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Volume XIX • Number 49 • December 20-26, 2012 •

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P.S. 24 music gets $19G boost from Sen. Klein By TESS McRAE Local elected ofﬁcial and newly minted state Senate co-leader Jeffrey Klein will allocate $19,000 toward arts enrichment at P.S 24. School principal Donna Connelly announced the funding injection at last Tuesday’s parents association meeting. Klein, who visited the school in October, said he was happy with the educational offerings but was interested in helping to expand the school’s music program. “I wanted to make sure we got some money to the school so that students not only have access to a good academic education but access to wonderful and meaningful arts education as well,” Klein told the Riverdale Review. Funding will begin in January, when Klein’s senate term begins. The $19,000 grant will be distributed through Project Boost, a program run by the nonproﬁt Center for Educational Innovation–Public Education Association that encourages public school children to engage in the arts. Once the allocation comes through, Project Boost will work with P.S. 24 to assess which programs to enhance. Connelly told parents that funding would most likely go toward the music department, keeping intact the school’s existing partnerships with the New York Philharmonic and the Little Orchestra Society and retaining a keyboard program facilitated by Music and the Brain, a program for public schools.

Connelly said the money could also bankroll the school’s new vocal program, due to start in the spring, adding that the voice classes would be taught by a new part-time teacher and a parent with vocal experience. News of the substantial grant comes after three staff members, including one musical instrument teacher and one voice teacher, were excessed on June 15. At the time, P.S. 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele Verdi said officials were forced to lay off the teachers because three staffers with seniority were returning from leave. However, as word of the music department cuts spread and many in the community bemoaned the decision, officials rehired the instrumental music teacher, Maryellen Shepley. The new funding coincides with the release of the Arts in Schools report for the 2011-2012 school year, a report meant to help school leaders evaluate their delivery of arts education. There are no grades and a school cannot be closed for having a “bad” arts program, but the New York State Education Department determines how well specific requirements are met. For elementary schools, the NYSED requires instruction in dance, music, theater and visual arts in every grade. In middle schools, students must achieve one half-unit of study in visual arts and one half-unit of study in music, while high school students are required to take at least

two credits in the arts in order to graduate. At M.S./H.S. 141, 96 percent of eighth-grade students who graduated in June took at least two half-units while attending. A further 88 percent of graduates from the class of 2012 took three or more credits of study in the arts. At P.S. 81, dance is offered to third- and fifth- graders for 21 to 40 hours per academic year, and theater is offered to first-, fourth- and fifth-graders for up to 30 hours per year. Annually, music hours per class at P.S. 81 ranged from 21 to 70 hours and visual arts averaged 21 to 50 hours. Meanwhile, P.S. 24 increased its average number of arts instruction hours across all mediums—dance, music, theater and visual arts. In grades one to five, each class participated in up to 10 hours of dance class per year, 21 to 30 hours of music, 21 to 30 hours of theater and 21 to 30 hours of visual arts. Data for the report was gathered before P.S. 24 school officials instituted major cuts to the music program,so the effect of these cuts—and the effect of Klein’s infusion of money—won’t be observed until the next Arts in Schools report is released next year. “We need to be exposing young people to the theater, to music, to the visual arts,” Klein said. “That’s why I wanted to make sure we got some money into this program.” As of press time, Connelly did not respond to requests for further comment.

Community board rejects proposal for fundraising afﬁliate By MIAWLING LAM Members of Community Board 8 have nixed controversial plans to establish an auxiliary organization that would raise money to support board operations. Members last week voted 2113 against a proposal to create a Friends of Bronx Community Board 8 following frenzied discussion and opposition. Three members abstained from voting. Under the proposal, conceived four years ago, the Friends of CB8 group would raise extra funds by soliciting bids from vendors to host street fairs and other public events. The group, which would have been registered as either a 501(c)(3) organization or a community foundation, would also have applied for grants from charitable corporations, foundations, trusts and government agencies. CB8 treasurer Philip Friedman said the idea was designed to address the chronic lack of city funds for community boards. Friedman, who was one of four members appointed last September to evaluate the plan, revealed that CB8 received $206,895 this year to perform and carry out its City Charter-mandated responsibilities of evaluating the needs of its communities and advocating in their behalf. “The subcommittee thought

it may be in the best interests of the board to look for outside funds (over) what we’re provided by the city,” he said. “We’re just looking to create funds in order to perform all the functions of the board.” Of the board’s entire operating budget, 95 percent goes toward paying the salaries of three fulltime employees, he said. According to SeeThroughNY, an independent website that provides payroll data on all public servants, CB8 district manager Nicole Stent earned $102,471 last year, making her the ﬁfthhighest-paid district manager in The Bronx. In comparison, community associates Patricia Manning netted $55,611 and Diane Bay pulled in $38,922. Many local members voiced their concerns about the idea of auctioning off the right to host street fairs and other public events to the highest bidder. CB8 member Charles Moerdler expressed reservations, especially given that the existing budget boasts “an awful lot of fat.” “There are times for organizations like ours…to be lean, to do the things that they should do when the budget constrains,” Moerdler said. “We need to get off that underfunded notion and get to

the notion of ‘Our mission is X, do we have enough money to do it?’” Moerdler, who abstained from voting, said the board could also face allegations of impropriety and be forced to navigate through murky waters. “My nose twitches when somebody contributes because unfortunately, in our society, I

don’t know too many people who contribute without some motive at the other end of the tunnel,” he said. CB8 member Martin Wolpoff said allowing the Friends of CB8 group to host events was akin to “opening a Pandora’s box,” while fellow member Rosemary Ginty believed that fundraising would dilute the board’s mission.

“I understand there is a need, but I don’t see there is a compelling need,” she said. “To me, what we deal with is land use, budgets and service-delivery issues, and fundraising just feels like mission creep. It’s beyond what I think our primary mission is.” A handful of the city’s 52 community boards have already formed Continued on Page 19

NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly (fourth from left) joins Manhattan College ofﬁcials to break ground on the new student commons building, set to open in 2014. See story on page 7.

