bronx Zoo. The first 100 registrants will receive free t-shirts, and the first 100 finishers will receive free admission to the zoo. For more information, call “Take a Walk, New York!” at (212) 627-1137.

Free Computer Tutoring

The Mosholu Preservation Corporation is offering free computer tutorials to anyone interested. Lessons will cover topics ranging from basic computer skills to Internet navigation. Lessons are offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. The Mosholu Preservation Corporation is located at 3400 Reservoir Oval East. For an appointment, call Brenda Lucio or Jennifer Mitchell, (718) 324-4461.

MetroCard Bus/Van Coming

MetroCard buses will be making stops in the west Bronx during June. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities may apply for the Reduced Fare MetroCard. Senior citizens must present valid photo identification proving that they are at least 65 years old, and persons with disabilities must present a U.S. Medicare Card and valid photo identification. The buses will be at Fordham Road and Grand Concourse on Fridays June 13 and June 27 from noon to 2 p.m.; Scott Towers, at 3400 Paul Ave., near the corner of W. 205th St., on Monday, June 23 from 1 to 3 p.m.; and Van Cortlandt Village at 3880 Sedgwick Ave., on Friday, June 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

PRIDE Health Fair

Montefiore Medical Center’s AIDS Center, together with the Bronx HIV CARE Network, will be hosting their 6th Annual PRIDE Health Fair to promote health awareness in the community on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Gun Hill Road between Bainbridge and DeKalb Ave. rain or shine. The event will include educational materials on HIV and prevention, blood pressure screenings, musical performances, guest speakers, and free raffle drawings. For more information, call Liz Ruffin at (718) 231-3296 ext. 24.

Housing Assistance Program

Community Board 7 and the West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center are offering housing counseling services on Tuesday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Community Board Office, 229-A E. 204th St. Residents will receive assistance in filling government forms related to housing concerns and in contacting city agencies with complaints. For more information call (718) 933-5650.

Financial Education Workshops

Learn how to avoid check cashers and build your credit history. Workshops will be held in English and Spanish on Tuesday, June 17 (Banking) and Tuesday June 24 (Credit), from 1:00 – 2:30 PM at Concourse House (2751 Grand Concourse). Lunch will be provided. For more Information or to RSVP, contact Andrés Romero at 718-933-3101 or visit www.unhp.org.

Finger Lakes Trip

St. Brendan’s Leisure Club has spaces available for a trip to the Finger Lakes from September 8-12. The deadline to sign up for the $655 trip is June 30. Itineraries are available at the parish house at Perry Avenue and 206th Street. For more information, call Sister Catherine at (718) 547-6655.

Social Security Assistance

Representatives of the Social Security Administration will give assistance to people with issues or concerns about Social Security on Wednesday, June 25 at Congressman Eliot Engel’s office, 3665 Johnson Ave. Appointments must be made in advance. If interested call Rep. Engel’s Executive Assistant Richard Fedderman at (718) 796-9700. For more information about Social Security visit www.ssa.gov.

Jerome-Gun Hill BID Annual Meeting

The 12th Annual Jerome Avenue-Gun Hill Road Business Improvement District meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 25 at 5:30 p.m. at VIP’s Café, 131 E. Gun Hill Rd. Guest speakers will include Assemblyman Jeffrey Denowitz and Deputy Inspector James Alles, the commanding officer of the 52nd precinct. RSVP by June 20 at (718) 324-4946.

Grading Bus Service

Bronx local bus customers can rate their rides by filling out Bus Rider Report Cards online at www.mta.info. Surveys are available in English, Chinese, and Spanish and must be submitted by June 27.

Teen Trailways Summer Camp

There are still openings for Teen Trailways, the largest teen camp in the Bronx. The camp for students entering seventh through tenth grades offers exciting daily day trips to amusement parks, beaches and sporting events, in addition to cross-country trips. The camp runs from June 30 to August 27. A full session costs about $3000. For more information, call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0.

