City Island News BX: Lady Rams Crowned Champs Again

City Island News BX: Lady Rams Crowned Champs Again: Lady Rams Crowned Champs Again By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 12 - By coincidence, the Atlantic-10 Softball Champions...

Lady Rams Crowned Champs Again

Lady Rams Crowned Champs Again

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 12- By coincidence, the Atlantic-10 Softball Championship was played on the home field, Bahoshy Field in the Bronx, of the #1 seed, the Fordham Rams. The home field had been a decided advantage to the Rams this year as they were winners in 14 of the 15 games they played during the regular season at Fordham.

Fordham’s Bridget Orchard, the Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year, appeared to have her team primed for the tournament as the Rams were victorious in 15 of their final 17 regular season games. They lost their last two contests to Dayton after winning 15 in a row.

The Rams, the first seed in the A-10 Championship received a first round bye last Wednesday. They faced the University of Massachusetts, the victor over Dayton in the first round, at noon on Thursday.

With the bases loaded in the second, Rachel Gillen grounded into a fielder’s choice that drove in the first run of the game. UMass tied the game at one in the third, but that was the last run scored by the visitors.

Fordham catcher Gabby Luety blasted a three-run homer in the third. Two innings later, third sacker Kayla Lombardo hit a two-run home run to move Fordham ahead by a score of 6-1. 

With the bases filled and two out in the bottom of the sixth, the Rams added three more runs on three singles by Paige Ortiz, Gillen and Cora Ianiro to end the game, 9-1, by the mercy rule. 

A-10 Co-Pitcher of the Year Michele Daubman was the winner of her 16th game of the season.A-10 Player of the Elise Fortier failed to get a hit but scored three runs.

The winners of each contest, Fordham and #2 seed St. Louis, met at noon last Friday. Interestingly, the Atlantic-10 Co-Pitchers of the Year, Daubman for Fordham and Brianna Lore of the Billikins, were in the circle to start the contest. 

To no one’s surprise, the hurlers engaged in a pitchers’ duel in which no runs were scored during the first five frames. Billikins worked Daubman for a run in the sixth with a lead-off single, a sacrifice but that pushed the runner to second and a run scoring single by Kelsey Biggs. 

The Rams took the final lead in the seventh in a most exciting manner. With one out, Fortier took a 3-2 over the fence in right to tie the game at 1. The homer was her 18th of the 2014 campaign and her 44th at Fordham, one short of the school record. The next batter, Lombardo, followed with her 10th of the season to give the Rams their final lead. 

Lombardo, Fordham’s third sacker, spoke about the back-to-back homers after the game, “Elise and I, the third and fourth hitters, are supposed to put the ball out of the park. In that situation, we were just doing our job.”

Daubman’s 18th win of the season was protected by Patti Maloney, who earned her A-10 record sixth save of the year.

The two teams met again on Saturday afternoon in the championship final. Lombardo, a junior, expressed her feelings about the championship encounter after the win on Friday, “We’re set to play our game and go out with the same desire and hunger that we always have. We’re just on a mission. We want to repeat so badly.”

Lombardo did not underestimate her teammates as Fordham defeated St. Louis by a score of 11-0 in the Championship final on Saturday. Freshman Sydney Canassa led off the bottom of the first with a home run to put Fordham ahead. A double by Amy Van Hooten and an rbi single by Luety scored the second run of the inning.

The Rams scored four in the second capped by a two-run homer by Fortier. The home run was her 19th of the season and her 45th as a Ram. Thus, she broke the Fordham career mark for four baggers in only three seasons as she spent her freshman year at Stony Brook. 

Six hits and an error gave Fordham six runs in the third frame. Luety began the damage with a home run. 

Again, the Co-Pitchers of the Year of the Atlantic-10 began the game in the circle. Lore of the Billikins had pitched two games on Friday and was obviously not up to her usual manner. She gave up 11 runs and 11 hits in 2+ innings. She was unable to retire any of the five batters she faced in the third. Daubman who pitched two hit ball in the five innings of the game, earned her third win. She was voted the MVP of the Championship. Luety, Daubman’s catcher remarked, “She [Daubman] perfected everything this year.”

