Senator Daniel Squadron

Get out your sunscreen, beach towels and summer reading and head out to the latest addition to Brooklyn Bridge Park; an above-ground, 3.5 foot deep, 30-foot-by-50-foot temporary pool which will remain at the 85-acre park for five years.

Democratic state Senator Daniel Squadron from Brooklyn has been the major mover behind the addition of the pool to the park. Last summer he fought for a deal which convinced officials to agree to bring the pool to the park, along with more hi-rise housing.

“I’ve long said the pool is a major priority for the park, and now the community can dive right in,” said Squadron.

The new pool will be built at a cost of about $150,000 say officials, who will be hiring a contractor to build the pool as early as today. The pool will be located at the Pier 2 uplands section of the green area in Brooklyn Heights.

Although Squadron is pleased that there will be a pool at the park this summer and for the next several years, he would still rather have seen a permanent pool built on the site. It is also too bad that the above-ground pool which is being planned now will not be similar to the floating pool barge which was docked at the park back in 2007, which was extremely popular with residents.

Nevertheless, there is some good times in store for the kids and other residents this coming summer at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

As he said,

“At that time, Brooklyn wasn’t the tourist destination it is today. It was still all about Manhattan. Now no one can stay away.”

The four hour bus tour picks tourists up in Manhattan and other locations and brings them to Grimaldi’s to enjoy pizza like it’s meant to be. Then, they go to L&B Spumoni Gardens in Bensonhurst for a Sicilian-style pizza.  Along the way, they get to see all of Brooklyn’s hottest sites with clips from “Saturday Night Fever” and “Goodfellas” playing in the background.

The entire package costs $75 for adults and $65 for kids – and includes two slices of pizza at each location.

Now, “A Slice of Brooklyn,” with its motto “Manhattan? FUHGEDDABOUDIT” is going to get its day in the sun. They are about to have a show called “A Slice of Brooklyn” on the Travel Channel starting today.

And Tony insists that his tour company is the real thing.  Employees are mostly family members including Fat Sal, Cousin Paula, Frankie Pancakes and Uncle Louie.  As Tony said,

“It really doesn’t get more Brooklyn than us.”

Tony and his family, who were, of course, born and raised in Brooklyn and have pledged never to leave, will all be part of the new show. The show will include tours and family meetings at Tommaso’s.

As Tony explained, “We are the soul of Brooklyn. We’ve lived it, we’ve experienced it. You can’t get much closer to Brooklyn than us.”

“A Slice of Brooklyn” will certainly be good for entertainment value – but it also signals some real new opportunities for Brooklyn businesses.  This show will offer a fantastic spotlight of Brooklyn and could potential draw more tourists to the area.

It’s about time Brooklyn gets its day in the spotlight! Let’s hope it’s a day that lasts for a very long time.

Councilwoman Diana Reyna

One more installment has been played out in the ongoing saga which could be entitled, “Success for Some and Not for Others,” as the Panel of Educational Policy voted last Thursday to allow the charter school Success Academy to open another branch, this time in Williamsburg’s middle school 50.

Thursday’s decision by the New York Department of Education’s PEP was just one of several votes which drew angry crowds of people who are against the continued expansion of the Success Academy into their neighborhoods. The public meeting of the PEP had supporters of the proposals (appropriately) inside and protestors outside in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

One of the insiders, a parent from Williamsburg, said in support of not only the decision to allow Success Academy to share quarters with middle school 50, but also to allow Success to expand into an additional five co-locations around New York, that, “I think it’s a wonderful addition and I’m glad they’re taking the opportunity to help the kids. And it’s good they’re working with the kids. I’m happy.”

Those opposed feel strongly that further expansion of Success is a bad idea, saying that the privately run charter school discriminates against the poor and minorities.

“I’m calling for a thorough investigation into the outreach and marketing strategies of Success Academy network. These practices have discriminated against Latino and low income families,” said City Councilwoman Diana Reyna.

In anger and frustration many of the demonstrators boycotted the actual vote, claiming that the PEP is just a rubberstamp board whose main job is to further Mayor Bloomberg’s agenda. Only one PEP member, Patrick Sullivan, voted against the expansion of Success Academy.

“Today I’m very proud to join with the Southside Coalition and represent their interests against the interests of the mayor and the imposition of the mayor,” Sullivan said.

The protestors say that Thursday night’s vote has not dampened their zeal for stopping Success. The Southside Coalition has already filed a lawsuit against the Success Academy, the schools chancellor and the SUNY Board of Trustees, the board that gives authorization to charter schools.

“It’s necessary when a corrupt undemocratic process is being pushed by the mayor to basically take over our public schools, we have to stand up for our civil rights,” said Luis Garden Acosta of the Southside Community Schools Coalition.

Not everyone agrees that Success Academy is evil incarnate, however.

