What’s News, Breaking: Monday, October 2, 2023

October 2, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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RED HOOK OPEN STUDIOS THIS WEEKEND

RED HOOK — LOCAL RED HOOK ARTISTS AND ARTISANS ARE SET TO OPEN their studio doors to the public this weekend at the Red Hook Open Studios event, allowing curious visitors to get a look at the workspaces, processes and pieces of more than 30 creators throughout the neighborhood. Participants include glassblowers, ceramics artists, sculptors, painters, photographers and more; local groups are also hosting the Red Hook Community Cinemas film series alongside the art tour at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, highlighting the works of area filmmakers.

The free Open Studios tours will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, and more information as well as a walking map can be found on the Red Hook Open Studios website; while information about the Community Cinemas, which runs from Oct. 6 through Oct. 8, can be found on the Red Hook Business Alliance’s website.

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MAYOR’S ADVISOR CALLS FOR CLOSED BORDERS

CITYWIDE — MAYORAL ADVISOR INGRID LEWIS-MARTIN ON SUNDAY CALLED FOR the federal government to fully close the southern border to new arrivals in an interview with PIX News, reports Gothamist, escalating the Adams administration’s frequent calls for Washington to find ways to help the city handle the influx of more than 116,000 migrants in the last 18 months, a struggle that has cost an estimated $2 billion so far. Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy later clarified the mayor’s position, writing that Adams was not opposed to immigration but that a “decompression strategy” was needed to manage incoming refugees and other migrants.

Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif struck back against Lewis-Martin’s proposal, writing on X (Twitter) “These xenophobic Republican talking points have no home in our City. New York has been a welcoming beacon to immigrants for centuries and will always be one, no matter what this administration says.”

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LIBRARY ANNOUNCES 2023 BOOK PRIZE SHORTLIST

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY ON MONDAY ANNOUNCED its librarians’ selection of the six finalists for the 2023 Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize, which celebrates Brooklyn’s storied literary scene. Established in 2015 by the Brooklyn Eagles — a group of library enthusiasts unaffiliated with this paper — the yearly award honors authors who connect with the borough and city and whose works “support the Library’s mission to foster conversations about the social, political, and artistic issues of our time.”

Fiction nominees include the Native American coming-of-age story “Calling for a Blanket Dance,” by Oscar Hokeah, the metafictional satire “Yellowface,” by R.F. Kuang, and the alternate-history memoir “Biography of X,” by Catherine Lacey; the selections in the nonfiction category are queer poetry collection “Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency,” by Chen Chen, the essay collection “Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir,” by Lamya H., and “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation,” by Linda Villarosa, an investigation into racial disparities in healthcare. All six authors will join Prize Chair Jess Hardwick at a free panel event on Oct. 26 at the BPL; RSVPs can be sent online via the library’s website.

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AG JAMES WARNS OF PRICE GOUGING AFTER STORM FLOODS

STATEWIDE — ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES ON FRIDAY issued a consumer alert warning against price-gouging in the aftermath of last week’s heavy rainstorms, which caused significant flooding and damage in the NYC area and parts of upstate and prompted the declaration of a state of emergency in the impacted counties. James in a press statement urged New Yorkers who see inflated prices to report the issue to her office; the state’s price-gouging statute bans businesses from marking up essential goods or services, such as food and water, fuel, hotels and transportation, during emergencies, and allows for penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.

The AG’s office advises consumers making reports to provide specific increased prices, dates, and places, and to provide copies of their sales receipts and photos of the advertised prices, if available; complaints can be filed online on the Attorney General’s state webpage, or by phone by calling 800-771-7755.

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BROOKLYN REP. DAN GOLDMAN ‘ENCOURAGED’
BY SCOTUS JUSTICE THOMAS’ RECUSAL

BROOKLYN & NATIONWIDE — JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS RECUSED HIMSELF from a case involving Trump attorney John Eastman, in which that Court denied the lawyer’s petition to appeal a ruling, a move that Brooklyn Congressmember Dan Goldman applauds. Rep. Goldman (D–NY10/western Brooklyn) had last week called for the embattled jurist to recuse himself from two cases: Eastman, John C. v. Thompson, Bennie G., et al., related to Eastman’s appeal of the decision to allow his election-related emails to be turned over to the January 6 Committee, because the judge’s wife, Ginni Thomas, had corresponded with Eastman ahead of the January 6, 2021 insurrection; and Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, following ProPublica’s investigative story that disclosed Justice Thomas’s longterm personal relationship with the Koch network, which has funded the plaintiffs in this case.

