BRONXTALK - 80th A.D. DEBATE POSTPONED

Bronxtalk host and Senior Producer Gary Axelbank sent us the following.

"Due to the death of the incumbent's sister, we have decided to postpone the debate for the Democratic Primary in the 80th AD until Monday, 9/10 at 9:00pm". 

Although Assemblywoman R

ivera had already indicated she would not attend, BronxTalk Host and Senior Producer Gary Axelbank, in consultation with the other three candidates, determined that this was the best way to pay due respects and also insure an independent and balanced program. 

 

We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope all BronxTalk viewers and constituents in the 80th AD will join us for the program on September 10.

_____________________________________________________

 

Editor Note:  I also wish to have my condolences relayed to the Rivera family.

 

 

 

Bronx Chamber of Commerce Book Signing

Join us for Ray Negron's Book Signing

  Featuring your very own Bronx Chamber!

Jerome Gun Hill Bid

 

Save The Date!

Presents 

The 11th Annual
Jerome-Gun Hill BID Fall Festival
Saturday, September 22, 2012

11am - 6pm
On Jerome Avenue between East Gun Hill Road & Mosholu Parkway, and 208th Street between Jerome and Dekalb Avenues 

 

WAVE HILL EVENTS September 14–September 21

Happy Labor Day!

SAT, SEPTEMBER 15   FAMILY ART PROJECT—PAPERSCAPES

Paperscapes/Paisaje de papel

Papermaker Randy Brozen is back to show us a playful new technique for making handmade landscapes. Using versatile paper pulp as the ground, we’ll incorporate found paper, sticks and leaves to add some natural punch to the scene. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, SEPTEMBER 15    TAI CHI CHUAN

Quiet like a mountain, moving like a river, Tai Chi is a sequence of gentle movements based on images found in nature. Short and long form classes are led by Irving Yee, an active member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for weather updates. Session fee: $15 Member/$23 Non-member. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10AM Beginners, 11AM Intermediates

SAT, SEPTEMBER 15    WAVE HILL HISTORY WALK: GEORGE PERKINS AND THE PALISADES

Stroll the grounds with historian and Wave Hill Garden Guide Deirdre LaPorte and discover how George Perkins, the former owner of Wave Hill, played a pivotal role in preserving the Palisades. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SAT, SEPTEMBER 15    WATERCOLORS & PASTEL: PAINTING THE PALISADES

In collaboration with the Hudson River Museum and the Palisades Interstate Park−NJ Section, Wave Hill offers an art workshop series inspired by the Palisades. In this session, participants take inspiration from the view of the Palisades from the Hudson River Museum, and from the museum's collection of related paintings and drawings, as artist Wennie Huang guides them in combining the luminosity of watercolor with the textural versatility of soft pastels. The workshop opens with an exclusive tour by Hudson River Museum Chief Curator of Collections Laura Vookles, who introduces the Palisades through works in the museum’s collection, as well as through Blane De St. Croix’s installation, which is part of Wave Hill’s fall exhibition Foregrounding the Palisades. Space is limited. $20 Wave Hill Member/$30 Non-member each session.  Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center or by calling 718.549.3200 x305. The Picturing the Palisades workshop series continues October 20 and November 17.

HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM, 1‒4PM

SAT, SEPTEMBER 15    GALLERY TOUR

Join an exhibition interpreter for one of our regularly scheduled tours of Wave Hill’s fall exhibition Foregrounding the Palisades, sculptural installations by artists Isidro Blasco, Blane de St. Croix and Paula Winokur that focus on the cliffs across the Hudson River, a quintessential feature of Wave Hill’s vista—and history.  In the Sunroom, Crystal Z. Campbell and Yeon Ji Yoo fill the space with site-specific works inspired by local social and natural history. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, SEPTEMBER 16    FAMILY ART PROJECT—PAPERSCAPES

Paperscapes/Paisaje de papel

Papermaker Randy Brozen is back to show us a playful new technique for making handmade landscapes. Using versatile paper pulp as the ground, we’ll incorporate found paper, sticks and leaves to add some natural punch to the scene. Free with admission to the grounds.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, SEPTEMBER 16   HATHA YOGA

