For Updated Bronx News and Updates, Visit Breaking Bronx at NorwoodNews.org

The Bronx News Network is in a transitional phase and has suspended posting for the time being. We'll be providing updates in the near future.

In the meantime, for the latest Bronx news updates and stories, visit Breaking Bronx, the new borough-wide blog published by the Norwood News. Aside from our daily news updates and stories, Breaking Bronx provides special feature posts, including the interactive Be Healthy! column on Wednesdays, the Bronx Sports Report on Thursdays and the Bronx Breakdown column every Friday afternoon.

Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative--Apply Now!

Bronx News Network is recruiting now for the fall semester of the Bronx Youth Journalism Initiative--a free journalism program for Bronx high school students. Classes meet every Wednesday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse.

During the semester, students will learn the fundamentals of writing, reporting, and photojournalism through classroom instruction and hands-on reporting in their own neighborhoods. Their work gets published in a special youth supplement called Bronx Youth Heard, which appears in the Norwood News, giving youth a powerful voice--not to mentioned a real, bylined news clip for their college applications and portfolios.

We are looking for students of all academic abilities, but they should be highly motivated, love to write, be naturally inquisitive, and care about what's going on in their communities. Click here to find out more about the program or to download an application form, or call (718) 324-4998 and ask for Jeanmarie Evelly. You can also e-mail bronxyouthheard@gmail.com.

Startling Statistics Put Focus on Latina Suicides

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in the latest issue of the Norwood News, out now. 

Health care professionals and the city’s elected officials are looking for ways to tackle the daunting problem of teen suicides, as data from several sources shows that Hispanic teenagers, especially young Latinas, are disproportionately at risk for self-harm compared to other racial groups.

In the Bronx, 15.3 percent of Latina teenagers reported having attempted suicide in a 2009 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which looked at youth behavior (numbers in Staten Island and Brooklyn were even higher).

City data shows the same disturbing trend: according to a 2008 report from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 46 percent of Hispanic teenage girls polled reported feelings of “persistent sadness.”

“It’s pretty startling across the board,” said Alan Ross, executive director for the Samaritans of New York, a nonprofit suicide prevention organization that also runs a 24-hour emergency hotline.

A Year After Tragedy, Megan Charlop's Work Endures

It's been exactly one year since our good friend and colleague Megan Charlop (she was a good friend and colleague of many, many people) died in a tragic accident while biking to PS 55 to plan a summer camp fair. From what I can recall it was a gorgeous pre-spring day much like today. She is still deeply missed but we are glad to bring you this report from the Norwood News about her incredible work in public and community health and those that seek to continue it.

Violent Crime Rises in City, Borough, Precinct

Editor's note: This story first appeared in last week's issue of the Norwood News, a special "year in review" edition that's on the streets and online now. 

By Alex Kratz

If you look at the latest statistics published by the NYPD for the 52nd Precinct — which encompasses the entire Norwood News coverage area — overall crime is down by less than one-half of one percent.
But even that miniscule drop in crime is deceiving. The Five-Two was hit hard in 2010; by a barrage of murders, a significant rise in felony assaults (including shootings) and rapes, as well as a string of robberies that rocked area churches in late fall.

Authorities did make headway on two of the area’s most intractable problems — drug dealing and prostitution — but those crimes continue to impact the lives of residents in several neighborhoods.

In July, police and federal authorities broke up a well-organized, multi-million dollar drug-dealing operation that had swallowed up a stretch of Valentine Avenue, from 194th to 196th streets. The busts, which included 31 people, gave residents a sense of relief and freedom, but dealing has reportedly increased on 198th and 194th streets.

Throughout the year, Deputy Inspector John D’Adamo, the 52nd Precinct’s commanding officer, has focused attention on the prostitution problems near St. James Park. While the precinct’s efforts have pushed the prostitution away from the park, it settled just a block away on Davidson Avenue and 192nd Street, where there has been a strong transgender sex trade presence for the past decade. Residents disagree about whether the situation there is any worse or better than before.

Just blocks from the prostitution hotspot, near the northwest corner of St. James Park, the year’s most brazen and brutal murder took place in late August, on a warm Sunday afternoon. Jelani Ciria, a 20-year-old father, was on his way to see his daughter when he was stopped by at least six bullets that produced 17 holes in his body.

