Bronx Heat Wave: Extended Hours for Pools and Spray Showers

With temperatures reaching triple digits today, Mayor Bloomberg just sent out an announcement saying all city pools will remain open until 8 p.m. With little relief on the way, pools will be open again tomorrow, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tonight and tomorrow, spray showers at city parks will stay on until 9 p.m.

To find a pool near you, call 311 or visit nyc.gov.

Energy-saving Tips for Heat Wave Survival

With highs in the 90s for the rest of the week, Con Edison is providing tips to conserve energy.

• Run energy-draining appliances like washing machines, ovens, dishwashers, or dryers in the morning or at night, when it's cooler.

• Get $30 back in rebates from Con Edison when you buy an Energy-Star room air conditioner.

• Con Ed offers a free programmable thermostat to anyone with central air conditioning. Head to their website to find out how to get one.
  

• Turn off your lights and other appliances when not in use.

The company says it will have extra personnel to address additional problems incurred by the heat wave. Anyone experiencing problems with their power service can call 1-800-752-6699.

Heat Wave Health Tips: Stay Cool, Bronxites

File photo by Adi Talwar

Weather.com says the thermometer is going to hit a stifling 95 degrees today. As we mentioned in this morning's news roundup, you can get some relief from the heat by stopping in at one of the city's air-conditioned cooling centers.You can find the location closest to you by calling 311 or using this online map feature.

In the meantime, the folks over at St. Barnabas Hospital wanted to remind everyone, especially the elderly and those with young children and infants, to be wary of the health dangers that can come with very hot weather.

Dr. Ernest Patti, the hospital's Senior Attending Physician of Emergency Medicine, offers these tips for how to stay cool--and avoid health problems like heat exhaustion and heat stroke--until this sweltering weather breaks:

Bronx News Roundup, July 8

Non-profits and community organizations in the Bronx, and all across the state, might not be getting their usual grants from state legislators this year. Governor Paterson vetoed thousands of member item requests (among other cuts) in an attempt to balance the state's long-overdue budget. He delivered his list of vetoes to legislators yesterday; you can check out what got nixed here.

Speaking of political pork: City Councilman Oliver Koppell didn't fair so well this year in securing district funds compared to other council members, according to the Riverdale Press. 

This stifling heat wave is finally starting to drop off (thankfully!). Unfortunately, thousands of outer borough residents are still without power, as Con Edison works to repair outages caused by this week's strain on the power grid.

A Bronx man was arrested on animal cruelty charges after leaving his dog in a van while he went for a swim. Police tried to revive the animal after freeing it from the 140 degree car, but the dog died shortly after.

The New York Times has a story and photo slideshow on the growing Mexican population in Belmont, the neighborhood traditionally known as the borough's "little Italy."

Bronx-native and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor raved about her dumpling lunch in Chinatown yesterday but had little to say about Lindsey Lohan's recent legal troubles, according to the Daily News. 

A man who tried to rob two women on East 180th Street last year--an attempt that scored him a measly $4--was sentenced to life in prison this week based on a number of previous convictions and unlawful run-ins.