Superstar Trout Makes First Visit to Yankee Stadium

(Mike Trout steals second base in the top of the third inning, but is stranded.- Photo by Gary Quintal) 

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 14- Currently ranked in the top 10 in almost every offensive category and leading the American League in batting and stolen bases, 20-year-old Mike Trout, like his counterpart in the National League, 19-year-old Bryce Harper, is bringing excitement to every city in which he plays. The two center fielders are reminiscent to older fans of the entrance of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays into the respective New York City center fields of Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds in the same year, 1951. Although no one can accurately foresee what each will accomplish in his future career in baseball, each has proven to have excellent talent.

Trout, who began the 2012 season with the Angels on April 28, made his first visit to Yankee stadium as a player on Friday, the 13^th. The young man’s visit was quite meaningful to him, “Just being in the same place as so many Hall of Famers played is awesome.”

In a pre-game press conference, the New Jersey native was questioned about his childhood baseball preferences and responded, “I was a Phillies fan, but Jeter was my guy. I always liked seeing him play. I played shortstop my whole life until my senior year [in high school] when I changed to outfield. I’m out there hustling on every play. That’s how Jeter plays the game and that’s how I want to play the game.”

The two will be even closer in the future and family members and friends of Trout were invited to watch Friday night’s game in Jeter’s luxury box.

Trout was selected by the Angels as the 25^th pick in the first round of the 2009 MLB First Year Player Draft. On Friday, the youngster commented, “Going 25^th gives me the motivation to prove them wrong.” He has been spurred to exhibit the capacity he possesses to be a star quality player in the majors.

Although he played 40 games with the Angels during the 2011 season, Trout is still considered to be a rookie. Thus, he is currently a favorite to be voted both the Rookie of the Year and the American League MVP. This is a rare honor previously won by Ichiro Suzuki and Fred Lynn.

Trout leads all American League rookies in every offensive category except triples in which he ranks second. He is the first rookie in AL history to rank first in batting average (.341) and stolen bases (26) at the All Star break.

Trout’s performances during May, June and early July added to his personal popularity earned him a place on the A.L. All-Star Team. He recounted his feelings on that memorable day to reporters at Yankee Stadium, “It was a great experience for my family and me and my friends. I started to feel a little nervous when I looked in the dugout and saw Derek Jeter and when I looked in the stands and saw my family.” Hid nervousness wore off quickly as he singled in his only at bat and stole a base. He was the youngest player to hit successful in the Mid-Summer Classic in 57 years.

The second youngest player currently in the majors was asked to comment about the youngest, Bryce Harper, “He’s a great guy; he plays the game the right way, hard; he’s got the same focus as I do, get on base and score a lot of runs. It’s only been one-half of a year, we have to keep working hard and making it happen.”

The two are on teams that appear to be heading to post-season berths. The Halos were only 6-14 prior to Trout’s joining the club, but have amassed the best record in the majors (42-25) since that date.

Trout’s first game in Yankee Stadium, although in a loss, was impressive. He singled and doubled in four at bats. He stole two bases and scored a run.

On Friday, at the age of 20 years, 10 months and 5 days, Trout described his experiences in the majors, “It’s definitely surreal. I try not to think about it during the season; it could give you a big head. I’ll talk about it with my parents after the season.”

Mom Indicted for Gassing Kids

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 13- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a grand jury has indicted Lisette Bamenga for allegedly murdering her two young children.

Bamenga, 29, of 1500 Noble Avenue, the Bronx, has been indicted on one count of murder in the first degree, and two counts of murder in the second degree in the deaths of 3-month-old Violet Noel and 4-year-old Tevor Noel. 

Murder in the first degree is a Class A-1 felony offense punishable by a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if convicted. Murder in the second degree is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 25 years to life imprisonment on each count if convicted.

It is alleged in court papers that Bamenga caused the deaths of her children by “feeding them windshield wiper fluid, mixed with grape juice, then drowning them in a bath tub, and then confining them in a closed kitchen area while turning on the gas.”