Goldman expressed hope that Judge Thomas’ recusal from the Eastman ruling is a sign that he recognizes that the integrity of the High Court is at stake and that it is critically important for the Court’s institutional credibility that he recuse himself from Loper.”

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WOODHULL HOSPITAL EVACUATES PATIENTS
TO EXAMINE SCOPE OF FLOODING DAMAGE

BUSHWICK TO GREENPOINT — NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/WOODHULL, which was reportedly damaged in last Friday’s record rainfall and flooding, successfully evacuated all patients to allow for the hospital to fully shut down its power, a necessary step to address flood-related damage, officials reported on Sunday, Oct. 1. A total of 116 patients were transferred to other NYC Health + Hospitals sites, with no adverse patient effects reported throughout the evacuation. NYC Health + Hospitals will stay in touch with patients and their families to keep them updated as repairs continue. The city’s public hospital network worked with the Emergency Management and Health and Mental Hygiene Departments, as well as the Fire and Police Departments, to transfer the patients.

The hospital is not accepting any patients, will remain on diversion for all ambulances, and is currently assessing its engineering and electrical systems for the scope of damage. Officials estimate that the repairs could take several days before the hospital can resume operations.

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SUPREME COURT CHOOSES NOT TO HEAR
CHALLENGE TO RENT STABILIZATION LAWS

CITYWIDE — THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ON MONDAY, OCT. 2, DECLINED TO HEAR A CHALLENGE to New York’s rent-stabilization regulations, reported the New York Times and the Commercial Observer, thus allowing precedent to stand. The regulations allow the government to set a maximum range of permissible rent increases and permit tenants an indefinite number of lease renewals. Landlords had argued that a rent-stabilization law that covers about a million units is an unconstitutional government taking of private property, but a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit had in February rejected that argument.

Judge Barrington D. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals wrote in February that while his panel understood the economists’ view that rent control laws are fallible with regard to ensuring an inventory of affordable housing, prior Supreme Court precedents allowed legislators to strike a needed balance with regard to the laws.

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STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGE RULES
FOR DELIVERISTAS IN MINIMUM PAY FIGHT

CITYWIDE — APP-BASED FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES MUST PAY THEIR WORKERS at least $17.96 an hour — before tips — after Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Nicholas Moyne on Thursday, Sept. 28, ruled against the companies Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub, who were trying to block the rule from taking effect, reports THE CITY. The app companies, which aggressively pressured city officials to delay a local minimum wage law that was supposed to take effect in January, do not categorize their workforce as employees, but rather as independent contractors, thus making their drivers and delivery cyclists ineligible for the federal and state guaranteed minimum wage.

However, exempt from Judge Moyne’s ruling is Relay, a smaller, NY-based company, because it works directly with restaurants and already pays an hourly base rate. Judge Moyne granted Relay’s injunction, THE CITY reported on Monday.

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BQE TRIPLE CANTILEVER SECTION WILL CLOSE FOR WORK ON HEIGHTS SPANS

BQE/FURMAN ST. — THE TRIPLE CANTILEVER SECTION OF THE BROOKLYN-QUEENS EXPRESSWAY, which runs underneath the Promenade, will be closed the weekend of Oct. 14-16, reports the DOT via Community Board 2. The Queens-bound BQE will be closed between Atlantic Avenue and Sands St., from Saturday, Oct. 14, at 2 a.m. until Monday, Oct. 16, at 4 a.m., as part of the work to repair the spans at Clark Street and Grace Court.

During this closure, the Staten Island-bound BQE will be reduced to one lane, and traffic direction on Furman St. will be reversed to two southbound lanes.

