Free Law-Mobile on May 7 in Boro Park, Brooklyn

Councilman David G. Greenfield is partnering with New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) to provide local residents with free legal help next week.

The NYLAG roving law-mobile will be parked outside Councilman Greenfield’s office at 4424 16th Avenue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7. Interested residents should contact his office at (718) 853-2704 to schedule their 45-minute appointment as soon as possible.

“My office regularly receives calls from constituents who are in need of legal assistance but are on a limited budget and cannot afford to hire an attorney," Greenfield said.

Attorneys will provide free confidential legal advice pertaining to issues such as Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, housing and other public assistance programs.

The NYLAG mobile van program was launched last year through a partnership with the New York State Courts Access to Justice Program. NYLAG bills it as “the country’s first-ever legal services office and courtroom on wheels."

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NYC Gave Kids' Private Info to Corporations; Parents Hit the Roof

Pissed-off parent from P.S. 49 at town hall. Photo: MK Metz

At a Town Hall at Brooklyn Borough Hall last night, Brooklyn parents went ballistic when told that the New York City Department of Education (along with NY state), has handed over to a private corporation -- inBloom, Inc. -- every detail of their kids' most private information.

This data includes: names, addresses, emails, photos, grades, test scores, learning styles, disciplinary, health and attendance records, the results of academic and psychological tests, race and ethnicity, economic and disability status and more, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

Teacher and staff data is also being "shared."

Even better?

Information is being stored on a vulnerable Amazon cloud built by Wireless/Amplify, owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation – the company famous for violating the privacy of individuals in Great Britain and in the United States.

Leonie Haimson, executive director of Class Size Matters, put on a Powerpoint presentation guaranteed to make you feel like you stepped into a Big Brother dream. Parents have no ability to "opt out" of the data dump. Commercial vendors -- and inevitably criminal groups based in Russia and Eastern Europe -- will have access to the children's data in order to develop products to market to schools.

Former NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein -- as CEO of Wireless/Amplify -- stands to make mega bucks if Wireless/Amplify's wireless tablet device is given a NYC contract to plug into the inBloom data.

Which something tells us is gonna happen.

- Parents outraged over NYC schools data sharing program. Brooklyn Eagle


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Community Forum on Future of Brooklyn's LICH this Thursday, May 2

Photo: MK Metz

Now that SUNY has withdrawn its closure plan, the Cobble Hill Association will be hosting a community forum on the future of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) this coming Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.

The forum takes place at LICH, 339 Hicks Street, Conference Room A.

The purpose will be to update the community, discuss the next steps, and also to do a little celebrating.

The panel discussion will feature -- so far -- Assemblywoman Joan Millman, Councilman Brad Lander, Matthew Bethel (Policy Director for Honorable Daniel Squadron), Concerned Physicians of LICH, and Michelle Greene (NYS Nurses Association).

From Cobble Hill Association President Roy Sloane:
"We have a lot of people to thank and a lot of work that remains to be done. We sincerely hope you'll be able to join us for this next, most important phase of the battle to save our hospital."

In case you missed the news, after months of petitions, marches, lawsuits, meetings and political activism, SUNY officials announced Friday that they have withdrawn their plan to close LICH and have agreed to work with the community and elected officials to seek a viable, sustainable plan for providing the health care services essential to the community.

Roy Sloane speaks for all of us when he says: "We are deeply grateful to our elected officials – City Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and our Borough President Marty Markowitz – the Concerned Physicians of LICH, NYSNA, 1199 SEIU, and all of our neighboring community associations and the community activists who devoted some much time and effort to saving our hospital."

- SUNY Withdraws Plan to Cash In on LICH

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SUNY Withdraws Plan to Cash In on LICH; Now SUNY Should Give Back the $32 Million, and Continuum Should Face Criminal Penalties

After protests, a law suit, petitions, letter-writing campaigns, meetings with state officials, marches and rallies . . .

SUNY Downstate Medical Center on Friday said it would withdraw its plan, submitted to the state Department of Health, to close Long Island College Hospital (LICH).

According to the Brooklyn Eagle, Downstate spokesperson Ron Najman said that Downstate “would continue to seek a provider of healthcare services within the LICH community, including potentially a hospital operator.”

“The financial conditions at LICH remain unchanged. LICH’s continued financial losses still threaten the viability of Downstate Medical and our world-renowned medical school,” said Dr. John F. Williams Jr., president of SUNY Downstate.

We have three suggestions about where to find cash for LICH: Two medical institutions brazenly stole millions from LICH and NO ONE is doing anything:

* According to state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, when SUNY Downstate took over LICH two years ago, $32.7 million was transferred from LICH’s accounts to SUNY's “Health Science Center at Brooklyn Foundation, Inc.” a not-for-profit corporation. SUNY must give LICH's money back.