Solar Summit

Bronx Community College is hosting a Solar Summit on Tuesday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, One Bowling Green, Manhattan. The summit will feature speeches by New York Times journalist Andrew Revkin and Congressman Maurice Hinchey. For more information, call (718) 289-5332.

Adult ESL and Computer Classes

Now through June, PS 94 at 3530 Kings College Place is offering beginning and intermediate ESL classes as well as beginner computer classes. All classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information or to sign up, go to room 105 or call the parent coordinator, Miriam Seminario, at (347) 563-4772, (718) 405-6345 ext. 1050 or (718) 863-4057.

Free Tennis Programs

The New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL) offers a spring and summer tennis program providing free tennis to children ages 6 to 18 at various locations around the Bronx and New York City. The spring session runs through Friday, June 20. Parents must register their children in person at a NYJTL site. The summer programs will be held at the Bronx International Youth Tennis Center, 754 Thieriot Ave.; Co-OP City, 800 Baychester Ave; Crotona Park, E. 173rd St.; and CS 214, 1970 West Farms Rd. For more information call (212) 685-4600.

English, Civics and Computer Classes

Prenatal Care Assistance Program

The Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) is now available for pregnant Bronx women and teens who meet income guidelines. The program, offered by the Montefiore Medical Center and the New York State Department of Health, provides medical care during pregnancy, delivery, and for at least two months after delivery. The program is available at the Family Health Center (FHC). 360 E. 193rd St.; Comprehensive Health Care Center (CHCC), 305 E. 161st St.; and Comprehensive Family Care Center (CFCC), 1621 Eastchester Rd. For more information call (718) 933-2400, (718) 579-2500, or (718) 405-8040.

Research Patients Needed

Summer Camps at Community Center

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration

Foster Parents Urgently Needed

The Foster Care Network urgently needs adults who want to become foster parents for the hundreds of area children who need a home. For more information, call (800) 454-3727 ext. 110.

ESL and GED Classes

Free GED and Computer Classes

GED Program for Out of School Youth

The program takes place at the Educational Counseling Center, 3512 DeKalb Ave. For more information, call (718) 652-0282.

Housing and Job Help

Fresh Air Camps Registration

Foreign Exchange Students Need Hosts

FTC Materials Available

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group

Free Programs for Cancer Patients

Couples Needed for Research

Food Drive

Emergency Responder Training

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Out & About

June 12, 2008

By Judy Noy

Onstage

n The Bronx Library Center presents Mike Porcel in Concert, June 14 at 6 p.m.; and Dance from Hawaii and Other Polynesian Islands, June 21 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 Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!), located at 841 Barretto St., presents their Out Like That! Festival. The festival includes Q-Dance, with choreography from artists of all sexual orientations, June 20 at 8 p.m. ($15); and Latino Drag Kings and Queens Rock the Bronx, a troupe of drag artists in a cabaret performance, June 21 at 8 p.m. ($15). For more information, call (718) 842-5223.

n The Bronx River Sounds are Cool, Hot and Blue in the Fifth Annual June Performing Arts Festival, with Willie Williams Trio, performing jazz, June 14 at 8 p.m. at the Bronx River Art Center Gallery and the Latin jazz band Insight, June 21 at 4 p.m. at Drew Gardens. The suggested contribution to each concert is $10 for adults and $5 for students, senior citizens and center members. For more information, call the Center at (718) 589-5819.

Events

The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!), located at 841 Barretto St., presents Ma Vie en Rose, a film about an innocent little boy who wants to be a girl, June 19 at 8 p.m. This free film is part of BAAD’s Out Like That festival. For more information, call (718) 842-5223.

Wave Hill offers up two family art projects, The Poppy Award to sketch poppy flowers, then sculpt a cardboard trophy, June 14 and 15; and Shadow Marking and Sun Prints to create prints with the sun’s rays and help track star’s movement in a solar shadow circle; both in the Kerlin Learning Center from 1 to 4 p.m. Wave Hill is located at 675 W. 252nd St. For more information and events, call (718) 549-3200.

