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Out & About
July 23, 2009
By Judy Noy
The Bronx Writers Center, a program of the Bronx Council on the Arts, invites Bronx writers to apply for the 2009-10 Literary Arts Fellowship and Residency. Two nine-month fellowships are awarded annually. Completing a community service project is required as part of a residency. An information session will be held Aug. 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse. For more information on eligibility or to attend the session, applicants may RSVP to the BCA web site at www.bronxarts.org or to Maria Romano at (718) 931-9500 ext. 21, or email maria@bronxarts.org. Applications must be received by 5 p.m., Sept. 14.
The Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road, presents a host of performances for the most discriminating tastes, all at 2:30 p.m.:
Aug. 8 – A Musical Tribute to Soul Legends, featuring music of Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross.
Aug. 15 – The Resurgence of Spanish Dance, featuring flamenco.
Aug. 22 – Retumba, an all-female multi-cultural dance and percussion group.
For more information, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.
The Mosholu Library, located at 285 E. 205th St., hosts Doo Wop, music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s,performed by The NY Exceptions, Aug. 22 at 2 p.m., free. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
The Bronx Council on the Arts presents An Evening of Song and Salsa with Ray Viera y Trombao, July 29 at 7:30 and 9 p.m. at 52 Playground Park/Teatro Miranda. For more information, call (718) 931-9500.
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park presents Summer EcoCrafts for the entire family. Turn tissue paper, old water bottles, toilet paper tubes and other recycled materials into fish, kites, masks, puppets and more, Tuesdays through Aug. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Classic Playground, Van Cortlandt Park South and Gouverner Avenue. Children under 12 require adult supervision. Rain location will be Building 9 Community Room at Amalgamated Housing on Gale Place off Orloff Avenue. For more information, call (718) 601-1553 or visit www.vancortlandt.org.
Wave Hill offers weekly summer family art projects: A Tiny Village Among the Trees, to fashion sticks, string, leaves, and bark into a tiny fairy-sized dwelling, July 25 and 26; T-Shirt With Trees, to sketch leaves, branches, and the river vista, and use fabric markers and special crayons to put your drawings onto a T-shirt you can wear, Aug. 1 and 2; Water, Water Everywhere, to sketch the river landscape and run through sprinklers, then with water and paint create landscapes to take home, Aug. 8 and 9; Sculpted Hills and Valleys, to fashion a landscape from fabric, cardboard, and sticks, and natural and decorative materials, Aug. 15 and 16; and Shades of Summer, to create colored sunglasses, Aug. 22 and 23; all in the Kerlin Learning Center from 1 to 4 p.m. Wave Hill is located at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit www.wavehill.org.
The Edible Garden, taking place at the New York Botanical Garden through Sept. 13, features edible plants, teaches vegetable growing and offers celebrity food presentations by Emeril Lagasse (scheduled to appear on Sept. 12), and others. There will be children’s activities throughout the summer in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Farmers Market will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays through Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Edible evenings and summer concerts are scheduled for Thursday evenings. For more information and a detailed schedule, call (718) 817-8700 or visit nybg.org.
The Bronx Culture Trolley, a replica of a 20th-century trolley, transports visitors on the first Wednesday of every month (except January and September), to Bronx hot spots, ending at Sweetwaters Bar & Grill with jazz, and food and drink. A reception is held at the Hostos Art Gallery, 450 Grand Concourse (at 149th St.) at 5 p.m., followed by three trolley departures at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. New attractions are added monthly. Trolley ride is free. Riders can get on and off at any scheduled stop and spend as much time as they wish at any or all of the featured venues. Venues and activities vary each month. The next trip is on Aug. 5. For more information or to confirm, call (718) 931-9500 ext. 33 or log on to www.bronxarts.org.
The Bronx River Art Center, located at 1087 E. Tremont Ave., presents an exhibition, Black Gold, July 24 through Sept. 12. The exhibit features painting, sculpture, and installation. For more information, call (718) 589-5819.
The Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street, hosts two exhibitions: Bangin’, which includes the work of nine emerging women artists, on view in the Main Gallery; and Linger, an installation of video, sculpture and performance, on view in the Project Room; both through Aug. 6. For more information and hours, call (718) 518-6728.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street, presents an exhibition series commemorating the Grand Concourse’s centennial, featuring The Grand Concourse Commissions, Aug. 2 through Jan. 4. Originally called the Grand Boulevard, the Grand Concourse celebrates its 100th year in 2009. For more information, call (718) 681-6000 or visit www.bronxmuseum.org.
The New York Botanical Garden presents an exhibit, Resplendent Roses, a celebration of America’s national flower, which runs through the first frost. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages:
For children and preschoolers, there is Family Time, Aug. 8 at 11 a.m.; and Toddler Story Time, July 25 and Aug. 22 at 11 a.m. (pre-registration is required for both).
Also, for school-aged children, there is Arts and Crafts, July 23, 30, Aug. 6 and 13 at 3 p.m.; Create Extraordinary Beads From Ordinary Materials, July 24 at 3 p.m.; and Make Art With Michael Albert, July 31 at 2 p.m. (pre-registration is required for all); Films, Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26 at 2 p.m.; Fire & Ice, Aug. 8 at 2 p.m.; Circus Tales, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m.; Big Daddy Z and the Greeks, Aug. 20 at 4 p.m.; Presley and Melody, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m.; and Katcha and the Devil and Other Czechoslovak Tales, Aug. 22 at 2 p.m.
For adults, there is Introduction to Fund-raising and Planning in Tough Economic Times, July 23 at 4 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, located at 285 E. 205th St., presents Summer Fun, kids can choose an activity, Aug. 5 and 12 at 2:30 p.m.; Toddler Time, Aug. 6 at 10:30 a.m.; Little Red Riding Hood, Aug. 20 at 10:30 a.m.; Circus Tales, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m.; all for children. For young adults, there is Make Jewelry With Jennifer Jacobs, July 24 at 2 p.m.; and Crafternoons, July 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 2 p.m. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
The Jerome Park Library, at 118 Eames Place, presents Yoga, July 31 at 3 p.m.; Film, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m.; Arts and Crafts, Aug. 14 and 21 at 3 p.m.; and Robin Hood, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m.; all for school aged children. For more information, call (718) 549-5200.
NOTE: The Norwood News will be on hiatus through Aug. 26. Items for consideration should be received in our office by Aug. 17 for the next publication date of Aug. 27.
Neighborhood Notes
July 23, 2009
By Norwood News
Summer BBQ Fund-raiser
The Church of the Holy Nativity, 3061 Bainbridge Ave. (at 204th Street) is holding a summer BBQ offering yummy food, drinks, and music, on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 1 to 6 p.m., to raise money for much-needed repairs. Tickets are $10. For more information, call (718) 409-6912.
Summer Flea Market
St. Ann’s Church is hosting its annual summer flea market every Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. until Aug. 22. The market is located in the parking lot of the church on the corner of Bainbridge Avenue and East Gun Hill Road. Items to be sold include jewelry, perfume, clothing, purses, shoes and more.
Free Adult ESL Classes
PS 94, at 3530 Kings College Place, is offering ESL levels 1 and 2 classes beginning in September and running through June 2010. Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is first-come, first-served. For more information, call Ms. Seminario, the parent coordinator, at (347) 563-4772 or (718) 405-6345.
Free Oval Health Fair
On Saturday, July 25, the Community Health Partnership and the City of New York are hosting a free health fair. The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at the Williamsbridge Recreation Center (3225 Reservoir Oval E.). Included at the fair are educational information and presentations about diabetes, asthma, glucose and blood pressure and other health procedures. Entertainment and refreshments will be provided. Contact Tuwanda Ruffin (718) 654-1851 or Tina Inman (646) 258-1716 for more information.
Vendors Needed for Summer Church Flea Market
The Church of the Holy Nativity, 3061 Bainbridge Ave., needs vendors for its summer church flea market on Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. This is an indoor and outdoor event, to be held rain or shine. Tables are $30 each and will be provided by the church. New and used items to be bought and sold at the market, cash only. For more information, call (718) 409- 6912.
FREE Energy Information Workshop
Learn how to save energy and money in your home! A free energy information workshop will be held on Thursday, July 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Town Hall, 4101 White Plains Rd. at East 229th Street. Topics to be covered include how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, the importance of using Energy Star, financing options for home energy improvements and incentive grant programs for homeowners, renters and landlords. This workshop is sponsored by Bronx Community Board 12 and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Please RSVP by emailing GoGreen917@aol.com or calling CB12 at (718) 881-4455. Town Hall can be reached by: #2 train to East 225th Street or East 233rd Street; Bx41 bus to White Plains Road and East 228th Street; Bx31 bus to White Plains Road and East 233rd Street.
NMCIR Immigration Assistance
The Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights is offering immigration assistance to Bronxites. There is assistance with U.S. Citizenship, family petitions, and travel permits. It is offered at Refuge House, 2715 Bainbridge Ave., Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (718) 484-8294 or email info@NMCIR.org.
Volunteer at North Bronx Healthcare
The North Bronx Healthcare Network is seeking volunteers for the Sexual Assault Treatment Program run at North Central Bronx Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, and Lincoln Medical Center. Those interested should be willing to volunteer twice a month and commit to serving the program for one year. For more information, call (718) 519-4788.
Farmers Market at Botanical Garden
There will be an all day Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Market at the Botanical Garden through Nov. 14. The Wednesday market will be held near Tulip Tree Allee and the Saturday market will be across the street from the Garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance. Vendors from New York’s Hudson Valley region and beyond offer a variety of home grown products, meats and home baked goods. For more information, visit www.nybg.org/edible_garden/farmers_market.php or call (718) 362-9561 and press 403#.
MTA’s Trip Planner Voice
Trip Planner Voice is a telephone service that allows customers to access bus and subway travel itinerary information via telephone 24/7 without the need to wait to speak to an agent. Trip Planner provides customers with the best and most accurate directions, fare information, walking distances and scheduled connections to and from other transit modes and transfers. For more information, and to learn how to get mobile access, visit www.tripplanner.mta.info.
Aid for Veterans and Their Families
The Warriors Family Assistance Program, launched by the American Legion Auxiliary, comes to the direct aid of veterans and their families in New York State. Veterans and their families can apply for up to $1,500 in aid in maintenance grants, medical grants and employment opportunities. Any veteran who has served honorably within the last four years, or is currently serving in one of the Armed Forces, and is a NYS resident, is eligible to apply. All grants are non-repayable. For an application or more information, call (800) 421-6348.
Free Career Information Seminars
Lehman College Office of Continuing Education is holding free career information seminars for its non-credit certificate programs. For dates, times and locations of seminars, please call (718) 960-8512 or visit www.lehman.edu.ce.
Computer Classes at Williamsbridge Oval
The Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, 3225 Reservoir Oval E., is holding computer classes on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Learn how to use the internet and MS Office software. For more information, contact Albert Davis or Tuwanda Ruffin at (718) 654-1851.
Teen Trailways Summer Camp
Teens entering 7th to 10th grade can enroll in the Teen Trailways program at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, which takes campers on day trips to sporting events, Broadway shows, comedy clubs, lakes, beaches, state parks, and amusement parks. Teens can also go on longer trips to Virginia Beach, Toronto and Disney World in Florida. For more information, call (718) 882-4000.
Free Prescription $aver Card
The NY State Health Department is accepting applications for the free New York Prescription $aver Card. The program offers discounts on thousands of prescription medications. It will serve low-income New Yorkers who are disabled or between the ages of 50 and 64. To be eligible, income for single individuals must be $35,000 or less, and $50,000 or less for married individuals. Medicaid and EPIC recipients are not eligible for the Prescription $aver Card. To learn more or apply, visit www.nyprescriptionsaver.fhsc.com or call (800) 788-6917. (TTY users should call (800) 290-9138.) Applications are also available at pharmacies.
School Salon Reopens
The School of Professional Beauty Care at Grace Dodge Career and Technical High School, 2474 Crotona Ave., has reopened The New Image Salon to the public. It’s open every Thursday afternoon from 2:45 to 5:30 p.m., offering a wide variety of salon services at reasonable prices. Prices range from $5 to $25. Graduating seniors in the school’s cosmetology program staff the salon, with a licensed cosmetologist on duty. For more information, call (718) 584-2700 ext. 5084.
Foster Care Network
The Foster Care Network is reaching out to potential foster parents in the Bronx. Hundreds of foster children in the area need loving and caring families to make a difference in their lives. Foster parents receive tax-free financial assistance for the expenses of each child, free training, and Foster Parent certification. For more information, call (800) 454-3727 or visit www.fostercarenetwork.org.
Free Medicine Programs for Cancer Patients
The Complimentary Medicine Program at 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 to see if yoga can help patients with breast, lung, and colorectal cancer. A certified yoga instructor teaches classes in both English and Spanish. The Mind-Body Cancer Program includes 8 weeks of Mind-Body groups (The Stress Management Education Group and the Spiritual Support Group) for patients with most types of cancer. Some restrictions apply to these groups, which have been specifically designed by a psychologist and an oncologist. For more information and to find out eligibility, call (718) 430-2380.
Couples Needed for Research Study
Doctors at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center are looking for healthy couples between the ages of 22 and 50, and in a monogamous relationship for at least six months, to participate in a research study. The study will test a vaginal gel and the couple will be screened for sexually transmitted infections. Females will have a gynecologic exam and vaginal fluid collected and males will have a genital exam. Female volunteers will have four visits and be reimbursed $60 per visit, and males volunteers will have three visits and will be reimbursed $40 per visit. Females must be using hormonal contraception. All visits will take place at the Albert Einstein General Clinical Research Center. For more information, call Julie at (718) 430-3253 or email microbicide@aecom.yu.edu.
English, Citizenship and Computer Classes
-MS 80 at 149 E. Mosholu Pkwy N., is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) classes. For those interested, or if you have any questions, call Mrs. Alejandro at (718) 405-6300 ext. 1131.
-Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., is offering free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship Classes. Ongoing classes run through June 30. For more information, call (718) 882-4000.
-Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, is enrolling students for free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship classes. Ongoing classes run through June 30. For more information, call Aisha Abdul-Wahhab, program director, at (718) 884-0700 ext. 191 or 132.
-St. James Recreation Center at 2530 Jerome Ave. offers free classes in Microsoft Office, Resume/Cover Letter Writing, Computer Basics, and much more. For more information, call Justin Young at (718) 367-3659.
-Fordham University, 557 E. Fordham Rd., is currently holding free computer and English Language classes for parents, Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays. Classes can either stand alone or as an 8- to 12-week series. For more information or to register, call (718) 817-3503.
Senior Employment
The American Association of Retired Person (AARP) and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) are assisting low-income Bronx residents, 55 and older, to receive employment through their outreach, training, and internship programs. For more information, call AARP located at 384 E. 149th St., Ste. 608 at (718) 585-2500.
MS 80 Needs Love
MS 80 is asking parents and community members to show some love and volunteer for just an hour each week. The school needs mentors, math and reading tutors, part-time coaches and volunteers to help with cafeteria duty. For more information, call Ms. Alejandro (718) 405-6300 ext. 111.
Free Kids’ Summer Vacations
The Fresh Air Fund is currently registering boys and girls, ages six through 12, for free summer vacations in the homes of volunteer host families throughout the northeast or at one of five Fresh Air Fund summer camps in upstate New York. To find out how to register, call (800) 367-0003 or go to www.freshair.org.
MMCC Grade School & Teen Programs at Tracey Towers
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is accepting registration for their free after school program at Tracey Towers, 40 W. Mosholu Pkwy. The program meets Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and is open to children in the third through sixth grades. From 6:30 to 9 p.m., the free Teen Center is open for youth ages 12 to 18. Programs include homework help, computers, arts and crafts, sports, acting, and quiet games. To register, stop by the Youth Community Room on the second floor of Tracey Towers and speak to Antoine Fields, or call him at (917) 482-5039.
Self Defense Classes
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center still has space in its boxing, karate, and self-defense classes for children, teens, and adults. To register or find out class times, call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0, or stop by the center at 3450 DeKalb Ave.
Free Meditation for Breast Cancer Survivors
The Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center is offering a free 20-week course on meditation and stress management for breast cancer survivors. The course is part of a research study. To register or learn more, call Kimala Harris at (718) 430-2380 or e-mail kah2019@med.cornell.edu.
Place for Teens With Issues
The Power Project is a free program for teens ages 12 to 18 who are dealing with substance abuse and other problems. Located at 3464 Webster Ave., Power Project provides case management, individual and group counseling, trips, and is just a place to get away from it all. For more information, call (718) 515-7971.
Wii Games for Adults and Seniors
On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m., adults and seniors can enjoy free Wii video games at the Mosholu Library, 285 E. 205th St. To sign up, go to the Adult Information Desk. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
Free Parking Calendars
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is offering free New York City Parking Calendars to community residents. To receive one, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to his office at 3107 Kingsbridge Ave., Bronx, NY 10463, or stop by the office in person.
Free Career Workshops
The State University of New York, located at 3950 Laconia Ave., is offering free career workshops, including job readiness training, resume and cover letter preparation, help with job searches and computer skills, job placement assistance, an Office Skills Certificate Program, college prep and more. For more information, call (718) 547-1001 or visit www.NBX.SUNYEOC.org.
After School Care
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., provides after school care for children in elementary school. Children are transported from their schools in Norwood, Bedford Park, Williamsbridge and Van Cortlandt Village. The center provides a snack, help with homework, and an array of activities to keep children busy. Financial aid is available. For more information, call Ruth Moore, program registrar, at (718) 882-4000.
Schizophrenia Study Seeks Participants
A research study seeking new treatments for schizophrenia is looking for patients in the Bronx. Candidates must be 18 to 65 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia at or before age 35 and currently on certain medications for schizophrenia. Patients can enroll through the first half of 2009. For more information, call (888) 988-6736 or go to www.cognitivestudy.com.
Job Opportunities
On Dec. 1, Mayor Bloomberg announced the expansion of free job placement services through New York City’s Workforce1 Career Centers. The centers provide personalized career counseling, interview training, resume/cover letter assistance, workshops and ESL classes. For more information, call the Bronx Workforce1 Center, 358 E. 149th St., (718) 960-7099.
