Photo by Bosc D’Anjou.
September 19, 2012 Weather: Partly Cloudy, High of 71 Degrees.
Notices:
Today, check out Tony Danza at Barnes & Noble, or meetings on UWS schools and police. Also, free outdoor yoga. All on our calendar.
News:
More on the history of homeless shelters on the Upper West Side: “City and state officials recognized the Upper West Side as the perfect neighborhood in the 1960s and 70s for placing profoundly difficult “clients,” including violent ex-cons and drug abusers, that agencies often mixed in with mentally disabled people unable to defend themselves. The combination nearly destroyed the neighborhood—even as well-intentioned West Siders grasped for solutions.” (Untapped Cities)
David Albert Mitchell, who was arrested in the brutal rape of a 73-year-old in Central park last week, has an IQ between 40 and 52 and is thus characterized as mentally retarded, according to one of his former lawyers. His brother has also said that he has a violent second personality. (NY Post and Daily News)
A 17-year-old at an undisclosed Amsterdam Avenue location is accused of forcing a toddler to perform a sex act on him between December 2011 and January, according to court papers. (NY Post)
On a recent day, 29 sports were being played in Central Park. But id “toy airplanes” really a sport? (Wall Street Journal)
New York’s voting ballots have tiny writing and the Board of Elections’ electronic voting system is a mess. Gale Brewer says she’ll hold a hearing. (NY Times and Daily News)
OMG!!! The Board of Elections must have designed those new ballots during a secret meeting in the living room above Columbus Circle.
As for speed in counting the ballots — What’s that old expression? The hurrier I go the behinder I get.
Bring back the old machines with the pull levers.
attn: GAle Brewer – new study out today – are you going to ask us the taxpayers to help out here too?
ALBANY — A new study shows low-income smokers in New York spend 25 percent of their income on cigarettes.
The study by RTI’s Public Health Policy Research Program, using state data, finds wealthy smokers spend just 2 percent of their income on cigarettes.
The American Cancer Society says the state’s taxes which are the highest in the nation are a cause. The society says the study shows New York needs to spend more on smoking cessation programs aimed at the poor.
The New York state Health Department says high cigarette taxes are proven to reduce smoking. In addition, the state is promoting several anti-smoking programs including those aimed at lower-income people and young people to persuade them not to smoke.