Star revue february 2015

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

FEBRUARY 2015

SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

FREE

RED HOOK’S FUTURE?

Readers weigh in on Est4te Four’s waterfront plans page 4

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

New transportation study focuses on roads and more page 3

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

Happenings, etc.

proudly introduces our new website

www.Star-Revue.com For Editorial, Advertising and Help Wanted Inquiries, email info@redhookstar.com, or call 718 624-5568 The Star-Revue is published by Kimberly G. Price & George Fiala

Friends of the Red Hook Library The Red Hook Star-Revue is interested in helping form a friends group for our library at Wolcott Street.

A strong neighborhood library needs volunteers willing to put in some time.

If we can find enough interested people we will go ahead with it.

If this interests you, please send an email to George at gbrook@pipeline.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13

Rocky Sullivan’s hosts Union featuring new songs and all the old classics at 8 pm. FREE 34 Van Dyke Street Pioneer Works brings “Sidewalk Stories” back to New York where the film was shot 26 years ago and a Q&A with Writer/Director Charles Lane and Composer Marc Marder. 7:30 pm. Suggested donation, $10 159 Pioneer Street Opening reception at Kentler for two solo drawing exhibits, From Ashes

by Chris Gonyea and Light Matter by Jaanika Peerna from 6-8 pm.

FREE 353 Van Brunt Street

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Knights of Columbus - Our Lady of Loretto Council presents a Mardi Gras Part in Cabrini Hall at 7 pm. Admission includes beer, soda, and a buffet dinner. Cash bar available. Event for ages 21+; $40. 125 Summit St.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Dover Restaurant will be featuring a special 5 course menu in collaboration with Mast Brothers chocolate for $135 including beverage, tax, and tip. Perfect for celebrating a late Valentine’s or avoid the restaurant crowds on Saturday. 412 Court Street doverbrooklyn.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Cora Dance’s “Farewell 201” goodbye gathering to their first home studio before relocation from 6-9 pm. FREE; donations accepted. 201 Richards Street

ONGOING

Bazaar Love - a Valentine’s Day pop up Market will feature handmade and local goods, including chocolates, wine, lingerie, spirits cards and jewelry on February 7-8 from 12-6 pm. 250 Van Brunt Street

RELIGIOUS SERVICES CATHOLIC Visitation Church 98 Richards St, (718) 624-1572. Office open Mon-Thursday 9 am - 3 pm. Saturday mass 5 pm; Spanish mass at 7 pm.

Sunday 10 am English, 12:30 pm Spanish. Community Prayer Tuesday and Thursday, 8 pm. Youth Group Meetings on Friday, 4:30 - 6 pm. Baptisms are held every other month.

Please call to arranged for baptisms, communions and weddings. We will visit the sick upon notification.

Saint Paul and Saint Agnes Parish St. Paul’s Church - Rectory & Church Office 234 Congress Street (718) 624-3425 Hours: M - F 830am-12 St. Agnes Church Office 433 Sackett Street, 718-625-1717 Hours: M-F 1pm-430pm Email:stpaulstagnes@gmail.com St. Agnes: Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass Sunday 9 am (English), 11:30am (Spanish) St. Paul’s: Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass Sunday 8 am & 9:30am (English); 11am (Spanish) Monday & Tuesday 8:30am (St. Paul’s) Wednesday & Thursday 8:30am (St. Agnes) Saturday 8am (St. Paul’s) http://stpaulstagnes.org/ Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Saint Stephen Roman Catholic Church 125 Summit Street at Hicks Street info@sacredhearts-ststephen.com Saturday Vigil Mass 5:30pm Sunday Masses: 10am & 11:45am (Italian/English) Weekdays Masses: Tuesday Through Saturday 8:30am Confessions: Saturdays 4:45pm and by appointment.

Baptisms: Every Third Sunday At 1pm. Please call the rectory one month before to make arrangements. Sick Calls: Please call the rectory to arrange for the sacrament of anointing whenever anyone is seriously ill. Marriages: Please call the rectory at least 6 months ahead for an appointment with a priest http://www.sacredhearts-ststephen.com St. Paul’s Carroll Street 199 Carroll Street Parish Office: 718-625-4126 Sunday Mass at 10 am Weekday Morning Prayer - Mon.-Thurs. at 7:30 am Weekday masses as announced Holy Days as announced (please see the Calendar) Church open for prayer Tues. 6-8pm & Sat. 2-4pm http://stpaulscarrollst.weebly.com/

Jewish

Kane Street Synagogue 236 Kane Street, (near Tompkins Place) 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ August 29 30, Shabbat Shoftim Candle Lighting 7:14 PM Shabbat ends 8:17 PM Friday night services, 6:00 PM Shabbat morning services, 9:15 AM Sunday Morning Services 9:00 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: 9:00pm Friday: Winter: 5 minutes before Shabbat candle lighting time Summer: 7:30pm Saturday: Shabbat candle lighting time

If your religious institution isn’t listed here, let us know by emailing info@redhookstar.com Thanks!

Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue

Community Telephone Numbers: Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca.................. 718 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz...........................718-492-6334 Red Hook State Senator 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 Community Center, 110 East 9th Street...... 718 243-1528 Red Hook East Dev. Office, 62 Mill St......................... 718 852-6771 Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St................. 718 522-3880 Brownstone Republicans...info@brownstonerepublicanclub.com NYCHA Satellite Police Precinct, 80 Dwight Street Main Phone................................................................ (718) 265-7300 Community Affairs.................................................... (718) 265-7313 Domestic Violence.................................................... (718) 265-7310 Youth Officer.............................................................. (718) 265-7314 Auxiliary/Law Enforcement Coordinator ............ (718) 265-7378 Detective Squad........................................................ (718) 265-7327

www.RedHookStar.com

Christmas 2014

January Civic Association meeting small but spirited

by George Fiala

A

cussed was a survey of rent controlled and rent stabilized properties in Red Hook. He is concerned that some of those laws are not being followed, and unsuspecting tenants, new to Red Hook, have no way of knowing their rights under state law.

small turnout filled a teacher’s room at PS 15 last month as the Red Hook Civic Association held its January meeting. The main topic of conversation was the recent sprouting of a truck parking lot on the huge Revere Sugar lot owned by Joe Sitt’s Thor Equities.

For those that haven’t driven by lately, the lot, which comprises 100,000 square feet and has sat undeveloped for decades, now sports a large variety of tractor trailers, containers, dumpsters and cement trucks. There is no lighting or signage, but a new wire fence has been put up, replacing the blue wooden fence that had blocked the sidewalk for so many years. The sidewalk has been repaired, and a truck bearing the name Long Feng was seen plowing it during the recent snowstorm.

Long Feng is a trucking company associated with Phoenix Beverage, which operates in the Columbia Waterfront District on Pier 7, and in Red Hook on Pier 11. The owners of Phoenix Beverage also operate the Red Hook Container Terminal, LLC, which rents out space on the containerport to all sorts of trucks, including garbage trucks.

The Revere Sugar Refinery operated on Beard Street from the early 20th century until 1985. At one time it was rumored that Ferdinand Marcos, one-time Phillipine dictator, was an investor.

The lot lay dormant until it was bought by real estate developer Joe Sitt in 2005.

He had the entire lot, which includes what some considered historical buildings, razed the next year.

Thor Equities at various times was said to be planning a box store, a college dorm and a sports facility for the Brooklyn Nets at the location, but nothing ever materialized. The lot lay dormant for years, the bulkheads in disrepair, a few construction trucks parked on the far end.

Last October, as reported in the Star-Revue, activity increased on the lot and a series of trucks, including many Haddad film trucks, started parking on the grass.

At one point, a sign was posted indicating that the leasing of truck parking was being handled by Onestop L.I.C., a company that handles the leasing at the Red Hook Terminal. That sign has been since removed.

In November, the fencing was put up, the sidewalk repaired and paving commenced. At no time were any signs posted indicating that permits had been granted to do any of this work. This was a topic of discussion at the Civic Association meeting. “I think they are in violation of building department and environmental regulations,” said John McGettrick. McGettrick believed that the surfacing is not up to standards for a truck parking lot, and in any case, there are no catchbasins, to prevent polluted runoff water from leaking into the harbor.

In addition to the stealthiness of Thor

Red Hook Star-Revue

John McGetttrick holds up the new report from the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

Equities, who is ultimately responsible for the lot, no matter who is running it, there were many complaints about increased truck traffic. Red Hook has designated truck routes for trucks traveling into and out of the neighborhood.

This includes Van Brunt, Beard, a bit of Columbia, and Bay Streets. Trucks are not allowed on any other street except when making a delivery or pickup. McGettrick and others noted that since the lot opened, trucks have been making their way up and down Richards Street.

A Richards Street resident stated that he has had side mirrors of his parked cars knocked off numerous times.

McGettrick said that he was in touch with Community Board 6 about this.

Among the remedies sought are better enforcement of the truck route laws as well as the 51 foot truck rule. The official rule in NYC is that tractor trailers over 51 feet are not allowed in the city, but this is never enforced in Red Hook.

There was also a consensus that truck signage needed to be put up to alert drivers that certain streets are off limits to truck traffic. It was also thought that sooner or later truck traffic on Van Brunt would be impossible, and that perhaps the routes needed changing. This was not addressed in a recent Red Hook transportation study recently released (see story this issue), but McGettrick said he would be in touch with the NYC Dept. of Transportation.

