Thursday, February 14, 2013

Riverdale News: We've Moved!

Riverdale News: We've Moved!: We have launched a new website to cover all the news of Riverdale. Click here to see
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Monday, February 11, 2013

Riverdale News: CB8 Meeting on Transportation

Riverdale News: CB8 Meeting on Transportation: --> BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- Community Board 8 will be holding a meeting of the Traffic and Transportation Committee on Tuesday,...
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CB8 Meeting on Transportation

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BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- Community Board 8 will be holding a meeting of the Traffic and Transportation Committee on Tuesday, February 19. The meeting will be held at Manhattan College, 3840 Corlear Avenue at 7:30 p.m.
On the agenda are the following:
An unenclosed sidewalk cafe application for the Tin Marin Bar & Lounge, Inc., 3708 Riverdale Avenue.
Resident request for “No Parking Signs” and removal of Parking on Independence Avenue from West 246 to West 247 Streets.  
Application of Kingsbridge Heights Community Center to create a “Play Street” which will close Kingsbridge Terrace between Perot Street and Summit Place on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in July and August to coincide with the on-site youth market. 
For more information call Community Board 8: 718-884-3959.
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De Blasio Endorses Cohen

Riverdale Report
By Robert Press



BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- Our headline was to take place on Friday February 1st, but due to Ed Koch's passing the endorsement was pushed back a week to this past Friday February 8th.

With snow falling and weather reports of an upcoming blizzard NYC Public Advocate (and candidate for mayor) Bill de Blasio and 11th city council candidate Andrew Cohen met in front of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center for de Blasio to endorse Cohen for the 11th city council seat currently held by term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. This is now the second major Democratic candidate for mayor to endorse Andrew Cohen for the 11th city council seat. City Council Speaker (and candidate for mayor) Christine Quinn endorsed Cohen's candidacy two weeks ago, and like the Quinn endorsement there was no across endorsement of de Blasio by Cohen. After the endorsement both Public Advocate de Blasio and council candidate Cohen went inside to talk with MMCC director Don Bluestone who had a lot to talk about on how MMCC programs have been cut back over the past few years. Bluestone then gave the pair a tour of the center. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more on the endorsement, and to see photos of the event.

Last Thursday night Senator Jeff Klein hosted a free flu vaccine shot event in the Van Cortlandt Village section of his district. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz helped sponsor the event, and also on hand was Community Board #8 member & city council candidate Andrew Cohen. An RN from Jacobi Hospital administered the flu vaccine shots, and you can go to my blog to see a photo of Mr. Emanuel Badger receive his flu vaccination from nurse Kylia Ester. Credit for the event also goes to Mr. John Doyle of the North Bronx Healthcare Network.

The 50th Precinct is hosting an Operation I.D. Cell Phone Safety Program on Sunday February 24th at the Riverdale Y located at 5625 Arlington Avenue from 9 AM – 1 PM. Information on cell phone safety, registering the serial number of your cell phone, and engraving with a NYPD serial number if the phone is lost or stolen and found by the police department for quick return. This should be of importance to owners of the new I-Phone, which is one of the hottest items being stolen.

Don't forget to check my blog for the latest listing of events going on at Wave Hill. Even though there is snow on the ground Wave Hill is open and holding many different activities.
My good friend Mr. David Kornbluh is hosting an evening reception to meet Public Advocate Bill de Blasio on Monday night February 18th from 6 – 8 PM at 2600 Netherland Avenue Apt. 2408. You can call 646-480-4908 or e-mail elanadleopold@gmail.com for more information as this is a fund raiser for mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio.

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.

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Riverdale News: De Blasio Almost Endorses Cohen

Riverdale News: De Blasio Almost Endorses Cohen: --> Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, February 6- In what was to be the second of the four major Democratic candi...
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De Blasio Almost Endorses Cohen

