NEWS FROM SOUTH BROOKLYN’S LEADING NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 2018
Coming Up: Gifts Health Home E LET P M CO ECIAL SP ION T SEC DULE E SCH SIDE! IN
S! FALL FOR THE ART
NOVEMBER
GODZILLA VS. SANDY
, Art Exotic AND Section, Memoirs Expanded Music
Local!
Red Hook’s Own Barnacle Parade Story by Brett Yates with photos by Micah Rubin page 3
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE OCTOBER RT:
ATIVE REPO
Red Hook
IAL INVESTIG
When Will
RHSR SPEC
od Get Its Flo
? see page 6
BASIS talks trucks, page 9
Protection
Gangs of Red Hook, page 14 CB 6 shoots down developers, page 5
GONZALEZ
Red Hook Star-Revue
Casserole Contest page34
Alsarah and the Nubations, page 21
www.star-revue.com
DAVID A. OBLASNEY,
November 2018, Page 1
arts SEPTEMBER
RememberNs Red Hook RO RTSO WILLIAM BE see page 4 ESY OF CHARLE
S GAY, CHARLE
S NELSON
, CATHERINE
Star ª Revue
k’s Last Days of Han . True Stories! Saloon page 22 ue.com
www.star-rev evue
Red Hook Star-R dd 1
ART BY FANDANG OE KID
2018-10.in
Photos and story Matt Caprioli may usually f you see a walk past a woman walking gallery. I want those around in a who don’t feel shimm they have a like dress, it’s probab ering gold place in the gallery to access my ly the English graphic work.” designer Fand angoe Kid (Annie Nichols From a workin g-class backup with Nichols on). We caught ground, Fandan on after her trip to Coney Island, goe Kid continues to look which, in her at class dispari words, “is so and art’s role ties weird I fucking 1 in love it.” Page She’s in Red closing those widening or October 2018, Hook for a gaps. As a residency at De-C graphic design studen t Seabring Street onstrukt on 41 lege of Comm at London Colthroug 2:08:52 PMh August unication, the 14. Nichols 11/5/2018 on’s posters works of Jenn of posiy Holzer, Barbar tive messag Kruger, Tracey es are a Emin broke struckt’s exterio on De-Consumptions her asof art’s limitati the walls of Oper walls, as well as ons. nus (234 Butler n Source Gowa“I kept thinkin St ). g, fuck ya, you can make work out of your Fandangoe innermost workings,” Kid, who lives Fandan and volunteers in East London “It all was incredi goe Kid said. , a premium bly bold.” on accessibility. places want to appeal “I Posters appeal to people who Fandangoe to Fandangoe Kid (Annie for their loud Nicholson) “You proclamations Kid self. Like her of can make work out of influences, all of work draws your innerupon her deepes her most workings” emotional t realities. turning to “(As an artist) art and you need to others to realize encouraging About the work that process of that “beautifu can be access make applyin things can posters with l ed on a broad level happen on positive messagg without being a micro level within to the exterio vacuous,” macro r walls of Open es Fandangoe level of trauma.” Of Kid addSource, Nichols ed. “It has the to have on said, “with after her family’ following years project, it’s thread of whatev the anecdotal this so personal, s passing, er your life said, “If you she there’s a feeling of history was.” survive that shedding layers. you’re absolutely regained some I forced to face of the years self. yourback then.” You have to I lost Tragedy struck Nicholson hard to unders work really 2011, when in tand yourse almost all live lf and Check out Fandan with happin of her family passed ess at the goe Kid’s work in New York. side. Creatin other at 41 Seabrin She proces g and making g St (De-Co sed the trauma has art nstrukt), Corner of Bergen become an Red Hook Star-Re by , and 4th of life for me.” immense source vue 234 Butler St (Open SourceAve, Gowanus) www.st
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JAY MUCKLE
PHOTOGRAPHY
COLLAGE
IMAGES COURT
Artist Annie Ni cholson on turn in into art g grief
ar-revue.com
Advertise this winter in Brooklyn’s Hottest Newspaper! September 2018,
Page 15
Grinning George’s Grumblings
W
for the monthly newspaper of South Brooklyn. I’m George Fiala, and I founded the Star-Revue in June, 2010.
elcome to the monthly newsletter
We’ve been writing about the neighborhoods of Red Hook, Gowanus, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens ever since. This year we’ve grown from a 16 page monthly community newspaper to a minimum of 36 pages of arts, culture and features, of course still maintaining our position as one of the city’s top community papers, as awarded by the CUNY School of Journalism in their annual newspaper awards. Our November issue had a lot of cool things in it. A story about stray cats in Red Hook; the Papal Nuncio’s visit to a Cobble Hill church; a review of a local play bringing to life the frustrations of NYCHA residents as they seek basic repairs to their apartments; a review of a country folk album released by a talented southerner who now calls Brooklyn home. That’s justa few of the diverse and edgy articles. Readers are noticing. We’ve increased our press run to accommodate the new neighborhoods where people are asking for our paper, including in Park Slope, Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights. We are very lucky to have acquired the services of Sociable Sonja Kodiak Wilder who has assumed the reigns of our art department (wrested quite willingly from me). In addition to creating the pages of the newspaper, she has quietly been redesigning all our printed materials, including business cards, rate sheets and this very newsletter. She also designed a gallery guide for the Red Hook Open Studio tour, which I was happy to help sponsor this year. She can turn your business into a beautiful newspaper ad, which is easiliy transferable to the web as well. We welcomed some great new advertisers this month, including Red Hook icons Sunny’s Bar and Steve’s Key Lime Pie. Each of them has signed long-term ad contracts with us. Cool things are planned for December. A holiday gift guide by our own Eager Erin DeGregorio will explore the nooks and crannies of our neighborhoods for some unique and creative things for holiday giving. Bashful Bret Yates is working on a major piece about the doings of the neighborhood’s largest non-profit—the Red Hook Initiative. And of course, a rundown of places to celebrate the coming Democratic House majority on New Year’s Eve. There’s plenty of time to get your December ad in the paper, just give me a call at 718 624-5568 or better yet, email george@redhookstar.com. And Happy Turkey Day! (and for you Southerners, go Saints!)
