Faith on Display

Faith on Display

Photo by Gary Quintal

The faithful came out to witness passion plays throughout the Bronx. Church groups donned costumes and recreated the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. 

#GoodFriday #Cross #Jesus #Easter

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Kids Hop Along to Holiday Fun at Bunny Breakfas

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Kids Hop Along to Holiday Fun at Bunny Breakfas: Kids Hop Along to Holiday Fun at Bunny Breakfast (Photos by Gary Quintal) BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 3- State Senator Jeff Klein, joined by...

Kids Hop Along to Holiday Fun at Bunny Breakfas

Kids Hop Along to Holiday Fun at Bunny Breakfast

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 3- State Senator Jeff Klein, joined by more than 300 Bronx children and families, held his 20th annual Easter Bunny Breakfast and Magic Show at Villa Barone Manor on March 28. Bronxites of all ages enjoyed a free breakfast, fun-filled magic show, build-a-bunny workshop, face painting and an appearance by a very special guest: the Easter Bunny. 

“The Easter Bunny Breakfast is a cherished tradition here in the Bronx, bringing together hundreds of young children and their parents to celebrate the season,” said Senator Jeff Klein. “It’s a wonderful event that couldn't be made possible without all of our spectacular volunteers and donors, and of course, all of the families who join in the fun. I’d like to thank everyone for making our 20th annual Bunny Breakfast such a positive and memorable experience." 

The event kicked off with a generous continental breakfast, with guests filling up on bagels, pastries, croissants, fruit, coffee, tea and more. Yelps of

excitement rippled through the crowd as the Easter Bunny frolicked in, with children running to embrace their beloved friend. Parents snapped photos of their children with the Easter Bunny as he made his way around the room. 

From there, John the Magician amazed the youngsters with a variety of spectacular tricks. As the event came to a close, each child received a soft, plush stuffed bunny or a cuddly yellow duck. 

#Easter #BunnyBreakfast

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Future of Driving

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Future of Driving: Future of Driving (Photos by Seitu Oronde) Past, present and the future of driving rolled into the Jacob Javits Center for the Annual N...

Future of Driving

Future of Driving

(Photos by Seitu Oronde)

Past, present and the future of driving rolled into the Jacob Javits Center for the Annual New York Auto Show which kicks off on Friday. From past beauties to concept cars auto fans have a chance to see the latest in car designs. 

#NewYorkAutoShow #Mercedes #Toyota

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools: Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools (Photos by David Greene) By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 31- Three individuals have been arre...

Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools

Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools

(Photos by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 31- Three individuals have been arrested and charged with running a heroin operation based in the working middle class neighborhood of Bedford Park-- a short distance away from two New York City public schools and a college.

According to police sources, members of the Bronx Narcotics Squad, in conjunction with the 52nd Precinct, were conducting a buy and bust 

operation at the corner of East Bedford Park Boulevard and Jerome Avenue, at 4:30 p.m. on March 20.

According to the criminal complaint, the informant purchased a bag on f heroin and a surveillance team followed at least one of the three suspects to an apartment at 3043 Villa Avenue at East Bedford Park Boulevard.

A team of more than a dozen officers raided the fourth-floor apartment and took one of the three suspects into custody. Police would only confirm that three individuals were arrested at three different locations stemming from the sale.

Police announced the arrests of Louis Delgado, 43, of Manhattan; Vanessa Henry, 50, of the Grand Concourse and Jennifer DeHoyos, 34, of White Plains Road. All three were charged with criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance, both felonies.

One resident of the area recalled the scene, "I saw three undercover guys blocking the street and there were like three or four in the apartment looking for drugs. They were looking out the window and onto the fire escape."

                                          

Asked if he was surprised by heroin sales in the area, the resident responded, "I knew they were dealing," claiming to have witnessed the drug-for-cash transactions for over a year. 

