Gentrification, Homelessness Key Topics at De Blasio’s Harlem Town Hall
City Limits
The conversation there touched on a variety of subjects, from homeowners’ quality of life concerns to the necessity of increased funding for Harlem-based cultural and LGBTQ organizations. A six-year-old stole the show by asking for a waterpark on 5th Avenue; then a 96-year-old stole it back by asking for a bus shelter. Though the mayor was thanked for reducing stop and frisk, there were still concerns raised about interactions between citizens and law enforcement or other city agencies.

Pols Defends Brooklyn DA Over Wrongful Convictions
PoliticoNY
“Four congressmembers from Brooklyn endorsed the borough’s acting district attorney, Eric Gonzalez, on Monday, and defended him from criticism that he has not done enough to prosecute lawyers or police officers whose work may have sent innocent people to jail. The House members — Rep. Jerry Nadler, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Rep. Yvette Clarke and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries — all praised Gonzalez’s work, and said has made the borough safer while working to bring wrongful convictions to light.”

Mayoral Candidate ‘Hearts’ Unusual Way to Fund Campaign
Gotham Gazette
Michael Tolkin, a 32-year-old entrepreneur and mayoral candidate who reported giving his own campaign a $5 million in-kind contribution – goods and services instead of cash – has provided an estimated breakdown of the highly unusual contribution’s components. …The in-kind donation of $5 million includes, according to Tolkin, the use of two trademarked brands and logos – ‘NY Hearts You’ and ‘NYC’ – that are each valued at just over $1 million, estimated to bring in a collective $2.25 million in profits over a five-month period from sales of merchandise through his NYHeartsYou.com site that would be reintroduced into campaign-related initiatives.”

Albanese Introduces Meter for Rage at De Blasio
Daily News
“The race for mayor is heating up — at least according to Democratic primary hopeful Sal Albanese’s ‘de-Blah-meter.’ The longshot candidate is rolling out a new interactive digital ad that allows people to rank their displeasure with Mayor de Blasio — on a scale of ‘NYC Deserves Better’ to ‘Aaaugh! Mayor from Hell!’ — when it comes to a number of issues.

$4M Settlement for Family of Eric Garner is Approved
New York Post
“A Staten Island judge approved nearly $4 million in payments to the family of Eric Garner from a $5.9 million wrongful death settlement with the city, according to lawyers involved in the case.” The family is still awaiting final word on the federal investigation of possible civil rights charges against the officers involved.

Disgraced Ex-Pol Michael Grimm Eyes Return to Congress
NY1
“Sources told NY1 that Grimm is beginning to let a small number of political leaders on Staten Island know that he intends to run for Congress. Any campaign would be a challenge for someone in Grimm’s position; he spent seven months in federal prison for tax fraud, and he was released in May of 2016. Grimm also made headlines for threatening a NY1 reporter, Michael Scotto, with physical violence in 2014, saying he would throw Scotto off a balcony and break him in half while they spoke at the Capitol in Washington.”