A Short Story

Pep talk for those of you at work today

2011-12-01T16:51:00.001-05:00

Where da cash at, featuring Ed Towns and Lil' Wayne

2011-10-19T15:08:00.002-04:00

Congressman Ed Towns released his first campaign commercial— which is also coincidentally a fundraising appeal, sent on the heels of a Reid Pillifant Capital New York report that he has $11,240 on hand.

Community Board 1: OSA Moves Out

2011-10-05T18:21:00.006-04:00

What the f—k Community Board 1? Where the f— are you? It's 6:30 pm and there's barely anyone here tonight. Chairman Chris has to wait a few minutes until there are enough people (19) to proceed with public session.

I have one other note before we begin. A relative of Greenpoint attorney Adam Perlmutter's won the Nobel Prize for physics on Monday. Adam won't tell me how he's related to the Cal Tech professor. Anyone have any ideas?

6:35 PM: District Manager Gerry Esposito takes the roll and Chairman Chris wishes everyone happy Rosh Hashanah. Also, Esteban Duran is now a father. Also, I am enjoying a momofuku candy bar pie that is outstanding. So that's three mazel tovs.

We're onto sidewalk applications. Fabianne's Cafe and Pastry on N. Fifth and Bedford wants to renew its sidewalk cafe license. Up next is Clem's' James Freeman who wants to renew and wish everyone a happy Rosh Hashanah. This is going to be a trend tonight.

6:41 PM: And now a street renaming. The last one was Charno's Way on Manhattan Avenue. Now Humboldt and Greenpoint could become "Cosimo's Way," named after Cosimo Damiano Tristani, founder of Rapid Recycling Waste. His friend, Andre Aviles, of Rapid Processing, takes the mic.
"This man was a pillar of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. This man loved his community and loved the people he employed and this neighborhood as well."

6:45 PM: And some breaking news for you.
The uproarious waterfront concerts will be moved from East River Park to 50 Kent, a former sanitation garage, surrounded by industrial factories. Thayer reads from her notes.
"It is an underutilized nyc parks deparmtent property that will become part of Bushiwck Inlet Park. We look forward to hearing your feedback about this potential location."
Unsurprisingly, there are many questions. I'll summarize
Open Space Alliance's move does not have anything to do with Town Square, which must continue to negotiate with the state to have children's movie nights at the park.
The project is ready to go but it requires "site reparation."
It has no grass, it is simply a concrete asphalt parking lot.
Thayer: "There's no reason to think it couldn't be ready. We've been through this several times, it has been neglected for decades, and could be acclimated for public use.
Yes, this is the third location change over the past two years
More Thayer: "We've done everything possible to be responsive to our neighbors. We reduced sound checks later, reduced capacity rerouted exit strategy. We are here to engage the community, make this the best possible experience for everybody.
A N. Eighth Street resident named Peter asks if garbage collection will continue.
"People going to and from the concerts are still going to ruin the neighborhoods. And we're still going to hear the noise whether it's two blocks away or five blocks away."
Thayer adds that the concert series wil be able to redistribute more money to city parks since it OSA longer has to pay to use the state-owned East River State Park and a public hearing will be held on Oct 20, 6:30 pm, right here at Swinging Sixties, 211 Ainslie Street.

7:01 PM: The board moves onto liquor licenses while Rich Calder and I follow-up with Stephanie outside. Steph answers more questions.

Back inside, Heather Roslund has grabbed the mic to summarize her land use committee. There's an RFP for 339 Berry Street for some housing, the new tenant of 259 Banker Street, artist Matthew Jackson, is inviting board members for a tour, and there are some new variances to push stalled construction sites to clean up so that people don't get hurt in the wake of a bicycle fatality on Bushwick and Powers.

7:16 PM: It's Mieszko time! Our public safety chairman reads off the list of 30 or so liquor licenses‚ and they get approved. And here they are:
ABV Unlimited LLC, 594 Union Avenue (new, liquor, bar)
Andrew Benedict, 429 Graham Avenue (new, liquor, bar)
Chimu Inc., 482 Union Avenue (renewal, beer/wine, rest)
Douglas Park, dba GNOSH, 277 Graham Avenue (transfer, liquor, bar)
Fernando Flores, 742 Driggs Avenue (new, liquor, rest)
Fornino Corp dba Fornino, 187 Bedford Avenue (renewal, beer/wine, rest)
Irena Kabala dba Capri Social Club Inc, 156 Calyer Street (renewal, liquor, bar)
Jeffrey Slagg Enterprises LLC dba Sol de Mar (renewal, beer/wine, rest)
Mikey’s Hookup II dba PIPS, 158 Roebling Street (new, beer/wine, bar)
Mivako Japanese Rest Corp, 143 Berry Street (renewal, beer/wine, rest)
Mountaintop Restaurant Group dba Dunham Place Restaurant, 29 Dunham Place (new, liquor, rest)
North 12th Restaurant Company LLC dba T.B.D., 74 Wythe Avenue (new, liquor, rest)
Paper Box Music & Art Inc, 17 Meadow Street (new, liquor, bar)
Peanut Industries Inc dba Velvet Lounge, 174 Broadway (renewal, liquor, bar)
Pig and Egg LLC dba Egg Restaurant, 135 North 5th Street, Store A (renewal, beer/wine, rest)
Plimsoll Mask LLC, 138 Havemeyer Street (new, liquor, bar)
Radegast Hall LLC dba Radegast Hall and Biergarten, 113-115 North 3rd St aka 186 Berry StreetÂ (renewal, liquor, rest)
Spike Hill LLC, 184 Bedford Avenue (renewal, liquor, bar)
Studio 299, LLC, 299 VanderVoort Avenue (new, liquor, bar)
The 709 Lorimer St Restaurant Corp dba Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer Street (renewal, liquor, bar)
The Inspire Company, LLC dba Chai Home Kitchen, 124 North 6th Street (renewal, liquor, rest)
Wow Bridge CafeLLC dba Wow Cafe, 168 Borinquen Plaza aka 335 South 2nd Street (renewal, liquor, bar)

7:28 PM: Transpo chair Karen Nieves runs through the transportation report, which includes the DOT's suggestion to take 50 parking spaces from Greenpoint Avenue to make way for the bike lane.
Karen is not in favor of this, arguing that drivers will see the same effect that they have at Kent Avenue.
"Taking away parking spaces is not the answer," says Karen, adding, "That's why I'm not approving this."
She has more:
"They're saying this is a done deal. They are going to install a bike lane on the bridge itself. They are going to narrow and make one lane on each side. Before they even think of installing a bike lane on the bridge we need to deal with the issues on Greenpoint Avenue."
We have a proposal for a letter of support asking to say no to 50 parking spaces, and the board supports it.

Karen moves onto the inundation of film crews shooting in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Karen says the traffic cones blocking parking spaces are a real problem, she wants productions to meet with the board ahead of time to inform them about where they're shooting, and productions should consider shuttling employees to the shooting site so that they don't park in the neighborhood.
A frustrated Mieszko adds: Tell them to go back to Hollywood where they belong. You don't belong here."

7:51 PM: And more breaking news: Sarah Palin is not running for president and Steve Jobs just died.

7:53 PM: That's it for committee reports. Public session! I'll summarize
*Christine Murray says the board should turn down The Charleston's sidewalk cafe.
*Susan Fenston says she hope everyone has seen her "Widespread Panic" video, and she doesn't like the "despicable," "heinous" messages she received from people who support the concerts.
"Moving them a couple of blocks may alleviate a couple of problems, but you can guarantee we will be here again to speak about the concerts. We live here. Our voices do matter."
*Jackie Mayer thanks the board on its hard work and said that Taste of Williamsburg was the most incredible event she's attended in New York City.
*John Rico says it is encouraging that Open Space Alliance is reasonable and they accommodated complaints, but adds his concern about public-private partnerships.
"I still am baffled why we have a Parks Department that can't run its own business. What's next, are we going to have private police? What's going to become of this whole thing? OSA is great and what they do is nice, but why?"
Also, the Monitor Museum, I hope that's something that we can work together on."
*Another resident is opposed to the Charleston Bar's application, and complains that they leave their door and windows open. "It's noisy, it's loud and it's a disaster for the community."

8:04 PM: And that's it. Board member Simon Weiser stops by press row to weigh in on those Hasidic signs on Bedford Avenue which order women to move to the side of the street when a man is walking. Simon doesn't think the signs should have been bolted to street trees because they damage them. And that's our Good Call of the week! L'Shanah Tovah — and move it along people.

Whip-it good

2011-09-21T13:10:00.002-04:00

Users of the popular drug known as whip-its say the experience is better than getting in the ring with Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore.

Every year, usually, there's one new weird new drug trend in North Brooklyn.
Remember that "hot kielbasa" bust, where Polish deli workers were caught stuffing cocaine into sausage casings? That was 2008.
Or the "hot tub drug machine" at the former site of the Laila Lounge on N. Seventh Street, where police found 18 kilos of cocaine hidden under a sauna? 2009.
And "Operation Lude Behavior"— the quaalude factory on Kent Street in Greepoint? April of last year.
One would think that the city's first bath salts drug bust which occurred this June would have been our high mark for the year.
But that is not the case— thanks to the spread of nitrous-fueled bros getting high on laughing gas after a Widespread Panic concert this weekend.
This problem is no laughing matter.
And now it looks like local leader are springing into action, according to the internets listservs, but until the police crack down on users and figure out who the sellers are, we could see this drug habit crop up again.

Community Board 1: We're back beaches

2011-09-14T17:28:00.008-04:00

After struggling against an overpowering ennui that has the strength of a thousand Russian autocrats, I have come up for air just in time for tonight's Community Board 1 meeting at the Swinging Sixties Senior Center.

What can I say, it's been an eventful and adventurous summer.

*I fought off a diminished Category 1 hurricane so much that it became a tropical storm.

*I tweeted crotch pictures of the finger building— which is now available for occupancy.

*I single handedly married 76 gay couples on the steps on Borough Hall as an ordained minister with the Church of Universal Life.

*I sailed Newtown Creek with Dewey Thompson and kayaked on the East River with Councilman Steve Levin.

But enough about me let's get to tonight's agenda. New York Shitty's Miss Heather promises lots of angry new sh-t from residents tonight, specifically about a rampant rat problem in Greenpoint. I can't wait.

6:30 PM: Chairman Chris Olechowski calls the meeting to order (On time!) and District Manager Gerry Esposito takes roll.

Borough President's counsel the ruggedly handsome Jason Otano stops by press row to mention that he is now officially single. Ladies?

First up is a sidewalk cafe application for the Alligator Lounge on Metropolitan Avenue just down the street from the center. But Board member Tom Burrows has a complaint about noise at the bar. He's not the only one as Katie Naplatarski and Julie Lawrence chime in.

Lots of attractive young people here tonight for a number of disparate reasons, but Chairman Chris says that audience members who are here for liquor license moratorium issues will be disappointed because that meeting is happening in two weeks. There is no visible reaction from the audience at this remark.

Board member Del Teague gives a brief budget report presentation, explaining that members should carefully consider their funding priorities to be given to the city. She keeps talking.

"You could come to the budget meeting," said Del. "It's not the most exciting meeting. It's long and we go through the whole thing. We go through every single item. We may be there until 2 in the morning, but we'll do it."

The Dominotrix herself Susan Pollock and Barbara "Yogi" Baer enter the room and stop by the press table to complain that I haven't been blogging that much lately. Ladies, take a number.

6:54 Chairman Chris makes a motion to withdraw the Polish Slavic Center Cafeteria's liquor license application because of a "fraudulent petition" and found that by consulting a forensic expert. What a joke. Now he's asking the board to ratify the withdrawal.

Meanwhile, keeps talking but Public Safety deputy chairman Tom Burrows is whispering that he's livid the state approved a law allowing movie theaters to serve alcohol during a screening.

7:02 PM Greenline legendary editor Greg Hanlon arrived just in time to help Open Space Alliance's Julia Morrow with her fantasy football team. His advice for her defense? The Detroit Lions.

7:07 PM: Board members vote for the Polish Slavic cafeteria withdrawal so no zwyiec with your pierogis.

Transportation chairwoman Karen Nieves gives a summary of three issues including demapping on Union Street, a Department of Transportation Safe Streets for Seniors.

And Karen notes that the city is denying walk signals on Kent Avenue by N. Eighth near the East River park entrance and N. Fifth Street. Karen is defiant and says she had to direct traffic herself while her family went to the kite festival.

"They cannot tell us there is not an increase in pedestrian traffic in those areas."

Otano gets called on and announces that the Brooklyn Book Festival will occur at Borough Hall all day Sunday, and you can pick up a copy of Chairman Chris' new memoir, "Kill Me If You Can," which is a New York Times Bestseller.

7:24 Public session! I'll summarize.

*Tom Peyton announces the return of the Bring to Light Festival in Greenpoint. Sounds like there are a lot of kinks to iron out before it opens, such as final confirmation on permits.

*Mark Wysocki who opposed the PSC liquor license takes a victory lap.

*Jeanette Mocho has a rat problem. She's caught 16 rats over the past two years and she's started a petition with 400 people distributed in both Spanish and Polish.

"Now sanitation is giving out holes in the cans but doing nothing about the rat problem."

*District Leader Linda Minucci echoes the call to exterminate rats on Calyer Street.

"If they find evidence of holes, they ticket the homeowner."

*Julia Morrow gives a presentation regarding the Open Space Alliance events. Chairman Chris calls her Julie.

7:46 Chairman Chris brings up new business and Public Safety Chairman Mieszko Kalita has more questions about the bring to light festival. Looks like Mieszko has some problems with it.

Ward Dennis reminds people to come get a taste — of Williamsburg— at the Taste of Williamsburg Sunday afternoon.

Tom Burrows makes his frustration about Nitehawk Cinemas' sneaky liquor license extension public and calls out Assemblyman Joe Lentol for sponsoring the bill. Tom, let's settle this over a drink while watching your favorite movie.

7:58 PM: Rami Metal from Steve Levin's office notes a rally against homeless shelters coming to Greenpoint and other neighborhoods at city hall on Sept. 21 at 11 am.

Antonio Reynoso from Diana Reyna's office makes an appearance and Jose Leon thanks Antonio for getting an iHop to open in the district, which means we can look forward to a whole lot of this:

Hey, let's end this with two fun facts of the night: Did you know that board member Wilfredo Florentino is an ex-military officer specializing in nuclear, biological and chemical weapons (NBC for short)? He knows how to use an ICAN, an improvised chemical agent monitor. And Mieszko spent his summer hanging out with some very powerful people.

If you look closely enough, you can see Mieszko piloting the vessel as former Prime Minister Putin aims at a whale with his crossbow.

Dear Williamsburg...

2011-08-09T22:41:00.002-04:00

I think I need a break from you.

We had a good run. A lot of laughs. A lot of four-hour community board meetings. But we're just going in two different directions. You're a train heading west, I'm a train heading east. You're increasing your annual median income and I'm... well... still broke.

It'll work out. I'm sure of it. So let's spend some time apart, at least for the rest of the summer.

Epic post coming

2011-06-14T17:44:00.004-04:00

I will be at tonight's CB1 meeting in spirit only. But that doesn't mean we can't have an epic CB1 season-ending post.
Facial hair Hall of Famer and Brooklyn Great Name all-star Jack Hammer is headlining this weak agenda tonight, so I'm encouraging board members to take some crazy photos of each other and send them to aaronmshort@yahoo so I can properly record your meeting.

Tish James Senior Cuts Press Conference

2011-05-12T12:49:00.000-04:00

It's CSCS Advocacy Day at City Hall and Councilwoman Letitia James will not tolerate senior cuts.

Community Board 1: OSA Defends its Relevance

2011-05-10T23:59:00.002-04:00

It's a big night for Chairman Chris-- can he keep it under four hours?
Tonight's meeting is teeming with agenda items. Yet less than half the board is here. Is it Lag B'Omer? Someone's wedding? Court get out late?

Not a lot of press here today, save Miss Heather and a photographer with an impressive straw hat and a press card and yes, the New York Times who is here to cover the debate over concerts at East River State Park.

There are a few other items to track, including that pesky Polish Slavic Center liquor license (even its opponents seem resigned to it being passed). And Jason Otano's suave-looking tan, which rivals even Julia Morrow's epic Texas tan. Looking seductive-cherubic, aka seducherubic, Jason!

6:33 PM: The first of a record five presentations is about the Humboldt Street Plaza program. Emily Wisenhof, one of my favorite Department of Transportation planners gives an update. Oh heck, they're all my favorites!
But tonight belongs to Bushwick's most beloved artist, Austin Thomas, who is presenting her new "perches" which will grace the plaza next year. Pedestrians will be able to view the neighborhood and relax on the perches.

The Department of Design and Construction's Nitin Patel (of Monitor Street stoop notoriety) takes the mic to announce the beginning of an 18-month process to redesign West Street between Eagle and Clay Streets at $8.5 million in federal funds plus another $1.5 million for the design. It's one of the worst streets in Greenpoint due to heavy truck traffic.
So far, there haven't been any workshops about this, and Barbara Vitell is pissed.
And Chairman Chris admonishes both planners for having nothing prepared despite sending letters that the construction would begin soon, and essentially wasting everyone's time.
"We are perfectly willing to come back when we have something more concrete," says one of the planners.

6:55 PM: Item three is sidewalk cafes, and we're starting with Zebulon on Wythe Avenue. There's also famed bartender Joel Lee Kulp from The Richardson, for a renewal on Graham Avenue. He's one of the most talented bartenders in the neighborhood, really more of an artist.
There are three others, including Urban Rustic at 318 Grand Street, Jemanya at 57 S. Fifth Street, and Nlam on 178 Kent Avenue-- which has been delayed due to its owner's financial troubles.
Board members are slamming the last one due to a lot of issues with its owners and permits.

Now the fourth item, Jorge Bosch from the Williamsburg Savings Bank updates the building's conversion to a banquet hall with a long presentation about restoring one of the city's oldest landmarks to its former glory.
There are questions about development regarding the demolished back lot near Bedford Avenue, where there will be two levels of underground parking but other plans are unclear.
Heather Roslund says the land use committee will vote on a minor change relating to the bank building in the back of the room, which is her excuse for ducking out of the rest of the meeting.

Finally, Laura Hofmann from Outrage talks about a truck traffic survey that the organization complied.
Uh oh. David Dubrosz reads through the entire study and Chairman Chris cuts him off twice.
Laura brings it all back home with the air particle study. The big takeaway here? Don't breathe if you're walking through Williamsburg, especially near the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. I don't know any good pop songs about polluted air, so here's Drive By Truckers.

7:34 PM Here's what we've been waiting for. OSA's Adam Perlmutter on the East River State Park concerts.
"Last summer we were forced into a relationship with a concert promoter that we did not want to work with, that routinely violated sound and decibel limits.
The Parks Committee wants 10 concerts. There were 22 last summer. Now there are 15, 10 paid and 5 free. Of the free concerts, there is a comedy show and a jazz program.
We reduced our capacity 15 percent from last year from 7500 to 6500.
We're working with the 94 to greatly improve crowd control. When the concerts let out they let out into residential blocks on sixth, seventh and eighth streets. We're trying to divert the crowd to more industrial and commercial streets."

Adam explains that there won't be concerts on July and August and sums it up:
"We do realize there have been problems. We apologize for them.
On our end, we are going to be presenting to the community board what we do, what improvements we are making. Frankly that's our fault. We've made a mistake on that. We have to work hand in hand with the board and we'll continue to do that."

The defense rests. Wow, that was the most regretful speech I've ever heard at a Community Board 1 meeting. Adam apologized for everything except Jane Pool's pants.

There are questions about lowering decibel levels and giving an all access pass to the community board. Chairman Chris should snatch this up. It makes sense.
Rob Solano asks about Latino programing and Stephanie Thayer said that she'd love to do a Central Park Summer Stage-type lineup of diversity.
Adam adds "we want to reduce the amount of concerts and increase the amount of family and children programing."
Del Teague says that promoters must hear concerns about decibel levels and one of them, Sam Kinken, says that he regulates his sound checks as tightly as possible and if he must push sound checks later in the day, he'll do that.
"We're trying to do everything we can to minimize the overall impact while not diminishing fundraising for Open Space Alliance and for parks," said Sam.

7:54 PM: We're into an abbreviated public session, where five Polish Slavic Center members are speaking in opposition to the center cafeteria's beer and wine license. They're upset that the center, a nonprofit organization, is serving alcohol, even though there are many kids in the center and its cafeteria. Also, there's an internal feud that has been simmering in the community for more than a decade. Meanwhile board mascot Mieszko Kalita loses interest.

8:00 PM: Chairman Chris interrupts the session for nominations for the board' s executive leadership. The Polish opposition takes their collective seats. Nobody is challenging Chris or any of the other vice chairs, so this moves quickly.

8:04 PM: The Polish opposition is back up, led by Mark Wysocki, who is arguing that 150 people are opposing the liquor license and that the center is a nonprofit. He also argues that the center could find other ways of raising money instead of selling beer. Like, say, promoting concerts in public parks?

8:16 PM: Now it's the Graham Avenue residents who are opposed to 373 Graham Avenue, a restaurant from the guy who opened Moto.
Lucille Bergamo says the building has had issues of permit problems, concerns over its fire codes and says the building owner has not communicated well neighbors.

Now we have a group of residents against the bar coming into 229 Kent Avenue, a new bar from Joel Lee Karp, who owns The Richardson. One says that the block is a very residential part of Kent Avenue, with many homeowners and a bar open to 4 am is out of place there.

"This is a very beautiful block in Williamsburg and it would be a shame to be desecrated by the greedy needs for one smug bar owner," says one resident.

8:28 PM: Now we've got some Open Space Alliance committee members, led by Laura Hofmann (the very same from OUTRAGE. Laura's busy dudes.)
One resident questions where OSA is on the Monitor Museum site on Quay near West. She's worried that the property could be seized by eminent domain and she's worried it could be quashed.
Laura references a New York Shitty post about last week's OSA meeting, and she's still pissed about a large rock concert booked at Barge Park last year sponsored by "Fuck Duck."
"Besides the name, the lyrics and the pot smoking... people should know better. We've fought to avoid this in our playgrounds."

