This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (January 24 - 30) of the Riverdale Review:

* Stanton campaign raises conflict of interest > The editor of the PS 24 parents association bulletin has been placed on City Council candidate Cliff Stanton's campaign payroll. The Riverdale Review can reveal that Jennifer Firestone is receiving $1,000 a month from Stanton's campaign committee for political consulting. Because Firestone is also the editor of the PS 24 PA's Sounding Board and has the opportunity to include publicity for the City Council candidate in the public school's newsletter, her campaign role presents a possible conflict of interest. Firestone does not disclose her ties to the Stanton campaign in the PA bulletins, which she edits on a volunteer basis.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz hands
Riverdale resident Helene Afon a check
for $5,000. She lost her husband of 52 years
in a fire which destroyed her home.

* Stella D'oro shopping mall on track for fall opening > Parts of Riverdale Crossing, the $80 million shopping mall located at the former Stella D'oro cookie factory, could open it doors by as early as October. Metropolitan Realty Associates president Joseph A. Farkas said the two-story mall would most likely be unveiled in two stages--the north building will open first, with BJ's Wholesale Club set to follow suit a month later.
* Hebrew Home expansion plan bound for a rocky road > Homeowners near the Hebrew Home at Riverdale will soon have a chance to present their case regarding the home's ambitious plan to build a new senior residence on its recently purchased riverfront property. Hebrew Home CEO Daniel Reingold reached out to the Riverdale Nature Preservancy, a group that protects Riverdale's natural beauty and character, to facilitate community discussion before starting the arduous process of submitting the plan for official approval.
* Court case against accused iPhone killers move forward > The two men charged with murdering Hwang Bum Yang, the local chef who was shot and killed for his iPhone last year, could soon have a trial date. During a brief hearing at Bronx Supreme Court on January 15, Alejandro Campos, 21, stood next to attorney Richard Williams and received a new hearing date when a possible trial date could be set. Williams was filling in for Campos' regular attorney, Martin Galvin. Campos' co-accused, Dominick Davis, 20, was also slated to appear, but his case was not heard because his attorney, Kyle Watters, was not in attendance.
* Man jumps from apartment window > A man jumped to his death by leaping out the window of his North Riverdale apartment, according to authorities. Police said Robert Tavon, 54, jumped from his sixth-floor apartment at 5424 Netherland Avenue just before 2 pm last Thursday.
* No surprises as Ben Franklin club endorses Andrew Cohen > The Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club voted to support Andrew Cohen in his bid to replace Councilman G. Oliver Koppell in this year's citywide elections. The club's predicted endorsement for Cohen came after nearly 100 members heard from all three announced candidates during a meeting at Tibbett Towers on January 16. According to a breakdown of the 99 ballots cast, Cohen secured 84 votes, track coach Cheryl Keeling won five votes and Van Cortlandt Village resident Cliff Stanton, three votes. Six members made no endorsements and one voted for Community Board 8 candidate Robert Press as a write-in candidate.
* ConEd addresses chronic power outages in Spuyten Duyvil > Con Ediso has vowed to provide Spuyten Duyvil with additional power to stem the frequency and duration of electrical outages. The utility company agreed to the service improvement during a meeting with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and affected neighborhood residents on January 11. An extra power supply, to be installed by December, is designed to address the problem of continual blackouts on parts of Independence Avenue, Kappock Street and Palisade Avenue.
* Proposal to introduce ID scanners at PS 24 > Members of PS 24's parents association are asking for more security in the school, and City Council candidate Cliff Stanton may have a solution involving ID scanners. The former PA co-president flagged the idea of placing a scanner to track adults entering and exiting the school during the PA meeting on January 15. Under Stanton's proposal, IDs would not be issued to children but to adults wishing to enter the building on a regular basis, including Kindergarten parents who enter the school to drop off or pick up their child. The proposal, which Stanton estimated would cost $16,000, is still in its early stages. As of press time, no formal proposals have been filed for the scanners or any other school safety funding at PS 24.

And, in the Bronx Press:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg joins Councilman Ydanis
Rodriguez and Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia
Greene to break ground for improvements to
the High Bridge. Photo by Kristen Artz

