Yesterday, as I walked over the 145th Street Bridge into Manhattan, I was startled by a deafening roar only to be surprised by hundreds of bikers zooming their way into the Bronx.
I was able to capture them on video as they crossed over the bridge and then as they came back into Harlem and made their way down Lenox.
Were you part of the ride? Do you know someone who was? We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message at info[at]Welcome2TheBronx.com and we’ll post your comments or you can do that yourself below!
Pictured: Local residents in opposition to FreshDirect's move, waiting for the start of June's CB1 meeting – a meeting who's location was changed several times in one day without public notice.
This past Wednesday September 25th, in a surprise community board meeting which was not announced to the public, Community Board 1 not only rejected the minutes of July’s chaotic meeting on FreshDirect but voted overwhelmingly to REJECT the company’s request for a much needed land use modification.
Sources report that Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito – thought to possibly be the next Council speaker as Christine Quinn steps down due to term limits – called District Manager Cedric Loftin just minutes before the meeting to question him as to why not only was the meeting date changed at the last minute but as to why it was not made public in clear violation of how community boards are to operate.
Some of the reasons for rejecting the request are, but not limited to:
“…overutilization of adjacent street systems, excess bulk and density on the Harlem River Yard and interference with the predominant public purpose of the lease to reduce traffic.”
The aforementioned are at the very crux of why we do not support this deal. FreshDirect has been consistently downplaying the impact of the truck traffic and pollution in our already congested neighborhood.
Before the meeting, the board had received minutes laced with factual errors and omissions on July 10th’s meeting – which erupted in chaos – and were asked to approve them as is.
According to South Bronx Unite, the organization opposed to FreshDirect’s move to our waterfront using millions in tax payer subsidies and of which I am a part of, the following serious omissions were noted in the minutes sent to CB1 members:
* Video evidence of the meeting that directly contradicts the currently drafted written record. See video here
* The exclusion of public testimony from the currently drafted written record, including the testimony of South Bronx Unite member and Mott Haven resident Corrine Kohut, as well as Julio Pabon.
* The exclusion of (i) the name and description of the motion presented by Board Member Michael Brady (READ MICHAEL BRADY’S MOTION HERE) , (ii) the inaccurate statement that Mr. Brady’s motion was not seconded, when it was indeed by Board Member Linda Ortiz and (iii) the absence of mention that the District Manager refused to distribute to board members the written motion of Mr. Brady.
* The inaccuracies of describing and tallying two votes that evening of which few Board members understood the subject of the matter on which they were voting or refraining from voting.
* The select exclusion of discussion and comments by several Board Members, including Wally Nash, John Johnson and Linda Ortiz, among many others, as well as the exclusion of the community feedback
.
As you can see, all the omissions and inaccuracies were quite deliberate in silencing community opposition to the project which overwhelms any local support for the project.
South Bronx Unite also mentioned that, “Fresh Direct must make a similar but more rigorous application for a land use modification to the State Empire State Development before the project can move forward. The public will have an opportunity to comment on that application at a public hearing as required by state law.”
Having attended June (which was FreshDirect’s FIRST time coming to the community since the deal was announced 16 months prior – very telling of how concerned they are NOT for the community) and July’s CB1 meeting where FreshDirect came to make their case to the Board, I can attest that not a single member living in CB1 came to testify in support of the company’s move to the Bronx.
It is safe to say conservatively that 95% of Bronxites in attendance in those meetings were (and still are) against the deal.
In a press release Mychal Johnson, former CB1 member who was kicked off the board for his strong opposition to the dirty deal by Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, said, “I’m happy to see that the action taken by the Board reflects the concerns of the community.”
This officially places Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr in a very difficult situation. He now stands for a deal filled with cronyism between Bloomberg and his Ackerman buddies at FreshDirect – a deal with staggering community disapproval – and the very constituents he was elected to serve.
It places Díaz between an outgoing mayor and the candidate for the next Mayor, Bill de Blasio who as of last week was ahead in the polls by a whopping 66% over his contender, Joe Lhota who only 25% of those polled by Quinnipiac said they’d vote for.
Let’s not forget – because Bill de Blasio won’t if elected as next mayor of New York City – that Ruben Diaz, Jr supported Bill Thompson during the primaries earlier this month.
De Blasio as you may already know has recently been highly critical of the sweetheart deal saying that “Fresh Direct would never have gotten more than $100 million in government subsidies to stay in New York City if he ran City Hall, Bill de Blasio said Thursday. The Democratic mayoral nominee said his administration would remove subsidies from large companies such as Fresh Direct and “give them to smaller companies.”
