Some mayoral candidates won’t attend Brooklyn debate
A growing number of mayoral candidates are dropping out of a forum set to be hosted by the Brooklyn Democratic Party, saying it hasn’t taken enough action over a member’s offensive statements. City Comptroller Scott Stringer said Tuesday he wouldn’t participate, saying the party hasn’t taken enough action against Lori Maslow, a district leader. “We’re sickof [sic] buying from China. They did this to us,” she tweeted Jan. 2, apparently referring to coronavirus. “I can’t even look at Chinese food.” Statements appearing to urge that Palestinians be “wiped off the face of earth” also surfaced, according to the Daily News.
Case of serial killer to go to grand jury
The New York Police Department released new details about the alleged serial killer arrested in connection with the deaths of three women at a NYCHA complex in Brownsville. Police arrested Kevin Gavin, 67, on Wednesday after he allegedly killed three residents of the Woodson Houses between 2015 and 2021, Gavin was familiar with many of the residents in the building and ran errands for some of the elderly tenants who resided at that location. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that the case will go in front of a grand jury, according to SI Live. “I know how devastating these losses have been to the people of Brownsville. These women were beloved mothers and grandmothers and neighbors,” Gonzalez said. “I am confident that the defendant took advantage of his relationship with these women, was allowed into their homes and did unspeakable acts of violence against them”
Firefighter hit by falling AC unit
A firefighter who was fighting a blaze in Bensonhurst was hit by a window air conditioner that apparently fell from the building on 85th Street sometime after 9 a.m.. His helmet was cracked and sliced open by the AC unit. He was taken to NYU Langone Medical Center in Sunset Park, where he was declared stable, according to ABC 7.
Mark Treyger seeks to vaccinate homebound seniors
Councilmember Mark Treyger was joined by State Sen. Diane Savino (D-Coney Island, Staten Island); Inna Lukyanenko, JCH Bensonhurst; Donna Bailey, program director, JASA; and local senior community leader Pamela Pettyjohn on Tuesday at an online meeting. They are ramping up the pressure on the de Blasio Administration to provide a comprehensive plan to vaccinate homebound seniors and increase access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Yvette Clarke introduces new energy bill
U.S. Reps. Yvette D. Clarke (D-Central Brooklyn) and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) recently reintroduced a bill to create the first federal program to build 100-percent clean energy microgrids to power critical infrastructure for communities and protect against extreme weather events and power shut-offs. The Energy Resilient Power Act prioritizes energy equity and environmental justice by amplifying grant applications from low-income communities and communities of color for clean energy microgrids that will combat power outages and rolling blackouts and reduce pollution, create green jobs and fight the climate crisis.
Hakeem Jeffries threatened by terrorist
In connection with a recent announcement of charges against a California man for making threats against a Member of Congress and a journalist, the Office of Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn-Queens) issued the following statement: “Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is the Member of the House of Representatives referenced as ‘Congressman-1’ in the criminal complaint recently unsealed in Manhattan federal court. Congressman Jeffries extends his deep thanks and heartfelt gratitude to the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, NYPD and all law enforcement authorities involved for their commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of his family and all Members of the United States Congress.”
Kings Highway BID sponsors workshop
On Feb. 10 at 9:30 a.m., the Kings Highway BID is sponsoring a Google users’ workshop, “Google My Business: Maximizing Exposure by Kings Highway Business Improvement Districts.” Members will be taught to utilize posts for updates, respond to reviews, manages images and videos, respond to customer questions and understand insights data. For more information, visit the Kings Highway BID website.
EPA probes barge sinking
As the Eagle has reported, a barge carrying dredged, polluted sediment from the Gowanus Canal recently capsized in Gowanus Bay, the EPA revealed. The boat carried toxic materials like coal tar. The contractor utilized smaller barges, pumps and silt curtains to the locations and pumped water from the sunken vessel into a difference empty barge. The EPA is now investigating the incident to examine the cause and to see whether any toxic material re-entered the canal.
Landlords: Tenants take advantage of eviction moratorium
Many small, independent landlords say tenants are taking advantage of the eviction moratorium. One tenant in Bushwick, for example, has been shown covering up a surveillance camera at his home, in which the landlord lives upstairs. The two have been involved in a housing dispute since COVID began. The tenant stopped paying rent and didn’t respond when the landlord made him aware of the city’s rental assistance program, according to CBS New York.
Loan secured for Sunset Park building
Heritage Equity Partners recently secured $53 million in construction financing to build a new apartment building at 875 Fourth Ave. in Sunset Park. The building, designed by Fisher + Makool Architects, will contain 150 units, ranging in size from studios to two-bedroom apartments. Amenity spaces include a fitness center, a children’s playroom, a flexible meeting or event space, and a roof deck with barbecues and ample seating. The brick building features ample terrace and is described as having “a modern take on classic design,” according to New York YIMBY.
New building planned in Flatbush
Permits have been filed for a six-story residential building at 1301 Newkirk Ave. in Flatbush. The site, at the intersection of Newkirk Avenue and Argyle Road, is currently occupied by a two-story building with retail stores on the ground floor. It is two blocks east of the B and Q trains’ Newkirk Plaza subway station. The new building is slated to have 34 residences, most likely apartments. The developer is Mark Beinhorn, according to New York YIMBY. Cycle Architecture + Planning is listed as the architect.
Son of serial killer’s victim accuses cops
The son of a Brooklyn serial killer’s first victim says the police mishandled the investigation into her murder from the beginning. Mark Lewis says the police originally said the slaying of 82-year-old Myrtle McKinney was not suspicious and the city didn’t conduct an autopsy. Lewis said that police originally said his mother died of natural causes, and it wasn’t until a month later that a funeral director found a knife wound in her back and discovered her broken ribs. Kevin Gavin, who lived on the same floor as McKinney, confessed to her murder as well as the murders of two other elderly women in the building, according to the Daily News. He did errands for all three of them.
Eugene marks Jewish remembrance day
Council Member Mathieu Eugene (D-Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Park, Prospect Lefferts Gardens) issued the following statement in solidarity with the Jewish community in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. “Today, we pause to recognize International Holocaust Remembrance Day in New York City, as we honor the memories of all those who perished during this horrible act of bigotry and inhumanity. As a community, we must always stand up against intolerance and discrimination against any ethnicity, both at home and abroad,” he said.
Compiled by Raanan Geberer.