* City begins restoration work on High Bridge > Mayor Michael Bloomberg has broken ground on the restoration of New York City's oldest bridge, the High Bridge, as part of the city's long-term plan for a "greener, greater New York." The $61 million project will reopen the bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists by 2014 and provide a link between Manhattan and The Bronx over the Harlem River. The bridge was closed to the public in 1970. The reconstruction of the bridge will include safety and structural improvements such as renovated stairways, railings and lighting.
* Bronx police respond to three taxi-related crimes in six hours > A bizarre morning for taxi drivers in The Bronx ended with one driver shot, one bitten and robbed and a third awe-struck as police officers lifted his cab off a pedestrian.
* Could more music be destined for Bronx venues? > The Bronx isn't getting its fair share of music from Carnegie Hall, according to a recent audit by the city comptroller's office. The city has charged Carnegie Hall with a contractural obligation to provide free music programming for diverse groups throughout the five boroughs. But the comptroller's office concluded that The Bronx and Staten Island have been neglected as performance venues and that the Department of Cultural Affairs' failure to attract large audiences with free tickets to neighborhood concerts could mean that programming selections aren't "properly designed for the neighborhood."
* Two wounded in Co-op City shooting > Two people were wounded when gunfire erupted on the grounds of 140 Einstein Loop in Co-op City on Sunday, January 13. Paramedics and emergency services personnel were called to the scene at 12:08pm following reports of gunfire and rushed two victims to Jacobi Hospital.
* Woman injured in bizarre fall > Paramedics transported a young woman who was injured when a piece of plywood reportedly collapsed into a construction trench at an apartment building in University Heights. EMS were dispatched to the front of the building at 2321 Andrews Avenue, where they discovered a 33-year-old woman had fallen in the trench, located in the alley leading to the building's courtyard and basement.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories from this week's issue (January 10 -16) of the Riverdale Review:

* 300 units of senior housing planned for Retreat site > The Hebrew Home at Riverdale plans to construct a new 300-unit independent living senior residence complex on the 14-acre plot they purchased from the Passionist Fathers of Riverdale. When built, the facility will be the first in New York City to offer a continuing care retirement community. Officials from the geriatric center unveiled their preliminary design and development plans for the sprawling site at Monday night's Community Board 8 land use committee meeting. It is the first time the facility's authorities have spoken publicly about their vision for the land, which they acquired from the Passionists for $16 million in November 2011.

Police and firefighters were called to remove a grenade
from the Majestic building on January 4.

* Live grenade removed from Riverdale apartment building > Members of the NYPD's bomb squad removed a live hand grenade from the basement of the Majestic building in Riverdale--more than five years after it was placed there. Commanding officer of the 50th Precinct Deputy Inspector Kevin Burke said police were called to the 87-unit building located at 3660 Waldo Avenue just after 1pm on January 4.
* City officials refuse to enforce open meetings law at PS 24 > City officials deny that PS 24 principal Donna Connelly violated the state's open meetngs law when she shut the press out of last month's school leadership team meeting. After two weeks of phone calls and emails seeking a comment from the Department of Education, the Riverdale Review was informed by agency spokesman David Pena that the school's SLT meeting on December 18 might have contained private information.
* Large North Riverdale land parcel is back on the market > A 25,000-square-foot parcel of prime developable land appears to have hit the real estate market again for a whopping $9 million. The Riverdale Review can reveal that the t-shaped vacant site in North Riverdale located at 5278 Post Road and extending back to Broadway has been relisted for sale online. The property was taken off the market six months ago due to a lack of buyer interest.
* Commuter rail service set to expand on Metro-North line > The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will beef up Metro-North service on the Hudson Line beginning in April, adding trains during non-peak travel times to accommodate a growing ridership. Authorities last week unveiled details about the service enhancements ahead of a historic public hearing on the issue. Under the proposed changes, rail commuters at the Spuyten Duyvil and Riverdale Metro-North stations will see a total of 73 new train services each week--the Hudson Line is set to run 11 more trains on weekdays, 12 more on Saturdays and six more on Sundays. The changes will take effect beginning Sunday, April 7, with the implementation of the new spring timetable.
* City bungles gifted and talented testing site for local student > After a month long struggle with the Department of Education, young Riverdale resident Jacob Moglia will now be able to sit for the gifted and talented exam at PS 24. Set to enter Kindergarten this fall, the four-year-old was inexplicably assigned to take the test at PS/IS 54 on Webster Avenue, although his parents, Louis Moglia and Shira Atzmon, registered him to take the exam at PS 24, located just a 10-minute walk from their home.
* Focus on Business > i) Pure Energy Organic Cafe in North Riverdale has officially closed after just six months in business. According to a sign posted outside the store, located at 5802 Mosholu Avenue, tenants are currently being sought to lease the now-vacant 900-square-foot space; ii) River Delight, a glatt kosher restaurant with a varied menu that include middle-eastern cuisine as well as deli sandwiches, has closed for business. A board of health restaurant inspection in December found 38 violation points at the 3534 Johnson Avenue establishment, but the reason for closing is unclear; iii) Menchie's, a California-based frozen yoghurt chain, will expand and open their long-awaited store in Riverdale later this year. Menchie's will lease 1,400 square feet of space at 3555 Johnson Avenue, a site that formerly housed Washington Mutual Bank; iv) Could the ongoing construction next to Garden Gourmet at 5665 Broadway be a site for possible expansion of th  thriving produce and specialty foods emporium? According to filings submitted with the Department of Buildings and posted at the construction site, the space at 5675 Broadway is being converted from a clothing store to a food store. Further details are expected to filter through in the spring. Watch this space.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* City plans to close 17 struggling schools > Robert Powell,  the newest addition to the Panel for Educational Policy, will be forced to sign off on a number of school closures--one of which could be for his own son's high school. Powell, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s selection to replace Wilfredo Pagan in the PEP, begins serving on the board this week, and the first order of business will be voting on school closures. In November, the Department of Education named 60 schools that are in danger of being closed this year. Since then, the list has dwindled down to 17 schools the DOE feels are too late to save at this point.
* Officials challenge software developers to create math app > Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott launched a software development competition to help middle school students excel in math. The Gap App Challenge encourages programmers and developers to create new innovative apps, programs and games that can be used by parents, teachers or students as a tool for learning math.
* Bronx man holds daughter hostage > A 31-year-old Bronx father allegedly held his infant daughter hostage for two hours and dangled her from his fourth-floor Mott Haven apartment window. Police allege that the man, whose name has yet to be released, locked himself inside the East 141st Street apartment near Cypress Avenue in the early hours of Thursday, January 3, and held his child hostage.