We have reached out to Ruben Diaz, Jr’s office but as of this moment we have not received an official statement on the latest vote.
In February of 2012 when the sweetheart deal was announced as a done deal, the community rose up in opposition against a deal we were never consulted on regarding the use of our public lands – instead, the administration along with FreshDirect assumed that they can continue to dump on the Bronx and we’d accept it without a fight.
Since then, the opposition has snowballed to over 40 community based organizations representing a cross section of our borough while those in support of FreshDirect have only been able to muster roughly 5 or 6 organizations to back them up.
How can one go against the deafening roar of the people who reject this deal? The community has spoken, repeatedly, that this is a bad deal and our elected officials MUST listen to the will of the people. If not, then what is the point in electing them in if they’ll cave into cronyism and corporate pressure.
Michael Abegg, with the New York Harbor School, and a student, Luis Negron, in background, putting oysters into a reef in the Bronx River.NICOLE BENGIVENO / THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Bronx River, which decades ago was mired in filth, is now home to thousands of oysters thanks to restoration efforts of such organizations like NY/NJ Baykeeper and Hudson River Foundation.
After a summer of building a massive reef for them (one of the largest in the city) this past Saturday, 100,000 oysters came home to the Bronx in the Soundview area of out borough.
Winnie Hu of the New York Times reports:
These Bronx oysters are not destined for the dinner plate or coveted as a source of pearls, but instead are prized for their ability to filter pollutants and anchor a marine ecosystem with their craggy reefs.
“They’re ecological engineers,” said Dennis Suszkowski, science director of the Hudson River Foundation in Lower Manhattan, which is overseeing the oyster reef in the Bronx River. “Oysters will grow on top of one another and create a three-dimensional habitat with all sorts of nook and crannies for fish to feed and use as shelter. It’s the kind of habitat that was once here that is no longer here.”
Just like the borough it runs through, our mighty river is coming back to life.
One of the many great things about living in Melrose is our abundance of community gardens which are a substitute for the lack of actual parks in the neighborhood.
This morning I had the pleasure of checking out the A. Badillo Community Garden on East 163rd Street between Melrose and Brook Avenues. It is one of the largest in the neighborhood and like many, it boasts the traditional Puerto Rican casita or little house.
The garden has been around for about 5 years and each morning between 8 and 9 Jose, who retired after Ford closed its Tarrytown plant over a decade ago, can be found opening up the place.
Born in the Bronx but raised in Puerto Rico before coming back to New York, Jose spends his time at the garden relaxing, playing dominoes or gardening.
He said that the garden is open to anyone and everyone so if you’re in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by and say hi or sit a spell and relax from the daily stresses of life.
Support your local community gardens!
The centerpiece of the garden is the little house, or casita, nestled under a great willow tree.
Melrose Building Materials, which is located across the street from the garden, graciously donates bricks, cement and granite slabs for the garden.
Eggplants are just one of the many crops you'll find here.
Behind the house you'll find a picnic area. No community garden is complete without a rustic, Puerto Rican-styled outdoor kitchen.
La casita is ready for Halloween!
José, who's retired, can be found here daily. He keeps his tools handy in case his mechanic skills are needed.
"Each day a garden is destroyed. Save ours." Melrose Building Materials – good neighbors who supply the garden with their needs.
In last week’s “Boro Beat” column, Bob Kappstatter wrote that he “suspected” former Assemblyman Michael Benjamin would be running for his old seat because he moved back into “the hood.”
Well, we here at welcome2thebronx.com followed up and engaged in some actual journalism and reached out to Mr. Benjamin.
Benjamin was taken by surprise; he said the only way anyone could have even known about his moving back into the old district is from passing comment he made to Assemblywoman and Council-nominee Vanessa Gibson.
In fairness, I am writing about the writer here, but I think this is a good case study on why this weekly column needs to exist. Having a second opinion is a good thing.
I also think this case allows a glimpse into the pettiness of the Bronx political class. That this would be enough to circulate and make its way to Kappstatter and into his column is a telling sign.
When pressed, Benjamin insisted that he would never (like never, ever) run for elected office again. “I enjoy working in the private sector. I don’t want to be one of these guys who never held a real job in their life.” Which brings us to our next topic:
“YOUTH ENERGY”
After some soul searching this week, I feel like I may be too negative about the state of local Bronx politics. So, I made a point to sit down and think of something positive in the Bronx political scene. I tried and tired, but I honestly could not find one glimmer of hope. I urge readers to find SOMETHING, ANYTHING POSITIVE and comment about it below.
