Brooklyn Bridge Climber Arrested; Bouncy Squibb Bridge Court Battle Continues; John McEnroe Headed to Barclays; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Squibb Park Bridge. Photo by MK Metz

- Judge orders ‘bouncy’ Squibb Bridge design firm to allow Brooklyn Bridge Park access to key software. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- A man was arrested after police caught him walking on the beams above the Brooklyn Bridge in broad daylight on Monday. [NY Post]

- Cyclists are fed up with officers from Clinton Hill’s 88th Precinct parking their cars across the bike lane on DeKalb Avenue, but cops say there's nothing they can do about it. [Brooklyn Paper]

- Big tennis event in Brooklyn: Barclays Center to host John McEnroe-headlined PowerShares QQQ Cup in January. [CBS]

- Ortiz: Don’t dump homeless in Sunset Park hotels. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- From hot dogs to jean jackets, Brooklyn artist sculpts every day objects from stone. [Fox5]

- Get your clothes ironed for free in Brooklyn bars next month. [Gothamist]

- Spike Lee holidays in Maasai Mara, plants trees in memory of Biggie Smalls, Michael Jackson, Prince, Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Raheem Nunn, Maurice White, Phife Dawg and George Michael. [SDE]

Carrie Fisher didn't just act in STAR WARS. She shaped it and many other stories and scripts. pic.twitter.com/gpCPbTwFy1

— Alan Sizzler Kistler (@SizzlerKistler) December 27, 2016

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Jumbo Sized Buildings in D'town Brooklyn? Myer Departs Brooklyn Bridge Park; Bike Lane Blues and More Brooklyn Briefs

Hazel Scott (with Paul Robeson in the background) performing at a dinner in Brooklyn in honor of Hugh Mulzac pic.twitter.com/GEBM0Hwjb5

— Franck Biyong (@franckbiyong1) September 20, 2016

- More on the proposal that would allow construction of new buildings of any size in densely populated areas like Downtown Brooklyn. [Brownstoner]

- Look who left Brooklyn Bridge Park: Downtown Brooklyn Partnership names Regina Myer as new president. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- A 20-year-old man was fatally shot on a Bed-Stuy street Monday night. [Daily News]

- Why Mayor de Blasio was wrong about cars standing briefly in bike lanes. [Brooklyn Spoke]

- The 10 best cheap things to do in Brooklyn this week, skee-ball edition. [Brokelyn]

- Screenings, parties and talks in Brooklyn for IFP Film Week.  [IFP]

- The Standish, a hotel-turned-condo in Brooklyn Heights launches sales. [Curbed]

- Experience a day at the races in 1904 with this footage from Gravesend’s long gone horse racing track. [Bensonhurst Bean]

- Man sues Samsung, saying Note 7 exploded in his pants. [CNET]

- Twitter's new character count, explained. [TechCrunch]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Shot in the Butt in Crown Heights; Brooklyn Perv; Brooklyn Influencers and More

Spring Crocus explosion at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. pic.twitter.com/fzHYA7Yi6B

— Rob Jett (@thecitybirder) March 2, 2016

- A man was shot in the butt across the street from two Crown Heights school yesterday afternoon. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Borough Board approves sale of Brooklyn Heights Library, but advocacy group files a federal complaint. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Women-owned businesses are gaining ground in Brooklyn, with a 39 percent increase in the borough over a five-year period. [DNA info]

- An upstate father's horrible discovery has led to the discovery of Brooklyn man who police say preyed on children. [13Wham]

- On May 14, hundreds of cyclists will ride en masse along 7.5 miles of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway at the inaugural Brooklyn Bike Rave, a glowtastic night ride with lights and music. [Brownstoner]

- Interesting list: 100 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Culture. [Brooklyn Magazine]

- No need for Con-Ed: Brooklyn-based LO3 Energy is running a platform that lets anyone sell energy to their neighbors using blockchain technology. [BizJournals]

- A little-known Newtown Creek access point takes shape. [Greenpointers]

- Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton weigh in on important Brooklyn issues. [Brokelyn]

- Shimmy ‘Til Her Garters Break’: Drag Queen Visury Fox heats up Bay Ridge. [Bensonhurst Bean]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Tiny Floating Gardens in the Gowanus, and More Brooklyn Briefs

