KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY TASK FORCE ANNOUNCES NYU CAPSTONE PROGRAM TO STUDY THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY

    In an open letter to the public, the Kingsbridge Armory Task Force has announced that New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service has selected the Kingsbridge Armory for study through its highly competitive Capstone Program.

Under NYU’s Capstone Program, a team of faculty and students from the university will identify alternative uses for the armory through a year-long planning study that will advise the Kingsbridge Armory Task Force. The project will include research, design, and analysis of a sustainable and socially-beneficial model for the reuse of the Kingsbridge Armory.

    “The NYU Capstone Program is a highly selective, highly competitive program, and we are thrilled that they have chosen to focus their efforts on the redevelopment and reuse of the Kingsbridge Armory this year. Working together with NYU, it is our hope that this study will not only identify new uses for the Kingsbridge Armory, but will lead to the creation of a new RFP for this historic structure,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

    “The task force has taken on the challenge of identifying how the Bronx can attract the jobs of the future and prepare its residents to fill them. This is not simply about reuse of a public building. It is about how this building might contribute to a larger community and borough agenda for economic growth,” said Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City.

    “We are bringing in highly skilled individuals to ensure that the Kingsbridge Armory will be transformed into a space that benefits our borough without downsides.  The NYU’s Capstone Program will offer us the vision of young and talented professionals, and we are ready to work with them to find the best plan for the Kingsbridge Armory,” said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC).

    “I welcome the news that the NYU Capstone Program will participate in the process of redeveloping the Kingsbridge Armory, and I am confident that the seeds for a wonderful new community resource within the walls of this historic structure will be planted,” said City Council Member Fernando Cabrera.

    The Kingsbridge Armory Task Force consists of Borough President Diaz, Council Member Cabrera, Ms. Cintron, Ms. Wylde, Majora Carter, environmental consultant; Paul Foster, chairman of Bronx Community Board #7; Jack Kittle, political director of District Council 9; Steven McInnis, political director for the New York City District Council of Carpenters; Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, a board member of the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition; Ned Regan, former state comptroller; Jack Rosen, Chief Executive of Rosen Partners LLC; and Steven M. Safyer, MD, President and CEO of Montefiore Medical Center.

     

PRESIDENT DIAZ AND THE BRONX DEFENDERS HOST A CLINIC TO PROCESS "CERTIFICATES OF GOOD CONDUCT" FOR BRONXITES

   

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and The Bronx Defenders will sponsor a re-entry clinic to assist ex-offenders to obtain Certificates of Relief from Disabilities and Certificates of Good Conduct.  These documents will help ex-offenders who have traditionally faced barriers to employment and housing because of a criminal record.

Certificates of Relief from Disability and Certificate of Good Conduct are crucial tools created by the legislature.  They facilitate successful reintegration after a conviction by helping people overcome legal barriers to employment, housing, and civic participation.  Unfortunately, they are vastly underutilized and only a small fraction of the people who could benefit from the certificates applies and receives them each year. 

The clinic will help hundreds of Bronxites to apply for the certificates and to spread to word about its benefits.  

Thursday, October 14                                  11:00 am
Bronx Supreme Court Building- 851 Grand Concourse - 1^st floor- Rotunda  

 

Carl Palidino- "Crazy, Nuts, Homophobic, or Just Plain Stupid"

    The more Republican, Conservative, and Tea Party candidate for New York State governor Carl Palidino opens up his mouth the more he sticks his foot into it. First it was the baseball bat approach to cleaning up Albany, then it was saying that his opponent had extra-marital affairs, then it was a blow-out threat to Fred Dicker of the New York Post, and now it is candidate Palidino's anti gay comments that were or were not said by him. 

    Now even his running mates for New York State Comptroller and Attorney General are trying to distance themselves from Carl Palidino's comments. Even Former Conservative Party candidate Rick Lazio who dropped out to allow Carl Palidino to obtain the Conservative Party line has called his remarks an embarrassment.

    Stay tuned for just what will happen next to "Crazy, Nutty, Homophobic, or Just Plain Stupid Carl Palidino".

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ  
RE: Hate Crimes Against Gay Men In the Bronx

    Bronx Borough President has made the following statement about the recent rash of hate crimes against gay men in the Bronx 

    

“The news of these hate crimes sadden us all, and I am grateful that the NYPD has moved so quickly against those responsible for these homophobic attacks. Bronxites will not tolerate any form of bigotry in our borough, and we stand together as 1.4 million residents to condemn these actions and to oppose hatred in all its forms,” said Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

McLaughlin Responds to Dinowitz's Puzzling Comments About His Campaign

    We received this e-mail from the Joe Mclaughlin campaign, and we have several questions about some of the claims by the Mclaughlin campaign. We must also disclose that I (Robert Press) ran against Assemblyman Dinowitz in the 1996 general election.

    We are very concerned that the Mclaughlin campaign was for building an outdated oversized water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park, blaming Assemblyman Dinowitz for things that Mayor Bloomberg has done, while Assemblyman Dinowitz opposed those projects. Fails to know the name of the current State Senate Majority leader Pedro Espada Jr. calling him Jose Espada. Thinks that Ed Koch who was the only person in his administration as mayor of the City of New York that could not be bought (as per FBI tapes) is the person to end corruption in Albany. Finally while attacking Assemblyman Dinowitz for allowing New Jersey trade unions at the NYC DEP Water Filtration Plant in Van Cortlandt Park, The Mclaughlin campaign uses New Jersey as a base of operations by its 201-320-7850 phone number.

