March 20, 2010 · www.gothamgazette.com

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WEEK OF 13 September 2004

9/17

Unemployment Rate Drops
Unemployment rates in both New York City and New York State have dropped to the lowest levels in years, according to the state Labor Department. The state unemployment rate for August, 5.6 percent, was lower than any time since November 2001; the city's rate of 6.7 percent was the lowest since September 2001. Statewide, the private sector added 6,100 jobs, keeping pace with the national average.

Rebuilding Roundup
The third anniversary of 9/11 fell on Saturday, and was marked in ceremonies more modest than those taking place in previous years. At Ground Zero, the parents and grandparents of victims read the names of all 2,749 people killed in the attacks on September 11, 2001. Around the city, New Yorkers held other memorial ceremonies, including individual events honoring the firefighters, police officers, and workers from the restaurant Windows on the World who fell victim to the attack. In Staten Island, a new memorial was unveiled on Saturday evening, while the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation has still not found someone to head its $400 to $600 million fundraising drive to construct the memorial planned for Ground Zero.

To read the entire roundup, and for other rebuilding news, go to Rebuilding NYC.

In The Press

New York Times:
Congress Looks to Overhaul Homeland Security Funding, Giving More to Cities like New York

Daily News:
Bloomberg Phasing Out Bilingual Education, Say Education Advocates

New York Post:
Ferry Ridership Drops Dramatically

Newsday:
At San Gennaro Festival, Mob Influence Suspected

Amsterdam News:
City Plans Caribbean Trade Center in Brooklyn

Riverdale Review:
Bronx Parks Get Funding From Water Filtration Plant; Riverdale Feels Shorted

Gotham Gazette:
A Ban on Welfare Advocates at Welfare Centers by Emily Jane Goodman

Gotham Gazette:
Calendar of NYC Events

9/16

Measuring the City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg released his annual Mayor's Management Report, a book of statistics meant to measure how government agencies are responding to city issues. City officials highlighted the continued drop in the murder rate, which is now the lowest since 1963, and a continued decrease in the number of felony crimes. Other statistics presented a mixed view of the city's overall health:
- Adults staying in homeless shelters increased
- The city repaired 66,000 more potholes than last year
- Number of overcrowded elementary schools decreased
- Streets received highest cleanliness rating in 30 years
- New AIDS and asthma cases increased
- Complaints of police misconduct increased (900 more than last year)
- And the city issued 176,000 more quality-of-life summonses than last year, which officials attributed to the 311 call line which makes it easier to file a complaint.

For a guide on how to read the Mayor's Management Report, go here. For a copy of the 2004 report, visit NYC.gov.

In The Press

New York Times:
Transportation Project Had Connections to Organized Crime

Daily News:
Mayor Boycotts Hearing on RNC Protest Arrests

New York Post:
311 Calls Increase Number of Complaints and Ticket Revenue for City

Newsday:
City Takes Battle with Teachers Union to School Funding Hearing

New York Observer
Mayor Bloomberg Would Benefit from a John Kerry Win

Crains New york Business:
Daily News Launches Sunday Magazine

Gotham Gazette:
Police Killed With Their Own Guns by Jaime Adame

9/15/04

Defeated Incumbents
The conventional wisdom that incumbency is a guarantee of re-election to the New York State legislature did not hold true for two State Assemblymembers from the city yesterday. On a primary election day marked by light voter turnout, longtime legislator Robert Straniere of Staten Island lost the Republican primary to challenger Vincent Ignizio, who had support from many local Republicans. And in Queens, Democrat Barry Grodenchik, who is serving his first term, lost to Jimmy Meng, a businessman and former head of the Flushing Chinese Business Association. If Meng wins in November, he will become the first Asian-American member of the legislature.

Other Races
But other incumbents held on to their seats yesterday, including U.S. Representative Major Owens of Brooklyn who beat back strong challenges from two members of the City Council.

