Comptroller Stringer and Councilmember Salamanca Demand Accountability in the South Bronx

Long delayed Roberto Clemente Plaza construction project in the busy Bronx Hub harms residents and local businesses

Coalition calls on City to end the bureaucratic nightmare and finish Roberto Clemente Plaza immediately

  Today, City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Councilmember Rafael Salamanca protested the extensive and detrimental construction delays at Roberto Clemente Plaza in the South Bronx and called for the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) to release a transparent timeline as well as a realistic plan for completion. Joining the Comptroller and Councilmember was a community coalition that included neighborhood residents, local business owners and the Third Avenue Business Improvement District.

With an originally anticipated public opening in November 2015, Roberto Clemente Plaza was designed to be a community centerpiece for Mott Haven and Melrose residents with open seating, welcoming fountain, food vendors and a bus stop. It was also meant to provide a pathway to connect local businesses to pedestrians and plaza visitors.

Fast forward to present day and despite its nearly completed look, the plaza is completely blocked off to public access. The community has voiced concerns that the walled off plaza has become an eye sore that they feel creates congestion on the roads, prohibits pedestrian traffic by blocking a substantial section of sidewalk and obstructs a bus station. Multiple local businesses have closed and the former owners cite the diminished pedestrian foot traffic as a critical reason they had to shut their doors.

The ongoing project is managed by a myriad of agencies involved in its construction – including Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT).

“Instead of representing progress and economic development, this project has been met by delay after delay,” said Comptroller Stringer. “It’s unacceptable that these setbacks have prevented the public from using Roberto Clemente Plaza – even worse, now the construction delays are harming small businesses owned by local residents. It’s long past time for the City to get its act together and finish this park. The South Bronx deserves nothing less.”

“A few weeks ago, we were celebrating the near completion of the Roberto Clemente Plaza, a project that has been a decade in the making. Today, I stand with the Third Avenue BID, Comptroller Stringer, and members of the community demanding that the City take this project seriously and get it done,” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. “Centrally located in my district, this plaza has tremendous opportunity to serve the neighborhood but delay after delay has left this community without this resource. This plaza must be finished promptly.”

This month, Comptroller Stringer’s office returned a contract to the City for a variety of reasons. The contract not only would have extended the project timeline yet again, it listed an extension date that has already passed. The Comptroller and Councilmember are calling on the administration to immediately end the bureaucratic dysfunction and coordinate the agencies involved to get this plaza open.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It should be noted that Councilman Rafael Salamanca is the Chair of the City Council Land Use Committee. It should also be noted that the responsibility of a council member is to see that projects such as this get done on time and come in on budget. 

As the Councilman Salamanca says "A few weeks ago we were celebrating the near completion of the Roberto Clemente Plaza." It would appear that City Council Land Use Committee Chair Rafael Salamanca does not have the power which former City Council Land Use Committee Chairs had. The city Council land Use Chair is also given the task to oversee all Land Use Matters in the City of New York.

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ - RE: Updated Hurricane Maria Death Toll

 "As more data is being compiled, we are getting a clearer picture of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria. With each passing day, we are becoming more aware of the fact that the original estimates of the storm’s devastation were so grossly underestimated, worse than we could have imagined, that they were essentially useless.

 

"That the Trump Administration ever dared to claim that only 64 people died as a result of Hurricane Maria insults the intelligence of any rational person. And the truly sad part is that the figures presented by George Washington University's Milken School of Public Health may still be underestimating how many died as a result of this natural disaster.

"It is unconscionable how President Trump and his administration responded to Hurricane Maria. This is President Trump’s Katrina. The administration’s failure throughout the ongoing recovery of Puerto Rico, how they have treated the American citizens of Puerto Rico compared to those in Texas or Florida, is a stain on this nation," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Did not elected officials and medical experts go to Puerto Rico not once, not twice, but several times? 

Why was it that the Governor of New York and those elected officials and medical experts who were with the Governor did not report on the devastation and loss of lives which they witnessed when they were in Puerto Rico?

We should not be fighting about numbers, but aiding those who need help the most. While Bronx Borough President aligns himself with Governor Cuomo to blame President Trump, he should be asking Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, and the nurses from Montefiore Hospital if they were in the parts of the island that was hit the most by Hurricane Maria, or were they in other areas that had electricity, fresh clean water, and luxuries in their visits to Puerto Rico?

BronxTalk 87th A.D. Debate

  In what seemed to be a good debate that lasted less than thirty minutes three candidates answered questions from Bronxtalk host Gary Axelbank. The candidates are seated above according to the draw. Ms. Farah Despaignes drew number one, Sergeant John Perez drew number two, and Ms. Karines Reyes drew number three. There were questions about the candidates commitment to the community, and other topics. Both women candidates Ms. Despaignes and Ms. Reyes said that they came to the Bronx in 1999. Sergeant Perez answered that he had grown up in the Bronx. 

As the debate went on the well rehearsed Ms. Reyes gave generic non committal answers, while Ms. Despaignes and Sergeant Perez gave more honest answers. At one point in the debate when State Senator Luis Sepulveda sat down next to me, I said to him your candidate seems to be well rehearsed, to which he smiled. 

Farah Despaignes spoke of having been a teacher, but agreeing with John Perez that the current elected officials are not servicing the community the way the community should. John Perez spoke of his youth helping to organize "We Stay/Nos Quedamos in opposition to the gentrification of the Melrose Community in the 1990's. Karines Reyes gave answers almost as if she knew what the question was going to be, as her answers were very well rehearsed, and very vague using generic phrases. At a point in the debate John Perez said that all the things Karines Reyes is saying are already done, is she trying to take credit for them?