Despite the public nature of the killing, pleas from Ciria’s family and extra reward money provided by local elected officials, witnesses did not materialize and Ciria’s murder remains unsolved.

2010 Crime Statistics (through Dec. 12)

Murders
52nd Precinct: 11 (up 57.1%, from 7 in 2009)
Bronx: 123 (up 18.3%, from 104 in 2009)
Citywide: 508 (up 14.7%, from 443 in 2009)

Rapes
52nd Precinct: 26 (up 8.3%, from 24 in 2009)
Bronx: 277 (up 6.9%, from 259 in 2009)
Citywide: 1,328 (up 15.7%, from 1,148 in 2009)

Robberies
52nd Precinct: 479 (down 0.4%, from 481 in 2009)
Bronx: 4,369 (up 11.9%, from 3,903 in 2009)
Citywide: 18,421 (up 4.9%, from 17,563 in 2009)

Felony Assault
52nd Precinct: 436 (up 13.1%, from 385 in 2009)
Bronx: 4,224 (up 2.1%, from 4,136 in 2009)
Citywide: 16,134 (up 0.6%, from 16,040 in 2009)

—Source: NYPD website

Harris Clean-up Costing Other Parks

Construction at Harris Field, this October (file photo by Layza Garcia)

Editor's note: this article is from this week's Norwood News, our special 2010 year in review issue, which hits the streets today.

By Alex Kratz

There’s a new twist to the saga that has become the remaking of Harris Field in Bedford Park.

Last year, the Norwood News uncovered the Parks Department’s finding of heavy lead contamination underneath the soil at Harris, which caused delays and cost the city $5.2 million to mitigate.

While the city searched for a company to do the clean-up work, residents continued to use the contaminated site, but it wasn’t until a decomposing dead body was found inside the park’s weak fencing in July that the Parks Department got serious about keeping people out.

Now apparently free of contamination, construction of the new ball fields has re-started and Parks is hoping to complete them in time for youth baseball leagues to start using this spring.

The twist is that it is now clear how the problems at Harris are affecting other parks that were in line to receive funding from the Department of Environmental Protection, which injected more than $200 million in capital funding for Bronx parks in exchange for taking public parkland (in Van Cortlandt Park) to build the Croton Water Filtration Plant.

Regatta Park, which sits on the Harlem River and is more of an idea than an actual park, was supposed to receive $1.6 million to help transform it into something public and usable. But now, the clean-up at Harris has sapped all but $93,000 earmarked for the project.

Councilman Fernando Cabrera is working with the DEP, Parks Department and the Department of Transportation (which currently controls the Regatta Park space) to see if they can still get the project going forward.

Editorial: The Armory Vote a Year Later

Editor's note: the following editorial is from the most recent edition of the Norwood News, which is out and online now.

It’s the one-year anniversary of the nearly unanimous City Council vote that scuttled the mayor’s juggernaut to stuff a cookie-cutter mall inside the landmark Kingsbridge Armory.

In that time, the city’s two tabloids, the New York Post and the Daily News, have taken every opportunity to whack at Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. for his opposition to the project, which gave the necessary juice to a community and labor-backed effort to defeat it in the City Council.

Regular readers know where we stand on this, but as long as the editorial boards of the city dailies continue to harp on this, we are compelled to reiterate our position.

For more than a decade, community organizations led by the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition hammered out plans for a remake of the facility that made room for recreation, community programming, small businesses, a movie theater, etc.

Related, the city’s chosen developer, never offered details on what it was going to provide except for retail. Despite this and the clear sense that the Armory would be a mall pure and simple, the community’s only firm request in the end was that people had to be paid a living wage, particularly when the developer was going to receive over $70 million in taxpayer subsidies to remake a public landmark.

It was hardly an outlandish request. Several other municipalities have enacted wage guarantees on development projects benefiting from taxpayer subsidies.

It hasn’t been required in New York City, but, thanks to the Armory battle, living wage requirements are now an issue with wings as legislation is being considered in the City Council. (It won’t pass this year, but it will be back on the docket and a priority in 2011, says Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera.) That’s why all the Manhattan-based big-shots are so mad at Diaz. He picked a big, risky fight and he’s winning.

We might have a little more patience for the tabloid tirades if they ever really gave a whit about the Bronx when it mattered. Where were they when the Yankees took subsidies and local parkland for their stadium, delaying some local replacement parks as much as three years? They were cheerleading the project along.