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Commission approves project rejected by Board By TESS McRAE The Landmarks Preservation Commission has voted to approve the building of a four-story mansion in the Riverdale historic district—almost a month after Community Board 8 unanimously rejected the project. Under the preliminary plans, the vacant lot at 5241 Independence Avenue would be developed into a seven-bedroom house equipped with eight and a half bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool, two laundry rooms and a maid’s room. Members of CB8 and residents of the Riverdale historic district opposed the plan because they argued the development would degrade the natural area and overwhelm the already-delicate private sewer systems. But at the Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting on December 11, members voted 10-0 to approve the mansion after its architect proposed several modifications. Among the revisions is the elimination of a proposed tower on the side of the house. The mansion will also have a semicircular driveway and will be set back from the street to match the houses around it. “I am very happy with this tower elimination,” one member said. “The house looks more modest and is a project I can see myself approving.” Letters from Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and local residents protesting the building of the mansion were added to the record, but members felt that the architect did everything possible to make the house conform to Landmarks Preservation Commission standards. When the proposal was first brought to the commission, members were concerned with the architect’s plans—they rejected the development at their July and November meetings because of the pitch of the roof and scale of the house. However, after the third round of revisions, members were satisfied. While the Landmarks Preservation Commission has green-lighted the project, the City Planning Commission and the Board of Standards and Appeals have yet to vote on the issue. The vote taken by CB8 has no legal weight, as the community board simply

6 new cops for 50th

By MIAWLING LAM Six new police officers have joined the ranks of the 50th Precinct, providing the command with a slight boost in manpower. Commanding officer of the 50th Precinct Captain Kevin Burke said the new cops have been tasked with responding to 911 calls and with patrolling high-crime areas within the precinct. The six officers were transferred from the NYPD’s Impact Unit last month, earning their stripes by working in other high-crime areas in the borough. “They just graduated from impact training in The Bronx. Some of them joined us from the 44th, 52nd and 40th precincts,” he said. “They have been assigned to our 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. shift, which is the most appropriate place for them.” Captain Burke said the addition of six officers brings the total number of personnel at the five-oh to 130—a figure that is slightly down from the staffing levels in previous years. “The entire department is down by about 5,000, so it’s going to get spread out,” he said, citing natural attrition as behind the drop in overall police numbers. Two officers were transferred to other precincts, so the new crop means a net gain of four officers.

acts as an advisory body. Last month, lawyers for the prospective owners circulated a letter showing that the mansion would not threaten the area’s sewer systems. Engineers from Brooker Engineering concluded that a stormwater management system would be put in place in the backyard of the house. They claimed that this system, consisting of drywalls, would offset the increase in discharge as a result of the project. At the time, Katherine Valyi, who lives at 5200 Sycamore Avenue, stressed that she would like to see development at the sprawling site, but only if it conforms to the standards of the historic district. As of press time, calls to her and several other residents along Sycamore Avenue and Independence Avenue were not returned.

By MIAWLING LAM Community Board 8 has overhauled its street activity permit procedures in a push to become more transparent and to maximize community input. CB8 members last week voted 23 to 13 to change the process governing how street activity permits for street fairs, block parties and farmers markets are issued. One member abstained from voting. Under the changes, all street activity permit applications submitted to CB8 for review will now be directed to a committee for approval, approval with conditions, or denial. Before an application is subject to a full-board vote, permit applicants will have an opportunity to present their case to the committee and the public will have a chance to comment on the event. Until now, no CB8 board members were privy to what applications were submitted or what was approved or denied because only two people—the board chair and the district manager—processed street activity permits. The pair was tasked with signing off on all applications, relying on petitions from local residents to gauge community support for a street closing. CB8 member Daniel Padernacht, who spearheaded efforts to overturn the existing procedure, said the change was born out of a desire to be more transparent. His trafﬁc and transportation committee approved the resolution at its November meeting, paving the way for it to be introduced at last Tuesday’s full board meeting. “It’s about getting away from a process that nobody’s really known about to a forum where every person on this board knows what a permit is being signed off on by the community board,” Padernacht said.

“It’s important to me because I think the applicant will have an opportunity to explain what the event is for, and the public, who has a vested stake, will be able to comment on the event.” The changes were sparked after a debate erupted two months ago about whether street activity permits were being issued in accordance with New York City law. CB8 members supported the move to change the process despite being implored to vote against the proposal by three of the five speakers who signed up to be heard during the public gallery session. Among those speaking in opposition was City Council candidate and Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Van Cortlandt Development Corporation treasurer Cliff Stanton, KRVC executive director Tracy Shelton and Riverdale Festival of the Arts co-founder Linda Manning. Stanton claimed the proposal would add an extra burden and accused Padernacht of playing politics. “This resolution will simply make things more difficult for our community to secure permits,” he said. “It’s an already cumbersome process, and this will just make it more difficult. I do not want to see this board gain a reputation for being anti-business or anti-culture.” CB8 member Steven Froot also described the changes as “overkill” and said it was inappropriate to give an applicant a one-shot deal to appear before a committee. But fellow CB8 member Charles Moerdler said it was critical for the board to be transparent and invite public comment regarding permit applications. “Government is not trusted, and quite rightly so by many people. And unless you show them and give them an opportunity to be heard, to raise questions and to be consulted, you’re not doing your job,”

he said. Newly installed CB8 member David Kornbluh agreed and said allowing the private use of public streets was a privilege that should be granted only after due deliberation. “No one has the right to use those streets, no matter how commendable their intentions,” he said. “The streets belong to the people, and it’s really not too much to ask anyone who wants to sponsor a private event to come before us and make their case.” The revised process brings the board’s permit application process in line with the little-known legislative changes that kicked into effect in December 2011. According to the mayor’s Street Activity Permit Ofﬁce, applicants are no longer required to submit petitions from residents expressing their support for the event.

3 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

In slap at board leadership, new rules set for street permits

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Around the schools... P.S. 24

The school has been granted a $19,000 allocation from state Senator Jeffrey Klein. Principal Donna Connelly said that money would likely be used for the music department to maintaining the school’s partnerships with the New York Philharmonic and the Little Orchestra Society, to retaining a keyboard program facilitated by Music and the Brain, and to begin new voice classes this spring.

P.S. 81

Students are engaged in collecting canned goods, coats and toys for the needy in our borough. They’re working in partnership with the office of Assemblyman Eric Dinowitz, which will transfer the donated items to St. Francis of Rome Church in Wakefield for distribution. Donations will continue to be accepted at the assemblyman’s office, located at 3107 Kingsbridge Avenue, just north of West 231st Street, through this Friday. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Third-graders will present the annual holiday concert on Wednesday, December 19.

Horace Mann School

During Computer Science Ed Week earlier this month, a number of fascinating topics were presented. A panel of students completed projects showing diverse ways of using computer science in areas like app/Android development, video games, electronic circuitry and data encryption. Others explored robotics, setting up an interactive session with two robots they created. The school’s Robotics Team placed fourth in the United States and eighth in an international programming competition, ensuring the team’s entry to a final round that will test their work on board the International Space Station. This is the team’s first year in the competition, which draws about 100 applicants from around the world. The Zero Robotics HS Tournament is a competition hosted by MIT, NASA and the Defense Advanced Research ProjectsAgency. According to Janet Smith, Faculty Advisor to this team, the ZeroRobotics Team is entirely focused on programming rather than building robots. The Diversity Office, headed byPatricia Zuroski and Markell Parker, hosted a reunion for HM teachers who have attended NAIS’s People of Color Conferences and HM students who have attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference. Having recently returned from a two-day conference in Houston, Texas, both the faculty and student attendees were eager to share the facilitation skills, workshops and discourses they participated in. Students were assigned to large and small affinity groups to ensure that everyone felt comfortable sharing personal issues. The POCC workshops focused on diversity and its connections to language and culture. Each workshop was led by featured speakers. Individuals such as White House correspondent Helen Cooper, gay rights activist Lt. Dan Troy and author Baratunde Thurston, author of “How to Be Black,” were some of the featured speakers. Life skills teacher Bernice Hauser, director of inter-campus activities and head of the school office in the Middle Division counseling and guidance department, will be included in the 2013 edition of “Who’s

Who in America.” In addition, her most recent article, “Why Pumpkin Seeds?” was just published in the Fall 2012 edition of Teachers Clearinghouse for Science and Society Newsletter. Student Samuel Fisch was awarded the title “2012 Young Travel Photographer of the Year,” selected over thousands of entrants from more than 90 countries as the overall winner for the 18-and-under categories. He is the ﬁrst American to win the honor. The winning photos will on exhibition in London next summer at the Royal Geographical Society.

