The
Winner: Best Small Circulation Publication
Red Hook StarªRevue
JANUARY 2018
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
AFTER DESTROYING LICH, CUOMO SETS HIS SIGHT ON RED HOOK by George Fiala
L
ocals were undoubtedly surprised to see sleepy Red Hook pop up in the middle of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent State-ofthe-State address.
infrastructure builders in the world, has grabbed his ear.
Hook got a ferry stop in Atlantic Terminal last summer.
Cuomo’s ideas are a direct echo of the AECOM plan that Ward has been pushing since last year.
He told us and the rest of the state that we have “untapped potential,” and deserve a spanking new subway station in the middle of Atlantic Basin, right near our new ferry - a project of his arch-enemy de Blasio.
The plan involves replacing the Red Hook Container Terminal, and much of the rest of our working waterfront, with gleaming skyscrapers—more than tripling the local population. His company, AECOM, helps build subways, which Ward sees necessary to support the new structures.
We also saw the kind of events that could take place in our backyard with the Formula E races one weekend last summer.
Not content with adding just a subway to our neighborhood, he declared that the container terminal in the Columbia Waterfront District was not very productive and should really move to Sunset Park, freeing up the waterfront for more lucrative activities than mere shipping. No doubt onetime Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward, who now works for AECOM, one of the largest
Red Hookers have long seen the Cruise Terminal area, which includes Shed 11, as having potential. It has been the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), who controls that side of the waterfront, that has stifled our desires to share the waterfront with the stevedore. Finally, but only after a fight, Red
The Port Authority, who controls the container terminal, has been unwilling to facilitate some community use of underutilized areas of the terminal, instead leasing the land to garbage companies and some sketchy looking trucks. Chris Ward and AECOM are here to stay—the international firm just leased office space in Sunset Park’s Industry City and will be welcomed at the end of the month with a big party sponsored by EDC and the Brooklyn
Chamber of Commerce. Ward tells the Star-Revue that the subway/skyscraper plan is simply the beginning of a conversation—and that his planners are always interested to listen to the neighborhood. Write to him at AECOM, 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158; Chris. Ward@aecom.com.
Seniors get their own center, and Miccio gets its basement back! by George Fiala
More than five years after their Wolcott Street was damaged by the Hurricane Sandy floodwaters, Red Hook seniors finally moved into a new building of their own. Since the hurricane, seniors were allowed a half day, which included lunch, in the basement of the Miccio Center, 110 West 9th Street. The building next to the Miccio had housed a head-start program, which moved out in 2012. After Sandy, City Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez funded what was thought to be enough money to refurbish the building for the seniors in one years time. Three years and $3 or more million dollars later, the building finally opened with a dance party, lunch, all day programs, a computer room, and new offices for the Raices staff. Still unthought about is the large backyard that had been used as a playground for the children. No doubt the seniors, who can still shake a tail-feather, will provide many ideas to Councilman Menchaca and NYCHA.
MORE OPENING DAY PHOTOS ON PAGE 11
Table of Contents Happenings.............................................2 Look behind and ahead......................12 Religious News.....................................4,5 Pioneer Books......................................14 Good Shepherd.......................................7 January to do......................................14 Red Hook Star-Revue
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Columbia Street
Molese Christmas
pages 3
page 15 January 2018, Page 1
The
Red Hook StarªRevue
481 Van Brunt Street, 8A Brooklyn, NY 11231
Jan. Happenings
(718) 624-5568
email happenings@ redhookstar.com to list your event. For more listings, check out our online community calendar at www.star-revue.com/calendar
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George Fiala R: Nathan Weiser Alex Rodriguez Ramaa Reddy Raghavan C: Halley Bondy, Arts Laura Eng, Religion Emily Kluver, Features Matt Caprioli, Arts Mary Ann Pietanza Sofia Baluyut Adrian Bacolo Tina Portelli 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
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Come learn virtual bowling and prepare to take part in next spring’s Library Lanes Thurs. Championship Compe��on. Library Lanes will happen at the Red Hook Library (7 Wolco� Street) from 10:30 to 12:00 pm.
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Four Simultaneous Soloists: A series of performances organized by David Grubbs will take place at Pioneer Works (159 Fri. Pioneer Street). This series of musical performances scheduled to take place within the exhibi�on imagines four performers (soloists) experienced individually or as an ensemble. During each performance, four musicians are dispersed equidistantly throughout Pioneer Works’ 130-foot main hall, each situated adjacent to a solid light piece. The doors will open at 7 pm and the performance starts at 7:30 pm. One �cket costs $15.
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On Monday, January 22nd, 2018, DHS will conduct its annual Homeless Outreach Popula�on Es�mate (HOPE), a citywide Mon. community volunteer effort to count every New Yorker sleeping on the street across the five boroughs during the coldest �me of the year. h�ps:// hope.dhsportal.nyc
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Permits & Licenses Commi�ee Mee�ng, Community Board 6; 6:30 – 8:30 pm
250 Bal�c St, Presenta�on and review of a new on-premises liquor license applica�on submi�ed to the State Liquor Authority on behalf of Haenyeo Corp. at 239 5th Avenue (between Carroll/President Streets). Presenta�on and review of an altera�on to a current on-premises liquor license applica�on submi�ed to the State Liquor Authority on behalf of Popina NYC LLC at 127 Columbia Street (between Kane/Degraw Streets).Community invited Tues.
The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) will have a mee�ng from 6:30 un�l 9 pm at St. Mary’s Residence (41 First Street).
Na�onal Community Service Program, Americorps/ VISTA 6 pm – 8 pm; Wyckoff Gardens Community Center, 280 Wyckoff St, For NYCHA tenants. Explains Americorps/VISTA as well as opportuni�es for s�pends, college awards, while avoiding rent increase. For more informa�on, call (718) 222-5819 ext 203
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And/With Conversa�on at Pioneer Works
Pioneer Works 159 Pioneer St; in collabora�on with BELLADONNA*, this is Tues. the first “And/With” event of 2018 where mul�disciplinary ar�sts Baseera Khan, Göksu Kunak, and Maryam Monalisa Gharavi will discuss wri�ng and ar�s�c prac�ce. Includes Q&A and readings.
25 Wed.
CB 6 Landmarks & Land Use Commi�ee Mee�ng Park Slope Armory YMCA , 361 15th Street 6 pm
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Redemp�on Church Vision Sunday 11 am – 1 pm; Redemp�on Church, 767 Hicks St; Redemp�on Church will be hos�ng Sun. its first of three “Vision Sunday” events. Redemp�on Church intends to share with the community their Vision and Mission in serving the Red Hook Community.
ONGOING
E & P:
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 718243-1528 for more informa�on.
Supper Club with Frankies; 457 First Supper Club of 2018 for Pioneer Works. Includes Chef Danny Amend Pioneer Works 159 Pioneer St, Solar Panel Installa�on Training; Learn the skills to start a career in Solar Panel Installa�on. Take this 6-week course and receive a s�pend while earning the industry cer�fica�ons from North American Board Cer�fied Energy Prac��oners (NABCEP) and Occupa�onal Safety and Health Administra�on (OSHA) as well as a 4-hour Scaffolding Cer�fica�on. 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Red Hook Ini�a�ve, 767 Hicks St (Must be at last 18 years old, unemployed, a Red Hook resident, eligible to work in the US legally, able to li� 50 lbs, and able to score 8th grade level on a reading and math screening.)
Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St. (718) 522-3880 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 Red Hook NCOs Damien Clarke – Damien.Clarke@nypd.org Jonathan Rueda – Jonathan.Rueda@nypd. org – 917-941-2185
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January 2018
NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY, by TINA PORTELLI
Growing up on Columbia Street
Editors Note: We published the first half of this story in November. Tina began her tale this way: If you never saw Columbia Street before 1960, you missed a lot. The street is still there; the sidewalks, the street sign, but the stores, the people, the charm are all gone. That strip of avenue is unrecognizable, now lined with barrack type housing and no character at all. Here is part two: In those days, no one had money, at least not my family. My parents furnished their entire apartment from Sokol Brothers Furniture Store. Furniture on credit, no interest, no contract, just an agreement kept track on a 3 X 5 lined index card. This was real old fashion mahogany, not the pressboard stuff passed off as furniture today. There on Columbia Street near Union Street stood the BIG Clock. If you ever had to meet anybody, it was always under “The Big Clock.” That’s where the Shoe Box shoe store was located. Every end of August my mother would take me in for school shoes. I would always wind up getting smacked, because I wanted loafers, and she insisted on ugly laced oxfords. I never won, but I do have a closet full of shoes today, and none of them have laces. My Easter outfit was always purchased at Mrs. Summers, a small clothing store run by an elderly Jewish lady. Hers was another store I often got smacked in. I hated hats and every Easter my mother would insist I wear one, the most ridiculous assortment of bows and fake flowers. I looked goofy enough without that straw upon my head. On Easter Sunday, with my young aunt, we’d be on our way to Mass at St. Stephens Church, but when far enough from the house, I would pull the hat off and replace it with a tiny lace chapel cap.
As we’d walk home toward Woodhull Street, we’d meet many of our relatives on the way. My mother’s Uncle Lefty Big Ears (They all had nicknames) would be hanging out by his house on President Street, in front of Gargulio Florist. He’d be dressed in a suit, no matter the season, surrounded by his loyal friends, ex-long shore men and excons. He could take your watch right off your arm and you’d never know it. He did that for entertainment for the kids while producing a quarter from behind your ear.
Cigar smoking men
Next door was their club, an old rented storefront. Beach chairs filled with cigar smoking men, coffee in hand, would gather in front of their social club. In the dark recess of the store, a card game would be going on as the TV blared baseball or boxing. His wife, my Aunt Anna would cook homemade lunches for a dollar or two, serving black espresso afterwards. Sometimes Lefty’s brother was in town from Hollywood, CA. Louie, the uncle that got away. He was so dapper and tan, when you ran into him you’d have thought you were meeting a real movie star. The whiteness of his teeth blinded you and his conversation had you mesmerized. We could not get enough of Uncle Louie. I never did find out what he did for a living, but he sure looked good. Never worked a day in his life. There were many other stores and people worthy of remembrance. It was truly a great community, but my memory does not delight me in every detail. Those things I do remember, including “multiple smacks along the avenue,” I will never forget. For me, the ruins of Columbia Street are as significant as the ruins of Rome. A lost civilization.
Making a left onto Union Street we’d hit “Cheap Cheap” Louie, where everyone in the neighborhood bought nylons, bloomers and aprons. My grandmother used to do her Christmas Shopping there, probably spending no more than thirty dollars for twelve people. She would buy the girls pajamas and the boys socks, always socks, and sometimes handkerchiefs. A few doors away was Choffi Pastry Shoppe. It was only once a week, Sunday mornings, that my grandmother would give me three dollars to buy some pastries for the house. That three dollars would be enough money to feed pastries to the whole family. This was not something we did during the week; it was only on Sunday afternoons, after the big meal when espresso was served to the entire family and, for unexpected relatives who would drop by. The door was always open at Concetta’s.
Red Hook Star-Revue
Photos above and below are courtesy of the Phoenix Newspaper, Brooklyn College Archives, and date from the 1980s. The other photos are much older.
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RELIGIOUS NEWS BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.
Celebrating Christmas at St. Mary Star of the Sea
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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) 4703523, 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: 718875-6960, 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
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St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish
467 Court Street, (718) 625-2270 Rectory 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.
arroll Gardens’ St. Mary Star of the Sea church, celebrated the holiday season on December 17 with their Third Annual Parish Sing-Along and Christmas Pageant. Led by SMSS’s organist/cantor Deirdre Donovan, an adult choir joined with the children of the Religious Education Program to put on the program.
According to Donovan, the children were a little quiet when they first began rehearsals. Religious Education Coordinator Doris Palenque pointed to a stained-glass window of Jesus, on the back door of the church, and encouraged them to “sing to Jesus.” The children quickly warmed up, and according to Donovan, “really belted it out” during the performance. Doris noted, “It was the excitement of the kids that made the whole pageant.” She went on to say that the parents were excited as well. The church organ had stopped working on the second Sunday of Advent. While Donovan had intended to use a secondary keyboard, located in the sanctuary, for the performance, the organ began working again in time for the Christmas Masses. The event included a medley of religious and secular Christmas carols. The children began by singing “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The adults then joined in on “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” SMSS’s pastor, Father Chris Cashman, went on to lead everyone in a rousing rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with the church divided into twelve sections, each one tasked with singing and acting out a different “day” of Christmas, including “ladies dancing,” “maids a-milking,” and “lords a-leaping.” The children then reassembled in the back of the church and donned costumes. As Father Chris began reading the Christmas story from the Gospel, the children proceeded to the altar, led by “Joseph and Mary,” walking hand-in-hand with the latter holding the Baby Jesus. Following them were angels, and peasant women. At the
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conclusion of the Gospel, the children led the church in a finale of “Joy to the World.” Afterward, everyone was invited to Dugan Hall in the parish center and enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate. St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, designed by acclaimed architect Patrick Keely, and opened in April 1855, provided a striking backdrop to the singalong and pageant. Both sidewalls of the neo-Gothic church, the walls above the altar, and the wall above the choir loft are lined with stunning stained-glass windows portraying the history of the life of the Virgin Mary. Between the windows are equally stunning mosaic-tiled depictions of the Fourteen Stations of the Cross, designed in the 1800s by noted ecclesiastic artist Darius Colombani. Colombani also designed the white Carrara marble altar rail, which was called “the most magnificent and costliest in America” by the Brooklyn Eagle when it was installed in 1899. In addition to its architectural beauty, the church was decorated for the holiday with colorfully lit Christmas trees flanking both sides of the altar, red and ivory poinsettia plants, and a nativity scene. Amidst the resplendence of the church and the season, the clear voices of children and adults alike soared, giving glory and celebrating the real meaning of Christmas.
Doris conducted another Advent activity program called “It’s Not About Me at Christmas,” in which each child performed a chore for his or her parents to earn $1.50 to $2.00. The money was then collected to buy presents for their Religious Education teachers and Father Chris. Doris stressed that the money needed to be earned so that the presents would come from the children, not their parents. During the Advent season, SMSS also collected money to aid the children of Puerto Rico, raising a total of $2,826, which was sent to Caritas de Puerto Rico (the Catholic Charities affiliate in Puerto Rico) in time to buy Christmas presents for those who have been (continued on next page)
January 2018
devastated by Hurricane Maria. This year, children as well as adults at St. Mary’s have embraced the true spirit of Christmas giving.