Quality of Life Screening
The Psychosocial Oncology Program of the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center is conducting a survey study in order to learn about the physical and emotional stresses faced by cancer survivors. Participants will have to fill out questionnaires and have the opportunity to participate in free/low-cost programs and support services within the program. For more information, call (718) 430-2380.
Breast Oncology Program
The Breast Oncology Living Daily Program also known as BOLD living offers a variety of free educational, support, and mind-body workshops. They are designed to empower and nurture breast cancer patients, survivors, and loved ones, but are open to all. For more information or to register, call (718) 430-3613 or email outreach@aecom.yu.edu.
Alzheimer’s Support Group
The Alzheimer’s Association’s New York City chapter provides a support group in Norwood for Spanish and English speaking caregivers who have relatives with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. The support group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 5 to 6:15 p.m. For the location or more information, call Mark Goodwin at (718) 920-7377.
Free Respite Program
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) is offering free after-school services to families with mentally retarded or developmentally disabled children ages 5 to 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. KHCC is also offering a Saturday Respite Program for ages 15 to 25, and on Sundays another Respite Program is provided for ages 18 to 65. Weekend Respite Program hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are held at the KHCC, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace (near Sedgwick Avenue) at West 230th Street. To register or for more information, call Hanna Gabris at (718) 884-0700 ext. 202.
Speech Program at Ursula
The Mt. St. Ursula Speech Center, 2885 Marion Ave., is now accepting applications for its fall program. The center has openings for children ages 2 to 5 who are in need of speech and language services. Medicaid and other insurances accepted. For more information, call (718) 584-7679.
Aphasia Clinic Accepting Clients
The Lehman College Speech and Hearing Center, which provides therapy on a sliding scale payment schedule, is now accepting new clients in its recently expanded aphasia clinic. The clinic will provide individual and group therapy sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m.; group therapy sessions also take place on Tuesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. Diagnostic and therapeutic sessions will be supervised by faculty members who are licensed by the NYS Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and certified by ASHA (American Speech Language Hearing Association). For more information, call Wanda Adams at (718) 960-8138.
Adult ESL Level 1and 2 Classes
Beginning September 2009 through June 2010, P.S. 94x will be offering Level 1 and 2 ESL classes on Tuesday and Thursdays from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. For more information, contact Ms. Seminario, at (347) 563-4772 or (718) 405- 6345. You can also come to room 201 for more information and for sign up.
PS 94 Kids Raise Money For Cancer
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
In their final year at PS 94 in Norwood, the 5th grade members of the school’s student council worked hard to raise money for cancer patients as part of the nationwide Pennies for Patients program.
Through a series of bake sales and fun-filled events, the students raised a total of $2,500. At the end of the year, they had a pizza party and gave a huge check to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Student participants (pictured) included: Julines Reynoso, Briana Francis, Kevin Ortiz, Jennifer De La Cruz, Rhandle Pedro, Sayeda Yasmin and Ariel Vergara. They were helped by school counselor Angela Martinez (also pictured).
Look Out Broadway
July 23, 2009
By Norwood News
At the end of the school year, PS 56 was proud to present a production of “Peter Pan” performed by The Norwood Heights Players, the school’s drama club.
The Players are comprised of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students attending the Norwood school. Under the outstanding direction of two PS 56 teachers, Elizabeth Corrao and Tashima Nole, these talented and dedicated children performed to a packed auditorium of family, school staff and friends.
In addition, students in the school were invited to attend two dress rehearsals earlier in the day. Based on their response, the entire audience agreed with the school’s principal, Priscilla Sheeran, that the show was “Fabulous!”
Hamilton Bridge Undergoes Massive Renovation
July 23, 2009
By Rob Sgobbo
The Alexander Hamilton Bridge, a 1,485-foot span which connects Highbridge in the Bronx to Washington Heights in Manhattan as part of Interstate 95, is receiving a $407 million facelift.
The project, the largest ever taken on by the State’s Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT), will “benefit the entire northeast corridor, improving safety and relieving congestion,” Governor David Paterson said in a statement last week. While the bridge will remain open, traffic delays are expected.
At the groundbreaking on July 15, officials emphasized two major benefits the project will bring: better infrastructure and new jobs. “This will allow us to continue to put people back to work to re-charge the economy… while improving quality of life by relieving congestion,” said Stanley Gee, the NYSDOT’s acting commissioner.
To combat congestion, the bridge’s pavement deck, which consists of four lanes in each direction, will be expanded to add shoulders allowing traffic to flow past stalled vehicles. In addition, the bridge will be cleaned and re-painted, its steel arch span strengthened, and its drainage components, overhead signs, and lighting replaced. It’s the bridge’s first major renovation since it was built in 1963.
As part of the same project, the ramps that connect the Cross Bronx and the Major Deegan expressways with the Alexander Hamilton Bridge will be renovated; most will remain open to traffic during construction. Aside from infrastructure improvements, the NYSDOT contract allocates $20 million to enhance Highbridge Park in Manhattan.
Eight million pounds of steel and 70 million pounds of concrete will be needed to complete the work, the bulk of which will be done by two contractors, Halmar International LLC, based in New Jersey, and China Construction of America (CCA), a subsidiary of China’s largest construction company. Two-to-three hundred new construction jobs are being created.
At the press conference, little attention was paid to the inconvenience the bridge’s 200,000 daily commuters are likely to face. But lane closures will likely cause traffic delays, the NYSDOT admits. “We’re trying hard to avoid widespread backup,” said Adam Levine, NYSDOT spokesman.
Zachary Campbell, a spokesman for the project from the public relations firm Zetlin Strategic Communications, says traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway, which feeds the bridge, will be particularly affected.
As construction begins, there are also questions as to whether the project will improve commuter safety on I-95. In 2004, the NYSDOT released their final report of the “Bronx Arterial Needs Major Investment Study,” or BAN MIS, detailing different construction proposals to improve traffic flow and commuter safety for the roadways making up the I-95 corridor. The study targeted the Alexander Hamilton Bridge as in need of rehabilitation, taking into consideration the anxiety of commuters over the swerving of trucks through automobile lanes as traffic begins to approach the George Washington Bridge. While the BAN MIS proposed a realignment of traffic to prevent trucks and cars from converging, the NYSDOT is not addressing this issue.
Still, the five-year project is an ambitious attempt to tackle one of the most congested interstates in New York. “We cannot let vital transportation links crumble away… this project is a valuable step forward in this area,” said Congressman Jose Serrano, in a statement.
Ed. Note: For more information on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge Rehabilitation Project, visit www.nysdot.gov/AHB.
Pushing Produce, Health in the Bronx
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Move over, hot dog stand, and make way for more fruits and vegetables.
The city recently designated Community Board 7 – Bedford Park, Norwood, North Fordham and University Heights – as an area that lacks access to healthy foods, including quality produce.
But that perception may begin to change as the city and local hospitals are promoting farmers markets and green carts as a way to bring access of fresh foods to local residents.
Over the past few years, weekly Farmers Markets have sprung up in Norwood (there are now two), at the Botanical Garden and at Poe Park. The market at Poe Park now accepts EBT cards (the debit card version of food stamps) to ensure access for low-income families.
Last year, as part of its green carts initiative, the city began offering highly-prized street vendor permits to entrepreneurs who were willing to peddle fresh produce rather than your standard street fare such as gyros, hot dogs or fried beef patties.
Earlier this summer, Montefiore Medical Center teamed up with the green carts initiative and small business consultants to promote healthy living and reinforce the value of eating fruits and vegetables. There are now nine green carts loaded with fresh fruits and veggies within blocks of Montefiore’s Norwood area campus and dozens more scattered throughout Community Board 7.
The medical center also opened up a new farmers market on its Norwood campus as a way to promote nutrition and open up the campus to the community.
Montefiore President Steven Safyer says it is all part of the medical center’s comprehensive plan to promote healthier lifestyles in the community.
Essentially, Safyer says, if the hospital’s patients eat healthier and become more active (another thing Montefiore is pushing), they won’t need to be treated for many of the preventable side effects and problems that come from unhealthy lifestyles such as obesity and diabetes. In turn, the hospital can focus its resources on bigger goals like eradicating disease and coming up with innovative surgery techniques.
“Our job is not simply to be there when bad things happen, though we’re taking care of that,” Safyer said. “Our vision is grander than that.”
Area Farmers Markets
Harvest Home North Central Bronx Market
Location: Corner of Mosholu Parkway North and Jerome Avenue
Times of Operation: Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Season: July through mid-November
Greenmarket at Poe Park
Location: 192nd Street, between the Grand Concourse and Valentine Avenue
Times of Operation: Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Season: July through November
Greenmarket at the New York Botanical Garden
Location: New York Botanical Garden
Times of Operation: Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Season: June through November
Farmers Market at Montefiore Campus
Location: Rochambeau Avenue and East 210th Street
Times of Operation: Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Season: July through October
See http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/
regionmetrobronx.htm for more locations.
Pope to World: ‘The Bronx Needs a Raise’
July 23, 2009
By None
By Father Joseph Girone, O.S.A.
“Think globally, act locally” is a phrase often used to describe how each of us, in our own way, can do things to make the world a better place. This saying came to mind most recently when I read Pope Benedict XVI’s new encyclical, “Charity in Truth,” that was released on July 7.
Since coming to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in 2005, I have been an active member of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), working to make sure that any commercial development of the Armory meets our community’s needs.
I do this because I support the principles that KARA espouses, particularly the one that has to do with a living wage. If there is going to be commercial development of the Armory, I want the people who work there to earn a living wage and have the freedom to unionize without fear.
This is in accord with Catholic social justice principles. In terms of the economy, this means it’s not just about the bottom line. It’s about the dignity of work, all work.
We in KARA are blazing a trail to sustainable development. To those who say, as the Armory’s developer, The Related Companies, does, that you cannot ask retailers to pay a living wage in one store while they are paying poverty wages in their other stores, I argue, as Pope Benedict the XVI does, that they cannot afford not to pay living wages.
The Pope writes, “The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner….”
Acting on these truths, KARA pushed hard and succeeded in getting the city’s Economic Development Corporation to include language saying, “NYCEDC will view favorably development plans that maximize the number of jobs that meet the City’s living wage and health benefit standards” in its Request for Proposal for the development of the Armory. A New York City living wage is defined as $10 an hour with health benefits or $11.50 without benefits.
The Related Companies’ plan to buy the historic Armory is now working its way through the city’s approval process. The developer says there will be 1,200 part-time, poverty-wage, no-benefit retail jobs at the Armory. They now say ‘living wage jobs are not on the table, we won’t even talk about it.’
To those who support selling our Armory so that we may have more shopping opportunities and 1,200 part-time, poverty wage jobs with no benefits, the Pope writes:
“No consideration of the problems associated with development could fail to highlight the direct link between poverty and unemployment. In many cases, poverty results from a violation of the dignity of human work, either because work opportunities are limited (through unemployment or underemployment), or because low value is put on work and the rights that flow from it, especially the right to a just wage and to the personal security of the worker and his or her family.”
The right way to develop the Kingsbridge Armory is to have Related sign a binding Community Benefits Agreement that guarantees living wage permanent jobs with benefits at the Armory and the freedom to join a union without fear.
Pope Benedict XVI’s teachings could not be more relevant to our cause. Join us, as we think globally and act locally at the Armory to make the world a better place.
The author is pastor of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in University Heights.
Transitions
July 23, 2009
By Editorial
After this issue, we are taking our usual summer hiatus and will return with another issue on Aug. 27. We thought it might be a good time to tell you a little bit about how things operate here at the Norwood News and how you can most efficiently communicate with us.
Loyal readers and residents who call the office regularly about coverage for local stories will have noticed that Alex Kratz, the Norwood News’ managing editor has been ably handling most, if not all, of the editorial assignment duties at the paper.
Since he started at the paper three years ago, Alex has increasingly taken on Norwood News editorial and management duties, in addition to his myriad reporting responsibilities. This has allowed me, after almost 15 years as editor-in-chief, to focus on the creation and growth of the Bronx News Network, a new organization that publishes the Mount Hope Monitor in Community Board 5 and the Tremont Tribune in Community Board 6; and runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative.
I still write Norwood News editorials, edit the top news stories and occasionally do some reporting, but generally, if you have a hot news tip, suggestion, complaint, compliment, or a question about coverage, Alex is your man. Call him at (718) 324-4998 or e-mail akratz@norwoodnews.org.
If you have a story that you think might interest more than one of our newspapers — if it crosses neighborhood boundaries — then contact me at the same number as Alex or e-mail me at bronxnewsnetwork@gmail.com. Also, please contact me if you want to advertise in any or all of our publications.
Alex and I are still sitting in the same seats here at the Keeper’s House (the old stone house at 3400 Reservoir Oval East) with just a pocket door between us that stays open most of the time. Neither of us is going anywhere, but we’ve each been taking on some new and different responsibilities. We thought you’d like to know.
Have a great summer, everybody.
—Jordan Moss
Lobby Shooting
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Captain Phil Rivera of the 52nd Police Precinct said a man was shot in the stomach last week in the lobby of an apartment building at 2663 Heath Ave. The victim survived, but wasn’t cooperating with investigators.
Rivera said it was the first shooting in the precinct since a series of them, including the murder of a 15-year-old kid, in mid-June.
Young Man Murdered on Grand Concourse
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
A 21-year-old man was murdered late on Monday night, July 20, in the area of the Grand Concourse and East 203rd Street. Police have yet to identify the victim. There have been no arrests yet and, in an e-mail report, police said the investigation is ongoing.
Responding to reports of a person shot, police in the 52nd Precinct found the victim, described as being a young black man, shot numerous times in the chest and stomach. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival just after midnight, July 21.
Police could not be reached by press time for further explanation.
Public and Community Meetings
July 23, 2009
By Norwood News
• The Community Education Council of District 10 will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6:15 p.m. at 1 Fordham Plaza, on the 8th floor. For more information, call (718) 741-5836 or e-mail: CEC10@schools.nyc.gov.
• National Night Out is on Aug. 4 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Mosholu Parkway between Decatur and Hull avenues. The event promotes safety and good relations between the police and community. There will be fun and games for the whole family. Free bike helmets will be given out and four bikes will be raffled off.
• Iglesia Cristo Refugio Eterno is having a street fair on Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 199th Street between the Grand Concourse and Jerome Avenue. For more information call (718) 563-3620.
• A Health Fair and Street Festival will be held on Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Heath Avenue between Kingsbridge Road and West 193rd Street.
• The University Heights Block Party will take place on Saturday, July 25, from noon to 7 p.m. on Cedar Avenue between Fordham Road and Hall of Fame Terrace.
Nation in ‘Good Hands’ With Judge Sotomayor
July 23, 2009
By Ashley Villarreal
In testimony during the Senate’s confirmation hearings last week, Bronx CongressmanJose E. Serrano, praised Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor for her strong character and hard-scrabble roots.
The hearings on Capitol Hill wrapped up last Thursday and it’s widely assumed Sotomayor will be confirmed to the highest court.
“Around us were many distractions that could have taken us down a totally different road,” he said, “but there was also ambition and people determined to make something of themselves.”
“Everyone watching this nomination should know that based upon her background and ideals, they are in good hands with Judge Sotomayor,” he said.
Latest Fund-raising Numbers In
July 23, 2009
By Molly Ryan
In District 11, incumbent Oliver Koppell has raised $115,338 and his opponent, Tony Cassino has raised $101,440. In District 14, the financial standings are: Maria Baez at $51, 895, Fernando Cabrera at $37,547, Yudelka Tapia at $32,390, Miguel Santana at $9,885. There are no finance records for Kevin Ennis.
Examining the Petition Process
July 23, 2009
By Molly Ryan
Campaigns are gathering speed as the Sept. 15 primary election for City Council is fast approaching. On July 16, all City Council candidates were required to submit at least 900 petition signatures to secure a position on the ballot.
If any candidate receives a general objection to their signatures, which were due on July 20, the objector has six days to file a specific objection. When a specific objection is filed, hearings are held on the petitions for the objected candidate to determine whether they can continue on the ballot.
In the 14th District, each of the five candidates who gathered 900 petition signatures received general objections to their petitions.
The candidates who filed petitions election in District 14 (see story, page 1) include incumbent Maria Baez, Fernando Cabrera, Miguel Santana, Yudelka Tapia and an unknown candidate, Kevin Ennis. (Yorman Nunez dropped out of the race without submitting his signatures.)
All of the candidates except, it seems, for Ennis have been campaigning for months (some like Tapia and Cabera, for almost a year). No professional information is known about Ennis and the only recorded information at the New York City Board of Elections about him is his general objection to Cabrera’s and Tapia’s petitions and his address on Morris Avenue in the Bronx. Both Santana and Nunez said they had never heard of him.
In District 11, incumbent Oliver Koppell and his opponent, Tony Cassino, have both garnered well over the 900 petition signatures needed for the ballot. Koppell managed to obtain over 6,300 signatures while Cassino came in slightly behind with about 4,300 signatures. Neither candidate received objections to their petition signatures, meaning both candidates will be on the September ballot.
No Mayoral Control, No Problem for Ed. Councils
July 23, 2009
By Molly Ryan
A little thing like legality was not going to stop the local Community Education Council from conducting its monthly business.
For the first time in six years, community education councils across New York City were not legally obligated to meet this month. This is because Mayor Bloomberg’s control over New York City public schools ended on June 30 and has yet to be renewed by the New York State legislature.
But education councils, including the one in District 10, which represents a large swath of the northwest Bronx, are continuing to pursue their agendas.
Bloomberg created the councils when he first gained mayoral control over public schools in 2003. The councils were installed to advise Bloomberg’s Panel for Education Policy, which he appoints, and to approve school zoning lines. There is a council of 12 members for each school district.
Even though the councils are no longer legally a part of the Department of Education, the District 10 council loyally marched into their meeting at PS 54 in Fordham on July 16.
District 10 Council President Marvin Shelton said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein encouraged all the councils to continue meeting as if mayoral control will be renewed.
