If you find yourself in the Hub in Melrose and are craving something healthy to eat, come to PeaceLove Café at 617 Melrose Avenue between East 151st and East 152nd Streets. 

It’s a great place to unwind and relax in a peaceful atmosphere and enjoy a variety of healthy eats.  Everything is freshly made with all natural ingredients and organic coffees and teas are also available.

With the problem with obesity in the South Bronx and poor nutrition, it’s fantastic to see an entrepreneur not cave in to the fast food obsession.

(Pictured:  turkey, avocado, swiss sandwich from PeaceLove)

Meet Carol Zakaluk of Mott Haven who owns a couple of townhouses on the historic Bertine block.  For almost a century, prosperous times, neighborhood decay and now renaissance and through four generations this home has remained in one family.

NYTimes: Lair and Sanctuary in the South Bronx http://nyti.ms/gzUT7N

Congratulations to all who worked hard on protecting worker rights to increased wages and health benefits.  It was a very tense battle considering what’s been happening in Wisconsin, but it paid off.

This is a big victory for the working class families of the Bronx and all the hard workers who labor away just to make ends meet for their loved ones. 

During these harsh and trying economic times, now is not the time to take away employer paid health benefits nor their secure pension funds.  These are the people who collect our garbage, maintain our buildings and ensure that our homes are decent places to live in. 

These building workers also deserve the chance not only to maintain their families but to be able to do what normal Americans do and that is to build up their savings for a better tomorrow.

Once again, thank you to all who worked on protecting our Bronx families and residents!

Image courtesy of:  http://www.seiu.org/images/32BJ_DEjanitors.jpg

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32BJ of the SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 14, 2011

BRONX RESIDENTIAL WORKERS WIN NEW CONTRACT THAT RAISES WAGES, PROTECTS FAMILY HEALTHCARE –Borough-Wide Strike Averted–
–Workers Maintain Healthcare and Retirement Savings–

Bronx, NY – 32BJ and the Bronx Realty Advisory Board (BRAB) reached a tentative four-year agreement this evening that raises standards for more than 3,000 apartment building workers by  providing annual wage increases while maintaining employer-paid family health care and secured pension benefits. The agreement narrowly averted a strike, which would have affected 250,000 Bronx residents throughout the borough including Riverdale and the South Bronx.

“Bronx workers stood together to make sure these jobs remained good jobs.  Thousands of Bronx families will benefit from this contract, which provides much needed wage increases during this tough economy,” said Kyle Bragg, 32BJ Vice President. “We want to ensure workers can support their families and save for their futures.”

The tentative agreement provides a 6 percent wage increase.  In addition, the agreement maintains employer paid family healthcare and pension benefits, which were sticking points during negotiations.

“We were able to keep what’s most important to our families, affordable healthcare and pensions,” said Angel Ortega, who is a father of five and a Riverdale super. “It was a tough few months, but we’re glad we didn’t inconvenience the residents and are eager to keep serving the Bronx.”

The new tentative contract covers more than 3,000 supers, assistant supers, janitors, handypersons, porters, firepersons, doormen, elevator operators and garbage handlers. This deal averts a strike that would have directly affected a quarter of a million New Yorkers living in over 1,000 apartment, condo and co-op buildings in the Bronx.

Bronx members of 32BJ will vote on ratifying the contract later this month.

With more than 70,000 members in New York, 32BJ is the largest private sector union in the state. For more information, visit www.standwithbuildingworkers.org .

SEIU Local 32BJ, 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1906 United States

With Spring just a few days from officially starting (Sunday, March 20th) and the weather finally warming up and cooperating, check out Bronx Mama for some great kid friendly events at Wave Hill.
From garden walks, to plant pressings to card making, these quality family events are sure to make for a great and educational experience for you and your little Bronxites!

A big THANK YOU to Bronx Mama for always looking out for the little guys…and their parents!

READ MORE: http://bronxmama.com/2011/03/11/wave-hill-events-march-18-march-25/

A tour bus heading back to Chinatown from Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut was involved in a freak accident ending the lives of 13 of 36 passengers on board. 
The accident happened about 5:30 AM when, according to reports, a tractor trailer hit the bus which then turned over on its side and slammed into a sign post shearing almost the entire top of the bus.  According to NY1 6 passengers are in critical condition.
This is the nation’s worst traffic accident since August 8, 2008 when a tour bus, which was being illegally operated, crashed and killed at least 17 passengers in Sherman, TX on the Dallas-Oklahoma Highway 75.
Our prayers go out to all the victims and their families and loved ones during this tragic time.

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/135439/bronx-tour-bus-crash-kills-13

Victor Toro, a fighter for the people is being separated from his family and deported back to Chile in a lost immigration battle.
This is a great loss and a sad day for the people of the Bronx.

READ MORE:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/03/11/2011-03-11_south_bronx_community_activist_tortured_by_pinochet_government_to_be_deported_to.html

Check out this interesting piece on the status of being a white man in America.  There are those who argue that white men who are economically disadvantaged suffer disproportionately to their minority counterparts.  There are many scholarships afforded to minorities that caucasian men do not qualify for and let’s not even talk about affirmative action.  Will we ever stop looking at society through colored lenses? [Image courtesy of business week]

For decades on end the Bronx has been on the receiving end of so many jokes and jabs. So many have tried to put us down.  Personally, ever since I could remember, I have always defended the Bronx and now just like Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr did last week I’m asking YOU to do the same.  We know we are not perfect but we have come a long way in the last 30 years.  So much to be proud of so don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise!

I’m Bronx born and raised and I’m PROUD…are YOU?  Spread this message far and wide because we are not going anywhere!