Around Brooklyn: Rose pays tribute to Brooklyn educator on House floor

October 8, 2020 Editorial Staff

Shell Bank Creek at the end of Devon Avenue looks so serene before sunset. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

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Rose pays tribute to Brooklyn educator on House floor

U.S. Rep. Max Rose delivered a congressional tribute for Mrs. Madeleine Brennan, the longtime principal of Dyker Heights Intermediate School 201, in a speech on the House floor last week. Mrs. Brennan served as principal of the Dyker Heights school for 50 years, making her the longest-serving principal in New York City history. “She loved her job so much that even when her pension and 401k meant that she could make more money in retirement, she kept on working,” Rose said on the floor. “That passion inspired many of her students to not only become teachers themselves, but to return to Dyker Heights Intermediate School to work on her staff.”

Protesters march against police unions

About 100 people marched from Bushwick to Maspeth, Queens, to call for the abolition of police unions and to protest QAnon on Tuesday, but the demonstration abruptly ended when some protesters yanked U.S. flags off private houses and set them on fire. The march was slated to take off from the Jefferson Street station on the L train, but trains started skipping the stop with no notice while police barricaded the entrances and exits. Tuesday’s protest was one of several demanding the end of police unions, according to amNewYork.

Rooftop addition planned in Clinton Hill

On Monday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission heard a proposal to construct a single-story rooftop expansion at 405 Vanderbilt Ave. in Clinton Hill. The two-story townhouse is owned by actress Carmen Ejogo. The building was built in the early 1900 and has undergone very minimal exterior alteration since that time. It currently stands a little less than 29 feet above ground, and the rooftop addition would raise its height to about 42 feet tall. The new roof would imitate the sloping pitched roofs atop other buildings in the Clinton Hill Historic District, according to New York YIMBY.

Schumer, Gillibrand announce funding for roads

U.S. Senators from New York Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand recently announced $35,767,672.72 in funding to support emergency repairs to federal roads across New York State. “I’m proud to deliver these federal funds that will help New York revamp its disaster-impacted roads and highways to improve safety and efficiency for all drivers and passengers,” said Schumer. “Delivering the resources to repair and rebuild New York’s transportation infrastructure and help our communities recover from these devastating events is a top priority,” said Gillibrand.

The Highway is no longer a byway

Although the average person, when thinking of the zones within the state that have been “quarantined” by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, thinks of Borough Park, Midwood or Kiryas Joel, the Kings Highway area is also included in the Red Zone, the Kings Highway Improvement District reminds us. This means that worship services can only accommodate 10 people, mass gatherings are prohibited, only essential businesses can open, dining will be takeout-only, and schools will be closed. This writer lived in the Kings Highway area (Avenue O and East 19th Street) for about 10 years, and can’t imagine Kings Highway with these restrictions.

Rose slams GOP, Trump on COVID relief

U.S. Rep. Max Rose (D-Southern Brooklyn-Staten Island) issued the following statement on President Donald Trump calling off COVID-19 relief negotiations over state and local aid. “For the Republicans to walk away from negotiations when we are this close to a deal is a total abdication of responsibility,” said Rose. “Make no mistake: this decision will lead to first responders being fired, higher tolls and property taxes, schools closing and our restaurants and small businesses shutting down forever.”

Sneaker chain expands in Brooklyn, Staten Island

The European sneaker chain Snipes is expanding in New York, with new stores in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Snipes has leased a 4,600-square-foot space at the Georgetown Shipping Center in Bergen Beach as well as a 4,000-square -foot space at 965 Richmond Ave. in Staten Island. Snipes, which sells brand-name sneakers as well as athletic wear, now has about 100 stores in the United States. In March, the chain shifted its inventory from stores to warehouses, allowing it to support online sales, according to the Commercial Observer.

Playing pool, social distancing-style

Sharks Pool Club, which recently opened at 150 Grand St., has two pool tables in separate rooms, curated art and a private set-up for pool accessories. After reserving a table, customers will be sent a code to access the building. Once guests are inside, they can play their own music and bring in their own beverages.

Brooklyn mail-in ballots re-sent

The New York City Board of Elections on Tuesday reported that it has processed 685,000 mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 general election and has re-sent absentee ballots to 99,000 voters who had been sent botched mailings. Ninety percent of all [absentee ballot] applications have been processed. We’re keeping up with it well,” Executive Director Michael Ryan said at a board meeting. Officials have been promoting mail-in balloting to reduce crowds at polling sites over concerns about the virus. Ryan said voters can submit their absentee ballots in drop-off boxes at early voting sites if they don’t want to take a chance on mailing them, according to the New York Post.

Heights loft on the market for $2.1 million

Architect Winka Dubbledam’s loft at One Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn Heights is now on the market for $2.1 million, down from its original asking price of $2.69 million in 2018. Dubbledam bought the two-bedroom condo for $1.71 million in 2013. The apartment has wood floors, 13-foot-ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Statue of Liberty and a chef’s kitchen. Dubbledam added a fireplace and other items, according to the New York Post.

New Mexico now on Cuomo’s hit list

New Mexico is now on New York State’s travel advisory list of states that have high coronavirus levels, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday. Travelers from the state must now quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in New York State. In a news release, Cuomo tied the restrictions to efforts to contain virus clusters in Brooklyn, Queens, Rockland County and other parts of the state. All in all, there are 35 states and territories from which travelers to New York State face restrictions.

Man killed in gambling den shooting

One man was killed and three others were wounded at a shootout at a gambling den in Brownsville. The gunfight happened soon after 10 p.m. on Wednesday night inside a decrepit brick building on Hegeman Avenue near Osborn Street. A man in his 30s who was shot in his chest died, police said. Three other men who were struck by bullets were hospitalized in stable condition. The New York Post quoted a local restaurant who said the building is a well-known spot for local gambling. “Day and night, they be gambling,” the Post quoted him as saying. “Friday night you can’t even walk in, it’s so crowded.”

Six-story building planned for Bushwick

Permits have been filed for a six-story apartment building at 156 Somers St. in Bushwick. The site, located between Sackman Street and Broadway, is now occupied by a two-story wooden-frame building and is near the A and C trains’ Broadway Junction station. The building is slated to have 10 apartments, most likely rentals. Eitan Binet is listed as the owner on the application, and P. Georgopoulos Architect is listed as the architect of record, according to New York YIMBY.

Man slashes patrol car’s tire

Police are seeking a man who slashed the tire of a police car in Clinton Hill early Tuesday morning. Surveillance footage shows the man bending down near the tire at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Emerson Place just after midnight, although the actual slashing can’t be seen, according to the New York Post.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.