Letitia James

July 22 will mark the latest public showdown over the fate of the Navy Yard's Admirals Row -- the string of old mansions along Brooklyn's Flushing Avenue that has pitted preservationists who extol the homes' dilapidated grandeur against the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and residents of the Farragut Houses, who support a plan to raze the buildings and erect a much-needed grocery store.

The Brooklyn Paper reports today that a public hearing is scheduled for July 22, and that Councilwoman Letitia James of Clinton Hill has recently adopted a more conciliatory tone, presumably in an effort to reconcile the competing demands of her constituents:

Councilwoman Letitia James now says “some” of the tumbledown, historic houses in the Brooklyn Navy Yard should be saved, though she still supports the city’s plan to tear down the rotting Admirals Row to build a much-needed supermarket.  read more »

• 2 comments

Assemblyman Michael Gianiaris, who is running for reelection to the Assembly in 2008, says in this week's City Hall News that he is "going to seriously consider" running for City Council in 2009 and seeking the speakership.

The same article also quotes an unnamed aide to Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, the former chairman of the state Democratic Party, saying he won't run for speaker of the City Council if h  read more »

The 16 members of the Brooklyn City Council delegation - the Council's largest - are now accepting nominations for the position of delegation leader. The term is up for the current leader, Eric Dilan, although he is not prevented from running for the mostly ceremonial position again.

The position had previously been held simultaneously by Bill de Blasio and Al Vann, back when Brooklyn Democrats were somewhat less cohesive than they are now.

Suggestions?

Last week, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn asked Letitia James, who represents the Prospect Hei  read more »

Outside of City Hall today, I caught up with Councilwoman Letitia James about her former mentor Roger Green's likely candidacy against Ed Towns.

"I love Roger, I love Charles Barron, but I already endorsed Congressman Towns," she said.

—Nicole Brydson

At least there was some pay-off for those who sat through an hour’s worth of people finding 44 ways to say yes.

During today's floor "debate" on land-use changes for Yankee Stadium, Council Member Lew Fidler blurted out: "As a lifelong Democrat, I always found it hard to accept that the Yankees are in fact owned by a Watergate felon." When fellow councilors groaned, he added, "Facts are facts."  read more »

Just a few days after the Boss of Brooklyn, Clarence Norman, put on a three-piece suit and surrender  read more »