19th Council District: Throw Another Hat in the Ring

The race for City Council in the 19th CD is really heating up. Tom Cooke will be officially adding his name to an already crowded field of qualified candidates. He joins Jerry Iannece, Paul Vallone, Steve Behar & Debra Markell who are all seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat being vacated by Tony Avella. [...]

Mark Green Announces Candidacy For Public Advocate

From NY1
Democrat Mark Green, the city’s first public advocate, has told NY1 he will once again run for the office.
Green held the position from 1994 to 2001.
He says his experience is necessary during these tough times.
“Given the extraordinary economic crisis, it’s especially urgent that the person who’s the next public advocate,” said Green, “the number [...]

The Nanny (Fran Drescher) for New York Senator

From U.S. News & World Report
The Nanny (Fran Drescher) for New York Senator
February 06, 2009 04:50 PM ET
By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Fran Drescher seems to have a thing for jobs that last six years. First it was The Nanny, the sitcom that ran from 1993 to 1999 and, through reruns, continues to win her fame [...]

Queens GOP Got Screwed by Mike

The Queens Republican Party has finally realized they were screwed by Mike. Maybe this time they’ll have enough backbone to let Bloomberg know he’s not welcome in the GOP.

From the NY Post
OLD PALS STILL GOP’D OFF AT MIKE
By SALLY GOLDENBERG
Last updated: 2:22 am
February 9, 2009
Posted: 1:50 am
February 9, 2009
Mayor Bloomberg’s on-and-off courtship of Republicans was [...]

WINTER OF DISCONTENT LINDSAY’S SNOWSTORM, 1969

From NY Daily News
40 years ago, snow caught Queens – and Lindsay – by surprise
BY Owen Moritz
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, February 9th 2009, 3:45 AM
Mayor John Lindsay touring Queens after the Blizzard of ‘69. AP
Mayor John Lindsay touring Queens after the Blizzard of ‘69.
The forecast was for flurries.
Just one day later, as New Yorkers dug [...]

Padavan Says He Emerges Stronger From Tough Race

From PolitickerNY
Padavan Says He Emerges Stronger From Tough Race
By Jimmy Vielkind
ALBANY—Even after Jim Gennaro conceded defeat in his bid to unseat State Senator Frank Padavan, the two are still bickering.
Padavan put out a statement last night  decrying Gennaro’s “negative attacks” and saying he was vindicated by a re-count showing he won by 578 votes. This [...]

Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza: Deputy Majority Whip

The Bay Terrace Cafe has learned that Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza has been appointed Deputy Majority Whip. This is a prestigious Assembly leadership position.
Congratulations Assemblywoman Carrozza!

Avella: Legalize Sports Betting as a Cash Cow for the City

Queens Chronicle
02/05/2009
Avella attacks mayor over budget proposal
by Peter C. Mastrosimone , Editor-in-Chief
A key Queens lawmaker who intends to run for the city’s highest office blasted Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s budget plan this week as unnecessarily draconian.
City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) contends that the spending cuts and layoffs Bloomberg proposed for fiscal 2010, which begins July 1, [...]

Who are these people?

His name wasn’t mentioned but customers in the Cafe have no doubt that Tony Avella would be immediately recognizable to a large number of people.

Daily News
Pictures of Controller Thompson, Rep. Weiner hardly register with 100-plus potential voters
BY Joe Jackson, Benjamin Beim and Erin Einhorn
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Wednesday, February 4th 2009, 9:09 PM
Controller William Thompson Smith for [...]

Congratulations to State Senator Frank Padavan

The Bay Terrace Cafe congratulates Frank Padavan on his reelection to the New York State Senate and wishes him continued success. Based on past performance there is no doubt that Senator Padavan will work tirelessly on behalf of all his constituents. We look forward to Senator Padavan visiting the Cafe.
Newsday.com
Padavan set to return to NY [...]

