Petition Snafu Threatens To End Lynn Nunes Council Candidacy At BoE by Chris Bragg - City Hall News

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Lynn Nunes’ Council race may be over before it even began.

Just days before the end of his unsuccessful State Senate primary against Shirley Huntley, Nunes irked some of his backers by simultaneously applying for matching funds in the Council race to replace the deceased Tom White. At the same time, Nunes’ sister, Elaine, petitioned onto the ballot for the Council race, with the unspoken intention of ceding the spot to her brother via her committee on vacancies if the Senate campaign was unsuccessful.

And so the plan went into motion last week, after Nunes fell to Huntley by a 2-1 margin in Tuesday’s primary.

But it too seems to be falling short of expectations.
The New York City Board of Elections is initiating prima facie objections against the petitions of both Lynn and Elaine Nunes for the special election, based on the party name they created for the purposes of the election: Working Harder for Queens.

The problem is simple, and is one that has cut short special election candidacies before: their new party name is similar to that of the existing Working Families Party. And according to Board of Elections rules, the name of a party used on designating petitions cannot share all or any part of the name of an existing political party. (Huntley, as it happens, received the WFP line for the Senate race earlier in the summer.)

The Board of Elections considered a very similar issue just last February, for the special election fill the Council seat Joe Addabbo vacated to go to the State Senate. Glenn DiResto, a former police officer who had petitioned for the seat as the candidate of the Families First party was booted from the ballot because he had used the other operative word in the WFP’s title.

Eventually, DiResto was allowed back on the ballot by a judge, but only because the Board had given another candidate in the race the chance to change the name of their party after making a similar error.

In a phone conversation early Monday, Nunes said he was not sure if he would be running for the Council, and did not mention the BOE snafu.

Nunes did not return subsequent calls for comment.

J.C. Polanco, the Board’s Republican commissioner from the Bronx, said a BOE hearing
would be held on Tuesday, Sept. 28 regarding Nunes’ petitions. The special election is set to be held on the day of the general election, Nov. 2.

Already, 22 general objections have been filed in the race against nearly every one of the dozen potential candidates. A general objector named Joseph Thomas Jr. filed objections against Elaine Nunes, while general objectors Sharon Smith and Troy L. Jackson filed objections against both Elaine and Lynn Nunes.

Between them, Smith and Jackson appear to have lodged general objections at least once against every candidate except for Ruben Wills, the favorite of Huntley and Assembly Member Vivian Cook. Wills, who is running as the candidate of A Better Way, had his petitions challenged by Jaime Nunes.

General objections were also filed against the Taxpayers line petitions filed by Michael Allegretti, who lost the GOP Congressional primary to face Rep. Mike McMahon last week, as well as the Taxpayers petitions of Nicole Malliotakis, hoping to unseat Assembly Member Janele Hyer-Spencer. New lines with names playing off the word “taxes” appear to be somewhat taxing themselves: the Tax Cuts Now! line of Anthony Como, running against State Sen. Joe Addabbo, was challenged by three people, and the Taxed Enough line of Vince Tabone, running for the seat being vacated by Ann-Margaret Carrozza, was challenged by two people.

Book Banning Alive and Well in the U.S. | American Libraries Magazine

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Nation confronts censorship head-on during Banned Books Week, Sept. 25 – Oct. 2

What do books from the Twilight series, “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Catcher in the Rye” have in common? All have faced removal from library bookshelves in the United States within the past year.

From coast to coast, libraries and bookstores will battle censorship and celebrate the freedom to read during Banned Books Week, Sept. 25 – Oct. 2, 2010. Thousands of participants will read from banned or challenged books and will discuss the impact censorship has on civil liberties.

Each year, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives hundreds of reports on book challenges, which are formal written requests to remove a book from a library or classroom because of an objection to the book’s content. There were 460 recorded attempts to remove materials from libraries in 2009 and more than 11,000 attempts recorded sinceOIF began compiling information on book challenges in 1990.

“Not every book is right for each reader, but we should have the right to think for ourselves and allow others to do the same,” said ALA President Roberta Stevens. “The founders of this nation protected freedom of expression based on their conviction that a diversity of views and ideas is necessary for a vital, functioning democracy. Danger does not arise from viewpoints other than our own; the danger lies in allowing others to decide for us and our communities which reading materials are appropriate. How can we live in a free society and develop our own opinions if our right to choose reading materials for ourselves and our families is taken away? We must remain diligent and protect our freedom to read.”

