MS 399 Protest Walk

On Feb. 12, over 150 protesters from the Middle School 399 community rallied a second time outside the school, located on 184th Street at Creston Avenue, in preparation for a one mile march to the Community District 10 Education Council Meeting at MS 45 to contest their school's closure. They held their first rally in December.

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Bronx News Roundup Dec. 18

Most "Bronx" stories on the Web and in this morning's papers focus on Ashlee Simpson, baby "Bronx Mowgli," and husband Peter Wentz, who's likely in the doghouse this morning following an interview with Howard Stern in which he probably said a little too much.

Here's the other stuff:

Chanting "Phase out Klein, not 399!" parents, teachers, and UFT representatives held a rally outside MS 399 in South Fordham yesterday, to protest the DOE's decision to close the school. Several other schools are also being shut down for poor performance in this latest round of cuts. All received a D or an F grade in the DOE's Progress Reports released in September. Rather than being closed immediately, the schools will be phased out gradually over a number of years. Earlier this year, it was announced that another local school, PS 79, would also be closing.

Newly recovered e-mails suggest (prove?) that Mayor Bloomberg aides bullied tax assessors into exaggerating the cost of the new Yankee Stadium (specifically the cost of the land), so that the Yankees could get their hands on $1 million in tax free bonds. More here.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz thinks Ruben Diaz Jr. would be a good choice for borough president, if current B.P. Adolfo Carrion lands a much rumored position with the Obama Administration. In truth, Dinowitz was never likely to support another probable candidate, Joel Rivera, the City Council majority leader. Dinowitz and others fought bitterly this fall with Rivera's father, Jose Rivera, over the leadership of the Bronx Democratic Party.

The funeral of Cardinal Avery Dulles, the respected theologian and Fordham University professor, is being held today, following his death last Friday. The BoogieDowners have more.

A 30-year-old woman was stabbed to death in Crotona Park East on Wednesday afternoon.

There have been several big drug busts in Bronx housing projects over the past two weeks.