Bronx Crime Watch: Arrest in Morrisania Murder

A 43-year-old Bronx man has been arrested and charged with killing a 27-year-old woman in her Washington Avenue apartment, according police.

On Sunday, at around 8 a.m., police responded to reports of an unconscious person at 1343 Washington Avenue (actually between the Morrisania and Claremont neighborhoods). They found Stella Ulamayeva, 27, unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded and pronounced her dead on arrival.

Yesterday, the Medical Examiner's Office said Ulamayeva's death was the result of an assault. Now, police say they arrested Francisco Rodriguez, 43, who lives near Westchester Square, and charged him with Ulamayeva's murder.

Bronx News Roundup, April 1

Spring is back! Enjoy the day and some Bronx news:

Tenants of 2710 Bainbridge Ave. plan to file a lawsuit against  landlord Frank Palazzolo in housing court tomorrow in effort to get the building into better hands. Palazzolo was rated as one of the "10 Worst Landlords" by the Village Voice.  (If the name sounds familiar to readers of the Norwood News, it's because of our 2002 coverage here, here and here. Also we have a reporter at a rally in front of the building right now.)

The city's decision to use federal stimulus money to build a parking garage at St. Barnabas Hospital may remove more than the problem of an overcrowded parking lot. A doctor's union has filed a lawsuit against the city claiming that the project would do the opposite of what the stimulus money is meant to do and will eliminate permanent jobs instead of creating them. The Tremont Tribune published a story about the parking garage in February.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. cheers on Bronx residents to complete census forms so that the Boogie-Down can be tops in Census form returns.

The Jewish Association of Services for the Aging received $10,000 in federal funding from Rep. Joseph Crowley toward the Grandparents Connection Program in Co-Op City.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and other local Community Board officials are holding a rally on Monday to protest Mayor Bloomberg's proposed 2011 budget cuts that they say will greatly affect community boards and the services they provide.

Political parties are preparing for a showdown in the selection of the next executive director of the city's Board of Elections.

Community leaders , firefighters and City Island residents rallied again yesterday against the closing of Ladder 53 and other firehouses throughout the city. According to Bloomberg's proposed budget cuts for the 2011 fiscal year, nearly 20 firehouses would be shut down.

A look into why "Morrisania Air Rights" housing project on Park Avenue, was given such an unusual name.

Bronx News Roundup, Sept. 18

The trial for the four men accused of plotting to bomb two Riverdale synagogues will begin next June 14. At the hearing where the trial date was set, lawyers for the accused, who are pleading not guilty, said that their clients were entrapped by a federal government informant. They also said that key evidence -- recorded conversations in which the defendants allegedly discussed the bombing plans -- doesn't exist. More on this, including courtroom sketches, from NY1 and Daily News.

NY1's Dean Meminger examines the impact of the new Gateway Center mall, which the Related Companies the mayor's office and other elected officials are touting as a huge boon for the south Bronx. From the interviews, local residents seem to think it's been a valued addition as well. Related is facing opposition to its plan to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into another mall because they have not entered into a Community Benefits Agreement.

Not surprisingly, Maria Baez failed to show up for the first post-primary City Council meeting, "keeping intact her hold on the Council's worst attendance record," writes the Times' Ray Rivera. She said on Tuesday night that she was going on vacation for a few days.

An assistant principal at a middle school in Morrisania was arrested for driving drunk on Thursday morning at 7 a.m. Her 10-month-old baby was in the back seat.

The Bronx Democrats have thrown their weight behind John Liu for comptroller after their original choice, Melinda Katz was beaten soundly in Tuesday's primary.

A fire ripped through a Morrisania area grocery store and mosque early this morning.

Rape charges against five Hoftstra students, three of whom are from the Bronx, have been dismissed.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 28

Newly sworn-in U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is trying to make peace with immigrant advocates, including Bronx Assemblyman Peter Rivera and other Hispanic lawmakers, who believe her immigration stance is too conservative. According to the Times article, an anti-immigration group ranked her in the top 22 of all Representatives based on her immigration voting record in the House over the past two years.

Because Gillibrand reached out to him, Rivera postponed a scheduled press conference to announce plans to meet with opposition candidates for a possible 2010 election.

More bad news coming from the new Yankee Stadium project. Not only will local residents have to wait until 2011 to use news parks (to replace the parks taken by the city and the Yankees to build the new stadium), but now the Independent Budget Office said the cost of replacing two parks has risen to $195 million, $16.3 million of which can't be accounted for. More here. And here. The parks will be paid for using taxpayer money with the Yankees chipping in $10 million.

Here's the Daily News full story on Assemblyman Jose Rivera's bid to overturn the court decision that led to ouster as Bronx Democratic Party chairman.

A big fire in Morrisania forced people from their homes last night.

NYC's Health Commissioner is launching a campaign to reduce residents' sodium intake by aiming. He says a reduction in smoking and sodium will have the greatest impact on people's health.

News Roundup for July 27

Tragic news about a northwest Bronx family that was killed in a car crash in Virginia on Tuesday. Pamela Ramharrack lost five of her six children in the accident, the Daily News reports. We just learned that the family lives at 3395 Reservoir Oval West, just a couple doors down from the Norwood News. Stay tuned for more updates on this sad tale.

Another fire hit Morrisania last night, sending two people to the hospital, according to 1010 WINS.

City Limits explores a "unique and peculiar" clause that has allowed landlords to skirt rent regulations on some apartments for years. Under Spitzer's administration, the interpretation of the clause will be stricter. It's something tenant advocates have fought for for years.

And the NY Sun spotlights canoe trips on the Bronx River sponsored by the Bronx River Alliance.