Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Mother Remembers Fallen Son

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Mother Remembers Fallen Son: Samsung 16GB Galaxy Tab 2 Wi-Fi Tablet - GT-P5113TSYXAR By Michael Horowitz BRONX, NEW YORK, June 1- Emily Toro, the mother of a fallen ...

Mother Remembers Fallen Son

Samsung 16GB Galaxy Tab 2 Wi-Fi Tablet - GT-P5113TSYXAR

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 1- Emily Toro, the mother of a fallen hero in the second Iraq war, was on hand, Sunday, to add poignancy to Co-op City's Memorial Day observance at the Veterans' Memorial Park on Bartow Avenue.

Among the local dignitaries joining Sunday's local observance of Memorial Day were Rep. Eliot Engel, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, and Community Board 10 District Manager Kenneth Kearns.

Toro, who became as Gold Star Mother after her son, Private Isaac Cortes, was killed in Iraq in 2007, said that she really did not understand the importance of taking time out to observe Memorial Day until her son was killed at the age of 26.

Toro, commenting after Sunday's observance, said that her son, who grew up in Parkchester, was killed as a soldier in the Army's 110^th Mountain Division.

“My son, who had worked as a security guard at Yankee Stadium, saw joining the Army as his path to joining the New York Police Department,” Toro noted.

Along the way, Toro pointed out, the Army nurtured a sense of patriotism in her son that burned deeply within him at the time he was killed.

Lirio, for his part, said, after Sunday's Memorial Day observance, that he is extremely proud of his daughter, Capt. Jasmin Lirio, 29, a career military officer who previously served in the second Iraq as a platoon commander.

In his remarks at Sunday's local observance of Memorial Day, Assemblyman Benedetto stressed that those who have served in the military throughout the nation's history deserve special praise for answering the call of duty without asking questions about their missions.

Benedetto said that most Americans do not fully appreciate the way those in the military have sacrificed their youth, the healthy bodies, and even their lives to keep American free.

Rep. Engel, for his part, stressed that too few Americans take time out to reflect, even on Memorial Day, on the sacrifices that those in the military have made to maintain the freedoms that Americans enjoy.  

Madagascar in the Bronx

Baby Lemurs make their Zoo debut

Photo Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS

BRONX, NEW YORK,  June 1 – A Coquerel’s sifaka, born this spring, clings to its mother’s back as she perches on a branch in the Madagascar! exhibit at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. A collared lemur, also born this spring, curls up to its mother as she reclines on a rock.

All lemur species are endemic to the island nation of Madagascar. Both the sifaka and the collared lemur are seeing dramatic declines in population due to loss of suitable habitat. The IUCN has designated the Coquerel’s sifaka as an Endangered Species and the collared lemur is listed as Vulnerable.

Coquerel’s sifakas spend most of their time in trees and leap effortlessly, launching themselves vertically with their strong legs. Like most species of lemurs, the females are dominant to the males, claiming the choicest food and the best sleeping and sunning spots.

Collared lemurs use their long tails to balance when leaping through the forest canopy. Collared lemurs live in groups of males and females but are not matriarchal like the sifaka and many other lemurs.

There are five species of lemurs on exhibit in Madagascar! along with many other animals unique to the African island. Opened in 2008, Madagascar! educates zoo visitors about the country’s incredible biodiversity and the challenges it faces.

The Wildlife Conservation Society works in Madagascar to protect lemurs and other wildlife. 

To plan your trip, visit www.bronxzoo.com or call (718) 367-1010.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Third Time’s Not the Charm

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Third Time’s Not the Charm: Third Time’s Not the Charm  for Check Cashing Chump By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, June 1- Guess he thought the third time w...

Third Time’s Not the Charm

Third Time’s Not the Charm for Check Cashing Chump

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 1- Guess he thought the third time would be the charm in trying to rob an East Tremont check cashing place. However, cops say the crook struck out all three times at the same store.

According to investigators the same man tried to rob the same Pay-O-Matic check cashing place at 890 East Tremont Avenue three separate times in the same day. The first attempted robbery occurred at 12:45 a..m. on May 30. The man, whose image was captured on surveillance video, walked into the check cashing place and demanded money. The suspect was unable to complete the robbery and fled.

Then about 10 hours later the same man tried to rob the site. Once again the would be robber left empty handed. Then again that night the suspect walked into the same Pay-O-Matic and again demanded cash and again left empty handed. 

The only thing cops say the robber was successful in was that he got a clear image of his face caught on surveillance video. Now investigators are asking for the public’s help to catch this robber.

The suspect is described as a black male, 6 foot 1 to 6 foot 2. He weighs between 175 and 180 pounds. He was wearing a black

du-rag, black shirt and black pants. 

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also summit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): 5 winners confirmed in Riverbay board vote

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): 5 winners confirmed in Riverbay board vote: By Michael Horowitz BRONX, NEW YORK, May 31- Othelia Jones, Khalil Abdul-Wahhab, Francine Reva Jones, Evelyn Turner, and Al Shapiro have...

5 winners confirmed in Riverbay board vote

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 31- Othelia Jones, Khalil Abdul-Wahhab, Francine Reva Jones, Evelyn Turner, and Al Shapiro have been officially certified as winners in the May 16 Riverbay board election.

The victories mean that Jones, Abdul-Wahhab, Reva Jones, Turner, and Shapiro have won three-year terms as board members. They will be seated on the new Riverbay board at a meeting to be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, in Room 31 of the Bartow Avenue Community Center.

Jones, Abdul-Wahhab, Reva Jones, and Shapiro are incumbents who won reelection, while Turner, the president of the Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club, will be a newcomer on the Riverbay board.

The election results, as officially certified by the Bronx Board of Elections, reversed the order of finish of those finishing fourth and fifth, as tallied in an unofficial tally on the night of the election.

However, the change in the order of finish will have no effect on the terms of office for the winning candidates.

On May 16, Shapiro was fourth in the unofficial count, while Turner was finished fifth in that tally.

In the certified, official count on May 24 in Brooklyn, Turner finished fourth, while Shapiro finished fifth.