Big Party at BAM Honors Hopkins; Remsen St. Building for Sale; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Flowers bloom at Chelsea Garden Center in Red Hook. MK Metz

 - Celebrate Brooklyn! announces summer season with Chaka Khan, Lucinda Williams, Esperanza Spalding. [Billboard]

- The gala honoring BAM's Karen Brooks Hopkins Tuesday night was a just a little affair with 900 guests. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- 2015 Kentucky Derby parties in Brooklyn – where to watch it. [Free Williamsburg]

- The co-op board for a seven-story Brooklyn Heights building on Remsen Street is putting the property on the market for $30 million. [The Real Deal]

- Brooklyn pols Antonio Reynoso and Stephen Levin threw their support behind the bridge-tolling Move NY Fair Plan on Thursday. [Bedford and Bowery]

- A Staten Island woman disappeared from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. She's 4'3" and speaks only Russian. [SIlive]

- Professor Joseph Crea, who turned 100 years old on April 26, has been teaching at Brooklyn Law School for more than five decades, including a course in 2014. [Brooklyn Eagle]


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Jodie Foster's 'Money Monster' Filming in DUMBO Thursday. Tow Trucks Start Wednesday Night

Brooklyn Roasting Company will be the set of "Money Monster." Photos: MK Metz

Scenes have already been shot on Wall Street and in other locations, but on Thursday "Money Monster" begins filming in DUMBO.

Jodie Foster directs Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Caitriona Balfe, Dominic West and Jack O'Connell in the film about a guy who holds a Wall Street money guru responsible for losing all of his family's money.

Publications show photos of Clooney wired with explosives.

For the first time in Brooklyn Roasting Company's history, the cafe will be closed on Thursday for filming. Staff members were taking down the doughnut bin and removing other obstructions Wednesday night. (Don't stress, 20 Jay Street workbots -- brewed-to-go coffee will be available outside the cafe.)

Don't even think about parking in DUMBO Wednesday night/Thursday . . .  and the green cab question remains up in the air. Signs hanging around DUMBO say that parking will be held for production vehicles on John, Plymouth, York, Bridge and Jay streets. Tow trucks were set to head out at 10 p.m. Wednesday night. (See photo of sign below for more details.)

TriStar Pictures intend to release the film in 2016, according to Wikipedia.

Tidbit: This is a film that SONY's CEO didn't like. 

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1,374 Brooklyn Buildings Without Power Wednesday Night

Con Edison is responding to a major power outage in Brooklyn tonight. Most of them are in Red Hook, Zipcode 11231.

In one case, wires are down, leaving 789 customers/buildings without power on Coffey Street. Near the intersection of Van Brunt and King Street, 530 are without power due to burning wires.

Various local outages bring the total to 1,375 Con Ed customers/buildings without power in Brooklyn, as of 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night.

To report a loss of service, call 1-800-75-CONED.

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BBQ Over the Toxic Gowanus; LICH Docs Lose Appeal; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Yum! An outdoor barbecue restaurant overlooking the toxic Gowanus Canal is planning to open this summer. [DNAinfo]

- LICH physicians lose appeal, vow to keep fighting for hospital in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- DOT agrees to move a "speed trap" camera in Brooklyn. [Daily News]

- The Greenland Group, building the "100 percent" affordable buildings at Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, says in ads, "the project aims to construct a comprehensive community with middle and upscale apartments." [Atlantic Yards Report]

- The Municipal Arts Society is hosting its second walking tour of Brooklyn Heights on May 1, this one focusing on the blocks south of Montague Street. [Brownstoner]

- $3M in Sandy funding approved for Coney Island’s Steeplechase Pier. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Blur will be playing a free show at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg on May 1. [Pitchfork]

- You can see the 1st place New York Mets for as low as FOUR DOLLARS this week. [Brokelyn]

- Reddit researched the best places to donate to help Nepal after the earthquake. [Reddit]





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Brooklyn Bridge Park Unveils Lineup for Syfy Movies With A View

Photo: MK Metz

Brooklyn Bridge Park and Syfy have announced the lineup for the sixteenth year of its popular movie series.

The free, outdoor film series takes place on the Harbor View Lawn at Pier 1 and will showcase films that happen over the course of 24 hours, including the first ever outdoor screening of the global sensation Sharknado 2: The Second One – where a sharknado threatens to destroy New York City – on Thursday, July 16, less than a week before the world premiere of Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! on Syfy Wednesday, July 22 at 9PM.

Syfy Movies With A View kicks off on Thursday, July 9 and runs weekly on Thursdays through August 27.

DJs from Brooklyn Radio will spin pre-movie music, and BAMcinématek will curate short films to be shown before the feature each week. Also returning are the New York Amateur Astronomer's Association to help stargazers scan the skies with telescopes provided by Syfy, and Transportation Alternatives with their free bike valet parking, sponsored by Spinlister.

