Tag: Melissa Mark Viverito

A Love For The Bronx Forged by Growing Up in Our Borough

My family moved from Manhattan to the Bronx in 1954. I was raised by my grandparents and we lived in a tenement on Hoe Avenue, near Southern Boulevard. On Saturdays, I would accompany my grandmother, Clara, in trips to the market at Simpson station, serving as translator between her and the meat and produce sellers.

The two schools that I attended were P.S. 75 and P.S. 123. I loved my years at these schools with my favorite teachers, Mrs. Lasher, who taught me English and that you couldn’t use a double negative in a sentence, and Mr. Mathes, who inspired in me an appreciation for science that has always stayed with me.

South Bronx Farmers Market Awarded USDA Grant of $40,000

The South Bronx Farmers Market located at E 138th Street at Alexander Avenue right next to St. Jerome’s in Mott Haven, which started operating last year, has just been awarded United States Department of Agriculture grant of $40,717.13!

This is amazing and a testament to the hard work the community has put into making sure there is access to healthy foods in our neighborhood as well as connect our communities with our local farmers.

Follow Me Fridays With NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito at Calientito Today

New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito continues her popular Follow Me Friday series of highlighting small businesses and cultural spots in her district which covers parts of Mott Haven and Port Morris as well as El Barrio in Manhattan.

Today from 5PM to 7PM she’ll be at one of our favorite local spots, Calientito Restaurant which has some of the best Puerto Rican and Dominican food in the South Bronx hands down.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito Provides Funding For Major Capital Improvements to St Mary’s Park

St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven, the recreational heart for thousands of residents of the South Bronx, is getting a face-lift thanks to $1.5 million in funds allocated by New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito who’s district covers the park.

The monies will be used to reconstruct the western playground area along St. Ann’s Avenue and the community is being invited to contribute their visions and ideas for their park on Wednesday, March 4th between 6pm – 8pm at Heketi Community Charter School.

Senator Ted Cruz, Republican From Texas Bashes Bronx Yet Our Borough Is Safer Than 3 Largest Cities In Texas

Tea Party Republic Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, in an attempt to mock Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, bashed The Bronx as a dangerous place when he said, according to Business Insider, “Now, I understand that Manhattan is very concerned with their security with the Bronx, but it’s a little bit different on 2,000 miles of the Rio Grande.” Senator Cruz said these remarks during a meeting of the conservative Americans For Prosperity’s Defending The American Dream Summit in Dallas, Texas. Guess he doesn’t know his own state and that The Bronx is safer than its 3 largest cities.

Bronx Politics: The Bronx is Left Out in the Cold on the City Council

Here are some interesting numbers about The Bronx and the New York City Council:

—The Bronx makes up 16.6% of New York City’s population.
—The Bronx has 8 of 51 seats on the City Council, or 15.6%.
—On the top five major council committees (Finance, Economic Development, Transportation, Education and Land Use), the Bronx delegation is represented by just 7 members out of the 69 total, or 10.1%; of course, none are chaired by a Bronx member.