Derek Jeter Hit Parade Continues

  With a single in yesterday's loss to Boston Derek Jeter got hit number 3,029. Jeter is now in 22nd place on the all time hit list and next up is Hall of Famer Rod Carew in 21st place with 3,053 hits. After Carew is Ricky Henderson in 20th place with 3,055 hits, and then is Astro great Craig Biggio in 19th place with 3,060 hits. 

  Jeter will have to wait until next year to catch the next player on the all time hit list, that being Dave Winfield in 18th place with 3,110 hits. If he stays healthy next year Jeter could make it up to around 13th place with about 3,200+ hits.

UBP, Inc WSS HEALTH FAIR/ FERIA DE SALUD 8/17/11

             United Bronx Parents, Inc

                    Women’s Supportive Services (WSS)

HEALTH FAIR

“Reclaiming Our Lives"

August 17, 2011

(11:00 AM - 2:30 PM)

LOCATION: 773 Prospect Avenue @ E. 156^th Street

La Escuelita (Courtyard)

Bronx, NY 10459

                   (Rain Date: Wednesday, August 24, 2011)

Health Information/Education. Medical Screenings.

Blood Pressure, Glucose, HIV Tests. Mammogram -by appointment (1-800-564-6868). Music. Entertainment. Face Painting. Refreshments. Incentives.

For additional information please call the WSS Program Coordinator Peter Morales at (718) 402-5142.

Travel: Bus #4 or #17 to E. 156^th Street

Subway #2 or #5 Local to Prospect Ave (Exit subway at Prospect & Westchester Ave.   Walk to E. 156^th Street or ride bus #17 on Prospect Ave - 1 stop)   

Daily News finds AWOL Council Members

  According to a Daily News story Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barrons missed 34 of 121 city council meetings or hearings for the worst attendance record. Barrons had 28% no show rating, and defended his high absentee rate by saying that he has a perfect attendance in his community.

  Second to Barrons is the Bronx's own Larry Seabrook (currently under federal indictment) who missed 32 of 118 meetings or hearings or 27%. There was no comment from Councilman Seabrook. 

  Third on the list was Queens Councilman James Gennaro who said that he is the primary care giver for a family member with a chronic illness. Gennaro missed somewhere between 19% and 27% rating that was not mentioned.

  Fourth was City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera who was reported to have missed 34 of the180 hearings for 19%. Rivera defended his absences to sick days and attending legislative delegations in Chicago and Puerto Rico.

  The average attendance rate was 90% for most current City Council members, with only Speaker Quinn (who serves on no committees), and Upper Manhattan (and former teacher) Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez.

  You can read the Daily News story here.

 

 

Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith Resigns

  New York City's Deputy Mayor of Operations Stephen Goldsmith is leaving city hall after 15 controversy months, to pursue a job in finance. According to Celeste Katz  the man who is best known for tweeting "Good Snow Work" during the crippling December blizzard. will be replaced by DEP commissioner Cas Holloway.
  You can read the Daily News story by Ms. Katz here.

   

Response From Department of Sanitation 
Re: Baez Trash Cans

 

Here is a photo (sent in by one of our readers) of one of the two trash cans that were placed on the corner of West 238th Street and Greystone ave in the middle of, and two blocks away from Councilman G. Oliver Koppells district  office.

The response given by the Department of Sanitation was-

Former Councilmember Baez did share a geographical boundary with Councilmember Koppell.  Her name will be removed from the baskets.  Sponsors are given the option of having their names or logos on basket labels, though not all sponsors have their names on baskets.  Knowing the name of a basket sponsor is a valuable tool that enables DSNY to contact the right party when there is an issue related to the sponsored basket, such as when it is damaged or missing.  Basket labels recognizing sponsors also help promote the program.  

 

Senator Rivera Launches Weekly Walk With Your Senator as part of the Bronx CAN Health Initiative
 Joins WalkNYC’s Weekly Walks around St. James Park

   Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera is launching Walk With Your Senator on Thursday at 10:00am at the St. James Park Recreation Center as part of the Bronx CAN Health Initiative. This weekly Walk With Your Senator will not only allow constituents another opportunity to discuss concerns in their community with their State Senator, but it will also encourage members of the community to come out an exercise.

  Starting Tuesday August 9^th, Senator Rivera will hold Walk With Your Senator every Tuesday at 6pm at St. James Park at 2530 Jerome Ave.

  The weekly Walk With Your Senator will be held every Tuesday for the month of August, starting August 9^th through mid-September. The month of August, the Bronx CAN Health Initiative is focused on promoting exercise and physical fitness. The Bronx CAN Health Initiative was launched in June and will end on the 24^th of October.

