Lost in the Ozone...

Support Grows for Legislative TV Channel by Support grows for legislative TV Channel By Amanda Cedrone - LegislativeGazette.com

2009-11-23T22:26:00.003-05:00

From left: Sen. John J. Bonacic, Sen. José M. Serrano, Assemblyman Ronald J. Canestrari and Assemblyman Darryl Towns listen to comments about how to expand an existing legislative television channel. Photo by Bob Bennett, Gazette photo.

The New York State Legislature Joint Advisory Board on Broadcast of State Government Proceedings met last week to discuss the future of the current legislative television channel.

The board, which is co-chaired by Sen. José M. Serrano, D-Bronx, and Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, D-Cohoes, has been appointed the task of expanding the content of the existing New York state Legislative channel. To accomplish this, the board recommends expanding the channel into a fully independent New York state government affairs channel modeled after C-SPAN.

"For too long the inner workings of the legislative process have been shrouded in secrecy," Serrano said. "By lifting the curtain, not just on legislative sessions, but on other important parts of the legislative process, we are providing programming that enables the public to become engaged in the workings of government and to take informed positions on the issues that matter to them."

The existing legislative channel was created in January 2006 when the Legislature sought to increase transparency and provide New Yorkers with greater access to proceedings in the Senate and Assembly chambers.

The channel broadcasts Assembly and Senate sessions. The board recently announced that beginning in January, all legislative hearings will also be broadcast. Serrano said his "highest priority for the channel is that it be completely free of any government appointees" and "completely nonpartisan."

Canestrari noted that the board's goal is to broadcast a full spectrum of governmental affairs content on the channel, including committee meetings, Court of Appeals hearings and hearings by the Board of Regents.

"Now we're not going to do just budget meetings, we're going to do Assembly hearings," said Canestrari.

The majority leader said the channel now remains dormant when the Legislature is not in session. With the expansion of the channel, much more content will be broadcast, regardless of whether the Legislature is in session.

"Why couldn't we [broadcast] Court of Appeals hearings when we aren't in session?" said Canestrari.

Board members hoped to achieve a better idea of the timeline of the project and the cost of the project through the hearings, in addition to soliciting ideas and opinions on how to improve upon the channel from those who testified.

Members of Common Cause/NY, a government watchdog group, have applauded the work of the board "to open up the legislative process with a public affairs channel."

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY spoke at the hearing to offer advice on the expansion of the channel. Lerner emphasized the importance of involving the public in the hearings, saying that it is "crucial they be involved" if the channel is truly to benefit them.

"Often times, the public has strong opinions and good ideas," said Lerner.

Blair Horner, legislative director for the New York Public Interest Research Group, who also spoke at the hearing, emphasized a number of factors important to the success of the channel including that it be accessible to all, involve all three branches of government and be non-partisan.

Tim Rooney, president and CEO of The Cable Telecommunications Association of New York, Inc, answered questions from the board regarding the estimated timeline of the project as well as the cost.

Rooney said that initially expanding the channel will not take long.

"As soon as [the Senate and Assembly] are ready to provide hearings for us we'll put them up," said Rooney.

The cost of the channel has not been estimated as the board is still developing ideas through hearings around the state.

"I know the state doesn't have a lot of spare change to be throwing around on this," said Rooney. "And the business community doesn't either but, from what I've gathered at the meetings I've had to date, I think we're going to be able to have a really dramatically improved product in a little while. You are already producing the content and that's the most expensive part."

Eventually, members of the board hope the channel will be as comprehensive and successful as C-SPAN, though they acknowledge that channel took 25 years to get to where it is today.

"We have to start with the lowest hanging fruit first," said Horner. "We have to draw people into the process to get them to know what's going on."

Serrano also noted that all committee rooms are currently being hardwired for broadcast and that the process should take another four to six weeks.

"We've been able to get away from politics and truly decide the best way to put together this channel," said Serrano.

Other members of the board also include Sens. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, David Valesky, D-Oneida, John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope and Assembly members Darryl Towns, D-Brooklyn, Margaret Markey, D-Maspeth, and Jane Corwin, R-Williamsville.

"The End of Poverty?" - Premiere at Village East Theater with Director Philppe Diaz - Nov 14th, 2009 - A Trailer for the Movie...

2009-11-23T21:59:00.003-05:00

Director Philippe Diaz at Premiere

Director Diaz with staff and me...lol

I attended the movie on November 14th at the Village East Theater on Second Avenue, NYC...It's an important film, regrettably that few will see...

Kids Reenact The First Thanksgiving - Babelgum.com

2009-11-23T14:41:00.003-05:00

American history is brought to life by children in this true-to-life reenactment of the first Thanksgiving.

Audit the Federal Reserve Bank Now..!! MSNBC's Ed Schultz Interviews Rep. Alan Grayson about Federal Reserve Reform

2009-11-22T02:53:00.002-05:00

MSNBC's Ed Schultz Interviews Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson Federal Reserve Reform - 11/20/09

Audit the Federal Reserve Bank Now..!!

At Broadway Triangle Hearing, Some Lopez-Reyna Tensions by Azi Paybarah - NY Observer

2009-11-21T16:32:00.002-05:00

Read original...