 

Yesterday, the Norwood News printed a story on Joe McLaughlin’s assembly campaign in the 81^st district of the Bronx.  Joe is running a grassroots campaign throughout the district to give voters a choice for real reform this November against Jeffrey Dinowitz.

Dinowitz was also interviewed for the story and had a few puzzling statements we would like to address.

You can read the article here: http://www.norwoodnews.org/story/?id=2092

Dinowitz: "[Voters] know I work hard for the neighborhood."

His record says otherwise.

- He voted against a water filtration plant that has provided jobs in construction and plumbing.  

- Dinowitz allowed NJ trade unions to lock out Woodlawn plumbers when 80% of the jobs to build the plant were designated to be filled by neighborhood laborers and tradesmen.

- Allowed the Firehouse to close in Woodlawn

- Hit seniors on a fixed income with taxes on clothing and footwear

- Did nothing while lifeline buses the BX34 and BX 1 were put on reduced schedules while fattening pensions for MTA employees

- Siphoned money from a payroll tax designed to fund the MTA.  

- Killed student MetroCards 

- Voted to get rid of 10 of the 30 insurance companies that insure seniors in NY

- Allowed Mayor Bloomberg to shove every drug center and homeless shelter in Wakefield

- All while NYPD reduced about 100 officers from local precincts  

- Voted against giving New Yorkers temporary relief from gas taxes, at a time when gas was $4

- Voted against nearly $2 billion in property tax relief

- Voted to kill a bill that excluded Social Security income when determining eligibility for real property tax exemptions on property owned by senior citizens

- Said he wanted to "slightly increase" corporate taxes, have no cap on property tax hikes and institute even more fees and sales taxes.

- While NY went broke, Dinowitz demanded a pay raise for himself.  Last year he made $95,000

- Decided against ousting Jose Espada from the Democratic Party before the Sept 14 primary

While the people of the 81st district are looking for a leader, Dinowitz has continued to play Albany partisan politics.  Dinowitz has cast blame on anyone but himself and Speaker Silver when the Democrats have had total control of the Senate, Assembly and Governor’s mansion for 2 years.

On his statement against Mayor Koch (“Who died and made Ed Koch an expert on reform?”) –

Joe is appalled that he would attack one of the greatest Jewish Politicians of our time who is advocating for real reform against corruption.  Koch has pushed for reform as early as the 1963 when he took on party boss Carmine Desapio.  To get further information from Mayor Koch please contact Adam Riff at 212-616-5815.

Jeffrey Dinowitz: “I’m sure I’ll get at least 75 percent of the votes. I don’t want to be cocky” –

We are not shocked by this comment.  Joe has known for a long time that Jeffrey Dinowitz is out of touch with the people of the 81st district.

Joe has been through every neighborhood in the district.  He knows the people are fed up with business as usual. They are looking for common sense reform to get the Bronx and New York back on track.

Joe may be the underdog in this race but he is not alone when he says "we cannot trust those who helped create the mess in Albany to go back this November and fix it."

For more information or to speak with Joe please contact me anytime at bmurphy@joemclaughlinforassembly.com or 201-320-7850.

Thanks,

Bill Murphy

 

 BP Diaz and Others Join Local 70 Calling for More Bronx Jobs

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson and Assembly Candidate Eric Stevenson participated in a rally organized by the Laborers International Union of North America, Local 79, to demand that developers of publicly financed construction projects hire more local residents to work on their projects.    

It's My Park Day Saturday October 23rd.

    The Bedford Mosholu Community Association is having its annual "It's My Park" cleanup and spruce up  of Mosholu Parkway on Saturday October 23rd from 10AM to 12PM. BCMA will be cleaning and planting along Mosholu Parkway starting from the meeting point of the NYC Parks Department building on Webster Avenue and Mosholu Parkway South. 

    There will be a large crowd helping out and you can be part of it. Help to beautify Mosholu Parkway on October 23rd from 10-12.

16^th Annual Tour De Bronx
Sunday October 24th

          Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Transportation Alternatives, together with Montefiore Medical Center, St. Barnabas Hospital and Bronx Lebanon Hospital, invite all the residents to be part of New York State’s largest free cycling even.

     Over 6,000 riders from throughout the TRI-STATE area will cover over 65-miles of Bronx historic landmarks, waterfronts, new developments, new bike paths, greenways, parks and beaches, and will even ride through a portion of the Sheridan Expressway which is exclusively closed for this ride. 

       Cyclists will ride a 25-mile or 40-mile route.  Both routes include attractions like St. Ann’s, the borough’s oldest church once owned by the Morris family, Yankee Stadium, the historic Longwood section celebrated for its stately Victorian-era townhouses and various other Bronx attractions. 

      Following the ride, cyclists are invited to the Tour de Bronx Festival at Botanical Gardens featuring live entertainment and refreshments.

     For REGISTRATION:   Call 718.590.3518 or visit www.tourdebronx.org

          The registration dead line is Thursday, October 21^st
       16^th Annual Tour De Bronx ---- Sunday, October 24 
      The Starting Point--- The Grand Concourse and East 161st Street.
      Please note, this year there is only one starting location.
      Starting Time---  9:30 AM