The resident then made a bombshell allegation, claiming, "I asked a couple cops who I could talk to. I'd go down and talk to the detectives, but you go down there and they don't want to know anything, really. This was like a year ago."

The neighborhood source also stated that the boss of the operation was overseeing the ongoing drug sales, since the arrests, from the comforts of his luxury SUV-- claiming that many of the drug sales are conducted in the public parking lot for a college. Investigators would not confirm the report.

A brother of one of the suspects claimed, "They beat him up pretty good and he's an older guy and he still hasn't even seen a doctor yet." The young relative also questioned why the man had been held in Manhattan, when the alleged crime took place in the Bronx.

The distraught family member added, "I'm not saying he's an angel, but he didn't deserve this," claiming that the alleged sale involved less than $100 of the drug.

According to the Bronx District Attorney's office, all three were arraigned on March 21. DeHoyos was released on her own recognizance and Delgado made bail and both were due back in court on June 9. Henry remains held on $5,000 bond and is due back in court on April 6.

 #NYPD #Heroin #Bronxnews

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham Names New Coach

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham Names New Coach: Fordham Names New Coach By Howard  Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 31-  Less than two weeks after Tom  Pecora  was relieved of h...

Fordham Names New Coach

Fordham Names New Coach

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 31- Less than two weeks after Tom Pecora was relieved of his duties as men’s basketball coach at Fordham University, it was announced a replacement was hired. Jeff Neubauer, the coach of the Eastern Kentucky Colonels for the past decade, was named the new men’s coach of the Rams.

Neubauer’s teams had record success at EKU. The Colonels won 101 games in the past five seasons and 188 in his 10 years at the helm of the Kentuckians. In five of the 10 years, the Colonels under the guidance of Neubauer qualified for a post-season tournament.

Immediately prior to his first head coaching position, Neubauer was an assistant to John Beilein at West Virginia for three years. In his final season at West Virginia, the Mountaineers reached the Elite Eight round at the 2005 NCAA Tournament. 

Neubauer served as assistant coach to Beilein the previous five seasons at Richmond. The Spiders achieved great success during those years, winning 100 games and qualifying for the post-season tournaments in three of those years.      

During his three years after college graduation, he was graduate assistant coach at The Citadel, where he earned an MBA degree.

Neuberger was the point guard of a very successful LaSalle basketball team from 1989-1993. The explorers compiled an 83-36 mark and three post-season tournament appearances, two in the NCAA and one in the NIT. The finance major was an Honorable Mention GTE Academic All-America in his senior year.

The native of Slidell, Louisiana is happy to be coming to the Bronx, “I am thrilled to get the opportunity not only to head coach at Fordham but to coach in New York City. Fordham has a great academic tradition and a beautiful campus.”

Realizing that the Fordham Rams have had only two seasons in the last 23 years in which the team compiled a record of .500 or better, he explained, “I really love challenges and am very aware of how competitive the Atlantic-10 Conference is and I’m looking forward to helping Fordham move forward in the conference.”   

Although Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym in the oldest District I gym in the country and only seats 3,200, the new coach likes the facility, “I played here many years ago. I think it’s a neat place. I think it has character.”  

Neuberger met the players on his team for the first time one day before his public introduction on Tuesday, “I was very impressed with them. I was not surprised because of the level of the school. I want them to get to know me through basketball.”

The personable young but experienced coach admitted to this reporter, “I’m not worried about the basketball. I’m not worried about the recruiting. I have no idea where I want to live.”

Fordham officials expressed great satisfaction with the new coach they signed. Fordham’s president, Joseph M. McShane, SJ, elatedly stated, “His ability to inspire superior performance on the court and in the classroom fits well with Fordham’s mission and our culture…Most importantly, we believe Jeff will be a positive force for our student athletes, in their careers and in their lives.”    

Athletic Director David Roach commented, “He [Neubauer] has proven himself as one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the country and brings a tremendous amount of experience to our program.”      