Visitation Children’s Choir Debuts
The newly formed Children’s Choir at Visitation BVM Church made their official debut at the Christmas Day Mass. Under the direction of Sister Máire Close and assisted by Religious Education teacher Diana Ortiz, the 22 children ranging in age from four to 13 sang Christmas hymns in English and Spanish including original compositions by Sister Máire herself. They also sang parts of the High Mass including the “Gloria” and “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The choir rehearses each Saturday from 11 am to 12 noon and new members are welcome. The children will be performing at future special parish events, especially those which will be bi-lingual celebrations including Easter.
SHSS Children’s Choir Performs at Lincoln Center
The Children and Youth Choir of Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen performed at Lincoln Center on December 18 at the “Spirit of Christmas Spectacular.” The children were joined on stage by SHSS Music Director James Lake and were conducted by Choir Director Evelyn Troester DeGraf. The benefit raised $1 million for “Futures in Education for Brooklyn and Queens” which provides scholarships to Catholic schools for Catholic and nonCatholic families in need.
Upcoming Events Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West Afternoon Film Festival featuring “The Wedding Plan” on Wednesday, January 17 at 3:30 pm. Kane Street Synagogue 236 Kane Street Adult Education: Open Beit Midrash on Tuesday evenings with dinner from 6:45 and classes, lectures, demonstrations from 7:30 - 9:00. Cost is $40 per three-week course, or a Beit Midrash subscription for the year for $180. January’s course is “Slavery in The Bible” with Dr. Rabbi Barat Ellman on January 9, 16 and 23. For general information, contact Joy Fallek at BeitMidrash@kanestreet.org. Brooklyn Israel Film Festival 2018 on January 25, 27 and 28 with a special family event, an Israeli film for children being screened on Sunday. Tickets are available at kanestreet.org/ biff-tix; $16 single ticket; $36 festival pass. $25 Sunday family event ticket (1 adult + 1 child); additional children’s tickets available for $5 each, if purchased with a family ticket. Redemption Church Red Hook 767 Hicks Street Vision Sunday on January 28 from 11 am - 1 pm. Join us as we share the Vision and Mission of Redemption Church on our first of three Vision Cast Events before we publicly launch our church on Easter Sunday. Great for anyone looking to grow in their faith in the context of a local church family, anyone looking to put their gifts to work and serve in a church plant, and anyone who simply is try-
Red Hook Star-Revue
ing to figure out their purpose in God.
Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Summit & Hicks Street What Every First Time Home Buyer and Long Time Homeowner Should Know - Free workshop on Sunday, January 28 from 11:15 - 12:15 (after the 10 am Mass) in the Transfiguration Chapel, enter through the Blessed Mother Altar. Technology for Seniors - Do you have problems using a computer or cell phone? Do you want to learn more about technology? Bring your laptop/ cell phones to our free workshops on January 9, 16 and 30 from 2 - 3:30 pm in Rectory Hall.
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
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church 157 Montague Street The Forum @ St. Ann’s presents “Reliefs: Dialogues in Depth - The Work of Jolie Stahl and Jock Ireland,” an exhibition of bas-relief sculpture cast in plaster and carved in clay from January 11 - February 11. St. Agnes/ St. Paul’s Parish Hoyt & Sackett Streets/234 Congress Street St. Agnes Feast and Luncheon on Sunday, January 21 from 1:30 - 3 pm in St. Agnes Hall. Tickets are on sale for $7. Will include Grand 50/50. All are welcome! Boy Scouts/Cub Scouts - Will resume on Friday, January 5 at 7 pm in St. Paul Hall; new members welcome. Girl Scouts/Brownies; new members welcome. Rosary for Life - Will resume on Monday, January 8 at 1 pm in St. Paul’s Chapel with Sister Innocentia. All are welcome! St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 199 Carroll Street Conversion of St. Paul/Patronal Feast commemorated with a Solemn High Mass, followed by Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 28 at 11 am. Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street Mobile Soup Kitchen on Tuesdays from 1 pm - 2:30 pm and Fridays from 10 am - 12 noon (except first Fridays of the month).
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Justice Center teams with Red Hook Labs to create new film makers by Nathan Weiser
T
he JustArts Documentary class at the Red Hook Community Justice Center, supported by the Price Family Foundation and Red Hook Labs, recently finished their second semester teaching multimedia to teenagers. On December 14, 12 students who showed their two to four-minute personal videos for their class, friends and family. The class, which began last spring, at first focused on photography, but from September to December the instructors, Todd Drake and Lauren Henschel, had the kids making videos about their lives and the world around them in Brooklyn. The graduating class consisted of Kaiya Jordan, Christy Ying Liu, Josue Petion, Dalia Turner, Kimberly Leiba, Kimora Williams, Trevor Torres, Joseph Calle, Robert Lopez, Angel Thomas, Jalyn Barham and Malachi Parsons. Field trips included visits to Vice and Red Hook Labs. Kimberly Leiba very much enjoyed their visit to Vice and liked the chance she had to talk to people who work there. “It was really cool,” she said. “We saw how the working environment is there. Three or four people talked to us about their jobs and how they got
to be where they are. They gave good advice and it was cool that we were able to network with them.” She said, as she was introducing her video, that she originally thought her life wasn’t interesting but “now I realize that my voice matters.” Leiba realized that she has a lot of exciting things happening in her life through making this project. Parsons’ video was about finding himself and the role that faith plays in his journey and those of people that he knows. Petion, who was in the middle of applying to colleges, made his video about his dual passions for basketball and photography and using them to balance the stresses in his life. Barham made his video about racism. Jordan interviewed her mother who talked about how different social interactions were before cellphones. Turner, who wants to pursue engineering in college and is a senior in high school, made her video on gentrification in Brooklyn. The topic was suggested by a story her grandmother told her. “I have family members who were pushed out of their house because of gentrification,” Turner said. “I thought it would be something interesting to
work on and see how it effects rest of the borough.” Through working on this project, the Starrett City resident, has learned that gentrification is bigger than what people make of it. “I feel like people think of it as making an area better, but it is actually pushing people out and making people uncomfortable.” She started working on her video at the beginning of September and finished some editing and final additions on the day the video was shown. She helped her friends with their movies by helping them pick their music, edit their videos and assisting with filming their movies. Dalia Turner went to Digital Arts and Cinema Technology High on Baltic Street and she found out about the program through her teacher. The goal of this program was to empower the participants to develop their personal voice as artists; teach participants to explore the power of visual imagery; prepare students to conduct video and audio interviews; and introduce participants to industry professionals to learn what it means to pursue a career in the arts. “The goal was to develop an authentic voice and to be able to tell their story,”
Lauren Henschel with some of her students.
