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Brooklyn Today January 4: Cuomo Supports Red Hook Subway, Paving Way to Development

January 4, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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THE LEDE: Happy Thursday, Brooklyn! Hundreds take part in the annualConey Island Polar Bear Plunge, we say goodbye to the last private car in Prospect Park, and the world-famous Harvard Krokodiloes come to the borough this weekend. Plus, Red Hook could become a skyscraper district, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Utica Avenue subway extension may be a pipe dream, and we share an inside look at Silicon Valley’s monthly drug-fueled sex parties. Finally, President Trump says Steve Bannon has “lost his mind,” a $1.3 million bottle of vodka gets stolen in Denmark, and a New Jersey mother wins $5 million after she buys the wrong lottery ticket.

IMPRINT: NYC Ferry makes an appearance in the snow on the latest cover ofThe New Yorker.

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The Rundown

~DESPITE INSANELY FRIGID TEMPS, POLAR BEARS TAKE ANNUAL CONEY ISLAND PLUNGE: Even an actual arctic polar bear may have questioned the plunge into the frigid Coney Island waves, as the thermometer hovered around 17 degrees with a water temperature of 37 degrees. But leave it to the brave and stout-hearted individuals who did not hesitate to step out of their parkas and long-johns and don swimsuits to participate in the annual New Year’s Day Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge. The bitter cold temperatures kept the crowd down to around a 1000 with hundreds more cheering them on from the shore. Some attendees may have been encouraged by the sunshine, shrugging it off as “not-so-bad.” Others, however, were noticeably shaken by the cold and salty surf. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

~HOT, SMART & CELEBRATED WORLD-WIDE, SINGERS BEGIN 2018 TOURS IN BROOKLYN: The Harvard Krokodiloes, one of the most popular and celebrated a cappella groups in the world, lead off their 2018 U.S. tour with three Brooklyn concerts benefitting local charities. The first concert in Brooklyn is Friday, Jan. 5 at the Heights Casino to benefit the Brooklyn Heights Association. On Saturday night, they perform at Brooklyn Brewery to benefit the North Brooklyn Angels Mobile Soup Kitchen. On Sunday midday, they sing at River Cafe luncheon to benefit the Dodge Y. The Harvard Kroks were founded in 1946. For the past 71 years, the Kroks have performed in more than 100 countries around the world, and each year they give more than 200 concerts. The Kroks have performed on NPR, “Good Morning America” and “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” They have also entertained luminaries such as Ella Fitzgerald, Yo-Yo Ma, Princess Grace and Princess Caroline of Monaco, King Bhumibol of Thailand, Elizabeth Taylor, Julia Roberts, and Leonard Bernstein. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

~CUOMO SUPPORTS RED HOOK SUBWAY, PAVING WAY TO DEVELOPMENT: In his State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomosupported development of the transit-locked Red Hook by telling MTA to study construction of a new subway line from downtown Manhattan to the neighborhood. The governor would asked the Port Authority to study relocation of maritime activities to free up waterfront property for development already proposed by engineering firm AECOM. In a discussion with former Port Authority official and current senior vice president of AECOM, Chris Ward, theBrooklyn Eagle found this added transportation could result in a skyscraper boom of modernization for the industrial area. The possible No. 9 train that would be an extension of the No. 1 train under the East River could improve the area’s high levels of poverty, Ward says. But residents were largely opposed to AECOM’s ideas. “My question remains, what will they do to help the community?” said Janet Andrews, a community organizer for the City Council. “What is this development going to do for us, the people who have lived in this community for years?” (via Brownstoner and Brooklyn Eagle)

~A UTICA AVENUE SUBWAY EXTENSION PROBABLY ISN’T HAPPENING:A Metro New York editorial argues that after 95 years of proposals, a Utica Avenue subway extension isn’t likely. At Mayor Bill de Blasio’s request, MTA allocated $5 million from the 2015 – 2019 Capital Program to start a feasibility study for the proposed subway extension that would extend the No. 3 and No. 4 lines in East Flatbush down to Avenue U. But as Larry Penner writes, the proposal that originated from Mayor John Francis Hyland in 1922, is among dozens of transportation studies with close to $100 million in costs that he believes are just used by officials for political gain. “Too many transportation studies championed by numerous elected officials are nothing more than placebos designed to placate demagogues, who are not regular users of the numerous public transportation alternatives that have been available for decades,” Penner writes. (via Metro New York)