The meeting took place on the day that the NY Times reported on the Est4te Four plans for Red Hook. Those at the meeting, homeowners all, seemed very positive about the plans for the four lots purchased by the Italian real estate developers. McGettrick has fought for many years to have a direct bus route between Red Hook and lower Manhattan, going through the Hugh Carey (Battery) Tunnel. Such a route was suggested in the recent transportation study, and many in the room felt that the Est4te Four development would ensure bus expansion.

The next topic was pile driving. McGettrick said he counted fourteen lo-

cations in Red Hook where building is either underway, or about to begin. He said that because Red Hook is on top of marshy land, new buildings need to be built on piles, necessitating in some cases heavy pounding. The vibrations often cause damage to neighboring structures.

Another project that McGettrick dis-

McGettrick announced that at the next Civic Association meeting, scheduled for March 4 at PS 15, would feature a speaker from the NYC Buildings Department who will tell homeowners what their rights are when it comes to piledriving occuring near their homes.

The builders are supposed to take a survey of existing conditions and install remote sensors. In many cases the vibrations will cause cracks in neighboring buildings - in some cases leading to falling walls.

The last topic discussed concerned AirBnb, the room rental service. The Amendola sisters had hever heard of this, but it was lately in the news as the NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a report declaring many of the rentals illegal. Steve Kondaks suggested that research about Airbnb and Red Hook could begin with a look at their website.

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February 2015, Page 3

City Planning studies Red Hook streets

M

ost everyone knows it’s a little tough to get to Red Hook. People who live here know that without a car and can take a while to get to work. At the same time, it is also true that Red Hook’s isolation has been a factor in its evolution into an eccentric enclave, distinct from the surrounding neighborhoods.

Things are changing and the real estate industry has set its sights on Red Hook.

In anticipation, people from the Dept. of City Planning (DCP) spent time in the neighborhood and have just published “The Red Hook Transportation Study.”

As studies go, it is quite a good report, and will be useful to guide elected officials and city agencies once we can get them interested enough to allocate funds for local projects.

Aline Feder from the DCP Brooklyn office became a familiar face at many community meetings in 2013 and 2014. Undoubtedly, her first-hand experience with the Red Hook community was a big factor in producing such a knowledgable report.

The study begins with Red Hook history, reminding us that Red Hook became a major NYC shipping hub after 1850. Until the construction of the Gowanus Expressway and Battery Tunnel after WW 2, the area known as Red Hook included what is now called Carroll Gardens, the Columbia Waterfront District and the western portion of Gowanus. Once cut off by the highway, Red Hook receded to its present boundaries - those being Hamilton Avenue and the water.

The 1960’s saw a decline in shipping and manufacturing. By the 70s and 80s the neighborhood was in major decline, losing population and becoming dangerous. The population was halved from a 1950 peak of 20,500 to a bit over 10,000 by 2000.

Since 2000, population has stayed constant but demographics have changed. Whites have gone from 8% to 18% of the population, blacks from 43% to 34% and Hispanics from 47% to 43%. Average income in the Red Hook Houses has stayed below $30,000, but incomes range from $60,000 and up in the rest of the community.

The comprehensive report looks at all modes of transportation, including walking, cycling, buses, trains, water and of course driving, both car and truck. In all cases, shortcomings are cited, and recommendations are proposed for most.

The authors of the report seemed horrified by our sidewalks. They are called dirty, full of trash, broken, overgrown with weeds, with some often having cars and trucks parked on them.” The Ham-

by George Fiala

ilton Avenue pedestrian bridge is called unsafe and unfriendly, despite a recent renovation. The other crossings, on Clinton, Mill, Centre and Court are “at best, unpleasant, and at worst, dangerous.”

The report cites statistics reporting a “significant” number of bicycle, pedestrian and auto accidents on Hamilton Avenue.

Subways serve Red Hook only at its periphery, meaning the Smith and 9th Street F and G station. It notes the lack of access for the handicapped.

Before the MTA reduced bus routes in 2009, Red Hook was served by the B37, B61, B71 and B75, with the B77 running east to west on Union Street. These five routes have been consolidated into two the B57 and B61. IKEA runs shuttle buses from three subway stops to the store. Ferries run from IKEA and Fairway to lower Manhattan.

Not so well known is the fact that Red Hook actually has designated truck routes. Except for trucks making local deliveries, they are only allowed on the periphery, coming up via Van Brunt, over on Beard, one block of Columbia, then Bay to Court and Smith Streets where they can travel back to Hamilton Avenue. This means that a tractor trailer driving on Richards Street is illegal.

There are many parking lots for buses and other commercial vehicles. We are the home of five junkyards, eight lots strewn with abandoned vehicles, a number of school bus depots, and a large site full of parked film vehicles. The report was issued last November, and since then another 200,000 square foot commercial parking lot has opened on Beard Street, adjacent to IKEA. After a thorough presentation of what is, the study goes on to make some appropriate suggestions. City Planning reports do not come with funds attached. They can and should be used by local activists to petition the NYC Department of Transportation and the MTA/NYC Transit for improvements. Perhaps some smaller projects could be implemented via the Participatory Budgeting that our councilman is part of. City Planning also suggests that Community Board 6 should be part of the lobbying process.

travels crosstown through Tribeca. The change would bring it down Broadway to the tunnel. City Planning spoke to the Transit Authority and were told that this was an expensive option. An alternative plan would be a shorter route only during rush hours - but this would also involve some additional expense. The report say “ Despite these concerns, we have included this recommendation in case funding becomes available in the future.”

Closing out mass transit suggestions, DCP suggests improvements to some bus shelters. They also point out that the Smith and 9th Street train station, despite a recent renovation, has no accommodations for the handicapped.

Our roads need better signage, many are in need of restriping, and some are in disrepair, says the report. One of many examples cited: “ Richards Street, north of Verona Street is characterized by industrial uses and therefore experiences heavy truck traffic along this segment. The pavement has been broken and the curbs have been eroded, creating poor driving conditions.

The roadway is relatively wide between Verona and Lorraine streets with only two lanes of moving traffic and no street markings. As a result, the roadway is potentially confusing and unclear to motorists.”

Cobblestones are another problem. The report recognizes that cobblestones are an integral part of our history, but has no definitive answer as to how to preserve them.

Suggestions include taking them out and repurposing them; paving over the crosswalk areas to make it easier to cross; putting them in storage for some as yet unknown future use; or continue to fix them on an ad hoc basis, which it claims is not a long-term solution. Paving over is another option, but not historically pleasing.

Additional areas of improvement include more east-west bicycle paths; making the Hamilton Bridge pedestrian overpass aesthetically pleasing and safer; improving truck routes by adding more daylighting (removing parking from corners); enforcement of existing laws; better signage and adding loading zones on Van Brunt to eliminate double parking.

Additional ferry service and possibly revisiting trolley or light rail service rounds out the report.

This is a very thorough report, and while it means nothing in itself, it should be used as one guideline for the future of getting around the neighborhood. The report is available online and is available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/ transportation/red_hook.shtml.

Suggestions Sidewalks begin the section titled “recommendations.” Problem areas are identified. An example is an abundance of weeds and trash at Hicks between Huntington and West 9th.

For most of the sidewalk problems, the solutions require common sense - fixing the cracks, pulling the weeds, moving cars off of them. Normal sidewalk enforcement by the city is in order. They save the innovative ideas for Hamilton Avenue .

One proposal would turn the space under the Gowanus between the lanes of traffic into a pedestrian mall. They would make it a pleasant and lit space with clean paths, colorful artwork and perhaps even food vendors . The goal is to make would make the trek across Hamilton safer and less onerous.

The report strongly advocates express bus service to Manhattan. They suggest changing the route of the M22, a bus that

Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue

Red Hook’s current truck routes. Trucks are not permitted on any other streets than the ones marked blue except to make a local delivery. The study recommends more signs to this effect as well as loading zones on Van Brunt to prevent double parking.

The City Planning suggestion for creating a friendly crossing across Hamilton Avenue.

As seen in the photos, better lighting, defined paths and amenities including a food station turn a dismal area into a delight. The current underpass is shown in the inset.

www.star-revue.com

February 2015

Readers respond to Estate Four plans

by George Fiala

Last month Estate Four released new artist renderings of their plans for the Red Hook waterfront. The NY Times published them alongside an article headlined “Stylish Plans for Sleepy, Industrial Red Hook.” This of course made major news in our little part of town, and so we asked readers to comment.

What follows are responses submitted via email and Facebook.

Happening all over

It seems to be inevitable. It’s happening all along the waterfront along the East River. Williamsburgh, Long Island City, Greenpoint. - Gary Gettenberg

Relentless segregation

“Gentrified in a respectful manner.”

I suppose that’s like being raped with lube. Good luck finding tenants. Red Hook is nothing like their London or Milan locations. And they likely, from the back of their cabs and limos, understand little about the difficulty of getting masses of people in and out of the neighborhood for work or events. The inevitability of projects like these, and the relentless segregation of Red Hook, is exactly why I sold my house and fled after 15 years. - Joseph Bernardo

Valuable discussion

Thanks for getting this important conversation started, George-Mike Schweinsburg

Sea level rising?

