Bronx Voice - January 25, 2023

Thug beats autistic man, steals his lunch

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said, “The defendant, in the process of robbing the victim, punched him more than 20 times in the face. This was a vicious attack and a traumatic experience for the victim, who is autistic and unable to communicate. His vision continues to be affected and he still suffers the lasting psychological effects of this assault.”

Clark said the defendant, Steven Solano, 25, was sentenced by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Margaret Clancy to six years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The People had requested eight years in prison. The defendant was found guilty of second-degree Robbery on December 14, 2023, after a jury trial. According to the investi-

gation, on May 1, 2019, at approximately 4:00 p.m., the defendant and others chased the 20-year-old victim, who is autistic and non-verbal, into the lobby of the victim’s apartment building. Solano punched the victim over 20 times and continued to hit him while he was on the ground. The defendant and the others stole the victim’s backpack, which contained his lunch and keys, and fled the scene. The victim suffered facial bruising, swelling, cuts and bleeding from

his eyes. He was taken to a local Bronx hospital for his injuries. The attack was captured

on

A Bronx man was convicted of brutally beating a 20-year-old autistic man who is non verbal.

surveillance video and investigators found the victim’s blood on Solano’s shoes.

File Photo

‘Bloody’ mystery in death of homeless man on Christmas Day

By David Greene

Police are currently waiting for a medical examiner's report to determine a homeless man's cause of death after one witness claimed to have witnessed a "bloody" scene in a 4th-floor hallway in the University Heights building.

On January 1, an unnamed NYPD official confirmed the death, telling the Bronx Voice that police officers responding to a call to 911 at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Day, and discovered a man "unconscious" inside a building in the area of Andrews Avenue and West Fordham Road.

Providing few details, the police offi cial said, "Upon arrival offi cers observed a 40-year-old male unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced him deceased on scene." The official added that the New York City’s Offi ce of the City's Medical Examiner will determine the exact cause of death.

The offi cial identifi ed the victim as Sameth Mao, whom police described as a 40-year-old homeless male.

The female witness and visitor to the building, who declined to be identifi ed, who also alerted the Bronx Voice to the man's death, stated

that the man was found in a closed off portion of the 4thfl oor hallway at 2341 Andrews Avenue at West Fordham Road.

On New Year's Day January 1, the witness, who was visiting family members over the Christmas holiday, recalled, "On the 25th a man came down and told my uncle that a young man was bloody. Well there was blood everywhere and he didn't know if (the man) was dead or alive.”

The witness recalled how her uncle called EMS and both she and her uncle had both escorted teams of paramedics to the 4th-fl oor.

"As soon as we reached the 4th-fl oor and turned to where the blood was, we saw a young man dead, he was in his boxers and there was blood everywhere.”

Having moved from her family home, the witness continued, "I come visit here, you know because my family lives in the building and

he's homeless and everyone knows him around the area.”

Recalling seeing the man a day earlier, the witness continued, "I gave him $5 the day before and told him 'Merry Christmas' and he said he was going to get a coffee and he was so happy and the next day, the 25th that happened... and we found him dead in his boxers.”

The witness said of Mao, "He was known. He was a very quiet man; he didn't get into trouble with anybody." She added that the super would allow Mao to sleep in what she described as a closed off cubicle, where he was discovered. She also noted that temperatures outside dipped that night to about 20 degrees.

The witness then stated,

"This is my block, I just felt the need, nobody deserves to die without love or concern. You know I gave him fi ve dollars the day before and the next day to fi nd him, you know deceased, it took a toll on my heart." She added, "It wasn't like a murder, they really don't know what happened, we're still waiting for the autopsy to fi nd out what really happened.”

The witness concluded, "That room looked like a murder scene, and we really want to know what happened because he was in our community for a very long time." She added, "We feel love and we mourn" Mao.

During a visit to the building, the super denied having ever allowed anyone to sleep in the building's hallway.

Police were called to 2341 Andrews Avenue in University Heights on Christmas day after a homeless man was found dead in the building's hallway.

Photo by David Greene

Dollar store shopper threatened mom, kid with knife

By David Greene

One shopper was injured, and another was taken away in handcuffs after a violent scuffle inside a Parkchester Dollar Tree store.

