Riverdale Review, December 22, 2011

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Volume XVIII • Number 52 • Dec. 22, 2011 - Jan. 11, 2012 •

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City pulls plug on ill-conceived skate rink

By BRENDAN McHUGH There will be no ice-skating in The Bronx this winter.

After months of delays, the Department of Parks and Recreation says the electrical upgrade needed to operate a skating rink will not be completed in time to operate this season.

This puts a black eye on Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, who promised to bring a full-size rink to The Bronx. Bloomberg announced the plan in his 2011 State of the City address at the beginning of this year.

“Parks has explored every possible means of bringing ice-skating to The Bronx this winter. The engineering and capital construction issues involved with bringing the power needed for a skating rink make it necessary to forgo, for this season, what we had hoped would be a fun activity for all,” Bronx Parks Commissioner Hector Aponte.

The electrical hookup, needed for a rink of any size, will require the installation of an underground vault that will not be ready this winter.

The conservancy was secretly discussing the rink’s logistics with Con Edison and Ice Rink Events as far back as summer 2010.

The initial plans for the borough’s only skating rink were delayed time and time again, and when it appeared too late for this year, the parks department attempted to save face by offering the community a temporary, smaller skating rink that would run only this season. However, this irked the community board, because the smaller rink project was not subject to a public hearing.

Last week, Community Board 8 overwhelm-

ingly passed a resolution that stated they “deplore” the parks department’s decision “to circumvent the public review process by installing a ‘mini’ rink in Van Cortlandt Park.”

The “mini” rink would be a permit project, meaning it could have operated for only 29 days and would not require an approval process.

The community board had scheduled and subsequently cancelled five public hearings to discuss the plans for the initial rink—a 15-year, seasonal skating rink that must be approved by the Franchise and Concessions Review Committee.

Community Board 8 was planning to hold a public forum on the rink in January, but it is now unclear whether they will proceed with the hearing. Either way, the board will continue to monitor the full-size rink’s progress and, when the plans go before the city’s FCRC, will offer a recommendation to the committee.

The FCRC has the only vote on the project.

“In that process, we do have a say,” Com-

munity Board 8 parks committee chairman Bob Bender said. “We are notified before any proposal goes to the FCRC.” “We do have an opportunity to give our opinion,” he added.

Aponte says the city will attempt to bring a rink to the area next year.

“We continue to work with the community, Con Edison, and Ice Rink Events to finalize plans to deliver a full-size rink in time for a full season of skating beginning next fall,” he said.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, a stern critic of the way the parks department has handled the public’s requests for more information, said he hopes this new, longer delay will give the city a chance to complete this project hand in hand with the community.

“While I am disappointed that The Bronx will not have a skating rink this winter, this delay presents a golden opportunity to do this the right way,” he said. “I have consistently been supportive of The Bronx having an ice-skating rink, but I have been critical of the closed and undemocratic

process being used to implement it. Since we live in a democracy, a democratic process isn’t asking too much.”

Community board member Charles Moerdler said the delay of the project is a victory for the process, which was of a major concern for the board after the parks department continued to withhold information about the rink.

“That is an unfortunate thing for the community, but a good thing for the public process,” he said.

Shane Coppola, CEO of American Skating Entertainment Centers, was irked that the city was going to allow Ice Rink Events to see how well the project works before making the long-term commitment.

Coppola estimates that the fixed cost to build the rink is between $50,000 and $75,000, not including personnel, electricity, payment to the city and other variable costs. He also didn’t expect to see Ice Rink Events turn a profit in the 29-day rink.

“If you’re not open by Christmas, you’re in trouble,” he said.

As is our custom, the Riverdale Review will be taking a short break for the Christmas/Chanukah/New Years Holidays.

Our office will be open, except for Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2, when we will be closed all day. On Friday, December 23 and Friday, December 30, we will close at 3:00 P.M. Our next issue will be published the week of January 9, dated Thursday, January 12 and distributed on Wednesday, January 11, following our normal schedule.

Wishing all of our readers a happy and healthy holiday season!

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (center) presented the donations from his holiday canned food and turkey drive to Robert Peralta (left) from the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center and Sister Ellen (right) from the St. Francis of Rome Church.

The food, which will go to needy families this holiday season, was donated by the students of PS 7, the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy, PS 81, and PS 24.

Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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College garage fails to fulfill initial mandate

By BRENDAN McHUGH The parking garage Manhattan College built has been somewhat of a disappointment for the community, but that may soon change.

The Lasallian private school is examining options for public access to the garage, Community Board 8’s land use chairman Charles Moerdler said at the December 13 board meeting.

The college is also looking into how to accommodate nearby residents who will have their parking affected during construction of the Raymond W. Kelly Student Commons, which will be built on the parking lot between Waldo Avenue and Gaelic Park.

During construction of the Kelly Commons, 20 parking spots on Waldo Avenue will be lost. At the Community Board 8 land use committee meeting earlier this month, residents were irate over the lost parking.

However, recent communication between Moerdler and Dr. Brennan O’Donnell, president of Manhattan College, shows the school is prepared to accommodate local residents.

“I have every confidence that we will be able to make arrangements that will be mutually beneficial to the college and to the community,” Dr. O’Donnell wrote in an email to Moerdler, who read it at the meeting.

“Clearly, the residents are thrilled,” said Steven Balicer, who lives directly across from the college and the Waldo parking lot. “This will help those people living in the vicinity of the student center.”

Balicer pondered tha some sort of sticker system may be used, though the community board and college have yet to discuss specifics. Moerdler has invited Manhattan College back for a January 3 land use committee meeting to discuss the project further.

Moerdler praised O’Donnell and Manhattan College officials for their newfound dedication to this cause.