#Fordham #Rams #HeadCoach                                                          

NYCFC Loses First Match in its History

NYCFC Loses First Match in its History 

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 30- The NYCFC (1‐1‐2) lost its first match in its history at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night. Sporting Kansas City (1‐1‐2) was the victor by a score of 1‐0. The win was the first of the season for the visitors, and the seventh time they have handed its first defeat to a club in its new venue.

The match sold out with a crowd of 27,545 who attended the second match of the home club in the iconic Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Although the home opener drew in excess of 43,000, the seating allocated for NYCFC matches was approximately 27,000. 

New York area native Chris Wingert praised the loyalty of the club’s supporters, “It was really impressive for how many people came to watch us.” The Manhattan resident spoke of his trip to the Bronx, “I took the subway. It was a nightmare. I don’t know it well enough yet.”

The only goal of the match was scored at the 12 minute mark in the first half on a throw‐in by Matt Besler, a veteran of 25 Caps for the USMNT, which was knocked into the goal on a header by KC defenseman Ike Opara, his second goal of the new season. NYCFC coach Jason Kreis described the most crucial moment of the match, “We put our tallest guy on him, but Opara just beat him to the ball.” 

NYC defenseman Chris Wingert, who has started all four matches, admitted, “It was frustrating to give up a goal on a throw‐in.”

Kreis spoke of the difference of how his club fared in each half of the contest, “In the second half, they did everything they could to get the tying goal. I don’t know why it takes a whole half.” He believes the club should start with more energy from the opening moment of a match, especially in a home contest.

A disappointment to the club and the fans was the absence of Spanish superstar David Villa. After suffering an ankle injury earlier in the year, Villa missed his first contest of the season. Kreis described the situation to reporters after the contest, “Yesterday we took him [Villa] out early to the training center. We quickly decided it wasn’t going to work. He’s managed through the pain and swelling for the past three weeks.” The coach believes the bye week will allow Villa to return to action for the next NYCFC match against the Philadelphia Union on April 11.

Kreis did not believe that the absence of Villa or forward Adam Nemec, who had started the first three matches, and was representing Slovakia on the weekend, made the difference in the result of the match.

The NYCFC coach was also pleased with the three substitutes (Tony Taylor, Kwadwo Poku and Thomas McNamara) who saw action, “All three substitutions were good. I was really proud of the effort the guys put in.”

Kreis uttered a mixed summary of his club to this point in its first season, “We need to improve in all phases, [but] there are still signs that I can say we’re going to be a good team.”

The next two NYCFC matches are a home and home with the Philadelphia Union. After a road match in Philadelphia on April 11, NYCFC will return to Yankee Stadium on April 16 to face the same opponent.

#NYCFC #Soccer #YankeeStadium #Bronxnews

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Only Lap Dogs Allowed?

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Only Lap Dogs Allowed?: Only Lap Dogs Allowed? Organizers block reporters who ask questions on stealth homeless Riverdale Report By Robert Press BR...

Only Lap Dogs Allowed?

Only Lap Dogs Allowed?

Organizers block reporters who ask questions on stealth homeless

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 26- Last week, the Riverdale Press reported a so called exclusive on the vacant former Montefiore Medical Center site. I call it a So-Called exclusive, because the Riverdale elected officials chose not to ask this newspaper columnist to the meeting even though I have lived in Riverdale for over 35 years.

Could it have been my reporting on the next Bronx Democratic County Leader, my reporting on the new leadership in the state senate, or perhaps commentary of a sister newspaper the City News? So Riverdale Press it was not an exclusive, just payback for honest reporting. You of all newspapers should know that from the last two Democratic primaries, but then again your reporting was not always honest. By the way the editor of the other so called Riverdale newspaper was invited so you scooped him and not me.

