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After what some advocates call years of inaction, the City Council has spent the last few months passing a series of bills aimed at helping veterans.

The flurry of legislative action comes at a time when the resources for veterans across the country are increasingly strained but the need for them is increasing as post-9/11 soldiers come home.

The latest bill to be passed by the Council directs each city agency to name a veterans' affairs liaison who would also work with the mayor's office to make sure former soldiers' needs are being met. Training would also be provided as needed for the liaisons. The bill passed 49-0 yesterday.

Sponsored by Brooklyn Councilman Vincent Gentile, the bill follows up on a 2008 executive order from Mayor Michael Bloomberg the calls for the coordination of veterans services with the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs. Called ineffective by some, the order has fallen flat. The inaction prompted Gentile to propose Int. 0480, which already boasted 27 co-sponsors.

Gentile called the bill a benefit for both the city and veterans.

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Anthony Weiner says he's going to run his mayoral campaign like he did during his first run for the office back in 2005: "light on endorsements and big bucks, but heavy on new plans for the city."

He does have nearly $5 million for his campaign and a booklet of 64 policy ideas, which draws from a similar document he distributed in 2009 outlining a bid for mayor that never happened.

A quick look back in the Gotham Gazette archives reveals that he did get a handful of endorsements the last time he ran — including from unions, elected officials and newspapers.

It's unclear whether he can win them over again.

His late entry in the race — and his tarnished reputation — may spoil his chances.

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Former Congressman Anthony Weiner announced his campaign last night with a video ad on his Web site. It went up accidentally at first but was still viewable on mobile browsers. He brings with him a $4.8 million war chest and could force a run-off election with rival candidate Council Speaker Christine Quinn. He was forced to resign from Congress over a sexting scandal and ran a strategic consulting firm during his absence. He has a 64 point plan with ideas spanning from giving public school students Kindles to using Medicaid money to create a city-run, single-payer health system for the uninsured.

Other Stories We're Following

Three Hurt In Anti-Gay Attacks Days After Hate Killing (DNAinfo)

City Agrees To Faster Cleanup Of PCBs In Schools (NY Times)

More Questions In Assembly Harassment Case (Associated Press)

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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is weathering criticism for his handling of recently-resigned Assemblyman Vito Lopez's harassment suit. In response, he's announced plans to create an independent investigator for sexual harassment complaints and mandatory reporting of them. Many are calling for the speaker's resignation, including one Assemblyman who threatened to leave the Democratic conference if he didn't step down. Silver has apologized for authorizing a secret settlement in Lopez's harassment suit, but says resignation is "ridiculous." The scandal may have weakened his bargaining power, but he has a strong grasp on power in the state. Gov. Cuomo has reportedly decided not to call a special election to replace Lopez to keep him from wielding influence over his successor. The governor also says the harassment scandal proves the need for passage of his women's agenda.

Other Stories We're Following

NYPD To Step Up Presence Following Anti-Gay Murder (Wall Street Journal)

Judge Criticizes ‘High Error Rate’ Of Police Stops (NY Times)

NYPD Messages To Muslim Informant: 'Get Pictures' (Associated Press)

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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, facing escalating calls for his resignation over the  handling of the Vito Lopez sexual harassment scandal, wasted no time today in organizing a cohesive response to beat back criticism.

"Mistakes were made; I deeply regret them," Silver said. 

Assembly Democrats met in conference with Silver for a good portion of the day and a little after 4:30 p.m. emerged to unveil a three-pronged strategy to better handle sexual harassment complaints. 

Silver said that his office will no longer handle complaints but instead create an independent body called The Assembly Task Force on Sexual Harassment that will have its own budget to take complaints and investigate them. 

Secondly, all elected Assemblymembers and senior staff will be considered "mandatory reporters" of sexual harassment.

Silver said those who fail to report incidents will face "immediate sanction." 

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