It appears they are building under current zoning and will bring new energy to the area but I would want to approach the design in somewhat different way that addresses the future conditions of the site. - Marlene Donnelly

Finally Red Hook recognized

Being a long-time resident of Red Hook, a property owner and employee of a long-time local construction firm, C.S. Scott Enterprises www.csscott. com, I believe change for this community is a positive. Red Hook is rich in the history of this great city and finally being recognized for being one of the most beautifully significant places in all of NYC. The plans to create a cultural hub could not be more apropos and fitting for what Red Hook represents in the realm of the NYC waterfront with magnificent views into the most historical places in this country.

We hope, though, that 4 Estate will bring in some of the local trades like C. S. Scott Enterprises to support the development of this site, and they will facilitate programs for the local youth in the cultural center of the arts.

A cultural hub will bring about many benefits and opportunities for the neighborhood youth, the artists and the appropriate funding to expand upon the vision created Gregory O’Connell, Sr. This will take Red Hook to the next level and preserve it’s beauty for many more people in this country to appreciate. - Carol A. De Bock

Community Benefits agreement

The Red Hook community should revisit their comprehensive plan and have a discussion on how they want their community to grow. Ideally, their decisions should be respected. However, we live under conditions where market forces usually prevail. Any massive development like this that changes the character of the local community should be accompanied by a community benefits agreement that include jobs for local

Red Hook Star-Revue

residents, use of local businesses such as local contractors and suppliers, as well as community facilities and amenities that are open to the general public. - Vilma Hermania, Carroll Gardens Association

Use the Brooklyn Bridge Park designers

This Los Angeles proposal appears to be way out of scale and character with anything in the neighborhood. Such a spectacular site deserves the resources that a city like New York can bring to bear. Resources like the Columbia preservation program’s study of Red Hook, Michael Van Valkenburgh Landscape Architects, the firm that has done such extraordinary work with the Brooklyn Bridge Park, has a wealth of experience with the Brooklyn waterfront; local, state, and national preservation organizations ought to weigh in on how this site should be treated. The bus parking lots are an inappropriate use of Red Hook’s land and redevelopment is inevitable, however this site deserves the best in land-use planning and design. Linda Gibson Willett

What we need

The CSWD and Redhook neighborhoods are somewhat isolated from the rest of New York City because of a relative lack of public transportation. This separation has kept restaurants, shops, and other types of amenities that residents desire from fully developing in these areas. It’s hard for small business to survive without robust foot traffic. I think Esta4te Four is giving the neighborhood exactly what it needs: it creates density and brings more people to the neighborhood. The resulting change is very positive for the neighborhood, the residents and the local businesses. Zev Sohne Sohne Brothers Real Estate Development 131 Union Street

Could be great I’m not a fan of the height of the new buildings, but it’s hard to say how it would effect what Valentino Park will feel like. A big question is how they deal with the public spaces and the community. If done correctly, I think this could be great for everyone. I would love to see a long term deal made with one or several community groups to manage the public spaces and access to the first floors of all of the buildings.

Perhaps a community benefits agreement which promises a specific amount of square footage in the offices for community based organizations like RHI, Added Value, Miccio Center, etc. As for transportation, I’m not too worried because I’m a believer that if there are more people commuting into Red Hook, we’ll end up with better transportation options. As a matter of fact, a public shuttle could be part of a community benefits agreement.-Benjamin Peikes

Seems like Estate 4 is on the mark

I like the idea of this Development. As a fourth generation Brooklynite from Cobble Hill and a local small business owner, I embrace the idea of repurposing and revitalizing areas of industrial warehousing and long closed manufacturing. Just as we’ve seen with the success of Brooklyn bridge park and also in sunset park Industry City, I see Red Hook development as a continuation of a larger plan to clean up and open up the waterfronts around Brooklyn.

Estate Four’s plan as presented in the NY Times. This view shows Valentino Pier Park.

What is most important is that they build properly for flooding, just like IKEA did and they suffered minimal damage from The storm. And it’s important that an equal balance of public spaces and parks are included for recreation and the growing community that will follow. Neighborhoods need to change in a way that preserve the history, take care of the existing communities and create opportunities for people and businesses of all incomes and sizes to move to Brooklyn. From the article I get the feeling that they are considering all of these aspects. - David Alperin, Goose Barnacle, Atlantic Avenue.

Better transportation needs to go with this project

I agree that this was inevitable and at least it is not the audacious buildings that are in LIC as previously pointed out. I too am concerned not only with the transportation option but also the general congestion of the area. Since making Imlay a one way street, the traffic on Van Brunt is really bad and even worse in the summer. If Red Hook is expected to create more spaces for people I hope someone is looking at the impacts across infrastructure and transportation.

We have been happily living here for 3 years. - Kristina Frantz Alexandre

Bravo!

Awesome, this area is going to be great!

- Vito Iacobellis, Staten Island

Keep the quantness

Been in Red Hook for 5 years! I knew this day would come! I really can’t say it’s a bad thing as long as RedHooks quaint neighborhood is left in tact. Interested to hear everyone else’s thoughts. - Ronnette R Griffin-Taylor

Too much change

If given the chance, I would reluctantly vote no on this. It is pretty, and considering what is there now, and what other alternatives might be, it may not be disastrous. But this is not development designed to benefit current Red Hook residents. I don’t suppose that local artists are the intended tenants. The scale is way over the top for what our community is and the great majority of residents within a few blocks of this did not invest in Red Hook to be next to this. I think it completely changes Valentino Pier and the park. The park currently is one of the few public spaces in Red Hook that is shared by both homeowners and residents of public housing. As depicted, I would fear that the new park areas are not going to be as inviting to

www.star-revue.com

public housing residents and I expect 24 hour security - necessary for a wealthy development like this - will make many people feel unwelcome. I would expect the peaceful atmosphere of the west side of Van Brunt to be impacted. Finally, we remain isolated with only 2 streets in and out of our neighborhood. Van Brunt is at capacity most of the day.

Presumably a development of this scale is going to attract a very large amount of people. Are they all coming by boat?

I do think a development of this scale should require input from the community. I know there was a meeting that I missed, but hopefully there will be more opportunities. - John Battis

Needs parking

Really do not have an opinion, seems like alot, hope it comes with parking.

Justin C. Lenz

At least no skyscrapers

I’ve been in Red Hook 5 years, and in the immediate area for 10. This kind of development is inevitable, I guess, considering the amount of waterfront property. At the very least, this kind of development looks respectful - it’s not a 15 story glass tower like LIC and the Williamsburg waterfront. More housing is typically a good thing, but what really concerns me is whether the neighborhood transportation and spaces will be able to sustain the influx of residents - something no one developing LIC and Williamsburg was concerned about and now the L train can barely keep up.- Brett Underhill

Love the idea of it!

I think it’s an amazing project. Quite beautiful if it turns out looking anything like the proposed artists rendering. I didn’t see any mention of residential units, so I’m guessing it will all be commercial/mixed-use space, correct? Love the idea that we are moving well into the 21st Century and that Red Hood will be along not just for the ride, but leading the way!-Vince Musacchia

Remember the view

It’s going to ruin one of the most beautiful views of downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. These developers need to stop being greedy and selfish. Liz Plymell

Doubts?

James Sanford Well prepare for major change...if you think this will not have an adverse affect.,,interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge?

Already been to college

No. I do not want to live on Google Campus. - Hally McGehean

February 2015, Page 5

Stronger Together brings local non-profits money for job training A new program called Stronger Together is helping a few non-profits to continue offering free employment services to residents of public housing.

RHI and other organizations premiered the program recently in Gowanus at the offices of the Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC), an organization that developed affordable housing in Park Slope and neighboring communities starting in the late 1970’s.

Stronger Together, funded by a grant from the city council as well as various charities, will offer free job training and placement, adult education and individual and family support services, such as legal advice, financial coaching, benefits counseling and tax preparation. The Fifth Avenue Committee, Red Hook Initiative and the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Corporation (SBIDC) will share $1 million over the next four years so they can offer job training at no charge.

Among the groups who handed out flyers at tables set up in the front of the FAC building were Red Hook on the Road, RHI, and the Brooklyn Workforce Innovations. Both Red Hook on the Road and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) are FAC subsidiaries.

There was a resume preparation class in session with one participant.

Councilmembers Brad Lander and Carlos Menchaca spoke at the event.

Menchaca said: “The Stronger Together model represents the best of Brooklyn—government working with community-based and trusted organizations to improve the lives of local residents,” says Carlos Menchaca, New York City Council Member and Co-Chair of the Council’s Brooklyn Delegation. The leadership of Fifth Avenue Committee, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, Red Hook Initiative, Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation, and my colleagues in government have created a space where people in our local communities will have a fighting chance to get the jobs—and the lives—that they deserve. This model can serve to meet the needs of communities from across our City concerned with unemployment, lack of education, and lack of access to a higher quality of life.

Brad Landeris known as an eloquent spearker. He said: “Stronger Together stands poised to lift over 1,200 public housing residents in Gowanus, Wyckoff, and Red Hook Houses out of poverty through new opportunities in education, workforce development and placement into good jobs.”

He continued: “I’m proud to work together with Council Member Carlos Menchaca to support these high caliber organizations with proven track-records of poverty reduction. This initiative also strengthens our ‘Bridging Gowanus’ effort to insure that the future of the area around the Gowanus Canal brings real benefits for neighborhood families. When it comes to fighting poverty, we truly are stronger together.”

