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New York Post
22-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Bronx principal retires after serving entire 53-year career at all-boys parochial high school
When Principal Bill Lessa first walked through the doors of Cardinal Hayes High School as a social studies teacher in 1971, he never envisioned that he would one day become the school's longest-serving educator. Hundreds of students, faculty, alumni and friends packed into the Bronx school auditorium Thursday to celebrate Lessa's retirement, a cap on an incredible 53-year career served entirely at the all-boys Catholic institution. The Mass in his honor started and ended the same way — with a standing ovation that lasted several minutes as 'Principal Lessa' chants echoed throughout the room. Advertisement 7 Bill Lessa spent his entire 53 year as an educator at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx. Matthew McDermott 'These kids are the only kids I ever wanted to be with, the only kids I wanted to work with,' Lessa, 75, told The Post after the ceremony. 'During my career, I had many opportunities to go other places, but somehow or another, I always found the wherewithal to stay here because you can see how much they appreciate what you do for them. And those kids don't have a lot of support in a lot of areas. And I always felt that if I could be just a bit of a change agent in their lives, I would be doing something really noble.' Advertisement Lessa is the longest-serving educator at a single Catholic institution in the Bronx, according to the Archdiocese of New York — and one of the few who boast more than five decades at a school in all of New York State. The educator started his storied career at Cardinal Hayes upon graduating from Iona College in 1971 — marrying his wife Mary Anne during the few short months in between. 7 He started his career in 1971 as a social studies and religion teacher. Matthew McDermott He served as a social studies and religion teacher for three years, when he scooped up the additional responsibility of being a guidance counselor, spending decades helping his students navigate the college admissions system. Advertisement It was in 2008 that Lessa was asked to serve as the interim principal — a job that quickly became clearly his calling in life. 'I always wanted to be a teacher, but this has put me in a spot where it could be so impactful,' he explained. 7 Lessa also served as a college advisor until becoming principal in 2008. Matthew McDermott 7 The auditorium was packed with students, faculty, alumni and friends. Matthew McDermott Advertisement Lessa's love for his students has always been his major motivator. When asked what his biggest accomplishment over his 53-year career was, he emphasized that it was watching the alumni find their own success. He pointed to alumni Willie Colon, a former New York Jets guard, and Dr. Jesus Jaile-Marti, a neonatal specialist in White Plains, as examples of his pride — and gushed that the pair were among many who have come back over the years to express Lessa's influence over their phenomenal careers. 'I know that things might have been different if I hadn't run into these guys. Our job is to be transformational. That's what we're supposed to do,' Lessa said. 7 'These kids are the only kids I ever wanted to be with, the only kids I wanted to work with,' Lessa said. Matthew McDermott 'And it's cyclical. You do it every year. You have another shot every year. It just goes on and on and on.' Lessa has seen numerous phases of Cardinal Hayes throughout his five decades, and ushered the community through financial hardships that have forced dozens of other, neighboring Catholic schools to permanently shut their doors in recent years. This year's graduating class of roughly 30 young men is a far cry from the 450 who crossed the stage during Lessa's first year. 7 Lessa is the longest-serving educator at a single Catholic institution in the Bronx. Matthew McDermott Advertisement While Lessa attributes the school's survival to the determination of the students and their families, the school community pointed to him as the clear leader — especially considering he routinely pulled 12-hour days throughout his career, 'You're a great example of faithful service, fighting strength and unwavering determination,' said Father Steven Gonzalez, the school's chaplain. Luckily for the Cardinal Hayes community, Lessa isn't ready to say goodbye just yet. 7 Next, Lessa plans to work with the school's alumni network. Matthew McDermott Advertisement Although he won't serve as the school's principal, he plans to work within the alumni network, putting his more than 50 years of alumni connections to good use. Lessa hopes to start soon, and has no plans to take a vacation before starting his new gig. 'This has been my life for almost 54 years … and I'm not a 'relaxing' guy,' Lessa said. 'I find I always find something to do, especially if it's good for this particular institution.'
