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A sense of concern and outrage
is brewing in Throggs
Neck about a possible conversion
of an offi ce building into
an unwanted use.
Commercial tenants at
2800 Bruckner Boulevard received
letters to vacate the
property, and community
leaders have formed a coalition
to fi ght a possible alcohol
Westchester Square reels over vagrants
ulder during a confrontation
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, MARCH 2 BTR 9-APRIL 4, 2019 13
Continued on Page 67
Continued on Page 67
While Bronxites prepared
to take a ‘bite out of crime’
at the annual August 1 Night
Out Against Crime, one crook
turned that around and took
a bite out of a local merchant
who tried to interrupt his
thievery.
A.M.A.F. Fashion business
owner Abdul Sol felt more
than an impact to his quality
of life on the morning of Sunday,
July 9, when a shoplifter
tried to leave his store with
a bag of clothing and Sol sufered
a severe bite on his left
rearm and a dislocated right
with the man.
At his 25 Westchester
Square store, Sol recalled how
the shoplifter had on previous
customer.
occasions
been a paying “He spent money here,
it’s not like I never saw him
before,” Sol said. “He came
around two or three months
ago and bought a pair of
shoes.”
But the Sunday of the assault,
the suspect asked for a
shopping bag, grabbed stuff,
and tried to leave, according
to Sol.
“I told him, ‘No, you can’t
take my stuff.’”
A fi ght ensued and Sol said
he “went to the ground with
him. I hurt my shoulder. He
took a big bite in my arm. I was
at the hospital until 6 o’clock. I
still have pain in my shoulder.
I still can’t lift my left arm.”
Sol said he had seen the
shoplifter associate with patients
from the Bronx Psychiatric
Center, so he fi gured he
was a client.
As Bronx Psychiatric Center,
on Waters Place, continues
to release its patients on
the street during the day, they
interact with homeless people
and drug rehab program.
Complaints have been
fi led with the city about beds
being moved into the building
or illegally converting it
into a residential building,
with some folks planning to
take legal action against the
landlord because they have
leases, according to multiple
sources.
Homeowners and renters
are also circulating petitions
to protest what appears to be
“a substance-abuse rehabilitation
program recruiting
staff” to work in the building
and lack of community notice
or engagement on what
may be sited at 2800 Bruckner
Boulevard.
“The community is defi -
nitely mobilized,” said Steven
Kaufman, an attorney who
is leading the Throggs Neck
Strong coalition looking into
the matter, adding “I believe
with mobilization, we might
be able to stop what they want
to do.”
Tenants in the building
say they got letters over the
last two weeks telling them
to vacate the building by
September, said Bobby Jaen,
Throggs Neck Merchants Association
president and coalition
member.
So far, at least 20 complaints
have been logged with
the NYC Department of Buildings,
including those concerning
“commercial space that is
being turned into residential
space” and those saying tenants
see “beds, dressers, mirrors
and chairs,” being moved
in.
As of press time, a meeting
of the Throggs Neck Strong
coalition has been planned
for the Crosstown Diner on
Thursday, August 3, with Jaen
expecting around 125 people,
following a lot of community
organizing and petitioning
that led to a forceful showing
at an earlier impromptu meeting
on Friday, July 28.
Anthony Mameli, Charles
Ruttenberg Realty’s Bronx
commercial real estate manager,
said the company was
planning a grand opening for
its new offi ce at the building
Bronx Times Reporter
Name:
Bayside, NY 11361
Abortion is
plain wrong
Dear editor,
Having duly read the letters
you published on February
8-14, February 15-21 and
March 1-7, regarding the Reproduction
Act, I’ve decided
it’s time to express my opinion.
The fi rst letter from Senator
Luis Sepulveda,, supposes
to explain the unexplainable.
There are no myths about
abortion. It is murder, plain
and simple. I wish our elected
offi cials would stop trying to
blow smoke into our eyes in
the hope that we’ll fail to see
the error of their ways.
Our governor says he
wants New York State to be
the most progressive state
in the Union. Explain to me,
governor, how killing off part
of the population is considered
progressive? Note Hitler’s
Germany and the biblical
slaughter of innocents.
One’s religious affi liations
has nothing to do with this
matter, our humanity does.