What have they said about the scandal-plagued water filtration plant that ripped a stadium-sized hole in a local park, costing water rate payers $2 billion more than the original billion-dollar price tag? Right, nothing.

Yes, jobs are critical, but what’s even more critical is laying a foundation of fairness that has long eluded the borough. That includes jobs that pay decent wages and a real role in determining what is done with our precious public property.

Whatever the tabloids say, Diaz helped lay the cornerstone for that foundation, and we applaud him for it.

$1 Million Restoration Brings Poe Cottage Into the Future

Angel Hernandez of the Bronx Historical Society looks out from the porch of Poe Cottage, which is undergoing a million dollar facelift. (Photo by Rochana Rapkins)

Editor's note: This story first appeared in the latest edition of the Norwood News. 

By ROCHANA RAPKINS

When British journalist Mary Grove visited Edgar Allen Poe’s cottage outside the village of Fordham, she described it as cozy and neat, with “floors as white as wheat.” The cottage was situated on a hill, and surrounded by creeks, rivers and farmland.

Today the 198-year-old cottage still stands -- although it’s now a few hundred yards away from its original location -- at the intersection of Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse. What was once Millbrook Creek is now Webster Avenue. A stone’s throw away, children play on playground equipment and residents sit on benches in what is now Poe Park.

Ironically, when the Bronx County Historical Society kicked off a million-dollar restoration of the 198-year-old building this year, some local kids literally threw rocks to see if they could shatter the windows.

“You can still see some of the rocks up on the roof,” said Eric Stalzer, vice president of Apple Restoration, the company hired to do the job. “It was a shame.”

(Photo by Rochana Rapkins)

When it is completed in six to eight months, the garden will showcase plants and flowers mentioned in Poe’s works. All of the period furniture -- much of it currently on exhibit at the Museum of Bronx History -- will be returned. Angel Hernandez, and educator with the Historical Society, envisions holding poetry slams and readings of Poe’s work in the evening.

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.

New in the Norwood News

Just in time for the weekend, the latest edition of the Norwood News is out on streets and online now. Here's a quick preview:

Bronx Community College students, staffers and faculty "March for Dignity." Plus, an op-ed from one of the march organizers.

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the mayor's office square off again over a Bronx development space that has implications for the Kingsbridge Armory. (I'm detecting a theme between these two political entities.)

Speaking of development, Bronx pols say the city's new living wage study is rigged to favor the mayor's view on development.  

High School football rivals DeWitt Clinton and John F. Kennedy are struggling through growing pains this year.

More on the great pumpkin carving king.

In a move to curb New York's rampant obesity and diabetes problems, the city looks to ban people from using food stamps to purchase soda and other sugar-heavy drinks.

And much more.

Follow us on Twitter: @norwoodnews and check us out and like us on Facebook.

Stories Not About Politics in Norwood News

While we're waiting for election results, just a reminder: the latest edition of the Norwood News is out on streets and online now. Here's a sampling of some non-election stories you'll find.

Rashaad Ernesto Green, a young film director from the Bronx is putting the final touches on his new movie, "Gun Hill Road" -- filmed largely on and around, you guessed it, Gun Hill Road.

Police are still looking for witnesses to come forward with information about killing of a 20-year-old father who was exiting St. James Park in University Heights. The victim was shot six or seven times in the chest in broad daylight. Police and experts say it's difficult to find witnesses willing to aid in the investigation of violent crimes for a variety of reasons.

Plus more crime news in our Police Report.

As part of the Norwood News' new "Be Healthy" section, we profile a new kidney transplant clinic that caters to Spanish speakers. and also offer some health tips for parents with kids heading back to school. 

A Norwood artist looks to break into the world of cartooning.

In our Business Beat section, we take a look at the string of shops offering fruit smoothies in the area.

Also, don't forget to access our online-expanded Neighborhood Notes section for all the latest on local programs, services, events and announcements.

100 Hundred Years Young at St. Patrick's

Local Centennian's receiving gifts in celebration of their 100 years of life at St. Patrick's Home on Tuesday.

This afternoon, St. Patrick's Home for the Aged and Infirmed, located right off of Mosholu Parkway, celebrated the lives of 13 residents who either turned triple digits or have surged right past the century mark.

The celebration included a review of all of the historic events over the past 100 years, lively Irish step dancing and a presentation of gifts by family members and friends.

