Calls for Stephen Levin to Run for President, or at Least Mayor, After Rescuing Abused Cat in Brooklyn

Levin, 5th Level Druid. (MK Metz)

The public's reaction to City Councilmember Stephen Levin's daring cat rescue on the BQE -- the poor feline had been abused, shot, was pregnant AND had her paw stuck in a storm drain on the world's most terrifying urban highway -- has been coming in overwhelmingly positive.

As reported on Gothamist, Levin was seriously bitten by the creature during the rescue, which took place near Williamsburg. He delivered the cat to Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC), where they are doing their best for it medically. Levin had to go to an ER to get his bites treated.

The general consensus? Levin is a friggin' superhero. Here are a few comments on Gothamist:

"He's got my vote. I hope he runs for president."

"GOOD PERSON IS GOOD."

"Best story I've heard all week - if I lived in Brooklyn, he'd get my vote for sure!"

"Whoa a good human AND he has dimples. Call me ;)"

"Democrat, Republican, or whatever - if someone is kind to innocents, that is a worthwhile human being."

(There is a comment from at least one hater. That one seems to have been voted down to the bottom.)

Perhaps the highest praise came from a Dragon Master: "Steven Levin is actually a 5th level Druid."


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L Train Heads for Hibernation; Student Handcuffing Uproar; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The L train is about to go into hibernation, and Brooklyn businesses are worried. [Gothamist]

- VIDEO: Coney Island Cyclone gets stuck on opening day. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Fake cabs are stealing riders credit card information. [BK Magazine]

- All about the Mapping Brooklyn exhibit at BRIC. [NYU Local]

- Park Slope PTA protests student-handcuffing incident. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Some details about the budget deal struck in Albany. [WSJ]

- Some people seem to be sensitive to Wi-Fi. [NY Magazine]

- Eyeball hackers have injected a chemical into their eyes to get night vision. [Discovery]

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About that Neil Diamond Concert at Barclays Center

Neil Diamond

Fans attending singer-songwriter Neil Diamond's first official concert in Brooklyn since his career began 50 years ago said the Barclays Center show was a moving tribute to his home town.

Diamond is a famous son of Brooklyn, attending Erasmus and Abe Lincoln high schools.

Here are some of the official reviews of the Brooklyn stop on his "Melody Road" World Tour:

 - "At 74, Neil is at the peak of his powers, putting on a high-energy two-hour show for the feisty ladies of Planet Diamond." [Rolling Stone]

- The Diamond show at Barclays was "both gripping and cheesy at once." [NY Daily News]

- The older, wealthier crowd attending the Diamond concert at Barclays left their limos "idling in the street." [Atlantic Yards Report]


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Hospital Money Still Up for Grabs in Budget; Attempted Rape in Williamsburg; New Art in Brooklyn Bridge Park; etc.

- Williamsburg woman was punched and nearly raped in her apartment building early Thursday -- but was saved by her 16-year-old son. [Daily News]

- Brooklyn pols fight to restore millions in budget for teetering hospitals, inckuding Interfaith. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Danish artist Jeppe Hein will playfully animate Brooklyn Bridge Park in a new exhibition, “Please Touch the Art.” [NYT]

- Over the next decade, Greenpoint is slated to add some 8,000 new apartment. [NY Post] 

- What to do in Brooklyn this spring: from a zine fest to the Basquiat exhibition to the 17th of May parade. [amNY]

- 2015 All-Brooklyn Team: Girls High School Basketball All-Stars. [Brooklyn Eagle

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Cold But Sunny for Coney Island's Opening Day on Sunday

Luna Park

Coney Island's Opening Day is Sunday, March 29 -- and it looks like it won't be snowing, for once.

At Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, the Annual Blessing of Rides takes place at 10:30 a.m. Free rides on Deno’s Wonder Wheel to the first 95 people for their 95th Year. (Plus: They're giving away free rides for 300 kids from the local Salt N Sea Mission.)

The season opens with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by park owners, Dennis and Steve Vourderis.The NYC Fire Department Color Guard will present the colors and sing the National Anthem.

At the Cyclone at Luna Park: Festivities kick off at 12:00PM and if you get in line early you might be part of #TheFirst100 and get a free ride on The Cyclone Roller Coaster.

