Socrates Sculpture Park’s Broadway Billboard, Long Island City

The District 26 City Council candidates have discussed issues relating to housing, zoning, small business, and new development in LIC, but what about the arts? This especially integral part of the Long Island City community is up for discussion by the candidates at an arts and culture forum organized by arts service organization Fractured Atlas, and LIC’s Chocolate Factory Theater.

“The forum provides the candidates an opportunity to outline their plans for nurturing, sustaining and advancing the arts in Long Island City, the epicenter of the borough’s creative community »

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 »