No Civility in Parking

Wakefield Area News

By Mary V. Lauro

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 27- Alien space ships hovering over the City may well conclude that life on earth is in the form of four wheeled metallic bodies that are sometimes invaded by walking parasites. The parasites so annoy the metallic bodies that they scoot away until they get rid of the parasites at another location. The aliens would not be far wrong. Indeed there seem to be as many cars as are humans.

This may be fact and not fancy especially at night when one is trying to find a parking space. The streets are tightly packed with cars except for the occasional driveway which has been overlooked by civility-deprived individuals. Today's so-called citizens have no respect for rules, laws or regulations. They know that to have one's car towed for parking at a driveway is a rare occurrence. So what if the homeowner in front of whose driveway he is parked has to get to work or has an emergency? He can always take a cab. One wonders whether the blame can be placed on the incivility of the perpetrator or the inefficiency of the police. Even so, ticketing these individuals will not solve the parking situation.

It is during the daylight hours that one confronts the parking problem. We have often noted that many families have a car for each member of the family. When houses were built in the past, and even today, the assumption was and is one or two cars for each family. No single family house in an urban setting has room for a six car garage. So, two cars are placed in the garage and four are parked in the street. That, of course depends on whether the two-car garage has not been converted into storage space or an illegal apartment. (There are blocks and blocks in Wakefield and CB 12 where garages have been converted into illegal apartments enriching their owners.) So now it is all six cars parked in the street.

But that is only the beginning. When dad goes to work, his son moves his own car in such a manner as to take two spaces so that when dad returns, he can move the car to make room for dad. This ploy is used by friends and relatives. Some groups can use six cars to occupy half a block. One observes the same cars in the same spots day after day.

Nor can we omit the innocent but sloppy parkers who leave too much space between their car and another parked car, or who haven't the good sense to park their car as close to the proximate driveway so that another car can park behind them. Essentially, these drivers also are taking two spaces.

We note that many drivers don't give a fig about parking in front of a hydrant. They gamble that the police will not see the hydrant. They also know that a patrol car rarely stops to issue a summons for such an occurrence. But, there is one place these civility-deprived drivers will not park and that is at a cross walk because it can easily be spotted and the fine is $100.

We have already offered two ideas to help the parking situation. One is to permit more angle parking especially at night. This would not make money for the City nor cost drivers at all. Another is to issue one free parking permit to each family, but place a charge for parking permits for a second or third car.

Now we offer another money making idea to our cash strapped city. Mark parking spaces on each block so many feet apart. Cars must park within those spaces or face steep fines. It may not solve the problem, but it would help.

Should Pols get a Pay Raise?

Naomi late to her own party

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 27- The latest news is that there may be a special session right after the election by the NY Assembly to take up the matter of a pay raise from the current base salary of $79,500 to just over $100,000. 

The key word is base, because there are extra monies for chairing committees, travel expense reimbursement, among the other perks of an assembly member. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in trying to justify the raise by saying that members of the assembly have not had a raise in their pay for 14 years. Silver also says that the legislature has taken measures to end corruption and dysfunction in Albany. Mind you this comes as in the past week Queens State Senator Huntley announcing that she is awaiting to be indicted (most likely) for fraud, Brooklyn County Democratic Leader Assemblyman Vito Lopez was stripped of his committee Chairmanship after being found guilty of sexual harassment, and the most recent scandals involving Bronx Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera who is now under investigation by almost everyone. If passed the pay raise would go into effect on January 1st 2013 when there is a new assembly body, otherwise that new assembly body would have to take up the measure which would then go into effect January 1st 2015.

Our Committee of 100 Democrats 8th Annual Free Community Barbecue was a huge success as over 1,000 people attended. Even as we were ending the event there were still over 200 people dancing on East 204th Street. Committee of 100 Democrats Chairman Richardo “Ricky” Martinez who is running for the 78th Assembly seat said that the people loved it, and those voters in the district want him as their new assemblyman in the 78th A.D. A special thank you goes to Senator Jeff Klein an old friend of the committee who stops by every year, and is not influenced by anyone. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to read more and see photos of the event. There was mention in the New York Post that Mr. Martinez's opponent the current assemblyman owns a house with his wife in Elmont Long Island, and residency questions may now arise about the incumbent.

