Workers: Big TWU trip a campaign ploy

7:51 PM By Heather Haddon

Union leaders billed it as “family fun,” but a $2 million outing to Great Adventure smelled more like a campaign ploy some transit workers said Monday as anger continued to build over the high pricetag of the trip.

“Of course it was political,” said Jesse Mendoza, a Bronx bus driver who attended the event organized by former leaders of the Transport Workers Union Local 100.

As amNewYork recently reported, the TWU leadership agreed in 2008 to shell out $2 million in dues, donations and individual contributions for 30,000 members and their families to go to Great Adventure. The outing was scheduled for June, the same month that supporters of then TWU president, Roger Toussaint, faced a tough election. To attend, members had to pay about $60 a pop and any back dues — making them eligible to vote.

“It was just propaganda,” said Santos Garcia, a Brooklyn bus driver and among the many rank-and-file members who said they had not been aware of how much the outing cost. Garcia argued that union funds were used for “campaigning purposes.”

Toussaint, whose slate ended up losing the elections, denied the trip was electioneering, saying the goal was to bring the union together and help collect unpaid dues. Nearly 1,000 members paid off their dues to attend, generating thousands of dollars for the union, he said.
“This was responsible planning,” he said.

Despite heavy promotion, ticket sales were less than expected, and former leaders renegotiated the contract to cover three trips at the park for the same amount of money.

The current union leaders will go ahead with the third and final outing for 10,000 members this summer, a TWU spokesman said. Officials would have to fight the contract in court and the TWU isn’t prepared to spend the money to do so, he said.

Shuttle buses back for Brooklyn F, G riders

7:33 PM By Heather Haddon

Brooklyn riders have more reason to be angry about their F and G trains, with weeks of service outages returning to the lines.

Beginning Feb. 20, straphangers will have to ride shuttle buses to get to nine skipped stops between Jay Street and Church Avenue from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday. The disruptions will continue the weekend of Feb. 27, and be “on and off” for the next 11 months, NYC Transit spokeswoman Deirdre Parker said Monday.

More than 60,000 straphangers commute from the stations on Saturdays and Sundays.

The MTA is rebuilding an old viaduct that carries the F and G in Brooklyn, and workers must suspend service while they are renovating the dormant express tracks, Parker said. The $179 million project will eventually include entire shutdowns of service along the lines, including closing the Smith-9 Sts station for nine months. Work is slated to wrap up in 2012.

As rumors swirl, Paterson has uphill climb

7:18 PM By Jason Fink

BY JASON FINK
 

Gov. David Paterson’s aides insisted Monday that he will remain in office and seek re-election even as rumors continued to swirl about his personal life.

Paterson, who faces a potential Democratic primary challenge from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, has spent the past two weeks intensely working the phones to line up political and financial support as he tries to kick off his campaign in earnest, officials said Sunday.

But some New Yorkers weren’t confident he could rebound.
 

"He won’t be re-elected because there’s too many scandals," said Orquidea Sanchez, 27, of the Bronx. "I don’t think he’s a good governor. He’s not doing anything about the MTA. He’s not doing anything for us, just taking our money and that’s it.”
 

But, as has happened before in Paterson’s rocky two-year term, his chances of political survival are teetering as he reels from a series of missteps and bad luck. Here are some of the problems he must overcome:
 

PERSONAL LIFE
 

What happened: The political classes have been chattering for days about a possible New York Times story that will reveal embarrassing details about Paterson’s personal life and lead to his resignation. Yesterday, the governor told the Associated Press that the rumors are a character assault and he denied sexual improprieties.
 

Why it hurts: After assuming office because of a sex scandal by his predecessor, and dogged by criticism that he is undisciplined, Paterson can ill-afford the Tiger Woods treatment as he seeks to paint himself as a trustworthy fiscal steward of the state.
 

How he can overcome it: If there’s no truth to the rumors he’ll weather the negative attention but it reminds voters of the fact that he admitted to drug use and affairs in the past. Still, the public has become more tolerant of such indiscretions.
“It’s like with celebrity gossip, people read this stuff but they still go to the movies,” saidKenneth Sherrill, political science professor at Hunter College.
 

