Upcoming Bronx Chamber of Commerce Events

Friendly Reminder 

Spring is finally here ! 

 The Bronx Chamber of Commerce would like to invite you to our upcoming events: 

Thursday, April 30th 

Join us for a great way to end the month with

a Complimentary Networking Event hosted by

 NorthEast Community Bank

 at the  

The Bronx Beer Hall from 5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.

Looking forward to seeing you there please 

RSVP with events@bronxchamber.org

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This Weekend 

Saturday, May 2nd  

37th Annual Roscoe C. Brown Jr. Hall of Fame 10K - 5K Runs and 2 Mile Walk 

Hosted by Bronx Community College 

To register click below: 

http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/Run-the-Bronx/#degTop 

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Next Week 

Monday, May 4th 

Attend the swearing in ceremony of the board members of the Chamber and the unveiling of the centennial plaque with a refreshing morning of networking at 12 Noon 

Located at Bronx County Building - Rotunda

851 Grand Concourse

Bronx, New York 10451

 Call 718-828-3900 or go onto our website www.bronxchamber.org for more

 information

Buffalo Wild Wings Opens in New BJ's Mall in Kingsbridge

Above - You can see that every seat in the new Buffalo Wild Wings which Opened Monday April 17th in the BJ's Mall located at West 237th Street and Broadway (in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx) is a sports fans fantasy, and the food is delicious as it is made to your order. 

Below - Is the bar area where more sports action can be seen (there are about 75 televisions large screen and giant sized as in the two photos all around the huge restaurant). You can order one of 14 Domestic, 12 imported, or 18 specialty crafted beers or brews. There are also dozens of assorted liquor drinks available, and be warned that you will see the sign that you must be over 21 to drink and your ID will be carefully checked according to the restaurant management. 

Above - More televisions, as you can see the Hockey and Basketball playoffs as well as baseball games were being shown. 

Below - Just a sample of the sports memorabilia on display throughout the restaurant. 

Above and Below are the menu items. You can see the 23 types of different sauces that you can get for your Buffalo Wild Wings, from Smilin', to Sizzlin', to Screaming flavors. Also on the menu are Burgers, Wraps, Salads, Kids Meals, side orders, drinks - Beer, Liquor, and soda, the available deserts, and the story of how Buffalo Wild Wings came about.

Above - No the #82 on the t-shirts is not for former Pittsburgh Steeler Hall of Fame Wide Receiver John Stallworth (the 82nd pick in the 1974 draft, who wore the number 82 as I thought), but for the year 1982 when Buffalo Wild Wings opened its first restaurant. 
Below - A Basketball game is available to play.

Overall my experience at Buffalo Wild Wings gets a 94 rating. Why 94 you may ask, well it was the first day, the food was excellent, the service was good, but I did see management strategically placed to help the staff with any problems that did come up. There were plenty of seats available, and in talking to the manager it was hoped that BJ's would have been open when Buffalo Wild Wings did, but business was good enough for a quiet grand opening. I was told that there are many special events that go on such as Traditional Tuesday Wing Night where the Traditional Wings go for 65 cents each, and on Thursday the same is for the Traditional Boneless Wings 65 Cents each also that night. It seems that for now there is going to be valet parking on the 2nd floor parking lot in front of Buffalo Wild Wings to prevent non shopping center parkers. Once Bj's opens there will be more parking as it was said there will be parking for 500 cars in all, and when business gets going at Buffalo Wild Wings all 500 spaces may be needed. 

This Kingsbridge Buffalo Wild Wings is a franchise store, and is the 16th store opened in the Metro area by the franchise based in White Plains. I was told however that while the franchise territory covers NYC, Long Island, Westchester County and lower Connecticut it does not include Staten Island or Suffolk County where there are Corporate stores. 

While many pay per view events are broadcast at Buffalo Wild Wings, due to the huge cost of the Championship Boxing match on Saturday May 2nd between Mayweather and Pacouiau there is going to be a $20.00 cover charge in the evening as is seen in the poster by the elevator.

