Orthodox Abuse Cover Up? Williamsburg's New Concert Space; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Brooklyn DA Hynes accused of failing to tackle Orthodox Jews' cover-up of sex abuse. The Guardian via Failed Messiah

- Renderings released of Williamsburg's newest summer concert space. Brooklyn Eagle

- Will you renovate the Carroll Gardens library -- or fix the bathrooms at P.S. 124? If you live in Brad Lander's district (Columbia Waterfront, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Park, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Borough Park) cast your vote on how to spend a million dollars. Brad Lander via Brownstoner

- Brooklyn's Whole Foods to face City Counsel next week. TRD

- A project that would have CB 10 teaming up with hundreds of high school students to clean local parks is facing a possible postponement -- due to the crazy, hectic schedules of the teens. Brooklyn Eagle

- Montague Street Starbucks is moving. BHB

- How one couple traded their way up to a $2.3 million, 2,187-square-foot, three-bedroom penthouse in DUMBO. Dumbo NYC

- Occupy Wall Street to hold a 6-month anniversary march to commemorate the Brooklyn Bridge arrests -- on April Fools Day. OWS

- OWS protest: free subway rides for everybody! Brooklyn Paper

- You are not going to win the lottery, you fool. Gawker

- California man attacked by lion, rescued by bear. NY Magazine

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Solutions for Public Place: One Involves a 'Hydrokinetic Bridge'

Public Place, the area once known as Citizens Gas Works, a manufactured gas site, is a highly contaminated plot of land along the Gowanus Canal, bordered by Smith, 5th, and 9th Streets in Carroll Gardens. 

The Hudson Companies' idea for the Public Place site.

An extensive cleanup plan is unfolding, and the Hudson Companies is apparently working with the city to create a park at the site. But people have been brainstorming different approaches anyway. Here's one just unveiled Monday -- Plan “Rebuild Public Place Greener” (R.P.P.G.) hopes to provide clean energy, efficient housing and fresh produce, and build a bridge as well.

R.P.P.G. proposes building a "High Line-esque" bridge crossing the Gowanus Canal from Public Place to a redeveloping side street. According to the blog "Our 2030 Plan," the authors would "creatively slope the Gowanus Canal to make our hydrokinetic bridge."

"Attached at the bottom of the bridge are two hydrokinetic wheels to power the redesigned Public Place and hopefully the neighborhood. Although the Gowanus may not move very fast, we will strategically slope this part of the Canal so that way we will create a maximum amount of electricity."

If you want to brainstorm ideas too, attend the Public Voice. Public dream. Public Place: A Collaborative Mural Making Workshop to come up with "creative solutions for Public Place," which will take place  at Old Stone House, 336 Third Street, Park Slope, on April 28, from 5 –7 p.m. The event is sponsored by CORD.

Top photo by MK Metz; rendering by Hudson Companies

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Velázquez Faces Threat from Two Directions

Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, the only Puerto Rican woman in Congress, has been representing New York’s Seventh Congressional District in the House of Representatives since 1992. About 43 percent of Velazquez' district, which includes parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan, is Hispanic.

But redistricting has upended the apple cart, says the Brooklyn Eagle, and Velázquez will face two challengers in the primary -- economist/businessman Dan O'Connor and Councilman Erik Dilan.

O'Connor, a political unknown, lived in China for six years, worked for an economic think tank in Hong Kong, and speaks both Mandarin and Cantonese fluently. About 20 percent of the district is now Chinese, he told the Eagle.

Councilman Eric Martin Dilan's father, Martin Malave Dilan, was born in Puerto Rico and is a New York State Senator, according to New American Media. The new district includes an area with a high Jewish population, where the Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair and an ally of Dilan, Vito Lopez, is powerful.

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Coney Island Entrance Plan; Deadly McGuiness; Watchtower and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Coney Island entrance plan unveiled. TRD 

- Park Slope Food Coop Israeli products ban a no go. NY Daily News

- Speed survey shows deadly McGuiness Blvd. out of control, with two out of three motorists speeding. Streetsblog

- Parents say work at two schools in Brooklyn making children sick. CBS

- Just-sold Watchtower building at 161 Columbia Heights is ready for leasing. Brooklyn Eagle

- Last year students at a Jewish school in Brooklyn were encouraged to open Facebook accounts to vote in a charity giveaway. Yesterday, they were ordered to delete them and pay a $100 fine, or face expulsion. CrownHeights.info

- There are more than 200 baggage-related thefts every day at JFK airport. "What we're seeing out there is that really anything that isn't nailed down is being stolen," says former NYPD detective Frank Shea. CBS

- Guy films guitar player on subway and suddenly realizes the man sitting across from him is wearing a live snake around his neck. Gothamist

