Bronx News Roundup, Tuesday, July 12

Speed roundup today, folks.

Weather: Brutal today in the Bronx and most of the rest of the country. Stay inside and drink lots of water. High in the upper 90s with extreme humidity.

Quick Hits:
Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. continues to enjoy support from staunch opponents of legal gay marriage, including the Unification Church (aka the Moonies) and a notorious anti-gay state representative from Oklahoma.

Two Bronx cops from the 46th Precinct were arrested on Monday for allegedly beating a man who apparently was heckling the officers after being arrested in February.

Bronx News Weekend Roundup, June 27

Weather: Mostly sunny and in the 80s today.

Quick Hits:
The Times' David Gonzalez, himself a graduate of St. Martin of Tours School in Crotona, offers this poignant piece on the school's closing and emotional last day of classes, which was last Wednesday. The 86-year-old parochial school is one of 26 closed this year by the Archdiocese of New York because of budget cuts and low enrollment.

Gay Marriage Becomes Law -- Diazes React Very Differently

With the historic passage of gay marriage Friday night in the state Senate and Gov. Cuomo signing the legislation immediately, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and his father, State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., the only Democrat to vote against the bill, had very different reactions.

"God, not Albany, has settled the definition of marriage a long time ago," Diaz Sr. said on the Senate floor.

In sharp contrast, the borough president, who did not publicly support same-sex marriage, said he looked forward to the wedding of his lesbian niece, Erica Diaz, who made headlines when she crashed her grandfather's anti-gay marriage rally on the courthouse steps and then took him on in a NY Post op-ed, and his chief of staff Paul Del Duca. He added:

"Now that the debate on marriage equality has been resolved, it is time for us to come together and move forward in a positive manner with respect for our fellow Bronxites and all New Yorkers, irrespective of our differences, backgrounds and religious beliefs. We must both celebrate and build upon our diversity for a better and brighter future for all of our hard working families. I also wish to complement Governor Andrew Cuomo for working sincerely and diligently to ensure that the appropriate balance of protections are ensured within the bill.

Bronx News Roundup, Wednesday, June 1

Welcome to June, Bronxophiles. Here's today's lineup of Bronx news!

Weather: The National Weather Service is issuing a "hazardous weather outlook" warning, which could amount to nothing, or severe thunderstorms. After a high of 89 today, it's supposed to cool off tomorrow, down to a less stifling 76 degrees. 


Story of the Day: Education Leaps Should Be Taken with a Grain of Salt
Education guru Diane Ravitch writes an op-ed in today's NY Times dispelling the myth of huge short-term gains at schools that have been re-vamped/re-started/re-invigorated by some manner of policy or strategy shift. On the 10th anniversary of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which set a goal of having every child in the United States reading at or above their grade level by 2012, Ravitch says this "utopian mandate" is mission impossible. The public (and news media) should be wary of political attempts to show gigantic leaps in performance at urban schools who cater to traditionally low-performing students.

Which brings us to the Bronx. In 2005, Mayor Bloomberg trumpeted the success of his DOE takeover by holding a press conference at PS 33 on Jerome Avenue, just south of Fordham Road. The school boasted a ridiculous 49-point jump in its percentage of fourth graders who had met state standards in reading -- from 34 percent in 2004 to 83 percent in 2005. By 2010, that number was back down to 37 percent (where many Bronx schools are at).

Ravitch says we can close and re-open schools and/or fire teachers and principals as much as we want, but if we really want to improve education, we need to focus on improving families, "our most important educators." She goes on to say: "If every child arrived in school well-nourished, healthy and ready to learn, from a family with a stable home and a steady income, many of our educational problems would be solved. And that would be a miracle."

Quick Hits:
The two fledgling Bronx beer start-ups -- the Bronx Brewery and the Jonas Bronck's Beer Company -- are preparing to unleash their suds at city bars this summer (the Bronck's Woodlawn Weiss perhaps as early as next week). Neither company, however, will actually brew its beer in the Boogie Down.