The Red Hook Star-Revue Advertiser News
3
Charley Lhasa
Coming in December: Generous and Frugal Gift Guide There are a lot of interesting gift items to be found in the neighborhood. Local businesses and artists need the support of local advertising to compete against the big boxes! The Red Hook Star-Revue is the perfect advertising spot for brick and mortars on Van Brunt, Smith and Court Streets, as well as artists with crafts for sale on Etsy and other cool places. CLOSING DATE: Tuesday, November 27, 5 pm. To order your ad, email george@redhookstar.com, or call 917 652-9128. 4
The Red Hook Star-Revue Advertiser News
Health for the health conscious and the overeaters. OK, some people ate too much in December, others just like to make New Year resolutions. This special section will give food for thought for those seeking an energy boost along with a weight loss.
Red Hook Crit Brooklyn by Kurt Boone
Coming in January:
A perfect advertising spot for health providers including doctors and clinics, gyms, yoga and dance teachers, masseurs, spas and health clubs. CLOSING DATE Wednesday, December 26, 5 pm. To order your ad, email george@redhookstar.com, or call 917 652-9128. The Red Hook Star-Revue Advertiser News
5
Coming in February: Fixing, Furnishing and Fancy Start thinking about home renovation, new furniture and home repairs with our special issue focusing on the home. A perfect advertising spot for makers, sellers and architects of beautiful living. CLOSING DATE: Wednesday, January 30, 5 pm. To order your ad, email george@redhookstar.com, or call 917 652-9128.
6
The Red Hook Star-Revue Advertiser News
ABOUT US The Red Hook Star-Revue was founded George Fiala, in 2010, and has been publishing regularly since. I love the newspaper business, especially community newspapers. I chose Red Hook for a couple of reasons. •
First of all, it’s a historic area surrounded by water on three sides, with a rich shipping background.
•
Second, it’s got the second largest public housing project in the city.
•
Third, there are a lot of hangers-on, whose family grew up in Red Hook, worked on the docks, bought modest homes, and whose families stayed.
•
Then of course there are new residents, who, charmed by the neighborhood as I was, not only moved in but in many cases have participated in its growth.
The art scene is also burgeoning, aided by the opening of Pioneer Works earlier this decade. I’m excited that the paper is growing as fast as the neighborhood. In the last year, I’ve added a news reporter, an investigative reporter, an arts editor, a music editor, an art director and an advertising manager. This, to an already award-winning staff. We joined the NY Press Association back in 2012, and have been winners in their annual Better Newspaper Contest every year, including first places in Feature Writing, Photography, and Advertising Design. In 2017, we entered the Best Community Newspaper category in the annual IPPIES awards, conducted by the CUNY School of Journalism. We were awarded first place, beating all other city papers. This year we were awarded second place. I distribute the paper myself, out of my car. I can tell you that each month when I distribute the new issue, there are very few of the old ones left. Now that we’ve added to our arts coverage, and made it borough-wide, I’ve increased the print run to include Park Slope, Gowanus, Dumbo and Fort
Greene in addition to Red Hook and Carroll Gardens.
The Red Hook Star-Revue Advertiser News
7
WHO ARE OUR READERS? The zip code ‘11231’ contains the neighborhoods of Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, and the Columbia Waterfront District. It also contains the southern portion of Cobble Hill, the Western portion of Gowanus, and Governors Island. This very economically and culturally diverse area of Brooklyn is united by a shared history relating to shipping and other manufacturing. The Red Hook Star-Revue guarantees a per-issue circulation of 9,000. The papers are distributed widely throughout four contiguous Brooklyn neighborhoods.
HOUSEHOLD INCOME Red Hook, the Columbia Waterfront District, and Carroll Gardens is a mixedincome community.
TONY’S STORY—MARK’S PIZZERIA The first time I heard about the Red Hook Star-Revue was when I was shopping around for this location. I knew every neighborhood had their own newspaper, so the first thing that I did, I tried to contact George. I wanted to put my name in the paper so the neighbors knew that this location is going to have a new owner. Soon everybody was coming in the door, and 20 percent of the people had the newspaper in their hand. That’s why I decided that if I want to advertise my business, this is the paper I should advertise in. At the Star-Revue whatever they’re doing, they’re doing a great job!
8
At the Star-Revue whatever they’re doing, they’re doing a great job.