Sign in MetroTech says in Arabic, "The truth is I love you." MK Metz

 - Brooklyn postal worker follows a Muslim woman, spits at her. [NBC]

- Company builds tiny floating gardens to clean up the polluted Gowanus Canal. [Accuweather]

- A young punk was convicted Tuesday for the shooting death of a beloved homeless man who kept an eye on a street in Clinton Hill. [Daily News]

- The best Friendsgiving feast and late-night turkey sandwiches are in Bushwick. [Brooklyn Magazine]

- In some neighborhoods, the Dept. of Sanitation is picking up old clothes packed in special pink bags and donating them to Goodwill. [Bensonhurst Bean]

- Did you catch these photos of Brooklyn Heights over the past century? [Curbed]

- Councilman Antonio Reynoso is calling on state lawmakers to implement the so-called "Idaho Stop" for cyclists. [NY1]

-  Donate winter wear and get free treats in Brooklyn Heights this weekend. [Brownstoner]

- Brooklyn ranks no. 9 on a Yelp/Harris Poll survey that ranks the top 20 U.S. cities to shop local. [Biz Journal]

- Negligible discounts on inferior items: Kindly old man retailer patiently explains the scam that is Black Friday. [Brokelyn]

- Men's brains seem to age faster than women's. [NY Magazine]


Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Bill Murray to Lead Poetry Walk Across Brooklyn Bridge Monday Night, and More Brooklyn Briefs

Mentors and their high school mentees dance at the annual iMentor picnic in Cadman Plaza Park. Photo by MK Metz

- Bill Murray is going to lead hundreds of poetry lovers and poets across the Brooklyn Bridge in an on-the-go poetry reading Monday at 6:30 p.m. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Brooklyn DA helps nab crook who stole woman's wallet. [WSJ]

- 1,000 new Citi Bikes getting redesign by Olympic racing bike designer. [Daily News]

- Fire at NY Methodist hospital in Park Slope on Saturday diverts ambulances. [NY Post]

- Five hospitals in Brooklyn will be hit of the nurses union approves a strike. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Fascinating look at the sex life of Hasidic Jews. [Salon]

- Williamsburg's Northside Festival brings hundreds of performing artists, film screenings, art installations. [MetroUS]

- Brownstone in Carroll Gardens repeatedly defaced by gay slurs. [TRD]


Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Crown Heights Assembly Race; Brooklyn UFT Charter School Closing; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- 'Gadfly' gets the nomination for Brooklyn Crown Heights Assembly race. [Observer]

- Citi Bike releases map of Williamsburg and Greenpoint expansion -- Nothing in Park Slope for a couple years. [Streetsblog]

- U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch with former Mayor David Dinkins, in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Controversial UFT Charter School in Brooklyn to close elementary and middle grades. [NY1]

- Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn to speak at Brooklyn Historical Society Thursday: This Thursday evening, March 5…[ BHB]

- A trustee of Brooklyn Hospital Center has taken over as temporary CEO; Dr. Becker is off to profitable work.  [Brooklyn Eagle]


Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Gubernatorial Debate, Brooklyn Bike Krill; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Firehouse, Brooklyn Heights. Photo: MK Metz

 - Wrap-ups of the gubernatorial debate.  [WNYC] [Daily News] [NY1] [NY Times]

- Car hits bus in Red Hook, causes it to crash into a building, injuring eight people. [CBS]

-  Brooklyn's infamous bike krill is moving on the parts unknown. [Gothamist]

- Councilman Gentile says R train service still sucks. [amNY]

- Claims of anti-Semitism dissolve as a different story emerges in incident at NY-Tel Aviv game. [electronic intifada] [Jewish Daily Forward]

- What's the deal with "Black-ish?" [NYT]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Time to Repaint Fading Bike Lanes in Brooklyn

Painting the bike lane on Clinton Street. Photo by MK Metz

Workers repainted the faded green bike lane on Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights late last week. Cyclists had complained that this and other painted bike lanes were becoming almost invisible, and cars were "disrespecting" the lane.

Vehicles driving in the bike lanes no doubt hasten the fading, but salt and snow plows also take their toll.

