City Council District 12 Caribbean Heritage Marcus Garvey Family Day Celebration

Riverdale B'Ramble of the Run for the Trail Series

  Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and Van Cortlandt Track Club Partnering to Host First Race of Run for the Trail Series

The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and the Van Cortlandt Track Club announced today that they are combining resources to put on the inaugural race in a series of Run for the Trail events this fall in Van Cortlandt Park, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Van Cortlandt Park's historic cross-country course, and to raise funds for its maintenance.

The first race of this series:

What: The Riverdale B'Ramble 10k/5k
When: Sunday, September 1 at 10:00 am
Where: Tortoise and Hare Statue, Van Cortlandt Park (near 250th and Broadway)
Registration fee: $25 online, $30 mail in. All proceeds go to the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park’s Summer Teen Trail Crew who will help to maintain the Cross Country Course.

We promise you tough hills, Lloyd's Carrot Cake muffin age-group awards, and a great time! The first 200 runners will receive commemorative t-shirts.

To register or for more information on this race and the series, please go to: http://www.vctc.org/page/riverdale-b-ramble-10k

Save the Dates of the Remaining Run for Trail Series Events:
Sunday October 27th at 11:30am
Friday November 29th at 10am
The Entire Run for the Trail Series is a joint effort by the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, Van Cortlandt Track Club and BronxNet.

About Friends of Van Cortlandt Park:
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park is a nonprofit, community based organization that actively promotes the conservation and improvement of Van Cortlandt Park through environmental education and restoration and enhancement of the Park, its forests and trails.

For more information, contact:
Christina Taylor, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park
Tel.: 718-601-1460
christina@vancortlandt.org
www.vancortlandt.org

LIU TO TWC, CBS: BLACKOUT IS PENALIZING NEW YORK’S FOOTBALL FANS

 

A day before an important meeting on the issue, City Comptroller John C. Liu stated the following about the ongoing blackout of CBS:

 

“Because of the blackout, on Friday night, diehard New York Jets fans were deprived of the opportunity to watch their team’s first preseason game. It may not have meant much to TWC and CBS executives, but it sure meant a lot to the fans.

 

“If the blackout isn’t settled soon, fans will be deprived of even more football this coming weekend. With the opening day of college football and regular-season NFL rapidly approaching, we urge TWC and CBS to resolve their differences or, at least, resume transmissions of the broadcasts until that happens.

 

“The Franchise and Concession Review Committee meets tomorrow, and my representative will insist that FCRC take up the issue of whether TWC has violated its franchise agreement.”

Background

Comptroller Liu sits on the New York City Franchise Concession and Review Committee, which authorizes the television franchise agreement between New York City and Time Warner Cable and provides TWC access to New York City customers.

 

Editor's Note: Many people think that Time Warner Cable serves only Manhattan in New York City, but there are also Bronx subscribers who are served by Time Warner Cable.

Demostration by Bangladeshi Community of Racial Attacks on Their Community

   STATE SENATOR RUBEN DIAZ WILL JOIN THE BANGLADESH COMMUNITY IN A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST RACIAL ATTACKS AGAINST THEIR COMMUNITY 

   On Saturday, August 10th, at 6:30PM, Mr. Nurun Nabi, member of the Parkchester Jame Masjid congregation, was viciously attacked on his way home after a prayer service.

  The incident took place on the corner of Ellis and Virginia Avenues near the mosque. The suspect attacked Mr. Nabi, stabbing him in the back without provocation or cause, apparently just disgusted by his appearance.

  On Monday August 19th, 2013 at 2:00PM, The Bangladesh community will hold a press conference in front of their mosque located at 1203 Virginia Avenue (Between Ellis & Gleason) to denounce the racial attacks that have taken place against their community.

  For more information, Please contact Abdus Shahid at 646-331-9023.

New Poll Shows De Blasio Now Ahead For Mayor

This item came in after our newspaper deadline.

 The latest Quinnipac University poll released today shows Bill de Blasio in the lead for the Democratic nomination for mayor. The question below includes undecided voters who were asked to say which candidate they lean more to however.