New BJ's Opening Delayed Again Due to Water Problems

  The highly anticipated opening of the BJ's Wholesale Club in the new mall located at West 237th Street and Broadway will be delayed again until sometime in the summer. The reason for the added delay from the original Fall 2014 opening is now due to a lack of adequate water and/or sewer lines. The current water/sewer lines were adequate for the old Stella Doro Plant, but not now for the new Wholesale Club store. 

  In talking with Marlene Cintron the head of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation which had a major role in bringing BJ's to this site, and in the other new Broadway mall at West 230th Street, she said that the city is going to have to replace the water and/or sewer lines that lead in to BJ's from the Broadway mains to solve the current water backup problem plaguing the warehouse club store site. The other stores that are opening up on the other side of the mall are not effected. 

Assemblyman Dinowitz strongly backs plan to push back teacher evaluation system deadline to 2016

  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz offered his strong support for the Board of Regents’ directive to the state education department to push back the deadline for school districts to fully implement new teacher evaluations to Sept. 2016 instead of Nov. 15 of this year – ensuring that schools won’t have to worry about having their state funding put in jeopardy this year. He noted that making sure local schools have the funding they need to continue providing a quality education to students has been and remains a top priority, and school children shouldn’t have to suffer any consequences resulting from a deadline being missed.

“This is exactly why the Assembly Majority fought so hard during budget negotiations to put the teacher evaluation system into the hands of the Board of Regents,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “We made sure the budget language was crafted to give the Board of Regents significant flexibility in coming up with a new teacher evaluation system. The Assembly Majority also made sure that dedicated education experts who actually understand what goes on in the classroom were elected to the Board of Regents. We’re seeing the results of those wise decisions today.”

The Board of Regents will work to find a way to administratively extend the deadline for school districts to approve new teacher evaluation systems to Sept. 1, 2016. Assemblyman Dinowitz noted that the Regents have that authority and he supported the decision to push the deadline back. 

Under the original plan in the budget, the June 30, 2015, deadline would remain for the Regents to adopt regulations to decide issues such as how much weight to give state-based tests under the new evaluation system, but that giving districts more time to implement the new system would help them to design fair, effective teacher evaluations.

“The Legislature elects a Board of Regents for a reason: to ensure that qualified education experts are directing the education system in our state – not politics,” Assemblyman Dinowitz said. “Extending the deadline will relieve some of the unnecessary pressure to rush through new teacher evaluations. The Assembly Majority continues to stand with teachers to fight any unfair attacks against them, and will keep working to make our schools the best they can be so our children can succeed.”

Editor's Note:  We wonder if Assemblyman Dinowitz, who was a School Board 10 candidate on a slate with then School Board 10 candidate Roberto Ramirez had this thought when he was running for School Board 10. Also we wonder if Assemblyman Dinowitz is in favor of Assembly Education Chair Nolan's bill of changing the wording 'FAILING SCHOOL' to 'STRUGGLING SCHOOL'. 

BP DIAZ REACTS TO LATEST JOB NUMBERS

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is praising new job numbers from the New York State Department of Labor, which show even more improvement in the borough’s unemployment rate.

“As I have said in the past, what we are doing in The Bronx is working. Our efforts are bearing fruit. We are creating jobs, and we are making sure that Bronx residents are getting the jobs we are creating,” said Borough President Diaz.

Last week, the New York State Department of Labor released new unemployment figures for March 2015 which showed The Bronx unemployment rate at 8.9%, down from 9.8% in February 2015 and down from a peak of 13.9% in January 2010. The latest numbers show that Bronx County is no longer the county with the highest unemployment rate in New York State, as well.

The Department of Labor’s complete release can be found athttp://on.ny.gov/1KdpGil.