- The new McCarren Park Pool is ready to make a splash. Gothamist

- Ticks are the hot new plague of 2012. Gawker


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Brooklyn Half Marathon Filled; Gran/Electrica Opens; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- All 15,000 slots for the Brooklyn Half Marathon filled in under 10 hours. NYRR

- The folks over at Colonie have opened one of their two new restaurants in Dumbo, Gran/Electrica. Dumbo NYC

- Check out this mural made of beads, broken mirrors, shells, buttons and jewels on this house in Boerum Hill. The Brooklyn Bureau via Brownstoner

- If it seems like there are more gruesome incidents involving people getting hit by subway trains, it's not your imagination. There was a 15 percent spike in injuries last year. Gothamist

- Forget "La-La Land.” Steiner Studios and Brooklyn are now "Hollywood East." Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn wholesaler starts from scratch after losing it all in fire. Giftsanddec and Dalmazio

- The State Liquor Authority is lashing out against a Bay Ridge karaoke club with a history of bloody brawls and drug use. Brooklyn Paper

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De Blasio Wants Park Slope Food Coop to Forget About Boycotting Israel

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has jumped into international politics, urging members of the Park Slope Food Coop to call off their proposed boycott of products from Israel.

The coop will consider the proposal on Tuesday, March 27 at their general meeting at Brooklyn Tech High School.

According to the coop, they actually carry very few items produced in Israel. Here is the list: Sodastream seltzer maker and replacement cartridges, organic paprika, Israeli couscous, olive pesto or tapenade, vegan marshmallows and organic yellow peppers.

The coop has over 16,000 members who work in the store once every four week for 2.75 hours.

Here is de Blasio's statement:

“The inflammatory proposal to boycott products from the State of Israel is wrongheaded and an affront to American values and interests. This movement—nationally and internationally—is a destructive force that must be stopped. It undermines America's relationship with our steadfast partner in the fight against terrorism and our strongest ally in the Middle East.

“Our city, in particular, has always had a special relationship with Israel. Those of us who have visited Israel, as my family and I did very recently, feel the moral bond and the need for her doing everything possible to protect her security. New Yorkers have always stood by her, and we cannot waver from doing so.

“That's why I am urging my Brooklyn neighbors to reject the proposal offered by some members of the Park Slope Food Coop. Plain and simple--it's wrong. The Coop is an important community institution with a great tradition of tolerance and inclusion. Its members should reject the boycott resolution on Tuesday evening as an outrage to our collective values as New Yorkers.”


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Eileen Dugan Memorial Run Taking Place in Brooklyn Bridge Park for First Time

Eileen Dugan

The 14th Eileen C. Dugan Memorial 5K Fun Run -- a long-time Carroll Gardens tradition -- makes its debut on the Brooklyn waterfront this Saturday, March 31 at 9:00 a.m.

The 200 slots are already filled and registration is closed.

Regina Myer, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park, said, “Assemblywoman Ellen Dugan advocated for Brooklyn Bridge Park tirelessly and honoring her memory here at the park is a wonderful tribute.”

Eileen Dugan was a New York State Assemblymember from 1980 to 1996. She represented the local 52nd AD for nine terms. In 1996, Eileen passed away from breast cancer at the age of 51.

“Bringing this event to the Brooklyn waterfront is the realization of my sister Eileen’s dream,” said St. Francis College President Brendan J. Dugan. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, St. Francis College, and Brooklyn Bridge Park are hosting the race.

For 13 years, the 3.1-mile Eileen Dugan Run took place on the streets of Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill. The inaugural run in Brooklyn Bridge Park will start and finish in the Empire Fulton Ferry section and will loop along the harbor from the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue.

All proceeds from the run will benefit the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s free events and activities in the park.

Nancy Webster, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, invites everyone to "stick around after the race and enjoy our 7th Annual Spring Fling."

Photo courtesy of OurCampaigns.com

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Sucking Wyckoff Hospital Dry; Brooklyn's Priciest Block; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The people running Wyckoff Hospital in Bushwick -- ranked one of the worst in the city -- are sucking it dry at our expense. NY Times

- Lead found in Red Hook ball fields. Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn's priciest block is in -- Midwood. TRD

- Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick are buying adjacent townhouses in Brooklyn Heights, which they will combine to make an "urban mansion." NY Daily News

- Someone abandoned a baby and supplies in an apartment building foyer in Sunset Park. CBS

- Brad Lander steps up pressure on NYPD probes of traffic deaths. Brooklyn Eagle

- A proposal would reduce or in some cases eliminate the number of parking spaces required in residential developments in Downtown Brooklyn. TRD

- Rick Santorum's spooky "Obamaville" political ad looks and feels like a trailer for a horror film. Gawker


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Gonna Be a Hot Time In the Old Town

More Extensive Flooding In Brooklyn?

Two reports have been released recently that bode ill for waterfront property in Brooklyn.

The first, released last Wednesday, says that the risk of storm flooding is increasing faster than thought due to a rise in sea levels caused by global warming.

