Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2015 Your Neighborhood — Your News® 75 cents SERVING THROGGS NECK, PELHAM BAY, COUNTRY CLUB, CITY ISLAND, WESTCHESTER SQUARE, MORRIS PARK, PELHAM PARKWAY, CASTLE HILL LEGIONNAIRES’ SOURCE FOUND Opera House cooling system identifi ed BY JAIME WILLIAMS in a cooling tower. outbreak source; inadequate The largest outbreak of People contract the dis- maintenance and inadequate Legionnaires’ disease in the ease when they breathe in a levels of biocide may have city’s history has been de- mist or vapor containing the contributed, according to the clared over, and the source bacteria. statement. has been identifi ed. With extensive sampling The hotel has cooperated City, state and federal of cooling towers and testing fully with all agencies in- health offi cials announced of Legionella bacteria, the volved in the investigation, on August 20 that the Mott laboratories have matched has cleaned and disinfected Have-based outbreak origi- the Legionella strain found its tower, and is working nated in the cooling towers of in the Opera House Hotel with the Health Department the newly refurbished Opera cooling tower with the strain on long-term maintenance House Hotel. found in patients. that is consistent with indus- Since the outbreak began Further investigation by try standards. on July 10, 124 people fell ill the Health Department sup- A statement from the ho- with the form of pneumonia ports the conclusion that this tel in the wake of the news and 12 died. No new cases cooling tower was the source said the fi ndings were “disa- were identifi ed after August of the outbreak, according to pointing.” 3. a statement from the mayor’s “It’s particularly disap- The disease is caused offi ce. pointing because our sys- Twisting The Day Away by the Legionella bacte- The Health Department tem is two years old, has the ria, found in water, which continues to investigate the most up-to-date technology Angelina Hernandez twirls a hula hoop at the 3rd Annual Cruger- can grow to unsafe levels in circumstances that led this Mace Back to School Block Party. Photo by Silvio Pacifi co warm environments such as cooling tower to become the Continued on Page 83 BACK-TO-SCHOOL#MJIS5DH@N "?Q@MODNDIB4PKKG@H@IO FREE INSIDE Armed robbery at TN deli BY ROBERT WIRSING suspects made off with $1,300 store pretending to be a cus- BACK-TO-SCHOOL An armed robbery at Green in cash, about $600 worth of tomer. Apple Deli in Throggs Neck scratch-off NYS Lottery tick- A second man approached SUPPLEMENT has shaken the community to ets, a carton of cigarettes and Aloudy from behind, grip- its core. the cashier’s iPhone 5 and his ping a black semi-automatic Back-To-School Pages 37-48 On Monday, August 24, iPad Air before fl eeing east- handgun and pressed it into at 2 a.m., Imad Aloudy, 22, bound on Lafayette Avenue, his back warning him not to 9KI 98:BKFJ:?FFC#DFEK?OOÆOO#)'(, ( the deli’s cashier, was work- the same direction they ap- move. ing when three men wearing proached from before entering The gunman directed hooded jackets and face masks the establishment. Aloudy to stand behind the held him hostage as they Aloudy, a Throggs Neck deli counter as his backpack- robbed the store. resident, said he was away wearing accomplice armed During this incident, one from the counter repairing the with the same type of weapon of the gunmen pistol whipped store’s coffee machine when jumped over the store counter Aloudy before the trio made two men entered the store. and twisted the security cam- off with a backpack full of sto- One of the gunmen car- era around to face the wall len items. rying a big backpack closed before raiding the store’s two According to a NYPD the front door as a third man spokesman and Aloudy, the stood at the far corner of the Continued on Page 83 A CNG Publication • Vol. 35 No. 35 www.bxtimes.com GoFor To More Our Blog Information To See Our Weekly Visit Specials!Us At VistVisit Our Our New www.bronxdentistny.comNEW Web-ite: Web-Site: www.reliablebronxdentist.com www.reliablebronxdentist.com GOT IMPLANTS DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT COME SEE US (718) 547-5280 2 BRONX TIMES REPORTER, AUG. 28-SEPT. 3, 2015 BTR Riders depart the BX5 bus at the Pelham Bay Park stop. Photo by Walter Pofeldt Bx5 bus extended for the weekends BY PATRICK ROCCHIO Bay Park to The Mall at Bay Plaza on The city’s newest indoor mall is weekends,” she stated, adding “We ap- now open to any Bronxite that can plaud NYC Transit president Carmen reach the #6 IRT train. Bianco for making it easier and more The BX5 bus is being extended on convenient for our neighbors in the Same people. weekends to Co-op City’s Bay Plaza south Bronx to reach