The alleged crimes occurred at the defendant’s home on July 5, 2012. Bamenga remains hospitalized and is being held without bail.

Tat’s Alot!

Rape Suspect’s Tattoo of Own Name Led Cops to Arrest

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 13- Was it his tat that gave him away? Police arrested a man they say raped a visiting North Carolina woman. Tips led to an arrest after surveillance video of the incident showed the suspect had his name tattooed on his shoulder.

Investigators say the suspect acted as a tour guide and instead of simply helping the tourist find her hotel he sexually assaulted her.

Police arrested 27-year-old Ivan Jones based on a tip after surveillance video from the hotel was released. In the surveillance video cops noticed that the suspect had the name “Ivan” tattooed on his right shoulder as well as “Tiffany” inked on the inside of his left forearm. 

Investigators say the sex fiend targeted his victim while they were riding on a Bronx-bound subway car. On July 11, cops say the victim had engaged the suspect while on a Bronx-bound subway train at East 14th and Union Square. According to published reports the 33-year-old woman had asked the man for directions in the Bronx. He told her he was going the same way and he ended up escorting the woman from the Bronx subway stop to the Howard Johnson Express Inn on Boston Road.

At her hotel room at around 4 a.m., the woman heard a knock on her door. Once she opened the door, the man pushed his way inside the room. Cops say he choked and raped the woman. Then he bound her and stole $50, the victim’s cell phone and a pair of earrings. 

Jones was charged with rape, strangulation and assault.

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Cop wanted to 'whack' witness

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Jury charges cop with trying to hire hit man to kill witness

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 12- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson and New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced that Police Officer Jose Ramos and his wife Wanda Abreu have been charged in a new indictment with conspiring to hire a “hit” man to murder a witness in a criminal case against Ramos.  

In the indictment unsealed, the grand jury charged Ramos,43,and Abreu,39, with three counts of conspiracy in the second degree, a Class B felony offense, and one count of criminal solicitation in the second degree, a Class D felony offense. Conspiracy in the second degree, the most serious of the charges, is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment if convicted.

The charges in this indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The defendants were arraigned before State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett who ordered that Ramos be remanded pending disposition of these charges. Bail for Abreu was set at $100,000 cash or $500,000 bond. The judge was told that in addition to allegedly attempting to have a witness killed, the defendants had also tried to persuade another witness to lie, and had planned to set up an alibi by arranging to be out of state in Texas when the “hit” was carried out.

It is alleged in court papers that from September 15, 2011 until May 7, 2012, the defendants attempted to arrange the contract killing through face to face meetings and telephone calls, some of which were recorded at a detention facility on Rikers Island, where Ramos is awaiting trial.   

Ramos has been charged with numerous offenses in six other indictments, the most serious of which stemmed from NYPD sting operations in which he allegedly attempted to transport large quantities of heroin from the Bronx to Brooklyn, steal money from purported drug dealers, and commit a robbery while on duty. 

Wanda Abreu was also charged with Ramos in one of those indictments for allegedly filing a fraudulent insurance claim. Until these new charges were filed today, Abreu had been released on her own recognizance. Bail for Ramos in connection with last October’s indictments remains set at $500,000 cash or $5,000,000 bond. 

District Attorney Johnson and Commissioner Kelly thanked the New York City Department of Investigation and the members of their respective staffs for the hard work and dedication that resulted in the indictment announced today.

The Week in Crime

By David Greene

MAN SHOT ON DAVIDSON

Police officers from the 46th Precinct were called to the scene of a shooting on the University Heights / Fordham Heights border and discovered a male shot. 

The incident was called into police at just after 4:30 p.m., on Monday, July 9. The victim was transported to a local hospital, his condition was not immediately known. 

Police were said to be looking for a male Hispanic, 22 to 23-years old, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

FIRE AT PAY-O-MATIC ?

An all-hands fire was reported at the corner of E. Gun Hill Road at White Plains Road, that broke out at 11 p.m., on Sunday, July 8. 

