Mayor Bloomberg chose the members of a new commission that will study and revise the city charter [PDF]—the document that outlines how New York City government works. According to the Times, the 15-member panel of "longtime loyalists, educators, political operatives and community leaders" will study the document and suggest changes, which could include reinstating two-term limits on city politicians, encouraging nonpartisan elections, and abolishing the city's public advocate and borough presidents. more ›

Who says vegetarianism is dead? Last week Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer proposed that NY public schools institute a "Meatless Monday" program, by which students would start their week with spinach and green beans, foregoing bacon strips and chicken wings. “The way to get to kids is to raise the flag: ‘Give up meat one day a week. I’m not going to have Burger King or McDonald’s for one day,’” said Stringer, who edited the "Go Green East Harlem Cookbook." “You’ve got to reach the next generation of New Yorkers early.” more ›

In his State of the Borough address tonight, Borough President Marty Markowitz will lobby to turn two Brooklyn armories into recreation centers with gym facilities. Currently the huge old buildings—located on Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights and on Sumner Avenue in Bed-Stuy—house homeless shelters, and, like the recently-opened Park Slope Armory YMCA, they may continue to do so. "The [YMCA] in Park Slope is just beginning, but I have a hunch in a few short months it's going to be jam-packed," Markowitz said. "Bedford Stuyvesant deserves it as much as Park Slope, and so does northern Crown Heights." more ›

Some elected officials use sirens and flashing lights to avoid traffic — even though such devices are only permitted in emergency vehicles. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz's SUV was spotted running red lights in Flatbush last week, but the Windsor Terrace resident insists his lights and sirens are "appropriate." A spokesman told the Post: "They are only used with great discretion ... In this instance, he was on his way to an event with the mayor and the governor addressing the Haitian crisis and calling for emergency aid to those suffering in Haiti as well as their families here, the majority of whom live in Brooklyn." more ›

The Post gets one of their juicy "sources" to dish on Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz's reaction to the idea of a Russian-owned Nyets team. Markowitz, a big Atlantic Yards booster throughout the controversy and delays, is feeling a little burned at this point, according to "one operative": "It's a combination of anger and embarrassment. He signed on to a magnificent Frank Gehry-designed Brooklyn palace in the sky, and now he's got a foreign-owned big hole in the ground." But fuggedaboutit; it's still the best hole in the best borough of New York! more ›

After months of speculation, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. will be leaving NYC for DC to take a position as the director of the White House Office on Urban Policy in the Obama administration. NY1 reports that the announcement will be made today: "The race to succeed Carrion will be decided in a special election in April." And Politicker NY forecasts, "The expected candidates are Assemblyman Ruben Diaz. Jr., who supported the new Democratic County Leader in a coup last year, and City Councilman Joel Rivera, whose father was ousted in that coup. (Other names talked about include City Council woman Helen Diane Foster.)" more ›

A new study conducted in all five boroughs determined that 39% of drivers observed were traveling in excess of the 30 mph speed limit, some with fatal speeds of 60 mph and higher in school zones and other high-traffic pedestrian areas. Transportation Alternatives researchers recorded motorist speeds at 13 locations in 2008; the spots were chosen based on community complaints, as well as crash records compiled on Crashstat. more ›

Wheee, the tabloids won't stop hammering Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz over the way he runs three non-profits that produce free Brooklyn events and promote tourism! First the Daily News got up in his grill over $680,496 in no-bid contracts he awarded to the non-profits, then the Post was all, What's up with all the loot the Atlantic Yards developer pours into your pet projects, Marty? Now the Post is insinuating that the $2.7 million (maybe more) in tax dollars the Bloomberg administration has funneled to Markowitz's non-profits is essentially a payoff for the beep's Bloomberg cheerleading. Politicians doling out tax money for favors? We're shocked, and so is Dick Dadey of the watchdog group Citizens Union: "It doesn't smell right that he's getting so much city funds for nonprofits serving his interest." more ›

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, pictured here at last week's Atlantic Antic, is still drawing fire over the way he runs several non-profit groups that put on free Brooklyn events and promote tourism. Last month city comptroller Bill Thompson said he was "very concerned" about $680,496 in taxpayer-financed no-bid contracts Markowitz awarded to the non-profits, and the Brooklyn Paper saw a conflict in the estimated $260,000 that Atlantic Yards developer Forest City Ratner donated to fund Markowitz's Best of Brooklyn non-profit and his concert series. more ›

After the Daily News raised questions about $680,496 in no-bid contracts that Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz awarded to the nonprofit he runs out of his office, a spokesperson for city comptroller Bill Thompson tells the Brooklyn Paper that he's "very concerned about the contracts, which were clearly meant to circumvent the transparency [of] the contract registration process.” Thompson and Markowitz are both possible mayoral contenders. more ›

Are the city's borough presidents just a bunch of lazy, pampered functionaries who draw a $160,000-a-year salary to show up for photo ops and issue proclamations? After reviewing the schedules for all five presidents during the week of August 4th, the Post seems to have arrived at that conclusion. The tabloid is shocked to find that the job of borough president turns out to be largely ceremonial, with a week in the life filled with such duties as attending a Liza Minelli concert (Brooklyn's Marty Markowitz), a party for Hillary Clinton at Cipriani (the Bronx's Adolfo Carrión), and a staff meeting on replacing a disabled constituent's stolen scooter (Staten Island's James Molinaro).

Carrión spent 2½ hours having "private" time on Monday and an hour of the same on Thursday..."He can be known to disappear," said a source close to Carrión...Queens Borough President Helen Marshall also had lots of time missing from her schedule. On Aug. 5, she attended Gov. Paterson's signing of a bill about home foreclosures at 10:30 a.m., then went to a National Night Out Against Crime event at 6 p.m. Nothing was listed in between. "She could definitely do more with that position," said a Queens democratic insider.

