Bronx News Roundup, Monday, Aug. 8

Happy Monday, Bronxites! Your weather forecast for today calls for sunshine and temps in the high 80s.

Story of the Day: Espada Spent the Most Senate Cash

File photo by Jeanmarie Evelly

Pedro Espada's lavish spending habits have him back in the headlines again (just in case you've forgotten, see here.) State Senate documents released this week show that the infamously indicted former Bronx rep. spent more taxpayer money in his last three months in office than any other Senator did in double that time, doling out $750,000 in expenses and to pay staffers.

Espada managed to rack up the high tab despite the fact that he and his office were conspicuously quiet during the months in question, October to December, which was after he lost the primary to now-Senator Gustavo Rivera. During these final months in office, Espada was criticized for missing several important sessions in Albany, including a vote on housing legislation that he was the main sponsor for.

We wrote about Espada's bloated office staff roster last fall, after we noticed the number of employees on his payroll had practically doubled in the months leading up to the primary. His staff at the time insisted, however, that any campaign work they did for Espada was off the Senate clock.

In other Espada news: the Soundview Healthcare Network which he founded (and was indicted for looting) will lose $10 million in Medicaid funding because of repeated violations of state law, according to the NY Post.

Quick Hits: 
A New Jersey-based advocacy group set up shop outside Nativity of Our Blessed Lady parish in Eastchester, where they say they are urging sexual assault victims to come forward and share their stories. The church's priest, Father James Duenas, was arrested last week on molestation charges.

More ink on the Bronx-based indie flick "Gun Hill Road." (Read some of our coverage here and here.)

Bronx Weekend News Roundup, July 11

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Weather: Another hot and humid day, with a high of 88 degrees in the Bronx. Temperatures will hit the low 90s tomorrow, so stay cool.

Story of the Day: Jeter's Hits 3,000
As we're sure all of the Bronx and most of the world knows already, Bronx Bomber Derek Jeter made history on Saturday with his 3,000th career hit during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Here's a video--complete with joyous commentary from the guy who filmed it off of his TV--of Jeter's historic home run.


Quick Hits:
A Bronx man ran over his girlfriend in midtown early Saturday morning--with his estranged wife's car--after a drunken argument between the two.

Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 3

According to authorities, the off-duty police officer that struck and killed a Bronx woman with his car was legally intoxicated.

A 17-year-old student was shot in the shoulder outside of the Bronx Regional High School yesterday afternoon. Investigators are still looking into the incident, but the boy is expected to recover, according to this NY1 article.

The Middletown neighborhood has a lot to offer shoppers.

A hat merchant in the Bronx is making a killing on his custom-made Yankees caps.

A former dumping ground in Hunts Point has been transformed into an aesthetically-pleasing park.

A 14-foot-tall, graffiti-free sculpture in front of the Bronx River Art Center that has been up since July may be a sign that neighborhood is changing for the better.

Residents of 14 apartment buildings in Crotona Park are living amongst thousands of appalling building code violations after their landlord defaulted on the mortgage earlier this year.

Disappointed Yankee fans after last night's loss to the Phillies, will have to tune in Wednesday as the World Series continues.

In more Yankee news, some die-hard fans are waging a battle to save Gate 2 from the old Yankee Stadium.