Drake says. “I think we succeeded. We talked a lot about how to tell their story, how to be honest and it had to be their narrative and not ours.” According to Drake, there was a competitive open call interview process for this course. About one student was selected for every 10 that applied. This program met twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30. Drake was impressed that everyone stuck with it. This years classes begin in a few months, and now is the time to be considered. For more information contact United Photo Industries, 16 Main St. #B, Brooklyn, NY 11201. You can call them at (718) 801 - 8099 and ask about
COME OUT TO THE VERY FIRST STAR-REVUE PIZZA PARTY!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12 7 - 10 PM
MEET YOUR FELLOW READERS! ABSOLUTELY FREE—PIZZA AND SODA ON US! (CASH BAR). RSVP george@redhookstar.com Room for first 35 email reservations! SAMS is on Court Street - they have great pizza! 238 Court Street near Baltic
Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue
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January 2018
Good Shepherd is all around us by Nathan Weiser
Good Shepherd Services is an organization that helps a lot of young people in Red Hook today, and it has a history that goes all the way back to the 1940s. The Good Shepherd Services that has a focus on Red Hook as well as the rest of the city was started as a residential care program for young women in the city. “Basically around 1947, we started in New York City with residential programs for young women and within that we were also helping them move forward with their education and then also gain skills,” said Rachel Forsyth, senior division director for partnership schools at Good Shepherd. “At that time it was learning how to sew and do other things that would eventually help lead them to get a job and be a productive member of society.” Good Shepherd still does residential programming even though that is not what they are known for. They have two centers in Manhattan that serve as transitional living programs.
said. “We worked with John Jay back then to identify a couple of teachers and we located the program in Red Hook to be closer to where the families were and to be able to offer classes off site.” The classes for dropouts back then were in the basement of the Miccio Community Center. South Brooklyn Community High School began as a program in the Miccio basement. It was an extension of John Jay High School. The school was called BASIS. In 2000, Good Shepherd successfully applied to the New York City Department of Education to open a freestanding high school, which became South Brooklyn Community High School. It opened in 2002. There are currently 193 students enrolled at the school, and it is still operated in partnership between Good
Individuals can live in these centers for up to two years. These centers are designed for people who are homeless or have aged out of foster care.
The Beacon program is unique because they organize after-school and weekend activities for the community at various schools. “For South Brooklyn High, it is a combination of Learning to Work, which is the funding stream that allows for the community organizations to partner with the Department of Education,” Forsyth said. “We also raise money privately through the Robin Hood Foundation.”
Their mission is now to help young people. They sponsor after-school programs, and are involved with transition high schools for drop-outs. They founded the South Brooklyn Community High School- a second opportunity school on Conover Street.
“In the 1980s, we were doing dropout prevention work at John Jay, and what we were learning back then was that a lot of the young people who were struggling to attend and dropping out actually lived in Red Hook,” Forsyth
Good Shepherd gets its funding for the programs that they facilitate through a variety of sources. Much of the funding comes from the city. “We have the Beacon program at PS 15, which also has an after school program at PS 276 and there is an after school program at the Miccio Center,” Forsyth said.
Good Shepherd concentrated exclusively on young women until the 1980s. However, they then found a need to help a different segment of the population—young people who had dropped out of high school. This was their link to Red Hook.
“We really want to be able to see young people where they are at and help them, whether that is in school, or in life in general,” Forsyth said. “We have multiple different programs that work to help young people and families from a development point of view.”
cus was on aquatic stewardship and they learned about the water system in our community and what they can do to be mindful. Forsyth thinks that it’s great to see high school kids involved in that.
Shepherd and the Department of Education. “There are several transfer high schools in NYC, but South Brooklyn, that model of bringing together the Department of Education with a community based organization, that was an innovative idea,” Forsyth added. Each of the transfer schools in Brooklyn has an internship coordinator who works with students to determine their interests.
They also have a prevention program in various school with social workers that is funded through ACS. According to Forsyth, they bring several funding streams together to provide services for the community. In Brooklyn and the Bronx they have created a program called Life Link, which is a bridge to college program for young people who graduated out of their high school program and who are going to CUNY. They have a team of counselors who will work with
them to help make that transition successfully. Good Shepherd also sponsors a program called Rebound, at the Miccio Center. This is to help young adults aged 18-24 who aren’t in school and are trying to figure out what their next step will be. This program uses basketball as a tool but also teaches skill development to go with an employability readiness program for the young adults. They have an internship coordinator to help find internship/job placements when the course ends. “A lot of these programs have interconnected staff,” Forsyth said. “Mark McCasskill is running Rebound but he used to be the internship coordinator at our school in East New York.” They are in the process of opening a community center with similar services to what they have in the Miccio in Red Hook, in East New York, in a new building. Good Shepherd partners with a lot of community organizations in Red Hook to further impact the area. One venue that they have worked with is the Red Hook Community Justice Center. They have a GED program that Good Shepherd has referred people to, and they also partner together on other programs. Red Hook Initiative and Dance Theatre Etcetera work with South Brooklyn High each summer to run a program called Digital Boot Camp. It’s a program for kids from the high school or just from the neighborhood.
They work with employers in the neighborhood who take in high school students as interns and in the process grow and develop that young person. “We have a lot of interesting internship programs,” Forsyth added. “We have kids who have done internships at Miccio and with another schoolbased non-profit, the Beam Center. We have kids who have interned there and then they turn around what they learned at the Beam and they are able to go into some of the elementary schools and teach kids the skills that they learn.” This year, at the Beam Center, the fo-
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January 2018, Page 7
NEWS AND NOTES compiled by Nathan Weiser
voice of the people with Participatory Budgeting. Each of my assignments offers distinct opportunities to serve the residents of District 38 and the entire City. I look forward to using the next four years to promote better public housing, economic development, environmental justice and public safety. District 38 has some of the largest economic development projects in the City, is acutely affected by climate change and is home to New York’s second largest NYCHA development.
Bad Judgment
Terrence Williams is a well-liked PSA 1 Community Affairs Neighborhood Coordination Officer (NCO) officer in Red Hook. Unfortunately, Williams has been charged with drunken driving. He has been stripped of his badge and placed on indefinite, unpaid leave as he awaits trial. Williams was driving his 2013 Infiniti in the right lane of the highway when, as detailed in a NY Daily News article, it struck a guardrail, spun out of control and overturned, at 3 am on December 7. One year earlier, December 8, 2016, Williams graduated from the Red Hook Community Justice Center’s Peacemaking program. “We like Peacemaking because we’re not looked at solely as police officers. We’re looked at as human beings,” Officer Williams said to the Star-Revue in December, 2016. “We want to do Peacemaking because we believe that it will be an alternative way to solve issues within the community—as opposed to doing things the traditional way, where if you do something wrong, we take you to jail. Maybe you can talk it out, let’s try that first.” Williams had gained a positive rapport with the community through his interactions as a peacemaker as well as NCO. Amanda Berman, who is the project director at the Red Hook Community Justice Center, had no comment on Williams’ situation.
Second Inauguration
I look forward to hearing from constituents, advocates and thought leaders willing to join the work making New York City more prosperous, stronger, safer, and just.” In addition to chairing the immigration committee, he is a member of the following committees: Economic Development; Environmental Protection; Public Housing; Public Safety; Transportation. Menchaca has been a huge advocate of Participatory Budgeting, as well as one of the first political figures to voice doubts about the proposed Brooklyn Queens Connector trolley car system that would only serve the parts of the two boroughs that face Manhattan.
T Park Soccer on hiatus
Street Soccer USA, which first came to Bush Clinton Park in April of 2016, currently does not have any of their two pitches (courts) in the park. According to Lawrence Cann, who is the founder and CEO of Street Soccer USA, they removed the Street Soccer courts for the winter months. This is because Bush Clinton Park gets so windy that it can cause the courts to be pushed over. “We wanted to be safe and we will be bringing them back for the spring season in a month or two,” Cann said. Street Soccer’s goal is to provide an alternative to the pay-to-play model of youth sports with a focus on social impact across the United States and beyond. They mainly focus on kids programming in Red Hook and have hosted an Urban Soccer Diploma coaching course for area coaches.
Carlos Menchaca was sworn in for his second term, representing Red Hook and Sunset Park in the City Council, on Sunday, January 14.
