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Vol. 71, No. 47

the Pulitzer Prize

Thursday, December 31, 2020

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WORLD TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN EMILY WEISBERG

IFFAT MAHMUD-KHAN

There’s always something that’s difficult. There’s a never-ending list. I don’t think it should take another century for things to move forward.

JOSHUA BERRIOS

It wasn’t a question of whether I was going to cut employees. It was just a question of how am I going to make sure that I can meet these requirements.

LEAH FERSTER

SURA JESELSOHN

I can take rejection and denial, but it feels awful being ignored entirely. Publishing it myself gives me control over it.

DAN HARELICK

There was an emotional connection to the dearth of what people are living with there. It was pretty horrifying that, as humanity, we’re allowing it to happen.

ROOSEVELT SPIVEY

I got four generations that I am working on right now, and the fifth one is in process. I know all the people in the neighborhood like family.

KLAUDIO RROKU

Suddenly I got a boost of energy. I turned around, dropped my phone, and started running. When I felt the step, my mind just lit up. And I said, ‘I’m throwing myself.’

ROSEMARY JIANG

Even though I am still in high school, I understand the biggest impact I can make is to start educating the young. Because my school taught me to be the change you want to see.

PAUL KEMPNER

DANIEL NUÑEZ

Some people who walk to The Last Stop for the first time see the interaction that we have with people and our regulars who have been donating food.

Business as usual works for the group that is in power. Going back to business as usual is a code word, or people like me and people of color. It’s a code word from, ‘Well let this blow over and go back.’

We were totally peaceful protesters, but we were met with police who were totally militarized.

If we are lifelong learners, then we can learn from the kids. I explained that, in my classroom, I’m learning from you. As you’re going to learn from me. As you’re going to learn from your peers.

I always want to make sure that if I give any message to young people, it’s that they can admit they don’t know. And once they admit they don’t know, they can learn.

We’re going to be dancing and doing some poetry in the show. We’re all from West Africa, so we wanted to implement that and show where the roots of Black history come from.

ROXANA VAZQUEZ

CAROLINE AZEEZ

JERRY GOODMAN

We’re still living in a heterosexist society. And so he said, ‘You know, I’m always having to come out. I’m not just out. It’s never finished.’

Before I make the video calls, I sort of brace myself. I know that these kids — and even the parents who are home with the kids — are really struggling.

ELIOT ENGEL

You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If you’re not here, then you should be here. If you’re not there, then you should be there.

STEVEN SCHWARTZ

NICK DIAKAKIS

Each step forward we go is costing us more as a business. We are trying to do the best that we can, but at the same time, it is taking a step backwards.

MICHAEL SIMMON

ANDOM GHEBREGHIORGIS

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER

I can tell you, probably half the people who are sitting on a train what stop they’re going to without looking at their ticket. When you don’t see that, it’s a strange dynamic.

SERGIO VILLAVERDE

LINDA SHRINER-CAHN

At least we can see one another. At least those (vulnerable) individuals can singe their hearts out, which if they were in a room or even standing outside masked, they couldn’t really do safely.

JOSH PIZARRO

When this whole thing is said and done, we need to come together to defeat Donald Trump.

HAWA CAMARA

Social Security does not call you on the phone. The IRS doesn’t call you on the phone either to tell you that you owe them $1,000 or even $50. They’ll send you a letter.

I told him, ‘If you went to a museum and everything was a Picasso, you’d get bored pretty quick.’ I told him that I wasn’t looking for a Picasso. I was looking for what he could make.

As long as nobody was hurt, then it’s fine. This is the most important thing, that people are OK. It’s only material things. We can’t worry about them.

PAMELA CHASEK

MICHAEL HELLER

It’s a small community. The other small brokers help each other out, and people remember you. They’ll come back to you.

They’re getting things done right here at the college. That’s important. To change your immediate surroundings is important.

I just left for an hour. I just want to get out of my house. If I’m going to be cold, I can be outside.

HARRIET FRITZ

VIVIAN OLEEN

We have 850 different families and 850 different situations in terms of how COVID-19 impacted our community. The perseverance that my community showed during this time was truly remarkable, but not surprising.

VISHNU BHARATHRAM Creative writing represents that power to imagine something new and to imagine something different, and to really engage with all the possibilities of that power.

JIMMY BRITT

I know I could have died. I was the same person saying, ‘I can’t breathe.’ I was on the floor, Maced. I was on the floor of the train station, where there’s no ventilation, and I have high blood pressure.

STEPHANIE COGGINS

RICHARD BERROA

We were excited and nervous at the start. Then through March, April, so on, we’re at home, panicking, world ending.

PERRY GROSSMAN

A poll tax, if you think about it in a broader way, is anything that makes the cost of voting expensive. And the cost of voting gets more expensive when you make it harder to vote.

Everyone sees criminal shows like ‘CSI,’ stuff like that. And so they get a perception of, ‘Oh, they are going to find out who robbed me in two seconds.’ No. It takes a lot of hard work.

This time last year, my husband and I went up to the Catskills and we rented a house for two weeks. I was there, pounding away on my laptop, trying to do enough research that I could put together a substantial nomination letter.

RAPHY JACOBSON

ENRIE MORALES

I would like to be able to go to school. I would like to see my friends. I would like to be able to learn calculus in person, because calculus is hard. Zoom calculus is awful.

While one person might feel a lot of anxiety because they’re alone, another person might feel anxiety because they’re being paid too much attention to, and the family is always on top of them.

All of us faced a new reality this year. Get context on Page A2

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WORLD TURNED

Beginning a new decade always is an exciting time, and it was no different as the clock struck Jan. 1 this year. But within weeks, our world turned from one filled with promise to one hit with the worst pandemic in a century. Despite that, even in the most difficult times, each and every one of us found ways to persevere. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll push our way into 2021 stronger than ever. IFFAT MAHMUD-KHAN Fighting to restore funding to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, which helps her remain mobile. (Jan. 2) JOSHUA BERRIOS Complaining about heating issues where he lives at 99 Marble Hill Ave. (Jan. 9) EMILY WEISBERG Moss Cafe owner talking about how, as a small business, she now pays a $15 minimum wage. (Jan. 9) PAMELA CHASEK Commending students as chair of Manhattan College’s political science department on raising awareness about climate change. (Jan. 9) VIVIAN OLEEN Sharing how small the world of real estate brokerage is, especially within the greater Riverdale area. (Jan. 16) DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER The famed sex therapist answering the tough question of whether there’s anything she doesn’t know after all her years. (Jan. 23) MICHAEL HELLER The president of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club on efforts to oust him from his leadership role. (Jan. 30)

PAUL KEMPNER The Metro-North train conductor on what commutes have been like during the pandemic, and how he misses seeing longtime passenger Muriel Kessler. (April 30) ROXANA VAZQUEZ The Westchester County clinical social worker on how she’s operating in a COVID-ruled world. (May 21) ELIOT ENGEL The now-outgoing congressman responding to reports he spent the worst of the pandemic in his Maryland home. (May 28) JIMMY BRITT One of 200 people gathered at a demonstration against police violence on Independence Avenue, sharing his own experience with law enforcement. (June 11) LINDA SHRINER-CAHN Congregation Tehillah rabbi on how important it is to maintain online services only during the ongoing pandemic. (June 18) DANIEL NUÑEZ The general manager of the Broadway store where a ‘Friendly Fridge has been installed to give food to those in need. (June 18)

SURA JESELSOHN The independent author on the trials and tribulations of getting her work published. (Jan. 30)

SERGIO VILLAVERDE Outgoing economic development committee chair on why Community Board 8 needs to adopt racial equity resolution. (July 2)

DAN HARELICK The art teacher’s assistant helping a student become more comfortable creating his own work. (Feb. 6)

NICK DIAKAKIS Tibbett Diner owner on how restaurants try to navigate through COVID-related restrictions. (July 9)

LEAH FERSTER Volunteer from Riverdale who helped bring food from Brownsville, Texas to those seeking to cross the border from Matamoros, Mexico. (Feb. 13)

STEVEN SCHWARTZ P.S. 24 principal on how the families of students in his Spuyten Duyvil school dealt with the coronavirus pandemic. (July 23)

KLAUDIO RROKU Neighborhood coordination officer with the 50th Precinct sharing valuable advice to avoid being scammed. (Feb. 20)

RICHARD BERROA The co-owner of Claudy’s Kitchen with wife Claudio Berroa on the fears of how COVID-19 would impact their opening. (July 30)

HAWA CAMARA Marble Hill School for International Studies senior on her Black History Month variety show performance. (Feb. 27)

STEPHANIE COGGINS The “accidental’ community activist on her efforts to rename streets near old Villa Rosa Bonheur site after historic developer. (Sept. 24)

JERRY GOODMAN Sharing what his gay son tells both him and wife Mimi when it comes to being LGBTQ today. (Feb. 27)

ANDOM GHEBREGHIORGIS The former congressional candidate talking about his arrest during a protest in Mott Haven criticized by Human Rights Watch. (Oct. 8)

CAROLINE AZEEZ NYPD cadet on how difficult it is sometimes for crime victims to realize the reality of police investigation. (March 5) HARRIET FRITZ The owner of a West 261st Street home after a car crashed through her fence and nearly hit her house. (March 5) ROOSEVELT SPIVEY Rosey’s Barber Shop owner about how he’s facing skyrocketing rent to keep his Marble Hill shop. (March 12) JOSHUA PIZARRO The hero of 215 W. 242nd St., who helped rescue people from his burning building. (March 26) ROSEMARY JIANG The then-Ethical Culture Fieldston School junior on why she founded the Females in Finance Club at the school. (April 16)

MICHAEL SIMMON The IN-Tech Academy teacher on how he begins each academic year with his classes. (Oct. 15) VISHNU BHARATHRAM The Riverdale Country School senior on why he created his national writing contest. (Oct. 22) PERRY GROSSMAN The New York American Civil Liberties Union attorney sharing why it’s important to keep the ballot box accessible. (Nov. 12) ENRIE MORALES The owner of Right at Home sharing how each person with dementia needs to be treated individually and uniquely. (Nov. 19) RAPHY JACOBSON Pandemic frustrations from a High School of American Studies senior ready to return to normal. (Nov. 26)

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 is-

sues 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.

Anne C. Kelly • December 19, 1925 – October 31, 2020 Anne Christinia O’Sullivan (“Flor Jack” ) Kelly was the daughter of Florence O’Sullivan and Nora O’Sullivan (“Roger”). She was born in Ardgroom Village, Beara, County Cork, Ireland. She was predeceased by her husband of 54 years Timothy Patrick Kelly (“Pullincha”) who was born in Eyeries Village, Beara, County Cork Ireland. She was also predeceased by her sisters Maureen, Nora and Kathleen, and her brothers John, Brendan and Patrick. She is survived by her sister Peggy Harrington , Daughter Debbie, Son Brendan, and Daughter in Law Anne Kelly. Devoted Grandmother to Kelly Ann Daly, and her husband Adam Deppe, Timothy Daly and Jack Daly. Loving great grandmother to Lucy and Harrison Deppe. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins and friends both in the United States and in Ireland.

