What’s News, Breaking: Friday, March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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BK DEM PARTY HEAD CALLS DESANTIS’ DEPICTION OF HAITIANS ‘REPUGNANT’

BOROUGH-WIDE — THE HAITIAN PLIGHT IS NOT ‘AN INVASION,’ said the head of Brooklyn’s Democratic Party, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (Flatbush, Midwood) in a statement on Friday. Bichotte Hermelyn was responding to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “repugnant” statements that he would deploy the National Guard to prevent “the possibility of invasion” by Haitians, and his threat to deport Haitian migrants seeking aid. Instead, the world should unify to assist Haitians in overcoming the current crisis, and “safely and humanely allow migrants to seek refuge,” she said. Roughly 5.5 million Haitians are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and 1 million are on the brink of famine.

This week’s resignation of Haiti’s prime minister has plunged the nation into further chaos, creating an ‘untenable’ situation, she said.

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PARISH’S LITHUANIAN COMMUNITY MARKS
INDEPENDENCE DAY — AND A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

WILLIAMSBURG — THE LITHUANIAN COMMUNITY OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL — ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY PARISH ON MARCH 10 CELEBRATED THE 99TH BIRTHDAY of parishioner Sofija Butkus during its commemoration of Lithuanian Independence Day. Pictured in the photo (left to right) are Parochial Vicar; Fr. Valdemar Lisovski; daughter Astra Butkus; Lithuanian Consul General, Vaclovas Salkauskas; Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio; Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, the pastor; Sofija Butkus and her husband Kazys, who as a centenarian is 105 years old.

Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-BVM Church

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NEW DINER COMING TO MONTAGUE STREET

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — A NEW DINER IS SET TO OPEN IN THE LOCATION OF THE former Happy Days Diner on Montague Street this month, reports Grub Street. Its new owners, a group of film industry professionals, have painstakingly refurbished the location to look like a Great Depression-era lunch counter, featuring retro-styled booths and light fixtures, period-accurate colors and materials, the shop’s original floors and vintage signage. The menu will shift from staples like eggs and pancakes in the daytime to more modern dinner options at night, with a menu curated by the team behind Fort Greene’s Margot restaurant.

The new management says they want to keep the vibes of the former neighborhood mainstay intact: “We have these old-timers poking their heads in the door, and each one is like, ‘You need to have a breakfast special,’” owner Gabriel Nussbaum told Grub Street, while co-owner Henry Joost added, “My dad lives around the corner. One of his main requests was, ‘You have to have a TV where I can watch a Giants game.’”

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PARK SLOPE’S 5TH AVENUE DECLARED ‘NYC’S COOLEST STREET’

PARK SLOPE — “NYC’S COOLEST STREET” IS PARK SLOPE’S 5TH AVENUE, declares Time Out New York, which is lauding the business corridor for having some of the best shops and restaurants in the city!” The current (March 13) edition of Time Out describes the corridor as bordered by the Barclays Center to its north and the Prospect Expressway,” citing its “cool Revolutionary War history, myriad local restaurants, mom-and-pop shops and third spaces, from museums to board game lounges, make it the coolest in 2024.” Time Out New York also praised the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) which celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2024.

Fifth Avenue BID executive director, Joanna Tallantire, told Time Out New York, “We think it’s so cool because, quite simply, everything you need or want is here. Our avenue is packed full of mom and pop stores, restaurants and services and our mission as the BID is to provide a package of services to support them so they all can thrive.”

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DOT ANNOUNCES SINGLE-LANE CLOSURES
ON GREENPOINT AVENUE BRIDGE

GREENPOINT — THE GREENPOINT AVENUE BRIDGE OVER NEWTOWN CREEK will be given nightly maintenance repairs from Thursday, March 21, to Friday, April 12, the NYCDOT announced on Friday, March 15, via Brooklyn Community Board 1. Single-lane closures will be necessary from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. either east-bound or west-bound, but not concurrently. The DOT emphasizes that two-way traffic will be maintained.

