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Volume XX • Number 7 • February 14 - 20, 2013 •

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City looks into putting power lines underground By MIAWLING LAM City Hall lawmakers will consider moving overhead power lines underground in vulnerable neighborhoods in order to prevent widespread electrical outages during powerful storms. The New York City Council voted 49-0 on February 6 to authorize a study that would examine the feasibility of burying cables in all five boroughs. Under the bill, the Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability would determine specific locations where laying utility lines below ground would be the most effective. The study, which is expected to take six months, would also determine the estimated per-mile cost of moving the lines underground, examine network reliability for both types of power distribution and analyze weather-related outages over the past five years. Upon completion of the study, the results will be submitted to the mayor and the Council for consideration. According to the City Council, the bill was sparked by the tremendous toll caused by superstorm Sandy, a historic storm that left nearly 2 million residents without power. While parts of the city served by underground utility lines typically had power restored within a few days, several Bronx neighborhoods

Last weekend’s snowstorm had little effect on the area’s power supply. But concern mounts over what might occur due to some future, more destructive storm. including Riverdale, Pelham Gardens, Baychester and Wakeﬁeld, all with above-ground cables, were left in the dark for weeks. “I welcome this study, which is particularly relevant to my district, where the existence of overhead power lines in Fieldston resulted in a large number of outages and long delays in restoring power to

that community,” Councilman G. Oliver Koppell said. “I have already asked Con Ed to bury the lines underground in Fieldston, and I believe the results of this study will bolster my request.” Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn said superstorm Sandy showed just how vulnerable overhead utility lines were during

severe weather conditions. She said climate change was an undeniable reality and that it was time to consider safeguarding the city’s infrastructure. “Transferring existing overhead lines underground is an expensive proposition, and that’s why it makes sense to identify speciﬁc neighborhoods that would

beneﬁt from this the most and to determine how much it will cost to relocate power sources in these areas,” she said in a statement. “This is what our proposed forward-thinking study aims to determine.” Con Ed authorities have previously said that burying all 35,000 miles of overhead wires in New York City would cost $60 billion. Despite the costs, Queens Councilman and Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie said it was vital that lawmakers took action. “The study that this legislation mandates will give us a better understanding of where power lines can be, and need to be, moved underground to help prevent people from losing power when future Sandys hit our shores,” he said. The City Council’s response comes almost a month after Con Edison agreed to provide an additional power supply in Spuyten Duyvil to stem the frequency and duration of electrical outages. The extra power supply, which will be installed by December, is designed to alleviate the chronic blackouts that plague residents on parts of Independence Avenue, Kappock Street and Palisade Avenue. The utility company agreed to make the service improvement on January 11, following a meeting with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and concerned neighbors.

Bill de Blasio, mayoral hopeful, endorses Cohen for City Council By MIAWLING LAM The endorsements are starting to roll in for City Council candidate Andrew Cohen, who is hoping to succeed term-limited incumbent District 11 Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. New York City Public Advocate and mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio is the latest heavyweight to throw his support behind the Riverdale resident and Community Board 8 member. Standing in front of the Mosholu Monteﬁore Community Center in Norwood last Friday, de Blasio said he was compelled to support Cohen because of the candidate’s work as a lawyer and community board member. “One of the things I think about a lot is what kind of leadership we need in this city going forward, what’s going to help us to have a more just city, a city government that responds better to our people. And I think that in terms of this community, Andy Cohen is unquestionably the best choice,” de Blasio said. “Andy is someone who is profoundly ready to be a great councilman who understands the community, who has the heart, who has the work ethic and also who has labored in the vineyards.” There are currently two other Democratic candidates in the race: Fieldston School track coach and businesswoman Cheryl “Shelley” Keeling and the leader of the

boycott against the Riverdale Review, Cliff Stanton. However, de Blasio said his endorsement was a nobrainer because Cohen blitzed his rivals with his record of achievement, intelligence, integrity and energy. De Blasio also vowed to help drum up support for Cohen regardless of the weather, referring to the frosty conditions during the press conference. “I will walk through sleet or snow or rain to help Andy Cohen get to the City Council,” he said. “I am certain he will serve these neighborhoods in The Bronx well, and I think he will make a big impact for the whole good of the city as well.” Cohen said he was honored to receive the public advocate’s backing, considering their mutual support for critical issues such as paid sick leave and the living wage bill. In addition to picking up de Blasio’s endorsement, Cohen was given a lesson on the art of hand gestures from the political veteran. Prior to the formal proceedings, de Blasio joked around and instructed Cohen on how best to behave in front of the camera. “You have to do the chopping motion and the numbers. If you’re at a public works site or something, you have to do the pointing. That’s very important,” he said, Continued on Page 2

Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

New City Council lines finalized BY TESS McRAE The New York City Redistricting Commission went back to the drawing board and has now revealed the final City Council boundary lines. The new maps, released on February 4, have been slightly changed in response to some of the harsh criticism the commission received from the public. In The Bronx, the most prevalent change deals with Pelham Parkway North and Parkside Housing Projects. The area, which lines Bronx Park East and is located near the Bronx Zoo, was originally placed in the 11th City Council district. But at a public hearing last month at Hostos Community College, many residents in the area spoke out against the placement of Parkside Housing Projects in the district that also holds Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Van Cortlandt, Norwood, Bedford Park and Woodlawn. “Putting Pelham Parkway North and Parkside Housing in District 11 doesn’t make sense,” Lilithe Lozano, president of Parkside Housing, said at the time. “Currently, while we are included in the district, we are separated by the Bronx River Parkway, and all of the major leaders come from Riverdale and the Northwest Bronx.” But Lozano and other residents of the Wakefield/Parkside Housing area can rest easy now that the commission has placed the tail end of District 11 into District 15, as requested by many Bronx residents. Though not every issue presented to the commission was resolved, many activist groups are impressed with the level of transparency the commission had with the latest round of revisions. In addition to releasing the maps, a staff memorandum discussing how the commission drew each and every district was also released. The document addressed the board’s use of criteria in the City Charter and its compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Citizens Union, a government watchdog organization, praised the Redistricting Commission and its efforts to remain forthright with each decision made. “While independent state redistricting bodies in California and Iowa provide written or statistical analyses of each district that are among the most detailed in the nation, the memo provided by the commission staff provides a more com-

De Blasio endorses Cohen Continued from Page 1 demonstrating each hand signal. “I’m teaching you all the tricks here—it’s all about the action and the drama.” Following the political lesson and endorsement, de Blasio and Cohen toured the facility, spoke with the center’s executive director Donald Bluestone, mingled with seniors and did their best to curry favor with guests. “I have a crazy idea: I think the outer boroughs matter,” de Blasio said to one senior before handing her his business card. Cohen has already picked up endorsements from the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club, Congressman Eliot Engel, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, state Sen. Jeffrey Klein, City Council members Koppell and James Vacca and most recently, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. Koppell is currently serving his third and ﬁnal term and must leave ofﬁce due to term limit rules.

plete analysis of its decision-making,” a statement reads. “It also importantly contains an analysis of internal factors that inﬂuence the drawing of each council district, such as population changes, voting rights considerations, preservation of communities and neighborhoods, and requests made in public testimony.” The decennial revamp of district division is a federal mandate. Following the census, New York must redraw City Council district lines to accommodate population growth and demographic changes. The City Council will meet and review each boundary line, district-by-district and borough-by-borough, and will vote on the proposal before citywide elections begin.

