Hello liQcity readers. We interrupt our own return of liQcity editorial with a mention of SOPA & PIPA, the internet piracy acts which are in danger of being passed by the US Congress beginning with Senate hearings on January 24th, 2012. Under these acts, the US government will have the right to censor the web content that US citizens have access to, and can ‘punish’ any site that links to ‘banned’ sites.

SOPA threatens blogs, forums, and social media sites, and allows the government to attack and disable any sites they deem as threatening in any way. It also forces sites where user commentary is enabled to censor their users, for fear of severe fines and JAIL TIME. Under SOPA, the US can seize funds of ‘violating sites’, legally disrupt revenue generation, and throw website owners in the slammer. liQcity would become just as legally vulnerable as any other blog, forum or social media site »

The corridor of 44th Drive in LIC targeted for DOT makeover – photo by DOT

Good news (?) for Long Island City. It seems the racetrack aka 44th Drive in Hunters Point is getting some attention from the DOT via CB2. In March 2011, the DOT proposed implementing some safety measures on 44th Drive since the speedway registered in the 92th percentile of dangerous roads, according to their calculations. The proposal included removing one lane of traffic in either direction, a new painted center median, and improved visibility of pedestrian crosswalks »

Hunters Point South, Long Island City

Last night Community Board 2 held a public hearing at St. Mary’s Church in Long Island City regarding the 49th Ave traffic changes and the Hunters Point South “Open Space” project. A liQcity reader emailed us some quick details from the hearing:

“CB2′s public hearing yesterday started with a discussion about 49th Ave between 5th St & Vernon Blvd. DOT [Dept of Transportation] briefly presented how 49th Ave’s size and location cause it to fit their “one-way” conversion model. And, they did some kind of a ‘speed study’ and the average speed they clocked means the street fits their mandate for a speed hump, but they will only do it if CB2 votes for it.

The longer presentation and discussion was about the Hunters Point South open space »

City Council Candidate Jimmy Van Bramer won Democratic primary

In local political news, congratulations to Jimmy Van Bramer, who won the Democratic primary for the race to fill the District 26 City Council seat left open by Eric Gioia, who ran for Public Advocate. Gioia did not fare as well as Van Bramer.

It was a hotly contested Democratic primary »

Democratic City Council Panel discussion, moderated by liQcity, July 21,2009 @ Manducatis Rustica, LIC

Apologies for the delay, and without further ado, enjoy the video of the District 26 Democratic City Council candidates, held on July 21st at Manducatis Rustica in Long Island City.

VH1 reality star & Ravenswood Houses resident Kwame Smalls was recently kicked off the ballot for a lack of valid signatures. David Rosasco experienced the same fate, but is currently appealing the decision to remove him from the ballot.

Onto the video »

District 26 City Council candidates at liQcity panel on July 21st, LIC

From the Queens Gazette:

“The Democratic primary race for the 26th District City Council seat had until lately been marked by civility among its five candidates, as reflected in the debates they held this spring in Sunnyside and Dutch Kills. That civility was disrupted when one of them, Deirdre Feerick, challenged the petitions submitted by two others, Kwame Smalls and David Rosasco. Not challenged were the remaining candidates, Jimmy Van Bramer and Brent O’Leary; but they took up the cause of Smalls and Rosasco. The four of them assembled Monday for an outdoor press conference on a terrace of the Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City »

Well. It seems there is a 5th Democratic City Council candidate running for our District 26 seat, Kwame Smalls. He’s 25 years old, from the Ravenswood Houses, and the “star” of VH1 reality TV shows ‘I Love New York 2′ and ‘I Love Money 2′. And if you are wondering if this is for real, it very much is »

Map of Queens’ District 26, including Long Island City – Photo

For those who desire to become more involved in local politics, liQcity is sponsoring a panel discussion with the current City Council candidates on Tuesday, July 21st at 7pm, at Manducatis Rustica on Vernon Blvd.

The intention of the panel discussion is to encourage community participation with the political process, and introduce the candidates to the concerns of the members of our very special historic mixed-use district of Hunters Point. It will be held in a casual Town Meeting style format, and will close with a short meet and greet with light refreshment provided by Rustica. You can post your questions to the candidates in the comments of this post, which will be compiled and asked by liQcity at the panel discussion. Then we’ll put the video online afterwards, for those who are unable to attend the event, which is free and open to the public but with limited seating. Please RSVP to info@liqcity.com.

Queens’ District 26 covers Woodside, Sunnyside, Long Island City, and Maspeth, and the four candidates running for City Councilperson for District 26 are »

Long Island City Post Office having some technical difficulties. –photo

Our city officials are working hard for you Long Island City. Case in point »

Hunters Point North Pole, Long Island City

Not that Dubya! This one. Oh yes, more news from the MTA and it’s just as peachy as ever. The beleaguered and unloved Dubya (the W train is really called that) is following the suit of its namesake and leaving us forever. They held a mock funeral downtown for the demise of the Z train. Mourners cried out for the loss of the crosstown M8. But no love for the death of Dubya.

Queens, however, is moving forward (without Dubya), says borough president Helen Marshall »