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NYU LANGONE, LOCAL ELECTEDS TEAM UP ON FREE FLU SHOTS

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER AND STATE LEGISLATORS SERVING THE DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN AREA are teaming up to provide free flu shots next week. NYU Langone-Cobble Hill Clinic will host a free Flu Shot Clinic on Thursday, Oct. 12 from 3 to 7 p.m., thanks to coordination with Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and State Senator Andrew Gounardes. The clinic is held at NYU Langone, 70 Atlantic Ave. (same building as the Joseph & Diane Steinberg Ambulatory Care Center). Insurance is not required, but one must make an appointment and be at least 18 years of age Appointments are available via Assemblymember Simon’s office: 718-246-4889, or email at [email protected] or via bit.ly/FluShotClinic2023.

NYU-Langone assures participants of the facility’s strict safety measures in place.

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STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERS TIP FOR
NEW YORKERS WITH FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS

STATEWIDE — NEW YORKERS WITH FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS will have some tips on coping with the fact that the payment pause has ended, thanks to state Attorney General Letitia James. Following a three-year pause due to the pandemic, interest on federal student loans resumed accruing in September and payments are again due starting this month. Attorney General James advises people to make sure their contact information is updated on their loan servicer’s website and to be aware that student loans have switched to new servicers during the pause. The Department of Education’s (DOE) Federal Student Aid (FSA) website https://studentaid.gov/ contains loan servicer information.

One can also check eligibility for the Biden Administration’s new SAVE Plan, which will cut monthly payments to $0 for millions of borrowers making $32,800 or less, or $67,500 for a family of four, and save all other borrowers at least $1,000 per year.

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VELAZQUEZ SLAMS GOP OVER BUDGET SHOWDOWN

WASHINGTON — U.S. REP. NYDIA VELAZQUEZ ON SATURDAY SHARPLY CRITICIZED HER GOP COLLEAGUES OVER INACTION in the face of a federal government shutdown narrowly averted by the last-minute passage of a 45-day funding extension Saturday night. Velazquez wrote in a statement that “[t]his episode has made it clear that Republicans cannot govern. Though a shutdown has been avoided for now, we will likely face the same predicament if Republicans continue to allow their most extreme members to drive the appropriations process.” Leaders in Washington now have until the middle of November to reach a deal on the federal budget, a process that is expected to be contentious due to demands from right-wing representatives for sharp funding cuts and from the White House for increased aid for Ukraine.

The disarray in the Capitol exposed divisions between the moderate and right-wing elements of the GOP, with center-leaning Republicans also criticizing the process, such as Rockland county Rep. Mike Lawler, who described resistance to the funding extension as “just throwing a temper tantrum and stomping your feet” and “pathetic,” according to the AP.

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GOLDMAN PRAISES BUDGET COMPROMISE

WASHINGTON — U.S. REP. DAN GOLDMAN ON SATURDAY OFFERED MEASURED PRAISE for a 45-day funding measure passed with bipartisan support by Congress, which NBC reports was signed by President Biden on Saturday night just three hours before a government shutdown would have taken effect. Goldman, who voted in favor of the measure, wrote in a press statement that the legislation’s passage, which omitted additions originally demanded by Republicans related to abortion and schools and Social Security funding, “was a victory for New Yorkers and the American people,” but also stressed the need for additional funding for Ukraine, which was left out of the package after pushback from right-wing Congressmembers.

The measure passed with widespread support from both Democrats and Republicans, with 335 House members voting in favor and only 91 opposed, but doubts have been raised over GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ability to unite his party after opposition from far-right legislators threatened to scuttle the bill.

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COMPOST COLLECTION STARTS THIS WEEK IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN — THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION IS SET TO BEGIN PROVIDING CURBSIDE COMPOST PICKUP service in Brooklyn this Monday, according to a joint statement from Mayor Adams and Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, in a scheduled expansion of the mayor’s signature citywide food waste collection program. Brooklynites will now be able to set out compostable trash, which includes food waste, food-soiled paper products like napkins and paper towels, and dried leaves and other garden debris for weekly pickup; the city says that the program, which began last year in Queens, has already proven successful in diverting waste from landfills, as well as reducing feeding opportunities for rats.

Residents can use any bins that are clearly labeled and have secure lids, or can order free compost decals and brown bins from the Department of Sanitation’s website until Oct. 13; full participation will not be mandatory until service is expanded to Manhattan and Staten Island in 2024.