Manhattan College

The 2013 De La Salle medal will be awarded to television personality Julie Chen, host of CBS’ “The Talk” and “Big Brother,” at the college’s annual fundraising dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on Wednesday, January 23. As co-host and moderator of “The -Talk,” said to be network television’s fastest-growing daytime talk show, Chen sits with Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood and Aisha Tyler . The show features a panel of well-known news and entertainment personalities discussing current events, pop culture, contemporary issues, family, celebrity and other timely topics. Chen served as special contributing anchor and co-anchor of “The Early Show,” CBS News’ weekday morning broadcast. She was also a reporter and anchor for WCBS-TV. During Chen’s time on “The Early Show,” she covered several major news stories, including the war in Iraq and conflict in Kuwait and Qatar. She has interviewed former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (’65), Queen Rania of Jordan, former Defense Secretary William Cohen, Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, Angelina Jolie, Chris Rock and Jennifer Lopez. Chen currently lives in New York and Los Angeles with her husband, Leslie Moonves. The De La Salle Medal Dinner honors people and corporations that embody the principals of excellence, leadership and service to society. Past honorees include Rudy Giuliani; Anne Mulcahy, chairman, Xerox Corporation; Sy Sternberg, chairman and chief executive officer of New York Life Insurance Company; Eugene McGrath (’63), former chairman and chief executive officer of Con Edison; and Bill Klesse, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Valero Energy Corporation. Proceeds from the De La Salle Medal Dinner are applied to a variety of needs on campus, including student scholarships and financial aid.

Local Scholars

Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut, has announced that Jae Young Kim, son of Mrs. In Cha Yoon, was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2012 term. Choate Rosemary Hall, an independent secondary school, enrolls 864 boarding and day students from 37 states and and 44 countries.

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Dog walker slashed on Palisade Ave. for the inconvenience. The men demanded no property, Burke said, and ran away after inﬂicting the wound. When Marshall returned to his building, which is just south of Kappock Street, the doorman, Roberto Rojas, saw his condition and called 911. “His face was cut almost from the ear to the mouth,” he said. Rojas escorted the dogs up to Marshall’s apartment—which he and his wife had just moved into the day before. By the time Rojas returned to his post, paramedics had already arrived. Marshall was taken to Allen Pavillion and as of Tuesday morning was in stable condition but under evaluation.

Community members gathered around the Riverdale monument on Sunday morning to stand up against violence and to express solidarity with stricken families following a shooting rampage last week that claimed the lives of 20 school children and six adults in nearby Newtown, CT. The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale is collecting messages of sympathy and will hand-deliver the notes to Newtown. Cards can still be dropped off in a box set up in the synagogue lobby at 3700 Henry Hudson Parkway. Paper and crayons are available there for children who wish to send their thoughts. To participate in the drive to Connecticut, contact Rabbi Steven Exler at ravsteven@thebayit.org.

5 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER A man walking his two poodles at around 6 a.m. Tuesday on Palisade Avenue at Kappock Street was accosted by two men and was slashed across the face with a knife by one of the men. According to Captain Kevin Burke of the 50th Precinct, the victim, Richard Marshall, 65, of 2621 Palisade Avenue, said the attackers, two black men who appeared to be in their early 20s, ran east on Kappock Street after slashing him in the face. Burke said the attack may have been motivated by nothing more than anger at having stepped in dog poop. The attacker apparently assumed the victim had not cleaned up after his dogs and blamed him

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Rosh Chodesh Society for women

The Jewish Women’s Circle is excited to introduce the Rosh Chodesh Society: a sisterhood dedicated to inspiring and empowering Jewish women through monthly cultural learning experiences. Test-drive the wisdom of the ages in this balance of practical and insightful spiritual self-help, focused on making your life happier, more fulﬁlled, and more effective. In each session, learn to master one aspect of your personal life related to the kabbalistic energies of the month. Learn. Grow. Be inspired. Be empowered. Take action. Implement change. This month, Rebbetzin Sorah Shemtov will be teaching Rising Above: A Practical Guide to Emotional Mastery on Saturday, December 22 between 12:15-1:15 pm at Chabad of Riverdale. Emotions are supposed to motivate us, not weigh us down. This lesson presents a Jewish model for dealing with anger and other emotional hijackings through cognitive and behavioral approaches, introducing the secrets of emotional mastery and learning from King David’s exemplary character. We will announce soon a date for next month’s lesson on Food and Dieting. Our relationships with food are rather complex. There is overeating, undereating, and unhealthy eating. We will examine why it is that many diets just don’t seem to work in the long-term. This lesson explores the kabbalistic reason for the allure of food, and introduces Jewish practices that can help make our eating more mindful, healthful, and spiritually satisfying. For more information about this upcoming lesson, or future ones, please visit our website www.ChabadRiverdale.org or call Chabad of Riverdale at 718-549-1100 Ext. 10.

Major development in Kingsbridge expected to create hundreds of new jobs

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., City Council Member G. Oliver Koppell, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and Bronx Community Board #8 have announced that their ofﬁces, along with the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, will join with Equity One to recruit potential construction-related employees for their forthcoming commercial development, Broadway Plaza, at Broadway and West 230th Street in Kingsbridge. Equity One is seeking resumes from talented qualiﬁed building tradesman who live in Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge Heights

and the north Bronx who are currently unemployed. Interested parties will be able to drop off their resumes at the ofﬁces of each of these ofﬁcials and the BOEDC. In addition, the BOEDC will be hosting a job fair to solicit applicants, the details of which will be released in the near future. ‘The development of the Broadway Plaza site is an exciting opportunity to bring new retail and businesses to the Kingsbridge area and to the residents of the Northwest Bronx. This is a huge win for our community and the BOEDC is looking forward to working with Equity One to put our people back to work. This new development is a sign of the continuing resurgence in our economy and the economic potential of the Kingsbridge community,’ said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. Those interested in being considered for employment by trade contractors for the construction of Broadway Plaza should deliver their resume to one of the following locations: Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Attn: Marlene Cintron, Bronx County Building, 851 Grand Concourse Suite 123, Bronx, NY 10451, (718) 590-6252; Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz at 3107 Kingsbridge Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463, (718) 796-5345; City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell at 3636 Waldo Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463, (718) 549-7300; or Bronx Community Board #8, 5676 Riverdale Avenue Suite 100, Bronx, NY 10471, (718) 884-3959. Resumes should be delivered no later than January 15, 2013. Broadway Plaza is scheduled to be completed and opened by the end of 2014. There will be approximately 300 new jobs, including full-time and part-time hires.