PS 24 in violation of state law and city regulations

By TESS McRAE

P.S. 24 principal Donna Connelly allegedly violated both the state’s open meeting law and the school chancellor’s regulations when a reporter was asked to leave last month’s school leadership team meeting.

The school leadership team, made up of parents, school administrators and faculty, meets monthly with the primary goal, according to the chancellor’s regulations, of developing the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan and ensuring it is aligned with the school-based budget.

Another Riverdale Review reporter was present at previous SLT meetings after presenting sections of the chancellor’s regulations to prove that the public was allowed to observe proceedings.

However, during the December 18 meeting, Connelly and P.S. 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele “Manny” Verdi would not allow the media to stay.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (January 3 - 9) of the Riverdale Review:

Contractors were spotted putting the finishing touches on
the district headquarters and comfort station at VCP. The
building has been under renovation since late 2009.

* PS 24 in violation of state law and city regulations > PS 24 principal Donna Connelly allegedly violated both the state's open meetings law and the school chancellor's regulations when a reporter was asked to leave last month's school leadership team meeting. The school leaddership team, made up of parents, school administrators and faculty, meets monthly with the primary goal, according to the chancellor's regulations, of developing the school's Comprehensive Educational Plan and ensuring it is aligned with the school-based budget. Another Riverdale Review reporter was present at previous SLT meetings after presenting sections of the chancellor's regulations to prove that the public was allowed to observe proceedings. However, during the December 18 meeting, Connelly and PS 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele 'Manny' Verdi would not allow the media to stay.
* New technology allows commuters to track subway arrival times > Local straphangers can track the arrival times of all trains on the No. 1 subway line, thanks to a new smartphone application released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. MTA officials unveiled the much-anticipated MTA Subway Time app during a press conference last Friday. Under the free app, riders can access the real-time subway arrival times at 156 stations on seven of the city's 24 routes--the No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as the 42nd Street shuttle.
* Commander of 50th Precinct receives promotion > If history is any indication, Kevin Burke's days as a commanding officer at the 50th Precinct may be numbered and he could soon be transferred to another post. Burke, a 15-year veteran with the NYPD, was promoted from captain to deputy inspector during a ceremony at police headquarters on December 21. Deputy Inspector Burke said he was pleasantly surprised when he received news of the promotion. He has been at the helm of the 50th Precinct since June 1, 2011.
* Hoffnung lands bigger role in comptroller's office > Riverdale resident Ari Hoffnung is set to play a larger role in the city's financial affairs following his promotion to deputy comptroller for budget. City Comptroller John C. Liu announced that Hoffnung, 39, would assume oversight of the comptroller's Bureau of Fiscal and Budget Studies as of January 1. Hoffnung replaces Simcha Fedler, the Brooklyn Democratic state senator-elect who ruffled feathers last month after he decided to caucus with the Republican conference. Under his enhanced role, Hoffnung will oversee the publication of a wide range of fiscal reports on the city's economy and budgetary outlook. He will continue to serve as the deputy comptroller of public affairs--a role he was promoted to in December 2009.  Hoffnung was quick to stress that the promotion would not influence his decision over whether to jump into the hotly anticipated City Council District 11 race.
* Man charged over cold case murder > A 60-year-old Westchester man has been indicted for the 1993 murder of a prostitute whose body was found in North Riverdale. Lucius Crawford of Mount Vernon was indicted by a Bronx grand jury on a second degree murder charge on December 18. According to the indictment, Crawford acted with intent and caused the death of Nella West, 38, by "blunt force trauma and sharp injuries to the head, face and abdomen." According to police, West's body was discovered by a cab driver near 5815 Liebig Avenue in Riverdale just after 3 a.m. on October 20, 1993.
* Local resdient Irving Ladimer produces patriotic play > Community Board 8 member Irving Ladimer, a lifelong expert on the interface of law and iboethics and a relentless activist for seniors, has decided to break into show business. Ladimer, pushing 97, thought it would be a good idea to celebrate the 225th birthday of the U.S. Constitution. So he wrote a brief comedic play named "We the People."
* Corlear Avenue gets more signage > City officials will install additional alternate-side parking signs on Corlear Avenue after several residents lodged complaints about insufficient signage in the area. The east side of Corlear Avenue between West 230th and 231st streets is cleaned every Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., but just one sign located on the south end of the block details the alternate-side parking regulations for the entire block. Department of Transportation officials have agreed to install additional signs in the area. Authorities have committed to completing the installation by the end of next month.
* Schervier launches 'Come Mend With Your Friend' > Caring for Fluffy and Fido may help in the healing process, research has found. Starting this month, Schervier Nursing Care Center will harness the power of pets with its Come Mend with Your Friend program, offering on-site room and board for pets whose companion humans are undergoing short-term rehabilitation at the facility. Schervier has been given a $58,400 two-year grant from the Amie's Place Foundation to create a pet-friendly temporary home on its Independence Avenue campus. The animals will be cared for by a veterinary technician, who will ensure that the beloved beasts are themselves in good health and are properly vaccinated before they take up residence.
* City extends deadline on sulfur limit on heating oil > The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has extended a temporary waiver of the .15 percent sulfur limit set for No. 4 heating oil, giving New Yorkers until January 18 to make the switch to cleaner oil. DEP reported that the destruction caused by superstorm Sandy has left fuel oil producers and distributors in a bind as they struggle to meet the new city requirements.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* Bronx resident charged over Newtown shooting fundraising scam > A Bronx woman has been formally charged with lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigations after she allegedly swindled donors by posing as the aunt of a child killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Federal authorities accuse Nouel Alba, 37, from Soundview, of seeking donations on Facebook just hours after shots were fired in the suburban elementary school.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