In many cases, it is only through public concern and citizen involvement that books are saved from confiscation or from being kept under lock and key. For example in Stockton, Mo., concerned citizens spoke out during school board meetings and persuaded the school board to reconsider its ban of Sherman Alexie’s National Book Award –winning novel, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” While the work of these citizens is not done, their ongoing campaign to encourage the Stockton school board to reverse its decision demonstrates how public support for the right to read freely can help prevent the suppression of literature and ideas.

This year will mark the 29th annual celebration of Banned Books Week. This year’s observance will kick off in Chicago on Sept. 25, as best-selling banned authors participate in a “Read Out!” event. Participating authors include the most frequently challenged author of 2009, Lauren Myracle (the ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r series); Chris Crutcher (“Athletic Shorts”) and many others.

Many bookstores and libraries celebrating Banned Books Week will showcase selections from the ALA OIF’s “Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2009.” The list is released each spring and serves as a comprehensive snapshot of book removal attempts in the U.S. The “Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2009” reflects a range of themes and consists of the following titles:

• ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
  Reasons: Drugs, Nudity, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group
• “And Tango Makes Three,” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
  Reasons: Homosexuality
• “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
  Reasons: Anti-Family, Drugs, Homosexuality, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Sexually Explicit, Suicide, Unsuited to Age Group,
• “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee
  Reasons: Offensive Language, Racism, Unsuited to Age Group
• Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
  Reasons: Religious Viewpoint, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group
• “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger
  Reasons: Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group
• “My Sister’s Keeper,” by Jodi Picoult
  Reasons: Drugs, Homosexuality, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Sexism, Sexually Explicit, Suicide, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence
• “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things,” by Carolyn Mackler
  Reasons: Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group
• “The Color Purple,” Alice Walker
  Reasons: Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group
• “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
  Reasons: Nudity, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

For more information on Banned Books Week, book challenges and censorship, please visit the Office of Intellectual Freedom’s Banned Books Web site at www.ala.org/bbooks, or www.bannedbooksweek.org.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the ALA, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the National Association of College Stores and is endorsed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

NYPD Chopper Makes Emergency Landing By Brooklyn Field - NY1.com & NY Daily News

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A police helicopter sits in Jamaica Bay after making an emergency landing on Wednesday. (Jason Andrew for The Wall Street Journal)

A New York City Police Department helicopter needed to make an emergency landing by Floyd Bennett Field in Jamaica Bay, Brooklyn this afternoon.


Officials say all five people aboard are now safe.

Some aboard the chopper received minor injuries and were taken to hospitals for observation, according to police.

It is still not clear why the pilot had to set the helicopter down on the water.

The Coast Guard and the New York City Fire Department are also on the scene.

NY Daily News - NYPD Helicopter Makes Hard Emergency Landing in Brooklyn, Cause Unclear

An NYPD helicopter made an emergency landing Wednesday near the department's aviation base in Brooklyn.

It was not clear what caused the aircraft to suddenly go down, but it appeared to land in Jamaica Bay near Floyd Bennett Field just before 4 p.m., FDNY officials said.

Five police officers were inside the chopper when it landed. There were no serious injuries.

In August of 2009, one of the helicopters in the NYPD fleet made two emergency landings in a three-day span. The first happened at a soccer field in Maspeth, Queens. The second happened in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Both incidents were attributed to a faulty indicator light in the chopper's control panel.

Bird Watchers Compete in Texas by Mark Strassmann - CBS News Video

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Mark Strassmann reports on competitive bird-watching in Texas, where more than 200 "birders" vie to spot and identify the greatest variety of birds.

The Second Fastest Growing Hobby is... Birding?

Bird Watching Can Bring Fierce Competition Among America's 48 Million Amatuer Audubons

We're down to the final week of summer. For birds, the fall migration has begun and that means it's peak season for birdwatching.

This is no casual activity, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann , in fact it's one of the most popular competitions in America.

For every backyard birder out there, the sound of birds is music to the ears. 

Greg Mason's one of 48 million American birders - amateur Audubons. They know a scarlet tanager from a rose-breasted grosbeak.

Or in this case, a "little green heron," as Mason points out. He gets jazzed up about birdwatching. "You start doing this, and you go to kookytown."

