Dinowitz feeds the needy then fights Verizon

A pair of photos popped into my inbox yesterday. Looks like Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has been busy fighting the injustice in the world.

Dinowitz collected donations from P.S. 81 students for the purchase of Thanksgiving turkeys for needy families. Here, he is pictured with members of the P.S. 81 Student Government and Student Government Advisors Steve Ozer and Shari Galligan after collecting their donations.

Also, Dinowitz joined with Verizon workers today in their ongoing contract battle against Verizon's efforts to reduce their health and pension benefits.

(L-R) State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Dinowitz,
Council Member Fernando Cabrera, and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto.

Bronx State legislators calling on Quinn to support living wage

There will be a full story in this week's Bronx Press and Riverdale Review on the living wage, but check this out anyways.

Letter to Speaker Quinn from Bronx State Legislators

Diaz: A real hotel will rise near Stadium

Diaz hopes he will be the one to bring
a first-class hotel to the Bronx.

Before this becomes old news, I wanted to give you the article that is in this week's Bronx Press about the first-class hotel Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. wants to see near Yankee Stadium. The Village Voice pointed out that if the hotel takes away parking spaces, it would have to replace lost spaces for stadium events (The hotel will replace a 9,100 space garage that's mostly unused). However, some of the people who were at the announcement said that could be negotiated out, seeing as the garages around the stadium aren't even at 50% capacity.

Also, jump below for the full story, plus a video of Diaz speaking at the announcement.

By Brendan McHugh 

A Bronx hotel would be a home run for the borough, Ruben Diaz Jr. said Monday.

The Bronx borough president announced the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp., the economic arm of Diaz’s office, is seeking a developer to build a hotel at E. 153rd Street and River Avenue; the site of an underused parking garage run by Bronx Parking.

“For too long, the borough has lacked a first-class hotel,” Diaz said in front of the garage, just two blocks from Yankee Stadium. Hours before Yankee great Mariano Rivera saved his record 602nd game, Diaz said a hotel would help save the Bronx.

Jump below for the full story and a video.

Unofficial Democratic County Vote Goes For Diaz, Others Show Support At Campaign Meetup

A few notes...

--This morning, an unofficial meeting of the Bronx Democratic district leaders and other elected officials was held at the party's new HQ on Eastchester Road. According to the reports of several attendees, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz received the support of every district leader in attendance save one, who abstained. While several district leaders did not attend the vote (note--all were invited), I am assured that a majority of district leaders were in the room when the vote was taken.

Several elected officials voiced their support for Diaz's campaign at the meeting. Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo, also attended the meeting, but did not voice support for any candidate. Arroyo is considered to be a supporter of Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera. I am also told no one at the meeting spoke up for Rivera.

--At the Diaz Campaign meeting later in the day, sources connected to that campaign tell me over 100 attended the event from all corners of the Borough. "This is a grassroots effort, and we have the troops to prove it," said one Diaz supporter.

Elected officials at the meeting included City Council Members Helen Diane Foster and Jimmy Vacca, both of whom had been considered potential candidates for the post. Diaz spoke, and thanked them for their support, specifically mentioning that he knew they had also thought of running.

Other elected officials at the meeting included County Chairman and Assemblyman Carl Heastie, City Councilwoman Annabel Palma, Assembly Members Jeff Dinowitz, Aurelia Greene, Mike Benjamin and Michael Benedetto; and State Senators Rev. Ruben Diaz (surprise!) and Ruth Hassell-Thompson.

UPDATE: I have been informed that the Diaz meeting was for "captains," meaning that these volunteers will lead the efforts for Diaz (polling, petitions, recruitment) in their respective communities. As it was explained to me, the Diaz campaign expects many, many more people to jump aboard the effort through the work of these individuals.

SECOND UPDATE: There is some confusion on the street as to whether or not the endorsement meeting was "unofficial," as several observers have stated to me today the the Bronx Democratic County Organization has actually endorsed Diaz. I'll wait for the press release.

THIRD UPDATE: It's official.

FOURTH UPDATE: A previous version of this post indicated that Councilman G. Oliver Koppell had spoken up in favor of Diaz during the meeting of the county organization. In fact, Koppell offered high praise of Heastie, but I have conflicting reports regarding what he said about Diaz, though he certainly did not speak out in opposition to him.

--John DeSio