Morrisania News: Romeo Santos to Play Yankee Stadium

Morrisania News: Romeo Santos to Play Yankee Stadium: Romeo Santos to Play Yankee Stadium Bronx Native Santos to Perform First Latin Music Concert at Stadium  By Howard Goldin ...

Romeo Santos to Play Yankee Stadium

Romeo Santos to Play Yankee Stadium

Bronx Native Santos to Perform First Latin Music Concert at Stadium 

By Howard Goldin

Yankee Stadium is arguably the most iconic sports venue in the world. It is not only the home of the world renowned New York Yankees, but also hosted world class soccer matches, championship fights, football bowl games, and NHL outdoor hockey contests. 

Less known, but no less important is that in Yankee Stadium,  three Popes celebrated Mass, Billy Graham preached, Nelson Mandela spoke after being released from prison in South Africa, a service was held less than 2 weeks after the 9/11/2001 attack on the World Trade Center and world famous entertainers performed concerts.

A two purpose press conference was held in the Legends Club of Yankee Stadium on Monday afternoon. An announcement was made of the first Latin music concert at the current Yankee Stadium. Bronx born vocalist Anthony “Romeo” Santos, termed the “King of Bachata”, will headline the July 12 show. The second half of the conference featured Santos, seated in a chair, calmly yet animatedly answering questions regarding his newest recording, “Fórmula Vol 2”, scheduled to be released on the following day.

With a large gathering awaiting the start of the press event, Yankees President Randy Levine and COO Lonn Trost moved to seats on the stage and were followed shortly by concert promoter Felix Cabrera and Santos. The multi-platinum selling recording artist took time to pose for many photos before the conference began. 

Both Yankees executives expressed the happiness and pride of the organization to present the concert in July and predicted its great success, both artistically and financially. Santos follows such superstars of the entertainment world on the stage in the current Yankee Stadium as Jay-Z and Eminem, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and a heavy metal concert with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. 

Levine said, “It only makes sense” that Bronx born Romeo Santos headlines the first Latin music concert at the current Yankee Stadium. He added, “Romeo Santos is going to be a giant hit here. The show will be memorable.”

Cabrera explained the number of performances that Santos sold out at Madison Square Garden and predicted, “I know he can sell out Yankee Stadium in less than one month.”

The 32-year-old singer seemed to be awed and proud to be in these surroundings. He remarked, ”I was born and raised in the Bronx, and when I walked around the streets here I always visualized coming to a game with my dad. My father is a big Yankees fane as am I, although I don’t know a great deal about sports.”

His feelings about performing a solo concert  at Yankee Stadium were expressed with much emotion, “This is a dream, thanks to God, to be here. It’s a tremendous honor to present myself here in a place of such magnitude, especially in the Bronx. It’s a privilege to be the first Latino artist. I am not just representing a genre [Bachata], a culture, but Latinos. [His father is from the Dominican Republic and his mother from Puerto Rico]. It’s a big responsibility, but I won’t let you down.” He termed it, “the most important event of my career.”

Many great musical artists performed in the first Yankee Stadium such as James Brown, Stevie Wonder, the Beach Boys, U2 and Billy Joel. The most recent Latin music concert there was held on August 24, 1973 by the Fania All Stars, more than 40 years ago.

To those who are not familiar with the musical sensation, it should be said that he has worked long and hard to reach his exalted position in the music world. After singing in a church choir as a boy, he, together with his cousin and two close friends formed a vocal quartet. They began as teenagers in 1994 and signed their first recording contract in 1999. After assuming the name Aventura, they had several hit records and attained status as a superlative musical group performing the Dominican genre, Bachata.

The foursome was honored during Bronx Week in 2007 as the group’s name was added to the Bronx Walk of Fame, the greatest honor given by the borough.

In 2010, the group disbanded, so its members could pursue individual projects. Romeo Sanchez recorded his first solo album, Fórmula Vol 1, which produced a unique feat of five #1 singles. The Sony Music Latin artist was the #1 in sales of Latin music in 2009, 2010 and 2012. This fact will most likely continue in the future as Santos has the most #1 discs in Latin music in the current decade. 

His new recording, which features Drake, Nicki Minaj, Carlos Santana, Marc Anthony, Tego Calderón and comedian Kevin Hart introducing it, has been eagerly awaited and should be another best seller.