However, the bike lane will also be closed during the three-week construction period. A temporary bike lane will be provided for cyclists.

This poster from the NYCDOT shows where the single-lane closures on the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge will be made.
Photo: NYC Dept. of Transportation

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DEVELOPER SELLS D’TOWN BROOKLYN ‘ZEBRA’ HOTEL THROUGH BANKRUPTCY

DOWNTOWN — THE OWNER OF A 22-STORY ZEBRA-STRIPED HOTEL in Downtown Brooklyn sold the unfinished project through bankruptcy, The Real Deal reported Thursday. Abraham Leifer’s Aview Equities sold the property at 291 Livingston St. for $34.9 million to St. Louis-based Midas Hospitality.

The project was almost complete when Leifer and development partner Eli Karp’s Hello Living defaulted on a pair of loans tied to the property, TRD said.

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LAWMAKERS HOLD CONFERENCE TO SAVE
AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM

NATIONWIDE — MEMBERS OF NYC’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION are acting to protect and expand the Affordable Connectivity Program after the Federal Communications Commission formally notified Internet service providers that it will expire at the end of April. The FCC indicated that April is the final full month of the federally administered Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides a discount on monthly high-speed Internet service bills to qualifying low-income households, which will terminate unless Congress acts to renew it. Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-9) of Brooklyn and Grace Meng (D-6) of Queens will lead the press conference on Monday, March 18, held at City Hall Park, and announced late Friday afternoon that Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission, will attend.

Also joining the lawmakers will be Georffrey Starks, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission; Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of New York Civil Liberties Union; and Chris Lewis, President and CEO of Public Knowledge.

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ADAMS: NYC TO TEAM WITH LABOR UNIONS & PRIVATE EQUITY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING

CITYWIDE — NYC, LABOR UNIONS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR ARE TEAMING UP to create affordable housing, Mayor Eric Adams and Gary LaBarbera, head of the Building and Trades Council, said in an interview on PIX11 Friday morning. LaBarbera said the unions were raising pension fund money that would go into an equity fund (the Cirrus Housing Workforce Housing Fund) and would partner with the city to build housing along the lines of a “Mitchell‑Lama construct.” The fund has already raised the first hundred million dollars, he said. “We met with Mayor Adams … and we are now currently working with the city on looking at different parcels of land.”

No timeline has been set, Adams said, but, “We want to get it done as soon as possible right away.”

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D.A.: NO CRIMINAL CHARGES WILL BE FILED AGAINST ‘A’ TRAIN SHOOTER

DOWNTOWN — SELF DEFENSE: THE BROOKLYN D.A. WILL NOT BE FILING CRIMINAL CHARGES against the unnamed 32-year-old man who shot his attacker on the A train in Downtown Brooklyn on Thursday, according to Oren Yaniv, spokesman for the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. The 32-year-old shot his attacker with the man’s own gun during a violent fight. “Yesterday’s shooting inside a crowded subway car was shocking and deeply upsetting. The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing but, at this stage, evidence of self-defense precludes us from filing any criminal charges against the shooter,” Yaniv said in a release Friday afternoon.

The 36-year-old man was shot in the head after he started a violent altercation with the younger man as the A train approached the Hoyt-Schermerhorn stop. Police are still looking for a woman involved in the incident. See the Brooklyn Eagle for full coverage and updates.

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ADAMS BLAMES MENTAL ILLNESS FOR BROOKLYN ‘A’ TRAIN SHOOTING

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — MAYOR ERIC ADAMS BLAMED MENTAL ILLNESS for the fight, stabbing and shooting on the A train in Downtown Brooklyn on Thursday, during an interview with Pat Kiernan on NY1 Friday morning. “When I looked at this tape and broke it down piece by piece and frame by frame, it is clear that it personifies what our pursuit is in Albany around those with severe mental health illnesses,” he told Kiernan. Adams added that many of the “random acts of violence” that have been taking place throughout the city could be attributed to mental illness. “It just unnerves New Yorkers.”