According to police officials, officers from the 43rd Precinct were called to the Dollar Tree store located at 2026

Westchester Avenue at 12:10 p.m. on January 11. One unnamed police official told the Bronx

Voice, "It was reported to police that a 29-yearold female was in a verbal dispute with the defendant who pulled out a knife threatening the victim and her daughter.”

The police official continued, "The defendant then threw soda bottles at her striking her on the left side of her face causing pain and abrasions.”

The official noted that

the unidentified victim was not seriously injured and declined medical treatment.

Police then arrested Tochia Cooper, 41, of Elder Avenue in Soundview, who was charged with assault and menacing.

On January 21, a manager at the Dollar Tree store declined to speak about the incident and directed questions to

the corporate offices of Dollar Tree. Several attempts were made to reach the corporate office seeking comment by telephone and email but were unsuccessful.

The unidentified Dollar Tree manager confirmed that the store does not employ a security guard and confirmed that a video of the incident was given to the NYPD.

One customer was injured and another was charged with assault after a dispute at the Dollar Tree store on Westchester Avenue in Parkchester.

Instructors at Fordham University threaten to strike

This article was originally published by THE CITY

By Jonathan Custodio, The City

Hundreds of adjunct lecturers and non-tenure track faculty are set to strike on Jan. 30 if Fordham University does not meet their demands for higher pay, departmental wage parity and stronger health benefits.

Adjunct instructors at the Jesuit university earn a base pay of $7,000 per course, a wage that the unions Fordham Faculty United and SEIU Local 200 United fought for in their first contract with the administration in 2018. That expired in June 2021.

In late December, FFU and SEIU Local 200 United, which represent the university’s adjuncts and non-tenure track faculty, announced the strike date if the university doesn’t meet the union’s call for base pay of at least $8,500 per course, and for pay parity for adjuncts in the social services and religion departments who are paid less than $5,000 per course.

Last week, FFU authorized a strike after achieving support from 90 percent of the members who voted. That vote was first reported by The Fordham Ram, which

has covered the contract negotiations extensively.

“We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to get a fair contract,” FFU co-chair and adjunct instructor of anthropology Diane George told THE CITY, noting that the union is putting together a strike fund. “At this point, we believe strongly that the administration is not going to meet our demands at the bargaining table and those demands are absolutely reasonable and fair. We know our value. We care about our students and we can only serve our students properly and fully if we aren’t worried about our bills, if we aren’t sick and can’t get health care.”

The university and the union have been negotiating since March, and agreed to federal mediation in early December, according to George and SEIU Local 200

union spokesperson Chris Machanoff.

Machanoff told THE CITY the university’s latest offer — for $8,200 per course phased in over three years, but without pay parity for the adjuncts in departments making less or any support for health insurance — wasn’t enough.

“If the administration comes up with a serious proposal serving the needs of Fordham’s 600+ non tenure track faculty then we would be hopeful — so far that has not happened,” Machanoff emailed. “We’re willing to continue to hold discussions with the Fordham administration just like we have since March 2022.”

‘How to Exploit Labor’ Fordham University, founded in 1841, has an enrollment of 16,986 students taught by 747 full-time instructors, 456 of whom are tenured, according to its website. The university has a $1 billion endowment, and an undergraduate tuition of $54,730.

The university, with a 85acre main campus in The Bronx and satellite campuses at Lincoln Center in Manhattan and in Westchester, currently pays adjuncts well below the Modern Language Association’s minimum rec-

ommended compensation of $11,500 per course. That figure does not factor in the regional cost of living, which is considerably higher in New York City than the national average. The figure is also based on a three course per semester load, while Fordham limits adjuncts to no more than two courses per semester, according to George.

George said the 600-some members of FFU and SEIU Local 200 United teach roughly 1,500 courses per semester, including many of the university’s required entry-level classes.

At least 12 departments, including English, African and African American Studies, and Biology have sent the administration letters in support of the union’s demands.

A letter of support signed by the chairperson and five other full and associate professors of the Natural Sciences Department noted that adjuncts “were responsible for [about] 50% of the classes we offered, an inordinately high percentage” and one that’s increased in recent years.

Fordham spokesperson Bob Howe directed THE CITY to a statement by university President Tania Tetlow made on Nov. 18, in

which she said the university has to work in an “academic marketplace” that relies heavily on adjunct faculty, that inflation is affecting the institution’s expenses, and that it is not as “privileged” as schools like Columbia University and New York University in its ability to offer compensation.

