Manhole Covers Fly - Fire in one Manhole on West 256th Street

   Monday evening this was the scene at Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street. Fire engines were blocking access to West 256th Street and firemen were pouring water into one manhole which had been on fire after what neighbors said sounded like an explosion. further up West 256th Street another Manhole cover was off and resting near the open manhole as it also blew up, but there was no fire at this site. Firemen and Con Edison crews were seen to be checking other manhole covers for several blocks in the area. The exact reason for the explosion was not known, but one could smell an arid odor of sulfur near the manhole which was on fire. 

Above - Smoke can be seen coming from this open manhole on West 256th Street.

Below - Firemen send water into the manhole to put out the fire.

Above - At the corner of Netherland Avenue and West 256th Street a second manhole flew up into the air, but there was no fire at this site.

Below - Firemen and Con Edison workers check other manholes in the area for any damage. 

Join Mayor DeBlasio For Bronx Fundraiser Monday July 11th

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Election Day Hotline To Ensure Access For Voters During The June Primary

Attorney General’s Hotline Troubleshoots A Range of Election Day Issues

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that his office has created a Hotline to help troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues and barriers encountered by voters at the polls for the primary on Tuesday, June 28.  The Attorney General urges voters experiencing problems or issues at the polls to call the office’s hotline at 800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov at any time on Tuesday between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. The hotline will be staffed by attorneys and staff in the office's Civil Rights Bureau.  

“My office is deeply committed to ensuring that all eligible voters have the ability to cast an effective ballot on Election Day,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “I urge all New Yorkers to immediately contact my office if they face any barriers at the polls. We will investigate and follow up on any complaints regarding any alleged improprieties at the voting booth.”

New Yorkers should be aware that not all counties in the state are hosting a contested primary. To determine if your polling place will be open, contact your county Board of Elections here.  

In New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Orange and Putnam where contested elections will occur, primary polls open at 6 AM and close at 9 PM.

In all other counties with contested elections, polls open at 12 noon and close at 9 PM.

The Attorney General’s Office has operated the Hotline since November 2012.  During previous efforts the office fielded hundreds of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to promptly address issues encountered by voters at the polls. The Election Day hotline is part of Attorney General Schneiderman's ongoing statewide initiative to ensure that voters do not encounter language barriers on Election Day. 

During the April 19^th Presidential Primary, the Attorney General’s office received over 1,000 complaints about voter irregularities at the polls. In response, the office announced an investigation into alleged improprieties in primary voting by the New York City Board of Elections. On Thursday, June 23^rd, the office sent a letter asking NYC BOE to implement the legally required affidavit ballot process and remind poll workers of the correct practices for the primary on Tuesday. A similar letter was sent to all other county Board of Elections where a contested primary is occurring on Tuesday.

In addition, the Attorney General's Office will focus on barriers impacting voters with disabilities, voter intimidation reports, and other issues faced by minority voters. Registered voters have the right to accessible elections.  This means that voters with disabilities or language access issues have the right to request assistance from any person of their choice.  In addition, all registered voters have the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person.

The office will receive and respond to election-related complaints relating to any of the statutes that the office enforces.

New Yorkers should be aware that New York has a closed primary system. In order to vote in a party’s primary election, a voter must be affiliated with that party. The deadline to register was June 3.

The Attorney General’s Election Day Hotline is being led by Assistant Attorneys General Ajay Saini and Diane Lucas, and Volunteer Assistant Attorney General Joseph Abboud of the Civil Rights Bureau, led by Bureau Chief Lourdes Rosado.  The Social Justice Division is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Alvin Bragg.

Bronx Council for Environmental Quality - Meetings on our Harbor Condition: July 12th and 13th

  

Dear Friend,

Happy Summer!

You are invited to join the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality and the New York - New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program Workshops on July 12 in the evening or July 13 during the day.  Please follow the links below to register or rsvp to either one.

What would you like to see in your waterfront area? What are you waterfront concerns? 

Describe how your neighborhood accesses your waterfront? What is your major concern? Explain your choice:  Water Quality, Habitat Restoration, Public Access, Sediment and Ports, or Public Education.  Please come and tell us what is important to you.

Below you can find information on each workshop.

Karen and Dart

Tuesday's Evening Meeting - At Owen Dolan Recreation Center  

The Bronx Council for Environmental Quality’s East Bronx Coastal Working Group and the New York City Parks Department invite the public to attend a workshop and conversation with NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program, and invited speakers from the Long Island Sound Study, the NYC Parks Department Natural Areas Conservancy at the

Owen Dolen Recreation Center
1398 Lane Ave, Bronx, NY 10461 at 

E. Tremont and Westchester Avenues

Directions via Google Maps

Mass Transit: Exit IRT #6 at Westchester Sq/E. Tremont Exit

Bus: Exit Bx 31

Car: East Tremont at Lane and Westchester Avenues

Tuesday, July 12th @ 6:30pm-8:30pm
BCEQ’s East Bronx Costal Working Group meeting

Wednesday's Daytime Meeting - Manhattan College Kelly Student Commons

The Bronx Council for Environmental Quality and Manhattan College Department of Environmental Studies invite the public to attend a workshop and conversation about the Harlem and Hudson Rivers with the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program at the

Manhattan College Raymond Kelly Student Commons
4th floor rooms A & B
3830 Waldo Avenue, Bronx 10463 at Manhattan College Parkway & W 240th Street

Directions via Google Maps

Mass Transit: Exit IRT #1 at 238th Street

Bus: Exit Bx 9 at West 238th Street under #1 Train.

