Bronx News Roundup, Tuesday, Aug. 2

Weather: After today's sizzler -- high of 92 expected -- Bronx air will cool back down into the low 80s tomorrow and should stay comfortably below 90 for the rest of the week.

Story of the Day: Bronx Kids Writing Around Town
This summer, the Bronx Council on the Arts is transporting Bronx youngsters to destinations outside of the Northern Borough for rich cultural experiences they otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to enjoy. Before, during and after they go to galleries, museums or places like the Anne Frank Center in SoHo, the kids write about what they've seen and experienced. The goal of the Bronx Write Bus, says program director Maria Romano, is two fold: keeping kids stimulated and off the street and, at the same time, exposing them to cool cultural places and ideas. Good story from former BxNN intern turned Times scribe Andrew Boryga. The program ends next week.

Quick Hits: 
Sad, bizarre crime story in the NY Post today about two clerks at the AutoZone on East 149th Street who chased after and caught a shoplifter yesterday. One of the AutoZone employees managed to wrestle the thief down and call police before the perpetrator turned the tables, for a minute anyway. Eventually, as onlookers told the employees to just let the guy go (why, they wondered, would they risk injury for a business they didn't even own?), the thief gave up the goods and departed before the cops arrived. Later, the Post found the alleged thief, who was sporting a shiner and other injuries. He said he was homeless and that "they didn't have to do that to me."

Bronx News Roundup, Thursday, July 7

Weather: Really hot and humid, again. High in the 90s, with a miniscule chance of rain early this afternoon. Should cool down tomorrow.

Story of the Day:
Darlene Urena, the 5-year-old Soundview-area girl who was shot in the stomach over Memorial Day weekend, is well on her way to recovery. On her way to friend's home to share a bag of Doritos, Urena was caught in a hail of gunfire, which police say was the result of a feud between rival gangs. During three hours of surgery at Jacobi Hospital, doctors stitched up a main artery and removed Darlene's appendix as well as a part of her intestines. While she still takes injections to prevent blood clots and is frightened by the sound of fireworks, Darlene "frolicked" around her apartment the other day and smiled as the Daily News took a photograph of her and her family. "I'm good!" Darlene said.

Quick Hits:
Meet Josue Vargas, a 13-year-old boxing prodigy from Morris Park. He fights tonight at the Loew's Paradise Theater on the Grand Concourse. 

Bronx News Roundup, July 6

Weather: Another hot one today, with temperatures in the high 80s and a chance of thunderstorms later. (If you or someone you know needs to get out of the heat, find one of the city's air conditioned cooling centers here).

Story of the Day: South Bronx, One End of the 'Wealth Gap'
An interesting and graphic-heavy feature from this week's New York magazine takes a comparative look at one of the nation's wealthiest Congressional districts--Manhattan's East Side--and the poorest, NY 16, or the South Bronx. Among the not-so-surprising but still-glaring differences are median income ($79,385 vs. $23,073, respectively), a typical family's weekly budget ($2,222.98 vs. $539.50), the number of Starbucks coffee shops (90 vs. 1), and the number of times Mayor Bloomberg visited each district in a year (42 vs. 10).

"Whatever is happening nationwide always manifests itself much more dramatically in the South Bronx. Always has," Congressman Jose Serrano, who has represented this district for decades, told the magazine. "When people are talking about 5 percent unemployment, we may be talking about 10 percent unemployment."

Tomorrow: Bronx Rally for Marriage Equality

A number of LGBT advocacy groups and several local elected officials will be demonstrating tomorrow afternoon on the steps of the Bronx County Courthouse in support of marriage equality.

The rally was organized by Bronx Rainbow Independent Democratic Association and Marriage Equality New York.

Expected to attend: State Senators Jose M. Serrano, Gustavo Rivera, Jeff Klein and Adriano Espaillat, Assemblymembers Carmen Arroyo, Jeffrey Dinowitz and Jose Rivera and NYC Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

According to a press release, the event is in part a response to State Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr.'s controversial March 15 parade against the passage of a gay marriage bill for New York. 

The rally will start at 2 p.m. at the Bronx Courthouse, 851 Grand Concourse at 161st Street.

Bronx News Roundup, Friday, May 6

It's a beautiful Friday in the Bronx, people. Enjoy. Now, let's get down to business.

Weather: As I mentioned in the brief pre-amble, it's a beautiful day in the Bronx. Nary a cloud in the sky right now and temperatures are expected to top out in the low-70s. Enjoy it will it lasts -- showers are forecast for Saturday and Sunday (at least until about noon and then it should clear up for the rest of Mother's Day).