At the meeting last week, the council held in-house elections for the president, vice presidents, and treasurer. Shelton was once again elected president. During a short speech, he expressed his plans to “help parents better understand their roles.”
State Senate Democrats also want to provide training for parents who would like to be more involved in their children’s education in a bill renewing mayoral control. The problem is that the bill includes modifications, such as parental training, a commission to study school violence and an improved cultural curriculum, that Bloomberg isn’t happy about.
Instead of working on a compromise, the State Senate, still reeling from a month-long stalemate, is leaving the issue of mayor control unresolved for the summer and probably won’t decide on it until at least September.
When asked if he thought that the bill for mayoral control would pass through the Senate, Shelton said, “I don’t think the Senate has the energy at this point” to deal with it. Even though Shelton would “like to see independent parent training,” he was not hopeful about seeing a change in the mayoral control bill.
Under the mayoral control system, Shelton said he believes councils have “no power” since they only advise the mayor. Nonetheless, Shelton and his fellow volunteer council members will continue to show up for work.
CB7 Okays Armory Mall With Strings
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
In the face of loud opposition from community groups, union leaders, business owners and local residents, the members of Community Board 7 voted to conditionally approve a developer’s plans to turn the long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory into a giant shopping mall.
After the vote, which came during a tension-filled public meeting at the Bronx Library Center, just blocks from the Armory, Board 7 Chairman Greg Faulkner realized the approval wouldn’t go over well, but said the board acted with the best of intentions.
“Saying no would have been popular and it probably would have felt good,” Faulkner said, “but we felt voting yes with conditions gave us the best shot to have a say in the process going forward.”
The approval came with a list of 11 conditions, including the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), the inclusion of a peace atrium, subsidized community space, affordable youth recreation space, and union protections. On the morning of the vote, the developer, The Related Companies, sent a letter to the board saying it agreed, in broad terms, to all the conditions the board set.
Jesse Masyr, Related’s lawyer and community liaison, said the board’s decision was wise. “If you say no, you’re done,” he said. “No means no. Yes with conditions means you’re not there yet, but let’s work together to get there.”
The approval vote also included language encouraging Related to put a supermarket with organic food options into the Armory.
The Bronx-based supermarket chain Morton Williams has lobbied heavily against the inclusion of a supermarket at the Armory, saying it would force them to close both of its stores in the borough at the cost of at least 125 Bronx jobs.
Following the board’s vote to include supermarket language, which came with several dissenting opinions, more than 50 Morton Williams executives and employees in attendance angrily stormed out of the library. “Shame on you,” yelled Morton Williams vice president and part-owner, Avi Kaner. Others shouted that the board was now responsible for the loss of hundreds of good jobs.
The conditions, however, did not include any language requiring the developer to provide living wage jobs ($10 an hour, plus benefits) at the Armory. Related says the renovation will be built using union labor, which will pay at least living wage, but that requiring tenant businesses at the Armory mall to pay living wages was unrealistic.
For the past year, the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), which consists of community groups, churches, unions and local residents, has pushed for the inclusion of living wage language in a benefits agreement. At the meeting, several KARA members implored the board to vote no on the project because it didn’t include living wage.
Before the final vote, board member Andrew Laiosa made a push to include living wage requirements as a condition for approval, but Faulkner and a representative from the Bronx borough president’s office told them to drop it because the issue would be taken up in separate negotiations with Related.
“I brought [living wage] up at the end and nobody wanted to touch it,” said Laiosa, who was one of five board members who voted against the mall project. During the confusing argument over living wage language, police escorted out nearly two dozen youth activists for speaking out of order.
Right before the vote, Council Member Oliver Koppell strongly urged board members to vote yes with conditions, saying a no vote would leave the board out of the negotiating process going forward. At the same time, he warned that a no vote could stop the project and leave the Armory vacant.
Assemblyman Jose Rivera disagreed. In a long, rambling speech, he encouraged board members to vote no. Voting no, he said, would send a message to City Hall that big developers like Related would have to work more closely with the community.
“We want development, but we want them to develop with us,” Rivera said.
At the end of the laborious, three-hour meeting, board members practically staggered off the stage in the library’s basement auditorium. Because most of the audience had either left in protest or been escorted out, only the board, a few stragglers, and several representatives from Related and the city remained for the final vote.
Cynthia O’Neal-Riley, who voted against the project and brought up an amendment to block the inclusion of a supermarket, was surprised by all the arguing. “I didn’t know I was opening up a can of worms,” she said. “I just wanted to protect the jobs of those workers.”
“I’m completely worn out,” said board member Helene Hartman, who also voted against the project. She said she couldn’t bring herself to vote for the project because “we really didn’t have enough of an agreement from Related.”
Laiosa agreed. “It’s a matter of details,” he said. “There’s no requirement for [Related] to do anything. They can turn it anything they want.”
But the bulk of the board agreed with Faulkner and Koppell that voting yes with conditions was the best move to stay in the picture and keep the development moving forward.
Board member Enrique Vega, who lives just down the street from the Armory, was not swayed by the audience’s stance against the project. “I wasn’t real impressed with the audience, they were very rehearsed,” he said. “They had an agenda.”
George Berdejo, another board member, said, “We’ve looked at all sides of the issue and I think we’re making the right decision for everybody involved.” He added that it was good that not everybody on the board agreed. “That’s a good thing. It shows there’s no collusion.”
Tracking A Council Contest Full of Twists
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
As it heads toward the finish line, the crowded race for the Bronx’s 14th District Council seat is sprouting more subplots and mysteries than a season of “Lost.”
In the last 10 days, the incumbent successfully turned an opponent into an ally. A young upstart who seemed to be gaining momentum dropped out mysteriously. Another candidate deflected propositions from all sides. And yet another candidate who it seems no one has heard of came completely out of the blue to make a last minute effort to get on the ballot.
“This situation is very unique,” said Miguel Santana, a first-time candidate in the race who is fighting a serious funding disadvantage.
Santana, one of five candidates still in the race, was speaking on his cell phone from the New York City Board of Elections headquarters in downtown Manhattan where he was sorting out issues related to the petition signatures he had filed in order to get his name on the ballot.
In order to get on the Sept. 15 primary ballot, all Council candidates must file at least 900 good petition signatures (see page 2). They were due last Thursday.
The day before, on Wednesday morning, the incumbent, Maria Baez, announced she had a new campaign manager, former opponent Yesenia Polanco.
On Wednesday night, Yorman Nunez, a 20-year-old former community organizer, gave a rousing and very political speech after working tirelessly to gather the necessary signatures to get on the ballot. Two days later, on Friday afternoon, Nunez announced he had not submitted his signatures and was dropping out of the race.
Then, on Saturday, Santana went down to the Board of Elections to discover that not only had three separate objections to his signatures been filed, but that one of them had been filed by a mysterious candidate named Kevin Ennis who had filed his own petitions.
“He’s a plant,” Santana said of Ennis, adding that his presence was probably part of the “gamesmanship” going on. Nunez said he’d never heard of him, either.
Santana says he’s been lobbied to both stay in the race (by Baez’s camp) and to drop out of it (by the camp of the most endorsed opposition candidate, Fernando Cabrera’s), but that he remains steadfast and committed to the race, no matter how crazy it gets.
In other 14th District developments:
An Idealist Drops Out
Over the past four months, Yorman Nunez had turned himself into one of the most intriguing stories on the campaign trail. The son of a struggling single mother from the Dominican Republic, Nunez found his way out of a troubled adolescence through the power of community organizing. By organizing people to fight back, for their rights, their jobs, their homes, Nunez felt he could make a difference.
In March, while sitting around the kitchen table in the Sedgewick apartment he shares with his mom, brother (who he also shares a bed with), twin sisters, cousin and dog Diego, he and several friends decided to get into politics. Nunez, they decided, would be the candidate.
In 30 days, they built up a small army of volunteers and raised more than $17,000 through small donations. They turned his family’s apartment into a makeshift campaign headquarters and launched a full-tilt signature-gathering mission. Last Wednesday he said he felt confident in his signatures.
And then, he dropped out of the race.
In a telephone interview, Nunez said he made a “stategic decision” not to file his petition signatures. Despite what others might think, he said, he wasn’t pressured into dropping out and didn’t make a deal with any of the other candidates.
Although he was disappointed he wouldn’t see this race through until election day, Nunez said his candidacy was never just about getting elected. “What our campaign was about was changing the political landscape of the Bronx and educating the community,” he said. “We’re trying to change the way candidates are chosen. We don’t want it to be three people in a room deciding who our candidates are.”
Nunez, a product of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and their youth arm Sistas and Brothas United (SBU), said he made the decision after countless meetings with friends, campaign staffers and advisors.
Nunez said he and his “team” are still deciding where and how to direct their energy. He dropped a few hints about what that might mean. “We are ending the campaign, still seeing what we want to do next. There’s some big fish to fry. That could mean [controversial State Senator] Espada, it could mean this mayoral race,” he said. “For sure what we’re interested in is building the base.”
For now, he has not decided to throw his support behind any of the other candidates in the 14th District. “They have three months to convince me who to vote for. I don’t think we’re going to help out our candidate,” Nunez said.
Embattled Baez Fights Back
The Bronx Democratic Party may have cut loose Maria Baez (the party’s supporting Cabrera, as are the Working Families Party and most of influential unions), but she still has friends in high places.
Last week, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn all announced their support for Baez.
“She’s been a great friend to her district, a great friend to the Bronx, and a great and loyal friend to me,” said Quinn, speaking at a rally outside Baez’s campaign office on East 181st Street on July 16.
Also present to show their support were Assemblymen Jose Rivera and Nelson Castro, and Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo and her mother, Assemblywoman Carmen E. Arroyo.
Assemblywoman Arroyo said people have tried to convince her to walk away from Baez, who has faced mounting criticism about her appalling attendance record at council meetings and hearings. In the 2009 fiscal year, for example, she had the worst record in the council and showed up just 56 percent of the time, according to the New York Post.
But Arroyo said the district could not do better. “I said ‘bring me a person who could do better than Maria,’” she said. “But they don’t have that person. That person doesn’t exist.”
Arroyo talked about Baez’s “strength, character, and integrity.” She said she called her the “quiet storm” because she works “very quietly, very consistently.”
The event was billed as a “Women for Baez” rally, and perhaps 80 percent of the 100-plus crowd was women, most of them seniors.
“She’s done a lot for the seniors, the schools, and she’s not stuck up, I’ll put it like that,” said long-time Morris Avenue resident Willie Simmons.
At the rally, Baez introduced her new campaign manager, Yesenia Polanco, who until recently was one of Baez’s potential primary opponents. Polanco said she realized that now wasn’t her time, and so she decided to throw her weight behind the incumbent. “As a young Latina woman … [Baez is] very inspiring,” said Polanco, a former state legislative aide.
“I’ve been in this community for 40 years, 30 years politically,” Baez said. “I will not stop fighting for this community. I’m not going anywhere.”
Living Wage Rally Brings Out Heavy Hitters
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Followed by a crowd of more than 500 people, including activists, politicians, union leaders, local clergy, new moms and a radical marching band, 16-year-old Adolfo Abreu wrapped yellow tape around the Kingsbridge Armory. The message from the northwest Bronx community was simple, clear and written in black letters on the yellow tape, both in English and Spanish: “It’s Our Armory.”
The Armory, of course, is owned by the city, but is in the process of being turned over to The Related Companies who plan to transform the massive castle-like structure into a huge shopping mall.
But people at the rally — which was organized last Wednesday night by the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) and ended with the taping of the Armory — wanted Related to know that they expected something in return for their Armory.
As part of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), they want Related to require its mall tenants to pay a living wage ($10 an hour, plus benefits). And they’re enlisting the help of heavy hitters to take up the fight on a bigger stage.
In the packed, yellow-lit auditorium of Our Lady of Refuge Church on 196th Street, local elected officials and prominent union leaders, including Stuart Appelbaum of the Retail, Wholesalers and Department Store Union (RWDSU) and Fred LeMoine of the Bronx Board of Business Agents were joined for a cameo appearance by Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson who is currently the city’s comptroller.
When asked whether he would take up KARA’s fight for living wage jobs, Thompson said, “It’s a tough question. The answer is yes!”
Earlier this spring, the board of the city’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) approved $17.3 million in tax breaks to help Related complete its Armory mall project. Thompson’s representative on the board was a lone dissenting vote.
At the rally, Thompson said his position on living wage jobs at the Armory and other development projects represented a sharp contrast from the views of his opponent, Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Thompson said he thinks the city should be tying tax breaks into the creation of good jobs, “not just during construction, but after construction” as well. He added, “Some of the models [for linking tax breaks to post-construction jobs] that we’re seeing are not part of how the city thinks.”
In Los Angeles, benefits agreements with living wage requirements are becoming part of most big development projects. But, as job advocates and even Related officials have pointed out, wage requirements have not been part of the Bloomberg administration’s development model.
Related has committed to entering into a CBA for the Armory project, but says requiring living wages from its future tenants would be unrealistic. KARA and members of Community Board 7, with the help of the Bronx Borough President’s office, however, are negotiating for living wage language in a CBA that could change Bloomberg’s model for the five boroughs.
July 23, 2009
By Judy Noy
The Bronx Writers Center, a program of the Bronx Council on the Arts, invites Bronx writers to apply for the 2009-10 Literary Arts Fellowship and Residency. Two nine-month fellowships are awarded annually. Completing a community service project is required as part of a residency. An information session will be held Aug. 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse. For more information on eligibility or to attend the session, applicants may RSVP to the BCA web site at www.bronxarts.org or to Maria Romano at (718) 931-9500 ext. 21, or email maria@bronxarts.org. Applications must be received by 5 p.m., Sept. 14.
The Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off Fordham Road, presents a host of performances for the most discriminating tastes, all at 2:30 p.m.:
Aug. 8 – A Musical Tribute to Soul Legends, featuring music of Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross.
Aug. 15 – The Resurgence of Spanish Dance, featuring flamenco.
Aug. 22 – Retumba, an all-female multi-cultural dance and percussion group.
For more information, call (718) 579-4244/46 or visit www.nypl.org.
The Mosholu Library, located at 285 E. 205th St., hosts Doo Wop, music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s,performed by The NY Exceptions, Aug. 22 at 2 p.m., free. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
The Bronx Council on the Arts presents An Evening of Song and Salsa with Ray Viera y Trombao, July 29 at 7:30 and 9 p.m. at 52 Playground Park/Teatro Miranda. For more information, call (718) 931-9500.
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park presents Summer EcoCrafts for the entire family. Turn tissue paper, old water bottles, toilet paper tubes and other recycled materials into fish, kites, masks, puppets and more, Tuesdays through Aug. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Classic Playground, Van Cortlandt Park South and Gouverner Avenue. Children under 12 require adult supervision. Rain location will be Building 9 Community Room at Amalgamated Housing on Gale Place off Orloff Avenue. For more information, call (718) 601-1553 or visit www.vancortlandt.org.
Wave Hill offers weekly summer family art projects: A Tiny Village Among the Trees, to fashion sticks, string, leaves, and bark into a tiny fairy-sized dwelling, July 25 and 26; T-Shirt With Trees, to sketch leaves, branches, and the river vista, and use fabric markers and special crayons to put your drawings onto a T-shirt you can wear, Aug. 1 and 2; Water, Water Everywhere, to sketch the river landscape and run through sprinklers, then with water and paint create landscapes to take home, Aug. 8 and 9; Sculpted Hills and Valleys, to fashion a landscape from fabric, cardboard, and sticks, and natural and decorative materials, Aug. 15 and 16; and Shades of Summer, to create colored sunglasses, Aug. 22 and 23; all in the Kerlin Learning Center from 1 to 4 p.m. Wave Hill is located at West 249th Street and Independence Avenue. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit www.wavehill.org.
The Edible Garden, taking place at the New York Botanical Garden through Sept. 13, features edible plants, teaches vegetable growing and offers celebrity food presentations by Emeril Lagasse (scheduled to appear on Sept. 12), and others. There will be children’s activities throughout the summer in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Farmers Market will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays through Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Edible evenings and summer concerts are scheduled for Thursday evenings. For more information and a detailed schedule, call (718) 817-8700 or visit nybg.org.
The Bronx Culture Trolley, a replica of a 20th-century trolley, transports visitors on the first Wednesday of every month (except January and September), to Bronx hot spots, ending at Sweetwaters Bar & Grill with jazz, and food and drink. A reception is held at the Hostos Art Gallery, 450 Grand Concourse (at 149th St.) at 5 p.m., followed by three trolley departures at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. New attractions are added monthly. Trolley ride is free. Riders can get on and off at any scheduled stop and spend as much time as they wish at any or all of the featured venues. Venues and activities vary each month. The next trip is on Aug. 5. For more information or to confirm, call (718) 931-9500 ext. 33 or log on to www.bronxarts.org.
The Bronx River Art Center, located at 1087 E. Tremont Ave., presents an exhibition, Black Gold, July 24 through Sept. 12. The exhibit features painting, sculpture, and installation. For more information, call (718) 589-5819.
The Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street, hosts two exhibitions: Bangin’, which includes the work of nine emerging women artists, on view in the Main Gallery; and Linger, an installation of video, sculpture and performance, on view in the Project Room; both through Aug. 6. For more information and hours, call (718) 518-6728.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street, presents an exhibition series commemorating the Grand Concourse’s centennial, featuring The Grand Concourse Commissions, Aug. 2 through Jan. 4. Originally called the Grand Boulevard, the Grand Concourse celebrates its 100th year in 2009. For more information, call (718) 681-6000 or visit www.bronxmuseum.org.
The New York Botanical Garden presents an exhibit, Resplendent Roses, a celebration of America’s national flower, which runs through the first frost. For more information, call (718) 817-8700.
The Bronx Library Center has events for all ages:
For children and preschoolers, there is Family Time, Aug. 8 at 11 a.m.; and Toddler Story Time, July 25 and Aug. 22 at 11 a.m. (pre-registration is required for both).
