The
Winner: Best Small Circulation Publication
Red Hook StarªRevue
JUNE 2018
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
Joe Sitt to Red Hook.....
Menchaca gives it back defends neighborhood at public hearing
“You’ve employed some of the best architects to tell a story about how to engage water and community, but that has fallen on deaf ears in the community, for a lot of different reasons. One of those is that the community was never necessarily involved in its creation. What you see here today is something that was designed by people in a room, designers and architects inspired by their own reasons, but not necessarily with the DNA of Red Hook, the DNA of the neighborhood, and I just want to call it out.”—Council Member Carlos Menchaca, spoken after a presentation of Joe Sitt’s plans for 280 Richards Street (additional reporting page 13)
I met God page 17 Red Hook Star-Revue
Nydia for Mayor page 12
Fashion Show at Red Hook Labs
New Mural
page 8
page 3
www.star-revue.com
June 2018, Page 1
The
Red Hook StarªRevue
481 Van Brunt Street, 8A Brooklyn, NY 11231
June Happenings
email happenings@ redhookstar.com to list your event. For more listings, check out our online community calendar at www.star-revue.com/calendar
(718) 624-5568
E & P: George Fiala
A Theresa Thornton
A E Matt Caprioli
8
Brooklyn Collective Summer Showcase! Cocktail recep�on & preview of new Summer collec�ons from local Ar�sts & Designers!, including fine art, illustra�on, ceramic art, jewelry, apothecary, accessories,clothing design, furniture & home design. 212 Columbia St. 6 - 9 pm. Fri.
R: Nathan Weiser C: Laura Eng, Religion Emily Kluver, Features Ramaa Reddy Raghavan Mary Ann Pietanza Sofia Baluyut, Tina Portelli Edward Littleford FOR EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING OR EMPLOYMENT INQUIRIES, email info@redhookstar.com. The Red Hook Star-Revue is published monthly. Founded June 2010.
Community Telephone Numbers:
Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca (718) 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (718) 492-6334 State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (718) 643-6140 Gowanus Councilman Brad Lander (718) 499-1090 Park Slope Councilman Steve Levin (718) 875-5200 CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman (718) 643-3027 76th Police Precinct, 191 Union Street Main phone (718) 834-3211 Community Affairs (718) 834-3207 Traffic Safety (718) 834-3226 Eileen Dugan Senior Center, 380 Court Street (718) 596-1956 Miccio Center, 110 East 9th Street (718) 243-1528 Red Hook East Dev. Office, 62 Mill St (718) 852-6771 Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St. (718) 522-3880
PS 15 School Carnival. The carnival will start at 9:15 am. 71 Sullivan
The Red Hook Flea. All proceeds benefit PS 15. Contact redhookflea@gmail.com to reserve a table. PS 15 school yard (71 Sullivan Street). 10 am - 5 pm. DRAWING TOGETHER Family Art Workshops for children ages 4+ with a caregiver, Kentler Interna�onal Drawing Space 353 Van Brunt St 10 - 11:30 am. New World Repertory Theatre returns to the Waterfront Museum for a produc�on of A View from the Bridge. 290 Conover St, 8 pm. Also Sunday at 2 pm.
10 Sun.
Second Sunday at Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street, 4 - 10 pm.
11
CB 6 Executive Committee Meeting Presenta�on by the Department of City Planning to update the commi�ee on the Mon. Gowanus PLACES neighborhood study’s planning and land use framework. P.S. 32 Auditorium 317 Hoyt Street 6:30 - 8:30 pm
13 Wed.
14 Thurs.
Labs New Artists II, Exhibit Opening, Red Hook Labs, 133 Imlay Street, 6 - 9 pm Drawing and Printmaking Class. In-studio class includes tour of Maia Cruz Palileo’s exhibi�on Meandering Curves of a Creek. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer St., 6 - 9 pm
An Evening of Readings in the Garden at the Red Hook Library (7 Wolco� Street) at 6:30 pm. They are hos�ng a reading in the back garden to celebrate the book club and summer�me.
15 16
Free Concert by the Chapin Sisters, 6-8 pm, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2
Fri.
Sat.
Red Hook Eats its Greens. Diabetes Support Group, Red Hook Library 7 Wolco� Street, noon - 2 pm.
Family fun day with games, face pain�ng, music, popcorn and a magic show star�ng at noon. At 8:30 pm there will be a screening of Black Panther, Lorraine Street, between Henry & Clinton,
NYCHA Satellite Police Precinct, 80 Dwight St. Main Phone (718) 265-7300 Community Affairs (718) 265-7313 Domestic Violence (718) 265-7310 Youth Officer (718) 265-7314
17 19 Fri.
Redemp�on Church hosts Father’s Day cookout at Coffey Park, food and drinks, music and ac�vi�es for kids. 1 pm
Tues.
Jason Lanier on Ten Arguments to Delete Your Social Media Accounts, Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer St., 7 - 10 pm
22 26 Fri.
Tues.
Mamie Minch and Tamar Korn, free concert at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2, 6 - 8 pm Gowanus CAG Meeting. The community offshoot of the Superfund Project that will clean the canal. Mee�ng is public, St. Mary’s Residence, 41 First St., 6:30 pm
27
Department of City Planning’s “Gowanus Framework Open House” Neighbors will Wed. have an opportunity to speak with staff from the Dept. of City Planning, as well as sixteen other City agencies. 5-8:30 pm, P.S. 32, 317 Hoyt St. Every Monday and Friday, the Red Hook Community Jus�ce Center (88 Visita�on Place) offers a free computer lab. The lab will be open from 10:30 to 12:30 pm and from 2:30 pm un�l 4:00 pm. The computer lab is on the lower level (LL4).
ONGOING
www.star-revue.com
The gym, theater, weight room and computer room will be available for ages 13 and up at the Miccio Community Center (110 West 9th Street) every Saturday of the month. This is a program sponsored by Good Shepherd Services, and it will go from 10 am to 5 pm. Call 718-243-1528 for more informa�on.
On Tuesdays, from 5 – 7 pm at the Red Hook Community Jus�ce Center (88 Visita�on Place) join the CARES Wellness support group. Come to learn about coping strategies for dealing with stress, learn ways of relaxing and taking care of yourself and learn how to focus on healing and restora�on. Dinner and Metrocards will be provided. Call Red Hook CARES at 347-404-9017 to learn more. Every Wednesday the Red Hook Community Jus�ce Center shelters a support group for women who have experienced violence in a rela�onship. Join this group to find support, speak openly about your experiences and begin the healing process a�er experiencing in�mate partner violence. 5-- 7 pm Every Thursday of the month Broadly Entertaining hosts Thursday Night Trivia at Rocky Sullivan’s (46 Beard Street). The trivia starts at 8:00 pm and is free to play. The first-place winner a�er trivia finishes will get 50 percent off their tab. The Red Hook Community Jus�ce Center (88 Visita�on Place) will have free dance workshops taught by professional dancers. These workshops will go from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and are every Tuesday.
for the complete calendar go to bit.ly/2LnUKSL
Red Hook NCOs Damien Clarke – Damien.Clarke@nypd.org; (929) 287-7155 Jonathan Rueda – Jonathan.Rueda@nypd. org – 917-941-2185
Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018
NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY, by TINA PORTELLI
I
The three bad boys of Aiello’s
n the early 1960’s, Sunday was a day in our Italian neighborhood when all the local stores would be closed. Except the bakeries, Mazzola’s or Cammereri, where you could buy the freshest bread.
I remember buying the bread on the way home from church. By the time I’d get home, the end of the bread was gone. Chewed on it all the way home. When I realized this would be trouble, I’d turn the loaf up side down in the bag, which made it look like a short loaf. Of course I was scolded anyway, my mother was no dummy.
Romeo Brothers. Nicer place, clean, respectful guys.
My mother would send me to Aiellos for extra chop meat, a few links of sausage and a half pound of ricotta. The ricotta was scooped into a little cardboard dish, wrapped in wax paper. (The type of carton that fries are served in at any fast food chain today.) Now ricotta can only be bought in plastic containers, pre-sealed and not as flavorful.
Later to Court Pastry for pastries for later when you either visited a neighbor or had company at your house after your Sunday 2 pm meal of traditional meatballs and macaroni.
It would always be a last minute emergency grocery trip and I hated the thought of going there. I would protest and whine, but all for naught. It was never less than an hour wait on line. Why couldn’t my mother have bought enough food in the first place? She pulled this on me every week.
There was another exception - Aiello’s an Italian Salumeri/grocer, or the closest thing to it. This grocer was located on Court Street between Sackett and Union Streets. I never thought the place was very clean, but it was the only store open on Sundays. On the other six days a week, we shopped at
The store was run by the three Aiello Brothers. Heavy set and usually out of breath, they always waited on the older, good looking girls first. They would flirt and chat while I would wait and wait. And wait some more. They’d totally ignore the younger kids waiting to be served. Me being one of them.
Someday I knew I’d get even, and I did. I eventually got older and now fit into their elite category of women customers, while the three brothers got older and bigger. I no longer had to wait to be served as before, it was an effortless task to get my order placed in seconds. With their attempted banter
coming at me from across the counter, all the while I’m thinking “Idiots”. I’d be out of that store in fifteen minutes, the way it ought to have been. I miss my mother, I miss her meatballs, but I surely don’t miss those three meatballs who served and salivated behind the counter of Aiellos.
WELCOME TO RED HOOK!
Red Hook now has a beautiful mural to welcome everyone. Groundswell and the Red Hook community worked on this mural, across the street from the Miccio Center, every Tuesday for seven months. Groundswell, a non profit that paints murals, worked with high schoolers from almost every borough and partnered with Good Shepherd, RHI and the Justice Center to plan and execute the painting. This was the seventh mural that Groundswell had done in Red Hook, and the Justice Center was happy to bring them back. “We wanted to create a physical marker to welcome people into this community, so people would know when they walked under that overpass that they were not just crossing under a highway, but they were being welcomed into a very special community,” Amanda Berman, the Program Director of the Red Hook Community Justice Center said.
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018, Page 3
RELIGIOUS NEWS BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.
Ecumenical Concert Raises the Roof at SHSS
O
C
n Friday evening, May 18th, four distinctly different choirs gathered at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary/St. Stephen Church in Carroll Gardens for a moving and spiritual evening of ecumenical choral music. The theme for the second annual concert hosted by SHSS was “the Journey to Pentecost” with hymns selected to represent the different phases of the Easter season beginning with Holy Thursday, continuing to Good Friday and Easter, and culminating with the Feast of Pentecost.
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
To open the evening, SHSS’s own adult choir under the direction of James Lake and Choir Leader, Evelyn DeGraf performed hymns traditionally sung on Holy Thursday and included Mendelssohn’s “Verleih uns Frieden,” sung in German, “The Servant Song” in English and “Verum Corpus” in Latin.