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'Cards Against Brooklyn,' Montague Citibank Building Sold, and More Brooklyn Briefs

Brooklyn City Council Member Arrested For Protesting Senior Center Closing http://t.co/cNY7A3BKq8 pic.twitter.com/k5VaT93b08
— Brooklyn Magazine (@brooklynmag) March 26, 2015

- There's a Kickstarter for a fresh new card deck: Cards Against Brooklyn, designed to deflate Brooklyn's image of being a cool place. [Gothamist]

- Ideas aired at first Brooklyn Heights Library workshop (plus video). [Brooklyn Eagle]

- 'Brooklyn Game Lab’ creates new versions of existing board games. [Pix11]

- Remembering the wild times at Brooklyn’s DIY venues. [Slate]

- Goosebumps! R.L. Stine, king of kids horror books, to read at BookCourt. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Jonathan Rose Companies closed on the Brooklyn Heights Citibank building at 181-183 Montague Street for $36.5 million. [TRD]


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Brooklyn Chamber Is Making It Easy to Find a Spot to Tie the Knot or Throw a Party in Brooklyn

We just found out this is Open Venue BK week in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Boulders

Open Venue BK gives event-minded folks the opportunity to explore prospective venues for their parties, weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Quinceneras, Sweet 16s, conferences and anything else they want to celebrate.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Everyone knows that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is the perfect spot for a wedding. But looking at the extensive list of venues makes you realize there are more places to throw a party in our borough than you might have thought -- like Brooklyn Boulders (capacity 1,000 with two party rooms), or the cutting-edge Deity in Boerum Hill (capacity 150).

The Green Building

One of our visual favorites is the former brass foundry now known as The Green Building in Gowanus. It is described as a "unique raw space featuring original brick walls, soaring exposed beam ceilings with gorgeous chandeliers, and newly renovated restroom and food-staging facilities." (capacity up to 250)

Deity

Tours began March 22 and runs through March 29.

RSVP for the venues you'd like to see.

This event is masterminded by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.


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VIDEO: Cops Looking for This Sexual Predator in Bed-Stuy

The New York City Police Department put out the word on Wednesday that they are asking for the public's assistance identifying a suspect wanted for sexual abuse in Bedford-Stuyvesant's 81 Precinct.

On January 27, at 7:28 p.m., the suspect shown in this video followed the victim, a 36 year-old female, into her building, located in the vicinity of Van Buren and Lewis Avenue. As the victim ascended the stairs, the suspect followed closely, pulled the victim's pants down and sexually abused her. The victim resisted and the suspect fled the location.

The suspect is described as a black male, thin build, approximately 5'6" and 19-20 years-old.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.


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LICH Sale Heads Back to Court in Brooklyn

LICH. By MK Metz

SUNY's ethically-troubled sale of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) in Brooklyn is back in court this week.

The Concerned Physicians of LICH, one of the many groups who fought the sale of the Cobble Hill hospital for more than two years, is trying to have SUNY’s decision to award the campus to Fortis Property Group annulled, the Brooklyn Eagle reports.

The doctors group says in its filing that SUNY’s methodology didn’t match that described in the original stipulation hammered out in court -- after much litigation --and the Request For Proposals (RFP) that followed, among other errors.

Regiggering the bidders scores would put Trindade Value Partners on top. Trindade proposed a full-service hospital at the site, opposed to the current walk-in emergency clinic operated by NYU Langone. NYU says it plans to increase the size of the clinic in 2017, if the deal is finalized.

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BP Adams Calls for Burn Center in Brooklyn

Photo: Kathryn Kirk/ BP's Office

 Yesterday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams called for the creation of a burn center in Brooklyn, which currently has no burn facility. Adams asked all of the borough’s hospitals, both public and private, to put forward any proposals. He said that any plan that he feels is strong would be supported with funding from his capital budget.

He also announced a borough-wide fire safety education campaign, following a fatal fire Saturday in Midwood that claimed the lives of seven siblings, aged five to 16, from the Sassoon family.

"This is not just about borough equity; this is about providing the necessary medical infrastructure that can save lives," he said. "I look forward to addressing this gap in care and working to bring the first burn center to the borough.”

The Sassoon family’s mother and one of her daughters are currently in critical condition at burn centers in the Bronx and Staten Island, after sustaining severe burns and smoke inhalation.

Adams’ fire safety education effort will include translation of materials in Spanish, Yiddish, and other languages, as well as the distribution of free smoke detectors.

He is hosting an event tonight from 7:00 PM until 9:30 PM at PS 193 Gil Hodges, located at 2515 Avenue L, in partnership with Council Member Chaim Deutsch, Comptroller Scott Stringer, and Public Advocate Letitia James, in conjunction with Representative Yvette Clarke, Assembly Members Rodneyse Bichotte, Dov Hikind, and Helene Weinstein, Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, and Community Board 14.

Adams was joined yesterday by elected officials, including PA Letitia James,  and Jewish leaders inside FDNY headquarters at MetroTech Center.

“This tragedy has shaken us all,” said Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon. “One thing is clear: we need to be better educated about fire safety and when the unspeakable occurs, Brooklyn needs to be ready to treat its burn victims here."


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