Memorial Day Services at the Rudy Macina Peace Memorial Plaza

The Rudy Macina Memorial Peace Plaza at the corner of Williamsbridge Road and Pelham Parkway came alive for a wonderful Memorial day ceremony. As you can see in the photo above there are monuments to soldiers who fought in World War 1, World War 11, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. The photos should tell the story.

Above - Silvo as his friends call him, was the master of ceremonies for this memorial day celebration at the Rudy Macina Peace Plaza. elected officials, veterans, their families, and friends made up the over 100 people in attendance.

Below - State Senator Jeff Klein talks about the disservice that veterans are getting as the government tries to cut back on veteran benefits. 

Above - Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj explains that he is proud to be an American Albanian.

Below - The laying of the wreath on the monument. 

Above - The firing of the ceremonial gun, by the Theodore Korony American Legion Post 253.

Below - The bugler finishes playing taps in the background as the ceremony comes to an end for this year. 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Endorses Jamaal Bailey for New York State Senate

  

    Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. endorsed Jamaal T. Bailey for the 36^th Senatorial District. Borough President Diaz has worked with Jamaal in several capacities over the years. In 2015, Borough President Diaz awarded him the Inaugural Jonathan Hicks Memorial Award.

“Jamaal Bailey is a hardworking, dedicated young man who will be a wonderful addition to our borough's delegation in Albany and a strong member of an amazing team of Bronx elected officials. Jamaal understands the needs of the 36th State Senate District and the needs of our borough, and he will be a strong fighter in Albany for us on the issues that matter the most--economic development, job creation, healthcare, education and more. I am proud to support Jamaal Bailey's candidacy, and I urge all Democrats to show him their support and vote for him on September 13," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

“I’m honored to accept the endorsement of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.  His dedication to the revitalization of the Bronx has served as an inspiration and it’s a privilege to garner his support in my effort to represent the constituents in the 36^th Senatorial district,” said Jamaal Bailey. “I look forward to working with Borough President Diaz to continue to uplift the residents of the Bronx.”

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joins the prominent list of Bronx elected officials supporting Jamaal Bailey, including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Bronx Democratic County Chair, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The 36th State Senate seat is currently held by State Senator Ruth Hassel-Thompson who will be leaving to join the Cuomo administration in July. Since there is no incumbent the Bronx Democratic County organization is free to endorse any candidate in the race, as all incumbents this year are being endorsed by the county organization. 

Perillo Tours and Bronx Chamber of Commerce presents Six-Day Trip to Cuba: Sept 21-26

Perillo Tours, in partnership with The Bronx Chamber of Commerce, presents A Trip to Cuba Experience Havana, Cuba on a 6-day trip with Perillo Toursfrom September 21 - 26, 2016 TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE MAY 31st EARLY BIRD SPECIAL to receive $100 off per person!

News From Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman

Holding Domino’s Accountable For Mistreating Its Workers

The Attorney General announced a lawsuit against Domino’s Pizza, Inc., and three franchisees for allegedly underpaying workers over $565,000 at ten stores in New York. This is the first case the Attorney General has alleged that a fast food corporation is liable as a joint employer for labor violations at its franchise stores. The lawsuit revealed that Domino’s allegedly urged franchisees to use payroll reports from a computer system called “PULSE” that under-calculated gross wages. His office’s investigation found that the company also knowingly caused many store operation violations and pushed an anti-union position on franchisees. 

Expanding Mortgage Assistance Efforts for Homeowners

 

The Attorney General announced a $100 million expansion of foreclosure prevention efforts to help New York families avoid foreclosures and remain in their homes. The expansion is expected to help over 3,000 families across the state and could preserve $875 million in property value through no-interest loans that will help New Yorkers pay off their mortgage. 

Receiving a Fair Shot to New York Housing

Three settlement agreements were announced with real estate brokerage firms that conducted unlawful housing discrimination against potential applicants with Section 8 housing vouchers. The Attorney General’s office conducted an investigation which found that all three companies violated local law by discriminating on the basis of source of income. Operating in New York City, Nassau County, and Westchester County, the three firms agreed to reforms including developing new non-discriminatory policies and forwarding any complaints about housing discrimination to the Attorney General’s office. 