One might think the election of two young men from our borough would be positive.
Victor Pichardo (age 28) and Ritchie Torres (age25), on face value, and through conventional wisdom, seem like young promising rising stars of city politics. But how can one really get excited about either when faced with the evidence?
One is going into elected office after a highly controversial election amid allegations of the most serious of fraud — not one of his opponents would concede him victory.
The other received $377,000 of landlord money after running under the guise of a housing advocate and claims “the mailers made no difference.”
Right. Sure. Whatever ya say, buddy.
Both are young enough that they may remain in elected office in The Bronx into their 50’s and 60’s…they may both become one of “the guys who never actually held a real job in their life.” How can we feel positive about this? Someone please help me find some glimmer of hope! I honestly wish the best for both and hope they can make the most of their positions and deliver for their people who desperately need opportunity. The Bronx is in no position for negativity.
For next week’s column, I am going to take the role of whip and try to predict a count on the speaker vote.
On face value as of right now, I think the odds of Vacca being elected next Council Speaker are pretty slim. Even if he is able to grab the entire Bronx delegation, which he won’t, who else is there?
JEFF KLIEN…CAN’T KNOCK THE HUSTLE
Senator Jeff Klein
State Senator has been busy as a beaver…scared of his political future. He has been seen all over his district lately.
Klein has been out giving away school supplies, “fighting” obesity, judging clam chowder competitions and, literally, taking seniors out to the theater.
Two things:
1. Klein is trying to posture his way out of a primary election, and it may be working.
2. The NYSDSCC’s plan is also working. Keeping Klein locked into his district, fighting an imaginary boogie man, is better than him freed up and causing problems all over the state, running IDC candidates against regular Democrats.
IS ANYBODY THERE?
I should’ve said this before, but anyone who wants to send tips, suggestions or press releases, please email me at robagiuffre@gmail.com.
Comments, views, and opinions are that solely of the author and should never be misconstrued as that of Welcome2TheBronx or any other authors of this site.
The Bronx Documentary Center is pleased to present Refugee Hotel, an exhibtion of photographs by Gabriele Stabile. In more than sixty photographs, the exhibition chronicles refugees during their first night in the United States and their lives in resettlement. This is Stabile’s first one-person exhibition in New York City.
A refugee is defined as a person who has crossed a border to escape persecution based religion, political opinion, sexual or ethnic identities. Hundreds of refugees are placed in New York City each year, and of those more than 90% are resettled in the Bronx. For six years Stabile worked in coordination with the International Organization for Migration and other resettlement organizations around the country to photograph refugees from Cuba, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East as they set foot on American soil. Customarily, their first nights are spent at a string of airport hotels in major US metropolises. Stabile writes, “ The first night in America is for all of them the start of a new life with new possibilities, but also another fatal, definitive step away from home.” He continues, “It is a moment on the cusp between two uncertainties, a past of displacement and an unknown future…a seemingly unassuming night they will remember for the rest of their lives alongside the fireproof carpet, the standardized furniture, and the floral bed cover.”
Stabile also captures his subjects’ as they adjust to small-town life in Fargo, North Dakota; Charlottesville, Virginia; Erie, Pennsylvania; Amarillo, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma. Resettlers face the practical and existential challenges of earning a living wage, adjusting to new communities, learning a foreign language, adopting or rejecting new cultural attitudes, and sorting through memories and traumas of the past.
Join us for the opening reception on Friday, September 27, from 6:30 to 9PM.
Refugee Hotel will be on view from September 28 – December 1, 2013
– See more at: http://bronxdoc.org/post/61504657422/the-bronx-documentary-center-is-pleased-to#sthash.8cUdtRKa.dpuf
Volunteers, including myself, helped paint the gallery in preparation for the latest exhibition. The army of dedicated volunteers is a testament to what a wonderful place the Bronx Documentary Center is to so many.
Not only is the Bronx the greenest borough in all the realm that is New York City but we also have more open greenspace than any other urban area in the nation.
Pelham Bay Park is the city’s largest park and is more than 3x the size of Central Park with over 2,700 acres and then we have the beautiful Van Cortlandt Park which is the 3rd largest park (nope, Central Park, you’re still smaller. Sorry.). Both of these massive beauties are incredibly steeped in history too.
