Bronx

Bronx BP Asks Feds to Intervene in Muller Center Dispute; Yonkers Mayor Asks Bloomberg to Reconsider Shelter Plan

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In a letter to federal authorities, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said the mayor’s office blatantly skirted the formal process meant to determine a new use for the vacant Muller Army Reserve Center in Wakefield in order to push its own agenda – the creation of a 200-bed men’s homeless shelter at the center.Because of this, and what Diaz characterized as a complete disregard of public sentiment, Diaz asked the two agencies responsible for approving a plan for the Muller Center – the United State Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEM)- to reject the shelter plan submitted by the mayor’s office. He also asked them to “convene a meeting amongst the parties to determine how, if possible, a conforming submission could still be provided.”If this doesn’t happen, Diaz says, “I will have no choice but to pursue legal action.”Meanwhile, Yonkers Mayor Philip Amicone sent a letter to Bloomberg urging his administration to reconsider its “seriously flawed” shelter plan because of the negative impact it would have on Yonkers, which shares a border-line with Wakefield that lies just 250 feet from the Muller Center.”Astonishingly,” Amicone writes, the mayor’s plan “makes no mention of the proposed facility’s possible effects on our City nor our residents.” He adds one paragraph later, “For this reason alone, the plan to locate a homeless shelter at the Muller facility is seriously flawed and should be reconsidered.” After closing the Muller Center, the Department of Defense created a local redevelopment authority (LRA) to come up with a plan for the building’s re-use. Diaz and two of Bloomberg’s deputy mayors, Linda Gibbs and Robert Steel, make up the LRA.From the beginning, the mayor’s office has insisted the site become a homeless shelter, saying there is a need for more beds and the Bronx isn’t doing its part in housing homeless men.

Bronx

Bronx 'Renaissance Man’ and Activist Ozzie Brown Remembered

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Ozzie Brown (left) and Paul Foster share a laugh at last month’s Community Board 7 meeting. (Photo courtesy CB7)By Alex KratzOzzie Brown, a colorful, loquacious and dedicated member of Community Board 7 who was also active in the civil rights movement and an advocate for diabetes awareness, died last week after a battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.Locally, Brown was best known for the active role he took as a member of the community board. But Brown was much more than that, a “true Renaissance Man,” said former Bronx Borough President Adolf Carrion, one of Brown’s best friends.“Ozzie was a worldly person,” Carrion said. “He brought a mix of experiences that many people would be surprised to hear about.

Bronx

Bronx News Roundup, July 13

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Weather: The painfully oppressive heat that’s plagued us for the last few days drops off a bit today, with temperatures cooling to the mid-80s. Skies will remain partly cloudy.Story of the Day: Diaz Sr. Just Won’t QuitState Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., continues his tirades against the legalization of same-sex marriage, despite the fact that the bill was signed into law two weeks ago. The Rev. is planning yet another protest, this time in front of Gov. Andrew’s Cuomo’s midtown office, to “protest the redefinition of marriage and

Bronx

Bronx Health: Sarcoma Walk in VC Park Raises Nearly 15k

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[PHOTO: Young Sarcoma patients, family members, and the pediatric hematology/oncology team at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore gathered on the track at Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday at the start of CHAM’s Stomp Out of Sarcoma event.]Held last weekend at Van Cortland Park, this year’s “Stomp Out Sarcoma Walk,” hosted by the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, raised nearly $15,000 for awareness and medical research.Sarcoma is a form of cancer that develops from bone or muscle, according to the American Cancer Society. It occurs more commonly in children, with Sarcoma representing 15 to 20 percent of childhood cancer diagnoses and one percent of adult cancer diagnoses.More than 80 patients, family members and hospital staff participated, making it the largest Stomp Out Sarcoma event yet, Montefiore officials said.This is the fifth year the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore has held a Sarcoma walk, according to the hospital.[PHOTO: Bronx resident Preston Cohen, 14, who was successfully treated for osteosarcoma at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, describes his experience during the fifth annual Stomp Out Sarcoma walk sponsored by CHAM’s Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. The walk is held annually to raise awareness and funding for research to cure sarcoma, a cancer of the bones and tissues.]

Bronx

Bronx News Roundup, Tuesday, July 12

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Speed roundup today, folks.Weather: Brutal today in the Bronx and most of the rest of the country. Stay inside and drink lots of water. High in the upper 90s with extreme humidity.Quick Hits:Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. continues to enjoy support from staunch opponents of legal gay marriage, including the Unification Church (aka the Moonies) and a notorious anti-gay state representative from Oklahoma.Two Bronx cops from the 46th Precinct were arrested on Monday for allegedly beating a man who apparently was heckling the officers after being arrested in February.A broken Bronx marriage and a broken car.