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Riverdale Report
By Robert Press
BRONX, NEW YORK, February 6- In what was to be the second of the four major Democratic candidates running for mayor this year to endorse Andrew Cohen for the 11th council district was put off due to a death in the political family, that being former Mayor Ed Koch. Many people in and out of politics told me Koch would have wanted the endorsement of Cohen by current Public Advocate Bill De Blasio to go on so people could have another way of remembering February 1st 2013. 
The endorsement of Cohen by De Blasio has been pushed back a week and should have happened by the time you read this paper. Andrew Cohen was endorsed by current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (currently the leading Democratic candidate in the race for mayor) a week before the scheduled De Blasio endorsement which leaves only Bill Thompson and John Liu left as the two other major Democratic candidates not to endorse 11th council candidate Andrew Cohen. Look however for the official endorsement by current Public Advocate Bill De Blasio (and candidate this year for mayor) of Andrew Cohen for the 11th council district in next weeks paper. It has been rumored that current Mayor “ King Moneybags Bloomberg” (who ran on the Republican line for mayor three times) might be endorsing one of Cohens opponents in the Democratic Primary for the 11th council district.
While Mr. Nicks Pizza & Pasta has opened up at 3552 Johnson Avenue (in the old Corner Cafe spot) finally after several long months of work, Riverdelight Restaurant a few stores down the block has closed its doors after many years of being a fixture on Johnson Avenue. One reason the high cost of rent, and it appears that one or two other stores on Johnson Avenue are on the brink of closing for to the same reason. We wish Mr. Nicks Pizza & Pasta well as it is the third store that the owners have, with the other two well established stores in Tarrytown and Briarcliff Manor. Stop in and try a slice of pizza of your choice or enjoy one of the other many items on Mr. Nicks menu. It looks like there will be a new store opening up right across the street from Mr. Nicks. The name on the sign says Munchies which means it could be an Ice Cream and/or Yogurt shop. More on Munchies in future columns.
Even though there may be snow on the ground Wave Hill is still open for business, and you can visit that little gem of a place in the northwest section of the Bronx for one of Wave Hills winter activities. Just go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com and check the archive section on the left to click on the weekly listings of events that are going on at Wane Hill. There is fun for the entire family at Wave Hill.
While the school bus strike continues to drag on there seems to be less children not attending school every day as the strike continues. Parents are finding other ways to get their children to school, and if that was the hope of Mayor Bloomberg it may be coming true. The mayor may just say now that the bus routes are not needed, and the city can save millions of dollars by eliminating them. What has happened to that good old neighborhood school, and where are the promised improvements in education that you made eleven years ago Mayor Bloomberg? Schools are still being closed due to poor performance (even schools opened under your watch), and to many children still can't read or write on grade level let alone graduate high school on time or at all. Mayoral control gets an “F” and should replaced by a different system.
Finally, next week I will have a report on the February 5th Community Board 8 Economic Development Committee meeting, and how those Street Fair applications and other matters that the committee will take up go. By the way I would love to tell you where the meeting is to be held, but as of our deadline (Sunday February 3rd) the location is still “To be determined”. I wonder why?
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.
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Child Carjacking Caught on Tape

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Monday, February 4, 2013

Riverdale News: Quinn Endorses Cohen

Riverdale News: Quinn Endorses Cohen: --> (Photo by Robert Press) Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, February 4- Friday afternoon City Counc...
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Quinn Endorses Cohen

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(Photo by Robert Press)
Riverdale Report
By Robert Press
BRONX, NEW YORK, February 4- Friday afternoon City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (the current leading candidate for mayor in 2013) came to Louie's Dale Dinner located on West 231st Street in the 11th council district to endorse the candidacy of Andrew Cohen for the 11th City Council seat that will be vacated at the end of the year by term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. 
This was an informal chat of friends over coffee to which the press was invited to cover and ask a few questions after Speaker Quinn's endorsement of 11th district candidate Andrew Cohen. Speaker Quinn said that she first met Mr. Cohen in 1997, and the two have remained friends since then. Quinn said it was important to have someone such as Andrew Cohen as the local councilman, because of Mr. Cohen's community record as a member of Community Board 8, other volunteer community work, and his fine law background which is exactly what is needed in someone you want to be as your council member. Quinn continued that it is important to be able to get out in the community to do constituent work such as Mr. Cohen has done, but that he can also do the job that is needed at City Hall.
In answering questions Quinn and Cohen said that it is important to support the local merchants, and that is one reason for the endorsement here in this diner on a local merchant strip. As to my question on her thoughts on which of the two proposals that she wanted to see be placed in the Kingsbridge Armory, Quinn said that she was not fully clear on the Young Woo plan. She added that she wants to consider what Councilman Cabrera (whose district the armory is in) thoughts on the armory plans were. On a question of bringing back the idea of “congestion pricing” Quinn said that she supports the idea, and that New York City will need to have additional revenue streams. 11th council candidate Andrew Cohen in a previous interview with me said that he is opposed to congestion pricing. This endorsement was by Speaker Quinn of the candidacy of Andrew Cohen only, as there was no cross endorsement of Quinn by Cohen or anyone else. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more on the endorsement, and see photos of Speaker Quinn and 11th council candidate Andrew Cohen.
11th council candidate Andrew Cohen has already been endorsed by the four local elected officials current 11th councilman G. Oliver Koppell, Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and the local Ben Franklin Democratic Club. As of now there are two other announced candidates in the 11th council district race, Cliff Stanton and Shelly Kelling.
I was able to catch Speaker Quinn before she got into her car to leave, and asked her if the recent conviction of former Councilman Larry Seabrook had her office under investigation. Quinn replied that was done with a while ago, and nothing has come of it. My sources tell me that there may soon be something coming out of that Quinn investigation soon.
The MTA held a public meeting last week on not cutting back, but increasing train service. The Irvington (Yonkers), North Riverdale, and Spuyten Duyvil stations are to have added non peak train service. In the past trains have passed through the three stations leaving up to one hour between non peak train service. The proposed additional service is to have a train now stop at the three stations at least once every half hour as ridership has increased on the Hudson line of Metro North. No one at the hearing had any thing negative to say about the increased service, but several speakers asked the MTA to increase the rush hour service that has left train platforms and trains packed as one person said “the sardine packed subway”. Several homeowners did ask the MTA to do a study if there will be any added traffic or other effects on the quality of life issues surrounding the stations.
While 48 seats were set up for the public it seemed that there were more MTA police and personnel present at the hearing. You can go to my blog to read more and see photos of the K-9 unit that was on hand, and the many empty seats.
Beautiful Wave Hill is open even though there may be snow on the ground, and you can check the latest listing of events going on at Wave Hill on my blog.
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.
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Riverdale News: ‘How Am I Doing’

