TESTIMONY OF BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. TO THE CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE ON LANDMARKS AND MARITIME USES IN FAVOR OF DESIGNATION OF

THE GRAND CONCOURSE HISTORIC DISTRICT

 

Last year, I applauded the designation of a Grand Concourse Historic District by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Center, and now I urge its approval by the New York City Council.

Designation as a New York City Historic District will complement the Grand Concourse’s already established listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In the future, I hope to see this historic district extended to match the more extensive national register boundaries.

This Grand Concourse Historic District is significantly intact, and contains many notable examples of art deco and other classic apartment houses. As I mentioned in my testimony to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the threats to buildings on the Grand Concourse are in the details. Poorly done renovations and building management with short vision are carving away at the inherent value of this illustrious built environment. As an historic district, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission can guard against ill conceived and undesirable solutions that threaten proper maintenance of these buildings.

The area of the new district has been richly added to with the new Yankee Stadium and Gateway Center. The City itself has invested greatly in the area with infrastructure improvements, including improvements to both the concourse roadway and park system. The lower Grand Concourse has also been re-zoned to create a vibrant, mixed-use, mixed-income community with new housing, waterfront open space, and an array of retail services.

Its status as an historic district is the finishing touch to the revival of the entire area, and I urge its support. Thank you for your consideration.

What You Should Know by Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz

 

The Christians and Evangelicals in South Carolina resurrected Newt Gingrich from a political grave.  

Yes, my dear readers, this past Saturday, January 21st, the Republican presidential primary took place in South Carolina, where four of the presidential candidates from that party argued the right to decide who will be the one who will get the opportunity to challenge President Barack Obama in the November General Election.

Mitt Romney, the ex-Governor from Massachusetts, Newt Gingrich, the ex-Speaker of the House, Rick Santorum, the ex-Senator from Pennsylvania, and Congressman Ron Paul from Texas, are the only ones left from the original ten Republican contenders that started the run to the White House.

On this occasion, the Christians and Evangelicals in South Carolina sent a message to the whole nation stating that they really believe in the biblical commandment to pardon those who repent and who publicly acknowledge their sin.

The victory that our brothers and sisters in South Carolina handed to Newt Gingrich was not even close.  It was an overwhelming and unexpected victory.

You should know that the most interesting aspect of Gingrich’s victory is that Christians and Evangelicals apparently overlooked the fact that Newt Gingrich has been divorced twice and married three times.  It seems to me that they thought if the Democrat President William Jefferson Clinton was pardoned and not condemned by his many infidelities, including having sexual relations in the White House with Monica Lewinsky, an intern, why should we in South Carolina not forgive Newt Gingrich who is divorced twice and married three times, when he publicly has admitted his wrongdoing and has asked for forgiveness?

Now the battle of the Republican Party moves on to Florida, where a great number of Christians and Evangelicals reside.  The Christian vote has become a force to reckon with, especially in the Southern States where in order to get elected the candidates have to establish his or her conservative credentials, reject homosexual marriage, reject abortion and show who is the closest one to biblical teachings.  What a difference to Christians in New York!

I would give anything to see the day when our God will open our eyes and we will see and follow the example of the Southern Christians, especially the examples given to us last Saturday by the Christians in South Carolina.

I hope and pray that the message sent by South Carolina Christians, when they came out as a strong voting block and voted their conscience,  will be followed by Christians all over the nation and that it will be the beginning of the resurrection for the respect and fear of Christian voting power in the nation.  Maybe this way we will finally have our faith and beliefs respected.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

 

  

Gingrich wins South Carolina Republican Primary

Florida is next for the candidates

 

 

 

  Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina Republican primary with 40% of the vote. Mitt Romney came in second with 27%, Rick Santorum wound up with 17%, and Ron Paul got 15%. The numbers are rounded off to the nearest percentage, which accounts to them adding up to only 99%. 

  We know that we predicted Rick Santorum as the winner, and we now believe that he will end up the Republican candidate, as he was awarded Iowa after a recount. So after three races only Ron Paul has not pulled out a victory, and with numbers like all four have gotten this could be a long race for the Republican nod. 


  Mitt Romney appears to be falling fast, and is not expected to do well in Florida, which will give Santorum and Paul a better chance of gaining larger percentages if not win.

 


 

Nation's Passion for Firearms Reflected in Record-setting SHOT Show^®

LAS VEGAS--Energized by unprecedented gun sales nationwide, firearms industry professionals turned out in record numbers to the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show^SM (SHOT Show^®), and many made a point of saying "the best is yet to come."

"It's a wonderful time to be in our industry," said Sandy Chisholm of North American Arms, a handgun manufacturer. "We've seen tremendous enthusiasm on the part of sellers and buyers, and we see the prospect of a very good year ahead." Many agreed with that assessment of the market and of the SHOT Show.

