Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 3, Part I

Welcome to Wednesday's roundup. Since we haven't done one of these since last week, this will be more like a week's roundup and I'll try to touch on all of the big stories floating around right now. There's a lot to get to, so I'm going to break this up into two parts. First, let's talk politics.

Adolfo to Replace Hillary?
With Senator Hillary Clinton taking the Secretary of State job in the Obama administration, pundits and politicos around the country are talking about her successor. One name that keeps coming up: Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, who has been getting decidely mixed reviews on this blog ever since it was first brought up.

Here's MSNBC's take, the LA Times, Congressional Quarterly offers up its short list, CNN weighs in.

The ultimate call is up to Governor David Paterson, who had his eyes on the seat until his former boss, Eliot Spitzer resigned under a cloud of scandal. Paterson says he'll wait to make a decision, probably until January. If Paterson goes with a Hispanic candidate, the general consensus is that he'll choose either Carrion or Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, who's represented the Lower East Side and parts of Brooklyn and Queens since 1992.

The Future of the Bronx Dems
Daily News Bronx Bureau Chief Bob Kappstatter's Monday column talks about the fallout from Carl Heastie and the Rainbow Rebels court victory last week, which gave them control of the Bronx County party. He writes that former party boss Jose Rivera's supporters -- including Council members Oliver Koppell (11th Council District) and Maria Baez (14th and the party's number 2), and Assembly members Naomi Rivera (80th Assembly District and Jose's daughter) and Nelson Castro (86th) -- could feel a backlash in upcoming elections.

The Death of Ramon Velez
Controversial South Bronx leader Ramon Velez, the borough's political "godfather," died on Sunday after a years long battle with Alzheimers disease.

During some of the Bronx's worst times, in the 1960s and 1970s, Velez built the Hunt's Point Multi-Service Center into a hub for social services with millions of dollars in government contracts as well as one of the borough's most powerful political organization. (Former Bronx Borough Prez Fernando Ferrer and Congressman Jose Serrano both came out of his camp. Serrano sent out a fawning press release following Velez's death.).

He also turned the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade into one of the biggest ethnic showcases in the country and championed Puerto Rican causes at the highest levels.

Velez was also investigated dozens of times for corruption, but was never convicted of anything.

Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez brilliantly puts Velez's life and contributions into perspective. If you read nothing else about Velez, read this. Great personal story from Gonzalez at the end.

Here's the Times' obituary of Velez.

Look for Part II later this afternoon.

New from the Norwood News

Ok, we're back after an extended Thanksgiving holiday. I blame the tryptophan, a chemical found in turkey, but apparently that's not really a valid excuse for post-dinner nap lovers or blogging journalists.

In any case, we'll begin our comeback with a quick preview of stories you'll find in the newest edition of the Norwood News, on streets and online now.

Hundreds of neighborhood senior centers, including many in the Bronx, may be closed if the Mayor's "modernization" plan goes through, despite stiff opposition from our elected officials and other senior advocates.

The Department of Education's new school construction plan is underwhelming, especially in the Bronx's District 10, one of the most crowded districts in the city, where only one new school was included.

Distressed Bronx homeowners are actively fighting foreclosure thanks to workshops, new state laws and help from banks. But problems persist and prospective borrowers may now find it more difficult to secure a loan. Also, we provide a quick tip sheet for homeowners facing foreclosure.

Our special Holiday Guide (available in the print version only) provides a glimpse into the preparations for Fordham United Methodist's performance of Handel's "Messiah."

As we've mentioned here before, last week, a Bronx court found Assemblyman Carl Heastie (and his Rainbow Rebels coalition) to be the rightful leaders of the Bronx Democratic Party.

The Bronx's Van Cortlandt Park, the fourth largest in the city, is on its way to significant trail renovations, thanks to a new grant secured by the nonprofit Friends of Van Cortlandt Park.

Also, check out all of our regular features, including our online-expanded Neighborhood Notes, our Out & About arts and entertainment calendar and our ever Inquiring Photographer.

Bronx News Roundup Sept. 26

The Rainbow Rebels, a coalition of Bronx politicians attempting to oust Party Chairman Jose Rivera, are gearing up for Sunday's key vote at the Uptopia Paradise Theater. In theory, the vote should determined whether Rivera stays or goes. But the losers will probably take the winners to court, says the Daily News. If Rivera (pictured) does fall, Assemblyman Carl Heastie is favorite to replace him.

The mother of an unsupervised 5-year-old boy, who was abandoned two miles from home by a school bus driver, is suing the city.

The barely-used Sheridan Expressway should be razed according to a "Freeways without Futures," a study by the Congress for the New Urbanism. See here and here.