the mall.” retail hub from Pelham Bay. The MTA’s fast response to the Offi cials at the company that man- mall’s transportation concerns could Same benefits. ages Bay Plaza Shopping Center, Pres- impact the Pelham Bay business area, tige Properties, lauded the move. some believe. The Metropolitan Transportation “Shoppers who don’t drive need Now better with Blue. Authority stated that the new week- buses to access local shopping areas,” end schedule would be providing a said Jordan Treibert, former board ‘one-seat’ ride from southern Bronx member at the Pelham Bay Mer- communities to the mall beginning chants Association, who said Pelham on Sunday, September 6. Bay merchants had to wait two years On October 1, HealthPlus Amerigroup The extension starts at Pelham for the MTA to address their needs. will become Empire BlueCross Bay Station for local riders. “Meanwhile, you have a shopping Meanwhile, some merchants in center with plenty of parking and the BlueShield HealthPlus. Pelham Bay are irked over the fact MTA provides access there almost that it took almost two years and a immediately,” he concluded. Q%;CC.:0V:CC .V:IVGVJV 7Q%;0V:C1:7.:R8 huge fi ght to get a new bus line to re- Another local businessperson place the old BX14 bus, and other im- and PBMA member, Lucia Mariani V provements, while this new extension of Lucca Restaurant in Pelham Bay, 1J`Q`I: Q to the Mall at Bay Plaza seemingly said that lack of foot traffi c on com- came with relative ease. mercial corridors is causing business According to the MTA, the addi- to suffer. tional BX5 buses address a new tran- “I feel like when it suits (the sit need, with the expanded Mall at MTA’s) purposes then they move, but Bay Plaza opening in August 2014 when it is for members of the commu- bringing new jobs and more shoppers nity, they really don’t care,” she said, to the area. adding “The MTA is more responsive The change on the BX5 was an- to big corporations and not smaller nounced in June, less than a year af- businesses.” ter the opening of the new Mall at Bay Mariani predicted certain shop- Plaza. pers will now bypass local restau- “As a result of keeping close watch rants and businesses because they on changing ridership trends and lis- can shop and dine more easily at Bay tening to our customers, this service Plaza. enhancement will improve weekend Taking still another view was the service and provide south Bronx res- East Bronx Traffi c Coalition, a consor- idents with a direct link to a major tium of local civic groups studying the business and retail destination,” said effects of increasing vehicular traffi c. Carmen Bianco, New York City Tran- Robert Barbarelli, EBTC member, sit president, in a statement. stated that the group was pleased to Easier access to the mall, whether hear about the BX5 extension because healthplus.amerigroup.com it is for shopping, dinning or enter- Co-op City has been under-served in tainment benefi ts all involved, includ- terms of public transportation for Empire BlueCross BlueShield HealthPlus is the trade name of HealthPlus, LLC, ing people who work at the mall, said many years. an independent liensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield ssoiaon Maranda Ashkar, director of mall “The extension will not only bet- management for Prestige. ter serve the residents of Co-op City, To learn more about applying for health insurance including Child Health Plus “We could not be more pleased that but it will also reduce traffi c and in- and edicaid through State of Health, The cial Health Plan New York City Transit will be extend- dividual vehicle use in the area,” he aretplace, isit nystateoealthny8go or call ing the BX5 bus route from Pelham stated. BTR BRONX TIMES REPORTER, AUG. 28-SEPT. 3, 2015 3 around town Your Neighborhood — Your News by Patrick Rocchio Mail: Bronx Times 3604 E. Tremont Ave., The Bronx Times Reporter to maintain transparent Bronx, NY 10465 will publish your announce- leadership, and gave a talk To Subscribe: ments. Send announcements about how she got involved (718) 260-4595 along with photo, to: Bronx in the organization and General Phone: Times Reporter, 3604 E. where it is today. (718) 597-1116 Tremont Avenue, or e-mail • Guest Speaker Imran [email protected]. Please Kazmi, a self described General Fax: (718) 518-0038 include a phone number or a peace activist and ‘a con- way to contact you in case of sultant by day and philoso- News Phone: (718) 260-4597 questions. pher by night’ spoke to the Rotary Club News group about peace and pros- News E-Mail: The Rotary Club of the perity and his unique way of [email protected] Bronx reported information achieving it on Tuesday, Au- Sports Phone: about their meetings in late gust 4.