text:
The truth about a complex built for veterans and the middle class and how it has evolved through the years to become one of the more interesting and controversial of New York stories.
Comment Policy
Management has two priorities: 1) Making sure money is made, hence upgrading and filling up apartments is their goal. "Amenities" are important in selling the place, though few residents use them. 2) If someone needs medical attention, Public Safety will be there, if alerted.
Quality of life issues are not that important, however. Things like the carpet rule or outsider dogs. These "rules" tend to be ignored, on purpose it seems. So you will see a lot that isn't taken care of properly, and complaints will be met with a creative excuse and a smile.
"Peace and quiet" must be a cruel joke, though this property is sold that way. There can be no peace and quiet as ALL apartments must be upgraded, which includes the installation of an AC unit below the window. Aside from the continual construction about the neighborhood, there is a new and noisy subway extension being built along East 14 st and the shut down of the L line. "Choosing" to live in NYC, now the newest mantra, is a fabrication when the talk is of ST and PCV, which was traditionally quiet, with no construction noise.
Though money was always important, it is now more important than ever. Money rules many things, as you will find.
About those "club cars" we see going this way and that way, and outside of Stuy Town or Peter Cooper Village:
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Dan Garodnick and Vornado Realty and Rising Rents in Manhattan
The future: 15 Penn Plaza or "Vornado Tower"
First, some background. Vornado Realty, according to its website:
Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO)("Vornado") is one of the largest owners and managers of commercial real estate in the United States with a portfolio of over 100 million square feet, primarily located in the New York and Washington, DC metropolitan areas. Vornado's core businesses include: New York Office Properties; Washington, DC Office Properties; Retail Properties and Merchandise Mart Properties.
Its Wikipedia page is more detailed, to include properties the company owns in NYC (a lot): Vornado Realty Trust.
Vornado was at the epicenter of a controversy in 2010 regarding the prospective demolishing of Hotel Pennsylvania to be replaced by 15 Penn Plaza. The controversy involved the height of the proposed building (68 stories), which, being so close to the Empire State Building,would forever change the iconic "postcard" view of Manhattan. Not only was this a controversy on an aesthetic, historical and architectural level, but zoning did not allow for the erection of such a tall building in that area. As is known by now, though, zoning laws in NYC can be done away by the powers that be. (Also term limits, landmark designations, you name it.) The City Council, by a vote of 47-1 granted Vornado Realty the rights to build 15 Penn Plaza.
My lengthy, and angry, post when this occurred is here. Bloomberg News' James S. Russell, in this review of the proposed 15 Penn Plaza building, wrote: "A behemoth office tower that may rise opposite Pennsylvania Station would deface New York City's skyline and cast a pall over surrounding streets already shortchanged on light and air. " Former Parks Commissioner Henry Stern testified that 15 Penn Plaza "could do irreparable harm" to the city and, writing for the Huffington Post, made a blistering attack on the travesty that occurred with the vote: "This is a case of the city making an extraordinary gift, probably worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to one of its richest and most influential developers."
Dan Garodnick voted in Vornado's favor.
Now we move to the present, and the yet unannounced candidacy of Dan Garodnick for City Comptroller. So far he has received over 1 million dollars in donations, a sizable portion of which come from real estate firms--to include, surprise-surprise, Vornado.
According to NYC's Campaign Finance Board Database, Vornado's CEO, Steven Roth has donated twice, once in 2010, for 1K (before the 15 Penn Plaza vote) and then recently (after the 15 Penn Plaza vote) for whopping $4,950. The latter number is the maximum allowed by law, so unless there is some glitch in the accounting or other mistake, that earlier 1K is suspect, as its addition seems to go over the legal amount allowed for an individual donating to someone running for city comptroller.
It doesn't just end there. Steven Roth's wife, Daryl Roth, has also donated money for Garodnick's campaign. Yes, the max: $4,950. So, one household, with clear ties to Vornado (the CEO and the CEO's wife), has donated almost $10,000 to Dan, and over that amount if we include that suspect 1K.
Though I'm sure Dan Garodnick has his public-relations justifications for voting in favor of 15 Penn Plaza (jobs/a city that can't stand still/whatever), the appearance of a quid-pro-quo is troubling. Garodnick is not the only politician accepting monies from real estate interests come election time. The other City Council politicians, like Christine Quinn (who stated she would NOT accept such donations, but has, including over 15K from Vornado in past campaigns) and Scott Stringer (whose coffers have been one of largest and heftiest with real estate money deposits; the guy's running for mayor, may the Lord help us) have all held out their collective hands.
Why should real estate concerns donating to local politicians be troubling? The fact is that real estate enterprises are in the business of maximizing profits. "Affordable" middle class housing does not maximize profits. Housing for the rich, the sons and daughters of the rich, and for tourists spending big bucks in Manhattan, maximize profits. The middle class are only useful as workers and consumers in Manhattan. Live in Brooklyn, Queens or New Jersey, otherwise.
The stark reality is that the middle class is being priced out of Manhattan, both as tenants and as mom-and-pop businesses. And real estate companies, by their very nature, are behind this price-out.
Bloomberg Tower
Let's take a look at Bloomberg Tower, a property developed and owned by Vornado. This NY Times article details the progress of a neighborhood. While the article is very much pro-Vornado, you will find a sentence that hints at another part of the story. The money shot comes near the end of the article: "Other retailers east of Third Avenue, an area that has traditionally had more service-oriented retailing, like restaurants, locksmiths, dry cleaners, cocktail lounges and delicatessens, said they were feeling the pinch of the Bloomberg Tower, either in the form of rising retail rents or more competition for the potential customers in the office tower and in One Beacon Court."
Rising rents.... Rising rents serve only to benefit the real estate entities that own property or build it. When real estate firms maximize profits, rents go up and the middle class gets displaced. Even if the favorable real estate situation goes bust (a pattern when greed runs rampant), the fallout will not bring middle class tenants and mom-and-pop stores back once they have left.
So the real estate people are the major players in what Manhattan is turning into, aside from the influence of a mayor like Bloomberg. And if you had any doubts about these companies lording over Manhattan in a game of real-life Monopoly, actualizing their conquerors' dream of altering a city forever, you may find this of interest, as you recognize some familiar real estate business names. Vornado's CEO, speaking a couple of years ago about the development of mid-town's West Side:
"Much has already happened," Mr. Roth continued, "to increase the value of our Penn Station assets. The Penn Plaza District and the West Side of New York have been discovered and are the beneficiaries of an enormous amount of recent and current activity. A huge swath has already been rezoned as the future growth corridor of Manhattan. Tishman Speyer has won the bidding to develop the Hudson Rail Yards into a 12 million square foot, 20-year, Canary Wharf-type project. Brookfield has announced 5 million square feet…. Vornado was the pioneer here, and owns the best and the lion's share of the real estate surrounding Pennsylvania Station - the gateway to the new West Side….The Hotel Pennsylvania, Seventh Avenue at 33rd Street, generated a best ever $37.9 million of EBITDA in 2007, $10.4 million more than in 2006, a 37.8% increase ….The credit crisis and Merrill's management changes disrupted this deal, but the fact remains that our site was the last man standing in a rigorous citywide search."
To be fair, one must note that some plans for development contain, through political and public pressure, the assurance of middle class housing or rentals "below market rate." So, in such a scenario a real estate entity would be required to provide a percentage of apartments for people of moderate means in any mass development project. How this will play out in reality remains to be seen. We here in Stuy Town/PCV are already getting, possibly, a similar equation brewing with the TA/Brookfield plan which hints at a percentage of apartments being set aside as permanent rentals for tenants of moderate means, with possible financial assistance thrown into the mix. Assuredly, real estate firms will wish to keep this percentage of forced give-aways as low as possible.
