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The NY State Democratic Convention is taking place in Buffalo today and tomorrow (the NY State Republican Convention is in Long Island on Wednesday and Thursday), and the gloves are coming off as the Democrats are looking to grab the Governor's house. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the Democratic frontrunner for the gubernatorial nomination, called the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation "an abject failure". Well, of course he would say that - didn't recently resigned LMDC chairman John Whitehead claim Spitzer had threatened him on the phone? Spitzer didn't mince any words: He called what's happening downtown an "Enron-style debacle." The LMDC said that Spitzer was continuing his vendetta against Whitehead, and Governor Pataki's spokesperson also used the word "vendetta" when criticizing Spitzer's words about a World War II veteran on Memorial Day, no less. Whitehead might be a WWII veteran, but a better question would be, what got done at Ground Zero? more ›

With the rest of the World Trade Center redevelopment mired in a bureaucratic morass, the opening of 7 World Trade Center was greeted with joy, excitement, and yes, even praise for beleagured developer Larry Silverstein for actually building something. The festive opening ceremonies lacked Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg, who had "other commitments," giving center stage to Silverstein who said, "We've come a very long way. What you're looking at today is just the beginning." And a whimsical Jeff Koons sculpture, Balloon Flower (Red), was unveiled in the middle of the park outside 7WTC, and tthe sculpture is supposed to change color with the light - we can't wait to take a look up close ourselves. more ›

Another signal that the World Trade Center memorial is mired in a big mess: The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, which has been raising money for the memorial, is stopping their fundraising efforts as they try to under the cost of the project. Last week's revelation that construction firm Bovis estimated the cost to be near $1 billion, and everyone was all sorts of upset. The foundation said, "It's only fair to donors to be able to expressly say how their money will be used and how much the project will cost," and said the foundation would continue once "the foundation, the city, the state, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey were all 'on the same page,'" per the NY Times. Well, the city, NY state and NJ state want the foundation to continue their job, with Governor Pataki's office saying, "The mayor and the governors are already on the same page. The memorial foundation should focus on their most important task - fundraising." more ›

Commissioner of Consumer Affairs Gretchen Dykstra says, "This proposal promotes a lively nightlife without requiring a license to dance, and most importantly, it will improve the quality-of-life in neighborhoods and strengthen enforcement to effectively deal with poorly managed places." The bars and nightclubs will also have to make sure the streets outsides their establishments are "clean and free of unruly and noisy crowds. more ›

The Mayor, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Commissioner Gino Menchini, and Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra want to know about your cell phone service, specifically where your cell phone's dead zones are. This initiative to improve New Yorkers' cell phone service comes as users will be able to switch providers while keeping their numbers. Some of the Mayor's remarks from the press conference: more ›