This weeks 'Riverdale Report' From the Bronx News

This is a copy of the Riverdale Report from the Bronx News Nov 1, 2012.

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

Ben Franklin Democratic Club Celebrates

Monday October 22^nd members of the Ben Franklin Democratic Club (of the 81^st A.D.) held a “Watch the Debate” fundraiser at Oregano's restaurant located on Johnson Avenue. All in attendance agreed that President Obama won the third debate, would win the election on election day, and that the food was great at Oregano's. The restaurant was full of happy cheering Democrats, some who commented often during the debate about Obama's challenger Mitt Romney's lack of a vision and experience.

The following Sunday the Ben Franklin Democratic Club held a Pre-Election day victory party at the home of City Council candidate (and Vice-Chair of the Bronx Democratic County Committee) Mr. Andrew Cohen. While Mr. Cohen is waiting until after election day to officially announce his candidacy for current term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppells seat, it has been one of the worst keep secrets.

On hand were Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer (Mayoral/Comptroller candidate), Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senators Jeff Klein and Gustavo Rivera, 81^st A.D. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James (candidate for Public Advocate in 2013), and almost 100 other supporters of the Ben Franklin Club.

Councilman Koppell expressed his view that President Obama has a chance of loosing the popular vote, but winning the all important “Electoral College” that elects the president. Congressman Engel took a swipe at his Republican opponent on election day, by asking Assemblyman Dinowitz if it was the same person Dinowitz soundly defeated two years ago. Yes it is replied Dinowitz. Senator Gustavo Rivera standing near Councilman Koppell thanked him for his over 40 years of public service as an elected official. Senator Jeff Klein said that the election is important as it is between what is right and wrong. Klein added “we have to make sure programs continue, and are not cut or discontinued”. It was said that Councilman Koppell has been a member of the Ben Franklin Democratic Club since 1966. Back then the club was known as “The Ben Franklin Reform Democratic Club”.

Questions I asked – Manhattan BP Stringer – Is it true that you are going to run for Comptroller instead of mayor? Reply by Stringer, I have not made up my mind yet.

State Senator Jeff Klein – In 2016 if Gov. Cuomo runs for president and current Attorney General Eric Schniderman runs for governor, would you run for A.G. Reply by Klein – I don't know, it could be a possibility if what I said all happens, but that is to far away to think about now.

Councilwoman James – Are you afraid of facing Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barrons who has said he wants to run for Public Advocate also. Reply by James – Don't believe what Barrons is saying, he and his wife are going to try to swap positions in the council and assembly. An interesting note was that we both agreed that Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. would not be running for citywide office next year. James said that Diaz Jr. is doing a fine job as Bronx BP, but still has to raise the image of the Bronx and himself more before considering citywide office.

The Riverdale Temple is holding a “Holiday Gift and Craft Sale” on Sunday November 18^th from 9 AM – 3 PM. The Riverdale Temple is located at 4545 Independence Avenue at the corner of West 246^th Street. There is free parking, and the temple has a few spots available for vendors. For more information check my blog or email rivtemple@aol.com or Ritajoshed@aol.com.

For the latest listings of events going on at Wave Hill don't forget to check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com (look in the archive section on the left) to see this and other events in the Bronx.

Finally, on Saturday November 3^rd from 5 – 8 PM at PS 24 there will be an “Auction & Awards Night featuring current New York Met player Mike Baxter. The event is to support the local South Riverdale Little League. PS 24 is located on Independence Avenue at the corner of West 235^th Street (two blocks from the Henry Hudson Parkway).

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press. 

 

Hurricane Sandy UPDATE Thursday Nov 1st

The number of confirmed deaths in New York City has climbed to 37.

The two biggest challenges remain getting the power grid and transportation systems fully operational again.

All NYC Public Schools will be closed tomorrow Friday.

Tap water is safe to drink.

Do not use generators or grills indoors.  

Con Edison crews have restored power to about 250,000 customers who were affected by the storm. As of 11 a.m., the company was working to restore power to about 650,000 customers still out of service. 

