Category Archives: Civics and Urban Life

Civics and Urban Life

Update: Fire on Roof of Good Footing Building on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope

At approximately 1:30 PM, Eliot Wagner of Now I’ve Heard Everything called to tell me there was a serious fire in the 4-story building, which houses Good Footing Adventure, an athletic shoe store next door to the post office on Seventh Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets.

I was in the Cocoa Bar so I ran over to check out the situation.

At 1:47, I spoke to one of the firefighters who told me that  the fire was on the roof. By the time I got there the fire was out. According to other sources, it took 16 minutes to put the fire out. There were no injuries and the occupants of the building can, as of 1:47 PM return to the building. but because of water damage to the entire building, tenents won’t be returning anytime soon.

A large number of fire trucks and a few ambulances were on the street. An eyewitness said she saw flames emanating from the roof of the building about a half hour ago.

At 3:15 or so, one of the employees of Good Footing told me that the fire was on the roof where there is a deck. I asked if there was a barbecue grill up there but he didn’t know. There is extensive damage to the shop and its merchandise due to  the water used by the firefighters.

Firefighters put out the fire on the roof And the owner of Good Footing and his employees will begin to clean up the mess. After the ceiling stops dripping, that is.

Seventh Avenue was closed to traffic from 4th Street to 2nd Street for an hour or more.

A few minutes ago, I stepped into the shop, which smelled of fire and dankness. Water was dripping from the ceiling and everyone looked extremely dispirited.

What a mess.

 

Civics and Urban Life

No Internet Yesterday on Our Block

Seems that our Time Warner is out in our vicinity. The problem area seems to be parts of Third Street and Second Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. I know there’s Internet at the Cocoa Bar and Konditori, thank goodness.

But there’s been no Internet since Saturday. Which makes blogging and working difficult, to say the least. We thought it had something to do with the Leap Second and the storms. Initially we were told it was a power outage, then TW called to say it was fixed. Then we thought it was our modem or cable box.

Thorough investigation ensued.

After an extended phone call yesterday, Time Warner acknowledged that there was a problem but they did not give us a ETA as to when it would be fixed.

Cripes.

Civics and Urban Life

Third Street on the Fourth Circa 2006

I love to re-post posts from days gone by. It brings back memories, reminds me of what life used to be like when our kids were younger. Here’s an excerpt from a post about Third Street on the Fourth of July in 2006.

The Third Street Cafe is in full summer swing. This year it’s hop hop hopping. Maybe it’s the colorful umbrella someone found. Or the brand new Weber we split with the Kravitzes.

Most nights now, we can be found downstairs sitting at the green plastic table in the green plastic chairs drinking wine, chatting up the neighbors, dodging frisbees, disciplining our children as they vroom down the street on bikes, skates, scooters. We even discipline the children from neighboring buildings who seem to love our yard and wreak havoc.

Takes a street to raise a child, I guess. Third Street.

Ravi, the 13-year-old boy who lives downstairs, plays sitar sitting on a beautiful Indian cloth on the stoop. He even burns incense. He and his mother went to Queens and bought him a beautiful brown and gold silk robe and Indian pants.

He looks like an Indian prince. Sitar is fast becoming the soundtrack of this summer.

Other friends make our Third Street Cafe a fun place to be. Fofolle and her boyfriend Jack Twist, so named for his spot-on imitation of the Jake Gyllenhaal character in Brokeback Mountain, joined us at the cafe.

“I can’t quit you, Ennis.” Is fast becoming the quote of the summer.

Read more here: http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.com/2006/07/page/5/

 

Civics and Urban Life

Indie Declaration: We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident,

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Civics and Urban Life

When We Could Watch the Fireworks in Brooklyn Heights

Note: I love to re-post posts from the past. This one is from July 5th, 2005 about watching the fireworks from my father’s apartment in Brooklyn Heights, back when there were fireworks on the Brooklyn side.

It helps to have friends in high places. Especially on the fourth of July. And a river view doesn’t hurt.

My father and stepmother live in a high-rise apartment in Brooklyn Heights with a sumptuous view of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and the Lower Manhattan skyline. On 9-11, they watched in horror as a plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers. Then, they were evacuated frm their building in those first uncertain hours when it was feared that there might be more attacks to come.

