From Columbia Radio News, I’m Chava Gourarie.
In Queens, this morning, at least 2 people were hospitalized after a truck drove into a grocery storefront. A school bus was damaged in the incident, but none of the 23 children on board were injured, according to a fire department chief.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie convened a board of lawmakers today, to fight corruption in New York politics.
Heastie, a Bronx democrat, replaced Sheldon Silver, who was indicted for taking more than 4 million dollars in bribes, among other charges. This initiative fulfils a promise Heastie made when elected in February.
A group of doctors is pressuring to remove Dr. Mehmet Oz, the host of The Dr. Oz Show, from Columbia University’s Department of Surgery. They say the medicine he presents on his show is questionable. A U.S. senate committee critcized Dr. Oz last year for allegedly pedaling a “magic weight-loss cure.”
Columbia University says they do not regulate their faculty’s speech, and have no plans to take any action.
Over 150,000 New York City/State students opted out of taking standardized school tests this week, joining a nationwide movement. School officials say they don’t say how many of the 1.1 million middle school students opted-out. In some schools it was more than 80% of the student body.
The opt-out movement is protesting the common core testing New York City implemented ??, Parents had to send a letter in order for their children to opt-out. They feel that they’re not being heard after more than a year of protesting at town hall meetings.
Next week Tuesday the standardized math test begins and the city-wide opt-outs are expected to continue.
The L train will be closed for five weekends, beginning this weekend. Small business owners are concerned that this will negatively effect their businesses, and long-suffering Brooklynites have one more thing to complain about.
Chava Gourarie, Columbia Radio News.
Comments