Riverdale News: Helping The Small Business Community

Riverdale News: Helping The Small Business Community: Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, August 5- This past Thursday City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and City Council Speaker ...

Helping The Small Business Community

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 5- This past Thursday City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (a candidate for mayor in 2013) held a luncheon at a local North Riverdale restaurant to hear from the local small business owners about how New York City and the Council are doing to help small businesses operate and grow. 

Councilman Koppell opened the luncheon by saying that the City Council is not anti business. Current Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (a possible candidate in 2013 for Koppell's term limited seat) was on hand, and said, “It seems that this is an area where new business wants to be,” and added, “you can see that in the two new shopping centers that are being built here.” Speaker Quinn thanked both elected officials, the roomful of business owners in attendance, and Mr. Andrew Sandler of Councilman Koppell's staff for arraigning the luncheon.

The Speaker was brief in her statement, and then opened the floor up to questions from the business owners. There were many questions asked that Speaker Quinn, Councilman Koppell, or Assemblyman Dinowitz tried to answer. Questions ranged from double parking, having a centralized database, the local repaving job done by the DOT, street vendors, break ins, and the local cityscape to name a few.

In answering the questions Speaker Quinn (looking very comfortable) said that she was not going to B.S. the audience. She agreed that the city needs to centralize its database which she is trying to do, but that it can not be done in all areas due to certain laws and regulations. Councilman Koppell said that the DOT has done a miserable job in its local repaving. Quinn in answering the street vendor question said that there was a task force that was created for Manhattan street vendors which may need to come to the area. Quinn said that the DOT can come to a location to survey on how to improve the local cityscape. The final question was about credit card companies charging fees on purchases, and also charging those fees on the taxes that are being collected. There was a little confusion on just who regulates that with Speaker Quinn saying that it was a matter for the federal government which regulates the credit card companies, and that she would check further into it. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for more and to see photos of the luncheon.

On the subject of the local street milling and repaving you can go to my blog to see how one street was left as the repaving was done, or should we say pushed back a day or more. It took one month from milling to the finishing of the repaving with less than 24 hour notice at times to move cars. We give the DOT a failing grade on this project as while the repaving is very good in most areas there are still places that will have to be redone. However, the way the city is going it is only a reflection of the entire Bloomberg administration slow and uncaring, something different we saw from Speaker Quinn (or was it just good campaigning).

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.

Dominican Parade

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

The Grand Concourse became a sea of celebration as thousands celebrated the annual Bronx Dominican Parade. In addition to various groups performing, many cultural dancers excited the crowd and celebrated Dominican Pride. 

Tennis Returns to the Bronx

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 27- Tennis
fans from around the world will once again descend on the Bronx next as part of
the yearly EmblemHealth Bronx Open.

The event is held from August
5-12, 2012 at Crotona Park, Bronx. This year's EmblemHealth Bronx Open is a
$50,000 USTA sanctioned Challenger Event, attracting some of best Women Tennis
Professional players in the world as they prepare for the US Open Championships
at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

EmblemHealth is the title
sponsor of the EmblemHealth Bronx Open, an USTA sanctioned $50,000 women's
tennis tournament Challenger Event. The tournament is held at Crotona Park, in
the Bronx, New York from August 5-12, 2012. Fans have the opportunity to watch
WTA Tour professionals from around the world ranked in the top 200, some of
whom who will compete in the main draw of the 2012 US Open Championships at the
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens.

Tennis players, enthusiasts
and spectators are invited to a fun-filled week of free special events at
Crotona Park, the Bronx.

Activities include adult and
junior tennis clinics, EmblemHealth Fitness Day For Kids, New York's Bravest
(New York Fire Department) vs. New York's Finest (New York Police Department)
Tournament, and the Disney Kids' Around the World Day Parade displaying the
enthusiasm and artistic talents of NYJTL participants proudly marching with
their 10-foot banners. 

2011 EmblemHealth Bronx Open
Women's Singles Final Recap:

In its 18th year as title
sponsor of the 2011 EmblemHealth Bronx Open, EmblemHealth continued to partner
with the New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL) to promote education and leading
a healthy, active lifestyle for children and families in New York City.

Andrea Hlavackova, of the
Czech Republic, was the winner over Mona Barthel, 7-6, 6-3, in a hard-hitting
singles final played indoors at Riverside Tennis Club in Riverdale when the match
had to be moved due to torrential downpours. It was the second time in the
tournament’s history that the event final was played indoors.



Throughout the tournament, special events were geared to the dual messages of
using tennis to boost academic and athletic performance. Activities included
Kids’ Fitness Day, daily free tennis lessons, and distribution of more than
2,000 free books to kids. At the Disney Kids’ Day Parade, more than 2,000
children from NYJTL programs marched through in Crotona Park with banners they
designed during their summer programs.



Cablevision has supported the EmblemHealth Bronx Open for the six years
broadcasting the finals, filming ancillary tournament events, and packaging the
final product to air on Cablevision’s Neighborhood Journal. 

Jerry Seinfeld to Play Lehman

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 26- For the first time in 14 years, Jerry Seinfeld is presenting full performances of his signature stand-up comedy in New York City. Seinfeld will perform five stand-up shows – one in each New York City borough – on five Thursday nights this Fall.

Seinfeld, a New York native, got his start as a comedian in the City in the 1970s, but other than appearing at benefits and occasional short sets at local comedy clubs, he has not performed a full show in a NYC theater since his sold-out Broadway engagement, “I’m Telling You For The Last Time,” at the Broadhurst Theater in 1998, shortly after the final episode of his iconic TV show, Seinfeld.

