To the reading public,

Ethics in news is huge – it makes or breaks the creditability of an organization and in today’s fast-media, there’s never a chance to breathe, per se. On Monday, the Knickerbocker Ledger erroneously published a story without proper safeguards in regard to the impact of dining from Hurricane Irene in Troy, N.Y. A quote was irresponsibly not cited to the correct reporter, who is not a part of this organization.

Today on social media, this quote was the ‘talk of Twitter’ and for that, on behalf of our company, we apologize to our readers, our colleagues, and our partners.

Additionally, the Knickerbocker Ledger was preparing to endorse candidates in Albany’s primary and general elections – we will not do so to remain as unbiased as possible in reporting on local politics for this year for you to get the real facts.

Mistakes do happen, but we can only hope to keep and retain your trust in the future in order to keep the public informed. Let this serve as a lesson for anyone who believes things can “fly under the radar without being notice.”

Regards,

Joseph M. Bonilla Jr.
Chief Executive Officer, BASKnickerbocker Inc.

The internet is a big, big place. Sometimes, things fall between the cracks. That’s why I’m here. Welcome to Tidbits.

GQ interviews numerous gay servicemembers with the end of DADT fast approaching, who tell the story of being gay in the military. A great quote: “When I went into the recruiter’s office to sign all the paperwork and we got to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ I started reading through it, because this was significant to me. I was raised by an attorney—it’s important to know what you’re signing. I had made it about halfway through and the recruiter was frustrated with how long it was taking me, and he said, ‘Well, basically, are you gay?’ I hadn’t even joined the military yet, and here he had asked me! If my life had been a movie, that would be the dramatic foreshadowing of what was to come. Of the way it was going to be.” (GQ)

Truth-Out urges the new Supercommittee to consider the wasteful spending done by defense contractors. Most irritating number: “A much lesser known fact is that contractors also receive a majority of all dollars spent on the Commission on Wartime Contracting recently found that $34 billion has been wasted or misspent on service contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congressional Research Service. In fact, the DoD could fire more than 115,000 contract workers in Iraq and Afghanistan without firing a single American.” (Truth-Out)

Yesterday, I referenced how Eric Cantor wants to tie recovery efforts to budget cuts elsewhere. Well, his idea got the quality endorsement from the infamous emergency manager, former FEMA Director Michael Brown. As the article highlights, Afghanistan and Iraq aren’t held to the same standard. Neither was Libya. (TPM)

If you’re morning the loss of Albany’s Trinity Church, check out this rad LEGO recreation via All Over Albany. (AOA)

The New York Times asks, “What’s secret about World War 2?” concerning the Freedom of Information Act. (NYT)

Two Capital Region residents are dead after Irene. (KL)

20 members of New York’s congressional delegation back Attorney General Eric Schneiderman after he was removed from “a panel dealing with mortgage settlement negotiations.” (CapCon)

The Court of Appeals rejected Nassau County’s redrawn legislative districts. (SoP)

Happy Wednesday!

“I want to see my city win,” said Michael Guidice at the RFK Democratic Club meeting on Tuesday at McGeary’s in Downtown Albany. Guidice has been the focal point of the Albany chicken battle that pushed Mayor Gerald D. Jennings to use only his third veto of his 18 years in office.

At this meeting, politicians, activists, students, business owners, and more have come together to speak about issues that affect their community – be it chickens or electoral politics. About 40 or so – a little less than previous meetings but fairly strong considering Labor Day weekend is approaching – showed up to hear Guidice, Citizen Action of New York executive director Karen Scharff, and others talk about ways to improve the community, especially through “citizen” action (no pun intended).

In just over two years, Democratic Albany voters will be choosing their primary candidates for Mayor and all fifteen Common Council seats. As the Tea Party has faded nationally, the progressive community – almost a silent majority – has been simmering for quite some time now. Whereas they believed, as Scharff stated, that Barack Obama and other Democratic leaders would be able to usher in a new wave of progressive political power in the nation, such has been dismayed by forces from the right.