Sandy Hook massacre-take action now

In the wake of the senseless tragedy that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut, where twenty-six innocent children and teachers were murdered, Chabad of Riverdale calls the greater community to join us THIS Sunday December 23, 2013, at 10. 45 a.m., so we can collaborate to ensure that such tragedies cannot, and will not, occur again. A prayer vigil will be held in memory of the twenty-six souls who were murdered, and trained professionals, experts, and leaders of the community will address the failings inherent in the educational system and society at large, which neglects the mental and spiritual health of our youth, and focuses disproportionately on academic performance. Each and every one of us is respon-

sible for creating a new reality where we can send our children to school each day without fear, and where hostility is replaced by harmony. As Americans, as parents, as individuals, we have to look inside ourselves and ask ourselves some difﬁcult questions as to how this tragedy could have occurred. Violence and evil do not occur in a vacuum, and each of us is responsible for the other’s safety. Let us take meaningful action now. This meeting is for concerned citizens of all faiths, and will take place at Chabad of Riverdale, 535 W. 246th Street, Riverdale, NY. For more information about this meeting, please call Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Spiritual Leader, at 718-549-1100 Ext. 10.

Family Day at the Riverdale Y

December 25th is Family Time at the Y. The Riverdale Y is opened to the entire community for free on December 25 from 9:45 am until 4:00pm for families to do fun things with their children. The entire day is free for the families except the Chinese buffet. Reservations are required for the buffet. Here is a schedule of activities for the day. Gym Time, 10:00am-1:00pm. Enjoy our big blow-up bounce castle and other fun equipment for younger and older children. Counselors on hand to organize pickup games. Swim Time, 10:00am-12:00pm. Come make a splash in our heated pool but don’t forget your swim cap and towel. Parents must be in the water with children under age 5. Two Movies- one in the morning and one in the evening

Tangled, 10:00pm-12:00pm. The film tells the story of a lost princess with long magical hair who yearns to leave her secluded tower against her ‘mother’s’ wishes into the world which she has never seen. Milo and Otis, 2:00pm-4:00pm, an adventure between a dog and a cat who venture out in the world together. Art Time:11:00am-12:00pm. Beeswax candle making in the Art Studio, led by our Early Childhood Center staff. Note: Space is limited- first come, first served. Join us for a Chinese Lunch from 12noon until 1:00pm.Enjoy an all-youcan-eat kosher Chinese feast, catered by the Ginger Grill. Pre-registration and advance payment is required. We will not be able to accommodate walk-ins. Cost is $15/adults, $9/child. To reserve your space, call Marilyn Raider at 718-548-8200, ext. 203 or email MRaider@RiverdaleY.org. Prepaid reservations will be taken until we run our of room or through Dec. 23, whichever comes first! This was a big hit last year, so sign up early! For more information about the event, call 718-548-8200, ext. 200 or go to our website at Riverdaley.org. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

Holiday classic to be performed at the Y

Ring in the holiday season with a special one night-only performance of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,’ to be performed on December 22, 2012 at 8pm at the Riverdale YM-YWHA, located at 5625 Arlington Avenue (just off of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street), in Riverdale, Bronx, NY. Tickets are $10 for adults and may be purchased online at www.RiverdaleRisingStars. com or by calling 718.548.8200 ext 0. Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the performance. For group sales, please email performingarts @riverdaley.org.

MC breaks ground on new student commons center will be at the heart of the campus, both geographically and figuratively. “(It) will be our front door to the community as well as to visitors and to prospective students. It will be our laboratory for innovative programming that extends learning beyond the walls of the classrooms, and it will be our community gathering place,” he said. The ambitious project was first dreamed up a decade ago, according to Thomas D. O’Malley. The former chairman of the college’s board of trustees and 1963 alumnus donated $10 million toward the construction project—the single largest gift in the college’s history. O’Malley said it made sense to name the building in recognition of his classmate, a man who has devoted his life to public service. “It was the first and only thing in my tenure as chairman at the board of trustees which got instantaneous universal approval,” he said. Contractors began erecting construction fencing earlier this week and are scheduled to begin excavations in early January. Following the groundbreaking, Manhattan College vice president of facilities Andrew Ryan reiterated the school’s commitment to accommodate the so-called displaced Waldo Avenue parkers. Ryan said that spaces will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the College’s Broadway parking garage. “What we’ve committed to do is, if we disrupt parking during construction, we will provide an equivalent number of spaces in the Broadway garage,” he said. College officials said the number of available spaces would be posted on a sign outside of the parking facility. If spaces are available, residents will be given a parking permit that will be valid until 9 a.m. the following business day.

RIVERDALE STORE FOR RENT: Tenants are currently being sought to lease the former home of Nathan’s Kosher Meats in Riverdale. According to a listing from Besen Retail, the 605 square feet of vacant space located at 570 West 235th Street is available for commercial development. An additional 1,800 square feet can be added to the space if needed. The asking rent is $70 per square foot. For more information, call Kristy at 646472-8742. FRESHDIRECT: Online grocer FreshDirect has bowed to community

opposition and will give up three acres it had planned to use as a parking lot for trucks when it moves into its new headquarters in the South Bronx. The supermarket giant filed court papers last Thursday indicating that it would adjust its plans and integrate the trucks within its new main facility site. “In order to streamline and make our operations more efficient, we are now going to incorporate our trucking operations into the parcel of land that will house our main facility,” the company said in a statement. The company’s response comes six months after South Bronx Unite, a group representing residents of the community, filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the grocer’s relocation. PEAPOD: New Jersey officials have announced that the Internet grocery distributor Peapod will convert a Jersey City landfill site and build a new distribution center. The 50-acre site will be turned into an 880,000-squarefoot LEED certified facility, located just three miles from New York City, set to open in 2014. Peapod currently delivers to the New York metropolitan area through Stop & Shop and hopes to expand their delivery service in the city with this new facility. The announcement comes nearly a year after New Jersey failed to woo another Internet grocery giant, FreshDirect, despite offering a $100 million tax sweetener. FreshDirect will instead move its headquarters to the South Bronx and build a new $112.6 million state-of-the-art facility, scheduled to open in 2015.

