Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Hot times ahead

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Hot times ahead: COMMUNITY BOARD NEWS N’ VIEWS By Father Richard F. Gorman Chairman Community Board #12 (The Bronx) “Hot town, summ...

Hot times ahead

COMMUNITY BOARD

NEWS N’ VIEWS

By

Father Richard F. Gorman

Chairman

Community Board #12 (The Bronx)

“Hot town, summer in the city

Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty.”

Remember these words of THE LOVIN’ SPOONFUL? They are taken from a song written by band member Mark Sebastian entitled SUMMER IN THE CITY that was the number one song on the BILLBOARD HOT 100 in August of 1966. The song featured a series of car horns, during the instrumental bridge, starting with a Volkswagen Beetle horn, and ending up with a jackhammer sound, in order to give the impressions of the sounds of the summer in the city. The song is ranked number 393 on ROLLING STONE’S list of THE 500 GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME.

While the heat wave of last week has subsided, it is clear that other hot, hazy, and humid days lie ahead. This summer may well prove to be rather uncomfortable, if not brutal, at times in terms of the weather.

What is clear, however, is that this summer will be far from calm or copasetic relative to the challenges that confront the people of

Community Board #12 (The Bronx) all year long. These issues will not be taking a vacation or giving us any rest or relaxation during these hazy, lazy summer days of July and August.

As I related to you last week, the issue of the homeless colony being planned by the City of New York and its Department of Homeless Services (N.Y.C.D.H.S.) on the intersection of Bronx Boulevard and East 238TH Street/Nereid Avenue is front and center once again. If the Bloomberg Administration has its way, two facilities housing well over 300 of our homeless brothers and sisters with chemical dependencies and/or mental health issues will be dumped on a single intersection in a single neighborhood within two years, within a brief stroll of yet a third homeless facility sheltering some 60+ folks, who otherwise would not have a roof over their head, up the hill and around the corner on White Plains Road. The end result is that a single spot in the one neighborhood of Wakefield will now have anywhere from 400 to 500 new residents, most if not all of whom have critical needs to be addressed in a Community Board that has historically suffered a severe scarcity of municipal services. If the circumstances leading to this situation demonstrate any genuine foresight in planning and/or justice in the equal and fair-share distribution of the burden imposed by the presence of municipal facilities in Bronx Community District #12, I wish that I could unearth it. Please, could somebody  --  ANYBODY!  -- kindly tell me what I am missing and let me in on the secret?

The United States Army and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (U.S.H.U.D.) are preparing to facilitate the transfer of THE SERGEANT JOSEPH E. MULLER UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE CENTER (MULLER U.S.A.R.C.) located at 555 East 238TH Street/Nereid Avenue to the City of New York for re-use by THE DOE FUND, INCORPORATED as a shelter for some 200 men with chemical dependencies and related social service needs. Simultaneously, PROJECT RENEWAL, a big-time player in the cottage industry that has sprouted up amongst the homeless, is on the verge of undertaking renovation of the structure at 4380 Bronx Boulevard. While these agencies profess with the piety of an old-fashioned cleric that their only desire is for the betterment of the homeless, the fact is that both organizations intend to house them in locales that are not environmentally safe. Both the

4380 Bronx Boulevard sites as well as the shuttered MULLER U.S.A.R.C. right across the street are contaminated with toxic materials that have seeped into the groundwater primarily from the AMERADA HESS Gas Station across Bronx Boulevard at 610 East 238TH Street/Nereid Avenue.

Moreover, if these agencies are seeking to do God’s work, they appear to be doing it in less than a divine fashion. The City of New York should not be preparing to have MULLER U.S.A.R.C. transferred to its Department of Homeless Services (N.Y.C.D.H.S.) because the process by which such transfer should be take place, THE DEFENSE BASE REALIGNMENT

AND CLOSURE ACT (DEFENSE B.R.A.C.), has not been followed. As a matter of fact, the City of New York is concocting a scenario that is as phony as a three-dollar bill in order to make it appear as if the spirit and letter of DEFENSE B.R.A.C. has been obeyed. Meanwhile, questions about the professionalism and competency with which PROJECT RENEWAL has served the homeless at another of its facilities in the Borough of Manhattan have led to complaints, some of which have resulted in the agency literally being dragged into court. Recently, an out-of-court settlement was reached on one of these grievances.

Accordingly, letters have been written and more will have to be

penned. Perhaps, other causes of action will have to be filed in

court. In any event, vacation is not a term that will apply to the

problems that beset our area during this summer. As THE LOVING SPOONFUL put it so well, it is going to be a “hot time” this summer in the City and our necks will probably get quite “dirty and gritty,” but we shall not allow those who do not have our best interests at heart to break them.

Until next time, that is it for this time!

Pizza Party in the Bronx

CiCi’s Pizza to Open Outside Co-op City

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9– CiCi’s Pizza, home of the custom pizza buffet, celebrates the grand opening of its first Bronx location on July 16. The grand opening will kick off a five-day celebration from July 16 through July 20.  