There was a festival on Allerton Avenue (the 5th Annual) Sunday sponsored by Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera. I arrived at 12:30 p.m. to see the festival that started at 12 p.m. and was scheduled to end at 5 p.m. was not even half set up. While I waited I talked to some people, and asked a few questions. I asked one of the police officers how many people were expected, and was told a few hundred. I stopped at some of booths to find out that they were being charged for their space, and was told that their was no real price structure only as much as could be gotten from the vendor. Many store keepers said that business was down, and the local supermarket was empty with people crowded in the shade in front of the store. I went into Assemblywoman Rivera's campaign office (that just happened to be on Allerton Ave.) to find out when the assemblywoman would arrive, and first was told later, and then about a half hour, which I took as the usual quick photo opportunity whenever, so I left at 2 p.m.

Last week, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., held a press conference with New York Ranger great Mark Messier, Olympic Gold Medalist skater Sarah Hughes, and some of the local elected officials to announce his backing of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory. Diaz said that the Bronx has the “Greatest baseball team, a top flight golf and tennis center under construction, and with this proposal perhaps the greatest ice sports center in the nation.”

Messier and Hughes spoke of the wonderful opportunities that children and adults would have. Of the local elected official, Councilman G. Oliver Koppell said, “Fifteen years ago I had a vision for a sports center here at the armory,” while it seemed to me and others that Assemblyman Jose Rivera was trying to take the credit for fixing the roof and inside of the armory. Go to my blog to read more and see photos of the event, and a sketch of armory in this proposal.

The New York City Council Redistricting Committee held its last preliminary hearing at Lehman College last week, and by the poor turnout and lack of speakers it seems like no one cares. Only nine of the scheduled 10 speakers had any thing to say, and three more people from Queens and Brooklyn spoke after the chairman practically begged the audience if there was anyone else who wanted to speak, even taking a recess for 20 minutes still with no more speakers.

The important thing here is that according to the figures given out Brooklyn lost almost 40,000 people, Queens 150,000 people, Manhattan and Staten Island gained about 1,500 people each, and the Bronx gained 75,000 people. The size of a council district is about 160,000 people, with district 8 part Bronx and part Manhattan the Bronx council delegation is looking to have another full council district.

Lastly, speaking of council districts, there will be a special election on election day for the vacant council seat that Larry Seabrook was elected to. Seabrook was removed from office after being convicted of 9 out of 12 counts corruption in office. Community activist (and friend) Andy King who came in a strong second to Seabrook last year now is favored to win this special election. Since this seat is in Co-op City, we are going to let the Co-op City news cover this special election, but we will give updates in this column.

Don't forget to check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for more details, photos, updates, and items that may not have made it into this column. If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

Yanks are Sitting Pretty

Beat Boston to Continue Command of First

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 20- More than 330,000 fans came to Yankee Stadium during the most recent seven game homestand of the Yankees. Many fans took advantage of summer vacations to spend some time at the great ballpark in the Bronx.

The first four games were contests between the Texas Rangers, leaders of the American League West, and the Yanks, leaders of the American League East. Fans could have been witnessing a preview of the ALCS. The battle between the two American League powerhouses was centered upon which of the two clubs would finish the 2012 season with the best record in the league, thus capturing home field advantage in the American League Championship Series.

The two clubs entered the series with identical won/loss marks, 67-47. The Yanks clinched the four-game series by winning the first three contests while holding the Rangers to a total of four runs. Yankees starters David Phelps, Hiroki Kuroda and Freddy Garcia each won one contest.

The Texas offense came to life in the final game on Thursday by scoring 10 runs on 16 hits. The 10-6 victory allowed the Rangers to leave the Bronx without having been swept.

Although the Yanks gave up 10 runs on Thursday, manager Joe Girardi reflected on the team’s fine work, “We pitched pretty well. We swung the bats pretty well. We played pretty good baseball. We’re in the race for the best record.”

After the Rangers limped out of town on Thursday night, the Boston Red Sox began their second three-day visit within a month. The three sell-out crowds were treated to some interesting baseball between the arch-rivals in the American League East.

The Yanks, more than any other club in the majors, have lived and died by the home run. On Friday, their season high of five homers provided them with a 6-4 victory over the Red Sox. On Saturday, the only run scored by New York was by a solo home run by Curtis Granderson. The single run was not sufficient as Boston won by a score of 4-1.