Eulogy for Anne Christinia O’Sullivan Kelly given by Her Grandson Timothy Patrick Daly November 5th, 2020 Good Morning, I wanted to start off by saying thank you to everyone for being here today. We are here to celebrate my Grandma, Anne, and I know she meant something very different to us all. My sister, Kelly’s early memories of Grandma are very different than mine. Kelly always told me that Grandma used to tell her, “don’t call me Grandmacall me Anne” in her Cork accent. Whereas my first memories of Anne were very different. She would tell me to pick out a stick in the backyard so she could beat my behind with it. I guess she got used to the responsibilities of the title, “Grandma.” Grandma was always sweet, but tough, in my upbringing. My fondest memory of Grandma would have to be, when she was living with Jack and I, after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. One day Jack and I were playing video games when we heard some tumbling down the stairs. Grandma fell down the whole flight, and saw our concern, but she rose with the unshakable personality she always had. She said (excuse my language Father) “ I’m a tough old b*word, now get me a beer” and that is how I’ll remember my Grandmother. She may have struggled physically and mentally in the years that she raised me, but she still carried the same aura that she did when she was stealing dresses from the penthouses she cleaned, when she came to New York. I’m thankful for the love she received from her 7 Siblings and for the Marriage that she and my Grandfather enjoyed more than 50 years. I’m grateful for the amazing care she received from the nurses at Shervier and especially my Aunty Anne and Uncle Brendan. And, of course, I’m thankful that all of us are here together for this celebration of her life. She used to love the riddle “ A house full a room-full but you can’t get a spoonful!” And here we are with a room-full of people that she loved in her 94 years.

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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020 - A3

Even with empty sanctuaries

Faith leaders find strength in their community n Worship is generally a communal activity — but not with the coronavirus

Fr. Andrew exits church

By JULIUS CONSTANTINE MOTAL

Father Andrew Butler said goodbye to his congregation at Christ Church Riverdale on July 12 — a goodbye church warden Marcia Callender said was slightly unconventional. “It was a farewell parade,” Callender said. “Under normal circumstances, it would have been even grander. We would have a parade of food and dancing. But it’s still a pandemic, so we had to be careful. But we did manage to surprise him.” Butler accepted a position as rector of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Springs, California as his old church seeks a successor. — Raphael Lassauze

Originally published May 7, 2020

n times of chaos and disruption, faith can be a tremendous source of strength. It has been nearly two months since the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has shut down wide swaths of city life. Many work from home, and students of all ages adapt to online learning. Religious congregations also have shifted to a virtual environment. “When you’re in a room full of people, no matter what faith, you derive energy from them,” said the Rev. Andrew Butler, who leads Christ Church Riverdale on Henry Hudson Parkway East near West 252nd Street. That energy can be difficult to harness when a room full of people has been flattened to a grid of faces — or in some cases, removed entirely. Yet, the move online has brought with it some surprises. Butler has seen names pop up during online broadcasts who had never shown up before in person. “I’m seeing this as a time for the church to expand its reach,” Butler said. While the move online has been occasionally difficult to navigate, Butler has found that being able to connect with his parishioners is a source of strength and hope. “Knowing that I have a community here of support has kept me going,” Butler said.

Coming together

The expanded reach that has come with the move online also brought with it a deepened sense of community, especially with the major religious holidays that coincide with the start of spring: Easter and Passover. The first night of Passover is marked by the ritual feast known as a Seder, but what made this particular holiday different than all the other Passovers was the inability to gather. Seders still took place, but they happened over videoconferencing apps like Zoom. “They were surprisingly meaningful Seders,” said Rabbi Tom Gardner, who leads the Riverdale Temple, “but it’s not the same as being there with everybody.”

JULIUS CONSTANTINE MOTAL / File

The Rev. Andrew Butler, who leads Christ Church Riverdale, has found the reach of his church has grown since moving online following the statewide shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Butler himself has recovered from the virus that causes COVID-19. Gardner held a family Seder on the first night of Passover and a community Seder on the second over Zoom. He was comforted by being able to see everyone’s faces and what they were eating through the cameras on individual computers and smartphones. Easter, too, has its own sumptuous feast that comes at the end of Lent, the 40-day fasting period. This past Easter marked the first time that Butler did not spend the holiday in a church. Christ Church was empty that day, as it has been for weeks since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the state. “Easter was surreal,” Butler said. Yet, it was just one surreal day among a number of surreal days. Butler tested positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in March. “The biggest part for me was feeling exhausted,” said Butler, who had a mild case and is now on the other side of it. Butler bristles at the notion expressed by some religious leaders the virus is some kind of divine retribu-

tion. “This is not God’s punishment for us,” Butler said. “This is a virus. This is science.”

A new reality

The pandemic has posed a host of challenges to all facets of life, and faith leaders have found themselves confronted with a harsh new reality — one that is reshaping how people think about life and the world around them. “At first, we did not realize the magnitude of the problem and the economic, social, psychological impact that would follow,” said Father Maximos Politis, of St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church, in an email interview. “In the days that followed, we felt like we were entering a new order of life, as if we were entering a war crisis.” Despite the challenges, faith leaders are looking for the silver linings. Imam Yassine Taoufik, who leads the Abrar mosque in Kingsbridge, has found there is a deeper sense of connection between people, even though

JANOVIC PAINT PLACE

there is necessary physical distance. “Our hearts are equally soft,” Taoufik said. “It allows us to understand each other more. It allows us to reflect on why are we here in this world.” Closing the mosque was not an easy decision for Taoufik, he said, especially in the weeks leading up to the holy month of Ramadan, which began April 23. The Friday prayer, known as jummah, is when everyone comes together, and the loss of that has weighed heavily on Taoufik. Yet, he has worked to sustain the bonds among his congregants. “We’re trying to keep the sense of brotherhood and sisterhood strong,” Taoufik said. “There is that sense of solidarity, and help and care. Everyone is asking about everyone.”

Making it through

Maintaining that solidarity is crucial in times of crisis. This is not, however, the world’s first pandemic. There are historical antecedents, like the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s — although still considered a

“global epidemic” — and the 1918 flu pandemic, though some faith leaders have derived wisdom from more personal sources. “As a child of parents who survived Hitler’s Europe, I have a very clear notion that chaos is always outside the door,” said Rabbi Linda Shriner-Cahn, who leads Congregation Tehillah on Fieldston Road. Shriner-Cahn has made use of many of the available online tools — like Zoom, Facebook and YouTube — to connect with Tehillah’s members, and has seen Tehillah’s reach grow digitally, much like Christ Church Riverdale’s. She’s encouraged by the collaboration she sees with other community organizations and by the leadership of elected officials like Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “He says when he’s wrong, and he has empathy,” Shriner-Cahn said of the governor, who has been universally praised for his response to the pandemic. “That’s what you look for in a leader. For those of us who are clergy, he’s a potent exemplar of what we can do, and what we can’t do.” When it comes to getting through each day, Shriner-Cahn looks into her family’s history, specifically her father’s escape to Shanghai, where he lived for 10 years before making it to the United States. “I think of my father getting on that ship, and not knowing what he’s going to find on the other side,” Shriner-Cahn said. “That’s the only way I can get through it.”

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A4 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020

Engel not ashamed about escaping during pandemic n Says staying in Maryland kept him close to Capitol Hill By MICHAEL HINMAN originally published may 28, 2020

Eliot Engel is not here in New York, hasn’t really been in New York since the coronavirus pandemic started in March, and won’t apologize for it. In fact, the congressman — who has been holed up in his Maryland home just outside Washington, D.C., for weeks — says he’s exactly where he needs to be. “I learned a long time ago to do what you need to do,” Engel told Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz in an online community forum. “I’m everybody’s

congressman, which means I work in Washington. I can see someone being criticized if they weren’t in Washington and missing votes, but this is the first time I’ve heard of someone being criticized for being in Washington.” Despite the fact he was touted as participating in various coronavirus-related events throughout his congressional district, Engel — who chairs the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee — was revealed to be hundreds of miles away. When a reporter from The Atlantic visited him earlier this month, Engel said he was spending time in both Washington and the Bronx. But his spokesman later told reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere that Engel hasn’t left Washington since at least March 27, and wouldn’t

reveal the last time the 73-year-old was back home in his district. In what was surely a much more friendly conelioT versation with engel Dinowitz — himself a symbol of longevity, holding his Assembly seat since 1994 — Engel said there was no winning with some people, no matter where he ultimately spent time. “You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” Engel said. “If you’re not here, then you should be here. If you’re not there, then you should be there.” Neither Engel nor Dinowitz

took any questions from the audience of the videoconferencing call, and it was unclear how many people were actually in attendance. Engel is facing what many say is his toughest primary of his career. Although there are four other people who will appear on the June 23 primary ballot against him, much of the focus has been on middle school principal Jamaal Bowman, who has received backing from political groups that helped propel Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in her stunning upset of U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley in 2018. Soon after The Atlantic published its story May 14, Bowman was on the attack. “Eliot Engel doesn’t live here, and he doesn’t understand what we’re going through,” Bowman tweeted at

the time. “How are you going to fight for our district when you won’t even spend time here?” But those are lumps Engel says he’s used to taking, being in the public eye and all. “It’s part of the game,” he said. “It’s a partisan thing, and it has no merit whatsoever. It is ridiculous on its face. If I didn’t go to Washington, I’d be criticized for not being in Washington.” While Bowman criticized the congressman for being in office too long, Engel said there were benefits to longevity. “People who have been elected for a while, they have more clout, because they have more committee chairs,” Engel said. “I’m at that stage now, and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it, because I want to keep helping my constituents.”

Ceiling collapse buries Picture Perfect owners By MICHAEL HINMAN originally published nov. 5, 2020

If there was ever a chance for State Farm Insurance to live up to its slogan of being “like a good neighbor,” it was early Monday afternoon in the Bronx. Alex Gandia, who works at Jim Hockemeyer’s State Farm branch on West 231st Street, came to the rescue of his neighbors after their ceiling crashed on top of them. “We heard a rumbling sound, like a freight train, coming from the back of the store to the front of the store,” Gandia said. “And then it stopped. I’d never heard anything like it, so we walk outside, but we don’t see anything.” But then Gandia glanced at the storefront to Picture Perfect Frames, which has operated next door at 267 W. 231st St., for the last two decades. “The windows and doors were covered up in smoke and dust,” Gandia said. “I could see the light fixtures hanging down, and I heard someone yelling. That’s when we called 911.” Trapped inside Picture Perfect Frames were its longtime owners, Nohad and Samia Jourdy. What appeared to be hundreds of pounds of ceiling material had fallen on top of them — and it had all come with absolutely no warning. Especially for Samia, who was working in

Wishing Everyone a Safe and Happy New Year!

HiRam aleJanDRo DURÁn / File

new york city firefighters take a moment to assess the rubble they pulled out of the picture perfect Frames store at 267 w. 231st st. The wire lath and plaster ceiling fell monday, burying owners nohad and samia Jourdy. the back of the store, and was the first to be buried by the rubble. “I had no idea what happened,” Samia said. “The whole thing was on top of me. All of a sudden I was on the floor, and it was dark. All I could do was scream.” It’s not exactly clear what happened to Picture Perfect’s ceiling, except that it crushed just about anything in sight. Firefighters arrived on the scene almost immediately, Gandia said, and minutes later, they were pulling both Nohad and Samia out of the rubble. No other customers were in the store at the time. Both appeared to be more shaken up than anything. But all Samia could do was stare at the store she built with her husband in disbelief.