Have a question, comment, or complaint? Click here. You can also learn more about the various initiatives of the Attorney General's office by visiting our website atag.ny.gov. You can also call our General Hotline: 800-771-7755. 

Mayoral Succession City Charter Sections S9 and S10

     § 9. Removal of mayor. The mayor may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defense. Pending the preparation and disposition of charges, the governor may suspend the mayor for a period not exceeding thirty days. § 10. Succession. a. In case of the suspension of the mayor from office, the mayor's temporary inability to discharge the powers and duties of the office of mayor by reason of sickness or otherwise, or the 3 mayor's absence from the city, the powers and duties of the office of mayor shall devolve upon the public advocate or the comptroller in that order of succession until the suspension, inability or absence shall cease. While so acting temporarily as mayor neither the public advocate nor the comptroller shall exercise any power of appointment to or removal from office or any power lawfully delegated by the mayor to a deputy mayor before the commencement of such suspension or inability, or before or after the commencement of such absence; and shall not, until such suspension, inability or absence shall have continued nine days, sign, approve or disapprove any local law or resolution, unless the period during which the mayor can act thereon would expire during said nine days in which case the public advocate or the comptroller shall have the power to disapprove the same within forty-eight hours before the time to act expires. b. In the case of a failure of a person elected as mayor to qualify, or a vacancy in the office caused by the mayor's resignation, removal, death or permanent inability to discharge the powers and duties of the office of mayor, such powers and duties shall devolve upon the public advocate, the comptroller or a person selected pursuant to subdivision c of section twenty-eight, in that order of succession, until a new mayor shall be elected as provided herein. Upon the commencement of the term of the person first elected mayor pursuant to the provisions of subdivision c of this section, the person then acting as mayor pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision, if an elected official, shall complete the term of the office to which such person was elected if any remains. c. 1. Within three days of the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of the mayor, the person acting as mayor shall proclaim the date for the election or elections required by this subdivision, provide notice of such proclamation to the city clerk and the board of elections and publish notice thereof in the City Record. After the proclamation of the date for an election to be held pursuant to paragraphs four or five of this subdivision, the city clerk shall publish notice thereof not less than twice in each week preceding the date of such election in newspapers distributed within the city, and the board of elections shall mail notice of such election to all registered voters within the city. 2. If a vacancy occurs during the first three years of the term, a general election to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term shall be held in the year in which the vacancy occurs, unless the vacancy occurs after the last day on which an occuring vacancy may be filled at the general election in that same year with party nominations of candidates for such election being made at a primary election, as provided in section 6-116 of the election law. If such a vacancy occurs in any year after such last day, it shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at the general election in the following year provided, however, that no general election to fill a vacancy shall be held in the last year of the term, except as provided in paragraph nine of this subdivision. Party nominations of candidates for a general election to fill a vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term shall be made at a primary election, except as provided in paragraph five of this subdivision. 3. If a special or general election to fill the vacancy on an interim basis has not been previously held pursuant to paragraphs four, six, seven and eight of this subdivision, the person elected to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term at a general election shall take office immediately upon qualification and shall serve until 4 the term expires. If a special or general election to fill the vacancy on an interim basis has been previously held, the person elected to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term at a general election shall take office on January first of the year following such general election and shall serve until the term expires. 4. If a vacancy occurs during the first three years of the term and on or before the last day in the third year of the term on which an occurring vacancy may be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at a general election with party nominations of candidates for such election being made at a primary election, as provided in section 6-116 of the election law, a special or general election to fill the vacancy on an interim basis shall be held, unless the vacancy occurs less than ninety days before the next primary election at which party nominations for a general election to fill the vacancy may be made and on or before the last day on which an occurring vacancy may be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at the general election in the same year in which the vacancy occurs with party nominations of candidates for such election being made at a primary election, as provided in section 6-116 of the election law. 5. If a vacancy occurs after the last day in the third year of the term on which an occurring vacancy may be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at a general election in each year with party nominations of candidates for such election are being made at a primary election, as provided in section 6-116 of the election law, but not less than ninety days before the date of the primary election in the fourth year of such term, a special or general election to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term shall be held. 6. Elections held pursuant to paragraph four or five of this subdivision shall be scheduled in the following manner: a special election to fill the vacancy shall be held on the first Tuesday at least sixty days after the occurrence of the vacancy, provided that the person acting as mayor, in the proclamation required by paragraph one of this subdivision, may schedule such election for another day not more than ten days after such Tuesday and not less than forty days after such proclamation if the person acting as mayor determines that such rescheduling is necessary to facilitate maximum voter participation; except that (a) if the vacancy occurs before September twentieth in any year and the first Tuesday at least sixty days after the occurrence of the vacancy is less than ninety days before a regularly scheduled general election or between a primary and a general election, the vacancy shall be filled at such general election; and (b) if the vacancy occurs before September twentieth in any year and the first Tuesday at least sixty days after the occurrence of the vacancy is after a regularly scheduled general election, the vacancy shall be filled at such general election; and (c) if the vacancy occurs on or after September twentieth in any year and the first Tuesday at least sixty days after the occurrence of the vacancy is after, but less than thirty days after, a regularly scheduled general election, the vacancy shall be filled at a special election to be held on the first Tuesday in December in such year. 7. All nominations for elections to fill vacancies held pursuant to paragraphs four and five of this subdivision shall be by independent nominating petition. A signature on an independent nominating petition made earlier than the date of the proclamation required by paragraph one of this subdivision shall not be counted. 

