Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 23

We'll start this week off with the story of an uplifting fundraiser held by Love Gospel Assembly Church, which was gutted in a four-alarm fire in July, at Lehman College on Saturday. The event was attended by Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., who both vowed to help the church rebuild.

Speaking of Espada, the NY Post reports that the Senate Majority Leader failed to disclose campaign spending for at least two food giveaways -- one on Reservoir Avenue and one across the street from St. Brendan's Church in Norwood. A spokesman for Espada said the spending would be disclosed during the next filing period. Espada has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in campaign finance violations over the years.

More than a dozen school workers, including at least two in the Bronx, have been terminated since 2009 for falsifying excuses for missing work.

State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has spent more than $16,000 to maintain a fleet of seven campaign vehicles that ride around his district, "blaring music" and spread the "Vote for Diaz" message. Diaz says he is a master at "street campaigning." His opponent in the upcoming primary, Charlie Ramos, says he'll be going be going to door-to-door, talking to voters.

A funeral was held for Tashawn Bromfield, the 16-year-old from Connecticut who was killed in the Bronx last weekend.

Preservationists are planning to protest the city's plan to cut down 73 trees on Pelham Parkway. The city says it needs to cut down the trees to install new guardrails and other safety measures.

To culminate HOPE week, the Yankees surprised Bronx sisters Johanna and Melinda Arias.

Cops nabbed a Bronx gunman who fired at them in Williamsbridge on Saturday.

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 13

TV personality Regis Philbin, who grew up in Pelham Parkway, has spoken out against the removal of 87 trees along the parkway.  Here's the video. 

Police are investigating a murder in Wakefield. The victim, who was not carrying ID and wouldn't tell cops who shot him, died at Jacobi Medical Center early this morning.

Tenant activists, including some from the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, rallied outside Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's midtown offices yesterday, to demand that they take responsibility for their role in the predatory equity crisis and displacement of hundreds of Bronx tenants.

Ireland will get a glimpse of a Bronx high school this fall when former Bronx teacher Nilaja Sun's OBIE award-winning production "No Child" hits the Dublin Theatre Festival.

Bronx basketball stars, Dennis Green, Daniel Dingle, Deonte Houston, and Mussa Kone, will take on the Brooklyn team for the Battle of Boroughs semifinal of the World Basketball Festival at Rucker Park in Harlem starting at 3 p.m. today. After the game, a select group of high school stars will play a team from China.

After he was charged with misdemeanor assault and five other offenses at a Bronx District Attorney's office yesterday, David W. Johnson, and aide of Gov. David A. Paterson, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

A new shopping center is coming to Hunts Point. 

The principal of Christopher Columbus High School, a Bronx school slated for closure, has plans to save it by converting it into a charter school.

Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 10

As a bill comes before the state senate today to allow gay marriage, Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., remains opposed to the issue, although as this NY Times's article points out, he has family and staffers who are gay.

Luxury condos in Riverdale could be a real bargain for buyers when they hit the auction block later this month.

From the Bronx to the top of the comedy world, the Daily News has a brief piece on a Morris Park native that recently won a nation-wide talent competition.

In an effort to improve safety on Pelham Parkway, the redesign of the thoroughfare will include the removal of around 90 trees.

With all the news surrounding the fire on Bainbridge Ave. last week, including our own article, the Daily News takes a look at how neighboring businesses are faring.

The Paradise Theater in Fordham will be hosting a food drive as part of its reopening.

As a symbol of rocky economic times, a restaurant on East 180th Street still sports a sign that advertises its roasted chicken when it actually hasn't been able to roast any poultry since its rotisserie machine broke over a year ago.

Bronx News Roundup, May 18

Yesterday in Manhattan, at a rally supporting gay marriage, Gov. Paterson and Mayor Bloomberg spoke in support of passing legislation that would allow same-sex marriage in New York. Several celebrities spoke at the event, including Cynthia Nixon from Sex and the City. The rally also attracted protesters against gay marriage, including Bronx state Senator Ruben Diaz. Sr.

Liz Benjamin reports that Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith is “satisfied” with Senator Pedro Espada’s actions to handle his longstanding campaign finance debt and fines from when he served in the City Council. Espada has also come under fire by the media and the community for not opening a district office and for, allegedly, not using his Bedford Park co-op as his primary residence.

A toddler fell from a third-floor apartment in Williamsbridge on Saturday—and survived with only minor cuts and bruises.

A 30-year -old man from Yonkers stole a laptop from an open window of a car near Van Cortlandt Park yesterday, not knowing that the car belonged to a U.S. Marshall. The laptop thief ran way as the Marshall took out his gun and shot at him. The police eventually arrested the man.

After selling his house for just $10, a Bronx man, who lived near Parkchester, is now back at home.

The Bronx Zoo’s communications director, Linda Corcoran, retires after 26 years of service.

The New York Times profiles the east Bronx neighborhood of Pelham Parkway in its Living In Section.