Saturday, October 31, 2015

100 PERCENT Saturday October 31th



100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

Halloween Goblins and Goodies

   We start out this Halloween column with some of the old ghoulish ideas that have haunted the city for years now. 'Congestion Pricing' once proposed by former Mayor Michael 'Moneybags' Bloomberg, which was buried in Albany is rearing its ugly head again. This time around Congestion Pricing is being called the 'MOVE NY Fair Plan' to toll East River Bridges, and charge vehicles traveling below 60th Street. This is being done to help mass transit as most of the revenue generated would go to the MTA in the form of aid to the mass transit system. To win votes in the outer boroughs there would be a lowering of tolls on the major NYC bridges that connect the outer boroughs, that is if you read the fine print 'At non peak use time'. In fact one could even see toll increases during peak use time on the same bridges. 
     Currently 13 City Council members back the MOVE NY Fair Plan including council Traffic and Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez. Rodriguez claims that the Move NY Fair Plan is the most widely accepted plan for easing congestion and funding mass transit projects. Queens Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (Sunnyside) has joined the chorus of those in favor of the MOVE NY Fair Plan saying that he is tired of seeing massive congestion problems on the platforms and subway cars of the number Seven line from Queens to Midtown Manhattan. He adds that there is gridlock at times leading to the Ed Koch bridge that spans to Midtown Manhattan from Sunnyside Queens. However other elected officials in Queens see the real problem that the MOVE NY Fair Plan will bring to Queens and other areas of the city, and are opposed to the new Congestion Pricing. It is about time for our Bronx Elected officials to join those who oppose this new Congestion Pricing Plan.
  Two more City Council members Brad Lander of Brooklyn and Margaret Chin of Manhattan put on their 'Grim Reaper' costumes as they have proposed to reintroduce a fee for plastic bags usage in stores. Instead of ten cents, this time these two ghoulish council members want to lower the fee charged for a plastic bag to five cents. They say that cutting the fee in half will be more palatable to the consumer who will be paying for the plastic bag. By the way all four of the city council members mentioned in these two items are of the Dumbocratic Party. that is the so called Democratic Party with a big D for Dumb.
     As for local Bronx events, On Friday there was a rally and clean up at the D'auria Murphy Triangle Park. This was done after the statue of Christopher Columbus in the triangle was found to have paint on it this past Columbus Day. Local merchants and residents wanted to make a statement that this kind of action will not be tolerated in this or any park. You can go to this blog archive to see photos of Community Board Six District Manager Ivine Galarza, Jerome Raguso 'The Canoli King' of Arthur Avenue, Radame Perez, Jose Padilla, and many others who came out to show support for the D'auria Murphy Triangle Park. There was a clean up of the rest of the park afterwards. 
    Bronx Borough President was in the house at the kickoff of 'Savor The Bronx', that was held at Patricia's of Morris Park. There was plenty of fine food and even Bronx Beer in its newly designed can to be had by the attendees. Check this blog archive of October for more on this event and photos of BP Diaz and the delicious food. Over 40 Bronx restaurants are participating in this years 'Savor The Bronx' event, you can visit www.ilovethebronx.com or follow @SavorTheBronx on Twitter for more information.
    Also check the October archive section in this blog to see the many photos of the Third Annual Pelham Parkway White Plains Road Halloween Parade and Party sponsored by State Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj. It was a parade that stretched for blocks, and included over 200 children and their parents. The party was at PS 105 on Brady Avenue, and the children were treated to many different activities and even an authentic hayride in the school yard. 
     Lastly, the Bronx Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their 'Salute Our Veteran Heroes' on Wednesday November 19th at Maestro's located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue (just south of Morris Park Avenue). Brunch starts at 10 AM, with a Job and Resource Fair starting at Noon. 
      If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column, or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Bronx Community Board #6, Community Residents, Businesses and Religious Institutions as we come together to adopt D’Auria-Murphy Triangle.



  It was billed as a coming together today at  D’Auria-Murphy Triangle located on Adams Place between Crescent Avenue and East 183rd Street after the vandalism of the Christopher Columbus Statue in the park that was discovered on Columbus Day. Community Board 6 District Manager Ivine Galarza, local merchants, community leaders, and others came to discuss what had happened to the statue of Christopher Columbus in the park named  to honor two young men from the neighborhood who had lost their lives in the war, John D’Auria (1889-1918) and Henry J. Murphy (1891-1918). Afterwards all gathered to beautify the remaining area of the park. The photos below will tell the story.