Con Edison said today that based on an assessment of the unprecedented damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, it expects to restore the vast majority of customers who lost power by the weekend of Nov. 10 and 11. The remaining customer restorations could take an additional week or more.  

Those parts of the city with overhead power lines still without service may not have it restored possibly until next weekend. 

There are still approximately 534,000 customers citywide without power, down nearly 100,000 since yesterday, with 38,000 customers in the Bronx still without power. 

Lights ate turning on for many people in South Brooklyn, Staten Island, and some parts of Lower Manhattan.

"Con Ed has set a goal of restoring power to all Manhattan customers by the end of the weekend".

It is intend to reopen public schools for classes on Monday.

Traffic is very heavy in the city, particularly on routes into Manhattan.

The 3-person HOV restriction on Henry Hudson Bridge southbound crossings into Manhattan is still in effect, 6 a.m. until midnight Nov 1st & 2nd.

The Holland Tunnel and the Hugh Carey Brooklyn Battery Tunnel are still closed.

911 should only be used in case of emergencies. 

To report other conditions such as fallen trees and sewer backups, please use 311 Online, text 311 at 311-692, or call 311. 

Power outages and live wires should be directly reported to Con Ed (1-800-75-CON-ED)  

*************************************************************************************

 

 

  

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ KICKS OFF THE 2ND ANNUAL "SAVOR THE BRONX" RESTAURANT WEEK

Bronx Restaurants to Serve Up Special Deals

    Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in conjunction with American Express and the New York State Restaurant Association, kicked off the 2^nd Annual Savor the Bronx! Restaurant Week at the Oregano Bar and Bistro in Riverdale.

Savor the Bronx! Restaurant Week, produced by the Bronx Tourism Council and co-hosted by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), showcases the borough’s best eateries by offering special values and discounts, all viewable at www.savorthebronx.com. 

This year’s event is especially significant, given the impact of Hurricane Sandy on our borough’s restaurants and eateries, which lost several days worth of business due to the storm. In addition, the famous Tony’s Pier restaurant on City Island was destroyed by fire on Sunday night.

This 12-day event, which runs from November 5^th to November 16^th, is the perfect opportunity to explore your taste buds and the Bronx.  Foodies can experience various delicious dishes from the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe and Asia, all of which are available in the Bronx.  

 

“I invite everyone to visit and Savor the Bronx. Come to our beautiful borough to try a new restaurant or return to an old favorite. Enjoy authentic Italian food on Arthur Avenue or some fresh seafood on City Island. Now is the perfect time to give our borough’s restaurants a try, when they need the business the most. Take a look at the ‘Savor the Bronx!’ website for participating restaurants and make your own savory choice,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

“While our local businesses and restaurants have suffered from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, other boroughs have been hit even harder.  Let’s support our Bronx restaurants by bringing our families and even our friends from other boroughs to the Bronx to share the best of the best with them. This is how we help each other out,” said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation.

“Visitors are drawn to borough restaurants as a way of experiencing diverse cultures through diverse flavors. What better way to share the Bronx with the rest of the world than through an epicurean experience? And what better way to say we are OPEN FOR BUSINESS than with a good meal?” said Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of The Bronx Tourism Council. 

Taste-tempting offers include special values like 15% off the check at Enzo’s Restaurant in Morris Park, Jake’s Steakhouse in Riverdale and the Lobster Box on City Island, as well as pre fixe menus at the Palace of Japan in Riverdale, Havana Café in Throggs Neck, and Montezuma Restaurant that are sure to leave your taste buds craving for more!

Other offers include $16.41 lunch menu, which represents the year Jonas Bronck purchased 500 acres of land that is now known as the Bronx, as well as $20.12 dinner menu representing the year we are in today!

More than 35 restaurants are participating in this year’s Savor the Bronx. For more information on participating Savor the Bronx! restaurants, please visit savorthebronx.com. For more information on what to see and do in the Bronx, visit the Bronx Tourism Council website at ilovethebronx.com.

Below are some photos of the Savor the Bronx! Restaurant Week kick off at the Oregano Bar and Bistro in Riverdale.

Mike of Mike's Deli serving BP Diaz at 'Savor The Bronx' Kick off.