The college had previously denied the public any access to the garage, citing covenants made with various government agencies that helped finance the garage through the issuing of bonds.

However, neither the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York nor the federal earmarks from Congress prevented the school from offering public use.

In fact, the $5 million from Congress that came through the SAFETEA-LU program in 2005 mandated that public parking be offered.

Over at least the past year, Manhattan College has allowed Riverdale Chrysler Jeep to store cars in the garage, angering residents who had previously asked for public parking and been told it was unmanageable.

The new five-story building, once completed, will be a community amenity. The first two floors are available for community access and will include a Starbucks, minimart, lounge, food service, campus bookstore and meeting rooms for student and community use.

Residents who remember initial plans for the parking garage, however, will still notice two things missing.

Tennis courts were to be built on the top of the garage, but after the Kelly Commons became the priority, those plans

were scrapped in favor of fundraising for the new building.

In the fall of 2008, Manhattan College’s former president, Br. Thomas Scanlan, told the school’s newspaper, The Quadrangle, that tennis courts were going to be built within a year. A Manhattan College representative said they have no plans to build courts.

The second major piece missing from the original plans is a Pathmark grocery store. The college planned to lease the bottom floor to the supermarket, but when the economy tanked, Pathmark backed out of the deal. The ground floor has been empty since the garage was complete.

By BRENDAN McHUGH The parks’ concession operations in the Bronx have more than $58,000 lying on the table in uncollected revenue, a recent audit found.

City Comptroller John C. Liu audited the Department of Parks and Recreation’s controls over recreational, dining, and retail concessions and found that better management could have yielded $8.8 million more in badly needed revenue for the city.

In Riverdale, uncollected revenue from the Major Deegan gas stations, mobile food carts in Van Cortlandt Park and even a tennis professional in Seton Park are among the amenities in local parks that are not being forced to pay what they owe the city.

“Parks are not just about concessions, but concession contracts should be better managed so that revenue flows to the city without unnecessary interruption,” Liu said.

The audit concluded that other concessions could also have been better managed—to the tune of $6.6 million. These include the Central Park tennis courts, the ice skating rink at Flushing Meadow Corona Park, and the snack bar at Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park.

The worst incidences in Riverdale of concession revenues slipping by include the horse stables in Van Cortlandt and the two gas stations along the highway, both of which owe about $20,000. The stables allegedly owe more than $100,000, of which they will repay with improvements to the stables.

Most other payments range between $1,000 and $5,000. The tennis professional owes $757, the audit said.

The audit was conducted from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2010.

Specifically, the parks department should

have started key contract solicitations earlier and ensured more competition, auditors said. Parks also failed to maintain key documentation supporting contract decisions and preventing conflicts of interest.

This announcement comes days before the parks department said they have forgone attempts to bring an ice-skating rink to Van Cortlant Park, an operation they would have done through the concession process.

Only one company bid on the skating rink project, leaving no competition.

The audit makes several recommendations that answer some of the issues of this summer’s troubles with the Van Cortlandt Park rink: “Track the solicitation and award process to ensure that it progresses in a timely matter; retain written explanations of rejected proposals that detail why an award is not in the city’s best interest; and examine why it receives a small number of responses to solicitations and initiate corrective action.”

The parks department, as custodian of over 29,000 acres of city parkland, is responsible for soliciting and awarding concessions for various attractions. Typically, the concession operators pay a fee or a percentage of their total receipts—money that is used to support programs and services.

The parks department has disagreed with many of the audit’s findings, maintaining that delays in implementing license agreements resulted from discussions made in the best interests of the city. It added that it cannot pursue concession revenue above all other considerations, such as legal obligations and long-term capital investments.

The audit stated that the parks department could have nonetheless avoided many delays with better planning and without compromising other aims.

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3 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

Parks’ concession $$$ disappears

Around the schools...

Preregistration for kindergarten will be held from Monday, January 9, through Friday, March 2, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. each day. Those who arrive later than 10:30 a.m. will be asked to come on another day. Processing can be done on any day throughout this period—acceptance is not on a first come, first served basis. Parents must bring the child to be preregistered, the child’s original birth certificate or passport, the child’s immunization records, the child’s Individual Education Program (IEP) and/or 540 Accommodation Plan (if applicable and available), their own photo ID, and proof of residence such as a current utility bill or mortgage statement. For more information, contact the school at 718-796-8965.

This Thursday is Crazy Slipper Day (rather than Crazy Hat Day). Students who don’t already own crazy slippers are free to create them for the occasion.

Horace Mann School

More than 30 HM students, faculty members and parents attended this year’s Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Philadelphia. At the conference, hosted annually by the National Association of Independent Schools, a multiracial, multicultural group of student leaders from around the country in grades 9 through 12 examine social justice issues, develop cross-cultural communication skills, practice expression through the arts and learn networking strategies. According to Patricia Zuroski and Markell Parker, the school’s director and associate director of diversity, the students “sang most of the way home, exhausted but energized with post-conference adrenalin.” The HM students designed and led the closing activity using index cards to get participants to “tweet” a message to someone else. The prompt was “Share something about diversity that you love in your school community.”

College of Mount Saint Vincent

Adjunct professor Sabine Heinlein has won the 2011 Richard J. Margolis Award for “Among Murderers,” a work of literary nonfiction about three men navigating their new freedom after several decades in prison. The work is based on the author’s experience with convicted murderers at a halfway house in West Harlem. Heinlein says it “provides an intimate sketch of a rarely seen demographic and reveals a pressing public policy issue: more than 700,000 people are released from prisons each year, and these numbers are growing steadily.” The award, named for journalist Richard J. Margolis, is given annually to a promising nonfiction writer whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. The 2011 prize is accompanied by a $5,000 honorarium and a one-month residency at Blue Mountain Center in New York. Heinlein, who teaches writing at the college, is completing a collection of essays that explore the lives of “underdogs” in New York City. “While I strive to accurately portray ‘how the other half lives,’ I also believe that making myself an active part of the story adds to its meaning,” she says.