The annual Great Texas Birding Classic is a spirited competition for more than 200 birders. Teams keep score on the honor system. Spot the greatest variety of birds, you win.

Competitors can identify different species by sight or by sounds. It's called "ear birding." If you're in it to win it, if you "bird" to win, the birder to beat is Bill Baker.

Baker is the five-time defending champion of the Great Texas Birding Classic. His three-man team will cover 2,000 miles in five days.

"It's a quick pace," Baker said. "We don't sit in one spot very long."

Baker scouts out the entire course before the competition begins. "Every team is going to find the bird you would expect to find," he said. "So you have to go beyond what's expected in order to win."

Mention Baker's name and many birders like Susan Knock lose their bravado.

"You're going to have to beat him," Strassmann said.

"I am," Knock replied.

"Is it possible?"

"Yes,"

"This year?"

"No."

Knock was right. Baker won again, spotting 308 different species. Proving once again that with both birds and birders, there is a pecking order.

You're Invited to Congressman Weiner's Town Hall on Post-Tornado Clean-Up in Queens - Tuesday, September 21st at 6:30pm...

What: Town Hall Meeting on Post-Tornado Clean-Up in Queens with

New York City Office of Emergency Management

When: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 6:30pm

Where: Forest Hills Jewish Center

106-06 Queens Boulevard - Forest Hills, New York

Enter on 69th Road

Sponsored By:

Congressman Anthony Weiner

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz
Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi

Questions? Call Congressman Weiner’s community office at 718-520-9001.

Senator Addabbo to Host Another FREE Health Fair on Sunday, September 26, 10 AM - 2 PM, at Nativity B.V.M. Church

Senator Addabbo will host another free Health Fair on Sunday, September 26, 10 AM - 2 PM, at Nativity B.V.M. Church basement, 101-41 91st Street, Ozone Park. 

Representatives from AIDS Center of Queens County, American Cancer Society, Community Health Network, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Food Bank of NY, Jamaica Hospital, Pearle Vision, Project Chernobyl, Queens Hospital Center and many more, will be on hand to provide free services like: HIV/AIDS testing; blood pressure screenings; eye check-ups; food stamp application screenings; glucose screenings; nutritional information; smoking cessation program; thyroid screenings. 


There will also be information on applying for Medicare, Medicaid, EPIC, Child Health Plus, and Family Health Plus, with free Child ID cards provided by New York Life.

Ridgewood Democratic Club Regular Membership Meeting - September 24th - 7:30pm - Guest Speaker: Walter Hang - "How New York City's Drinking Water Could be Imperiled by Marcellus Shale Gas Hydrofracking"

Ridgewood Democratic Club Regular Membership Meeting

Guest Speaker: Walter Hang - "How New York City's Drinking Water Could be Imperiled by Marcellus Shale Gas Hydrofracking"

Where: 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385

When: September 24th

Time: 7:30pm

Devastation from Tornado in Forest Hills and Middle Village...

I was traveling to North Shore Forest Hills Hospital last Thursday during the tornado and micro-burst that hit Middle Village and Forest Hills hard...It took about 1 hr and 45 mins to get to the hospital and about 2.5 hours to get home to Ozone Park...Trees and power-lines were down everywhere...

Click here to view these pictures larger

Here's a video taken during the storm by a friend, Alex Maureau...




Some stuff from the tornado in Queens New York City on September 16, 2010. It came out of nowhere. Missed some of the action due to trying to get the darn camera ready to record but caught a power pole near my neighbors house sparking. Trees down all over my area and the power went out momentarily.

Video filmed by Alex Maureau

This is a collection of photos from the aftermath of the Middle Village, Glendale Queens tornado that came roaring through in the evening rush hour on September 16, 2010. Thousands were without power and many, many more are still dealing with downed trees and other damage to their homes.

All photos taken and slideshow designed by Alex Maureau.

This is a collection of photos from the aftermath of the Middle Village, Glendale Queens tornado that came roaring through in the evening rush hour on September 16, 2010.

All photos taken and slideshow designed by Alex Maureau.




This is a collection of photos from the aftermath of the Forest Hills, Rego Park Queens tornado that came roaring through in the evening rush hour on September 16, 2010.

All photos taken and slideshow designed by Alex Maureau.

