All posts by louise crawford

Saturday Rooftop Films Presents First Ever Show from Brooklyn Tech Roof

It's the first ever film screening on the roof of Brooklyn Tech and Rooftop Films known for the exciting and interesting locations they choose for outdoor film projections is presenting Danger "Dangerous Docs," an evening of short documentary films.

On this exciting rooftop location Rooftop’s Dangerous Docs program brings together 6 gems of the short documentary genre.

Here's what you can expect to see from the heights of Brooklyn Tech:

Teenagers in Soweto dance atop moving trains, Australian
preservationists rescue bizarre endangered chickens, a sideshow
performer turns amputation into a spectator sport, and men travel from
all across the world to compete in the World Beard and Mustache
Championships.

In this interesting group of films:

–learn how African teenager justifies risking his
life for a fleeting moment of local fame;
–experience the exhilaration the artist feels as he turns his own body into a shredded
canvas
–witness the love one troubled man feels for a flock of
squawking birds;
–glimpse the  vanity that drives
someone to grow a mustache that protrudes 16 inches off the side of his
face.

It''s all happening at Brooklyn Tech at 8 p.m. Brooklyn Tech, 29 Fort Greene Place. Tkts: $9.

May 26: Superfund Information Meeting at Community Board 6

Thanks to Craig Hammerman of CB 6 for this notification:

Please be advised
that the agenda for the upcoming CB6 Informational Meeting on May 26
to hear about the Gowanus Superfund issue has been expanded to include
representation from the U.S. EPA and the City of New York.

Quick meeting details:

DATE: Tuesday, May 26, 2009
TIME: 6:30pm
PLACE: PS 32 Auditorium, 317 Hoyt Street (between President/Union Streets), Brooklyn, NY 11231

So Who Did the Independent Nabe Democrats Endorse?

I didn't make it to the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (ND) endorsement meeting last night that was held at Long Island College Hospital

In local acronym-speak: IND was at LICH last PM.

I very much wanted to be there because fireworks were expected and  I thought it would be interesting to see this aspect of the democratic (and Democratic) process in action.

For those who don't know, the candidates vie for the support of these influential local groups. IND has been around for 30 years. It was started by local activists in Carroll Gardens who wanted to address neighborhood revitalization issues, as well as the end of the Vietnam War.

Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, another local Democratic group, has also been around for years and was started by anti Vietnam War activists back in the day.

Both groups sponsor debates and endorse candidates in all local NYC elections. Some of the candidates are members of these groups. There are, of course, other Democratic clubs in Brooklyn like Shorefront Democratic Club, and Brooklyn Democrats for Change.

CBID has already endorsed Josh Skaller for City Council in the 39th and Jo Anne Simon for City Council in the 33rd.

Everyone was expecting the last night's endorsement vote for the 39th candidate to be contentious. Candidate John Heyer has the support of many in that group but his anti-abortion stance is a big problem for others.

Does anyone know who IND endorsed for City Council in the 39th?

For City Council candidate in the 33rd, IND endorsed Jo Anne Simon last night. She was also endorsed by CBID a few weeks ago. Her campaign sent out a press release this morning.

“It is an honor to have the endorsement of
IND, a club known for their independence and commitment to reform. 
Their overwhelming support tonight is significant and not something I
take for granted.  I will vigorously work to make them proud of their
endorsement throughout the campaign in the weeks and months ahead. I
will strive to be a trustworthy and independent council member that the
voters of the 33rd district deserve.”

Where oh where is the press release from the chosen one in the 39th? I
see nothing in my in box. That could mean the debate went on so late
that the winner didn't have time to write or call. It could mean that the
fireworks were so intense and the in-fighting so vigorous that the club
imploded and…

I am so wondering what happened over there last night.

The Record and Tape Center on Fifth Avenue Facing Eviction

Recordtapecenter The Brooklyn Paper reports that The Record and Tape Center on Fifth Avenue near Ninth Street, which has been in Park Slope for 38 years is facing eviction on May 31st. Owner Tony Mignone said the letter came out of the blue and that the owner says he wants the space "for himself."

 “The letter just arrived at the beginning of the month,” said Mignone, who opened his store on Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street in 1965, and moved to his present location in 1971. “I’ve never even been late on my rent!”
According to the letter, the landlords, a family that owns several grocery stores in the neighborhood, including the Deli and Smoke Shop next door, do not want to renew the lease and will take Mignone to court if he does not clear out.
“If he’s still there [on May 31], we’ll go to court,” said John Wilson, the family’s lawyer. Wilson said that he doesn’t know the owner’s plans for the store, but all he knows is that the owner “wants to use it for himself.”
Despite the threat, Mignone, who spends his days amid rows of records and cassettes, has no intention of leaving." – Brooklyn Paper

Photo by Brooklyn Vegan

Tonight: Music to Benefit Sending Books to Rwanda

Tonight at Vox Pop a benefit for the Rwandan Book Drive with local Brooklyn based musicians Phranque Gallo, Rene Collins and Debbie Deane

The event is co-organized by Tom Martinez, the minister of the All Souls Bethlehem Church in Kensington and OTBKB's Witness photographer. He's also helped to organize the book drive that will be shipping thousands of books to orphans in Rwanda.

WHEN: Thursday, May 21st at 8PM
WHERE: Vox Pop (1022 Cortelyou Rd.)
http://www.voxpopnet.net/

Brownstone Voyeur: Collecting Local Art in Clinton Hill

Bv1 BROWNSTONE VOYEUR is a joint project of casaCARA and OTBKB. The series, which has been a regular Thursday feature on both sites, is
going on hiatus for the summer. This is the last installment of the
season; look for it to return in the fall.

A 20-FOOT-WIDE BROWNSTONE in Clinton Hill, replete with 1870s detail
— wide moldings, a flat arch opening between the front and rear
parlors, a bay window at the rear — is the perhaps unlikely showcase for a locally acquired gallery of very modern paintings, and look how well it works.

The homeowners, Richard Montelione, an attorney, and Jack Esterson,
an architect, enjoy browsing local fairs and shows of student work at
nearby Pratt Institute to add to their collection, which they display
against soft brown walls (Benjamin Moore’s Jamesboro Gold, to be exact), outlined with crisp white moldings.

