Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 14

A year ago, the City Council - with the strong backing of Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. - killed Related Companies' plans to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall, after Related refused to guarantee future employees a "living wage." Today, the armory remains empty and no jobs, even low-paying ones, were created.  In an editorial, the Daily News (not for the first time) asserts that Diaz did the Bronx and its workforce a huge disservice. The Post comes to a similar conclusion, as does BoogieDowner.

Fieldston residents fear a developer's plans could harm the neighborhood's much-loved Indian Pond. The Riverdale Press has covered this issue at some length. See here and here. And here's an editorial.

State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. has been lying low as he braces himself for an income tax indictment, according to the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter, in his weekly column.

Bronxnet, the public access network, has been trying to negotiate a new deal with provider Cablevision. But talks have stalled. "They are holding us hostage. They have no respect for the Bronx. Cablevision is trying to play us cheap," said Ruscoe Brown, a Bronxnet board member and former Bronx Community College president.

Among the findings of a new study released by CUNY's Dominican Studies Institute: many Dominicans living in the Bronx and Manhattan are conflicted about their children identifying as "American."

Police have arrested a man in connection with the shooting of an off-duty detective outside a Bronx diner on Sunday. Samuel Ventura was picked up in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Using rarely used subpoena powers, HPD is turning up the heat on the firm which controls the debt on ten run-down apartments buildings in the Bronx. The buildings, which went into foreclosure last year, were owned by Milbank Real Estate, a now-infamous private equity firm. You can read more about Milbank here. Milbank tenants have long-complained about terrible living conditions. A few days ago, a tenant of 1535 Taylor Ave. wrote the following on the SeeClickFix website:

[A]nother evening and how cold ,freezing , i am more cold inside than out. the only way to wash and keep warm is to boil and turn on the stove , with a space heater. Milbank R.E. tells us that there is no oil . i asume that they won't be sending any. I am in the understanding the Milbank R.E. is in foreclosure. 40 families and manyof them children and sick.

A federal jury yesterday rejected a Bronx man's claims that a police officer violated him with a baton. But Ralph Johnson, a Wall Street worker, was still awarded $20,000, after the jury determined that the Bronx DA was wrong to prosecute him with resisting arrest.

CUNY officials are concerned about the impact budget cuts could have on community college students.

Ed. note: Start a discussion about any of these stories, or anything else you want to talk about in our forum. Highlight problems in your neighborhood with our SeeClickFix feature. And find out what's happening in our constantly-updated events calendar.

Bronx News Roundup, Dec. 7

Two Bronx police officers gave a baby CPR last night, saving her life.

In a civil suit, a Bronx man claims police officers sodomized him with a baton when they responded to a domestic dispute between him and girlfriend in 2004. Ralph Johnson, who works on Wall Street, is suing the NYPD for unspecified damages.  The NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau (which the Village Voice portrayed as hugely incompetent in a recent article) previously deemed Johnson's allegations unfounded, and the Bronx DA declined to prosecute.

The Bronx teacher who was reassigned to administrative duties after blogging about her former exploits as a call girl, talks to Maire Claire about her past and present. [via the Daily News]

In his weekly column, the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter remembers Elaine Kaufman, the Bronx-raised owner of Elaine's, the famed Upper East Side restaurant and bar.  Kaufman died last Friday age 81. 
 
Come January, six of New York's 62 state senators will be Latino. If they stick together, they may give their fellow Democrats a few sleepness nights, argues political reporter Gerson Borrero.  Four of the six represent the Bronx, or parts of the Bronx, including Gustavo Rivera, who Borreo says is "expected to be the lap dog for organized labor." 

Looks like Pedro Espada, Jr., the man Rivera is replacing, is AWOL from Albany again.  Last week, Espada skipped the special session called by Gov. Paterson. 

John F. Kennedy High School is one of a dozen public schools the city Department of Education says its considering phasing-out because of poor performance.  The decision wasn't unexpected: JFK received a D grade in its latest progress report. (The closing of troubled schools has been a source of contention in recent times, with the DOE often clashing with parents, teachers, and the teahers' union.  Last year, the union and others sued the city, and successfully blocked efforts - temporarily at least - to shutter 19 schools.  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. is another critic of the closures.  Here's his reaction to yesterday's announcement.) 

Students at MS 180 in City Island run a highly successful food drive. 

Yesterday, Gov. David Paterson pardoned six immigrants who faced possible deportation because of crimes committed in their younger years.  Among the pardoned: a former crack-addict from the Bronx who's now a CUNY big-wig. 

Police believe they may have collared the so-called "ice-pick robber" who was wanted for a string of robberies in the Bronx and Manhattan.

A city Department of Transportation pilot program could see the speed limit on some Bronx streets cut to 20 miles an hour.

The Barnes & Noble in Co-op City recently unveiled a 3,000 square-foot toys and games boutique which doubles up as the ultimate play area.  Here's the press release.

State Senator Jeff Klein is reminding crooks that it's now a felony to vandalize or steal from a house of worship.

Ed. note: Start a discussion about any of these stories, or anything else you want to talk about in our forum. Highlight problems in your neighborhood with our SeeClickFix feature. And find out what's happening in our constantly-updated events calendar.