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Spread the Word on Bronx Youth Heard!

13 Jan

A bunch of years ago at the Norwood News (and the now-defunct Bronx News Network)  I, and James Fergusson, launched Bronx Youth Heard, a free after-school journalism program for Bronx teens that takes place at Hostos Community College. I’m thrilled that David Cruz & Co. at the Norwood News are still making it happen. Bronx Youth Heard is an actual newspaper that’s published along with the Norwood News.

The application for the next session is due on Jan. 22. Click here for all the info. And spread the word to all the Bronx teens, teachers, and parents you know. There’s no other program and newspaper like this in the entire Bronx — and probably the entire city!

 

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Bronxites Welcome Refugees (well, not ALL Bronxites)

12 Jan
refugee pic

Poster on our front door in Kingsbridge Heights

A few weeks ago I ordered 10 copies of the poster above for the front door of our house in Kingsbridge Heights and for some friends and neighbors sharing our feeling. It’s a bit of a wish as the U.S. has barely opened the nation’s doors yet, with only 2,290 allowed in since 2011. Canada, a much smaller nation population-wise, has opened its doors for more than 9,000 people.

No one has said anything much to us. Our neighbors either share the same views, or respect our right to make them known. We’ll leave it up until the U.S. speeds up and expands its policy.

But in the Norwood neighborhood, where we lived for many years, our pals Jarrett Murphy and Eileen Markey did get a written response taped to their door. Little did that person know it was a letter to an editor.

Jarrett didn’t hesitate to share his feeling with quite a larger audience on the City Limits website. Well-written and humor-providing. Check it out.

Oh, by the way, I have like 4 posters left, so if you want one for your front door, just e-mail me at bronxmatters@gmail.com and we’ll make it happen! They’re $18 each.

A Bronx NYCHA Mess for All to See

15 Dec
nycha mess on Heath Ave

What should be a parking lot at Fort Independence Houses in Kingsbridge Heights is now a virtual dumping ground that NYCHA is ignoring.         Photo by Jordan Moss

For months NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) has ignored this enormous mess at at Fort Independence Houses in Kingsbridge Heights. It’s essentially an unused parking lot on Heath Avenue that has been filled with all kinds of garbage over the last several months.

This shouldn’t be a costly fix. NYCHA should just be paying attention to land that it owns and is responsible for.

If you know of similar problems at other Bronx NYCHA sites and can send Bronx Matters photos, we’d be happy to spread the word and hopefully get NYCHA on its toes. Just email bronxmatters@gmail.com.

 

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A Reminder of Corrupt Bronx Politicians

24 Nov

Bronx Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo will resign from office at the end of the year, according to press reports. She cites “pressing family needs,” which could very well be the case. But the mere possibility of more corruption accusations headed toward a Bronx elected official (a few issues were raised during Arroyo’s last campaign, as I reported in City Limits) made me think of how depressingly common this is in our beautiful borough and beyond. Following is a list of 10 convicted Bronx elected officials I know of. Each name is linked to an article on their particular situation. (Some are articles from the Norwood News which I was editor of between 1994 and 2011.) If there are any I’m forgetting — and, unfortunately, that wouldn’t surprise me — please add your comments or email me at bronxmatters@gmail.com and I’ll include them in a future post.

Assemblyman Eric Stevenson

Assemblyman Nelson Castro

State Senator Guy Velella

State Senator (who later became Councilman) Israel Ruiz

State Senator Efrain Gonzalez

State Senator Pedro Espada

 Councilman Larry Seabrook

Councilman Pedro G. Espada (son of Sate Senator)

Borough President Stanley Simon

Congressman Mario Biaggi

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Bronxite Guy Davis Performs in Bronx and Tells His Story

23 Nov
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Blues musician and storyteller Guy Davis at Hostos Community College in the Bronx last February. Photo by Jordan Moss

Last February I saw Bronx blues artist Guy Davis, the 63-year-old son of famous actors and civil rights activists Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, perform a concert on his home turf at Hostos Community College on the Grand Concourse. I’m a big fan and was interested in learning more about his work so I interviewed him at Capitol, a Kingsbridge Road diner. That led to my front-page story about the blues singer-songwriter, and harmonica, guitar and banjo player, for Living Blues Magazine …

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You need to subscribe, or buy it at Barnes & Noble, to check it out.

Here’s a video to get you goin’. It’s “Can’t Be Satisfied” and you won’t be satisfied until you see Davis live.

Oh, if you’ve gotten this far, don’t forget to subscribe to, or purchase, Living Blues magazine!

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Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera’s Other Public Passion: Performance

20 Nov

Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera (D, WF, 33rd District) did more than raise some drinks and hug his pals at his 40th birthday/fundraiser last night at Escape Restaurant and Lounge on Jerome Avenue in Norwood. He sang — a lot, with like 12 musicians! And, regardless of whether you might vote for him or someone else potentially challenging him next year (so far no one is on that route), it’s hard to expect you won’t be impressed with, and surprised by, his performance in the following video (mine).

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Brooklyn Landlords on ‘Worst’ List Buy 6 Bronx Buildings

16 Oct

This is news from two months ago in Real Deal, but news to Bronx Matters nonetheless. Two Brooklyn landlords, Yechel Weinberger and Bernard Miller, who are currently on the NYC Landlord Watch List (100 worst landlords in the city) have connected to purchase six apartment buildings in the northwest Bronx (three of them in Norwood), a 364-unit portfolio.

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More on Bronx DA Race, and Lack Thereof

6 Oct

As explained in previous post, Darcel Clark replacing District Attorney Robert Johnson is a virtual certainty thanks to Johnson’s post-primary resignation and Bronx Democrats dropping Clark in his place. A Republican lawyer, Robert D. Siano, has entered the race, but with no other elected Republican in the entire Bronx of 1.4 million residents, his chances are, uh, a tad limited.

In the Daily News today, Errol Louis writes about wrongful convictions during Johnson’s 28-year tenure,  and says, “voters deserve to hear much more about the decade [Clark] spent in Johnson’s office and how she intends to correct the scourge of wrongful convictions.”

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