The Red Hook Star-Revue Advertiser News
ADVERTISING RATES 1 month $1100 $750 $400 $250 $150
Full Page Half Page Quarter Page Eighth Page Sixteenth Page Display Classified Line Classified Website Ad
Gowanus CSO Facility Updates: October 2018 Edition By: Erin DeGregorio
G
owanus residents and nearby neighbors were satisfied, overall, with the new schematic designs for the incoming CSO tank facility, which were unveiled at the Community Board 6 Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee meeting on October 17. This follows community suggestions made at the first North Gowanus Visioning session, hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin’s office, on July 25. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced more head house details, a revised list of materials that will be used and an outline of proposed open space features. The EPA, which is overseeing the Superfund project, has required the city to build a Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) facility at the head end of the Gowanus Canal at Nevins and Butler Streets. The purpose of the CSO facility, which will have an eight-million-gallon capacity, is to limit the amount of sewage going into the Gowanus Canal. In addition to cleaning the canal, EPA has to make sure it doesn’t get polluted again. The canal is polluted not only by chemicals, but by a century of raw sewage that floods the canal every time it rains a lot.
Prospective View of CSO Facility from Nevins and Douglass Streets. By Selldorf Associates
by to partially see the CSO tank and machinery inside. Kevin Keating, an associate and studio director of Selldorf Architects, continued the conversation by presenting the updated design for the head house. While the building’s exterior was announced to be whitecolored terracotta in July, Keating said the color has changed since then – now becoming brick-colored, based on the public’s initial reactions. It will also feature aluminum, concrete, copper, corten steel, galvanized steel, and terracotta louvres that will rotate on the building. “Gowanus is a little bit gritty, it has character. We looked around the
Superfund group feels neglected By: Erin DeGregorio
G
owanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) members expressed their frustration at their general monthly meeting, held on October 23, that schematic designs for the incoming Gowanus CSO Facility had not been shown to them. This follows the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s latest presentation at the Community Board 6 Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee meeting that took place on October 17. Doug Sarno, the Gowanus Canal CAG Facilitator, said he invited the DEP to come to CAG’s October meeting, but DEP couldn’t make it, although they promised to send someone to a meeting in the near future. The group also complained that for the second month in a row, the Superfund project Chief Engineer Christos Tsiamis was not in attendance to provide his usual pithy project updates. “We would like to be a part of whatever design happens as a CAG,” said Chrissy Remein of Riverkeeper. “Part of the magic of this CAG is that
G
Kevin Keating presents schematic designs for the Gowanus CSO Facility
Head House The head house, slated to be where the Gowanus Station Building is now (234 Butler Street), is projected to take up 2.4 acres and will be slightly shorter in height than the old publishing plant for R. G. Dun & Company (located across the way at 255 Butler Street). Alicia West, director of pubic design outreach for DEP, said the head house is going to have electrical and mechanical components, odor control, and screens that will remove debris that comes in with sewage as it enters the facility. The building will have some areas of transparency for individuals walking
we get to ask very technical questions and, while we’re here, have those technical answers. So in order for this CAG to function we need access to that.” It was also brought up that information tallied from the first North Gowanus Visioning session (hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin’s office on July 25) could be improved and updated, as it did not represent all of CAG’s perspectives. Peter Reich, the formal CAG liaison to the North Gowanus Visioning Committee, has been encouraging CAG members to submit their thoughts, so the tally can be updated and forwarded to the city. Following that, EPA’s community spokesperson, Natalie Loney, who did attend, reassured members that Tsiamis and attorney Brian Carr will make subsequent meetings. “The conversation is expanding as we’re getting further and further along in the process,” she said. “I really encourage as many perspectives as possible because we want to be
Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
supported by the entire community, rather than a portion of it.” In other business, Janet Aitchison was admitted as a new member-atlarge. The October meeting had the highest amount of members in attendance this calendar year so far – 24 members, when the average for quorum is 10. CAG members agreed that future meetings should be held in other locations throughout the area, similar to what CB6 does every month. The next and last general CAG meeting for 2018 will take place on Tuesday, November 27, 6:30 pm at St. Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments (41 1st Street). All CAG meetings are open to the public – one need not be a member to attend. If anyone is interested in joining the Gowanus Canal CAG, visit gowanuscag.org.
Gowanus CSO Facility Updates: October 2018 Edition By: Erin DeGregorio
neighborhood and absorbed that,” Keating explained. He also said that they worked with the engineers to pull back the building a bit from the property line. A walkway to the facility will be made at the corner of Butler and Nevins Streets as a means to engage with and educate the public. This will allow people to come up to a digital display affixed to the building. “We hope we can curate this – show the history of Gowanus, what it’s about, what the facility is about, [and] what the DEP does overall as an organization,” Keating said. Gowanus Station Building During the community roundtable portion of the North Gowanus Visioning session in July, some felt the Gowanus Station building’s façade could be deconstructed and reused when making a potential entryway to the canal; others were all for preserving the building. However, it was announced at the meeting that some pediment, brickwork, terracotta scrolls and granite sills would be salvaged and reintegrated into the canal’s future esplanade and a brick wall along Butler Street. A few members from the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG), who were in attendance, voiced their disappointment that DEP had not consulted their group with design plans/presentations. One member also said the Gowanus Station building is “significant” in the neighborhood, as it is eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Places. “The EPA is working with the State Historic Preservation Office to determine the direction that they would like us to take with the preservation aspect of this project,” West responded. “We are waiting on them to give us some sense of the direction they’d like us to go.”
