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| Photos courtesy Free Arts NYC |
Lots going on this first weekend of Bronx Week(s). In Bronx Foodie, we mentioned the urban farm tour on Saturday and in the Roundup we discussed Sunday's Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade (set for a 1 p.m. start time), as well as The Rev's anti-gay marriage rally. But there's more!
Today, the Borough President will host a Veteran's Appreciation Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Maestro's restaurant (1703 Bronxdale Ave.). The guest speaker will be William Kraus, acting executive director at the New York State Division of Veteran’s Affairs.
And on Sunday, at about the same time of the PR Day parade (always a huge draw), the BP is putting on a star-studded hip hop block party at the Bronx Museum (1040 Grand Concourse) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Here's the long list of music acts expected to show up: Prodigy (Mobb Deep/G-Unit), Wu Tang, Lord Finesse, Large Professor, Neek The Exotic, Cuban Link, Grand Daddy IU, Grafh, Ma Barker, GrandWizard Theodore, Pebble Poo, Zulu Nation, Reggae Star Ravon, Wordsmith, Busy B, T-Ski Valley, D Chamberz, NYB, M.cia The Artist, Lynn Carter, Tyrone "Fly Ty" Williams, and Chip Fu aka Jungle Rock Jr.
(On a side note: The block party is being billed as a "family-friendly event featuring interactive activities to inspire creativity in youth through the power of music." One of the artists scheduled to appear is Prodigy, who was recently released from prison where he served time for illegal gun possession and is one half of Mobb Deep. Back in the day, Mobb Deep was one of my favorite rap duos and their album "The Infamous" is considered a hip hop classic. But Mobb Deep's style and content is extremely graphic and violent. One of their albums is called "Murda Musik," and another album features a song called "Kill That Nigga." It's anything but family-friendly music and apparently Prodigy's three-year prison stint didn't blunt his violent, hardcore aesthetic. Having said all of that, I'm planning to attend. Should be a great concert. But I'll probably leave my daughter at home.)
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Bronx. Enjoy the beautiful sunny, 60s-ish day. Everyone deserves it after enduring that slog of a winter. (If you're of age and find yourself getting thirsty later, see our post on the borough's best Irish bars. Also, please weigh in on our ongoing debate: Is it St. Patty's or St. Paddy's? Here's one answer.)
Story of the Day: Museum Highlights Bronx Positives
I positively had to make this wonderfully-headlined story in the Daily News -- "Stick it, Glenn Beck! The Bronx Museum of Arts touts borough's positive stories" -- the roundup's story of the day. Tomorrow night, starting at 6 p.m., the Bronx Museum is holding a free event called "Bronx Talks: Bronx Stories," featuring the showing of a documentary, "Richie Perez Watches 'Fort Apache: The Bronx,'" followed by four storytellers spinning yarns about their Bronx experiences. The audience is invited to share their experiences as well. "The goal is to challenge the stereotypes of the Bronx," one of the event's creators, Bridget Bartolini, told the Daily News. This, of course, falls right in line with our borough president's new combative approach to defying old, out-dated depictions of the Bronx. Stick it, Glenn Beck, indeed. The Museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse.
Quick Hits:
The body of missing 40-year-old Throggs Neck mother Tina Adovasio was discovered in Westchester County yesterday by some kids riding ATVs. Adovasio's husband, Tony Coello, who police say has a history of domestic violence, is being called a "person of interest" in the case. Video from the Post.
The DN's Bronx columnist Patrice O'Shaugnessy says the Adovasio case and other recent domestic clashes -- including a Kingsbridge murder-suicide poisoning -- show how quickly domestic violence can spiral out of control.
Three special needs schools in the Bronx -- St. Joseph's School for the Deaf, the Lavelle School for the Blind and New York Institute for Special Education -- could be crippled by Gov. Cuomo's plans to slash their state funding.
More on the casino bus crash: details on the driver Ophadell (formerly Eric) Williams' 1990 conviction for manslaughter; fatigue always a factor for low-cost tour-bus drivers; Police finally identified a 76-year-old survivor who remains in critical condition as Kin Chai Mock; A family friend says Williams is struggling with all the media scrutiny.
A bodega in Mt. Hope was robbed on Wednesday morning. Police say the two suspects could be the same duo that has hit seven other Bronx bodegas since January.
Two Haitian youngsters will receive critical heart surgery at Montefiore Medical Center this week.