Release stress and find refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga, surrounded by the beauty of Wave Hill. Hatha Yoga involves the use of physical postures, breath control and meditation to create a supple, strong and relaxed body-mind. Classes are led by Neem Dewji, certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga from The Yoga for Health Foundation in Bedfordshire, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute in NYC. Participants should bring a mat, dress in loosely fitting clothing and come to class with breakfast well digested. All levels welcomed. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for weather updates. Session fee: $15 Member/$23 Non-member. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10–11:15AM

SUN, SEPTEMBER 16  GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

TUE, SEPTEMBER 18    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

TUE, SEPTEMBER 18   GALLERY TOUR

Join an exhibition interpreter for one of our regularly scheduled tours of Wave Hill’s fall exhibition Foregrounding the Palisades, sculptural installations by artists Isidro Blasco, Blane de St. Croix and Paula Winokur that focus on the cliffs across the Hudson River, a quintessential feature of Wave Hill’s vista—and history.  In the Sunroom, Crystal Z. Campbell and Yeon Ji Yoo fill the space with site-specific works inspired by local social and natural history. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

THU, SEPTEMBER 20    EARLY CLOSING

Wave Hill closes to the public at 2PM today to dress for the Gardeners’ Party, an annual event that benefits the Horticulture Program at Wave Hill.

ON THE GROUNDS, 9AM‒2PM

FRI, SEPTEMBER 21    PLANT SALE

Visit The Shop at Wave Hill for our popular annual sale of signature plants. The sale continues through Sunday, September 23.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–4:30PM

FRI, SEPTEMBER 21    GARDEN WALK: BEST BETS AT THE PLANT SALE

Assistant Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer offers a personal tour of our fabulous plant sale, highlighting rare plants, superior cultivars and top-notch performers for your home garden. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to acquire some great plants for your garden! Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM.

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM—4:30PM. Closes 5:30PM, March 15—October 31.  

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free until noon September Tuesdays.  Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Program s are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 3o minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the 242^nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

News from Councilman G. Oliver Koppell

KOPPELL OBTAINS ADDITIONAL LITTER BASKETS FOR DISTRICT

Council Member Oliver Koppell was successful in persuading the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to increase the number of garbage baskets in the district because of complaints from constituents about litter on the street, particularly in the area of West 238^th Street.

Koppell indicated that the commercial nature of West 238^th Street requires that there be baskets to deposit the litter that businesses generate.  Consequently, he asked for the replacement of the basket removed from Greystone Avenue and West 238^th Street and requested that additional containers be placed in the area.

The Department of Sanitation replaced this garbage basket and added one at Fieldston Road and West 238^th Street.    There are now garbage baskets on Waldo Avenue at West 236^th and 238^th and Streets. 

“I anticipate that the streets around West 238^th Street will be cleaner because of these added litter baskets.  I would caution people, however, not to use the baskets for the disposal of household garbage as this will cause them to overflow and Sanitation to remove them,” Koppell said.

STEP STREET MADE SAFER THROUGH KOPPELL’S EFFORTS

 

Concerned that the poor lighting and accumulation of debris, on the step street that connects Gale Place with Bailey Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park West, made the steps unsafe for pedestrians, Koppell successfully petitioned the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to remove the trash, rocks and tree limbs that had been scattered everywhere on the steps and for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to fix the lights, a project that had been postponed for a long time.

“Now the steps are much safer at night and less of a tripping hazard. I am grateful for the agencies’ response to my requests to improve conditions for residents in my district”   Koppell stated.

Senator Klein is joined by others to Blast City Dept. of Finance

    State Senator Jeff Klein was joined by City Council Traffic and Transportation Chair Jimmy Vaxxa, Assembly members Mike Benedetto, Marcos Crespo and local civic leaders and merchants to blast the New York City Department of Finance for not enforcing city truck overnight parking rules on local residential streets. The fine for illegal overnight truck parking on residential streets use to be $65.00 which meant that it wound up cheaper for truck drivers to park overnight on residential streets than reserve a hotel room or park off street in paid lots.

    In 2010 responding to hundreds of constituent complains about illegally parked tractor-trailers in their neighborhoods, Sen. Klein, along with Assemblyman Benedetto and Councilman Vacca, introduced and passed legislation to drastically increase the fines for trucks that illegally parked overnight in residential areas. The law increased fines from $65 to $250 for first-time offenders and from $65 to $500 for second or repeat-offenders. 