31-living

On the parlor floor, above and below, furniture sources are: white sofa, Room & Board; coffee table, Gueridon;
orange Ellipse chair, Modernica; Danish modern end tables, Horseman
Antiques on Atlantic Avenue; TV credenza, Design Within Reach; white
leather club chairs, Room & Board; round coffee table, ABC Carpet.
The table lamps are Italian, from The End of History in Greenwich Village.

3.6 LIVING

303-living

33-living

37-living

Go to CCasaCARA for more text and pictures. 

2-dining


A 3 am Email from Brad Lander

I got an email from Brad Lander, who is running for City Council in the 39th District, and the subject line said: Thursday 3am.

I got all excited because I imagined that Lander had some breaking news that he wanted to share at three in the morning.

Well, it wasn't that at all.

But it was kinda cool. Last night and this morning, Brad was a participant in the 25th Annual Interfaith Vigil for Homelessness in Foley Square Park. That's where he was writing from. Or was he? Did he really write it from the park? He had his computer with him? He wasn't, like, sleeping? Or do you have to stay up all night on this vigil? Maybe so.

Whatever. At least he thought to write.

I'm writing to you from the 25th Annual Interfaith Vigil for Homelessness in Foley Square Park.

The
Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing is committed to
confronting the unconscionable reality of homelessness in New York
City.  Their annual vigil is one small way of bearing witness to the
personal reality of homelessness, and joining in solidarity to end it. 
At a time when more NYC families are homeless than ever before, we must
recommit ourselves to insuring that every family has a safe, decent,
affordable place to live.  I hope you'll check out their website at www.iahh.org and consider making a contribution.

It's an interesting sounding event. I checked out the website and it starts with an interfaith service a St. Paul's Chapel. After that begins the Overnight Vigil for Housing Justice in Foley Square. That is followed by a closing meditation and a Public Policy Breakfast in the office of the Public Advocate.

Later at the breakfast they gave out the 2009 Builders of the Blessed City awards. This year's winners: City Councilmember Gale Brewer, Michael McKee, tenant leader and the Very Reverend James Parks Morton.

The 33rd Candidates Meet Up In Williamsburg

As I walked into the auditorium of the Harry Van Arlsberg School in Williamsburg, the excitement was palpable. Supporters of Even Thies were handing out flyers at the entrance to the school.

"Here you go m'am," one of them said.

You talking to me? You talking to me? Who you calling M'am?

Nobody calls me m'am.

A good sized crowd was already seated in the auditorium. It was a young group even some elementary school kids handing out flyers inside. There were locals, hipsters, Hasids, yuppies, bloggers. All sorts of folk.

Candidate Steven Levin was in the house and his supporters were wearing buttons that said, Levin. Buttons. Now that was notable in this City Council campaign, which has been seriously bereft of buttons.

New Kings Democrats, sponsors of the event, is a grassroots organization with a mission: "to achieve the goal of an
inclusionary and participatory democracy by making it easy for
individuals to run for local, elected office. NKD will serve as a
training ground for individuals seeking higher office, and hopes to
build and nurture a new group of Brooklyn Democratic leaders."

Aaron Short, a reporter with the Greenpoint Gazette and the blog, Bushwick BK was one of the moderators of the debate. A bit of a character and a funny guy, Short was joined by Sabrina Gates, a Kings County Democratic County committee member who was particularly good at telling the candidates to stop talking: "I am going to have to ask you to stop. Please stop. Please," she said again and again. 

Gates read short bios of the candidates that were provided by their campaigns. That meant no opening statements, which I sort of missed because I'm interested to see how this group is doing in the stump speech department.

Overall the debate/forum was high spirited if not exactly illuminating or dynamic.

Ken Baer, who often had a smile on his face, is the only one of the group who seemed to be having fun. As usual he was having trouble with his microphone and suffered for a speaking style that is less than engaging. He is not, however, an equivacator. A longtime environmentalist, Baer was an early opponent of the Atlantic Yards and now supports superfund status for the Gowanus Canal. A professional accountant, he was chair of the Sierra Club for 5 years and has an impressive list of indiviudal endorsements, including Eric McClure of Park Slope Neighbors and Joe Holz who runs the Park Slope Food Coop. I wonder about his ability to be forceful and convincing in the City Council setting.

Doug Bivano, who was missing from last week's forum in Park Slope, told me that like Steve Levin, he was not invited to that forum which was organized by the Park Slope Civic Council. In some ways he is the liveliest member of the group and the most unpredictable. A civil engineer and an eCommerce programmer, he has no political experience but is a Brooklyn Heights resident and an PS 8 parent with some very idealistic, out-of-the-box ideas. Some of them may be wacky (like his idea to give community boards and borough presidents say over eminent domain) but he expresses them with convincing enthusiasm. He has a very conservative look — clean cut, stylish suit and tie — but his ideas are far from that. I am now convinced that he is a huge fan of Amy Goodman and Democracy Now.

Bivano is also capable of waxing poetic about Main Streets and the city state ("The city state is the future. We are the experts. We will lead the world). He makes unexpected connections between the federal war budget and the problems in our cities.

Issac Abraham, who is the first Hasidic candidate for the City Council, displayed his usual anger and exasperation toward city government and the elected officials he's dealt with as a tenant advocate and longtime volunteer in Williamsburg: "Boy am I familiar with the way  government doesn't work. Again and again elected officials react and respond to crisis. I will be active, I will not just react," he told the crowd. Abraham has Borscht Belt comic timing and brings a dark, piercing levity to these events again and again.

Appearing for the first time at one of these forums, candidate Steve Levin, who studied Classics and Comparative Literature at Brown University came to Brooklyn to work as a community organizer. He is now chief of staff to Assemblymember Vito Lopez, Chairman of the Assembly Housing Committee, who sometimes seems like the Darth Vader of the Brooklyn democratic scene. Levin, who lives in Greenpoint with two rescued cats, came across as professional and well spoken though for some reason he addressed all of his answers to the moderators and not the audience. He's already been endorsed by a giant union and the interests of working people and the  elderly seem to be important to him.

