City Island News BX

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

City Island News BX: DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here

City Island News BX: DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here: DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here #DeBlasio #VisionZero 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 21- Last ...

DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here

DeBlasio Promotes Traffic Changes Here

#DeBlasio #VisionZero

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 21- Last Wednesday Mayor Bill deBlasio came to the Bronx to tout his Vision Zero Program. It was the 50th finished Vision Zero project at the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Silver Street.

The mayor held a press conference at the old DOP traffic court building on Williamsbridge Road a few blocks away from the intersection. The mayor said through lowering the speed limit to 25 MPH, new speed camera enforcement, redesign of intersections and roadways, and the installation of over 400 speed bumps citywide the lowest number of pedestrian fatalities has been accomplished since the statistic was first charted back to 1911. Mayor deBlasio said that in 2014 there were only 134 pedestrian fatalities.

NYC Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg was with the mayor to echo his words as were Councilman Jimmy Vacca and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda (whose districts East Tremont Avenue and Silver Street is located). Councilman Vacca the former City Council Transportation Committee chair said that he would like to see a speed bump on every street to help lower the number even more. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more, and see photos of the mayor, NYC Transportation Commissioner Trottenberg, Councilman Vacca, Assemblyman Sepulveda, and the intersections of East Tremont Avenue and Silver Street, as well as Broadway and 96th Street, and one Hudson Street intersection in Manhattan before and after the Vision Zero upgrade.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is leading a delegation of Latinos to the country of Israel. The aim of the trip is to discover what Israel has to offer, learn why Israel's strength is important, and the growing relationship between the people of Israel and Latinos. The BP mentions that at one time there were more people of Jewish faith in the Bronx than the country of Israel. You can read the entire 'Why I am Visiting Israel' by Bronx BP Diaz on my blog.

Speaking of taking trips, Governor Andrew Cuomo will soon be going to visit Cuba now that President Obama has removed travel and trade restrictions on Cuba. The trip to Cuba by Governor Cuomo is being billed as a 'Trade Mission to Cuba', as part of the governor's 'Global Initiative’.

While on the subject of Governor Andrew Cuomo, former City Council Speaker and failed mayoral candidate Christine Quinn will become a special adviser to the governor in April after she finishes up classes. Quinn was the head of the Woman's Equality Party movement for the governor that helped him win re-election, and form a new ballot line for the next four years at least.

Finally, after keeping his position as District Manager of Community Board 9 by 2 votes in December 2013, Francisco Gonzalez has been relieved of his position of District Manager at the January 15^th Community Board 9 meeting. The vote went 17 for dismissal, 2 against, and 2 CB 9 members abstaining. CB 9 will now begin a search for a new district manager. Go to my blog for the official statement by Community Board 9, and the possible reason why.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, is accepting applications to become a member of one of the 12 Bronx community boards. You can go to bronxboropres.gov/communityboards to find out more and to download the 2015 Bronx Community Board application. The deadline is February 6^th 2015. Only New York City residents, who either live, have a business, or other significant interest in the community district, are eligible to be considered for membership on a local community board.

If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, 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.

Friday, January 16, 2015

City Island News BX: NYPD Protesters Mark 20 Years Since Killing of 3 B...

City Island News BX: NYPD Protesters Mark 20 Years Since Killing of 3 B...: NYPD Protesters Mark 20 Years Since Killing of 3 Bronxites #NYPD # Police Brutality #AnthonyBaez By David Greene BRONX, NEW YO...

City Island News BX: NYPD Protesters Mark 20 Years Since Killing of 3 B...

NYPD Protesters Mark 20 Years Since Killing of 3 Bronxites

NYPD Protesters Mark 20 Years Since Killing of 3 Bronxites

#NYPD #Police Brutality #AnthonyBaez

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 16- Dozens of vocal demonstrators participated in two gatherings marking the 20th anniversary of the death of three young men who died at the hands of police officers.

On December 22, just two days after police officers Wenijan Liu and Rafael Ramos who shot and killed execution-style in Brooklyn, the families and friends of Anthony Baez gathered on the street where he died.

Baez, 29, was killed during a confrontation with two officers along Cameron Place in the Mount Hope section. Baez had been tossing a football with his brother David, when the ball hit a police cruiser. Officer Frank Livoti then put Baez in a choke hold following after confronting the ball players.

The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide attributed to a choke-hold. Livoti was eventually convicted of violating Baez' civil rights and served six years in federal prison.

Since her son's death, Iris Baez has been an outspoken leader on police brutality. Shortly after her son's death on December 22, 1994, she quickly began meeting family members of other victims and opening her home for gatherings.

"He was just a party kid," the still distraught mother recalled 20 years later. "He just liked to have a lot of people around him... (and) he knew how to defuse a situation."

