Winner of Vol. 72, No. 4
What’s inside?
the Pulitzer Prize
Thursday, March 4, 2021
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NURSING HOME DEATHS
Biaggi wants answers from Cuomo
n State lawmakers introduce bills to strip governor of his emergency pandemic powers By ETHAN STARK-MILLER estarkmiller@riverdalepress.com
Zoom in to read Pediatricians help their young patients outside the office with a prescription of a good book. Page A3
This time last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo could seemingly do no wrong. The coronavirus was rapidly spreading around the country, and New York had become the epicenter of the pandemic. It didn’t help there was a leadership void at the highest level as the Trump administration publicly downplayed the severity of the crisis. In all of this chaos and uncertainty, Cuomo provided a powerful counterweight. With his daily news conferences, the governor presented the image of a competent leader driven by data and science who understood the danger of the virus, and was actively fighting it. It provided a sense of calm and comfort to people not only in New York, but across the country. A year later, however, major cracks in Cuomo’s shiny image are starting to show. In recent days, the governor has been hit with at least two allegations of sexual harassment from former members of his administration team. But even before those women stepped forward, Cuomo was under fire for allegedly hiding data on coronavirus deaths in nursing homes.
The smoking gun?
Wellness writing Author finds way to cut through the anxieties of a pandemic with novel inspiring us to ‘Continue Breathing.’ Page A7
State Attorney General Letitia James unveiled a report last month showing COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes may have
Courtesy of Darren McGee/Office of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo
Courtesy of NYS Senate Media Services
Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a directive last year that nursing homes must take back coronavirus-positive patients from hospitals because of the limited number of hospital beds available in the wake of the pandemic. Claims Cuomo may have under-reported the number of deaths in nursing homes have fueled efforts by those like state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi to strip the governor of his emergency pandemic powers and a full investigation into what happened last year. been 50 percent higher than what Cuomo originally released. More than 15,000 people have died from the coronavirus in New York’s nursing homes to date. Soon after, news reports surfaced that Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo’s top aide, admitted to Democratic lawmakers the administration hid the full nursing home death toll as a way to prevent Trump’s Justice
Department from opening what she said was a politically motivated investigation into the state. All of this has been more than enough for state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a regular Cuomo critic. She didn’t hesitate to call out the governor over the nursing home data, and introduced legislation she said would hold Cuomo accountable while addressing
other underlying problems within nursing homes. “There are things that the governor has done well, and then there are things that the governor failed at,” Biaggi said. “And the nursing home scandal is something that he failed at. He and his administration kept those numbers of deaths from CUOMO, page A4
Sex work: Is it up next for the state agenda? n More of a state issue, but candidates for city council offer their two cents By ROSE BRENNAN & ETHAN STARK-MILLER of The Riverdale Press
Class of the lost They’ve waited a year, yet all these graduates will get is the same online ceremony they could’ve had last year. Page A9
When people talk sex work, many immediately think of the world’s oldest profession. Yet prostitution is just one part of a much larger industry that includes exotic dancers and adult film actors. Among the many differences between the two sides, the biggest is probably the most important: Prostitution remains illegal. It’s seemingly the final frontier in society’s full acceptance of sex work. And because no laws appear capable of making this at times dangerous profession go away, some advocates believe it’s time to decriminalize or even legalize prostitution once and for all. But even among those seeking to change how laws approach prostitution, the divide between legalization and deJARED criminalization remains deep. TRUJILLO There’s a clear difference between the two, says Jared Trujillo. He’s an attorney with the Legal Aid Society who works with DecrimNY, a coalition of advocacy groups fighting the stigmatization of those in the sex trade while working to not only decriminalize the industry, but to reduce — if not outright eliminate — the number of people in jail because of it. Decriminalization is just the removal of criminal penalties for prostitution, Trujillo said, while legalization would SEX WORK, page A4
Courtesy of DecrimNY
There’s been a lot of debate surrounding sex work in New York over the past few years — whether among the local city council candidates or lawmakers up in Albany. Some, like sex work advocacy group DecrimNY, argue the practice should be decriminalized, while others think it should be fully legal and subject to government regulation.
Special election then primary creates a ‘double-marathon’ n City council candidates face both financial and logistical challenges in the coming weeks and months By ETHAN STARK-MILLER estarkmiller@riverdalepress.com
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
Doug Muzzio, a political science professor at Baruch College, thinks the winner of the March 23 city council special election will have an advantage in the June primary. Being the incumbent could make it much easier to raise money from scratch in the primary, a challenge all of the special election candidates will face.
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Most would say running in just one election is tough. Even at the local level, candidates need to raise and spend tens of thousands of dollars to get their message out to voters. In addition to money, time, manpower and a lot of conviction are required to win. If it takes all of this to campaign in one election, then it’s not a stretch to say that running in another
immediately after is an almost Herculean challenge. But this is the challenge many of the candidates running to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council face. Whoever wins the March 23 special election will only serve out the remainder of Cohen’s term — about nine months — and will have to win the Democratic primary in June in order to hold the seat for the next two years. The winner of the Democratic primary in this part of the Bronx is almost assured a general election win in November because, well, the borough is solidly blue ideologically.
Earning home court advantage
The primary is set June 22, only about three months after the March special election. The proxELECTION MARATHON, page A4
A2 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021
POLiCe beaT
InsIde
By ETHAN STARK-MILLER
Could a Dog Pick the Next 11th District City Council Member? By Julie Hyman, Esq.
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HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
Fill ‘er up, hand over cash drawer Many stop by a gas station late at night to top off their gas tank or maybe buy a snack. But there are a select few who take advantage of those generous late-night hours to rob the joint. Unfortunately, the latter was the case for the Sunoco at 5914 Riverdale Ave., on Feb. 21. The victim — the employee behind the cash register — told authorities that, close to midnight, four men hopped over the counter, surrounding him in a threatening way. The thieves took $1,500 from the cash register as well as the employee’s iPhone 11, police said. They ran off toward West 260th Street. Police have some leads thanks to some cameras in and around the store. They also have a description of the alleged perp who took the cash from the drawer, saying he’s a Black man, around 25, weighing 140 pounds.
Careful who you trust with your keys
The first — and probably most important rule — for a valet is to park the car and take the keys out. However, one valet at the 3815 Putnam Ave. W., parking garage seemed not to grasp that rule. The valet left the keys in two cars on Feb. 15, according to police — an Audi Q7 and a Mercedes-Benz sedan, both 2017. Three perps subsequently stole the cars sometime around 6 a.m. Luckily, the whole incident was captured on video. Police recovered both cars quickly. However, the thieves
Corrections and clarifications It is the policy of The Riverdale Press to correct errors of substance and clarify misleading stories promptly. Typically, corrections and clarifications from previous issues can be found on A2. To bring errors to the attention of The Press, contact editor Michael Hinman at mhinman@ riverdalepress.com, or at (718) 543-6065, Ext. 374.
got away. Police said one of the men wore a gray sweater and black sweatpants. The second wore a black hooded jacket, blue jeans and white sneakers. The third is said to have also had a black hooded jacket.
Phone a friend — or maybe the cops
“Never trust a person who doesn’t like dogs.” Pet lovers know that a person’s attitude towards dogs reveals something about their character. During this political campaign season, local Bronx residents are deciding who has the characteristics, skills and temperament to be our next City Council Member and replace Andy Cohen. While I am a long-time local resident (born and raised) and Bronx community divorce and family lawyer, and not]a psychologist, it is my belief that a candidate’s attitude towards dogs could help us evaluate a leader’s character, getting my VOTE without needing a detailed bio or assessment of their policy proposals. It is enough to show that a candidate is barking up the wrong position.
Dogs Against Jessica Haller
While Jessica Haller, prides herself as a climate activist, tech entrepreneur, and working mom of four, she is not the right candidate to represent the 11th District in the New York City Council which includes the Bronx neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn. I’m really concerned what would happen if she was elected to City Council. As a member of the Board of Directors at 3720 Homes Inc (and upon information and belief Vice Chair), she sued to evict my parents for 5 + years over my visiting dog Rocky, a 4 pound maltese toy boy dog. Check out 3720 Homes Inc. v. Hymans. We won the dogfight. Rocky knew Haller as “Ms. Oh Oh”. He would immediately put his head down in his pink pet stroller. I can only imagine what she will do to shatter glass ceilings to other Bronx local residents if elected to City Council. Simply put, she should take her Masters in Public Policy focused on Climate Change, and use it in an appropriate position. As a dog owner, I am not going to support Jessica Haller.
Dog Friends
When trying to make a speedy getaway, it’s probably best not to crash into a cop car. But that’s exactly what happened when members of the 50th Precinct crashed an exchange between two thieves and a victim Feb. 16. It all started when a Manhattan College employee left his iPhone 11 on his desk at work, returning around 9:30 p.m., to find it missing. Also gone were his Wells Fargo debit and credit cards. The victim apparently got his thief by calling his own number. He offered the phone back, but demanded $500 in exchange. That worked for the victim, setting up a time and place to meet. But he didn’t come alone — the thieves apparently fled the moment they saw flashing lights, crashing into the police cruiser. The men got away in a silver BMW. One was described at around 25 years old with short hair. Detectives continue to investigate.
Among the Democratic front runners, Eric Dinowitz loves dogs.
Pet Lovers should vote for Eric Dinowitz on March 23rd! Virtual Doggie Hugs & Kisses, JULIE HYMAN, PC
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Tired of mom, dad reading aloud? How about a doc? n Montefiore pediatricians promote early literacy with help from the Zoom app By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
Many parents know reading to their children is important. But ask Dr. Allison Taylor: The practice is right up there with eating dinner and brushing your teeth twice a day. The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore wants to instill the important practice of reading into the lives of children. They do it through a program called Reach Out and Read, where children get a book to take home after every check-up. But the coronavirus pandemic has impacted those in-person check-ups, and even reading, for younger children. And while parents might still read to or read with their children at home, they might not be getting that extra practice at school. That’s where several Montefiore pediatricians stepped in. During the recent winter school break, some hosted live “read-alongs” over the Zoom online videoconferencing app, targeting children in kindergarten through fifth grade. It all followed a “healthy, happy hearts” theme in honor of American Heart Month. This isn’t the first time the doctors have done a program like this. They took to Zoom to read books over the holiday break back in December as well. And they hope to do another in April, this time honoring Autism Awareness Month. For Dr. Faye Kokotos, reading is essential to a child’s language development skills. And she had experience of that firsthand. Her first exposure to a doctor’s office wasn’t only as a patient — she was a child of Greek immigrants, and would translate not only
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
Some children are more invested in read-alouds than others. But regardless of level of interest, pediatricians at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore stress it’s vital to language development. That’s why they hosted a readalong on the Zoom online videoconferencing app last month. for her parents’ doctor visits, but for her extended family as well. These visits were some of the first times Kokotos saw what pediatricians did — and sparked her desire to become one herself. “I admired how the pediatrician worked with the children (and) how compassionate he was,” she said. “There was no one in my family who was a doctor. It was just that early exposure (of) going to the pediatrician’s office, serving as a translator actually, and working with my younger cousins.” When it comes to events like the
read-alongs, Kokotos tries to cater the books she reads to her audience. And while she has a few favorites — like “We’re Alike” and “Green Eggs and Ham” — she makes sure the stories she reads are age- and developmentappropriate for the children she’s reading to that day. In addition to the read-alongs, Kokotos runs the Reach Out and Read program at her site. Early childhood literacy is very important to her, even outside of a public health crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. And that has only exacerbated the need for children to be read to or read with their loved
ones — whether it’s a parent, grandparent, or even a Montefiore pediatrician. “There’s a lot of extra screen time that the children participate in” during the pandemic, Kokotos said. “What we’re telling families is this is something they could do easily. It doesn’t need to be an hour. It’s like five, 10, 15 minutes in their day, where they can sit with their young child and read aloud to them. It takes away from screen time, and it bonds the family even closer.” Similarly, Taylor ensures literacy is a part of her young patients’ lives at
every check-up. In fact, she considers it an essential part of her job. “When I see kids and their families at check-ups, I often ask what they are reading — for the older kids,” Taylor said. For younger patients, “I oftentimes will … hand (out) a book for those younger kids at the beginning of the visit, and I may start reading the book out loud there.” Some children might like reading more than others, and that’s OK. But Taylor wants to ensure her patients’ parents know just how vital it is to their development. And when those patients get older, it can become very clear who was read to at a younger age. “A lot of families don’t quite appreciate how much is gained and how much they can set their kid up for the future by developing a reader,” Taylor said. “Kids who are read to on a regular basis, their vocabularies are exponentially better when they get to kindergarten. They love books and stories. They look forward to them, and they are eager to learn how to read themselves.” Reading aloud to children doesn’t need to begin and end with parents — or even Montefiore’s read-along program. Some doctors like Taylor urge parents to visit a local library, giving their children access to seemingly countless books for free. But Montefiore’s read-along program does more than just promote early literacy, Kokotos said. It also can reassure young patients living through an event as uncertain and scary as the coronavirus pandemic. “We can read aloud stories to our patients in the community, get the children involved with this activity, (reach out) to our community, (and) let them know the pediatric doctors are here,” Kokotos said. “They’re still open. They’re providing health care, administering vaccinations, and we’re taking care of our patients as best as we can during this COVID pandemic.”
