BRONX TIMES REPORTER, AUGUST 30-BTR SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 13
as stated BTR letters & comments
Dear editor,
In the August 16th issue
the president of the MPCA
voiced his opinions regarding
political, cultural and societal
issues currently affl icting the
country. Of course he has a
right to articulate his beliefs
as guaranteed by the First
Amendment but presenting
these judgments in a column
that is entitled Civic Center is
inappropriate.
These columns are designed
to inform readers of
the activities of various civic
organizations, and are not, in
my estimation, the proper forum
for airing personal grievances
or viewpoints.
His column might give
readers the impression that
his opinions are shared by
the membership of the MPCA,
which is simply not the case. A
letter to the editor would have
been a more fi tting forum for
his sentiments.
Pasqual Pelosi
Sorry to see
diner close
Dear editor,
How sad “Plans for Pelham
Bay Diner to become medical
facility: CB 11 (Alex Mitchell).
I have enjoyed many excellent
meals for decades when frequenting
any one of our many
local diners. Over the years,
we have seen the demise of too
many others .
Diners have been part of
my life from teenage years to
today. Eating out is a periodic
ritual with either friends or
family. Portions are generous.
Who never took a doggie bag
home with leftovers to eat the
next day. Between the customary
soup, salad, rolls, coleslaw
and pickles along with the
main course -- dinner could
satisfy the heartiest appetite.
Many time, we bagged our
desserts to go.
Neighborhoods all over the
Bronx have seen changes over
time. Many new immigrant
groups sometimes favor their
own ethnic foods and restaurants.
Diners have also lost
customers over time to numerous
fast food restaurants.
Many of their menus have expanded
to also include breakfast
items and a greater variety
of items to select from for
lunch or dinner.
Remember these people
are our neighbors. Our local
entrepreneurs who own and
operate diners have continued
to invest in our community
creating new employment opportunities
without the assistance
of federally-funded
taxpayers’ stimulus dollars.
They work long hours, pay
taxes and provide local employment.
If we don’t patronize
our local restaurants, they
don’t eat either.
Larry Penner
Not everyone
shares beliefs
DOT delays
lighting again
Dear editor,
I want to make your readers
aware of the following because
it is a safely issue. In January
of 2017 on behalf of the Waterbury
LaSalle Community Association
I had a conversation
with our then Senator Jeff
Klein about the need for additional
street lighting on East
Tremont Ave between Waterbury
Avenue and Bruckner
Boulevard. on the cemetery
side of the street.
The senator looked at the
area at night and agreed additional
lamp posts were needed
for safety. If you remember
this location was the site of
at least two late night car and
pedestrians crashes where
people died. Senator Klein
brought the request to the
NYC Department of Transportation
and it was approved, in
January 2017 for completion
by the 3rd quarter of 2017. The
additional lighting was never
installed.
So last year I asked Councilman
Mark Gjoanj to look in
to the request since it had been
approved. His offi ce looked
into it and was told it would be
completed by the end of 2018.
Now we are in August of 2019
and the lighting still has not
been installed so I contacted
the councilman’s offi ce again
for a follow up.
Now the DOT is saying it
will be done by the end of 2019.
The DOT has a big problem
completing work when promised.
Or maybe they are just
plain lying about this whole
lighting project.
There is a full page article
in the Bronx Times Reporter
with photos of the area in the
January 2017 issue of the paper.
We are asking for this
lighting for the safety of all
who walk or drive on this two
block stretch of East Tremont
Avenue.
Andrew Chirico,
Waterbury LaSalle
Homeowners Association
Coping with
life’s mission
Dear editor,
The summer is fi nally over
and let’s all pray that no other
police offi cer feels the need to
take their own life.
To each member of the police
department here at the
45th Precinct and throughout
our country, I want to tell you
how very special you are.
You were chosen by God for
this very special mission you
take on each and every day –
not only the days you are ‘on
the job,’ but throughout your
whole life.
You have so much to give
to all of us – whether it be to
those of us who have lived for
a good, long life - I am 77 years
old - but even more to the
young ones who do not have
someone in their life to love
them and guide them on this
journey called ‘life’.
You can show them ‘the
beautiful and wonderful’
things that can be.
You can also show them
when life becomes a real chore
that we all have to deal with
the fi nal outcome can be joyous,
especially when we share
all of these things with others
we love and those who love us.
I have experienced the joy
of ‘giving,’ and have learned
‘the more you give away, the
more you receive.’
We take many roads and
many turns in life but… look
around and see those who are
traveling with us.
