Bronx News Roundup, May 5

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Now here's some BX news for you:

Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas was back in the courtroom yesterday after going AWOL for a couple of days. Villegas is facing a law suit filed by a former law school colleague that claims Villegas owes her $500,000, which he borrowed to pay back a gambling debt.

Special needs students from the New York League for Early Learning's Harry H. Gordon School got a taste of Little Italy yesterday as the pre-preschoolers ventured through restaurants on Arthur Avenue.

The Bronx district attorney's office has dropped all charges against the four Bronx boys who were accused of hitting an off-duty police officer with a snowball.

Eighth graders from the Learning Tree Cultural Preparatory School in the Bronx took a two-week trip to Kenya to trace President Obama's roots.

Just for a day, the chronically ill teenagers from the Children's Hospital at Montefiore were able to forget their pains and enjoy their first Prom Night.

During his battle with the state legislature over the state's financial crisis, Governor Paterson offered lawmakers the choice of either giving him authority to furlough more than 100,000 state employees or face a shut down of New York's government.

As part of "Affordable Housing Day," city officials announced in the Bronx on Monday that 100,000 affordable homes have been completed. They have a goal of completing 165,00o by 2014.

The city announced it will be building a new complex in the Melrose that will have green roofs, along with a series of gardens where residents can plant vegetables.

Bronx News Roundup, April 30

Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas is being sued by a Queens woman who claims the judge borrowed $500,00 from her to pay off gambling debts and keep loansharks at bay.

Congressman Jose Serrano wants the MLB All Star game moved from Phoenix to protest Arizona's new immigration law.

Also on the Serrano front: the rep praised a new bill passed in the House yesterday that gives Puerto Rico, a longtime U.S. territory, the option of becoming a state.

Three lion cubs make their debut at the Bronx Zoo today. You can help name them by submitting suggestions to the Daily News here. 

An Emily Dickinson-themed garden show opens at the Botanical Garden today, an homage to the poet's passion for horticulture.

Environmental justice group Sustainable South Bronx scored a public health award from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Police are looking for the suspect in a March robbery at E. 187th and Grand Concourse.

More on the second lawsuit filed this week against Pedro Espada by the Attorney General's office, from the Village Voice's Tom Robbins. WCBS aslo interviews a whistleblower from Espada's Soundview clinic, who said employees were regularly used to do campaign work for the senator.

A new playground in  Longwood is modeled after a rotary printing press.

Horace Mann in Riverdale made a list of the nation's top 20 prep schools, compiled by Forbe's (NYC had seven schools on the list total).