Speaking of the nectar of the gods, the Bronx's first beer garden, Nicky's BBQ & Beer Garden, is scheduled to open this week on East Tremont Avenue. 

Here's an architecture review of the new Poe Park Visitor's Center, which is set to open soon (I guess, we'll look into it).

Last weekend's outbreak of gun violence makes this weekend's gun buyback effort that much more urgent.

The Times' Clyde Haberman writes that while the outbreak is unsettling, we're nowhere near the dark days of the early 1990s when the city's murder count was 2,245. For the last decade we've averaged 547 murders.

The city's Department of Small Business Services is going to focus on diversifying retail at four commercial districts, one of which will be Southern Boulevard. They want less nail salons, more food options. 

Rent reform advocates in the state senate, including Bronx Democrats Ruth Hassel-Thompson and Adriano Espaillat, are making a final push to strengthen rent regulations by the June 15 deadline.

Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr.'s outspoken efforts to keep gay marriage unlawful is leading to backlash from gay rights groups, websites and bars (one Brooklyn gay bar is hosting a "F--- Ruben Diaz festival") and, he says, has led to death threats being called into his district office.

Diaz Sr. Blasts Mayor and Speaker, Forgets Supporting Espada's 'Rent Freeze' Bill

Diaz at a rally in Albany last year for former Sen. Pedro Espada's "rent freeze" bill, which tenant advocates called a "de-control bill in disguise." (File photo by Alma Watkins)

Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr. is on the warpath again, this time blasting Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for supporting a same-sex marriage bill when, he says, they should really be focusing on the renewal of the state's rent stabilization laws, which expire on June 15.

But, over the past year and a half, Diaz himself has done his share to divert attention away from the strengthening of rent regulations.

"I would love to see Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn set their priorities straight and spend a day in Albany to push for an extension of our affordable housing laws before the deadline passes," Diaz wrote in a statement sent out last week after Bloomberg and Quinn had trekked to the capitol to lobby for gay marriage.

"The Rev" has spent a fair amount of his own time focusing on same-sex marriage -- he organized a rally last Sunday against its legalization -- but he says that was just in response to other politicians pushing the issue.

"I'm not putting [same-sex marriage] as a priority," he said in a phone interview last week.

His priority, he says, is the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, the set of state laws that protect the rent-regulated status of hundreds of thousands of apartments in the Bronx, and about a million across the city. Tenant advocates have been pushing to see the laws not only renewed before the June 15 deadline, but strengthened to close some of the loopholes that landlords use to hike rents in regulated units.

Diaz said the mayor and Gov. Andrew Cuomo were ignoring the approaching June 15 deadline, and that, he says, "is a crime."

But last year, Diaz supported a bill (former senator and housing committee chair Pedro Espada's "Rent Freeze" legislation) that many tenant and housing advocates say would have done the opposite of what he now says is his priority.

Bronx News Roundup, Friday, May 13

Eery start to this Friday the 13th at Bronx News Network. As you can tell, we've experienced some technical difficulties of late. Our website administrator went down last night and all posts from Tuesday on were removed. We're told the posts will be restored soon. We just received access to the site at about 12:30 p.m. In any case, we're back. On to the news!

Weekend Weather: Cloudy and warm today. Tomorrow, a foggy morning  might give way to some drizzle in the afternoon. The real rain is supposed to hit Sunday, just in time for the Bronx parade collision (more on this in Story of the Day). 

Story of the Day: Bronx Parades on Collision (Con)Course
On Sunday afternoon, the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade will party its way down the Grand Concourse from E. Tremont to E. 167th Street. Just six blocks south, the face and outspoken mouthpiece of New York's anti-gay marriage movement, Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., will be leading a group of other like-minded gay marriage opponents in a "Rally to Defend Marriage." Diaz, who was born in Puerto Rico, says he did not consider changing the route or date of his rally and the president of the Puerto Rican Day Parade, Francisco Gonzalez didn't seem to have a problem with it.