Story of the Day: Garden's Ambitious Azalea Project Opens Saturday
Flower-ophiles, this story is for you. (Plus it keeps with the "beautiful Bronx" theme I'm working on this morning.) The Bronx's New York Botanical Garden opens its 11-acre Azalea Garden tomorrow and Times critic Edward Rothstein weighs in with a rave review. While the garden, made up of more than 70,000 new plants at a cost of $5 million, appears wild, but is actually a meticulously plotted, researched and arranged vision. It's part of a larger plan for the Garden, which is being orchestrated by designer Laurie Olin of the Olin Partnership, called "Heart of the Garden." Rothstein gushes: "This is a garden designed to display the suitability of plants to place, while demonstrating the inexorable passage of time — and that may be the most natural phenomenon of all."

Quick Hits: 
Also opening tomorrow is the Bronx Heroes Comic Con at the Bronx Museum, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Now, for the un-beautiful. Police charged 17-year-old Martin Quirindongo of Brookly with murdering his 32-year-old girlfriend's nine-month-old baby boy in Marble Hill.

Following the deadly casino tour bus crash in the Bronx almost two months ago, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced new safety regulations for bus drivers and new bus companies.

In City Hall's weekly "Winners and Losers" feature, former Bronx state senator and current State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman gets a victor label for his focus on prosecuting mortgage fraud, which is bringing in big bucks for the state. In the Losers column was Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein's independent caucus for focusing on necktie germs, rather than more important Albany business like negotiations over ethics reform, rent regulation and tax caps.

A violent mugger is preying on the elderly women in the Bronx, the last attack happened near Fordham Road. Really? And we thought the church robberies were heartless acts. See video below:
 

A wild scene played out in a Bronx courtroom yesterday when former Co-op City janitor Paulino Venesuela was sentenced to 90 years in prison for murdering his boss and wounding two colleagues in 2007.

Who says the Bronx doesn't have proper lodging options for visitors? Ok, lots of people. But The Guardian says The Bronx Guesthouse, on E. 233rd Street, is one of the 10 best places to stay in New York City outside of Manhattan.

In case you missed it, here's Bronx Foodie's awesomely simple guacamole recipe.

And we'll end with this heart-warmer in honor of Mother's Day. Last mom's day, Cynthia Cruz took her 3-year-old daughter Mia to The Children's Hospital at Montefiore after she fell down. Doctors there discovered a seven-centimeter cancerous tumor, which they removed. Because Mia was so young, they decided against the usual treatment of radiation and instead used a combination of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. It worked! Two weeks ago, a scan showed zero signs of a recurring tumor.

Editor's note: A special shout out to all mothers in the Bronx and beyond, especially my own beautiful and extraordinary mom, Lyn Kratz, who I hope will read this and know her oldest son is mostly staying out of trouble, washing behind his ears and using proper grammar. Love you, ma.

Bronx News Roundup, Wednesday, May 4

First off, thanks to Adi for his light sleeping habits and nimble early-morning camera work. Now let's get to more Bronx news out there on the webosphere.

Weather: As you can probably tell by looking out your window right now, it's raining and it's expected to continue until the late afternoon. It will cool tonight, with temperatures dropping into the mid-40s. More rain tomorrow.

Story of the Day: Judge Upholds Guilty Verdict for Riverdale Bomb Plotters
In her ruling yesterday, federal judge Colleen McMahon said it was "troubling" how doggedly a government  agent worked to engage the four would-be terrorists who were found guilty in October of plotting to bomb two Riverdale synagogues (and shooting down military transport planes at Stewart International Airport), but said they still deserved to go to prison. These men couldn't hold Osama bin Laden's tunic, the judge implied. According to the NY Times, McMahon wrote that convicted plotter "[James] Cromitie is not a particularly intelligent man, but it defies reason to think that he was unaware” of what was going on. For more bomb plot background , check out the Riverdale Press' Adam Wisnieski's work.

Quick Hits: 
Police are investigating the 17-year-old baby-sitter of a nine-month-old baby who died Tuesday morning after being found unconscious in a Marble Hill apartment. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the teenager admitted to punching the baby in the stomach.

Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein and his independent caucus want to ban doctors and other health care professionals from wearing neckties, jewelry or other fashion accessories that might carry carry yucky germs.

Bronx Pastor Suzan Johnson Cook, who grew up in Wakefield and founded the Bronx Christian Fellowship Baptist Church, was tapped by the Obama administration to be the nation's Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, which just may be the coolest title of any government post.