I poked my head into the Council Chambers a few minutes ago, where Dan Garodnick was presiding over a rather well-attended Council hearing about a proposed rezoning at the Broadway Triangle.

That's a 31-acre piece of property whose rezoning is supported by Assemblyman Vito Lopez, the Brooklyn County Democratic Leader.

Critics like City Councilwoman Diana Reyna said many residents in the area were left out of the public review process before the rezoning was drafted. Reyna, whom Lopez tried to oust in this year's Democratic primary and general election, is now helping lead the opposition to the rezoning.

I got to the hearing just before three women sat down to testify in favor of the rezoning, saying it will bring much-needed affordable housing to the area.

One of the women said the plans shouldn't be delayed "because of political interests," clearly a reference to Reyna.

Before the women left, City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez asked them a few questions, including their place of employment.

One by one, each of the three women said they worked for the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Center. That's the one that was founded, and is run, by Lopez.

Assembly Member Miller: Parents and Guardians: Effective Nov. 24 Children Under Age 8 Must Be in a Booster Seat...

2009-11-21T01:30:00.001-05:00

New law improves safety for children

Automobile accidents happen. If a child is not properly secured, serious injury or even death can occur. That’s why New York State has extended the law that requires children to sit on a booster seat in a motor vehicle from age 6 to age 7. The new law will take effect on Nov. 24 (Ch. 405 of 2009).

Previously, the law required children ages 4-6 to use booster seats. Most 7-year-old children, however, are not big enough to be adequately secured by a vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt. Therefore, the law needed to be amended to include children under the age of 8.

Seat belts are designed to fit adults, not children. Seat belts are more effective for children in a booster seat because they raise a child up to an adult’s sitting height. Young children who only use seat belts, rather than booster or child-safety seats, are more likely to suffer life-threatening injuries in a crash, including severe damage to the brain, spleen, liver and spinal cord. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, booster seats reduce injury risk by 59 percent when compared to children who only use seat belts.¹ In addition to preventing needless motor vehicle-related injuries in children, other benefits to using booster seats include:

Convenience – Booster seats are typically lightweight and can be easily switched from one car to another with little effort.
Easy to use – Since the booster seats are used with the vehicle lap and shoulder belts, some children enjoy buckling up themselves.
Availability – Booster seats are easily found at most discount chain stores, baby product stores or child safety product Web sites.
Enjoyment – Booster seats enable children to better see out of vehicle windows, which can make for a more pleasant ride.
Comfort – Booster seats correctly position the lap and shoulder belt for a safer and more comfortable ride.

The road is unpredictable and can present unexpected dangers. Booster seats give our children the support and protection they need to help them stay safe when they are passengers in an automobile. It can mean the difference between life and death.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call me at (718) 366-6725 or e-mail me at millermg@assembly.state.ny.us. For more information on New York State’s occupant restraint law, visit www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/. Also, contact my office for a pamphlet on child-safety seat awareness.

Assemblyman Lancman at the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners' Association 45th Anniversary and International Buffet...

2009-11-21T01:21:00.002-05:00

November 15, 2009, Assemblyman Rory Lancman honored the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association on their 45th anniversary for their civic dedication in preserving and improving the quality of life in our community.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Playground at PS 117 November 20, 2009

2009-11-20T23:48:00.003-05:00

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at PS 117 November 20, 2009
Photo by lancmanoffice

Assemblyman Rory Lancman, Councilman Jim Gennaro and Juniper Park Civic Association President Bob Holden at the ribbon cutting ceremony today, November 20, 2009, for the new playground at PS 117...

‘Leandra’s Law’ Protects our Children from Drunk Drivers: Addabbo

2009-11-20T21:46:00.000-05:00

Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation Increasing Penalties for DWI with Child Passenger—Toughest DWI Law in the Nation

New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., announced that on Wednesday, November 18, the Senate passed legislation drastically increasing the penalty for any person who drives intoxicated with a child passenger. Two recent fatal incidents involving intoxicated drivers with child passengers have highlighted the need for stronger measures to prevent or punish persons who drive intoxicated with children as passengers.

The new bill, called “Leandra’s Law,” honors the memory of 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed in a tragic alcohol-related car accident in October. Working together with Leandra’s father, Lenny Rosado, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and district attorneys, the Senate made it clear that driving drunk with a child passenger will no longer be tolerated in New York.

Addabbo, a member of the Senate’s standing Committee on Transportation, said in support of his fellow Senators, “The bipartisan passage of Leandra’s Law says ‘the party is over’ loud and clear to irresponsible New York drivers who won’t insure the safety of their most vulnerable passengers—children—by driving while being drunk. Leandra Rosado’s senseless death on the Henry Hudson Parkway was the last straw. There have also been numerous news reports of reckless drivers who caused local families great harm while traveling through Queens. Now, the price of such negligence will be a felony charge for DWI driving with a child age 15 and under. And, convictions of all DWI and related crimes mandate having ignition interlock devices installed, plus any other penalty that may be imposed such as jail time and a fine. Local roads have now been made much safer for our children and grandchildren.”

