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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Plenty of Suspects but Little Evidence in Slaying

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By David Greene


BRONX, NEW YORK, January 31- Friends say he made his money finding and selling scrap iron on the street, but maintain his heart was as good as gold.


As sweet as he may have been, Gary Rodriguez lived life precariously on the edge and his luck eventually ran out, when a source maintains he was lured to a house-party on E. 204 Street-- when his assailant shot him once in the chest, in the early morning hours of December 9.


The source, who for obvious reasons will remain anonymous, claims she was with Rodriguez in the hours before the popular Norwood resident was shot on the sidewalk, just three blocks from his home and a block and-a-half from the 52nd Precinct station-house.


Speaking for the first time, the source claimed Rodriguez
received threatening phone calls that night from an ex-girlfriend, who still had keys to his rented room on Decatur Avenue.


The source recalled, "He was telling me he was going to change the locks."


Family members have confirmed that someone ransacked his room in the minutes after he was shot to death outside a private house at 3089 Decatur Avenue.


The source continued, "Whoever got inside the apartment took everything he had, and he had a lot of money... everything was gone."


The source claims that Rodriguez, 46, was dealing small amounts of marijuana in the area and may have gotten in the middle of a drug-turf battle along E. 204 Street and Decatur Avenue, the source maintained, "He was set up," with the promise of the house-party.


The source added, "It's like they fight for the damn territory and they don't let anyone else eat, and they were jealous of Gary because he was making money."


However, a close friend of Rodriguez believed it was not drugs, but a group from nearby Perry Avenue who was responsible, adding, "They got their feeling's hurt," during a previous incident.


If detectives didn't already have enough suspects, Rodriguez was also quite the lady's-man and was dating at least two other women while he lived with a third.


At the time of his death, Rodriguez was looking to expand his scrap metal business.


A wake for Rodriguez was held at the Ortiz Funeral Home on the Grand Concourse and he was laid to rest at St. Raymond's Cemetery on Saturday, December 15.


Despite rumors circulating the neighborhood that the gunman was apprehended, police maintain that the suspect remains at large and the case remains, "Active and ongoing."


Anyone with any information on Rodriguez' murder is asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.  





Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Locks are for honest folk

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Locks are for honest folk: --> COMMUNITY BOARD NEWS N’ VIEWS By Father Richard F. Gorman Chairman Community Board #12 (The Bronx) BRONX, NEW YORK, January 30- Th...

Locks are for honest folk

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COMMUNITY BOARD
NEWS N’ VIEWS

By

Father Richard F. Gorman
Chairman
Community Board #12 (The Bronx)


BRONX, NEW YORK, January 30- The current debate surrounding the issue of gun control legislation is hot and heavy and undoubtedly will continue to be so. This should not surprise any of us. As a matter of fact, such public discussion and airing of every aspect of this issue should be encouraged. Our political leaders and the head honchos of the news media should help to shape an open, honest, non-ideological, non-partisan, and dispassionate examination of what is at stake as, indeed, there are tremendous implications for the safety, the security, and the good order of our society hanging in the balance. Far too often in controversial matters such as gun control, exceedingly more heat as opposed to light is shed. Voices are raised, hypothetically intractable issues demanding solutions are concocted, alleged all-encompassing and comprehensive answers are proposed, and
opponents of one’s positions are demonized either as ill-informed, ignorant, phobic, or a combination of all of the aforesaid. Such shenanigans, regrettably the staples of modern public debate, are unworthy of a great democracy such as ours and of a noble people such as us. Furthermore, while they frequently pay homage to the demands of political correctness, advance the careers of politicians, and feed the ideological campaigns of self-proclaimed public pundits; they lead to deficient, if not altogether failed, remedies to imperative questions. This circumstance, consequently, gives rise to cynicism along with a skeptical disbelief that our political system is incapable of addressing successfully, or even adequately, the needs of its citizenry.

The tendency to rush the enshrining of purported resolutions of public predicaments into law is another feature of the present discourse on civic difficulties. It is highlighted by the cavernous flaw in the recent gun control legislation approved by our New York State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. According to news reports, the provision of the law limiting the number of bullets that can be placed in a gun clip had the effect of making the service firearm utilized by many of our local Police Officers illegal.

Governor Cuomo’s hurried explanations to the contrary, this development demonstrates that judicial decisions and legislation
hurriedly put into place absent ample scrutiny and across-the board debate leads to bad law, which goes on to contribute to widespread skepticism and criticism relative to the integrity and the competency of our governmental processes. Even though the Governor maintains they are not needed, last reports in the media contend requisite amendments to correct the imperfections of the new Cuomo gun control law are in the works and will be taken up in due course by the State Legislature.