Heinlein earned a master’s in journalism

from New York University in 2007. She was awarded a Yaddo residency and fellowship, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and a residency at The MacDowell Colony. One of her essays recently won the 2010 American Literary Review Nonfiction Award.

Manhattan College

College president Dr. Brennan O’Donnell has been included on the Irish Education 100, a listing of the nation’s most influential education leaders of Irish heritage. He was honored at an awards ceremony last week at the home of Irish Consul General Noel Kilkenny. O’Donnell became the college’s 19th president in 2009 after five years of service as the dean of Fordham University’s College at Rose Hill. Earlier, he spent 17 years at Loyola University as a professor of English and director of the university-wide honors program. He is now on the board of trustees at both La Salle University and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities and has served as a board member for the Lilly Fellows Program and for Collegium, a consortium of Catholic universities working to strengthen faculty commitment to the mission of Catholic higher education.

Local Scholars

New York’s Pace University has announced the names of students who have declared majors this fall. The following are juniors at the New York City campus: Alyse Gagnon will major in environmental studies; Massiel Marte will major in applied psychology and human relations; and Lisbet Ulloa will major in environmental studies. The following are juniors from the Pleasantville campus: Christina Kendzor will major in public accounting; Gentrit Dedushi will major in information systems; and Erica Shubrick will major in finance. Pace University is recognized for profession-oriented programs in business, law, arts and sciences, information technology, education, and nursing, with a core curriculum based in the liberal arts.

This September, the New York City and Westchester campuses had their highest enrollment of new undergraduates in the past ten years. Business Week ranked Pace among the top 50 colleges and universities in the U.S. in 2008 for graduates with the highest earning potential. Pace enrolls nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Professions, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

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The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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Schervier Center sponsors trip to Atlantic City

On Tuesday, December 27, 2011 Schervier Home will sponsor a Day trip to SHOWBOAT CASINO at Atlantic City.

Cost is $28.00 per seat, with casino cash back of $30.00. The bus picks up from Schervier Apartments at 2995 Independence Avenue, Riverdale @ 8:55am and Knolls Crescent @ 9:00am. Returns at 8:30pm with drop offs at 230thst. & Kingsbridge Ave.; 232ndst. & Henry Hudson Parkway; Knolls Crescent and Schervier Apartments. For reservations please call NELLIE KENNY @ 718-543-0237.

Boro Prez Diaz to host Chanukah celebration in the Bronx

On Thursday, December 22, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., together with New York Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman, will host the borough’s annual Chanukah celebration.

The event will take place at 12 noon in the Bronx County Building, 851 Grand Concourse, in Veterans Memorial Hall.

Traditional Chanukah foods, such as latkes and jelly donuts, will be served. The event will also feature a musical performance from world-renowned recording artist Dafka Israel-Potok.

‘As borough president, I invite all Bronxites to participate in our annual Chanukah celebration. I am thrilled to have Suzyn Waldman, the voice of our

very own Bronx Bombers, join me on this festive occasion,’ said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The celebration of Chanukah reminds us that we can triumph over oppression of all kinds, no matter what the odds.

It is a triumph of a little light over total darkness. I am thrilled to be partnering with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. to help celebrate Chanukah and light the Menorah in ‘my second home’...The Bronx!’ said Suzyn Waldman, who will serve as MC at the event.

Waldman has spent the greater part of her twenty five year career overcoming all the obstacles that go along with being a female sports broadcaster, and has risen to the top of her profession. She is the only woman doing radio color commentary for a MLB team. Suzyn Waldman is the first woman to broadcast a World Series and is prominently featured in the Women and Baseball room in Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

In l987, Waldman became the first female voice heard on WFAN, the first All-Sports Radio station in the country, and was a mainstay on that station for almost 15 years, creating the job of the radio beat reporter, covering both the New York Yankees and New York Knicks.

Her news-breaking reports, exclusive interviews and always original and controversial opinions won her countless journalism awards.

Among her accolades include: the

International Radio Award for her live and emotional reporting from the upper deck of Candlestick Park during the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, the l996 NY Sportscaster of the Year, by The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters the American Women in Radio and TV’s Star Award for Radio in l999. An award winning journalist, Suzyn Waldman is currently the Yankees’ color commentator on WCBS-AM radio.

The event is sponsored jointly by the Bronx Jewish Community Council, Health Plus, the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation and the Bronx Tourism Council.

Manhattan College names new board chair

Kenneth A. Rathgeber, executive vice president and chief compliance officer for the Investment Adviser and Fidelity Mutual Funds for Fidelity Investments, has been named chairman of the board of trustees of Manhattan College. The new appointment will take effect July 1, 2012, and Rathgeber will succeed Thomas D. O’Malley, who has served as chairman since 2005.

‘Ken Rathgeber has a remarkable record of commitment and service to the College, and has long been an active and valued member of the board. He will be a wonderful chairman and a worthy successor to Tom O’Malley, under whose expert leadership the board has prospered,’ said Brennan O’Donnell, Ph.D., president of Manhattan College.

Rathgeber graduated from Manhattan College in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and throughout his career, has remained dedicated to his alma mater. Since his appointment to the College’s board of trustees in 2005, he has been a member of the development committee, was elected to the board’s executive committee in June 2007, and is currently serving as vice chair of the board. In addition, he served as a chair of the College’s Annual Fund, has been a member of the De La Salle Medal Dinner committee for several years, and is presently co-chair of the Raymond W. Kelly ‘63 Student Commons capital campaign project.