Sources say the all-hands blaze broke out inside the Pay-O-Matic check cashing center on the Bainbridge/Olinville border. The fire was brought under control after about 25-minutes, the extent of the damage was contained as the center was open for business the following Tuesday. At the time of the incident, fire officials had the address as 3507 White Plains Road, but the center is listed as 697 E. Gun Hill Road, However, the FDNY now has no record of a fire breaking out at either address. A woman at the Payt-O-Matic stated she was not allowed to comment on if a fire took place at the location or not. Calls to their corporate office were not immediately returned.

TWENTY INJURED IN BRUCKNER CRASH

Twenty people were reported to be injured in a motor vehicle accident at Bruckner Boulevard and E. 149 Street, at 8 p.m., on Saturday, July 7. 

EMS declared the incident, "a mass-casualty incident," or (MCI) giving the incident special priority and additional resources due to the amount of injuries. None of the 20 injuries reported were thought to be serious.

SEX ASSAULT IN MT. HOPE

Police were called to E. Tremont Avenue and Valentine Avenue, at 3:30 a.m., on July 7. 

Officers from the 46th Precinct were called to Echo Park, where the victim stated she was sexually assaulted by two individuals. Police were reportedly looking for a white male about 20-years old and a Black male of unknown age in regard to this crime. No clothing description of either suspect was currently available.

WOMAN SHOT IN CASTLE HILL

Police from the 43rd Precinct were called to the scene of a shooting and discovered a female shot. 

Police were called at 3:30 a.m., on Thursday, July 5, to 2160 Seward Avenue. The NYPD's Emergency Services Unit was soon called to 2125 Randall Avenue to conduct an evidence search. No additional information was available at this time.

FORDHAM HEIGHTS SHOOTING

Police were called to 2230 Grand Concourse at E. 182 Street for a report of a person shot. The incident took place at 12:10 a.m., on July 5. No information on the victim or suspect were immediately known.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS SHOOTING

Police were called to 2287 Loring Place North, between Loring Place and W. Fordham Road, at 11:45 p.m., on Wednesday, July 4. 

The male victim was transported to an area hospital and was expected to survive. No information was available on the shooter.

VICTIM WOUNDED IN MORRISANIA

Police and paramedics were called to 745 E. 152 Street for a person shot. Police got the call at just before 11:30 p.m., on July 4. The victim was said to have been removed in stable condition.

LONG ISLAND SOUND RECOVERY

Officers from the 45th Precinct reported a dead body washing up on the rocks at just after 11 p.m., on Wednesday, July 4. 

The NYPD Harbor Patrol was called to the Long Island Sound, off the coast of the Bronx in the area of the Bronx / Whitestone Bridge where it's believed a body was removed. No other details on this incident were immediately available.

ORCHARD BEACH DROWNING

Members of the Emergency Services Unit were dispatched to Section 8 of Orchard Beach after life guards reportedly pulled a victim from the water. 

The incident was reported by the life guards at 2 p.m. on July 4, and who quickly began giving CPR. ESU arrived within five-minutes and the victim was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where the victim was pronounced dead on arrival.

MAN SHOT IN MELROSE

Cops and medics were called to 346 Thurman Munson Way for reports of shots fired and discovered a man shot. 

The aided man was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition. No information was available on the gunman.

9 INJURED IN PARKWAY CRASH

Nine people were taken to area hospitals after a motor vehicle crash at 2:50 p.m., on Tuesday, July 2. 

A collision between a black Ford Fusion and a mini-bus from the Bella Bus Corporation took place at the intersection of Pelham Parkway South and Williamsbridge Road. 

Six individuals were removed by EMS in stable condition and three others were reported as serious. Witnesses at the scene say the automobile sped through a red light when the collision took place. None of the injuries were thought to be life-threatening.

If you have witnessed or have information on a violent crime, you may give your information anonymously by calling 1 (800) 577-TIPS or TEXT: Crimes. ENTER: TIPS577.    