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PRESS POINTS Homebound seniors targeted for vaccine President Joe Biden announced Tuesday there will be enough vaccine produced in the country to innoculate every single American adult by the end of May. That was great news to many — especially since it’s two months ahead of when the Biden administration felt enough doses would be pro-
duced. Getting those vaccines into the arms of everyone is a much more challenging task, however. That’s especially true for older residents, who might not be able to use computers to schedule appointments, or to get out and get a shot in the first place. The city council has passed a bill by Brooklyn councilman Mark Treyger that would require the city’s health and
By Michael hinMan mental hygiene commissioner to develop a plan to vaccinate homebound senior citizens against the coronavirus. “Those who need the most help must be prioritized in the government’s vaccine distribution plan,” Treyger said, in a release. “This law will provide fair access to health care services and equity in the distribution of the vaccine so that our most vulnerable residents are not left behind.”
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Israeli university honors Dr. Ruth She’s already a real doctor, but that’s not stopping BenGurion University of the Negev from becoming the first and only Israeli university to bestow an honorary degree to Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer. The famed sex therapist will be recognized remotely during a ceremony on April 25. Westheimer had originally planned
to visit the school in-person last summer, but the coronavirus pandemic made such travel by the 92-year-old impossible. But not even the pandemic could stop her from starting the Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer Endowed Scholarship for Psychology at the school. While the honorary doctorate and the scholarship may appear to go hand-in-hand, Westheimer told The Riverdale Press last year that she came up
with the idea after the school chose to honor her. “They didn’t ask me for anything,” Westheimer said. “But I said I would raise enough money to create this scholarship. I didn’t want it to be just in sex therapy. I wanted it to be broader. And I wanted it to be something they could give forever and ever.” Dr. Ruth attends Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale.
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In 2021, the city of New York will use Ranked-Choice Voting for all NYC primaries and special elections. UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTION March 23, 2021 – Bronx City Council Districts 11 & 15 Early Voting – March 13-21
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A4 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021
Cuomo takes serious heat over nursing homes CUOMO from page A1 the legislature.” Biaggi joined Assemblyman Ron Kim on a bill they say would repeal emergency powers given to Cuomo last March. Intended to streamline decisions in a time when quick action may have been needed, these powers gave Cuomo the ability to issue directives without first having to consult the legislature. Lawmakers could override any directive at any time through a simple majority vote. It was a directive from Cuomo, in fact, that required nursing homes to allow patients who had tested positive for the coronavirus to return from hospitals. It was a move widely criticized because of the potential of increasing the disease’s spread. However, Cuomo regularly maintained that nursing homes were only required to readmit residents if they had the ability to safely treat them. That directive was one of many passed over the past year — something Biaggi said she found to be “problematic for lots of different reasons.” “But especially as it relates to what we’ve been experiencing in the past six
to seven months, which is the lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to questions about decisions that the governor has made,” she said. “Namely, nursing home deaths.” Making it worse for Biaggi was Cuomo’s move to include blanket immunity for private nursing home administrators and shareholders in the state budget. This has prevented those who lost family members in nursing homes from seeking legal recourse. Biaggi introduced a second bill intended to repeal that immunity.
Creating more transparency The senator isn’t alone in her efforts to reform nursing home regulations. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz introduced his own bill requiring nursing homes to prominently display their “star” ratings — a collection of various reports on quality measures, inspections and staffing. The bill was initially introduced in 2019, but received renewed attention because of the current nursing home scandal. It recently passed both the As-
sembly and the senate. “Obviously COVID brought a lot of attention to it, because of the fact that so many people died in nursing homes,” Dinowitz said. “So, I think that really highlighted the need to do everything we can, in every way that we can, to make sure nursing homes are safe. That information is available.” Biaggi still believes the first step in addressing the nursing home issue is for an investigation, whether that’s conducted by lawmakers or the attorney general’s office. Holding an investigation is necessary, Biaggi said, because public hearings will help everyday people understand the situation more thoroughly. It also would lend credibility to any potential punitive action the legislature takes toward Cuomo. But if they find proof of an illegal cover-up and criminal misconduct, then impeachment could be on the table. Cuomo should be worried about such an investigation, Biaggi said, especially after DeRosa’s comments to state lawmakers were brought to light. “I read the transcripts,” Biaggi said. “I read those words. The fact that
they’re essentially saying that they didn’t know what numbers to give the DOJ because they didn’t want the DOJ to use it against them. That sounds like a cover-up to me. And I don’t know how else to interpret that.” On the other hand, Dinowitz — who also supports an investigation — is not yet convinced there’s enough evidence to say the governor was involved in such a scheme. “I’m not going to defend or attack the governor,” he said. “If the governor has done something wrong, I will certainly speak up on it. But I’m not going to assign blame until we know who’s to blame for anything that may have been done wrong. I’m not a jury.” There are also two federal investigations under way on the federal level by the FBI and Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme.
Not everyone’s a critic While it remains a battle in political circles, closer to home, Sharon Mintz isn’t ready to point fingers. Her mother tested positive for the coronavirus while living at Atria River-
dale. After spending a week in a White Plains hospital, Mintz’s mother was discharged while still testing positive, but was sent to another nursing home. There she was kept on an isolated floor until she fully recovered. “If you want to know how I think Cuomo handled the whole thing in general, I think he did a great job with what we were thrown at the time,” Mintz said. “And my biggest problem is the isolation of seniors. So, I don’t really care about the reporting so much.” Mintz is not alone. Recent polls showed 57 percent of people in New York still approve of Cuomo’s job performance. But a lot of this is just the lingering effects of the positive image Cuomo built up at the beginning of the pandemic, Biaggi said. “People feel like Gov. Cuomo provided that safe feeling of press conferences in a time when we were terrified,” the senator said. “There was uncertainty and a time when the federal government was not leading at all. But it doesn’t negate the fact that they tried to cover up those numbers, and that the decisions they made led to more nursing home deaths.”
Council candidates debate a future for sex work SEX WORK from page A1 make the practice legal, but potentially regulated.
First steps already taken
In some parts of New York City, prostitution already seems to be functionally decriminalized. The Brooklyn district attorney’s office, for example, no longer prosecutes prostitution, according to published reports. The office already dismissed more than 1,000 warrants and vacated some 25,000 convicted prostitution offenses, essentially wiping them from criminal records. And in Albany, some lawmakers have offered legislation that could decriminalize the practice statewide. The Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act wants to protect current and former sex workers while holding others accountable for their exploitation. Also introduced is the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act, a package of bills aimed to amend state penal codes so that those involved in sex work won’t be treated as criminals. More locally, however, the issue still remains complicated and controversial. And it’s one that can’t be avoided by those seeking to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council. Dan Padernacht stands out the most among his fellow candidates on this issue. The Kingsbridge Heights real estate attorney is the only candidate in the March 23 special election who not only supports fully legalizing sex work, but putting government in charge of regulating it. Padernacht says legalization and regulation have a few advantages. Namely, it would provide sex workers access to employer-based health care — including regular testing for sexually transmitted infections — which would conceivably make the practice safer for all parties involved. In addition, Padernacht thinks legalizing prostitution could protect sex workers against violence while cutting down on human trafficking. “When you look at it from a macro view, there would be no reason for anyone to engage in a black market for sex work if they can do so in a safe and protective environment,” Padernacht said.
‘State’ of sex work in Albany There are two sex work decriminalization bills currently in the state legislature. The Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act was introduced by state Sen. Liz Krueger in January. It follows the Nordic model of prostitution decriminalization — which protects sex workers but still criminalizes their buyers, with the ultimate aim of decreasing demand for sex work. The act also aims to expand social programs for sex workers looking to get out of the trade while strengthening anti-sex-trafficking laws. There’s also the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act, a package of bills based on the New Zealand model, aiming to decriminalize the sex trade by To Mino Lora, however, decriminalizing sex work and protecting sex workers against sex trafficking and other exploitative practices are separate issues. While she supports decriminalization and expanding social programs for sex workers, she thinks lumping sex work and sex trafficking together can be problematic. “One is a human rights violation, another one is a personal choice out of our lack as a government and as a system (of) creating opportunities for success and well-being,” Lora said. Jessica Haller also thinks sex workers need not to be criminalized and should receive expanded social services. “What you want to do is give people services where they are and not criminalize people,” the Fieldston environmental entrepreneur said. “But also not assume that people are in a place where they aren’t, so not just assume that everybody working in the sex trade is actually being trafficked.”
Does change start with policing? The issues of abuse and trafficking can be addressed at the city level in a number of ways, she said. This includes funding sex worker ser-
amending state penal codes. The bill doesn’t criminalize buyers, but still intends to uphold laws put in place to hold sex traffickers accountable. It was introduced in 2019 by state Sen. Julia Salazar and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, and has languished in committee. Both pieces of legislation are endorsed by sex work advocacy groups. Krueger’s bill is endorsed by Equality Model NY, while Salazar’s is backed by DecrimNY. Both are coalitions of pro-decriminalization advocates and former sex workers, although they disagree on what decriminalization should look like. — Ethan Stark-Miller vice centers, addressing domestic violence, and reforming the New York Police Department vice squad — the unit responsible for combatting prostitution and human trafficking. Trujillo belives that vice squad needs more than reforming — it should be defunded. A December report from ProPublica claimed vice squad officers used entrapment tactics and made false arrests, focused mostly on people of color. “It’s recognizing that the way that we police sex workers doesn’t make sex workers safer,” Trujillo said. “The interactions with the vice squad leads to exploitation. And there are other instances of vice cops that are running prostitution rings.” A former NYPD detective pleaded guilty to running such an operation in 2019. Vice squad funding should be moved to the LGBT Unity project, Trujillo said, which provides services for homeless and runaway queer and transgender youth. Carlton Berkley is himself a former NYPD detective, and is against full legalization. When it comes to decriminalization, however, he remains uncertain. When Berkley was a police officer, he said he arrested many sex workers addicted to drugs or
caught up in sex trafficking rings. Both are reason enough on why he feels the practice should remain illegal. The position of former schoolteacher Eric Dinowitz is a little softer as he doesn’t necessarily think prostitution should be illegal, still, he has reservations toward decriminalization. The current bills in Albany, he says, don’t address any of the underlying issues facing sex workers. However, the Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act calls for expanding social programs for current and former sex workers while also expanding anti-trafficking laws. Regardless, Dinowitz believes certain programs and opportunities should be available to all — sex workers included. “In the city, our role has to be that we ensure access to health care and social services for people involved in the sex trade, but also for the right health care and the right social services for everyone,” Dinowitz said. “We have an immense job to do in the city to make sure those services get to the people who need them.”