Riverdale News: ‘How Am I Doing’: --> 100 PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, February 4- The passing of former outspoken Mayor Ed Koch has left a legacy t...
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‘How Am I Doing’

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100 PERCENT
By Robert Press
BRONX, NEW YORK, February 4- The passing of former outspoken Mayor Ed Koch has left a legacy that 100 percent of those who have commented about his life all agree on, that being that Ed Koch was “Good for New York City”. 
His sharpest critics have only words of praise for Koch, even though his legacy as mayor almost came apart in his third term. Koch suffered a stroke in 1987 which was the beginning of his health problems. After the suicide death of his close friend former Queens borough President Donald Manes in 1986, scandals and racial tensions had beset his administration. It was said the FBI had tapes that everyone in the Koch administration was able to be controlled by the mob, with the exception of Ed Koch himself. Racial incidents in Bensonhurst Brooklyn and Howard Beach Queens during his third term as mayor galvanized the vote that was once his biggest support against him causing him to loose a bid for a fourth term. After Koch left City Hall he suffered a heart attack in 1999, and had a case of pneumonia in 2001. Koch had been in and out of hospitals since then and was readmitted last Thursday to the intensive care unit after being released the day before. 
Ed Koch who was born on December 12, 1924 in the Bronx, and passed away at 2 a.m. Friday morning February 1st, 2013. He was buried on Monday in a plot he had bought several years ago in a Washington Heights cemetery, because Ed Koch said that he wanted to stay in the city even after he was no longer here.
The candidates who want to replace Lord Bloomberg as mayor have all announced their intentions to run for mayor as Public Advocate Bill deBlasio and Supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis made it official last week with the current New York City Comptroller John Liu as the only one who has not officially announced that he is running for mayor. There may be an attempt to keep a Democrat from becoming mayor as former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion (who is said to have the Independence Party line for mayor) did not answer the question put to him on NY1's Road to City Hall “If you were to lose the Republican primary would you stay on the ballot on the Independence line only?”. It is speculated that DeBlasio will get the Working Families line, which would leave the Conservative Party line possibly for Catsimatidis or Lhota should either one win the Republican primary for mayor. It was the Independence line that gave Bloomberg the winning margin of victory over Bill Thompson in the 2009 mayors race, and it could be Carrion and the Independence Party that may keep a Democrat from becoming mayor in 2013 again.
At the December 20, 2012 Community Board 9 meeting a resolution was put forth that Francisco Gonzalez be terminated from the position of District Manager of CB9. There was much discussion about the matter at the meeting with DM Gonzalez defending his 19 years as DM of CB9. The vote wound up 15 in favor, 10 against, and 7 abstentions. Even though more CB9 members voted “yes” than “no” the motion did not pass, because an abstention is counted in the total number of votes in which 17 votes of yes were needed for this resolution to pass. After the vote DM Gonzalez stated that CB9 should put this behind them and move forward with the business of the community in a positive matter. For now this matter seems to be over for now, but it could resurface again.
Community Board members are appointed by borough presidents with half the members of each board being proposed by the local council person(s) of the community board area. It is the borough president’s office that gives training to newly appointed members, and every two years members must reapply if they wish to remain on the board not guaranteed of being reappointment. Term limits may be one factor that increases turnover on community boards as new elected officials may want to put on different people to a community board, and take off others that may have been against their election. 
It was former Bronx Borough President Carrion who decimated Community Board 4 when the board voted against the new Yankee Stadium proposal that Carrion was pushing. Current Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. has taken much of a hands off approach to the 12 Bronx Community Boards, but with several boards having problems such as CB7 in losing their District Manager who left before the second attempt to get rid of him and here in CB9 Diaz needs to act soon. The 11th, 15th, and16th council districts on January 1st 2014 will have new council members, and in four more years several other current council members will be term limited out of office. It could be that the term limit law may lead to a more often turn over of staff at community boards also as members of the boards also change with the new elected officials.
Check my blog at www.1oopercentbronx.blogspot.com for more on what was in this column, other items that did not make it into this column, and the many photos that are included with the stories. If you have any comments about this column or would like to 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.
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Friday, February 1, 2013

