Update includes health code violations documents. Backed by Mayor Joe Ganim, City Councilman Ernie Newton and Captain Lonnie Blackwell, City Health Director Maritza Bond on Wednesday leveraged the powers of her office to cite nearly two dozen health code violations to temporarily shut down the Sunshine Deli on Stratford Avenue that officials maintain is a gathering spot for violence in the East End.
See full listing of violations issued by health director 1306 STRATFORD AVE SUNSHINE DELI_ Closure Notice 2019.
Email from Bond to city agency leaders:
This email serves as formal notification of the Notice of Closure of Sunshine Deli located at 1306 Stratford Ave. This establishment violated significant health violations, thus was ordered to close until all violations are in compliance. Attached you find the letter to the owner outlining the health violations codes not met during the inspection. Please note, unless you receive a notice from me this business should not be operating in any capacity.
Four years ago the East End produced a massive plurality in Ganim’s return to the mayoralty, a key voting area he wants to cement against the insurgent State Senator Marilyn Moore whose campaign operation is circulating petitions to qualify for a September 10 primary.
Ganim is not taking Moore lightly judging by his intensive door-knocking in recent 90-degree heat.
Look for Ganim to organize many more of these quality of life press events.
See News 12 video coverage above.
As of August 1,2019,. Bridgeport has more homicides than all of last year. This is starting to scare Joe Ganim and Ernest Newton. So they conveniently use Maritza Bond,the Bpt Health Dept to start a “crackdown.”. Ganim is scared and it shows.
Frank
I know you don’t care about the community but i do. I guess if Sen Moore came on stratford and said we should shut them down you, Don and Ron would say anything. I don’t care how must you dislike Joe I will continue to fight for this community as i always have.
Ernie
Give it a break. What happened in the last few days that made this unbearable?
What happened that required an army of city officials there in front of the cameras?
It is pure politics. No one gave a adamn about the conditions until the election came along. Cut it out.
I am not saying you didn’t care or Eneida didn’t care but Joe Ganim didn’t give a damn and you know it.
Hey Moses,
Bob has a point. If the Sunshine Deli was such an unsanitary shithole why did it take an election year to close them down?
I care about ALL of Bridgeport ALL the time unlike you and Little Joe Ganim. I respect your desire to help the community but what are you doing aside from posing for photos with another felon? Really, pal. This wasn’t an issue for City Hall until the calendar made it expedient to appear as if you gave a damn.
Seems like moore has a lot of momentum on her side right now as more people outside her bridgeport district here about her. I’m really excited to vote for her.
So as a owner of a store like Sunshine Deli on Stratford Avenue what does a owner do when people star hanging out in front of your business? You tell them that they have to move from in front your business but they don’t move, now what? The owner is told by a customer that some of the people hanging out are drug dealers and gang members so now what is the owner suppose to do? The owner is trying to make a living and supporting his family and paying taxes to the City for City service like the police protection. The news articles are telling the police what area and what street that these crimes are being committed so is it the store owners to prevent these drug dealers and gang members from hanging out and how do they do that?
Ron, that was my first thought. Why is the business owner being punished because the BPD and the Mayor have failed to do their jobs?
So making a profit and paying taxes to help pay for the paycheck and benefits for the police and working longer hours more than your competitors is not good thing even though there’s no law to prevent the business to stay open. There has been no charges that the owner is selling drugs inside of his store or if there’s any connection with the store owner and the drug dealers and the gang members. Again, some people are saying there’s a problem with drugs being sold and gang members hanging around the store but the police department does nothing about drugs being sold and gang members hanging around the store but it’s the store owner’s job to solve this problem even if it’s costing him losing money if the store is closed earlier. Where is the police protection?
Ron,
This was a photo op for Moses and Little Joe, no question. Given the exceptionally low health rating it would appear the owner of the business was unconcerned with the potentially negative effects improperly stored food would have on his clientele.
There has been a police cruiser parked on Union Ave in front of the church parking lot facing Sunshine since the guy with the AR-15 shot up the place. There is very little loitering going on there. It’s the safest block in Bridgeport.
The sign over the door clearly states no loitering so the cops should take action if people are loitering. This and the other place on Newfield and Revere Street need to have a reasonable closing times. There is no reason for either of these businesses to be open all night. Considering all the crimes that have occurred including two yet to be solved murders at each business, clearly shows these so called businesses are a nuisance and should be treated as such.
You don’t see the No Loitering didn’t when driving by waiting to react to Shot Spotter.
You need community policing and you need it NOW.
