Bronx Walk of Fame Inductees

(Photos by Gary Quintal & David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 21- Four more Bronxites were inducted into the Bronx, "Walk of Fame," during the 22nd Annual Bronx Week celebration at the Bronx County Courthouse on Sunday, May 20.

Rapper Fat Joe, actor and Model Tyson Beckford, jazz musician Valerie Capers and cinematographer Sol Negrin were all immortalized with special street signs with their names on it, that will hang outside the courthouse on the Grand Concourse.

Born Joseph Antonio Cartagena, Fat Joe told a crowd of fans, "I'm happy to be honored today, proud to be from the Bronx. I love the Bronx, love to represent the Bronx wherever we go... I'm just honored, I don't know what else to say."

Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., explained to the crowd, "When we induct someone into the, "Walk of Fame," ... it's not only because their famous, it's not only because they've done well for themselves and their families, it's because regardless of their expertise, these individuals are all masters of their craft."

Diaz continued, "Yet they have worn, like a badge of honor, the fact that the Bronx was their home."

After the event, Beckford stated he often still visits the Wakefield section, where he grew up on E. 219 Street, adding it was an honor to be immortalized with a street sign, adding, "Man it's a good feeling, growing up I never thought this could happen."

Beckford offered a tip to youngsters, telling them, "Just follow-your dreams."

The 10-day celebration culminated with a parade along Mosholu Parkway that featured a live performance by Bronx rapper Dougie Fresh.

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BEER HERE!

(Photos by David Greene)

Large crowds flocked to the two-day event titled, "The Bronx Beer Hall Preview," held on Thursday and Friday, May 17 - 18, at The Valentine- Varian House on Bainbridge Avenue. The event, held in association with "Bronx Week," celebrating the announcement that the staff of the Jonas Bronxk's Beer Company has joined with Mike's Deli on Arthur Avenue, to open The Bronx Beer Hall, housed inside The Arthur Avenue Retail Market. Glasses of the Bronx-made beer were available for a nominal fee. The event also feature a live musical performance.

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Yanks Comeback Falls Short

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 20- The failure of Yankee batters to hit successfully with runners in scoring position continues to plague the team. After failing in three at bats to move runners beyond second base, the Yankee futility in scoring runners from second and/or third base reached a mark of three scores in 51 at bats.

It looked as if they could move beyond those failures in the ninth inning as a runner in scoring position was plated for the first time in 23 at bats as Nick Swisher singled Raul Ibañez home after the latter was at second after doubling. Singles by Eric Chavez and Jayson Nix accounted for the fifth run of the Yankees.

The streak of success ended quickly as Derek Jeter forced Nix at second and Curtis Granderson ended the game by grounding out to first base.

After the contest concluded, Yankee manager Joe Girardi spoke of this problem, “We just didn’t get the last hit we needed. It’s frustrating that we got so close. I’m sure it’s frustrating for them.”

Solo homers by Russell Martin in the third and Jayson Nix in the fifth accounted for two earlier runs. A double by Ibañez scored Robinson Cano from first in the fourth.

Returning to action after suffering a sprain of his right ankle in his last start on May 14, Ivan Nova hit a career-high of 12 strikeouts, but gave up five runs in six innings.

Girardi said of the performance of the 25 year old, “I thought he threw the ball pretty decent. When he got hit, they made it count.”

The instances the Yankee skipper referred to were: a single after two walks in the first, two doubles in the second and a three-run homer to Cincinnati star Joey Votto in the fifth.

Of the long ball hit by Votto, Girardi commented, “He made a mistake to Votto; he let the ball up.”

The pitcher was dissatisfied with his work, “I don’t care about strikeouts. I made a lot of mistakes. It was a slider [to Votto], I didn’t get it down.”

The defeat was the fifth in the last seven games for the Yankees.

CC Sabathia (5-0) will start the final game of the three game series for the Yanks against Johnny Cueto (4-1) for the Reds on Sunday afternoon.

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Now THAT’s Our Andy

Pettitte Blanks Reds; Yanks Win, 4-0

(Photos by Ken Carozza)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 19-Andy Pettitte, in his second major league appearance since October 2010, shut out the Cincinnati Reds for eight innings. The victory was his first in a regular season big league game since July 8, 2010.

After losing their last three games, the Yankees were happy to return to the Bronx and overjoyed to be facing a national league team. The win kept the Yankees at the top of the standings in inter league play. They have compiled the most win, 158, and have the highest winning percentage, .597.

The story of the game was the superlative performance of the veteran left hander. Pettitte, less than one month shy of reaching the age of 40, pitched like the comeback kid. He shut out the Reds for eight frames, giving up only four isolated singles and one walk while fanning nine batters.