The eloquent John Ricco, from Grandma Rose's, asks for a "table pound" from the thousands of residents near East River State Park. He gets it.
"These concerts bring a lot of undesirables to that area. If the sound levels can be lowered, I'd like to believe [Open Space Alliance], I hope we can work to alleviate the stress that has resulted.
Please do not take this lightly ever again, We will not be brushed off like dandruff. We have big brains, and big mouths."

8:36 PM: Public Session closed and second roll call. Let's go to Chairman Chris for his report:
"The public safety committee is going to become the centerpiece of the board."
Chairman Chris adds that the executive committee will give moratorium recommendations to the public safety committee and he expects the committee to look at it next month. But then he chides board members for not going to other committee meetings.

8:41 Committee reports. Public Safety. You know what that means. Hit it Doda!

Public Safety chairman Mieszko Kalita wants to thank everyone for attending last week's four and a half hour meeting-- that's an unofficial committee record and only half as long as Heather Roslund's reading of Moby Dick.
Mieszko starts with the sidewalk cafes, including the Meatball Shop. Approved.

Aaaaaand here's the Polish Slavic Center Cafeteria license. Mieszko gives the run-down.
"There are 300 people fighting and 40,000 don't know anything about it," said Mieszko.
Board member Katie Naplatarski says she wants to vote with the majority but she is confused and has more questions.
I have to say, I'm disappointed with Mieszko's performance tonight. He isn't explaining the issue that clearly and he's skirting around details. It's an off night for the M-dawg.
Chairman Chris is adding a stipulation that beer and wine can only be served with meals-- or the center could lose its license. So far, Chairman Chris is in clearly lead for the meeting's MVP for trying in vain to keep a very busy meeting moving. I will now play in traffic on Metropolitan Avenue.

Polish Slavic Center's liquor license passes 27-5. But 229 Kent gets denied, as does 373 Graham Avenue and a troublesome rooftop bar/ lounge, Mercat Negre, on 68 Grand Street.
All of the liquor license renewals get approved.

Mieszko has a funny item about Club Europa, where the SLA thought it was a bank instead of a bar and issued a bunch of citations. I better follow-up.
And Thai Tai corporation, which had some early questions from the board, is sailing right through, so a new Japanese place is coming to the Morgan area.
Mieszko ends with a summary of the moratorium.

9:24 PM Parks Committee Chairman Phil Capanegro summarizes the concerts issue and brings the resolution to limit concerts and reduce capacity to a vote.
Board member Ward Dennis has a question, mulling whether the resolution should be tabled, but then tables his recommendation in favor of more discussion. Also, the meeting just crossed the three hour mark. One more to tie a record.

Board members Katie Naplatarski wants a cell phone contact from OSA to call on the day of the concert and Julie Lawrence asks OSA to create a task force to address issues going forward. OSA's Stephanie Thayer has sunk into her seat in a corner behind Ward, while Adam has spent much of the last half hour in the hallway working over the rabbis.
Ward makes a friendly amendment to take out the numbers of concert, but add a task force to monitor... I mean liaison... no, wait, it's monitor OSA. It carries.

9:35 PM: Transportation Committee, Karen Nieves, notes the city will begin it sNassau Avenue Construction in two months and a Greenpoint Avenue bike lane meeting will be held Thursday.

Land Use's Heather Roslund has a quick report on three land use items, including a martial arts gym on N. Seventh and the Williamsburgh Savings Bank. The items pass.

Environmental Committee's Ryan Kuonen gives a shout out to OUTRAGE and notes a street cleaning initiative to clean up the northside on the weekends.

9:51 PM More public session. I'll summarize.
*A resident representing 300 people on Berry Street is opposing the commercial overlay at N. Eighth and Berry Street. Instead, she says Teddy's should have a variance for its five tables but she doesn't like the bid to "develop" the corner of the neighborhood.

Another resident adds: "We don't want Berry Street to become Bedford Avenue."

*Joseph Garber is up and he gets a mock ovation. I think it's a mock. I can't tell. People may just be happy because when Garber talks, it's near the end of the meeting. Miss Heather perks up and starts filming Joe talking very quickly about the Mayor's budget and the Public Safety Committee's gross negligence of not recording his attendance even though he was there. Also, he's trying to get more garbage cans on Marcy and Havemeyer.
Garber finishes and gets another mock ovation. And then he keeps talking.

*Rabbi Niederman wants to remind people of the excruciating cuts to day care centers.

*Tish Cianciotta says she supports the new liquor license at 299 Graham Avenue, but does not want tables outside.

*Leah Ayber, legislative assistant for Assemblyman Lopez, introduces herself that she's the new Williamsburg rep for the neighborhood. She waited nearly four hours for that.

*Finally, Rami Metal notes that the 400 McGuinness rally is rescheduled for May 22 at 2.
Motion to adjourn. And we're done. Goodnight and Sto Lat!

Hope Reichbach 1989-2011

2011-05-02T21:13:00.001-04:00

Hasidic shoe stores

2011-04-28T15:40:00.001-04:00

Passover is over, but this remains my favorite South Williamsburg story I've read.

Press Release of the Week: DEP Boot Camp

2011-04-26T12:12:00.002-04:00

This is what sewage plant workers must "voluntarily go through today. Be gentle on Jimmy Pynn! He bruises easily.

Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today kicked off the 24th Annual Operations Challenge competition, a test of skill and speed for teams of sewage treatment workers who compete in timed events for the chance to represent DEP at the New York State and national competitions that take place later this year. Four DEP teams will compete in various tasks, including fixing a pipe, repairing a pump, and rescuing an injured employee. The two winning teams will represent New York City at the State competition to be held in May at Lake George. This year’s morning-long event was held at the Owls Head Wastewater Treatment Plant in Brooklyn, and is sponsored by DEP and the Water Environment Federation.

This year’s four competing teams—the Sludge Fellas, the Tide Surfers, the Unknowns, and the Turtle Surfers—hail from the Owls Head, Tallman Island and North River wastewater treatment plants. Each team will compete in five timed events, including:

· Collections: Teams respond to a leaking pipe and repair it while it remains in service.

· Water Quality Testing: Teams perform tests to determine the pollution level in water to see if it meets discharge standards.

· Maintenance: Contestants remove submersible equipment, make the necessary repairs and return it to service.

· Waste Treatment Process: Teams answer multiple choice questions to demonstrate their knowledge of the wastewater treatment process.

· Worker Safety: Teams rescue a dummy in a confined space while checking air quality using safety devices and perform CPR.

The Operations Challenge is an excellent opportunity to showcase safety and training skills while recognizing the work of wastewater treatment operators. The two highest scoring teams will go on to compete in the statewide competition in May. From there, winners of the statewide contest will participate in a national competition in Los Angeles. The Operations Challenge was developed by the Water Environment Federation, the largest professional organization representing the wastewater treatment industry. The event at the Owls Head Wastewater Treatment Plant is sponsored by a local chapter of the organization in conjunction with DEP, which has participated in the Operations Challenge since 1987. A team from DEP has made it to the national competition for 15 straight years

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T12:00:00.003-04:00

Remember when New York looked like this?

And I gotta throw some more Godspell at you.

Moratorium Madness!: Mieszko gets famous

2011-04-21T14:44:00.002-04:00

It's finally happening. Mieszko is slowly becoming a celebrity. I bet this is how Jack Horner felt when Eddie Adams got his first big break.

WTF of the Week

2011-04-20T14:40:00.004-04:00

This week's WTF of the Week comes courtesy of the Wall Street Journal, which ran a story on the Community Board 1 proposed liquor license moratorium that seems a mirror image of Greg Hanlon's Capital New York survey of the plan which appeared on April 15.
Now, this story has been out there a while, but Greg went to the meeting, made some follow-up calls including one to the State Liquor Authority and wrote it up. The Journal had a similar angle, which 11211 notes too, but that story came out a full week after the meeting happened.

Matzoh is the new black

2011-04-19T15:30:00.002-04:00

I know. I always link this.

Pimp Release of the Week

2011-04-15T13:20:00.001-04:00

From the US Attorney' office:

PKC:LMN F.#2010R01709
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
--------------------------------------X UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
-against-
WILLIAM JOHNSON, also known as “Dolla Bill,” “Dollarz,” and “Dollabillz,”
Defendant.
---------------------------------------X EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK:
C O M P L A I N T (18 U.S.C. § 1591(a))
LAURA A. SPENCE, being duly sworn, deposes and says that she is a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), duly appointed according to law and acting as such.
Upon information and belief, in or about and between January 2007 and September 2010, both dates being approximate and inclusive, within the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere, the defendant WILLIAM JOHNSON, also known as “Dolla Bill,” “Dollarz,” and “Dollabillz,” did knowingly and intentionally recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide and obtain by any means a person in and affecting interstate commerce, and did knowingly and intentionally benefit financially from participation in a venture which engaged in such acts, knowing that force, fraud and coercion would be used to cause the person to engage in a commercial sex act, and knowing that the person
2 had not attained the age of 18 years would be caused to engage in
a commercial sex act.

Lessons from Community Board 1

2011-04-15T11:49:00.003-04:00

The Community Board 1 resolution on the East River concerts is redactacular.

This week the hipster press discovered Community Board 1. Longtime observers, such as this blog, find it amusing that many colleagues on press row have some difficulty understanding why this civic group does what it does. Let me try to explain them with a few helpful tips.

1. If it sounds like the board voted on something outrageous, chances are it didn't actually happen.
Exhibit A: Banning the East River concerts. That's stupid, you might ask yourself. Why would a community board, which has about as much authority as a sports talk caller, pass a resolution to ban concerts in a state park that generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for the community?
Instead of reading a suggestive headline on the Internets and linking it verbatim (cough Vegan cough), sometimes you need to call a couple of people to verify what actually happened if you weren't there. The blogs got this very wrong this week, so throw some credit Metro's way, and Alison Bowen in particular, for sussing this out.

2. Board members don't always know what they're voting on-- especially since what they vote on gets written up after they vote on it.
In Albany, and just about in any other legislative body, legislators vote on bills that have been written into the record so they know, more or less, what they're voting on.
At the community board, sometimes the opposite happens. Board members vote on a suggestion, or a very strong feeling, to take a stand about something. What exactly? They don't know-- until the board staff writes the resolution up.
So you can imagine one's frustration when you call a board member to ask what he voted on and he says, 'I don't know, call the office.'

3. Sometimes the actual resolution is more confusing than the debate.
Back to Exhibit A. The board's resolution to "request assistance from state and city leaders about the park's permit process" (specifically who is issuing the permits, who is securing the permits, has there been a review process, has input been asked, and where is revenue going) doesn't actually make any sense. In fact, it's the job of the District Manager to research these questions and report that information back to the board. Oh, and guess what else. It's all PUBLIC RECORD. You can read about how concerts got to the East River here, here and here.

4. Sometimes the debate on one issue is about something else entirely.
Exhibit B: The liquor license moratorium. It's not about new bars coming to Williamsburg. Board members know it's silly to ban new business that bring jobs into the neighborhood and sponsor local events from coming into the neighborhood. It's about increasing enforcement for particularly bad nuisance bars and clubs, and that involves the NYPD, Department of Consumer Affairs, and City Council offices as well as the State Liquor Authority (as Tom Burrows sanely mentioned this week). Board members aren't upset at bars for staying open, they're upset at the drunk people wrecking havoc on the neighborhood after they leave late at night.

5. Sometimes equally significant issues get overshadowed during more frivolous debates.
Exhibit C: Alma Lounge. Everyone has their favorite bar they love to hate, such as Studio B (closed) Club Exit (closed), El Retorno (probably closing), and the Production Lounge (who knows), but Alma takes the cake. Daniel Susla got in front of the board Tuesday night to explain that he has had insomnia for a year-- yeah, you read that correctly-- because his illegally-operating basement neighbor blasts dance music. And city agencies are using their molasses-like enforcement strategy to shut it down by-- issuing violations that lead to court hearings that keep getting postponed. Daniel feels trapped. And a moratorium on liquor licenses will do nothing to help his situation.

The East River concerts are not banned

2011-04-13T13:25:00.004-04:00

Wow, I'll get to the moratorium discussion feedback in a second, but, no, contrary to several reports, Community Board 1 DID NOT vote to ban the East River State Park summer concerts.

The board likely voted to draft a resolution opposing it and all its deleterious effects. That resolution is being drafted this afternoon. If you think it's weird that board members would vote on something before even writing up what they're voting on, you're not the only one.

More shortly.

Community Board 1: Prohibition Edition

2011-04-12T23:59:00.003-04:00

6:15 PM: It's absolutely mobbed tonight. I haven't seen it this crowded since Broadway Triangle. And it's because of the proposed liquor license moratorium on the agenda. Yes, the board will debate banning all new liquor licenses in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. How big a deal is that? The Huffington Post sent PAID videographers to cover it.

So what else are people pissed about? The McGuinness Boulevard homeless shelter, the Polish Slavic Center Cafeteria's liquor license, the city's Greenpoint Hospital development project, the pulsating sound tomb that is Alma Lounge a zoning overlay application on N. Eighth Street, the canceled Brooklyn Night Bazaar, scatalogical concertgoers spewing out of East River State Park during the summer, more garbage, dog sh-t, and David Yassky. Again.

There's also a reporter with New York 1 who is grabbing everyone she can get her hands on-- including Community Board mascot Mieszko Kalita into the back hallway for an interview. Mieszko is going to become an overnight celebrity because of this, just you wait.

And finally, Miss Heather and friends have formed the Community Board 1 Ladies Auxiliary because they enjoyed El Rotono. Congratulations ladies!

6:35 PM Chairman Chris takes the mic and we're diving right into the debate... with a BSA application for a new gym and retail store on 272 Driggs Avenue. You can feel the tension in the air.

Next, there's another BSA application for a martial arts studio on 184 N. Eight Street near Bedford Avenue. They're going to turn the old brick warehouse into the fitness studio and the applicant describes his plan as "community-based." He takes five questions. Tension is rising.

Hey it's the Meatball Shop guy! I wrote about him! He wants a small sidewalk cafe on a skinny stretch of Bedford Avenue. Those balls are tasty but I bet there will be some objections to this one.

6:56 PM: David Yassky's up. Chairman Chris asks if he's here yet. He isn't. Sorry David. We're moving on.

6:57: Diane Jackson from Greenpoint Renaissance Enterprise Coalition takes us back before she takes us forward on the Greenpoint Hospital plan.
But she gets right to the group's lawsuit against the city for choosing a rival developer, TNS Great American Construction, to build senior housing on the site:

"We submitted our proposal. It took the city approximately three years to answer proposal. And they said they had a better proposal. They came up with a very weak proposal. The city took this other organization by the hand, walked them throughout he process, helped them make changes to their proposal to make it look like our proposal. We found this out through a FOIL request and we decided to take them to court."
This gets some table banging and moderate applause.

7:05 PM: Chairman Chris: Is Commissioner Yassky here?
There's a faint "yes" in the hallway. David has the floor. He wants to make it legal for livery cabs to pick up passengers in the outer boroughs-- a practice that people do already. And that's about it.

Two questions. Rabbi David Niederman thanks David for his service to the neighborhood and asks about opposition to the plan from taxi drivers.

Esteban Duran has his blunt take: "Last time you had a proposal it failed miserably. What type of analytical data have you looked at that provides of this massive policy change? Our neighborhoods are still suffering from cuts, like the B39."

David: "You have to let the market do its thing. We've tried to relax our rules to let commuter vans to replace the bus service... We have super smart people working at TLC. I have full confidence in them. Let the drivers figure out where the passengers are and serve them there, and get rid of rules that prevent this from happening."

Shockingly this is not the end of his remarks. There are more questions and David rambles onwards. Press Row is getting restless. A Brooklyn Eagle reporter continues to juggle all her stuff and

7:32 PM: Chairman Chris introduces liquor licenses to a small wave of groans. But he makes his first MVP move of the year, allowing public session to begin now, before meeting starts. Let's summarize:

Kevin Patrick Linney on 51 Kent: I have a bar in Fort Greene. I got wind about a potential moratorium and like many people here I was concerned about the parameters, which streets, is there a time frame, will there be a risk to open a restaurant for those with a good track record.

Anthony Martin is opposed the Berry Street commercial overlay, also known as the Teddy's Restaurant Rezoning. He says he has 75 signatures opposing the rezoning and is worried the rezoning will turn Berry Street into Bedford Avenue.
"Even if loud places use their backyards, it will affect hundreds of us. Easily 30 buildings with gardens we enjoy would be subjected to noise until 2 am. There are 4 restaurants on the corner. We like this. It's enough. There shouldn't be more."

Another woman opposing the commercial overlay. "When this tips, we're are going to lose that balance. A neighborhood is made out of commerce and residents. It's the residents that support that commerce and are an important fabric of the neighborhood."

Andy Kaminsky with the Polish Slavic Center is supporting the re-submitted liquor license application, chastising its opponents for "personal vendettas" against the organization. He goes a minute over time but the Chairman allows.
"It's a politically motivated act based on two unsubstantiated allegations."

A Roebling Street resident says there are too many cars on Roebling Street and that a moratorium should have been put in place years ago.
"We don't want to be known as a drinking neighborhood." He receives loud applause.
Lost in tonight's moratorium frenzy is the fascinating back story of this organization and the community's politics.

Whoa! An opponentShe's attacking Mieszko for misleading the press! Mieskzo told me he wants nothing to do with this issue. When Mieszko is afraid of something, it's pretty f-cking serious.

Mark Wysocki on the cafeteria application. He's reading an excerpt of an interview Mieszko did with a Polish TV station, saying that he would welcome a beer at the cafeteria.
"Did you actually speak to these people," said Wysocki.
"No questions," says Mieszko.

Daniel Susla on Alma Lounge. Correction. Lost in tonight's moratorium frenzy is Daniel's year-long battle with insomnia caused by perhaps the loudest bar in the neighborhood.
"We understand the hoopla here but we're more in favor of enforcement of bars that operate outside the law." Daniel, stop smiling!

Another Polish opponent to the cafeteria.

Two more are supposed to speak against the cafeteria, but they can't speak English, so they Chairman Chris says they can't write into the record.

Felice Kirby is speaking on behalf of the commercial overlay, defending her restaurant's reputation and its outreach to its neighbors.

Another Polish resident is calling out the Executive Director of the Polish Slavic Center and her husband-- who is sitting in this meeting!-- for having dictatorial tendencies. Yikes!

It's best of Community Board 1 Teresa Toro speaks in favor of the Teddy's commercial overlay.
"Our nightlife is out of control now. The SLA gives out liquor licenses like candy. And that's something we have to address now! "
Juliet Linderman of the New York Times is here and asks what's up. It's best of Community Board 1-- that's what's up.

8:12 PM: Chairman Chris introduces the moratorium. Here he is, unfiltered:
We have not set a date for this to start or stop. We would like SLA to adopt a moratorium for this neighborhood.
We've had several complaints recently, people complainig about late hours, noise, loitering
One thing is apparent-- You cannot control people outside an establishment loitering in the street.
I think the community board has a responsibility to find equilibrium for residents who live here who want piece of mind as well as those establishments who are here who provide those services responsibly.
We're not saying it's going to be permanent... but we're going to at this point send a message. This is a tremendous burden on this community-- the saturation of bars opening up. We have a responsibility to all members of the community, not just to those who want to come here and have a good time.
Chairman Chris has some stats. In 2010 there were 138 applications with no rejections and all allowed to have liquor licenses.
This year, 1st quarter, 54 new applications. That's 220 applications projected over the year, a potential 50 percent increase. How much can this community stand? At this point we have come to a crisis with this issue.

Esteban has a question about the SLA and Chairman Chris goes off on the agency.

"They don't have to listen to us, but I know they get complaints from time to time.
This is different. It doesn't involve any one application, it's an overall community issue. We're not saying that the establishments are not good establishments, but they have to understand there's a responsibility here for everyone in this community. At some point, things become oversaturated, there comes a breaking point.
Let's get a consensus from the business community and residents about a plan, but right now it's not working.
What I'm asking for is to take the first step and ask the community board to take the first step.

Tom Burrows asks why all the city agencies are being left off the hook on this issue instead of just the SLA.

8:27 PM: Whew! Heather Roslund gets the mic, and she presents the Teddy's Rezoning for a vote. It passes unanimously. Felice is going to get her sidewalk cafe. At this point the room empties out.

8:33 PM: Phil Capanegro of the Parks Committee introduces a motion to formally oppose the Brooklyn Night Bazaar's Night Market's permits. The event has been canceled but the permits are still filed with the city. Needless to say, this passes unanimously.

8:38 PM: It's Mieszko time! You know something is going on if my report is more than eight pages. It's nine pages"
Mieszko reads a long list of liquor licenses, ending with Momofuku Milk Bar.
"They also will provide milkshakes known as White Russians that will also have liquor," says Mieszko.
There's a no vote for a couple of restaurants, 299-301 Graham Ave, and 35 Grattan Street.
And a yes on 17 renewals.
And now, El Rotorno restaurant, whose license renewal will be denied.
"What were the complaints," asks Esteban.
"They're in the minutes," says Mieszko.
Chairman Chris is confused.
"Women dancing with men for money-- usually men don't refuse that," says Mieszko.
Chairman Chris cuts him off and the motion carries.

Mieszko brings up the Brooklyn Night Bazaar's liquor license application, which soundly voted down. Rough night for the nightmarket.

Mieszko says that there will be a panel of three members, Ward, Mieszko and Will Florentino, to handle liquor licenses and that the public safety committee held a meeting about the McGuinness homeless shelter proposal. And that's it.