Also, for school-aged children, there is Arts and Crafts, July 23, 30, Aug. 6 and 13 at 3 p.m.; Create Extraordinary Beads From Ordinary Materials, July 24 at 3 p.m.; and Make Art With Michael Albert, July 31 at 2 p.m. (pre-registration is required for all); Films, Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26 at 2 p.m.; Fire & Ice, Aug. 8 at 2 p.m.; Circus Tales, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m.; Big Daddy Z and the Greeks, Aug. 20 at 4 p.m.; Presley and Melody, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m.; and Katcha and the Devil and Other Czechoslovak Tales, Aug. 22 at 2 p.m.
For adults, there is Introduction to Fund-raising and Planning in Tough Economic Times, July 23 at 4 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, located at 285 E. 205th St., presents Summer Fun, kids can choose an activity, Aug. 5 and 12 at 2:30 p.m.; Toddler Time, Aug. 6 at 10:30 a.m.; Little Red Riding Hood, Aug. 20 at 10:30 a.m.; Circus Tales, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m.; all for children. For young adults, there is Make Jewelry With Jennifer Jacobs, July 24 at 2 p.m.; and Crafternoons, July 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 2 p.m. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
The Jerome Park Library, at 118 Eames Place, presents Yoga, July 31 at 3 p.m.; Film, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m.; Arts and Crafts, Aug. 14 and 21 at 3 p.m.; and Robin Hood, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m.; all for school aged children. For more information, call (718) 549-5200.
NOTE: The Norwood News will be on hiatus through Aug. 26. Items for consideration should be received in our office by Aug. 17 for the next publication date of Aug. 27.
July 23, 2009
By Norwood News
Summer BBQ Fund-raiser
The Church of the Holy Nativity, 3061 Bainbridge Ave. (at 204th Street) is holding a summer BBQ offering yummy food, drinks, and music, on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 1 to 6 p.m., to raise money for much-needed repairs. Tickets are $10. For more information, call (718) 409-6912.
Summer Flea Market
St. Ann’s Church is hosting its annual summer flea market every Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. until Aug. 22. The market is located in the parking lot of the church on the corner of Bainbridge Avenue and East Gun Hill Road. Items to be sold include jewelry, perfume, clothing, purses, shoes and more.
Free Adult ESL Classes
PS 94, at 3530 Kings College Place, is offering ESL levels 1 and 2 classes beginning in September and running through June 2010. Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is first-come, first-served. For more information, call Ms. Seminario, the parent coordinator, at (347) 563-4772 or (718) 405-6345.
Free Oval Health Fair
On Saturday, July 25, the Community Health Partnership and the City of New York are hosting a free health fair. The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at the Williamsbridge Recreation Center (3225 Reservoir Oval E.). Included at the fair are educational information and presentations about diabetes, asthma, glucose and blood pressure and other health procedures. Entertainment and refreshments will be provided. Contact Tuwanda Ruffin (718) 654-1851 or Tina Inman (646) 258-1716 for more information.
Vendors Needed for Summer Church Flea Market
The Church of the Holy Nativity, 3061 Bainbridge Ave., needs vendors for its summer church flea market on Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. This is an indoor and outdoor event, to be held rain or shine. Tables are $30 each and will be provided by the church. New and used items to be bought and sold at the market, cash only. For more information, call (718) 409- 6912.
FREE Energy Information Workshop
Learn how to save energy and money in your home! A free energy information workshop will be held on Thursday, July 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Town Hall, 4101 White Plains Rd. at East 229th Street. Topics to be covered include how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, the importance of using Energy Star, financing options for home energy improvements and incentive grant programs for homeowners, renters and landlords. This workshop is sponsored by Bronx Community Board 12 and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Please RSVP by emailing GoGreen917@aol.com or calling CB12 at (718) 881-4455. Town Hall can be reached by: #2 train to East 225th Street or East 233rd Street; Bx41 bus to White Plains Road and East 228th Street; Bx31 bus to White Plains Road and East 233rd Street.
NMCIR Immigration Assistance
The Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights is offering immigration assistance to Bronxites. There is assistance with U.S. Citizenship, family petitions, and travel permits. It is offered at Refuge House, 2715 Bainbridge Ave., Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (718) 484-8294 or email info@NMCIR.org.
Volunteer at North Bronx Healthcare
The North Bronx Healthcare Network is seeking volunteers for the Sexual Assault Treatment Program run at North Central Bronx Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, and Lincoln Medical Center. Those interested should be willing to volunteer twice a month and commit to serving the program for one year. For more information, call (718) 519-4788.
Farmers Market at Botanical Garden
There will be an all day Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Market at the Botanical Garden through Nov. 14. The Wednesday market will be held near Tulip Tree Allee and the Saturday market will be across the street from the Garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance. Vendors from New York’s Hudson Valley region and beyond offer a variety of home grown products, meats and home baked goods. For more information, visit www.nybg.org/edible_garden/farmers_market.php or call (718) 362-9561 and press 403#.
MTA’s Trip Planner Voice
Trip Planner Voice is a telephone service that allows customers to access bus and subway travel itinerary information via telephone 24/7 without the need to wait to speak to an agent. Trip Planner provides customers with the best and most accurate directions, fare information, walking distances and scheduled connections to and from other transit modes and transfers. For more information, and to learn how to get mobile access, visit www.tripplanner.mta.info.
Aid for Veterans and Their Families
The Warriors Family Assistance Program, launched by the American Legion Auxiliary, comes to the direct aid of veterans and their families in New York State. Veterans and their families can apply for up to $1,500 in aid in maintenance grants, medical grants and employment opportunities. Any veteran who has served honorably within the last four years, or is currently serving in one of the Armed Forces, and is a NYS resident, is eligible to apply. All grants are non-repayable. For an application or more information, call (800) 421-6348.
Free Career Information Seminars
Lehman College Office of Continuing Education is holding free career information seminars for its non-credit certificate programs. For dates, times and locations of seminars, please call (718) 960-8512 or visit www.lehman.edu.ce.
Computer Classes at Williamsbridge Oval
The Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, 3225 Reservoir Oval E., is holding computer classes on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Learn how to use the internet and MS Office software. For more information, contact Albert Davis or Tuwanda Ruffin at (718) 654-1851.
Teen Trailways Summer Camp
Teens entering 7th to 10th grade can enroll in the Teen Trailways program at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, which takes campers on day trips to sporting events, Broadway shows, comedy clubs, lakes, beaches, state parks, and amusement parks. Teens can also go on longer trips to Virginia Beach, Toronto and Disney World in Florida. For more information, call (718) 882-4000.
Free Prescription $aver Card
The NY State Health Department is accepting applications for the free New York Prescription $aver Card. The program offers discounts on thousands of prescription medications. It will serve low-income New Yorkers who are disabled or between the ages of 50 and 64. To be eligible, income for single individuals must be $35,000 or less, and $50,000 or less for married individuals. Medicaid and EPIC recipients are not eligible for the Prescription $aver Card. To learn more or apply, visit www.nyprescriptionsaver.fhsc.com or call (800) 788-6917. (TTY users should call (800) 290-9138.) Applications are also available at pharmacies.
School Salon Reopens
The School of Professional Beauty Care at Grace Dodge Career and Technical High School, 2474 Crotona Ave., has reopened The New Image Salon to the public. It’s open every Thursday afternoon from 2:45 to 5:30 p.m., offering a wide variety of salon services at reasonable prices. Prices range from $5 to $25. Graduating seniors in the school’s cosmetology program staff the salon, with a licensed cosmetologist on duty. For more information, call (718) 584-2700 ext. 5084.
Foster Care Network
The Foster Care Network is reaching out to potential foster parents in the Bronx. Hundreds of foster children in the area need loving and caring families to make a difference in their lives. Foster parents receive tax-free financial assistance for the expenses of each child, free training, and Foster Parent certification. For more information, call (800) 454-3727 or visit www.fostercarenetwork.org.
Free Medicine Programs for Cancer Patients
The Complimentary Medicine Program at 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 to see if yoga can help patients with breast, lung, and colorectal cancer. A certified yoga instructor teaches classes in both English and Spanish. The Mind-Body Cancer Program includes 8 weeks of Mind-Body groups (The Stress Management Education Group and the Spiritual Support Group) for patients with most types of cancer. Some restrictions apply to these groups, which have been specifically designed by a psychologist and an oncologist. For more information and to find out eligibility, call (718) 430-2380.
Couples Needed for Research Study
Doctors at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center are looking for healthy couples between the ages of 22 and 50, and in a monogamous relationship for at least six months, to participate in a research study. The study will test a vaginal gel and the couple will be screened for sexually transmitted infections. Females will have a gynecologic exam and vaginal fluid collected and males will have a genital exam. Female volunteers will have four visits and be reimbursed $60 per visit, and males volunteers will have three visits and will be reimbursed $40 per visit. Females must be using hormonal contraception. All visits will take place at the Albert Einstein General Clinical Research Center. For more information, call Julie at (718) 430-3253 or email microbicide@aecom.yu.edu.
English, Citizenship and Computer Classes
-MS 80 at 149 E. Mosholu Pkwy N., is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) classes. For those interested, or if you have any questions, call Mrs. Alejandro at (718) 405-6300 ext. 1131.
-Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., is offering free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship Classes. Ongoing classes run through June 30. For more information, call (718) 882-4000.
-Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, is enrolling students for free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship classes. Ongoing classes run through June 30. For more information, call Aisha Abdul-Wahhab, program director, at (718) 884-0700 ext. 191 or 132.
-St. James Recreation Center at 2530 Jerome Ave. offers free classes in Microsoft Office, Resume/Cover Letter Writing, Computer Basics, and much more. For more information, call Justin Young at (718) 367-3659.
-Fordham University, 557 E. Fordham Rd., is currently holding free computer and English Language classes for parents, Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays. Classes can either stand alone or as an 8- to 12-week series. For more information or to register, call (718) 817-3503.
Senior Employment
The American Association of Retired Person (AARP) and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) are assisting low-income Bronx residents, 55 and older, to receive employment through their outreach, training, and internship programs. For more information, call AARP located at 384 E. 149th St., Ste. 608 at (718) 585-2500.
MS 80 Needs Love
MS 80 is asking parents and community members to show some love and volunteer for just an hour each week. The school needs mentors, math and reading tutors, part-time coaches and volunteers to help with cafeteria duty. For more information, call Ms. Alejandro (718) 405-6300 ext. 111.
Free Kids’ Summer Vacations
The Fresh Air Fund is currently registering boys and girls, ages six through 12, for free summer vacations in the homes of volunteer host families throughout the northeast or at one of five Fresh Air Fund summer camps in upstate New York. To find out how to register, call (800) 367-0003 or go to www.freshair.org.
MMCC Grade School & Teen Programs at Tracey Towers
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is accepting registration for their free after school program at Tracey Towers, 40 W. Mosholu Pkwy. The program meets Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and is open to children in the third through sixth grades. From 6:30 to 9 p.m., the free Teen Center is open for youth ages 12 to 18. Programs include homework help, computers, arts and crafts, sports, acting, and quiet games. To register, stop by the Youth Community Room on the second floor of Tracey Towers and speak to Antoine Fields, or call him at (917) 482-5039.
Self Defense Classes
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center still has space in its boxing, karate, and self-defense classes for children, teens, and adults. To register or find out class times, call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0, or stop by the center at 3450 DeKalb Ave.
Free Meditation for Breast Cancer Survivors
The Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center is offering a free 20-week course on meditation and stress management for breast cancer survivors. The course is part of a research study. To register or learn more, call Kimala Harris at (718) 430-2380 or e-mail kah2019@med.cornell.edu.
Place for Teens With Issues
The Power Project is a free program for teens ages 12 to 18 who are dealing with substance abuse and other problems. Located at 3464 Webster Ave., Power Project provides case management, individual and group counseling, trips, and is just a place to get away from it all. For more information, call (718) 515-7971.
Wii Games for Adults and Seniors
On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m., adults and seniors can enjoy free Wii video games at the Mosholu Library, 285 E. 205th St. To sign up, go to the Adult Information Desk. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
Free Parking Calendars
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is offering free New York City Parking Calendars to community residents. To receive one, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to his office at 3107 Kingsbridge Ave., Bronx, NY 10463, or stop by the office in person.
Free Career Workshops
The State University of New York, located at 3950 Laconia Ave., is offering free career workshops, including job readiness training, resume and cover letter preparation, help with job searches and computer skills, job placement assistance, an Office Skills Certificate Program, college prep and more. For more information, call (718) 547-1001 or visit www.NBX.SUNYEOC.org.
After School Care
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., provides after school care for children in elementary school. Children are transported from their schools in Norwood, Bedford Park, Williamsbridge and Van Cortlandt Village. The center provides a snack, help with homework, and an array of activities to keep children busy. Financial aid is available. For more information, call Ruth Moore, program registrar, at (718) 882-4000.
Schizophrenia Study Seeks Participants
A research study seeking new treatments for schizophrenia is looking for patients in the Bronx. Candidates must be 18 to 65 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia at or before age 35 and currently on certain medications for schizophrenia. Patients can enroll through the first half of 2009. For more information, call (888) 988-6736 or go to www.cognitivestudy.com.
Job Opportunities
On Dec. 1, Mayor Bloomberg announced the expansion of free job placement services through New York City’s Workforce1 Career Centers. The centers provide personalized career counseling, interview training, resume/cover letter assistance, workshops and ESL classes. For more information, call the Bronx Workforce1 Center, 358 E. 149th St., (718) 960-7099.
Quality of Life Screening
The Psychosocial Oncology Program of the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center is conducting a survey study in order to learn about the physical and emotional stresses faced by cancer survivors. Participants will have to fill out questionnaires and have the opportunity to participate in free/low-cost programs and support services within the program. For more information, call (718) 430-2380.
Breast Oncology Program
The Breast Oncology Living Daily Program also known as BOLD living offers a variety of free educational, support, and mind-body workshops. They are designed to empower and nurture breast cancer patients, survivors, and loved ones, but are open to all. For more information or to register, call (718) 430-3613 or email outreach@aecom.yu.edu.
Alzheimer’s Support Group
The Alzheimer’s Association’s New York City chapter provides a support group in Norwood for Spanish and English speaking caregivers who have relatives with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. The support group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 5 to 6:15 p.m. For the location or more information, call Mark Goodwin at (718) 920-7377.
Free Respite Program
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) is offering free after-school services to families with mentally retarded or developmentally disabled children ages 5 to 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. KHCC is also offering a Saturday Respite Program for ages 15 to 25, and on Sundays another Respite Program is provided for ages 18 to 65. Weekend Respite Program hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are held at the KHCC, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace (near Sedgwick Avenue) at West 230th Street. To register or for more information, call Hanna Gabris at (718) 884-0700 ext. 202.
Speech Program at Ursula
The Mt. St. Ursula Speech Center, 2885 Marion Ave., is now accepting applications for its fall program. The center has openings for children ages 2 to 5 who are in need of speech and language services. Medicaid and other insurances accepted. For more information, call (718) 584-7679.
Aphasia Clinic Accepting Clients
The Lehman College Speech and Hearing Center, which provides therapy on a sliding scale payment schedule, is now accepting new clients in its recently expanded aphasia clinic. The clinic will provide individual and group therapy sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m.; group therapy sessions also take place on Tuesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. Diagnostic and therapeutic sessions will be supervised by faculty members who are licensed by the NYS Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and certified by ASHA (American Speech Language Hearing Association). For more information, call Wanda Adams at (718) 960-8138.
Adult ESL Level 1and 2 Classes
Beginning September 2009 through June 2010, P.S. 94x will be offering Level 1 and 2 ESL classes on Tuesday and Thursdays from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. For more information, contact Ms. Seminario, at (347) 563-4772 or (718) 405- 6345. You can also come to room 201 for more information and for sign up.
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
In their final year at PS 94 in Norwood, the 5th grade members of the school’s student council worked hard to raise money for cancer patients as part of the nationwide Pennies for Patients program.
Through a series of bake sales and fun-filled events, the students raised a total of $2,500. At the end of the year, they had a pizza party and gave a huge check to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Student participants (pictured) included: Julines Reynoso, Briana Francis, Kevin Ortiz, Jennifer De La Cruz, Rhandle Pedro, Sayeda Yasmin and Ariel Vergara. They were helped by school counselor Angela Martinez (also pictured).
July 23, 2009
By Norwood News
At the end of the school year, PS 56 was proud to present a production of “Peter Pan” performed by The Norwood Heights Players, the school’s drama club.
The Players are comprised of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students attending the Norwood school. Under the outstanding direction of two PS 56 teachers, Elizabeth Corrao and Tashima Nole, these talented and dedicated children performed to a packed auditorium of family, school staff and friends.
In addition, students in the school were invited to attend two dress rehearsals earlier in the day. Based on their response, the entire audience agreed with the school’s principal, Priscilla Sheeran, that the show was “Fabulous!”
July 23, 2009
By Rob Sgobbo
The Alexander Hamilton Bridge, a 1,485-foot span which connects Highbridge in the Bronx to Washington Heights in Manhattan as part of Interstate 95, is receiving a $407 million facelift.
The project, the largest ever taken on by the State’s Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT), will “benefit the entire northeast corridor, improving safety and relieving congestion,” Governor David Paterson said in a statement last week. While the bridge will remain open, traffic delays are expected.
At the groundbreaking on July 15, officials emphasized two major benefits the project will bring: better infrastructure and new jobs. “This will allow us to continue to put people back to work to re-charge the economy… while improving quality of life by relieving congestion,” said Stanley Gee, the NYSDOT’s acting commissioner.
To combat congestion, the bridge’s pavement deck, which consists of four lanes in each direction, will be expanded to add shoulders allowing traffic to flow past stalled vehicles. In addition, the bridge will be cleaned and re-painted, its steel arch span strengthened, and its drainage components, overhead signs, and lighting replaced. It’s the bridge’s first major renovation since it was built in 1963.
As part of the same project, the ramps that connect the Cross Bronx and the Major Deegan expressways with the Alexander Hamilton Bridge will be renovated; most will remain open to traffic during construction. Aside from infrastructure improvements, the NYSDOT contract allocates $20 million to enhance Highbridge Park in Manhattan.