Above - CB 6 District Manager Ivine Galarza is joined by merchants and community leaders to denounce what happened to the statue of Christopher Columbus (upper Right hand corner) a few weeks ago that had been cleaned the day after it happened. 
Below - Jerome Raguso 'The Canoli King' and owner of Arthur Avenue's famous Gino's Pastry Shop was the first to find out that the Christopher Columbus Statue had been desecrated when one of his workers saw it.





Above - Radame Perez who with his father have owned the neighborhood C-Town Supermarket on the next block speaks of the diversity of the neighborhood, and the shock to learn of the incident of the Christopher Columbus Statue.
Below - New Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez Rosa pledges to work with the Community Board and community to keep incidents like what occurred from happening again. 




Above - After the Press Conference about the Christopher Columbus statue everyone got to work on cleaning up the rest of the park. 
Below - It looked like the entire Parks Enforcement Police Department for the Bronx (minus the mounted division) were on hand for a show of force. Also on hand were a few of the fine officers of the 48th Pct. who said there are several leads, but no solid suspects at the time.




New Poll on DeBlaso and What New Yorkers Think are the Most Serious Problems in the City



  A new poll out by Quinnipiac College says that a majority of New Yorkers disapprove of the way current Mayor Bill de Blasio is handling things in New York City such as crime, police, community relations, homelessness, and other important matters to citizens. 

  The questions that were asked by Quinnipiac College and answers received can be found HERE. Some of the answers are not that hard to determine, but there are a few surprises in the results.

  How do you feel the mayor is doing?

 





A Peanuts Kinda Day at the Bronx House on Monday, November 2!



Bharati Dance Academy
Presents
A Peanuts Kinda Day
at The Bronx House
Monday, November 2, 2015
From 5 pm to 7 pm
in the auditorium
Enjoy a movie, participate in various activities, receive giveaways and more!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

BP DIAZ KICKS OFF 5th ANNUAL ‘SAVOR THE BRONX’ RESTAURANT WEEK



Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. officially kicked off the 5th Annual “Savor the Bronx” Restaurant Week today at Patricia’s Restaurant on Morris Park Avenue.

“Savor the Bronx” Restaurant Week, produced by the Bronx Tourism Council and co-hosted by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), showcases the borough’s best eateries by offering special values and discounts. 

“I want to invite everyone to come and experience some of the many great flavors we have here in The Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Our borough has an amazing food culture, and ‘Savor the Bronx’ is a great way to explore our epicurean delights while taking advantage this 12-day promotional event and try something new. I invite foodies from not only The Bronx, but all over the region, to take advantage of this wonderful event and sample the many flavors my borough has to offer.”   

“Restaurants play a big role in attracting tourism. That we have so many of our fine dining institutions participating in this year’s Savor The Bronx Restaurant Week is a testimony to how The Bronx has become a destination for visitors from all over the world,” said Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of The Bronx Tourism Council.

This 12-day event, which runs from November 2nd to November 13th, is the perfect opportunity to explore your taste buds at a various restaurants around the Bronx.  From Italian cuisine in Little Italy to seafood on City Island, from sushi in Mott Haven to burgers in Kingsbridge and everywhere in between, “Savor the Bronx” offers everyone a chance to enjoy the diverse flavors our borough has to offer. 

The press conference featured samples from Patricia’s Morris Park, one of the top Italian restaurants in New York City. In addition, world-renowned Morris Park bakery Conti’s Pastry Shoppe provided samples of their traditional Italian baked goods and the Bronx Brewery showcased its new line of award-winning craft beer.

Over 40 borough restaurants are participating in the 5th Annual “Savor the Bronx” Restaurant Week, making this year’s roster the biggest ever.

For more information, visit www.ilovethebronx.com or follow @SavorTheBronx on Twitter.

The front and back of this year’s “Savor the Bronx” flyer can be viewed at https://flic.kr/p/zQfbK6 andhttps://flic.kr/p/zaHYwG. Photos of food and other borough delicacies offered by participating restaurants can be found at https://flic.kr/s/aHsko8tYnd.


Above - Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director, The Bronx Tourism Council; Alex Borgognone, Owner, Patricia’s of Morris Park; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., kicked off Savor the Bronx.
Below - Marlene Cintron, Executive Director, Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director, The Bronx Tourism Council; Alex Borgognone and wife Patricia, Owners, Patricia’s of Morris Park; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.; Sal Paljevic, Owner, Conti's Pastry Shoppe, Andrew Steigbigel, Marketing Coordinator, The Bronx Brewer, and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo.




