Hundreds of Thousands Brave Tight Security For NYC Fireworks Show
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
Hundreds of thousands of people braved tight security along New York City's East River to watch the annual Macy's Fourth of July fireworks display.
Minneapolis resident Joe Cunningham said Saturday's fireworks show was "awesome" and lived up to his family's expectations.
Cunningham said New York's show will be the benchmark for all other fireworks displays.
Nefertiti Perry of Manhattan brought her three children to the show. She said they were "so ...
Ex-NY Speaker Silver Balks At Reporting Income, Cites Federal Probe
Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is declining to report his outside income on a state disclosure form, citing federal charges that he collected nearly $4 million in kickbacks.
The Manhattan Democrat wrote on the disclosure forms that it would be "inappropriate" to detail his legal work or his non-governmental income in light of the charges. Silver says he will be exonerated.
Former Senate Leader Dean Skelos, a Long Island Republican, is fighting unrelated charges that he ...
NYPD Beefs Up Security For July 4th Weekend
The Police Department is stepping up security throughout New York City for the July 4th weekend.
NYPD officials said Friday that they have not identified any specific terror plots against the city. But they have been warning New Yorkers about the persistent potential for "lone wolf" attacks.
The department plans to assign 7,000 officers to protect large crowds expected for the annual Macy's fireworks show. It also will deploy counterterrorism units to detect and deter potential ...
Hikind Praises Gov. Cuomo For Leadership On Education Investment Tax Credits
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) praised NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo this morning for his leadership on the issue of Education Investment Tax Credits. “Thanks to Governor Cuomo, New York State got closer than ever before to providing relief to parents of children in religious and parochial schools,” said Hikind. “Just a few more inches and we’ll be there.”
In a letter addressed to the Governor, Hikind noted that Cuomo’s efforts this last legislative session, which ended last ...
NYC Officials Say Major Crime Is Down This Year
New York City is on pace this year for fewer than 100,000 reported major crimes for the first time in at least two decades, officials said Wednesday.
For the first six months of 2015 there were 46,775 reports of rapes, robberies, felony assaults, burglaries, grand larcenies and auto theft, said Dermott Shea, deputy commissioner for operations of the New York Police Department. Overall crime is down 6 percent, but shootings and murder remain up this year.
The NYPD hasn't fallen below ...
June Marks First Month Since 1916 With No Fire Deaths In NYC
New York City fire officials say June was the first month in 150 years that there wasn't a fire-related death in the city.
New York City Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro Wednesday credits stepped up prevention efforts. He says it is a testament to the work firefighters and paramedics perform every day.
So far, there have been 29 reported fire-related fatalities in 2015.
June marked the first month without a death since the department began keeping track of fatalities in ...
New Warden, Security Measures After New York Prison Escape
A range of new security measures is being put in place at a maximum-security prison to close gaps exploited by two inmates who escaped last month.
The state correction department said Wednesday that includes stepped-up searches of inmates' cells, staffing changes to ensure bed checks are more effective and installation of security gates in the facility's tunnels.
The department also announced that 30-year correction veteran Michael Kirkpatrick will be the new superintendent of the prison, ...
Met Council Board of Directors Appoints Abraham Biderman as its President
The Board of Directors of Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) unanimously appointed Abraham Biderman as President. Steven Price, Met Council’s current Board President, will continue to serve on the Executive Committee as a Co-Chair, and current board member Joseph Allerhand will assume the role of Vice President. The changes are effective July 1.
Biderman brings broad experience in government, not-for-profits and financial services. He is currently the Chairman of Eagle ...
Reports: Average Manhattan Home Price Is Over $1.8 Million
The average sales price of a Manhattan apartment has eclipsed $1.8 million - a new high.
The appraisal firm Miller Samuel says in a report for Douglas Elliman Real Estate that its figure - $1.87 million - compares to $1.77 million reached in the first quarter of last year.
The Corcoran Group puts the average Manhattan sales price at $1.81 million.
Corcoran says the median sales price is now $960,000. The Douglas Elliman report puts it at $980,000.
The median price measures the ...
Felder: City Must Stop Illegal American Flag Burning Rally Scheduled For Tonight
State Senator Simcha Felder, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Cities and former NYC Councilmember who instituted the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance before every Council meeting, issued the following statement:
“I join my colleague, Senator Marty Golden, in calling upon Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver to immediately arrest any “DisarmNYPD” protesters who attend tonight’s unlawful event and prosecute them to the ...
Hikind Outraged at American Flag Burning in Brooklyn Scheduled For Tonight
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) condemned a plan to burn an American flag at Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park by a group calling itself “Disarm NYPD.”
“This is just a sick effort to get negative attention,” said Assemblyman Hikind. “Even the name of this group is disgusting. The last thing that we need in the Borough of Brooklyn, or for that matter the City of New York, are people purposely undermining the police.”
The group announced that it planned to burn both the ...
NYC Enacts Ban On Plastic Foam Containers
New York City's ban on plastic foam is now in effect.
The ban applies to single-use food packing products, including takeout containers and coffee cups. It also applies to so-called "packing peanuts."
The ban was first passed into law at the end of December 2013, near the end of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg's time in office.
The current mayor, Bill de Blasio, also supports the prohibition.
In 2014, New York's sanitation department collected 28,500 tons of the material.
The move ...
Greenfield's Muni-Meter Law Goes Into Effect Today
Councilman David G. Greenfield's historic muni-meter legislation goes into effect citywide today. Greenfield's law has three parts: it allows drivers to pre-pay New York City’s muni-meters up to one hour before the meter regulations go into effect, it forces meters to shut off and not accept payment when the driver is not required to pay for parking like in the evening and it shuts down muni-meters when it runs out of paper receipts.
“Today marks an important day for driving New ...
Cuomo Announces Suspension Of Construction-Related Lane Closures During July 4th Weekend
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will not be allowed from 6 a.m. on Friday, July 3, to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 5, in order to accommodate travelers during the busy Independence Day holiday weekend. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.
“This weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the year and by temporarily suspending ...
BREAKING: Former NY Senator Smith Gets 7 Years in Prison for Mayoral Race Bribe Plot
Former Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison in a scheme to bribe his way onto the ballot for the 2013 New York City mayoral election.
His co-defendant, Vincent Tabone, the former Queens Republican vice chairman, was awaiting sentencing later Wednesday.
A federal jury found Smith guilty of bribery conspiracy, wire fraud, use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion. He and a co-defendant are to be sentenced Wednesday.
Smith ...
AGAIN - THE FOURTH TIME IN A YEAR: Tourist Climbs Brooklyn Bridge Undetected, Takes Selfie
The following is via MyFoxNY:
Another tourist has climbed the Brooklyn Bridge and this one took a selfie and published it to social media.
David Karnauch, an engineering student at the University of Tennessee, posted the picture with the Manhattan skyline behind him on his Instagram account.
He says he accessed the bridge from the pedestrian walkway and was never stopped on the way up or down.
Deputy Commissioner John Miller told Fox 5 News, "Had the officers patrolling the bridge ...
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