9:01 PM: Coucnilman Steve Levin arrives-- to one-quarter of the room still here-- and talks about his opposition to the homeless center.
"We want to say thank you to BRC for your proposal but you should go back ot the Bowery and out of Greenpoint.
Steve also announces that Noble Street is now open and the fence is down, and there was a hearing to address "fair share" concerning waste transfer stations.
Steve also mentions that the MTA will leave its 65 Commercial Street lot for Maspeth, which he had strong behind-the-scenes role expediting.
Steve has a few other issues to update, but I have to chill with Capital New York's Greg Hanlon in the hallway.

9:12 PM: Karen Nieves gives a summary of Transportation. I'm not going to lie, I'm still chilling with Capital New York's Greg Hanlon so I don't know what this is about. Probably bike lanes. Or parking.

9:20 PM: There's a motion to close. Chairman Chris shoots it down and gives the mic to Diana Reyna's Antonio Reynoso, who has a number of items, including some worry about the MTA's movement to a new location under the Williamsburg Bridge and a reminder that there isn't much open space in the south side either.

Lincoln Restler has the floor and notes

9:28 MP: Public Session! We're almost done. Let's summarize.
*Laura Hofmann and OUTRAGE is opposing the mayor's budget regarding waste transfer stations.

*Jane Wolowacz, a longtime N. Eighth resident is upset about the excessive noise and garbage due to the waterfront concerts.
"It's impossible for senior citizens to sit in front of the back yard and enjoy the day. People get very frustrated by the crowd that comes to the concerts. When they leave, they leave bottles, cans, condoms, and they urinate on your trees. This park was not created for the vendors or the business there. Give us this park for the residents. I have to take a sleeping pill. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you can't go the park because they start concerts."

*There's another resident on the East River waterfront concerts.
Del Teague seconds this complaint.
"I cannot describe how horrible these concerts have made our lives. The entire area is just devastated. If you can't get out of the neighborhood, your weekend is ruined. They start early in the morning doing sound checks, and it's loud. There are so many people, you can't walk through the streets."

There are some other comments going on, but I'm giving the last word to Ward who wants the board to put public session to the beginning of the meeting. So that issues like the quality of life on the Williamsburg waterfront get heard earlier in the meeting. Now that's a good idea. Goodnight.

Press Release of the Week

2011-04-12T16:58:00.001-04:00

Media Advisory: FBI Bomb Training, Live Fire Demonstration
Special Agent Bomb Technicians (SABTs) Available for Interview

What: Bomb training exercise and explosive demonstration with FBI Special Agent Bomb Technicians (SABTs) as they train local and state law enforcement on various explosive devices, such as IEDs. This will include a live fire explosive demonstration. Interviews of SABTs will be available.

When: Tomorrow, Wednesday April 13, 2011, 12:00 p.m.

Who: FBI Special Agent Bomb Technicians and local law enforcement

Where: Suffolk County Police Training Facility
110 Old Country Road
Westhampton, New York

Additional Information: The SABT program is part of the FBI’s Hazardous Devices Operations Center in our Critical Incident Response Group. All bomb techs are certified through a rigorous six-week program and recertified every three years. Bomb techs regularly work with evidence response units, HAZMAT, and SWAT teams of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Suspicious packages and suspicious vehicles represent about 90 percent of the calls bomb techs respond to, which could include weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and improvised explosives devices (IEDs).

Press credentials and RSVP are required. Please RSVP to ******

CB1 Preview: Bringing the Angry

2011-04-12T14:46:00.004-04:00

Community members on their way to CB1 tonight to speak about the liquor moratorium.

There's a lot of angry items on the agenda tonight but the war on alcohol is leading it off. At least during the Broadway Triangle meeting I had an idea who was going to show up. Tonight, I have no clue. It could be dozens of angry long-time residents upset about a specific bar on their block-- which this proposal will not solve. It could be dozens of new bar and restaurant owners who object to the arbitrary nature of the ban. It could be David Yassky trying to sell the rezoning again.

Wait-- David is coming tonight? Well, there you go.

I think the board will probably debate which sections of the neighborhood have the highest concentration of bars and propose a few saturation points for no new licenses, but we'll see shortly. Like I said, I don't know how it's going to go tonight, but nobody, not even a small town community board executive committee can keep this kid from dancing his heart out.

Monday links

2011-04-11T12:41:00.008-04:00

Happy Civil War Day Confederate readers!

Welcome back! Let's sift through some links.

Iconoclastic sportswriter Greg Hanlon hits this one out of the park. If you read one long magazine-y Capital New York piece this week, it should be this one about gentrification and Williamsburg schools.

But you probably can't help yourself, so check out this Steve Kornacki piece on Mario Cuomo, which goes into alleyways that Matt Bai strolled by.

Prohibition in Williamsburg? Hardly. But board members, including 11211, are upset at the flood of liquor licenses coming into Community Board 1. Lots more on this tomorrow.

BushwickBK launched a site redesign a week ago. It's worth some trolling.

There's going to be a park-- finally-- at 65 Commercial Street in Greenpoint.

Also-- finally-- that stalled condo-movie theater on Metropolitan Avenue will open on Memorial Day.

Laura Nahmias at City Hall News says sources are speculating that Mary Markowitz's chief Carlos Scissura is at the top of the heap to challenge Marty Golden in Bay Ridge. Wait, really? Points for creativity, but the headline editor has to tack on Running with Scissura for this piece to work.

Finally, Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Yassky chastises formerly chaste pop star Avril Lavigne on his facebook page, but I bet he secretly wanted to sing this at his karaoke birthday party last month.

Blue Man Group Vists Newton

2011-04-11T11:43:00.001-04:00

Hat tip to Lacey Tauber for the video.

It's not quite Jimmy Pynn but the Blue Man Group make wastewater treatment fun don't they?

Yes UConn!

2011-04-06T17:35:00.002-04:00

Photo courtesy of AP

I almost forgot. Thank you Coach Calhoun, Kemba and the Heart Attack Huskies for making this birthday especially fulfilling. Go Huskies! There, I'm done.

Sto Lot! I'm turning 30!

2011-04-06T17:31:00.002-04:00

Thanks Miss Heather and everyone else who wished me a happy birthday. So, my present to you is getting this thing started again. Expect a round-up of long links tomorrow with more witty observations that you expect from A Short Story, year 3-0.

Hot Carl in Hot Water

2011-03-10T16:43:00.003-05:00

It's over.
State Senate kingpin "Hot" Carl Kruger turned himself into federal authorities this morning amid federal corruption charges, linking Assemblyman William "Baby" Boyland, small-business lobbyist Richard Lipsky, and a slew of other people including real estate investors and a community board district manager's son, Michael Turano.
The most serious charges involve conspiracy and money laundering with a max count of 20 years.
Kruger allegedly took bribes close to $1 million for producing a full range of services on behalf of lobbyists including pushing the merger of two failing hospitals and delaying legislation
The story is everywhere.
Rich Calder and Andy Campbell at the New York Post, Rashbaum at the Times, Adam Lisberg and friends at The Daily News, Tom Tracy at The Brooklyn Paper, and David Freedlander at The Observer who is already speculating on his replacement and has harsh words from Kruger ally Frank Seddio.
Lots of unanswered questions here.
What is the extent of Lipsky's involvement in the case and his other lobbying jobs?
How will this affect development at Atlantic Yards and several financial players?
What's the relationship between Kruger and Dorothy Turano, CB 18s District Manager?
Will Carl start talking and should anyone else get nervous?
But this proves that US attorney Preet Bharara is the Blair Waldorf of New York politics.

Wednesday links

2011-03-09T12:45:00.003-05:00

Let's look at some links before we get to some CB1 thoughts from last night:

The shelter isn't dead after all: Greenpoint's McGuinness Boulevard loft building was sold to a hotelier with a reputation for developing luxury hotels and also running single-room-occupancy hotels for convicted felons.

Real estate maven Matt Chaban has a long (for the Observer), well-written piece on the bike lane debate-- which reaches a different conclusion than blaming the media for fomenting the crisis.

Tim Sohn has a nice piece in the Times about St. Cecilia's Church becoming an artist haven. Although Monica Salazar has put together this kind of operation in the neighborhood for over a year now.

David Freedlander looks at the burgeoning David Foster Wallace industry.

Dog owners in North Greenpoint want a dog run of their own.

Bushwick small business owners and labor leaders fight back against a proposed Walmart.

*The Brooklyn Ink has a good look at the story of a Bushwick Avenue house through the generations. These kids are on their game this semester (just like last semester).

And coffee prices could be going up. But I take my coffee black...

CB 1: Fat Tuesday edition

2011-03-08T18:30:00.007-05:00

Police have released video footage of the two perps who stole Steve Levin's car.
6:30 PM There's a sh-t ton on the agenda tonight, and unsurprisingly it's a packed room. We've got two major parks items (a tennis bubble in McCarren and the Rodney Street playground in the south side) plus concerns about a dog park at Commercial Street, a spot rezoning, some 400 McGuinness stragglers, and Lord knows what else but we're going to find out.
One update to report. Steve Levin's car is still stolen. As one of Levin's staffers explained, "that sh-t is gone."

6:34 PM: District Manager Gerry Esposito calls the meeting to order and Rami Metal gets the meeting rolling with some announcements in Steve's absence.
*The Department of Transportation is moving closer to removing the fence at Noble Street.
*Steve wrote a letter about moving the MTA's lot on 65 Commercial Street to Maspeth
Folks in Maspeth found out about it and weren't happy so we've been getting a lot of calls-- it's not over, especially if it becomes a fight between Queens and Brooklyn," says Rami.
And you know Queens Get the Money
*Also, several senior centers have made the city's cut list.
*There was a possible hate crime between Wythe and N. Fourth. It was a horrific attack.

Evelyn Cruz from Nydia's office and she's very hot about moving the Commercial Street bus depot to Maspeth, where Nydia also represents. So, this is going to be a problem.
Also, Nydia has drafted a letter about proposed senior citizen cuts for centers.

Laurie Wheelock of Assemblyman Vito Lopez's office calls the senior center cuts "absolutely frightening" and she is fighting along with everyone on this.
There's a rally on Sunday at 11 am with Speaker Silver on rent regulations.
And there's a new rep in Vito's office just on Loft Law items.

And Jason Otano from Beep Markowitz's office has some reappointment forms in the back for new and future members to join the community board. Future members like Lacey Tauber?

Antonio Reynoso from Diana Reyna's office reduxes the Dominican Independence celebration (where Lincoln Restler spoke in Spanish), a tenants rights meeting, and a Williamsburg residents association.

6:47 PM: Chairman Chris gives the mic to Parks deputy Marty Maher who will give a Parks presentation about the proposal to enclose McCarren Park's tennis courts with a bubble.
It's going to be a 15-year lease, Maher, and half the money from concessions will go to the park.
"Whether it's cost feasible or not, it' remains to be seen. There are two operators interested in it," says Marty Maher.
Ward wants to know whether tennis will be year round and it will.
There's a question about cost and a parks official says hourly fees is $40 to $50.
Sean Hoess has a question about what happens after 15 years, and Marty Maher says that it would revert to the owner who built it though the city would own the lights.

A NYC Parks Advocate rep bullies his way to ask about the fee structure and environmental impacts. Marty Maher flicks the question away, noting that the fee is embedded in the RFP.

Chairman Chris thanks Rabbi Webber, whose wife passed last month, for being here. Generous applause.

7:03 PM: Sean Hoess from McCarren Tennis supports the indoor court but wants to talk about diverting fees toward maintaining the courts during the summer winter, and he wants the city to own the equipment after 15 years. He's followed by Arthur Bobko, one of the bidders for the project, who sounds a lot like Mieszko.

7:12 PM Portia Cook from Parks takes the mic for a presentation about the Rodney Street playground redesign. This sounds like a major upgrade for the area, but it's not the dramatic BQE decking project that Councilwoman Reyna has been shopping for months.
The project won't have additional lighting but there are a lot of other improvements.

7:20 PM: Hollywood insider Tony Argento from Broadway Stages wants to make a section of North Henry Street one-way. Excuse me, I'm a little star struck.
"A lot of times I'm trying to pass on the street and I have to make a U-turn."

There's also a rep from Boar's Head who wants to turn Bogart Street into a one-way street, because Bogart is difficult to maneuver for trucks.

7:33 PM Chairman Chris introduces Bill De Blasio to generous applause. Miss Heather takes a photo suggesting a community member is having an erection as Bill is speaking. That's a little below the belt.

"My office as public advocate is pretty straightforward-- I'm a watchdog for the city. I don't want to talk about the snowstorm but my street wasn't cleared until Wednesday."
De Blasio also talks about the commonalities of his office and community boards before getting to three issues, which he illuminates in several quotes with anecdotes:
1. "This night, you'll find that there are a lot of people who can't get heat and hot water. It's illegal."
2. "Will my school be co-located in another school? We've had some success with a school in Canarsie which I have played a strong role.
3. "Finally, the budget. Every resident is trying to get Albany to recognize that we're taking a big hit with the budget. I take issue with the mayor's pronouncements that 4,000 teachers need to be laid off, 19 day care centers will be closed...
Layoff thousands of teachers, you don't know when we're going to get them back."
De Blasio has some forms to hand out for people who agree with his stances and takes question.

Mieszko Kalita: We have a local problem. 400 McGuinness Boulevard has had a proposal to put in a halfway house/ three-quarter house in its site. [Mieszko trails off, so I'll have to catch him in the hallway to find out what he's saying].
De Blasio: This is the first I'm hearing of this and I'll try to help.

Tish Cianciotta has a question about Mayor Bloomberg's "history" of closing firehouse.
De Blasio: There's a fundamental philosophical problem where the mayor thinks we can do more with fewer firehouses. I don't agree with him.

Esteban Duran asks about co-location of charter schools and invites Bill to the district when these meetings are held.

A non-board member wants to talk about the Polish Slavic Center "going in the wrong direction" likely because of its new liquor license. But he rambles badly and Chairman Chris does not cut him off.

Bill heads out, gives Tony Argento a man-hug, and takes a receiving line of commenters including the Polish Slavic Center guys.

Inside, Felice Kirby and her zoning lawyer have a presentation about Teddy's Sidewalk Cafe application. They haven't had a sidewalk cafe since 2005 so now they're requesting a commercial overlay for the block. Strangely, this item receives an inordinate number of questions, so I hit the hallway to talk to Bill.

A man named John has a public announcement about liquor licenses:
El Retono. If you're looking for one to deny, this is the one! Do you want the address? It's at 191 Graham Avenue, and they've had citations for health issues.

8:16 PM: Public session is closed!-- and Gerry takes the roll.
Chairman Chris defers his report in the interest of time. Halleleujah!

Esteban's gives his Education report, with a motion for a letter on community block grants. It passes.
Also, Cathie Black showed up to a District 14 meeting and Esteban notes that she "evaded" questions.
Finally, Amare Stoudamire dedicated a new basketball at Taylor Wythe

Land Use Wonderwoman Heather Roslund notes only one land use issue regarding 53 Hope Street, for a waiver for on-site parking. She explains the entire item in glorious detail

Phil Capanegro form Parks and Waterfront will take up the tennis bubble next meeting.

Ryan Kuonen from Environmental-Sanitation is asking for a technical review of the fart factory that the DEP is proposing with National Grid.
She's also pushing for an update regarding Superfund and Newtown Creek- it's on the agenda at the next meeting.
And remember that $2 million from the $10 million that NYSERDA is supposedly managing? Ryan thinks the group is handling the funds poorly and does not like that the group wants to expand the funding parameters to a mile radius. Tracking.

8:37 PM Public Safety. You know what that means.

What's up, Mieszko?

Mieszko introduces Fortunato Brothers' sidewalk cafe's renewal.
"No complaints about sidewalk cafe."
Next, a lobster joint.
Are the lobsters going to be farmed locally, Ward asks.
Mieszko" I hope not.
Mieszko lists three more bars before introducing another bar's 74 Wythe stipulations with stricter hours.
Mieszko asks for a vote, but Ward wants a motion to deny a liquor license for Club Rust on Metropolitan between Wythe and Berry.
Ward raises a stink and the motion passes. Sorry, Club Rust.

8:51 PM: Public Session!
*Joe Garber is going to speak very quickly, but he's running out of time.
"I feel like I'm Eliot Ness fighting Al Capone."

*Todd Eaton from Eagle Street is advocating for a dog run in North Greenpoint.

*A member of the firefighter's union notes the history of closures and the effect of the city's budget cuts on firefighters.

*Mark Wysocki notes a petition signed by 100 Greenpoint residents to rescind the Polish Slavic Center's liquor licenses at the Polish Slavic Center and notes a meeting on Mar. 12, 261 Driggs, Greenpoint

We've got a motion to close. Goodnight everybody. And thieves, return that car!

Very special guest tonight at CB1

2011-03-08T15:39:00.003-05:00

Public Advocate Werner Herzog.. excuse me... Bill De Blasio is rumored to appear at Community Board 1 tonight to talk about taking his office to new heights.

I kid. Bill and Russell Simmons are going to talk about the new hip hop band they're forming called, Livin' Tall. Here's a preview of their lyrics. Fresh!:

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said, “These hearings represent the same abuse of Congressional power that we witnessed during the era of Joseph McCarthy. Singling out citizens on the basis of religion will not protect New York City or the United States from terrorism. We should instead be sending a clear message to the millions of American Muslims living in our country that they are full participants in our democratic society. I encourage all New Yorkers to stand with the hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in our city and call on Congressman King to cancel these hearings immediately.”

Russell Simmons said, “As a New Yorker I am deeply saddened that in today’s world we could see an entire religious community targeted by the Republican controlled Congress. My greatest concern is that these hearings, led by Peter King, will incite fear that will only lead to the national proliferation of bigotry. I am proud to live in the most diverse city in the Country and to stand today with the countless Muslim New Yorkers who love America as much as I do.”

Monday links

2011-03-07T10:52:00.003-05:00

When in doubt about art, talk to James Kalm.
Armory weekend is over, but check out these write-ups from not one but two art critics, Hrag Vartanian at Hyperallergic and Joann Kim's updownacross blog dramatically declaring that James Kalm saved the art fair.

Yet another James Kalm video.

And in other news...

*The People's Court takes on an art vs. condo fight at Castle Braid.

*Another bike lane could be coming to Cobble Hill.

*The Wall Street Journal has an update of the Java Street pier proposal (spoiler! Councilman Steve Levin is still upset).

*The Brooklyn Paper follows up on Steve Levin's car theft/ office burglary last weekend. Jesus. At least they didn't take his cat.

*Cathie Black visits a Williamsburg school meeting and I don't know how to reference an AC/DC song here without seeming too cliched. What about Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap?
*The new trend in Williamsburg bars is board games like Jenga and Connect Four- with drinking. I'd like to know when sleepovers return.

*Meanwhile, the new trend in Bushwick is fires!

*Curbed notes some illegal towing complaints at The Edge.

*NYU News myopically blames the increase in population in Brownstone Brooklyn on NYU students moving there.

*Brownstoner is interested in the new proposal for a McCarren Park tennis bubble, which is coming up to the board on Tuesday. Guys, it's only a proposal.

Finally, big Michael Grynbaum profile of transportation loner Janette Sadik Khan. Better ride those bike lanes while they're here, because the next mayor could strip them!

Long links Tuesday

2011-02-22T16:20:00.002-05:00

Domino... The multi-billion dollar Musical!

Before we get to some links, let's look at five longer news stories and features that are recommended reading.

When I first saw the Domino documentary trailer, The Domino Effect.. not Domino's Turnaround, I thought, is this it? It's shot extremely well but there's little context to the area's demographics all the political behind-the-scenes battles that occurred and it comes off as a slanted rehashing of old arguments.
But Brian Paul's essay in the Gotham Gazette shows that there's going to be substance in this documentary. A lot of substance. I'm encouraged- even if the piece buries the good stuff in the second-to-last paragraph.

Reid Pillifant at The Observer follows around Sarah Palin in Long Island and all signs point to a Palin presidential run.

Dana Rubinstein's excellent, well-timed piece on uber-media consultant Josh Isay is an example of Capital New York finding it's voice. Breaking out the fedora for a hat tip.

Keeping up the Observer/ former Observer trend in linking, Gillian Regan picks up a nice feature on a traveling seamstress covering Bushwick, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg for the Times. Breaking out another hat tip- but could I have this hat taken in? It's a tad large and I have a small head.

Finally, file this one under holy sh-t. Boy, I'm glad I never joined Scientology.

Awesome email of the week

2011-02-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

SOMALIAN PIRATE SENTENCED IN MANHATTAN FEDERAL COURT TO 405 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR HIJACKING THREE SHIPS AND FOR HOSTAGE TAKING
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 11:45 AM

Pirate And His Crew Were Responsible For the 2009 Hijacking Of The Maersk Alabama

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, JANICE K. FEDARCYK, the Assistant Director-In-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), and RAYMOND W. KELLY, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York ("NYPD"), announced the sentencing today of ABDUWALI MUSE to 405 months in prison for his participation in the April 8, 2009, hijacking of the Maersk Alabama container ship in the Indian Ocean and the subsequent taking of the captain of the ship as a hostage. MUSE was also sentenced for his participation in the hijacking of two other vessels in late March and early April of 2009. Those hijackings also involved the taking of hostages. MUSE pled guilty on May 18, 2010, to two felony counts of hijacking maritime vessels, two felony counts of kidnapping, and two felony counts of hostage taking. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge LORETTA A. PRESKA.

CB 1 February Sexy Party

2011-02-08T18:40:00.006-05:00

Ok, so we don't have to crowd source this thing tonight. That's a relief because there isn't much of a crowd to begin with. Half the board members are here, but there's a slew of electeds and staffers, including Councilmember Steve Levin.

6:36 PM: District Manager Gerry Esposito takes the roll and Chairman Chris introduces the first item

6:43 PM: A representative of a building on Havemeyer and Hope looking to add 25 new units gives his presentation.

