Riverdale Review, August 9, 2012 by Andrew Wolf

Riverdale’s ONLY Locally Owned Newspaper!

Volume XIX • Number 30 • August 9 - 15, 2012 •

FREE!

The loss of music program at PS 24 is incalculable By PETER GOODMAN As we evaluate the loss of the Music Department at P.S. 24, we should reflect on the whole picture. Are music, art and gym teachers just add-ons or throw-aways? What do they contribute to the education of our children? We measure teachers and schools based on test scores, on “unstable” Value-Added Modeling, on Growth Models, for the vast number of teachers “grades” vary widely from year to year. Student/school success is based upon zip code, meaning family income. And, yes, there are schools and teachers that get results far beyond what we would expect based on the poverty data. We’re not sure why. Did the kindergarten and first grade teachers set the stage by embedding skills that resulted in higher test scores in the third and fourth grades? Did the skills taught by the team coach, the physical education teacher: resilience, persistence, self-confidence, self-awareness impact academic success in the English or Math or Science classes? Did participation in the orchestra or a school play or a dance program implant attributes that impacted

success in academic classes? J A Rosen and others explore hundreds of research articles exploring the connections between noncognitive attributes and academic outcomes. (New Perspectives on Educational Outcomes, September 2010). The research explains that “Noncognitive traits, skills and characteristics include perseverance, motivation, self-control and other aspects of conscientiousness …. Although they develop throughout childhood, noncognitive attributes develop during adolescence have been shown to have a lasting impact on success in life.” While the emphasis is on what goes on in academic subject area classrooms research tells us “Noncognitive traits and behaviors … might be as important – or even more important than cognitive skills in determining academic and employment outcomes.” Postlewaite and Silverman in “Non-cognitive Skills, Social Success, and Labor Market Outcomes,” (March, 2006) explore the acquisition of non-cognitive skills on adult income. “Social activities …. for which participation generates valuable non-cognitive skills as a by-product … a number of examples of such activities – drama clubs, orchestra, student government and athletics … those social activi-

ties will lead to higher average adult income.” A just released blue ribbon panel has spent a year trying to deﬁne “21st Century Skills,” they conclude, “The committee found the skills considered necessary for the 21st-century workplace generally fall into three categories: cognitive, such as critical thinking and analytic reasoning to learn “deeply”; interpersonal, such as teamwork and complex communication; and intrapersonal, such as resiliency and conscientiousness.” Principals that eliminate well-run art or music or dance or athletic programs in order to substitute “intensive” academic interventions, which smell like test prep, are very likely kicking themselves, and their school, in the head! If you watch an exemplary art or music teacher teach you’ll understand: kids came to their class on time, dressed for the activity, were taught a discrete skill, practiced the skill, assessed the skill acquisition, and was retaught. The teacher had the kids assess their own performance, had the kids describe what they had to do to improve, the teacher praised, he urged, he was tough and fair … it was the essence of exemplary teaching, and learning. Teaching is a complex skill and effective schools Continued on Page 11

Local merchants fear that Bloomberg’s soda ban will hit them By MIAWLING LAM Local merchants fear their businesses will be driven to the ground if the city approves a plan to ban the sale of super-sized sugary drinks. Merchants raised their concerns about shrinking profit margins and the devastating impact of the ban during a walking tour of Kingsbridge on Tuesday, August 7. Organized by New Yorkers for Beverage Choices, a coalition group made up of consumers and businesses, the so-called “impact tour” was designed to educate and inform the community. It was the first of four neighborhood tours scheduled for this week across the five boroughs. Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ambitious plan, the sale of sweetened drinks larger than 16 fluid ounces would be prohibited at certain New York City establishments. The ban would apply to restaurants, delis, fast-food franchises and food establishments with letter grades. Supermarkets and convenience stores would be excluded. Diet sodas, fruit juices, dairybased drinks and alcoholic beverages will continue to be available. Establishments that

don’t eliminate the offending drinks from their shelves will face a $200 ﬁne. During the hour-long tour, Councilman G. Oliver Koppell spoke to merchants and customers at the Bus Stop Coffee Shop restaurant, Dunkin’ Donuts, Popeyes and Broadway Pizza—four stores located near the intersection of Broadway and West 231st Street. Koppell has been a vocal opponent of the health proposal, and has previously labeled it as a “clear overreaching of government into people’s everyday lives.” The owner of the Bus Stop Coffee Shop restaurant, who declined to provide his name, said soda sales account for “more than 25 percent” of his annual revenue. But if the plan proceeds, up to 80 percent of the drinks currently on display will have to be taken off the shelves, Hoff said. “We are already struggling and you cut the soda and this and that? If we go down by even 10 percent, we are out. Business is not doing so good,” the veteran Bronx merchant said. “What people want, they get. They come over here and if they Continued on Page 13

The owner of the Bus Stop Coffee Shop restaurant meets with Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and New Yorkers for Beverage Choices spokesman Eliot Hoff to discuss the impact of the soda ban.

TRIM

TRI M

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. PASS IT ON.

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.

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

LEARN MORE

facebook.com/powerofgreen TRIM

would be slapped with a term of 20 years to life, Galvin replied, “Well, I hope not.” At an appearance in May, both men entered a plea of not guilty on the murder and related robbery charges. Unlike at the previous hearing, the victim’s family did not appear in court. Around half a dozen members of Campos’ family, including his mother and sister, were present. The sentencing delay should not come as a surprise, given The Bronx’s notoriously backlogged court docket. According to a February report in the New York Daily News, the wait time in the

City looks to improve safety on Broadway By MIAWLING LAM City officials may finally put the brakes on speeding drivers along the busy Broadway corridor from West 242nd Street to the Westchester County border. Department of Transportation officials are slated to meet with Community Board 8’s traffic and transportation committee next Tuesday to discuss traffic patterns along the dangerous stretch. A person familiar with the situation said officials are expected to present a series of traffic calming measures for the corridor following the completion of a comprehensive traffic study. DOT authorities have previously confirmed they were conducting a traffic study of the area after locals raised concerns about pedestrian safety and rampant speeding. Notification of the rare summer meeting came just days before a notoriously accident-prone intersection in North Riverdale was the scene of yet another crash. Police said two vehicles collided headon at the corner of Mosholu Avenue and Broadway at around 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, August 4. There were no fatalities. Training sergeant at the 50th Precinct Michael Hennelly said the crash occurred after one of the drivers turned from Broadway onto Mosholu Avenue, cutting off the vehicle that was traveling southbound. “It’s a ‘he said, he said’ accident,” Hennelly said, adding that one driver accused the other of speeding while the other responded by saying his counterpart turned in a hurry. Police said two occupants in one vehicle were treated for minor injuries and that both drivers were slapped with one summons each—one for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, the other for being uninsured. The two cars were also towed from the scene.