Let’s go over the facts. There is no way that a 14-story luxury building will be built on the former medical center site. The community will want to lower it to 8 – 10 stories at most, which will not be profitable for Simone Developers the owner of the site. Quite frankly the site may have to be broken down into the parcels it originally started from, and then be constructed on individually. As you know the elected officials were wrong before on this site.

Speaking of our elected officials, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz was at the Riverdale Y last week with a check for $125,000 for the first 'Barrier Free Playground' in the Northwest Bronx. This will be the first all accessible playground to all children including those with special needs. This comes on top of a grant to the Y by Senator Klein to repair the entrance to the Y.

It seems that our photo last week of a Coalition for Homeless van parked in front of a rent-stabilized building in Riverdale has gotten some responses. Last week’s article (an exclusive) seems to be even more important now that Mayor Bill deBlasio has been robo-calling landlords offering a One-Thousand dollar bonus to landlords who will house the homeless. More in upcoming columns.

The March 30^th meeting of the Community Board 8 Land Use meeting has five items on the agenda. Items 2 and 5 in the Fieldston Special Nature Area District, and both have to do with a change of windows or sash. Item 1 concerns the new fitness center at the West 230^th Street and Broadway mall. Items 3 and 4 concern new buildings in Kingsbridge Heights. Item 3 is a discussion about a new proposal for the 3469 Cannon Place site by a new developer. Item 4 is about a 421-A application for a newly constructed 6 story 52 unit building at 3507 Fort Independence Street. There is however no mention of any proposal for the Riverdale/Oxford Avenue former Montefiore Medical Center site.

Lastly, don't forget to check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for the weekly listing of upcoming events at Wave Hill, more on what you may read in this column, and the many photos of the events that are covered.

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 you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.  

#Riverdale #Homeless #Montefiore #Bronxnews

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fire Bug Torches Cars

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fire Bug Torches Cars: Fire Bug Torches Cars By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 25- The fire marshal and the NYPD are currently looking for the person or pe...

Fire Bug Torches Cars

Fire Bug Torches Cars

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 25- The fire marshal and the NYPD are currently looking for the person or persons who set fire to some curbside garbage that destroyed to vehicles in Norwood.

Authorities could provide few details before the police reports have been filed, but officials say both incidents took place on opposite ends of Hull Avenue, between East 209 Street and East Gun Hill Road, between 1:30 and 2 a.m. on March 19.

A mattress was set on fire at the curb where an older model black BMW caught fire outside of 3307 Hull Avenue. A red Honda Ridgeline SUV caught fire minutes later outside of 3349 Hull Avenue, after bags of garbage were torched.

Both vehicles suffered extensive damage to the passenger sides and undercarriages of both vehicles and both will likely be a total loss.

One victim was too distraught at the loss of her car to speak, but one resident of the block remarked, "I knew about this one, but now I see there's two. You never use to have this sort of thing happen here."

Fire marshals continue to investigate the cause of the fire and who set it, while the NYPD is reportedly checking surveillance video in the area.

#NYPD #Arson #Firebug #Norwood #Bronxnews

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cabbie stripped of license following fatal crash

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cabbie stripped of license following fatal crash: Cabbie stripped of license following fatal crash Out-of-Control Taxi Kills 2 in Claremont (Photo by Andre Rivera) By David Greene BRONX, N...

Cabbie stripped of license following fatal crash

Cabbie stripped of license following fatal crash

Out-of-Control Taxi Kills 2 in Claremont

(Photo by Andre Rivera)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 23- An out-of-control taxi jumped the curb and killed two people and injured two others as it slammed into a group of people at a bus stop during a snow storm.

Police and paramedics were called to the accident scene outside of 1410 Grand Concourse, that was reported at 6:30 p.m. on March 20.

Arriving officers from the 44th Precinct discovered four victims struck by the outer borough taxi, a green 2007 Toyota Camry.

According to police officials, the taxi was traveling on the northbound service road of the Grand Course at East 170 Street, when the taxi struck a parked 2001 Subaru in front of 1398 Grand Concourse.