The largest trade show of its kind in the world and the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas, a city of trade shows, the SHOT Show set an overall attendance record of more than 61,000, including new highs for buyers at 36,383 and media at 2,466. Though show organizers deliberately reduced the size of the show to better accommodate attendees at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, still some 1,600 exhibitors filled booth space covering 630,000 net square feet. The show attracted industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries.

The SHOT Show is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF's many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. "The SHOT Show allows NSSF to do many good things for industry, shooting and hunting," said NSSF President and Steve Sanetti. Added Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer, "We have worked hard to make sure SHOT is a great selling and buying experience, and it has resulted in our best show ever."

Thanks to Americans' passion for firearms, the $4 billion firearms and ammunition industry has been a bright spot in the down economy. The industry supports many small businesses and helps preserve the 180,000 jobs associated with the shooting sports. In 2011, company executives saw records set for background checks, a reliable indicator of sales, including the most ever in a single month (December) and single day (Black Friday). Many in the industry believe, however, that Americans' interest in owning firearms will continue to grow in 2012, fueling their unabashed optimism about the year ahead. Many also said they would not be surprised to see supporters of the Second Amendment react as they did before the last presidential election when their fears over candidates who were unfriendly toward firearms ignited a sales surge.

From the opening bell, buyers filled the aisles to review products, many of them new offerings that will make their way to retail stores during the year. "Traffic is like we've never seen it before," said Mark Malkowski, president of Stag Arms, maker of modern sporting rifles (AR-style rifles), a big seller over the past several years. "Retailers we've talked to are expecting a record year."

One firearms retailer, Todd Vance of Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio, agreed. "We had our best-ever year in 2011, and we've started off this year great and expect to be up." In his store, Vance said buyers are interested in concealable handguns, home-defense firearms, ammunition and tactical rifles, particularly new .22 caliber models.

Another handgun manufacturer, Sig Sauer, reported having its best first day at SHOT since the company began keeping sales records. "The market is stimulated," said Bud Fini, vice president of marketing, who added that the company's shooting academy is seeing many new gun owners. "First-time buyers, that's where the expansion is coming from," Fini said.

Accessories, from holsters to rifle slings to optics, are an important part of the SHOT Show. "We are selling sights like you can't believe," said Aimpoint's Roger Bell of the company's pro staff. "We signed up a lot of new dealers, and that says to me the market is expanding."

In the Mossberg booth, Tom Taylor, vice president of marketing, said, "This is about as much excitement as I've seen at a SHOT Show. People are buying optimistically, and we're going to build optimistically."

For first-time exhibitors, the SHOT Show can provide a big lift. "When you are a start-up company without a big marketing budget, the SHOT Show helps put you in front of the right audience," said Jeane Stewart of U.S. RAC, maker of firearm safety products for law enforcement. Stewart said her company great valued the show's New Products Center.

Any SHOT attendee will tell you the show is more than about selling and buying; it's a powerful display of industry unity and its resolve to meet any challenge affecting the right to make, sell and own firearms. At the NSSF State of the Industry Dinner, NSSF President Steve Sanetti said, "I have never seen us so unified and united in our purpose." As evidence, he pointed to NSSF's fast-growing membership, which now tops 7,000, an all-time high.

More than 2,000 NSSF supporters filled the sold-out hall for the State of the Industry Dinner, which was sponsored by Outdoor Channel and included a review of NSSF's accomplishment from the past year and entertainment from hugely popular comedian Larry the Cable Guy.

Opportunities abound at the SHOT Show, and some who attend are selling more than products. At South Dakota's booth, representatives had a goal of convincing manufacturers they should be making products in the state. "Last year South Dakota connected with more than 50 companies. Within four months, two of those companies expanded their operations to South Dakota," said economic development commissioner J. Pat Costello.

Many awards are presented at the show. NSSF presented Larry Potterfield of Midway USA with its Ken Sedlecky Achievement Award for his generous and longstanding contributions to programs that promote youth target shooting. The Professional Outdoor Media Association and NSSF honored veteran communicator and best-selling author S.P. Fjestad with the prestigious POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award. Fjestad publishes "The Blue Book of Gun Values," a widely consulted database.

The show continues to benefit from the broadbased press contingent that lavishes attention on newly released products. The media, of course, are usually the first to spot celebrities, who this year included American Idol judge and rock star Steven Tyler, and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann. A big success was SHOT Show Media Day at the Range on the day prior to the show, where credentialed press reviewed and tested products. More than 1,100 press and 100 exhibitors attended Media Day--more than ever before.

NSSF ramped up its use of social media to keep its members and consumers informed about the show, making frequent posts to the SHOT Show Blog and providing Twitter updates that showgoers followed on "Twitterfall" screens placed throughout the venue. An expanded NSSF press room sponsored by Budweiser accommodated the record number of press with free Wi-Fi, a large working press area and other amenities.

In conjunction with the SHOT Show, NSSF sponsored the PGA Charities' Birdies for the Brave golf tournament that raised funds for injured armed service veterans.