Car: 240th Street, Waldo Avenue and Manhattan College Parkway

Wednesday, July 13th @12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Bronx Council for Environmental Quality meeting

Link to our website For registration and flyers

Our Next KRVC Festival

News From Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman

Taking Down SAFE Act Violators

Attorney General Schneiderman and NYSP Superintendent George Beach charged three men on multiple weapons counts for illegally selling over 100 assault rifles. Each assault weapon is banned in New York under the 2013 Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (SAFE Act). These charges are the result of a two-year investigation into the illegal sales of assault weapons in Western New York, and they are the largest enforcement action against violations of SAFE Act-related provisions. 

Protecting Workers’ Rights in the Job Market

The Attorney General continued his efforts to enforce violations of non-compete agreements, which are not permitted by New York law. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches agreed to stop including non-compete agreements in their hiring packets as well as inform its franchises that non-compete agreements are unlawful and should be voided.

Combating Housing Discrimination

The Attorney General reached settlements with two real estate brokerage firms for unlawful housing discrimination. Through undercover testing, his office found that both firms were denying housing to prospective tenants with Living in Communities III rental assistance vouchers. Living in Communities (LINC) III, are government vouchers intended to assist homeless victims of domestic violence in securing safe housing. 

Disappointing Inaction on Immigration

The The Attorney General issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on President Obama’s executive action on immigration:

"I am extremely disappointed that the Supreme Court declined to overrule the lower court's misguided preliminary injunction. President Obama’s executive actions, if allowed to go forward, would give millions of undocumented immigrants a measure of security, protecting them from deportation and allowing them to work legally and contribute fully to the country they call home.  Instead, they are now once again left in limbo. It’s important to recognize that President Obama was compelled to act in response to Congress’s repeated and inexcusable failure to meaningfully reform our nation’s immigration system. Instead of passing comprehensive immigration reform, many members of Congress continue fanning anti-immigrant flames, and in the process, fail immigrant communities and the nation at large. It is absolutely imperative that Congress finally end the gridlock and do its job by passing comprehensive immigration reform legislation as soon as possible. I urge all members of our nation’s immigrant community to stay strong. Today’s decision may be a setback, but we will continue fighting until all immigrants have the legal rights and economic opportunities they deserve.”

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. 

4th Annual Klein/Gjonaj International Music Festival

  The 4th Annual International State Senator Jeff Klein/Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj Music Festival was held yesterday in Loreto Park on Morris Park Avenue. As you will see in the photos below the music festival was a huge success as hundreds of people were in attendance.

Above - Just some of the performers pose with State Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

Below - Some of the young performers.

Above - Bollywood and Salsa was on the stage as Bharati S. Kemraj and Manuel Diana perform.

Below - That is a photo of Senator Klein smiling as everyone enjoyed the Belly Dancing on stage.

Above and Below - Of course Senator Klein and Assemblyman Gjonaj spoke, but they were brief letting the hundreds of people enjoy more of their International Music Festival.

Congressman Charlie Rangel Good-Bye/Birthday Celebration at Tracy Towers

  As the sun set at Tracy Towers there was a Good-bye/Birthday celebration for retiring Congressman Charlie Rangel. Assemblyman Keith Wright (who Congressman Rangel has endorsed), Deputy Bronx BP Aurelia Greene, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, Jean Hill President of the Tracy Towers Tenant Association, and over 200 others which included several District Leaders from the congressional district were on hand to help Congressman Rangel celebrate his retirement and a belated birthday.

Above - Several elected and Democratic Party officials join with Congressman Rangel and District Leader Marcos Sierra who each hold one of the two cakes for the party.

Below - Tracy Towers Tenant Association President Jean Hill and Ms. Dolores Edwards received Volunteer Service Awards from Congressman Rangel and Assemblyman Keith Wright.

Above - Bronx Deputy BP Aurelia Greene with Congressman Rangel.

Below - Young Bronx Democrats Councilwoman with 83rd A.D. District Leader (and candidate for the 36th State Senate) Jamal Bailey, and 78th A.D. State Committeeman Kenny Agosto.

Above - Assemblyman Keith Wright who is the choice of Congressman rangel for the13th Congressional District greets some of the voters at the party.

Below - Even though his Assemblyman Jose Rivera has endorsed another candidate in the 13th Congressional race, 78th A.D. State Committeeman Kenny Agosto points to his choice to replace Charlie Rangel.