Scott Shaffer of streets.mn has an excellent post about faded bike lanes. It reads in part:

"A bike lane isn’t just a physical thing — it’s a social construct. Like money, it only matters because we all act like it does . . . The fading of the paint, and the cause of the fading, erodes this foundation. It erases confidence in the bike lane, not just the paint." 

_______________________________________

A Few Bicycle Statistics from the Department of Transportation:


Half of all of NYC's bicycle fatalities are in Brooklyn, according to DOT data. In 2013, 12 cyclists died in crashes citywide. Six of these were in Brooklyn.

Thousands of cyclists are injured in crashes -- and this happens more in Brooklyn. In 2013, there were 1,574 bike crashes which resulted in injuries to riders in Brooklyn. (Also, 21 motorists were injured in these crashes.)

     - During that same period in Manhattan, 1,169 crashes resulted in cyclist injuries, and 3 died. (In these crashes, eight mororists were injured.)

     - In Queens, 772 cyclists were injured in crashes in 2013, and 2 died. (Four motorists were injured.)

     - In the Bronx, 316 crashes resulted in injuries to cyclists, and one died. (Five motorists were injured.)

     - In Staten Island, 41 cyclists were injured in 2013. None died.

Pedestrians are getting hurt by bikes as well. In 2013 in Brooklyn, 73 pedestrians were injured by bikes (one died). The most dangerous precincts in Brooklyn for pedestrians getting hit by bikes (in order of injuries) are the 90th, 78th, 84th, 94th, 79th and 72nd.

Pedestrians are even worse offf in Manhattan, with 198 of them injured by bikes. The Bronx had just 15; Queens had 29; S.I. had one.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Mad As Hell? Tuesday Is Primary Day and Your Vote Will Actually Do Something

Don't like hospitals and libraries closing? How about crowded schools or condos going up in your park? So few people vote in primaries that the ones who do have the strength of many. So vote, and rule the world.

Tuesday is #NYCPrimary. Not sure who to vote for or who @superwuster is? For full wrap-up of #Brooklyn races, visit http://t.co/wlhVnajpw2
— Brooklyn Daily Eagle (@BklynEagle) September 8, 2014

Brooklyn 2014 Primary Guide

- Brooklyn cyclist may have found her hit and run driver, but cops too busy to question him.  [Gothamist]

- Illegal pink clothing bins are popping up all over Gowanus. [PMFA]

- Real estate agent boldly re-imagines Bed-Stuy without black people. [Brokelyn]

- In related news, two non-white Brooklyn women tired of 'white people moving into the area' force tenants out at gunpoint. [NY Daily News]

- Brooklyn libraries to have longer hours. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- NYPD launches crackdown on drivers illegally passing school buses. [Sheepshead Bites]

- Drag kings and queens wigged out at the cross-dressing fest Bushwig over the weekend in Bushwick. [Brooklyn Paper]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

'The Epic Ride': 40-mile Brooklyn-Queens Bike Ride July 27

 Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and its partners are inviting folks to join "The Epic Ride," a 40-mile bike ride along the Brooklyn-Queens waterfronts.

Starting in Greenpoint and finishing at Rockaway Beach, the route showcases the potential of the not-yet-completed Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway combined with the Jamaica Bay Greenway.

Over 500 cyclists and thousands of spectators are expected. Volunteers are also needed.

Following the ride is an after-party at the beach with food from the Rockaway food vendors and a swim in the ocean. Participants will be making their own way back independently via the A train, ferry or by bicycle.

Alternate starts are available at Owls Head Park (26-mile ride) and Floyd Bennett Field (14-mile ride).

