UPTOWNflavor

At 4:30pm yesterday 170 firefighters were called to a burning brownstone on 113th Street. The fire started on the second floor and was working its way up. Trapped in the blaze were a father and his three daughters ages 1, 2, and 8. All four were rescued by the firefighters (NYDailyNews). (NYSun)(NYPost)

Rev. Calvin Butts “officially” endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton for president and insisted his support has nothing to do with racial matters (Boston Globe). Sen. Clinton’s endorsement, though a major one in Harlem, did not resonate with everyone present (NYNewsday).

Despite getting city council approval, the embers of resistance to Columbia University’s expansion still burn, with activists vowing to continue the fight. One area of great concern relate to effects of the developments-to-come reaching far beyond the official expansion zone. In addition, both sides of the opposition have invested heavily on the public-relations front. (Columbia Spectator)

At a Dr. King commemoration event hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton, Borough President Scott Stringer makes an interesting “what if Dr. King walked through Harlem today” observation which might draw some heat (NYSun).

Former President Bill Clinton apparently nodded off during a Martin Luther King, Jr. award presentation at Convent Baptist Church (NYPost).

Representative Charles Rangel will be delivering a speech in midtown today regarding his solution to this country’s economic problems. Among his ideas is the imposition of a tax on those making above $200,000 as a way of doing away with the Alternative Minimum Tax (NYSun).