Above - Some of the fine food that was on display to be sampled.
Below - Beer from the Bronx Brewery was also being sampled. 


Bronx Borough President's Annual Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration

  


Bronx Borough President
Ruben Diaz Jr.
Presents
Puerto Rican Heritage Month
Celebrating the CULTURE, the LAND, and the PEOPLE.

 Thursday, November 19, 2015
                   12:00 - 3:00 PM
                                                 



                 2297 Cedar Avenue
(Between West Fordham Road & Landing Road by the Major Deegan Expy.)


Honoring 

 Angie Martinez                              
Radio Personality, HOT 97 FM

 Hon. Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels  
Justice, Appellate Division

Robert Sancho 
Head of Government & Community Affairs for Bronx Lebanon  

Geraldo Rivera
Media Personality                                        



Enjoy an afternoon of music, dancing and delicious Puerto Rico cuisine .
 
For information & to RSVP call 718-590-3522  
or email
Join us as we honor community leaders and their accomplishments.
 

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Upcoming Events - Bronx Democratic County Committee



U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S
 Dear Bronx Democrat,
Below is a list of upcoming events. Attached you will find flyers for each event.
 
Halloween with Borough Pres. Diaz, Jr.
When: Wed. 10/28/15 from 7-10pm
Where: La Marina - 348 Dyckman St., NY, NY

You are cordially invited to attend a Halloween fundraising event with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Costumes are optional.

For information on contribution levels please see the attached flyer. For additional information, please contact Adam Nashban at 718-731-2009 or Adam@NYCDiaz.com
Click to Enlarge
 
Darcel Clark for Bronx District Attorney
When: Thurs10/29/15 from 6:30-9:30pm
Where: Eastwood Manor -
3371 Eastchester Rd., BX, NY 
You are invited to attend a dinner at Eastwood Manor in support of Justice Darcel Clark. Join fellow community members and leaders for a celebration for this dynamic woman from the community.
 
Please RSVP to Hugh W. Campbell at 718-882-2681 or hwc@rodmancambelllaw.com.
Click to Enlarge
 
The Future of Work Summit in the BX
When: Thurs. 10/29/15 from 5pm
Where: Bronx School of Law - 244 E. 163rd St., BX, NY

Assemblymember Michael Blake is co-hosting an event with LiquidTalent on Thursday, October 29th, to discuss the Future of Work in The Bronx at the at 5pm. The event will showcase career opportunities in tech, highlight young people from The Bronx changing the narrative, and other leaders in this growing field. Food and refreshments will be provided.

Please learn more about the event and RSVP by clicking here.
Click to Enlarge
  
Halloween Goodie Bag Giveaway
When: Fri. 10/30/15 from 1-4pm
Where1973 Westchester Ave., BX, NY 

Assemblymember Luis R. Sepulveda - in collaboration with MetroPlus Health Plan - invites you and your family to a Halloween Goodie Bag Giveaway on Friday, October 30 from 1-4pm at 1973 Westchester Avenue.
 
For more information please call 718-931-2620.

Click to Enlarge
 
Safe Streets & TreatsWhen:  Fri. 10/30/15 from 3-6pmWhere: E. 204th Street & Bainbridge Ave. b/t Perry & Hull Aves.
Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj and Councilman Andrew Cohen, along with community leaders and local businesses, are co-hosting a Safe Streets and Treats Halloween event.
 
For more information, please call 718-828-2880.
Click to Enlarge
 
Jerome Avenue Study Open HouseWhen:  Mon. 11/9/15 from 6-8pmWhere: Davidson Community Ctr - 
2038 Davidson Avenue, BX, NY

Council Member Vanessa Gibson, in partnership with NYC agencies, invite you to an Open House on the Jerome Avenue redevelopment plan to help shape the draft recommendations and preliminary strategies for affordable housing, community resources, jobs, and Land Use/Zoning. Another meeting with be held on Saturday, November 14th from 11-2pm at Bronx Lebanon Hospital.
 
For more information, please call 718-220-8500 or JeromeAvenue@planning.nyc.gov.
Click to Enlarge
 

 
In solidarity,
 
Hon. Marcos A. Crespo, Chair
The Bronx Democratic County Committee
1640 Eastchester Rd.






  

Halloween Treats Special This Friday, October 30th at 1973 Westchester Ave. 1 PM - 4 PM!


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Veterans Brunch - November 18th, 2015!




Please join the 
Bronx Chamber of Commerce
at our Veterans Brunch

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Brunch - 10:00AM
For More Information Please Email:


Safe Streets and Treats Halloween Special on Friday, October 30th!