Ken Diamondstone is a progressive's progressive. He told the Williamsburg crowd that he is a longtime fighter for civil rights and issues that pertain to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. "I have a core set of values that guide me," he said. He also mentioned  experience with the Brooklyn Solid Waste Advisory Board. He speaks very articulately and it is clear that he is an authentic progressive but there's something cold about the way that he presents himself. It was, however, fetching when he said that his favorite music right now is Pete Seeger (because he attended Seeger's 90th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden). How appropriate.

In answer to the question, Why are you running for the City Council? Jo Anne Simon gave the most clear and forthright introduction to herself that I've heard her do. "I believe that there's a seat at the table for everyone…I care about the issues you care about." She talked about neighborhood preservation as being "the green way to go." and described her roots in the neighborhood as very deep.  In answer  to shorter questions she speaks way too fast as if she is summarizing something she thinks you already know. Simon has a warm, inclusive message that she presents in a way that isn't all that warm.

Evan Thies, who lives in Williamsburg and is very comfortable with the young professionals there, opened with "I know this isn't sexy but reform of city government is the most important issue we face." In his characteristic low key way, Thies expressed some strong ideas: "The Greenpoint/Williamsburg rezoning of four years ago last week was an utter failure. We were sold a bill of good about acres of open space and affordable housing that hasn't been built. As a City Council member I want to see that promise fulfilled," he told the crowd. He went on to quickly describe his 360 Planning Plan which would "force the city to tell the truth about infrastructure" when contemplating new development. 

For me the most interesting part of the forum was the opportunity to see Steve Levin and his supporters in action.  I expected some kind of junior Darth Vader but he's a low key professional guy, who gives off a very corporate vibe. Asked about his affiliation with Vito Lopez, he said "I am proud of my work with Vito Lopez but I will be an independent voice. About the term limit extension I was against it and I told him so."

About discretionary funding he said: "The allocation of discretionary funding is a huge responsibility. I will not stop funding groups providing great services for seniors, affordable housing, parks, after school programs, arts and education.

About small business Levin said: "It's the bread and butter of Brooklyn. We need a rental structure that allows small businesses to know what they're facing, to keep smal businesses growing." 

As usual the yes/no questions round was the most fun as it is amazing what a hard time politicians have answering yes or no. Some like Baer are incapable of it. There were also some fun (and reavealing) get-to-know-the-candidates questions like:

What are you reading now?

Abraham said something about his own biography.

Baer: the New York Times, local papers, the Brooklyn Paper, newsletters

Biviano: local papers and I listen to Democracy Now constantly.

Diamondstone: “The Nation”

Levin: A People's History of the US.

Simon: “The Great Bridge"

Thies: Kurt Vonnegut

What is your favorite restaurant?

This turned out to be a tough question for some. Others were very decisive.

Biviano:" Ahhhhh. It's so hard to say. Ahhhhh. There are so many but I love the key lime pie at Pacifico."

Diamondstone: “I love diner food. Any diner."

Levin: “Grimaldi’s”

Simon: “Downtown Atlantic”

Abraham: “Peter Luger’s”

Baer: “Vegetarian Palate: I'm a vegetarian."

What's on your MP3 player?

This proved to be a tough question, too. Baer and Abraham didn't know what a MP3 player was. So the question was changed to what is your favorite music?

Levin: Springsteen, Dylan and Brahms.

Simon: I don't have one. On a CD I have that singer who died…ahhhh…(Patsy Cline someone called out form the audience…that was me). That's right, Patsy Cline. 

Thies: I have 30,000 songs on my iPod. Inew U2 album is a huge disappoitment. 

Abraham: This goes out to my opponents: Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.

Baer: Born in the USA

Doug: I like Springsteen, too. But I'm a big Frank Sinatra fan. And the Kareoke favorite:  "New York, New York."

Diamondstone: I've been listening to a lot of Pete Singer since his 90th birthday concert.

So it was a good natured debate. Kudos to New Kings Democrats for running the event in a fun and professional way. There wasn't much nasty between the candidates. No jabs at Simon from Diamondstone. No weird comments about IND from Thies. Not much in the way of fireworks but it was probably the best representation of the candidates yet.

OTBKB’s Brooklyn City Council Cheat Sheet (33rd and 39th Edition)

The Democratic Primary is on September 15th.

Bill deBlasio is the current City Council member for the 39th District. He is running for Public Advocate, a city-wide position in the upcoming primary.

You can see a map of that 39th District here.

David Yassky is the current City Council member for the 33rd District. He is running for City Comptroller in the upcoming primary.

You can see a map of the 33rd District here.

Park Slope is divided into two districts. Check the maps to see which district you are in.

The 39th includes Carroll Gardens, the Gowanus area, parts of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington and a small part of Boro Park.

The 33rd includes the North Slope, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, the Navy Yards, Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

Five Democratic candidates are running for City Council in the 39th. They are: Brad Lander, Josh Skaller, Bob Zuckerman, Gary Reilly, and John Heyer.

David Pechefsky is the Green candidate for the City Council in the 39th.

Seven Democratic candidates are running for City Council in the 33th. They are: Evan Thies, Jo Anne Simon, Doug Biviano, Ken Diamondstone, Issac Abraham, Ken Behr and Steve Levin.

Central Independent Democrats (CBID) is a local democratic group. They have already endorsed Josh Skaller for the 39th District, Jo Anne Simon for the 33rd and Norman Sigal for Public Advocate.

Independent Neighborhood Democrats is another local democratic group located in Carroll Gardens. They will be endorsing candidates on Thursday May 21.

New Kings Democrats is a grassroots Democratic group in Williamsburg. They have not yet made an endorsement.

Vito Lopez is the Assemblyman for the 53rd Assembly District. Candidate.

Heyer: “What? You Can’t Be A Good Democrat and a Good Catholic?”

On Wednesday morning John Heyer returned my call to talk about why he decided to pull out of Tuesday night's candidates forum at the Church of the Gethsemane in Park Slope sponsored by Park Slope Neighbors, Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND) and Central
Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID).

