MTA Track Work on Broadway # 1 Line

    The MTA has scheduled the replacement of elevated track on the # 1 subway line along the stretch of Broadway from the terminus at West 242nd Street down the line to at least West 231st Street. This track work started recently with very little (if any) notice to the community or merchants. It has been hell to residents, drivers, and merchants on or near Broadway from West 238th Street to West 234th Street for now as the MTA has done basically whatever it wants to do according to Ms. Katherine Broiher the Executive Director of the Kingsbridge Business Improvement District (BID). She also told me that the MTA was going to move down to the West 231st Street area next, even while they still work between W.236th and W.234th Streets. As you will see in the photos below, I visited the work site, took a few photos, and spoke to who I was told was the person in charge.

 Here you can see that at West 236th Street that MTA has blocked half of Broadway taking away any and all parking spaces on Broadway. There is no one guiding traffic just metal barricades and yellow "Do Not Cross" tape all over. The Broadway entrance to the Stop and Shop parking lot is completely off limits to southbound drivers, and exiting traffic must go north only. The manager of Stop and Shop said no notice was given, and that this was hurting sales at the supermarket.

In this photo you can see how the MTA just taped up a new "No Parking" sign over the old sign that has dates before work started in this area. I was told by MTA workers in BLUE hats that the worker with the WHITE hat was in charge. When I asked questions if the community or DOT have been notified, I was told by the WHITE hatted MTA worker "We don't have to tell the DOT", and that the no parking signs went up the day before. 

 Here you can see how just how bad traffic gets during the track work above Broadway, as the fire engine sits waiting to move.

Here you can see just how the MTA works, as sections of track are placed on top of each other in the street while they sit sometimes for days until the track sections are needed.

    Final comments are that the MTA needs to communicate better with the community, needs to be more respectful of the merchants who are losing much needed business, and where are the local elected officials on this issue. 

LDA Meeting New Date & Time.

 

LIBERTY  DEMOCRATIC  ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING &

ELECTION OF OFFICERS -2013-2015 TERM

NEW DATE

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013 @1PM

JANEL TOWERS-801 NEILL AVENUE

COMMUNITY ROOM

NEW YEARS CELEBRATION @3PM

HOT FOOD & REFRESHMENTS SERVED

RSVP-----MIRIAM SCHWARTZ--------: 718-829-3041

FREE FOR MEMBERS, INSPECTORE,& COORDINATORS

ALL OTHERS $10

 

 

Carrion Has Daughter on Payroll for Mayoral Bid

 

    In an article from Crain's New York Insider former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. in his bid for the Republican nomination for mayor has hired his daughter to work on the campaign. Crains says that an expenditure for $1,000.00 stands out for Carrion's daughter Raquel on his mayoral financial report for consulting on Dec. 11, 2012. Crains adds that it is not uncommon to have relatives working on a candidates campaign such as in the case listed where former House Majority Leader Tom Delay's wife and daughter were paid $500,000 over several years. Crains however says that the NYC Campaign Finance Board while allowing relatives to be hired for campaigns, says that they must be paid out of privately raised funds not public matching funds and said payments must be designated as such. They add that Ms. Carrion had worked as a paid communications intern on the 2009 Bloomberg mayoral campaign, and is now Vice-President of Metrofutures LLC her fathers company which Crains credits to a social media page.

   Carrions campaign finance report can be found here in which he has already spent $117,589.58 since November of 2012. 

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

 

LIU: TIME TO BRING CLOSURE TO TRAGIC AND COSTLY ‘CENTRAL PARK FIVE’ CASE

    Citing the decade-long litigation that has resulted in escalating legal fees and tied up valuable City resources, City Comptroller John C. Liu today called for the New York City Law Department and the lawyers representing the “Central Park Five” in their $250 million civil-rights lawsuit to break their stalemate and conclude a settlement as soon as possible.

At a press conference in Harlem, Liu offered the legal expertise of his office and the around-the-clock use of his boardroom to help the parties to come together and work out a settlement for the five young men, who were wrongfully sent to prison for an April 1989 crime.

