What’s News, Breaking: Tuesday, December 13, 2022

December 13, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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PANEL TALK ON ‘RACISM AND THE LIBERAL WHITE ILLUSION’

“Racism and the Liberal White Illusion” is the focus of a virtual talk coming up next month at the Center for Brooklyn History. The January 9 conversation (registration via Brooklyn Public Library) will examine scholarly research and complex narratives that point to how “the liberal white creed of empathy” can actually sabotage racial healing and equitable policymaking.

The moderator will be the Associated Press’ national race and ethnicity reporter Aaron Morrison.

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RUSSIAN CONSPIRATORS RESIDED IN BROOKLYN AND OTHER PARTS OF NORTHEAST

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN – Boris Livshits, one of the aforementioned Russian nationalists to be charged with conspiracy and money laundering, and who reportedly lives in Brooklyn, is part of a gang of Russian undercover operators who lied and schemed in order to acquire military and sensitive dual-use technologies from U.S. manufacturers, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and other U.S. criminal statutes. These items included advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment used in quantum computing, hypersonic and nuclear weapons development and other military and space-based military applications.

Two additional gang members are scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday afternoon: U.S. citizen Vadim Yermolenko in Brooklyn federal court and legal U.S./New Hampshire resident Alexey Brayman in that state’s federal court.

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FIVE RUSSIAN NATIONALS CHARGED; FOUR OF THEM STILL AT LARGE

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN – Five Russian nationals have been charged in Brooklyn federal court in a 16-count indictment that was unsealed on Monday, December 12. Yevgeniy Grinin, Aleksey Ippolitov, Boris Livshits, Svetlana Skvortsova and Vadim Konoshchenok are charged with conspiracy and other counts related to a global procurement and money laundering network on behalf of the Russian government, after Estonian authorities searched a warehouse used by Konoshchenok and recovered approximately 375 pounds worth of U.S.-origin ammunition.

Only Vadim Konoshchenok, a suspected officer with Russia’s Federal Security Service, had been apprehended as of press time; he was arrested in Estonia on December 6 and will be extradited to the United States.

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DIOCESAN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AT GRAND ARMY PLAZA

GRAND ARMY PLAZA – A Brooklyn Diocesan holiday tradition continues tomorrow, Wednesday, December 14, when Bishop Robert Brennan lights the Christmas tree and blesses the nativity scene at Grand Army Plaza. The 28-foot Norway Spruce tree is decorated with 16,000 multi-colored LED lights to represent the diversity of Brooklyn’s Roman Catholics, often referred to as the “Diocese of Immigrants.”

Expected to join Bishop Brennan for the annual 4 p.m. ceremony, at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, will be Christine Persichette, anchor of Currents News on NET-TV, a faith-based broadcast network.

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HAPPY DAYS DINER CLOSES

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – Happy Days Diner, until last month a popular mainstay at 148 Montague St., serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner 24/7 for almost 30 years, recently closed its doors, apparently having never recovered from the pandemic lockdown. Court documents and the real estate website Brownstoner reported that an eviction petition was filed in July against Happy Days Diner, owned by Onkar Food Corp, owed $632,801.17 through July 2022 for a ground-floor monthly rent of $22,380.

Although Brownstoner reported that “Happy Days Diner first took a lease for the space at 148 Montague Street in 2000,” that date is arguably inaccurate. Several Eagle staffers have, since the early 1990s, regularly gotten their meals at all hours from Happy Days –– before the restaurant was forced to shorten its hours.

The building where Happy Days Diner ruled as a 24/7 comfort food emporium dates back to 1900, and is pictured during the 1940s. The building’s earliest Certificate of Occupancy, on the Dept. of Buildings’ website, dates back to 1918. Photo: Municipal Archives, City of New York.