Heyer, a devout Catholic, is running for City Council in the 39th District (the seat currently held by Bill deBlasio). An aide to Borough President Marty Markowitz and a funeral director in Carroll Gardens, he is anti-abortion and against same sex marriage. It is Heyer's belief that he is being attacked (by operatives and/or supporters of his opponents) for his views on these issues and that his legitimacy as a member of the Democratic party is being questioned.

To read what the other candidates had to say about Heyer's absence from the forum go to the Brooklyn Paper story: Heyer, Heyer Pants on Fire.

It is worth noting that on Thursday night there will be an endorsement vote at IND,  a group that Heyer is a member of. The moderator of Tueday's forum was Ken Lowy, president of IND,  which was founded more than 30 years ago in Carroll Gardens by neighborhood activists seeking to improve their neighborhood and to put an end to the war in Vietnam.

So why did you decide to stand outside the church and not participate in the forum?

"I didn't participate to redirect — going forward — what issues should be in the campaign."

Did anything happen outside before or after the forum.

 "Every one was very nice. Lucy and Ken {the moderators} were very nice, very apologetic about what was quoted in the Brooklyn Paper. I know if there had been a lightening round I would have been targeted for my beliefs."

Why didn't you just go ahead with the debate; you're usually pretty cool under pressure.

"I didn't not go because I was intimidated or afraid to answer
questions or to tackle issues important to the race. But these attacks
by operatives or supporters of the other candidates are bringing these
things up in a mean spirited way…The IND endorsement meeting is Thursday. It's a big deal as they always are. The stuff that's coming up {about his personal feelings about abortion and same sex marriage} are all things to distract from the real issues."

But the City Council doesn't even legislate abortion or same sex marriage, right?

"As a member of the City Council it would not be my job to legislate or determine choice or same sex  marriage. Our democratic system, our system of representation, the Federalist Papers and all that, says that if elected I have to represent those who have elected me even if I have a personal stance on something."

You are against abortion. Does that mean you'd like to see Roe Vs. Wade overturned?

"In a perfect world no one would should have to choose.

Do you understand why your stance is problem for people, especially women, who feel very strongly about their right to choose?

If a woman wants an excuse not to vote for me…I would never do anything to chip away at her right to abortion. I have no say in that at all at the City Council. People say what if you run for senate then you would but my wife won't let me run for senate. At least not until we've had our children. Seriously, then don't vote for me for senate.

Did you like Obama's recent speech on abortion?

"A leader needs to bring the conversation to common ground and look for ways to do that. Abortion is not a good thing and  we have to see how we can reduce the number of abortions there are. For the president to talk about finding commonality, to say to conservatives: lets find a common place and move from there is good. On the flip side, in the mainstream democratic party, you can't do that. The right side can come to the center. But the left has to stay on the left. What? You can't be a good democrat and a good Catholic?

So what made you so hot and bothered?

"The breaking point for me was when Ken Lowy questioned whether I was a democrat. Am I a democrat? I've been a member of IND since I was 18. And I handed out flyers when I was a kid. And Ken Lowy should talk he was a candidate for the Green party once. IND was started by young people  thirty years ago. It was Buddy Scotto, Anthony Fiello and a Roman Catholic priest. A Catholic can be a good democrat.

Message from the School Chancellor About Swine Flu Scare

May 20, 2009

Dear School Community,

Since the H1N1 flu, or "swine flu,¨ first came to New York City in
April, officials at the Department of Education and the Department of
Health have been intensively monitoring the health of students and
other members of the school community. We have been working closely
with principals and school nurses to keep students and other members of
our school community healthy.

Today, I would like to update you on this situation.

WHAT IS THE SWINE FLU?

This flu is caused by a newly identified virus called H1N1. Since
April, it has caused outbreaks of flu-like illness in New York City and
around the world.

The symptoms are similar to regular seasonal flu symptoms. Most people
who become infected have fever, which is accompanied by cough, sore
throat, fatigue, headache, and body ache. H1N1 spreads from person to
person the same way seasonal flu spreads: when someone coughs or
sneezes, he or she can infect someone else in close proximity. Shaking
hands or other types of direct contact may also transfer the virus. So
far, the symptoms of the new H1N1 flu have closely resembled those of
seasonal flu and most people who
become sick are recovering, but any influenza virus can cause severe illness, so we are taking aggressive precautions.

HOW ARE SCHOOLS MONITORING THIS SITUATION?

Principals and school nurses are on alert and are working with the
Department of Education and the Department of Health to keep students
and staff safe and healthy. We have instructed schools to:
* Immediately separate students with flu-like illness.
* Send students who have symptoms to be evaluated by the school nurse
or school-based health center and then sent home if the nurse confirms the presence of an influenza like illness.
* Inform parents that children with these symptoms should stay home
until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours. (Students with
persistent coughs but no other symptoms may return to school one
week after their symptoms started.)
* If an unusually high number of students at a school become ill, the
school's nurse will contact our central School Health Office, which
will work with the Health Department to develop a plan for the school.

WHAT IS THE CITY DOING TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE?

We are monitoring the situation closely and are looking for "clusters¨
of illness at particular schools. Sometimes, when a lot of children are
sick, closing a school, keeping children home, and preventing them from
interacting with each other can reduce further infection. Since April,
we have decided to close more than a dozen schools. The Chancellor is
responsible for deciding when to close schools, based on the
recommendation of the Health Commissioner.

I want to make it clear that this is not currently a citywide problem
and there is no need for a citywide solution. What we need is to
monitor individual schools and take appropriate steps based on specific
circumstances. Most of our schools remain relatively unaffected by H1N1.

HOW DO WE DECIDE TO CLOSE A SCHOOL?

The Health Commissioner is evaluating a range of factors as it considers whether it makes sense to recommend closing a school.
Most importantly, he looks for "clusters" of illness, and determines
whether closing a school could help to reduce the spread of infection.
The number of students who are absent is not a trigger to recommend
closing a school. We do look for spikes in the number of absent
students at a school. Most importantly, we look at the number of
students who are visiting the nurse's office, and we keep track of the
number of students with fevers over 100.4 degrees and another influenza
symptom such as a sore throat or cough. A high absentee
rate alone does not mean a school should close. If all the children who
are sick are already home and the students in school are healthy,
closing will not reduce the transmission of infection.