Residents hope a new Van Nest property owner delivers on his promise to clean up what they say is a drug den.

More on the sparkling new $65.5 million homeless intake center on East 151st Street.

Erika Marte, a senior at Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice, was one of 17 New Yorkers to win the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship. Marte, who lives in Van Nest, will attend Hamilton College in the fall and wants to be a teacher when she's done with her own schooling.

Bronx Weekend News Roundup, April 25

Welcome back to the program, ladies and gentleman of the Bronx and beyond. Without further adieu, let's get down to business.

Weather: Warm, in the high 60s, today with potential for thunderstorms after noon. Supposed to be even warmer tomorrow.

Story of the Day: Prospect Avenue Fire Kills 3 
Early this morning, a swift-moving fire engulfed a Prospect Avenue row house in Belmont, killing a family of three Mexican immigrants -- the 40-year-old mother, 36-year-old father and a 12-year-old son. Two younger children in the family were removed by an uncle, NY1 reports. Another four injured tenants were taken to Jacobi Hospital for treatment. Residents there said the violation-plagued building had been chopped up into a series of single-room apartments. Con Edison had cut off power there last week and neighbors said the building had slipped into foreclosure, turning it into a revolving door for squatters.

Quick Hits:
The Times takes a look at Albany's Brangelina-esque power couple, Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein and Brooklyn/Staten Island State Senator Diane Savino, who have united personally as well as legislatively. Apparently the Albany press corps has dubbed them "Klavino." Klavino makes up half of the independent caucus made of rogue Democrats who have been friendly with the Republican majority.

Angel Ruiz, a Bronx livery cab driver, was rewarded for calling police to report a 61-year-old man being savagely beaten by a man and woman in Mott Haven. The 61-year-old man ended up dying, but the call led to the arrest of two suspects and the NY State Federation of Taxi Drivers rewarded Ruiz for his activism with a $500 check.

About a dozen full-length Bronx-centric films will be shown during Bronx Week (May 12-22) as part of the first annual Bronx Week Film Festival. The festival is being organized by BoogieDowner blogger Greg Tsougranis. The films will show at the Bruckner Bar & Grill from May 16-19.

Mamadou Balde, who remains alive after police shot him several time last week for allegedly waving what turned out to be a fake gun around, is being charged with weapons possession and menacing behavior.

A Bronx teenager was reportedly stabbed to death by gang members after he demanded a $10 refund from a Belmont-area house party he was kicked out of.

A Bronx teenager said she was sodomized at the Metropolitan Hospital psychiatric ward.

The first season of "Car 54, Where Are You?" -- a 60s-era sitcom cop show set and filmed in the Bronx -- has been released on DVD. Here's a clip:


Following reports of a 7-year-old student being handcuffed in Queens, a Bronx mom came out to say she received a $30,000 settlement after her 7-year-old had been handcuffed at PS 71 last year.

The wooing of the Hunts Point produce market continues as the Hudson Reporter reports that market officials are looking at several New Jersey locations.

Bronx News Roundup, Tuesday, March 29

Weather: Very similar to yesterday -- sunny and cold this morning, gradually warming up into the mid-40s in the afternoon and then cooling down again at night. 

To the news!

Story of the Day:
The legal morass deepened yesterday for Pedro Espada Jr. as federal prosecutors unveiled new charges against the ex-Bronx State Senator and health clinic mogul, as well as his son, Pedro Gautier Espada. The father-son duo were hit with new tax evasion and wire fraud charges, according to the indictment filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, where the Espadas are being tried. Both are out on $750,000 bail after being charged in December with stealing more than $550,000 from Pedro Jr.'s nonprofit health care clinic empire in the Bronx to pay for, among other things, a $49,000 down payment on a Bentley. Prosecutors indicated yesterday that they would be willing to offer the Espadas a plea deal that could lead to reduced sentences if he admits to wrongdoing. 

Quick Hits:
We'll start the hits with Vanity Fair's hilarious take on the Bronx Zoo's missing Egyptian cobra, which is apparently now Tweeting as it slithers about town. Already, the snake boasts a Twitter following of 10,000 fans. "Right now, it's the snake's game," the Zoo said in statement.

Police are searching for a body in Riverdale Park after two suspects told authorities they had killed a man and dumped him there 11 years ago.

Though details have yet to be released, two special needs schools in the Bronx are happy that their state funding has been tentatively restored.

Police are asking assistance in tracking down two armed robbery suspects.