Overdevelopment, an Example - 640 West 238th Street

   The problem with overdevelopment is that the open green spaces where there was once grass are covered over by cement, and the once beautiful shade trees are cut down by developers who want to build on every inch of the property which they have purchased. That one family home on a decent sized lot is torn down to build an apartment building such as the proposed eight story building for the address of 640 West 238th Street where a one family home once stood. This eight story apartment building will be built to the property line leaving a cement sidewalk as the only space in front of the building where a grass yard once was. As for the apartment building on the Independence Avenue side (the Bonnie House) the A line of that building was built to the property line, which means the windows that once overlooked a one family house will now be smack up against a cement wall. Don't worry the developer of 640 West 238th Street is going to brick up those windows so it will seem as though they never existed. Air conditioners will have to be removed, and there will be no ventilation from the east side anymore. Since the Bonnie house is a coop building the apartments mostly has dropped in value, especially the value of the apartments in the A line of the building. As for being a good neighbor the photos below will show just how little respect the developer of 640 West 238th Street has for the community, as the heavy, large demolition and construction vehicles have ruined the street, with no regard for the island in the middle of the block, placed construction equipment on sidewalks around the corner, blocked the one fire hydrant at the Independence Avenue side of West 238th Street, and how the trucks run up onto the sidewalk or island in the middle because they were just to large for the construction area. While I do not have a photo of a construction truck hitting the fire hydrant there are cracks in the sidewalk, and you can see just how careful workers were after I noticed the cracks. Oh by the way did I forget to say that the developer told the community board that all vehicles would load/unload on site, and that there would be flagmen at both sides when trucks arrived or left the site, see if you can spot them in the photos. 

Above - This driver has the gall to pose on his truck as it sits at the edge of the island that he just went onto.

Below - After my complaints that construction trucks were going onto the island this orange fencing was put up by the developer, but apparently to no avail as you can see its conditionand where this truck is.

Above - Notice this piece of heavy equipment with its large metal cleats.

Below - Notice what those metal cleats and weight of the equipment did to the street and patch after other heavy equipment tore up the street.

Above - A piece of heavy equipment (a back hoe) sits on West 238th Street in front of the fire hydrant.

Below - Another piece of equipment sits by the hydrant, blocking fire department access if there was an emergency. Notice the cracks in the sidewalk around the hydrant.

Above - A smaller piece of construction sits partly on the side walk around the corner on Independence Avenue.