PEOPLE WAKE UP!!!! WHO STAYS OPEN TILL 4AM ….SOME GAS STATIONS AND AN OCCASIONAL WALMART…….WHO IS THE OWNER???? HUMMMM THERE IS UASALLY A REASON WHY GANG MEMEBERS /DRUG DEALERS WOULD BE HANGING AROUND THERE……WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES…..THE POLICE KNOW……THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY FOUND TO GET THEM CLOSED…..SO BE IT……GUT THE PLACE
Did you happen to see the picture on Facebook yesterday of s Bridgeport Police officer a sleep in his patrol car during the day? Maybe I didn’t see it but is it against the law to keep your business open late? You said, “there is usually a reason why gang members / drug dealers would be hanging around there,” yes there is a reason because they know that the police are not in that area at night even though there are news articles in the media telling the public about different crimes committed all up and down on Stratford Ave at different locations. Maybe the police should be stationed and patrolling these areas as apart of their duty to serve and protect the community.
I think I’m going to agree with Mackey on this issue. If drug dealers are hanging outside the store then arrest them because the store has a sign that clearly says NO LOITERING- POLICE TAKE NOTICE! To tell a man that he has to close his business at a time that you thinks he should is contrary to his right to make a living for his family. He knows how long he needs to be out there so that he can pay his bills.
If the criteria for closing his business in the number of shootings outside his establishment then close the Greene’s and close the Terrace because they have infinitely more shooting than this store. If this man is doing something illegal in his store arrest his ass! If drug dealers are dealing outside this store then arrest their ass, but what you can’t do is make him responsible to do the job of the police department or have him police outside of his store.
Councilman Newton said, ” If this store was in Westport or Greenwich, it would be closed.” What he forgot to add was if this were a store in Westport or Greenwich there wouldn’t have been the Mayor, the police or the city council outside of their establishment for a HEALTH CODE VIOLATION. This is Stop and Frisk all over again!
Amen. If this deli was located in Westport, Greenwich or Darien for that matter it would have been closed, unceremoniously. It’s a different story in Bridgeport. Little is accomplished until the mayor has to worry about job security.
I hope Marilyn Moore wins in November. The DTC really ought to think about turning Mario Testa out to pasture.
HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS……LETS NOT FORGET THAT THE OWNER IS SUPPOSE TO ALSO MAINTAIN HIS PLACE OF BUSINESS……ITS A DELI CORRECT? YOUR CASE HAS TO BE PROBERLY MAINTAINED AT THE CORRECT TEMPERAURE…HUMMMM, YOU WANT TO STAY OPEN TILL 4AM, OK ILL BITE. MAYBE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS WHEN YOU POSSIBLE GET SOME OF THE CLUB CROWD LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO EAT,ME I GO TO THE DINER. I’M THINKING IF IM GOING TO A HOT SPOT FOR CRIME IT ISNT FOR A SANDWICH AT 4AM ITS DRUGS PERIOD…….HOW MANY SANDWICHES OR WHATEVER ELSE HE HAS IN THERE CAN HE POSSIBLY SELLING BETWEEN 12-4AM DURING THE WEEK. THE ELECTRICITY ALONE IS COSTING MORE THEN HE IS MAKING…….OH YEAH THE DRUG SALES…MY BAD
HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS, have all over Fairfield County this past month with article in the Post about, Fairfield, Trumbull, Bridgeport just for starters. When did business owner become the police, in fact again where the hell are the police on Stratford Ave from 11pm until 8am? They know that there’s a problem and the answer is to close the business because the police department can’t do their job and protect business owners from drug dealers and gang members hanging out in front of a store. A police car drives by a store that’s open at 3 in the morning with a lot of people hanging out, well what are the responsibly of the police when they see people hanging out at 3 in the morning?
YOU WANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUS AS A LOCATION TO RAISE A FAMILY ,WELL YOU NEED TO RID THE EAST END WITH THESE TYPES OF BUSINESS. EVEN IF IT IS LEGIT AND MAYBE IT IS , WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CATERING TO AT 4AM
Good Morning
Its a sad day our community has worked hard in making changes . We have major development happening a New Library a Grocery store with a pharmacy etc. This store doesn’t do anything to our community. I am not surprize at Ron and Don it ok to sell bad food to my community. We have had more shooting at this location if the owner care about our community he could close early. No company will invest in that community if it not safe. I guess if Senator Moore had come over there you guy wouldn’t have said anything.I can tell you this sunshine dose nothing for our community. Please try to think about the community and not Joe Ganmin!
exactly, My question for you is ,Did they try to get an Aldi,s or a neightborhood Walmart in the East End?