Commanding officer of the 50th Precinct Captain Kevin Burke said the Broadway corridor from West 242nd Street to the city border remains a priority for enforcement teams. “Broadway north of West 242nd Street continues to be a stretch of road that we will monitor because of speeding vehicles,” he stated. “We will focus our enforcement efforts in this area and will continue to work with DOT for engineering solutions to make this a less hazardous roadway.” The intersection of Mosholu Avenue and Broadway has been flagged as one of North Riverdale’s most dangerous corners. In fact, two people have died there since December. In April, a 22-year-old Bronx man was struck and killed by a speeding motorists while riding his skateboard, and a 57-yearold man died after being hit by a school bus while crossing the street in December. Community Board 8 traffic and transportation committee chair Daniel Padernacht said locals have previously called for the installation of additional traffic lights on Broadway. Meanwhile, DOT officials have announced they will implement new traffic safety measures at another Riverdale intersection, at the behest of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. Authorities said new traffic signs would be erected near the intersection of Johnson Avenue and Kappock Street to improve motorist and pedestrian awareness. Under the changes, an All-Way stop sign and several 30 mph speed limit signs will be installed at the intersection. Officials have already changed the “No Parking Anytime” signs on Kappock Street to “No Standing Anytime” in an effort to discourage motorists and delivery vehicles from parking or standing near blind curves.

borough has built up to eight years. Citing records from the Office of Court Administration, the newspaper revealed homicide cases took 988 days to resolve in 2011. In 2008, the lag time was 733 days. Yang, a Korean national and Johnson Avenue resident, was on his way home after finishing a shift at the exclusive Modern restaurant in Manhattan on April 19 when he was confronted by the suspects at Cambridge Avenue and West 232nd Street. Prosecutors allege Davis approached Yang, demanded his iPhone and fired a single shot during the altercation. The bullet ultimately struck the victim in the left torso, instantly killing him. Detectives accuse Davis of stealing

Yang’s iPhone, leaving the victim for dead and fleeing the scene in a 2002 white Honda Odyssey getaway car driven by Campos. The two suspects were arrested on April 26 after they tried to offload the stolen phone on popular classified website Craigslist. At the time, commanding officer of the 50th Precinct Captain Kevin Burke told the Review that detectives had written and video confessions from the pair. The maximum sentence for firstdegree murder is life in prison with or without parole; the minimum penalty is 20 years. The two men are next scheduled to appear before Bronx Supreme Court on Tuesday, October 16.

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

Stu Kerner, Esq. MOTOR VEHICLE RELATED

By JARED COHEN and MIAWLING LAM The two men charged with the murder of Hwang Bum Yang, the local chef who was shot and killed for his iPhone in April, may languish in jail for the next three years awaiting trial. The case of Alejandro Campos, 21, and Dominick Davis, 20, was raised in Bronx Supreme Court on Tuesday, August 7. Neither suspect appeared at the hearing, but Campos’ lawyer, Martin Galvin, told the Riverdale Review the case would not be completed until 2015. When asked whether the suspects

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 269 W. 231st St. Bronx, NY 10463

StuKernerLaw.com

3 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Delays mean iPhone murderers may not face trial until 2015

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Around the schools... College of Mount Saint Vincent

The college has been awarded a fiveyear grant of $599,956 from the National National Science Foundation’s Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics grant program. The grant will provide 22 scholarships of up to $9,000 per year for exemplary students in the natural sciences and will support Scholars-on-Track, a program designed to improve academic performance, retention, degree completion and post-baccalaureate opportunities for students in the sciences. The program offers a freshman seminar in science during the first semester of study to refine the analytical skills. During the following two years, it provides mentoring and tutoring, encouraging participation in s scientific conferences. During the final two years of baccalaureate study, students complete an original research project or internship. A recent NSF study has already found that Mount Saint Vincent has the highest graduation rate in the United States for Latinos in the sciences. “The College of Mount Saint Vincent is proud to have earned the support of the National Science Foundation,” college president Dr. Charles L. Flynn said. “We have a long-standing history of producing standout graduates in STEM fields, and this grant, applied in conjunction with the Scholars-on-Track program, will enable us to expand on this tradition.”

Manhattan College

Hyseu Kim, a Bronx resident in the class of 2012, was a recipient of the Colette Dans scholarship for women pursuing a career in science or education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics this spring, graduating with honors, and is headed for a doctoral program in math at Syracuse University, her ﬁrst choice for post-graduate study. Kim gives Manhattan College credit for her own academic success. “I really loved the math department of Manhattan College. It is a small community, but the professors and people are so nice and they are so inspiring,” she said. “They are the people that made me love mathematics.” The Korean native arrived in the United States at the age of 11. She minored in music and was grateful that the college offered the freedom to carry the unusual combination of studies. She is a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, a society for math majors, and of Phi Beta Kappa. After serving as a tutor on and off campus, Kim plans to remain in academia. “I want to become a mathematics professor and teach higher-level mathematics to people who love math as well,” she said. “The Colette Dans Scholarship has given me strength and courage to reach out for my life goals.” The Colette Dans Memorial Scholarship was founded in 2004 by Peter Dans (’57) to provide tuition assistance to upper-level women pursuing a science career.

Local Scholars

The State University of New York at Fredonia in Fredonia, New York, has announced that Daniel Astacio was among 1,677 students named to the dean’s list for the spring 2012 semester. To achieve this distinction, students must earn a semester

GPA of at least 3.3 with a course load of at least 12 credit hours. SUNY Fredonia was described by The Princeton Review as “beautiful, friendly, welcoming, and accepting.” The school enrolls more than 5,000 undergraduates and 400 graduate students on its 256-acre campus not far from Lake Erie. It offers a variety of undergraduate majors as well as professional, graduate and advanced certificate programs. Fredonia has its own School of Music and offers strong programs in the visual and performing arts, including the New York State Summer School of the Arts School of Choral Studies and School of Visual Arts as well as the Castleman Quartet Program. Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, has announced that Nicholas Adler has been accepted into the fall 2012 entering class to begin his college career after completing tenth grade at Stuyvesant High School. Bard College at Simon’s Rock, founded in 1966, has an enrollment of 400 students and an average class size of 10. It is the only residential college in the country specifically designed to allow highly motivated students start college immediately after the tenth or eleventh grade. Students who successfully complete the requirements receive an Associate in Arts degree after two years of study and a Bachelor of Arts degree after four. Students experience a transformative education in the liberal arts and sciences in the company of independent, creative peers who share their excitement about learning and their desire to be part of a vibrant intellectual community. Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, has announced that William Shapiro, the son of Peter Shapiro and Carrie Ruzal-Shapiro, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, magna cum laude. Carleton is a private, coeducational college located 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It enrolls 1,900 students on its 1,040-acre campus, which features an 880-acre arboretum. It is committed to providing a true liberal arts education with a curriculum that fosters broad learning and critical thinking, preparing students to succeed in any career path. Five students from the class of 2012 were awarded Fulbright fellowships to pursue graduate work abroad. Carleton is one of 47 small colleges and universities nationwide to earn a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant. The four-year, $1 million grant will fund the creation of more engaging science classes and the inclusion of realworld research experiences to students, increasing diversity in the body of science students and support a project entitled Towards an Integrative STEM Education: Strengthening Transfer and Application of Learning.