The New York Botanical Garden’s Tulip Tree Allee hosts their Farmers Market, Wednesdays, June 25 through Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., which offers seasonal produce, home-baked goods, and natural products from New York State farmers and merchants. There will be free demonstrations and educational and fun programs from noon to 2 p.m. on the first and last Wednesday of each month. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.

Bronx Day at the New York Botanical Garden is June 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring lunch and enjoy an afternoon of free musical entertainment, face painting, raffle prizes, and health, finance and education resource information kiosks. Advance tickets, though free, are required for admission. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the number of tickets requested (up to six) to: Elizabeth Figueroa, Director of Community Relations, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458-5126. For more information, call (718) 817-8990.

Exhibits

Take a peek into the story of Freedomland – New York City’s Disneyland, through Oct. 19, at the Valentine-Varian House or Museum of Bronx History. The exhibition tells the story of the American History-themed amusement park opened in 1960 on the 205-acre site now home to Bay Plaza and Co-op City. The museum is located at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. at East 208th Street. For more information, call (718) 881-8900.

Inspired by the Feminist Movement, the Bronx Museum of the Arts explores women artists working collectively in new ways in Making It Together: Women’s Collaborative Art and Community through Aug. 4. Also on view at the museum is Teen Council Presents: Jamel Shabazz through July 27 in the North Wing. The museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street and is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. and Friday to 8 p.m. For more information, call (718) 681-6000.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts features How Soon Is Now? with artwork by participants in Artist in the Marketplace through Aug. 18. (Closing reception on Aug. 15 runs from 6 to 8 p.m.). Accompanying the exhibition is a Family Affair – Urban Kids Save the Environment!, a hands-on workshop which explores themes related to the urban environment along the Grand Concourse including tours, music and snacks, June 14 from 1 to 3 p.m.. There are Readings and Performances, featuring works by the 36 participating artists, followed by a reception and music, June 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. Finally, check out Queerhood 2008, a celebration of LGBT pride in the Bronx, featuring film screenings, poetry readings, artist performances and light refreshments, June 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. All events are held in the North Wing second and third floors and are free with museum admission. The museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street and is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. and Friday to 8 p.m. For more information, call (718) 681-6000.

The New York Botanical Garden’s Everett Children’s Adventure Garden educates in summer with Darwin’s Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure, a new interactive children’s exhibit and hands-on program through June 29; and Henry Moore Sculpture, featuring approximately 20 pieces, through Nov. 2. Children can create works of art including a collage and clay sculptures, Tuesdays through Fridays from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Resplendent Roses is also on display throughout June. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.

The Bronx Library Center presents Essences Is, a solo exhibition by Moses Ros, on view through June 29. The work consists of prints and sculpture based on trees. 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.

There’s an Exhibition Reception to meet the artists and curators of “In Response,” June 15 in Glyndor Gallery, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Wave Hill, located at 675 W. 252nd St. For more information and events, call (718) 549-3200.

Learning

The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages:

For children and preschoolers, there is Family Time, June 14 at 11 a.m. Also, for school-aged children, there are films on June 18 and 25 at 4 p.m.; Stories and Tales From Around the World, June 14 at 2 p.m.; Anansi, the Tricky Caterpillar and the Marrying Mosquito, June 16 at 4 p.m.; and Phone Book Making, June 19 at 4 p.m.

Young adults can Play Chess! in a workshop with Ramon A. Hernandez on June 16 and 23 at 4 p.m.; and attend World Beat and Percussion, June 18 at 4 p.m.; as well as Turn It Up, on June 25 at 4 p.m.

For adults, there is History of the Bronx, June 14 at 2:30 p.m.; and Book Discussion Group, discussing “The Namesake,” June 18 at 3 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 The Encounter of Juan Bobo and Pedro Animal, June 17 at 4 p.m. The library is located at 285 E. 205th St. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.