Following are Comptroller Liu’s remarks, as prepared for delivery:

“Nineteen Eighty-Nine was a painful period in New York City’s history. That year, the City recorded nearly 2,000 murders, countless other violent crimes, and was suffering the devastating effects of a national crack epidemic.

“On April 19th of that year, a 28-year-old female jogger was brutally attacked and raped in Central Park. Almost immediately after this heinous crime, police investigations began to focus on a group of five African American and Latino youths, aged 14 to 16, who came to be known as the ‘Central Park Five.’

“Following lengthy interrogations, the five teenagers – Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise – confessed to the crime. The following year, the five were convicted
and sentenced to terms ranging from 5 to 15 years.

“In early 2002, Matias Reyes, a convicted murderer and rapist, confessed that he alone was responsible for the attack on the Central Park jogger. On December 19, 2002, on the recommendation of Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, the five convictions were vacated by Justice Charles Tejada.

“Since 2003, the ‘Central Park Five’ and the New York City Law Department have been engaged in complex and costly litigation that has yet to be settled. As of now, multiple causes of actions are pending in this federal case, including malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and lack of due process.

“Both as a New Yorker and as the Comptroller, I am deeply troubled by the fact that this civil-rights case remains unresolved more than a decade after these convictions were vacated and nearly a quarter of a century after the occurrence of the crime that another individual has confessed to committing. These five kids may not have been angels, but that does not change the fact that they were imprisoned for a crime perpetrated by another person. Collectively, they spent more than 30 years in prison. While no monetary award could fully repay them for this imprisonment, the City must make an effort to correct this tremendous injustice, which robbed them of their youth.

“Their imprisonment also wreaked havoc on their families. Parents not only lost their sons to prison, but also had to live through the indignity of having their children compared to vicious animals, as the press labeled them with such racially charged expressions as ‘wilding’ and ‘wolf pack.’  They endured multiple trials: first by the tabloid media, which jumped to judgment, and then by prosecutors, who screened what later proved to be false confessions in the courtroom.

“The Comptroller’s Office has the authority and extensive experience settling claims before litigation and approving settlements proposed by the Law Department post-litigation. Last fiscal year, the City paid out $550.4 million for the settlement of claims and payments of judgments; $185.6 million of which were against the NYPD and an additional $84 million of which involved a variety of civil-rights violations.

“As the financial steward of the City, my goal is to ensure that we strike a delicate balance between making those with meritorious claims whole while minimizing taxpayer costs. In the case of the ‘Central Park Five,’ I am extremely concerned that the longer we wait, the more the legal bills mount, and more valuable City resources are claimed. When the City loses a case, it is often required to cover all of the plaintiff’s legal expenses. While each case is different, based on our best estimates, a decade or more of legal fees for five plaintiffs could easily be in the seven or eight digits and this amount increases with every day that passes.

“Moreover, in many instances, the inability to arrive at a negotiated settlement, before a judge or jury renders a verdict, means higher costs for taxpayers. So I am urging the Law Department and the plaintiffs to sit down and negotiate immediately. Those involved need to contain the strong emotions engendered by this case and engage in meaningful discussions. All parties must come to the table – now. I will even provide the table; the Law Department and plaintiffs’ attorneys are welcome to use our boardroom around the clock until they reach a settlement.

“Again, my office stands ready to facilitate this process in any way. Enough is enough. The time has come for the City and these men and their families to put this behind them and heal.

“This troubling case has spanned the administrations of four Mayors – Edward Koch, David Dinkins, Rudolph Giuliani, and now Michael Bloomberg. In the last year of his third term, Mayor Bloomberg has an
historic opportunity to provide closure to all those involved.

“Let’s hope that 2013 is the year when all parties help close this terrible chapter in our City’s history, so that New Yorkers can finally put an end to the tragic ‘Central Park Five’ saga.”

Visit www.comptroller.nyc.gov for the latest news, events, and initiatives.
Follow Comptroller Liu on Twitter, YouTube.

Tenth Annual Awards & Scholarship Banquet!! New Postponed Date!! February 28, 2013!! MUST RSVP!!