UPDATE: Community Board 8 aging committee chair and City Council candidate Andrew Cohen donated festive lights and lit the Christmas tree at the Riverdale Monument earlier this afternoon.

Here are the stories in this week's issue (December 20 - 26) of the Riverdale Review.

* PS 24 music gets $19,000 boost from Klein > Local elected official and newly minted state Senator Jeffrey Klein will allocate $19,000 towards arts enrichment at PS 24. School principal Donna Connelly announced the funding injection at last Tuesday's parents association meeting. Klein, who visited the school in October, said he was happy with the educational offerings but was interested in helping to expand the school's music program.
* Community board rejects proposal for fundraising affiliate > Members of Community Board 8 have nixed controversial plans to establish an auxiliary organization that would raise money to support board operations. Members last week voted 21-13 against a proposal to create a Friends of Bronx Community Board 8 following frenzied discussion and opposition. Three members abstained from voting. Under the proposal, conceived fours years ago, the Friends of CB8 group would raise extra funds by soliciting bids from vendors to host street fairs and other public events.
* Commission approves project rejected by Board > The Landmarks Preservation Commission has voted to approve the building of a four-story mansion in the Riverdale historic district--almost a month after Community Board 8 unanimously rejected the project. Under the preliminary plans, the vacant lot at 5241 Independence Avenue would be developed into a seven-bedroom house equipped with eight and a half bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool, two laundry rooms and a maid's room. Members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 10-0 on December 11 to approve the mansion after its architect proposed several modifications. Among the revisions is the elimination of a proposed tower on the side of the house. The mansion will also have a semicircular driveway and will be set back from the street to match the houses around it.
* Six new cops for 50th > Six new police officers have joined the ranks of the 50th Precinct, providing the command with a slight boost in manpower. Commanding officer of the 50th Precinct Captain Kevin Burke said the new cops have been tasked with responding to 911 calls and with patrolling high-crime areas within the precinct.
* In slap at board leadership, new rules set for street permits > Community Board 8 has overhauled its street activity permit procedures in a push to become more transparent and to maximize community input. CB8 members last week voted 23 to 13 to change the process governing how street activity permits for street fairs, block parties and farmers market are issued. One member abstained from voting. Under the changes, all street activity permit applications submitted to CB8 for review will now be directed to a committee for approval, approval with conditions, or denial.
* Dog walker slashed on Palisade Avenue > A man walking his two poodles at around 6 a.m. Tuesday on Palisade Avenue at Kappock Street was accosted by two men and was slashed across the face with a knife by one of the men. According to police, Richard Marshall, 65, of 2621 Palisade Avenue, was attacked by two black men who appeared to be in their early 20s, before the pair ran east on Kappock Street. The men demanded no property, Burke said, and ran away after inflicting the wound.

NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly breaks ground on
the new student commons building, set to open in 2014

* MC breaks ground on new student commons > Manhattan College has ceremonially broken ground on its long-awaited Raymond W. Kelly '63 Student Commons, a $48 million multipurpose complex scheduled to open in fall 2014. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly joined more than 200 people, including college officials, local politicians, faculty and students for the ground-breaking event last Thursday. The five-story complex will be located at the intersection of Manhattan College Parkway and Waldo Avenue--a site that is now a parking lot.
* Press can't be barred from Board meetings > The chair of Community Board 8 has conceded that executive committee meetings are subject to the state's open meetings law and are therefore open to the public. CB8 chair Robert Fanuzzi Robert Fanuzzi made the declaration at last Tuesday's board meeting after receiving an official ruling from the New York State Committee on Open Government. The determination came less than a week after a reporter for the Riverdale Review was asked to leave the Board's December 5 executive committee meeting when members objected to the media's presence. But referencing the determination from Robert J. Freeman, the executive director of the Committee on Open Government, Fanuzzi said the executive committee was required to comply with the law.
* Jewish leader concerned over missing Christmas tree > Ari Hoffnung, the community leader widely thought of as a potential candidate for the City Council seat being vacated by the term-limited G. Oliver Koppell, has expressed his personal dismay that Riverdale, for the first time in memory, will not have an official city Christmas tree. The city's Parks Department has scrubbed the annual display due to "budgetary constraints."
* Hurricane Sandy relief concert > Local storm victims will benefit from the proceeds collected at Sunday night's Hurricane Sandy Relief Concert at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, but they would also benefit from knowing that so many professionals donated their time and extraordinary talent to help out during this event. Children's choirs, a legendary a capella group, a unique rock band, and Broadway and TV stars joined Riverdale's own indigenous performers for a great evening of entertainment.
* Stringer gets Bronx support for Comptroller bid > Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has vowed to help advance The Bronx's economic agenda if he is installed as comptroller during the 2013 citywide elections. Stringer, who last month abandoned his plans to become mayor and announced his candidacy for comptroller, committed to including The Bronx in the city's wider long-term financial plan. The popular Democrat believed his comments after enjoying breakfast with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. at the Riverdale Diner on December 12. If elected, Stringer said, he would be fiercely independent and would work with the mayor and all borough presidents to drive change and progress--and that The Bronx would benefit from these efforts.
* Issues raised at town hall meeting > Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz held the first of four town hall meetings at the Riverdale Senior Center in a bid to answer the questions of local senior citizens. "In order to do my job, I really have to know what people are thinking," Dinowitz said to a packed room of seniors last Monday.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* Community prays for miracle at St. Jerome school > Nearly 100 people stood at 230 Alexander Avenue in front of St. Jerome Catholic School on December 12 to protest a plan to close down the school. It was cold and classes had just let out, but parents, local politicians and students stayed to fight for their school. Many held signs written in Spanish and English, and chants of "save our school" and "don't close St. Jerome" echoed through the streets.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr lights the menorah
during Chanukah celebrations at the Bronx County building

* FreshDirect modifies plan > Online grocer FreshDirect has bowed to community opposition and will give up three acres it had planned to use as a parking lot for trucks when it moves into its new headquarters in the South Bronx. The supermarket giant filed court papers last Thursday indicating that it would adjust its plans and integrate the trucks within its new main facility site.
* Chanukah celebration at the Bronx County building > Latkes, jelly donuts, indoor and outdoor menorah lightings, and a few Chanukah songs performed by the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale Community Choir are annual traditions now at Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s festive Chanukah event at the Bronx County building. Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman was again mistress of ceremonies at the December 12 bash, where hundreds of community members heard the borough president express his support for Israel and his affinity for the Jewish community.

Educrats at PS 24 defend 50 percent cut in music program

By MIAWLING LAM

Officials at P.S. 24 continue to defend their controversial decision to downsize the school’s cherished music program.

Despite widespread outcry from local parents, elected officials and community members, P.S. 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele ‘Manny’ Verdi last week said he stood by a move to excess the school’s vocal music teacher.

Verdi acknowledged that music education was important, but said retaining classroom instructors and reducing class sizes were higher priorities.

“I stand by my guns,” he said, while addressing the matter at last week’s School Leadership Team meeting.

“From our standpoint, these are the cards we were dealt. We had five days to react to it and this is what we did.

“We were told the budget was the same…but when the budget came in, it wasn’t the same. It just wasn’t. So we had to hustle.”

As a result, school administrators said they were forced to excess the entire music department—one instrumental teacher and one vocal teacher—just days before the end of the last school year.

At the time, Verdi said officials were forced to let go of the teachers because three staffers—with seniority—were returning from leave.

However, after the community bandied together and protested the cuts, administrators last month confirmed that instrumental teacher, Maryellen Shepley, would be rehired.

Controversially though, the vocal teacher still remains excessed.

Despite the downsizing, P.S. 24 principal Donna Connelly reiterated her commitment to arts instruction and pointed to her introduction of a theater program as evidence of this.

