Bronx News Network

Bronx Health: Senator Looks to Shed Pounds, Promote Healthy Living

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Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.Story and Photos by Fausto Giovanny PintoDressed in Rocky-esque training attire — hooded sweatshirt, jogging pants and sneakers — State Senator Gustavo Rivera walked into the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center and challenged himself to a weigh-in.Rivera was joined by Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. (sans workout attire) and numerous organizations, to launch the Bronx CAN Health Initiative.CAN, which stands for Change Attitudes Now, looks to promote a healthier lifestyle among Bronxites, who often rank last on health polls. To help promote the initiative, which will encourage Bronxites to set healthy goals, Rivera said his goal was to lose 20 pounds by the end of the summer without using any gimmicky diet or workout program.“There is no magic,” said Rivera. “Eat three-fourths of a plate, less fat, less sugar, less salt, less everything.” Dr. Jane Bedell, assistant commissioner for the Bronx District Public Health Office, prefaced the weigh-in with some grim facts. One-third of Bronx adults are currently obese, she said. Even more startling was the prediction that if trends don’t change, as many as 50 percent of Bronx children will develop diabetes.“We have come together before when our children were in danger and now it’s time to come together again,” said Bedell, comparing how Bronxites passed laws in the past for child hazards such as lead poisoning.

Bronx News Network

Residents Gather in Oval Park to Push for Playground Opening; Parks Dept. Says 'Next Week'

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Local residents gathered in Williamsbridge Oval Park yesterday to demand that two newly renovated sections of the park are completed by June 28, the last day of school.Asked to confirm a completion date for the new playground in the southern part of the Oval, along with the spray showers in front of the park house, the Parks Department said: “We are working with the contractor on the final preparations, including some minor fence work and site cleanup, needed to open the playground area. We expect to open this area next week.” They did not give a specific date.The new basketball court will be open next month. Organized by the Friends of Williamsbridge Oval, parents and kids gathered yesterday to make posters and get their message across. The Friends have asked residents through a steady stream of Facebook postings to call the contractor and the Parks Department to urge them to get the new areas open by Tuesday.

Bronx News Network

Bronx News Roundup, June 23

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Weather: Foggy and 71 degrees at the moment, with scattered thunderstorms predicted.Story of the Day: Kemba Walker Ready for His NBA Close-upSoundview native Kemba Walker, who was launched into basketball stardom after leading his UConn Huskies to a national championship this spring, is expected to be a lottery pick in tonight’s NBA draft,

Bronx News Network

BP Diaz's Testimony From Last Night's Muller Center Hearing

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The public hearing over the future of the Muller Army Center in Wakefield took place last night, at P.S. 21 on 225th Street.BxNN reporter Alex Kratz was there and will post a more detailed account later, but he said the majority of those who attended-a strong showing of Wakefield and Woodlawn residents, and many members of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition-are against the city’s plan to fill the building with a homeless shelter, and support the idea of moving the National Guard from an annex at the Kingsbridge Armory into the Wakefield site to free up school space (you can read some more background in yesterday’s news roundup).Kratz said that Father Richard Gorman of CB 12 got the crowd going with an impassioned speech that took several hilarious digs at Mayor Bloomberg. Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., who sits on a panel overseeing the building’s redevelopment, also testified-you can read his full statement in the document below.(function() { var scribd = document.createElement(“script”); scribd.type = “text/javascript”; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = “http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js”; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();