Issuu

Riverdale’s ONLY Locally Owned Newspaper!

Volume XIX • Number 24 • June 28 - July 4, 2012 •

FREE!

Budget woes force music cuts at P.S. 24 By MIAWLING LAM P.S. 24 has fired both of its music teachers and has been forced to shut down its music department in order to balance its bare-bones operating budget. The Riverdale Review can reveal three staff members, including two music teachers, were excessed on Friday, June 15, placing the school’s rich music curriculum in jeopardy. If the downsizing strategy proceeds as planned, the school will also be required to hand back dozens of instruments provided through the Music and the Brain program and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. The MATB program currently supplies students in grades K through 2 with dozens of keyboards, while VH1 supplies pupils in grades 3 through 5 with a range of woodwind instruments. P.S. 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele “Manny” Verdi confirmed the news during a public school tour last Wednesday. “We had three teachers coming back who had seniority, and so we had to excess three people,” he said, adding that the other departing staff member was a Common Branch instructor. “We let go of two of our music teachers. It’s not definite that they’re definitely not going to be back next year, but the structure of the budget is that we don’t fire people—they’re excessed. “It’s not a step that we took lightly, but the difficulty is that you’re going to lose something, and we had some amazingly great young teachers in the school and it’s really hard to let go of a really amazing classroom teacher.” According to the Department of Education, teachers are often excessed due to budgetary constraints, declining enrollment or seniority of certification. Affected teachers are then placed in a reserve pool assigned to schools in District 10 and must fight over any openings in other schools. It is understood the instrumental teacher has been employed at P.S. 24 for around five years, while the vocal teacher, who used to teach at M.S/H.S 141, has been on staff for two years. The Review has learned Tweed

ofﬁcials also provided the school with a budget based on 32 students per class across all grades and that because P.S. 24 administrators wanted to reduce class sizes, they made the decision to cut their music program. Despite the concerns of the community, Verdi remained upbeat and stressed that students will continue to receive music instruction. Efforts are being made to restore at least one of the music instructor positions, he said. The school’s existing partnerships with the New York Philharmonic, Little Orchestra Society and Young Composers will remain to help students with music enrichment and appreciation. Verdi said ofﬁcials targeted the music curriculum because the school had a glut of music in-

struction—more than many other elementary schools in the city. “I will defy anyone to find an elementary school that has as much music in it as this school,” he said. “There will still be music here at P.S. 24. It’s not just going to be in the way that it’s been done.” News that the music program was being abolished first emerged last week after the Riverdale Review received phone calls and letters from several anxious parents and staff at the school. A person at the school, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said students would lose two incredibly talented music teachers. “It’s such a shame,” the source said. “Once a program is shut down like that, they can’t open it for another year and you can’t hire substitute teachers.” Verdi also revealed that five

kindergarten paraprofessionals—staff who assist classroom teachers—have been fired so that officials can remain in the black on their budget. “Statistically, it’s the same amount of amount of money, but in reality, it’s not,” he said. “Teachers and staff people’s salaries go up every year, so the same amount of money does not pay for the same amount of services.” Meanwhile, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz was concerned about the downsizing operation and said his office received “a few calls and emails” from concerned parents. “It’s very upsetting that P.S. 24 is losing their music program because of the city’s policies. I just don’t think the (Bloomberg) administration has made it a priority that schools continue to have a music program.”

Dinowitz was particularly aggrieved as the state Legislature battled to successfully stave off budget cuts. “The state increased education funding by 4 percent, but it seems to me that some of our schools are getting shortchanged,” he said. “Why aren’t some of our schools receiving more money than they’re receiving? Our schools and the children in our schools are suffering, and I don’t believe the city properly prioritizes how they spend money.” According to the DOE’s 20102011 Annual Arts in Schools Report, P.S. 24 students in grades 1 through 5 received an average of 31 to 40 hours of music instruction by school-based music teachers and an additional 11 to 20 hours from arts and cultural organizations.

Light turnout for primary day

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER Thousands of Bronx voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in an unusually timed primary election. Constituents in Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Wakefield, Woodlawn and Co-op City had a chance to inﬂuence leadership of the newly-drawn 16th Congressional District as voters in Kingsbridge, Norwood and Marble Hill weighed in on the 13th CD. As of press time, no results could be reported. By around noon, voters were trickling into the cafeteria at the Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy, a 16th Congressional District polling site. Incumbent Congressman Eliot Engel likely did not need to gird his loins in a tough battle against his opponent, former Bronx assistant district attorney and teacher Aniello A.M. Grimaldi, in the Democrat race. “In a presidential election at this time, we’d have a couple of hundred,” said polling site coordinator Joseph Gordon, who estimated that around 10 percent of the usual voters would turn out. “It’s very light at this point in

the day,” agreed fellow coordinator Patricia E. Brink. School was not in session, so the atmosphere was calmer than in past primaries when election activities competed with noisy school lunch operations, she said. A full staff of trained election staff—two coordinators, pairs of assistants at each of seven tables and two information assistants manning a reception desk—were all poised to aid constituents, many of whom were elderly and unfamiliar with the setup. Both coordinators agreed that there were not burning issues but that voter turnout was a result of a failure to publicize the election. “There’s just apathy about voting,” Gordon said. And when voters do show up, “they go by name recognition, not even necessarily what each candidate represents.” But even without a contentious race, “This is the United States, and people should take advantage” of the opportunity to participate in elections, Brink said. “In other countries, they can’t vote. This is a great thing.” Shortly after 11 a.m., neighContinued on Page 12

Patricia Engel accompanies her husband, Cong. Eliot Engel as they cast their ballot in Tuesday’s primary election.

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Safety hazards could lead to less parking

Residents on Independence Avenue are petitioning city officials to install ‘No Parking’ signs on the narrow strip between West 246th and West 247th Streets. They claim emergency vehicles cannot pass when cars are parked on the west side of the twoway street. Access to the block’s only fire hydrant is also restricted. By MIAWLING LAM and ALLISON SUMMERS Up to six parking spots along one of Riverdale’s narrowest streets could be permanently lost because rogue drivers are blocking emergency vehicle access. Residents who live on Independence Avenue between West 246th and West 247th streets are currently lobbying the Department of Transportation to install “no parking” signs along the entire section of the road. They claim motorists who park on the west side of the street are blocking access to the only fire hydrant on the block and are preventing emergency vehicles from passing. Parkers are also making it difficult for residents to exit their own driveways. “The issue we have is that people are parking along the street, and it’s severely limiting access and passage,” a homeowner told the crowd at last Tuesday’s Community Board 8 traffic and transportation committee meeting. “It’s a two-way street, but it’s not passable, certainly for emergency vehicles on the narrow parts.” The woman said Con Ed vans and garbage trucks also struggled to pass “without somebody getting out, pushing in the mirrors of all the cars and then directing the trucks through.” At the moment, there are no road signs telling motorists where they are permitted and not permitted to park, leading to a free-for-all situation.

Earlier this month, around two-dozen residents sent a letter to Community Board 8 asking for its assistance in installing the signs. “Speedy passage of emergency vehicles goes from challenging to impossible when cars are parked in the shoulders,” the residents wrote in the letter. “While we appreciate that there is a shortage of parking in Riverdale, we feel strongly that parking along this block presents a very real safety hazard. “As such, we request the board’s support in designating this section of Independence Avenue a no parking area.” The letter also highlighted the fact that having two-way traffic on the stretch was already difficult, without the additional hassle of parked cars. “This section of road is very narrow, down to eight feet wide at some points,” the letter states. “Two-way traffic is only possible when passing cars pull to the shoulder; in some stretches you have to drive onto private property.” Riverdale resident Michael Goldblum, one of the 24 residents who signed the letter, said the issue of flagrant parkers has been ongoing. “I’ve been living on the block since 1999, and this has always been a big problem,” he said. CB8 said it will ask the Department of Transportation to look into the matter. The board anticipates a solution to be devised by the end of the summer.

