Bronx

Bronx News Roundup, July 19

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Weather: keep the sunblock handy and the AC cranked on-another hot and sunny one today, with temperatures in the low-90s. The heat will continue through the rest of the week, hitting a peak on Friday.Story of the Day: Former Council Speaker Turns Bronx BuilderToday’s Wall Street Journal takes a closer look at Gifford Miller, a former City Council speaker and one-time mayoral hopeful who, according to the story, “has no interest in ever returning to politics.” His new career path-real estate-has brought him to the Bronx, where his firm is attempting to rezone a swath of land

Bronx

Bronx Assemblyman Stevenson Rallies for Strauss-Kahn Accuser

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Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson is joining a chorus of local leaders coming to the defense of the woman who says she was sexually assaulted by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the French politician and former head of the International Monetary Fund.Stevenson, just coming off his first term in office, held an event last Friday at the Futa Islamic Center in Morrisania, a popular meeting place for the neighborhood’s Guinean community-the West African country from which the woman involved in the incident hails.“Rumors about her past that have nothing to do with the case even if they were true should not prevent the case from being heard,” Stevenson said in a statement. “A dismissal would discourage victims from coming forward for fear that they themselves would be put on trial.”Stevenson called on Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., to move forward in prosecuting Strauss-Kahn and to “let the victim have her day in court.” It’s unclear whether or not there will be a trial in the high-profile case, after “inconsistencies” arose surrounding the woman’s account of her own past, as well as what happened following the alleged attack, the New York Times

Bronx

Bronx News Roundup, Monday, July 18

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Welcome back to the program, ladies and gentlemen. To the Bronx news! Weather: Hot, with a high around 93 and rain possible after 4 p.m. Higher chance of rain and thunderstorms overnight. The rest of the week is expected to be similarly blazing, without as much possibility for rain. Story of the Day: Bronx Students to Help Build School in MaliThis summer, students at the Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics, which has a heavy focus on community service, are exporting their manpower and $74,000 to build a school in the West African country of Mali.

Bronx

Bronx Crime Watch: Still Waiting on Neighborhood Crime Stats

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This may seem redundant, but we believe that redundancy will one day bear fruit, otherwise known as invaluable neighborhood crime statistics that our Bronx communities deserve.Until then, we’re still tallying the days until the NYPD releases neighborhood sector crime stats, which we requested from them via a Freedom of Information Law request last year. The Village Voice covered our campaign recently; read the story here.

Bronx News Network

Carnage on Fordham Road; Three Injured in Crash

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The driver of this car kept driving after crashing twice on Fordham Road (Photo: D. Greene)By David GreeneOn Saturday evening, witnesses said a car (pictured) traveling west on E. Fordham Road side-swiped another vehicle. When attempting to flee that crash scene, the driver slammed into the back of a taxi near Creston Avenue. Despite the heavy damage the vehicle sustained, witnesses say the driver continued toward Jerome Avenue, where an unidentified pedestrian was also hit. The crash remains under investigation. Less than three months ago, a woman was killed by a taxi that had crashed into the front of a department store on Fordham Road, near Bainbridge Avenue.

Bronx

Bronx News Roundup, Friday, July 15

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Weather: Not a cloud in the sky. High in the mid-80s. This weekend: more of the same with temperatures creeping up into the high-80s, low-90s. Good beach weather. Story of the Day: BxNN Beats Times on Muller Story, Loses Headline BattleA little inside baseball today.

Bronx

Bronx Neighborhood Farmers Markets Return for the Summer

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The farmer market at Montefiore is open Thursdays. (Photo by Justin Bodden)The warm weather means the return of outdoor farmers markets, offering a variety of fruits, vegetables, baked goods and other farm-fresh items. Today, a new farmers market, run by Bronx high school students in conjunction with Community Board 8 and GrowNYC, is opening up near the Kingsbridge Armory. It’s a new addition to our comprehensive list of Bronx markets, which you can find below. (If we missed any, fill us in with a comment.)New York Botanical Garden Green MarketWhere: The Mosholu Gate, on Southern Boulevard between Mosholu Parkway and Bedford Park BoulevardWhen: Wednesdays, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Bronx

RizzQue Business: Get Your Sexy On at New Bronx Dance Studio

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RizzQue owner Jeanette Cardona (foreground) and instructors like Philicia Edwards (background) have brought pole dance fitness to Norwood. (Photo by Adi Talwar)By Rachel Sander Jeanette Cardona originally planned on naming her new Webster Avenue dance studio and boutique Casa Cardona. But considering the studio’s offerings, which include instruction in both belly and pole dancing, Cardona decided instead to take a risk and be bold, maybe even a little risqu

Bronx

Bronx Business: A Place Where Mexican Cowboys Can Suit Up

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Owner Mario Martinez (Photo: F. G. Pinto)By Fausto Giovanny PintoAlong the ethnically-diverse enclave that is the stretch of the Grand Concourse between 182nd Street and Fordham Road, lies African grocery stores, Dominican barbershops and a scene out of a Mexican-flavored Wild West movie.Spurs, heavy-duty rope (to lasso bulls) and countless styles of cowboy boots and hats fill the shelves and walls that make up the niche clothing shop, Rudy El Vaquero.“Here they have what I want, for good prices,” said Angelica Valerio, who has been shopping at the store for over a year. “And whatever they don’t have, they will get.”The business opened 10 years ago as a record shop. Owner Mario Martinez said people were travelling as far away as Queens and New Jersey to get their Mexican music fix and he wanted to offer these tunes closer to home.Then one day after the record shop opened, Martinez brought in a pair of cowboy boots, a style popular among native Mexicans, Martinez included.A pair of boots grew to a few. Soon he had hats, shirts and a growing demand. Six years ago, he moved the record shop two stores down to a smaller location and opened Rudy El Vaquero in its stead.According to the 2010 Census, Hispanics make up more than 50 percent of the Bronx population, including a fast growing number of Mexicans.