“We were the ones that expanded the (music) program. When we came into the school, we made it bigger. We didn’t make it smaller. Everybody forgets that,” she said.

The comments come a week after around a dozen parents bemoaned the devastating cuts and called on the school to restore both positions.

In a series of random interviews conducted on the first day of the new school year, many parents and grandparents warned that the loss of a vocal teacher could negatively impact academic achievement and rob children of a well-rounded education.

Under the partial restoration, the school will be eligible to continue participating in the Music and the Brain program and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

The MATB program supplies students from Grades K-2 with dozens of keyboards, while VH1 supplies pupils in Grades 3-5 with a range of woodwind instruments.

Existing partnerships with the New York Philharmonic and Little Orchestra Society will also continue to supplement the school’s musical instruction.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (September 20 -26) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press.

* Educrats at PS 24 defend 50 percent cut in music program > Officials at PS 24 continue to defend their controversial decision to downsize the school's cherished music program. Despite widespread outcry from local parents, elected officials and community members, PS 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele 'Manny' Verdi last week said he stood by a move to excess the school's vocal music teacher.
* Skating rink details: Recycled shipping containers; loss of parking > Around six parking spaces along Broadway could be temporarily lost during the winter months every year so that a designated drop-off zone can be established at the Van Cortlandt Park ice-skating rink. Concessionaire officials announced plans to submit an application for a street activity permit during last Wednesday's Community Board 8 parks committee meeting.
* Manhattan College hosts education session on Islam on 9/11 anniversary > September 11 this year at Manhattan College's Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center was marked by a panel discussion on the need for Americans to reach an understanding of Islam. 
* Projects in some local parks still lag, as others near completion > Local residents are finally beginning to catch a break with local parks projects. After years of enduring repeated delays, construction woes and issues with private contractors, parks in the Riverdale/Kingsbridge area are getting spruced up. We look at a list of current parks projects, including Ruth MacLaughlin Playground; Conrad Grauer Field; Sid Augarten Field; Van Cortlandt Park; Ewen Park, and their status.
* SAR calls for traffic calming measures > Officials at Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy are urging that speed bumps be installed on streets surrounding the school in order to increase student safety. In a letter sent to Community Board 8 and obtained by the Riverdale Review , SAR High School principal Rabbi Tully Harcsztark said traffic calming measures were desperately needed along West 259th Street.
* Mace and Taser used in Kingsbridge melee > A fun-filled night came to an abrupt end when security guards allegedly Tasered patrons and sprayed mace inside a popular upscale Kingsbridge restaurant. Police said a brawl involving at least six people broke out at Silhouette Restaurant & Lounge, located at 5668 Broadway, around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 9.
* New roof to be constructed at PS 24 > Students at PS 24 will lose a small section of their playground while construction crews perform much-needed repairs to the school's roofs and parapets. Workers have begun replacing two roofs--a 12-year-old roof and a 48-year-old roof--on the main school building as part of the $5.2 million capital improvement project.
* Man dies in crash on Deegan > A 35-year-old man was killed in an early-morning car crash on the Major Deegan Expressway in North Riverdale last Thursday. Police said Brian Mills was driving his black 2004 Hona Accord northbound on the Major Deegan when he slammed into the back of a construction truck near Exit 12 just after 6 a.m. on September 13. Exit 12 is the intersection where the expressway meets an extension of Mosholu Parkway.
* Scandal-scarred assemblywoman crushed in adjoining district > The residents of Tracey Towers propelled Bronx real estate agent and property manager Mark Gjonaj to a historic victory during last week's four-way Democratic primary. According to unofficial results released by the New York City Board of Elections last Thursday, Gjonaj trounced scandal-plagued Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera by 513 votes.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* Plan for commuter rail through Morris Park gets thumbs up > A plan to expand Metro-North service into four neighborhoods in the East Bronx could slash travel times to midtown Manhattan in half, according to officials. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled details of the long-awaited proposal during the first of four information sessions at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Morris Park on Monday, September 10.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (July 26 - August 1) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

 Bronx residents flocked to Van Cortlandt Park for New York
Philharmonic's 2012 Concerts in the Park series on July 17.

* Parents demand restoration of PS 24 music program > Parents at PS 24 have stepped up their efforts to restore the school's cherished music program and are preparing to take their fight to the Tweed Courthouse. A group of more than 70 concerned parents and residents last week sent a letter to Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott pleading with him to save the school's music department.
* Eleanor McGrath, former school board member, passes away > Eleanor McGrath passed away surrounded by her loving family on the afternoon of Sunday, July 22 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was a lifelong Bronx resident and settled in Riverdale in 1954 after marrying Philip McGrath.
* Local activists protest anti-Israel billboard in Metro-North station > A provocative anti-Israel billboard greets locals as they start and end their daily commutes at the Spuyten Duyvil and Riverdale Metro-North train stations. Described by Isaac Geld as "a real poke in the eye," the ad uses a series of four color-coded maps to illustrate a progressive "Palestinian loss of land" from 1946 through 2010 and to support the statement, "4.7 million Palestinians are classified by the U.N. a refugees."