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ION-LITHIUM BATTERY INITIALLY BLAMED FOR TUESDAY’S FIRE IN RED HOOK IMPOUND LOT

RED HOOK WATERFRONT – An ion-lithium battery may have sparked the three-alarm fire that raged in an NYPD vehicle impound depot, injuring at least two firefighters, according to preliminary news reports. John Quadrozzi, Jr., owner of the GBX~ Gowanus Bay Terminal that’s in the vicinity of the fire, told the Brooklyn Eagle, “Heard from lots of people checking to see if GBX~ was alright before I even knew what was happening. Fortunately it was at the end of the block from GBX~, far enough out of danger, however a lot of smoke came our way.”

The fire was first reported around 10:43 a.m. at the depot, on Columbia St. near Erie Basin in Red Hook.

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FIREFIGHTER INJURED IN 3-ALARM RED HOOK TOW POUND FIRE

Smoke billowing throughout the Brooklyn waterfront originated at a three-alarm fire at the Erie Basin Auto Pound in Red Hook. Photo: FDNY.

RED HOOK – An FDNY firefighter has been injured in what has now been called a three-alarm fire at the Erie Basin NYPD Auto Pound in Red Hook. The fire, which began around 10:43 a.m. and spread to three alarms within half an hour, prompted the NYPD 76th Precinct, which covers Red Hook, to dispatch a Tweet warning the public to avoid the area of Columbia St. near Erie Basin in Red Hook, and that there are road closures near Columbia St. and Bay St.

This particular auto pound is distinct from tow pounds, explains the NYPD on its website, because it stores vehicles that have been confiscated for reasons other than parking violations.

Smoke from the Red Hook fire as seen from Brooklyn Heights. Photo: Brooklyn Eagle.

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J TRAIN SERVICE DISRUPTIONS OVER WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE

WILLIAMSBURG – Service disruptions are coming for J train riders traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan, reports Gothamist. According to the DOT, much-needed repairs on the decaying Williamsburg Bridge will necessitate the closure of the bridge to train traffic on at least 25 separate weekends over the course of 2023 and 2024, avoiding the worst-case fears of some commuters of a total shutdown.

While the MTA says the repair schedule has not been finalized, a proposed schedule given to DOT contractors suggests these closures could start as soon as next month.

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DISGRACED CRYPTO CEO CAUGHT IN BAHAMAS

NEW YORK – The Southern District of New York confirmed on Twitter that former billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, head of the now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, was arrested in the Bahamas on Monday, December 12. US Attorney Damien Williams stated that the SDNY expects to move to unseal the indictment on the morning of Tuesday, December 13, and will have more to say at that time.

In addition to the reportedly wide variety of charges filed by the US attorney stemming from the spectacular collapse of FTX in the last few months, which caused the embattled CEO’s net worth to plummet from an estimated $26 billion to $0, Bankman-Fried faces separate charges from the SEC, who stated on Twitter that they would also be filing against him on Tuesday morning.

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SOCCER TOURNAMENT RAISES FUNDS FOR YOUTH PROGRAM

NEW LOTS – Eight teams gathered on Sunday, December 11, to play in the City in the Community Holiday Cup, a charity tournament held to help homeless youth access soccer programming and warm winter clothing. NYCFC and Midea Appliances sponsored the tournament, which also featured fun games and family holiday activities for people living in shelters.

To date, Midea and NYCFC’s partnership has seen City in the Community provide leadership and workforce development training to more than 70 young people aged 16-24 who are currently in the shelter system, giving them the skills, confidence and paid job opportunities to deliver soccer programs to younger kids in the community.

Soccer players face off for homeless youths at the City in the Community Holiday Cup. Photo courtesy of NYCFC.

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YWCA BROOKLYN RECEIVES $37,000 GRANT

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN – YWCA Brooklyn has received a $37,000 Spectrum Digital Education Grant in addition to a donation of 25 new laptops for its digital literacy skills program. This program, which began in 2021 also thanks to a grant from Spectrum, started with the purchase of more than 30 tablets for a technology lending library before expanding to offer education on how broadband Internet can benefit senior residents’ lives, intermediate-level digital literacy classes and education on mobile technologies to help stay connected in an increasingly digital world.