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NYC's Fifth Avenue getting $400M ‘pedestrian-centered' makeover — that drivers and cyclists are sure to hate
Fifth Avenue is getting a makeover — that drivers and cyclists are sure to hate — under a $400 million redesign project that Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday. The overhaul, which will be the first major redesign in the thoroughfare's 200-year history, aims to boost foot traffic in the shopping area by expanding sidewalks, trimming driving lanes and adding plants and lights, according to renderings provided by City Hall. 4 rendering of the corner of fifth ave under the proposed $400 million plan. Matthew McDermott Advertisement The proposed new look for 'America's Street of Dreams' was released in October, but the multi-millions in funding to make it come true was locked down as part of Adams' budget plan for the 2026 fiscal year. 'Thanks to our 'Best Budget Ever,' we are bringing total investments up to over $400 million as we reclaim space for New Yorkers, their families and tourists, and cement Fifth Avenue's status as an economic engine and job creator for all five boroughs,' he said. Adams said the investments will pay for themselves within five years, thanks to increased sales and property tax revenues from the section of the avenue, between Bryant Park and Central Park South. Advertisement Construction is not expected to start until 2028, officials said. But the ritzy redesign is already getting ripped by some New Yorkers — particularly cyclists and public transit lovers, as the current plan doesn't add bus or bike lanes. Adams' predecessor, Bill de Blasio, had planned on cutting down vehicle traffic to buses only in the space, but the mayor put those plans to bed after taking office, Streetsblog originally reported. 'Two mayors have now disregarded city workers' plans for a busway, throwing riders under the bus to favor luxury boutiques,' said Danny Pearlstein, communications director for the advocacy group Riders Alliance. Advertisement 'Slow, unreliable bus service on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue wastes precious time for more than 100,000 working New Yorkers every single day,' he griped in a statement. 4 Mayor Eric Adams announced the investment today to propel the project forward. Matthew McDermott 4 The renderings in their current iteration do not include bike lanes, and would reduce traffic lanes from five to three. Matthew McDermott Currently, Fifth Avenue is 100 feet wide with five traffic lanes and two 23-foot sidewalks. Advertisement The corridor, sometimes called 'Millionaires row,' already features a myriad of luxe storefronts, which the city said it aims to make more accessible to pedestrians with the redesign project. The plan will nearly double the width of the sidewalks by 46%, shorten pedestrian crossings by a third, and shrink the road down to three lanes of traffic. Some city cyclists were alarmed that the plans didn't account for bike lanes on an already busy street. 'This plan entirely fails to meet the moment.' said the non-profit Transportation Alternatives in a post on X. '(Fifth Avenue) has the slowest bus speeds in NYC, and Fifth Avenue has the highest bike ridership of any street in Manhattan without a bike lane, but this plan leaves out buses and bikes entirely.' Other cycling aficionados were more optimistic. Neile Weissman, a spokesperson for the New York Cycle Club, said any plan that reduces vehicles on the roads equates to more safety for bikers. 'Making provision for cyclists would be great, but anything that makes walking and mass transit more attractive than driving for getting around Manhattan is a 'win,'' Weissman said. 4 Fifth ave, sometimes called 'Millionaire's Row, ' is home to many luxury shopping stores and office buildings. Matthew McDermott Advertisement Dahlia Goldenberg, associate director of Families for Safe Streets, emphasized the need for protected bike and bus lanes for pedestrian safety. 'More pedestrian space is great. But speaking for an organization comprised of people who have lost loved ones to traffic crashes or experienced serious injury, a redesign of Fifth Avenue without a protected bike lane or bus lane is misguided,' Goldenberg said. 'Without space for bikes, neither people on bikes nor pedestrians can be fully protected or safe on the street,' she said. The current design was created in partnership with the Grand Central Partnership, the Central Park Conservancy and Bryant Park Corporation, the mayor's office said. Advertisement Adams also introduced a plan to add a bus lane to 34th Street this week, just south of the new Fifth Avenue project, in a bid to reduce wait times for the city's over 28,000 riders. The busway — cheered by transit groups — will be the eight in the city and the seventh installed since 14th Street in 2019.
