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Quick Takes On NYC News
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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