FAX education news to: The Riverdale Review (718) 543-4206 or email to

bxny@aol.com

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER The Schervier Nursing Care Center received a $5,250 grant last month from the Verizon Foundation to launch its Virtual Care Program, an initiative to improve care for seniors and disabled adults who are either homebound or residents in senior care facilities. In partnership with VitaLink, Inc., Schervier will utilize broadband technology to offer health care information in electronic form to at-risk populations beyond its Riverdale campus. With this grant, Schervier will provide technology that gives patients Internet access to health-related content and exercise instruction through computers and mobile devices. The system will link to programs provided by New York City agencies including Riverdale Senior Services, Bedford Park Senior Services and New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Allen Pavilion. The program will launch this fall and will run for one year. “Many of our community seniors and disabled adults are unable to attend the senior centers or lecture programs due to physical/mental impairments, transportation, ﬁnancial constraints or because they are homebound,” said Eileen Malo, interim CEO at Schervier. “This generous grant from the Verizon Foundation makes it possible for our patients in the nursing home and tenants in our apartment building to conveniently view professional lectures on health care issues which impact their condition, as well as exercise and activity programs to promote health and cognitive functioning. The health education program will also have the capability of visually connecting residents with their loved ones.”

The Verizon Foundation addresses disparities in education, health care and sustainability. Since 2000, it has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live, and Verizon employees have donated their own money and time to bring about this project. “New technologies promise a fresh way to approach the challenge of providing affordable, accessible and quality health care for communities,” said Catherine Gasteyer, Verizon’s government affairs manager for New York and Connecticut. “That’s why one of Verizon Foundation’s top priorities is to use the power of technology to improve health care services for communities in need. We are thrilled to partner with Schervier to make use of broadband technology to bring patients and residents health education and programming.” Senior service agencies, nursing homes, senior day care centers and home care providers will notify those who qualify for the program.

5 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Schervier gets grant for ‘virtual care’

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

BAE features Romantic Summer Breezes concert

BAE’s Sunday, August 12 Romantic Summer Breezes concert features Beethoven’s Septet Op. 20 and Rheinberger’s Nonett, Op.139, 2 pm at Rockwood Drive Circle, Van Cortlandt Park and 4 pm at Fordham University’s McGinley Center. Romantic Summer Breezes is the ﬁnal SummerMusic 2012 performance in Van Cortlandt Park and Fordham University. BAE string and wind musicians include violinist Francisca Mendoza, violist Sally Shumway, cellist Bruce Wang, bassist Richard Fredrickson, flutist Theresa Norris, oboist Marsha Heller, clarinetist Mitchell Kriegler and bassoonist William Scribner. In case of rain, the Van Cortlandt Park concert will be moved to Vladeck Hall in the Amalgamated Houses at Hillman Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South. Seating is provided in Van Cortlandt Park but the audience is urged to bring folding chairs if possible. For more information, call 718.601.7399, visit www.bronxartsensemble.org, fan at facebook.com/bronxartsensemble or follow twitter.com/bxartsensemble.

Riverdale Y sponsors neighborhood tour

Join us on Monday, August 20, for a fully guided tour of the Morris-Jumel mansion, the oldest mansion in Manhattan that is rich with history. It served as

headquarters for both sides during the revolutionary war and was visited by George Washington frequently. The tour will focus on the architecture, period rooms, and history of the Mansion and its inhabitants. Then enjoy a neighborhood guided walking tour that explores the four block historic district that surrounds the Mansion that focuses on historic preservation and Harlem Renaissance residents. Participants must be 60 or older. Please register no later than August 15th. Cost: Early bird special $26, after August 3rd $30 Includes transportation, admission, and lunch. The Bus will leave the Riverdale Y at 10:15AM and return 2:30PM For more information contact Leora 718548-8200 ext 204 or lgarritano@riverdaley. org. The Riverdale Y is located at 5625 Arlington Ave.

Free writers workshop at Bay Plaza

Presented by the Bronx Council on the Arts’ Bronx Writers Center, First Lines: Getting Started on Your Writing Project is a free workshop for aspiring writers that includes hands-on writing exercises, discussion of structure, story-telling and voice and a Q&A with the instructor. Bring a notebook, a pen and your creative ideas! Maria Romano, Director of the Bronx Writers Center, will facilitate this workshop. The session will be held at Barnes & Noble at Bay Plaza on Friday, August 17, 2012, from 6:00-8:00pm. Admission is free and all are welcome. Reserve your seat at http:// bronxwriters8172012.eventbrite.com/. Maria Romano, Director of BCA’s Bronx Writers Center, will facilitate the workshop. Originally hired as a consultant to manage The Big Read in 2008/2009, Maria holds a BA in English from Yale University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. She teaches writing to middle school and high school students for the Fordham University Science and Technology Entry Program and was a Curriculum Advisor for Girls Write Now, a writing and mentoring non-proﬁt organization. She is a Bronx resident and an award-winning writer of short stories. First Lines: Getting Started on Your Writing Project is one of a series of free workshops for writers produced by the Bronx Writers Center. The next BWC workshop at Barnes and Noble Bay Plaza is Ask an Editor. Ask an Agent on September

21st. BWC’s 2012-2013 workshop series at Barnes & Noble will be posted shortly on BCA’s website at www.bronxarts.org. For additional information on this workshop or other events presented by the Bronx Writers Center, call 718-931-9500 x21, e-mail bronxwriters@bronxarts.org, or visit the Bronx Writers Center’s web pages at www.bronxarts.org. Barnes & Noble Bay Plaza is located at 290 Baychester Avenue in the Co-op City section of the Bronx. To ﬁnd out about other literary activities at the store, please call 718-862-3945 or visit www. barnesandnoble.com (click on “Stores and Events”). The Bronx Writers Center, a program of the Bronx Council on the Arts, is supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Robert A. Bowne Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts’ Literature Program, NYC Council Member James Vacca, the Simon Bolivar Foundation, New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NYC Department of Small Business Services/Avenue NYC.

