Here are some Bronx-related stories which we've rounded up for you, our lovely readers, while trolling the interweb with our horse and lasso this fine morning:The Silver Fox has all the political gossip floating around the Bronx this week [Daily News]
A round up of cultural events (mostly free) taking place throughout the BoogieDown this summer [Daily News]
A round up of the various sports options the BoogieDown has to offer [Daily News]
A round up of all the great things there are to do with kids in the BoogieDown [Daily News]
A round up of all the best outdoor spots to hit this summer in the BoogieDown [Daily News]
A round up of all the best foods the BoogieDown has to offer this summer [Daily News]
Since launching this past March, 36 people have graduated from the Osborne Association's Green Career Center's green job training program...Their goal is to train 400 people with criminal backgrounds over the span of 18 months. [The Nation via Daily Kos]
The Bronx Zoo will celebrate Memorial Day weekend with a "4-D" Dora and Diego event which is sure to thrill the toddler set...There will be a 3-D Dora and Diego film with special effects and Dora and Diego costumed characters will also be on hand. [westchester.com]
Bronx activists protested outside of Bank of America on Fordham Road and Valentine Avenue last week in order to call attention to the possibly unfair foreclosure of a Bronx woman's home [BxNN]
~ErLu
8 comments:
I had the pleasure of being at the launch of the center and I met a group of wonderful formerly incarcerated people that were excited and appreciative about getting a second chance. But not just ANY second chance but one with a good education in the booming field of green collar jobs.
Hey Mayor..is the field of green jobs booming? Is NYC starved for people with green skills and they have a huge number of jobs waiting for them? I need more info about that.
On a side note, I think it is funny when people pose a legal argument of "not fair" as if life is fair. We are not 5 anymore, and even then we learned that life isn't fair...so not sure why anyone would protest for someone based on "possibly something unfair." It is unfortunate she can't afford her home, but it only means she must find another right? It happens, life ain't fair...and it may sound cold, but it is reality. It isn't fair that I have to work and struggle to afford my place...can someone protest for me so that I can pay whatever it is I feel is fair?
Just something to think about.
Some thoughts from the ole BD:
1) Interestingly the commenters on The Nation call the green jobs movement a "racket" and point out that it is destined to be like many other industries in which the higher ups make tons of dough, and the low-level employees won't make out nearly as well. I have to admit I did wonder after seeing that Ruben Diaz Jr. was involved with the ribbon-cutting for the "Green Career Center," how many of these 36 new positions (goal of 400 total) are considered to be living wage w/ benefits? Also worth noting, one of the green companies that is referenced in the piece (ReBuilders Source) is sadly going out of business at the end of this month.
2) To be "fair" (haha), I used the words "possibly unfair" in summarizing the foreclosure piece because I just couldn't think of anything else that would work. I tried to leave it as a generic summary so that other people could read the piece try to figure the situation out for themselves. I think it's almost impossible to truly analyze the whole situation without knowing the details of Ms. Lopez's loans (the first one and then also the details of the renegotiated one). To be honest, it seems to me that if you can't afford your home on Monday, and then on Tuesday you talk with someone and all of a sudden it seems you can afford the home again, don't you have to ask yourself... what changed about the loan (in this case, the balloon payment)?
BD...
Am I missing something or the two individuals who left comments a little out of touch with reality...Senator Serrano of the Bronx indicted??? Really? that's news to me. Personally, I don't see green jobs as a racket because it is training individuals what is certainly becoming, more and more an accepted way of constructing and reducing energy costs, etc.
The Bronx currently has one of the highest rates of green construction going on and at first most of it is concentrated in Melrose (where we were awarded as the FIRST and ONLY LEED certified neighborhood district in the State of New York) but it is now spreading throughout the borough with construction companies seeking green certification.
I probably have been to weekly functions where Ruben Diaz, Jr. has spoken and he stresses over and over again that any construction company seeking monies from his office, etc will have to build green.
Guywithcause: maybe booming is not the correct choice of word but the reality of it is that there is a fast growing number of developers seeking to incorporate green initiatives into their designs since there are subsidies for doing so through agencies such as NYSERDA as well as federal agencies which will provide tax breaks on constructions that are energy efficient or "green" with particular emphasis on LEED construction.
These people are receiving training that puts them ahead of the curve of the rest of their competition in the Bronx when it comes to green collar jobs and the program itself isn't just about the green collar jobs but actually does train the individuals to get ready for the job market period.
For further reading on what the actual tax codes and breaks for green construction:
http://www.webcpa.com/news/Tax-Incentives-Available-Green-Building-Construction-53714-1.html
I see green jobs growing, and I hope they boom, but I wonder with all the new green buildings going up in the Bronx, how many of their employees are FROM the Bronx. My guess is near zero...and the usual union labor living quite well in Long Island/NJ are reaping all the benefits of these green jobs. Does anyone have any information to indicate otherwise?
Regarding this eviction, I think it is unfortunate as I stated, but sometimes no matter how low your payments, you can't stay in your home. It is a reality that I am faced with also, so I hustle to stay above water....anyone want to protest for me?
Guywithacause:
What eviction are you talking about? no one spoke about an eviction.
I dunno..I must be confused cuz I did not see comments in this posting about Senator Serrano being indicted either. Where the heck did that come from?
Yes you are very confused because that was a direct response to the commentators on The Nation which BD pointed out in their response to this posting. If you clicked on the article and read the comment section, one of the commentators was talking about senator serrano from the bronx being indicted - which we know isn't accurate.
Post a Comment