Lander, now candidate for NYC Comptroller, says crisis planning key part of job
Councilmember Brad Lander (D-Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) recently released a proposal to turn the office of the New York City comptroller into a hub for confronting the risks that climate change poses to NYC’s economy, health, and infrastructure. “The job of the comptroller is to take the long-term view on our city, evaluate the risks we face, and prepare us for future crises. In the devastation from Superstorm Sandy and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen clearly how deadly it can be when we aren’t prepared for a crisis,” he said. Lander is running for comptroller.
Brooklyn Hospital Center: modernized new campus another step closer
The Brooklyn Hospital Center filed a preliminary application in late September to begin official public review of the plans to modernize its campus. Some of the hospital’s current buildings date back to the 1890s. Gary Terrinoni, the hospital’s CEO, said that the transformation of the hospital’s Fort Greene campus would be done over a period of eight to 10 years. The $1 billion plan, previously covered by the Eagle, proposes building two new towers, including a new cancer center, an ambulatory surgery center, an expanded emergency room, a maternity room and a cardiac center.
‘Pumpkin Hunt’ is alternative to Halloween social contact
Amelia Nichols, a Cobble Hill mom and local activist, has started the Halloween Pumpkin Hunt, a socially distanced alternative to trick-or-treating. Participants create paper pumpkins and tape them to their windows, then register on an online map. On Halloween, children, dressed in colorful costumes, search the neighborhood for the pumpkins, with a candy reward at the end. Nichols is co-chair of the board at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and is on the board of the Cobble Hill Association, according to NY1 News.
Orthodox Jews rally for Trump in Brooklyn
About a thousand mainly Orthodox Jews held a rally for President Donald Trump in Marine Park on Sunday, attacking the city and state’s Democratic leadership while calling for the re-election of the president. The rally was the final stop in a convoy that started in Monsey, Rockland County, and proceeded to the Five Towns in Nassau County, Manhattan, and several predominantly Orthodox neighborhoods in Brooklyn. At several locations, opponents attacked the protesters, throwing eggs at them. Despite the crowd’s animosity toward de Blasio and Cuomo, most wore masks. The loudspeakers blared both Israeli and Yiddish music as well as songs like the Village People’s “YMCA,” the Times of Israel reported.
Some Brooklyn schools close due to COVID cases
Several schools last week in both Brooklyn and the Bronx closed temporarily after positive coronavirus cases were found. In Brooklyn, two schools were forced to shut down. PS 380 in Williamsburg closed for a day for cleaning and disinfecting, and PS 229 in Dyker Heights closed for two weeks. In most cases, even after school buildings reopen, classrooms linked to a positive case remain closed for two weeks. It was not clear if those who tested positive for COVID-19 were students or staff members, according to CBS News.
Ukrainian Sports Club moves to Brooklyn
After 46 years in Manhattan, the Ukrainian Sports Club of New York recently announced its move to a new home in Brooklyn. The new location is near McCarren Park in Greenpoint, and an announcement containing the location will be made once the deal is finalized. The club sold its building in the East Village four years ago, but remained inside. The lobby contained photos of New York Ukrainian soccer teams over the years, a bar with three television sets to show sports matches, and a display of the club’s trophies, according to Ukrainian News.
Adams wants to ensure equal access to parks
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams recently released his testimony to the City Council’s Committee on Parks and Recreation for its hearing on “Improving the Equity of Greenspace Throughout the City in Light of the COVID-19 Epidemic.” Adams said COVID-19 has exposed unequal access to the city’s green space, which promotes physical and mental health. In his testimony, Adams laid out proposals that would improve access to green space for Brooklynites and New Yorkers in general. Many of the same neighborhoods that bore the brunt of COVID-19 —predominantly Black and Brown communities — also lack easy access to green space.
Radio host invites Proud Boys to Borough Park
Harold “Heshy” Tischler, a leader of the sometimes-violent protests in Borough Park against Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s COVID restrictions, told a member of the Proud Boys who called into his radio show, “Just Enough Heshy,” that he loves his way of thinking. When the Proud Boy, who only used the name David, asked whether the Proud Boys could come to Borough Park as a group, Tischler said yes. The exchange happened on the segment last Wednesday in which Tischler spoke about the pro-Trump rally that took place on Sunday, according to Bklyner.
Officers crack down on bars within ‘zone’ area
The city and state have cracked down on several bars in Brooklyn and Queens that were operating within the “zoned” areas. On Oct. 16, officers saw customers entering 39 Fantastic, a karaoke bar at 3914 Eighth Ave. in Sunset Park, which was within an orange zone at the time. They pushed past a security guard and found more than 100 people singing and dancing at various karaoke bars in the basement. Wise Bar and Grill in Sheepshead Bay, also within an orange zone, had its liquor license suspended after officers saw many customers indoors, also on Oct. 16, according to New York Eater.
COVID cases in red zones decline
COVID-19 rates in the Brooklyn red zones of Gravesend, Midwood, Borough Park and Flatlands continue to decline. For example, in Gravesend, the weekly case rate dropped during a recent three-week period from 241 to 90. Still, the percentage of people testing positive for the coronavirus in these areas remains high, averaging 4.57 percent for the week ending Friday. By contrast, the average citywide positivity rate during the same time was 1.74 percent. But in Ozone Park, Queens, the number of cases has doubled, according to city reports.
K-9 unit trains in Brooklyn
A new class of police and their canine partners in the NYPD’s emergency service canine unit are now in the midst of an 18-week training session at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Many of the dogs are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, a similar breed. The dogs practiced jumping over high walls, squeezing through narrow spaces and more, according to NYPD . The dogs, many of whom are named after fallen NYPD officers, go home with their cops everyday and are considered part of their families.
Visitor from Indiana killed in Bushwick
Ethan Williams, 20, of Indianapolis, who was visiting friends in Brooklyn, was shot and killed early Saturday morning outside 51 Eldert St. in Bushwick, authorities said. Police believe Williams was standing outside with a group of friends when gunfire rang out, possibly from across the street. Williams was rushed to Wyckoff Medical Center, where he was declared dead. Police have not yet determined a motive or identified any suspects, according to ABC 7.
Apt. building to rise on garage site
Permits have been filed for a four-story apartment building at 140 Central Ave. in Bushwick. The site, located between Starr Street and Willoughby Avenue, is currently occupied by a one-story garage and is two blocks from the M train’s Willoughby Avenue station. The building is slated to have eight apartments, most likely rentals, as well as a rear yard. Dong Koock Junk is listed as the owner, and Diego Aguilera Architects is listed as the architect of record, according to New York YIMBY.
Compiled by Raanan Geberer.
