Brooklyn Today January 18: Brooklyn Today January 18: Alleged Leaders of Drug Delivery Service in South Brooklyn Arrested

The Lede

THE LEDE: Happy Friday! Alleged leaders of a drug delivery service in southern Brooklyn were arrested, we go inside Brooklyn’s first marijuana dispensary and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon tackles outrage over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway rehab plan. Plus, birds feast in Sheepshead Bay, a Brooklyn boxer returns to his old Greenpoint block and a Brownsvillefamily is imprisoned in their home by the NYPD. Finally, Helen Keller Servicesopens its new center, borough businesses offer specials to government workers and a West Bengal restaurant opens in Ditmas Park.

Imprint

IMPRINT: Musician Frank Ocean poses on the February Music Issue cover of GQ.

The Rundown

ALLEGED LEADERS OF DRUG DELIVERY SERVICE IN SOUTH BROOKLYN ARRESTED

A total of 14 people were arrested and indicted in connection with an alleged drug delivery service that made up to $8,000 in sales each day, according to prosecutors. The service allegedly held hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and delivered drugs including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and prescription pills to the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Marine Park and Mill Basin, prosecutors claim. Police also recovered $796,000 from a safe and shoeboxes in an alleged stash house. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

INSIDE BROOKLYN’S FIRST MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

Your newest weed dealer just set up shop in the shadow of the Barclays Center. Citiva, a New York City-based cannabinoid medicine company, opened the store on Dec. 30 — a holiday-season gift for Brooklyn’s marijuana enthusiasts that also put a bow on what was another banner year for local and national cannabis liberalization. The store will sell marijuana-based capsules, liquids and oils to people who’ve opted into the state’s medical-marijuana program after receiving a prescription from a doctor. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

SIMON TACKLES BQE ‘OUTRAGE’ FROM BROOKLYN HEIGHTS

It was a tough crowd. Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon was confronted by some angry constituents at her “Java with Jo Anne” coffee meetup in DUMBO on Thursday morning. By the end of the two-hour klatch, she managed to convince many — but not all — that she was indeed looking out for her people. The topic on almost everyone’s mind was the city’s plan to replace the beloved Brooklyn Heights Promenade with a six-lane highway while the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is being rebuilt. “I have to listen to everybody,” Simon said. “Whether I agree with them is irrelevant. Cobble Hill will get hammered with the lane-by-lane plan,” she added. Traffic could also back up for miles along Third and Fourth Avenue. “Both plans suck. And they suck a little differently for different people.” (via Brooklyn Eagle)

PHOTOS: COME SEE BIRDLAND, AKA SHEEPSHEAD BAY

Emmons Avenue is one of the best places in town for our fine-feathered friends to find a good snack. Folks love the birds that flock to the Sheepshead Bay shoreline — and feed them well. The other day, when we were strolling along the avenue, especially animated swans and seagulls were bickering over a bagel. Sometimes, when people get especially enthusiastic about casting their bread upon the waters, the avid gulls look a little bit like they’re rehearsing a scene from “The Birds.” (via Brooklyn Eagle)

UNDEFEATED BROOKLYN BOXER ADAM ‘BABYFACE’ KOWNACKI RETURNS TO OLD BLOCK

Brooklyn boxer Adam Kownacki may hold a whopping undefeated 18-0 ratio so far this season, but even so, he wasn’t prepared for the outpouring of support that greeted him at Greenpoint’sAmber Steak House, where the Polish immigrant was hosting a neighborhood meet-and-greet. “I’m shocked so many people found the time to come out today,” Kownacki said. “I grew up a couple streets from here. This is amazing.” Born in Poland, Kownacki moved to Greenpoint in 1996 with his parents and two brothers at age 7. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

BROWNSVILLE GRANDMA & FAMILY ‘IMPRISONED’ BY NYPD

When Rolinda Walls heard loud pounding on the door of her apartment, she had no idea who was on the other side. NYPD officers were in the hallway of the Van Dyke Houses and “demanded to be let in,” according to a $15 million lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court by Walls’ attorney Rose M. Weber. One of the officers allegedly said the cops were looking for Walls’ 27-year-old daughter, who was not home at the time. The officers kept Walls and her family imprisoned inside their apartment for more than 16 hours, according to the lawsuit. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

HELEN KELLER SERVICES CELEBRATES OPENING OF NEW CENTER

After passing a tortuous course of applications, inspections and requests for funding, the Helen Keller Service’s (HKS) new center at 180 Livingston is finally ready to embrace a new generation of vision-impaired students from all five boroughs. “I’ve been here more than 50 years,” said HKS graduate and teacher, Rosemary Romano. “When I first started with HKS, we were in a basement in Jamaica, Queens. The sewage backed up there every time it rained. So you can imagine what this new facility means.” The organization’s prior location had aged out of usefulness. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

BKLYN BUSINESSES OFFER SPECIALS TO FEDERAL GOV’T WORKERS

As the U.S. government shutdown heads into its fourth week, some Brooklyn businesses are offering free services for federal workers. Massage Williamsburg, Massage Greenpoint and Massage Outpost in DUMBO are offering free one-hour massages for federal government employees. BAM Rose Cinemas is offering free tickets to government workers. Masbia Flatbushand Masbia Boro Park are extending their hours for federal employees and Rocco’s Tacos in Downtown Brooklyn is giving federal employees a one-time credit of $20. (Bklyner via Brooklyn Eagle)

RARE WEST BENGAL RESTAURANT OPENS IN DITMAS PARK

The city has few restaurants that serve the food of West Bengal, India, just across the border from Bangladesh. That’s one reason why Jalsa Grill & Gravy became popular when it opened at 964 Coney Island Ave. in Ditmas Park, a neighborhood with many Pakistani and Afghani immigrants. Owner Nowshin Ali lived in Kolkota, the capital of West Bengal, and grew up in Uttar Pardesh. Ali also runs an after-school tutoring program and is planning to eventually open a women’s center. (Eater via Brooklyn Eagle)