The Jerome Park Library at 118 Eames Place, hosts Anansi, the Tricky Caterpillar and the Marrying Mosquito, June 17 at 3 p.m.; and Moey’s Music Party, June 18 at 10:30 a.m., both for school-aged children; and Manga Drawing Workshops for young adults on June 12 and 19 at 4 p.m. For more information, call (718) 549-5200.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL OUR DAD READERS!

NOTE: Items for consideration should be received in our office by June 16 for the next publication date of June 26.

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Zarrin Tashnin is PS 94 Spelling Champ

June 12, 2008

By David Greene

Two weeks ago, fourth and fifth graders at PS 94 battled each other for the right to be called the school’s best speller.

It was the Norwood school’s inaugural Spelling Bee competition.

Held on Wednesday, May 28, a total of 28 spellers competed for the top prize.

Third place winner Rudy Pena, 10, received a $25 certificate for Barnes & Noble. Second place winner Shadman Rahman, 10, received a $100 savings bond from Washington Mutual Bank, and first place winner Zarrin Tashnin, 11, received a $100 bond from Ridgewood Bank.

Zarrin, of nearby Rochambeau Avenue, won the event by correctly spelling “chrysanthemum.”

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MS 80 Kids Strut Their Stuff

June 12, 2008

By None

Dozens of youngsters from MS 80, including these kids dancing to "Low by Flow Rider," participated in the school’s 3rd Annual Talent Show last Friday. The children danced, sang and played their instruments for fellow students and guests.

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Teens Start Career Paths With Summer Jobs

June 12, 2008

By Stephen Baron

Teenager Stephen Hillock won the lottery and will start collecting his earnings in July.

But this is a different kind of lottery — one that requires hard work and could pay dividends for a lifetime.

Stephen scored a summer job through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), an annual seven-week program funded by the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development.

Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) administers the program locally and held the first of several orientations at PS 94 last week, where 290 students chose jobs in areas such as health care, activism, and summer camps.

Stephen, 18, chose to be a counselor with the Butler Summer Day Camp. He and other students will work for the minimum wage of $7.15 an hour. They will also receive a debit card and learn how to use a savings account.

“I’ll be able to pay the bills and help my mom,” Hillock said. With job experience, a reference and a resume, he hopes to land a full-time job and ultimately move out of the Monroe Houses in Soundview. “There are drug activities and shootouts. I don’t want to live there,” he said.

At the orientation, students burst into laughter as Robert Altman, MMCC’s assistant director, strutted down the auditorium aisle wearing a red do-rag and black baseball cap, and listening to an iPod.

Altman then listed the offenses that result in firing. He also explained that students would take one day of courses, on topics including career services, financial literacy, and health education. Afterward, students met with employers in the cafeteria.

This year, 103,000 students applied for summer jobs citywide, up from last year’s record-setting 93,750. But this year, there are nearly 7,000 fewer jobs due to proposed budget cuts by the Bloomberg administration.

The City Council, along with Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and advocates such as the Campaign for Summer Jobs, have been fighting the $7.4 million cut, which would reduce citywide enrollment to 35,000 students, down from 42,000.

The city budget must be balanced by June 30. Federal funding, which used to provide almost the entire budget, has dropped by 90 percent since 1999 to $3.8 million last year, City Limits Weekly reported.

About 21 percent of last year’s enrolled students came from the Bronx, second only to Brooklyn.

“This shows … that kids do want to work, they just don’t have the opportunity,” Altman said.

Most students, like Jasmine Cassiano, liked the jobs they selected. Jasmine, 15, who lives on East 168th Street, got one of 15 places as a classroom leader at the WHEDCo (Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation) Summer Arts Day Camp. It was a popular choice among students as it offered activities such as music, drama, television production and T-shirt design, according to Kelly Harvey, the group’s assistant director.

“I want to go into acting, and I love kids.” Jasmine said.

Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation, an east Bronx nonprofit, was looking for 20 camp counselors and three office workers.