While this program provides no jobs except for employees of the organizations receiving the grants, they do offer free job placement services. The target audience for these programs are residents of the Red Hook and Gowanus Houses and consist of: (FAC) Adult Education, offering HS equivalency, English as a second language - 294 Smith Street, 718 624-3475 (FAC) Employment Services, offering career counseling, resume preparation, access to computers for job search activities, job placement assistance, 621 Degraw Street, 718 237-2017 (BWI) Job Training and Placement, offering free training in commercial driving, cable installation, TV & film production, woodworking. BWI also trains NYCHA residents of jobs at NYCHA properties. 718 237-2121 (SBIDC) Free job placement in the industrial sector for qualified secretaries, laborers, bookkeepers, maintenance workers, mechanics and drivers. 241 41st Street (718) 965-3100 (RHI) Youth Services. Free educational, employment, counseling and referral services for those 18-24 living in Red Hook. 767 Hicks Street (718) 858-6782 (FAC) Individual & Family Support.

Free public benefits counseling, application assistance and advocacy, legal services, financial coaching, tax preparation. 621 Degraw Street (347) 844-0220

“Council Member Carlos Mechaca describing the community’s need, the Brooklyn Delegation’s Jobs 2015 Initiative, and the Stronger Together collaboration.”

Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue

www.star-revue.com

February 2015

Columbia Waterfront District Merchant Association decides on monthly meetings

by George Fiala

U

ntil the 1970’s, Columbia Street north of Hamilton Avenue was a thriving shopping district. Old-timers remember John’s Bargain Store, the Happy Hour Movie House, Pamasano’s and Sokols Furniture.

As the neighborhood deteriorated for a variety of well documented reasons, some stores moved over to Court Street, while others shut. The past 15 years has seen a slow revitalization.

While service stores, such as butchers and fruit stores have not returned, there is a host of quality restaurants, food purveyors and even a couple of dry cleaners.

Last year the Carroll Gardens Association (CGA) took preliminary steps to bring back the defunct Merchants Association. One of their accomplishments were the Christmas lights that hung on Columbia and Union Streets.

On February 3, a good turnout of local merchants along with a representative from Brad Lander’s office filled the back of Columbia Street’s Brooklyn Collective.

The first agenda item was the selection of block captains. A large map, provided by CGA, filled the center of the table, and volunteers were sought to help serve as information conduits to fellow merchants. Tessa Williams from Brooklyn Collective, Margaret Palca,

Red Hook Star-Revue

the baker, Karen Duffy from Jalopy, Paul D’Agastino of the House of Pizza and Calzone, and Victoria Hagman were among the volunteers.

Actually, picking block captains was the only item on the agenda. But Tessa and others felt that discussion was needed on a whole host of other projects and needs of the local merchants.

Everyone was in agreement, and ideas spewed forth fast and furiously.

Information kiosk Since the Columbia Waterfront District is just a hop away from Brooklyn Bridge Park, merchants feel that visitors to the park should know about the shopping district nearby. A kiosk with a local shopping map has long been on the wish list of the merchants. One sample of a kiosk exists at the Water Taxi landing behind Fairway. The format of a shopping guide with a map was talked about.

The representative from Lander’s office informed the group that the Atlantic Avenue BID is working on a kiosk project, and suggested they be contacted for possible collaboration.

Olivia Lynch from the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) spoke of their project - an interactive online map featuring local businesses.

There is a potential future small park alongside Columbia Street. Locals will

Tessa Williams, Olivia Lynch, Ben Fuller-Googins, Vilma Heramia, the Palcas and Karen Duffy from Jalopy were among the participants at the February meeting.

know the area as being where the catfeeding Ethiopian spends his days. The group wondered whether a large banner couldn’t be created and put up on the fence that separates the open space from the containerport.

Social Networking was discussed, and everyone was reminded to “like” the new merchant association Facebook page. In addition, members were invited to post information about their businesses and events.

Before ending the meeting, there was

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a discussion about staging local events to bring shoppers and tourists. Ideas that came up included Day-break parties, a clam chowder fest, a passport day where participants visit shops to have a shopping passport stamped to qualify for a gift.

Next meeting March 3 Finally, it was decided that the group meet on a regular basis. As this meeting was on the first Tuesday of the month, meetings will now be scheduled on the first Tuesday of every month.

February 2015, Page 7

Brooklyn Stage Company performs Beckett’s Endgame at Sunny’s

by CarloVogel

B

obby Cole’s long established (1992) Brooklyn Stage Company (BSC) will be performing Samuel Beckett’s Endgame at Sunny’s Bar through the end of the month.

Cole has numerous productions under his belt and will be tackling Endgame with aplomb no doubt; Tom Keener directs. BSC’s (and their Manhattan sister company Mortals Theater) credo is to “seek to breathe new life into classic plays with a working class social and political consciousness.” The choice of Endgame is appropriate.

Back in 1994, Cole and BSC took on Beckett’s first play, a little ditty called Waiting for Godot, which you may have heard of. They did it on the barge too. Cool. Sunny Balzano performed in it as Lucky - I wish I had seen that!

That production of Godot continues to elicit discussion and fond remembrance by the Red Hook (newer?) old timers.

There is still a picture of the show behind the bar. I spent many an afternoon speaking about that production with Michael Goodall (R.I.P.) who also appeared in the show as Vladimir.

Cole/BSC followed Godot with Macbeth in 1994, and David Mamet’s American Buffalo in 1995.

Cole played Oedipus in Oedipus Rex in 2007 and directed Hamlet in 2009, which received good notices. Yes, a whole bevy of feel-good-hits-of-the year, but it gives an idea of what Cole and BSC are willing to take on. No

fluffy stuff from them to be sure!

Godot really is the easier of the two Beckett plays to do - if that’s fair to say.

Everybody knows Godot (or they know that they should know it), so if they don’t “get it” they can at least nod their heads in appreciation of witnessing a classic. And Godot is at least funny (if the production lets it be). Endgame… not so much. Also, the characters in Godot have all of their appendages and can walk and stuff.

Godot, written 1948 – 1949, premiered in 1953 in the original French and later was translated to English by Beckett himself. According the cyber-sphere, Godot, a “tragicomedy,” is “the most significant English language play of the 20th century.” Whoever decided that, and when, I didn’t bother to try to figure out because Endgame is the play at hand.

So Beckett (1906 – 1989), now established as a heavy hitter in the “Theatre of the Absurd,” has to write a second play. And Endgame is what he comes up with. It’s a one-act (a long one-act) that also originally premiered in French in 1957. The name refers to the final stages of, well, whatever, but most often, the final stages of chess. It too is classified as a “tragicomedy,” but it’s a little light in the comedy department in my opinion. We’ll see how Keener and cast get it over.

Here’s the skinny: No one really knows what it is about (or if they say they know,

Zachary Zito as Clov; Bobby Cole as Hamm; Tiffany May as Nell; and Daniel Snow as Nagg. (photo by Leigh Loranger)

they are grasping at anything they can; the actors/director have to create some semblance of structure/meaning).

This is telling: a guy (Theodor W. Adorno) wrote a piece in 1961 titled “Trying to Understand Endgame.” Note that the title is “Trying to…” not “Understanding...” You also know you’ve got a enigma on your hands when the best the legions of Wikipedia editors can come up with is “…among Beckett’s most important works.” My emphasis on “important” – important, huh? And that means…? The Wikipedia page also throws out concrete interpretive analysis like “it has also been suggested” and “could be” and “may suggest.” Everyone is just guessing, and Beckett wasn’t the kind of guy that was going to let you in on the secret.

Brooks Atikinson reviewed the U.S. premier of Endgame in 1958 (at the Cherry Lane) for the New York Times – “Samuel Beckett’s second play turns out to be quite impressive. Impressive in the macabre intensity of the mood, that is. […] a portrait of desolation, lovelessness, boredom, ruthlessness, sorrow, nothingness. […] Although the dialogue is often baffling, there is no doubt about the total impression. We are through, [Beckett] says. Nature has forgotten us. The jig is up.”

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One character, Hamm, is unable to stand and is blind; Clov (Hamm’s servant) is unable to sit; and Nag and Nell (Hamm’s parents) have no legs and live in dust bins (Brit speak: trash cans).

Sounds like fun huh? Well, perversely, it is. You’ll have to take my word for it.

Beckett spent the rest of his career moving aggressively towards - and possibly beyond - “minimalism.” Beckett reportedly said in 1973 that “The best possible play is one in which there are no actors, only the text! I’m trying to find a way to write one.” And boy did he try, starting (consciously or not) with Endgame (the folks in the dustbins), through Happy Days (1961; the lead character is buried up to her waist in sand), to Not I (1972; the character literally consists of just a pin spotlight on the actor’s mouth, no body, no face, nothing else).

BSC ran through some previews of this Endgame production last month, so they should be raring to go. I am looking forward to seeing this “most important” work. It doesn’t come around often. See you there, and be thankful that the characters at least have faces.

Endgame can be see Sundays, February 15 and 22 at 2:00 pm, Tuesdays, February 10, 17 and 22 at 8:00 pm Sunny’s Bar is at 253 Conover Street, Brooklyn, 11231

February 2015

Crepes on Court has waffles too!

by Mary Anne Pietanza

I

t wasn’t too long ago that I wrote an article about the 1964 World’s Fair in New York as it celebrated its 50th Anniversary. I mentioned that the darling food introduced at that time was the Belgium waffle. I had confessed that I couldn’t recall having tried it. During the years after, I had learned that most American fair goers had indeed remembered trying it and deemed it as something they have never tasted the likings of since. I have to admit, I was a bit envious of those who could attest to that fact and felt quite out of the loop of the great big, fat Belgium waffle food popularity of its debut.

