Another violent week

Blotter Notes

By David Greene

FOOT PURSUIT IN FORDHAM

Additional police officers were called to the scene of a foot pursuit by officers at the intersection of E. Fordham Road and Webster Avenue. The incident was reported at 6:35 p.m., on March 12. The alleged suspect was reported to have been captured in a nearby Wallgreens. No details on what the individual was wanted for, were available.

MT. VERNON SUSPECT CAPTURED IN THE BRONX 

Police in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., responded to a person shot at W. Sanford Boulevard, where the suspects reportedly fled in separate vehicles. 

The incident was first reported at  5:25 p.m., on March 11. One of the suspects was reportedly spotted in the Highbridge section of the borough, where the individual was captured near the Macombs Dam Bridge, after a brief foot chase. 

The victim, identified as Rahsul Watkins, 21, was shot two times by a passing vehicle as he rode a dirt bike. Watkins was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where he died a short time later. A 22-year-old suspect was reportedly being questioned in connection with Watkins' death as well as a second homicide in Mt. Vernon.

HOUSE PARTY HOMICIDE IN MELROSE

Police were called to 752 Elton Avenue, at 6:30 a.m., on March 11, and discovered the body of a male victim who had been shot to death. 

Police say the victim Lamont Edwards, 28, had been shot several times. Unconfirmed reports say the man had just left a house party on the street, when the gunfire erupted. Police had no suspects in the case at this time.

DOUBLE SHOOTING ON LEBANON STREET

Police officers responding to a call of shots fired, discovered two victims who had been robbed and then shot. 

The incident unfolded at just before 1 a.m., on March 11, outside of 1189 Lebanon Street, near Morris Park Avenue. The victims were transported to area hospital's and were expected to recover. Police were reportedly looking for five black males, wearing dark clothing and masks. 

Five hours later, a second shooting was reported several blocks away on Boston Road, where two gunmen reportedly opened fire on a city bus, no injuries were reported in that case. Police were looking for the two male Blacks, who fled in a black Ford Expedition. 

PROSPECT AVENUE STABBING

Officers called to a disturbance, discovered a stabbing victim at Prospect Avenue and E. 152 Street. The incident was reported at just before 10 p.m., on March 10. The victim was removed in critical condition and was not expected to survive. Police were looking for six males who fled down Union Avenue.

If you have witnessed or have information on a violent crime, you may give your information anonymously by calling (800) 577-TIPS or TEXT: Crimes. ENTER: TIPS577.    

It's Great to Be Irish

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, March 14- Our headline this week refers to of course St. Patrick's Day, which this year is on Saturday, March 17th. One of the best things about March however is that it is “Irish Heritage Month.”

We cover the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Irish Heritage Luncheon in a separate article in this paper, but we also had the pleasure to be with Bronx Borough President Ruben O'Diaz as he helped celebrate Irish Heritage Month last week in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. BP O'Diaz helped honor four great Irish people who were Captain Russell Green (commander of the 45th Police Precinct), Deputy Inspector Kevin Nicholson (commander of the 49th Police Precinct), Ms. Christine Sheridan (President of the Woodlawn Heights Taxpayers and Community Association), and Mr. Peter Ryan (Deputy Consul General of Ireland). You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more on the event, and to see pictures of the New York State Pipe and Drummers (in full gear), the four honorees with BP O'Diaz and local Assemblyman Jeffrey O'Dinowitz, to several other photos of the event.

Last week we told you that Congressman Charlie Rangel was coming to the Bronx, but it appears in order to maintain a Manhattan stronghold of the district Rangel may be picking up the Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Norwood, Bedford Park, and University Heights areas of the Bronx. To some of those people it could mean not only a new congressman, but a new State Senator and/or new Assembly member. Any way “Sorry Charlie,” or should we say sorry to those he will now represent.

The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation has just released that Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo are looking for seasonal workers. Check my blog archive for “BOEDC” to learn more details on specific jobs and who to contact.

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has just done an audit of the State Department of Transportation that has found that the DOT has 18 unused properties that it could sell for $7.1 million dollars. Not only could the state get rid of unused property, but the state and local municipalities would then get property taxes also.

The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee March meeting will take place on Thursday 15^th at the DEP office located at 3600 Jerome Avenue (under the end of the #4 train) at 7 p.m. The agenda which is on my blog includes an update on the Jerome Park Reservoir Jogging Path, the status of Croton funded parks, a construction update, update of costs and Croton Jobs and Bronx purchases.