But gay marriage advocates and AIDS activists do have a problem with it. Diaz's anti-gay marriage rally will coincide with the annual New York AIDS Walk in Central Park, leading the state senator's critics say the rally will stunt acceptance of gays and the cause of wiping out AIDS. "We are distressed that Sen. Diaz would focus his attention on increasing homophobia," Marjorie Hill of Midtown's Gay Men's Health Crisis told Metro. A counter-protest is taking shape, which could mean fireworks on the Concourse. Diaz, who has two gay brothers and a gay niece, denies the homophobic label and say he is expecting a love fest on Sunday, telling the Daily News: "We're respecting our love for life and humanity in the Bronx."

The Tremont Tribune, a BxNN publication, has this editorial on the matter. 

Quick Hits:
Drivers navigating the Bronx’s Claremont neighborhood beware, the city is reducing its speed limit on a quarter-mile stretch there to 20 miles per hour, 10 miles less than the city's default speed limit of 30 m.p.h. That pilot program coincides with another speed-reduction effort: the installing new electronic signs that will tell drivers to slow down, using an ominous digitized skeleton, to drive home the point.

At an attempted murder trial in the Bronx, an officer testified that ticket fixing was "a common courtesy" dealt with by union reps.

A Bronx man who won $18.5 million in a lawsuit against the city after spending two decades in prison for a rape he didn't commit, had the award taken back by an appeals court.

Nine city schools, including the Bronx's Herbert H. Lehman High School, Banana Kelly High School, Bronx High School of Business, Grace H. Dodge Career and Tech, will be Re-Started last year, rather than closed.

John Rose is hoping to overcome cerebral palsy and win a seat on the Co-op City board of directors.

BP Diaz' Gambling Ways

The cover story in the latest issue of City Hall features a lengthy piece on our very own Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr, called "The Gambler,"--homage to Diaz' sometimes risky political moves, from his running for Assembly at the tender age of 22, to taking on Mayor Bloomberg over the Kingsbridge Armory to his speculated run for Mayor in 2013.

The story, of course, delves into the Kingsbridge Armory battle and the uncertain future of the still-vacant building, which Diaz said lies ultimately in the hands of Bloomberg, his political enemy number one.

"The decision on whether or not something's going to be developed there is going to come from City Hall," Diaz told the paper. A final proposal for the Armory will be made this spring or summer, the story says, and then will be at Bloomberg's disposal.

The article goes on to discuss Diaz Jr.'s relationship with his controversial father, State Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., and says that the Rev. could be the BP's "biggest liability of all" if he does make a run for Mayor.

You can read the whole piece here. Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Return Kruger Money? No Way, Bronx Sen. Diaz Says

State Senator Ruben Diaz, Jr. is laughing off requests to return money contributed to his campaign by State Senator Carl Kruger, who is facing federal bribery charges. Diaz and Kruger are pals who made up half of the so-called '4 Amigos' -- including Hiram Monserrate (who was expelled from the Senate after assaulting his girlfriend), Pedro Espada (who Bronx voters returned to his real home in Mamaroneck when they elected Gustavo Rivera).

Here's some of what Diaz has to say:

"I have no intentions at all to return any money that has been donated to my Re-Election campaign.  Anyone who knows me knows that my votes cannot be bought, and that my convictions will not change because of any campaign contribution by anyone.

"I would like for my colleagues who may be confused about what to do with campaign money they received from Carl Kruger before he was indicted, that if any of them feel guilty that they took Carl Kruger's money for their campaigns and don't know what to do with it, they can give it to my campaign. I won't feel guilty at all."

For the whole statement, click here.

