Blood Pool is Bad for Biz

Blood Pool is Bad for Biz

Three Wounded as Gunfire Erupts Along Busy Shopping Strip

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 24- Dozens of residents and shoppers walking along Morris Park Avenue had to duck for cover as gunfire erupted and three people were wounded.

Police were called to Morris Park Avenue at Victor Street at just before 3 p.m., on February 19. EMS transported two teens and a 79-year-old woman who cops say was an innocent bystander.

Sources said an 18-year-old male was shot in the arm, a 19-year old-male was shot in the leg and the unidentified senior took a stray bullet to her hand. All three were removed to Jacobi Hospital and expected to recover.

One local resident stated, "I understand it was a dispute involving two groups of young men and someone just started shooting."

As police shutdown the entire street with crime scene tape, a pool of blood could be seen outside of a dollar discount store where the elderly woman was shot as she exited the store.

A baseball bat was left on the ground outside a hardware store and several shell casings littered the sidewalk outside of a multi-service agency.

Police would quickly announce the arrest of 18-year-old Christopher Lopez, who was picked-up on Morris Park Avenue on Friday morning.

Lopez was charged with three counts of attempted murder, felony assault, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon.

Police now say that the two teen victims were the intended targets of Lopez who is said to be a member of a rival gang. Lopez has eight previous arrests.

One business owner of a local video store claims he lost $200 in business when police refused to let him meet customers on the street. The owner explained, "I cooperated as much as possible. They wanted me to close the store I had no problem with that."

The owner continued, "I told them (the police) that my customers could call me and I'd come out and give them their movie... and they wouldn't let me do that. They didn't care."

Meanwhile, local law makers have introduced new gun legislation titled, "Luisito's Law," that calls for a tougher minimum sentence for anyone who shoots a child under the age of ten or fires a weapon near a park or a school.

The legislation is named after Luis Oyola, Jr., now 3, who was wounded in the arm inside Vidalia Park last summer. 

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Brett Gardner Signs

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Brett Gardner Signs: Brett Gardner Signs 4 Year Extension with Yankees for $52 Million By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 24- Despite spendi...

Brett Gardner Signs

Brett Gardner Signs 4 Year Extension with Yankees for $52 Million

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 24- Despite spending hundreds of millions on free agents during the off-season, the New York Yankees are not broke, nor have they stopped spending to make what they believe will be improvements to the team.

The questions regarding his future with the Yankees raised by outfielder Brett Gardner during his recent appearance in New York City to receive a Thurman Munson Award by the AHRC were answered on Sunday as he inked a four-year extension of his current contract that will begin in 2015 for an additional $52 million. The club will have a fifth year option for $12.5 million. Although there is not a no-trade clause, the Yankees will pay Gardner a $1 million bonus if he is traded during the course of the contract.  

Gardner was somewhat dismayed by the unexpected offseason acquisition of free agent, Jacoby Ellsbury, a center fielder and lead-off batter as is Gardner. Prior to the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner on February 4, the 30-year old expressed his surprise by the Ellsbury signing, “I didn’t see it coming.”

His words to reporters that evening displayed his insecurity regarding his future with the team, “I don’t really have any expectations of where I’ll be playing or where I’ll be hitting…Hopefully, I’ll play a big role…Until something happens, I expect to be a Yankee.” 

Thus far, Gardner has been a Yankee product since being drafted in the third round of the 2005 First Year Player Draft. He made his debut in the majors on June 30, 2008. 

Gardner spoke very differently on Sunday than he did less than three weeks earlier, “It’s meaningful to be able to play for New York. Hopefully, one day I can retire, and say I didn’t play for another team. I think that would be awesome. It’s such a historic franchise…I love putting on the pinstripes.” 

Gardner also spoke very positively of the coming season for the Yankees, “I feel like we’re going to have a special season and a special next several years. We brought in a lot of good talent this off-season and I’m looking forward to getting out on the field in a couple of days and playing baseball.”

On Tuesday, the Yankees will play their first Spring Training game against Florida State University with Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston. 

New York Yankees General Manager explained some of the thinking of the team’s brass for the contract extension, “It’s a demonstration from our end. We don’t typically do this, but it shows the level of confidence, beliefs and trust in the type of person and player he is.”

Gardner will play left field and not bat in the lead-off position unless something unexpected happens to Ellsbury before or during the season. It appears that Carlos Beltran will be in right field, Alfonso Soriano will be the designated hitter and Ichiro Suzuki will serve as the fourth outfielder.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yankee Stadium to Become Soccer Mecca

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yankee Stadium to Become Soccer Mecca: Yankee Stadium to Become Soccer Mecca  By Howard Goldin Yankee Stadium will be the venue for one of the 13 matches that comprise t...

Yankee Stadium to Become Soccer Mecca

Yankee Stadium to Become Soccer Mecca 

By Howard Goldin

Yankee Stadium will be the venue for one of the 13 matches that comprise the 2014 Guinness International Champions Cup. 