In steps the Park Bench Café. Newly opened in August of last year, they boast a fine and varied menu of crepes, paninis and waffles. Crepes are their signature specialties and I have made it a point to try all their specials until one day it was suggested that I try their Liege (Belgium) waffles. I was skeptical. Most so-called waffles are made of nothing more than pancake batter. But after hearing the culinary details of the Liege’s contents, I went for it. I hate to sound juvenile here, but, oh.....my.....

God! It was love at first bite! In that instance, my long-time envy had been obliterated.

But the real story of the Park Bench Café and Creperie begins with Vinny, a previous staff member of two large Manhattan events and catering servic-

es, and ex-manger of Viva La Crepe in lower Manhattan. His long time dream to open a creperie in Brooklyn came to fruition on Court Street off of Nelson in Carroll Gardens, an ideal location with its ever growing French presence. Its pristine outside storefront with its park bench and swinging sign gives charming credibility to its name. Its rustic interior, warm and inviting with a copper-hued tin ceiling, wood paneling and lamp posts are equally welcoming.

Vinny stands behind his glass counter, a sort of make-shift kitchen area where you can watch him make anything you order, all from the freshest ingredients nothing ever frozen, and no microwave on premise. He has a great selection of crepes - Savory and Sweet - with daily and weekend specials. I was lucky to have his smoked salmon with gruyere cheese and caper berries one afternoon, but he pointed out that his Savory #14 is his best selling crepe - chicken, mushrooms, spinach, cheddar and chipotle mayo. On the sweet side, # 1 - sugar, butter and lemon (simple, but loaded with taste) or the carmelized cinnamon apple, #4, stood apart for me. And the Nutella was.....well, how could one not love a Nutella crepe? You will be tempted to order two different crepes, as my family did, just to taste each other’s selections. It is worth noting that the Liege waffle Vinny serves is authentic (his grandmother’s recipe) with it’s dense batter and pearl sugar crusting as

it grills. Top it with maple syrup, proscuitto and a sunny side egg? Heaven.

When spring arrives Vinny will open his back yard café for patrons, which will give this already homey café, a finishing touch. In addition to his regular menu, he has a gluten-free menu, baked goods from “Dough” in Bed-Sty who delivers their artisan donuts and croissants daily, and gelato from Maximo Pino.

Bundle all this with coffe, tea, cappuccino, Nutello hot cocoa, or two dozen other available beverages, and you have the makings of a true home-style eatery, that smells and tastes as good as it looks.

Park Bench Café and Creperie, 489 Court Street between Nelson & Huntington 718-855-8110 Catering available. Private parties starting this spring.

New pharmacy ready for Valentine’s Day The Garden Apothecary, recently opened at 525 Court Street not far from Hamilton Avenue, is an option for Valentine’s Day chocolates and stuffed animals.

In addition to holiday specialties, the shop is fully stocked with health and beauty aids, gift items, household necessities and lots more.

The owners operate two pharmacies in Tribeca, and the tasteful decor shows their experience.

They just opened their pharmacy department, and will deliver to the neighborhood.

Court south of Nelson Street used to be a home of barbershops, bodegas and botanicas, not to mention the City Marshall. Now it hosts creperies, exotic restaurants and upscale beauty salons.

PHARMACY NOW OPEN!

EVERGREEN LIQUOR STORE INC. 718 643-0739 196 Columbia Street, between Sackett & Degraw evergreenliquor@yahoo.com

GARDEN APOTHECARY

Mon. - Thurs. 11 am - 10:30 pm; Fri & Sat. 11 am - 11:30 pm; Sun. 1 pm - 9 pm

Carroll Gardens’ neighborhood pharmacy.

All your family’s needs under one roof

tea and coffee in the am, beer and wine in the pm

n Papyrus Greeting cards n Solgar / Windmill vitamins n Kids toys including Melissa & Doug n Paddywax / Votivo candles n Mustela / Medela products n Professional haircare products n Burt’s Bees / Ahava products n And much much more

525 COURT STREET (between W. 9th & Garnet)

718 858-8299

Email: gardenapothecary11231@gmail.com

517 Court Street, corner West 9th www.teaffee.com

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(718) 522-4410 www.facebook.com/Teaffee

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FREE DELIVERY Open 7 Days a Week

February 2015, Page 9

Mark’s

Corner

BY MARK SHAMES

T

his was to be a very quiet new political season, but the new political year is off to the races with a bang.

Revelations about the activities of Assembly Speaker Silver first uncovered by the Moreland Commission and pursued by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York led to a criminal indictment and his subsequent withdrawal from his role as Speaker. Immediately the speculation began about his replacement, My personal preference from among the announced candidates was Bronx Assemblyman Carl Heastie despite his campaign finance issues. Contrary to what usually happens when I have a preference, he has emerged as the frontrunner and by the time this gets into print he will be our new Speaker.

I admire how he successfully orchestrated the insurgency that unseated what had become a problematic Democratic Party leadership in the Bronx and he has been equally apt in putting together a coalition to become Speaker. These are useful skills in holding together a diverse coalition.

Assemblyman Heastie has experience at the Comptroller’s office that should prove useful in the imminent budget negotiations.

However, in a party that always is sensitive to identity politics, it would have been terrific if a Latina was in the running, but that is not the case. Heastie, nearly from the start, had the support of Bronx Borough President Diaz and that of Mayor de Blasio and Kings County Chairman Frank Seddio. Soon after he added his former opponent Assemblyman Wright to his team. His rivals are bowing out one by one.

The only female candidate Assemblywoman Nolan (at this moment now the only other candidate)(further update: Assemblywoman Nolan has bowed out and Heastie is to be our next Assembly Speaker), who is running as a reformer, comes out of that bastion of backroom politics the Queens County organization. Our local assemblywoman hasn’t made a public commitment, but from her history, I would guess that she was at least originally inclined toward Assemblywoman Nolan. Everyone around here speaks kindly of Assemblyman Lentol, but he was never a serious candidate once his colleagues moved beyond thinking about appointing a placeholder.

Twenty-nine members of the Assembly signed on to a letter seeking a more open and expansive process.

Most of the signatories are relatively new members who have little say in the current system and who would use the reform agenda to expand their in-

Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue

fluence in the body. It would indeed be great if beyond the prerequisite of personal integrity, there also is established a series of reforms to open up the process.

My first preference would be for our legislators to be designated as fulltime with a bump up in pay and a ban on outside income. My second choice would be term limits (perhaps a decade) for the Speaker and his/her deputies and committee chairs and a ban on outside income for all such legislative leaders also tied to a substantial pay increase. When people become entrenched there is a greater likelihood that they will substitute their business for the people’s business and such business is conveniently funneled through outside income.

Heastie says he is looking at creating a fulltime Assembly, but I don’t expect such a reform to happen. Other lesser reforms such as a cap on outside income will not do the trick but such minor incremental changes including greater disclosure are better than nothing. When it comes to ethics reforms our elected officials seem to subscribe to the proverb that less is more.

On a happier note, I had the pleasure of attending the inauguration of State Senator Jesse Hamilton. A who’s who of Federal, State and City level dignitaries of the Democratic Party were there. Although the weather outside was frightful the entire auditorium was filled with good cheer spurred on by numerous performances by young local talents. If my feet weren’t soaked, I would have totally forgotten about the miserable rainy afternoon.

At the inauguration I spoke with District Leader Josh Skaller who confirmed that there would likely be some, if not all, new blood at the party level in the 44th Assembly District. Josh is clued in at the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats so I am a believer.

Congratulations to Larry Gulotta on his uncontested nomination to his first full term as president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats.

He will no doubt provide steady and measured leadership. There remains some intrigue as to the identity of the next chair of its executive board.

The club membership roster has now become heavily weighted towards the tonier Brooklyn Heights portion of the district. The club founder, who attended the meeting, was for the first time not nominated to be on its executive board. Was that his choice, an oversight that will be corrected at the next meeting or was it something else?

That Crazy World of Politics

by George Fiala

MENCHACA LOSES LEADERSHIP SPOT.

Our cover story and editorial last issue was about the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and how Carlos Menchaca stood in the way of the Economic Development Corporation’s “fully cooked” (as he described it) scheme for it.

Menchaca used the power of his office to slow the process down in order for the Sunset Park community to have some say in the future use of that piece of public waterfront property.

We applauded his action, and still do.

However, in holding up EDC, it was speculated that he earned the wrath of Mayor de Blasio, for whom EDC works for.

Following Menchaca’s move, a series of events made us believe that vested interests were conspiring against him. First, he was absent at the roll-out of the Municipal ID program, of which he was a co-sponser. Next, he was a no-show at the Mayor’s State-of-the-City speech.

Finally, he was stripped of his co-chairmanship of the Brooklyn delegation of the Council.

rail through Brooklyn and Queens to Long Island.

The purpose of this is to reduce truck traffic in the area. Menchaca gave testimony at the hearing that was somewhat negative, which surprised us.

It turns out that the districts surrounding the train tracks were upset at this plan, worrying about increased trains clogging up their ears and eyes with pollution and smoke. These districts include Bensonhurst, Midwood and Borough Park.

