BY GEORGE HAVRANEK GJONAJ SHARES SOME VALENTINE’S LOVE
There are situations when
Councilman Mark Gjonaj shared some Valentine’s Day love with
Throggs Neck Senior Center elders on Thursday, February 14.
(Above) Councilman Gjonaj presented a resident with several
roses to choose from. Photo courtesy of Councilman Mark Gjonaj’s Offi ce
Poetry reading and book signing March 1st
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, FEBRUARY 2 BTR 2-28, 2019 69
boredom is simply a sign of
lengthy peace and calm. It
is refreshing when civic association
meetings need creative
stimulations. The 50-50
chances, wine raffl es, neighborhood
banter and the traditional
post business coffee and
cake are spices that add fl avor
to neighborhood civic meetings.
There are many civic organizations
that wished their
agendas were laden with items
of triviality. In recent months,
I have attended numerous
meetings and interacted with
other civic leaders. Through
our exchanges of information
and discussions the consensus
reached is we are a fortunate
community. Their experiences
with steady streams
of nuisance behaviors and violent
crimes that lead to mindsets
of mass exodus have not
reached our doorsteps. However,
there can be calm before
a storm. We must remain a
vigilant and unifi ed community
to ensure our long-term
wellbeing.
Location, Location, Location
The Spencer Estate Community
has unique ‘Perimeters
of Protection’. The neighborhood
boundaries of I-95,
Pelham Bay Park, Long Island
Sound and our friendly neighbors
in Country Club are insularly
components. Our lowdensity
zoning regulations
shield us from the direct affects
of vertical overdevelopments.
Our limited commercial
corridor lessens the probability
of businesses that could
change the charm and characteristic
of the neighborhood.
However, the overdevelopments
that have negatively affected
our friends in nearby
communities have an ancillary
effect on our residents.
Services utilized by our
residents in these nearby communities
including schools,
bulk shopping, banking and
dining is being strained by
additional overdevelopments.
The steady stream of population
increase without properly
addressing essential community
needs has also brought an
increase of nuisance issues to
these nearby neighborhoods.
Panhandling, vagrancy,
petty crimes most notably vehicle
vandalism and other issues
that infringe on our quality
of life have become more
visible. The brazen maladaptive
behaviors in our neighborhoods
and surrounding
communities must be stopped.
Despite environmental differences,
primarily related to
different zoning regulations,
residents of all communities
want a better quality of life.
We need to stand together in
times of need and adhere to
the mantra that it is better to
be proactive than forced to be
reactive.
Community Footnotes
Commentary and video on
social media showed opportunistic
‘after dark’ car vandals
struck the Spencer Estate
commercial corridor on
the weekend of February 10.
According to reports, the vigilance
of a longtime community
member led to the apprehension
of three individuals
by police of the 45th Precinct.
This exemplifi es the effi cacy
of a ‘see something say something’
attitude.
All area senior citizens and
disabled individuals, incapable
of performing mandated
snow removal duties, should
register for Councilman Mark
Gjonaj’s ‘Snow Removal Program’.
To enroll in this fi ne
community services call the
councilman’s offi ce at (718)
931-1721. A ‘we are family’ attitude
is a trait commonly found
within our tightknit community.
In the spirit of neighborhood
tradition, remember to
check on family members,
neighbors, and friends during
periods of extreme weather.
Pat Caruso and our friends
at Community Board 10 inform
us that on Wednesday,
March 13 at 7 p.m., the 45th
Precinct Sector A (Throggs
Neck) ‘Build A Block’ meeting
will take place at St. Frances
de Chantal (community
room), 2900 Harding Avenue.
In the wake of recent events
this is an opportunity to support
our neighbors and hear
the problems that confront the
Throggs Neck community.
During the cold and dark of
winter it appears that pet owners
are less compliant with
mandated cleanup laws. It is
true that an overwhelming
majority of pet owners comply
with the law. However, it
only takes a few to tarnish the
neighborhood and the reputations
of all pet owners. Please,
be respectful neighbors and
clean up after your pets. It
may appear a bit early but
we are preparing our spring
agenda.
Firstly, we ask all area
residents with sidewalk damage
related to overgrown treeroots
or with unsightly abandoned
tree stumps to generate
a complaint number through
the 311 systems. Secondly, photograph
the problem and store
it with the complaint number
for future reference. Thirdly,
bring copies of your documentations
to our Wednesday,
March 20 meeting. The Spencer
Estate Civic Association is
going to compile a list of these
neighborhood hazards and
eyesores for referral to the appropriate
city agencies for action.
To experience a little taste
of springtime visit the NY Botanical
Garden. Their unique
and wondrous orchid display
begins on Saturday, February
23 and runs through April 28.
It is worth the trip.
I thank the many people
that have responded to our ongoing
social media campaign.
All those that reached out
should have received information.
If you have not received
information please contact
me. Thank you to area businesses:
International Caterers,
Barino’s Market, Nonna’s
Deli and Styles by Luigi for
aiding our membership drive.
Local businesses support us,
please reciprocate and support
them.
Our meetings commence
on Wednesday, March 20 at
7:30 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus
(corner of Ampere
and Research avenues). We
are honored to announce that
Councilman Mark Gjonaj has
graciously accepted our invitation
to speak at our initial
2019 event. In addition, we are
ecstatic that on May 15, esteemed
Assemblyman Mike
Benedetto will address the
civic association and discuss
issues surrounding the area
of education and the affect
of the I-95 project on nearby
neighborhoods.
Any area homeowner or
renter interested in membership
to the all inclusive Spencer
Estate Civic Association
in box George Havranek on
Facebook or send-email with
subject matter Spencer Estate
to gghh55@aol.com. If
we want to ‘keep and reap the
blessings’ of our fi ne quality
of life ‘we must undergo the fatigue
of supporting it’
Remember: ‘Inclusion
brings solutions’
Island Gallery and Anoosh
Donahue/Early Ruth of City
Island, 278 City Island Avenue,
will present Bronx native Gerard
Malanga at his fi rst ever
poetry reading in the borough
on Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 5 p.m.; reading
will begin at 7 p.m. A A&Q and
book signing will follow.
Poet, fi lmmaker, photographer,
he is well known for his
work with Andy Warhol in the
1960s during the Factory era.
He was Warhol’s main collaborator
on silkscreen paintings,
Screen Tests, fi lms and was a
cofounder of Interview magazine.
He’s published numerous
volumes of poetry and other
books, including “Uptight: The
Velvet Underground Story”.
Books will be on sale at the
event, and some advance copies
available for purchase locally
by mid-February.
Updates will be posted online,
for more information
or to request a book ahead of
Friday, March 1, contact via
email: anoosh.design.nyc@
gmail.com
Space may be limited; email
anoosh.design.nyc@gmail.
com to RSVP.
FOR ADVERTISING RATES
AND INFORMATION CALL (718) 260-4593
/gmail.com
/anoosh.de
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