Letitia James

UPDATE: Parents, Students and Community Not Sure They Have Real Voice in School Co-Location Process

UPDATE: Anyone who fought against the recent round of co-locations can now rest assured that they never had a say in yesterday's Panel on Educational Policy's vote. The PEP voted late last night to approve every co-location proposal up for consideration. The approvals came after hours of impassione ... More >>

Parents, Students and Community Not Sure They Have Real Voice in School Co-Location Process

Students, parents and the surrounding community have made it clear that they don't want the New York City Department of Education to co-locate a new school alongside Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts in Brooklyn. But, they're unclear whether they possess the power to stop it from ... More >>

Brooklyn Community Rallies to Protect Beloved Arts School From Co-location

If it's not broken, and it actually works pretty well, let's throw a charter school in there and hope it doesn't break. That seems to be the philosophy the Department of Education is going with in its proposal to co-locate the newly proposed K-5 Success Academy Charter School Brooklyn 5 at K265 in ... More >>

Hispanic Business Community Fuming Over Christine Quinn's Support of New Bill

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's support of a revised law aimed at helping women and minority-owned businesses secure contracts with city agencies could cost her Hispanic votes in the upcoming 2013 mayoral election. "[Christine] Quinn is going to lose the Hispanic vote because we're going to ... More >>

With Budget Cuts in Mind, Bloomberg Hands Out Raises To A Smaller Staff

Yesterday, we reported on the $2 billion worth in cuts that would skewer the budget in the next two full fiscal years. The main targets included the Police, Sanitation, Corrections, Education and Fire Departments of New York City; overall, the Mayor told the departments that they would have cut thei ... More >>

Mike Bloomberg's Worthless Big-Gulp Ban: 60,000 Pissed Off New Yorkers Can't Be Wrong

As you know, Mayor Mike Bloomberg's idiotic plan to ban soda served in containers larger than 16 ounces makes precisely zero sense; relegating adults to children incapable of making their own decisions aside, the plan will do nothing but hurt New York businesses -- all while doing absolutely nothing ... More >>

Soda Ban Backlash: Mike Bloomberg's Plan Takes Supersized P.R. Hit

Many have found Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed supersized soda ban increasingly hard to stomach. Though Mike's move -- up for a Board of Health vote July 24 -- has gotten quite a bit of criticism, opponents nationwide have started boosting efforts to fight the measure.

On the Eve of May Day, a Raft of Suits Against the NYPD Over Treatment of Protesters

There are fewer than 24 hours to go before Occupy Wall Street activists, unions, and immigrant groups launch a day-long series of protests that may well constitute some of the largest demonstrations in the city's recent history. All indications are that the police are getting ready too: large group ... More >>

City Council Presses Dept. of Education Officials on Controversial Co-Location Policy

After fielding criticisms earlier this week about the city's policy of shutting down failing schools, Mayor Mike Bloomberg and the Department of Education took heat yesterday for the city's frequent practice of co-locating multiple schools in the same building. At an Education Committee hearing yes ... More >>

Court Rules that Atlantic Yards Project Needs More Review, Developers Will Still Open Arena This Fall

In a feat for community groups that have been critical of the controversial Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn, a judge has ruled that the project needs further review. But that's not stopping the developers from pushing forward with a central part of their plan: a new arena for the Nets, whic ... More >>

Mayor's Budget: No Tax Increases and No Layoffs of Teachers, Police Officers, or Firefighters

Announcing the city's annual budget today, Mayor Mike Bloomberg said he would not be increasing taxes and he would not be laying off teachers, police officers, or firefighters. He said it multiple times. Runnin' Scared, watching a live feed of his announcement, counted at least three times. Can you ... More >>

Report Gives Mike Bloomberg's Polemic School Closure Policy an 'F'

​A new report released last week comes down hard on the mayor's record of shutting down schools that aren't performing well. Mike Bloomberg and the Deptartment of Education can add it to the list of grievances and criticisms that have been thrown at them so far this year (He demonizes teachers ... More >>

Jerome Isaac, Who Allegedly Burned Deloris Gillespie to Death in Her Elevator, Pleads Not Guilty

​Yesterday Jerome Isaac was arraigned on murder charges in Brooklyn Supreme Court for the death of 73-year-old Deloris Gillespie, who, in December, he allegedly sprayed with flammable liquid and set on fire in her elevator in Prospect Heights. He was caught on video doing all of this, which le ... More >>

Religious Leaders and Electeds Protest Mike Bloomberg in the Rain Prior to State of the City

The rain didn't stop a group of religious leaders and elected officials from rallying outside Morris High School in the Bronx today before the mayor's State of the City speech. Around 100 protestors were fenced in a block away from the school chanting under a sea of umbrellas. They had trekked to th ... More >>

Councilwoman Letitia James: Family of Elderly Woman Burned Alive Have Been Victimized Twice

During a recent press conference, the family of an elderly Prospect Heights woman burned to death by a man they said she once helped discussed their loved one's legacy and the financial challenges they have faced since arriving in NYC to plan her funeral. Accompanied by Councilwoman Letitia James ( ... More >>

Jerome Isaac to Face Murder and Arson Charges for Burning Deloris Gillespie to Death in Prospect Heights Elevator [Updated]

​There are some updates in the truly awful story of a man who burned an elderly woman to death in her elevator at 203 Underhill Avenue in Prospect Heights this weekend. Jerome Isaac, 47, was arrested yesterday after he turned himself in, 8 hours after he killed 73-year-old Deloris Gillespie. C ... More >>