“There was no snow. It wasn’t raining. I don’t know what caused this,” she said, shaking her head. “There’s so much damage. I don’t know how we come back from this.” Firefighters on the scene didn’t have many details to share, and a request to the New York Fire Department for more information was not returned. Picture Perfect shares the building with both State Farm and West Derm Center. While fire officials checked the ceilings of both those storefronts, evacuations there were only temporary. The building is owned by The Stephanie H. Moore Trust, according to city property records, which acquired the property last year from the estate of

Helen Haase. An inspection by the city’s buildings department following the collapse determined that a 15-by-70-foot section of the wire lath and plaster ceiling fell on top of the store and the Jourdys. DOB issued a preliminary summons against the building owned for failure to maintain the building in a code-compliant manner. Picture Perfect was ordered to be vacated, but the two neighboring stores had drop ceilings, buildings officials said, and appeared to be intact. The building first welcomed tenants in 1951, according to city records, but it wasn’t clear if Picture Perfect’s ceiling was original to the building, or rebuilt later. About a half-hour after being pulled from the rubble, one firefighter was able to dig out Samia’s jacket — something she really needed out in the chilly air. Once she had a chance to warm up a little, her thoughts became positive. “I think we can recover,” Samia said. “I hope we can recover.” Before the pandemic, Gandia would say hello to the couple almost every morning. While he worries about whether Picture Perfect can continue, he’s just happy the Jourdys were not hurt more seriously. “They’re wonderful people. A couple of good neighbors,” he said. “You’re so relieved to see that they look to be OK. They’re absolutely shaken up a bit, but I am shaken up a bit, and I was next door.” Additional Brendlen.

reporting

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By MICHAEL HINMAN Pelosi re-election far from sure thing Jamaal Bowman’s ascent to Congress certainly hasn’t been a quiet one. The soon-to-be U.S. House representative was attacked by some conservative media outlets this past week after reportedly comparing capitalism to slavery. But now there’s concern with some Democrats that he may help overthrow the party’s leadership in Washington — beginning with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Bowman joined another incoming Jamaal congressional bowman member, Missouri’s Cori Bush, on CNN’s “State of the Union” over the weekend, according to Politico. There, they were asked if they would support the re-election of Pelosi to the House leadership after they are sworn in next week. Cori Bush told host Dana Bush she was going to have to first talk to her constituents in St. Louis to see what they wanted. Bowman appeared to follow her lead. “You will find out when my vote is tallied,” the congressmannancy elect said, addpelosi ing that he, too, was “organizing with our community to figure out what’s best.” Pelosi looks to serve her fourth term as Speaker — but it’s a position not so easily retained. Democrats lost some seats in the House this past November, meaning the margin of error for Pelosi is much slimmer. If Bowman and Bush were not to support Pelosi, who would they back? That’s also a mystery. But at least for now, one thing that is for sure is that this 117th session of Congress won’t be anything like past sessions.

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA By MICHAEL HINMAN Cuomo backs eviction moratorium bill

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n Luckily, both Nohad and Samia Jourdy escaped serious injury in accident

POLITICAL ARENA

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is celebrating the passage of his latest bill he says will continue preventing evictions and foreclosures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. A.11181 is on its way to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk after also making it through the state senate on Monday. If signed into law, the bill is intended to freeze ongoing residential eviction and foreclosures for the next 60 days — something that could be expanded into May if a hardship declaration form is submitted. It also is designed to prohibit negative impact on credit scores for homeowners who receive a stay on a mortgage foreclosure, tax lien sale, or for any money in arrears covered by a hardship declaration. “As policymakers, our top priority must be to ensure that human dignity and decency can be maintained — even during times of crisis,” Dinowitz said, in a release. “Housing is a human right, and I am proud of the protections that this critical legislations puts into place.” State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi said that while the bill was a “significant step to protect families from eviction and foreclosure,” it’s not the finish line. “Housing security has always been a matter of public health,” the senator said, in a release. “And during a global health crisis, it is a matter of life and death. If we are serious about keeping our communities safe, then we must commit to a multi-pronged approach that can help struggling tenants, homeowners and small landlords long-term.” The bill is a follow-up to the Tenant Safe Harbor Act that was signed by the governor last June. Introduced by Dinowitz in the early days of the pandemic, that bill allowed landlords to get money judgments against tenants behind on rent due to the COVID-19 hardship, but were prohibited by law to evict them because of late rent.

THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020 - A5

Neighbors call ol’ Waldo sidewalk shed an eyesore n Protect pedestrians? No, critics say it really only attracts vermin By KIRSTYN BRENDLEN Originally published Sept. 3, 2020

Sometimes it seems the official landmarks of New York City should not only include the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, but also the infamous sidewalk shed. Mistakenly called “scaffolding” from time to time, the city boasts more than 10,000 of the temporary structures, designed to protect pedestrians from being hit by anything from above. While most common at construction sites, more and more often, they are popping up around buildings in need of renovations. Overall, sheds cover more than 2 million linear feet of sidewalks in the city — or enough to stretch from New York City to West Virginia. One of those sheds in particular has been a thorn in the side of some Waldo Avenue residents for years, covering just over 2,000 feet on the West 238th Street step street between Waldo and Irwin Avenue. Its permit was granted to the managers of 3660 Waldo Ave., an apartment building just south of Gaelic Park and the entrance to Manhattan College, some five years ago, the same time the city’s building department issued warnings about loose façade that could fall and hurt people below. While the shed might help 3660 Waldo buy time to get necessary renovations done, for Joan Kaufman — who lives nearby at 3800 Waldo Ave. — it’s been a nightmare. She’s lodged complaint after complaint about the building, and especially about the long-

HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN / File

For the last few years, a sidewalk shed over the West 238th Street step street between Waldo and Irwin avenues has loomed between two buildings, drawing ire from neighbors who say the lights under the shed are frequently out, and that it attracts rats and trash. standing sidewalk shed, for years. “This is ridiculous,” she said. “There’s vermin. There’s rats running all over the place. I can see them, (and) we can’t live like this. It’s filthy, they’re not cleaning it, they should take that down.” One of her in-building neighbors, Annette Douglas, had even gone so far as to post flyers around the neighborhood, she said. They warned of the rats that had shacked up under and around the step streets, encouraging neighbors to instead call Councilman Andrew Cohen and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz in the hopes of cleaning it up. Complaints filed with the DOB date back at least five years. One, from September 2015, says the shed was

constructed earlier that summer, but that construction didn’t appear to be occurring above or around it. Other complaints say the shed blocks access to handrails, and that the lights under the shed were out. “Our neighbor has an issue, a DOB issue, with Local Law 11,” said Steven Berisha, an agent and property manager for 3800 Waldo. “Basically what happens is the city requires you to file your buildings as ‘unsafe,’ or ‘safe with repairs.’” Local Law 11 is a successor to Local Law 10, enacted by Mayor Ed Koch in 1980 after a college student was killed by a piece of terra cotta that fell from a building. Now buildings of six stories or more — which describe 12,000 such structures in New York City — must

be inspected every five years by a licensed architect or engineer. If the façade is found to be unsafe, building owners must put up scaffolding or sidewalk sheds to protect pedestrians from any potential falling masonry while construction or repairs are carried out. Three inspection reports from 3600 Waldo found unsafe conditions — including one from this past July, according to documents filed with the city. That report noted that while some previously discovered issues had been fixed, there were new unsafe conditions in need of repair. Those included damaged and “fractured” stone and brick at the top of the building, which already had been repaired to some degree, but needed further repairs. A 2019 analysis by the New York Post found that some buildings throughout the city were covered in scaffolding more than a decade old, as putting up scaffolding or sidewalk sheds after an inspection and just leaving them up is easier and cheaper than putting up the sheds, taking them down after repairs, and reconstructing them after another inspection. The city’s buildings department said permits for the shed were issued in 2015, and that the shed is required to stay up by law until repairs on the façade are completed. A spokesperson said they have issued multiple violations to the owner of the building for failing to maintain the façade and the shed. The owner has hired a contractor and there are active permits for the repairs. Kaufman and her neighbors have tried to make contact with the building’s managers, but getting through to the people in charge on the phone is a Sisyphean task.

Only assistant managers would speak to her or Berisha, Kaufman said, and hadn’t been helpful when they called about issues with the shed. “We don’t have the support,” Kaufman said. “We got the people fighting. We have a terrific building, we have a terrific agent, we have a terrific board, we have a terrific agent. Our shareholders, they’re supportive, but we can’t get the support outside.” She has been in contact with Cohen’s office, but has been frustrated with a lack of concrete, tangible changes. Even representatives from Cohen’s office were struggling to get a concrete response on when construction would be over. “This was before the pandemic,” Berisha said. “When we started complaining, it was January, February, March. We hadn’t really gotten into the pandemic just yet. The conversations that Pat and I had were prior to everything being locked down.” When reached by phone, a representative at the number listed online for 3660 Waldo told The Riverdale Press it was the wrong number — that she was not the apartments on Waldo Avenue. Kaufman and her neighbors want an effort to take the shed down and revamp the step-street, which was in rough shape even prior to the construction of the shed. A similar effort was carried out on a step street just blocks away, on West 232nd Street, she said, resulting in clean, new concrete steps connecting Irwin and Riverdale avenues. Such an effort, they said, would make walking through the neighborhood much safer and easier. “We want everybody in the building to be safe,” Berisha said. “Our safety for our building also reflects in the neighborhood. We want everyone in the neighborhood to be equally safe.

Councilman Cohen to street co-naming request: Forget about it n Gesture intended to celebrate history of Spuyten Duyvil By MICHAEL HINMAN Originally published Sept. 24, 2020

Stephanie Coggins makes no secret of her love for Spuyten Duyvil. She’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes is the beauty and character of the neighborhood, no matter how big the foe may be.

Yet, she may not have been ready for a foe in the form of Councilman Andrew Cohen, who rejected a plan she developed that would ceremonially co-name a step street near where the Villa Rosa Bonheur once stood on Palisade Avenue. She wanted to co-name Bradley Terrace — a step street that leads to the Spuyten Duyvil Metro-North train station — after both Villa Rosa Bonheur and its developer, John H. McKelvey Sr. “I really put hundreds of

hours of work into this,” Coggins said. “This time last year, my husband and I went up to the Catskills, and we rented a house for two StEpHANIE weeks. I was cOggINS there, in one of the bedrooms, pounding away on my laptop, trying to do enough research that I could put together

a substantial nomination letter.” Cohen originally remained silent, saying he would wait to see how Community Board 8 weighed in. When the advisory board gave its stamp of approval, it was solely up to the councilman on whether he would submit the co-naming for a vote by his peers. He ultimately decided against it. “Essentially, he does recognize Ms. Coggins and the advocacy and the community board’s support for this proposal,” said Harmony Guo, Co-

hen’s spokeswoman. “He has taken a while to think through this proposal and give it serious thought and consideration.” After all her work, Coggins said Cohen wasn’t even the one to break the bad news to her. And the why didn’t make sense to her. “I was offended, but open to better understanding what the substantial reasoning is behind Andy Cohen’s decision, because I want something productive to come out of this,” Coggins said. “I worked very,

very hard for the sake of the community, and this is a very important issue to me.” Dan Padernacht, chair of CB8’s traffic and transportation committee who is one of several candidates running to replace Cohen, said he was puzzled by the councilman’s decision. “The proper thing to do would have been to let the community know of his disagreement early on to prevent any embarrassment to the family,” Padernacht said, “and save the applicant’s hard-spent time.”

HEALTH ADVISORY NEW YORKERS SHOULD LIMIT ACTIVITIES

COVID-19 CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE INCREASING RAPIDLY IN NEW YORK CITY. ADULTS OVER 65 AND PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS ARE AT GREATER RISK FOR SEVERE COVID-19. THEY AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS AND CAREGIVERS SHOULD: Limit their activities outside of their home – only leave to go to work or school or for medical care or other essential needs, such as groceries and pharmacy items.

Avoid public spaces and gatherings.

Wear a face covering at all times when outside their home, indoors and outdoors.

Stay home if sick, except for getting medical care, including testing for COVID-19.

Not have visitors in their home, except for caregivers.