Brooklyn is ranked as the second most vulnerable county in New York state in terms of flood risk (the first is Nassau County).

A second report released Sunday says that average global temperatures could climb 2.5 to 5.4 degrees by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated. This is higher than previously calculated.

2050 "6-foot" flood map courtesy of Climate Central

Brooklyn neighborhoods at risk of storm surge include most of Coney Island and low-lying areas in Flatlands, Sunset Park, Red Hook, along the banks of the Gowanus Canal, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Governors Island could be swamped as well.

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Running of the Lotto Extras in DUMBO

It's been a bonanza for extras this week: NY Lotto has been filming amusing ads all over Brooklyn, including staging a zombie invasion in Brooklyn Heights, something called "Earbuds" in DUMBO, and more mayhem in Carroll Park and on Smith Street.

Above, scores of extras run around DUMBO on Wednesday.

More filming may take place at Borough Hall today.

Photo by MK Metz

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Brooklyn's First Cash Mob; Another D'Amico Smell Complaint; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- With a public outcry over the Police Department’s handling of the death of bicyclist, Mathieu Lefevre, local politicians have begun to take a stand. NY Times

- Cash Mob: This Saturday, March 24th is your chance to be a part of Brooklyn’s very first Cash Mob to celebrate National Cash Mob Day. Brooklyn Based

- The “86th Street Traffic Calming” plan presented by DOT CB 10’s Traffic and Transportation Committee got a mixed reaction from board members and residents. Brooklyn Eagle

- D'Amico Foods is dealing with city inspectors for the second time in a month, over smell complaints from some nosy neighbor. Gothamist

- The neighborhoods of Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, downtown Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Northern Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights face significant transportation challenges. Big meeting about this 3/31. (Must RSVP) Cobble Hill Association

- Moving? Brooklyn actors will haul your stuff for free, but there's a catch. Brokelyn

- NY Law School grads lose lawsuit against their alma matter. NY Magazine
 
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History Under Our Feet

You've probably seen these remnants of history all over Brooklyn. The "Bell System" was the American Bell Telephone Company, later AT&T, the "the greatest telecommunications system on earth." Alexander Graham Bell formed the Bell Telephone Company in 1877.

From Wikipedia:

The Bell System was the American Bell Telephone Company and then, subsequently, AT&T–led system which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly. In 1984, the company was broken up into separate companies, by a U.S. Justice Department mandate.

The colloquial term Ma Bell was often used by the general public."

Telephones were simple devices used to speak to people in other locations. Customers paid a very affordable fee every month to use one. No one collected the users' personal data or contact lists, and spyware was not installed on the device. (That would have been considered rude.) Weird, huh?

The Bell System Memorial Page is here.

Photo by MK Metz

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Domino Lawsuit; Driver Runs Down Cyclist; End of 'Pink Slime;' and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Lawsuit could hurt Domino development plans. Brooklyn Eagle

- A driver who was fleeing from another accident plowed into a cyclist in Bensonhurst, critically injuring him. NY Daily News

- Developers plan two very tall skyscrapers at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn. Brooklyn Paper

- American Apparel's Dov Charney ‘sex slave’ case booted from Brooklyn court. NY Magazine

- Brooklyn CB 2 called on the state DOT to explain the cancellation of the BQE reconstruction project. TSTC

- Rockstar Games ("Grand Theft Auto") co-founder Dan Houser is the new owner of the Brooklyn Heights mansion at 70 Willow Street, once owned by Truman Capote. Game Politics and Gothamist

- Disgusting "pink slime" meat substance used in ground beef will be phased out of New York City school lunches by next September. Brooklyn Eagle

- A P.E. teacher at a Brooklyn high school was arrested Tuesday after allegedly grabbing the buttocks of a 16-year-old female student. NY Times

- Parents at the Satellite Three middle school in Fort Greene have appealed to the state to prevent the closure of their school. The Local

- Locked out of his apartment, Dyker Heights man tries to climb in through third-floor window and falls to his death. Brooklyn Eagle

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Even Zombies Have to Eat

The Great Zombie Invasion was in full swing in Brooklyn Heights yesterday (cars crashed and zombies roamed Montague Street, massing around the "shiny new newspaper vendor site in front of City Chemist," according to Brooklyn Heights Blog).

The crazy fun was part of a commercial being filmed all around Brooklyn Heights for New York Lottery -- and it turns out that being undead builds up a powerful hunger.

Those bad boys and girls were fed in style by the catering folks. No one can remember seeing quite an elaborate a spread at a film shoot: several tables of sandwiches and sandwich-makings, fruit, croissants, nuts and toppings, freshly made french fries from the deep fryer..  

Hungry zombies need lots of fresh meat and that's exactly what's grilling up here on Clinton Street.

Some folks above were filmed running down Remsen Street as if zombies were after them!