We also take into account the severity of H1N1 flu in the community.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene monitors all New York City
emergency rooms and intensive care units to evaluate the severity of
swine flu infections in the community.

The Health Department is visiting many schools each day and making
recommendations to the Schools Chancellor about how to handle
individual situations.

WHAT CAN YOU DO AT HOME?

The best way to prevent the flu is to ensure that people with symptoms
stay home. If your child has a fever, accompanied by cough or sore
throat, please do not send him or her back to school until 24 hours
after the symptoms are gone.

Most people who get the flu do not need to seek medical care and do not
need to be tested for H1N1 flu. The Health Department recommends
testing only for people who are in the hospital. Most people who get
the flu should stay home.

However, those in high risk groups should seek medical advice
immediately, if they have had close contact with someone who has the
flu during the past week or they develop flu symptoms Those in high
risk groups include:
* People over 65 or under 2 years of age;
* People with chronic lung, heart, kidney, liver or blood disorders;
* People with immune systems that are compromised (either due to
illness or medicines);
* Pregnant women; and
* People on long-term aspirin therapy.

HOW CAN YOU FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?

We are keeping up to date information about this flu on the homepage of the DOE Web site at www.nyc.gov/
schools. At this site, we have been listing schools that are closed and
posting frequently asked questions and other important updates. We also
have links to learning guides that can help students remain on track,
even if their schools are closed. You can also pick up one of these
learning guides at the following locations:

* Brooklyn: 131 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
* Queens: 30-48 Linden Place, Queens, NY 11354; 28-11 Queens Plaza
North, Long Island City, NY 11101; or 90-27 Sutphin Boulevard,
Jamaica, NY 11435

CONCLUSION

We have taken, and will continue to take, the necessary steps to
protect members of our community. I urge you to remain calm and
continue working as our partners in keeping members of the school
community safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Joel I. Klein

Beer With An Old Friend on Roebling

It's 5:45 pm at the K& M Bar at the corner of North 8th Street and Roebling on the Northside of Williamsburg. I have traveled to north Brooklyn to attend the candidates debate (33rd district) at the Harry Van Arlberg school just one block away.

In a little more than an hour that school's auditorium will be partially filled with City Council candidates, members of the New Kings Democrats, citizens and new and old media alike.

The bar is completely empty except for a blonde bartender in a vintage dress with black framed glasses. She asks me what I want to drink.

Stella, I say.

I am waiting to meet my old friend Dewey Thompson, who lives in Greenpoint. We met back when we were both producers at  Zacks and Perrier (ZAP), a corporate media firm that is no longer in business.

Thanks to Facebook we're back in touch. He's involved in many civic organizations in Williamsburg and is commissioner of the area's children's soccer league. He is also a member of GWAPP (Greenpoint Waterfront Association for Parks and Planning), a group modeled on the Prospect Park Conservancy.

Dewey is boyish and tall. His face, surrounded by still blonde curls, lights with humor almost constantly and his mind is quick and interesting. When we worked together he produced the award-winning The Boy From Mars, the first science fiction film ever commissioned by NASA. It was an ambitious project and one that consumed him for quite a while.

We talked little about the old days at ZAP on Morton Street in the West Village. Instead we talked about the neighborhood we were sitting in. I'd lived on North Sixth Street back in the 1980's before the hipsters, the trendy restaurants and art galleries. The area has changed enormously since it was re-zoned and residential construction is rampant. Dewey told me that the community is fighting mad because a promised waterfront park is still a dream. Part of the proposed park area is owned by the MTA and the city didn't have the right to give it away in the first place.

In 2006 when Williamsburg was up-zoned, the City promised to create green, open space for the enjoyment of the neighborhood and the influx of new residents 

It's a prickly situation and one that got my friend agitated just talking about it. "Ask them at the debate if they're going to get that land back from the MTA. Ask them," he told me at the bar.

My friend and I both have 17-year-old boys in bands. We talked about that. And about high school and all the fun of having a teenager in the house.

Finally we did laugh a bit about our old company and some of the interesting people we knew there. I was delighted to hear that my talented friend is still in the film business and runs a company in Long Island City called Pickerel Pie Entertainment.

It was close to 6 pm when we left the bar. I had to run over to the debate and Dewey was strapping his helmet on for a bicycle ride back to his company in Long Island City.

"Our families should get together for dinner sometime," he said and waved good bye.

A Dramatic Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Heyer Decided Not To Attend

Last night as I was getting ready to go to a candidates debate sponsored by the New Kings Democrats at the Harry Van Arsdale High School Auditorium in Williamsburg I got this weird email from John Heyer's campaign about the debate in the 39th district also scheduled for last night.

Alert: Council Candidate john Heyer Won't Attend Rigged Debate

My reaction: Huh? Wha? Rigged?

When I saw the word "rigged" I knew that things were a little out of whack. This is a City Council candidates forum sponsored by the credible and reputable Park Slope Neighbors and CBID.

Sure, I know that the politics of attack have permeated all aspects of political  life. But was the forum really rigged? Maybe there was just going to be a little more fireworks than one has come to expect at these usually staid and convivial forums of the 39th. What the harm? It's fascinating to see politicians on the hot seat.

So what was Heyer's beef and why was he refusing to participate in this candidates forum?

Jesse Adelman, Heyer's campaign manager, wrote in a statement emailed to press and bloggers, that Heyer was "responding to an article
published online by The Brooklyn Paper which quoted debate moderator
and current president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND)
Ken Lowy mischaracterizing Heyer’s views and singling the candidate out
for a grilling." 

By grilling I think he meant that Lowy planned to ask Heyer some tough questions about his conservative viewpoints on same sex marriage and choice. I mean, like, isn't that what a candidates forum is all about?

Adelman begged to differ:

"This
is not a stunt for the sake of a stunt," Adelman told me in a quick phone interview. "We felt it was necessary
for John to get his true beliefs out there and not let others define
him."

Maybe so. But I think Heyer should have cut the drama and just joined the rest of the candidates on stage at the forum, a perfect place to clarify his ideas. Heyer has been quite good at staying cool during those debates even when antagonistic questions have come his way. That speaks volumes to voters who know that politics is about keeping your cool and staying on point.