“We have so much respect and empathy for our adjunct faculty, and we’re working hard to make a difficult situation better. Like so much else, higher education in this country has become increasingly divided. Universities invested in research by gradually reducing the teaching load of tenure-track faculty. As a result, none but the wealthiest schools could then afford to hire enough tenure-track faculty to cover the curriculum with reduced teaching loads. Instead, most universities have increasingly relied on adjunct faculty to teach, creating a divided and difficult academic marketplace,” said Tetlow.

“Fordham has no choice but to function in that academic marketplace, however, and to stretch our compensation budget across the increasingly divided markets of our employees. … We

Bronx to get EV charging station

Revel, a Brooklyn-based electric mobility and infrastructure company, announced it is developing and opening the first-ever public, universally accessible electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station in The Bronx.

Revel’s Bronx Superhub will be located in Port Morris in the South Bronx, a neighborhood that has historically reported some of the highest asthma rates in the country, and will be equipped with 30 fast charging stalls.

“The Bronx refuses to be left behind in the transition to electric vehicles.

As new congestion pricing proposals threaten to divert more traffic through our community, which already suffers from the nation’s highest asthma rates, we need to electrify our streets today and clean up the air we breathe,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15).

“The addition of the first public fast charging station in the borough in Port Morris is an important step in the right direction toward a cleaner and greener city. Alongside the coming Hunts Point electric freight hub, the Bronx’s EV future is quickly becoming reality.”

The Bronx Superhub is part of a larger expansion of Revel’s fast charging network announced today. The company is developing and opening a total of five new EV fast charging Superhubs in New York City, adding 136 public charging stalls to New York’s EV infrastructure landscape.

Like Revel’s flagship Superhub in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, the five new sites will be open 24/7 and accessible to any brand of EV. The sites will be equipped with ultrafast charging capable of charging an EV in 10-20 minutes.

Revel’s five new Superhubs are:

• 30 stalls in Port Morris, The Bronx

• 60 stalls in Maspeth, Queens

• 20 stalls in Red Hook, Brooklyn

• 16 stalls at the historic Dime building in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn

• 10 stalls at Pier 36 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan

All of the sites will be open to the public by the end of 2023.

According to Plugshare, there are currently 71 fast charging stalls across the five boroughs that are public and universally accessible (equipped with Combined Charging System [CCS] plugs). There are currently zero public fast charging stalls anywhere

in The Bronx. Adding 136 new fast charging stalls will bring Revel’s network to over 160 stalls, and the company will operate roughly 80% of New York City’s public fast charging infrastructure.

“The only way mass EV adoption will ever happen in New York City is if the charging infrastructure is there to support it,” said Revel CEO & Co-Founder Frank Reig. “We need high-volume, public sites in the neighborhoods where people actually live and work, and that’s exactly what Revel is delivering with our growing Superhub network. This is the biggest fast charging expansion our city has ever seen, and it’s a huge step toward making our EV transition a reality.”

Instructors at Fordham threaten strike

are working hard to increase compensation for our adjunct faculty within our very real financial limitations.”

In an email, Howe added that the university is hopeful an agreement will be reached following the university’s most recent offer last week.

The threat of an adjunct strike at Fordham comes just after adjunct instructors at The New School in Manhattan, represented by ACT-UAW Local 7902, went on strike for three weeks at the end of the fall semester. The school resorted to an all-remote catalog that featured podcast episodes and readings, before agreeing to a 36% wage increase over

five years that would still top out at $7,820 per course.

During the strike, The New School administration required full-time faculty to submit paperwork documenting that they were holding classes as usual during the strike, as parents threatened to sue the university.

For Alex Robins, a part-time adjunct instructor in fashion studies at The New School and part of the union’s executive committee, Fordham’s looming strike is another example of worn-down workers rising up to fight an academic system that takes advantage of adjuncts. Many such instructors often have to teach at multiple schools across the city and re-

gion to make ends meet.

“It’s all one unified system of exploitation,” Robins said. “So many adjuncts will teach at multiple schools. And so many of the management groups are receiving the same [worthless] recommendation from consultants on how to exploit labor.”

A New Semester

FFU and SEIU Local 200 United are also negotiating for stronger health benefits. Members currently only have access to what is called a bronze plan that the university contributes nothing towards, according to George, the Fordham adjunct.