DiNapoli Campaign Releases Its First TV Commercial...

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced on Monday morning that his campaign had released its first television commercial of the 2010 electoral season.

The 30-second commercial will be seen on cable stations throughout downstate New York beginning Monday.



The ad focuses on Tom DiNapoli's strong record of saving taxpayers' money, cleaning up the pension fund and turning it into a nationally-recognized leader for pension fund management. Comptroller DiNapoli's record is in stark contrast with Republican and Conservative candidate Harry Wilson, who plans to bring the same Wall Street values that wrecked our economy to the management of the pension fund.

"In three years, Tom DiNapoli has taken a pension fund that had been racked by scandal and made it into a national leader. He’s been the Comptroller for middle class New Yorkers, exposing billions in government waste. And he’s been the clearest voice warning of the need to rein in Albany’s abusive spending habits," said Mark Benoit, DiNapoli 2010 Campaign Manager.

"Our opponent, Harry Wilson, wants to be the Comptroller for his Wall Street buddies, playing the same risky games that made him millions while bringing our economy to its knees. He’s now using his ill-gotten profits to tell voters that he should be in charge of the retirement security of over one million working New Yorkers. This commercial shows taxpayers the real Harry Wilson, and makes it abundantly clear who the people of New York can trust in this race, and that’s Tom DiNapoli."

Cops to California Voters: Legalize It! by Charles Davis - Criminal Justice | Change.org

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Listening to the critics, you'd think the only people calling for an end to marijuana prohibition in California were a bunch of deadbeat, dirty stoners -- which, if true, might be cause for concern, as polls show most residents of the state support legalizing the much-maligned weed. But contrary to stereotype, a broad coalition supports Proposition 19, the initiative on the November ballot that would legalize marijuana, from labor unions to law enforcement, with dozens of retired cops and judges lending their support to the argument that it is prohibition -- not pot smoking -- that poses the real threat to society.

"I was basically a drug warrior until I saw what was happening in my own courtroom," James Gray, a retired Orange County Superior Court judge, told reporters on a press call Monday. "And then I started learning, seeing, watching, that the tougher we get with regard to non-violent drug offenses, literally the softer we get with regard to the prosecution of everything else, like robbery, rape and murder. Why? Because we only have so many resources in the criminal justice system."

Gray spoke to mark the release of a letter signed by more than 30 retired law enforcement officials in California voicing support for Proposition 19. Put together by the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, the letter blasts the status quo as a boon to organized crime and calls "for new laws that will effectively control and tax cannabis," an effort signers say will dry up one of the leading sources of funding for the increasingly violent Mexican drug cartels.

Indeed, whatever one's views about the drug itself, the war on pot is "not working and it hasn’t reduced the use of marijuana," retired San Jose police chief Joseph McNamara argued on the call. Its illegality, meanwhile, "produces enormous funding for drug cartels and drug gangs and violence," he noted. "The violence is not because people are getting stoned on marijuana. It’s caused by the whole gangster syndrome that exists when you establish criminal prohibition and drive the profits and prices up."

That message -- that pot legalization is less about condoning its use and more about making our communities safer -- is echoed in the letter, addressed to the "Voters of California" and signed by former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper, among other notables.

"As criminal justice professionals, we have seen with our own eyes that keeping cannabis illegal damages public safety -- for cannabis consumers and non-consumers alike," the letter says. "If California's voters make the sensible decision to effectively control and tax cannabis this November, it will eliminate illegal marijuana distribution networks, just as ending alcohol prohibition put a stop to violent and corrupting gangsters' control of beer, wine and liquor sales."

The letter's release comes after all nine former heads of the Drug Enforcement Agency -- that is, the former heads of a bureaucracy with a vested interested in maintaining costly drug prohibition, regardless of its failure -- wrote Attorney General Eric Holder last month expressing "grave concern" about Proposition 19 and asking him to suppress the will of California voters should they embrace legalization. (See Firedoglake founder Jane Hamsher's response).

"The California proposition is not a close call; it will be a clear conflict with established federal law and in fact will also violate our government's treaty obligations ratified by Congress," the former DEA officials wrote, urging Holder to consider suing the state of California just as the Obama administration has sued Arizona over its controversial immigration law. "We would expect the Department of Justice to act just as swiftly and for the same reason."

Photo Credit: Dauvit Alexander