   If the Democratic primary for Mayor were being held today, and the candidates were John Liu, Christine Quinn, Bill Thompson, Bill de Blasio, Anthony Weiner, and Sal Albanese, for whom would you vote? (if undecided) As of today, as of today, do you lean more toward Liu, Quinn, Thompson, De Blasio, Weiner, or Albanese?

  30 % said Bill de Blasio,  24 % said Christine Quinn,  22 % said Bill Thompson, 10 % said Anthony Weiner,  6 % said John Liu, 1 % said Sal Albanese, and  7 % said they don't know or had no answer.     The margin of error was stated as 4 %. The results were further broken down to show that De Blasio leads among male, female, and white voters, with Thompson leading among black voters.                 The reason for De Blasio's rise in the polls is being attributed to his stance on the Stop N Frisk issue, and opposition to a hospital closing in Brooklyn.  

 

District Manager of CB 9 Fined For Misuse of City Resourses

  From a decision dated August 12, 2013, The NYC Conflict of Interest Board fined Community Board 9 District Manager Francisco Gonzalez $7,500.00 for using New York City resources for the purpose of personal gain for his private organization. 

  In a previous letter from the Conflict of Interest Board dated March 22, 2000 CB 9 District Manager Francisco Gonzalez was allowed to serve as President of the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade providing he did not use any NYC or CB 9 resources including that any personal time used was not during work hours for the parade. The decision states that around 2005 that while he was on city time that District Manager Gonzalez coordinated and operated the parade activities out of the Community Board office using CB 9 resources for the parade. CB 9 computers, phones, fax machine, copier, personal, and conference room was used to help set up for the District Managers parade. 

  The decision went into details of  the District Manager using his CB9 desktop and laptop computers to store and review documents related to the parade during his CB 9 work time. That he allowed parade volunteers to use CB 9 resources, and instructed staff to do parade related material on city time. That the Vice-President of the parade a city employee used the CB 9 office for parade business including using the CB 9 office to meet those seeking information about the parade, and of storing parade materials in the CB 9 office. 

  The decision goes on to say that CB 9 District Manager Francisco Gonzalez admitted that his conduct violated the conflict of interest law by using CB 9 resources for his parade, and for doing so on city time. For doing so the District Manager of CB 9 has agreed to pay a fine of $7,500.00. Mr. Francisco Gonzalez has been the district manager of CB 9 since 1993. 

  Reaction from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz's office was - “Our office is currently reviewing the findings of the Conflict of Interest Board regarding the matter of Francisco Gonzalez, District Manager of Community Board #9, and the misuse of taxpayer funds to support his parade. The findings of COIB represent a violation of the public trust. If similar conclusions of taxpayer abuse had been found about an elected official, that official would be forced to resign. Our office hopes that both Mr. Gonzalez and the members of Community Board #9 understand the gravity of these charges and act accordingly,” said John DeSio, communications director for Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Decision on Stop N Frisk by Federal Judge

  Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled that stop-and-frisk tactics have violated the constitutional rights of minorities and ordered that a federal monitor be put in place to oversee reforms

 The results of a 2005 class action suit against the City of New York has resulted in Mr. Peter L. Zimroth a partner with Arnold & Porter LLP being named by Judge Scheindlin to oversee police reforms of the Stop N Frisk policy. Zimroth is a former Assistant Manhattan DA, NYC Corporate Council lawyer, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and has worked on cases such as the Frank Serpico whistle blowing police corruption of the 1970's. The 198-page ruling has empowered Zimroth to revise stop-and-frisk policies, review the police departments efforts to reform and share that information with the public. The 198 page ruling by Judge Scheindlin can be found here.

  Reaction to the verdict has been swift and coming from all corners including Mayor Bloomberg's pledge to appeal the decision which would continue after Bloomberg has left office. Several Democrats running for mayor have said that they would drop the appeal, while the two major Republican candidates have vowed to continue on with the appeal. 

  Here are some comments that have come in from other elected officials-

Mayoral candidate Sal Albanese - "Today, the courts upheld what any reasonable New Yorker has known since day one: Stop and frisk is a legal police tool that keeps our city safe when it is used properly".