Morrisania News: Always the Captain

Morrisania News: Always the Captain: Always the Captain Jeter on Season: It’s not about me Derek Tried to Focus on Yanks’ Season Rather than Retirement By Rich...

Always the Captain

Always the Captain

Jeter on Season: It’s not about me

Derek Tried to Focus on Yanks’ Season Rather than Retirement

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 20- Derek Jeter will be missed by the New York Yankees and their fans when his wonderful career concludes this season. Others will also miss his presence, including members of the media. And there are many reasons why the media will miss Jeter.

Derek Jeter was not a friend to the dozens who followed and chronicled his career on the field the past 20 years, rather we referred to Jeter as the professional who answered every question and never ducked an issue. He appreciated this end of the baseball business, and that was displayed again Wednesday at his retirement press conference down in Tampa Florida.

This was the start of Jeter’s retirement press tour. Time and time again, he will answer similar questions as he makes the final rounds around ballparks the Yankees visit. He was patient and understanding.

Then, there was this comment showing his concern to the media: “You can go off to work if you have to.” A few seconds after commenting about his retirement decision, Jeter momentarily took notice of some reporters leaving the pavilion at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Jeter once again, as he has been so accustomed to doing, did not want to be the center of attention. He was the story, and he will be this Yankees 2014 season. But, Jeter also is aware that the media has a job to do. With those words, to those few leaving the press area, Jeter was handling business.

This is spring training, about the New York Yankees quest and hopeful return to the post season in October. This day, according to Jeter, should not be about him. However, that is the side of Derek Jeter that we have all come to know. It was again, more about the Yankees and not about Derek Jeter.

His comments were to the point:

“I feel the time is right. There are other things I want to do. Physically I feel great and I look forward to playing a full season. The thing that means the most to me is to be remembered as a Yankee. Yeah, I’m emotional. It’s kind of difficult because we still have a season to play.”0

He did not laugh. Jeter did not cry. He said it was not a retirement press conference. “I have feelings,” he said.

And there have been times when we knew Derek Jeter had feelings. There have been the many times, and many more this final season when reporters await him by his dressing quarters. At the old and new Yankee Stadiums, the proper answer would always come from the Yankee captain.

Then there was this comment, so typical of what we always get to hear when Derek Jeter speaks.

“Every time the Yankees win,” he said about his favorite career moment. That had to be the toughest answer Wednesday, but one expected from Jeter. And if everything follows the Yankees illustrious history, the Yankees biggest win will come with a sixth World Series ring in the final season for Derek Jeter.

He said, “I think it would have been more of a distraction if I did not mention it,” referring to his retirement announcement on his social media Facebook page last week.

The point is, Derek Jeter has never been a distraction. He has done everything right as a New York Yankee and playing in the New York spotlight, well he handled that like a true professional.

He especially handled it right with the media. He will be missed. The good news is we get to enjoy watching Derek Jeter play one more season and like he said, baseball is fun to play.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso  www.newyorksportsexaminer.com

Morrisania News: Snow Doesn’t Slow Down Cops

Morrisania News: Snow Doesn’t Slow Down Cops: Snow Doesn’t Slow Down Cops (Photo by David Greene) By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 19- The repeated snow-storms...

Snow Doesn’t Slow Down Cops

Snow Doesn’t Slow Down Cops

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 19- The repeated snow-storms have not sidelined detectives who continue to respond too and solve local homicides.

Police officers in Morrisania were called to the Forest Houses on Friday, February 15, where Darin Capeheart, 25, who suffered from spina bifida, was shot several times in the chest outside of the E. 166 Street building and died at Lincoln Hospital.

A second victim and friend of Capeheart, described by police as a 26-year old male, was shot several times in the legs and buttocks and survived.

Just six days later police charged Bronxites Salim Wilson, 22, the suspected trigger-man and his accomplice Julio Velasquez, 20. Both men were charged with murder and attempted murder and Velasquez was also charged with possession of a weapon.

Investigators needed less than two days to solve the January 26 stabbing death of Leobardo Garcia, 29. Garcia was stabbed in the chest while visiting a building on Grant Avenue in the Concourse section.

Police have charged Pedro Torres, 32, with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.  

Morrisania News: Bronx Gets Shortchanged AGAIN!

Morrisania News: Bronx Gets Shortchanged AGAIN!: New Mayor, Same Result: Bronx Gets Shortchanged AGAIN! Officials blame residents for icy streets By David Greene BRONX...

