Guess Jared from Subway Can Move to Bronx

Guess Jared from Subway Can Move to Bronx

Borough Becoming Haven for Sex Offenders

Pervs Can Live Near Pre-K Programs

BRONX, NEW YORK (BRONX NEWS)- State Senator Jeff Klein announced that a registered sex offender, Mark Mercado, released from Gowanda Correctional Facility in western New York has relocated to The Bronx – directly violating state law and moving a mere 449-feet from a special needs elementary school.

What’s more shocking than the speed at which this convicted felon found a new home next to the Biondi Elementary School, is a dangerous loophole in state law that does not place residency restrictions on stand-alone Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs. The sex offender also resides within 950-feet of a stand-alone UPK at the Westchester Tremont Day Care Center, serving 100 local children.

Senator Klein said: “Across New York, we’ve found sex offenders violating their parole, living dangerously close to traditional schools, and more egregiously, right next to our most vulnerable children attending pre-K programs. This is absolutely unacceptable. The legal definition of ‘school’ does not currently prevent registered sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of pre-K programs – posing a deadly threat to the safety and security of New York’s families. It’s our duty to protect our children from pedophiles and I strongly urge the State Assembly to pass this important legislation and close this loophole immediately.”

In 2014, Senator Klein introduced legislation (S.1520) that would update New York State Penal Law to prohibit Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from knowingly being within 1,000 feet of a facility where pre-kindergarten or kindergarten instruction is provided. The bill overwhelmingly passed the State Senate in 2014 and 2015. The bill was never moved to the floor for a vote in the Assembly.

Six months ago, the Independent Democratic Conference released a bombshell investigative report “Keeping Our Children Safe From Sex Offenders” which uncovered startling violations of residency restrictions and numerous sex offenders living dangerously close to both traditional and stand-alone UPK programs in New York.

Two of the sexual predators found in that investigation – Michael Nieves and Damon Ford – are already back in prison. Ford violated his parole after police found him purchasing synthetic marijuana. Nieves also violated parole conditions when police were called to his home for a domestic dispute.


In 2009, Senator Klein introduced legislation that created a sex offender email notification system that later became Chapter 478 of New York State Law. The system allows local residents to receive instant email alerts any time a sex offender moves into a selected zip code. The legislation has been hailed by community groups and advocates.

Edith Blitzer, a Bronx resident and member of Community Board #11, said: “As a mother, grandmother, and community activist, finding a registered sex offender just released from prison living so close to our children is deeply troubling. It is our duty to ensure the safety of our kids, and by allowing these type of predators to circumvent the law, we are endangering their safety. Thank you Senator Klein for leading the way in protecting our neighborhoods and I look forward to working together for many years to come.”

Al D’Angelo, First Vice Chair of Community Board #11, said: “Our children are our most prized possessions. Their safety should be our prime concern. Preventing dangerous sexual predators from knocking at the doors of our schools is critical in building safe, strong communities. Allowing pedophiles to flout the law is simply unacceptable and I commend Senator Klein for leading the way in protecting our most vulnerable population.”

Pettitte Honored-What a Weekend for the Core Four

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BRONX NEWS: Yankees Honor Andy Pettitte

BRONX NEWS: Yankees Honor Andy Pettitte: Yankees Honor Andy Pettitte  By Howard  Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK (SPORTS)- One of the members of the  new legendary group , the Core Four, ...

Yankees Honor Andy Pettitte

Yankees Honor Andy Pettitte 

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK (SPORTS)- One of the members of the new legendary group, the Core Four, was honored by the franchise on Sunday. Following his former teammate, Jorge Posada who was saluted on Saturday, Andy Pettitte received a similar honor on Sunday afternoon. The stars of the playoff and World Series winning teams in the 1990’s and early 2000’s have been in the spotlight during the past two seasons. 

Although the ceremony was very similar to the one held one afternoon earlier, the thrill for the fans of the team during that period was not lessened. Pettitte was joined by many members of his family to share the glory and joy he received. Present on the field with him were his wife, his four children, his mother and father, his in-laws, and his daughter-in-law. 

Many of the former Yankees greats who attended the Posada salute on the previous day were again present to help honor their teammate. In attendance were teammates Scott Brosius, David Cone, Hideki Matsui, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams and Core Four members Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. 

The fourth member of the special group of Yankees, Mariano Rivera, was on-the-field to present Pettittewith a jeweled base that was autographed by all of the day’s special guests. Rivera and Pettitte teamed for many Yankees wins as Rivera saved 72 of the right-hander’s starts. 

Other guests saluting Pettitte were his manager Joe Torre, the general manager who signed him to a contract, Gene Michael, the team’s trainer Gene Monahan, and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson. 

An interesting video of the hurler’s career that was shown on the screen in center field began the ceremony. A nice touch was having Pettitte introduced by the voice of the late public address legend Bob Sheppard while the pitcher was standing on the bullpen mound. 

After the Pettitte family departed Monument Park and circled the field by automobile to join the other guests in the infield, gifts were presented. A replica of the Monument Park Plaque was presented by Pettitte’sformer catcher and manager Joe Girardi, a replica of his retired jersey #46 was given by Hal and Christina Steinbrenner and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal presented Pettitte a career milestone ring. 

Pettitte, a soft spoken and very religious individual, was inclusive in his utterance of gratitude for those who aided him in his lengthy major league career; he mentioned family, friends, teammates, trainers, strength staff, managers, coaches, the scout who signed him, Joe Robinson, those who arranged the ceremony, Debbie Tymon and Rob Bernstein and closed by thanking the “best fans in the world.”

Pettitte spoke of the incredulity he felt when he began with the Yankees in the majors in 1995, “A dream of mine as a boy had come true.” He said he felt something during Sunday’s ceremony that he could not have imagined when he was a rookie 20 years ago. He also mentioned the strangeness of a boy born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and living with his family in Deer Park, Texas being able to find “ a second home in New York.” 

The weekend ceremonies were connected in Pettitte’s mind as he said, “I’m just so proud I could share this weekend with Posada.” 

Posada caught 100 of Pettitte’s 219 Yankee wins. They were a battery again as Pettitte threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Posada.

#AndyPettitte #Yankees #MonumentPark 

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