CF:8C :C8JJ@=@<;J @EJ@;< December 8, 2013 Your Neighborhood — Your News® Boro’s best respond to SUBWAY train wreck BY DAVID CRUZ Last Sunday’s massive Metro- North train derailment in the CLOSURE Bronx put local hospitals to the test. The news was tough – four peo- ple dead and 63 injured from a 5:54 a.m. train from Poughkeepsie. The eight-car passenger train bound for Grand Central Termi- nal rolled to its side at 7:22 a.m. CHAOS as it rounded a notoriously curvy track near the Spuyten Duyvil station. EMS techs at the crash site ac- Dyre Ave. #5 renovations cessed the injured, triaged them and quickly called the Bronx’s BY DAVID CRUZ The station, in a quiet area trauma centers – Jacobi Medical The 12 days of Christmas could just north of Pelham Parkway, Center, Montefi ore Medical Cen- spell 14 days of headaches for some appears severely rundown with ter and St. Barnabas Hospital – straphangers. paint fl aking, stark lighting. standard protocol for major ca- That’s because the Pelham Tracks are missing between the tastrophes. Parkway Station on the 5 Dyre two platforms of the station, once “We don’t want to inundate Avenue subway line is set to close an express stop for the defunct one hospital,” said FDNY spokes- Monday, Dec. 9 as emergency work New York, Westchester and Bos- man Frank Dwyer, adding the gets underway for the following ton Railway. fi rst rule is to remove “the most two weeks. The project’s timing comes seriously injured people off site Photo by Laura Stone Trains from both directions during the busy holiday season as soon as possible and to a hos- will skip the stop until Dec. 23 as Bronxites prepare for Yuletide pital.” All Decked Out For Santa when crews are expected to fi n- gatherings while hitting the local EMS pegged 11 victims as “red ish. big box stores for gifts. tags,” considered high-priority, Ava Marie Vetere is balanced by none other than the Santa Claus himself! “It was necessary to close this But Ortiz noted the “relatively rushing them to Manhattan’s Co- Jolly Saint Nick took time out of his hectic schedule to celebrate Throggs station for two weeks to execute light” ridership numbers, with lumbia-Presbyterian, the closest Neck’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. More photos on holiday this emergency asbestos abate- the station ranking 7th in lowest trauma center by the crash site. lightings can be found on pages 8 and 9. ment and minor repairs,” said commuter use, implying few com- Continued on Page 4 MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz. Continued on Page 4 Explosion at Westchester Square BY PATRICK ROCCHIO offi cials said. causing it to collapse, said son Benny was in stable A father and son criti- Benedetto Mondello, 63, fi re offi cials. condition, said Jacobi Medi- cally injured in a explosion and his son Benny Mon- Fire Marshals deter- cal Center spokesman John that collapsed the roof of dello, 35, were opening mined it was a natural gas Doyle. their Westchester Square their B&L Auto Repair shop explosion, but the exact An FDNY spokesman auto repair shop were re- at 2601 Westchester Ave. cause was still under inves- said that there were no ported out of danger. about 7:45 a.m. on Wednes- tigation, offi cials said. fl ames when fi refi ghters Firefi ghters had to day, Nov. 27 when the blast As of print press time, arrived, but as is standard crawl under the collapsed tore through a secondary Benedetto Mondello was in procedure at building col- Firefi ghters at the scene of an auto repair shop explosion and col- roof to rescue one of them, building on the property, “good condition” and his Continued on Page 15 lapse near Westchester Square. Photo by Walter Pofeldt A CNG Publication • Vol. 672 No. No. 49 5 • Vol. 67 No. 5 UPDATED EVERY DAY AT BXTIMES.COM Ready to discover a new sense of well being. BRONX WEEKLY December 8, 2013 2 DecemberBRONX WEEKLY 8, 2013 Not ready to move out of her own home. 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State Department of Health Fax 718-231-8024 @ Medicare, Medicaid, private pay and private insurance accepted www.bronxwood.com Schedule a consultation and receive a free gift with mention of this ad Throggs Neck holiday lights switch on December3 BRONX WEEKLY 8, 2013 Merchants group show spirit of the season BY PATRICK ROCCHIO “Please look for the post- want happiness and cele- The Throggs Neck Mer- ers in the store owner’s win- bration.” chants Association’s lights dows,” said Cerini, “and if One of the most generous are back on this year, trans- you don’t see a poster, ask contributors, said Cerini, forming the shopping strip them why they did not con- is Jim McQuade, owner of into a Winter Wonderland. tribute.” Schuyler Hill Funeral Home The merchants, through The job is a major un- at 3535 E. Tremont Ave. generous donations, strung dertaking every year, and McQuade said that when Christmas lights across a group of merchants visit the merchants association the shopping streets of East every store up and down restarted after a dormant Tremont Avenue shopping the shopping strip several period, he, Bronx Times strip from Dudley Avenue times to collect funds for founder John Collazzi, and near Lehman High School the lights, he said. others made bringing back all the way to Miles Avenue, The lights were turned the holiday lights a prior- said TNMA treasurer John on Thanksgiving weekend, ity. Cerini, noting there are 48 said TNMA president Steve “This is my neighbor- strands of lights and four Kaufman. hood, and my home. I love pole decorations this year. The lights, along with this community and am The lights are paid for by the Christmas Tree Light- proud of it,” said McQuade. merchants who contribute ing at Derosa O’Boyle Tri- “It’s Christmas, through money to the yearly effort. angle on Dec. 1, hosted by the good times and the bad For those merchants Assemblyman Michael times. As business people, who do contribute, they Benedetto along with the The Throggs Neck Merchants’ Christmas lights brighten the holiday season in the community. we have to say thank you are given posters to display TNMA, bring the holiday Photo by Patrick Rocchio/fi le photo to the community. We want in their store windows, he spirit to the community, he this community to be thank- said. said. ful that they are living here, www.BXTimes.com Cerini said the TNMA “The merchants are gen- and have our welcoming munity and an active group to have a very happy and appreciate it, and know that is asking the community erous in contributing to spirit on East Tremont Av- of merchants that want to Merry Christmas,” the merchants back them.” to support merchants who make sure that were able to enue,” said Kaufman. see Tremont Avenue fl our- he said. “We don’t want contributed for the lights. put up the Christmas lights “We have an active com- ish, and want the people darkness in our lives, we GARLICK FUNERAL HOMES LOUIS HIRSCH & SONS FUNERAL DIRECTORS C.O.D. Providing quality services at affordable prices. 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