Bronx News Roundup Oct. 14

According to NY1, five of the Bronx's eight council members support Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plans to extend term limits. Only Annabel Palma and Jimmy Vacca, neither of whom are term limited, are against it. Helen Foster is undecided. Across the city, 15 council members support the extension, 19 oppose it, and 17 say they haven't made up their mind. All but one of those supporting the overhaul are term-limited. Funny that. A vote is expected in the next two weeks, but the Justice Department will have the final say.

Davidson Community Center on Burnside Avenue is celebrating its 40th birthday. More here in October's Mount Hope Monitor.

Did Nelson Castro lie under oath? Richard Soto, whose brother Mike lost to Castro in September's primary, says he did. Now Soto's filed a complaint with the Bronx DA, according to Bob Kappstatter in the Daily News. This is more bad news for Jose Rivera, the embattled party chairman. Castro, who running for Assembly in the 86th District, was the only primary candidate Rivera supported who won.

Despite being 72, it appears that Rivera still packs a punch - albeit a soft one. Kappstatter says Rivera knocked him with an "intimidating knuckle tap to our jaw" for writing negatively about him and his supporters. It's not the first time Kappstatter's got on the wrong side of a Bronx pol. Earlier this year, Assemblyman State Senator Ruben Diaz accused him of spreading lies and rumors. But Diaz didn't resort to fisticuffs. Instead the good reverend promised to pray for him.

The Seattle Post Intelligencer is asking readers whether schools and politics mix. Last week, the UFT filed a lawsuit accusing the principal of C.S. 134 in Morrisania of forcing a teacher to remove a pro-Obama poster from the school's union bulletin board.

Violent crime is on the rise, says the Daily News. Here in the west Bronx, the 44th Precinct has seen a huge increase. Murders and rapes are up nearly 50 percent on last year's figures. In the Five-Two and Four-Six there's better news, with most violent crime categories down.

Several Bronx schools are helping to raise awareness about the dangers of breast cancer.

Three abandoned lots in Melrose are being redeveloped.

Espada and Soto Hit the Campaign Trail

Pedro Espada Jr. (l) and Mike Soto (r) joined forces at the weekend, as they whizzed around the west Bronx on the back a campaign float. Here they're pictured on Davidson Avenue near West Burnside.

Espada is running against Efrain Gonzalez, the incumbant in the 33rd Senate District. Soto is seeking the nomination in the 86th Assembly District. He faces Nelson Castro. Neither Espada or Soto have the support of the Bronx Democratic Party machine.

The primaries are being held tomorrow. To find out where to vote, visit the Board of Elections Web site.

(Photo by Alma Watkins)