Head House The head house, slated to be where the Gowanus Station Building is now (234 Butler Street), is projected to take up 2.4 acres and will be slightly shorter in height than the old publishing plant for R. G. Dun & Company (located across the way at 255 Butler Street). Alicia West, director of pubic design outreach for DEP, said the head house is going to have electrical and mechanical components, odor control, and screens that will remove debris that comes in with sewage as it enters the facility. The building will have some areas of transparency for individuals walking
by to partially see the CSO tank and machinery inside. Kevin Keating, an associate and studio director of Selldorf Architects, continued the conversation by presenting the updated design for the head house. While the building’s exterior was announced to be whitecolored terracotta in July, Keating said the color has changed since then – now becoming brick-colored, based on the public’s initial reactions. It will also feature aluminum, concrete, copper, corten steel, galvanized steel, and terracotta louvres that will rotate on the building. “Gowanus is a little bit gritty, it has character. We looked around the
Superfund group feels neglected
G
owanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) members expressed their frustration at their general monthly meeting, held on October 23, that schematic designs for the incoming Gowanus CSO Facility had not been shown to them. This follows the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s latest presentation at the Community Board 6 Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee meeting that took place on October 17. Doug Sarno, the Gowanus Canal CAG Facilitator, said he invited the DEP to come to CAG’s October meeting, but DEP couldn’t make it, although they promised to send someone to a meeting in the near future. The group also complained that for the second month in a row, the Superfund project Chief Engineer Christos Tsiamis was not in attendance to provide his usual pithy project updates. “We would like to be a part of whatever design happens as a CAG,” said Chrissy Remein of Riverkeeper. “Part of the magic of this CAG is that
Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
we get to ask very technical questions and, while we’re here, have those technical answers. So in order for this CAG to function we need access to that.” It was also brought up that information tallied from the first North Gowanus Visioning session (hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin’s office on July 25) could be improved and updated, as it did not represent all of CAG’s perspectives. Peter Reich, the formal CAG liaison to the North Gowanus Visioning Committee, has been encouraging CAG members to submit their thoughts, so the tally can be updated and forwarded to the city. Following that, EPA’s community spokesperson, Natalie Loney, who did attend, reassured members that Tsiamis and attorney Brian Carr will make subsequent meetings. “The conversation is expanding as we’re getting further and further along in the process,” she said. “I really encourage as many perspectives as possible because we want to be
supported by the entire community, rather than a portion of it.” In other business, Janet Aitchison was admitted as a new member-atlarge. The October meeting had the highest amount of members in attendance this calendar year so far – 24 members, when the average for quorum is 10. CAG members agreed that future meetings should be held in other locations throughout the area, similar to what CB6 does every month. The next and last general CAG meeting for 2018 will take place on Tuesday, November 27, 6:30 pm at St. Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments (41 1st Street). All CAG meetings are open to the public – one need not be a member to attend. If anyone is interested in joining the Gowanus Canal CAG, visit gowanuscag.org.
www.star-revue.com
Gowanus CSO Facility Updates: October 2018 Edition By: Erin DeGregorio
G
Kevin Keating presents schematic designs for the Gowanus CSO Facility
By: Erin DeGregorio
continued on next page November 2018
Prospective View of CSO Facility from Nevins and Douglass Streets. By Selldorf Associates
Full page 9.75” wide x 15.5” tall
owanus residents and nearby neighbors were satisfied, overall, with the new schematic designs for the incoming CSO tank facility, which were unveiled at the Community Board 6 Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee meeting on October 17. This follows community suggestions made at the first North Gowanus Visioning session, hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin’s office, on July 25. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced more head house details, a revised list of materials that will be used and an outline of proposed open space features. The EPA, which is overseeing the Superfund project, has required the city to build a Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) facility at the head end of the Gowanus Canal at Nevins and Butler Streets. The purpose of the CSO facility, which will have an eight-million-gallon capacity, is to limit the amount of sewage going into the Gowanus Canal. In addition to cleaning the canal, EPA has to make sure it doesn’t get polluted again. The canal is polluted not only by chemicals, but by a century of raw sewage that floods the canal every time it rains a lot.
