Bronx Elections: Potential Candidates Eye Peter Rivera’s Assembly Seat

Peter Rivera, who has represented the Bronx in the State Assembly for the last two decades, will be leaving his post this summer to join Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration. He will take over as head of the State Labor Department. That leaves his 76th Assembly District (to be renamed the 89th, due to legislative redistricting), up for grabs this fall. Two potential candidates have already expressed their interest in running for the seat, which covers the neighborhoods of Van Nest, West Farms, Parkchester and Castle Hill. Danny Figueroa, Rivera’s longtime chief-of-staff, is throwing his hat in the ring in an

Mark Gjonaj, who owns a real estate business in Morris Park, announced yesterday that he plans to run for the Bronx 80th Assembly District, the seat currently held by Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, which includes Mosholou Parkway, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway, Allerton and Morris Park. “In life, we have choices,” Gjonaj said in a phone interview today. “We either accept things for the way they are, or we get involved and make the changes that we feel are necessary.” The potential candidate announced his plans to run yesterday, at the site of his new campaign headquarters on Barnes Avenue in Morris

Bronx Housing Forum to Address Landlord Violations

This Monday, April 23 at 4 p.m., housing advocates, landlords and tenants are participating in a free panel discussion at Manhattan College to discuss potential reforms of the housing code enforcement system that would enable the city to more easily hold neglectful landlords accountable. The event, entitled,”Safe at Home: Putting Teeth in Housing Code Enforcement and Holding Landlords Accountable,” will take place on the first floor of the Leo Engineering Building, 3825 Corlear Ave., between West 238th and West 240th streets. All are welcome. Jordan Moss, a former Norwood News editor, is one of the organizers of the panel, which

Bronx Townhall Meeting to Address Healthcare Disparities

Bronx Health REACH, Assemblyman Nelson Castro, Senator Gustavo Rivera, and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to discuss inequities in New York’s health care system. “Make Health Equality a Reality,” will include a panel of legislators, doctors, community members, and lawyers. Audience members will be invited to ask questions about health care access. The event is open to all and breakfast and free health screenings will be provided for all attendees. The event will take place at P.S. 33 in the Bronx

Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column. It’s spring and baseball season is underway. While the sport means mostly fun for young players hitting the field, the threat of an injury still looms. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 282,000 people under the age of 18 were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for baseball-related injuries in 2010. Young players, parents, and coaches should be diligent in taking precautions to avoid injuries that could mean bench time, or even

Renowned jazz pianist and Bronxite Valerie Capers will be the first person honored this year with her own street sign on the Bronx Walk of Fame, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and the Bronx Tourism Council announced this week. A number of notable people who hail from the Bronx are inducted into the Walk of Fame each year during Bronx Week, the annual borough celebration that takes place in May. Honorees participate in a celebratory parade along Mosholu Parkway that ends on the Grand Concourse, where street signs bearing their names are unveiled. Past inductees include actor Chazz Palminteri, best

Bronx Links, Thursday

Here are the Bronx stories we’re reading this Thursday. Weather: Looks gorgeous right now, not a cloud in the sky with an expected high in the low 60s, but there’s a chance of showers in the afternoon.

Be Healthy! Wednesdays: More New Yorkers Getting Checked for Colon Cancer

Editor’s Note: Every Wednesday, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column. Over the last decade, New York City’s colonoscopy rate has gone up by 62 percent, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced last week, the highest number since 2003, when the city first started tracking the data. Colonoscopy is a test that examines the interior of the large intestine, which allows doctors to look for abnormal or precancerous growths, making the procedure an important tool in catching colon cancer early. It is commonly recommended for

A local nonprofit that advocates for the rights of homeless residents is facing scrutiny after the New York Post ran a story about the group last month, alleging one of its board members gave a “crash course on squatting,” instructing people on how to break into vacant buildings–an accusation the organization says is completely false. Picture the Homeless (PTH) is a citywide nonprofit headquartered on Morris Avenue in the Bronx, just south of Fordham Road. The group, run largely by homeless or formerly homeless individuals, works to organize the city’s homeless population, advocating on policy and social justice issues that