By MIAWLING LAM They greeted millions of people, but now the mammoth Stella D’oro building signs are looking for a new home. The developer of Riverdale Crossing, the $80 million yet-to-be-built mall sited at the former cookie factory, said he plans to donate the signs to prolong their historical significance. However, Metropolitan Realty Associates president Joseph Farkas admitted that finding a large enough storage room free of dust and mites would be challenging. “We’re trying to donate them to the Bronx Historical Society,” he said. “We’ve reached out to them but they think they’re too large to store. “We’re trying to reach out to the Stella D’oro family as well, to donate them back to them if there is any family affiliation to the signs.” Farkas said that if no suitable takers emerge, he was committed to preserving the Stella D’oro legacy and ensuring the next generation is aware of the company’s Bronx roots. The two building placards, which bear the Italian flag and the company’s name in cursive script, were pulled down a month ago prior to demolition and are currently in storage. The signs would most likely make their next public appearance at the shopping mall’s grand opening, Farkas said, which is scheduled for October 2013. “At the end of the day, if they’re not going to be donated, we’re going to keep them and in some meaningful manner attribute them to the project.” Bronx Borough Historian Lloyd Ultan said he would lobby for the signs to remain

in The Bronx. “I prefer to keep them in The Bronx and for them to be displayed as decoration in the mall, but if that doesn’t work, there’s always the possibility of sending them to the Museum of the City of New York or the New York Historical Society,” he said. When asked about the exact dimensions for the signs, Ultan said he was unsure but confirmed that there was insufficient space at the Bronx County Historical Society. “We have very, very limited headroom. The basement is just about two or three inches above the head of a human being, and the signs are much larger, so I don’t know where we’d put them,” he said. “I would much rather they remain in The Bronx than to be put in Manhattan.” One of the signs hung just above the employee entrance at West 237th Street, while the other was erected at the back of the building for motorists driving along the Major Deegan Expressway. BJ’s Wholesale Club will eventually anchor the 165,255-square-foot mall and occupy more than 118,000 square feet in the south building on West 237th Street. As for the north building, no tenants have been finalized. But as the Riverdale Review reported last week, Farkas confirmed leases are being negotiated with national retailers Petco and Bank of America and the casual dining franchise Buffalo Wild Wings. According to the developer, the project is expected to generate around 325 fulltime equivalent retail jobs and 500 union construction jobs. Metropolitan Realty Associates purchased the site for nearly $19 million in August of last year.

INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT? Call a lawyer that will fight for you!

Stu Kerner, Esq. © Physicians Marketing Solutions, Inc.

MOTOR VEHICLE RELATED

AWARDS & SETTLEMENTS*

Bus accident: $5,120,000 NYC police motor vehicle accident: $2,000,000 Two car motor vehicle accident aggravates back injury: $640,000 Hit in the rear on the Cross Bronx Expressway: $285,000 Side swipe motor vehicle accident: $350,000 (*) Prior results do not guarantee a future similar outcome.

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION CALL TOLL FREE

(866) 880-6347

No Attorney Fee Unless You Win or Collect! Your Accident & Injury Law Firm

StuKernerLaw.com

3 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Developer seeks to donate historic Stella D’oro building signs

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Around the schools... Manhattan College

The college’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies has launched a new Master of Science degree in organizational leadership. The 33-credit program is geared for mid-career adults who have at least three years’ experience in their fields and are seeking professional advancement. Courses focused on enhanced leadership and interpersonal skills allow students to apply all learning to their specific fields of interest. The program culminates with a six-credit capstone course allowing students to consult for an organization. Students can choose one of three categories—organizational leadership, human resources development or public service. “The new master’s degree is for professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including nonprofits, and for-profit public and private companies,” SCPS executive director Dr. Cheryl Harrison said. SCPS is now accepting applications for fall 2012 as well as spring 2013.

College of Mount Saint Vincent

Dr. Rachel Fester has been appointed executive director of assessment and planning. She previously served as associate research scholar at the Center for Institutional and Social Change at the Columbia University Law School and as director of institutional research at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Fester completed her bachelor’s degree in Near Eastern languages and civilizations at Harvard University and her master’s degree in Near Eastern languages and civilizations at the University of Chicago. She earned an additional master’s in higher education administration at Baruch College and a Ph.D. in higher education at the University of Pennsylvania.

Local Scholars

Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, has announced that Michele E. Kaplan and Sushi Subburamu were named to the dean’s list for the spring 2012 semester. BU is the fourth-largest independent university in the country, with an enrollment of more than 29,000 students in its 17 schools and colleges. The university offers grounding in the liberal arts, a broad range of programs in the arts, sciences, engineering, and professional areas, and state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research. Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, has announced that the following were among 1086 who received degrees this spring: Julia Handel and Dylan Prill, both integrated marketing communications majors in the School of Communications; Maria Psathas, a business administration major in the School of Business; Vadim Seliankin, a history major in the School of Humanities and Sciences; Nia Scretching and Gregory Yakimec, both clinical health studies majors in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance; and Jason Young, a sport management major in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance. Dylan Prill was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester. Ithaca College, located in the Finger Lakes

region, is a nationally recognized nonsectarian independent college that enrolls 6,300 undergraduates and 400 graduate students and offers more than 100 degree programs through the Schools of Business, Communications, Health Sciences and Human Performance, Humanities and Sciences, and Music as well as the Division of Graduate and Professional Studies and Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies. The University of Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut, has announced that Alex Saffer earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, magna cum laude, in actor training this spring. The University of Hartford, chartered in 1957 with the mission of being a “private university with a public purpose,” offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in the arts, the humanities, business, engineering and technology, education, and the health professions. The student body of 7,000 represents 45 states and 58 countries. Union College in Schenectady, New York, has announced that Matthew Wolff was among 530 students who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree this spring. Wolff was a history major. Union College was founded in 1795 as the ﬁrst college chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. It offers programs in the liberal arts and engineering to 2,100 undergraduates of high academic promise and strong personal motivation. It has a history of blending disciplines and is a leader in educating students to be engaged, innovative and ethical contributors to an increasingly diverse, global and technologically complex society. Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, has announced that Joel Vargas was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester. To qualify, a student must achieve a semester GPA of at least a 3.60. Lafayette, a top liberal arts college, enrolls 2,400 students in a wide variety of undergraduate degree programs including engineering. With close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, Lafayette has one of the highest endowment-per-student rates in the nation, providing ample resources to fuel student research, opportunities for study abroad, internships and ﬁeld work. It also offers outstanding facilities, Division I sports and funding for 250 student groups on one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.

FAX education news to:

The Riverdale Review (718) 543-4206 or email to

bxny@aol.com 5752 Fieldston Road Bronx • New York, 10471

By MIAWLING LAM Construction on the $54 million Broadway Plaza shopping mall is slated to begin in November, pending approval of all relevant permits. The two-story mall, to be built by national developer Equity One, is slated to open in mid-2014 in the busy corridor of West 230th Street between Broadway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Equity One vice president of development Michael Berﬁeld told the Riverdale Review last week that if all goes according to plan, crews should start digging by Thanksgiving. As such, he said, residents and businesses should be prepared for the cityowned 75,000-square-foot parking lot currently operating out of the site to close by November. “We’re going to try and keep it open until the very last moment,” he said, “but November is a reasonable guess right now.” Berﬁeld said ample notice would be given to the 80 monthly parkers and 50 additional casual motorists who currently