Where do I start? If this place has been a walking health code violation all this time, why not close it a year ago? I’ll tell you why! Let’s wait until election time so we can stand in front of a camera!! The funny thing is the residents that you claim you looking out for probably mad the store closed …..
Bridgeport Deserves MOORE!!!! Joe G only cares at election time! When are you people going to realize that?
To the city workers: I know you have to donate money 💰 because they don’t give you a choice of you want to keep your job! Just remember when you get that folder with your ballot and walk up to that desk , no one, INCLUDING JOE GANIM can see who you are voting for: BPT DESERVES MOORE
You nailed that one Frank. Rather than expressing outrage that it took this long, the elected representatives in the district are thanking Ganim for caring. When he’s not running for Governor, when he’s not taking vacation and getting paid, when he’s not simply doing the job he was elected to do nobody says anything.
But let him sniff out a press opportunity and he’s all over it.
It is shameful that other public officials would line up to kiss Ganim’s ass or another part of his anatomy in order to score political points.
Derek
First of all Our community has been fighting to close this place and it wasn’t an ELECTION year. Maybe if you read the violations than tell me would you server your family that shuit! Weather you like it or not Just like pasted Mayors incumbents always have the upper hand.
,Councilwoman Martinez and myself have no challengers. I guess on this BLOG, depending on who you support you are damn if you do and damned if you don’t.
I remember Tony’s fruit stand and Market back in the day…fresh fruits and vegetables, a meat market,cold cuts ,can goods. He has it all. No one thought to try and replicate what the Verellis had ???
Since the legal reason to close the Deli was based on Health Code violation,it is common practice for the Health Department to publish the violations. There is also a protocol for shutting down a business AND for how long. Can OIB get s copy of the health code violations. Generally,some violations are fixed on the spot. They violations are listed etc but also state that they were fixed on the spot. So,what were the egregious violations that caused the City to shut down the Sunshine Deli. If the Sunshine deli was doing anything illegal(which should have been determined by the Bridgeport Police) or if the health codes were so violated,then certainly a place of business should be held accountable. OIB, is it possible to get a report from the BPT health department about the violations and how long the closure is in effect. On top of that, this was turned into another PR event by Joe Ganim. I’ve always read with interest about health dept activities and any violation but I don’t remember the local civic leaders turning them into PR events and getting Channel 12 to give it coverage.
https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/19-Bridgeport-restaurants-failed-January-13674844.php
The above is an published health code violations in BPT for May 2019. Lately,the CT Post had been blocking content, Lennie,,if this is blocked,are you able to get around that and make it view able. BTW, Sunshine Deli was listed but corrected their violations.
https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-s-Sunshine-Deli-shut-down-by-health-14271127.php
Frank, I’ve updated story to include all the health code violations cited by Maritza Bond.
Thank you,Lennie. I must admit . It sounds gross. I am ready to admit that they should be closed down for Health Reason. However,many have commented here about the 4am closure,the type of “crowd” this place seemed to attract. HOWEVER,regardless of the time of closing etc unless there is proof that the Deli<Owner or employees were actively participating in criminal activities outside the store which should fall under the purview of the BPT Police Dept,ythe closure of the deli will not mean that the Bad Crownd completely disappears in a poof of air. The “bad crowd” will simply go somewhere else. What I also find disturbing that this closure was turned into political event with Mayor Joe Ganim there,Health Director Maritza Bond, CC reps,Channel 12,Ct Post present. Seemed like it was preplanned.
Thanks Frank, this is from the news article but I didn’t see Sunshine Deli on Stratford Avenue on that list.
BRIDGEPORT — Out of the 117 restaurants inspected in the city in January, 19 establishments failed their inspections, according to data provided by the city’s health department.
Hi Ron………looks like there is another Sunshine Deli on Maplewood Ave so it was not about the Sunshine Deli on Stratford Avenue.
I just did some Googling and it seems the owner of “Sunshine Deli”( Firyad Quadir) also uses a Maplewood Address for his “company or companies.”
Inspectors: Bridgeport deli sold individual cigarettes for 50 cents
By Lisa Backus Published 7:26 am EDT, Friday, May 17, 2019
21
The Sunshine Kitchen and Deil located at 999 Maplewood Ave. in Bridgeport first drew the attention of authorities after an FDA inspector found evidence that the store was selling single cigarettes in March 2018, reports said. Photo: File Photo
Photo: File Photo
The Sunshine Kitchen and Deil located at 999 Maplewood Ave. in Bridgeport first drew the attention of authorities after an FDA inspector found evidence that the store was selling single cigarettes in March 2018, reports said.Buy Photo
BRIDGEPORT – A Maplewood Avenue deli is facing a $570 civil penalty from the federal Food and Drug Administration after inspectors found two violations of tobacco sale law in less than a year, reports said.
