Race to Replace Foster in Council Begins
100 PERCENT
By Robert Press
BRONX, NEW YORK, March 1-We told you weeks ago that 77th A.D. Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson was going to be running for the soon to be vacant 16th City Council seat currently held by Councilwoman Helen Diane Foster.
On Thursday February 21st Assemblywoman Gibson surrounded by her mentor Current Bronx Deputy Borough President Aurelia Greene (and former 77th A.D. Assemblywoman), Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Congressman Jose Serrano, State Senators Rivera and Serrano, Councilwoman Helen Diane Foster, and several of her fellow assembly members made it official that she was running for the City Council 16th Council District seat. The 77th A.D. Male District Leader Benny Catala (we are told) will be running in the special election that will fill the vacant 77th A.D. seat after Assemblywoman Gibson is elected to the City Council.
Senator Jeff Klein held his 18th Annual Black History Month Breakfast this past Saturday, and you can see how things have changed in a few short years. I remember attending a past breakfast where Former Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson was the keynote speaker. That was of course the last time the Democrats held the majority in the state senate. Pardon me, Democrats outnumber Republicans again this year, but it is Senator Klein, not Senator Sampson, who is in charge of the entire senate body. This year former City Comptroller Bill Thompson was the keynote speaker, where as it was Jeff Klein who backed Thompson in his race for Comptroller even though Thompson's opponent was heavily favored to win the Bronx, which he did.
Over 300 people were in attendance, the honorees were Mount Vernon City Council member Richard Thomas, President of the Pelham Parkway Houses Ms. Herma Williams, President of the Throggs Neck Houses Ms. Monique Johnson, and Community Board 8 member Lamont Parker. You can go to my blog at www. 100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see photos of the event.
Friday night February 22nd was the 2nd annual African-American Abrazo by Team Diaz to celebrate Black History Month. Team Diaz consists of State Senator Reverend Rubin Diaz Jr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda of the Castle Hill, Concourse Village, Parkchester, Soundview, and West Farms areas. The honorees were Police Officer Cleneth A. Davis, Ms. Linda Jordan, Deacon Emeritus Douglas B. Williams, Ms. Viola L. Doswell, and Master Michael Dean. On hand with Team Diaz were Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson, City Comptroller John Liu, and Councilwoman Letitia James (candidate for Public Advocate). There were also two of Senator Diaz's choices for public office Rev. Eric Salgado for Mayor, and Rev. Joel Bauza for the term limited 15th City Council seat.
