Politics

De Blasio: After ‘Labor in Vineyards,’ Cohen Ready for Council (Video)

On a snowy, sleety, windy Friday morning, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, one of a handful of Democratic mayoral candidates hoping to win over the Riverdale-based Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club, trekked up to the Bronx to endorse Andrew Cohen, the club’s favored candidate to fill Oliver Koppell’s soon-to-be-vacant District 11 Council seat, which includes Norwood, Bedford Park, Riverdale, Woodlawn, and much of Kingsbridge.

Sen. Hassell-Thompson’s New Norwood Office Space

Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson is setting up new bi-weekly office hours inside Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 Dekalb Avenue (at Gun Hill Road) in the Bronx. She joins Councilman Oliver Koppell and Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz who also have office hours at MMCC. On Wednesday, Feb. 6, and every other Wednesday after that, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hassell-Thompson will have a staff member on site ready to assist anyone in need.

Races Shaping Up as Bronx City Council Hopefuls File Finance Reports

Candidates running in city elections this year were required to file campaign finance reports this week, giving us a pretty good idea of who the leading contenders for a handful of open Bronx seats will be. Of course, it’s still early and candidates will continue to emerge over the coming months, but those who filed this week are already off and running. Here’s a look at the most interesting City Council races in the Bronx and who’s leading the fundraising game in the 11th, 15th, 16th and 12th districts, which should all be competitive this year.

The Year in Politics: Redistricting Leads to Heated Political Races in NW Bronx

The northwest Bronx saw a flurry of political activity this year starting with a furor over redistricting, the realignment of legislative district lines that happens every decade following the Census. So politically charged was the debate over district lines that a federal judge had to step in and draw new Congressional lines. (State lines were agreed upon after several delays.) The result of the judge’s decision gave birth to the new 14th Congressional District, which stretches from Harlem through upper Manhattan and into the northwest Bronx. It includes much of Norwood News’ primary coverage area, including Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge and University Heights.

Race to Replace Norwood/Bedford Park Councilman Heats Up

Last week, Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz showed up at Scott Tower in Bedford Park to address the audience at the November Community Board 7 general meeting to talk about a few issues facing the state legislator. He also brought along a friend and ally, Andy Cohen, who he introduced as the Aging Committee Chair of Community Board 8, which includes Kingsbridge and Riverdale.