The Sunshine Kitchen and Deil located at 999 Maplewood Ave. first drew the attention of authorities after an FDA inspector found evidence that the store was selling single cigarettes in March 2018, reports said.
No one gives a rat’s ass about convenience stores selling loose cigarettes, Frank. It’s not even a venal sin.
Frank, loosies cigarettes are sold all over Bridgeport and America where you find low income areas. The high cost of cigarettes due to increased taxation has been blamed for increased sales of loosies. Remember Eric Gardner, he was fatally choked to death by a NYC police officer after he argued with police officers for the suspicion of selling loosies.
loosies has been going on forever…
and again you are right at the low income areas…..the same places that you can buy after hours liquor
That’s been going on forever, buying booze after hours.
have to ask, is the owner of sunshine deli a citizen
Coach….there are various levels to what you are saying. However,I will say that what you imply is ugly. Your question begets another question. Are we starting a new McCarthy era. My parents came here from Hungary in the late 1950’s after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. They had relatives here and both my parents had green cards. For whatever reason,they chose not to become USA citizens. The question that you propose is a litmus test that further divides us.
The fact remIns. This is pure political bullshit. Plain and simple.
I’ve got no problem with what they did if it is done to every other store or deli on a timely basis. But pick and choose has no place in America.
C’mon Ernie, get off your soap box. No one loves or cares about the East End but you, right? The fact is that you stayed there because it served your need to be involved in the political process and you could only do that by staying in Bridgeport.
It’s as both Frank’s said, this was nothing more than a photo op for Mayor Ganim at the expense of the Black and Latino community of the East End to show them how good and how much the white master cares about you poor oppressed people. We saw this movie the last time he ran when he was in the Terrace fixing a broken fence and his pseudo police station. After the election his punk ass was nowhere to be seen until recently, again at election time. How are you so critical of Ron and myself yet you don’t have a problem with this poverty pimp bullshiting the people and the culture for political purpose. SHAME ON YOU!
You say,” Ron and Don it ok to sell bad food to my community, what mindless bullshit is that. Nowhere has either of us said that. What we said is if this store is doing something illegal then arrest the owner. If the people are selling drugs outside the store then arrest them. If this store has code violations then make sure that they are corrected. Not you, the Mayor or anyone else has the right to tell this store owner how long he has to work to pay his bills and to take care of his family or that shootings outside his store is his problem and not a police problem.
Tell police chief Perez or Adam’s or that new guy just hired to get off thier lazy asses and fix the problem with violence on the East End because it’s not the problem of this store owner or how long he operates his store. Finally my Brother, quit letting this Mayor pimp your ass because the community or the culture doesn’t benefit from his grandstanding.
Amen, I’ll stop you when you are wrong, it’s photo-op time. Dick Blumenthal, Dennis Bradley, Mayor Joe Ganim and Ernie Newton are the biggest camera hogs in Connecticut.
no, a green card is fine sir. yes if they choose to be here and not be citzens that’s perfectly ok as long as they are here legally. I guess where I was trying to get at was the possibility of the owner not being here legally but is breaking the law
By Jove, I think Joe’s got a hair weave or is it just to toupee?
Is Joe a member of Hai Club For Men???
Bob, I was wondering about what was that sitting on top of Joe Ganim’s head, I didn’t know if it was a bad hairpiece or a mop head or what but there’s something going with Ganim’s hair.
In every photo op the hair changes. Sometimes it looks full, sometimes it looks like Joe was playing with matches. I am convinced that Joe is bringing home clumps of tiger fur and crazy glueing it to his head. Just an observation.
Frank
I was just in Budapest for a week’s vacation. Lovely city. Went up to the Hungarian Sea a.k.a. Lake Balatar.
Had a wonderful time.
Derek
First of all Our community has been fighting to close this place and it wasn’t an ELECTION year. Maybe if you read the violations than tell me would you server your family that shuit! Weather you like it or not Just like pasted Mayors incumbents always have the upper hand.
,Councilwoman Martinez and myself have no challengers. I guess on this BLOG, depending on who you support you are damn if you do and damned if you don’t.
