The Grand Marshall of the 2017 Children’s Christian Parade will be the Widow of NYPD Chaplain Reverend Luis Serrano

What You Should Know 
By Senator Rev Rubén Díaz 
32^nd Senatorial District 

  You should know that the Grand Marshall of this year’s Christian Children’s Parade will be Reverend Abigail Serrano, the widow of New York City Police Department Chaplain, Reverend Luis Serrano.

It is important for you to know that for the past 61 years, the great majority of Christian Churches in the City of New York have participated in this traditional Parade.

The 2017 Children’s Christian Parade will take place on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at 12 noon, starting at East 97th Street and Third Avenue up to East 122nd Street.

The Reviewing Stand, where dignitaries and invited guests will be able to view Parade Floats, Performances of Church groups, and address the public, will be located at Third Avenue and East 116th Street.

All are welcome!

For more information, please contact the President of the Children’s Christian Parade, Reverend Andy Torres at (917) 204-3222, or the Parade Coordinator, Mr. William Sanabria at (917) 939-3233.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

Senator Klein Announces Funding for New Smart Boards at P.S. 83

Senator Klein Announces Funding for New Smart Boards at P.S. 83

The $50,000 grant will be used to outfit 10 classrooms with the interactive boards

Senator Jeff Klein announced $50,000 in state funding for P.S. 83, which will be used to outfit ten classrooms with the new interactive smart boards. Klein made the announcement last Friday inside the P.S. 83 library, joined by Principal Brandon Muccino and a group of 7th grade students.

“It’s imperative that our schools keep up with the latest in technology to ensure our students are given the best possible chance to succeed. These new smart boards will foster a better learning environment, and benefit not just our youngsters, but also the teachers tasked with guiding our children toward a better future,” said Senator Klein.  

“Just as blackboards and chalk were once a requirement of all classrooms, interactive boards are the new necessity. We are an information sharing society and we need to make sure our children are well prepared for it. Being able to plan lessons and display media in high definition are imperative to raise children of the 21st century. We thank the Senator for understanding this need and for providing us with the latest teaching tools available,” said P.S. 83 Principal Brandon Muccino.

The new displays are part of a larger project to replace all existing whiteboards throughout the Morris Park school. A portion of overall project has already been completed, enabling Senator Klein to see firsthand how the smart boards operate.    

13th City Council Candidate Survey Results

100 PERCENT 13th Council Race Extra

  Yesterday was the East Tremont Avenue Side walk Fair (in the Throggs Neck area), and a perfect place to do a survey of people on the 13th City Council race. Mr. John Marino who withdrew from the council race last week told me that after talking with his campaign consultants he realized that he could not win the September Democratic Primary. Mr. Marano had told me that the voter base in the Throggs Neck area (his stronghold) was not what it was thought to be, and that he did not want to be the deciding factor of taking votes away from a candidate who could of won the race. 

  Below is a survey of 63 people who were at the Sidewalk fair. 13 people said they did not want to take the survey, and 10 people who said they were not registered to vote in the 13th Council district. The remaining 40 people were happy to take my survey of the 13th City Council race. It should be noted that three candidate either were on hand or had a presence on the street, including two candidates who have their offices almost across the street from each other.

 Question # 1- Do you know who your current 13th district councilman is? - 

Results - 23 Yes (57.5%), 17 NO (42.5%).

 Question # 2 - Do you know that your current city council member is term-limited out of office this year?

Results - 29 YES (72.5%), 11 NO (27.5 %)

 Question # 3 - Do you know any of the candidates who are running in the September Democratic Primary?

Results - 22 Yes (55%), 18 NO (45%)

   Question # 4 - Do you have a preference for any candidate?

Results - John Doyle 3 (7,5%), Mark Gjonaj 8 (20%), Marjorie Vasquez 3 (7.5%), John Cerini 8 (20%), not voting 18 (45 %). 

Special notes:

There were 4 people who answered John Marano. When told he had withdrawn from the race and was supporting candidate Mark Gjonaj, 2 said they would vote for Gjonaj, and 2 said they were not voting, which is incorporated in the above results. No other names were given who may be candidates in this race. Mr. John Cerini is running on the Republican line, but has his business 'The Tax Man' on this area of East Tremont Avenue. 

  Question # 5 - What is your party affiliation?

Results - 19 Democratic (47.5%), 8 Republican (20%), 3 Independent (7.5%), and 10 (25%) who would not say. 