By MIAWLING LAM Members of Community Board 8 will have to grapple with conflicting tensions as they consider the Hebrew Home at Riverdale’s ambitious $200 million-plus plan to construct a new independent living senior residence. CB8 land use committee chairman Charles Moerdler said members would have to confront myriad issues as they digest details of the massive expansion plan. “Over the course of the next few weeks and months, there are going to be significant debates over this Hebrew Home proposal,” he said at last Monday’s committee meeting. “There are two tensions at work here. The desire in the public interest to build more of this kind of housing for the elderly—the minus side of it is you’ve really got a local neighborhood up in arms in terms of the height, in terms of the bulk and in terms of the location.” Under the Hebrew Home’s controversial plan, the new 300-unit complex will be built on the 14-acre plot that adjoins the home’s main property and was acquired from the Passionist Fathers of Riverdale for $16 million in November 2011. The units will be a combination of one- and two-bedroom apartments in four mid-rise towers ranging from four to eight stories high. The proposed complex will feature common areas and amenities, including fitness and wellness centers, spiritual enrichment areas, dining areas, concierge services and cultural opportunities. The facility will be the first continuing care retirement community in New York City, offering residents guaranteed lifelong care. “The issue is, what is our responsibility

to preserve views?” Moerdler said. “What is our responsibility to tell those who own property, you shall or shall not develop because you’re blocking the views of your neighbors living across the street?” One of the major hurdles that the Hebrew Home faces is getting the zoning designation changed on the sprawling 14-acre site. Ofﬁcials said the property is currently zoned as R1-1, allowing around 50 single-family homes to be built as-ofright. Although the home’s zoning lawyers have indicated they will be able to seek a waiver allowing the project to proceed under the existing R1-1 designation, it is likely they will request an R4 zoning variance to accommodate the proposed multi-building complex. But some residents argue the development will destroy the rural atmosphere along the waterfront. At a community meeting on January 28, Dr. Eric Kandel said he feared that any zoning variances would set a dangerous precedent. “This is the most serious challenge facing North Riverdale,” he said at the time. “You’re changing the meaning of R1-1. Everyone will follow your lead. This is not what we want in this community.” CB8 members will cast a vote in support of, or in opposition to, the plan once a formal application is lodged. The plan is required to go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which requires months of public review and community involvement. Due to the lengthy and complicated ULURP process, experts believe construction won’t begin until 2016 and that it will be another ﬁve to seven years before residents begin moving in.

“Some aspects of this application are going to establish precedent that will control the government in this area for a very long time,” Moerdler said. Meanwhile, Congressman Eliot Engel weighed in on the issue during an unrelated visit to Manhattan College on February 11. When asked for his thoughts on the plan, Engel said he had been following the issue but that it was not in his purview. “Both sides have legal concerns, and I hope they work it out,” he said. “The Hebrew Home has wonderful resources for the community and does a good job. I hope they come to a meeting of the minds.” Bradford Perkins, principal of plan developer Perkins Eastman, has told the Riverdale Review that the entire project would cost at least $200 million.

3 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

Controversy over Hebrew Home expansion gathers steam

Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Around the schools... Horace Mann School

HM students have earned some awards recently. Two juniors won fifth-place medals in the annual regional science tournament of the Science Olympiad held in Queens for project called Designer Genes, a test of genetics and biotechnology. A senior won the Shakespeare Monologue Competition hosted by the Upper Division English department. The competition is part of a larger national Shakespeare competition sponsored by the English Speaking Union. The Middle Divisions robotics team won a strategy and innovation award for their robot, Gerri, at the Bronx Qualifier Competition held at Fordham University. The team qualifies for the Metropolitan Area Championships to be held on March 9.

Manhattan College

In honor of Black History Month, renowned actor and singer Keith David will travel to Manhattan College on February 19 to stage a medley of AfricanAmerican-themed songs and historical readings. The event will be held in the Smith Auditorium from noon to 2 p.m. The program is sponsored by the college’s diversity committee. David has more than 150 ﬁlm, stage and television credits, including roles in the blockbuster hits “Crash,” “There’s Something About Mary” and “Platoon.” He will recite two notable Frederick Douglass works, including the seminal 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” He will also perform an assortment of classical songs popularized by civil rights icon Paul Robeson. Jazz/pop recording artist Frank Owens, a Broadway composer/conductor who served as the original musical director for “The Late Show With David Letterman,” will accompany David on the piano.

College of New Rochelle

The college will hold two open house events for prospective students next Monday, February 18. The first session begins at 10 a.m.; the second begins at noon. Students and their families will learn about the college’s academic programs, student life, admissions process and special financial opportunities. They will hear from current CNR students and tour the campus, stopping at the nursing labs, library, TV studio, student center and residence halls. They will also meet with faculty members. A continental breakfast and a midday snack will be provided. The School of Arts and Sciences, open to women only, offers a unique environment where women can learn in an atmosphere of intellectual challenge and support. The college features undergraduate programs in the traditional disciplines of the liberal arts and sciences and in a number of professional fields. It provides a foundation for ongoing professional development and graduate study in nursing. The School of Nursing, which admits men as well as women, provides programs of academic excellence that prepare students to become service providers.

College of Mount Saint Vincent

The community is welcome to attend a free lecture on the history of rap music on Wednesday, February 27, at 4:15 p.m. in the Alumni Pavilion. Michael Partis, chief researcher and policy director for Young Movement, Inc. and a graduate researcher for the Bronx African American History Project, will speak on the history of rap in The Bronx and beyond. The lecture is co-sponsored by the ﬁne arts department,

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the history department, the honors program, and student activities.