P.S. 24 changes school schedule By MIAWLING LAM Students at P.S. 24 will start and finish school 10 minutes earlier next year, thanks to the school’s attempt to alleviate the traffic snarls and gridlock that have plagued area motorists. Under the changes, P.S. 24 students will attend school from 8:00 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. when the new academic year kicks off in September. Per tradition, kindergarteners will be dismissed even earlier, at 2:10 p.m. The scheduling modification is designed to create a larger gap between arrival and dismissal times at P.S. 24 and those at its neighboring school, M.S./H.S. 141. Currently, hundreds of pupils from both schools arrive and finish within 10 minutes of each other, causing traffic jams, particularly around Independence Avenue and West 235th Street. P.S. 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele “Manny” Verdi confirmed the changes during a public school tour last Wednesday and said there will now be a 20-minute gap. “(P.S.) 141 and us had a conversation, and we decided to start 10 minutes early, giving a 20-minute window,” he said. “(By the time RKA students arrive), we will hopefully be out of the way, causing less congestion.” School hours at Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy will remain unchanged next year, and students will attend school from 8:20 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. The staggered times come a year after local residents claimed student safety was being compromised because RKA had changed their arrival and dismissal times. Last year, middle school students attended school from 8:41 a.m. to 3:31 p.m., while high school pupils were in class from 7:50 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. However, in order to beef up the school’s extended-day program, RKA principal Lori O’Mara had all students in grades 6 to 12 operating on a single bell this year. At the time, CB8 member Robert Press said the timing alignment exacerbated traffic problems. “It’s a mess in the mornings and it’s a mess in the afternoons,” he said. “Cars are double-parking, triple-parking and blocking traffic. It’s such a hazard that there will be an accident. There will be children hurt.”

use the lot. “We’ll probably notify them at least 30 to 45 days ahead of time so that they know they’re paying for the last month and so they can make alternate arrangements,” he said. During a presentation at the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation’s inaugural Bronx Commercial Investment Forum at the Hutchinson Metro Center earlier this month, Berﬁeld said the project was forging ahead. He declined to single out any future retailers by name but said interest remained strong. Berﬁeld said a wide range of businesses were being recruited—including tenants who could occupy as little as 15,000 square feet and as much as 60,000 square feet.

“You could almost name the industry and, chances are, we’re talking to someone. There’s a lot of interest,” he said. However, when asked why the latest Ripco Realty leasing brochure shows retail space on the first floor is subdivided into four sections, Berfield said it was all part of the negotiations process. Officials have previously stated they were leasing only a total of four spaces at the site—two on each floor. “We play around with things depending on the retailers. We want to be as flexible as possible,” Berfield said. “If we get smaller tenants that would fill that layout, that’s great. At this stage, you want to talk to as many people as you can, obviously, and then sooner or later, we’ll make some decisions.”

SUMMERMUSIC 2012

5 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Work at 230th Street mall to commence in November

City officials estimate the project will create more than 250 new full-time and part-time jobs as well as 500 construction jobs. The developer has committed to fill as many of these positions as possible with Bronx residents. As part of their contract, Equity One will be required to submit annual employment reports to the city and detail exactly how jobs have been filled and how they were generated. Under the mall’s controversial traffic plan, three lanes of westbound traffic on West 230th Street will be brought to a complete standstill while 72-foot-long tractortrailers back into the loading dock. As a compromise, Department of Transportation officials have committed to conduct a comprehensive traffic study in 2015 and once the mall is opened. Equity One purchased the site from the city for $7.5 million.

to create jobs or grow our economy, it will only grow the bank accounts for oil executives. Congress just acted in a bipartisan manner on prescription drugs, but this legislation takes us back to the same old partisanship,’ added Rep. Engel.

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Gallery 18 announces upcoming exhibit

Gallery 18 at the Riverdale YM-YWHA will host several artists for the month of July.. This exhibit will show developing artists ( under the tutelage of Danny Hauben, reknown teacher and artist ) and other acclaimed artists. The participating artists include; Joyce Dudka, Elainee Eklof, A. Beckman, Elsa Goolde, Lou Levinson, Stan Yeamans, Joan Levine, Rose Smeenk, Esther Wallach, and Moshe Margalit. There is a reception at the Y on July 15 from 2pm-4pm. The entire community is welcome to come. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

Harris and Fischer exhibit paintings in July

Whitney Harris and Lillian Fischer will exhibit their paintings during July. They are both members of the Riverdale Art Association. Whitney Harris is a professor of mathematics at Queensborough Community College, where he attended many art history and studio art courses. Whitney has made prints using wood block, linoleum, and silk screen, and paintings using acrylic, oil, watercolor and pastel. His works have been shown at Queensborough and at Westchester libraries and at the Riverdale Y. He has had a solo show at The Riverdale Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture. Lillian Fischer is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art and Hunter College. She has also studied at Brooklyn College and has taught at the Montessori School in Riverdale. She has participated in a number of exhibits and has been awarded several prizes. Among the exhibitions were the Local 3 IBEW art show where she won ﬁrst place in painting and sculpture. She has also exhibited in the Kingsbridge and Riverdale Libraries. The Reception will be Sunday, July 22 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. The community is invited to celebrate the art at the Riverdale Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture 4450 Fieldston Road Bronx, NY 10471 718-548-4445. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 10 to 5 and Sunday 12 - 1. Telephone 718-548-4445. Please call ahead when planning your visit. The Riverdale Art Association is a

group of local artists who also welcome the community and new members at its meetings. They meet the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at the Riverdale Atria, Henry Hudson Parkway East, just south of the Monument. www.riverdaleartassociation.org

CB8 is Operation Backpack drop site

Bronx Community Board 8 has joined Volunteers of America-Greater New York in launching OPERATION BACKPACK 2012, Support Homeless Children. The Board office located at 5676 Riverdale Avenue, Suite 100 will be a DROP SITE for backpacks from 9:30PM to 4:30PM daily. The Volunteers of America-Greater New York continues in its 11th annual drive to collect brand-new backpacks and school supplies for the thousands of children living in New York City shelters. The campaign kicks off on Monday, July 1st and the Board office will accept back packs through July 27th. Additionally, in a continuing partnership with Volunteers of America-Greater New York, every Duane Reade location will be accepting donations of new backpacks and school supplies from the public. Dozens of companies, schools, community groups, and religious institutions will also host collection drives. The public is urged to drop new backpacks and school supplies at Bronx Community Board #8 offices located at 5676 Riverdale Avenue, Suite 100, Bronx, New York, 10471 or at any Duane Reade or CitiHabitats in New York City from July 2 to July 27. For grade-appropriate packing lists and other drop locations visit www. OperationBackpackNYC.org. Thousands of children live in New York City’s homeless and domestic violence shelters. In fact, one of the most devastating consequences of homelessness is the impact it has on a child’s education. Volunteers of America’s Operation Backpack helps close this gap, providing new, filled backpacks to students who are homeless. New backpacks and supplies can make these children look and feel more like their classmates. There are lots of ways that you can help! 1. Drop new backpacks and/or school supplies at the Bronx Community Board

No. 8 ofﬁces located at 5676 Riverdale Avenue, Suite 100. Bronx, NY 10471-2194) by July 27th. 2. Host a drive at your ofﬁce to collect backpacks and school supplies 3. Drop new backpacks and/or school supplies at any Duane Reade during the month of July 4. Donate money online at www.OperationBackpackNYC.org 5. Purchase items from Volunteers of America’s Online Wishlist at http://amzn. to/HsV3sC and ship them to: Volunteers of America - Attn: Kristin KellyJangraw, 340 W. 85th Street, New York, NY 10024 For more information visit www. OperationBackpackNYC.org or contact Kristin at KKJangraw@voa-gny.org or 212-496-4307. Let’s help Volunteers of America help these kids!

