Legislature Passes Gay Marriage, Rent Laws in Overtime

Lawmakers in Albany spent all of last week scrambling to address a long list of items on its agenda before breaking for the year, staying four days past the scheduled end of the legislative session and passing a number of high-profile laws in its final few days. Among the legislation was a historic bill to legalize same-sex marriage, which after days of intense lobbying in Albany from parties on both sides of the debate, was passed by the State Senate late Friday night.

Shelter Plan for Vacant Muller Center Blasted at Hearing

Father Richard Gorman ripped into the city's homeless shelter plan at a hearing las week. (Photo by Alex Kratz)
During his lengthy and impassioned testimony at a public hearing concerning the fate of the vacant Muller Army Reserve Center in Wakefield, Father Richard Gorman compared the Bloomberg administration to a) Josef Stalin and b) a group of slave owners (with Wakefield residents being the slaves). Gorman, the longtime chairman of Community Board 12, which includes Wakefield and Woodlawn, made those comparisons in the course of blasting the city’s controversial proposal to house a 200-bed homeless shelter for men in the Muller Center. The mayor’s office says the city’s homeless needs outweigh the desires of community residents and stakeholders.

Op-ed: Unlikely Heroes and Other Joys of Youth Baseball

Richard, hands in the air, celebrates with his Athletics teammates after a thrilling season-ending victory. (Photo by Jarrett Murphy)
My son, Owen, and I were supposed to miss this game altogether. It was originally scheduled for back in April, for a day when we were in Ireland. But it rained that day, and the game was called off. So the second and final meeting between the Athletics and Pirates of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center’s baseball league’s Bantam Division was instead set for Saturday, June 18 at Shandler Field in Van Cortlandt Park.

Ethics Reform Aims to Heal Albany’s Trust Issues

Weeks before the furious finale in Albany that brought the legalization of gay marriage, slightly strengthened rent regulation and a property tax cap, the state legislature passed an ethics reform package that freshman State Senator Gustavo Rivera, who replaced Pedro Espada, says will help the restore integrity and credibility to Albany.

From the DR to Walton, Softball Star Tears It Up

Claritza Caceres, 17, is a junior at the International School for Liberal Arts at the Walton campus. Quiet and modest, with a petite frame, her appearance hardly lets on that she is what many would consider a softball prodigy. This past season, Claritza muscled a .696 batting average with 45 runs batted in and 29 stolen bases. A pitcher, she had an earned run average of 3.68.

All Must Join in Bullying Battle, Say Experts at Monte

In the past year, the disastrous effects of bullying have become more visible with high profile youth suicides. More adults are recognizing that bullying victims can suffer from depression, low self-esteem, health problems, poor grades, and have suicidal thoughts. That’s why Montefiore Medical Center’s community forum two weeks ago focused on the issue.

Green Bronx Machine Revs Up Healthy Eating

The sweet smell of basil drifted down the halls of Discovery High School one day in late May. Parents, teachers and neighbors chased it down to Room 279, where Steven Ritz and his science classes hosted a Farmers Market and Edible Plant Sale. Guests got to shop amidst a selection of fresh veggies, plants, and flowers while learning about Ritz’s unique science curriculum.

Armory Report: Long in Length, Short on Answers

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. has made it clear redeveloping the vacant 575,000-square-foot Kingsbridge Armory into a quality job-producing, vibrant community space, is a top priority of his administration. But a much-anticipated report created by an Armory task force he assembled was released with little fanfare earlier this month and appears to generate more questions than answers.

Local HS Graduation Rates Fluctuate as City’s Rises

As high schools throughout the Bronx and the rest of New York City began holding graduation ceremonies this June, the Department of Education and the mayor’s office proudly announced last year’s four-year graduation rates as the highest the city has ever seen — 65.1 percent, according to state figures. The local graduation picture is more muddled.