Congrats to Ms. Barbara Stronzer and her volunteers from the Bedford Mosholu Community Association who maned the tables, and made their flea market a huge success this past Saturday.

Lastly BP Diaz will be leading a discussion on a follow up to his Education Summit last year. The date is Thursday March 29^th from 6 – 9 p.m. to be held in the Bronx County Courthouse Rotunda located at 851 Grand Concourse @ E.151^st . The title of this meeting is “Bronx Fathers Taking Action,” with a panel of experts on the subject ranging from a noted Psychologist, a social worker, a legal expert, Charter school founder, DOE parent officer, and a representative from the NYC Dept. of Child Support/Enforcement. For more information call Ms. Sara Monserrat at 718-590-3567, and to reserve a seat e-mail Wilfrado Pagen at wpagan@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog, you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

 

Cut Off!

11 Bronx Stores Fined in SLA Sting Operation

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, Mar. 7- Investigators at The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) has announced that they have issued summonses to 118 stores across the city, alleging that they sold liquor to minors. The undercover

operation also netted nearly a dozen violations in the Bronx.

According to the SLA, the violations were issued during a three-day sting operation of liquor stores and bodegas, in an effort to curb underage drinking citywide, between November 16 and November 18, 2011.

Using underage volunteer decoys, members of the SLA and members of the NYPD fanned out across the borough, netting 11 violators out of 25 businesses they visited. Citywide, 41 violators were discovered in Brooklyn, 34 in Queens, 26 in Manhattan and 6 on Staten Island.

Bronx businesses charged with sale to minors are: East 174 Street Deli Grocery, 920 E. 174 Street; First Stop Deli, 1309 Clinton Avenue; JJP Food Center, 1086 Boston Road; Weeks Deli, 1777 Weeks Avenue; Rivas Grocery, 1824 Weeks Avenue; Felomar Grocery, 154 E. 175 Street; Andres Food, 237 E. 194 Street; Nizao Grocery, 2840 Briggs Avenue; Gourmet Deli, 226 E. 198 Street; Deli & Grocery, 29 E. Kingsbridge Road, and the A & A Deli at 361 E. 204 Street.

SLA Chairman Dennis Rosen said of the sting, "Preventing the sale of alcohol to minors is a top priority of the State Liquor Authority. These large scale enforcement efforts will continue to be apart of our proactive measures to prevent alcohol abuse among our youth."

Storeowners convicted of sales to minors face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. Repeat offenders face license suspension or revocation. Those charged with selling to minors were also issued criminal court summonses by the NYPD and the violation is categorized as a class A misdemeanor.

The undercover sting is similar to one conducted back in July, 2011 that targeted shops in Western, New York that resulted in 41 summonses issued and another sting in August targeting businesses in Manhattan that allegedly caught 123 violators.

BAD BET!

Firefighter among those indicted in $2M sports betting ring

BRONX, NEW YORK, Mar. 1- Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced the arrest and indictment of eight reputed members or associates of an organized crime family, including a New York City firefighter, for allegedly operating a sports betting and loan-sharking operation that generated profits in excess of $2 million a year.

A grand jury indicted seven of the eight defendants on a top count of Enterprise Corruption, a Class B felony offense punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment. Those seven defendants are: Joseph Sarcinella, 77, of Scarsdale, New York, Frank Mastracchio, 56, of the Bronx, Dominick Totino, 44, of the Bronx, Dominick Pietranico, 81, of Mahopac, New York, Bruno Travostino, 81, of Manhattan, John D’Ambrosio, 54, of Bronxville,  New York, and Thomas McMahon, 29, of City Island, the Bronx.

In addition to the Enterprise Corruption charge, those seven people have also been charged with multiple counts of Promoting Gambling in the First Degree, a Class E Felony, Possession of Gambling Records in the First Degree, a Class E Felony, Criminal Usury in the Second Degree, a Class E Felony, and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. Frank Mastracchio was also charged with illegal gun possession stemming from the recovery of an illegal hand gun and a sawed-off shotgun during the execution of a search warrant at his home.

An eighth defendant, William Cali, 58, of Bellrose, New York has been indicted on one count of Criminal Usury in the second degree, a Class E Felony offense, and one count of Conspiracy in the fifth degree, a Class A Misdemeanor.