Like the rest of the city, they have, for the most part, moved forward from that day. But their view will never be the same. Something that once brought them such pleasure is now tinged with death and destruction

But it is still one of the most beautiful urban views in the world with its sparkling lights, elegant bridges, tall buildings, and boats in the harbor: it is an endlessly interesting vista to soak one’s sight in. And on the 4th of July there is no better place to revel in the booming brilliance of Macy’s fireworks.

This year was advertised as the best ever: right up there with the Brooklyn Bridge celebration, the bicentennial, and the millenium. A group of eight adults and one seven-year old, we borrowed my father and stepmother’s apartment and used it as our viewing stand (they were upstate at their country house). We drank their champagne, we used their crystal glasses. We cleaned up after ourselves.

And we oohed and ahhed, privileged to have such a view. The Macy’s barges, which were literally framed by the apartment’s windows, sent bouquets of shimmering colors and shapes so close to the window we could practically smell it…

You can read the rest of the story here. 

 

Civics and Urban Life

Janine Nichols at Barbes Tonight With Her Band, Semi-Free

Performer Janine Nichols is sort of the quintessential Brooklyn creative artist. She’s got her hands in all sorts of art forms. I enjoy her collage work, which are available as cards at the Community Bookstore or can be viewed at her blog, JazzPaperScissors and in a book of a Pratt exhibition called You Are Here; Mapping the Psychogeography of New York. 

Nichols was originally the Music Coordinator for Saturday Night Live in  its heyday and she also worked on The New Show and has worked with Hal Wilner on his wonderful anthology shows highlighting the music of Tim Buckly and Leonard Cohen.

Tonight she will be performing with her band Semi-Free at Barbes. SEMI-FREE is singer/songsmith/rhythm guitarist Janine Nichols, ; guitarist Brandon Ross(Cassandra Wilson, Harriet Tubman::the band), violinist Charlie Burnham (Steven Bernstein’s MTO, James Blood Ulmer, Medeski Martin & Wood) and, increasingly, Doug Weisselman (Antony, Steven Bernstein, Robin Holcomb, John Lurie) on bass clarinet.

The songs are Janine’s or given her by Hal Willner, her partner in ambitious live shows for 20+ years.

The show will begin at 7PM and there is a $10 charge for the show. If you don’t already know, Barbes (on 9th Street near 6th Avenue in Park Slope) is a small space so get there early and stake out a seat.

 

Civics and Urban Life

Wear It Proudly: I’m Still Calling It Atlantic Av Pacific St

Graphic designer and Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn activist Deborah Goldstein, also known as Miss Wit, wanted to share her latest t-shirt design with the readers of OTBKB.

I too have been miffed at the renaming of some local subway stations. For instance, the Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street subway station has been renamed Atlantic Av/Barclay’s Stadium, I believe. Jay Street Boro Hall is now Jay Street MetroTech.

Miss Wit writes, “A British multinational bank (in the news currently for extreme and “systematic greed” practices) bought NYC subway naming rights very cheaply from a cash strapped state agency on the back of a corrupt deal.

“By calling the subway station by said British multinational bank, which certainly not a very many will do, one accepts that scenario as being acceptable.

“The station once known as Pacific Street-Atlantic Avenue will soon be called something else, due to the fact that the same company that bought the rights to the stadium the station sits under, also bought the rights to the station. For the first time in NYC Transit history, a Subway station will bear the name of a corporate entity.

But….

I’m Still Calling it Atlantic Pacific!”

 You can buy the t shirt here. FOR 10% OFF Use Promo Code FFCR at check-out thru July 15

 

Civics and Urban Life

Produce a Special for Brooklyn Community Access TV

Not everyone has time to create a weekly television show, or even a bi-weekly or monthly series for Brooklyn’s community access television network.

But BRIC, Brooklyn’s community access television organization, wants you to know that this shouldn’t stop you from submitting your content to air on Brooklyn’s community access television network. If you have a 28-minute or 58-minute piece that you think the borough of Brooklyn will want to watch, give them a call and request an appointment to air what we call a “Special.”

Special time slots don’t occur on a regular basis, so you don’t have to commit to submitting content on a rigorous schedule. Create your program in an amount of time that best fits your schedule, give them a call to arrange a Special time slot, and watch your program on the BCAT TV Network. Pretty simple.

According to BRIC, many of their regular users submit specials that can air during one of the station’s programming quarters. In fact, you can submit as many as 4 programs within a 13 week period. For more information, visit their website or call 718-683-5605 to arrange an appointment with their Programming Department so you can get your Special time slot.

