NYC Metro area news thread Aug 21

[hrmjustin]

Police search for Central Park mugger using chokehold on victims
Anthony Johnson

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Police are looking for a robber who struck twice in Central Park this week.

Just after midnight on Monday, the suspect placed a 47-year-old man in a chokehold near 74th Street and East Drive. The suspect threw the victim to the ground and stole his backpack, which contained cash, a debit card, and two credit cards.

http://7online.com/news/police-search-for-central-park-mugger-using-chokehold-on-victims/273881/

[hrmjustin]

1. Victim identified in deadly Port Washington boat explosion

PORT WASHINGTON (WABC) -- The man killed when a boat exploded at the Manhasset Bay Marina in Port Washington on Wednesday has been identified as Bob Hogan, former mayor of Plandome Manor and a retired NYPD captain.



http://7online.com/news/victim-identified-in-deadly-port-washington-boat-explosion/273166/

[SummerSnow]

2. Is it a cop?

[hrmjustin]

3. The story about central park no but the port Wahington story it looks like it.

[hrmjustin]

4. Black Powder Prompts Hazmat Response On Manhattan’s West Side

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Black powder was found in an envelope at 99 10th Avenue, officials said Thursday.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/08/21/black-powder-prompts-hazmat-response-on-manhattans-west-side/


Short Story.

[hrmjustin]

5. Some Staten Island Businesses To Close For Eric Garner March

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce is warning local merchants to consider closing their doors on Saturday in case violence breaks out during a march against police brutality.

The Rev. Al Sharpton plans to lead thousands of people during this weekend’s march for Eric Garner.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/08/21/some-staten-island-businesses-to-close-for-eric-garner-march/

[hrmjustin]

6. 'We're losing something special,' former BP Guy Molinari says of plan to replace Columbus Parade

John M. Annese | [e-mail]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island is "losing something special" by canceling its annual Columbus Parade, according to former Borough President Guy V. Molinari, who championed the event during his time in office.

Molinari, who served as borough president from 1990 to 2002, reached out to the Advance after learning that James Oddo, the current borough president, would be replacing the New Dorp parade with a six-hour Italian heritage festival at Historic Richmond Town.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/08/were_losing_something_special.html#incart_river

[hrmjustin]

7. editorial: Memo to the MTA: Restore weekend service on the S54

Staten Island Advance Editorial

You can almost imagine the conversation at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters when officials were deciding where to make $93 million in cuts to transit service back in 2010. One of the several bus lines on Staten Island on which they deemed full service was expendable was the S54.

Unlike almost all the other local bus routes in this borough, which converge on the St. George Ferry Terminal from all over Staten Island, the S54 runs from Richmond Terrace in West Brighton to Hylan Boulevard in Eltingville without ever going near the ferry.

http://www.silive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/08/memo_to_the_mta_restore_weeken.html#incart_river

[hrmjustin]

8. NYS Sen. Malcolm Smith: Despite legal woes, I had a 'stellar year' (UPDATED)

KEN LOVETT

Despite being under indictment and basically operating without a legislative conference, Sen. Malcolm Smith on Wednesday evening said he's had a "stellar year."

Smith made the comments during a NY1 debate with his Senate District 14 Democratic primary opponents, former City Councilman Leroy Comrie and Queens lawyer Munir Avery.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/nys-sen-malcolm-smith-legal-woes-stellar-year-blog-entry-1.1911101

[hrmjustin]

9. Manhattan Council members make Board of Elections pick in closed-door, split vote

CELESTE KATZ

Manhattan's City Council delegation made its pick to fill a vacant Board of Elections commissioner slot in a closed-door, split vote cast Wednesday afternoon, the Daily News has learned.

Alan Schulkin, deputy chief clerk of the Board's Manhattan office, pulled five of nine votes in his bid to replace former Commissioner and Board President Gregory Soumas, multiple sources confirmed to the News.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/manhattan-city-council-members-board-elections-commissioner-pick-closed-door-split-vote-blog-entry-1.1910900

[hrmjustin]

10. Rockaway Residents Rally for Extended Ferry Service

: NY1 News

Rockaway residents and business owners will take to the steps of City Hall today protesting the mayor’s decision to end the Rockaway ferry.

The ferry first hit the water after Hurricane sandy sidelined A train service to the area.

http://www.ny1.com/content/news/214257/rockaway-residents-rally-for-extended-ferry-service/

[hrmjustin]

11. Protesters Call for More Affordable Housing at March in Harlem

Michael Herzenberg
People packed in pews Wednesday, but not to pray. They came to protest.

"People are living paycheck to paycheck, and it's insane," said one person at the protest.

"We do not need more luxury apartments in Harlem," said another.

http://www.ny1.com/content/news/214245/protesters-call-for-more-affordable-housing-at-march-in-harlem/

[hrmjustin]

12. Mount Sinai Expansion in Queens Hits Landmark as Final Steel Beam Placed

NY1

It's a big day for the expansion project of Mount Sinai Queens. Construction started on the new state-of-the-art facility in October of last year.

Today, the final steel beam will be raised onto the roof during the "Topping off Ceremony.”

http://www.ny1.com/content/news/214264/mount-sinai-expansion-in-queens-hits-landmark-as-final-steel-beam-placed/

[hrmjustin]

13. 14 Lawmakers Call For Special Prosecutor In Garner Death

Nick Reisman

More than a dozen state lawmakers have signed onto a letter calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to appoint a special prosecutor to probe the death of Eric Garner after he was subject to a choke hold from police.

The three-page letter, sent by Assemblyman Nick Perry on Thursday, was also signed by Democratic members of the Senate and Assembly, all from mostly from New York City.
http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2014/08/14-lawmakers-call-for-special-prosecutor-in-garner-death/

[hrmjustin]

14. Gov Cuomo issues subpoena to landlord

AYANA HARRY

NEW YORK (PIX11) — Governor Andrew Cuomo served a subpoena on Marolda Properties, a Manhattan based landlord accused of trying to squeeze out rent-regulated tenants from their homes.

Marolda owns several buildings on the Lower East Side and in Chinatown. Jeremy Freeman has run a record shop in a Marolda building for the last decade. Freeman told PIX 11, “the building was primarily Chinese and old Lower East Side residents and people who have been here for 50 years, and over the past couple of years it’s become 90% NYU students.”

http://pix11.com/2014/08/20/gov-cuomo-subpoenas-manhattan-landlord-trying-to-evict-rent-regulated-tenants/

[hrmjustin]

15. Melissa Mark-Viverito Will Join Al Sharpton’s Staten Island March

Ross Barkan

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito told reporters today that she would join Rev. Al Sharpton’s anti-police brutality march on Saturday.

Ms. Mark-Viverito had previously balked at attending the march in Staten Island, but confirmed this afternoon she would attend. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer, fellow Democrats, recently said they would skip the march.



Read more at http://observer.com/2014/08/melissa-mark-viverito-will-join-al-sharptons-staten-island-march/#ixzz3B42TcM64
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[hrmjustin]

16. 60,000 nyers enter affordable housing lottery.

PAMELA NG

BROOKLYN, NY (PIX11) — Nearly 60,000 New Yorkers entered a lottery for affordable housing units in Brooklyn.

http://pix11.com/2014/08/21/nearly-60000-new-yorkers-enter-brooklyn-affordable-housing-lottery/