Our 5 best podcast episodes of 2019

"Brooklyn This Week" has covered a lot this year — from deed theft to the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show.

December 26, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle Podcast

Photo: Pexels

Deed theft at crisis level in Brooklyn

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.

Should the SHSAT be eliminated?

We explored whether the high-stakes SHSAT should be eradicated.

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 by Julienne Schaer — 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. Eagle file photo by Rob Abruzzese — 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.

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