“Every year it’s been successful,” said Jason Williams, NIDC’s assistant director. “We’ve had really good kids who work hard, and there are usually a few every year who get jobs with the agency after the summer.”

Sistas and Brothas United, the youth activist wing of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, was looking for 40 students this summer. “Students will [get] a political education, and get training in organizing and running [issue] campaigns,” said spokesman Jorman Nunez. “We’re calling it a Summer of Action.”

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Public and Community Meetings

June 12, 2008

By None

• Community Board 7’s Youth Services Committee will meet on Thursday, June 12 at 6 p.m. at the Community Board Office, 229-A E. 204th St. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.

• Community Board 7’s Budget and Personnel Committee will meet on Thursday, June 12 at 7 p.m. at the Community Board Office, 229-A E. 204th St. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.

• Community Board 7 will have its general board meeting on Tuesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. at the Botanical Garden’s Visitors Center café by the Mosholu Gate entrance, 200th Street and Kazimiroff Boulevard For more information, call (718) 933-5650.

• The Community Education Council of District 10 will meet on Thursday, June 19 at 6:15 p.m. in the auditorium of PS 85, 2400 Marion Ave. For more information, call (718) 741-5836.

• The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet on Thursday, June 19 at 7 p.m. at the Amalgamated Houses’ Vladeck Hall, 74 Van Cortlandt Park S. For more information, call (718) 231-8470.

• Community Board 7’s Land Use and Zoning Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Board Office, 229-A E. 204th St. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.

• The 52nd Precinct Community Council will meet on Thursday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Ann’s Church, 3519 Bainbridge Ave. For more information, call (718) 220-5824.

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Rivera Supports Judges’ Raises

June 12, 2008

By Stephen Baron

New York State Assemblyman Jose Rivera is calling on the Legislature to separate the state’s Supreme Court judges’ pay raises from the State Legislature pay raises, and supports state Chief Judge Judith Kaye’s legislative proposal to establish a permanent commission-based system for the regular adjustment of judicial salaries.

The pay for New York State Supreme Court judges ranks 48th out of 50 when adjusted for cost of living, according to the National Center for State Courts. State Supreme Court judges have not had a pay raise since 1999, and earn nearly $30,000 less than Federal District Court judges.

“I understand the importance of keeping the judicial and the legislative branches separate,” Rivera said. “This separation should extend to the payroll as well. The judges in the state of New York work far too hard and deserve much more than this. We should not hold them hostage to use as a budget bargaining chip.”

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Healthy Lessons

June 12, 2008

By Alex Kratz

Volunteers manned their stations on June 1 in the battle for public health as several hundred residents attended the annual Children’s Health Fair, sponsored by Montefiore Medical Center and the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center on East Gun Hill Road.

There was face painting, rides and other games and fun activities for the kids. Educational materials, as well as exams and consultations with healthcare professionals were also available for kids and adults.

Members of the Police Department were on hand to photograph and fingerprint youngsters and members of the Fire Department’s Fire Safety Unit were there to answer questions and distribute free smoke detectors.

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State Officials Mum on Concourse Building

June 12, 2008

By Alex Kratz

At a rally two weekends ago, city housing officials failed to show up and answer for what tenants at an embattled Grand Concourse building describe as an egregious and costly error.

For months, the tenants at 2720 Grand Concourse, a rent-stabilized building, have been hounding the city’s Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) to take action and reverse a highly controversial rent increase.

The $31.57 per room increase was awarded in January and showed up on the rent statements of befuddled tenants. The increase awarded by DHCR was supposedly for major capital improvements (MCIs) that tenants say were either never done or were greatly exaggerated by the building’s landlord, Jacob Selechnik.

Backed by the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and the Urban Justice Center, tenant leaders appealed DHCR’s decision to approve the rent increase. But DHCR has yet to rule on the appeal, which was filed in February.

After 90 days, if tenants haven’t heard from DHCR, they can assume their appeal has been denied or they can file for a 60-day extension. Tenants at 2720 decided to file for an extension in early May and still haven’t heard from DHCR. If DHCR fails to rule on the appeal or rules against it, Urban Justice League lawyers said the next step would be to take the tenants’ case to New York Supreme Court.