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, CALL YOUR DOCTOR. IF YOU ARE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

For more information, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus

Bill de Blasio Mayor Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc Commissioner

A6 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020

Moss Cafe ‘buys’ farm, turns it over to its customers n Some quick thinking allows Johnson Avenue hotspot to stay afloat

Eatery gives a little back

By ROSE BRENNAN

One Kingsbridge eatery that usually serves up Latin and Greek fare is serving something a little extra to its community in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic — free food. Ever since Nikki De Leon purchased Taste & Sabor on West 231st Street near Riverdale Avenue in 2019, she found herself receiving more restaurant supplies than she needed. Because of that, De Leon almost immediately started offering any excess from the delivery trucks to anyone who asked. “We were getting a lot of stuff, and it was going to waste,” De Leon said. “So I decided to just give it to people.” De Leon’s advertisement for such giveaways was simple: She would put a sign out in front of the restaurant encouraging anyone interested in Taste & Sabor’s extra boxes of fruits and vegetables to grab what they needed. It wasn’t long before the community started taking notice. “At first, it was maybe one or two people,” De Leon said. “But then, out of nowhere, one day there was a line of people — 20 people. Then it grew to 40 and more.” What had been simply a way to give back a little by offering some of what was left over turned into a lot more. Because of the demand, a few extra boxes turned into orders of many dozens more to distribute. “We started giving away things three times a week, but it became too much for us,” De Leon said. “So we decided on just Mondays and Fridays.” Health and food companies like Cigna and Goya Foods have reached out to offer extra boxes of food and meal kits, De Leon added. “I have two sons and one granddaughter,” De Leon said. “Everything I do, I do for them. I just want to make sure they know to stay humble.” — Frank Diez

Originally published June 4, 2020

When Moss Cafe shut down March 17, Emily Weisberg was left wondering what to do next. The Johnson Avenue hotspot for farm-to-table kosher and vegetarian fare wasn’t spared from the mass closings of many New York City eateries. The ones who could stay open were forced to shift to delivery or curbside takeout. Without traditional business hours and operations, Weisberg — Moss Cafe’s owner — knew she would have to get creative to weather the coronavirus storm. But Weisberg had a secret weapon — one that made Moss Café popular in the first place. She had a close relation to local farms — farms with plenty of food ready to deliver. It was a connection that would make a difference for Weisberg — and the farms — for weeks to come. As it became more EMily WEisbErg and more clear the city — and the state — faced shutting down, there was an onslaught of “panic buying” at local grocery stores and supermarkets. But where many people saw uncertainty and panic, Weisberg saw an opportunity to get creative. “What people were feeling really concerned about (was) how they were going to safely go to the grocery store and safely get food, and how they were going to get enough food,” Weisberg said. “We realized that we had this really vital connection in the food supply chain, which was that we could source directly from farms, which not even supermarkets are doing.” And so, Weisberg channeled her resources and efforts into a new endeavor to bring farm-to-table food to the local community. The result? Farm boxes. Each farm box is a collection of produce and goods from Moss Cafe’s business partners. The base components consist of eight vegetables and a carton of eggs, all sourced from local farms. In addition, customers can also purchase “add-ons” to their boxes. They can include butter, milk, yogurt and

File photo courtesy of Emily Weisberg

A sign informs customers that ‘farm boxes’ are organized alphabetically by last name. Moss Cafe owner Emily Weisberg has kept business alive by continuing to buy from the farms she used when her cafe was open, except now she’s selling produce directly to people. flour, among others. In past weeks, rhubarb and coffee were notable guest appearances when it came to add-ons. It’s a lot of farm boxes to fill each week — about 100 in fact — meaning Weisberg needed to call reinforcements. She originally enlisted her husband to help, but she’s since welcomed the return of two of her employees: Moss Café general manager Ben Alpern and chef Brian Engel. Weisberg’s local farm connections proved to be a game-changer for many in the community. For one, direct sourcing means fewer hands touch the items from the ground to the farm box, greatly reducing the opportunities for contamination. At the grocery store, there’s no telling how many hands squeezed an avocado to see if it’s ripe before it makes its way into a custom-

er’s shopping cart, she said. The supermarket also can pose other risks. Social distancing guidelines can be difficult to follow inside those establishments, even with mask-wearing requirements and sporadic distance demarcations at checkout lanes. Nevertheless, the Bronx is a densely populated area, and the supermarket can reflect that. To solve this problem, Weisberg distributes the boxes outdoors, leaving acceptable distance between them. She also organizes each box by customer last name so there’s minimal wandering when the customers arrive to pick up their boxes. The farm boxes are essential to keeping Moss Cafe afloat until it is safe for the restaurant to reopen. Weisberg’s creativity is paying off in a

time of crisis, but the unprecedented circumstances also presented her with a new set of challenges as a small business owner. “So much of what we do in determining what’s right as a business is based on reasonable assumptions about how society works and what people’s actions are going to be,” Weisberg said. “Now everything is just entirely unpredictable.” More than two months into the coronavirus pandemic, people are wondering when — if ever — society will go back to normal. It may be further away than expected, but that day could well be on the horizon. Similarly, Moss Cafe may resume its usual schedule down the line, but the farm boxes — which came to be inside unprecedented circumstances

— could be here to stay. Because while the adverse effects of the virus that causes COVID-19 may fade away, the desire for fresh and delicious food won’t. “If things are to go back to normal within the year, we would continue doing the farm boxes,” Weisberg said. “It seems like something people are really into.”

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A8 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020

Tales from the neighborhood make debut online n The best stories aren’t just told from afar — they can come from next door By RAPHAEL LASSAUZE Originally published July 16, 2020

very year, and every holiday, the New York Public Library releases a top 10 list of books patrons have checked out the most. Now, however, days may feel like weeks, and holidays may seem far-off and imaginary. Books are gathering dust in the Riverdale Library. Yet the stories themselves are still available to the public. Anyone with a library card can access more than 300,000 e-books via the library system’s app, SimplyE. Andrew Medlar, librarian and director of Book Ops — an organization that circulates the books needed for the library’s collections — believes that readers of all ages need stories now more than ever. “I’m not a psychologist, but I’m a reader and a librarian,” Medlar said. “We read for fulfillment, inspiration, knowledge. We’re drawn to stories as human beings. Sometimes, it’s to escape.” While there are numerous types of media which provide escape — and reading may not be the most popular choice in the age of Netflix — Medlar asserts that e-book checkouts are up 10 percent since 2018, and people are reading more. “There’s something more personal and intimate about reading,” Medlar said. “The thing with TV right now is that you’d see the news, too. An ebook may be on a screen, but it’d hold your attention more.” During the coronavirus shutdown, it was found that the most popular book being checked out was Michelle Obama’s “Becoming,” which

JULIUS CONSTANTINE MOTAL / File

Adult librarian Helene Samberg, right, volunteered for the New York Public Library’s Community Oral History Project, which documents the personal stories of people across the city. Interviews with numerous individuals are now accessible via the project’s website. discusses her history, her time in the White House, and her story of being a mother. “That is a great example of that inspiration,” Medlar said. “This kind of story is so important.” Naturally, literature in all its myriad forms is available thanks to e-book providers. However, there is another form of literature and storytelling altogether — one that can be found just outside the window. The New York library system’s Community Oral History Project has reached out to everyday people to hear stories of themselves and their neighborhoods — places ranging from Sandy Grounds in Staten Island, Roosevelt Island, and the Lower East Side. Of course, there’s also one for

the many neighborhoods that constitute the Northwest Bronx: “Remembering Riverdale.” The story of how Alexandra Kelly, former manager of the library system’s adult programming, began that project is an oral history all its own. “There was a discussion in the Jefferson Market Library in Greenwich Village,” Kelly said. “There were all these different stories from all the longtime residents. I realized that local history is something that should be told by the people who lived there.” Kelly credits listening to those everyday people as well as her master’s degree in communications from The New School as the tools she needed to curate a method of interviewing the

historic lifeblood of neighborhoods in the country’s largest city. “I understood that the focus on local history before was from an expert’s eyes,” Kelly said. “But the people that have lived in a place and have all their intricate stories about their neighborhoods and homes and the people that live across the street — those people should be treated as the experts. “Sometimes, in close-knit communities, it’s the library staff that hears the longest stories.” And the same goes for the Northwest Bronx. Helene Samberg, an adult librarian at the Riverdale Library, joined the project in mid-2015 after attending a seminar on how to conduct an oral history interview.

“I was fascinated,” Samberg said. “I’ve got my master’s in American history and I’m a librarian, so I loved the idea.” Samberg and other volunteer interviewers joined the project, speaking to several wellknown residents, including Avraham Weiss, Marco Polo Stufano, Ilana Marks and Matthew Turov among many more. MATTHEw “In early 2017, TUrOv we had a celebration because the first portion of the project had ended,” Samberg said. “It’s now a resource for the community, via the library.” In a time where the community AvI wEISS library’s doors are shuttered and the physical literature that people rely on for inspiration and escape is mostly available by screen, some might wonder how their neighbors are feeling – some might wonder what they’re like, and what MArCO their own stories POLO may be. “Given the demoSTUFANO graphic being older adults that are most affected by COVID-19, it’s so important, now more than ever, to keep these stories and share them,” Kelly said. “It’s a way to know the stories of the place you live, even if, right now, the place you live may be hard to see.”

PRESS POINTS Don’t get scammed over COVID vaccine The world has been introduced to not just one coronavirus vaccine, but several. Yet, while this could finally mean an end to the months-long pandemic, state Attorney General Letitia James warns people to be wary of scams involving vaccines. The state is in the process of vaccinating nursing home resident and the people who

By Michael hinMan people might not try to convince would-be victims otherwise. Because of that, the attorney general warns to be cautious of anyone calling or emailing with offers of a vaccine. If you do get a call like this, don’t give your Social Security number, personal credit card, or bank account information. No one from a vaccine distributor, health care company or private insurance company will ask for this information. You also can’t pay to put

work at them, as well as highrisk medical personnel. Still, it could be several months before the vaccine is available to the general public. “We must remain vigilant about potential scams and ensure New Yorkers know the latest information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine,” James said, in a release. “At this time, there is no government-authorized vaccine available to the general population in New York.” Of course, that doesn’t mean

your name on a list to get the vaccine, or to get into a clinical trial. Those with health insurance shouldn’t have to expect to pay anything for the vaccine once it’s their turn, James said. Those without insurance may be subject to a nominal administration fee.

Woodlawn gets help to maintain trees

The Woodlawn Conservan-

cy has received two grants of more than $90,000 designed to help maintain trees, and to help maintain the cemetery’s “urban forest.” “Healthy community forests provide a host of environmental, economic and social benefits, including wildlife habitat, watershed protection, flood reduction, increased property values, and improved public health,” said state environmental conservation commissioner Basil Seggos, in a release.

Woodlawn Cemetery is a 400-acre arboretum with more than 6,000 trees on its grounds. It was one of 38 projects receiving funding, chosen from more than 150 applications, according to a release. Over the last nine years, the state has funded more than $11.4 million in grants to support projects addressing invasive species, climate change, environmental degradation, environmental justice, and urban sprawl.

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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020 - A9

WHAT’S IN / WHAT’S ON El Museo takes Three Kings online Celebrate Three Kings Day virtually with El Museo del Barrio on Wednesday, Jan. 6, beginning with programming specific for families and schools at 11 a.m., followed by a celebration for all ages beginning at 6 p.m. The celebration — dubbed Fuerza Colectiva: Celebrating our Roots and Diversity — is hosted by Rhina Valentin, and includes performances from La Grupo R, along with participation by Beto Torrens, Los Pleneros de la 21, Victor Cruz’s animated character Tita, and cameo’s by the museum’s popular giant puppets. For more information on how to attend the free event virtually, visit ElMuseo.org.

Holiday Lights bring Bronx Zoo to life The family-favorite Holiday Lights continues at the Bronx Zoo through Jan. 10.

whatson@riverdalepress.com

A larger area of the zoo will be included in the event to accommodate social distancing, with some 50 more animal lanterns compared to last year. There also will be five geographically representative lantern safaris that include species from different regions of the world. Other entertainment includes holiday-themed music, ice-carving demonstrations, costumed characters, stilt walkers, souvenirs, and seasonal treats like hot chocolate and s’mores. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and are now available at BronxZoo.com/holidaylights. The zoo is located at 2300 Southern Blvd.

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.

Grand Holiday Illumination ending

Artists wanted for new project Wave Hill and the Lehman College Art Gallery seek artists for its 2021 eco-urgency exhibit, planned to begin in July.