Riverdale Y offering End of Summer Camps

The Riverdale Y is now offering an four different End of Summer Camps for children ages 5-12. Our Soccer and Sports camp for children 5-12, runs from August 20-24. This program is led by Super Soccer Stars and will teach dribbling, passing, defending, shooting and team concepts. Our Photography Camp also runs from August 20-24 for children ages 9-12. Photography Camp will help children gain conﬁdence behind the camera while learning the basics of composition, design and lighting. Children will get to creatively photograph different subjects at Wave Hill to the Bronx Zoo with a showing of their photos at the end of the week. From August 27-31, Sports Week will enable campers to enjoy a different sport each day with exciting games added to enhance the fun. Young Artist Week will cover sculpting, drawing, painting and collage. A special museum trip is also scheduled. Registration is now open for each camp. For more information, please contact Joe Smith, director of Camp, Family & Youth Services at (718)5488200, ext. 261. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

Special summer cultural events at JASA

Rob McDermott, Pop and Folk Singer/ guitarist will perform at JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center on Thurs. Aug. 16th at 1:00 PM. Rob McDermott performs with a Beatles band as well as at Talia’s Steak House on the Upper W. Side. A nutritious kosher lunch will be served at 12:15 PM followed by the concert. Refreshments will be served. Recommended senior donation is $2.00 for lunch and $1.00 for the event. For more information and reservations, call the center ofﬁce at 718-549-4700. Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater will present a modern dance demonstration on Wed. Aug. 22nd at 1:00 PM. Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater is the leading modern dance company in NYC headed by a Mexican-born American. AGDT has appeared on many stages, including Jo-

seph Papp’s Latin Festival, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors and offered educational demonstrations in the Dominican Republic and South America. A nutritious kosher lunch will be served at 12:15 PM followed by the dance presentation. Recommended senior donation for lunch is $2.00 and $1.00 for the event. For more information and reservations, call the center office at 718-549-4700. In celebration of Labor Day, the Roosevelt Dime Band will perform on Thurs. Aug. 30th at 1:00 PM. Roosevelt Dime, a five-piece, Brooklyn -based band blends elements of acoustic jug-band blues, classic Motown soul and modern alt-country to create an original sound best described as King’s County Steamboat Soul. The band’s nontraditional lineup - consisting of banjo, electric or washtub bass, percussion, trumpet/cornet and woodwinds - and seamless mixture of musical genres has been described as “a perpetual crowdpleaser” by the New York Times. A festive kosher lunch will be served at 12:15 PM. Recommended senior donation is $2.00 for lunch and $2.00 for the event. For more information and reservations, call the center office at 718-549-4700. *Note: JASA Van Cortlandt Sr. Center offers an alternative entrée daily. We are located in the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center at 3880 Sedgwick Ave. off of Van Cortlandt Ave. West on the Bronx #1 or #10 bus routes. For more information, please call the center office at 718-549-4700. JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center is funded by NYC Dept. for the Aging, UJAFederation of NY and by special grants from Council Member Oliver Koppell and other NYS representatives.

NYC Districting Commission to hold public hearings

The NYC Districting Commission will hold ﬁve public hearings from August 13, 2012 to August 23, 2012. These hearings are open to the public. The purpose of these hearings is for the NYC Districting Commission to hear testimony from the public concerning the initial phases of its work in drafting a new districting plan for the New York City Council. Individuals wishing to pre-register for speaking time or to submit written testimony in advance may do so by signing up online at http://www.nyc.gov/districting. Individuals wishing to speak at any hearing will be provided up to three minutes of speaking time. In the Bronx, the public hearing will be held on Thursday, August 23, 5-9 p.m., at Hostos Community College, Savoy D Building, 120 E. 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10451. Prior to the hearings, you may submit written comments to the NYC Districting Commission by mail to: NYC Districting Commission, Attn: Jonathan Ettricks, 253 Broadway, 7th Fl., New York, NY 10007 or by email to: hearings@districting.nyc.gov on or before 5:00 P.M. on the date of the hearing. Please indicate in your correspondence the date of the hearing for which you are submitting your comments. The hearing locations are accessible to those with physical disabilities. Individuals requesting an interpreter for sign language or any other language at any hearing should contact the NYC Districting Commission at hearings@districting. nyc.gov or by calling 212-442-0256 ﬁve days in advance of the hearing, and reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate such requests.

& Y! Care

KIDS’ SPACE, held at the Riverdale Y, runs Monday-Friday until 6:30pm and picks up K-5 students from local schools in Riverdale, Kingsbridge and Yonkers. Y! Care runs Monday-Friday until 6pm @ PS 24 and is available for students attending PS 24.

KIDS’ SPACE OFFERS:

�� indoor pool. �� enrichment activities including Karate, Cooking, Gymnastics, ��

Y! CARE OFFERS:

�� more.(35% off for all Y!Care students) ��

Register for KIDS’ SPACE or Y! Care by �� Call today for more information. Please go to RiverdaleY.org and click on afterschool link.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Riverdale Y’s After-School Programs

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Thursday, August 9

Tuesday, August 14

MUSIC @ NYPL 2 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Violinist Jeffrey Ellenberger has performed as a classical soloist and orchestral musician in the USA, Europe and Asia. In the ﬁeld of popular music he has worked with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Diana Ross. He plays regularly on Broadway, in shows such as Les Miserables and Beauty and the Beast. Mr. Ellenberger also plays the viola. Join us for an afternoon of delightful music. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

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 ereader. Audience: Adults, 50+. For info, call 718-549-1212.

Van Cortlandt

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.

Friday, August 10 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, participate in weekly rafﬂes for a chance to win COOL and FABULOUS stuff, and enjoy some refreshments in our brand-new library! 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, August 11 Kingsbridge

GROCERY SAVING WORKSHOP 2 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street The purpose of this workshop is to introduce shoppers on how to prepare a shopping list in advance and guide shoppers through the supermarket showing them how to shop smart, stay alert and aware of special saving opportunities, and to utilize coupons and sales to the very best of their ability. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Sunday, August 12 Van Cortlandt

SUMMER CONCERT 2 p.m. Van Cortlandt Park Rockwood Drive Circle BAE’s Romantic Summer Breezes concert features Beethoven’s Septet Op. 20 and Rheinberger’s Nonett, Op.139. Seating is provided but the audience is urged to bring folding chairs if possible. For more information, call 718.601.7399, visit www.bronxartsensemble.org.

Monday, August 13 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.

Riverdale

TODDLER STORY TIME 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Toddlers from 18 months to 3 years old and their parents/caregivers can enjoy interactive stories, action songs, and ﬁngerplays, and spend time with other toddlers in the neighborhood. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

SHARED MEMORIES 1 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Creative Aging in Our Communities: Join us for an afternoon of shared memories. Participants of the Memoir and Performance Workshop will share excerpts of their memoirs, through readings and performance. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

MANGA DRAWING WORKSHOP 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Do you have the next manga series lurking in your head? Join Ivan Velez and learn how to draw your characters, plot your stories, and more. All materials will be provided. For ages 12 to 18 years old. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Wednesday, August 15 Kingsbridge

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

Riverdale

BOOK DISCUSSION 1 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue The Riverdale Branch Library meets the third Wednesday of every month @ 1:00 p.m. This month the group will be discussing Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. 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 info, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

GAME ON 1:30 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Got the gaming moves? Show off your skills with the controller and challenge your friends and neighbors to a game of Wii Bowling in the library. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Thursday, August 16 Riverdale

KNITTING & CROCHET 11 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street A get-together for knitters & crocheters at all skill levels to work on a current project, learn new techniques, and exchange information. All skill levels are welcomed. Registration not required. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

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

Kingsbridge

Friday, August 17

Spuyten Duyvil

PETER PAN 2 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street The treasured tale of an adventurous boy who never grows up! Fly away with the Darling children to Neverland where Peter battles with a band of pirates and his archenemy, the villainous Captain Hook. Peter is a daring, courageous and mischievous boy - an incurable prankster with a valiant heart. Presented by the Traveling Lantern Theatre Company. For ages 4 and older. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

BILINGUAL BIRDIES 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street 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. For info, call 718-548-5656.

