Controversial Wandering Dago food truck returns to Empire State Plaza
Updated Posted
After a lengthy First Amendment battle against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration, the Wandering Dago food truck is making a comeback.
The controversial food truck returned to the Empire State Plaza earlier this week serving entrees including beer cheese tater tots, rasberry cheesecake milkshakes, and smoked turkey, duck confit sandwiches.
In 2013, the Cuomo administration banned Wandering Dago from doing business in the Plaza with its racial charged name. While "dago" is known to be a slur against Italians, owner Andrea Loguidice argued that it was a tribute to her ancestors who worked as laborers and paid "as the day goes."
In January, Loguidice won her lawsuit against the state when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of her business. According to the Times Union, a 32-page court decision stated the following:
"It is undisputed that defendants denied WD's applications solely because of its ethnic slur branding," and called the state's action unconstitutional "viewpoint discrimination."
Due to the ban, Loguidice told The Daily Gazette that she was forced to launch a catering business.
"It did help for people to hear our name and know we're a food truck, but it really didn't help with the business financially, because we weren't permitted anywhere because of the litigation," Loguidice said. "So it definitely had -- I don't want to say catastrophic, that's not the right word -- but it definitely hurt the business financially."
Meanwhile, another issue is still unresolved.
Loguidice filed a separate lawsuit in 2014, claiming that she was fired from her job as an attorney for the state Department of Environmental Conservation due to her connection to the truck.
All 8 Catholic dioceses in New York subpoenaed in sex abuse probe
Updated Posted
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood subpoenaed all eight Roman Catholic dioceses in the state Thursday as part of a broadening civil investigation into the handling of sex abuse allegations by church leaders.
The subpoenas seek documents relating to abuse allegations, payments to victims or findings from internal church investigations, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation but not authorized to speak publicly.
Church leaders vowed to work with Underwood's civil investigation -- and any potential criminal investigations to come.
"Our diocese will cooperate with any investigation initiated by the New York Attorney General or district attorney," said George Richert, spokesman for the Buffalo diocese.
The subpoenas were issued to the Archdiocese of New York in New York City as well as the dioceses of Albany, Brooklyn, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Ogdensburg and Rockville Center.
Underwood's office is pursuing a civil investigation into the church's response to abuse reports and has also reached out to local prosecutors, who are authorized to convene grand juries or pursue criminal investigations.
The announcement comes three weeks after a grand jury investigation found rampant sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by about 300 priests in Pennsylvania.
Underwood's office also announced a hotline - 1-800-771-7755 - for individuals to call to report allegations of clergy abuse, as well as a confidential online complaint form that can be found at ag.ny.gov/ClergyAbuse.
"The Pennsylvania grand jury report shined a light on incredibly disturbing and depraved acts by Catholic clergy, assisted by a culture of secrecy and cover ups in the dioceses," Underwood said in a statement announcing the hotline. "Victims in New York deserve to be heard as well - and we are going to do everything in our power to bring them the justice they deserve."
After 25 years, NYRA's 'Sam The Bugler' to play final notes at Saratoga
Updated Posted
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) -- Sam the Bugler is set to blow his final notes.
Sam Grossman, longtime bugler for the New York Racing Association, is retiring on Monday. He'll play his final "Call to the Post" at Saratoga before the 11th race on Labor Day, ending a 25-year career.
The day's fifth race will be named in his honor and Grossman will be honored in a winner's circle ceremony.
Grossman began his career at Aqueduct on April 4, 1993, the same day he saw his first live thoroughbred race. Over the years, he's become one of the most recognizable faces on the New York circuit and is a fan favorite.
Grossman points out that the position of racetrack bugler has been around since the mid-1800s, and he's honored to have been part of the job's history. The native of Long Island began playing trumpet at age 6. He's played with several bands and toured nationally.
He plans to retire to Florida with his wife.
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