Predictions in the Rangel Race

100 PERCENT






By Robert Press



Before we make our prediction as to who will win the 13th C.D. race, and just how we feel the candidates will finish, first we hope that if you live in the 13th Congressional District you will go to your local poll site on Tuesday June 26th to vote for the candidate of your choice.







This year redistricting for congress was not done by the state legislature, but by a federal Judge at the last minute. The federal Primary election is not being held on the same day as the state legislature elections, but a month and a half earlier on June 26th. The state Primary election will take place on Thursday September 13th due to that Tuesday is 9/11/2012. That has allowed for some state legislators to be able to run for a congressional seat, and then their old state seat if they are not elected to congress if they choose to. That is possible as the end of petition collecting time for the state primary is July 10th two weeks after the federal primary elections. In fact there are a few current congressional candidates statewide that are currently state elected officials, as is the case in the 13th C.D.







The race for the 13th C.D. has turned ugly between the two leading candidates as to a question of a petition that was circulated by an assembly candidate that had 13th C.D. candidate Adriano Espaillat on it for his current state senate seat. When he was seeking the endorsement of the Ben Franklin Democratic Club of the 81st Assembly District, candidate Espaillat said that he was only going to run for the 13th Congressional seat and not for his old senate seat if he some how was to loose the congressional election. We received an e-mail copy of the petition in question, and spoke to the campaign manager for candidate Espaillat who said that Mr. Espaillat did not authorize his name to be put on the petition, and that Adriano Espaillat is running for the 13th C.D. and not the state senate. We have been told a few different tales as to how this could have happened including one that has the petition as the work of one of candidate Espaillat's opponents.







As you read this column there will be late endorsements coming in such as the New York Times for Mr. Clyde Williams (in the 2010 primary the Times endorsed Ms. Joyce Johnson), and we don't know if and for who the Post or Daily News will endorse. We are not endorsing any of the candidates, but giving our view of how the 13th C.D. vote will go. In the 2010 Democratic Primary there were 51,668 votes cast in the 15th Congressional District. Incumbent Charles Rangel received 26,101 votes according to certified results for 51 percent of the vote to win the 2010 primary. Congressman Rangel had five opponents. The second place finisher Adam Clayton Powell IV received 11,834 votes for 23 percent of the vote. Ms Joyce Johnson finished third and received 6,444 votes for 13 percent of the vote. The other three candidates split the remaining 13 percent of the vote.







Things have changed however in 2012 as 200,000, mostly Hispanic Bronx voters, were added to the new 13th Congressional District. While Mr. Rangel faces one less opponent this time around the four candidates he is facing are much stronger this year than in 2010, and we feel that it will be those of the 200,000 Bronx voters in the 13th C. D. who come out to vote that will decide the winner. We do not expect any of the five candidates to receive close to 50 percent of the vote, and the winner should come in with less than 40 percent of the vote.







Our crystal ball prediction in the 13th C.D. Democratic Primary is as follows. Mr. Craig Schley who ran in the 2010 general election on the Independence Party line and not in the Democratic Primary in 2010 will come in fifth place with up to 8 percent of the vote. Ms. Joyce Johnson has lost some of her luster from 2010 (including the endorsement of the New York Times), and in 2012 will garner less than 10 percent of the vote. Any of the remaining three candidates could win this race, but we see Mr. Clyde Williams coming in third with between 15 and 19 percent of the vote. That leaves close to 65 percent of the vote for Congressman Rangel and Senator Espaillat to split. Our crystal ball kept changing here, but when we asked it for the final tally and the winner it came up 36 percent for the new Congressman Adriano Espaillat and 29 percent for Mr. Charlie Rangel. Our crystal ball also had a message for Manhattan Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Keith Wright. The message for Mr. Wright was that next time you should make sure that there is more than one Latino in the race to split the Latino vote if you want to win the seat. Our crystal ball says that you have such a candidate.



This column is the opinion of the writer and not necessarily that of this newspaper. 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 at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

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Cedric Meets Grandi Man

Photo by New York Yankees

The Entertainer meets the Grandi Man: Yesterday Cedric the Entertainer watched Yankees batting practice at Yankee Stadium prior to the team’s 7:05 p.m. game vs. Atlanta. While in the Bronx, Cedric participated in a longtime Yankee Stadium tradition by heading out to the Bleachers to help lead “Roll Call” with the “Bleacher Creatures,” before watching the game in the stands. Here he poses with Yankee Slugger Curtis Granderson.

Cedric is in New York to promote his new TV Land sitcom “The Soul Man.”

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Rangel’s Challenger Shines

Congressional Candidate Brings Leadership Qualities to Race

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 18- No stranger to politics, Clyde Williams has worked under both President Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and has now set his sights on the 13 Congressional District, currently held by Charles Rangel.