A 36-year-old man was shot in the head by his own gun after he started a violent altercation with another man on the A train as it approached the Hoyt-Schermerhorn stop. See the Brooklyn Eagle for full coverage and updates.

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‘IFTAR-ON-THE-GO’ EVENTS PROVIDE MEALS TO NEEDY FAMILIES DURING RAMADAN

BATH BEACH AND CITYWIDE — MORE THAN 8,500 HALAL MEALS ARE AVAILABLE at grab-and-go sites across the five boroughs during Ramadan, thanks to a partnership with City Comptroller Brad Lander, Islamic Relief USA and seven local organizations. They are distributing Iftar meals to families in need during the month of Ramadan through weekly “Iftar on the Go” events, with the boxed meals available on a first-come-first-serve basis as supplies last. Here in Brooklyn, the Muslim American Society Youth Center at 1933 Bath Avenue is hosting the giveaways on Sundays, March 17, 24, 31 and April 7, from 4:30 p.m. and as supplies last. City Council Member Justin Brannan (D-47) is a co-sponsor of this event, along with the City Comptroller’s Office, the Muslim American Society-New York (as listed on the Brooklyn flyer) and Islamic Relief USA.

“Ramadan is a month of service and spiritual development that brings Muslim communities together,” said Comptroller Brad Lander, who points out that food pantries have seen a 69% increase in visits by children since 2019.

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MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER HOSTS COLORECTAL HEALTH AWARENESS PROGRAM

BOROUGH PARK — A 12-FOOT INFLATABLE COLON WILL GREET ATTENDEES AT A COLORECTAL AWARENESS EVENT THAT MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER is hosting next Thursday, March 21, from 1-3 p.m. in the hospital’s main lobby (4802 10th Ave.). The Maimonides Cancer Screening Program is organizing this free public event to educate the public about colorectal cancer, which is now the second-leading cause of cancer death in New York City, and to encourage people to get screened and learn how to protect their colorectal health. The inflatable colon will give program attendees a unique opportunity to walk through and learn about different aspects of colon health and colorectal cancer.

Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide valuable information on when and how to get a colonoscopy, risk factors, prevention strategies, and available treatment options.

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FIGHT AGAINST SHELTER MOUNTS AS ELECTED OFFICIALS PLAN RALLY

GRAVESEND — OPPOSITION TO A PROPOSED HOMELESS SHELTER ON 86TH STREET IS MOUNTING, SAYS STATE ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILLIAM COLTON (D-47) who is organizing a rally and motorcade for this Saturday, March 16. Colton and co-organizer Councilmember Susan Zhung, who represent largely the same area encompassing Bath Beach Bensonhurst, Gravesend and Dyker Heights, expect that thousands of people and hundreds of cars will participate in the protest. The shelter’s developer, Tejpal Sandhu of 86th Street NY LLC, has reportedly filed papers with the city’s Department of Buildings to construct a 32-room hotel at 2501 86th St,, with an attached community facility that will house 150 single men, many of whom struggle with addiction or mental health issues. However, Colton asserts that the project will not help homeless persons. “Our taxpayer dollars should be spent to construct permanent affordable housing and to provide necessary services, not to enrich greedy developers, he said.

A petition against the shelter has already amassed 28,000 signatures online and 20,000 signatures on paper.

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TAX HELP WITH CB 9

CROWN HEIGHTS — COMMUNITY BOARD 9 IS HOSTING A “TAX TOWN HALL” on Wednesday at the Crown Heights Library, helping to connect individuals and small businesses to tax professionals and preparation services. Experts from the IRS will be on hand to answer questions and direct attendees to resources; the board is focused on highlighting how qualified taxpayers can access free tax preparation services, like those announced by Governor Hochul and the IRS earlier this week for New Yorkers.