The SHOT Show will return to the Sands Expo & Convention Center next year January 15-18.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 7,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org. 

Quinn Visits Riverdale

  City Council Speaker Christine Quinn visited the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale today. Along with the Speaker were local Councilman G, Oliver Koppell, and her father. This was Quinn's second visit to Riverdale as she visited the Riverdale YMHA nearby less than two weeks ago. Quinn gave a brief speech including a comment that even with the budget cuts that the city did not cut any funding to senior centers such as the one she was in.

  The Speaker took a few questions, and asked her father to answer one about aging. Councilman Koppell helped on another that was a local community question. When asked if she was running for mayor Quinn did not say yes or no, just that she is thinking about it.

  In a separate announcement a spokesman for the Hebrew Home said that the home had purchased the property next door known as the Cardinal Spellman Home to expand in the near future.

  Speaker Quinn addressing the audience, with her father and Councilman Koppell off to the side.

  Speaker Quinn and Councilman Koppell pose for a picture.

Our Prediction For The South Carolina Republican Primary

  With the South Carolina Republican primary set for tomorrow, and the field down to four choices now we thought we would have some fun in getting out our crystal ball and asking it who the winner will be.

  We saw all four candidates names whirling around in our crystal ball Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, and Paul. Our crystal ball reminded us that it was Rick Santorum that won the Iowa caucus and not Mitt Romney, and that fact may have a difference on the South Carolina primary. 

  We said, so who is the winner, and don't say President Obama again. The one name that surfaced as the winner of the South Carolina primary was Rick Santorum. Our Crystal ball said since the candidates took off their mitts and went after Romney, that Santorum gained the most. No other name surfaced, and we guess that at least one more candidate will duck out of the race after South Carolina.

 

  We know that candidate Santorum is currently last in the polls, but we love an underdog.

   

And Now There Are Four Left

Rick Perry is the latest candidate to DUCK OUT of the race for President. Perry has endorsed Newt Gingrich to be the Republican choice to run against President Barrack Obama.

Who does this really help?

Klein, Vacca and Community Celebrate Extension of Bx24 Bus Route

 Year Long MTA Campaign Ends in Victory

 

  New York State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein (D- Bronx/Westchester) and New York City Councilmember James Vacca (D-Bronx) announced today that they had received assurances from the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) that the Bx24 bus would finally be extended to run along Westchester Avenue to Westchester Square.  For well over a year, Klein and Vacca supported community efforts to get the MTA to extend the bus route past Pelham Bay Station.

The MTA also announced that the Bx5 bus would return to its previous route along Bruckner Boulevard towards Pelham Bay, rather than run along Crosby and Westchester Avenues.

The announcement is seen as a successful conclusion to their outreach and efforts, which included constant communication with MTA officials throughout the year.  Last April, Senator Klein hosted an MTA town hall meeting in Country Club with top brass of the Authority which forced them to listen to the communities concerns.  The town hall meeting attracted well over one hundred residents who were uniform in their desire to see the Bx24 extended to Westchester Square and the Bx5 rerouted back to Bruckner Boulevard.  Councilmember Vacca, as chair of the City Council Transportation Committee, used every opportunity, both publically and privately, to convey to high level MTA officials that restoring service on the Bx24, at least to Westchester Square, was an action that he and his constituents considered a necessity. He also submitted to MTA officials hundreds of petitions that his office had collected, demanding restoration of service and making it clear to them that this issue was not going to go away.

“For more than a year, I've been working with community leaders to push the MTA to properly serve neighborhood residents and provide comprehensive service to Westchester Square. I demanded that the MTA hold an open public forum in my district, so they could hear directly from those Country Club and Spencer Estates residents who were ill-served by the current system. We stuck together, spoke in one voice and -- because of that -- we were able to achieve this very important victory" said Senator Klein.

“When I sink my teeth into something, I don’t let go, and I wasn’t going to let go on this one. Much more than MTA officials, I know the Country Club community and I know that not giving residents access to Crosby Avenue and Westchester Square meant that many of them could not make doctors’ appointments or do food shopping without using their cars or arranging for someone to take them. We certainly pay enough taxes to have basic bus service and I refuse to settle for anything less!” said Councilmember Vacca

“This is really great news” said Marcia Pavlica, President of the Country Club Civic Association “It shows that Westchester Square is not off bounds to us and is a very important part of our larger community. It also shows our elected officials kept on top of this and delivered for our neighborhood.”

"Bronx Community Board #10 is gratified to note that through the joint efforts of all of our elected officials, and our Board, that service to Country Club community, along the BX 24's route has been restored. The Board was proud to work with our elected officials and the MTA to restore this vitally needed service." Said Kenneth Kearns, District Manager of Bronx Community Board #10

The route changes will be voted upon at the MTA Board on Monday, January 23^rd 2012 and will be implemented in April 2012. 

Residents who have questions regarding the route can call either Senator Klein’s Office at (718) 822-2049 or Councilmember Vacca’s Office at (718) 931-1721.