   

  

New City Sanitation Containers, But Wrong Name

  The New York City Department of Sanitation placed two trash cans on the corner of Greystone Avenue and West 238th Street recently. Now that is a good thing, however the council member listed on the side of the can is Maria Baez. Councilwoman Baez of the 14th council district was defeated in the 2009 Democratic Primary by now Councilman Fernando Cabrera. The two can are also happen to be right in the middle of the 11th council district and two blocks away from the office of Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. 

  We can only wonder how the two trash cans were placed where they were, or could it be that they are on the corner of the former Vice-Chair of Community Board #8 who was appointed by Councilwoman Baez to CB8, and not reappointed by new Councilman Cabrera. 

Preventing the Next Prospect Ave. Tragedy:

Sen. Klein Releases Report on Dangerous Foreclosed Properties & Irresponsible Banks That Disregard the Law

Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, today released a startling new survey that shows many foreclosed properties across New York City in a similar state of disrepair as the bank-owned property that claimed three lives in a fatal fire last Spring.

Several of these properties also appear to be occupied, while having serious building code violations levied against them –  ratcheting up the potential for additional deadly consequences.

“Even while holding ticking time bombs, these banks continue to disregard the law and act irresponsibly,” Senator Klein said. “The fact that this sorry state of affairs exists after the tragedy on Prospect Avenue is even more outrageous and unacceptable. These lenders need to step up and stop abusing our communities with their neglect.”

The report shows a pattern of banks ignoring a 2009 state law sponsored by Senator Klein that required banks to maintain and secure foreclosed properties in their possession. In the event that they fail to act, the law also gives municipalities the power to clean up the properties on their own and bill the bank for the cost.

On April 25, a 12-year-old boy and his parents died in a fire at 2321 Prospect Ave.  The property had been owned by the Bank of New York Mellon due to a foreclosure and had open complaints against it for a faulty boiler, bad wiring, illegally subdivided apartments, and a lack of access to exits.

Senator Klein's Office found close to 2,000 foreclosed properties in the five boroughs  with some 3,751 open violations. Multiple bank-owned properties are the subject of similar complaints as the Prospect Avenue property. Included in this list is a property situated just three blocks away from the fatal fire.

That Citi-owned property, located at 2290 Beaumont Ave., Bronx, has 13 open complaints that included multiple illegally subdivided apartments. People appeared to be living in the building.

Additionally, spot checks by Senator Klein's Office, also found that some bank-owned properties with the most open building violations also appeared to be occupied.

These properties included:

1055 Martin Luther King Blvd., Bronx,  which has the dubious distinction of being the bank-owned residence with the highest number of violations in the Bronx and the second highest in the entire city.  These complaints range from illegal conversion of apartments to structural defects, sinking floors, and a defective boiler.

1744 Clay Ave., Bronx.,  which has 60 open violations, with new complaints lodged as recently as two weeks ago.

“The condition of these properties place entire communities in harm's way,” said Senator Diane Savino, (D-Staten Island/ Brooklyn.). “If the banks can't be counted on to maintain their properties, we need to use the resources at our disposal to make sure people are not placed in harm's way, and that these lenders pay for every single repair.”

The full list of  the worst bank-owned buildings in New York City are:

County	Open Violations	Address	Zip	Lender/Owner
Brooklyn	100	68th Street	11220	Indymac
Bronx	84	1055 MLK Blvd	10452	Highbridge Apts
New York	74	1 Central Parkway West	10023	CSB NY Holdings
Bronx	62	900 Hoe Avenue	10459	Hunts Point Assn
Bronx	60	1744 Clay Avenue	10457	OLR ECW

A borough -by-borough breakdown is included in Senator Klein's report: 'Who is Accepting Responsibility?: A Survey of Bank Owned Properties in New York City.'

The Top Five Lenders with Open Violations on Foreclosed Properties are:

Open Violations	Lender
211	Deutsche Bank
163	US Bank
141	Federal National Mtg
119	SG Assets LLC
118	Indymac

Jonathan Levy, Deputy Director for Legal Services NYC - Bronx's Housing Unit, said: “It’s time for financial institutions, whose reckless lending contributed to the foreclosure crisis, to take some responsibility for the aftermath.  Tenants – especially lower income tenants who have few options – should not be forced to live in dangerous conditions.”

Jean Sassine, Homeowner and Board Member of NY Communities for Change, said: "This law is primarily about making lenders take responsibility for the mess they continue to make. If the city doesn't hold banks accountable for maintaining their own property, then it's just like giving them another taxpayer-funded bailout."