Mayoral candidate John Liu -  “Today’s ruling by Judge Scheindlin declaring that police have overstepped their authority highlights the enormous flaws in the NYPD’s ‘stop and frisk’ tactic, which has served to undermine trust between communities and law enforcement. The judge’s call for reforms must be heeded, and – longer term – the tactic should be abolished. It’s time to put an end to stop and frisk once and for all.”

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, - “Today’s ruling, which subject’s the NYPD’s practice of ‘stop & frisk’ to the scrutiny of a court-appointed monitor, is a welcome step in the right direction towards meaningful reform of this important, yet often abused, police tactic. ‘Stop & frisk’ can be an effective tool in reducing crime, but not in its current form—which more often than not violates the Constitutional rights of those stopped, which is overwhelmingly young men of color.

 “The opinion makes it clear that significant improvements need to be made in officer training and supervision.  This is an important opportunity for growth and improvement in how policing is done.  Many other cities and municipalities look toward the NYPD as the model to emulate.  We as a City can no longer defend these policies. 

 “We want safer streets, and we want to work with the police to make that happen. But that must be done in a way that is respectful of the communities the NYPD serves. Our relationship with the police must be based on trust, and not confrontation. I will work with the next mayor and his police commissioner to ensure that ‘stop, question & frisk’ is used in a more reasonably focused, precise, and Constitutionally appropriate manner,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

State Senator Adriano Espaillat - “Today’s federal court ruling validates the basic truth that members of the African-American and Latino community have long known: that stop-and-frisk policing tactics have violated the rights of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, and aggressively targeted young people who have done nothing wrong.

 This practice has not made our communities safer, and it has instilled bitter resentment in the victims of this policy. It has repeatedly strained relationships between law enforcement and minority communities, and has impeded the cooperation that is critical for ensuring our neighborhoods' safety.

 The appointment of a federal monitor to oversee necessary changes is a welcome next step for our city, but it is little comfort to the young people that have already felt the shame of being stopped and frisked in public and made to feel like criminals. Federal oversight will help restore basic freedoms to my constituents in Upper Manhattan, the Bronx, and throughout the city. But our city and state government must take ownership of this civil liberties abuse, and enact legislative changes without relying on Washington.”

Community Board #4 Objects to Strip Club Ad

In a letter to OTR Media owner of the billboard in the photo near Yankee Stadium Bronx Community Board #4 has asked that this advertisement for Scores be taken down. The owner of Scores has been a rather large contributor to 11th City Council candidate Cliff Stanton. Stanton's paid political consultant Anthony Rivieccio has sent out "Vote for Cliff-he'll bring the girls to make us stiff"! Below is the letter from CB 4.

August 12, 2013

OTR MEDIA GROUP, Inc.

40 Fulton Street, 6th Floor

New York, New York 10038

To whom it may concern:

As District Manager of Community Board Four I write to inform you that we have received several complaints regarding the choice of advertisement currently displayed above 103-107 East 161st Street.  While we respect your right to contract and post advertisements, we feel this particular ad is simply not appropriate for the area and not the image that we have fought hard to change.

We pride ourselves as the Capital District of the Bronx. Our district is a great place to visit, work and live.  We are the host community to the world renown, Yankee Stadium, The New Gateway Center at the old Bronx Terminal Market, the Bronx Museum of the Arts and many Art Deco buildings along the Grand Concourse Historic District.  We just recently developed and renovated recreational facilities, such as, tennis courts, a state of the art track & field and a new water front park.  We are the administrative center of the County, housing the offices of the Borough President, The District Attorney, the Courts and the County Clerk.  

We are a community of contrasts. Sleek silhouettes of art-deco buildings are a short stroll away from lovely small homes. Acre for acre we have more parks throughout our two square miles than any other district and as such we have experienced a commercial, residential and economic revival, nearly 200,000 thousand residents celebrate our resurgence, and welcome new cultures, languages, hopes and dreams of the many new Americans making this district their home, from around the globe.  We celebrate their distinct and varied positive contributions.

While the ad itself is not overtly suggestive, we believe this to be an issue of image and mindset not morality.  It is our hope that you understand and so we respectfully ask that you remove said advertisement and place one that does not directly contradict the change and changes we have for the area.  

Sincerely

Jose Rodriguez

District Manger

cc:    Kathleen Saunders, Board Chair

    Ruben Diaz, Jr. Bronx Borough President