Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights NORWOOD NEWS Vol. 25, No. 14 ■ PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION ■ July 12 –25, 2012 DANCING IN THE HEAT Espaillat Cries Foul, Clouding Election Result By ALEX KRATZ On primary election night two weeks ago, Adriano Espail - lat, a state senator looking to become the first Dominican-born member of Congress, thanked his supporters and acknowl - edged that they had fallen just short of defeating longtime incumbent Charlie Rangel for the new 13th Congressional Dis - trict seat, which now includes a piece of the northwest Bronx. As the Board of Election continued to tally votes the next day, however, Rangel’s lead narrowed significantly. It eventual - ly dropped to 802 votes or about 2 percent of the total vote. On top of the new numbers, Espaillat’s camp says it began hear - ing reports of voter suppression and irregularities in the vote count. Last week, seven days after conceding, Espaillat filed a law - suit against the Board of Elections calling on an outside mon - itor to oversee the final vote count and secure the ballots in case a recount was needed. A judge ultimately ordered the BOE to retain copies of all the ballots and said the court would Photo by Adi Talwar have to certify election results before they were sent to the KIDS TAKE ADVANTAGE of a fire hydrant shower outside of Williamsbridge Oval Park last week during state Board of Elections. That certification would not take a scorching heat wave around the Independence Day holiday. place until at least Wednesday, July 11, after the Norwood News went to press. For the time being, we don’t have an official winner. Exploring Our Parks According to an unofficial tally on primary night, the Board Through New Visitors Center, (continued on p. 10 ) Poe Park Expands Programs Church Wins Legal By CHLOE RICKERT ing events arranged for the summer, including a Battle With DOE women’s empowerment workshop and a puppet show Ed. Note: This is the first in a series of stories and puppet-making workshop. By ALEX KRATZ exploring what’s going on in our local parks. (continued on p. 6) This time, the Bronx Household of Faith prevailed. After months of construction, renovations, wait - In the latest round of a drawn-out legal fight between the ing and uncertainty, the transformation at Edgar University Heights-based church and the city’s Department of Allan Poe Park is now complete. The result is a Kings - Education, a judge ruled that Bronx Household of Faith — and bridge Heights-area space transformed into a some 60 other churches and religious groups citywide — can bustling, kid-friendly destination spot with a busy continue worshiping inside public school buildings during off playground, a refurbished historical landmark and hours. an open visitors center. The Alliance Defense Fund, which has represented Bronx Run by two paid staff members, a community Household in its fight with the DOE since 1995, hailed the rul - associate and a playground associate, the visitors ing as a victory for churches and the communities they serve. center is a recent addition, but the small yet enthusi - “Churches that have been helping communities for years astic team is not wasting any time. can continue to offer the hope that empty buildings can’t,” The “Raven”-themed building already holds Tues - said Jordan Lorence, the ADF lawyer who argued the case, day morning story time at 10 a.m. and daycare at 11 after the ruling. a.m. It will soon have yoga for beginners on Thursday Photo by Chloe Rickert City lawyers representing the DOE said it would appeal the and Friday mornings. Community Associate Lucy LUCIA APONTE, a community associate at the new ruling and that it was a blow to the city’s efforts to avoid the Aponte said they are still planning for more pro - Poe Park Visitors Center, says the center is offering appearance of endorsing a certain religion. gramming at the center, but already had many excit - lots of new programming this summer. (continued on p. 2) ■ Displaced Tenants File Lawsuit, p. 2 ■ Youth Struggle to Find Summer Jobs, p. 3 ■ Tips for Smart Exercise, p. 8 www.norwoodnews.org 2 ■ July 12 –25, 2012 ■ Norwood News In The Public Interest Vol. 25, No. 14 Norwood News is published Church Wins Legal Battle With DOE bi-weekly on Thursdays by (continued from p. 1) Mosholu Preservation Corporation “The Department of Education 3400 Reservoir Oval East intends to appeal to the Second Circuit Bronx, New York 10467 Court of Appeals immediately given the Department’s legitimate concerns about Phone: 718 324 4998 appearing to endorse religion by permit - Fax: 718 324 2917 ting religious worship in school build - E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwoodnews.org ings,” said Jonathan Pines, the deputy chief of the city law department’s litiga - tion division, in a statement. Since Bronx Household first chal - lenged the DOE’s policy against allowing Publisher