City Island News BX: Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes

City Island News BX: Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes: Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 10- All signs point to a true dim bulb. Co...

Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes

Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 10- All signs point to a true dim bulb.

Cops arrested a Pelham Bay man they said had been targeting commercial planes with a laser pointer affecting the pilots’ vision. He was charged with assaulting police pilots.

Members of the NYPD Aviation Unit canvassed Pelham Bay Monday night after receiving a report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that someone was targeting commercial airline pilots with a laser pointer. Investigators said that three pilots on two separate occasions suffered eye injuries. Two of those pilots were officers operating a police helicopter. The officers were treated for their injuries at Mount Sinai Hospital. In another incident, a pilot from an Air Canada commercial airliner suffered eye injuries.

On March 9, a police helicopter spotted the beam from a laser pointer from inside 2801 Coddington Avenue, Apartment 3. Officers from the 45^th Precinct responded. While conducting an investigation police observed a black tubular device labeled "Laser 303" on top of the refrigerator. While interviewing Frank Egan, 36, the resident of the apartment admitted the laser pointer was his and that he had used it that night.

Police arrested Egan and charged him with the following: assault on a police officer (2 counts), felony assault (3 counts), menacing a police officer (2 counts), reckless endangerment (3 counts) and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

#NYPD #LaserPointer #Airplane #Bronxnews

City Island News BX: Support for Bam’s immigration plan here

City Island News BX: Support for Bam’s immigration plan here: Support for Bam’s immigration plan here By Koi Germany BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 9- Bronx residents appear to support President Ob...

Support for Bam’s immigration plan here

Support for Bam’s immigration plan here

By Koi Germany

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 9- Bronx residents appear to support President Obama’s executive order that imposes changes in the nation’s immigration policies.

Seeking to streamline the process of becoming a naturalized citizen, the President has urged those who are undocumented to step forward and pay their share.

With a plan to strengthen border security and introduce earned citizenship among other guidelines, residents were questioned on this allocation of the nation’s resources.

Some were frank about the issue, commenting on what they believe are backwards policies in the United States.

“Politicians complain about immigrants, yet they hire them,” noted Ursuline Lindsey. “They’re here, and they work; we should make a pathway for them to contribute to the tax system.” Expressing a desire for greater accommodation, she added, “We have to secure borders, but we shouldn’t be sending people back home.”

“If they want to work, they should be widely accepted and represented,” asserted G. Tanya Clarke. Positing that the influx of workers will positively affect the economy, she claimed “We can put the labor to good use.”

Erol Ford, an immigrant himself, echoed these sentiments. “Whatever we’re afraid of is already here,” he opined. “I agree with the President’s spending.”

Others were in support, albeit skeptical. “I think I need to understand more. However these are progressive statements when people are too quick to marginalize,” commented Matthew Thompkins. “I have mixed feelings. We’ll have to see.”

The policies were also met with criticism from some.

“Everybody has the right to come here, but why should they receive rights we can’t?” shareholder Sheryl Parker lamented in dissent. “We should be worried about ISIS.”

Koi Germany, a sophomore at Hunter College who lives in Co­op City, is a contributing writer for the News.

#ImmigrationReform #Obama #Amnesty #Bronxnews

City Island News BX: Fordham Loses Final Home Game

City Island News BX: Fordham Loses Final Home Game: Fordham Loses Final Home Game   By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 6-  The Fordham Rams (9‐19, 4‐13) hosted their final game o...

Fordham Loses Final Home Game

Fordham Loses Final Home Game  

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 6- The Fordham Rams (9‐19, 4‐13) hosted their final game of the season at the Rose Hill Gym on their campus in the Bronx on Wednesday evening. The visitors, the Duquesne Dukes (11‐17, 6‐11) were contesting Fordham for a better seeding in the following week’s Atlantic‐10 Conference Championship.

Prior to the contest’s start, Fordham’s basketball seniors were saluted on the court. Two, Halilaj and Gaitley, of the four players underwent the difficult task of making the team as walk‐ons. Erando Halilaj, a Bronx native, joined the team this year and saw action in five games. DC Gaitley, son of Fordham’s women’s coach, played in six games. The communications major suffered several injuries which curtailed his playing time at Fordham. Nihad Musovic, a Fordham Prep grad, played in 11 contests in his four years at the university.

Bryan Smith played 113 games during his career at Fordham. The Brooklyn native is completing his college career very impressively. He appeared in every game this season, and started the last 13 at guard. Smith averaged 11 points per game in his latest nine contests. He scored his season high of 17 points against Duquesne.

Seniors Lauren Hutt, student assistant, and Nick Stanaj, team manager, were also honored for their service to the basketball program.

The Rams spurted to an early 7‐2 lead during the first two minutes of action. Eight unanswered points by the visitors gave the Dukes a 10‐7 advantage two minutes later. A 16‐11 lead by Duquesne was turned around as the Rams scored 14 straight points, keeping the Dukes scoreless for nearly seven minutes to move ahead, 25‐16 at 6:56. Fordham’s first double digit lead, 29‐18, at 6:04 evaporated by the close of the first half as the Dukes outscored Fordham, 20‐6, to lead 38‐35, at the half.

The Dukes began the second stanza almost exactly as they closed the first with a 20‐7 scoring run to take their largest lead of the game, 58‐42, with 10:58 remaining in the game. The 40‐13 scoring differential those 15 minutes decided the outcome as the Rams cut the advantage to single figures only once in the final 11 minutes. The Dukes were victorious, 81‐66.

Both teams had balanced scoring. Five of the Dukes scored in double figures; each of four players netted 16 points including L. G. Hill who came off the bench and in only 18 minutes scored 16 and grabbed seven rebounds. Four of Fordham’s starters scored in double digits paced by Smith who led with 17.

Fordham’s 17 offensive rebounds gave them access to 12 second chance points contrasted to two for the Dukes. The 12 Fordham turnovers allowed the Dukes to score 17 points from turnovers while Fordham only scored two.

Fordham’s coach Tom Pecora explained his disappointment with his team’s lack of effort during their final home game of the season, “We probably lost it yesterday during practice” where he felt his players were resistant to putting in sufficient effort. He told reporters, “Whether there’s two inches or two feet of snow, we’ll practice tomorrow.”

He also noted the same insufficient effort during the contest, “They [Duquesne] went to the foul line 25 times and we went eight. That shows you who played harder. Effort should be a given.”

Another reason Pecora cited for the loss was the absence of Eric Paschall. The freshman is fourth in the conference in scoring with an average of 16.5 points per game. Pecora stated that he was not replaced, “We lost our bounce without Eric.”

Both teams play one more regular season contests before entering the Atlantic‐10 Championship on March 12 at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn.

#Fordham #Rams #Basketball #Bronxnews

City Island News BX: Double Down Dimwits Nabbed for Cell Phone Stickup

City Island News BX: Double Down Dimwits Nabbed for Cell Phone Stickup: Double Down Dimwits Nabbed for Cell Phone Stickup By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 5-  One of three brazen thieves who robbed...