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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Three Autos Destroyed by Falling Tree at the Bronx Zoo




(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, September 6- A large size tree came crashing down at the Bronx Zoo, apparently taking down a fence and destroying several parked vehicles.

Police were called to the Zoo's Southern Boulevard gate, shortly after the incident took place at 1:20 p.m., on Saturday, August 25. The incident was reported at the Asia parking lot near Jungle World.

Initial reports stated that four cars and an, "exterior animal fencing," was compromised, but that no animals were released.

A spokesperson for the zoo first denied that the incident took place. As a pair of reporters arrived at the scene, at least three zoo vehicles blocked the area where police officers and zoo officials were surveying the damage.

A second spokeswoman from the Wildlife Conservation Society claimed it was a tree limb that caused the damage.

Within minutes the two journalists were asked to leave the zoo.

The site of the fallen tree is a stone's-throw away from where seven family members were killed when their car plunged off the Bronx River Parkway and landed in an unused parcel of land within the zoo back on April 29.

After repeated inquiries, Stephen Sautner, the Director of Communications for the Wildlife Conservation Society stated that a press release was sent out to local media outlets, however, Mary Dixon the Vice President of Communications, stated a short time later, "We did not send a release out because no people or animals or exhibits were around or affected."

Dixon continued, "This happened on a road leading into the zoo where cars can park, (but) not in a zoo parking lot. A perimeter fence was affected, not heavily damaged, and no animals were behind those fences, simply a perimeter fence."

Dixon added that the owners of the cars were all assisted during the incident.


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SHE WILL SURVIVE


Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, September 6- The headline refers to a wonderful free concert in Seton Park last week by POP singing star Gloria Gaynor that over 600 people attended. Songs such as “I Will Survive”, "Never Can Say Goodbye", Going Out of My Head", others, and a special tribute song to her late friend Donna Summer were belted out by the 63 year old singer who started out in the mid 1960's. I asked some people if they were Gloria Gaynor fans and the answers ranged from I wasn’t born yet but I love her songs to why do you think I am here. The concert was one of a month long of free concerts that State Senator Jeff Klein put together as his “August Summer Concert Series” throughout his district.

You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more about the concert, and see photos of the concert. The local elected officials (and those who want to be next year) were out in force at the concert. There is one photo of current Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz speaking on behalf of Civil Court Judge candidate Eddie McShan he supports with possible 2013 city council candidate Andrew Cohen in the photo.

Speaking of Senator Jeff Klein, on Friday he was joined by City Council Traffic & Transportation Chair Jimmy Vacca, Assembly members Mike Benedetto and Marcos Crespo, and local community leaders and business owners to blast the New York City Department of Finance. It seems that two years ago the fine for overnight truck parking on residential city streets was increased from $65 to $250 and $500 fines for repeat offenders. All the Department of Finance has to do is revise its summonses to include this violation which it has not done. Senator Klein said that the reason it has not been done is that there is room on the summons for the traffic agent or police officer to write the violation in, which is not happening. Klein added that the city is loosing over $3.5 million a year in his district alone, which citywide adds up to about $8.83 million. We have seen tractor trailer trucks parked overnight on the service road of the Henry Hudson Parkway as well as many other places in the Bronx. Klein added that it is cheaper to pay a $65.00 fine than to have to find off street parking and lodging, and that was why the fine was increased to deter that.

With less than 16 months left in his city council term Councilman G. Oliver Koppell is cleaning up streets in his district. Koppell has gotten additional litter baskets for some street corners, and has had the Department of Sanitation clear debris from a major step street in his district. Go to my blog for more details on this, the latest list of events for Wave Hill, and other information. Just look at the archive section on the left and click on a month to see news or events that happened in that month.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have a Riverdale event listed or covered in this column you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
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In the dark on Homeless Shelters

