Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Teen Charged with Kicking Mom Holding Baby

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Teen Charged with Kicking Mom Holding Baby: Teen Charged with Kicking Mom Holding Baby  #NYPD #Kick #Mom #CellPhone BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 22- District Attorney Robert Johnson anno...

Teen Charged with Kicking Mom Holding Baby

Teen Charged with Kicking Mom Holding Baby 

#NYPD #Kick #Mom #CellPhone

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 22- District Attorney Robert Johnson announces that 18-year-old Alonzo Brown, accused of taking a “flying drop kick” at a mother and baby in order to steal her cell phone, has been arraigned on robbery and other charges for the November 28, 2014 incident on East Tremont near Bronx Park Avenue.

Odilia Orozco had her three-month-old son strapped to her chest as she was walking down the street with her cell phone in hand. Walking in the opposite direction, Brown is accused of going past, then turning around and running after the woman, kicking her in her back and knocking her to the sidewalk, baby and all. He then allegedly grabbed the mom’s phone and ran.

During Brown’s Supreme Court Arraignment, Justice George Villegas referred to the incident as a “flying drop kick” – and granted the Bronx D.A.’s request for an increase in bail, to $50,000 cash/$50,000 bond.  

The entire incident was caught on surveillance video.

ALONZO BROWN is charged with:

Robbery in the second degree (C-level Felony)

Robbery in the third degree (D-level Felony)

Grand Larceny in the fourth degree (E-level Felony)

Endangering the welfare of a child (A-level Misdemeanor)

Reckless endangerment in the first degree

If convicted of the charges, Brown could face three-and-a-half to 15 years behind bars. The case has been adjourned until April 14, 2015 in Part 77.

The charges contained in the indictment are allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Workers Paradise Screwed Over Workers?

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Workers Paradise Screwed Over Workers?: Workers Paradise Screwed Over Workers? Fiscal Crisis Could Lead to Layoffs, Residents Getting Slapped with New Fees Community Needs to Pay...

Workers Paradise Screwed Over Workers?

Workers Paradise Screwed Over Workers?

Fiscal Crisis Could Lead to Layoffs, Residents Getting Slapped with New Fees

Community Needs to Pay $6.25M Worker Settlement

#CoopCity #Riverbay #Lawsuit #Legionnaires

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 22- Riverbay president Cleve Taylor, blaming Herbert Freedman and Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc., for Co-op City’s latest crisis, said the community’s board of directors is considering the possibility of imposing a onetime assessment of $128 per room to pay the $6.25-million settlement of the labor case that management’s workers brought against Riverbay in April 2013 and other immediate expenses that must be met over the next five months.

The immediate expenses that must be paid amount to $9 million, Taylor noted. These expenses, the Riverbay president include, in addition to the labor-case settlement, $500,000 for legal expenses in conjunction with the labor case, $1 million to $2 million in costs relating to Co-op City’s recent cases of Legionnaires’ Disease, $300,000 for a litigation and contingency reserve fund, and $1 million for a general reserve fund.

The Riverbay president said that Wells Fargo Bank, which holds Co-op City’s current $621.5-million mortgage, has told Riverbay Corporation representatives that Co-op City can not touch a $45-million reserve fund, set up to pay for specifically designated capital improvements, to pay the expenses that Riverbay now confronts.

Taylor, in a telephone interview, said, “We, as shareholders, are being forced to pay for the mistakes of Marion Scott. It pains me that the community’s shareholders, many of whom are already having trouble paying their monthly carrying charges, are now being forced to pay for 15 years of mismanagement by Herbert Freedman and Marion Scott.”

In addition to the $128-per-room assessment that is being weighed, Taylor noted that the members of the board are also considering an increase in carrying charges of 3 to 4 percent “to rectify the mess that Marion Scott has left for us.”

Taylor noted that the opinions of shareholders on how to proceed in conjunction with the crisis that Co-op City now confronts will be sought at town-hall meetings that will be held in the community in February.

The options, the Riverbay president noted, include suing the Scott firm in conjunction with the $6.25-million settlement of the labor case and suing Scott Trivella, Co-op City’s long-time labor attorney, for malpractice in connection with his advice that it was okay for the Riverbay Corporation to give workers compensating time in lieu of overtime pay.

Informed sources, who wished to remain unidentified, indicated, this week, that both of these possible lawsuits would be difficult to pursue successfully.

Another option for the Riverbay Corporation would be to significantly reduce Co-op City’s corporate expenses --- an option that Taylor thinks would bear little fruit, but Riverbay vice president Daryl Johnson believes could save Co-op City $20 million per year.

Taylor, for his part, stressed, “Even without the need for $9 million within the next five months, it is clear that the Riverbay Corporation cannot continue to operate the way it has been operating. It is unconscionable that Herbert Freedman and Marion Scott depleted our reserve funds to the point that we need to consider drastic measures to meet our immediate expenses and to get by in the years to come. At this point, we have almost no cash on hand to meet contingencies, like the ones we are now facing with reserve funds that are now virtually nonexistent.”