The university did not address a question from THE CITY asking how much it con-

tributes to health insurance. In her Nov. 18 statement, Tetlow said Fordham was focusing its offer on wages “because of the extraordinary expense of paying for health care for our part-time adjuncts (an average of $26,000 per employee).”

George said students are often surprised to learn that she lacks health insurance.

“When I tell my students that I don’t have health insurance, they are shocked,” she said.

Assoc. Prof. Alma Rodenas-Ruano, who signed the Natural Sciences Department’s letter supporting union demands, didn’t know how the beginning of a semester would go, if adjuncts and other non-tenture track faculty are

not at work.

“I really don’t have a plan, to be honest,” Rodenas-Ruano said.

She received tenure in May after being at the university since 2015, following previous work as an adjunct at Pace University and Bronx Community College. She said that “students will suffer because they come here to learn,” if an agreement is not reached immediately.

“A considerable amount of courses are taught by adjuncts. That is a void that is very difficult to fill,” Rodenas-Ruano said.

THE CITY is an independent, nonprofit news outlet dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

Mayor Adams’ preliminary budget

By Mayor Eric Adams Community Op-Ed

This is the city that our responsible and focused Fiscal Year 2024 Preliminary Budget continues to make possible.

Since Day One, fiscal discipline has been the hallmark of this administration. We are focused on governing efficiently and getting results. Over the past year, we have made our city safer and continued our economic recovery. We have funded and will continue to support programs that benefit everyday New Yorkers — including public safety, affordable housing, and clean streets.

It can be tempting to add a bunch of new spending, and certainly there are many who will call for us to spend beyond our means. But we can’t put the future of our city at risk by overextending ourselves today. It will just force deeper cuts and

greater pain down the line. With lower tax revenues, rising health care costs, and the continuing crisis of asylum seekers being bused into New York City, we must proceed with caution and clarity. And thanks to strong fiscal management, we were able to save $3 billion over this fiscal year and the next. And we accomplished this without laying off a single employee or reducing services, especially when it comes to the NYPD and public safety.

I am proud that, despite the many challenges I’ve mentioned, our budget protects funding for the transformative programs we’ve rolled out over the past year, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, which directly benefits working families, the largest summer jobs program in City history, and violence prevention programs

for communities most affected by the epidemic of gun violence. And we’re not waiting any longer to invest in the housing our city needs, starting in Willets Point, where we will transform the neighborhood with thousands of units of affordable housing and a world-class soccer stadium.

In addition, we have continued to invest in our students and schools. This includes more resources for students with disabilities, literacy and dyslexia screenings, summer enrichment, healthy food, career pathways, and the gifted and talented programs. Even with federal stimulus money running out, we’ve kept per student funding at a higher level

than before the pandemic, adding an additional $80 million to that funding pool for Fiscal Year 2024. This keeps the total at $160 million for another academic year. We were also able to increase the capital funding our city uses to build and maintain the infrastructure we all rely on, including affordable housing, health care facilities, parks and other public spaces.

And as every New Yorker knows, it’s important to be prepared for change. Whether it’s new labor contracts, asylum seeker costs, or the next unexpected event—the bills will come due.

That’s why this Preliminary Budget maintains reserves at a record

$8.3 billion, an amount that will allow us to respond effectively to any unforeseen events. Our disciplined and effi cient budget keeps us safe and allows us to continue to provide the essential services New Yorkers rely on.

This is just the beginning of a process, and we look forward to working with our communities and our Council colleagues on the final budget. There may be those who say that we should do things differently, that we should extend ourselves further, save less and spend more. But as mayor, the buck stops with me. It is my responsibility to keep our city strong and resilient, prepared for whatever lies ahead.

Every year, the Mayor presents a budget to the people of New York City. This budget is about much more than what we are spending and what we are spending it on. It is a statement of values and a declaration of purpose: Creating a safer, more prosperous and equitable city for all.

Health Matters

Getting to know community health workers

By Renee Whiskey-LaLanne, MPH, MCHES, AE-C , Director of Community Partnerships, Community Health Systems Lab, Department of Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine

In communities across the world there are naturally occurring networks of socially connected people that form. Over time, an individual or local group begins to emerge who others seek and trust for information when required. These networks are usually birthed from shared understanding, shared lived experience and endorsement of that person or organization by others who influential community members trust.