‘Ken Rathgeber is an excellent choice to lead the board at this exciting time in Manhattan College’s history,’ said Thomas

D. O’Malley, chairman of PBF Energy LLC. ‘He is a respected professional, a seasoned and talented leader, and a strong and dedicated supporter of the College. I am leaving the board in very good hands, and I look forward to assisting Ken and my colleagues in carrying forward the great work of the College.’

Beginning his career with Fidelity in 1995 as chief financial officer and treasurer of Fidelity Mutual Funds, Rathgeber later became acting president of Fidelity Brokerage Services. He was named president of Fidelity Brokerage Group in 1997, and was promoted in 1998 to executive vice president and chief operating officer for Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Company, Inc. He was the head of risk oversight from 2002-2008 and has maintained the position of chief compliance officer for Fidelity Funds since 2004.

Before working for Fidelity, Rathgeber spent 17 years with Goldman Sachs as chief operations officer for Asia, responsible for the operations, technology and finance functions. He was also a finance manager for Dillon Read & Company, a senior examiner for the New York Stock Exchange, and an auditor for Price Waterhouse & Company.

‘It is a great honor for me to serve as chairman of the board of Manhattan College. I have worked closely with Tom O’Malley, who has been a great chairman and mentor for the last six years,’ said Rathgeber. ‘Along with my fellow trustees, I am dedicated to seeing Manhattan College be a premier Catholic institution of higher education, and preparing our students to succeed in the challenges that they will face.”

After graduating from Manhattan College, Rathgeber went on to receive an MBA from Long Island University in 1976. He is also a Certified Public Accountant in the state of New York.

Congregation Shaarei Shalom to celebrate Chanukah

Chanukah commemorates the victory of the Maccabeans against the Helenic rule. It is the winning of the few over the mighty Greek empire-right over might. It is observed for eight days beginning on Tuesday evening, December 20th.

Congregation Shaarei Shalom, located at 5919 Riverdale Avenue will celebrate Chanukah at the Friday evening Shabbat Service on December 23, 2011 at 7:30PM. The service will be led by Rabbi Steven Burton and Cantor Daniel Pincus.

The holiday’s most famous food-latkes will be served. So join us on Friday, December 23rd as we light the menorah, to sing with us, pray and try a spin of the dreidl! The service is open to the entire Riverdale Community.

Congregation Shaarei Shalom is a Reform Jewish synagogue. It offers a contemporary and participatory worship experience and prides itself on its inclusiveness of all members of the Riverdale community, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, race, age or creed. It is dedicated to embracing the diversity within the Reform Jewish movement.

For further information about the congregation, services, membership, its Religious School, or any of the many adult program offerings, please contact the congregation at: (718) 798-0305, e-mail the Congregation at: shaareishalomriverdale@gmail.com or visit its website at: www.shaareishalomriverdale.org.

7 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011 Trim

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Con Edison: 9.75” x 6.375” B&W Ad

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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 our customers through a network of underground transmission and distribution pipelines that serve thousands of homes and businesses.

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.

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.

©2011 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Group

• Hear – Roaring, hissing or whistling.

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.

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

• • • • •

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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Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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Thursday, December 22 Riverdale

CHORAL CONCERT 7:15 p.m. Atria Senior Living 3718 Henry Hudson Parkway The Hebrew Institute Choir composed of 50 singers under the direction of Dr Johnathan Dzik is in its 10th season and will perform a Chanukah Concert. RSVP by December 18 to Jane Kennedy 718 432 2448 or e mail jane.kennedy@atrias eniorliving.com

Friday, December 23 Riverdale

CHANUKAH CELEBRATION 7:30 p.m. Congregation Shaarei Shalom 5919 Riverdale Avenue The Shabbat service celebrating Chanukah will be led

by Rabbi Steven Burton and Cantor Daniel Pincus. For more information, call 718-798-0305.

Saturday, December 24 Van Cortlandt

BIRDING 8 a.m. Van Cortlandt Nature Center Broadway and West 246th Street Join the Urban Park Rangers as they search for winter song birds, waterfowl, and birds of prey. For more information please visit www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers or call 311 and ask for the Urban Park Rangers.

Wednesday, December 28 Kingsbridge

OPEN COMPUTER LAB 9:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Are you having trouble with your email? Don’t know how to cut and paste? Curious about Facebook? Bring your technology questions and get one on one assistance! Space is limited, registration is required. Please sign up by phone or in person.

For more information, call 718-548-5656.

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, December 29 Spuyten Duyvil

TODDLER STORY TIME 10:30 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street 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 718-796-1202.

Friday, December 30 Kingsbridge

STORYTELLING 1 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Join Elder George as he examines life through storytelling.

He will tell stories of life experiences of individuals and groups and the principals that enabled survival in various environments.

Featured will be the story, “Decorating our Christmas Tree.”

For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Wednesday, January 4 Van Cortlandt

TALES WITH NZINGA 3:30 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Interested in playing the role of Camel? Of taking a journey across the desert? Nzinga will take you there! Experience master storyteller Willie Teacher’s tales, woven with interactive elements, call and response, and opportunities for participants to take on active roles in the stories. Based on folklore from Anansi the Spider, these tales teach the importance of stories and inspire reading and writing. Presented by Urban Stages for children ages 4 to 10 years old. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Thursday, January 5 Spuyten Duyvil

TODDLER STORY TIME

10:30 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street 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 718-796-1202.

Kingsbridge

BABY LAPSIT 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stories, Songs, Fingerplays puppets for babies birth to 36 months. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

SPIN, POP, BOOM SHOW 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Are you ready for some fun science? This special event is all about awesome experiments! You will witness amazing feats of chemistry as we explore all sorts of spectacular reactions.

