Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights norwoodnews.org NORWOOD NEWS Vol. 24, No. 23 ■ PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION ■ December 1 –14, 2011 CLINTON UP-E NDED BY LINCOLN Armory at Center of Living Wage Debate By JEANMARIE EVELLY Born out of an argument fought two years ago over a proposed shop - ping mall at the Kingsbridge Armory, a fierce battle over legislation set - ting wage requirements at some publicly subsidized developments has come to a head this month. In an exhaustive hearing last week, the council spent nearly five hours debating the details of the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, proposed last year by two Bronx Council members at the behest of Bronx Borough Pres - ident Ruben Diaz, Jr. Both opponents and supporters of the bill testified their cases to Council Speaker Christine Quinn — who largely controls the fate of the legislation — though the two sides, ultimately, found little grounds for an agreement. “Some of the concerns expressed by some of the so-called opponents were greatly exaggerated,” said Councilman Oliver Koppell, who spon - sored the bill with colleague Annabel Palma. “We have to review what we have, and perhaps make some small adjustments, but the overall bill is sound.” Photo by Francesca Andre The bill’s sponsors have already amended the legislation from its orig - THE DEWITT CLINTON Governors, in the PSAL football semifinals for the first time since inal version in response to criticism received during its first public hear - 1989, lost to top-ranked and undefeated Lincoln High School, 30-14, on Saturday afternoon. ing last spring. The revised bill narrows the criteria for the projects that See story, p. 7. would have to comply with the wage mandate ($10 an hour with health benefits or $11.50 without) to developments receiving city tax breaks of $1 million or more, up from the $100,000 proposed in the original version. The amended bill also exempts manufacturing companies, commercial tenants A Neighborhood Loses Its in affordable housing projects, and small businesses earning less than $5 million in revenue. It became clear during last week’s hearing, however, that the bill’s recent adjustments have done little to sway its opponents. Pizza Man, But Not His Pizza (continued on p. 8) By ALEX KRATZ says he won’t change a thing. Still, Sal’s without Sal will take some get - It’s a typical Monday night inside Sal’s ting used to. Small Turnout at Vigil Pizza and Restaurant, Norwood’s oldest and A woman lured Sal to the Bronx in 1968. most popular Italian joint. Hurried locals The oldest of seven siblings, Alfonso “Sal” drop in for a quick slice. Friends pick up Calces was working on his family’s small Sign That Fear Reigns take-out. A family stops for a sit-down meal. farm in Sarno, Italy, a mid-sized town of And there’s Sal Calces, the gregarious, about 65,000 people close to Naples. His wife, By LINDSAY ARMSTRONG omnipresent owner of his namesake eatery (continued on p. 5) since 1980. A handful of community members gathered in front of Monroe College Always affectionate, Sal’s laying it on thick two weeks ago for a candlelit vigil in honor of Bimal Chanda. Eight flames tonight. He wants to give you a big smile and a honored the 59-year-old Fordham resident who died almost a month ago, hug and maybe a kiss on the cheek. After 31 the result of a brutal beating at the hands of two unidentified thugs. years of tomato sauce, sweat and tears, he’s The turnout for the vigil was much smaller than expected, but organiz - leaving, he tells you. But it’s going to be okay, ers said that was not because there wasn’t support for the victim. he reassures. That’s just how life works. He Mohammed Solaiman Ali, a friend of Chanda’s who organized the shrugs and says with a thick southern Italian event said it was not a lack of respect for Mr. Chanda that kept many mem - accent hardly dented after 43 years in the bers of the local Bangladeshi and Indian communities away from the vigil, Bronx: “Everything come to an end.” but rather fear. By the time you read this, Sal will be gone; “They are afraid. They don’t want people to see their faces,” Ali said. retired at age 62, spending time in the east “Even my wife said she wouldn’t come tonight. She said, ‘Don’t make your - Bronx with his ailing wife, two kids and four self a target.’” grandchildren. But his life’s work — the Ali understands this fear all too well. In the summer of 2007, he was the restaurant, his pizza, his spirit — will still be Photo by Alex Kratz victim of a series of crimes. A woman allegedly burglarized Ali’s Ford - on Bainbridge Avenue, between East 205th and SAL CALCES, former owner of Sal’s Pizza and ham-area