The taxi then jumped the curb striking three victims in a bus stop. A fourth victim was reported injured as she sat inside the parked vehicle.

Ronald Lewis, 18, told reporters after the crash, "After it hit the people, it hit the corner of the building and spun around."

EMS reported a 25-year-old male was pronounced dead at the scene. A 5-year-old girl died as Lincoln Hospital. A 55-year-old man remains in critical condition Bronx Lebanon.

The mother of the 5-year-old victim, an unidentified 39-year-old woman remains in serious, but stable condition at Lincoln.

Police say the 44-year-old taxi driver remained at the scene and was taken to Jacobi Hospital with unspecified, "minor injuries."

Police later identified the victims as Kadeem Brown, 25, a security guard from Sheridan Avenue and 5-year-old Tierre Clark of Ryer Avenue.

Officials confirmed that the still-unidentified taxi driver was later stripped of his hack license by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, pending the ongoing investigation.

Investigators continue to determine if the driver had some type of "medical episode" and if the snow covered streets played a role in the crash.

Susana Madera who lives at the building , but was away at the time of the crash, recalled, "I was at work, but I came home and saw my building on the news."

Asked how bad is the speeding traffic outside her building, Madera responded, "It's very dangerous along the Grand Concourse."   

#Cabbie #Crash #NYPD

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Lady Rams Nip Blue Devils

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Lady Rams Nip Blue Devils: Lady Rams Nip Blue Devils By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 20- For the third straight year, the Fordham Rams women’s basketb...

Lady Rams Nip Blue Devils

Lady Rams Nip Blue Devils

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 20- For the third straight year, the Fordham Rams women’s basketball team (21‐11), under the direction of head coach Stephanie Gaitley, have qualified for a post‐season tournament. On Thursday night, the Rams hosted the Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) Blue Devils (19‐13) at the Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx.

Despite playing in different conferences, Fordham in the Atlantic‐10 and CCSU in the North East Conference (NEC), the two teams met in December in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The very one‐sided affair, a 72‐36 victory for Fordham, was Fordham’s biggest win and the worst defeat for the Blue Devils.

The outcome of the earlier contest was not replicated on Wednesday night in the Bronx. The visitors scored the first eight points in the contest. After netting another 11 unanswered points the Blue Devils reached a game‐high advantage of 14 points, 25‐11, at 12:11. A scoring run of 10 straight points by the Rams cut the Fordham deficit to four at 7:44. The first half concluded with CCSU leading, 37‐31.

The greatest difference in statistics from the first game between the two was the shooting from the floor by the Blue Devils. On December 9, they netted only 28.4 percent of their shots while sinking 13 baskets during the contest. In only the first half on Thursday, they shot an outstanding 56.7 percent and 17 of their shots were successful.

The visitors raised their lead to double digits again, 52‐41, at 13:07 of the second half, but the Rams began an impressive comeback at that point. A 16‐3 run by the Rams that culminated in one of the five 3 pointers by Hannah Missry knotted the score for the first time, at 57, in the game, at 8:43. The teams traded baskets until a jumper by Danielle Burns at 4:35 gave Fordham its first lead of the game, 63‐61. The Rams retained that advantage until the final buzzer sounded.

In the December game, neither team had even one player that scored in double figures. This was not the case on Thursday as four Blue Devils and five Rams reached double digit scoring.

Amanda Harrington, CCSU, and Tiffany Ruffin, Fordham, led their teams with 18 points each. Samantha Clark, Fordham center, achieved a double‐double with 10 points and 10 boards. Ruffin had an excellent overall game with 18 points, 9 rebounds, three assists and 5 steals. Coach Gaitley commented on the graduate student in her first year at Fordham, “Pretty impressive numbers. She gained confidence as the year progressed.”