You will marvel at our demonstrations as we release genies from bottles and spew massive columns of foam with the use of our catalysts. So, get ready to be amazed! Presented by Mad Science of Westchester and Manhattan. Recommended for children ages 4 and older. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Saturday, January 7 Kingsbridge

FLEA MARKET 9 a.m. Old St. John’s School 3030 Godwin Terrace Merchandise includes dishes, jewelry, picture frames, paintings, toys for the kids, shirts, handbags, and bric-a-brac.

There is plenty of parking, and a great lunch, too. For more information, call 718-543-3003.

Monday, January 9 Spuyten Duyvil

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, or even to begin a new craft. All skill levels are welcomed. Pre-registration not required. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

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 your work on your own creations. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Van Cortlandt

STYROFOAM PAINTING 4 p.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Paint with shapes. All materials will be provided. For ages 12 to 18 years old. For more information, call 718-543-5150.

Spuyten Duyvil

READING ALOUD 4 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street A librarian will share favorite picture books, providing children with the wonder of books and the joy of reading. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Tuesday, January 10 Van Cortlandt

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME 10:30 a.m. Van Cortlandt Branch Library 3874 Sedgwick Avenue Preschoolers from 3 to 5 years old and their parents/caregivers can enjoy new and classic picture books, action songs, meet other preschoolers in the neighborhood and stay after the story time for Arts & Crafts. For more information, call 718-5435-5150.

Riverdale

BABY STORY TIME 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Babies from birth to 18 months old and their parents/caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

By BRENDAN McHUGH The U.S. Postal Service is delaying the closing or consolidating of any post offices until at least May 15, 2012.

This comes as good news to local leaders, who have fought for the past few months against the closure of 17 Bronx post offices.

“I am encouraged to see the Postal Service has chosen to listen to the rising chorus of voices from across the country urging it to stop trying to plug their financial gaps by cutting an essential service to the American people,” Rep. Eliot Engel said.

Engel has recently criticized the USPS for singling out post offices for closure and for considering slashing hundreds of thousands of jobs while failing to identify root causes for their massive debt.

“Seniors and working families in New York and around the nation would be most affected by the loss of the local post office. Instead, the Post Office should find ways to save money which do not cause hardships for the many residents who are not able to easily travel to distant locations.”

Engel has seven offices in his district that the USPS was considering closing, including two in The Bronx.

The USPS already closed the Bronx General Post Office’s mail processing center, moving all the operations to Manhattan.

“I will continue to fight the plan to consider these locations for closing,” Engel said. “The Post Office must understand that it cannot fix its financial woes by making access to post offices more difficult and inconvenient. This is a business plan designed for failure.”

In the East Bronx, Rep. Joseph Crowley was happy to hear that the two Co-op City post offices will remain open.

“With the holidays just days away, this decision is welcome news for families in Queens and The Bronx. While this decision does not mean our postal facilities are in the clear, it does allow for more time to seek alternatives to help USPS meet its financial obligations,” Crowley said.

Crowley and Engel are co-sponsors of H.R. 1351, legislation that will free the Postal Service from pre-paying its pension obligations in an effort to alleviate the financial burden facing the Postal Service.

Chuck Zlatkin, the legislative and political director for NY Metro, the postal workers union, says new legislation is needed if the post offices wish to remain open past the postponement.

“From my perspective, unless legislation is going to be passed in the interim that will change what the post office is viewing what they have to do, it may just be postponing the inevitable,” he said.

“We have to remain vigilant,” he stated. “This gives people more time to prepare a repeal. No one wants their post office closed, and it’s because they depend on it.”

Zlatkin noted that while the delay sounds like great news, the post office is still going ahead and examining post offices for closure.

After the announcement was made last week, the USPS still went ahead with the hearing to discuss the Hunts

Point Post Office. Also, because there is a 60-day period between the hearing and the decision, the delay only pushes the decision about Hunts Point back two months, from February to May. The USPS released a statement about the delay, saying, “The Postal Service hopes this period will help facilitate the enactment of comprehensive postal legislation. Given the Postal Service’s financial situation and the loss of mail volume, the Postal Service must continue to take all steps necessary to reduce costs and increase revenue.

“The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.”

9 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

‘Doomed’ post offices get year’s reprieve

Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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11 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

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Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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members; $5pp for nonmembers. For more information, call 914-762-2912 x110.

FAMILY HOLIDAY PROGRAM 10 a.m. St. Paul’s Church 897 S. Columbus Avenue Historic games, activities, music and demonstrations, designed for children on vacation from school, as well as parents, adults, and others. For more information, call David Osborn at 914-667-4116.

Saturday, January 14

Mt. Vernon

Friday, December 30 Rye

PARTY NIGHT 8:45 p.m. Playland Ice Casino Playland Parkway Live DJ, party lights, on-ice contests, giveaways and more.

For more information, call 914-813-7059.

Saturday, December 31 Yonkers

WINTER STROLL 11 a.m. Lenoir Preserve Dudley Street Bundle up and join us on a winter stroll through the preserve admiring all its beauty. Come in from the cold after and warm up to a cup of hot chocolate. For more information, call 914-968-5851.

Dobbs Ferry

GENEALOGY 10 a.m. Aldersgate Methodist Church 600 Broadway The Westchester County Genealogical Society welcomes Nora Galvin with a talk on the “Special Schedules of the U.S. Census.” WCGS welcomes all interested in searching their family roots. There will be refreshments and genealogical networking starting at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call Philomena Dunn at 914-953-9173.