The Tax Town Hall meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 20, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Crown Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library; attendance is free to the public, although seating is available first-come first-served.

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COUNCILMEMBER ZHUANG’S OFFICE USED CITY EMAIL TO RAISE MONEY

SUNSET PARK — STAFF MEMBERS FOR CITY COUNCILMEMBER SUSAN ZHUANG last month circulated an email asking for donations for Sunset Park’s Lantern Festival Parade on behalf of a nonprofit group, in violation of city ethics rules that forbid the use of official email accounts to raise money for nonprofits, reports the Daily News. The email, sent on Feb. 9, invited prospective event sponsors to contact the councilmember’s office for information — but those who did were then informed that sponsorship would require a donation of thousands of dollars to the event organizer, Asian American Community Empowerment, a group that allegedly works closely with the Chinese government to improve its image overseas.

Zhuang, who was elected to her seat in November, denied that her staff had solicited donations “associated with this parade,” according to the Daily News.

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NYC HALF MARATHON ON SUNDAY

CITYWIDE — THE UNITED AIRLINES NYC HALF MARATHON, ORGANIZED BY the New York Road Runners, will course through Brooklyn to Manhattan this Sunday, reports Gothamist, kicking off in Prospect Park at 7 a.m., with the finish line in Central Park. Fans can cheer runners on from the sidelines or watch online with ABC News, ESPN+ or NYRR’s social media. Some Brooklyn streets will be closed to accommodate the racers: the main route will be down Flatbush Avenue from Prospect Park to the upper roadway of the Manhattan Bridge, and is expected to be clear by noon; traffic down some intersecting streets will also be blocked until the afternoon.

A full list of street closures can be found on the race’s page on the NYRR website under “More Race Information.”

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PATIENTS GIVE CITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM’S PLANT-BASED MEALS A 90% RATING

CITYWIDE — MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION PLANT-BASED MEALS HAVE BEEN SERVED AT NYC Health + Hospitals in partnership with Sodexo. This is a milestone in the health system’s program since it was launched in March 2022. During the program’s first calendar year, NYC Health + Hospitals served over 783,000 plant-based from-scratch meals to its patients, with the food prepared at its Culinary Center in Brooklyn. The culinary team includes Food Service Associates at each hospital who take the patient’s food order, educate them about the flavor and nutrition of the day’s plant-based options, and gather patient feedback about the meal. Patients who ate plant-based meals at NYC Health + Hospitals reported a satisfaction rate of over 90%.

Scientific research has shown that plant-based eating patterns are linked to significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. The plant-based meals served in 2023 led to a reduction in carbon emissions of 36% and a cost savings of 59 cents per meal.

A chef at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Culinary Center prepares jerk mushrooms, collard greens, and sweet plantains, a new dish coming to the menu for patients.
Photo courtesy NYC Health + Hospitals

Kabocha Squash Curry & Lima Bean Dill Rice, with a Caribbean curry sauce featuring coconut milk, apple, banana, kabocha squash, and red pearl onions, is one of the plant-based dishes served to patients at NYC Health + Hospitals.
Photo courtesy NYC Health + Hospitals

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BROOKLYN’S FREIGHT CORRIDOR SLATED FOR FEDERAL ZERO-EMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE

CITYWIDE — BROOKLYN’S INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES and FREIGHT HUB WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE in the Biden-Harris administration’s plan to deploy zero-emission infrastructure for trucks along key freight corridors nationwide, according to the White House. The infrastructure will provide “expansive and convenient access to electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling along freight corridors, at intermodal freight facilities, and high-usage ports” by 2040. The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), Gowanus Expressway, Red Hook Container Terminal, Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Verrazano Bridge and 39th Street are on the Federal Highway Administration’s list of National EV Freight Corridors.

The zero-emission infrastructure will be phased in: Phase 1 will establish hubs (by 2027); Phase 2 will connect corridors (by 2030); Phase 3 will expand networks (by 2035); and Phase 4 will complete the network (by 2040). The National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy was developed by the Depts. of Energy and Transportation along with the EPA and released March 12.

