Poly Prep Settles Lawsuit Claiming Sex Abuse Cover Up

By on January 3, 2013  Featured story, News
Jan 032013
 
Photo: Brian Hedden/Bay Ridge Odyssey

Photo: Brian Hedden/Bay Ridge Odyssey

Here’s a news item from while we were on break that our readers may have missed:

Poly Prep Country Day School [9216 7th Ave], known as one of New York City’s most prestigious private schools, has agreed to settle a milestone lawsuit claiming its longtime football coach sexually molested hundreds of boys during a career that lasted a quarter century – and that administrators covered up the crimes for decades, as reported by Michael O’Keeffe for Daily News.

The settlement between the school and 12 plaintiffs – all of whom say they were abused by now-deceased football coach Phil Foglietta, “closes a case with all-too-familiar allegations of abuse shielded by power and prestige,” the NY Times poignantly observed. Continue reading »

[UPDATED] Tree Uprooted On 75th Street Between 4th Ave And 5th Ave

By on October 29, 2012  News
Oct 292012
 

Downed tree on Bay Ridge Parkway. (Photo: Katie Wong / Office of Senator Marty Golden)

The Daily News just reported that as of 11:44 a.m. a large tree is down on 75th Street between 4th Ave and 5th Ave.

Wind hazards like downed trees and power lines are why, although most of Bay Ridge is not in an evacuation zone, our readers should remain indoors as Sandy approaches the east coast.

[UPDATE] 12:38 p.m. Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis just tweeted that another tree is down at 78th Street and Colonial Road.

[UPDATE] 7:10 p.m. State Senator Marty Golden tweeted about an hour ago that a fallen tree is blocking 91st Street between Colonial Road and Ridge Blvd.

Wicked Monk Moving To Old Ballybunion Space On 3rd Avenue

By on October 1, 2012  Food & Drink
Oct 012012
 

9510 3rd Avenue (Image source: Googlemaps).

After enjoying the pleasantly un-ironic, small-town vibe at the Ragamuffin Parade, followed by lunch at Skinflints, my fiance and I made our way down Fifth Avenue for a brief fight with the Saturday shopping crowds at Century 21. Like some anonymous Irish adage, the wind seemed to be at our backs and the sun warmed our faces as we strolled past dozens of storefronts selling everything from Greek specialties to Real Estate.

It was then, as we approached 86th Street, that we noticed a sign posted to the facade of enshrined neighborhood dive the Wicked Monk. It read something to the effect of “Last Day On Fifth Avenue.”

The Monk was moving. But where? Continue reading »

Self-described “Child Prostitute” Connects Poly Prep Sex Abuse Scandal To Penn State

By on September 20, 2012  News
Sep 202012
 

Yesterday the Daily News’ Christian Red reported that Greg Buceroni, a 48-year-old Pennsylvania man connected to a previous sex abuse case against a now-deceased Philadelphia businessman, “claims to have been paid to have sex with former Poly Prep football coach Phil Foglietta in 1979 as part of an alleged pedophile ring that included Jerry Sandusky.”

On Monday, Bucceroni sent an email to several Poly Prep administrators – including current headmaster David Harman – detailing the allegations.

That morning Bay Ridge Odyssey also received an email from Bucceroni, which contained the following statement: Continue reading »

Judge: Poly Prep must disclose names of current and former board members

By on September 6, 2012  Featured story, News
Sep 062012
 

Image source: emilydickinsonridesabmx via Flickr.

A federal judge has ordered administrators at Poly Prep to make available the names of individuals who sat on its board of trustees dating all the way back to 1966. Continue reading »

Alleged Attacker In Bridgeview Diner Stabbing Charged With Hate Crime

By on August 30, 2012  News
Aug 302012
 

A 34-year-old Brooklyn man was charged Tuesday with a hate crime for yelling racial slurs before using a fork to stab a black man who was seated at a table with two white women, as reported by Oren Yaniv for the Daily News.

Nicholas Melo allegedly attacked Akbar Salahuddin, age 49, as well as his two female acquaintances, in the Bridgeview Diner [9011 3rd Avenue] last November.