By MIAWLING LAM Cleanliness is next to godliness after all. A new report compiled by the Straphangers Campaign reveals No. 1 trains have reached the lofty heights of divinity. Ofﬁcial transit data shows Riverdale’s sole subway line is the cleanest amongst the city’s 19 lines, with 97 percent of subway cars reporting “light or no interior dirtiness.” The local red line also got high scores in terms of frequency of service, on-time performance and seat availability, with 54 percent of commuters managing to snare a seat during rush hours. However, according to the Straphanger Campaign’s 15th State of the Subways report, 20 percent of cars on the No.1 line broadcast incorrect announcements. Service on the line was also more likely to be delayed due to car mechanical failures, with trains breaking down once every 101,573 miles. In comparison, the E train broke down once every 816,935 miles. Despite the below-par results in terms of announcements and car breakdowns, the No. 1 line was judged to be the fourthbest in the city. In fact, the rider advocacy group deemed a trip on the line worth $1.50, just below the $2.25 fare that commuters are forced to cough up. Overall, the Q service, which runs from Astoria to Coney Island, was crowned the city’s best line, based on its reliable, frequent service and interior car cleanliness. The No. 7 train and last year’s winner, the J/Z line, were ranked equal second, while the C train earned the ignominious title of being the city’s worst subway line for the fourth consecutive year. The local blue line was criticized for its aging cars, dirty interior conditions and the 10-minute wait between trains during the evening rush hour. Service was so poor that a trip was valued at a pitiful 85 cents—the only line worth less than a dollar. Straphangers Campaign senior attorney Gene Russianoff said there were sharp disparities among the city’s subway lines. “Riders on the best line—the Q—have much more reliable cars, frequent service, subway car cleanliness and car announcements than riders on the worst line, the C,” he said. “People who ride the C train should be up in arms about the quality of service. This is not a shock to New Yorkers. They pretty much all know that the C

stinks.” Systemwide, the breakdown rate for the entire subway fleet improved by 1.5 percent, and the percentage of adequate in-car announcements rose 3.4 percent. However, there was a 4 percent drop in the cleanliness of subway cars. The findings are based on official transit data and encompass six performance indicators such as service frequency, occurrence of delays due to mechanical problems, crowding and cleanliness. Meanwhile, the six other subway lines that service The Bronx recorded mixed results. The No. 6 emerged as the borough’s second-best-performing line and was ranked fifth based on cleanliness and near-perfect in-car announcements. The local green line also has more scheduled services than its counterparts, with trains arriving every 2.5 minutes during peak hours. The D tied for 10th place, the No. 2, 4 and B tied for 14th—or third-last—while the No. 5 was voted second-worst based on its service regularity and seat availability. An MTA spokesman said the agency valued the group’s findings but that they failed to reflect the true picture. “While we appreciate the positive results of the Straphangers’ latest survey, those results do not tell the full story,” the official said. “We believe that NYC Transit’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI) methodology, reported monthly in the NYCT Committee Agenda, offers a fairer and more complete assessment of subway service by evaluating performance and conditions from the passengers’ point of view, as informed by customer surveys.”

Know-how means convenience

7 days a week.

More New York Branches, Including Convenient 7-Day Banking at Stop & Shop® Locations. peoples.com

800-772-1090

Now in

Equal Housing Lender

9 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

No. 1 subway gets high marks

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Get

$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.

Hudson bike tour bypasses Bronx By AMAL ABBASS A popular bicycle tour that highlights some of the Hudson Valley’s most beautiful scenery and landmarks bypassed The Bronx for the eighth consecutive year as the event drew to a close in New York City last weekend. The Great Hudson Valley Pedal is an annual six-day, 200-mile bike tour organized by the nonprofit Parks & Trails New York. Beginning on July 31, cyclists of all ages wound their way past landmarks like the Walkway Over the Hudson and the United States Military Academy at West Point before concluding their tour in Brooklyn Bridge Park on August 5. “We try to make the route as scenic as possible, past museums and art galleries—places people might want to visit,” said Al Hastings, ride director since the tour’s inception. According to Hastings, tour organizers have never considered exploring Bronx greenways and bike paths and that they are happy with their typical route into Manhattan. Cyclists enter the borough via the George Washington Bridge, then head down the bike path on the island’s west side along the Hudson River Greenway. This is the first year that the Pedal has ventured outside of Manhattan, according to Hastings. In years past, the South Street Seaport was its final site. This year, Hastings said, Brooklyn Bridge Park seemed like an optimal space to park trucks at the finish line and offered a great view. The tour is about more than just sightseeing. With around 150 participants from

all over the country along for the ride, the Pedal brings business to surrounding communities, Hastings said. Jennifer Blatus, tourism and administration coordinator for the Bronx Tourism Council, said that the Great Hudson Valley Pedal and bike tours like it are welcome in The Bronx. “Anything that brings new people is great,” she said. “There’s no such thing as a bad entity in The Bronx. Anything that can help boost our businesses is encouraged.” Blatus noted that The Bronx has its own popular bike tour, the Tour de Bronx, which also draws a diverse crowd. “There are lots of locals, but I’ve met people from other countries who’ve traveled over for the Tour de Bronx,” Blatus said. Still, there’s enough room in this borough for both bike tours—and then some. The bike tours line up with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.’s push for a healthier Bronx, Blatus said. “These tours can only help further that cause by getting people on bikes and into parks.”

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

bxny@aol.com

Music was a key element of PS 24’s success

Continued from Page 1 require a blending, collaboration among supervisors and teachers with skills taught in one class impacting other classes. And as for those “school environment surveys” that measure the level of trust and cooperation between teachers and their principal, I heard a story about a newly assigned principal who asked a highly successful principal his “secret.” “I thank people, every week I sit down and hand write notes thanking my teachers. I serve bagels and coffee at every school meeting. I respect my staff; I’m tough, demanding and fair.” The new principal looked bafﬂed. “Don’t you have to put critical letters

in their ﬁles ordering them to carry out your directives?” The experienced principal shook his head and answered, “You always get more with lemonade than lemons,” and walked away. Does this sound familiar? It certainly DOES NOT sound like what we are hearing about P.S. 24, where there seem to be more lemons being tossed at the teachers than lemonade served. Peter Goodman is a career NYC high school teacher, and district representative for the United Federation of Teachers, who participated in the design and implementation of school-based budgeting initiatives.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Congress Members Eliot Engel and Jerrold Nadler (l-r in suits) with the staff of Liebman’s Deli (552 W. 235th St.) where they were part of the Best of New York Delis Throwdown, for the Israel-Nadler Victory Fund Thursday in Washington. Rep. Engel said the winner of the deli ‘Throwdown,’ with apologies to Rep. Nadler who has Nathan’s in his district, was clearly Liebman’s. “If you want Kosher Deli,” he said, “there’s no other choice.”