The Untermyer Gardens Conservancy is ready for Christmas and more with its sixth annual Grand Holiday Illumination at the Walled Garden.

The event at the 945 N. Broadway attraction is free nightly and open to the public. It runs through Jan. 3 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Nearly 100,000 festive holiday lights are expected to adorn the Walled Garden, highlighting the rich architectural and horticultural elements of the garden. There also will be holiday music in the tradition of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Zoroastrian faiths. Reservations are required because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, however, and can be made online at UntermyerGardens.org.

Wave Hill offers COVID-safe shopping Wave Hill, 4900 Independence Ave., has reopened for special restricted hours Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m., to 5:30 p.m. Admission requires advance ticket purchase at WaveHill.org.

Also reopened is The Shop at Wave Hill with a reimagined floor plan intended to making safety a priority. It’s open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wave Hill House is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Glyndor Gallery open from noon to 4:30 p.m. — both featuring exhibitions to limitedsize audiences. The café is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for limited grab-and-go entrees, snacks and beverages. Although eating indoors is not allowed, seating remains available outside on the Kate French Terrace. Advanced registration is required, and the maximum number of visitors allowed each day is limited. A ticket is required to enter the grounds, and is available for reservation every Monday. Thursday continues to be admission-free until Wave Hill resumes normal hours.

For more information, visit WaveHill.org.

NYBG Glow set to light up gardens A new nighttime outdoor attraction at the New York Botanical Garden called NYPG Glow, runs for 14 select evenings through Jan. 9. Visitors will have a chance to explore a glowing world of color and light featuring the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, as well as the reflecting pool at the visitor center and surrounding gardens and collections. It runs from 5 to 10 p.m. To learn more about the event at the botanical garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., just outside Fordham Manor, visit NYBG.org.

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A10 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020

Let us explain … Editorial comment

ditorials offer the opinion of The Riverdale Press. Virtually all of this newspaper’s editorials are written by the editor, but they do not represent just his personal opinion. That is why they are unsigned — editorial comments are the newspaper’s institutional voice. Although The Press does not typically convene a formal editorial board, as many newspapers do, the editor confers regularly with members of the staff about the topics for editorial comment, the position they will take, and the way they will state that position. When the editorials are bound to cause controversy, they are subjected to repeated scrutiny and go through several drafts. Most editorials respond to developments in the news, but they are often based on independent reporting as well as discussions with beat reporters to gain information that goes beyond what has appeared in print. The publishers also meet with advocates of causes and sometimes seek information or advice from experts in the community to help them formulate a policy or opinion. In election years, they meet with candidates for office. In its first issue in April 1950, The Press declared itself independent politically. Although it has editorialized vigorously about issues in political campaigns, it has not made endorsements for public office, believing that its role is to guide the voters with information and analysis. Most of our editorials are about local issues, but we see no reason why the newspaper should not speak out about questions of national and international concern that are part of the lives of our readers. Usually, we try to address those concerns from a local perspective, since that is what we know best, and what makes us different from the daily newspaper or weekly news magazines you read.

e pride ourselves on being forceful and hope we are not strident. The purpose of our editorials is to make readers think and, frequently, to call on them to act to preserve what is best in this very special community.

What are editorial pages all about? Who writes editorials? How do letters and guest columns get published? This week’s page, different from our usual format, offers some answers. We thank The Seattle Times for the idea.

Editorial PagE

Cartoons

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

One political club that’s feeling a lot like Trump

udy Giuliani had an idea. No, not the insane Rudy Giuliani going around hosting news conferences in the parking lot of landscaping companies or creating far-fetched myths about widespread election fraud. No, this was a much more calm, an even more-respected, New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, suddenly tasked with leading his constituents through its darkest times in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that claimed 2,606 lives and destroyed tens of thousands of others. With true heroes still digging through the smoking rubble of what was the World Trade Center, the voters of New York City still had an election just weeks away. Democrat Mark Green was facing Republican Michael Bloomberg. Yet Giuliani was worried if, given the new world this cowardly terrorist act created, he could make a smooth transition from his administration to the next. “When I became the mayor, I thought the transition period I had was too short — a month and a half,” Giuliani told radio host Don Imus after the attack. “And at that time, I was facing a fiscal crisis, not the kind of crisis they have now. “Under the best of circumstances, it takes about three to four months to really get government started.” With 9/11 still very much the present, Giuliani wanted to extend his term by a few months, say April instead of January. Yet, even with that idea — which ultimately never came to pass — Giuliani was only suggesting inauguration day change, not move the election itself. He had no issue with the mayoral election proceeding on Nov. 6, despite what the city was going through. Giuliani’s position is not unique. In fact, it’s one example of many where leaders declared that nothing — and they meant nothing — would get in the way of democracy. That the democratic process was the single-most important ingredient in our free society, and that exercise would continue no matter what our free society faced. Presidential elections, for example, continued in 1864 despite the nation torn apart in the Civil War, and in 1944 with the country caught up in World War II. More recently, our country found ways to conduct not only a presidential election, but a number of state elections through the midst of the worst pandemic since 1918.

n every single instance, the right of the people to choose their leaders was paramount to anything — and everything — else. Those are ideals that remain no matter what your political beliefs are, or what party you choose to affiliate yourself with. Yet, even the most sacrosanct of practices have limits. And the democratic process found its limit last week at the hands of those leading the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club. This is a private club, why should we care? Except it’s not so private. And at least up until recent years, it played a key role in deciding who led us in government — at the city, the state, and sometimes even the federal level. Club leadership rushed through what it deemed an emergency proposal to handle its officer elections in January. Club rules required such elections be held in person, but the coronavirus pandemic was not going to allow that. Ben Franklin Club president Michael

Heller introduced a resolution last week that would borrow from successful mailin local elections and use that system not just to elect officers, but also to help endorse candidates in the upcoming city council special election. Helen Morik — recently voted out as a state committeewoman — called on the club to delay its officer elections. Sure, that would mean the terms of people like Heller and others would extend further than what the club had originally intended when they cast their ballots a year ago, but conducting such an election right now was just too much of a hassle, and totally unnecessary. But endorsing a candidate in the upcoming city council election? That had to continue, Morik said, despite the fact it was planned using the same exact procedure in how officers would have been elected.

his rush to endorse a city council candidate is a real head-scratcher — especially since most, if not all, of the candidates are Democrats. Even more, no matter who wins, they’ll have to gear up for a primary just a few months later and seek overall election yet again in November. So even if a preferred candidate doesn’t win in the March special election, that person could prevail in the June primary. But for some key members of the Ben Franklin Club, this city council election isn’t just any election. This is one involving Eric Dinowitz, son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz — who essentially runs the Ben Franklin Club from behind the scenes. The older Dinowitz likely hopes there’s still some heft in a Ben Franklin Club endorsement — despite being on the wrong side of a few key races in recent years, most recently backing U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel against now Congressman-elect Jamaal Bowman. Heller, the club’s president, has donated to Eric Dinowitz’s campaign, as has Heller’s right-hand man, vice president Bruce Feld. And let’s not forget the corresponding secretary — the one man who wields all the power on who is eligible to vote and who isn’t — is none other than Ivan Nedds, a paid staffer of Jeffrey Dinowitz. Our political clubs should be representative of the very democracy all of us yearn for. Sadly, the Ben Franklin Club is anything but. Nothing about what has happened in the past week or so at the club has made much sense. From the whole “emergency” of setting up a new way of voting — as if the pandemic just erupted a few days ago, and not 10 months ago — to pushing an almost unnecessary endorsement over officer elections. It makes one wonder if maybe the next order of business is to replace Ben Franklin’s name with Donald Trump. That might feel like an extreme, but this feels too much like a Trumpian approach to governance, putting personal power ahead of the people’s power. And in the end, that’s exactly what elections are, by the way. It’s the power of the people. It’s pure democracy, the way it’s intended. Nothing should ever get in the way of the people exercising that power. Sadly, the leaders of the Ben Franklin Club don’t understand that. And this is exactly why what was once a vaunted organization now slips further and further into obscurity. Normally, we would say “vote them out.” But thanks to last week’s decision, you can’t.

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Letters to the editor

End party rule over the courts To the editor:

(re: “Power of the blank line,” Nov. 12)

The recent Press editorial serves as a reminder how fortunate we are to have a journal such as The Riverdale Press reporting on matters of importance to us. In noting that the “blank” line on the Election Day ballot box out-voted the three judicial candidates selected by the Bronx Democratic Party insiders, I submit that the only lesson to be drawn is that we, the people of this community, are being served badly by our political leadership. Many of us bray at the abuses committed by President Trump in placing judicial appointments in the hands of a small group imposing its will on the third branch of government. But here in the Bronx — in a court system every bit as important to its users as decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court — Democratic Party officials hunker down, thereby insisting that we accept that judges in black robes are simply part of the politician’s right to patronage. We read daily of flaws in the criminal justice system. And yet we are given candidates who, in a moment of candor, would acknowledge they are not competent to represent a client facing criminal charges. But once enrobed, these same men and women are assigned to make irrevocably scarring decisions relating to “stop and frisk,” or release on bail, or “no knock” search warrants. As the campaign to elect a council person revs up, each candidate should be heard on the subject of how to bring the nominees for supreme

No respect for fallen heroes To the editor: When our writing circle met recently just a couple of days past Election Day, I thought it would be great to get some closure by reflecting on our respective post-election emotions. I feared — but didn’t know for sure then — that “45” and his flock of Republican enablers would be attempting a coup one week later. Unfortunately, this has come to pass. Our country now faces one of the gravest threats to democracy in its history. The threat of fascism is no longer one of hyperbole, but is instead now palpable and eerily real to many of us. As I write this, Trump is doing a photo-op at Arlington Cemetery for Veterans Day. He’s saluting the brave souls he so recently referred to as “suckers and losers.”

court and civil court in the Bronx to a level of excellence. Candidates Jessica Haller and Dan Padernacht have publicly declared their support for reformation, lifting the selection process from a closed-door cabal to an impartial nominating group accessible to the community at large, regardless of political affiliation. This merit-based process has been in effect for years with considerable success in another borough with Democratic Party dominance: Manhattan. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, secretary to the Bronx Democrats, apparently has concluded that he can ignore the public requests for information. His son, Eric Dinowitz — another of those running for the open council seat — asks that his independence be assessed on his own merits. Fair enough, but what use will he make of his public platform as a candidate to press for judicial selection reformation? What role does he take as a current insider in the existing judicial selection process? The slate of announced candidates for the city council opening bring a variety of talents of benefit to this constituency. Surely it should be mandatory that each declare publicly, and act upon it in the few months before election, and demand that judicial selection be removed from patronage. How wonderful it would be if their financial providers made that a condition of support this year, and of party boss Jeffrey Dinowitz, next. Eric SEiff

As he tries to undermine the most basic tenets of our democracy, he rails against “Antifa.” Little does he understand that the true heroes of antifascist struggle lie buried here. I hope their brave spirits can somehow haunt and torment Capt. Bone Spurs for the rest of his days, if not all eternity. Silvia blumEnfEld

People are afraid of AOC To the editor:

(re: “AOC and how she works with Jews: It’s personal,” Nov. 19)

The McCarthyite smearing of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by Elchanan Poupko reveals more than anything else that the forces of Palestinian repression and Zionist monomania are afraid of her (and justifiably so, we’re happy to say). They are afraid of her increasingly effective calls for democracy, both in the United States and Israel. They are

afraid of her clear stands opposing anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia. They fear her brilliant leadership in bringing a longdormant progressive vitality to Congress and the national discourse. Rabbi Poupko should be ashamed of himself for his vile and dishonest comparing of AOC to white supremacists and the repulsive Steve King. He does the cause of fighting anti-Semitism no favors with such garbage. STEvE SiEgElbaum bobbi SiEgElbaum

