The Bronx Ink

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced a corruption case against several New York state political figures including Sen. Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, who turned himself in to authorities today on alleged bribery charges. “It’s sad because he aspired to what we’re doing to make in-roads in the Democratic conference. It’s sad, but we shall overcome,” Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. told the blog, Politics on the Hudson.

Sen. Gustavo Rivera said he is returning contributions he received from Kruger. “Sen. Rivera is returning $2,500 that was given to him by Sen. Kruger,” his communications director told the Daily News, today. The contributions will go to charity.

According to the New York Post city officials had to amend the policy on marriage license requirements after a transgender couple was denied by a Bronx office in 2009. The Transgender Legal Defense Fund stepped in to help the couple, a female to male transgender and a male to female, said reports. Legal documents say the couple was asked to present birth certificates in their original marriage license request, which are not required documents under the city’s marriage policies.

New York Community Bank sold the mortgages of several buildings in need of millions of dollars  in repairs, says the Wall Street Journal. Tenants filed a court motion to make New York Community Bank responsible for repairs on eight buildings that went into foreclosure two years ago.  The buildings included in the sale, according to wsj.com, are 3212 Cruger Avenue, 2350 Creston Avenue, 2345 Crotona Avenue, 2265 and 2271 Morris Avenue, 1221 and 1225 Sheridan Avenue, 735 Bryant Avenue.

Tomorrow is the final event in the 47th Annual Daily News New York City Spelling Bee.  The contest started today and will help select a team to represent New York at the Scripps National Spelling Bee  in Washington, D.C.

According to a post on the Boogiedowner, the following Bronx participants were scheduled to compete:

Bronx Academy of Letters

Dianna Ray

Frederick Douglass Academy V

Abena Prempeh

I.S.  318

Natalie Rodriguez

Kinneret Day School Riverdale

Daniel Stremt

M.S. 223

Natasha Pena
Stephanie Reddy

P.S. 128

Kevin Romero

P.S. 132

Fatoumata Sow

SAR Academy

Avraham Penso

Before a college basketball crowd at Madison Square Garden, today, Kemba Walker made a classic buzzer beater jump shot (watch the video, here) to advance his University of Connecticut teammates to the semi finals of the Big East Tournament. Walker, a point guard on the team, grew up in the Soundview section and lived in the Sack Wern Houses, where he perfected his basketball skills.

The South Bronx has the highest rate of people worrying about meeting their food needs according to findings released by the Food Research and Action Center,  today. On a national level, the rate is one in four Americans who worry about putting food on the table. The study was initiated by food company Tyson Foods, Inc

Bronx congressman, Rep. Jose Serrano said he would be working with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to tackle the matter.  “I will be speaking with Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, and asking his immediate assistance in meeting the food needs of the people of the Bronx,” according to a press release by the New York Coalition against hunger.

Some older Bronx residents have a lot to lose if an April 1 state budget goes through with $27 million in cuts to elder services.  Sen. Ruben Diaz is expected to hold a rally today at 11 a.m. on the steps of Bronx Borough Hall to protest the proposed closures. The Wall Street Journal calls Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal “the steepest cut to the facilities in New York City history”. Citywide, 105 of  256 senior centers could have their funding cut this year. Reports suggest centers could start closing by July.

NY1.com lists the Bronx senior centers in danger of closing:

Arturo Schomberg Senior Center

CCBA Betances Senior Center

City Island Senior Center

East Concourse Senior Center

Einstein Senior Center

JASA Throgs Neck Senior Center

Kips Bay Castle Hill Senior Center

Mechler Hall Senior Center

Marble Hill Senior Center

Millbrook

Mitchell Houses

Parkside Senior Center

Pio Mendez

PSS-Davidson Senior Center

Rain Boston Secor Senior Center

Rain College Avenue Senior Center

Rain East Tremont Senior Center

Rain Gunhill Senior Center

Rain Nereid

Sister Annunciata Bethel Senior Center

Thomas L. Guess Commun

A business manager for Lantern Community Services allegedly conned disabled residents  in Melrose  out of thousands of dollars, reports CBS 2 news. According to the report, residents of the Jasper Hall  apartments say George Henry was behind a letter claiming to be from the  Department of Housing Preservation and Development. The letter asked residents to pay the equivalent of one month’s rent towards a “good faith fund.” Lantern Community Services fired Henry and reimbursed the residents of the 53-unit low-income complex. The Bronx District Attorney’s office is looking into the matter.