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 Medicaid gets a redesign, with many in the
Bronx feeling left out and behind
Story by Debralee Santos
A s part of his cost-cutting initiatives
to deal with the state’s substantial
budget gap, Governor Andrew Cuomo
has empanelled a 27-member Medicaid
Redesign Team (MRT) charged
with finding ways to save money by
specifically cutting $2.85 billion from
Medicaid spending for the upcoming
state budget for the 2011-12 Fiscal Year.
New York is well above the national
average in Medicaid spending, spending
$1 billion a week on the program.
“We need to come together to find
solutions to bring costs down without
compromising care for New Yorkers,”
said Gov. Cuomo on Jan. 7th in his
announcement on the MRT. “That is
exactly what this team is going to do.”
The 27 members of the panel are a
broad cross-section of policy-makers.
Among them are leaders from all areas
of health care, including hospitals, labor
councils, public policy groups, and state
commissions.
But some Bronx observers of the
MRT’s work wonder why the panel does
not include more representation of the
people who stand to be most affected by
its findings: the consumers.
“We’re extremely troubled by the
imbalance,” says Robert Lederer,
Research and Policy Analyst for The
Bronx Health Link, an educational
clearinghouse for consumers and health
and human service providers on health
care issues in the Bronx.
This is but one of the many issues
raised by Bronx health care groups
and organizations that have grown
increasingly concerned about the process
undertaken by the MRT to conduct its
comprehensive evaluation.
With the exception of one representative,
Lara Kassel of Medicaid Matters, an
advocacy group for consumers, there is
no other consumer advocate on the panel
deliberating on the wide-ranging changes
to the Medicaid system that Gov. Cuomo
has said would reverse the decades-long
crisis of overspending and waste.
“There are 3 million residents on
Medicaid. There are sub-populations
with special needs. There is simply not
a dearth of knowledgeable consumers [in
New York] on Medicaid.”
To hear from the public, the MRT
had organized and conducted a series of
regional hearings throughout the state in
the past month, including one that had
been scheduled on Jan. 27th at Bronx
Community College.
But snow conditions caused the meeting
to be cancelled. When rescheduled
for Feb. 4th, the Bronx meeting was
consolidated with the Manhattan meeting,
also postponed, into one longer session
from 12 pm – 5 pm at Baruch College.
The original Bronx meeting had been
scheduled from 3 pm – 6 pm.
Lederer believes the new hearing time
deterred participants.
“Contrary to popular mythology, people
[on Medicaid] work. Even an hour after 5
pm makes a difference,” he says.
The Bronx Health Link and other Bronx
community groups such as Housing
Works had actively helped organize a
number of speakers to present testimony.
They also directed those who could not
attend to submit online input forms, using
the web site provided by the State Health
Department as a guide.
But there was no Spanish language
version of the form, and despite the
Health Department’s insistence it would
post one, it never did.
The Bronx Health Link voluntarily
created its own Spanish language form
based on the original that the Health
Department agreed to accept.
“We had to create our own form in
Spanish?” asks Lederer, incredulously.
“I think it shows contempt for Spanish-
speaking consumers and their rights.”
M oreover, upon arrival, Lederer was
dismayed to find a disorganized
hearing that shunted an overflow of
approximately 100 participants to a
separate room on the first floor, while
the hearing was held on the fourteenth.
He says that there was no clear process
indicated, no sound provided, and no
sign-up sheet, until someone in that first
floor room spontaneously created one.
“This process continues to be presented
as an input-driven one, but no one seemed
clear about the real value of consumer
and advocacy groups,” says Lederer.
Still, despite the many snafus, Lederer
said he came away impressed by the
diverse and strong showing presented
at the hearings, with approximately
300 people present and over 120 people
testifying.
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
He notes that while much of the
discussion on what cost-cutting measures
the panel will recommend and what
the State will ultimately implement is
speculative, it is logical that the more
expensive programs and services will be
first to be reduced or cut. These include
long term and chronic care, and patients
with multiple illnesses.
Of greatest concern to Lederer and
others is the probable reduction of the
Medicaid reimbursement rate of up to 7%
for providers. For some Bronx hospitals
that are considered safety nets for their
patients, such as St. Barnabas and North
Central Hospitals, and where more than
80% of its users are either on Medicaid or
uninsured, the reduction in reimbursement
could be devastating, both to its patients
and to the hospitals, who might simply
not have enough revenue to keep their
doors open.
“If we don’t speak up now, before these
changes are implemented, then we’ll
have a different, and harder, fight on our
hands,” says Lederer.
Pamela Mattel, Chief Operation
Officer of Promesa/BASICS Systems,
which serves a number of Bronx families
with support services such as transitional
housing, child care and substance abuse
counseling, agrees that the Medicaid
system needs, as she puts it, “massive
transformation.”
But the process as put forth by MRT
strikes her as a far cry from the careful
course of action required, but more one
that satisfies a short-term budget measure
without due consideration for possible
long term damage.
“This has been a very good brainstorm,
but not a process,” she says.
Mattel notes that the evaluation tool
based on 4 metrics presently being used
by the MRT to rate the savings proposals
might seem to yield impressive numbers,
but they speak only to facile, short-term
savings and skirt far more complicated
issues.
“On the face of it, the best ideas may
not have the highest numbers,” she says,
“but how much will you really save in the
long run?”
Mattel is concerned as well about the
outcomes of cuts to behavioral health
services, often stigmatized and an area
vulnerable to reductions in times of
budget woes. She worries that cutbacks
would harm the outreach, prevention
and retention services that are so critical
to many of the vulnerable patients who
struggle to conquer addictions or chronic
disease.
“The behavorial health field has
recently achieved parity with primary
care. [Cuts] would cause for those voices
to be drowned out, for the expertise to
be lost.”
She insists that dismantling the kind
of comprehensive care available to many
families at “single-stop” centers like
Promesa would erode many of real gains
in quality care and trust for the same
at-risk communities that Medicaid was
originally created to serve.
“You have to feel wanted, and to have
a sense of belonging, to pursue [health]
care.”
Editor’s Note: On February 14th,
MRT members will receive additional
detail on approximately 30 of the savings
proposals. They will be required to score
these using a web-based evaluation
tool. The MRT’s next full meeting is
scheduled for February 24th, and will
continue into February 25th if need be.
The MRT then heads into an up-or-down
vote on savings proposals on March 1st.
3

Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Lucy Diggs Slowe
Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences 1915
Slowe, one of the original
founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha
sorority, was also a profes-
sional tennis player and the
first African American woman
to win a major sports title. She
became a vocal advocate for
women’s rights and academic
opportunities.
Photo: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
To learn more about some of the great Columbians in our history, visit www.columbia.edu/blackhistory.
 FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
Paul Robeson
Columbia Law School 1923
One of the most prominent
and politically controversial
black Americans of the 1930s
and 1940s, Robeson won
critical and popular acclaim
for his stage and screen roles.
It was as a concert singer,
however, that he earned his
greatest fame, performing a
uniquely broad repertoire of
spirituals, classical music,
world folk songs and politi-
cal songs that reflected the
struggles of the marginalized
and disenfranchised.
Photo: Metropolitan Musical Bureau/
Columbia University Archives
Columbia University
Celebrates
Black History Month
Constance Baker Motley
Law School 1946, 2003
During her 50-plus years as a jurist, Motley had
a major impact on ending racial discrimina-
tion. As NAACP Legal Defense Fund associate
counsel, she participated in writing the briefs
for Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark
1954 U.S. Supreme Court case that ended
school segregation. From October 1961 to the
end of 1964, Motley won nine of the ten civil
rights cases she argued before the court.
Charles R. Drew Kenneth B. Clark Beverly L. Greene President Barack Obama
College of Physicians and Graduate School of Arts and Graduate School of Architecture, Columbia College 1983
Surgeons 1940 Sciences 1940, Columbia Law Planning and Preservation 1945
School 1970 When he arrived as a
Drew’s work as a physician Greene is believed to have transfer student at Columbia,
and researcher led to his Mamie Phipps Clark been the first African American President Barack Obama
development of the world’s first woman licensed to practice first lived on 109th Street off
Graduate School of Arts and
blood bank. He also improved Sciences 1943 architecture in the United Amsterdam Avenue while
techniques for blood storage States. In 1936, she became pursuing his degree in political
and created large-scale blood The research of Kenneth and the first African American science. Having won 53%
banks early in World War II. Mamie Phipps Clark chal- woman to receive a bachelor’s of the popular vote and an
He protested against racial lenged the notion of differ- degree in architectural engi- overwhelming 68% of the
segregation in the donation ences in the mental abilities neering, from the University of Electoral College, Obama was
of blood from donors of of black and white children Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, inaugurated as the nation’s
different races because it and thus played an important receiving an M.S. in city plan- first African American president
lacked scientific foundation. role in the desegregation of ning there a year later. on Jan. 20, 2009.
Photo: Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National
American schools. Photo: University of Illinois at Photo: Eileen Barroso/Columbia University
Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution Urbana-Champaign
Photo: Columbia University Archives
Inquietud en el Bronx por posibles cambios en Medicaid
Por Debralee Santos
C omo parte de su plan de recortar costos
para encarar la sustancial brecha
presupuestaria, el gobernador Andrew Cuomo
ha creado el Equipo de Rediseño de Medicaid
(MRT por sus siglas en inglés). El MRT y sus
27 miembros están encargados de encontrar
maneras de ahorrar dinero específicamente
recortando $2.85 billones del gasto de Medicaid
en el presupuesto estatal para el año fiscal
2011-12. Nueva York está muy por encima
del promedio nacional de gastos de Medicaid,
gastando $1 billón semanalmente en el
programa de cuidado de salud.
“Necesitamos unirnos para buscar soluciones
para reducir los costos sin comprometer
el cuidado de los neoyorquinos”, dijo el
gobernador Cuomo en su anuncio del MRT el
7 de enero. “”Eso es exactamente lo que este
equipo va a hacer”.
Los 27 miembros del panel incluyen en su
número una amplia muestra de responsables
políticos. Entre ellos hay líderes de todas las
áreas del cuidado de la salud, incluyendo
hospitales, concejos laborales, grupos de
política pública y comisiones estatales.
Pero algunos observadores del trabajo del
MRT en el Bronx se preguntan por qué el
panel no incluye más representación de las
personas que pueden verse más afectadas por
sus resultados: los consumidores. “Estamos
extremadamente molestos por la falta de
balance”, dijo Robert Lederer, Analista de
Investigación y Política para ‘The Bronx
Health Link’, un centro de educación para los
consumidores de salud, y proveedores de
servicio sociales en problemas de cuidado de
salud en el Bronx.
Este es solo uno de los muchos problemas
planteados por los grupos de cuidado de la
salud y organizaciones del Bronx que han
crecido aumentando la preocupación acerca del
proceso tomado por la MRT para conducir su
comprensiva evaluación.
Con la excepción de una representante, Lara
Kassel de ‘Medical Matters’, un grupo defensor
de los consumidores, no hay otro defensor del
consumidor en el panel deliberando sobre los
amplios cambios al sistema de Medicaid que el
gobernador Cuomo ha dicho podría revertir las
largas décadas de excesos de gastos y despilfarro.
“Hay tres millones de residentes con
Medicaid. Hay sub-poblaciones con
necesidades especiales. No es sencillamente
una escasez de consumidores conocedores del
tema de Medicaid en Nueva York”.
Para escuchar la opinión pública, la MRT
ha organizado y llevado a cabo una serie de
audiencias regionales a través del estado en
el pasado mes, incluyendo una que había sido
programada para el 27 de enero en el Bronx
Community College. Pero las condiciones de
nieve causaron que se cancelara la reunión.
Cuando se reprogramó para el 4 de febrero,
la reunión del Bronx fue consolidada con la
reunión de Manhattan—que también había sido
pospuesta—en una sesión más larga de 12
p.m. – 5 p.m. en el Colegio Baruch. La reunión
original en el Bronx fue programada de 3 p.m.
– 6 p.m.
Lederer piensa que el tiempo de espera ha
disuadido a los participantes.
“Contrario a la mitología popular, la gente en
Medicaid trabaja. Aun una hora luego de las 5
p.m. hace una diferencia”, dice él.
‘The Bronx Health Link’ y otros grupos
comunales del Bronx tales como ‘Housing
Works’ han ayudado a organizar un número
de personas para presentar testimonio en las
audiencias públicas. Ellos también dirigieron
aquellos que no podían asistir a la reunión a
someter formas ‘online’, utilizando la página
electrónica provista por el Departamento de
Salud del Estado como guía. Pero no había
una versión en español de la forma y a pesar
de la insistencia del Departamento de Salud de
que colocaría una, nunca se hizo.
‘The Bronx Health Link’ voluntariamente
creó su propia forma en español basada en la
original que el Departamento de Salud estuvo
de acuerdo en aceptar.
¿“Tuvimos que crear nuestra propia forma
en español”? pregunta Lederer incrédulamente.
“Creo que muestra un desprecio hacia los
consumidores que hablan español y sus
derechos”.
P or otra parte, a su llegado, Lederer
quedó consternado al encontrar una
audiencia desorganizada que desviaba un
exceso de capacidad de aproximadamente
100 participantes a un salón separado en
el primer piso, mientras que la audiencia se
llevaba a cabo en el piso catorce. Dijo que no
había un proceso claro, sin sonido ni hoja para
firmar, hasta que alguien en ese primer piso
espontáneamente creo una.
“Este proceso continua siendo presentado
como uno de intervención, pero nadie parece
claro acerca del valor real del consumidor y los
grupos defensores”, dice Lederer.
Sin embargo, a pesar de las metidas de
pata, Lederer dijo que se impresionó por la
diversidad y fuerte presentación mostrada en
las audiencias, con aproximadamente 300
personas presentes y más de 120 testificando.
El señala que mientras mucha de la discusión
en cuanto a los recortes que el panel estará
recomendando y lo que finalmente el estado
implemente es especulativa, es lógico que los
programas y servicios más costosos sean los
primeros en ser reducidos o recortados. Estos
incluyen cuidado a largo plazo y para personas
con enfermedades crónicas, y pacientes con
múltiples enfermedades.
La mayor preocupación de Lederer y otros es
la probable reducción de la tasa de reembolso
de Medicaid de hasta un 7% a los proveedores.
Para algunos hospitales del Bronx que son
considerados redes seguras para sus pacientes,
tal como St. Barnabas y North Central Bronx
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 Dispatch from the Medicaid Redesign Room:
A First Person Account
By Ryan Maye Handy will be reassessed and submitted to Gov. another 600 suggestions, according to “Members really want to control their
Cuomo on March 1. The suggestions can be Helgerson. own destiny when it comes to healthcare,”
On Wed., Feb. 9th, Gov. Cuomo’s viewed online along with a webcast of the “We were able to reach out to and he said.
Medicaid Redesign panel met for a panel’s meeting. http://www.health.state. connect with New Yorkers from every “There is concern about across-the-
public working meeting to discuss ny.us/health_care/medicaid/redesign/ walk of life,” Helgerson said. “Everyone board cuts. There is concern that, if we
the restructuring of New York State’s docs/2011-02-09_meeting_ who registered to speak was given the take a sledge hammer to the health care
Medicaid program. handout_-_redesign_ chance to speak.” system, this will adversely affect the 4.7
The 27-person panel, consisting of proposals.pdf Many Medicaid members million New Yorkers on this program,”
various health experts and directors of Helgerson share similar concerns, Helgerson added.
state-funded health care programs, has admitted that according to Another theme of the public’s
looked to find ways to make those cuts, many Medicaid Lara Kassel, a suggestions, Helgerson said, was a desire
and has sought public input for their members were coordinator to have both their social and health needs
restructuring plan with public forums frustrated for Medicaid met by the Medicaid program.
throughout the state. by the short Matters who “We need to think more broadly in
The Medicaid Redesign Team had also timeline the traveled with terms of the population, and consider the
accepted online suggestions. panel had been Helgerson to social aspect,” Helgerson said.
State Medicaid Director Jason A. given to accept the regional Helgerson and other panelists agreed
Helgerson explained that over 2000 suggestions. meetings. with public suggestion that the Medicaid
suggestions were received online. He This would “We know the process needs to be streamlined.
added that his staff members were limit public program is far Another issue the panel addressed
rushing to consolidate these suggestions input, he said, from perfect, was the need to eliminate misuse of
with those they heard during the regional but he welcomed and reform is Medicaid services, such as inappropriate
meetings. the public to necessary,” she uses of transportation and unwarranted
The current list of suggestions from continue the said. “The work emergency room visits.
the public has 274 points, organized into M e d i c a i d of this group is The panelists spent more than an
7 themes. Using a scoring system where r e d e s i g n at least supported hour of their 4-hour meeting discussing
the public can rate the suggestions, the dialogue after the in that the work the scoring system that had been
team hopes to create a list of 25-30 final March 1 deadline. must be done.” created for public rating of the redesign
ideas, according to Helgerson. Hundreds of concerned Helgerson began the meeting
The public has until Thurs., Feb.17th Medicaid members turned out for the with a summary of the general suggestions see REDESIGN p7
to rate the proposals, the results of which regional hearings to help generate that had been given to the redesign team.

Reformando Medicaid: Un relato personal

Por Ryan Maye Handy
El miércoles, 9 de febrero, el panel de
Reforma del Medicaid del Gobernador Cuomo
se reunió para discutir la restructuración del
programa de Medicaid del estado de Nueva
York.
El panel de 27 personas, con sus varios
expertos de la salud y directores de programas
del cuidado de la salud financiados por el
estado, ha tratado de encontrar maneras para
hacer esos recortes, y ha pedido la intervención
del público para su plan de restructuración con
foros públicos a través del estado.
El Equipo de Reforma de Medicaid también
acepta sugerencias por el internet.
El director estatal de Medicaid, Jason A.
Helgerson, explicó que se recibieron más de
2,000 sugerencias ‘online’. Añadió que los
miembros de su equipo estaban avanzando
para consolidar estas sugerencias con
aquellas que escucharon durante las reuniones
regionales.
La actual lista de sugerencias del público
tiene 274 puntos, organizada en 7 temas.
Utilizando un sistema de puntuación donde
el público puede evaluar las sugerencias, el
equipo espera crear una lista final de 25 a 30
ideas, según Helgerson.
El público tiene hasta el jueves, 17 de
febrero para evaluar las propuestas, cuyos
resultados serán reevaluados y sometidos
al gobernador Cuomo el 1ro de marzo. Las
sugerencias pueden ser vistas ‘online’ junto a
una transmisión de la reunión del panel.
http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/
medicaid/redesign/docs/2011-02-09_meeting_
handout_-_redesign_proposals.pdf
Helgerson admitió que muchos miembros de
Medicaid estaban frustrados por corto periodo
de tiempo que el panel había dado para aceptar
sugerencias. Esto limitaría la opinión publica,
dijo el, pero le dio la bienvenida al público a
continuar el dialogo de reforma al Medicaid
luego de la fecha limite del 1ro de marzo.
Cientos de preocupados clientes de Medicaid
se presentaron en las audiencias regionales
para ayudar a generar otras 600 sugerencias,
según Helgerson.
“Pudimos tener alcance y conectarnos con
los neoyorquinos de todas las clases sociales”,
dijo Helgerson. “Todo el que se inscribió para
hablar se le dio la oportunidad de hablar”.
Muchos beneficiarios de Medicaid compartieron
preocupaciones similares, según Lara Kassel,
coordinadora de “Medicaid Matters’ quien viajó
con Helgerson a las reuniones regionales.
“Sabemos que el programa está lejos de ser
perfecto y la reforma es necesaria” dijo ella.
Helgerson comenzó la reunión con un
resumen de las sugerencias generales que se
habían dado al equipo de reforma.
“Los miembros realmente desean controlar
su propio destino cuando se trata del cuidado
de su salud”, dijo él. “Hay preocupación con
los recortes. Hay preocupación de que si
cortamos el sistema del cuidado de la salud,
esto afectaría adversamente los 4.7 millones
de neoyorquinos en este programa”, añadió
Helgerson.
Otro tema de las sugerencias del público, dijo
Helgerson, fue el deseo de tener ambas de sus
necesidades sociales y de salud juntas en el
programa de Medicaid.
“Tenemos que pensar más ampliamente en
términos de población, y considerar el aspecto
social”, dijo Helgerson.
Helgerson y otros panelistas estuvieron de
acuerdo con la sugerencia del público de que el
proceso de Medicaid necesita ser racionalizado.
Otro asunto que el panel tocó fue la
necesidad de eliminar el mal uso de los
servicios de Medicaid, tales como el uso
inapropiado de transportación e injustificadas
visitas a las salas de emergencia.
Los panelistas pasaron más de una hora
de su reunión de cuatro horas discutiendo el
sistema de puntaje que había sido creado para
la evaluación pública de las sugerencias de la
reforma.
El Dr. Nivah Shah, nuevo comisionado del
Departamento de Salud, se unió al panel por
teléfono e intento de explicar el sistema de
evaluación ‘online’. Los participantes, dijo él,
vea REFORMANDO p7