Public Open Space While the mostly underground tank is expected to take up one acre, 1.6
www.star-revue.com
3 months 6 months 12 months $700 $600 $500 per month $550 $325 $300 per month $300 $200 $150 per month $175 $150 $100 per month $125 $100 $60 per month $60 per month (3.75” wide x 2” tall) $35 per month (up to 5 lines, approx. 25 words) $100 per week
neighborhood and absorbed that,” Keating explained. He also said that they worked with the engineers to pull back the building a bit from the property line. A walkway to the facility will be made at the corner of Butler and Nevins Streets as a means to engage with and educate the public. This will allow people to come up to a digital display affixed to the building. “We hope we can curate this – show the history of Gowanus, what it’s about, what the facility is about, [and] what the DEP does overall as an organization,” Keating said. Gowanus Station Building During the community roundtable portion of the North Gowanus Visioning session in July, some felt the Gowanus Station building’s façade could be deconstructed and reused when making a potential entryway to the canal; others were all for preserving the building. However, it was announced at the meeting that some pediment, brickwork, terracotta scrolls and granite sills would be salvaged and reintegrated into the canal’s future esplanade and a brick wall along Butler Street. A few members from the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG), who were in attendance, voiced their disappointment that DEP had not consulted their group with design plans/presentations. One member also said the Gowanus Station building is “significant” in the neighborhood, as it is eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Places. “The EPA is working with the State Historic Preservation Office to determine the direction that they would like us to take with the preservation aspect of this project,” West responded. “We are waiting on them to give us some sense of the direction they’d like us to go.” Public Open Space While the mostly underground tank is expected to take up one acre, 1.6
continued on next page November 2018
owanus residents and nearby neighbors were satisfied, overall, with the new schematic designs for the incoming CSO tank facility, which were unveiled at the Community Board 6 Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee meeting on October 17. This follows community suggestions made at the first North Gowanus Visioning session, hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin’s office, on July 25. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced more head house details, a revised list of materials that will be used and an outline of proposed open space features. The EPA, which is overseeing the Superfund project, has required the city to build a Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) facility at the head end of the Gowanus Canal at Nevins and Butler Streets. The purpose of the CSO facility, which will have an eight-million-gallon capacity, is to limit the amount of sewage going into the Gowanus Canal. In addition to cleaning the canal, EPA has to make sure it doesn’t get polluted again. The canal is polluted not only by chemicals, but by a century of raw sewage that floods the canal every time it rains a lot.
Change Your Life with Three Pages Head to the Park Slope Barnes & Noble and Discover How to Get Published in 5 Weeks
‘E
verybody has a story. But few know how to tell it well, where to send it, or how to convince an editor to pay for their words,” writes Professor Susan Shapiro in her latest book, The Byline Bible: Get Published in 5 Weeks, which is the print version of her wildly popular class, Instant Gratification Takes Too Long.
Kevin Keating presents schematic designs for the Gowanus CSO Facility
by to partially see the CSO tank and machinery inside. Kevin Keating, an associate and studio director of Selldorf Architects, continued the conversation by presenting the updated design for the head house. While the building’s exterior was announced to be whitecolored terracotta in July, Keating said the color has changed since then – now becoming brick-colored, based on the public’s initial reactions. It will also feature aluminum, concrete, copper, corten steel, galvanized steel, and terracotta louvres that will rotate on the building. “Gowanus is a little bit gritty, it has character. We looked around the
Head House The head house, slated to be where the Gowanus Station Building is now (234 Butler Street), is projected to take up 2.4 acres and will be slightly shorter in height than the old publishing plant for R. G. Dun & Company (located across the way at 255 Butler Street). Alicia West, director of pubic design outreach for DEP, said the head house is going to have electrical and mechanical components, odor control, and screens that will remove debris that comes in with sewage as it enters the facility. The building will have some areas of transparency for individuals walking
The inspiring bestseller began as a packet Shapiro used to hand out to students. It included how-to articles she’d written for Writer’s Digest, as well as examples of her favorite essays crafted by her students. Finally, after editors and pupils alike got after her to make the document official, Shapiro put it into publishable form.
neighborhood and absorbed that,” Keating explained. He also said that they worked with the engineers to pull back the building a bit from the property line. A walkway to the facility will be made at the corner of Butler and Nevins Streets as a means to engage with and educate the public. This will allow people to come up to a digital display affixed to the building. “We hope we can curate this – show the history of Gowanus, what it’s about, what the facility is about, [and] what the DEP does overall as an organization,” Keating said.
“I’m glad I waited. I have a stronger platform now,” says the writing mentor, who for twentyfive rewarding years has shown 25,000 students her method to success, from which there have come countless print and online essays, and 150 book deals. So, how did this black-clad, Michigan native with an MFA from NYU emerge as a literary guru?
Half page horiz. 9.75” wide x 7.5” tall
Superfund group feels neglected By: Erin DeGregorio
G
Star ª Revue Picks
Prospective View of CSO Facility from Nevins and Douglass Streets. By Selldorf Associates
owanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) members expressed their frustration at their general monthly meeting, held on October 23, that schematic designs for the incoming Gowanus CSO Facility had not been shown to them. This follows the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s latest presentation at the Community Board 6 Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee meeting that took place on October 17. Doug Sarno, the Gowanus Canal CAG Facilitator, said he invited the DEP to come to CAG’s October meeting, but DEP couldn’t make it, although they promised to send someone to a meeting in the near future. The group also complained that for the second month in a row, the Superfund project Chief Engineer Christos Tsiamis was not in attendance to provide his usual pithy project updates. “We would like to be a part of whatever design happens as a CAG,” said Chrissy Remein of Riverkeeper. “Part of the magic of this CAG is that
we get to ask very technical questions and, while we’re here, have those technical answers. So in order for this CAG to function we need access to that.” It was also brought up that information tallied from the first North Gowanus Visioning session (hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin’s office on July 25) could be improved and updated, as it did not represent all of CAG’s perspectives. Peter Reich, the formal CAG liaison to the North Gowanus Visioning Committee, has been encouraging CAG members to submit their thoughts, so the tally can be updated and forwarded to the city. Following that, EPA’s community spokesperson, Natalie Loney, who did attend, reassured members that Tsiamis and attorney Brian Carr will make subsequent meetings. “The conversation is expanding as we’re getting further and further along in the process,” she said. “I really encourage as many perspectives as possible because we want to be
Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
supported by the entire community, rather than a portion of it.” In other business, Janet Aitchison was admitted as a new member-atlarge. The October meeting had the highest amount of members in attendance this calendar year so far – 24 members, when the average for quorum is 10. CAG members agreed that future meetings should be held in other locations throughout the area, similar to what CB6 does every month. The next and last general CAG meeting for 2018 will take place on Tuesday, November 27, 6:30 pm at St. Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments (41 1st Street). All CAG meetings are open to the public – one need not be a member to attend. If anyone is interested in joining the Gowanus Canal CAG, visit gowanuscag.org.