Civics and Urban Life

Traffic Advisory about 15th Street July 5-6

Just in case you’re planning to drive down 15th Street on Thursday and Friday July 5-6 from 9AM until 4PM: Don’t!

Please be advised that on 5-6 July 5-6, 2012, from 9AM until 4PM, 15th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues will be closed to vehicular traffic (don’t you love the word vehicular?) due to a crane operation at 239 15th Street in Brooklyn.

This closing has been approved by the Department of Transportation. This information was provided by Craig Hammerman, District Manager of Community Board 6.

 

Got it?

Civics and Urban Life

Take A Walk on the South Side

Today, I walked south on Seventh Avenue above 9th Street which is often where I jump into the F-train. Sure, I get above 9th Street every now and again, but today I decided to see what was going on up there.

Stay tuned to stories about a bunch of new businesses in the South Slope.  I’ll also describe some pleasant encounters with some old businesses up there, too.

Civics and Urban Life

Brownstone Collapse in Carroll Gardens

I heard about the collapse on WNYC radio this morning and leaped out of bed: A Carroll Gardens brownstone partially collapsed at around 1AM Monday morning. There were six people inside who managed to escape without injury.

I know a lot of people in Carroll Gardens so I worried…

According to DNA Info, the building is located on Carroll Street between Court and Smith Streets.

There is no information yet as to what caused the collapse.

Civics and Urban Life

Leap Second & Storms Caused Trouble to Brooklyn Internet Service

Was your Internet slow or non-existent this weekend? Many in Brooklyn had intermittent, exceedingly slow, or no Internet service Saturday. Here’s why.

Over at Greenwich Mean Time, the official timekeepers of the world, as June turned to July, they held their clocks back by a single second in order to keep them in sync with the planet’s daily rotation,

And it was this Leap Second that caused trouble to some of the Internet’s most important software platforms like Linux and Java.

Sort of like  Y2K without all the initial panic.

Many Internet systems do  keep themselves in sync with the world’s clocks, and when an extra second is added. Some don’t know how to do it, apparently.

The “Leap Second Bug” hit just as the Internet was recovering from a major outage to Amazon Web Services, a service that runs 1% of the Internet.

And that’s why.

Many complained of service to Mozilla, NetFlix, Buzzfeed, Gawker, FourSquare, Yelp, LinkedIn and StumbleUpon. The Brooklyn Museum lost Internet service which resulted in them extending the deadline to the GO Arts Open Weekend registration until July 10th.

 

Civics and Urban Life

Real-Time Bus Arrival and Location Info for the B61 Bus

Help is on the way for the riders of the B61 bus. I got to know a little bit about riding the bus in Park Slope when I was commuting to the city for court reporting classes. Because I had that heavy (HEAVY) backpack, I would wait for the bus on the corner of Third Street and Seventh Avenue and wait.

And wait.

And wait.

I saw the same people every day and some days we got mighty impatient. There was always someone standing way out in the middle street looking southward for the bus. “Is that a bus,” we’d ask.

Truth of the matter, it was almost always more prudent—and faster—to just walk to the subway at Grand Army Plaza or Flatbush Avenue. But sometimes you just want to take a bus.

On cold winter mornings, there was always such relief when the bus finally arrived. On most mornings there was just plain relief that there was a bus at all.

Well, some exciting changes are  afoot for riders of the B61 bus.

City Councilmember Brad Lander’s press guy sent out a release yesterday about the debut of something called BusTime on the B61 bus, making it the second bus in Brooklyn with the system that provides real-time bus arrival and location information. You an learn how the system works here.

The system, which is already in use for the B63 bus on Fifth and Atlantic Avenues, uses GPS devices on buses, which lets bus riders use their cell phones and computers to find out where the next buses to arrive on a route actually are.

I will say that it sounds like a big improvement over standing out in the middle of the street, risking injury, to check on whether there’s a bus coming. Especially for those of us who need distance glasses and can barely see two blocks away. Quite often a van or a truck looked like a bus and I (and others) got our hopes up.

There are other planned improvements to the B61 bus, as well.

· More frequent buses in the PM rush hour, increasing the average headway from ten to nine minutes.

· More reliable service at all hours resulting from:

o An increase in the amount of time the bus has to make the run and to recover at the end of the route.

o A change in the location of the bus driver shift change from the middle of the line to the end of the line.