Eight million pounds of steel and 70 million pounds of concrete will be needed to complete the work, the bulk of which will be done by two contractors, Halmar International LLC, based in New Jersey, and China Construction of America (CCA), a subsidiary of China’s largest construction company. Two-to-three hundred new construction jobs are being created.
At the press conference, little attention was paid to the inconvenience the bridge’s 200,000 daily commuters are likely to face. But lane closures will likely cause traffic delays, the NYSDOT admits. “We’re trying hard to avoid widespread backup,” said Adam Levine, NYSDOT spokesman.
Zachary Campbell, a spokesman for the project from the public relations firm Zetlin Strategic Communications, says traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway, which feeds the bridge, will be particularly affected.
As construction begins, there are also questions as to whether the project will improve commuter safety on I-95. In 2004, the NYSDOT released their final report of the “Bronx Arterial Needs Major Investment Study,” or BAN MIS, detailing different construction proposals to improve traffic flow and commuter safety for the roadways making up the I-95 corridor. The study targeted the Alexander Hamilton Bridge as in need of rehabilitation, taking into consideration the anxiety of commuters over the swerving of trucks through automobile lanes as traffic begins to approach the George Washington Bridge. While the BAN MIS proposed a realignment of traffic to prevent trucks and cars from converging, the NYSDOT is not addressing this issue.
Still, the five-year project is an ambitious attempt to tackle one of the most congested interstates in New York. “We cannot let vital transportation links crumble away… this project is a valuable step forward in this area,” said Congressman Jose Serrano, in a statement.
Ed. Note: For more information on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge Rehabilitation Project, visit www.nysdot.gov/AHB.
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Move over, hot dog stand, and make way for more fruits and vegetables.
The city recently designated Community Board 7 – Bedford Park, Norwood, North Fordham and University Heights – as an area that lacks access to healthy foods, including quality produce.
But that perception may begin to change as the city and local hospitals are promoting farmers markets and green carts as a way to bring access of fresh foods to local residents.
Over the past few years, weekly Farmers Markets have sprung up in Norwood (there are now two), at the Botanical Garden and at Poe Park. The market at Poe Park now accepts EBT cards (the debit card version of food stamps) to ensure access for low-income families.
Last year, as part of its green carts initiative, the city began offering highly-prized street vendor permits to entrepreneurs who were willing to peddle fresh produce rather than your standard street fare such as gyros, hot dogs or fried beef patties.
Earlier this summer, Montefiore Medical Center teamed up with the green carts initiative and small business consultants to promote healthy living and reinforce the value of eating fruits and vegetables. There are now nine green carts loaded with fresh fruits and veggies within blocks of Montefiore’s Norwood area campus and dozens more scattered throughout Community Board 7.
The medical center also opened up a new farmers market on its Norwood campus as a way to promote nutrition and open up the campus to the community.
Montefiore President Steven Safyer says it is all part of the medical center’s comprehensive plan to promote healthier lifestyles in the community.
Essentially, Safyer says, if the hospital’s patients eat healthier and become more active (another thing Montefiore is pushing), they won’t need to be treated for many of the preventable side effects and problems that come from unhealthy lifestyles such as obesity and diabetes. In turn, the hospital can focus its resources on bigger goals like eradicating disease and coming up with innovative surgery techniques.
“Our job is not simply to be there when bad things happen, though we’re taking care of that,” Safyer said. “Our vision is grander than that.”
Area Farmers Markets
Harvest Home North Central Bronx Market
Location: Corner of Mosholu Parkway North and Jerome Avenue
Times of Operation: Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Season: July through mid-November
Greenmarket at Poe Park
Location: 192nd Street, between the Grand Concourse and Valentine Avenue
Times of Operation: Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Season: July through November
Greenmarket at the New York Botanical Garden
Location: New York Botanical Garden
Times of Operation: Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Season: June through November
Farmers Market at Montefiore Campus
Location: Rochambeau Avenue and East 210th Street
Times of Operation: Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Season: July through October
See http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/
regionmetrobronx.htm for more locations.
July 23, 2009
By None
By Father Joseph Girone, O.S.A.
“Think globally, act locally” is a phrase often used to describe how each of us, in our own way, can do things to make the world a better place. This saying came to mind most recently when I read Pope Benedict XVI’s new encyclical, “Charity in Truth,” that was released on July 7.
Since coming to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in 2005, I have been an active member of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), working to make sure that any commercial development of the Armory meets our community’s needs.
I do this because I support the principles that KARA espouses, particularly the one that has to do with a living wage. If there is going to be commercial development of the Armory, I want the people who work there to earn a living wage and have the freedom to unionize without fear.
This is in accord with Catholic social justice principles. In terms of the economy, this means it’s not just about the bottom line. It’s about the dignity of work, all work.
We in KARA are blazing a trail to sustainable development. To those who say, as the Armory’s developer, The Related Companies, does, that you cannot ask retailers to pay a living wage in one store while they are paying poverty wages in their other stores, I argue, as Pope Benedict the XVI does, that they cannot afford not to pay living wages.
The Pope writes, “The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner….”
Acting on these truths, KARA pushed hard and succeeded in getting the city’s Economic Development Corporation to include language saying, “NYCEDC will view favorably development plans that maximize the number of jobs that meet the City’s living wage and health benefit standards” in its Request for Proposal for the development of the Armory. A New York City living wage is defined as $10 an hour with health benefits or $11.50 without benefits.
The Related Companies’ plan to buy the historic Armory is now working its way through the city’s approval process. The developer says there will be 1,200 part-time, poverty-wage, no-benefit retail jobs at the Armory. They now say ‘living wage jobs are not on the table, we won’t even talk about it.’
To those who support selling our Armory so that we may have more shopping opportunities and 1,200 part-time, poverty wage jobs with no benefits, the Pope writes:
“No consideration of the problems associated with development could fail to highlight the direct link between poverty and unemployment. In many cases, poverty results from a violation of the dignity of human work, either because work opportunities are limited (through unemployment or underemployment), or because low value is put on work and the rights that flow from it, especially the right to a just wage and to the personal security of the worker and his or her family.”
The right way to develop the Kingsbridge Armory is to have Related sign a binding Community Benefits Agreement that guarantees living wage permanent jobs with benefits at the Armory and the freedom to join a union without fear.
Pope Benedict XVI’s teachings could not be more relevant to our cause. Join us, as we think globally and act locally at the Armory to make the world a better place.
The author is pastor of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in University Heights.
July 23, 2009
By Editorial
After this issue, we are taking our usual summer hiatus and will return with another issue on Aug. 27. We thought it might be a good time to tell you a little bit about how things operate here at the Norwood News and how you can most efficiently communicate with us.
Loyal readers and residents who call the office regularly about coverage for local stories will have noticed that Alex Kratz, the Norwood News’ managing editor has been ably handling most, if not all, of the editorial assignment duties at the paper.
Since he started at the paper three years ago, Alex has increasingly taken on Norwood News editorial and management duties, in addition to his myriad reporting responsibilities. This has allowed me, after almost 15 years as editor-in-chief, to focus on the creation and growth of the Bronx News Network, a new organization that publishes the Mount Hope Monitor in Community Board 5 and the Tremont Tribune in Community Board 6; and runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative.
I still write Norwood News editorials, edit the top news stories and occasionally do some reporting, but generally, if you have a hot news tip, suggestion, complaint, compliment, or a question about coverage, Alex is your man. Call him at (718) 324-4998 or e-mail akratz@norwoodnews.org.
If you have a story that you think might interest more than one of our newspapers — if it crosses neighborhood boundaries — then contact me at the same number as Alex or e-mail me at bronxnewsnetwork@gmail.com. Also, please contact me if you want to advertise in any or all of our publications.
Alex and I are still sitting in the same seats here at the Keeper’s House (the old stone house at 3400 Reservoir Oval East) with just a pocket door between us that stays open most of the time. Neither of us is going anywhere, but we’ve each been taking on some new and different responsibilities. We thought you’d like to know.
Have a great summer, everybody.
—Jordan Moss
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Captain Phil Rivera of the 52nd Police Precinct said a man was shot in the stomach last week in the lobby of an apartment building at 2663 Heath Ave. The victim survived, but wasn’t cooperating with investigators.
Rivera said it was the first shooting in the precinct since a series of them, including the murder of a 15-year-old kid, in mid-June.
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
A 21-year-old man was murdered late on Monday night, July 20, in the area of the Grand Concourse and East 203rd Street. Police have yet to identify the victim. There have been no arrests yet and, in an e-mail report, police said the investigation is ongoing.
Responding to reports of a person shot, police in the 52nd Precinct found the victim, described as being a young black man, shot numerous times in the chest and stomach. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival just after midnight, July 21.
Police could not be reached by press time for further explanation.
July 23, 2009
By Norwood News
• The Community Education Council of District 10 will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6:15 p.m. at 1 Fordham Plaza, on the 8th floor. For more information, call (718) 741-5836 or e-mail: CEC10@schools.nyc.gov.
• National Night Out is on Aug. 4 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Mosholu Parkway between Decatur and Hull avenues. The event promotes safety and good relations between the police and community. There will be fun and games for the whole family. Free bike helmets will be given out and four bikes will be raffled off.
• Iglesia Cristo Refugio Eterno is having a street fair on Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 199th Street between the Grand Concourse and Jerome Avenue. For more information call (718) 563-3620.
• A Health Fair and Street Festival will be held on Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Heath Avenue between Kingsbridge Road and West 193rd Street.
• The University Heights Block Party will take place on Saturday, July 25, from noon to 7 p.m. on Cedar Avenue between Fordham Road and Hall of Fame Terrace.
July 23, 2009
By Ashley Villarreal
In testimony during the Senate’s confirmation hearings last week, Bronx CongressmanJose E. Serrano, praised Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor for her strong character and hard-scrabble roots.
The hearings on Capitol Hill wrapped up last Thursday and it’s widely assumed Sotomayor will be confirmed to the highest court.
“Around us were many distractions that could have taken us down a totally different road,” he said, “but there was also ambition and people determined to make something of themselves.”
“Everyone watching this nomination should know that based upon her background and ideals, they are in good hands with Judge Sotomayor,” he said.
July 23, 2009
By Molly Ryan
In District 11, incumbent Oliver Koppell has raised $115,338 and his opponent, Tony Cassino has raised $101,440. In District 14, the financial standings are: Maria Baez at $51, 895, Fernando Cabrera at $37,547, Yudelka Tapia at $32,390, Miguel Santana at $9,885. There are no finance records for Kevin Ennis.
July 23, 2009
By Molly Ryan
Campaigns are gathering speed as the Sept. 15 primary election for City Council is fast approaching. On July 16, all City Council candidates were required to submit at least 900 petition signatures to secure a position on the ballot.
If any candidate receives a general objection to their signatures, which were due on July 20, the objector has six days to file a specific objection. When a specific objection is filed, hearings are held on the petitions for the objected candidate to determine whether they can continue on the ballot.
In the 14th District, each of the five candidates who gathered 900 petition signatures received general objections to their petitions.
The candidates who filed petitions election in District 14 (see story, page 1) include incumbent Maria Baez, Fernando Cabrera, Miguel Santana, Yudelka Tapia and an unknown candidate, Kevin Ennis. (Yorman Nunez dropped out of the race without submitting his signatures.)
All of the candidates except, it seems, for Ennis have been campaigning for months (some like Tapia and Cabera, for almost a year). No professional information is known about Ennis and the only recorded information at the New York City Board of Elections about him is his general objection to Cabrera’s and Tapia’s petitions and his address on Morris Avenue in the Bronx. Both Santana and Nunez said they had never heard of him.
In District 11, incumbent Oliver Koppell and his opponent, Tony Cassino, have both garnered well over the 900 petition signatures needed for the ballot. Koppell managed to obtain over 6,300 signatures while Cassino came in slightly behind with about 4,300 signatures. Neither candidate received objections to their petition signatures, meaning both candidates will be on the September ballot.
July 23, 2009
By Molly Ryan
A little thing like legality was not going to stop the local Community Education Council from conducting its monthly business.
For the first time in six years, community education councils across New York City were not legally obligated to meet this month. This is because Mayor Bloomberg’s control over New York City public schools ended on June 30 and has yet to be renewed by the New York State legislature.
But education councils, including the one in District 10, which represents a large swath of the northwest Bronx, are continuing to pursue their agendas.
Bloomberg created the councils when he first gained mayoral control over public schools in 2003. The councils were installed to advise Bloomberg’s Panel for Education Policy, which he appoints, and to approve school zoning lines. There is a council of 12 members for each school district.
Even though the councils are no longer legally a part of the Department of Education, the District 10 council loyally marched into their meeting at PS 54 in Fordham on July 16.
District 10 Council President Marvin Shelton said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein encouraged all the councils to continue meeting as if mayoral control will be renewed.
At the meeting last week, the council held in-house elections for the president, vice presidents, and treasurer. Shelton was once again elected president. During a short speech, he expressed his plans to “help parents better understand their roles.”
State Senate Democrats also want to provide training for parents who would like to be more involved in their children’s education in a bill renewing mayoral control. The problem is that the bill includes modifications, such as parental training, a commission to study school violence and an improved cultural curriculum, that Bloomberg isn’t happy about.
Instead of working on a compromise, the State Senate, still reeling from a month-long stalemate, is leaving the issue of mayor control unresolved for the summer and probably won’t decide on it until at least September.
When asked if he thought that the bill for mayoral control would pass through the Senate, Shelton said, “I don’t think the Senate has the energy at this point” to deal with it. Even though Shelton would “like to see independent parent training,” he was not hopeful about seeing a change in the mayoral control bill.
Under the mayoral control system, Shelton said he believes councils have “no power” since they only advise the mayor. Nonetheless, Shelton and his fellow volunteer council members will continue to show up for work.
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
In the face of loud opposition from community groups, union leaders, business owners and local residents, the members of Community Board 7 voted to conditionally approve a developer’s plans to turn the long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory into a giant shopping mall.
After the vote, which came during a tension-filled public meeting at the Bronx Library Center, just blocks from the Armory, Board 7 Chairman Greg Faulkner realized the approval wouldn’t go over well, but said the board acted with the best of intentions.
“Saying no would have been popular and it probably would have felt good,” Faulkner said, “but we felt voting yes with conditions gave us the best shot to have a say in the process going forward.”
The approval came with a list of 11 conditions, including the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), the inclusion of a peace atrium, subsidized community space, affordable youth recreation space, and union protections. On the morning of the vote, the developer, The Related Companies, sent a letter to the board saying it agreed, in broad terms, to all the conditions the board set.
Jesse Masyr, Related’s lawyer and community liaison, said the board’s decision was wise. “If you say no, you’re done,” he said. “No means no. Yes with conditions means you’re not there yet, but let’s work together to get there.”
The approval vote also included language encouraging Related to put a supermarket with organic food options into the Armory.
The Bronx-based supermarket chain Morton Williams has lobbied heavily against the inclusion of a supermarket at the Armory, saying it would force them to close both of its stores in the borough at the cost of at least 125 Bronx jobs.
Following the board’s vote to include supermarket language, which came with several dissenting opinions, more than 50 Morton Williams executives and employees in attendance angrily stormed out of the library. “Shame on you,” yelled Morton Williams vice president and part-owner, Avi Kaner. Others shouted that the board was now responsible for the loss of hundreds of good jobs.
The conditions, however, did not include any language requiring the developer to provide living wage jobs ($10 an hour, plus benefits) at the Armory. Related says the renovation will be built using union labor, which will pay at least living wage, but that requiring tenant businesses at the Armory mall to pay living wages was unrealistic.
For the past year, the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), which consists of community groups, churches, unions and local residents, has pushed for the inclusion of living wage language in a benefits agreement. At the meeting, several KARA members implored the board to vote no on the project because it didn’t include living wage.
Before the final vote, board member Andrew Laiosa made a push to include living wage requirements as a condition for approval, but Faulkner and a representative from the Bronx borough president’s office told them to drop it because the issue would be taken up in separate negotiations with Related.
“I brought [living wage] up at the end and nobody wanted to touch it,” said Laiosa, who was one of five board members who voted against the mall project. During the confusing argument over living wage language, police escorted out nearly two dozen youth activists for speaking out of order.
Right before the vote, Council Member Oliver Koppell strongly urged board members to vote yes with conditions, saying a no vote would leave the board out of the negotiating process going forward. At the same time, he warned that a no vote could stop the project and leave the Armory vacant.
Assemblyman Jose Rivera disagreed. In a long, rambling speech, he encouraged board members to vote no. Voting no, he said, would send a message to City Hall that big developers like Related would have to work more closely with the community.
“We want development, but we want them to develop with us,” Rivera said.
At the end of the laborious, three-hour meeting, board members practically staggered off the stage in the library’s basement auditorium. Because most of the audience had either left in protest or been escorted out, only the board, a few stragglers, and several representatives from Related and the city remained for the final vote.
Cynthia O’Neal-Riley, who voted against the project and brought up an amendment to block the inclusion of a supermarket, was surprised by all the arguing. “I didn’t know I was opening up a can of worms,” she said. “I just wanted to protect the jobs of those workers.”
“I’m completely worn out,” said board member Helene Hartman, who also voted against the project. She said she couldn’t bring herself to vote for the project because “we really didn’t have enough of an agreement from Related.”
Laiosa agreed. “It’s a matter of details,” he said. “There’s no requirement for [Related] to do anything. They can turn it anything they want.”
But the bulk of the board agreed with Faulkner and Koppell that voting yes with conditions was the best move to stay in the picture and keep the development moving forward.
Board member Enrique Vega, who lives just down the street from the Armory, was not swayed by the audience’s stance against the project. “I wasn’t real impressed with the audience, they were very rehearsed,” he said. “They had an agenda.”
George Berdejo, another board member, said, “We’ve looked at all sides of the issue and I think we’re making the right decision for everybody involved.” He added that it was good that not everybody on the board agreed. “That’s a good thing. It shows there’s no collusion.”