Bronx native and two-time presidential candidate Ellen McCormack died on Sunday at the age of 84.

Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein launched a crusade against Four Loko, which returned to NYC stores last month minus the caffeine, but is still packing a stiff, 12% alcohol, punch and comes in brightly colored cans. He's calling Four Loko and other similarly-loaded and fashioned drinks, "alcopop."  (By the way, who knew Klein's girlfriend was neat-freak fellow state senator, Diane Savino of Brooklyn/Staten Island?)

100-year-old east Bronx resident Lily Rapaport is sharing her life story through a new federal program called StoryCorps.

Meet the latest super-sized Bronx rap sensation, Fred The Godson, who was the only NYC rapper featured on the cover of the hip-hop magazine XXL's "Freshman of the Year" issue.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 20

Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the organization that matches adult mentors with children and teens, is looking for volunteers in the Bronx. The group received only 27 Bronx mentors last year.

A Bronx woman has been reunited with her daughter, who was kidnapped over two decades ago.

Councilman Oliver Koppell and Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., continue their fight for passage of a Living Wage bill, which stemmed from last year's battle over plans for the Kingbridge Armory. The two pols attended a rally in Harlem last week in support of the legislation, which Mayor Bloomberg and the business community have opposed. 

A 16-year-old boy from the Bronx wowed judges on American Idol this week. Travis Orlando "took viewers on a tour of his rough Bronx neighborhood near the Grand Concourse thoroughfare," according to MTV.com.

Rayvon Guice, 21, of the Bronx, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for shooting two women in last year's chaotic "wilding" in Times Square on Easter Sunday.

A student from Bronx High School of Science is a semifinalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search for his genetic research project.

The family of Betty Williams, the murdered Bronx woman whose body was discovered inside a suitcase on the Upper East Side last month, are trying to reunite with her 3-year-old son. The boy was placed in foster care after his mother struggled with addiction problems.

A couple was killed early yesterday morning in a car accident on the Grand Concourse near East 165th Street.

Pedro Espada's memoir, which never materialized, was meant to be in part a political attack against then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, according to the Post. Investigators have been looking into the proposed autobiography to find out if Espada used money from his Soundview Health Clinics to pay for the ghostwriter he'd hired.

Students at Theatre Arts Production Company High School, on Webster Avenue, say it's easy to get straight A's at the school, which is one of the higher performing in the city. The Department of Education is looking into whether or not grades at the school have been fudged. The Times has more here.

New York Democrats, including Sen. Jeff Klein, are laying off staff this year due to budget constraints. The party had racked up millions in debt during their two years in power.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 19

The state has banned former Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr., and his son from its Medicaid program. Espada is the CEO of the Soundview Healthcare Network, and was criminally indicted for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the string of clinics.

Speaking of Espada: investigators are trying to determine if he used Soundview money to pay a ghostwriter he'd hired back in 2006 to help pen an autobiography. "I think he wanted to be a hero character in his memoir," the writer told the Post of the book, which was never completed.

Don Kirshner, a Bronx-born music producer and television host, passed away yesterday at the age of 76. He had hand in some of the most popular songs and musical acts of the 1950s, including Manhattan's Carole King and fellow Bronxite Bobby Darin.

News for outer borough residents, where yellow city cabs are often hard to come by: Mayor Bloomberg plans to legalize livery cabs to make street pick ups. The proposal has yellow cab drivers irked, saying the move will cut into their income.

The Mayor is expected to make the announcement during his "State of the City" address today, at 1 p.m.

Police have ruled the death of a Bronx couple's 11-day-old baby an accident. The infant was smothered while being carried by her mother in a carrier harness during an outing.

The Bronx saw a shocking 107.7% jump on in the number of murders that took place in the borough's public housing complexes in 2010, compared to the year before.

A Bronx woman was busted trying to use counterfeit $100 bills for her purchases at the Palisades Mall.

Jurors in a Bronx Supreme Court will get to hear a tape of accused killer Daniel Carbuccia's plan to re-enact a scene from the mafia classic "The Godfather," to scare a witness out of testifying against him.

A gorgeous Mediterranean-style mansion in Riverdale's Fieldston Historic District is up for sale. Anyone with a spare $4.5 million want to buy it for me?

Craigslist has starting pulling ads from posters trying to sell the controversial drink Four Loko online. Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein has been on a mission to get the booze-and-caffeine mixed beverage off the market for good. Apparently, you can still buy cans of the stuff on eBay.

Workers at Woodlawn are trying to garner the support of plot owners at the cemetery in an ongoing union dispute over layoffs.