FULL MOVIE LINEUP

July 9
High Noon (1952, PG)
Short: Every Day directed by Gabe Spitzer
DJ Emch Subatomic


July 16
Sharknado 2: The Second One
Short: A.D. 1363, the End of Chivalry directed by Jake Mahaffy
DJ Ming


July 23
Attack the Block (2011, R)
Short *Double Feature*: The Commute by Jake Alexander-McAfee
Pigeon Kings of Brooklyn, directed by Ram Devineni, Ashok Sinha and Martina Sönksen
DJ Geko Jones


July 30
Clue (1985, PG)
Short: Wackatdoo directed by Benj Arcand
DJ Queen Majesty


August 6
Friday (1995, R)
Short: Tiger Hood directed by Christopher André Marks
DJ Still Life


August 13
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964, PG)
Short: Yearbook directed by Bernardo Britto
DJ $mall ¢hange


August 20
Dazed and Confused (1993, R)
Short:Chronemics directed by Animade
No Wahala DJs


August 27
Die Hard (1988, R)
Short: Leonard in Slow Motion directed Peter Livolsi
DJ Isis Swaby

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Honoring BHB's Loscalzo on Derby Day; Legal Hardball in 'Save the View' Fight, and More Brooklyn Briefs

John Loscalzo, via Twitter

 - The Bell House is dedicating this year’s Kentucky Derby to the memory of John Loscalzo (AKA Homer Fink) and his deep abiding love for the Derby and a strong mint julep. [BHB]

- Legal hardball: Brooklyn Heights preservationists put more muscle behind ‘Save the View Now.' [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Two Brooklyn men still trapped on Mount Everest as death toll rises in Nepal. [PIX11]

- Meet the guy who's replacing Loretta Lynch in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Republican presidential contender Rand Paul faced tough questions as he tried to woo New York's Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn. [Westfield Republican]


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Hail of Bullets Outside Brooklyn Church Monday Night: 6 Shot, 2 KIlled - Times

Six people were shot, two fatally, outside a Brooklyn church after a funeral on Monday night, the NY Times reports.

The shootings began about 8:30 p.m. outside the Emmanuel Church of God on Flatbush Avenue near East 26th Street.

It is thought that all six victims had attended the funeral of a 38-year-old man who died of a heart attack.

Emmanuel Church tweeted Monday night:

"UPDATE! Our Emmanuel family is fine and we ask that you continue to pray for the families at this time. God Bless!"


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Brooklyn Backpackers Missing in Nepal Earthquake; Receiver for Deitsch's Park Slope Senior Home; and More Briefs

Photos of some of the characters at the Sakura Matsuri Festival in Brooklyn on Saturday http://t.co/FAOaErqeYV pic.twitter.com/cISxYuKmnS
— NYT Metro Desk (@NYTMetro) April 27, 2015

- Brooklyn backpackers among missing after avalanche triggered by Nepal earthquake strikes Mount Everest base camp. [NY Daily News]

- Judge appoints receiver for beleaguered Park Slope assisted living facility, Prospect Park Residence, removing control from much-reviled owner Haysha Deitsch. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- DA busts cocaine ring in Downtown Brooklyn. [NY1]

- Demonstrators march across Brooklyn Bridge to demand fair treatment of officer who shot Akai Gurley. [PIX11]

- The MetroTech BID plans to expand to include Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Center Call. [Atlantic Yards Report]

- CB2 exec. commmitee to consider the Brooklyn Heights “Slow Zone," a proposal to close Joralemon Street to through traffic at Furman, and an extension of the bike lane on Schermerhorn Street. [BHB ]

- Judge partially halts construction of Pierhouse project in Brooklyn Bridge Park. [Brooklyn Eagle]


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Brooklyn Navy Yard Community Day: Free Tours, Scavenger Hunt & More

Courtesy Navy Yard

The Brooklyn Navy Yard invites visitors of all ages to a special day of community connection in celebration of Preservation Week.

In a release, the Navy Yard asks: "Do you live near the Yard? Did someone in your family work here? Are you curious about what goes on here today?"

You can experience the history, mystery and industry of the Yard this Sunday. They’ll work with you to record stories about your connections to the Yard and invite you to share materials to add to the Yard’s archives.

The Yard will also host family tours and a sustainability scavenger hunt. (You may need free tickets for some events, so check  here.)

Sunday, April 26, 1 to 4 p.m. Brooklyn Navy Yard, BLDG 92, 63 Flushing Avenue.


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Brooklyn Comes in First Place for Loud Sex Complaints. Especially that Bay Ridge Couple. You Know Who You Are.

From DNAinfo; Map Data ©2015 Google

The loudest sex in New York last year has been traced to a Bay Ridge couple at 7201 Ridge Blvd., based on the number of complaints registered by 311.

According to 1010WINS, since the report came out, the couple is running from reporters seeking interviews.

Another couple, at 735 Gates Ave., also had a hard time containing themselves last year.

