On the brief side...

New Police Academy Project Advances

The City Council voted November 17 to clear the way for the city to move forward on constructing a “21st century” Police Academy in College Point, Mayor Michael Bloomberg reported.

“Because a construction contract has already been awarded and registered, we can now break ground on the new building,” the mayor said.

The mayor thanked Borough President Helen Marshall and Community Board 7 for approving the project.

The current Police Academy in Manhattan is over 40 years old and was built for a department half the size of the present one. The new facility will be able to train up to 1,900 recruits at one time and will include specialty training as well as relocation of the target practice range, the rifle training unit and the driving course. The Police Museum will also be relocated to the new site. Gianaris, Markey Sponsor Rx Aid

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) which helps uninsured and financially struggling patients who lack prescription drug coverage to get access to programs that offer free or greatly discounted medications, sent its mobile outreach unit to Western Queens last week at the urging of Assemblymembers Michael Gianaris (D–Astoria) and Margaret Markey (D–Maspeth).

Former movie and television star Jerry Mathers of “Leave It to Beaver fame, headlined the program. Anyone who missed the prescription drug aid visit can call the PPA toll-free number, 1-888-4 PPA-NOW or visit its Web site at www.pparx.org. No New License Plate Required

Governor David Paterson’s proposal to issue new automobile license plates for 2010 at a cost of $25 per driver in the state was nixed by legislative leaders and withdrawn by the governor.

Assemblymember Grace Meng (D–Flushing) said that although all New Yorkers will need to participate in efforts to solve a $3.9 billion deficit, the new license plate requirement is “simply wrong”.

The governor had hoped to raise $129 million in each of the next two budgets as part of a deficit reduction strategy. But broad bipartisan opposition in both houses and throughout the state killed the plan. ‘Toughest DWI Law In Country’

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has announced that the Democrat-controlled Assembly will introduce “the toughest and strongest DWI law in the country” to protect innocent, young passengers, some of whom have died in recent accidents.

The legislation will make it a felony to drive with a passenger who is 15 years old or younger while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of .08,” Silver said.

Convicted violators will be subject to a sentence of up to one and a third to four years for a first offense, the toughest sentence for any DWI offense with a child passenger in a car. In addition, anyone convicted under those provisions will have an ignition interlock installed in his or her car to prevent an intoxicated driver from starting the vehicle.

The proposed law was introduced following several recent incidents in which drunk drivers were responsible for accidents in which children perished.