This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (September 27 -October 3) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press.

* SAT scores at RKA drop for second consecutive year > Seniors at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy scored an overall average of 1,333 on the 2012 Scholastic Aptitude Test, more than 160 points shy of the national mean. New figures released on Tuesday by the College Board, the company that administers the SAT, shows H.S. 141's composite scores took a 34-point dive in 2012. The school's 113 test-takers averaged a score of 438 on critical reading, 455 on mathematics and 440 on writing, meaning it was ranked 64th among more than 470 city high schools.

Tulfan Terrace is projected to be completed by March 2013,
nine years after construction began

* Tulfan Terrace apartment project, long delayed, is back on track > Thirty luxury units at Tulfan Terrace, the long-awaited apartment building on Oxford Avenue, may finally hit the real estate market in April next year. A representative from Ox-3620 LLC said the high-rise condo tower remains on track to be completed by March 2013-nine years after construction began. Scaffolding and black safety mesh surrounding the building's facade were torn down earlier this month, revealing a curved wall of windows.
* Boston-based Jewish congregation buys Fieldston Road spy house > A congregation with roots in Chernobyl is planting itself in the shadow of Riverdale's Russian embassy complex. The Talner Congregation Beth Davis relocated to Riverdale from the Boston area last year and purchased 5437 Fieldston Road, the site of a nondescript white house reputed to be an intelligence-gathering venue rather than a residence.
* Co-op board reverses error on canine house rules > A dispute between shareholders and a co-op board over canine guests at 3720 Independence Avenue appears to be resolving after nearly six years. The co-op's board of directors threatened shareholders Rita and Murray Hyman with eviction and terminated their proprietary lease, claiming the couple had breached a house rule about harboring pets. But the fight has concluded, according to board president Bob Moll, who said the case against the Hymans has been dropped and that their proprietary lease would be reinstated shortly.
* Henry Hudson Bridge to lose cash tolls by November > The Henry Hudson Bridge will become entirely cashless within two months, the Riverdale Review has learned. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed it would push ahead with plans to implement all-electronic tolling and remove all means of cash collection by mid-November. The MTA's plan, which was obtained by the Review, was unveiled during a closed private meeting on Thursday, September 20.
* Drivers fight Independence Avenue parking ticket bungle > Local motorists are challenging a series of $60 parking tickets following claims that traffic enforcement officers are unfairly penalizing drivers for parking in front of Riverdale Jewish Center. Department of Transportation crews recently repaved the stretch of Independence Avenue between West 232nd and West 239th streets. However, in the course of putting down new road striping, workers erroneously painted additional lines outside 3700 Independence Avenue to indicate three legal parking spaces. The road markings contradict two signs that bookend the stretch, stating it is a "no parking zone." As a result, drivers who have failed to notice the signs have been slapped with a $60 ticket.
* Bronx unemployment rate still towers over city > The Bronx continues to grapple with high unemployment rates despite a slight decrease in overall unemployment in New York City. The county's jobless rate as of July 2012 stood at 13.9 percent, up from 12.8 percent a year ago, according to a report from CUNY's Labor Market Information Service.

James Downey

* Street renaming sought for James Downey > A slew of sporting and religious organizations have called on city officials to rename a local street in honor of James Downey, a community leader whose passion inspired a generation. The North Riverdale Baseball League, St. Margaret 0f Cortona and the Knights of Columbus Pro-Patria Council have joined forces to lobby for the stretch of Mosholu Avenue between West 254th and West 256th streets to be renamed "James V. Downey Way."
* Timber! Tree limbs coming down on Broadway > North Riverdale residents contacting 311 to report a poorly maintained tree are being told Whalen Avenue is not in the city's records and therefore, does not exist.

Also, in the Bronx Press: 
* Co-op City gives high marks to MTA Metro-North plan > More than 250 Bronx residents, business owners and elected officials piled into a Co-op City Community Center auditorium to hear and respond to a new proposal made by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to expand Metro-North service to the East Bronx. According to officials, the plan would cut average travel time to Manhattan in half, and many Co-op City residents think it's about time.
* Bronx Community College unveils $80 million library > With the gleaming new building as a backdrop, Bronx Community college feted the opening of its North Hall and Library last Friday in a lively ribbon-cutting ceremony.
* Man charged in Bronx Zoo tiger encounter > An Upstate man has been charged with misdemeanor trespassing, after performing a death-defying leap into a tiger enclosure before a crowd of horrified spectators at the Bronx Zoo.

Engel encouraged by falling unemployment numbers

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) said he was encouraged by the better-than-expected unemployment numbers for November, as the rate dropped to 8.6% in the nation, the lowest since March 2009.

In addition to the 120,000 jobs added, an upgrade of the September and October reports accounted for another 52,000 jobs. Engel repeated his call for passage of jobs legislation to boost the economy and get even more Americans back to work.

Last week, however, we reported that unemployment in the Bronx had increased over the past year.