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 REDESIGN from p6
suggestions.
Dr. Nivah Shah, the new commissioner
of Health, joined the panel by phone and
attempted to explain the online rating
system. Participants, he said, would rate
suggestions based on 4 criteria: cost,
quality, efficiency, and overall impact.
Max Chmura, acting Commissioner of
the Office for People with Developmental
Disabilities, stated that he was not
comfortable with this tool. Kassel agreed,
and she complained that the rating
criteria were “extraordinarily vague.”
She was particularly concerned about the
cost criteria, which requires participants
to rate how cost effective a particular
suggestion will be.
“The cost tool, how will we use that?
I’m not an economist, how will I know
how much money will be saved? I’m
worried that I won’t be able to use that at
all,” Kassel said.
Dr. Shah agreed that the ambiguity of
the criteria could present a problem.
“These are very hard to define. On the
other hand, we have to start somewhere,”
he added.
After discussing the issues with scoring,
the panel spent the next hour discussing
various problems with the New York
state healthcare system. They discussed
concerns with medical malpractice suits,
MEDICAID de p5
y donde más del 80% de sus usuarios tienen
Medicaid o no tienen seguro, la reducción en el
reembolso podría ser devastadora, tanto para
sus pacientes y los hospitales, que sencillamente
no tienen la suficiente ganancia para mantener
sus puertas abiertas.
“Si no hablamos ahora, antes de que estos
cambios sean implementados, entonces
tendremos una lucha diferente y más fuerte en
nuestras manos”, dijo Lederer.
Pamela Mattel, Oficial de Operaciones de
Promesa/BASICS Systems, la cual sirve un
número de familias del Bronx con servicios
de apoyo tales como viviendas de transición,
cuidado infantil y consejería de abuso de
sustancias, está de acuerdo de que el sistema
de Medicaid necesita, como ella lo pone, “una
transformación masiva”.
Pero el proceso como lo plantea la MRT le
parece muy lejos del curso de acción requerido,
pero más uno que satisface una medida
presupuestaria a corto plazo sin la debida
consideración de posibles danos a largo plazo.
“Esto ha sido una lluvia de ideas muy
buenas, pero no un proceso”, dijo ella.
Mattel señala que el instrumento de
evaluación actualmente siendo utilizados
por la MRT para evaluar las propuestas de
ahorros, podrían presentar impresionantes
números de rendimiento, pero solo tocan temas
superficialmente, ahorros a corto plazo y dejan
fuera problemas mucho más complicados.
“En vista de ellos, las mejores ideas a lo
mejor no tienen los números más altos”, dijo
ella, “¿pero realmente cuanto vas a ahorrar a
largo plazo?”.
Mattel también está preocupada acerca de
mental health caretakers, and hospital-
acquired infections.
Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, co-chair of the JFK
Jr. Institute for Work Education at City
University of New York, pointed out
the panel had strayed from its goal of
Medicaid redesign.
“We’re not really talking about
Medicaid, we are talking about the health
care system,” he said. “This table is an
opportunity to have a conversation. We
know about these inefficiencies, and
we have an opportunity to really do
something it. We have this list of esoteric
items and we have an opportunity to turn
it into real stuff,” he added.
During the rest of the panel’s meeting,
health experts read aloud from Power
Point slides that explained the seven
themes of Medicaid resign.
Toward the end of the meeting,Robert
Megna, Gov. Cuomo’s budget director,
spoke to the panel about the governor’s
budget concerns and plan.
“How do we close the $10 billion
dollar gap? By reducing the most money
spent—-Medicaid and school aid,” he
said.
“What’s driving spending?” he
continued. “If we did nothing this year,
spending will increase by 11%. If we
follow governor’s suggestions spending
will increase by only 1%.”
los resultados de los recortes a los servicios
de salud para los adictos a drogas y alcohol, a
menudo estigmatizados y un área vulnerable
a reducciones en tiempo de problemas
presupuestarios. Se preocupa de que los
recortes podrían dañar el alcance, prevención
y retención de servicios que son tan críticos
para muchos de los pacientes vulnerables
que luchan para conquistar adiciones y
enfermedades crónicas.
“El campo de la salud para los adictos
recientemente logró igualdad con el cuidado
principal. Los recortes podrían causar que esas
voces fueran ahogadas, que se perdiera la
experiencia”.
Ella insiste en que desmantelar la clase de
cuidado disponible a muchas familias a centros
de “solo una parada” como Promesa erosionaría
muchas de las ganancias reales en la calidad
del cuidado y confianza para las mismas
comunidades en riesgo que originalmente fueron
los beneficiarios del Medicaid.
“Tienes que sentirte deseado, y el tener
un sentimiento de pertenencia, para buscar
cuidado de salud”.
Nota del Editor: El 14 de febrero,
miembros de MRT recibirán detalles
adicionales en aproximadamente 30
de las propuestas de ahorro. Se les
requerirá que le den una puntuación
a estos utilizando una evaluación
basada en la página electrónica. La
reunión en su totalidad de la MRT
está programada para el 24 de febrero
y continuara hasta el 25 de febrero
de ser necesario. La MRT entonces
se dirige hacia una votación en las
propuestas de ahorro el 1 de marzo.
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
REFORMANDO de p6
evaluaran las sugerencias basados en cuatro
criterios: costo, calidad, eficiencia e impacto.
Max Chmura, en calidad de Comisionado de
la Oficina para Personas con Incapacidades de
Desarrollo, declaró que no estaba a gusto con
esta herramienta. Kassel estuvo de acuerdo,
y se quejó de que los criterios de calificación
eran “extraordinariamente ambiguos”. Estaba
particularmente preocupado acerca de los
costos de criterio, los cuales requieren que los
integrantes evalúen cuan económico sería una
sugerencia en particular.
“La herramienta de costo, ¿Cómo utilizamos
eso? No soy un economista, ¿Cómo yo sabría
cuanto dinero ahorraríamos? Estoy preocupado
de que no podré utilizar nada en absoluto”, dijo
Kassel. El Dr. Shah estuvo de acuerdo de que
la ambigüedad del criterio podría presentar un
problema.
“Estos son bien difíciles de definir. Por otro
lado, tenemos que comenzar en algún lado”,
Subway: A-train to 190 St. or 1-train to Dyckman St. Bus: M7 or M100 to Nagle Ave.
Let’s Dance:
Celebrating the Art of Dance!
February 27, 2011 (12 - 4 PM)
sponsored in collaboration with Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority,
FREE DAY of participatory workshops,
performances, for adults and children.
Refreshments served.
For further information please call
Deborah at 212 569-6200 ext. 219.
Nursery School
The Nursery School at the Y is
accepting students for the 2011-2012
school year. Enroll your 2 – 5 year
old for a project-based interactive
preschool program infused with the
arts. Call the nursery office at 212-
569-6200, ext 224 to schedule a tour
or for further information.
Women’s Discussion Group
Next meeting 2/22 at 6:30PM
Topic: Doing New York Culture for
Less!
añadió.
Luego de discutir los problemas con
el puntaje, el panel pasó la próxima hora
discutiendo varios problemas con el sistema de
salud del estado de Nueva York. Discutieron
preocupaciones acerca de las demandas de
negligencia médica, cuidadores de salud mental
e infecciones adquiridas en hospitales.
El Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, copresidente de ‘JFK Jr.
Institute for Work Education’ en la Universidad
de la ciudad de Nueva York, señaló que el panel
se había desviado de su objetivo de reformar el
Medicaid.
“Realmente no estamos hablando acerca de
Medicaid, estamos hablando acerca del sistema
de salud”, dijo él. “Esta es una oportunidad
para tener una conversación. Sabemos de
estas ineficiencias, y tenemos una oportunidad
para realmente hacer algo. Tenemos esta
lista de elementos esotéricos y tenemos una
oportunidad de convertirlas en realidad”, añadió
él.
Durante el resto de la reunión del panel,
expertos de la salud leyeron en voz alta de
diapositivas de PowerPoint que explicaban los
siete temas de la reforma de Medicaid.
Hacia el final de la reunión, Robert Megna,
director de presupuesto del gobernador Cuomo,
habló al panel acerca de las preocupaciones de
presupuesto del gobernador y el plan.
“¿Cómo cerramos la brecha de $10 millones
de dólares? Reduciendo la mayor cantidad
de dinero que se gasta – Medicaid y ayuda
escolar”, dijo el.
“¿Qué está impulsando el gasto?”,
continuo. “Si no hacemos algo este año, los
gastos aumentaran un 11%. Si seguimos
las sugerencias del gobernador los gastos
aumentaran solo un 1%.
54 Nagle Ave.
(Broadway and W. 195th St.)
www.ywashhts.org
CSA at the Y!
Buy a “share” and receive fresh veg-
etables from Mimomex, a local NY farm.
Your share will be delivered weekly from
June 16th-November 11th. For more
information, contact Mallory Nugent
212 569 6200 x 228 or mnugent@
ywashhts.org
Salsa Blues & Shamrocks Race
We would like to invite your child
to participate in the Salsa Blues &
Shamrocks Race that will take place
on Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 9
AM. Register for the race at the Y
and receive a T-shirt, breakfast and
transportation to the event.
*New this year: we are putting together
a Y running team for adults! Proceeds
from being apart of this team will help
provide scholarships for families who
are in need of financial assistance
towards Y programs.
For further information, please call
Laura at 212-569-6200, ext 220.

We’re
Talking
the
Bronx
Susan Band Horwirz, PH.D.,
of Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, receives lifetime
achievement award for cancer
research
On Thurs., Feb.10th, the American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR),
the world’s largest organization dedicated
to cancer research, announced it has
awarded Susan Band Horwitz, Ph.D., the
Rose C. Falkenstein Professor of Cancer
Research and co-chair of molecular
pharmacology at Albert Einstein College
of Medicine of Yeshiva University, its
Eighth Award for Lifetime Achievement
in Cancer Research.
Dr. Horwitz, who is also the associate
director for experimental therapeutics
at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center,
is being honored for her pioneering
research that established the mechanism
of action of the cancer chemotherapeutic
drug Taxol, also known as paclitaxel,
which prompted the development of this
drug as an important therapy for many
common solid tumors. Taxol has been
used by more than one million patients
worldwide to treat cancers of the ovary,
breast and lung.
“Dr. Horwitz has had a direct impact
on millions of cancer patients around the
world through her work in understanding
The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. recently released findings
that showed its Healthy Living Summer Program had proven effective for its
participants in losing weight and adopting healthier living habits
 FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
BP Diaz has called for urgent action in a letter to Deputy Mayor
Walcott on PCB contamination in Bronx schools after P.S. 68
in the northeast Bronx tested “above the regulatory limit”
the mechanisms of action of paclitaxel
and other cytotoxic drugs,” said Margaret
Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive
officer of the AACR. “Her remarkable
career and pivotal scientific contributions
have influenced our understanding of how
cancer drugs work and how to translate
that knowledge into improved strategic
treatments.”
“This award has great meaning for me
because it results from a decision made
by my peers,” said Dr. Horwitz. “This
honor recognizes my laboratory and
all of the students, fellows and visiting
scientists, who have contributed so much
to my research program.”
for PCB’s, toxic chemicals that were inadvertently placed in
building materials
Dr. Horwitz will receive the Eighth
AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement
in Cancer Research at the opening
ceremony of the AACR 102nd Annual
Meeting on April 3, 2011 in Orlando,
Florida.
Borough President Ruben
Diaz, Jr. calls for urgent action
on PCB contamination in
Bronx schools
On Tues., Feb. 8th, Borough President
Ruben Diaz issued a call for urgent action
on PCB contamination, announcing
release of a letter he had written to
Dennis Walcott, Deputy Mayor for
Education and Community Development,
concerning the results of recent testing
for PCB contamination at P.S. 68 in the
northeast Bronx.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are
extremely toxic chemicals that, for many
years were unwittingly put in building
materials and lighting fixtures used in
school buildings. Studies have shown
associations between children’s exposure
to low levels of PCBs and leukemia,
disturbance of immune function, and
reduced IQ. Such studies have also
linked low exposure levels in adults with
attention deficiencies, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
Testing at P.S. 68 was conducted by
the Environmental Protection Agency in
January. A total of thirteen samples from
lighting fixtures were taken from eleven
rooms at the school. Ten samples showed
results above the regulatory limit of 50
parts per million. In nine of the 11 rooms
where samples were taken, the EPA found
results that were above the regulatory
limit.
In his letter to Deputy Mayor Walcott,
Borough President Diaz demands that
the issues at P.S. 68 be remediated
immediately. In addition, the borough
president called on the Department of
Education to remove the lighting fixtures
at all public schools that may be at risk
for PCB contamination. In addition,
the letter demands that the City test all
public schools that may be contaminated
by PCBs within the next 18 months.
“PCBs are a serious threat to the health
of both our children and the teachers,
custodians and other staff that go to
work every day in our public schools.
The City must protect the health of these
individuals, children and adults alike,
and begin the immediate testing of all
school buildings that may be at risk of
PCB contamination. We cannot tolerate
any further delays, too much is at stake,”
said Bronx Borough President Ruben
Diaz Jr.
It is estimated that roughly 800 of the
City’s 1,200 public school buildings may
be at-risk of PCB contamination.
Healthy Living program for
Bronx families shows positive
results on weight loss and
increased endurance
Findings released on Thurs., Feb.
10th by The Committee for Hispanic
Children and Families, Inc. indicate that
community-based approaches to reducing
the rate of obesity among Latino families
can be effective.
Showing positive results, the
organization’s Healthy Living Program,
funded by Empire BlueCross BlueShield
Foundation and Unilever United States
Foundation, offered a free culturally-
based nutrition and fitness program to
families in the Central Bronx, where
60 percent of adults are overweight or
obese (NYC Dept. of Health and Mental
Hygiene). In addition, Bronx residents
are approximately 85 percent more likely
to be obese than Manhattan residents
We’re Talking
the Bronx - see page 9
We’re Talking
the Bronx - cont. from 8
(New York Times, March 14, 2010).
Designed to combat obesity, a major
problem for Latinos, and show families
that eating healthy foods and engaging
in physical activity can be enjoyable and
can fit in their lifestyles, the Healthy
Living Summer Program works with
whole families, creating opportunities
for families to bond and strengthen
relationships, while also creating a shared
understanding of nutrition and fitness
in the family that will reinforce healthy
choices.
Participants from the community were
enrolled in the program throughout the
summer and engaged in a variety of
activities, including nutrition instruction,
fitness instruction, walks in a local park
and a periodic weight check. Some
participants indicated that exercise and
nutrition were not a part of their lives
when they began the program.
Results included:
• Weight loss: Of the 30
participants who were weighed at the
beginning and end of the program, 80
percent lost weight.
• An increase in the number of
steps participants took each day/week:
Participant median for daily steps
increased from 7,642 to 10,466
• An increase in the number of
minutes that participants spent exercising
outside of the program: At the beginning
of the program participants reported
exercising and average of 305.38 minutes
a week outside of program time. At the
end of the program that number had
increased to 731.59 minutes. The The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo has adopted two rescued bald eagles found injured in Wyoming
“Programs like our Healthy Living
Program provide our Latino community
with the information they need to work Director of The Committee for Hispanic for rehabilitation before being transferred “Love is in the Air” Writing
together as a family to build a healthy Children and Families, Inc. to the Bronx Zoo.
The eagles are juveniles; the male Workshop
lifestyle, while not only respecting their The Bronx Council on the Arts’ Bronx
cultures and traditions, but building upon New development proposed is estimated to be 5 years old, and the
female is almost 4 years old. Writers Center presents “Love is in the
them,” said Elba Montalvo, Executive for West Farms Road might Air” as one in a series of free writing
“The graceful bald eagle is an important
yield 10 high-rise buildings symbol of power and strength,” said Jim workshops for aspiring writers at Barnes
Signature Urban Properties, a new Breheny, WCS Senior Vice President & Noble Bay Plaza.
development group led by former City of Living Institutions and Bronx Zoo The Bronx Writers Center presents
Council Speaker Gifford Miller, has Director. “Throughout its history, this free hands-on workshop for writers
asked the city to rezone a swath of blocks WCS has played a pivotal role in the who are interested in writing a romance
on West Farms Road that would turn it conservation of eagles by helping to bring novel. Learn techniques for creating
into a largest private rezone since Co-op about a change in public attitudes toward intriguing heroes and heroines, building
City. the once heavily hunted birds.” tension and starting a career as a romance
The group estimates the project will Bald eagles are the national bird of the writer.
cost $400 million. United States and one of the country’s Q & A follows. Bring a notebook, a pen
It claims to see public funds to make most notable conservation success and your ideas for this hands-on session
the apartments affordable, while charging stories. Because of protection under This workshop is brought to you by the
market rate for the other half. the Endangered Species Act, bald eagle Bronx Writers Center, a program of the
More details are pending at imminent populations have recovered and they are Bronx Council on the Arts, and Barnes
Community Board meetings. beginning to again populate large areas. and Noble Bay Plaza.
The workshop will be held at Barnes
& Noble at Bay Plaza on Fri., Feb. 18th
Two rescued bald eagles get a Public Hearing on the Mayor’s from 7:00-9:00 pm. Admission is free
second chance at the Wildlife FY 2012 Preliminary Budget and all are welcome.
Conservation Society’s Bronx The Bronx Borough Board and Bronx
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. invites Awaiting Spring Eco Art
Zoo residents to attend and speak at the Bronx
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Borough Board Public Hearing on the Workshop
Bronx Zoo has adopted two rescued bald Mayor’s preliminary budget for Fiscal The Huntington Free Library presents
eagles found injured in Wyoming. Year 2012 and the capital and service a workshop for families to help them
Both eagles had sustained injuries needs of the Borough this coming Thurs., Go Green! and create a nature-based
Former NYC Council Speaker Gifford making them unable to fly and survive art collage with artist Star Nigro. The
Miller leads Signature Urban Properties, Feb. 17th, 2011 from 10:00 am to 12:00
in the wild. They were taken by the U.S. pm on the 3rd Floor Litigation Room at Huntington Library is located at 9
a development group that seeks to Fish and Wildlife Service and relocated Westchester Square. The Workshop will
convert area on West Farms Road 198 East 161st Street.
to the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife take place on Sat., Feb. 19th from 12:30
into a newly rezoned $400 million
development Refuge in the New Jersey Pine Barrens – 3:00 pm.

FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 

 The “Social”-ites of the Bronx meet
to talk, and tweet
Story by Toni-Ann Martin

Photos by Osjua Newton

Social Media Week started on Mon.,
Feb. 7th in San Francisco, New York,
Paris, London, Hong Kong and other
major cities worldwide.
The Bronx Bloggers’ Network and
the Bronx Entrepreneurs and Business
Network collaborated to bring the
concept home on Tues., Feb. 8th , hosting
a local panel discussion about this unique
approach to obtaining and sharing news.
Escaping the brisk winds outside,
guests entered the warm PeaceLove Cafe
on 151st Street and Melrose Avenue. Each
paused a moment in the small entryway to
take in the aroma of organic baked goods
and freshly brewed coffee.
In a room of about 25 prospective
and established journalists, bloggers
and business owners, nearly all from
the Bronx, milled about as the smooth
sounds of jazz blended with small-talk
and introductions and handshakes were
exchanged.
Clarisel Gonzalez of Puerto Rico
SUN Communications mediated the
talk between panelists Gary Axelbank
from BronxTalk, Mike Callender from
Bronxmedia, Nicole Perrino from
BronxMama.com and Ed Garcia Conde Clarisel Gonzalez, panel moderator and organizer from the Bronx Bloggers’ Network, introduces the panelists Mike Callender
from Welcome to Melrose. (Bronxmedia), Gary Axelbank (Bronxtalk), Nicole Perrinio (Bronxmama), and Ed Garcia Conde (Welcome to Melrose) at the
The panelists started by introducing PeaceLove Café on a discussion about the development of social media and news coverage in the Bronx.
their individual projects and speaking
on their commitment to serving the she said. “For the Bronx, you have to sift on lack of participation from the When the audience asked questions
community. through pages until you see anything.” community on blogs and shows. “You about the issues of social media in the
Gary Axelbank spoke of his work Her web-browsing frustration led to know how you go to a party and no one Bronx, the discussion became one of
hosting BronxTalk, a local talk show starting BronxMama.com, which she is dancing? Nobody wants to be the first politics. Panelists brought forth computer
about community issues on the Bronx wanted to become a one-stop shop of one to dance,” said Pinto, in an attempt to literacy as a problem and the fact that not
News Network. Axelbank was born and parenting resources for Bronx residents. explain why he and others do not comment all residents have access to a computer or
raised in the Bronx, where he lives, still, All panelists discussed their use of on blogs. Perrino said she sees tons of the Internet.
in the same building of his childhood. social networks, such as Facebook or comments when she posts a giveaway Host and PeaceLove Cafe owner
A common utility of social media is Twitter, to promote their blogs and on BronxMama.com, but on regular Darada Davis reacted quickly, as one
participation, and Axelbank lamented shows. Conde said whenever he publishes posts the comments are sparse. She also might expect from a social maven, and
how few people in the borough seem to anything on his blogs, it automatically urged local bloggers and business owners made a call to action for all guests in the
leave comment on blogs, and how few post to Facebook and Twitter. to take advantage of whatever social cafe to meet again on Tues., Mar. 8 to
people call into his show. Callender suggested for bloggers who networks are popular right now to build discuss these very issues, long after the
For Bronx Media founder Mike are interested in using social media to a following. social media week ends.
Callender, it was a desire to to change embed it into their sites so users don’t
the perception of the Bronx. Given the have to leave the blog to access social
negative reactions he often encountered networks.
when mentioning his hometown. Audience member Adam Tang, who
“It’s not easy starting a Web site,” he works in finance, said he usedTwitter for
said. “It’s not easy starting anything with the instant updates. “If it’s 10 minutes
the name “Bronx” in front of it. old, it’s old news,” he said. Tang said he
Ed Garcia Conde felt the same way was curious to see how other people were
when looked at the Wikipedia page for using social media for others means.
Melrose and all he saw were outdated “It’s interesting to see it’s creating
photographs of burned buildings and high resources for the community,” Tang said.
crime statistics. Conde developed the Fausto Pinto, 23, heard about the
blog “Welcome to Melrose” to showcase event on the Bronx News Network and
the positive side of the neighborhood, saw Twitter and Facebook updates for
and later started “Welcome to the Bronx” it as well. It seemed like a place where
to serve the same purpose throughout the forward-thinking Bronx people would be,
borough. he said. Pinto was hoping to learn better
Nicole Perrino moved from Queens ways to promote himself by using social
to the Bronx in 2005, and as a first-time media from the panelists. Although the
mother she could not find information on event did not focus self-promotion, the
things to do with her daughter in her new political discussion that emerged was (From left to right) Mike Callender (Bronxmedia), Gary Axelbank (BronxTalk), Nicole
neighborhood. Perrino (Bronxmama.com), and Ed Garcia Conde (Welcome to Melrose) discuss
of interest to the young, Bronx-bred the power internet social media can have on connecting citizens of the Bronx to
“When you Google something from journalist. the important stories that occurs in their community in panel discussion at the
another borough it comes up right away,” He could relate to Axelbank’s thoughts LovePeace Cate on Melrose Ave Tuesday, February 8.

10 FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com

 Debaten importancia de redes del Internet en el Bronx
Por Toni-Ann Martin
La semana de los Medios de Comunicación
Social comenzó el lunes, 7 de febrero en
San Francisco, Nueva York, Paris, Londres,
Hong Kong y otras importantes ciudades en el
mundo.
‘The Bronx Blogger’s Network’ y el ‘Bronx
Entrepreneur’s and Business Network’
colaboraron para traer el concepto al
Condado de la Salsa el martes, 8 de febrero,
patrocinando un panel de discusión local acerca
de este diferente enfoque de obtener y difundir
la noticias.
Escapando de los rápidos vientos afuera, los
invitados entraban a un cálido PeaceLove Café
en la Calle 151 y la Avenida Melrose. Todos
pausando un momento en la pequeña entrada
para respirar el aroma de dulces orgánicos y
café recién colado.
En un salón con cerca de 25 prospectos
y periodistas establecidos, blogueros y
dueños de negocio, casi todos del Bronx, se
arremolinaban mientras los suaves sonidos de
jazz se mezclaban con una pequeña charla, y
presentaciones y apretones de manos fueron
intercambiados.
Clarisel González de ‘Puerto Rico SUN
Communications’ mediaba la charla entre los
panelistas Gary Axelbank de BronxTalk, Mike
Callender de BronxMedia, Nicole Perriono
de BronxMama.com y Ed Garcia Conde de
‘Welcome to Melrose’.
Los panelistas comenzaron introduciendo
sus proyectos individuales y hablando de su
compromiso de servirle a la comunidad.
Gary Axelbank habló de su trabajo como
presentador de BronxTalk, un programa
de entrevistas sobre temas locales de la
comunidad en el ‘Bronx News Network’.
Axelbank nació y se crió en el Bronx, donde
vive, en el mismo edificio de su infancia.
Una utilidad común en los medios sociales
es la participación y Axelbank lamentó como
pocas personas en el condado parecen dejar
comentarios en los ‘blogs’ y como pocas
personas llaman a su programa.
Para el fundado de ‘Bronx Media’, Mike
Callender, era un deseo de cambiar la
percepción del Bronx. Dado a las reacciones
negativas que a menudo encontraba cuando
mencionaba su ciudad natal. “No es fácil
comenzar una página electrónica”, dijo él.
“No es fácil comenzar nada con el nombre del
‘Bronx’ al frente de ello”.
Ed García Conde sintió lo mismo cuando
miró la página de Wikipedia para Melrose y
todo lo que vio fueron fotos viejas de edificios
quemados y altas estadísticas de crímenes.
Conde desarrolló el ‘blog’ “Welcome to Melrose”
para presentar el lado positivo del vecindario
y más tarde comenzó “Welcome to the Bronx”
para servir con el mismo propósito a través del
condado.
Nicole Perrino se mudó de Queens al Bronx
en el 2005, y como madre primeriza no podía
encontrar información en cosas que hacer con
su hija en su nuevo vecindario.
“Cuando vas a ‘Google’ algo de otro condado
rápido sale”, dijo ella. “Para el Bronx, tienes
que buscar a través de páginas hasta que
ves algo”. Su frustración de buscar la llevó a