Gowanus Station Building During the community roundtable portion of the North Gowanus Visioning session in July, some felt the Gowanus Station building’s façade could be deconstructed and reused when making a potential entryway to the canal; others were all for preserving the building. However, it was announced at the meeting that some pediment, brickwork, terracotta scrolls and granite sills would be salvaged and reintegrated into the canal’s future esplanade and a brick wall along Butler Street. A few members from the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG), who were in attendance, voiced their disappointment that DEP had not consulted their group with design plans/presentations. One member also said the Gowanus Station building is “significant” in the neighborhood, as it is eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Places. “The EPA is working with the State Historic Preservation Office to determine the direction that they would like us to take with the preservation aspect of this project,” West responded. “We are waiting on them to give us some sense of the direction they’d like us to go.”
“Since the ‘80s, I’ve been obsessed. My whole life revolved around writing and getting published.” But what began as a way to make a living, became a calling. “I saw that writing is a way to turn your worst experiences into the most beautiful. Essays then led me to books.” The next logical step was to help launch other voices. “It’s good karma.” So much so, that not only have exciting and great things happened for Shapiro’s students, but for her too. The Byline Bible is her twelfth published manuscript, being used in graduate, college and high school classrooms, as well as by professionals, and novices trying to break in. Its publication means that now even more writers can gain from Shapiro’s experience with thousands of editors. Former student Elana Rabinowitz, who didn’t even have to wait until Shapiro’s class was over before getting published, says, “Sue has a rare gift. Aside from the fundamentals, she gives her students support, guidance and direction. She pushes you to be your better self.”
Public Open Space While the mostly underground tank is expected to take up one acre, 1.6
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Proof that her generosity goes be-
November 2018
Red Hook Star-Revue
estreet.org. Drop-ins are welcome. Bialy Rock Music Class for Infants & Toddlers every Friday from 10 to 10:45 am. Children accompanied by caregivers will sing, dance and play instruments to English and Hebrew songs, led by Ora Fruchter and her puppet, Ketchup. Please sign up on-line at kanestreet. org/bialy-rock. The cost is $25 per class for drop-ins and there are discounted multi-class packs for members: 6 sessions for $70 and 12 sessions for $130; and for non-members: 6 sessions for $125; 12 sessions for $225. For more information, please contact Rabbi Valerie Lieber. River of God Christian Center 110 Wolcott Street Thanksgiving Generation Worship & Dinner on Sunday, November 18 at 11 am. Let’s all join in, give thanks to the Lord and break bread in unity. Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Street Parish Thanksgiving Mass on Wednesday, November 21 at 7 pm. Food will be collected and delivered to Visitation Parish. Christmas Star Steeple Lighting on Saturday, December 8 following the 5:30 Mass. St. Agnes/ St. Paul’s Parish Hoyt & Sackett Streets/234 Congress Street Young at Heart Meetings on Wednesdays at 1 pm in St. Agnes Hall. Girl Scouts on Fridays at 6:45 pm in St. Agnes Hall. Boy Scouts on Fridays at 7 pm in St. Paul Hall. St. Boniface 190 Duffield Street Christmas Craft Fair on December 2 from 10 am - 3 pm in Newman Hall. Craft tables are available for $50 per table. Please contact lauriechaumont@ gmail.com to reserve a table. “What’s That Flapping Sound?”: An Advent Retreat on the Angels on Saturday, December 7 from 11 am - 4 pm. In our wrenching times, we need all the help we can get! Looking at what the Bible, the Catholic tradition, and great works of art say about God’s messengers, guardians and friends. Led by Nadine Hundertmark, M.Div., and Rob Meadows-Rogers, Ph.D., retired Fordham art history professor.
us closer to God? “Being Christian” is a series exploring the Episcopal Church’s approach to fundamentals of Christian piety. Bring your questions, concerns, visions and hopes about what it might mean to worship God as disciples of Jesus in the 21st century.