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POPULAR PROMENADE GARDENER ANIL CHANDRAKUMAR PROMOTED TO PARKS SUPERVISORY POSITION

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — POPULAR NYC PARKS DEPARTMENT GARDENER Anil Chandrakumar, who has inspired the volunteer gardeners of the Brooklyn Heights Association’s Promenade Garden Conservancy to horticultural heights, has received a promotion to Brooklyn Horticulture Supervisor. The Promenade gardeners and their friends at the Cadman Park Conservancy have given Chandrakumar rave reviews, calling him a treasure for their volunteers who come out weekly to pull weeds, trim and plant while learning about all things green.

Jessica Kulig will become the next Promenade Gardener and volunteer coordinator for the PGC, and will also lead the Wednesday Gardening Circle at Cadman Plaza Park.

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BROOKLYN’S LONE CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICAN VOTES TWICE TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

BAY RIDGE & FORT HAMILTON — Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-11/southwestern Brooklyn), the lone Republican in the Congressional delegation from New York City, said on Saturday afternoon, “For the second day in a row, I voted to temporarily fund the government and avert a shutdown to keep necessary programs running and allow our service members and federal employees to be paid.” Malliotakis, whose district encompasses the U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Hamilton — a history-rich military base that was the fourth, in 1831, to be established in the nation’s history; she has fought to keep the Veterans Administration hospital open.

Rep. Malliotakis’ statement on Saturday afternoon also addressed the city’s migrant crisis, urging her bicameral colleagues “to secure our border to stop the unsustainable and unsafe flow of border crossers who have made their way to New York City,” and promised to halt “the unsustainable flow of individuals that Mayor Adams says is ‘destroying’ our city.”

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COMPOST COLLECTION STARTS THIS WEEK IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN — THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION IS SET TO BEGIN PROVIDING CURBSIDE COMPOST pickup service in Brooklyn Monday, according to a joint statement from Mayor Adams and Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, in a scheduled expansion of the mayor’s signature citywide food waste collection program. Brooklynites will now be able to set out compostable trash, which includes food waste, food-soiled paper products like napkins and paper towels, and dried leaves and other garden debris for weekly pickup; the city says that the program, which began last year in Queens, has already proven successful in diverting waste from landfills, as well as reducing feeding opportunities for rats.

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VELAZQUEZ SLAMS GOP OVER BUDGET SHOWDOWN

WASHINGTON – U.S. REP. NYDIA VELAZQUEZ ON SATURDAY SHARPLY CRITICIZED her GOP colleagues over inaction in the face of a federal government shutdown narrowly averted by the last-minute passage of a 45-day funding extension Saturday night. Velazquez wrote in a statement that “[t]his episode has made it clear that Republicans cannot govern. Though a shutdown has been avoided for now, we will likely face the same predicament if Republicans continue to allow their most extreme members to drive the appropriations process;” leaders in Washington now have until the middle of November to reach a deal on the federal budget, a process that is expected to be contentious due to demands from right-wing representatives for sharp funding cuts and from the White House for increased aid for Ukraine.

The disarray in the Capitol exposed divisions between the moderate and right-wing elements of the GOP, with center-leaning Republicans also criticizing the process, such as Rockland County Rep. Mike Lawler, who described resistance to the funding extension as “just throwing a temper tantrum and stomping your feet” and “pathetic,” according to the AP.

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GOLDMAN PRAISES BUDGET COMPROMISE

WASHINGTON — U.S. REP. DAN GOLDMAN ON SATURDAY OFFERED MEASURED PRAISE FOR a 45-day funding measure passed with bipartisan support by Congress, which NBC reports was signed by President Biden on Saturday night just three hours before a government shutdown would have taken effect. Goldman, who voted in favor of the measure, wrote in a press statement that the legislation’s passage, which omitted additions originally demanded by Republicans related to abortion and schools and Social Security funding, “was a victory for New Yorkers and the American people,” but also stressed the need for additional funding for Ukraine, which was left out of the package after pushback from right-wing Congressmembers.