As to who won the debate, and who lost you if you did not see the 87th A.D. Bronxtalk debate, you can watch it when it is repeated on Optimum Cable channel 67,

Fios Cable channel 33, or on Bronxnet at 

https://www.bronxnet.org/watch/shows/bronxtalk/

Bronxtalk host Gary Axelbank with the three candidates for the 87th A.D.

Bronx Man Sentenced On Heroin Charge

  U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Eriel Rivera, 42, of Bronx, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who handled the case, stated that on July 8 and July 22, 2017, the defendant sold a quantity of cocaine to a confidential source working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Rivera was arrested on September 29, 2017, in a coffee shop in Niagara Falls, NY. At the time, the defendant was in possession of $1,885 in cash and a quantity of suspected heroin.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Murder Charges Against Bronx Gang Member For 2011 Murder Of Jose Webster

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James J. Hunt, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced additional charges in a Superseding Indictment against a member of the “MacBallas” gang based in the Andrew Jackson and Melrose Houses in the Bronx.  In the Superseding Indictment, which was returned today, NATHANIEL FLUDD, a/k/a “Juntao,” is charged with the September 15, 2011, murder of Jose Webster, a/k/a “Spillz.”

FLUDD and a co-defendant were previously charged with the 2011 murder of Daniel Delgado in an Indictment unsealed on June 27, 2018.  That Indictment also charges 20 members and associates of the MacBallas with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, robbery, and firearms offenses. In addition to the new charges related to the Webster murder, the Superseding Indictment re-alleges the charges that had previously been brought in the Indictment against FLUDD and 19 others. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.  FLUDD and the 19 other defendants will be arraigned on the new charges later in the week.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Jose Webster was murdered in 2011 by Nathaniel Fludd and other members of the violent MacBallas gang. We thank our law enforcement partners for their extraordinary efforts investigating this murder. With their help, we will continue our efforts to eradicate this senseless gang violence from our communities.”

DEA Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt said:  “The comprehensive investigations into gang-related crime have an uncanny knack for uncovering and linking additional crimes to defendants. In this case, we identified not just one, but two murders committed by one of the gang members, Nathaniel Fludd.  I commend the agents, detectives, and prosecutors for their diligent work on this investigation.”

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD’s Bronx Violent Crimes Squad and the New York Field Division of the DEA.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.           

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Endorses Alessandra Biaggi for State Senate

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democratic candidate for Congress in the Bronx and Queens, endorsed Alessandra Biaggi for State Senate in the Democratic primary in District 34 in the Bronx and Westchester on Thursday, Sept. 13.

 “I’m proud to endorse Alessandra Biaggi for New York State Senate in District 34, which we share as part of Congressional District 14,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Alessandra's been knocking doors nonstop on issues of housing, jobs, and climate. She’ll be a powerful Democratic voice in the State Senate.”

“Alexandria’s June 26 amazing victory provided an example of what can be done by relying on the energy of the people, rather than special interests. I’m honored by her endorsement,” Biaggi said.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By Councilman, Rubén Díaz Sr.

Catholic Charities Ends its Foster Adoptions Program after 95 years of excellent and professional adoption services

You should know that according to The Buffalo News “The Catholic Charities is ending their foster adoptions programs over the same-sex marriage rule.” after almost one hundred years of serving the poor, and less fortunate of our society.   It is important for you to know that “The Catholic Charities was founded approximately 95 years ago.  Today the agency is a thirty-six million dollar non-profit organization that sponsors seventy (70) social programs and services at sixty (60) locations throughout the eight counties in western New York.”  According to the article in the “Buffalo News”   As you know, The State of New York has regulations that bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. Those regulations are in direct opposition to Catholic teachings and beliefs.    Catholic doctrine, and teachings oppose same-sex marriage and therefore must oppose the adoption of children by same sex couples.    Mr. Dennis C. Walczk, the Chief executive officer for the Catholic Charities of Western New York stated that “We are a Catholic Organization, so we have to practice what we do consistent with the teaching of the Church.”    After decades of providing social vital services to the poor, the homeless, the abandoned orphans, and those most vulnerable of our society they are closing their doors to adoptions.  They served all people of every race, creed, color, and religion.    The Catholic Charities is willing to let go of more than thirty-six million dollars in funding for these programs to send a clear message to the entire world, that their faith, values, beliefs, and Catholic Teachings are much more valuable than money.     The Catholic Dioceses in Western New York estimates that since 2017 more than 153,000 people have received and have been served by the organization through its comprehensive counseling, social and mental health, adoptions and foster care assistance services.    According to the Buffalo News Report, The Western New York Dioceses is not the only one in the nation who have refused to accept money from the government to operate programs that go against their Catholic teachings.   In 2006 the Archdiocese of Boston stopped providing adoption services and in 2011, the Archdiocese of Illinois also stopped their adoption program, based on their refusal to change the Catholic Teachings in relation to same sex adoptions.   It is important for you to know that The Catholic church as of today continues to hold on to their beliefs that marriage should be between one man and one woman, even though there are some indications that those teachings, may in time, soften according to some signs coming from the Vatican and Pope Francis.   This is Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is what you should know. EDITOR'S NOTE: The news is from a Buffalo News source, which specifically mentions Western New York and the eight counties within it.  Rev. Councilman Diaz Sr. then mentions Boston and Illinois, but there is no mention at all of New York City anywhere.  Does Rev. Councilman Diaz Sr. mean that New York City is next?

Bronx Dems Annual BBQ & Softball Game - This Saturday