Brooklyn Today January 31: Brooklyn Today January 31: Winterfest Organizer Allegedly Used Alias to Harass Vendors and Patrons

The Lede

THE LEDE: Happy Thursday! The organizer of Winterfest is in extremely hot water, the city releases a rezoning proposal for Gowanus, and former Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes dies. Plus, we take a tour of Shore Road Promenade, Fortis prepares to reveal its plan for a park at the former LICH site, and a Bushwick school receives anti-Asian emails. Finally, Trump’s tariffs could affect the price of beer in Brooklyn, and we recommend the best bars in the city to watch the Super Bowl.

Imprint

IMPRINT: Director Jordan Peele graces the February cover of Rolling Stone.

The Rundown

WINTERFEST ORGANIZER ALLEGEDLY USED ALIAS TO HARASS VENDORS AND PATRONS

Lena Romanova, organizer of the botched Winterfest holiday market now facing scrutiny from the Brooklyn district attorney, used a fictitious spokesperson named “Jennifer Crosby” to harass vendors and the press as the event unraveled, according to business owners who took part in the event. “There is no Jennifer,” said Jeff Golden, a merchant at the fair. “Jennifer was Lena; it was her alter ego.” Winterfest participants said Crosby engaged in a campaign of intimidation, terminating agreements on a whim and threatening legal action against those who spoke to the press about the event’s shortcomings. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

CITY PLANNING RELEASES DRAFT OF GOWANUS REZONING

New York’s Department of City Planning released a rezoning proposal for Gowanus on Wednesday that would establish more stringent standards for climate-resilient development; preserve a mix of commercial, light industrial and housing use for the area; and open up waterfront space, among other developments. The plan builds on the Gowanus Framework that was adopted in June. The continuing push to rezone the area has largely been inspired by the fact that in 2010, the EPA declared the Gowanus Canal a federal Superfund site. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

FORMER BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES HYNES DEAD AT 83

One of Brooklyn’s longest-serving district attorneys, Charles Hynes, has died at 83. The former prosecutor served the city from 1990 to 2013. The Flatbush-born-and-raised Hynes had a remarkable career, beginning as a reformer and ending amid controversy. His career as Brooklyn district attorney began in the wake of his successful prosecution of a notorious racial attack in Queens, as special state prosecutor for the New York City Criminal Justice System, a position to which he had been appointed by then-Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1985. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

FORTIS TO PRESENT PLAN FOR REVAMPED PARK AT FORMER LICH SITE

Fortis Property Group will be presenting a redesign for one of several parks on the former LICH complex in Cobble Hill at a meeting on Feb. 7. According to the 1995 agreement between LICH and the city establishing the parks, Fortis, which won the bid to redevelop the LICH campus after years of lawsuits and opposition, must get input from the public on its proposed redesign. The park (“Henry Street III”) has traditionally been used as a “sitting” or passive park, as opposed to two parks across Henry Street, which are active playgrounds.(via Brooklyn Eagle)

AS CITY TEMPS PLUNGE, ACS MAKES SURE BROOKLYN BABIES SLEEP SAFE

With city temperatures dropping to the single digits, some parents may be fixated on ensuring their babies are cozy and warm when it’s time for bed. Although the process of putting a baby to sleep might seem innocuous enough, there’s a safe (and a not so safe) way to do it. On average, around 50 babiescitywide die from a sleep-related injury each year due to how or where they were put to sleep. In many of these cases, babies under 1-year-old die when they sleep with parents in an adult-sized bed, or with a blanket or quilt, creating an heightened chance of suffocation. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

COME SEE SHORE ROAD PROMENADE IN WINTER

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge never looked so good. So what if it’s winter? This is an icon for all seasons. You get the best views of the eye-catching steel span when you’re strolling on Shore Road Promenade. Bay Ridge’s combination walkway and cycling path runs beside New York Harbor, right along the water’s edge. The promenade is a terrific recreation space. The air smells salty. The scene is serene despite the Belt Parkway’s proximity. There are always plenty of passing ships to scrutinize. You’ll be just fine as long as you bundle up — but we’re not kidding about dressing warmly. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

BUSHWICK CHARTER SCHOOL RECEIVES ANTI-ASIAN EMAILS, VIOLENT THREATS

Staffers at the Achievement First High School in Bushwick have been receiving racist, anti-Asian emails as well as violent threats. One employee at the charter school on Starr Street received a threatening email on Tuesday morning telling her to go back to Hong Kong. The message also asked whether the staffer’s eyes were open or closed. Additional anti-Asian emails were written to other members. One warned that the sender planned to bomb and shoot up the school building at some point during the school day on Tuesday.(New York Post via Brooklyn Eagle)

HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS COULD AFFECT THE PRICE OF BEER IN BROOKLYN

When people think of tariffs, they often think of restrictions on imports of concrete, steel, wood, machinery and other heavy-duty items. However, President Donald Trump’s tariffs could affect all sorts of items in people’s daily lives, including the cost of a can of beer in Brooklyn. In March, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on imports of steel and aluminum, including metals from China. Aluminum is used for cans, computers, kitchen utensils, window frames – and beer kegs. (City Limits via Brooklyn Eagle)