Photos by MK Metz

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Phony Brooklyn Tap Water for Nets Fans; Teachers Abuse; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Another shooting in Fort Greene, at the Ingersol Houses. The Local

- A Brooklyn high school teacher arrested for improper touching. Brooklyn Eagle

- More frozen yogurt on Court Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Brownstoner

- Not free, not from Brooklyn: Barclays Center officials have contracted with a Florida company to import bottles of phony Brooklyn "tap water" to sell to thirsty Nets fans. Brooklyn Eagle

- New York City is gearing up to apply for a new Internet domain with a .nyc suffix. NY Times

- NY Times tightens the screws on online freeloaders. Gawker

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Schumer Biking in PPW Bike Lane; Another Baby May Have Been Sickened; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- 161 Columbia Heights, the latest Brooklyn Heights property put up for sale by the Jehovah's Witnesses, sold this week for roughly $3 million. Crain's NY Business

- The famous crossword-solving computer didn't do so great at this weekend's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament at the Brooklyn Marriott. NY Times

- Pigs Fly: Photo Of Chuck Schumer biking in Prospect Park West bike lane . . . Gothamist

- Brooklyn prosecutors say butt injections were criminal. Brooklyn Eagle

- New museum shows potential in old Brooklyn neighborhood: Gowanus. NYU News

- Yet another baby in Brooklyn may have been sickened by rabbi sucking the penis of the infant after circumcision. Failed Messiah

- "Brooklyn Castle" wins a 2012 SXSW Film Festival audience award. Variety

- NYC’s only BBQ contest, Grillin’ On The Bay returns to Sheepshead Bay on March 24. Sheepshead Bites

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When 'Invisible Children' Came to Brooklyn

Filmmaker Laren Poole live-blogs the Invisible Children march into Empire State Park in DUMBO in 2009.

On April 25, 2009, about 3,000 people marched over the Brooklyn Bridge and spent the night camped out in Fulton Ferry/ Empire State Park in DUMBO, in solidarity with abducted children forced to fight as soldiers by the African warlord Joseph Kony.

Stars like producer/director Jon Turteltaub, actor Chris Lowell ("Private Practice”) and Yin Chang ("Gossip Girl”) joined in.

The march was part of an international happening staged by Invisible Children, founded by filmmakers Jason Russell, Laren Poole and Bobby Bailey. Poole (shown above) led the Brooklyn event.

What Happened Since Then . . . 

Since the overnighter in DUMBO, Russell, Poole and Bailey continued their travels to Africa, made films, built schools and started a movement. Two weeks ago, Invisible Children's internet video campaign called Kony 2012 went wildly viral.

Since then, the group received praise for their work -- but also criticism. Some questioned their use of funds (out of roughly $9 million, only $3.3 million went to programs in Africa) and support of the Ugandan Army, itself accused of atrocities. They have also been accused of simplifying a complex and delicate situation, and possibly derailing America's behind-the-scenes interests in the area.

Some Ugandans have slammed the video as "the work of privileged young foreigners," according to the Globe and Mail.

Last Thursday, Jason Russell was picked up and hospitalized by San Diego police after running through the streets naked, pounding the ground and shouting obscenities.

Invisible Children CEO Ben Keesey said in a statement Friday: "Jason Russell was unfortunately hospitalized yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition. He is now receiving medical care and is focused on getting better. The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday. Jason’s passion and his work have done so much to help so many, and we are devastated to see him dealing with this personal health issue. We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time."

Invisible Children responds to many of the criticisms here.  Wikipedia has history of the events here.

Photo copyright MK Metz

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Guilty? Walk This Way

This sign in DUMBO seems to direct guilty parties to the guilty party gathering place.

In reality, it led actors and production crew to set of Bonanza Productions "Guilty"  starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Eva Amurri Martino. They were filming the pilot yesterday.

Photo by MK Metz

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Where To Watch the Game; GoogaMooga Ticket Snafu; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Where to watch the tournament tonight on the cheap! Brokelyn

- People are furious about the great GoogaMooga ticket f*ckup. Brokelyn and Gothamist

- Brooklyn high on danger list for floods, new study shows. Brooklyn Eagle

- Here's your chance to become a Navy Yard beekeeper. Brooklyn Paper

- Anne Hathaway, the most recent incarnation of Catwoman, has moved to DUMBO. Gothamist

- Potential government rule may make it harder to care for elderly spouse, could hit Bay Ridge hard. Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn man runs across street to sit in park after wife tries to make him behead chicken; gets ticket while reading bible. Happy ending. NY Times

- Eight more school employees are facing firing or have already been let go for misconduct. NY Times

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TV Pilot 'Guilty' of Taking Over DUMBO Streets Today

Bonanza Productions ("Alcatraz," "The Vampire Diaries") will be filming a new television pilot called "Guilty" in DUMBO today from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

'No Parking' signs are posted on John, Adams, Front, Jay, Water, Plymouth, Pearl and John Streets along with Anchorage Place.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. has been cast as the lead of the legal drama. In the pilot, William “Billy” Remz (Gooding), an ethically challenged defense attorney has been stripped of his license to practice law after being falsely accused. He solves cases he’s been banned from handling while avenging himself on his acusers.