* In 2008, when it was Continuum who was draining LICH of resources, Dr. Arnold Licht, president of LICH medical staff, charged: “Continuum has refused to account for money it has ‘borrowed’ from LICH’s endowment, for millions from the sale of LICH’s property, and even for bills it has imposed on LICH.” Continuum must give the money back -- or face criminal penalty.

* Today Continuum still charges LICH millions for handling its billing -- but it does not send out bills for a vast percentage of work doctors do at LICH. If the bills don't go out within a certain number of days, LICH forfeits that money. LICH has been losing millions through Continuum's inability to send out bills -- and the way we see it Continuum owes LICH this money -- plus interest.


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Hipster Dog Competition in Brooklyn

You knew this would happen: It's the first annual "Hippest Dog" competition in Greenpoint, on April 28.

For a small donation, you can register your dog to "strut the doggie runway" and compete for prizes for Most Fashionable, Best Celebrity Look Alike, Best Haircut, Best Trick, and Hippest (Dog that Looks Most Like a Hipster).

One redeeming factor: According to Gothamist, the event is "a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer."

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City Council Passes Resolution to Save LICH in Brooklyn

Christine Quinn Supports Resolution

The New York City Council voted Thursday afternoon in favor of a resolution to save Brooklyn’s Long Island College Hospital (LICH) from being closed, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

The non-binding resolution, introduced by City Councilmembers Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, calls on the State University of New York and the State Department of Health to work with stakeholders to find a new owner for the 150-year old Cobble Hill institution.

To keep SUNY Downstate from selling LICH's valuable assets and pouring the money into their own nearly bankrupt facility, the resolution stipulates that “all resources gained from any sale or transfer of LICH assets are used exclusively for the preservation of these services.” It also authorizes the Speaker to file amicus briefs on behalf of the Council in support of the preservation of these services.

More at the Eagle

- LICH Shutdown on Hold AGAIN; Brooklyn Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order

Previous posts on LICH here.

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30 Henry Street -- 'The Heights' -- As High As It's Going to Get

30 Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights, the site of the old headquarters of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, has topped out at 5 stories.

BKSK Architects

When completed, the building (by developer Fortis Manor, designed by BKSK Architects) will have one condo on each floor.

According to Streeteasy, the first floor ($3,395,000) and the penthouse ($4,950,000) are in contract, while the three other floors are "active."

The Brooklyn Eagle has relocated to 16 Court Street and DUMBO. 

Previous Posts:

- In Contract at 30 Henry Street
- A Lid on 30 Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights
- 30 Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights: Roof Already Half Off
- 30 Henry Street HQ of Brooklyn Eagle Sold for $3.5 Million
- A Century of Changes at 30 Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights
- LPC Approves New 30 Henry Street Design in Brooklyn Heights
- Brooklyn Eagle's HQ in Brooklyn Heights Sold to Developers
- Find the Changes In New Improved 30 Henry Street Proposal
- Brooklyn Eagle Looking to Move to Gowanus? Building On the Market
- Serious Accident Sends Car Flying into Building on Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights



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Defacings Bike Share Stations; 'Animal Rescue' in DUMBO; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Guilty verdict for Brooklyn mother of 12. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- "Animal Rescue" -- “a crime-drama centered around a lost pit bull, a wannabe scam artist, and a killing,” is filming all over DUMBO Friday. [DumboNYC]

- Councilwoman says those defacing Citi Bike bike share stations will be prosecuted. [CBS]

- Brooklyn Yeshiva bans Woody Allen-style glasses for being "too Goyish." [Gothamist]

-Don't mind that gas in the subway this summer. [NY Magazine]

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'Phantom' Still Missing in Brooklyn Heights

Photo: MK Metz

Stay on the lookout for poor little black Phantom, the cat who disappeared on 4/21 on Montague Street near the Promenade in BrooklynHeights.

If found, call 718-360-9918.


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Union Ups the Rat Ante at Two Trees in DUMBO

Photo: MK Metz

Earlier this month the inflatable union rat was parked outside Two Trees management Company on Washington Street in DUMBO to protest the company's use of what the union calls the "dangerous company, New York Insulation" to perform asbestos abatement at 350 Kent Avenue.

Photo: MK Metz

Now Laborers International Union of North America Local 78 has upped the ante with days when not one but two inflatable rats and, depending on the day, a coffin  holding a "body" wearing a gas mask.

Great photo op for the tourists!

More about the issues here.


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