COUNCILMAN SALAMANCA TOURS METROPOLITAN COLLEGE BY GEORGE
HAVRANEK
For nearly a
Councilman Rafael Salamanca met with Metropolitan College of New York’s newly appointed president
Joanne Passaroto and enjoyed a tour of the campus.
(Above) Salamanca (l) enjoyed meeting with Joanne Passaroto (2nd from r) and administrators.
Photo courtesy of Councilman Rafael Salamanca’s Offi ce
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M BTR ARCH 8-14, 2019 75
century organized
civic activity
has been
an integral part
of the Spencer Estate community.
The Spencer Estate
Civic Association is a conduit
to the infl uential politicians
and public servants that are
essential to the betterment of
our community. Times have
changed; the days of the quick
phone calls to address community
concerns are passé. In
our current environment it is
vital that area residents (homeowners
and tenants) voice
community related concerns
and opinions at their local
civic association meetings. A
large bodied civic association
is required to garner results
driven attention from our political
leaders. The voices and
actions of our unifi ed community
will be the evidence used
by those in authority to judge
our fortitude. The recent occurrences
in nearby communities
have shown that it is
better to be proactive than
forced to be reactive.
The wheels of progress
cannot be stopped; however,
a strong civic association
can infl uence their speed and
path. Some dependable and
familiar political contacts of
the past are gone. However,
this brings forth an opportunity
to usher in an era of
‘New Beginnings’. The solidifi
cations of current relationships
and the cultivations of
new relationships are key
components of our New Beginnings
agenda. Invitations
sent to several elected
offi cials and public servants
have been warmly received.
As previously announced;
Councilman Mark Gjonaj, Assemblyman
Mike Benedetto,
Community Board 10 district
manager Matt Cruz and
long time board member ‘the
knowledgeable’ Pat Caruso,
representatives from the 45th
Precinct, and staff members
of Senator Alessandra Biaggi
are all slated to address our
association. We look forward
to the continuance of honest
and meaningful communication
with all our political
leaders and public servants.
The bridge built between our
community and these infl uential
people have always
led to the maintenance of the
characteristic,
charm, and fi ne
quality of life
in our neighborhood.
Our
association has
put out the welcome
mat for all of our political
leaders and anxiously
waits to hear their community
related messages.
Community Footnotes
Update on the four-way
stop sign issue: Councilman
Mark Gjonaj informed
our association that this issue
is very much alive and
additional information will
be shared at our Wednesday,
March 20 meeting. We thank
Councilman Gjonaj and staff
for their continued support.
Pat Caruso and our friends
at Community Board 10 remind
us that all responses
to the 2020 census are safe,
secure, fully confi dential
and protected by federal law.
Please participate in the upcoming
2020 census.
In addition, CB 10 announced
that the Lower
Eastside Ecological Center
is sponsoring an E-Recycle
event on Saturday, March
23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at
I.S. 192 (Randall Avenue and
Throgs Neck Expressway).
This event is well organized
and a great opportunity to
properly dispose of unwanted
electronics.
The 45th Precincts’
Throggs Neck ‘Build the
Block”’will take place on
Wednesday, March 13, 7 p.m.
at St. Frances de Chantel.
Please make an effort to support
our Throggs Neck neighbors.
Beware
Another e-mail phishing
scam has resurfaced. First
seen in 2015, this recent attempt
to defraud involves
the release of an unclaimed
trunk of currency from the
Republic of Benin. The nefarious
messenger alleges to
be an assistant inspection director
at JFK. Do not open or
respond to this e-mail. These
schemes use an elaborate,
evasive communication network
and are virtually untraceable.
Please do not become
a victim.
On A Happy Note
Congratulations to long
time friend, talented woman,
and publisher of the Bronx
Times Reporter, Laura Guerriero.
Laura will be presented
with the prestigious
Dominic Capone FIAME Service
award on Friday, April
12 at the Villa Barone Manor.
A well deserved honor for a
very honorable person.
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, 7:30 p.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 to discuss
education-based issues 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.’
BY DOROTHEA
POGGI
We are having
a trailer
truck parking
problem on
Brush Avenue.
Three trailers
have taken up residency every
night and day alongside
the Pepsi site. They seem to
park until needed, avoiding
paying for a storage yard
to secure their trucks. The
company on the doors is
C&M Logistics LLC. Fort
Lee, NJ. Hopefully Community
Board 10 can follow
through on this, or we will
have to.
Please pay attention to
the gigantic 2-story transportation
hub coming to
the old Whitestone Theater
site at 2505 Bruckner Boulevard.
We are concerned
about the way they handled
the Westchester Creek waterfront,
access, egress to
our neighborhood streets,
illegal truck parking, noise
and pollution etc. If what
has been allowed to go on
along the Westchester Creek
shoreline is an example of
how they can handle it, it
would be a shame.
The Bronx Park Speak
Up was again very successful.
Each year Bronx Coalition
of Parks and Green
Spaces holds monthly meetings
to plan the event. The
speakers, food, seminars,
tabling, raffl e and more are
enjoyed by over 250 people.
Tuesday, March 12 at 6
p.m. there is a public meeting
of NYC Parks Department
at the Icehouse (clubroom
behind
the restaurant)
in Hammond
Cove
to present
the design
for the redev
e l o pment
of the shoreline of Hammond
Cove. Interesting solutions
will be discussed
for the enhancement of fi sh
and wildlife habitat restoration
that will also help
with some of the resiliency
issues. (a big thank you to
the Ice House)
Wednesday, March 13 at 5
p.m. there will be a Friends
of Ferry Point Park ‘Pie in
the Sky’ wish list Power-
Point presented to Iris Rodriguez,
Commissioner of
Bronx Parks, that was requested
last year.
Also on Tuesday, March
13 at 6 p.m. there will be a
board meeting of BCEQ at
722 Brush Avenue.
Working together, BCEQ
(water committee) and
Friends of Ferry Point Park
are slowly designing an educational
brochure for all
to understand the importance
of a shoreline that is
functioning to fi lter toxins
while creating a habitat for
wildlife. This particular
section of the shoreline of
Westchester Creek is along
the Hutch River Parkway
South from Lehman High
School further past the
Dunkin (opposite Schildwachter
Fuel Oil).
Spring is on the way; remember
to volunteer to help
your senior neighbors with
their hedges and gardens.
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