‘The Bronx Blogger’s Network’ y el ‘Bronx Entrepreneur’s and Business Network’ colaboraron para traer
el concepto de la semana de los Medios de Comunicación Social al Condado de la Salsa el martes, 8 de
febrero, patrocinando un panel de discusión local en el PeaceLove Café.

comenzar ‘BronxMama.com’, la cual deseaba
se convirtiera en una fuente para los padres de
una sola parada para los residentes del Bronx.
Todos los panelistas discutieron su uso de
redes sociales, tales como Facebook o Twitter,
para promover sus blogs y programas. Conde
dijo que siempre que publica algo en sus blogs,
automáticamente lo colocaba en Facebook y
Twitter.
Callender sugirió a los blogueros que estén
interesados en utilizar medios sociales el
integrarlos a sus páginas para que los usuarios
no tengan que dejar el blog para acceder a
redes sociales.
Adam Tang, miembro de la audiencia, quien
trabaja en finanzas, dijo que él utiliza Twitter
por las actualizaciones al instante. “Si la noticia
tiene 10 minutos de haberse colocado en el
internet, es una noticia vieja”, dijo él. Tang
dijo que tenía curiosidad de ver como otras
personas estaban utilizando los medios de
comunicación para otras cosas.
“Es interesante ver que está creando fuentes
para la comunidad”, dijo Tang.
Fausto Pinto, de 23 años, supo acerca del
evento del ‘Bronx News Network’ y vio las
actualizaciones en Twitter y Facebook. Pareció
un lugar donde la gente pensante del Bronx
podría estar, dijo él. Pinto esperaba aprender
mejor maneras de promoverse utilizando la red
La audiencia escucho atentamente a los miembros del panel discutir sus experiencias con medios sociales. social de los panelistas. Aunque la actividad no
enfoco auto promoción, la discusión política que
surgía fue de interés para el joven periodista
del Bronx.
Puede relacionarse con los pensamientos de
Axelbank en la falta de participación por parte
de la comunidad en los blogs y los programas.
“¿Tu sabes cuando vas a una fiesta y nadie
baila?” Nadie quiere ser el primero en bailar”,
dijo Pinto, en un intento de explicar el porque el
y otros no comentan en los blogs.
Perrino dijo que ella ve muchos comentarios
cuando coloca un regalo en BronxMama.
com, pero en cosas regulares los comentarios
son pocos. Ella también urge a los blogueros
locales y a los dueños de comercios a tomar
ventaja de cualquier red social que sea popular
ahora mismo para construir un seguimiento.
Cuando la audiencia hizo preguntas
acerca de los problemas de los medios de
comunicación social en el Bronx, la discusión
paso a ser política. Los panelistas sacaron a
la luz el conocimiento de la informática como
un problema y el hecho de que no todos los
residentes tienen acceso a una computadora o
el Internet.
La anfitriona y dueña de PeaceLove Café,
Darada Davis, reaccionó rápidamente, como
se podría esperar de una experta social, e hizo
un llamado de acción a todos los invitados en
el café para reunirse nuevamente el martes, 8
de marzo para discutir estos asuntos, mucho
después de que la semana de los medios de
comunicación termina.

FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 11

 GreenTimes
oadway’s Best”
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1828 Cedar Avenue, New York, NY 10453
718-294-2400 www.winzercleaners.com
exquisite Care for exquisite things
Free Pick-up & Delivery Grown in Washington Heights, Inwood and the Bronx by the the Manhattan Times, the Bronx Free Press and their partners. www.weact.org

Graduating the BEST in environmental stewardship

by Laura Gabby
“At the start of the class, two peo-
ple, just me and one other person, had
ideas about being an entrepreneur,
but by the end, many people were
talking about making a difference
in their community, talking about
environmental justice, and making
better decisions for themselves as far
as their environmental footprint and
their lives,” said Rashard Dyess-Lane,
a BEST Academy graduate, to Rebecca
Manski, Communications Consultant,
in an interview.
On February 2, another 20 students
graduated from the Bronx Environ-
mental Stewardship Training (BEST)
Academy, run out of Sustainable
South Bronx (SSBx).
The program gives instruction in
areas ranging from wetland restoration
to ecology, from green roof installation
to asbestos handling, from job readi-
ness to dance. Yes, that’s right: dance. The Sustainable South Bronx held a ceremony for 20 ardship Training (BEST) Academy on Feb. 2. The program
According to Dyess-Lane, dance students graduating from its Bronx Environmental Stew- prepares students for “Green collar” jobs.
class was the most memorable ele-
ment of the program. graduated over 20 classes and adapted is called AdvancedParadigms.com. the percentage of women is even
“We did salsa, merengue, jazz, we to changes in the economy. The BEST While entrepreneurship has recently lower.
did ballet,” said Dyess-Lane. “[It was Academy tracks its graduates for three received extra attention, the program The program’s local focus on the
memorable] watching people who years following graduation. So far 82 has had graduates go on to work for South Bronx meshes well with SSBx’s
you would never expect in a million percent of their graduates are currently organizations and city agencies like mission of bringing “issues of envi-
years to dance, forcing themselves to employed. the Central Park Conservancy, Mil- ronmental justice to the forefront of
both work out and dance. It was really According to Manski, there was a lionTrees NYC, the Parks Depart- community consciousness, and to
good for building camaraderie.” special emphasis placed on entrepre- ment, Green Apple Corp., Woodlawn begin to repair and reverse decades of
The Academy was started by An- neurship in the past year. Dyess-Lane is Cemetery, the EPA, OnSolar, Natural environmental degradation.” The idea
nette Williams in 2003, and was far- one graduate who appeared to embrace Resource Group, the Bronx River Alli- is that residents are trained in econom-
sighted: few other programs like this that emphasis. He is proposing the ance, the Bronx Zoo, and the Brooklyn ically sustainable practices, and can
existed at the time, and few people development of an energy management Botanical Gardens. Upon graduation, contribute to the revitalization of their
were talking about “green collar” jobs system that would allow business own- BEST helps its graduates find job own neighborhood, which they have a
at the time. ers to monitor, control, and automate placements. According to Miquela vested interest in improving.
Since then, the BEST Academy has their energy consumption. His business Craytor, SSBX Executive Director, At the beginning of the program,
BEST is planning its first “employer students take a “Toxic Tour” with

Recycle Unwanted Clothing

breakfast,” another initiative to link
potential employers to their graduates.
The program itself is 17 weeks long,
and essentially a full-time commit-
Bring textiles to the ment. Students may come from any
Inwood Greenmarket borough, but the training takes place
Every Saturday, 8am-3pm in the South Bronx, and the majority of
Isham St b/t Seaman & Cooper students come from the South Bronx.
Most of the students are low-income.
While the program graduates many
more men than women, BEST Acad-
emy highly encourages women to
apply. In the last graduating class,
Bring any clean and dry textiles like clothing, shoes, towels, sheets, three of the 20 graduates were women.
scarves, hats, bags and belts for reuse or recycling. Manski said that these numbers are
www.grownyc.org/clothing. 212.788.7964. typical. In the blue collar industries,
BEST Academy Administrator Marta
Rodriguez. The tour highlights envi-
ronmental hazards within the South
Bronx.
Rodriguez addressed the gradu-
ates at their graduation ceremony:
“Like I said on the Toxic Tour from
the beginning – for me you all are
heroes, you’re the ones who improve
my neighborhood, make a difference
for everyone else who lives here, and
you show you don’t have to move
out of your neighborhood to make a
change.”
For more information, visit www.
ssbx.org/index.php?link=33#best.

1 FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com

 Roses by the Bushel:
Wholesale Love in the Bronx
Story and photo essay by Osjua Newton
At Select Roses, a flower wholesaler
and distributor on Bruckner Boulevard,
Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days
of the year, and their workers are primed
for a day that starts early (7 am) and goes
late. They sift, cut, wrap and arrange
bright flowers by the thousands with ease
and care.
Ordered from farms in South America,
usually 2 to 3 weeks in advance, each box
contains 200 roses with nearly 16,000 of
them are being shipped in.
Elizabeth Hernandez, a florist there
for seven years, wraps bouquets for
costumers, adorning heart shaped earnings
for the Valentine’s Day occasion. “You
know it’s a special day for lovers all over
the world,” she says.
Jorge E. Zambrano, owner of Select
Roses, is glad to see the customers.
“Last year was tough, but now people
are coming back and are willing to buy
luxuries such as roses,” he says.
“You can take a girl out of the Bronx,
but you can’t take the Bronx out of the
girl,” says Yoli La Guerre, an owner of
a floral services shop in Rye, NY, but
was born and raised in the Bronx and
frequently comes to Select Roses for her
floral supplies.
They even offer helpful color guides
on their business cards:
The Language of Roses:
• Red - Love, Respect or Courage
• White - Innocence, Purity and
Humility; I’m worthy of you
• Red & White - Unity
• Yellow - Joy and Friendship
• Coral - Desire
• Light Pink - Grace and Gentility
• Dark Pink - Thank You
• Lavender - Secret Love, You’re
Lovely
• Salmon - Just Because…
“It isn’t just about red roses anymore, its
all colors,” says Zambrano.
Lovers and friends,you’ve been warned.
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 13
UptowN diNiNg comida

Destination: Chocolate, by way

of Sweet Providence
Story and photos by Debralee Santos
Whether you prefer rich dark or sweet
milk chocolate, if you like your sweets
with the true taste of serendipity, and not
the manufactured kind, find your way to
Leila’s Hand Dipped Chocolate Shop off
Broadway.
There, in the neatly appointed space
run by Keith Mitchell and his family and
friends, you will find confections that
delight and a story of fortune far richer
than even Leila’s famed hot chocolate.
Twenty years ago, a young Mitchell
worked at Evelyn’s Chocolates, a small
mom-and-pop shop on John Street in the
Financial District. The young kid from
the South Bronx so loved the work that
he swore that one day, he too would have
his own chocolate shop.
“It was like a bar without the alcohol.
There was always a story behind the
chocolate. People wanted to talk, tell you
why they were buying it, for who. I loved
it.”
He tucked his dream in his pocket,
working hard and saving in far less sweet
industries like accounting, but never let
the ambition melt away altogether.
And as Mitchell explains it, when the
time came, destiny played its role.
“It came together pretty perfectly,” he
says.
The prospective chocolatier had
been looking for a storefront on or near
Broadway, near the buses and the train,
and with enough foot traffic to drive
passerby into a sweets shop. He spotted a
FOR RENT sign at this location, a former
Baskin Robbins ice cream store, and
called immediately, only to find that it
was already under contract. Disappointed
but undaunted, he continued to look for a
locale, and months later, spotted another
shuttered location on Broadway. He
quickly saved the number as “231” on his
phone as he drove past. But later when
he called, he mistook one number for the
other, calling the Baskin Robbins realtor
in error. He soon realized his mistake,
and prepared to hang up. But the broker
on the other end kept talking.
The deal that had been under contract?
It had fallen through.
The place was his, if he still wanted to
take a look.
Take a look he did, and after an Keith Mitchell, Bronx chocolatier Keith Mitchell, el chocolatero del Bronx y propietario
extensive renovation that gutted the and owner of Leila’s Hand Dipped de Leila’s, con su propio dulce preferido, su hija
Chocolates, with his own favorite sweet, Leila, edad 5.
original refrigeration, rotting ceiling and his daughter Leila, age 5.
swollen floors, Mitchell opened Leila’s
in April of last year.
childhood friend of over 20 years with organized kitchen, Centeno expertly
There too, he had a bit of providential
whom he’d lost contact. Centeno’s whipped through pink frosting rose buds
help.
wife was running errands nearby and for a tray of cupcakes and applied tiny
While Mitchell rarely leaves the store,
wandered in to Leila’s. Her husband green leaves to a princess-themed cake
his family and friends all pitched in to
followed, only to find his long lost friend for one very lucky Isabella.
help with the renovations, working long
running a sweets shop. He hasn’t left his The store is lined with perfectly
hours to restore luster to the abandoned
side yet, and brings over 35 years baking arranged chocolate candy and sweets,
storefront. They also showed up to man
experience to every sheet cake and cup from colorful, lightweight non pareils
the store, keep inventory and help make
cake he bakes and decorates. On a recent
the custom chocolates. see CHOCOLATE p21
visit to the store’s tiny but efficiently
His chief baker is Jose Centeno, a

