Newest Yankee helps give out toys at P.S. 7

Most people have never heard of Matt Duran, and certainly none of the students at P.S. 7 today have, but that didn't stop the hundreds of kids from exploding in cheers when they realized a New York Yankee was in the building.

Matt Duran and Ray Negron of the NY Yankees, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, PS 7 Principal Frank Patterson, Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lenny Caro, NY Yankees mascot Sultan and puppet Lucky pose with students from PS 7.

Duran joined Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lenny Caro in giving away toys to the students, part of the annual toy drives that the Yankees, the Chamber and Dinowitz each do (separately).

Also helping out was an adviser to the Yankees, Ray Negron, who told the students they need to show their teachers "that [you] are going to grow up and become really good people."

Duran, 18 years old future 3rd baseman for the Bronx Bombers, added that they need to follow their dreams and work hard at school.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz hands out soccer balls to PS 7 students.

PS 205 students kick off holiday toy drive at Bronx Zoo

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene joined John Calvelli, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo; Lenny Caro, President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and children from P.S. 205 at the Bronx Zoo’s Elephant house to kick-off the zoo’s annual holiday toy drive, co-sponsored by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. In honor of the start of the holiday season, students from P.S. 205  donated the first toys of the year.

Check out next week's issue of the Bronx Press to see the full story.

For more information on the toy drive, visit wcs.org/foodtoydrive.

Diaz: A real hotel will rise near Stadium

Diaz hopes he will be the one to bring
a first-class hotel to the Bronx.

Before this becomes old news, I wanted to give you the article that is in this week's Bronx Press about the first-class hotel Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. wants to see near Yankee Stadium. The Village Voice pointed out that if the hotel takes away parking spaces, it would have to replace lost spaces for stadium events (The hotel will replace a 9,100 space garage that's mostly unused). However, some of the people who were at the announcement said that could be negotiated out, seeing as the garages around the stadium aren't even at 50% capacity.

Also, jump below for the full story, plus a video of Diaz speaking at the announcement.

By Brendan McHugh 

A Bronx hotel would be a home run for the borough, Ruben Diaz Jr. said Monday.

The Bronx borough president announced the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp., the economic arm of Diaz’s office, is seeking a developer to build a hotel at E. 153rd Street and River Avenue; the site of an underused parking garage run by Bronx Parking.

“For too long, the borough has lacked a first-class hotel,” Diaz said in front of the garage, just two blocks from Yankee Stadium. Hours before Yankee great Mariano Rivera saved his record 602nd game, Diaz said a hotel would help save the Bronx.

Jump below for the full story and a video.