Ossining

VULTURE VENTURE 11 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Perhaps one of the most misunderstood of all birds, vultures often get a bad rap. View Teatown’s vultures and find out more about their role as part of nature’s clean-up crew. Free for members; $5pp for nonmembers. 914-762-2912 x110.

Mt. Vernon

SATURDAY NIGHT GROOVES 8:45 p.m. Playland Ice Casino Playland Parkway Skate to the sounds of the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and today. For more information, call 914-813-7059.

SHAKESPEARE’S “HAMLET” 1:30 p.m. St. Paul’s Church 897 S. Columbus Avenue The acclaimed Red Monkey Theatre Group performs “Hamlet,” William Shakespeare’s classic drama about the tragic Prince of Denmark. Visitors can also view the site’s feature exhibition, “A Clash of Cultures: Anne Hutchinson’s Brief Life near St. Paul’s Church.” St. Paul’s is open that day from noon to 4 PM. For more information, call 914-667-4116 or visit www.nps.gov/sapa

Wednesday, January 4

Sunday, January 15

BOOK DISCUSSION 1 p.m. Riverfront Library One Larkin Center Join Librarian Jody Maier in a discussion of The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. For more information, contact Jody Maier, at 914-337-1500, ext. 492.

INDOOR FARMERS MARKET 10 a.m. Westchester County Center 198 Central Park Avenue Fresh produce, baked goods, cheese, maple syrup, honey, meat and more. For more information, call 914-995-4050.

Thursday, January 5 EPILEPSY SUPPORT GROUP 6:30 p.m. White Plains Hospital Medical Library Davis Avenue at East Post Road Free Epilepsy Support group for adults with epilepsy or their loved ones. Open to all. For more information, email pbailey@epilepsygroup.com

TRACKS IN THE SNOW 1 p.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Many animals are out and about searching for food and leaving their tracks in the snow. We’ll follow tracks and other signs to see what animals are doing in the cold winter world.

This program is for families with children ages 5 and over. Free for members; $5pp for nonmembers. For more information, call 914-762-2912 x110.

Friday, January 6

Saturday, January 21

Rye

Yonkers

White Plains

Ossining

FIRESIDE STORIES 3:30 p.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Throughout the month of January, drop by Teatown for Friday afternoon story-time in the Carriage House. We’ll gather around a nice, warm fireplace to read a winter–themed story, visit with one of Teatown’s Animal Ambassadors, and go for a short walk outside. For children 4 – 7 years old accompanied by an adult. Fee: $5/child/program; adults free. For more information, call 914-762-2912 x110.

White Plains

Ossining

Ossining

OWL MOON FAMILY 7 p.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road A cold winter’s eve is the best time to go owling. After reading the classic Owl Moon, we’ll wander outdoors to call for owls. Dress for winter conditions. Please note this program is not appropriate for children under 7. Free for members; $5pp for nonmembers. For more information, call 914-762-2912 x110.

Saturday, January 7

Saturday, January 28

Ossining

Ossining

SNUG BENEATH THE SHOW 11 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Is your blanket made of snow? Learn the survival strategies of animals and plants that use snow as an insulator. We’ll take a short hike in the frosty weather to look for animals’ winter homes. Free for members; $5pp for nonmembers. For more information, call 914-762-2912 x110.

AMAZING ANIMAL EYES 1 p.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Animal eyes come in all shapes and sizes from the built-in binoculars of hawks to the multi-faceted eyes of insects. Come see how animals look at the world in their own unique way. Free for members; $5pp for nonmembers. For more information, call 914-762-2912 x110.

Sunday, January 8

Sunday, January 29

HIKE IN THE NEW YEAR 1 p.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Kick off the New Year with a hearty hike in the frosty air.

We’ll hike to Vernay Lake, look for ice formations along the Waterfall Trail and circle Teatown Lake searching for winter wildlife. On our return, we’ll toast the New Year with a hot drink. Please note this program is for adults only. Free for

ANIMAL ADVENTURES 1 p.m. Teatown Lake Reservation 1600 Spring Valley Road Meet a few of Teatown’s animal ambassadors as we highlight who is active in the winter months. This program is for families with children ages 4 and up. Free for members; $5 per child for nonmembers. Call 914-762-2912 ext. 110 to make a reservation.

Ossining

Ossining

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

Friday, December 23

Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

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St. John’s Church will host a flea market on Saturday, January 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will be held at the Old St. John’s School located at 3030 Godwin Terrace in the Bronx.

Clothes, jewelry, accessories and brica-brac will be sold at bargain prices.

Free parking will also be available so get there early and snare yourself a great find. For more information, please call 718-543-3003.

Chabad to sponsor Toys for Tots campaign

Join Chabad Lubavitch of Riverdale’s 17th Annual Toys for Tots campaign and support the distribution of toys, games, gifts and most importantly smiles of joy to children with illness. Help instill joy and long lasting hope!

Partner with us in our holy work during this holiday season.

• $180 supplies gifts to a ward of up to 18 children • $96 supplies gifts for 10 children • $54 supplies gifts for 4 children • $36 supplies gifts for 3 children Please make checks payable to Chabad of Riverdale T.H.C. Campaign. All contributions are tax deductible.

You can also donate unwrapped toys through December 26th, Monday - Thurs-

day 9:00 am to 5:00 pm & Fridays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will also need the assistance of volunteers to visit hospitals with us on Chanukah December 21st, 22nd and 26th. For more information contact our Office at 718-549-1100 ext.10.

December 25th is Family Time at the Riverdale Y Here are the day’s events. Everything is free and open to the Riverdale public (except the Chinese lunch requires preregistration and there is a charge).

Gym Time, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Enjoy the Y’s big blow-up bounce castle and other fun equipment for younger and older children. Counselors on hand to organize pickup games.

