“People in the senior centers, the churches, people who are prime voters, they’re talking about Hiram. People are saying, ‘He’s paid his dues to society. Why not give him another chance?'”
-Queens Democrat quoted by the New York Post.

New York Post: Convicted felon Hiram Monserrate has a real shot at winning back his old City Council seat in Queens, according to Democratic insiders.

NY1: Photo ops like the ones Mayor de Blasio engaged in Tuesday during his week in Queens are a staple for politicians running for office. But these events are not technically campaign stops for de Blasio, who is up for re-election this year. Instead, they are City Hall-sponsored events that often feel anything but.

New York Times: The Police Department is challenging more and more Civilian Complaint Review Board cases and taking so long to do so — an average of almost nine months in the second half of last year — that scores of cases in which the agency already had substantiated allegations against police officers are being bogged down in delays.

Queens Chronicle: Republican City Council candidate Joe Concannon wants a government probe to look into whether water pipe damage on two Fresh Meadows blocks was caused by infrastructure work.

Brooklyn Paper: Delvis Valdes, who has thrown his hat into the running for the 38th-District Council seat of Sunset Park and Red Hook, owns buildings through the Delerimar Realty Corp. with a slew of hazardous violations that have landed his properties in the city’s special enforcement program for three years in a row, according to city records.

Staten Island Advance: While the developer of the New York Wheel faces a large hiccup after firing its builder, and must find a suitable company to complete the $580 million project, Borough President James Oddo and Councilwoman Debi Rose are optimistic the tourist attraction — which is expected to create jobs and infuse Staten Island with tourism dollars — will be completed.