Good Morning, Brooklyn: Wednesday, July 6, 2022

July 6, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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PREVENTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN HOTELS: Hotels must post notices on preventing human trafficking, and are being sent resources from the Office of State Attorney General Letitia James. Attorney General James urges the hotel industry to do their part to report, respond to, and prevent human trafficking. New York remains among the top five states with the highest number of new sex trafficking cases, active sex trafficking cases, and cases involving minors, a study by the Federal Human Trafficking Report shows that victims, more than 57 percent of which were minors, primarily recruited by fraudulent job offers and promises of visas and shelter.

The national human trafficking hotline number is: 1-888-373-7888. Individuals can also text HELP or INFO to 23373 for help.

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AUDIT OF FERRY SYSTEM: New York City Comptroller Brad Lander later this morning will release an audit of New York City Economic Development Corporation’s management of the NYC Ferry system under former Mayor de Blasio’s administration. The audit is expected to expose millions in underreported and unjustified expenses, and will provide details of poor financial management and contract oversight decisions, including unjustified vessel costs, early termination of the East River contract, and the extension of the current agreement with operator Hornblower.

Comptroller Lander will make the announcement at the Wall Street/Pier 11 Ferry Landing.

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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON TRANSIT PLANS: The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) announces a public comment period for proposed amendments to the Federal Fiscal Years 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The comment period begins today, Wednesday, July 6, and ends on Friday, July 15. Included in the plans are a Williamsburg Bridge reconstruction and miscellaneous rehabilitation of various steel components; and, citywide, speed and reliability improvements for Brooklyn bus corridors (Brooklyn/Kings County and Queens/Queens County); and operational support to traffic management center facility for computerized signalization.

Comments are due in writing BY EMAIL ONLY to [email protected] no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday July 15, 2022.

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REWARD OFFERED FOR INFO ON STOLEN PRICELESS TABERNACLE: The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese Brooklyn, has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the return of the Tabernacle stolen from St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Park Slope during the Memorial Day weekend. The reward is being offered by the company that insures Diocesan properties, in addition to the $3,500 reward publicized by the New York City Police Department earlier this month.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS

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Dr. Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS
Photo courtesy NYC Health + Hospitals

HOSPITAL CEO RECOGNIZED FOR WORK DURING PANDEMIC: Mitchell Katz, MD , president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals has been named to Modern Healthcare’s 2022 list of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives. Dr. Katz is part of a diverse group of clinical leaders nationwide who are recognized for their resiliency and dedication to their patients through the COVID-19 pandemic and who “found ways to adapt, innovate, and focus on the true bottom line: the patient.”

Since Dr. Katz’s appointment in 2018, the health system has significantly expanded access to care, including the creation of NYC Care, a universal health access program that provides care to more than 100,000 uninsured New Yorkers.

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Arial view of the Giglio tower. The annual Giglio Festival at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish begins tonight.
Eagle photo by Mario Belluomo

GIGLIO FESTIVAL BEGINS TONIGHT: Now that July 4 is passed, Brooklyn is gearing up for a beloved community tradition: the 12-day Giglio Festival in Williamsburg, which begins tonight, July 6. This quintessential Italian celebration marks the return of the 5^th century St. Paulinus from captivity in Turkey, and also the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, after which the host parish is named. The focal point of feast activities is Giglio Sunday and its follow-up, the Night Lift of the Giglio, and Old Timers’ Day; and even the Children’s Giglio.

The day lift of the Giglio, which is filled with local customs, takes place Sunday afternoon, July 10, following a special Giglio Sunday Mass.

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KIDS’ PODCAST TO ENCOURAGE LOVE OF READING: The Brooklyn Public Library has just launched its first podcast for kids. “Page Flippers Take on the World” (https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/page-flippers) is considered to be The Magic School Bus meets Reading Rainbow, in which each episode features a different kid saves the day by exploring his or her interests, discovering new books, and talking to experts.

The kids featured on the show are all from Brooklyn, and young listeners can interact with the show by sending in their own audio for a chance to be featured.

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LIBRARY PROGRAMMING NURTURES CREATIVITY: The Brooklyn Public Library offers a variety of special programs during July, to help people build careers and to nurture one’s creativity. Among the programs are Tech Help For Your Job Search. Taking place in person today, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Central Library, Grand Army Plaza; a needlework workshop, Sew Brooklyn: Denim Upcycling; an online Cookbook Club; a Songwriter’s Studio workshop; financial literacy for teens, an entrepreneur series, and other youth and adult events at various locations around the borough.

Visit the BPL website at https://www.bklynlibrary.org/coronavirus/virtual-resources

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LIBRARY BUILDING BECOMES MOVIE SCREEN FOR EPHEMERA: The façade of the iconic Central Library at Grand Army Plaza becomes a movie screen tonight. An outdoor presentation titled Cinema Ephemera, starting at 9 p.m. will show concert footage, short films that capture Brooklyn-street life over the decades, historical footage from Prospect Park and Brooklyn Botanic Garden and artists’ videos.

Central Library closes at 8 p.m. and restroom facilities will be unavailable after this time. Limited outdoor seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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DANCES FROM AROUND THE WORLD — IN DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN: Emmy-winning travel series Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi is coming to Downtown Brooklyn. The TV show host Mickela Mallozzi will be at The Plaza at 300 Ashland every Thursday in July to take attendees on a free cultural journey through music, dances from around the world each week— from Ukraine to Cuba, and more! Free and open to the public,

Tomorrow, July 7, at 7 p.m., Mickela will host Sarina Jain, inventor of an Indian dance-based program called Masala Bhangra®, influenced by the music and dance of modern Bhangra and Bollywood styles.

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BROOKLYN KIDS HEAD TO FRESH AIR CAMP: A group of more than 150 Brooklyn children, ages 8-15, are being treated to Fresh Air camp adventures in Mid-Hudson Valley this week. Since its founding in 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit youth development organization, has provided free life-changing summer experiences in the outdoors to more than 1.8 million children from New York City’s underserved communities. Young people also participate in year-round leadership, career exploration and educational programs.

Fresh Air is celebrating its return to in-person camping on a limited basis with safety protocols in place. The Fund will also continue its Summer Spaces program where children learn new skills and have fun at neighborhood play spaces, along with Family Wellness visits to camp, and its highly-successful Summer Teen Academy.

Fresh Air children depart for summer camp adventures (left to right: Sunny, Ralph, Anri and Daniel) with The Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Gitelson (center). Photo Credit: Finn O’Malley

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WARNING ON FAKE LICENSE PLATES: Drivers have been put on notice that the NYPD and Sheriff’s Office will tow – and could potentially auction off – vehicles caught with illegal, fake, paper license plates, Mayor Eric Adams announced yesterday. They are conducting a sweep of “ghost cars” — vehicles bearing illegal and counterfeit license plates —have fueled an epidemic of virtually untraceable cars whose operators have driven recklessly, harming pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as other vulnerable New Yorkers.

The state’s vehicle and traffic law, and the New York City Traffic Rules clearly state that license plates must be easily identifiable, and that covering a car’s license plate with any material or substance that coats, obscures, or distorts it is illegal in New York City. It is also illegal to sell such coverings within city limits.