Ambulances at LICH Still MIA; Bay Ridge Massage Parlors; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Ambulance service to Long Island College Hospital (LICH) still "up in the air." [Brooklyn Eagle]

- While at least four hospitals in Brooklyn are in deep financial trouble, NY Methodist in Park Slope may construct a brand new eight story addition. [Here's Park Slope]

- The shadow campaign for the city's second most powerful job quietly heats up. [NY Observer ]

- Bay Ridge residents don't get why so many massage parlors -- more than two dozen -- have suddenly popped up in the neighborhood -- and why they're open so late at night. [NY Times]

- Brooklyn-born grandfather of zombie apocalypse dies at 87. [NY Observer]

- Bensonhurst native Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi lost a split-decision to Adrian "The Problem" Broner Saturday night at Barclays Center -- and he may have lost his girl, too. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Another pedestrian mowed down at dangerous Ditmas Park intersection where 36 pedestrian were injured and four died between 1995 and 2008. [Streetsblog]

- U.S. surveillance is not aimed at terrorists, but at law-abiding citizens. [Bloomberg News]


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National Weather Service Says Brooklyn's Weather May Be 'Hazardous' Today (Tuesday, June 25)

You might as well just give up. According to the National Weather Service:

- A heat advisory is in effect in Brooklyn and the surrounding area until 6 p.m. Tuesday and then it looks like it will come back throughout the week. Probably rain tonight.

- A storm system will hit late in the week that could bring "damaging winds and hail" and probably flash flooding.

- And an air quality alert is in effect till 11 p.m. tonight (Tuesday). To stay informed of the air quality situation, call 1-800-535-1345.

By the way, yesterday a record high temperature of 96 degrees was set at LaGuardia. This breaks the old record of 95 set in 2010.

Photo by AudryJim529, Creative Commons 

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Best Emergency Room In Brooklyn This Week: Long Island College Hospital (LICH)

LICH ER: Clean, fully staffed, almost empty. Photo: MK Metz

If you have a health emergency, probably the best ER in Brooklyn this week belongs to Long Island College Hospital (LICH) at Atlantic Ave. and Hicks Street in Cobble Hill.

While SUNY Downstate, LICH's floundering overseer, is not letting ambulances drop patients off at the LICH emergency room, if you can walk in or take a car service you'll likely receive platinum-level care, because the ER is fully staffed but almost empty.

Meanwhile Brooklyn Hospital and other Brooklyn ERs are overflowing, with 36-hour or more wait times.

We walked in to LICH's ER yesterday (Monday) around 10:30 a.m., a time when the waiting room is usually filled with dozens of patients and relatives. But yesterday there were only three people waiting. The friendly receptionist wanted to know how she could help us and assured us there were plenty of doctors who could see us right away.

It's good to know LICH is still open, in spite of SUNY's illegal maneuvers. Maybe neighbors could rent a couple of ambulances to bring people living in LICH's area (Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn, Vinegar Hill and Williamsburg) to LICH in an emergency.

According to the Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Johnny Lee Baynes told LICH last week (in more polite language) to cut the crap. He said he might go so far as to appoint a special administrator or special master to oversee LICH, and he also might hold SUNY in contempt for not following an order he issued to keep staffing levels up at LICH.

- Judge warns SUNY: Special Administrator for LICH may be appointed  Brooklyn Eagle

- SUNY May Shut LICH Emergency Room Down Thursday McBrooklyn

More posts about LICH here.


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Security On the Brooklyn Bridge Kind of Lax Saturday

Photo: MK Metz

This big white truck parked itself on the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday sometime before 2:30 p.m. We saw it from a friend's window.

- One, trucks aren't allowed on the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Two, if you see something, say something. The Brooklyn Bridge is high on the list of potential terrorist targets in New York City.

We all got excited and our friend called 9-1-1 at 2:35 p.m. to report the truck.

9-1-1 had no idea it was there, and said they would send someone. OK, fine.

We talked about all the expensive security cameras on the bridge and the NYPD cars parked at the entrances. "That's funny," we said. "Wonder why they let that big truck up on the bridge?"

Over the next half hour we kept checking the truck, waiting to see a car from the 84th Precinct come swooping up with a half a ton of bomb-sniffing equipment and maybe a team of dogs.

Nope.

Eventually, the truck started backing up very slowly. Our friend called 9-1-1 again. "That truck? The one on the bridge? It's backing up and maybe someone should help with traffic because it's going the wrong way and all."

9-1-1 said the 84th Precinct had been notified and someone would be there soon.

Finally, about an hour after our first call, NYPD stopped traffic onto the Manhattan-bound lanes and the truck successfully backed off the Brooklyn Bridge. We we happy that it turned out the truck wasn't stuffed with 3 tons of explosives, but if it had been it would have been a bad scene.

