Mayor Bloomberg's generosity has been noted from educational institutions (like his alma mater Johns Hopkins) and even city organizations (like the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation). He gave staffers on his re-election campaign payouts as big as $300,000-400,000. And when Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff announced he would leave City Hall to become president of the mayor's business, Bloomberg LP, it suggested that the Mayor rewarded staffers he trusts. Well, the NY Times now looks......

Freaked out about the explosions in your neighborhood, only to find out via 311 that it's just fireworks? Or wondering about the fire around the corner? Well, the city actually does want you to know about what's going on in your neighborhoods and announced the pilot program launch of Notify NYC, which will deliver "emergency public information by email, text messages and reverse-911 alerts in four City community districts." The four districts are Lower Manhattan,......

Mayor Bloomberg has made a big deal out of municipal belt tightening--stressing that the flush budgetary times funded by Wall St. bonuses and record real estate transaction fees can not last forever. Earlier this year, the mayor sent out a memo to the heads of city agencies that emphasized that flush times should not be taken for granted:As you are aware, the City's economy depends in no small measure on the profitability and success of......

When some Con Ed workers at Ground Zero found some human remains in a manhole last October, the city promised it would expand the search for remains (especially since it was revealed that the initial search for remains was more of a rush job). Now the city says that it will search under two more spots: West Street, in front of the World Financial Center, and Cedar Street, between Washington and West Streets. Deputy Mayor......

Some Brooklyn residents and business owners are wondering if the nice weather means it's the "start of crazy time" given yesterday's two daytime shootings in Brooklyn. One incident occurred around noon near PS 256 - the Post reports that over 200 kids were outside during recess when a drive-by shooting took place at Marcy and Lafayette avenues - which is also near a park. Someone in a "light-colored sedan" fired at a Ford Explorer, killing......

Taking time out of his usual schedule running NYC and counting his money, Mayor Bloomberg appeared on MTV in (a taped segment) to hype the MTV Video Music Awards, which are back in NYC this year. Yup, that's why it's messy around Radio City Music Hall and that's why all these celebrities and "celebrities" (LC from The Hills, we're talking to you) are in town. Famous New Yorkers are asked who they think will win......

Mayor Bloomberg's press secretary, Ed Skyler, was named a deputy mayor, making the 32 year old the youngest deputy mayor in quite a while. Skyler, whom The Politicker calls the "arch-maven of media, will be the Deputy Mayor For Administration, which means he will assist Bloomberg with managing agencies like the NYPD, FDNY, Office of Emergency Management, and Office of Labor Relations and actually oversee agencies such as the Department of Sanitation, Department of Citywide......

Ouchy. As more polls continue to suggest that Mayor Bloomberg is enjoying a very comfortable lead over Fernando Ferrer in the mayoral race, and just as Ferrer is releasing a negative ad pointing out the places the Mayor went to promote to failed NYC 2012 Olympics bid, Bloomberg's team happily distributes a photograph of Bloomberg and former President Bill Clinton at a speaking event at the Waldorf Astoria. Hilariously, when Clinton aides tried to push......

Gothamist loves stories about the eating habits of political candidates, because even if we disagree about the issues, at least we know we all like food. But the NY Times published a somewhat controversial story over the weekend about Mayor Bloomberg's new election year diet. He has cut out the following: Wine; bacon and eggs (or is he trying to woo more Orthodox Jewish votes?); saltines with cream cheese and salt; and his "favorite lunchtime......

Tucked into the NY Times' Friday edition was the best photo montage Gothamist has seen in a long time: Nine images of the Mayor in his various chapeaus, from an IHOP chef's hat to a religious "skullcap," from a Department of Sanitation cap to a Red Sox cap (losing the American Conference bet). While the NY Times might have thought it had the appropriate level of fluff for the day after Thanksgiving, we were so......

The NY Times has an interesting look at how Mayor Bloomberg has New York Region > Bloomberg Takes Latest Alert Seriously: No Salt" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/04/nyregion/04bloomberg.final.html?ex=1249358400&en=1e281fc3c895caf6&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland">been reassuring NYers about the recent terror alerts, the latest in a post-September-11 administration filled with terror warnings. Bloomberg has been shifting his tone a bit: Though still reminding NYers to "go about their business" and partake in the city, trying to lead by example by taking the subway and going to......

The big protest group, United for Peace and Justice, has agreed to protest and rally at along Seventh Avenue and the West Side Highway during the Republican National Convention. This site, proposed by the NYPD in an ultimatum of sorts, is less than ideal as it's far from the convention, but UPJ said, "The clock is ticking; we need to move on. So, we decided to take the high road here." Because UPJ has agreed......

When announcing the city's plan to turn a South Bronx dump in a park yesterday, the Mayor bragged to reporters that he could do "an Eskimo roll in the rapids in a kayak, thank you." An Eskimo roll is righting a capsized kayak, which is not surprising, given the Mayor's need to navigate the crazy world of city politics. He hoped that the press corps would kayak with him to the future Hunt's Point Park,......

- The Post reports that security for the Republican Natinal Convention will cost $29 million more - for a total of $76 million - than the Bloomberg administration thought. Gothamist wants to know why it's so surprising that it would be that expensive, considering that thousands of Republicans AND the President will be coming to New York for a couple days. That says "Security up the wazoo," not to mention "gridlock," to us. Anyway, Police......

In a forceful display of making officials employees realize they are not better than regular New Yorkers, Mayor Bloomberg is, per the Times headline, "Yanking Sirens and Lights From Cars of 255 City Officials." This comes after WCBS reported Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Roman's abuse of them. Gothamist wants photos on Mayor Bloomberg going from car to car, with Hulk-like rage, tearing out the sirens and lights. There are still 73 civilian cars with lights and......