Engel slams partisan energy legislation

Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) voted against the House Republican leadership’s energy legislation on Thursday, calling it a ‘wish list for Big Oil.’ Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power, and the author of the Open Fuel Standard (with Republican Rep. John Shimkus) which would require 50 percent of new automobiles in 2014, 80 percent in 2016, and 95 percent in 2017, to operate on nonpetroleum fuels in addition to or instead of petroleum based fuels. ‘This Republican energy package is chock full of legislation to cripple the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and fulﬁlls Big Oil’s wish list. This is also just the latest in a long line of energy-related bills, with no chance of becoming law, but designed to be political talking points for the Republican majority. It is a complete disregard of our need to move towards 21st century energy sources,’ said Rep. Engel. The legislation (H.R. 4480) combines seven bills seeking to open up more lands to drilling and simultaneously roll back critical clean air protections. ‘In many ways, it is unnecessary. Production on federal lands and waters is higher now than in the ﬁnal three years of the Bush Administration. Oil imports are the lowest since 1997. This package will do nothing

4th of July concert in Van Cortlandt Park

The Bronx Arts Ensemble Jazz and Dixieland Band opens the BAE SUMMERMUSIC series with a salute to George M. Cohan, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and more at a FREE concert in Van Cortlandt Park at Rockwood Drive Circle, near Mosholu Avenue and Broadway on Wednesday, July 4 at 2 pm in celebration of Independence Day. Seating is provided but the audience is urged to bring folding chairs. In the event of rain, the concert will be moved to Vladeck Hall in the Amalgamated Houses at the corner of Hillman Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South. Please contact the BAE ofﬁce after 11 am on the day of the performance. SUMMERMUSIC 2012 continues on Sunday, July 15 with LATIN FAVORITES by Willie Rodriguez and Friends; Sunday, July 22, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH BACH AND FRIENDS with Edward Brewer on harpsichord; Sunday, July 29, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, music of the ‘60; Sunday, August 5, TANGO MAGIC with Raul Jaurena and Marga Mitchell; and Sunday, August 12, ROMANTIC SUMMER BREEZES. For more information, call 718.601.7399 or visit www.bronxartsensemble.org.

New bill bans smoking outside schools

Smokers will be prohibited from lighting up within 100 feet of school entrances and exits under new legislation approved by the State Legislature. State Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assembylman Jeffrey Dinowitz passed the health bill during a frantic session in Albany on Monday, June 18. The legislation was the ﬁrst of State Sen. Rivera’s health bills that was developed from dialogue with health partners and community members during the 2011 Bronx CAN Health Initiative. ‘The Bronx has the lowest youth smoking rates of New York City, however, in order to keep our youth safe from smoking-related disease, we have to also work toward limiting children’s exposure to secondhand smoke,’ Rivera said in a statement. Dinowitz also said the latest bill would further protect children from unwanted smoke exposure.

Ceramics class offered at Riverdale Y

Barbara Flamm, a professional potter, who has been teaching ceramics at the Riverdale Y for several years is offering a new summer session starting on June 28 through August 2. Ms Flamm holds a BA in art with a specialization in ceramics and a Master’s of Art degree.The class will be held on Thursday nights from 7:30-9:30. Ages 16 through adults are welcomed to participate. Beginners to advanced are welcome. Students will have the opportunity to explore clay using the potter’s wheel and hand-built techniques. Everyone will learn how to glaze and decorate their functional or sculptural pieces. The cost is $135 for the 6 week sessions, $110 for Y members. Further information or to register, please call 718-548-8200, ext 201. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

Con Edison’s Outage Map puts knowledge in your hands. On your smartphone or online, the Outage Map shows you when your power will be restored. At conEd.com

Enter your address for a status report.

LEARN MORE

facebook.com/powerofgreen

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. PASS IT ON.

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Thursday, June 28 Spuyten Duyvil

TODDLER STORY TIME 10:30 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street Toddlers from 18 months to 3 years and their parents/caregivers can enjoy interactive stories, action songs, ﬁngerplays, and spend time with other toddlers in the neighborhood. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Riverdale

OPEN COMPUTER LAB 11 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Attention new computer users: Do you want to learn how to use e-mail? Do you need help in applying for a job online? Would you like to practice going online and exploring the Internet? Come to the Riverdale Library and get assistance on the computers. Practice your new skills at your own pace. Ask questions and learn from doing. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Riverdale

SINGING & READING 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Emily Ellison introduces readers to the great world of exciting picture, story, and song books full of music and sound. Children will revel in the joy of reading while singing, dancing, and stomping their feet, and experiment with various rhythm instruments. For children ages 2 to 6 years old with parent/caregiver. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

GAME ON 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Got the gaming moves? Show off your skills with the controller and challenge your friends to a game in the library. Take part in our tournaments! For ages 13 to 18 years. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Van Cortlandt

Wii TIME 4 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Join us @ the Van Cortlandt Library for afternoons of fun and games. (Bowling, Baseball, Tennis). For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Friday, June 29

4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Got the gaming moves? Show off your skills with the controller and challenge your friends to a game in the library. Take part in our tournaments! For ages 13 to 18 years. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Friday, July 6 Kingsbridge

TEEN READING CLUB 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Meet new friends and check out new books at the Kingsbridge Library’s teen summer reading club. Discuss the books you’ve read lately, update your reading logs to get prizes, and participate in weekly rafﬂes for a chance to win COOL and FABULOUS stuff!!! The teen summer reading club is open to all students who are in (or who are about to enter) 7th - 12th grade. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Saturday, July 7 Kingsbridge

MOVIES 1 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Come watch some classic movies, old favorites, and new releases on the little silver screen. Call for more details: 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

LIBRARY READING HOUR 1 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street The Rotary Club of Riverdale invites youngsters 3-12 years old to participate in the Reading Program. Readers will be grouped by skill level and encouraged to read, helped with pronunciation and word understanding, and for those without reading skills, interpret pictures. For more information, contact Karen Pesce, 718-549-4469.

Monday, July 9 Riverdale

COFFEE HOUR 10 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Start off your week with a cup of coffee at the Riverdale Branch. Read newspapers , catch up on current events, or just enjoy a friendly game of Chess. All in our Community Room. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

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. All participants are required to sign a personal medical waiver at the beginning of the class. For more information, call 718548-5656.

LUNCH HOUR 2 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Some foods are great to eat every day, and some foods should only be eaten in moderation. Explore whether foods are “Go” foods, “Slow” foods, or “Whoa” foods. Children discover how hard their bodies work to keep them healthy and why it is important to make smart choices. This session includes a demonstration and a hands-on project. Presented by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. For ages 5 and older. (Limited to 25 participants). For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Saturday, June 30

Tuesday, July 10

SMOOTH JAZZ 2:30 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Composer, alto saxophonist Libby Richman leads an ensemble that plays original contemporary jazz. Experience sounds, styles and reﬂections from Classical to the music of today. Feel the rhythms of guitar, bass, and drums. Enjoy a mix of smooth jazz and standards suitable for a summer day. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

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. Audience: Adults, 50+. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

Riverdale

Wednesday, July 4 Van Cortlandt

4TH OF JULY CONCERT 2 p.m. Van Cortlandt Park Rockwood Drive Circle The Bronx Arts Ensemble Jazz and Dixieland Band opens the BAE SUMMERMUSIC series with a salute to George M. Cohan, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and more at a FREE concert. For more information, call 718.601.7399 or visit www.bronxartsensemble.org.

Thursday, July 5 Kingsbridge GAME ON

Riverdale

Wednesday, July 11 Kingsbridge

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

Van Cortlandt

ARTS & CRAFTS 3 p.m. Van Cortlandt Park 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Come to the Library and participate in our Arts & Crafts projects. Parental supervision is required for children 5 years and under. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

By MIAWLING LAM City officials have changed the traffic signal at one of Riverdale’s busiest intersections in a bid to improve safety and eliminate driver confusion. Department of Transportation authorities recently instituted a left-turn traffic light change for motorists traveling northbound on Broadway just past the West 242nd Street subway terminal. Previously, drivers were permitted to turn left onto Manhattan College Parkway after yielding on a solid green light and as long as there was no oncoming traffic. However, the signal has been changed so cars can now proceed only when they are given a green left turn arrow.