Councilman Carlos Menchaca was instrumental in bringing Street Soccer to Red Hook.
In a statement released earlier that week, he spoke of his upcoming committee assignments.
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who represents Red Hook in the US House of Representatives, introduced a bipartisan bill to strengthen small business lending. Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH), Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) are all co-sponsors.
“I am honored to continue for a second term as Chair of the City Council Committee on Immigration. I will work to keep New York the national leader upholding civil rights and supporting immigrant communities. I thank Speaker Corey Johnson and my colleagues for entrusting me with leadership of two special topics: the new special task force that will focus on transportation needs and solutions in the BQX corridor, and a Citywide leadership role promoting the
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Nydia works for small business
“The House Small Business Committee has a long tradition of working across the aisle to promote opportunity and job growth for America’s small businesses and, central to that effort, is ensuring entrepreneurs can
access adequate capital to grow their operations,” Velazquez said. “To that end, I’m proud to cosponsor the Small Business 7(a) Lending Oversight Reform Act.”
of people all over the United States to lose weight and increase their energy. List Mayer has worked in nonprofit fundraising. To reserve a seat call Ryan-Young at 646-481-7171. $20 admission includes a hot breakfast, networking and the full meeting.
Police Meeting
Diana Reyna and Borough President Eric Adams working together. (file photo)
Reyna leaves Borough Hall
Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna left Borough Hall last month. During her time as Deputy Borough President, she coordinated a variety of initiatives, including the revitalization of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook, the establishment of New York City’s first-ever Chinese friendship archway in Sunset Park. Prior to her tenure at Brooklyn Borough Hall, Reyna, who was born and raised in Williamsburg, served for 12 years as representative of the 34th District in the New York City Council, representing Bushwick, East Williamsburg, and Williamsburg. In the Council she was a strong advocate for the manufacturing sector. Once allied with former Democratic boss Vito Lopez, serving as his chiefof-staff in 1997. With his support, she won her first election in 2002. She broke with Lopez and in 2009 won a third team against Maritza Davila, another former Lopez staffer who ran with his backing. Vito Lopez died in 2015, a few years after he resigned from the State Assembly following a sexual harassment scandal.
Small Business help
Kevin Ryan-Young, a life coach, Marie Ingrisano Isner, a certified health coach, and Mali List Mayer, a time management coach, will join forces to share tips and strategies in “Designing Destiny: Your Life is Your Masterpiece.” This is their keynote address at the Confidence Chapter of Business Network International (BNI), which will meet on Thursday, January 18, 2018, at the Park Plaza Restaurant at 220 Cadman Plaza West from 9:30 to 11:00 am. Ryan-Young is a parent, coach, speaker and owner of SunBridge Coaching. He helps parent leaders keep their life together while they try to raise a happy family, design a better life for themselves and generate an impact that will make their community better. Ingrisano Isner is a certified health coach and author of the cookbook, The Family Plate. Her personal blog, “My Love Affair with Cheese” has had over 17,000 views. Ingrisano Isner has coached hundreds
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The 76th Precinct Community Council met on Wednesday, January 3. Commanding Officer Megan O’Malley began the meeting by reciting local crime stats. They were down in basically every major index crime category with the exception of felony assault and grand larceny. “We were down in injuries, down in occupants and down in bicycles,” O’Malley said. “It is a great year here in the 76th Precinct and hopefully in 2018 we will be just as good if not better.” Officers Neumann & Fox were the officers of the month. They successfully defused a situation where someone was holding a loaded weapon without resorting to gunplay. Robert Berrios asked about motorized bicycles, which he doesn’t like. “The motor pedal bikes are not illegal, only the motor-powered bikes are,” O’Malley said. Berrios’ other concern was littering around South Brooklyn High School. “The school will be closed tomorrow but we will definitely take a look at it starting on Friday when school is back in session and Monday we will be there at dismissal to address it,” O’Malley assured him. Amanda Berman, director of the Red Hook Community Justice Center, promoted some programs. A mobile van offering free legal services will be on Vistation Place on January 17 from 10 am 3:00 pm. She also promoted a fundraiser for their Peacemaking program, which took place at Rocky Sullivan’s on January 11. They are holding the fundraiser on January 11 at Rocky Sullivan’s. New State Senator Brian Kavanagh’s sent a spokeswoman to announce that they are looking for a Brooklyn office. Kavanagh replaces former senator Daniel Squadron, who resigned.
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January 2018
PROFITING OFF OF PUNISHMENT by Alex Rodriguez
O
n December 15, 2017 there was a full day event, titled Interrupting the School to Prison Pipeline, hosted by the Brooklyn Central Library. Over six hours of interactions, between educators, and leaders. Different organizations, such as The Department of Education, Administration for Child Services, and representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, and many others, all gathered around the idea of bringing awareness to the war on freedom. Before entering, there were seven different sign up sheets for breakout sessions, ranging from services for detained youth, resources for over age middle schoolers, and mental health resources in schools. Upon entry, I was immediately greeted by nearly three dozen different books displayed on a table. The topic
Perhaps we should direct our anger towards the countless corporations that directly benefit from the prison boom, such as Aramark and AT&T. was prisons, and the titles ranged from Lockdown High: when the schoolhouse becomes a jailhouse by Annette Feunettes, and The night dad went to jail, by Melissa Higgins: a children’s book. The event was kicked off by Khalil Cumberbatch, an urban justice award winner, Lehman college graduate, and a formerly incarcerated inmate. “As a room full of educators, I hope the term mass incarceration is not unfamiliar.” “I don’t think anyone in this room has not heard the term mass incarceration. And I don’t think anyone in this room is unaware of that fact that we as a country incarcerate more people, than any other country in the world” “It is abysmal how we treat our men, women and children in this country, who may have committed an act that we as society deem as criminal, and the reality is that things we deem as criminal today, we’re not criminal even ten years ago.” “When we use the term mass incarceration, while it does somewhat define the scope of the problem, it also does a disservice to talk about who we are really negatively impacting.” “There’s a term that goes around called hyperincarceration. If we use the term mass incarceration it implies this is an issues that impacts everyone in this country, when in reality we know that it does not.” “There are people in this room, that merely because the zip code that they live in, or the the certain income that they make, or because of the hue of
Red Hook Star-Revue
their skin tone, makes them almost immune to having contact with the criminal justice system.” “When we use the term mass incarceration it almost throws us off of descent, but when we use the term hyperincarceration, now we’re talking about a specific population of this country, that has been historically targeted, over policed, and criminalized.” “There are seven neighborhoods in NYC that feeds over 70% of arrests in New York State. The same neighborhoods that suffer from unemployment, high teen pregnancy, HIV & AIDS. Would anyone like to take a guess which ones they are?” “Brownsville!” the crowd roared. “East New York! “South Bronx! BedStuy!” They were all correct. After Cumberbatch’s speech, everyone dispersed into their predetermined breakout sessions. In-between sessions, guest went around and interacted with the different organizations who set up booths advocating for social justice. Institutions such as Alliance of Families For Justice, an establishment started in 2016, whose mission is to support incarcerated people and their families. AFJ offers support with reentry into society, providing legal referrals, communications skills training, and voter registration. The organization Exalt only serves court-involved youth and provides a transformative adolescent development experience. Although the organization offers paid internships and career courses, their true mission is to inspire the youth to believe in their true worth. Friends of Island Academy is an organization that operates from directly inside the belly of the beast. Founded on the school floors of Rikers Island in 1990, Friends of Island Academy offers an array of opportunities to youth inmates during and after their time at Rikers Island. After the event I spoke to Carrie Banks, organizer of the event, and head of inclusive services at the Brooklyn Central Library.