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Local Scholars

The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, has announced that Mark Djivre and Hazell Imbertare among 805 students named to the dean’s list for the fall 2012 semester. Full-time students who complete a minimum of 12 credit hours and achieve a semester GPA of at least 3.5 with no grades of D, F, Incomplete or Pass/Fail are eligible for the dean’s list. The College of Saint Rose is a private, independent, coeducational liberal arts college located in the heart of New York’s capital city. It offers 70 undergraduate and 74 graduate programs and serves nearly 5,000 students. Fernely Filpo has earned a Bachelors of Science in Finance from The State University of New York at New Paltz. SUNY New Paltz recently conferred over 600 undergraduate degrees. SUNY New Paltz is located in the heart of a dynamic college town, ninety minutes from New York City. About 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students attend. One of the most well-regarded public colleges in the nation , New Paltz delivers an extraordinary number of majors in business, liberal arts and sciences, engineering, ﬁne and performing arts, and education. Michael Valentine Seminario has been named to the University of Rhode Island dean’s list. Seminario joins 4,198 other students on the list for the fall 2012 semester. To be included on the dean’s list, students must have completed 12 or more credits during a semester for letter grades with at least a 3.3 quality point average. The University of Rhode Island is known regionally and worldwide for its innovative, big ideas, adaptive intelligence and breakthrough solutions to today’s puzzling problems. URI’s pioneering research extends to the university’s inﬂuence well beyond its coastal borders, while its unique interdisciplinary courses provide its 16,688 undergraduate and graduate students with global opportunities in an intimate environment.

Email education news to:

bxny@aol.com or mail to: Riverdale Review 5752 Fieldston Road Bronx, NY 10471

• Proven success for over 60 years • Superlative education • Nursery through 8th grade • Diverse Jewish backgrounds welcome

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• Busing from Manhattan • Affordable tuition

2600 Netherland Ave • Riverdale, NY 10463 718-548-0900 • www.kinneretdayschool.org Please call us for an appointment!

By MIAWLING LAM and KIMBERLEY HYATT A sprawling 21,000 square-foot parcel of prime developable land along the bustling Broadway corridor has hit the real estate market for $5.5 million. The Riverdale Review can reveal that Stacks Tavern, an Irish bar in Kingsbridge, and the two adjoining parking lots—located at 5721, 5723 and 5731 Broadway—have been listed for sale. The three properties, which are owned by two separate parties, will be ofﬂoaded as a single site. According to exclusive listing agent Massey Knakal Realty Services, the trio of properties located south of West 236th Street represents an exciting opportunity for well-heeled developers. The listing touts the site’s location along the rapidly developing Broadway corridor as a major drawing card. The properties are across the street from Loehman’s and just steps away from the new BJ’s-anchored Riverdale Crossing shopping mall earmarked to open in September 2013. The lots are currently zoned C2-3 and R6, meaning buyers will be permitted as-of-right to raze the Irish tavern and build a 43,000square-foot mixed-use development comprised of housing and commercial space. Under the city’s zoning laws, when a C2-3 zoning district is overlaid with an R6 designation, developers are permitted to build two stories of retail space with residences above. Among the typical retail uses under a C2-3 zoning district are neighborhood grocery stores, restaurants, beauty parlors, funeral homes and repair services. Massey Knakal Realty Service sales director Karl Brumback said the site offered a rare opportunity. “Seriously, without exaggeration, there is a limitless conﬁguration,” he said.

Stacks Tavern has been in operation since 1976. It was previously known as the Jesse James Tavern but was renamed to Stacks Tavern three years ago. The Review understands that Brendan Stack, who owns the tavern and side parking lot, and Pauline Sullivan, who owns the neighboring lot, first floated the idea of offloading their properties in 2009. However, sources said Stack backed out of the deal at the time because he didn’t want the tavern to be knocked down and did want its legacy to remain. But in an interview with the Review last Thursday, Stack, 70, said he has had

a change of heart and now plans to retire and travel with his wife. “I’ve been stuck behind this bar and I just want to get out,” he said. “I’m not 21 anymore. There is no green light to stay. I wanted to keep the business in the family, but my two sons don’t want it.” Stack acknowledged that the future owner would most likely demolish the tavern, but said it was unlikely that it would happen overnight. The local stalwart said the neighborhood’s rapid gentriﬁcation and the bar’s struggle to attract new clientele swayed his decision to sell.

“Business is not what it used to be,” he said. “Nobody is coming in and buying two drinks because nobody is working. There’s no money coming in the door, or off the sidewalk.” Regular patron Gregory Hernandez, who owns Bronx Cash Register, said he was saddened by news of Stacks Tavern’s possible closure. However, he remained hopeful that the bar would remain open even after a buyer snaps up the site. “It’s not going nowhere,” he said. “It’s been here a long time. The locals will miss it.”

North Riverdale merchant festival planned for May

By MIAWLING LAM Children will be able to crush grapes with their feet, meet SpongeBob SquarePants and Handy Manny and bounce around on an inflatable castle during the inaugural Riverdale Spring Festival. The event, organized by the North Riverdale Merchants Association, is scheduled to take place between noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, pending approval of various permits. Appearing before Community Board 8’s economic development committee last Tuesday, more than a half-dozen merchants formally unveiled their proposal for the community day. According to preliminary plans, the festival, to be held on Riverdale Avenue just south of West 259th Street in front of the Skyview shopping area, will feature clowns, live music and face painting. To accommodate the street festival, at least one block of Riverdale Avenue will have to be completely closed to vehicular traffic and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will have to divert five bus routes. However, motorists will still be able to ac-

cess both the shopping center and the West 258th Street parking lots, organizers said. NRMA co-president Anthony Fella said the Riverdale Spring Festival is designed to draw attention to neighborhood merchants and encourage residents to shop local. “Basically, what we’re asking the community to do is to keep their business within our town,” he said, adding that the preliminary budget for the event stands at $12,000. “We really want to show the community what we’re doing, so they know who we are as businesses and as people and are driven to keep their money here, to shop here and build the community.” Fella said several businesses plan to set up booths to showcase their goods and services. Some merchants have even tentatively agreed to sponsor a slew of fun activities and games for kids, he added—Skyview Wine and Liquors will offer grape crushing, Lloyd’s Carrot Cake will host cupcake decorating classes and Cora Hardware and Housewares will bring in characters from the popular Disney program Handy Manny. Fido and Fluffy will even be able to get in

on the action—Capipets indicated it will offer pedicures to pets who show up for the event. NRMA co-president Gary Wartels said many merchants were excited about the upcoming event and that it was a way to spur economic development in the area. “We just see this as a real strong effort to bring together the business community with some of the cultural institutions that are here, and just to reinvigorate the economic base,” he said. Under new procedural changes enacted by Community Board 8, all street activity permits for street fairs, block parties and farmers markets must now come before a full board vote. Previously, no CB8 board members were privy to what applications were being submitted or even what was being approved or denied because only two people—the board chair and the district manager—processed street activity permits. However, CB8 overhauled the process in December 2012 in a push to become more transparent and to maximize community input. CB8 was scheduled to vote on the Riverdale Spring Festival permit application at its general meeting on February 12.

