Highbridge News: Joel Osteen Returns to Yankee Stadium

Highbridge News: Joel Osteen Returns to Yankee Stadium: BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 22- On Saturday, June 7, 2014, Joel and Victoria Osteen will hold their 6 th annual “America’s Night of Ho...

Joel Osteen Returns to Yankee Stadium

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 22- On Saturday, June 7, 2014, Joel and Victoria Osteen will hold their 6^th annual “America’s Night of Hope” at Yankee Stadium; an evening of hope and inspiration expected to draw over 55,000 people from across the country.   

This is the second America’s Night of Hope at Yankee Stadium.  The first was on April 25, 2009 — nine days after the new ballpark opened — and was the first non-baseball event held at the venue. These annual stadium-sized events have also been held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (2010), U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago (2011), Nationals Park in Washington D.C. (2012) and Marlins Park in Miami (2013).

“Victoria and I love the people of New York,” said Pastor Joel Osteen. “We’re excited to be at Yankee Stadium again, and we believe people will be uplifted and filled with an expectation that their best days are still to come.” 

As a part of the activities surrounding “America’s Night of Hope,” Joel Osteen Ministries will reach into New York City’s local communities with hundreds of volunteers – many from Houston – in order to bring hope through acts of kindness and compassion. Known as The Generation Hope Project® this effort is a major part of the America’s Night of Hope event and, since 2012, has already provided thousands of volunteer hours of service through work projects at schools, parks, and community centers in Washington D.C. and Miami, Florida.  This year’s Generation Hope Project® will focus on mentoring — developing one-to-one relationships in which one person fosters the personal and professional growth of someone else.  Volunteers will have an opportunity to work with young people who need strong adult role models.  

To volunteer, sign up at www.generationhopeproject.com.

Tickets are $15.00 and are available January 25 at www.joelosteen.com or Ticketmaster outlets.

*Not including facility and ticketing fees.

Highbridge News: Snow Days

Highbridge News: Snow Days: Snow Days The Do's and Don'ts in Snow Removal COMMUNITY BOARD NEWS N’ VIEWS by Father Richard F. Gorman Chai...

Highbridge News: Snow Days

Highbridge News: Snow Days: Snow Days The Do's and Don'ts in Snow Removal COMMUNITY BOARD NEWS N’ VIEWS by Father Richard F. Gorman Chai...

Snow Days

Snow Days

The Do's and Don'ts in Snow Removal

COMMUNITY BOARD

NEWS N’ VIEWS

by

Father Richard F. Gorman

Chairman

Community Board #12 (The Bronx)

“I will follow a set of deep tracks;

other people all stay hidden

as the cars rest under snow drifts.”

“SNOW DAY” by MATT POND PA

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 22- MATT POND PA is a New York-based band formed in Philadelphia by singer-songwriter Matt Pond. They have released a goodly number of

songs, some of which became “hits” and several of which have been used

in both films and television commercials, since 1998. Pond has been

the only consistent member of the group, although Chris Hansen is

considered to be the core member of the group. In the studio, they

often collaborate with other musicians, including former members, in

order to achieve their diverse instrumentation and expansive sound. In

recent years, Pond and Hansen have produced their recordings from a

cabin in Bearsville, New York. In November of 2010, their song quoted

above entitled "SNOW DAY" was featured in a commercial for STARBUCKS

for the java giant’s "BUY ONE HOLIDAY DRINK, GET ONE FREE" promotion

and seasonal beverage advertisements.

Although we have kept company with “Ole Man Winter” for approximately

a month’s time, we no doubt have severely felt his lash on a number of

occasions with some real Arctic-type weather conditions that he has

foisted upon us. In my last column, I addressed the bitterly cold

temperatures and offered some suggestions as to how we can remain safe

when the thermometer plummets. This time around, I should like to

remind all about some “do’s” and “don’ts” with regard to snow safety

and snow removal.

The most important “do” or responsibility when it comes to snow

removal is the obligation of a person in charge of any building or lot

--  be that individual the owner, occupant, or tenant  --  to clear

the sidewalk of snow and/or ice. Please note that there are specific

times designated for the fulfillment of this legal obligation. One

must clean the sidewalk no later than four hours after the snow has

stopped falling or by eleven o’clock in the morning if the snow/ice

was still coming down after nine o’clock (9:00 P.M.) the prior

evening.

Of course, one might legitimately and sensibly inquire if the

aforesaid duty remains in effect even if the snow or ice becomes so

frozen that it is literally impossible to remove.  The answer is that,

in such an instance, the responsible individual may spread sand, salt,

sawdust, cat litter that is clean and unused, or any other suitable

substance on sidewalk instead. However, it must be noted that the

aforementioned time limits still apply and remain in effect. It must

be further borne in mind that, as soon as the weather and other

conditions reasonably permit, the responsible party MUST have the

sidewalk thoroughly cleaned.