Ask most outsiders what comes to mind about the Bronx and the last thing you’d expect to hear is anything about our parkland.
For the past month Adam Levine-Peres, founder of ProjectBronx has been asking Bronxites about our local parks and their thoughts on such urban spaces.
Below you’ll find each episode of the 3-part series so you can watch them at your leisure and don’t forget to hit up the comments section and tell us about YOUR favorite Bronx park!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 2
Now don’t forget to tell us about your favorite Bronx park!
Please read the press release from the department of health on what to do if you ate at New Hawaii Sea Restaurant In the Westchester Square area of the Bronx. You may have been exposed to hepatitis a as 5 cases have already emerged from here.
The last DOH inspection of the restaurant was on May 17 of this year and they received a B grade. Violations were noted as:
Sanitary Violations 1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
3) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release # 033-13
Friday, September 20, 2013
MEDIA CONTACT: (347) 396-4177
Jean Weinberg/Levi Fishman: Pressoffice@health.nyc.gov
Health Department Warns Patrons Of New Hawaii Sea Restaurant In The Bronx Of Possible Exposure To Hepatitis A From September 7th To September 19th
Customers who ate food from New Hawaii Sea Restaurant in the Bronx (1475 Williamsbridge Road) Between Those Dates Should Get Hepatitis A Vaccine as soon as possible
Five Cases of Hepatitis A at the Restaurant; One Employee, Four Patrons
September 20, 2013 – In response to cases of hepatitis A infections in an employee and four customers at New Hawaii Sea restaurant, located at 1475 Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx, the Health Department is urging customers who ate at the restaurant, either in-store, through catering or delivery, between September 7th and September 19th to receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. Any leftover food from this restaurant should also be discarded.
Hepatitis A is spread by eating food (even though it might look clean) that has been contaminated by an infected person. Symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin), fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. People typically develop symptoms of hepatitis A infection about one month (range is 15 to 50 days) after they are exposed to the virus. If people are vaccinated within 14 days of exposure, vaccination can prevent the disease from occurring.
Any person who ate at New Hawaii Sea, either in-store, through catering or delivery, between September 7th and September 19th is considered at risk and is recommended to receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. Any person who ate food from this restaurant before September 7th should be evaluated if they have symptoms suggestive of infection. The Health Department is working with the restaurant to ensure that all the food handlers are vaccinated. The restaurant is cooperating fully with the Health Department and will remain closed until enough employees are vaccinated to reopen safely.
People can visit their regular doctor to receive this shot. The Health Department will offer hepatitis A vaccinations starting tomorrow, September 21st at the Herbert Lehman High School, 3000 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 at the following times:
Saturday, September 21, 2013 from 2-8 pm
Sunday, September 22, 2013 from 2-8 pm
For vaccination clinic updates to your mobile device, text HEPA to 877877.
People who have health insurance should bring their insurance information. People who do not have health insurance will receive vaccine free of charge. Women who are pregnant will not be treated at our site and should consult their doctor as far as potential vaccination. People with immune-compromising conditions should consult their doctor to discuss whether to receive vaccine or a different preventive treatment.
People who were exposed but have already received two doses of hepatitis A vaccine sometime in their life do not need another shot; all others should be vaccinated.
“We are asking all restaurant patrons and employees to get this vaccination as soon as possible,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley. “If people experience symptoms, they should see a doctor immediately. This incident serves as an important reminder to always wash your hands thoroughly before handling food to prevent the spread of disease.”
About Hepatitis
Hepatitis type A is a liver disease caused by a virus. It is spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth (even though it might look clean) that has been contaminated with traces of fecal matter from an infected person. There are no special medicines or antibiotics that can be used to treat a person once the symptoms appear. While some people who have chronic liver disease or a weakened immune system could experience more severe illness and require hospitalization, hepatitis A is rarely fatal (fewer than 1% of cases).
In order for the vaccine to be most effective in preventing disease, people should be vaccinated within 14 days. The earlier the vaccine is given, the more effective it is in preventing the disease.
About the Investigation
The Health Department investigates all cases of hepatitis A in New York City. The Department was notified of this case on September 19, began the investigation, and inspected the restaurant that day. An average of 50-60 cases of hepatitis A are reported to the Health Department in New York City each year, with 1-2 occurring in food handlers.
For more information on Hepatitis A, please visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/living/cd-hepatitisabc.shtml
VISIONS (Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired) Bronx Advisory Board Invites you to: “Mix It Up” for a great cause!
