Highbridge News: Stone-faced Park Gunman gets 44 Years

Highbridge News: Stone-faced Park Gunman gets 44 Years: Stone-faced Park Gunman gets 44 Years By Michael Brown Jr. and David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 16- A young man has been se...

Stone-faced Park Gunman gets 44 Years

Stone-faced Park Gunman gets 44 Years

By Michael Brown Jr. and David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 16- A young man has been sentenced to 44 years to life in prison for a triple shooting and double murder. The horror began with a dispute on the basketball courts in Devoe Park and ended in gunfire and death on the streets of University Heights.

After a five-week trial, Yenfri Ramirez, 20, was convicted by a jury in the shooting deaths of Edwin Liz, 17, and Allan Matos, 22, and the wounding of Efren Estrada, 39, that occurred in the early evening of April 7, 2011.

Ramirez, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, was found guilty in Bronx Supreme Court on the charges of murder in the second degree for shooting Liz, manslaughter in the second degree for shooting Matos, and assault in the second degree for wounding Estrada as well as criminal possession of a firearm in the second degree.

The altercation between the defendant and his victims stemmed from an earlier fight inside Devoe Park on University Avenue and West Fordham Road, when Ramirez had entered the fray after learning that the fight involved his brother.

The prosecutor claimed Ramirez lured his victims into chasing him to Fordham Road and West University Place, where he turned around and fired three shots from a .38-caliber revolver.

Edwin Liz was fatally shot in the back of the neck, while Allan Matos died from a gunshot wound to the back. Efren Estrada was shot in the leg and survived.

A police officer testified witnessing the shooting and responding officers discovered the murder weapon just steps away from where Ramirez was stopped.

At Ramirez' sentencing hearing held on May 29, Judge Barbara Newman stated she took into account Ramirez' age at the time of the shooting and also the fact that Ramirez had no previous convictions.

“This is a very sad day and difficult day however, circumstances have brought us here,” she said in her opening statement. It wasn't long after that the parents of the victims, read their "impact statements" to Ramirez who sat coldly indifferent to the whole ordeal.

Sentiments of families were often ones of revenge and justice for the cold-blooded murder of their siblings.

“I would like this man to be treated in the same way [as my son] by spending the rest of his life behind four walls,” said Reynaldo Liz, the father of Edwin Liz, via a translator.

“May God forgive you, because I never will,” said the mother of Allen Matos as she briefly looked to Ramirez who did not turn in her direction.

Ramirez, however, maintained his innocence until the end. “I ask forgiveness for what happened, but I didn't kill anyone.”

Ramirez was sentenced to 23 years for murder in the second degree, 21 years for manslaughter in the second degree, 3 years for assault in the second degree, and 5 years for criminal possession of a weapon all of which will be served consecutively except the assault and criminal possession which will be served concurrently.

Ramirez' defense attorney Maria Tobia had pointed to unknown DNA found by investigators on the trigger of the murder weapon, but that wasn't enough to sway the jury.

Tobia has vowed to appeal the conviction.

Highbridge News: Bronx Science Loses PSAL Championship

Highbridge News: Bronx Science Loses PSAL Championship: Bronx Science Loses PSAL Championship By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 13 - Two very unlikely public high school baseball te...

Bronx Science Loses PSAL Championship

Bronx Science Loses PSAL Championship

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 13- Two very unlikely public high school baseball teams met in the PSAL “B” Baseball Championship on Thursday afternoon. Bronx Science (17-4)  is one of this nation’s most prestigious academic high schools. It is far more known for winning scholastic awards than sports contests. 

Beach Channel (19-2) was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Its students and their families suffered in many ways by the devastating storm. Unbelievably, its baseball team carried a roster of only 12 players this season.

Despite expectations, each team won its conference and defeated each of its opponents in the playoffs to reach the championship encounter. Strangely, each team’s last loss occurred on May 17 and to a similarly named opponent. The Bronx Science Wolverines were defeated by American Studies, 3-2, and the Beach Channel Dolphins lost to the Academy of American Studies, 6-1.

Yankee Stadium, the venue for the championship, was extremely appropriate as it is the site that has flown the most World Series flags in MLB history. 

The game was interesting and competitive but was played somewhat sloppily. Although 12 runs were scored in the game, there were only 12 hits. More than three dozen batters ended their at bats without hitting the ball in fair territory, 23 batters struck out, 14 walked and one was hit by a pitch. There were also a number of errors, wild pitches and passed balls.