Bronx Gets Shortchanged AGAIN!

New Mayor, Same Result: Bronx Gets Shortchanged AGAIN!

Officials blame residents for icy streets

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 12- Residents may not know if theirs is a tertiary or secondary street, but you don't have to be a genius to know that the city's new web site to track snow removal is a flop.

Residents in Norwood realized that when New York City's PlowNYC web site showed their area was plowed however, several secondary streets were not plowed enough or missed completely after two storms battered the area over three days.

Norwood residents took to Facebook after snowplows left a narrow path and large patches of ice along Decatur and Hull Avenues between East Mosholu Parkway North and E. 204 Street-- causing more than a few vehicles to become stuck.

Shortly after the latest storm of February 5, PlowNYC reported the roadway's were clear. The following Thursday angry residents took to the social media web site that apparently generated calls to both 311 and Councilman Andrew Cohen's office.

The source, who noticed the problem when she attempted to assist an elderly woman cross one of the ice covered streets, recalled, "They came and plowed, but I called them again and said it wasn't good enough, so they came back."

Sources say a plow again returned late Monday and eventually cleared the roadway.

Unpaved streets were also reported along Kossuth Avenue as well as Tryon Avenue, both in the Norwood section.

Meanwhile, traffic agents appeared to be engaged in a ticket blitz as two-man teams patrolled down Bainbridge Avenue and across E. 204 Street, converging on any vehicle in a no standing zone or metered spot.

The two-manned teams of ticket writers were also spotted in force in the Morris Park, Tremont and Fordham sections as hundreds of cars remain encased in blocks of solid ice two or three feet deep.

PlowNYC has been tracking the progression of snow removal by the Department of Sanitation of New York (DSNY) since Feb, 2013 and was created in response to the snow removal fiasco of 2010.

The PlowNYC program outfitted 1,700 plows and salt spreaders with GPS tracking devices that send the information to a central computer that uploads the information to an on-line map.

Keith Mellis, a spokesman at DSNY defended the department, claiming, "The block had been plowed by DSNY," but added that the situation was caused by careless residents.

Mellis claimed, "It's caused by people who throw it back into the

middle of the street and we go through with a plow and can't pick it up."

He explained that the tossed ice becomes embedded into the blacktop by passing vehicles.

Pleading with the public for cooperation, Mellis, now gearing up for the next storm, urged, Please don't put it back in the street."

Morrisania News: ‘Obama’ Hangs Out with Realty TV Stars

Morrisania News: ‘Obama’ Hangs Out with Realty TV Stars: ‘Obama’ Hangs Out with Realty TV Stars Photo by David Greene The boroughs own presidential impersonator Louis Ortiz celebrated ...

‘Obama’ Hangs Out with Realty TV Stars

‘Obama’ Hangs Out with Realty TV Stars

Photo by David Greene

The boroughs own presidential impersonator Louis Ortiz celebrated his birthday with a few dozen friends at Babalu's on East Tremont Avenue. Joining Ortiz were several cast members from the new reality series, "South Bronx." The evening was highlighted by Fordham singer- songwriter Alexa Valdez, 20, who sang, "Happy Birthday," to Ortiz in the Marilyn Monroe-style.   

Morrisania News: Former Gang Bangers Reach Out to Stop Gun Violence...

Morrisania News: Former Gang Bangers Reach Out to Stop Gun Violence...: Former Gang Bangers Reach Out to Stop Gun Violence BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 10- A cutting-edge statewide gun and gang violence p...

Former Gang Bangers Reach Out to Stop Gun Violence

Former Gang Bangers Reach Out to Stop Gun Violence

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 10- A cutting-edge statewide gun and gang violence prevention program – Operation SNUG – received a $300,000 award from State Senator Jeff Klein to operate in The Bronx’s Jacobi Medical Center. The hospital also generously chipped in another $50,000 to the anti-gun violence effort.

Operation SNUG – guns spelled backwards – is an aggressive, on the ground program that brings reformed gang members and criminals to hotbed street corners to teach their hard-learned lessons to troubled youths. Acting as “violence interrupters” these individuals will be on the front lines, facing down potentially violent confrontations in some of New York City’s toughest neighborhoods. Expanding on the program’s past success, violence interrupters will be on the ground in the Bronx to mediate disputes before guns are drawn.