7 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

By MIAWLING LAM Manhattan College has ceremonially broken ground on its long-awaited Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons, a $48 million multipurpose complex scheduled to open in fall 2014. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly joined more than 200 people, including college officials, local politicians, faculty and students for the ground-breaking event last Thursday. The five-story complex will be located at the intersection of Manhattan College Parkway and Waldo Avenue—a site that is now a parking lot. Once built, the 70,000-square-foot student center will boast a Starbucks, minimart, campus bookstore and dining, and recreational space. Two of the floors will also be open to the public, with meeting rooms made available for student and community use. Kelly, who graduated from the college in 1963, said he was humbled by the tremendous honor. “I’ve never been in a position to demonstrate the kind of tremendous philanthropy toward Manhattan to warrant recognition at this level,” he said. “I just have my life’s work, and to be recognized for it in this way means more to me and my family than we can say.” The LEED-certified building will be the first new development on campus since 2008. Manhattan College president Brennan O’Donnell said the project represents the school’s radical transformation from a majority commuter college to a majority residential college. “It will be a venue that greatly enhances our ability to provide the kind of education that has been at the heart of our Lasallian educational tradition for 160 years: An education of the whole person—mind, heart, body and soul,” he said. Dr. O’Donnell also said the student

RIVERDALE CROSSING: Bank of America and Petco have ofﬁcially signed leases to occupy space at the new Riverdale Crossing shopping mall, set to open in 2014. Metropolitan Realty Associates president Joseph A. Farkas last week announced that the dual signings bring occupancy to more than 86 percent at the $80 million mall. Farkas said Bank of America has signed a 15-year lease and will occupy 2,800 square feet, while Petco has signed a 10-year lease and will take 9,556 square feet of space. The mall, located on Broadway between West 236th and 238th streets, is the site of the former Stella D’oro cookie factory. BJ’s Wholesale Club will anchor the mall in an 118,000square-foot freestanding building with on-site and roof deck parking. MRA ofﬁcials announced that the casual sports-themed restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar signed a lease in October.

Gather with other knitters, and perhaps pick up a few tips and tricks as you work on your own creations. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Wednesday, December 26 Riverdale

CB8 MEETING 1 p.m. Community Board 8 5676 Riverdale Avenue Meeting of the Youth Committee of Community Board 8. For more information, call 718-884-3959.

Thursday, December 20

Friday, December 21

BABY LAPSIT 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stories, songs, ﬁngerplays, puppets and ﬂannelboard illustrations for babies birth-36months for parents/caregivers. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

FUN SCIENCE 3:30 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Childern are welcome to come to the Riverdale Branch and learn more about the scienctiﬁc process. They will conduct experiments and have fun while learning how the world around them operates. For ages 5 to 12 years. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

Spuyten Duyvil

TODDLER STORY TIME 10:30 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street Program for children ages 18 months to 39 months accompanied by a parent, grandparent or caregiver. The program is 30 minutes long and consists of picture books, music, rhymes, and movement exercises such as using shakers and scarves. The program is conducted on a ticketing basis (ﬁrst come, ﬁrst serve). For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Van Cortlandt

GINGERBREAD HOUSE EVENT 3 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Join us for our annual Gingerbread House Event. Children between the ages of 6-12 will build and decorate their own gingerbread house for the holiday. This event is LIMITED to 20 participants. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Kingsbridge

GAME ON 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Come have some fun playing the latest Xbox games at the Kingsbridge Library! For ages 12-18. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

CB8 MEETING 7 p.m. 50th Police Precinct 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue Meeting of the Public Safety Committee of Community Board 8. For more information, call 718-884-3959.

Riverdale

Spuyten Duyvil

GAME ON 3:30 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street XBox Kinnect Adventures games for teenagers. Ages 12-18. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Saturday, December 22 Riverdale

ROSH CHODESH 12:15 p.m. Chabad of Riverdale 535 W. 246th Street Rebbetzin Sorah Shemtov will be teaching Rising Above: A Practical Guide to Emotional Mastery. For more information about this upcoming lesson, or future ones, visit www. ChabadRiverdale.org or call 718-549-1100 Ext. 10.

Sunday, December 23 Riverdale

Van Cortlandt

ARTS & CRAFTS 3:30 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Come to the Library this Winter and participate in our Arts and Crafts projects. For ages 5 to 12 years. Parental supervision is required for children 5 years and under. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Thursday, December 27 Riverdale

OPEN COMPUTER LAB 11 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Attention new computer users: Come to the Riverdale Library and get assistance on using the computers. Do you need to learn how to open a free e-mail account or practice going online and exploring the Internet? How about learning how to save a document or copy and paste text? Come to this open lab and ask questions and learn from doing. First come, ﬁrst served. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Riverdale

CB8 MEETING 7 p.m. Community Board 8 5676 Riverdale Avenue Meeting of the Laws, Rules & Ethics Committee of Community Board 8. For more information, call 718-884-3959.

Riverdale

LECTURE 1:15 p.m. St. Gabriel’s Church Walsh Hall 3250 Arlington Avenue Father Francis J. Corry will make a presentation, “The Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy.’ For more information, call 718-548-4470.

MOVIE 7:30 p.m. Riverdale YM-YWHA 5625 Arlington Avenue The Riverdale Y and The Islamic Cultural Center of North America will present the movie Arranged (2007). Free to the entire community. For more information, go to www.RiverdaleY. org or call 718-548-8200, ext. 200.

Monday, December 24

Friday, December 28

KNITTING CIRCLE 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue

FUN SCIENCE 3:30 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue

Riverdale

Childern are welcome to come to the Riverdale Branch and learn more about the scienctiﬁc process. They will conduct experiments and have fun while learning how the world around them operates. For ages 5 to 12 years. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Saturday, December 29 Spuyten Duyvil

ADULT CINEMA 2 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street Featuring the movie, “Being There.” This profound and humorous commentary on the pervasive effects of television features Peter Sellers, who portrays Chance the gardener, a man who views the world as he would TV - watching and reacting. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Monday, December 31 Riverdale

KNITTING CIRCLE 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Gather with other knitters, and perhaps pick up a few tips and tricks as you work on your own creations. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Wednesday, January 2 Kingsbridge

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

Kingsbridge

MEDITATION 6 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street If you’re having trouble juggling the challenges in your life, Sahaja Meditation can help you manage stress, master your emotions and ﬁnd solutions to your problems. You’ll enjoy better health, better focus, and a deeper understanding of the universe and your place in it. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Thursday, January 3 Kingsbridge

BABY LAPSIT 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stories, songs, ﬁngerplays, puppets, ﬂannelboard stories for birth-18 months for parents and caregivers. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Press can’t be barred from Board meetings with Fanuzzi. It is unclear whether the ruling will prompt CB8 to update its bylaws to reﬂect the ruling. At least three community boards in Manhattan explicitly refer to the open meetings law in their bylaws and state that executive committee meetings are open. As the Review reported last week, executive committee members spent 40 minutes discussing whether the executive committee was subject to the law and whether existing procedures should be overturned. Traditionally, it has been assumed that the executive committee meeting was closed to the public, as notices of the meeting and its agenda have never been widely circulated. The meeting does not even appear on the board’s monthly calendar. But Fanuzzi said the determination would now serve as a guideline for future board operations. “That has decided this matter, and the executive committee is subject to open meetings law,” he said.