He's Back! Espada Plans Rally at Soundview Clinic

Former State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. is enlisting the help of some old amigos to publicly combat charges that he embezzled more than $500,000 from the nonprofit network of health care clinics he founded and continues to run. Espada's holding a rally tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. in front of Soundview Health Center, 731 White Plains Road.

With him, according to a press release that describes the event as a "unity press conference," will be Espada's former nemesis turned number one supporter in the state senate, Ruben Diaz Sr. (we received the release from his communications person), as well as Assemblyman Marcos Crespo and Bishop Fernando Rodriguez of the Latin American Chaplain's Association, plus a whole bunch of other folks.

Espada is also facing civil charges from the Attorney General's office that he bilked another $14 million from Soundview.

Here's the meat of the release:

"State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Bishop Fernando Rodriguez, president of the Latin American Chaplains Association, Pedro Espada, Jr., patients, clergy and civic leaders, other elected officials,and medical staff and health vendors will hold a unity press conference and rally in support of the Soundview Healthcare Network, emphasizing the importance of the network’s four medical facilities to the health care of tens of thousands of Bronx residents, families, children and senior citizens."

Bronx News Roundup, Feb. 3

Quick Bronx news roundup today as we're focused on producing the Mt. Hope Monitor, which will hit streets in Community Board 5 tomorrow.

Weather update: Sun! Winds could reach 25 mph tonight.

The Bronx homeless population has dropped significantly since 2005, when the city began its annual effort to count the population of people living on the streets. Volunteers started tallying homeless numbers again on Tuesday.

Wakefield's Harvest Worship Center is struggling to come to grips with indictment of their pastor, Michael Clare, on rape charges. A lawyer for Clare says the charges are "baseless."

Police say a drunk and emotionally disturbed man stole a garbage truck in the South Bronx yesterday. 

The Bronx Zoo is dedicating this year's Run for the Wild fundraiser to save an endangered penguin population native to South America.

In reaction to the city's stagnant 41 percent abortion rate (essentially two of every five New York City pregnancies end in abortion), Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. said today that abortion is an attack on minorities. Here's a quote from the Times story:  "They might think that we will take over, and that they’ve got to stop us,” Diaz said. “What they did, they are killing black and Hispanic children."

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 11

Another snowstorm (ugh!) is expected to hit the city tonight, a possible 6 to 12 inches. That could be bad news for your commute tomorrow, as the MTA has considered halting service on certain trains during the next big storm--including the Dyre Avenue line--to avoid more stuck subway car mishaps.

Bronx Congressmen  Engel, Crowley and Serrano are shaken by this weekend's tragic shooting in Tuscon, AZ, which left their colleague Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition after a bullet went through her head. Six others died in the attacks.

A 14-year-old boy was shot to death last night near a subway stop at E. 219th St. and White Plains Road. Witnesses say he was approached by three other males before was shot; no arrests have been made.

Every borough has a story, writes Daily News columnist Patrice O'Shaughnessy--and the Bronx's is one of resilience.

A "nude housekeeper" is currently on trial for the 2007 murder of a paralegal who'd hired him to clean his apartment. The defendent, 41-year-old Bronx resident Thomas Cordero, claims he acted in self defense.

Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., is blasting colleague Jeff Klein and his new Independent Democratic Conference for getting money for "staff and better offices."

Diaz' rant comes after reports that Klein switched offices with Deputy Senate Majority Leader Tom Libous this week and that he and his fellow independents might get their legislative office budgets increased by majority Republicans to as much as $3 million.

Speaking of Klein: he held a news conference yesterday in Albany where he said he opposed the idea of linking a property tax cap to New York City rent regulation--meaning one bill could not pass without the other (new Gov. Cuomo is pushing for the property tax cap).

Bob Kappstatter has your other Bronx political news this week, including the swearing in of new reps Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Eric Stevenson. Also: there are rumors of a police crackdown on prostitution near St. James Park, he writes. (here's more on the problem from November's Norwood News.)

An elderly man was struck by a car and killed yesterday in Co-Op City.

