100 PERCENT
By Robert Press
Tis The Holiday Season
You would never know that Christmas Eve is today, as the temperature hit a record 70+ degrees. While Chanukah Menorahs and Christmas trees have been lit, and winter has begun not one real snowflake has fallen. Weather predictions are 'No snow until the New Year', and then maybe sometime in mid January if it is cold enough. What will this all mean comes opening day for the 2016 Baseball season? How many opening day games might be snowed out? Will it be to cold to play baseball? We will see the answer to those questions in a few short months. Maybe that is the good news for the New York Yankees.
As for politics, it is going to be cold days ahead for former New York State Assembly Speaker (and assemblyman) Sheldon Silver, and former New York State Senate Majority Leader (and state Senator) Dean Skelos as they await their respective sentencing dates after being convicted of corruption. There is speculation as to just who is next on the U.S. Attorney's hit list, and we will probably find out shortly after the sentencing of Silver and Skelos.
Locally, Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda and Public Advocate Leticia James have been able to hold off a 15 - 19 percent increase in common charges at the Parkchester South Condominium scheduled to take effect after Christmas. That is the increase has been postponed until sometime in February unless other means of income can be found for the Parkchester South Condominium.
An IDNYC 'Pop Up Site' has popped up at the Kingsbridge Library on West 231st Street in Kingsbridge. Councilman Andrew Cohen and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz were on hand to show off their IDNYC cards. This PopUp Site opened on December 21st and will be at the Kingsbridge Library until January 15th. Check the posting on this blog titled Councilman Cohen Assemblyman Dinowitz and Commissioner in the archive section on the left for more information and a photo of Councilman Cohen, Assemblyman Dinowitz, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Sona Rai, and others.
There seems to be no stopping Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump as he can say whatever he wants to whomever he wants to, and does almost anything he wants to do. It kind of makes me think of Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. Is he a Democrat or Republican as Senator Diaz and Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager Rafael Salamanca hosted a political toy give away at I.S. 216. Why do I say it was a political event you may ask, and the reason ids that the third person who was named on the banner for the event was New York State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox. It is a well known fact that State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has worked with the Republican leadership in Albany, but it was a surprise to see Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager Rafael Salamanca so chummy with not only the state Republican Chairman Ed Cox, but also the Bronx County Republican Chairman Mr. John Greaney. I wonder what has happen to the Democrats only that Democratic candidates are suppose to run on, but then again Senator Diaz seems to be grooming Mr. Salamanca in his own image.
Speaking of State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., the annual Diaz Christmas Party held at Maestro's last week was no disappointment. It may have been a little short of elected officials as in past years, but State Senator Diaz, Bronx County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, New Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, 15th Congressional candidate and former Assemblyman Adam Powell, along with several district leaders were on hand as were the almost 500 people there.
Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo made it a point to publicly announce that the Bronx Democratic County organization had held interviews of candidates for the soon to be vacant 17th City Council Seat currently held by Councilwoman Maria Del Carmen Arroyo. Councilwoman Arroyo announced in early November that she would be stepping down at the end of the year 2015 for personal reasons (still unknown). Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo also announced that the choice of the Bronx Democratic County organization for the not yet vacant seat in the 17th City Council district was Mr. Rafael Salamanca the current District Manager of Bronx Community Board #2. I asked County Leader Marcos Crespo how interviews were done for a not yet vacant seat, and with still undeclared candidates. Crespo said the process was done with those interested candidates and the choice was made.
I will have much more on the upcoming special election for the not yet vacant 17th City Council seat in upcoming columns. I am being told that the possible pool of candidates is shrinking since the Bronx Democratic County organization has chosen Mr. Salamanca. It seems though that the MC of this event may have a smelly fish on his hands, as the 'Three Bears' in the pool are going to eat up and then spit out the Salmon in the pool. I will have more details next week in the print edition of the Bronx County News January 1st.
If you have any political information (especially about the 17th City Council special election) 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 this blog, you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