Left - BP Diaz holding up Mikes Deli Sign.

Right - Diaz with Chef Claude from Oregano Restaurant Bistro, host to the Kick Off of 'Savor the Bronx'.

Left - Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz of Riverdale area  host Restaurant Oregano watches BP Diaz enjoy the food.

Right - Assemblyman Dinowitz gets a plate of his own to enjoy.

COMPTROLLER LIU ISSUES NYC’S COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FY 2012

    City Comptroller John C. Liu today released his Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for Fiscal Year 2012. The report shows that, despite difficult economic circumstances, for the 32nd consecutive year New York City completed its fiscal year with a General Fund surplus, as determined by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The report is due on Oct. 31st each year, as required by the City Charter.

“We are pleased to present the city’s financial report on time, notwithstanding Hurricane Sandy,” said Comptroller Liu. “The City’s budget is balanced for fiscal 2012. We expect some economic and revenue growth over the next few years, but must be vigilant aboutlooming deficits, the cost impact of the hurricane, and the potentialfiscal cliff requiring Washington’s action.”

Among other important economic findings, the report contains updateson New York City’s finances, including:

City pension funds, which paid benefits totaling $11.5 billion duringfiscal year 2012 funded from the sale of investments. Employer andemployee contributions to the City pension funds were $9.1billion and$1.0 billion, respectively.

As of June 30, 2012, the City pension funds had aggregate investmentassets, excluding cash from the settlement of pending purchases andsales, of $122.1 billion representing an increase of $2.1 billion from the June 30, 2011 value of $119.9 billion. During the fiscal year, the market value of the assets ranged from a low of $108.1 billion to a high of $123.8 billion.

Notable securities litigation developments in fiscal year 2012 included the appointment on December 28, 2011 of the City pension funds as lead plaintiffs in the securities class action pending against Community Health Systems, Inc.; and a derivative lawsuit against officers and directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in connection with their alleged failure to properly investigate and remedy a reported bribery scheme in Mexico. In a securities class-action lawsuit against Wachovia Corp. in which the City pension funds were lead plaintiff, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted final approval on June 12, 2012 to a $75 million cash settlement of the action, which related to that company’s alleged failure to disclose problems with its residential mortgage loans.

In Fiscal Year 2012, the Comptroller’s Bureau of Audit issued 92 audits and special reports. Many of these audits focused on the effectiveness and service quality of City programs. Others focused on financial issues, identifying approximately $304.3 million in actual and potential revenue and savings. Reviews of claims filed against the City identified another $25.6 million in cost avoidance.

In fiscal year 2012, the City paid $588.6 million in settlements and judgments (tort and non-tort), representing a 3% increase from the prior year. These cases ranged from trip and fall to medical malpractice, police action, property damage, and contract claims.

In fiscal year 2012, the City and its Blended Component Units issued $10.10 billion of long-term bonds to finance the City’s capital needs and to refinance certain outstanding bonds for interest savings. The New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority (Water Authority) issued $3.51 billion of long-term bonds to finance the City’s capital plan and to refinance certain of its outstanding bonds for interest savings. Conditions were ideal for refinancing outstanding bond issues. The City issued a total of $4.28 billion of refunding bonds
through the General Obligation, New York City Transitional Finance Authority (TFA), and Water Authority credits. This accounted for 31% of the total issuance for these credits and generated a total of $523.88 million in present value savings.

BRONX EMERGENCY BLOOD DRIVE-- THIS FRIDAY!!!

PLEASE DONATE & HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

   ATTENTION BRONXITES:   

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!

The New York Blood Center (NYBC) has lost approximately 4500 units of blood due to cancellations Mon – Wed.  They anticipate that they will continue to be forced to cancel blood drives throughout the weekend and perhaps even into next week. 

 

Monday, 10/29, NYBC operated just 5 of 45 Sites (45 Operations - A  combination of Donor Centers and Community blood drives).

 Tuesday, 10/30, NYBC operated just 4 of 45 Sites (45 Operations - A   combination of Donor Centers and Community blood drives).

Wednesday 10/31, NYBC are operating just 10 of 45 Sites.