So I'm surprised that Heyer didn't want to face the others at the debate if he believes, as it said in his statement, that he is being
attacked by "front men for opposing candidates for being a committed
Democrat and a person of faith."

Heyer should know that politics is always about pitting one set of views against another. It's the name of the game. So what exactly did it say in the Brooklyn Paper that got Heyer so hot and bothered?

Alan Fleishman called on club members to reject the 27-year-old
Heyer in favor of Bob Zuckerman, most recently the leader of the
Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation and the Gowanus Canal
Conservancy.

"Let me be clear: John Heyer is a nice guy and a decent fellow, but
when it comes to choice and same-sex marriage, his views are much more
conservative then those of most IND members,” Fleishman wrote in a
letter to club members that was leaked to the award-winning BrooklynPaper.com today. “John is clearly out of step with the progressive principles of IND (Independent Neighborhood Democraats) and our district.”

Indeed,  Heyer is anti-abortion. And he has expressed his opposition to same sex marriage at two prior forums. But he says in a personal statement: "With regard to choice: the residents of this district are
overwhelmingly pro-choice, and I have pledged to represent them on this
issue as Councilman. It’s true that personally I consider myself to be
anti-abortion. That doesn’t mean I have any agenda to chip away at the
federally-guaranteed rights of women."

So all this drama was going on while I was getting ready to leave. I wondered if I should stick around and go to the Park Slope debate but I was set to meet an old friend at the K&M Bar on North 8th Street bar in Williamsburg and then walk over to the debate at the school. I was also eager to eyeball Steve Levin, the candidate for the 33rd who hasn't shown up to any of  of the previous debates. 

Needless to say, I was pulled in two directions at once but finally decided to go to Williambsurg and sent Hugh to the Park Slope church to get a shot of Heyer standing outside.

I'd love to hear from anyone who was there.

May 30: Score! Gowanus Free Swap

On Saturday, May 30th, the Gowanus Canal will lend its shoreline to Brooklyn's biggest free store.

MeanRed
Productions is teaming up with FreeNYC, Newmindspace and RefugeNYC (the
same folks who brought you the Wall Street Pillow Fight) to transform
the waterfront venue, BKLYN Yard, into an open-air free boutique.
Hundreds of records, clothes, household items, and regretful "impulse
buys" will find new homes. This one-day event celebrates the joys of
finding treasure in some one else’s trash.  

How Score! Works

1.
Attendees bring their old Twisted Sister albums, ill-advised sample
sale purchases, well-intentioned holiday gifts, etc…and leave with
new treasures!

2. BKLYN Yard will be split into departments, each “curated” by different individuals and organizations

Apparel – Amy & Leslie www.pancakesandhappiness.com
Books – The Desk Set http://thedeskset.org/
Kitchen Products – Natalie Kamei www.pancakesandhappiness.com
Art Supplies — Lowbrow Society For The Arts
Music – MeanRed www.meanredproductions.com

OTBKB Music: Wednesday Recommendation

Leslie Mendelson I mentioned that I would get back to you about Leslie Mendelson two
weeks ago
.  Well, now is the time to go see Leslie.  She has
a CD, Swan
Feathers
, coming out on Rykodisk on June 30.  Maybe it hits big and
if you wait, maybe you'll have go see her in some arena.  But right now, you can
still find her in her native habitat, The Rockwood Music Hall, up close
and personal.

Leslie plays piano and has been compared to Carol King and Laura Nyro. 
Her songs are sophisticated pop.  This time out she'll be joined by
James Maddock and Steve McEwan, both on guitar.

I know that Wednesday is a school night, but this is an 8 o'clock show
and you'll be done by 9 and right by the F train.

The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St. (F Train to Second Avenue, take
the First Avenue exit, cross Allen St. and walk 1/2 block south).

 –Eliot Wagner

CC Candidate John Heyer to Forgo Tonight’s Forum

A dramatic thing happened on the way to the 39th forum.

John Heyer, a devout Catholic running for City Council in the 39th District, is not participating in tonight's forum because, he says, he wants to "refocus the campaign on the real
issues facing Brooklyn voters."

Why is he doing this?

Jesse Adelman, Heyer's campaign manager,, wrote in a statement emailed to press and bloggers, that Heyer was "responding to an article
published online by The Brooklyn Paper which quoted debate moderator
and current president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND)
Ken Lowy mischaracterizing Heyer’s views and singling the candidate out
for a grilling." 

"This is not a stunt for the sake of a stunt," Heyer's campaign manager Adelman told me in a quick phone interview. "We felt it was necessary for John to get his true beliefs out there and not let others define him."

Heyer seems to think that the politics of attack are finding their way to this city council race and that he is being attacked by "front men for opposing candidates for being a committed Democrat and a person of faith."

So what exactly did it say in the Brooklyn Paper that got Heyer so hot and bothered?

Alan Fleishman called on club members to reject the 27-year-old
Heyer in favor of Bob Zuckerman, most recently the leader of the
Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation and the Gowanus Canal
Conservancy.

"Let me be clear: John Heyer is a nice guy and a decent fellow, but
when it comes to choice and same-sex marriage, his views are much more
conservative then those of most IND members,” Fleishman wrote in a
letter to club members that was leaked to the award-winning BrooklynPaper.com today. “John is clearly out of step with the progressive principles of IND and our district.”

In other words, Fleishman wants voters to support Bob Zuckerman, who is gay, pro-choice and in favor of same sex marriage and other progressive viewpoints. In the article, Lowy is quoted and questions Heyer's credentials as a democrat. Now that got Heyer fighting mad because he's been a Democrat since he was,  like, 7-years- old.

Yes, Heyer is anti-abortion, But he says in a personal statement: "With regard to choice: the residents of this district are
overwhelmingly pro-choice, and I have pledged to represent them on this
issue as Councilman. It’s true that personally I consider myself to be
anti-abortion. That doesn’t mean I have any agenda to chip away at the
federally-guaranteed rights of women."

