Bronx News (Bxnews.net): The Bionic Senator and the Convicted Councilman

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): The Bionic Senator and the Convicted Councilman: 100 PERCENT By Robert Press State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has announced that he will be going in for “Knee Transplant Surgery,” an...

The Bionic Senator and the Convicted Councilman

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has announced that he will be going in for “Knee Transplant Surgery,” and will be better than before. In fact, Senator Diaz said in a press release, he will become “The Bionic Senator.” 

Diaz Sr. had the knee surgery on July 26th and according to him he will be out of action for 5 or 6 weeks to recover. Diaz Sr. adds that he knows that it is election time and with him up for re-election this bed rest will be torture for him. His doctor has told him that he will be back stronger, better, and faster which kind of reminds us of the television show years ago called “The Six Million Dollar Man.” You can read more at my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com.

The second trial of Councilman Larry Seabrook is over, and Seabrook this time was convicted on 9 of the 12 charges against him. This trial centered on the $177.00 bagel receipt that Seabrook had submitted to be reimbursed for which was said to be doctored. We wonder if it was a plain, sesame, poppy or everything bagel. Check my blog for comments on the decision.

Also go to my blog to see the car that current State Senate Minority Leader John Sampson is reported to have smashed up. The Ford Taurus valued at over $35,000 was totaled, but the cost of the crash now estimated at over $70,000 continues to mount as the other cars involved have their damage estimates revealed.

Hopefully the Con Edison lockout is over by the time you read this, but a Con Edison spokesman has admitted that outside contractors have been brought in to help during the lockout. He said that Con Ed is also paying for all expenses by the outside contractors which will be passed on to their customers. Since Con Ed is not paying its regular workers will their consumers then get a refund on that.

We don't have enough room to discuss the proposed sugary soda ban by Mayor Bloomberg, which will be approved by his puppets at the Health Department. We just hope that more city council members oppose the proposed ban like Bronx Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. By the way Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera where do you stand and why.

Lastly it appears that those 26 public schools that the mayor wanted to close for poor performance will get to stay open as was the court decision. We have to agree with the mayor about closing schools that perform poorly, but how many have been closed over and over again? By the way it is only a mirror of the mayor’s failed education policy when he only cracked down on the third and seventh grades by holding back students so that next year the 4th and 8th grade test scores would look better at the time of an election year. Since many students do not know the names of almost all of their elected officials and important people in history, we would love to know how many students know the name of the current mayor of New York City. Ed Koch, Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Derek Jeter would probably top the list of countless names.

If you have another name that may top the list, have any comments about this column, 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.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jerry Seinfeld to Play Lehman

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jerry Seinfeld to Play Lehman: BRONX, NEW YORK, July 26- For the first time in 14 years, Jerry Seinfeld is presenting full performances of his signature stand-up com...

Jerry Seinfeld to Play Lehman

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 26- For the first time in 14 years, Jerry Seinfeld is presenting full performances of his signature stand-up comedy in New York City. Seinfeld will perform five stand-up shows – one in each New York City borough – on five Thursday nights this Fall.

Seinfeld, a New York native, got his start as a comedian in the City in the 1970s, but other than appearing at benefits and occasional short sets at local comedy clubs, he has not performed a full show in a NYC theater since his sold-out Broadway engagement, “I’m Telling You For The Last Time,” at the Broadhurst Theater in 1998, shortly after the final episode of his iconic TV show, Seinfeld.

"I was born in Brooklyn, went to school in Queens and started out as a comedian in Manhattan. I feel like New York City taught me how to be funny. I'm so excited to perform a special series of shows for my beloved home town," said Seinfeld.

Seinfeld’s five-borough performances will all fall on Thursday nights – the same as the television show that bore his name – and will feature special guest Colin Quinn, who Seinfeld directed in the hit Broadway show “Colin Quinn: Long Story Short” at the Helen Hayes Theater in 2010-11.

Tickets for all five-borough shows go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 30 at 10 am. All performances begin at 8pm. 

PLAYING SCHEDULE:

Manhattan

Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 8pm

The Beacon Theatre located at 2124 Broadway

Tickets are available online at www.BeaconTheatre.com or by calling 866-858-0008

Bronx

Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 8pm

Lehman Concert Hall located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West

Tickets are available online at www.LehmanCenter.org or by calling 718-960-8833

Queens (Flushing)

Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 8pm

The Colden Auditorium at Queens College located at 65-30 Kissena Blvd.