The A-10 championship for the Rams was their third in the last four years. The victory automatically qualifies Fordham for the NCAA National Softball Tournament. On the evening of Sunday, the brackets of the tournament were announced. Fordham is going to Tallahassee on Friday evening to face #8 seed Florida State. The two other schools in the foursome are South Florida and South Carolina. The tourney is a double elimination so the rams will also be facing at least one of the other Southern colleges.

City Island News BX: Who said Stop and Frisk was finished?

City Island News BX: Who said Stop and Frisk was finished?: Stop-and-Frisk: Down but Not Out; NYPD Investigates Bronxite's Video (One of three officers question 21-year-old Brian Garcia wh...

Who said Stop and Frisk was finished?

Stop-and-Frisk: Down but Not Out;

NYPD Investigates Bronxite's Video

(One of three officers question 21-year-old Brian Garcia who recorded the encounter.)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 9- A young man's cell phone video captured NYPD officers in Queens telling him he was not being frisked as one officer later informed him -- he was being patted down for weapons.

Brian Garcia, 21, is not ashamed to admit he had succumbed to the drug-flooded streets of the South Bronx and the borough's anti-crime tactics used by the NYPD and had fled to his mother's home in the Rockaways, where the video was recorded.

On April 8, Garcia says he was standing outside of 433 Beach 40 Street and he started shooting his video shortly after officers from the 101st Precinct pulled up in a patrol car.

Standing a few buildings away from his mother's residence, Garcia recalls, "I was outside the building and they were looking and pointing at me, so I started recording them on my cell phone."

On the 1:56 video, after asking Garcia to take his hands out of his pockets, the officer asks, "You got no weapons on you, right?"

The officer then starts to tell Garcia, "I'm just going to..." as he appears to start patting down the young man's pockets, when the young man fires back, "No, I don't give you consent to search me."

The officer repeatedly tells Garcia, "I'm not searching you."

The video shows the officer patting down Garcia's pockets and ankles, when the patrolman is heard telling Garcia, "I searched you to make sure you didn't have any weapons."

According to the New York State Criminal Procedure Law, section 140.50 states the search is allowed if the officer, "reasonably suspects that he is in danger of physical injury."

Garcia is then heard telling the three officers, including one ranking member, "It's unconstitutional," when Garcia is cut off as at least one officer physically struggles with him and the phone now shows only brief moments of the scuffle.

Recalling the moment, Garcia claims, "They went for my phone, but I didn't let them take it." He added that he handed the phone off to a friend so the video would not be erased. He was handcuffed and placed inside the patrol car.

After watching the video, Kate Rubin, the managing director of the Civil Action Practice at The Bronx Defenders, stated, "This video makes it clear that while recorded stops and frisks are down, the NYPD still has a long way to go to ensure that the conduct of individual officers is both lawful and respectful of the communities they serve."

Shortly after reviewing the video, Sergeant Brendan Ryan, a spokesman for the NYPD's Office of Deputy Commissioner of Public Information offered a one-sentence statement that read, "The incident is being investigated by the Commanding Officer of the 101st Precinct."

Speaking on a condition of anonymity, one Queens cop who has made countless stop-and-frisks offered, "There's a lot of things we have to take into account that the public does not see. We also don't know why the officers were there in the first place, but I don't see anything wrong with the stop."

Garcia is currently facing as many as nine years in prison after an April 8, 2013 incident in the Bronx, where he claims a female undercover officer's promise of sex prompted him to take her to the local drug spot when he was later arrested on Simpson Street. Garcia is due back in court on May 21.

For more on this story and to view the controversial video, go to: DavidgreeneNYC.com.   

Tags: stop and frisk

City Island News BX: Bronx Week is Here

City Island News BX: Bronx Week is Here: Bronx Week is Here (Photo by Seitu Oronde) 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 7- T he official start to ...

City Island News BX: Bronx Week is Here

City Island News BX: Bronx Week is Here: Bronx Week is Here (Photo by Seitu Oronde) 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 7- T he official start to ...

