'Black Artstory' Events in Brooklyn Kick Off Feb. 1 in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill

Chanel Kennebrew, Hyphenated Part 2

The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership presents Black Artstory Month, celebrating the arts contributions made by African Americans.

The series of free events kicks-off on Saturday, February 1st at 6 pm and includes art exhibitions, film screenings, storytelling, lectures, performances, and workshops throughout the entire month of February.

The events and performances coincide with Black History month and take place at the small businesses along Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

For a complete listing visit: www.myrtleavenue.org/blackartstorymonth/


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2014 Idiotarod-orama NYC

The 2014 Idiotarod Idiotarodorama NYC, the NYC parody of the famous Alaskan dogsled race (only with shopping carts, frantic desperation and funny costumes), took place again this year despite the famous Cease & Desist Demand from the folks running the actual Iditarod.

Roughly 14 to 41 shopping carts were abused or injured during the event, which pit teams pulling and pushing their heavily decorated "sleds" over piles of ice and slush from Manhattan, over the Williamsburg Bridge, to Brooklyn.

Best In Show was awarded to The Skulleaters. See full awards here.

- A great set of photos by Hilary McHone of this year's event can be found here on flickr.

- More photos at Gothamist.

Before the race, organizers of the Idiotarod  Idiotarodorama NYC said they received a letter that "threatens legal action against Idiotarod NYC for trademark infringement, even though no one in their right mind could possibly confuse the ramshackle, unsanctioned display of frivolity featuring racers with wacky costumes and ridiculously modified shopping carts running between bars in the outer boroughs of New York City with the well-known long-distance sled dog race between Anchorage and Nome. Plus the Idiotarod NYC race has been going on for 10 fucking years now, people."

The letter was initially thought to be an elaborate joke or very clever sabotage scheme. But when they ddiscovered it was real, representatives of the Department of Homeland Absurdity (DHA) and IDIOT Labs, the two totally imaginary organizations running this year’s event, renamed it forthwith.


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Apostrophes Banned On Signs in Cambridge, Grammarians Take to the Streets

Axe the grammar from street signs? Fugheddaboudit!

"Guerilla grammarians," markers in hand, have taken to the streets in Cambridge this week after the Cambridge City Council abolished punctuation from street signs.

Residents are painting the missing apostrophes back on, raising the ire of executive planners.

The secretary of state for local government has urged residents to “defend their traditional street names from town halls’ over-zealous pen pushers,” adding, "“If an apostrophe is good enough for Her Majesty’s Government, so should it be for Cambridge City Council."

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn . . .

Brooklyn-USA

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Company May Manufacture Frankenmeat in Brooklyn

Vegetarians in NYC are salivating at the news that Brooklyn may soon be the headquarters of a company that grows in-vitro meat and test-tube leather

Crain's reports that "tissue-engineering" biz Modern Meadow is in negotiations to lease space at the Brooklyn Army Terminal's BioBAT bioscience facility, where it aims to produce leather for fashion items first, and then cowless beef and pigless pork.

If the company starts with bacon there will be nothing holding them back.


Related: Why Brooklyn Is The New Mecca For Fledgling Tech Startups [Business I nsider]

Photo: This delicious photo of bacon was shot by Cookbookman17, Flickr

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Brad Lander, 'Kingmaker'; Rooftop Skateboarding; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The New York Times discovers Councilmember Brad Lander and pronounces him "King Maker." [NY Times]

- Gov. Cuomo doesn't seem to get it about LICH. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- NY Methodist Hospital says they are seeing an increase in frostbite and other weather-related emergency room cases. [Brooklyn Bureau]

- Video: Rooftop skateboarding around Brooklyn. [Gothamist]
- Williamsburg store owners allowed to demand modest dress code. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Slammed by food stamp cuts, NYC soup kitchens runs out of food. [Daily Kos]

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Brooklyn Botanic Garden Removes Science; Daniel Radcliffe in 'Brooklyn Bridge,' and More Brooklyn Briefs

