Editor’s Note: Today’s column breaks down into two parts. The first part is a story I wrote for this week’s edition of the Norwood News about the Walton Campus boys basketball team. The second part, written by Selim Khan, is a playoff preview that focuses on the teams from the northwest Bronx. Above, is a slide show from Walton’s first round playoff victory last week. Enjoy.
We’re skipping the usual intro today and just giving you the “BX Marks the Spot” hip hop video shown yesterday at Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.’s state of the borough speech yesterday. Produced by Bronxnet’s Derek Woods and featuring Opera Steve, Silkedeezy and Steve Kane, the video was created in response to what Diaz Jr. perceived as negative stereotyping of the borough by “American Idol.” Enjoy. The Bronx, The Broooooooooooonx!Story of the Day: Diaz Jr. spoke at length yesterday about his support for the Fair Wage for New Yorkers Act, also known as the “living wage” bill, which was born out of the battle over wages during the Kingsbridge Armory mall negotiations in 2009. The legislation, sponsored by Bronx council members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma, would tie city subsidies to wage guarantees.
A quick reminder that we will be Tweeting live from Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.’s State of the Borough speech today, starting at 11:30 a.m. Check back here for the Twitter feed on the right side of this page or you can follow us through my Twitter account: @norwoodnews. This morning, in preparation for the speech,
The always vocal State Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz, Sr., is adding more fuel to the ongoing abortion debate, firing off a press release yesterday that called abortion a form of racial genocide.”The UN’s definition of genocide includes ‘measures intended to prevent births within the group,'” Diaz wrote, in the statement he titled “The Truth About Genocide.”The Rev. cited a recent report from the Dept. of Health which puts the city’s abortion rate at 41 percent of pregnancies, with numbers higher in black and Hispanic communities. “These statistics are staggering,” Diaz continued. “It is nothing less than responsible to use the term genocide to define what is happening to our children’s lives.”It’s not the first time the Senator’s used that strong and controversial term-usually reserved to reference the systematic killing of a racial or ethnic group, i.e. the Holocaust or Rwanda-while voicing his pro-life platform. He made similar comments earlier this month, sparking a New York Times opinion column that called his remarks “nutty.”
Conspirare, a five time Grammy-nominated choral group, will preform tonight at Jacobi Medical Center Rotunda at 7 p.m. Tickets are free but should be reserved ahead of time. See the flier below for more information.Conspirare Other Bronx events are posted below, in our community calendar. Editor’s note: What did we miss? Send details to bronxnewsnetwork[at]gmail.com.
To followup on yesterday’s post, the 32BJ SEIU chapter that represents thousands of building workers across the Bronx voted last night in favor of a potential strike if contract negotiations with the Bronx Realty Advisory Board, which represents Bronx building owners, are not resolved over the next few weeks. “Nobody wants a strike, but we’re committed to do what it takes to get workers what they need,” said Union Vice President Kyle Bragg, in a statement. “Working families need wages that keep pace with the city’s high cost of living.”32BJ SEIU represents superintendents, janitors, handypersons, porters, firepersons, doormen, elevator operators and garbage handlers. The workers already rejected a contract proposal which they say stripped them of health care and retirement benefits. A press release said that a strike could take place if a contract is not approved by March 15.
Frigid air in the Bronx this morning eventually gives way to slightly less frigid air this afternoon, but the sun will shine!A couple of programming notes: The Norwood News, which covers Board 7, hits streets today. We’ll trickle out some of the published stories (and some that didn’t make the cut) here on BxNN and have them all up on the News’ site by the end of the week. Also, we will be Tweeting live (@norwoodnews, and I’ll see if we can get it up on this site as well) from the Bronx Borough President’s “State of the Borough” speech at DeWitt Clinton high school tomorrow, starting at 11:30 a.m. And look for Bronx Foodie and The Bronx Sports Column, making their triumphant returns on Friday.To the news!Story of the Day:Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. gave a little highlight reel preview of his State of the Bronx speech to NY1’s Dean “The Dream.” Here’s my condensed Sportscenter-like montage of what to expect: “The state of the borough is strong . .
The kids are off from school this week for winter break, and chances are they’re driving you crazy. In honor of that, the Parks Department is sponsoring a series of kid-friendly events across the city to entertain the little ones. Head over to the Van Cortlandt Nature Center in Van Cortlandt Park today or Friday for free nature lessons and art and crafts sessions. Call (718) 548-0912 or visit the Parks Dept. website for more information.More local events can be found in our community calendar, below.Editor’s note: What did we miss?
Editor’s note: this article first appeared in the latest issue of the Tremont Tribune, which is on the streets and online now.Park Avenue Thorpe, a supportive housing building home to 20 formerly homeless families, could be shuttered this year by funding cuts. (Photos by Jeanmarie Evelly) Digna, a 42-year-old formerly homeless woman and mother of two, has called Park Avenue Thorpe home for the last 11 years. She found refuge in the six-story yellow brick building in Bathgate, where an onsite caseworker helps her balance her bank account, pay her bills and talk to the teachers at her two sons’ schools, as Digna’s English is somewhat shaky.The building, on East 184th Street, is run by Thorpe Family Residence, a nonprofit that provides supportive housing and services to chronically homeless families in an effort to keep them out of the city’s sprawling shelter system.But severe funding cuts, proposed to balance the state’s ballooning budget, have put Thorpe and dozens of other programs like it at risk of closure.“These cuts may be the beginning of the end for us,” said Executive Director Sister Mary Jane Deodati, who oversees the 20 families that call the building home.Many of Thorpe’s residents are single mothers who have battled addiction, have physical or emotional disabilities or who have been victims of domestic violence. A caseworker helps each tenant with personal finances, with finding jobs and other day-to-day tasks.“Many of our people are fragile and need constant support,” Deodati said. “If this program is cut, they’re going to be homeless again.”Park Avenue Thorpe relies largely on funding from the state’s Supportive Housing for Families and Young Adults, or SHFYA, a program that saw its budget cut in half last year by former Gov. David Paterson.
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