The first 100 guests each day to purchase an adult buffet at the new location during the celebration will receive a free pizza buffet each month for a year. The 5,313 square-foot restaurant is located at 1776 E. Gun Hill Road in the Bronx at the intersection of I-95 and Gun Hill Road.

CiCi’s endless pizza buffet features more than 28 different pizzas in rotation plus delicious pasta, hot soup, crisp salad and oven-baked desserts. Guests can enjoy CiCi’s everyday value at $6.99 for an adult buffet and $3.99 for the kids buffet.

“The Bronx restaurant opening marks an important milestone for CiCi’s as we continue our ‘Build the Brand’ growth initiative, said CiCi’s Pizza COO Bill Spae. “This restaurant is the first to come to the five boroughs and will serve as a flagship store for continued growth in the area.”

The Ansari Pizza Group, led by veteran CiCi’s franchisees, Tahir and Nabeel Ansari, owns 12 CiCi’s Pizza restaurants in Florida, Tennessee and now New York. The company tapped into experienced CiCi’s operator, Michael Rogers, to run the new Bronx Restaurant.

“New Yorkers know their pizza. Now with CiCi’s coming to town, they’ll have access to the nation’s leading pizza buffet,” said Nabeel Ansari. “Our new restaurant will bring new jobs to the area and offer a family-friendly environment for our neighbors to enjoy great food and endless variety at an outstanding value.”

If guests don’t see their favorite pizza fresh and hot on the buffet, they can just ask and a CiCi’s team member will make it on the spot and bring it directly to the table. All pizzas are also available to go and 15” one-topping carryout pizzas are regularly priced at $5.99.

The restaurant phone number is (718) 671-2575 and its hours of operation for dine-in and carryout are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.  

Bloody Holiday Week

Club Violence Leaves One Dead, Eight Wounded

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- Two incidents around area bars have left one man dead and eight others wounded. Three others were killed and at least four others were wounded in at least five other violent incidents reported across the borough.

Police were called to the Whispers Inn, located at 1246 E. Gun Hill Road in the Laconia section. The victim, Dwight Lewis, 27, of the Claremont section was shot dead at just before closing time after getting into an argument with a fellow patron.

The mortally wounded Lewis was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where he expired from his injuries.

An unidentified man inside the club, stated, "The man unfortunately died. The police are looking at the surveillance video now."

Moments later a pair of detectives would exit the watering hole, one carrying a laptop computer, apparently with the video of the incident.

A second unidentified man wearing a Metropolitan Transit Authority uniform was seen locking up the club, he fumed, "Don't take my picture, I'm not the owner. I'm just a worker," before getting into a vehicle and speeding away.

The following morning at just after 4 a.m., cops were called to a the topless bar, "Club Eleven," located at 1152 Randall Avenue in the Hunts Point section. A brawl in the street left two men shot and six individuals slashed. All of the victims are expected to survive.

The carnage was not limited to local watering-holes as a 19-year -old man was shot in the leg in front of 1662 Vyce Avenue in Claremont Village, at 2:30 p.m., on July 5.

Later that same night a young mother allegedly killed her two young children before attempting to commit suicide-- but failed, inside her Parkchester home.

At just before 4:30 a.m., on July 6, one man was shot in the leg and a second suffered a graze wound outside of 270 E. Burnside Avenue. Both victims were reported to be in stable condition.

Ten minutes after the Burnside shooting, a 25-year-old man was stabbed to death inside his home at 578 E. 141 Street. Police would question and later arrest his girlfriend.

At just after 2 a.m. on July 8, another individual was reported shot at White Plains Road and E. 225 Street. That victim was also expected to recover.

The NYPD has registered 802 shootings in the first six-months of 2012, up nearly 11 percent over the previous year, but the murder rate is still down for the first half of the year with just 194 killings.

Crime on the rise

Wakefield Area News

By Mary V. Lauro

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- There is no doubt that crime is on the rise throughout the City. 

From January 1, 2012 to June 31, 2012, crime throughout the City rose 4.31 percent. In the Bronx it rose 2.67 percent. But don't let those figures fool you. They are averages. Some areas have seen more of a rise than other areas. For example, the 47th Precinct saw a rise of 6.44 percent. That means that so far this year, it is not the contender for the most crime ridden. To date, Comp Stat figures show it at 959 felony crimes running fourth behind the 43rd, 44th and 52nd Precincts.

By the same token, all areas of the 47th Precinct do not have the same crime rate. Of the 11 sections into which the 47th is broken, the safest and least crime ridden is the Woodlawn community which has only three percent of the crime. Compare that with our own Wakefield which has 13 percent, making it the second highest crime section in the 47th. Keep in mind that if crime were equally spread throughout the precinct, all sections would have 9 percent of the crime

With sarcasm we note that so far, we have lost our title to the highest number of homicides. That distinction goes to the 48th which had 8. The 47th had 7. We were, however, the highest in rapes at 19. The 46th trailed us at 16. The 43rd beat us at robbery. It had 255. We had 230. In felonious assault the 43rd also beat us at 248, but we were close behind at 236. But in burglary, we beat them all at 511.We also get the title for the most auto thefts at 111.