6:46 PM: Scott McCozi from Department Design and Construction gives a long presentation on the $1.2 million Humboldt Street plaza project in front of the Moore Street Market. Artist Austin Thomas has been selected to design the art portion of the project, but the city is spending much of its 10 minutes talking about all the new seating arrangements, benches, trees, tents, and expanded sidewalks. They're taking away a lane of traffic and parking spaces between Seigel and Flushing, and redesigning the parking spaces to be angular.

Gerry stands up and gives an impassioned plea on behalf of supporting the project and the Moore Street Market. This is maybe the longest speech I've heard Gerry talk at a board meeting, so this is pretty important.

Joan Bartolomeo of the Brooklyn Economic Development Corp mentions how existing vendors will not be relocated and she is looking for more new vendors, and she has been talking with upstate farmers about expanding a greenmarket inside. Bartolomeo adds that most of the work at the Humboldt plaza will be adding even more stalls outside.

It's Team Moore Street Market!

7:11 PM Councilman Steve Levin praises Gerry and Marie for their work on the Moore Street market, and Joan at BEDC. Steve worked on this project when he was a staffer for Vito Lopez, in 2007, and Steve notes that Gerry didn't have a handlebar mustache at that time.

Steve adds that HELP USA withdrew its proposal for a shelter on McGuinness Boulevard.
"It means that we have a say over what happens here."

He points out that the city sent letters to Monitor Street residents about the Nassau Avenue reconstruction project.
"All of a sudden DDC discovers that everyone's fences and stoops are encroaching on public property. Everyone scratched their head and said, 'excuse me' and got very upset about that."
The sense that I am getting, talking with more city officials, we'll be able to get to a place where nobody will be able to move their stoops. It warrants another meeting. It's ultimately a Department of Transportation decision. Stay tuned on that.

Regarding Noble Street, former Councilmember Abe Gergis was complaining about the fence in 1981, when the current Councilman was 1 years old.

And Steve is urging the MTA to move its bus lot on 65 Commercial Street to an alternative site in Queens.
"I am confident that the city will accept a site on Maspeth, Queens for its access-a-ride program currently on Commercial Street. It's absurd that it's six years later that it hasn't moved."

Finally, Steve notes that he has been working on loft issues with Vito's office and he says that loft dwellers can reach out to his office anytime. And then he scurries off to a meeting with DHS about the homeless shelter that is not coming to Greenpoint.

Miss Heather texts in that she cannot imagine this community board at Ms. Ramos' passion party. Well, I can!

7:24 PM: Chairman Chris takes the mic
"He's a tremendous spirit and force in this board and we really hope to have him back here
Please give our best ot hte rabbi and wish him all the best. We hope to see him soon as he is able.

Chairman Chris notes that he is glad that the 400 McGuinness shelter proposal was revoked, but not for the reasons you might think. He's more upset that the nonprofit, HELP USA stonewalled the community board.

"A project like this of this magnitude should have been handled in a much greater understanding if HELP USA came forward to the community. They didn't feel they had to, technically they could bypass us and they did... If HELP USA had come and talked, maybe this could have been handled in a different way. People need to come and speak, it makes sense for groups who want to have an impact to the community."

Chairman Chris has a letter from the consulate general of Poland regarding the concentration camp naming resolution and he's going to read it. Can we still make concentration camp jokes? Only if it's about Germany.

Finally, Chairman Chris wants to set the record straight about the sexy party discussion on the listserv. He giggles while he's saying this.
Wilfredo Florentino asks, "Whats that website?"
More giggling.
Chairman Chris: It's CB1Brooklyn.org. It's the only one. It's always been there... There's been some misrepresentation in the press..."

I have a question for Chairman Chris. He doesn't take it. Well, alright then.

7:40 PM: Diana Reyna's Antonio Reynoso talks about how great Diana Reyna's health fair was, even though it happened two weeks ago.
There's also an announcement of renovating the Grand Street streetscape, a capital allocation from the past year.
Antonio gives shoutouts to Gerry, Marie, and everybody else for renovating the Moore Street Market.

Congressional liaison Evelyn Cruz mentions Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez's holiday party, mentions her new less impressive titles now that the Republicans won Congress, and gives more shoutouts to Gerry and Marie for advocating for the Moore Street Market.
I have a great picture of Nydia at her holiday party somewhere. Oh, why here it is.

7:47 PM: Karen Nieves begins the transportation committee report, summarizing the 90 minute Monitor Street meeting in... slightly less than 90 minutes? Kidding.
Karen notes that Boars Head wants to turn Bogart Street into a one-way street and requests a vote on the Humboldt Street Plaza. It passes.
She tries to get off the stage faster than Kim Kardashian, but Rabbi Niederman has a question about sanitation pickups during the snowstorm. Karen tries to answer questions. She feels obligated to stay around and answer for a while. Gotta feel for Karen.

7:59 PM: Rabbi Niederman gives a summary of his public housing report:
"In a nutshell, the questions were, you see lots of scaffolding, lots of housing and you don't see any movement.
We're going to get more reports about which project is slated for repairs.
The Rabbi brings up concerns about window guards and how to install them properly. And if you don't use them you can lose your Section 8 Voucher

8:03 PM: Tom Burrows with the Public Safety meeting subbing for Mieszko Kalita
"Mieszko is lying on a yacht somewhere in Fiji. We feel real sorry for him."
Tom kicks off the report with Juliet's sidewalk cafe license. The restaurant is next to Egg, which gets slammed on the weekends, so cramming a cafe on that busy corner is going to be interesting.

Tom notes the board has taken a tour of Club Rust and notes several concerns, so Ward Dennis recommends "no with extreme prejudice" on the item.
"I have serious concerns about the owner's ability to run the place," said Ward.
The motion carries.
Tom gets very excited describing the board's tour of the movie theater next door.
"There are servers who bring you drinks when you watch a movie," said Tom.

There's The Meatball Shop, which is trying to open another branch on Bedford Avenue and its license gets approved.

Tom bundles the renewals... and they're approved.

8:17 PM: Public Session! Two minutes each. Miss Heather perks up and starts recording Joseph *Garber. This must be a special project of hers.
Garber sends his condolences to Rabbi Webber, he wants to send more suggestions to Chairman Chris in the mail, he chides the public safety committee for not dealing with law enforcement issues, he's attended every snow removal hearing including the latest one in Bensonhurst, the budget will be released on Feb 15th, the last two meetings of public housing had lots of "erroneous facts" and he's going to write them up, he's "sick and tired of being harassed by Rabbi Niederman," he attended Marty Markowitz's event and "it was a very nice event," that's about it, thank you very much.
Yeesh.

*Katie Denny from the North Brooklyn Public Arts Coalition updates the groups upcoming oral history project recording stories of community members, residents and business owners of North Brooklyn. They're going to archive them and screen/ stream? them on construction fences in North Brooklyn.

*Christine Murray is asking for garbage cans on Driggs between N. Eighth Street and McCarren Park, especially for dog owners

*Mark Visovsky for PSC Cafeteria incorporated is speaking about liquor license approvals.
"We cannot forget about the values of our country, we cannot put profit over culture."
Apparently the Polish Slavic Center leadership didn't consult its members regarding the liquor license and now members are upset and they have a permit.

8:26 PM: New Business! Heather Roslund notes that she's tired of getting calls from the press regarding the sale of beer at the Duane Reade.
"What I think the issue is, there's one type of license for selling and one type for serving. And they obviously have a license for selling but not for serving, yet they seem to be serving. They apparently have been serving."
Board members begin making catcalls.

Esteban Duran motions that the board should welcome Marty Markowitz's food incubator to occur inside Moore Street Market. I don't know if they're drafting a letter here, but apparently the board just voted for a motion. And we're out.

Help me Board 1 members!

2011-02-08T11:19:00.002-05:00

Dear Community Board 1 groupies,

I may be late tonight so I'm going to propose to outsource... I mean crowd source tonight's board meeting minutes.

What does that mean? Everybody tweet, facebook, text, whatever your comments and let me know the interesting parts of what's going on at tonight's meeting. Then we'll piece it together tomorrow, Rashomon-style to get a sense of what everybody thought. The future is now!

State of the Borough: Marty Striptease Edition

2011-02-04T10:49:00.004-05:00

Borough President Marty Markowitz's enters Sunset Park High School

Once a year, Marty Markowitz gives his state of the borough address. This year, he rode onto the stage on a bicycle, trashed the Prospect Park Bike Lane, vowed to lose weight, and ended the 90 minute address with a poll-dancing striptease lesson. Sounds about right to us.

Atlantic Yards Report looks at the speech and writes up the applause lines, while the New York Post summarizes the highlights.

In other news, Streetsblog's Ben Fried lashes into Markowitz for making light of street safety measures and Marty Markowitz Eating has a new Passover-themed matzo brei recipe video. It's got apple juice.

Ok, here's the actual entrance video complete with an introduction from Queen. Hey, is that Stefano and Nydia Velazquez in the front row?

Linderman Leaves the Gazette

2011-02-03T15:15:00.002-05:00

Goodbye, Greenpoint Gazette!
Feb 03, 2011 by Juliet Linderman

After two and a half exciting years, it’s finally time for me to hang up my press hat and bid farewell to the Greenpoint Gazette. I do so, however, with a tremendous amount of love and admiration for this newspaper, this community and this neighborhood.

I started as the managing editor of the Greenpoint Gazette in October of 2008. I had just graduated from college and was dying to find a job—any job, really—in the newspaper biz. Before landing the position at the Gazette I lived in Park Slope (I moved to the nabe shortly thereafter), and had only made the trek up to Greenpoint a handful of times. I remember getting off the train on my first day and feeling confused. ‘Where am I?’ I thought. ‘It feels like the end of the earth out here.’

Fast-forward two and a half years. I’ve gotten to know every corner of this neighborhood from the poisonous banks of Newtown Creek to the complicated borders of the Broadway Triangle, the classic arches of McGolrick Park to the dazzling waterfront view of East River State, the bustling commercial corridor of Franklin Street to the Polish delicatessens along Nassau Avenue. This is a neighborhood with an eclectic cultural legacy, but also a place of immense change and it has been a pleasure and privilege to write about the communities that call Greenpoint home.

We’ve been through a lot together over the past couple of years. We’ve watched high-rises grow up along the waterfront to sit empty in the wake of the housing bust, mega-developments get approved by certain city agencies and shot down by others, old elected officials step down or be ousted in favor of a new political guard, Newtown Creek finally see the Superfund status so many members of this community fought long and hard for.

I am a New York City transplant originally from San Francisco, and before moving to Greenpoint I had never really felt like a part of any particular community in New York. But now I’m a Greenpointer, and I thank you all for that. It has been a truly amazing experience to watch this neighborhood grow and develop, and get to know so many residents of the Garden Spot, new and old. The commitment you show to your community is inspiring, and is a testament to the spirit of this place. You are some of the strongest political, social and environmental advocates I’ve ever met, and I have the utmost respect for the dedication you display and the battles you fight on a daily basis.

So, thank you Greenpoint, for making my tenure at the Greenpoint Gazette so satisfying, and for welcoming me into this community with open arms. Thank you for all the tips and phone calls, the e-mails and invitations. I served this community to the best of my ability, and I hope I did right by all of you.

Lastly: I am by no means cutting ties with the Greenpoint Gazette. You’ll still see my bylines now and then, maybe in the form of a weekly column, maybe attached to sporadic feature stories. Either way, you’ll most certainly still see me around the neighborhood, and please don’t hesitate to call or write me with story ideas: you’ve all got my number.

So goodbye for now, Greenpoint. I’ll see you soon, no doubt.

All Best,
Juliet Linderman

Daily Links

2011-02-03T10:54:00.003-05:00

City's threats to seize your fence got you down? Joe Lentol and friends got you back!

Let's comb through the links.

*Everyone is atwitter on Monitor Street after the city sent letters threatening that residents remove "encroachments" on public property. New York Shitty has video of last night's meeting, including the seminal moment when Joe slapped the table to maintain order.

*The Brooklyn Paper's Andy Campbell gets beaten up in Cobble Hill.

*Williamsburg's fashion Id Izzy Grinspan looks at Valentines Day in the hood... and cringes a bit.

*Benjamin Lozovsky at the WG News and Arts profiles the unfortunate story of the 99% Gallery's closure.

*Sticking with the WG, sharp profile by Mary Yeung on the Cinema on the Waterfront.

*Times Up! stages a Love-In at the Manhattan Bridge.

*Finally, the Borough President's address is tonight. And Marty Markowitz Eating has been updated. Expect the floodgates to open if there's a buffet after the speech. Let's go back to 2008 for a video highlight!

Letter from Teresa Toro

2011-02-02T20:03:00.000-05:00

The CB1 Listerv Passion Party has been moved to the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building.

I took half a day yesterday to recover from a sore throat, and the community board 1 listerv blows up again. Because of this. And this. And did you know that Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh's new nickname is CB1? I digress.

Basically, a Williamsburg resident posted a "passion party" solicitation on community board 1's unofficial yahoo group listserv. The group is typically not the place for advertisements (a local carpet business spammed the listserv two months ago and was chased away) so a board member raised some criticism about that, which prompted the author to complain to the board office yesterday. Now the listserv's administrator, former board member Teresa Toro, felt it was necessary to respond to the controversy. Below is her letter:

Dear Members:

The purpose of the CB1Info Yahoo Group is stated on the home page, and most people adhere to it most of the time. There have been very few instances of misuse or abuse, clearly demonstrating to me that most of us act like responsible adults, most of the time – meaning we have a general sense of what constitutes an appropriate post or comment for this particular audience. Hundreds of posts over the years support this observation.

I started this Yahoo Group eight years ago so community members could share news, information, and even opinions about our community in Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (Or Williamsburg-Greenpoint, if you prefer.) For the most part, posts are pretty mundane. We see a lot of announcements about upcoming community meetings. Occasionally there are invitations to fundraisers organized by local groups or businesses who give back to the community. And sometimes a local business will announce special events (McCarren Park Greenmarket, Gym Park). No one seems to find these occasional, courteously worded posts by local businesses (which are also part of our community) to be objectionable – if they do, no one has gone to the trouble of complaining openly about it.

During campaign/election season in particular, group posts and comments can get heated and downright spicy, but people seem to sense when it's time to back off – or someone reminds them – and they desist. Even then, no formal group moderation has been necessary.

I can only speak for myself, not my fellow group moderators, but it would be a drag for me to play a formal Standards & Practices role here. The only work we moderators currently do is to make sure new members are not spambots, which is the only reason why the group is members-only in the first place. I'm not inclined to start censoring or moderating this group, which has seen very few conflicts like this over the years. Free speech has worked well enough for us here, and I strongly believe in it. (Please note that this isn't an invitation from me to more Passion Party events, nor anything else that fits into the realm of intimacy and interpersonal relationships – there are many online groups and forums to satisfy those interests, while there aren't many forums dedicated to community happenings.)

If group members or my fellow moderators want to establish an appropriateness policy, and commit themselves to enforce it, you certainly are free to do so, if there's a strong majority in favor of it. All I can say is this is your group, not merely mine. I simply believe that we can continue to have a group whose membership acts appropriately 99% of the time, and are willing to weather the occasional storm when someone makes an error in judgment.

Thanks for reading,
Teresa

But, the party's still on, right?

Daily Links

2011-02-02T12:31:00.006-05:00

Mayor Bloomberg and Staten Island Chuck take a joyride to New Jersey after too much blizzard coverage gets to hizzoner.

Yes, Chuck, the Staten Island groundhog is predicting only four more weeks of winter but Artie, the 20-lb football-sized rat that has permanently camped out on the platform of the Morgan Avenue L-train station saw his shadow and scurried into a corner. So, Williamsburg will get more snow. Onto the links!

*Church officials called the police at Our Lady of Montserrat (and St. Michaels St. Edwards) on Sunday to provide security in case parishioners demonstrated before the Diocese closed the churches permanently.

*The city wants to take a few feet of property from Monitor Street residents to build new water mains, forcing homeowners to remove 100-year-old brick and wrought iron fences.

*Rich Calder at The Post brings news of the city awarding the contract for expanded ferry service on the East River to NY Waterway (which runs the Staten Island Ferry) and not to New York Water Taxi. Ward at 11211 expounds on the implications.

*WNYC's Azi Paybarah breaks down Gov. Cuomo's budget proposal on Brian Lehrer this morning. Public radio's Paybarah pick-up looks better and better. Nice job, Azi.

*WNYC's Jennifer Hsu visits Bushwick to find a man who makes tempeh from scratch in an incubator. My question: Is it radioactive?

*Windshields in Sheepshead Bay this morning look like the inside of my refrigerator.

*Eastern District (the bar/ cafe, not the art gallery) gets some love in the Times.

*Want to watch the Super Bowl around fans of either the Packers or the Steelers? Head to Cobble Hill.

*The Observer and The Brooklyn Paper round-up the wild-haired and mustached gents who entered the 2011 Brooklyn Beardfest and Stache Bash at The Bell House. Just a note, this blog's nominations for the All-Brooklyn Facial Hair All-Stars will be announced on Friday. Shockingly Brett Keisel did not qualify.

Obama meets LPR and KPC hangs with VJL

2011-01-31T18:12:00.007-05:00

President Obama and First Lady Michele Obama meet Sen. Al Franken in the White House

December was a whirlwind for Brooklyn's young District Leaders, including Lincoln Restler and Kevin Peter Carroll. Restler and his campaign manager, Sarah Baker, got invited to the White House last month for one of several Christmas parties the president hosts. He also managed to defeat Santa Claus in an arm wrestling match and won 200 proxy votes as his prize.

Restler's New Kings Democrats colleagues Matt Cowherd and Theo Moore were not invited to the White House, so they had to settle with a cardboard cutout of the president instead.

Someone call Reggie Love, Cowherd's a little too close for my comfort.

Finally, Kevin Peter Carroll threw a party of his own and everybody showed up. Even Elton John.

Daily Links

2011-01-31T11:03:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Disasterpiece for winning the 2011 Idiotarod!

I'll have more Idiotarod photos later, but let's get to the weekend tidbits:

*Rose Music Live and the cozy restaurant Vutera are closing at the end of the month.

*State Sen. Eric Adams is appropriating the NYPD's "If you see something, say something" phrase and bringing it on home-- by teaching parents to spy on their kids in a new video. And I've got it:

*It's women playing football! Meredith Deliso has a preview.

*The Times reports that the state has shut down the Williamsburg tortilla factory on Grand Street after a worker died from being crushed by a mixing machine last week.

*The new WG News is out, and there's a lot of arts coverage. I'll link to more this week, but check out the profile of artist Andrew Ohanesian who's creepy sculptures of interior rooms such as a jetway, a walk-in bodega refrigerator, and a dilapidated one-story house are among the most exciting exhibitions in Brooklyn.
Art writer James Calm explores that last one at English Kills:

Daily Links

2011-01-28T10:56:00.003-05:00

Anthony Bordain shouldn't waste his time at Katz's and visit Mile End instead.

We've got not one but two Vito Lopez is out-and-about profiles. The Observer's Reid Pillifant follows Vito to a Stonewall meeting (and gets pilloried, metaphorically) while The Brooklyn Paper looks at Lopez's busy legislative agenda.

Looks like Greenpoint is still a bit blizzard buried and slowly digging out (New York Shitty).

Stephen Brown at Fort Greene Patch looks at the future of Myrtle Avenue.

God forbid Mott Haven in the South Bronx becomes the next Bushwick.

Finally, Megan Sperry is working on a documentary about the New Domino project and she needs to raise some money for it. Here's a preview.

Wait, that's the wrong link. Here we go.

The Domino Effect (Trailer) from The Domino Effect on Vimeo.

Daily Links

2011-01-27T12:53:00.003-05:00

Hey Mr. Plow, stop rapping and dig out Flatbush!

Another massive snowstorm blew through the city, dropping more than a foot of snow and canceling school.

Like that stalled, burned out cab in the middle of Roebling Street right now, the Broadway Triangle lawsuit will continue forward not going forward, after a Manhattan judge denied the city's motion to lift a stay on development on the site. Or at least until the snow melts.

At some point later this year, Marty Needelman is going to cradle Steve Levin in his arms and repeat, "It's not your fault" over and over.

*The city is hiking recreation fees, and tennis players are upset.

*Dana Rubinstein profiles Governor Cuomo's communications director Richard Bamberger for Capital New York.

*I think I found a place to celebrate my birthday this year.

*Williamsburg's adorable "microcelebrity" Cole Escola is performing at Joe's Pub. Capital New York catches up and L Magazine previews the show.

I think Cole's a fan of Taylor Swift

Marty Markowitz's Love Affair With Food

2011-01-26T15:18:00.000-05:00

Once in a great while, a blog comes along that taps into the cultural zeitgeist while also elevating the public's understanding of a complex world around them. This is not that blog. Instead, it is a tumblr site of photographs of Borough President Markowitz eating or surrounded by food, entitled Marty Markowitz Eating.

Already the critics are raving:
*F*cked in Park Slope called it the BEST F*ING TUMBLR EVER
*Village Voice food and culture writer Rebecca Marx linked it up
*Grub Street dug up a priceless food-related Marty quote.
*L Magazine prostrated itself for an interview with the mystery blogger, who explained that Markowitz's food adventures come from his desire to promote Brooklyn's burgeoning food industry, by "killing two birds with one fork." I would add, that Marty would then grill the birds over a spit and shish kebab them.
*And finally -- holy sh#t-- Erin Durkin at The Daily News interviewed the blog author. This is out of control.

I called a political consultant to comment on the public's fascination with Marty Markowitz's fascination with food. Typically, politicos politely shun meals served at events, or eat quickly in a corner, for fear of being photographed swallowing something. But Marty puts food front in center. And then there's this:

"This is the best diet. Watching Marty Markowitz shove food in his mouth is like watching ducks being force fed before their intestines explode. That's how they make foie gras."

Photographs of Marty eating is a Tumblr gift that keeps giving. Like one of those Russian dolls, except if it were made of creme-filled chocolate.

The next tumblr blog should be Mayor Bloomberg Not Eating.

Daily Links

2011-01-26T11:29:00.002-05:00

This looks like a job for... Blizzard man!