“Is there anything that can be changed in the Mayor’s mind, or does he need to be replaced,” said an older gentleman in the audience in response to Guidice’s comments. The man’s question was retorded with rumblings, not necessarily in the negative. Jennings, 63, has been in office since the early half of Bill Clinton’s first term. A councilmember from the 11th ward, Jennings has been a proponent of environmental protection of the Pine Bush, something he has been mute on since assuming office with the expansion of the Rapp Road landfall (it’s worth to note that Jennings was critical of fellow Democrat, Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan, of her deal to privitize the Colonie landfill). In about twenty-four months, Jennings may decide against a run for a sixth term (the second longest in Albany history) or be challenged in a Democratic primary by a number of candidates that include names such as Albany Common Council President Carolyn McLaughlin, former Common Council member Corey Ellis, and City Treasurer Katherine M. Sheehan.

Dan Egan, the Albany City Board of Education president, talked on the merits of progressive thought in public schools. Egan spoke about whereas his fellow school board presidents and their superintendents across the state were solving their budget issues by slashing teacher pay, laying off staff, and “fighting the unions,” Albany had gotten an agreement by working with the school unions in a way that benefits not only students, but the district financially.

“Why would unions want to get in the 21st century. It hasn’t been all that good for them,” said Egan.

Although the discussion ended last night, the group – as well as affiliated citizens – are sure to play in impact this fall. RFK Democrats took the liberty of endorsing Noelle Kinsch, who’s running in Albany County’s sixth district, against incumbent Brian Scavo. The general sentiment at the meeting was this is only the beginning of what could change Albany – the city – for the future.

Correction: The Albany Common Council had passed legislation that would have kept the South End bath house open and would have reduced overtime with the Departments of General Services and Recreation, both of which Jennings vetoed in December of 2010.

An Amsterdam man is now the second Capital Region fatality from the wake of the floodings regionwide from Hurricane Irene’s visit.

Stephen Terleckey, 72, was found dead by State Police in his Ford F-150 pick up truck in Fonda Tuesday afternoon. Terlecky was seen at 9 a.m. on Monday, driving on Route 5S in Glen into a washed out portion of the road. The truck was then disabled, followed by being tipped to the side and pulled away by the Schoharie Creek.

On Monday, New Scotland resident Sharon Stein, 68, was found dead – mangled in the trees near her home in the Albany County muncipality. Stein and her husband became separated in their attempt to leave their home.

Dining by the water is taking a whole new meaning in New York’s Capital Region as restaurants alongside the Mohawk and Hudson rivers remain submerged and/or water-damaged as relief and rebuilding efforts are underway.

In Albany, where the damage was not nearly as severe, the Riverfront Bar & Grill (often nicknamed “the Barge”) is out of reach due to its location at the Corning Preserve in Downtown Albany.

The riverfront district of Troy, however, is a little bit more than out of reach as floods entered Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Ryan’s Wake, Jose Malone, and Brown’s Brewing – all located adjacent to the Hudson River near the Green Island Bridge.

A 100-foot yacht, the “Cortina,” helped deflect Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s damage as it was moored adjacent to the riverside location.

The restaurant will be closed indefinitely until the state Department of Health and Troy engineers have inspected the facility.

Brown’s Brewing said they were in the midst of clean up efforts of their patio and parking lot sections. Ryan’s Wake, whose patio was submerged, is also commencing clean up efforts.

In Scotia, summer landmark Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In, a quick-serve restaurant that serves ice cream and hamburgers, was nearly completely underwater on Monday. On Tuesday, they announced they would close for the rest of the season, which should come as no surprise as the waning days of summer are here.

Other communities such as Rotterdam Junction are not exactly concerned with dining, as more than 300 residents remain homeless, some with the prospect of not returning to a home at all.