AQUEDUCT
 

What happened: The state awarded a contract to Aqueduct Entertainment Group to run a casino to a company in which politically influential Queens pastor Floyd Flake is an investor. Flake said he met with Paterson days later to discuss whom he might support in a primary but Paterson’s camp said no endorsement was discussed.
 

Why it hurts: The possibility that politics played a role in awarding a state contract raises ethical red flags.
 

How he can overcome it: Distance himself politically from Floyd and make public the reasons AEG was selected over other bidders.
 

FUNDRAISING
 

What happened: Cuomo, who has yet to declare his candidacy, has raised five times as much money as Paterson.
 

Why it hurts: As Mayor Michael Bloomberg proved, an imbalance in campaign spending can alter the dynamics of a race and allow the better-funded candidate to dominate the airwaves and the ground game.
 

How he can overcome it: Success breeds success. Until Paterson shows some life in the polls and notches some political victories, donors will be reluctant to bet on him.
 

BUDGET
 

What happened: The state faces an $8 billion deficit and Paterson is locked in a battle with the Legislature over how to fix it.
 

Why it hurts: The governor has proposed unpopular cuts to schools and healthcare, drawing the ire of unions as well as residents throughout the state who fear local taxes will go up.
 

How he can overcome it: Taking on lawmakers may actually help Paterson, making it seem as if he’s being fiscally responsible at a time when resentment over government spending is high.
 

“Voters are angry and they want solutions,” said Evan Stavisky, a Democratic political consultant. “Reaching a budget deal and an ethics (reform) deal will take care of that.”
 

PUBLIC SUPPORT
 

What happened: The most recent Quinnipiac University poll has Paterson trailing Cuomo 55 to 23 percent, with only 33 percent saying they want the governor to run.
 

Why it hurts: The numbers generally don't lie: More people in the state clearly favor Cuomo.
 

How he can overcome it: The election is not until September and Cuomo's numbers will probably go down once he actually has to campaign and answer questions. Paterson will continue to press Cuomo to take positions on tough issues while portraying himself as focused on his job rather than politics.
 

Taneish Hamilton contributed to this story

Skip Cancun, try these spring break alternatives!

6:12 PM By Samantha Murphy

<i>Cross-Cultural Solutions in Ghana</i>

March may be known as a time to get away for Spring Break, but escaping to a warm climate doesn't have to involve Cancun or even college kids, for that matter. Trade in your swimsuit for a tool belt this year and consider lending a hand in communities that need your help.

Since organizations like the American Red Cross are not yet accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti, offer up your services in one of these ways:

Rebuild
The logistics: Location: Biloxi, Miss., Date: March 28 – April 3
The cause: Many families are still displaced more than four years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. A program by the United Way of South Mississippi, sponsored by Deloitte, is helping to remedy this problem while also addressing basic community needs that existed before the storm ever hit.
What they need: Volunteers age 18-24 are needed to help rebuild homes, conduct community assessment surveys and contribute to educational programs for children.
Cost: For a $150 program fee, all meals, lodging and local transportation are included. Transportation to Biloxi is not.
Web site: LiveUnited.org

Beautify
The logistics: Location: Jerusalem and the Negev Desert, Israel, Date: Various weeks in March
The cause: About 250 young Jewish adults volunteer through the Jewish National Fund’s Alternative Spring Break program each year to visit Israel's developing communities.
What they need: Young jews, between the ages of 18-30, volunteer to plant trees and work on neighborhood beautification programs. Participants are required to fundraise for JNF’s Blueprint Negev campaign to develop the Negev Desert. Admission is rolling.
Cost: Once a fundraising minimum of $975 is met, the program is free. Round-trip airfare from the New York City area is included.
Web site: JNF.org/springbreak