Yikes. I was planning to go to the 33rd district Candidates forum  Williamsburg but now I want to see what will happen at the Park Slope forum.

Heyer will be outside the forum at 7
p.m. at Park Slope's Church of Gethsemane (8th Ave. and 10th Street)
to answer questions from reporters and the public. 

Here is John Heyer's statement

"It’s extremely
unfortunate that some supporters of other candidates have sought to
make caricatures of my views, reducing them to ugly extremes. In one
sense, these ad hominem attacks are simply the dirty politics we might
expect from seasoned operatives in a contentious field of well-funded
candidates. But taken another way, these attacks also bear the
distinctive whiff of another time: an era when the anti-Catholic
politics of fear prevented the immigrants who built our neighborhoods
from attaining political power. Of course, we can’t know the real
motives of those who mischaracterize my words and beliefs. I can only
ask the voters to judge my views on their merits, and not to believe
the distortions of those who seek to marginalize my candidacy for their
own political gain, no matter the cost.

"First: I am a Democrat. I’m in favor of strong gun control laws
and I’m against the death penalty. I’m in favor of progressive taxation
and I’m against union busting. I think the fate of our city is
inextricably linked to the futures of our blue-collar workers,
middle-class families, and mom-and-pop businesses. I believe in growing
our great city, and this great borough, in an environmentally
sustainable way. I believe that a real investment in our public schools
is one we can’t afford not to make. And as a Democrat, I respect others
regardless of their positions on difficult subjects.

"With regard to choice: the residents of this district are
overwhelmingly pro-choice, and I have pledged to represent them on this
issue as Councilman. It’s true that personally I consider myself to be
anti-abortion. That doesn’t mean I have any agenda to chip away at the
federally-guaranteed rights of women. To the contrary: I supported the
Clinic Access Bill, and will continue to support legislation that
prevents intimidation, promotes civil discourse, and enforces the law
of the land. Like President Obama, I think we also have a
responsibility to reduce the number of abortions whenever possible.
This is my stance.

"With regard to gay marriage: I am advocating for a wholesale
change to the law under which the state would offer legal unions for
all couples, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Under this
system, “marriages” would be performed only by spiritual institutions,
and would carry no legal weight. This would achieve the goal of total
marriage equality, while effectively separating church from state,
which is the problem I see at the root of this contentious debate.
There are those who say this goal is impossible; I respectfully
disagree. The point is: I do support total equality of rights for all
couples. I only propose a different method. This is my stance.

"I’m running for City Council because I believe that this job, when
we cut through all the rhetoric, essentially comes down to a very
simple concept: serving the residents of our neighborhoods. We need
someone on the Council who understands our neighborhoods – who knows
where we’ve been and where we want to go. My family has been here for
five generations. I know what hard times have done to the people of
this district, and I want to fight to make sure we don’t have to go
through that again. My wife Maria and I are expecting our first child.
Our family plans to make a home in this neighborhood for the next five
generations. That means my commitments to affordable housing, to
education reform, to small businesses and to our quality of life are
intensely personal.

"My earnest hope is that we can refocus this campaign on the issues
really facing the voters of our district: safe streets, open
firehouses, good schools, affordable housing, clean parks, and public
transportation."

For the Civic Minded: Tonight and Upcoming Events

Thanks to Park Slope Neighbors for this information about:

–Tonight: Candidates Forum for 39th City Council District
Race, 7 p.m.

–Gowanus Canal Presentation by the U.S. EPA, Tuesday, May
26th, 6:30 p.m.

— 580 Carroll Street/25 Garfield Place Public Hearing,
Thursday, May 28th, 6:30 p.m.

Dear Park Slope Neighbor,
1) Tonight: Candidates Forum for 39th City Council District
Race, 7 p.m.
There's a forum tonight with the Democratic candidates running
for the 39th District City Council seat held
currently by Bill de Blasio, co-sponsored by the Independent
Neighborhood Democrats (IND),
Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) and Park Slope
Neighbors.
The forum gets started at 7:00
p.m., and will take place at the
Church of the Gethsemane,
1012 8th Avenue (at 10th Street), in Park Slope.
The forum is free and open to the public,
and questions will be taken from the audience.  Click here
for a map of the 39th Council District.
2) Gowanus Canal Presentation by the U.S. EPA, Tuesday, May
26th, 6:30 p.m.
Just a reminder that, next Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency will present again its case for nominating the
Gowanus Canal to the agency's Superfund National Priorities List. 
The public meeting is being co-sponsored by Congresswomen Nydia
Velazquez and Yvette Clarke, and Community Board 6.  Meeting
details are as follows:
Superfund for the Gowanus?
Tuesday, May 26th
6:30 p.m.
P.S. 32 Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street (at Union Street)
Carroll Gardens
For more information on the EPA's proposed designation of the
Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site, including directions for submitting
comments, please visit:
You can submit testimony regarding the
proposed nomination until July 8th.  You can also add your
name to a petition
, addressed to New
York's two senators, our local Congressional reps, and state and city
officials, underlining your support for a comprehensive, federally led
clean-up of the Gowanus Canal.  The petition is available
at www.superfundgowanus.org.
3) 580 Carroll Street/25 Garfield Place Public Hearing,
Thursday, May 28th, 6:30 p.m.
On Thursday, May 28th, at 6:30 p.m., the Landmarks/Land Use
committee of Community Board 6 will hold a public hearing on an
application for a zoning variance by the developers of 580 Carroll
Street/25 Garfield Place, aka 25 Garfield Sparta.
According to a report on
Curbed.com
, the project is a 30,000-square foot, 17-unit
building.  We're not exactly sure what the variance would entail,
but the calendar item on the CB6 web site indicates that it's for
"bulk modifications."
If you live near that location, or have an interest in local
land-use planning, you might want to check out the meeting.  Here
are the details:
CB6 Landmarks/Land Use Committee Meeting
Public Hearing on 580 Carroll Street aka 25 Garfield
Place
Thursday, May 28th, 6:30 p.m.
Old First Reformed Church
7th Avenue and Carroll Street


New Course for Brooklyn Half-Marathon Ends in Coney Island

There are changes afoot for the Brooklyn Half-Marathon.