The residents celebrating over 100 years of age included: Rose Paladino, Anna Benson (103), Anna Roorra (102), Elizabeth Kioski, Josefine Diesto, Louise Erto, Theresa Verna, Mary Leech, Mary Turner (101), Mildred Davis, Nora Roach, John Burns and Bridget McCahill (100).

Rasta Afternoon at Monte

The Fingees in the courtyard at Montefiore Hospital.

Monday afternoon felt more like happy hour at a Jamaican resort than lunchtime in the courtyard at Montefiore Medical Center.

As part of a weekly Summer Concert series (on Mondays), Bronx reggae band, The Fingees, performed for a moderate crowd of Montefiore employees under a ceaseless summer sun.

As hospital employees enjoyed their lunchtime meals, The Fingees set a relaxing Caribbean atmosphere, adding to the already tropical weather. Playing two sets of three songs each over half an hour, The Fingees were a pleasant surprise for an afternoon work break.

The Fingees are comparable to the Wailer-esque "island sound," but with an added Bronx edginess. Imagine if Bob Marley grew up near the Grand Concourse instead of Trenchtown.

The newly finished courtyard and ongoing programming is part of an effort to utilize outdoor space and create a more campus-like environment throughout the three Montefiore hospitals, according to Monte President Dr. Steven M. Safyer, MD.

The courtyard, which is now providing musical acts every Monday afternoon throughout the summer is on track to providing the type of atmosphere Safyer is aiming for. A recent article in the Norwood News by Jordan Moss features a more in-depth look at the courtyard's construction at Montefiore. The article can be found HERE.

What's Going On This Week

Chef Trish Sebben-Krupka shopping at last year's farmer's market at the Botanical Garden. 

Tuesday, June 22

Tuesday Teen Takeover!

Every Tuesday at the Riverdale Branch Library, the Teens Takeover! Play games, challenge your friends in a video game competition, hop on a laptop, and check out all new materials on the shelves. Beginning at 4 p.m. at 5540 Mosholu Avenue.

Wednesday, June 23

Van Cortlandt Summer Concert
At 5:30 p.m. at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center, 3800 Sedgwick Ave, the Bronx Opera Company will presenting another installment of their summer concert series.

Crocheting
Gather with other stichers to crochet. Perhaps pick-up a few tips and tricks as you work on your own creations! Crocheting is held every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Concourse Branch Library, 155 East 173rd Street.

Story Of The Day: U-Heights Church Rebounds After Arson

 (Photo by Adi Talwar)

Last Saturday, parishioners at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church held their first mass since March, when a fire--thought to be the result of arson--destroyed the building's vestibule. Read the whole story here in the newest edition of the Norwood News.

Upcoming Bronx Events Through June 21

 The Family Art Project presents "Making Music" this Father's Day at Wave Hill

Tuesday, June 15

Community Council Meeting
The 46th Precinct’s next Community Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 15, at the precinct station house, 2120 Ryer Ave., at 7 p.m. Community Council meetings fall on the third Tuesday of every month. They give residents the chance to meet local police officers and air their concerns. For more information, call (718) 220-5234.

Concert: Quintet of the Americas
Quintet of the Americas will be performing their only concert in the Bronx this summer at the Wave Hill House at 2 p.m. The concert is free to the public and will include both multimedia performances, film and woodwind quartets. Wave Hill House is located at 675 W. 252 Street, or you can visit the Wave Hill website for more information.

Tuesday Teen Takeover!
Every Tuesday at the Riverdale Branch Library, the Teens Takeover! Play games, challenge your friends in a video game competition, hop on a laptop, and check out all new materials on the shelves. Beginning at 4 p.m. at 5540 Mosholu Avenue.

New from the Norwood News

Check out the latest edition of the Norwood News, on streets and online now!

Upcoming Bronx Events 6/1 - 6/7

Tuesday, June 1

Trey Songz
R&B singer Trey Songz will be performing at the Paradise Theater at 12 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster or visit the Paradise Theater website for more information. The Paradise Theater is located at 2403 Grand Concourse.

Click-On the Web
Beginning at 4 p.m. at the Soundview Branch Library there will be an introduction seminar to the computer and Internet for children ages 5 and older. The Library is located at 660 Soundview Avenue.

