Brooklyn news

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

LinkShare_468x60v1

Pol shares Facebook post equating Black Lives Matter to Klu Klux Klan

Southern Brooklyn Assemblyman William Colton shared a post on his public Facebook page calling Black Lives Matter a “hate group” and equating it to the Klu Klux Klan — which, he said, started out as a group of “well intentioned people” before becoming the notoriously violent white supremacist institution that it is today. “I support my Black friends but not BLM. I support my white friends but not the KKK. I don’t support hate groups,” the Aug. 9 post reads.  When asked about the post, Colton — who has represented Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Gravesend in the state’s lower chamber for 23 years — claimed that he shared the message simply to …

Opinion: The double standards of our Democrats

In recent weeks, we have seen the clear hypocrisy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. King Cuomo has continued his war on our small businesses that are trying to stay afloat with this pandemic. On July 30, the governor proudly announced more violations that his state Liquor Authority issued to bars and restaurants for violating his edicts related to the novel coronavirus. We must remember that many of these businesses are owned by our neighbors and friends. They have done all they can to survive this ordeal. At first, they were ordered to close. Eventually…

Public Advocate calls for city control of Con Ed after widespread blackouts

He wants to give power to the people! Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is calling on the city to take control of the electric utility Con Edison, slamming the company for massive power outages following this week’s tropical storm Isaias.  “The time has now come for democratized energy, public power. It is clear that what we have, what exists, does not work,” Williams said at a press conference outside of Con Ed’s Flatbush Avenue headquarters near Fulton Street in Fort Greene on Aug. 7. Williams’ demands come after his recently-released report provided a roadmap for the city to buy Con Ed’s…

Op-ed: Don’t let Trump count New York out in the 2020 Census

Even as New Yorkers fight the COVID pandemic, another battle looms — making sure that we’re treated fairly in the 2020 Census. What’s at stake? For starters, billions of dollars in federal aid for health, education, social services and more. The census will also affect the power of our votes in future elections — determining how many congressional seats New York State gets and where the lines are drawn around our state and local legislative districts. Now, more than ever, the census really counts …

Bar Tabac and two other Smith Street eateries get liquor licenses pulled for pandemic violations

State officials revoked the liquor licenses of three Cobble Hill establishments — including the beloved French restaurant Bar Tabac — for violating COVID-19 regulations, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday.  “Last night, our task force observed violations at 41 more establishments downstate, and today we are suspending seven bars from across the state that have flouted coronavirus-related rules,” Cuomo said at a July 30 press conference.  Neighborhood eateries Bar Tabac, Regular Visitors, and Union Grounds — all located along Smith Street — have had their liquor licenses suspended as of July 30, state records show. Authorities say that investigators with the …

Opinion: Fourth of July messages offer stark contrast for 2020 elections

There were two messages on the Fourth of July that highlight the choice voters have in November. One was, “We believe that our children should be taught to love their country, honor their history, and respect our great American flag. We stand tall, we stand proud, and we only kneel to Almighty God.” The other was, “Black people have been dehumanized, brutalized, criminalized and terrorized by America for centuries, and are expected to join your …

New farmers market to debut at Domino Park

A new weekly farmers market will open at Domino Park in Williamsburg on July 12. The greenmarket will offer fresh produce, dairy, eggs, and baked goods at the privately-owned waterfront greenspace at S. Fourth Street, according to a joint release by the park’s owner Two Trees Management and GrowNYC, a nonprofit managing a network of such markets across the city. The market will operate Sundays from 9 am-3 pm between Kent Avenue and River Street through November 22, offering north Brooklynites an array of goods, including bread from the borough’s own bread makers Knead Love Bakery and She Wolf Bakery…

Brooklyn College community calls for CUNY to reinstate laid off professors

Students, faculty, and staff at Brooklyn College rallied outside the school’s Midwood campus on July 2 calling school administrators to reinstate 52 recently laid off adjunct professors who are set to lose their healthcare coverage during the pandemic — which, one professor said, was an example of anti-Black policies at the college. “Austerity is anti-Black,” said Jean Eddy Saint Paul, one of nine full-time Black professors at the college. “I kindly ask the administration of Brooklyn College to reverse their harmful policy against adjuncts.” Several dozen protesters attended the gathering …

Southern Brooklyn legislators introduce plans to prepare for potential “second wave”