The timing of the announcement-two months before the Democratic primary-does seem curious, Ernie. If you and Ms. Martinez were working to close this shithole why were there no public pronouncements until 7/31/19? The primary is two months away.
Just a desperate attempt for some press at election time by Joe, and Ernie falls right in line with it.There was no need for Joe to be there,except for the photo op.
I have to wonder if this place was such a blight on the Stratford Avenue why was it not closed down after the pool hall?
Don and RON
I’ve always been consistent for standing up for my district with a title or without a title. I know you and Ron dislike Joe so be it. If i didn’t say anything, you and Ron would be asking what is your elected officials doing. It sadden me because you and Ron have known me my hole life. One thing you know about me i’ve never needed anyone to stand with me if i needed to speak truth to power. Our community has protest this site many, many times and you can look it up. We have work hard to finally have a plan to change the landscape of the Eastend. We will be braking ground on the civic Blog with in the next few week. We got all the approvals from zoning that we needed. to start the supermarket foundation. Our library is being framed and the last piece is The city and the owner of property on Newfield and Revere st have reached an agreement and the City Council will Vote on it at our Aug. 5th meeting. I can say this Change is coming.
Ernie, let me hit you one more time before I hang up. You mention that a grocery store is coming, is it Big Y, Aldi, Stop & Shop, Shoprite, A&P or a Kroger or is it a store that simply sells groceries?
I know it will be better that we had, right? Why are you happy with it’s Better Than What We Had? Why not give the community a real grocery store instead of a It’s Better Than We Had?
I can remember Tony’s on Hollister St, Mohican Market, Ann’s Newfield Bakery, Firestone, Cumberland Farms, Riccio Drug Store, Dip & Sip Ice Cream Parlor, Subking and the Gas Station on the Avenue, so it’s NOT BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD. It’s simply better than those who have been In a leadership role allowed it to be reduced to.
May I suggest that you and others, you know who they are, to look at the person in the mirror and ask that person what part did I play in the destruction of the quality of life on the East End? The people that voted for you deserve, BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD and the East End that you alway profess to love deserves better. If you know better than do better!
Donald Day,,,,,,,,,I believe that the supermarket that had been talked about is Gala Foods Supermarket. According to their website there is one on East Main St/Arctic St. and one on Fairfield Ave in the West End. I went to the one on Fairfield Ave during the Stop and Shop strike. I really can’t give an opinion if it will be better than the present situation. Gala Foods seems to be a specialist in being an inner-city supermarket.
https://dailyvoiceplus.com/fairfield/fairfield-business-journal/real-estate/gala-foods-to-open-third-bridgeport-supermarket-in-new-retail-plaza/751594/?utm_source=Fairfield%20County%20Business%20Journal
Quite right. “Better than what we had” is second best, Ernie. The people of the East End deserve a lot more respect from City Hall than they have been getting for generations. If the BOE wasn’t mired in petty politics and infantile bickering the school system would produce fewer drop outs. If there was a better employment scenario, jobs that paid a decent living wage, there would be greater prosperity, more tax revenue for education, infrastructure, etc.
Closing a deli for health reasons is all fine and good. As it was known for drug sales and violence it should have been closed long ago under nuisance abatement ordinances. The city has those on the books, as does the state of Connecticut. Saying “We didn’t want to make a move until we had a plan in place” is a cop out, a goddamned cop out. People have been injured and/or killed by gunfire. Sure, some of them were gang members that chose the life. That fact will not make their mothers, fathers, siblings aunts, uncles and grandparents weep fewer tears. Sunshine Deli should have been closed years ago, before that scummy pool hall was padlocked.
You failed your community and lied to justify your inaction.
Oh yes Ernie one more thing, you evoked the name of Marilyn Moore into this conversation by saying if it was her we wouldn’t say anything. Well my Brother, the fact is Marilyn Moore has to much integrity to be involved with a dog and pony show of such epic portions that find YOUR MAYOR involved in. Marilyn Moore will never be involved in anything that calls into question her character or integrity because that’s who she is as a woman and more importantly as person. Dropping the mike moment.
Don, Puerto Ricans are doing ok on East Main St and on Fairfield Ave. with Gala Foods stores but nothing in the East End plus Bridgeport Pharmacy on East Main St. and Albion Hancock pharmacy Fairfield Ave. and again nothing in the East End but the East End keeps electing the same politicians so that means that they really don’t care and those politicians are giving those voters what they want, nothing.
Ron,
The people of the East End are focused on day to day survival. They’ve been had by so many elected officials the political process is a joke, or a mystery to them.