Riverdale News: Bronx Hails Koch

Riverdale News: Bronx Hails Koch: -->   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued the following statement on the passing of Mayor Ed Koch: BRONX, NEW YORK...
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Bronx Hails Koch

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Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued the following statement on the passing of Mayor Ed Koch:
BRONX, NEW YORK, February 1- “Today the Bronx is mourning the death of a son and one of the city’s greatest and most charismatic public leaders. Mayor Ed Koch was a man of wit and wisdom, a leader who helped lift our city out of the brink of bankruptcy, raising our spirits along the way and securing New York’s place as the capital of the world.
“Mayor Koch was always proud of his Bronx roots. During his administration he helped rebuild the South Bronx, creating a task force that helped restore burned-out buildings while creating new, thriving communities—work that still resonates to this day. He was a man of deep devotion, who after leaving office continued to inspire New Yorkers through his activism and his commitment to a city he fiercely loved.
“While we mourn his loss we honor his legacy, commitment to civil rights and his civic leadership, which will forever live in our hearts and in the millions of lives he touched. On behalf of the 1.4 million residents of the Bronx, I would like to extend our most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this very difficult time,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Riverdale News: Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide

Riverdale News: Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide: --> (Below) A memorial has been set up for the two victims who were discovered shot to death inside a car on Perry Avenue. (Above...
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Search Continues for Gunman in Double Homicide

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(Below) A memorial has been set up for the two victims who were discovered shot to death inside a car on Perry Avenue. (Above) A memorial photo of Jennifer Rivera.
By David Greene
BRONX, NEW YORK, January 30- Homicide detectives continue their search for the suspect wanted for the latest killing in the relatively quiet and safe neighborhood of Norwood, after two cousins were found shot to death inside an SUV.
Answering a call of a person shot, police were summoned to a private home at 3328 Perry Avenue at 12:15 a.m., on January 16, when the officers discovered a man and woman had both been shot in the head inside a white SUV.
According to police, the male victim was rushed to Jacobi Hospital and the female victim was removed to St. Barnabas Hospital. Both victims were pronounced dead upon their arrival.
Police would later identify the victims as Jason Rivera, 30, of E. 194 Street and his niece Jennifer Rivera, 20, of Boynton Avenue.
None of the residents spoken to reported hearing gunfire, leading to speculation that the victims were killed at another location and dumped of the relatively quiet Perry Avenue.
Police say Jason Rivera served 4-years in prison after he was
convicted of stabbing a man in 2005. One published report stated that investigators were looking at the older Rivera's criminal background as a possible motive for the killings.
One resident of the block stated, "I didn't hear the gunfire... I've
been here 52-years so something like this is not going to shake me."
Several other violent incidents were reported recently within the
confines of the 52nd Precinct, at just after 5 p.m., on January 10,
police were called to 2608 Creston Avenue, where police discovered a male victim who was shot through the front door of a building.
Police were looking for the gunman, described as a male Hispanic teen, between 14 and 15-years old, who fled from E. 193 Street towards E. Kingsbridge Road.
At just before 6 p.m., on January 13, officers from the 52nd Precinct were called to 3051 Valentine Avenue at E. 204 Street, where they discovered a 30-year old male shot to his side and back.
Police in this incident were said to be looking for a male Hispanic who fled in a Range Rover. On January 14, police were called to 3525 Decatur Avenue, where a victim was discovered with a slash wound to the leg. All three victims were expected to survive. No arrests in any of the incidents were reported.
Longtime Norwood resident Sim Binnum believed the solution rests with Commissioner Ray Kelly, stating, "If we had walking patrols like he has in Manhattan, he could end some of this crap right now. If you go to Fordham you'll see walking patrols. But 204th Street is just as much a commercial district as Fordham or Jerome Avenue."
The 52nd Precinct, which covers the Norwood, Bedford Park and Fordham communities reported just six homicides last year, down from a high of 43 in 1993.
Anyone with any information on any violent crime are asked to call the CRIMESTOPPERS Tip Line at 1 (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.
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Friday, January 25, 2013

