State Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D−Little Neck) said he plans to run for the 23rd City Council District seat currently held by his brother, David Weprin (D−Hollis), who is making a bid for city comptroller. Comment.

The city Board of Elections voted Tuesday to support its previous decision that declared invalid 1,700 paper ballots in the race between state Sen. Frank Padavan (R−Bellerose) and City Councilman James Gennaro (D−Fresh Meadows). Comment.

The new buzzword is “accountability.” The city Department of Education will spend about $350 million for accountability in the form of tests, in addition to the state and federal tests already being given. Many parents and teachers are unhappy with testing and teaching to the test at the expense of teaching children creativity and culture. Comment.

District managers from Community Boards 6 and 8 breathed sighs of relief after City Council members negotiated last Thursday to restore $20 million in funding to groups throughout the city, a move that means community boards will not have to slash 7 percent from their budgets. Comment.

Examining test scores and the grading system of schools shows an improvement of our lower grades and high schools. Last June, reading and math scores improved from the third− through eight−grades. Some grades made a double−digit jump in scores. Scores were up in every type of community. Comment.

After a fast−moving fire destroyed more than a half dozen businesses in downtown Flushing in October, the Flushing Business Improvement District is taking steps to make sure it does not happen again. Comment.