Teach
The logistics: Location: Cartago, Costa Rica, Date: Weekly yearround
The cause: Cross-Cultural Solutions’ Insight Abroad program provides education and social services to those in need worldwide.
What they need: Eighteen-year-olds to senior citizens provide childcare to families that can’t afford it, teach English or work with physically disabled adults. Cross-Cultural Solutions also offers weeklong and longer-term opportunities in India, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Cost: $1,853 program fee, which includes meals, in-country transportation and medical insurance.
Web site: CrossCulturalSolutions.org

Farm
The logistics: Location: Nationwide, Date: Various yearround
The cause: World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (WWOOF-USA) is part of a global effort to link volunteers with organic farmers and build a community conscious of ecological farming practices.
What they need: Ages 18 and up can help grow vegetables, keep bees, build straw bale houses or work with animals. Each farm offers a different experience and length of stay – from several days to months at a time. International opportunities are also available.
Cost: A $20 annual membership provides access to its farm database. In exchange for volunteering, farmers provide WWOOFers with meals, accommodation and farming education.
Web site: wwoofusa.org

Only have a day to help?
Disney Parks’ new “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program wants your help in U.S. communities nationwide. A day of service in 2010 with one of its participating volunteer organizations will get you a free, one-day admission ticket to a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park. Ages 6+ welcome.
Web site: DisneyParks.com

Report: Tiger Woods to return to golf next month

Sunday February 7, 2010 11:50 PM By Emily Ngo

Tiger Woods is ready to hit the clubs again — the golf clubs, that is.

The athlete, embattled by reports of more than a dozen mistresses and a short stint in sex rehab, plans his big golf comeback with the Tavistock Cup next month, TMZ.com reported Sunday.

Woods, 34, will play the tourney at the Isleworth Golf & Country Club on March 22 and 23, according to TMZ.com. The club is in Windermere, Fla., near Woods’ mansion and the site of the November car crash that set off a salacious chain of events branding the golf great as an addicted adulterer.

Woods will then prepare for the Masters in Augusta, Ga., in April, according to TMZ.com. He is listed as a 2010 invitee.

Elin Nordegren, Tiger’s 30-year-old wife and the mother of his two young children, escorted him home from sex rehab in Mississippi on Friday, RadarOnline.com reported. TMZ.com said cleaning crews were spotting prepping the couple’s Florida home for their return.

An earlier report by The Herald Sun of Australia said Woods would hit the greens even sooner, saying he was expected at the Accenture tourney in Marana, Ariz., in late February.

A call for comment to Woods’ agent was not returned Sunday.

emily.ngo@am-ny.com

Michael Jackson's doctor to surrender Monday on involuntary manslaughter, set to plead not guilty

Sunday February 7, 2010 11:45 PM By Emily Ngo

Dr. Conrad Murray, physician to late pop singer Michael Jackson, will surrender Monday in Los Angeles to face charges of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death last June, Murray’s legal team said.

“Of course, we’re pleading not guilty,” Miranda Sevcik, spokeswoman for Murray’s counsel, told amNewYork on Sunday.

Murray, 56, a cardiologist, was probed for giving sedatives and the anesthetic propofol to Jackson, 50, as sleep aids. The King of Pop never regained consciousness.

Murray’s surrender Monday at 1:30 p.m. to prosecutors at a courthouse, which will be followed by an arraignment, allows him to avoid arrest.

Jackson’s family last week called the involuntary manslaughter charges “a slap on the wrist.”

Murray had been set to turn himself last Friday, but the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office announced it wouldn’t file charges until this week.

emily.ngo@am-ny.com

Did Palin give herself a helping hand?

Sunday February 7, 2010 6:25 PM By Jason Fink

Does Sarah Palin have her political future in hand?

The former Alaska governor and conservative media star inched closer Sunday to running for president, even as controversy erupted over her apparent use of a cheat sheet written on her hand during this weekend’s Tea Party convention.

During a question and answer session following her keynote address in Nashville Saturday, Palin was seen glancing down at her hand, where the words “energy,” “tax cuts” and “lifting America’s spirits” were written in black ink. It appears the word “budget” was crossed out and replaced with “tax.”