The controversial anti-Israel billboard

* PS 24 ratings fizzle while PS 81 soars > Satisfaction ratings at PS 24 have plummeted, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy has lifted its game and PS 81 has retained its title as the local school darling among its parents and teachers. Results from the fourth NYC School Survey, released by the Department of Education this week, reveals Riverdale's three schools recorded mixed results. PS 24 was the only school to record a drop in all four assessed categories--academic expectations, communication, engagement, and safety and respect.
* Few local kids excel on state tests > Just 1 percent of Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy students exceeded the state's proficiency level on this year's standardized English test. A special analysis of data from the state's English and math exams found results varied across Riverdale's three public schools when the number of students scoring at Level 4 was taken into account.
* Famous local figure hooks up with the Glee gang > Archie Andrew, one of Riverdale's most famous residents, will be introduced to the cast of Glee in an eagerly awaited collaboration announced by the comic book's publishers. Archie, along with Betty, Veronica, Dilton and Jughead, are slated to meet their match in the crew from McKinley High in an upcoming storyline to hit bookstore shelves next year.
* Koppell reports progress > Department of Transportation crews are currently repaving a section of the Henry Hudson Parkway service road, following a request from Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. Koppell lobbied for the measure after constituents complained about the poor conditions along the busy road, particularly between West 227th and West 232nd streets.

And, in the Bronx Press:
* Bloomberg forces new homeless shelter in Wakefield > City officials are forging ahead with plans to transform the Muller Army Reserve Center into a 200-bed homeless shelter and have negotiated a $91 million contract with a social advocacy group. The Mayor's Office of Contract Services blindisded Bronx residents and held a public hearing on Thursday, July 19, to discuss a proposal to award The Doe Fund, a $91.27 million contract. According to the negotiated contract, the social advocacy group would be charged with developing and operating a "stand-alone transitional residence for homeless adults." The proposed agreement would be retroactively dated and run from July 1, 2012, to December 31, 2033, authorities said.
* MTA caves to politicos and community to restore transit service > Relief is finally on the way for thousands of Bronx bus and Metro-North commuters. As part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's sweeping $29.5 million package, weekend bus service on the Bx34 will be restored, while service on the Bx13 will be extended from East 161st Street to the Gateway Mall. Officials will also establish a brand-new bus route that connects the booming neighborhood of the South Bronx to the commercial areas of Hunts Point.
* Cabrera fights mayor on proposed super-sized ban > Bronx merchants fear their businesses will be driven to the ground if the city approves plans to ban the sale of super-sized sugary drinks. Merchants raised their concerns about shrinking profit margins to Councilman Fernando Cabrera during an impromptu neighborhood walking tour around University Heights last Thursday. Cabrera said many owners pleaded with him to fight the health policy. Although many acknowledged it was proposed with good intentions, they said the plan would adversely affect their bottom line.
* City unveils latest healthy eating plan in The Bronx > Fresh produce will be shifted to grocery entrance areas and water will be displayed at eye level in hundreds of coolers as part of the city's latest healthy eating plan to debut in The Bronx. Authorities unveiled the Shop Healthy NYC Initiative during a news conference outside the C-Town supermarket on Crescent Avenue in Fordham last Wednesday. Under the voluntary pilot program, bodega and supermarket operators will be asked to display a range of healthy foods including fresh fruits and vegetables in prime areas like entrances and checkout aisles, to relegate junk food to the back of their store and to post signs identifying nutritious choices.

Council district 11 gets its first entry in Cliff Stanton (UPDATE)

Stanton is running for City Council.

Cliff Stanton, a Van Cortlandt Village resident who runs United Snacks (which partly owns those Nuts4Nuts street vendors), has opened a campaign committee with the Board of Elections to run for District 11. The seat will be vacated by City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, who is term limited.

Stanton is involved with the parents associations of PS 24 and Bronx High School of Science.

He's also leading the boycott of the Riverdale Review.

Ari Hoffnung, a deputy comptroller for John Liu, has a committee from races years ago (that has $76,000), but when we last spoke to him in December, he wouldn't say whether or not he will run for the seat in 2013.

Maybe ironically, Hoffnung's campaign received $180 from Stanton in 2008 that Hoffnung could use for this race.

We have been able to speak with Koppell, and he said he is unsure how involved he will be in the race, only saying that he will be retiring from public service.

We'll have updates soon, so make sure to come back for more information.

UPDATE: We spoke to Stanton over the phone, but he said he wasn't going to speak with the Riverdale Review. 

"This is not the best time to have the conversation. Frankly, I'm not going to have a whole lot to say," he said.

When asked if he would continue to boycott our newspaper, he would not say. "Listen, we have nothing to say to each other. I have nothing against you personally, OK?" he replied.