Jewish leader concerned over missing Christmas tree

Ari Hoffnung, the community leader widely thought of as a potential candidate for the City Council seat being vacated by the term-limited G. Oliver Koppell, has expressed his personal dismay that Riverdale, for the first time in memory, will not have an official city Christmas tree. The city’s Parks Department has scrubbed the annual display due to “budgetary constraints.” Private funding saved the trees at Mosholu Parkway and Pelham Parkway, and a menorah was placed on the park mall at Pelham Parkway, due to the efforts of newly-elected Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, who takes office Jan. 1. Hoffnung’s advocacy is seen as significant since he has been a prominent leader in the local Jewish community, having led the local Riverdale Jewish Community Council for several years. “For many years I have treasured seeing the beautiful menorah and impressive Christmas tree at the Riverdale

Monument,” said Hoffnung. “To me this was always more than just an eye-pleasing display of seasonal decorations but rather a powerful expression of our community’s values of tolerance and cooperation.” “Symbols do matter,” Hoffnung continued. “We must do everything possible to preserve our traditions and should never take Riverdale’s rich history of diversity, pluralism, and interfaith collaboration for granted. “It is sad and unfortunate that the 2012 holiday season may mark the ﬁrst year in recent history our community does not have a Christmas tree. Riverdale needs to remain a neighborhood where the customs of all people could be proudly celebrated publicly.” Despite the late date, Hoffnung remained hopeful that someone will step up to the plate. “It seems like Riverdale now needs a miracle on 239th Street,” he said.

Get Tested for Hepatitis C! Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus. It is often symptomless but rarely harmless. Anyone who has been exposed to contaminated blood or needles — through drug use, tattoos, body piercing or other contact — can be infected. Hepatitis C can also be acquired through sexual contact.

Think you may be at risk? Get tested. It could save your life. The test is also recommended for anyone born between 1945 and 1965. Montefiore Medical Center offers simple and effective testing. Talk to your primary care physician or contact us at 1-800-MD-MONTE ext. 55 for more information.

To watch our video on Hepatitis C or to learn more about our program, visit www.montefiore.org/hepc

9 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

By MIAWLING LAM The chair of Community Board 8 has conceded that executive committee meetings are subject to the state’s open meetings law and are therefore open to the public. CB8 chair Robert Fanuzzi made the declaration at last Tuesday’s board meeting after receiving an ofﬁcial ruling from the New York State Committee on Open Government. The determination came less than a week after a reporter for the Riverdale Review was asked to leave the board’s December 5 executive committee meeting when members objected to the media’s presence. But referencing the determination from Robert J. Freeman, the executive director of the Committee on Open Government, Fanuzzi said the executive committee was required to comply with the law. “The legislative history of that statute clearly indicated that a committee or subcommittee consisting solely of members of a governing body is itself a public body,” Freeman wrote in his correspondence

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

CORRECTION: Mario Curanaj from Salvatores of Soho, Amela Kadric from Halstead Property Riverdale and Roseann Milo from Baby It’s You. Taken at the South Riverdale Holiday Festival on Riverdale Avenue, Sunday, Dec. 2nd.

Chabad of Riverdale’s 21st anniversary celebration

Chabad of Riverdale will be celebrating 21 years of exemplary service in Riverdale on Saturday, January 19 at 7:00pm. In the spectacular setting of the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, guests will enjoy cocktails and buffet, sumptuous cuisine, and musical entertainment from Pey Dalid. The Guests of Honor, Brenda and Steven Arenson, are being recognized for their

of The hitason e every s York! in New

endless support of Chabad, and for their unﬂinching commitment to the welfare of the Jewish community. Sharona & Jacob Schulder, whose daughter, Noa, is enrolled at the Chabad of Riverdale Early Learning Center, are being honored as Parents of the Year for their invaluable contribution to, and involvement in, the Early Learning Center.

“Inspir Superbed! it’s har !... to be a d not -The Ne mazed” w York Times

the s e k a M t perfec ift! yg a d i l o h

tick starteat s t

$25

Hurricane Sandy Relief Concert

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER Local storm victims will beneﬁt from the proceeds collected at Sunday night’s Hurricane Sandy Relief Concert at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, but they would also beneﬁt from knowing that so many professionals donated their time and extraordinary talent to help out during this event. Children’s choirs, a legendary a cappella group, a unique rock band, and Broadway and TV stars joined Riverdale’s own indigenous performers for a great evening of entertainment. Emcee Bob Abrams, a true tummler, kept things lively as one act left the bimahturned-stage and the next took its place among the various musical instruments and electrical cables. The Persuasions, an a capella group from Brooklyn, sang “Makin’ Music All These Years and We Still Ain’t Got No Band” and engaged the audience in a syllabic sing-along.

The What’s Up Band exempliﬁed their brand of “Jewish/American rock ‘n’ roll” with a rendition of the Hebrew “Shalom Aleichem” to the tune of “Aiko Aiko.” Midlife, the band of local professionals with a smooth, clean sound and impeccable rhythm, gave their signature rendition of the Woodstock anthem mingled with a popular Hebrew tune. Sigal Chen got ovations for three “inspirational” show tunes, and Broadway star Craig Schulman belted out some hits he’s famous for. Marc Weiner gave a hilarious—albeit esoteric—standup routine presenting gag items that might come in handy for Shabbat observers. Pey Dalid got everyone moving with their passionate, soulful style. UJA-Federation of New York will distribute 100 percent of the proceeds through a fund dedicated to those still in need as a result of damage from the record-breaking October storm.

It may be winter, but registration for summer camp is on now! If you’re searching for our best Y! camp rates, we have an APP for that…

Our Advantage Pricing Program, with over $350 in camp savings, will run until December 31, 2012. We have payments options to suit every budget. For more information contact Joe Smith, Director of Camping, Family and Youth Services, ext. 261 or JSmith@RiverdaleY.org or Roxanne Parets, Assistant Director, ext. 229 or RParets@RiverdaleY.org.

5625 Arlington Avenue Bronx, NY 10471 (718)548-8200 www.RiverdaleY.org

Click on the “Camps” link on our website and learn about all of our summer programs and start the registration process.

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW 12

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

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The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

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December 21st till January 1st works by talented photographers and designers from Russia - Anastasia Evseeva, Naira Avison and Yana Yartseva - will be on view in the Parlor room of St. Paul & St. Andrew on West 86th St. between Broadway and West End Ave. The exhibit is organized by The Professionals Liaison Project, whose directors Craig Dixon and Elena Shtoyunda - expect it will be the ﬁrst event in a series of programs to showcase new and promising European artists as well as those who have already earned acclaim in their countries. Works by ﬂoral and jewelry designers, documentary and portrait photographers as well as artists of various other genres will be also shown in New York and other US cities.