Tickets are available online at www.KupferbergCenter.org or by calling 718-793-8080

Staten Island

Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 8pm

The St. George Theatre located at 35 Hyatt Street

Tickets are available online at www.TicketMaster.com or by calling 718-442-2900

Brooklyn

Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 8pm

The Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College located at 2900 Campus Road

Tickets are available online at www.BrooklynCenter.com or by calling 718-951-4500

Stop and Frisk Will Save Lives- Marine Says

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 26- A former Marine from Bedford Park has come out with a new video headed for YouTube, where he defends the NYPD's right in the 'stop and frisk' issue, now pointing to two incidents in his life, one being shot in the south Bronx, while driving a livery taxi-- and more recently, when young punks threw garbage at him in a subway near his home.

Over the years, Ronald James Sorenson, 73, a self-taught lobbyist, has come to the aid of the American flag, defending, "Old Glory," from flag-burning, he has walked to Washington, DC., carrying a monkey, to force law-makers to take a second look at a citizen's right to have exotic pets.

After a recent incident in Kingsbridge, Sorenson, a former member of the U.S. Marine's Boxing Team, decided to make the two-minute video in support of the NYPD. He recalled, "I was coming out of the subway and passed these young kids and as I passed, they threw garbage at me."

In his day, Sorenson would have flattened the trio, but now says, "These days you don't know who has a gun or who will shoot you for absolutely no reason."

Sorenson knows about being shot, he was driving a livery cab in 1969, when he was held-up in the Fort Apache section of the Bronx. Sorenson recalls, "They shot me in one leg and it went through and hit me in the other leg."

Believing that the day of the suicide bomber coming to the New York City Transit system-- is right around the corner, Sorenson adds, "I'm all for Civil rights, but stop and frisk will save lives. The sooner they realize that, the more lives will be saved."

According to the New York Civil Liberties Union and the NYPD's own statistics, the police department has conducted 4 million stop and frisk searches since 2002, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg took office.

With 685,724 of those stop and frisks taking place in 2011, some 600,000 or 88 percent of those stopped were completely innocent of any crime.

On Tuesday, June 26, a Manhattan Appellate court supported Justice Peter Tom's decision to exclude a gun as evidence, after a Bronx cop arrested a teen found to be carrying the gun during a stop and frisk search.

On May 16, a federal judge approved a class-action lawsuit against the NYPD relating to stop and frisk.

Sorenson's, 'Stop and frisk' video can be found at: 

 http://youtu.be/XehbGDRrOFI

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cheer Up Supe, You Can Always Play for the Eagles

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cheer Up Supe, You Can Always Play for the Eagles: Superintendent Charged with Running Massive Dog Fighting Ring in Apartment Building BRONX, NEW YORK, July 25- Distri...

Cheer Up Supe, You Can Always Play for the Eagles

Superintendent Charged with Running Massive Dog Fighting Ring in Apartment Building

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 25- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a grand jury has indicted building superintendent Raul Sanchez on numerous charges of animal fighting and cruelty, including the staging of dog fights, as well as breeding, training and selling dogs for the purpose of having them engage in fights.   

This indictment is the result of a long-term investigation conducted by the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department. 

Sanchez, 57, of 1254 Sherman Avenue, the Bronx, has been charged with 63 counts of prohibition of animal fighting, 13 of which are felony offenses; 6 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals; 6 counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. The most serious offense, Prohibition of Animal Fighting, is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 4 years in prison.

The charges in this indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Sanchez, who was arrested on June 21, 2012, was arraigned on the indictment before State Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. Justice Villegas adjourned the case to August 3, 2012 in Part 60. Sanchez is being held in lieu of bail set at $50,000 cash or $25,000 bond.        

It is alleged that the dogfights, as well as the breeding, training and selling of the animals occurred between October, 2011 and June, 2012 in the basement of 1254 Sherman Avenue. When investigators executed search warrants at that location on June 21, 2012 they recovered 50 Pit Bull terriers, six treadmills, several rubber tires, scales, and various medicines. Also recovered were a fighting ring and carpeting both of which were stained with blood. The dogs, found housed in cages which were stacked in a room at the rear of the basement, ranged in age from several weeks to five years and were in varying stages of health. Many of the animals had scars which were consistent with dog fighting.      

The dogs were removed and placed in the custody and control of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals where they are receiving medical treatment and being evaluated for adoption, if possible. 

District Attorney Johnson thanked the following for their hard work during the nearly year-long investigation: Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Brandler of the Rackets Bureau, Detective Investigators Rocco Galasso and John Reilly of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, NYPD Detective John Zerafa of the Vice Enforcement Division, Major Case Bureau, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the not-for-profit animal welfare group United Action for Animals.