YWCA Brooklyn, a grassroots non-profit that has been a champion for racial justice and gender equity for over 130 years, today focuses on serving women and girls of color, providing more than 300 safe, permanent and affordable homes in its Downtown Brooklyn building for low-income and vulnerable women; a college access and leadership program for girls of color; and services for immigrant women.

Karrin Smoley (far left), senior director of community impact at Spectrum, presents the laptops to Martha Kamber, YWCA Brooklyn’s CEO & president (far right), with residents who were presented certificates of completion for digital literacy classes. Photo: Spectrum.

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POLICE SEEK HELP IN FINDING ATTEMPTED RAPIST

The NYPD asks for anyone who knows this man to contact them as soon as possible. All tips are confidential.

FORT GREENE – The 88th Precinct is asking the public for help in identifying a man in connection to an attempted rape on Nov. 28. A 19-year-old woman was returning home from school when the suspect, described as a male with black hair and glasses last seen wearing a maroon sweater and a black jacket, approached her and attempted to force her to the ground before fleeing on foot.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782); or to submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

The suspect, described as a male with black hair and glasses last seen wearing a maroon sweater and a black jacket.

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AWARD-WINNING BROOKLYN COMPOSER PASSES AWAY

BENSONHURST – Grammy-winning “Twin Peaks” score composer Angelo Badalamenti, born in Bensonhurst, has passed away in New Jersey at age 85 after more than 50 years of creating songs for both Hollywood productions and musical megastars. Badalamenti began his career as a music teacher at Dyker Heights Junior High before transitioning into songwriting, starting with a Christmas musical which aired on WNET in 1964 and going on to work with artists like David Bowie, Paul McCartney and Liza Minelli and to form a close partnership with, among others, filmmaker David Lynch, for whom he scored “Twin Peaks,” “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive.”

Badalamenti is survived by his wife Lonny, daughter Danielle, and niece Frances, who conducted a touching interview with the composer in 2019.

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MASK UP, SAYS HEALTH COMMISSIONER

NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan has issued a new Health Advisory that urges residents to use high-quality masks when indoors and in crowded outdoor settings in order to guard against potential new variants of the coronavirus and to protect seniors and other vulnerable New Yorkers, says Community Board 2. The Commissioner’s Advisory also urges all residents to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and flu, even if they have been vaccinated previously.

Many providers offer both vaccines, and appointments can be made through the city’s Vaccine Finder website or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).

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LAST CHANCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON HELICOPTER TOURS

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – The deadline for the public to comment on the controversial new helicopter tour regulation plan has been extended to December 30. Activist group Stop the Chop NY-NJ and the Brooklyn Heights Association, who say that these new regulations will lead to a dramatic increase in helicopter traffic, a heightened risk of terrorism and close flyovers over Brooklyn Heights at only 500 feet off the ground, urge concerned residents to submit their concerns to the National Parks Service and FAA via the National Parks Service website.

Stop the Chop and the Brooklyn Heights Association both advocate for the end of sightseeing helicopter tours, which have increased in quantity to 60,000 flights a year since the closure of the West 30th St. heliport and generate little direct income for the city.

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BIGGEST EVER CHRISTMAS TREE AT BORO HALL

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN – Brooklyn welcomed in the holidays last week with the lighting of its biggest Christmas tree ever! More than 100 merrymakers joined the celebration according to Borough President Antonio Reynoso, which in addition to the 30-foot tree, featured caroling by Opera on Tap, candy canes and a special appearance by honorary Brooklynite Santa Claus.

Reynoso also thanked Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher, National Grid, Ponce Bank, Urbanspace, Uber, Target, and Brooklyn For All for “helping us bring the cheer to Brooklyn.”