Below This truck comes nowhere near fitting into the construction site, and where are the flag people?

Above - One dump truck sits in front of the hydrant while anothe loads dirt from the site. Flagman anywhere? You can also see some of the windows of the bonnie house that will be bricked over so the view is not of a brick wall.

Below - A truck blocks the entrance to West 238th Street as another is on site, and a flatbed truck is double parked across from it on Independence Avenue to take away the piece of equipment which was partially parked on the sidewalk. Mind you this is right before dismissal of the two schools one block away.

Above and Below - This oversized truck has to go onto the sidewalk of the wrong side of the island narrowly missing the light pole as a child nears. I don't see anyone guiding this truck which is picking up a piece of heavy equipment.

Above - A close up of just how close this truck came to knocking down the light pole.

Below - The heavy piece of construction equipment has to be loaded around the corner on Blackstone Avenue. You can see that this piece of heavy construction equipment is to big for the trailer, and it is a good thing that it did not fall off. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz who lives just to the left was not home, while this was going on.

Above - A hose was connected to the fire hydrant to clean out the cement trucks that dropped their load for the foundation.

Below - If I didn't complain this is how the street would have been left.

Speaking of the cement poured for the foundation -Why was this 'STOP WORK ORDER' posted for 640 West 238th Street the Monday after a New York City Buildings Department worker took samples of the cement used for the foundation the previous Friday? 

Senator Jeff Klein to Hosts Senior Citizen Prom at Hebrew Home of Riverdale Riverwalk

State Senator Jeff Klein, in partnership with Hebrew Home at Riverdale Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt Parkway, hosted Riverdale’s first-ever Senior Citizen Prom yesterday.

Senior citizens throughout Riverdale enjoyed a “New York, New York”-themed senior prom. There was live music, delicious food, and even dancing by most of the attendees.

Above - State Senator Jeff Klein (left), and Mr. Dan Reingold President and CEO of the Hebrew Home of Riverdale (right) welcomed everyone to the first Senior Prom at the Hebrew Home of Riverdale. 

Below - Senator Klein draws the name of the king of the Senior Prom, after Mr. Drew the name of the Queen of the Senior Prom.

Above - The King Richard Prendergast with Senator Klein, and the Queen Carmel Sullivan with Hebrew Home CEO Dan Reingold. The first dance was to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York".

Below - It did not take long for the joint to begin jumping.

While I could not get a good photo of Senator Klein dancing, Here is one of Hebrew Home CEO Dan Reingold.

Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Host 4th Annual Bronx Day in Albany

Pictured above - Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Borough President Ruben Diaz, State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, along with the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, The Bronx Tourism Council, and Bronx Chamber of Commerce hosted the 4th Annual Bronx Day on Tuesday at The Egg - The Hart Theater Lounge, Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York.

“Bronx Day is a great opportunity to showcase the culture, businesses, and outstanding organizations that make The Bronx such a unique and wonderful part of New York. This is a chance to bring a small taste of The Bronx up to our Capitol in Albany. I am happy to co-sponsor this event with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., as we celebrate our borough and its rich cultural fabric,” said State Senator Jeff Klein.

“Great things are happening in The Bronx, and ‘Bronx Day’ is a wonderful way to highlight our achievements to the New York State Legislature. On Tuesday, we showcased the ‘Best of The Bronx’ with the participation of our businesses, restaurants and cultural institutions. I am proud to once again partner with Assembly Member Mark Gjonaj and State Senator Jeff Klein on this fantastic event,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

“I am very excited to be able to host Bronx Day in Albany once again! As usual, we bring the best of the Bronx to Albany to highlight the wonderful organizations, businesses, cuisines and entertainment that our borough is proud to exhibit,” said Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

The celebration commenced with a cannoli-tasting contest, won by the famous Artuso’s Bakery, and a raffle with a 2015 Jeep Renegade grand prize. After the luncheon, hundreds of attendees enjoyed an evening dinner, where they sampled Italian delicacies from Little Italy and Arthur Avenue restaurants, all while being serenaded by vocalist Elio Scaccio and the band the Jumpin’ Dragons.