The reality was and remains that real estate entities are the natural enemies of affordable middle class housing. Politicians who want to see a different version of Manhattan than the one that we've been speedily heading toward (blocks of high rises w/ground floor banks, chain drug stores, Starbucks), politicians who are 100% sincere about "affordable middle class housing" (a mantra continually repeated by every politician who speaks to Stuy Town/PCV residents), should not be accepting money from real estate companies. If they do, then you know which side they are really on and what their "progressive" vision is for New York.
61 comments:
I think the Vornado Tower is a great idea. At least it gives us a shot at saving the Empire State Building from the next terrorist plane attack.
- January 24, 2012 at 8:39 PM
I think the Vornado Tower is a great idea. At least it gives us a shot at saving the Empire State Building from the next terrorist plane attack.
Right on, especially if all the RE robber barons were inside the Vornado Tower! No loss to New York whatsoever! Long live the ESB!
- January 24, 2012 at 11:37 PM
Also, didn't 47 out of 48 council members vote for this (indeed, it may have been a ministerial vote on some sort of permit issue they would have been hard-pressed to avoid a yes). There are some pretty liberal/progressive members of city council, so if they voted yes, it likely was a routine vote. I don't really see how this shows Dan is in bed with big real estate.
- January 25, 2012 at 6:29 AM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
This definitely was NOT some "ministerial vote." A major issue and controversy when it happened. The fact that most council members except one voted on Vornado's side indicates the power of Vornado and what I will gently call the "prejudice" of the city council when it comes to saying yes or no to big-money.
Also don't forget the various scandals that surround members of the City Council, such as Christine Quinn's slush fund....
The "well, everyone does it" routine shouldn't be an excuse, unless we let it.
- January 25, 2012 at 7:49 AM
Who was the one person who did not vote with the salivating herd?
- January 25, 2012 at 8:49 AM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
I forget. But he, or she, voted against Vornado because minority companies were not adequately represented in the building's anticipated construction, etc.
- January 25, 2012 at 8:59 AM
I'm not sure exactly what your point is here. You don't seem to like Dan or developers. We get that. Why do we give a f--- and what does this have to do with PCVST?
- January 25, 2012 at 9:05 AM
As if we did not suffer enough on 9/11, we had to have a Decade of Disaster at the hands of Bloomberg and his buddies. Corporate greed has totally destroyed the very essence of this city and there's nothing we can do about it because even the election process was hijacked by Bloomberg to buy is illegal third term which will surely put the last nails in the coffin. I will never vote for any of these people.
- January 25, 2012 at 9:22 AM
I am no fan of big real estate, but this is a dog that doesn't bite. This is nothing like say, Atlantic Yards or something. I don't really want our condo conversion to become a political anti-Garodnick negative campaign ad. If you don't like Garodnick for comptroller, that's fine, I'm not sure I even know who I'd vote for yet, but bringing in politics that don't apply here is so divisive and irrelevant.
If all the city council are corrupt, then let's just throw up our hands and give up and never trust anyone ever. And if the one vote against was for minority hiring, that implies that he/she would have voted yes otherwise. Again, I am no fan of real estate developers as a rule, but we can't say no to every building.
- January 25, 2012 at 9:56 AM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
>>I'm not sure exactly what your point is here. You don't seem to like Dan or developers. We get that. Why do we give a f--- and what does this have to do with PCVST?<<
It can have everything to do with us. Please note where I mention ST/PCV in the post. Also, and this is critically important, "affordable middle class housing" is a major fight in the city, and one we are very much involved in, whether we like it or not.
- January 25, 2012 at 10:03 AM
Rest easy...I work across the street from the proposed tower site and nothing is going up there for several years...at least. The WTC site is going to dump so many million square feet of rentable space on an already soggy market that the need for a couple million more won't be there for quite some time.
In fact, this site was originally proposed as the new world headquarters of an investment bank (Goldman Sachs was rumored), but then they recently moved into their new West Street bunker/castle...so that ain't happening either.
So I'd plan for the old Pennsylvania Hotel (which is not a very architecturally significant building) to remain in place for the forseeable future.
- January 25, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Thanks, STR, for the research. Illuminating.
- January 25, 2012 at 1:54 PM
It doesn't matter that the stinking tower isn't going up (yet); what matters is Garodnick's being in bed with so many real estate dirtbags. I don't trust him. I'm just wondering what his real motive is in pushing this Brookfield deal, especially as it is so secretive and no competing plans are being considered.
- January 25, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Buildings along east 14th (street side) street ALSO not receiving notices from TA or any other place regarding property.
just saying!
- January 25, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Think you've got bees in your penthouse.
- January 25, 2012 at 5:50 PM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
No, sorry, I don't own the penthouse. Your man Dan may own the penthouse. Check with Vornado Realty.
- January 25, 2012 at 6:25 PM
I live on 14th and we received TA flyer. I put it where I always put the Oval glossies which is down the chute.
- January 25, 2012 at 7:15 PM
You should ask Adam Rose and Abigail Michaels why you aren't getting the TA's information.
- January 25, 2012 at 8:14 PM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
>>Buildings along east 14th (street side) street ALSO not receiving notices from TA or any other place regarding property.<<
It's possible that buildings with no TA captains haven't received the notice.
- January 25, 2012 at 9:06 PM
Real estate firms ALWAYS contribute to local politicians. That's because they can't move their buildings somewhere else and want to have some input in regulations and laws. Regarding the TA/Brookfield bid: why would CW accept an offer on something that isn't for sale? When it is for sale, wouldn't they accept NUMEROUS bids to work them up to the highest number? Just sayin...
- January 25, 2012 at 10:44 PM
I see that the misleadingly named RSA is putting out its propaganda ads again. They're claiming that tenants in rent stabilized apartments are wealthy and if they have to pay their fair share of taxes (as in if they're millionaires!), then they should pay their fair share of rent too. I don't know any millionaires who live in RS apartments (not counting notorious moochers like Faye Dunaway), but the implication by the RSA clearly is that many, if not most, RS tenants are members of the "1%." I'm the RSA is quite relieved that our Tenants Association is distracted by the ownership discussions and probably won't be taking up the cause for the preservation of rent regulations with the zest that they have shown in the past. Too bad. We need the TA more than ever now to help in this fight. Some of us have no financial ability to purchase our apartments, even if we wanted to - and not all of us want to. I guess we don't matter any more.
- January 25, 2012 at 10:56 PM
You should ask Adam Rose and Abigail Michaels why you aren't getting the TA's information.
January 25, 2012 8:14 PM
- January 25, 2012 at 11:25 PM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
I don't see how management has anything to do with the TA slipping, or not slipping, notices under doors.
- January 26, 2012 at 8:47 AM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
>>I'm the RSA is quite relieved that our Tenants Association is distracted by the ownership discussions and probably won't be taking up the cause for the preservation of rent regulations with the zest that they have shown in the past.<<
- January 26, 2012 at 8:48 AM
You may not realize it STR, but Management might have a lot to do - legally or ILLEGALLY - with the TA's ability to communicate with tenants. And we all know that Management is NOT above breaking the law when it wants to.
Oval Concierge - run by Abigail Michaels under lucrative contract with Management - has been a major pick- up and drop off point for TA communication with tenants for years. If Management feels threatened - and it very well might since it will kicked out of here for sure if the TA and Brookfield are successful - they might have told Abigail Michaels to terminate its relationship with the TA in order to thwart the TA's ability to disseminate information. If they have done that they are gonna be on deep trouble. The TA and Brookfield won't take it lying down. Brookfield has very deep pockets and I'm sure they will pay or help to pay for any legal expenses that might be involved. If it's true it's a very stupid move on the part of Adam Rose. Very stupid, indeed. That's why I asked for a furthur explanation of what is going on.
