Talk Bronx New York

                                                              Olga Mendez

Former State Sen. Olga Mendez, the first Puerto Rican-born woman in the nation to be elected to a state legislature, died Wednesday. She was 82.

Mendez passed away in her East Harlem apartment after a long battle with cancer.

The pioneering ex-senator represented East Harlem and the South Bronx for 26 years, developing a reputation as one of the city’s most prominent powerbrokers.

“Olga’s election to the state Senate as its first Puerto Rican woman was a tremendous symbol of hope for a community that now had a seat at the table,” Mayor Bloomberg said.

“Olga’s life was an inspiration to countless others, because the doors she bravely pushed opened stayed open for everyone else.”

Elected to the Senate in 1978, Mendez is credited with paving the way for the slew of Puerto Rican politicos to follow her.

“She opened doors for all who came after her, myself included,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “She was a tireless advocate for the concerns of her constituents, and she will be sorely missed.”

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An okapi calf born this spring at the Bronx Zoo made its first public appearance, reports the Wildlife Conservation Society.

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                                     An artist’s rendering of the proposed Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment

 The stormy issue of the Kingsbridge Armory development moves to the Bronx borough president’s office Monday night with a public hearing.

Residents will weigh in on the controversial plan by The Related Cos. to develop the nine-story, red brick former National Guard armory into a shopping mall.

The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Lovinger Theater on the campus of Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Blvd. West.

Those interested in speaking should call (718) 590-3541, though advance notice is not required. Written testimony will also be accepted.

The plan has come under fire, primarily because of the developer’s plan for a supermarket in the armory.

Local Community Board 7 approved the plan - with conditions - July 14.

Last Friday, all eight members of the City Council’s Bronx delegation asked Mayor Bloomberg in a letter to reject the developer’s supermarket proposal.

Under the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Process, the proposal next requires advisory approval or disapproval from Borough President Ruben Diaz and the city Planning Commission, as well as a final binding vote by the City Council.

With 45 markets already within a 2-mile radius of the armory, the council delegation argued the proposed 60,000-square-foot market would drive at least some of them out of business.

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Bronx’s Grand Concourse was a sea of red, white and blue flags for the 20th annual Dominican Parade Sunday.The parade, which celebrates the culture the Dominican Republican and the city’s Dominican population, stretched from East Tremont Avenue to 167th Street.

Organizers said the parade featured about thousands of marchers representing 102 organization, 40 floats and lively Dominican music.

NY1 Noticias reporter Luz Plasencia served as the godmother of the parade and was featured on one of the floats.

“It means I’m doing something right. I hope I can be a role model to the community as well,” said Plasencia.

City and state officials, including Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Senator Charles Schumer and City Comptroller and mayoral candidate William Thompson, took part in the parade.

“This parade each and every year continues to get bigger and bigger and bigger as we celebrate Dominican culture and Dominican heritage and the contributions that Dominicans have made not just to the Bronx but to New York City. So I would not miss this for the world,” said Thompson.

Those who came to see the parade said they enjoyed the colorful costumes and large amounts of ethnic pride on display.”I like to look at all the colors,” said one spectator.

“It’s fun, it’s about us being together. It’s a family, it’s everything. It’s what us ‘Dominicanos,’ us Dominicans are all about,” said another.

“Our culture is very strong with the music, the food, the politics, everything,” said a third. “We’re just all over and we just want to let everyone know that we’re here and we ain’t going anywhere.” Read more..

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 Bronxite John Melton checks out audio equipment at Bronx Speakers Store on Boston Road and says he likes to blast car stereo, to the chagrin of many.

 You wouldn’t know it from all the noise, but the Bronx has gotten quieter this year.

Bronxites logged almost 8% fewer noise complaints to the city’s 311 hotline during the first six months of this year than they did over the same period last year.

There were 28,915 noise complaints from Jan. 1 to the end of June, compared with 31,411 last year.

“I have to give some credit to the weather,” said Councilman James Vacca (D-East Bronx). “We’ve had a mild summer so far and a lot of rain and those are both circumstances that are detriments to noise. That’s got to be a contributing factor.”

“I’m not surprised. It seems to be less noisy,” said George Dallas, 72, of Morris Park. “It’s just people blowing their horns. But that’s New York drivers. You have to live with it.”

For the second year in a row, Community Board 7, which includes Norwood, University Heights, Jerome Park, Bedford Park, Fordham and Kingsbridge Heights topped the list with the most noise complaints in the borough.

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