Eight of the top European sides, AC Milan, AS Roma and FC Inter from Italy, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United from Britain, Olympiacos from Greece and Real Madrid from Spain, will comprise this year’s field. Real Madrid is the defending champion of the inaugural year of the prestigious tournament that is being played on iconic venues in the United States from July 24-August 4.

The eight clubs will be divided into two groups of four. The winner of each group will meet in the final at Met Life Stadium in Miami on August 4.

Anyone familiar with baseball and soccer will not find it surprising that the two teams scheduled to play at Yankee Stadium on the evening of July 30 are Liverpool and Manchester City. Not only are the two sides rivals in the English Premier League, not only have both been in existence since the late 19^th century, but both are associated with MLB teams involved in the greatest rivalry in the sport of baseball. In 2010, Liverpool was purchased by the Fenway Sports Group, owners of the Boston Red Sox. In 2013, the Yankees entered into a financial partnership with Manchester City to become 20 percent owners of the New York City FC, an expansion club that will enter the MLS (Major League Soccer) in 2015. 

The representative of each team, Mike Summerbee (Manchester City) and Robbie Fowler (Liverpool), is retired after a lengthy and successful playing career in England. Each had a number of caps for the English National Team during his career. 

Both men expressed the importance of playing in America. Summerbee commented, “It’s all about the branding of the club. Everybody wants to play in America.” He explained how he saw the growth of the sport in the U.S., “I came here in 1969 and there was almost nobody watching the games. In 16 years, America will win the World Cup.” 

Fowler explained Liverpool’s thinking, “Not everyone can come to the stadium [in Liverpool]. We like to bring the club to the people. There are 21 million supporters of Liverpool in the United States.”

When asked how two English clubs will draw in a city with so many ethnic groups, Charlie Stallitano, representative of Relevent Sports the promoters of the tourney, replied, “Any team that we bring here will bring true football fans. Football is really universal and these teams are so multi-cultural.” 

Each team is comprised of players from many nations. For example, Luis Suárez, the Liverpool player leading the English Premier League in goals is from Uruguay and the leading scorers from Manchester City, Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) and Sergio Aguero (Argentina) are stars of their own national teams, not England’s.

It was announced that tickets for this upcoming game will go on sale to the public on March 13.

It should also be mentioned that questions were asked of Mark Holtzman, the representative of the New York Yankees regarding the 2015 site for the New York City FC and who will be on its roster. The answer given was, “There’s a lot of work and planning to be done for the new expansion team.” Holtzman said everyone will soon find out specific information, but none would be dispensed during the press conference.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Gang banger convicted in beat down

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Gang banger convicted in beat down: Gang banger convicted in beat down BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 21- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced the conviction of Idel...

Gang banger convicted in beat down

Gang banger convicted in beat down

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 21- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced the conviction of Idelfonso Mendez, a reputed leader of the Latin Kings Goonies street gang, for his role in a gang assault which occurred on October 3, 2010.

Mendez, 26, of East 197th Street, the Bronx, pled guilty to one count of gang assault in the first degree, a Class B felony offense.

The plea was entered before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett who set sentencing for March 31, 2014 in Part 60. Under the plea agreement Mendez will be sentenced to a term of 14 years imprisonment followed by post release supervision for five years. Mendez also waived his right to appeal the conviction.

Mendez admitted that he “acted-in-concert with others with intent to cause serious physical injury to Victor Pellot, and being aided by two or more other persons actually present, did cause serious physical injury to Victor Pellot.” The assault occurred in a basement apartment at 1910 Osbourne Place where the gang members congregated.

Six other defendants were previously convicted in connection with this incident which involved three victims at two separate locations. The case against a seventh defendant, Luis Garcia, is still pending.

David Rivera, 24, of Sedgwick Avenue, pled guilty to one count of burglary in the first degree, a Class B felony offense, for his role in the gang related incident. Rivera admitted that he, acting in concert with other gang members, entered the home of two of the victims, displayed what appeared to be a gun, and took cash, credit cards, and personal property, including a television. Rivera also pled guilty to one count of robbery in the third degree, a Class D felony offense, stemming from an unrelated crime. Rivera was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Nelson Falu, 20, of Hennessey Place, pled guilty to one count of robbery in the first degree, a Class B felony offense, for his involvement in the October 3rd incident during which he admitted stealing personal property after threatening one of the victims with a baseball bat. Falu was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Elmer Confresi, 26, of Loring Place, pled guilty to one count of attempted gang assault in the first degree, a Class C felony offense. Confresi admitted that he acted-in-concert with the others to cause serious physical injury to one of the victims. Confresi was sentenced to four years in prison.

Jose Dominguez, 26, of Loring Place pled guilty to one count of attempted assault in the first degree and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

Ruddy Vargas, 26, of Colden Avenue, pled guilty to one count of robbery in the third degree and was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in prison.

In urging the court to accept the plea agreements in each case, Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Theresa Gottlieb told the court the pleas were offered after lengthy consultation with the victims who wished to avoid having to testify, which might have had the effect of victimizing them again. ADA Gottlieb told the court that the People believed that the pleas served the interest of justice from society’s perspective as well as that of the victims.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Theresa Gottlieb.