*Tom Tracy at The Brooklyn Paper has more details about that strange cat-astrophe in a Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg. Yes, I went there.

*And just down the street, The Daily News' Juan Gonzalez looks at the story of the Guatemalan immigrant worker who died in a tragic tortilla factory accident and the inspiring story of the factory's owner, Erasmo Ponce.

*Hat tip to Time Out New York which talks pork with Traif's Jason Marcus in one of the better food round-ups I've seen in a while. It's all about the hidden gems around Havemeyer Street, including Nha Toi, Sugar Beets Thai, and several delis, butcher shops and seafood markets. The first reviews of the restaurant focused on the gulf between hipster Williamsburg and Hasidic Williamsburg below Broadway, but what this interview reveals instead is that Traif is successful because it incorporates the tastes and Spanish/ Asian cultures of the neighborhood's changing immigrant south side.

*The Brooklyn Eagle's Linda Collins digs underneath a historic Gowanus household, originally owned by a tugboat captain to find artifacts from the late 1800s.

*Finally, Sheepshead Bites is upset at the lack of plows in South Brooklyn and the South Brooklyn Blizzard Response Hearing has been canceled... due to snow.

It's going to snow through the weekend... which means your porch will look like this.

CB 1 Sexy Party Returns...

2011-01-26T11:25:00.002-05:00

The all-girls sexy party strikes the Community Board Listserv again... behold!:

HELLO LADIES!!!!
PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THIS VALENTINES!!!!!
FEB 4TH AT 6PM -9PM

I AM HAVING A GIRL'S PARTY NIGHT IN WILLIAMSBURG. THESE PARTIES ARE FOR ADULTS
ONLY. IT IS A PASSION PARTY WITH ADULT ITEMS TO SELL. WE WILL HAVE GAMES AND
DRINKS (LIMITED ON DRINKS)I NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST 10 GIRLS OR SO TO HAVE A NICE
TIME. UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE GENEROUS ;) LOL

THIS PARTY WILL BE IN A COMMUNITY ROOM IN MY BUILDING OR MY APARTMENT IT IS A
SAFE BUILDING WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND THERE IS NO CHARGE TO COME OR
MANDATORY BUYING. IT'S JUST A COOL ADULT PARTY! IF YOU DO LIKE ANYTHING YOU CAN
BUY. YOU CAN PLAY SOME OF THE GAMES AND HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN SOME ITEMS. YOU CAN
ALSO ORDER FROM A CATALOG.

I NEED TO GET A COUNT BY THIS WEEK SO PASS ON THE WORD AND PLEASE EMAIL ME IF
YOU ARE INTERESTED OR WANT MORE INFO!

POSSIBLE DATE 02/04/2010 @6PM SHARP
PLACE: 366 HEWES STREET
BRING A FRIEND!
SEND ME YOUR EMAIL SO I CAN FORWARD THE EVITE AND GET A COUNT PLEASE!
*****ONLY IF WE GET 10 OR MORE LADIES WILL THIS EVENT GO ON!!!!!! UNLESS YOU GET A CONFIRMATION IT WILL NOT BE SET
THANKS!!!!!

Daily Links

2011-01-25T15:45:00.002-05:00

Rudy Gay wins my media vote for the NBA All Stars.

The cold has broken, but the stories keep coming in, including yet another omen for the decline of the newspaper industry.

*A horrible accident occurred during the night shift at a Williamsburg tortilla factory two days ago, when a 22-year-old immigrant worker reached into a mixing machine, which then crushed him to death. The factory doesn't have any history of OSHA violations, but expect a long follow-up report.

*Reid Pillifant looks at New York's newest odd couple: Congressmen Peter King and Anthony Weiner. Warning, this article has an NC-17 rating just for language.

*If you find yourself asking who Rachel Sterne is... well, you should read Gillian Regan's report at CapitalNY.

*City Journal asks where the Korean groceries went? (Answer: Williamsburg)

*Finally, the Idiotarod is returning on Saturday. Below, a video from last year.

Weird CB1 Listserv Spam of the Week

2011-01-24T14:34:00.002-05:00

Can anyone explain what is going on in the below message? And what it would look like if the board went to this?

HELLO,

I AM HAVING A GIRL'S PARTY NIGHT IN WILLIAMSBURG. THESE PARTIES ARE FOR ADULTS ONLY. IT IS A PASSION PARTY WITH ADULT ITEMS TO SELL. WE WILL HAVE GAMES AND DRINKS (LIMITED ON DRINKS)I NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST 10 GIRLS OR SO TO HAVE A NICE TIME.

THIS PARTY WILL BE IN A COMMUNITY ROOM IN MY BUILDING OR MY APARTMENT IT IS A SAFE BUILDING WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND THERE IS NO CHARGE TO COME OR MANDATORY BUYING. IT'S JUST A COOL ADULT PARTY! IF YOU DO LIKE ANYTHING YOU CAN BUY. YOU CAN PLAY SOME OF THE GAMES AND HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN SOME ITEMS. YOU CAN ALSO ORDER FROM A CATALOG.

I NEED TO GET A COUNT BY THIS WEEK SO PASS ON THE WORD AND PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED OR WANT MORE INFO!

######@YAHOO.COM

THANKS!
MISS. ######

Frozen Monday links

2011-01-24T11:49:00.002-05:00

It's a cold one today, doncha know?

Let's take five!

*The New York Times anoints Williamsburg as Toddlertown, complete with anecdotal evidence to prove its point! Take a deep breath Ward. More on this later.

*A partner with Il Buco wants to open an Italian bakery on Kent Avenue across from Domino. It's not Eataly, but the concept of bakery, specialty food store and restaurant should win over the waterfront.

*Tenants at 338 Berry hope the Loft Law will shield them from an aggressive landlord.

*Jeff Mann at the Gazette looks at the Polish petition over concentration camps.

*The Real Deal's hardbitten editorial writer Amy Tennery looks at a mortgage scheme gone bad on S. Second Street.

Yes it's really that cold outside. What are you going to do? Make a song about it?

Thursday links

2011-01-20T12:33:00.003-05:00

It must have been busy in Queens this morning.

*The tri-state mob sweep is leading the news this morning, which means William Rashbaum and John Marzulli are going to be hard to reach today.

*The Newtown Creek Nature Walk is expanding.

*Live in Bushwick from Community Board Four!

*Brooklyn housing data is out and BusinessWeek and the Wall Street Journal note that home sales are in decline compared with last year.

*Finally, the Brooklyn Paper's Andy Campbell tries the new Williamsburg Camel cigarettes and is upset that they taste like regular Camel Lights.

Wednesday links

2011-01-19T12:04:00.004-05:00

Mayor Bloomberg makes a pit stop.

Mayor Bloomberg's state of the city is upon us, which will drive the news today. The New York Times and DNAInfo Manhattan have an advance look at the speech, City Hall News plots Bloomberg's "comeback," and the Wall Street Journal picks out the mayor's livery cab proposal making it legal for livery cabs to pick up passengers in the outer boroughs.

But onto some other links.

*It's been far too long since I put up a Chris Bragg story. Here is his report on Walmart and the city's labor unions and the dueling Walmart surveys at City Hall News.

*The Daily News' Erin Durkin finds theft at an East New York nursing home.

*Commercial property sales surged in Brooklyn, but there's a more comprehensive report coming out today, so we'll have to compare.

*Classically-trained Dan Deacon is the prince of percussive pop, although I'm just stringing words together at this point.

*Finally, Greenpoint is getting a fart factory. And Jeff Daniels is going to manage it.

*Bonus link! This is what happens when Jim Dwyer is on leave.

Tuesday links

2011-01-18T14:09:00.004-05:00

Let's take ten in honor of the new Greenpoint CoWorking site on Norman Avenue.

*More details are emerging about the weekend shooting on Monitor Street that left a 30-year-old man on life support. New York Shitty has notes from last night's brief precinct meeting.

*Greenpoint residents are upset about a fence on Noble Street blocking access to the river and New York Shitty adds on.

*A man who allegedly tried to rape a woman in an elevator at Bushwick Houses has been arrested.

*Checking in with Achievement First Bushwick.

*Meanwhile there were two big fires in Bushwick this week.

*Landlords are losing out on rent now that the off-track betting shops are closed.

*Atlantic Yards Report analyzes the Nets-Carmelo rumors (and so does Capital New York's Howard Megdal regarding the Carmelo-Knicks rumors.

*Steiner Studios is doubling in size thanks to some federal funding (but Greenpoint Broadway Stages is still having trouble getting that bond

*A very detailed, interesting piece out of Gotham Gazette about the city's growing income gap.

*And the Wall Street Journal tours the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in this video.

Press Release of the Week: Illegal Liquid Silicone

2011-01-14T18:14:00.001-05:00

For Immediate Release
January 14, 2011 United States Attorney's Office
Southern District of New York

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Bronx Woman with Illegal Administration of Liquid Silicone Injections Through Underground Business

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, JANICE K. FEDARCYK, the Assistant Director-In-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), and MARK DRAGONETTI, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations ("FDA"), announced the arrest today of WHALESCA CASTILLO on charges that she administered illegal injections of liquid silicone for cosmetic purposes, as part of an underground business she ran out of her Bronx home. The Complaint alleges that CASTILLO, who does not have a medical license, charged over $1,000 in some instances for each round of shots.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: "As we allege, Whalesca Castillo put the health of unsuspecting women at risk, all to make a quick buck. She compounded the danger in which she placed her clients by allegedly discouraging at least one woman from seeking medical attention after she developed complications from the injections. We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI and the FDA to expose and prosecute such underground operations that seek to profit by offering unsafe treatments at the expense of public health and safety."

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge JANICE K. FEDARCYK stated: "Castillo allegedly performed procedures she was not licensed to perform, using substances unapproved for that purpose. She knew what she was doing was illegal, as she told one of her customers. In her thirst for profit, she put lives in peril. The mission of the FBI Health Care Fraud Task Force is not only to minimize the monetary effects of fraud, but to protect the health and safety of the public from unscrupulous practitioners."

FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Special Agent-in-Charge MARK DRAGONETTI said: "FDA's regulatory requirements are designed to ensure the safety and quality of the medical devices and drugs distributed to American consumers. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who disregard regulatory requirements and jeopardize the public health by engaging in the distribution of unapproved and misbranded products."

According to the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

Although the FDA has approved certain forms of silicone for cosmetic use, it has prohibited the injection of liquid silicone or silicone gel to fill wrinkles or augment tissues anywhere in the body for public and health safety reasons. Tissue augmentation using injectable fillers such as silicone has resulted in death and serious injuries in both the United States and abroad, especially when injections are performed by unlicensed practitioners and outside a clinical setting. Risks associated with such injections include permanent lumps within the skin, infection, skin ulceration, and potentially fatal pulmonary blood clots.

Since at least 2009, CASTILLO, who does not hold a medical or nursing license of any kind in New York State, has imported liquid silicone from the Dominican Republic, and administered injections of it to women for breast and buttocks enhancement. She has administered these injections in her Bronx home, telling women that the injections are safe, and charging them hundreds of dollars per injection. One woman, who paid CASTILLO $1,000 for injections, experienced pain and shortness of breath following the procedure, and fainted within hours of the procedure. After being revived by her boyfriend, the woman called CASTILLO to report her medical symptoms. CASTILLO discouraged the woman from seeking proper medical attention, saying that a hospital would not help her because the procedure was illegal.

In November and December 2010, federal agents, working together with the New York City Police Department and the New York City Department of Sanitation, Environmental Police Haz-Mat Unit, recovered numerous trash bags in the vicinity of CASTILLO's home. The trash bags contained over one hundred bottles, some of which were tested and had silicone residue on them, syringes, needles, bloodied gauze, and dozens of tubes of Krazy Glue, which unlicensed practitioners sometimes use to seal puncture wounds.

CASTILLO, 36, of Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of distributing an adulterated or misbranded product. She faces a maximum of three years in prison on that charge.

Mr. BHARARA praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the New York City Police Department, and the New York City Department of Sanitation for their work in investigating this case. He also said that the investigation is continuing.

The FBI has set up a hotline, in English and Spanish, that individuals can call if they received liquid silicone injections from WHALESCA CASTILLO or anyone else. That number is (212) 384-2400.

This case is being handled by the Office's Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney SARAH LAI is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Video of the day: Rat attack!

2011-01-14T16:07:00.003-05:00

A rat attacks a subway passenger on the 4 train- and it gets captured on video. Note how nonchalantly the man brushes away the rat, which awoke him from his slumber, and how nobody tried to help him.

And minutes later, someone creates a t-shirt inspired by the rat attack.

CB1 January thoughts, sponsored by White Castle

2011-01-12T16:57:00.007-05:00

Community Board 1 gets its snack on via White Castle after last night's meeting.

A couple of thoughts about last night's meeting before moving onto other topics.

*It was one of those kitchen sink meetings that had a lot of little things to chew on (new bar openings, a mild debate over two venues Club Rust and The Wick, moderately substantial committee reports) but no big-picture controversy or presentation to frame the whole thing, so it felt pretty lethargic. I kept waiting for Mieszko to break free for a 40 yard run or for Esteban to lash out at something, but it didn't really happen.

*Councilmembers Diana Reyna and Steve Levin did not show up. I don't know what Diana's excuse was but Steve was busy climbing a rock wall at a fundraiser in the Gowanus. Fortunately, Patch.com's Carrol Gardens' edition has a photograph (right).

*If I had to pick five new things that you'll probably hear more about in the coming weeks that came out of that meeting they'd be anaerobic gas, The Wick, the Polish Slavic Center's cafeteria, the Noble Street fence, and the Kosciouszko Foundation's concentration camp messaging campaign which is a nice NYTimes/ NPR feature story that I haven't read yet.

*Neighbors Allied for Good Growth's Lacey Tauber isn't talking to the press anymore because "spambots" stole her identity and are commenting on the blogs. That's a new one.

*Jason Otano, the seductive-cherubic (seducherubic?) 31-year-old general counsel for Borough President Markowitz pushed a few upcoming Marty-centric events and reminded people to re-up to the board in a couple of months. Jason would be a nice addition to CB1 but he can't join the board because he's the guy who helps pick who gets on all the boards.

*The city declared a state of emergency at 4:47 pm yesterday and snow plows hit the streets maybe an hour after the snow started to fall. Looks like the sanitation officers decided to spend a little less time in the jacuzzi with Linda Ronstadt.

*What exactly is in "crack pie?"

*Finally, I can't stop watching this video of Secretary of State Clinton tripping on the portable stairway and tumbling into her plane. She can take a fall with the best of them.

Community Board 1: We're snowed in!

2011-01-11T18:37:00.006-05:00

It's back to business at Community Board 1 for the first meeting of the year. We're at 3/4 capacity and it's not going to be filling up because we have no agenda tonight other then a slew of liquor licenses and some hour-long committee reports.

The lovely Julia Morrow and Rami "Corrugated" Metal have joined Press Row, as has Greenpoint Gazette's Juliet Linderman who comments Morrow's ensemble as "bangin'." So noted.

6:35 pm: District Manager Gerry Esposito takes the roll and Chairman Chris introduces new 94th precinct Deputy Inspector Terrance Hurson.
"I want to wish you a great 2011 and hopefully it doesn't snow too much tonight."
Linderman: Anyone know where Mayor Bloomberg is?

6:38 pm: Chairman Chris handles the sidewalk cafe applications, which include King Luke which wants 10 tables and 22 chairs, Juliet at N. Fifth Street and Bedford which wants 5 tables, and Since 1942 at Metropolitan Avenue and Roebling which wants 4 tables.

Public safety chairman Mieszko Kalita visits press row and hands some paperwork to Rami about the Kosciouszko Foundation and a petition regarding German concentration camps. I don't think the foundation wants a liquor license.

Now we're getting to Club Rust, on 134 Metropolitan Avenue and Kent Avenue. The venue brushed up some controversy with its cabaret license application since it is attempting to move next to a proposed movie theater.
The venue will have two floors with a potential capacity of 343 people, only using 278 excluding the roof.
CB1's Ryan Kuonen who lives nearby has a question about how the queue of incoming customers will be lined up and how the theater owner will be accommodated.
The Club Rust owner is meeting with the theater's owner, and there's a stipulation against loitering outside and returning inside after being admitted.
More questions from Zoning Queen Heather Roslund about soundproofing operations and the owner (who also owns Veracruz Restaurant on Bedford) is called up to answer questions.
The owner explains that the roofs will have corrugated steel with 8-inch concrete reinforcements and double walls at the lower walls with a 12-inch cement block.
Chairman Chris asks about days of operation and they're apparently going to be closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Jeff Mann joins Press Row and opines, "So let me guess this straight, there's no liquor, no smoking outside, and it's only open half the week?"
Then he turns to Officer Adamo and says, "You guys did a crappy job shoveling my walk last week."

7:04 PM: Chairman Chris defers the matter to the public safety committee and introduces Rami for an announcement.
"We had a town hall last month regarding the homeless shelter at McGuinness Boulevard. Out of that came the idea to write letters to Commissioner Diamond, so I put a series of letters here. We're going to invite him and HELP USA to another town hall.
It's going to be snowing tomorrow night and there are still homeless people in Greenpoint. We have a flyer that says you should call 311 if you see someone on the street who needs help.
We are working to open up Noble Street. I know Gerry has been very active in trying to open up Noble Street. It's right by the East River. We had a meeting with Janette Sadik-Khan and for the first time we felt they were willing to open it up, but she did suggest that if letters from the community were to come to her attention it would be very helpful.

Next is Ben Baruch from Councilwoman Diana Reyna's office who updates that 500 families received toys during a sponsored toy drive and two tons of food and 600 bags of miscellaneous items were given out at Los Sures.
Also there was a scoping meeting last week regarding how $2.5 million should be spent on improving Cooper Park. Within six months, there will be a plan from the Parks Department of what will ultimately happen.
Finally on Jan 19 at 5 pm at Borough Hall, there will be a continuation of yesterday's hearing on the blizzard. I believe we have some video of yesterday's hearing.

7:12 PM Public Session! Joseph Garber leads us off.

*Some good news this morning, Mayor Bloomberg had a convocation with other mayors on gun control and I'm going to pick up that report tomorrow.
I also attended the state of the state address and the inauguration of the comptroller.
There are problems with the TLC. They're going to have a hearing on the 11th.
I have much more stuff but because of the two minute rule, which makes no sense...
Deputy Inspector Hurson adds that there will be new officers coming to the 94th and 90th precincts- a point Garber raised.

*Chris Karvofsky (sp?) expresses concerns that people in the neighborhood and the press are calling the McGuinness shelter a "homeless shelter" but actually it's an "assessment center" and it's open 24 hours.
"I am alarmed with how little the community knows about this-- aaaaaand your time is up.

*Erika Volker- We also have a shelter on Skillman Avenue and it works completely differently. If there's a vacancy the homeless can stay there overnight.... aaaaaand your time is up.

*Another man to speak on the McGuinness Shelter. He finishes quickly.

*Julia Morrow from Parks thanks several groups in association for the work they've done bringing people to the Cooper Park meeting.

*Maria Bowman from El Puente notes that the group's Three Kings celebration will be at the Grand Street Campus on Sunday at 1 pm.

*Board member Will Florentino from Citizens Committee says that his group is giving grants for projects that increase civic engagement. Light applause.

7:29 pm: We have a presentation from Cassandra Smith about the GMDC building's plan to add 10 industrial units in its complex at Manhattan Avenue. The project is as of right, which means they can do whatever the hell they want there. Cassandra is just letting us know.
Linderman is keeping busy reading a New Yorker article, "Oh my god! What a crap article!" But she's enjoying a comic by Zachary Kanin.

Chairman Chris introduces Jason Otano from Borough President's office, who notes that the Beep's annual MLK Jr. event at BAM at 10 am, and Feb 3rd at 6 pm, there's a state of the borough address in Sunset Park (yes, there's a reception) and the annual Borough President Sweetheart's reception at El Carib in Mill Basin.
"To attend, couples must be married for more than 50 years."

7:36 PM: Motion to close the session and we're moving onto the board meeting with second roll call with 36 present.

"Chairman's Report. That's me!"
"On the first item, it was brought to our attention that Mr. Steve Lenard of city planning was very appreciative of the many forthright recommendations made regarding the definitions... of Vision2020, and very thankful of Heather's support, and Heather, what does this say here?"
Heather Roslund adds...
"It was extensive and comprehensive... and they incorporated almost every recommendation we made."

And with regards to the "snow debacle..."
Vandervoort Avenue was blocked off for several days. Commercial traffic had to go around it. It was a mess. We don't want that to happen again to our community."
Chairman Chris proposes a resolution regarding a Department of Sanitation Salt Pile asking the agency to stop its snow melting operation on Vandervoort. This is a long letter with many whereases. Erin Durkin at the Daily News has some of this covered here.

7:47 PM: District Manager's Report. "As Written."

7:47 PM: Committee reports. Heather Roslund notes a short agenda that included a 10-year extension of its variance for a continuing gas station near Graham Avenue.
"It's a family owned business that's been in operation for over 50 years.
Heather continues.
"And I wanted to add how thrilled I am about being included in the Vision2010 waterfront plan. It's great to be recognized."

7:53 PM: Ryan Kuonen for Environment.
"I attended a meeting entitled the beneficial use of anaerobic digester gas."
Kuonen explains that the National Grid/ city project she was briefed about is a "techy" "amazing" project but the proposed location is a problem as in a a pocket park promised to the community.
"It's a great project except for its stupid location. They're going to come back with something. We don't know what happens to our pocket park."

8:03 PM Mieszko Kalita Public Safety. Let's play him in...

"Good evening. Public Safety. First, Deputy Inspector Terrance Hurson attended a Public Safety meeting, and introduced himself.
Now liquor licenses. Committee Reviewed the following applications...
Brooklyn Wick LLC aka The Wick application is for a restaurant and a music venue. And a backyard space. This space is very large. It's an old beer brewing facility. They will be coming back to discuss a cabaret license. Committee recommends approval.