Originally, DHCR agreed to attend the rally put on by the Coalition on May 31 at Tolentine Church, but backed out at the last minute. Tenants from 2720 were going to publicly ask them to reverse the MCI rent increase.

In February, DHCR ruled that Selechnik’s management group was illegally and exorbitantly applying the approved MCI rent increase to tenants and ordered them to stop. (Legally, a landlord can only impose a 6 percent rent increase each year to rent-stabilized buildings like 2720. Selechnik was asking for double, sometimes triple, that amount.)

But problems persisted. Many minority and Spanish-speaking tenants were still being charged the exorbitant rate and being taken to court for not paying it. Tenants say they are being harassed by a landlord, Selechnik, who is considered by housing advocates to be one of the worst in the city.

Selechnik’s lawyers have not responded to frequent inquiries by the Norwood News to explain the landlord’s actions.

Calls and e-mails to DHCR were not responded to.

So far, tenants say, at least five renters at 2720 have moved out as a result of the rent increase or the stress related to dealing with it.

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Cop Turns Table, Kills Wife’s Attacker

June 12, 2008

By Alex Kratz

An off-duty cop shot and killed a man trying to rob his wife, who may have been harboring $20,000 in illegal lottery winnings.

According to police, on Saturday, May 31, just before midnight, a man followed Jeanette Perez and her 3-year-old daughter into their Bedford Park apartment building, 314 E. 201st St.

When she got off the elevator on the third floor, he again followed her into the hallway and pulled out a gun. Pointing it at her, he told her to open the door to her apartment. Neighbors and her husband, Nadin Perez, an off-duty police officer, heard Jeanette Perez screaming in Spanish for help.

Nadin Perez quickly opened the door and pointed his own gun at the would-be robber, who police identified as Carlos Rios, 47, of 1948 Amsterdam Ave.

After securing his wife and daughter behind him, Nadin Perez chased after his wife’s attacker down three flights of stairs and fired seven shots at him. Rios was hit, but managed to get away and hide under a car, which, according to news reports, belonged to Perez. Rios was found there by police arriving on the scene and taken to Montefiore Medical Center, where he died at 12:26 a.m., June 1.

Though it appears that Rios did not fire a single shot, a police spokesperson said the shooting was justified and Nadin Perez is not being charged with a crime.

Citing a handful of anonymous police sources, both the New York Post and Daily News reported that Jeannette Perez was holding onto $20,000 in illegal Dominican lottery winnings – numbers games run out of bodegas and check cashing shops. Police posited the money as a possible reason Jeanette Perez was targeted for a robbery attempt, the reports said.

Both newspapers reported that Jeanette Perez was holding on to the money for a friend who was in jail and that her husband didn’t know about it until after the shooting incident.

A police spokesperson said she didn’t know about the $20,000 and directed any calls for further explanation to the Bronx district attorney’s office. Melvin Hernandez, a spokesman for the Bronx D.A.’s office referred to the case as the “one involving the lottery winnings,” but did not confirm by press time what had happened to the money. Just before press time, however, another Bronx D.A. spokesman said that, indeed, their office and the NYPD were continuing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident.

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Board Has First Sit-Down with Armory Developers

June 12, 2008

By Alex Kratz

As a group of about a dozen people gathered together for a photo at the local community board office on a sweltering Monday afternoon, Jesse Masyr, who has represented Kingsbridge Armory developer Related Companies for 25 years, looked slightly uncomfortable.

“I’ve been to a ton of these [meetings] and I’ve never done this before,” said Masyr, chuckling as he squeezed into the shot.

Masyr was at the offices of Community Board 7 for a meet and greet with board members.

Sometime in the near future, the board will be able to weigh in with its thoughts on Related’s vision for a revamped Kingsbridge Armory during the city’s official land review process. The city picked Related to develop what it’s calling the “Shops at the Armory” about a month ago.