Memory Lane: A Look Back at the Campaign Against Atlantic Yards in Battle for Brooklyn

Today in El Diario: New York Women Are Underpaid

​New York's women underpaid A study conducted by the New York Comptroller's office found that women earn 20 percent  less than men -- when they are are doing the same job and have the same credentials, according to the Spanish-language daily. "It's really pathetic that we keep having this c ... More >>

Marijuana Busts Cost City $75 Million A Year, Report Says (Updated with Police Comment)

​The city spends $75 million a year on the NYPD's campaign of arresting people on low level marijuana possession charges, a new report says. The Drug Policy Alliance report says police and court expenses total up to $2,000 per arrest. Between 2002 and 2010, police made 350,000 marijuana posse ... More >>

Abortion Billboard in SoHo Calls Out African Americans During Black History Month

​Life Always, an anti-abortion group, revealed a giant new billboard today at Sixth Avenue and Watts Street in the New York City neighborhood of SoHo, featuring a picture of a young black girl and text that reads, "The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb." Underneath is ... More >>

New Yorkers Protest Target's Donation to Anti-Gay Candidate

​New Yorkers unhappy with Target's recent $150,000 donation to anti-gay-rights Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer gathered yesterday at the flagship Target in Brooklyn to protest. The rally, organized by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, City Councilmember Letitia James, and MoveOn.org ... More >>

City and NY Restaurant Association Launch Delivery Workers Protection Program

Revenge: best served cold.​Assami Semde may have foiled the would-be thieves who tried to steal his pizza earlier this month, but not all restaurant delivery workers are so lucky. And so in response to a recent rise in violent incidents, City Councilwoman Letitia James and Brooklyn District At ... More >>

Brooklyn to Get the Michael Jackson-Themed Subway Mural It Tenuously Deserves

Photo via alexrheadrick's photostream​Can't wait to hear what angry NY GOP Congressman Peter King will have to say about newly revealed plans to dedicate a memorial to Michael Jackson at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station, where Martin Scorcese once directed the "Bad" video. Last year, City Council ... More >>

Yet Another Atlantic Yards Lawsuit!

​It seems Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards boondoggle was getting another lawsuit just yesterday (it was in October, actually -- an appeal by local landholders whose property is being seized to make the big Brooklyn hole that was supposed to be a sports arena/shopping complex by now even bigger) ... More >>

As Appeal Goes Forward, MTA Hit With New Atlantic Yards Suit

Bruce Ratner and his Atlantic Yards project are really getting it in the neck this week. Tomorrow an appeal by landholders of the eminent domain seizure of their properties for the sports, shopping, office and residential mega-plan gets going in court. And now Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, state s ... More >>

News Roundup: Jay-Z, Them Crooked Vultures, Grizzly Bear/Michael McDonald, Michael Jackson

​ --Jay-Z held a formal news conference yesterday to discuss plans for his upcoming Answer the Call September 11th benefit show at Madison Square Garden. Sitting beside Governor Patterson, Jay remembered September 11, 2001, the day the original Blueprint was released, and the days that followe ... More >>

The Queer Issue: The New Gayborhoods of Fort Greene, Sunset Park, and Jackson Heights

Breaking the outer limits

Jails Commissioner Finally Confronted by City Council

In the ongoing controversy over the murder of teenager Christopher Robinson at a Rikers Island jail, someone in the City Council finally tried to pin down Correction Commissioner Martin Horn on what he knew, when he knew it, and what he did to stop it.    Robinson was fatally beaten i ... More >>

Bushwick Rallies Against Hate Crimes

Two Term-Limits Rebels Run for Gotbaum's Seat

Bloomberg's Term-Limits Coup: Heroes, Villains, and Wimps

Brutal brawling in the first throwdown of the 2009 elections

Rachel Trachtenberg, Others Testify at Term Limits Hearings

Morning Papers: Rich Guy Gets Cold Feet on Term Limits, NYers Expatriate for Money, Etc.

A Hip Young Couple Clears Out Low-Rent Tenants for its Television and Playroom Needs

Generation excess comes to Prospect Heights

Want to Work for Mike Bloomberg? What's Your Batting Average?

Softball, campaign promises, and the miserable minority-contracting record of the Bloomberg administration

April Showers Bring Rally Calling for Atlantic Yards 'Time Out'

Atlantic Yards Opponents Look With Hope to Gov. Paterson

Block Party Against Brooklyn Owner-Evictions

Slumlord Showdown

Mayoral wannabe Chris Quinn treads cautiously in housing fight

Atlantic Yards Foes Hope for a Silver Christmas

Letters

Andrews Amnesia

Why are the media giving the scandal-ridden Norman pal a pass?

BAM Goes the Neighborhood

While Atlantic Yards grabs the headlines, an art attack quietly transforms downtown Brooklyn

Theeeeeeeeeeee Yankees Win!

Council Priorities

The new City Council Speaker doles out some surprising assignments

Beat It!

Soul Summit gets one last dance; movie nite; Mellie R.I.P.

Keep Moving, Son

Cops in Carroll Gardens are hustling schoolkids onto trains. Police call it protection. Parents call it harassment.

Close-Up on South Williamsburg

Election-Week Docs Profile Anti-Globalist Cleric, Deliver Civics Lesson

Can’t Buy Him Love

Brooklyn Machine Lines Up for James and Against Davis