5 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

Bar on Broadway, opposite planned mall, offered for sale

current 7th grade students) will assist the student in preparing for the art portion of the examinations for the special art high schools held in the fall 2013. Emphasis will be on portfolio preparation. The fee for this 16-hour class is $250. Class size is limited, so please register early. You may register by phone with MasterCard, Visa, Discover or AMEX. For more information please call 718-796-4724 or visit our website at riverdalecommunitycenter.org.

Students will develop their skills, get help with interpretation, as well as, ﬁnd the joy in making music playing the ﬂute. Genres: Classical, Jazz, Easy Listening and more. Guitar courses are offered on Saturday mornings for children or teen/adults. Learn simple chords for playing and singing. Taught by a professional musician and composer. Bring your guitar. Music Appreciation for Children and Adults will also be offered. Open the mind and the heart to inner worlds as well as to global diversity. FEE for each course: $175 + $15 registration. For more information on dates and times, please contact us at 718-796-4724 or visit us on the web at www.riverdalecommunitycenter.org

BAE to present Latin jazz concert

Mid Winter Recess Vacation Day at the Y

Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Boro President Diaz hosts Sweetheart Luncheon

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is hosting his 6th Annual Sweetheart Luncheon on February 14, 2013 from 11am to 3pm. If you’re a couple that resides in the Bronx and have been married for 50+ years and newly-wed couples that have been married less than one year. Please contact Larcenia Walton, Director of Senior Services at 718-590-6248 for further information.

Jewish spirituality for the modern woman

The Rosh Chodesh Society is a sisterhood dedicated to inspiring and empowering Jewish women through monthly cultural learning experiences. The Rosh Chodesh Society’s newest course, It’s About Time: Kabbalistic Insights for Taking Charge of Your Life, aims to empower women to implement change in seven key areas in their lives. Topics discussed in the course include emotional mastery, sleep and renewal, nutrition and dieting, happiness, communication skills, faith and knowledge, and how to implement lasting change. The course is designed for women at all levels of Jewish knowledge. Participants without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning can attend and enjoy this course. This month, Rebbetzin Sorah Shemtov will be teaching When More Makes Merrier: A Holistic Approach to Pursuing Happiness on Saturday, February 16 between 12:151:15 pm at Chabad of Riverdale. The pursuit of material comfort is often confused with

the pursuit of happiness. Jewish wisdom provides a holistic understanding of what happiness is, and how it can be achieved through a combination of material happiness and spiritual fulﬁllment. We will soon announce next month’s lesson, Empathically Speaking: A Jewish Approach to Effective Communication. For more information about this upcoming lesson, or future ones, please visit our website www.ChabadRiverdale.org or call Chabad of Riverdale at 718-549-1100 Ext. 10.

Specialized high school test prep

The Riverdale Community Center will be hosting an eight-week intensive Prep class on Tuesday Evenings beginning March 5th from 7 pm to 9 pm. This comprehensive course is for current 7th grade students preparing to take the ‘New York City Specialized High Schools Admission Test (SHSAT)’ and/or ‘Test for Admissions to Catholic High Schools (TACHS)’ in the fall 2012. This course will focus on test taking strategies and study tips, using sample questions from standardized testing in the content areas of Math and English. Riverdale Community Center prides itself that our preparatory classes are taught by experienced, licensed teachers who have been involved for many years in preparing students to take standardized examinations with much success. The fee for this 16-hour course is $250 (all inclusive). Class size is limited so please register early. The Riverdale Community Center will also be hosting an eight-week Art Prep course on Tuesday evenings beginning March 6th from 7 - 9 p.m. This course (for

The Bronx Arts Ensemble presents Latin jazz pianist and vocalist Willie Rodriguez and his Ensemble performing Latin favorites, including selections from his album “Live at Willie’s Steak House”, February 16 at 8 pm at the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, 4450 Fieldston Road in the Bronx. Tickets are $20; $15 for seniors and students and include refreshments. For tickets and information, visit bronxartsensemble.org or call 718.601.7399. Willie Rodriguez has been a ﬁxture in Latin and Latin/Jazz music since the 70’s. He has played and recorded with several Latin and Jazz artists throughout his career. Among his many recordings notably he is on Machito’s Grammy award winning 1982 Salsa Big Band on the Timeless Label, Utrecht, Holland and on Celia Cruz’ Grammy award winning 2002 album on Sony. He has also recorded with Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Johnny Pacheco and Steve Turre. His career continues as an educator where he earned a doctorate in music education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. William (Willie) Rodriguez is the founder and principal of the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music.

Music classes at the RCC

The Riverdale Community Center at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (M.S./H.S. 141) will offer Piano and Flute Classes on Tuesday evenings for adults and Saturday morning for children and teen/adults this spring beginning on March 2nd and March 5th . Always wanted to play the piano or ﬂute? The piano course covers the basics of note reading, rhythm and hand position on piano or keyboard. Students will learn several short pieces in varied musical styles. Get your ﬁngers moving in solo and ensemble playing. For the Intermediate student who has some experience. Students will improve their skills through work in solos and duets. Course will include some basic music theory, ear training and listening to great recorded performances. Both courses are taught by Juilliard graduate. The Flute classes are for all levels.

Do you have work while your child is off from school? If so, join us for a fun ﬁlled day of swimming, crafts, sports and fun. Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit, towel, swim cap and a dairy/nut free lunch. Enjoy the holiday with your friends at the Y! This program is open to the entire community. You don’t have to be a Y member. Monday, February 18 & Tuesday, February 19. Grades K-6th. $80/ $60 Y Members each day. Program will run from 9:00 am5:00 pm. Early and Late Stay is available 8:00am-6:00pm for a nominal fee. Contact the Y by Friday, February 15, 2013 Need more info? E-mail Joe Smith at JSmith@RiverdaleY.org. or call 718-5488200, ext 261. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

Celebrate Purim at Chabad of Riverdale

Purim, a sacred holiday in Judaism, is celebrated with great joy and festivities. As told in the Book of Esther, Purim commemorates the survival of the Jewish people in Persia, from 460-430 B.C., from an attack from Haman, advisor to the Persian king. Each year, Purim, as a great victory in the Jewish faith, is celebrated with triumph and fun. On Saturday evening, February 23, the fun at Chabad of Riverdale will begin at 6:40 pm with Purimania, featuring a Masquerade, Book of Esther Reading, and an incredible magic show by the famous Philip and Henry Magic. The adult schedule is as follows: Evening prayers - 6:30 pm, Book of Esther Reading - 6:40 pm, Additional reading - 7:40 pm. Continuing the celebrations on Purim Day, February 24, Chabad of Riverdale is hosting exciting programs that offer entertainment for whole family. At 10:15 am, our Purim Show for Preschoolers will feature a Mishloach Manot (Purim basket) exchange, children’s Book of Esther Reading, and a spectacular performance by Macaroni the Clown. Book of Esther readings will be all day long: 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm. At 5 pm, there will be a Purim in Paris Family dinner. Guests are welcome to join us in their ﬁnest Parisian clothing. Along with tantalizing French cuisine, the Purim dinner will give families an opportunity to mingle and bond in a fun and relaxed setting. Prices are $30 per adult, $15 per child, and under threes are free! Sponsorship for this event is $100, and includes reservations for two. Register online at www.ChabadRiverdale.org for Purim in Paris. RSVP no later than February 19. Places ﬁll up fast! All Purim events will take place at Chabad of Riverdale, 535 West 246th Street, Riverdale, NY 10471. For more information, visit www.ChabadRiverdale.org or call 718-549-1100 Ext. 10. All events are open to the public and are family-friendly. For more information, please contact Rabbi Levi Y. Shemtov at Chabad of Riverdale at 718-549-1100 Ext. 10 or email Library@ChabadRiverdale.org

