Winner of Vol. 72, No. 27
What’s inside?
Thursday, August 12, 2021
n Governor gives New York a two-week notice, paving way for Kathy Hochul to lead estarkmiller@riverdalepress.com
It appears to be the beginning of the end for community garden next to DeWitt Clinton High School. Page A3
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Cuomo resigns as inner circle collapses By ETHAN STARK-MILLER
Goodbye garden
the Pulitzer Prize
To many, it never seemed possible. But Gov. Andrew Cuomo told New York on Tuesday he’s resigning — a week after state attorney general Letitia James released a report that concluded he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women while in office. The three-term governor will leave office in 14 days, replaced by his lieutenant Kathy Hochul. When she’s sworn in Aug. 24, Hochul will be the first woman to lead New York state. In his televised news conference, Cuomo continued denying many of the sexual misconduct allegations made against him. But he said he’s choosing to step aside because a months-long impeachment process would make it impossible to govern the state while a public health crisis in the form of the coronavirus pandemic rages. “Government needs to function,” Cuomo said. “’New York tough’ means ‘New York loving.’ And I love New York, and I love you. And everything I have ever done has been motivated by that love. The best way I can help now is if I step aside.” State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi — a frequent Cuomo critic and a rumored gubernatorial candidate in next year’s primary — said she’s grateful to all of the women
‘Governor deserves to be treated fairly’ n Rita Glavin criticizes media
for taking AG report at face value, not considering evidence By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepress.com
Andrew Cuomo may be going, but he won’t be going without a fight. Before the governor finally gave in to mounting political pressure to resign on Tuesday, Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin spent 45 minutes once again attempting to poke significant holes in state attorney general Letitia James’ report accusing the governor of multiple counts of sexual misconduct. As she did the day James first released those findings last week, Glavin claimed that investigation was far from complete, and because of that, failed to address a number of inconsistencies who stepped forward to share their horrific experiences they said they had with the governor. “While further accountability is necessary, this moment reflects the hard work of survivors who have been striving for an end to workplace harassment for decades,”
she says exists between some of the stories told by women who worked with Cuomo, and records she collected. Glavin also blamed the media for not conducting its own investigations, and instead taking James’ report only at face value. “Over the last eight days, the media frenzy contributed to what RITA the report was, which GLAVIN was the investigators acted as the prosecutors, the judge and the jury of Gov. Cuomo,” Glavin said. “Nobody vetted through the report. And I want to spend some time talking about it, because he’s been convicted in the media, and the Assembly — most of the members have made up their mind GLAVIN DEFENDS, page A4 Biaggi said. “New York state can now move forward and address the needs of the people we were elected to serve. I look forward to working under Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s leadership. “Let this next chapter for New York be one of integrity, optimism and progress.”
Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo/Mike Groll
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is resigning in the wake of multiple allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct in the workplace. Lawmakers have still not ruled out impeachment, which the Assembly could continue pursuing as early as this week. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who recently told The Riverdale Press that he supported impeachment if the governor didn’t step down, also applauded Cuomo’s decision on social media. “The governor’s resignation is in the best interest of New York and New Yorkers,” the lawmaker said. “I look forward to CUOMO RESIGNS, page A4
Welcome interns The Y slowly rolls out return of some inperson events, with a little help from some neighborhood teenagers. Page A6
PICKING UP THE PIECES
Here’s the beef For first time since 1974, there is a new owner of old 24 Hour Fitness building. But will it turn into a grocery store? Page A7
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
Nitza Bravo lived at the Hudsoncrest co-op at 3215 Arlington Ave., for nearly 25 years with husband Juan Melendez until a fire last January claimed his life, and struggles with the management company made it impossible to return home.
A deadly fire, and one woman’s quest to return home n Nitza Bravo claims co-op is making it near impossible to make apartment livable By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ jdelacruz@riverdalepress.com
It’s been an exhausting and painful eight months for Nitza Bravo. The former high school educator is still dealing with the loss of her ex-husband Juan Melendez, killed during a fire earlier this year in their Hudsoncrest co-op. Even worse, not only hasn’t she been able to return home, she can’t even make the necessary repairs that would make her 3215 Arlington Ave., apartment habitable once again. “It’s been really hard for me this year,” Bravo said. “I’ve been trying with everything that I have in me to deal with the
‘I still loved him and took care of him, but I couldn’t live with him while he was still smoking. Who knows, I probably saved my own life because I moved out.’ NITZA BRAVO
on loss of her ex-husband, Juan Melendez stress. But it’s not easy.” Bravo and Melendez were married for 24 years, but had finalized their divorce in February 2020, just ahead of the coronavirus pandemic. Bravo blamed the parting on Melendez’s uncontrollable smoking habit — the same vice she believes may have cost him his life. Investigators have yet to officially de-
termine what caused the Jan. 13 fire, but believe the 84-year-old Melendez was smoking near an oxygen tank, according to reports. Since the divorce, Bravo has rented another apartment at Hudsoncrest, but would like to return to the home she had shared with Melendez since 1996. She’s disabled, relying on a wheelchair to move around.
Bravo also suffers from asthma — a condition that doesn’t mesh well with smoking, and the ultimate reason why she left. In fact, she believes that twist of fate kept her from meeting the same end. “I still loved him and took care of him, but I couldn’t live with him while he was still smoking,” she said. “Who knows, I probably saved my own life because I moved out. I probably could have died in that fire had I stayed with him.” Now Bravo wants to return home, but she says the management company overseeing the co-op, Hudsoncrest Properties, has made doing so almost impossible. On top of that, Bravo is still responsible for paying $766 in maintenance fees each month, despite the fact no one can live there. So Bravo decided to get lawyers involved. When Julie Hyman first stepped in, it seemed Hudsoncrest was willing to help RETURN HOME, page A4