At times I have said “how
can that person endure that?”
After many prayers, and I am
still praying - it was revealed
to me ‘one step at a time ---
one day at a time.’ And with
some planning for tomorrow,
it helps.
When I went through training
at the New York Foundling
Hospital and for the 18 years I
worked there I saw a sign saying
“See the Christ child in every
child you serve.” He does
help us all.
We are all children of God.
My grandparents taught me:
• None of us picked our gender
- male or female;
• We did not pick our height:
short or tall;
• We did not pick ethnic
background: black, white or
Asian, etc.
We have no control of any
of that.
What we can control is:
• A smile;
• A wave hello;
• Telling someone “Nice try
– you did a good job.”
How good did you feel when
you heard those words!
I pray for all of you each
and every day, including our
wonderful NYPD, FDNY, EMS
and our military.
Cathy ‘Aunt Cathy’ Praino
Veterans Parade
needs flag $$
Dear editor,
The United Veterans’ Day
Parade Committee of Greater
New York organizes and conducts
the annual Veterans’
Day Parade in Throggs Neck.
This year’s parade will be held
on Sunday, November 10 and
kicks off at noon from Lafayette
and East Tremont avenues.
The 2019 parade is historic
as it celebrates the 100th
anniversary of the American
Legion and also marks the
35th year that our community
has hosted this patriotic event
to recognize veterans, past and
present for their service to our
great nation.
Each year, our committee
volunteers have placed on all
utility poles both American
and service fl ags representing
the Army, Marine Corps,
Navy, Air Force and Coast
Guard as well as the POW fl ag
throughout the parade route
of march along East Tremont
and Randall avenues and the
Throgs Neck Expressway to
the Bicentennial Veterans’ Memorial
Park. Our fl ags require
replacement.
This year’s goal is to raise
funds to purchase 100 fl ags for
a mix of American and service
fl ags for placement and
marching. These fl ags are
American-made and typically
average $50 per fl ag including
pole, hardware and bracket.
Accordingly, we are seeking
your kind donation to sponsor
a fl ag in honor of a loved one,
family, business and/or club,
or to just show your patriotism
and honor our veterans.
Your name and/or your business
will be recognized in the
Bronx Times Reporter.
If you chose to support this
just cause with a donation for
one or more fl ags, please make
your check payable to the
United Veterans’ Day Parade
Committee of Greater New
York, and mail to P.O. Box 835,
Bronx, NY 10465 (return by October
25, 2019). Include who is
to be recognized. Your contribution
is tax deductible.
United Veterans Day
Parade Committee
This week’s As Stated is
short but has a hard-hitting
statement from the city’s district
attorneys on their plan
to curb fatal drug overdoses.
Statement by district attorneys
Darcel D. Clark,
Eric Gonzalez, Michael E.
McMahon, Cyrus R. Vance
Jr. and Acting District Attorney
John M. Ryan on
commitment to prevent fatal
drug overdoses..... “As the district
attorneys who serve all
of the residents of New York
City, we are committed to using
every tool at our disposal
to prevent fatal drug overdoses
and to working in partnership
with public health
offi cials and community leaders.
It is encouraging to see
fewer people suffered fatal
overdoses in New York City
in 2018, as demonstrated by
new data released today by
the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene. However,
1,444 lives lost in one year to
drug overdose in our city remains
unacceptably high and
deaths continue to rise in areas
of the city.
“The dangerously potent
synthetic opioid fentanyl and
its variants, known as fentanyl
analogs, are largely responsible
for the spike in drugrelated
deaths in recent years.
In New York City in 2018, fentanyl
and fentanyl analogs
were involved in 60% of all
overdose deaths, a larger proportion
than in past years.
“We call on New York
State lawmakers to prohibit
unregulated distribution of
all fentanyl analogs, which
are nearly identical to fentanyl
in chemical structure and
potentially more lethal. This
can be accomplished by passing
legislation to add all current
and future variants of
fentanyl to Schedule I of controlled
substances under New
York State Public Health Law
PBH § 3306. Additionally, we
support increased funding for
public awareness campaigns
and for Police Laboratories,
Coroners and Medical Examiners
across New York State.”
Councilwoman Vanessa
Gibson releases the following
statement on Black Women’s
Equal Pay Day..... “On average
black women are paid 63
cents to every dollar made
by their white male counterparts.
(On) Black Women’s
Equal Pay Day we acknowledge
and demand a change
that is long overdue. Eighty
percent of black women are
the primary breadwinners
for their families.”