33rd Senate District Race Roundup

Real quickly, a few notes on everyone’s favorite Bronx political race: -At a debate (or more like a question-and-answer session, see a slide show of the event above with photos by Adi Talwar) at Fordham Evangelical Lutheran Church, candidate Dan Padernacht, the only Democrat to attend, said his fellow challenger, Gustavo Rivera, was showing himself to be more and more like the incumbent Pedro Espada. (We’ll have some video and audio from this debate next week. Thanks to Padernacht and Green Party candidate John Reynolds for showing up, Transportation Alternatives and Picture the Homeless for organizing it, and Fordham Evangelical Lutheran for hosting.) Here’s Padernacht’s website. -Rivera announced endorsements by the Daily News and Rev. Al Sharpton to add to his already long list of big-name supporters. Here’s Rivera’s website.

Photography Exhibit 'The Mexican Portfolio' Coming to the Bronx Museum

Photo courtesy of The Mexican PortfolioA new exhibit, “The Mexican Portfolio,” opens at the Bronx Museum of the Arts next Thursday. It features a series of photogravures (images created using photographic and etching techniques) of people, architecture and landscape, captured by Paul Strand, an acclaimed photographer and filmmaker, on a visit to Mexico in the 1930s. A larger Strand exhibit, “Paul Strand in Mexico,” opens at Aperture Gallery in Chelsea on the same day.This year is the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s independence from Spain, and the 100th anniversary of the start of its revolution. Both Strand exhibits celebrate these key moments in the country’s history.The Bronx Museum of the Arts is located at 1040 Grand Concourse near 165th Street.

Bronx News Roundup, Sept. 3

Happy Friday, everyone. On to the news!Big feature in the Times today on Pedro Espada Jr.’s fight to retain his seat in the 33rd Senate District despite multiple efforts to knock him out of office. Despite the effort, most of which are being made on behalf of challenger Gustavo Rivera, one analyst said Espada should still be considered the favorite. “You’ve got to believe he’s the favorite, and if you don’t, you’re underestimating a guy who should not be underestimated,” Scott Levenson, of the Advance Group, told the Times.Here’s some audio the Times has on the race, along with the story.