Saturday, February 16

TODDLER STORY TIME 10:30 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street Toddler story time at the Spuyten Duyvil Branch for 18 to 39 month olds in the company of a caregiver /and/or parent. The program is done on a ticketing basis ( ﬁrst come/ ﬁrst serve ) and it lasts 30 -35 minutes. Activites include reading, music, dance, scarves and shakers. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

ROSH CHODESH 12:15 p.m. Chabad of Riverdale 535 W. 246th Street Rebbetzin Sorah Shemtov will be teaching When More Makes Merrier: A Holistic Approach to Pursuing Happiness. For more information, call 718-549-1100 Ext. 10.

Spuyten Duyvil

Riverdale

BILINGUAL BIRDIES 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue A foreign language and live music program for children ages newborn to ﬁve years old with parent/caregiver. The bilingual musicians teach through live music, movement, puppetry and games. Each session ends with a lively bubble dance party! Children learn basic vocabulary and short phrases while playing with instruments and fun props. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Van Cortlandt

COUNTERFEITING 2 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Go behind the scenes with professional museum educator and collector extraordinaire Harley Spiller to explore how and why people trust the Almighty Dollar. Use a magnet detector, an ultra-violet light, and other anti-counterfeiting devices to determine what’s real and what’s real fake. Spiller explores the mysterious active ingredient in counterfeit-detecting pens and shares little-known secrets behind U.S.currency. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Kingsbridge

ANIMAL ODYSSEY 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Come join naturalists from the New Canaan Nature Center for an awesome after school animal adventure! This six-week odyssey will take participants on a hands-on journey throughout the animal kingdom. Each week will feature visits from 1-2 live animal ambassadors, plus experiments and investigations using real animal artifacts to discover more about a variety of amazing creatures- big & small. For ages 7 and older. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Van Cortlandt

Wii TIME 4 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Come and join us for some Wii Time at The Van Cortlandt Library. For ages 5 to 12 years. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Friday, February 15 Riverdale

GENTLE YOGA 10 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Gentle Yoga is designed for students who have special needs and/or limitations. This class is a variation of basic level I yoga format, moving more slowly and includes attention to the special needs of the individual. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

Riverdale

LATIN JAZZ CONCERT 8 p.m. Ethical Culture Society 4450 Fieldston Road The Bronx Arts Ensemble presents Latin jazz pianist and vocalist Willie Rodriguez and his Ensemble performing Latin favorites, including selections from his album “Live at Willie’s Steak House.” For tickets and information, visit bronxartsensemble.org or call 718.601.7399.

Sunday, February 17 Riverdale

ARTISTS RECEPTION 1 p.m. Riverdale YM-YWHA 5625 Arlington Avenue Jerry Klein, a local Riverdalian will be exhibiting his ﬁrst public photography display at Gallery 18 at the Riverdale Y for the month of February. A reception with refreshments will be held on February 17. For more information, call 718-548-8200.

Tuesday, February 19 Van Cortlandt

COMPUTER TRAINING COURSE 9 a.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue The Van Cortlandt Branch Library is now offering basic computer classes for the patrons in our community. All classes require registration. All classes Offered are free. All classes will begin promptly at 9:00am. If there are any questions, contact Mr. John Sattaur of the Van Cortlandt Library at 718-543-5150.

Riverdale

e-READER HELP 11 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Learn how to download free e-books from the New York Public Library. Get help on using your iPad, Kindle or other e-reader. First come, ﬁrst served. Tuesdays @ 11:00 a.m. (some exceptions, please check the online calendar or branch calendar) Wednesdays between 2 and 4 p.m. by appointment only. Please call Lynda at 718-549-1212 to make an appointment.

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TODDLER STORY TIME 11 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stories, songs, ﬁngerplays,puppets ﬂannelboard stories for babies and toddlers ages 18-36 months for parents and caregivers. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

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TEEN ADVISORY GROUP 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Let your voice be heard in the Kingsbridge Library’s Teen Advisory Group! TAG meetings will be held on Friday afternoons from 4-5 pm. If you are a 7th -12th grade student, you are eligible to join. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

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SCRABBLE 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue If words work you up and crossword puzzles keep you going, come to Riverdale and share your passion with friends every Tuesday afternoon for a lively game of Scrabble. Pre-registration required. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

BRANDEIS GROUP MEETING 12:30 p.m. Riverdale Temple West 246th St. & Independence Ave. The Riverdale Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee cordially invites its members and their friends to its next meeting. Nina Mende, noted tour guide and docent at the Museum of the City of New York, will present a powerpoint slide show on the highlights of the museum.

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STAY WELL EXERCISE 10 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stay Well volunteers certiﬁed by the NYC’s Department for the Aging will lead participants in a well-balanced series of exercises for seniors of all ability levels. Please wear loose comfortable clothing. Exercise equipment will be provided. Those participating in the exercises must sign an activity release form. For more information, call 718-548-5656. FUN SCIENCE 3:30 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Children are welcome to come to the Riverdale Branch and learn more about the scientiﬁc process. They will conduct experiments and have fun while learning how the world around them operates. For ages 5 to 12 years. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

Thursday, February 14

Riverdale

AARP MEETING 12:30 p.m. Riverdale Presbyterian Church 4765 Henry Hudson Pkwy. West The Riverdale Chapter 1546 of AARP will meet. There will be entertainment by Juan Ortega, vocalist and keyboardist. For more information, call Manfred Segal at 718-549-0088.