A 15-year-old Haitian girl who left her country after last year's devastating earthquake is getting a new heart at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Montefiore Medical Center tomorrow--the one year anniversary of the earthquake disaster. Lovely Ajuste has had a heart condition since the age of eight.

Bronx News Roundup, Jan. 5

Welcome to today's program, loyal and beautiful readers. Lots of political news to get to on the day new Governor Andrew Cuomo makes his State of the State speech. 

In his address today, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Albany's Empire State Plaza Convention Center (not the traditional Assembly Chambers location for several reasons), Cuomo will unveil his "emergency financial reinvention plan" with the aid of 82 Power Point slides.

Cuomo is looking to plug a $9 billion budget gap through a variety of means, including a few ideas that have already leaked out: a year-long wage freeze for state workers, Medicaid cuts and agency reconfigurations.

You can watch the speech live on the governor's website.

In response to Cuomo's anticipated assault on Medicaid spending, Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. introduced a bill that would create a program to recruit and enroll potential Medicaid users who aren't using it.

Diaz called a meeting today of the state senate's Hispanic caucus (which also includes Bronxites Gustavo Rivera and Jose M. Serrano) and Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson, who is up for re-election.

In protest of Sampson's leadership (or lack thereof, as he's suggested) and following his ouster as head of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, Bronx State Senator Jeff Klein stepped down from his deputy leader position and has started his own Independent Caucus, along with senate Democratic colleagues David Carlucci, Diane Savino and David Valesky.

A 16-year-old 10th grader was stabbed in the neck this morning while walking to the Lewis and Clark special education school near Westchester Square.

Anthology Film Archives will be showing five recent films made by Bronx-born filmmaker Abel Ferrara.

Highbridge residents are concerned about a homeless shelter that recently switched from housing women and children to single men, some of whom are convicted sex offenders.

The DN's Bob Kappstatter profiles new Bronx chief of detectives Robert Boyce, who is dealing with an exodus of the borough's talented retiring detectives.

Today's weather forecast (courtesy of weather.com): Sunny, with a high of around 40 degrees.

Bronx News Roundup, Oct. 5

A Soundview woman whose apartment is infested with bedbugs claims she picked them up during a visit to Bronx County Family Court last month. The bloodsuckers were also found recently at the Bronx DA's office. 

Daily News columnist Patrice O'Shaughnessy describes a recent visit to the Hunts Point fish market, which replaced Manhattan's famous Fulton Fish Market five years ago. The New Fulton Fish Market Cooperative at Hunts Point (it's full name) is the second largest wholesale seafood market in the world.

With tongue in cheek, the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter writes: "I am publicly announcing my support for Rick Lazio for Bronx Supreme Court justice."

A year ago, Mayor Bloomberg's promised to launch Harlem Children's Zone-style antipoverty programs in Brooklyn and the South Bronx. The programs have yet to materialize.

Violent crime is on the rise. Borough-wide, there have been more murders, rapes, robberies, and felony-assaults than this time last year.

State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. may endorse gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, the man Diaz's son, BP Ruben Diaz, Jr., recently called an "utter nut job."

Two young Bronxites - Marvin Figueroa and Antoinette Rangel - have landed White House internships.

Lincoln Hospital has received a state grant to build a 60-bed psychiatric unit. (Subscription needed.)

Students from University Heights Secondary School (which is now located in Morrisania) traveled to Washington DC at the weekend for the "One Nation Rally."

A profile of a botanica store in Soundview.

Cardinal Spellman High School's girls soccer team is on fire this season.

Diaz Sr. Wants Hispanics to Fill Espada's Power Positions

State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr.

A week before Tuesday's primary, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. predicted both he and his fellow amigo, Pedro Espada Jr., would win re-election and come back bigger, stronger and better than before.

He was half right. 

