Bronx News Roundup, Oct. 2

Apologies for the lack of a news roundup yesterday. We'll make up for it today with an exhaustive rundown of all the Bronx stories out there.

We'll start with a feel-good story that just got even more feel-goody. Less than 24 hours after helping rescue a 4-year-old boy from a burning building in Westchester Square, Horia Cretan proposed to his girlfriend on Good Morning America. She said yes and also: "You're crazy, you know that?" (NPR plays the spoiler, pointing out that the firefighter on the scene did most of the rescuing, but Cretan, a Romanian immigrant, did climb up four flights of the fire escape and brought the kid back down to the street safely. That's still pretty darn heroic in our book, NPR.)

More good news! Two stars in the remake of "Fame," which debuts today in theatres everywhere, are from the northwest Bronx. Anthony Carr, 24, is from Kingsbrdige Road. Lydia Perez, 21, grew up in Belmont. Both emerged from open casting calls at the Bronx Dance Theatre last summer. Both are scheduled to be at Bay Plaza to talk to fans and sign autographs at the Bay Plaza theatre before the first showing at 12:30 p.m.

18 new schools have opened in the Bronx this year.

Now, the bad news. An Oklahoma woman who stands accused of locking her daughter in a basement for four years was convicted of starving her 2-year-old daughter to death in the Bronx 14 years ago.

A Bronx teacher was charged with third degree rape and sexual misconduct for allegedly having an affair with a 15-year-old student who became pregnant. Colleagues say the man was a great teacher and his sister told the Daily News that he's innocent.

In a press release, the Stella D'oro cookie company blamed the union's negotiating strategy for causing them to pack up and move their Bronx bakery operations to Ohio.

We'll end a good note. Check out the Bronx Zoo's cute new baby sea lion. Watch some older sea lions paint.