$30 BGI & TA members, $40 others

By participating in The Epic Ride, you are supporting Brooklyn Greenway, a 14-mile landscaped route for pedestrians and cyclists will connect neighborhood parks and open spaces from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Krishnas Moving from Brooklyn; More Crashes; Eaters Guide; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Find love: Match-Maker sculpture in DUMBO.Photo: MK Metz

 - The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishnas) want to sell their U.S. headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn for upwards of $60 million. [TRD]

- A bicyclist died Wednesday in Brooklyn after being hit by a motorist who then bashed two other vehicles before ditching his BMW and running away. [Daily News]

- School crossing guard hit by car on Atlantic Ave. same day DOT announces Atlantic slow zone. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Kiss told the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony organizers at Barclays Center last night to kiss off. [Valley News]

- GQ publishes an "eaters guide" to Brooklyn: Where to eat breakfast (ex: Char No. 4 in Carroll Gardens -- how about creamy grits, a biscuit with bacon gravy and a bourbon Bloody Mary?), lunch (try that turkey-leg sandwich at Henry Public in Cobble Hill), and dinner (Vinegar Hill House, Seersucker, Marlow & Sons . . . ) [GQ]

- The wheels are starting to turn on the construction of Greenpoint Landing – a mega-project that will fill 20 acres of the Greenpoint waterfront with about 5,000 apartments. [Brooklyn Eagle]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Citi Bikes: They're Going Broke

Photo: MK Metz. McBrooklyn.com

Last October, then-Mayor Bloomberg attributed the early losses suffered by his Citi Bike program to the costs of getting the system up and running.

"“It’s a ways to commute, it’s a mass transit system that requires no federal, state, or city monies whatsoever,” Bloomberg said. “If they make money we’re going to share in the profits. So, you know, everybody should be happy with this.”

Now that Bloomberg is gone, the Wall Street Journal reports that Citi Bike is broke and its leaders are trying to raise tens of millions of dollars to rescue the program.

The WSJ analyzes what went wrong and it's a lot: computer glitches, inability to get the bikes where they need to be, the necessity to load new batteries into the charging stations, layoffs cutting into customer service, lack of secondary sponsors, and more.

And another thing: tourists -- who would pay the big bucks for the day passes -- aren't using the bikes as much as the city thought they would. And when they do, the kiosks frequently won't accept payment.

Business Mayor: What happened to the business plan?

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

If You Park Your Bike at Brooklyn Boulders . . . It Will Be Gone On Monday

If your bike is at @BKBoulders better run fast! Your free storage is up 3/1! All bikes will go. #brooklyn pic.twitter.com/b6tDDdiRsb
— ParkSlopeGossip (@ParkSlopeGossip) March 2, 2014

If your bike is at Brooklyn Boulders, run (obviously you can't ride) to the place ASAP. ParkSlopeGossip reports that any bike still there on Monday will be disposed of.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

More on LICH; Hill Country Live Opens; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Sen. Montgomery breaks with other Brooklyn pols, drops support for LICH. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Forum on 'Gas Drilling and NYC Water Safety,' Feb. 26 in Park Slope. [Brooklynian]

- Roots, Americana, country and alt-country bands: Hill Country Live opens in Downtown Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Vegan]

- De Blasio to boost pre-K seats by shifting charter school funds. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- De Blasio received a letter threatening 'Nuclear Attack' in NYC. [NY Magazine]

- Cyclist struck by car near Prospect Park. [Gothamist]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

No Brooklyn Super Bowl Bus Stop; Citi Bikes' Designers Go Belly Up; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Brooklyn should have its own stop on the exclusive $50 "Fan Express Bus" going to the Super Bowl. [About]

- The company that designed Citi Bikes declares bankruptcy. [Queens Crap]

- Greenpoint residents could receive local toxic site map. [TRD]

- NYPD to keep close eye on Super Bowl fans. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Chuck Schumer proposes legislation to honor Avonte Oquendo. [NY Magazine]

- Retail changes on Flatbush and Fifth within walking distance of Barclays. [Atlantic Yards Report]

- Jay Z sued for $600 million over Brooklyn Nets trademark. [BoomBox]

- Grace Church Winterfair next Saturday. [BHB]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Another de Blasio Appointment; No More Carding Teens at Brooklyn Mall; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Brooklyn: Nassau Ave & Mcguiness Blvd EMS on scene with a pedestrian struck by vehicle Aided is DOA on scene, NYPD Hwy CIS requested.
— NY Scanner (@NYScanner) December 29, 2013

- A woman has died after being struck by two vehicles in Greenpoint on Sunday. [NBC]

- Mayor-Elect Bill de Blasio has appointed former Brooklyn US Attorney Zachary Carter to become the city’s top lawyer. [NY Post]