Diaz lamented Espada's loss to Gustavo Rivera on Tuesday night, but he's already looking ahead to life without him. In a press release, Diaz said he wanted to see a Hispanic lawmaker placed into the two positions of power Espada had carved out in the state senate: majority leader and housing committee chair.

He said he didn't want the positions himself, but offered up a handful of alternatives, including Rivera. Here's his full statement:

“As the Chair of the New York State Senate Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus, I must insist that since the voters of Senator Pedro Espada’s district have lost him as their Senator, New York’s Hispanic community must not also lose the leadership roles he had while in the State Senate.

Senator Espada served as Chair of the Senate Housing Committee, and more importantly, as the Senate Majority Leader. I will not accept a “one step forward, two steps backwards” approach toward participatory democracy for Hispanics in the Senate. I urge the Senate leadership and my Senate colleagues to select a Hispanic Senator to fill those positions.

I want it understood by my supporters and to my critics that I am not interested in either of those roles and I will not accept them even if offered.

I do believe that my colleagues , Senator Martin Malave Dilan, Senator Jose Peralta, Senator Jose Serrano, as well as Gustavo Rivera and Adriano Espaillat - who won last night’s election and will likely be sworn into office in January - should be selected to serve in these leadership positions.”

Espada Camp Feeling Good (Updated)

Standing outside of Pedro Espada's district office on Bainbridge Avenue, a political outpost among rows of medical offices, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. offered a prediction for the upcoming primaries on Sept. 14.

"Pedro's going to win. I'm going to win. And we're going to come back stronger, faster and better," said Diaz, who remains the only elected official to have endorsed Espada. "You know, like the $60 Million Man, you remember the TV show?"

Well, not really. But point taken. In fact, several people in Espada's camp have expressed this feeling over the past few days. It's clear they feel -- despite all the negative press, the investigations, the law suits, the confrontations with hecklers and protesters, the hundreds of thousands being spent to defeat him -- that Espada is in a good position to be re-elected for another two-year term.

And why wouldn't they?

• With all the institutional and political endorsements going to challenger Gustavo Rivera, Espada is able to paint himself as the underdog, despite having an enormous campaign war chest bankrolled mostly by the real estate industry.

• His refusal to debate his two challengers is looking increasingly like a shrewd political move. During a debate on BronxTalk on Monday night, which Espada didn't attend, candidate Dan Padernacht continually attacked Rivera for his lack of community involvement and for playing dirty politics in trying to get him to drop out of the race. While Rivera focused his criticisms on the incumbent, Padernacht didn't mention Espada once, except to say he worked to get him kicked off the ballot two years ago for residency issues. Padernacht maintains he's not being encouraged or aided by Espada (and there's really no concrete evidence to support those rumors), but regardless, it's clear his presence is hurting Rivera and helping Espada. (Earlier today, Dan Levitan of the Working Families Party, which is campaigning on behalf of Rivera, said they felt it was clear Padernacht's only goal was to smear Rivera on Espada's behalf and that he probably wouldn't attend tomorrow's debate at Fordham Evangelical Lutheran Church if Espada doesn't. We haven't heard back from Rivera's campaign staff to confirm whether he would attend or not.)

• While Rivera and Padernacht are out campaigning and trying to get their name out to voters, Espada is out giving away school supplies, produce and vans. Everyone already knows who he is -- for good or bad. He's also using his status as a working senator to hold press conferences about hot-button issues like immigration and marching for civil rights.Never underestimate the power of incumbency.

Espada may be the most demonized candidate in New York, but he knows how to win elections.

Update: About the signs, Espada spokesman Franck Laboy said he couldn't comment.We'll look into it.

Espada to Bronx Boro Prez: 'Listen to Your Daddy'

Following Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s endorsement of challenger Gustavo Rivera in the 33rd District Senate race earlier today, incumbent Pedro Espada Jr. stood in front of the Kingsbridge Armory and railed against Diaz's efforts to block the creation of a shopping mall at the long-vacant former military building.   