DOT spokesman Nicholas Mosquera declined to say who ordered the change or what prompted the action but said it was executed following a comprehensive analysis of the area. “Safety is DOT’s number one priority, and the agency installed new signal poles and pedestrian signals to enhance the crossing on the south side of Broadway,” he said in a statement. “As part of these improvements, DOT converted the left turn for northbound Broadway to a protected phase, allowing turns only with a green arrow in order to eliminate the conﬂict with vehicles heading south on Broadway.” Mosquera said pedestrians would also beneﬁt from the change, as it provides them with a phase to safely cross the west

side of the parkway without any conflict with turning vehicles. Despite the improved safety, Community Board 8 traffic and transportation committee chair Daniel Padernacht said not everyone is happy with the decision. “What a lot of residents have noticed is that traffic is backing up on Broadway because of this red arrow,” he said at last Tuesday’s traffic and transportation committee meeting. “It’s a hard turn anyway, because of the traffic and the buses going through that neighborhood.” CB8 member Robert Press also claimed that vehicles were given just 15 seconds to turn. “I waited three lights to turn left there, and four to six cars can go, depend-

ing on how fast they go.” However, it is understood that after locals aired their gripes, DOT officials extended the timing of the signal to allow more vehicles to pass through. When the Riverdale Review visited the site on Monday morning, the signal remained green for an average of 45 seconds before it reverted back to a red light. Traffic was light and cars had to wait for only 60 seconds to turn. Meanwhile, former CB8 member and local resident Thomas Durham proposed an alternative solution. He said city officials should consider removing the concrete island at the site and create a second dedicated left-turn lane for motorists who wish to head up Manhattan College Parkway.

Retired Horace Mann staffer admits to sex with students By MIAWLING LAM A former English teacher at Horace Mann School has revealed he had sex with at least three students while working at the uber-elite private institution. Tek Young Lin, 88, told the New York Times he had inappropriate contact with “maybe three” students but did not feel at the time that he had crossed any boundaries. “In those days, it was very spontaneous and casual, and it did not seem really wrong,” he said, adding that the relationships were “casual and warm.” The latest revelations come three weeks after an explosive New York Times magazine article detailed decades of alleged sexual abuse at the prestigious school. The original story, which has attracted more than 1,000 comments on the New York Times website, outlined years of sexual abuse by three former teachers and coaches between 1978 and 1994. During his confession, Lin, who was a chaplain, cross-country coach and beloved English teacher, claimed he did not coerce any students. “The only thing I can assure you of was that everything I did was in warmth and affection and not a power play,” he said. “I may have crossed societal boundaries. If I did, I am sorry.” Lin, who now lives near Santa Cruz, California, retired in 1986 and is unlikely to be prosecuted or sued due to New York’s statutes of limitation. Horace Mann’s head of school Thomas M. Kelly could not be immediately reached for comment, but a spokesman for the school’s public relations ﬁrm reportedly told the New York Times: “If what Mr. Lin (has said) is true, the conduct in which he says he engaged was appalling. We urge him to cooperate with law enforcement authorities.” However, former students and members of the wider Horace Mann community were less forgiving. A commenter who posted under the name “anne richter” said she remembered Lin, who was her sister’s private English tutor, as a softly spoken and gentle man—that is, until the latest news. “He used his power, authority and his students’ reverence as a means to gain what he wanted—sex—with those he was mandated to protect—his underage students,” she wrote. “To think those young men have no effects from these ‘cuddle’ sessions is to further traumatize them. “As is the case with (disgraced Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky), Mr. Lin should also be in a jail cell this evening.”

��

Join the Y this summer and

get 2 FREE months of membership!

Now until July 31, 2012, when you join the Riverdale Y you’ll receive an extra 2 months of membership—

14 months for the price of 12!* So “Y” wait! Join today and get great value at the Y including a fully equipped fitness center, all group fitness classes including yoga, our full gymnasium and of course, our indoor heated synergy salt pool with UV light! So join the fun this summer and get in shape!

5625 Arlington Avenue | Bronx, NY 10471 718.548.8200 | www.RiverdaleY.org * This offer is available now through July 31, 2012 for new members only. The entire 12 months must be paid before 2 free months becomes

applicable. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

9 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Residents turn red over left-turn trafﬁc light change at Broadway

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Local author/actress is doyenne of Italian-American culture BY PAULETTE SCHNEIDER Riverdale resident Emelise Aleandri is a walking encyclopedia on Italian-American heritage. Her 2002 pictorial history “Little Italy” is about to be published in Italian, and her latest work about Mulberry Street will be released as soon as she chooses either of the two publishers vying for it. The vibrant actress, producer, director, lecturer, teacher and author has a scholarly bent—with a doctorate in theater, she’s thus far written 14 volumes for a series called The Italian Immigrant Theatre of New York City, 1746-1899. To revive the immigrant theater experience, Aleandri created Frizzi & Lazzi—The Olde Time Italian-American Music & Theatre Company, a 25-member troupe that performs tradition-based musicals and plays written or adapted by Aleandri herself. Its signature children’s musical, “The Legend of La Befana,” features a Santalike good witch who visits on the eve of Epiphany. To address the more contemporary Italian legends, she created and hosted the nationally syndicated CUNY-TV magazine “Italics,” where she interviewed ItalianAmericans who present a positive image distinct from the mob-oriented personas so familiar to Americans from ﬁlm and television blockbusters. Yet she did appear as one of the many Italian-Americans hired as extras in “Godfather III.” She revealed an insider secret: Part of the epic was shot in Queens. “When Coppola came back and looked at it, he didn’t like the ﬁnal ending,” she

recalled. “So they rebuilt portions of the opera house in the Astoria studios. You can’t tell when you watch the movie what part is in Sicily and what part is in America. I know because I knew who the people were.” Aleandri has appeared as an extra in around 80 films, including the 1987 hit “Moonstruck.” “When they need someone who looks Italian, they call me,” she said. But when she came to the attention of Spike Lee, the director cast her not as an extra but as Florence, a main character in “Crooklyn,” and he later called her in for “Clockers” and “Summer of Sam.” She also plays the title role in the to-bereleased independent film “Sister Italy.” Her stage career includes directing and choreography as well as acting in many off- and off-off-Broadway productions. Between film and theater gigs, she’s a substitute teacher in New York City public schools, conducting acting workshops for kindergarteners as part of a literacy through drama program. Born in Italy but raised in the ethnically mixed Melrose and Parkchester areas of The Bronx, Aleandri said she’s never lived in any of New York’s mostly Italian neighborhoods. Her main contact with the Belmont area was as a venue for “Italics” interviews. After living for years in Manhattan, she was lured to Riverdale by relatively spacious apartments “with hallways and alcoves” and relatively good prices. She found that the further north she looked, the larger the spaces were and the lower the prices were. She eventually settled for a co-op near

the Johnson Avenue business district. The apartment has enough space to accommodate books, costumes, musical instruments, and her collection of Commedia dell’Arte masks—the topic of many

lectures she presents for the New York Council on the Humanities. To enhance an Italian-oriented event with a Frizzi & Lazzi performance, contact Aleandri through frizzilazzi.com.

$50

ExtraValue Checking is TOTALLY FREE.

Get Direct Deposit and We’ll Give You $50*! � No Fees � Just $100 to Open � No Minimum Balance to Maintain � Free Debit Card � Free Online Banking and Mobile Banking**

Established 1863 . Member FDIC One of America’s Strongest Banks . Rated �� by Bauer Financial for 12 consecutive years

Visit us today! 3552-B Johnson Avenue, Bronx (Riverdale), 432-3020 www.applebank.com Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/applebankfan

There is a $100 minimum balance required to open an ExtraValue Checking Account. *Direct Deposit $50 bonus offer for new accounts only. Accounts cannot be opened with funds from an existing Apple Bank account. Receipt of gift is contingent upon establishing Direct Deposit of a recurring payment into the newly established ExtraValue Checking Account and that Direct Deposit must be verified within 60 days of account opening prior to crediting the $50 to the account. To qualify for this offer, a recurring payment must be payroll, Federal/state government benefit or pension benefit checks. Recurring or randomly recurring ACH payments that are not payroll, government or pension benefit checks do not qualify for this offer. This amount ($50) will be considered interest earned on your checking account for the year in which it was received and it may be necessary to report this as taxable income for that calendar year. One bonus offer per customer. Offer may be discontinued at any time without prior notice. **Data fees may apply from your mobile carrier.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Get