In a hotly contested race for an open seat in the Bronx, Assemblymember Steve Kaufman lost his bid to be both the Democratic and Republican candidate to succeed State Senator Guy Velella, who is now in jail. Kaufman, who had support from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor George Pataki, lost to Assemblymember Jeffrey Klein in the Democratic primary and to John Fleming in the GOP contest. Kaufman will be on the ballot in November as the Conservative Party candidate.

For primary election results, go here and then play the games in our Voting Arcade.


In The Press

New York Times:
Parents Mob High School Enrollment Centers

Daily News:
Senate Defeats Measure to Increase Anti Terror Funds for City

New York Post:
CUNY Enrollment Continues to Rise

Newsday:
Education Department Offers Prizes for School Lunch Forms

New York Magazine
The Long-term Health Effects of 9/11

Gotham Gazette:
The Mayor's Plan for Financing West Side Development Holds Costs, Risks, by Glenn Pasanen

Gotham Gazette Suggests:
An On-line Memorial to 9/11 and Rebuilding Sites

9/14/04

School Starts
It was the first day of school yesterday for New York City's 1.1 million public school students -- and for 91 new schools, many of them housed in older, larger schools. By most accounts it was one of the calmest opening days in memory. The biggest glitch came at the new high school enrollment centers where many parents faced long delays and complained that they were unable to enroll their children in their school of choice -- or sometimes in any school at all.

Recycling Plan
Two years after it appeared to largely abandon recycling, the Bloomberg administration is expected to announce today that it will sign a multimillion dollar 20-year contract with one of the nation's largest recycling companies. The plan will include the construction of a $45 million plant on the Brooklyn waterfront that will recycle all the city's residential metal, glass and plastic, officials told the New York Times. The contract with Manhattan-based Hugo Neu Corporation, one of the country's largest scrap metal companies, represents an acknowledgment by the city that recycling can be a cost-effective way to deal with garbage and could provide a boost to recycling programs nationwide.

To read about efforts to recycle another kind of garbage go to Gotham Gazette's article on food waste.

Primary Day
Today is primary day. Registered party members in New York will select candidates for Congress, state legislature and judgeships. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you don't know where to vote, call the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE NYC. For more information, go Gotham Gazette's Guide for the Last Minute Voter.

And, for results, go to Gotham Gazette's result page tonight and tomorrow.


In The Press

New York Times:
Prosecutors Cannot Seek Death Penalty in Slaying of Detectives

Daily News:
MTA To Hold Few Hearings on Increase in MetroCard Prices

New York Post:
Silver to Testify Privately on Alleged Lobbying Violation

Newsday:
Manhattan Man to File First Convention False Arrest Suit

The New Yorker
A Vigil for War Dead at Columbus Circle

Queens Tribune
State Jobs to Leave Queens for Lower Manhattan

Gotham Gazette:
Rent Assistance Programs Don't Provide Help to All Who Need It, by Joe Lamport

Gotham Gazette:
Interactive Feature: Voting Arcade

9/13/04

The 3rd Anniversary
Relatives and families of those who lost their lives on September 11 gathered Saturday at ground zero to mark the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks. The ceremonies, which began at 8:46 am -- the same moment the first plane hit the north tower -- include the recitation of 2,749 names and four moments of silence to mark the impact of each plane and the collapse of each tower. However, this year's ceremonies were smaller and more subdued than those of the first two years since the attacks.

Primary Election
Tuesday is primary day in New York but turnout is expected to be particularly low because there is no statewide primary contest and no primaries in the U.S. Senate race, where Democrat Charles Schumer is seeking a second term. For more information about your district's primary, go Gotham Gazette's NYC Primary Day: Guide to the Last Minute Voter.


In The Press

New York Times:
Payoff Year Is Beginning for Bloomberg School Plans

Daily News:
Plans for A Ban on Photography in the Subway System Lifted

New York Post:
City Emergency-Response Time Slows As Fire Death Mount

Newsday:
Mayor: Anti-bully Measure A "Silly Law"

NY1:
Two Council Members Look To Strengthen City's Gun Laws

Gotham Gazette:
Guide for the Last Minute Voter

Gotham Gazette:
Interactive Feature: Voting Arcade

Last week's stories...

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