Williams recently took time out from his busy campaign schedule to sit down to discuss his background, experience and what he hopes to accomplish for the newly redrawn district that now includes parts of the Bronx, if elected.

Williams, 49, was born and raised in Washington, DC., and is the former head of the Democratic National Committee as well as being the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of Agriculture, overseeing 100,000 employees and an $18 million annual budget.

Williams explained, "I'm the only person who's running against Congressman Rangel who's actually worked in Washington, DC... I'm the only person who can hit the ground tomorrow and actually do something to bring resources to this Congressional District."

On Congressman Rangel, Williams politely stated, "I respect the Congressman, but I think it's time for new leadership, it's time for a change."

Williams continued, "The two major people I'm running against, they both represent the political establishment, they represent the political machine that is New York... they haven't even talked about issues yet."

On those issues, Williams states, "You have a huge health care disparity that exists in this community, same thing with education... and unemployment. Our unemployment is almost twice the national average."

Williams is married to his wife Mona, whom he actually met in the, "Situation room," at the White House, the couple have two small children and reside in Harlem.

Anthony Rivieccio, Director of the Northwest Bronx Democrats, has thrown his support behind Williams as he has been meeting voters in Bedford Park, Norwood and Van Cortland Village.

Rivieccio stated, "We support Clyde Williams because we are looking for an independent, non-house Democrat. I think in the Bronx he has a good chance of winning."

Primary Day is slated for Tuesday, June 26.   

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Gun Buy Back is Now 24/7

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 15- The NYPD Community Affairs Bureau would like to ensure all citizens are aware of a critical program to take guns off the streets and to make our community a safer place.

The Cash for Guns Program is a program in which the New York City Police Department will pay $100 to any individual (excluding active law enforcement personnel and gun dealers) who present any handgun that is in apparent operative condition to any police precinct, transit district or housing police service area (PSA). To date over 6,000 deadly firearms have been surrendered since the program’s inception.

Qualifying weapons include: revolvers, semiautomatic and automatic pistols, sawed-off shotguns, or assault weapons. Weapons that do not qualify will be taken under the Cash for Guns Program, but will not qualify for the cash payment. An individual may surrender more than three weapons, but cash reimbursement will only be made for a maximum of a total of three weapons. 

Any individual turning in a qualifying weapon may do so at any police precinct, transit district or housing PSA, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. No questions asked and no identification will be required, as the identity of all individuals will remain anonymous.  While you may surrender the weapon at any of the above locations, cash payments will be made only from the following Patrol Borough Cash for Guns Central

Locations upon surrendering weapons:

Manhattan South: 7^th Precinct, 19½ Pitt Street, New York, NY 10013

Manhattan North: 26^th Precinct, 520 West 126^th Street, New York, NY 10027   

                    

Bronx: 48^th Precinct, 450 Cross Island Expressway, Bronx, NY 10457                                                     

Brooklyn South: 61^st Precinct, 2575 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY  11223                     

Brooklyn North: 90^th Precinct, 211 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Queens South: 107^th Precinct, 71-01 Parsons Blvd., Flushing, NY 11365                                                      

Queens North: 112^th Precinct, 68-40 Austin Street, Forest Hills, NY 11375                                                

Staten Island: 78 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301

For more information on this, or any of the other programs we offer, as part of our ongoing mission of “Police and Community Working Together” please call our office at 646-610-5323, or visit us online at www.nypdcommunityaffairs.org

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Crime in the Bronx

Blotter Notes

By David Greene

PAIR WOUNDED IN WAKEFILED... 

Police responding to calls of shots fired, discovered a man and woman both shot in the leg. 

The incident was reported at 2:40 a.m., on June 12.The victims were transported to an area hospital and were expected to recover. No description of the gunman was available.

TASER THIEF IN FOXHURST

Police were called to 1033 Faile Street at just after 2 a.m., on Tuesday, June 12, for a call of an armed robbery. 

The victim reported that he was robbed by a man with a taser. The suspect was described as a male Black with dreadlocks, who fled the scene on foot.

FATAL TRAIN STRIKE ON CONCOURSE

Police were called to the D-Train at E. 167 Street and the Grand Concourse, for reports of a person struck by a train. 

The incident was reported at 9:30 p.m. on June 11. Rescue crews frantically tried to reach the individual, who was declared dead at the scene less than 15-minutes later. No additional information was available at this time.

BROOK AVENUE SHOOTING... 

Police from the 40th Precinct were called to Brook Avenue and E. 139 Street, for reports of a man shot. 

The incident was reported at 4:20 p.m., on June 11. The unidentified victim was shot in the leg and removed to Lincoln Hospital in stable condition. Police were reportedly searching a building, located at 570 E. 139 Street, for the suspects described as two male Hispanics, one 6-feet tall and wearing a green Addidas shirt.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVER ASSAULTED

Police were called to the scene of an assault of a school bus driver. 