Mieszko goes through others and Tom Burrows explains the Grand Street bakery, which could be hiring more bakers and the Polish Slavic Center which asked for a liqour license.
"I gave them a hard time," said Tom. "Why does the Polish Slavic Center need a liquor license? They said they needed to raise money. I encouraged them to start an AA program in the Polish Slavic Center."

Heather Roslund has a question about The Wick and why there are so few chairs (24 tables and 15 bar stools) in its application.
"Did you ever have a drink standing?" asks Mieszko. "Problem solved."
Heather brings up more questions and Chairman Chris asks to separate The Wick from the rest of the items. The other items pass and so does The Wick.

Mieszko brings up another item that Polish community members don't like how concentration camps such as Auschwitz are referred to as "Polish" instead of "German" or "Nazi-occupied Poland" since Germany invaded Poland 70 years ago.
Esteban Duran asks why this issue is before the board today and Mieszko explains this came out of the Polish community in Chicago and Greenpoint.
The motion carries.

8:26 PM Rabbi David Niederman explains the public housing committee meeting meets regularly and invites everyone to attend.
Karen Leader adds a correction and Rabbi Niederman acquiesces.

8:28 PM: Esteban Duran gives his education report, mostly about impending budget cuts. This isn't fun.

8:36 PM: Karen Nieves isn't here so Will Florentino takes over for his first ever committee report, noting a flurry of activity.
"There's 14 feet of snow outside right now... Okay I see I'm clearing the room."
Will also knows that people rebelled against the MTA, including Tom Burrows, who took his pants off on Sunday.

8:43 PM: Jesus, even Lincoln Restler gets the microphone. At this point everyone who is still in the room has said something.
"I remain very upset about the handling of this past blizzard. Next Wednesday there will be a hearing at borough hall about the snow. Fortunately the city has already declared a state of emergency today."
Lincoln thanks Our Lady of The Snow for inviting him to their induction ceremony and said he had a great time hanging out with the camels at the Graham Avenue Three Kings Day parade.

8:46 PM: Thankfully we're done. Let's look at a No Pants Video from yesterday.

Monday links

2011-01-10T10:59:00.008-05:00

From assess to assess

If it's the first weekend in January, it must be time for the annual Three Kings Day Parade on Graham Avenue. With temperatures dipping below freezing for much of the afternoon, crowds were sparse and tended to follow the livestock (three camels, two goats, a sheep, and one very furry donkey, above) as they trotted from Meeker Avenue to Broadway.
Usually there's a severely bundled-up middle school kid following the camels with a snow shovel that's taller than he is-- but I didn't see anyone performing that thankless task this year. It's just as well.

Onto the links!

*Less than a day after receiving the cover nod at the Village Voice, Pablo Airaldi is free!
There's another solid profile at The Brooklyn Ink (which has been throwing down some decent stories as of late) -- unfortunately, the piece was published two days after Airaldi was released from the immigration detention center and does not update with any news of this. See how New York Shitty (and others) updated as soon as the news came out?

*Behold, the Aporkalypse is upon us!
The US Census might need to add another map to signify the high-end fast-food joints that have been clustering on Bedford Avenue and N. Seventh Street in recent months. So far this year, add Inoteca's mexican food, Crif Dogs's footlongs and The Meatball Shop are adding outposts.

*Whenever one rock venue closes-- another opens. The Ridgewood Masonic Temple is temporary closed and facing an uncertain future but a new rock venue is opening in an iconic former 19th century brewery.

*And just like that, Grand Street is the new West Village.

*The Times looks at how Downtown Brooklyn is becoming a neighborhood-- sort of.

*NBC's Brian Williams has a sense of humor but Mimi Sheraton apparently doesn't.

*I still don't understand this story from City Hall News.
Yes, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez's power is likely diminished now that the Democrats are in the minority-- but how? And Lew Fidler is not the source to talk to on this. See how The Brooklyn Ink makes short work of it instead.

*More Village Voice sendoffs.
Wayne Barrett talks to Democracy Now and Tom Robbins speaks with Gothamist and Clyde Haberman for the Times weighs in.

*What was Assemblyman Vito Lopez up to during the holidays? Why opening up a tattoo shop in Ventura County.

*Former Queens assemblyman Anthony Seminerio died in prison.

*And finally, new congressman Michael Grimm is taking his new health care policy that he earned-- after winning NBC's America's Got Talent. Because, when a maaaaaaaaan loves a womaaaaaaaaaaan...

Press Release of the Week: Trapped Kitten

2011-01-06T15:53:00.003-05:00

This comes to us courtesy of Assemblyman Joe Lentol's press girl Amy Cleary, who helped rescue a cat that was trapped in her office.

Firemen Rescue Trapped Stray Kitten Trapped in Wall of Assemblyman Joe Lentol’s District Office Building
Kitten’s desperate cries alerted staff; Firemen in the right place at the right time

Yesterday, while Assemblyman Joe Lentol listened to new Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address, his staff was having an adventure of their own back at the district office in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It started when communications director, Amy Cleary, noticed that you could hear a cat crying from the back of the office where the first floor store abuts on a small fenced parking lot. It was clear that the cat was in distress.

But there was no way to get into the parking lot because it was locked and the top of the fence had barbed wire. Cleary put out cat food which was left untouched and unsuccessfully rang doorbells of nearby buildings trying to find someone who had keys to the lot.

Then fate intervened on behalf of the trapped kitten. “Just when Amy was starting to get desperate, I looked outside and there was a fire truck and four firemen, they were on their lunch break and buying sandwiches at the Italian Deli across the street. It was such a lucky coincidence,” said JoAnn McErlean, Assemblyman Lentol’s executive assistant.

“I went outside and asked them when the last time they had saved a cat was. I told them it wasn’t up in a tree but it was definitely trapped,” said Cleary. “They climbed the fence to the parking like it was nothing! But it wasn’t long before we figured out that the cat wasn’t out in the parking lot. I convinced them to come in the office and listen for themselves to the meowing.”

All four fireman trooped through the office to the back where the cats cries could still be heard but much quieter than earlier in the morning. “I was so worried,” said Tish Cianciotta another Lentol staffer. “It was clear she was getting weak and tired, the firemen got here just in time.”

“They realized she must be in the wall, and started trying to figure out where in the wall she was, they took apart part of the wall in our bathroom and then went down to the basement with a ton of tools. I felt so bad, they were on their lunch breaks and all of their food was back in the truck getting cold. But they were great, they just kept at it, trying to get her out,” said Cleary.

“It was the most exciting thing we’ve had happen here in a while. They even mentioned bringing in infrared equipment but I think they were kidding,” said Emily Mijatovic, Lentol’s district office liaison.

The firemen finally had success by cutting a hole in the basement wall and coaxing the kitten out with food. She was a hungry girl and very dirty from her adventures in the wall. After posing for a pictures the firemen, who Lentol’s staff was pretty sure had now missed their entire lunch break and had to go straight back on duty, went back on their truck and headed back to the Firehouse 238 on Humboldt and McGuiness.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard. She must have found a way to get into wall for warmth during the snowstorm and not known how to get out again. I want to thank the firemen from firehouse 238 for giving up their lunch hour to help a lost kitten. As an animal lover, this is the kind of story that warms your heart and gives you hope in the New Year,” said Lentol. “From what I hear the only one who was not excited about the rescue and new visitor, was our office cat Brooke, who is not happy unless she is the center of attention and did not enjoy a visit from another cat. But Brooke has forgiven us all, and has promised to continue her all important mousing job.”

The kitten, which could not have been more than six or eight months old, curled up in Cleary’s lap and went to sleep, purring.

“She ended up being such a sweetheart. She was really docile and just loved attention. She just purred and rolled around in my lap all afternoon while I worked. She was really dirty but once she has a bath she is going to be the most adorable, sweetest cat. I really wanted to take her home but I already have one,” said Cleary.

The newly rescued kitten is now at Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC), a no kill animal shelter in North Williamsburg waiting to be adopted. Anyone interested is encouraged to visit the website at http://www.barcshelter.org/ , visit BARC 253 Wythe Ave. @ n. 1st street Brooklyn, NY 11211, or call 718-486-7489.

Sad news out of the Voice today

2011-01-04T16:20:00.002-05:00

Veteran reporters Wayne Barrett and Tom Robbins are both leaving the Village Voice, Wayne due to budget cuts (ad revenue is down across the industry) and Tom due to, well, Wayne explains more about that in his own column in The Voice.

I've met Wayne only once, at a dinner honoring a longtime Catholic pastor, though he is, on all accounts, one of preeminent investigative journalists in New York City today. Tom is certainly another investigative icon, and his pieces on both labor and politics have shaped the city's power brokers (and fellow journalists) for decades.

We'll probably hear more from Tom on this, but the outpouring of posts from political writers is only beginning to pour through. Here's David Freedlander at The Observer, Azi Paybarah at WNYC, Ben Smith at Politico, Jim Dwyer via David Freedlander, John Del Signore at Gothamist, Gawker media, and Brad Wellen at Mediabistro.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

It's a new year indeed.

And the winner of the worst assignment in 2010...

2010-12-28T15:31:00.003-05:00

... goes to Daily News Reporter Erin Durkin, who got herself trapped on that A-train that was stranded in the Far Rockaways for seven hours overnight, and then filed a report for the Daily News the next morning. She was presumably not dressed like this.

Weirdest conference call of the year

2010-12-22T16:14:00.001-05:00

Subject: Labor Dept. Spiderman Conference Call

Media Advisory
Media Conference Call on Spiderman

This call will provide an update on the status of the safety measures the State Labor Department reviewed this morning at the Foxwoods Theater.

When: TODAY 4:30pm EST, December 22, 2010

Who: New York State Labor Department – Pico Ben-Amotz, Deputy Commissioner for Worker Protection
Maureen Cox, Director of Safety and Health
Leo Rosales, Communications Director

Call in number : REDACTED
Conference Code: REDACTED

Congrats to the UConn Women

2010-12-22T12:56:00.002-05:00

Some people just don't like losing. We call those people the Connecticut Women's Basketball team. Congratulations on breaking the NCAA consecutive victory record.

For all you budding journalists out there

2010-12-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

Community Board 1: An FBI Agent Interrogates Board Members

2010-12-07T18:17:00.006-05:00

Mieszko and Tom's plans for the holidays? Dress up like pandas and introduce some cubs into the wild.
It is a toasty 75 degrees inside the Swinging Sixties Senior Center for the last board meeting of the calendar year. An oldies station featuring swing music versions of Christmas songs from the 1940s is playing on the background, which seems both ironic and appropriate. All we need is the Italian Christmas Donkey song and we'll be set.

The crowd is pretty sparse tonight- you can attribute that to the cold and lack of substance of the agenda. But Tom Burrows is here and that means juicy neighborhood gossip. Burrows' building was burglarized over the weekend and there have been a rash of such burglaries around Manhattan Avenue near the BQE this week.

But more interestingly, there's a contestant from a pop-up bakery on Graham Avenue on a reality show who made a cake-version of the Giglio Tower. And sources who got a look at the presentation said that the cake was awful. So awful it deserved to be eliminated but he wasn't cut from the show because he received a bye from the previous week. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Father Joseph Calise is very disappointed.

We're joined tonight by an agent from the FBI who will talk about the government's InfraGard program. The Greenpoint Gazette's Jeff Mann is very excited. Also Will Florentino started work at the Citizens Committee and he's wearing a wool hat that looks like a teddy bear.
"Dude it's the warmest," said Will. "That's the only reason I'm wearing it."

6:37 pm Chairman Chris Olechowski calls the meeting to order and hands the mike to FBI Special Agent Jim Capozzi, who looks strikingly like a thin Andy Garcia and says he's an Italian from Brooklyn and doesn't need the mic.

"This is my 25th year at the FBI so I've been around the block a few times, I've been to Europe, Asia, but none of that you care about...
That's a blatant lie. We care a lot. Let's move on as the agent explains the InfraGard program.
"It's a collaboration on subject matter where citizens and the FBI together collectively collaborate to prevent our city from being subject to a terrorist attack... this has 41,000 nationwide and 1,500 members in New York City"
In other words, this is the federal system of "if you see something say something" but regarding national security. My former colleague Stephen Brown has more.

The Greenpoint Gazette Jeff Mann says he wants to volunteer to protect the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant from imminent threats. Dammnit Jeff! That was my choice!

Esteban Duran takes the opportunity to mention that a neighborhood nonprofit is currently under investigation by the FBI and asks the agent to look into "misappropriated funds" which is pretty delicate choreography, even for Esteban.

Finally, Special Agent Jim Capozzi urges board members and others int he audience to share the information presented today with their friends, work colleagues, bowling league, and whatever else.
Jeff Mann: I can't rat out the bowling league.
Lincoln Restler: We should start a bowling league.
Let's just run a clip from Internal Affairs and forget this whole thing happened.

7:01 pm: Moving on, we have an application for renewing a gas station at 51 Kingsland Avenue. They've been here for 65 or so years and this should be a no-brainer. It's going to ULURP.

7:13 pm: Chairman Chris closes public session with a moment of silence for the anniversary of Pearl Harbor and also mentions that former Congressman Stephen Solarz, who used to represent the neighborhood, died last week. Did I mention that Will Florentino looks like he's wearing a Teddy bear on his head?

Chairman Chris summarizes the Executive Committee meeting:
It's not necessary to read verbatim every single word in the report... at times there are reports that get very lengthy. And we need then at that point to get the information out to everyone here and help them respond to questions. It will help us keep us within the frame of a board meeting that ends at a reasonable time for everyone.
Jeff Mann: Like this one.

7:22 pm: Committee Reports! Uh oh. Land Use leads off.
Heather Roslund: I was on vacation in Miami, it was 80 degrees. I had a great time. I came back this afternoon.
Heather explains the YUCO project that is on the table, with a resolution to deny the application with recommendations to reduce income thresholds and alter the design, which had a committee vote of 9-1-1. The motion carries.
The second item, 143-155 Roebling Street is a reconsideration regarding parking spaces on the site. It is 10-0-1, voted up as in approved. The motion carries.
"I redeem myself," says Heather.

7:30 PM Public Safety. You know what that means. It's Doda time.

"We all need a drink rabbi, especially this time of year," begins Mieszko.
Mieszko reads the list, which includes Desy's Clam Bar, which is applying for a liquor license, as well as Club Rust (new license, full liquor bar) in a converted warehouse on 134 Metropolitan, a tavern at 490 Metropolitan Avenue, and a new polish-sounding restaurant on 191 Manhattan Avenue with a full liquor license. And they're approved.

7:37 pm: Ryan Kuonen gives a summary of her last Environmental Committee meeting.
"Lots of environmental stuff. Not too exciting. Actually very exciting," says Ryan.
National Grid is coming to the next meeting, which will take place about half an hour before the city's massive Kayak Ban meeting on Dec 19. The temporary ban, preventing boat launches from city-owned sites on Newtown Creek, does not prevent kayaking on the East River, just entering the water in Greenpoint.
"The ban is a little ridiculous," says Ryan. "They're saying you can launch from any private spot, they're just stopping the launch of any public spot on Newtown Creek. It's because of Superfund. The city has jumped the gun..."
Now Dewey Thompson is adding his interpretation of the city's decision but Ryan tries to rein in the discussion by pushing people to the meeting on Dec. 16. Nice job Ryan.

7:42 PM: Public session. Unsurprisingly, Joseph Garber is up first.
*Garber- "I have not been invited for several months now to Transportation Committee meetings. I am a member, but somehow I have not been getting invitations."
Garber adds another 12 announcements before getting cut off by the timer and then adds too more announcements.

7:46 PM: New Business!
Tom Burrows talks about the rash of burglaries where people have been climbing up fire escapes on Manhattan Avenue and stealing laptops from unopened windows.
"Each night I went out and saw a patrol car, I asked another one, yes. Another one, yes."
Tom suggests that the new commanding officer at the 94th Precinct come to the meeting to talk about the burglaries.

Rabbi Niederman: Crime does not discriminate here. We had a horrible two weeks. Before that, shooting and swastikas. Two terrible incidents. One man severely beaten, and again last night as well. This has a happy ending. The 90 precinct together with the Shomrim. Two youths involved. For the record we should say, Michael Kemper is doing a wonderful job and kudos to him. But for criminal incidents, South Williamsburg, we should look, what could be done.
And that's it. Chairman Chris wishes everyone a safe holiday and much warmth for the upcoming year.

A Short Story takes Thanksgiving off and then some...

2010-12-06T15:17:00.001-05:00

The Short family settles in for another Thanksgiving holiday fraught with tension

Ok, this blog's Thanksgiving hangover is over and it's time to get down to business. First, there's a board meeting tonight with little the agenda, and we're expecting it to clock in at three-and-a-half hours. Some things to look out for tonight.

How long Heather Roslund's committee report will be.
Whether Karen Nieves' report is shorter than Heather's.
The nominees for the 2010 Brooklyn Facial Hair All Stars.
Whether Chris admonishes people to attend the board meeting.
Who's the first person to praise the NYPD for their big-time hate crime arrest.
Whether there will be any refreshments?

Guesses?

Happy 30th Birthday Steve Levin!

2010-12-03T16:09:00.006-05:00

Councilman Steve Levin (D-Greenpoint) turns 30 today. Last year, Levin and friends (or is it Friends of Steve Levin?) reserved Borough Hall for a massive closed-to-the-press birthday blowout-slash-council campaign victory party complete with tasty kosher treats and a cake bigger than Hope Reichbach.

This year? Saturday he's lighting the menorah at Borough Hall with Marty Markowitz. Tonight, it's a quiet evening with a smaller group of family members. And no party. On the record. Off the record? Five words: Bowie. Muppets. Glasslands. Open Bar.
This one's for you Steve...

And that baby grew up to be... Councilman Steve Levin.

How Greenpoint is Linderman?

2010-11-18T22:37:00.002-05:00

She's in the background of the nyc.gov video exploring Greenpoint on a budget (37 second mark).

Todd Barry Besmirches Juliet Linderman's Honor at Comedy Show

2010-11-12T14:40:00.004-05:00

File photo Photo provided by City Pages

At Thursday night's comedy show at The Polonaise, What's So Funny about Greenpoint?, New York-based comedian Todd Barry provided an answer: Juliet Linderman.
A Short Story missed this one last night so we're going to have to rely on other sources, which corroborated that Barry veered off his planned set to make fun of Linderman, who was taking notes and photographs while seated in the front row whenever a comedian mentioned the word "Greenpoint."
For the next 30 minutes, Barry questioned whether the Greenpoint Gazette was "real" and proceeded to place a large order of the paper to his Manhattan apartment.
"He was definitely talking about her for a really long time, but I had a lot to drink so I don't really remember," said one source.
Councilman Steve Levin was there also, but declined to comment.

More thoughts on Heather Roslund's Record-breaking Report

2010-11-10T19:50:00.001-05:00

Former board member Teresa Toro congratulates Land Use Chairwoman Heather Roslund on her historic achievement.
By the end, it was a meeting where very little occurred beyond three small land use items that were denied and a cohort of liquor licenses that were mostly approved.
And yet, sometimes under ordinary circumstances does something extraordinary occur-- a 69-minute committee report by Heather Roslund that absolutely shattered previous records for the longest committee report in community board history.
I've checked with a few experts and while many remember board meetings that lasted longer no one can remember a committee meetings that went on for more than an hour.
"I've never seen anything like that," one stunned community liaison told me after the meeting.
Heather's report inspired not one but two Facebook threads written by board members during the meeting. Let's republish them:
Wilfredo Florentino
@The Monthly Meeting of Community Board #1 in Brooklyn; gettin' Civic, Facebook! 20 hours ago via Mobile Web
Ward Dennis Look civic!
20 hours ago
Wilfredo Florentino We'd love to see you @Yoselis! You are missed!
20 hours ago
Ward Dennis Keeping the agenda moving...
20 hours ago
Wilfredo Florentino Ward & I are getting Civic; Woohoo!
19 hours ago
Tom Burrows How long is this going to last?
19 hours ago
Wilfredo Florentino Tom, we will be here till at least 10pm, no 'Dancing With The Stars' tonight!
18 hours ago
Teresa Toro Suckers...
17 hours ago
Wilfredo Florentino ‎:-P Teresa, you are missed as well!
17 hours ago
Ward Dennis Yeah, Debbie Masters was there - we coulda had a reunion if you and Yoselis had made it.
17 hours ago

Teresa Toro You can't hit a moving target.

And...
Ryan Gabrielle Kuonen
that was a long meeting! (and people who left before the end missed some great action....)17 hours ago
Allison Davis you did a great job!

17 hours ago
Evan Feldman what could possibly be better action than hearing about proposals for zoning changes?

15 hours ago
Allison Davis Evan, what about the turkey falling on your head? I guess that was before, but that was the highlight of my evening and it didn't even happen to me!

15 hours ago
Emily Gallagher the turkey was definitely a highlight. While you guys had whatever zoning action, I got 4 strikes at bowling! but i did not win. :( What action happened at the community b 1? (ps thanks for making being a huge nerd ok)

15 hours ago.
Evan Feldman Turkey falling on my head was definitely a highlight. Completely unprovoked action I might add. I didn't so much as make eye contact with the turkey the whole night. I don't even really like turkey. Too dry.

15 hours ago
Ryan Gabrielle Kuonen i enjoyed the public section. the guy who rails against the 2 minute speaking time was in rare form. and the guy who talked about a williamsburg brand of cigarettes.

6 hours ago
Allison Davis

hah, yeah, that guy was great. he got so flustered complaining against the 2 minute rule that he used up all his time and barely got to his actual announcement.
also, ryan, WTF -- i barely heard the guy from williamsburg smoke-free, but was... he saying that marlboro was branding wburg cigs to market to kids?? we should look into this!See More

6 hours ago
Ryan Gabrielle Kuonen yeah. aaron short has a flier about the williamsburg cigs so i assume a post is forthcoming....

