Winner of Vol. 72, No. 20
the Pulitzer Prize
Thursday, June 24, 2021
$1.00
CITY COUNCIL
MINO LORA
ERIC DINOWITZ
DISTRICT 11
BOROUGH PRESIDENT Vanessa Gibson
39%
Fernando Cabrera
34%
27%
Nathalia Fernandez 14%
ABIGAIL MARTIN
Early results have Eric Dinowitz poised to win re-election to the seat he just won two months ago. However, he didn’t break the 50% threshold in preliminary voting to claim victory outright. Now he’ll have to hold his lead through the ranked-choice counting process that provides a window for Mino Lora to come back and win the seat, but it’s a small one. Voters, however, likely won’t know the final results for at least a week, possibly two.
DAN PADERNACHT
MARCOS SIERRA
CARLTON BERKLEY
Luis Sepulveda 10% Sammy Ravelo
2%
MAYOR Eric Adams
31%
Maya Wiley
21%
Kathryn Garcia
21%
Andrew Yang
12%
Scott Stringer
5%
Dianne Morales
3%
COMPTROLLER Brad Lander
31%
Corey Johnson
23%
Michelle Caruso14% Cabrera Brian Benjamin
8%
David Weprin
7%
MUNICIPAL JUDGE Jessica Flores
35%
Verena Powell
20%
Yadhira GonzalezTaylor 18%
Angel Cruz
14%
John Rodriguez 13%
PUBLIC ADVOCATE Jumaane Williams
70%
Anthony Herbert
21%
Theo Bruce Chino 8% Tavarez
42%
6%
14%
2%
2%
Dinowitz poised to keep council seat n District 11 seems decided, but borough president race is still way too close to call By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepess.com
It might be a different kind of election on a totally different date, but that hasn’t seemed to change the outcome at all as Eric Dinowitz is expected to retain his city council seat for the next two years. The councilman faced a host of chal-
lengers — many of them the same as who faced him in a March special election to replace Andrew Cohen — but despite improved numbers by Spuyten Duyvil theatre non-profit executive Mino Lora, there seems to be little standing in the way of Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz’s son. “For the second time in just a few months, I am encouraged by the support and enthusiasm of the North Bronx,” Dinowitz said in a statement. “While we await absentees and the ranked-choice process, we feel good about the in-person results, and eagerly wait every vote to be counted.” Still, the younger Dinowitz will have to
wait a bit longer for official word from city election officials as he once again failed to capture 50 percent of the vote in the first round — not unexpected with so many candidates in the race. That means ballots will be counted and counted again, eliminating low-ranked candidates and redistributing votes to those who remain. So far — at least through last spring’s special elections — any candidate leading the vote heading into the ranked-choice count has ultimately claimed victory. That means Lora’s chances of overcoming Dinowitz in the vote redistribution are slim at best.
“Running for office has been exhilirating,” Lora said, in a statement. “I am extremely proud of the race we ran to provide representation in the city council or all the people of District 11. Like all of you, I look forward to seeing the final results.” With 96 percent of scanners reported, Dinowitz captured 5,787 first-choice votes — enough for 42 percent overall. Lora had 3,746 votes, or 27 percent. That is a difference of 2,000 votes, which makes a Lora comeback unlikely. But not impossible. There are still more than 4,100 potential votes on the table from a list of runners-up ELECTIONS, page A4
Businesses navigate a post-pandemic reality n Governor says everything is open, but some insisting on a wait-and-see approach By ETHAN STARK-MILLER estarkmiller@riverdalepress.com
The coronavirus pandemic didn’t spare any part of the Bronx. Beyond those who actually fought COVID-19 itself, the pandemic dealt tremendous economic blows to the borough’s small-business community. Between the three-month state-mandated shutdown most faced last year and the lingering virus-related restrictions since then, mom and pop businesses were “hit pretty hard,” said Nick Fazio, Community Board 8’s economic development chair. “Based on most of the reports, primarily in the hospitality industry, which was really hit hard,” he added. “As well as retail.” State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli recently released a report revealing employment in the leisure and hospitality sector dropped by 45 percent between Spring 2020 and the same time this year. Fortunately, the Bronx’s road to economic recovery became much clearer last week when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he was immediately ending most pandemic-related restrictions after 70 percent of the state’s adults received at least
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
An Beal Bocht Cafe fell on hard times during the coronavirus pandemic, especially when the popular West 238th Street hangout shut down for three months. Bronagh Harmon, one of the café’s bartenders, said she’s happy Gov. Andrew Cuomo lifted most pandemic restrictions on businesses last week — bringing some relief after a very stressful year. one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. So, it’s now up to individual businesses to decide if they want to keep capacity restrictions and other virus safety protocols. Still, Cuomo’s announcement is really
good news for the area’s small businesses, Fazio said. “I think opening up is definitely moving in the right direction, and it’s going to help with the recovery.” While hesitation before fully reopening
is natural, Clarence Stanley — regional director of SUNY’s Small Business Development Center — echoed the importance of getting back to normal in order to fuel the Bronx’s economic recovery. “Lifting the restrictions, I think is, critical,” Stanley said. “But I think right now we’re almost in a testing stage. Hopefully, (the virus) won’t come back.” The Bronx had actually seen significant economic growth before the pandemic hit. According to DiNapoli’s report, the number of businesses in the borough increased by 15 percent between 2009 and 2019 — faster than Manhattan and Staten Island. In fact, the sectors most impacted by the pandemic — hospitality and retail — were among those that saw the most growth during this 10-year period. The report also revealed the majority of Bronx businesses are small businesses. In 2019, for example, 80 percent of them had fewer than 10 employees. That’s great for creating a home-grown economy, but those same businesses were especially vulnerable once the pandemic hit. An Beal Bocht Café — a bar and restaurant at 445 W. 238th St. — was one of those struggling businesses. But Bronagh Harmon, one of An Beal’s bartenders, said the governor’s move may finally bring some relief after a very hard year. “I’m actually happy that the restrictions are being lifted right now,” Harmon said. POST-PANDEMIC, page A4
Who really rules the roost over at Ploughmans Bush? n Noisy — and illegal — farm animal draws the ire of many of those neighbors living nearby By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
The sound of a rooster crowing might evoke a certain range of feelings. Perhaps the desire to wake up and start a new day. Maybe even the image of a pastoral scene of a farm upstate. But for Judith Veder, it’s a sound that summons dread. Especially when she hears it before 5 a.m. It’s been part of her reality for quite a while now, as one of her Ploughmans Bush neighbors off of Independence Avenue apparently has been keeping a rooster as a pet. The bird lives in what Veder describes as a “residence” outside. And it’s from that
residence — much to her chagrin — the rooster heralds the beginning of each new day. Veder can’t exactly remember when she first became aware of her cocky new neighbor. But it must have been recently, because she recalls opening her windows to get some fresh air into her home as the weather warmed. She got fresh air, of course. But she also got much more than she bargained for when she first heard the rooster’s crowing — something one doesn’t quite expect living in a city where nowhere is more urban than here. And ever since, it’s been a nuisance for her and for some of her neighbors — although some are a bit more sympathetic to their new crowing resident than Veder is. “Someone said he’s very happy to hear it,” Veder said. “He feels it’s bucolic or something. But I’m up every morning at 4 or 5 o’clock hearing it.” It’s not that Veder is anti-rooster, however. She ROOSTER, page A4
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
A rooster recently took up residence at a home on Ploughmans Bush. But its noisy demeanor led a few to question its place there — especially since it’s illegal to own a rooster in New York City.