Join Our Bronx “Celebrity” Bartenders as they display their mixology talents Our Celebrity Bartenders are:
Gary Axelbank, Monroe College / Bronx Talk
Ed Conde Garcia, The Mayor of Melrose
Donna Karlson, New York Institute for Special Education
Hon. Mark Gjonaj, NYS Assembly
Lisa Sorin, Westchester Square BID Thursday,
September 19, 2013 6-9PM
Tosca Marquee Rooftop Garden
4034 East Tremont Ave.
Bronx, NY
$25 includes great hors d’oeuvres, networking opportunities and a chance to cheer on our celebrities – bring your business cards!
All proceeds from this event will support VISIONS free programs and services in the Bronx. Space is limited, reservations suggested, please contact: Crissy Vicendese: (212) 625-1616 ext. 135 or email: cvicendese@visionsvcb.org
Please make all checks payable to VISIONS: Send to: Amy Gordon, VISIONS, 500 Greenwich St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013 to pay by credit card call: (212) 625-1616 ext. 120 or visit www.visionsvcb.org/events/bronx_barto purchase your ticket online.
The amount of $12.50 per ticket represents a contribution to VISIONS which is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law
“It’s not PBS, but the Boogie Down now has its own homespun artiste to preach the joy of painting happy little landscapes.
Daniel Hauben is making painting accessible through his new BronxNet television show, “Art and About with Danny Hauben.”
But instead of painting birches and clouds and clean mountain streams, Hauben, 57, is depicting the gritty urban landscapes that are native to the borough.
“For me, it’s the whole immersion in the urban craziness that is the subject,” Hauben said. “It really appeals to people, and is really not that common.”
As the shows become available, we’ll be posting them here for your viewing pleasure in case you miss them!
So, first off…about last week’s predictions, well…some were spot on, some were off. Very surprised that Eliot Spitzer was defeated by Scott Stringer; this was a case of a lack of objectivity on my part.
The public advocate race, I had not been following it closely, so I really just guessed and was way off. (Sorry about that.) Every other race, I have to say, I did pretty well.
As predicted, Jobs for New York was the difference maker in council districts, 11, 15 and 16. Ritchie Torres in the 15th district was on the receiving end of $377,000 from Jobs for New York. This figure dwarfs the $105,002 he raised on his own. After approximately, $91,000 in public matching funds, the Torres campaign (directly and from “independent” sources) spent about $573,000 – all for 2,589 votes, or, an astonishing $221.32 per vote. While Torres ultimately won, it is my opinion that the 15th district was not sold on his candidacy considering the money spent for just 36% of the vote.
FRAUD CONTROVERSY
Courtesy of The New York Daily News
The picture heard round the Bronx political scene.
Serious allegations of voter fraud are coming from all candidates (besides Victor Pichardo) in the 86th Assembly District.
Calls from welcome2thebronx.com have been made to the Bronx Democratic Party, Assemblyman Carl Heastie and Senator Gustavo Rivera seeking comment. No comments were given.
The second place finisher, Hector Ramirez, spearheaded a letter to state and federal authorities seeking a do-over election. Our sources at the Bronx Board of Elections tell us that Bronx Democratic Party Attorney Stanley Schlein was called upon to assist the Pichardo campaign as early as the day after the primary.
More is sure to come from this situation. Stay tuned.
THE KLIEN-KOPPELL SCENARIO
Word around the campfire is that term-limited, 72 year-old Oliver Koppell, is seriously weighing a primary challenge against State Senator Jeff Klein.
This rumor was confirmed by me during the Bronx Democratic Party’s volunteer barbeque. Koppell stated “I have talked to (NYS DSCC Chairman) Mike Gianaris about putting together a campaign. I know they are looking for someone.” When asked bluntly if he would run, Kopell responded, “I’m not sure yet.”
This would be a huge challenge for Koppell. Klein is well-liked in his district and has $1,353,039 in his campaign account.
The real issue here is that Klein would rather not spend that $1,353,039 on a left-flank assault from a union, liberal, NYS DSCC backed Koppell. Klein would much rather spend that money supporting other candidates throughout the state in hopes of expanding his Independent Democrat Conference.
Mike Gianaris must know that Klein, being slightly neurotic, would spend way more than needed defending himself in a primary, at the expense of any hope of expanding the IDC.
In my opinion, this is the real motivation – wasting Klein’s time and attention. A pretty smart strategy indeed.
