LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Letters to the editor are welcome from all readers. They should be addressed
care of this newspaper to Laura Guerriero, Publisher, the Bronx
Times Reporter, 3604 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or e-mail to bronxtimes@
cnglocal.com.
All letters, including those submitted via e-mail, MUST be signed and with
a verifi able address and telephone number included.
Note that the address and telephone number will NOT be published and
the name will be published or withheld upon request. No unsigned letters
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A BTR UGUST 16-22, 2019 13
BTR letters & comments
Many people
contributed
Dear editor,
I wish to add to your article
in the August 9 paper regarding
the Castle Hill BID formation.
Missing from the story
was the hard work and dedication
of the men and women
of the Castle Hill BID Steering
Committee who worked tirelessly
to bring this project to
such an amazing point. Special
recognition is made to Anthony
DeRosa, Juan Cabrera,
Linda Lionetti and Madeline
Marquez. Note is also made of
the organizational talents of
Richard Bassik and Yasmin
Cruz who helped guide the effort,
and the fi nancial support
extended by Councilmember
Rev. Ruben Diaz. Sr. to assure
completion of the project.
John Bonizio, chairman
Westchester Square Business
Improvement District
Christmas gifts
for our troops
Dear editor,
Christmas is coming. Yes,
I know what you are thinking,
Aunt Cathy has lost it. Well
let me explain and also apologize.
Last Christmas we sent
Battalion Commander Benedict
- from Fort Drum New
York - stationed in Afghanistan
590 boxes from November
to February - postage was
$7,100.60. He said we made hundreds
of our troops so happy.
“We” meaning all of us, and
I could never mention (or remember)
everyone here so
please forgive me but here are
a few: Iona Prep, Holy Rosary
in Hawthorne, St. Benedicts,
P.S. 304, Msgr. Scanlon High
School, Stepanic High School,
St. Francis Xavier, St. Helena,
Cub Scouts Troop 182, the local
American Legion Posts, including
the Hawkins Post, the
First Lutheran Church, and
all in the community. Without
the fundraiser at Brewski’s we
could never have paid for that
postage, thank you to the owners
and all who attended.
So here we go again, during
November and December
it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get the
boxes to the troops, we start
to prepare in September. With
eight different units, two men
from Throggs Neck and one
from City Island, and 60 females
throughout two of these
units, I am preparing the customs
forms, labels and getting
boxes ready.
They need stuff all the time,
so 56 boxes were just mailed
with about another 60 that
need to be fi nished and waiting
for postage. We can’t wait
for only Christmas to send the
boxes. They have to know they
are not forgotten.
Thanks to Father Norton
and his staff who collect the
items for us at St. Benedicts
Rectory, 2969 Otis Avenue
marked ‘Cathy Praino/troops’
we can keep this going all year
long.
I get many bargains with
sales and coupons so if you can
not buy anything and want to
leave $1, $2, $5 or more, that
too can be put in an envelope
(seal it) and leave at St. Benedicts
marked accordingly.
Checks can be make out to Korony
American Legion Post
253 Auxiliary.
To all the elected offi cials
in the area, please think about
helping with a contribution
for our troops. You can contact
Korony American Legion Post
253 Auxiliary who dedicated
their packages to the troops
in honor and memory of my
nephew Christian Engeldrum
who was killed in Iraq on November
29 2004. This is how
we started and so many of you
have joined us.
Thank you again to the
Bronx Times Reporter, without
them we could never get
you the updated information
and thanks. From me and our
troops Thank you.
Cathy ‘Aunt’ Praino
City slow to
close hydrant
Dear editor,
An open fi re hydrant on the
corner of Taylor Avenue and
Watson Avenue across from
1100 Taylor Avenue, highlights
New York City’s glaring
neglect toward quality of life
issues, which has been spiraling
downward throughout the
city.
A 311 call was placed to
report the open fi re hydrant
which wastes water at the rate
of 500 gallons per hour, and
is special cause for concern
since homeowners on Taylor
Avenue pay so much in water
bills.
The city’s Department of
Environmental Protection reportedly
will take two days to
fi nally show up to shut off the
running water.
What a terrible waste.
Franck L. Strongbow
Thanks for
publicizing event
Dear editor,
I wanted to reach out and
personally thank you for featuring
Pelham Art Center’s
Chamber Music Concert that
took place yesterday afternoon.
A few of our attendees
remarked that they found out
about the event from your
platform.
We appreciate your promotion,
as the support we receive
at these programs is what allows
the Pelham Art Center to
continue its mission. We hope
our events will continue to interest
your subscribers in the
future.
Michelle Costanza
Drivers are
ignoring signs
Dear editor,
What happened to stopping
at stop signs? On my daily
drive back and forth from the
gym I nearly get hit at least
twice a week from drivers
completely ignoring corner
stop signs.
All curtious driving has
gone out the window, and I’m
sick of it to the point of not
wanting to drive through my
own neighborhood anymore.
Stop means STOP!
Lisa Murphy
Losing trust in
our government
Dear editor,
A letter to the Bronx Times
described the attitude and loss
of trust in our government and
media as a misuse of power.
The writer collected a list of
past scandals. The writer was
correct in his choice of scandals,
although they were one
sided.
I enjoyed the writer’s closing
paragraph, “This alarming
trend did not start with
the current administration,
but it has accelerated under
this regime.” Oh, by the way, I
hope the writer might remember
the ship load of Jewish refugees
not allowed to dock in
the U.S., or elsewhere. Or perhaps
the Japanese Americans
put in holding camps. Now
these were scandals, both during
WW II.
Joseph Malave
Take back our
transit system
Dear editor,
How can New York City
can regain control of the
Metropolitan Transportation
Authority subway and
bus systems?
Within the 1953 master
agreement between the City
of New York and New York
City Transit is an escape
clause.
New York City has the legal
right to take back at any
time control of its assets.
This includes the subway
and bus system.
In 1953, the old New York
City Board of Transportation
passed on control of the municipal
subway system, including
all its assets under
a master lease and operating
agreement to the newly created
New York City Transit
Authority.
The master lease and operating
agreement was subsequently
amended over time
to include various New York
City private franchised bus
operators and former B&O
Rail Road Staten Island Rapid
Transit Railway Company.
Regaining control comes
with fi nancial liabilities.
City Hall will have to negotiate
with both the Governor
and State Legislature over
how much of the MTA’s $40
billion long term debt and
billions more in employee
pension, health insurance
and other liabilities come
with the package.
New York City would also
inherit a series of union contracts
and work rule agreements.
Development of a plan is
required for turning over
management for billions in
hundreds of ongoing capital
improvement projects.
Larry Penner
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