The crimes alleged in the indictments occurred between December 1, 2009 and June 23, 2011.

The charges in the indictments are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

All of the defendants were arraigned before State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett. 

It is alleged that the defendants, acting in concert with each other and others, ran an illegal sports betting operation utilizing two gambling wire-rooms at 1500 Mace Avenue and 709 East 189^TH Street. The wire-rooms were staffed by workers who manned telephone lines for the purpose of taking bets, managing betting activity, and setting betting lines and spreads. Additionally, a social club at 1480 Mace Avenue was used to pay out on winning bets and  collect on losing bets.

Several defendants also allegedly engaged in loan-sharking by charging at least one debtor hundreds of dollars a week in interest and fines which amounted to a 100 percent interest rate over a one year period.                                

Information gathered during the course of the investigation indicated various ties between most of the defendants and the Genovese Crime Family. It was also learned that one of the defendants, Thomas McMahon, is currently employed as a firefighter with the FDNY.

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Violent week in Bronx

Police Blotter 

By David Greene

MAN SHOT IN BELMONT... 

Responding to a call of gunfire, police discovered a man shot at E. 184 Street and Hoffman Street, at 9 p.m., on February 28. 

The unidentified victim was reportedly shot as he walked with his pregnant wife when he was shot in his leg an abdomen. He was rushed to nearby St. Barnabas Hospital and was expected to recover. No arrests have been made in the case.

PELHAM BAY HOMICIDE... 

Officers from the 45th Precinct, responding to a call of shots fired, discovered the body of a man in his 40s. He had been shot to death at 2825 Wellman Avenue. 

The incident was reported at just after 8:30 a.m., on February 27. The victim was reportedly found inside the doorway of a two-family home. One unconfirmed report stated that the victim's hands and feet were bound.

Police have not yet released the name of the deceased.

TAXI HITS HOUSE IN PARKCHESTER... 

Rescue crews were called to 1403 Taylor Avenue after a car struck a home.

The incident was reported at 8:25 a.m., on Monday, February 27. Members of the FDNY removed the driver who had been pinned in the auto. According to a surveillance video of the crash, the livery taxi driver appears to have gone through a red light, when he swerved to avoid an approaching vehicle.

The driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Police say no charges would be filed.

DOUBLE STABBING IN WAKEFIELD... 

Police and EMS were called to the scene of a double stabbing in Wakefield. 

The incident was reported at 8:20 a.m., on February 26. Two victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment and were expected to recover. No other details were available at this time.

BEDFORD PARK FIRE INJURES FOUR... 

Members of Battalion 27 were called to a house fire at 2746 Decatur Avenue at E. 197 Street, at 11:45 p.m., on February 25. The blaze was reported on the first-floor of the five-story building. EMS reported four victims, one reported in serious condition, the other three were said to have only minor injuries. The fire was declared under control after about 30 minutes.

POLICE OFFICER INJURED... 

Rescue crews responded to a police car crash in Soundview. 

The incident was reported at the intersection of Westchester Avenue and Olmstead Avenue. One officer was briefly pinned in the crash, which took place at just after 4 a.m., on Saturday, February 25. The officer was removed to a local hospital with neck and back injuries and expected to recover.

ARMED ROBBERY IN FORDHAM... 

Officers from the 52nd Precinct were called to Jerome Avenue and W. Fordham Road for a call of an armed robbery at the location. The incident was reported at 4:10 a.m., on Friday, February 24. Police were reportedly looking for three male Hispanics who fled in a mini van taxi that traveled eastbound on

Fordham Road. Officers at the scene requested the services of the Emergency Service Unit, at 5:25 a.m., to search the rooftop of 49 W. Fordham Road. No arrests have been made and police continue to investigate.

WESTCHESTER SQUARE ROBBERY... 

Police were called to the Westchester Square subway station, where a victim stated they had been robbed in the subway. 

The incident took place at 10:30 p.m., on February 23. Police were reported to be looking for three male Blacks and one male Hispanic, all said to be in their late teens.

BURGLAR NABBED IN NORWOOD.... 

Police arrested on suspect after a reported break in. 

Officers from the 52nd Precinct were called to 3536 Hull Avenue, on February 22. A search conducted by members of the Emergency Services Unit netted the alleged suspect, who

was quickly taken into police custody shortly after the 4 p.m.

incident.

MECHANIC INJURED IN MT. HOPE... 