Making it a priority While the city can’t decriminalize or legalize prostitution before the state can, city council members have an opportunity so signal support for bills in front of the legislature, including one or both of the decriminalization bills currently on the docket. Still, a year into the coronavirus pandemic, some might argue the state has bigger fish than sex work issues to fry. But for Lora, addressing one issue might help create a domino effect in addressing countless others the city faces. “People who engage in sex work aren’t just sex workers,” she said. “They are tenants. They (have) families. They are spouses. They are partners. They are mothers. All of these things are interconnected. By looking at that factor, we are also looking at all of the issues and injustices that will prevent us from getting out of this economic crisis — and this public health crisis — that we’re currently in.”
Another election will start before the first one ends ELECTION MARATHON from page A1 imity of the elections, however, could be a big hurdle for the candidates. “Having a special and a primary so close compounds the difficulties for most candidates,” said Doug Muzzio, a political science professor at Baruch College. “They have to go back and raise more money. They raise it from the same people and outsiders. It’s perpetual campaigning. Having gone through it, you’re exhausted by the second race.” Whoever comes out on top in the special election will likely have a significant edge in the primary. If the incumbent won the special overwhelmingly, money will flow to them in the primary because there’s an expectation they’ll win a second time, Muzzio said. If they win by a smaller margin, however, that makes their advantage a little less clear cut. Many of the candidates fighting to replace Cohen agree that being the incumbent will put them in the strongest position to win the June primary. Jessica Haller says that advantage comes from visibility. “You’re visibly doing the work for the community,” the Fieldston environmental entrepreneur said. “You’re doing the job. So it’s easier because you are more visibly accomplishing what needs to be accomplished.” Dan Padernacht agrees, but with a caveat. “I think the winner of the special has an advantage in that they’ll be the incumbent,” Padernacht said “However, it’s mitigated by the short length of time for the primary, and rankedchoice voting.”
Navigating a new way to vote This special election, along with one across the borough to replace now-U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, will be just the third test case of the city’s new ranked-choice voting system. Voters rank their choices one through five. If no candidate captures 50 percent of the ones, the ballots are
Little bit of precedence
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
Jessica Haller says having to raise money from scratch for the June city council primary will be difficult because of the campaign finance board’s rules. Running the March special election and the June primary back-toback presents many financial and logistical challenges for the candidates participating in both. recounted. The worst performing candidate in the first round is eliminated. Ballots with that candidate as the top choice are processed again, this time counting their second choices. That process repeats until two candidates remain. That has created an interesting strategy among candidates early on in this new process — if they aren’t a voter’s first choice, they want to be the second. That seems to be the strategy shared by Haller and arts non-profit executive Mino Lora. The special election’s only two women are teaming up and asking voters to make them their first and second choice — a strategy that could help ensure one of them wins. If a candidate wins 50 percent of the vote in the first round — like James Gennaro did last month in Queens —
the count is over, and none of the other ranked choices will matter. If one candidate doesn’t achieve that 50 percent — like what happened in the Queens seat once held by its new borough president, Donovan Richards — then analyzing the results gets more complicated. “If you don’t reach the quota and you go to taking the second votes of the last place candidate, then it becomes a little harum scarum,” Muzzio said. “I can imagine being in the boiler room trying to analyze how the candidate’s doing, and you don’t have 50 percent of the vote.” It also would mean waiting weeks to find out the winner. For Richards’ seat, the next round of counting is not expected to begin until March 10 — three weeks after the election concluded, as officials wait for absentee and military ballots.
The March 23 city council special election is unusually close this year to the June primary that would require voters to choose the ultimate replacement for Andrew Cohen more than once. There is some precedence for this, however. Over the last decade, there were just two special elections taking place the same year as a primary for the same seat — Harlem’s District 9 in 2017 and southeast Queen’s District 31 in 2013. In both cases, the special election was held in February, but the primary was in September not June. State law changed coming into this year, moving primaries from September up to June. That means what was once a seven-month buffer between such elections have now shrunk to just three months. It might create fundraising issues, but it also provides another logistical challenge: Candidates in the June primary may have to start petitioning for the ballot before anyone even votes on the special election before it. — Ethan Stark-Miller When it comes to fundraising for the primary, candidates can’t use any of the leftover money they raised from the special election because of the city’s campaign finance board rules. That means they’ll start from scratch. That will certainly challenge Haller because she says she’ll have to quickly change her fundraising apparatus due to new campaign finance board rules. Haller — along with several other candidates — have used a free digital fundraising tool from the board to collect those donations. The tool is designed to make it easier to comply with election laws for matching funds by collecting necessary personal infor-
mation directly from contributors. But that tool won’t be available to anyone running in the special election who wants to turn around and run in the primary, Haller said. Candidates are required to wait 30 days after the special election to start using the tool for a primary. This means candidates relying on the fundraising tool will have to switch over to something else, which won’t be integrated with the campaign finance board operations. “We need to go create Act Blue accounts, or take money through check only, or like do all sorts of other things to start fundraising for June,” Haller said. “Unless we don’t want to start fundraising until April 23.”
Close to the finish line So far, Haller has been the special election’s top fundraiser, bringing in more than $79,000 in private donations. Not far behind is former teacher Eric Dinowitz with $72,000. Dinowitz — son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and backed by the county’s political machine — isn’t too worried about having to raise money from many of the same donors. “In this election, I’ve demonstrated my ability to raise from a broad coalition of supporters throughout the district,” Dinowitz said. “And I will only build on that for the primary election.” Abigail Martin and Marcos Sierra both decided last January not to run in the special election and instead just focus their attention on the primary. Sierra thinks this decision gives him a slight advantage over those who stayed in the special because he doesn’t have to raise money from scratch all over again. Martin, on the other hand, saw this more as a survival tactic for running a campaign during the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s incredibly difficult to fundraise as it is,” Martin said. “To fundraise for two campaigns, it seemed very difficult to choose to do that, to ask people who are struggling in this pandemic to donate to us twice.”
THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - A5
WHAT’S IN / WHAT’S ON Town hall with Biaggi, Dinowitz Northwest Bronx Indivisible hosts a town hall to meet state lawmakers Sunday, March 7, beginning at 3 p.m. Joining the group are state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. To register for the free event, visit tinyurl. com/BiaggiDino.
Photograph birds in action
Photographer Tom Warren presents a Zoom discussion about bird photography Wednesday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. He is expected to share how to optimize camera settings in creating a simplified approach to capturing birds in action. For more information, email hrasbirder@ gmail.com.
Explore art of Islamic gardens
Untermyer Gardens hosts its winter lecture online Saturday, March 6 beginning at 2 p.m. British garden designer Emma Clark will talk about the Islamic garden as sacred art. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit UntermyerGardens.org.
Artists wanted for new project
Wave Hill and the Lehman College Art Gallery seek artists for their 2021 eco-urgency ex-
whatson@riverdalepress.com
hibit, planned to begin in July. Artists have a chance to present existing work, propose a new work, or participate in a public program. Joint curatorial teams will review applications over the winter, with artists notified of any interest by the end of February. Eco-urgency focuses on critical issues affecting ecosystems and biodiversity, according to a release. Artists address the need to establish a cooperative relationship with nature, one that is rooted in respecting the Earth’s vulnerability, and acknowledges the systems that contribute to global loss of habitat and species. To apply, visit tinyurl.com/WaveHillArt.
Get to know the candidates
With the special election deciding who will replace Andrew Cohen on the city council coming March 23, a number of groups are hosting forums talking to the various candidates involved in the race. All events are online, and are generally presented at no cost to participants. Upcoming events include: • Riverdale Nature Preservancy hosts a forum Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. Details are available at tinyurl.com/RNPForum. • Gary Axelbank’s traditional candidate forum is set for Monday, March 15 at 9 p.m., on BronxNet. Details are available at BronxNet.org. To watch the debate hosted by The Riverdale Press and BronxNet that aired on Feb. 2, visit tinyurl.com/TRPDebate.
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He worked in Manhattan in the 32BJ union until his retirement, and then worked at Mr. Magoo’s pub for several years, where he spent many hours with his friends. He was a kind heart and a loving uncle to two nephews and four nieces, and numerous grand-nephews and nieces who survive him. He also is survived by his sisterin-law, “Patricia Ann,” as he lovingly called her. He was a friend to many. Two of his longtime friends who survive him are Rita Gallagher and Eddie Ackerman. His remains have been placed at Calverton National Cemetery in Wading River. Plans are being made for a memorial in July at Calverton. His niece, Maureen Olguin, will make the arrangements. Questions can be sent to her at olguin6983@msn.com.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - A7
Novel sheds light on living with mental illness n ‘Continue Breathing’ has many images from Josh Greenfield’s journey
POLITICAL ARENA By MICHAEL HINMAN Bowman, Warren call for America to support care
By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
Joshua Greenfield has seen the conversation about mental health shift dramatically over the course of his life. When he was going through his own mental health episodes early on, it wasn’t really something anyone talked about. Addressing it would be scary, and it was easier to write off mentally ill people as damaged or otherwise incomplete. Although people are now better equipped to talk about mental illness and mental health, Greenfield still wants to add his own story to the everexpanding conversation. And for the first time, he won’t need to self-publish to do so. Greenfield’s own therapist told him he had quite a knack for storytelling. He’d known about it deep down, as he’d been doing amateur stand-up comedy for a few years. But his therapist suggested there might be more to it than a tight five: Perhaps writing could be an effective coping mechanism for Greenfield. He started writing fiction in 2008, and along the way, Greenfield selfpublished a few books. But his newest novel, “Continue Breathing,” is the first of his pieces to be published by someone other than himself: Adelaide Books. “Continue Breathing” is in part inspired by Greenfield’s own life and experiences with mental illness. But standing at the core of his novel is the same theme that informs much of his other work: recovery. “I’m writing so that people can realize that it’s OK to talk about these things,” Greenfield said. “There doesn’t have to be this incredible fear and stigma about them.” Greenfield himself had a few mental health crises throughout his life, stemming from obsessive-compulsive and bipolar disorders. And although his recovery has its own ups and downs, Greenfield’s outlook on his life and where he goes from here is largely positive. “I’m learning to control it,” Greenfield said. “And I’m learning to live with it successfully — not to be afraid of it. Just to do what I can to mitigate the symptoms, and to live successfully, and to share what I learned in my writing.” Not only are certain scenes from the novel inspired by Greenfield’s own
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN / Photos
Josh Greenfield has had his ups and downs in his own journey with mental illness. But he hopes to impart some of his wisdom on others in his new novel, ‘Continue Breathing.’ experience with mental illness, some of the setting might be familiar to local readers. Warren — the town where much of “Continue Breathing” takes place — is a fictionalized version of Riverdale. And much of the local scenery makes its way into the novel, such as the greenery and the train station along the Hudson River. “The final chapter of the book is about living and writing in Warren — the degree to which it’s peaceful,” Greenfield said. “It has trees and parks. And what we may lose out to Brooklyn in social cachet, I think we make up for (in) the fact that we have this degree of nature around us.” Obviously, the discussion around mental illness has changed dramatically from when Greenfield was in college during the 1980s, and even more so from the days when mentally ill people would be locked in sanitariums. But according to Greenfield, how people talk about and address mental health has shifted — even from 2008, when he drafted the first few scenes of “Continue Breathing.” “When I wrote it, it felt like I was doing something that was very groundbreaking, and that no one else was talking this way,” Greenfield said. “And now, by the time this finally comes out, it’s not quite as earth-shat-
tering to be speaking in these terms.” Society shifting its discourse to speak more carefully about mental health certainly had an impact on Greenfield. But he also relied on his attitude toward his own mental illnesses to move forward. Part of it was refusing to be afraid of his mental illness. And part of it was also having a sense of humor about it, because when something is funny, it becomes less frightening. Being able to laugh at himself was crucial in Greenfield’s own mental health journey, and he thinks having that ability might help others deal with the same issues. “Being able to laugh at yourself is what will make you better,” Greenfield said. “If you can see the humor in your own situation, you’re a step ahead.” Greenfield hopes his story will provide a unique perspective on living with and recovering from mental illness. And though he might have his own story to tell, many others are in the same situation — living with mental illness, but just going about their daily lives. When they share their situation openly, it might make it less scary — both for them and for others. And ultimately, that’s what Greenfield hopes people T:11" take away from “Continue Breathing” — It’s OK to be
U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman has joined forces with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on a new resolution they say will dramatically expand and strengthen the care economy while improving conditions and compensation for care workers. Called the Care for All Agenda, the resolution demands “far-reaching” public investments to not only guarantee the care people need in all stages of life, but also to secure care workers by raising pay, benefits, protections and standards. It also looks to provide opportunities for such care workers to unionize. “As we emerge from the pandemic, rescue our economy and move forward with a national reckoning over systemic racism, we have an historic opportunity to build an America that works for all people, by centering the care that all people need,” Bowman said, in a release. “Care workers — disproportionately Black and brown women — are undervalued and exploited in America today, and people and families struggle to access care. Without a holistic care infrastructure to support us, our economy and society simply cannot thrive.” Other New York lawmakers signed up to support the resolution are U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng from Queens.
