Annie’ a Hit at PS 56
Young actors of the PS 56 after school program, known as "The Norwood Heights Players," performed the Broadway musical, "Annie," during a free show, held at the East 207th Street school, on Friday, June 20. The group put on a stellar performance for a near-capacity crowd. The show was directed by Elizabeth Corrao and Tashima Nole.
Next Stop: Middle School
The 100-plus graduates of the fifth grade at PS 291 were joined by parents and relatives for graduation ceremonies at the school, located in University Heights, on Friday, June 20. Guest speakers included Yankee staffer and children’s author Ray Negron and Maxine Zalez from the attorney general’s office.
Where ‘Summer Streets’ Began
It was Bronx Week last week, but that doesn’t mean the Bronx got its due from City Hall. Just the opposite.
On June 16, the mayor announced, with great fanfare and even rock icon David Byrne by his side, that the city was going to do something unprecedented and really groundbreaking by creating a car-free zone for three Sundays over the summer along a seven-mile stretch in Manhattan. The idea, they said was a big success in London, Paris, and even Bogota!
"…We have never been afraid to try new ideas, especially the ones that have the potential to improve the quality of life," the mayor said.
If they had looked in the files, or maybe even asked a civil servant at the Department of Transportation (DOT), they would have discovered the idea was not at all new, and was implemented in the Bronx almost 20 years ago.
On June 16, the mayor announced, with great fanfare and even rock icon David Byrne by his side, that the city was going to do something unprecedented and really groundbreaking by creating a car-free zone for three Sundays over the summer along a seven-mile stretch in Manhattan. The idea, they said was a big success in London, Paris, and even Bogota!
"…We have never been afraid to try new ideas, especially the ones that have the potential to improve the quality of life," the mayor said.
If they had looked in the files, or maybe even asked a civil servant at the Department of Transportation (DOT), they would have discovered the idea was not at all new, and was implemented in the Bronx almost 20 years ago.
The DEP Strikes Again
An annoying tendency regarding the filtration plant project is that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is inclined not to listen to the ratepayers and citizens who are funding all of this.
Concerned residents, some of whom have become experts on the issue, turn up at hearing after hearing and tell the DEP important things.
Agency officials don’t really listen; they just "explain" why they’re right, as if all it would take for the community to agree is to have it explained in words we poor foolish citizens can understand.
But that’s not so. Local activists were right that the DEP could do with a smaller plant and filter less water or use another technology like membrane filtration, rather than just spend money like – well, like water, actually. They were right that the plant would never go in the Jerome Park Reservoir. They were right that you couldn’t build something 20 feet high at the street and call it underground. And they were right that that the city had to get state legislative approval to
Concerned residents, some of whom have become experts on the issue, turn up at hearing after hearing and tell the DEP important things.
Agency officials don’t really listen; they just "explain" why they’re right, as if all it would take for the community to agree is to have it explained in words we poor foolish citizens can understand.
But that’s not so. Local activists were right that the DEP could do with a smaller plant and filter less water or use another technology like membrane filtration, rather than just spend money like – well, like water, actually. They were right that the plant would never go in the Jerome Park Reservoir. They were right that you couldn’t build something 20 feet high at the street and call it underground. And they were right that that the city had to get state legislative approval to
Don’t Blame Obesity on Schools
Hold Yanks to Park Promises
In the May 29 – June 11 issue, your article, “Report Says City and Yankees Deceptively Stole Parkland”), focuses on the New York Park Advocates’ report on replacement parks for the new Yankee Stadium. In it, the authors contend that the city did not fully replace the 25 acres of parkland taken for the stadium. If these numbers hold up under scrutiny, compensating the missing acreage is required by law. There are two ways this can be done:
Monroe College Graduation
In three separate ceremonies on Thursday, June 5, President Stephen Jerome conferred more than 2,700 college degrees at Monroe College’s 75th Anniversary Commencement. Held at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Jerome presented graduates with 101 MBA degrees, 1,110 Bachelor’s degrees, 1,475 Associate degrees, and 18 Nursing certificates, making the 2008 graduating class the largest in the college’s history.
The keynote addresses were delivered by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, New York State Education Department Sr. Deputy Commissioner Johanna Duncan-Poitier, and New York City Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott.