Bloomberg's Soda Ban Lost it's Fizz

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, March 22- Many people are happy that N.Y. State Supreme Court Judge Milton Tingling shot down Mayor Bloomberg's ban on large size sugary soda for one reason or another. 

It is not that the soda is good for you, but its how Mayor Bloomberg went about it Judge Tingling said. I watched The David Letterman Show the night that Judge Tingling stopped the mayor’s soda ban, where Mayor Mikey was going to announce the ban and just how it would go into effect. Letterman blew what could have been his best line in many years by not saying “Gee Mr. Mayor I guess your soda ban lost its fizz”. Instead we heard Mayor Nanny go on about how bad soda with sugar is, how obese people are due to drinking soda with sugar, but the one bright thing to come out of the mayor’s mouth was the fact that more people are now dying of overeating than of starvation. Arguments now coming from people are why is the mayor not going after people who drink alcohol in excess like soda. People get drunk and then can and do hurt others, many who are innocent bystanders.

On the steps of City Hall Sunday afternoon City Comptroller John Liu made it official that he was running for mayor. Liu made some good points in how he has been the watchdog over the city's resources, and how he exposed over billing and fraud such as the CityTime scandal. We hate to see Liu leave the comptroller’s office after doing such a great job in his four short years as comptroller. We also understand that it would be tough to run in four years against an incumbent mayor, and that could be a major reason that Comptroller Liu and Public Advocate DeBlasio are running this year for mayor when both still have another term to serve in their current offices. Mayoral candidate John Liu also made a five borough bus tour ending up in the Bronx at the home of Community Board 8 Vice Chair Maria Kurry in Riverdale. You can check my blog for more details and photos of the Liu Riverdale House event at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com .

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn must now realize that Bloomberg was only using her as a blocker in the City Council of the bills that the mayor did not want to be voted on, and Quinn will now pay for her allegiance to Mayor Bloomberg. Voters must not forget that it was Speaker Quinn who pushed through the City Council four years ago the mayor's bill to extend term limits so that New Yorkers could enjoy four more years of a Bloomberg/Quinn administration. 

Speaking of mayoral candidates I must ask Adolfo Carrion, “Now that you are not going to get an iota of a chance of getting the Republican line when are you going to end your fantasy of becoming the next mayor”? All you are doing is pulling votes away from the Democratic candidate so another Republican has a better chance of getting elected mayor.

Speaking of elections the money seems to be pouring into the 15th council district, or should I say to the candidates at least. Close to $220,000 has been collected by 8 candidates who filed their March 15th filing with the Campaign Finance Board. Only a little over $32,000 has been spent by the eight candidates, and leading the way with $55,203 on hand is candidate Richie Torres. Torres got a big boost in donations from attendees of Councilman Jimmy Vacca's birthday party at Villa Baron Manor in Throggs Neck. You can read about and view photos of the event in my blog archive section titled Jimmy Vacca birthday party/Richie Torres at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com.

Also in the archive section you can find a story on the fund raiser Albert Alvarez had complete with photos of the “Albert Alvarez shuffle”. Kenny Agosto “The Dancing District Leader” is not the only one who can tear up a dance floor anymore. Getting back to the 15th council race, Mr. William Rivera is second in the money race with $35,003 on hand currently for his campaign. It will take a lot more money than the candidates currently have to win, and the political endorsements are starting to come in. I am hearing some push back though to the Richie Torres campaign about the support of neighboring Councilman Vacca's influence in his backing of the Torres candidacy. I was even told that it may be a good idea to teach Jimmy a lesson by giving him a primary.

Last week the Bronx Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Irish Heritage Luncheon. You can go to my blog to see the honorees and many photos of the event. BCC President Lenny Caro and his staff have done another fine job in this event. You can check the BCC website at bronxchamber.org for upcoming events in April or check my blog for details as they come in.

Also Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is hosting his Irish Heritage Month Event tonight at the Rambling House in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. The event starts at 5:30 PM and you must RSVP to the BP's office at 718-590-3989 as space is limited. I will have details of the event on my blog and in next weeks column.

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.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): No three-peat, Mustangs

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): No three-peat, Mustangs: By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, March 22- The Monroe Mustangs women's basketball team will not three-peat. After a ferocious effort...

No three-peat, Mustangs

By Gary Axelbank

BRONX, NEW YORK, March 22- The Monroe Mustangs women's basketball team will not three-peat. After a ferocious effort, the two-time defending national champs who came to the NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championships as a #9-seed, were narrowly defeated 53-50 by the top seeded Mesa Thunderbirds in Thursday's quarterfinal.  

So Monroe will play in the loser's bracket against (#12) South Suburban (IL) beginning at 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. EST) on Friday.  If they win, they will face #6 Highland (KS) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. EST) for fifth place in the tournament. 

"It was a great game," Coach James Robinson Jr. said in an interview. "It could have (gone) either way. We put ourselves in a position to defend our national championship. I'm proud of my girls. They gave it all they got." 

Down by six at the half, Monroe was able to capture a few slim leads in the second half, but were not able to sustain them. After All-AmericanJasmine McRoy put back a Ly'Nasha Frazier miss with 2:20 to go, the Mustangs were down by a point, 51-50, but they did not convert their opportunities down the stretch.

The game was a defensive battle from the start with neither team able to establish the things that earned their reputations. Mesa was not in their comfort zone, able to move the ball to the open man and Monroe was never really able to get their up-tempo offense in gear. The Thunderbirds finished below their 60-point scoring average and Monroe was well below it's 70-point average.

Frazier led Monroe with 13 points, McRoy had 12, and Danielle Forrest had 10. Monroe had a 42-35 rebounding edge, with Tiara Brown capturing 14 of them, high for either team.  Mesa shot 12 free throws while the Mustangs shot only 6, which was one of the keys in the game.

"It's a tough loss because we're built as national champions at Monroe, that's what we do," Coach Robinson said. "When we come up short, we feel it, it's a sting. But we'll bounce back.  We've got another game tomorrow at 3:00 and we'll show the championship caliber of basketball that we're capable of playing."

Tip-off on Friday is slated for 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. in NY. If Monroe wins they play Saturday at 2:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. EST) for fifth place in the nation and if not, their season will be over.

"We'll persevere," he said. "The way I see the girls, we'll be back next year.  We'll work hard enough to do it."

Monroe hosted 60 children from the South Side Mission, who they had visited a day earlier. They came to the game to root for Monroe, sporting the caps the Mustangs distributed and autographed.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Mustangs Show Heart

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Mustangs Show Heart: Claw Back to Win Round 1 By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, March 20 - It looked for all the world like the dream of a three-peat was dying....

Mustangs Show Heart

Claw Back to Win Round 1

By Gary Axelbank

BRONX, NEW YORK, March 20- It looked for all the world like the dream of a three-peat was dying. Flat-footed and down by 22 points to a top-flight (#8 seed) Iowa Central team in the first half of their first round game in the NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championships, the (#9 seed) Monroe Mustangs women's basketball team hustled and clawed their way back to an 87-84 win that spoke volumes about their resolve and their moxie as defending two-time national champs.  

The Tritons led 31-9 with 8:52 to go in the first half as Monroe was being out-classed by Iowa Central shooters who seemed to be hitting from all corners of the court.

"In these games you have to reach inside yourself and decide how you want it to go," said Coach James Robinson Jr. "We decided we weren't going to try to come back all at once, but chip away as best we could. Getting it down to nine points at the half let us know that we could get it done. There's no doubt the experience of our sophomores was a big factor."