  I am inclined to agree with former candidate Mr. John Marano about his base. These few blocks of East Tremont Avenue have changed over the past 10 - 20 years. The Grand Union supermarket is now a CVS drug store, The Fine Fare supermarket has changed names at least three times, and many of the small Mom and Pop stores have been sold or changed into other stores. While the Post Office and McDonald's are still here, one thing I did notice was that there were no empty storefronts.

East Tremont Avenue Sidewalk Fair

 

  East Tremont Avenue in the Throggs Neck area was turned into a sidewalk festival yesterday as you can see by the photo above. Fine Fair Supermarket was the place to be to listen to a live DJ, have a free hot dog, and do many other fun things. It was also a day for candidates trying to replace term-limited Councilman Jimmy Vacca to meet residents of the area. The sidewalk fair stretched for several blocks on both sides of the street as you will see in more photos below.

Above - Even though you see the current fair listed on the fare box this bus was brought to be part of the street fair, and not to be on the route.

Below - The front view of what a bus looked like in the 1960's that ran on the streets of New York City.

Above and Below - Horses once again were on East Tremont Avenue as provided by City Council candidate and current 80th Assemblyman Mark Gionaj.

Above - Another candidate for the city council seat Mr. John Doyle had a table set up in front of his campaign headquarters. Across the street was the office of The Tax Man John Cerini another candidate in the city council race.

Below - The local Community on Patrol Neighborhood Watch Patrol was on hand to recruit new volunteers.

Member Of Bronx Gang Sentenced To 42 Years In Prison For Murder, Racketeering, And Drug Trafficking

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JAMES CAPERS, a/k/a “Mitch,” was sentenced to 42 years in prison for the murder of Allen McQueen and participating in racketeering and narcotics conspiracies, all in connection with a violent street gang known as the “Leland Avenue Crew,” which is based primarily in and around the New York City’s 43rdPrecinct in the Bronx, New York. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge William H. Pauley III, after CAPERS was convicted following a jury trial in December 2016.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Gangs do enormous damage to our communities through drug dealing and the violence that often accompanies it. Today, James Capers, a gang member who sold drugs and participated in that violence, was sentenced to 42 years in prison for the horrific murder of a rival gang member, whom Capers shot and killed while the victim was holding his one-year-old daughter. Our Office remains committed to eradicating senseless violence from our city streets.”

According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, as well as evidence presented at trial and statements made during the sentencing proceedings:

CAPERS was a member of the Leland Avenue Crew, which controlled the distribution of crack cocaine in and around Leland Avenue in the Bronx, New York. As a member of the Crew, CAPERS sold crack cocaine and marijuana, carried weapons, and committed robberies of unsuspecting members of the public. To protect its drug-selling turf, the Leland Avenue Crew engaged in a long-running dispute with members of a rival gang based two streets over on Taylor Avenue. This dispute resulted in multiple shootings, some of which were fatal. On or about July 7, 2015, in connection with the ongoing dispute between Leland and Taylor, CAPERS went looking for Allen McQueen, a rival gang member on Taylor Avenue. After finding McQueen, who was walking down the street holding his one-year-old daughter, CAPERS ran up behind McQueen and fired several shots, striking McQueen once and killing him.

Mr. Kim praised the extraordinary investigative work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their participation and support in this case.

DA VANCE ANNOUNCES TRIAL CONVICTION OF MAN FOR SHOOTING THREE PEOPLE ON PENN STATION SUBWAY LANDING, ONE FATALLY

Co-Defendant Previously Convicted and Sentenced to State Prison

  Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the trial conviction of FRANCISCO ALSINA, 25, for a fatal shooting inside of a subway station on the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 35th Street. A New York Supreme Court jury found the defendant guilty of the following counts against him: Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. He is expected to be sentenced on June 15, 2017.

On February 23, 2017, ALSINA’s co-defendant, VINCENT ARCONA, pleaded guilty in New York Supreme Court to Manslaughter in the First Degree for his role in the shooting. He was sentenced to 13 years in state prison on April 18, 2017.

“This office has zero tolerance for gun violence of any kind, and particularly where, as here, it happens in one of the busiest, most active parts of our city: the subway, on a Monday morning, right at the beginning of rush hour,” said District Attorney Vance. “This defendant murdered one victim, wounded two others, and put pedestrians and commuters in grave danger as he fired shots from an underground landing. I would like to thank my Office’s prosecutors and our partners in law enforcement for ensuring that he faces justice.”