There are some residual delays on Metro-North this morning after yesterday's East Harlem building collapse that led to the suspension of all service in and out of Grand Central. The trains' speed restrictions were lifted at 6:30 a.m. and there may be 5-10 delays. more ›

A dwarf bowling tournament planned for Staten Island bar Big Nose Kate’s has been cancelled after an unidentified scold alerted the media to the event, which was to be hosted Saturday by d-list celebrity dwarf minstrel Beetlejuice (pictured), an occasional guest on the Howard Stern show. In dwarf bowling, players take turns rolling a dwarf (wearing protective gear) on a skateboard down makeshift bowling alleys toward small pins. In exchange for his dignity, the dwarf/bowling ball earns more than $100 an hour, according to Beetlejuice’s co-manager. more ›

Sure, the 2008 election is exciting, but hundreds of candidates are expected to run for city office next year. more ›

Everything's coming up rosé on Staten Island: on the heels of the new aquarium unveiling in the ferry terminal, plans for the island’s first vineyard are coming into focus. Borough President James Molinaro (pictured, right) has pledged $2 million for the project, which will establish a 2 acre vineyard and demonstration winery at the Staten Island Botanical Garden. more ›

Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, and some young constituents, unveiled two new 10-ton fish tanks at the St. George ferry terminal. Molinaro said the tanks will liven up people's commutes; in July, he told the Advance, "It's very soothing because we live on an Island and it's very pleasant, so it fits perfectly." more ›

Well, this explains a lot: The Center for Disease Control and Protection says this year's flu shot is only good for 40% of the flu bugs going around. Thanks a lot, new strains of flu viruses that are kicking people's butts! more ›

We noticed two YouTube videos, taken from an apartment with a view of Dean Street, documenting some late night construction activity at the Atlantic Yards site in downtown Brooklyn. How late? Well, one video takes place at 11:42PM (video) while the other is in the 4AM hour (above!). For reference, according to 311, construction hours are generally 7AM to 6PM on weekdays (there may be emergency work in the middle of the night, but only on occasion; we also know some contractors get variances and conduct work late at night). more ›

Some troubling news about yesterday's three-alarm fire at 200 East 72nd Street which left 19 firefighters and 14 resident injured. Apparently the fire alarm system had been undergoing repairs (there were complaints about "multiple false alarms" according to the Sun), which led to chaos. The building is "fireproof," and the FDNY says residents should have just stayed in their apartment, but many tried to leave the building. more ›

Michael Lappin, CEO of the managing company for what is being called the "New Domino", responded yesterday to our questions about the proposed project via email.

The iconic Domino Sugar sign is not included in these renderings. [We photoshopped it back in, above.] Is there any plan to preserve that somewhere at the site? We are making every effort to save the sign. We are looking at different engineering solutions regarding the “where and how.” It’s a complex problem.

THEATER: Wolf Lane Productions presents Victims of the Zeitgeist (The Tragedy of Martin Luther King, Jr.), written & directed by Ellwoodson Williams. The production "offers an exciting and telling insight into just who Martin Luther King, Jr., was as leader and simply as a sensitive and intelligent human being who loved life and who had a sense of humor, a deep understanding of the human condition - its strengths and weaknesses - and a profound belief in justice." more ›

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Take a good, long look New York: You could be staring into the squinty eyes of your future mayor. (Yes, the white dude on the right.) Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who describes himself as “somewhat comical” [emphasis added] is on the verge of announcing his candidacy for mayor. Fuhgeddaboutit? more ›

Norman Siegel, former NYCLU director, is taking the city to court today on behalf of Harlem residents opposed to the city’s plan for sports fields on Randall's Island. The city is building 63 new fields on the island in addition to the 36 fields already there; the construction is being partially financed by a consortium of private schools who will be given exclusive access to most of the fields between 3pm and 6pm on weekdays. more ›

Back in 2006, an agreement signed the day construction started for the new Yankee Stadium promised the team would pay $1.2 million a year in cash and in kind to a fund benefiting Bronx residents for 40 years. It was a gesture to make up for the inconvenience during construction and loss of parkland the new stadium was costing the neighborhood. After a year and half, none of the money has been distributed - and it's unclear who will be distributing it, if ever. more ›

Just because the 2009 elections are over 22 months away doesn't mean some interesting moves can't happen. Adolfo Carrion Jr. (pictured, on left), the Bronx Borough President, has decided to run for City Comptroller in 2009, making it a tough field and shedding light on the mayoral contest. more ›

Today is a citywide "Day Out Against Hate." City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the Reverend Al Sharpton have spearheaded the event, which was prompted by a number of disturbing hate crime incidents, from swastikas in Brooklyn Heights to a noose found at the Columbia University campus. The Politicker was at one of the events this morning, where Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz "suggested, rather strongly, that city public school students be required to make... more ›

A rendering of Brooklyn's proposed City Tech Tower, designed by Renzo Piano, at Tillary and and Jay Street sent some into speculation mode, especially since its height seemed to be up to 1,000 feet tall. Which would make just about twice the height of the 512-foot tall Williamsburgh Savings Bank, currently the tallest building the Brooklyn. However, the rendering of the building is apparently old. A representative at Forest City Ratner, the development company which... more ›

Brooklyn is all "Fuhgeddaboutit," but Staten Island can be "Hey, what about us!" at times. Take, for instance, a recent angry letter from the Richmond County Young Republicans who have asked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to recognize the borough in its software. You can read the entire letter here (PDF), but check out this excerpt:We often send out event invitations to members of The Richmond County Young Republicans' Gacebook group, but we have come across... more ›