Gaitley believed her opponent’s improvement came from several factors, “Her [Coach Beryl Piper] team was fully prepared; their best player [Tejahne Malone] was out during our first game; they’re much more relieved on the road.” She thought the players may have looked beyond CCSU because of the previous result, and stated, “We’ll use this [game] as an opportunity to grow.’

Fordham advanced to road two where they will meet the St. John’s Red Storm on Sunday afternoon in Queens. Gaitley looked forward to the New York City game that includes two teams that have been impressive in the recent past.

#Fordham #LadyRams #CCSUBlue Devils #MarchMadness

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Shots ring out on St. Paddy’s Day

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Shots ring out on St. Paddy’s Day: Shots ring out on St. Paddy’s Day By Aaron Carnegie BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 20- At around 10 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, four shots ...

Shots ring out on St. Paddy’s Day

Shots ring out on St. Paddy’s Day

By Aaron Carnegie

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 20- At around 10 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, four shots rang out in the vicinity of 100 Erdman Place.

At least one car was hit. It had a broken windshield and a broken side window on the driver’s side.

A witness on the scene said that police and Public Safety officers were looking for two men in connection with this crime. No injuries were reported.

#NYPD #St. Patrick’s Day #Shooting

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Psycho Dad Fed Kids Poisoned Pizza

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Psycho Dad Fed Kids Poisoned Pizza: Psycho Dad Fed Kids Poisoned Pizza Convicted of Poisoning Son, Drowning in Tub BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 20-    He laced his kids’ pizza with ...

Psycho Dad Fed Kids Poisoned Pizza

Psycho Dad Fed Kids Poisoned Pizza

Convicted of Poisoning Son, Drowning in Tub

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 20-  He laced his kids’ pizza with rat poison. For that, Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson announced that 49-year-old Leonardo Espinal will spend 20-to-life in prison.

Following a plea of guilty last month to murder in the second degree (Class A-1 Felony) and attempted murder in the second degree (Class B Felony), Espinal was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Troy Webber to 20 years-to-life for the murder of his 5-year-old son Steward, and, concurrently, 15 years in prison plus another five years post-release supervision for the injury to his daughter Mia, who was 7-years-old at the time.

In November 2012, Espinal was having issues with his ex-wife, Rosaura Abreu, and she had kicked him out of the family apartment. When Espinal discovered Abreu was seeing another man, he carried out a callous revenge plan to poison their two children. Espinal penned a suicide note, and fed the poisoned pizza to the children, eating some as well. The little girl threw up from ingesting the rat poison; Steward soiled himself, and the father locked himself and the boy in the bathroom. Refusing to come out, Espinal's stepmother called 911 and police broke down the door to find the father dazed, but alive. The little boy was in the tub, dead from the combination of poison and being submerged in water.  

The children’s mother, Rosaura Abreu, submitted a victim impact statement to the Court: “Mi querido angelito…I will never forget the last time I saw my little son…he was radiant, happy, content, and followed me all around the house. When it was time for me to leave, he followed me to the door and I knelt down to talk with him. It’s as if my heart knew that it would be the last time I would see him alive…

Noting that the tragedy impelled mother and daughter to move, “Mia suffered anxiety attacks every time I would mention going back to that apartment where she lived with her little brother.  She never wanted to sleep in the same bed where she slept with her Steward, protecting him from monsters.

“Mia will have to live for the rest of her life with the horrific memory that her own father caused in attempting to kill her.  Although therapy helped the both of us, Mia and I suffer every day the absence of our boy in our daily lives. Mia suffers…when she goes to parties, when she goes to bed, when she plays with other children, when she sees photos of him, when she sees another boy the same age as him, when she sees me sad because she knows I am thinking of him.

“All we can do is take it day by day.”

#Pizza #Rat Poison #Dad #NYPD #BronxDA

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham Fires Coach

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham Fires Coach: Fordham Fires Coach By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 19- Seven days before the fifth anniversary of his hiring as the head ...