"Californication’s" Eva Amurri Martino will play attorney Lily, according to Eva Amurri Online.


Photo by MK Metz

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Greening the Gowanus; Heroic Brooklyn Teacher; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Cobble Hill high school employee busted for touching student. Carroll Gardens Patch

- DEP has issued a Request for Proposals to create millions of dollars worth of green infrastructure for the Gowanus Canal, Newtown Creek and Flushing Bay in Queens. Brooklyn Eagle

- A heroic Brooklyn teacher saves life of unconscious woman on the floor of a public restroom. Upon regaining consciousness, victim flips her savior the bird. NY Daily News

- Naked yoga class for men only in Park Slope studio. Gawker

- Hotel Williamsburg sells for $33 million, setting record. TRD

- Pies n' Thighs BBQ may be denied a liquor license renewal because of two benches they installed in front of the Williamsburg eatery. Gothamist

- More doubts about NYPD's conclusion that cyclist Mathieu Lefevre caused the October 2011 crash that took his life, as family says photos and videos were withheld. Brooklyn Eagle

- Lost boy uses Google Earth to find his way home after 25 years. Gizmodo

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Cuckcoo for the LIU Blackbirds; Mohel Still Sucks; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Infected mohel still sucking penises. Failed Messiah

- Here's a good photo of the damage to the scaffolding under the Brooklyn Bridge caused by a crane pushed by a tug boat last night. NY Daily News

- Brooklyn has gone cuckoo for the Blackbirds. NY Daily News

- BPL addition on track to open next year. Brownstoner

- Parts or all of the Domino Sugar factory site on the waterfront in Williamsburg may be available for sale. Brooklyn Eagle

- Here's the list of the Dine In Brooklyn restaurants. NY Daily News

- Why did we never know this? Buy movie tickets in bulk from corporate website and save half! Brokelyn

- Sad: The city’s Public Design Commission decided Monday to approve the plan to repave part of Coney Island’s wooden boardwalk with a combination of plastic planks and concrete. Brooklyn Eagle

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Best Time to Shop At the New Gap in Downtown Brooklyn

In spite of hearing about crazy lines at the new Gap outlet store at 400 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn, McBrooklyn decided to check out the sales yesterday.

Here's what we learned: 10:30 in the morning is the time to shop. We breezed in, had our pick of the dressing rooms, got all the help we needed from the sales staff, and flounced out the door with two shirts -- one 30 percent off and one some other ridiculously low price.

Time to shop: 20 minutes. Waiting time at cashier: 0 minutes.

Photo by MK Metz

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Panera Bread in Downtown Brooklyn Has Free WiFi and Meeting Room

Business is "brisk" at the new Panera Bread bakery/ cafe in Downtown Brooklyn, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

We didn't realize that the cafe offers free WiFi and a "comfortable wood-toned dining room" upstairs, along with a free meeting room. Lots of soup and salads -- looking forward to trying it out.

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Sad, Colorful Map of Pedestrian Deaths in Brooklyn

The pastel colored markers look so pretty until you realize that this is a map marking the location of the 139 pedestrian deaths in Brooklyn from 2008-2010. (Green markers = children under 15; blue = people ages 16 - 59; purple = people over 60.)

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign released this analysis of federal traffic fatality data with a fact sheet  and a map showing when and where pedestrian were killed.

Kings Hwy, Atlantic Ave, Brighton Beach Ave, Ocean Pkwy, Eastern Pkwy, Avenue U, and 4th Ave were Brooklyn’s most dangerous roads for pedestrians.

Details about Fourth Avenue specifically at Carroll Gardens Patch.

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City's Best Bus Driver; LIU-Brooklyn Opens NCAA; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The city's best and most beloved bus driver drives the B25 in Brooklyn. NY Daily News

- March to Madness: LIU Brooklyn will square off against top-seed and Big Ten champion Michigan State on Friday night for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Brooklyn Eagle

- NYPD accident investigation blames dead cyclist for Williamsburg crash. Gothamist

- Confidential memo: Brooklyn GOP chair wants Turner vs. Gillibrand. NY Daily News

- The traveling subway-repair show known as Fastrack brings it shut-down-the-trains-at-night madness to the A, C and E lines this week. NY Times

- Panera Bread opened on Adams Street yesterday. BHB

- Three new retail tenants moving into 1 Main in DUMBO. Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn motorcycle driver benchpresses while doing wheelie. Gothamist

- Is pink slime in the beef at your grocery store? abc

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Birds Agree: The Best Plot in Brooklyn

Nine out of ten birds agree: the worms in this plot in Brooklyn Heights are juicer than than the worms in any other plot in Brooklyn.

