Pandas in The Bronx, buying South Carolina crabs right here in our borough, and a new documentary explores the difficulty of extreme poverty facing single fathers and devastate impacts on their families are some of the stories you’ll find in this evening’s edition of Bronx Links.
Daddy Don’t Go Shows the Havoc Poverty Wreaks on Struggling Single Fathers
We often hear the plight of single mothers and children being raised in single family homes by their moms but we rarely get a peek into the other side of the equation.
‘Daddy Don’t Go’ explores this other side and ‘The Muse’ writes:
“If there’s one thing you’ll take away from Daddy Don’t Go, Emily Abt’s compassionate but restrained documentary following four struggling single fathers in New York City, it’s that even when you love your kids desperately, and even when you want more than anything to do right by them, your problems might just be too big to outrun.
The specifics of that bleak sprint may vary. Maybe if you’re Roy, a 28-year-old from Long Island raising your son alone, it’s trying to outrun the demons of an abusive childhood, selling drugs as a teenager, and the resulting prison sentence and chronic unemployment.
Maybe if you’re Nelson, a 26-year-old in the Bronx helping raise the three children of your girlfriend, it’s trying to outrun a gang past and chronic unemployment. Maybe if you’re Omar, 34, living in the Bronx, utterly devoted to your four children, it’s a learning disability that’s made employment untenable, one you now struggle to help navigate with your daughter, who has inherited it. Or if you’re 26-year-old Alex, you are smitten with your two-year-old son, but haunted by an assault you still stand to do time for, even as you’ve fought for custody and worked to certify as a mechanic.” Read the full story at Jezebel’s ‘The Muse’
You Can Buy Live Crabs From South Carolina in the South Bronx
I’ve walked by this stand running from errand to errand and meetings and never knew that these guys were hauling their South Carolina blue crabs up for sale in the Melrose neighborhood of The Bronx at The Hub.
DNAinfo shares, “Blue crabs from South Carolina have scuttled their way up to the South Bronx.
Floyd Gadsden, a 48-year-old who has been in the seafood business since he was 8 years old, recently started manning a tent by The Hub, where he sells live crabs from down south.
He said the neighborhood has enthusiastically welcomed him so far, even though many people who stop by have never seen a live crab before.
“We’ve been getting a good response,” he said. “People love the quality of the crabs.”
Gadsden typically sells the crustaceans for $12 a dozen and said they are much bigger than what you would find at most stores in the borough.
“A lot of their crabs are farm raised crabs: very small, very little meat in them. I like a good meaty crab,” he said.
“We go to South Carolina every three days to get fresh seafood,” he continued, “so when we bring them up, it’s fresh.” Read the full story at DNAinfo
Panda plan for Bronx Zoo gets OK from Mayor de Blasio
The Bronx is known as the most diverse area as per the 2010 United States Census and things are about to get really diverse—at least with reference to the animal kingdom.
The Bronx Zoo is home to many species (endangered as well) and is a recognized world leader in conservation efforts.
Now he Daily News reports that we’re one step closer to becoming the home for a pair of pandas after many hurdles to get us this close.
If this happens, we’ll have the bragging rights to say that we’re one of only 5 places in America that are home to these endangered and wonderful animals.
The Daily News reports:
The years-long battle to bring a pair of pandas to New York City has cleared a major hurdle with the addition of a new high-profile backer — Mayor de Blasio.
The mayor, who had been one of the last holdouts in the push to bring the cuddly black-and-white bears to the five boroughs, has had one of his top aides reach out to Chinese officials to say he is now on board and would like to place the animals in the Bronx Zoo.
“I’m thrilled that the mayor is supportive,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who has been in negotiations with the Chinese for years to bring pandas to the Big Apple.
“Wherever I go, people say to me, ‘When are the pandas coming?’ ”
Last year, Beijing balked at granting permission for a pair of pandas to come here without de Blasio’s blessing, despite the fact that Gov. Cuomo had given his seal of approval. Read the full story over at The Daily News