home twice within a matter of weeks. When he confronted the 206th streets. Aside from adding a delivery Restaurant on Bainbridge Avenue, is retiring suspect about the burglary, Ali says she threatened him and later physi - option, the new owner, Musa Nesheiwat, a Jor - after 31 years, but the restaurant and its cally assaulted him with a male partner. danian man who grew up eating Sal’s pizza, employees will remain. (continued on p. 3) ■ Tales from the Occupy Protests PAGE 2 ■ Localized Crime Stats PAGE 4 ■ Pantries Struggle to Meet Hunger Needs PAGE 6 www.norwoodnews.org 2 ■ December 1 –14, 2011 ■ Norwood News In The Public Interest Vol. 24, No. 23 Tales From the Bronx Occupy Protests More coverage on Norwood News is published Occupy Fordham Road Occupy Yankee Stadium norwoodnews.org bi-weekly on Thursdays by At the intersection of the Grand Con - For Bronx Occupy Wall Street activists, Mosholu Preservation Corporation course and Fordham Road two weeks ago, perhaps no meet-up location was more apt 3400 Reservoir Oval East about two dozen people showing their than in the shadow of the new Yankee Sta - • Live Blogging from Occupy Bronx, New York 10467 support and affiliation with the Occupy dium. The dozen or so protesters that had Protests and Living Wage Wall Street movement were joined by assembled beside the McDonalds on 161st Hearing Phone: 718 324 4998 Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera. Street and River Avenue said that despite Fax: 718 324 2917 • Young Bronxites Excelling “Six months ago, we were not having city involvement in the project, the com - E-mail: [email protected] • Local Restaurant Gems Web: www.norwoodnews.org the conversations that we are having munity has yet to see the benefits of the today about economic inequality,” said new billion-dollar ballpark. Uncovered Rivera before protesters heading down - This was the Bronx leg of a 16-loca - • More on Sal’s Pizza Owner town to join thousands of others at Foley tion, citywide “Occupy the Subways” Retiring Square, the final gathering for the Occu - protest, which would culminate down - Publisher CEO, Mosholu • Shooting on E. 209th Street Mosholu Preservation Preservation py movement’s National Day of Action. town at Foley Square. Corporation Corporation In a movement that began on the oppo - The activists were among thousands • The Bronx Breakdown site end of the city, protesters are sprout - taking up the battle against economic Editor-in-Chief Roberto S. Garcia (Fridays) Alex Kratz ing up in the Bronx, where residents rep - inequality on Occupy Wall Street’s resent a highly concentrated slice of the National Day of Action, a day to celebrate that her neighborhood had yet to reap the Staff Writer marginalized so-called “99 percent.” the two-month anniversary of activists benefits of the new Yankee Stadium. Jeanmarie Evelly “The 99 percent live in the Bronx,” first taking up residence in Zuccotti Park. “I didn’t have to join the movement, Classified Advertising said Rivera. “They are the people that I (Protesters were evicted two days before the movement joined me,” she said. Dawn McEvoy represent.” the mass protests.) In one train car, she was heckled by a The group was an even mix of men and The stadium protest stood in a sharp bald man who wore a green sweatshirt Accounts Receivable Dawn McEvoy women of different ages and ethnicities. contrast from the rest of the movement, and headphones. The train had come to a Handing out copies of the Occupied and even from events earlier that morning. stop, and the rest of the group, including Proofreader Wall Street Journal in Spanish, a publica - There were barely any cops and none in a Lens Blog photographer for the New Judy Noy tion produced by the movement, James riot gear. And there were no bushy-haired York Times, had rushed to the next car. Production Duarte is a student from the Bronx who youths clashing with charcoal suits. The group waited for her to appear from Neil deMause stressed the importance of bringing the Instead, there was longtime activist the shouting match with the man. When Regular Contributors movement north. and Highbridge resident Agnes Johnson, she emerged, she said, “I turned that David Greene, Adi Talwar, Jasmeet Sidhu, “I realized it was about outreach, and a Hispanic mom and her young boy, mem - whole car against him.” Francesca Andre. Lindsay Armstrong bringing the message out to the Bronx,” bers of the New York Civil Participation The 4 train group dissolved into the Interns Duarte said. “This is nothing new for us; Project and Living Wage NYC Campaign mass of bodies at Foley Square, where Ronald Chavez, Emily Piccone the African-American and Latino com - workers (see front page story).