Addressing a need
“I think we’re addressing a heartfelt need. We’ve had all types of support from the community and agencies, but mainly what I’m really excited about, are the people meeting and talking to each other, and making connections that are going to go past the conference.” It’s a personal belief of mine, that we need to graduate to the next level of awareness, transitioning to a conversation of naming names, and making a more impactful effort. After all, there are plenty of people who keep the prison industry beast well fed. There are countless politicians to choose from. For starters, former President Bill Clinton, who was a “tough on crime” advocate, openly
Some of the books on display at the library event. (photo by Rodriguez)
admitted his 1994 Crime Bill made the criminal justice reform “worse off” than it originally was. Or maybe we should point the finger at people like George Zoley, and Henri Wedwell, corporate sharks, who reap massive amounts of profits from the publicly traded stocks named earlier. Perhaps we should direct our anger towards the countless corporations that directly benefit from the prison boom, such as Aramark and AT&T. Should we point the finger at the police, prosecutors, and judges who ship off people by the millions, stripping years off of their lives? Or maybe, just maybe, we should point the finger at ourselves, for reading articles like this, hearing the speeches, and watching the documentaries, and then returning back to our normal lives. Like the hippies said countless times in the 70’s, either you’re part of the solution, or you’re part of the problem. The rhetorical war on crime and drugs, has morphed into a literal war. Majority of the casualties can be found in our inner cities, predominantly people of color. The Purple Heart soldiers, lose not limbs, but decades of their lives, veterans return home with PTSD, and have a hard time finding housing and employment. It is our responsibility to utilize our privilege to bring awareness, and ultimately an end to this war on freedom. The thirteenth amendment of the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, and the prison systems are very aware of this. Years ago, the conversation of people being arrested, charged, and locked away, for monetary gain was something many would consider dubious. Often placed alongside conversation of U.F.Os and chemtrails, the discussion of mass incarceration would predominantly be found on poorly built websites, with banner ads advertising doomsday survival kits.
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Today, the term mass incarceration is relatively well known. News articles are easy to find, provided by much more reliable sources, such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. If you want to keep up with the financial aspect, it’s the same as checking in on any other multimillion dollar Industry, you check the stock market. As this article is being written, The Geo Group Inc stock, is $23.48 a share with a 2.91 billion dollar market cap, and The Corecivic Inc stock sits at $22.17 a share, with a 2.62 billion dollar market cap. Needless to say, we’re talking big money, and with big money comes big formulation. The numbers regarding the prison industrial complex are ghastly. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, the total number of people either in prisons, and jails, or on parole or probation, has risen from just over four million in 1990, to just below seven million in 2015. Within those numbers there are millions of people who are released from prisons, and forced into a different box. That box can be found on numerous applications, asking if they’ve ever been convicted of a felony. As a result, that person is immediately disqualified from countless jobs opportunities, public housing, professional licensing, and the right to vote. These felons, stripped of their civil rights, are instantly deemed second class citizens.
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Still time to take advantage of free job training by Nathan Weiser
B
rooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) is sponsoring a six-week program for Solar Panel Installation Training and construction. This program, which starts at the end of January, is for people in Red Hook. There will be an information session at 10:30 am on January 23, at the Red Hook Initiative, 767 Hicks Street.
BWI is looking for people with an 8th grade, or above, math and reading level. “We are hoping for 8th grade level math and reading when we test,” said Rebecca Marriott, Director of Training. “Since we do so much construction, math and measurement people really have to be able to pick up on that and because solar installation is kind of a difficult concept to read through, they have to be able to read
Everyone who completes the program will get a stipend of $1,000 upon graduating from the six-week course. a lot of stuff.” It is also necessary that everyone in the program not be afraid of heights. “That is usually the first question I ask everybody, if they are afraid of heights, because when you see carpentry and electrical people are attracted to those kinds of courses especially the OSCIA
certification and the scaffolding certification, but for people to do this work they have to get up high sometimes,” Marriott said. Skills that will be acquired during this course include basic carpentry, an intro to electrical wiring, solar panel installation, construction math and tool usage. This six-week course offers a $1,000 stipend. Certifications given are from North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as a four-hour Scaffolding Certification. Everyone in the program must be at least 18, a low-income Red Hook resident, eligible to legally work in the US, able to lift at least 50 pounds, and comfortable with heights. There will be 15 days of training . Some of the training will be at RHI. BWI decided to have this six-week course end in the middle of March because that is when installers will be hired.
Slippery roofs
“The consensus is that a lot of people do not get up on roofs in the winter because it is slippery and there is snow on roofs. Springtime is when they start to hire installers,” Marriott said. The plan is to introduce everyone in the program to employers before they graduate. A consultant that is connected to different solar employers in Brooklyn to get the students more involved in training and perhaps provide some classes. “We are hoping to equip people with
the skills to be able to install solar panels,” Marriott said. “But if they are interested in doing carpentry and things like that they can often get jobs to those areas as well because of the certification and the practice that they get.” Most of the employers that BWI partners with do residential, but they also will do commercial installations. “We are giving a basic understanding of how the power system works as well as the installation part of it, so they really get an overall view of the industry,” Marriott said. Everyone who completes Rebecca Marriott, the Director of Training at Brooklyn the program will get a Workforce Innovations. (photo by Nathan Weiser) stipend of $1,000 upon graduating from the sixrise and is very popular in terms of deweek course. velopment and policies in New York “If they don’t graduate, then they do City,” Marriott said. “It is an exciting not get the stipend,” Marriott said. “It sector to work in.” is a really good opportunity. None of BWI is based in the Brooklyn Navy our other training programs provide Yard. Their have relationships with stipends.” the Navy Yard, the Army Terminal BWI also offers commercial driving, television and film production assistance, wood working, cable installation and NYCHA resident training academy programs.
“I think solar panel installation is something that is definitely on the
and Industry City. The focus on the programs that Marriott runs include industrial manufacturing and construction. People are welcome to walk in to the information session, referrals are not necessary.
Christmas was celebrated at the Rec Center by Nathan Weiser
O
n Saturday, December 16, the Red Hook Recreation Center had their annual holiday celebration to give back to the youth of the community. The party went from 12 until 3 pm, and there were activities like basketball, pool, Nok-Hockey and card games for the kids. People were also able to utilize the computers in the computer room.
around and play basketball and enjoy what the Rec Center has to offer and then the main activities began. Starting at about 1:15, near the reception desk, the kids lined up to get a picture with Santa. A polaroid picture was taken of each of them that they got to see shortly after they met Santa.
The Parks Department advertised this day as a way to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day with fun activities.
There were six different bikes that were raffled off that were donated by members. Jonathan Rueda and Damien Clarke were the two Neighborhood Coordination Officers there and according to Rueda the NCOs donated one of the bikes.
There were free toy giveaways for children up to 17 years old as well as for seniors 62 and older.
The NCOs read off the raffle numbers one by one and then each winner enthusiastically got their bike.
The kids wrote letters to Santa and they got to wait online and receive their presents one by one. There were also many adults in a back room receiving gifts that they had requested.
One of the winners was a parent of twins who are almost five. This woman, who has lived in Red Hook for three years, won one purple bike and one pink bike for her daughters.