The multi-homer hitter for the Yankees on Sunday night was not the usual suspect. Icharo Suzuki homered in consecutive at bats to the delight of the full house. He followed the two four baggers with an infield single. Much less surprising was that Derek Jeter hit safely in his first three at bats. The three hits raised his career total to 3,251, one below Napoleon Lajoie, who is in 12^th place. The four Yankee runs were scored by the two future Hall of Famers, Jeter and Suzuki. Each crossed the plate twice during the game.

Hiroki Kuroda held Boston scoreless for 6.1 innings before surrendering a solo home run to Adrian Gonzalez. That homer was the only run given up By Kuroda in his eight innings on the mound. The 4-1 win was the ninth in his last 11 decisions.

The Yanks are still leading the race in the A.L. East, but the final outcome has not been decided. Tampa, in second place, has won 11 of its last 13 and Baltimore, in the third place, has won 11 of 15. The Yanks will face the Rays in six additional games and will play Baltimore on seven more occasions. The Yankees have kept pace with their challengers, winning 9 of their last 12 contests. The home games were not only a financial success, but were beneficial to the pennant race for New York as the Yanks won five of the seven games played.

The ability of the Yankees to win on the road as effectively as they do at Yankee Stadium will also be a factor in the race for the American East title as 16 of the club’s next 22 games will be played on the road.

The answer to where the Yankees will place as the regular season concludes may be a little clearer to discern on August 27 when the Yanks return to the Bronx after a six game road trip.

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Stormin’ Yanks Bash Sox

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 18- All but one run for each club was scored via a home run on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The five homers clouted by the Bronx Bombers allowed them to edge the Boston Red Sox, 6-4.

The five long balls of the Yankees raised their total this season to a Major League high of 186. The Yanks, on a good run, have homered in 33 of their last 37 games. They are currently on pace to equal if not surpass their single season mark of 244, achieved in 2009.

Nick Swisher hit the first Yankee homer of the contest with one out in the first. He connected for another solo homer from the other side of the plate with one out in the seventh. This was the 12^th game in Swisher’s career that he accomplished this feat. He is only behind teammate Mark Teixeira, who has homered from both sides of the plate in 13 games.

The very hot Swisher has scored and driven in at least one run in each of his last six games. The streak is the longest by a Yankee since August 30-September 4, 2008 when Alex Rodriguez did the same.

Manager Joe Girardi said of Swisher, “He’s been extremely impressive. He’s done a great job there [batting in the second spot].”

Curtis Granderson (31) and Russell Martin (13) hit back-to-back homers in the second inning.

Derek Jeter led off the fifth with his 250^th homer, surpassing Graig Nettles on the Yankees. The homer was his 10^th of the 2012 season, which gave the Yankees a Major League leading total of 10 players (Robinson Cano, Eric Chavez, Curtis Granderson, Raúl Ibañez, Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Russell Martin, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, and Mark Teixeira) with homers in double digits. The hit also increased Jeter’s consecutive game hitting streak to 13.

Girardi praised the iconic Yankee hero, “He’s [Jeter] an amazing player. How many 38 year olds play 15 games in a row.”

Red Sox starter Franklin Morales gave up four of the home runs in 5.1 innings. In his only other start against the Yanks this year Morales also yielded four homers. Interestingly, in six other starts in 2012, Morales surrendered only one home run.

The Red Sox scored all their four tallies in the third inning. Although none of the four runs were charged to Yankees starter Phil Hughes his throwing error caused them to be scored. Mike Aviles singled to begin the inning. Hughes fielded an easy grounder by Scott Podsednik into center on what appeared to be an easy double play. With one run in and two on base Dustin Pedroia awarded himself three runs batted in with a homer into the left field seats as a present for his 29^th birthday. This was the third game in which Pedroia celebrated his birthday with a home run.

Hughes gave up only two other hits in his seven inning stint. The win ended his two game losing streak.  Girardi was pleased by his performance, “He got ground balls; he didn’t walk people; he got us through seven innings. It was great except for his throw to second.

David Phelps (3-3) and Jon Lester (6-10) will start the second game of the weekend series to be played on Saturday at 4 p.m.

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Yankee Pitching Can’t Slow Ranger Bats

(Photos by Ken Carozza)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 17- The Texas Rangers ended their eight-game losing streak at Yankee Stadium on Thursday afternoon with a 10-6 victory over the Yankees. Despite the Texas win, the Rangers trail the Yanks by 1.5 games for the best record in the American League.

