State Legislature Ends Session With Flurry of New Bills
Albany legislators ended their session last Friday after completing several key, and sometimes controversial, pieces of legislation. In the session’s final days Governor Andrew Cuomo…
Politics
On Hold: Residents Meet With City Agencies, 311 Reps
Richard Gundlach has been reporting a truck that sometimes hauls a refrigerated container for years; it parks outside his home near 51st Avenue and 72nd…
Noise Bill Hearing Garners Wide Community Support
Community residents testified in Manhattan on Monday to support Councilman Eric Ulrich’s proposed “noise” bill, which increases fines and eases NYPD procedures for issuing tickets…
City Passes $66 Billion Budget
The doomsday scenario of teaching positions, firehouses and other vital services being cut was averted last Friday when Mayor Michael Bloomberg reached a preliminary agreement…
City Council Releases Pork Spending
The City Council released its Schedule C budget—more commonly known as pork spending—on Tuesday. Council Members divided $50 million to distribute to local non-profits and…
St. Helen’s Priest Outraged Over Addabbo Support for Same Sex Marriage
Heated debate over same sex marriage descended on Howard Beach after St. Helen’s parish priest, Father Rob Keighron, reacted to State Senator Joe Addabbo’s announcement…
Ulrich Promotes Noise Bill; Residents Decry Enforcement Issues
Noise complaints are a serious issue in the city, especially in tightly-packed residential areas where backyards are close together. According to city records, more than…
Republicans See Chance in Weiner’s Vacated Seat
Former U.S Representative Anthony Weiner submitted an uncharacteristically terse resignation letter on Monday, opening a seat in New York’s 9th Congressional District. Governor Andrew Cuomo…
Livery Cab Legislation Passes Assembly, Waits in Senate
Catching a taxi may soon be an alternative to the subway for commuters outside Manhattan. The State Assembly swiftly passed a bill allowing livery cabs…
DOT Replacing Parking Meters
The city Department of Transportation (DOT) has begun alerting local community leaders that all single space parking meters in Queens will be replaced with muni-meters….
Business Leaders Protest Parking Meter Increase
It’s déjà vu all over again. After successfully fighting a parking meter increase that would have raised rates outside Manhattan to $1 an hour in…
Constituents Demand Weiner’s Resignation
Dozens of constituents from every corner of Anthony Weiner’s congressional district staged a rally outside his Forest Hills office on Sunday, demanding his resignation. “When…
Clock Ticking on Redistricting Reform: In Light of Scandal, Weiner’s Seat in Jeopardy
The legislative session in Albany ends on June 20, and one important aspect has yet to be resolved: redistricting. Without legislative action, political power within…
Constituent Polls Change Senators’ Marriage Equality Vote
In the last two years there’s been a big change of heart in Southern Queens. The shift, revealed in polling by State Senators Joe Addabbo…
Cuomo Unveils New Ethics Package
New York has its share of corrupt former officials, and plenty to spare. Ethics reform has been a hot topic for years and with the…