Council Member Rosie Mendez

I am happy to report that I live in a district represented by council member Rosie Mendez! I e-mailed to thank her for introducing the bill that would ban circus animals from NYC (see previous post).

Other cool things she stands for according to her e-mail newsletter:

"On March 30 Rosie joined civil liberties activists and cyclists at the first Critical Mass ride since the NYPD’s new parade permit rules went into affect on February 25. Under the new parade permit rules, groups of 50 or more law-abiding citizens need police permission to ride or walk together on the public streets. The rules affect gatherings of pedestrians, vehicles, and cyclists alike, including gatherings in the parks. At the press conference before the ride, the Councilwoman proclaimed, "I ride tonight in Critical Mass not just to promote alternative modes of transportation, but more so because it is my constitutional right to participate and assemble in this manner. To criminalize the behavior of individuals assembling in groups over 50 is arbitrary and unconstitutional, and I vow to fight the NYPD's published rules, and to introduce a bill that would protect our right to assemble.” Rosie rode in a pedicab to demonstrate her support for this environmentally friendly method of transportation."

And how about this? I was actually considering going to Saigon Grill on Union Square...

The delivery workers at Saigon Grill need your support. The owners of the restaurant, which operates on the Upper West Side in addition to its store at Union Square, allegedly fired those workers who were trying to organize in protest against unfair wages, unsafe conditions and constant abuse and harassment at the hands of their employer. The fired workers claim the owners paid them as little as $1.60 per hour and demanded that they sign contracts saying they were being paid minimum wage. Those who refused to sign were fired. The workers also allege that their employer would fine them for minor infractions on the job, including for taking time off when they were sick. Show your support by emailing the owners at info@saigongrill.com or by calling their restaurants at 212-875-9072 (Upper West Side) or 212-982-3691 (Union Square)

Coming soon, I will tell you about somebody I am not so proud of: council speaker Christine Quinn.