Shomrim caught now the perp & partner who stole the Odyssey of the Hatzula volunteer last Friday night, & also break> pic.twitter.com/YbNa5SmHbe
— Williamsburg News (@WmsbgNews) January 23, 2014

in to lot cars the last week, Got them both arrested by NYPD red handed while stealing an other Odyssey on Franklyn. pic.twitter.com/1NqKAjrroW
— Williamsburg News (@WmsbgNews) January 23, 2014

- School was open, but fewer than half of NYC school kids made it in to class on Wednesday. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- 12-year-old Brooklyn boy missing for a week found safe -- at grandma's. [Daily News]

- Brooklyn Botanic Garden removes science from its mission. [Flatbush Gardener]

- Daniel Radcliffe to star as engineer Washington Roebling in "Brooklyn Bridge," which is actually about the Brooklyn Bridge. [Varirty]

- Celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Paper]

- Video: A dog that fell into an icy pond on Long Island was rescued after it frantically pawed at a chunk of ice to stay afloat. [NBC]


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Mayor de Blasio, Not in Bermuda, Reacts Quickly to Clear Upper East Side Streets of Snow

Residents of Brooklyn and Queens played the world's saddest song on the world's smallest violin when residents of the Upper East Side of Manhattan complained after Tuesday's storm that their streets weren't cleared of snow as quickly as they would have liked.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, not in Bermuda during the city's big storm, ran over to the neighborhood on Wednesday and personally inspected the scene of the crime. He then ordered extra plows to the area and made sure the streets were clear.

“After inspecting the area and listening to concerns from residents earlier today, I determined more could have been done to serve the Upper East Side,” he said. “Our crews will remain on the streets around the clock until the roadways are clear in every neighborhood, in every borough, across New York City.”

Thanks goodness we have a Mayor who stays in the city during snowstorms to get the job done!

Photo meemed in cheezburger.com

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$1.7 million missing from murdered Menachem Stark’s bank account: Daily News

The NY Daily News reports that $1.7 million was ‘improperly’ removed from a $2 million account controlled by murdered Williamsburg slumlord Stark and business partner Israel Perlmutter.

A trustee also said in court documents that monthly operating reports ‘may have been tampered with to conceal the diversion.’

Another $200,000 of their cash is missing, and other money may have been misappropriated.

More here.

- 10 Things About Murdered Hasidic Brooklyn Slumlord Menachem Stark


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Winter Storm Janus Dumps a Foot (or More) of Snow on Brooklyn. Now Go to School!

Cadman Plaza West, Tuesday around 6:30 p.m. Photo: MK Metz

Thanks to winter storm Janus, there's 10 - 14 inches of snow on the ground in Brooklyn.

According to the National Weather Service, Brooklyn will experience "widespread blowing snow" and a small chance of more snow after 4 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Expect a high near 14. (Wind chill values as low as -11. Gusts as high as 34 mph.)

3,000 flights were cancelled as of 2:45 a.m.

While the city hopes everyone stays off the roads, they still want kids to go to school . . . Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said on Tuesday evening that city public schools will be open Wednesday.

More than 130 Con Ed customers were experiencing at least partial power outages on Vernon Ave. near Nostraand in Bed-Stuy late Tuesday. Con Edison says it expects it will be fixed by 5 a.m. Wednesday.

And yes, a truck is riding on the sidewalk near Montague Street in the photo above. It had a snow plough attachment in front.

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Lots of Brooklyn Hospital News from LICH, Interfaith, Cuomo and de Blasio

De Blasio's BHA plan

There were several big Brooklyn hospital stories yesterday, including:

* Another "standstill" at LICH, meaning the SUNY contempt hearing is put off yet again;

* Mediation was ordered by the bankruptcy judge in the Interfaith Medical Center case;

* LICH and Interfaith advocates are holding joint protests, showing the powers of synergy;

* Governor Cuomo blames the whole Brooklyn hospital crisis on Obama (where were you all year, Governor?);

* Mayor de Blasio confirms his support for LICH, Interfaith and his Brooklyn Health Authority idea.

The Brooklyn Eagle has put together a summary of these events.


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