As she talked about reining in federal spending, Palin looked at her hand and then changed the subject to energy. This came after a speech in which she criticized President Barack Obama’s use of a TelePrompTer.

“It’s indicative of her hypocrisy,” said Denis Abrams, 58, of Manhattan. “She’s trying to pretend that she is so brilliant that she doesn’t even need notes. But she’s not even close.”

It was the latest gaffe for the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, whose flubs have helped fuel a perception among many that she is uninformed.

During a debate in 2008, she referred to Obama’s running mate Joe Biden as “Sen. O’Biden,” which an adviser to Sen. John McCain later said was a persistent problem. After the election, several former campaign aides publicly accused her of having little knowledge of current events.

In an interview aired Sunday on Fox News, Palin, who was tops in a recent poll of potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates, indicated she wants to run.

“I would if I believe that that is the right thing to do for our country and for the Palin family,” she said..

She did not respond Sunday to a request for comment on her hand notes.

To many political analysts, what is already being described as “hand gate” is representative of the problems Palin faces as a candidate.

“I think these things become part of the narrative,” said Brett Gary, a professor of media, culture and politics at NYU. “It provides additional evidence of her inadequacy.”

Mike Edelman, a New York Republican political consultant, said that while Palin’s remains extremely popular on the right, she lacks the “depth of knowledge” needed to appeal to the independent voters who decide elections.

“She wouldn’t have a chance as a national candidate,” he said.

Others said her use of crib notes won’t have any lasting damage.

“I think they all do it, sadly,” said Kathryn Gracey, 40, of Manhattan.

Robert Shapiro, a political science professor at Columbia, said Palin would recover.

“Mispronouncing names and personal quirks at this stage will very likely be long forgotten, if noticed now at all, by voters,” he said.

Nick Klopsis contributed to this story

Candy was their calling

Sunday February 7, 2010 4:14 PM By V.L. Hendrickson

Passion is an important ingredient in many careers, but in the chocolate industry, it’s essential. From running a small artisanal shop to making candy for an international audience, patience and creativity are essential.

If the Valentine’s Day displays have gotten you in the mood to focus on your fondness for cocoa, check out how these chocolate lovers turned their passion into paying careers.

Chocolatier to the world
Thierry Muret, executive chef at Godiva, wasn’t thinking about chocolate when he was studying chemistry in college. But when his sister asked him to start a chocolate shop in Chicago, he went back to his native Belgium to learn confectionery. There, he “literally fell in love” with the process. In 1989, he joined Godiva, where he develops truffles and caramels for chocolate-lovers worldwide.

Muret’s tips: Muret “passion and patience” are the most important characteristics for a chocolate maker.

Prospective chocolatiers should be creative, too. Muret is constantly reinventing the contents of those heart-shaped boxes.

Godiva chocolatiers attend culinary school. Afterwards, they join Godiva as junior chefs.

“We coach them and acclimate them for at least six months. We take them on market tours in Asia and Europe. We want them to understand the brand internationally

The SoHo sweetshop owner
Kee Ling Tong spent years in the corporate world before opening her chocolate shop, Kee’s Chocolates at 80 Thompson St. She graduated from culinary school in 2000, and after a series of internships, spent five months in her apartment making chocolates “and my friends were my guinea pigs.” About six months after opening her store in 2002, her handmade chocolates really took off and the business was in the black.

Tong’s tips: If chocolate is your passion, follow your dream, she said, but not without getting the right training first. “If you have the financial means, definitely go to school.” The cost of culinary school varies, but a diploma from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, which takes about six months to a year, is just under $30,000. Individual classes are available.

Tong also suggested working in a patisserie or chocolate shop to learn the entire process.

The chocolate tasting host
Six years ago Dina Cheney was teaching a cooking class when she had an “a-ha” moment. She led the class through what she calls a “deep-tasting”, bringing out chocolate flavors for the students they had never fully experienced.