Wakefield Area News
By Mary V. Lauro
BRONX, NEW YORK, September 6- Before we get to the phone call which inspired this column, we mention that with summer's end, meetings will begin again. 
Please mark the dates since postage is expensive and not everyone has e-mail. The League will have its first meeting on September 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Barnes and Boyd Avenue. The 47th Precinct Community Council will have its first meeting at 8 p.m. on September 12, also at Redeemer Lutheran which brings us to the fact that the 47's current commanding officer, D.I. DeEntremont has been transferred out of the 47 Pct. to the prestigious Fugitive Enforcement Unit.
We are most appreciative of DI DeEntremont's command of the 47th Precinct these past three years. Given the fact that he was understaffed, he did a tremendous job in keeping as much peace as possible. He also had a very soothing personality and was most cooperative with the community through the 47th Precinct Community Council. He did not see the community as an enemy, and, in return, we saw him as a friend.
The bright side to this loss is that we will gain DI Brian Mullen who comes to us after a stint in the 33rd, 52nd and 44 Precincts. His reputation is also sterling. If past is prologue, he may continue the good community-police relations that marked the tenure of DI DeEntremont.
Regarding that phone call, the voice was that of an intelligent female. Our number had been given to her by CB 12. She was distraught. How could it be, she asked, that neither she nor her neighbors knew that three homeless shelters were scheduled to be built in the community? Her mother lives on Bronx Boulevard, she said, less than two blocks away from the Muller Army Reserve Center on Nereid and the Balfour building on Bronx Boulevard. And, what about this AID's (Praxis Initiative) center being built opposite Food Town on White Plains Road? Don't we count she asked plaintively? Why have we been kept in the dark?
We explained as best we could all we had done since May 2009 on the three shelters: the petitions, the letter writing, the protests, the busloads of people. We told her how Praxis wooed all our elected officials including our Community Board and how Wakefield was kept in the dark until Praxis had them all in tow.
What about the Community Board, she wanted to know. What did it do? She was told the chair wrote long columns, but the Board never discussed the situation. She wanted to know whether it notified the community and why notices were not placed in store windows or flyers sent to all residents within a certain distance from the shelters. We could not answer but she did.
She said, "That priest does not want to see any community uprising. He doesn't want to lose control. I went to two meetings there and swore I would not go again. It was like a high school class with the priest sitting up front and doing all the talking. The agenda was a joke. Same agenda two times and I understand from other people who have gone that it is the same every month. Neither the Board members nor the audience have any idea what the hot topics are. The community is left out in the cold with no voice at all. It seems the main interest of the Chair is to close the meeting by 9:30”
We'll end here, but we will have more to say.
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Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Reward Offered to Find Immigrant’s Killers

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Reward Offered to Find Immigrant’s Killers: Gas Station Attendant Gunned Down By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, September 6- A $12,000 reward is being off...

Reward Offered to Find Immigrant’s Killers



Gas Station Attendant Gunned Down






By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, September 6- A $12,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a pair of bicycle robbers who gunned down a hardworking African immigrant at an East Tremont gas station.

Yesterday, police announced the $12,000 reward for information leading to two men suspected of killing a 28-year-old Gambian immigrant inside an East Tremont gas station. The victim had apparently been working at the station less than two weeks before he was killed.

Investigators released a sketch of the gunman who was wearing a NY Giants hoodie at the time. 

At around 8:12 p.m. on September 4, Lamin Sillah, 28, was inside the gas station at E. 182nd Street and Southern Boulevard when the bandits rode up on bicycles. Sillah was counting receipts at RC Petroleum when one of the gunman entered the office and showed a gun. Surveillance video shows that as Sillah puts up his hands, the gunman shoots him in the torso. 

Sillah was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital with three bullets in him but he died a short time later.

Police said Sillah was a hard working immigrant from Gambia whose wife is still living in Africa. It is unclear why the robbers gunned down the attendant.

The gunman is described as a black male between the ages of 20 and 25. He has a stocky build and was last seen wearing a NY Giants hoodie. 

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

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Gas Station Attendant Gunned Down

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Gas Station Attendant Gunned Down: By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, September 5- Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to catch a pair of bike ridin...

Gas Station Attendant Gunned Down



By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, September 5- Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to catch a pair of bike riding robbers who gunned down a hard working immigrant in East Tremont.

At around 8:12 p.m. on September 4, Lamin Sillah, 28, was inside the gas station at E. 182nd Street and Southern Boulevard when the bandits rode up on bicycles. Sillah was counting receipts at RC Petroleum when one of the gunman entered the office and showed a gun. Surveillance video shows that as Sillah puts up his hands, the gunman shoots him in the torso. 

Sillah was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital with three bullets in him but he died a short time later.

Police said Sillah was a hard working immigrant from Gambia whose wife is still living in Africa. It is unclear why the robbers gunned down the attendant.

The gunman is described as a black male between the ages of 20 and 25. He has a stocky build and was last seen wearing a NY Giants hoodie. 

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