Yesterday the House of Representatives passed a bill requiring calling card providers to disclose all fees and conditions associated with their cards. The bill, sponsored by Bronx Congressman Eliot Engel, could put an end to hidden costs and charges. Those most affected are usually immigrants and American soldiers abroad because they rely on cards to call home. On average, cards deliver just 60 percent of the minutes they advertise, according to a study released earlier this year by the Hispanic Institute. More here in the Norwood News.

Recent hurricanes have killed more than 600 people in Haiti and left thousands without homes. New York officials are asking residents to donate toothbrushes, children's clothes, bottled water, and the like. In the Bronx, items can be dropped off at Cox Nissan at 1235 E. Tremont Ave., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., through Sunday. More here.

(Photo by Alma Watkins)

Bronx News Roundup Sept. 23

The Rainbow Rebels, a group of disillusioned Bronx pols who are attempting to overthrow party boss Jose Rivera, held a rally last night to protest Rivera's leadership. Some 400 people showed up. Originally, the Rebels planned to vote for a new leader, but a judge forced them to cancel at the last minute. Instead, they will fight it out with Rivera loyalists at a meeting this Sunday at the Utopia Paradise Theater. Here's Bob Kappstatter's latest column on the issue.

In January 2007, Dr. Leandro Lozada, a popular pediatrician who ran a health center in North Fordham, was brutally murdered in his Yonkers home. Back in March, the former owner of Lozada's house was convicted of murder. Now an accomplice has also been found guilty.

In an anti-smoking initiative, the Department of Health is distributing 330,000 match boxes to bodegas in the South Bronx, Harlem, and parts of Brooklyn. The boxes come emblazoned with grisly photos of blackened lungs and rotting teeth in an attempt to shock smokers into quitting.

A Bronx bus driver, who allegedly dropped off a 5-year-old boy two miles from his Eastchester home, has been suspended without pay.

Concourse Village residents and Community Board 4 are trying to stop the building of a citywide homeless intake facility on Walton Avenue at 151st Street. The neighborhood was previously home to a two-story intake center - the notoriously busy Emergency Assistance Unit. That site closed in 2005. The new one will be 7-stories high. A public hearing is being a held to examine the possible impact of the new center on Thursday at Hostos Community College (120 E. 149th St., Savoy Multi-Purpose Room, 2nd Fl.) The hearing begins at 7 p.m.

Doctors at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital want to unionize.

A recently unearthed photo of a baseball diamond near the old Yankee Stadium has parks advocates crying foul. They're claiming, not for the first time, that the city is failing to replace all the parkland swallowed by the new stadium.

At the weekend, the Bronx Museum of the Arts played host to a breakdancing competition.

The Coalition for Muslim School Holidays is holding a "Ramadan Awareness Event" tomorrow at the Bronx County Courthouse (851 Grand Concourse). It starts at 5 p.m. The press release says:

Come learn about Ramadan and support our campaign for equality in public education! We want the City Council to pass Resolution 1281, which calls for the DOE to recognize the two Eid holidays in the school calendar.

The Norwood News wrote about this issue last year.

Bronx News Roundup Sept. 22

Here's some Bronx-related news from the past few days.

Police say they've arrested one of the men who robbed and viciously assaulted a Boston-based radio host in Kingbridge Heights on Sept. 14. Pelagio de la Cruz was hit over the head with a baseball bat and seriously injured. In the aftermath of the attack police released this surveillance video.

Hostos Community College is looking for a new president.

It's an important day in the chaotic world of Bronx politics. The Rainbow Rebellion, a coalition of Bronx politicians who are trying oust Party Chairman Jose Rivera, are meeting at 7 p.m. at Dresier Loop Community Center in Co-op City (at 177 Dreiser Loop), where they hope to elect new leadership. More here, on how this works. UPDATE: I just received a call saying tonight's vote has been cancelled. Instead there will be a rally at the same location to protest Rivera's leadership. Apologies for being a little vague; we'll have more later. SECOND UPDATE: According to The Times a State Supreme Court judge ruled that the event couldn't take place because of limited space in the hall. The Daily News also has the story. Elizabeth Benjamin is calling it "a significant victory" for Rivera.

State Senator Efrain Gonzalez tells The Times that his ongoing legal issues may have played a role in his surprise primary defeat at the hands of Pedro Espada. Strange. In a interview on Sept. 10, Gonzalez told us his indictment wasn't to blame. "I came up short because of a lack of resources," he said. "It was not about my leadership and it’s not about the indictment." Party boss Jose Rivera told the Norwood News there were a number of reasons why his man lost. "It's hard with all the newspapers, including yours, that are calling him a crook." Of Espada, Rivera said: "I call him the Puerto Rican Michael Bloomberg. He's not as rich as Bloomberg but he's a millionaire and we couldn't compete with that."