Masyr was accompanied by an associate at his law firm, Wachtel and Masyr, Dean Vanderwarker from Related, two reps from the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), and a woman from the mayor’s office.

Board members trickled into the meeting, including Chairman Greg Faulkner, after dealing with heat-related traffic and transit issues, while the EDC and Related reps laid out the development process.

The EDC talked about a new advisory board that was being set up to ensure “community” involvement in the process. Faulkner and Ozzie Brown, CB7’s land use chair, will be on the board along with other elected officials and community groups, including the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA).

Masyr called the Armory redevelopment an “exquisitely complicated project,” adding that Related was committed to building a unique “building inside of a building,” and being a good neighbor for a long time.

“We don’t sell,” Masyr said emphatically.

Faulkner said he wanted to lay the groundwork for negotiating some type of benefits agreement for the community (as is KARA, who Faulkner says he is working with), though he didn’t go into detail about what that might mean. “We don’t want window dressing. We want something real.”

Brown and other members talked about the need for fresh produce and that a priority for it would be to get a top-notch grocery store into the Armory like a Whole Foods. In response, Masyr said, “I don’t find that at all problematic.”

CB7 District Manager Fernando Tirado said he wanted the Armory to be a big draw from outside the Bronx. Masyr said Related needed it to be a big draw for the project to be fiscally viable, calling the project “extraordinarily expensive.”

Faulkner said he’d heard that communities and developers go through a “honeymoon period,” that then tends to unravel. He said he wanted the relationship between Related and CB7 to be “a strong marriage.”

The marriage part remains to be seen, but at least they’ll have photos from the honeymoon.

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Celebrating Community Service at MS 391

June 12, 2008

By Graham Kates

For one afternoon last Friday, MS 391 briefly turned into a factory of activism. Its products: T-shirts, visors, mugs and posters, with poignant messages about domestic abuse, staying in school, the environment, and other issues. Students worked in groups outside the school, cheerily painting and gluing as music blared throughout the premises.

The event was part of the Fordham-area middle school’s celebration of “Democracy Day,” during which they were also visited by a Holocaust survivor, and videos of student speeches were played in the school’s lobby.

Each project the students worked on was led by one of the school’s “O Ambassadors,” high-achieving students who were selected to learn leadership skills from Oprah’s non-profit Angel Network. According to the Angel Network Web site, the “O Ambassadors” studied development goal themes for the future: poverty, education, health and sustainable development.”

Pedro Santana, MS 391’s principal, says the school also partnered with the non-profit organization Children for Children, which helped set up the event, to promote community service throughout the school year. Santana, who grew up in the west Bronx, says he wanted to teach the kids that although “people assume that those in (lower socio-economic) communities are always looking for stuff, you can never be too poor to give.”

Santana said the day’s projects were the culmination of a yearlong effort by the school to teach community service to its students.

Joseph Rivera, an eighth grader who is one of the school’s “O” Ambassadors, says that he’s noticed a marked improvement in the school’s atmosphere because of its community service programs. “Students are improving,” Joseph says, “and more students are staying in class.”

Posters, T-shirts and mugs, were marked with tributes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and phrases such as “stop domestic abuse” and “school is cool.” In addition, the students made coloring books for elementary-level youths and decorated flowerpots, which will be given to senior citizens.

Inside the school, students’ video-taped speeches played on a loop on large television screens, a testament to how much they had learned throughout the year. The speeches covered a wide range of topics, including global warming, child abuse, and poverty. Seventh grader Josephine Menendez whose speech was about global warming, said she feels as if “the Earth gave us a home and took care of us. Now the Earth is sick, and it’s our turn to take care of it.”

Loraine Wilkins, the principal of CIS 313, the “School of Leadership Development,” who brought her students to participate in the day’s festivities, noted that the students weren’t “just going through the motions. They’re really proud of their projects, too.” —Graham Kates

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Group Rallies to Halt Wave of Home Foreclosures

June 12, 2008

By Stephen Baron

More than 700 Bronxites rallied two weeks ago for government-aided relief from the home foreclosure crisis sweeping the Bronx and the entire country.