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Motorists get break on Muni-Meters By ALLISON SUMMERS The state Legislature passed a bill last week that would protect drivers from parking tickets while they are walking to a Muni-Meter to purchase a receipt or walking back to their cars to display it. The legislation declares that any person prosecuted for an alleged Muni-Meter parking violation who is able to show a valid Muni-Meter receipt printed up to five minutes after the summons was written will be found “not guilty.” The bill is currently awaiting the governor’s final approval. “Today, we’re eliminating one giant pain in the neck for everyday New Yorkers,” said state Sen. Jeffrey D. Klein, a sponsor of the bill. “Since it takes longer to add time to their meter, people should be given a break when it comes to shuttling between their car and the kiosk. This is (a) piece of common-sense legislation, and I’m glad that lawmakers up in Albany agree.” The replacement of conventional parking meters in New York State with Muni-Meters has created a new problem for motorists, despite the electronic meters’ convenient feature of accepting credit and debit cards as well as cash. In some locations, drivers must walk an entire city block to find the nearest Muni-Meter station, leaving a window of opportunity for traffic agents to issue a summons before the drivers have had a chance to display a valid receipt. Numerous instances of this type of predatory ticketing practice and unfair convictions have been previously reported in the Riverdale Review and other citywide newspapers. “Muni-Meters have become an irritant for

Primary Day Continued from Page 1 borhood residents Congressman Engel and his wife, Patricia, arrived to exercise the privilege. Engel appeared serious as he greeted the few voters on site, commenting as he cast his ballot that he’s “always nervous” at election time. The equipment in place has been used for the past two years. Gone are the creaky voting booths with their quaint rows of levers and aging crankoperated curtains. Voters are now handed a paper ballot, which they take to a “privacy booth” furnished with a no moving parts—just a writing shelf, a writing implement, some lighting and instructions in several languages. They then enclose the marked page in a “privacy folder” and head over to a scanner. With the help of staff, they surrender the page into a scanning device. Their ballot has been cast, and the paperwork has been automatically deposited into a receptacle under the scanner. Meanwhile, a more contentious race was playing out elsewhere in The Bronx and Upper Manhattan. Embattled Rep. Charles Rangel had to fend off four challengers, including state Senator Adriano Espaillat, who now represents parts of Riverdale, and the race’s only female candidate Joyce Johnson. Espaillat hoped to be the ﬁrst Dominican-American elected to Congress.

many people throughout the city and state,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said. “Not only must people walk down the block to feed the meter regardless of weather conditions, but they also must contend with trafﬁc agents who issue summonses when one is walking to or from the Muni-Meter. “Making matters worse is the fact that certain Parking Violations Bureau hearing ofﬁcers have found people guilty for summonses they received while they were actually purchasing their Muni-Meter receipts. “This bill will correct this egregious injustice by mandating that a parking summons received under these circumstances must be dismissed if the motorist produces the Muni-Meter receipt. Fair is fair.”

Call toll-free: 1-888-459-1026

rice

ice

Pr Our

P Their

Bottle A Manufactured By PfizerTM.

LipitorTM $570.81

Bottle B Manufactured By Generics Manufacturers

Typical US brand price for 20mg x 100

Atorvastatin* $67.00 Generic equivalent of LipitorTM generic price for 20mg x 100

Are You Still Paying Too Much For Your Medications? You can save

up to 90% when you fill your prescriptions at our Canadian Pharmacy.

NexiumTM $584.84

Esomeprazole* $71.00

CelebrexTM $478.52

Celecoxib*

Typical US Brand Price

Generic Price

$58.00

Effexor XRTM $471.68 VS Venlafaxine*

$71.00

ZoloftTM

$34.00

Typical US Brand Price

Generic Price

$419.30 VS Sertraline*

Typical US Brand Price

Generic Price

Compare our prices and see how much you can save! For more prices call us toll-free at 1-888-459-1026.

Save more today with an extra $10 off & free shipping! Get An Extra

$10 And

OFF

FREE SHIPPING

Get an extra $10 off your first order today! Call the number below and save an additional $10 plus get free shipping on your first prescription order with Canada Drug Center. Expires Dec 31, 2012. Offer is valid for prescription orders only and can not be use in conjunction with any other offers.

Order Now! Toll-free: 1-888-459-1026

Please note that we do not carry controlled substances and a valid prescription is required for all prescription medication orders.

Prescription price comparison above is valid as of April 30, 2012. All trade-mark (TM) rights associated with the brand name products in this ad belong to their respective owners. *Generic drugs are carefully regulated medications that have the same medical ingredients as the original brand name drug, but are generally cheaper in price. Generic equivalents are equal to their "brand" counterparts in Active Ingredients, Dosage, Safety, Strength, Quality, Performance and Intended use. It may vary in colour, shape, size, cost and appearance. Prices subject to change without notice.

Botanical Garden. For more information, contact David Osborn, 914-667-4116.

CRAFT FAIR 10 a.m. Playland Park Playland Parkway Wade through a grand selection of crafts and fun at Playland’s Craft Fair! Taking place around the boardwalk and fountain. For more information, call 914-813-7010.

Friday, July 6

Rye

Ossining

POND LIFE 11 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Teatown Lake is swimming with life. Grab a net and join in as we scoop to ﬁnd what’s mucking about! Please note this program is for children ages 6 – 10 accompanied by an adult. Free for members; $5pp for non-members. Call 914-762-2912 x110 to make a reservation.

Katonah

MUSIC FESTIVAL 12:30 p.m. Caramoor Center for Music & Arts 149 Girdle Ridge Road Daytime features music throughout the grounds with the swinging rhythms of Eilen Jewell and her band, Red Molly’s folk, gospel, bluegrass inspired three part harmonies, southern style ‘steamboat soul’ from Roosevelt Dime, banjo songster Old Man Luedecke and the inventive alt/trad string band Spuyten Duyvil. For more information, call 914-232-1252.

New Rochelle

CONCERT 5 p.m. New Rochelle Public Library 1 Library Plaza The Westchester Chamber Symphony will kick off the Independence Day weekend on June 30 with its annual free family concert at the New Rochelle Public Library. For more information, call 914-632-7878.

Sunday, July 1 Somers

FARMERS MARKET 10 a.m. Muscoot Farm Route 100 Shop the bounty of local farmers and enjoy a day at the farm. Fresh produce, meats, cheese, soaps, ﬂowers, baked goods and more. Open every Sunday through October. For more information, call 914-864-7284.

Katonah

CONCERT 4:30 p.m. Caramoor’s Venetian Theatre 149 Girdle Ridge Road Beethoven’s ten sonatas for violin and piano redefined the art of duo music-making. In Part 1 of the complete sonatas, five different duos—some of the most creative, insightful, and dramatic interpreters today—tackle five of these masterworks and demonstrate why Beethoven remains, to this day, a source of inspiration for musicians and audiences alike. For more information, call 914-232-1252.

Tuesday, July 3 Valhalla

MUSIC FEST 6 p.m. Kensico Dam Plaza 1 Bronx River Parkway Road Come enjoy live music followed by a dazzling ﬁrework display! Bring blankets and folding chairs for seating. For more information, call 914-864-PARK.

Wednesday, July 4 Rye

JULY 4TH FIREWORKS 9:30 p.m. Playland Park Playland Parkway Come see the 4th of July Fireworks display at Playland! A spectacular show choreographed to music. For more information, call 914-813-7000.

Thursday, July 5 Mt. Vernon

WALK AND TALK 7 p.m. St. Paul’s Church 87 S. Columbus Avenue A tree grows at St. Paul’s. A talk and walk, exploring the history and variety of trees at St. Paul’s Church N.H.S., led by Jessica Schuler, Director of Family Forest, New York

Mt. Vernon

CHURCH TOWER WALK 3 p.m. St. Paul’s Church 897 S. Columbus Avenue Join us for a walk up the 74 steps of the centuries-old Church tower, leading to the historic bronze bell. For more information, contact David Osborn, 914-667-4116.

