Gonzalez Back in Court and Other Bronx News for Monday, Aug. 11

Happy Monday! Here's a few Bronx news stories to get you ready for the week.

Gonzalez, Co-defendants Look for Loophole
Lawyers for State Senator Efrain Gonzalez and his three co-defendants are challenging the validity of the federal indictment that accuses them of conspiring to bilk more than $400,000 in state funds (most of which, prosecutors say, went toward paying Gonzalez's person expenses). Gonzalez has maintained his innocence in the crime, but now his lawyers and those of his co-defendants plan to argue in court today that the feds stepped out of their jurisdiction to charge their clients. [NY Sun]

Meanwhile, lawyers for one of Gonzalez's co-defendants, Neil Berger, a former executive at Pathways for Youth (which allegedly sent money to a Gonzalez-controlled nonprofit called the West Bronx Neighborhood Association), are seeking to have charges against him dismissed because he is not being accused of profiting from the alleged scheme.

Gonzalez is in the middle of a heated re-election campaign against former Assemblyman/Council Member Pedro Espada. Gonzalez's campaign has challenged the legality of Espada's Bedford Park residency and his petition signatures.

Stay tuned...

More Bronx News
Veteran Bronx pols Council Member Oliver Koppell and Assemblyman Jose Rivera say the Dept. of Education is ignoring overcrowding problems in their borough. [Daily News]

Hunt's Point residents say the Wikipedia entry on their community is outdated and paints an ugly picture. [NY Times]

A Bronx soldier and dad is struggling to regain custody of his kids. [NY Post]

The Times summarizes the landlord-tenant battle at 2720 Grand Concourse, which the Norwood News has been writing about since March (they credited us in the story!). Read our initial story here, our follow-up here and and an editorial here.

Bronx Sports
While the Olympics gets rolling (did anyone else see the American swim team's thrilling victory over France last night?), you can get your sports fix right here in the Bronx, during the GHI Bronx Tennis Classic in Crotona Park. Action started yesterday and will continue through Sunday. Check back here for results and pictures throughout the week. [NY1]

[Update, afternoon]
Bronx Arts
A nice feature in the Times' City Room blog by David Gonzalez about a South Bronx sculptor.