Destino: Chocolate, por vía de la Dulce Providencia

Historia y fotos por Debralee Santos
Ya sea que prefiera su chocolate rico y
oscuro o dulce y de leche, si le gustan sus
dulces con auténtico sabor, lléguese a la
Chocolatería de Leila, cerca de Broadway.
Allí, en el espacio designado por Keith
Mitchell y su familia y amigos, usted encontrará
confecciones que deleitan, y una historia
de fortuna mucho más rica que el famoso
chocolate caliente de Leila.
Hace veinte años, un joven Mitchell trabajó
en Chocolates de Evelyn, una pequeña tienda
ubicada en John Street, en el distrito financiero.
El joven del sur del Bronx tanto amó ese trabajo
que juró que un día, él también tendría su
propia tienda de chocolate.
“Era como una barra sin el alcohol. Siempre
hubo una historia detrás del chocolate. La
gente quería hablar, decir por qué que estaban
comprando, para quien. Me encantó.” Aunque
escondió su sueño en el bolsillo, trabajando
duro y ahorrando en muchas menos dulces
industrias como contabilidad, nunca permitió
que la ambición se le derritiera por completo.
Mitchell explica cuando llegó el momento, el
destino jugó su papel.
“Todo sucedió casi perfectamente,” dice.
El futuro chocolatero había estado buscando
una tienda en o cerca de Broadway, cerca de
los autobuses y el tren y con suficiente tráfico
que dirigiera clientes a una tienda de dulces.
Él vio un letrero de SE ALQUILA en esta
ubicación, una ex tienda de helados Baskin
Robbins y llamó inmediatamente, sólo para
descubrir que estaba ya bajo contrato.
Decepcionado pero impávido, continuó en
busca de otro local y meses más tarde, vio otra
ubicación en Broadway. Rápidamente grabó el
número telefónico como “231” en su teléfono
mientras conducía.
Pero más tarde cuando llamo, él confundió
un número por el otro, llamando al local de
Baskin Robbins por equivocación. Pronto se
dio cuenta de su error e intento colgar. Pero el
agente de bienes raíces seguía hablando.
¿Y ese trato que había estado bajo contrato?
Nunca se realizó.
El lugar era suyo, si quería echarle un
vistazo.
Echarle un vistazo fue precisamente
lo que hizo Mitchell, y después de una
extensa renovación que destrozó la
refrigeración original, y rehabilitó un techo en
descomposición y pisos desnivelados, Mitchell
abrió Leila’s en abril del año pasado.
Allí también, tuvo un poco de ayuda
providencial.
Mientras que Mitchell rara vez deja la tienda,
su familia y sus amigos todos les echaron una
mano para ayudar con las renovaciones, y
trabajaron largas horas para restaurar el lustre
a la tienda abandonada. También han ayudado
a mantener el inventario y a fabricar delicados
chocolates.
Su panadero principal es José Centeno, un
amigo de la infancia con quien había perdido
contacto. La esposa de Centeno andaba de
diligencias una tarde y se le ocurrió entrar a
Leila’s. Luego la siguió su marido, sólo para
encontrar a su amigo de mucho tiempo en una
tienda de dulces. No ha dejado su lado todavía,
trayendo más de 35 años de experiencia a la
cocina de Leila’s.
En una reciente visita a la pequeña
cocina eficientemente organizada, Centeno
expertamente le aplicó a una bandeja de
pastelitos capullos de rosa de azúcar glaseadas
y pequeñas hojas verdes a un pastel con
temática de princesa.
La tienda está llena de dulces de chocolate
perfectamente arreglado y dulces, con non-
pareils coloridos y con tortuguitas de chocolate
densas. Hay galletas bañadas en chocolate, y
tacitas de mantequilla de maní cubiertas por
chocolate.
Cada pieza es detallada y hecha a medida, lo
cual nota Mitchell con orgullo.
“Yo mismo hago la mayoría de los
chocolates,” dice, explicando que la naturaleza
temperamental del chocolate requiere una
vigilancia atenta.
“Tienes que ser muy cuidadoso, no puedes
dejarlo [desatendido]. Hay que mantenerlo.”
También hay grandes magdalenas para cada
impulso dulce, incluyendo terciopelo rojo,
zanahoria y strawberry shortcake.
Y ay, los cakeballs.
Confecciones pequeñas de bocadito, son
bollitas redondas de pastel mantecoso (tu
elección de pastel) cada uno envuelto en una
capa de chocolate rico de su selección.
“No puedo dejar de venir,” dice con
entusiasmo Albalisa González, quien celebró
el cumpleaños de su hijo de dos años con
un pastel de terciopelo rojo y chocolate con
tema de león (que se publica en Facebook,
naturalmente).
“Todo lo que he probado, me gusta mucho.
Y el servicio es buenísimo,” agrega Alpha Díaz,
quien vive y trabaja cerca.
Mitchell ha sido igualmente impresionado
con la cálida recepción que él y su tienda han
recibido de los compradores locales. Una
mujer le había dotado una reliquia vieja, una
herradura maltratada que dijo había traído a su
propia familias generaciones de buena fortuna.
Otro tiene sólo unos pocos dólares para gastar
vea CHOCOLATE p21

1 FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com

 *** UPTOWN DINING ***

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www.indianroadcafe.com Streets
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FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 15

1 FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
 Life and Death, by the Numbers
CRISIS: The State of Health and Medicaid in the Bronx
Compiled by Debralee Santos
In 2007, 68% of women Bronx residents
who gave birth were on Medicaid.
New York City Health Department,
2007
The lowest birth-weights in the country
are found in the South Bronx.
New York City Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene, Asthma Facts,
Second Edition, 2005
21.3% of respondents in the South
Bronx reported that they did not have
a personal physician, higher than the
percentage for New York City as a whole
(18.1%).
1 in every 5 respondent in the South
Bronx reported in 2009 that they were
uninsured.
29.6% of respondents who were insured
reported they were covered by Medicaid.
Only 67.8% of Bronx residents reported
that they were continuously insured
in 2009, less than the citywide rate of
74.8%.
New York State Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
Community Health Survey (CHS) of
South Bronx residents, 2009
The Bronx is the least healthy county
in New York State, ranking last in “health
outcomes” including length of life and
quality of life, as well as “health factors”
such as environmental quality, social
status, education, income, and access to
care.
University of Wisconsin Population
Health Institute study, February 2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
had a $333 million budget for nutrition
education, evaluation, and demonstrations;
five of the top U.S. fast-food chains
alone had combined advertising budgets
of nearly $1.5 billion in 2001.
“Food Advertising and Marketing
Directed at Children and Adolescents
in the U.S.,” International Journal
of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical
Activity, 2001
The South Bronx has a 34% obesity
rate, and 8 schools within 0.1 miles of 1
fast food restaurant, and 1 school within
0.1 miles of 2 fast food restaurants.
Columbia University study, The Effect
of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity,
2009
Bronx women in the Southwest Bronx
are twenty times more likely to die from
diabetes than women living on the Upper
East Side of Manhattan.
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
Neighborhood residents are twice as
likely as nonresidents to have diabetes or
hypertension and to die of heart disease.
Although there are fewer new HIV
diagnoses per capita in South Bronx than
in the Chelsea and Clinton neighborhoods
in Manhattan, the mortality rate from
HIV/AIDS in the South Bronx is almost
twice as high.
New York City Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene, Health Disparities
in New York City, 2004 – provided by
Bronx HEALTH REACH
The South Bronx houses eighteen
waste transfer stations and other waste
facilities, a New York City Department
of Environmental Protection sewage
treatment plant processing all of the
Bronx’s sewage (some of which is
discharged into local waters), and the
New York Organic Fertilizer Company,
which processes at least half of New York
City’s “treated” sludge.
There are scores of brownfields, and
more than 403,000 vehicles, including
tens of thousands of trucks, that use local
Bronx highways daily.
The South Bronx has the third highest
asthma rate in New York City, with Hunts
Point children suffering twelve times the
national average.
Data compiled by New York Lawyers
for the Public Interest from New York
City Department of Sanitation - provided
by Bronx HEALTH REACH
New York is the only state that does
not pay doctors more for complex
examinations than for simple ones, or pay
specialists more than internists.
For a moderately complex office
consultation with a specialist, Medicaid
in New York pays $24, the lowest of any
state, compared with a national Medicaid
average of more than $91.
The Urban Institute and the
Center for Studying Health
System Change Report, 2004
Medicaid currently consumes 26% of
the state’s operating budget.
The Medicaid Redesign Team, 2011
Children and able-bodied adults -
mostly women - are about three-quarters
of New York’s Medicaid patients but
account for about one-quarter of the
expenses.
R. Pérez-Pena, “At Clinic, Hurdles to
Clear Before Medicaid Care,” New York
Times, October 17, 2005
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 Love, and altruism, for the bidding
Story and photos by Brendaliss Gonzalez
at Besos auction to anyone willing to bid. The participants
ranged from 21-40 years of age. Justin’s
More than 30 bachelors and mom, Calderon, attended the event and was
bachelorettes offered themselves as dates grateful to see the large turnout.
to the highest bidder at Beso Lounges’ “This means a lot because it’s for
first Valentine’s date auction this past not only my son, but my nephew (close
Fri., Feb. 11th. However, romance friend) as well,” she said. “We (Gino and
wasn’t the greatest cause for the nearly I) had spoken about doing something like
100 attendees, autism was. this 2 years ago and now it finally came
Proceeds from the event went to support through.”
Autism Speaks, one of the nation’s largest Calderon admits that having a child
organizations dedicated toward autism with autism is a daily challenge. A
research. single mom, she has to make sure they
For Gino Pacheco and Eli Garcia, stick to a precise daily routine, since the
owners of Beso Lounge, located on E. condition affects his social skills, making
204th St., it meant more than just bringing it hard to function in noisy or changing
awareness; it was helping out their friend environments. She has had to send Justin
Justin, a six-year-old boy who suffers to a private school in Manhattan that
from autism. They’d seen up close specializes in working with children with
the struggles of Justin’s mom, Shakira autism, a choice that is both costly and
Calderon, and decided the auction was a time consuming.
great way to support research to find the Each year she has to present a suit
cause for this condition that affects 1 out against the Department of Education to
of 110 children nationwide. prove that the public schools in the Bronx
“The idea came as a result of our time in are not adequate to provide the care he
the bar business,” said Pacheco. “You see a needs, and to receive aid in paying the
lot of people complaining about being single school’s $72,500 tuition.
and we decided to incorporate it into a fun “It’s been hard,” she said. “I won last
event to raise funds for a good cause.” year, but this year’s case is still pending,
Pacheco and Garcia promoted the event to I hope they’ll settle and we won’t have to
the community via Facebook and word of Participants of the Valentine’s Day Auction at Beso Lounge were presented with
mouth and were excited to see the turnout of see BESOS p20 nametags and had pictures taken before heading off to be auctioned.
more than 40 singles eager to provide a date