Correction: A quote from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s general manager had originally been posted in the previous version of this story from another report that was erronously non cited. On behalf of our organization, we apologize for any sort of confusion it may have caused.

The internet is a big, big place and sometimes things fall between the cracks. That’s where I come in. Welcome to Tidbits, a weekday feature where I’ll basically find a bunch of links to articles that I think you should peruse for your enjoyment. Today, a round-up of yesterday’s coverage of Hurricane Irene: Aftermathpocalpyse.

Yesterday, the MTA rose from its Irene-induced slumber and commuter-chaos ensued down in NYC.

Somehow, natural disasters are cause for budget cuts, according to Majority Leader Eric Cantor. This is also the same man that proposed cutting funding for United States Geological Survey…before a earthquake rattled his district. Oh, and just to increase your worry about Eric Cantor’s sanity. That earthquake? It may have exceeded the safeguards of a nuclear plant in his district. Guess we would have to pay for that with budget cuts elsewhere.

The Watershed Post has been doing a spectacular job covering the effects of Irene, which has caused massive flooding in the Catskills. County by county, town by town coverage and a liveblog to boot. Here’s a link to their Delaware County coverage.

Apparently, the Daily Beast thinks it’s over-the-top for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to tell a correspondent who is standing in storm surge while he reports on a hurricane warning to “get the hell out” of water.

Slate explains (?) whether the recent earthquake and hurricane are related.

Times Union provides updated road closures. A big one: Thruway closed between Amsterdam and Syracuse as of Monday evening.

Irene created the perfect conditions for magic mushrooms.

Not all Irenes are the same.

Only in Jersey: A man saves his pig.

El Bloombito: “Sustainador property damagos para el Irene? Relief dinero y helpayudo de disaster es availablando. El surfo el internete a nyc.gov por info.”

Amidst all this hurricane drama, Bloomberg apparently wants to anoint Council Speaker Christine Quinn as his chosen successor.

Happy Tuesday!

Hello MIRKins!

Hope everyone has survived the hurricane and for those who have had some damages, we wish you the best of luck with your clean-ups.

We have received the first draft our the music video we shot last week for Beautiful Music ft Mr. Cheeks. There are a couple minor tweaks, but you can expect a sick final cut from us very soon. Here a screen shot to give you a taste…

We also have been mentioned in The Source magazine from when we played Ghetto Metal last month. Check out the mention and look into Ghetto Metal…one of the coolest shows we ever played and they happen monthly in NYC.

To read the rest from MIRK Mondays, click here.

“Oh my god,” has been the reaction area residents and onlookers are giving after photos of the devastation from Hurricane Irene.

More than 800,000 New Yorkers remain out of power as emergency relief efforts are underway across the Empire State. The Associated Press is reporting that at least 35 are dead across the Northeast from Irene’s wrath.

In Troy, a city with a past built from its proximity to the Hudson River and the impact economically it had, the damage has been particularly heavy as riverside bars and restaurants including Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Brown’s Brewing, and Ryan’s Wake remain underwater.

In Green Island and Waterford, a mandatory evacuation has taken place as Green Island’s business district is submerged. Receding is expected later in the evening.

Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In, a landmark of the Schenectady area in Scotia, is completely submerged. Bombers owner Matt Baumgartner, a Union College alum who worked for General Electric in Schenectady in the past, is soliciting donations on his website, FridayPuppy.com, to help cover the cost of rebuilding.

“In the past, Friday Puppy readers have been very generous in helping other local businesses when something unfortunate happens, and I’m hoping we might be able to spare a few dollars to help out our friends at Jumpin’ Jacks,” said Baumgartner in the post.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy are surveying damage in Schoharie County on Monday.

“It was devastating. We were very lucky in New York City, not quite as lucky on Long Island, but the Catskills, mid-Hudson, this is a different story, and we’re paying a terrible price,” Cuomo said.