Bronx Week is Here

Bronx Week is Here

(Photo by Seitu Oronde)

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 7- The official start to Bronx Week is Thursday, May 8^th. Bronx Week will run through Sunday, May 18^th ending with the Annual Bronx Week Parade across Mosholu Parkway, and the Music and Food festival that follows the parade. You can go to http://ilovethebronx.com/ , scroll down to the Bronx Week calendar of events to see Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s letter of invitation to the events, and then browse the six full pages of events that are scheduled. As always there may be some additions that may not be listed or changes to events due to unforeseen circumstances. At the end of each event you will see that the event is free or in the case of a few events there may be a small charge due to the cost of running the event. There are also e-mail listings or phone numbers to call to reserve your place at an event or if you want more information on the event listed.

Bronx Week is being kicked off on Monday. May 5^th with the official announcement by Bronx Borough President Diaz, and his wonderful staff needs to be thanked not only for the great jobs they do every day, but in putting together Bronx Week schedule of events. You will see me at some of the events and as I have the past few years I will cover the Bronx Week Parade along with the Music and Food Festival that you do not want to miss. Hopes are for good weather, but the parade and festival has, and will go on rain or shine. Check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for recaps of events from Bronx Week, and the many photos of the events.

The 13^th Congressional race is heating up now with four official candidates. While it is a two-candidate race between the incumbent Congressman Rangel and his opponent from two years ago there are two other candidates one of which may be the difference in the Democratic primary. Things are different this year as Congressman Rangel's base has shrunk even more, while his opponent State Senator Adriano Espaillat's base has increased. While there were three other candidates in the last election those three candidates drew more votes from Senator Espaillat than Congressman Rangel. This year is another story as Senator Espaillat has picked up many of the Bronx endorsements that Congressman Rangel had in the last election, and the candidate coming out of Congressman Rangel's base is much stronger that the last election. He will pull more votes away from the congressman which should be the deciding factor in what many believe will be the defeat of Charles Rangel. The Hispanic candidate put up by “Political Venturing Businessman” Richard Soto will only help State Senator Espaillat since she is unknown and has little resources, unlike the past election where the other candidates drew votes from Senator Espaillat.

The Bronx State Senate race that should provide enough excitement is the 33^rd State Senate race where the two previous incumbents have wound up on jail, and current 33^rd State Senator Gustavo Rivera still has not answered the question I placed in this column two months ago. I repeat my question to Senator Gustavo Rivera since the acquisitions of election fraud against the good senator from the 2013 special election for the 86^th A.D. have disappeared. Gustavo Rivera are you wearing a wire for the U.S. Attorney or any other law enforcement agency?

The question refers to acquisitions of election fraud in the special election to replace former 86^th A.D. Assemblyman Nelson Castro where candidates who did not win accused Senator Rivera of several election fraud violations which appeared in several news outlets including this paper. Assemblyman Castro was found to be wearing a wire for four years when charges of election fraud against him disappeared so he could become a government informant. As for the most recent charges of election fraud against Senator Rivera Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson told me that I would not believe whatever he would say, and then said that he could not comment on anything that may be under investigation. Is there a third elected officials from the 33^rd state senate seat in a row under investigation, and possibly headed to jail in the somewhat near future? By the way Senator Rivera's will have a real opponent running against him this year that being Councilman Fernando Cabrera.

Lastly close to 600 people came out in the pouring rain to the Bronx Conservative Party Dinner last Wednesday night. Bronx Conservative Party Chairman Bill Newmark did not disappoint those who braved the rain by having an exciting program with awards to several prominent people in business, public service, and politics. The big hit of the night was the Man of the Year Award which was given to Buffalo Businessman and past candidate for governor Mr. Carl Palidino. Palidino was very honest in telling some great political stories including that he wants to help this year’s Republican candidate for governor Rob Astorino. First however Palidino said that he has to get rid of the New York State Republican Leader Ed Cox who Palidino said needs to be replaced if the NY Republican Party is to move forward and regain its lost power. Check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for more on the Conservative Party dinner and the photos of the many who attended.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.