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 El Beso Lounge Auspicia Subasta
Por Una Gran Causa
Historia y fotos por Brendaliss Gonzalez
Más de 30 solteros y solteras ofrecieron
someterse el pasado viernes a una subasta
del día de los enamorados y salir en una cita
con la persona ganadora. Sin embargo, en
esta actividad auspiciada por el Beso Lounge,
el motivo de la misma no fue el amor sino el
autismo.
Las ganancias de la actividad fueron a
Autism Speaks, una de las organizaciones
más grandes en la nación dedicada a la
investigación sobre el autismo. Para Gino
Pacheco y Eli García, dueños del Beso Lounge,
ubicado en la Calle E. 204th St., la actividad
significó mucho más que concientizar porque
pudieron ayudar a su amigo Justin, niño de seis
años que sufre de la condición mental conocida
como autismo. Gino y Eli habían observado
el sufrimiento de Shakira Calderón, la madre
de Justin, y decidieron que la subasta era una
gran manera de apoyar la investigación de la
causa para combatir esta condición que afecta
a 1 de cada 110 niños en la nación.
“La idea vino como resultado de una
observación durante el tiempo que hemos estado
en el negocio de las barras,” dijo Pacheco. “Uno
ve a muchas personas quejándose de ser soltero
y decidimos convertir la idea en un evento de
recaudar fondos para una buena causa.”
Pacheco y García promovieron el evento
a la comunidad regando la voz y a través
de “Facebook”, y se sorprendieron por la
respuesta de más de 40 personas listas a
ofrecer una cita a la persona dispuesta a
participar en la subasta. Los participantes
variaban entre las edades de 21 a 40 a quienes
se le requería tener algún tipo de empleo.
Calderón, la mama de Justin, asistió al evento y
estuvo agradecida al ver el resultado.
“Esto significa mucho para mi porque no es
solo para mi hijo, sino también para mi sobrino
(amigo),” comentó Calderón. “Hace dos años
que nosotros (Gino y yo) habíamos hablado de
hacer una actividad como esta y por fin se ha
convertido en una realidad.”
Calderón admite que el tener un hijo con
autismo es una lucha diaria. La madre soltera
tiene que asegurarse de mantener una rutina
fija ya que la condición afecta las destrezas
sociales de su hijo haciéndole difícil funcionar
en ambientes variados o llenos de mucho ruido.
Ha tenido que enviar a Justin a una escuela
privada en Manhattan que se especializa en
trabajar específicamente con niños de autismo,
lo cual ha sido costoso y le demanda mucho
tiempo. Tiene que someter anualmente una
querella al Departamento de Educación para
probar que las escuelas públicas ubicadas en
el Bronx no son adecuadas para satisfacer
las necesidades de su hijo y así poder recibir
ayuda para en pagar la matricula del colegio
que cuesta $72,500.
“Ha sido difícil,” admitió. “El año pasado
gané, pero este año el caso está pendiente y
espero que están dispuestos a pautar para no
tener que ir a la corte.”
Mientras se juntaban en el pequeño espacio
de la barra antes de exponerse al gentío
dispuesto para la subasta, la mayoría de los
participantes se mantuvieron enfocados en
la causa aún más que en la oportunidad de
encontrar amor.
“Tengo muchas amistades que sufren del
autismo, así que esta es una forma de dar
para atrás,” comentó Jackie Rosa, participante
residente del Bronx. “Claro que estoy nerviosa,
estas exponiéndote a ver si alguien se ofrece
por ti pero no estoy buscando un encuentro
amoroso, solamente quiero ayudar.”
Agraciadamente, nadie tuvo que preocuparse
por obtener un ofrecimiento, ya que la subasta
siempre comenzaba en $20. La multitud
aclamaba al presentarse cada participante
según caminaba sobre la barra y demostraba
lo que tenían que ofrecer, antes de ser
subastado. Calderón no es la única madre
que sufre para poder proveerle a un hijo con
autismo. Según “Thoughtful House Center
for Children”, en Nueva York hay unas 20,000
personas entre las edades de 3 a 22 años que
han sido diagnosticadas con autismo. Las
estadísticas gubernamentales han demostrado
que el índice del autismo sigue aumentando
entre 10 a 17 por ciento anualmente. Aún no
hay cura o conocimiento sobre la causa de la
condición mental que afecta adversamente la
interacción social y funciones cognitivas de
sus víctimas. Es una condición compleja difícil
de tratar y diagnosticar que además presenta
una la variedad de desórdenes también
conocidas como Asperger Os, Síndrome de
Rett y Desorden Degenerativa de la Niñez.
Organizaciones como “Autism Speaks” se
dedican a obtener fondos para la investigación,
concientizar la comunidad y proveer apoyo.
En el Bronx existen varios grupos de apoyo
incluyendo al “Autism Society Bronx Chapter” y
el “Autism Bronx Parents of A.N.G.E.L.S”.
Los participantes de la subasta del “Beso
Lounge” tuvieron una causa mayor que la
expectativa de asegurarse una cita para el día
de los enamorados. Con niños como Justin en
mente, los postores subieron sus pancartas al
escuchar el anfitrión anunciar, “$20, $40, uno,
dos, tres, vendido.” No importó el costo, aunque
algunos no pudieron negarse la emoción sobre
la posibilidad de encontrar el amor. Ululy Martinez, an attorney from the
“Estamos matando a dos pájaros de un tiro,” Bronx was the first up and reached a bid
dijo Orlando Rivera, contribuidor y residente del of $40.
Bronx. “Debes saber que Besos (Lounge) en
español significa besar.”

BESO from p19 of this mental disorder that affects social

Bidders at Valentine’s Day auction had
to act fast to secure a date. While all
bids started at $20, some reached as
high as $60.
0
go to court.”
As they gathered around the lounge
before playfully revealing themselves
to an eager crowd of participants with
bid cards in hand, the majority of the
auctionees seemed focused on the cause
rather than on finding true love.
“I have a lot of friends with autism,
so this is my way of giving back,”
said Jackie Rosa, a Bronx resident and
participant. “Of course I’m nervous, it’s
putting yourself out there to see if anyone
is going to bid, but I’m not looking for
the hookup, I just want to help out.”
The crowd cheered as each participant
strutted his/her stuff down the bar just
before being auctioned off.
Calderon isn’t the only parent struggling
to properly care for a child with autism.
According to Thoughtful House Center
for Children, some 20,000 people ranging
from 3-22 years old have been diagnosed
with autism in New York.
Government statistics have suggested
that the rate of autism continues to
increase 10-17 percent annually. There
is still no cure or knowledge for the cause
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
interaction and cognitive functions.
The condition is complicated and it
is often hard to treat and diagnose the
variety of Autism Spectrum Disorders
also referred to as Asperger’s, Rett
Syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder. Organizations like Autism
Speaks are dedicated toward funding
research, raising public awareness and
providing support.
Additionally, there are several support
groups offered in the Bronx including
the Autism Society Bronx Chapter and
Autism Bronx Parents of A.N.G.E.L.S.
The participants of the Beso Lounge
auction had more to celebrate than
the expectation of scoring a date for
Valentine’s Day. With children like Justin
in mind, the bidders earnestly raised
their cards as the host called out; “$20,
$40, going once, twice, sold.” The cost
didn’t matter, although some couldn’t
help but have a little excitement as to the
possibility of finding love.
“It’s killing two birds with one stone,”
said Orlando Rivera, contributor and
Bronx resident. “Besos does mean kissing
in Spanish, you know,” he offered, by
way of explanation.

CHOCOLATE from p14
to dense, chewy chocolate turtles. There
are pretzels drenched in the sweet stuff,
and tiny round cups of chocolate covered
peanut butter.
Each piece is detailed and custom
made, which Mitchell notes with no small
amount of pride.
“I make most of the chocolates myself,”
he says, explaining that its temperamental
nature requires vigilant monitoring.
“You have to be very careful, you can’t
leave it. You have to maintain it.”
There are also large, moist cupcakes for
every manner of sweet craving, with red
velvet, carrot and strawberry shortcake
taking center stage.
And there are the cakeballs.
Tiny, mouth-sized confections, these
are round balls of buttery cake (again,
your choice of cake) each wrapped in a
rich chocolate coating of your selection.
“I can’t stop coming in,” enthuses
Albalisa Gonzalez, who celebrated her
son’s two year birthday with a red velvet and
chocolate lion-themed cake from Leila’s
(that she posted on Facebook, natch), and
was stopping in again for a treat.
Alpha Diaz, who works and lives
nearby, agreed that the attention to detail
was impressive.
“Everything I have tried, I really like.
And the service is great,” she says.
Mitchell has been equally impressed
with the warm reception he and his shop
have received from local shoppers. One
woman gifted him with an old heirloom,
a battered horseshoe that she claimed
had brought her own family generations
of good fortune. Another has only a few
dollars to spend every time she visits,
but insists she would only spend it with
him, because she wants to support his
enterprise.
“It is amazing how many people want
to support a small business, and how
important it is that [the chocolates] are
custom made. It really matters.”
What matters too is not leaving the shop
without a taste of the intensely rich hot
chocolate Mitchell prepares personally,
with or without cinnamon. The chocolate
is headily aromatic and densely flavored,
coating your tongue with bright notes of
vanilla and spice.
Beg him for the secret of what is
modestly – and rightfully – billed as the
“best hot chocolate in the world,” and
he’ll gladly tell you.
“I just use milk and chocolate. That’s
it.” The famous cakeballs for which the Los famosos cakeballs, dulces minúsculos, son
chocolate shop is known for, tiny, bite- bollitas redondas de pastel mantecoso de diversos
Leila, his five year old daughter, and sized confections of different cakes
the store’s namesake, peers out from sabores cubiertas con un esmalte rico de chocolate,
coated with a rich, dense chocolate son sumamente tentadores.
behind him, her eyes watchful and bright glaze, are hard to pass up.
as you talk, her arms encircling her
father’s waist. CHOCOLATE de p14 Al pedirle el secreto de lo que es, modesto – y
Mitchell is thoroughly surrounded by con razón –el “mejor chocolate caliente en todo
such support. cada vez que visita, pero insiste que solo se lo el mundo”, él lo revela con mucho gusto: “Utilizar
After all, it was the owner of Evelyn’s, daría a él, porque quiere apoyar a su empresa. sólo la leche y el chocolate. Eso es todo.”
his former boss of two decades ago, “Es increíble cómo muchas personas quieren Leila, su hija de cinco años y tocaya de la
that helped him buy his first chocolate apoyar una pequeña empresa, y lo importante tienda, se esconde detrás de él, sus ojos brillantes
inventory for the store, and helped him que es que [los chocolates] sean a la medida. y vigilantes, sus brazos arropándole la cintura.
make the trade industry rounds. Realmente importa.” Mitchell está rodeado por ese tipo de apoyo.
Sweet, no? Lo que importa por igual es no salir de la Después de todo, era el mismo dueño de
tienda sin un sabor del chocolate caliente Evelyn, su ex jefe de hace dos décadas, que
Leila’s Hand Dipped Chocolates e intensamente rico que Mitchell prepara le ayudó a eligir y comprar su inventario para
225 West 231st Street personalmente, con o sin canela. el primer chocolate de la tienda, y le ayudó a
The Bronx, New York 10463 El chocolate es aromático y lleno de sabor, hacer las rondas comerciales de la industria.
347-964-1810 cubriendo la lengua con brillantes notas de Dulce, ¿no?
vainilla y especias.