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SAHADI’S, LONG A BROOKLYN MAINSTAY, OPENS ‘SIBLING’ STORE AT MANHATTAN’S PIER 57

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — SAHADI’s, the beloved Middle Eastern grocery and specialty store on Atlantic Avenue, is opening an additional store in Manhattan, reports Eater New York. Sahadi’s, which was first established in Manhattan in 1895, according to the store’s website, moved to Brooklyn Heights in 1948. Now, almost 130 years after its founding, the fourth generation of Sahadi’s in the business is both celebrating its roots in Manhattan and its success in Brooklyn, with the launch of a store at Market57, the James Beard food hall, which opened a few months ago at Pier 57.

Sahadi’s opened its Industry City location in 2019; an earlier warehouse and roastery had opened in Sunset Park in 2001. The Industry City store features one of the city’s few operating Saj stations, named for a specialty Lebanese bread and sandwich.

Sahadi’s Atlantic Avenue storefront as seen during the decade when the merchant moved to Brooklyn.
Photo courtesy Municipal Archives, City of New York

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ASSEMBLYMEMBER COLTON ANNOUNCES SPECIAL HOTLINE ON STREET FLOODING

BATH BEACH TO DYKER HTS. — ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILLIAM COLTON (D-47) HAS SET UP A DEDICATED PHONE NUMBER where his constituents can report street flooding conditions in their neighborhoods. Colton, who represents Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights and Gravesend, is sending the reports to the mayor’s office and to the city’s Office of Emergency Management, which deploys teams that will assess and correct the flooding situations. That special number is 718-376-3645. Colton is in direct contact with Deputy Commissioner Christina Farrell, and with Mayoral Liaison Jasper Diaz.

Assemblyman Colton added that Susan Zhuang, his chief of staff who is currently on unpaid leave, has been driving around the neighborhood looking for flood conditions and informing him of what she observes. The National Weather Service reported that 5.97 inches of rain had fallen in Brooklyn by 9:25 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 29.

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BERGEN BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EVACUATED AMID FLOODING

SOUTHERN BROOKLYN — P.S. 312 IN BERGEN BEACH WAS EVACUATED on Friday, and at least 150 school buildings flooded, reports the Daily News, which pointed out that students had to contend with flash flooding and transportation delays to reach their classes. P.S. 312, which serves preschoolers and elementary school students, had to evacuate before noon to I.S. 78 Roy H. Mann, approximately three blocks away. Schools Chancellor David Banks, speaking at a virtual press conference, said water had gotten into the boiler; and, he seemed to downplay any danger to the school, saying, “Our kids are safe.” Other affected schools included the David A. Boody School/I.S. 228 on Avenue S in Gravesend, whose principal reportedly sent a message to parents to pick up their children, an action that Banks called “premature.”

Banks made the decision to not shift to remote learning for the day, citing the need for children to have access to nourishing school meals. Mayor Adams defended Banks’ action.

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IN MEMORIAM: SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN DIES AT 90, WAS OLDEST SERVING U.S. SENATOR

NATIONWIDE — U.S. SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA), WHO WAS THE OLDEST ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE SENATE, died Thursday night at her home, reports the Associated Press and other news agencies. She had been on medical leave earlier this year with a bout of shingles, and had already announced that she would not run for re-election in 2024. Although a centrist who often found consensus with her Senate colleagues across the aisle, Sen. Feinstein advocated fiercely for liberal priorities that were important to California, environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control among them, and she gained a reputation as an indomitable debater. Feinstein was one of California’s first two female U.S. Senators serving concurrently with fellow Democrat, Sen. Barbara Boxer, for 24 years. (Originally from Brooklyn, Boxer retired in 2017.) Sen. Feinstein was also the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary Committee’s top Democrat.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday as he opened the Senate floor, “Earlier this morning, we lost a giant in the Senate.” Likewise, Sen. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, calling her his friend, said, “Dianne was a trailblazer.”

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STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERS TIP FOR NEW YORKERS WITH FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS

STATEWIDE — NEW YORKERS WITH FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS will have some tips on coping with the fact that the payment pause has ended, thanks to state Attorney General Letitia James. Following a three-year pause due to the pandemic, interest on federal student loans resumed accruing in September and payments are again due starting this month. Attorney General James advises people to make sure their contact information is updated on your loan servicer’s website, and to be aware that student loans have switched to new servicers during the pause. The Department of Education’s (DOE) Federal Student Aid (FSA) website https://studentaid.gov/ contains loan servicer information.