A little more than two weeks after Baez' death, Anthony Rosario, 18, and Hilton Vega, 21, were shot and killed on Grand Avenue in Morris Heights on January 12, 1995, in a barrage of 28 shots fired by a pair of detectives. Twenty-two of those shots hit their targets and killed both young men.

Margarita Rosario soon immortalized her son and nephew with murals of the pair on her car with the headline: Killed at the Hands of Police. The car was repeatedly vandalized, so she began work on her Kingsbridge Terrace home.

For the last two decades the home has had the larger-than-life murals of the two men along with the names of others killed by police officers.

During a December 27 vigil for Rosario and Vega they added the name of Mohamhed Bah, who was shot and killed by police in Manhattan in September, 2013. Rosario was joined by Hawa Bah, the victims mother.

Addressing the current rift between Mayor Bill de Blasio and Patrolman's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, Margarita Rosario told the crowd she was furious, "When I hear (Pat) Lynch saying how the mayor is disrespecting the police officers... instead of sympathizing with the families" of police brutality victims.

Jonathan Cain of the Grand Concourse explained his peaceful demonstrations against the NYPD, saying, "Every cop is not guilty for what happened to Eric Garner and Mike Brown. It was the cops involved in these incidents who are the guilty ones."

Protester Quase Beasley added, "We need to start a conversation on how to fix this broken system, because it's not working the way it is." Beasley vowed to continue her peaceful protesting into the New Year.

Detectives James Crowe and Patrick Brosnan were exonerated by a grand jury, but the city settled a wrongful death suit in 2009, paying the Rosario and Vega families $1.1 million.

City Island News BX: Cops Still Hunt Perv who Attacked Senior

City Island News BX: Cops Still Hunt Perv who Attacked Senior: Cops Still Hunt Perv who Attacked Senior X-mas Sex Fiend Arrested #NYPD #SexualAssault #Senior #Bronx By David Greene BRON...

Cops Still Hunt Perv who Attacked Senior

Cops Still Hunt Perv who Attacked Senior

X-mas Sex Fiend Arrested

#NYPD #SexualAssault #Senior #Bronx

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 16- Detectives from the NYPD continue to hunt a young woman after a bizarre claim by a senior citizen, that she was sexually assaulted inside her home-- just steps away from Fordham University.

Officers were called to the gated Rose Hill Apartments, that overlooks the New York Botanical Gardens and the Fordham Prep football field at 2855 Southern Boulevard in the Fordham section, at 2:30 p.m. on December 27.

The unidentified victim was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital where she was treated and released.

According to a neighbor of the victim who declined to be identified, the woman was at home with her husband when she was attacked at 11:30 p.m. the previous night.

The neighbor also charged that staff at the assisted-living home for seniors refused to call police, until the victim's grandson arrived the following day.

The witness reported, "The son said that she was sexually attacked, so they called the ambulance."

The witness continued, "I don't know how they went in unless she had the door open... because to come in the building they have security in the front, but there's a lot of Korean people that leave their doors open."

The witness concluded, "They didn't call the police until the son came and then he was so excited there in the lobby, telling them to call the police because his grandmother was sexually attacked."

The resident added, "They have people who speak Korean, but not the people who work here."

The 119-unit building accepts seniors over the age of 62 years-old and is a Section 8 building that boasts in one online advertisement, "affordable housing community serving low income renters." However, sources say studio apartment average $1,324 per month.

An official at Rose Hill Apartments stated, "no comment" and directed calls to the property manager, who was currently unavailable.

Asked about the alleged incident, the official replied, "Actually, I'm not allowed to comment" about the incident.

Sources close to the investigation confirm that the suspect was buzzed in by staff and the suspect gained entry to the apartment by impersonating a caregiver.

According to family members, the suspect eventually pinned the elderly woman to a wall and began to fondle her. The victim resisted, when the young woman fled.

On December 29, the NYPD released a photo of the alleged suspect, a dark haired woman in her 30's, who police say is 5 foot 6 and 135 pounds.

Anyone with any information is asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls remain confidential.

In an unrelated incident, police have announced the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with the Christmas morning attack of a 51-year-old woman at a Pelham Parkway bus stop.

Investigators say the woman was waiting for a bus at Boston Road and Pelham Parkway North, when she was attacked at 6:20 a.m. on December 25.

Officials say the assailant punched the woman in the face, before dragging her to a secluded location where the attack occurred.

Within hours of the attack police released a surveillance video of the suspect and the following day Bronx resident Jose Roys, 37, walked into the 52nd Precinct and confessed to the crime.

Roys was charged with rape, sex abuse, assault and robbery and was being held without bail on Rikers Island.