Weather: Another warm one. Partly cloudy for most of the day, with temperatures in the high 70s.
Story of the Day: Budget Cuts Threaten Firehouses (Again)
Mayor Bloomberg's proposed city budget could shutter 20 FDNY firehouses across the city, three of which are in the Bronx: Engine 60 in Mott Haven, Engine 46 in Bathgate and Ladder 53 on City Island. The move has spurred neighborhood protest rallies and one angry column from Daily News Bronx bureau chief Patrice O'Shaughnessy, who says the mayor should focus on fixing his budget instead of his "Orwellian" city park smoking ban (which went into effect yesterday).
It's not the first time the city has threatened to shut firehouses: much like the budget dance over senior center closures, Bloomberg has threatened the FDNY before only to restore funding at the last minute. Eddie Brown of the Uniformed Firefighters Association called it a "budget game the mayor plays with the Council, using the people as pawns."
Quick Hits:
A first-class hotel and banquet hall could be coming to the Hutch Metro Center in Pelham Bay, according to director Joseph Kelleher, per Bob Kappstatter's column. bringing a major hotel to the borough has long been a dream of Bronx political leaders, including Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Two Bronx high schools--John F. Kennedy and Herbert Lehman--are among five chosen by the city to get solar panels installed on their roofs.
The Bronx River Art Center is showing off its students' work with a free reception and opening exhibit tomorrow afternoon, at 4 p.m. at the BronxArtSpace, 305 E. 140th St.
Livery cab drivers in the outer boroughs are worried about competing with yellow cabs, as the city looks to increase their number outside Manhattan.
A fire broke out on the third floor of a Claremont nursing home yesterday, injuring two people.
In a poll, researchers at Baruch College found more people in the Bronx fear becoming the victim of a hate crime than in the rest of the city. The survey also found that Hispanic New Yorkers are the most fearful of being attacked.
A Bronx man was sentenced to seven years in jail for sexually abusing one of his patients at a nursing home in Morningside Heights, where he worked as a nurse's aide.
Editor's Note: BxNN will keep posting this clock in our daily news roundups--tallying the days until the NYPD releases neighborhood sector crime stats, which we requested from them via a Freedom of Information Law request last year. For some background, see our Norwood News' editorial here.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Bronx News Roundup, May 26
Monday, May 23, 2011
'Aurora' Sculpture in West Farms Square Comes Down
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| "Aurora," a wooden sculpture that's occupied West Farms Square since 2009, was removed on Saturday. (Photo by Fausto Giovanny Pinto) |
A hulking wooden sculpture that's been on display in the center of the square's brick circle for nearly two years was de-installed on Saturday, to make room for another public art piece to be erected in the same spot over the next few months.
"Aurora," an unpainted wooden abstract by Mexican-born artist Diego Medina, stood over 14 feet tall and was inspired, the artist said, by the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca’s 1930 poem, “La Aurora de Nueva York” (Dawn in New York).
The sculpture was installed by the Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) and the Department of Transportation in August 2009, part of the DOT's "UrbanART" program. BRAC says a new piece will replace it in the coming months.
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| "Aurora" filled the West Farms Square plaza for nearly two years. (Photo courtesy of BRAC) |
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Bronx River Art Center Wins Two Design Awards
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| Design plans for the Bronx River Art Center's $8 million renovation (photo courtesy of BRAC) |
The designs, by architects Sage and Coombe and designer Tattfoo Tan, scored a 2010 “Award for Design Excellence” from the New York City Design Commission and a 2011 Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects.
BRAC spent the last six years fund raising to renovate the 100-year-old building. They expect to break ground on the new one this summer. In the meantime, art classes, exhibits and other programs are being held at various guest sites throughout the Bronx until construction is finished.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Bronx Events: Register for BRAC's Winter Art Classes
Classes include digital filmmaking for teens, drawing and painting, photography, cartooning, and more. Visit www.bronxriverart.org or call (718) 589-5819 for more information.
Check out our community calendar below for more events taking place this week.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Bronx River Art Center Open House & Other Events This Weekend
The center's main location on East Tremont Avenue is currently being renovated.
For details of other events and goings on this weekend, check out the calendar below.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Bronx News Roundup, Sept. 3
Happy Friday, everyone. On to the news!
Big feature in the Times today on Pedro Espada Jr.'s fight to retain his seat in the 33rd Senate District despite multiple efforts to knock him out of office. Despite the effort, most of which are being made on behalf of challenger Gustavo Rivera, one analyst said Espada should still be considered the favorite. “You’ve got to believe he’s the favorite, and if you don’t, you’re underestimating a guy who should not be underestimated,” Scott Levenson, of the Advance Group, told the Times.
Here's some audio the Times has on the race, along with the story.