Riverdale News: Ben Franklin Dem Club Endorses Diaz & Cohen

Riverdale News: Ben Franklin Dem Club Endorses Diaz & Cohen: --> Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, January 25- The headline refers to the meeting of the Ben Fran...
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Ben Franklin Dem Club Endorses Diaz & Cohen

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Riverdale Report
By Robert Press


BRONX, NEW YORK, January 25- The headline refers to the meeting of the Ben Franklin Democratic club that was held last Wednesday to see if the club wanted to endorse candidates in the race for Bronx Borough President and in the local 11th City Council race. The question to the membership was do you want to vote to endorse in the Bronx Borough President's race, and do you want to endorse in the 11th City Council district? The answer to both questions was an overwhelming YES, despite a question by one member if it was to early to endorse.

The one and only announced candidate current Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. spoke to the club saying how he thanked the club for its endorsement and help the first time around in 2009, and would hope that it be the same this year. He thanked the members of the club for their support.

Next were the candidates for the 11th City Council seat. Andrew Cohen was first up, and he stressed that he was a man of integrity and someone who is honest. He went through his community and professional experience, and some of his views on current issues. Cohen said that that public school system is drowning in standardized testing, the mayor should negotiate with the teachers on true teacher evaluations, and that there needs to be much better parent involvement in the school system.

Shelly Keeling who recently announced her candidacy two weeks ago was next up. Ms. Keeling said that she has lived in the area for over 25 years and has been a businesswoman for 34 years. She said that she is a substitute teacher.

Third and last was Cliff Stanton. Mr. Stanton opened up with “Now I know how Jonah must have felt in the belly of the whale”. Stanton went from bad to worse by cracking a joke that he had Assemblyman Dinowitz's back after being called the dictator of the club by one member. Stanton gave a brief bio of himself, and said “I get things done”. On a question about censorship of a local Riverdale newspaper, Stanton said that the paper was constantly attacking PS 24. Whether it was a joke or not Stanton went on to say “If the government was coming after Andy Wolf (the publisher of the paper), I would come to his aid”.

When the vote was counted BP Diaz got all but 2 votes where no endorsement was marked. In the 11th Council race, of the three candidates Andrew Cohen received 84 of the 99 votes. Second place went to no endorsement with 6 votes, third was Ms. Shelly Keeling with 5 votes, Cliff Stanton received 3 votes, and there was one write in vote for Bob Press the writer of this column. Just for the record I am not a member of the Ben Franklin Club, and was therefore not able to vote. Check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com archive section on the left “Ben Franklin Club Endorsements” for more details & photos of the candidates and vote count.

Community Board #8's Economic Development Committee met on Monday January 14th, and on the agenda were street activity permit applications (SAPO) for three events co-sponsored by KRVDC (the Kingsbride Riverdale Van Cortlandt Development Corporation). Ms. Tracy Shelton the Executive Director of KRVDC was on hand to answer questions, but when committee members asked to see the applications there were none. Committee Chair Sergio Villaverde said that he asked the District Manager of the board to e-mail them out. It also appeared that when asked if he knew the SAPO rules, Mr. Villaverde thumbed through a loose leaf looking for an answer that did not come. It was later announced that this was only an informational meeting on the applications, and the vote on them would be next month. The following night two different SAPO applications were heard, seen, and approved by the Traffic and Transportation committee chaired by Dan Padernacht. Also on the T&T agenda were two sidewalk cafe applications that were both approved. Separate discussions on the Cannon Place retaining wall replacement presentation by the DDC, and truck route to the West 238th Street/Broadway mall Riverdale Crossings were also part of the meeting.

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 you can call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
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