"I was born in Brooklyn, went to school in Queens and started out as a comedian in Manhattan. I feel like New York City taught me how to be funny. I'm so excited to perform a special series of shows for my beloved home town," said Seinfeld.

Seinfeld’s five-borough performances will all fall on Thursday nights – the same as the television show that bore his name – and will feature special guest Colin Quinn, who Seinfeld directed in the hit Broadway show “Colin Quinn: Long Story Short” at the Helen Hayes Theater in 2010-11.

Tickets for all five-borough shows go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 30 at 10 am. All performances begin at 8pm. 

PLAYING SCHEDULE:

Manhattan

Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 8pm

The Beacon Theatre located at 2124 Broadway

Tickets are available online at www.BeaconTheatre.com or by calling 866-858-0008

Bronx

Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 8pm

Lehman Concert Hall located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West

Tickets are available online at www.LehmanCenter.org or by calling 718-960-8833

Queens (Flushing)

Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 8pm

The Colden Auditorium at Queens College located at 65-30 Kissena Blvd.

Tickets are available online at www.KupferbergCenter.org or by calling 718-793-8080

Staten Island

Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 8pm

The St. George Theatre located at 35 Hyatt Street

Tickets are available online at www.TicketMaster.com or by calling 718-442-2900

Brooklyn

Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 8pm

The Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College located at 2900 Campus Road

Tickets are available online at www.BrooklynCenter.com or by calling 718-951-4500

Stop and Frisk Will Save Lives- Marine Says

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 26- A former Marine from Bedford Park has come out with a new video headed for YouTube, where he defends the NYPD's right in the 'stop and frisk' issue, now pointing to two incidents in his life, one being shot in the south Bronx, while driving a livery taxi-- and more recently, when young punks threw garbage at him in a subway near his home.

Over the years, Ronald James Sorenson, 73, a self-taught lobbyist, has come to the aid of the American flag, defending, "Old Glory," from flag-burning, he has walked to Washington, DC., carrying a monkey, to force law-makers to take a second look at a citizen's right to have exotic pets.

After a recent incident in Kingsbridge, Sorenson, a former member of the U.S. Marine's Boxing Team, decided to make the two-minute video in support of the NYPD. He recalled, "I was coming out of the subway and passed these young kids and as I passed, they threw garbage at me."

In his day, Sorenson would have flattened the trio, but now says, "These days you don't know who has a gun or who will shoot you for absolutely no reason."

Sorenson knows about being shot, he was driving a livery cab in 1969, when he was held-up in the Fort Apache section of the Bronx. Sorenson recalls, "They shot me in one leg and it went through and hit me in the other leg."

Believing that the day of the suicide bomber coming to the New York City Transit system-- is right around the corner, Sorenson adds, "I'm all for Civil rights, but stop and frisk will save lives. The sooner they realize that, the more lives will be saved."

According to the New York Civil Liberties Union and the NYPD's own statistics, the police department has conducted 4 million stop and frisk searches since 2002, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg took office.

With 685,724 of those stop and frisks taking place in 2011, some 600,000 or 88 percent of those stopped were completely innocent of any crime.

On Tuesday, June 26, a Manhattan Appellate court supported Justice Peter Tom's decision to exclude a gun as evidence, after a Bronx cop arrested a teen found to be carrying the gun during a stop and frisk search.

On May 16, a federal judge approved a class-action lawsuit against the NYPD relating to stop and frisk.

Sorenson's, 'Stop and frisk' video can be found at: 

 http://youtu.be/XehbGDRrOFI

Cheer Up Supe, You Can Always Play for the Eagles

Superintendent Charged with Running Massive Dog Fighting Ring in Apartment Building

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 25- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a grand jury has indicted building superintendent Raul Sanchez on numerous charges of animal fighting and cruelty, including the staging of dog fights, as well as breeding, training and selling dogs for the purpose of having them engage in fights.   

This indictment is the result of a long-term investigation conducted by the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department. 

Sanchez, 57, of 1254 Sherman Avenue, the Bronx, has been charged with 63 counts of prohibition of animal fighting, 13 of which are felony offenses; 6 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals; 6 counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. The most serious offense, Prohibition of Animal Fighting, is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 4 years in prison.

The charges in this indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Sanchez, who was arrested on June 21, 2012, was arraigned on the indictment before State Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. Justice Villegas adjourned the case to August 3, 2012 in Part 60. Sanchez is being held in lieu of bail set at $50,000 cash or $25,000 bond.        

It is alleged that the dogfights, as well as the breeding, training and selling of the animals occurred between October, 2011 and June, 2012 in the basement of 1254 Sherman Avenue. When investigators executed search warrants at that location on June 21, 2012 they recovered 50 Pit Bull terriers, six treadmills, several rubber tires, scales, and various medicines. Also recovered were a fighting ring and carpeting both of which were stained with blood. The dogs, found housed in cages which were stacked in a room at the rear of the basement, ranged in age from several weeks to five years and were in varying stages of health. Many of the animals had scars which were consistent with dog fighting.      

The dogs were removed and placed in the custody and control of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals where they are receiving medical treatment and being evaluated for adoption, if possible. 

District Attorney Johnson thanked the following for their hard work during the nearly year-long investigation: Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Brandler of the Rackets Bureau, Detective Investigators Rocco Galasso and John Reilly of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, NYPD Detective John Zerafa of the Vice Enforcement Division, Major Case Bureau, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the not-for-profit animal welfare group United Action for Animals.