After holding the Rangers to a  lowly batting average of .199 (37 for 186) in their games during the 2012 season, the Rangers exploded for 16 hits and 10 runs on Thursday afternoon. After the conclusion of Wednesday night’s contest, Texas Rangers skipper Ron Washington accurately prognosticated the immediate future for his team’s batters, “What I see is that the past three days the Yankees pitchers have shut us down…We’ll bounce back tomorrow. Maybe we need the challenge of facing [Ivan] Nova tomorrow…Maybe tomorrow we’ll bust out.”

Texas busted out from the top of the lineup to the bottom and from the first inning to the ninth. All but one batter, first baseman Mitch Moreland, hit successfully, and Moreland walked twice. Twenty-two Rangers reached base successfully.

The hits were effective as the Rangers were successful in 6 of 15 chances with runners in scoring position. Adrian Beltre and David Murphy each drove in three runs with three hits. Craig Gentry also had three runs batted in, two on a single and one on a ground out. Elvis Andrus AND Geovany Soto each got two hits and drove in one run.

Both starting pitchers, Ivan Nova and Derek Holland, had very similar statistics; each pitched 5.2 innings and gave up four earned runs; neither was involved in the decision.

The Yanks concentrated their offense in one inning, the sixth. Five batters hit successfully and five runs were scored. In the other eight frames, the Yanks were limited to five hits and one run.

Two future Hall of Fame members, Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki, had multi-hit games. Jeter’s single in the sixth drove Suzuki across the plate and increased Jeter’s hitting streak to 12 games. His single in the next inning raised his career total to 3,247, five from tying Napoleon Lajoie for 12^th place in career hits. Suzuki got singles in each of his three official at bats, raising his batting average as a Yankee to above .300 (24 for 77).

On Friday night the Boston Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three game series. Phil Hughes (11-10) will start for the Yanks and Franklyn Morales (3-3) will start for Boston.

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Rain Can’t Dampen Yankees

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Bombers in sweep mode with latest win over Rangers

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 16- The four-game series in the Bronx this week with the Yankees and Texas Rangers could be a possible prelude to the American League Championship Series in October. So far, after the Yankees rain delayed 3-2 win Wednesday night, the advantage in October could go to New York.

Pitching wins games in the post season, and Yankees starters have certainly quieted a potent Texas lineup. Freddie Garcia, making his 13^th start of the season followed the two-hit shutout of the night before allowing two runs in 6/2-3 innings in winning his third straight start.

Garcia (7-5) allowed four hits and the Yankees bullpen did the rest. Rafael Soriano threw a scoreless ninth and recorded his 29^th save.

“Our guys have done a tremendous job,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “I applaud out pitches.” Ivan Nova, (11-6) will try and get the Yankees a sweep over the Rangers as the series concludes Thursday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

But it seems the Yankees pitching staff this season has found a way to keep Texas off the bases. The Rangers came into the series as the top hitting team in baseball with a .276 average.

“Once again pitching stops everything,” commented Rangers manager Ron Washington.

Yankees pitching has held Rangers batters to a .199 average this season, and until Josh Hamilton hit the first of two home runs in the fourth inning, another one in the sixth, accounting for their only runs, the Yankees staff had held Texas scoreless for 19 consecutive innings in the Bronx.

“They scored a bunch of runs the first night,” added Washington. “Last night they got another good pitching performance from Kuroda. Tonight we were in the ballgame. But you have to give them credit. Their pitching stopped us.  We’re a team that can score runs but we just haven’t been able to score any right now in these three games here.”

Washington said he was hoping to see his team score some runs Thursday afternoon. But the way the Yankees starters have been going in this series, there may be no need to rush CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte off the disabled list and back in the rotation.

Said Garcia, who has not lost to the Rangers since 2004, “When you see one guy pitch, and the other guy pitch you’re thinking you got to go out there and try to do the same.” He is 5-0 with a 1.90 ERA during the streak against Texas.

Texas has scored four runs in the three games and has lost eight straight games in the Bronx. Hamilton reached a career high in home runs with 33, and became the second player to drive in 100 runs this season, next to Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera.

“When you are seeing the ball good you feel like you feel like you can pretty much hit anything,” said Hamilton who had a four-home run game earlier this season at Baltimore and recorded his seventh career multi-home run game.

Hamilton came up in the ninth inning against Soriano with a chance to tie the game and struck out.

A three-run third inning was enough runs for the Yankees. Nick Swisher drove in a run off with a double off Texas starter and loser Scott Feldman (6-7). Swisher has driven in seven runs in the series, including a grand slam home run Monday night and a two-run blast Tuesday.