Though the northwest Bronx, mostly a community of renters, has not been hit as hard as the northeast Bronx, the areas of Fordham and University Heights have the highest per-capita rate of foreclosures in the city, said Greg Jost, deputy director of the University Neighborhood Housing Program (UNHP), a nonprofit housing group based in North Fordham.

Nationwide, nearly 8,000 people are filing for foreclosure each day, and statewide, one in 32 homeowners is projected to face foreclosure in the next few years, according to the Pew Center on the States, a non-profit organization that researches foreclosures.

In the northwest Bronx, foreclosures have jumped from 51 in 2006, to 65 in 2007, to 62 already in 2008, according to data provided by UNHP.

Compounding the crisis is the fact that there is only one overwhelmed foreclosure counselor in the entire northwest Bronx to help owners struggling to overcome bad loans, many of them pushed on them by overzealous lenders looking to make a quick sell.

The foreclosure crisis riled up some of the loudest and most frequent chants at the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition’s (NWBCCC) Shared Fate Action Forum at the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church on May 31.

The NWBCCC, along with other activist groups and elected officials, are fighting foreclosures on three fronts: passing federal and state legislation to bail homeowners out of bad loans and foreclosures, getting the Federal Reserve to regulate mortgage lenders, and working with homeowners to pay off their loans and keep their houses.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) made a surprise visit after biking from his Brooklyn home to affirm his support for the Senate’s version of the House anti-foreclosure bill, which passed on May 8.

“The bill will lower the amount of the principal, so that one million people can refinance and keep their homes,” Schumer said. The Federal Housing Administration would insure the refinanced mortgages.

At the meeting, state senators Efrain Gonzalez (D-Bronx) and Eric Schneiderman (D-Inwood/Bronx) pledged to support Senator Frank Padavan’s (R-Queens) bill that would impose a one-year moratorium on foreclosures; Assemblyman Jim Brennan’s (D-Brooklyn) version passed in May.

State Senator Darryl Towns (D-Brooklyn) and Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) have also sponsored a bill that would require lenders to offer borrowers the best loan for which they qualify, so people with good credit are not steered into overpriced loans.

But activist groups are not only waiting for legislation to pass.

National People’s Action (NPA), an umbrella organization of community groups of which NWBCCC is a member, and the National Training and Information Center (NTIC) met with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on May 9.

“Bernanke needs to take bold action because the Federal Reserve worked extra hard to bail out Bear Stearns,” said Heidi Hynes, a housing organizer with NWBCCC, and was one of five national leaders at the meeting.

The Fed, as the Federal Reserve is known, without precedent loaned billions to investment bank JP Morgan to buy Bear Stearns, a competitor that had made a fortune on mortgage-backed securities, but was on the verge of bankruptcy after the market soured.

Since the Fed went to extremes to bail out Bear Stearns, NPA and NTIC are calling on the Fed to do the same for homeowners. They want the Fed to regulate mortgage workouts, such as changing variable-rate mortgages that start off at a low interest rate then skyrocket months later into 30-year fixed rate mortgages.

Though NWBCCC does not do mortgage consulting, NPA hopes to partner with the Wilshire Credit Corporation, a loan service subsidiary of Merrill Lynch, to help families pay off their loans instead of going into foreclosure.

Hynes is concerned that without foreclosure help, homes could be abandoned, and neighborhood safety and quality of life will suffer.

“If the neighborhood gets boarded up, it’ll be a scary place to raise kids,” she said. “Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke is not going to let the Bronx burn again, and we are not going to let him.”

Ed. note: For help with foreclosure proceedings or restructuring loans, call UNHP at (718) 933-3101, Neighborhood Housing Services at (718) 881-1180, Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation at (718) 231-9800 or the city Foreclosure Prevention Hotline at (212) 669-4600.

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