Already being hailed in the press as the toughest DWI law in the country, local media editorials have called the strict penalties for such an offense “good legislation.” Sponsored by Senators Martin Malave Dilan (D-Brooklyn) and Charles Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) and cosponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm A. Smith (D-Queens), the law provides for the harshest penalties and most significant expansion of preventative measures to date for any offender convicted of driving while intoxicated with a child passenger, including:

Any DWI with a child passenger:

· Increases offense from misdemeanor to E felony

· Increases maximum penalties from 1 year in jail to 4 years in state prison

DWI and causing serious injury to a child passenger:

· Increases offense from E felony to D felony

· Increases maximum penalties from 4 years to 7 years in state prison

Driving recklessly while intoxicated and causing serious injury to a child passenger:

· Increases offense from E felony to C felony

· Increases maximum penalties from 4 years to 15 years in state prison

Driving recklessly while intoxicated and causing the death of a child passenger:

· Increases offense from D felony to B felony

· Increases maximum penalties from 7 years to 25 years in state prison

Mandates ignition interlock devices for all DWI convictions:

· All offenders will be required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle upon conviction of any abuse or dependence.

Learn to Speak Tea Bag - A Mark Fiore Political Animation.

2009-11-20T02:54:00.002-05:00

You too can speak Tea Bag, and what better time to learn than now? The pathway to health care reform is through appropriate language!

www.MarkFiore.com

Richmond Hill Historical Society Meeting with "Queens - Then and Now" - Author Jason Antos - November 13th, 2009...

2009-11-19T21:02:00.008-05:00

Click on image to enlarge photo...

Author Jason Antos gave an interesting presentation and overview of his book, "Queens - Then and Now" (see link below)...The book basically chronicles the changing scene in Queens from the sparsely populated agrarian society to today's metropolis during the post-civil war period through the present day...

Click on image to enlarge photo...

Jason accompanied his talk with many excellent quality high-resolution photos of Queens over the years...Upon the conclusion a brief Question and Answer period ensued...It seemed to me that everyone left knowing something they previously didn't know, the author included...

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Followed by one of my favorite parts of the RHHS meetings - the refreshments...The homemade cakes are always so tasty, I had a piece (or two) of delicious chocolate cake..yum...

Click on image to enlarge photo...

Jason was kind enough to share this photo with me...This is an image not published in the Queens book of a Flushing bound trolley coming from College Point along the College Point Causeway in the early 1930's...

Here's a treat I found at Queens - Google Books featuring a beautiful preview of the book:

My Opposition to Kindergarten - Second Grade 2 Standardized Testing by NYC Department of Education (DOE)

2009-11-19T20:27:00.002-05:00

My comments to the District 27 Community Education Council regarding - "My Opposition to Kindergarten - Second Grade 2 Standardized Testing by NYC Department of Education (DOE)" got picked up by The Huffington Post via Room8...Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Good evening, District 27 CEC board members and Superintendent Lloyd-Bey. Many of you know me, but for the record my name is David M. Quintana - I am the former District 27 representative to the Chancellors Parent's Advisory Council and former Co-President of the Parent's Association of MS 210.

I am also a former student and graduate of District 27 having attended PS 97, PS 60, MS 210 and John Adams High School many, many years ago.

It has recently come to my attention that the DOE (Tweed Administration) is planning to begin subjecting students in grades kindergarten - 2 to standardized testing. I am vehemently opposed to this testing and will outline the reasons for my opposition, as follows.

1. School needs to be fun, exciting, and motivating for young children. Children need to read books they enjoy, discover how to solve math problems, learn to communicate and work with their peers, engage in science, civics, social studies, music and art, take field trips, and develop a capacity to imagine and think deeply. This does not happen within a testing environment.

2. Testing takes precious time away from teaching and learning. Also, teaching and curriculum change with this kind of testing because teachers and schools feel pressure to prepare their students for the test. Test prep becomes the curriculum.

3. The DOE bosses (Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein), if allowed to go forward with this, will store the test score data in their $80 million ARIS computer system and use it to rate teachers and schools, negatively affecting the quality of instruction being given to 5, 6 and 7 year olds.

4. I ask, what evidence do we have that all the test prep (that has been forced on children in grades 3 - 8) has done anything to improve their learning? The NYC and NYS National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP - a national test - frequently referred to as the "gold" standard of testing) results in 2007 in ELA and Math - and in 2009 in the Math NAEP - show no statistical improvement - NONE. (The 2009 ELA NAEP results are due in a few weeks - which I predict will also remain flat.)

5. Testing young children is highly unreliable due to the varying timetable of the academic/cognitive development in early childhood. It is unfair and potentially harmful to judge a child on testing tasks for which she/he is not developmentally ready.

6. Young children may not be able to meet the demands of a standardized test for a myriad of reasons: hunger, boredom, fatigue, illness, anxiety or simply the developmental inability to sit still for protracted stretches of time. And, as any experienced educator or knowledgeable parent knows - any child can simply have a bad day. Yet, if a child receives a low score, it may set up expectations for parents and teachers that this child is, and always will be, a poor learner. Such expectations can negatively affect their future learning experience.