Endorsements pour in as elections near
open about your mental health. “It’s not like 150 years ago when nothing changed and all you could do was lock someone away,” Greenfield said. “People are out in the world, and we’re getting better. We’re talking to each other. We’re communicating. And people are getting better. And it’s OK to talk about it.”
Jessica Haller has earned the backing of Elizabeth Crowley, a former Queens councilwoman who is now a co-founder of 21 in ‘21 —an organization dedicated to electing women to the city council this year. Haller is running in the March 23 special election to replace Councilman Andrew Cohen. One of her challengers, Dan Padernacht, picked up an endorsement of his own this past week, getting a nod from Bill Samuels. Samuels is the founder of several advocacy groups including the Council on Economic Priorities, and New Yorkers for a More Effective Constitution. Eric Dinowitz has earned the support of the Bronx Democrats, the borough’s political machine. The Bronx Dems say they want to stay “neutral” in the borough president race, but has decided to back Brian Benjamin in his quest to become the city’s next comptroller. The primary for that race is June 22.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - A9
A year late, $400 short: Voice from the ‘forgotten’ class n Is graduation ceremony still worth it on Zoom — and a year after the fact? By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
I
t seems strange to claim you feel forgotten when a half-million people have died over the last year. But I think I’m still allowed to grieve what I lost — even if it isn’t necessarily a person. At this time last year, I was a senior at Manhattan College, a member of the soon-to-be ill-fated Class of 2020. Right before spring break, we were informed campus was shutting down in-person operations for a few weeks due to growing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Certain everyone was making a big deal about nothing, I packed up two weeks’ worth of clothes and other supplies, waved goodbye to my roommates, and said, “See y’all on the other side.” That “other side” never came, of course. I never returned to my apartment or campus after that day — March 10, 2020. The next two months were a series of gut punches. First, classes moved online for the rest of the semester. Then, one by one, end-of-year and end-of-college events moved online or were canceled outright. No honors convocation. No senior formal. No baccalaureate Mass. And then, the coup de grace — no graduation. We were told to be patient. The administration promised they were committed to celebrating us — hopefully in-person — one way or another. Meanwhile, our friends at other colleges — including our neighbors at
Reporter’s Notebook
Courtesy of Laura Brennan
Rose Brennan, a member of Manhattan College’s Class of 2020, remained at home on May 15 — they day she was supposed to graduate. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the college postponed its commencement ceremonies, which will now take place a year later. In the meantime, Rose made her own makeshift diploma. The Mount and Lehman — got some amount of closure through virtual commencement ceremonies. Manhattan College’s Class of 2020, however, waited. And waited. Until last week — nine months later — when we were told that we, along with the Class of 2021, would have an online graduation anyway, one year after the fact, on May 8. I know I wasn’t the only one who felt insulted by that email. And I know I’m not the only one from my graduating class who feels cast aside and forgotten. It’s not just with graduation, either. I may have joked about it on Twitter at the time, but it took nine months for the college to congratulate me on making the dean’s list during my final
semester. And I know the U.S. Postal Service was facing difficulties last year, but I didn’t even get my diploma until August. How’s that for being forgotten? To add insult to injury, my alma mater’s administration didn’t even have the decency to send a separate email to my graduating class — choosing instead to lump it in with the Class of 2021’s bad news. I’m sure this isn’t the case, but it feels like Manhattan College didn’t even try to celebrate us the way we deserved. And in my opinion, the time for a virtual graduation has passed. That time was last May, when every other college did it. And while I may have had mixed feelings about graduating over Zoom,
at least it would’ve been appropriate then. I’ve spoken with Kaylyn Atkins, former student body president and a fellow class member. She and her administration are still fighting for us to have an in-person celebration of some sort, and I applaud her for doing so. I understand the worries surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. I’ve been as cautious as I could possibly be for the past year, as I live with someone who’s immuno-compromised. But I’m willing to wait until it’s safe — even if it’s another year down the line — if it means the college will celebrate us in the way we deserve. Our class isn’t asking for much. When Kaylyn and I spoke, there seemed to be a common list of four
demands from members of our graduating class. And in my opinion, none of them are out of the question. First, we want some sort of inperson celebration. Whether that’s a commencement ceremony split up by school or major or some other proper send-off remains to be seen. If for some reason none of the in-person alternatives are truly feasible, we’re asking for a full refund of our $400 graduation fee — still outstanding as of March 2. Second, we want all of our academic regalia sent to our homes, whether we choose to attend any send-off ceremony or not. As we left campus right before honor cords, medals, stoles, caps and gowns would traditionally be distributed, we would like to have them after the fact. I personally only received three of the six cords I earned through honor society and club membership — one of which I had to order online. Third, we would like some sort of senior gift from the administration. This is the absolute bare minimum they could do following what I view as a complete failure to acknowledge our graduating class. Finally, we would like to take senior portraits in our academic regalia — as they are mementos every other graduating class either had or will have. Graduating college is a feat in and of itself. Some of us are the first in our families to go to college. Some of us are international students. All of us had to balance school, work, family and everything in between — and we did it successfully. Never mind that we did it during a pandemic. My graduating class certainly deserves more from Manhattan College than a comically overdue Zoom graduation. We don’t deserve to be treated like a loose end to tie up. Our families deserve better. And Manhattan College’s Class of 2020 deserves better.
SCHOOL DESK Black History Month takes center stage While it might take place during the shortest month of the year, many schools and cultural institutions ensure participation in Black History Month. But one college’s experience was particularly in-depth this year. Lehman College hosted a celebratory initiative for the month: “Lift Every Voice: Why
By ROSE BRENNAN to do so. Many of the month’s programs focused on Black language and music, including three book discussions and one reading from Black poet Tyehimba Jess — whose book “Olio” won a Pulitzer Prize.
African American Poetry Matters.” It began last fall when the Library of America published an anthology of Black poetry, “African-American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song.” Aside from the anthology’s release at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, Lehman’s Leonard Lief Library was the only city institution hosting Lift Every Voice programming last month — and was one of just 50
St. Margaret hosts student read-a-thon Getting children to read can feel like an uphill battle some-
times. But when there are fun incentives, it becomes a bit more enticing. St. Margaret of Cortona School hosted its third annual read-a-thon last month. Over the course of two weeks, students tried to read as many books as they can while collecting donations for the school. But that wasn’t the only thing spurring the students on in their endeavor to read as many books as possible. Mile-
stone donation numbers resulted in different rewards for the students to enjoy. At $5,000, students could attempt to duct tape principal Hugh Keenan to the gymnasium wall — sideways. They surpassed the goal and taped Keenan to the wall successfully Feb. 12. The students also surpassed the second milestone of $15,000 raised. As a result, Keenan shaved his head Feb. 26, and immediately following, both he
and regional superintendent John Riley had slime dumped on them. In total, St. Margaret’s students raised more than $25,000 during the read-a-thon. And while Keenan might have needed to sacrifice a head of hair because of it, it still meant a lot of good would be done for the school. “We are very proud of all of our students,” the school said in a release.