    Senator Klein's office estimated that an average of 238 tractor trailer trucks park overnight in the 34th State Senate District alone, which of properly ticketed could generate over $3,500,000.00 in additional revenue to the city from the 34th district alone.   

   In order to fully implement the new parking fines, the New York City Department of Finance must print new parking tickets that reflect the increased fee schedule. However, over the past 12 months, the Department has refused to print these new tickets, resulting in near-total lack of enforcement. The Department of Finance has committed only to “exploring whether [they] can make an alteration to handwritten tickets,” and has, in the meantime, relied solely on enforcement officers to voluntarily write-in the additional fine. The Department of Finance has not sent out any instruction or advisement to NYPD regarding the new fines.

    Given that the problem of illegal overnight truck parking is widespread across the outer-boroughs, the total number of lost revenue could be much greater. According to numbers obtained by the Office of Senator Klein, the Department of Finance issued over 93,000 tickets for illegal overnight commercial parking in the most recent fiscal year. Under a conservative estimate, if even one third of these tickets were written to tractor-trailers with the additional fine, NYC could reap an additional $8.83 million if the Department of Finance simply printed new tickets that enabled fuller enforcement. 

    Councilman Vacca said that the problem is not only here in the Bronx, but citywide in the outer boroughs.

Assembly members Benedetto and Crespo said that the new overnight truck parking rules shows a total disregard for the residents of the entire city, and they gave law enforcement the tools needed to stop this illegal overnight truck parking which is not being enforced and depriving city residents of revenue that is much needed now.

   This legislation was passed two years ago and the city Department of Finance still has not changed the summons form, which I was told by Councilman Vacca is reordered every few months.

   Mayor Bloomberg take note of this..

Left - Senator Klein, Councilman Vacca, Assemblymen Benedetto, and Crespo along with Community and business members
Right - Example of just how many and where trucks are parking on overnight residential streets.

Luis Sepulveda Fund Raiser

   Yes that's Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. who along with Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie headlined the list of people in attendance. As you can see by the photo the lighting was low, but the donations were high to the Sepulveda campaign. Also in the photo is Luis Sepulveda's lovely wife Elizabeth who is holding 11 month Luis Enrique Sepulveda. 

   I asked Luis Sepulveda about his race for the 87th Assembly District and he said that he is confident that he will win, but is still campaigning as if he was the underdog. Two years ago Sepulveda narrowly lost to former Assemblyman Peter Rivera who has since joined the Cuomo administration as The State Labor Commissioner. BP Diaz and County Leader Heastie were both very confident that Luis Sepulveda will become the Assemblyman from the 87th A.D. There were different opinions of just how big the margin of victory would be with many saying 90% to 10%. Check my column in the Parkchester News and Bronx News papers for my prediction on this and all the other primary races.

 
   

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ & MTA TO HOST METRO NORTH INFO SESSIONS

 

   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that they will offer four information sessions to the public to learn more about the proposal to bring Metro-North service to the East Bronx.

   Information sessions will be held in Hunts Point, Parkchester, Morris Park and Co-op City—the four neighborhoods that would see Metro-North service expansions if the East Bronx service plan were enacted.

   “We want to give the people of the Bronx a real opportunity to review these plans and to offer their own thoughts on the future of transportation in our borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “These meetings will give my staff and the MTA a chance to hear from Bronxites about these plans, and to use that feedback in a constructive manner.

   The first meeting will take place in Morris Park on Monday, September 10 at the Price Center/Block Pavilion auditorium at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue (at intersection of Eastchester Road). An open house will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a presentation on the project at 7 p.m.

   Meetings will also take place in Co-op City on September 24 at the Dreiser Loop Community Center, 177 Dreiser Loop, 2^nd Floor Auditorium B; in Hunts Point at Casita Maria, 928 Simpson Street, on October 2; and in Parkchester at St. Raymond’s High School for Boys, 2151 St. Raymond Avenue (corner of East Tremont Avenue and Purdy Street) on October 22. These meetings will begin with open houses at 6:30 p.m., followed by presentations at 7 p.m. 

   Editors Note:      We were the first to bring you that Metro North service would be coming to the East Bronx back in May which appeared in our column in the Bronx News, Parkchester News, and Coop-City News.