The Brooklyn Half-Marathon used to start on the Boardwalk in Coney Island and end in Prospect Park. I should know. I ran it three years ago. All 13 miles of it. It was one of the greatest days of my life.

Now it looks like they're changing the course. The race will now start in Prospect Park and END in Coney Island.

I loved starting the race on the boardwalk in Coney Island at sunrise. But this sounds like a good plan, too. To complete a 13 mile run on Coney Island will be wonderful and euphoric.

Organized by the New York Roadrunners Club and sponsored by Continental Airlines, the half-marathon attracts nearly 10,000 runners through
Brooklyn. The race is required if you plan to run the NYC Marathon.

New for this year,
more than 29 participating Coney Island shops,
restaurants, and attractions will host special discounts to runners and
spectators and post-race activities will take place on the
beach.

 

Land Use Committee Hearing About 580 Carroll: It’s Big Enough Already!

Face of 580 I just heard from an OTBKB reader about this:

"Could you please pass the word about this Community Board #6
Land Use Committee hearing on a variance request by a developer building on
Garfield Place and Carroll St.  (580 Carroll and 25 Garfield between 4th
Ave and 5th Ave – site goes through the block).

"This project has been under way for over three years.  The
surrounding homes have suffered damage.  The immediate neighborhood has been
overwhelmed by the noise and pollution, the construction vehicle traffic.  It
will be an all-glass-front 5 story rental that is overloaded on the Garfield
side to create a garden entrance on Carroll.

Back of 580" "Now the developer-Sean Ludwick of
25 Sparta LLC- wants to extract more profit and seeks to exceed the density limits
by requesting a variance in order to build 3 townhouses where the garden (his
main selling point) was to exist. 

"Park Slope is already being overwhelmed by
developments such as this.  The schools are too crowded.  The sewers, traffic,
parking etc. are being overtaxed.

"The variance hearing is on Thursday, May 28 at 6 pm at the
Old First Church, 729 Carroll St. at the corner of 7th Ave.

"This is just one opportunity for the people of the
neighborhood to have a say in how much density there will be."

Poetry Workshop with Michele Somerville at BAX

Michele Looking for a short-term poetry tuneup? A place to learn about and write poetry? A fun thing to do on three Monday nights?

Michele Madigan Somerville will be teaching a special poetry workshop at Brooklyn Arts Exchange in Park
Slope, in June.
It runs three Monday nights —
June 1,8, 15, from 7 -9.  
Her focus will be on creating a small collection – or a
chapbook.

Hey, I've already signed up.

This workshop will be a great opportunity for
emerging poets, poets preparing chapbooks, and for writers
in other genres who have a bunch of work on the way to being poems to assemble for a non-menacing, saucy enough and not at all
ponderous two hours of 
reasonably exciting
poetry discourse.  
 
I know Michele and she gives great written editorial
feedback.
 
So, if you know of anyone who is looking for a short-term poetry tuneup, send them to: The Brooklyn Arts Exchange website is www.bax.org. The phone number is 718 832
0018

Here's Michele's blurb about the class:

For many writers of poetry, poems emerge in groups, clusters, as parts
of a larger whole in search of a collection. In this workshop we'll
start from the presumption that we're working on collections of verse,
and go on from there. Writers will be encouraged to produce short books
(chapbooks) of poems before completing the workshop.

We'll read some short texts by masters and examine a few short books
(as models) during the sessions. We'll discover that pieces which do
not on the face seem to be part of a whole — often are.

*Michele is an award-winning poet and author of the book WISEGAL and the forthcoming Black Irish.

From Elegance to Earthworms: Film Screening for Sustainable Flatbush

An exciting new documentary by Brooklyn filmmaker Michelle Vey, From
Elegance to Earthworms,
takes viewers on a journey through New York's
growing eco-consciousness. The opening, May 29, will benefit
Sustainable Flatbush, a not-for-profit that promotes green living in
the city. Tickets are $20.

From Elegance to Earthworms sheds
light on the creative ideas and cutting-edge business practices that
are paving the way for a greener economic and ecological future in New
York. The film also features an original score, composed by Vey's
husband, Elio Schiavo.

This celebration of the Greening of New York will include complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and plenty of mingling.

When: 7 p.m. to midnight, Friday, May 29

Where: Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick Street, Manhattan, 10013

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.michelleveyproductions.com

Tonight: Big Benefit Silent Auction at Metaphor Contemporary

Tonight is Stayin' Alive, the big benefit
silent auction at Metaphor Contemporary, 382 Atlantic Avenue, 6-9 pm. This artist-run space, like all most small arts entities these days,
is fighting for survival. 

The hosts are painters Julian Jackson and
Rene Lynch, who run the beautiful space on a shoe string and have
helped kick off the professional careers of a number of NYC painters,
photographers and sculptors.  Gallery artists and many friends have
generously donated work.

For this
benefit, the participants are not holding back.  They've given examples
of their best work, not back-of-the-studio dregs, and although online
bidding has been going on for a couple of weeks, prices are still at
bargain levels.  Here's a link: http://www.metaphorcontemporaryart.com/  Final bidding ends promptly at 8 pm.

  Berger David Hovey 87360806.150.150 

Above you see some OTBKB faves that are included in the silent auction at
Metaphor. Red abstract by Emily Berger, clouds by David Konigsberg,
green and yellow abstract by Hovey Bock, water photograph by Hugh
Crawford.

This Friday at Barbes: Country Meets Kurt Weil with Pinataland

Pinataland1 This Friday at Barbes: usher in Memorial Day Weekend with a special evening of music with the "country-meets-Kurt Weill" musical stylings of Pinataland.

With this unusual band you will enjoy: strange-but-true history; new and old favorites.

Regulars Doug Stone, Robin Aigner, and Bill Gerstel on harmonies and drums, the terrific Deni Bonet (Robyn Hitchcock) on violin, the legendary Dave Hofstra (Microscopic Septet) on tuba, and
the ubiquitous Josh Camp (One Ring Zero) on piano.

Pinataland
Friday May 22, 2009 8pm
Barbes, Park Slope, Brooklyn
376 9th Street at 6th Avenue

Serving Park Slope and Beyond