Lander says: “Bus Time is a great step forward for B61 bus riders, who are looking for more reliable bus service. The MTA has brought Bus Time to the B61 at our urging and I look forward to taking further steps to making the line a great bus for the neighborhoods it serves.”

 

 

Civics and Urban Life

Michele Somerville: Politics and Education in Brooklyn

Park Slope’s Michele Madigan Somerville is the author of Black Irish and other volumes of poetry. She also writes essays about theology and education, which appear frequently on the Huffington Post and on her blogs, Indie Theology and Bored-O-Ed. Here’s an excerpt from a recent esssay on school reform, politics, and a teachers at a local school.

I wrote a “thank you” note to an eighth grade teacher on the morning of the last day of school this week. The teacher is a bit of a wise-ass; he cracks a lot of jokes, most of them, I gather, funny. Is he everyone’s idea of an excellent teacher? It’s hard to say. But he’s smart, funny, actually teaches students to write five-paragraph essays on Humanities topics, and when my own child was finding herself lost (in a large “gifted and talented” school which overall disappointed, in ways that could have been avoided) this highly intelligent teacher noticed and cared.

High intelligence and caring may sound like minimum basic requirements for teachers, but in even the best New York City schools, these qualities are all too scarce.

My children recoil in horror when I tell them I used to assign the occasional D+ or B++ to students on essays. Why not give the C- or the A-, they asked? More than not I rounded up.

But when my daughter presented me with her final middle school report card, she found the grade the aforementioned teacher (whom I thanked) assigned a bit low. I thought it was a perfect grade. The teacher knew my girl was uncommonly able — and I know she’d been dining out on aptitude for way too long. I was glad to see the teacher assign a grade designed to send a message — a grade which is code for “We both know you could have gotten an A+ if you had tried even just a little.” He cared.

Civics and Urban Life

Fourth Avenue’s Church of the Redeemer to be Torn Down

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From Francis Morrone, architectural writer and historian, I have just learned that the Church of the Redeemer, built in 1866, on Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street in Brooklyn is going to be torn down.

Morrone says that it is one of his favorite churches designed by Patrick Keely, who designed hundreds of churches. Obviously, it is not a designated landmark. “If it’s not torn down, it will probably fall down on its own,” he writes on Facebook.

“I like the play of volumes, the intimate scale, the good detailing, the side garden. I love imagining the church in 1866, when it was slightly more bucolic in these parts, and today, when the church shares its sidewalk with the subway entrance,” he adds. “And I love the mosaic sign for this church down in the subway station. It looks to me like Keely had a somewhat larger budget than he usually did with his Catholic churches. I’d love to see it with its stone cleaned.”

Francis Morrone is an architectural historian and author of Architectural Guidebook of Brooklyn. Morrone’s essays on architecture have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, City Journal, American Arts Quarterly, the New Criterion and the New York Times. In April 2011 he was named by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the 13 best tour guides in the world.

He thinks a high rise condo is going to be built in its stead.

Civics and Urban Life

To Rome with Love at BAM

Woody Allen’s latest, an homage to Italian cinema and the city of Rome, is playing at our very own BAM Rose Cinema. To Rome With Love stars Alec Baldwin, Ellen Page, Woody Allen, Jesse Eisenberg, Roberto Benigni and Penélope Cruz. It is the newest of Allen’s city-themed movies, which include Midnight in Paris and Vickie Cristina Barcelona. Prior to these masterful love songs to two European cities, he made three films in London. As I read somewhere, Allen used to admire foreign directors and now he is a foreign director—in Europe.

To Rome with Love sounds like an omnibus of a movie about a variety of Americans and Italian characters who either live in or are visiting Rome. Showtimes this weekend are: ‎2:10‎ ‎4:40‎ ‎7:15‎, ‎9:45pm‎

Civics and Urban Life

Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare Mandate as Constitutional

Chief Justice John Roberts saved Obamacare

Starting her day with word of the the Supreme Court’s decision to let stand the basic provisions of Obamacare,  ruling that the government may use its taxation powers to get people to buy health insurance, a Facebook friend in Northern California had this to say:

“Starting the day off right, with that special feeling. You know the one, where the Supreme Court upholds something you thought they might tear apart and grind the remaining pieces into the ground? But that didn’t happen! So yay! relief! surprise! more relief!

