Community New & Politics - Articles

In April 2013 the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) brought together two dozen nationally respected craft beer brewers to launch the Brewers for Clean Water Campaign, which aims to leverage the economic growth of the craft brewing sector into a powerful voice for bolstering clean water protection in the United States.

Jenifer Rajkumar is a lawyer, a District Leader, a Democrat who espouses early, direct, personal involvement in the community’s political decisions for her district, District 1 in SoHo. While Jenifer, who is also a member of the Downtown Independent Democrats, realizes that unseating an incumbent is an uphill battle, she is a determined and politically attractive candidate who is in this race for the right reasons. Not for power, not for self-aggrandizement, and not for provincial attempts to make small changes. Her desire is to fundamentally alter the way politics is managed. That is, by involving the community at the very outset in dealing with any changes that affect it. For changes that affect SoHo.

There was more than one Joe Gallo in Brooklyn. There was, of course Crazy Joe Gallo, and, there was just Joe Gallo. Not the same guy. Yet, he died the same way. A bullet. In this case a bullet to the back of the head, found leaning back in his Buick where a headrest might be found in today’s cars. GM didn’t offer headrests in those days—or seat belts. Everyone drove at their own risk, until too many people went through the windshield. It was a pre-Ralph Nader world.

There has been much hand wringing over a few “Matters-SoHo” lately. Among these are the difficulties that have arisen over the BID proposed on Broadway that threatens to bring even more tourists to the area, to the consternation of many residents. Councilmember Margaret Chin has finally shown her hand and has come out in support of the BID, something suspected but not known for certain as much waffling had been reported.