 

NYBC hopes to be at 50% of capacity Thursday and perhaps 75% by Friday and the weekend.

  

In all, NYBC will likely have lost 6000 or more donations, and types O-, B- and platelets are in extremely short supply.

Anything you can do to help would be really appreciated.

BRONX EMERGENCY BLOOD DRIVE

This FRIDAY, November 2^nd, 2012

9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Bronx County Building

851 Grand Concourse-Veterans Memorial Hall -1^st Floor Rotunda.

 

. 

Veterans Recognition Luncheon!! Nov 5th!! MUST RSVP!!

    

  

  

NYC Business Assistance Programs for Businesses Affected by Hurricane Sandy

   

  

Attention Businesses Affected by Hurricane Sandy! 

New York City, including the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), is coordinating a set of services to assist small businesses in recovering from Hurricane Sandy. Below is an outline of available programs and relevant contact information.  

New York City Business Assistance Programs

For small- to mid-sized businesses that have experienced business interruption

A low-interest working capital bridge loan program will be available, patterned after similar programs deployed in past emergencies. Loans will be capped at $10,000. The application and intake process is still being determined. Please contact NYC Business Solutions staff as outlined below.

For mid- to large-sized businesses that need to undertake rebuilding

An emergency sales tax letter from New York City Industrial Development Authority (IDA) will be available allowing businesses to avoid payment of New York City and New York State sales taxes on materials purchased for rebuilding. IDA will also waive all fees and, while following State law, look to streamline its normal procedure. This program is expected to offer economic benefits to reconstruction projects costing $500,000 or more. Please contact Shin Mitsugi at smitsugi@nycedc.com for further information on this program.

For any business that is temporarily displaced from its space

Short-term "swing" office space at Brooklyn Army Terminal available free of charge for the next 30 days. NYCEDC has approximately 40,000 square feet of warehouse space at the Terminal that can be used for this purpose. Please contact NYC Business Solutions staff as outlined below. 

For any business in need of assistance

SBS will be the primary point of contact for all businesses seeking assistance - all of whom should call if they need help.

The SBS Business Outreach Team and Emergency Response Unit's Large Scale Response Team will be deployed after the storm to help all impacted small businesses. This team is currently on-call for any storm-related business inquiries and is closely coordinating with the NYC Office of Emergency Management. 

NYC Business Solutions Centers will coordinate with local community-based-organizations in severely affected areas to help businesses with the application process for the emergency loan program.

NYC Business Solutions contact information

For further information on the above programs, please contact NYC Business Solutions by filling out our Contact an Account Manager form or calling 311 and asking for "NYC Business Solutions."

Federal Aid Programs for State of New York Disaster Recovery

Loans are available up to $2 million for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance. Loans of up to $2 million are also available for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster's adverse economic impact. This loan in combination with a property loss loan cannot exceed a total of $2 million.

Those in the county designated for assistance to affected residents and business owners can begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) Monday through Sunday until further notice.  Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.

Post Hurricane Sandy The Photos

     Some of the photos of the day after Hurricane Sandy in the Northwest Bronx. You can click on any photo to enlarge it.

Left - one of the many many trees that were uprooted by Hurricane Sandy. 

Right - One of the many scenes you may have encountered on a secondary street. 

Left- Water is almost touching the Amtrak Bridge 

Right - This track reported to be under water during Hurricane Sandy, looked fine to us.

Left - Northbound Diesel powered train goes through station to see conditions.

Right - You can see the rear of the train and debris on the track to the right of the train.

Left - Tree covers car on street. 

Right - Another car has (live ?) wires on it.

 

Left - Henry Hudson Bridge is closed by MTA Police. It opened after 1 PM.

Right - Department of Sanitation crew taking away a tree that fell across this road.

 

Left - Tree on Sedwick Avenue fell on power lines and two cars. Yes those are live wires next to the cars, I was told.
Right - Utility pole was taken down by the tree and lies in the middle of Sedwick Avenue guarded by a police officer from the 50th Precinct. I was told that the wires on the downed pole were still live, hence the need for the police officer.