Photo by MK Metz

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Effigies Hung in Borough Park; Tech Triangle Gets Funding; 'Brooklynized' Water a Fraud; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- NYPD collected information on businesses owned by second- and third-generation Arab-Americans -- even the well-known Damascus Bread and Pastry Shop on Atlantic Ave., owned by Catholics. Brooklyn Eagle

- Eleven effigies were hung across 12th Avenue in Borough Park by Jews in celebration of Purim, weirding out some non-Jewish neighbors. Failed Messiah

- Young Brooklyn chess player draws a crowd in downtown Austin after film premiere. Statesman

- Navy Yard/ DUMBO/ Downtown Brooklyn "Technology Triangle" idea gets $100,000 in funding for study. Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn parents arrested after their 2-year-old was found wandering outside without a coat or shoes. NY Daily News

- State Senator Eric Adams calls for ban on saggy pants in school. NBC

- A Mexican immigrant who passed the New York bar exam and interned with the Brooklyn D.A. cannot work as a lawyer because he was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child. Brooklyn Eagle

- CUNY moves to ban student/professor relationships. “They’re trying to ban love!” one male professor complained. Gothamist

- Florida bagel company's 'Brooklynized' water is a fraud. Lawyer: "You want Brooklyn water, go to Brooklyn." Sun Sentinel

- Next Sunday: 7th annual Ghost Bike memorial ride. Gothamist

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March Over Brooklyn Bridge for International Women's Day

Hundreds of women and their male friends gathered in Cadman Plaza Park yesterday for International Women's Day. They heard from speakers about the campaign to improve the lives of women around the world, then marched over the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall Park.

Issues faced by women worldwide include poverty, death from childbirth, rape, and income inequality.

Bridge walks were a theme of the day through the "Join Me On the Bridge" project, organized by Women for Women International.

"What Better Looks Like" was filming the event.

Photos by MK Metz

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Drunk Runs Down Woman; Shut Down Amnesia; Momofuko Coming? And More Brooklyn Briefs

- Intoxicated man driving in Brooklyn without license runs down 69-year-old-woman, flees, is tailed by a witness and arrested by police. CBS

- City's new livery cabs (the kind you will be able to hail legally) will probably all be green. Gothamist

- CB 10 recommends that Amnesia, scene of drunken, vomit-filled parties, be denied a cabaret license. Brooklyn Eagle

- Mounting evidence of CompStat statistics-tampering by NYPD, as city fails to disclose finding of investigation. NY Times

- "4 or 5 cop-like people walk out the front door of the Montauk Club. Then the fun started... 2 more guys came out behind them with guns and shot at them and then got shot and fell off the side of the stair case." WYDNKBYANM

- Is Carroll Gardens getting a Momofuku Milk Bar? Brooklyn Eagle

- Stolen $1,400 puppy returned to Brooklyn pet store. Gothamist

- New York Community Bank sells Bed-Stuy distressed mortgages at 50 percent discount. TRD

- New Yorkers were treated to a giant, gold naked man on the back of a flatbed truck Tuesday. Huff Post

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Great GoogaMooga Festival Coming to Brooklyn

On May 19th & 20th, 2012, Prospect Park will transform into "an amusement park of food and drink," The Great GoogaMooga. Approximately 75 food vendors, 35 brewers, 30 winemakers and 20 live music performances will be on hand.

The sponsors "envision a place where the best chefs and purveyors can serve their food and bring about instant elation. Where everyday food lovers can discover and share amazing new tastes, and where the right slice of pizza can be as treasured/praiseworthy as four-star fois-gras."

Entry is free but you must register online. Each participating restaurant will offer one signature item for $6-8 a small plate or a full plate for $9-12. An Extra Mooga -- a festival-within-a-festival -- costs $249.50 for the select few.

Contributors include Anthony Bourdain (author and host of No Reservations), David Rockwell (founder & CEO of the Rockwell Group), Tom Colicchio (chef & judge of Top Chef), Garrett Oliver (brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery), Paul Grieco (sommelier/co-owner of Terroir & Hearth), Eddie Huang (chef/owner of Baohaus) and others.

The festival will present both local and national food and drink in eight different themed pavilions. Two stages of music will feature 10 artists per day. Programming will be a mix of national and local artists from different genres.

Sponsors include Superfly Presents, the Prospect Park Alliance, and the New York City Parks Department.

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Hang On To Your Tin Foil Hat: Strong Solar Storm Hitting Earth Today

A strong geomagnetic storm is racing at millions of miles per hour from the Sun toward Earth, scientists say. 

Its arrival today could affect power grids, airplane routes, communications and navigation systems like refined GPS used in industry.