7. Standardized tests have a long and notorious history of misrepresenting the intellectual capabilities of young children based on race, class and immigrant status.

8. Test scores are not perfect measures, therefore no single test should ever be used alone to make a critical judgment about a child. Yet, the DOE, has a long history of using single test scores to judge our children and schools, a policy that I fear will be perpetuated with kindergarten through second grade testing.

9. During this period of financial crisis, it would be an utter waste of money to spend millions of dollars on a testing policy that the research and education communities nearly unanimously decry as unreliable and potentially harmful to children. This is not the time to be taking money out of the classrooms to enrich large corporate testing companies.

I am urging CEC27 to thoroughly review this matter (further statistical information can be found at timeoutfromtesting.org) and issue a resolution condemning this practice in OUR NYC Public School system.

Thank you.

David M. Quintana

http://davidmquintana.blogspot.com

quintana.david@gmail.com

Meeting Date: Monday, November 16 @ 7:30 PM

Meeting Place: PS 124 129-15 150 Avenue, South Ozone Park, NY 11420

Read the whole story: Room Eight

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. - The Government Mercury Autism Scandal - MSNBC

2009-11-19T16:03:00.003-05:00

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. - Deadly Immunity

Click either link below to read the full article:

Read article at Rollingstone.com
Read article at Salon.com

In June 2000, a group of top government scientists and health officials gathered for a meeting at the isolated Simpsonwood conference center in Norcross, Georgia. Convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the meeting was held at this Methodist retreat center, nestled in wooded farmland next to the Chattahoochee River, to ensure complete secrecy. The agency had issued no public announcement of the session -- only private invitations to fifty-two attendees. There were high-level officials from the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration, the top vaccine specialist from the World Health Organization in Geneva and representatives of every major vaccine manufacturer, including GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Wyeth and Aventis Pasteur. All of the scientific data under discussion, CDC officials repeatedly reminded the participants, was strictly "embargoed." There would be no making photocopies of documents, no taking papers with them when they left.

The federal officials and industry representatives had assembled to discuss a disturbing new study that raised alarming questions about the safety of a host of common childhood vaccines administered to infants and young children. According to a CDC epidemiologist named Tom Verstraeten, who had analyzed the agency's massive database containing the medical records of 100,000 children, a mercury-based preservative in the vaccines -- thimerosal -- appeared to be responsible for a dramatic increase in autism and a host of other neurological disorders among children. "I was actually stunned by what I saw," Verstraeten told those assembled at Simpsonwood, citing the staggering number of earlier studies that indicate a link between thimerosal and speech delays, attention-deficit disorder, hyperactivity and autism. Since 1991, when the CDC and the FDA had recommended that three additional vaccines laced with the preservative be given to extremely young infants -- in one case, within hours of birth -- the estimated number of cases of autism had increased fifteen-fold, from one in every 2,500 children to one in 166 children.

Even for scientists and doctors accustomed to confronting issues of life and death, the findings were frightening. "You can play with this all you want," Dr. Bill Weil, a consultant for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told the group. The results "are statistically significant." Dr. Richard Johnston, an immunologist and pediatrician from the University of Colorado whose grandson had been born early on the morning of the meeting's first day, was even more alarmed. "My gut feeling?" he said. "Forgive this personal comment -- I do not want my grandson to get a thimerosal-containing vaccine until we know better what is going on."

Jude Law Leaving the Broadhurst Theater After Appearing in Hamlet - November 17th, 2009

2009-11-19T10:22:00.008-05:00

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Jude Law signing autographs for fans after his performance in "Hamlet" at the Broadhurst Theater in NYC - November 17th, 2009...

I was just walking by on my way to the subway to get home when I heard so many females squealing that I just had to cross the street to see who was causing such delight...lol

Rally at City Hall for Paid Sick Time Bill with Gloria Steinem - November 17th, 2009

2009-11-19T09:45:00.002-05:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Gloria Steinem's Call to Action; Chamber's Fuzzy Math

Just before the City Council held its first hearings on the Paid Sick Time act yesterday, Gloria Steinem joined over a hundred people who rallied on the City Hall steps to support the groundbreaking bill:

The Daily News, the Post, El Diario, and WNYC covered the action. From the News:

The bill would mandate up to nine days paid leave for people at firms with more than 10 workers, or up to five days at smaller firms.

It has widespread support in the City Council, but Mayor Bloomberg hasn’t embraced it for smaller companies, making for a potential showdown.

Proponents said leave would not only preserve individuals’ health, but help curb the spread of ailments such as the H1N1 virus.

“Paid sick days is a matter of basic fairness,” said Quenia Abreu of the New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

The sides had wildly differing cost estimates: Kevin Miller of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research said at least 850,000 workers would receive leave under the law, costing $332 million. But a city business coalition pegged the annual cost at $8.8 billion.