Tuesday Teen Takeover!
Every Tuesday at the Riverdale Branch Library, the Teens Takeover! Play games, challenge your friends in a video game competition, hop on a laptop, and check out all new materials on the shelves. Beginning at 4 p.m. at 5540 Mosholu Avenue.

Charter Revision Commission Hearing
There will be a Charter Revision Commission Hearing regarding voter participation at Lehman College in the Faculty Dining Room in the Music Building at 6 p.m. the forum is open to the public.

Wednesday, June 2

Crocheting
At 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Concourse Branch Library there will be a gathering of local stitchers to trade tips and tricks on crocheting as you work on your own creations. The Grand Concourse Branch Library is located at 155 East 173rd Street.

Thursday, June 3

Exciting Yoga Classes - All Levels
Westchester Square Physical Therapy is offering yoga classes to the public which will introduce you to the rich benefits of yoga with this therapeutic and balanced yoga practice for beginners, continuing practitioners, as well as anyone with specific injuries or challenges. First class is free and any classes after are $15 a session. Classes are from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 1250 Waters Place Suite 501, or for more information call (718) 409-9444.

Friday, June 4

Bronx Seaside Trolley
Hop on the Bronx Seaside trolley for a ride to BPMM, tour the mansion, listen to live music, and enjoy light refreshments. Then hop back on the trolley to ride to City Island for a bite to eat or just to explore. The trolley makes a continuous loop from the #6 Pelham Bay Park subway station to BPMM to City Island. The trolley leaves from the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, 895 Shore Road, Pelham Parkway at 5:30 p.m. and is expected to return by 8:30 p.m. Visit the BPMM website for more information.

Until We Win - Sandra Maria Estevez
Composers, actors, poets and dancers gather for an evening-length tribute to poet Sandra María Esteves. Theater icon Miriam Colón, composer Desmar Guevara, Pregones' Ensemble and guest artists will read, play, dance and perform pieces inspired by Sandra María's magical and dramatic poetry. Beginning 8 p.m. at the Pregones Theater, located at 571-575 Walton Avenue.

Bronx Nights Cinema
From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. join The Bronx Museum for a special film screening on the Civil Rights Movement. The museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse or you can visit the Bronx Museum of the Arts website for more information.

Saturday, June 5

Senior Dance
Community Board 6 and the Belmont Merchants are hosting a senior citizens “Hope for New Horizons” dance event on Saturday, June 5 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Our Lady of Carmel School, 2465 Bathgate Ave. Call Marie Riolo for information or tickets: (718) 579-6990

Red Cross Community Preparedness Day - Disaster Reserve Volunteer Training
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Red Cross will teach the community the skills needed to provide emergency relief to people affected by disasters in Greater New York at Red Cross Disaster Reserve Volunteer Training. To register, go to www.nyredcross.org/bronxprepare. The training will be held at Montefiore Medical Center- Cherkasky Auditorium 111 East 210th Street.

How Do Lions Say I Love You?
How Do Lions Say I Love You? and Who’s Your Daddy? reading by author Diane Muldrow, plus select readings from a Little Golden Book, Animal Tales. Diane Muldrow is the author of a number of children’s books, including Mama, Where Are You? and Mama, What’s in There? for preschoolers. Readings begin at 11 a.m. at the Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd or visit the Bronx Zoo website for more information.

Wild About Books
Author Judy Sierra will be reading her rollicking, rhyming story Wild About Books which introduces birds and beasts to reading. She finds the perfect book for every animal—tall books for giraffes, tiny ones for crickets. New York Times bestselling illustrator Marc Brown is also the creator of PBS’s Emmy-winning Arthur series. Kirkus Reviews called Wild About Books “a storytime spectacular.” Reading will start at 1 p.m. at the Wild Asia Plaza, Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd. Visit the Bronx Zoo website for more information.

Summer Outdoor Film Festival
From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. the Teen Council Presents and Bronx Museum of the Arts present a selection of videos specially produced for the occasion. DJ music, performances, refreshments and special guests. The screening will take place at 1040 Grand Concourse or you can visit the Bronx Museum of the Arts website for more information.

Sunday, June 6

Animal Tales - Frog and Toad Are Friends
A reading of Frog and Toad are Friends by author's daughter Adrianne Lobel. Frog and Toad, true green friends, will leap into the hearts of any reader, beginning or advanced. From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be. 11 a.m. at the Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd., or visit the Bronx Zoo website for more information.