Kappy's back this week with thoughts on Ruben "The Rev" Diaz Sr. being the last-amigo standing following the indictment of fellow State Senator Carl Kruger and the ousting of Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate. Says Bronx Assemblyman Peter Rivera's confirmed and denied rumors he's leaving office after his term is up next year. Quote: "Wonderful turnout, wonderful weather and just enough sprinkled boos at Mayor Bloomberg to make last Sunday's Bronx St. Patrick's Day in Throgs Neck great."
Former Bronx State Sen. Guy Velella died this morning after a battle with cancer; he was 66 years old. Velella served in Albany for decades before a bribery scandal ended his political career.
The New York Times' David Gonzalez on the history of the cross country course at Van Cortlandt Park--a "legendary"and grueling trail for distance runners.
The first Montesorri public charter school to open in New York City will be in the Bronx this fall, in Mott Haven. The schools are known for their unique, hands-on learning techniques.
Parking tickets are becoming a major expense for business owners in the city. One Bronx trucking company spent $450,000 in parking tickets and legal fees last year, according to the News.
Bronx Museum of the Arts has an exhibit this winter and spring featuring the works of early African-American artist Elizabeth Catlett and her influence on later generations of artists.
Police are looking for the suspect in a robbery that took place last month on Southern Boulevard in Morrisania. Video at the cut.
A Bronx man shot to death at a bar in Throgs Neck during a mob hit in 1999 may have been killed in retribution for his own role in a gang murder, his brother told investigators.
Predictions that a gentrifying Mott Haven would make the neighborhood the next Williamsburg were a little premature, amNY says.
The Bluestone Group is looking to sell the debt on a portfolio of six deteriorated Bronx buildings, which the company bought just last spring.
Speaking of Mott Haven: a husband and wife team there started up their own vegan cookie business, with help from the BOEDC.
Coyote sightings, apparantly, are not that unusual in Riverdale these days. A tips from experts: leave them alone.
The Bronx will finally get its own ice skating rink next year at Van Cortlandt Park.
[Editor's Note:] Just a reminder to our readers that the Bronx News Network is in the middle of our annual fundraising appeal. If you value quality local journalism, please consider donating so we can continue to bring you news and features, like our daily roundup or our borough events calendar. More details on how to contribute can be found here.
Yesterday, charges were dropped for three of the 11 suspects arrested in connection with the anti-gay attacks in Morris Heights. The Bronx District Attorney’s office told the judge there was not enough evidence to move forward in the case. In response to Tuesday's court proceedings, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn released a statement criticizing the decision, saying: "To prematurely release individuals accused of such horrific crimes does not demonstrate a willingness to use every available tool to make sure justice is served. I urge DA Johnson to aggressively prosecute the remaining suspects, and to add the additional charge of hate crime to all suspects, including the one that was charged today."
The Bronx Museum of the Arts is going worldwide. The State Department announced yesterday it has selected the Bronx Museum to oversee amART power, a new exchange program for visual artists. The $1 million program will ship artists across America to 15 countries, including China, Ecuador, Kenya and Nepal.
The head of the City Council’s Transportation Committee wants to help ease E-ZPass bills for New Yorkers. East Bronx Councilman Jimmy Vacca said drivers should be allowed to pay their E-ZPass bills weekly instead of monthly and at local check-cashing shops. He also wants residents who don’t have a credit card or checking account - to typical manner through which E-ZPass bills are paid – to be permitted to pay their bill at a check cashing shop.Councilman Vacca plans to pitch his proposal at today’s MTA meeting.
For more information on the firing of Board of Elections chief George Gonzalez, here is a video from NY1.
The MTA Board approved the increase of toll fares. On the major crossings, the board is expected to raise tolls for E-ZPass users to $4.80. The one-way toll on the Verrazano Narrows will cost $9.60. On the minor crossings, like the Marine Parkway and Cross Bay Bridges, E-ZPass users will pay $1.80. The toll on the Henry Hudson Bridge will rise to $2.20. Those who pay cash will be hit even harder. Cash tolls on all major crossings will go up to $6.50, except for the Verrazano, where the price will rise to $13. Drivers on the smaller bridges will pay $3.25. The Henry Hudson will cost $4 for those paying cash. The toll and fare hikes are slated to take effect on Dec. 30.
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| Photo courtesy of The Mexican Portfolio |
Happy Friday everyone. To the news!
We'll start with this ugly, sad and disturbing story about a 14-year-old girl stabbed to death in Melrose. The mother's ex-convict, pseudo-boyfriend was arrested in connection with the murder. More from NY1 here.