Think of your healthcare team and imagine knowing that someone intimately involved in your care is just that, a trusted member of the community who has a unique understanding and appreciation of your individual challenges. Someone whose resourcefulness and training can connect you to the services you most need and potentially can resolve issues that you didn’t realize you even had. That is a Community Health Worker!

Known by many titles, Community Health Workers (CHWs) are local, trusted experts whose guidance often span challenges relevant to what we call social determinants of health – the conditions that people are born into, work and live in like housing, trans-

portation and education, which in turn impact health outcomes.

Maybe you need to know where you can get help with money to pay for food or medicine; where to find a safe, stable or affordable place to live; or where to find employment. These all represent the types of challenges that CHWs have experience with. Serving on the frontlines of health and social service agencies, the role of these people are to help address challenges in accessing needed resources, often filling a vital information void, and one that other sectors have limited time or expertise to address.

Although there is a 300 year history of CHW existence across the globe, the resurgence of this role and recognition of the value of these in-

dividuals in major urban cities like New York, highlights how effective CHWs are at bridging gaps between health and social services.

While New York consists of resource rich communities, many New Yorkers, particularly here in the Bronx, face significant barriers in accessing and sustaining these resources. While COVID-19 placed a spotlight on many of the challenges certain members of our community face like accessing healthy food, paying bills like rent and utilities, maintaining employment, etc., these challenges were present before March 2020 and have only intensified over the past two years.

From April through October 2020, city surveys revealed that 70% of New Yorkers’ ability to get food were impacted by increased prices. 45% of

New Yorkers reported less income and 20% reported inability to buy groceries due to lack of money. As we have begun to stabilize from the devastating effects of COVID-19, some of the safety net programs put in place to help communities adjust, like the eviction moratorium, have expired, leaving New Yorkers to make difficult decisions about how to prioritize their already limited budgets.

Closer to home, Montefiore has published research on known challenges like inadequate healthcare transportation, which we found is strongly associated with chronic health conditions like diabetes.

While more work needs to be done to address each of the most pressing issues in our community, the first step is informing people through

articles like these that CHWs exist and are here to help. As a former CHW myself, there is no work that is more significant than advocating for our community, helping people feel empowered and giving voices to some who seldom feel heard.

As more CHWs become present throughout our healthcare system, we’ll have more individuals who are specifically trained to navigate the healthcare system, people who speak the many languages heard throughout our vibrant community – and people who have in most cases have their own experience navigating some of these same situations.

One step at a time, our mission is to ensure Bronx residents understand what’s available to them. I look forward to sharing more in the near future.

MHHC cultivates health, happiness in the Bronx

By Kayla Mercedes Lee

According to a study from Harvard Medical School, there is a correlation between health and happiness. Feelings of positivity and happiness can lower stress levels, which can potentially decrease your risk of developing health problems. Happiness cannot be achieved without health, and wellness cannot be achieved without health. To be happy, it is essential to create a sustainable lifestyle that includes healthy habits and activities that are enjoyable and complementary to YOU!

MHHC’s 7 Ways to Achieve Happiness through Healthiness in 2023

Eat Well

Integrate fresh vegetables and fruit into your diet. Incorporate whole foods into your meals when you’re cooking for you and your family!

You can visit MHHC’s Fresh Food Farmstand to pick up fresh produce every Wednesday from 11am-3pm on the corner of W Burnside Ave and W 179th St. The farmstand accepts WIC, SNAP, EBT, cash, and card.

MHHC also offers nutrition focused workshops that provide educational demos on how to prepare healthy meals.

Exercise

Practice a sport, dance, go to the gym, go for a run, or take a walk. Visit your local YMCA and attend group classes, swim, or exercise.

MHHC partners with the

La Central YMCA and the Northeast Bronx YMCA to hold events related to fitness and exercise.

Reduce Stress Meditate, do yoga, perform breathing exercises, or practice mindfulness to lower levels of cortisol. Yoga classes may be available at your local gym, community center, or YMCA.

Other ways to relieve stress are to do activities that require full focus, these are called flow activities. Besides yoga, this can be taichi, dance class, playing an instrument, playing a sport, painting, drawing, or reading a book.