- January 26, 2012 at 9:18 AM
One way for the real estate interests to not benefit is the food and coffee trucks...let's bring them back to the oval.
- January 26, 2012 at 10:06 AM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
>>Oval Concierge - run by Abigail Michaels under lucrative contract with Management - has been a major pick- up and drop off point for TA communication with tenants for years. If Management feels threatened - and it very well might since it will kicked out of here for sure if the TA and Brookfield are successful - they might have told Abigail Michaels to terminate its relationship with the TA in order to thwart the TA's ability to disseminate information.<<
That would be an interesting development. Isn't everyone entitled to use the Concierge, as long as they pay whatever fees are applicable? (Sorry, I know little about the services/fees the Concierge provides.)
- January 26, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Someone from the group formerly known as the TA pushed one of those advertisments under my door. I pushed it out, the person pushed it back under, I pushed it back out. They tried to push it back in but I blocked the way. Person rang door bell and asked me to take one or their announcements. I told them I do not take solicitations under my door. She said it wasnt a solicitation. I took it looked at it and handed it right back and said to her, it most certainly was a solicitation from the new sales department at Brookfield, the group formerly known as the Tenants Association. To this minute the paper sits outside my door where it will remain until Adam Rose sends someone to pick up the trash. Another waste of CW capitals money.
- January 26, 2012 at 2:37 PM
That would be an interesting development. Isn't everyone entitled to use the Concierge, as long as they pay whatever fees are applicable? (Sorry, I know little about the services/fees the Concierge provides.)
Everyone here is only allowed to do what mega-dictator Adam Rose allows them to do, at least until the TA's lawyers or the legal system intervenes and Mr. Rose is told to back down or else. If he told Oval Concierge/Abigail Michaels to boot the TA, then that's probably what happened. Oval Concierge/Abigail Michaels know what side their bread is buttered on, but, like I said, if that is in fact what happened it's a very foolish and stupid thing to have done and Adam Rose is probably going to have a hell of a fight on his hands and a TON of bad press to deal with.
- January 26, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Manny would have delivered them with no problems. And given you a free umbrella.
- January 26, 2012 at 3:57 PM
Drop the TA conversion cards off at oval concierge?
Is that weird or what?
- January 26, 2012 at 4:26 PM
A rep from Guterman was speaking on the radio this afternoon regarding the proposed conversion. It was a brief interview but the key point made by the rep was that they regretted working through the TA. They felt that they didn't get a fair shake in making a proposal.
Said they "learned their lesson" and they were going to step up direct communications with tenants.
I hope we see others enter the fray.
The more parties that compete over this deal the better chance we have of being presented with a reasonable deal. Even then, we may be well advised to decline it. That part remains to be seen.
I just hope that Guterman doesn't slide any glossy photos under my door. That's just a waste of paper and it probably ends up embarrassing the women and children they profile...
- January 26, 2012 at 4:56 PM
"To this minute the paper sits outside my door where it will remain until Adam Rose sends someone to pick up the trash."
You are my hero. I really mean that!
- January 26, 2012 at 9:05 PM
Adam Rose:
or someone. tell me why i can't schedule a fricken appointment for my nonstop plumbing problems? they told me to call back tomorrow .
- January 26, 2012 at 9:48 PM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
I received this message from Adam Rose, which he stated can be posted:
"I am happy to help people with problems working with the Management Office. Please invite the Anonymous writer who can't get his or her plumbing problem fixed to just email me directly. By the way, I have nothing to do with the owner's decision to not accept returned forms from a potential bidder at the property and its vendors. The owner has made a decision to remain completely neutral regarding the various potential buyers, a policy that I can understand. Your writers may find it amusing to blame me, but I have nothing to do with the owner's policies. Blame me for something that I have control over, and I will provide substantive answers, as I have done all along."
- January 27, 2012 at 7:29 AM
Your writers may find it amusing to blame me, but I have nothing to do with the owner's policies. Blame me for something that I have control over, and I will provide substantive answers, as I have done all along."
No one finds any thwarting of the tenants' ability to get out from under the grip of either CW Capital or you amusing, no matter who is responsible, Mr. Rose. Neither of you is good for tenants, or ever will be.
And since you mentioned it, how about a substantive answer about exactly what kind of floor covering is acceptable. That question has been asked numerous times and tenants have never gotten a direct answer. That is something that you have control over, Mr. Rose, and your allowing the poor excuses for floor coverings that you do is a reason for many of the noise problems and complaints that tenants have. And you know it.
- January 27, 2012 at 9:55 AM
I don't personally find it "amusing" to "blame" Adam Rose for anything. What I find do amusing is his spin on why the special servicer says 'no more' to allowing our Tenants Association to use Oval Concierge as a pick up/drop-off point for tenant-related printed material. Complete neutrality? Telling ST-PCV businesses that they can no longer do business with our Tenants Association looks more like a ham-handed attempt to disrupt a critical line of communication between the TA and tenants. Disrupting that line actually gives the other bidders a leg up on us so so I call BS: CW Capital is really not acting "neutral" in this case. At all.
- January 27, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Boy I wish I could blame my boss for all my customer's problems. Wouldn't that be a sweet job!
- January 27, 2012 at 11:10 AM
"Blame me for something that I have control over, and I will provide substantive answers, as I have done all along."
Trash in the basement.
Trash on the sidewalks.
Piles of rotting leaves "composting."
Defective, filthy laundry facilities.
Illegal Oval enterprises.
Short-staffing of building maintenance.
Pressure-walling and student housing.
I think there's a word limit so I'll just stop here and wait for progress on one of these issues before writing more.
No one really expects you to manage the condo perversion process. Just get cracking on the above list and we'd all be impressed. We'd be surprised, too.
You always seem to have an explanation but never a solution.
- January 27, 2012 at 12:13 PM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
>>CW Capital is really not acting "neutral" in this case.<<
If so, that should tell us something important, no? And, therefore, perhaps we're taking this TA/Brookfield thing WAY too seriously.
- January 27, 2012 at 1:28 PM
From NYUdormquad#27
And Mr. Rose, can we thus have the phone number for CW Capital to report noise problems, sanitary problems and other issues?
- January 27, 2012 at 2:17 PM
I'd bet a few bucks CW does not accept the TA bid. Anyone else?
- January 27, 2012 at 2:53 PM
That's only if Adam Rose is telling the truth STR, but leave it to you to draw the wrong conclusions.
If I'm recalling that televised forum (can't remember the name and host) with a panel of real estate moguls and Dan Garodnick correctly, the opinion was unanimous that ANY deal would have to go through the tenants as long as we remained united.
- January 27, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Stuy Town Reporter said...
>>I'm the RSA is quite relieved that our Tenants Association is distracted by the ownership discussions and probably won't be taking up the cause for the preservation of rent regulations with the zest that they have shown in the past.<<
You mean the kind of zest that the TA used in partnership with other housing groups around the state this past June to successfully strengthen and protect rent regulations? UMM YUP!
The TA deals with many things, conversion is just one and it believes is the only shot at preserving long-term affordability. Without rent protections laws this place would have been sold to the highest bidder and all the RS tenants would be out on their ass.
- January 27, 2012 at 5:42 PM
"Disrupting that line actually gives the other bidders a leg up on us so so I call BS: CW Capital is really not acting "neutral" in this case. At all."