Riverdale

BOOK DISCUSSION 1 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue This month the group will be discussing An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy. Book club participants must reserve copies of each title through the Library’s catalog system. Reserve your copy by placing a hold online at www. nypl.org or visiting your local branch. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

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Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Rep. Engel speaks at Manhattan College By KIMBERLEY HYATT Congressman Eliot Engel addressed more than 200 Manhattan College students at a February 11 event, where he discussed the Harkin-Engel Protocol—an initiative established in 2001 to eliminate forced child labor in the growing and processing of cocoa beans. Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, partnered with Iowa Senator Tom Harkin to create an agreement among the U.S. Department of Labor, the governments of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire and the international cocoa industry to prevent child labor in cocoa bean harvesting. He was moved after viewing a BBC documentary reporting the use of child labor in the production of chocolate in West Africa, and personal visits to rural areas strengthened his resolve to eliminate the practice. “I have no issue with children helping out on the farm,” Engel said he told farmers during his visit. “I have an issue with children doing this instead of going to school.” Engel explained that industries were not adopting the protocol out of the goodness of their hearts. “They are doing it because we shamed and threatened them into doing it,” he said. “They were obnoxious at ﬁrst, but we must give them credit where credit is due, and progress is being made.” In 2010, Hershey’s Chocolate began a Cocoa Link program in Ghana to introduce cocoa farmers to upgraded technology and to teach them how to improve their income and livelihood without using child labor. The $600,000

effort is a plan to impart practical agricultural and social information to rural cocoa farmers through mobile technology. Since the program was established, 10,242 Ghanaians have worked with Cocoa Link. During a question-and-answer session following his remarks, Engel admitted that progress is slower than he had hoped. He said he wished the agreement could eventually branch out past the cocoa industries and that the Harkin-Engel protocol can be “duplicated to other businesses to reduce child labor.” But he acknowledged that gaining the cooperation of some countries was a miracle in itself. “They are independent countries. They don’t have to listen to me. They don’t have to listen to the United States,” he said. Engel ended by saying that child labor may be a tradition, but it is a wrong one. He revealed that there was major backlash against the protocol, given that most farmers would go bankrupt without the aid of child labor. But “2013 should not stand for children being slaves,” he said. By 2020, Engel expects a 70 percent decrease in child labor. He said now that the protocol has been enacted ofﬁcially, infrastructure is available to effect the change. Manhattan College recently celebrated its ﬁrst year of being a “fair-trade” school, meaning it does not buy or sell any chocolate made by industries using child labor.

The Riverdale Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee cordially invites its members and their friends to its next meeting on Wednesday, February 20, 2013, at 12:30P.M. in The Riverdale Temple, West 246 Street and Independence Avenue, Nina Mende, noted tour guide and docent at the Museum of the City of New York, will present a powerpoint slide show on the highlights of the museum. Please make advance reservations by sending check for $12.00, payable to B.N.C., to Cecile Horwich, 5800 Arlington Avenue-10W, Riverdale, N.Y. 10471, as soon as possible. Admission at the door will be $15.00. New members will be honored guests of the chapter. Bagels and light refreshments will be served and a boutique, “Handicrafts by Shari White” will be displayed for sale.

Riverdale Y to hold Purim Carnival

The Riverdale Y will be holding their annual Purim Carnival on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013 from 9:30am-12:30pm. This event is open for the entire community. Our fun schedule for the day 9:30am- 10:45am: Early childhood gym play stations (slides, tunnels and bounce castle set up for free use on the SC level gym) 9:30am - 12:30pm:Ringling Bros. & Barnum Bailey CircusFit Clown will be entertaining the children with all of his juggling and balancing skills

10:30am - 12:30pm: Early Childhood crafts and game booths and carnival games for older children on the second ﬂoor in our multi purpose room 10:00am-12:00 pm: Bead for Life Sale (in the lobby)Bead for Life helps women lift themselves out of extreme poverty in Uganda. 11:30am - 12:30pm: Food is available in the Teen Lounge (not included in admission price.)s 12:30pm:Children’s costume parade with live music by Greg Shafritz Admission: $10 per family for admission. Tickets for carnival booths: 6 for $5; 12 for $8 For more information go to www. RiverdaleY.org. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

preparation for the Writing Section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), scheduled for May 4, 2013. FEE: $175 + $15 registration fee includes all materials and a textbook. 7 weeks/10.5 hours total. 3. S.A.T. PREPARATION - THE COMPLETE COURSE - MATH, CRITICAL READING AND WRITING. - Special rate for students registering for both SAT preparation courses - Math and Critical Reading on Saturday mornings and Writing on Tuesday evenings. FEE: $415 + $15 registration fee includes all materials and a textbook. 7 weeks/31.5 hours total. You may also register by phone with MasterCard, Visa or AMEX. For more information please call 718-796-4724 or visit our website at riverdalecommunitycenter.org.

S.A.T. prep courses at RCC

Morning of storytelling at HIR

The Riverdale Community Center will be hosting S.A.T. Preparation classes on Saturday Mornings and Tuesday evenings beginning March 2 and March 5, 2013. 1. S.A.T. PREPARATION - MATH & CRITICAL READING (7 weeks) - Intensive instruction in Math (basic arithmetic, algebra I/II and geometry); Critical Reading (reading, diction and vocabulary); and, test-taking skills emphasized in preparation for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, scheduled for May 4, 2013. FEE: $275 + $15 registration fee includes all materials and a textbook. 7 weeks/21 hours total 2. S.A.T. PREPARATION - WRITING SECTION (7 weeks) - Intensive instruction in English grammar and essay writing in

One Generation Tells Another: A Morning of Storytelling, on Sunday, March 10 @ 10:00am at Hebrew Institute of Riverdale - the Bayit 3700 Henry Hudson Parkway, Bronx, NY 10463 Featuring world renowned storyteller Peninnah Schram together with Rabbi Avi Weiss Ages: Kids (4+) and up $6/Individual, $10/Family. Babysitting will be available for children 3 and under. If you would like to sign your child(ren) up please contact menachem@thebayit.org. Co-Sponsored by PJ Library and He-

brew Institute of Riverdale - The Bayit. For more info contact Shuli at 718-7964730 x102 or shuli@thebayit.org.

Riverdale AARP Chapter to meet

The Riverdale Chapter 1546 of AARP will meet on Wednesday, February 20, at 12:30 p.m. at the Riverdale Presbyterian Church, 4765 Henry Hudson Parkway West. We will have Juan Ortega, vocalist and keyboardist, entertain us with his smooth Latin and popular repertoire. He always has a receptive audience getting up dancing away. The community is invited to join us, refreshments will be served. For additional information, call Manfred Segal at l-718549-0088.

Hebrew Home at Riverdale seeks volunteers

The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, located at 5901 Palisade Avenue in Riverdale, is currently seeking volunteers who would like to share their talents and time to help others. Available opportunities include, but are not limited to, reading to residents, administrative ofﬁce tasks, helping with crafts projects and much more. Hours are ﬂexible and assignments can be short term or ongoing. The Home provides orientation, training and continuing education for all volunteers. Volunteers who commit to three hours per day will be provided with a free lunch. For further information, please contact the Volunteer Department at (718) 581-1404.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

Brandeis Group to hear talk on NYC Museum

Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW 10

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW 12

Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, February 27, to assist people with questions or problems concerning this program. This service, at 3655 Johnson Avenue, is available only by appointment, which may be made by calling Richard Fedderman of the Congressman’s office at 718 796-9700. Rep. Engel said, ‘Social Security is an issue directly affecting many people in my district. Consequently, I have these experts from the Social Security Administration come to my office on a monthly basis to help constituents with any problems they may have with the program.’ The Congressman said the Social Security website (www.ssa.gov) offers a wide array of on-line services including filing for retirement, survivors and disability benefits, change of address, replacing lost Medicare cards, and keeping up to date on Social Security matters.