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
As it heads toward the finish line, the crowded race for the Bronx’s 14th District Council seat is sprouting more subplots and mysteries than a season of “Lost.”
In the last 10 days, the incumbent successfully turned an opponent into an ally. A young upstart who seemed to be gaining momentum dropped out mysteriously. Another candidate deflected propositions from all sides. And yet another candidate who it seems no one has heard of came completely out of the blue to make a last minute effort to get on the ballot.
“This situation is very unique,” said Miguel Santana, a first-time candidate in the race who is fighting a serious funding disadvantage.
Santana, one of five candidates still in the race, was speaking on his cell phone from the New York City Board of Elections headquarters in downtown Manhattan where he was sorting out issues related to the petition signatures he had filed in order to get his name on the ballot.
In order to get on the Sept. 15 primary ballot, all Council candidates must file at least 900 good petition signatures (see page 2). They were due last Thursday.
The day before, on Wednesday morning, the incumbent, Maria Baez, announced she had a new campaign manager, former opponent Yesenia Polanco.
On Wednesday night, Yorman Nunez, a 20-year-old former community organizer, gave a rousing and very political speech after working tirelessly to gather the necessary signatures to get on the ballot. Two days later, on Friday afternoon, Nunez announced he had not submitted his signatures and was dropping out of the race.
Then, on Saturday, Santana went down to the Board of Elections to discover that not only had three separate objections to his signatures been filed, but that one of them had been filed by a mysterious candidate named Kevin Ennis who had filed his own petitions.
“He’s a plant,” Santana said of Ennis, adding that his presence was probably part of the “gamesmanship” going on. Nunez said he’d never heard of him, either.
Santana says he’s been lobbied to both stay in the race (by Baez’s camp) and to drop out of it (by the camp of the most endorsed opposition candidate, Fernando Cabrera’s), but that he remains steadfast and committed to the race, no matter how crazy it gets.
In other 14th District developments:
An Idealist Drops Out
Over the past four months, Yorman Nunez had turned himself into one of the most intriguing stories on the campaign trail. The son of a struggling single mother from the Dominican Republic, Nunez found his way out of a troubled adolescence through the power of community organizing. By organizing people to fight back, for their rights, their jobs, their homes, Nunez felt he could make a difference.
In March, while sitting around the kitchen table in the Sedgewick apartment he shares with his mom, brother (who he also shares a bed with), twin sisters, cousin and dog Diego, he and several friends decided to get into politics. Nunez, they decided, would be the candidate.
In 30 days, they built up a small army of volunteers and raised more than $17,000 through small donations. They turned his family’s apartment into a makeshift campaign headquarters and launched a full-tilt signature-gathering mission. Last Wednesday he said he felt confident in his signatures.
And then, he dropped out of the race.
In a telephone interview, Nunez said he made a “stategic decision” not to file his petition signatures. Despite what others might think, he said, he wasn’t pressured into dropping out and didn’t make a deal with any of the other candidates.
Although he was disappointed he wouldn’t see this race through until election day, Nunez said his candidacy was never just about getting elected. “What our campaign was about was changing the political landscape of the Bronx and educating the community,” he said. “We’re trying to change the way candidates are chosen. We don’t want it to be three people in a room deciding who our candidates are.”
Nunez, a product of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and their youth arm Sistas and Brothas United (SBU), said he made the decision after countless meetings with friends, campaign staffers and advisors.
Nunez said he and his “team” are still deciding where and how to direct their energy. He dropped a few hints about what that might mean. “We are ending the campaign, still seeing what we want to do next. There’s some big fish to fry. That could mean [controversial State Senator] Espada, it could mean this mayoral race,” he said. “For sure what we’re interested in is building the base.”
For now, he has not decided to throw his support behind any of the other candidates in the 14th District. “They have three months to convince me who to vote for. I don’t think we’re going to help out our candidate,” Nunez said.
Embattled Baez Fights Back
The Bronx Democratic Party may have cut loose Maria Baez (the party’s supporting Cabrera, as are the Working Families Party and most of influential unions), but she still has friends in high places.
Last week, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn all announced their support for Baez.
“She’s been a great friend to her district, a great friend to the Bronx, and a great and loyal friend to me,” said Quinn, speaking at a rally outside Baez’s campaign office on East 181st Street on July 16.
Also present to show their support were Assemblymen Jose Rivera and Nelson Castro, and Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo and her mother, Assemblywoman Carmen E. Arroyo.
Assemblywoman Arroyo said people have tried to convince her to walk away from Baez, who has faced mounting criticism about her appalling attendance record at council meetings and hearings. In the 2009 fiscal year, for example, she had the worst record in the council and showed up just 56 percent of the time, according to the New York Post.
But Arroyo said the district could not do better. “I said ‘bring me a person who could do better than Maria,’” she said. “But they don’t have that person. That person doesn’t exist.”
Arroyo talked about Baez’s “strength, character, and integrity.” She said she called her the “quiet storm” because she works “very quietly, very consistently.”
The event was billed as a “Women for Baez” rally, and perhaps 80 percent of the 100-plus crowd was women, most of them seniors.
“She’s done a lot for the seniors, the schools, and she’s not stuck up, I’ll put it like that,” said long-time Morris Avenue resident Willie Simmons.
At the rally, Baez introduced her new campaign manager, Yesenia Polanco, who until recently was one of Baez’s potential primary opponents. Polanco said she realized that now wasn’t her time, and so she decided to throw her weight behind the incumbent. “As a young Latina woman … [Baez is] very inspiring,” said Polanco, a former state legislative aide.
“I’ve been in this community for 40 years, 30 years politically,” Baez said. “I will not stop fighting for this community. I’m not going anywhere.”
July 23, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Followed by a crowd of more than 500 people, including activists, politicians, union leaders, local clergy, new moms and a radical marching band, 16-year-old Adolfo Abreu wrapped yellow tape around the Kingsbridge Armory. The message from the northwest Bronx community was simple, clear and written in black letters on the yellow tape, both in English and Spanish: “It’s Our Armory.”
The Armory, of course, is owned by the city, but is in the process of being turned over to The Related Companies who plan to transform the massive castle-like structure into a huge shopping mall.
But people at the rally — which was organized last Wednesday night by the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) and ended with the taping of the Armory — wanted Related to know that they expected something in return for their Armory.
As part of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), they want Related to require its mall tenants to pay a living wage ($10 an hour, plus benefits). And they’re enlisting the help of heavy hitters to take up the fight on a bigger stage.
In the packed, yellow-lit auditorium of Our Lady of Refuge Church on 196th Street, local elected officials and prominent union leaders, including Stuart Appelbaum of the Retail, Wholesalers and Department Store Union (RWDSU) and Fred LeMoine of the Bronx Board of Business Agents were joined for a cameo appearance by Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson who is currently the city’s comptroller.
When asked whether he would take up KARA’s fight for living wage jobs, Thompson said, “It’s a tough question. The answer is yes!”
Earlier this spring, the board of the city’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) approved $17.3 million in tax breaks to help Related complete its Armory mall project. Thompson’s representative on the board was a lone dissenting vote.
At the rally, Thompson said his position on living wage jobs at the Armory and other development projects represented a sharp contrast from the views of his opponent, Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Thompson said he thinks the city should be tying tax breaks into the creation of good jobs, “not just during construction, but after construction” as well. He added, “Some of the models [for linking tax breaks to post-construction jobs] that we’re seeing are not part of how the city thinks.”
In Los Angeles, benefits agreements with living wage requirements are becoming part of most big development projects. But, as job advocates and even Related officials have pointed out, wage requirements have not been part of the Bloomberg administration’s development model.
Related has committed to entering into a CBA for the Armory project, but says requiring living wages from its future tenants would be unrealistic. KARA and members of Community Board 7, with the help of the Bronx Borough President’s office, however, are negotiating for living wage language in a CBA that could change Bloomberg’s model for the five boroughs.
Neighborhood Notes
July 9, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Stomp Out Sarcoma Walk
The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and the Liddy Shriver Foundation are having a Stomp Out Sarcoma Walk on Saturday, July 18 at Van Cortlandt Park (240th Street entrance at Broadway near the fox statue). The event will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and the proceeds of the walk will help fund Sarcoma (a former of cancer) research. To register or make a donation, call May Thompson at (718) 741-2342. In the event of rain, the walk will be held at the Children’s Hospital, 111 E. 210th St.
Summer Flea Market
St. Ann’s Church is hosting their annual summer flea market starting Friday, July 10. The market will be open every Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. until Aug. 22. The market is located in the parking lot of the church on the corner of Bainbridge Avenue and East Gun Hill Road. Items to be sold include jewelry, perfume, clothing, purses, shoes and more.
Free Oval Health Fair
On Saturday, July 25, the Community Health Partnership and the City of New York are hosting a free health fair. The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at the Williamsbridge Recreation Center (3225 Reservoir Oval E.). Included at the fair are educational information and presentations about diabetes, asthma, glucose and blood pressure and other health procedures. Entertainment and refreshments will be provided. Contact Tuwanda Ruffin (718) 654-1851 or Tina Inman (646) 258-1716 for more information.
NYBC July Blood Drives
The New York Blood Center will be holding blood drives throughout July as part of a regional effort by local students to help save lives and earn scholarships for their hard work. A local upcoming blood drive will be held on July 14 from 1 to 6:30 p.m. in Lehman College’s Music Building at 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd. W. For more information, contact Lanette Perez- Villarroel at (914) 784-4635 or email Lperez-villarroel@nybloodcenter.org.
Vendors Needed for Summer Church Flea Market
The Church of the Holy Nativity, 3061 Bainbridge Ave., needs vendors for its summer church flea market on Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. This is an indoor and outdoor event, to be held rain or shine. Tables are $30 each and will be provided by the church. New and used items to be bought and sold at the market, cash only. For more information, call (718) 409- 6912.
Montefiore Employees: How do you get to work?
In correlation with green living, the Norwood News is planning a new feature to help reduce car transportation to Montefiore Medical Center. As the largest employer in any borough outside Manhattan, Montefiore draws many drivers. However, the institution wants to save parking spaces for the patients who pay for the hospital’s services as well as encourage environmentally friendly commuting practices. We want to hear from you in the Norwood News’ new feature: “How I get to Montefiore (Moses).” A number of people walk or take the bus, subway or a cab to the Moses Division hospital. In this new feature, we will profile different people who take each one of these modes of transportation, or those we haven’t though of, to Montefiore. Please help. Contact the Norwood News at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call (718) 324-4998.
Agnes Haywood Park Spruce-Up
Community residents will be painting the wall around Agnes Haywood Park in Williamsbridge, East 216th Street between Barnes Avenue and White Plains Road, on Saturday, July 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Paint, brushes, rollers and other supplies will be provided by the NYC Parks Department. To RSVP, please email GoGreen917@aol.com.
FREE Energy Information Workshop
Learn how to save energy and money in your home! A free energy information workshop will be held on Thursday, July 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Town Hall, 4101 White Plains Rd. at East 229th Street. Topics to be covered include how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, the importance of using Energy Star, financing options for home energy improvements and incentive grant programs for homeowners, renters and landlords. This workshop is sponsored by Bronx Community Board 12 and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Please RSVP by emailing GoGreen917@aol.com or calling CB12 at (718) 881-4455. Town Hall can be reached by: #2 train to East 225th Street or East 233rd Street; Bx41 bus to White Plains Road and East 228th Street; Bx31 bus to White Plains Road and East 233rd Street.
NMCIR Immigration Assistance
The Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights is offering immigration assistance to Bronxites. There is assistance with U.S. Citizenship, family petitions, and travel permits. It is offered at Refuge House, 2715 Bainbridge Ave., Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (718) 484-8294 or email info@NMCIR.org.
Free Spaying/Neutering
The Toby Project will be offering free spaying and neutering services for dogs and cats on the following dates: Wednesday, July 15 at East 144th Street and Third Avenue; Saturday, July 11 at 1949 Westchester Ave.; and Sunday, July 12 at Capuchin Way between East Gun Hill Road and Magenta Street. Animals should be dropped off at 7 a.m. and picked up a few hours later. For more information, call (212) 799-1120 or visit www.tobyproject.org.
Volunteer at North Bronx Healthcare
The North Bronx Healthcare Network is seeking volunteers for the Sexual Assault Treatment Program run at North Central Bronx Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, and Lincoln Medical Center. Those interested should be willing to volunteer twice a month and commit to serving the program for one year. For more information, call (718) 519-4788.
Farmers Market at Botanical Garden
There will be an all day Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Market at the Botanical Garden through Nov. 14. The Wednesday market will be held near Tulip Tree Allee and the Saturday market will be across the street from the Garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance. Vendors from New York’s Hudson Valley region and beyond offer a variety of home grown products, meats and home baked goods. For more information, visit www.nybg.org/edible_garden/farmers_market.php or call (718) 362-9561 and press 403#.
Mt. St. Ursula Speech Center Summer Registration
The Mount Saint Ursula Speech Center is now accepting applications for its summer program. Children, from the ages of 2 to 16, in need of speech, language and literacy services may be eligible. The five-week program will run five days a week to July 31. They accept Medicaid, and some insurance. There is also a sliding scale for private pay clients. For more information, call (718) 584-7679.
MTA’s Trip Planner Voice
Trip Planner Voice is a telephone service that allows customers to access bus and subway travel itinerary information via telephone 24/7 without the need to wait to speak to an agent. Trip Planner provides customers with the best and most accurate directions, fare information, walking distances and scheduled connections to and from other transit modes and transfers. For more information, and to learn how to get mobile access, visit www.tripplanner.mta.info.
MetroCard Grace Periods
MTA New York City Transit has announced that all riders who purchase a 1-Day Fun Pass, 7-Day, 14-Day, or 30-Day Unlimited MetroCard before the June 28 fare change, and use them for the first time no later than July 6, will receive all entitled unlimited travel. Purchases made prior to June 28 are valid as follows: One-Day Fun Passes until July 6; 7-Day Unlimited MetroCards until July 12; 14-Day Unlimited MetroCards until July 19, and 30-Day Unlimited MetroCards until Aug. 4. Pay-per-ride MetroCards are not affected and can be used normally after the increase. For more information, visit www.mta.info.
Aid for Veterans and Their Families
The Warriors Family Assistance Program, launched by the American Legion Auxiliary, comes to the direct aid of veterans and their families in New York State. Veterans and their families can apply for up to $1,500 in aid in maintenance grants, medical grants and employment opportunities. Any veteran who has served honorably within the last four years, or is currently serving in one of the Armed Forces, and is a NYS resident, is eligible to apply. All grants are non-repayable. For an application or more information, call (800) 421-6348.
Free Career Information Seminars
Lehman College Office of Continuing Education is holding free career information seminars for its non-credit certificate programs. For dates, times and locations of seminars, please call (718) 960-8512 or visit www.lehman.edu.ce.
Computer Classes at Williamsbridge Oval
The Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, 3225 Reservoir Oval E., is holding computer classes on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Learn how to use the internet and MS Office software. For more information, contact Albert Davis or Tuwanda Ruffin at (718) 654-1851.
Teen Trailways Summer Camp
Teens entering 7th to 10th grade can enroll in the Teen Trailways program at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, which takes campers on day trips to sporting events, Broadway shows, comedy clubs, lakes, beaches, state parks, and amusement parks. Teens can also go on longer trips to Virginia Beach, Toronto and Disney World in Florida. For more information, call (718) 882-4000.
Free Prescription $aver Card
The NY State Health Department is accepting applications for the free New York Prescription $aver Card. The program offers discounts on thousands of prescription medications. It will serve low-income New Yorkers who are disabled or between the ages of 50 and 64. To be eligible, income for single individuals must be $35,000 or less, and $50,000 or less for married individuals. Medicaid and EPIC recipients are not eligible for the Prescription $aver Card. To learn more or apply, visit www.nyprescriptionsaver.fhsc.com or call (800) 788-6917. (TTY users should call (800) 290-9138.) Applications are also available at pharmacies.
School Salon Reopens
The School of Professional Beauty Care at Grace Dodge Career and Technical High School, 2474 Crotona Ave., has reopened The New Image Salon to the public. It’s open every Thursday afternoon from 2:45 to 5:30 p.m., offering a wide variety of salon services at reasonable prices. Prices range from $5 to $25. Graduating seniors in the school’s cosmetology program staff the salon, with a licensed cosmetologist on duty. For more information, call (718) 584-2700 ext. 5084.
Foster Care Network
The Foster Care Network is reaching out to potential foster parents in the Bronx. Hundreds of foster children in the area need loving and caring families to make a difference in their lives. Foster parents receive tax-free financial assistance for the expenses of each child, free training, and Foster Parent certification. For more information, call (800) 454-3727 or visit www.fostercarenetwork.org.
Free Medicine Programs for Cancer Patients
The Complimentary Medicine Program at 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 to see if yoga can help patients with breast, lung, and colorectal cancer. A certified yoga instructor teaches classes in both English and Spanish. The Mind-Body Cancer Program includes 8 weeks of Mind-Body groups (The Stress Management Education Group and the Spiritual Support Group) for patients with most types of cancer. Some restrictions apply to these groups, which have been specifically designed by a psychologist and an oncologist. For more information and to find out eligibility, call (718) 430-2380.
Couples Needed for Research Study
Doctors at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center are looking for healthy couples between the ages of 22 and 50, and in a monogamous relationship for at least six months, to participate in a research study. The study will test a vaginal gel and the couple will be screened for sexually transmitted infections. Females will have a gynecologic exam and vaginal fluid collected and males will have a genital exam. Female volunteers will have four visits and be reimbursed $60 per visit, and males volunteers will have three visits and will be reimbursed $40 per visit. Females must be using hormonal contraception. All visits will take place at the Albert Einstein General Clinical Research Center. For more information, call Julie at (718) 430-3253 or email microbicide@aecom.yu.edu.
English, Citizenship and Computer Classes
-MS 80 at 149 E. Mosholu Pkwy N., is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) classes. For those interested, or if you have any questions, call Mrs. Alejandro at (718) 405-6300 ext. 1131.
-Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., is offering free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship Classes. Ongoing classes run through June 30. For more information, call (718) 882-4000.
-Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, is enrolling students for free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship classes. Ongoing classes run through June 30. For more information, call Aisha Abdul-Wahhab, program director, at (718) 884-0700 ext. 191 or 132.
-PS 94 at 3530 Kings College Pl,. offers ESL levels 1 and 2 and Computer Skills classes through summer 2009. Both classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Computer classes will be taught in English and will include lessons on keyboarding, Microsoft Word and other programs. Registration is first-come, first-served. For more information, call Ms. Seminario, the parent coordinator, at (347) 563-4772 or (718) 405-6345.
-St. James Recreation Center at 2530 Jerome Ave. offers free classes in Microsoft Office, Resume/Cover Letter Writing, Computer Basics, and much more. For more information, call Justin Young at (718) 367-3659.
-Fordham University, 557 E. Fordham Rd., is currently holding free computer and English Language classes for parents, Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays. Classes can either stand alone or as an 8- to 12-week series. For more information or to register, call (718) 817-3503.
Senior Employment
The American Association of Retired Person (AARP) and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) are assisting low-income Bronx residents, 55 and older, to receive employment through their outreach, training, and internship programs. For more information, call AARP located at 384 E. 149th St., Ste. 608 at (718) 585-2500.
MS 80 Needs Love
MS 80 is asking parents and community members to show some love and volunteer for just an hour each week. The school needs mentors, math and reading tutors, part-time coaches and volunteers to help with cafeteria duty. For more information, call Ms. Alejandro (718) 405-6300 ext. 111.
Free Kids’ Summer Vacations
The Fresh Air Fund is currently registering boys and girls, ages six through 12, for free summer vacations in the homes of volunteer host families throughout the northeast or at one of five Fresh Air Fund summer camps in upstate New York. To find out how to register, call (800) 367-0003 or go to www.freshair.org.
MMCC Grade School & Teen Programs at Tracey Towers
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center is accepting registration for their free after school program at Tracey Towers, 40 W. Mosholu Pkwy. The program meets Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and is open to children in the third through sixth grades. From 6:30 to 9 p.m., the free Teen Center is open for youth ages 12 to 18. Programs include homework help, computers, arts and crafts, sports, acting, and quiet games. To register, stop by the Youth Community Room on the second floor of Tracey Towers and speak to Antoine Fields, or call him at (917) 482-5039.
Self Defense Classes
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center still has space in its boxing, karate, and self-defense classes for children, teens, and adults. To register or find out class times, call (718) 882-4000 ext. 0, or stop by the center at 3450 DeKalb Ave.
Free Meditation for Breast Cancer Survivors
The Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center is offering a free 20-week course on meditation and stress management for breast cancer survivors. The course is part of a research study. To register or learn more, call Kimala Harris at (718) 430-2380 or e-mail kah2019@med.cornell.edu.
Place for Teens With Issues
The Power Project is a free program for teens ages 12 to 18 who are dealing with substance abuse and other problems. Located at 3464 Webster Ave., Power Project provides case management, individual and group counseling, trips, and is just a place to get away from it all. For more information, call (718) 515-7971.
Wii Games for Adults and Seniors
On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m., adults and seniors can enjoy free Wii video games at the Mosholu Library, 285 E. 205th St. To sign up, go to the Adult Information Desk. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
Free Parking Calendars
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is offering free New York City Parking Calendars to community residents. To receive one, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to his office at 3107 Kingsbridge Ave., Bronx, NY 10463, or stop by the office in person.
Free Career Workshops
The State University of New York, located at 3950 Laconia Ave., is offering free career workshops, including job readiness training, resume and cover letter preparation, help with job searches and computer skills, job placement assistance, an Office Skills Certificate Program, college prep and more. For more information, call (718) 547-1001 or visit www.NBX.SUNYEOC.org.
After School Care
The Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 DeKalb Ave., provides after school care for children in elementary school. Children are transported from their schools in Norwood, Bedford Park, Williamsbridge and Van Cortlandt Village. The center provides a snack, help with homework, and an array of activities to keep children busy. Financial aid is available. For more information, call Ruth Moore, program registrar, at (718) 882-4000.
Schizophrenia Study Seeks Participants
A research study seeking new treatments for schizophrenia is looking for patients in the Bronx. Candidates must be 18 to 65 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia at or before age 35 and currently on certain medications for schizophrenia. Patients can enroll through the first half of 2009. For more information, call (888) 988-6736 or go to www.cognitivestudy.com.
Job Opportunities
On Dec. 1, Mayor Bloomberg announced the expansion of free job placement services through New York City’s Workforce1 Career Centers. The centers provide personalized career counseling, interview training, resume/cover letter assistance, workshops and ESL classes. For more information, call the Bronx Workforce1 Center, 358 E. 149th St., (718) 960-7099.
Quality of Life Screening
The Psychosocial Oncology Program of the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center is conducting a survey study in order to learn about the physical and emotional stresses faced by cancer survivors. Participants will have to fill out questionnaires and have the opportunity to participate in free/low-cost programs and support services within the program. For more information, call (718) 430-2380.
Breast Oncology Program
The Breast Oncology Living Daily Program also known as BOLD living offers a variety of free educational, support, and mind-body workshops. They are designed to empower and nurture breast cancer patients, survivors, and loved ones, but are open to all. For more information or to register, call (718) 430-3613 or email outreach@aecom.yu.edu.
Alzheimer’s Support Group
The Alzheimer’s Association’s New York City chapter provides a support group in Norwood for Spanish and English speaking caregivers who have relatives with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. The support group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 5 to 6:15 p.m. For the location or more information, call Mark Goodwin at (718) 920-7377.
Free Respite Program
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) is offering free after-school services to families with mentally retarded or developmentally disabled children ages 5 to 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. KHCC is also offering a Saturday Respite Program for ages 15 to 25, and on Sundays another Respite Program is provided for ages 18 to 65. Weekend Respite Program hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are held at the KHCC, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace (near Sedgwick Avenue) at West 230th Street. To register or for more information, call Hanna Gabris at (718) 884-0700 ext. 202.
Speech Program at Ursula
The Mt. St. Ursula Speech Center, 2885 Marion Ave., is now accepting applications for its fall program. The center has openings for children ages 2 to 5 who are in need of speech and language services. Medicaid and other insurances accepted. For more information, call (718) 584-7679.
Aphasia Clinic Accepting Clients
The Lehman College Speech and Hearing Center, which provides therapy on a sliding scale payment schedule, is now accepting new clients in its recently expanded aphasia clinic. The clinic will provide individual and group therapy sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m.; group therapy sessions also take place on Tuesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. Diagnostic and therapeutic sessions will be supervised by faculty members who are licensed by the NYS Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and certified by ASHA (American Speech Language Hearing Association). For more information, call Wanda Adams at (718) 960-8138.
The Jobs Corner
July 9, 2009
By Norwood News
B.E.S.T (Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training)
B.E.S.T. is now accepting applications for their job-training and placement programs: B.E.S.T. Eco and B.E.S.T. for Building. If accepted into a program, students over the age of 18 can enroll in a free 14 to 16 week course and learn the skills to obtain green-collar jobs. All students can graduate with certificates in First Aid and CPR, Entry Level Tree Climbing, 10 Hour OSHA, 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Cleanup, Herbicide/Pesticide Applicator and NYC Tree Pruner, depending on the program they select. Graduates can use these skills to get jobs installing green roofs, designing and maintaining urban forestry and many other environmental fields. The program will keep track of their graduates for three years in case they need help finding jobs. Visit http://www.ssbx.org/best.html to apply or call (646) 400-5430 for more information.
South Bronx Job Corps
The Job Corps provides free education and training to people from the ages of 16 to 24. Students enrolled in the Job Corps will obtain their GED or if they already have a high school diploma, they can participate in the Advanced Career Training Program and take classes at CUNY or Hostos Community College. The Job Corps can train students to be accountants, nursing assistants, chefs, security officers, pharmacy technicians and other professionals. Students in the program also will be given a basic living allowance and are eligible to live at dormitories on the campus. All applicants must be U.S. citizens, have a low-income status and be willing to participate in the program. Contact (800) 733-5627 for more information.
Santiago Kids Moving Up
July 9, 2009
By None
Michael Santiago graduated from P.S. 8, Briggs Avenue Academy. He will be attending Pace Academy in the fall. His parents love him and are extremely proud.
Christian Santiago has moved up from his kindergarten class at P.S. 23 and will be attending P.S. 8, the Briggs Avenue Academy. His parents and family are proud of him and love him very much.
Michele Hayes Graduates!
July 9, 2009
By None
Congratulations to Michele Lynn Hayes on her graduation from Southern Westchester BOCES Nursing Program. Michele graduated from the accelerated program on June 18. She resides in the Norwood section of the Bronx, and will now seek to establish her nursing license before embarking on a career in nursing.
Third Time’s a Charm for Two Excelling Small Schools
July 9, 2009
By Norwood News
Bronx School of Law and Finance – John F. Kennedy Campus
The audience choked up as Jourdain Deyanirse, the salutatorian at the Bronx School of Law and Finance, began speaking directly to her mother, first in English and then in Spanish, at the small school’s third-ever graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 25 at Teacher’s College in Manhattan.
“I want to extend a special thank you to my mom for giving up her dreams for mine,” Jourdain said. “Thank you for your help, support, guidance, and hard work. Now because of you, and I, I will finally be attending my dream college at New York University!”
One of the announcers, Matt Neville, recovered with a joke directed toward a random student in the audience.
“I saw a tear come out of his eye and it got all the way down here,” he said, motioning to his chin, “before it got scared and ran back up.”
Laughter rang out across the auditorium, and the excitement returned to those who were graduating.
Neville, who headed the Latin program at the school, said that as a professor, his experience at the Bronx school rivaled every other he had known. “It doesn’t even compare, it’s amazing, you can see the family atmosphere, it’s so small,” he said.
“It’s been a lot of rough times but a lot of good times,” said one graduated student, Mian Colon, who now plans to study studio engineering in Brooklyn. “I feel like I have a really good family here.”
Even though the classrooms will still average around 30 students per classroom, Neville said what makes a difference at Bronx Law and Finance, which is one of several small schools on the John F. Kennedy High School campus, is that advisory teams made up of teachers and counselors are there for groups of students.
“So even if there’s no one else for them [at home or otherwise], there’s someone right in the school that really cares for them,” Neville said. “In the advisory setting we’re able to give them life skills that you can’t give in the classroom.”
Coming from Florida, Carmen Adames, the mother of valedictorian Stephanie Camillo, said she was surprised to see this kind of personalized attention in a New York school.
“I didn’t think I was going to find it here, but I did,” she said. “It was very much catered to meet the needs of the student no matter how they got there. They did it.”
District 11 Councilman Oliver Koppell was also in attendance, and said he was pleased to see how the school had progressed since he had helped in providing funds to build a mock-courtroom in one of the school’s classrooms.
“We in the City Council in the city of New York try to make educational success the password or the byword for every student, and I think some of the conversions of the large schools into the small schools have been a great success,” Koppel said, referring to the 1985 New York Board of Education’s New Visions Initiative to break up larger failing schools into smaller schools similar to trade schools.
“I’m so pleased you’re pursuing a career in law and finance,” said Koppell, a lawyer by trade. “We desperately need better people in finance. Look what the people in finance have done over the last few months down on Wall Street.”
Times are truly changing, Koppell said, and perhaps some of the things we conceive today as barriers will no longer be for our younger generations. He gave the current example of race and how minorities such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell, President, Barack Obama and Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor have risen to the top of the United States’ political system. He also noted that both Powell and Sotomayor were born and raised in the Bronx-area.
“Your future is limited only by your own aspirations and your own commitment, and by the work you can achieve and what you want to achieve,” he said. “[Graduation] It’s an achievement but not an end — it is truly a commencement.” —Ashley Villarreal
Discovery High School –
Walton High School Campus
Amongst tears, cheers and laughter, Discovery High School’s class of 2009 bid their final farewell to their high school teachers, friends and principal in an exciting and energetic graduation ceremony at Fordham University’s Keating Hall.
The class of 2009 is Discovery High School’s third graduating class since it opened six years ago as a small school on the Walton High School campus in Kingsbridge Heights.
Discovery Principal Rolando Rivera’s graduating class has broken all State Regents Exam requirement and achievement records for the school. Out of the 60 graduates, 43 are above the minimal Regents requirements and 21 achieved advanced Regents honors. Last year only one student from the graduating class got advanced Regents recognition.
Rivera attributed the school’s success to its instructional program and the close and supportive relationship between faculty and students including himself who personally tutors students. Rivera said. “If you really focus on kids, believe in them and set clear and high expectations, they will rise to the occasion.”
At the ceremony, faculty and students thanked each other, sharing tears and emotional stories.
Both Karolyn Guzman and Bruni Moraza, the co-salutatorians, as well as the valedictorian Stephanie Fernandez received laptops to help them in college. Rivera said the vast majority of the graduating class is going to college while a few have enrolled in the military.
—Idalmi Acosta
Related’s Proposal Sets Up Supermarket Showdown
July 9, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Avi Kaner, vice president and part owner of the Morton Williams supermarket chain, picks up a box of Driscoll’s brand strawberries off the produce rack in the company’s Kingsbridge Road store and says, “Look, same as you get at Whole Foods in Manhattan.”
Quality produce is just one reason why Kaner believes the city should do something to save Morton Williams from being crushed by an incoming big box supermarket at the redeveloped Kingsbridge Armory.
Buried deep inside the thousands of pages of their final Environmental Impact Statement, the Armory’s designated developer, The Related Companies, made plans to include 60,000 square feet of space for a big box supermarket, such as a Costco or Pathmark.
Jesse Masyr, a lawyer for the Related Companies, says they included the supermarket plans (which are not set in stone) because Community Board 7 members requested it. Several Board members were very vocal about wanting to see better, healthier food options, maybe even a Whole Foods, at the Armory, adding that they usually shopped outside the borough for groceries.
Kaner and Morton Williams President Morton Sloan say a new, giant supermarket, working with the help of city subsidies, would force them to close the two supermarkets they operate on Jerome Avenue — one just across the street from the Armory, the other just a few blocks down the road, closer to Fordham Road.
Combined, the two stores are only about 50,000 square feet, Sloan says.
“They would destroy us,” Sloan added.
The Family Business
The Sloan family has been in the Bronx grocery business for three generations. “My grandfather owned a bunch of fruit and veggie stands,” Sloan says. His father owned and operated three supermarkets, all of which he operated under the banner of a cooperative called the Associated supermarkets. All Associateds were individually owned, but came together to share food and advertising contracts.
It was Morton and his brother William who built their father’s three stores into 12. Only in the last few years, have they switched their two Bronx supermarkets to the Morton Williams brand.
Since the beginning of the Armory’s redevelopment process, which officially began nearly three years ago, Morton Sloan has been at community hearings and brainstorming sessions to advocate against a new supermarket at a revamped Armory.
Sloan and Kaner were pleased when the city sent out a request for proposals saying it didn’t want the Armory to include businesses that would compete with other area businesses. Related, a developer with deep pockets and a lengthy portfolio, won the bid, but didn’t mention supermarkets in its original plans.
In May of this year, Kaner and Sloan said they arranged a meeting (with the help of Council Member Maria Baez) with Masyr and other Related officials, including Related’s head of retail, Glenn Goldstein. “We said, very clearly, we’re not opposed to development at the Armory, but we are opposed to putting a competitor in there, especially a big box competitor,” Kaner said.
Sloan and Kaner both said Related told them that they had no plans for a supermarket at the Armory. (Masyr denies this.)
The next day, Kaner said, they received a copy of Related’s final EIS, which included supermarkets plans. They were stunned.
A Loss for the Bronx
Since then, Morton Williams has maintained the position that if the Armory supermarket plan goes through, they will be forced to close both their Bronx stores, eliminating 125 jobs in the process. It also means they will be forced to relocate their Bronx administrative and accounting offices, which sits above the Kingsbridge store and employs about 25 people.
An even bigger loss to the community, they say, will be the elimination of the supermarket chain’s hiring center. Every day, around 4 p.m., Morton Williams invites people to apply for jobs at the Bronx headquarters. One employee said there are usually dozens of people looking to fill out an application. Sloan said more than 450 Bronx residents have been hired to work at the company’s 12 stores.
Because all Morton Williams workers belong to the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Workers union (RWDSU), they receive full benefits, a pension plan and are guaranteed a 40-hour work week. “These are good union jobs, with full benefits,” Kaner said. (A quick look through Morton Williams’ payroll shows most workers make around $10 per hour. Some make more, some make less. The median yearly income, Kaner says, is around $26,000.)
Fighting Back
Morton Williams enlisted Richard Lipsky of the Neighborhood Retail Alliance, a group that advocates against big box stores like Wal Mart, to lobby against an Armory supermarket for $5,000 a month. A few years ago, Lipsky was instrumental in stopping a BJ’s, a big box supermarket, from going up on Brush Avenue in the Bronx.
A widely-circulated memo detailed the Alliance’s plan of action, which included enlisting political support and mounting an extensive public relations campaign. “We expect to have the support of the entire [Bronx] delegation which will put us in the right political position to insure the supermarket use [at the Armory] is excluded,” Lipsky writes, adding earlier that they already have Baez’s support.
Community Board 7 Chairman Greg Faulkner said he found the memo “disgusting” because it involved using other minority owners to make their case to politicians. Sloan and Kaner are both white.
Lipsky didn’t apologize for the memo, saying, “It’s our job to demonstrate all the collateral damages.”
But Lipsky says Morton Williams main position is that it’s unfair for a developer to use city tax breaks (which add up to almost $100 million total) to put them out of business, especially if the RFP explicitly says new businesses at the Armory shouldn’t compete with existing businesses.
If they were to follow that request to the letter, Masyr said the Armory would remain empty. “I can promise you that virtually everything we hope to sell, is probably going to be available somewhere else in Kingsbridge area,” he said.