Since Borough President Diaz took office in 2009, The Bronx has seen more than $7 billion in total development, which has led to the creation of over 15,000 new jobs. In addition, a partnership created by Governor Andrew Cuomo in August between the New York State Department of Labor and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, as part of the “NY Works” program, is placing Bronx residents in these jobs, helping to ensure that new development here benefits everyone, especially Bronxites.

“We are making considerable progress in The Bronx, and this is very positive news. But there is more work that needs to be done. My office will continue to work with the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, our elected officials, business community, community boards, non-profits, and the 1.4 million people who call this borough their home to make The Bronx an even better place to live, work and raise a family. Great things are happening in The Bronx, and the best is yet to come,” added Borough President Diaz.

Chipotle Opens in Bj's Mall on Broiadway

  You can see that the inside of the new Chipotle Restaurant located in the BJ's Mall on Broadway is packed on opening day. I spoke to the manager who said business was better than expected, and he joked that he could be running out of a few items if this demand continues.  No photos were allowed inside the store, but i can tell you that there was plenty of help on hand to serve the customers just what they wanted. 

  If you look closely on the side of the police car, it is not from the 50th Pct. around the corner from the new Chipotle Restaurant on Broadway at West 237th Street, but from the 52nd Pct. located on Webster Avenue. There is a Chipotle Restaurant in the 52nd Pct. on Fordham Road that opened up last week, and I was told by an unnamed officer that Chipotle is even busier than this new one. Tomorrow at 11 AM  the new Buffalo Wild Wings on the second floor of this mall will be opening. 

Above - As for the new BJ's no opening date has been announced, but that there is to be a job fair soon between the BOEDC and BJ's. 

Below - the CLOSED KEEP OUT sign on the door tells it all, as delays have pushed back the BJ's opening close to one year. 

MAY 2015 COMMUNITY BOARD 8 and COMMITTEE CALENDARS

BOARD MEETING CB 8

WHEN: Tuesday, May 12, 2015, 7:30 PM

LOCATION: Manhattan College, School of Engineering, 3825 Corlear Avenue, Fischbach Room, 4th  Floor

PUBLIC GALLERY SESSION: Each month the General Board meeting begins with a Public Gallery Session. If you wish to address the Board, please contact the office at 718-884-3959. Please note there is a limit of five speakers.

Speakers have 3 minutes each.

COMMUNITY BOARD 8 COMMITTEE CALENDARS

For updates on schedule and locations, visit us on the web at: www.nyc.gov/bronxcb8

o Aging: 3:30PM, Tuesday, May 19th,  Riverdale Senior Center, 2600 Netherland Avenue

o Economic Development: No meeting this month

o Education: 7:30PM, Tuesday, May 26th, Board office, 5676 Riverdale Avenue, Suite 100

o Environment & Sanitation: 7:30PM, Wednesday, May 20th, Location to be determined

o Executive Committee: 7:30PM, Wednesday, May 6th, Schervier Apartments, 2975 Independence Avenue

o Health, Hospitals & Social Services – Public Hearing and Committee meeting: 7:00PM (please note earlier start), Monday, May 18th, , Park Gardens Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, 6585 Broadway, between West 260 - 261st Streets

o Housing: 7:30PM, Wednesday, May 13th, Water of Life Church, 168 West 225th Street,
(Please note day of meeting)

o Land Use – No meeting this month

o Law, Rules & Ethics: 7:00PM, Thursday, May 21st, , Riverdale Mental Health, 5676 Riverdale Avenue, 2nd floor conference room

o Libraries & Cultural Affairs: No meeting

o Nominating Committee: All meetings begin 6:00PM, May 5, 6, 13, 18, Board office, 5676 Riverdale Avenue,

o Parks & Recreation: 7:00PM, Wednesday, May 27th, Schervier Apartments, 2975 Independence Avenue

o Public Safety: 7:00PM, Thursday, May 21st, 50th Precinct, 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue

o Special Committee for the Greenway : No meeting this month

o Traffic & Transportation: 7:30PM, Tuesday, May 19th, Manhattan College, 3825 Corlear Avenue, Fischbach Room, 4th floor

o Youth – No Meeting this month

The June Bronx Community Board No. 8 meeting is Tuesday, June 9th, location Wave Hill, Armor Hall, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, 7:30PM.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

o Bronx Week – May 7-17

Bronx Week is an annual festival in our borough with many activities over an 11 day period. This year there will be a film festival, neighborhood tours, Bronx Ball, parade, and a food and arts festival.

