Bronx News Network

Oval Park Meeting to Press for Opening of New Spray Showers and Playground

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Frustrated with the delay in opening the new playground and spray showers in the Williamsbridge Oval Park, the volunteer group Friends of Williamsbridge Oval Park is gathering and requesting that concerned residents join them at 4:30 today in the southern section of the soccer field near the construction fence. We’ve heard from Parks officials at the site that the spray showers and playground should be open by July 4, but the Friends are insisting that the renovated areas open by the end of school on June 28. We’ll have more later today on official word from the Parks Department on when these new play areas will be open for ruse.

Bronx News Network

Bronx Crime Watch: Rally for Yvette (Updated)

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The recent shooting of 15-year-old Yvette Marie Torres and lack of progress in finding the person who shot her has led a group of concerned residents, from the Bronx, Queens and even Massachusetts, to take the investigation into their own hands.The group, led by Nelson Figueroa, a childhood friend of Yvette’s mother, have organized a “Rally for Yvette” this Saturday at 2396 Valentine Avenue, near the corner of E. 187th Street, just below Fordham Road. That’s where Yvette was shot after apparently standing up to a bully during a party. They created a “Rally for Yvette” Facebook page to advertise the event. Figueroa also set up a phone number (347-670-3843) and an e-mail address (JUSTICE4EVIE@gmail.com) so witnesses and or anyone with information about the shooting, who might not feel comfortable dealing with police, could come forward. According to Figueroa, Yvette was taken out of a medically-induced coma yesterday and given two days to respond.

Bronx News Network

Kingsbridge Armory Task Force Releases Report on Potential Uses

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The Kingsbridge Armory (Photo by Adi Talwar) The latest formation of the Kingsbridge Armory Task Force (there have been others over the last 17 years since the National Guard vacated the main structure), chaired by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Councilman Fernando Cabrera, released its report today – 267 pages actually (much of it background material, thank goodness). We obviously haven’t had time to go through it all, but the bottom line is that the task force is not recommending any one, or combination of, uses. They are instead calling on the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which has overseen all the unsuccessful proposals and plans over the years to issue another request for proposals (RFP). The report includes the findings of the NYU’s Capstone project. Film studios, a megachurch, sports and recreation entrepreneurs, and the sustainable food industry (culinary school, farmers’ markets) all have expressed an interest in the facility.

Bronx News Network

Bronx News Roundup, June 21

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Happy summer solstice! The season will kick off with some rain showers later this afternoon, and temperatures around 80 degrees. Scattered thunderstorms predicted for tomorrow. Story of the Day: Armory Report ReleasedThe Kingsbridge Armory Task force released a 267-page report today detailing plans for how the long-vacant building should be filled (ideas: a hockey arena, a culinary center and a mega-church). For more on the report, see our previous post here.

Bronx News Network

Bronx Health: Free Prostate Cancer Exams

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Montefiore Medical Center will be offering free prostate cancer tests for all men 40 and over at the following times and locations: Wednesday, June 22, 4 to 7 p.m.Moses Division, Gold Zone, Ambulatory Oncology111 East 210th StreetThursday, June 23 4 to 7 p.m.Montefiore Medical Park1695 Eastchester Road, 1st FloorFriday, June 24, 1 to 5 p.m.1521 Jarret Place, 1st Floor According to the latest statistics available from the Center for Disease Control, nearly 30,000 men in the United States died from prostate cancer in 2007. For more information, contact Montefiore’s Office of Community Relations, (718) 920-7744.

Bronx News Network

Piano Waiting For You in Williamsbridge Oval Park

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This PS 54 student sat down to play the piano in Williamsbridge Oval Park on Tuesday – exactly the kind of spontaneous music-making organizers of the pop-up piano project have in mind. In fact, shortly after this girl left to hang out with her classmates, a professional piano player named Vadim showed up to play. Part of the program is for pianists to demonstrate the pianos and attract curious people who will then want to tickle the ivories themselves. The piano is only in the park for a couple of more weeks, so get going! (Photo by Jordan Moss)

Bronx News Network

Bronx State Sen. Gustavo Rivera Passes First Piece of Legislation

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Well, here’s one sign that there’s some work going on in Albany, despite the lack of action on rent reform and gay marriange. State Sen. Gustavo Rivera’s office just tweeted that the freshman lawmaker just passed his first bill, which enables nonprofit organizations to post bail for defendants that can’t afford to do it for themselves. In a press release, Rivera states: “Thousands of New Yorkers are held in jail each year because they simply cannot afford to post a few hundred dollars bail,” said Senator Rivera. “Every day, people plead guilty to crimes, regardless of guilt, because they can’t afford bail and just want to return home to their families and avoid time spent in jail. For individuals like the residents of the 33rd Senate District that I represent, even just a few days of incarceration can have devastating consequences: job loss, eviction, and for non-citizens, deportation.”The measure passed the Assembly, where it was sponsored by Jeff Aubrey, and now awaits the governor’s signature.