From Daily News:

He used the n-word against Salahuddin and called the women “n—– loving b—–s,” before going to the bathroom, the criminal complaint said. When he returned, Melo allegedly punched the man and stabbed him in the head and back.

Melo was charged with assault as a hate crime, along with several other counts. He was reportedly released on $50,000 bail.

His lawyer Mario Romano said the fight was “provoked by one of the women who tossed a bottle at him.”

News reports made no mention of whether Melo resides in Bay Ridge. Click here for a map of the incident

Judge Allows Poly Prep Lawsuit To Proceed

By on August 29, 2012  News
Aug 292012
 

In what Daily News reporter Michael O’Keeffe has described as a “startling court order that could be a watershed moment for survivors of childhood sex abuse,” U.S. District Court Judge Frederic Block told those gathered in a federal courtroom on Tuesday that he would allow a lawsuit brought by several alumni to proceed against Poly Prep Country Day School. At the same time, Judge Block threw out all but two RICO claims made against the school by plaintiffs.

Judge Block wrote that he was giving the case the go-ahead because school officials may have been lying when they claimed to have no knowledge of a longtime football coach’s molestation of students before 1991. The sexual abuse by coach Phil Foglietta, which is alleged to have went on for decades, has been compared with revelations brought to light during the recent Penn State scandal. Continue reading »

Vendy Awards Name Food Cart Vendor Most Heroic, Despite Alleged Illegality

By on August 22, 2012  Business
Aug 222012
 

The last time we checked in on the 5th Avenue food cart battle, elected officials including Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and City Councilman Vincent Gentile had begun to weigh in. Then Brooklyn Paper’s Will Bredderman reported the news that Sammy Kassen – who doesn’t actually have a vendor permit, was renting his Middle Eastern Halal Cart from the permit holder which, according to city law, is illegal.

But that didn’t stop the Vendy Awards – an annual rundown of the best mobile food vendors in NYC, from naming Kassen the “Most Heroic Vendor” of 2012 for defending his turf from an alliance of brick and mortar businesses organized by Lone Star Bar owner Tony Gentile [no relation to Councilman Gentile] called Save Our Streets. Continue reading »

Immigration Charge For Grimm Fundraiser Exposes Skinnydipping House Colleague

By on August 20, 2012  Politics
Aug 202012
 

Image source: www.guigo.eu via Flickr.

After the NY Times went after Rep. Michael Grimm with some rather facile “guilt by association” charges the other week, even we were surprised to learn that the press may now be accusing Grimm of nudity by association.

After it came out last week that Ofer Bilton, one of Congressman Grimm’s top fundraisers – who had previously been named in an FBI campaign finance probe, was being charged with immigration fraud for lying on visa applications for foreign investors, an FBI report also brought to light details concerning a drunken late night swim in the sea of Galilee by a group of freshman Republican reps.

Here’s where it gets real.

At least one of the group, Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas, has admitted to swimming in the nude, according to the Daily News’ Bill Hutchinson. Continue reading »

“These People Should Go To Jail,” says prosecutor as Big Ang’s son gets rehab in lieu of prison for selling coke in Bay Ridge

By on August 15, 2012  Arts & Entertainment
Aug 152012
 

Big Ang (image source: Edwin Martinez1 via Flickr).

Dyker Heights resident, boastful tweeter, and 23-year-old son of a celebrated Mob Wives cast member Anthony D’Onofrio was sentenced to rehab rather than jail for a drug conviction yesterday – despite the objection of a prosecutor.

According to Josh Saul from the New York Post, Angela “Big Ang” Raiola’s baby boy was facing up to 25 years in prison before Defense attorney Lance Lazzaro convinced Judge Ann Ferdinand to sentence D’Onofrio to a drug treatment program.

Assistant District Attorney Jonathon Laskin had reportedly asked the judge for “at least some jail time” for the reality TV star’s son – who had been busted as part of a five person drug crew that sold cocaine, Oxycodone, and marijuana in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst.

“These people should go to jail,” Laskin said. Continue reading »

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