 

Civics and Urban Life

NYC’s Outdoor Pools are Now Open: On Your Mark, Get Set, Swim



I’m sure you’re just dying to try out the new McCarren Pool. Or maybe you wanna go to Red Hook or Sunset Park. Try ’em all. They’re open and they’re free.

Outdoor pool hours are from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m., with a break for pool cleaning between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Early bird and night owl lap swim hours are also available at select sites.

For a full listing of the city’s outdoor pools CLICK here. 

Civics and Urban Life

BK to Macy’s: Bring the Fireworks Back to Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront

What does Macy’s have against Brooklyn?

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and State Senator Daniel Squadron are calling on Macy’s to return its July 4th fireworks display to the East River. According to their press release, this is the fourth consecutive year that Macy’s will hold its fireworks on the Hudson, out of view for the millions of residents who live in Brooklyn, Queens and on the East Side. The officials will announce upcoming talks with Macy’s to discuss returning fireworks to the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront.

WHEN: Thursday, June 28, 10:30am

WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 1 (northwest corner of pier, enter at Furman and Old Fulton Streets), Brooklyn, NY

WHO: Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, State Senator Daniel Squadron, community leaders

Civics and Urban Life

Funds Restored to Brooklyn Public Library

In a recent issue of the New York Review of Books, Zadie Smith, author of the novel White Teeth, writes about the closing of a library in Willesden Green in London (pictured left): “I don’t think the argument in favor of libraries is especially ideological or ethical. I would agree even with those who say it’s not especially logical. I think for most people it’s emotional. No logos or ethos but pathos. This is not a denigration: emotion also has a place in public policy. We’re humans, not robots.”

I would guess that she will be happy to learn that funds have been restored to the public libraries of Brooklyn.

Indeed, the Brooklyn Public Library has averted disaster. Funds have been restored and layoffs won’t be necessary. Good news all around.

The final budget restores $25 million in City funding for the Library out of a proposed $27 million cut, which—at 33% of the Library’s operating budget would have meant staff layoffs and greatly reduced library services.

Library fans were encouraged send emails to elected officials, sign petitions and advocate against the cuts.

The FY2013 budget now allows the Library to continue to offer free access to educational and cultural programs, job search and small business resources, Wi-Fi and internet-ready computers while avoiding any layoffs or drastic cuts to service.

“We are very grateful the budget agreed to by the Mayor and Speaker restores funding for libraries and I want to thank Chairman Recchia and the entire Brooklyn delegation for their continued support of Brooklyn Public Library. The adopted budget will allow the Library to maintain our existing service levels and avoid layoffs,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library.

Continue reading Funds Restored to Brooklyn Public Library →

Civics and Urban Life

Parents Flash Mob at PS 10

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Have you seen the video of the parent’s flash mob at PS 10 in Park Slope?  It’s on Nona Brooklyn, a food blog, and it’s a sight to see.

Picture it. You’re eight years old. Your mom wakes you up, hustles and herds your groggy ass through the morning drill: “Get up get up! You’re gonna be late!” – nipping at your heels – “Eat your breakfast! Hurry up! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!“

She runs you out of the apartment, pulling you faster than your shorty legs want to go, across the street, down the block, “Come on, come on, we’re gonna be late.” You scamper and hustle under your backpack loaded with books. The schoolyard comes into view, same as every day. All the other kids mill around with their parents, while the principal hectors everyone through a bullhorn from the top of the steps, “OK guys let’s go! Line up! Line up!”

Same as always.

But wait, what’s this!? Strange, slow, soft music suddenly unfurls over the bullhorn’s blare. But what? Parents suddenly disengage from the mob, traipsing, oddly gracefully for an inherently nerdy breed, into the empty center of the schoolyard…And proceed do prance around in some sort of choreographed ballet…What!? Parents. So weird.

Civics and Urban Life

Dear Listen: I Hate a Certain Seventh Avenue Dry Cleaner

Read OTBKB’s new advice column:

DEAR LISTEN:

Hi there. Do you post complaints on the website? I have just had a horror with a certain Seventh Avenue dry cleaner about a delivery issue. They hung up on me twice and refused to work with me to find my clothes when they were not delivered, even though my building had it on camera.

 I would like to let others know about them and also get a recommendation for a good Park Slope dry cleaner. Not sure that this is appropriate for your site? Thanks!

