Brooklyn news

News, events, shopping, deals, jobs, meetups, classifieds, reviews, attractions and much more!

LinkShare_468x60v1

Carter, top lawyer for NYC, to retire in August

The head of New York City’s Law Department is retiring after six years overseeing a staff of nearly 1,000 lawyers. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday that Corporation Counsel Zachary Carter will retire at the end of August. The 69-year-old Carter has served as corporation counsel since 2014. He served as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York from 1993 to 1999. De Blasio called Carter “one of our city’s finest public servants.” The Democratic mayor singled out Carter’s work in settling with the Central Park Five. The five men received a $41 million settlement after their convictions in the 1989 rape and beating of a jogger were overturned…

Jay-Z’s companies sue licensing company for fraud

Jay-Z’s business entities sued a New York City licensing firm, claiming it cheated the companies as part of a “colossal accounting scandal.” The lawsuit accuses Iconix Brand Group Inc. of lying about its finances when it made deals with the rapper’s Roc Nation apparel company. There was no immediate response to a phone message Friday seeking comment from Iconix. When Roc Nation entered into a brand partnership with Iconix in 2013, the defendant company was fabricating financial reports to falsely inflate its earnings, according …

U.S. stocks fall, 10-year rate hits 2.05% on jobs

U.S. stocks fell from records, Treasuries tumbled and the dollar jumped after a strong monthly jobs report clouded the case for Federal Reserve rate cuts. Gold retreated. The S&P 500 Index slumped… To view the full story, click the title link.

NYC hospitals to reject federal funding over abortion ‘gag rule’

Mayor Bill de Blasio is taking his fight with President Donald Trump to the municipal hospital system. The mayor announced Friday that on the table because it comes with restrictions on abortion-related care. The Trump administration issued a rule in February barring clinics that accept the federal dollars from terminating pregnancies in the same locations where they offer other services. It also forbids them to refer patients to abortion providers—though, contrary to what de Blasio claimed, they may still discuss the practice with their patients. The mayor’s news conference came almost a week after a federal court slapped down the city’s lawsuit against the provision; de Blasio was busy earlier in the week campaigning for president …

Montefiore, Einstein CEO to retire

Dr. Steven Safyer, president and CEO of Montefiore Medicine, which includes In a letter sent to colleagues Friday, he said he would continue at Montefiore’s helm until a successor is found. Dan… To view the full story, click the title link.

Cuomo won’t commit to legalizing e-bikes and scooters

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is not quite ready to let go of the seat of the city’s electric bike and scooter users. The Democrat gave a noncommittal comment about the future of a bill the state Legislature passed this week legalizing the battery-powered transports—while citing a raft of potential problems with the measure and the devices themselves. The governor’s remarks came as lawmakers vacated the capitol following a voting spree that ran two days past the official close of the Albany legislative calendar.”That’s a bill that’s …

DA candidate pledged to crack down on live lobster boiling

Queens seafood lovers who boil their crabs and lobsters alive might wind up in hot water themselves if Tiffany Cabán becomes their district attorney.In May, the left-wing candidate filled out a… To view the full story, click the title link.

City pressing ahead with Willoughby Square project amid legal challenge

The city Economic Development Corp. can start minor work on its park plan at Willoughby Square in Downtown Brooklyn but the agency will have to hold off on anything major amid a legal challenge. Those are the terms set forth in a stipulation agreement, filed June 13, for an ongoing lawsuit between the city’s economic development arm and American Development, the agency’s former private partner on the project. The developer was selected in 2013 to build a park on the…

Mayor, City Council reach $92.8B budget deal

New York City’s mayor and council struck an agreement on a $92.8 billion budget for the 2020 fiscal year that increases the government’s reserves and boosts spending for school social workers, senior… To view the full story, click the title link.

Top leasing dealmaker joins CBRE

A top dealmaker in the lucrative business of leasing commercial office space has changed horses—again. Joseph Cabrera joined Colliers International five years ago as a senior leasing executive in its New York office. Now Cabrera has come on board at CBRE, the city’s largest commercial brokerage, as a vice chairman—a lofty title generally granted only to executives who pull in millions of dollars a year in revenue from deals. Matthew Van Buren, president of CBRE’s Northeast division, described Cabrera in a statement released by CBRE as “one of the real estate industry’s most active and innovative dealmakers.” “Joe’s exceptional reputation and client-first work ethic have led to his outstanding …

State audit finds safety hazards at NYC pre-K programs

An investigation by the has found safety hazards including toxic cleaning supplies and missing window guards at some New York City prekindergarten programs. Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Friday… To view the full story, click the title link.

Health insurers request 8.4% average rate hike

New York health insurers are seeking more moderate premium increases in 2020 compared to their requests to the state Department of Financial Services a year ago.  The weighted average requested… To view the full story, click the title link.