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165 West 231 Street 718.548.2100 Estate Planning, Wills, Probate Purchase or Sale of Real Estate, Co-ops Powers of Attorney, Guardianships, Article 81 Proceedings Incorporations, Bankruptcy, Personal Injury
LORRAINE COYLE, esq • • • •
Wills, Trust, Estate Planning - Probate Medicaid Planning & Guardianships Real Esate - Buying & Selling Member Nat’l Academy of Elder Attorneys 5911 Riverdale Avenue 718.543.2200
Susan M. Dunn, esq. (Lic. NY & FL)
•Real Estate/Co-ops: Buy, Sell & Refinance •Wills, Trusts, Probate & Estate Admin. • Incorporation, Contracts & Leases • Divorce & Separation Agreements 3600 Fieldston Road 718.796.0837
Christopher L. Esposito, esq. Accidents, Bankruptcy, Divorce, Foreclosure, Immigration, Criminal, Real Estate, Family Court & Medical Malpractice. Se Habla Español 269 West 231st Street, Bronx, NY 10463 Tel: 718.796.6454 Fax: 718.796.4412 3-14 29th Street, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 Tel: 201.797.0100 Espositolaw@verizon.net
Dentists Gabriel Shalmi,
dds
Family Dentistry. All phases of modern dentistry. Implants, braces for adults & children. Evenings. Most Insurances accepted. NEW PATIENT SPECIAL — $89.00 — includes initial exam, x-rays (full mouth) and hygienist cleaning. 444 W. 259th Street #200. 718.601.0900
PhysicAl meDicine PM&R, Physical Medicine & Rehab Center
Comprehensive Spine, Sports & Occupational Center DONALD LISS, M.D. PHIL TASCA, M.D. REBECCA BROWN, M.D. Pain Management • Physical Therapy Occupational & Certified Hand Therapy 6132 Riverdale Avenue (718) 884-1200 www.Rehabmed.net
PoDiAtrists Michael L. Merenstein, dpm Board Certified - American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics. Surgical, geriatric, diabetic shoes. Pediatric, whirlpool & orthotic treatments. Medicare, Oxford, HIP & most insurance. Day & evening appts. HOuSE CALLS AVAILABLE 3636 Fieldston Rd. (W. 236 St.) 718.548.6732
Cambridge Podiatry Center Dr. Donald Spector Board Certified, Diplomate in ABPOPPM Practicing over 30 years Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Laser treatments available Medicare/Most Insurances Accepted 259 W. 231st Street, Bronx, NY 10463 718.548.3080
Advanced Care Audiology Meagan Ruth aud, ccc-a
Hearing Evaluations, Treatment of Hearing Loss, Wax Removal, Treatment of Tinnitus, Hearing Aids. 3533 Riverdale Ave., Bronx, NY 10463 718.980.7700 www.advancedcareaudiology.com
Dentists TALLER DENTAL
PhysicAl therAPists Judith Kahn, md, pc Board Certified Physiatrist • Pain Management • Sports Injuries • EMG’s Holistic Management of Musculuskeletal Conditions 545 West 236th Street, Suite C, 718.884.8115 30 W. 60 Street Suite 1C, between Broadway & Columbus Ave. Website: www.judithkahn.com
Samuel H. Taller, ms, dmd, fagd
ExpEriEncE and innovation ALL SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOLLOWED • ModErn FacilitiEs • cosMEtic dEntistry • iMplants • lasEr trEatMEnts • tooth WhitEning • nitrous oxidE Emergencies Welcome 3601 Waldo Avenue 718.543.3704 www.DrTallerDental.com
Riverdale Dental
Multispecialty dental clinic utilizing Latest Safety Protocols Led by NYu College of Denistry active faculty, specializing in: * Implant Dentistry * Cosmetic Dentistry * Geriatric Dentistry * Periodontics (Gum Disease) * Full Mouth Rehabilitation Broken Teeth? uncomfortable Dentures? Call us today, we can help Financing options available 611 West 239th Street - #1B
718-548-3353
www.riverdaleoralhealth.com
PM&R, Physical Medicine & Rehab Center
Comprehensive Spine, Sports & Occupational Center JOE LEIBOWITz, MSPT MADELEINE LAxAMANA, PT, DPT BRYAN DAGARAGA, PT, DPT LALAINE YAP, PTA KATIE RICHTERI, M.S. OTR/L Pain Management • Physical Therapy Occupational & Certified Hand Therapy 6132 Riverdale Avenue (718) 884-1200 www.Rehabmed.net
PLACE YOuR AD HERE
PsychotherAPy Tara Fitzgerald Quimby, lcsw-r Teens - Adults - Couples M. 917.273.6995 A. 3600 Fieldston Road, Suite 2G Riverdale, NY 10463 E. TaraQuimbyLCSW@gmail.com Evening and weekend hours available
tutoring Professional Home Tutor Tutoring available in all general subject areas. Grade Levels K-12 VIRTUAL TUTORING AVAILABLE
Riverdale Sports Physical Therapy
• Certified NYS Teacher in Childhood Education
pc
ALExANDER SHERMAN, P.T. •Orthopedic Injuries • Post Surgical Rehab •Arthritis • Pain Management • Sports Injuries THE PROFESSIONAL BuILDING 531 W. 235th Street, 718.432.1323
(General Education and Special Education, 1-6) • MS in Childhood Education (1-6) • Dual Certification in General Education and students with Disabilities Call zach 917.667.7185 zNilva1@gmail.com
A10 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021
BUSINESS BRIEFS Cabrera seeks amnesty for small businesses Councilman Fernando Cabrera — one of several people seeking to succeed Ruben Diaz Jr., as Bronx borough president — wants amnesty for small businesses that received summonses during the coronavirus pandemic. “Small businesses deemed ‘nonessential’ were forced to close for an indefinite period of time, forfeiting income, destroying local businesses and neighborhood jobs,” Cabrera said, in a release. “This didn’t stop the city from issuing summonses for various violations that might not have been the fault of the business owner. With tremendous loss of revenue, many cannot pay the fines that have been assessed,
By Michael hinMan
just adding to the destruction of this critical sector in the five boroughs.” Cabrera added he has submitted legislation to the council forgiving summonses issued during the pandemic, and issuing refunds to fines already paid. It’s not clear what the chances are such legislation would be approved by the city council — let alone Mayor Bill de Blasio — especially as the city continues to face deficits as high as $3.8 billion for the coming fiscal year.
lated county east of the Mississippi River — boasted the biggest rise in median sales price, with 12 homes selling for $210,000, or 86 percent more than the year before. Brooklyn sales were up 36 percent to 187 closings in January, but median sales prices inched up 6 percent to $620,000. Home sales in Queens were flat, but median sales prices rose there by 9 percent to $654,500. Sales on Staten Island were up 27 percent in January, while median sales prices grew by nearly 8 percent to $585,000.
State Association of Realtors. The borough reported 226 new listings in January — up 16 percent from the year before — while overall closed sales inched up 5 percent. The median sales price of sold homes in the Bronx in January was $470,000, up nearly 15 percent from what it was the year before. Statewide, new listings were down nearly 16 percent while the median sales price jumped more than 20 percent to $355,000. The biggest surge in sales came in Schuyler County, home of Watkins Glen, where the 17 closings there in January represented a 113 percent spike. Median sales price also jumped in Schuyler 60 percent to $196,000. Hamilton County — the least popu-
Closings, median sales up in the Bronx Home prices continue to rise in the Bronx — as do new listings — according to a new report by the New York
coming more and more popular in Riverdale, with rents climbing nearly 4 percent in January. That’s based on a new report from MNS Real Estate showing average rents growing from $2,812 to $2,911. Overall, average rental prices in the Bronx moved up just 2 percent, but that was enough to cross the $2,000 mark. Using a typical model of tenants making 40 times monthly rent, that means anyone looking for a new apartment in the borough would have to be boasting combined income of at least $80,000 annually. Rent growth in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens was slower, but not by much, according to the report. One-bedroom units in Mott Haven climbed 9 percent to $2,631 monthly.
Average Bronx rents top $2,000 in January Two-bedroom apartments are be-
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Physicians Ser vices Director y indEx Cardiology ENT - Adult & Pediatric Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatric Medicine Internal Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ophthalmologists Pediatricians Pediatric Subspecialty Care Pulmonary Medicine Psychiatry Rheumatology
CaRdiOlOgy ColumbiaDoctors gerald neuberg, md, fAcc
For appointments, please call: 646.317.0130
Kung-Ming Jan, md
For appointments, please call: 718.601.4800
EndOCRinOlOgy ColumbiaDoctors Sophia hu, md Sees general endocrinology; specializes in thyroid disease including thyroid cancer, diabetes, weight management, women’s health, osteoporosis, adrenal disease, and pituitary disease/tumors. Speaks conversational Spanish and fluent in Mandarin Chinese. 3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 204 Bronx, NY 10463 Now accepting new patients For appointments, please call: 646.317.0129 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
david i. Sahar, md
For appointments, please call: 718.601.3700 3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 204 Bronx, NY 10463 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
EaR, nOSE and thROat adult & PEdiatRiC ColumbiaDoctors Justin golub, md
• Otology, Neurotology, Skull base Surgery • Adult and Pediatric
gaStROEntEROlOgy ColumbiaDoctors ava B. anklesaria, mbbs Jennifer Caceres, md david S. lee, md
3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 204 Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 212.932.4534 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
Susannah hills, md
• Adult and Pediatric Otolaryngology
Carolina Mora, np
• Adult and Pediatric Otolaryngology
Flora holderbaum, Aud
• Audiology (hearing aids, hearing testing, evaluation and rehabilitation) • Adult and Pediatric 3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 202 Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 212.305.8555 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
The deadline for any additions, changes or cancellations for the April Directory is Wednesday, March 24th at 2pm.
Call 718.543.6065 ext. 3 or email advertising@riverdalepress.com to get in touch with our marketing team who can help you reach out to your clients.
gERiatRiC MEdiCinE ColumbiaDoctors Bindhu thomas, md xiaoshuang yin, md nana Makalatia, md deborah Smyth, gnp NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital 5141 Broadway @ 220th Street Suite 3-159 New York, NY 10034 For appointments, please call: 212.932.6036 or 212.932.4080
nana Makalatia, md
Now also at a convenient Riverdale Location The Century, 2600 Netherland Avenue, Suite 125 Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 718.543.3031 Now accepting new patients. All clinical staff are Board Certified in Geriatric Medicine Medicare and most major insurance plans accepted. Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
PEdiatRiCianS
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Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. The Century, 2600 Netherland Ave., Suite 120 By App’t, 718.796.3580
The Century, 2600 Netherland Avenue, Suite 125 Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 718.601.7505
Stuart R. Framm, md
• Travel Vaccines NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital 5141 Broadway @ 220th Street Suite 3-152 New York, NY 10034 For appointments, please call: 212.932.5190 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
Sherry R. Kohn, np NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital 5141 Broadway @ 220th Street Suite 3-152 New York, NY 10034 For appointments, please call: 212.932.5190 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
aaron Manson, md The Century, 2600 Netherland Avenue, Suite 125 Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 212.305.3804 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
OBStEtRiCS & gynECOlOgy
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intERnal MEdiCinE
ColumbiaDoctors anita holman, md doreen Kramer, cnm Reyna E. Payero, md, fAcog tali Sarig-Meth, md • Board Certified Physicians • Comprehensive Gynecologic, prenatal and obstetric care 270 West 231st Street, 1st floor, Suite 101A Bronx, NY 10463 Now accepting new patients For appointments, please call: 212.305.9779 www.columbiaobgyn.org Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
OPhthalMOlOgiStS Jonathan d. Boniuk, md, pc Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Eye MD •Catering to all ages & eye problems including eye surgery, routine and preventive eye care. • Board Certified • El Medico Habla Español The Riverstone, 3220 Arlington Avenue, Suite 7 Call 718.432.2299 Fax 718.432.2069 Office Hours: Monday - Friday, including eves.
BaRBaRa E. StRaSSBERg, M.D., F.A.A.P. CaRlyn a. OPPEdiSanO, M.D., F.A.A.P. MaRtin ROdRiguEz-EMa, M.D., F.A.A.P. Pediatric & adolescent medicine.
PEdiatRiC SuBSPECialty CaRE ColumbiaDoctors andrei Constantinescu, md, phd Pulmonary Medicine
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Patricia M. Vuguin, md Camila Pereira-Eshraghi, md Endocrinology
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270 West 231st Street Bronx, NY 10463 For appointments, please call: 855.550.KIDS Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
PulMOnaRy MEdiCinE ColumbiaDoctors Manuel R. Cabrera, md
For appointments, please call: 646.317.0127 3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 204 Bronx, NY 10463 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
RhEuMatOlOgy ColumbiaDoctors teja M. Kapoor, md Specializing in Lupus, sees general rheumatology patients & performs musculoskeletal joint injections. 3050 Corlear Avenue, Suite 204 Bronx, NY 10463 Now accepting new patients For appointments, please call: 212.3054308 Affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - A11
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A12 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021
Opinion
The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy. Opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily represent those of this publication. Submissions can be made to letters@riverdalepress.com.
Editorial
Emotional? Just human
O
ne could say John Boehner wears his heart on his sleeve. In other words, the one-time U.S. House Speaker had no issue expressing an emotion — even tears — publicly. Sure, Boehner took some ribbing for his propensity to get emotional in public. But rarely, if ever, did anyone claim such expressions of vulnerability made Boehner the wrong person to lead the lower chamber of Congress. In fact, many said his courage to share those emotions and not hide them made him even stronger. That’s something we would readily agree with. Where we disagree, however, is when that same standard isn’t applied to women. The moment a woman gets angry or aggressive or even sad, she gets labeled as an undesirable. As someone incapable of taking on important tasks, like leading Congress. Society has certainly improved when it comes to how women are treated compared to men in leadership roles, but not by a lot. And certainly not far enough. A 2019 study conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce revealed 13 percent of both men and women believe women are less suited emotionally for politics than men, compared to more than half of both genders in the mid-1970s. The study found that the more educated someone was, the less likely they were to hold that bias against women. While education seems like a perfect antidote to sexism at this level, researchers still concluded one troubling fact: “Women who run for office still start with a 13 percent deficit compared to men. The role that sexism plays in politics is shrinking, but it’s still too
substantial to ignore.” While we might look at such issues as affecting us more on a state or even national level, we are certainly not immune to it on the local level. Our own state senator, Alessandra Biaggi, experienced this last September. Angry the city’s elections board was not going to fix misprinted absentee ballots, Biaggi warned Gov. Andrew Cuomo he needed to step in and fix this issue, or she would primary Cuomo herself. The governor didn’t respond, but his right-hand bulldog, Melissa DeRosa did, asking Biaggi publicly on social media, “Are you drunk? Get a grip.” Even closer to home, Mino Lora — a candidate in the March 23 city council special election race — addressed a tweet she made on her personal account last year calling not only to “abolish the police,” but to do something else to them that we can’t repeat here. In talking to The Riverdale Press, Lora didn’t mince words: She was angry. “We were seeing the injustices over and over, and videos of people being killed in front of our eyes. Of children being handcuffed to hot pavements. Twitter was me lashing in that anger.” When the story was posted online, one reader pointed out that “the fact that Mino Lora got emotional and acted so irrational proves she’s unfit for office.” Really? She vented her anger in a single tweet. She then turned around and found productive ways to address these injustices. If you disagree with Lora on how to address the police, that’s fine. But focus on the facts. And be happy there are people like Lora unafraid to show us how important it is we maintain our humanity.