The three-story tree shines over Brooklyn Borough Hall. Brooklyn Eagle photo: Mary Frost.

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CVS, WALGREENS TO PAY NEW YORK STATE IN OPIOID REGULATION AGREEMENT

STATEWIDE – New York will receive up to $458 million as part of a bipartisan, multistate agreement with CVS and Walgreens for failing to regulate opioid prescriptions, as part of an agreement that State Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of her counterparts around the United State have negotiated. The settlement, in which CVS will pay $5 billion and Walgreens will pay $5.7 billion, providing $10.7 billion to communities nationwide and will require significant improvements in how these retail pharmacy companies handle opioid prescriptions.

AG James has now delivered more than $2.5 billion total to fund opioid abatement, treatment, and prevention in New York.

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Mayor Eric Adams addresses Jewish leaders at a meeting that the Orthodox Union convened on Monday.
Photo credit: Orthodox Union

FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM

CITYWIDE – MAYOR ADAMS, SEN. SCHUMER ADDRESS ORTHODOX UNION: Federal and local elected officials, including two originally from Brooklyn, participated in an urgent meeting on Monday with the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union) to address the rise of antisemitism across New York and the United States. Speakers at the event, hosted at the Lincoln Square Synagogue on the Upper West Side were U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) and Mayor Eric Adams, as well as Gov. Kathy Hochul, with the goal of speaking directly to Jewish community leaders about how best to combat this threat.

Saying, “The U.S., praise God, is not Nazi Germany,” Sen. Schumer emphasized that Jews and leaders must persist and work together fighting antisemitism “with clarity and conviction” regardless of political disagreements; while Mayor Adams spoke about the importance of punishing those who commit hate crimes, both against Jews and other groups.”

Senator Chuck Schumer, from Brooklyn, addresses the Orthodox Union meeting.
Photo credit: Orthodox Union

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BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY CELEBRATES ITS ‘TOP TEN MOMENTS’

The Brooklyn Public Library is celebrating the Top Ten Moments of its 125th anniversary year as 2022 draws to a close. Among the top three of these milestones were leading the Fight Against Book Bans with the launch of Books Unbanned, which gave students nationwide access to its digital catalog; the opening of the new 26,000-square-foot Brooklyn Heights Library on a footprint of its former home on Cadman Plaza West; and launched a State-of-the-Art Teen Tech Center at the Crown Heights Library

The Brooklyn Public Library also hosted Lenapehoking — the First-Ever Lenape curated exhibition in New York, at the Greenpoint Library, and launched its Vinyl Collection, complete with listening stations and the borrowing availability of musical instruments in addition to record albums.

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JUNIOR’S RESTAURANT HOLDS ITS SECOND GUN BUY-BACK

DOWNTOWN – Brooklyn’s famous emporium known for its “world’s most fabulous cheesecake” and generous deli sandwiches has teamed up with law enforcement agencies to curb gun violence in the city. Alan Rosen, the third-generation owner of Junior’s Restaurant, will host a second gun buyback this Saturday, December 17, hosted at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 574 Madison St. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with co-sponsors being New York Police Department, New York Police Foundation, Oyate Group, and the King’s County District Attorney’s Office, for individuals to exchange handguns, assault rifles, shotguns for bank cards ranging from $500 to $150 — and iPads for the first 50 persons to do trade-ins.

Junior’s gun buyback follows their successful one last May, which netted 69 weapons — ranging from rifles to pistols — being removed from streets.

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LPC VOTES DEC. 13 ON PROPOSED MELROSE PARKSIDE HISTORIC DISTRICT

The fate of a set of history-rich homes in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens is in the hands of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, which will vote today, December 13, on the Proposed Designation of the Melrose Parkside Historic District. The LPC’s public meeting, to be live-streamed on the agency’s YouTube channel (with more information on participating here) will vote on the proposed historic district, a remarkably cohesive and intact group of 38 single- and two-family row houses on Parkside Avenue between Flatbush and Bedford.

