On March 28, the Bay Terrace Community Alliance hosted an informative and lively candidates forum. It was standing room-only at the Clearview Park Golf Course Clubhouse as residents came out to meet the person who will be the next borough president. All announced contenders for the office of borough president participated. Comment

Scandal surrounding City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) had the borough buzzing this week as his Democratic challengers looked ahead to November. Comment

In the wake of state Sen. Malcolm Smith’s (D-Hollis) bribery scandal, Independent Democratic Conference leader Sen. Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx) stripped the embattled lawmaker of his committee assignments and leadership position within the state’s coalition government and in a final blow suggested Smith step down from the perch from which he had long coveted positions of power. Comment

Queens Republicans were shocked to learn a leader of their organization and City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) were allegedly involved in a bribery scheme to get state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Hollis) on the GOP mayoral ticket, and many said Tuesday’s arrests signaled a need to change the party’s leadership. Comments (2)