vember 14 at 7 pm in Spanish and Friday, November 30 at 7 pm in English. Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 1 from 9 - 11:30 am. Cost is $5 per child/adult and one adult must be present per family. Call 718-624-1572 to reserve a seat. St. John Bread and Life Mobile Soup
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church 157 Montague Street Book of Books Book Club will meet on the first Thursday of each month from 7:00-8:30 pm. The goal is to read the entire Old Testament/Hebrew Bible by May 2, 2019. Those who join the group can read the entire thing, read the essential stories chosen from each month’s reading, or read just the few stories/passages that we’ll discuss at the monthly meeting. A reading schedule is available at www.craigdtownsend.com. “Being Christian” Series continues on November 11 (Church) at 10:15-11 am or 12:45-1:30 pm. What does it mean to be a Christian? How does an Episcopalian approach the Eucharist and the Bible? In what ways do Christian worship, tradition and community draw
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“I’m usually asking Sue for favors, but this time she approached me,” says the educator. “RELC is a lowincome school. I’m always writing grants and looking for donors to try to get basic supplies and technology. With the right tools and resources, my students in particular, who are immigrants, could soar.” The middle school, located in Fort Greene and the alma mater of Spike Lee, has as its motto: The Home of Scholars, Artists and Champions. Its mission is to motivate and develop urban children into tomorrow’s leaders through an accelerated curriculum with fine and performing arts, science, and technology. Any purchases made in-store on the day of the event, November 14th (or online until November 19th) will have a percentage of the sales donated to the school. The Bookfair voucher number to benefit RELC is 12432696. Rabinowitz, who will be reading at the function, often shares the techniques she’s learned from Susan Shapiro in her own classes. “My hope is that my students will one day be published, especially in today’s climate when the voices of immigrants need to be heard.” The Byline Bible reading is with Susan Shapiro, Elana Rabinowitz, Seth Kugel, Gigi Blanchard, Judith Glynn, Branden Janese, Eli Reiter & Darnell McGee on November 14 from 6-8 pm at the Park Slope Barnes & Noble, 267 7th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215, 718-8329066, and will benefit students at the Ronald Edmonds Learning Center—M.S. 113 in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
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Story and photos by Nathan Weiser
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Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street Healing Mass on Wednesday, No-
Her current altruistic effort is a Barnes & Noble fundraiser for the Brooklyn’s Ronald Edmonds Learning Center M.S. 113, where Rabinowitz is an ESL teacher.
T
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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Clinton & Carroll Streets Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble on November 16 at 8 pm. $25 for general admission, $15 for students. Will include the works of American composers such as Elliot Carter and Aaron Copland and American poets such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Langston Hughes, to name a few, as well as the world premiere of New York composer Susan Kander featuring the poetry of Willliam Carlos Williams. 30th Annual Auction on Saturday, December 1. Tickets on sale after Mass. Great auction items, excellent food and fellowship!
yond giving students the heads up about writing gigs or the names of editors at specific publications is how Shapiro often creates book events to benefit charities.
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76th Precinct talks crime, shooting films, and parking
Kitchen on Tuesdays from 1 pm - 2:30 pm and Fridays from 10 am - 12 noon (except first Fridays of the month). Extraordinary Minister, Lector and Usher Workshop on Saturday, December 1 from 9 am - 3:30 pm at Bishop Kearney High School, 2202 60th Street. Sign up at rectory.
St. Mary Star of the Sea Church 467 Court Street Thanksgiving Day Mass at 9 am. You are welcome to bring an item of food that you will share with your family later at table to be blessed. 4th Annual Family Christmas Sing-ALong and Children’s Nativity on Sunday, December 16 at 2 pm. Reconciliation/Confession on Monday, December 17 from 4 - 8 pm. Our 167th Annual Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24. Parish Family Christmas Mass at 10 am on Tuesday, December 25. 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.
Elana Rabinowitz is just one of the authors reading from The Byline Bible at Barmes and Noble Nov. 14 6-8 p.m.
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lems,” Jerry Armer said. “You don’t pictures that he has and thanked meetings the second Wednesday he 76th Precinct is the have to wait until you come here. him for bringing this issue to the preof the month. The LinkNYC kiosks neighborhood police disYou can stop them on the street but cinct’s attention have details in bright green detailing trict. Once a month they you can also go to the meetings evwhere the meetings will be. hold a public meeting in ery quarter.” The meetings are called NCO Officers their basement, on Union Street beBuild the Block. Armer then had the Neighborhood The politicos tween Hicks and Henry. Jerry Armer The next meeting for sector C will Coordination Officers introduce There were representatives from a hosts the meetings, and the top cop, be on December 12 at the Red Hook themselves. Sargeant Kimberle Aufew elected officials at the meeting Officer Megan O’Malley, answers Library. Sector D will have their gustine, who is the NCO Supervisor that share information. questions from anyone who comes meeting on October 24 at the new introduced herself first. Carlos Menchaca is the NYC to ask. Council Member for DisAt the October meeting, trict 38, which includes Red she pointed out a few isHook. A worker in his office sues in an otherwise quiet said that they have kicked month for policing. off their participatory bud“We did see an increase geting. They get input from in grand larceny autos, community members on which was mostly a pattern how to spend $2.5 million of we had earlier in the sumthe capital budget. mer with VESPAs,” O’Malley They are looking to insaid. “We made several arclude input from people rests and we seem to have who live in Red Hook on abated that problem. There how to spend the $2.5 milwas an occasional motorlion. They are trying to get cycle