 Sincerely,

 I Hate a Certain Seventh Avenue Dry Cleaner

 

Dear I Hate a Certain:

Of course I won’t FLAME a local business based on a single complaint. That’s bad practice, bad for local business, and just plain bad policy for a reputable blog.

Puhleeze. Who do you take me for? Effed in Park Slope?

That said, I feel your pain. More than once I have wanted to rent one of those election vans to rant  about a horrible experience at a local business from Flatbush Avenue to Green-Wood Cemetery.

Who hasn’t?

In your case, I think it would be legitimate to bad mouth that local business to your friends and neighbors; you could put up a flyer telling people to stay away from said business; you could even send them an angry letter and really give it to ’em.

But I’m not sure it pays to be vindictive.

You could also do something constructive like go to the NYC 311 website and check out their Dry Cleaners Complaint page. Here’s what it says on that page:

The City accepts complaints about dry cleaners who:

Damage your clothing

Refuse to give you a refund

Fail to deliver goods or services

Overcharge

Charge different prices to dry clean clothing based on gender

The City can also direct you to the proper authorities if a dry cleaner closes down without returning your clothing. The City does not license dry cleaners and cannot force closed dry cleaner businesses to return your clothing. The City does not accept complaints about employee behavior or rudeness.

What I can do: I can recommend Nice Cleaners on 4th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. It’s a very nice place and the woman there does a good job tailoring, hemming and sewing. They have a cute bulldog and have NEVER lost an item of mine.

Sincerely,

She Who Listens

NOTE: If you need advice on personal and/or civic matters, Dear Listen (DL) will listen to your question, think about it, and offer you the best advice DL has to offer. Or not. If DL doesn’t know the answer, DL will reach out to someone who does.

No names will be used. This is anonymous, discreet and possibly very helpful.

Send emails to Dearlisten(at)gmail(dot)com

 

 


Civics and Urban Life

Message from School Chancellor About Students with Disabilities

It seems to me that this message from School Chancellor Walcott signals a shift in thinking about the best way to educate students with disabilities.

Starting in September, these students will have the opportunity to attend a local community school in an inclusion class: “Students with disabilities demonstrate improved attendance rates and score better on state reading and math tests when they are educated in inclusive classrooms,” he writes in the following message. Inclusion classrooms, also known as Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT)  classes, have two teachers (one trained in special education and learning disabilities),  a majority of general education students and a smaller group of special needs kids.

Dear Families,

As the school year comes to an end, I am excited to tell you about an important step we are taking to ensure all New York City public school students graduate from high school ready for college and careers. Starting this September, the vast majority of our students with disabilities who are entering a public school will have the opportunity to attend their local community school, where appropriate.

Our goal is to ensure our students with disabilities are fully embraced in their community schools and participate in a wide range of classroom and school-wide activities with the appropriate support. Students with disabilities will continue to be provided with the services they need as stated in their Individualized Education Programs, and at the same time they will have increased access to the same curriculum and be challenged to reach the same high expectations as their non-disabled peers.

As Chancellor, I believe that this transition will benefit all of our public school students and school communities. Students with disabilities demonstrate improved attendance rates and score better on state reading and math tests when they are educated in inclusive classrooms, and research indicates that students without disabilities also benefit from learning in the same classrooms as their peers with disabilities.

Continue reading Message from School Chancellor About Students with Disabilities →

Civics and Urban Life

Congressional Primary Winners: Nydia Velazquez, Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clarke

“We won because of you,” Ms. Velázquez told supporters in Brooklyn on Tuesday night. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez beat her three opponents and will continue to represent the 7th district in congress.

According to the NY Times: “Her victory represents a triumph over the Brooklyn Democratic chairman, Vito J. Lopez, who threw his powerful political machine behind Mr. Dilan.”

In the 9th congressional district, which includes my part of Park Slope, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke is the clear winner with 88.3% of the vote against Sylvia Kinard.

With 72% of the vote, Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries is the democratic nominee for congress in the 8th CD, a district that includes Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and East New York. He ran against City Council Member Charles Barron. Jeffries it is to replace Representative Edolphus Towns, who is retiring,

 

 

Civics and Urban Life

Free Wireless at a Few Manhattan Subway Stations, None in Brooklyn, Yet

I was quite delighted to see that the 14th Street F-train station now has Wireless. What a pleasure it was to check my texts, my email while I waited for the train yesterday after having coffee with a friend at Books of Wonder.

