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The Bronx Family Feud

                     Ruben Diaz Jr., center, Joel Rivera, left, and Carl Heastie, right

 The call of “Don’t forget to vote on April 21st” practically overpowers the latest Hot 97 hits pulsing from an audio store on the corner of Fordham Road and Jerome Avenue in the west Bronx.

Evening rush-hour riders depart from the screeching number 4 train, slide down two flights of stairs to the street to get a flyer, a handshake and a wide, mustached smile.

“I am running for Bronx borough president in two weeks,” Assembly member Ruben Diaz Jr. says, stretching out his hand.

Running might be an overstatement. For Diaz, who practically has a set of keys to borough hall already, walking would be a better characterization.

The seven-term assembly member has only token, Republican opposition in next week’s nonpartisan special election to replace former borough president turned-Obama administration official Adolfo Carrión. For such a high profile position, the lack of opposition is relatively unheard of.

Just weeks ago, Bronx Democrats were preparing for a brawl between two political dynasties who have been wrestling over control of the county’s Democratic party for months. Since that race has failed to materialize, Bronxites — left with little choice — can now ponder what this means for the county’s new and old political guard. Read more..

 

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New York City Marathon’s new ‘cheer zones’ let fans represent boroughs

 

City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera fives some spectators as he runs the 2007 ING New York City Marathon.

Bronx residents - get ready to be in the zone.

New “cheer zones” along this Sunday’s route of the ING New York City Marathon will let spectators represent their boroughs as they cheer runners from around the world.

Bronx politicians and community leaders will join local residents in the borough’s zone at Graham Triangle, between 138th and 137th Sts. and Third and Lincoln Aves.

The route will bring runners into the Bronx across the Willis Ave. Bridge and back into Manhattan on the Third Ave. Bridge.

State Sen. Jose Serrano and City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, both former marathon participants, will be there. Read more..

 

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Tower plan envisions icon of Bronx: 176-ft. tall structure in works

St. Louis has the Gateway Arch. Washington, D.C., has the Washington Monument. Now, it’s the Bronx’s turn.

Organizers, with optimism as tall as their dreams, unveiled plans last week for an iconic, 176-foot “Yes The Bronx” observation tower meant to symbolize the spirit of the borough.

“We want to break down the pervasive negative stereotype that persists,” said Alec Diacou, who heads the campaign along with Dan Smith.

“This will be something permanent that the Bronx can hang their hat on,” Smith said.

The “Yes The Bronx” Observation Tower features a square glass complex perched atop a column, ringed with spiral stairs. The column is intended to house elevators.

Plans call for the $25 million tower to be sited on the Manhattan-facing waterfront, at the confluence of the Harlem and East Rivers.

The installation, to be constructed from recycled materials, would double as an event space, with room for 500 guests.

But it could take years to get this idea off the ground. Read more..

 

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Is beep hopeful Joel Rivera aiming for foot on tenants’ bill?

Is beep hopeful Joel Rivera aiming for foot on tenants’ bill? 

Has City Council Majority Leader and Bronx BP wannabe Joel Rivera shot himself in the political foot on this one - or even blown it off - by cosponsoring a landlord-backed bill that has tenant groups howling?

While the rest of the Bronx delegation backs Speaker Christine Quinn’s competing bill, tenant advocates charge West Bronx Councilwoman Maria Baez’s bill would muzzle tenants’ rights to complain of harassment while landlords could sue tenants who do complain.

A top Rivera adviser told us Baez’s bill mainly shifts initial complaints from logjammed housing courts to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

“It’s not an anti-tenant bill,” argued Rivera’s guy.

We shall see …

One lucky cop

Detective Dan Rivera is the luckiest sonuva-you-know-what in the NYPD.

The Detectives’ Endowment Association’s Bronx delegate wound up with only a graze wound - dead center on his forehead - in a recent gun battle over on Webster Ave.

He was among those honored last week at the Elks annual Police Night at Frankie & Johnny’s Pine Restaurant.

Deputy Chief Terry Monahan, No.2 honcho over “the minions” at Patrol Borough Bronx - and looking more like boss Tom Purtell with that freshly shaved chrome dome - was also honored, along with Lt. Tom Sullivan of the Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Sgt. Ray Brickley of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, Police Officer Mike Morgillo of the PBA and Lt. Cosmo Costa of the New Rochelle PD.

And Danny, thanks (we think) for sharing with us about your “reward” after the shootout …

Eco boss denies Council bid

Majora Carter, who’s built a nationwide eco-rep as head of Sustainable South Bronx over in Hunts Point, denies, denies, denies an item in last week’s Crain’s Insider column that she’s eying Maria del Carmen Arroyo’s City Council seat.

“I’m having too much fun where I am,” sayeth Majora.

Celebrating the Fat Man

That was some 40th-anniversary bash for the Hunts Point Multi-Service Center at Marina del Rey last week, organized by alumnus and Community Board 1 Chair Georgie Rodriguez.

Though founder Ramon (The Fat Man) Velez took a heavy pounding from Mayor Koch as “a poverty pimp” during the War on Poverty years, the center’s still thriving, while a buncha folks affiliated with it have gone on to elective office.

That includes Rep. Jose Serrano; former Bronx BP Freddy Ferrer; former State Sen. Olga Mendez; Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo; former Assemblyman and current County (and soon-to-be City?) Clerk Hector Diaz and former Assemblyman and Bronx Democratic Boss Roberto Ramirez.

Ramon Jr. told us his dad, now in a local nursing home with Alzheimer’s, “looks well. He’s eating and he’s healthy.”

‘Blue Blood’ goes downtown

You can take Ed Conlon out of the Bronx - to hang out in Manhattan with the literary/showbiz/media crowd - but only after the detective has finished his shift at the gritty 44th Precinct in Highbridge.

The author of the autobiographical, behind-the-badge Times best-seller “Blue Blood” has just seen a new TV pilot based on his book completed and has handed in the first draft of his second book, a novel about - what else? - cops.

Kevin behind the bar at Elaine’s confirms Eddie and the squadmates he drags downtown are regulars there, and we’re told Ed dines with downtown pals over at the next-to-impossible-to-get-into Rao’s in East Harlem.

 

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