Pointing at the Armory toward the end of a press conference to announce the support of two Spanish-language newspapers, Espada said, "this should be a place that employs over 3,000 people, but cheap politics and pandering . . . inexperience, and inexperience, resulted in it still being an empty building." (Actually, the Armory mall would have provided about 1,200 jobs, the majority of them part-time retail positions and about 1,000 trade jobs during the building of the mall.)

If you don't recall the Armory fight last summer, fall, winter, the City Council almost unanimously (45-1) killed the shopping mall project when the developer, with backing from the mayor's office, refused to include a guarantee of living wage" jobs ($10 an hour, plus benefits) at the revamped site.

Diaz, the entire Bronx Council delegation, along with members of the Northwest Bronx Comnunity and Clergy Coalition and the city's biggest retail workers union, fought for living wage jobs as part of a Community Benefits agreement with the developer, the Related Companies, but a deal couldn't be worked out.

When asked about Diaz Jr.'s endorsement of Rivera, Espada said the borough president should have followed the lead of his father, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., who endorsed Espada last week. "Listen to your daddy on this one," Espada said.

Diaz Jr.'s spokesman, John DeSio, responded by saying the community and the Council both decided the project wasn't right for the Armory. He added that he was shocked that Espada had the "incredible audacity" to criticize the B.P. or anyone on the Armory project, saying "Pedro Espada, who has the Armory in his district, it's a complete fact that he was nowhere to be found at any point during the Armory debate. He was not around. He expressed no interest in this. We had meetings all the time."

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 23

We'll start this week off with the story of an uplifting fundraiser held by Love Gospel Assembly Church, which was gutted in a four-alarm fire in July, at Lehman College on Saturday. The event was attended by Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., who both vowed to help the church rebuild.

Speaking of Espada, the NY Post reports that the Senate Majority Leader failed to disclose campaign spending for at least two food giveaways -- one on Reservoir Avenue and one across the street from St. Brendan's Church in Norwood. A spokesman for Espada said the spending would be disclosed during the next filing period. Espada has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in campaign finance violations over the years.

More than a dozen school workers, including at least two in the Bronx, have been terminated since 2009 for falsifying excuses for missing work.

State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has spent more than $16,000 to maintain a fleet of seven campaign vehicles that ride around his district, "blaring music" and spread the "Vote for Diaz" message. Diaz says he is a master at "street campaigning." His opponent in the upcoming primary, Charlie Ramos, says he'll be going be going to door-to-door, talking to voters.

A funeral was held for Tashawn Bromfield, the 16-year-old from Connecticut who was killed in the Bronx last weekend.

Preservationists are planning to protest the city's plan to cut down 73 trees on Pelham Parkway. The city says it needs to cut down the trees to install new guardrails and other safety measures.

To culminate HOPE week, the Yankees surprised Bronx sisters Johanna and Melinda Arias.

Cops nabbed a Bronx gunman who fired at them in Williamsbridge on Saturday.

Bronx News Roundup, August 19

On the political front: former Bronx Borough President Freddy Ferrer will announce his endorsement of Gustavo Rivera today, according to a press release sent out this morning. Rivera is one of two candidates challenging Senator Pedro Espada, Jr., and he's been racking up a good amount of political support lately. We'll be covering the announcement this afternoon, so check back later for more details.

In a local Assembly race, candidate Luis Sepulveda is turning his attention to the borough's growing population of Bangladeshi residents in order to unseat longtime incumbent Peter Rivera.

Activists rallied outside of a Bronx catering hall last week, where Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz, Sr. was holding a fundraiser, to protest the senator's anti-gay agenda.

Personal contributions from outside their legislative districts make up most of New York candidates' campaign funds, according to the Star-Gazette. Sen. Pedro Espada and Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson were among those mentioned.

An 18-year-old South Bronx student, originally from war-torn Sierra Leone, was honored last night by the Yankees during the team's 2nd annual "Hope Week."