Letters to the editor
Racism still thrives in NYC To the editor: As a disability advocate, both myself and my team of supporters are sadly recognizing that racism and discrimination is very much alive and thriving in New York City. And it is comfortably lurking within so many of the “white candidates” looking to be elected onto the city council and as our next borough president in 2021. Riverdale is no exception. The mayoral race is even more disturbing and shocking. Truly an eye-opener. As a disabled advocate, both myself and my supporters ask for disability justice in 2021. When I mention this to candidates of color, they smile, and ask, “What would you like me to do?” Or, “Great work! Where do I sign up?” Or “Please give me your suggestions.” When I ask candidates who are white, there is generally a pause. And then, more often than not, some deny that they even heard the question. One actually said, “Well, I support disabled kids, but not disabled adults.” Really, I am not kidding. Many disabled adults in New York City live a very lonely and isolated existence, and some sadly end their lives as their quality of life is simply non-existent. When I discuss EBT low-income justice policies, the 45 percent of doors that slammed shut from the white candidates denying the disabled community suddenly jumps to a massive 80 percent by white candidates who say to the electronic benefit transfer-supported low-income families, “Sorry, you are truly on your own regarding EBT.” This is when pure undiluted racism is not even hidden, but is proudly thrust into my face by very smug white candidates who shake their heads and say, “EBT is not an option for our policies and website. Please never ask us again.” Candidates of color say to me, “It’s about time someone discussed EBT. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.” Yet, the moment that I call out the white candidates as racists, elitists and discriminators, then boy how they immediately become defensive and say how they are super progressive. Or how they emulate the Kennedys. Marched in the Black Lives Matter protests. And even have some token friends of color.
But they just don’t actually want to live near any projects. It’s called a “whitewash” — pretend that you are hip, progressive and that you love your neighbor. Just as long as your neighbor is white. Nine out of 10 white candidates will gush about animal rights, and then turn to tell the EBT low-income community that they should be ashamed to be depending on food stamps each month. All of the white candidates running for office in New York City are financially secure, and not one of them is receiving EBT food stamps. All of the white candidates running for office in New York City are not physically or emotionally disabled to a level that totally prevents their ability to earn an income. And just to note that every white female candidate running for office in New York City states how they “fully support all women.” Just as long as they are not disabled women, and just as long as they are not women who receive EBT food stamps each month. It’s amazing. So imagine how the city council will vote in 2022 when all these closet white racists and discriminators are allowed to run districts and to dictate policy. Many of them scream “defund the NYPD,” then turn and dismiss the disabled community and the EBT low-income community. Yet, they proudly spout the word “solidarity.” So I have to wonder who are they in solidarity with, when it’s clearly not with their communities. The Black Lives Matter marches never really changed a thing. White privilege in New York City, in my opinion, is very much alive and thriving. Whereas the candidates of color looking to be elected in 2021 speak a very different language. The vast majority were born into poverty, and went to bed hungry. They understand disabilities, and they truly understand EBT. They do not need to be sold policies by me. They get it. They always have. adrian Edwards-sMiTh The author is the director of Advocacy for the Disabled NYC.
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Letters to the editor
Move forward on health care To the editor:
(re: “Universal health care finally on horizon?” Feb. 11)
Thank you, Riverdale Press, for your longstanding coverage of the New York Health Act. And thanks to reporter Ethan Stark-Miller for his recent story. What’s the largest challenge facing the New York Health Act? Under-reporting by the media. Too few people appreciate how much this legislation will benefit them and their families. Simply stated, the New York Health Act is both more cost-effective (saving us billions of dollars) and more comprehensive than any existing health care plan — public or private — anywhere in New York state. Our borough was the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis in the spring, and the epicenter of the financial crisis now. We need this life-saving legislation to stimulate our economy and create 200,000 jobs as soon as possible. Yes, there are those who wish merely to tweak the current system. Among them, the Healthcare Association of New York State, an advocacy group for hospital behemoths that regularly tops the lists for largesse in lobbying and campaign contributions. These private hospitals want to maintain the status quo — getting public funding and regulation from Albany to ensure they can provide hefty executive salaries, rationed admissions, and even empty beds, even at the peak of a pandemic. Protecting the wealthy and white from the rest of the state, New York City private hospitals are far more racially segregated than academic medical centers elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Albany starves their public sector counterparts, periodically withholding hundreds of millions of federal dollars, leaving them understaffed and undersupplied. Similarly, for-profit insurance is hardly “private,” when more than 60 percent of its revenue (its most profitable revenue) comes from our tax dollars — and private insurance largely ignores fraud. The New York Health Act would eliminate rent-seeking from private hospitals and private insurance, along with the systemic racism of segregating patients by wealth. It will give us patients true choice: All doctors and hospitals will be “in network,” and doctors — with patients — will determine the care you get, not insurance bureaucrats with no medical training. All primary and specialty care, both in-patient and out-patient, vision, hearing, dental, therapy at all levels — physical, mental and behavioral — and long-term care will all be covered, with no co-pays, deductibles or premiums. Some 90 percent of New Yorkers will pay less than they are paying now. Even better, local municipalities, school districts and counties will see 20 percent decreases in their budgets. That’s because for-profit health insurance adds $1 trillion per year to U.S. health care costs, wasting a half-trillion that doesn’t pay for health care, only for denying care to ensure profits. Call or write Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state senate majority leader Andrea StewartCousins. Ask them to bring this legislation to the floor this spring. BarBara EsTrin
Need to learn more on judges To the editor:
(re: “Key Food settles union dispute, pays $90,000,” Jan. 28)
Thank you for your recent story on Key Food in North Riverdale. I had seen posters in my building last summer, “Boycott Skyview Key Food,” with no explanation. I had seen comments in Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s newsletter regarding settlement of a dispute at Key Food. The Riverdale Press coverage of Jan. 28 filled out the story with explanations of what happened. Kudos for doing the neighborhood a good journal-
istic service, fleshing out the meat of the story. The Riverdale Press is a vibrant asset to Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil and Kingsbridge. I would like to read additional “meaty” stories. For example, your Nov. 19 story — “Voters not too excited to choose county court judges” — left me wanting to see an in-depth story about judgeships. A story could cover how many different levels of judgeships exist. How does someone become a family court judge? A civil court judge? A criminal court judge? A county supreme court
judge? What are the qualifications for each of those judgeships? How many of those judgeships are appointed positions? Who appoints them, and why? How many are elected? If they are elected, why aren’t their credentials and qualifications made public to the electorate at least two months prior to election day? A primer on judgeships would be a great service to the community prior to the next election day that includes voting for judges. LEsLiE hoGan
Enough is enough on COVID To the editor: I am writing to all of my local state elected officials to say that I would like them to support state Sen. Liz Krueger’s efforts to strip Gov. Andrew Cuomo of his COVID-19 powers. It’s clear that, almost a year into this lockdown regime, that it’s not working. Not only is it not working, but it has essentially destroyed New York and New York City economically and psychologically. On a personal level, 2020 was supposed to be my best year in business. I spent 15 years building a small business, and finally had reached a point where I was poised to break into “the big time.” But as a result of the lockdown and Cuomo’s total fascistic power trip, my business and career trajectory were destroyed, and I am on the verge of shutting down and moving to Florida. Given how shabbily I’ve been treated by New York, it would make me very happy to take my talents and tax money out of this state. But I love New York City (at least what it used to be), and am going to fight before I turn tail and leave. A lot of us out here have figured out that the politicians have zero clue about public health. We know a lot of your dictates come directly from globalist institutions like the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum, as well as powerful foundations like the one run by Bill and Melinda Gates, as well as the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. We know all about Event 201 held in October 2019 in New York City. The people know that lockdowns don’t work. We know that masks are useless, and nothing more than a tool of control. We see hypocrisy as elected official after elected official break their own rules. And now we see that since Trump has been defeated, all of a sudden, the cycles on the fraudulent PCR tests will be reduced so as to make it appear the virus is going away. Basically, we know it’s all been one big lie.
And we’re fed up. We’ve been fed up for almost a year now. Nowhere in the state constitution does it say that a governor has the right to do what Cuomo has done. And you’ve all been his abettors. It’s time to stop. If you’re worried about your constituents not supporting you, just know that you are wrong. Only the most deluded, fear-based mainstream media watchers are still into this crap. Most people are still wearing masks because of the downright nastiness that occurs when they don’t. The rest of us are willing to live like we’ve done for millions of years, knowing that life is not safe. It’s risky, and that as adults, we have the power and intelligence to make up our own minds as to our risk factors. In other words, there are millions of us that would hail our electeds as heroes the second they come out against the paper tiger murderer Cuomo. Are you even aware of how hated he is statewide? It’s a no-brainer. Also, think of what this has done to the children. When kids between 5 and 10 are running away from me on the street because they think an unmasked person is diseased, you have just sowed the seeds of total societal destruction 15 years down the line. This needs to stop. The stakes are very high. New York City is on the precipice of total destruction, and a lot of us have come to the conclusion that the reason is not a disease that has a high chance of survival. Rather, we know the reason why is because of the politician-induced lockdowns. Let’s do better than this. Seriously, stop with this madness already. Please join Liz Krueger, and let’s get New York back to work. Enough is enough. Manny GrossMan EDITOR’S NOTE: Some of the pandemic-related claims in this letter have not been independently verified, and should be treated only as the author’s opinion.