Christian Science Monitor says this is just one of a group of solar storms, and another batch is in the cooker.

North American utilities are monitoring for abnormalities on their grids and have contingency plans, said Kimberly Mielcarek, spokeswoman for the North American Electric Reliability Corp.

According to a story in Reuters, today's event is a harbinger of things to come as the sun's activity hits its peak next year. 

On the other hand, today's high will be 67. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of NOAA

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City Point Phase One; Deadly Bris Family Stonewalls; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- City Point phase one nearing completion in Downtown Brooklyn. Brownstoner

- Cops seek "stalker" boyfriend in Brooklyn killing. NBC

- Family of baby killed by controversial bris ritual (where the rabbi sucks blood off the baby's penis with his mouth) stonewalls police investigation. Failed Messiah

- Secret NYPD report confirms that the city's crime statistics are cooked and arrest quotas are strictly enforced. NY Magazine

- Nuclear fallout map shows New York City in the zone. Gothamist

- The job from hell: you do not want to work for this crazy eye surgeon. Gawker

- Women on the pill earn more, have fewer diaper bills. Brokelyn

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Free Milk Bone!*

Another sign by the talented artist at Blanc & Rouge on Washington Street in DUMBO. (Here's another one.)

*Must be dog.

Photo by MK Metz

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Save the G Train; Panera Almost Ready; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The campaign to save the G train extension into Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Kensington is on a roll. Brownstoner

- Downtown Brooklyn Panera opening Monday. Brownstoner

- Nearly 100 organizations submitted applications to have DOT slow down traffic on their streets by installing new signs, speed bumps and by reducing area speeds limit to 20 mph. Brooklyn Eagle

- Williamsburg landlord refused to allow a billboard questioning Judaism to be installed atop his building amid outrage in Hasidic community. Rabbi calls atheists "a group of crazies." Brooklyn Paper

- Three-day Crossing Brooklyn Ferry pass on sale now. Brooklyn Vegan

- Cyclist ticketed for riding outside bike lane (not a crime) fights fine in State Supreme Court. Gothamist

- Scams are all around us, especially "predatory schools." Brooklyn Eagle

- Netflix was the 30th advertiser to drop Limbaugh. TP

- Gosh, those TSA nude body scanners don't even work! TSA OOUP

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Brooklyn Flowers Blooming Too Damn Early

Brooklyn Heights' residents are setting out spring flower boxes already. MK Metz

Flowers are blooming all over Brooklyn, and today's high is predicted to be 58 degrees. Only problem is, it's March 7 and it's been weirdly warm almost all winter.

Daffodils and snowdrops are popping up all over Brooklyn. Tulip greens have been spotted. Trees across Brooklyn have buds. The cherry tree by Brooklyn Borough Hall has had blossoms already.

Premature flowering by iris and crocus on Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights and quince in Cadman Plaza Park has horticulturists worrying that the plants’ pollination and life cycles may suffer, notes the Brooklyn Eagle.

At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG), the Asiatic dogwoods and the Cornelian cherries are budding now, about two weeks ahead of schedule. Snowdrops, daffodils, and crocuses were in full bloom days in advance of Groundhog Day. (mid-February).

And the New York City Department of Parks' official Bloom Guide  confirms that something is way out of whack. Daffodils aren't supposed to be popping up until April. The same goes for quince and tulips.

According to BBG, a hard frost or ice storm could destroy these early buds. While most trees would be able to bounce back from one off-kilter year, too many years in a row would have a greater affect, "since damaged buds affect their fruit yields and ability to propagate. Another factor is the absence of pollinating insects during the crucial window when they’re needed."

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Surf Shop Coming to DUMBO; Deady Bris Practice; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Charges against Brooklyn man tossed after video shows arrest was bogus. NY Daily News

- Jewish people think atheist billboard in Williamsburg is annoying. Brooklyn Eagle

- NYPD investigating an unidentified person who apparently fell or jumped from the St. George Tower in Brooklyn Heights. BHB

- Foreclosed Williamsburg property hits market for $52.5 million less than a week after bought at auction. TRD

- Gowanus Whole Foods will almost wrap around landmarked Coignet building. Gothamist

- Brooklyn DA looking into infant death from dangerous bris practice -- the suctioning of blood from a boy's circumcision wound directly by the rabbi's mouth. Failed Messiah

- Two Trees announced a new commercial tenant at One Main Street today: Aegir Boardworks, a surf and snowboard shop. Dumbo NYC

- Battersby on Smith Street getting crazy rave reviews. South Brooklyn Post

- City Council members demand an immediate investigation into crazy water bills that begin after new automated meter readers are installed. Brooklyn Eagle

- How Wall Street bankers take pride in ripping their companies off when ordering steak, beer and lobster from Seamless. Fast Company

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Has Iconic 'Peaks Mason Mints' Lettering Disappeared from 20 Henry Street?