Boingo Wireless has teamed up Google Offers  to offer the free Internet. Google is paying for the service from now until Sept. 7. So it’s a short lived experiment?

I see that there are other stations, too, that have Wireless provided by Google/Boingo.

• A, C, E station at Eighth Avenue and West 14th Street

• L station at Eighth Avenue and West 14th Street

• C, E station at Eighth Avenue and West 23rd Street

• 1, 2, 3 station at Seventh Avenue and West 14th Street

• F, M station at Sixth Avenue and West 14th Street

• L station at Sixth Avenue and West 14th Street

Civics and Urban Life

Vote Hakeem Jeffries: Charles Barron Endorsed by David Duke, Former KKK Grand Wizard

There’s quite an intense race in Brooklyn’s 8th congressional district (which includes Fort Greene, Bed Stuy, Prospect Heights and East New York) going on. Turnout will be the key to who wins.

City Council Member Charles Barron and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries are duking out it out. Last week, Charles Barron got a toxic endorsement from David Duke, a former KKK Grand Wizard and fervent anti-semite.

And what a great reason to vote for Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, who is running for congress in the 8th congressional district against City Council Member Charles Barron for Ed Towns’ congressional seat. Not that you need a reason to vote for Jeffries, who is a good guy.

City Council Member Brad Lander has worked closely with Jeffries on issues including affordable housing, creating good jobs, and building stronger neighborhoods. “He’s great at bringing people together to make real and concrete change. He’s going to be a fantastic Congressman. I hope you can support him if you live in Prospect Heights, East New York, Bed Stuy, or one of the other neighborhoods in the district,” writes Lander in an email.

According to the Daily News: 

The battle for a Brooklyn Congressional seat will likely hinge on one neighborhood in the sprawling and diverse new district- Bedford-Stuyvesant, political insiders say.

With record low turnout expected for the June 26 Demoratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Ed Towns, controversial City Councilman Charles Barron upstart and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries have flooded Bed-Stuy with campaign literature and door to door visits in recent weeks, residents say.

“It’s the Ohio of the district,” a Jeffries campaign staffer said, referring to the perennial swing state in Presidential elections.

While each candidate has carved out sections of strong support in the recently redrawn 8th Congressional district, neither one currently represents more than small enclaves of Bedford-Stuyvesant, long seen as a must win area for any black pol. As many as 9,000 votes are up for grabs based on prior turnout.

 

 

 

 

Civics and Urban Life

Primary Today: Turn Out for Democracy

How many people actually know that there’s a primary in New York City today? Part of the problem is that New York moved its primary from September to June. So people might be a little bit confused.

What? There’s a primary today? Today?

That said, I have been barraged with endorsements of Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries for congress in my inbox. If other people are getting that, too, then they must be aware that there’s a primary today.

Yup, a primary today.

According to the New York Times, “…a federal court moved the state’s Congressional primary to Tuesday to ensure that people in the military using absentee ballots were not disenfranchised, creating a campaign season that defied the usual rhythms.”

June or September (and November for that matter): It is ingrained in me that it is important to vote, even in primaries. I know it’s easy to be cynical about our electoral process. But it still feels important to stand in a voting booth and choose the people we want to represent us in government.

It is fundamental.

If you don’t know where you are supposed to vote, in New York City, call (866) 868-3692 or visit the online poll site locator at vote.nyc.ny.us. Elsewhere, contact the County Board of Elections. For a list of Web sites and phone numbers, go to elections.ny.gov and click on County Boards.

Civics and Urban Life

OTBKB Endorses Nydia Velazquez for Congress

Here’s the way I am voting on Tuesday, June 26th in the democratic primary: Turns out I’m in the 9th congressional district and not the 7th. So I voted for Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. That was a no-brainer. Now if I can just keep my congressional districts straight.

For  congress in the newly redrawn 7th district I am voting for Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, the incumbent, because she’s been doing a good job for twenty years and she cares about health care, education and transit. According to Brad Lander, “she led the successful effort to get the Gowanus Canal declared a Superfund site, which will bring hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up the Canal in the decade to come.”

It’s a race to watch because she’s being opposed by Dan O’Connor, City Council Member Erik Marin Dilan and George Martinez (the Occupy Wall Street candidate).  Interesting candidates all.

But Nydia’s the one I’m going for this time.