In the beginning, until about 1:15, the kids had the opportunity to run
She was happy since she was planning to get her daughters bikes at
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Jonathan Rueda and Damien Clarke, who are Neighborhood Coordination Officers, take a picture with Santa. (Weiser photo)
Target, but was able to get them new ones at the raffle for free instead.
vancy supplied the pizza from Mark’s Pizza on Van Brunt Street.
In addition to the bike raffle, there were five turkeys that were also raffled off for people to take home and enjoy. There was a woman from the Red Hook Conservancy at the Rec Center, and she said that the Conser-
Parks Department volunteers also had people fill out forms to become members while they were getting their raffle tickets for the bikes and turkeys.
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January 2018
Celebrating the new Senior Center (photos by Fiala)
Raices gave the seniors a dance party, complete with a DJ and balloons, on Tuesday, January 9. Seniors began using the center, at the old PAL Miccio Center, the day before, ending over five years without a permanent home. The Wolcott Street center was shut after Hurricane Sandy, flooded beyond repair. Photos by George Fiala
Red Hook Star-Revue
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January 2018, Page 11
LOOKING BACK & LOOKING AHEAD
by George Fiala
Tuesday, November 7, 2018
LOCAL VOICES
Littleford
Two longstanding Red Hook institutions are closing soon. Bait and Tackle and Hope and Anchor are both leaving, for various reasons. We found this reasoned explanation from our friend John Battis in the midst of a lively Facebook discussion: Under capitalism, there is no way to control these things. Most of the storefronts in RH are owned by small landlords who are also small business owners.
Ted has been an illustrator and cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun. See more of his work at www.tedlittleford.com.
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Many are also immigrants. And those who have sold their buildings did the rational thing and cashed out and many of them were small business owners and immigrants so don›t they deserve the same opportunity for class elevation? Everyone loves the benefits of gentrification until they are the one being pushed out. Having been in RH for 25 years, I can tell you that most would never have considered living in, or even visiting the Red Hook of 1990, or even of 2000. Hope and Anchor, and Bait and Tackle thrived because of gentrification. They catered successfully to a population that has now mainly passed through and is
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gone. And for many years, H&A was pretty much the only restaurant open. Now there are endless choices. And the people moving in on King and Imlay Streets are probably not going to be spending money or time in these places because, lets face it, we may love the grunge, and have nostalgia for places we have spend a big chunk of our lives, but new arrivals are seeing it differently. But, I will be shocked if these storefronts are empty for very long. And there is still not enough density to support chain stores, thank god. In the end we will get what we are collectively willing to support. - John Battis, Richards Street. ...in the one eyed land, the blind is King and in the land of the one eyed.... -”Right now I don’t see nothing” ...in the land of the not eyed, the Cyclops is King... -”I can’t hear this shit anymore” ...in the land of the bind, the one eyed man is King... -”Fuck Yeah!” Happy Holidays from Franz Landsperksy
January 2018
The bookstore on Pioneer Street gets bigger by Matt Caprioli
T
he long windows pull you in from far away to the petite space about the size of a food cart. Red Hook’s only bookstore is small but mighty; with impeccable curation worthy of its name, it’s the sort of place where smart books can easily find you.
we have a bookstore that is reflecting a lot of the thinking going on at Pioneer Works.
It’s also a space where you’ll frequently find people mingling with authors of fanzines, and kids exploring children’s books appropriately placed at their eye level. The bookstore carries anything that may enhance the creative process: from science and cutting edge poetry, to Jewish mysticism occult traditions. Pioneer Works recently expanded their bookstore to include a sizeable exhibition space behind the small storefront. For the new year, they also plan to host many more readings and events. Store Manager Camille Drummond oversees the first exhibit in the new space, an ongoing project by the artist-librarian Andrew Beccone called
“Reanimation Library.” Previously housed in Proteus Gowanus and the Queens Museum, the exhibit features more than 2,000 out of print books. “The travelling collection” according to Drummond “is a living time capsule of books.” “Reanimation Library” includes works on life science, space, and synchronized swimming, “all sorts of human phenomena and phenomena in nature,” Drummond said. One of Drummond’s favorites is on synchronized swimming. Weighing in at 724 pages, Exploring Aquatic Art was published in 1963; the images primarily feature white smiling ladies in diving caps. On his website, Beccone describes how each work in the library was selected: “Chosen primarily for the images that they contain, they have been culled from thrift stores, rummage sales, flea markets, municipal dumps, library sales, give-away piles, and used bookstores across the country.”
Pioneer publishing
“Pioneer Works doesn’t yet have literary arts as a discipline,” the store manager noted, “but we have an in-house press.” Their latest publication, CHARAS: The Improbable Dome Builders, follows a group of ex-cons in the 70s
as they alter the living conditions of the LES following principles laid out by architect Buckminster Fuller. Pioneer Works also has a well-received annual arts magazine, Pioneer Works Journal; previous issues have featured dialogues between marine biologists and art historians, David LaSalle and Daniel Mendelsohn, and interviews with musicians from MGMT and The Flaming Lips. “We’re publishing a lot in-house here,” Drummond said. “And we also have a bookstore that is reflecting a lot of the thinking going on at Pioneer Works. And now with the arrival of Reanimation Library, we’re thinking how to marry all those things together to make that presence of book arts here more rooted in the mission.” For the new year, one big step toward the curation of literary arts is a Jan 24 performance by BELLADONNA*. This is part of Pioneer Work’s new reading series called “And/With.”
An illustration from “Exploring Aquatic Art,” published in 1963 and on display at the Reanimation Library. (photo courtesy Andrew Beccone, Reanimation Library)
Drummond said.
BELLADONNA* is a collaborative group of multidisciplinary artists. The Jan 24 event will feature readings by Baseera Khan, Göksu Kunak, and Maryam Monalisa Gharavi.
Last August, Pioneer Works saw over 80 exhibitors, from large publishers to passionate zine producers, exhibit at Pioneer Works, and they’re hoping for an even larger turn out for the all-day event this year.
Later in 2018, Pioneer Works will host another Press Play Fair, “an annual celebration of publishing in general,”
Pioneer Books is at 289 Van Brunt Street, and is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon - 7 pm.
Baby it’s cold outside, but there’s still good stuff to go to by Matt Caprioli
I
f 2017 left a bad taste in your mouth, here are some fun events to amuse, educate, and challenge you.
Set the new year with laughs from the economist-comic Yoram Bauman. Billed as the world’s first and only stand-up economist, Bauman rifts on the state of the market at Caveat on the LES on Jan 8 at 7 pm. Expect to learn a lot about carbon pricing.
