Another day, another story about Senate Majority Pedro Espada's questionable dealings! Today, the Post reports that Espada has "turned his Bronx nonprofit health center into his own 'cash for clunkers' program when it bought an old, gas-guzzling junker from his eldest son." The charity that runs the Soundview Health Clinics "picked up a 2001 Ford Expedition" with over 175K miles on it from Pedro G. Espada last year (you may remember Pedro G. Espada from this). While spokesman Alexander Fear said it was a good deal, it's unclear why the car was needed—apparently the group "has bought a series of upscale gas-guzzlers, including a Cadillac Deville, a GMC Envoy SUV and luxury Chrysler 300C -- periodically replacing them with newer vehicles." Espada, his son, his daughter-in-law and an employee "convicted of committing fraud for one of his campaigns" all have use of the CCDC's cars. The Post also has an editorial titled "BOSS PEDRO"—"Watch out, Boss Tweed -- here comes Pedro Espada. And from the looks of it, the Bronx up-and-comer just can't wait to claim title to the top spot as New York's most corrupt politician ever." more ›

In Manhattan federal court yesterday, a judge sentenced former Queens Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin to ten years in prison for taking in over $3 million in embezzlement, bribes from taxpayers and other illegal means. McLaughlin even stole $95,000 from a Queens Little League, promising voters that their donations meant that "A Child in Sports Stays Out of the Courts." Judge Richard Sullivan said that McLaughlin harkened back to the era of Boss Tweed and accused the former president of the nation’s largest municipal labor council of validating “the harshest critics of organized labor who accuse the leadership of corruption, and point to you as an example of that corruption.” Prosecutors had asked the judge for leniency, in part because of McLaughlin's cooperation in the recent indictment of another pol, Queens Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio. At the sentencing, McLaughlin, who has entered into Alcoholics Anonymous in recent years, said, "I'd like to say I make no excuses for it. But over the past three, 3-1/2 years I've had the opportunity to live the way I'd like to live my life." more ›

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on Waring Ave. and White Plains Rd. in the Bronx, a water rescue at the foot of East 79th St. in Manhattan, and a pedestrian fatally struck at Cropsy Ave. and the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. A Jewish family had to have their housekeeper call animal control to report a five-foot-long snake in their Brooklyn driveway. The definitions of midtown and the stress of establishing boundaries. New... more ›

The safety problems on one of the city's most prominent landmarks went unnoticed until a city Buildings Department manager gazed at Tweed while walking to his office on Chambers St. in lower Manhattan. more ›

Yesterday was the 38th Annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride March, and thousands of people participated - from shimmying and showing off their outrageous costumes to waving gay pride flags and hollering their support. The grand marshals of the parade were religious leaders Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and Reverend Dr. Troy Perry; Kleinbaum said, "We stand for a progressive religious voice. Those who use religion to advocate an anti-gay agenda I believe are blaspheming God’s name.” more ›

The State Assembly voted in favor of allowing same-sex marriages in New York. Newsday said it was the first time a gay marriage bill was "debated publicly in one of the houses of the State Legislature Tuesday." However, the bill is not expected to make it pass the Republican-controlled Senate. Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said, "We're not doing gay marriage by [tomorrow's adjournment], that's for sure." more ›

The Puerto Rican Day Parade is supposed to draw 2.8 million spectators to 5th Ave. in Manhattan this Sunday, making it one of the most popular annual parades in New York City. It's the 50th occurrence, so expect lots of enthusiasm from marchers, who will be heading north from 44th St. to 86th St. and entertained by Parade King Ricky Martin. more ›

New York has never celebrated the forms of dance that it has birthed until now: Voguing, Jazz, the Jitterbug, Punk, Gothic--even Salsa was birthed in the Cuban Communities in this great city. And it is now time for Dance. New York has enjoyed the last two years of a September Art Parade and in May 2007, we can finally honor Dance in a similar fashion. more ›

In less than a year and a half, former Brooklyn Assemblyman and Democratic party boss Clarence Norman was found guilty on corruption charges. This time, a jury found Norman guilty of five counts of coercion, grand larceny by extortion, and attempted grand larceny by extortion related to, as the Daily News put it, "shaking down court candidate Karen Yellen for $10,000" back in 2002. Norman's threat was that she would lose his support if she didn't use certain campaign consultants. Norman was acquitted of five other similar charges related to extorting another candidate, Marcia Sikowitz. more ›

Boss Tweed uploaded video from September 12, 2001 to YouTube. The film shows how the World Trade Center's remains were still burning the day after, and how people posted "Missing" signs in areas that later became makeshift memorials. The NY Sun has an article about five places in the NYC area that have become memorials, as we wait for one to be built at Ground Zero. more ›

The Javits Center isn't the only NYC convention center getting ready for a growth spurt. Though the Javits expansion has been hitting snags of late (like, uh, who is going to pay for it?) the Times today reports on the Bloomberg administrations newest pet convention project, the smaller convention area currently on Pier 94. more ›

- This weekend the Central Park Zoo, which just got a new curator, had its 15 millionth visitor! more ›

Thousands of people (WNBC says 500,000!) lined Fifth Avenue and Greenwich Village streets to enjoy this year's Gay Pride Parade, in spite of a bit of rain. In fact, one performer on the "Carnival in Rio" float told the NY Times, "Today is our day. The rain won't stop us. Mother Nature is a drag queen." One of the stars of the parade was Kevin Aviance, the drag queen who was brutally beaten by some teens in the East Village. A parade parade spectator deemed Aviance, who was wearing red high heels, silver shorts, a white jacket, and sparkly silver top hat, "fabulous." more ›

- A flight to Puerto Rico had to return to JFK after two passangers started throwing punches. more ›

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- The guy who stabbed a 10-month-old baby in Washington Heights last September has been found mentally unfit to stand trail more ›

- Boss Tweed sees Mona Lisas in Union Square - for The Da Vinci Code, perhaps? more ›

Gothamist is getting reports from all over that the anti-war protest currently going on down Broadway is a shockingly large one. Though it is only supposed to go from Union Square down Broadway to Worth Street, we're hearing reports of protesters backing up all the way to Madison Square! more ›

Today, between 3PM and 7PM, many people are planning to attend an immigration rally at City Hall. There are a couple different plans (the Daily News says some are marching over the Brooklyn Bridge again while others will start at Washington Square Park), with students, taxi drivers and other service workers will walk out or leave work in order to attend the rally. Yesterday's rally in Dallas had hundreds of thousands of people. more ›

- The Villager reports there were only 4 arrests in last weeks Critical Mass more ›

- And the Village Voice says this year's No Pants 2K6 backfired because of the arrests more ›

- And the AP interviews the blogging taxi driver, Melissa Plaut, who is awesome more ›