And when pressed further, he stuck to his guns. "I have nothing to say to you."

We tried to change the question, asking him what he would bring to office, but he hung up on us.

Manhattan BP helps light Riverdale menorah

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer came up to Riverdale last night to help light the menorah in Bell Tower Park.

The menorah, at over 30-feet-high and over 600 lbs, is the largest menorah in the Bronx.

Stringer, lighting the menorah, for the second day of Chanukah.

Stringer, lighting the menorah.

PS 24 student Dylan also got to light one of the candles.

Stringer, a potential mayoral candidate, joined students from PS 24 and local Jewish leaders.

He seemed to enjoy himself during the ceremony. As he was in the crane, he joked to the crowd, "12 days ago my wife gave birth...she asked what I'd be doing in the Bronx...I told her I was only lighting a menorah...if only she could see me now!"

He quickly got back on track, playing to the Jewish crowd: "It's great to be in Riverdale--a wonderful, vibrant Jewish community."

Letter from PS 24 parents association to the school staff

The parents association at PS 24 in Riverdale sent a letter to the school staff, asking them not to speak to us here at the Riverdale Review & Bronx Press, because they claim we run a smear campaign against the school.

"On behalf of the parents of PS 24, who hold our school's administration, and its staff, in the highest regard, we ask that whoever is responsible for these leaks, to cease and desist immediately," the letter states.

We wrote a news story on the letter--and the reaction to the letter--in this week's Riverdale Review. Also, you can read our recent editorials to get our response and thoughts about the PA. I'm not going to speak on behalf of the paper on the blog, but I will say that we're not printing lies about the school; if we didn't report the bad grades that the city gives the school, the school still gets a bad grade. We just let the public know about it.

We welcome good news and accomplishments from all local schools and hope you'll let us know about it. Head over to the Contact Us page to get in touch.

A commenter requested to see the letter they sent, so here you go. Ask and you shall receive!

Letter from PS 24 Parents Association to Staff

New answer for school traffic woes?

A story from this week's Riverdale Review. There is a similar story in a separate post that fully explains the 'slow zone' practice that debuted in Claremont this week.

By Brendan McHugh 

Last month, elected officials requested slower speed limits, new signage and speed bumps for the area around PS 24 and MS/HS 141. 

Turns out, the City has a new program that can do just that. 

On Monday, the Department of Transportation announced its first-ever Neighborhood Slow Zone in Claremont. The slow zone reduces the speed limit in the quarter-square mile neighborhood from 30 mph to 20 mph, adds nine new speed bumps and over 50 new signs—both on poles and stenciled onto the street—to the area alerting drivers of the speed limit. 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, one of three legislators who wrote to DOT in October, says Independence Avenue is a model candidate for the new traffic safety program. 

“Given the area’s proximity to several schools, a public library, and houses of worship, I believe this stretch of Independence Avenue would be an ideal location for a Neighborhood Slow Zone,” he wrote in a letter to DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan earlier this week. 

Jump below for the full story.

P.S. 24 principal forced to replace uncertified special ed teacher

Here's another story from this week's Riverdale Review.

By Miawling Lam 

The principal at P.S. 24 has been forced to replace an uncertified teacher assigned to a class with special education students.

Sources at the NYC Department of Education confirmed Anne Mokris lacked the certification required by the state for teachers of high-needs kids.

Principal Donna Connelly will replace Mokris on Monday, Nov. 7, with a certified special education teacher.

The sudden about-face came after the Riverdale Review last week contacted authorities and began to raise questions surrounding Mokris’ credentials.

She was one of two teachers in charge of the second-grade Collaborative Team Teaching inclusion class at the school.

Mokris was initially hired as a substitute last year and filled in for another teacher on maternity leave. She was then promoted to a full-time role in September and has since been teaching without the mandatory credentials.

Jump below for the full story.

Elected officials tackle school traffic crisis

I said I would hold off until tomorrow, but I thought I'd leak one story from the Riverdale Review today. Jump below for the full story, plus a document drop of the letter sent to the DOT.

By Brendan McHugh and Miawling Lam 

Stop signs, a lower speed limit and another change in arrival times are among the proposals flagged to solve the traffic snarls and gridlock outside two of Riverdale’s public schools. 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz joined Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and State Senator Adriano Espaillat and submitted a list of five traffic-calming measures to the city last Tuesday.

The recommendations were drawn up amid growing safety and traffic concerns of the streets surrounding P.S. 24 and M.S/H.S 141, particularly along Independence Avenue. 

In the joint letter sent to Bronx DOT Commissioner Constance Moran, the trio calls for stop signs to be placed at West 235th Street and Independence Avenue, as well as new pavement markings for both northbound and southbound traffic. 

The elected officials also propose the creation of a 20-mile per hour zone for the entire corridor from West 232nd Street to West 246th Street.

Jump below for the full story and the letter.