Central Bronx Rotary Club Meeting
Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Jol Kabar Restaurant, 2135 Westchester Ave, the Rotary Club of Central Bronx will be holding their weekly meeting.

ONGOING Events

Dinner with a Doctor
St. Barnabas Hospital is hosting a “Dinner With a Doctor,” which will focus on foot care and health and feature expert podiatrists. The event is free and open to the public, and will be held in the Braker Building boardroom on the St. Barnabas Hospital campus (Third Avenue and 183rd Street.) Presentations in Spanish will be held on Tuesday, June 8; English on Wednesday, June 9; and the West African language of Yoruba on Thursday, June 10. All sessions start at 6 p.m. To RSVP, call Diana Loubriel at (718) 960-9295.

Home Gardening Demonstrations
The New York Botanical Garden hosts demonstrations every Saturday and Sunday at their Home Gardening Center, with admissions free on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be two sessions on caring for roses in the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden on June 5 and 12. Call (718) 817-8700 or visit www.nybg.org for more information.

Emily Dickinson's Gardens: The Poetry of Flowers
Tour the Botanical Gardens through the eyes of one of America's most beloved literary figures, Emily Dickinson. This exhibition combines her fascinating life's story with her passion for nature, all set in 250 acres of living beauty. Every weekday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., visit the Botanical Gardens website for more information. The Botanical Gardens are located at 200th Street and Kazimiroff Blvd.

Losing Paradise? Endangered Plants Here And Around The World
Losing Paradise? features botanical artwork of at-risk plants from all six habitable continents. The traveling exhibition and accompanying catalog is curated by the American Society of Botanical Artists and developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Every weekday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., visit the Botanical Gardens website for more information. The Botanical Gardens are located at 200th Street and Kazimiroff Blvd.

After 1968 - Exhibition
Thursday, June 3rd and Friday, June 4th The Bronx Museum of the Arts presents AFTER 1968: Contemporary Artists and the Civil Rights Legacy. This smaller exhibition includes works from seven African-American, emerging artists and collectives - all born on or after 1968 - who have created new work examining the heritage of the Civil Rights Movement and its affect on the lives of this new generation. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. located at 1040 Grand Concourse, or you can visit the Bronx Museum of the Arts website for more information.

Upcoming Bronx Events: Memorial Day Weekend

Read on to find out where
Dora will be this weekend:

Friday, May 28

Emily Dickinson's Garden: The Poetry Of Flowers
See spring in The Garden through the eyes of one of America's most beloved literary figures, Emily Dickinson. This exhibition combines her fascinating life's story with her passion for nature, all set in 250 acres of living beauty. Friday, May 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Botanical Gardens is located at 200th Street And Kazimiroff Boulevard or you can visit the Botanical Gardens website for more information.

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle
In honor of Memorial Day, the Bronx Zoo is bringing in a U.S. Marine to read the story of Nubs, an Iraqi dog that was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs’s life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. Follow Nubs through a freezing desert, filled with danger, to find his friend. Friday, May 28, 3 p.m., Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Boulevard. Visit the Bronx Zoo’s website for more information.

Saturday, May 29

Home Gardening Demonstrations
The New York Botanical Garden hosts demonstrations every Saturday and Sunday at their Home Gardening Center, with admissions free on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be a lesson on making homemade butter on Saturday, May 29, and two sessions on caring for roses in the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden on June 5 and 12. Call (718) 817-8700 or visit the Botanical Gardens website for more information.

Sunday, May 30

Car Show
Fordham University and the 48th Precinct’s Community Council are hosting their 6th annual car show on Sunday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fordham Road and Southern Boulevard. Call Aida I. Haddock at (917) 642-0197 or Louie Soto at (845) 590-5869 for more details.

Free Memorial Day Holiday Tent Concert
The Bronx Arts Ensemble Orchestra will be conducted by David Gilbert and feature soprano Halley Gilbert, trombonist Papo Vázquez, vocalist Rafael De Jesus and pianist Orlay Alonso. The free BAE Memorial Day outdoor tent concert is scheduled rain or shine. Seating will be provided. Pedestrians can enter the park at Broadway and 246th Street. Sunday, May 30 2 p.m. Free parking is also available at the Van Cortlandt Golf House, Van Cortland Ave. South & Bailey Ave.