Pizza Party in the Bronx

CiCi’s Pizza to Open Outside Co-op City

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9– CiCi’s Pizza, home of the custom pizza buffet, celebrates the grand opening of its first Bronx location on July 16. The grand opening will kick off a five-day celebration from July 16 through July 20.  

The first 100 guests each day to purchase an adult buffet at the new location during the celebration will receive a free pizza buffet each month for a year. The 5,313 square-foot restaurant is located at 1776 E. Gun Hill Road in the Bronx at the intersection of I-95 and Gun Hill Road.

CiCi’s endless pizza buffet features more than 28 different pizzas in rotation plus delicious pasta, hot soup, crisp salad and oven-baked desserts. Guests can enjoy CiCi’s everyday value at $6.99 for an adult buffet and $3.99 for the kids buffet.

“The Bronx restaurant opening marks an important milestone for CiCi’s as we continue our ‘Build the Brand’ growth initiative, said CiCi’s Pizza COO Bill Spae. “This restaurant is the first to come to the five boroughs and will serve as a flagship store for continued growth in the area.”

The Ansari Pizza Group, led by veteran CiCi’s franchisees, Tahir and Nabeel Ansari, owns 12 CiCi’s Pizza restaurants in Florida, Tennessee and now New York. The company tapped into experienced CiCi’s operator, Michael Rogers, to run the new Bronx Restaurant.

“New Yorkers know their pizza. Now with CiCi’s coming to town, they’ll have access to the nation’s leading pizza buffet,” said Nabeel Ansari. “Our new restaurant will bring new jobs to the area and offer a family-friendly environment for our neighbors to enjoy great food and endless variety at an outstanding value.”

If guests don’t see their favorite pizza fresh and hot on the buffet, they can just ask and a CiCi’s team member will make it on the spot and bring it directly to the table. All pizzas are also available to go and 15” one-topping carryout pizzas are regularly priced at $5.99.

The restaurant phone number is (718) 671-2575 and its hours of operation for dine-in and carryout are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.  

Bloody Holiday Week

Club Violence Leaves One Dead, Eight Wounded

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- Two incidents around area bars have left one man dead and eight others wounded. Three others were killed and at least four others were wounded in at least five other violent incidents reported across the borough.

On July 6, police were called to the Whispers Inn, located at 1246 E. Gun Hill Road in the Laconia section. The victim, Dwight Lewis, 27, of the Claremont section was shot dead at just before closing time after getting into an argument with a fellow patron.

The mortally wounded Lewis was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where he expired from his injuries.

An unidentified man inside the club, stated, "The man unfortunately died. The police are looking at the surveillance video now."

Moments later a pair of detectives would exit the watering hole, one carrying a laptop computer, apparently with the video of the incident.

A second unidentified man wearing a Metropolitan Transit Authority uniform was seen locking up the club, he fumed, "Don't take my picture, I'm not the owner. I'm just a worker," before getting into a vehicle and speeding away.

The following morning at just after 4 a.m., cops were called to a the topless bar, "Club Eleven," located at 1152 Randall Avenue in the Hunts Point section. A brawl in the street left two men shot and six individuals slashed. All of the victims are expected to survive.

The carnage was not limited to local watering-holes as a 19-year -old man was shot in the leg in front of 1662 Vyce Avenue in Claremont Village, at 2:30 p.m., on July 5.

Later that same night a young mother allegedly killed her two young children before attempting to commit suicide-- but failed, inside her Parkchester home.

At just before 4:30 a.m., on July 6, one man was shot in the leg and a second suffered a graze wound outside of 270 E. Burnside Avenue. Both victims were reported to be in stable condition.

Ten minutes after the Burnside shooting, a 25-year-old man was stabbed to death inside his home at 578 E. 141 Street. Police would question and later arrest his girlfriend.

At just after 2 a.m. on July 8, another individual was reported shot at White Plains Road and E. 225 Street. That victim was also expected to recover.

The NYPD has registered 802 shootings in the first six-months of 2012, up nearly 11 percent over the previous year, but the murder rate is still down for the first half of the year with just 194 killings.