Two of Brooklyn’s most prominent architects of the early 20th century, Benjamin Driesler and Axel S. Hedman, designed the houses for developers William A. A. Brown and Eli H. Bishop & Son. The Brooklyn Eagle’s August 10, 2022 feature can be found here.

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NEW LAW MANDATES INSURANCE COMPANIES PROTECT VICTIMS, BUT NOT PERPETRATORS, OF HATE CRIMES

STATEWIDE – Victims of hate crimes also have rights with regard to insurance coverage, thanks to a legislation that Governor Kathy Hochul signed on Monday, December 12. The bill, (S.7658-B/A.8869-B) prohibits insurers from canceling insurance, raising premiums, refusing to issue a policy or refusing to renew a policy solely on the basis that one or more claims have been made for a loss that is a result of a hate crime, and applies to individuals, religious organizations, or nonprofits organized and operated for religious, charitable or educational purposes.

Conversely, the new law ensures that perpetrators of hate crimes cannot use the legislation to protect themselves from rate increases or cancellations as a result of the crime they themselves committed.

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FAITH LEADERS MEET WITH ORTHODOX UNION ON RELIGIOUS HATE CRIMES AND SECURITY

CITYWIDE – Another event taking place on Tuesday, December 13 with the Orthodox Union will bring in prominent faith leaders and public officials in a range of issues, including the spike in religious-based hate crimes. Pastor Gilford Monrose, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships, and spiritual leader of Mount Zion Church of God (7th Day) in East Flatbush; and Pastor Rick Sawyer, Special Counsel, Hate Crimes, New York State Office of the Attorney General, Civil Rights Bureau will be among the participants at this “Building Bridges” event that City & State magazine is holding, at which Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Chief Advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, will be the keynote Speaker.

Other topics on the agenda are security for houses of worship and support for faith-based schools in New York.

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UBER SUES TLC OVER MANDATED FARE RATE HIKES

The ride-hail company Uber is suing the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC), accusing the city of “using unsound economic principles to “achieve a predetermined result,” according to TechCrunch, an online news service. Last month, the TLC had approved a fare increase for ride-hail apps and taxi drivers alike, driven by post-pandemic driver shortage, rising operational costs and higher inflation, but Uber is reportedly trying to avoid having to pay its drivers an increase in rate.

Uber’s suit claims it would not be able to recover from the latest fare hike, which contrasts with previous increases, ranging from 1.46 percent to 5.34 percent, and more “accurately reflect[ing] the impact of inflation,” but doesn’t mention how the pandemic has factored in a driver shortage to meet demand.

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LEGISLATORS OPPOSE VETO OF BILL INFORMING IMMIGRANTS

CITYWIDE – The governor of New York State, which has gained a reputation for protecting the Constitutional and legal rights of immigrants, has vetoed a widely-supported bill that would have required the courts to “inform” an immigrant defendant that pleading guilty could have a negative impact on their immigration status. State Senator Brian Kavanagh (D-26/Brooklyn Heights/western Brooklyn) and Queens Assemblymember Catalina Cruz in a joint statement denounced Gov. Hochul’s veto of the bill, which would have protected immigrants in cases with low-level offenses from being deported, even when there is no conviction.

The joint statement from Kavanagh and Cruz read, in part, “This legislation, S2903A/A9877A, passed by large majorities in the Senate and Assembly, merely asks the court to “inform” an immigrant defendant that pleading guilty could have a negative impact on their immigration status and ability to stay in the country.”

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TRIBUTE TO NOTORIOUS RAPPER UNVEILED IN DUMBO PARK

DUMBO – A “sustainable sonic statue” of hometown hero Christopher Wallace, better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G. and Biggie Smalls, has been erected in Clumber Corner Park, next to the Brooklyn Bridge. The statue, which shows the rapper’s gold-crowned head and hands reaching out from an imposing monolith, features embedded solar-powered speakers which will broadcast a curated playlist of the rapper’s greatest hits until November 2023 thanks to the funding of the Downtown Brooklyn and DUMBO Art Fund.