Bronx Press 5.375 X 5.25
THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - A13
Op-Ed Point of view
Looking at Black Lives Matter from one Jewish perspective
I
magine that you had the power in a life-ordeath situation where you could save only one of two people from drowning. The person who could be more easily saved was Black, the other was either a loved one or a friend. Who would you save? I would bet my bottom dollar that, even though Black lives matter, you would save your loved one or friend. That’s the way it actually is in real life. “Black lives matter” is a fine slogan in the abstract, but all lives matter — even those of Hispanics, Jews and cops. And if the slogan “Black lives matter” really did matter to its proponents, why are thousands upon thousands of Black people still being murdered each year in Democratic-controlled cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia — not by white cops, but by other Blacks? Not a damn thing is being done by the Black Lives Matter movement to cut down on this slaughter. One more point on Black Lives Matter: In the course of its many months of so-called “peaceful” protests, many innocent people throughout this country were assaulted, beaten and even murdered. Many businesses — even in New York City, and here in the Bronx, with many being owned by minorities — were looted, pillaged, set on fire, or otherwise destroyed. But so what? The cause is just. Who the hell cares about its innocent victims? They’re just collateral damage. Now, let me address the issue of race relations from my personal perspective. I am a white, Jewish, retired city elementary school teacher who taught in a predominantly Puerto Rican/Black Bronx school district for 30 years. The main interactions I have had with Black people in my life were with Black teachers, administrators, school personnel, parents and students. These experiences were normal and mostly pleasant. Now for the negative experiences. In 1968, the newly created community school board in the Black, Ocean Hill-Brownsville section of Brooklyn fired its Jewish teachers and replaced them with Blacks. This was a violation of the United Federation of Teachers’ contract with the
city, and led to a 36-day strike by the UFT. During those times, I walked the picket line in front of my school, and was called a “Jew bastard” and other expletives — many, many times by harassing Blacks. Also during that time, Julius Lester of WBAI radio interviewed Leslie Campbell, a history teacher who read a poem written by one of his students about Al Shanker, the head of the UFT, titled “Anti-Semitism: Dedicated to Albert Shanker” which went as follows” “Hey, Jew boy, with the yarmulke on your head. You pale-faced Jew boy, I wish you were dead.” Between Aug. 19 and Aug. 21, 1991, the Crown Heights “pogrom” occurred in Brooklyn during which time Orthodox Jews were viciously attacked by mobs of Blacks, and which resulted in the brutal stabbing murder of Yankel Rosenbaum. Black mayor David Dinkins sat on his behind for three days doing absolutely nothing because he was advised by Al Sharpton to let the community “vent its rage” on the Jews. Sharpton, who is a Jew-hater and has used such slurs as “Hymie Town” and “Diamond Merchants” to refer to Jews, is a very influential person in the Black community and the Democratic Party. He is a buddy of former president Barack Obama, and has spent much time as a house guest at the White House. Democratic candidates — including Jews — routinely grovel before him and kiss his behind to gain his approval. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan — an avowed hater of both Jews and whites in general — is also very influential politically. Not only is he a friend of Obama, but also has many friends and admirers in the Congressional Black Caucus. Unfortunately, life is not all kumbaya moments. We Jews have much to fear from politically influential Jew haters like Sharpton and Farrakhan, and other Black anti-Semites such as U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib in the current radical-left Democratic Party. And being a groveling, politically correct, self-flagellating Jew who submits to the intimidating tactics of Black racists is not going to help. To the haters, a Jew is a Jew is a Jew.
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Letters to the editor
Stop waiting for COVID Godot To the editor: Waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at Montefiore Hospital is like waiting for Godot. It never arrives. Here is what I experienced: I am older than 65. I am a Montefiore patient. My primary care physician is in the Montefiore network. When people older than 65 became eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, I called my primary care physician’s office. I get a recorded announcement telling me to call a number at Montefiore. I call the Montefiore number. I get a recorded announcement. I leave my name and number to be put on a vaccine waiting list. On Feb. 1, I get a text message from something called “Lumalink” that says “Montefiore patients 65 and over can now self-schedule their COVID-19 vaccine appointment.” Lumalink gives me a link to click on to schedule the appointment. Great. I click this link and get a message saying “SSL connection error.” I do this several times, and get the same message. I then try calling the LumaLink number that sent me the text. I get a recorded announcement that says “this number is out of service.” I try this several times, and get the same message. I then go on to the Montefiore My Chart. I click on the link to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination, and register myself. I wait. I don’t hear
anything. On Feb. 17, I go over to the Montefiore hospital to find out what is going on. I get sent from one office to another. Nobody knows anything. They tell me there is not even a computer list that they can check to see if I am even on the waiting list. One lady suggests that I go over to “the Hutch, that’s where they give the shots.” What is “the Hutch”? She tells me that it’s a Montefiore facility near the Hutchinson River Parkway. She says that maybe they have the waiting list there. I walked out of Montefiore. The next day, I walk into the city’s health department office on Worth Street. There, a man greets me in the lobby, takes my name and information, and puts me on the list. I figured this would be another “Waiting for Godot.” But to my surprise, on Feb. 21, I get a call from the health department telling me that they have appointments available on the following Wednesday. Would I like one? At the Ford Foundation, no less. Yes, please. I was scheduled to receive my COVID-19 vaccination that afternoon. I still haven’t heard from Montefiore. Moral of the story? Don’t waste your time and endanger your health waiting for Montefiore. Jerald Kreppel
Release our elderly from prison To the editor: Our state Assembly currently has an opportunity to right some historic and long-standing wrongs. An important set of bills are on the table which address criminal justice, bail and parole reforms. One of these, the Elder Parole Bill (S.2144/A.4319) would allow older people, who have served more than 15 years in prison, a consideration for parole release. The importance of this legislation is magnified by the continuing COVID-19 health crisis. This bill does not mandate release. It only allows for the parole board to individually evaluate older incarcerated people on a case-by-case basis. Currently, a large number of medically frail elders remain incarcerated with no possibility of return to their loved ones and communities. State Sen. Brad Hoylman, a sponsor of the bill, stated “death by incarceration is New York’s new death penalty.” Jose Saldana, the director of Release Aging People in Prison, explained that the “passage of Elder Parole is a real first step in addressing the crisis of incarcerated men and women growing
old, sick and dying in prison.” Our state prisons have become substandard nursing homes, at great expense to taxpayers, and at incalculable cost in terms of needless human suffering. Recidivism is extremely low among the elderly. The reality is that many formerly incarcerated elders have become mentors, teachers and community activists, working to prevent violence. It has been noted often that one of the most disturbing characteristics of the former Trump administration was its implementation of policies that were needlessly cruel and that served no positive purpose for the national good. Let’s work for humane and evidence-based approaches. It’s vital that we oppose punishment-based and punitive models that have not worked to keep us safe. Please urge your elected officials to support this much-needed reform in New York state. Silvia Blumenfeld The author is a member of the Northwest Bronx Indivisible steering committee.
Thank you so much, Con Edison To the editor: During the recent snowstorm, I was the only resident on my block of West 247th Street without power. Con Edison responded
quickly, and a wonderful crew stayed all night until my power was restored. I want to especially thank Jim Burke and Manny Hunt of the No. 9 Emergency De-
partment for their outstanding work. They were not only true professionals, but deeply caring people. I am so grateful to ConEd. naTalie roBinS
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Service Guide Handyman
Miscellaneous Home Improvement
Painting, Plastering, Scraping a/c installation & Handyman work. Licensed and Insured. Reasonable prices. Call for estimates. 646-526-4144
Lorence NY Contracting Corp. We specialize in Kitchen & bath renovs. NYC 646-407-3913 Lic. #2091374-DCA.
Home improvement
Moving & Storage storage
New Heights Construction, LLC Siding, Roofing, Painting, Basements, Decks and more. NYC Lic. #1191201 Call 800-525-5102 or 718-767-0044
S&M Moving & Storage Local and Long Distance Apartment & House cleanouts Call 718-538-1250; 24-hours
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COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Now offering a $10,000 scholarship for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)
ESTATE SALE - LOG HOMES PAY THE BALANCE OWED ONLY!!!
AMERICAN LOG HOMES IS ASSISTING JUST RELEASED OF ESTATE & ACCOUNT SETTLEMENT ON HOUSES.
4 Log Home kits selling for BALANCE OWED, FREE DELIVERY 1) Model # 101 Carolina 2) Model # 203 Georgia 3) Model # 305 Biloxi 4) Model # 403 Augusta
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BEFORE CALLING: VIEW at www.loghomedream.com Click on House Plans
NEW - HOMES HAVE NOT BEEN MANUFACTURED
Miscellaneous Window Cleaning Mario's Window Cleaning Service
Available anytime. Free ests. Riverdale references. Call 347-671-4040
Education
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TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440.
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Want to change the look of your home? Perhaps you need help installing new software? Is your apt in need of a new paint job? Take a look at our Business Card Directory. Maybe there is someone there that can help you.
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*Offer valid only while supplies last. Limit one per household. Must be first time purchase. Minimum spend amount applies. Financing subject to third party credit approval. Some financing options cannot be combined with other offers and may require minimum monthly payments. All offers subject to change prior to purchase. See AmericanStandardShowers.com for other restrictions and for licensing, warranty, and company information. CSLB B982796; Suffolk NY: 55431H;NYC:HIC 2022748-DCA. Safety Tubs Co. LLC does not sell in Nassau NY, Westchester NY, Putnam NY, Rockland NY.
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Legal Notices Legal Notice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Lovemexessories LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY are Articles of organization (DOM. LLC) (SSNY) on November 12, 2020. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is 99 Wall Street Suite 1513, NY, NY 10005. The principal business address of the LLC is 99 Wall Street Suite 1513, NY, NY 10005. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3425 Legal Notice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DM Legacies Restoration LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/30/2020. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is 938
Neill Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462 The principal business address of the LLC is 938 Neill Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3430 Legal Notice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Mister Frosteee LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/04/2020. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is 655 E. 233rd Street, Suite C12, Bronx, NY 10466. The principal business address of the LLC is 655 E. 233rd Street, Suite C12, Bronx, NY 10466. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3433 Legal Notice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 1126 Boynton LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/08/2021. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as
agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is 72 Hudson Ave, Haverstraw, NY 10927. The principal business address of the LLC is 1126 Boynton Ave, Bronx, NY, 10472. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3437 Legal Notice The Pilgrimage for Our Children’s Future 2020 return is available for inspection by any citizen who requests inspection within 180 days after the date this notice is published. Contact c/o Chris Lowney, Trustee, 2621 Palisade Ave; 4B; Riverdale, NY 10463 (tel. 718 530 8278) during regular business hours. 3438 Legal Notice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DOS DIMENSIONS, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/12/2020. Office location: Bronx County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The
Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is 530 W 163RD St.. The principal business address of the LLC is 530 W 163RD St. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3439 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/23/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000060-21/ BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to assume the name of (First) J’onn (Middle) Thomas (Last) Black. My present name is (First) John (Middle) Thomas (Last) Osorio . The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is New York City. The month and year of my birth are September 1995. 3440 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/23/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000061-21/
BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to assume the name of (First) Meggie (Middle) Jane (Last) Black. My present name is (First) Margaret (Middle) Mary (Last) Osorio . The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is New York City. The month and year of my birth are March 1999. 3441 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/18/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000316-20/ BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to assume the name of (First) Akua (Middle) Anima (Last) Kwapong-Ayesu. My present name is (First) Ekua (Middle) Animah (Last) KwapongAyesu (infant). The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Bronx, NY. The month and year of my birth are June 2020.
3442 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/18/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000319-20/ BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to assume the name of (First) Penina (Middle) Perel-Miriam (Last) Steinberg. My present name is (First) Pearl (Last) Steinberg. The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Brooklyn, NY. The month and year of my birth are January 1959. 3443 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/18/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000318-20/ BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Prince (Middle) Emmanuel (Last) Adamah. My pres-
ent name is (First) Prince (Middle) Emmanuel (Last) Afandagnon (infant). The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Bronx, NY. The month and year of my birth are September 2010. Assume the name of (First) Pelias (Middle) Elijah (Last) Adamah. My present name is (First) Pelias (Middle) Elijah (Last) Afandagnon (infant). The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Bronx, NY. The month and year of my birth are July 2014. 3444 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/18/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000317-20/ BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to assume the name of (First) Natacha (Last) Komlan. My present name is (First) Natacha (Last) Afandagnon. The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Togo, West Africa. The month and
year of my birth are August 1983. 3445 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on 2/10/2021, bearing Index Number NC-000008-20/ BX, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Nicole (Middle) Bella (Last) Alvarez. My present name is (First) Nicole (Last) Orozco AKA Nicole Cruz. The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Manhattan, NY. The month and year of my birth are January 1983. Assume the name of (First) Christian (Last) Alvarez. My present name is (First) Christian (Middle) Saul (Last) Orozco (infant). The city and state of my present address are Bronx, NY. My place of birth is Manhattan, NY. The month and year of my birth are July 2006. 3446
THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - A15
Home of the Week Mary Phelan-Kavanagh & Ari Susswein of Douglas Elliman Real Estate
A home with a little of the old and new
C
ome see this magnificent Tudor home with a slate-shingled roof designed by Mann & MacNeille back in 1911. Found at 355 W. 246th St., in Fieldston, this home is centrally located, sitting high above its neighbors, allowing for an abundant amount of natural light to pour in. The home maintains its beautiful original charm with oak hardwood floors, woodcarved doors, leaded windows, and woodburning fireplaces. There is a large living room with south-
ern exposures, a large entertaining dining room, sun room, and a large kitchen with an extra room just off from it. Upstairs, you’ll find five bedrooms and three full bathrooms. The master bedroom has a fireplace and wood-carved details throughout, with a large soaking tub in the master bathroom. There is truly nothing like this home — a balance of original charm with modern amenities. Make it your home for $2.595 million.