A man who was killed after accidentally plunging his truck into a Wisconsin lake earlier this week has been identified as 43-year-old Peter Ramanand, of the Bronx.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 13

Two teenagers were shot, one fatally, inside a deli on Westchester and Wheeler Avenues in Bronx River early this morning. One victim, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene while another 19-year-old is in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center.

This spat of youth violence comes just days after another boy, 14-year-old Philip Johnson, was shot to death in Williamsbridge Monday night during a fight organized by two groups of feuding teenagers via text message.

More bad health news for the borough: the Bronx had the worst health stats almost across the board in 2009 compared to other parts of the city (with the exception of heart disease, which is most prevalent in Brooklyn).

So far, Sen. Jeff Klein and the three other Democrats who split from the party's conference last week have been denied spots on any Senate committees, though the Republicans can still dole out assignments to them and other Democrats (here's a list of committee assignments Democratic leader John Sampson released a few days ago).

Former NFL star and Giants player Lawrence Taylor is fighting charges that he paid a 16-year-old Bronx girl for sex. Taylor has rejected a plea deal, and could go to trial this month.

More controversy over plans to build a 911 call center on Pelham Parkway, which city Controller John Liu has called out for wasteful spending and the fact that the project is way over budget.

David Gonzalez takes a look at the work of Bronx-native photographer Martin Cohen, in a post for the Times' Lens Blog.

A Bronx man who was hired to shovel snow outside of a Department of Sanitation garage in Inwood fell through a metal sidewalk grate, suffering a head injury. Eric Pagan, 20, was in stable condition yesterday at Harlem Hospital.

Montefiore doctor Alexandra Bastien looks back on her trip to Haiti to help out after the earthquake. The one year anniversary of the disaster was yesterday.

Two people were injured during a fire that broke out yesterday in the basement of an apartment building in Claremont.

Computers that were stolen this summer during a burglary at PS 35 were replaced this month, after HPD and non-profit housing developer Blue Sea Development organized a computer drive for the school.

Senate Dems Get Their Committee Assignments

Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson released a list today of Senate committee assignments today, which are shown below.

The Republicans have also published their assignments, along with the names of reps who will chair said committees. The list is here. Sen. Dean Skelos, leader of the now-majority Republicans, gets to name committee chairs--positions of power that come with a "lulu," or financial bonus.

No Democrats were granted chair positions this time, and neither was Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein, or any other member of his newly formed Independent Democratic Conference.

The minority committee assignments are posted below. The names at the top of each committee list that have an asterisk next to them are the ranking minority members--i.e., the top Democrat on that committee.

New Sen. Gustavo Rivera is the new minority ranking member of the Committee on Crime Victims, Crimes & Corrections (formerly chaired by Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson when the Dems were in the majority). He's also been assigned to the Committees on Agriculture, Health, Finance, Higher Education, Labor and Banks.

Other Bronx Senators in minority ranking positions: Ruben Diaz on Aging (he was the former committee chair),  Jose M. Serrano for Cultural Affairs, and Hassell-Thompson on the judiciary committee.

See the list document for more.
46671049 Senate Democratic Committee Assignments

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 11

Another snowstorm (ugh!) is expected to hit the city tonight, a possible 6 to 12 inches. That could be bad news for your commute tomorrow, as the MTA has considered halting service on certain trains during the next big storm--including the Dyre Avenue line--to avoid more stuck subway car mishaps.

Bronx Congressmen  Engel, Crowley and Serrano are shaken by this weekend's tragic shooting in Tuscon, AZ, which left their colleague Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition after a bullet went through her head. Six others died in the attacks.

A 14-year-old boy was shot to death last night near a subway stop at E. 219th St. and White Plains Road. Witnesses say he was approached by three other males before was shot; no arrests have been made.

Every borough has a story, writes Daily News columnist Patrice O'Shaughnessy--and the Bronx's is one of resilience.

A "nude housekeeper" is currently on trial for the 2007 murder of a paralegal who'd hired him to clean his apartment. The defendent, 41-year-old Bronx resident Thomas Cordero, claims he acted in self defense.

Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., is blasting colleague Jeff Klein and his new Independent Democratic Conference for getting money for "staff and better offices."

Diaz' rant comes after reports that Klein switched offices with Deputy Senate Majority Leader Tom Libous this week and that he and his fellow independents might get their legislative office budgets increased by majority Republicans to as much as $3 million.