New York won for the seventh time in the last eight games. 

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com. Watch and listen to Rich tonight on www.inthemixxradio.,com live at 10:30 p.m. as he hosts Keep it in the Ring w/Rich&Jason.

So Who's on The Primary Ballot?

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 13- First, on Saturday August 25^th from 1 – 6 p.m. The Committee of 100 Democrats will be hosting our 8th Annual Free Community Barbecue. This year our Free Community Barbecue will take place on East 204^th Street between the Grand Concourse and Mosholu Parkway. We will be honoring Congressman Eliot Engel for his distinguished record as an elected official, Community Board #7 District Manager Fernando Tirado for his outstanding work in the local community, and our special Guest of Honor will be New York City Comptroller John Liu who is doing an extraordinary job as a watchdog of the city's financial affairs. There will be food, lots of different entertainment, and of course lots of speeches by your elected officials.

We told you last week that the “COURT PHASE” of the election process was going on where as even though the Board of Elections ruled those RENEGADE candidates on the ballot, it was time for KING STANLEY (Bronx Democratic County Lawyer Stanley Schlein) to go into high gear. From the words he uttered at the Board of Elections “Similar Handwriting, Forgery, and Fraud” that the board does not rule on KING STANLEY was going to court to knock off those RENEGADE candidates that dare challenge Loyal Bronx Democratic County backed candidates. Well here is what happened.

In the 79th A.D. candidate Isreal Martinez was thrown off the ballot by KING STANLEY so incumbent Eric Stevenson will not have a Democratic primary opponent, but there will still be a primary for the two District Leaders and Male State Committeeman in the 79th A.D.. King Stanley also was successful in getting various RENEGADE candidates that were running for minor party positions knocked off the ballot. However only the 81st, 83rd, and 85th A.D.'s are free of any primary in September.

77th A.D. incumbent Vanessa Gibson will face Edwin Figueroa and Anthony Curry. 78th A.D. incumbent Jose Rivera will face his current 78th A.D. State Committeeman Richardo Martinez. 80th A.D. incumbent Naomi Rivera will face Mark Gjonaj, Irene Estrada Rukaj, and Adam Bermudez. 82nd A.D. incumbent Michael Benedetto faces Egidlo Sementilli. 84th A.D. incumbent Carmen Arroyo faces Charles Serrano and Maximino Rivera. 86th A.D. incumbent Nelson Castro faces Richard Soto. With no incumbent in the 87th A.D. Luis Sepulveda faces Daniel Figueroa. The one Bronx State Senate race has 33rd S.D. Incumbent J. Gustavo Rivera facing Manuel Tavares, and in the Civil Court 2nd Division Bronx Eddie McShan faces Juana P. Valentin. A party position race that will be closely watched will be in the 77th A.D. to see if party insider Benny Catala can win back his District Leader position that incumbent Mark Escoffey Bey won in a surprise victory in 2010. Check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for the link to the Board of Elections site with the most recent update of all the candidates that are on the September Primary ballot for all five boroughs and all parties for any September primary.

On the Monday August 5th show of Bronxtalk hosted by Gary Axelbank his guest was Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie. County Leader Heastie was asked some very tough questions about what was going on under his leadership as county leader such as the recent challenges to all opponents of the Bronx elected officials this year. There were also a few callers that did not hold back on their comments and questions to Chairman Heastie. We will say that the questions were all answered, Chairman Heastie was very professional in his answers, and he did not get up and leave as a few elected officials have done in the past. By the way the previous Bronx Democratic County Leader Jose Rivera refused to appear on Bronxtalk, and we are told that debates are being set up for the viewers. We wonder if Assemblyman Rivera will show up for his debate, and when we asked his daughter Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera if she would debate we heard what is the next question. Check my blog for the link to see the Bronxtalk Carl Heastie interview.

Lastly, Check my blog to read about and see photos of National Night Out festivities from the 49th, 50th, and 52nd Precinct Council events. Also check the archive section to read about and see photos of the murals that local children in the Morris Park area painted on the wall of the Amtrack underpass on Bronxdale Avenue. This event was brought together by State Senator Jeff Klein, Community Activist (and candidate for the 80th Assembly) Mark Gjonaj, the Chairman and District Manager of Community Board #11, the Morris Park Community Association, and others.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.