Results tagged “mayordaviddinkins”

On Sunday, the worldwide running community lost an institution: Vic Navarra, a FDNY lieutenant who organized the NYC Marathon's start for 26 years, died at his home in Staten Island. He was 55 and had been battling sinus cancer.

Mayor David Dinkins, who preceded Mayor Giuliani in office from 1990 to 1993, had his appendix removed in an emergency surgery Friday when it was determined that he was suffering from appendicitis. Dinkins was actually visiting his doctor for a routine flu shot, when he complained that he had a sharp pain in his side. A CAT scan revealed the inflamed and infected appendix--a condition that can be lethal if the vestigial organ bursts.

Before we dive into the Times' weddings and celebrations announcements, we'd like to note that the Styles section has an article for guests thinking about buying tableware gifts for upcoming weddings. The article suggests buying colorful accessory plates and bowls for couples who may have registered for white-only dinnerware. We're fans of white-only dinnerware, because it's very versatile, it doesn't have to be too expensive, and it can be dressed up or down. If you should break a piece, you won't be too heartbroken because it shouldn't be too hard to replace.

Columbia University's plan to expand its campus into Manhattanville has prompted much debate about the eminent domain, college's commitment to the neighborhood, and gentrification and its effects on the community. The NY Sun revealed last week that Columbia spent over $400,000 for lobbying between January and April of this year, a sign that the school is getting aggressive to make sure its plans come through. And yesterday, there was a NY Times Op-Ed by former Mayor David Dinkins, titled Don’t Fear Columbia, in support of the Manhattanville plan. Here's an excerpt:

Columbia University’s proposal to develop the old Manhattanville manufacturing zone of West Harlem over the next two decades is the perfect example of a change that will generate growth and benefit all...

Continue reading "Dinkins Supports Columbia's Manhattanville Plan"

If there's one NY Times Weddings & Celebrations write-up you read this week, read the one for Claire Israel and Oren Silverstein. Not only did the couple get married at Cupid’s Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas (but they'll have another service in Brooklyn next month), they also described how their initial online courtship had its roadblocks:

When the couple met online in April 2005, Ms. Israel was as concerned about where Mr. Silverstein lived (New Jersey) as he was about who she lived with (her two cats).

Continue reading "Times Weddings Highlights: Cats Vs. NJ"

Just in time for whenever Rudy Giuliani decides to announce he's running for President, The Smoking Gun has excerpts from his 1993 vulnerability study that offered rebuttals whenever certain charges were levied. For instance, the whole "marrying his second cousin" thing. Or avoiding military service. Or being racist. Clearly, the study helped some, as Giuliani did defeat Mayor David Dinkins.

Ever since last week's many hour stoppage, Roosevelt Island tram officials have been trying to fix the machines. Only to find out that it's still not working, with the tram stalling twice during test runs. Con Ed emphasized that they had nothing to do with the stoppage - there were no power loads or surges found - and RI officials aren't sure when the investigation will be completed. Roosevelt Island residents are upset, saying that the tram is important for their daily lives because the F train gets too crowded (on the news, one person said that they have to wait for three or four trains before they can get on). But really, they are thinking, "Damn, the transit union still doesn't have a contract - if there's another strike and the tram is out of service, are we going to have to build rafts?"

The Boys Choir of Harlem hasn't had a very easy time, especially after it was found that a guidance counselor molested 14 year old student, but now they need to leave their home at Madison Avenue and East 127th Street. The NY Times looks at the embattled organization, and its struggle to exist amid the financial problems and the Department of Education's allegations that it mishandled the program. The choir operates out of the city's public school, the Choir Academy of Harlem; the choir and city had run the school together. But now the DoE is evicting the choir, contending that its founder, Dr. Walter Turnbull, had not kept the DoE notified of various changes or hired appropriate new leaders, per an agreement. Turnbull argues that the DoE's bureaucracy is stacking the case against him, as well as being racist. Uh-oh, the r-word. Of course, the DoE denies that race had anything to do with their decision, and points to the $5 million in debt that choir is in.

The debate with the Democratic mayoral hopfuls was broadcast yesterday, showing how very different their styles are. Basically, the young pups, Representative Anthony Weiner and City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, were more combustible; the NY Times noted that Weiner was the only candidate to stand when answering questions, and that Miller stood after realizing this. Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields and former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer stayed seated and were much calmer, perhaps trying to milk their status more as elder statespeople in NYC politics. Weiner was especially punchy, perhaps because he's trying to make more inroads in city politics, and called the others "stale", making Gothamist wonder if one of them would call him "moldy" or "past the due date." The lately beleaguered Ferrer made a rather valid point, at least in the context of the debate, saying, "If anybody wants another play out of the W.W.F. among the four candidates for mayor in the Democratic primary, I mean to disappoint you. Any one of these Democrats is a thousand times better than Mike Bloomberg." Clearly, Ferrer wants to win, but Gothamist thinks it's smart of Ferrer to point out that their goal should be to get a viable candidate on the ballot this November. But Gothamist still feels like September 13, the Democratic primary, is a long way off.

While many people, in and out of the political arena, can find bad stuff to say about Mayor Bloomberg, there seems to be a problem with finding anything to say about the Democratic candidates who want to run against him. At least, anything to say that will stick with voters, and many Democratic leaders are worried about that. The NY Times quotes Reverend Al Sharpton's political director as saying, "People are saying, why should we get rid of Bloomberg? The Democrats are not giving any solid reasons why Bloomberg should not be in office. I don't think any of the candidates have come forward with lucid arguments as to why Bloomberg has been ineffective and why he should be fired from his job as mayor." Gothamist has to agree: The candidates aren't really proposing anything constructive or feasible (Jets Stadium in Queens? The Jets aren't putting their $800 million in Queens.) that has legs yet. We hope that messages and tactics will take further shape in the next month before the debates start. The primaries are on September 13; the run-off, if needed, will be held on September 27. If you're not a NYC voter and want to be, register here. And here's the New York City Voter Assistance Commission site; you can find your representative here.

Yesterday, people from TV, film, and Broadway, as well as the public, gathered to pay tribute to the dearly missed Jerry Orbach. The attendees included Angela Lansbury, Al Pacino, Benjamin Bratt, Chris Noth, Jill Hennessy, Jane Alexander, Karen Ziemba, and Dick Wolf, plus many regular New Yorkers who cherished Orbach's contribution as an actor. Former Mayor David Dinkins was there, and Mayor Bloomberg spoke to the crowd, saying, "Briscoe exuded the life of the city in all its moxie...Jerry came to personify New York in both body and soul." NBC President Jeff Zucker and L&O producer Dick Wolf presented Orbach's widow Elaine with a $1 million check for Sloane Kettering's Cancer research fund as well.

One thing Gothamist knows is that while the Mayor may have learned to kiss babies (Steinhauer didn't delve into whether or not these babies wanted to be kissed), he still looks uncomfortable, which brings the funny in our book, in pictures like this one of the Mayor and Santa at Macy's Santaland. Oh, and here's the Mayor with some babies.

Nobody is shocked, but New Yorkers seem gleeful at the news of Mayor Bloomberg's low approval rating, a cool 32 percent. To give some idea of how low that is, Giuliani, certainly a love-him-or-hate-him figure pre-September 11, never went below 27 percent approval.