Is Bloomberg looking For a Fourth Term Or Trying to Hand-pick his Successor?

   That is the question former Bronx Borough President and opponent to Mayor Bloomberg in 2005 Freddy Ferrer wants to know. Ferrer is reigniting an old fight against his former nemesis,  saying the mayor is again pushing nonpartisan elections so he can handpick his successor. 

   Ferrer told the Daily News that Bloomberg is using his vast fortune to either get a fourth term or hand-pick his successor. Ferrer added that it is entirely conceivable the mayor is trying to set the stage for his longtime companion, Diana Taylor, or NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly to succeed him at City Hall.

   A Bloomberg spokesman responded that Mr. Ferrer launched three unsuccessful campaigns for mayor under the partisan elections system. But in the September 2001 primary he won many more votes than any other candidate running on the Democratic or Republican line. If nonpartisan elections were in effect then, New York may well have had Mayor Ferrer instead of Mayor Bloomberg.

   

  

KLEIN SECURES NEW HOME FOR ROOSTER RESCUED FROM COCKFIGHT

   Bird to be Delivered to Recovery Sanctuary

   State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) announced on Friday that he has secured a safe, long term home for an abused rooster recently rescued from a South Bronx cockfight. The owner of the Hollywood Haircuts barber shop on City Island has been rehabilitating and caring for the rooster, Coco, since his rescue earlier this year. Following the press conference, Klein’s office delivered the rooster to its new home at the Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary in Petersburg, NY.

   “Cockfights are an abusive and horrendous practice that has no place in the Bronx or anywhere else in this city. I am extremely pleased that we were able to find a good home for this rooster where he can live safely while becoming reacquainted with other birds in a natural and healthy habitat,” said State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeffrey D. Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester).

   Klein’s office was first contacted in July by a concerned City Island resident who noticed a rooster running around in the street in front of the Hollywood Haircuts barber shop on City Island Avenue.  The resident was troubled by the animal’s noise level and the safety threat it posed to drivers. Klein’s office immediately reached out to the barber shop to determine why it was letting a farm animal loose on a public street. Alex Mullokandov, an employee at the shop, had the answer.   

According to Mullokandov, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) rescued five roosters from a cock fighting operation in the South Bronx earlier this year. While Mullokandov was caring for Coco temporarily, he was not able to keep it permanently in his apartment or the shop. Klein’s office stepped in began reaching out to area farms to find the rooster a home.

   Upon learning of the rooster, Riverdale resident Isabelle Weisinger immediately called Klein’s office to let them know about the Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary. Weisinger became familiar with the sanctuary a few years ago when a bird in her neighborhood was in need of a new home.

    “We have a very large sanctuary with birds from all over the world.  When the rooster arrives, we will make sure the he is compatible with other birds and we will gradually introduce him to them. We have had cockfighting roosters brought to us before, and they have done very well.,” said Pete Dubacher, owner of the Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuar

   To report animal cruelty, contact the New York City ASPCA at (212) 876-7700. 

     Senator Klein with "COCO", and Alex Mullokando. Cocco is perched on Senator Klein's Arm.

Vernuccio for Senate-"The New State Budget is a Disgrace"

   This came in from the Vernuccio for State Senate campaign about the state budget agreement.

     The recently passed (four months late) budget represents one of the lowest points in the history of New York  government.  As families struggle to make ends meet, it raises taxes;  as businesses desperately try to stay afloat, it hikes sales taxes and drives shoppers and jobs out of the state.  It remains to be seen how many employees will be dismissed because of Albany's corruption and incompetence, or how many homeowners will lose their homes due to the failure to cap taxes.  

   For further information, contact: vernuccio4senate@gmail.com, or call 718-541-3286

Robert Giuffre officialy on the Ballot for the 80th Assembly District

   The following has been e-mailed to us from the Robert Giuffre camp.

   August 6, 2010 – (Morris Park, The Bronx)

   Objections against Robert Giuffre's nominating petitions were officially dropped today -- meaning Giuffre will be on the ballot for this fall's September 14^th Primary. 

   During a three day “political courtroom battle,” emotions often ran high. Giuffre commented: "I know it is hard to believe, but I was more peeved about the awful ballot access process than my own individual campaign. I admit I probably would never have cared this much about the issue if I weren't personally involved, but the process is obviously intended to keep outsiders away from mounting challenges. Although I made the ballot – eventually – many people who would of made good candidates did not, and that is wrong, the ballot access process in New York needs to change.” 

   The Giuffre campaign looks forward to running a true grassroots effort and an honest, issue-based campaign. 

  

Friends of Rob Giuffre

Democrat for Assembly – District 80

GiuffreforAssembly.com

Contact: 347-538-6231

 

Espada Press Conference re NYS Business Law Amendment

  With dozens of independent service station owners behind him New York State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. urged Governor Paterson to sign into law a bill passed in the senate and assembly to protect the small business owners from giant oil refiners trying to establishing distribution monopolies. Several owners testified that the service stations they lease have been local family businesses that give back to the communities they serve, some for generations. Now the big oil refiners want to do away with the independent retailers, and have so called company owned stations instead to increase the cost to the consumer. 

   When it came to the question and answer period afterwards Senator Espada said that he would only answer questions on the budget or on the subject of today's press conference. When Channel Two News reporter Marcia Krammer tried to ask the Senator Espada a political question, he was lead to a waiting car by staff members that then drove away.

Charter Commission Final (?) Meeting

   The New York City Charter Revision Commission will hold a meeting on Wednesday, August 11^th.  The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live via webcast through the Commission’s website at www.nyc.gov/charter. 

   
 PLACE:   Borough of Manhattan   
Baruch College, Newman Vertical Campus Conference Cente
55 Lexington Avenue (enter at 24^th Street & Lexington Ave)                       
14^th Floor, Room 14-220
TIME:     6:00 PM

DIRECTIONS:  Baruch College is accessible by public transportation:  Take the 6 train to the 23^rd Street stop, or the N or R to the 23^rd Street stop.  The following bus lines also stop near Baruch:  M1, M2, M3, M4, M32, M101 and M102. 

While public comment will not be received at the August 11^th meeting, comments to the Commission are welcome and can be submitted by mail, through the website by selecting “Contact the Commission” or by emailing the Commission at commission@charter.nyc.gov. 

Happy Birthday Mr. President

   We want to wish President Obama a happy birthday, as today is his 49th birthday.

Morrison Avenue Music Festival

   Cano Estremera, Héctor Tricoche and Oro Sólido are some of the bands that will participate in the Morrison Avenue Festival in the Bronx.

   This festival, which is being sponsored by the Hispanic Federation, Bronx Borough President, Rubén Díaz, Jr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, and community leader Luis Sepulveda, 

will be held on:  Saturday, August 21, 2010.

   Location:  Morrison Avenue between Westchester Avenue and Watson Avenue starting at 12:00 p.m.

   For more information, please contact Brendaliz Candelaria at (917) 701-0297 or Ralph Morales at  (917) 449-5877.