The Brooklyn Eagle’spodcast “Brooklyn This Week” released 54 episodes since its inaugural one on Oct. 11, 2018. Since then we’ve covered quintessential Brooklyn icons like Walt Whitman and the Brooklyn Dodgers, as well as important stories on the BQE, the jail plan and the SHSAT.
Here were some of our most popular episodes from the past year.
Deed theft at crisis level in Brooklyn
Eagle file photo by Paul Frangipane
We covered deed theft, a predatory scheme primarily targeting black and brown communities in Brooklyn.
More about this episode: There’s a friendly voice on the phone. They offer financial help. Next thing you know, the house you planned to pass down to your family is gone. Listen here.
Good or bad? Analyzing smart tech use in Brooklyn
Brooklyn has become a testing ground for smart technology. Image via Pexels
We examined the pros and cons of smart technology.
More about this episode: Technological advances inevitably continue to improve the quality of life in urban areas around the world, and Brooklyn is no exception.
The borough works hard to refine such technologies in its own neighborhoods for more effective and fair implementation, but some devices come with risk and raise questions about privacy. Listen here.
More about this episode: Most people are aware of the SAT, the rigorous test that can influence where some students go to college, but fewer may know of the SHSAT. The Specialized High School Admissions Test has been a catalyst for an ongoing feud between parents, students and schools Chancellor Richard Carranza after Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed doing away with the exam last year. Listen here.
Here’s what it takes to plan the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show
Fireworks are set off from the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Julienne Schaer/Brooklyn Bridge Park
We spoke with the man responsible for the Fourth of July Macy’s fireworks show.
More about this episode: There are few people in the world who know the inner workings of the Fourth of July Macy’s fireworks show more than Gary Souza. The pyro-technician has been meticulously planning and executing the show for the last 37 years. Listen here.
Where do we stand on the Brooklyn jail plan?
The Brooklyn Detention Center. Photo: Rob Abruzzese/Brooklyn Eagle
We brought our listeners up to speed on the Brooklyn jail plan.
More about this episode: Four new jails are coming to every borough except Staten Island as the city plans to close Rikers Island by 2026. In Brooklyn, public hearings have drawn local residents and outside activists, who have not only commented on the physical makeup of the jail, but also on the implications a larger facility in Boerum Hill would have on the city’s incarceration culture. Listen here.
SUNSET PARK — “As a resident of Marine Park, one of the great surprises I found biking around Industry City and visiting Japan Village was to discover Bush Terminal Park. I continue to be amazed at the serene hideaways that the city offers in some of the busiest places — and, still, with an iconic view.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — ‘A miracle that no one was killed …’ That’s what neighbors are saying about the collapse of the Hotel St. George marquee. Shown in this photograph are workmen beginning the removal and repair of the historic, old neon sign at the corner, referencing a relic of Brooklyn Heights’ past: the St. George Hotel.
ATLANTIC AVENUE — Exhausted shopper with cluster of bags and goods from mall at Boerum Place stops to look at huge construction site across the street. “Is that REALLY going to be a jail??” Her male companion is reassuring, “Nothing like Rikers … this is 21st Century.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Overheard in line at one of most popular pastry outlets on Montague Street: “Hope I can get them into a camp …” A mother with two pre-schoolers in tow was showing a friend the Dodge Y flyer for Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 18.