Religious Services
Christian River Of God Christian Center
110 Wolcott Street, 646-226-6135, Secretary, Sister Roslyn Chatman. Sunday- Family Worship 11- 1 pm Scripture, Wednesday- At The Gate 12 noon, Prayer 7-7:30 pm, Bible Studies 7-8 pm, Thursday Prayer 7:30-8:30 pm, Fri. Youth ABLAZED Ministries 6- 7:30 pm, Senior Pastor, Donald Gray
Visitation Church
98 Richards Street, (718) 624-1572. Office open Mon-Thurs. 9 am- 3 pm. Sat. Mass at 5 pm English; Sun. 10 am Spanish, 12:30 pm English. Community Prayer on Tuesday and Thursday at 8 pm. Call to arrange for Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation and Weddings.
New Brown Memorial Baptist
609 Clinton Street, 718 624 4780 Pastor A.R Jamal. Sun. School at 9:30 am. Sun. Worship at 11 am. Bible Study-Wed. at 7:30 pm. Communion every first Sunday
Redemption Church Red Hook
767 Hicks Street (Red Hook Initiative), (347) 470-3523, RedemptionRedHook@gmail.com Pastor Edwin Pacheco Sunday Service at 10:30 am, Children’s Bible Study provided.
RH Ministries
72 Van Dyke Street (Corner of Richards Street), 718-624-3093, rhministries@bgtintl.com, Senior Pastor: Rev. David W. Anderson, Rev. Dr. Linda D. Anderson Sunday Worship Service at 11:00 am, Mid-week prayer on Wednesday at 7:30 pm, Pantry every Saturday at 9:30 am
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church
157 Montague St., Brooklyn Heights. Phone: 718-875-6960, office@stannholytrinity. org, Fr. John Denaro, Rector. Sunday Worship-Early Church at 9:30 am, Sunday School and Playgroup at 10:15 am and Holy Eucharist at 11:15 am, Weekday Worship on Wednesdays at 6 pm.
Stretching Far and Wide Global Ministry, Inc.
382 Hamilton Avenue, Studio B 1-800-948-9042 Archbishop Dr. Barbara Jackman, Overseer Rev. Dr. Dwayne Barnes, Pastor Services are held every Sun. @ 10 am Communion every First Sun. stretchingfar.webs.com stretchingfar@aol.com
St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish
467 Court Street, (718) 625-2270 Rectory
Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 11:30 am, 1 pm-4 pm, Fri. 9 am- 12 noon. Masses: Sat. 4 pm, Sun. 10 am, Monday- Thursday, 9:30 am.
Saint Paul Saint Agnes Parish
Church Office 433 Sackett St (718) 625-1717 Hours: M-F 2 PM-5 PM. E mail: stpaulandstagnes@gmail.com. Saint Paul, 190 Court Street- church open daily for prayer and meditation 7 am- 8 pm. Sat. Vigil Mass 5:30 pm, Sun. 7:45 am, 11 am (Spanish). St. Agnes, 433 Sackett St. Sat. Vigil Mass 4 pm (English), Sun. 9:15 am (English), 11 am (French), 12:30 PM (Spanish). M-T-TH-F-S 8:30 am St Paul’s Chapel 234 Congress St.; Wed. 8:30 am St Agnes.
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary- Saint Stephen RCC 125 Summit Street at Hicks Street, (718) 5967750, info@sacredhearts-ststephen.com Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 5 pm, Fri. 9 am3 pm, Sat. 9 am- 1 pm Sat. Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm, Sun. Masses at 8 am, 10 am, and noon (Italian/English) Weekday Masses Mon. at 12 noon and Tue. thru Sat. at 8:30 am. Confessions: Sat. at 4:45 pm and by appointment. Baptisms every third Sun. 1 pm.
St. Paul’s Carroll St (Episcopal)
199 Carroll Street, 718-625-4126, info@stpaulscarrollst.org, www.stpaulscarrollst.org, Sun. Mass at 11:00 am, Weekly Morning Prayer Mon.-Thurs. at 7:30 am, Weekday Mass on Fri. at 9:00 am, Church open for prayer on Sat. from 2-4 pm. Holy Days as announced.
Jewish Kane Street Synagogue
236 Kane Street, 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ Fri. night services, 6 PM Shabbat services, 9:15 AM Sun. Services 9 AM
Congregation B’nai Avraham/ Chabad of Brooklyn Heights
117 Remsen St., 718 596 4840 x18 www.bnaiavraham.com, www.heightschabad.com Morning Services: Sunday: 8:45am Monday- Friday: 7:45am Holidays (during the week): 8:45am Saturday: 9:45am Evening Services: Sunday: Shabbat candle lighting time Monday- Thursday: 9 pm Friday: Winter: 5 minutes before Shabbat candle lighting time Summer:
Congregation Mount Sinai
250 Cadman Plaza West, 718-875-9124, info@ cmsbklyn.org, www.cmsbklyn.org, Rabbi Hanniel Levenson Fri. services at 6:30 pm, Sat. worship at 10:00 am with Kiddush at 11:30 and Bible Study at 11:45. All are welcome.
Singing the portion of the program devoted to Good Friday, a day of profound sorrow for Christians, was the Melkite Catholic Choir of the Church of the Virgin Mary from Park Slope. Director Kareem Youssef directed the relatively small but quite impressive group in hymns in Greek, Arabic and English with the lamenting Arabic chants of Good Friday sounding particularly beautiful and stirring. The group is actually a family affair and includes Kareem’s dad, Deacon Naji Youssef, his mother, his sister and his uncle. The Choir of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Three Hierarchs from Midwood was next to perform under the direction of Choir Director Katie Hambas. Their selections, all sung in Greek, embodied the watchfulness leading from Holy Saturday evening to the soaring joyfulness of the resurrection on Easter. And to sing of Pentecost which represents the arrival of the Holy Spirit along with all of his spiritual gifts was the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir under the direction of Pastor Frank Haye and Assistant Director Andaiye Akua. Their songs, sung in African dialects and English, were especially rousing. The group, whose motto is ‘One Great City, One Great Choir to the Glory of God,” has performed far and wide, including in Italy, Egypt and China as well as local performances at the United Nations, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and with the New York Philharmonic. After all the choirs had performed separately, SHSS Pastor Guy Massie led everyone in reciting the Our Father, in any language they felt most comfortable, and then James Lake invited all choir members to assemble on the altar. The closing hymn, “Every Praise,” was directed in the gospel style by Pastor Haye (who encouraged
www.star-revue.com
everyone in the pews to sing as if they, too, were part of the choirs) and ended with a standing ovation. In his closing remarks, Msgr. Massie noted the evening encapsulated the Easter Story celebrated in different musical traditions, but stressed that “we are all more similar than dissimilar.” Pastor Haye, who was raised Catholic in Panama but became Pentecostal after his family immigrated to the U.S., agreed, saying “There is no difference; it’s just a matter of taste about how you like to worship.” And Kareem Youssef was also in agreement saying, “It was incredible to hear the different tones, different expressions, how different cultures and denominations celebrate each part of the Passion, and to hear the different messages that really are unified back to one single message, that is Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Summing up the evening, Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, who was in attendance, said the concert presented the theme of Pentecost: “When everyone understands one language and that’s the language of love.” The bishop also commented that “when we sing, we pray twice.” Attendees I spoke to expressed hope that this ecumenical gathering will continue to be an annual event, bringing together choirs with different styles but fused by the same faith.
Ramadan Observed
The Muslim religious observance of Ramadan, the commemoration of the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammed, began at sunset on May 15 and will continue for 30 days, ending at sunset on June 14th with the Feast of Eid al-Fitr. The holy month, a time for spiritual reflection and self-betterment, is most commonly known as a period of fasting. Fasting from food and drink from dawn until sunset is obligatory for all adults with some exceptions including for those who are ill, pregnant or elderly. Fasting calls to mind those around the world who have little to eat and promotes a spirit of gratitude. I spoke to brothers-in-law Omar Ali and Riyadh Hauter at Cobble Hill Variety & Mailing who agreed that it is particularly hard to fast while the days (continued on next page)
June 2018
Religion (continued from previous page)
are so long. Omar commented that it helps him to be well hydrated before the daily fast begins while Riyadh’s pre-dawn breakfast, “Suhoor” in Arabic, is usually a light meal of fruit, peanuts and water. They told me that they recite additional prayers known as Tarawih each evening during Ramadan. “Iftar,” the fast-breaking evening meal is longer and more substantial than dinners during the rest of the year and usually begins with dates and includes samosas which are triangular pastries stuffed with potatoes and vegetables, bean dishes and salads, and hearty stews and soups such as shurbat qamah which is made with buckwheat or oatmeal, tomato, onion and lamb or chicken. Omar and Riyadh traditionally celebrate Eid al-Fitr with morning prayers at the mosque, spending the day with family, visiting, performing acts of charity, giving gifts to the children and women of the family and, since it is forbidden to fast on Eid al-Fitr, feasting on delicious holiday foods, of course.
Upcoming Events Christ Church 236 Clinton Street
Corpus Christi, Solemn Evensong and Benediction on Sunday, June 3 at 5 pm.
Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West
Pop Up Dance Lab on Friday, June 15 right after Shabbat Prayer from 7:30 - 11 pm. Presented by Ecstatic Dance NYC with the intention of creating a consistent space to gather as a community to dance. Check website for guidelines. An Evening of Sweet Tastes - A Dessert & Wine Event on Tuesday, June 19. Visit Please email admin@cmsbklyn.org or call 718-875-9124 for information. Marriage, Divorce and Child Custody in the Jewish Tradition - a lecture by Professor Michael J. Broyde on June 21 at 5:30 pm. Dinner will be served.
RH 72 Van Dyke Street
Ministries
Law Enforcement Prayer Summit on Saturday, June 9 from 11 am to 2 pm. Light refreshments to follow. Please call 718-624-3093 for details and to register.
Redemption Church Red Hook 767 Hicks Street
Father’s Day Cook-Out on June 17 in Coffey Park - All are welcome!
Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Street
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 8 beginning with a 6:45 pm procession from the church to Cabrini
Park on President and Columbia Streets where an outdoor Mass will be celebrated at 7 pm. Feast of St. John the Baptist on Sunday, June 10 at 12 noon with an Italian/English bilingual Mass celebrated by Father Salvatore Cerruto, Pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, Pozzallo, Sicily. Procession to follow to Pozzallo Club on Henry and Sackett Streets for food and festivities.
St. Agnes/ St. Paul’s Parish 234 Congress Street
St. Anthony Novena - every Tuesday at 1 pm thru June 13 in Chapel at St. Paul. Young at Heart - every Wednesday at 1 pm in St. Agnes Parish Hall. Volunteers Outreach Program - Volunteers needed to visit the elderly living alone and the homebound of all ages. “Witnesses of Mercy” under the Catholic Charities Office of Mission will provide training for volunteers. Contact Christine at the parish offices 718-624-3425. Paint Night on Saturday, June 9 at 7 pm at St. Paul Hall. Refreshments, raffles and much more! Purchase your tickets by May 26th at both parish offices. www.paintnite.com/events/_10076244 Cobble Hill Children’s Chess Tournament on Sunday, June 10 from 1 to 6 pm in St. Agnes Hall. Beginners-Rated Players, trophies, medals awarded. Preregister online at onthechessboard.com or day of event. Father’s Day, Sunday June 17 - Join us for our annual FREE Father’s Day Luncheon in St. Agnes Hall at 1:30 pm. Everyone is invited! Broadway Bound Raffle-Win two tickets to see “Beautiful-The Carole King Musical.” Tickets are $5 each and go on sale Monday, May 14. Drawing is on Sunday, June 17 and the performance is on Saturday, June 30 at 8 pm. Proceeds go to St. Paul/St. Agnes and The Puerto Rico Relief Fund.
St. Mary Star of the Sea Church 467 Court Street
Religious Education - Register before July 1 for grades 1-5 and cost will be reduced by $10 per child. Classes begin Sunday, September 16 and class size will be limited so do not delay. Please visit our website www.stmarystarbrooklyn.com and click on the first picture on our home page... that will take you to our latest bulletin with all current events.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 199 Carroll Street
Celebration of Father Bob’s Ministry at St. Paul’s on Sunday, June 10. 11 am High Mass followed by coffee hour.
Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street
Healing Mass on Wednesday, June 13 at 7 in Spanish and Friday, June 29 at 7 pm in English. Carnival Fundraiser on Saturday, June 16 from 11 am to 6 pm. Tickets available on the day of the event for rides, food and drinks, games and more! Space available for $30; call the rectory at 718624-1572 for details.
EVERGREEN LIQUOR STORE INC. 718 643-0739 196 Columbia Street, between Sackett & Degraw evergreenliquor@yahoo.com
Mon. - Thurs. 11 am - 10:30 pm; Fri & Sat. 11 am - 11:30 pm; Sun. 1 pm - 9 pm
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018, Page 5
Stop the Violence Teach-Out by Nathan Weiser
N
ydia Velazquez, who represents New York’s 7th Congressional District including Red Hook, hosted an anti-gun violence forum at the Miccio Community Center one Thursday afternoon. She joined high schools such as Sunset Park High School, School for Collaborative Studies, Summit Academy, PS 676, gun control activists and other community members.
Top: Marie DeLus holding a picture of her nephew. (Weiser photos) Bottom: Tyneisha Williams speaking about how the meeting came to be.
The forum provided an opportunity for local students to speak directly with and hear from the Congresswoman and community groups about their efforts to reduce gun violence. Representatives from New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, Mothers Against Gangs and Red Hook Initiative also addressed the area high school and middle school students. This forum came only days before participants were planning to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge for the Wear Orange walk to honor the victims of gun violence and draw attention to the need for legislative action. Nydia Velazquez talked about the cotinuing efforts to try and convince Washington to do the right thing and pass sensible gun controls. Marie DeLus, who works for Moms Demand Action for Guns Sense in America showed a picture of her
The says:
nephew, Pierre John Paul Jr. who she lost due to gun violence when he was 19. “I am from Brooklyn, so I know exactly what gun violence does,” DeLus said. When this happened to me I really didn’t do anything about gun violence myself, because we lived with it.” She started working with anti-gun violence advocates when Newtown happened, which was when a disturbed young man killed 20 children and six teachers just before Christmas in 2012.
RHI just completed a survey about violence and posted results on the wall.
“When that happened, it impacted me deeply,” DeLus said. “I was extremely upset and I felt that I had to do something. So, I joined this organization.”
She closed by saying that she wants more students involved with her organization, which does legislative work.
The twist is that she is a marine, a sharpshooter and a National Rifle Association member since she was in the military. She also believes in the 2nd amendment. “With all of that said, I am fighting to stop gun violence,” DeLus said. “It is important to me because this kid here got killed. We need you guys to make sure that you go to school and we need you guys to make sure that don’t get into the type of lifestyle that is going to get you in danger.” The member of Moms Demand Action for Guns Sense in America encouraged everyone 18 or over to vote, and if not 18 to encourage their par-
ents to vote out people who don’t care about kids lives.
Tyneisha Williams, who is a Red Hook resident and works at Red Hook Initiative, said that they have had focus groups try and understand how and why violence shows up in the neighborhood and how the neighborhood has changed. Their focus groups came to the conclusion that there is more violence in the neighborhood, despite police statistics. “People say that cops are the main reason for violence in the neighborhood and also not having enough community programming is another result in violence,” Williams said.
PRESENTS
THE RED HOOK FLEA
Red Hook StarªRevue
Saturday, June 9th | 10am - 5pm P.S. 15 Play Yard 71 Sullivan St. at Van Brunt St.
“HATS OFF TO OUR FAITHFUL ADVERTISERS!”
EVERGREEN LIQUOR STORE
Red Hook, a small waterfront community, is home to artists, creators, makers, amazing waterfront views of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan, and world-renowned restaurants and shops. C
The Red Hook Flea is right in the heart of Red Hook and will feature local artists, community members, and makers from the 5 boroughs and beyond.
M
Y
CM
All proceeds benefit P.S. 15.
MY
CY
CMY
K
Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue
(WITH OUR LOVE!)
For more information, contact RedHookFlea@gmail.com
www.star-revue.com
June 2018
Civic Association hosts PS 15 and the 76th by Nathan Weiser
T
here were about 10 people at the May Red Hook Civic Association, not including five 76th Precinct police officers, that was held at PS 15.
Police Captain Megan O’Malley, and PS 15’s Principal, Peggy Wyns-Madison, spoke and gave updates. Wyns-Madison talked about upcoming events at the school. One of them is happening on Saturday, June 9, when they will host the New York City Daddy Baby Shower. The PTA of PS 15 will also be hosting a flea market on June 9. According to Madison, there will be items for all types of families and there will be an opportunity to do Father’s Day shopping.
76th Precinct
Captain O’Malley said that the precinct has done operations on Hamilton Avenue to improve traffic and traffic enforcement, which is something that O’Malley and Councilman Menchaca have spoked often about. A woman asked if the 76th Precinct could help add more Citi Bike docks to Red Hook. She has found that people bike in but don’t bike out and has found that “people ride around all day looking for a place to dock.” She said that she often has to go to five different docks to find a place to get rid of her Citi Bike. O’Malley referred that over the CB 6, John McGettrick,
the head of the Red Hook Civic Association, added that there can be negatives to adding to Citi Bike stations. “It is a balancing act because there has been a reduction in the number of parking spots because of more and more Citi Bike sites, but also now Zip Cars are going to be taking up a number of spots as well in Red Hook,” McGettrick said. With summer coming up, she let the audience know that any group holding an event in a park with more than 20 people need to have a permit.
Thor Equities
Senator Velmanette Montgomery’s office has been very involved in the Thor Equity debacle that has left mountains of dirt at 280 Richards. “Our office sent a letter to State DEC and NYC DEP,” Oscar Jonas, the community liaison for Montgomery’s office, said. “We have a response letter from DEC. The statement says that we require that all stockpile material must be used to grade the site or be removed and properly disposed by November 3.” McGettrick said that Beard Street will be closed on June 9 to unclog the sewers.
Warehouses
McGettrick spoke of the development of giant warehouses in Red Hook. The first warehouse development
that will likely happen is that UPS has plans to develop a substantial site down on Wolcott Street that will have a total area of 11 acres. It was requested that the materials that come into the community be barged in instead of coming in on tractor trailers. “The other thing that is moving along is two other giant warehouse proposals,” McGettrick said. “One of them is on Columbia Street next to IKEA. That is a three-acre site and they are looking to make it close to a half a million square foot warehouse operation.” “The next one that evolved in the last two weeks is the old Moriarty Site that fronts on Bay Street between Columbia and Hicks,” McGettrick said. “That is also several hundred thousand square feet. The collective impact on trucks on the community will have a major impact where we are. Both of the proposals don’t need any zoning changes.” Jim Tampakis, who is a local businessman that has been in the maritime industry for years, has suggested barging in materials rather than bringing them in on tractor trailers. It was suggested that UPS use the route behind the cruise ship terminal to avoid congestion on Van Brunt Street.
B71 Bus
Robert Berrios talked about a meetthat happened on Tuesday, May 29 with Andy Byford, who is the new
T:9.75” ing
Robert Berrios spoke about the hopeful return of the B71 bus. (Weiser photo)
president of MTA New York City Transit. Berrios said that he is adamant about bringing back the B71. “He spoke the way he needed to speak in trying to reach us as people,” Berrios said. “He said bus service in Park Slope is kind of slow and we told him about the idea of bringing back the B71 bus and how many people are so adamant about it.” Berrios added that they are now going borough to borough and have just finished revamping the bus system in Staten Island and are moving onto the Bronx and then will go to Brooklyn.
NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Brooklyn in Park Slope. At our new location, we offer a team of medical and surgical oncologists — including experts from Weill Cornell Medicine— who provide diagnosis and treatment of many types of cancers, as well as liver and lung diseases, plus seamless access to the resources and services of NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. To learn more or schedule a visit, go to nyp.org/medgroupbrooklyn or call 718.643.0483. Located at 340 4th Ave. in Brooklyn.
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
NYMG4632_Brooklyn_340thAv_RedHookStarRevue_9-75x7-5_FINAL.indd
Red Hook Star Revue
June 2018, Page 7
T:7.5”
Expert cancer care and specialty surgery.
A youth fashion show comes to Red Hook by Nathan Weiser
L
ed by Belgian model Elise Crombez and RHI youth jobs developer and event organizer Sheryl Nash-Chisholm, a much-anticipated fashion show for youth came to Red Hook for the very first time. This was the fifth annual Red Hook Today event hosted by Red Hook Labs (133 Imlay Street). In addition to the fashion show there was photography and video on display. The exhibition is a showcase for students’ work. Participants include the Red Hook Initiative, Summit Academy, Red Hook Community Justice Center and South Brooklyn Community High School. The doors of Red Hook Labs, which is right on the waterfront, opened at 5 pm and the event went until 7:30. The photography that was displayed across three of the walls at Red Hook Labs reflected the lives of the youth and allowed them to tell a story based on a theme they chose. Framed photos sold for $150 and unframed ones were $100 with all proceeds going to the artists. “They are learning how to take pictures,” Nash-Chisholm said. “As you can see, the artwork is astronomical. This is something that our kids can take with them.” Red Hook Today’s first fashion was titled “Primavera on the Waterfront” and included 20 high school and college aged models who made the cut to be in RHI’s program to learn how to be in a fashion show. Two colleges represented were LIU and Brooklyn College. Red Hook Labs was packed with students from Summit Academy, teachers, Community Justice Center staff and community members surrounding the runway. Community Board 6 District Manager Mike Racioppo and Karen Broughton, Felix Ortiz’s Chief of Staff, were also in attendance. The show started at 5:30 and went for about 15 minutes. There was a red runway for the models to walk down and all the guests were seated on ei-
ther side. They walked out and back from a primavera themed backdrop with music playing the whole time. Red Hook Labs wanted to add a little more to their end of year showcase so they brought in Crombez to help the young aspiring models learn how to walk the runway. “I have done fashion shows while being part of the crew, but actually seeing it and putting it together, I think it was magnificent because as you can see it was packed,” Nash Chisholm, who was wearing a Red Hook shirt, said. People were supporting what we do in Red Hook. They have gained so much knowledge on different things in their life.” Elijah Villanueva was one of the models in the fashion show and he very much enjoyed the experience. They practiced two times a week for about a month leading up to the show. “Everyone was really friendly and supportive of me and of everyone there,” Villanueva said. “This is something that I had wanted to do for a while, and to actually do it with friendly people was a really good experience.” Villanueva, who lives in Queens, found out about this model training program from a friend of his in school and was interested in coming. He added that Red Hook seems like a good area. Villanueva, who wants to continue to model in the future, liked how compassionate Crombez was. “She was really funny,” Villanueva said. “I enjoyed working with her. She was supportive of us all. I was extremely nervous but then she gave us a pep talk and we went for it.” Starr Buell Crowe also enjoyed this experience, but unlike Villanueva, she had done a fashion show before Red Hook Today. She thought that Crombez was awesome and liked learning from her during this program. “This experience was really cool because everyone was high energy, nobody was mean and everyone was ac-
Students get their big chance on the runway. (photo by Weiser)
cepting,” Buell Crowe said. “The high energy was fun to be around.” She attends Brooklyn Heights School for the Arts and her friend from that school told her about this program at RHI. Buell Crowe, who wants to model in the future, came to the auditions and got a call back. Nash Chisholm envisions many of the 20 models continuing this pursuit in the future. She sees this as a positive experience for all involved. “They have more confidence now,” Nash Chisholm said. “Once you do that runway in front of a crowd you can’t stop. This builds confidence in life. It is something you should do in the course of growing up.” The stylists for the show were also models during the event. Andy was one stylist who opened up the show and Jelissa was the finale. According to the organizer, Andy and Jelissa were given money to go shopping and then purchased clothes for everyone to wear. DJ Pusha and Bascom Catering & Events have both been providing music and food for Red Hook Today for all five years it has happened. They are both based in the Bronx, and Bascom Catering & Events came because of their connection with Michael Glazebrook, who is one of the sponsors of the event.
RHI’s Sheryl Nash-Chisholm speaks about the genesis of the show. (photo by Weiser)
Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
Elise Crombez at her regular job.
June 2018
Trucks, streets & lighting are big issues at police meeting by Nathan Weiser
S
ector C Neighborhood Coordination Officers Class and Jovin hosted the May Build A Block meeting at PS 676.
The resident added that he observes that the film crews avoid all laws in the neighborhood. He thinks that the trucks and cars from the film crews should not park in the no standing zones.
Officers Class and Jovin started the discussion which was about neighborhood issues.
“We understand that,” Officer Jovin said. “It’s a little tough on our end because they have permits for the filming. They post flyers that they are working on these days and the reasons why.”
A main point of concern were the bobcats (construction vehicles) that were parked on Beard Street, next to the Thor Equities site, and taking up parking spaces. The vehicles were moved after the precinct got in touch with the owners.
“Every time there is a filming we always come by to see what is going on because we want to be well informed on what is going to be expected at this location,” Officer Class said. “We will definitely touch base with film makers that come to the area.”
“They had run out of space in their lot, which is the reason they were on the street,” Officer Jovin said. “He was able to clean out his space in the lot he is renting and since then we have opened up the street to more parking and less congestion. Everything is now inside the lot and trucks and buses can now flow through more easily.”
The same resident also wants the intersection of Columbia and Bay Street outside of the BASIS School to be improved. He added that coming down Bay Street there is not standing on the lane next to the curb not because of the school but because of traffic and he feels that the need the curb lane to go straight through onto Bay Street.
Another issue brought up at a previous meeting was unattended property being stolen at IKEA. They have implemented more of a police presence at IKEA after concerns were raised. “We walked the store, talked to customers, security and the manager, and we were able to decrease the theft and have had people more aware of their items while they are shopping,” Jovin said. Moving over to transportation, people were complaining that trucks have been going off of the designated Red Hook truck route onto side streets. The NCOs said that they are still addressing this, but they are stopping these trucks and giving summonses when they see that they go off the truck route. The trucks have not been off the truck route as much recently. Office Class talked about the intersection of Conover and Ferris near the warehouses where cars have been getting their windows smashed and valuables stolen. “People have left their windows open,” Class said. “It’s hot out, you crack them open a little bit, but it is easy to stick something inside, open up a lock and open the door. Our advice is don’t leave important belongings like laptops or a lot of clothes visible.” She also suggested avoiding parking if going to the pier, because it is not lit well, and there is a lack of cameras in the area, making it easier for people to vandalize vehicles. Officer Class also discussed the derelict vehicles that had been more common in the area. There were cars taking up parking spaces for three or more months that had been broken down or smashed in. NCOs were able to get them removed, which has created more parking spaces and has in turn made the neighborhood look better, according to Class. They advised people to not walk around with your head down. “We see it all the time, you can be star-
Red Hook Star-Revue
Officers Jovan and Class field questions from the neighborhood. (Photo by Weiser)r
ing at your phone and not being aware of your surroundings, and someone can just snatch you phone and keep running,” Class said.
Father’s Day
A parent who has a daughter at PS 15 told everyone that on Father’s Day there will be a cookout in Coffey Park, presented by Redemption Church, and they will try to get 100 dads from the neighborhood to attend. There will be activities for kids and music. The principal of PS 676, Priscilla Figueroa, gave a few updates on what was previously discussed. “During the last meeting we discussed speed bumps, and I wanted to give a follow up,” she said. “We had a meeting with Leroy, who came by and requested a survey of the perimeter. It had never been surveyed before.” After six months DOT makes a decision regarding the bumps. There was also a concern from the principal about the intersection of Columbia and Nelson, where there is a big fork in the road. “Leroy (from the DOT) is looking into surveying that area because it’s a safety concern, especially for students walking to school.” Figueroa said. “He said the street is really wide. It’s a big intersection because there is that small block on Dwight right there.” Figueroa said that PS 676 is planning on doing more art projects in the next few weeks and that they are having a carnival on June 8. The principal of PS 676 is also trying to change the perception of what kids and parents think of police. She wants parents to understand that often when the students walk through
the doors of the school they see NCOs. “They are here often talking to the kids and in the classrooms,” Principal Figueroa said. “We have police officers that have built a relationship with me and the teachers and guidance counselors. If we can spread the word as often as we can by saying police officers are not the enemy, nobody should be. Our children can learn from everybody in society that is a role model.” Officer Jovin said that they have had positive experiences with area youth with the NCO program. Bridging the Gap is an event where they have gotten to meet children from different areas of Red Hook and when they have driven around to different parts of Red Hook they have found students have greeted them and recognized them by name. “Instead of fearing us when we get out of the car it is, how are you,” Officer Jovin said. “Students have seen us in Coffey Park and have said ‘hey, I know you’ and we have built that good relationship with them.” “They are kids that live in the area, so it is important that they get used to us and don’t grow up with that mindset of cops are bad,” Officer Class said.
Signage
A resident who lives on Van Brunt Street applauded the no standing sign that was put on the corner of Van Brunt and Visitation, since it is an important intersection to have clear sight lines. He requested that there be a no standing sign outside of the deli near that intersection since a person who parks outside of the deli makes it difficult to pass.
www.star-revue.com
He finds that on afternoons around dismissal the lane is filled with school buses, which alters where cars have to make their turn. According to the resident, instead of parking the parents picking up kids block the bike lane and block the intersection. Officer Jovin said they would touch base with the BASIS and try to meet with the principal to try to figure out how to better regulate dismissals. Jerry Armer, the president of the 76th Precinct Community Council, suggested getting DOT to re-stripe the area across the street from BASIS. “When you are coming from IKEA to make a turn onto Bay Street, the traffic lane disappeared, but it has to be striped because right now it’s hard to tell.” Coleta Walker, who is the associate director of the Peacemaking Program at the Community Justice Center, said that the intersection of Huntington and Hicks Streets could be improved. Without the crossing guard she finds that she has to be much more careful at the intersection than when there is one there. “When she is not there it is really dangerous because you can’t see,” Walker added. “You have to make sure there are no kids, pull up and make sure there are no cars, and then there is a body shop and sometimes they have stuff. It’s a business and you understand. When the crossing guard isn’t there it’s very hard.” Officer Class offered that they would talk to their neighboring sector and see if they can talk to the body shop to get them to clear out that corner so it will be more visible for pedestrians. Towards the end of the meeting, the officers offered their cards to that people could call, text or email with any concerns or with information on what will be happening in the neighborhood.
June 2018, Page 9
NEWS AND NOTES compiled by Nathan Weiser
Black Panther comes to Hook
There will be a free spring family fun day on June 16 sponsored by Councilman Carlos Menchaca and the NYC Parks Department. The entire family is encouraged to come to this afternoon of events that will begin at noon (Lorraine Street between Henry & Clinton Streets). There will be games, face-painting, music, cotton candy, popcorn, a magic show and more. They will then be showing a screening of the critically acclaimed Black Panther movie at 8:30 pm on the lawn at Bay & Clinton Streets. For more information please email Letitia.guillory@parks.nyc.gov.
PS 15’s hugest flea market!
The Red Hook Flea takes over the PS 15 schoolyard on June 9, from 10 am until 5 pm.
The Flea features local artists, community members and makers from the five boroughs and beyond. There are still some tables available. Contact redhookflea@gmail.com to reserve a 10 x 10 space and table. The price for general vendors is $75 and the price for food vendors is $100. All proceeds for The Red Hook Flea will go towards benefiting PS 15.
St. Francis a top banana
A new ranking has placed St. Francis in the top 10 for regional colleges. After looking at rankings from various publishers and student reviews from different sources, the organization, College Consensus, named St. Francis College (180 Remsen Street) the 6th best. College Consensus examines everything from academic reputation to student satisfaction, from social mo-
bility to affordability. “Making a list that recognizes our mission and work is an acknowledgment of the effort put forth by the faculty, students and administrators at St. Francis College,” said St. Francis President Miguel Martinez-Saenz. “But what is more meaningful is what our students do with their education. Their success is our biggest reward.” Other accolades that St. Francis has received have included Forbes: America’s Best Value Colleges; U.S. News & World Report: Least Debt; Washington Monthly: Best Bang for the Buck; Money: Best Colleges for Your Money
Hurricane Season is here
The New York City Emergency Management has introduced a new phase of “Know Your Zone” campaign to raise awareness of the hurricane risks during the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season which runs from June 1 until November 30.
Start preparing for hurricane season now. Find out whether you live in a hurricane evacuation zone and make an emergency plan with your family by visiting nyc.gov/knowyourzone or calling 311. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a near or above-normal season. They have predicted a 70 percent likelihood of 10 to 16 named storms. Stay connected by following Twitter. Com/NotifyNYC or Twitter.com/nycoem or Facebook.com/NYCemergencymanagement.
Floatables are what you think they are
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is sponsoring Volunteer Floatables Beach Surveillance for the summer of 2018. Floatables are waterborne waste materials that float. Styrofoam, balloons and fishing line are considered floatables. Raw sewage and medical waste are also floatables. Help save turtles, birds, fish, and other marine life from ingesting these items or from being entangled in fishing lines and other assorted litter. You do not have to pick up or touch anything. To become a volunteer monitor, you just need to record the various types of debris on your favorite beach or surrounding waters, once each week during the season. DEP needs your help in order to be aware of potential floatable problems as early as possible.
EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2018 J.P.ADDABBO FHC WIC PROGRAM located: 120 Richards Street Brooklyn, New York 11231
(718) 945-7150 x 6110
New Days and Hours of Operation: Wednesday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Thursday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (closed 3rd Friday of the month)
(Open 1st Saturday of the month only) Saturday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Volunteers will receive all materials necessary for monitoring, including letters of authorization and acknowledgement. To volunteer call Robert Gans, at Ozone Layer LLC at (212) 889-4216, Cell (917) 658-2380; or email: ozonelayerllc@me.com
Gowanus rezoning plan allows for 17 story buildings
Gowanus, the quasi-community that sits between Carroll Gardens and Park Slope, is considered underutilized by the Department of City Planning (DCP), as well as by real estate developers like Jared Kushner, Jed Walentas and Rich Lam, who have spent many millions of dollars buying up old industrial properties in anticipation of a residential rezoning. The developers will get all they expected and more if a just released DCP report, called a “framework,” is adapted by the NY City Council in their Gowanus Rezoning plan. Buildings up to 17 stories will be allowed all along 4th Avenue, ten stories or more all along the Canal, and a large amount of unknown stories elsewhere. A proposed rezoning map on page 109 of the report puts little plus signs next to the proposed building heights, which could mean “or whatever we can get away with.” The report can be downloaded at https://plangowanus.com/1701/documents/1948 or email this paper for a copy.
Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018
New medical facility comes to 4th Avenue by Nathan Weiser
O
n May 22, New York Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine hosted the grand opening ceremony of their new cancer and surgical specialty location. It is at 340 4th Avenue, right by the Gowanus Staples. The state-of-the-art facility will ensure that cancer ridden Brooklynites will not have to go into Manhattan for the best treatment. The New York-Presbyterian Medical Group Brooklyn, who many know as Methodist Hospital, developed this site to fill the need for an advanced multidisciplinary cancer and surgical care practice in the area. “At New York-Presbyterian, we are very sensitive to how difficult a cancer diagnosis and treatment can be for individuals and their families,” said David Alge, senior vice president of community and population health at New York-Presbyterian. “This is why we designed this location to bring together highly-trained specialists and compassionate staff in a healing environment. If we can make treatment just a little easier on our patients, we will.” The facility features 14 exam rooms for patients. The practice includes of a team of 13 surgical and medical oncologists and surgeons, with plans to add more, soon. The ribbon cutting ceremony was joined by some local leaders. Karen Broughton is the community liaison for assemblyman Felix Ortiz. Ortiz’s support helped them to update their emergency medicine and ultrasound equipment last year. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce sent a representative to help cut the ribbon. Richard S. Liebowitz, president of the hospital, is a board member of the Chamber. Steven Silber, who is the regional ex-
Karen Broughton, Felix Ortiz’s chief of staff, is among the ribbon cutters of the new Methodist Hospitalk facility. (photo by Weiser)
ecutive medical director of New York Presbyterian Medical Group and the chief medical officer and chief quality officer of New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist, said that this was a great day for the patients and the community that they serve. “New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital has had a rich tradition of delivering excellent cancer care to the citizens of Brooklyn for a very long time,” Silber said. “Our physicians have had a presence in Park Slope and the surrounding communities for many years at the hospital itself and at the physicians’ offices that are local. Each year we have built on our excellence bringing in new physicians and new technologies.” According to Silber, it was important for them to take the next step to bring
their highly skilled medical oncologists and surgeons to one new location. He thought this was an important step in delivering convenient and efficient care for their patients in Brooklyn. Liebowitz pointed out that Brooklyn Methodist New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist has been around for over 130 years supplying care to Brooklynites. Liebowitz emphasized how this will be a premier facility. “We can supply the same high quality of care here in Brooklyn that you can get in Manhattan with our association New York Presbyterian Hospital and our colleagues at Weill Cornell Medical School,” Liebowitz said. “There is no reason for people to leave Brooklyn. This is the very start of our journey in terms of providing top notch
high quality cancer care.” It was serendipity that they found this location that sits on top of a gym. It’s not easy to find space in the Park Slope/Gowanus area and their goal was to find a space to finish off in this way into medical facility. At the end of the presentation representatives from New York-Presbyterian offered tours of the 14-exam room space. Many of the physicians and other workers employed at the facility attended the ribbon cutting. The specialties of the physicians at this practice include hematology oncology, hepatology, general surgery/hepatobiliary surgery, pulmonology and thoracic surgery.
South Brooklyn Marine Terminal Feted by George Fiala
L
ast month saw the culmination of the city’s latest plan for the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, along the Sunset Park waterfront. Several years ago, Councilman Carlos Menchaca shocked the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) by contesting what had been up until then a pro-forma rubberstamping of the right for them to do whatever they felt like doing, when it came to their management of city-owned properties. He insisted on a shorter term lease, than the normal 49 years, as well as community input into the use of the land, including local hiring. For his efforts, he was rewarded by the loss of his Brooklyn leadership, as well as a chill in his relationship with the Mayor. Freshman council members aren’t supposed to rock the boat.
Red Hook Star-Revue
That was all water under the bridge on May 11, as a host of political and local luminaries, including Congress Members Nydia Velazquez and Jerry Nadler, made the trip to Sunset Park to celebrate the awarding of a 35 year lease to the Red Hook Container Terminal (RHCTC).
the head of the container terminal, not one word was mentioned about the existing operation in Red Hook.
RHCTC currently operates the shipping operation in the Columbia Waterfront District.
Which can lead one to believe that the latest five year extension of the Carlos Menchaca speaking, flanked by (from left to right) Carolina Red Hook fa- Salguero, Jerry Nadler, EDC head James Patchett, Nydia Velazquez, cility - the one Melissa Del Valle Ortiz and Karen Broughton. (photo by Fiala) that abuts Columbia Street, will be their last. Five Hook to Sunset Park will be over $100 years will allow dredging of the Sunset million—which is a pittance comPark facility so that the cranes can be pared to the billions in profits to be made from the sale of thousands of moved there. new luxury condos to the wealthy citiThe price tag for moving from Red zens of the world.
They control over 200 acres of what has become prime NYC waterfront, with views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, as well as the Brooklyn Bridge. These acres are among the properties lusted after by Chris Ward of AECOM and just about every other real estate operator on the East Coast. In over an hour of speechmaking by politicians, agency heads and even
www.star-revue.com
June 2018, Page 11
EDITORIAL: NYDIA FOR MAYOR
B
ack in June 2010, when I started this paper, I didn’t have any experience with politi-
cians.
I didn’t even think I’d ever report on politics. I kind of thought local politics was boring. However, after Carlos Menchaca became our unexpected councilman, I realized that it was my responsibility as a publisher to take it all seriously. So I began paying more attention. The first thing I noticed is that some politicians are always “on.” In other words, you never know what they really think because they never actually talk like a regular person. When somebody always sounds like they are Meet the Press, it’s hard to know when they are saying something they actually believe, or simply something that won’t harm their re-election prospects. To this day, there are some representatives that I really don’t know at all, despite having read countless press releases, heard speeches and even had conversations with. Nydia Velazquez was the first elected official to take this paper seriously. She invited us to her victory party in Williamsburg in 2012, which was the race where she defeated Erik Dilan, a candidate backed by Vito Lopez. She was genuinely excited about beating anyone connected with Vito. At that time I didn’t quite know why. I thought it was because he was a political boss—but she was standing
next to another boss on the victory stand—Sheldon Silver. I later understood that it wasn’t about bosses at all—she had a personal grudge against Vito, and he against her, but I still wondered why she would stand head and shoulders next to one someone that everyone suspected of being corrupt. When I asked her about that a few years later, her answer was that it was simply politics. She wasn’t afraid to tell me that, rather than some sugar coated excuse that wasn’t true. Nydia has been in the US Congress for over 25 years, representing parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. Her career is distinguished, and she is the minority leader of the Small Business Committee. She is today, and has always been, a strong supporter for immigrant, women and minority rights. She has good friends, including current Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, whom she recommended to President Obama. But since Trump became president, she has really come into her own. She made national news when Trump suddenly decided to block the arrival of anyone coming from some mideast countries. That night, she and fellow representative Jerry Nadler, drove to Kennedy airport, and prevented the deportation of an Iraqi who had spent the past eight years helping the US military in Iraq as an interpreter. We would have deported an American hero. That act made personal to Ameri-
cans the terrible policy sought by our president, and was soon halted by the courts. Then, she worked ceaselessly against the attempt to roll back the Affordable Care Act, holding an informative Town Hall meeting at Gouverneur Hospital in lower Manhattan, together with Joe Crowley and Nadler. She also works tirelessly behind the scenes. I recently heard her give a talk to representatives of local nonprofits, warning them of the repercussions of the change in the national tax law. This was not an event designed to get her votes, it was simply a congresswoman wanting to do the right thing. The other day I was listening to Brian Lehrer on my way to work. Lehrer does an erudite interview show program on WNYC radio. He was talking to Gerson Borrero, a NYC journalist and commentator. I didn’t really know who he was, but soon figured out that this is one smart guy. The conversation drifted from Roseanne Barr, to Starbucks, and finally to the Harvard study that suggested that thousands had died in Puerto Rico due to the hurricane, as opposed to the official count of 46. Borrero mentioned that he had spoken earlier that morning to someone in Congress who was planning to ask for an investigation. It turned out that it was Nydia who had returned his phone call. If she were Jewish you might call that a “mensch” move.
Nydia Velazquez
Nydia comes from a large and poor Puerto Rican family, with none of the built in advantages that say, someone like George W. had. She did have a strong father, a worker in the sugar fields who worked to unionize his fellow workers. He obviously had an outsized influence on her life. I think it would be a refreshing change from our current political landscape to have a mayor who was not only intelligent, progressive, hardworking, but most of all, humble. Someone who is not so taken by themselves that they become the whole story, not the people they are supposed to be working for. NYC would be lucky to have her.
The Healthy Geezer by Fred Cicetti Q. I have found that I don’t sleep as well as I used to when I was younger. How common is this?
body’s circadian clock, a 24-hour internal rhythm affected by sunlight.
Many people believe that poor sleep is a normal part of aging, but it is not. Sleep patterns change as we age, but disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day are not part of normal aging.
Try not to nap too much during the day—you might be less sleepy at night.
Seniors need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults—seven to nine hours a night. Unfortunately, many older adults don’t get the sleep they need, because they often have more trouble falling asleep. A study of adults over 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. Also, older people often sleep less deeply and wake up more often throughout the night, which may be why they nap more often during the daytime. Nighttime sleep schedules may change with age too. Many older adults tend to get sleepier earlier in the evening and awaken earlier in the morning. Here are some pointers to help you get better sleep: Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on weekends. Sticking to a regular bedtime and wake time schedule helps keep you in sync with your
Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue
Try to exercise at regular times each day. Exercising regularly improves the quality of your nighttime sleep and helps you sleep more soundly. Try to finish your workout at least three hours before bedtime. Try to get some natural light in the afternoon each day. Be careful about what you eat. Don’t drink beverages with caffeine late in the day. Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep you awake. Also, if you like a snack before bed, a warm beverage and a few crackers may help. Don’t drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes to help you sleep. Even small amounts of alcohol can make it harder to stay asleep. Smoking is dangerous for many reasons, including the hazard of falling asleep with a lit cigarette. Also, the nicotine in cigarettes is a stimulant. Create a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Make
www.star-revue.com
sure there are locks on all doors and smoke alarms on each floor. A lamp that’s easy to turn on and a phone by your bed may be helpful. The room should be dark, well ventilated, and as quiet as possible. Develop a bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body that it’s time to wind down. Some people watch the evening news, read a book, or soak in a warm bath. Use your bedroom for sleeping, not daytime activities. After turning off the light, give yourself about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you are still awake and not drowsy, get out of bed. When you get sleepy, go back to bed. Try not to worry about your sleep. Some people find that playing mental games is helpful. For example, tell yourself it’s five minutes before you have to get up and you’re just trying to get a few extra winks. If you are so tired during the day that you cannot function normally and if this lasts for more than 2 to 3 weeks, you should see your family doctor or a sleep disorders specialist. All Rights Reserved © 2018 by Fred Cicetti
June 2018
Thor Equities on the way to their variance by George Fiala
T
he City Council subcommittee on zoning approved Thor Equities ULURP request to adjust the size of their planned esplanade. This is the project on the former Revere Sugar Factory on a penninsula in the Erie Basin, next to IKEA. Council member Carlos Menchaca did not oppose the variance, calling it a “benign” request. He did however express the communities dissatisfaction with the developer in their stewardship of the property over the past 13 years. The current controversy concerns the mountains of dirt that the company has left lying on the property for the past couple of years. That dirt was dug up from the bulkheads, and many in the community feel that it is contaminated with toxins stemming from the previous use of the land.
Red Hook’s ballfields have been closed for remediation the past three years due to a similar land use history. While Menchaca did approve of their request, he did make sure that Red Hook’s disgust and mistrust of Thor Equities was relayed to the triad of company representatives appearing at the public hearing. Perhaps the most eloquent statement was supplied by Allison Reeves, resident, architect, and owner of SHARED Brooklyn, a local co-working space. We here reprint her statement, as read by Councilman Menchaca: “Many other people in the community have made cogent and persuasive arguments against the Thor site for environmental reasons, and I support them entirely. I’d like to comment on the administrative/political process of applying for variances.
Currently the regulatory process at ULURP and other agencies does not have any accountability built into the approval process. Developers are essentially given the benefit The three Thor Equitiers testifying at the May 30 public hearing. of the doubt that they will uphold their promises and agencies are involved there is no coordinated effort to address the problems follow the rules and regulations. Once approvals are given, then it es- holistically. ULURP approvals, espesentially becomes the community’s re- cially for developers like Sitt with a sponsibility to function as watch dog long track record of warehousing land, to make sure the developer is doing getting variances or zoning changes things as per their approvals. Com- then flipping the site, should be made munity members can call 311 to make conditional until the infrastructure complaints, but there is no guarantee and land work is done, BEFORE apthat the violations will be properly proving any variances for the building noted or rectified, and when multiple or project itself.
“Feed Brooklyn” at Fort Hamilton Army Base
The Brooklyn Bridge Rotary Club is is teaming up with Project Outreach, to set up assembly lines with stations to scoop and weigh foodstuffs, pour them into plastic envelopes, seal and label them, and place the bags in cartons to be picked up by food pantries and soup kitchens. “This is a meaningful project to do with your kids or grandkids, aged 8 and up! A fun way to spend time with them and teach them about giving back to those less fortunate,” says Mark Dana, president of the club. Make a difference in the lives of fellow Brooklynites who are down on their luck! To volunteer call Mark Dana (646) 331-8653.
JULY 14 & 15 The all-electric series returns to Red Hook, Brooklyn! No job too big or too small
Toilets, Boilers, Heating, Faucets, Hot Water Heaters, Pool Heaters.
B & D HEATING
#NYCEPRIX
Title Partner
Race Title Sponsor
Technical Partner
BUY TICKETS NOW
fiaformulae.com/nyc
Official Partners
218 29th Street 718 625-1396
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018, Page 13
Spotlight on REDHOOK ATELIER by Theresa Thornton
I
f Red Hook is anything, it is a hotbed for creative vision. The latest addition to blur the lines between art and interior design is RedHook Atelier. Joseph Cauvel of Cauv Design and Jonathan Iylanjah of Metric Design Studio have joined forces and created RedHook Atelier, a work studio, gallery and event space at 132 Van Dyke Street. Joseph Cauvel is both an artist and interior designer creating custom made
furniture pieces from wood, welded steel and concrete. Joe descends from a family of craftsmen in Pennsylvania. Now in Red Hook, he now applies his family trade and work ethic to create exciting one of a kind works of art. In a world where mass production is the norm, it’s exciting to experience the creation of something so individual and meaningful. Jonathan Iylanjah is also an artist and craftsman, focusing on glass and metal designs. Incorporating the industrial and functional approach to pieces like track doors and room dividers, he can transform them into something very distinctive and organic. But RedHook Atelier is more than just a work studio and gallery. The space is so striking that
The Atelier is at 132 Van Dyke Street.
they’ve decided to open it up for events. With its clean industrial design, 1600 square feet and 20 foot ceilings and doors that open directly onto the sidewalk, it is perfect for hosting a private event, pop-up or artist open-
ing right in the heart of eclectic Red Hook. You can contact them at 814-282-7575 for information. Or simply stop in for a visit and see for yourself.
I ids and k d n a r take “ My g ags to B o G e.” packed vacuat e o t e av if we h
3 E N O Z KLYN
BROO n e e r o D
Thank you to everyone who supported the Friends of PS 15 Spring Celebration on March 29th at Pioneer Works! Your generous donations raised $21,000 for PS 15 to provide educational resources for its students. This event could not have happened without the support of the big hearted Red Hook businesses and people. Thank you to all the volunteers because it was your efforts that made the evening such a success.
PS 15 LOVES RED HOOK! Visit NYC.gov/knowyourzone or call 311 to find out what to do to prepare for hurricanes in NYC #knowyourzone
Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018
StarªRevue BOOKS Comedian Mandy Stadtmiller delivers lovable mess in Unwifeable by Lorraine Duffy Merkl
“A cocktail of excess” is the lyrical way Mandy Stadtmiller describes her train wreck existence in the new memoir, Unwifeable (Simon & Schuster.) The prosaic term is: a compound of explosives. The comedian and journalist, whose writing has appeared most famously in the New York Post, New York Magazine and xojane, is currently (and ironically) a wife, wed to stand-up comedian Pat Dixon, whose reaction to her past indiscretions can be summed up as yeah, whatever. It was, however, a long road to becoming a spouse, clocking many miles believing, as the title suggests, that she was not marriage material. During her first ten years in New York City, Stadtmiller’s persona took many forms, meaning this book has a little something for everyone: 180 Mandy—If your life started out in a nice safe place but you ended up in a totally opposite situation, you have found your cosmic twin with the author. Living in suburban Chicago at 25, Mandy was married to her college sweetheart and worked at a respectable PR job while studying to become a teacher. At 30, she was divorced, working at the New York Post as a reporter, and sleeping on an inflatable mattress in someone’s spare room in Brooklyn. Scoop Stadtmiller—If like me, you’ve never worked at a tabloid, you will read with great interest her almost-like-being-there accounts of employment at the home of “Headless Man In Topless Bar.” The colorful Real Housewife “hit” pieces, Hunter S. Thompson-like join the party stories, and celeb ‘items’ for Page Six are balanced out by her straight-shooting journalism 101 lessons. You may question her personal choices, but professionally, this writer/editor/reporter knows her business. Mrs. Super Preppy (almost)—Have you ever dated out of your economic league? You’ll nod your head and simultaneously cringe at every fish-out-of-water word/gesture made during Mandy’s two-year relationship with a multimillionaire. This middle-class girl from San Diego found herself not only in places like Newport, R.I. wearing Lily Pulitzer and Kate Spade to mansions and country clubs, but also 55 thousand dollars in debt trying to keep up with the jet set. Bonus: you’ll learn the distinction between Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Carrie Bradshaw’s Evil Twin—Imagine if you will, Carrie without Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda or the Manolos. Envision instead that she is a blackout drunk and drug/food/ sex addict. Under the influence, there is no co-worker (or co-worker’s better half) she will not insult, or man/woman she will not have sex with. If you or someone you love has ever taken the long way to hit bottom, you will find
Red Hook Star-Revue
your face buried in your hands wondering how this woman is still alive. 12-Step Mandy—AA, Al-Anon, the Caron Institute, and the guidance of professional shrinks counterbalanced by the insights of fellow comics and Courtney Love. If like Mandy, you ever went into recovery with the manic enthusiasm of a cheerleader who’s downed a six of Red Bull for good measure, you’ll understand her desperation to change her life FAST, which culminates with a break-neck move from NYC to Los Angeles to San Diego then back again in the course of only a few months. The only people who might take umbrage with Mandy’s tale are those who’ve spent their last decade painstakingly making themselves wifeable aka the one you take home to mother, as opposed to the one you take to the strip club. Envision a woman fingering the pearls she wore at her coming out party opining before
the mirror, “Why did I bother cultivating poise and curating a dignified life, if even ‘that girl’ can end up with a husband?” Fair enough. So, let’s pretend magically, right this minute, you got a do-over. Would you choose to be an insecure, self-sabotaging, social climbing attention-seeker who never met a three-way she wouldn’t participate in? Who sometimes wakes up (actually comes-to) next to men she didn’t remember even meeting let alone going to bed with? No, I didn’t think so. But you can read all about her in this irresistible debut you won’t be able to put down. You can pick up a copy of “Unwifeable” at Books are Magic (225 Smith Street) Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novels BACK TO WORK SHE GOES and FAT CHICK, for which a movie is in the works.
“The only people who might take umbrage with Mandy’s tale are those who’ve spent their last decade painstakingly making themselves wifeable, aka the one you take home to mother, as opposed to the one you take to the strip club.” www.star-revue.com
June 2018, Page 15
StarªRevue BOOKS New Book Highlights Criminal Justice Reforms Pioneered in Red Hook by Max Zahn
Julian Adler, a leading voice for criminal justice reform, doesn’t remember why he enrolled in the law school class that changed his life. “Probably because it fit my schedule,” he said, recounting a spring semester at Fordham Law School in the late 90s. The course on problem-solving justice, a legal method that seeks to address the social issues that bring defendants to court in the first place, took Adler on a field trip. The destination: the Red Hook Community Justice Center, a community court in a yellow-brick building on Visitation Place. “At the moment I encountered it, there was something overwhelmingly exciting and meaningful about the place,” Adler said. Adler, the director of policy and research at the Center for Court Innovation, spent his first eight years out of law school working at the Red Hook Community Justice Center. The court and its unusual approach feature prominently in Start Here: A Roadmap To Reducing Mass Incarceration, a book released in March by Adler and Steve Berman, his colleague at the Center for Court Innovation. The work acknowledges mass incarceration as the product of a “big and often lackluster beast of a system,” as Adler put it in our interview. But the book focuses on solutions. “Instead of decrying the status quo, we want to articulate an affirmative vision of how to reform the American justice system,” Adler and Berman write on its fourth page. The Red Hook Community Justice Center embodies many of the solutions put forward in the book, Adler said. The community court, opened in 2000, brings a multi-pronged approach to criminal justice that houses low-level criminal hearings, drug and trauma treatment, community refurbishment and neighborhood violence prevention under one roof. “It’s a lab for justice reform,” Adler said. “You could search the country and not find a more innovative model, or one that works as well.” The book sums up its prescriptions for reform with three broad takeaways: “engage the public in preventing crime,” “link people to effective community based solutions rather than jail or prison,” and “treat all defendants with dignity and respect.” Adler said the latter point is especially characteristic of the Red Hook Community Justice Center. “It has a powerful cultural piece,” he said. “This feeling that permeates every aspect of the place, this idea that defendants should be treated in a humane way.” A study released in 2013, entitled “A Court Grows in Brooklyn,” found that juvenile of-
Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue
fenders processed at Red Hook Community Justice Center were 20 percent less likely to be rearrested within two years than similar offenders processed in traditional courts. “Evaluations concluded it had to do with a culture of respect different than at criminal courts,” Adler said. Adler credited Judge Alex Calabrese, the presiding judge since the justice center opened, for establishing that culture. “There are lots of great judges, but he really is one of the best,” Adler said of Calabrese, who was a guest lecturer in the law school course that brought Adler on his first visit to the justice center. “It’s inspiring to see a judge be so committed to defendants, and want to do everything he can to be helpful.” Adler also credits Calabrese for his willingness to offer alternatives to detention for even violent offenders. “In the book we talk about if you’re serious about ending mass incarceration in the United States, you need to consider alternatives for people with serious histories and serious crimes,” he said. “That’s something Calabrese understood, with the right amount of supervision and intensive treatment.” Since Adler’s tenure at the Red Hook Community Justice Center, which ended in 2015, he has sought to spread the model and its lessons elsewhere through his work at the Center for Court Innovation. Now, through this book. “Reducing incarceration is not just a cause for bleeding-heart liberals,” Adler and Berman write, citing reform efforts in conservative
states like Utah and Mississippi. “As the political zeitgeist has shifted toward a critique of mass incarceration, it’s no longer something that needs to be tested on a small scale,” Adler said. But he acknowledged the task of exporting the model isn’t easy. “The stars aligned in Red Hook,” he said, noting open-minded defense attorneys, a receptive local community and, of course, Calabrese. “You don’t want any initiative to rise and fall on one personality,” Adler said. Policy initiatives and legal concepts pioneered at the Red Hook Community Justice Center, meanwhile, have gained traction. “Now jurisdictions are committed to bail reform, rethinking probation, rethinking conditions of confinement,” he said. “We’re seeing in states red and blue, ideas I found in red hook but taking the form of statewide legislation and policy writ large.” “Ideas that now have currency, whether directly or indirectly, have origins in a community court in a geographically isolated place in Southern Brooklyn,” he added.
ART NEWS REDHOOK ATELIER
CELEBRATIONS AT PS 15
There’s a new sleek-looking studio and building space at 132 Van Dyke. Joseph Cauvel (CAUV Design) and Jonathan Iylanjah (Metric Design Studio) have teamed up to make a sui generis space of modern furniture and interior wares of unique metals, concrete, wood, and glass. In a press release, the pair wrote that “RedHook Atelier is welcome to both design insiders and the interested public and is a hub for modern design ideas to be inspired, discussed, commissioned, and brought to completion.” Their mission is to found a friendly, transparent “pipeline between the consumer and a high design piece of custom furniture or interior architecture.” (814) 282-7575
June is a busy month for The Patrick F. Daly Magnet School for the Arts. The K-5 school hosts a school carnival on the 8th and several other fields trips. The seniors (ok, 5th graders) will celebrate their ascendancy into middle school with a trip to the Brooklyn Zoo. Their graduation ceremony, Moving Up, is on the 21st. On the 12th, the school’s weeklong art show kicks off. Teachers, parents, and students will tour the library to see student work comprising of collages, drawings, paintings, and sculptures.
www.star-revue.com
Leading up to Father’s Day on the 17th, the school hosts a Hip Hop Celebration Day for “fathers and others.”
June 2018
StarªRevue REVIEWS “ANCESTRAL HOME”
VIEW REVISITED
Maia Cruz Palileo
If “Death of a Salesman” deals with economic whiplash and “The Crucible” warns of religious frenzy, Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge” reckons with the tidal force of sexuality. Brave New World Repertory Theater in Flatbush does memorable justice to the classic, now running through June 24 and directed by Alex Dmitriev.
Pioneer Works Through July 8. “Meandering Curves of a Creek” is the first solo institutional exhibit by Filipino-American artist Maia Cruz Palileo. Mostly made within the last year, these dense paintings mimic the fog of history the artist is attempting to hack through on her search for the truth of her cultural history. Smartly curated by Vivian Chui, the work itself is scholarly astute, though many viewers may leave emotionally neutral. Chui describes the show as, “Equal parts magic realism and historical record, ‘Meandering Curves of a Creek’ weaves a poignant history that meanders between fiction and non-fiction.” Certainly true, but the show relies on historical record for its intrigue more than the paintings themselves. The opaque sheen of “Askal Song” is memorable, and “Ancestral Home” is emotionally and formally complex. But with the references at hand—Picasso, Matisse, Gauguin,Velázquez, Henri Rousseau—one would like Palileo to rely less on scholarship than her own emotional terrain. At times (e.g. “Amerikanistas”), the piece loses unity for no cogent reason. Each of the pieces have a formidable composition, and Palileo’s MFA in sculpture has guided her well. With research, you find that there’s a scholarly reason behind the references. The zoologist (and future Secretary of the Interior) Dean C. Worcester took photos of nude woman in reclining poses recalling European “classical” women. In a Chicago library, Palileo took these “dehumanizing” photographs and recontextualized here and, in a sense, liberated these historically subjugated figures. The project should be lauded for renegotiating the context that these subjects find themselves in. That process of reformatting colonialism is vital and powerful, but how can the viewer encounter the emotion this exhibit wants to convey before reading the plaque? -Matt Caprioli
I MET GOD AND SHE IS… Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts The group show “I met God and She is…” wrapped up a month long run in Greenwich on May 7. Organized by Brooklyn’s Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA), the show of 27 artists looked at the fact that women artists do not get as much exposure and credit as men do. According to curators Joakim von Ditmar and Destinee Ross, only 27 percent of the 590 major museum exhibitions from 2007 to 2013 were devoted to female artists, and in cumulative auction value only five women starred among the top 100 artists between the years 2011 and 2016. Women are featured only in a third of galleries in the U.S., and art by women of color ranks dismally low in this hierarchy. The show tackles this divide. As Ditmar said, “Our idea is that art can be a form of ‘artivism,’ to bring attention to certain topics that should be talked about and our mission is to start a dialogue.” The show collected more than 50 works in a variety of mediums. One of the artists, Jules Arthur, features a woman dressed in a traditional garb reminiscent of old world luxury. The piece is three dimensional with a large scissor in the center suggestive of Bantu tailoring. Fighting sexual harassment while providing equal artistic exposure to woman has become an international priority. Works by Pakistani artist, Hiba Schahbaz from Brooklyn, showed women in the nude. Ditmar said such works would be censored in Pakistan. An oil painting by Angela Chen shows a nude woman holding the head of Larry Gargosian. “Often women are portrayed for someone else’s pleasure,” said Ross. “But here it is her choice to be naked.” As I walked around, I felt the show did not do enough justice to the title of the exhibition. Except for a few pieces, most of the works were, well, just paintings of women. Maybe this was due to the fact that the show was hastily organized but hopefully, Ditmar will create a more moving and lasting impression with his next show this fall, when he curates a show on the black male gaze.- Ramaa Reddy Raghavan
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
It’s mid-1950s Red Hook, and according to lifelong resident and lawyer Alfieri (Joe Gioco) the Sicilian population has calmed down over the years. Alfreri, by turns narrator and cast member, roves the length of the smartly designed stage is, at The Waterfront Museum, literally floating on a barge. The naturalized citizens have traded in their pistols for the rule of law. But there’s one recent exception. Eddie Carbone (Rich O’Brien) works at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and lives with his wife, the mostly compliant Beatrice (Claire Beckman, who also produced the show). The couple haven’t had sex in three months and that probably has something to do with Beatrice’s niece, Catherine (Maggie Horan). As Catherine approaches her 18th year, Eddie doesn’t like that he’s losing control of her. Grudgingly, he accepts that his quasi-niece wants to work as a stenographer, but emotionally and morally he keeps a firm grasp on her, chastising her to stop “walking wavy.” A couple of Beatrice’s cousins land in New York to illegally work in the country. Eddie welcomes them in his home because he thinks of himself as a family man. But once one of them, Rodolpho (wonderfully played by Jacob Dabby) falls for Catherine, Eddie’s overtaken by envy. As the electricity between the young people intensifies (brought to considerable charge by Dabby and Horan) so does Eddie’s overwhelming repulsion of Rodolpho. “Most people ain’t people,” Eddie says early on in the play. O’Brien brings out the sad fact that Eddie’s own maxims toward others will apply to himself. O’Brien wisely relies on his sonorous baritone to carve out the character of Eddie while keeping his face stolid, making the contrast between expression and the ineffable that much more taut. Beckman convincingly plays the many levels of Beatrice: a woman who loves her husband yet wants independence from him, who erratically holds him accountable, who loves her niece but needs to see her go to save her own marriage. When Eddie shouts at Alfieri “He’s stealing from me,” begging him to twist the law and expel his competition, this became a forceful and resonant production of an American classic. - Matt Caprioli
June 2018, Page 17
StarªRevue STORIES
W
hen the Queen Mary 2 was docked at her usual spot at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, on May 17, Red Hook took notice.
Mark’s Pizzeria put out a sign welcoming the ocean liner that temporarily reconverted the skyline. “I have noticed the QM2 a few times,” Christina Daniels at Pioneer Works wrote in an email. “It always takes me a minute to realize it’s there because it’s so massive and looks like a highrise that popped up overnight rather than a cruise ship.” Through a galley window of the Mary A. Whalen, a retired oil tanker on Pier 11 and now home of the PortSide Museum, the Queen Mary 2 loomed large. It remains one of the tallest ocean liners ever built and the only one in the world to have its own planetarium. From its keel (bottom) to funnel (chimney), the ocean liner is about 72 meters (237 feet) tall. It can fit nearly 4,000 people and carry 151,400 tons. When QM2 was completed in 2004, it was the largest cruise ship in the world; 14 years later it remains in the top 20. Carolina Salguero, the founder of PortSide, said the tanker used to fuel the Queen Mary 2, along with other major passenger ships. “In her last few years of work, she was doing a lot of what they call creek work, and it included the Gowanus Canal and delivering fuel to cruise ships.” May is a busy month at PortSide. Dubbed “The Mary Month of May,” PortSide hosts Puerto Rico WaterStories (May 25), a day for NYCHA residents (May 26), and an African American Maritime History Challenge (May 30). An updated website for Hurricane Season The Queen Mary 2 left on schedule that evening for Southampton, England. Salguero said scheduling will become more complicated once hurricane season starts on June 1. Liners from Princess Cruises and the MV Aurora have both been delayed due to inclement weather. “The Aurora was held during all the crazy hurricanes down south.” She recalled the ocean liner docking in Red Hook for three or four days beyond its intent. “If you imagine from a maritime point of view, you’re trying to deliver cargo or move people around, so the boats were all displaced and had
Page 18 Red Hook Star-Revue
to negotiate around or between those storms, or be held at various ports when those storms were coming back to back.” Since Hurricane Sandy, hurricane awareness and preparedness has been a major concern for the PortSide Museum. “We hope that the neighborhood is more prepared for a flood than they were last time,” Salguero said. Red Hook WaterStories, PortSide’s “e-museum,” has a major section dedicated to resiliency plans. They received recognition from The White House and the New York Senate for their Sandy rescue efforts in 2012. Red Hook WaterStories was the talk of the galley as the 2.0 version was slated to launch Sunday, May 20. David Levine, who reordered and designed the Red Hook WaterStories website, cleaned up after the ship cat, Chiclet, who had rejected the majority of the sandwich he had offered. “She owns the ship,” ship historian Peter Rothenberg said of the black feline with the fuschia paw print collar. Salguero said the team focuses on ‘water’ rather than ‘maritime’ to broaden the cultural view of maritime history. “(Past histories) often don’t get into those broader social, cultural and economic connections of that maritime activity,” Salguero said. She hopes the updated e-museum will draw more visitors using mobile devices. Now on any phone, the maps of Red Hook and its surrounding water currents are interactive. “It’s like a Google street map,” Salguero said, “but instead of that blue blob of nothingness you have a chart there for waterways.” Partnering with MarineTraffic, a global vessel tracking company, the layered map on the homepage of Red Hook WaterStories shows vessels travelling (or docked) in real time along the Red Hook shore. SURPRISING RED HOOK STORIES Up through the 1900s, the upper crusts of New York turned to Red Hook for rowing and yachting recreation. “People were down here because there were large rural patches of Red Hook for a long time,” Levine said. “They were down here shooting ducks and geese, or joining the rowing and yachting club.”
then Bay Ridge, then Sheepshead Bay. There were many marshes in Red Hook in the 1830s. In fact, most of the buildings, including the ballfields, weren’t developed until the 1930s. The PortSide team tosses around historical figures like they’re talking about co-workers, which, when you work in history, is kind of true. Here’s a sample from Salguero and Richard Evans, a retired engineer who handles ship repairs and maritime instruction: Salguero: “The guy who conceived the original version of Atlantic Basin, he first tried to build a big real estate development.” Evans: “Litchfield?” Salguero: “What?” Evans: “Litchfield.” Salguero: “No, it was Colonel Richards.” Evans: “Ah, Richards.” Colonel Daniel Richards decided, after the Red Hook Building Company didn’t take off, to start a huge maritime center, what we now know as Atlantic Basin. He also kicked off the planning for the Gowanus Canal. “He doesn’t succeed in executing the canal,” Salguero said, “but he has a long, sloppy launch period and (Edwin) Litchfield is involved with that.” These initial developments are still affecting the neighborhood. “That blue-green past is important when Sandy rolls around because so much of the neighborhood is fill,” Salguero said. “Therefore, it floods readily.” With a hurricane like Sandy, “the rain from Park Slope came roaring down the hill, rushed out of the Gowanus Canal, and percolated up here.” Salguero said that’s how many homeowners learned that Red Hook is vulnerable to sewersheds, which the city defines as “(areas) where rainfall is conveyed by sewer to a common outlet, either before or after treatment.” “The pressure (from Sandy) was so great,” Salguero said, “All that water was percolating in the street and coming into homes.” Not the prettiest of images, but one tiny example of the fascinating history you’ll uncover aboard the Mary A. Whalen. Mary A. Whalen Pier 11, Brooklyn, NY 11231
As the neighborhood industrialized, birds disappeared, the yachting went to Sunset Park,
www.star-revue.com
June 2018
StarªRevue MUSEUM Red Hook’s Hidden Library by Matt Caprioli
H
idden from passerby on Van Brunt Street is a mobile library of motley images and bizarre archival knowledge. It’s called Reanimation Library, and its towering shelves have over 2,000 discarded books published from the 1930s to the 1970s with titles likes “Procedural Advertising”; “Space Age Fight Fighters”; “The Mystic Art of the Ninja”; “A Study of Splashes”; “Inkblot Perception and Personality”; and “The Sex Life of the Animals.”
“A lot of these books were published within the last 100 years,” said the library’s founder, Andrew Beccone. “But sometimes you feel like you’re entering an alien world.” Beccone is a chill-tempered artist-librarian whose lilt evokes Seth Rogen, but a version that forfeited movie stardom to pick up a Masters in Library and Information Science from Pratt. When you walk into Reanimation Library, currently ensconced behind Pioneer Books, you’ll find protracting tables, computers, and scanners. The tools are there to encourage visitors to work with the library’s material. “The books are here for people to use,” Beccone said. “Some of my favorite experiences are when people come in and it dawns on them they can touch the books. Then they take a stack and are here for three hours. That’s cool. I want to encourage that.” Since 2001, Beccone has collected discarded, authoritative
texts on specific subjects illustrated with wild images. (The collection’s striking images were inspiration to the artist Doreen Gardner, who used 35 images from the library as the basis for the tattoos she gave to eight people during an event in the library on April 12 and 13). On a roadtrip to Nashville, Beccone stumbled on a curious book called “Inside Wood.” It held images of the molecular structures of various types of wood. The possibility of a library that housed curios like this hit him all at once. He picked up more of these brica-brac books from thrift stores and yard sales. Once he had 50, he made the move to establish a library. Now approaching two decades of existence, Beccone said Reanimation Library has become a sort of travel diary. The rules for admission into the library are lax. Beccone said he doesn’t necessarily look for library rejects, or books that are out of prints. If the images engage his mind and emotions, if the topic captures a specific slice of culture, and if the introduction to the book is serendipitous, it’s in. “I won’t really buy a book online because I need to see it, hold it, find out if it’s something I really want. You can’t tell what kind of images are in there online.” Each book goes through the same adoption process: Beccone stamps the fore edge with a “Reanimation Library” imprint, pencils in a Library of Congress number on the top left corner of the inside book cover, logs it on the library’s website, and slowly scans and uploads each image.
“When Beccone places them back on the shelf they regain the status of relevance; they’re ‘reanimated,’ having made the journey from junkpile to back to shelf. “It’s about bringing these things back that have been thrown away and discarded, and to say there’s life in them if you approach these books in a slightly different angle” Andrew Beccone Red Hook Star-Revue
When Beccone places them back on the shelf, they regain the status of relevance; they’re “reanimated,” having made the journey from junkpile back to shelf. “It’s about bringing these things back
that have been thrown away and discarded, and to say there’s life in them if you approach these books in a slightly different angle,” he said. Many of the images are online, but the joy and potential of the library is definitely diminished by a remote visit. (If you’re lucky during a visit, you’ll see an intern faithfully scanning one of the textbooks page by page). Reanimation Library texts tend to carry a formal, authoritative town in their (often esoteric) field. Picking up any book, it’s surreal to find that the book still speaks like its the most authoritative source on the subject. Almost against their will, the texts have gone from authoritative to archival. “I love it when I come across books that are technical in nature,” Beccone said, “but the personality of the author still manages to come out in these little turns of phrase where you’re like wow, how did the editor not catch that one?” Around Beccone, one quickly learns the classification acronyms—LC for Library of Congress; Dewey for Dewey Decimal System. Beccone is serious about classification. In his view, cataloguing is what distinguishes Reanimation Library from other artist book collections. “Not to be a library snob, but I don’t actually think they’re libraries,” he said when asked if there are projects similar to Reanimation Library. “I think they’re collections of books….by cataloguing a collection you’re creating all kinds of formal, structural relationships between the books, or you’re using a schema that does
www.star-revue.com
that.” Beconne seems fated to have been a librarian: his mother was a librarian, and he was raised in Minneapolis, one of America’s most bookish cities. Book detractors aren’t part of his purview. Still, he’s had some memorable encounters with the Fahrenheit 451 set. One guy from Queens come in to bark, “I don’t know why you’re doing this!” then leave. “I can tell when someone’s not interested, and I just don’t have to say much more about it. People are funny, people are strange.” Though he’s been running Reanimation Library for nearly two decades, the collection is a constant source of inspiration for Beccone. He has complete control over the shape of the library, yet he has no control over what gets generated from it. “One of the things that has maintained my interest over the years is that I don’t know what people are going to do with it. When you see someone approach it in a way that is novel or unusual it adds to my understanding of what the library could be, and what it is. There’s kind of a mystery to all libraries. You can never know them entirely.” Reanimation Library is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6pm through the end of December. Pioneer Books hosts two events related to Reanimation Library in the coming months: June 2 Mimi Onuoha leads “Collections as Algorithms” and on July 22, Susie Ibarra leads a music workshop (“Graphic Scores”) using material from the library.
June 2018, Page 19
Page 20 Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
June 2018