Fordham Fires Coach

Fordham Fires Coach

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 19- Seven days before the fifth anniversary of his hiring as the head coach of the Fordham University men’s basketball team, Tom Pecora was relieved of his duties at Fordham. 

The announcement was made after a meeting between Pecora and David Roach, Fordham’s director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation. The reasons given for Pecora’s separation from the university were the team’s poor won/lost record of 44‐106 (.293) during his five seasons as coach and an a retention rate of only 50 percent of those recruited during the first four years under Pecora. Obviously, those figures were a disappointment to the university’s administration.

After beginning the 2014‐15 basketball season with only five wins in their first 20 games, The Rams closed the year with five wins in 11 contests. The improvement caused Pecora to speak very positively of the future of the Fordham Rams and his place in that future in his final press conference as Fordham coach on March 12 after Fordham’s loss to VCU in the second round of the Atlantic‐10 Championship in Brooklyn, “I think that if you looked at this team, and you didn’t think there was a bright future, you’d be crazy because of the youth and the enthusiasm and the veterans that are coming back.”

His closing words about his happiness and future at Fordham show no thought of what would happen on the following Wednesday, “I feel lucky to work at Fordham, to work in the university that’s got an academic reputation. That’s what brought me there. I thought the combination of athletics in the A‐10 and the academics could make it a special place if they were patient and they have been patient. I think they know they are going to turn the corner here and it’s going to be exciting when it happens. I’m a New York guy, man, I’m not going anywhere. I’m thrilled to still be here.”

Fordham’ press release closed with these words, “Fordham will launch a national search for a new head men’s basketball coach immediately, and will use the services of a search firm in the process.”

#Fordham #Rams #Coach #Bronxnews

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Goodbye Montefiore, Hello Homeless?

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Goodbye Montefiore, Hello Homeless?: Goodbye Montefiore, Hello Homeless? (Just what was this 'Coalition for the Homeless' van doing in front of a 'rent stabilized&#...

Goodbye Montefiore, Hello Homeless?

Goodbye Montefiore, Hello Homeless?

(Just what was this 'Coalition for the Homeless' van doing in front of a 'rent stabilized' building in Riverdale? Pictured above is the van, and you can see the Whitehall in the background. The building is managed by Goodman Management, and calls to Goodman Management were answered with, 'Not in that building’.)

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 19- Two weeks ago, I mentioned that a Coalition For the Homeless van was spotted in Riverdale. That same Coalition For the Homeless van was spotted in front of one of the few remaining 'Rent Stabilized' buildings in Riverdale. 

The building is managed by Goodman Management, and calls to Goodman Management were answered with not in that building. With Goodman Management managing many buildings in Riverdale and Community Board 8, my next question was are there any homeless or transition housing in any of the buildings Goodman manages? The reply here was that Mr. Goodman would have to get back to you on that.

It seems that in rebuffing the Montefiore Medical Center project, the opposition may have just opened the site up to affordable housing by Stagg Developers. Stagg has just paid $7.1 million dollars for a property on Webster Avenue for a 200-plus unit building of so called market/affordable housing. I have been told that the asking price is only $7 million for the Montefiore Riverdale/Oxford Avenue site. By the way Mr. Stagg was the first of many developers to look at that site to possibly build market/affordable housing. With new zoning changes being proposed, other bonuses to developers, and new financing to meet the deBlasio 200,000 unit affordable housing edict this site is a bargain to Mr. Stagg.

Con Edison is having their underground transformers checked, as the recent spring thaw has melted all the snow and sent the residual salt melting at their equipment. On my blog is a photo of a transformer meltdown on a recent night. The FDNY came and roped off the area until Con Edison came the next day to fix the problem.

