Round'em Up

Here are some Bronx-related stories which we've rounded up you, our lovely readers, while trolling the interweb with our horse and lasso this fine morning:

Councilman Larry Seabrook has been charged with money laundering, extortion, and fraud related to schemes which, among other things, secured city contracts for a boiler company...a Manhattan US Attorney says that Seabrook essentially "operated his own corrupt, City Council-funded friends and family plan." [New York Times, Daily News here and here, New York Post, YourNabe.com, and Gothamist]

BD NOTE: The 66-page indictment contains a laundry list of charges, but among them our favorite has to be that Seabrook (whom the Daily News says is referred to as "Cash and Carry Larry") allegedly altered a deli receipt for a bagel and a diet soda that cost $7 so that he would be reimbursed $177. Come on Larry! That's the oldest forgery trick in the book...isn't that what 5th graders do to change grades to deceive their parents? Not only are our Bronx politicians completely uninterested in representing the needs of their constituents, but they also just seem plain old dumb sometimes.

Norwood's Foodtown, which was burned to the ground in a December fire, and Tremont's Western Beef have both been approved for financial incentives through the City's FRESH program to rebuild/expand their stores in order to offer a broad selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products [New York Times]

Proposed homeless shelter in Westchester Square is now being considered as a permanent site for transitional housing for the homeless...The Westchester Square Merchants' Association questions the amount of money the cash-strapped City is spending on these apartments [Village Voice]

The New York Public Library System will be addressing budget issues by cutting hours at branches throughout the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island...The Bronx will be the first to experience the reduced hours beginning February 16th. [Staten Island Advance]

A team of doctors from Montefiore Medical Center share their experiences providing healthcare to the people of Haiti [Daily News]

Anybody looking to adopt about 75 chickens? The fowl were featured in yesterday's Daily News, and now their caretaker is seeking a safe and humane way to get them off the streets of Highbridge. [Daily News]

A Burr Avenue apartment building dubbed 'White Castle' is hanging in limbo as it awaits a certificate of occupancy from the City [YourNabe.com]

~ErLu