Winner of Vol. 71, No. 46
What’s inside?
the Pulitzer Prize
Thursday, December 24, 2020
$1.00
Council candidates band together versus Ben Franklin Club
Footprints in the snow
n All but Eric Dinowitz ‘The club leadership reject consideration for club election endorsement offered no response to
Crisis mode
By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepress.com
It’s more than just COVID-19 that’s hurting EMS workers. So is the fear of many patients visiting hospitals during the pandemic. Page A3
Say it right? Holidays means seeing family, but it also might mean figuring out what’s good to talk about, and what’s not. Page A7
Courtesy of Kevin Horbatiuk
Is it Santa Claus, or a man dressed like Santa Claus, walking through the newly fallen snow at Hudson Gardens? Coronavirus or no coronavirus, Kris Kringle is readying his annual trip around the globe. So here’s hoping you’ve been good, because rumor is Santa Claus is bringing plenty of coal with him for those who aren’t.
It might be a political club divided, but there’s still a lot of power that comes from a Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club endorsement. There’s the club’s physical space on West 231st Street, which becomes that selected candidate’s space. And then there’s the volunteers — a club full of them, many required to back that endorsed candidate or face retribution from their peers. Just a few weeks ago, all seven candidates looking to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council visited with members MICHAEl of the Ben Franklin HEllEr Club — virtually — in the hopes to get that endorsement. But as of Monday, only one is left seeking it — the one many felt was going to get it anyway, thanks to his strong family connections. It was a revolt against the establishment Ben Franklin Club president Michael Heller blamed on one of the socalled “No, Thank You Six” candidates, Dan Padernacht. And in response, compared their tactics to those used by Donald Trump. “Although you urge the club to
n Working group suggests street narrowing, speed bumps vs. reckless driving rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
Community still mourns the loss of Betty CampbellAdams, and wonder what’s next for bakery. Page A8
— ‘No, Thank You Six’ candidates
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abolish the election endorsement” for city council, “I regard it essential for our longstanding local Democratic club to give its members the opportunity to make their choice known for this important position,” Heller said. Yet, that’s where the rogue candidates disagree. In an “emergency” meeting called earlier this month, the Ben Franklin Club decided to temporarily change how they voted to endorse city council candidates in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, using a system developed by Heller that most did not even get to review until the minutes before they were asked to vote on it. Heller also wanted to conduct leadership elections in the same way. But ousted state committeewoman Helen Morik led a charge to delay leadership elections indefinitely — a move that a Riverdale Press editorial later deemed Trumpian in its own right, opining BAND TOGETHER, page A4
Change could soon be inbound for Independence By ROSE BRENNAN
Thinking of Betty
the statement that it is more important for a Democratic organization to maintain a democratic transition of power than to endorse a candidate in a special election.’
For the better part of the year, Independence Avenue has been the site of reckless driving and street racing. With the danger the practices pose — in addition to the noise —it’s no surprise those who live on and nearby the street are fed up. But change could soon come to Independence Avenue, thanks to a months-long study by a working group from Community Board 8’s traffic and transportation committee. Comprised primarily of residents near the troubled areas, the committee evaluated the street, talked to neighbors, and even conferred with Bronx transportation commissioner Nivardo Lopez about what changes — and quickly — could be made to Independence. Quickly is important because, at least
HIrAM AlEJANDrO DUrÁN
A man takes his dog for a walk through Seton Park on a chilly December morning. The park sits along Independence Avenue, a street that could become the site of several traffic design changes in the near future as part of an effort to discourage drag racing on the avenue. according to working group leader Deb Travis, the neighborhood wants the street racing problem addressed yesterday. “We wanted to make sure that things we
suggested could be quickly implemented, because we have a problem right now that is serious,” Travis told CB8’s traffic and transportation committee in a recent
meeting. “Time is of the essence. Even if we were to approve something today … there’s still a process of approvals through the larger community board.” And not just that. Because CB8 is only an advisory body, it would require the backing of the city’s transportation department itself — the agency ultimately responsible for any changes that might happen on Independence or any other street. These proposed design changes are a long time coming, Travis said. Not only could they discourage street racing on Independence, they also could make the street safer for others. “Independence Avenue wasn’t perfect to begin with,” Travis said. “How many people have had a moment of pause or anxiety just trying to cross Independence Avenue? Maybe it was in the morning when you were trying to drop your child off at school. Or maybe it was in the evening (when) you were walking home and you’re just trying to keep an eye out for a car whipping around a corner or through an intersection.” INDEPENDENCE, page A4
First to get COVID vaccine makes it clear: ‘I like living’ n Hebrew Home begins an inoculation process that could create Valentine’s Day immunity By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepress.com
Kelley Dixon could barely keep his loose-fitting mask on his face as he sat down in a chair in front of a man holding a syringe. That man was Walgreens pharmacist Mitchel Zaretsky, and inside his syringe was a small amount of fluid that could be the key to the 78-year-old Hebrew Home at Riverdale resident someday ditching his face mask: the coronavirus vaccine. “Are you ready?” Zaretsky asked. “Go for it,” Dixon responded with obvious confidence. It’s no longer the end of the beginning, as it had been for months dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. For Daniel Reingold, this is now the beginning of the end. Dixon was the first Hebrew Home resident to receive the coronavirus vaccine Monday morn-
ing, kicking off what was expected to be a threeday process inoculating all 600 of his fellow residents, and most of the 1,000 staff members at the Hebrew Home. “What I’ve said to people is that there were a lot of really, really bad parts of the early spring,” said Reingold, president and chief executive of RiverSpring Health — the Hebrew Home’s parent organization. “But I think the most dreadful part was that as bad as things were, we didn’t know when it was going to end. It was a sense of endless darkness.” That changed in early NoDANIEl rEINGOlD vember when Pfizer became the first pharmaceutical company to announce it had a vaccine ready to go. “It’s literally been within the last several weeks, since the word came out that this is coming, that I have felt a glimmer of hope and happiness and optimism,” Reingold said. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but at least this is a beginning.” Walgreens was one of two national drug store VACCINE, page A4
BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL 4705 Henry Hudson Pkwy, Apt. 3K 2 BD | 1.5 BA // $385,000 ALISON BARTLETT Alison.Bartlett@sothebyshomes.com
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MICHAEl HINMAN
Walgreens pharmacist Mitchel Zaretsky checks his supplies before getting inoculations under way, protecting from the coronavirus residents and staff workers alike at the Hebrew Home at riverdale on Monday.