Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 31

Weather: Clear and sunny today in the low 80s. It could get a little overcast later this afternoon, but there's no real rain in the forecast until this weekend.

We missed yesterday's news roundup--let's just blame the hurricane--but we're back to our regularly scheduled blogging. Here are some Bronx news headlines from yesterday and this morning.

Crotona Park resident Jose Sierra, 68, is among the 40 or so victims who died during this weekend's storm. A Puerto Rican native and father of 13, Sierra was an avid fisherman who went out to check on his boat at a City Island marina on Sunday morning. His body was found that afternoon in the waters nearby.

Former State Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr., and his son are defending themselves against charges of fraud and money laundering by blaming their accountants. The Espadas' defense lawyer, the Daily News reports, is claiming the men assumed their use of taxpayer funds from the Soundview Health Clinics they controlled--to pay for things like sushi restaurant tabs and birthday party pony rides--were legal because the expenses were approved by an accounting firm.

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 25

Weather: First an earthquake, now Irene. The category 3 hurricane that's currently dumping rain on the Bahamas is headed towards the northeastern U.S., though exactly where and when it will hit is still up in the air (though most are predicting it'll be in New York sometime Sunday). For those interested: WNYC has this city map of flood zones, the New York Times has a live hurricane tracker feature, and the city has released a brochure on storm-preparedness.

As for the current weather, expect rain and thunderstorms most of the afternoon.

Story of the Day: Fordham Prof Turns Hip-Hop
A history professor at Fordham University raps--yes, raps--to get his students' attention on lessons about gentrification and affordable rents. Mark Naison, aka "Notorious PhD" (cute!) says he is worried the Bronx will eventually turn into an expensive hipster-haven like Brooklyn and parts of Harlem.

Watch the video below. Naison's rap starts around the 2:20 mark, complete with a beatboxer accompaniment. Awesome.


Quick Hits:
Now that the criminal case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been dropped, accuser Nafissatou Diallo's lawyers are focusing their efforts on the case they've filed against the former IMF chief in Bronx Civil Court.

The Bronx's Dominican population has jumped 81 percent over the last decade.

A judge has given the Soundview Healthcare Network, the clinic owned and run by indicted former Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., an extended deadline--Soundview was ordered banned from the State's Medicaid program starting Sept. 12, but were just granted a stay until at least the next court date on the 19th.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz is demanding the DOE release all environmental testing reports and other data related to PS 51, or the Bronx New School in Bedford Park, which was found to be contaminated with high levels of a hazardous chemical. 

What a great reward for being studious: Bronx Little Leaguers with good attendance records and at least a B school grade average will get to compete in the Borough President's Cup at Yankee Stadium.

Bronx cops are still waiting--anxiously--for indictments to drop from the District Attorney's office in the much talked about ticket-fixing probe.

Low-income neighborhoods are home to more soda drinkers than affluent ones, a new report finds. In the South Bronx, almost have of residents report drinking at least one soda a day (earlier this year, Bloomberg proposed banning the use of food stamps to buy soda and other sugary beverages, a plan that was met with much debate).

Congrats to Riverdale Press reporter and former Norwood News intern Graham Kates, who tied the knot last weekend.

Toxins Send PS 51 to Crotona

Editor's Note: This story first appeared in the latest issue of the Norwood News, out now.

Bronx New School, housed on Van  Cortlandt Avenue East in an old lighting factory,
will have a new home in a former Catholic school two miles away in Crotona.
(Photo by Adi Talwar)

By Ronald Chavez

At a tense public hearing last week, the Department of Education announced it will be moving Bedford Park elementary school PS 51, known as the Bronx New School, to a new building two miles south—the result of a discovery earlier this summer that its current site contains hazardous levels of a chemical toxin linked to cancer.

“I apologize to you. It will not happen again,” Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott told a crowd of seething parents at the Aug. 18 meeting at the Bronx High School of Science.

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 23

We're back, Bronxites--apologies for the silence the last few days, but we had some staffers on vacation and are busy putting together the next issue of the Norwood News, which returns from summer hiatus on Thursday. Now, on to the news (shared credit for this roundup goes to BxNN intern Justin Bodden).

Weather: It's starting to feel like fall out there. Sunny and in the low 70s today, and dropping into the 60s later tonight.

Story of the (Last Few) Days: P.S. 51 Will Move to St. Martin of Tours
At an emotional two-hour meeting last Thursday, Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott announced that P.S. 51, or the Bronx New School, will be moving into the building that housed former catholic school St. Martin of Tours--located over two miles away in Crotona. The failure of the DOE to recognize the high levels of dangerous chemicals that contaminated the Bedford Park school has left parents angry and wanting more than the apology and an information packet given. "I needed some solid answers and I don't think I got that," one parent told NY1.

A group of PS 51 parents are holding their own meeting tomorrow night.

Quick Hits
Soon-to-be college student and Morris Heights resident Raevaughn Gardner-Williams is recovering from injuries to the head, which he suffered 11 days ago in a brutal hit-and-run.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested for the shooting of Yaritza Pacheco, 24, who was struck and killed by stray bullet as she walked home along E. 174th Street early Saturday morning.

As part of a series on 2010 Census data, NY1 looks at the Bronx's booming population--and poverty--rates.

Elected officials are pushing the Manhattan District Attorney's office to "make an example" out of NYPD officer Michael Pena, who has been accused of raping a Bronx school teacher

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 18

Weather: Cool and mostly cloudy with on-and-off rainstorms predicted.

On to your Bronx news!

Story of the Day: DOE Meeting Tonight to Discuss 'Toxic' P.S. 51
Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott and other city officials will  be in the Bronx tonight to meet with parents and members of the community to discuss P.S. 51, the Bedford Park elementary school that's being moved because its current building was found to be contaminated with high levels of Trichloroethylene--an industrial solvent that can potentially cause serious health problems that affect the central nervous system, including the liver, kidney, and the immune system, according to the EPA.You can read more coverage on the situation here; details about tonight's meeting are here.

The DOE said there are no immediate health risks posed to students at the school, but that doesn't seem to have done much to ease parents' concerns. "All parents in this school should have their children tested because as you can see from this issue the Board of Education can't be trusted to tell the truth," one BxNN reader and PS 51 parent commented. We'll be covering tonight's meeting and will keep you updated.

Quick Hits:
The funeral for Christina Santiago, killed this weekend in Indiana when a concert stage collapsed, takes place today in the Bronx.

Great story in the Times this morning about parents who are caught with minor amounts of marijuana--not enough to charge them with a crime--getting  subject to extra scrutiny from child welfare on accusations of neglect.

Breaking News: PS 51, The Bronx New School, To Be Moved Because of Contamination

[Update 4:17 p.m.: Just heard from the DOE. Spokesperson Marge Feinberg says the school will be moved, not closed. The TCE was found during a inspection of the property as the DOE was looking to renew its lease on the Jerome Avenue building. A copy of the letter is included after jump.]

This week, the Department of Education and the principal of PS 51, the Bronx New School, sent out a letter to parents saying the Bedford Park elementary school will be closed moved due to Trichloroethylene contamination.

The letter sought to assure parents that there were no immediate health risks and referred questions to the city Health Department. It said the school would be moved, but it did not say where to. It did say parents would be updated regularly about the relocation.