If you missed it, The Times has some wonderful coverage (articles, photos, video and audio) on the history of Yankee Stadium, which last night hosted its final game.

In what appears to be a tragic accident, a young couple fell to their deaths from the roof of a Soundview apartment building, following a night of partying. On a side note, it always amazes me that the Daily News doesn't moderate their comments (or if they do, they do a lousy job). Check out the posts at the end of the story. I'm all for free speech, but...

Bronx Political Showdown -- Dems Hold Rival Meetings

First, my apologies for the light posting this week. We're a little shorthanded with my deputy editor, Alex Kratz, on his honeymoon (he'll be back next week), Norwood News production this week, and a stomach virus that had me laying low most of this week.

OK, back to business ...

It looks like there will be two rival attempts to elect a Democratic County Leader.

The Rainbow Rebels are trying to use party rules to stage a rival County Committee meeting on Monday night in Co-op City to Jose Rivera’s, which is scheduled for Sept. 28 at the Paradise (now the Utopia Paradise by the way). More here.

Bronx News Roundup Sept. 16

Senator Jose M. Serrano will be interviewed on BronxNET Perspectives Channel 67 tonight at 8:30 p.m. The Senator also has a new blog post regarding tax reform.

County Democratic Chairman Jose Rivera announced over the weekend the date of his “re-organizational meeting.” The Bronx Rainbow Rebels have now set their own meeting a week before his. The Rebel meeting agenda includes electing new party officers.

The Department of Education has released the letter grades of New York City Elementary and Middle Schools. Critics question their validity, as grades and testing scores improvements appeared too extreme. For example, Bronx Science School for Exploration and Discovery (MS 224) on Brooke Avenue was listed as a failing school in February, but now holds an A. Public School 92 in East Tremont also went from an F to an A grade in a short period of time.

Photographer Lisa Kahane’s new book, “Do Not Give Way to Evil,” depicts life in South Bronx from 1979 to 1987. The book also includes essays written by other South Bronx artists, such as graffiti-writer John Matos.

A teenage girl sustained minor injuries after being hit by a school bus in Kingsbridge this morning while attempting to cross the street at the intersection of West 233rd Street and Bailey Avenue.

M. Barry Schneider, founder of the New York City Bridge Centennial Commission says, “Our bridges get no respect.” To offset the malady, the commission will hold brassy centennials for the unappreciated overpasses. Bronx bridges include University Heights Bridge over the Harlem River between 207th Street in Manhattan and Fordham Road that already celebrated its centennial in January; Madison Avenue Bridge, connecting 138th Street in the Bronx with Manhattan over the Harlem River will celebrate in July 2010; Pelham Bay Bridge to City Island in Pelham Bay Park holds its bash next month.

Benjamin Looks Back at "Great Night"

Just got off the phone with Assemblyman Michael Benjamin (79th Assembly District), who last night defeated primary opponent Sigfredo Gonzalez by 2301 votes to 1432.

It was the third time that Benjamin has defeated Gonzalez in a primary. But this victory was particularly sweet because party boss Jose Rivera, who was supporting Gonzalez, had accused Benjamin (an African-American) of ignoring the needs of the Latino community.

Ultimately, voters were turned off by these efforts to "fan the flames of racial division and ethnic discord," says Benjamin. And they "sent a message" this wasn't the kind of politics they wanted.

Benjamin also puts his victory down to his political record, his wife's skillful campaign management, and support from his district's West African population.

If, as expected, Benjamin wins the election in November, he says he'll continue to focus on bringing in "more affordable housing, better public education, and job creation." And he'll continue to "advocate on the behalf of ex-offenders."

Benjamin is part of the so-called Rainbow Rebellion, a group of breakaway Bronx pols who are openly challenging Rivera's leadership. He says his victory - and indeed the overriding successes of Rainbow Rebellion candidates, including Elizabeth Taylor for Civil Court judge - is a huge blow to the party machine and Rivera in particular.

"He has suffered the greatest loss in a primary of any [Bronx] democratic party leader in the last 30 years,” Benjamin said. "There have been losses in the past, but not at this level, in one night, across the board, across the borough."

So is this the end of Rivera's reign? Benjamin seems to think so. "I believe change is in the air," he said, adding that Bronx politicians who had previously sat on the fence will now likely abandon the party leadership.

Benjamin and his allies celebrated their victories with a party at Maestro's restaurant on Bronxdale Avenue. "Truly, it was a great, great night," he said.