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Yorktown Hts.

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 7 p.m. Support Connection 40 Triangle Center Join this group of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age as we discuss issues pertaining to all stages of diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment. Facilitated by cancer survivors. Free. Pre-registration required; call 914-962-6402 or 800-532-4290.

Scarsdale

JAZZ NIGHT 6:30 p.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road THE DIDGE PROJECT, a music collective and didgeridoo awareness organization based in New York City and led by jazz musicians AJ Block and Tyler Sussman, combines the sounds of the didgeridoo with jazz and world music. Where world rhythm and tribal beats meet modern jazz and hip-hop, their music is both ancient and progressive. Each live performance blazes new territory, blending the sound of the didgeridoo, an aboriginal wind instrument used for ritual and ceremony in Australia, with keyboards, saxophone, ﬂute, drums, ethnic winds, and percussion. For more information, call 914-723-3470.

Irvington

SLIDE LECTURE 7 p.m. Irvington Public Library 12 South Astor Street “Hudson River Lighthouses,” Slide lecture by Kevin Wyce. Contact Pamela Hodgins Bernstein at 914-591-7840 for more info.

Saturday, August 11 Ossining

ANIMALS INCOGNITO 10 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Camouﬂage plays an important role in nature, and for some animals it is their best defense against predators. Come meet some of Teatown’s most elusive critters. Afterwards we’ll take a short hike outside to play a game to test your cryptic capabilities! Free for members; $5pp for non-members. Call 914-762-2912 x110 to make a reservation.

Yonkers

LIGHT CRAFT DEMO 11 a.m. Beczak Environmental Education Center 35 Alexander Street Chesapeake Light Craft is hosting an in-water demo day at Beczak Environmental Education Center’s Hudson River beach. Don’t miss your chance to test paddle various designs of these beautiful wooden boats from Chesapeake Light Craft, one of America’s ﬁnest boat kit companies, and talk to other boat building enthusiasts. Free, for all ages. Offered by Beczak Environmental Education Center and Yonkers Paddling and Rowing Club. For more info, call 914-377-1900 x13.

Mt. Vernon

HISTORY TALK 1 p.m. St. Paul’s Church 897 S. Columbus Avenue Dr. Evan P. Haefeli, Professor of History at Columbia University, explores the interface between the bold Puritan exile Anne Hutchinson, the local Lenape Indians and the Dutch colony of New Netherland, near St. Paul’s Church in the 1640s, spotlighting an exhibition currently on display at St. Paul’s. Tours of the historic church and cemetery at St. Paul’s follow the talk. For more information, contact David Osborn, 914-667-4116.

Scarsdale

BUTTERFLY PROGRAM 2 p.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, BREATHTAKING BUTTERFLIES – From chrysalis to butterfly, come learn all about butterflies and what makes them fascinating and important to our world. Join a Nature Center naturalist amid the live butterflies in our flight house, for a tour through the life of a butterfly. Stay and make your own beautiful butterfly craft! Recommended for children 8 and younger. Members $5, Non-Members $8 ($25 for family). For more information, call 914-723-3470.

Sunday, August 12 Yonkers

FAMILY SEINING 10 a.m. Beczak Environmental Education Center

35 Alexander Street Catch ﬁsh and other remarkable Hudson River creatures by wading into the river and dragging a 30-foot net through the water. Led by Beczak educators, rain or shine. Waterproof overalls for all sizes provided. $5 per person - Registration Required. For more information, call 914-377-190 x13.

White Plains

ROCK ‘N’ BLUES FEST 7:30 p.m. Westchester County Center Bronx River Parkway The Pepe Inﬁniti concert series at the Westchester County Center in White Plains presents the Rock ‘n’ Blues Fest! Featuring: Johnny Winter Band, Edgar Winter Band, Rick Derringer, Mountain’s Leslie West and Savoy Brown’s Kim Simmonds. Tickets are now available at the box ofﬁce and ticketmaster. www.wmconcerts.com/

Monday, August 13 Carmel

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 10 a.m. Putnam Hospital Center 670 Stoneleigh Avenue Open to women with breast, ovarian or gynecological cancer. We all know there are many common factors to any cancer diagnosis. Join other women who have also been diagnosed as we discuss all stages of diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment. Facilitated by cancer survivors. Free. Pre-registration required; call 914-962-6402 or 800-532-4290.

Tuesday, August 14 Hopewell Junction

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 10:15 a.m. East Fishkill Community Library 348 Route 376 Open to women with breast, ovarian or gynecological cancer. We all know there are many common factors to any cancer diagnosis. Join other women who have also been diagnosed as we discuss all stages of diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment. Facilitated by cancer survivors. Free. Pre-registration required; call 914-962-6402 or 800-532-4290.

Thursday, August 16 Tuckahoe

ITALIAN FILM 7:30 p.m. Westchester Italian Cultural Center One Generoso Pope Place Featuring the ﬁlm Umberto D, directed by Vittorio De Sica. Shot on location with a cast of nonprofessional actors, Vittorio De Sica’s neorealist masterpiece follows Umberto D., an elderly pensioner, as he struggles to make ends meet during Italy’s postwar economic boom. Alone except for his dog, Flike, Umberto strives to maintain his dignity while trying to survive in a city where traditional human kindness seems to have lost out to the forces of modernization. For info, call 914-771-8700.

Soda ban

Continued from Page 1 see something that we don’t have, they go somewhere else. They know where they can get it.” New Yorkers for Beverage Choices spokesman Eliot Hoff said the policy also creates an unfair playing ﬁeld among merchants. “It’s completely arbitrary, so what you’ll see along this street is businesses that will be covered and some that won’t, and they’re similar businesses,” he said. “I really feel that this will not work and what’s worse than this not working is that it’ll have a negative economic impact.” Bloomberg has taken it upon himself to improve the health outcomes of New Yorkers since taking ofﬁce a decade ago. In addition to eliminating trans fats in restaurant food, he has introduced higher taxes on cigarette packets and banned smoking in city parks, beaches, sport stadiums and pedestrian plazas. According to a NY1-Marist poll of 500 adults, 53 percent of New Yorkers said the health policy went too far, while 42 percent praised the initiative.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Thursday, August 9

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

By MIAWLING LAM The explosion of street vendors, the absence of a central database of New York City’s ordinances and insufficient street lighting emerged as the key merchant concerns during a recent business luncheon. The event, held at Greentree Restaurant on Thursday, August 2, was convened so elected officials could determine how best to help small businesses operate and grow. Possible 2013 mayoral candidate and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz headlined the talkfest. The panelists kicked off proceedings with brief statements on the importance of small businesses before they opened the floor to the more than 40 area merchants. During her opening remarks, Quinn said it was critical to keep New York City’s neighborhoods alive and implored local business owners to raise any problems they were experiencing. “I want you to tell us everything that isn’t going well and that you want us to fix,” she said. “I want you to tell us everything that you think should be on our to-do list.” Local attorney and Community Board 8 economic development committee chair Sergio Villaverde bemoaned the lack of a central database containing all the city’s rules and regulations, while Kingsbridge Business Improvement District president Andrew Williams lamented the proliferation of street vendors on sidewalks.