Rest

Getting sufficient sleep is essential for cell regeneration and a strong immune system. Getting adequate amounts of sleep every night leads to a longer life and lowers your chance of developing certain

health conditions. Sleeping enough hours every night keeps your heart and brain healthy, improves memory, and lessens irritability.

Learn

The world is your classroom and learning is a lifelong activity. It is important to stimulate your brain to prevent neurological issues and brain related diseases.

Take the time to visit your local NY Public Library and check out a book about a subject that is interesting to you! Now more than ever it is so easy to access books and other publications through NYPL’s Grab & Go and Scan & Deliver programs. You can also visit a museum nearby such as the Museum of Bronx History and Historical Society. A NYPL card can give you access to museums all over NYC!

Connect

Attend community events to connect with your fellow neighbors, learn about small local businesses, and learn more about MHHC and its partner organizations!

MHHC offers healthcare screenings, giveaways, fun activities, raffles, entertainment, educational resources, classes, and health and wellness focused demos and

workshops at its various community events.

Go Outdoors

Take a walk in your neighborhood at one of your local parks. The Bronx is home to many parks as well as the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden, where you can enjoy an educational walk— learning and being active simultaneously. The Bronx is also home to NYC’s third largest park, Van Cortlandt Park, where you can go for a walk, run, bike ride, or even horse back riding.

MHHC’s role as a staple for health in the community it serves is a crucial part of the mission to make the Bronx a healthier and happier place to live. The healthcare organization not only provides accessible, high-quality healthcare to all, but also the resources necessary to live a healthier life. MHHC prioritizes community engagement through its community outreach events where MHHC’s mission comes to life and hope for a brighter future is created for all.

2022 was a fulfilling year for MHHC as it created new partnerships and initiatives such as the Fresh Food Farmstand with GrowNYC and the Curb Your Craving for Sugar campaign designed to provide access to nutritional foods and education.

MHHC is hoping to further its reach in 2023 with the development of new health focused

initiatives in the form of events and workshops that cover a variety of topics such as nutrition, physical activity, and healthcare in exciting and innovative ways. One of the new initiatives is MHHC as the “Healthy Destination” of the community. “Eat Well” is the Meal Prep Nutrition Series of the “Healthy Destination” concept. It focuses on supporting health and wellness through nutrition education. The events feature a Bronx-based nutritionist that performs healthy recipe demos for the community. The next “Eat Well” session will take place at on February 15th at the La Central YMCA.

MHHC is proud to partner with the La Central Y for its “Eat Well” series as well as for events that promote physical activities such as exercise, swimming, and group classes. On January 25th, MHHC is having a “New Year, New Me” event with the La Central Y to motivate the community to get active and healthy together!

All of MHHC's community events aim to help our community members create healthier habits for a happier new year and future. Event registration and details are available on MHHC’s Instagram @mhhc_inc – follow us to stay up to date with upcoming events and happenings in the community!

Culinary Road

By Morris Gut

Where to hold your event in 2023

We’re always on the lookout for venues to hold that special event and be well catered to. Here are suggestions in the greater Bronx/ Westchester area…

MANSION ON BROADWAY, 139 North Broadway, White Plains 914-949-6900

Housed in an historic building in the heart of Westchester County, just off the Cross Westchester Expressway, loaded with the charm of a bygone era! It has undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation and refurbishing, and it is operated by a creative culinary team ready to make your special event most memorable. Dynamic proprietor Michael Pasqualini has restored the Mansion to its original glory. A bar/lounge is available. Whether you are planning a corporate meeting, any kind of event for up to 200 guests, Michael Pasqualini invites you to a tour and taste of the premises by advanced reservation. Recently, Pasqualini collaborated with celebrity chef Todd English as exclusive caterers for Blade, a private jet company working out of Westchester County airport. Ample parking. www.mansiononbroadway.com

CONSTELLATION DINING

PAVILLIONS at NYBG!

