Good Morning, Brooklyn: Wednesday, September 8, 2021

September 8, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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MORE STORMY WEATHER TODAY: Storm-weary New Yorkers must brace again for severe weather forecast to impact Brooklyn this afternoon. A weather system will move through the five boroughs, Hudson Valley and Albany Capital region, with thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rain continuing through this evening. The main threats from these storms are damaging wind gusts and additional rain in areas that recently experienced flooding, especially urban, low-lying, and poor drainage areas.

The MTA, in light of last Wednesday’s storm that brought widespread flooding into the subway system, is taking all necessary precautions to protect its transportation network against heavy rainfall while continuing to provide safe service for customers, with maintenance personnel inspecting track drains in flood-prone areas and checking track pumps and storm boxes.

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PUBLIC MEETINGS GO VIRTUAL FOR NOW: Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed new legislation extending the temporary modification to the New York State Open Meetings Law, which allows New Yorkers to virtually participate in local government meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. This law covers local Community Board Meetings, at which residents of to speak out about issues that concern them, such as zoning changes or transportation developments.

Brooklyn has18 Community Boards, which meet monthly; in addition, each community board has committee meetings dedicated to a particular aspect or issue of city life. Agendas, minutes, and documents may be viewed or downloaded on the CD2 Public Drive.

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COMMUNITY BOARD 2 COMMITTEE VIRTUAL MEETING: Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee Meeting, which convenes via Zoom tomorrow night, September 9, will include discussion of an application to build two new single-family homes at the lot address of 295-297 Hicks Street (east side of street) located within the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. Another agenda item is discussion of an application to alter the Pearl Street façade by widening the two entries, creating a barrier-free access entry, altering the non-historic concrete stoop, and replacing windows.

Every meeting includes a Community Forum during which members of the public may speak on any relevant topic for up to two (2) minutes. Meetings are recorded and archived on the CD2 YouTube channel.

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FEMA HELP FOR FUNERAL COSTS: FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline. The helpline is part of the federal emergency aid agency’s mission to to help people before, during and after disasters, specifically, by easing some of the financial stress and burden that the pandemic has caused. The hotline phone numbers, operational 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Mondays-Fridays, is 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585.

The assistance is made possible under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

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ATTORNEY GROUP VOTES TO UNIONIZE: Brooklyn Defender Services (“BDS”), a group of legal aid lawyers, have voted in a landslide National Labor Relations Board election to form a wall-to-wall union and enter into contract negotiations with their employer. Monday’s election, the result of a year-long effort, confirmed widespread support for unionizing, with more 71 percent of staff choosing the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) – UAW Local 2325 as their bargaining representatives.

Taking an introspective look at their workplace, the BDS staff identified prospective positive changes, but they also highlighted those aspects of the organization that they already liked.

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REZONING GOWANUS IN WAKE OF IDA: As New York City continues to reel from the damage of Hurricane Ida, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon are joining forces for a press conference today, Wednesday morning, on concerns they have with the City’s Gowanus Neighborhood Rezoning Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). They will specifically address what they assert is the DEIS’ failure to account for the consequences of climate change in Gowanus.

The press conference takes place at the Whole Foods Esplanade, near the 3rd St. Bridge.

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NYC PARKS RECREATION CENTERS REOPEN: Recreation centers across the five boroughs, which had been closed or repurposed during the pandemic, will soon reopen to all New Yorkers — members and non-members — for free. The NYC Parks Dept. has announced that, starting Monday, September 13, free memberships are avail- able to New Yorkers who sign up between now and December 31, with membership terms lasting one year from one’s registration date.

However, the center in Red Hook, which sustained damage in Hurricane Ida last week, will remain closed until further notice.

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MAINTAINING STRICT HEALTH PRECAUTIONS: When schools in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn reopen today, Sept. 8, students, faculty and staff will be required to wear masks inside buildings. maintain social distancing, observe hand-washing and hand-hygiene. School facilities will also undergo rigorous daily cleanings and sanitizing of facilities, as well as enhanced ventilation.

The diocese is building on the success of the 2020-21 academic year, in which Catholic schools, adhering to strict guidelines, opened on time and were able to offer five-day- a-week instruction. Enrollment increased in nearly 40 percent of the schools last year in grades K-8.

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HEIGHTS ARCHITECT DESIGNS BLAKE HENDRIX PROJECT: A Brooklyn Heights architectural firm had a strong role in the 30-unit Blake Hendrix development in East New York, construction of which was just completed. DeLaCour, Ferrara & Church Architects designed the project for low- and moderate-income households. Blake Hendrix consists of 13 new homeownership and 17 new affordable rental units, spread over 13 sites.

Blake Hendrix’s sponsorship includes the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), New York City Council Member Inez D. Barron, SRBuild LLC, the Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), and the Urban Investment Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Goldman Sachs).

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GIFTS FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS: The new Farmer’s Market in Gowanus plans to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in a way that affirms life. The event, running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the new farmers market in Gowanus, on Wyckoff St. between Hoyt and Bond streets, will include time to create cards and decorate bags that will be given to local firefighters. Members of the community can go into motion with a free, outdoor spiritual-connection dance workshop, starting at noon.

Attendees will then walk to the local fire station to gift the firefighters with fresh produce and will honor the memory of those who lost their lives 20 years ago on 9/11/2001.

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NAMED TO NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS TOP 100: An attorney with strong Brooklyn connections has been named as The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 for 2021. Thomas Kranidas, Esq. worked during law school as a paralegal in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office and was appointed an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County after his graduation.

Kranidas, who lived in Brooklyn at one point, also worked for a smaller Brooklyn personal injury law firm in Brooklyn before joining Sobo & Sobo Injury Lawyers, with offices in New York City and Middletown, NY.

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END-OF-SUMMER FIREWORKS: Declaring that “The People’s Playground is not ready for summer to be over!” the Alliance for Coney Island will, for the first time ever, host an “End-of-Summer” fireworks show this Friday, Sept 10. The 8 p.m. show will also be a celebration of the 2021 season, which welcomed back thousands of thrill- seekers to the peninsula following last year’s pandemic lockdown.

The fireworks show will mark the end of beach season in Coney Island with several local amusements shifting into a weekend-only operation after this week, excluding the High Holy Days, Sukkot, and Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous People’s Day. Local restaurants, shops and the New York Aquarium will continue to open daily this fall.