Hunts Point Express July issue is out

Shakespeare in the South Bronx? You bet. Farms in Hunts Point? Coming soon. But the economic crunch is squeezing residents--making conditions in some apartments intolerable, and lengthening the lines at food pantries. Find stories about these issues and a guide to grocery shopping in hard times, rowboating on the Bronx River, a look back at the Fish Parade and more in the new issue of The Hunts Point Express.

Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 16

Getting a late start today, but on to the many links we need to get to:

Local students and organizers went to the Community District 10 Education Council meeting last Thursday to demand more school seats to alleviate overcrowding. [More on this meeting later. We were there as well and it was not pretty. Students and teachers, one by one, told horror stories of kids trying to learn (and teachers trying to teach) in stairwells, windowless storage closets and water bug-infested locker rooms.]

Speaking of overcrowding, recent data released by the DOE says class sizes have gone up since last year. The Daily News says state budget cuts may further hinder the DOE's efforts to reduce class size in the city.

In his Bronx political column, the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter says Joel Rivera will definitely run for borough president if (when?) the current BP Adolfo Carrion takes a job with the Obama administration. Rivera planned on running until the term limits extension put Carrion back in play to keep his job. Now, if Carrion's gone, Rivera would face off against Assemblyman Ruben Diaz and, possibly Kappstatter says, Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

On Sunday, the Times profiled Bronx environmental justice superstar Majora Carter, who recently took her game national with a new for-profit consulting firm and country-wide speaking engagements.

A Bronx teen tells the Daily News about his harrowing fight with a knife-wielding BMW driver who attacked the teen for leaning on his ride.

Westchester Square Medical Center is in danger of closing.

More from trial of former actor Lillo Brancato (pictured right, with boxer Zab Judah), who is facing murder charges. In his testimony, Brancato said he was drug addict, not a murderer.

WNYC goes to a Bronx high school to talk about the worsening economy.

-Photo by David Greene

Bronx New Roundup, Wednesday, Oct. 1

Welcome to October. Here's some news and links to get you started this month.

The Economy
Times columnist Jim Dwyer takes a walk through the South Bronx to get a sense of how people in the Boogie Down are viewing the economic crisis and the bailout plan (which their Congressional Rep. Jose E. Serrano voted against) designed to stop the bleeding.

[Bailout Plan Update: The Senate is scheduled to vote on a new version of the plan today.]

In other citywide economic news, a story in the Times says the New York City real estate boom is dead.

And David Gonzalez writes on the Times City Room blog about a South Bronx soup kitchen struggling to keep up with increasing demand from its clients and no "bailout" from the government in sight.

Pain
An NYPD detective was accidentally shot in a very sensitive area by another cop at an east Bronx firing range.

A woman was stabbed multiple times at an East Gun Hill apartment building, allegedly during a domestic dispute. She's is reportedly in stable condition at a local hospital. Nothing has been written on this yet, but we'll try to find out more information.

Sports
The South Bronx High School football team is surprisingly dominant this year in the Cup Division, and is off to its first 4-0 start ever.

The Bronx Science women's golf team is not surprisingly dominating again this year, but faces a tough Stuyvesant team on Monday.

The Greenest Borough
Human Events, perhaps the most conservative media outlet in the entire country, wrote a long blog post about the Bronx's expansive green spaces and tourism opportunities. Who could have guessed?

Arts
The Village Voice reviews the Bronx Museum's new show: "Street Art, Street Life."

More on Bronx Dems Shakeup, Failed Bailout Fallout and More in Bronx News Roundup, Tuesday, Sept. 30

First of all, we apologize for the lateness of this post. But it's here, so let's get to the news. [Editor's note: Keep the comments coming, we love to hear the passion. But not the foul language or personal attacks.]

Bailout Fallout and Serrano
Bronx Congressman Jose E. Serrano is getting a lot of attention for voting against the House bailout plan that failed to pass yesterday (the only city rep to do so, and one of only four out of 29 in the entire Empire State).

Here's the Times blog story, which goes into some detail about Serrano's liberal leanings and possible motivations. And here's the WNYC story, where the reporter takes to a trader, Anthony Weiner (both liked the plan) and Serrano, who opposed it.

Bronx Democrats
More musings about the struggle for power among Bronx Democrats in Daily News Borough Chief Bob Kappstatter's column this week. (And credits Norwood News Editor Jordan Moss with getting an "up-close" look at the action. Thanks Bob.) A nice little tidbit in there from Hector Ramirez, the district leader in the 86th District who sided with the insurgents, who said embattled Bronx Boss (or not) Jose Rivera came up to him at the meeting and told him: "I'll see you on the street." Once again, thanks Bob.

Borough's Same-Sex Couples More Likely to Have Kids
A very interesting story in the Times about a recenlty released study that found that "same-sex couples in the Bronx are more likely to have children than those in another borough." A couple of interesting stats from the story:

• There are 3,000 same-sex couples in the Bronx.
  
• 49% of the Bronx's same-sex couples have children.
• 11% of the city's same-sex couples live in the Bronx.
  

Here's a great quote from Lisa Winters, the executive director of the Bronx Community Pride Center, the borough's only center for gays and lesbians, on the Bronx's gay scene:

"The Bronx lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has largely been a hidden community for a very long time because of very real homophobia. The Bronx is a very machismo borough, and it’s a very religious borough. The religious institutions have a very strong foothold here, and they preach from the pulpit that homosexuality is a sin. But the world is starting to change and the Bronx is finally getting in line."