      

Join us for our
Tenth

Annual Awards

& Scholarship Banquet

Celebrating over a century of service to the Bronx

Recognizing our Accomplishments of the Past Ten Years And

Honoring our Distinguished Award Recipients

*Portion of Proceeds will benefit the Hurricane Sandy Reform*

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Marina del Rey

One Marina Drive

Bronx, NY 10465

Cocktails from 5:30 to 7:00 pm

Dinner Immediately Following

Tickets - $175 per person (Non-Profit)

$250 per person (all other guests)

Entertainment by Alive n' Kickin' / Business Attire

For more information or to RSVP, call 718-828-3900

email Gabrielle@bronxchamber.org

or click here to go to our website.

Swearing In Ceremony - NYS Assembly Member Nelson L. Castro

 

 

 

Wave Hill Events January 17–January 24

Our annual horticulture lecture series is a high point for Wave Hill, a chance to hear experts share their passion for the field―a wonderful counterpoint to the serene, quiet winter gardens―in one of Manhattan’s most elegant venues, the New York School of Interior Design. We’ve got close connections to Samuel Untermyer’s magnificent estate just north of Wave Hill. I hope you’ll join us to hear all about ongoing efforts to recover its gardens.

Then come back to Wave Hill for more layers of artistry, in Glyndor Gallery and at a spicy cooking demo.

Happy 2013 indeed!

SAT, JANUARY 19    FAMILY ART PROJECT―FREEDOM PILLOWS

Freedom Pillows/Almohadas de libertad

Draw from the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King and traditional African American quilts to display your own personal dream of freedom. Choose from a wide array of cloth, yarn and felt to embellish a pillowcase for your dream-time wish. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, JANUARY 19    COOKING WITH GINGER

The ginger family, Zingiberaceae, includes spicy ginger, cardamom and turmeric. Assistant Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer shares a sampling of these tropical herbs and their ornamental kin, while a chef from Wave Hill caterer Great Performances demonstrates various ways to cook with fresh and dried members of this aromatic plant family. Free with admission to the grounds.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 2PM

SUN, JANUARY 20   FAMILY ART PROJECT―FREEDOM PILLOWS

Freedom Pillows/Almohadas de libertad

Draw from the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King and traditional African American quilts to display your own personal dream of freedom. Choose from a wide array of cloth, yarn and felt to embellish a pillowcase for your dream-time wish. Free with admission to the grounds.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, JANUARY 20    WINTER WORKSPACE: VISTAS IN MOTION—LOW-TECH ANIMATION WITH MANUEL ACEVEDO

Visitors gain insight into Winter Workspace artist Manuel Acevedo’s creative process and explore the winter landscape as a source of inspiration. Acevedo discusses his work and explains methods of animation, such as stop-motion, flipbooks and optical devices. Participants will then explore the transformation of Wave Hill’s winter landscape using basic animation techniques. Art materials are provided unless otherwise noted. Workshops are open to all visitors ages 12 and over when accompanied by an adult. Space is limited, so registration is recommended, at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Free with admission to the grounds. Drop-ins will be accommodated as space permits. This program also takes place on February 3.

GLYNDOR GALLERY & ON THE GROUNDS, 1–4PM

SUN, JANUARY 20    GARDEN AND CONSERVATORY HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, JANUARY 21

Closed to the public.

TUE, JANUARY 22    WINTER WORKSPACE: NATURE THROUGH GLASS—SNOW-GLOBE JARS

Visitors gain insight into Winter Workspace artist Maria Hupfield’s creative process and explore the winter landscape as a source of inspiration. After exploring the gardens with the artist, participants create a snow globe as a personal souvenir inspired by the winter landscape. Art materials are provided unless otherwise noted. Workshops are open to all visitors ages 12 and over when accompanied by an adult. Space is limited, so registration is recommended, at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Free with admission to the grounds. Drop-ins will be accommodated as space permits. This program also takes place on January 29.