    

 

Modonna Look-Alike Contest By 161st Street BID

Speaker Silver Being Investageted For His Role In the Veto Lopez Deal

   It just gets worse every day for the New York State Assembly, now the New York Post in a front page story Silver hit by Hu$h Probe say that Silver makes a shocking confession on the Vito Lopez deal. 

   The New York Assembly paid out $103,000.00 to the two women who accused Assemblyman and now former Brooklyn Democratic County Leader Vito Lopez of sexual harassment that was authorized by the Speaker. Silver now says that he may have made a mistake in doing that, and the whole matter is now being investigated by JCOPE the governors new Joint Commission on Public Ethics. 

   Just like the Post had a field day Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera which may continue, we are sure that the Post will be covering each and every iota of news on Speaker Silver.

 

  

Gloria Gaynor Concert

    Last night an estimated over 600 people jammed Seton Park (in Riverdale) to watch Gloria Gaynor in one of State Senator Jeff Klein's "Summer Concert Series". Senator Klein for the month of August put together a series of summer concerts throughout his state senate district that ends tonight in Loreto Park (in Morris Park) featuring Jay Black

    Gloria Gaynor was born in 1949 and started her singing career as a singer with the Soul Satisfiers, a jazz/pop band, in the 1960s. Her first solo single was "She'll Be Sorry/Let Me Go Baby" came out in 1965. Gaynor's big success came in 1975 with the hit album "Never Can Say Goodbye" that included other popular "Disco Era" songs.

    Gaynor sang several of her hit songs that included "Never Can Say Goodbye", "I Will Survive", Going Out of My Head", and also sang a musical tribute to her late friend Donna Summer. With her 63rd birthday coming up on September 7th after the show there was a little early celebration with many people singing to her "Happy Birthday".

Left and Right - Gloria Gaynor singing as the sun was setting.

Left - one of the band does a sax tribute.

Right - You can see the crowd of over 600 people who were in attendance.

Left - Senator Jeff Klein saying a few words to the crowd.

Right - Local Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is between Civil Court Judge candidate Eddie McShan he supports with possible City Council candidate Andy Cohen in blue shirt.

COUNCIL APPROVES KOPPELL-SPONSORED BILL SUSTAINING AND EXPANDING WORK OF CLIMATE CHANGE PANEL AND TASK FORCE

    At its meeting on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, the Council passed a bill co-sponsored by Council Member Oliver Koppell, a member of the Environmental Protection Committee, that institutionalizes and expands the work of the NYC Panel on Climate Change and the NYC Climate Change Adaption Task Force.

    The Panel and the Task Force were created by the Mayor in 2008 to evaluate the impact of climate change on New York City and to develop strategies to protect the city’s critical infrastructure from this impact.  

    The new legislation expands the scope of these bodies to include, not only consideration of the risks of climate change on the infrastructure, but also on the city’s communities, vulnerable populations, public health, natural systems, buildings and economy.  

    “The Council found global climate models predict that temperatures, precipitation, sea levels and extreme weather events will increase dramatically, even in the next ten years, creating the necessity of preparing for, or ideally preventing, the impact of these adverse climate changes on New York City,”  Koppell said. 

    The legislation requires that the Panel, consisting of climate change scientists, recommend climate change projections for the city not less than once every three years. Within one year of the Panel’s recommended climate change projections, the Task Force, comprised of representatives of the appropriate city, state and federal agencies, as well as private entities, will inventory the potential risks of climate change to the city, develop adaption strategies, identify issues for further study and issue a report to the Mayor and Council based on its findings. 

    “According to the Mayor’s Office of Long-term Planning and Sustainability, we are already seeing more extreme weather - more days of  heavy rainfall and days over 90 degrees, more frequent heat waves and more strong storms. Consequently, the work of the  Panel and Task Force in coming up with plans to deal with the negative impact of this extreme weather is very important and I am pleased that this legislation requires future administrations to maintain their efforts,”  Koppell said/

 

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

          WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

    You should know that sometimes, no matter how good, how decent, or how honest your intentions may be, the way things come out might not always seem too good for you.

In Puerto Rico, there is a saying that “when it rains it pours,” meaning that all at once, everything comes falling on your shoulders.