Note: Each week’s featured home is chosen at random from among houses and apartments offered by Riverdale Press advertisers. The opinions expressed are those of the advertiser and not The Riverdale Press news department. For further information, write to advertising@riverdalepress.com.
The ’21 Real Estate Season starts Mar. 15! There will be great deals. Mortgage rates are amongst the lowest rates in years. Buying or selling, we can help you get ready. JohnEdwardsRealEstate.com 929.474.6900
A16 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, March 4, 2021
TrebachRealty.com
718.543.7174
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Family Owned & Operated Since 1972
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West of pArKWAy WeB #895 Sylish and light filled 4-bdrm, 4.5-bath brick and stone house with impressive grounds & private association pool on leafy cul-de-sac. Marble center hall, elegant living room, formal dining room, large kitchen and stone gas fireplace om family rm. $2,595,000
fieldston WeB #885 Stately, secluded georgian revival stone 6-bdrm, 6-full, 2-half bath residence situated on nearly three quarters of an acre. Completely renovated with wide front terrace, large living room with WBFP and french doors to four-season sunroom. $4,900,000
West of pArKWAy WeB #893 Prime renovation opportunity: Completely gutted, sprawling 7,000-Sq. Ft. 5-bdrm, 6-bath stucco and stone house with pool, multi-level patios and spacious yard on double lot. Great room w/ 21-ft high ceilings, fireplace and oversized windows. $3,450,000
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neW exclusiVe fieldston WeB #900 6-bdrm, 5.5-bath, stucco Tudor with gracious historic interior, fireplace, rear decks and level backyard. $2,295,000
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centrAl riVerdAle WeB #903 Lovely & spacious 2-bdrm, 1.5-bath brck charmer with porch, patio, backyard and WBFP on private Cul-de-Sac. $985,000
centrAl riVerdAle WeB #896 Brand-new legal 3-family townhouse with stone accents has laundry in each apt and a 2-car driveway. $1,395,000
fieldston WeB #894 Pristine, modern and light filled 6-bdrm, 5.5-bath stucco house with patios and grassy yard. Huge room with white-oak flooring, 2 waterfall-edged islands in kitchen, living room with windows overlooking the backyard and family room. $2,775,000
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soutH riVerdAle WeB #871 Spacious 4-bdrm, 2.5-bath with foyer, living rm w/ brick WBFP, formal dining room and lrg eat-in kitchen. $1,595,000
fieldston WeB #904 Spacious 4-bdrm, 5.5-bath stucco house with patio and level grassy yard. Center hall, gas fireplace and FDR. $2,350,000
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neW exclusiVe VAn cortlAndt crest WeB #899 Spacious 6-bdrm, 3-full & 2-half baths, WBF in LR, dining rm & mstr bdrm. Eatin kitchen, porches & patio. $1,195,000
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West of pArKWAy WeB #846 Spacious 3-bdrm, 2.5-bath house features a living room with bay windows and marble WBF, dining room with sliding glass doors to large level backyard, eat-in kitchen, MBR suite & den with a wet bar. 2-car garage plus plenty of off street parking. $1,549,000
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neW exclusiVe West of pArKWAy WeB #882 Vacant site of approx 0.37 acres is a rare opportunity to build a home with commanding views of river. $1,495,000
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neW exclusiVe fieldston WeB #905 Bright 3-bdrm, 2.5-bath Tudor-Style house w/ sunken living room with ceiling beams, WBFP and patios.. $1,700,000
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neW exclusiVe nortH riVerdAle WeB #837 Legal 2-family semi-attached townhouse. Spacious side & rear yards. Two 3-bdrms, 2-baths plus 1-bdrm suite. $1,295,000
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neW exclusiVe West of tHe pArKWAy WeB #897 Renovated 5-bdrm, 5.5-bath Tudor-style house with spacious grounds on cul-desac. Living room with frplc. $2,495,000
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West of pArKWAy WeB #755 3-bdrm, 2.5-bath center hall colonial. WBFP in living rm, open plan kitchen & dining & finished basement. $1,420,000
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fieldston WeB #839 Bright 4-bdrm, 3-bath solar modern home with patio & garden. Living rm with WBFP & eat-in kitchen. $1,695,000
fieldston WeB #898 Exceptional, elegant mansion overlooking Idyllic Pond. 8-bdrms, 8-full & 2-half bths, living rm with marble wood burning fireplace, formal dining rm with French doors to a side patio, spacious kitchen, breakfast room & expansive family room. $4,590,000
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exclusiVe VAn cortlAndt crest WeB #902 4-bdrm, 3-bath stone and brick colonial with lawns and patio. Prestine hardwood flrs & wood burning fireplace $870,000
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West of pArKWAy WeB #880 Grand bucolic beauty and open space classic 6-bdrm, 5.5-bath mansion with wraparound porch on over one acre with grassy lawns. Large center hall, living room with WBF, formal dining room with fireplace and eat-in kitchen. $4,325,000
nortH riVerdAle WeB #892 Two-family, semi-attached brick house with wide entry terrace & backyard with a deck & patio on Cul-de-Sac. $899,000
soutH riVerdAle WeB #884 Renov 6-bdrm, 2-full and 2-half bath brick house. Tiled entry foyer, formal dining rm & renov kitchen. $1,395,000
nortH riVerdAle WeB #889 Renovated 3-bdrm, 2-bath house with side and back yards, patio and garden. Living room with fireplace. $1,095,000
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co-ops, condos and REntals
neW exclusiVe 3935 BlAcKstone AVe WeB #cc652 Spacious and Bright 3-bdrm, 2-bath with sunset balcony, majestic river views and 24-hr doorman. $795,000
condo exclusiVe
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3800 BlAcKstone AVe WeB #cc651 Contemporary 2-bdrm, 2-bath condo w/ modern kitchen, balcony, laundry in unit and indoor parking. $678,000
2727 pAlisAde AVenue WeB #cc656 Bright and renovated 2-bdrm, 2-bath luxury Co-op with balcony, 24-hr doorman and parking availability. Features an entry foyer, living room with a wall of windows, remodeled kitchen, dining area, master BR suite and renovated hall bath. $579,000
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3935 BlAcKstone AVe WeB #cc648 Spacious, light filled, low floor 3-bdrm w/ balcony & 24-hr D/M. Extra lrg foyer & dining rm with built-ins. $649,000
750 KAppocK street WeB #cc659 Spacious and bright top-floor 2-bdrm, 2-bath with enclosed sunrise balcony, parking, & 24-hr doormen. $549,000
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no BoArd ApproVAl West of pArKWAy - 3-bdrm, 2-bath, w/ balcony, L-shaped LR/DR area, DM, fitness room, private playground and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK. Indoor parking available. $525K West of pArKWAy - 3-bdrm, 2-bath, w/ balcony, L-shaped LR/DR area, DM, fitness room, private playground and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK. Indoor parking available. $515K West of pArKWAy - Top floor Junior-4 with stunning river and sunset views, doorman, fitness room, private playground and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK. $305K West of pArKWAy - 1-bdrm with L-shaped living/dining room area, doorman, fitness room, private playground $290K and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK.
condo excl 3800 BlAcKston AVe cc630 Contemporary 2-bdrm. 2-bath duplex penthouse w/ private roof terraces. $675K
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3614 JoHnson AVe cc646 2-bdrm, 2-bth with open plan living and dining area with glass sliding doors to balcony. $425K
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3600 fieldston rd cc855 2-bdrm, 2-bath conv 3, 2-bath w/ balcony, updated kitchen and DM. Parking avail. $415K
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290 West 232nd st cc626 2-bdrm with entry foyer, dining area and balcony. Storage area and bicycle rm in bldg. $305K
exclusiVe 3616 HH pArKWAy cc642 Spacious and bright 2-bdrm with balcony, and doorman. Indr parking avail. $398.5K
House for rent
fieldston Vic. rr642 6-bdrm, 3.5-bath, 7,500 sq. ft. house w/ Expansive wraparound porch & pool. $19,500/mo
professionAl & office spAce 3755 HH pKWAy - tHe imperiAl - Walk-in level doctor’s office with reception area and 2 exam rooms. $360K nortH riVerdAle - Office Space Available. $1,500/mo
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House for rent fieldston Vic. rr880 Spacious 6-bdrm, 4.5-bth center-hall Colonial w/ patio & yard on cul-de-sac. $7,900
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exclusiVe 4525 HH pArKWAy cc650 Bright & renov Jr-4 convt to 2 with open sunset views and 24-hr doorman. $329K
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exclusiVe 290 W 232nd st cc657 Updated 2-bdrm post war co-op with balcony. Entry foyer & eat-in kitch. $339K
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exclusiVe 5715 mosHolu AVe cc635 Bright L-shaped 2-bdrm postwar co-op. Hrdwd flrs, South & West expos. $208K
exclusiVe 3601 JoHnson AVe. cc587 Walk-in level doctor’s office with seperate entrance and reception area. $295K
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exclusiVe 3935 BlAcKstone cc646 Spacious 2-bdrm, 2-bath with open plan living, dining area and balcony. $415K
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exclusiVe 3001 HH pArKWAy cc853 Spacious 3-bdrm, 2-bth, PT DM. Entry foyer, large entral foyer & sunken LR. $625K
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pet-friendly rentAls centrAl riVerdAle - Contemporary 3-bdrm, 2-bath condo with balcony, laundry in unit and indoor parking. $3,950/mo West of pArKWAy - Spacious 3-bdrm, 2-bath, sunrise balcony, partial river views, DM & fitness rm. Dogs ok. $3,325/mo rented - West of pArKWAy - 2-bdrm, 2-bath, balcony, partial river views, DM & fitness rm. Dogs ok. $2,550/mo rented - West of pArKWAy - Rent stabilized 1-bdrm, parquet floors, balcony, DM and fitness room. Dogs OK. $1,880/mo
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no fee rentAls West of pArKWAy - Large and luxurious 2-bdrm conv. 3, 2-bth with great closet space, balcony, doorman, healthclub and pool. 3 months free rent $4,095/mo West of pArKWAy - Large and luxurious 2-bdrm convertible to 3, 2-bath with great closet space, balcony, doorman, healthclub and pool. 3 months free rent $3,895/mo West of pArKWAy - Large & bright 2-bdrm w/ balcony. D/M, fitness room, tennis couts & pool . 2 months free rent $3,495/mo West of pArKWAy - Large and luxurious Junior-4 with great closet space, balcony, doorman, healthclub and pool. 3 months free rent $2,695/mo
exclusiVe 601 KAppocK st cc649 Mint condition, beautifully renovated 2-bdrm with doorman and pool. $284K
condo excl
condo exclusiVe
3816 WAldo AVe cc643 Contemporary Condo with balcony, modern kitch, lndry in unit, DM & prkg. $640K
445 West 240tH st cc637 Postwar 2-bdrm condo with large entry foyer, living rm & windowed kitchen. $375K
exclusiVe
3515 HH pArKWAy cc638 Spacious & bright 3-bdrm, 2-bath corner unit. Entry foyer, living rm & renov kitch. $618K
Trebach Realty, Inc. • 3801 Greystone Avenue, Riverdale Open 7 Days • www.TrebachRealty.com
exclusiVe
611 West 239tH st cc645 Spacious split-design, 2-bdrm, 2-bath co-op w/ indoor parking, balcony and doorman. $425K