6 hours ago
Evan Feldman williamsburg cigs! are you kidding me? now I feel bad that i left to get a Bisonburger at Mother's, which was quite good.

5 hours ago
Allison Davis i just did a little bit of googling and couldn't find it, but aaron's got a teeny tiny quote about it at the end of his post... http://aaronshortstory.blogspot.com/2010/11/community-board-1-meet-fbi.html
5 hours ago
Allison Davis oh, he also has the best photo of lincoln on there!

5 hours ago

Right. Moving right along, Community Board meetings are often like watching major league baseball. They're mundane and they last over three hours, but once in a while, something truly historic happens and you can say you witnessed it.

A couple of final notes. There were a lot of absences last night due to Rabbi David Niederman's granddaughter's wedding and a St. Nicks Alliance gala conveniently scheduled at the same time as the board meeting. Also, as Wilfredo pointed out, Dancing with the Stars was on, so no Chairman Emeritus.

Community Board 1: Heather Roslund Makes History

2010-11-09T18:20:00.011-05:00

6:20 PM: They're cranking up the heat inside the Swinging Sixties Senior for tonight's riveting November meeting. So far, it doesn't look like there's going to be much of a crowd tonight. We've got a few liquor licenses, a visit from an FBI agent on infrastructure safety and an unmarked HPD presentation or two.

Holy shit! It's mid-level professional HPD legend Jack Hammer! First ballot member of the Brooklyn Great Names Hall of Fame and nine-time Facial Hair All Star! He's sporting a full, well-trimmed mustache and Miezsko is jealous. This meeting just moved up a notch.

We have double action in the bullpen in Press Row with NAG favorite Allison Davis and OSA favorite Julia Morrow joining the table.
Where are the NAG photos from Saturday?, asks Allison.
I've been incredibly busy, I say.
Doing what? asks Allison.

6:29 PM Gerry Esposito takes the roll call and Chairman Chris notes that Board Member Paul Pullo III just had a baby, Paul Pullo IV. Well his wife had a baby.
Keep the lineage going!
Greenpoint Gazette publisher Jeff Mann adds, he is already driving a MetroFuel truck.

6:39 PM: Three announcement from public official flacks not named Rami Metal. It appears Marty Markowitz will host a Williamsburg Town Hall where you can meet him, and Dan (D-Squad) Squadron's office wants to let you know that flu shots are available at Long Island College Hospital. It's the D-Squad's birthday tonight. Consequently he's nowhere the hell near here.
Looks like we're not the only ones commenting that the meeting was slow. Ward just tweeted from his blog that Relish just got its liquor license approved.

6:41 PM: Chairman Chris announces that the FBI agent who was supposed to come to tonight's meeting did not show up and the presentation was canceled. Perhaps something else came up.

6:41 PM: Two HPD rank and files announce the relocation of its 27 Hooper Street branch to 210 Joralemon Street with other divisions. This must be why Jack is here tonight. Let's go to the staffer:
"The building cost a lot of money to maintain. Especially in the current budget situation, we had to cut back. 27 Hooper is not an easy location to get to and 210 Joralemon is better than many locations. We thought it was win-win-win all around and we were under pressure to save some money."
Thanks HPD dude. Next time my apartment's boiler explodes, I'll know where to go.
Actually, Jack wants to say something about the sale of the building.
"There's nothing currently on the table."

6:56 PM: We have a sidewalk cafe application at Nassau and Guernsey. Did you know you can get cheap flights from Nassau to Guernsey for 757 pounds? Also, NAG Co-Chair Emily Gallagher joins Press Row, fresh from raising $36,000(?) at the NAG gala on Saturday night. Jesus, that's two years at SUNY Albany!

6:58 PM: Jack is back! Chairman Chris reads the next item regarding Yuco Management Inc's proposal to build 59-low income units in four small buildings in the district and it's the Brooklyn planning office of HPD for a presentation. HPD will be extending a 50 percent preference to CB1 residents who have moved out of the district since 2004.
We go to principal Raymond Yu and his Yuco team for his project:
This is the full presentation of an initial presentation mentioned more than a year and a half ago. They're already managing a project on Hope Street and Havemeyer Street.
The breakdown is: 37 Ten Eyck has 7 units, 33 Ten Eyck 18 units, Maujer St 14 units and Bedford Avenue, the largest has 20 apartments.
Heather Roslund has a question about the ULURP process for the buildings and Jack Hammer stands up. He's ready to go... no! He sits back down again. False alarm, everyone.
Ward Dennis asks why the initial number was reduced from 64 to 59 and.. surprise... it's due to its budget.
The project is supposed to go before Land Use on the 22nd but that meeting is tentative.
Jack Hammer has left the building everyone. Jack Hammer has left the building. Greenpoint Gazette's Jeff Mann is sad. Don't worry Jeff, we still have David Rivel.

7:11 PM: The City Parks Foundation's David Rivel is on the dais presenting what his group may do with Greenpoint's $7 million windfall awarded in a settlement the city made with the state for violating pollution laws.
There's been a lot reported about this so far and you can read about it here. What we want to know is where do we vote for these 26 whittled down projects.
"Ultimately the final decision for which projects happen is with the state. City Parks Foundation will not be making a decision," says David.

7:18 PM: It's the team of Jackie Brookner and Deborah Masters about their Green Eggs and Wetlands project, one of 26 projects being considered by the state for the pollution funding.
Deborah: Our Park is going to be devoted toward cleaning stormwater. When there's a big event of rain, there's an overflow of sewage into the city's waterways. We're going to use stormwater to do another thing- to power the growth of plants in our park and our plants will clean the storm water."
But what happens when the eggs hatch and give birth to... Swamp Thing?

There goes the neighborhood. Thanks Deborah Masters.

7:31 PM: Public agenda closes and Chairman Chris acknowledges the newly elected District Leader, Lincoln Restler. A smattering of applause. Wait a second, where did he get that baby?

7:34 PM: Chairman Chris gives his report thanking board members for their excellent attendance. But Chairman Chris is also very upset at board members who talk to the press about items that don't have anything to do with board issues.

District Manager Gerry Esposito notes the submission of next year's proposed meeting calendar. Also, no outside food. Thank you for your consideration. The calendar is approved.

7:41 PM: Committee reports! Heather Roslund starts us off with a list of recommendations for Vision 2020.
Unsurprisingly, the first recommendation is creating more open space on and public access for the waterfront, particularly the public walkway component.
I should note that Simon Weiser just greeted a Joel Shucher noted Orthodox real estate lobbyist with a sick handshake. Manny Ramirez would be proud.
Heather calls the Greenway on Kent Avenue a "quasi fiasco" and that it is being overused. And she's going to read every single recommendation, plus bullet points and sub bullet points.
Jeff Mann: "Who wrote Heather's report today? Karen Nieves?"
And it goes on like this... for 32 minutes.
I text Rami Metal noting that it feels like we've been held hostage and Rami said he will be contacting a negotiator.

8:13 PM: Ward Dennis harps about keeping the Greenway "on the waterfront everywhere."
Emily Gallagher helpfully whispers, "Stella!"
Wrong movie Emily.
"I coulda been a contender!" says Emily.
There you go.

8:15 PM: Heather continues her report... really. She's clocking in at 34 minutes so far and this might be a new Community Board 1 record for the longest committee report in the history of community boards. Can we get an official from the mayor's office on the phone?

Heather picks up the pace with the Wythe Avenue rezoning application, which received a 3-2 disapproval last week with recommendations and explains in exacting detail the application.

I've checked with a few senior members and professionals and it appears that this is in fact the longest committee report in community board history. We're witnessing history tonight folks. It's not every day you can say that. Congratulations Heather!

8:31 PM Chairman Chris cuts the report off after a whopping 50 minutes but first chides board members for not showing up to vote at committe meetings.
"There are 15 members on this committee. People were knocking down my door to get on this committee and only six people showed up to vote? Where is everybody? We were looking for people to participate in these committees. You have important votes coming up. These votes were important!" says Chairman Chris.
"I was removed from the committee!" shouts Esteban Duran, fleetingly.

But Heather takes the reins again and answers a few questions and more people begin to leave. We've lost half our crowd. Does the Q and A still count as part of her record? Judges? It does! The clock is still ticking!

8:41 PM: Chairman Chris moves for a vote of the rezoning, the Wythe Avenue one, and the motion to approve the Land Use Committee's recommendation passes 15 in favor, 4 against and 4 abstentions. OSA Joe Vance is pissed. I'm not sure board members knew exactly what they were voting for.

There's one final item for a vote, and that's the Roebling Street project which is trying to add about 90 parking spaces to their building, which requires a zoning change.

8:50 PM: After 1 hour and 9 minutes
Heather: Thank God, I'm done talking." Applause

Mieszko Kalita takes the mic promising a change in speed. Liquor license renewals. Approved. Done. Liquor licenses new. Motion to approve? In favor? Approved. Carried.

Not approved, 256 Grand Street renewal for the Trash Bar, because of noise complaints. The motion carries. Trash Bar has some problems.
Mieszko pops through the last two items in ice like a blizzard/ When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard/ Sippin sizzurp in my ride, like Three Six/ Now I’m feelin so fly like a...

8:55 PM Rami Metal introduces a letter from Councilman Stephen Levin noting his concern over the proposed homeless shelter on McGuinness Boulevard and he begins passing around the letter to the remaining board members and stragglers.

8:57 PM Feeling the pressure from board members, Transportation Chairwoman Karen Nieves takes the mic and delivers a blisteringly fast report about the Greenway planning session, the canceled B39 Bus, a request for bike racks, and a joint committee request with public safety about bike rules, particularly educating cyclists that they shouldn't ride through red lights, the wrong way and on the wrong side of the road. Five minutes Karen. Not bad at all. That's Community Board-MVP material.

9:02 PM: Ryan Kuonen mentions how basically no one showed up to her environmental meeting.

9:04 PM: Esteban Duran gives his education committee meeting, addressing decreasing enrollments and vacancies, summer youth employment programs, and Town Square Inc's Schoolfest last month. Also, Joel Klein stepped down today. So there's that.

Several Hasidic members have left already. Why? Because Rabbi David Niederman's granddaughter is getting married tonight. So that's where Rob Solano is.

9:13 PM: Finally. Public Session.
*Joseph Garber protests the two minute rule and rambles on for a full three minutes.
*Jackie Medina, volunteer director for Parks and OSA, formerly in
*Rami visits Press Row and notes that Deputy Inspector Dennis Fulton has left the 94th Precinct like Jack Hammer left this meeting three hours ago.
*A rep from the Brooklyn Smoke Free partnership noting that Camel Company is marketing its own cigarette just for Williamsburg youth. Wow. That's the most interesting thing I heard all night.
*Cassandra Smith from GMDC presents the boathouse plan with GWAP. Read about it here.
It's finally over. Jack Hammer is tonight's Community Board 1 MVP. Karen Nieves was Runner-up. Heather Roslund placed 3,945th.

CB1 Preview

2010-11-09T13:44:00.006-05:00

Wake up, it's time for another community board 1 meeting. What's on the agenda tonight? Rezoning a strip of Wythe Avenue. What should be on the agenda tonight?

How about the War on Loosies?

Or Public Safety concerns regarding police accidentally getting locked up in hipsters' front yards?

Or another luxury hotel moving to the northside?

Or the neighborhood's apparent love affair with vinyl siding?

Or said vinyl siding building's potentially dangerous existence to pedestrians?

Tonight won't be a total snoozefest. Did we mention that the FBI is coming to talk about protecting the nation's infrastructure? Perhaps they'll send this guy.

Quick hits for a Marathon Monday

2010-11-08T10:57:00.002-05:00

A Short Story wants to hit the week running with five links to check out this week. Try to catch your breathe.

*There were some murmurs about Two Trees' development of a luxury hotel down the street from Graves Hospitality-- and tomorrow we could learn whether the Walentases (Walentasises? Walentasses? What's plural for the Dumbo developers? Somebody help me out here) secure $15 million in bond money from the city. Exciting times. Also receiving top billing, Tony Argento is applying for $13.5 million for his Broadway Stages project on Kingsland Avenue.

*Speaking of hotels, there's a new Orthodox-friendly hotel coming to South Williamsburg (actually two hotels) for all your kosher needs. Except cable television. C'mon Jewcy, can't you put together a Hasidic-friendly porn channel for these guys? It's a niche market!

*Let's do a two-fer for political stories- Reid Pillifant has a story on Chuck Schumer and the DSCC and Nick Rizzo has a new story about the Green Party.

*If it's early November, it must be time for another arts festival in Bushwick. Enter Beta Spaces.

*Finally, Bishop Loughlin prep star JayVaughn Pinkston is in some trouble with police in Pennsylvania, which may delay his awaited debut with the Villanova Wildcats. Should have gone to UConn, JayVaughn.

Awards nominations coming tomorrow- but here's Steve Witt

2010-11-03T18:31:00.003-04:00

I have a lot of photos to sort through, from Bill Clinton's appearance in downtown Brooklyn and Steve Cohn's breakfast at Juniors to Halloween costumes and some Election Day thoughts. So the best way to cover all of that is to have an awards show. Online. With no compensation.

But first, wondering what Steve Witt is up to? He's interviewing street performers at Grand Central Station and Union Square.

and this

Chuck Norris wins!

2010-11-03T12:21:00.007-04:00

Norris defeated Democratic challenger Kathryn Guinan to become the first Republican in the office in 26 years. The Norwich Bulliten has a completely unironic roundup of the race here.
Meanwhile, a much cruddier paper, the New London Day, has a story about people (ahem) stealing Norris' campaign signs, with no mention of this blog.
I am reaching out to Mr. Norris for an interview about his victory and plans to distribute his unique brand of justice in the future. As Connecticut Law Blog puts it, "Someone ran against Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris won."
Or as Google puts it: "Google won't search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don't find Chuck Norris, he finds you."

Connecticut Chuck Norris for Probate Judge

2010-11-02T15:56:00.005-04:00

As voters fill out ballots like angsty, pimple-faced teenagers completing the SATs, A Short Story wants to take a moment to offer its first (and last ever) endorsement for a candidate on the ballot today.
His name is Chuck Norris and he's running for Probate Judge in Norwich, Connecticut.
Norris has been receiving an emphatic letter-writing campaign of supporters including Raymond Dussault, chairman of the Norwich Republican Town Committee who writes "Norris will bring discipline, experience and compassion to the court," and Albert Trombley, also of Norwich, who argues, "based on the combination of Chuck’s legal experience and compassion for others," Norwich residents should cast their vote for Norris.

And then there's Trish Sullivan of Voluntown, who writes, "Some lawyers spend their entire careers involved in just one area of the law. They’re never exposed to — or learn how to handle — cases other than the limited matters that they have chosen to study. Other lawyers, such as Chuck Norris, have spent their careers studying and learning all areas of the law in order to represent their clients at each and every stage of their lives."

All areas of the law people. And when reason fails, he will roundhouse kick the defendant through the windshield of his car.

Monday pre-election links

2010-11-01T11:14:00.004-04:00

Bear with me, I have a lot of photos to upload for the weekend's events-- but in the meantime, here are five election-related stories that will bleed into Tuesday:

*Could a sitting comptroller (above in a soon-to-be-bromantic scene with Beep Markowitz) actually lose? Do New Yorkers even know what a comptroller is or who is running? Neither does Charlie Rangel.

*The Times predicts the State Senate will flip back to the Republicans and points to the Aqueduct scandal as a contributing factor.

*And in gubernatorial news-- Reid Pillifant from the Observer wonders if a new saner Carl would have had a better shot of beating Andrew Cuomo if he acted this way from the beginning.

*You've probably picked up an L magazine already and flipped through its 50 best blocks in Brooklyn. They left out Best Block containing a political clubhouse that is supposed to be a center providing respite services for seniors (Wyckoff Avenue bet. Grove and Menahan Streets).

*With few competitive races in the state except counties above Westchester (and maybe that pesky Bay Ridge congressional race), New Yorkers went to Washington this weekend for the sanity rally. The WG News and Arts was there and took pictures.

Juniors' Last Breakfast?

2010-10-28T13:51:00.003-04:00

No! Former state committeeman Steve Cohn (with son Warren Cohn) has vowed to continue the most important breakfast in Brooklyn in perpetuity! Cohn elaborates below:

"It's definitely not. It's a great networking breakfast and yes we plan to do a Seneca Dinner as always. It should be a really successful. We hope to continue to hand out cheesecakes to the people."

Word is Governor Paterson, Comptroller DiNapoli and others will be making special appearances. Possibly future governor Andrew Cuomo has been invited, but with four days to go before a statewide election, don't count on seeing him there unless it's a last minute thing. He already visited downtown Brooklyn yesterday.

Wednesday links

2010-10-20T14:06:00.002-04:00

It's a mostly quiet week in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, save for CMJ taking over the north side (since when did CMJ become the Northside festival but larger and with more swag?). Let's run through a few links...

*Shea Stadium gets the Times spotlight.

*New York Press' Jessica Mahler wonders whether the latest city vacate order at 573 Metropolitan is a chink in 3rd Ward's burgeoning empire.

*CNN comes to Newtown Creek and shows us how to make an incredibly complicated story into a condensed file report.

*Stephen Brown has Marty Markowitz's reaction to the Prospect Park West bike lane (he doesn't like it).

*Reid Pillifant of the New York Observer looks at Joe Girardi's crumbling Yankees.

*Alex Pareene and Nick Rizzo buzz through an espresso-fueled running diary of the gubernatorial debate at Capital New York.

*The Downtown Star's Daniel Bush heads to Brighton Beach for reaction to a new Ruskie reality show. Dan, where did you get lunch down there?

*New York Shitty says that residents near the House of Vans were complaining about the noise and the aftermath of its massive blowout opening party on Saturday night.

*Councilwoman Diana Reyna's office wants Bushwick Avenue to be landmarked. So does Adam Schwartz, and BushwickBK took a tour with him.

Monday links

2010-10-18T15:25:00.006-04:00

Photo by Leanie Beans
Carl Paladino prepares for tonight's debate with Andrew Cuomo and five other people.

The Governor debate and all its encompassing weirdness takes the day on a slow Monday. Let's get right to the links.

Jimmy Vielkind splashes into Capital New York with a piece about new Democratic unity in New York State.
HuffingtonPost looks at the other guys.
New York Magazine gives you a guide...
and... good Lord, everyone is writing about this. Let's get back to the local sh*t.

The Greenpoint Gazette's Juliet Linderman takes a closer look at Judge Emily Goodman's Broadway Triangle ruling and the city's expiring contracts. This sounds like an NBA trade: The New York Knicks trade David Lee to the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council for Scott Short and $2.4 million in expiring contracts. Hope you've been practicing your free throws, Scott.

Attorney general candidate Dan Donovan visited Hasidic leaders in South Williamsburg Sunday and did not get captured in an awkward photo shoot with a political colleague or utter an anti-gay slur, but his team did prematurely trumpet an endorsement. I guess that's progress.

And I missed both the pickle festival, the bacon takedown, and some kind of all-you-can-eat late-night taco implosion. I need salt. Does anyone have some salt?

Community Board 1: Joe Vance, Steve Lenard, and no food

2010-10-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

It’s 6 pm and the doors to 211 Ainslie are locked, before Marie lets everyone in.
Karen Nieves is nursing her fifth coffee of the day and we have a few stragglers including eight “ambassadors” from national public radio here to talk to community members about a new program designed to connect Williamsburg residents with WNYC, because, why reinvent the wheel?

WNYC’s Azi Paybarah couldn’t be here tonight so he sent his secret army instead.

Losing District Leader candidate and current Greenpoint blonde planners mafia charter member Kate Zidar is here too to talk about her Green Eggs Wetland Project which is appealing to funding for a wetlands project which may be eligible for funding from a pool of money administered by City Parks Foundation. She's working very hard to make a publishable photograph. Maybe next time?
The Chairman Emeritus makes an appearance but it sounds like he has to get going pretty quickly
Unfortunately, sad news to report. We will not be seeing the lovely Julia Morrow tonight because the Open Space Alliance has brilliantly scheduled its community meeting at the same exact time as the board meeting. In her place, we are joined by Caitlin Dourmashkin of the Northside Merchants Association (note: not EWVIDCO) who “hasn’t attended one of these things in years,” and... look at that… Debbie Feinberg, legislative liaison for Assemblyman Vito Lopez, subject of a brief piece on PolitickerNY. Let's see if she has a comment.

6:34 PM: Chairman Chris Olechowski calls the meeting to order, District Manager Gerry Esposito takes the roll and we move onto item one— a sidewalk application. It passes easily.

6:38 PM: Open Space Alliance board member Joe Vance begins to stir as Chairman Chris reads the description of the applicant’s zoning application. This project, a vacant lot on Wythe Avenue that hosted the Rock Yard parties, is asking for a zoning change from heavy manufacturing to R-6 residential use. The property’s owner, Bruce Terzano, talks about his history in the neighborhood before passing the mic to Joe:
“He wants this to be a neighborhood project. We’re used to hearing from lawyers on this project but he came to me instead."
Joe describes the project as a six-story building with commercial on the ground floor and parking below, and a big backyard.
“By and large most of the development we’ve seen is geared toward young people. Bruce believes that eventually these people will have families and will want more space. He believes this project will be family-oriented."
CB1 member Jose Leon has a question about where the affordable housing will be, just as CPCR’s Susan Pollock and Barbara Baer arrive. Joe explains that the two buildings will be separate and that the nonprofit developer will eventually own the below-market-rate building.
We have more questions about what exist there now and whether commercial tenants will have to move out, and Joe covers a number of details including square footage, FAR and the number of units in the project (59 market rate and 18 below-market).