Actually, Rog, that says to me that they are acting in a neutral fashion. And let me add that I'm not really sure what you mean by "gives the other bidders a leg up on us."
Who is us? The TA and their supporters?
Have "we" decided that the Brookfield bid is our only viable option?
I've seen precious little going on around here that is worth praising but favoring one bidder over another would certainly not be on that list.
- January 27, 2012 at 8:55 PM
"You mean the kind of zest that the TA used in partnership with other housing groups around the state this past June to successfully strengthen and protect rent regulations? UMM YUP!"
I didn't notice any zest from the TA this past June when it came to fighting for strengthening the rent stabilization laws. They were too busy salivating at the prospect of buying. That seems to be all they are focused on.
- January 27, 2012 at 10:58 PM
"Without rent protections laws this place would have been sold to the highest bidder and all the RS tenants would be out on their ass."
1. We are ALL RS tenants.
2. I fully expect that this place WILL be sold to the highest bidder. If the bidding gets even mildly frothy, you don't want to win that bidding contest. The last six years have taught us that lesson.
- January 28, 2012 at 10:40 AM
"I didn't notice any zest from the TA this past June when it came to fighting for strengthening the rent stabilization laws."
So I guess I didn't notice you when the TA marched with signs to the Rent Guidelines Board hearings. And I guess I didn't notice you on the buses that went to Albany to fight for the renewal of RS. Several TA board members were on it (including one very enthusiastic proponent of ownership), as was Dan. Steve Sanders and Brian Kavanagh shepherded us to various meetings there.
- January 28, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Thank you 1:01 p.m.!
10:58 p.m--could you be any more ungrateful and clueless? And what did you do?
God, you people are old cranks! All you do is bitch and moan and criticize what other people are or aren't doing. Look to your own behavior. I'm quite sure I hear you walking, see you leaving unwashed recycling, etc. You are NO better than or more entitled to be here than any other tenants. You just aren't.
- January 28, 2012 at 2:23 PM
@Anonymous January 27, 2012 10:58 PM said:
"I didn't notice any zest from the TA this past June when it came to fighting for strengthening the rent stabilization laws. They were too busy salivating at the prospect of buying. That seems to be all they are focused on:
Perhaps then you are one of those lazy, complacent RSTs living in your apartment with your head in the sand.
Which means you missed that fact that the TA began the campaign for strengthening and renewal in Dec of 2010 carried the torch until the very end when the laws actually expired, but were ultimately renewed and strengthened for the first time in decades.
Its activities included conducting two postcard campaigns which involved two complex-wide stuffings, collecting over 1,100 signatures on a petition to governor cuomo. Participating in rallies outside his midtown office, sending buses to Albany to advocate for renewal, and launched two phone and email campaigns calling on the governor to not just renew but to strengthen rent regulations.
I might add that Council Member Garodnick and Assembly Member Kavanagh were with us all the way.
- January 28, 2012 at 3:48 PM
Hi sweetie. Um, no, you or any other neighbor does not hear us 'walking'. we are considerate and never step foot in our place without taking our shoes off. And yes, we clean up after ourselves, not leaving it for our porters to do so in the laundry room and also we happily recycle properly so .
too much trouble for you dear?
- January 28, 2012 at 5:00 PM
3:48--The TA really does work hard! Thank you all!
I can't believe the lack of gratitude and appreciation on this site. So grouchy and complaining, no acknowledgement of all the good the TA has done.
- January 28, 2012 at 5:53 PM
5:00 p.m. No you don't. I don't believe you. The blanket certainty that you are better than every other tenant makes me believe that you are probably one of the more inconsiderate tenants here.
You are no more entitled to be here than any other tenant. Indeed, your attitude makes you less desirable.
- January 28, 2012 at 8:44 PM
Stop posting about others thinking they're better or not. what are you talking about?????? NO ONE SAID THEY WERE ENTITLED TO BE HERE.
moderator: these are ridiculous ranting posts from a troll no doubt.
- January 28, 2012 at 10:34 PM
Just because someone doesnt agree with the TA and their approach to things doesnt make one evil as some of the TA's defenders suggest. Other people involve themselves in the issues in different ways.
No, I didnt board a bus and head to Albany. I couldnt, I have a job and people who rely on me to support them. However, I did attend a check party thrown by a group of former TA members. Each person attending the party brought a $50 check made out to one of 3 organizations supporting Rent Stabilization (including the TA, however, not one check was made out to them). Over 30 people attended so over $1500 was raised to help the cause. I also sent hand written letters (not mass produced cards) to legislators. I followed those up with e-mails and phone calls, as did many others.
Remember it was a group of tenants, not the TA that got the zoning issues on the front burner finally lighting a fire under Councilmember Garodnick who along with the TA did nothing about this issue until they saw tenants organizing without them.
I give credit to the TA where credit is due, I do not hold them or Dan Garodnick in awe and think they walk on water.
I do not support their conversion plan. In fact, I do not think that they have any right to hold themselves out as representatives of the tenants in regard to a sale of the property when their membership is only a small percentage of tenants. And yes, I did sign a unity pledge, some 5 to 6 years ago. And no I did not give the TA my approval to negotiate a deal for the sale of my home by signing that form so many years ago. I wonder if one could take the TA to court and have them cease and desist as representatives of tenants in this regard? Hmmm.
- January 31, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Got my new lease and new rent. Roberts case my ass... stabilized renewal rate my ass too.
How the F do they raise us almost 10%?
- January 31, 2012 at 2:05 PM
- Stuy Town Reporter said...
I think the tardiness in the Roberts situation and the "creative bookkeeping" are real scandals. This is the kind of crap that The Man can get away with.
- January 31, 2012 at 2:16 PM
Anonymous 2:05p.m.: If your previous rent was preferential, that is, lower than what RS would allow, on renewal the landlord can bring it up to the full allowable RS amount, even if that is a higher percentage than the RGB guidelines. Did you get a month free on your last lease or some other reduction? You may need to check your rent history. Of course this is all complicated by Roberts not being settled.
- February 1, 2012 at 9:30 AM
I just thought of the way in which dog ownership will be controlled and diminished. It can only happen if conversion takes place. Then when owners see people letting dogs to their thing on the lawns they will yell at them because turning this place into a dog run will lower property values. Yelling & harassment stemming from ownership. That will do it. When dog #1 dies, people will think...should I get another one? Then they'll think to themselves...I'd like to, but I can't stand the yelling & the harassment.
- February 5, 2012 at 10:03 AM
You are so right STR regarding scandal of Roberts. Disgusting.
- February 6, 2012 at 6:37 AM
"I just thought of the way in which dog ownership will be controlled and diminished. It can only happen if conversion takes place. Then when owners see people letting dogs to their thing on the lawns they will yell at them because turning this place into a dog run will lower property values. Yelling & harassment stemming from ownership. That will do it. When dog #1 dies, people will think...should I get another one? Then they'll think to themselves...I'd like to, but I can't stand the yelling & the harassment."
Oh how I wish I could agree with you. I agree though that the conversion is the ONLY hope we have at improving things. THe way I see it, there's only so much improvement possible with the dogs. How Are you going to stop them from waking you up in the morning? Disturbing you at night? Perhaps they will build fences around all the lawns to prootect the plantings? I don't know. Isn't it amazing how owners will let their dogs into flower beds and urinate and defecate right on the flowers. I mean, wouldn't common sense dictate not to do things like that?
I'm willing to accept that it's over as far as this being a livable place for the long term anymore, but that's why I support conversion. I will buy, wait for the flip tax regs to disappear and then sell so I can get the hell out of here. With the proceeds I will be able to buy something else in manhattan. It's not the worst thing in the world. Sure I would love to stay. I'll give it a go and see what happens, but I doubt some of these QOL issues will be resolved. Everything comes to an end.
- February 8, 2012 at 11:11 AM


