Good Morning, Brooklyn: Wednesday, October 5, 2022

October 5, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Share this:

WOMEN’S EXCHANGE MOVES TO NEW MONTAGUE ST. HOME: The revered Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, founded in 1854, is closing its location at 55 Pierrepont Street this Sunday, October 9, in preparation for its move to the storefront at 137 Montague St. later this month. The Women’s Exchange, a 501(c)3 non-profit which supports American handcrafts, found a new home earlier this year, thanks to another longtime merchant family, the Calfa Brothers, owners of Lassen & Hennigs Delicatessen. (See https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2022/06/22/brooklyn-womens-exchange-announces-relocation-to-137-montague-street/ ).

The Women’s Exchange will be open at 55 Pierrepont until 3 p.m. on Sunday, and will reopen at its new home during the week of October 17. Online orders placed during this time will be fulfilled on October 19.

✰✰✰

VICTORY RALLY FOR HOUSE PASSAGE OF BILL TO HELP 9/11 FAMILIES: Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-11/southern Brooklyn and Staten Island) tomorrow will join widows, widowers, and children of individuals killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, to celebrate the passage of her bill, the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, to equitably compensate victims through the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. First introduced by Rep. Malliotakis on August 5 under H.R.8667, after months of work with 9/11 victims groups and broad bipartisan Congressional support, the bill was then reintroduced by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-10) and passed the House last week.

During the event, which takes place on Staten Island, the group will call on the Senate to pass this legislation.

✰✰✰

NEW LAW EXTENDS TIME TO ACT AGAINST WATER POLLUTERS: Declaring that “Every New Yorker deserves access to clean, safe and affordable drinking water,” Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation (State Senate 8763A/Assembly 9824A) allowing local water authorities to take legal action against drinking water polluters for claims that were previously barred due to the statute of limitations. Local water authorities may generally only file legal claims against companies within three years of when misconduct or contamination occurred; whereas, the new law gives providers up to a year and a half from October 5, 2022.

The new law allows public water suppliers to revive any action, civil claim, or cause of action involving an emerging contaminant, to recover the costs of treatment and filtration as a result of contamination; and it defines an emerging contaminant as any physical, chemical, microbiological or radiological substance that is identified or listed as an emerging contaminant in public health or other laws.

✰✰✰

NYU TANDON AREA SECURED AFTER GUNSHOT REPORTS: A day after the sound of shots were fired near 2 MetroTech Center, the NYU Tandon School of Engineering wants to assure the community that there is no ongoing threat and that people can resume their normal activities. NYU spokesman John Beckman issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, October 4 reading, in part, “The NYPD responded to the incident, and is continuing to investigate. No one was injured, and there is no evidence to suggest that this incident is NYU related.”

Beckman’s statement also said that counseling services are available for students and employees.

✰✰✰

MAN SOUGHT IN ATTACK ON BUS DRIVER: The NYPD is seeking a man who assaulted and injured an on-duty MTA bus operator, within the 83^rd Precinct, on September 24. A male passenger boarded the B20 route bus (between Bushwick and East New York) and, becoming irate when the 34-year-old male driver informed him that it was unsafe to stop the bus where he wanted to exit, punched the victim in the forehead with a closed fist, before fleeing. The victim, who incurred pain and swelling, was removed to Wyckoff Hospital in stable condition.

Anyone knowing of the unidentified assailant, described as being in his 30s, with having a light skin complexion, medium build, and last seen wearing a red, long- sleeve sweater, gray jogging pants, black and white sneakers, gray hoodie, black mask around neck/chin and black sunglasses, should contact NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or via https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/

✰✰✰

RECYCLING AND SHREDDING EVENT MOVED TO OCTOBER 29: There is a date change for the Electronics Recycling and Shredding Event that City Councilmember Lincoln Restler is sponsoring. Originally scheduled for Oct. 9, it will now take place on Saturday, October 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., still in Cadman Plaza Park near Tillary St.

No registration is required for the drive, which will accept most types of paper from which staples, clips or rubber band have been removed (other than cardboard (which is difficult to shred). Most electronics are accepted, but not appliances, air conditioners, batteries, light bulbs or ballasts.

✰✰✰

POLICE INVESTIGATE GUNSHOTS NEAR 2 METROTECH: Gunshots were reported Tuesday morning in the vicinity of 2 MetroTech Center in Downtown Brooklyn, in the vicinity of NYU facilities at 370 Jay and Tandon School of Engineering. The VP of Global Campus Safety later dispatched another text alert stating, “Police now advise that no one was hurt, and that there is no further threat,” adding that the community would be seeing an enhanced police presence as they continue to investigate the incident, and that those who sheltered in place “may resume their normal activities.”

Some reports from news agencies also reported a knife slashing in the area, which was still being investigated as of press time.

✰✰✰

VICTIMS OF DEED THEFT WILL SPEAK AT PUBLIC HEARING: The New York State Senate Standing Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development will hold a public hearing on Thursday, October 27 at 10 a.m. at 250 Broadway in Lower Manhattan to receive public testimony on the issue of deed theft in New York State, in an effort that Senator Brian Kavanagh (D-26/northern Brooklyn) is spearheading as committee chair, in partnership with Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-20/central Brooklyn.) Also known as title fraud, deed theft is a predatory practice that targets rapidly gentrifying communities, especially communities of color, denying them a major asset and the growth of generational wealth.

Although the State Attorney General’s Office has worked to raise awareness of this criminal activity, current law does not adequately protect homeowners who are caught up in the web of scammers looking to steal their homes. The meeting’s purpose is to receive firsthand public testimony from victims of deed theft or title fraud.