Evidently, Menchaca had a session with Councilman Dov Sikind, representing a part of Borough Park, making him aware of their concerns.

However, their has been a long-running feud between Sikind and Councilmember David Greenfield, who represents other parts of these communities. Sikind has been allied with the anti Vito Lopez forces, and support Ken Thompson for District Attorney.

Greenfield has had ties with Lopez in the past, and supported Charles Hynes.

It was Greenfield, according to one news article, that instigated the coup A whole host of other reasons were giv- that ousted Menchaca from his leaderen for taking away this leadership posi- ship role. In the end it was politics that tion for the freshman councilman. He pushed him aside, evidently. was accused of not doing a good job - not calling enough meetings, possibly caus- ORTIZ GAINS ing Brooklyn representatives to lose out LEADERSHIP SPOT on certain council appointments to city Lost in all this news was the fact that long term Assemblyman Felix Ortiz was agencies.

However, as Menchaca’s mentor, Con- given a new honor - Assistant to the gresswoman Nydia Velazquez pointed Speaker. out, the Brooklyn council members did not boot his co-chair, Diane Mealy, only Carlos. Mealy has been in the council since 2006, Menchaca since 2014. One might think that Mealy would be even

We kind of knew something was up. Ortiz attended Jo Anne Simon’s inauguration. Sheldon Silver was still holding on to his leadership spot that Sunday. The next day he was ousted. Ortiz rushed off to the Bronx after Simon’s inauguration ceremony. Which puzzled us until the next day, when Silver was stripped of the Speaker’s role, and rumors abounded that Carl Heastie of the Bronx would be named the next Speaker.

Felix’s name did not crop up in any of the news reports, but after all was said and done, he walked off with his new honor. Evidently, Ortiz did a lot of politicking in Heastie’s behalf.

more responsible for not running the The Star-Revue congratulates our Asdelation properly. Mealy ought to have semblyman Felix Ortiz. shown Menchaca the ropes, so to say.

We were pointed to the above tweet at presstime. A little investigation gave us some new facts.

The Port Authority held a public hearing on the Feb. 3 at Borough Hall to discuss their Cross Harbor tunnel/barge plan that would reinvigorate the freight train system that starts at 65th Street in Bay Ridge, and would bring freight by

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February 2015

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

VALENTINE’S DAY 2015

SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

SPECIAL SECTION

Happy Valentine’s Day it is most sane and sunly and more it cannot die than all the sky which only is higher than the sky

Sonnet 40: Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all

by William Shakespeare Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all: What hast thou then more than thou hadst before?

No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call— All mine was thine before thou hadst this more.

Then if for my love thou my love receivest, I cannot blame thee for my love thou usest; But yet be blamed if thou this self deceivest By wilful taste of what thyself refusest.

I do forgive thy robb’ry, gentle thief, Although thou steal thee all my poverty; And yet love knows it is a greater grief To bear love’s wrong than hate’s known injury.

Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows, Kill me with spites, yet we must not be foes.

Windchime

by Tony Hoagland She goes out to hang the windchime in her nightie and her work boots.

It’s six-thirty in the morning and she’s standing on the plastic ice chest tiptoe to reach the crossbeam of the porch, windchime in her left hand, hammer in her right, the nail gripped tight between her teeth but nothing happens next because she’s trying to figure out how to switch #1 with #3.

She must have been standing in the kitchen, coffee in her hand, asleep, when she heard it—the wind blowing through the sound the windchime wasn’t making because it wasn’t there.

No one, including me, especially anymore believes till death do us part, but I can see what I would miss in leaving— the way her ankles go into the work boots as she stands upon the ice chest; the problem scrunched into her forehead; the little kissable mouth with the nail in it.

Valentine

by Lorna Dee Cervantes Cherry plums suck a week’s soak, overnight they explode into the scenery of before your touch. The curtains open on the end of our past.

Pink trumpets on the vines bare to the hummingbirds.

Butterflies unclasp from the purse of their couplings, they light and open on the doubled hands of eucalyptus fronds.

They sip from the pistils for seven generations that bear them through another tongue as the first year of our punishing mathematic begins clicking the calendar forward. They land like seasoned rocks on the decks of the cliffs. They take another turn on the spiral of life where the blossoms blush & pale in a day of dirty dawn where the ghost of you webs your limbs through branches of cherry plum. Rare bird, extinct color, you stay in my dreams in x-ray. In rerun, the bone of you stripping sweethearts folds and layers the shedding petals of my grief into a decayed hologram—my for ever empty art.

"I loved you first: but afterwards your love"

by Christina Rossetti I loved you first: but afterwards your love Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove.

Which owes the other most? my love was long, And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong; I loved and guessed at you, you construed me And loved me for what might or might not be – Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong.

For verily love knows not ‘mine’ or ‘thine;’ With separate ‘I’ and ‘thou’ free love has done, For one is both and both are one in love: Rich love knows nought of ‘thine that is not mine;’ Both have the strength and both the length thereof, Both of us, of the love which makes us one.

A Broken Appointment

by Thomas Hardy You did not come, And marching Time drew on, and wore me numb,— Yet less for loss of your dear presence there Than that I thus found lacking in your make That high compassion which can overbear Reluctance for pure lovingkindness’ sake Grieved I, when, as the hope-hour stroked its sum, You did not come.

You love not me, And love alone can lend you loyalty; –I know and knew it. But, unto the store Of human deeds divine in all but name, Was it not worth a little hour or more add yet this: Red Hook To Star-Revue Once you, a woman, came To soothe a time-torn man; even though it be

Special Section conceived and compiled by Kimberly Gail PRice

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February 2015, Page 11

Ukranian ~ Я люблю тебе Turkish ~ Seni seviyorum Thai ~ ผมรักคุณ Swedish ~ Jag älskar dig Swahili ~ Nakupenda Somali ~ Waan ku jeclahay Slovanian ~ Jaz vas ljubim Slovac ~ Milujem ťa Serbian ~ Волим те Russian ~ Я люблю тебя Romanian ~ Te iubesc Portuguese Eu te amo Spanish ~ Te~quiero Polish ~ Kocham cię Zulu ~ Ngiyakuthanda Persian ‫امش نم‬ ‫ריא ار‬ ‫مراد تسود‬ Yiddish ~~ ‫ךיא‬ ‫עביל‬ Norwegian ~ Jeg elsker deg i chi Welsh ~ Rwyf wrth fy modd Mongolian ~ Би чамд хайртай Vietnamese ~ Tôi yêu bạn Malayalam ഞാൻ നിെന്ന സ്േനഹിക്കുന്നു Urdu ~ ‫مت ~ےھجم‬ ‫تبحم ےس‬ Macedonian Те сакам Ukranian ~ Я ~люблю тебе Lithuanian ~ Aš myliu tave Turkish ~ Seni seviyorum Spanish ~ Te quiero Latin ~ Te amo Thai ~ ~ผมรัIkกคุhou ณ van jou Zulu ~ Ngiyakuthanda Spanish ~ Te quiero Dutch Lao ~ ຂ າພະເຈ າຮັກທ ານ Yiddish ~ ‫ךיא‬ ‫עביל‬ ‫ריא‬ ້ ່ dig ົ ້ älskar Swedish~ ~Jeg Jagelsker Zulu ~ Ngiyakuthanda Danish dig Valentine Beer Labels Korean 나는tě 당신을 사랑합니다 Welsh wrth‫ריא‬ fy modd i chi Swahili~~Miluji Nakupenda Yiddish~~Rwyf ‫עביל ךיא‬ Czech Decorate a six pack with romantic labels: Kazakh Мен сені жақсы көремін Vietnamese Tôi yêu bạn i chi Somali ~~ ~Waan kutejeclahay Welsh ~ Rwyf~ wrth fy modd Croatian Volim 1) Cut pieces of Card stock into an approUrdu ~ ‫مت~ےھجم‬ Japanese Slovanian ~ わたしは、あなたを愛しています Jaz vas ljubim Vietnamese Tôi‫ےس‬ yêu‫تبحم‬ bạn Chinese ~ ~我愛你 priate size for labels.

Ukranian ~ Я ‫مت‬ люблю тебе Italian Slovac ~ Ti Milujem ťa те Urdu ~ ‫ےھجم‬ ‫تبحم ےس‬ Bulgarian ~amo Обичам 2) Made up some clever beer slogans and printed them out Turkish seviyorum Irish ~ Is~~breá liomтеtú Serbian Волим Ukranian~ ~Seni Я люблю тебе Bosnian Обичам те also on card stock.