Goulden Avenue And Bedford Park Boulevard West
A guided walk with the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct follows the path of the Old Croton Aqueduct to (but not on) the High Bridge. Learn about aqueduct history, engineering and nearby historic sites.Optional extension across Washington Bridge to view Manhattan end of High Bridge. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at Bedford Park Blvd. and Goulden Ave. Bring lunch and water. About 4-5 miles. For further information call 914-478-3961 or email czfahn@yahoo.com.

The Boyfriend
The Roaring Twenties lives on in this heartwarming musical about a group of British girls attending a finishing school on the French Riviera. Join the girls and their potential "boyfriends" as they dance their way through the stories of romance and the arrival of their unexpected parents! It's a silly spoof of all 20's musicals, complete with Charleston, Soft-shoe and Can-can. Join the Rising Stars for this uplifting show; perfect for a spring evening at the theatre! Sunday, May 30, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., 5625 Arlington Avenue or visit the Riverdale YM-YWha website for more info.

Dora & Diego’s 4-D Adventure at the Bronx Zoo
Beginning Friday, May 28 – Memorial Day weekend – the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo will present Dora & Diego’s 4-D Adventure, a new family friendly theatrical film and attraction based on Nickelodeon’s hit animated preschool series Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!. For the first time ever, families can see these popular characters animated in digital 3-D, with special effects that make the story burst off the screen into a 4-D experience. To kick off the new attraction, Dora and Diego costumed characters will make special appearances on Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the ongoing line-up of live family entertainment as WCS’s Bronx Zoo continues Animal Tales Extravaganza. Visit the Bronx Zoo’s website for more information.

Upcoming Bronx Events Through May 31

Tuesday, May 25

Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos
Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos presents solo and group exhibitions of art produced in various media and through interdisciplinary practices that connect artists, communities, and ideas within and beyond the Bronx. Longwood's Project Room was created in 1991 to focus on Bronx and Bronx-based artists who present solo and experimental projects that aim to address issues of politics of identity, class, gender and urban and popular culture. , Tuesday, May 25, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information, visit the Bronx Council on the Arts website, or call (718) 518-6728.

Emily Dickinson's Garden: The Poetry Of Flowers
See spring in The Garden through the eyes of one of America's most beloved literary figures, Emily Dickinson. This exhibition combines her fascinating life's story with her passion for nature, all set in 250 acres of living beauty. Tuesday, May 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Visit The New York Botanical Gardens website for more information.

Baby Story Time
Babies from birth to 18 months old with their parent/caregiver can enjoy great books, lively songs, rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. Tuesday, May 25, 10:30 a.m. at Soundview Branch Library, 660 Soundview Avenue (at Seward Ave.).

Garden and Conservatory Walk
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds. Tuesday, May 25. Begins at 11 a.m., visit the Wavehill Public Garden and Cultural Center website for more information or visit the gardens at West 249th St. and Independence Ave.

Tuesday Teen Takeover!
The library is yours on Tuesday! Play games, challenge your friends in a video game competition, hop on a laptop, and check out all new materials on the shelves. For ages 12 to 18. 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 25. The Riverdale Branch Library is located on 5540 Mosholu Avenue (at W. 256th St.)

Wednesday, May 26

Community Board 5 Meeting
Community Board 5’s next general board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, at South Bronx Job Corps, located at 1771 Andrews Ave. All are welcome. For more information, call CB5 at (718) 364-2030 or e-mail brxcb5@optonline.net.

Shoot It Right! Free Workshop
This is the perfect workshop for artists with a desire to photograph their artwork. Learn to create an inexpensive photography setup on a budget. Learn easy focusing, lighting, and exposure techniques for documenting 2D, 3D, and very small artwork. *Bring your own digital camera to this workshop if you have one. Wednesday, May 26, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Hostos Community College, room C – 354 450 Grand Concourse.

Yoga in Nature
Starting in May, Find refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga. Decrease stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath control and meditation. Classes are led by Neem Dewji, certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga from The Yoga for Health Foundation in Bedfordshire, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute in NYC. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. 10 a.m., Wednesday, May2 6, Wavehill Public Garden and Cultural Center.

Crocheting
Gather with other stichers to crochet. Perhaps pick-up a few tips and tricks as you work on your own creations! Starts at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, May, 26. Grand Concourse Library, 155 East 173rd Street (east of Grand Concourse)