If that $8.8 billion figure sounds high it’s because, well, it is. Crain’s New York Insider did the math:

Crain’s: About That $7.7 Billion …

The paid-sick-leave bill being debated today by the City Council would cost employers $8 billion annually, or about 1.6% of the gross city product, according to the city’s main chambers of commerce. But that assumes an average hourly wage of $27.44 and includes all private-sector workers, not just those lacking sick days. Proponents estimate the annual cost at $332 million in wages and lost productivity, about $7.7 billion less. They point to an Institute for Women’s Policy Research study that factors in only those lacking paid sick time.

Ridgewood Reservoir

2009-11-19T09:24:00.001-05:00

Here's a short interview at the Ridgewood Reservoir with the Queens Gazette, conducted back in the summer, on July 8th, 2009...

Desecrated 9/11 ‘Living’ Tribute Restored by Noah Rosenberg - The Queens Courier

2009-11-18T21:38:00.005-05:00

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A 9/11 “living memorial” destroyed a week after the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks has been brought back to life thanks to a group of city officials, activists and volunteers.

With New York City Parks Department funding, a group sprinkled with children and seniors battled the elements on Saturday, November 14 to replant a grove of ornamental trees at South Ozone Park’s Lefferts Playground, which fell victim to “arborcide” on September 18.

The original grove – which consisted of six plum and one red bud whose limbs had been cracked and ripped off – was planted on September 11, 2003 with funding provided by The Queens Courier, in partnership with the city Parks Department.

The new plantings consist of seven plum trees – at a cost of around $600 per tree, the Parks Department said – that will bloom come spring, restoring beauty to the park and reinvigorating the memory of the fallen.

Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, who was joined at the replanting by Community Board 10 (CB 10) chair Betty Bratton, CB 10 manager Karyn Peterson and members of the Locust Grove Civic Association, told The Courier, “People in general who come out there and sit on those benches and walk that pathway were just happy to see the area restored.”

“Think about it in the larger picture,” Lewandowski added. “Queens is the borough of trees. It was devastating to see those trees destroyed.”

She said there are still no leads on who may have been behind the arborcide, but noted that the portion of the park that is home to the trees will now be locked in the evening hours. A second plaque commemorating those who perished on 9/11 will be added near the grove of trees, Lewandowski said.

A replanting of ornamentals in Middle Village’s Juniper Valley Park, also the scene of a late-summer arborcide, will take place on November 28.

Photo courtesy NYC Parks & Recreation - A group of city officials, activists and volunteers gathered in Lefferts Playground on November 14 to replant a “living memorial” to 9/11.

CEC says: ‘Waste of Time’ with Klein by Michèle De Meglio Courier-Life

2009-11-18T21:34:00.002-05:00

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Community Education Council (CEC) presidents are no longer meeting with schools Chancellor Joel Klein each month — and some Brooklynites could care less.

“They were a waste of time,” said James Dandridge, president of District 18’s CEC, which advocates for public schools in Canarsie and East Flatbush. “You never had any results coming out of it.”

There were several problems, Dandridge said. One, many CEC presidents opted to discuss issues affecting their districts and not the entire city. Two, the chancellor attended only part of the meetings.

“What I found was that individual council members would basically discuss the issues from their district,” Dandridge said. Also, “The chancellor always had a timetable where he was looking at his watch because he had another meeting.”

The meetings were imperfect but they should continue, said Christopher Spinelli, president of District 22’s CEC representing Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach and parts of Midwood, Flatbush and Sheepshead Bay.

“Did anything come of them? I would say no. We got a lot of, ‘We’ll look into it,’ and, ‘We’ll get back to you,’” Spinelli said. “But it was an opportunity to at least talk directly to the chancellor or to one of the deputy chancellors.”

Explaining its reasoning for ending these meetings, the city Department of Education (DOE) told this paper, “Many CEC members indicated to us last year that the citywide CEC meetings were exclusive and offered insufficient opportunity for meaningful dialogue between CEC members and DOE officials. In fact, CEC representatives from the Bronx, southeast Queens and Harlem declined even to attend these meetings.”

The DOE has replaced the forums between Klein and CECs with new “borough-wide meetings,” which will feature DOE officials and, in some cases, Klein.

The DOE said, “We organized the borough-wide meetings to be more inclusive and relevant than the citywide meetings. We hope they’ll help to foster stronger and better communication between DOE officials and parent leaders across the city. Already this year, Chancellor Klein has attended the Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan meetings. He’ll continue to attend the meetings as his schedule permits.”

Some Brooklyn CEC presidents believe these meetings will be unproductive.

“It’s the same thing,” Dandridge said. “When you don’t get results, it’s a waste of time.”

During the meetings with the chancellor, “CEC presidents had substantial input in [planning] the agenda,” explained Jim Devor, president of District 15’s CEC, which represents Red Hook, Park Slope and Sunset Park.

For the borough-wide meetings, “no one knows what the agenda is. There’s no reaching out to anybody to try to set the agenda,” Devor said. “And there’s no assurance that the chancellor will appear. I’m not overly enthused.”

“It’s a very poor substitute because they have someone come in and do a little PowerPoint presentation and a little question and answer and then send people on their way,” Spinelli said.

Laurie Windsor, president of District 20’s CEC representing Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton, Borough Park and part of Bensonhurst, urged her fellow council presidents to give the new borough-wide meetings a chance.

“See what comes out of it before we say let’s go back to having the meetings with the chancellor,” she said.

The borough-wide meetings are private meetings between the DOE and CECs and are not open to the public.

Ignitable Drinking Water in Candor, NY, Above Marcellus Shale...

2009-11-18T21:14:00.002-05:00

Visit http://toxicstargeting.com/ for more information.

Ignitable Drinking Water From a Well in Candor, New York, Located Above the Marcellus Shale Formation (Spill #: 0811696)

Dennis Gallagher's New Calling | by Azi Paybarah The New York Observer

2009-11-18T21:07:00.002-05:00

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When Michael Bloomberg visited the Flushing Mall the Saturday before Election Day, supporters crowded around him on stage, yelled wildly when he spoke, and encircled him and his security detail as they left.

Dennis Gallagher didn't. The former city councilman, who resigned his seat last year after admitting he sexually assaulted a woman in his Middle Village campaign office, stood inside the doorway of the mall, smiled, then walked down the hallway back to work.

That's where City Council candidate Peter Koo's campaign office was located, and also where Gallagher has quietly toiled away for months.

Since resigning his seat, Gallagher has gotten an insurance license and a job at Fidelity National Title. He also sells old memorabilia online, and, with much less notice, works as a political consultant.

"I was a very active consultant who helped devise and implement the strategy from day one" said Gallagher in a telephone interview Monday evening.

Gallagher declined to name the consulting firm. Campaign finance records show Koo's campaign made payments to consultants at one firm, J. Mac Associates.

The strategy for Koo, as Gallagher, described it, was to get as granular as possible, solidify the few Republican votes, and peel away Democrats disaffected by the contentious primary, which Yen Chou won with about 30 percent of the vote.

"I advised Peter Koo that the race could never be won if this was simply Democrats versus Republicans," said Gallagher. "We had to show what he thought, how he felt, and how he lived his life."

Koo "ran his campaign as an independent running on the Republican line, with strong Republican values and with some Democratic support. If we had come out with George Bush pieces of literature, we never would have won."

The broader message in the Koo victory, as Gallagher sees it, is that the "Republican Party is a party that can reach out in new immigrant communities. The Republican party has failed to do that. New immigrants that share our core Republican values" and Koo's victory "sends a signal that Republicans can get elected in overwhelmingly Democratic districts."

And the message of beating the odds isn't lost on Gallagher, whose own involvement in this race is one few could have predicted.

"In some instances, Peter encouraged me to be more out front, but I was the one who wanted a more behind-the-scenes role," said Gallagher. "I certainly didn't want to be an issue for him and his campaign."

Gallagher announced in March 2008 that he was resigning his seat the following month, after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts of sexual abuse. A more serious rape charge against Gallagher was dismissed by the state supreme court on the grounds that the prosecutor unfairly prejudiced the grand jury.

Since that time, Gallagher has said he reconnected with his two children and grown a goatee. According to a friend, he's also lost some weight. The former councilman said he's enjoying life outside the public eye, but is looking to do more campaign work.

"One mistake in my life shouldn't overtake over 20 years of government and political service," said Gallagher. Before getting elected in 2001, Gallagher worked on several campaigns, including Bob Dole's (presidential), George Pataki's (gubernatorial), Serphin Maltese's (a successful write-in candidacy for State Senate!), and, he says, he ran his own campaigns for Council.

"I felt happy I was able to contribute to this race," he said, "and I can see myself continuing to run or manage a campaign."

Which is welcome news, according to Jimmy Oddo, the current minority leader in the City Council.

"Obviously, Dennis has made mistakes in his life and he has paid a heavy price for them," he said. "While people can question some of his decisions in his personal life in the past, they can never question his political acumen. He has a brilliant political mind."

But as Republicans celebrated a surprise victory in Flushing, they also saw a stunning defeat in Gallagher's old Middle Village district, once thought to be a Republican stronghold. Democrat Liz Crowley, who won narrowly won the seat in an election last year, fended off a challenge from Gallagher's old boss and former Councilman Tom Ognibene. How did that happen? "The Ognibene-Crowley race was won by Elizabeth because of the amount of work she put into the race," said Gallagher. "She clearly outworked Tom."

Addabbo: Landmark Legislation Will Protect New Yorkers From Foreclosure

2009-11-17T16:54:00.001-05:00

Bill Protects Homeowners at Risk of Losing Their Homes, Prevents Similar Crises from Happening in the Future

New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., announced today that the New York State Senate passed critical legislation yesterday to protect homeowners across the state. Expanding upon legislation passed by the Senate in 2008, this bill provides four additional measures that he supported to protect homeowners at risk of foreclosure and to prevent similar crises from occurring in the future, which Governor Paterson is expected to sign into law.

New York’s housing market has suffered a particularly severe fallout in the wake of the housing crisis in the U.S., with over 50,000 new foreclosure filings in 2008 alone, a 30 percent increase over the preceding year. A staggering 58,000 outstanding mortgage loans in New York entered some form of delinquency in September 2009. Over the next four years, over 230,000 additional homes are expected to be lost to foreclosures, costing the state’s economy over $4 billion.