20 Henry in 2008 by MK Metz

Has the iconic Peaks Mason Mints lettering disappeared from the south side of 20 Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights? (AKA the Candy Factory.)

Original Peaks Mason Mints lettering, 2008.

Lettering visible in the shadow in 2010. (Photo by MK Metz)

The lettering was visible below the scaffolding in November of 2010. (Click on the photo above to enlarge.)

Lettering no longer visible March 3, 2012. (Photo by MK Metz)

But we couldn't see the lettering yesterday. White dust appears on the wall above the windows. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

According to Stribling Marketing Associates, 20 Henry Street exterior "has been restored to feature the property’s original brick façade, exposed buttresses and rows of massive arched industrial windows." As reported in the Brooklyn Eagle, "The façade also includes the original 'Peaks Mints' lettering as homage to the property’s past as home to the confectioners who produced Mason Mints coconut candy bars."

Rendering courtesy of Stribling Marketing Associates

Are we missing something here?

If they repaint it, does it count as original?


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500 Jurors for Gangster Trial; Atheist Billboard; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Atheists plan to put billboards in Brooklyn (and Patterson, of all places) that say God is a myth. The Brooklyn sign will be printed in Hebrew. CBS

- 500 prospective jurors will report today to federal court in Brooklyn for the upcoming trial of two Colombo gangsters. The potential jurors names will be kept secret. NY Daily News

- Huge new apartment building planned for Greenpoint, a block from polluted Newtown Creek. Brooklyn Paper

- The Grandparent Scam; the Lottery Scam; The Toilet Paper Scam: Brooklyn prosecutors target criminals who scam the elderly. Brooklyn Eagle

- Gentrification has made South Brooklyn unrecognizable. Business Insider

- Ornamental kale: the cabbage that's eating Brooklyn Heights. BHB

- A woman with an antique dagger in her bag managed to get past TSA screeners at JFK Airport. Gothamist

- It is sooo easy to hack an electronic voting system. Gizmodo


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Students March on Brooklyn Bridge to Protest Education Cuts, Corporate Takeovers

To protest school budget cutbacks, college tuition increases and the corporate takeover of public schools, thousands of New York City students gathered in Manhattan Thursday and marched over the Brooklyn Bridge to Fort Greene Park. Marchers included students from CUNY, the Student Assembly, Occupy Student Debt Campaign, SUNY, NYU and more.

The front line (above) carried cardboard cutouts of the faces of Mayor Bloomberg, ex-Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz (head of the controversial Success Academy charter school chain), Schools Chancellor Walcott and others who, the students say, are selling them out.

The marchers said they were inspired by the Occupy movement to take action.

Some of the students planned to visit the Panel for Educational Policy meeting Thursday night at Brooklyn Tech. The panel is planning to close more public high schools. (Mayor Bloomberg has closed more than 117 schools so far, mostly in low-income neighborhoods.)

The police prepared to capture marchers in their orange nets if they attempted to take the Adams Street walkway from the bridge instead of the Washington Street stairs.

Photo by MK Metz

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Pedestrian Struck in DUMBO -- Make That Downtown Brooklyn

From the scanner:
A pedestrian was struck at 85 Adams Street near York in DUMBO around 6 p.m.

More information when available.

UPDATE: Confusion from rescuers: Rescuers tell dispatcher they can't find pedestrian hit "in bike lane nears courthouse and the hotel." Dispatcher says pedestrian is supposed to be at 85 Adams but "will check."

At 6:22, dispatchers asks rescuer if they are at 85 Adams. "Negative dispatcher, we're at 360 Adams."

(That is directly in front of the Supreme Court in Downtown Brooklyn.)

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Brooklyn Rabbi Big Cigarette Crook; Brooklyn Heights Association Annual Meeting; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- This year's Brooklyn Heights Association annual meeting proves unusually entertaining. Brooklyn Eagle

- After 43 years on Court Street, Belanthi Gallery closes. PMFA

- Brooklyn sicko tells rape victim to 'let go' as he's sentenced to 47 years in prison. NY Post

- DUMBO Water Street rentals ready for occupancy. Rents from $2,700 to $5,775 per month. TRD

- 23 people connected to local bodegas were arrested for buying and distributing more than $4 million in bootleg smokes. Brooklyn Eagle . . .  One of the biggest crooks: a Williamsburg Orthodox rabbi. Failed Messiah

- The Irish are angry at Urban Outfitters for selling St. Patrick's Day merchandise that depicts them as drunks. Gothamist

- ‘Orwellian Nightmare’: Brooklyn attorney says new federal mail policy could destroy child-support debtors. Brooklyn Eagle

- The Earth has a roughly 12 percent chance of experiencing an enormous megaflare erupting from the sun in the next decade. This event could potentially fry the Earth's computers and cause trillions of dollars’ worth of damage. Wired via Gawker

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