Good Morning, Brooklyn: Thursday, April 14, 2022

April 14, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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Michael Silverman, new Democratic District Leader for southern Brooklyn
Photo courtesy of Michael SilvermanHOUSING ADVOCATE MICHAEL SILVERMAN ELECTED AS DISTRICT LEADER: Housing justice advocate Michael Silverman was elected District Leader for the Coney Island and Sea Gate neighborhoods in Brooklyn during a meeting of the Brooklyn Democratic Party Executive Committee on Monday night. The neighborhood also includes parts of Bath Beach, Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach, Dyker Heights, and Gravesend. The longtime president of the Board of Directors of Amalgamated Warbasse Houses, a 2,585-unit Mitchell-Lama cooperative, Silverman is also executive vice president of Southern Brooklyn Democrats political club, which he helped found, and is a board member and parliamentarian for Community Board 13.

Silverman joins Dionne Brown-Jordan, who serves as the female District Leader for the area, which comprises the 46th Assembly District, and who said, “I know Michael will be a partner in the democratic process – not only to me as co-leader – but to everyone in this community, where he is known and loved.”

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COMMUNITY BOARD 10 TO REVIEW OPEN STREETS APPLICATIONS: Open Streets applications from two schools, in Bay Ridge and Sunset Park respectively, will be reviewed at Committee Board 10’s next General Board Meeting on Monday, April 18, at 7 p.m. The full Community Board, meeting via Zoom because of the uptick in COVID cases, will review an Open Streets application from Bay Ridge Preparatory School for Ridge Blvd. between 81^st and 82^nd streets, Mondays through Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and from by High School of Telecommunications Arts and Technology for 67^th St. between 3^rd and 4^th avenues, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. View the Livestream on the CB 10 YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/BpMu3a7mLHk and via the Community Board 10 website.

The board’s Traffic and Transportation Committee is placing its report and recommendation before the full assembly, with discussion and vote to follow.

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COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING FOR INTERFAITH MEDICAL CENTER: Congressmember Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09/Flatbush) will hold an in-person press conference today to discuss the Community Project Funding being awarded to One Brooklyn Health Medical System for the enhancing and strengthening of “EPIC” Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation. This event takes place in conjunction with the official grand opening and ribbon-cutting of the new Behavioral Health Unit at Interfaith Medical Center.

Congressmember Clarke will present a check of the community project funds to the staff of Interfaith Medical Center.

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UN-BANNING BOOKS: Brooklyn Public Library has a strategy for the un-banning of books around the U.S. The BPL’s new campaign, titled Books UnBanned, will help teens combat the negative impact of increased censorship and book bans in libraries across the country by enabling young adults ages 13 to 21 nationwide to apply for a free eCard from BPL, unlocking access to the library’s extensive collection of eBooks. To apply for the card (for which the normal out-of-state $50 fee will be waived), teens can send a note to [email protected], or via the Library’s teen-run Instagram account, @bklynfuture.

The Brooklyn Public Library eCard, good for one year, is designed to complement access to resources for teens in their local communities, and provides access to 350,00 e-books; 200,000 audiobooks and over 100 databases.

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CHRISM MASS CELEBRATED AT CO-CATHEDRAL: Bishop Robert Brennan, marking his first Holy Week as leader of the diverse Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, on Tuesday presided at the annual Chrism Mass, at which diocesan priests renew their annual vows. The Chrism Mass, held at the Co-Cathedral at St. Joseph in Prospect Heights because of its large seating capacity, is named for the ceremonial blessing of the oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and consecration of the oil of chrism, which will be used in all churches of the Diocese of Brooklyn in the administration of sacraments throughout the liturgical year.

One of the most solemn and significant liturgies of the Catholic Church, the Chrism Mass is celebrated worldwide during Holy Week; it also honors jubilarians —— priests who have reached special milestones in their years of service. Laypersons also can use this Mass as an opportunity to renew a pledge of support for the bishop.

The Blessing of the Oils at the Chrism Mass.
Photo courtesy of J. Quaglione, Diocese of Brooklyn

The procession of the priests at the Chrism Mass.
Photo courtesy of J. Quaglione, Diocese of Brooklyn

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BISHOP BRENNAN SPEAKS OUT ON SUBWAY ATTACK: During the Chrism Mass, which was held just 11 hours after the subway shooting in Sunset Park, just 4 miles from the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, Bishop Robert Brennan addressed the attack in his homily. “We were shaken to our core this morning, right here in the borough of Brooklyn, when violence hit us at home. Tonight, we pray very earnestly for those who were injured, passengers on the train, and the police who went in. We pray for their healing and restoration of their health.”

Bishop Brennan added, “We see that sometimes evil prevails, but we know it is not the final answer. And always, this morning, no exception, do we see that when evil prevails the goodness of people becomes even stronger.”

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TASTES OF BROOKLYN OPENER MEMORIALIZES LOCAL CHEF: The Tastes of Brooklyn 2022 season opens with brand new events in several neighborhoods. Tastes of Bed-Stuy, the “wildly successful Tastes of Gowanus” (May 21), Tastes of Flatbush (May 14), Tastes of Park Slope on June 4, and Tastes of Crown Heights on June 11.

The first event, on April 30, is Tastes of Bed-Stuy, featuring more than a dozen places stretching beyond Nostrand east and north of Atlantic Avenue, honoring the memory of local culinary legend and Bed-Stuy native Lloyd Porter.

IPS NEWS: SEN. MYRIE THANKS FIRST RESPONDERS: State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-20), whose district stretches from Sunset Park to Gowanus, Crown Heights and Brownsville, stated yesterday about the subway attack, “Yesterday, a frightening and violent incident tore through our Senate District at the 36th Street subway station in Sunset Park, during the morning rush hour. Brooklyn is sadly no stranger to horrific episodes of gun violence, but the scope and scale of yesterday’s mass shooting was uniquely terrifying…The suspect was apprehended today, but there are still many questions about this ongoing investigation. My office has been in close contact with the MTA, the NYPD, the mayor and the governor on the situation, and will continue to keep you informed.”

Myrie said also, “I’m exceptionally grateful to the first responders and transit workers, and to ordinary New York commuters, who helped make yesterday less awful than it could have been by taking care of the injured and helping others get to safety.”