An interesting aside in this regard that has not really come to the
fore is why this flaw in the law was not discovered either by those who drafted it or those who deliberated and voted upon it. With both an Executive Branch and Legislature chock full of lawyers, should not have somebody picked up on this item? On the other hand, perhaps the need of some to be first on line to acquire bragging rights in this matter superseded the observations and/or objections of others.

Devising a legal response to the need to shrink gun violence requires time, full-fledged argument, and forthright candor. After all, and very importantly, this issue touches upon a constitutional right  -- viz., the right to bear arms  --  enumerated in the Second Amendment contained in the Bill of Rights appended in 1791 to the Constitution of the United States. In 2008 and 2010, the Supreme Court of the United States issued two landmark decisions officially establishing this interpretation. In District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), the Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected to service in a militia and to use that firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense in the home, within many longstanding prohibitions and restrictions on firearms possession listed by the Court as being consistent with the Second Amendment. In McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 3025 (2010), the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment limits state and local governments to the same extent that it limits the Federal Government. Constitutional rights are not to be toyed with or addressed lightly. The misuse and abuse of our constitutional rights does not justify and should not result in the extent of those rights being reduced, their practice restricted, or their existence abolished. The proper and reasonable reaction to self-serving, anti-social, and manipulative utilization of a constitutionally protected right is to encourage and to enhance the respectful and right practice thereof.
Prudence is equally called for in reflection upon the content of any innovative and contemporary laws and regulations. Does the gun control proposal genuinely tackle the issues at stake? Much talk on this subject has been directed as of late to such ideas as banning assault weapons. Such appears to many to be a reasonable and intelligent proposition in light of recent events. However, does it really speak to or address the basic problem? In his latest editorial comment in a local newspaper, New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, while endorsing a ban on assault weapons, hastens to add that the real and overall problem with gun violence is the possession and illegal use of handguns. Any bona fide gun control proposal must include the
possession and the use of handguns  --  constitutionally, legally, and safely.

On a final note, I refer to the title of my column this week. The
Irish have a timeworn and time-tested statement that says “LOCKS ARE FOR HONEST FOLK.” In other words, persons who are honest do not take what is theirs, but those who are not do. A lock stops a one who respects the property rights of a neighbor while a thief merely picks the lock. Newly enacted laws and rules will bind those citizens who are law-abiding; criminals will basically ignore them. The genius of an authentic answer to the problem of gun violence must protect the rights and the well being of the righteous and peaceable individual while thwarting the designs of lawbreakers. Ergo, we need to move slowly and cautiously on the topic of gun control and only subsequent to far-reaching and circumspect conversation, something that I shall again take in hand when next meet.

Until next time, that is it for this time!



Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Maritime Win Streak Comes to an End

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Maritime Win Streak Comes to an End: --> BRONX, NEW YORK, January 30- The Maritime basketball team lost to conference opponent Farmingdale St., 76-48, Tuesday night at the Ra...

Maritime Win Streak Comes to an End

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BRONX, NEW YORK, January 30- The Maritime basketball team lost to conference opponent Farmingdale St., 76-48, Tuesday night at the Rams’ Nold Hall Gymnasium. The defeat snaps the Privateers’ three-game winning streak and drops their record to 4-12 (3-8 Skyline) on the season, while Farmingdale improves to 14-5 (10-2 Skyline) with the win.
"I felt we played very well in the first half,” commented head coach Jake Scott. “Unfortunately, in the second half, we did not execute as well and played into their game. We'll continue to work and get ready for two more games this week."
Senior Ron Bethea (Harlem, N.Y./Humanities Prep.) notched his third-straight 20-point performance with 20 and a team-high six rebounds. He was the only Privateer to score in double-figures on the night.
Maritime kept the game close midway through the first half, actually holding a 17-16 lead at 10:37. However, a 13-3 run by the Rams gave them a nine-point, 29-20 lead, at 3:04. The Privateer cut the deficit to within four points before the half, going into the locker room trailing 33-29.
Farmingdale State’s lead hit double-digits quickly into the second, as they started the half on a 13-0 run. Maritime struggled to stay with the Rams, as senior AJ Matthews dominated the play all over the court, recording a double-double with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Ryan Davis and junior Tim Johnson both registered 11 points, apiece, to round out the double-digit scorers.
The Privateers are back in action Thursday night in a very important conference matchup against Sage. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium.



Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide: --> (Below) A memorial has been set up for the two victims who were discovered shot to death inside a car on Perry Avenue. (Above) A memor...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide: --> (Below) A memorial has been set up for the two victims who were discovered shot to death inside a car on Perry Avenue. (Above) A memor...

Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide

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(Below) A memorial has been set up for the two victims who were discovered shot to death inside a car on Perry Avenue. (Above) A memorial photo of Jennifer Rivera.



By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, January 30- Homicide detectives continue their search for the suspect wanted for the latest killing in the relatively quiet and safe neighborhood of Norwood, after two cousins were found shot to death inside an SUV.

Answering a call of a person shot, police were summoned to a private home at 3328 Perry Avenue at 12:15 a.m., on January 16, when the officers discovered a man and woman had both been shot in the head inside a white SUV.

According to police, the male victim was rushed to Jacobi Hospital and the female victim was removed to St. Barnabas Hospital. Both victims were pronounced dead upon their arrival.
Police would later identify the victims as Jason Rivera, 30, of E. 194 Street and his niece Jennifer Rivera, 20, of Boynton Avenue.
None of the residents spoken to reported hearing gunfire, leading to speculation that the victims were killed at another location and dumped of the relatively quiet Perry Avenue.

Police say Jason Rivera served 4-years in prison after he was
convicted of stabbing a man in 2005. One published report stated that investigators were looking at the older Rivera's criminal background as a possible motive for the killings.

One resident of the block stated, "I didn't hear the gunfire... I've
been here 52-years so something like this is not going to shake me."
Several other violent incidents were reported recently within the
confines of the 52nd Precinct, at just after 5 p.m., on January 10,
police were called to 2608 Creston Avenue, where police discovered a male victim who was shot through the front door of a building.

Police were looking for the gunman, described as a male Hispanic teen, between 14 and 15-years old, who fled from E. 193 Street towards E. Kingsbridge Road.

At just before 6 p.m., on January 13, officers from the 52nd Precinct were called to 3051 Valentine Avenue at E. 204 Street, where they discovered a 30-year old male shot to his side and back.

Police in this incident were said to be looking for a male Hispanic who fled in a Range Rover. On January 14, police were called to 3525 Decatur Avenue, where a victim was discovered with a slash wound to the leg. All three victims were expected to survive. No arrests in any of the incidents were reported.

Longtime Norwood resident Sim Binnum believed the solution rests with Commissioner Ray Kelly, stating, "If we had walking patrols like he has in Manhattan, he could end some of this crap right now. If you go to Fordham you'll see walking patrols. But 204th Street is just as much a commercial district as Fordham or Jerome Avenue."

The 52nd Precinct, which covers the Norwood, Bedford Park and Fordham communities reported just six homicides last year, down from a high of 43 in 1993.

Anyone with any information on any violent crime are asked to call the CRIMESTOPPERS Tip Line at 1 (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.


Monday, January 28, 2013

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham Edges Rhode island

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham Edges Rhode island: --> (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, January 28- Several Fordham freshmen rose to the occasion to thrill more ...

Fordham Edges Rhode island

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(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK, January 28- Several Fordham freshmen rose to the occasion to thrill more than 3,000 fans including several dozen members of the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame by leading the Fordham Rams (6-14, 2-3) to a close and exciting victory over the Rams of the University of Rhode Island (6-12, 1-4). Interestingly, the result of the contest was almost a copy of the January 18, 2012 game between the two teams at the Rose Hill Gym, which was won by Fordham, 66-64.
Fordham’s was missing its only double-double averaging player and senior leader, Chris Gaston, for the second consecutive game and the eighth time this season. Thus, the pressure was on the younger players to step up in a crucial game that affected Fordham’s opportunity to qualify for the Atlantic-10 Championship, which will be contested at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in mid-March.
The top 12 of the 16 teams in the Atlantic-10 will qualify for the Conference tournament. Before the contest began, Fordham and URI were tied with two other teams at 1-3 and with only one team with a worse record. Thus, a win was of importance to both teams.
The competition was intense during the game. Two players are on each squad were called for technical fouls and open physical conflict seemed near. Fordham’s coach Tom Pecora commented, “The game was very intense. I’m glad we kept our composure.”
The score was tied eight times and the lead changed hands on 16 occasions in the tight contest. Fordham took its largest lead of the game, six points, after a 10-1 scoring run mid-way through the first half. URI finished the half by outscoring Fordham 13-6 to move ahead by one point, 32-31, at the half.
URI’s greatest advantage came after 3:17 into the second half after going 8-3 over Fordham to start the second period. The score was tied at 63 as the final minute of play began. Freshman Travion Leonard netted a free throw with 38 seconds remaining in the game give Fordham the lead. Fordham’s leading scorer, Brandon Frazier sunk two from the charity stripe with six seconds left to ensure the important win.
Frazier led all scorers with 20 points, but the freshmen made crucial contributions to the victory. Leonard compiled season highs in points (13), rebounds (8) and minutes (33). Freshman Mandell Thomas had a season high in points (17, assists (5), rebounds (7) and minutes (40). Freshman Ryan Roomes grabbed his season high of 11 rebounds in 22 minutes.
At a post-game press conference, Pecora remarked, “Winning the battle of the boards, especially in the second half, was the key. Each team grabbed 18 rebounds in the first half, but Fordham dominated, 27 to 16 and 11 to 1 in offensive boards in the second half.
Fordham returns to the Rose Hill Gym on Wednesday, January 30, to face St. Joseph’s.


Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Class of 2013 Inducted into Fordham Athletic Hall ...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Class of 2013 Inducted into Fordham Athletic Hall ...: --> (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, January 28- The 10 newest members of the Fordham University Hall of Fam...

Class of 2013 Inducted into Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame

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(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK, January 28- The 10 newest members of the Fordham University Hall of Fame were inducted on Saturday at the McGinley Center Ballroom at Fordham’s Bronx campus. The newest group of honorees was the largest since 1999 and included alumni of seven sports. Fordham President Father McShane remarked that the number of attendees for the ceremony was the largest in his 10 years as head of the university.
The inductees included three former members of the school’s basketball team. Frank McLaughlin (FCRH ’69) has been connected with the school for decades and in a variety of positions. In the late 1960’s he was a student-athlete. He captained the basketball team in the first coaching year of the legendary Ed Conlin. During the previous year, he played on the final Fordham team coached by Johnny Bach. After one year as an assistant coach at Holy Cross, McLaughlin returned to Fordham as an assistant to “Digger” Phelps in Fordham basketball’s greatest season. Their leadership led the team to a 26-3 mark and entry to the NCAA Tournament.
After that great year, Phelps and McLaughlin moved to Notre Dame. After several years with Phelps, McLaughlin took the head coaching job at Harvard, which he held for eight years. 
He returned to Fordham in 1985 as Director of Athletics and still remains at his Alma Mater. He was promoted to Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation in 1998. Last year, McLaughlin became associate VP of Student Affairs for Athletic Alumni Relations and External Affairs. His accomplishments in his years in athletic administration are too numerous to fit in the space of this article.
Wayne McGuirt (FCRH ’65) joined several of his former teammates in the Fordham HOF. He was team captain in his junior and senior seasons.
Tom Penders, a University of Connecticut grad, was head basketball coach at Fordham from 1978-86. Fordham reached the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) in five straight seasons of the eight he coached in the Bronx. His collegiate coaching career included leading his teams to 648 victories while losing only 438. He is only one of eight collegiate coaches to lead four different teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Water sports inductees included Jennifer Akerley (GSB ’01), who was a gold medalist at the Dad Vail National Championship and at the Atlantic-10 Championship in rowing, and Michelle Maguire Kennedy (FCRH ’03). Kennedy, a championship swimmer, received the Hobbs Family Award as the school’s leading female athlete in 2003.
Paul Darrigo (FCRH ’89) was a mound star at the ECAC Championship and NCAA Tournament in 1988. During that same year he was named a MAAC All-Star and All-New York State.
Matteo Cucchiara (FCRH ’65) graduated from Fordham holding the school’s indoor and outdoor mile marks. Cucchiara was able to share the news of his induction with his father shortly before the latter’s recent death. He was thankful that he was able to bring a smile to his father’s face, so near to his end.
Michael Dabney (FRCH ’54) was defeated in only one match in his four years of tennis competition in college. Dabney, the senior member of the honored class of inductees compiled an 89-1 mark at the university. He was the MVP of the tennis team in his junior and senior years. He recently celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary.
The two most recent graduates in the honored class were Sara Kinney (FCRH ’07) and Kerstin Greene (FCRH ‘07). Kinney earned A-10 Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. She graduated holding virtually every Fordham career pitching record in the school’s softball history.
Greene was the greatest female track & field performer in Fordham history. She earned the Hobbs Family Award as the top female student-athlete at Fordham in 2006 and 2007. The young woman graduated holding 14 Fordham records; she still holds nine of those marks.
Her story at Fordham displays character and ability far beyond the athletic field. The native of Germany had promised her younger brother, Sebastian, that if he was accepted at an American college, she would do her best to join him at that campus. After his acceptance by Fordham, she applied and was also accepted. To do so, she gave up her then career as a model, d.j. and singer. In addition to her studies at Fordham, she worked as a personal trainer at a gym in the Bronx as well as dedicating herself to excelling on the track & field team. Despite all these endeavors, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in only three years.
New York Yankee broadcaster and 1982 Fordham grad Michael Kay did his usual outstanding handling of the emcee duties. The dedicated Fordham alum said, “Fordham is a family. My best friends are those I went to school with.” An event later in the afternoon was proof of the truth of his words. He and his wife, Jodi Applegate, were presented with gifts for their three week old daughter, Caledonia.
The ceremony ended with remarks by Michelle Maguire Kennedy, who expressed the thanks of the 2013 class of inductees and closing words by Father McShane. To the honorees, he stated, “Thank you for being examples of integrity, character, constancy and excellence.”


Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Maritime Holds Off St. Joe’s For Third Straight Vi...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Maritime Holds Off St. Joe’s For Third Straight Vi...: --> BRONX, NEW YORK, January 28- Sophomores T-Vaughn Gibson (Freeport, Bahamas/Sunland Baptist) and Sean Corley (Harlem, N.Y./Thurgood ...

Maritime Holds Off St. Joe’s For Third Straight Victory

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BRONX, NEW YORK, January 28- Sophomores T-Vaughn Gibson (Freeport, Bahamas/Sunland Baptist) and Sean Corley (Harlem, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall) both recorded double-doubles, as the Maritime basketball team overcame a poor shooting afternoon to rattle off its third win in a row on Saturday with a 64-50 home victory over conference-foe St. Joseph’s at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium.
The Privateers improve to 4-11 (3-7 Skyline) on the season, while the Golden Eagles fall to 5-13 (3-8 Skyline). The win further improves Maritime’s playoff hopes, as the three conference victories are tied for sixth place, which is the final playoff spot, with eight games remaining.
“It wasn’t the prettiest game today, but we fought through a cold shooting performance to come out with the win,” said head coach Jake Scott. “I was very pleased with our defensive effort. This has been a great week for us and we hope to continue the momentum moving forward.”
Maritime has not won three-straight games since early in the 2010-11 season and it was the first time the Privateers won three-consecutive conference games since 2009-10, when they did it on three separate occasions, including a seven-game Skyline winning streak.
Gibson led all players with 21 points and five steals and also matched the game- and team-high with 12 rebounds. Senior Ron Bethea (Harlem, N.Y./Humanities Prep.) scored 20 points and just missed a double-double with eight rebounds, while Corley notched his team-leading third double-double with 10 points and 12 boards.
The Privateers played a staunch defensive game on the afternoon, holding St. Joseph’s to just 28.1-percent (18-for-64) shooting from the field. Maritime also shot poorly, however, connecting on just 33.3-percent (20-for-60) of its shots.
Maritime was quick to jump on the Golden Eagles off the opening tip, building up an 11-0 lead in the first three minutes and expanding the advantage to 14 points, 20-6, at 9:42. St. Joe’s responded by holding the Privateers off the scoreboard for the next seven-plus minutes to cut the deficit to just seven, 20-13, at 3:01. The Eagles kept chopping away at the lead and brought it down to as little as four points, but Corley hit a fast-break layup as time ticked off to end the half and the Privateers went into the locker room with a 26-20 lead.
In the second half, both teams shot better, but Maritime jumped out to an 11-point lead, 37-26, after two good free throws by Bethea at 14:17. St. Joseph’s scored nine-straight points (including six from sophomore Will Fortune) to cut the deficit to just two points with 4:48 to play, but a 14-2 run by the Privateers killed the momentum and secured the home victory.
Junior Cody Lohsen scored a team-high 12 points and brought down nine rebounds to lead St. Joseph’s, while Fortune and junior Phil Calixte ended the night with 11 points, apiece.

Maritime is back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 29, when the squad will travel to Farmingdale St. to take on the Rams at 7 p.m. at the Nold Hall Gymnasium on their campus in Farmingdale, N.Y.