Norwood News

By DAVID CRUZ

Torres’ Time

Some of the Bronx beltway’s brightest stars came out in support of their star, Councilman Ritchie (“The Rookie” as one guest phrased it) Torres, who flashed his Obama-like smile all night during his fundraiser. At Michaelangelo’s restaurant in Belmont, across the corner from where Torres claimed victory as Council Member during the 2013 election cycle, Torres worked the room extensively, shaking hands with residents from all corners of his 15th Council District.

The turnout featured a cross section of the Bronx, with folks coming from faraway Throggs Neck and sections of Bedford Park, an example of Torres’ jurisdictional reach. One political operative compared Torres’ district to that of a “starfish,” though it’s more like an octopus, with tentacles all over the Bronx.

With an off year in the election cycle, Torres lucked out with the turnout, given the scant races during this political season. One organizer said the function netted “a lot” of money with a number of lobbyists vying for Torres’ attention. That’s a good thing given Torres’ paltry sum of campaign cash on hand, just $140,048, according to campaign finance records.

An interesting side note on September Primaries, one unnamed political insider called Assemblyman Jose Rivera, who has been spotted making some rounds, an untouchable should anyone want to run against Rivera again. “You can go door to door to meet every single primary voter, and be nice to you, and they’ll still vote for Jose Rivera. The man’s a legend. The name Rivera carries a lot of weight,” said the source with an air of confidence.

Sign of a New Bronx
Have you caught the enormous billboard seen at the Hutchinson River Parkway by the ever-ballooning Hutch Metro Center? It’s a picture of a gentleman in a suit, his back turned to us as he overlooks a cityscape (could be the Bronx, though it bears similarities to Manhattan) from atop a wooden deck. Above the sign reads, “It’s Here. Welcome The New Bronx,” a slogan coined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. aimed at putting the Bronx’s accomplishments on a pedestal (and there are many).

The New Bronx has garnered a following, though it’s inspired critics who took to social media to blast the billboard.

“The Bronx is not for sale,” wrote prolific Bronx blogger Ed Conde Garcia, one of the more pronounced Diaz detractors.

King’s Court(case?)
Councilman Andy King is expected to be named in a sexual harassment lawsuit.

A report by Capital New York said the suit alleges King fired a staffer from the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus for which King serves as chairman, for rebuffing his advances. King certainly has clout in his district given the large turnout at his recent State of the 12th Council District, so it’ll be interesting how his base reacts to this. Should he resign under pressure, King would be placed in the pantheon of tarnished politicos in the borough. The Bronx Beltway hopes that’s not the case.

King’s office declined comment, deferring to the press office from the New York City Council which only emphasized that the Council stresses a healthy, workplace environment.

‘Zombie’ Homes
The walking dead of homes are alive and well in the Bronx, and Senator Jeff Klein wants to put an end to that plague. Zombie properties are foreclosed homes seized by banks but never given the proper upkeep as it churns through foreclosure messes.

Klein and Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein want banks to maintain regular upkeep to empty homes, as they often turn into havens for vermin and squatters. Stiff civil fines run up to $1,000 a day for neglected homes, which is perhaps chump change for multi-billion dollar banks. Collected fines would go to a maintenance fund managed by the State Attorney General. So in essence, the banks are being forced to pay for these foreclosed homes anyway.

Sizzurp
For politicians looking for a cause, here’s one: sizzurp, a.k.a. purple drank. Police officials doled out information on the trendy drug of choice at One Police Plaza. The cocktail is a mix of Sprite, behind-the-counter cough syrup and a hard candy to cover the mediciny taste. At times alcohol is used as a substitute. It’s popular among teens, says one cop source, all sharing responsibility in concocting the dangerous tonic, mostly at schools, with students bringing in the key ingredients separately.

In some cases, school safety officers inadvertently clear a student to use cough syrup after feigning they need it to sooth their ails. If prescribed cough syrup is out of reach, users likely opt for Robitussin.

Decriminalizing Offenses
With sizzurp making the rounds, who knows whether it’ll actually be deemed a criminal offense given Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s bill to decriminalize petty quality-of-life crimes such as public urination or fare beating, effectively weakening punishment. Mark-Viverito’s voice holds a lot of weight, so one can expect most of the Bronx Council Delegation to be on board.

But Councilman Jimmy Vacca, whose district is largely conservative, is put in a tough spot. Vacca, who was appointed Deputy Leader by Mark-Viverito, is walking a political tightrope as he must balance the needs of his boss with the needs of his district’s social conservative base. Vacca did not want to comment on this.