A little late with the roundup today, but never fear, here's some Bronx news to get you through the afternoon.
Two off-duty NYPD officers were killed in a car crash on the Bronx River Parkway Sunday morning while driving four women home after a party. The four women survived, but were critically injured.
A fifteen-year-old Bronx boy was found stabbed to death in a building on Bouck Avenue after his involvement in a dispute Saturday night.
Politicians and straphangers put the MTA on the spot after exposing the fact the most of the pricey security cameras installed in subway stations aren't working.
Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerick heads to prison today to begin his 27-33 month sentence.
The family and friends of the the two teenagers who were killed in a shooting last weekend gathered together with the Stop the Violence Coalition and other Bronx residents for a rally against gun violence in Claremont Park Saturday.
A wild car chase in Williamsbridge ended tragically when the driver who was being pursued was shot to death, early Saturday morning.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Bronx News Roundup, May 17
Story of the Day: PS/MS 15 Chess Champs
It's My Park Day
Park-lovers across the city got their hands dirty on Saturday to commemorate It's My Park Day, an annual service day sponsored by Partnerships for Parks, where volunteers across the five boroughs pitch in to clean up and beautify their local green spaces.
The students are members of SoBro's Community Justice Project, and have been working since last fall to adopt and renovate the 5-acre ball fields. The group won a $2,500 grant this month from the children's television channel Nickelodeon as part of the station's Big Green Grant Program.
Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade
The 22nd annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade was held yesterday on the Grand Concourse between 176th and 167th streets. Attendees included Bronx BP Ruben Diaz, Jr., Manhattan BP Scott Stringer, City Comptroller John Liu, and Congressman Jose Serrano.
Another Challenger to Join Race Against Espada
With about roughly four months until the Democratic primary, there are now five candidates vying for Espada's seat: Tirado (pictured), activist Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, former Gillibrand aide Gustavo Rivera and lawyer Daniel Padernacht.
Tirado has a BA in political science and worked for the city's health department for years before becoming district manager of Community Board 7 (Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights) in 2008. He moved to Bedford Park in 2006 and joined the community board as a member before being plucked to replace long-time former district manager Rita Kessler.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Yankees, Unobstructed — May 16
If the Bronx News Network's readers exist in a vacuum (and we can assume they do), then they must only be getting their Yankees news once a week! That's a crying shame. An injustice that we cannot allow to be perpetrated upon our fair readers. Thus, we present the first ever...
Bronx News Network's List of Recommended Yankees Blogs
WasWatching.com: Founded in 2005 by baseball analyst Steve Lombardi, Was Watching has some of the best statistical analysis you can find on the Yankees, anywhere. Over the weekend, Lombardi quelled all of our Derek Jeter-related fears.
BronxBanterBlog.com: A fun combination of baseball-nostalgia and gameday reaction, Alex Belth's Bronx Banter blog is as entertaining as Yankees blogs get. You're just as likely to get thoughts on the Yankees' unique catcher situation as you are to get Belth's recommendations for Sunday brunch.
TheYankeeU.com: Formerly known as Yankees Universe, YankeeU had to change their name after receiving a "cease and desist" notice from Major League Baseball last year (the Yanks were afraid people would confuse the blog with their "Yankees Universe" charitable fund). Check out YankeeU's solid preview of this week's Yankee-Red Sox series.
FackYouk.blogspot.com: Even if this blog had nothing to offer, other than its awesome name, it would still make our list. That's a great name for a Yankees blog. But it's also loaded with neat info, like their post-game WPA (Win Probability Added) charts, which show the probability of victory for each team as games progress.
Yankees.LHblogs.com: The LoHud Yankees Blog is kinda the, well...Yankees...of Yankees blogs. It's run by the Journal News' two Yankee beat reporters — Chad Jennings and Sam Borden — and it's updated several times daily. It provides an insiderish look at the Yankees, and also at the life of a baseball beat reporter. LoHud's glimpses of life following a baseball team are pretty fascinating.
In Other Yankees News
- Today's loss to the Twins was the first since Aug. 13, 2008. The Yanks had won their last 12 consecutive contests against Minnesota (including a 3-game sweep in the ALDS last year).
- The game was lost on a Jason Kubel grand slam, surrendered by none other than Mariano Rivera. It was the first time Rivera had surrendered an earned run since Game 6 of the ALCS last year.
- BNN's Alex Kratz probably fondly remembers the last time Rivera lost. It was September 18, 2009. The Yankees were up 2-1 against the Seattle Mariners — with two outs and one man on — when Ichiro Suzuki turned on the first pitch he saw and sent it into the stands.
NOTE: Make sure to check back every weekend for The Yankees, Unobstructed, BNN's weekly Yankees opinion column.
For more of Graham Kates' sports writing, check out his True/Slant blog "Coaches in the Crosshairs" (http://trueslant.com/grahamkates).
Friday, May 14, 2010
Bronx Events, Through the Weekend
The Big Draw (pictured above) at Wave Hill, features a variety of drawing activities for all ages, free, and grounds admission is free until noon, on May 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, call (718) 549-3200 or visit www.wavehill.org.
Click here for our guide to Bronx Week! Events begin on Wednesday. We'll have daily Bronx Week happenings right here.