- The Kings Plaza Mall has ended its carding of minors, imposed after Thursday's teen rampage. [NBC]

- Rite Aid cited by OSHA for safety hazards at Kings Highway Stor; Proposed fines total more than $83,000. [4-Traders]

- Two-family townhouse in Bed-Stuy going for $1.2 million. [Curbed]

- A Brooklyn teacher has accused a DOE investigator of blackmailing her into sexting him. [Gothamist]

- Spokesman calls Citi Bike program a huge success. [CBSlocal]

- The secret to hacking real estate rental sites. [Forbes]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Ratner Ready to Stack Mods; Mob Attack; TEDxGowanus and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Forest City Ratner will begin stacking its constructed modular units to form a 32-story Atlantic Yards building next week. [TRD]

- The city has finally agreed to make half of NYC's taxis wheelchair accessible. [NY Times]

- Developers are installing composters in every apartment at Pierhouse, the first new building in Brooklyn Bridge Park. [NY Daily News]

- Gowanus real estate market is cooking as DUMBO prices some out. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Prospect Park skating complex opens Dec. 20. [Brooklyn Paper]

- Bike messenger Krys Blakemore, facing her fourth operation after getting hit by a car, needs a little help from the community. [Carroll Gardens Patch]

- After fighting false arrest, Sheepshead man battles neighbors and Brooklyn DOB to keep his own property. [Sheepshead Bites]

- Police are looking for 7 - 20 men and women who attacked two people at a Dekalb Avenue subway station in Brooklyn. [NY1]

- The first TEDxGowanus will take place on January 26th, 2014. [PMFA]

- Bill Bratton says he's OK with working out of unused trailor. [Politicker]

- Senator Chuck Schumer lives like a college frat boy. [Gawker]

- Smoking pot probably causes man boobs. [CNN]

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Bike Rider Hit by Car in Coney Island 1 a.m. Monday Morning

From the scanner:

A call came in at 1 a.m. Monday morning that a biker had been hit on Banner Ave. in Coney Island, near the entrance of the west-bound Belt Parkway.

While few other details were given, an officer asked the dispatcher two times to "rush the bus." (Bus means ambulance.)

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

NSFW Art Opening; Sunny's Reopening; Suicide in Prospect Park; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- A Bushwick art gallery will unveil a show featuring the penises of 300 unknowing men. Is that fair? [NY Magazine]

- Man hangs himself from tree in Prospect Park. [Brooklyn Paper]

- A Brooklyn real estate lawyer will be disbarred for forging letters to sell illegal condos. [Soynadie]

- Red Hook bar Sunny's, knocked out by Hurricane Sandy, finally reopens next week. [Gothamist]

- Pretty soon you'll probably pay 10 cents a bag at the grocery store. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- 5 abandoned New York structures you're still actually allowed to visit. [Brooklyn Magazine]

- BAM will unveil a new BAM Bike Park and BAMart Outdoor installation on Sept. 4. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Verizon Wireless agreed to bring voice and data service to the New York City subway system. [Crain's]

- To get a bicyclist to stop for a ticket, a cop allegedly grabbed her handlebar, sending her flying into traffic. [Gothamist]

- Consultants softened Christine Quinn so much for the last debate, one stunned operative described her as “a Stepford wife version of Chris Quinn.” [Politicker]




Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Catsimatidis Celebrates; Downtown Underground Park; Stolen Handicap Scooter; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Catsimatidis celebrates 25,000 Mayoral petition signatures. Dose hands! Twitter

- Buried garage to help pay for new park in Downtown Brooklyn. [NY Times]

- A Brooklyn trial judge made so many mistakes and the defendant's lawyer was so bad, the Appellate Court dismissed all charges. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Good Samaritan tries to help disabled man get his motorized scooter back, cops blow him off. [BHB]

- Suprize: NYPD gives sidewalk cyclists more tickets than speeding drivers. [Streetsblog]

- Warehouse across from Barclays Center sells for $6M. [TRD]

- Brooklyn DA's office has a witness problem, again. [NY Magazine]

- Yoko Ono turned 80 and wrote a confusing book. [Observer] 

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.