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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A BTR PRIL 5-11, 2019 13
A long road
to success
Dear editor,
On March 1, 2019, thousands
of NYC middle school
students from around New
York received their high
school acceptance letter.
Many in my school waited
frantically,while the guidance
counselor one by one called
each student into the offi ce
to tell them the decision. I’ve
been working at Grand Concourse
Charter School for
the past three years as the
art, drama and social studies
teacher and I too was waiting
to hear the results.
Destiny Sanchez was one of
my 6th grade Social Studies/
Art students, who struggled in
Math and ELA but was a excellent
artist.
Her mother asked me, if
she would have a chance of
getting into Laguardia Performing
Arts High School despite
her low grades. I thought
about my own journey and the
struggles I had gone through
and said ”Yes”, she can make
it and we will work hard for
the next three years.
However, the road has been
rough, with many disappointments,
but this was Destiny
Sanchez senior year and this
March will determine her future.
Can she make it?
The guidance counselor
told me privately, he thinks
it’s a long shot. Her grades
might not be good enough. But
I knew she has the talent and
we are going for it!
Well on March 1 as I
awaited the results, I suddenly
heard shouts of joy. Yes, Destiny
Sanchez got accepted to
Laguardia Performing Arts
School for Fine Arts. We did it!
We did it!
A student name Destiny
Sanchez, from a small charter
school with no track record
of middle school specialized
high school acceptances is
now a beacon of light for those
who dream.
Michelle Gabriel
Grand Concourse
Academy Charter
President can
be indicted
Dear editor,
Here’s a reality check to the
GOP, especially Trump supporters
who claim “You cannot
indict a sitting president
as per Department of Justice
policy”: That’s all it is--a policy,
not a law.
There is a difference, as
there is no offi cial law prohibiting
such indictments,
regardless of how much you
might wish otherwise. So it
would be wise to stop elevating
him to be immune as no
one is above the law.
Michael Wilbekin
An unsightly
spectacle
Dear editor,
Driving past this area I just
had to write this in the hope
that some one whose job it is,
sees this and can take care of
it. It concerns the property
across from the Pelham Gardens
Motel, adjacent to I-95.
It’s strewn with garbage. Paper
and plastic is everywhere.
It’s an eyesore and has been
for a while and its just getting
worse. Clean it up.
Guido Susi
Cruel policy
is misdirected
Dear editor,
NYC Park’s proposed rule
banning feeding squirrels and
birds on Park’s property is
framed as being for the wildlife’s
well-being and not disturbing
the healthy balance
between wildlife and the habitats.
First, the parks are not
the wild but an urban environment
and by design do not supply
sustainable food sources
nor a reliable source for clean
water for the wildlife. Expecting
them to forage for food in
the parks as they would in the
wild makes no sense.
If NYC Parks doesn’t want
people to feed the birds and
squirrels, they must provide
the wildlife in the park with
natural habitat including
natural food sources and water.
Meanwhile, educating the
public on the proper food to
feed should be the priority, not
criminalizing people for taking
on the altruistic responsibility
of feeding the squirrels
and birds as the Parks Department
refuses to accept responsibility
for them. Starving animals
is not the solution.
Roxanne Delgado
THE LATEST BRONX SPORTS SCORES
TOP BRONX NEWS STORIES
CLASSIFIEDS FOR THE BRONX
‘As Stated’ offers an array
of interesting news breaking
commentary every week. This
edition contains comments
on the recently approved NYS
budget, as well as a tribute to
our borough’s senior Congressional
member and a statement
on the continued fi ght for
a school wellness policy. Feel
free to share your thoughts
about their views offered in
this week’s installment.
Assemblyman Victor M.
Pichardo commernts on the
criminal justice reforms as a
vital step toward fairness for
Bronx communities.....“The
state budget makes major
headway in strengthening the
legal rights of Bronx residents
and emphasizing justice,
“From providing assistance
to navigate the courts,
to ensuring individuals aren’t
repeatedly punished for a
crime they’ve already served
their sentence for or may be innocent
of, these reforms prove
to our communities that New
York’s legal system is working
for them, not against them.”
A statement from State
Senator Gustavo Rivera on
the 2019-2020 New York State
Budget.....“In our fi rst, on-time
budget as the Senate Majority
Conference, my colleagues
and I worked diligently to deliver
a progressive, forwardthinking,
and fi scally responsible
budget for all New
Yorkers. This was not an easy
process and the Senate faced
steep fi scal challenges and
unrelenting opposition from
the executive at every turn. In
spite of these obstacles, the fi -
nal result is a step in the right
direction, but our work is certainly
not done.”
Claire Raffel, director of
the WELL Campaign, issued
the following statement about
school wellness policy not being
included in the New York
State 2020 Budget.....“We are
disappointed that funds to implement
school wellness policy
were not included in the
2020 budget, but our work is
far from over and we will continue
to fi ght for New York’s
students.
“We will be pursuing legislative
action to create a New
York State model wellness policy
and to provide school districts
with the resources they
need to successfully implement
it.”
The following statement is
by John Calvelli, WCS executive
vice president for Public Affairs,
praising the plastic bag
ban....“The Wildlife Conservation
Society applauds Governor
ASSEMBLYMAN
VICTOR M. PICHARDO
Cuomo and the New York
State Senate and Assembly for
their leadership in banning
single-use plastic bags in this
year’s budget. We see plastic
bags as litter every day – hanging
from trees along highways,
blowing down the street, and
in our waterways where they
do incredible harm to whales,
sea turtles, sea birds and other
wildlife.
“Plastic pollution is ubiquitous.
With this ban, New
York’s waters will be cleaner
and safer for marine wildlife.
We look to other states and
countries to follow New York’s
lead.”
Assemblyman Victor
M. Pichardo’s comments
on the fi re at 1925 University
Heights.....“My thoughts and
prayers are with the tenants
of NYCHA Morris Heights
who were affected by the twoalarm
fi re.
“I want to thank the FDNY
for their bravery as they set
out to extinguish the fi re and
evacuate the building. I also
want to thank the offi cers of
the 46th Precinct and the Red
Cross for helping ensure the
safety of the tenants. Together,
these groups were able to prevent
the fi re from becoming
more destructive, and made
sure that there were zero fatalities.”
Asssemblyman Victor M.
Pichardo comments Jose E.
Serrano for his years of public
service.....“Thank you Representative
Jose E. Serrano for
your many years of service.
The work you have done has
been unsurpassed and an example
for all legislators and
elected offi cials of color. I look
forward to working with you
in your fi nal term as congressmember.
Letters to the editor are welcome from all readers.
They should be addressed care of this newspaper to
Laura Guerriero, Publisher, the Bronx Times Reporter,
3604 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or
e-mail to bronxtimes@cnglocal.com. All letters, including
those submitted via e-mail, MUST be signed
and with a verifi able address and telephone number
included. Note that the address and telephone number
will NOT be published and the name will be published
or withheld upon request. No unsigned letters
can be accepted for publication. The editor reserves
the right to edit all submissions.
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