A recent Times poll says opposition to the proposed mosque near Ground Zero is more intense in the outer boroughs. In the Bronx, 54% of respondents were opposed to the mosque being built so close (two blocks away) from Ground Zero.
14-year-old Bronxite, Brittany Lopez, read 325 novels and comic books this summer and was crowned winner of New York City Public Library's summer reading contest.
The Bronx River is getting $5 million in clean-up funds, part of settlement with several Westchester County towns accused dumping raw sewage into the river. Here's the link to the Hunts Point Express story about the funds infusion.
The Bronx River Art Center will be mobile for the next two years while they renovate their Tremont Avenue headquarters.
Bronx Latino has scenes from Tuesday's blogger fiesta. We couldn't make it, but we definitely support these type of gatherings. Bronx bloggers unite!
Enjoy the weekend, everyone. Stay out of Earl's path, if you can.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Bronx News Roundup, August 19
On the political front: former Bronx Borough President Freddy Ferrer will announce his endorsement of Gustavo Rivera today, according to a press release sent out this morning. Rivera is one of two candidates challenging Senator Pedro Espada, Jr., and he's been racking up a good amount of political support lately. We'll be covering the announcement this afternoon, so check back later for more details.
In a local Assembly race, candidate Luis Sepulveda is turning his attention to the borough's growing population of Bangladeshi residents in order to unseat longtime incumbent Peter Rivera.
Activists rallied outside of a Bronx catering hall last week, where Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz, Sr. was holding a fundraiser, to protest the senator's anti-gay agenda.
Personal contributions from outside their legislative districts make up most of New York candidates' campaign funds, according to the Star-Gazette. Sen. Pedro Espada and Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson were among those mentioned.
An 18-year-old South Bronx student, originally from war-torn Sierra Leone, was honored last night by the Yankees during the team's 2nd annual "Hope Week."
The Times reviews Manuel Acevedo's exhibit, on display at the Bronx River Art Center until Aug. 28.
The Daily News follows up on yesterday's Village Voice piece on Pedro Espada's overdue tailor's bill.
An inspection of the city's supermarkets found that many are overcharging customers for items, with the highest number of violations happening in five Bronx neighborhoods.
Tenants in a Creston Avenue apartment complex are asking for help in getting their building's many violations repaired by a negligent landlord. We were there and will post some video this afternoon. One apartment in particular was in a terrible state.
Thanks largely to the efforts of a plastic surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center, state law now requires doctors to inform breast cancer patients facing surgery about breast reconstruction options.
Elevated levels of the toxic construction material PCB were found in three city schools inspected recently, including P.S. 178, on Baychester Avenue.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bronx Events Through Jan. 25
"Aurora," a wooden sculpture on display at West Farms Square PlazaThe Barnes & Noble on 290 Baychester Ave. will be holding a 'writer's workshop' on Jan 22 (Friday) with author Maria Romano. Romano will field questions about writing, getting started, and getting published. The event begins at 7 pm. For more information call (718) 862-3945 or visit www.barnesandnoble.com.
Folk/pop singer Roger Silverberg will be performing at the Starving Artist Cafe at 249 City Island Ave. The event begins at 8 pm. For more information call (718) 885-3779.
The Mosholu Library at 285 E. 205th St. will be hosting 'Polar Opposites' on Jan. 23 at 11 am for preschool and young children. For more information, call (718) 882-8239.
The Jerome Park Library at 118 Eames Place will be hosting Yoga for Parents and Preschoolers, Jan. 22 at 11 am. For more information, call (718) 549-5200.
The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd. E., presents Salsa Lebron y La Trompeta de Perico, Jan. 23 at 8 pm. Ticekts are $35 to $50 and the event begins at 8 pm. For more information, call (718) 960-8490/8833.
Wave Hill, located at West 249 Street and Independence Ave., will be hosting a family arts project titled "The Colors of Winter." Participants will create a collage of winter plant materials. The event takes place in the Kerlin Learning Center from 1 to 4 pm. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit www.wavehill.org.
The Bronx River Art Center presents an abstract wooden art sculpture, Aurora, 14 feet tall, 11 feet wide, and 11 feet deep, at the center of West Farms Square Plaza located at the base of the West Farms Square/East Tremont Ave. subway station on the corner of East Tremont Ave. and Boston Road. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/urbanart.
Two exhibits, one a comparison of the Bronx of today with that of the 19th century, the other a celebration of Edgar Allan Poe and his time spent in the Bronx, will be on display at the Museum of Bronx History, located at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. For more information, call the Bronx County Historical Society at (718) 881-8900.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 3
According to authorities, the off-duty police officer that struck and killed a Bronx woman with his car was legally intoxicated.