Smooth election To the editor: Just a quick note to acknowledge the great job the Bronx elections board did in getting mail-in ballots out to Bronxites. I got my ballot in a timely fashion, and they (the staff members) were most helpful. gEoffrEy SmiTh

Lot missing in drag race debate To the editor:

(re: “Solutions intended to curb drag racing progressing slowly,” Nov. 26)

I read with great disappointment your story concerning drag racing in the north Bronx. The story does not adequately describe the problem, and the initiatives being worked on by our local politicians will not resolve it. First, the story suggests that this is a problem on Independence Avenue alone — it is not. I have observed drag racers on not only Independence Avenue, but on Bailey Avenue and Broadway, as well as on several side streets. If there is a stretch of road that is conducive to speeding, that’s where they will be. Second, both the story and the proposals put forth by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Community Board 8 traffic and transportation committee chair Dan Padernacht treat this matter as merely a noise problem, and do not address the more significant public safety problem that this drag racing causes. I have observed the drag racing in the north Bronx on numerous occasions during the last few months. I have seen groups of motorcycles, mopeds and cars speeding through red lights, “popping wheelies,” and acting out their Fast and

Furious fantasies as they endanger themselves and everyone else around them, including anyone who happens to be crossing the street at the wrong time. The speed bumps on Independence Avenue proposed by CB8 won’t stop them — it will only encourage them, because it will make the ride more dangerous. The speed cameras and noise detectors proposed by Assemblyman Dinowitz won’t deter them — it will just result in tickets that will never be paid. What is absent from the story, where these noise pollution proposals are silent, is also what is missing from the streets — the police department. Where is the police department on our roads? Where are the car stops? Where are the vehicle seizures? Where are the arrests? Why are the enforcers of Vision Zero so blind to what is occurring right in front of their eyes? What we need is CB8 and Assemblyman Dinowitz to engage the police, to summon the district attorney, to use their public offices not to propose legislative acts, but to take action — now — before someone gets hurt. Before someone gets killed. Before it is too late. robErT bErnard EiSman

oP-Ed PagE

Op-Ed Point of view

Guest columns

e began Point of View to give staff members who disagreed with the paper’s editorial stance a place to express their own opinion. It has become, instead, an increasingly popular place for readers who have something to say and need more space than a letter affords to publish their views. There are virtually no restrictions on what may appear here. We have published light essays and weighty controversy in this space in the past. We do not, however, publish every submission. Space limitations require us to ask that essays be 500 to 750 words long. Although many Point of View columns arrive unsolicited, inquiring through a letter before submitting a column can be helpful to both writers and the paper. We already may have scheduled a submission on your subject, or have a backlog of pieces awaiting publication. Like letters, Point of View columns are subject to editing for space and may be lightly edited to help the writer make a point more elegantly. From Other Pens is an occasional column that continues a tradition as old as newspapers. In it, The Press reprints editorials that have appeared elsewhere, usually in weeklies in New York state with which we exchange papers. We don’t necessarily agree with the opinions advanced in the editorials published in From Other Pens or Point of View columns. Our Opinions pages seek to offer you a broad range of opinions and to inspire you to form or sharpen your own.

It’s time for all of us to focus on local elections

By DAN PADERNACHT

e witnessed a surge in voter turnout in the recent national election. It’s now time to focus the same energy on upcoming local elections. We anticipate a special election this coming March to replace our councilman who was elected to be a judge. This is an off-cycle election that will not receive the same attention as a primary or general election. I am one of several individuals who have announced their intent to run for this office. It is essential for our community to follow this race and engage with the candidates. Here’s why. The selection of our council member, and the choices that individual makes, has a greater impact on our daily lives than most national elections. Local leaders have significant influence to support or reject change on issues that affect municipal services such as education, parks, public safety, sanitation and transportation. We are at a critical time in New York City. The decisions made in the next two years will determine the time it takes to recover from the effects of the pandemic. It is crucial that you understand the experience and values of the person you select to represent our district. So I ask you to take a closer look at the job of a council member, and the field of candidates applying for the position. What do council members do actually? There are 51 council members in New York City, and they are the legislative body for New York City. Council members have four main functions: • Introduce and vote on legislation of local laws • Monitor city agencies • Negotiate and approve the city budget • Review land use proposals and plan for the development of our city. With each, the member advocates for their district. In addition, a council member must run a well-managed office to help constituents with problems they encounter with city agencies and municipal services. This is often referred to as constituent services. It requires knowledge of city agencies and good working relationships with those agencies. It is part of the job that places a council member on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

How do you learn about candidates for this job? In recent years, access to information has become easier thanks to the internet and social media. We can research candidates and engage in the election process from our homes and on our phones. A few small steps you can take are to view the content on a candidate’s website, attend a Zoom meeting in which you can ask questions, or reach out to a candidate by email or phone. However, while there are new forms of media to learn about candidates, there remain old tricks, empty promises and surface soundbites. A well-produced Instagram video and an impassioned speech can make it difficult to distinguish substance and experience from bluster and flash. Dig deeper. To aid in the process of selecting the right candidate for the job, I’ll throw down a challenge to you and the other candidates in this race. Contact a group, association, building or organization which you belong in our district. Ask that group to host a Zoom meeting. Invite the candidates. Pick a few topics of interest to your members. And question the candidates. I will do the same. I will host a bi-weekly forum for all candidates in our district beginning in January. I will invite each candidate to a Zoom meeting and ask each campaign to provide the link to the public. I will invite media outlets, community organizations and community leaders to moderate. This approach will give you, the voters, a chance to get answers on issues of importance to you. When a candidate screams that we need affordable housing, you can ask them what “affordable” means. When a candidate says we need better education, ask them what actions they will take to make it better. When candidates say they will increase funds in a particular area, ask where that money is coming from, and what’s the trade-off. Pete Buttigieg said, “In local government, it’s very clear to your customers — to your citizens — whether or not you’re delivering. Either that pothole gets filled in, or it doesn’t. The results are very much on display, and that creates a very healthy pressure to innovate.” I will put my results on display in these forums, and for any individual who asks. March is quickly approaching. Please engage, and don’t forget to vote.

The author is the New York City schools chancellor.

AOC fights against anti-Semitism To the editor:

(re: “AOC and how she works with Jews: It’s personal,” Nov. 19)

I am taken aback and deeply saddened that The Riverdale Press would publish an op-ed of the likes of what Elchanan Poupko recently wrote, indicating that it meets The Press’ standards of evidentiary truth and decency. Regarding the latter, this is the equivalent of a blood libel accusation of anti-Semitism against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. At the broadest level, the analogies to the rank anti-Semitism of a certain historical era is appalling and without foundation. On the specific level, there is no evidence of fact of denial of meetings with Jews. To the contrary, the piece itself points out AOC’s meetings with Jews whose values are about global human rights and against racism and against anti-Semitism of any form. This piece reveals more about the prejudices and biases of the author than about the distin-

About letters

guished, honorable Congresswoman OcasioCortez. I recently came across a definition of racism on a webinar specifically designed for and attended by members of the Jewish community: Racism is a web of economic, political, social and cultural structures, actions and beliefs that systematize an unequal distribution of privilege, resources, safety and power in favor of the dominant racial group at the expense of all other racial groups. Anti-Semitism by this definition is a form of racism. I am certain Congresswoman OcasioCortez lives by this definition universally. I welcome Rabbi Poupko to reply that he, too, applies this definition consistently and universally — both here and abroad. howaRd hoRowiTz EDITOR’S NOTE: The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy, and opinions stated here do not necessarily reflect those of the publication, nor are such opinions presented as fact — verified or otherwise.

The Riverdale Press welcomes letters to the editor. It is committed to providing an open forum for opinions. All we ask is that you sign your letter and give us an address and daytime telephone number. We won’t publish your address or phone number. You can e-mail to letters@riverdalepress.com.

“Y

our opinion is the most important opinion in this newspaper,” we wrote in an editorial years ago. Since we believe that is so, we publish virtually all the letters we receive. Such a policy has its pitfalls. Some letters seem to us to be dull, or just silly. We risk turning readers off to the gold by making them sift through the dross. Should we publish prejudiced letters? The answer is yes. We can’t pretend that such attitudes and practices don’t exist in our community. If we are to fight them, we have to meet them head-on. Censoring bad speech allows people to escape their obligation to answer it. What about vituperative attacks on local people or institutions? That’s a more complicated question. The law of libel applies to letters to the editor with the same force as it does to anything else we publish. Both the letter writer and this newspaper can be held accountable for heedlessly damaging a reputation. Moreover, a protest read in more than 10,000 households can inflict disproportionate punishment on an offender. For that reason, we will not, for example, publish a letter that denounces a drycleaner for harming a garment. The punishment of public obloquy just doesn’t fit the crime. Within those boundaries, however, we will publish forceful denunciations, though we sometimes find it painful to do so. Robust public debate takes precedence over our feelings or those of people who have entered the public arena.

n order to accommodate all the letters we get, most issues include a second Opinions page. It is called the Op-Ed page, because it is opposite the editorial page. Nevertheless, there are space limitations, and letters may have to wait to be published. Long or repetitive letters are edited. Letters also are lightly edited for clarity and to excise profanity. People who regularly write letters to the editor are like old friends, although we have never met most of them. Nevertheless, with some exceptions, we limit publication of their letters to no more than once every six weeks or so, to avoid the too-frequent repetition of familiar viewpoints, and to give others the opportunity to have a say. We require that letters be signed. We would no more publish an anonymous letter in the newspaper than we would base a news story solely on an anonymous phone call. In addition, we need a daytime phone number and an address so that we can verify the letter is genuine. Phone numbers and addresses are not published. We are reluctant to publish letters from people who are unwilling to stand openly behind what they have written. Only if a letter states a valid reason to withhold a name will we do so. We love to get letters. No matter what they say, they tell us that you’re paying attention and that you care. Publishing them fulfills what we regard as the newspaper’s most important function: Providing an open forum where people can speak their minds, share their concerns with their neighbors, and exercise some power over our communal life.

Connecting in a remote world and this platform is designed to meet the ongoing needs of parents through a variety of on-demand resources that harness best practices across multiple subject areas and grade levels. We invite all families across the five boroughs to create a free account and register for workshops, attend events, access trainings, and more through the Parent University website. Parent University also will provide even more ways for us to share important news, updates and information with families. I am so excited that this new platform will take our efforts to communicate vital information to parents and guardians one step further during this crisis and beyond. Now more than ever, it is critically important that we find creative new ways to lift up our families and strengthen our school communities. That’s what Parent University is all about. This crisis has demanded so much flexibility and patience from you, and we are here to meet you where you are. Our commitment is to empower parents as partners throughout the learning journey, and I hope you will take time to explore the Parent University website, access resources, and register for an upcoming workshop at ParentU.schools.nyc. RichaRd caRRanza

Letters to the editor

Masthead

The author is a city council candidate.

Letters to the editor To the editor: As we approach the end of an unprecedented year, I reflect on the past eight months with a deep sense of gratitude and awe for the unwavering commitment parents have shown to their children of New York City. I always say parents are our partners in everything we do, and at no point has that ever been more true than throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Each of you has gone above and beyond during this crisis, and your continued investment and engagement in our school communities has been vital as we move forward together. As a parent myself, I know how challenging it can be — even in normal times — to feel pulled in different directions simultaneously. In this moment, it seems as though society’s expectations of parents has increased tenfold — and we need you to know we are here to support you every step of the way. We are expanding every effort to lift up and empower parents as our partners for the good of our children and this city. In that spirit, I am proud to announce the launch of Parent University, a new online platform that offers pre-recorded courses, live events and activities to help families connect and support students at every grade band, in multiple languages. We know our families are busier than ever,

ditorial cartoons are almost as old as newspapers themselves. They date back to 18th century England, and are a staple of a modern American opinion section. Some of the most famous cartoons themselves have sparked massive historical change, like Benjamin Franklin’s “Join, or Die” in the lead-up to the Revolutionary War in 1754. The idea of an editorial cartoon is to express complex ideas through simple images using visual metaphors and caricature. Upstate New York cartoonist Dale Neseman provides many of the images you find on this page, tackling issues important not just on a national level, but on the state and local level, too. Neseman has been a cartoonist for more than 30 years, and his work appears in more than 35 newspapers across the country.