Senator Klein was the only elected official in New York City to secure SNUG funding for his district in 2014. The new program builds on the anti-gun momentum Senator Klein began last year when he co-authored and helped passed the NY SAFE Act, a new law which finally gives New York the toughest gun laws in the country.

“I’m proud that I was able to deliver $300,000 to the people in the Bronx who need this program the most. SNUG’s aggressive and proven approach makes it clear to our young people that guns and gang violence do not need to be a way of life,” said Senator Klein. “Our violence interrupters can reach these kids in a way that no one else can. Their inspiring stories teach kids that gun violence is not worth the tragedy and jail time that too often tear apart our communities. This initiative, along with the NY SAFE Act, are essential tools in our fight to eliminate gun violence,” Klein added.

The state’s Division of Criminal Services (DCJS) selected Jacobi Medical Center Auxiliary, Inc. to run the Operation SNUG program. Thanks to Senator Klein’s advocacy, the Bronx was one of only seven areas selected across the state for part of $2.18 million in funding for the initiative this year.

The funds present an exciting opportunity for Jacobi Medical Center to take an active role in the community it serves.

“More and more hospitals have to operate without walls. The funds we have obtained through DCJS and Senator Klein’s office will allow us to have a community based Injury Prevention program. Now our Auxiliary will be able to help patients in many more ways than ever before. Additional resources including violence interrupters, focused recreational programs, clinical social work intervention and follow-up will provide us with the opportunity to take preemptive measures and ensure that young adults are safe from violence” said William P. Walsh, Executive Director of Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital. 

Violence interrupters will target areas that are known to police as breeding grounds of violence, places where, unfortunately, problems have in the past been solved by guns.

“As a doctor, I have seen too many kids killed or maimed for life as a result of the senseless destruction of bullets. I became an activist because treating wounds just wasn’t enough, we need to attack this problem at is source. Thanks to this DCJS grant and Senator Klein’s efforts, we’ll be able to do just that.  Approaching the gun violence epidemic with a community-centered violence prevention program is the most effective way of ensuring these kids never get injured or have to cross through the doors of our Emergency Room.‘ said Dr. Sheldon Teperman; Trauma Service Director and Board Member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

“Empirical evidence shows that hospital-based interventions are extremely effective. This new program and the research it produces will allow us not only to gain an insight to those who are affected by gun violence but also to make an impact on these individuals lives,” added Dr. Stephen Blumberg.

The program could shield another mother from the agony that Elizabeth Thompson went through when her 19-year-old son, Shawn Lamont Williams, was fatally shot nearby her Bronx home.

“As a mother who has lost a child, I’m doing everything in my power to prevent another parent from enduring the same pain I have experienced. A Bronx SNUG program may be too late for my son, but if it saves one young person’s life it’s worth every penny. Thank you Senator Klein for listening,” said Thompson, member of North Central Bronx Hospital’s Community Advisory Board and a member of the North Bronx/Westchester Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, Inc.

Some of the violence interrupters will be recruited by a local pastor, who has experience in counseling high risk youth.

“This is a very significant program that we are bringing to The Bronx. In my line of work I eulogize a lot of young men from street violence. I believe that this is a way that we can save lives. This program will be a definite blessing to the community,” said Rev. Joseph Gooding of Fellowship Tabernacle Ministries.

Operation SNUG was heralded by Community Precinct Councils across the borough, Community Board No. 10 and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

Morrisania News: Gunmen Chicken Out?

Morrisania News: Gunmen Chicken Out?: Gunmen Chicken Out? By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 6- Maybe they should have just ordered the combo deal. A pair...

Gunmen Chicken Out?

Gunmen Chicken Out?

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 6- Maybe they should have just ordered the combo deal. A pair of crooks who tried to rob a Morrisania takeout restaurant left empty handed but left cops with some good images of the gunmen.

At around 1 a.m. on January 25, two men walked into the Kennedy Fried Chicken on East 169th Street and demanded cash. One of the men pulled out a handgun and tried to rob the takeout joint but left empty handed.

Police released surveillance video of the attempted stickup. Both men wore hoodies but only one covered his face. The gunman wore a scarf or ski mask over his mouth but his accomplice did not. His face is seen on the video appearing to talk into a cell phone before the holdup.

The thieves are described as two men in their 20s. Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.