Bronx News Network

Conference at Lehamn College on Strategies to Stop Violence Against Women in Central America

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Speaker Jorge Velasquez Paiz from Guatemala standing behind a projected picture of his daughter, Claudina Isabel Velasquez, who was murdered at the age of 19. The Center of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Lehman College held “New Pathways to Justice,” a major international conference on strategies to stop the violence taking place against women in Central America, on April 7.The conference featured more than a dozen speakers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, as well as the United States, representing an array of institutions and organzations, from “cold case” detectives and forensic specialists to prosecutors, judges and human rights advocates. One of the speakers, Jorge Velasquez Paiz gave a emotional speech of the death of his daughter Claudina Isabel Velasquez. He made a chilling statement, “Guatemala is the country where murders can be commended.”

Bronx News Network

Senator Gustavo Rivera presents Celia Cruz Winning Choir with Senate Resolution Honoring their Hard Work and Excellence

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Senator Gustavo Rivera holding the Senate Resolution along with Choir Director Lisa Gwasda and the Celia Cruz Choir.State Senator Gustavo Rivera presented the Celia Cruz High School Choir at Lehman College with a Senate Resolution on April 7, for being named the “Best Choir in New York City” as part of the Sing! for Wildlife competition.This is Senator Rivera’s first Resolution that was presented on the floor of the Senate.Expressed in a press release, the Senate recognizes the importance of the performing arts, which act to inspire, enlighten, and unify people from all cultural backgrounds through the power of human expression.

Bronx News Network

Black Out as Schools Chancellor

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Cahtleen Black, Mayor Bloomberg’s highly-controversial choice to be the city’s Schools Chancellor, will step down today, the Times reports. The appointment of Black, a former magazine executive, was widely criticized by school advocates and several Bronx elected officials.Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott will take her place.

Bronx News Network

Bronx News Roundup, Thursday, April 7

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Weather: Cloudy, maybe a little damp, high of 52. To the news! Story of the Day: Jose Rivera Stirring Up TroubleBronx political battle ax and assemblyman, Jose Rivera, didn’t let Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s austere budget pass quietly. Last weekend, during the Puerto Rican/Hispanic caucus’s Somos El Futuro conference in Albany, Rivera, the former Bronx Democratic party boss, ripped Cuomo for criticizing his own party during budget negotiations. For the most part, Bronx Dems have been quiet about expressing their problems with the budget, which included deep cuts to education, health care and social services (and did not include strengthened rent laws or an extension of the so-called “Millionaire’s Tax,” which may have staved off some of these cuts).