Explains Addabbo, the Senate has enacted these four provisions to safeguard homeowners:

· Safeguarding Distressed Homeowners: Requires that lenders and mortgage servicer provide a foreclosure notice to all distressed borrowers at least 90 days before any legal action may be commenced.

· Expansion of Mandatory Settlement Conference: Expands the number of borrowers who are eligible to receive the benefit of this settlement conference to holders of all types of home loans for a period of five years. Also requires litigants to negotiate in good faith to try to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.

· Protecting Neighborhoods and Tenants: Requires a plaintiff in a mortgage foreclosure action to maintain the property in compliance with certain sections of the NYS Building code or other local housing code. If property is occupied by a tenant, it must remain in safe and habitable condition.

· Protecting Distressed Homeowners from Rescue Scams: Precludes any licensees or registrants from accepting up-front fees in connection with performing the business of distressed property consulting. Additionally, this provides a mortgage broker with three days to disclose the exact amount and methodology of total compensation that the broker will receive.

Senator Addabbo notes, “The spike in home foreclosures as a result of widespread sub-prime lending has hit every corner of my district. With unemployment figures expected to continue to rise, we have not yet seen the peak in the number of people who can’t pay their mortgages. In fact, no New Yorker or area of the state is immune to the deep and lasting economic impact of this crisis—homeowners, tenants and whole communities are affected. Lowering the alarming rate of foreclosures in New York and helping families in Queens to save their homes were priorities for me during this special session in Albany, in order to build the foundation for a lasting, sustainable economic recovery.”

Locals' Great Barrier Beef: Pleas for Broad Channel Traffic Guardrail by Brendan Brosh - NY Daily News

2009-11-16T23:58:00.003-05:00

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A coalition of Broad Channel residents is calling for a new pedestrian barrier to be installed along a dangerous stretch of Cross Bay Blvd. where fatal car accidents are common.

Local attorney Christina Andrea Hall said she and others have gathered more than 700 signatures in favor of erecting a guard rail to protect people on a pedestrian path near the local bird sanctuary.

Area residents say the stretch is the longest in Queens without a stoplight.

"There's nothing to protect pedestrians for 2 miles," said Hall, who lives near the strip. "We have people walking with baby carriages and little children learning to ride their bikes."

Joanne Kodetsky and her dog were walking along the path in April when they were tragically mowed down by a driver who lost control of her car.

Plans were in place to install a heavily vegetated buffer zone between the boulevard and pedestrians in the 1990s, but it never came to fruition.

The chief of the local volunteer fire department said that telephone poles and trees are knocked down regularly in auto accidents on the boulevard between Broad Channel and Howard Beach.

"There should have been a guard rail there 45 years ago," said Dan McIntyre, chief of the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department. "There are a minimum of 70 accidents a year on that stretch."

Members of the local community board asked the city Transportation Department to intervene, but were told the installation would be too expensive.

"We tried to make a case, but they said wouldn't put up a guard rail," said Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14. "Unless the mayor gets involved and forces them to see the wisdom in protecting lives, DOT is the final arbiter on sidewalks and streets."

A DOT spokeswoman said the agency is examining the location for ways to enhance safety there.

Local environmentalists said a metal barrier would best serve the community and local wildlife.

"A simple guard rail would allow smaller mammals to cross the street, which is in the middle of a nature preserve," said Don Riepe, head of the American Littoral Society.

Riepe said that weather conditions can also make the road considerably less safe for motorists and pedestrians.

"It can be especially dangerous after rainfalls, and ponding on the northbound right lane is common," he said.

Rego Center Still Looking for Retailers by Lisa L. Colangelo - NY Dailt News

2009-11-16T23:46:00.002-05:00

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The long-awaited expansion of the Rego Center is expected to open as early as February, but it might take some more time for it to fill up with retailers.

Costco and T.J. Maxx are the latest stores to sign on with the expanded mall. But the only other tenants currently booked for the massive red building off Junction Blvd. and the Long Island Expressway are two department stores - Century 21 and Kohl's - along with a Subway sandwich shop, an official from mall developer Vornado Realty Trust said last week.

While those stores fill the cellar and upper floors of the mall, the first floor is virtually empty except for the Subway shop.

"As there is a lot more activity in the center, we expect there to be more interest," James Bry, Vornado's senior vice president of development, told the members of Community Board 6 on Thursday night.

Costco will replace the Home Depot that was originally planned for that spot. Several months ago, Home Depot officials decided to pull out of the mall.

An existing Home Depot is located just a few miles away on Woodhaven Blvd.

"We tried really hard to make sure we got something in there that is a good fit with the center," Bry said. "This [Costco] may even be a better fit."

Construction started on the site, a parking lot for the former Alexander's department store, more than two years ago. The existing mall adjacent to the site features a Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy. That replaced Alexander's, whose red facade was a landmark of sorts on Queens Blvd.

Early versions of the plan, which has been amended, included two residential towers. Bry said the company still has permission to build one of the towers and hopes to do so if the housing market improves.