Katonah

LATIN JAZZ 8 p.m. Caramoor’s Spanish Courtyard 149 Girdle Ridge Road Grammy-Award winning Latin great Paquito D’Rivera will perform with his favorite Cuban colleagues in this all-Cuban celebration of melody and rhythm. Cuba has the hottest music, and D’Rivera and his muchachos are the keepers of the Cuban ﬂame. For more information, call 914-232-1252.

Saturday, July 7 Ossining

BUTTERFLY COUNT 9 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road An annual rite of summer, the North American Butterﬂy Count is a way for all butterﬂy enthusiasts to partake in a citizen scientist monitoring effort. Free. Call 914-762-2912 x110 to make a reservation.

Ossining

HIDDEN VALLEY HIKE 9:30 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Take an early morning hike before the heat of the day hits. We’ll travel through an old ﬁeld alongside a swamp and then traverse an upland mountain laurel grove on this hike through diverse habitats. Bring water, and wear hiking boots. This hike is moderate with some steep sections. Free for members; $5pp for non-members. For more info, call 914-762-2912 x110.

Rye

Scarsdale

PUPPET SHOW: BUTTERFLY 10:30 a.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road Come along with Jilly Puppets and experience the magical world of butterﬂies. We’ll move, hum and dance along with fanciful puppets and lots of imaginative play! Recommended for ages 2-7. Members $5, Non-Members $8 ($25 for family). For more information, call 914-723-3470.

Mt. Vernon

HISTORY TOUR 1 p.m. St. Paul’s Church 897 S. Columbus Avenue James Kaplan, author and New York city history tour guide, examnes the life and military career of General Horatio Gates, including the vexing question of his role in the great American victory at the Battle of Sratoga in 1777. Additionally, there’s a performance of American Revolution songs, historic children’s games, and tours of the historic cemetery and Church Bell Tower. For more info, contact David Osborn, 914-667-4116.

Sunday, July 8 Scarsdale

BARN TO YARN 11 a.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road It’s all about twist! Join handspinner and textile artist, Anna Upston, (www.maupston.com) to learn about turning wool and other fibers into yarn. Ms. Upston will discuss fibers from plant, animal and recycled sources as well as demonstrate yarn creation on a spinning wheel and with a drop spindle. This is a kid-friendly demonstration, with many fun fibers to explore and touch. A variety of beautiful handspun yarns and fiber-related gifts will be on display and available to purchase. Stick around and watch the sheep have a snack. Members $5, Non-Members $8 ($25 for family). For info, call 914-723-3470.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Saturday, June 30

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Youngsters 3-12 years old are invited to participate in the Reading Program on Saturday, July 7, at the NEW Kingsbridge Library, 291 West 231st Street, from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Readers will be grouped by skill level and encouraged to read, helped with pronunciation and word understanding, and for those without reading skills, interpret pictures. There is no charge for participation. The Rotary Club of Riverdale is part of Rotary International and sponsors the library reading project as a local community service. Adult volunteers who are interested in participating are asked to contact Karen Pesce, Secretary: (718) 549-4469.

BCA and Wave Hill kick off concert series

The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) and Wave Hill kick off the 2012 ‘Sunset Wednesday Concert Series’ on July 11th at Wave Hill. Eight concerts will run on eight consecutive Wednesdays beginning July 11th through August 29th from 6:008:00pm. Bring your own folding chair and enjoy a concert mix that includes jazz and blues trios, classical ensembles and Celtic music, on instruments as varied as the banjo, the bodhrán and the button accordion. All concerts are free with admission

to the grounds: Free to Wave Hill members and children under 6; $8 for adults; $4 for students and seniors 65+; $2 for children 6-18. For concert information, visit www. bronxarts.org or call 718-931-9500 x33 or call Wave Hill’s Martha Gellens at 718-5493200 x232 or Mary Weltzman at x320. On Wednesday, July 11th at 6:00pm, spend an evening with Jazz Guitarist Doug Wamble. A native of Memphis, TN, Doug Wamble has always been surrounded by a vast musical and cultural landscape. Since moving to New York City, he has performed and recorded with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Branford Marsalis, Bill Frisell and Charlie Hunter. Doug has composed and performed original works for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Chamber Music America. He has performed ﬁlm soundtracks for acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns including The Tenth Inning, Prohibition and The Central Park Five. Doug has released three solo albums: Country Libations and Bluestate on Marsalis Music/Universal Records and Doug Wamble on E1/Koch Records. On Wednesday, July 18th at 6:00pm, the Robert Silverman Jazz and Blues Trio performs. Robert Silverman is a pianist, trumpeter, and composer who has been a ﬁxture in the New York Jazz scene since 1985. After a stint in Europe and assorted

gigs with Albert King, Jimmy Heath, George Russell, Cecil McBee and the Ron Levy Bluesman band, Robert went on to form his own ensemble featuring original compositions, the blues and standards. Mr. Silverman has been featured in New York on NBC TV, WKCR, WBAI and WNYC Radio’s Around New York. He is the recipient of two “Meet the Composer Grants”. On Wednesday, July 25th at 6:00pm, the Libby Richman Quartet offers a program of smooth jazz that combines original music and standards. Composer, reed player Libby Richman leads an ensemble that plays original contemporary jazz. Libby has released three CDs, her sound echoing the inﬂuences of Classical, Latin, and Pop music. She has traveled widely as a professional musician, leading her jazz quartet and, as a side musician, for big bands as and theatrical productions. Libby lives in the Bronx and performs all over the tri-state area. In addition to jazz concerts, she entertains in residences and for senior groups with her Musical Journey programs. Originally from Indiana, Libby, a Meet the Composer grant recipient, received her BA from the University of Massachusetts. Wave Hill, a 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades, is open from 9:00am to 5:30pm (later on Sunset Wednesdays). It is located at 675 West 252nd Street in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Shuttle service is available to and from

Metro-North and the #1 subway. For additional directions, e-mail information@wavehill.org, visit http://wavehill.org/visit/directions.html, or call 718-549-3200.

Volunteers needed to survey beaches

Get ﬁt, help protect the city’s beaches and save marine wildlife by enrolling in the annual Volunteer Beach Floatables Program. Under the initiative, run by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, volunteers are mobilized each summer to survey more than 45 beaches across the ﬁve boroughs. Participants are asked to walk along the shoreline or on their favorite beach and spot debris such as styrofoam, wood, glass or plastic waste. They do not have to pick up or touch anything and instead simply record any items they see and report it to the agency each week. The program is critical as it provides authorities with useful data, ensures fewer beach closures and helps save marine wildlife from ingesting the debris. Upon registration, each volunteer will receive all materials necessary for monitoring, including letters of authorization and acknowledgment. For more information, please contact 212-889-4216 or 917-658-2380.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Rotary Club to sponsor reading hour

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Guest Editorial:

Clemen’s No Hitter (This article ﬁrst appeared as an Editorial of The New York Sun | June 19, 2012)