Private payrolls in the country grew by 140,000 jobs in November after increasing by 117,000 in October, according to the recent report by the Department of Labor. This is the 21st consecutive month of private sector job growth. Government employment fell by 20,000 jobs as public payrolls have fallen for the tenth time in the last 11 months. Retail jobs surged in November, adding almost 50,000 jobs. Construction jobs fell slightly, while manufacturing rose. Health care and social assistance jobs rose by almost 20,000, while temporary hiring also increased by over 22,000. Temporary hirings are often seen as a sign of an increase in future permanent hirings.

Engel released a statement rejoicing in the improved numbers and calling for a jobs bill, something he's been blaming the Republicans on because they have refused to work with the other side of the aisle.

“Far too many families are still struggling with long-term unemployment – but it is much nicer to be talking about gaining 140,000 private sector jobs than the hundreds of thousands we lost during the months leading to the end of the Bush Administration. We need to use the positive signs seen this fall as a springboard to facilitate a stronger recovery," Engel said.

“This means setting aside political rancor and sending a bipartisan jobs bill to the President’s desk. The House Republican Majority refuses to work with the Democratic Minority, or the President, to put forth legislation to help create jobs, and instead is fixated on an ideological agenda ahead of helping middle and lower income families.

“It also means extending unemployment insurance for those still struggling to find work. In 75 years, we have never cut off unemployment insurance benefits when the unemployment percentage was so high.  Hardly anyone receiving unemployment benefits chooses to be in this position, but until more jobs are created we must do what is necessary.

“Our economy is gradually making positive strides, in spite of Republican opposition to any effort to strengthen it. Imagine what we could do if they’d join our efforts to pass the American Jobs Act – or similar legislation. Let’s finally work together, and produce a jobs bill which helps the unemployed and aids employers at the same time.”

Burlington Coat Factory's Gateway Mall store is now hiring 200 people

With news of unemployment dropping throughout the country in the month of November, it looks like Burlington Coat Factory will be helping those numbers improve in December. The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp. said about 200 positions need to be filled.

Burlington Coat Factory hiring in the Bronx

Unemployment in the Bronx three times higher than in Manhattan

Last week, City Comptroller John Liu released data highlighting the disparities in education, race, age and borough throughout the city. Most alarming to Liu is the difference between unemployment between the Bronx and Manhattan.

By borough, the unemployment rate in Manhattan has fallen to 4.7 percent, while in the Bronx it is nearly three times as high at 13.6 percent.

	3Q09	3Q10	3Q11
Bronx	17.8%	17.4%	13.6%
Brooklyn	8.9%	9.1%	11.2%
Manhattan	8.5%	7.1%	4.7%
Queens	11.8%	8.3%	7.2%
Staten Island	4.6%	8.6%	7.1%

While the Bronx has seen unemployment drop over 25 percent since 2009, the fact that it is still nine points higher than Manhattan is troublesome.

“Jobs are vital to everyone regardless of race, age, or zip code. Persistent inequities in unemployment threaten the economic health of the City as a whole,” Liu said. “It’s important that the City economy works for everyone, so the crisis like the one we’ve seen doesn’t happen again. Growth that is unequal, jobs that don’t pay, and gaps in educational achievement and infrastructure investment will only create an unequal playing field and, worse, conditions for another downturn.”

The breakdown was designed to help provide policymakers with a snapshot of areas of persistent unemployment. Even as the city’s overall unemployment rate declined year-on-year – to 8.7 percent in the third quarter of 2011 from 9.5 percent in the same quarter of 2010, and 10.7 percent in 2009 – stubborn disparities are evident.

Jump below for the rest of the statistics, including unemployment broken down by race, age and education levels.

Engel blasts Republicans for lack of jobs bill

Rep. Engel is fighting for a jobs bill.

Rep. Eliot Engel sent out a statement today blasting the Republican House Majority because they have yet to fulfill a promise to produce a jobs bill.

"Instead of putting the resources of the federal government to help the recovery and put more people back to work, the Republican agenda has focused more on repealing the Affordable Care Act, and eliminating the thousands of jobs connected to it.  Worst of all, they passed their FY 2012 budget, which eliminates Medicare and Medicaid as we know it. It seems the Republicans not only do not want to help get people back to work, they want to take away their health care too!" said Engel (D-NY-17), who represents parts of Bronx, Westchester and Rockland counties.

Economically, the counties he represents are vastly different. Rockland and Westchester are around 6.8% unemployment, while the Bronx has been in the double digits for a long time. Engel's office said the Department of Labor's most recent listing for Bronx unemployment was at 11.5%.

President Barack Obama also released a statement about the slow job growth, and while he didn't make any direct references to a jobs bill, he did call on Congress as a whole to step up and begin passing bills that will increase jobs.

"Today’s job report confirms what most Americans already know: We still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to give people the security and opportunity that they deserve. We’ve added more than two million new private sector jobs over the past 16 months, but the recession cost us more than eight million. And that means that we still have a big hole to fill.

"There are bills and trade agreements before Congress right now that could get all these ideas moving," he said about bills that would increase the sale of American-made goods and services to Asia and South America. "All of them have bipartisan support. All of them could pass immediately. And I urge Congress not to wait. The American people need us to do everything we can to help strengthen this economy and make sure that we are producing more jobs. "

Check out the full release by Rep. Engel after the jump.