More (budget related) ugliness : Arts and cultural institutions could be hit hard by Mayor Bloomberg's budget cutbacks. The New York Botanical Garden, here in the Bronx, could lose 42% of its city funding, which officials there say could lead to significant staff cuts and scaled back hours and programming.
Housing ugliness: A housing court judge took the rare step of issuing an arrest warrant for the landlord of a building on E. 172nd St. that has racked up more than 600 code violations.
Ok, now for some happier stories. There's going to be a revival of the old hootenanny music scene at Lehman College tonight.
A look at the extreme remote control car scene on the Bronx River near Gun Hill Road.
The Times reviews the new Civil Rights art exhibit at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.
The Bronx Lighthouse charter school received a $100,000 technology grant.
The intersection at E. 203rd Street and Mosholu Parkway, near PS 8, is getting a much-needed crossing guard.
A lawyer who is suing a Bronx judge for not paying back a $500,000 loan (that he allegedly used to pay off gambling debts) had here house raided by investigators early this morning.
The parents of nine-month-old Neveah Jackson, who died Saturday of blunt-impact head injuries, are being questioned by the police. The Mott Haven couple claim that the child fell and hit her head on a desk.
Some residents of Manida Street in Hunts Point are seeking landmark status for a block of about 40 homes that date back to the early 20th century.
A civil rights photo gallery entitled "Road to Freedom" is on display at the Bronx Museum of the Arts until August 11.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. may run for citywide office in 2013 but if nothing is done with the Kingsbridge Armory, he may find it difficult to get elected. Last week Diaz appointed a task force to determine what to do with the long vacant building.
The Bronx Violence Intervention Program is in danger of losing government funding.
Sections of the Bronx River Parkway and the Saw Mill Parkway have been closed today due to flooding.
In addition to being champions of baseball, the New York Yankees were named the highest paid sports team in the world.
On Friday a judge ruled to block the closing of 19 New York City schools. Among the Bronx schools that were given a reprieve are Christopher Columbus High School and the Global Enterprise High School.
PHOTO: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic play Lehman Center on Saturday night. 
Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz and Edwin Gonzalez in front of the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Please read article by Ashley Villarreal below.
When Bronx artist Melissa Calderon created a giant gold-painted bamboo earring, with the word "Spic" in huge letters across it, she never thought it would generate so much attention.
But her piece, now part of the Bronx Museum of Art's Living and Dreaming exhibition, which concludes the competitive Artist in the Marketplace Program (with its focus on issues of identity, culture, gender and race) drew anonymous protests from the community over the use of the word "Spic."
According to fliers that had been posted around the museum, a rally had been set for yesterday at noon, while Calderon was away teaching an arts program in Maine. The fliers called the artwork racist.
After hearing about the event, Calderon had awaited the date nervously for two weeks, her friends said. But when the time came to gather in front of the Bronx Museum of Art at 1040 Grand Concourse, no one but her two artist friends showed up.
"I came to support my friend who I thought was being isolated as a racist, which couldn't be further from the truth," said Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz, Calderon's friend and an artist who has also shown work at the museum.
Calderon's work, mentioned in Time Out New York this week, was meant to resemble a popular style earring that made it big within the Latino community--often as more of a status symbol, and costing over hundreds of dollars if authentically engraved with a person's name.
Edwin Gonzalez, a fellow artist who leads tours for children at the museum who was also there, said he believed the word doesn't hold the same meaning anymore. In some cases, he said, younger generations may not even use the word, and in other circumstances, those more attune to art might not have misunderstood the concept.
"I can appreciate the humor in Melissa's piece because I kinda have that similar sense of humor and sensibility," Gonzalez said. "To me, it was obvious it was a joke, when you look at it, it's just this big earring; whose going to take that seriously?"
And while the two may have been slightly relieved they wouldn't have to bear the brunt of claims against Calderon, both agreed a bigger discussion was to be had about what the word means.
"Because of the nature of what we do (as artists) we are kind of on the outside looking in--even though we have inside information about being Latino--so it's like we have two different views," Raimuni-Ortiz said. "For something like this to be called out, I wanted to see who it was doing it, but also have a conversation about why they were [upset]."
What do you think about the word "Spic"? Should it be used it in artwork? Let us know in the comments thread.
Symphony Space and the Bronx Museum of the Arts recently commissioned a musical piece by jazz musician Arturo O'Farrill in honor of native Bronxite Sonia Sotomayor, who has been nominated to the Supreme Court by President Obama. The composition will be performed by O'Farrill and his Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra on November 5 and 6 at Symphony Space.
A recent medical study following pregnant women from the South Bronx and upper Manhattan found that the mothers who breathed in smog while pregnant gave birth to children with lower IQs than children who were not prenatally exposed to smog.
A Bronx Supreme Court Judge is debating whether to throw out his conviction of a Bronx landlord after a 2005 fire causing two firefighter deaths because a member of the jury sent complimentary messages to a firefighter who testified at the case through Facebook.
The New York City Police Department is drastically cutting its budget, but the crime rate is still dropping. At a recent police meeting, the Bronx borough commander argued to keep specialized officers on the streets of the 52nd Precinct, but higher-up police officers wanted to move the officers to a different precinct with more crime. At the end of the meeting, the 52nd Precinct kept the special officers, but it remains unclear how long these officers will remain in the area, especially since the Department will have to decrease their number of officers.
Today, Senator Charles Schumer and Bronx housing advocates will insist that Fannie Mae find a buyer for their mortgages of 19 Bronx buildings in disrepair instead of selling the mortgages through an online auction. Tenants of these buildings (most of them located in Crotona) feel that if another speculator buys the mortgages for the buildings, conditions will not be improved. Senator Schumer would like a preservation agreement to ensure that the buildings will be cared for by the future buyer.
Yesterday, the New York Daily News published a report declaring that heroin is gaining popularity in New York City. Their evidence includes the monumental heroin drug bust in Riverdale over July 4th weekend.
The New York Times published a profile of Arthur Avenue over the weekend. It is still one of the best locales for quality Italian food and grocery shopping.
City Limits takes a look at the Bronx Museum of the Arts' buffet of programming and events in celebration of the Grand Concourse on its 100th birthday. The museum aims to examine the expansive thoroughfare's past and its prospect's for a brighter future.
Update: The art museum's Grand Concourse work also reached the Times' City Room blog today.
Happy birthday to the Bronx's own Champs-Élysées. Originally called the Grand Boulevard, the Grand Concourse celebrates its 100th year in 2009. The Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street, presents an exhibition series commemorating the Grand Concourse's centennial, from March 5 through July 20. For more information, call (718) 681-6000 or visit www.bronxmuseum.org. (Painting by Daniel Hauben, courtesy Bronx Museum of Art).
Did anyone go to the Concourse symposium at the museum over the weekend. If you did, please do tell.
For a complete listing of Bronx art happenings and other events, click here.
Welcome to October. Here's some news and links to get you started this month.
The Economy
Times columnist Jim Dwyer takes a walk through the South Bronx to get a sense of how people in the Boogie Down are viewing the economic crisis and the bailout plan (which their Congressional Rep. Jose E. Serrano voted against) designed to stop the bleeding.
[Bailout Plan Update: The Senate is scheduled to vote on a new version of the plan today.]
In other citywide economic news, a story in the Times says the New York City real estate boom is dead.
And David Gonzalez writes on the Times City Room blog about a South Bronx soup kitchen struggling to keep up with increasing demand from its clients and no "bailout" from the government in sight.
Pain
An NYPD detective was accidentally shot in a very sensitive area by another cop at an east Bronx firing range.
A woman was stabbed multiple times at an East Gun Hill apartment building, allegedly during a domestic dispute. She's is reportedly in stable condition at a local hospital. Nothing has been written on this yet, but we'll try to find out more information.
Sports
The South Bronx High School football team is surprisingly dominant this year in the Cup Division, and is off to its first 4-0 start ever.
The Bronx Science women's golf team is not surprisingly dominating again this year, but faces a tough Stuyvesant team on Monday.
The Greenest Borough
Human Events, perhaps the most conservative media outlet in the entire country, wrote a long blog post about the Bronx's expansive green spaces and tourism opportunities. Who could have guessed?
Arts
The Village Voice reviews the Bronx Museum's new show: "Street Art, Street Life."
The Times highlights an exhbit at the Bronx Museum of the Arts: Street Art, Street Life: From the 1950s until now. (Photo above is in the exhibit.)
The race between Efrain Gonzalez and Pedro Espada is considered one of the hottest in the city.
The Norwood News has been inundated with letters complaining about the Select Bus Service along the Bx12 route, but the The Times and now the Daily News have run articles saying passengers are happy with the new system. The Norwood News letter writers, however, focus not on the new system for boarding the bus (getting a receipt from a curbside machine before boarding the bus) but on the fact that residents on the western part of Fordham road heading to Manhattan now have to walk a few blocks to get on the Select Bus.
The chairman of the Bronx Republican Party, Jay Savino, has a big fat crush on Sarah Palin.