The Times reviews Manuel Acevedo's exhibit, on display at the Bronx River Art Center until Aug. 28.

The Daily News follows up on yesterday's Village Voice piece on Pedro Espada's overdue tailor's bill.

An inspection of the city's supermarkets found that many are overcharging customers for items, with the highest number of violations happening in five Bronx neighborhoods.

Tenants in a Creston Avenue apartment complex are asking for help in getting their building's many violations repaired by a negligent landlord. We were there and will post some video this afternoon. One apartment in particular was in a terrible state.

Thanks largely to the efforts of a plastic surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center, state law now requires doctors to inform breast cancer patients facing surgery about breast reconstruction options.

Elevated levels of the toxic construction material PCB were found in three city schools inspected recently, including P.S. 178, on Baychester Avenue.

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 9

On Friday night and early Saturday morning, there were nine separate shooting incidents in the Bronx.  Two teenagers were killed and 12 other people were injured. In a statement released Saturday, Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said:

Last night’s wave of violence is extremely alarming, not only to myself  but to the overwhelming majority of my constituents: 1.4 million Bronx  residents who want to do nothing more than work, raise their families  and live their lives in peace without having to worry that they or their  children will be cut down by a thug’s bullet. The summer is supposed to  be a time to relax with family and friends without fear of losing one’s  life.  Those responsible for these shootings must be prosecuted to the  fullest extent of the law. Those who would turn to a gun as the answer  to their problems have no place in decent society. This has to stop.

An off-duty Bronx police officer was arrested on Friday night for driving drunk, police say.  Juan Burgos is a seven-year veteran assigned to the 43rd Precinct.

Bronx resident Gladys Carrión, the commissioner of the city's Office of Children and Family Services, has won friends - and plenty of enemies - for attempting to close several poorly run juvenile centers in upstate New York.

BoogieDowner has posted the names of 39 people on State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr's payroll, along with their wages. One name in particular - Haile Rivera - is raising eyebrows.  Rivera, a University Heights resident and former Obama campaigner, previously mulled a run against Espada. Now he's working for him, and sounding like him, too.  On Facebook last month, Rivera wrote: "Why is it that when the powers-that-be see a Latino/a rising, they do whatever it takes to bring him/her down?"

The Gotham Gazette takes an in-depth look at the race between State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Charlie Ramos.

Last night, a fire gutted a row of stores in Williamsbridge.  Investigators are calling the blaze suspicious.

A construction crew began installing the new Willis Avenue Bridge this morning. The bridge, which connects the South Bronx with Harlem, is replacing the bridge of the same name. It'll reopen in the fall.

Ten wind turbines located on the roof of a Melrose Apartment building generate enough electricity to serve the building's common-area needs. The building, which boasts numerous other "green" initiatives, opened last October.

Diaz, Parker Battle in the Senate Chambers

State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz, Sr., sent out a press release this morning to "set the record straight" about his very public argument with fellow Senator Kevin Parker, of Brooklyn.

The two exchanged heated words in the Senate chamber yesterday when Diaz planned to vote against a democrat-backed bill. He claims Parker threatened him verbally--using a colorful obscenity to do so.

"As I stated last night Senator Parker was saying eff this, eff that. In front of the ladies," Diaz said in a statement. "It's uncalled for. If I want to vote no on something, nobody is going to tell me to eff me. What are we, babies?"

Parker responded in turn by dropping in on the Capitol press room this afternoon to announce that he wouldn't apologize to Diaz, according to the Daily News.

He called Diaz's behavior "irrational" and "crazy," according to the article, and told reporters that Diaz should be the one to apologize, "Not just today, but for the eight years that he’s been here." Read more here. 

It's not the first time Parker's made headlines for his temper: the Brooklyn rep was indicted on assault charges back in 2009 for allegedly roughing up a news photographer.