Still wondering about the security cameras and all.

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Dan Grey Missing in Brooklyn Heights. Last Seen On Montague Street

We were alarmed to see this notice (hanging on lampposts in Brooklyn Heights) that best-selling novelist Dan Grey is missing. The sign says that Dan was last seen at the Promenade flagpole on Montague Street. Anyone with any information should call Dr. Dann.

The photo does have a somewhat mysterious look ... and after a little internet digging we were relieved to see that we probably don't have to worry too much about Dan.

If you want to read the spoiler, click here. Otherwise just keep your eyes open for Dan Grey.

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Three Items About Hospitals in Brooklyn

1: An emergency room crisis has hit western Brooklyn as SUNY Downstate bans ambulances from LICH, the Brooklyn Eagle reports. SUNY is ignoring a court order in its mad rush to shut down LICH. Residents, representatives and hospital employees have repeatedly requested help from the state but get none from Gov. Cuomo or any regulatory agencies in his administration.

2: The Interfaith and Brooklyn Hospital merger has unraveled, Crain's reports. The reason? The state has not given Brooklyn Hospital the $1.6 million it needs to investigate Interfaith's finances and its worthiness as a potential merger partner, Crain's says. Interfaith "repeatedly requested direction" from the state but got none from Gov. Cuomo or any regulatory agencies in his administration.

3: A Senate bill would create five pilot projects allowing private hospitals in New York State for the first time ever. Private hospital chains have recently been the subject of shocking stories by organizations like 60 Minutes. Health advocates and supporters fear LICH, Interfaith and other troubled Brooklyn hospitals are targets of the bill. (On January 25, Gov. Cuomo proposed a similar pilot program, later shot down.)

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A Little Golf in DUMBO

Photo: MK Metz

Mini-golf in DUMBO has returned, part of Flea Food Under the Archway, Thursdays and Fridays from noon - 3 p.m.

Food vendors include Cemita's, Landhaus, Little Muenster and more. DUMBO Improvement District has the whole list.

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SUNY May Shut LICH Emergency Room Down Thursday

From the Brooklyn Eagle:

A state judge on Wednesday ordered SUNY Downstate to maintain staffing levels at Long Island College Hospital (LICH) after hearing complaints that SUNY intended to pull out crucial residents this weekend.

But the order may not have come in time to stop SUNY from shutting down LICH’s emergency room...

More here.



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City Loses Tests; Empire Stores; MakerBot and More Brooklyn Briefs

- City loses tests, almost forcing Bensonhurst students to attend summer school. [Bensonhurst Bean]

- Hearing on DUMBO’s Empire Stores and Tobacco Warehouse set for Thursday. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- John Catsimatidis, the monorail candidate. [NY Magazine]

- The Senate and Assembly may vote Thursday to bring back the old lever voting machines in the primary and run off elections. [NY Daily News]

- Brooklyn 3D printer company MakerBot is merging with Stratasys. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Brooklyn man suspected of fatally stabbing cabbie in the eye denied bail.[NY Daily News]

- Browse Brooklyn's brunch scene on bikes. [Business Insider]

- Dinosaur Bar-B-Q opened its first Brooklyn location in Gowanus yesterday. [Eater] 

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Where Have We Seen the Brooklyn Tech Triangle Plan Before?

Brooklyn’s newly unveiled $3 billion “Tech Triangle” development project includes a Special Innovation District for new tech businesses, new bus, ferry and bike lanes, a network of green, parklike spaces, a topiary arbor, a Cadman Plaza cafe, a curved footbridge leading to Borough Hall, a seasonal pop-up fantasy land of mini-golf, performance stages, lounges and wading pools, and a massive helium observation balloon overlooking it all.

Cadman Plaza Cafe behind the War Memorial

“This is really a comprehensive plan to guide the area’s growth over the next decade,” said Tucker Reed, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, one leg of the Triangle, which also includes DUMBO and the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The plans are so fantastical we got the feeling that we'd seen them before . . . including that balloon... especially that balloon.

Then it hit us. The prototype for Tech Triangle ... is The Village, depicted in the 60s cult classic The Prisoner.

In The Prisoner a British secret agent is gassed and wakes up in an isolated, idyllic fantasy village, where everything necessary to happiness is provided.. There, he's given a number (six) instead of a name.

Everyone rides "penny-farthing" bicycles, plays games and is supposed to be happy. But no one can escape.

If they try, Rover, a weird white balloon thing, will suffocate them.

We're just joking, of course. Ha ha ha, we'll be able to escape, right? 

Right?

Full plan at Brooklyn Tech Triangle.
More stories about the Brooklyn Tech Triangle at DumboNYC and the NY Post.

The Prisoner photos from IGN and Pajiba. 

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