By Paul Bisceglio On Thursday, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission will vote on a plan to raise taxi fares. The Commission explained in a public hearing on Monday that the plan seeks to increase the charge for a fifth of a mile traveled or a minute of idling from 40 cents to 
If you’re still stuffed from Independence Day barbeques, imagine how Joey “Jaws” Chestnut feels. The 28-year-old Californian won his sixth consecutive Nathan’s Famous July 4 International Hot Dog-Eating Contest at Coney Island yesterday by consuming 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Chestnut beat out Tim Janus of New York (2nd place, 52 dogs), Patrick Bertoletti 
Lopez-backed candidate, Councilman Erik Martin Dilan, falls short by Alan Krawitz The 2012 Democratic primary in the newly created 7th District. which includes parts of Brooklyn, Queens and the Lower East Side, was billed by many to be one of the toughest challenges of Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s 10 terms in office. But, that storyline fell 
Choice cuts for the dog days of summer MUSIC Catalpa Festival Kicking off its first year, the Catalpa Festival offers yet another chance to see top-tier musical acts playing outdoors within the city limits. The fest will feature more than 40 performers, including blues rock superstars The Black Keys and Snoop Dogg rocking his seminal 
With downtown becoming fully gentrified, this group of Italian seniors keeps the neighborhood old school By Anne Kristoff Anyone who thinks people in New York City don’t know their neighbors has never spent any time with Carmella “Millie” Fazio. On the short walk from the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua on to her 
Landmarking in downtown neighborhoods has surprising opposition from local churches The city’s preservationists marched downtown last Tuesday to make their voices heard at a Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) hearing on the proposal to create an East Village and Lower East Side Historic District. Landowners, locals and political representatives flooded the ninth floor of City Hall 
President John Sexton defends plan to the community, and city council members By Alissa Fleck City Council members struggled to quell boos, hisses, applause and chants at a hearing on the NYU expansion on Friday, June 29. Even Greenwich Village resident and actor Matthew Broderick showed up to voice an opinion on the controversial proposal; 
Council Speaker Responds to the Supreme Court Ruling on Obama’s Health Care Bill The U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act 5-4 last Thursday. The decision will reportedly insure up to 30 million Americans who are currently uninsured. Council Speaker Christine Quinn expressed her happiness with the ruling in a statement released 