A 17-year-old student was shot in the shoulder outside of the Bronx Regional High School yesterday afternoon. Investigators are still looking into the incident, but the boy is expected to recover, according to this NY1 article.
The Middletown neighborhood has a lot to offer shoppers.
A hat merchant in the Bronx is making a killing on his custom-made Yankees caps.
A former dumping ground in Hunts Point has been transformed into an aesthetically-pleasing park.
A 14-foot-tall, graffiti-free sculpture in front of the Bronx River Art Center that has been up since July may be a sign that neighborhood is changing for the better.
Residents of 14 apartment buildings in Crotona Park are living amongst thousands of appalling building code violations after their landlord defaulted on the mortgage earlier this year.
Disappointed Yankee fans after last night's loss to the Phillies, will have to tune in Wednesday as the World Series continues.
In more Yankee news, some die-hard fans are waging a battle to save Gate 2 from the old Yankee Stadium.
Friday, October 23, 2009
At Bronx River, An Invitation to Text the Fish
Rachel WaldholzIf you’re near the Bronx River on East Tremont Avenue any time soon, you might want to take a moment to stop and text the fish.
So says Natalie Jeremijenko, a professor of art and computer science at New York University, who has set up an installation in the Bronx River which invites passersby to check in with the area’s “urban nonhumans” – like the alewife herring, blue crabs, and beaver which frequent that stretch of the river.
Her project, officially unveiled last week, consists of eight thin buoys floating in the River across the street from the Bronx River Art Center. Lights at the tip of each buoy change color depending on changing water conditions, and flicker as fish pass beneath the buoys.
“[You’ll] see a fish swimming by as a trail of light,” Jeremijenko said.
There will be “business cards” for various animals posted along the river, so folks on the sidewalk can text, for instance, Jose the Beaver, the first beaver to set up shop in the Bronx River in 250 years (and named after Congressman Jose Serrano). The buoys then text back, letting you know whether the beaver has been by lately, or how the herring are feeling about pollution levels today.
Check out our full article on the installation in the Tremont Tribune for more details.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Art Classes at the Bronx River Arts Center
Registration for art classes at the Bronx River Art Center, located near West Farms Square off of East Tremont Avenue at 2000 Bronx Street) will be open from December 13 to 20 for free youth art classes and fee-based art classes for adults. Classes for youth (ages 9 to 21) include ceramics, drawing, photography, advanced painting, mural painting, computer graphics and printmaking, comic book illustration, and digital media. Classes take place on weekday evenings at varied times depending on the class. Additionally, young adults can register for Saturday museum field trips to cultural institutions across New York City.
Adults can register for a Winter Blues Buster class that will run for 6 weeks from Mid January through March, with a minimum of 8 students. The adult class will cost $75. For additional information, contact Education Coordinator Kimberly Beazer at (718) 589-5819 x15 or email kbeazer@bronxriverart.org.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Got the Blues?
We all feel a little blue on Monday mornings. But if you missed the SaRon Crenshaw Blues Band's performance on Saturday night at the Bronx River Art Center, you might be feeling even more blue than usual. More than 30 aficionados braved passing thunderstorms and piled into the Bronx River Art Center. They were rewarded with a soulful, energetic performance by the five members of the band. This final installment of the fifth annual June performing arts festival was a resounding success.
And while Daddy Day Care isn't the best movie in Eddie Murphy's filmography, there's something special about watching a movie outdoors during the summer in the Bronx! These young people were joined by parents and families who enjoyed the movie after finishing games of Ecuavoli. The next Movie on the Green at the Williamsbridge Oval is Bee Movie, showing on Friday, July 11 (movies start after sunset- more like 8:30 to 8:45pm rather than the 7:45pm time advertised by Assemblywoman Rivera's office.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Fun Happenings in the West Bronx this Weekend
There are some great outdoor activities happening in the Bronx this weekend:
Free Movie at Williambsbridge Oval
Friday, June 27 at 7:45pm
Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera is hosting a free movie at the Williamsbridge Oval (entrance is on Bainbridge Avenue and Reservoir Oval). Tonight's showing is "Daddy Day Care," featuring Eddie Murphy. For a full listing of the movies, concerts, and festivals being sponsored by the Assemblywoman's office click here.
SaRon Crenshaw Blues Band at Drew Gardens
Saturday, June 28 at 8pm (suggested contribution is $10)
On Saturday, the Bronx River Art Center is offering its third and final concert as part of the Bronx River Sounds June Performing Arts Festival. Drew Gardens is located on E. Tremont across from the Bronx River Art Center (1087 E. Tremont Ave between Boston Road and E. 177th Street). The performance will feature original songs and classic blues covers from SaRon Crenshaw, an old school blues player. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held at the Bronx River Art Center.