Costco is not expected to open until August 2010. In the meantime, the developers hope to close deals with other retailers and restaurants for the street-level space. Negotiations are ongoing, Bry said.

He also said a supermarket isn't out of the question. Resident have said a large food store is sorely needed in the area.

Community Board 6 Chairman Joseph Hennessy said he and other members were concerned about the traffic patterns around the new mall. He called for a meeting with Vornado and city Transportation Department officials.

"You have Junction Blvd. and Horace Harding [Expressway] there," Hennessy said. "It's going to be a mess, a mess."

lcolangelo@nydailynews.com

Schools and Additional Police Top C.B. 10 Budget List by Stephen Geffon - Queens Chronicle

2009-11-15T23:09:00.004-05:00

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The construction of new schools to alleviate overcrowding in the community and the assignment of additional uniformed police officers to the 106th Precinct to increase visibility and reduce response time are the most important Community Board 10 budget priorities for fiscal year 2011, says C.B. 10 chairwoman Betty Braton.

The Capital and Expense Budget Priority Report, a statement prepared by the board highlighting what members agree are priority items to be dealt with by the city, was made public at last Thursday’s C.B. 10 meeting in South Ozone Park. The budget process continues from now until June, when the final city budget is adopted.

In addition to schools and police presence, priorities outlined in the capital budget presentation included the planned reconstruction of streets in the Centerville area, known as the HWQ411B project, park improvements and other street construction.

Topping the list of parks C.B.10 said require a much-needed facelift are Judge Memorial Park on 134th Street, the Southern Fields ball fields on North Conduit Avenue and Police Officer Edward Byrne Park, on North Conduit Avenue between 131st and 133rd Streets. The budget report also calls for the installation of sanitary and storm sewers for the area around Jewel Street and curb construction wherever it is needed.

In Howard Beach, the board has requested the construction of a new library in Hamilton Beach and the reconfiguration of the Cohancy Street exit of the Belt Parkway at North Conduit Avenue.

Additional forestry services, sanitation equipment and more park staffing were also listed in the committee’s report. The board approved the FY 2011 priorities.

Furthermore, C.B. 10 District Manager Karyn Petersen informed residents of a new pilot program started by the Department of Transportation designed to help property owners make sidewalk repairs more quickly and resolve violations issued by the DOT for cracks, trip hazards and other defects without significant additional cost.

Under the expedited repair program (see form Below), DOT contractors can begin sidewalk repair or replacement work within 45 days of a property owner’s request, which can be made online or by mailing a request to DOT’s Office of Sidewalk Management.

Click on image to enlarge & print...

Assembly Member Miller: Mandate Relief Will Save New Yorkers Millions

2009-11-15T23:02:00.002-05:00

Reform legislation streamlines services, cuts down on costs, promotes taxpayer savings

Assembly Member Miller (D-38^th District) announced that the Assembly passed mandate relief legislation that will streamline services in New York State, cutting down on wasteful spending and saving taxpayers millions (A.40002).

“This is a sweeping bill that targets several areas in need of mandate reform and relief,” Assembly Member Miller said. “Especially in financially daunting times like these, when New York is grappling with a $3.9 billion deficit, we need to take a serious look at where we can streamline, consolidate and organize to make government run more efficiently. That’s exactly what this legislation does.”

The legislation covers a variety of areas, including:

Health insurance. Reduces the number of municipal corporations participating in a cooperative health benefit plan from five to three, extending cooperative health benefits to more New Yorkers.

Collateral source and subrogation. Prohibits public employees and insurance companies from collecting from a wrongdoer for damages that were otherwise covered by insurance.

Multi-county health districts. Consolidates the position of public health director by allowing one public health director to serve more than one county. Also, the Department of Health will be required to periodically review approved-director and board-sharing arrangements to verify that such joint membership continues to serve the interest of public health.

“Without these reforms, an insured individual who is injured can’t recover damages from the wrongdoer, but the insurance company can. That’s not really conducive to healing and getting back on one’s feet, but it certainly does serve the insurance company’s interests,” Assembly Member Miller said. “This reform legislation not only cuts down on the costly racket of double dipping, but it also allows the injured to collect the damages they deserve and need.”

In addition to health-related mandate relief, the legislation addresses procurement and municipal bond bank agency pooling, as well as measures to improve coordination of state and local highway services:

Procurement. Increases the local competitive bidding thresholds for all contracts for public work involving an expenditure of more than $20,000 to $35,000.

Municipal Bond Bank Agency (MBBA). Allows MBBA to purchase municipal bonds for public improvements provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

State and local highway services. Gives greater oversight to the state Department of Transportation and also authorizes and expands shared municipal/state services, including right-of-way maintenance, drainage systems, landscaping and mowing. It also allows for lengthening the term of state and local agreements for snow and ice removal on state highways from a term of three years to up to five years.

“The purpose of this legislation is not just to streamline services to save money for the state, but to also provide relief to New York’s hardworking families who are paying through the nose in taxes,” Assembly Member Miller said. “Through straightforward measures like this we can make some serious headway in not only making New York run more efficiently but also sparing families the pain of paying excess taxes for services they either don’t need or which can be comfortably consolidated or reduced.”