Speaking of Klein: he held a news conference yesterday in Albany where he said he opposed the idea of linking a property tax cap to New York City rent regulation--meaning one bill could not pass without the other (new Gov. Cuomo is pushing for the property tax cap).

Bob Kappstatter has your other Bronx political news this week, including the swearing in of new reps Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Eric Stevenson. Also: there are rumors of a police crackdown on prostitution near St. James Park, he writes. (here's more on the problem from November's Norwood News.)

An elderly man was struck by a car and killed yesterday in Co-Op City.

A 15-year-old Haitian girl who left her country after last year's devastating earthquake is getting a new heart at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Montefiore Medical Center tomorrow--the one year anniversary of the earthquake disaster. Lovely Ajuste has had a heart condition since the age of eight.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 5

Welcome to today's program, loyal and beautiful readers. Lots of political news to get to on the day new Governor Andrew Cuomo makes his State of the State speech. 

In his address today, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Albany's Empire State Plaza Convention Center (not the traditional Assembly Chambers location for several reasons), Cuomo will unveil his "emergency financial reinvention plan" with the aid of 82 Power Point slides.

Cuomo is looking to plug a $9 billion budget gap through a variety of means, including a few ideas that have already leaked out: a year-long wage freeze for state workers, Medicaid cuts and agency reconfigurations.

You can watch the speech live on the governor's website.

In response to Cuomo's anticipated assault on Medicaid spending, Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. introduced a bill that would create a program to recruit and enroll potential Medicaid users who aren't using it.

Diaz called a meeting today of the state senate's Hispanic caucus (which also includes Bronxites Gustavo Rivera and Jose M. Serrano) and Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson, who is up for re-election.

In protest of Sampson's leadership (or lack thereof, as he's suggested) and following his ouster as head of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein stepped down from his deputy leader position and has started his own Independent Caucus, along with senate Democratic colleagues David Carlucci, Diane Savino and David Valesky.

A 16-year-old 10th grader was stabbed in the neck this morning while walking to the Lewis and Clark special education school near Westchester Square.

Anthology Film Archives will be showing five recent films made by Bronx-born filmmaker Abel Ferrara.

Highbridge residents are concerned about a homeless shelter that recently switched from housing women and children to single men, some of whom are convicted sex offenders.

The DN's Bob Kappstatter profiles new Bronx chief of detectives Robert Boyce, who is dealing with an exodus of the borough's talented retiring detectives.

Today's weather forecast (courtesy of weather.com): Sunny, with a high of around 40 degrees.

Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 16

Patients at Espada's Soundview Health Clinics told the Post that they wouldn't mind seeing the network's CEO behind bars. "He belongs in jail," said 70-year-old Rosalind Rahamon. Espada and his son pleaded not guilty yesterday at a federal court in Brooklyn; we'll have more on that in a bit.

A spokeswoman from the Health Department told WNYC that the agency supports Espada's removal from his CEO position at Soundview.

Outgoing Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who first brought civil charges against Espada this spring, said of the senator's indictment: "I couldn't leave on a better note."

Mets player Carlos Beltran handed out food to Bronx residents with anti-hunger group City Harvest.

The body of a 38-year-old Bronx man was discovered in a wooded area of Clifton, N.J. yesterday.

Bronx resident George Castro, 48, is accused of stealing $5.7 million from Columbia University. He allegedly diverted funds from the prestigious school's accounts after accessing private financial information, and had more than $200,000 in cash on him when he was arrested by police last month.

Loyal customers at a Carvel store in Wakefield won't let this week's freezing temperatures stop them from enjoying an ice cream cone.

The Mayor says legislators taking advantage of a loophole that lets them collect pension checks while still in office are pulling the "ultimate scam." Bronx Assemblyman Jose Rivera is among the accused.

Four Loko, the controversial booze-and-caffeine beverage that's supposedly been banned from stores, is still available for purchase online, according to Sen. Jeff Klein's office.

Incoming Schools Chancellor Cathie Black, responding to critics that she's out of touch with inner-city students: "I've been to the South Bronx, and that's about as realistic as you can get." Witty commentary at the source.

Today's issue of amNY profiles Concourse Village, and the neighborhood art scene there.

A Bronx-based nonprofit health group is looking update the borough's medical care. Bronx Regional Health Information Organization is partnering with the borough's hospitals to create electronic patients' records--a staple of President Obama's reform plan.

Plans to officially form a Business Improvement District for Westchester Square  are coming together.

Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 7

Two Bronx police officers gave a baby CPR last night, saving her life.

