Today’s end-of-day links include Kim Dotcom’s huskiness, the New York City Council gets another Democrat, West 26th is dangerous and more. Follow Gothamist on Twitter and like us on Facebook . You can also get the top stories mailed to you— sign up here . [ more › ]
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Extra, Extra: Kim Dotcom Thinks He’s Too Fat To Be A Flight Risk
Click here to view the full photogallery. The Council for Community and Economic Research just released their annual ranking of the cheapest cities in the United States, as ranked by cost of living. Just like last year, the far southern town of Harlingen, Texas came in first, with a cost of living that’s just almost a fifth cheaper than the national average. While it’s not exactly a cultural hub, bird watchers flock here to watch the annual migrations, so that’s something. Plus, a haircut will run you under $8. This house, built “like a fortress” to conserve energy, will cost considerably more up front: $425K. Considering it’s got 5,000 square feet, five bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and overlooks the Arroyo Colorado, that’s not such a bad deal either. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ #2: Memphis, Tenn. With all the relatively small cities on this list, it was a bit of a shock to find Memphis, the legendary music town, at number two. According to CCER’s numbers, the city has the lowest average cost of housing, but we’ve spotted a view listings around town that seem to hike the average up. There are parts of town where $1.7M doesn’t even buy a completed house. Instead, it gets the buyer 14,000 unfinished square feet on 3.8 acres. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ #3: Ardmore, Okla. Texas appears three times in the top five cheapest, so this Oklahoma town, even if it’s just to the north, is a welcome respite. Home to the cheapest average apartment rental, at $500 per month, Ardmore also has its fair share of large historic homes. This columned manse was built in 1932, spans 4,750 square feet, and has a renovated kitchen to complement the historic details. Listed for $350K, the white house sits on 0.79 acres with a charming two-bedroom garage apartment. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ #4: McAllen, Texas Like Harlingen, this city is also located on Texas’ southern arm, close to the border with Mexico. Sugar, jeans, and wine are at their cheapest prices here, with the latter averaging $5 per bottle. With a nice wine buzz on, it’s time to go house hunting. This gated estate costs a pretty penny by any city’s standards, $1.75M, but includes six acres, a 5,900-square-foot mansion, and a vaguely Spanish style. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ #5: Waco, Texas Infamous as the site of a showdown between an armed cult and allegedly overzealous government agents, Waco should, today, be better known as the place where parmesan cheese is the cheapest. The town is located halfway between Dallas and Austin and is the birthplace of Dr. Pepper soda. Historic homes are plentiful here, like this 1885 mansion built by one of the founders of the now wildly-successful soft drink. The 7,100-square-foot white manse has four beds, four baths, and some remarkably well preserved historic detail, and is available for $895K. · America’s Least Expensive Cities, 2012 [Yahoo!] · 3209 Lazy Lake Dr [Zillow] · 6401 River Tide Cv [Zillow] · 211 F St SW [Zillow] · 1201 E Yuma Ave [Zillow] · Waco, Tx [Zillow]
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On the Market: Livable Properties in the Top Five Cheapest Cities in America
City Council Speaker and presumptive mayoral candidate Christine Quinn announced a compromise on the controversial living wage bill yesterday. While it would require companies who receive substantial tax benefits from the city to raise employee wages to $10/hour with benefits or $11.50/hour without, according to Crain’s the law would only apply to direct employees of the companies who receive benefits, not their tenants, thus significantly narrowing the initial scope of the legislation. [ more › ]
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Political Sausage Making: Watered-Down Living Wage Bill Unveiled
Two years ago, there was a $310 million proposal to transform the imposing Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall, but the plan was shot down by City Council subcommittees and criticized by others who were worried about whether employees would be paid a living wage. Today, Mayor Bloomberg will announce that the city will be accepting new RFPs to develop the long-abandoned site in his State of the City address (today at 1 p.m.). [ more › ]
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City Renews Push To Develop Abandoned Kingsbridge Armory
When it comes to elections most people are focused on the biggie this November. But not New York City pols! They’re already focused on next November when Gracie Mansion, long left vacant by Mike Bloomberg, is once again up for grabs. And the early front runner is … still City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. [ more › ]
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Election 2013: Speaker Quinn’s In The (Public) Money!
Though you may not see them, this city has many, many feral cats living in it. Though on a rare occasion somebody will turn up pushing a “solution” to the problem involving trapping and euthanizing them by the dozen (even cats that aren’t actually feral and have homes and owners ), there are also many people and organizations working to help the feral cat population from getting worse. Especially since a recent bill passed by the City Council endorsed the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method—as practiced most notably by members of The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals —as the most humane and effective way to control the city’s cat population. [ more › ]
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Don’t Let Crazies Kill Kitties, Get Trap-Neuter-Release Certified
While NYC has its own atheist holiday billboard brouhaha , a church in New Zealand is offering a billboard of the Virgin Mary holding a pregnancy test. ‘Tis the season, everyone! [ more › ]
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Kiwi Church Offers Virgin Mary With Pregnancy Test Holiday Billboard
Olek ‘s in trouble, and it’s not because she crocheted herself into a corner! The lady is stuck in London after an incident that she can’t really talk about, and is now asking for a bail out from her fans. She explains, in what sounds just like those spam emails that you get, “Something horrible happened to me recently and I need your help. I have spoken to my lawyer and obviously I cannot say anything about my defense at the moment other than that I vigorously deny any wrongdoing. Once the trial is over, I will be able to answer your questions.” An official statement is then given: “On October 6th after donating a piece of her art to the charity at a show in London, Olek was involved in an incident with a drunk and aggressive male who behaved reprehensibly. [ more › ]
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Do You Give A Knit About Olek’s London Legal Trouble?
In late August, a 27-year-old police officer was accused of raping a woman at gunpoint while off-duty in Manhattan. Officer Michael Pena pleaded not guilty to charges that he forced the 25-year-old schoolteacher into a courtyard behind an Inwood building at gunpoint early that morning and raped her—he even implied it was consensual, and that he was just “cheating” on his girlfriend. Today, the arresting officer testified about Pena’s state that morning: “I looked at his shield and I threw it to the ground in disgust,” said Officer Timothy Kraft, according to DNAInfo. [ more › ]
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Arresting Officer Was Disgusted By Drunk "Gunpoint Rape" Cop
Over the years, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has come to be viewed by many New Yorkers as a pliant tool of the Bloomberg administration . But with an end to the Bloomberg era on the horizon, Quinn—a likely mayoral candidate—is eager to show some daylight between her and the billionaire plutocrat. To that end, the City Council will slap the Bloomberg administration with a lawsuit over a controversial policy requiring single homeless adults to prove they have nowhere else to stay before the city gives them shelter. [ more › ]
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City Council Will Sue Bloomberg For First Time On Behalf Of Homeless People