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Courts in Martin County
Martin county, district 2, trial courts
North Carolina's court system, called the General Court of Justice, is a unified statewide and state-operated system consisting of three divisions: the Appellate Division, the Superior Court and the District Court Division. The Superior Court and District Court Divisions are commonly referred to as the North Carolina Trial Courts.
For some counties the trial Courts have been further subdivided into specialty areas such as Business Court, Family Court, Drug Court, Traffic Court, etc. More information on specialty courts for this county is provided on the left menu.
This web site for the Courts in Martin County provides specific information on how North Carolina Trial Courts operate within Martin County.

subset: commoncrawl


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Four Huskers Earn Academic All-Big Ten Awards
Four members of the Nebraska rifle team captured spots on the academic All-Big Ten team announced by the conference on Wednesday, May 29.
Seniors Joyce Kim and Katelyn Woltersdorf, junior Sunny Russell and sophomore Kelsey Hansen all performed at a high level in the classroom for the Huskers during the 2012-13 campaign.
Kim, a textiles, merchandising and fashion design major from Gilbert, Ariz., earned her second straight academic All-Big Ten award and third conference honor overall.
Woltersdorf, an art major from Battle Ground, Wash., added her second consecutive appearance on the academic All-Big Ten squad. On the range, Woltersdorf was a finalist at the NCAA Championships, finishing sixth in air rifle.
Russell, a junior child, youth and family studies major from Stratford, Texas, gave the Huskers a trio of two-time academic All-Big Ten selections.
Hansen, a sophomore from Minot, N.D., rounded out the Huskers on the academic All-Big Ten team by earning the first conference academic award of her career.
To be eligible for academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners who are in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. Overall, the conference recognized 1,279 spring and at-large sports student-athletes with academic All-Big Ten honors.
The conference office will also present the Distinguished Scholar Award in July. Student-athletes eligible for the Distinguished Scholar Award must be letterwinners in at least their second year in residence at their institution. Qualifying student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.7 or higher for the current academic year, excluding summer school. The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award was established by conference Faculty Representatives as an addition to the conference's academic All-Big Ten program.
Russell was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar for the Huskers in 2012.
Nebraska Rifle's Academic All-Big Ten Selections
- Kelsey Hansen (So.) - Biological Sciences (Minot, N.D.)
- Joyce Kim (Sr.) - Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design (Gilbert, Ariz.)
- Sunny Russell (Jr.) - Child, Youth & Family Studies (Stratford, Texas)
- Katelyn Woltersdorf (Sr.) - Art (Battle Ground, Wash.)


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Mountain View firefighters spent most of the afternoon battling a house fire hear Colo. 52 in Niwot that caused extensive damage.
Deputy Chief Steve Pischke said the owner of the home, at 6170 79th Ave., left to run errands around noon. At about 1 p.m., a motorist on Colo. 52 saw smoke, went to investigate and called police.
Pischke said firefighters arrived to heavy flames and smoke at the southwest side of the house. Firefighters quickly used the water from two engine tankers and had to shuttle water in from Niwot to continue to fight the fire.
The lack of water coupled with multiple walls and false ceilings in the older house made for "a cold, tough fight," Pischke said.
By about 5 p.m., the fire was out, he said. A deputy will stay on scene overnight to watch for flare ups, while an investigation into the cause of the fire will start Monday morning, he said.
He said he's not sure if the house can be salvaged, given the extensive damage to the south side.


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Attorney General Jon Bruning announced today Jeffrey Gomez, 37, of Osceola was sentenced 20 to 35 years in prison on one count of first degree sexual assault of a child in Polk County District Court. He also received concurrent sentences of four to five years each for two counts of third degree sexual assault of a child and two counts of child abuse. Gomez was convicted of the charges on May 20, 2013.
"This man robbed his victim of her innocence and betrayed her trust," said Bruning. "Today's sentence ensures he will be behind bars for a long time."
The sentence stems from an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska State Patrol which determined Gomez had sexually assaulted the victim for approximately five months during 2011. She was approximately 13-years-old when the assaults began.
Bruning's 2009 Legislative Package bill LB 97 created the 15-year mandatory minimum sentence for first degree sexual assault of a child between the ages of 12 and 15 committed by someone aged 25 or older.
The victim's name has been withheld to protect her identity.
Assistant Attorney General Bill Tangeman handled the case in cooperation with the Polk County Attorney's Office.


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Perhaps inevitably, SEGA and Gearbox Software are named as defendants in a lawsuit over Aliens: Colonial Marines, the movie-based first-person shooter that met with a good deal of discontent after its recent release (thanks durandal). Polygon reports the suit was filed in the Northern District of California court by law firm Edelson LLC on behalf of plaintiff Damion Perrine, saying the game was falsely advertised. SEGA Europe has already received a scolding over how the visuals in the game did not live up to what was shown in prerelease trailers, and now this is being taken to the courts in the U.S. They offer the following excerpt from the court papers:
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text: Save This Event For Later 2013 Greensboro Velo Club Membership Greensboro, NC, Tue Jan 1 - Tue Dec 31, 2013 Who's Registered? | Contact Event | Event Website | Google Calendar Start line address: Greensboro, NC 27438 Presented by Greensboro Velo Club This is a past event. If you wish to see the details for this event click, "Continue" below. If you are looking for a current event, please search the event calendar .


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Stanczyk was reading the Genealogical Society of PA email/newsletter. They were talking about the Library of Congress' (LOC) Chronicling America program. This program is about saving/collecting/digitizing Historical US Newspapers, including Ethnic Language (i.e. Polish) newspapers.
Casual readers of Stanczyk will realize that I favor using Historical newspapers to fill in gaps or to provide context in your family history. My own ojciec (father) told me about an ethnic newspaper (Dziennik Polski) that his mother used to read daily in Detroit. That was over a meal the night before Stanczyk was going to the state of Michigan's Library & Archives and I had plans to read microfilm of Dziennik Polski. So, on the basis of this kismet I searched Dziennik Polski and the first time I searched, I found my grandmother listed as a mother giving birth to a baby boy (my uncle Ted) and it listed the address where my grandparents lived so I was able to confirm it was my family. Thereafter, I was hooked on Historical newspapers.
At any rate, I digress (but I hope I have motivated you to look). Stanczyk's own Dziennik Polski (Detroit) newspaper page came from the LOC's Chronicling America program and adding their info to my own research to create my Rootsweb page. That is specific to just the Dziennik Polski (Detroit) newspaper (with a small mention to other MI Polish language newspapers). But today I searched the LOC for Polish Language newspapers in the LOC and my results are below:
American Historical Polish Language US Newspapers in LOC – http://t.co/CeEjpWv
Happy and Blessed 4th of July everyone !


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Pair of Huskers Compete with National Teams
A pair of Nebraska soccer players recently competed with their respective national teams, as senior defender Ari Romero played in the Algarve Cup with the Mexican National team in Portugal and sophomore forward Katie Kraeutner trained with Team Canada's U20 National team in Portland, Ore.
An invitation-only tournament hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation, the Algarve Cup started in 1994 and is one of the most prestigious women's soccer events, alongside the World Cup and the Olympics. Mexico was one of 12 countries invited to the tournament and started in group play with Hungary, Wales and Portugal.
Romero played in three of Mexico's four games, including a start against Wales during group play.
Mexico won their group with a pair of wins over Hungary (1-0) and Portugal (3-0), which placed them in the seventh-place game at the tournament. Denmark took the seventh-place game, 3-0, at Municipal Stadium in Lagos, Portugal.
Mexico played in the tournament for just the third time in tournament history and the first time since 2006.
Following a stellar freshman season at Nebraska in 2012, Kraeutner recently returned from the Team Canada U20 National Excel camp, where she trained from March 16-25 with 22 other players.
"Taking part in a training camp like that is something I've been dreaming about since I was little," Kraeutner said. "It was unreal for me to take part in that. It was a great experience, so much fun and great environment."
The team started training for the U20 World Cup in 2014, which Canada will host, along with the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.
Kraeutner credits a lot of her progress as a soccer player to Nebraska Head Coach John Walker, who has coached in the Canadian National team program.
"It's awesome to have Coach Walker here at Nebraska," Kraeutner said. "He helped me so much during my first season at Nebraska and without him I don't think I'd be were I'm right now. I love playing for Coach Walker."