The incident was reported at 12:05 p.m., at the corner of E. Tremont Avenue and Anthony Avenue. The bus driver was removed to a local hospital in serious, but stable condition. Officer's from the 46th Precinct were looking for the suspect, described as a Black male.

HOME AVENUE JUMPER

Rescue crews were called to 355 Home Avenue, for reports of a person had jumped from a building. 

Upon their arrival, officers discovered the victim on the ground after jumping from an unknown height. The victims condition and circumstances are still not known at this time.

DOUBLE SHOOTING ON UNION AVE. 

Officers from the 40th Precinct were called to the scene of shots fired and discovered two gunshot victims. 

The incident unfolded at 1:30 p.m., on June 10. The two victims were rushed to a local hospital, their conditions are not yet known.

BRONX RIVER CRASH

Rescue crews removed one victim after a vehicle overturned. 

The crash was reported at 12:30 a.m., on June 10, on the southbound Bronx River Parkway at the E. 177 Street exit. One victim was extricated and rushed to a nearby hospital. The person's condition is not yet known.

MAN SHOT IN SOUNDVIEW

Police from the 43rd Precinct were called to the scene of a male shot. 

The incident took place in the stairwell of the James Monroe Houses, located at 1755 Story Avenue, at 12:15 p.m., on June 9. The 20-year old victim was expected to recover. 

Police were looking for a suspect, described as a male Black, wearing a NASCAR cap and black pants who fled the scene.

FISH AVENUE SLASHING

Police from the 47th Precinct were called to the scene of a female slashed in the face with a razor. 

Police arrived at 3467 Fish Avenue, at 12:20 p.m., on June 9, and discovered the victim. One suspect was quickly apprehended.

149 STREET BANK ROBBER

Police were looking for the individual who robbed a bank in the south Bronx. Police were called to 360 E. 149 Street after an individual passed a note to the teller and fled with an undetermined amount of U.S. currency. The suspect was described as a male Black, 5' 5'' tall, with a slim build.

OFFICER SHOT AT FIRING RANGE

EMS was requested to Rodman's Neck, for a police officer reported shot at the NYPD shooting range. 

The female corrections officer was reportedly accidentally shot in the leg and rushed to Jacobi Hospital in stable condition after the incident, which took place at just after 7 p.m., on June 7.

BAYCHESTER BANK ROBBERY

Police were called to a Baychester bank after a call of a robbery. The incident was reported at the CitiBank, located at 3955 Baychester Avenue, at Strang Avenue, at 9:30 a.m., on June 7. Police were looking for a male Black, dressed in black, who fled the scene.

E.241 STREET STABBING

Police and EMS were called to 691 E. 241 Street for a report of a person stabbed. 

Upon their arrival officers discovered the victim in critical condition. The suspect was described as a male Black, wearing a green and white hoodie and a yellow baseball cap with the words, "Old Navy," on it. No other details were immediately available.

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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Pain in the Gas

(Photos by David Greene)

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 14- We heard of pumping your own gas to save money but this is ridiculous.

Fire department officials were called after a woman's fuel tank ruptured and began to spill some of its 30-gallons of gasoline. The incident was reported along Bedford Park Boulevard at Jerome Avenue. The gasoline was off-loaded by members of the FDNY and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

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Cop Charged in Graham Shooting

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BRONX, NEW YORK, June 13- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced the indictment and arrest of a New York City Police Officer for the shooting death last Winter of Ramarley Graham, an 18-year-old unarmed civilian.

The grand jury charged Police Officer Richard Haste, 31, with one count of manslaughter in the first degree, a Class B felony offense, and one count of manslaughter in the second degree, a Class C felony offense. Conviction of the most serious Class B felony charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment. If Haste is found guilty of the less serious Class C felony offense, the maximum sentence allowed by law would be no more than 15 years imprisonment.

Haste, a Bronx resident assigned to the 47^th Precinct, was arraigned before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus. The judge set bail at $50,000 cash or bond and adjourned the case to Thursday, September 13, 2012 in State Supreme Court Part 60.

Ramarley Graham was shot to death in a bathroom in his home on East 229^th Street on February 2, 2012.

The indictment alleges that Haste “caused the death… while acting with intent to cause serious physical injury (to Ramarley Graham) by shooting him.” The grand jury also alleges that the defendant had acted “recklessly” in causing Graham’s death.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

District Attorney Johnson thanked the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, the 47^th Precinct Detective Squad, Bronx District Attorney Detective Investigators, Assistant District Attorney Peter Kennedy and Senior Trial Assistant District Attorneys Donald Levin and Nancy Borko for their work on the exhaustive four-month-long investigation that resulted in this indictment.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Donald Levin and Assistant District Attorney Peter Kennedy of the Investigations Division.