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raditionally, there is no advertising on the Opinion page itself, but such traditions are not generally extended to the Op-Ed page. While subscriptions are important to any newspaper, advertising is even more important. It’s what keeps the whole operation going, and is a fantastic way to reach our more than 30,000 readers who pick up the newspaper each week. There are all kinds of advertising options — from big to small. To learn more about advertising opportunities at the paper, email advertising@ riverdalepress.com, or call (718) 543-6065, Ext. 379.

he box that lists the names of a newspaper’s staff is called the masthead. The Riverdale Press masthead offers a tour of the newspaper and a thumbnail guide to how it functions. Richner Communications and publishers Clifford and Stuart Richner guide the paper’s business affairs. The editor, Michael Hinman, heads the news department, writes most of the editorials, and advises on news policy. The large advertisements, often illustrated that appear throughout the newspaper, are called display ads. The display advertising department — led by Cheryl Ortiz — sells these ads and helps clients decide what they will say and how they will look. Because the small ads at the back of each week’s paper are arranged by heading, they are called classified advertisements. They are the responsibility of the classified advertising department. The masthead also provides other useful information, including the paper’s age and the names of its founders, its address, the cost of a subscription, and notice that the entire contents of The Riverdale Press are copyrighted.

THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020 - A11

Lehman College honors graduate claimed by COVID-19 n Looking back on the life of sociology major Lenin Portillo By PATRICK LINDO Originally published May 28, 2020

For many college students, May is the month of commencements and graduation speeches. But then again, this is 2020, and it’s no typical year with the coronavirus pandemic, meaning the glamour of the pomp and circumstance surrounding finally getting that degree is lost.

Nonetheless, the cheer remains. Social media is filled with photos from graduates posing in their gowns and caps, standing in the backyards instead of a commencement stage. While the lenin virus has pOrtillO taken away a milestone moment for many, it’s not the only thing some families have lost: the graduates themselves.

It’s a sobering thought about people who were not able to make it to that special day for one reason or another, something that is a harsh reality, even at Lehman College. The school has awarded three posthumous degrees to its Class of 2020, including one student who died just last month due to complications from COVID-19. Lenin Portillo was personable, intelligent, with a positive disposition, according to members of Lehman’s sociology department, where he studied. Thomas Conroy taught the 37-year-old in an evening class a

In Memoriam

ur Riverdale Press community lost some great people over the past year, and we wanted to take a moment to pay tribute.

Mildred Auerbach

Founder of Riverdale Mental Health Clinic — March 31, 2020

Mickey Axelbank

Beloved grandmother, community icon — April 4, 2020

Richard W. Baldwin

Former Riverdale Neighborhood House president — Sept. 24, 1936-March 7, 2020

Mar y Boyle

Teacher and St. Patrick’s Day Parade trailblazer — Nov. 18, 1958-Feb. 28, 2020

Robert Butter

A psychoanalyst who loved his Riverdale home — Oct. 6, 2020

Betty Campbell-Adams

Co-founder of Lloyd’s Carrot Cake, community supporter — Dec. 11, 2020

Phyllis Davies

Grace Guthrie

Judy Fettman Dreyfuss

Raymond Ikone

Made a lot out of a little — Aug. 27, 2020

Nothing ever slowed her — Jan. 8, 1970June 6, 2020

few semesters back. Like many night school students, Portillo juggled a number of burdens, like home and work responsibility. “I only knew him from that one course,” Conroy said. “But he definitely left an impression.” “Losing Lenin is devastating,” said Shehzad Nadeem, an associate professor who had Portillo in two of his classes, “Lenny always sat near the front of the room, and each and every class, he made a point of asking after me and my family. I could always count on him to carry class discussion on what-

Nursery school founder — March 25, 2020 A true legend of Kingsbridge Avenue — May 26, 2020

Irene Jacklosky

Paula Einbender

Woman of many careers, from social work to law

Worked to put her kids through college — April 8, 1929-July 30, 2020

Sally Kaminsky

Urban Ellis

Marble Hill tenant head — May 6, 2020

Sang with Harry Belafonte — March 18, 1928-Nov. 25, 2020

Betty Elman

Marsha Keenan

Never forgot those special moments — Dec. 12, 1911-May 24, 2020

Beloved teacher at St. Gabriel’s school — Nov. 26, 1949-May 17, 2020

Anne C. Kelly

Wendy Elmer

Former library clerk — Aug. 4, 2020

Devoted mother, grandmother — Dec. 19, 1925-Oct. 31, 2020

Millie Feeney

Anne Klaber

A loving friend and member of “The Girls” — April 5, 2020

A woman of strength and resilience — April 26, 2020

Gretchen McHugh

mously. Stanley Brazile said it was an honor for him to grant Portillo his degree and present it to his family. Lehman’s dean of students called Portillo’s death a wake-up call about the gravity of COVID-19. “He will always be a member of the Lehman College community,” Bazile said. Other students awarded posthumous degrees included Daniel Dehoyos, a graduate student and U.S. Army engineer who died in late 2018. Also receiving a degree was Xavier Henry, a senior computer science major.

Alfred Schwartz

Riverdale Press photographer, cookbook author — Aug. 20, 2020

New York Yankees fan — April 8, 2020

Marilyn Sopher

Peter Naughton

Real estate founder, philanthropist — March 16, 1935-Feb. 22, 2020

Soccer coach and father — May 11, 1922Feb. 24, 2020

Bill Stone

Marilyn Newman

Community leader, activist for the disabled — Sept. 3, 1928-Jan. 10, 2020

Dietitian and a true modern woman — April 7, 2020

Dr. Mavis Thompson-Blaize

Robert O’Brien

A life well lived

Beloved Fordham University educator — April 9, 2020

Robert Trick

Great baseball player, even better father — Sept. 27, 1923-March 21, 2020

Daniel J. O’Connor Jr.

Korean War veteran — Jan. 29, 2020

Anneros Valensi

Leonidas Papson

Fashionista, author — April 29, 2020

Attorney with the Dweck Law Firm — Feb. 4, 2020

Arthur Vouté

Antonio Pepenella Jr.

Riverdale native, White Plains lawyer — Aug. 27, 2020

Richard Reason

Gerda IsraelskiRose Wasserman

Guidance counselor — May 10, 2020

Woody Klein

Mortimer Frank

ever topic.” Portillo, who was studying sociology, worked hard on his grades, maintaining a 3.5 GPA. He had expected to graduate May 28. He had just celebrated his birthday on April 12 when he was rushed to the hospital. He died two days later. The loss was devastating, especially to the sociology department. Yet, they found a way to arrange an emergency meeting where they not only shared stories about their experiences with Portillo, but also voted unanimously to award Portillo his bachelor’s degree posthu-

Arturo Toscanini biographer and scholar — March 30, 2020

Former Riverdale Press staffer and onetime press secretary to Mayor John Lindsay — Feb. 11, 2020

Shari Friedman

Roger Kornhauser

Elizabeth Regan

Community character who loved his music — Jan. 23, 1935-Nov. 8, 2020

Remembered for her strength, love and smile — Feb. 3, 1932-June 23, 2020

Elizabeth Landau

Michael Regan

Juilliard-trained pianist — April 18, 2020

Teacher, guidance counselor, humanist — Oct. 20, 2020

Josephine Maher

Lillian Rifkin

Musician and educator — Jan. 18, 2020

Worked on recovering the Watergate tapes — Dec. 12, 1929-April 6, 2020

Peter Davies

Betty Gustafson

Ir ving Margolin

Mike Rooney

Gigi Williams

Roberto Ley Choy

Restaurateur, fantastic cook — April 13, 2020

Suzana Cohn

Adored and admired — Nov. 6, 2020

Patrick J. Conneely

Respected seminary editor — Feb. 21, 2020

Eamon Friel

Beloved brother and uncle — Sept. 6, 2020

County Galway native — Dec. 9, 2020

Edith Cornfield

Gave so much to the world — March 25, Riverdale 5.375 X 5.25 2020

Leda Giatti

Manhattan College athletics department secretary — April 21, 1935-Feb. 5, 2020

Woman of faith loved by RKA students — Dec. 13, 2020 College librarian — Nov. 1, 2020 Always ready with a joke and a smile — April 13, 2020

Vietnam sharpshooter — Aug. 13, 1952May 8, 2020

Riga Ghetto survivor — April 5, 2020

Walter Watson

Father whose heart never left Marble Hill — May 4, 2020

Mar vin Weisinger

Neuropsychologist who loved to look at trees — July 1, 1934-Feb. 7, 2020

Doorman to the stars who never forgot Ireland — Oct. 5, 2020

Mark Robert Weiss

Crowds lined Mosholu Avenue to say farewell — June 3, 2020

Actress, singer and occasional television face — May 11, 2020

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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.

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CONTRACTING CORP. We Specialize In: Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations Tilework & Roofing Experienced & Insured • FREE ESTIMATES

Family Owned

525 West 235th Street Bronx, NY 10463

646.407.3913

Senior Discount Available

www.LNYCC.com • Email: LorenceNYContractingCorp@gmail.com

WINDOW CLEANING

M A R I ’ S

By appointment only

347.671.4040 Professional Window Cleaning

GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH AN AD FOR As lOw As $120 A mOnth!* *with a 6 month contract

DEADlINE fOR THE JANUARY BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY IS WEDNESDAY, DECEmBER 30TH @ 2 pm. Contact your sales representative or call 718.543.6065 ext. 3 to get in touch with our marketing and sales team who can help you reach out to your clients.

THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020 - A13

Phone/fax ads in: ☎ 718-543-6200 ☎ 718-548-4038 E-mail: ø classified@riverdalepress.com Our address is:   5676 Riverdale Ave, Ste 311, Bronx, NY 10471

Real Estate Real estate

Co-ops and condos for sale

Apartments for rent

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 5 bdrms, 3.5 baths, 4,568 SF, pool, 8 acres in upscale neighborhood with gorgeous views. $3.29M, Julie & Co. Realty, 518-350-7653

RIVERDALE GEM! 2 Bedroom Condo for Sale! $334,000. Bkr Crystal L. For more info call 813-255-5753

First floor 3bdrm, 1.5bth with pantry & built-in washer/dryer $2300 also a 2bdrm with new bath and dishwasher. $2000. Call 914-413-4801

256th St, 3 bdrm apt in pvt house. Hrdwd flrs, excellent condition, porch & backyard. $2225. Call 203-685-6678

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY Quintessential downtown home available for the first time! 4 bdrms, 3.5 baths, 4,000 SF, amazing location in downtown! $1.75M Julie & Co. Realty, 518-350-7653

Apartments for rent Studio apt for rent. Netherland gardens. Move in immediately. $1390/mo. Leave message at 646-226-5433

Parking space available 3810 Greystone Ave. Beautiful Jr4 with wall up, hrdwd flrs, renov sunken living room, standing shower and bathtub, granite counters & SS appls. $1950. Bkr 646-345-0347

Indoor Valet Garage Parking Avail West of the Parkway at 3671 Hudson Manor Terrace Protect your car from weather & from theft. Email Naisha.V@HCPRealty.com

