Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 28- Get ready for the biggest party in the Bronx when the Puerto Rican Day Parade kicks off on Sunday. Organizers are thrilled to be celebrating the parade’s 25th Anniversary with a march on the Grand Concourse once again.

This year some 120 groups from throughout the country and South America will march up the Grand Concourse in a celebration of the Bronx’s rich Puerto Rican heritage. The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 3rd. Before the parade at 11 a.m. there will be a special ceremony for this year’s honorees. The route has been change to march up the Concourse toward Mosholu Parkway instead of marching down to Yankee Stadium.

The move was in response to the massive amount of traffic that needs to be diverted to accommodate the parade which ends near the Bronx County Courthouse and the House that Jeter Built.

“We’ve gone from a small parade to one of the largest in the borough and the city,” said parade organizer Francisco Gonzalez said. “We’ve asked everyone to participate in the parade and we welcome you as family.”

In addition to inviting all elected officials from throughout the city and country, there will representatives from South America.

Marriacchi bands, Jamaican steel drum bands, motorcycle and car groups, salsa dancers, school bands, West Indian, salsa, Hip Hop and Ragaeton musicians and many more.

This year the parade will honor the works of unions such as DC 37 and 1199.

“We’ve embraced every ethnic group. We’re not excluding anyone,” Gonzalez said. “We’re including everyone.”

A music festival will take place on July 28th called Salsa in the Park at Crotona Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park.

This year’s parade will be extra special because it is the first one in two years. After canceling due to reports of thunderstorms last year, organizers this year are excited to launch the biggest party the borough has ever seen as the parade celebrates its 25th anniversary.

For the first time in over two decades there was no salsa on the Grand Concourse. No Bronxites lining the parade route listening to the music and seeing the sea of performers. Instead heavy morning rains and reports of severe thunderstorms moving into the area forced organizers to call off the parade. 

“We apologize to everyone for canceling last year but we had to consider everyone’s safety,” Gonzalez said.

If anything, organizers say last year’s cancellation has created anticipation for this year’s festivities. There is a great deal of pent up demand for celebration and good news.

For more information go online: www.bxprparade.net

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Move Over JLo

Princesses are Ready to Shine

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

Contestants vying to be crowned as Reina in the annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day parade were on hand at Con Sazon. Contestants were from both the 19 to 26 year old and 26 to 49 year old divisions.  

The winners were crowned princes and princesses for the upcoming Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 3. 

See more info: http://www.facebook.com/bxprparade

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Gunman Makes Off with Cash from Tremont Bank

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 25- Police are looking for the gunman who robbed an E. Tremont Avenue bank, bringing the number incidents in the borough in the first five-months of 2012-- to 13.

In the latest incident, patrol units from the 48th Precinct were called to Banco Popular, located at 752 E. Tremont Avenue, at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, May 18.

Police would only say they were looking for the suspect armed with a gun, who fled the scene with an undetermined amount of cash.

The bank was closed for several hours as detectives looked at surveillance video and interviewed customers and bank employees.

The bank robbery is the latest in a rash of bank heists across the borough.

On Wednesday, May 16, a suspect described as a male Hispanic robbed the Emigrant Savings Bank at 101 E. 170 Street.

The NYPD had recently released a surveillance photo of a suspect wanted in connection with a hold-up at the HSBC Bank on West 235 Street in Riverdale, who took more than $3,000 on May 14.

The suspect in that case is described as a Black male in his 20s, who was wearing a fake beard and black baseball cap.

Police are still looking for the individuals wanted in connection with other cases across the borough, over the last several months.

On January 3, a woman attempted to rob a Chase Bank 3514 White Plains Road but escaped empty handed.

Two-hours later police were called to the Apple Bank at 44 E. 161 Street, where a male suspect fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

On January 10, the Chase Bank at 1308 E. Gun Hill Road was the site of an attempted robbery, when a woman claimed to have a bomb, but fled empty handed.

It's believed that the same woman returned to the same E. Gun Hill Road Bank on January 12, but once again fled empty handed.

On January 14, cops were called to the Chase Bank at 1489 Metropolitan Oval in Parkchester, where a male suspect fled with an undetermined amount of currency.

On January 17, a male attempted to stick-up the CitiBank at 1265 Castle Hill Avenue. The suspect in this case displayed a handgun, but he too fled empty handed. 

On January 18, a male suspect attempted to hold up the Capital One Bank at 2159 White Plains Road. His theft was unsuccessful, so he tried again at the Chase Bank at 2126 White Plains Road.

On March 31, a gunman entered the Chase Bank at 3775 Riverdale Avenue. The white male fled after the teller pressed the silent alarm.

On April 21, police were again called to a Chase Bank, located at 784 Castle Hill Avenue, that suspect was described as a male Black.

And on Saturday, May 5, a robbery was reported at the Chase Bank at 5 W. Burnside Avenue.

Anyone with any information on any of the incidents are asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.    

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A-Rod, Andy Double Team Royals

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By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 24- Before the New York Yankees took the field Wednesday evening for the finale of a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals in the Bronx, Alex Rodriquez said he was feeling good and in his words said, “Ready to go off.”

Rodriguez, who has not been supplying the power that has been a trademark of his career, meant every word about being ready to get those numbers. His two home run night, and seven strong innings of pitching from Andy Pettitte propelled New York to an 8-3 win at the stadium, taking two of three before heading for a nine- game, three- city road swing.

“I said it with conviction not because it was going to sound good here in my locker but because I felt it,” said Rodriquez about his 60th multi-home run game. “It’s good to back that up.”

His first home run, in the first inning, with a man on gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead ending a 52- at bat homer less stretch. And his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot in the third inning, also off Royals starter and loser Will Smith, (0-1) opened a 5-0 lead for New York.