6:57 PM: Chairman Chris moves to the third item, a special permit for a building on the corner of Roebling, Metropolitan and Hope Street for on-lot parking spaces and 90 apartment units. We have a presentation from Patrick Jones, the applicant.
Jones explains that the owner of the 103-year-old building is applying for a certificate of occupancy to bring the old mixed-use industrial building into legal occupancy. The building, zoned for manufacturing use, has been occupied with residencies since the 1980s and has commercial on the first floor.
Ward asks a question about whether the request would retain retail use on the first floor and apparently it would.
Heather asks about the one-story building with the Roebling Tea House will be affected- and it will not be.
A community member who owns a building with commercial nearby speaks against the building's application for parking- mostly because it kicked out other tenants in the building.
This item is going back to Land Use on Oct. 27, so we'll have more then.

7:08 PM: Chairman Chris and Rabbi Webber react to yet another miner being rescued from a mine shaft by the Chilean government.

7:09 PM: It's Steve Lenard time! City Planning analyst Steve Lenard will attempt to synthesize a 600-page document on zoning text amendments in a 10-minute presentation. If there's anyone who can do it, it's Steve, a nominee for the 2010 Facial Hair All-Stars.

We pick up mid-stream:
"Another clarification is about vesting. This is a situation in which we are changing the zoning to make it change the same way it is today because we don't want to create any negative impacts from this proposal. Under the vesting rules, if the zoning changes, and you are in construction, you have to complete the foundation before vesting.
In order to prevent a situation where half a lot is built on some rules and another is built on different rules- but for the purposes of vesting, it's considered one rule."

I'm so turned on right now. Does anyone want to launch a Steve Lenard planning fan club? Nate Silver can't get all the glory. C'mon Greenpoint blonde planners mafia, make this happen.

7:30 PM: Chairman Chris asks Steve to "please summarize" which draws a few laughs, before Steve notes that this is "only a small portion of the entire report."
A property owner is somehow allowed to talk about his specific situation for nearly five minutes before Heather Roslund cuts him off and summarizes his point. Thankfully we move on.
"Thank you very much Steve, for that intricate presentation," says Chairman Chris

7:39 PM: Chairman Chris asks Maria Batista from Diana Reyna's office to introduce herself and she announces a citizenship drive, and Chairman Chris introduces Liza Garcia as a new liaison to the community board. Debbie remains seated.

7:41 PM: Chairman Chris gives the mic to Rami Metal, who announces a new bill introduced by Councilman Steve Levin to suspend alternate side parking in areas surrounding film shoots, which receives some applause. There's an article in the Observer about it.
Sam Pierre also introduces himself as the nwe Brooklyn director of community affairs
"Carolyn Saunders-James retired and I definitely took her place. A lot of people told me that I have big shoes to fill but I have size 11 shoes."

7:49 PM: Chairman Chris closes the meeting and Gerry reads the second roll. We've got a quorum and there's a motion to approve the minutes. We're onto reports. I'll summarize.
Chairman Chris exhorts members to take committee meetings seriously by actually attending them from time to time.
District manager's report... as written.
Esteban makes a motion regarding a letter about a Throop Street building, inviting the commissioner to come out for a project. The motion carries. I haven't heard about this issue yet. Will follow-up.

8:00 PM: Committee reports! Land Use kicks off and I'll summarize, but first, hey Ward Dennis. How's life in the cheap seats?
Heather Roslund explains the Northside Town Hall zoning request, which was approved 2-0-0. A watershed moment for the town hall project.
Heather also notes the comprehensive watershed plan meeting she attended in Borough Hall... and this goes on for a while as press row starts looking toward the ceiling for the Chilean rescue capsule to get us out of this meeting.

"Hey, does this thing go to Teddy's Restaurant?"

8:20 PM Public Safety! This committee deserves its own theme music.

Tom Burrows takes the mic, as Mieszko was in Las Vegas doubling down the board's expenditures. The liquor license renewals pass easily. Tom moves onto sidewalk applications before touching on liquor license new applicants. The new licenses pass.
Onto renewals, which include Pumps and The Production Lounge. Tom notes no complaints and a recommended approval, except for The Charleston, Spuyten Duyvil, Greg's Tavern and The Production Lounge, which are disapprovals. The board seconds it.
Also, Tom notes that Cono's closed so it's not up for renewal.

Now Mieszko is up with the second and "more important" part of the meeting. This calls for another Doda video.

Mieszko notes there is a 200 bed men's shelter proposed for McGuinness Boulevard, one block from the Greenpoint Hotel and proceeds to recap the meeting:
"More likely they were trying to defend themselves from an angry mob, and rightly so. As you can see we have no communication with Help USA. They are very bad at public relations. Clearly F. Clearly F. They are not talking to us. They have said it is way to early, but they have bought the building. It's not just for fun. The next day after the meeting, I received a petition with 700 signatures opposing the shelter...
Therefore I would like the board to send a letter to Department of Homeless Services saying we are clearly in opposition to building a homeless shelter at McGuinness Boulevard."
There's some bickering on the letter, as Ryan Kuonen raises the issue that Greenpoint has its own homeless problem that is badly underserved. Fortunately, Marie notes that Help USA plans to be servicing homeless men at the shelter site, and I once again remind our community leaders about proper grammar. The letter passes unanimously.

8:49 PM: Public session! We're almost done. There's just one item.

*Debra Masters and Kate Zidar note the new Superfund designation and their stormwater project, wetlands with structures 25 feet high meant to mimic the design of the Newtown Creek digester eggs, which will clean stormwater toxins that would go into Newtown Creek. And it will also be a park. And I'm on a horse.

Community Board 1 preview: Get Pumped Up

2010-10-13T14:50:00.003-04:00

Photo by Julie Linderman

CB1 Public Safety Chair Mieszko is back from Las Vegas, leaving a swarthy path of destruction, debts, and broken promises. In his absence, Big Tom proved remarkably effective, vetting through a list of nearly 50 liquor license applications and renewals that stretched to 10:30 pm. Two of them are worth paying attention to:

The Production Lounge, Miss Heather's favorite Greenpoint Bar, is up for renewal. It had a difficult year in 2009, following the Valentines Day almost-massacre, but its renewal passed quietly.
So did Pumps Bar, which bills itself as Brooklyn's favorite strip club. Did you know that Pumps has its own myspace page? And a happy hour from 3 to 6 pm every day? Of course you do. You're reading my blog. Is it too late for Lincoln Restler to change his victory party location?

Thanks Miss Heather! And yes, Consumer Affairs may have spotted a violation or two.

Tuesday morning links

2010-10-12T14:15:00.004-04:00

We're in it now. And by it, I mean the Newtown Creek Sewage Plant!

I know the posts have come infrequently these past few weeks. I'm going to try to address that going forward with some shorter bursts of links and commentary. This is one of them. Let's take a look at five stories I've written over the past week and five stories from other reporters that merit a second look.

*Could the Broadway Triangle lawsuit be delayed indefinitely? It's the closest thing to an injunction, if Judge Goodman rules to halt proceedings this week.

*143 Himrod Street and Hope Gardens are getting more attention as poll workers note election improprieties and odd behavior on primary day.

*Ted Hamm and Williams Cole celebrate the release of the Brooklyn Rail's nonfiction anthology. They had two parties in Williamsburg this weekend, but the L-train was out, so I missed them. Fortunately, there's more to come including another reading in Fort Greene.

*Congratulations to the John Cougar Mellencamps, your 2010 Brooklyn Kickball champions!

*Finally, looking for an old-school red sauce joint now that Vito Lopez's favorite restaurant, Cono's has closed? Try these recommendations.

And let's take a look at five other major stories pertaining Bushwick, Williamsburg and Greenpoint:

*Reid Pillifant has done some fine work tracking the governor's race for the Observer. Perhaps you should be reading it.

*WNYC's Azi Paybarah, who broke Carl Paladino's anti-gay speech in Williamsburg on Sunday via twitter, has an informative Q and A with Capital New York's Josh Benson. Does anyone else get the sense that Paladino resembles every strict high school principal in a John Hughes movie?

*Jeff Mann, publisher of the Greenpoint Gazette, reports Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Julius Spiegel's retirement party.

*Katharine Jose, who wrote about the Onderdonk House in June, the 1709 Dutch farmhouse that was inexplicably not in Open House New York weekend, tackled the Ridgewood Reservoir too for Capital New York.

*And Greg Hanlon has also done some fine work for Capital New York on the New York Giants' defensive line, which looks a lot better after this weekend. We hear another article is coming.

The Short List: Greg Hanlon Turns 30 edition

2010-10-08T16:26:00.004-04:00

For his 30th birthday, Greg went and got a watsu massage. Then he got sauced. And by sauce, I mean, he went to White Castle with his girlfriend and put all its sauces on a double cheeseburger and ate it. He's still recovering. Happy 30th Greg. It's all downhill from here.

As for the weekend, it's Open House New York weekend, which means that everything from Grant's Tomb to the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant will be open for the public to poke around in. The sewage plant, whose motto is "All Your Waste Belong to Us" and has been referred to as the sh#t t#ts (Thank you Miss Heather for coining that one) is becoming an October tradition for Greenpoint. I've been on the tour before. The highlight is watching people look through the peep hole where you can see everything getting processed.

Fan-tastic.

Where was I...?

2010-09-29T22:27:00.002-04:00

Ahhh... that's right. The blog. I knew I was forgetting something the past couple of weeks. I'm working on an important story. Perhaps you've heard about it?

Happy Birthday Evan Thies!

2010-09-16T12:07:00.003-04:00

A Short Story would like to wish Evan Thies a happy 31st (?) birthday. Evan, you don't look a day over 26. Good luck at your consulting office fending off the advances of Ken Cosgrove.

Community Board 1: Welcome Back

2010-09-15T23:59:00.005-04:00

6:15 PM: After a long summer hiatus, Community Board 1 is back in the Swinging Sixties Senior Center for the first meeting of the school year. There are 19 people in the room right now, or as it is otherwise known, Lincoln Restler’s election margin. Unlike the Restler-Cohn election, whether this meeting will be an interesting one is not too close to call. On the agenda tonight includes an appearance by Brooklyn Great Names All Star and Facial Hair Hall of Fame member Jack Hammer, who will give a presentation about the Northside Town Hall, a number of liquor licenses, and a St. Nicks Alliance’s award for the Chairman Emeritus Vinny Abate.
Also, there is a very important announcement on some of the tables: All Bingo Players- We will now have Big Bingo every Tuesday this week. All Bingo Players get FREE Grilled Hot Dogs with Sauerkraut AND Coffee. Wow.

6:22 PM: Holy crap! There’s food? There is! Maybe four dozen wraps are from Food Bazaar's Michael Chironno and Chris Sung. I haven't seen food at a meeting since 2008! Mr. Chironno and Mr. Sung are immediately in the running to be MVPs of the September meeting.

6:30 pm: District Manager Gerry Esposito reads the roll call andChairman Chris clears up some rumors that there will be a discussion about the planned men’s shelter and assessment center on 400 McGuinness Bouleveard. “That’s not going to happen,” says Chairman Chris. Apparently HELP USA! did not confirm.
In the meantime, there will be a special joint committee Public Safety, Human Services Committee on Sept. 27, at the Polish National Home, Driggs and Nassau Avenue, just on that one item. A representative from the Department of Homeless Services will be there, but the CEO of HELP USA! has not confirmed his attendance.

6:33 PM Sadly, Jack Hammer did not show up. I can’t tell you how deflating this is. Instead, we have Eunice Su, a project manager from HPD and Felice Kirby, VP of the Town Hall Board, to speak about the non-ULULRP UDAP. Let’s go to Felice.

“I am thrilled and proud to be on the board of the nonprofit. I am so happy to be here on behalf of so many supporters on whose shoulders we sat to save this project. We are thrilled through the hard work of the community board, we were able to stop this building from going to luxury housing and instead it’s going to be a gem for the community. The plans discussed are very rudimentary. We have to raise $2 million and we have raised $1.2 million to date.”
Del Teague, chairwoman of the board at Town Hall, just entered, to applause, which was also meant for the money that was raised. Or maybe they're just big fans of Tea With the Queen.

Felice adds more context and Su explains that the city hopes to be done with all public reviews by January and notes that this is the first closed firehouse going through the public review process. Felice continues:
"I don't think that the city will put a gun to our heads if we don't raise all of the money. We've heard we have this project. It was a competitive process and we won that contest among 54 competitive bids including complete theatrical companies, which were very impressive...
The council money won't materialize until 2012. We need everyone in the community to tell Marty Markowitz, Joe [Lentol] and Steve Levin that this is an important project.
That building is happening now. It is unstoppable. We're using it every month. You should see the artist projects that we do."

6:53 PM: Chairman Chris plows through a bunch of agenda items from presenters who are not here, skipping to Jose Leon of St. Nick's Alliance and Lisa Bamonte who will present an award to represent an award given to the Chairman Emeritus, who is 92 years old, on behalf of his work with Settlement House and the School Settlement Association. The award is a framed copy of a Greenline newspaper article about Abate's achievements. The framed picture of Abate will hang in the lobby of this building. Let's go to the Chairman Emeritus:
"This is the first time in my adult life that I have not run an organization. It was always busy at times. Now I have a lot of time on my hands. I feel I've walked off the planet. Nobody calls me. They think he just wants his peace. The only peace I could find is if the big guy says come on up or if the other guy says come on down. I have to be very careful what I wish for."
Chairman Chris: Thank you very much, Vinny. You're very dear to our hearts.

7:03 PM: We have a presentation from a representative with the Taxi and Limousine Commission, who is not TLC Commissioner David Yassky, to speak about a new service called the Group Ride Vehicles Pilot Program along the former B39 bus route from the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza over the Williamsburg Bridge into the Lower East Side.
Esteban Duran, who lost a District Leader race to Vito Lopez yesterday, asks whether the the limos will have service to the disabled, and it's
Also, the service will be cash only. And driven by this man.

7:18 PM: Diane Jackson gives a short presentation to update the community board regarding Greenpoint Renaissance Enterprise Corporation and its subsequent meetings with Housing and Preservation Development after it awarded the bid to another developer.
Jackson: "It is said there is still possibility that the city has stopped discussions with the winning bidder."
Unfortunately for GREC, HPD confirmed it is still awarding the Greenpoint Hospital project to TNS-Great American, and not GREC.
Jackson notes several additional events at Cooper Park and arts events in Bushwick
Frank Lang, Housing from St. Nicks Alliance

7:26 PM: New board member Maria Viera arrives, chatting briefly with Levin liaison Rami Metal. Standing in the doorway is Lopez superstar intern Andy Marte who is checking out the scene. Will try to find out what his reactions are to a busy day of campaigns during a break in the action. Meanwhile, Chairman Chris closes public session and we're into the board meeting. Motion to adjourn is approved and we go to the second roll.

7:30 PM Chairman Chris announces three new board members who will be sworn in: Ryan Kuonen, Maria Viera, and Moishe Zelig. Moishe isn't here, but Ryan and Maria are.

7:36 PM: Committee Reports! The Karen Nieves Era leads us off with her Transportation Report, beginning with a summary of a June committee meeting. She's reading her notes word for word, beginning with a Nassau Avenue construction update. The community's worries so far include flooding on Nassau Avenue and Jewel Street, truck traffic at PS 84, truck traffic on Wythe and Kent Avenue, the proposed Greenpoint Avenue bike lane and proposed traffic calming measures...

While Karen continues, let's welcome Juliet Linderman of the Greenpoint Gazette to Press Row! For the past hour, Linderman has been asking hipsters in McCarren Park if they would be so kind as to put out their cigarettes because it is now illegal to smoke in parks for a story. How'd that go, Linderman?
"They were none too pleased."

Karen yields the floor to Julie Lawrence who talks about a kayaking event on the Pulaski Bridge- she must mean in Newtown Creek under the Pulaski Bridge- before continuing on other events.

7:51 PM: Karen finishes her report. Esteban has a question about Flushing Avenue garbage pickup and demands a letter. At this point it needs to be pointed out that this meeting is severely dragging... but to the rescue comes... Mieszko Kalita!

7:54 PM: Mieszko- "We only have two liquor licenses, but for the first time ever, one is a hotel license."
Gasps from the crowd.
"This is for the entire building. If it is 2 am and you desire a drink, a drink will be brought to you."
This is the Graves Hotel Project, known as Hotel Williamsburg and its cafe, Streets Restaurant. It is easily approved. Mieszko notes the Sept 27 meeting about the Homeless Shelter at the Polish National Home, also known as The Warsaw.

7:58 PM: Dewey Thomspon gives an update about the $10 million Environmental Benefits Project, regarding money awarded to the community due to the city's numerous construction delays and violations. Thompson notes that the impact area for these projects (aka the cash) must be within half a mile of the impact area in Greenpoint. City Parks Foundation is in the process of evaluating where the money will go, so we're going to have to wait a bit for that decision. Dewey has his own awesome plan to build a boat house at the end of Manhattan Avenue for kayaks and canoes, but he doesn't talk about that too much.

8:07 PM: Chairman Chris welcomes Heather Roslund as the new Land Use Chairwoman. Ward Dennis sheds a tear. Roslund says that it's been a quiet summer but notes some controversy between the Java Street Pier, aka the Impro-Pier, and a phantom RFP that the city put out which went to only one developer. Linderman has been on this for a couple of weeks, and a new article in Architect's Newspaper, "Plan for Pier Floods Greenpoint," is out too. The board wrote a letter requesting the city to revoke the RFP and begin the process anew.
Rami Metal mumbles through his says that Levin is on his way and will speak shortly.

8:13 PM: Public session
*A new event called Willifest, the international film festival, is coming Sept 23-26. 169 films from around the world will be playing for three days. Several venues include El Puente, The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn Bowl, the new Indie Film Theater on Kent and S. 2nd, and more.

*Laura Hofmann wants to let everyone know how bad an idea it is to locate a homeless shelter on McGuinness Boulevard. She acknowledges that the homeless need a place to stay, but is disturbed by its close location to the Newtown Creek Nature Walk. Also there's a chloroform cloud at Paidge Street and Hofmann says it's unfair because homeless should not be located in an area that is unfit for habitation.

8:18 PM: Old Business. Miss Heather from New York Shitty takes the opportunity to say hello and goodbye. And we should check her blog out. Done and done.

8:26 PM: Councilman Steve Levin arrives, takes the microphone, and lays out how the whole impro-pier saga went down:

"What EDC did was put out an RFP. Didn't tell me. Didn't tell community board. I don't even know if they told folks in the administration. But they went ahead and did it anyway, with Stiles LLP, who owns the adjacent land. What they get with it is a density bonus. The whole thing is very fishy. We've taken a public stance that this RFP should be withdrawn... The community gets nothing out of it. Nothing, unless maybe if you have a historic vessel..."

Mieszko asks Levin about his position on the 400 McGuinness shelter. Levin: "I have my reservations on this. It's a temporary situation with 200 beds. It does nothing to address Greenpoint and Williamsburg's issues regarding homeless. We have issues in Greenpoint with chronic homelessness. I live on the corner of Morgan and Meeker and all winter there were homeless individuals who slept under the BQE on mattresses."

8:45 PM: New Business. Esteban has a question about a negative recommendation for the rezoning on three small site projects on Bedford and S. Third, and two lots at Maujer and Ten Eyck.

Tom Burrows asks the Community Board for another letter, a stronger letter, to the city asking for the community board' support of the GREC proposal and to reverse its award for TNS-Great American Construction. As Tish Cianciotta gives an impassioned speech demanding the need for a letter, Levin shakes hands with a few community members in the back of the room and heads out. Chairman Chris asks for a motion to vote on the letter, and then asks for a copy of the RFP from GREC. There's some quibbling from several board members who don't want to do that. The letter is approved. We have a motion to adjourn. Before that, let's do a mustache-off. Vote for your favorite Community Board 1 facial hair this month.

A. Mieszko B. Gerry C. Rolando

Vote in the comments! Good night!

And now... a message from Mieszko...

2010-09-15T16:25:00.003-04:00

Hallo. I am Mieszko. Welcome back to Community Board One. It's been a long hot summer without your Community Board, but we are back in 211 Ainslie, which some call, the Swinging Sixties... Not me. I don't swing.... did I mention the summer was long... and hot... my it's hot in here right now...

...where was I? Ah yes. My committee report. We have 486 new liquor license applications which the committee recommends approval and one application which we recommend disapproval with modifications of course. This one establishment wants to open for 25 hours, which is technically, not possible... since there are only 24 hours in the day, or if you lived in the Eastern Block as I did, when there were 15 hours in the day. Very confusing.

Between you and me, those 14-hour work days were... very difficult. A dark time for Poland. But back to community board.. there is a meeting tonight. The agenda is available online, but it will be very short. Very short. Shhhhhhh. It's ok. Mieszko is here. It will be alright. After, we will celebrate with beers. Welcome back, community members. I've missed you.

And your winners are...

2010-09-15T13:00:00.007-04:00

Linda Minucci, Joe Lentol, Vito Lopez, Kevin Peter Carroll, Jo Anne Simon and Chris Owens all won their races yesterday... but the Lincoln Restler- Warren Cohn battle remained too close to call.

Restler celebrated his 20 vote margin anyway last night at Teddy's, as unofficial results put Restler ahead- barely- 50.2 percent to 48.8 percent (Kate Zidar lost to Minucci by about 400 votes though those numbers were unofficial). Both sides went to Board of Elections headquarters at 42 Broadway and are now in Sunset Park sifting through votes in order to sort this thing out.
It's so close that both camps are predicting a "protacted legal battle" and A Short Story has decided to retain election attorney Martin Connor just for the hell of it. It's fourth an inches, as Warren might say, unless things get called back for a penalty, and they probably will. Stay tuned.

C-O-H-N! COHN! COHN! COHN!

Baby Alligator Disenfranchised!

2010-09-14T14:44:00.004-04:00

Photo courtesy of The Daily News

A baby alligator attempting to vote for Lincoln Restler in Fort Greene was picked up by officers from the 88th precinct. The alligator, which was wearing a "Reptiles for Restler" campaign button was put in the back seat of a police cruiser and taken to animal control, where it also attempted to vote for Lincoln Restler.

Meanwhile, a pigeon in South Williamsburg was seen carrying a Warren Cohn flyer in his beak flying by Taylor Wythe houses. Details to follow.