GLYNDOR GALLERY & ON THE GROUNDS, 10AM–1PM

WED, JANUARY 23    HORTICULTURAL LECTURE #1― STEPHEN F. BRYNS & TIMOTHY TILGHMAN: UNTERMYER, AMERICA’S GREATEST FORGOTTEN GARDEN

Wave Hill Horticultural Lectures are devoted to landscape design and the meaning of our interactions with plants and the natural world. This year’s distinguished lecturers offer a walk down memory lane. But these presentations are not simply an indulgence in nostalgia, because the past strongly informs the present in the three subjects we address. Before Samuel Untermyer’s death in 1940, his gardens in Yonkers, New York, were among America’s most celebrated. Spearheading the rebirth of this estate are Untermyer Gardens Conservancy chair and former Wave Hill board member Stephen F. Byrns and former Wave Hill Gardener Timothy Tilghman, Untermyer’s horticulturist. (Marco Polo Stufano, Wave Hill’s founding Director of Horticulture, is adviser to the project.) Byrns, an award-winning partner at BKSK Architects, has published widely. He joins Tilghman, an acclaimed horticulturist whose experience ranges from Missouri to the Hudson Valley, in painting a bright picture of the recovery of this magnificent estate. The second in this series takes place February 27. Series: $48 Member, Student/$60 General. Individual lectures: $20 Member, Student/$25 General. Reservations recommended, online at www.wavehill.org or by calling 718.549.3200 x216.

NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, 170 EAST 70TH STREET, MANHATTAN, 6PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM—4:30PM. Closes 5:30PM, March 15—October 31.  

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free all day Tuesdays in January. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Program s are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 3o minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the 242^nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

 

 

MWBE Bidding Opportunities & NYPD

(Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises) 

   

The New York City Department of Education (DOE) has announced many opportunities for MWBE business. If applicable, please review the DOE's current solicitations online:

Request for Proposals:

http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/DCP/Vendor/RFP/Default.htm 

Request for Bids:

http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/DCP/Vendor/RFB/Default.htm

Multiple Task Award Contract:

http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/DCP/Vendor/MTAC/Default.htm

DOE Vendor Portal: We encourage vendors to sign up for the Vendor Portal at https://vendorportal.nycenet.edu.

By signing up, vendors can have DOE solicitations emailed to them directly. In order to download complete DOE bids and solicitations, vendors must register for an account on Vendor Portal.

DOE Vendor Hotline: Vendors are also encouraged to call or email the DOE Vendor Hotline if they need assistance registering for Vendor Portal, downloading required documents, or if they have other questions.

Vendors can contact Vendor Hotline at (718) 935-2300 or email VendorHotline@schools.nyc.gov. A live representative is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

DOE Commitment to Equal Opportunity: The New York City Department of Education (DOE) has contracts with vendors to purchase the goods and services necessary to ensure that students receive the quality education they deserve. The agency strives to give all businesses, including Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), an equal opportunity to compete for DOE procurements. The agency casts a wide net in search of talented vendors, seeking qualified suppliers from all segments of the community. The DOE's mission is to provide equal access to procurement opportunities for all qualified vendors including MWBEs.

The DOE works to enhance the ability of MWBEs to compete for contracts and DOE is committed to ensuring that MWBEs fully participate in the procurement process.

Please call 718-828-3900 or email Michelle@bronxchamber.org  for any additional information or if you have questions regarding MWBE certification.

Also... 

The New York City Police Department has launched a new application for your Apple devices (iPad and iPhone). This application is called "NYPD" and it is free of charge. It provides its users with interface icons for each of the following:

• Wanted Posters
• Submit Tips
• Crime Videos
• Breaking News
• NYPD Facebook
• Inside NYPD Videos
• Crime Statistics
• Precinct Boundaries
• Join NYPD

The NYPD is continuously exploring methods to expand the availability and collection of information to assist in our crime fighting efforts. We recognize that community members are our partners in the reduction of crime and improvement of the quality of life in our neighborhoods.  Technology is a vital tool that connects law enforcement with its communities around the world to help improve safety and security.

We invite everyone to take a minute and download the application through the Apple store direct to your device, so that you can began to enjoy the many benefits this application has to offer its users. In addition, we encourage everyone to pass the word around your community of this new application.