Yankee skipper Joe Girardi was ecstatic regarding Pettitte’s work, “He had everything going tonight. I thought his cutter was exceptional. I thought the location of his fastball was exceptional.” When asked if Pettitte looks any different than in years past, Girardi responded, “If you want to go back 2- years, to me, it’s the same guy.”

Catcher Chris Stewart saw very little difference between this victory and the loss Pettitte suffered in his first start of the season last Sunday, “The difference was just a couple of pitches. Tonight, he didn’t make those mistakes. Tonight was outstanding.”

Pettitte was especially pleased with his improvement, “Everything was working. It was good to get in a good rhythm.”

The Yanks continued to be unable to hit in the clutch. Yankee batters have only hit safely three times in the last 48 at bats with runners in scoring position.

The Yankees first was scored on a ground out to shortstop by Alex Rodriguez in the fourth.

The other three runs were scored on three hits in the eighth. Robinson Cano hit a solo homer. A- Rod, the next batter singled. Raul Ibañez followed with a two-run home run.

The second game of the inter league series will be played on Saturday afternoon Ivan Nova (4-1) expected to take the mound for the Yankees against Homer Bailey (1-3).

Pettitte is scheduled to start against Kansas City on Wednesday.

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FreshDirect Now Delivers throughout the Bronx

Initiative Could Lead To Food Stamp Policy Change

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 18 – FreshDirect announced that it is now accepting delivery orders from every zip code in the Bronx, expanding access to fresh, healthy groceries. Actualdeliveries to the new zip codes will start being made on May 21.  

As part of FreshDirect’s service expansion, the company will promote a Bronx grand opening sale with discounts on popular items of up to 50 percent plus new customer discounts of $25 all for Bronx residents – available now at www.freshdirect.com.  

Earlier this year, FreshDirect partnered with Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg, and Borough President Diaz to announce that the leading fresh food Internet grocer will invest $112.6 million to build its new headquarters at Harlem River Yard.  The move will create 1,000 new jobs to support our continued growth over time and will retain 2,000 existing jobs. In addition, the actual construction of the new headquarters will create approximately 684 construction jobs.

FreshDirect also said it has secured approval for a novel pilot program that it hopes will result in changing a federal policy that currently keeps food stamp recipients from using their benefits to purchase groceries over the Internet. This pilot program will enable food stamp recipients at a few Bronx locations to purchase groceries from FreshDirect and will enable the company to identify regulatory modifications that may need to be made to the Electronic Benefits Transfer, the system that supports food stamp transactions.

“As we continue to grow and create jobs in New York City, we are thrilled that we are now able to serve the entire Bronx and provide residents there with convenient access to quality, fresh foods,” Jason Ackerman, CEO of FreshDirect said. “This expansion is part of our larger effort to find ways to enable all New Yorkers to lead healthy lifestyles.”

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said, “FreshDirect has already demonstrated a clear commitment to strengthening New York City’s economy through a significant private investment and the creation of nearly 1,000 new jobs.  Now, with its plans to expand services to all of the Bronx and advocate for an onlineFood Stamp pilot program, FreshDirect will further benefit the City by improving access to healthy foods.”

“Throughout the relocation process, FreshDirect has been focused on the needs of Bronx residents, so much so that the company signed a comprehensive MOU with my office outlining their commitment to the Bronx on service expansion, accepting food stamps, local hiring and other key concerns,” said Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Today’s announcement shows that FreshDirect is ready to live up to those commitments ahead of schedule, years before making the Bronx their official home. I am pleased with FreshDirect’s plans to expand its delivery zones to every corner of the borough. Ultimately, this move will offer residents increased healthy grocery options.”

FreshDirect said details about the food stamp pilot program are still being worked out but that it will enable food stamp recipients at a few Bronx locations to purchase groceries. 

USDA Undersecretary Kevin Concannon emphasized the importance of the FreshDirectproject, saying “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients in the Bronx will have greater access to the fresh foods that are so vital to healthy nutrition.”

Currently, those who rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – also known as Food Stamps – are unable to purchase groceries over the Internet from online vendors like FreshDirect. Electronic Benefits Transfer(EBT), the system that allows SNAP recipients to pay for groceries, does not now support Internet transactions.  As a result, FreshDirect is currently unable to accept food stamps.

FreshDirect asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve a pilot program to allow it to serve a test segment of Food Stamp beneficiaries in the Bronx.  With USDA’s approval freshly in hand, FreshDirect is now working to implement the pilot program and will detail how it will work in the coming weeks. 

To ensure compliance with EBT regulations currently in place, FreshDirect will make several modifications to its business operations for the pilot program.  The company will waive all delivery charges for EBT orders as a condition of current EBT purchase restrictions; purchase thousands of dollars worth of offline payment processing machines and pay incremental fees to accept EBT at the point of delivery; and modify its website interface and driver delivery software to ensure electronic reconciliation of individual EBT order accounts – something that is not currently available with mobile EBT processing devices.