A run was not scored in the first three frames, and David Polanco, the right fielder of the Dolphins, had the only hit.

Both teams pushed runs across the plate in the fourth. Science hurler Glenn Price created his own problem by walking the first five batters of the inning. Catcher josph Colandra and centerfielder Antonio Moccia received RBIs for their bases loaded walks. The final two runs were driven in on a single by pitcher Kelly Aponte.

The Wolverines cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Consecutive single by Benjamin Kravitz, Daniel Bomfiglia and Glenn Price aided by two Beach Channel errors led to the runs.

Each team scored a single run in the sixth to keep the Dolphins advantage at two, 5-3.

In the seventh, three Science hits and two walks tied the score and filled the bases with one out. A fly to Moccia in center was caught and Moccia’s throw nailed Kravitz at the plate for an inning ending double play. The coach of the Dolphins, John Mangieri, described the play as “a big league play and a big league throw.” 

Moccia tried to deflect the praise to Colandra, the catcher by saying, “You couldn’t ask for a better catcher.”

A diverse but effective ninth inning for the Dolphins, error, hit batsman, walk and two singles produced two runs and a 7-5 victory and a first city championship for Beach Channel.

Mangieri saluted his entire team, “I’m proud of my boys and what we’ve overcome. They’ve been fearless from the beginning. I used everyone [all 12 players]. I tried to do the right thing. They were excited [to be at Yankee Stadium] but pretty relaxed during the game.”

Highbridge News: Joel Osteen

Highbridge News: Joel Osteen: Popular Pastor Wins Over Bronx with Message of Hope By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 12- Joel and Victoria Osteen hosted t...

Highbridge News: Joel Osteen

Highbridge News: Joel Osteen: Popular Pastor Wins Over Bronx with Message of Hope By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 12- Joel and Victoria Osteen hosted t...

Joel Osteen

Popular Pastor Wins Over Bronx with Message of Hope

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 12- Joel and Victoria Osteen hosted their second “America’s Night of Hope” at Yankee Stadium. The iconic venue in the Bronx was filled to capacity to see and hear the very popular televangelist and his wife, their son and daughter and Joel’s mother share uplifting and encouraging words as well as listen to upbeat and modern musical selections from guest vocalists and musicians. 

The rally at the historic stadium was only the centerpiece of a concerted effort to bring help to people in need in New York City. Hundreds of volunteers, many from Houston where their Lakewood Church is located, joined the Osteens in New York to provide assistance to those with specific needs. 

Last Monday, Osteen explained the mission of the Generation Hope Project, “We don’t just come in word. Young people [who will be coming to provide assistance] have a heart to help. They will be here for most of the week, with a concentration of efforts for several days. We know we can’t do everything. It will be symbolic that we leave something with the community.”

The couple told of this year’s theme of assistance, which will be mentoring of young people. They want those not blessed to have family members that encourage and uplift them as children to be given hope for their lives in the future. 

The pastor said, “We all have a responsibility to the next generation.” 

His wife focused in words of how much those who help another gain by that effort, “The people who are serving are being blessed.” 

Saturday’s rally was the sixth annual major event held at a huge athletic facility. It is neither accidental nor coincidental that the Osteens returned to the site of their first event of this magnitude that took place on April 25, 2009 and was the first non-baseball event in the new Yankee Stadium. 

Osteen explained, “New Yorkers are great people. They respond to hope. We didn’t know if they would accept a message from the South.”

The large crowd that attended the pioneer event signified the acceptance they received from residents of “The Big Apple.” Looking back on that day led Osteen to recently proclaim, “Victoria and I love the people of New York. 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 yet to come.”

The Osteens, unlike many representatives of religions, do not have a sectarian outlook or appeal. They have an outlook and manner that transcends barriers of age, politics, socioeconomic class and race. Their universal appeal has much to do with their positive message, “Our message is about empowering and up lifting. We have much in common. It is about a relationship with God. It’s not formal or religious. People come who may not attend church regularly.”

In addition to the Saturday rally at Yankee Stadium, the Osteens were at the stadium on Friday afternoon to meet with clergy from all sections of the nation. At that meeting, Ray Negron, a Yankee executive, has been invited to testify regarding how the late owner of the Yankees, George M. Steinbrenner, changed his life. The extremely articulate Negron will be able to impact his listeners with an example the Osteens are trying to impart in all people.