Ever since restaurant rock star Stephen Starr took over the catering and food service concessions at New York Botanical Garden, now known as Constellation Culinary Group, hungry visitors have been taking note. They operate themed Dining

Pavilions throughout the park and near the Enid Haupt Pavilion: the casual Pine Tree Café and a more formal dining room with waiter service called Hudson Garden Grill serving an eclectic American menu with locally sourced ingredients. Outdoor patio seating in season. Check it out online: www.nybg. org/visit/dining/ MARIO’S RESTAURANT 2342 Arthur Ave., Bronx 718-584-1188

Since 1919 five generations of the Migliucci family have been working the front and back-ofthe-house making sure patrons are well served. Proprietor Regina Migliucci has been doing a fine job welcoming her many guests. This restaurant has a landmark 100-plus year history full of colorful chapters. Step inside and you are transported to the ‘old world’. To many, the flavorful sauces and dishes produced in Chef Massimo’s kitchen are the stuff of Italian ‘foodie heaven’. Enjoy their signature marinated carrots as a starter, delicious Spiedini, Hot Antipasto for 2 or more, your favorite Parm, Osso Buco, or Braciole. Private party facilities. Free parking lot valet service. www. mariosarthurave.org

MULINO’S AT LAKE ISLE

660 White Plains Road, Eastchester 914-961-7800

From the same well-heeled crew that has been serving patrons at Mulino’s of Westchester in White Plains for the past 30 years comes Mulino’s at Lake Isle, a major state of the art multi-sectioned catering facility that underwent a multi-mil-

lion-dollar renovation on the grounds of Lake Isle Country Club. Louis Gigante, proprietor of Mulino’s Restaurant, and Louis Gigante Jr. are in charge. When operating at full throttle Mulino’s at Lake Isle can accommodate up to 300 guests for all types of catered events and functions. Gigante, their contemporary a la carte restaurant, is serving daily. Splashy bar/ lounge. www.giganterestaurant. com

MAMMA FRANCESCA

414 Pelham Road, New Rochelle 914-636-1229

When Nick DiCostanzo was growing up on the Island of Ischia on the Coast of Naples in Italy, his earliest memories where of the simple seaside meals he would enjoy with his family, farm-to-table and of course seato-table. As proprietor of Mamma Francesca for nearly 40 years, located on the banks of Long Island Sound with 6-story views of the ‘Queen City’s’ seafaring boat clubs, this culinary philosophy still holds true, albeit with a sprinkling of contemporary taste. There are private and semi-private party facilities for up to 100 guests and catering packages to suit your needs. Robust Italian/American specialties include fresh Manicotti, Calamari Fritti, Ischia Salad, Chicken Parmigiana, Misto Frutti di Mare. Rabbit Cacciatore, too. Daily Happy Hours. Off-premises catering. Woodburning pizza oven. Free parking. www.mammafrancesca.com

JACK’S BAR, 219 Main St., Eastchester 914-652-7650

A hotspot in southern Westchester. Owner Shane Clifford

and his friendly crew have delicious finger foods and generous main courses coming out of Chef Brendan Donohoe’s modern Irish-American kitchen. Great Burgers; decadent Short Rib Mac N’ Cheese; Jack’s Meatballs; Seared Scallops; Chicken Curry; Shroom Pizza out of their woodfired oven; Berkshire Pork Chop; and Grilled Lamb Sliders. Their hearty full Irish Breakfast at brunch is a winner. Semi-private party area. Open 7 days for lunch, dinner & weekend brunch. Full take-out. www. jackseastchester.com

ARTIE’S STEAK & SEAFOOD, 394 City Island Ave., Bronx 718-885-9885

There are three dining rooms, each with its own atmosphere, along with a bustling bar/ lounge. Private parties and meetings for up to 75 guests. ArtEvents, their off-premises catering arm, can help you create a special function right in your home or office. Owner Spiro Chagares and his staff offer patrons an inspired melding of traditional and contemporary dishes served with flair. Sit back in one of several dining areas and enjoy such changing

specialties as: hearty Seafood Chowders; Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups; Wood Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Scallops; hunks of tender Short Rib; a massive Zuppa Di Pesce; tender Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb; Chardonnay Poached Salmon with seafood; and fresh Lobster prepared in a variety of styles. Craft beers. Free parking. www. artiescityisland.com

NYC WINTER RESTAURANT WEEK RUNS THRU

FEB. 12!

For those seeking winter bites in the around the Big Apple, hundreds of participating restaurants in all 5 boroughs will be offering 2 & 3-course prix fixe lunches and dinners at $30, $45 and $60 price points. Each restaurant will set their own menu for the duration of the event. There are caveats, so patrons are advised to check ahead regarding menus, dates and serving times.

For the full list and more info: www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek/.

(Morris Gut is a restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in the Bronx and Westchester for over 30 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net)