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SPECIAL TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PATROL QUEUED UP FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY WEEKEND

STATEWIDE — LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL HAVE SPECIAL PATROLS IN PLACE to combat alcoholic-impaired and reckless driving during one of the biggest drinking weekends of the year. March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, which this year falls on a Sunday. Although it’s a religious holiday commemorating the 4th-5th century missionary to Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is often celebrated with parties and liquor as well as other Celtic traditions. The traffic enforcement detail, one of several that the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee funds annually, will run from Friday, March 15, through Sunday, March 17. Drivers can expect to see increased DWI patrols and sobriety checkpoints, and law enforcement’s ticketing of distracted drivers who are using handheld electronic devices during this enforcement period.

New York State Police will also conduct checks at retail establishments targeting underage drinking and unlawful sales to minors during the campaign.

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SENATE MAJORITY LEADER SCHUMER URGES ISRAEL TO ELECT LEADERS WITH VISION FOR PEACE

CAPITOL HILL — SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, the first Jewish majority leader in the Senate, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S and a Brooklyn native, on March 14, 2024, urged longtime U.S. ally Israel to hold new elections. Believing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “lost his way” amid the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and a worsening humanitarian crisis there, Schumer delivered a strong rebuke to Netanyahu, calling him an obstacle to peace. Although Schumer said the U.S. cannot tell Israelis how to vote, he declared on the Senate floor that the ”Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past.”

Schumer also laid blame both on Israel’s religious far-right and on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying that until all these leaders are out of the picture, “there will never be peace in Israel and Gaza and the West Bank.”

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FDA ANNOUNCES RECALL OF CASHEWS IN CANS AFFIXED WITH WRONG LABELS

NATIONWIDE — INCORRECT PRODUCT LABELS ON A POPULAR NUT SNACK HAVE PROMPTED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF GREAT VALUE BRAND HONEY ROASTED CASHEWS that were sold at Walmart stores in New York and throughout the U.S., the Food & Drug Administration announced this week. Producer John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. is recalling a limited amount of 8.25 oz Great Value Honey Roasted Cashews, for possible undeclared coconut and milk. The recall was initiated after a consumer found coconut cashews within a container labeled as honey roasted cashews. An investigation identified that a limited number of incorrect Honey Roasted Cashew labels were applied to the plastic cans of coconut cashews during the manufacturing process. The impacted packages have brand labels Great Value Honey Roasted Cashews, with a best-by date of Jul 08 2025 GH2 printed on the bottom of the 8.25 oz can with UPC: 078742133348.

Although no illnesses have been reported, consumers with allergies to coconut or milk could experience serious or life-threatening reactions by eating the recalled product.

Some Great Value cashew cans with coconut had labels misidentifying the product.
Photo courtesy FDA

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BP REYNOSO’S SOTB: ASYLUM HELP CENTER, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN & OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

BROOKLYN — 2023 WAS A BIG YEAR FOR BROOKLYN, Borough President Antonio Reynoso said in his second State of the Borough Speech Wednesday night. Reynoso touted his initiative to develop a Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn — a guiding document aimed at providing residents “with everything they need to be healthy, housed and supported.” In light of the city’s hard times, the BP’s office will focus on “providing our communities with real, meaningful aid,” and restoring Borough Hall as a service center, Reynoso said. He noted that his constituent services team answered 3,600 cases this past year, and announced that Borough Hall has begun serving as a satellite center to help up to 180 undocumented people a week apply for work authorizations.

A redesign of Columbus Park, combating Central Brooklyn’s deed-theft problem and bringing waterborne freight back to Brooklyn are other projects Reynoso is fostering. This year’s funds will go towards neglected parks, small businesses in Brownsville, public schools and CUNY, electric ambulances for Hatzoloh, 69 NYCHA tenant associations, business counseling and more.