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The Voice of Common Sense and Conservative Values VOLUME 90 NUMBER 35
SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2019
WHAT’S NEWS FERRY GOOD IDEA
Local elected officials have requested that the city’s Economic Development Corporation fund a shuttle service to take NYC Ferry passengers to and from the 69th Street Pier. The Rockaways-to-Wall-Street ferry currently stops at the pier but with express Bay Ridge to Wall Street service planned for 2021, the pols say a shuttle will be even more important. For more on this story, go to brooklynreporter.com.
FIELD OF DREAMS
The newly renovated Fort Hamilton High School Athletic Field was officially dedicated on Tuesday, Sept. 10 after undergoing a $4.7 million renovation, and several of the speakers at the ceremony made it clear that it was the now-former students of Fort Hamilton who really made it happen, by advocating for the renovation. The 6-acre field now boasts artificial turf with built-in shock absorbers, a new running track painted in the school colors of blue and white, a new drainage system and several water fountains that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more on this story, go to brooklynreporter.com.
G&T BACKERS SPEAK OUT
A mayoral task force proposal to eliminate the Gifted and Talented program in city schools has teachers, parents and lawmakers speaking out in support of keeping, and even expanding, the programs in the schools. Letters have been sent to the mayor and chancellor by local legislators, as those who have benefited from the programs recall their impact. For more on this story, go to brooklynreporter.com.
RESTORING UNITY
BRIDGING THE GAP
To facilitate the reconstruction of the 79th Street overpass spanning the Gowanus Expressway, a temporary bridge opened on Tuesday, Sept. 10 that will keep traffic flowing smoothly while the work is being done. With the temporary bridge in place, work on the overpass can take place in one stage. The reconstruction project is scheduled for completion in December and will include a complete replacement of the bridge deck and repairs to the bridge’s steel substructure, as well as sidewalk improvements and the installation of new lampposts with energy-efficient LED lighting. For more on this story, see page 4.
COMING SOON…
After roughly six months of community hearings, rallies and town halls, Councilmember Carlos Menchaca will announce on Monday, Sept. 16 where he stands on Industry City’s proposed rezoning, which may determine whether or not it will move forward. Menchaca, who represents Sunset Park, plays an influential role in the fate of the expansion, a proposal that seeks to transform the waterfront industrial site into an “innovation economy” hub characterized by makers, creatives, retailers and academic spaces. For more on this story, go to brooklynreporter.com
‘Q’ AND A Longtime Activist ‘John Q’ Turns Career Toward Education, Faith and History IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW: PAGE 2
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Photo by Ed Wilkinson
With the rising number of hate crimes being reported throughout the city, an effort is now afoot to reinvigorate southwest Brooklyn’s Unity Task Force, a group that was started in 2000 to encourage unity across different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A recent forum held at Redeemer St. John’s Lutheran Church was a grassroots effort to plan for the future, according to Rev. Khader Khalilia, the church’s pastor. For more on this story, see page 4.