Shalom Sesame Chanukah: The Missing Menorah, movie, 10:30 - 11:00 am It’s time to celebrate Chanukah in Israel! Grover’s bringing the latkes and all is well until Anneliese gets caught in a game of tag with a chicken and loses her special menorah! Can her Muppet friends find the missing menorah in time to celebrate Chanukah?

Swim Time, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

The Y’s Synergy* Pool will be open all day for family swim. Bring bathing cap and towel. Parent must be IN THE WATER with children under age 5.*Our

pool is now filtered with UV light and salt, rather than by adding chlorine.

Much healthier!

Art Time, 11 am - noon: Beeswax candle making in the Art Studio, led by our Early Childhood Center staff. Note: Space is limited - first-come, first-served.

Chinese Lunch, 12:00 - 1:00 pm: Enjoy an all-you-can-eat kosher Chinese feast, catered by The Ginger Grill. Pre-registration and advance payment is required. We will not be able to accomodate walk-ins. Cost is $15 per adult, $9 per child. To reserve your space, call Marilyn Raider (718) 548-8200, ext. 203 or email MRaider@RiverdaleY.org.

Prepaid reservations will be taken until we run out of room or through December 23, whichever comes first! This was a big hit the last time the Y offered it, so sign up early!

Movie: The Princess and the Frog, 1:303:00 pm: A modern day retelling of the classic story The Frog Prince. The Princess and the Frog finds the lives of arrogant, carefree Prince Naveen and hardworking waitress Tiana crossing paths. Prince Naveen is transformed into a frog by a conniving voodoo magician and Tiana, following suit, upon kissing the amphibian royalty. With the help of a trumpet-playing alligator, a Cajun firefly, and an old blind lady who lives in a boat in a tree, Naveen and Tiana must race to break the spell and fulfill their dreams.

Menorah candlelighting and Latkes, 3:30 pm: In the Y lobby, light the menorah, sing Chanukah songs, and enjoy some hot latkes and apple sauce!

The Riverdale Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue (off 256 St.).

CSAIR offers free Torah class for 5th graders

For the second year, Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale (CSAIR) will offer a class for 5th graders who would like to get a jump on learning the skills involved in preparing for Bar and Bat Mitzvah.

Led by Cantor Elizabeth Stevens, this class will teach Torah cantillation in a fun, stress-free environment. The class will meet on Sunday mornings from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The first session will be on Sunday, January 8.

This program is free and is open to 5th graders from the entire community. Each student in the class will prepare a few verses to chant from the Torah as part of CSAIR’s Shavuot celebration on the evening of May 26, 2012. As Cantor Stevens noted, ‘What better way to celebrating the giving of the Torah.’

CSAIR is located at 475 West 250th Street. For more information or to register, call the CSAIR office at 718-543-8400.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

Flea market at St. John’s Church

Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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The Thin Ice Cracks

The Parks Department has finally come to its senses, and jettisoned the ill-conceived plan for a temporary Skating Rink in Van Cortlandt Park. They could have spared us a lot of the drama by being more open and forthcoming.

That’s because this plan was so flawed from the get-go that it was sure to fail. It simply collapsed under the weight of the assumption that anything that this administration proposes, no matter how stupid, needs no public scrutiny.

When the history books are written, it is this mayor’s contempt for the public will and democratic process, that will demarcate his failure as mayor.

Mayor Bloomberg, we suggest, got bamboozled by the politicallymotivated leadership of the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy. So desperate were they to hand their chair, Anthony Perez Cassino, a local political victory by creating this rink in the heart of his political territory, that they simply forgot to examine the minutiae of the plan. The result is disaster.

This plan was advertised as a skating rink for The Bronx, our borough being the only one in the city without such a facility. But locating it in a remote corner of the borough, insured that it would be inaccessible to a vast majority of our residents.

While there is an elevated subway train with a stop near the proposed rink, and bus lines passing by, an examination of these routes show that this site is far more accessible to Yonkers on the north, and to Manhattan to the south than it is for the vast majority of rink-deprived Bronxites.

And for those who would wish to come by car, as we suspect the vast majority of potential customers would prefer, particularly those with children, there is only street parking available, aggressively policed by the city’s rapacious traffic agents.

When the potential contractors came to the site to participate in the Parks Department event to present the proposal and solicit bids, the noise from the elevated train overhead was so deafening that the meeting had to moved to the other side of the concrete grandstand so that the Parks Department representatives could be heard above the din.

Does this sound like the kind of bucolic atmosphere that lends itself to a relaxing skating experience in the park? If there was any thought given to this enterprise, it would have been clear that the reason that the abandoned tennis courts upon which the rink was to have been built were deserted by tennis aficionados is for the same reason that the site would have been eschewed by skaters. Just too much noise.

We suspect that all of the potential operators saw what we saw. All dropped their proposals save one, the insider who helped conceive the plan in the first place. Ice Rink Events.

But we suspect that the obvious problems did not escape their notice and concern as well. We would be very surprised if they did not go back to the Parks Department and ask for a significant subsidy in order to proceed with what was increasingly apparent to be a flawed plan.

That is apparently why the announcement of the “winner” and the specifics of the winning proposal were stuck on hold for months and months – we assume that Ice Rink Events wants a much sweeter deal, one with guarantees to prevent them from losing their shirt.

When our reporter, Miawling Lam, questioned the mayor about the stalled project at an unrelated press event, Mr. Bloomberg seemed shocked and certainly unaware of these problems. Within days, a second plan for a truly scaled down temporary proposal was hatched, again without any input from the public.

All of these problems stemmed from the fact that this plan was conceived in secret without the benefit of public review, or inspection of our duly constituted representatives, be it the elected officials or members of the community board.