These prerequisites of law would appear, prima facie, to be both fair

and prudent.  Indeed, they are. They merely remind a conscientious

citizen of his/her obligations as a good neighbor. However, might it

be the case that one seeking to live up to this mandate might not be

able to justifiably undertake and realistically accomplish it?

Obviously, the response is YES! Does this excuse one, though, from

performance of one’s snow removal duty? The reply in this case is

conversely: “CERTAINLY NOT!” If one is ill, infirm, incapacitated or

elderly, the responsibility to clear the sidewalk remains in effect.

Such a person must then engage someone else to take care of matters

for him/her. Is this expectation perhaps too harsh or out of all

proportion? Such does not have to be the case. I shall return to this

point a tad further on.

Other stipulations relative to snow removal come under the “don’t”

category. These, to my mind, are a matter of simple self-interest and

basic prudence even more so than a matter of law. Regrettably, far too

many of our area residents  --  and I am particularly embarrassed to

report that there were many of my very own neighbors in Community

Board #12 (The Bronx) who are guilty in this regard  --  who

apparently are gravely lacking in knowledge, courtesy, compassion,

self-respect, respect for others, or a proper sense of civic pride and

duty because they DID  --  either in ignorance of information or

ignorance that indicates indifference and callousness  --  these

“DON’T’S,”  --  viz.”: covered and/or left snow-bound nearby fire

hydrants; threw snow back onto streets cleaned by our “STRONGEST,” the

men and the women of our New York City Department of Sanitation

(N.Y.C.D.O.S.); parked motor vehicles at an angle so as to encroach on

the roadway and consequently impede the safe flow of traffic.

To these folks, I merely inquire if they have ever considered the real

possibility of what happens in case of an emergency, such as a fire or

the need of a neighbor for emergency medical assistance. Will fire

fighters be able to connect fire hoses to a hydrant without expending

precious time and wasted efforts? Will an emergency vehicle be able to

get down a street obstructed by an improperly  --  and I might add

illegally  --  parked motor vehicle? Will I endanger others, including

drivers, pedestrians, and next-door neighbors, and/or their personal

property  --  e.g., motor vehicles, fences, homes, and front yards  --

by causing streets already cleared by N.Y.C.D.O.S. to be encumbered

once again by mounds of snow or to be imperiled by snow that has

melted and subsequently frozen?  Seriously, what is the major mental

malfunction in this regard?

Let’s not waste any more space or energy commiserating the

carelessness hard-headedness and hard-heartedness of the few. Permit

me to speak proactively and constructively to the many by respectfully

suggesting the following: check on elderly, homebound, or handicapped

neighbors in the event of a snow storm in order to insure that they

have adequate heat, food, water, and other necessary supplies;

(picking up from where I left off above with respect to those who

cannot clean their own sidewalks of snow and/or ice) lend a helping

hand to those who cannot clear their sidewalks on their own accord;

throw shoveled snow and/or ice along the edge of the sidewalk or in

one’s front yard and NEVER into a plowed street; be a good neighbor

and a smart person by clearing nearby fire hydrants and sewer openings

of any obstructions; if in doubt or in question, call your Community

Board, dial “3-1-1,” or consult the municipal website, www.nyc.gov.

For those who do not willingly step up to the plate and unfortunately

only react to punitive incentives, please know that failure to perform

one’s snow removal responsibilities sufficiently and satisfactorily is

punishable by law with fines ranging from $100 to $350. Throwing snow

into the street is AGAINST THE LAW and will cost money to the

Sanitation Department (who must waste our precious tax dollars

repeating a task already done once) and also to the sinner, who, if

discovered, is subject to the abovementioned fines. Parking a motor

vehicle in a manner that jeopardizes traffic safety may lead to the

issuance of a traffic summons.  Impeding the work of our first

responders  --  N.Y.P.D., F.D.N.Y., and E.M.T.’s  --  can result in

both criminal penalties along with possible civil liability.

In closing, I address this final word to our young people. You are

good. You are thoughtful and considerate. You care about others. You

recognize injustice. You dream of a world that can and should be

kinder, gentler, and better. You have the capacity and the

determination to undertake this quest and to get it underway. We, your

elders, have failed you in many ways. We do not always give you good

example. We do not always practice what we preach. We have not always

counseled you wisely and imparted wholesome and virtuous values. We

have not made our schools the best that they can and should be for

you. We have not provided you with needed jobs, opportunities for

recreation and socialization, and productive outlets for your energies

and magnificent to God-given gifts.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that you, young friends, have nothing

to offer both to yourself and to others. You are not off--the-hook.