“We have people in business selling fruits and wares, and all of a sudden, street vendors are starting to show up in the Kingsbridge area,” he said. “We pay taxes, we pay electrical and we pay for our personnel that work there, so it’s a bit frustrating,” For her part, Quinn said City Hall was already trying to improve coordination among city agencies through the NYC Business Link program, where staffers help business owners with their permits, licenses and inspections. On the street vendor issue, Quinn suggested that a vendor taskforce, which primarily patrols neighborhoods in Manhattan, could venture into Riverdale to conduct focused enforcement. “We should absolutely figure out where you’re are having a proliferation of vendors, reach out to the various city agencies involved and have them come do a SWAT swing-through and see what we can do about it,” she said. “If you get on it early and do enforcement quickly, you can crack down on it. But if you let it go too long, it’s very, very hard.” Koppell also weighed in on the situation, accusing the Bloomberg administration of failing to adequately address the issue. “This is something the city and business administration has fallen down on,” he said. “They haven’t dealt with it. Really, it’s like anarchy.” Meanwhile, North Riverdale Merchants

Association President and Skyview Wines & Spirits owner Gary Wartels stressed the need to improve the local streetscape, particularly lighting. “I think we need better lighting,” he said, adding that infrastructure upgrades could help small businesses compete against cash-rich, big-box retailers. In response, Quinn vowed to organize a site tour with Department of Transportation heads and local elected ofﬁcials to come up with a list of speciﬁc locations where light bulbs need replacing. The Q&A session, which lasted around 45 minutes, covered topics including the removal of sidewalk trashcans, a lack of bike racks in South Riverdale and the need to increase the availability of credit

to small businesses. The luncheon was co-sponsored by the North Riverdale Merchants Association, the South Riverdale Merchants Association and the Kingsbridge Business Improvement District. Quinn’s appearance was her third visit to Riverdale in less than nine months. Last January, she showed up at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale to hear constituent complaints. Prior to that, she toured the facilities of the Riverdale YM-YWHA. However, unlike her previous two visits, following the proceedings she ﬂed the restaurant through the back door and did not take any questions from the media.

New CB8 youth chair appointed

By MIAWLING LAM Local resident Lamont Parker has been appointed to serve as the new Community Board 8 youth committee chair. CB8 chair Robert Fanuzzi made the decision weeks ago, but news of the appointment surfaced last week. The post is the only one of 14 to be directly appointed by the board chair. Fanuzzi said Parker was chosen because of his prowess in reaching and communicating with young people. “Lamont Parker has a great connection to youth groups and will have an amazing ability to reach young people with his experience in athletics and great interest in creative pursuits, such as po-

etry,” he said. “He brings enthusiasm to the role and will open Community Board 8 to a whole new group of people.” Parker, who is entering his second year of service on the board, said he is excited to begin working to advance youth priorities. “My goal is to bring the youth and seniors together, as well as having the youth being more recognized in the different areas of the board, including Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Spuyten Duyvil, Kingsbridge Heights and Marble Hill,” he said. Parker replaces Andrew Cohen, who will now take the helm of the aging committee.

17 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

Local businesses complain about city’s lack of support

Thursday, August 9, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Gifted programs and specialized schools

The surprise resignation last week of Stuyvesant High School principal Stanley Teitel has unleashed yet another round of attacks on our city’s specialized high schools. There is no program in New York’s education system that has met with more success or is as beloved as these legendary schools. Their success is measured not by meaningless graduation rates, pumped up by questionable gimmicks such as “credit recovery,” or by grades on standardized tests, where institutional cheating now promotes the careers of the adults running the schools rather than help the children. No, these are schools that are measured by the success of their graduates in nearly every field of endeavor. Among these graduates you will find leading authors, musicians, scientists, and politicians, representatives of just about every important profession, people whose success makes a difference on our society as a whole. It is a program that works, and it should not be tampered with. That’s why its so disturbing to see people who should know better advocate for positions that will surely compromise that success. Included among them is longshot mayoral candidate Tom Allon. Allon, who is a graduate of Stuyvesant and put in a short stint as a teacher there, advocates a plan that would guarantee admission to the valedictorian of every city middle school. We could only imagine the manipulation that would go on if this were put into place. Such a plan may give us more diverse schools, but diversity has never been the goal of our specialized schools. Achievement, accomplishment and academic excellence have always been the coin of this realm. Consider this: a recent article in the Daily News noted that for the past two years, not a single eighth-grader in the South Bronx’s chronically under-performing District 7 (which includes 20 regular public schools and six charters) scored at Level 4 in the state’s annual English Language Arts test. Not one. This disturbing statistic begs the question: If we were to accept Allon’s scheme for populating the specialized schools, would we be presaging their ultimate decline by forcing underqualified students on them, or would we be setting up hundreds for failure in the rarefied academic climate of a Stuyvesant or Bronx Science? Either way, such a plan would end up doing more harm than good. Other schemes have failed, including a much-ballyhooed program to give black and Latino students heavy doses of test prep in the months leading up to the tests. This actually almost wound up in court as white and Asian parents sought to have their kids included as well. They shouldn’t have bothered. During the time that this strategy was followed, black and Latino admissions even declined and the “gap” widened. Similarly, Mr. Allon’s call for radical changes to the test each year to thwart test prep is also misguided. It isn’t during the months leading to the test that the success or failure on the exam is determined. I submit that the time for intervention by then is long gone. Instead we believe that the path to the specialized high schools begins on the first day of kindergarten, and perhaps even before. Success on a rigorous exam (the “cut score” depends on the level of competition where only the highest scores will succeed) is the result of years of education and enrichment at home and in the community. To be sure, there are many, many more minority kids who could have gained admission. The time to help them catch up and keep pace begins early on. This year, in the three most impoverished districts in the South Bronx (the aforementioned District 7, District 9 and District 12) only 38 kindergartners in total were found to qualify for gifted and talented programs. Since the city Department of Education requires 25 students in each district to form a class, these talented kids will be denied access to the path that ultimately could have led them through the doors of Stuyvesant. We need to do a much better job in identifying these kids, pump up gifted programs to provide far more enrichment and put the students on a path to long-term success. But as long as the powers at Tweed are willing to sacrifice the futures of these 38 gifted “orphans” of the south Bronx, no one should be surprised if they fail eight years from now on this very tough exam that could mean so much to them in the future.

