We had some cake to celebrate a grand re-opening. But there's still the lingering questions about the city inspection process.

I want to go back to school now. The Borough of Manhattan Community College invited me to be a part of the Freshman Welcome Day. Best of luck.
Now do your homework.

Thanks to Dr. Craig and Angela Sales.
Let's work together on something soon.

Here's the mocktalk from youtube.com/mockernewyork

Here's the mockspeech on youtube.com/mocker

And here's the MTA's $64,000 question.
And you know I watch for broken escalators and elevators.
How could I miss this?
BMCC made my day. Here's some of the dancing, too.

 

Let's take a trip along the B25.
 

Fun with statistics.
Aren't our streets grand?

Who is running these public authorities?
You said I needed to get on this.

Here's the case Port Authority is making for the toll/fare increase... click

Governor Cuomo made this announcement today about how he's selecting the next person to run the MTA. It includes a search committee.

I've added the full text (with names) below... click

 
Click to see the specifics of the proposal and info on public comment.

Around and around ... so where's the carousel?

Public Comment Locations
http://www.panynj.gov/about/toll-fare-2011.html

And Borough President James P. Molinaro asked for another one to be added in the evening in Staten Island.

There's mockblock at the end of the video about Port Authority Public hearings on Toll Increase Proposal.

The Board votes on Friday.

Written comments may be emailed here on the right hand corner of the page or mailed to:

Public Hearing Comments
225 Park Avenue South, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10003

There's an on line hearing at 2 pm tomorrow but you have to register by midnight tonight. That page has info on the current proposal.

Click for info on locations and times...

ConEd needs to take care of a project ... let's get it done.

This just in. I always like saying that.

This flash from Trenton and Albany: "New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo released a joint letter to Port Authority Chairman David Samson and Vice Chairman Stanley E. Grayson regarding the authority’s recent toll proposal."

They're countering with a $1.50 toll increase for E-ZPass users (with another increase in 2014) and an audit of the Port Authority. The rest of the letter is one click away...

 
And the Governors of NY and NJ sent us some reading material tonight about their plans for a fare and toll hike.

delivered via email from Port Authority:
PORT AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN SAMSON’S COMMENTS Delivered today at The port authority BOARD MEETING

Here are the new rules & prices. Yes, we understand the need to care for our infrastructure. There needs to be a focus on accountability.

I call it a kitchen table review of the books. It's what families do every month to get the bills paid and plan for the future. Perhaps that is how the Port Authority found $5 billion dollars in savings in JUST THE LAST TWO WEEKS. That's what the Governors told us last night in a letter.

Too bad they couldn't find that savings last month. Or last year. Here's my report on that from last night's news. It's at the end of the mockblock.

I tried to ask questions at the meeting today... well.. you can imagine how that went. Click through this page to see the new fares that take effect Sept. 18 (continuing through 2015):

-Bridges and Tunnels $1.50 (and then 75 cents 2012 - 2015)
-PATH 25 cents (every year through 2015)

A Staten Island Plan is included.

Here's what the Port Authority wants us to know:

delivered via email from Port Authority: PORT AUTHORITY BOARD APPROVES TwO-Part FISCAL HEALTH PLAN THAT INCLUDES REVISED TOLL and FARE RATES AND Demands
Agency ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
• Plan reduces originally proposed rates
• Balances transportation and economic development needs of region with toll and fare payers’ economic realities
• Approval contingent on requirement of comprehensive review of the agency’s capital plan and operations to ensure accountability
• $25.1 billion capital plan funds key projects and will generate more than 131,000 jobs with approximately 60% invested in next four years

LIRR REDUCING SOME SERVICE IN ADVANCE OF HURRICANE IRENE REACHING LONG ISLAND TO PROTECT EQUIPMENT

NYC updates here
http://www.nyc.gov

MTA updates here
http://www.mta.info/

NYC has an evacuation planner
Enter your address
http://gis.nyc.gov/oem/he/index.htm

Brooklyn info
http://www.brooklyn-usa.org/
Click on the right hand side under hurricane tips

From Thursday evening...
CITY EVENING UPDATE
http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-bloomberg-walder-subway-flooding,0,3898181.story

Of course.... PIX11

Keep an eye out and send me pictures and video my email is mocker@pix11.com

via email: MTA reminds customers that all MTA services will begin an orderly shutdown at about 12 noon tomorrow (Saturday) in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Irene. These actions are consistent with the MTA’s Hurricane Plan, designed to protect the safety of customers, employees and equipment, and ensure the fastest and safest possible restoration of service after the storm. In addition, the MTA is suspending certain fares and tolls in order to facilitate evacuations.

heres the latest ... Mayor spoke in Coney Island about 10am

Here we go. I hope this will make the restart process easier. Check mta.info for updates on that, as the weekend progresses.

See that headline from MTA: Full System Shutdown Underway

Subway lines and bus routes begin final runs at approximately 12 noon.
Click here for lists of final railroad trains:
Long Island Rail Road
Metro-North Railroad

MTA Bridges and Tunnels: Restrictions or closures at MTA Bridges and Tunnels are likely. MTA bridges will close if winds reach sustained speeds of 60 mph, but this does not preclude them from closing sooner if high winds are coupled with other weather-related conditions including flooding.

Customers should not attempt to use these services after shut down is complete. Please continue monitoring MTA.info.

check out what they want us to know ... i think we will be ok