New York Post
16-05-2025
- New York Post
NYC-area train stations eerily empty as NJ Transit strike brings bustling service to a grinding halt
Last call for the ghost train to Jersey. Normally bustling transit terminals were eerily empty Friday as NJ Transit engineers went on strike, bringing rail services across the state to a grinding halt and leaving hubs like Penn Station in New York eerily devoid of Garden State travelers. The platforms at the Manhattan transit stop had a post-apocalyptic feel during the early Friday rush hour after the NJ Transit engineers walked off the job over a pay dispute, triggering the first strike to hit the major transport system in more than 40 years. Advertisement The strike — which left roughly 350,000 commuters in the lurch — left scores of train terminals in the Garden State, including the Harrison PATH station, virtually bare, too, as people relied on buses, cars, taxis and boats to get to work. 10 The halls of New York City's Penn Station were eerily empty as NJ Transit engineers went on strike Friday. Matthew McDermott 10 Inside PENN Station, as the NJ Transit workers go on strike, canceling train service. Matthew McDermott 10 The normally busy steps at the Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction sit empty early Friday. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post Advertisement 'I left home very early because of it,' David Milosevich, a fashion and advertising casting director, said as he arrived at Midtown's Port Authority Bus Terminal from Montclair, NJ, first thing. Given Friday's rail commute into New York from New Jersey is typically the lightest of the week, Milosevich and other passengers were already bracing for chaos if the strikes stretched over into Monday. 'I think a lot of people don't come in on Fridays since COVID. I don't know what's going to happen Monday,' Milosevich said. Advertisement 'Friday most people work at home, so today it was business as usual,' Cem Teber, a 31-year-old lawyer, told The Post after being forced to ditch his train in favor of a bus from North Bergen. 'The real test will be next week, come back here on Wednesday and see how it is.' Anthony Wilkerson, 34, who lives in West Orange, NJ, said he managed to snag 'a seat to myself this morning' given it was Friday — but feared the bus system next week would overrun. 10 Friday commute into New York from New Jersey is typically the lightest of the week, and passengers are bracing for chaos if the strikes stretches over into Monday. Matthew McDermott Advertisement 10 The strike came after the latest round of negotiations between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union stalled ahead of a midnight deadline. Matthew McDermott 10 Commuters wait on line to purchase sold-out bus tickets to get to Shakira's concert. Robert Miller Early indications were that the strike hadn't resulted in any major traffic jams or epically long lines to get onto buses. But as the morning rush got underway, some commuters — including those unable to work remotely and ones just caught-of-guard by the strikes — were desperately searching for other modes of transport that wouldn't cost a bomb. 'I went to check out Amtrak. It was $108. I don't have that. I only have $70 in my pocket,' contractor, Victory, 63, told The Post as he tried to get from Manhattan to his construction job in Trenton, NJ. Desperate for a paycheck, Victory said his boss told him to catch a bus from Port Authority — even though it would likely take three hours. 10 An empty Penn Station during the NJ Transit strike. Georgett Roberts/NYPost 10 Newark Penn Station train tracks early Friday, with no trains present due to the strike. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post Advertisement Here is the latest on the NJ transit strike: 'Sometimes I'm down for like five months without work so right now I need to work. I need to pay my rent. I don't have no money to pay my rent. I need to go to work,' he said, adding that he'll just stay overnight in the Garden State instead of trying to find a way back later. Jay Santana, who works as a doorman [where], said he was forced to sleep in his breakroom overnight given his shift finished too close to the strike deadline. 'I am going to Amtrak to try and figure out what train they have going to Trenton and then I can take it from there. If I can get a train to Trenton, I'll get a cab or Uber from there to get to my car and then go home,' he said of his long journey home. Advertisement 10 Jay Santana said he was forced to sleep in his breakroom overnight because his shift finished too close to the strike deadline. Georgett Roberts/NYPost 'I'm taking off the weekend. I'm going to come back Monday morning. It will be easier for me. I'm going to try driving closer to the PATH and then take it that way…. so that's going to be like 60 miles driving or something like that.' The strike came after the latest round of negotiations between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union (BLET), which represents the engineers who drive the agency's commuter trains, stalled ahead of a midnight deadline. BLET is seeking its first pay increase since 2019 for 450 of its engineers, a source familiar with the negotiations earlier told The Post — with the union adding it was aiming to raise the salaries to match those at other commuter railroads, including Amtrak and Long Island Railroad. Advertisement 10 Inside Port Authority Bus Terminal, NYC during the NJ Transit strike. Robert Miller NJ Transit, for its part, has said it can't afford the pay hike because 14 other unions that negotiate separate labor contracts with the agency would then demand higher wage rates as well. The agency said the engineers currently make $135,000 on average and that management had offered a deal that would yield an average salary of $172,000. The union, however, disputed those figures, saying the current average salary is actually $113,000. Advertisement BLET National President Mark Wallace said the engineers are committed to staying on strike until they get a fair deal. 'For six years our engineers, they have not had a pay raise. They make $10 less an hour than Long Island Railroad. They make $10 less an hour than Amtrak, Path, Metro North. They're the lowest paid commuter engineers today in the United States,' he said. With Post wires