I am in full agreement
with the writers of February
15- 21 and March 1-7, Mary
Jane Musano, who calls it
‘cruel legislation,” and Bob
Pascarella, who claims New
York has ‘lost its soul.” Indeed
it has.
Marjorie O’Neil
Dear editor,
Did you ever stop to think
where all the homeless people
in New York City come from?
Homelessness in New York
City is at an all time high under
the present
mayor. You
have to wonder
why! It is due
to the policies
of this administration,
fees,
fi nes and taxes
that have all
risen at an uncontrol
lable
rate? There are
many reasons
a person becomes homeless,
sometimes it is the mental patients
who are released to the
streets with no follow up.
In recent times, the cause
for homeless families is the
fault of raising taxes, mostly
property taxes and water taxes.
In other words, it’s the city (the
mayor) causing families to become
homeless. The city has an
out of control budget for entitlements
and free giveaways and
outright waste. The city turns
to the already overburdened
taxpayer for more and more
money.
Property owners in turn
have no other choice but to
raise the rent when the city
raises a tax. The property
owner gets a bad reputation for
greed when it is the city that is
the root cause and creator of
greed.
The city and its uncontrollable
spending is the direct cause
for creating homeless families.
The city’s (the mayor’s) answer
is to create more housing,
which they
call ‘affordable
housing,’ but
no one can afford
it without
being on a program
to subsidize
the rent.
The programs
are
funded by
the ever-raising
property
taxes. This is a never-ending
cycle. Those who can afford the
rent move out of the city. Why
pay $1 to $2 or $3,000 a month
for an apartment in this overcrowded
rat race of a city, when
you could put that money into
something you can own in a
nicer community away from
the city.
If the city can’t fund all their
free giveaway programs without
raising your taxes, then it’s
time to stop and change direction.
Put the effort into creating
jobs and lowering taxes to a
sustainable rate then families
will not be forced to become
homeless.
Lorenzo Lorusso
‘As Stated’ offers an array of news breaking commentary
from our elected political leaders every week. Feel free to share
your thoughts about their views offered in this week’s installment.
Senator Gustavo Rivera on Congressman Jose Serrano not
seeking reelection in 2020.....”I am saddened to hear the news that
Congressmember Jose Serrano will retire from Congress after
fi nalizing his term due to being diagnosed with Parkinson’s
disease. For almost 45 years, 15 years in NYSAssembly and 30
years in Congress, Congressmember Serrano has served the
people of the south Bronx with the diligence, strength, and rectitude
of character that has made signifi cant inroads in making
the south Bronx a better place for its residents.
“I wish him and his family, especially my colleague State
Senator Jose M. Serrano, the necessary strength and determination
to face any challenges that lie ahead of them.
Statement from Councilman Ritchie Torres on Congressman
Jose Serrano’s decision not to seek re-election.....“Representative
José Serrano is an icon who honorably served the Bronx for
years and I thank him for his long service to our community.
There will be a time and place to discuss politics in the near
future but today I want to thank him for being a trailblazer in
Latinx politics”
Councilman Andy King responds to Gov. Cuomo’s decision
to drop marijuana from budget.....“I applaud Gov. Cuomo’s decision
to take a step back and not make a ‘rush’ decision to legalize
recreational marijuana through the budget. As a family
man, community advocate and public servant, the thought of
legalizing marijuana disturbs me.
“Legalizing marijuana doesn’t send a good message to our
youngsters and it doesn’t better our communities.”
Assemblyman Victor M. Pichardo on the appointment of
Rhode Island’s fi rst Dominican woman to Commissioner of Education...
“I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to
Angélica Infante-Green on being the fi rst Dominican woman
appointed to serve as Rhode Island’s Commissioner of Education.
She has been an important addition to New York for years,
holding various leadership positions in NYC’s Department
of Education and the NYS Education Department, where she
showed a commitment to valuing education. It is great to see
women of color, and also a fellow graduate from SUNY Buffalo,
take up leadership positions across the country. I know she will
do great work for the people of Rhode Island.”
The roots of
homelessness
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
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.
$1,500
SAVINGS
If the city can’t fund
all their free giveaway
programs without raising
your taxes, then it’s
time to stop and change
direction.
Lorenzo Lorusso
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