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Huskers Terminate Hawkeye Effort
The Huskers saw all hitters record a .333 hitting percentage or better on the evening, as Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth led the way with 13 kills each and a .500 and .550 hitting percentage, respectively. Both seniors also recorded eight digs for the Huskers. Lauren Cook notched 38 assists and Meghan Haggerty had four blocks.
Nebraska hit .471 in the match, while the Hawkeyes recorded a .098 hitting percentage. The Huskers out-blocked Iowa 7-0 and out-dug the Hawkeyes 38-34. Iowa's 36 points on the evening marked the lowest point total by a Husker opponent in three set matches during the rally scoring era. The next closest mark was Alabama A&M's 37 points against the Huskers in 2005.
The Huskers took a 6-1 lead in the first set on an ace by Mancuso. Werth powered Nebraska on an 11-0 run with a pair of kills and a double-stuff block with Haggerty, as NU took a 17-3 lead over the Hawkeyes. Iowa cut Nebraska's lead to 20-11; as NU went on to win the first set 25-12 on three-straight kills by Werth.
Werth posted seven kills in the first set, while Mancuso had three. Cook dished out 15 assists, guiding Nebraska to a .556 hitting percentage in the set. Iowa hit .222 for the set.
Iowa went up 5-4 in the second set, until a kill by Mancuso and error by the Hawkeyes tied the set at 7-7. The Hawkeyes then went up 12-10, but Mancuso gave NU the lead at 15-14. Back-to-back blocks from the Huskers gave Nebraska an 18-14 advantage. An ace by Hubl made it 21-15, Huskers, as Nebraska went on to take the second set 25-16 on a kill by Mancuso.
Mancuso had six kills in the second set, while Werth had four. Cook tabbed 12 assists as Nebraska hit .308. Iowa recorded a .158 hitting percentage.
Back-to-back kills by Werth made it 5-3, Huskers, early in the third set. A kill by Cook put Nebraska up 10-5, while Allison McNeal came up big for the Huskers, tallying two kills and a double-stuff block with Cook to make it 15-5, NU. Hubl recorded another ace for the Huskers to make it 17-5, Nebraska. The Huskers would not look back in the third set as they won 25-8.
Mancuso had four kills in the third set, while Haggerty, Werth and Fien all had two. Cook tabbed 11 assists as Nebraska hit .667 in the set. Iowa recorded a -.111 hitting percentage.
Nebraska will close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 24 as the Northwestern Wildcats come to the NU Coliseum. The match is slated for 7 p.m.


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Udall's office said Wednesday the subcommittee oversees cyberdefense, military space programs, nuclear weapons and intelligence programs.
It's the first time Udall has been chosen to lead an Armed Services subcommittee.
He also serves on two other Armed Forces subcommittees, one on emerging threats and capabilities and the other on readiness and management support.


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Devaney Brought State Together, Made Football Fun Again
Randy York's N-Sider
Official Blog of the Huskers
Nebraska was the only Division I college football team in the state, and it brought the whole state together. It was a unifying force. Nobody had anything to argue about. It wasn't political, and I think Governor Nelson said it very well. In fact, until I heard him say it, I never quite got it. I was totally mystified about all of the hullaballoo. I think it's true that dad's legacy isn't really about football. It's about a man coming into a state that had a little bit of an inferiority complex and showing everyone that they could compete with the best of teams from California to New York. All of a sudden, there they are. They won, and they won on their own terms. There was no handout. My dad always felt that if he hadn't done that, somebody else would have because Nebraska has the hardest working people in the country. To him, it was never personal. He loved this state, and it loved him."
Devaney's pinnacle of back-to-back 1970-71 national championships indeed generated an epic power surge and created a new, refreshing statewide mindset – a proud, pounding, pleasing pursuit of excellence. Nebraska celebrates Devaney's monumental legacy in a season-opener matching the only two Division I institutions Devaney ever served as head coach – the Wyoming Cowboys and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. "How apropos can it get to unveil a statue of my dad the day before Wyoming plays Nebraska in Memorial Stadium?" asked Mike Devaney, who's in Lincoln this weekend with his son, Rob, to represent their late father and grandfather in the formal dedication of that statue outside Gate 20. With the Tom Osborne/Brook Berringer statue greeting Husker fans in the North Stadium entrance, who else but Devaney would welcome fans at the expanded East Stadium entrance? Devaney is, after all, the Hall-of-Fame coach who "built" Memorial Stadium into what it became. He also blazed new trails for African-American student-athletes as a coach and then carried a big torch for female student-athletes as Nebraska's athletic director.
Omaha artist Joe Putjenter molded and sculpted the statue, which features Devaney wearing his familiar letter jacket with his cap on and a whistle hanging around his neck while he's holding a clipboard in his left hand. "I think they've taken about 20 years off of dad and maybe a good 20 pounds," said Mike Devaney with a voice and laugh that you would swear was Bob's if you closed your eyes and listened. "Dad would say the same thing. It's a nice tribute and relates to what he's known for – being a football coach. It's a unique symbol, and we're just as happy to see the Devaney Center become a world-class facility at the same time. Dad would be happy and humble with all of it. I think the biggest change dad made at Nebraska was making football fun again. He shortened practices, was very organized and knew how to motivate in his own unique way."
Eichorst Commissions Devaney Statue
One of the first items of business for new Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst was to prominently recognize and pay tribute to Bob Devaney at Memorial Stadium. "Coach Devaney led the charge and laid a solid foundation for the future success of Nebraska Athletics," he said. After quietly consulting with UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman, other leaders and the Devaney family, Eichorst commissioned a statue to be built and placed at the east entrance to Memorial Stadium's most historic gate. Through that gate, of course, pass college football's most loyal fans who sold out the Missouri game in Devaney's first year as Nebraska's head coach in 1962 and have gone on to sell out 326 consecutive games, an ongoing NCAA record.
Having Devaney's statue in front of what is believed to be the only joint on-campus academic and athletic research facility in intercollegiate athletics is appropriate in another meaningful way. Devaney hand-picked Osborne to succeed him as head coach, bypassing several coaches on his staff who went on to become head coaches themselves. "I don't think you could find two people who live their lives so much differently in so many ways," Mike Devaney said of his dad and Osborne, who helped spearhead the one-of-a-kind research facility. "Dad respected Tom for who he was, and I think Tom respected dad for who he was. They had a lot of respect for each other and what they could accomplish together. They never once stepped on each other's beliefs or personal lives at all, and they both had a strong sense of loyalty to each other."
Pat Devaney, a retired Stanford dean, is now on the board of the Stanford Historical Society. She leads the charge for their oral history program to "tell the stories about the old days of Stanford and how we've gone from good to great," she said, adding that she has no doubt about how her dad took Nebraska from the depths of football despair to greatness in less than a decade and how that became the trigger to unify Nebraska's statewide pride.
The Head Coach Carries Nebraska's Pressure
To this day, Pat laughs about her dad being voted the most popular person in the state when he was an athletic director and insists that her dad's ability to laugh at himself was a big part of his skill to unify. "I think it was Governor (Frank) Morrison who came up to my dad and told him that he was gaining on him as the most popular man in the state," she recalled. Her dad's response set the record straight. "Hey, don't kid yourself," Devaney told Morrison. "Tom Osborne would have been way ahead of both of us in that poll if he had beaten Oklahoma this year."
Mike Devaney, a successful businessman based in Scottsdale, Ariz., says his dad's humor is a spinoff from Duffy Daugherty, his college football mentor at Michigan State. "Duffy used to call my dad the Pied Piper, and I think that's what he was. He could sit down and talk to anybody. He could be singing Irish songs in a pub with his friends or he could be in a kid's home singing hymns with his mom. Dad always seemed to know what to do at the right time. It's pretty amazing what Nebraska was in the 40 years before he got here and what they've been since he arrived."
In the last 50 years, Nebraska leads all Division I football schools in terms of overall wins. The Huskers have won 40 more games than Oklahoma, the No. 2 team in that category over the last half century. Why is Nebraska's record so remarkable? Because in the 21 years prior to Devaney's arrival, the Huskers experienced only three winning seasons. No wonder his daughter was in such a hullaballoo trying to figure out what spurred such a dramatic turnaround. When her dad brought his coaches to Lincoln to inspire a new team and pull a whole state together, Big Red football became the ultimate benchmark, and really, in the minds of many, it still is.
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The price tag is $14 million. Will my taxes go up?
No, according to the town manager's office. The town is retiring debt from borrowing on several projects. Any debt incurred in the Town Center project replaces that.
Will the project mean that neighborhoods still waiting for sewer service will have to wait longer?
No, because the town cannot add more sewer lines until it increases capacity at its wastewater-treatment facility, per the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Will the project mean that other priorities such as a proposed new high school will take a back seat?
No. New schools are typically funded through a combination of a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion and assistance from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. MSBA is paying for more than half the cost of the new Parker Elementary School.
Is this project just about changing traffic flow?
The plan is also about increasing access to the Common and bringing more businesses to the center of town, according to supporters.
What help is coming from the state?
The state will pay for improvements to Boston Road from the Shops at Billerica (formerly known as the Billerica Mall) and the entrance to O'Connor's Hardware Plaza, including construction of new sidewalks.
What about the sidewalks along the row of businesses?
Space will grow to 18 feet in width and will encourage outdoor seating for restaurants.
Does the $14 million estimate cover the costs associated with burying utilities?
If approved, when will the center be finished?
Town Manager John Curran says the full design phase will be completed in the summer of 2013 and construction would begin in the spring of 2014. The project will take an estimated two and a half years to finish. Roads will remain open.
What constitutes approval?
The Town Center project was approved by Town Meeting. Monday's referendum challenges that vote. The project moves forward if:
* Two-thirds of all votes approve of the redesign, with a turnout of at least 20 percent (roughly 5,200 of the town's 26,000 registered voters).
* Fewer than 20 percent of voters cast ballots. This voids the referendum under Town Charter. Then, the Town Meeting vote will stand.