It's My Park! Day takes place this Saturday (5/15) in parks throughout the city. Over 150 projects and events will occur on that day. The event is being organized by Partnerships for Parks, which is celebrating it's 15th Anniversary. In the northwest Bronx, you can get involved at Mosholu Parkway and Webster Ave. or at St. James Park between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID) presents its 3rd Annual Forham Go Green Walk, May 15 from 11 a.m. t o 3 p.m., start out at 2500 Creston Ave (near E Fordham Rd). The route: From Jerome Ave to E Kingsbridge Rd to Poe Park. This free community event raises awareness on recycling, environmental friendly practices and healthy initiatives. For more details contact Wilma Alonso or Daniel Bernstein at (917) 232-9006 / (917) 232-9007 or e-mail fordhamroadbid@optimum.net.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents an internationally acclaimed dance journey celebrating the people, stories and drama behind Tango, Gauchos and Salsa -- RHYTHM & PASSION – on Saturday, May 15 at 8 p.m. The show takes audiences on a magical trek through time to the sensuous music of the tango, the explosive gauchos, and the sizzling Afro-Cuban rhythms of Salsa. Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West. Tickets are: $35 (orch.), $30 (mezz.) and $25 (balc.) and $10 any seat for children 12 and under, and can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at (718) 960.8833, or through 24-hour online access at www.LehmanCenter.org.
Bronx-born author Pura M. De Jesus-Coniglio is holding a book signing and reading on May 14, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Co-op City, 290 Baychester Ave, for her new book, "THE BRONX: Exposing Its True DNA & Breaking The Stigma."
The Lehman College Community Band will give its final Spring concert, "May Dance," on Sunday, May 16 at 2 p.m. in the Lovinger Theatre. The event is free and open to the public. Contact the College's Music Department at 718-960-8247 or e-mail music.department@lehman.cuny.edu.
Story of the Day
For the story of the day, I thought I'd bring some attention to our story on the murder of life-long Norwood resident Michael Lorge, who was shot in the head multiple times while on his way to work on Valentine's Day 2009. Click here for the whole story. (You may want to print this one out. It's lengthy.)
[Above, the photo shows pallbearers taking Lorge's body out of St. Brendan's Church at this decidedly local affair. Funeral arrangements were handled by Norwood's own McKeon's Funeral Home.]
Bronx News Roundup, May 14
Federal prosecutors are seeking a stiffer sentence for former Bronx state senator Efrain Gonzalez who they say lied to a judge when he said he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea because he believed he was innocent. Gonzalez, who is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, could now be facing 11 to 14 years in prison.
A year ago, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges for diverting state funds to pay for personal expenses, including an apartment in the Dominican Republic, Yankee tickets and labels for his own brand of cigars. Earlier this year, Gonzalez said he was pressured into pleading guilty by his former lawyer, Murray Richman, and wanted to withdraw his plea and take his chances in a trial. The judge refused to allow Gonzalez to withdraw his plea, calling his coercion claims, "preposterous."
On Wednesday, police busted up what they described as a major drug operation in Morris Heights. After a months-long sting operation, arrested the alleged leader of the lucrative drug business, Jose Delorbe, and 14 others in connection with it. Officials said Delorbe had turned 1571 Undercliff Avenue into a guarded fortress -- New Jack City-style -- where they stashed and sold large quantities of cocaine and heroin. More on NY1.
Speaking of drug dealers, an NYPD cop pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing from dealers in the Bronx, Queens, Manhattand Brooklyn.
A bunch of the Parks Department's electronic mini-cars caught fire yesterday while they were being charged in Orchard Beach.
Some more on Bronx boxer Maureen Shea, who's fighting tonight at the Paradise Theater.
Enjoy the weekend!
Young Entrepreneur Gifts 30 Computers to MS 390
Robert Mercedes, the principal of MS 390 in University Heights, has fond memories of math teacher Trywa Watson, who taught at the school until her death in 2007 from Lupus.
Peeking into her classes "you could hear a pin drop," Mercedes said - a sure sign that learning was in progress. She was a "tireless educator" with who "worked with the most difficult kids and turned those kids into stars."
Mercedes was speaking yesterday at a ribbon-cutting for a new computer lab, which is named in Watson's memory. The lab was paid for her son, Ajene Watson, an entrepreneur who runs a financial services company in Manhattan.
All told, the 34-year-old is putting up more than $30,000 for 30 Dell computers, four printers and a SmartBoard.
"Empowering children through education was my mother's mission in life," said Watson, adding that he was "extremely proud" to know that the lab would play a part in continuing that mission.
After the ribbon-cutting, a handful of students gave the new computers a test drive. "They are a great asset to our school." said Nilcia Perez, 14. "He's [Watson] very generous. A lot of people wouldn't do that. I appreciate him for that."
Thursday, May 13, 2010
John Liu Discusses the City Budget, CBAs and More on BronxTalk
On Monday night on BronxTalk, NYC Comptroller John Liu talked with host Gary Axelbank about the city budget, community benefit agreements, recent audits of the EDC and DHS, and many other topical subjects.
For more than 15 years, BronxTalk has been seen live each week on Bronxnet's Cablevision channel 67. It's also on Verizon Fios channel 33 and streamed live at http://www.bronxnet.org/. Produced by Jane Folloro, BronxTalk is repeated each day at 9:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. Archives are available at blip.tv (search for "BronxTalk").
Story of the Day: Lehman College Unveils Media-Making Mecca
Lehman College unveiled a brand new, state-of-the art media center last month, the culmination of 11 years of planning and $16 million in funding.