USDA approved the pilot program last week.  FreshDirect will announce the pilot deployment launch date, delivery locations, and other program details soon. 

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Will New Mall Stem Bronx Depression?

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 17- With unemployment in the Bronx reaching 14.1 percent in February, Bay Plaza's new mall promises to be a big economic boon for Co-op City and the rest of the Bronx.

All told, the new mall is expected to generate 3,700 new jobs, 2,000 temporary positions relating to construction of the mall and another 1,700 permanent jobs.

At a time of deep economic retrenchment on a wide variety of fronts, Prestige Properties is planning to spend $270 million on construction of the new enclosed mall.

The new mall at Bay Plaza, in addition to providing greatly expanded opportunities for shopping, is expected to spur a variety of ancillary economic activities and commerce in the area.

Renovations at the existing portion of Bay Plaza have already started. Ultimately, Prestige Properties plans to spend $5 million on renovations of the existing portion of Bay Plaza, which opened in the mid-1980s.

Ultimately, the current and new portion of Bay Plaza will be connected into one enclosed mall.

Joseph Comparetto, senior vice president of Prestige, stressed, in a recent interview, “It is important that a shopping center not look outdated or faded. That's why we're spending an estimated $5 million on renovations of the existing portion of the shopping center.”

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Zoo Crash Could have been Prevented?

Survivor to Survivor: "I know What Your Going Through"

(Construction crews begin setting up a new barrier at the site of the most recent crash.--Photo by Amparo Cruz)

(A classmate of one of the victims speaks to reporter's after a funeral mass for the seven victims at St. Raymond's Church in Parkchester.--Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

A Bronxite who lost five members of his family as well as a close friend, has reached out to the Soundview family who lost seven members in the latest multi-fatal crash along the Bronx River Parkway.

Dexter Gardiner was hosting a memorial basketball game dedicated to his mother and sister who had passed away in the same year, when a horrific crash on July 9, 2006, claimed the lives of Asia, 6; Dexter's twin Derrick, 40; Jamel, 16; Tuywann, 23; brother in law Brandon Days, 18; and friend Jeremy Blackwell, 23.

The family members had left the game at St. James Park in the Fordham section, and were traveling southbound on the Bronx River Parkwway between the Bronx Zoo and E. 177 Street exits, when their vehicle jumped the center divider and plowed into on-coming traffic.

Gardiner, a Burke Avenue resident recalled, "I visited them the day after the crash. I know what they’re going through right now, so I just wanted to be there to support them."

Coincidentally, Gardiner was driving with his girlfriend when his son called to tell him about the car that flew off the Bronx River Parkway and into the Bronx Zoo on April 29.

The latest crash claimed the lives of Maria Gonzalez, 45; Maria Maria Munez, 39; Ana Martinez, 81; Jacob Nunez, 85; Jocelyn Gonzalez, 10; Niely Rosario, 7; and Marly Rosario, 3.

Recalling getting the tragic news, Gardiner stated, "Oh man, I was devastated. It was like a flashback... it was heartbreaking."

To no avail, Gardiner had reached out to state officials to fix the roadway, that had several major flaws but the State Department of Transportation (DOT) did nothing. In fact, Bronx Democratic District Leader Michael Robles survived when his car flew off the parkway last year and landed in front of a Bronx police station.

At the time the DOT vowed to make a statement, but the call never came.

This past week work crews had finished erecting two new, temporary barriers that will keep vehicles on the roadway in the event of a crash, until repairs cane be made.

Monte Dean, a spokesman for the DOT, stated, "The length of the barrier is about 3,000 feet in each direction. I don't have a cost yet either. No idea."

Asked about another trouble-spot identified by the Cross Bronx Expressway Initiative, which claims another dangerous location exists on the Cross Bronx Expressway near the Sheridan Expressway, Dean replied, "Well the specific conditions of Bronx River Parkway, where it had that shorter curb along the edge, but we're looking along the rest of the Bronx River Parkway, but I don't know if the Cross Bronx or the other roads have that, but I will ask our folks and see what they can tell me."

William Rivera of the Cross Bronx Initiative, who sent a letter to state officials back in November, 2011, fired back, "It sounds like a cliche, but seven people didn't have to tragically die to address unsafe conditions."

Attorney Jeff Korek of Gersowitz, Libo and Korek, who represents the only survivor from the 2006 crash, agreed, offering in a prepared statement, "The Bronx River Parkway has been an on-going problem due to, 'patchwork' and 'band aid," repairs and faulty design. A proper safety review of this roadway would have prevented many deaths, including these latest.   

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