The largest drop in crime was achieved by the 40th Precinct which fell by 10.12 percent. The 45th also did well at a drop of 6.61 percent. By contrast, the 47th went up by 6.44 percent.

We never cease to wonder at the 50th Precinct which always has the lowest crime rate, but continues to fall. The 50th includes Riverdale which, as everyone knows, is not a poverty area. One wonders whether its success ties in an overabundance of police presence in its streets. We suggest strolling through Riverdale noting how many patrol cars one meets. Then stroll through Wakefield to note the same thing. But don't hold your breath.

The NYPD loves to include in its Comp Stat figures changes that have occurred 2 years ago as well as 11 and 19 years ago. No matter how much crime rises, it insists that we look at how much more improved crime rates are from the height of the crime wave back in 1993. That is silly. That crime rate was the result of foolishness on the part of the NYPD. We expect it to be more efficient than it was then.

We note however statistics for the 2-year difference which add proof to the increase in crime throughout the City. These past two years the City rose in crime by 4.31 percent, the Bronx by 1.98 percent. Note the, rise in the 47th Precinct was substantially higher at 9.23 percent!

All of this is not to be construed as a criticism of the officers or commanders in our 47th Precinct. We can only praise them for the job they do with their limited resources. It is to be construed as an indictment of the manner by which the NYPD assigns officers. Last April we were overjoyed that Commissioner Kelly sent 43 officers to the 47th which it sorely needed. Less than a month later, 25 were removed!

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STAY COOL, SAVE ENERGY

NEW YORK, June 6 – Another burst of hot weather looms this weekend, and Con Edison is reminding customers about the best ways to stay cool and save money while doing it.

Saving on your electric bill is easy if you follow Con Edison’s energy-saving tips:

• Turn off air conditioners, lights, and other appliances before leaving home. Use a timer to have your air conditioner turn on shortly before you are scheduled to arrive home; 

• Make sure air conditioner filters are clean so the machines will run at peak efficiency;

• Set thermostats no lower than 78 degrees. Each degree lower increases cooling costs by 6 percent;

• If you have a room air-conditioning unit, close off the rooms not being used; if you have central air, block vents in unused or vacant rooms;

• To reduce heat and moisture in your apartment or home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s generally cooler outside. Use a microwave to cook, or barbecue outside, if possible;

• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows. Simply drawing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your apartment or home, and,

• Try using fans instead of air conditioners, but be sure to leave your windows open for ventilation. Fans use as little as one-tenth the energy as air conditioners.

Con Edison also urges customers with central air conditioning to accept the company’s offer of a free programmable thermostat for homeowners, religious institutions and small businesses. The thermostat can be programmed manually or from the internet. To learn more, call 1-866-521-8600 or visit www.coned.com/cool. 

The company also reminds customers that $25 rebates are available for customers who invest in cost-cutting Energy Star-rated room air conditioners.  Applications for the $25 rebate can be downloaded at www.coned.com/roomacrebates.

Con Edison has invested $1.2 billion for system improvements this year, including $928 million for cables, transformers, and network protectors, $34 million for transmission upgrades, and $208 million on new substation installations and related equipment. (See http://www.coned.com/summerprep for details.)

Despite that, sustained hot weather sometimes triggers service problems or power interruptions. If that occurs, customers can report them, and also view any service restoration information, either online at www.conEd.com, on their cell phones, or on their PDAs.  Customers also may call Con Edison at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). 

When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.

Energy-savings tips are also available on Facebook at Power of Green, on Twitter @ConEdSara and by downloading the company’s Power of Green iPhone app.

Con Edison’s Green Team continues to offer a host of energy-savings programs for homes and businesses. Customers can take steps to reduce energy usage this summer with rebates and incentives now available for energy-efficient appliances and cooling systems in their homes and businesses. To learn more or enroll, go to www.coned.com/GreenTeam  or call 1-877-870-6118.

Obama Critics are Racists- Pol says

There he goes again:

Candidate who says soda is like heroin now says effort to repeal ObamaCare, ANY criticism of Prez is racist

By Michael Horowitz

City Council candidate Andy King said, this week, that racists are orchestrating the campaign against ObamaCare because they can't stand the fact that a black man is President of the U. S.

King, the executive director of the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) and a long-time organizer for Local 1199 of the hospital workers' union, said, “There is no respect for the office of the presidency among the racists who have attacked everything the President has done, since his first day in office. No one is always wrong, but as far as the President's critics are concerned, everything he does is automatically wrong because they can't stand having a black man in the White House.”

King, who is widely viewed as the frontrunner to succeed Larry Seabrook as Co-op City's councilman, stressed, in a telephone interview, “The Supreme Court did the right thing in upholding the constitutionality of ObamaCare. They did the right thing for the country, and they upheld respect for the presidency.”

The City Council candidate stressed that the country needs ObamaCare because its provisions extend medical coverage to poor people, assure insurance available for children of parents up to the age of 26, and mandate that Americans can't be denied coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions.

King stressed, “From my point of view, the attacks on ObamaCare, like most of the other attacks on the President, are motivated by racism. The important thing should be that ObamaCare is good for the country.”