Riverbay president Cleve Taylor said, this week, that a layoff of some of Co-op City’s 1,100 workers has to be considered as one of the options in the desperate fiscal crisis that the community now confronts.

“All options have to be on the table at this point,” Taylor stressed, in a telephone interview on Monday. “The long and the short of it is that we have to increase expenses and/or reduce costs to come up with the $9 million we are going to need over the next five months.”

The Riverbay president noted that within the context of the current crisis, reducing the hours that Co-op City’s employees work and a temporary or permanent layoff of some of Riverbay’s employees have to be considered.

Civic activist Frank Belcher, reflecting on the possibility of laying off Co-op City workers, noted, “I am convinced that we could lay off 10 percent of our workforce without affecting the delivery of services to the shareholders. It has been obvious to me, for years, that we could easily cut the workforce if the Riverbay Corporation changed its culture of corporate waste. We can do more with less if the housing company finally insists on an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”

Belcher added, “Before the board starts considering imposing a $128-per-room assessment, the members of the board need to sharpen their pencils and reduce costs. It’s clear to me, and it should be clear to the members of the board, that laying off workers is a much better option than imposing an onerous assessment that many of the shareholders can’t afford to pay.”

Riverbay vice president Daryl Johnson, saying that it was premature to reflect on a possible layoff of Co-op City’s workers at this time, has repeatedly stated that the estimated $700,000 in overtime pay that Riverbay employees take home on an annual basis could be eliminated or be severely cut without significantly affecting the level of services in the local community.

A possible layoff of workers would be difficult for many shareholders in the community to swallow because of their backgrounds with unions and their support for working people.

However, in the final analysis, laying off workers may be the only reasonable option for shareholders trying to avoid an assessment of $128 per room, which would have to be paid over a five-month period.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here: DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here #DeBlasio #VisionZero 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 21- Last Wednesday Mayor...

DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here

DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here

#DeBlasio #VisionZero

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 21- Last Wednesday Mayor Bill deBlasio came to the Bronx to tout his Vision Zero Program. It was the 50th finished Vision Zero project at the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Silver Street.

The mayor held a press conference at the old DOP traffic court building on Williamsbridge Road a few blocks away from the intersection. The mayor said through lowering the speed limit to 25 MPH, new speed camera enforcement, redesign of intersections and roadways, and the installation of over 400 speed bumps citywide the lowest number of pedestrian fatalities has been accomplished since the statistic was first charted back to 1911. Mayor deBlasio said that in 2014 there were only 134 pedestrian fatalities.

NYC Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg was with the mayor to echo his words as were Councilman Jimmy Vacca and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda (whose districts East Tremont Avenue and Silver Street is located). Councilman Vacca the former City Council Transportation Committee chair said that he would like to see a speed bump on every street to help lower the number even more. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more, and see photos of the mayor, NYC Transportation Commissioner Trottenberg, Councilman Vacca, Assemblyman Sepulveda, and the intersections of East Tremont Avenue and Silver Street, as well as Broadway and 96th Street, and one Hudson Street intersection in Manhattan before and after the Vision Zero upgrade.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is leading a delegation of Latinos to the country of Israel. The aim of the trip is to discover what Israel has to offer, learn why Israel's strength is important, and the growing relationship between the people of Israel and Latinos. The BP mentions that at one time there were more people of Jewish faith in the Bronx than the country of Israel. You can read the entire 'Why I am Visiting Israel' by Bronx BP Diaz on my blog.

Speaking of taking trips, Governor Andrew Cuomo will soon be going to visit Cuba now that President Obama has removed travel and trade restrictions on Cuba. The trip to Cuba by Governor Cuomo is being billed as a 'Trade Mission to Cuba', as part of the governor's 'Global Initiative’.

While on the subject of Governor Andrew Cuomo, former City Council Speaker and failed mayoral candidate Christine Quinn will become a special adviser to the governor in April after she finishes up classes. Quinn was the head of the Woman's Equality Party movement for the governor that helped him win re-election, and form a new ballot line for the next four years at least.

Finally, after keeping his position as District Manager of Community Board 9 by 2 votes in December 2013, Francisco Gonzalez has been relieved of his position of District Manager at the January 15^th Community Board 9 meeting. The vote went 17 for dismissal, 2 against, and 2 CB 9 members abstaining. CB 9 will now begin a search for a new district manager. Go to my blog for the official statement by Community Board 9, and the possible reason why.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, is accepting applications to become a member of one of the 12 Bronx community boards. You can go to bronxboropres.gov/communityboards to find out more and to download the 2015 Bronx Community Board application. The deadline is February 6^th 2015. Only New York City residents, who either live, have a business, or other significant interest in the community district, are eligible to be considered for membership on a local community board.

If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, 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): Body Parts Rain Down from Subway Tracks

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Body Parts Rain Down from Subway Tracks: Body Parts Rain Down from Subway Tracks #NYPD #BodyParts #Subway By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 20- Pedestrians walking along...