To me, it started earlier this summer with simple knee replacement surgery that was supposed to take two weeks, after which I’d be as good as new, but the first surgery was complicated.  Things did not go as planned, and I had to stay in the hospital for four weeks.

Next, the criminal charge against Mr. Clement Gardner, the bookkeeper for the Christian Community Benevolent Organization, was expanded from the original charge to say that he stole $532,000 from the agency.

You should already know that I founded the Christian Community Benevolent Association (CCBA) in 1977 and it was the jewel of the South Bronx.  When the Bronx was burning and the South Bronx was left in ruins, our organization was creating jobs and holding the fort when banks and businesses and landlords abandoned the area.  The CCBA was an oasis for senior citizens, for our youth and for the unemployed.  We employed more than 1,300 people during the time when the South Bronx was seen as the worst neighborhood in the nation.

You should know that along with the conniving evil work of Mr. Clement Gardner, who destroyed the reputation of everything we had done for 30 years, that in May 2007, instead of arresting Mr. Gardner after he confessed to stealing from CCBA, the FBI sent Mr. Clement Gardner BACK to the Christian Community Benevolent Association where he continued to raid the not-for-profit agency.

And now, to add salt to the wound, my only daughter – the one who I love so dearly – fell in love with a police officer and in a domestic dispute, has been accused of scratching his car with a key.

This must be what they mean in Puerto Rico that  “when it rains it pours.”

But, the Lord who I serve always tells us in the Bible that He will never send us more than we can endure. To my God and Savior, Jesus of Nazareth the One who took me out of the gutter and has brought me into His graces and has blessed me with a family and a name and a place in this State – to Him be the honor,  glory, and praise.

I am State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

RE: Shooting of Nine-Year Old Boy

“I am deeply saddened by last night’s incident on East 157th St. and Walton Avenue, near Yankee Stadium, where a nine-year old boy fell victim to gun violence.  I will keep him and his family in my prayers as we hope for his quick recovery. It is the second time in a week that this senseless act is committed in our borough and it is extremely disappointing. I know I speak for all Bronxites in condemning this despicable act.

“Ending gun violence has been a top priority of mine since I became an elected official, and despite our good work, too many firearms end up in the wrong hands  both through legal and illegal means.

“This is a national problem that urges us to revisit the Second Amendment and the true meaning of what it was intended to protect so we can better prevent these crimes and protect innocent people across our city and nation.

“This violence must stop, my office will continue to work to take as many illegal guns off of our streets as we possibly can to keep our children and families safe. I urge all Bronxites with knowledge of illegal guns in their community to call 866-GUN-STOP to anonymously report those guns to the police, a program that my office continues to promote through our ‘Peace in our Streets’ campaign,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

More information on the 866-GUN-STOP program can be found at the following link:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/rewards.shtml

 

 

SENATOR KLEIN SCHOOL SUPPLY GIVEAWAY

    State Senator  Klein gave away free school supplies to children living in the Pelham Parkway Houses during the Pelham Parkway House's Annual Unity in the Community Family and Friends Day. 
Below are a few pictures of Senator Klein and some of the children.

Committee of 100 Democrats 8th Annual Barbecue Huge Success

    The 8th Annual Committee of 100 Democrats Free Community drew over 1,000 people. There was a constant flow of people as the food and entertainment changed during the day, This year the event was held on East 205th Street around the corner from the Committee of 100 Democrats headquarters. This was also a special day for Committee of 100 Democrats Chairman Richardo "Ricky" Martinez (who is running for the 78th A.D. seat) as he heard over and over again people giving him their support in the upcoming September 13th Democratic Primary..  

    Congressman Eliot Engel was stuck in Washington so Senior Aid Joe O'Brien accepted the award  for a distinguished record of Public Service from the Committee of 100 Democrats for the congressman. Congressman Engel through redistricting will no longer serve this area of Bedford Park. Mr. Fernando Tirado Community Board #7 District Manager accepted the Committee of 100 Democrats Community Service award for his outstanding community work as District Manager of CB7. Tirado was chosen as the District Manager a few years ago when longtime District Manager Rita Kessler retired. Senator Jeff Klein an old friend of the Committee of 100 Democrats stopped by to say a few words before leaving for another event. Mr. Mark Gjonaj candidate for the 80th A.D. seat stopped in with a few dancers in traditional Albanian dress. Gjonaj and Martinez spoke of the struggle that they are having trying to run as independents against a well entrenched veteran political family (father and daughter), but that stories of improprieties are now coming out in the newspapers against their opponents the Riveras. 33rd State Senate candidate Manny Taveras who also has teamed with Mr. Martinez is running against another Rivera in office, brought along the Ruben Diaz truck that was loaned to him by Senator Diaz one of his supporters...Even the local 52nd Precinct Explorers jogged by as you will see in one of the photos below

                                                                                                                                                                          

Left - Richardo "Ricky" Martinez standing in front of one of the bands with two members of his assembly campaign.

