Our athletic fields must be safe and must not adversely impact the health of those using them, says the City Councilmember who chairs the Council’s Parks and Recreation Committee.
OK, first the details.Nonprofit organizations Transportation Alternatives and Picture the Homeless are organizing a debate of the 33rd District Senate candidate that we will be moderating on Thursday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m. at Fordham Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2430 Walton Ave. (right smack in the middle of the district).Candidates Gustavo Rivera and Dan Padernacht have both agreed to participate and share their views and opinions on transit and other vital community issues. Unfortunately, the incumbent Pedro Espada Jr. has (thus far) declined to show up.But Transportation Alternatives’ Rider Rebellion Campaign, which is adamantly opposed to a potentially significant increase in monthly Metrocard fees (the cost could jump to $104, from $89), is not going to let Espada off the hook easily.They are urging constituents of the 33rd Senate District – which stretches from Tremont to Norwood – to call Espada’s office (718-654-4329), say they are outraged about the possible fare hike (which they should be), and demand that he show up next Thursday and tell them how he’s going to stop the hike from happening.In campaign materials, Espada is claiming he played a large role in saving free student Metrocards. Why wouldn’t he want to let people know how he supposedly did it and how he could possibly save our current fare?
Pedro Espada Jr. announced three endorsements today as he campaigns to fend off two Democratic challengers in the upcoming 33rd Senate District primary. A spokesman for Espada said La Voz Hispana, a Harlem-based newspaper that doesn’t appear to have an online presence, will endorse the state senator in an upcoming editorial.Bishop Fernando Rodriguez (pictured in a pink shirt, apparently doing the Tango with Espada, above) of New York’s chapter of the Latin/African American Chaplains Association (LACA), and Rosa Ayala, the vice president of the Dominican Day Parade, also pledged their support for Espada.“Whether it’s health care for the poor, services for senior citizens, affordable housing for working families, or educational opportunities for our children, Senator Espada delivers for our community,” Rodriguez said in a statement. The Rodriguez endorsement is especially noteworthy because he and his organization appear to be looking for a larger role in Bronx politics.LACA and Rodriguez had a presence during the successful insurgent campaign of Fernando Cabrera, who narrowly defeated incumbent Maria Baez last fall to win the 14th Council District seat. Rodriguez and his entourage attended Cabrera’s election night victory party and his inauguration at Lehman College in January.Just last week, however, Cabrera announced his support for Espada’s leading opponent, Gustavo Rivera, who has been endorsed by an army of unions and elected officials over the past several weeks.
Editor’s note: What did we miss? Send details to bronxnewsnetwork[at]gmail.com.
Earlier today, the New Roosevelt Initiative,
A few weeks ago we posted responses from two of the Senate candidates in the 33rd District to our issue survey and ran them here on the blog (Sen. Espada declined to participate). We’ve posted a link for the series in the upper right hand corner of this site for easy reference. Take a look.Also, the Bronx News Network will be moderating a candidates’ debate sponsored by the cycling and pedestrian advocacy group Transportation Alternatives on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. at Fordham Lutheran Church, 2340 Walton Ave. Candidates will discuss their positions on a variety of public transit issues and other critical issues facing the district.
Great story in the Times today about a hoarder in Bedford Park whose apartment had turned into a literal sea of stuff. The photos are amazing. Recently, Part of the Solution (POTS), the soup kitchen and multi-service organization on Webster Avenue in Bedford Park, enlisted a company that specializes in extreme hoarder cases to help make the apartment habitable again. Testimony began in the trial against the four men accused of plotting to blow up two Riverdale synagogues, with an FBI agent saying he paid a confidential informant nearly $100,000 a year to help him catch local would-be terrorists. Defense lawyers say the FBI and the informant came up with the plot and entrapped the four defendants.
With one claiming to be unavailable and the other refusing to return phone calls or emails, it appears that the
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