Real Estate Brokers, Agents and Management Companies Brown Harris Stevens, ..........................212.317.7746 McDonagh Properties, Inc....................718.548.2828 Tobias B. Schapiro...........................917.846.9846 New Bedford Management Corp.........646.453.5279 Douglas Elliman...................................718.884.5815 John Edwards Real Estate....................929.474.6900 Fieldston Properties.............................718.601.1000 OOAKB&F Inc......................................347.686.0825 Foxworth Realty, Eugenia Foxworth ...212.368.4902 Robert E. Hill, Inc ................................718.884.2200 Halstead Property Riverdale.................718.878.1700 Sherman NYC......................................718.884.0011 HSC Management Corporation...........718.543.2800 Trebach Realty ....................................718.543.7174 or....................................................914.237.1600 Veritas Property Management, LLC.......................... Carl Borenstein...............................212.799.2365 Hudsoncreast Properties Inc, Gil Perez...................... 718.796.5022 ext. 215......www.GmcRealty.com Vivian J. Oleen ....................................917.538.9639 Realtors: To purchase a space in this listing, please call Cheryl Ortiz at 718.543.6200 ext. 379

Phone/fax ads in: ☎ 718-543-6200 ☎ 718-548-4038 E-mail: ø classified@riverdalepress.com Our address is:   5676 Riverdale Ave, Ste 311, Bronx, NY 10471

Classified Computer services

Online and in print — Riverdale Press classifieds get results

COMPUTER PC, MAC EXPERT Repairs, Upgrade, Installations & Set-ups Slow computer, Virus removal, Data recovery

Networking wired & wireless

by former Manhattan College Instructor. 27 Years experience. Local references available. Best Rate. Riverdale Border 914-473-3344

Computer Repair, Upgrade & Troubleshooting Call James 646-281-4475 or 718-324-4332 KMA TECH. The solution to technology confusion. We come to you. Riverdale based. Prompt service. All Windows and Apple products. Call today 646-734-1996

Help wanted $18.50 NYC, $16 L.I. & up to $13.50 UPSTATE NY! If you need care from your relative, friend or neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as a personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. Call 347-713-3553

Miscellaneous DISH TV $59.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-800-943-0838

It’s easy to place your ad online, by phone, by fax, by mail or e-mail and reach thousands of readers in next week’s paper — or instantly on our website. Contact us:

Place an ad:

Online: www.riverdalepress.com Call: 718 543 6200 Fax: 718 548 4038 E-mail: classified@riverdalepress.com Send mail or stop by 5676 Riverdale Ave, Ste 311 Bronx, NY 10471

Our Ad-visors are available Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to help you word your ad. Contact us by Monday at noon and your ad will be in that week’s paper. Please make cancellations or changes by the preceding Friday at 4 p.m. The longer you run your ad, the cheaper it will be.

Rates:

Terms:

1-5 WEEKS: $4.30 per line, per week 5-9 WEEKS: $3.85 per line, per week 10-25 WEEKS: $3.30 per line, per week 26+ WEEKS: $3.05 per line, per week Minimum order is 5 lines for one week.

Help wanted

Education

Relief Porter/Doorperson Luxury Riverdale Coop Exp. Helpful Not Required Email Resume gstaudt@alliedpartners.com Equal Opportunity Employer

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.

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer and 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)

Home improvement New Heights Construction, LLC Siding, Roofing, Painting, Basements, Decks and more. NYC Lic. #1191201 Call 800-525-5102 or 718-767-0044

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The Riverdale Press, LLC, a subsidiary of Richner Communications, Inc. reserves the right to reclassify, revise or reject any classified advertisement. Please check your advertisement each time it appears and if you find an error, report it to the classified advertising department immediately by calling 718-543-6200 or e-mailing classified@ riverdalepress.com. The Riverdale Press, LLC shall not be liable for errors or omissions in any advertisement, for which it may be responsible, beyond cost of actual space occupied or to have been occupied by item in which error or omission occurred. The Riverdale Press, LLC shall not be liable for failure, for any cause, to insert an advertisement. All claims for errors, omissions, etc. in advertising must be made within seven days of publication and claims for such will be allowed only for the first insertion. All changes and cancellations made before Monday at noon will become effective with the following publication.

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Home improvement

Moving & Storage storage

B.K. Waterproofing and Roofing Brickpointing, concrete work, roofing, windows, retaining walls, painting, sheetrock, powerwashing & gutter work. Free estimates & consultation Call 917-566-8147 Ask for Bobby www.bkwaterproofing.com

S&M Moving & Storage Local and Long Distance Apartment & House cleanouts Call 718-538-1250; 24-hours

Lorence NY Contracting Corp. We specialize in Kitchen & bath renovs. NYC 646-407-3913 Lic. #2091374-DCA.

Miscellaneous Window Cleaning Mario's Window Cleaning Service

Available anytime. Free ests. Riverdale references. Call 347-671-4040

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Autos for sale 09 Pontiac G6. One owner. Excellent condition. Low milage. New tires, sunroof. $4950 Call 914-478-2670

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF KS Platinum Solutions LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/13/2020 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: United States Corporation Agents, INC 7014 13th Avenue, suite 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228. The principal business address of the LLC is: 4147 Murdock Ave Bronx NY 10466 Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3407

Legal Notice LLC NOTICE: Notice of formation of limited liability company: Life With Erica LLC. Article filed with secretary of state of New York on 10/07/2020. Mail copy of process to Life With Erica LLC, 5900 Arlington Ave #1X, Bronx, NY 10471. 3403

Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on Nov. 19, 2020, bearing Index Number NC-00027020/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) Giselle (Middle) Lilly

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Legal Notices Legal Notice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Angie Marie LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on August 20, 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 1565 Thieriot Avenue, apt. 2F, Bronx, NY 10460. The principal business address of the LLC is1565 Thieriot Avenue, apt. 2F, Bronx, NY 10460. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 3383

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Rose (Last) Tsoi. My present name is (First) Skylar (Middle) Rose (Last) Tsoi (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 April 2020. 3411 Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Bronx County on Nov. 19. 2020, bearing Index Number NC-00026920/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) Nathaniel (Middle) Wagner (Last) Perez. My present name is (First) Nathaniel (Middle) Wagner (Last) Perez Rivas (infant). The city and state of my present address are New York, NY. My place of birth is Huntington, NY. The month and year of my birth are November 2019. 3412

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A14 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, December 31, 2020

TrebachRealty.com

718.543.7174

Pr ic e

re du c

Family Owned & Operated Since 1972

NeW exclusive

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. $2,650,000

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

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

FieldstoN Web #839 Bright 4-bdrm, 3-bath solar modern home with patio & garden. Living rm with WBFP & eat-in kitchen. $1,695,000

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

NeW exclusive

co-exclusive

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

West oF parKWay Web #891 Lavish newly built 8-bdrm, 7.5-bath on 0.29-acres features 2-story center hall with curved staircase, double height great room with gas fireplace, glass doors to wraparound porch, den with wet bar, formal dining room and center island kitchen. $3,395,000

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NeW exclusive

exclusive 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

NeW exclusive

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

vaN cortlaNdt crest Web #902 4-bdrm, 3-bath stone and brick colonial with lawns and patio on double lot. Prestine hrdwd flrs & WBFP. $870,000

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NeW exclusive 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

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NeW exclusive

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exclusive

FieldstoN Web #844 Classic 4-bdrm, 3.5-bath with front terrace, WBFP in living rm, formal dining room and eat-in kitchen. $1,895,000

West oF parKWay Web #883 Renovated 4-bdrm, 3-bath with patio. Entry hall, living rm, formal dining room w/ WBFP & eat-in kitchen. $1,950,000

exclusive 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

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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

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

ceNtral riverdale Web #859 4-bdrm, 3-bath detached brick house with high ceilings, living room with brick WBFP & formal dining room. $890,000

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

NeW exclusive

exclusive

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

exclusive

FieldstoN Web #881 Spacious 6-bdrm, 3-full, 2-half bath w/ sunroom, patio & garden. WBFP in living room and formal dining rm. $2,175,000

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

co-ops, condos and REntals

NeW coNdo exclusive 3800 blacKstoNe ave Web #cc651 Contemporary 2-bdrm, 2-bath condo w/ modern kitchen, balcony, laundry in unit and indoor parking. $689,000

NeW exclusive

exclusive

3935 blacKstoNe ave Web #cc652 Spacious and Bright 3-bdrm, 2-bath with sunset balcony, majestic river views and 24-hr doorman. $850,000

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

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

601 KappocK street Web #cc647 Bright low floor Junior 4 (converted to 2), 1.5-bath co-op with DM, pool and 1 indoor parking space. $309,000

hrdwd flrs, seperate kitchen and sleeping area.

$185K

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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. $515K West oF parKWay - 2-bdrm, 1.5-bath, w/ balcony, L-shaped LR/DR area, DM, fitness room, private playground and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK. Indoor parking available. $420K sold - North riverdale - Renov Jr-4 with entry foyer living rm, dining rm and windowed eat-in kitchen. $299K sold - ceNtral riverdale - Newly renov studio with

coNdo excl

exclusive

NeW exclusive

3800 blacKstoN ave cc630 Contemporary 2-bdrm. 2-bath duplex penthouse w/ private roof terraces. $675K

3935 blacKstoNe cc646 Spacious 2-bdrm conv 3, 2-bath with balcony, updated kitchen & doorman. $415K

4525 hh parKWay cc650 Bright & renov Jr-4 convt to 2 with open sunset views and 24-hr doorman. $329K

290 W 232Nd st cc657 Updated 2-bdrm post war co-op with balcony. Entry foyer & eat-in kitch. $339K

exclusive

NeW exclusive

601 KappocK st cc649 Mint condition, beautifully renovated 2-bdrm with doorman and pool. $284K

3601 JohNsoN ave. cc587 Walk-in level doctor’s office with seperate entrance and reception area. $295K

NeW exclusive

3600 FieldstoN rd cc855 2-bdrm, 2-bath prewar corner unit w/ sunken LR, eat-in kitchen & dining foyer. $399K

house For reNt

FieldstoN vic. rr642 6-bdrm, 3.5-bath, 7,500 sq. ft. house w/ Expansive wraparound porch & pool. $19,500/mo

floors, balcony, DM and fitness room. Dogs OK.

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house For reNt

FieldstoN vic. rr871 Picturesque 1920s 3-bdrm, 2-full & 2-half baths with WBFP & grassy yards. $6,500/mo

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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3850 hudsoN m.t. cc644 Low floor 3-bdrm, 2-bath w/ picture window in LR, updated kitch & DM. $449K

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ceNtral riverdale - Contemporary 2-bdrm, 2-bath condo with balcony, laundry in unit and indoor parking. $3,950/mo GreystoNe aveNue - 3-bdrm, 1.5-bath with dining area and yard in multi-family house. $2,800/mo reNted - West oF parKWay - Spacious 2-bdrm, 2-bath, balcony, partial river views, DM & fitness rm. Dogs ok. $2,450/mo reNted - West oF parKWay - Rent stabilized 1-bdrm, parquet

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

exclusive

fitness room, tennis couts & pool . 2 months free rent $2,995/mo West oF parKWay - Luxury 2-bdrm, 2-bath, 24-hr doorman, pool & tennis courts. 1 month free rent $2,795/mo West oF parKWay - Large & luxurious Jr4 w/ 2nd bdrm, balcony, D/M, healthclub & pool. 3 months free rent $2,650/mo

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No Fee reNtals West oF parKWay - Large & bright 2-bdrm w/ balcony. D/M,

$1,850/mo

proFessioNal & oFFice space

exclusive

5715 mosholu ave cc635 3755 hh pKWay - the imperial - Walk-in level doctor’s Bright L-shaped 2-bdrm office with reception area and 2 exam rooms. $360K postwar co-op. Hrdwd flrs, North riverdale - Office Space Available. $1,500/mo South & West expos. $208K

exclusive

coNdo excl

290 West 232Nd st cc626 2-bdrm with entry foyer, living room, kitchen, dining area and balcony. $305K

3816 Waldo ave cc643 Contemporary Condo with balcony, modern kitch, lndry in unit, DM & prkg. $640K

coNdo exclusive 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