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Northern Manhattan
New date for Rodriguez ethics hearing: Wed., Aug. 4
A City Council hearing into City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez’ alleged aggressive “touching” of a staffer has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. on Wed., Aug. 4 at City Hall after a previous meeting date a week earlier was postponed with no official reason given.
The hearing by the Council’s Committee on Standards and Ethics is expected to announce whether the allegations surrounding an incident last month had merit, which could lead to a full Council vote on how to sanction Rodriguez, who was elected last year.
Rodriguez, asserting that he has done nothing wrong and denying an incident - let alone improper “touching” - ever took place, has argued that his reputation is being damaged. He has demanded that a public hearing be held to air all the evidence, which so far has only officially been discussed by the committee behind closed doors.
Rodriguez held an “emergency meeting” with supporters on Fri., July 23 and on Tue., July 27 community leaders and supporters rallied for him outside his Wadsworth Avenue office.
The ethics committee is chaired by Inez E. Dickens and includes Robert Jackson, who both have districts adjacent to Rodriguez.
New voting machine demonstration
This isn’t your parent’s voting machine. From 4-7 p.m. on Tue., Aug. 10 at the Community Board 12 offices at 711 W. 168th Street, there will be a demonstration of the new voting machines. The new machines, which replace the old punch card ballot machines, will be on hand with a sample ballot for voters to give the new technology a try.
For additional information call 212-568-8500.
The demonstration is sponsored by District Leader Maria Luna; Pamela Palanque-North, Chair of Community Board 12; Assembly Member Herman D. Farrell, Jr.; Assembly Member Adriano Espaillat; City Council Members Ydanis Rodriguez and Robert Jackson; and state Senator Bill Perkins.
“In the Heights” gives first scholarship
2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical “In the Heights” awarded its first “Graduate to New Heights Scholarship” to Rebecca Cunarro, a New Jersey resident, who will receive $17,177.44 to continue her studies at Rutgers University. The award was presented during the curtain call of the Broadway musical on Thu., July 29, surprising Cunarro who was in the audience.
The idea for the award, which is co-sponsored with Clear Channel NY, was inspired by the struggles of one of the characters in the musical to stay at Stanford University despite being separated from her home and the financial hardships of her family, who own a fictional car service on W. 181st Street.
In Cunarro’s case, she put her college plans on hold when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, attending a local community college to be near her mom while working three jobs.
“In the Heights” was created by local resident Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also the son of one of the Manhattan Times’ publishers.
Inwood
Remembering Stanley Michels
Majorie Eliot (left) and Molly Michels spoke during the second annual jazz concert in memory of City Council Member Stanley Michels on Sun., Aug. 1 in Ft. Tryon Park. Michels, who died in 2008, was remembered for helping launch the renaissance of Northern Manhattan’s parks and helping families in need during the community’s difficult years in the late 1980s and early 90s.
PHOTO: Mike Fitelson
Correction
A story in last week’s issue about a Small Business Solutions Center (“Knew how to paint. But running a business? That took some help.” July 28, 2010) had the wrong address for the center. It’s at 76 Wadsworth Ave. between W. 176th and W. 177th Streets.
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