As the city cautiously reopens following the deadly coronavirus outbreak, two southern Brooklyn legislators are working to ensure the coronavirus pandemic won’t again devastate the city. “COVID-19 descended swiftly and demonstrated that City and State government were not prepared for a pandemic,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “Our public servants were not provided with the proper safety measures, which in some cases cost them their lives.” The Bay Ridge senator introduced legislation on June 22 requiring all local and state employers in New York to publish pandemic plans outlining which employees can work from home, as well as safety measures for those that must continue showing up in person.   “Requiring public employers to draft and publish a contingency plan for the next global health pandemic will…

Opinion: For some, protests are just an excuse for chaos

Over the past week we have seen riots and crime — not just peaceful protests — in response to the killing of George Floyd. To be clear, the officer who held his knee on Floyd’s neck and killed him was rightfully charged with murder. Unfortunately, some have taken this tragic event as license to unleash chaos on our streets by burning down and looting stores, destroying public property, and attacking police. Perhaps even worse, most Democratic elected officials have instinctively blamed our police officers for these …

Jay & Lloyd’s Kosher Deli bids farewell to Sheepshead Bay

After 28 years of feeding and entertaining customers from across the city and around the world, the duo behind a beloved Sheepshead Bay mainstay — Jay & Lloyd’s Kosher Deli & Family Restaurant — have closed their doors as the pair packs up their wealth of memories on Avenue U.  “There are probably 100 stories, I can’t say how many stories there are,” said co-owner Lloyd Lederman. “I keep looking back and there were only good times — it’s what’s helping me get through this.”  Lederman and his partner Jay Stern have known each other since they were kids growing…

Medical residents at Methodist Hospital demand new contract amid stalled negotiations

Medical residents on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic at Park Slope’s Methodist Hospital have been operating without a contract for several months after they say hospital administrators snubbed them during negotiations.  “We have been trying to renegotiate our union contract with Methodist since the fall,” said one resident, who asked to remain anonymous in fear of retaliation. “And the process has just been getting delayed and delayed.”  Their union negotiated their previous multi-year contract that expired in October 2019, forcing them to work without a stable contract ever since — and management has routinely avoided reopening negotiations and denied them a scheduled raise last November, said the resident.  “We had planned…

Locals slam impromptu dance party on Williamsburg open street

They do not have the right to party! A group of unmasked frolickers gathered for an impromptu shindig outside a Williamsburg restaurant which was blasting dance music on the newly-closed Berry Street on May 14, seemingly flouting state social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to one local. “People were just puzzled that this was happening. This sort of callous disregard for the reality of the situation is what really pissed me off,” said Jennifer Weinberg, who caught the gathering on video. “The point of all of this is not to encourage people to be outside; it’s to give them more space…

Opinion: It’s time to end police enforcement of social distancing

Mayor Bill de Blasio needs to end the policy of requiring our NYPD to enforce social distancing.  Now more than ever, we need our cops to focus on the real criminals taking advantage of this pandemic, which is causing more havoc at the expense of innocent New Yorkers. For example, commercial burglaries were up 169 percent in April compared to last year.  In addition, there has been a 55 percent increase in robberies in our subway system compared to last year, despite an over 90 percent decrease in ridership. Also, our subway has become a rolling hotel for the homeless, making it an even more nerve-racking experience.  Despite the fact that there are already MTA rules prohibiting using the trains as a …

Opinion: Quarantine and the ‘third quarter effect’

Lately I’ve been thinking about the ruts and obsessions people find themselves in. Here at this paper, my conservative counterpart’s columns are almost always about law and order, whereas mine seem to be about powerlessness and isolation. Studies of astronauts in orbit or scientists isolated in Antarctica have identified what they call a “third quarter effect.” At the beginning of a long-term mission, participants are anxious yet excited, then they move on to depression and boredom, then, normally shortly after the halfway point, they become aggressive and irritable. We are embarked upon an …

Opinion: Getting by with a little help from your friends

Up until this point, all of my columns have been complain-y and depressing, offering few positive solutions. It should be clear by now that our governments are failing us. They have been failing us for a long time. My column two weeks ago referred to the notion that Mitch McConnell will keep screwing with the rest of the country, and that was before he started trying to literally bankrupt the Blue states. Donald Trump and, to a far lesser but still galling extent, …