Council approves bill to help visually impaired taxi riders

At its meeting on November 27, 2012, the Council approved a bill co-sponsored by Council Member Oliver Koppell, Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services and a member of the Transportation Committee, requiring that yellow cabs be accessible to visually impaired taxi riders. In 2007, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) introduced the Taxi Passenger Enhancement Program to the yellow taxi ﬂeet that allowed taxi passengers to pay for their rides using a credit or debit card. A major criticism of the program has been that it is not accessible to people with disabilities, especially those with vision

impairment. People with low or impaired vision had to rely on taxi drivers to swipe their credit cards, choose a tip and enter the correct fare, which sometimes led to complaints of overcharging. This bill will ensure that payment technology includes an audio component so that the visually impaired can hear the fare amount announced, as well as any changes to the rate code or any tolls that accrued. The equipment also audibly instructs passengers on how to pay. Although Koppell voted in favor of the bill, he stated that, ‘The bill is inadequate because it does not address accessibility for people using wheelchairs.’ He pointed out that, ‘taxi accessibility for people in wheelchairs is technically and economically feasible.’ He expressed the hope that, ‘the issue of accessibility for wheelchair bound riders will be addressed in a different bill.’ Under this legislation, taxicabs must also have information on how to contact the Taxi and Limousine Commission in the passenger compartment area in Braille and large print. ‘There are more than 362,000 New Yorkers who have vision difﬁculties. This legislation provides them with the same payment options as other passengers without the fear of being overcharged’, Koppell concluded.

Movie ‘Arranged’ to be shown at the Y

The Riverdale Y and The Islamic Cultural Center of North America will present the movie Arranged (2007) on Saturday,

December 27, at 7:30pm directed by an independent feature film produced by Cicala Filmworks. The film was written by Stefan Schaefer and is based in part on the story of Yuta Silverman, an Orthodox Jewish woman from Borough Park, Brooklyn and her friendship with a young Muslim woman. As their friendship evolves as first-year teachers at a public school in Brooklyn, they experience much in common, not least of which is that they are both going through arranged marriages. This event will be part of New York Peace Month, an annual city-wide initiative to reduce the crime rate throughout NYC in the month of December. This movie is free to the entire community. After the screening, hear from respondents to the film from the Jewish and Muslim communities in Bronx. For more information, please go to our website at www.RiverdaleY.org or call 718-5488200, ext. 200.

Help homebound residents this winter

Riverdale Neighborhood House (RNH), located at 5521 Mosholu Ave., is seeking volunteers for a citywide snow removal initiative. Partnering with NYC Service, the program utilizes local, on-call volunteers to assist their homebound neighbors shovel snow off their property to meet NYC requirements. All volunteers will be assigned to homes in close proximity of their neighborhood. We will provide some snow removal equipment, but if you own a shovel, please bring it with

you to your site. This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and help those in need this winter. Please contact the Volunteer Management Associates of RNH at volunteers@riverdaleonline. org or 718.549.8100 ext. 128 with any questions.

Riverdale Y to run Circus Fit Vacation

The Riverdale Y, in partnership with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus(r), will run a Circus Fit Vacation Week on December 24th, 26th, 27th and 28th. Besides learning circus tricks, the Ywill be offering swimming, martial arts, multiple sports, creative arts and movies. The Y has also added Circus Fit Training incorporating acrobatic/gymnastics skills and juggling all taught by an actual circus performer. This program is for ages 5-12 years. The cost for the four days is $320; $260 for Y members. Daily is $85; $70 for Y members. Vacation days will run from 9am-5pm with early drop off and late stay options available. Keep an eye out for our Circus Fit afterschool enrichment classes beginning in January 2013 culminating with an opportunity to perform on opening night of the circus at the Izod Center and tickets to that show. For information, contact Joe Smith at (718) 548-8200, ext. 261 or jsmith@riverdaley.org. You can register online at www. RiverdaleY.org. The Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

Photo Exhibition on the Upper West Side

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

GUEST EDITORIAL

Bloomberg’s education reforms have failed By MARK EPSTEIN The mayor’s overhaul of the New York school system came at no small cost. The annual budget has doubled and now exceeds $22 billion dollars a year. Hundreds of new schools were created in order to “increase” student options, while shuttering over a hundred-fifty “failed” schools with more promised closings on the way. So what went wrong? Thanks to the Bloomberg administration, neighborhood high schools have largely disappeared, replaced by small schools that offer a smorgasbord of catchy educational themes to attract customers -the kids. The city permits and encourages students to apply citywide rather than confining admissions to neighborhood residents. But the latest reports indicate that only 29 percent of its graduates are college ready! As the saying goes, “times change, people change,” and so do cities. The New York of 2012 is vastly different from the New York of fifty years ago. There might still be 8 million stories in the Naked City, but they are different from the one Jules Dassin told in 1948. Today New York is more diverse than ever with a large percentage of its population made up of newcomers not seen since the last great wave of immigration a century ago. They are an integral part of the urban landscape. The school population hasn’t had a white majority for decades, now comprising only 14 percent of the enrollment. This reality presents a series of intractable problems for anyone wedded to the old reforms. For starters, how do you pursue a policy premised on redressing the unequal treatment of minorities when you are a city of minorities? The trouble with those, however well-intentioned, who peddle victimology, is that victims must always have somebody to blame for their plight. The trouble with a society that enshrines victimhood as public policy is that it must always look for a supposed victimizer rather than for a real solution to the problem Thus, a public school system becomes easily overwhelmed by demands it can’t possibly hope to meet. And that’s what’s happened to the New York City schools. Open Admissions was countered with a demand for gifted programs when it appeared that gifted students were being harmed by watered down state Regents exams and diploma standards that set making all students college-bound as its goal. When the discipline code was weakened because of charges that a disparate number of minorities were suspended, it made it all but impossible to remove disruptive students from the classroom or expel them from school. The antidote was a dramatic increase in the number of schools that admit students on the basis of admissions tests and selective screening. This ensures that the “good kids” would be learning in safe havens. The unintended consequence was “academic apartheid.” To counter charges that the best kids were being segregated, an open enrollment policy with a potpourri of attractively named schools was adopted along with a school closing policy that indicted teachers and administrators for the schools’ failure. With so many new schools with monikers like collegiate, preparatory, and academy, it would seem that the factory-like high schools of old have been transformed into publicly run versions of Horace Mann and the Dalton School. These “reforms” may satisfy the elites who dreamed them up, but a cornucopia of schools with tony names that fail to fulfill the lofty promise of their names ensures that students will enjoy “school choice” in name only. Every victim has to have a perpetrator, and finally proponents of privatization of our public schools and politicians discovered that teachers make a nice big target -- like ducks in a barrel. Having thrown standards to the wind, why not evaluate the teacher based on their failed policies? New York is the largest city in America, but it is also experiencing the greatest outflow of its population than any other city in the country. I would suggest that the reason so many vote with their feet, including newcomers, is the tribal politics of victimhood that suffuses its public policy and governance. The assault on public education is just the latest iteration, but perhaps the most destructive. The sooner these students are presented with some real choices that permits them to graduate from high school with a marketable vocation in hand, the sooner our education system will become grounded in reality. What “choice” and “charters” amount to in this city is little more than abdication of governance. Mark Epstein is a veteran New York City teacher.

