Around Brooklyn: Yvette Clarke congratulates ACLU President

February 5, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke. Photo: John McCarten/New York City Council

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Yvette Clarke Congratulates ACLU President

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-East Flatbush, Central Brooklyn) released the following statement celebrating American Civil Liberties Union president, Deborah Archer. Archer will be the first Jamaican-American president of the ACLU. “I would like to extend a sincere congratulations to Deborah Archer, the new president of the ACLU. After 101 years, it is high time that a person of color holds this position. More aptly, I am proud that the first Black president of the ACLU is of Jamaica-American heritage,” said Clarke.

Slain parolee had turned life around

A parolee who was fatally shot in Canarsie had turned his life around in prison and worked with a homeless charity after his release, his family said. Robert Caldwell, 48, got his GED and certifications for maintenance work while behind bars, his family said. After his release from prison in 2018, he took a job as a driver with a nonprofit that ais children, according to relatives. Cops are looking into whether Caldwell’s criminal past caught up with him when his killer opened fire near East 78th Street and Farragut Road early Sunday morning, hitting him in the torso and leg. He was declared dead at Brookdale University Hospital. He was convicted of robbery and bail jumping and served a decade in prison, according to the Daily News.

Church hosts vaccinations for seniors

Physicians and volunteer nurses from Elderplan opened a temporary COVID-19 vaccination site within an East New York church. On Feb.3, God’s Battalion of Prayer Church at 661 Linden Blvd. hosted a drive to help inoculate approximately 500 seniors. The seniors waited more than an hour due to space and social distancing restrictions. Borough President Eric Adams and Councilmember Alicka Ampry-Samuel joined staffers early in the morning to discuss their efforts on reaching underserved communities, according to published reports.

Purple food pantries pop up in Brooklyn

In July, high school math teacher Lindsay Manolakos constructed the first of what she called her Tiny Purple Pantries outside her Bedford Avenue, Ditmas Park home. Soon, the curbisde food bang was regularly being replenished by neighbors. Soon, neighbors volunteered their lawns and Manolakos constructed four more cabinets. To pay for supplies, Manolakos established a GoFundMe account. Now, there are more than 10 purple pantries in more than seven Brooklyn neighborhoods, according to Curbed.

Alicka Ampry-Samuel supports Khari Edwards

Councilmember Alicka Ampry Samuel says he supports Khari Edwards for borough president. “As Brooklyn goes through unprecedented changes and attempts to rebound from an unprecedented pandemic, we need leaders like Khari who understands the struggles of the most vulnerable in our borough,” Ampry-Samuel continued. Thanks to strong grassroots support, Edwards reported raising $144,942 with more than 90 percent of contributions being less than $250 and almost 70 percent from Brooklyn, according to Caribbean Life. Edwards most recently served as vice president of external affairs at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center.

Zellnor Myrie Bill would erase convictions

State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, South Slope, Sunset Park) has introduced legislation that would automatically expunge conviction histories.
“One of the most impactful ways I’ve been able to serve constituents has been offering my support to families seeking parole or clemency for a loved one who has been convicted of a crime. The letters we receive often detail the incredible transformations people have made since their original conviction,” he said.

Valentine’s tour of sewage system

On Feb. 14, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and Open House New York will host a virtual tour of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, the city’s largest sewage plant. The complex includes eight giant stainless-steel “digester eggs.” “The Valentine’s Day tour is a crowd favorite! This year, we’ll be hosting the tour virtually and while we’ll miss seeing everyone in person, the virtual format not only keeps us all safe, it also allows us to showcase parts of the facility that the public wouldn’t normally have access to,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza.

Brooklyn Amazon warehouse sold

An Amazon-leased warehouse in Brooklyn sold for a valuation of $46 million as investors continue to pursue properties occupied by the e-commerce giant. Asset management company BentallGreenOak purchased the 100,000-square-foot property at 2300 Linden Boulevard in East New York from Turnbridge Equities and Harbor Group International, a source told The Real Deal. Last year, Amazon signed a 10-year least for the property with Turnbridge.

East Flatbush restaurant delivered through storm

East Flatbush restaurant Footprints Café kept delivering through the recent storm, according to Brooklyn News 12. Customers were coming in or ordering because others remained closed the day afterward. Owner Robert Gordon says he picked up local workers on Tuesday and offered to drive them home. The restaurant has two locations, Coney Island and East Flatbush. They both have outdoor dining, but Gordon is looking forward to the return of indoor dining in less than two weeks.

Cops find man dead in Crown Heights

Police are investigating a shooting that left a man dead in his apartment on St. Marks Avenue. Officers responded to a 911 call at 11 a.m. and found 68-year-old Garry Henricksen unconscious and unresponsive. He had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen and buttocks. EMS crews took him to Interfaith Hospital, which declared him dead.

Wendy Williams’ ex to open Brooklyn eatery

Wendy Williams’ former husband, Kevin Hunter, is opening an Italian restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn. “For a kid from Brownsville, Brooklyn, this is a dream come true,” he wrote on social media. He described the restaurant, Loreto, as “exquisite high-end Italian cuisine,” and said it will host a soft opening on Feb. 14, according to Page Six.

Brooklyn Navy Yard pays tribute to essential workers

Photographer JC Cancedda, a tenant at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, has put together a wall-size display featuring 24 of the Navy Yard’s essential workers at Building 77 on Flushing Avenue. He first thought about doctors and nurses, but then focused on security people, maintenance people and others “who don’t get the spotlight.” Cancedda, who has been in the business 27 years, lost his job as a TV creative director in November, according to NY1 News.

Celebrate the Year of the Ox

The Lunar New Year, celebrated by Chinese-Americans and other Asians, falls on Feb. 13. The usual Sunset Park parade will not be held this year because of COVID-19. However, people can participate in a food-ordering promotion called “Send Chinatown Love’s Lunar New Year Crawl.” There are 29 participating vendors, and the ones in Brooklyn include Shunfa Bakery, Molnpanna, Wing High, Parlay, Prince Tea House, Made the Cut, Pho 60 and Delicacy Passion Patisserie, according to Bklyner.

Brooklyn woman gives back

A Brooklyn woman is giving back to communities in need who have been affected by the pandemic. Shaquana Boykin is a community organizer and NYCHA tenant association volunteer who started the Clinton Hill Mutual Aid organization to help to feed hundreds of people impacted by the pandemic. She also works with the Central Brooklyn Food Co-op to bring affordable groceries to low-income communities, according to News 12 Brooklyn.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.