✰✰✰

DINAPOLI: CITY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES LAGGING: The NYC Department of Education (DOE) must step up its efforts to prepare students for their next steps after high school, according to an audit released yesterday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit examined whether public-school students completed high school by their expected graduation date and possessed the skills needed to obtain or complete higher education, such as at a college or trade school.

The audit found that nearly one-in-four students (23 percent) did not graduate by their expected high school graduation date, and that this percentage varied widely among school districts, with a high of 49 percent in District 23, which includes Ocean Hill and Brownsville.

✰✰✰

MASSIVE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP WILL BRING MEGAHUB TO NY STATE: Micron, a U.S.-based memory and storage manufacturer and the fourth-largest producer of semiconductors in the world, will invest up to $100 billion in New York State, as part of a new partnership that Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced on Tuesday. Sen. Schumer’s Historic Federal CHIPS and Science Acts serves as the fuse and, utilizing New York’s Innovative Green CHIPS Legislation, Micron will build largest clean room in the nation, and is expected to create nearly 50,000 jobs, plus thousands of prevailing wage construction jobs.

This historic investment adds to New York’s already robust semiconductor industry.

✰✰✰

POLICE COMMISSIONER LAUNCHES NEW SUBWAY MESSAGES: Subway riders will be hearing two new messages from New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell that are designed to keep them safe. The MTA will broadcast the new messages in 403 subway stations in four boroughs through Oct. 31, playing every 15 minutes around-the-clock at indoor stations, and from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. at outdoor stations.

In both announcements, Commissioner Sewell introduces herself; message 1 says, “New York relies on its subway system like no other city in the nation. And your NYPD officers are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to keep it safe.” The second, a reworking of the familiar slogan, “If you see something, say something,” re-assures commuters of an increased police presence in trains and on platforms.

✰✰✰

These three unidentified males are wanted in connected with grand larceny committed in Williamsburg.
Photo credit: NYPD/Crimestoppers

POLICE SEEK THREE IN JEWELRY STORE ROBBERY: Police are seeking three individuals wanted in connection with a jewelry store robbery in Williamsburg. According to NYPD reports, on September 8 around 5:30 p.m., three unidentified males entered the Catbird Jewelry store at 108 North 7th Street and once inside, the first male individual distracted an employee while the second male individual removed approximately 18 Sofia Zaja gold rings worth approximately $13,000 from the store’s glass case, before fleeing.

✰✰✰

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING ASSEMBLY IN BUSHWICK: How would you spend $1 million in capital funds to improve your district? Residents and businesses in Bushwick will have the opportunity to do this tomorrow at a Bushwick Participatory Budgeting Assembly that City Councilmembers Sandy Nurse (D-37) and Jen Gutierrez (Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ridgewood in Queens) are organizing. Registration link for the assembly, taking place at Bushwick High School on Irving Ave., is: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1V6oZvVEPjZPC2c0bf2_aDPePOMdqalYCU2xJTSd2vy8/viewform?edit_requested=true

The link contains an idea map on which attendees can share their thoughts in advance.

✰✰✰

TWO ICONS: R&B LEGEND PATTI LABELLE PERFORMS NEXT MARCH AT THE KINGS THEATRE: Music icon Patti LaBelle, known for stylish elegance while performing classic R&B, spiritual sonnets, and pop will be performing next March at Brooklyn’s landmark Kings Theatre, at an event with special guest Will Downing. (Tickets go on sale Friday via Ticketmaster.) LaBelle, who is 78, keeps selling music, with totals reaching over 50 million worldwide, and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Hall of Fame, and has her place on Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Singers.”

Originally opened in 1929, The Kings Theatre underwent a complete $95 million restoration several years ago.

Music icon Patti LaBelle comes to Brooklyn’s historic Kings Theatre next spring.
Photo courtesy of Kings Theatre

✰✰✰

CALLAHAN-KELLY PLAYGROUND RECEIVES $21.6 MILLION RECONSTRUCTION: NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue yesterday joined Council Member Sandy Nurse and Brooklyn Community Board 16 Chairperson Genese Morgan for an official groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the $21.6 million full reconstruction of Callahan-Kelly Playground in Brownsville, Brooklyn. This project, with funds from the Mayor’s Office through the East New York Neighborhood Plan, will completely overhaul the three-acre park, including all new play equipment, upgraded sports courts, and a brand new skate park, with construction expected to be complete in Spring 2023.

Callahan-Kelly Playground was named for William E. Callahan and Edward E. Kelly, who were local soldiers who died during World War I. Both men lived near the park. Callahan lived at 98 Hinsdale Street, and Kelly lived at 1330 Herkimer Street.

✰✰✰

BROOKLYN DA SPONSORS SELF-CARE DAY FOR TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS: The Brooklyn District Attorney’s “Brooklyn Human Trafficking Task Force” is treating survivors of human trafficking this Friday to an Inner Beauty Day, in partnership with Vedette Beauty & Skincare and Strength in Beauty – a wellness activation to bring awareness to human trafficking and the exploitation of women. While the women are treated to makeovers, the District Attorney’s Office will be present share preventive measures in identifying and stopping trafficking.

Human Trafficking is the fastest growing organized crime activity in the United States. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, over 63,000 trafficking cases were reported between 2007 and 2019. Of those cases, more than 2,900 took place in New York. Although sexual exploitation of women makes up the lion share, other high trafficking areas include labor, criminal activities, and organ removal.