You have no right to waste your time.  You have no justification for

bad behavior. You have no excuse to break the law. You have every

obligation to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” You

have the capacity to so love and to be so mature. Ergo, I make of you

this simple request: will you be a good neighbor as God has asked all

of us to be? Will you be your neighbor’s keeper? Will you be that Good

Samaritan who comes to the rescue of those in need on the road of

life? Would you kindly consider doing some snow and ice removal in the

event of more inclement weather? Will you do it for your own family?

Better still, will you do it for an elderly, sick, or incapacitated

next-door neighbor? Will you make a grocery run for the homebound?

Will you start to be the good person and productive citizen that we

all know you can be? Please, just think about it.

In the meantime, I urge all to practice the sagacious advice of our

new Mayor, The Honorable Bill de Blasio, for his fellow

snow-shovelers: “BEND YOUR KNEES AND NOT YOUR BACK!”

Stay warm and dry!

Highbridge News: Boulevard of Death?

Highbridge News: Boulevard of Death?: By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 16- Two Bronxites getting ready to celebrate the holidays were rundown in separate inci...

Boulevard of Death?

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 16- Two Bronxites getting ready to celebrate the holidays were rundown in separate incidents, just two-blocks away from each other on the Grand Concourse-- during a 25-hour period leading up to Christmas Eve. The horror highlights the traffic problem on the Concourse which some activists are calling the new “Boulevard of Death.”

The still-unidentified 26-year-old male victim remains hospitalized at St. Barnabas Hospital after being struck by a 1999 BMW SUV at the corner of the Grand Concourse and E. 198 Street, at just before 7 p.m. on December 23.

At the time, the victim was said to be in critical condition and was not expected to live. The victim has since been upgraded to critical, but stable.

Police would later charge the driver Freddie Rodriguez, 49, of Cold Spring, NY with DWI.

According to the Bronx District Attorney's office, Rodriguez was arraigned on December 24 and released on his own recognizance. He returns to court later this month.

According to the criminal complaint, Rodriguez was unsteady on his feet and slurring his words when he admitted to a witness that he'd just returned from a Christmas party, when he offered, "I only had a couple of drinks. I can't believe this happened."

The complaint also states that Rodriguez would later tell a police officer, "I never hit anybody before. I had a couple of Chivas Regals."

Less information is available on the second victim, a woman who was struck by an SUV on the corner of E. 196 Street and the Grand Concourse at just before 8 p.m. on December 24.

According to witnesses at the scene, including two family members of the victim-- the victim was collateral damage after a 2-vehicle,  chain-reaction crash that pushed the first vehicle into the crosswalk.

This victim was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital and was expected to make a complete recovery.

A section of the Grand Concourse between E. 161 Street and E. 167 Street underwent an $18 million redevelopment project that was completed in 2008. The project included widened medians and improved lighting.

After completion of the project there had been talk to redevelop the section between E. 167 Street and E. 171 Street, but that plan has apparently stalled.

Longtime Bedford Park resident Karen Mendez, a mother of four children, lives on the Grand Concourse between the two intersections where the victims were hit. She says it has been, "many years" since any work has been done on the 10-lane thoroughfare.

Asked if she felt safe crossing the Grand Concourse, Mendez replied, "Only sometimes, because the cars often pass the red light. I'm concerned for my kids. They need to try something new like the cameras... because they (the drivers) don't care."

Other recent incidents along the Concourse include a May 19, 2013 crash in which Zuleimi Torres, 16, was killed and two others were seriously injured by an out-of-control SUV at E. 172 Street and the Grand Concourse. The unidentified driver suffered an undisclosed medical condition and faced no criminal charges.

On August 31, 2012, Melanie Sasser, a 29-year old deaf mother,  was struck and killed by a livery driver as she texted and crossed the Concourse and E. 198 Street. That crash was also deemed an accident and no charges were filed.

On July 13, 2012 Juan Rivera-Quintana, 42, was killed and a 34-year old man was seriously injured when an out-of-control SUV ran them down on the Concourse at E. Mount Eden Avenue. The vehicle only came to a stop when it slammed into a responding ambulance a block away.

Richard Haberman, 37, the alleged driver was charged with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, DWI, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving.

On March 2, 2012, a 61-year-old man was run-over along the Concourse and Field Place in Fordham Heights. Police had no description of the vehicle that fled the scene.

Evyette Diaz, 28, was struck and killed as she crossed the Concourse at E. 165 Street outside of the Bronx Museum of Art. The driver of the SUV fled the scene and remains at large.

The Grand Boulevard and Concourse as it was originally called was opened to traffic in November, 1909.