Welcome to the latest edition of the Bronx News Roundup. These are the stories we’re following this Wednesday.
Ok, now we’re approaching the end of January and WNYC asks: Why hasn’t the city picked one of two viable development options for the Kingsbridge Armory? (The article doesn’t offer any explanation for the delay, so we’ll throw out a few thoughts: The EDC says it’s in the “final stages of negotiations” with the developers, so it’s possible they might be playing hardball here, although, generally speaking, the EDC is quite developer friendly. But what are sticking points? The EDC won’t say. Both developers have said they don’t need or want public financing, but maybe there are stipulations in the lease or sale of the building that is holding things up. Or maybe, the city is waiting for an outcome in the community benefits agreement negotiations, which are happening this week at the Bronx Museum of Arts. Stay tuned.)
Welcome to the Bronx Bully-gate. A Bronx mom is threatening to sue the NYPD for $250 million after police arrested her 7-year-0ld son (for allegedly attacking and stealing $5 from another kid) and kept him handcuffed in a holding room at the 44th Precinct for several hours (how many hours is in dispute), reports the Daily News. The cops say they followed protocol and even gave him pizza, while the mom’s lawyer says police intimidated, verbally-abused and humiliated him during his extended stay. The arrested kid was never charged and his lawyer says a crime never took place. But the kid’s alleged victim told the Daily News that he was robbed and punched in the face by the boy who was arrested, calling him a “bully.” Great, just what the Bronx needed, more awful national press. CNN picked up this story and gossip site PerezHilton.com picked up yesterday’s elementary school gun fiasco.
Wait, there’s more. Two Bronx women were arrested at JFK wearing “diapers” filled with cocaine, CBS News reports. There are pictures too, just in case you wanted to see what cocaine diapers look like.
Thank you, Daily News, for saving us with this nice turnaround story about 20-year-old Edgardo Vargas who took advantage of the Responsible Fatherhood/Opening Doors to the Future Program at Grace Dodge Technical School. A year ago, Vargas was high school drop-out with no job or plans. Now, he’s on track to graduate with quality work experience and plans to study computer engineering in college.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal profiled the Bronx’s Little Italy, which gets “an overwhelming majority” of it shoppers from outside of the area.
Some other older items we’ve neglected:
–The Riverdale Press delves into the fraud charges at the Croton Water Filtration Plant.
–More from the Press on the DOE’s plan to turn DeWitt Clinton High School into an “educational campus.”
–And some politics from the Press: Council District 11 candidate Andrew Cohen was endorsed by Council Speaker and mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn and the Ben Franklin Reform Democratic Club.
That’s it for today. Send links, news tips and love to us at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.
Bronx Bully-gate I luv it. That mother should be ashamed of herself. She should teaching her kid better than to be a bully and steal, or was she to busy to notice this in her child. Oh! my mistake I meant 7yr old infant. LMAO