text: Save This Event For Later Hampshire 100 - Cyclocross Training Race and Short Track MTB Race Greenfield, NH, Sat Aug 17, 2013 Who's Registered? | Contact Event | Event Website | Google Calendar Start line address: Oak Park, Greenfield, NH 03427 Presented by sanctioned by Eastern Fat Tire Association This is a past event. If you wish to see the details for this event click, "Continue" below. If you are looking for a current event, please search the event calendar .


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Spring Break in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Spring Break in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
The city earned the nickname "Ft. Liquordale" in the 80s when hundreds of thousands of college students flocked to its shores every March for spring break. Chaos reigned for the whole month with a displaced frat party on steroids. Public urination/nudity/intoxication was the norm, and the quiet residents and retirees has to step aside...These days the city has clamped down on the debauchery, catering toward wealthy tourists by replacing cheap hotels with a skyline of luxury condos....
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Debate in Denver
Debate in Denver
President Obama and Mitt Romney smiled at the end of the debate.
President Obama and Michelle Obama met Mitt and Ann Romney and members of their family.
President Obama spoke as Mitt Romney listened. At center is moderator Jim Lehrer.
Romney gestured as he made a point.
The debate covered a range of domestic topics.
Jobs and health care were among the subjects discussed.
President Obama smiled.
President Obama and Romney met at the start of the debate.
Michelle Obama and Ann Romney met.
Romney and his wife Ann watched as family members played Jenga before the start.
Audience members waited before the event.
The scene outside the debate venue at the University of Denver.
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was interviewed before the debate.
President Obama arrived at Buckley Air Force Base outside Denver.


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This film takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe's most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine-the World's Number One...
Read Full Synopsis
Read Full Production Details
This film takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe's most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine-the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit-and his dastardly sidekick Dominic.
Sorry, no theaters are available within -1 km of postal code 85365 that are playing the movie "Muppets Most Wanted" on Monday, 25 June.Please try:- extending your search range, or - entering a new postal code, or- choosing another date.If after trying different options and your movie still does not appear with showtimes, your movie may not be playing nearby for the options you chose.
I know, that headline is trouble. You're always treading dangerous ground when you insist on defining what makes a good this or the right kind of that, as if there is no room for change or improvement when it comes to classic properties. Of course there is - Jason Segel's 2011 Muppet film approached the concept from an entirely different direction. It didn't hit all of its marks, but it prevailed overall in its conceit: make a movie not about Muppets, but about Muppet fandom. But Muppets Most Wanted, in absence of a clear mission statement and fueled largely by the monetary glimmers of the sequel game (the film's opening number admits this outright), has fewer marks readily available to hit. Landing in the ambiguity between the classic Muppet adventure formula and Segel's post-modern Henson appreciation party, Most Wanted feels like a failure on both counts. It doesn't know which kind of movie it wants to, or should, be. So it doesn't really be anything.
On the one hand, there's the half-cocked get-the-band-back-together through line, mimicking but not quite accomplishing the spirit of the 2011 picture. None of the Muppets are particularly likable or charming in this turn, and even fewer of them actually given anything to do. Kermit loses his s**t in the first act after a spat with Piggy and a barrage of insubordination from his troupe (provoked by the nefarious Dominic Badguy, Ricky Gervais), storms off in a huff, and gets swept up in a case of mistaken identity when his criminal doppelganger Constantine pulls the old switcheroo, landing Kermit in a Russian gulag. You'd think this would be a good opportunity for the second tier of Muppet favorites - Piggy, Fozzy, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, et al - to go on a search and rescue... but save for a very brief sequence at the tail end of this achingly long film, none of the other Muppets are giving anything to do. They just hem and haw and perform the occasional Indoor Running of the Bulls while Dominic and Constantine scheme, rob banks, and bicker.
Meanwhile, Kermit has some fun in prison - a far more endearing plot that sees him befriending the merry convicts, organizing a penitentiary revue, and even winning the heart of the vicious warden Nadia (Tina Fey). If only we could spend more time with real Kermit and less time with fake Kermit and his second banana Gervais, an effectively boring pair.
On the other hand, though, there's the Muppet shtick that fans of The Great Muppet Caper and Muppet Treasure Island - and yes, The Muppet Show itself - will deem the movie's best material: CIA Agent Sam Eagle and Interpol Agent Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) hot on the trail of Constantine and Dominic. Here, we get a different type of Muppet movie entirely from what Segel and the A-plot in Most Wanted are opting: the old fashioned vaudeville act, with Sam standing as an independent entity from his googly-eyed brethren, on a goofy, musical prowl with Burrell that fuels the film with its best and most consistent chuckles. Their Interrogation Song number is outstanding, exemplifying the many talents of Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie, who wrote all the music for this and the previous film.
Unfortunately, Muppets Most Wanted isn't sure that it wants to be The Great Muppet Caper, beheld so stubbornly to its Segelian roots. There's a palpable compulsion to stick with this agonizingly self-aware, nostalgia-crazy, brimming-beacons-of-the-past-in-a-callous-today theme that doesn't work a fraction as well as it did in the 2011 film. Without a legitimate celebration of any of our favorite characters, how could it? With so much going on in this movie, and such a lengthy runtime at just under two hours, it's a sure sign of failure that we walk away feeling like we spent barely any time with the Muppets.
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Quick Query: What, Exactly, Is An IP Address? | E-Commerce Center - 0 views
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Saeed Ya on 06 Sep 09Ecommerce merchants can now track where their visitors live. Digital Element is a firm that provides this geo-tracking service and it allows merchants to...