The acquittal last week of Roger Clemens of all charges that he had lied to Congress and tried to obstruct an investigation into whether he used steroids is a moment to savor for those who maintain a decent respect for the Constitution. It’s just not every day that an ordinary citizen throws a no-hitter in the courtroom against batters as powerful as the combined might of the Congress and the Department of Justice. The government’s ﬁve-years-long pursuit of the great hurler was ended by a jury in just a few hours. The prosecutors, according to the Associated Press, slinked away from the courthouse without comment, and the Justice Department put out a statement claiming, “we respect the judicial process.” The claim will be met with incredulity, given the Justice Department’s behavior in this case. The whole thing got going in 2008, when the Congress of the United States dragged Mr. Clemens through the mud over allegations of his use of so-called “performance-enhancing drugs.” That was a hearing that never should have happened. It got out of control largely because of a disgraceful performance by Henry Waxman and became an action of Congress against an individual. Yet Congress is prohibited in the Constitution itself from acting against individuals. The prohibition is in Article I, Section 9, which is the part of the Constitution that lists what Congress may never do under any circumstances. One of the things is that it may never pass a bill of attainder. The reason is that whatever democratic virtue legislatures have, what happens in them is not due process. In the technical sense, Congress didn’t pass a bill against Mr. Clemens. But it held a hearing in which it dragged his name through the mud, and Congress knew it was off the constitutional rails. “If you had 89 players here, I’d feel a lot better about this hearing,” Congressman Christopher Shays said at the time. “But we have just one.” Mr. Waxman tried to extricate himself from the scandal of its own behavior by saying that Mr. Clemens had asked for the hearing, but, as we pointed out at the time, the Constitution doesn’t say Congress may pass no bill of attainder unless someone asks for it. It says Congress may pass no bill of attainder ever. Congress compounded its error by handing Mr. Clemens over to the Justice Department. It would have been the better part of valor had the Justice Department told Congress to ﬂake off. It couldn’t resist, though, and put him on trial — only to discover, as one might have guessed after the Waxman hearing, that it was a loser of a case. So desperate for a win was the Justice Department that it twice disobeyed the order of the federal judge, Reggie Walton, not to introduce hearsay evidence. If the prosecution were a pitcher, we noted at the time, it would have been ejected from the game for trying to bean the batter. An infuriated Judge Walton declared a mistrial. At that point, the government should have gone to the dugout for good. We like the way it was put by our erstwhile baseball columnist, Tim Marchman, who said of Mr. Clemens: “He probably juiced, he probably lied, and he’s probably the greatest pitcher who ever lived. It would be nice if it there were an easy way to separate those things from one another, but there isn’t, and anyway it’s a job for baseball historians, not prosecutors.” The government eschewed that wisdom and retried the case. It failed to reckon that the whole matter had long since stopped centering on the behavior of Mr. Clemens. It was really the government that was on trial, and what happened last week is that at the bottom of the 9th, the government struck out.

Pres. Obama’s dictatorial assumption of power To The Editor: What follows are quotes of several statements made by President Obama over the last year or so regarding the deportation of immigrant children brought into this country illegally: 1. “With respect to the notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that’s just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed.” (March 28, 2011) 2. “Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own… but that’s not how the system works. That’s not how our democracy functions. That’s not how our constitution is written.” 3. “America is a nation of laws, which means I, as the President, am obligated to enforce the law. I don’t have a choice about that.” President Obama has asked Congress in late 2010 to pass the Dream Act but Congress had refused, and the three statements

quoted above were subsequently made at different times to Hispanic groups that had been pressing him to issue an executive order to override Congress. The President, rightfully so, made clear to these groups that such an order was not within his power to issue and would be illegal. Now, all of a sudden, with a close election looming, President Obama panders to that part of the Hispanic community that doesn’t give a damn for the laws

Seat belt: wear it right

To The Editor: A different slant on the seat belt law. Many years ago I received a ticket for not wearing a seat belt (I was actually putting it on when stopped). About two months ago I was stopped by a policeman from the 50 who thought I was not wearing the seat belt. Then he saw that I had on the seat belt but was wearing it wrong. No ticket but good advice – wear it right. That afternoon

ANDREW WOLF, Editor and Publisher

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

JOEL PAL Production Manager ROBERT NILVA Marketing Director

of this land, by intentionally violating the United States constitution and issuing an executive order that he himself stated is illegal. What he did was no less than a dictatorial assumption of power. Congressman Engel, as a member of Congress, whose power has been illegally usurped, and a citizen of this country whose constitution has been violated — how to you respond? Alvin Gordon

CECILIA McNALLY Office Manager MIAWLING LAM Associate Editor

STAFF: Robert Lebowitz, Richard Reay, Paulette Schneider, Lloyd Ultan, Daniel R. Wolf

I had an accident and nothing happened to me so THANK YOU to the police for their vigilance (I also went up to the ofﬁcer to thank him a few days later – but it was a different ofﬁcer – so thank you 50). Lorraine Coyle Koppell

Housing for elderly

To The Editor: The Hebrew Home is very proud to be able to offer supportive housing for the elderly. The location and community of Hudson House will make this a perfect home for the lucky seniors. The Hebrew Home is extremely grateful for the advocacy, support and commitment from Congressman Eliot Engel in making it all possible. Daniel Reingold President & CEO Hebrew Home at Riverdale

By DIANE RAVITCH As you may know, I started my own blog because I found that I needed more room to respond to emerging issues in education. So I have been waking every day at 5 a.m. to read the latest education news and to comment on it. The most intriguing topic of the past week was discovering that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been subsidizing research into something called “galvanic skin response monitors.” This research is intended to develop a bracelet that may be worn regularly by students and teachers to gauge their physiological reactions to what is happening in the classroom. The ﬁrst grant that I heard about went to researchers at Clemson University for $498,055 to “determine the feasibility and utility of using such devices regularly in schools with students and teachers.” The Gates website said that the Clemson grant was related to MET (Measures of Effective Teaching), its teacher evaluation project, so it was reasonable to assume that the physiological responses might provide an additional metric for evaluating teachers. Were students engaged? Were they excited? Were they anxious? Were they angry? All such responses would be recorded as positive engagement. After I posted my ﬁrst blog about the Clemson grant, I learned that Gates had also given a grant of $621,265 to the National Center on Time and Learning for additional research “to measure engagement physiologically with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Galvanic Skin Response to determine correlations between each measure and develop a scale that differentiates different degrees or levels of engagement.” Then a reporter from Reuters called the Gates Foundation for a response, and the story got more interesting. The spokesman for the foundation said the website was wrong, that the monitors would be used to gauge student engagement, but not for teacher evaluation—and the website description was changed. The reporter, Stephanie Simon, also learned that the foundation had spent $1.4 million on the research, meaning that there was a third research team working on what was called “engagement pedometers.” I have no idea why a bracelet would be called a pedometer, since a pedometer is supposed to measure steps taken on foot. A debate ensued on my blog site. Many teachers chimed in with ideas about how they would raise their ratings on the bracelet. One suggested she would pick students at random and scream at them; everyone in

Co-op abatements a sham To The Editor: I agree with the two authors of letters complaining about Coop Abatements being a sham, published in your June 7, 2012 edition. The same thing happens in our Coop: I’m at 735 Kappock Street. Park River Owners Corp. is our managing agents and Chaim Babad is the sponsor. He owns over 50% interest. They also always keep our STAR reimbursement with an assessment we get in June around the time we’re supposed to get it, so they can keep it. Every year our maintenance goes up. I’m there three 3 yrs, and the board never listens to you, they dont have your back We are not protected by anybody, this is not right. We need somebody to stop this abuse. Giovanna Robles

the class would have a faster heartbeat, not knowing who would be humiliated next. Another suggested that he would bring in gorgeous teen models to cause the boys to react positively. There were suggestions of soft porn and proposals to animate the class by discussing whose music was best or what happened at the latest sports event. One science teacher saw the bracelet as a wonderful hands-on project, in which students would take them apart and ﬁgure out how to re-program them. A few people wrote to say that they welcomed a new way to measure student engagement, but most teachers thought the whole idea was repugnant and an insult to them. My own reaction was that this research is reminiscent of Brave New World. It sug-

gests the development of a device to snoop into our being. It crosses a line that allows others—whether government ofﬁcials, researchers, or teachers—to peer into how we feel. Whether it is intended to evaluate teachers, as was originally implied on the Gates website, or to measure student engagement, as the foundation now says, it is sinister. It goes where measurement does not belong. The fact that something can be done does not mean that it should be done. We could, for example, search for drugs and prevent anyone from bringing them into school by regularly examining students’ body cavities, but we don’t do it. We don’t do it because it is wrong. We should not do what is wrong even in the pursuit of the ultimate measure of student engagement or teacher effectiveness.

19 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 28, 2012

Brave New World: Coming to a classroom near you?

Thursday, June 28, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT

RUBEN DIAZ JR.

& NEW YORK STATE SENATOR

JEFF KLEIN in Conjunction with

DJ AMBULETTE & SANITATION SALVAGE Invite you to:

��

LIVE MUSIC ��

www.ilovethebronx.com

��

RAIN OR SHINE

��

SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE AVAILABLE BETWEEN PELHAM BAY PARK AND ORCHARD BEACH