The shelving of the Cassino/Conservancy debacle affords us a unique opportunity to start from scratch without any pre-conceived notions or political agendas. Let us ask what kind of facility is needed, where can it be sited to serve the most of our neighbors, and do this all in the bright sunlight of public participation.

Only by not freezing out the public, can we get an economically viable skating rink worthy of our great borough.

Stimulating the economy?

To The Editor: Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) are the mandatory distributions that people ages 70 1/2 and older are required to withdraw from their retirement plans (IRAs, 401(k)s, etc.) each year.

In a recent Letter to the Editor, Mr. Alvin Gordon stated that, in order to stimulate the economy, Congress should give seniors the option of not having to not take these required distributions. However, the economy is not going to be stimulated if funds that would have entered the economy remain sitting in a brokerage account or a bank.

While it is true that seniors would not have to pay the taxes on the otherwise mandatory withdrawal, it does nothing to stimulate the economy because those taxes would have been paid from the withdrawal itself. It is only if those funds are withdrawn that they have the opportunity to enter the economy.

With regard to stimulating the

economy, it appears that Mr. Gordon is equating the recent payroll tax holiday with the suspending of the Required Minimum Distributions. However, while the first allows funds to be diverted from the IRS to the individual (where, presumably, those funds could enter the economy), the later would just allow funds to

Racism in P.S. 24 administration?

To The Editor: Re: “Racism charge is the latest controversy at troubled P.S. 24” What is the definition of community? What underlies the literal meaning is a sense of connection; of positively contributing to and together enjoying our homes, our schools, our parks, and our religious and cultural institutions.

I respectfully challenge you to consider whether your local education coverage makes you a positive force in our community.

The latest target of your anon-

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

be held in suspension, with no benefit to the economy. Further, Congress suspended the RMD requirements in 2009 because the stock market experienced a huge decline in 2008 — not in order to stimulate the economy, as Mr. Gordon suggests.

Michael Weston, ChFC Ameriprise Financial

CECILIA McNALLY Office Manager MIAWLING LAM Associate Editor

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

ymous half-truths about PS 24 is a man cherished by the student body and respected by parents for his thoughtful problem solving.

That you would seek to tarnish the reputation of Manny Verdi with an outrageous accusation of racism is indefensible.

Our children treasure the innovation introduced by our principal, Dr. Donna Connelly, as well as by Mr. Verdi. Prior to Dr. Connelly’s administration, there were no annual schoolwide units of study; no lunch clubs that offered chess, digital photography, and the like; no Spanish language instruction; no expansive arts enrichment. The school, and its fabulous teachers, was wonderful before. But it is even more so now.

The only “trouble” at PS 24 stems from the divisive maneuvering of the Review. What is your end game? To deprive the PS 24 community of its valued administrators?

Continued on Page 19

Continued from Page 18

That would not serve our children well.

Jennifer Firestone PS 24 parent The Editor replies: As we indicated in a recent editorial, these charges may be anonymous to the public but they are not anonymous to us.

There is a climate of fear among teachers at many of our schools, not just P.S. 24, that precludes teachers from going public with important grievances. It is our policy, and that of most newspapers to protect the anonymity of sources.Our reporter interviewed the staff members in question, and felt they had credibility on this matter. We are not offering an opinion as to the validity of the charges, only that they were made by credible and respected PS 24 staffers. It is up to

What is a co-op?

To The Editor: A co-op is a home to a family and needs to be protected by law A few months ago I wrote an article questioning what is a co-op. I wondered if it was an expensive membership to a club, a fraud or a home. Well, I concluded that a co-op is a home to a family but the family has no protection under the law to protect their home.

Real Estates advertise ‘apartment for sale’ not ‘certificate of shares for sale.’ If shares were advertised, I don’t think anybody looking for a home would buy it. Is it misrepresentation and a violation of real estates law? A co-op board of directors can evict a shareholder without foreclosing his home; a co-op is not a home in court but a piece of paper. I fought for my family home in housing, bankruptcy and supreme courts and I was terrified of how easy it is for a shareholder to lose their homes. Laws do not protect us. Local politicians have being sitting on co-op legislation to protect shareholders for over 10 years. Go to www. coopabuse.com for these legislations.

I met many shareholders, from different part of NYC, different races, different ages and different financial backgrounds.

The most painful was to see old senior citizens, living on fixed income, losing their homes because of the high increase in maintenance and the abusive legal charges by co-op boards. This is a crime bigger than Enron.

Rosa Nazar

Bomb scare at RKA

By BRENDAN McHUGH There was bomb threat Tuesday morning at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy, located at 660 West 237th Street at Independence Avenue.

Around 10:30 a.m. on December 20, RKA was evacuated as police investigated the threat. A neighbor of the school said detectives from the 50th precinct told him that a brown paper bag with “bomb” written on it was found in a third-floor stairwell.

A Department of Education representative said a school safety agent saw the suspicious package. After a bomb squad searched the building and determined the packaged was not a bomb—in fact, it was empty—students were allowed to re-enter.

A school official said everything had returned to normal by 11 a.m.

others to adjudicate the matter. But we do feel that it is the right of the public to know when serious charges such as these are made.

Where would you draw the line? If a staff member was charged with a sexual impropriety involving a student, should that information be withheld? How about cheating on tests? Dozens of cases have surfaced, including at other nearby Bronx schools, of systemic cheating on standardized tests and Regents exams.

Should this information be withheld from the public?

Whatever the final disposition of this matter, we will report it. It is not the role of a free press to pick and choose what facts the public should know, they should have access to all information, the good the bad and the ugly. We believe that the more the public knows, the better our community will be.

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The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 22, 2011

Racism in P.S. 24?

Thursday, December 22, 2011 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

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