The left hander Smith, making his Major League debut, allowed five runs in three innings.

“The long ball hurt him tonight,” said Royals manager Ned Yost about Smith.”At times he threw some good breaking balls and other times some pitches got too much of the plate. It’s tough coming in your first start at Yankee Stadium against this club.”

Smith got a taste of the Yankees and the stadium in the first inning. Curtis Granderson homered to deep right on a 1-2 pitch, his 14^th of the year that put New York up 1-0.

He got Derek Jeter to hit a grounder to shortstop leading off the first. Jeter had three hits on the night and tied Paul Wagner for 15^th on the all-time list with 2,152 hits.

“I was nervous a little bit facing a future Hall of Famer to start your career in Derek Jeter,” said Smith who a 22-year old who was called up from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday. “But you still got to go out there and make your pitches and get people out,” he said.

Pettitte (2-1) won his second start and allowed two runs on seven hits, striking out eight. He gave up two solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings to Billy Butler and Mitch Maier.

He has not lost to the Royals since 1999 and has a career mark of 14-3 in 24 games.

“I felt like I’m moving the ball around the zone and that makes it difficult to hit,” Pettitte commented. His curveball was effective. His off speed pitches fooled more than one Royals hitter, and the changeup was vintage Pettitte that helped the Yankees to five previous world championship titles.

As for Rodriquez, who has been getting to the ballpark early and making adjustments, manager Joe Girardi said, “It helps Alex to do it two times in a row. People will stop asking him where’s the power?  The power is there.”

Email Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com and watch and listen to Rich Thursday night live 5:30-7:30pm, Keep it in the Ring on www.inthemixxradio.com

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Can-Do!

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Some breaks and a Cano home run lead Yanks to win over Royals

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 23- Alex Rodriquez struck out with the bases loaded and the New York Yankees still were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position. But Phil Hughes (4-5) gave up five hits in six innings, striking out seven. And the Yankees were able to get some breaks that have not gone their way in defeating the Kansas City Royals 3-2 in the Bronx Tuesday evening.

“I hope it carries over tomorrow,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi who saw his club snap a three-game losing streak. The finale of the home stand and series with the Royals is Wednesday night before New York embarks on a nine-game three-city trip that takes them to Oakland, Los Angeles and Detroit. 

A two-run, fifth inning saw the Yankees break a skid that had them 0-for- 15 with the bases loaded. Derek Jeter banged a single to left that scored Mark Teixeira who led off the inning with a single and took second on an error by right fielder Jeff Francoeur. That tied the score at 2-2.

Teixeira batted seventh for the second straight game, a move Girardi made to hopefully spark some offense. In that inning the breaks came when Francoeur bobbled the ball, Russell Martin was hit by a pitch, and Dewayne Wise reached base on a bunt that fooled the Royals.

Curtis Granderson, 3-for-13 on the current six-game home stand followed with a fielder’s choice that scored Russell Martin for the Yankees second run.

Before that, the Royals reached Hughes for their two runs. Humberto Quintero hit a run scoring double in the third and Jeff Francouer hit his second home run of the series, third of the year, a solo shot to left.

“It seemed like nothing was a walk in the park tonight,” commented Hughes. In the eighth, with Girardi using four relievers out of the pen, before Rafael Soriano closed the game in the ninth, earning his third save, Clay Rapada induced Mike Moustakas to hit into an inning ending double play.

Robinson Cano also homered for New York. It was his third in 12-career at bats against Royals starter and loser (3-5) Luke Hochevar, who entered the game with a 8.83 ERA , 0-2 in four career starts against the Yankees. That put the first run on the board for the Yankees in the fourth.

“He did a great job during that inning,” said Royals manager Ned Yost about his starter. “They really didn’t hit the ball hard and they made a perfect bunt. Jeter is great at finding holes. He limited the damage big time in the fifth inning, but I thought that he pitched a darn good game.”

Rodriquez, 1-for-4, struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth inning before Cano was walked intentionally.

“It wasn’t that pretty, but that was a good win,” he said. “It felt really good to win a game like this. Sometimes you need a game like this to kind of get you on a roll. Hopefully, it’s a good sign of things to come. We haven’t been winning these kinds of games.”

Andy Pettitte, (1-1) makes his third start for New York since his return in the series finale Wednesday evening.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

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Man Survives Four-Shot Barrage at Melrose Club

(Photos by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 22- A man hit with a barrage of gunshots has apparently survived as police look to surveillance cameras and the community for assistance in capturing the two assailants.

Officers from the 42nd Precinct were called to Maria's Restaurant, located at 645 Courtlandt Avenue, in the Melrose section at just after 4 a.m., on Sunday, May 20.

The gunman apparently opened fire on the unidentified victim as he exited the popular club and sports bar at closing time. One police source stated, "The victim was likely (to die) and was transported to Lincoln Hospital," and has since survived.

Three bullet holes could be seen in the front door of the club and latex gloves used by paramedics, littered the street.

According to several NYPD sources, detectives were looking for two Mexican men, one fled on foot and the other fled in a white vehicle."

EMS records show the victim was hit four times, once in the torso, twice in the arms and once in the leg.

Two women were returning home to the block, when one woman asked, "What is happening to this neighborhood? Something is always going on here."

A woman answering the phone at the club that caters to a Puerto Rican and Dominican crowd, refused to answer any questions and quickly hung up the phone.

The scene was a block away from a brutal beating at the Melrose Houses on April 16. Police say Moises Lora, 16, was beaten to death by a group of men. Police have recently released a video of the suspects in that case.

On February 17, Norman Lodge, 32, was shot in the lobby of his building on E. 153 Street at Courtlandt Avenue. Lodge, who police say had a lengthy police record, died at Lincoln Hospital. Police still have no suspects in any of the three cases.

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