Morton Williams is also up against a healthy-living and nutrition push by the Bloomberg administration. A new city ordinance the City Council is considering would give tax breaks and zoning help to new supermarkets who set up shop in certain designated low-income areas that they say lack access to quality fruits and vegetables. Kingsbridge is one of those designated areas.
Lipsky and Morton Williams say this is laughable, citing the presence of 45 supermarkets within two miles of the Armory. It would also be counter-productive in the case of the Armory because a big box supermarket would close four or five neighborhood supermarkets in the area, Lipsky says.
Moving Not an Option
At a meeting in June, Community Board 7 District Manager Fernando Tirado said the Board and borough president suggested a compromise. Tirado said they tried to convince Morton Williams to be the new supermarket tenant at the Armory as part of a Community Benefits Agreement negotiation. But they declined. Kaner said it would cost Morton Williams millions of dollars the company doesn’t want to spend to move into the Armory.
Inside the Kingsbridge Morton Williams on a recent rainy Tuesday, shopper Hector Santana says he likes his neighborhood grocery store. It’s quiet and fast, he says, but “they could do better with the meat.” He likes the idea of a Costco in the Armory and thinks the Morton Williams would survive the competition. “It’s a different kind of store,” he says.
Claudia Rivas, an employee who lives just a few blocks away, says she’d be devastated if she lost the job she’s held for six years. “It’s comfortable here, good benefits, it’s like a family,” she adds. If it were to close, she says she doesn’t know how she’d get another job, which she needs to support her mother. “It would affect me a lot,” she concludes.
Morton Williams Family-Friendly
July 9, 2009
By None
After learning that Kingsbridge Armory plans include a new supermarket, Avi Kaner, owner of Morton Williams, threatened to close both of his Bronx stores. Both stores, still called “Associated” by most neighborhood residents, are located on Jerome Avenue.
One is near Fordham Road and the other is on Kingsbridge Road extending directly in front of the Armory.
The closing of these two stores would be a community disaster. There are few other supermarkets in the area and none of them come even close to the high quality of Morton Williams. Both stores are immaculately clean, have a large variety of fresh merchandise (no camouflaged expiration dates) and a very friendly and efficient staff. Those who campaigned for a supermarket on 204th Street a few years ago should be particularly sensitive to not having a supermarket in your neighborhood.
Not only would the community suffer but so would the nearly 75 people employed by the Kingsbridge store alone. This store provides the types of jobs that three pastors who authored a Norwood News op-ed in the last issue [June 25–July 8] are campaigning for. Morton Williams employees have union jobs (Local 338), with excellent health benefits including dental and optical. Due to the enlightened and caring management of Andrew Acosta and Patricia Torres, they have far more than monetary benefits.
Work schedules are incredibly flexible and accommodating to college students. Many of the young women doing the checkout also go to college and don’t have to worry about a school/job conflict. At Morton Williams, education comes first. Likewise, single mothers are able to pick up their children after school, saving money on childcare and having the joy of taking care of their children themselves. It’s no accident that the Morton Williams cashiers have such an upbeat and infectious spirit which gives so many customers a lift. Indeed, many customers regularly go to the same cashier and are greeted by their names in the finest “mom & pop” store fashion! It’s no surprise that the “Save Morton Williams Supermarket” petition is garnering signatures in large numbers.
Ms. Torres, in particular, is extremely dedicated to nurturing a team spirit among her charges. The camaraderie among the cashiers is a wonder: If one has an emergency, another is always willing to shorten her lunch hour or extend her work time to fill in the gap. A number of cashiers are in their upper teens and this is their first job. Ms. Torres sees to it that they perform various tasks in addition to manning the cash register so that the young women who emerge learn to be versatile, cooperative and flexible, an attitude which will serve them well in the years ahead.
Bronx Community Board 7 will be voting on the Kingsbridge Armory project on July 14. As part of the ULURP process, a community board can vote for a project with conditions. The addition of an amendment banning a supermarket within the Armory will protect the jobs of the Morton Williams employees, preserve a long time neighborhood institution and please legions of satisfied customers. Economic development should create new jobs and not put a dedicated and major community employer out of business!
On a personal note, my mother was a regular shopper in the store for almost 40 years and I have been a customer since 1998!
John Rozankowski
Bedford Park
CB7′s Armory Vote
July 9, 2009
By Editorial
Community Board 7 is being asked to vote on Related’s proposal on July 14 before a CBA is in place. Board Chair Greg Faulkner was critical of the city’s expedited schedule for starting the land use review process precisely because it didn’t give the Board enough time to participate in CBA negotiations.
Faulkner has said the Board is likely to vote for the proposal with conditions. Just voting no wouldn’t give the Board any leverage, he said.
But we suggest another tack. How about voting “no” with conditions? That would send a stronger message to Related and set the tone for negotiations as Related’s proposal navigates the land use review process.
It would also put the city on notice that community boards can’t be rolled and that CBAs must be hammered out before it’s time to vote. Otherwise, what is there to vote on?
Diaz’s Development Test
July 9, 2009
By Editorial
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. has made it clear that he plans to do things differently when it comes to large development projects in the borough.
“I thought that we shortchanged ourselves … in terms of community benefits agreements,” Diaz said in an interview with the Norwood News shortly before his election in April, referring to the Gateway Mall and Yankee Stadium pacts. “I think we could have done better.”
Diaz now faces a very early test of his leadership, thanks to the Kingsbridge Armory project, which the Related Companies will turn into The Shops at the Armory if it can successfully navigate the land use review now under way. He can either fall prey to the hostage mentality that afflicts most elected officials, who fall for corporate threats to flee and avoid the borough. or he can set a tone at the outset of his tenure that, while the Bronx is open for business, it is no longer going to be taken to the cleaners.
The model for what not to do lies just down the road at Gateway, another Related project, where former Borough President Adolfo Carrion presided over a sham community involvement process that resulted in few benefits for Bronxites.
And while we’ll refrain from ranting about Yankee Stadium, suffice it to say that promised replacement parkland is years away.
This is a tremendous opportunity for the borough president to preside over the crafting of a real community benefits agreement – one that is actually negotiated with local stakeholders in the room — that secures actual and long-lasting benefits and sets the tone for future development during Diaz’s tenure.
The Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, a broad coalition of community organizations and institutions, insists that the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) include a requirement that prospective retailers pay a living wage to its employees.
Related sees this as an unrealistic demand, but that‘s only because for too long we have allowed corporations to dictate the norms of acquiring and developing public property. Is it really so unrealistic to expect that people who work should be able to support themselves and their families?
The living wage is even mentioned in the Request for Proposals issued by the city. The NYC Economic Development Corporation “will view favorably development plans that maximize the number of jobs that meet the city’s living wage and health benefits standards,” the document says.
The taxpayers have already opened their wallets for Related – $50 million in subsidies and tax breaks; $15 million off the appraised value of the facility; and the $30 million that has already gone to stabilize the roof.
Doug Cunningham, a local pastor, framed the issue succinctly at a recent hearing: “How do they [Related] take all these millions of dollars of public benefits for themselves and offer those of us who will work at this mall minimum wage jobs with no benefits at all?”
This is a great opportunity for the borough president. He’s a shoo-in for re-election this fall and doesn’t need wads of developer cash, which, incidentally, got his predecessor into hot water. If he stands up to Related and the Bloomberg administration, he will stand out from the crowd of pols who have repeatedly signed on to raw deals for Bronxites.
Diaz knows what’s right. “We shortchanged ourselves,” he told us.
Well, now it’s time to walk the walk.
Public and Community Meetings
July 9, 2009
By Norwood News
• Community Board 7 is holding an emergency meeting to vote on the proposal to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14 at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. For more information, call (718) 933-5650 or visit www.bronxcb7.info.
• The Community Education Council of District 10 will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, July 16 at 6:15 p.m. at PS 54, 2703 Webster Ave. For more information, call (718) 741-5836 or e-mail: CEC10@schools.nyc.gov.
• The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee meets Thursday, July 16 at 7 p.m. at the DEP offices, 3660 Jerome Ave. For more information, call (718) 220-5824.
Armory Fact File
July 9, 2009
By Norwood News
The Building
• Located on Kingsbridge Road at Jerome Avenue
• Built between 1912 and 1917 for the 258th Field Artillery Unit
• 575,000 square feet, including a 180,000-square-foot drill floor
• 35,000-square-foot head house that fronts on Kingsbridge Road
• Two underground floors that housed offices, garage, rifle range, dining room, gymnasium and auditorium
• Drill floor has been used for bike races, rodeos, motorboat shows and major exhibitions
• Not used for military purposes since 1993
Related’s Proposal for Shops at The Armory
• 377,235 square feet of retail and restaurant space
• 164,285 square feet of parking for 400 spots
• 27,000 square feet of community space
• 30,000 square feet of public open space
Who Votes on Proposal?
• Community Board on July 14 (see bottom of this page for meeting details)
• Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. then has 30 days
• City Planning Commission then has 60 days
• City Council then has 50 days
Armory Benefits Agreement Being Hashed Out Behind Closed Doors
July 9, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Since last fall, the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, known as KARA, has advocated for a strong, substantial and binding agreement that would give the community additional benefits from the long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory’s city-subsidized transformation into a shopping mall.
The Alliance, which consists of community groups, unions, local clergy and residents, wants to see a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with a big-time developer (The Related Companies), the likes of which New York City has never seen. It would include guarantees of living wage jobs for employees at the Armory, union protections, more community and youth recreational space, and environmental protections.
It appears unlikely, however, that a CBA will be in place by next Tuesday, July 14, when Community Board 7 votes on whether or not to support The Related Companies’ proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a mall.
For this reason, KARA wants Board members to vote “no” on the proposal while it works to craft a CBA behind the scenes with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and the leaders of Board 7.
Greg Faulkner, the chairman of Board 7, was hoping Board members wouldn’t have to vote on the project until the fall, which would have given the parties enough time to put together a CBA before it made any decisions.
Regardless of how the vote goes down, Board 7, the borough president’s office and KARA have begun discussions on what would be included in a CBA.
The Board and KARA appear to agree on the majority of issues they want included, and the two groups recently met for a closed-door meeting at the borough president’s office to begin to hammer out the details and iron out the sticking points.
Those details remain sketchy as Diaz has instructed the parties not to speak with the media about any of the negotiations and Deep Throat has yet to emerge.
John DeSio, Diaz’s spokesperson, however, offered a faint glimpse into what might be happening. He said the borough president would act as a kind of “middle man” between KARA and Board 7 and the “lead negotiator” with Related. He said the meeting was “postitive,” but wouldn’t go into any specific details.
He said a good number of Diaz’s staff, including his chief of staff, Paul Delduca as well as the president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), Ray Salaberrios, would be working on the negotiations.
DeSio said the borough president’s office felt urgency in creating an agreement. “We have to move quickly and work at an accelerated pace,” he said.
Though he wouldn’t go into what would be included in the benefits agreement, DeSio said, “It will be something significant. Something where all sides will be pleased.”
Plan to Promote World Peace at Armory Mall
July 9, 2009
By Molly Ryan
Years of arguments about the use of the Kingsbridge Armory have finally resulted in some form of peace.
At a public hearing two weeks ago, The Related Companies, the developer for the Armory, revealed plans to include a World Peace Atrium as part of its proposal to build a retail mall inside the colossal building.
Related’s decision to include the atrium idea is largely due to the work and efforts of Community Board 7 Land Use Chair Ozzie Brown, said Related’s head lawyer and community liaison, Jesse Masyr.
Brown developed the original idea to create “a sacred space so the youth can build character,” and has been presenting a plan for the World Peace Atrium at community board meetings for the last several months.
A week before the public hearing, Brown said Board members, including himself, had engaged in multiple discussions with Related officials who seemed receptive to some of the Board’s ideas. Related also put a big box supermarket into their proposal based on feedback from Board members.
According to Brown’s presentation, the World Peace Atrium will be a gateway into the approximately 27,000 square feet of community space in the Armory, which will otherwise be comprised of retailers. The atrium will ideally include large granite or bronze sculptures of historic peacemakers such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela.
To facilitate learning about these influential figures, Brown hopes to have interactive, informative kiosks that provide biographies and film and photo footage of their lives. To complete the serene look of the atrium, Brown has suggested a backdrop of a Japanese garden.
“There is a need for community space that can foster an intergenerational peace,” Brown says. In a borough traditionally beset by problems with violence and health and lifestyle concerns such as diabetes and obesity, “we have to respond to the community and take responsibility for this.”
The atrium is just one step towards improving the lives of community members and promoting peace through the Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment, Brown said. He is working with community board members to negotiate space in the Armory to be used for recreation space, a business center, a family center and a health center.
To help introduce the atrium project to the community and the public, Brown brought in his old friend Peter Yarrow, of the famed folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary. Yarrow and the atrium received mixed reviews at the hearing. Two teenage speakers from the youth activist group, Sistas and Brothas United, said a peace atrium seemed like a bad fit for a commercial-centric mall.
Yorman Nunez, who is running for City Council in District 14, said the atrium “is a good idea in terms of bringing the community together,” but he believes that it is a “passive” approach to promoting peace. He would like to see the atrium provide more engaging services like leadership programs.
Other community members are skeptical about how effective the atrium will be at promoting peace. Nunez said he did not think the proposed shopping mall at the Armory and a peace atrium were “compatible.” Board member Helen Hartman-Kutnowsky said, “I can’t guarantee it will promote peace.”
Another debate about the World Peace Atrium is how much it is going to cost and who is going to manage it and the community space it accompanies.
Brown does not know how much money the project will need.
“Our job is to put forth collective ideas for community,” Brown said. He and Masyr both said the Bronx borough president and the City Council will decide how to designate spending.
Overwhelming Turnout for Armory Hearing
July 9, 2009
By Alex Kratz
Fernando Tirado, the district manager of Community Board 7, thought the Lehman College faculty dining hall, with its 400-person capacity, would provide ample space for a public hearing on a plan to develop the vacant Kingsbridge Armory into one of the Bronx’s biggest malls.
“We estimated there would be about 200 people there,” Tirado said, a week after the June 24 hearing.
Throughout the course of the loud, often contentious, four-hour hearing, however, some 600 people showed up (many were prevented from entering), and at least 45 spoke. The hearing represented the last opportunity for community residents, advocates and stakeholders to address the community board before its 30-plus volunteer members vote on whether or not to support the project on July 14.
The board’s vote is advisory only, but it sets the tone for the rest of the land use review process (see page 2), which will culminate in a City Council vote later this fall.
Making Their Case
Speakers at the hearing were there to make their case, either for or against, the project, which would turn the gigantic and vacant Armory into a 575,000-square-foot retail shopping center that would also include 27,000 square feet of space for some sort of community use.
Members of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), which includes community groups, local clergy, unions and residents, came out in force to implore Board members to vote down the project if it doesn’t include a Community Benefits Agreement that would guarantee living wage jobs ($10 an hour, plus benefits) at the revamped Armory. They painted the project as a “poverty-wage center” for local residents and a cash cow for rich developers, The Related Companies, who are already slated to get millions in city subsidies for the project.
Several speakers, including a handful of construction workers from the group Positive Workforce, a nonprofit group that advocates for getting more minorities on job sites, told Board members to vote for the project because it would bring good construction jobs.
Representatives from the supermarket chain Morton Williams, which operates a store and has its headquarters across the street from the Armory on Jerome Avenue, protested Related’s plan to put a huge supermarket in the basement of the Armory.
A Show of Force
From the beginning, the hearing was a show of force. First, by the Related-supporting members of Positive Workforce, who stormed into the building, nearly trampling police officers as well as Tirado, and then set themselves up as a flag-waving backdrop to all the night’s speakers.
Then by KARA supporters, who, through their testimony, said the project should be more than just a shopping mall. KARA and Morton Williams organized the bulk of the testimony.
Board 7 Chairman Greg Faulkner said the hearing felt a little too scripted. “I think the hearings are important, but I don’t know if [the Board] got to really hear what the community wants.”
Positive Workforce brought nearly 100 of its members to support Related. Lucky Rivera, the group’s founder, said Related works hard to get minorities, who are often discriminated against, onto construction sites.
Audience members grumbled that Related had brought Rivera’s group to the hearing.
Jesse Masyr, a lawyer and spokesperson for the Related Companies, said they “notified” Positive Workforce of the meeting, but he bristled at the suggestion by many people in the audience that the company paid them to be there. “We did not, nor have we ever, paid people to come to a public hearing,” he said.
Heckling a Folk Hero
The hearing began bizarrely. After a round of “special” speakers, all of whom said they supported the project, Ozzie Brown, the chair of the Board’s Land Use Committee, introduced his old friend Peter Yarrow (of the famed folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary) to set the tone for the meeting with a song and some words.
The hyped crowd gave Yarrow a tepid reception, at times even heckling him. He did manage to get about half the crowd involved in a sing-along version of the old folk song, “If I Had a Hammer,” but his speech about civil rights and peace ended with KARA supporters thunderously chanting: “What do we want? Good jobs!” “When do we want ‘em? Now!”
Later, Yarrow said he was surprised by the level of anger in the room and said he thinks people misunderstood why he was there, which was not to support the project, but to facilitate productive and peaceful dialogue.
Brown followed with a presentation on his vision for a World Peace Atrium inside the Armory.
Related lawyer Ethan Goodman followed Brown with a presentation on the developer’s vision for the Armory as a state-of-the-art retail mall that would preserve the exterior of the building and open up the inside to the community. For the first time, Related’s plan also included the Peace Atrium.
The regular testimony didn’t begin until an hour into the hearing.
The Board Reaction
A week later, Tirado said the Board tried to make the process as “democratic as possible,” but he was still receiving “hate mail” from people who were upset about the hearing and said they weren’t allowed to speak.
Board member Barbara Stronczer said she felt the community’s voice was heard, but that she still didn’t know how she was going to vote.
After the hearing, Faulkner said that the Board basically had three options: vote for the project without any conditions; vote the project down because it didn’t contain living wage guarantees; or vote for the project with conditions, including the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement.
Faulkner’s leaning toward the latter, saying the Board was still working to craft a viable benefits agreement with KARA and the borough president’s office in the near future.
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