Posted by Rich Bockmann in District 11, State Senate on February 16, 2012 | No Comments
State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) stood with discouraged parents and community members outside Martin Van Buren High School in Queens Village last week, calling on the city Department of Education to remove the school’s principal. The school’s overall grade on the city’s progress report has fallen from 58 (B) in 2008 to 44.5 (D) in [...]
(
More > )
Posted by Howard Koplowitz in Assembly, District 23, District 38 on February 16, 2012 | No Comments
Two state assemblyman and transit advocates are pushing for the old Rockaway Beach line of the Long Island Rail Road to run trains again after a 50-year absence. Rehabilitating the line would ease the commutes of those in southern Queens, Assemblymen Phil Goldfeder (D-Ozone Park) and Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) said Friday as they stood in [...]
(
More > )
Posted by Rebecca Henely in City Council, City Offices, District 21 on February 16, 2012 | No Comments
City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) advocated for better streets and for making the neighborhoods she represents a destination at her State of the District address last Thursday. “We are in a state of transformation,” Ferreras said, “but I believe the state of our district is strong and it gets stronger every day.” Speaking at [...]
(
More > )
Posted by Howard Koplowitz in Congress, District 9, U.S. House on February 9, 2012 | No Comments
U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Middle Village) nominated two borough civic groups — CURES and the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers — last Thursday for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 Environmental Quality Award. The yearly awards are given out in commemoration of Earth Day and honor people or groups that benefit public health and the environment. The [...]
(
More > )
Posted by Howard Koplowitz in Assembly, District 25 on February 9, 2012 | No Comments
A state law co-authored by state Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) protecting journalists who report on terrorism from libel lawsuits in other countries that has since become federal law is now gaining traction across the pond. Back in 2008, Lancman and state Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) gained approval for the bill, which blocks so-called [...]
(
More > )
Posted by Rebecca Henely in District 12, District 13, District 16, Governor, State Senate on February 2, 2012 | No Comments
The new proposed state Senate district lines would set Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) against Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst), but the longtime friends say they have no plans to duke it out at the polls. “This actually makes it very amusing,” Peralta said. Both senators characterized the new districts, drawn by Senate Republicans, as politically [...]
(
More > )