Ballroom dance and belly dance classes at RCC

The Riverdale Community Center at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (M.S./H.S. 141) will offer Ballroom Dance and Belly Dancing Classes on Tuesday evenings this spring beginning on March 5th . Ballroom Dance for beginners will be held from 7:30 -8:30 PM, FEE: $170 + $15 registration fee. Learn all the steps to the most popular dances. Partners preferred,

but not necessary. For the more advanced students, join us from 8:30 - 9:30 PM for a potpourri of ballroom dancing styles. Partners only (singles admitted with audition). These courses are taught by a professional dance team. Our Belly Dancing Classes from 7:00-8:00 pm, FEE: $140 + $15 registration fee, are taught by professional dancer, Noora E-Shams. Learn this popular Middle Eastern dance - includes isolations, undulations, travel steps and stretching. Introducing our new Salsa, Tango, Swing and More for Teens Only offered on Saturday mornings 9:30-10:30 AM/ Be a social success, learn steps to the most popular dances, including Salsa, Swing and Tango. FEE: $170 + $15 registration fee. To register for any of these dance classes, or for more information, contact the Center at 718-796-4724 or visit our website at www.riverdalecommunitycenter.org.

WCS to hold 5th annual Run for the Wild

The Wildlife Conservation Society is celebrating the ﬁfth anniversary of the WCS Run for the Wild - this year dedicated to elephants. Wildlife supporters, runners, and walkers are all invited to participate in the annual 5k run and family fun run at the Bronx Zoo. This year, WCS is introducing WCS Run for the Wild: World - allowing people who cannot be in New York for the Bronx Zoo event to participate and fundraise from anywhere in the world. The ﬁfth annual 5k-run/walk takes

place on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Bronx Zoo and is dedicated to saving elephants, their habitat, and other wildlife. Since its inception in 2009, more than 23,000 people have participated and $2.6M has been raised through donations, registration, and sponsorship. ‘Each year we dedicate the WCS Run for the Wild to a different animal species in need of conservation, said John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs. ‘The decision to dedicate this year’s event to elephants was made out of necessity. The illegal wildlife trade is now a multi-billion dollar industry that threatens thousands of species around the world. Elephants have been particularly hard hit with 2011 considered the worst year since 1989 for the illegal poaching of elephants for their ivory.’ WCS’s Run for the Wild registration is now open at www.wcsrunforthewild.org. Registration for the run is $35 for adults, $25 for children (3-15), and $25 for seniors (65+). Participants are encouraged to seek individual sponsors for their run, and all adult (and senior) participants are required to raise a minimum of at least $30 in order to participate. Registration includes parking and general admission to the Bronx Zoo following the event. Participants can choose from two different events. The 5k run for individual runners will begin at 8:00 a.m.; casual runners and walkers can take part in the Family Fun Run/Walk at 8:45 a.m. After the run, participants are invited to stay and enjoy the zoo and its animal

residents for the rest of the day. Everyone is encouraged to visit the Bronx Zoo’s famous Wild Asia Monorail where they can see Asian elephants, tigers, rhinos, and many other Asian species. There are many other exhibits to visit including Tiger Mountain, Madagascar!, Congo Gorilla Forest, and JungleWorld. Prizes will be awarded to those who meet various fundraising goals. For $30 in pledges, runners will earn a WCS Run for the Wild T-shirt; $60 earns a Dr. Seuss Horton Hears a Who pop-up book; $125 earns a plush elephant; $275 earns a Jackrabbit Sports gift card ($20); $600 earns an elephant-themed tote bag; $1,500 earns a VIP breakfast and a guided ride on the Bronx Zoo’s Wild Asia Monorail; $3,000 earns a special Bronx Zoo animal experience. Each incentive level achieved includes all prizes from the levels below. The new WCS Run for the Wild: World engages wildlife enthusiasts from around the globe and allows them to make tracks for elephants from wherever they are. ‘Vitrual’ participants can run on their own, start their own team, support teams or participants at the WCS Run for the Wild event at the Bronx Zoo, or even create their own fundraising event to contribute to WCS’s work to save this iconic species. Those who are unable to attend the 5k run/walk at the Bronx Zoo can visit www.crowdrise.com/WCSRunfortheWild to start a team, organize a local run or another fundraising event, or donate to help WCS save elephants.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

Social Security Assistance at Engel ofﬁce

Thursday, February 14, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Stanton’s PS 24 scare tactics

Obviously a incident which took place in the Connecticut suburb has gotten at least one city Council candidate so paranoid that he’s so sure that such an incident could take place here as well, that he’s proposing to double the number of school security personnel that’s in place at PS 24. This is preposterous, of course, and there’s no reason to believe that a similar incident could take place here. Nor has there been any significant increase in the number of incidents reported throughout the country. Now of course one might suppose from Council candidate Clifford Stanton’s proposal that there is some kind of real and imminent threat to the safety of the children at PS 24. But then what do you expect from someone who makes his living selling nuts from pushcarts. The truth is that there have been no serious incidents that even remotely approach what took place in Newton Connecticut some weeks ago. The truth is that there have been no serious incidents and not just recently but going back over many years. So why is a candidate for public office scaring parents and community members by suggesting that their children need protection and that there is some kind of severe security problem that has to be addressed immediately. The word is pandering, something that the “Nut King” is very familiar with. If there is a problem at PS 24 it has nothing to do with security and everything to do with diminished academic standards. The truth is, and we’ve been saying this for years, that the measurable academic performance of graduates of PS 24 has been seriously slipping over the past years. The evidence of this is the declining number of local children accepted into the city’s specialized high schools. This number has been so precipitously declining that one must ask, what is being done wrong both at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy and at our community’s two elementary schools, PS 24 and PS 81, that has left our children so ill-prepared for a test that, in the past, they would pass in huge numbers? This is no small decline. We’re talking about a 90% decline over the past twenty years. This has a real effect on the lives of about 120 to 140 children here every year. We need elected leaders who recognize this and stop making excuses for lower academic standards and diminished music and art offerings. Taking sides against our beloved veteran teachers who are the only group reliably trying to maintain standards, while offering unquestioning support to a principal, who we are told, is pondering retirement as early as this year, who has been twice removed from other positions as a principal, is simply not the way to go. We take a lot of heat for reporting what goes on at our schools, accused of “hurting” the school and its reputation by simply telling the truth. We defy anyone to find a single instance when we have been shown to be wrong about any factual matter regarding our schools. Telling the truth, even when it hurts, is our job and responsibility. But what of a pandering politico who builds his case on criticism of the school’s security and safety, when there is no real reason for concern that exists anywhere but in his paranoid political mind? PS 24 is safe, and valuable resources should be put in the classroom, not invested in more security guards, particularly unnecessary guards. Another teacher could be hired for the cost of that extra security guard plus the electronic equipment Mr. Stanton advocates installing to monitor the movements of adults and children in the building. Academic excellence is what gave PS 24 its reputation, and building on this is the only path to restore the school to its former glory. Creating a climate of fear will only end up further diminishing PS 24. But what do you expect from a fellow who has built a political career on advocating for censorship and diminishing freedom of expression?