As proven at trial, at approximately 6:12 a.m. on November 9, 2015, ALSINA and ARCONA were arguing with two men outside of a McDonald’s restaurant on Eighth Avenue near West 35th Street. As the men continued to argue, the defendants led the victims to a subway entrance on the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 35th Street, then downstairs to a landing leading to the subway station. ALSINA then removed the gun from his waistband and fired four shots, striking the first victim in the neck and stomach and the second victim—fatally—in the neck at close range. A third victim suffered a graze wound to his leg as he ran from the scene.

ALSINA and ARCONA fled to a car parked on the northeast corner of West 35th Street and 8th Avenue and traveled to ALSINA’s home on Long Island before fleeing to Rhode Island the following day. The two stayed with ALSINA’s relatives in the days following the incident until NYPD officials tracked his phone to the Rhode Island address. Both were apprehended on November 12. 

Assistant District Attorneys Jung Park and Ayanna Sorett handled the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Peter Casolaro, Senior Trial Counsel for Trial Bureau 70; Assistant District Attorney Lanita Hobbs, Chief of Trial Bureau 80; and Executive Assistant District Attorney John Irwin, Chief of the Trial Division. Supervising Rackets Investigator Mark Stewart and Trial Preparation Assistant Robert Laird also assisted with the prosecution of this case.

District Attorney Vance also thanked Detective John Peters of the Manhattan District Attorney Squad; Detective William Brower of NYPD’s Midtown South Precinct Detective Squad; Detective Joseph Barbara of NYPD’s Manhattan South Homicide Squad; and the Rhode Island State Police for their assistance with the case.

Defendant Information:

FRANCISCO ALSINA, D.O.B. 01/10/1992

Mastic, NY

Convicted:

•    Murder in the Second Degree, a class A felony, 1 count

•    Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, 1 count

•    Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, 1 count

•    Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 2 counts 

VINCENT ARCONA, D.O.B. 08/16/1988

Medford, NY

Convicted:

•    Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class B felony, 1 count

Sentenced:

•    13 years in state prison

Bronx Jewish Community Council - Breakfast for Champions 2017

This event serves as an important fundraiser for BJCC. It allows us to continue doing the work we do in our community. Tickets and journal ads can be purchased at our NY Charities Page. We look forward to seeing you on June 14!

Visit our Website: http://www.bjcconline.org/

          and  Like us on Facebook  

Bronx Jewish Community Council, 

2930 Wallace Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467

BP DIAZ ANNOUNCES LGBTQ NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced that his office will conduct a LGBTQ needs assessment survey for The Bronx throughout June, as part of the office’s efforts to celebrate Pride Month.

“Our LGBTQ population is growing and becoming more and more vocal about their needs and what services and amenities they would like to see in The Bronx,” saidBronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Through this survey, my office will acquire more detailed information about our borough’s LGBTQ residents and how we can provide this important community with better government, cultural, medical and other services.”

The survey can be taken online at http://bit.ly/2so1TJB. Hard copies of the survey are also available at the offices of the borough’s 12 community boards.

“The LGBTQ community’s diverse needs are always growing and changing, and it is crucial that government officials periodically survey the community to see what new resources and services are needed to help LGBTQ individuals. The LGBTQ Needs Assessment will help us all better understand the challenges of LGBTQ Bronx residents, so that we can tackle them head on,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres.

“We have a vibrant and ever-expanding LGBTQ community in The Bronx,” saidCouncil Member James Vacca.  “As our community develops and expands, it is a necessity to continuously assess the wants and needs of the Bronx LGBTQ community. We, as elected officials, need to know where to allocate resources. We need to know what’s working and what isn’t working in order to make informed funding decisions. We also need to be made aware of new needs as they arise. I applaud the Borough President for being proactive in his efforts to obtain this useful information.”

“The Bronx Borough President continues to show his dedication to LGBTQ Bronx residents with this much-needed LGBTQ Needs Assessment.  This survey will document the needs of the community along with gaps in service and service overlap.  With this information, we will be able to continue to develop programs that meet the needs of our residents,” said Sean Coleman, executive director of Destination Tomorrow.

“Assessing the housing needs of older LGBTQ Bronxites through this survey is crucial, given the housing crisis that our city is experiencing.  At SAGE, we are dedicated to increasing the affordable housing options available to our LGBTQ elders in The Bronx,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “That is why we are launching one of New York City’s first affordable LGBT-welcoming senior housing development right on Crotona Park in The Bronx.”