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FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 1

REAl EstAtE bienes raices
CB12 drafts questions for developer
of Broadway towers
by Gloria Pazmiño
Northern Manhattan residents will soon
have another opportunity to question
representatives of Quadriad Realty
Partners, who are planning to build two
or four residential towers as tall as 42
stories on Broadway near W. 190 th Street.
The developer is planning to attend the
Wed., March 2 meeting of Community
Board 12’s Land Use Committee.
During its Feb. 9 meeting, which was
marked at times by emotional debate
about the appropriateness of the project,
the Land Use Committee drafted a list of
questions that will be forwarded to the
developer.
Much of the focus of the meeting
specifically targeted the “New Strategy”
version of the plan that would result in
four towers and 454 housing units that
could be sold or rented at market rate, and
198 units of “affordable housing,” which
as defined by Quadriad are households
earning 60 to 180 percent of the city’s
median income.
In response to a concern that the
majority of existing families in Northern
Manhattan would not find that affordable,
CLOTH plans supportive housing project
on Amsterdam Avenue
by Gloria Pazmiño
Community League of the Heights
(CLOTH), a Washington Heights-based
nonprofit, announced at February’s
Community Board 12 Land Use
Committee meeting that it had secured
to start building a supportive housing
project at 2142 Amsterdam Ave. near W.
166 th Street.
Yvonne Stennett, executive director
of CLOTH, which provides housing,
educational, and other social services
as well as administering a food pantry,
said the current plan for the building is
to house single adults suffering from
mental illness who are at risk of chronic
homelessness. The project includes 42
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the committee is asking Quadriad if it
could lower the pricing.
The list of questions also includes
whether Quadriad would consider
alternate design approaches, such as
building shorter towers, and creating
larger floor plates. Members are also
asking if it was financially feasible to
reconfigure residential units, community
space, and retail space in a way that more
closely aligns with existing housing
stock.
A local resident who lives on Wadsworth
Terrace attended the meeting and said
she is concerned that construction of a
project of this magnitude could damage
area buildings, some of which sit atop
metal stilts on unstable land.
Martin Collins from the office of City
Council Member Jackson raised concerns A rendering of what a new supportive Un esbozo de lo que podría ser un nuevo proyecto
that the average apartment size that is housing project at 2142 Amsterdam Ave. de vivienda de apoyo en el 2142 de la Avenida
being proposed by Quadriad is too small might look like. Amsterdam.
for local families, which need more two-
and three-bedroom options than single
units.
The next Land Use Committee meeting will have leases and pay rent. Following the efforts of both CLOTH
will be held Wed., March 2 at the Initially, the site located at 2142 and the hospital, the two lots adjacent to
Community Board 12 office on 711 W. Amsterdam Avenue was purchased the property were also purchased giving
168 th Street and Haven Avenue. by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, enough room to begin the project.
which wanted to utilize the space for a Construction is scheduled to begin in
community servicing facility, but the December and be completed within 18
lot was too small to build housing units. months.
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agent@simonesong.com The complete offering terms are in an offering plan available from the Sponsor: File # CD07-0611
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
 CB12 bosqueja preguntas para promotor de torres en Broadway
Por Gloria Pazmiño
Los residentes del Alto Manhattan pronto tendrán
otra oportunidad de cuestionar a los representantes
de Quadriad Realty Partners, quienes están
planeando construir dos o cuatro torres residenciales
tan altas como de 42 pisos en Broadway cerca del
oeste de la Calle 190. El promotor está planeando
asistir a la reunión del Comité de Uso de Terrenos de
la Junta Comunal 12 el miércoles, 2 de marzo.
Durante su reunión del 9 de febrero, que en
momentos fue marcada por debate emocional
sobre la idoneidad del proyecto, el Comité de
Uso de Tierra hizo una lista de preguntas que
serían enviadas al desarrollador.
Mucho del enfoque de la reunión fue dirigido
específicamente a la versión de “Nueva
Estrategia” del plan que resultaría en cuatro
torres y 454 unidades de vivienda que podrían
ser vendidas o rentadas al precio del mercado
y 198 unidades de “vivienda a bajo costo”, las
cuales son hogares ganando un 60 a un 180
por ciento del ingreso mediano de la ciudad.
En respuesta a una preocupación de que la
mayoría de las familias en el Alto Manhattan no
encontrarían eso asequible, el comité le está
pidiendo a Quadriad si puede bajar el precio.
La lista de preguntas también incluye si
Quadriad consideraría alternativas al actual
diseño, tales como torres más pequeñas y
la creación de grandes pisos. Los miembros
también están pidiendo si es costeable el
reconfigurar las unidades residenciales, espacio
comunal y locales comerciales que se alinee
más de cerca con las viviendas ya existentes.
Una vecina de Wadsworth Terrace asistió a la
reunión y dijo que estaba preocupada de que la
construcción de un proyecto de esta magnitud
podría dañar edificios del área, algunos de los
cuales se encuentran en zancos de metal en
tierra inestable.
Martin Collins de la oficina del Concejal
Robert Jackson presentó preocupaciones de
que el tamaño del apartamento promedio que
está siendo propuesto por Quadriad es muy
pequeño para las familias locales, las cuales
necesitan opciones de más de dos y tres
cuartos dormitorios que unidades sencillas.
La próxima reunión del Comité de Uso de
Terrenos se llevará a cabo el miércoles, 2 de
marzo en la oficina de la Junta Comunal 12 en
el 711 de la Calle 168 y la Avenida Haven.

CLOTH planea proyecto de vivienda de

apoyo en la Avenida Amsterdam
Por Gloria Pazmiño
La Liga Comunal de los Heights (CLOTH,
por sus siglas en inglés), una sin fines de lucro
con sede en Washington Heights, anunció en
febrero en una reunión del Comité de Uso de
la Junta Comunal 12 que había asegurado
comenzar a construir un proyecto de apoyo de
vivienda en el 2142 de la Avenida Amsterdam
cerca del oeste de la Calle 166.
Yvonne Stennett, directora ejecutiva de
CLOTH, la cual provee vivienda, educación y
otros servicios sociales como también administran
un almacén de comida, dijo que el actual plan el
edificio es el albergar adultos solteros sufriendo
de enfermedades mentales que estén en crónico
riesgo de carencia de hogar. El proyecto incluye
42 unidades del tamaño de un estudio cada uno
con un baño privado y una pequeña cocina.
Entrenamiento de trabajo y otros servicios sociales
serán suministrados en el lugar.
El proyecto de $6 millones ha sido aprobado
por el Departamento de Preservación y
Desarrollo de Vivienda (HPD).
Según Samir Shah, arquitecto de la firma
Urban Quotient el cual diseñó el proyecto, el
diseñó multi-escalonado del edificio le proveerá
a sus inquilinos un sentido de pertenencia, y
proveerá protección de influencias externas.
Stennett también señaló que, aunque la
facilidad ofrecería vivienda permanente, se
animará a los residentes a mudarse a vivienda
sin ayuda a medida que estén preparados para
vivir de forma independiente. Los residentes
tendrán contratos y pagarán alquiler.
Inicialmente, el sitio localizado en el 2142
de la Avenida Amsterdam fue comprado por
el Hospital New York-Presbyterian, el cual
deseaba utilizar el espacio para una facilidad de
servicio comunal, pero el lote era muy pequeño
para construir unidades de vivienda. Luego con
los esfuerzos de CLOTH y el hospital, los dos
lotes adyacentes a la propiedad también fueron The developer who is proposing to El promotor que está proponiendo construir dos o
comprados brindando suficiente espacio para build two or four residential towers cuatro torres residenciales en Broadway cerca del
comenzar el proyecto. on Broadway near W. 190th Street will oeste de la Calle 190 asistirá a la próxima reunión
La construcción está programada para attend the next meeting of Community del Comité de Uso de Tierra de la Junta Comunal 12
comenzar en diciembre y ser completada en 18 Board 12’s Land Use Committee on el miércoles, 2 de marzo.
meses. Wed., March 2.

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FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 3

We’re just around the corner
Estamos al doblar la Esquina
Primary Care
Charles A. Laporte Primary Health Care Ctr.
1064 Franklin Ave., Bronx, NY 10456
(T) 718-764-1590
Claremont Family Healthcare Ctr.
262-4 East 174th St., Bronx, NY 10457
(T) 718-299-6910
Clay Avenue Health Ctr.
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457
(T) 718-299-1100 x3056
Park Avenue Family Healthcare Ctr.
4196 Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10457
(T) 718-466-1574
Westchester Avenue Primary Healthcare Ctr.
915 Westchester Ave., Bronx, NY 10459
(T) 718-466-3550

BFP_PromesaSingleSheet.indd 1
BASICS/PromeSA SyStemS, InC.
Co m e v i s i t u s
Housing Services
Mental Health Services
Clay Avenue Mental Health Program
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-299-1100 x3143
People With Developmental Disabilities (PWDD)
413 E. 120th St., NY, NY 10035 (T) 212-410-7707 x5328
Casa La Esperanza Clubhouse
717 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10455 (T) 646-224-9320
Substance Abuse Services
Adult Male Residential Program (Franklin House)
1064 Franklin Ave., Bronx, NY 10456 (T) 718-861-5650
Amanacer Detox/Rehab Recovery Center
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-960-7580
Chemical Dependency Outpatient Programs
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-960-7574
488 East 164th St., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 646-224-0448
Methadone to Abstinence Ambulatory (MTAA)
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-299-1100 x3046
Methadone to Abstinence Residential (MTAR)
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-299-1100 x3079
Youth Rehabilitation Program
311 East 175th St., Bronx, NY 10457
(T) 718-299-1100 x3039
HIV Testing/Counseling
Promesa Health Services
1776 Clay Ave., Bronx, NY 10457
(T)718-299-1100, Ext. 7532
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www.promesa.org
FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • thE BRonx FREE pREss • www.thebronxfreepress.com
Promesa HDFC Property Management
1794 Anthony Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-299-1100 x1022
Hellgate Management Corporation
413 E. 120th St., New York, NY 10035 (T) 212-410-7707 x5269
Shelter Plus Care
1794 Anthony Ave., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-299-1100 x1022
GDOC-Property Management Program
540 E. 180th St., NY 10457 (T) 646-224-9213
Supportive Housing
1794 Anthony Ave., Bronx, NY 10456 (T) 718-299-1100 x1022
1068 Franklin Ave., Bronx, NY 10456
(T) 718-991-0283 and 718-764-1514
Social Services
Multicultural Daycare Centers
- 1020-20 Summit Ave., Bronx, NY 10457
(T) 718-681-1580 x3341
- 300 East 175th St., Bronx, NY 10457
(T) 718-299-1100 x3209
Escalera Youth Program
413 E. 120th Street, New York, NY 10035
(T) 212-410-7707 x5213
Summer Youth Employment Program
413 E. 120th Street, New York, NY 10035
(T) 212-410-7707 x5211
East Harlem Multi-Service Center
413 E. 120th Street, New York, NY 10035
(T) 212-410-7707
HIV/AIDS Care
Promesa Residential Healthcare Facility
(Casa Promesa)
308 East 175th St., Bronx, NY 10457 (T) 718-960-7617
Promesa Adult Day Health Care Facility
915 Westchester Ave., Bronx, NY 10459 (T) 718-466-3550
2/14/11 2:45:06 PM