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Kim Kardashian Twitter Campaign Against Kobe Bryant and Turkish Airlines
The short version of this beef breaks down like this:
Kobe Bryant wanted some extra cash, so he accepted a contract to be the face of Turkish Airlines.
People are up in arms because of some of the political things going on with Turks and Armenians.
Armenian groups argue that the Turks committed genocide beginning in 1915, when more than one million Armenians were killed.
Kim Kardashian is Armenian and her sister Khloe is married to Kobe's teammate Lamar Odom. As you can imagine there was a bit of friction over Kobe's decision. Here is what happened next:
Kim Kardashian has launched a new campaign on Twitter against the well- known basketball player Kobe Bryant, urging him to refuse to enter into a 2-year contract under which the star will be advertising "Turkish Airlines"
According to the Turkish Sabah, Kobe told Kim that he signed a business contract and it is not political, and is not going to call it off. To resolve this issue, Kardashian turned to her sister's husband Lamar Odom, who is Kobe's teammate.
As NEWS.am reported earlier, about 2 weeks ago Kim Kardashian launched a campaign on Twitter, urging everyone to call the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, demanding to include the resolution number 252, condemning the Armenian Genocide.
I'm not sure exactly what they expect Odom to do and Kobe has basically told everyone to kick rocks.
While I understand what Kimmy is trying to do, you can't hold Kobe accountable for something that happened in 1915. Did the Kardashians protest Allen Iverson playing in Turkey? He will be making as much money as Kobe and he took Turkish Airlines to get there.
The point being is this— business is business and politics are politics. Kobe isn't Armenian so it is not his responsibility to take a political stand. The Kardashians shouldn't use his name to push their agenda.
Now to the pics:


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Huskers Sweep The Eagles At Home Opener
Lincoln, Neb. - The 17th-ranked Nebraska women's tennis team swept the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Saturday by a score of 7-0. This marks the first win at home and the first win of the season for the Huskers who come to 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten).
The Huskers and Eagles dual kicked off early on a bitter cold morning at the Nebraska Tennis Center in Lincoln. Nebraska took the first doubles win at the No. 1 position, with Mary Weatherholt and Patricia Veresova (NU) toppling Klara Supejova and Nino Mebuke (EMU), 8-3.
The second doubles victory quickly followed at the No. 2 position sealing the doubles point for the Huskers, where Stefanie Weinstein and Janine Weinreich (NU) ousted Daphne Friedrichs and Mariya Toncheva (EMU), 8-2.
Due to a rule change this season, if the doubles point is decided in the first two concluding matches then the third doubles match is left unfinished. This was the case at the No. 3 position where Maggy Lehmicke and Izabella Zgierska (NU) were leading Zsofia Biro and Ankita Bhatia (EMU), 6-4; however the match was left unfinished.
Nebraska and Eastern Michigan entered singles play with the Huskers leading 1-0. Nebraska extended its lead to 2-0 at the No. 5 position when Lehmicke (NU) swept past Biro (EMU), 6-1, 6-0. The lead jumped to 3-0 shortly after when Weatherholt (NU) defeated Supejova (EMU) at the No. 2 position, 6-2, 6-1.
The Huskers sealed the win going up 4-0 at the No. 1 position. Nebraska's Veresova battled hard to emerge victorious against Eastern Michigan's Mebuke, 6-2, 6-2. The Huskers maintained the shutout moving to 5-0 at the No. 3 position where Weinstein (NU) beat Friedrichs (EMU), 6-2, 6-2.
Even with the results of the dual already set in stone, the last two matches were shootouts to the finish. At the No. 4 position, the lead was pushed to 6-0 when Nebraska's Weinreich defeated Eastern Michigan's Toncheva, 6-2, 6-4. The dual wrapped up at the No. 6 singles position with Nebraska's Izabella Zgierska defeat over Ankita Bhatia (EMU), 6-0, 7-5.
The Huskers will see their next action at home against Creighton on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The match is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. at the Nebraska Tennis Center.
No. 17 Nebraska - 7
Eastern Michigan - 0
Nebraska Tennis Center
Lincoln, Neb.
1. Patricia Veresova (NU) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU), 6-2, 6-2.
2. Mary Weatherholt (NU) def. Klara Supejova (EMU), 6-2, 6-1.
3. Stefanie Weinstein (NU) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU), 6-2, 6-2.
4. Janine Weinreich (NU) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU), 6-2, 6-4.
5. Maggy Lehmicke (NU) def. Zsofia Biro (EMU), 6-1, 6-0.
6. Izabella Zgierska (NU) def. Ankita Bhatia (EMU), 6-0, 7-5.
Order of finish (5, 2, 1, 3, 4, 6)
1. Patricia Veresova/Mary Weatherholt (NU) def. Nino Mebuke/Klara Supejova (EMU), 8-3.
2. Stefanie Weinstein/Janine Weinreich (NU) def. Daphne Friedrichs/Mariya Toncheva (EMU), 8-2.
3. Maggy Lehmicke/Izabella Zgierska (NU) led Zsofia Biro/Ankita Bhatia (EMU), 6-4 (unfinished).
Order of finish (1, 2, 3)


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Officials are cautioning travelers that a spring storm making its way across the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains region will bring periods of freezing rain, heavy snowfall, and extremely high winds from Monday evening and into Wednesday.
DENVER – Officials are cautioning travelers that a spring storm making its way across the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains region will bring periods of freezing rain, heavy snowfall, and extremely high winds from Monday evening and into Wednesday.
The National Weather Service has predicted winter storm conditions of varying intensity throughout the six-state region of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Driving conditions are expected to be difficult, with heavy, wet snow and high winds. People who must travel in affected areas are advised to slow down and drive with extreme caution, and those who are staying home are also urged to make plans for the possible loss of power.
Residents should follow the instructions of state, tribal and local officials and listen to local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information. If you are told to stay off the roads, stay home, and when it is safe, check on neighbors or friends nearby who may need assistance or extra support. Older adults and individuals who are dependent on life-sustaining medical equipment or assistive devices such as a ventilator or mobility devices may need additional support in areas that have lost power.
Avoid traveling by car, but those who must are urged to have an emergency supply kit in the trunk of their car. FEMA urges families to maintain an emergency supply kit both at home and in the car to help prepare for winter power outages and icy or impassable roads.
Those who must travel should take the following steps.
• Wear a seatbelt.
• Travel during the day.
• Drive with headlights on in order to be seen by other motorists from the front and rear.
• Use highly traveled roads and highways.
• Keep family and friends informed of travel schedules and routes.
• Call local phone numbers or visit state websites to get information on road conditions
• Keep a winter weather survival kit in the vehicle. The kit should include blankets, warm clothing, water, energy bars, a flashlight, a distress flag, a shovel and matches.
• Travel with a charged cellphone.
• Change travel plans as weather conditions warrant.
If you do get stranded:
• Stay in your vehicle.
• Run the engine and heater about 10 minutes an hour to stay warm.
• When the engine is running, open a window slightly to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Periodically clear snow from the exhaust pipe to help prevent carbon monoxide buildup.
• If it is dark outside, turn on the interior light so rescuers can see you.
• Put up a distress flag, or spread a large colored cloth on the ground to attract attention from rescuers.
Follow these important safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), FEMA and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) in the aftermath of the storm:
Portable Generators
Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed or garage even if doors and windows are open. Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors and vents. Read both the label on your generator and the owner's manual and follow the instructions. Any electrical cables you use with the generator should be free of damage and suitable for outdoor use.
Charcoal Grills and Camp Stoves
Never use charcoal grills or camp stoves indoors. Deaths have occurred when consumers burned charcoal or used camp stoves in enclosed spaces, which produced lethal levels of carbon monoxide.
CO Alarms
Install carbon monoxide alarms immediately outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home to protect against CO poisoning. Change the alarms' batteries every year.
Electrical Safety
Stay away from any downed wires, including cable TV feeds. They may be live with deadly voltage.
Use caution with candles. If possible, use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when you leave the room.
For more information and winter safety tips, please visit: http://www.ready.gov/winter-weather or www.listo.gov to find out how you can prepare your family for winter storms and other disasters.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability