All hail our new Civic Association!

I've often written that Red Hook needs an organization that represents the viewpoints of everyone in our pretty unique community. An institution that presents our views to the rest of the world, including those outside entities looking to change things here, including real estate developers, government agencies and large corporations.

Also a place where our local politicos can come and hear for themselves the issues that concern us (as Alexa Aviles so graciously did at our first meeting).

Right now, the most local government entity we have is the community board, which also takes care of Gowanus, Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill. Our next most local is the City Council, where our district also includes Sunset Park, some of Windsor Terrace and even parts of Bay Ridge.

There is governance over Red Hook East and Red Hook West via the tenant organizations, the business community via the Alliance, as well as our local court, the Justice Center.

Up until three or four years ago, we had the Red Hook Civic Association, which did its best to include everyone.

So it was very exciting last month to attend a meeting at PS 15 which reviced the Civic Association—a meeting packed with representatives from just about all the areas of the neighborhood. This was a meeting which I promoted and orchestrated, and was ably led by our local District Leader (a volunteer Democratic Party position), Jacqui Painter.

The next meeting will take place on Monday, March 13 at 6:30. It will be a little easier to get in than the first one as there will only be one check-in line. Also, the time to have to provide proof of vaccination seems to be over, as that is no longer a requirement at the school. There are plenty of seats, so bring as many people as you like. It's a great chance to meet your neighbors from all parts of Red Hook, and help develop neighborhood solidarity.

Our most important task will be to develop a set of rules for the management of the group—in other words a way to consistently run the meetings for maximum effect for the most people. And we'll go from there.

Our Writers

I never really take the time here to acknowledge the most important contributors to this publications— our writers! I am indebted to a faithful crew of part-timers and free lancers, which has been lately buttressed by two new part-time beat writers— Katherine Rivard and Oona Milliken.

Katherine's beats are the community board and the police precinct, Oona begins this month with a report from Gowanus.

Nathan Weiser has been covering local events, especially in our schools for many years. Brian Abate is our utility infielder, who can write about anything.

Erin DeGregorio as also a long-time Star-Revuian, and a welcome monthly contributor. Kurt Gottschalk writes a music column that could just as well be in Rolling Stone or Pitchfork, same for our jazz guy George Grella, who has written the definitive book on Miles Davis.

Roderick Thomas keeps us on topic with Black style and issues, and is our

Cartoon Section with Marc and Sophie

most-read online contributer. Dante Campagniella is not only our film guy - but he's part of the industry himself. Then there's Michael Quinn, book reviewer, Marie Hueston, our Crafts Mistress as well as a local teacher, Joe Enright, our Visions guy who keeps me laughing and learning, and finally a nod to our former Religion editor, Laura Eng, who contributed a timely article about the future of the Al Capone church.

Bagels go to Washington

After it was brought to his attention that many of his colleagues do not know what a real bagel is, Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) hosted the inaugural House Bagel Caucus to ensure that every Representative, reporter, and staffer on Capitol Hill has the opportunity to eat a real (read: New York) bagel.

“At the inaugural meeting of the House Bagel Caucus, my office was delighted to showcase some of NY10’s most beloved small businesses,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “We’re extremely proud to be the home of the world’s best bagels and were thrilled to spread the bagel love to our friends from around the country.”

New York 10 is inarguably the Coolest Congressional District in the Country™, with some of the best food in the entire world. From Chinatown to Boro Park to Brooklyn Heights to the Lower East Side to the West Village, it’s hard to go wrong if you are eating in the district. And NY-10 is, of course, extremely proud of to be home of the world’s best bagels.

Goldman was delighted to showcase some of NY-10’s most beloved small businesses with the first meeting of the Bagel Caucus.The menu included an assortment of schmears and other delicious items, including kosher bagels; zaatar, walnut and lox schmear; white fish salad; and of course, world renowned lox from Russ & Daughters. All the shops are summarized below

Davidovich Bakery:

Gene Davidovich delighted in the robust aromas of baked bread. They wafted from his Grandma Zoya’s Ukranian kitchen, where Mr. Davidovich eagerly observed old-fashioned preparation methods and tasted generations-old recipes. When he immigrated to America in 1980, he had a dream of one day having a bakery that would delight people with the quality of their products. That’s how Davidovich Bakery was founded in 1998 and it has been a family business since.

Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys:

Kossar’s is the oldest operating bialy bakery in the United States, its tradition of excellence born in 1936 in the historically Jewish Lower East Side of Manhattan where it remains today. For over 85 years, they have been serving the iconic Lower East Side of Manhattan (and the finest-quality, old-world, and specialty-baked goods).

Olde Brooklyn Bagel Shoppe:

Olde Brooklyn Bagel Shoppe is a neighborhood mainstay and has been serving delicious bagels to the Prospect Heights, Brooklyn community for over a decade. Their bagels are hand-rolled, kettle boiled, and baked on premises - made the Olde fashioned way. Do not miss their Zaatar bagels!

Russ & Daughters:

Joel Russ, a Jewish immigrant from Strzyzow, Poland, sold herring from a pushcart one the Lower East Side of New York before opening the now world-renowned bagel shop at its current location on 179 East Houston Street in 1920. Joel Russ named the business “Russ & Daughters,” after his three daughters, Hattie, Ida and Anne. It is the first known American business with “& Daughters” in its name.

Shelsky’s of Brooklyn:

Born and bred New Yorker Peter Shelsky grew up on Kossar’s bialys and Zabar’s hand-sliced Nova, eventually working in the kitchens of Eleven Madison Park, Café Sabarsky, and Wallse. Tuned into both professional chef culture and the flavors of his own Eastern European and Jewish roots, he partnered with Lewis Spada, a Brooklynite and 20-year FOH veteran of Fish Tales, Cobble Hill’s local seafood market, to open Shelsky’s of Brooklyn. Together, the duo brings their talent and charisma to the nontraditional Appetizing and Delicatessen shop that aims to revive “an old tradition that never really died.”

Participatory Budgeting

There will be voting on participatory budgeting in Red Hook from March 25 till April 2, announced Alexa Aviles’ Communications and Organizing Manager, James Neimeister at a recent meeting at the Red Hook

Library. While the options to vote on aren’t set in stone yet, some of the potential projects include renovations at local parks (including possibly adding water fountains to a local park that doesn’t have any,) renovations to the basketball court and equipment upgrades at the Red Hook Recreation Center, and renovations at the Red Hook Neighborhood Senior Center.

(ED,) which will be the new home for the NYU Langone Health—Cobble Hill ED currently located at 83 Amity Street. ”

Other services will include the Joseph S. & Diane H. Steinburg Ambulatory Care Center which will offer ambulatory surgery and radiology. Additionally, comprehensive cancer care will be offered through the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. There will also be doctors’ offices for a wide range of primary care and clinical specialties, including cardiology, gastroenterology, OB/GYN, orthopedics, radiology, and more.

Catalyst: A Beam Center x Why Not Art Fundraiser Exhibition

A gallery exhibit featuring 19 visual artists opens on March 9th at 351 Van Brunt Street. All of the proceeds from sales will be directed to the participating artists and Beam Center’s art-centered youth development programs. The exhibit runs through March 26 and will include meet and greets with artists and free workshops for young people run by Beam Center.

Learn more on the exhibition at whynotart.com/beam Compére Collective, 351 Van Brunt St

New NYU Langone Facility

In April, a new NYU Langone Health outpatient care center will open at 70 Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill. The facility’s services include a freestanding emergency department

WHY NOT ENHANCE INTRODUCTION OF NYC TRANSIT G LINE COMMUNICATION BASED TRAIN CONTROL (CBTC) BY ROUTE EXTENSION?

There are more potential future benefits to be found with the MTA awarding a $368 million dollar contract for installation of Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signal system on the New York City Transit G subway line. The winning bidder is Crosstown Partners. They are a consortium that includes TC Electric Thales Group - a communications company. This work will coincide with ongoing installation of CBTC on both the Queens Blvd. E/F/R & M lines, along with F line Brooklyn routes. Completion of CBTC installation will provide increased capacity on these corridors. Current G line service at Court Square in Long Island City could be extended to Forest Hills, Continental Avenue. This would restore this connection which was terminated in April 2010. .

In Brooklyn, G line service could be extended beyond Church Avenue in Kensington, Brooklyn to Coney Island Stillwell Avenue Terminal. This would provide connections to the D, N & Q lines.

The G line Fulton Street train station is located several blocks from the Atlantic Avenue/Barclay Center LIRR/ NYC Transit subway station com- plex. A simple underground passageway could be constructed. This could provide a direct indoor connection to the G line from the 2,3,4 & 5 IRT, B.D.N,Q & R BMT subway lines along with the Flatbush Avenue Long Island Rail Road Station (serviced by the LIRR Atlantic Branch shuttle that connects downtown Brooklyn with Jamaica, Queens).. Implementation for all of the above would enhance the commuting experience and provide additional service options for Brooklyn and Queens subway riders.—Larry Penner (The writer is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for NJ Transit, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, MTA Bus, NYCDOT Staten Island Ferry along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.).