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
NYC subway musicians fear underground crime as assaults surge: ‘You learn how to protect yourself'
Their fears strike a dark note. Subway musicians said they're worried about violent crime as assaults surge underground — even while they vied for prime performance spots at MTA-held auditions Wednesday. 'Part of the grit of being a native New Yorker, you learn how to protect yourself. I try to pick stations with a police presence,' said Chanise Elife, 42, of Harlem, who plays 70 instruments. Advertisement 5 Trojan Horn Brass Band auditioned for plum spots at NYC subway stations. Matthew McDermott 'The one I feel most comfortable in is 50th Street on the downtown one train. There is a man there whose job it is to stop fare evaders,' said Elife. 'He keeps [a] sharp eye and really makes me feel safe.' A total of 54 buskers — ranging from opera singers to country crooners — auditioned at Grand Central Station for placement in the MTA's 'Under New York' music program Wednesday. Advertisement Only 20 performers were given the coveted MTA passes, which allows them to play at some of the city's busiest stations, such as Times Square. One musician said he's had close calls in recent months as subway crime goes off the rails — including with the case of a cellist who was attacked by an unhinged stranger last year. 'We had some experiences, let's just call them tests already,' said Tom Eaton, 24, who plays in a brass band started in Troy, New York. 5 The MTA held it's 'Music Under New York' auditions on May 14, 2025 for musicians to be permitted to perform inside the city's subway system. Matthew McDermott Advertisement 5 Subway buskers said they fear crime underground as the number of assaults spiked this year. Matthew McDermott 'Honestly, there are six of us and we're playing big heavy instruments. Plus we got our start in downtown Troy. We had some experiences, let's just call them tests already. Busking in downtown Troy is not easy,' he added. 'So, yeah, I guess we're ready for the big leagues.' In April, data revealed assaults have spiked in the subway system this year with felony assaults up 9% — increasing from 168 to 183 over the same period last year. Advertisement That's up a staggering 55% from before the pandemic in 2019, the data show. 5 Musician Nedelka Prescod said she'll keep playing is subway stations. Matthew McDermott But Nedelka Prescod, 54, of East Flatbush, said she has no plans to stop playing music underground. 'For me my music is my ministry…The human voice can heal community,' said Prescod, who teaches at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston. 'Everybody has some good.' Prescod said she didn't have fear because she had someone upstairs watching her underground. 'I'm a praying person. I know it's about bringing light love and I have the intention that where I walk it will be loving and peaceful,' she said. 'I used to teach in Fort Greene projects during the 90s crackhead epidemic. I learned that everybody has some good in there and if you talk to that, the good, it comes forth.' 5 A subway performer auditioning for 'Music Under New York.' Matthew McDermott Advertisement In last year's subway attack a 23-year-old woman with eight prior arrests clobbered cellist Iain S. Forrest, 29, in the head as he performed in the Herald Square station. Amira Hunter was busted a day after the attack, and after beining initally released, she was finally held on $10,000 bail. Forrest, meanwhile was able to return to playing in the subway about a month later — and played the national anthem before a Knicks game he started an advocacy group for subway performers.
New York Post
12-05-2025
- New York Post
NYC now has a car-free path that connects Manhattan, the Bronx and Randall's Island in win for walkers, cyclists
It's a bridge not too far at all. A new bike and pedestrian path on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge officially opened Monday, giving New Yorkers a chance to pedal or hoof it between Manhattan, the Bronx and Randall's Island. MTA bigs held a ribbon cutting and ceremonial bike ride celebrating the new path, which follows the completion of other bicycle and pedestrian routes on the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge and the Henry Hudson bridge. Advertisement The path replaces pedestrian-only paths on the bridge's Manhattan and Bronx spans that both connect to Randall's Island. 'Pedestrians and bikers have a continuous, car free path between Manhattan, the Bronx and Randalls island, with Queens to follow shortly,' said Jamie Torres-Springer, the MTA's president of construction and development. 5 MTA bigs celebrated the opening of a new bicycle and pedestrian lane on the RFK Bridge. Matthew McDermott Advertisement 5 The path is part of a wider project to make car-free connections between Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Randall's Island. Matthew McDermott 5 MTA boss Janno Lieber led a celebratory bike ride across the bridge. Matthew McDermott 5 The path is part of a $128 million MTA investment in bicycle, pedestrian and micromobility infrastructure. Trent Reeves / MTA 5 The path replaces pedestrian-only infrastructure on the bridge's Manhattan and Bronx spans. Matthew McDermott Advertisement The car-free path into Queens is expected to be complete in 2027, officials said. When done, there'll be an uninterrupted, Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant bike-pedestrian path from Astoria to Randall's Island, the officials said. The bridge connections are part of a $128 million investment in bicycle, pedestrian and micromobility infrastructure made by the MTA. Advertisement 'Broadly speaking, we recognize that when transit remains the go-to travel option for the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers, there's been tremendous growth in alternative micromobility options like bikes and scooters, both shared and personal,' said MTA boss Janno Lieber. 'Far from being a threat to mass transit, the trend gives the MTA an opportunity to extend the transit system's reach deeper into communities that have less fixed rail service, or is little further away from a train station.'
