Neighborhood News Check

Rosenthal supports administration's stance on charter schools

Upper West Side: Councilmember Helen Rosenthal commended new school's Chancellor Carmen Farina and Mayor Bill de Blasio for their stance on charter schools.

The mayor announced he was putting the brakes on space sharing agreements that Success Academy President Eva Moskowitz had made with the Bloomberg administration to co-locate ? rent free ? three Success Academies in Manhattan public schools. Moskowitz, a former city councilwoman, has vowed to fight the decision and battle lines are being drawn.

"While it is each parent's right to advocate for the best education for his or her child, whatever that may be for that particular family, one child's access to education should never come at the expense of another child," said Rosenthal. "The harm to certain public schools in shared space is not a trade-off that I am willing to accept."

Rosenthal called for a return to what she said was the original purpose of charter schools, "to allow research into best educational practices, create models for public schools to learn from and collaborate with, and incubate ideas for educational growth that would then be translated into the public school classroom."

Rosenthal has one Success Academy in her district, at 84th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenue.

Eyesore Finally Hits Market

Diane Haslett-Rudiano, Board of Elections official, is finally selling her West 73rd Street townhouse. The townhouse, which has become infamous for being an eyesore and was named one of the five ugliest buildings on the U.W.S. by the Spirit in 2012, will hit the market at $5 million. It was built in 1890-91 by architect George Griebel, but has sat vacant since Haslett-Rudiano's late husband purchased the property in the 70s with the intention of refurbishing. Borough President Gale Brewer was unhappy with the building sitting for years saying, "Not only are they in an unsightly state, a blemish to the otherwise beautiful landscaped historical setting of the neighborhood, but the failure to maintain the exterior building walls is dangerous for neighbors and pedestrians in the vicinity of the buildings." West Side Rag

Man Demands Child Support Repaid

A judge has granted the request of multimillionaire Manny Mehos to end his $5,000 a month child-support payments, and order his ex Lisa Mehos, who lives on the U.W.S., to repay the money he has since given her. Mr. Mehos is citing court ordered medical records, which show that Mrs. Mehos had an abortion in 2012, an act that he's claiming is contradictory to her testimony that she had no men over to her apartment during that time. Mrs. Mehos called the move "cruel and vindictive" - but not "as devastating and heartbreaking as taking children from their mother." New York Daily News

Lincoln Square Gas Leak

A gas main on 60th Street and Amsterdam Avenue ruptured last Thursday morning. About 60 residents of a nearby apartment building needed to be evacuated. The FDNY said that the cause of the gas leak was due to a construction accident. No one was injured and the leak was fixed in about an hour. Con Edison arrived to the scene quickly. DNAinfo.com

U.W.S. Apartment Building Bans Strollers

According to the Ask Real Estate section of the New York Times, an apartment building on the Upper West Side has recently banned strollers in the passenger elevator. The buildings co-op board made the ruling saying that strollers are damaging the walls of the elevator. Parents are now forced to take the service elevator, which is primarily used for construction and garbage. "Since our kids are at an age where we can't leave home without a stroller, we feel the policy essentially discriminates against our family," said one upset parent. New York Times

White Sox Hat bandit Robs one Bodega A Month

An armed man in a White Sox hat has robbed one bodega a month since November on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side. Police say the man always brandishes a gun and makes off with cash, cigarettes and lottery tickets. Police estimate that the thief has taken over 10 grand worth of cash and items since he began. The man always wears a black and white White Sox hat with the word "Chicago" on the front. NBC New York