“I do go the extra mile, the distance to go to the Bronx Success Academy II because I know it’s a great school and I’m here to support it,” said Bronx parent Lilliana Fernandez.
The next installment of the continuing saga is expected to proceed in court.

Way to go to the neighborhood chess team!  The Edward R. Murrow High School chess team has done it – they won the state championship.  As the 16 year old team captain said,

“But we did it. We played against master level players and won.”

They actually have a chance now at their eighth national championship as they head to the national competition in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The coach, Eliot Weiss, has helped the team to achieve 7 national championships and has been guiding the team since 1981. In addition, they’ve sealed 15 state championships and 16 city wide ones.

This team is already incredibly well known.  They’ve been to the White House, they’ve been covered in the book called “The Kings of New York” and they’re about to be the subject of a movie called “The Game of Kings.”

They’re now ready to take on the competition at the national level.  As Markel Brown, a senior from Bedford-Stuyvesant said,

“To all the teams out there, We’re going hard. They better be ready.”

Nicolle and Viktoria have begged to leave John Dewey High School and to transfer to another location. Their request has, according to the New York Daily News, been denied by the city Education Department since there isn’t enough evidence of physical abuse.

The real question here, however, isn’t about why the girls can’t transfer; but about why no one seems to be able to guarantee their physical or emotional safety in their current location.  Why should these girls be left to worry for their safety and to fend for themselves at their school?

The girls were told that the Dewey officials would take care of the problem – but they haven’t.  As Nicolle said,

“I’m scared. No one is helping us. We tried to change schools and they just put us down.”

The girls have been spit on and cursed on their way to class, targeted after school by the three bullies and had nasty messages posted on their Facebook pages.  One note on the Facebook page said, “It’s f*cking termination on sight for you p*ta. It’s over for you and that’s not a threat it’s a promise.”

The school did suspend the students for a week in January – but their behavior simply started again when they can back to school.

At the moment, after filling out paperwork to transfer schools and being told that there isn’t enough evidence to do so, the girls are waiting for the Education Department to review the matter.

The situation is untenable, and the girls should not be left with the burden on their shoulders.  It’s understandable that they should want to transfer schools to get away from their tormentors – but why should the victims be made to give up their school environment while the bullies are left in the comfort of their home school?

And, of course, just because they leave the school (if they are ultimately able to do so), the Facebook messages and after-school torment could, quite possibly continue.  Bullying of this sort is a pervasive issue, and one that has led to tragedies including school shootings.  We need to look at the larger picture, address the problem of bullying and attack it at the core – rather than allowing it to attack and pervert the childhoods of so many victims.

American Atheist Ad Campaign

In what is clearly a disingenuous move to alert their fellow citizens to the truth, a sure-to-be explosive ad campaign kicks off today telling passers-by that “You know it’s a myth… and you have a choice,” referring to belief in God.

Accompanying that anything-but innocuous slogan is the name of God written in Hebrew, with a translation of the profound English words into Hebrew below in smaller letters. Most of the signs are directed at the Jewish population of Brooklyn, but in the spirit of fairness and democracy there is also an Islamic version which is going to hit the streets of Paterson, New Jersey, in order to accost the maximum number of Muslims with the minimum number of signs. So far as we know, no Christian version has been discussed.

An organization called “American Atheists” are footing the bill for the ads, saying that they are targeting “closet atheists” in the Jewish and Muslim communities. They claim that these hidden atheists may be suffering under the coercive communities in which they live, and the ads are there to support them and assure them that they are not alone.

The atheists also claim that ads are not meant to make anyone angry, and that their membership has a right to advertise. They also say that there are plans for more billboards in more communities.

I always thought that being an atheist was a personal decision which, in a free and democratic country which tenaciously separates the state from the church (or any form of organized religion) atheists can reach to the highest levels of government and personal success and satisfaction without fear of persecution or discrimination. Silly me. It seems not only do atheists need to organize for their rights, but they have to proselytize, too. It can be said then that atheism, int the end, is indeed just one more religion; the religion of nothing. It seems a real shame,  therefore, that they feel a need to make so many people so angry, over nothing.
 

Brooklyn Councilman Dominic M. Recchia

As Coney Island continues its renaissance, the city is planning to hire 450 temporary workers during the expected busy summer months.

Councilman Dominic M. Recchia Jr. is one of the movers and shakers working with New York’s Economic Development Corporation to create the jobs.

“The city’s plan to fill over 450 jobs this summer in Coney Island is proof that the city is making good on its promise to bring new employment opportunities to the 50,000 residents who live in Coney Island all year round,” Recchia said.

“This summer, as local residents become an even more integral part of Coney Island’s rich history, together we will usher in a new era, one that will add a new layer to the colorful legacy of Coney Island and breathe new life and prosperity into our community,” he added.