Right - another band performs later at a different spot.

Left - Chairman Martinez with Community Board 7 District Manager Fernando Tirado and his award.

Right - Senator Klein an old friend of the Committee of 100 Democrats with Chairman Ricardo "Ricky" Martinez

Left - Dancers in traditional Albanian dress, and only part of the crowd in the background.

Right - Another view of the crowd.

Left - The explorers from the 52nd Precinct passed by on their way.

Right - You can see that as it got dark there was still a large crowd, as Mr. Martinez takes in a dance.

5th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival

   Sunday was the 5th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival Hosted by Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera. The festival was scheduled to run from 12 - 5 P, and I arrived at 12:30 PM to find very few people, the stage being set up, and only some of the tables or should I say vendors set up. For over one hour I went to explore and ask some questions.Since Allerton Avenue was closed for four blocks between White Plains Road and Boston Road I asked one of the officers how many people were expected, and was told a few hundred. I asked people at the tables if they were being charged for the spots, and many workers did not know saying they were not the boss. Those at the tables who knew told me yes, and it seemed that the answer most given was that there was different fees for different people. 

    I asked a few workers in some stores about the festival, and again mostly got the answer that they could mot say. One customer when I asked about Assemblywoman Rivera said that he is having a good laugh every day when he reads the stories about her in the New York Post. There was free cotton candy and popcorn being given out, but that was all as one woman commented on the prices being charged by the vendors saying she paid three dollars for a roasted ear of corn.

   Before I was about to leave I went into the Campaign office of Assemblywoman Rivera which was conveniently located right in the middle of the festival, asking if the assemblywoman was at the festival yet. First I was told not yet, and when I asked when she would be here I was told in about a half hour. Since in the past that could mean one hour or more I decided that I was not going to waste my time to see if Assemblywoman Rivera would even show up, and left a little after 2 PM after speaking to one of her opponents in the upcoming primary Irene Estrada Rukaj who walked away from me when I said that the primary was really between the Naomi Rivera and Mark Gjonaj..

check out the photos below

Left - Photo taken at 1:45 PM 

Right - Crowd in front of supermarket standing in the shade waiting for the event to start. Inside the store was empty as was the case in almost all of the stores that were open.

Left - shows one of the empty stores on Allerton Avenue.

Right - Shows Assemblywoman Rivera's campaign office an empty income tax office.

Assemblymoman Naomi Rivera --- It Just Keeps Getting Better Each Day

   In an old photo on the left from 2006 of Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera during better times when the money was flowing in to the Bronx Council for Economic Development, last week the New York Post reported that this non profit was Rivera's personal piggy bank. Today the Post reports that this investigation "sheds light" on an even bigger operation in a story called Twisted Web of Non Profits in Bx. . 

    Post reporter Candice Giove seems to be clearing out all the skeletons that may have been left when Assemblyman Jose Rivera (Naomi's father) packed his bags  in late 2008 after being deposed as the Bronx Democratic County Leader. This story zeros in the assemblyman and county leader  that Jose Rivera replaced in both positions Roberto Ramirez, and The Hispanic Federation. 

   According to the story Ramirez has done much better after leaving office with his consulting firm, MirRam and The Hispanic Federation, which was founded in 1998. "The federation has ties to almost every Hispanic lawmaker in The Bronx, but primarily benefits two men: political strategist Luis Miranda, who co-founded it and once served as its president, and Roberto Ramirez, a former Bronx Democratic Party boss" (is a quote from the story).. 

   MirRam most recently was the political consultant to State Senator Adriano Espaillats failed bid for the newly created 13th Congressional seat, and is now consulting to Senator Espaillats opponent in his reelection bid.