Nature trail or freeway for cyclists To The Editor: Re: Turning the Putnam Nature Trail into a Freeway for Cyclists. The people of the Bronx need to tell the NYC Parks Department and their spokesman Zachary Feder to take their plans for destroying a beloved Bronx nature trail and “take a hike.” “The plan will be transmitted for bid, the transmission will be reviewed and the construction will start,” he said of their plan to pave over this bucolic 1.5 mile path. Says who? This is the classic steamrolling politics that the Bloomberg administration specializes in. Well, sorry, Zach, there is a little something called the people. And we have never called for, voted for nor support this waste of $2.5 million (for starters). Bloomberg and his minions are supposed to support bicycling for the sake of the environment — so let’s pave over a nature path. And who cares that there

are “multiple unpaved natural paths” in the park? It’s a park. The paths are supposed to be unpaved. And there are hundreds of miles of paved roads, more and more with bicycle lanes throughout the Bronx, New York City and Westchester that these cyclists can use. We are told the “paved section of the upgraded trail (upgraded? A nature trail paved over is an “upgrade”? Yeah, in Bloombergspseak) will be ﬂanked by a three foot wide earthen path for runners who prefer a non-paved surface. Thanks, but no thanks. It’s a nature trail; you pave it over then pat yourselves on the back for providing a “three foot wide earthen path”? How about this: save the $2.5 million and leave the already “earthen trail” in its original earthen state. Make no mistake what this is about: an elite, well connected handful with a misplaced sense of self entitlement, many of whom, if not most no doubt, come from Brooklyn and Manhattan and don’t give a hang about wheelchairs or strollers

ANDREW WOLF, Editor and Publisher

Note our new address: 5752 Fieldston Road Bronx, New York 10471 (718) 543-5200 FAX: (718) 543-4206

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or nature for that matter simply want an intercounty thoroughfare that they can race through in 3-5 minuets on their way to Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties — rather than the six minutes it currently takes. Built on your dime. And don’t feel they should be inconvenienced by having to maneuver around a root or rut or mud puddle, never mind pausing for a jogger, hiker or family on bikes. Or, say to appreciate a tree or stream or wildlife. And what of the snapping turtles, snakes, chipmunks, squirrels and birds that inhabit and use the trail? What of its history and historical artifacts that will be destroyed so these narcissists can have their personal freeway? Rep. Engel, every Bronx politician, Christine Quinn and every other mayoral candidate should be delivered the message in the lease unmistakable terms: leave the trail alone. Michael Burke

Email letters to: bxny@aol.com or mail to: Riverdale Review 5752 Fieldston Road Bronx, NY 10471

The Brooklyn College debacle: Blame it on Bloomberg that already surround Israel. Can you imagine Ed Koch not having something to say about this? Mayor Bloomberg, already wiping egg off his face for his support of the “Park 51” Mosque in the shadow of Ground Zero, only to learn in recent weeks that this project was a scam, its sponsors pocketing its non-proﬁt funds, seems to have learned nothing. He made that project into a test of religious freedom, as he is trying to turn the Brooklyn College anti-Semitic outrage into a question of academic freedom. This event was so one-sided that its sponsors refused to admit all members of the Brooklyn College community, allowing only their own supporters to engage unencumbered into what then could only be described as a city-sanctioned hate fest against the State of Israel. When a public venue is used to promote hate, when the publicly-funded college puts its imprimatur on such an event, it is the right and responsibility of good men and women to speak out. Mayors Koch and Giuliani certainly would have, as did former Comptroller Bill Thompson, a candidate for mayor by expressing his concern over the event. This will not be forgotten as the election presses ahead. As Elie Wiesel reminds us, “Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must — at that moment — become the center of the universe.” Last week Brooklyn College became that “center of the universe.” Bill Thompson saw it, Michael Bloomberg, again, did not. Mayor Koch certainly would have seen it. I don’t expect an apology from Mayor Bloomberg for calling those of us who questioned the Park 51 project as being against religious freedom. Despite all we

have learned in recent weeks, we still know that no matter how wrong he may be, you’ll never hear this mayor reprise the famous remarks of his predecessor, Fiorello LaGuardia, “When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut.” Well, Mr. Mayor, you made another “beaut” last week. You allowed our public funds and resources to endorse a closed meeting of an anti-Semitic hate group, you compromised academic freedom in a very profound way, and you dishonored the memory of your recently departed predecessor, Mayor Ed Koch, who certainly would have taken the opposite position. When we choose a new mayor this year, one of the elements that should enter into the choice is moral leadership. That’s why not even two weeks after his death, we miss Mayor Koch already.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, February 14, 2013

By ANDREW WOLF Exactly what has been lost with the passing of Ed Koch two weeks ago became painfully clear last week. The pathetic excuses made by Mayor Bloomberg last week allowing the disgraceful anti-Semitic program ofﬁcially sponsored by the Brooklyn College Political Science Department to proceed unencumbered were, to put it mildly, disgusting. Here is a man who never seems to learn a lesson. We were told that the program at Brooklyn College had to proceed for reasons of academic freedom. But this was not an issue of academic freedom. Even the most rabid supporters of Israel were not outraged by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) event had it not been ofﬁcially sponsored by the college’s political science department. Once that “seal of approval” was placed on the disgraceful proceedings, this became our government, that is all of us, sponsors of this program. It is now under investigation and may be the subject of legal action. And lest you think that somehow BDS is some innocent political movement, be aware that the BDS movement will accept nothing less than a one-state solution, that is the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a “Palestinian” state. Presumably this new government would be run by either Hamas or Hezbollah or both, if they could ever stop killing each other, or perhaps the same folks who run the so-called “occupied territories” on the west bank of the Jordan River, so mired in corruption for generations. In a region known for its brutal dictatorships, discrimination against its citizens for the sin of being born a woman, the BDS folk would have us replace the democracy of Israel with yet another Arabic/Islamic state to add to the 22 non-democracies

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