Lastly, we say good-bye to a great man who not many knew of, Mr. Lorance Hockert. Larry as those who knew him called him was a member of Community Board 8 from 1990 through 2003. Larry was also the boards chair from 1998 through 2000, and was crucial in the 197A plan developed by Community Board 8. One piece of little known information was that Lorance Hockert was going to be the next councilman after June Eisland was to be term limited out of office. However for reasons known to only a few people Larry never did commit to that, and retired from Community Board 8 the following term. Lorance 'Larry' Hockert will be missed by all.

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 you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.  

#Riverdale #Montefiore #Homeless #Bronxnews

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bloody Breakup

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bloody Breakup: Bloody Breakup Man convicted of slaughtering girlfriend and her mother BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 18- It was one of the more gruesome crime s...

Bloody Breakup

Bloody Breakup

Man convicted of slaughtering girlfriend and her mother

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 18- It was one of the more gruesome crime scenes police and the District Attorney’s office has ever dealt with – evidencing a rage borne out of a broken relationship that would leave a mother and daughter dead at the hands of the daughter’s ex-boyfriend.

Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson announces that, following a month-long trial and less than two hours of deliberation, a jury has found 24-year-old Andrew Scott guilty of the following charges in the October 1, 2013 deaths of 65-year-old Ida Randolph and her daughter, 23-year-old Jana Randolph: murder in the second degree (4 counts, Class A Felony) (2 counts Intentional Murder, 2 counts Felony Murder) robbery in the 1^st Degree (2 counts, Class B Felony).

Scott bludgeoned the older woman so hard with her own baseball bat, that he crushed her skull nearly a half-dozen times, broke her arm clear through, and inflicted other injuries too horrific to describe. And, he took a sizable kitchen knife to his ex-girlfriend, stabbing her more than a dozen times, some of the cuts three-inches deep. He then bludgeoned her, the final act that caused her death.

Scott had been dating Jana Randolph for seven years and had moved into the women’s apartment at 2794 Valentine Avenue in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx a year before the killings.  But he had behaved badly – in the weeks before the incident, he trashed the apartment and stole Jana’s bank card – leading the clerical worker at Montefiore to break up with him. Jana’s  mother, a retired social services worker, kicked him out of the apartment.

Scott did not take it well.

On the night of October 1^st, he got together two others and hatched a plot to rob the mother and daughter, get their bank cards and PIN numbers, and steal their money, all revenge for having been tossed aside. Along for the plan was 23-year-old 

Brittney Austin, who was coming off a heroin addiction, and, allegedly, another friend.  

The plan was for Austin and Scott to rob the women. The Randolph women fought back, but in the end they were subdued by Scott, who tied up Ida Randolph with duct tape; Austin bound Jana. A quarter-of-an-hour later, Austin left the apartment with the cards and cash. It is alleged that 26-year-old Joshua Lopez then took the cards and tried, but failed, to extract money from several ATM machines.

Scott remained in the apartment for an hour-and-a-half, during which time he not only committed the atrocities but tried to clean up the battle scene. Blood splatter was so great from the attacks it hit the ceiling. During the savage murders he also somehow injured himself, cutting his hand with the very knife he used to kill.

When he is sentenced on April 9, 2015 before Justice Margaret Clancy, Scott faces 25 years-to-life on each of the murder and another 25 years on the robbery, all to run consecutive to one another.

Austin pled guilty to murder in the 2^nd degree and robbery in the 1^st degree in January of this year and will be sentenced at a future date.  

Joshua Lopez, pled not guilty to four counts of murder in the 2^nd degree and two counts of robbery in the 1^st degree. His next court appearance has been adjourned until March 24^th in front of Justice Clancy, Part 79, Bronx Supreme Court. Should Lopez be convicted, he also faces 50 years to life.

The cases against Scott and Austin were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Kalman and Jennifer Cruz of Trial Bureau 30/40.

#NYPD #BronxDA #Murder 

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Manhattan Out!

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Manhattan Out!: Manhattan Out! Jaspers End Season with a 74‐64 Loss to Hampton  By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 18-  The technical start ...