CEO, Mosholu Mosholu Preservation Preservation churches to worship inside school build - Corporation Corporation ings after hours, the two sides have trad - ed victories. Editor-in-Chief Roberto S. Garcia Alex Kratz Since 1995, lawyers for Bronx House - hold have fought a city rule that excludes Staff Writer churches and other religious groups from Jeanmarie Evelly Photo by Alex Kratz worshiping inside schools, saying they MEMBERS OF Bronx Household of Faith have held worship services inside PS 15 in Classified Advertising should be treated like any other organiza - University Heights for the past 10 years. Dawn McEvoy tion that rents space from the Depart - ment of Education. Defense Fund, found a sympathetic listen - significant ways?” Accounts Receivable Dawn McEvoy In 2002, after a judge issued a perma - er in U.S. District Court Judge Loretta The DOE’s lawyers disagreed strongly nent injunction against the DOE’s regu - Preska, who issued a temporary restrain - with Preska’s decision. Proofreader lation against worshiping, Bronx House - ing order on the city’s policy earlier this Pines said Preska “virtually ignores a Judy Noy hold began using Public School 15 on year. On Friday, Preska issued a perma - Second Circuit appeals court decision, Production Andrews Avenue for services. Last sum - nent injunction of the policy, meaning issued one year ago, rejecting the plain - Neil deMause mer, however, in a split decision, an Bronx Household and some 60 other reli - tiffs’ Free Speech claims.” Regular Contributors appeals court lifted the injunction, saying gious groups and churches, will be allowed He added that last summer’s decision David Greene, Adi Talwar, Ronald Chavez the DOE’s regulation rightfully protected to continue worshiping in city schools. “found that religious organizations had Interns the separation of church and state. Preska ruled that the DOE’s policy vio - come to ‘dominate’ the public schools Marcos Sierra, Destiny DeJesus, An appeal of that decision by Bronx lated the Free Exercise Clause and Estab - where they worshipped, and that the Catherine Pagano, Chloe Rickert, Sarah Household went all the way to the U.S. lishment Clause in the Constitution. Department of Education had a substan - Ramirez, Jaleesa Baulkman Supreme Court, but it declined to hear the “There is no reason to exclude wor - tial interest in avoiding the appearance of case in December, essentially upholding ship services from these empty school governmental endorsement of religion.” For display advertising, call (718) 324-4998. the lower courts ruling in favor of the DOE. buildings, especially when school allows Bronx Household is in the processing It left Bronx Household and other churches all other community groups to meet,” of constructing its own church across the Support Your scrambling to find new places to worship. Lorence said. “Why exclude chuches that street from PS 15, but has vowed to con - Community Newspaper! But another appeal by the Alliance are helping their neighbors in so many tinue the fight on principle. The Norwood News is a not-for-profit publication and relies upon the support of Displaced Tenants File record. its advertisers and readers to produce a “We want something down on record More on quality community newspaper. To support Lawsuit that the tenants are taking action,” Sta - norwoodnews.org your paper, become a member and The displaced tenants of a University ton said. “Up until this time the tenants receive a subscription for one year. Heights building are taking legal action haven’t filed anything.” against their landlord, saying the proper - Simply mail check or money order for Tenant Toni-Renee Johnson said that $40 to: Norwood News, 3400 Reservoir ty’s owners should be held responsible she’s hoping this will speed up the • News Updates Oval East, Bronx, NY 10467. for the illegal removal of the building’s process and that families can return to fire escapes. their home soon. “We’re actually filing • Crime Watch Norwood News is not responsible for Five tenants from 2400 Webb Ave. this order [so that] we can make sure the typographical errors. Opinions expressed appeared at Bronx Housing Court on management doesn’t drag their feet,” she in signed letters and bylined columns rep - June 27 to file a Housing Part (HP) action said. • Be Healthy! resent the sole opinion of the author and against their landlord Phillip Goldfarb The evening before their appearance are not necessarily those of Mosholu Properties. in court, Staton said the Fire Department Wednesday Preservation Corporations or Montefiore “I filed the initial HP action which Medical Center. Editorials represent the partially rescinded the vacate order to views of the editor and/or publisher only. calls for Goldfarb Properties to address allow all of the first floor tenants as well • Bronx Sports The newspaper reserves the right to limit the violations in the building and his as apartment 2G and 2H to return.