Police and rescue personnel were called to a garage after a mechanic was injured by a vehicle. 

The accident took place at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, February 21. The victim was conscious  when removed by EMS, but the victim's condition was listed as serious. No other details were available at this time.

LADDER 51 CRASHES IN BRONXWOOD... 

Responding to a two-alarm fire at 957 E. 217 Street, Ladder 51 collided with a mini van at the intersection of Bronxwood Avenue and E. 217 Street. The crash was reported at 1:25 p.m., on Monday, February 20, nearly an hour after the fire had broken out. EMS reported several injuries but could not say if those injuries included any firefighters.

If you have witnessed or have information on a violent crime, you may give your information anonymously by calling 1 (800) 577-TIPS or TEXT: Crimes. ENTER: TIPS577. 

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Pressure or no Pressure?

DA denies statement regarding fatal police shooting

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, Feb. 29- Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson has denied making a statement attributed to him by New York 1 News, that claimed he had said that his office would not be pressured into an investigation regarding the fatal police shooting of an unarmed teen.

The quote was attributed to Johnson during an exclusive interview that was aired and continued to run on the station's web site for almost two weeks.

Steven Reed, a spokesman for the Bronx District Attorney, stated, "He never said that. If you look at the full interview... he never said that, that's the issue."

During the piece the reporter interjected the alleged misquote and it was also written in a headline of an on-line article regarding the fatal shooting of Ramarley Graham, 18, who was shot dead inside his Wakefield home on February 2.

Reed continued, "We have been a part of this investigation from day one, it's all in that interview. It's an active, on-going investigation... our assistants were at the scene. The matter is under active investigation... he never said what was written."

"I don't know if our headline said he won't be pressured, but he did say, 'I won't be pressured by anybody,' any of the sides involved... He said it in essence, obviously I can't give you a verbatim on something that was done two or three weeks ago." said NY 1 reporter  Dean Meminger.  

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Black History Month

100PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, Feb. 27- First we must say that the State of the Borough speech that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. gave last week was dynamic, precise, and a little long, but that was because BP Diaz has accomplished so much in the short time that he has been Bronx Borough President. We go into detail about the speech elsewhere in this paper, and want to say that the mayor should think it over when he says that borough presidents are only figure heads, and visit the Bronx more often than just going to an occasional Yankee game.

Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, and 76th Assembly District candidate Luis Sepulveda hosted the first African-American Abrozo honoring Black History Month. The honorees were Lt. Colonel Floyd J. Carter (from the famed Tuskegee Air Force), Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene, Rev. Albert Busch, Ms. Edith Hicks, and Mr. Warren Williams. The Room was packed even with the heavy rain that was falling that evening, and you can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see pictures of the event, honorees, and the NYC Youth Chorus that gave a wonderful performance.

Senator Jeff Klein held his 17th Annual Black History Month Breakfast, and over 250 people were in attendance, including the Manhattan Borough President (and candidate for mayor in 2013) Scott Stringer. Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson gave a wonderful keynote speech, and the four honorees were Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene, Ms. Robin Miller, Dr. Tricia Joseph, and Ms. Nichole Stent. You can go to my blog to see pictures of the honorees with Senator Klein and Assemblywoman Gibson, and Senator Klein with Manhattan Borough President Stringer who both served in the state assembly before moving up.

Last week the 18th Annual “Bronx Parks Speak Up” was held at Lehman College. Over 30 different conservation/environmental organizations displayed just who they are and what they do. Bronx Parks Commissioner Hector Aponte gave a power point presentation of the 62 Bronx parks projects that were paid for by the Croton Water Filtration Mitigation monies that totaled $200 million dollars. While only 37 of the 62 parks projects have been completed since 2003, 8 are in the construction phase, and 17 are still in the design phase.

After the presentation Karen Argenti (a long time opponent of the water filtration plant) questioned if said mitigation money has replaced other city money that would have gone to Bronx parks. Ms. Argenti mentioned that over the years since 2003 Bronx parks as a whole have seen a drop off of city funding almost every year, holding up a chart to back up her statement. She added that since the cost of the water filtration plant has more than tripled that the mitigation monies should have also. Commissioner Aponte answered by saying that he was not a politician, the Parks Department does not have an executive budget, and that the mayor, city council, and its members fund the parks. He added that in 2003 the city's economy was in much better shape than the past few years where the economy has taken a serious downturn.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

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