Predictably, Monroe's comeback was led by All-American Jasmine McRoy, who was the game's high-scorer with 24 points, despite an uneven first-half and off night from the foul line (1/6). But McRoy's stablity and leadership in handling the ball and creating on offense was indispensable. When she hit a four-point play (a three-pointer and foul shot) to cut the lead to 52-51 with 12:55 left, the signal was sent that the game was up for grabs.

Even though Iowa again extended the lead to nine, Monroe got a big contribution during crunch time from sophomore Ly'Nasha Frazier, who had her biggest game of the year, scoring 19 points and dishing for four assists. The best of it was in a stretch in the second half when she found the stroke on two three-pointers and showed confidence in the lane and at the line. It was a sign that Frazier had come all the way back from a difficult knee injury that sidelined her for last year's nationals and forced a lengthy rehab that lasted well into this season.  

Another soph who showed her big-game savvy, undoubtedly picked up in part from last year's championship run, was Christina Jones, who had 12 points and five rebounds, much of it during Monroe's furious second half run.

Monroe had a huge rebounding advantage in the game, 56-40.  Brianna Perlmutter nabbed 14 of them.

"Anyone who thinks this is not a team sport, doesn't know Monroe women's basketball," Coach Robinson said. "You can look up and down our bench and see contributions from everyone. We look at obstacles and as a team navigate our way around them or through them and that's why we won today."

The task for the 23-7 Mustangs is about to get tougher. After a day off on Wednesday, they will face Mesa (AZ), the tournament's #1 seed in round two on Thursday beginning at 6:00pm (7:00pm EST). 

The Mustangs will be making good use of their time off on Wednesday. They plan to visit the South Side Mission to support the youngsters there with homework help and some on-court fun.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks Will Honor Sandy Hook Victims

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks Will Honor Sandy Hook Victims: BRONX, NEW YORK, March 20 - The New York Yankees announced that they will honor the community of Newtown and the memory of those lost in ...

Yanks Will Honor Sandy Hook Victims

BRONX, NEW YORK, March 20- The New York Yankees announced that they will honor the community of Newtown and the memory of those lost in the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

On Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on April 1, the Yankees and their opponents, the Boston Red Sox, will stand together in dedicating the game to the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting, their families and the greater community of Newtown. Pregame ceremonies will feature joint honor guards of Newtown police and firefighters, along with a moment of silence, during which a list of the Sandy Hook victims’ names will be recognized on the center-field video board.

The Yankees and Red Sox will wear a special ribbon on their uniforms for Opening Day to honor those lost and those affected by the tragedy. This ribbon will also be prominently painted on the field in front of both dugouts. To show Major League Baseball’s solidarity in remembering the victims, their families and the greater community of Newtown, Commissioner Bud Selig has asked the 28 other teams to follow suit in wearing the ribbon during their respective Opening Day games.

On Sunday, July 7, approximately 3,000 children, families and members of the Newtown community will be invited to celebrate summer recess by attending the Yankees’ 1:05 p.m. game vs. Baltimore. The Yankees have proclaimed the date “Newtown Day at Yankee Stadium” and look forward to hosting members of the community at a time of year after the school calendar is complete that allows for the most children and families to be able to attend.

“On Opening Day, we will reflect upon more important things and play the game to honor the community of Newtown,” said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. “Since the day of the tragedy, our hearts and thoughts have been with those who were affected. We hope that bringing the families of Newtown together at Yankee Stadium later in the summer will give the community an opportunity to create new memories and aid in the difficult process of moving forward.”

“Months have passed, yet we are still trying to come to grips with this incomprehensible tragedy,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John W. Henry. “As our teams look to face each other on Opening Day, we will stand united in support of the families affected as we remember and honor those who were lost.”

“The Yankees organization has supported our community in several ways since the tragic events of December 14,” said Pat Llodra, First Selectman, Town of Newtown. “Their generosity and compassion during this difficult time means a lot to all of us. We also would like to thank Commissioner Selig, the Red Sox and Major League Baseball for this meaningful tribute to our community.”