Safe Streets and Treats 
   
Join us this Friday for a fun filled and family friendly Halloween special!
East 204th Street 
between Perry Ave and Hull Ave 
October 30, 2015
3 pm to 6 pm

Sunday, October 25, 2015

JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center Upcoming Events


 JASA Hosts Piano/Flute Concert for Older Adults Sunday Nov 8th


WHAT:        JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center will host award winning Zhanna Rubenshteyn, pianist, and Yael Acher-Modiano, flutist in concert. They will perform Broadway favorites from Fiddler on The Roof and Porgy and Bess, beloved  Jewish  melodies, Duke Ellington’s tunes from the swing Era and recognized classical selections by Debussy, Fauré, Vivaldi, and Jewish composer Ernest Bloch. A late kosher lunch of soup and chicken chow mein or tilapia will be served at 2:30 PM. 50 guests are expected to attend this event. 

We would like to invite you to join us for this special cultural event. 
Recommended senior voluntary contribution for lunch is $3.00 and $2.00 for the event. Non-seniors are welcome to attend for a fee of $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event. 

WHO:         This event will be hosted by JASA, a New York-based nonprofit serving 43,000+ older adults each year by providing social work, recreational, health, home care, housing, cultural, and educational services to help sustain them in their homes and communities and offer opportunities for a better quality of life. 

WHEN:      Sunday, Nov. 8th, 2015 

                  Lunch served at 2:30 pm followed by concert at 4:00 PM.         

WHERE :    JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave, 1st Floor Bronx, NY 10463

RSVP:        Sharon Wolfe /Esha Pai
718.549-4700/212.561.7469 swolfe@jasa.org /JASA@KingComPR.com


JASA Hosts Dinner and Music for Older Adults Wed. Nov. 11th

WHAT:       JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center will host dinner and entertainment by Michael Gaskin, pianist/singer.  He will perform selections from the Great American songbook, ragtime, Latin and ethnic music, show tunes and waltzes for listening, singing and dancing. A delectable kosher dinner of soup, salmon or turkey breast will be served at 4:30 PM. 40 guests are expected to attend this event. 

We would like to invite you to join us for this special cultural event. 
Recommended senior voluntary contribution for lunch is $3.00 and $2.00 for the event. Non-seniors are welcome to attend for a fee of $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event. 

WHO:          This event will be hosted by JASA, a New York-based nonprofit serving 43,000+ older adults each year by providing social work, recreational, health, home care, housing, cultural, and educational services to help sustain them in their homes and communities and offer opportunities for a better quality of life. 

WHEN:      Wednesday, Nov. 11th, 2015 

                   Dinner served at 4:30 pm followed by entertainment  at 5:30 PM.           

WHERE :     JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave, 1st Floor Bronx, NY 10463

RSVP:        Sharon Wolfe /Esha Pai 
718.549-4700/212.561.7469 swolfe@jasa.org /JASA@KingComPR.com 


JASA Hosts Dinner and Music for Older Adults Wed. Nov. 18th

WHAT:        JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center will host dinner and entertainment by David Oquendo Duo: guitar and vocals.  David Oquendo became one of the best guitar accompanists in Cuba. He is a guitarist, singer, composer, musical director and has had many radio, TV and film appearances. Jana Martinez is a singer, actor and producer. A delectable kosher dinner of turkey or veg. liver will be served at 4:30 PM. 40 guests are expected to attend this event. 

We would like to invite you to join us for this special cultural event. 
Recommended senior voluntary contribution for lunch is $3.00 and $2.00 for the event. Non-seniors are welcome to attend for a fee of $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event. 

WHO:          This event will be hosted by JASA, a New York-based nonprofit serving 43,000+ older adults each year by providing social work, recreational, health, home care, housing, cultural, and educational services to help sustain them in their homes and communities and offer opportunities for a better quality of life. 

WHEN:      Wednesday, Nov. 18th, 2015 

                   Dinner served at 4:30 pm followed by entertainment  at 5:30 PM.         

WHERE :     JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave, 1st Floor Bronx, NY 10463

RSVP:        Sharon Wolfe /Esha Pai 
718.549-4700/212.561.7469 swolfe@jasa.org /JASA@KingComPR.com  

About JASA
Founded in 1968, JASA is one of New York’s largest and most trusted agencies serving older adults in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Long Island. JASA’s mission is to sustain and enrich the lives of the aging in the New York metropolitan area so that they can remain in the community with dignity and autonomy. We provide life sustaining programs for seniors and peace of mind for their families and friend.  jasa.org