In a civil suit, a Bronx man claims police officers sodomized him with a baton when they responded to a domestic dispute between him and girlfriend in 2004. Ralph Johnson, who works on Wall Street, is suing the NYPD for unspecified damages.  The NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau (which the Village Voice portrayed as hugely incompetent in a recent article) previously deemed Johnson's allegations unfounded, and the Bronx DA declined to prosecute.

The Bronx teacher who was reassigned to administrative duties after blogging about her former exploits as a call girl, talks to Maire Claire about her past and present. [via the Daily News]

In his weekly column, the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter remembers Elaine Kaufman, the Bronx-raised owner of Elaine's, the famed Upper East Side restaurant and bar.  Kaufman died last Friday age 81. 
 
Come January, six of New York's 62 state senators will be Latino. If they stick together, they may give their fellow Democrats a few sleepness nights, argues political reporter Gerson Borrero.  Four of the six represent the Bronx, or parts of the Bronx, including Gustavo Rivera, who Borreo says is "expected to be the lap dog for organized labor." 

Looks like Pedro Espada, Jr., the man Rivera is replacing, is AWOL from Albany again.  Last week, Espada skipped the special session called by Gov. Paterson. 

John F. Kennedy High School is one of a dozen public schools the city Department of Education says its considering phasing-out because of poor performance.  The decision wasn't unexpected: JFK received a D grade in its latest progress report. (The closing of troubled schools has been a source of contention in recent times, with the DOE often clashing with parents, teachers, and the teahers' union.  Last year, the union and others sued the city, and successfully blocked efforts - temporarily at least - to shutter 19 schools.  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. is another critic of the closures.  Here's his reaction to yesterday's announcement.) 

Students at MS 180 in City Island run a highly successful food drive. 

Yesterday, Gov. David Paterson pardoned six immigrants who faced possible deportation because of crimes committed in their younger years.  Among the pardoned: a former crack-addict from the Bronx who's now a CUNY big-wig. 

Police believe they may have collared the so-called "ice-pick robber" who was wanted for a string of robberies in the Bronx and Manhattan.

A city Department of Transportation pilot program could see the speed limit on some Bronx streets cut to 20 miles an hour.

The Barnes & Noble in Co-op City recently unveiled a 3,000 square-foot toys and games boutique which doubles up as the ultimate play area.  Here's the press release.

State Senator Jeff Klein is reminding crooks that it's now a felony to vandalize or steal from a house of worship.

Ed. note: Start a discussion about any of these stories, or anything else you want to talk about in our forum. Highlight problems in your neighborhood with our SeeClickFix feature. And find out what's happening in our constantly-updated events calendar.

Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 23

Police are searching for a Bronx man, who lives on University Avenue, in connection to a number of break-ins and burglaries on the Lower East Side.

Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo visited a now-empty juvenile detention center in upstate New York yesterday, citing it as an example of Albany dysfunction and inefficiency. Tryon Residential Facility for boys was made famous after a Bronx teenager died there in 2006 during a violent scuffle with staff at the facility, which will close this year.

The key witness in a Bronx court murder trial is now keeping mum and refusing to testify; prosecutors say he was intimidated into silence by the men being tried, and their cronies.

Local business owners are gearing up for the start of the Holiday shopping season this Black Friday, and looking for ways to entice reluctant shoppers.

With Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson and Senate President Malcolm Smith in the hot seat over Aqueduct raceway casino allegations, Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein is poised to climb the ranks of the Democratic Party this year, says Bob Kappstatter.

His column this week also gives a shout out to our very own Alex Kratz for his Norwood News story on the thriving prostitution trade near St. James park. 

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn released a report on the city's food industry yesterday, calling for a number of sweeping policy changes, including a revamping of the Hunts Point Market. Bronxite Harry Bubbins, of the community garden group Friends of Brook Park, weighs in, saying that Quinn and the Council need to put more support behind local gardens and urban farms.

A look into Cardinal Spellman High School's girls' basketball team this season.

Note: Don't forget to check out some of the new features on this site, like our events calendar, community forum, and the SeeClickFix feature, where you can report and track responses to neighborhood problems.

Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 13-15

A 17-year-old Bronx girl was severely injured Saturday night when she was hit by a truck on City Island Avenue. Police say the driver was drunk. 

During an undercover sting last Tuesday, 11 out of 28 Bronx bodegas visited sold the controversial drink Four Loko to a minor. The brew (aka: "black-out-in-a-can") comes in 23.5 ounce cans and has an alcohol content similar to wine. It's been blamed for several deaths and the hospitalization of dozens of college students across the country. The drink's already been banned in four states and New York is up next. Yesterday, Gov. Paterson and the State Liquor Authority announced that the Chicago-based company that makes it has agreed to stop shipments to the state. State Senator Jeff Klein has been one of Four Loko's most vocal critics.  