here or there.” more people involved in The precinct has seen budget allocation and need an increase in bicycle robhelp deciding the projects beries. Recent thefts have that will be chosen to imincluded bikes left in courtprove the community. yards, in front of buildings Karen Broughton, who is or ones without sturdy from Assistant Speaker Felix locks. O’Malley reminded Ortiz’s office, said that they everyone that bike owners are planning a few events can come to the precinct and one of them will be one with their vehicle and have around Thanksgiving. a secret code etched onto They have also been it. That way recovered bikes Mathews Mallex and Corran Nazere, Officers of the Month, with Deputy Inspector Megan O’Malley working on projects relating can be returned to owners. Drunk driving arrests have increased this year. This increase is as a result of the midnight officers, two of which were at the meeting. Two of those were October’s Cops of the Month . Cops of the month One night, around 3 am, Officers Mathews Mallex and Corran Nazere were at the corner of Douglass and Hoyt observing a suspicious male, in possession of construction materials. The officers approached him since they were aware of past burglaries at construction sites in the area. “In doing so they observed a large quantity of copper wire labeled with Con Edison’s logo,” O’Malley said. “The male admitted to his participation in a ring of construction site robberies.” Police Parking A neighborhood resident who lives close to the precinct has noticed issues with parking, especially right near 191 Union Street. He wanted to know how parking is authorized on the block in front of the precinct. O’Malley said that the police cars have authorization from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to park the way they do outside the precinct. The resident said that the issues he has seen don’t just relate to squad cars but also people’s personal vehicles on the sidewalk. He added that he has many pictures with cars with placards that don’t have license plate numbers or tags. O’Malley requested seeing the
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Officers John Asanesco and Lauren Maragni are in sector A. Officers Justin Fausto and Kelsey Mahne are in sector B in Gowanus. Officers Vegnel Jovin and Krystal Class are in sector D, which covers Van Brunt Street. Officers Damien Clarke and Jonathan Rueda are in sector D, which covers most of the public housing development. “Depending on which sector you live in, you are invited to meet them and discuss with them any prob-
“The mayor’s office of film and TV production and also the Community Board is the best place to complain [about movie shoots].” —Jerry Armer
Red Hook Senior Center at 6:30 pm. The Build the Block is on the 76th Precinct Facebook account. Too many movie shoots Roberto Gil, who is the owner of Casa Kids on Ferris Street between Coffey and Van Dyke (106 Ferris Street), said that he missed getting an important package on the day of the meeting and wanted to know what could be done about this. “There was a huge crew that was filming so the UPS truck could not back up and come back to the business,” Gil said. “Is this the proper place to complain about excessive film shoots?” “The mayor’s office of film and TV production and also the Community Board is the best place to complain,” Armer told Gil. “Unfortunately, the 76th, as does a few other precincts, is a prime place and location for filming movies and TV shows. NYC goes out of their way to make these production companies welcome.” Gil added that every other week he has complaints regarding film shoots. Customers can’t find parking. This was the first time that a film crew prevented a package from being delivered.
to the NYCHA development in Red Hook since there is lots of construction happening and more to come. “The corridor on Clinton street is basically vacant now,” Broughton said. “Everyone has moved out. That is because they have to raise it to flood level. All of the tenants are gone. They are looking to move in February. It is unknown now how long everyone will be in temporary housing. The apartments will on the corridor on Columbia Street across from Ms. Marshall’s office.
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The Community Board says hi Mike Racciopo, who is the new District Manager for Community Board Six, came to remind everyone about the October full board meeting that was going to be happening the next week. Community Board Six has their
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Spotlight on Liz Galvin Sales Manager for The Red Hook Star-Revue, Liz Galvin is no stranger to the area. Moving to Brooklyn in 1997, Liz settled into Carroll Gardens Liz Galvin and Red Hook for the early years then bouncing around from Brooklyn Heights, to Williamsburg, even Kensington and Greenpoint! Finally back where she considers home, Liz has been living in Red Hook for 5 years now along with the two apples of her eyes; her cats Audrey and Tony. You may know her from hanging out at Bait & Tackle or Ice House or recognize her from working at The Good Fork or Sunny’s Bar or maybe just on the street— Liz is always running around! She is also a Brooklyn real estate agent and bartends at Olympia Bar in Dumbo! Find her on: Facebook both at www.facebook.com/liz.galvin1 and https://www.facebook.com/LizGalvinRealEstateAgent/ and Instagram: @lizgalvin
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Start your order today! TINA’S STORY—FRIENDS OF P.S. 15 My name is Tina Heslin and I’m the chairperson for Friends of P.S. 15. We’re a nonprofit that supports P.S. 15 in Red Hook, NY. The Friends of P.S.15 was a group that started to help bring the community and the school together; to see what can the community do to help support our elementary school in our neighborhood.
I find the Red Hook Star-Revue to be affordable for advertising, especially being a non-profit.
I live in Cobble Hill and every time I would come down to Fairway, I picked up a copy of the Star-Revue. We decided to advertise as a way to reach the community in Red Hook and also other parts of Brooklyn. ... All I had to do was provide what the meat of the advertisement was and [the Star-Revue staff] created something wonderful. Like, wow! I never would have been able to create that! So my ads have always been wonderful with the help of the staff... I find the Red Hook Star-Revue to be affordable for advertising, especially being a non-profit. We want to make sure all our money goes to the students, and it really helps that they care about what we’re spending, and what we want to advertise in spending. So thank you!
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