Corruption permeates Bronx politics To The Editor: On July 27, Democrat Bronx Councilman Larry “Cash and Carry” Seabrook (I wonder how he got that nickname?) was convicted in federal court of several felonies for having siphoned nearly $2 million of taxpayer funds into the pockets of his family and friends by directing discretionary funds called members items to nonproﬁt organizations controlled by his relatives and cronies. Prior to his being elected as a councilman in 2002, this crook served for many years as an assemblyman and as a state senator which — as the N.Y. Post commented in an editorial (July 27) — “is a reminder that there is no better training ground for corrupt ofﬁcials than the (N.Y. State) Legislature.” Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., the son of State Senator Ruben Diaz, has been around Bronx politics for many

years and knows very well of the corruption that permeates the politics of this borough, yet he has the chutzpah, the audacity to say — as quoted by your reporter, Miawling Lam in her story last week — “The Bronx, as well as the entire city of New York, deserves honest, corruption-free government, and the actions of one individual should by no means cast a bad light on the hundreds of hard-working elected ofﬁcials in my borough and beyond, who work everyday to represent their constituents and solve problems for their communities.” What do you mean ONE, Mr. Diaz? When you were growing up, even Bronx school boards were riddled with corruption. For example, two elected members of School Board 12 in your area of the Bronx (Miguel “Mickey” Diaz and Jose Cruz) were convicted of felonies having to do with their posi-

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

CECILIA McNALLY Office Manager MIAWLING LAM Associate Editor

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

tions and served time — and District Superintendent Alfredo Mathew, Jr. (who was under investigation) committed suicide. If you’re not aware of these facts, ask your father. And you seem to have forgotten about all those many Bronx elected politicians (many of whom you personally know) who only in the relatively past few years have been convicted of felonies. People such as former State Senators Pedro Espada, Efrain Gonzalez and Guy Velella, and Assemblywoman Gloria Davis. Others are currently under investigation. As for the convicted members of the state legislature from other boroughs, they are far too numerous to mention here. You are, however, 100% correct Borough President Diaz in saying, “The Bronx, as well as the entire city of New York, deserves honest, corruption-free government.” We certainly do not have that now! So what are you personally going to do, Mr. Diaz, to move this borough (and possibly, in the future, the entire city) towards this worthwhile goal? What actions or legislation would you propose? I, along with many others, have high hopes for you. Please, don’t disappoint us. Alvin Gordon

Local teen assaulted on Riverdale Ave. the one way that we can combat this is to have people speak out and point the ﬁnger,” he said. Diaz also denied the latest incident, which comes four months after a 26-yearold chef was shot and killed for his iPhone near Ewen Park, was a sign of escalating violence in the leafy neighborhood of Riverdale. “Wherever it happens in The Bronx— whether it’s Riverdale or the South Bronx—whatever happens to one person, we’re all victims,” he said. “I would hope that the day would come where no one has to be assaulted or shot or killed for their iPhone or anything else, and we will continue to work with the police department towards that goal.”

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

Their

Price

Our

Bottle A Manufactured By PfizerTM.

Price

LipitorTM $570.81

Atorvastatin* $67.00

Bottle B Manufactured By Generics Manufacturers

Typical US brand price for 20mg x 100

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 and International Pharmacies.

NexiumTM $584.84

Typical US Brand Price

CelebrexTM $478.52

Typical US Brand Price

Esomeprazole* $71.00

Celecoxib*

Generic Price

$58.00

AdvairTM

$746.13 VS

Typical US Brand Price

ZetiaTM

$426.03

Typical US Brand Price

Salmeterol & Fluticasone Propionate* $140.00 Generic Price

Ezetimibe* Generic Price

$78.00

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 used in conjunction with any other offers. Use code 10FREE to receive this special offer.

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 June 15, 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 active 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.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, August 9, 2012

By MIAWLING LAM A local teenager suffered head trauma and extensive bruising after a group of up to eight males mercilessly assaulted and bashed him outside a popular burger joint in Riverdale. The 14-year-old male, who is now recovering from the frenzied assault, was allegedly beaten up outside Yo-Burger just after 9 p.m. on Thursday, August 2. According to the victim’s mother, whose name the Riverdale Review has decided to suppress, the youth had just purchased two frozen yogurts when three teenagers followed him out onto the sidewalk and began taunting him into a fight. Up to five other teenagers then joined the trio, with one suspect even throwing a discarded vacuum cleaner at his head, the victim’s mother claimed. “They all went after him and said they just wanted to fight him to see if he was tough,” she said. “My son said he didn’t want to fight them, but one guy smacked him, another guy punched him with a closed fist and kicked him.” The parent, who lives on Greystone Avenue, said her son escaped the onslaught by crawling under a car for cover. EMS personnel eventually treated the ninth-grader on the scene for a suspected concussion, bruises to the head and arm, and shock. Police have since confirmed the incident and said three local males—one aged 16, the other two, 17—were arrested on the corner of West 238th Street and Fieldston Road within an hour of the attack. All three individuals were charged with misdemeanor assault. Commanding officer of the 50th Precinct Captain Kevin Burke said detectives have yet to establish a motive. He also stressed that the case remains an ongoing investigation and that more arrests could be made. Captain Burke admitted the incident took him by surprise, as it appeared to be an unprovoked attack. “It seemed spur of the moment. No weapons were involved, and it seemed to be a case of youth on youth violence,” he said. “There is nothing to indicate that it was anything more serious than a fist fight.” The victim’s mother revealed her son doesn’t go to school with any of his attackers but that one may have been his teammate in the South Riverdale Baseball League. She said the incident also appeared to be racially motivated, as the gang peppered her son with offensive slurs. “They were saying things to him like “you faggot,” “you sissy” and “you white cracker,’” she said. “We’ve lived in Riverdale for over 10 years, and I’ve never heard about anything like this happening. It’s pure bullying.” According to Urban Dictionary, an online reference of slang words and phrases, white cracker refers to people of European ancestry, especially poor and Southern whites. When informed of the incident during an unrelated press conference on Monday, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. implored the community to report all crimes. “We continue to see physical assault and gun violence not just in The Bronx, but throughout the city of New York, so

Thursday, August 9, 2012 â€˘ The RIVERDALE REVIEW

The Award-Winning Riverdale Rising Stars

Summer Stage presents

Directed by Julian Rozzell Music by: Mary Rodgers, Lyrics by: Marshall Barer Book by: Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller & Marshall Barer

Performances:

Tonight!! Wednesday, August 8th at 7pm Thursday, August 9th at 7pm Sunday, August 12th at noon Tickets: Adults $15, Seniors and Students $10 Tickets available online at Riverdalerisingstars.com Stay connected with RRS

5625 Arlington Ave. Bronx, NY 10471 718-548-8200 www.RiverdaleY.org

facebook.com/Riverdalerisingstars twitter.com/Riverdalerisingstars