Now Cheney hosts chocolate tastings in Manhattan (past clients include Merrill Lynch and Columbia University). “Most people haven’t tasted chocolate in this way before and they love it. It’s like they are kids again,” Cheney said. She charges anywhere from $30 to $55 per person.

Cheney’s tips: Hosting chocolate tastings isn’t a full-time job. Cheney also writes for magazines and advises on specialty food shows. Her book, Tasting Club, discusses how to taste ingredients such as honey, cheese, and, of course, chocolate.

She recommended beginners diversify into other types of food tastings to help establish themselves in the business.

Fun fact:
Roald Dahl once worked as a chocolate taster for Cadbury chocolates in England. The author of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” He and his schoolmates would receive boxes from the company, and the boys would fill out comment cards and send them back to Cadbury. These days, most testing is done in the stores. Customers are given a new chocolate to try and asked to give their imp
 

With convention in swing, Tea Party movement at boiling point

Friday February 5, 2010 8:32 PM By Emily Ngo

Staten Island members of the Tea Party movement protest last year. (Photo: Getty)

There’s a political tempest brewing in the teapot.

Members of the city’s Tea Party movement are steamed over this weekend’s national convention in Nashville, Tenn., headlined by Sarah Palin, charging it damages their grassroots conservative values.

“It’s going to be a commercial exploit,” said Staten Island activist Danny Panzella, 32. “It’s a chance for Glenn [Beck] and Sarah and other Republicans, who don’t have Constitutional values except when it suits them, to co-opt the movement.”

Tea Partiers, who often cast themselves as nonpartisan anti-establishment conservatives, are more influential than ever, some experts said.

They helped Republican Scott Brown seize the late Edward Kennedy’s longtime Senate seat in heavily liberal Massachusetts and propelled conservative Doug Hoffman to near-victory in New York’s 23rd Congressional district. Rob Ryan, a Hoffman adviser, said the results proved the Tea Party movement is “alive and working.”

But as some push to upend the Democratic majority by influencing this year’s races, others are weary of overplaying their hand in politics.

The convention has exposed divides in the movement. Several high-profile groups and speakers have backed out, calling the organizer’s for-profit status, $550 tickets and Palin’s $100,000 speaking fee a rebuff to the movement’s grassroots principles.

The movement, some local activists said, should stay focused on its founding mission — to serve as a counterweight to what they call the Obama administration’s rampant overspending.

“If you talk to 100 different local tea parties throughout the United States, you’ll get 100 different answers to what the tea party stands for, and I think that’s what the tea party’s all about,” said Frank Santarpia, 58, of the Staten Island Tea Party.

Keep the message simple, agreed Kellen Guida, co-founder of New York’s 10,000-member-strong Tea Party 365.

“Our platform is balanced budget, fiscal responsibility and that really is the uniting factor,” said Guida, 27, of Washington Heights. “The minute people insert certain personalities or other social values then people are really repelled.”

The Tea Party movement at the local level is meant to be reactionary and not a third party to rival the Republicans and Democrats, said Kurt Colucci, 33, who has spoken at several Tea Party rallies in Westchester.

“The best thing that could happen, the goal, would be to end the Tea Party movement, because if the goal is achieved — a fiscally conservative government — there’d be no need for these Tea Party rallies,” said Colucci, author of the forthcoming “A Taxslave’s Manifesto.”

Critics and observers of the movement insisted it’s not that easy.
David Neiwert, author of “The Eliminationists: How Hate Talk Radicalized the American Right,” said the Tea Party brand has already been damaged.

“Everyone thinks it’s this benign entity, but it’s quite the opposite,” Neiwert said. “They certainly engage in violent rhetoric, threatening rhetoric around health care reform. They bring guns to gatherings.”

Tea Party activists are visible but their run is limited, said political expert Hank Sheinkopf, arguing that the skewed election results upstate and in Massachusetts were more about Catholic voters abandoning Democratic candidates than tea partiers bolstering conservative ones.

Asked to define the movement, Sheinkopf said: “Nice trademark, short lifespan.”

emily.ngo@am-ny.com