Queens prosecutor Eric Holder becomes first African-American Attorney General

Daily News
Queens prosecutor Eric Holder becomes first African-American Attorney General

BY James Gordon Meek
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Monday, February 2nd 2009, 10:30 PM
The Senate confirmed Eric Holder late Monday as the nation’s first African-American attorney general.
The final vote was 75-21, with half of the Senate’s GOPers voting against him.
Holder will be sworn in Tuesday morning at the [...]

Every Vote Counts!

From the New York Daily News
Also reported by Queens Crap
City Board of Elections commissioners voted unanimously today to reverse their December decision and allow disputed paper ballots to be counted in the yet-undecided 11th SD race, signaling the beginning of the end of what has been an extremely contentious and drawn-out process.
Depending on how long [...]

Still lots of parking spots for big shots, despite Mayor Bloomberg’s cuts

Y ERIN EINHORN
DAILY NEWS CITYB HALL BUREAU
Monday, January 26th 2009, 4:00 AM
Adams for News
Mayor Bloomberg said last year he’d crack down on elected officials who have designated parking spaces for themselves or their staffs outside their offices, but some pols still have the perk.
Mayor Bloomberg yanked free parking spots from a handful of elected officials [...]

No Explanation Needed

This was submitted by one of the Cafe’s regular patrons.

No Explanation Needed!

Councilman proposes community service be required for high school graduation

By Kathleen Lucadamo
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, January 17th 2009, 8:49 PM
City Councilman Eric Gioia is calling on Schools Chancellor Joel Klein to make community service a requirement for graduation.
City high school students would need to complete 20 hours of volunteer work to earn a diploma under Gioia’s plan, which he will release today.
“The service requirement [...]

Grace Meng, Jimmy Meng & Caroline Meng

On a snowy Sunday morning in Bay Terrace, a few early birds sitting in the Cafe were discussing Newly-elected Assemblywoman Grace Meng who took her oath of office in Flushing on Saturday at a ceremony at Queens College. Part of the conversation focused on Grace’s sister Caroline and the anti-Semitic venom she reportedly spewed on [...]

Padavan vs. Gennaro – still undecided

From the Queens Courier
BY VICTOR G. MIMONI
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 7:05 PM EST
With the State Senate completing its second week of work and the seat for northeast Queens’ 11th District still empty, the saga of the undecided race between incumbent Frank Padavan and City Councilmember James Gennaro finds the parties back in court.
After all the [...]

Phil “Pit Bull” Konigsberg Reelected 4th Chair of CB7

This time the “Best Person” did emerge victorious. Phil “PIT BULL” Konigsberg was reelected 4th Chair of CB7. Phil is a person who refuses to compromise his principles. Among the other CB7 Executive Committee Members, Konigsberg, a Bay Terrace resident, represents the lone independent voice – an objective free thinker who rejects overtures for him [...]

Put state workers on a four-day week, says Queens politician Gianaris

The Daily News reports that Assemblyman Michael Gianaris is pushing a proposal to put state employees on a 4 day week. Gianaris claims the change would save the state $30 million a year.

“Good budgeting requires outside-the-box innovations,” Gianaris said.
His idea is to make all state agencies providing “nonessential services” abandon the standard 9-to-5 weekday schedule.
State [...]

Queens Republicans to Bloomberg: Not so Fast!

Former Republican Mike Wants Back In
Maggie Haberman and Sally Goldenberg report in the New York Post that Mayor Michael Bloomberg is making overtures to once again run with Republican support. Much to their credit not all the GOP county leaders are ready to jump on the Bloomberg band wagon. There is some resentment over the [...]

Indicted politician Anthony Seminerio wants graffiti vandals paddled

Embattled pol Anthony Seminerio wants graffiti vandals paddled
According to a report in the New York Daily News indicted Queens Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio still favors a good spanking – but only for graffiti vandals. He didn’t express an opinion as to what punishment would be appropriate for dishonest politicians.