Brooklyn-born Wallace, whose records have sold a combined total of 21 million copies in the United States and is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, was murdered in 1997.

This interactive statue of Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace — AKA Biggie Smalls — by artist Sherwin Banfield has been erected in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Brooklyn Eagle photo: Mary Frost

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POLICE SEEK HELP IN FINDING MISSING GIRL

GRAVESEND – The 60th Precinct is asking the public for help in locating missing teen Daziya Felder, 14, who was last seen in the Marlboro Houses in Gravesend on the night of December 6. The missing girl is described as Black, approximately 5’08” tall, weighing 140 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call the NYPD‘s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1–800–577–TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1–888–57–PISTA (74782), to log onto the Crime Stoppers website or to text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577.

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VEHICLE STOLEN IN HOMECREST DURING DELIVERY

HOMECREST – The 61st Precinct is seeking information about the brazen theft of a delivery vehicle out from under the nose of its driver on Nov. 21 in Homecrest. The thief waited until the driver had stepped out at 1986 East 19th St. to deliver packages before sneaking into the unlocked vehicle and fleeing down Avenue S. The vehicle was later recovered, but a cell phone, a wallet and unknown packages were removed.

Anyone recognizing the suspect’s distinctive tattoo is encouraged to contact the police with any information they may have.

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JEWISH CHILDREN CHASED WITH TASER IN FLATBUSH

FLATBUSH – A group of Jewish children were chased down a Flatbush sidewalk on the night of December 9 by several people yelling “Run, Jews, run!” and other antisemitic remarks. A video of the incident, one of many in a recent wave of hate crimes that has outraged New York’s Jewish community, shows one attacker firing a taser gun in the direction of the children before running away.

The NYPD and Shmira Public Safety are asking for anyone with information about this incident to report tips by calling the Shmira Emergency Line at 718-871-4444 or by calling 911.

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BARC ANIMAL SHELTER CO-FOUNDER PASSES AWAY

WILLIAMSBURG – Beloved Brooklyn activist Vinny Spinola, co-founder of Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition, passed away last week. Fellow animal lover and Broadway actress Bernadette Peters was saddened to learn of his death, writing on Twitter “a great loss we will miss you, love you so Vinny,” where other sympathizers offered their condolences and remembrances as well.

BARC, which has served Brooklyn’s animals since 1987, operates its no-kill shelter in Williamsburg and facilitates adoptions and animal welfare programs borough-wide.

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CITY COUNCIL TO HOLD HEARING ON SUBWAY SAFETY

CIVIC CENTER – The City Council’s Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee held a joint oversight hearing on public safety in the subways and transit system on Monday, December 12.

As subway crime is on the rise in 2022, Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul announced in October that an additional 1,200 overtime shifts would be approved for police officers patrolling the city’s metro system.

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BROOKLYN HOSPITALS HELD FOR RANSOM BY HACKERS

CROWN HEIGHTS – Interfaith Medical Center, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center are being held hostage by hackers demanding $5 million in ransom, according to former Councilmember Sal Albanese, who reports that things are “a mess” as staff members are locked out of computer systems. South Brooklyn Senator Diane Savino weighed in on the situation, calling for investments in cyber hygiene and cautioning against giving in to these demands.

Brooklyn Hospital suffered a similar attack in 2019, which resulted in the hospital losing patient records.

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BROWNSVILLE MAN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AFTER FIGHT

BROWNSVILLE – Brownsville resident Danny Quiles, 52, has been charged with manslaughter following the death of Arthur Fleschner, 60, on December 8. The two men reportedly got into a dispute on December 4, which escalated to blows that left Fleschner on the ground with head trauma.

The suspect fled the scene before being located and arrested on December 9. The investigation is ongoing.