Subway Muggers Sought

Subway Muggers Sought

Police Seek to Identify D-Train Robbers

By David Greene

BRONX NEW YORK, MARCH 20- Police have released a video and several photos and are hoping the public can help identify two groups of suspects wanted in connection with two cellphone robberies at a Norwood train station.

According to police, an unidentified 20-year-old male victim was on the mezzanine level of the East 205 Street station when he was approached from behind by two assailants at 8:30 p.m., on February 16.

The victim reported that one of two suspects produced a firearm and demanded valuables. The suspects removed the victim’s wallet and cellphone before fleeing the station.

A surveillance camera captured the two suspects as they exited the station. They are both described as male Hispanics. The armed suspect reportedly had braids in his hair and wore a black hat.

Police reported a second incident that took place at the same train station at 8:15 p.m. on February 17.

Cops in that case say the 34-year-old victim had boarded a southbound D-train when an individual grabbed the victim’s cellphone and fled.

The victim reportedly gave chase and was surrounded on the platform by a group of suspects, who punched him in the face several times and fled.

Investigators have also released surveillance photos of the six suspects in this case, all believed to be in their teens or early 20's. The photo were taken as they too fled the station.

Repeated attempts to reach Gilbert Santos, the MTA Station Manager for the 205 Street Station were unsuccessful.

An employee answering phones at the MTA Transit Police Department referred calls for information to the NYPD.

Police suggest subway riders keep all electronic devices secured and out of sight at all times.

Anyone with any information on either of the individuals is asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577, all calls remain confidential.

Throggs Neck News: Pineda Lands Spot as Yankee Starter

Throggs Neck News: Pineda Lands Spot as Yankee Starter: Pineda Lands Spot as Yankee Starter By Rich Mancuso BRONX NEW, MARCH 19-  Michael Pineda has finally arrived for the New York Yankees. T...

Pineda Lands Spot as Yankee Starter

Pineda Lands Spot as Yankee Starter

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX NEW, MARCH 19- Michael Pineda has finally arrived for the New York Yankees. The 25-year-old right-hander, who underwent left shoulder surgery almost two years ago, just about solidified a fifth start in the Yankees rotation after another outstanding outing on the mound Tuesday in a spring start against the Red Sox down in Tampa Florida.

From all indications the competition is over. Manager Joe Girardi has no choice but to anoint Pineda as one of the five in the Yankees pitching rotation. The questions about Pineda’s fastball remain, but his comeback looks to be complete, Pineda has been a question mark since that trade from Seattle that brought him to the Bronx for two pitchers and a catcher, Jesus Montero in the off-season of January 2012. The Yankees, at the time took a risk because it was always thought that Montero would be an eventual successor for Jorge Posada.

After the trade, Pineda developed problems with the shoulder and underwent surgery. He sat out the entire 2012 season and attempted to throw a ball last year in spring training. The Yankees, until now, appeared to be losers in the deal.

But Pineda went through extensive rehab that now has propelled him to be the projected number 5 starter for the Yankees.

“We got to figure out what’s best for our team overall,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, after Pineda struck out five, gave up no runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. Girardi would like to see Pineda go longer in another game or two before the team breaks camp next week and heads to opening day in two weeks at Houston.

If Pineda is indeed healthy, it makes the Yankees that much better in the pitching rotation. There are expectations that a slimmer CC Sabathia will have the velocity and have a comeback season as the ace. And though these are spring games that mean nothing, the other three projected Yankees starters appear to be ready for the season.

That includes one of their prize off-season investments, Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka who had no issue throwing to Major League hitters. Pineda, from all accounts had his slider clocked at 85. The fastball may never get back to 97, but his command and consistency throwing at 92 have made an impression.

This is what the Yankees were hoping for, though it has taken some time. There were thoughts of releasing Pineda last year when two attempts at getting a start did not materialize because there were recurring issues with the shoulder.

GM Brian Cashman, and the Yankees hierarchy would not take no as an answer. The trade to get Pineda was supposed to supplement Sabathia in the rotation and they gave up Montero who was considered a top prospect. Ivan Nova was another prospect at the time, who is projected to be a number four starter in the rotation.

Girardi added, “He (Pineda) does not look like a guy who’s coming back from a serious injury.” In his rookie season of 2011 with Seattle, Pineda went 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA in 28 starts and finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

So, unless something goes wrong in the next 10 days, Pineda appears to be a lock for the rotation.  And that only makes the Yankees more formidable on the mound and leaves Cashman with a smile.
Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso www.newyorksportsexaminer.com

Throggs Neck News: St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Throggs Neck News: St. Patrick’s Day Parade: St. Patrick’s Day Parade Irish Eyes Smile in the Bronx BRONX NEW, MARCH 17- East Tremont Avenue was a sea of green as Bronx ...

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Irish Eyes Smile in the Bronx

BRONX NEW, MARCH 17- East Tremont Avenue was a sea of green as Bronx residents celebrated St. Patrick’s Day.

Photos by Gary Quintal

Throggs Neck News: Nobody Told Us About Outbreak

Throggs Neck News: Nobody Told Us About Outbreak: Nobody Told Us About Outbreak Residents Fuming Over Silence on Disease By Michael Horowitz BRONX NEW YORK, MARCH 14- Co-op Ci...

Nobody Told Us About Outbreak

Nobody Told Us About Outbreak

Residents Fuming Over Silence on Disease

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX NEW YORK, MARCH 14- Co-op City shareholders, speaking out during interviews expressed concerns that they had just found out about two confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in their building, one from last summer and one from 13 months earlier than that.

Among the Building 27 shareholders who were interviewed, only Teresa Acevedo said that she was not concerned about reports of cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in her building.

Expressing the dominant point of view among those questioned Ariel Jimenez, walking out of his building with his 5-year-old son, Elian, said, “This is really spooky. I’m concerned for the little ones who don’t have fully developed immune systems to fight disease, and, of course, I’m concerned for everyone else in the building. We should have been told about this in December, when management and the city’s Health Department first found out about it.”

Jimenez added, “Like many people in our building, we have had problems with mold in our apartment. Under the circumstances, it should have been even more important for the shareholders in our building to know what was happening in terms of the cases of Legionnaires’ Disease.”

Expressing an even more vocal view, Ethel Minkin stressed, “This whole thing about Legionnaires’ Disease in our building is a shock to me. Riverbay should be sued for this. Co-op City is a nice place, but there are too many secrets. The shareholders have a right to know what’s going on.”

Rena Mena, a former paramedic, added, “We have a whole lot of environmental problems in our apartments. I have toxic black mold in my apartment, which Maintenance workers keep fixing because it keeps coming back. I suffer from asthma, so I’m especially concerned, like Legionnaires’ Disease, that could make it more difficult for me to breathe.”

A shareholder, who wished to remain unidentified, stressed, “We just got through settling an environmental lawsuit in North Carolina, and now, we have to deal with this. I have a 1-year-old daughter, and I’m extremely concerned about our health.”