Stringer gets Bronx support for Comptroller bid By MIAWLING LAM Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has vowed to help advance The Bronx’s economic agenda if he is installed as comptroller during the 2013 citywide elections. Stringer, who last month abandoned his plans to become mayor and announced his candidacy for comptroller, committed to including The Bronx in the city’s wider long-term financial plan. The popular Democrat delivered his comments after enjoying breakfast with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. at the Riverdale Diner on December 12. If elected, Stringer said, he would be fiercely independent and would work with the mayor and all borough presidents to drive change and progress—and that The Bronx would benefit from these efforts. “Part of what the comptroller can do is have a discussion about the economy, diversify the businesses in The Bronx, make sure that the infrastructure gets built and that The Bronx is part of a long-term financial plan for the city,” he said. “I am going to take the resources of the comptroller’s office, and we’re going to sit in the borough president’s office and speak to how we can help with the economy of this borough.” Stringer is the frontrunner in the Democratic field to become the city’s next chief fiscal officer. He is also currently the only candidate in next year’s race for comp-

troller after Manhattan Councilman Daniel Garodnick and Brooklyn Councilman Domenic Recchia both dropped out when Stringer switched from a mayoral run. Stringer said he was compelled to seek the influential position because it affords unprecedented power to launch audits and investigations and to scrutinize the 18,000 outside contracts awarded by the city. “This office has never been more important,” he said, adding that he was up to the task. “I want to be the best comptroller that this city has ever had. I want to elevate this office and I want to do better than the comptrollers before me, because that’s the goal.” Diaz praised Stringer for his strong leadership on issues such as affordable housing, immigration reform and economic development and said he was thrilled to endorse his Manhattan counterpart.

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

“There are so many different projects coming ahead, and having a comptroller look at how they’re treating The Bronx and when they’re not treating us well, it doesn’t hurt to have someone that is fair-minded and has a heart like Scott Stringer,” he said. “Whenever someone is there for us, like Scott Stringer, it’s time for us to be there for him. I will do everything he needs and asks me to do to make sure that he is the next comptroller.” Diaz and Stringer have charted similar paths in public ofﬁce. Before representing their respective boroughs, they were colleagues in the New York state Assembly. They have also worked together in their current roles on a number of issues, including reforming community educational councils to increase parental engagement in public education and protecting residents from fraudulent schemes related to Section 8 housing vouchers. Stringer said he was honored to collect Diaz’s support. “This endorsement is so important because Borough President Diaz is a game-changer in so many of these elections,” he said. “He represents not just The Bronx, but he is recognized as the next generation of leadership in the city. And when the next generation of leadership embraces you, it sends a signal that you are a candidate who can reach beyond your traditional base.” In the lead-up to the elections, Stringer said he was looking forward to campaigning in The Bronx and getting his message to voters throughout the borough. “We are going to be present in The Bronx,” he said. “I want to make sure that I am present, and wage a campaign full of respect for this wonderful borough.”

Issues raised at ‘Town Hall’ meeting

bus route cuts. Julia Schwartz-Leeper, director of Riverdale Senior Services, spoke on the importance of these types of meetings, especially in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. “Now, more than ever, we need to realize how important our public servants are and how much they can do for us,” she said. The next town hall meeting is scheduled for December 20 at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center. Two other meetings have already been held this week—at the Mosholu Monteﬁore Community Center and at the Riverdale Y.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 20, 2012

By TESS McRAE Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz held the first of four town hall meetings at the Riverdale Senior Center in a bid to answer the questions of local senior citizens. “In order to do my job, I really have to know what people are thinking,” Dinowitz said to a packed room of seniors last Monday. In addition to the assemblyman, Andrew Cohen and Cliff Stanton—both candidates vying for the soon-to-be-vacant District 11 City Council seat—were in attendance. Cohen, Community Board 8’s aging committee chair, was invited as a guest speaker. “I am really hoping to get some feedback on key issues,” he said. Many seniors complained about Access-A-Ride and the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE). SCRIE allows individuals over the age of 62 who make less than $29,000 a year and who use a third of their annual income to pay rent to have their rent frozen. “If you see an increase in your rent, you come to my office and you can have your rent frozen,” Dinowitz said. “This is an opportunity for seniors to stay in their homes without worrying about rent increases.” Issues with Access-A-Ride are not new to Dinowitz, who has been working to fix transportation problems for some time. “Access-A-Ride is a great thing, but it also has its shortcomings,” Dinowitz said. “They don’t always get there when they should, but if an individual is more than five minutes late, you can get a demerit and with several demerits, you can be suspended from the program.” Dinowitz also addressed concerns over patchy local bus service, an issue mentioned by several people in the crowd. The assemblyman assured them he would work as hard as he could to prevent further

Friends of CB8 Continued from Page 1

their own “friends of” groups, including CB6 and CB8 in Brooklyn and CB1 in Manhattan, to combat bare-bones funding. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said the real issue was whether a community board’s budget should be increased, noting that the city hasn’t upped a board’s budgets in nearly two decades. “These budgets are hurting a community’s ability to get involved on neighborhood issues, so the real future is to raise the budget,” he said at an unrelated press conference in Riverdale last week. Stringer believed a professional urban planner should be assigned to each of the city’s 52 community boards and said he would lobby for that change at the next round of City Charter revision discussions. “The reason people want ‘friends of’ is because they’re watching these community boards have no resources,” he said. “So why don’t we just give them the resources? If we do that, then this will S:9.75” be very successful.”

Gas Safety for All Seasons Natural gas is clean, efficient and convenient. We cook with it. Keep warm with it. Even dry our clothes with it. Every day, Con Edison delivers natural gas safely and reliably to thousands of homes and businesses through a network of underground pipelines. Here are some tips to help everyone stay safe.

HOW TO DETECT GAS LEAKS Gas leaks can create fires and explosions. It’s important that you and your family know how to recognize a gas leak and what to do if you suspect a leak.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DETECT A GAS LEAK �� If the odor is strong, leave immediately and take others with you. �� If the odor is faint, open windows before leaving. � If you are outside, leave the area immediately.

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flashlights), use a telephone or start a car. Doing so can produce sparks that might cause the gas to explode. Find a phone away from the area and call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Do not assume someone else will report the condition. National Grid customers should call 1-718-643-4050. Tell us if there is a problem with your electric service. Follow directions from emergency responders who are on site.

CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG There are more than 4,300 miles of underground gas pipelines in our service area. The slightest scratch, scrape, dent or gouge can result in a dangerous leak. To protect these pipelines, you must call the local one-call center at 811 two to 10 days before you dig or excavate on public or private property. After you call, utility companies will mark the approximate location of their lines at no charge to you.

LEARN MORE For gas safety tips, visit www.conEd.com/gassafety.

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Signs of a gas leak Any one of these is a sign of a gas leak: � Smell – A distinctive, strong odor similar to rotten eggs. � See – A white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, blowing dust or vegetation that appears to be dead or dying for no reason. � Hear – Roaring, hissing or whistling.

�� Do not light a match or smoke, turn appliances or lights on or off (including

Thursday, December 20, 2012 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW 20