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.

Calling All Choirs

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, July 5- The Pathmark Gospel choir competition is back and better than before! 

Does your church, school or community choir have what it takes to compete? All gospel singing groups are invited to audition and compete in the 12^th Annual Pathmark Gospel Competition for over $10,000 worth of prizes. 

This year the historic contest takes place on Saturday, July 21, at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY. Entries are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so sign your choir up quickly.

For more information or to register for the competition, please visit http://www.pathmark.com/gospel_choir.asp.

NYPD Pours Cold Water on Illegal Fireworks

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 3- The NYPD reminds all New Yorkers to celebrate the 4^th of July safely and legally this week. 

Through July 1, police have made 93 separate seizures of assorted illegal fireworks in various volume through arrests, vehicle check points and buy operations. The firecrackers, aerial displays, rockets and fireworks cakes confiscated so far fill more than 300 boxes and bags, from individual packages up to gallon trash bags.

Fifty-six individuals have been arrested for illegal fireworks and an additional 33 issued summonses. Fifty cars were found to have been transporting illegal fireworks, 12 of which were confiscated from their operators. Citizens are encouraged to call 311 to provide information about anyone using or selling illegal fireworks, and 911 to report crimes in progress.

Fireworks violations increase as the Fourth of July approaches. From Jan. 1 to July 5 last year the NYPD made 579 seizures of illegal fireworks, or an estimated 6,500 lbs – more than three tons – of assorted pyrotechnics. Confiscated fireworks are destroyed in controlled burns at the NYPD range in Rodman’s Neck, the Bronx.

Strike Heats Up

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Workers Protest Con Ed Lockout

(Photos by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 3- More than 8,500 union employees of Consolidated Edison were locked out at plants across the city, as contract negotiations broke down after a midnight deadline on June 30.

The workers, who repair and maintain the electric power grid that keeps our computers, televisions and air-conditioners running are now picketing outside plants across the city, as some 5,000 managers are now performing the emergency repairs needed to keep the power flowing.

One worker outside the Van Nest plant, that employed about 500

workers, claimed workers were fighting for maintaining their pension and medical benefits that he claimed management wanted to eliminate completely.

The worker, who would only give his first name, "Henry," continued, "They want to eliminate our benefits completely, so that's one of the sticking points."

Henry claimed that management wanted to change the federal mandate of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), allowing injured workers to be fired when the compensation runs out, explaining, "They want to fire your ass when your FMLA is over."

"It's going to be a very hot summer for the people of New York," Henry continued, "Management can't do the job that we do. They can supervise the job, but the qualified people are the people in the field and with 8,500 less people, there's no way they can handle the job."

Members of Local 1-2 of the Utility Workers Union of America claim that Con Edison CEO Craig Ivy was brought in from Virginia two-years ago after cutting benefits to union worker's in that state.

One Van Nest resident stated, "It's about time for the unions to start showing some muscle. The company is obviously making a lot of people money, let’s be honest. New York State and New York City residents pay a lot of money for something that everybody else gets for half-price or less. I don't think these guys are getting the money, but the shareholder's and the CEO are."

According to Con Edison's website, "All company personnel have been preparing for the possibility of a union work stoppage for months."

Con Edison's walk-in payment centers are now closed and normal meter readings have also been suspended for the immediate future.

Both the offices of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo continue to monitor the situation.

Con Edison currently serves 3.2 million customers that represent

nearly 9 million people in the New York City's five boroughs and Westchester County.

Workers at Con Edison last went on strike in the summer of 1983, when the company had 16,500 workers. That strike lasted nine-weeks.

Yankee Old Timer’s Day

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

Paulie’s Back in Pinstripes: Yankee legends braved the heat and returned to the Bronx to be a part of Old Timer’s Day. 

Fireworks

(Photos by Gary Quintal) 

Independence Day came early this year as Bronxites celebrated the birth of our country. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and State Sen. Jeff Klein held the annual Salute to America fireworks event at Orchard Beach on Friday. In addition to a host of fireworks which rivals Macy’s annual event, Bronxites were treated to the sounds of Alive N Kickin’.

Crackin' Up

Yankees Bullpen Fails to Save

White Sox Win, 4-3

(Maybe it's the heat but Yankee fans weren't the only ones who exhibited strange behavior. The bullpen blew Ivan Nova's stellar performance. Photos by Ken Carozza)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 29- The Yankees relievers in the ninth inning of Thursday night’s contest failed to preserve a 3-1 lead. A three-run homer by Dayn Viciedo of Chicago ended the Yankees five-game winning streak and the six-game winning streak over the White Sox. New York remained five games in front in the American League East as every team in the division lost on Thursday.

Yankees starter Ivan Nova made a strong attempt to win his sixth straight decision. The 25-year old pitched 7.1 innings. He gave up only a single run during his impressive stint on a two-out home run to Alejandro de Aza in the fifth. He surrendered five other hits, walked three batters and fanned five.

The Sox threated Nova only in the fourth as base hits put runners on first and third with no one out. A short fly to Center and a double play ended the threat without a run being scored.

Chicago starter Dylan Axelrod also pitched an outstanding game. Axelrod only faced difficulty in the fourth and fifth frames. A-Rod doubled to lead-off the fourth. After two batters were retired, Nick Swisher and Raúl Ibañez walked to load the bases. Eric Chavez grounded to third to end the inning without a Yankee run.

The Yankees put their first runs on the scoreboard after two were retired in the following inning. Curtis Granderson singled. He scored on A-Rod’s second double in two innings. Rodriguez crossed the plate on a double by the next batter, Robinson Cano.

A two-out homer by Mark Teixeira, his 13^th of 2012, in the bottom of the eighth put the Yanks ahead, 3-2.

The outcome was determined in the top of the ninth as the White Sox put three on the board against Yankees relievers. The Yankees pen men entered the contest second in the majors in ERA and second in allowing inherited runners to score.

Alex Rios began the ninth with a single off Cody Eppley, who retired the final batter in the eighth. Yankee skipper Joe Girardi then brought in Clay Rapada. The lefty did what was hoped for, got A.J. Pierzyinski to ground to the pitcher for what appeared to be an easy double play. Instead of two men being out, Rapada threw the ball into center field. David Robertson a righty, then came into the game and gave up the winning blow.

In the post-game press conference, Girardi faced a barrage of questions regarding his use of the relievers. Of not using closer Rafael Soriano, who has 17 saves in 18 opportunities this year, “I can’t run him out five out of six days after the very tough day yesterday and get him hurt.”

Explaining why he didn’t begin the ninth with Robertson, he said, “We’ve only used him once back-to-back. I’m going to be cautious.”  Robertson was on the disabled list from May 15-June 14.

Adam Warren of the Yanks will make his Major League debut in the second contest of the four game series on Friday night. He will face Jose Quintana (2-1) will a minuscule Era of 125.

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