Click here for a list of  events http://www.ilovethebronx.com/.

Medicaid Audits Find More Than $500 Million in Waste

Dinapoli Report Urges Increased Oversight With Transition to Managed Care

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s audits identified a total of $513 million in improper Medicaid payments and untapped revenue opportunities over a four-year period, according to a report released today. Auditors identified another $361 million in questionable transactions that will require further review and actions to prevent overpayments or recover costs.

“Medicaid is a vitally important program, insuring nearly 6.4 million New Yorkers and enabling them to access health care that would otherwise be unaffordable,” DiNapoli said. “But New York’s Medicaid program costs billions of dollars annually and the work done by my auditors has found waste throughout the system. My office will continue to diligently examine Medicaid payments to make sure healthcare dollars are being spent appropriately and taxpayer dollars are not squandered.”

The state expects to transition the majority of Medicaid spending, services, and enrollees to managed care by 2016, but recent audits by DiNapoli’s office highlight the need for more effective oversight of managed care organizations (MCOs). The report notes it is essential for DiNapoli’s auditors to have ready access to the MCOs’ financial and program data in order to perform its mandated financial oversight functions.

In state fiscal year 2015-2016, the Division of the Budget projects Medicaid expenditures will reach $62 billion in federal, state and local funding. State funding alone for the Medicaid program is projected to account for $22.4 billion.

While the Department of Health (DOH) administers the state’s Medicaid program, DiNapoli’s office plays an independent role in ensuring the Medicaid program’s integrity through auditing along with the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG). The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) investigates and prosecutes individuals and companies responsible for improper or fraudulent billing schemes at the state level, and county District Attorneys perform the same functions at the county level.

From January 2011 through February 2015, DiNapoli’s office released 73 audit reports highlighting recurring deficiencies in eMedNY, the computer system that processes Medicaid claims.

Flaws and inadequate system controls in eMedNY caused at least $190 million of the improper payments. Audits found that DOH was often slow to modify eMedNY, at times taking as long as three years to resolve issues raised by DiNapoli’s auditors.

Over the period, DOH failed to collect more than $170 million in drug rebates and discounts and made $169 million in improper payments for services provided to enrollees covered by both Medicare and Medicaid.

Overpayments also resulted from:

• eMedNY’s failure to deduct patient cost-sharing amounts from nursing-home payments ($47 million);
• Duplicate payments by managed care organizations (MCOs) and fee-for-service Medicaid ($18 million); and
• The issuance of multiple client identification numbers ($17 million).

Significant recoveries that resulted from DiNapoli’s audits included nearly $82 million from dual-eligible claims; $48 million from audits of cost-sharing funds in nursing homes and other errors on nursing-home claims and nearly $13 million from dental claims.

The Comptroller recommends that New York take the following actions to enhance the state’s financial oversight of MCOs in Medicaid:

• Set standards to ensure that MCOs detect, prevent, and correct errors in provider payments;
• Strengthen standards for MCOs regarding provider credentialing, review and verification, and timely reporting of this information to the state;
• Implement previously issued audit recommendations, which address processing of MCO claims, in the new Medicaid Administrative Services system;
• Strengthen the enforcement of timeliness and quality standards as well as provider identification requirements for encounter data from MCOs; and
• Apply financial penalties when MCOs do not comply with DOH requirements.

See the complete report: Ensuring Integrity in New York State Medicaid.