A 60-year-old woman died on Saturday after a fire broke out in her Throggs Neck home.

Vada Vasquez, the Bronx teen who was shot and nearly killed by a stray bullet last November, has been speaking about her experience. Now 16, Vada has staged a miraculous recovery. 

A man has been charged with attempting to murder another man in Claremont on Sept. 18. 

Police are investigating a shooting in Parkchester that left the girlfriend of a Triborough Bridge and Tunnel officer wounded by a round from his gun. 

The sister of a man who died at an East Tremont assisted-living facility says morgue workers treated his body like a "bag of trash."  She's suing the city's Medical Examiner's Office. 

Since booth clerks were laid off at the Kingbridge Road subway station (B and D Trains), fare evasion has become rampant, and straphangers say they feel unsafe.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts has been selected by the U.S. Department of State to launch an exchange program which will see 15 American visual artists travel abroad to collaborate with artists and youth in creating community-based projects.

The Wildlife Conservation Society has been awarded a $714,649 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to train future teachers how to make the most of the Bronx Zoo and the Botanical Garden. The program will become part of Lehman College's postsecondary teacher education course.

Retailers in Hunts Point are hoping to attract a big name store to the area. 

On Saturday, Manhattan College will induct eight athletes (two posthumously) into the college's Hall of Fame.

Bronx News Roundup, Oct. 19

The NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating claims that Deputy Inspector John D'Adamo, the commanding officer of the 52nd Precinct, wrote off parking tickets received by friends and family members. D'Adamo has been top cop at the Five-Two since last October. Here's a profile that appeared in the Norwood News earlier this year. 

As we mentioned yesterday, the four Newburgh men accused of trying to blow up two Riverdale synagogues have been found guilty. In a statement, Bronx BP Ruben Diaz, Jr. said:

I am happy to see that justice has been done, and that the four thugs who plotted to destroy two Riverdale synagogues will be forced to pay for their crimes. The Bronx stands against hate in all of its forms, and all 1.4 million Bronxites are gratified that this loathsome attack on religious freedom will not go unpunished.

Legal experts say the convictions vindicate the post-9/11 strategy of using informants to identify and encourage individuals considered likely to engage in terrorism activities, in order to get them off the streets.

Two pit bulls attacked and injured two adults near Crotona Park early this morning.

For one Bronx family, Nov. 1 is a special day. Mom, dad, and baby all share the same birthday.

The owners of a venerable Bronx locksmith says their company's name is being dragged through the mud by scam artists.

In his weekly column, the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter says more trouble may be brewing for Co-op City's scandal-hit board of directors.

The Yankees have made a mint selling dirt from their old ballpark.

A Bronx-based beverage company is recalling certain juice drinks because of concerns over foodborne pathogens.

State Senator Jeff Klein is taking nothing for granted in his race against Republican challenger Frank Vernuccio.

An enormous pumpkin, weighing close to 2,000 pounds, will be on display at the Botanical Garden upcoming "Halloween Hoorah" event series. For times, etc. visit our events calendar.

Bronx News Roundup, Sept. 29

Lehman High School teacher James McSherry’s independent film based on his life experiences won him several awards and recognition. The film tells the story of McSherry’s friend who was arrested in Throgs Neck for a drug-related murder during the 1980s.

Prosecutors showed a video of a car being blown up with the same tools that they say were planned to be used in an attack on a synagogue in Riverdale last year. The defendants claim they were entrapped by an FBI informant who provided them with fake weapons.

A motorist in the Bronx viciously attacked a traffic agent yesterday after being issued a ticket. The driver was blocking a lane when Edgar Saeteros issued the summons. Cops are still searching for the attacker.

The MTA is going to eliminate toll booth arms on the Henry Hudson Bridge, which connects the Bronx and Manhattan. The ultimate plan is to eliminate the toll gates and cash lanes entirely to speed things up for drivers while also saving money.

After she blew up the Internet with blogs about her infamous past, sex-worker-turned-teacher Melissa Petro was granted tenure at a Bronx elementary school.

Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein says a new bill he sponsored will protect homeowners from loan scammers. The bill requires consultants -- who often take advantage of distressed homeowners by telling them they will save them from foreclosure -- to put a disclaimer on loan modification ads telling homeowners they can receive similar services for free through the New York State Banking Department.