~GOODBYE TO THE LAST PRIVATE CAR IN PROSPECT PARK: Despite freezing temperatures, more than 20 cyclists gathered at the Park Circle entrance of Prospect Park last week to say goodbye to a silver Subaru Forester, officially the last private car to cross the park forever. At 9 a.m. when the city put the barriers after rush hour, bike enthusiasts and advocates followed the car while ringing their bike bells for 1 1/2 miles to Grand Army Plaza, where they waved goodbye. “People have been trying to get this to happen for decades,” said Eden Weiss, vice president of programs for the New York Cycle Club. “Now there will be no more private cars in Prospect Park, so we’re thrilled.” In October, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the park would go car-free permanently starting Jan. 2, 2018. Before Friday, cars could still drive in the park from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., with weekends prohibited. “On behalf of the cycling community, on the running community, on the pedestrians who use the park, this is a wonderful day for all of us.” Weiss said. “We wouldn’t be out here in 14-degree weather if it wasn’t.” (via Brooklyn Eagle)

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Staff Picks:

LONG READ: From Malibu to Ibiza, an inside look at Silicon Valley’s monthly drug-fueled sex parties. (via Vanity Fair)

ANOTHER LONG READ: “Donald Trump’s Year of Living Dangerously” (via Politico)

CARTOON: President Trump and Vice President Pence celebrate the start of the year 1820. (via The New Yorker)

DRINK: To fight the bitter cold this season, you’ll want to take note of these bars that offer the best hot toddies in the city. (via TimeOut New York)

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NATIONAL BULLETIN: President Trump says Steve Bannon has “lost his mind“…A New Jersey mother wins $5 million after she buys the wrong lottery ticket…And Democrats Doug Jones and Tina Smith are sworn intothe U.S. Senate. (via NYT, USA Today and WaPo)

FOREIGN FLASH: A $1.3 million bottle of vodka gets stolen in Denmark…An enraged passenger in Spain hops off a plane and onto the runway through theemergency exit…And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considersremapping Jerusalem. (via Time, USA Today and NYT)

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ROYAL WATCH: Kensington Palace created a 2017 highlights video, butleft out Prince William and Kate Middleton’s third baby announcement.(via Hello!)

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BROOKLYN TONIGHT

10:30AM — DIY: Blogging 101 at Cypress Hills Library. Details.

11:00AM — Tai Chi at Clarendon Library. Details.

11:00AM – 2:00PM — Her Justice Legal Services Initiative at NYU Lutheran Family Health Centers. Details.

11:00AM – 6:00PM — Imaginarium at United Photo Industries. Details.

6:30PM — The Long and Fascinating History of Toilets at Prospect Heights Brainery. Details.

6:30PM — What Music Says About Our Lives — A Celebration! at Aesthetic Realism Foundation. Details.

7:00PM — A First View: Screening and Conversation at Town Stages. Details.

7:00PM — Real/Fake Science at Caveat. Details.

8:00PM — “F— it! We’ll do it live!” at Tender Tap. Details.

8:30PM — The Psychology of Relationships: How “Friends” Can Teach Us About Love at Prospect Heights Brainery. Details.

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EAGLE SPORTS: The Brooklyn-based NHL franchise has suffered three straight regulation losses for the first time this season, and suddenly finds itself on the outskirts of the playoff chase entering Thursday night’s contest in Philadelphia. “Adversity is hitting us between the eyes right now as a group, as a staff, as players,” Islanders head coach Doug Weight ceded followingTuesday night’s humbling 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in front of 11,878 fans at Downtown Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. “We have to get back our mojo, our fierceness [that] we seem to have let drift.” That mojo has been slip-sliding away since the beginning of December. The Islanders own an ugly 5-9-2 record since reeling off a season-high four consecutive wins to end November. They have also been outscored 15-4 during their current three-game slide, and were outshot by a whopping 29-14 margin over the final 40 minutes Tuesday night.(via Brooklyn Eagle)

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MILESTONES

Happy birthday to Kris Bryant, Dyan Cannon, Harlan Coben, Dave Foley,Doris Kearns Goodwin, Coco Jones, Toni Kroos, Ann Magnuson, Julia Ormond, Barbara Rush, Don Shula and Michael Stipe!