Thai ~ ผมรั คุณ seviyorum Indonesian Aku mencintaimu Russian ~~ আিম Я ~люблю тебяভােলাবািস Turkish ~ กSeni Bengali আপনােক 3) Decorated each label with Puffy Paint, stickers and craft Icelandic ÉgTeelska þig Romanian~~~ iubesc Swedish Thai ~ ผมรั~กคุJag ณ älskar dig Armenian Ես քեզ սիրում եմ foam Hungarian ~ szeretlek Portuguese ~ Eu te amo Swahili ~~Nakupenda Swedish Jag älskar dig Arabic ~ ‫كبحأ‬ Hmong Kuv hlub Polish ~~Kocham ciękoj Photo, gift 1: project idea and photo courtesy of makethebestofeverything.com Somali ku jeclahay Swahili ~~ Waan Nakupenda Albanian ~ Unë të dua Persian ~ ‫نم‬ ‫امش‬ ‫ار‬ ‫تسود‬ ‫مراد‬ Slovanian ~ Jaz vas ljubim Hindi ~ तम प्यार करता ु ~सेEk Somali ~ Waan ku jeclahay Afrikaans is lief vir jou Norwegian ~ Jeg elsker Slovac ~ Milujem ťa Slovanian ~ Jaz vas ljubim Hebrew ~ ‫ךתוא בהוא ינא‬deg Love Slime Mongolian ~ Би~ чамд Serbian Волим те Slovac ~~Milujem ťa Haitian Creole Mwenхайртай renmen ou A fun gift for lids or your kid-at-heart Malayalam ~ ഞാൻ നിെന്ന സ്േനഹിക്കുന്നു Russian Я люблю Serbian ~~ Волим те тебя Greek ~ Σ 'αγαπώ Combine the these ingredients in a Romanian Te iubesc Macedonian Те сакам Russian ~ Я~люблю тебя German ~ Ich~liebe dich bowl and mix well: Portuguese te amo Lithuanian~ ~მეAšშენ myliu tave Romanian ~~TeEuiubesc Georgian მიყვარხარ 2 Cups of glitter glue (or use clear glue Polish ~ Kocham cięamo Latin ~ Te Portuguese ~ Eu te French ~ Jeamo te aime and glitter) Persian ~ ‫نم‬ ‫امش‬ ‫ار‬ ‫تسود‬ ‫مراد‬ ້ Polish ~ Kocham cię Lao ~ ຂ ້ າພະເຈ ່ ານ Finnish ~ Rakastan sinua ົ າຮັກທ Norwegian ~ Jeg elsker deg 1 & 1/2 cups very warm water Persian ~ ‫مراد تسود ار امش نم‬ Korean ~ 나는 Filipino Mahal당신을 kita 사랑합니다 Mongolian Norwegian ~~ Би Jegчамд elskerхайртай deg Kazakh ~ ~Мен жақсы көремін Estonian Ma сені armastan sind More glitter if extra sparkle is desired Malayalam ~~ Би ഞാൻ Mongolian чамдനിെന്ന хайртайസ്േനഹിക്കുന്നു Japanese わたしは、あなたを愛しています English ~ I~love you Optional: 3-5 drops of rose oil or favorMacedonian Те сакам Malayalam ~ ~ഞാൻ നിെന്ന സ്േനഹിക്കുന്നു Italian ~ Ti amo ite scent Lithuanian ~ Aš myliu tave Irish ~ Is breá liom tú Macedonian ~ Те сакам In a Separate Bowl Combine: Latin ~ Te amo Indonesian ~ Aku mencintaimu Lithuanian ~ Aš myliu tave 3/4 tsp borax Lao ~ ~ຂ າພະເຈ Icelandic ~ Ég elska þig ້ Te ່ ານ Latin amo ົ ້ າຮັກທ 1 & 1/3 cups very warm water Korean ~ 나는 당신을 사랑합니다 Hungarian ~ szeretlek Lao ~ຂ ້ າພະເຈ ່ ານ ັ ກທ ົ ້ າຮ Once the ingredients of both bowls are mixed combine Kazakh жақсы көремін Hmong ~ Kuv hlub koj Korean ~~ Мен 나는 сені 당신을 사랑합니다 them and mix well. As you mix the ingredients the slime Japanese ~ わたしは、あなたを愛しています Kazakh ~ Мен сені жақсы көремін Hindi ~ तम ु से प्यार करता will form. There will be left over water in the bowl which Italian ~ Ti~amo Japanese わたしは、あなたを愛しています Hebrew ~ ‫ךתוא בהוא ינא‬ can be discarded. If the slime is at all runny or overly Irish ~ Is breá liom tú Italian ~ Ti amo Haitian Creole ~ Mwen renmen ou sticky simply dissolve a tiny amount of borax in a teaspoon Indonesian ~ Aku Irish ~ Is breá liommencintaimu tú Greek ~ Σ 'αγαπώ of water and mix it into the slime. Scented slime with rose Icelandic ~ Ég elska þig Indonesian ~ Aku mencintaimu German ~ Ich liebe dich oil or leave unscented.

Hungarian~ ~Égszeretlek Icelandic elska þig Georgian ~ მე შენ მიყვარხარ Pour into a heart shaped box or other container.

Hmong ~ Kuv hlub koj Hungarian ~ szeretlek French ~ Je te aime Photo, gift 2: project idea and photo courtesy of growingajeweledrose.com Hindi ~ त म सेwe प्यार करता Hmong ~Day hlub kojdeparted, ु Kuv Finnish ~ Rakastan Happy Valentine’s have True Love In Pie Form sinua Hebrew ~म ‫בהוא‬ ‫ךתוא‬ Filipino Mahal kita Hindi ~ तDay सेfor प्यार ु ‫ינא‬ Happy Valentine’s meकरता Steve’s Key~Lime – Redhook!

Haitian Creole ~ Mwen renmen ou Estonian ~ Ma armastan sind Hebrewor~ cold ‫בהוא ינא‬ ‫ךתוא‬ I am not resentful hearted. ~ Brad Boyer Greek ~Creole Σ 'αγαπώ Haitian ~ Mwen renmen ou English ~ I love you Love Rocks You are so German special; ~ Ich liebe dich Greek ~ Σ 'αγαπώ Unique love notes for anyHe doesn’tGerman know that about Brads loves Kimberbee Georgian მე liebe შენyou. მიყვარხარ ~~Ich dich one special He probably doubts French ~ you.

Je te aime Georgian ~ მე შენ მიყვარხარ ~ Anon After washing and drying, Finnish Rakastan I love yourFrench smile your silhouettes ~~ Je te aimesinua draw hearts on rocks with Filipino Mahal kitasinua Finnish Rakastan You’re so kind of a~~soul I love you Kimberly..... and George markers. Give them a coat Estonian~ ~Mahal Ma armastan sind Filipino for all the works you do, big and of Modge Podge to seal the We were like children againkita English ~ ~I love you Estonian Ma armastan sind Small , for years and years... don’ nedesigns.

About seventeen years old, English ~ I love you vah change!!

Leave the rocks around the neighborhood or hand them We met many years ago.

Irregulars forever! out to friends and coworkers for a unique Valentine wish.

To reunite again it was godly, ~ Love, Rusty Hooker Photo, gift 3: project idea and photo courtesy of growcreative.blogspot.com The lovely moments we shared like no other AP: Four square blocks of Red Hook Like no other. are your world. You are my world.

Heart Magnets The earth spins; are you happy? ~ Duane Stapp A little magic The earth spins, to adorn your lover's I can really make you happy again Our love is plain fridge A second time around again, Berries and cream Shape air dry clay into The earth spins; blessed souls united again.

3-D hearts. Make the Never mean Many sunrises and sunsets again, back flat for a solid surSimple as bread and butter face to glue onto. Let I love you; Happy Valentines.

Discussing the news with one another the clay harden for 24 ~Carlos Sanchez Laughing at hypocrites hours. Paint them any color you like. Allow to Landspersky forever ~To Jay from Mark dry and apply a coat of mod podge to seal them. Glue a ~Anon magnet to the back of each heart.

Photo, gift 4: project idea and photo courtesy of idlewife.blogspot.ca

Saying I Love You around the world

Home Made

Love notes from our readers

Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue

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February 2015

Gifts

Funny Valentine’s Day Quotes

Heart Shaped Soap Let bath time be a reminder of your love Cut 1 pound of glycerin soap into small pieces. Microwave on medium heat until melted; stir. Stir in a colorant or food coloring. Pour liquid into a non-stick 9-inch square pan. Spray with rubbing alcohol in to eliminate bubbles.

Let harden at room temperature for 2 hours. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Turn the soap mold upside down onto cutting board. Cut the soap with a heart-shaped cookie cutter; pull cutter out with pliers if it sticks.

Photo, gift 5: project idea and photo courtesy of blog.recreativeworks.com

“A bride at her second wedding does not wear a veil. She wants to see what she is getting.” ~ Helen Rowland “Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife.” ~ Groucho Marx “Get married early in the morning. That way, if it doesn’t work out, you haven’t wasted a whole day.” ~Mickey Rooney “I love being married. It’s so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” ~Rita Rudner

Love Potion #9 Hopelessly enamor him with spirits Squeeze a generous amount of black paint into a glass bottle (with cork) and swirl to coat. Turn bottle upside down to let excess paint drip out.

Clean the lip of the bottle with damp paper towel if needed.

“I wanted to make it really special on valentine’s day, so I tied my boyfriend up. And for three solid hours I watched whatever I wanted on tv.” ~Tracy Smith

Clean outside surface of bottle with rubbing alcohol. Draw "No. 9" on bottle with a glass paint marker. Attach a wooden or paper heart tag that says "Love Potion." Fill with a favorite beverage.

“It is impossible to love and be wise.” ~Francis Bacon

Photo, gift 6: project idea and photo courtesy of number-2-pencil.com

“Love has the power of making you believe what you would normally treat with the deepest suspicion.” ~Mirabeau

Fortune Cookies Remind lovers how fortunate they are to have you.

“Love is a grave mental disease.” ~Plato

Cut circles into patterned paper. Fold the circle is half without creasing. Pinch the corners together and glue the center. Create messages on thin strips of paper, and slip inside the cookies. Package in a festive Chinese takeout container.

“Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops up the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots.” ~Hoosier Farmer

Photo, gift 7: project idea and photo courtesy of celesterockwood-jones.typepad.com

52 Reasons I'm Yours Turn a deck of cards into 52 reminders of how awesome they are!

Punch two holes in the side of a deck of cards. Decorate the face of each card with a memory, favorite thing, or romantic quote. Use paper cute outs or write directly on the card. Bind the cards together with twine, ribbon or rings Photo, gift 8: project idea and photo courtesy of instructables.com

Hershey Kiss Rose Buds Cut a 4 1/2-inch square of cellophane. Place the Kisses end to end in the center of the cellophane. Wrap the cellophane down over the candies, and gather the cellophane at the base. Insert a wooden skewer into the cellophane. Wrap green floral tape around the outside of the cellophane tightly so that the skewer is held in place. Continue wrapping the tape down the length of the stem. Pause halfway down the wire and place a stem of artificial leaves along the wire. Continue covering the rest of the floral wire with floral tape. To make a bouquet, make multiple buds. Wrap together with tissue paper, cellophane and ribbon.

“My boyfriend and i broke up. He wanted to get married and i didn’t want him to.” ~Rita Rudner “Never go to bed mad -- stay up and fight.” ~Phyllis Diller “No matter how love sick a woman is, she shouldn’t take the first pill that comes along.” ~Joyce Brothers “One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry.” ~Oscar Wilde “The poor wish to be rich, the rich wish to be happy, the single wish to be married, and the married wish to be dead.” ~Ann Landers “Three things can’t be hidden: coughing, poverty, and love.” ~Yiddish proverb “To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia.” ~H. L. Mencken

Photo, gift 9: project idea and photo courtesy of curbly.com

Red Hook Star-Revue

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February 2015, Page 13

For Singles

Most of us have been single at some point on Valentine’s Day. But instead of pity parties, chocolate binges and a blazing bonfire of all of the exes old mementos, tackle this day of love with a positive approach. Instead of rehashing past mistakes and worrying if “the one” will ever find you, focus on yourself by creating a healthy, happy Love Day. • Be your own Valentine. Embrace yourself and all the wonders and delights of being single. Pamper yourself with love by treating yourself to a mani-pedi, flowers or a hot bath and a favorite book. Declare “Me Day,” and do whatever you want.

• Avoid overly romantic and sentimental places. Dimly lit restaurants with heart covered menus can be substituted for night clubs, Irish pubs or more casual places.

• Have a girls or guys night out. Embrace being single with other non-coupled friends.

• Give kindness to people around you. Buy flowers and give them to individually to strangers. Keep candy in your coat pocket to give to people around you. Find opportunities throughout the day to do a good deed. Act to change the world.

• Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, make a list of the things you do have and spend the day celebrating you. Recognize the benefits of being single and all advantages. Celebrate your independence.

• Start a project you’ve been wanting to tackle for a while. Throw yourself fully into it and enjoy the task. Or devote time to a neglected pastime. What do you love to do that you haven’t made time for in a while?

• Spend quality time with yourself. Instead of wasting time and waiting for the day to pass, meditate, spend time in self-reflection, or keep your body active while being kind to yourself emotionally.

Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue

V-Day Weekend outings

Indulge on a wine tasting and complete tour at the Red Hook Winery, where the process begins with crushing grapes. Open Valentine’s Day 12-5 pm. RedHookWinery.com 175 Van Dyke Street If antiques are what you crave, stop by Pier 44 Antiques for a preview of an upcoming auction. Auctions are every other Sunday at 2 pm. 12-4 pm on Saturday. Pier44Antiques.com 106 Ferris Street

With the sweet combination of chocolate and cacao rum, love bugs can’t go wrong with tastings and tours at Cacao Prieto/ Widow Jane. Tours are at 12, 2, and 4 pm.

The distillery will also offer a Love Potion and Valentine’s wrapped chocolates. CacaoPrieto.com 218 Conover Street Pioneer Works’ exhibition “Tongue Stones” explores legacies past, present and future through a constellation of histories and imminent possibilities, including experiments in research, reenactment, distribution, sampling, circulation, documentation and reanimation. 12-6 pm. PioneerWorks. org 159 Pioneer Street Parents and children 4+ can spend loving time at Kentler International Drawing Space working on a collaborative drawing from 10-11:30 am. KentlerGallery.org 353 Van Brunt Street Stop by Hometown BBQ for a hearty dinner date and enjoy a live show with the Sometimes Boys, an experimental folk band that incorporates rock, zydeco and others into their music. 7:30-10:30 pm. HometownBarbque.com 454 Van Brunt St

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Stop by Bait and Tackle and rock out to a free show with the Cannibal Ramblers in the old make-shift bait and tackle space. Show starts at 9 pm. RedHookBaitandTackle.com 320 Van Brunt Street Al Duvall will create a Valentine’s Extravaganza bringing his humor and talented songwriting to Jalopy’s stage. 8 pm. Jalopy.biz 315 Columbia Street Enjoy a bluegrass jam at Sunny’s Bar at 10 pm.

Bring an instrument, your darlin’ and dancing shoes for a late night stop. SunnysRedHook. com 253 Conover Street Indulge in something sweeter than store bought candies at Raaka Chocolate. Sign up for a tour of their space and sample their signature craft bars at 12 pm. For an even sweeter date, indulge in a choclate making class and make your own handcrafted bar at 2 pm. RaakaChocolate. com 64 Seabring Street Visit Steve’s Key Lime Pie, one of two commercial bakeries who use fresh squeezed juice in their creations. Choose traditional single serving pies, or share a swingle - a chocolate covered pie on a stick - with your sugar. StevesAuthentic.com 185 Van Dyke Street Take a tour of the historic 1914 Lehigh Valley Barge #79, the only floating vessel of its kind.

The Waterfront Museum is open from 1-5 pm this Valentine’s Day. WaterfrontMuseum.org 290 Conover Street

February 2015

New CO at 76th

by George Fiala

C

aptain Justin Lenz, head of the 76th Precinct since October 2013, tweeted that his last day at the precinct was “bittersweet.” Lenz was suddenly transferred to the 101st Precinct in the Rockaways. His replacement is Natalie Maldonado.

UNION RO C K Y S U L L I VA N S

Lenz introduced the new CO at the February community council meeting. Like Lenz, Maldonado has a background in narcotics enforcement, and most recently served as the CO of Transit District 32, in Crown Heights.

Live in Concert

OF RED HO

OK

The Star-Revue appreciated Captain Lenz. We editorialized last November: “Justin Lenz, who has commanded the 76th Police Precinct for the past year is another lucky break for Red Hook. In just one short year he has noticeably changed the culture of the local police force.

For one thing, he has abandoned the good guy/bad guys approach of his predecessor.

He is sincerely interested in improving the safety of all Red Hookers – front and back.

His officers no longer seem to glare at everyone, suspecting evil intent everywhere.

Instead, he has set the tone for real community policing.

He has become a familiar figure at local events, including the annual Old Timers Day. He was at the Barnacle Parade, enjoying himself as the parade was officially sanctioned by his department this year.

At the monthly community meetings, he is not defensive – giving a stock answer to every complaint (which was to take your complaint to the Civilian Review Board), as was done in the past.

Instead, he listens carefully to everyone who shows up and, much as Menchaca does, tries to figure out a common-sense

answer to each problem.

All this is helped out by his easy going personality and evident humanity.”

At the council meeting Lenz was honored by local politicians as well as many community members who came out to say goodbye. For the first time in memory, refreshments - including an ice cream cake personalized for the incoming and outgoing captain - were served.

FR ID AY FE B 13

Speaking first, Lenz called heading the 76th a dream job, and Maldonado, a self proclaimed “Brooklyn girl” who has enjoyed the restaurants on Smith, Columbia and Van Brunt Street, said she’s eagerly anticipating the assignment.

She officially took over command at midnight, February 3rd.

Other speakers included Wally Backman, Robert Berrios, Brad Lander and representatives from Carlos Menchaca and Felix Ortiz’s office.

Craig Hammerman summed things up best by noting that Captain Lenz is leaving the precinct in better shape than he found it.

STAN KOSAKOWSKI, TOMMY RAMIREZ, JOHN BADIALI, GEORGE FIALA

Advertise in the Star-Revue for information call 718 624-5568 or email george@redhookstar.com

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Junk Removal

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Legal

REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS Buy/Sell. Expd Attorney, Real Estate Broker, ESTATES/CRIMINAL MATTERS Richard H. Lovell, P.C., 10748 Cross Bay, Ozone Park, NY 718 835‐9300. www.LovellLawnewyork.com

Lots & Acreage

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House Painting

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No job too big or too small

Toilets, Boilers, Heating, Faucets, Hot Water Heaters,

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Jim & Debbie Buscarello

98 Van Dyke Street, Red Hook (718) 852-5364 www.jabusbuildingcorp.com HIC License #0883902

Red Hook Star-Revue

Fax: (718) 935-1263

jabusbuildingcorp@gmail.com Trade Waste License #1135

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Pool Heaters.

B & D HEATING 507 Court Street 718 625-1396 To place an ad in this section call 718 624-5568 or email info@redhookstar.com.

Rates start at $30 per issue.

February 2015, Page 15

Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue

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February 2015