The hunt for workers began last week, the first of four screenings which will continue through April. The city is looking for workers to fill jobs in the park service, to operate games at the amusement park, handle customer service, and sales.

The recruitment sessions will all take place at MCU Park, 1904 Surf Avenue in Coney Island. The first screening took place on February 27th, the second was held on March 1st, with subsequent interviews scheduled for April 24th and 26th from 12 to 6pm.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

We all know that Brooklyn is a special place, and the Celebrate Brooklyn! program in June is just one of the many examples of how unique our area is.  Celebrate Brooklyn! is one of the longest running outdoor performing arts festivals in New York.  It was launched in 1979 to draw people back into Prospect Park after years of abandonment and it helped to revitalize the park.

Now, Celebrate Brooklyn! is the place to be in June.  Every performance is free, from the internationally acclaimed musical numbers to the emerging artists who get their big breaks.  Approximately 250,000 people come out to enjoy during the celebration each year.

Now, it was just announced that Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff will be part of the scene this year, offering a free concert in Prospect Park.  Known for hits like “Many Rivers to Cross” and “You can Get It If You Really Want,” he helped to pave the way for reggae to become mainstream.

As Jack Walsh, the director of performing arts for BRIC Arts Media Brooklyn, said,

“He’s been on our wish list for a long time. I think in particular he really resonates in Brooklyn across all types of audiences. Obviously in Brooklyn we have a large Jamaican community that he’ll be instantly recognizable to. In his later years he’s become a fantastic crossover artist, and we think that really resonates well for all of Brooklyn.”

He’ll be performing on June 5 at 8 pm at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Before the kickoff concert, there will be a sunset dinner to honor Peter Aschkenasy and Jack Walsh.  Now this dinner, of course, isn’t free. It’s a fundraiser for the Celebrate Brooklyn! Performing Arts Festival.  More information about the dinner and about Cliff’s performance can be found at the BRIC Arts website.

Barclays Center

Barclays Center, the new home of the New York Nets, is gearing up to open this coming September. An important part of the atmosphere at the Center is going to be gastronomic, co-mingling gourmet offerings with some of the best tastes from Brooklyn. To find those perfect Brooklyn food vendors, Center officials are handing out a survey to restaurants and other food service businesses.

“We are committed to bringing the best of Brooklyn to Barclays Center and to draw on the borough’s dynamic food scene,” said developer Bruce Ratner. “Our goal is cast a wide net to make Barclays Center’s culinary experience as quintessentially Brooklyn as it gets.”

To be in the running the vendor must be located in Brooklyn and have the highest rating by the health department. They also have to be equipped for large-scale production.

“It has to be a company that can fulfill the orders for an 18,000 seat arena,” said Barclays Center spokesman Barry Baum. He added that the Center is hoping to attract a large number of hopeful vendors by distributing the surveys widely and also placing newspaper ads.

“We’re looking for everything from pickles to pizza and from silverware to sandwich picks,” Baum said. “We really want to showcase all Brooklyn-based items that might not otherwise have an opportunity to be considered for an arena.”

Barclays Center officials have not yet decided what percentage of food vendors will hail from Brooklyn. The Center already forged contracts with national companies like Coca-Cola and others. A Chicago-based company, Levy Restaurants, will be overseeing the food aspects of the Center.

Steve Hindy, the president of Brooklyn Brewery said he is hopeful that he will be able to get his beer sold at Barclays. His capacity will be limited, he says, because he does not have the financial stamina such beer giants as Anheuser-Busch can muster.

“We hope to be there the same way we’re at Citi Field and MetLife Stadium and Madison Square Garden, but we are not in a position to be a big sponsor the way the international brewers are,” he said.

Their presence has come to the attention of residents, slowly, first through the sold-out sale of swaztika stud earrings at The Bejewelled shop on Manhattan Avenue and then with the findings of recent photographs by Brooklyn-based photographer Adam Krause.

Picture by Adam Krause

Krause recently noticed a man at a Greenpoint gym wearing a T-shirt with racist symbols. Intrigued, he approached the man and expressed his interest in photographing him and his friends.

As he told the Daily Mail Online,

‘It took a lot of coordination (to photograph them), but I introduced myself to them and showed them my work and obviously there was some sort of interest for them as well.’

The startling photographs show five men posing for Mr. Krause in Greenpoint, some with swastika flags in the background.

In 2009, the Greenpoint Gazette pointed out an upsurge in anti-Semitic and homophobic graffeti on mailboxes and on some walls.  A Facebook group called Greenpoint Antifa has also been working to serve as watchdogs against the “fascist, violent” conditions they see growing in the neighborhood.

It appears to be time to pay attention, and to figure out a way to take action, if necessary.  These pictures are certain unsettling – and don’t bode well for what appears to be a growing undercurrent in our area.

See all of the photos by Adam Krause on the Daily Mail Online.