Italian painter Luigi Rocca is having an opening reception for his show “American Beauty,” on Jan 9 at 7 pm at Arnot Gallery, 525 West 20th Street. The 5th floor gallery has great views of the Highline, and the locale pairs well with this hyperrealist painter who captures the commercialized American identity with a disjointed Norman Rockwell flair. The exhibition runs through March 6, 2018. The Bushwick Starr, 207 Starr Street in Bushwick, plays host to “Cute Activist,” an “anti-romantic comedy, that asks questions about the way activism fits - or doesn’t fit - into our daily lives.” For the month of January, the play has frequent performances at 8 pm. Greenwood’s Trestle Gallery will exhibit a wide range of high caliber
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artists this month as part of “Introductions,” curated by Enrico Gomez. From Paris-based Allison Blumenthal to straight up Alabama splendor of Brian Edmonds, the opening reception on Jan 19 at 7 pm will be remarkable. The gallery is located at 850 Third Avenue, at 30th Street in Brooklyn. If you’re looking for family-friendly outings, check out New York’s oldest house in Flatbush. Jan 20 from 11 am to 3 pm is family day at the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum; this particular Dutch house dates from 1638. The Museum is at 5816 Clarendon Road in Canarsie. January 22 marks the 45th anniversary of Roe vs Wade and at the Brooklyn Historical Society in Brooklyn Heights. Famed writer and activist Katha Pollitt will be discussing the landmark Supreme Court case with Ilyse Hogue, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Rebecca Traister of New York magazine at the Brooklyn Historical Society in Brooklyn Heights, corner Pierrepont and Clinton. Closer to Red Hook, Pioneer Works will host the collective group BELLADONNA* for a reading and per-
© Luigi Rocca, ‘Parking at 101 at Route 66,’ part of the Rocca show “American Beauty,” at the Arnot Gallery, 525 West 20th Street in Chelsea.
formance on Jan 24 at 7 pm in their newly expanded bookstore on Pioneer and Van Brunt Street. Want to dress up like a superhero-maybe a villian? NY Adventure Club is hosting a mixer for villains and superheroes alike at Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company 372 Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, on Jan 26 at 8 pm.
migrants” in Manhattan’s Howard Greenberg Gallery before it closes Jan 27. This is a great survey of immigrants from around the world looking to call New York home. Their struggles and successes are captured by the likes of Ansel Adams and Tseng Kwong Chi. The gallery is at 41 E 57th Street.
You may want to check out “The Im-
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COME OUT TO THE VERY FIRST STAR-REVUE PIZZA PARTY!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12 7 - 10 PM
MEET YOUR FELLOW READERS! ABSOLUTELY FREE—PIZZA AND SODA ON US! (CASH BAR). RSVP george@redhookstar.com Room for first 35 email reservations! SAMS is on Court Street - they have great pizza! 238 Court Street near Baltic
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January 2018
Molese celebrate holidays by Mary Ann Pietanza
I
t was a mere 52 degrees on the evening of December 2, 2017 in the neighborhood. But on Court Street and 4th Place it was snowing like crazy. The Van Westerhout Molese Club was celebrating its first annual Christmas tree lighting, an event that was advertised for neighborhood families to join and view. And what would make a tree lighting event more festive than if it snowed? President Vito Parente and other club members arranged for it to do just that. While there were about 100 people in attendance who were related to the club, there had to be at least 250 more who gathered around from the neighborhood to witness the lighting. The ensuing snowfall was pure, magical holiday wonder for the kids. But it didn’t end there. As children spun with arms outstretched, and danced with their faces toward the falling snow above, a fire engine, sirens plentiful and loud, came cruising down Court Street with a holly, jolly St. Nick aboard with two elves and a bag full of kiddie delights. The tree lighting became part of the club’s annual Christmas party for its members. The society, under the new leadership of Vito Parente, and with the joint efforts with the Carinesi Sicilian Club, have focused on giving back to the community, as one of their top agenda items for the past three years. In addition to the tree lighting event, their member party-entry donations and raffle profits were contributed to worthy causes. As a result, Ronald McDonald House received donations of toys to hand out to patients - and other needed items - in the amount of $2,100. Since Parente became president, Christmas party raffle profits have been donated to Wounded Warriors, JDRF Diabetes Foundation and Angel
Guardian Home Brooklyn. This year however, they were motivated to do something personal when they learned young Kaitlyn Bernhardt, just 14 years old, was recently diagnosed with cancer. Kaitlyn was going to be the official tree lighter that evening, but was unable to, so her younger sister, Ella, performed the honor for her instead. Kaitlyn’s mother, Jennifer Bernhardt, attended the tree lighting and party. She was surrounded by some very caring, concerned members’ wives and guests. The society initially committed a thousand dollars to Kaitlyn’s cause, but it rose to $2,000 with a sole donation by Carinesi Club President Tony Troia.
At about the same time that Kaitlyn Frank Sale, Richard Battista, Giuseppe DiMattia, Romana Recchia, Giovanni Recchia, Vito Parente, Gianni Deserio, and Matt DeLiso. Behind Vito you can barely see Monsiwas diagnosed, her mother became gnor Massie. unemployed. It had become a challenge to pay for the out-of-pocket more inviting or planning tandem so- Mola’s patron saint, the Addololata medical bills and pharmaceutical cial activities within the club to unite (Our Lady of Sorrows in St. Stephen’s expenses that Kaitlyn needed. The old and new members with similar Church) for her two-yearly procesmembers immediately pledged to do- interests, but also by assigning young sions, as well as holding numerous nate a hundred percent of their party- members to be advisors of the events. events such as family picnics, pilgrimentry profits toward Kaitlyn’s treat- One of the club’s officers, Richard ages and children’s socials and dinBattista, also a younger member, was ners. ment costs. voted in as secretary. Man of the year Adapting to the times The Van Westerhout Molese Club has According to the by-laws, in order On December 10, at their Christmas been in the process of transitioning its for young men to become members, party, they served Parente with their local social club status to reflect the they have to have been born in Mola annual Man of the Year Award. Joe changes of an aging society-member di Bari, be married to someone from Rizzi, an employee of the FIAO, and base to draw in new, younger mem- Mola di Bari or be a child and/or volunteer at the Congrega, said that bers to keep the club’s cultural and grandchild of someone from Mola di Parente was selected almost unanimously among three or four canBari. traditional roots alive. didates because of his standing in The social club feature that thrived af- Parente intends to encourage as many the business community as well as ter World War II, as Italian immigrants young members as he can to carry on his pro-active leadership of the Van settled in the area, needed fresh the Molese heritage that helped to Westerhout Club. blood, as its original members aged. shape Carroll Gardens. He sees evThe Van Westerhout Club is the last of ery opportunity to re-identify with it Rizzi noted that more social clubs should take the lead in their clubs as the original six Molese (from Mola di - Italian style. Bari) clubs that had once dotted the In addition to being a member of the Parente has, adding that he has done entire Red Hook neighborhood from Carinesi Sicilian Club, Parente ex- more to inspire and modernize the social club’s role in a new era than has Columbia Street to Smith Street. pands his experiences for the benefit been done in a long time. Parente has attracted young members and vision of his own club by serving by not just re-modeling the club to be as a board member at the Federation of Italian American Organization Brooklyn (FIAO). FIAO’s mission is to retain the Italian language in New York City schools and to institute Italian/American dual language programs. Their new center, Il Centro, the first Italian American Cultural Community Center constructed in the city of New York, serves as a cultural resource to Italian-Americans, as well as being a model to all ethnic groups demonstrating how to preserve, celebrate and care for one’s own heritage in a multi-cultural society, according to their website.
Two firemen dressed as elves brought toys to the Molese tree lighting and distributed them to neighborhood children. (l-r) Frank Sale, Matt DeLiso, Joe “Hollywood” Igneri, Gianni Deserio, Vito Parente, Giovanni Recchia, Richard Battista, and Onofrio Gaudioso.
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The FIAO realized Parente’s initiative and enthusiasm his first year as President of the Van Westerhout Club. But Parente’s three-year leadership at Van Westerhout has also garnered him recognition by the Congrega Maria SS. Addolorata, a Molese family club comprised of the sorelle (sisters) who oversee the maintenance and care of
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January 2018