DNAinfo supplies a handy interactive Loud Sex Complaint Map, showing complaints to 311 about what is obviously bigger problem than we realized.

As you might expect, Brooklyn comes in first place for the most loud sex complaints last year, with 42 complaints — compared to 37 in Queens, 31 in the Bronx, 23 in Manhattan and not a single complaint in Staten Island.



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Giant Sinkhole Doesn't Completely Swallow a Firetruck in Brooklyn, but Close Enough

Photo by Brian Stansberry courtesy Wikipedia

 What does Brooklyn have in common with Florida and Russia?

Massive sinkholes that mysteriously open up and swallow large objects like fire trucks -- which, by the way, happened in East Flatbush today when a firetruck got "sucked into" a sinkhole, injuring two firefighters (thankfully, only minor injuries).

Despite getting hurt directly in front of Brookdale Hospital, the injured firefighters were taken to Kings County Hospital.

- Firetruck sucked into Brooklyn sinkhole, 2 injured [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Massive sinkhole caves under fire truck [News 12 - subscription]


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Brooklyn BP Adams Dresses Artsy, Stays Classy

Dude! Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams wears his art on his heart for a recent exhibition of Brooklyn artists interpreting the Stations of the Cross.

Photo: Stefan Ringel/Brooklyn BP's Office

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5x10 Talks Coming Up in Brooklyn on May 6th

The 2nd annual 5x10 Talks are taking place at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, May 6th at BRIC. Might want to buy your tickets now, as last year's event sold out.

This year's speakers include the Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster, the co-founders of Tough Mudder and Brooklyn Industries, an award-winning novelist, and an architect who helped design Barclays Center.

These five Brooklyn innovators will speak for 10 minutes each on the subject of “What’s Next?”

• Vishaan Chakrabarti, Principal of SHoP Architects, which designed Barclays Center, among other Brooklyn projects;
• Will Dean, CEO and Co-Founder of Tough Mudder, a Downtown Brooklyn-based company which offers team-oriented obstacle courses;
• Lexy Funk, CEO and Co-Founder of Brooklyn Industries, the lifestyle clothing and accessories retailer with 16 stores in three states, including one on Fulton Mall;
• Bernice L. McFadden, author of nine critically-acclaimed novels and a Brooklyn native;
• Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster for Brooklyn Brewery and one of the foremost beer authorities in the world.

Interspersed among the talks will be performances by local cultural organizations, including Bang on a Can’s Asphalt Orchestra; a video presentation by BRIC; and writer and performance artist Najee Omar, presented by MoCADA.

The event is sponsored by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and others.

Buy tickets here.

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Miracles Do Happen: Dangerous Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza to Be Repaved

Photo: Borough Hall Plaza, by MK Metz

After years of complaints and at least one lawsuit, a $11 million reconstruction of Borough Hall Plaza has actually begun.

BP Eric Adams made rebuilding the crumbling plaza, part of Columbus Park, a priority -- and he somehow achieved what community advocates and former BP Marty Markowitz could not. See Brooklyn Eagle for details.

(Note: Incorrect link has been fixed! Thanks to our reader who pointed it out.)

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Swimming in the Toxic Gowanus Canal, and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Brooklyn Film Festival coming next month to Brooklyn Heights, Sunset Park and Bay Ridge. [BFF]

- Cops increase their presence at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 2 since last week's gunfire. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Woman, 21, hangs herself from Brooklyn fire escape in suicide. [NY Daily News]

- OMG: Activist to swim the toxic Gowanus Canal on Earth Day. [Newsweek]

- And another thing that shouldn't be in the Gowanus, but is. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Greenland USA, the subsidiary that owns 70% of Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, doesn't even have a website, though it pretends to. [Atlantic Yards Report]

- A developer could get its hands on Bushwick Inlet Park, if CitiStorage has its way. [Greenpointeers]

- PHOTOS: Check out the Brooklyn Artists Ball at the Brooklyn Museum -- At one table there were replicas of the battleship USS Brooklyn that came with cannons that guests could shoot off, sending confetti into the air. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- HBO cracks down on Williamsburg bar showing pirated copy of Game of Thrones. [Village Voice]


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Cars Fill New Parking Lot at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Photo: MK Metz

Build it and they will come.

Shown: The recently-completed parking lot running along the uplands between Pier 2 and Pier 3 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. (The large brown structure is a noise-attenuating berm.)

The park map doesn't show the parking lot, but it's in the section shown above.

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First Shots Fired in Brooklyn Bridge Park Miraculously Don't Kill Anybody

BBP, by MK Metz

The first gunshots fired in Brooklyn Bridge Park (since it became a park) went wild yesterday, by some miraculous twist of fate killing no one.

Warm weather brought youthful crowds to the incredibly popular park, which seems to have no permanently-stationed cops patrolling its rolling green acreage.

Following a panic, police arrested two men. 


Details:

Gunfire in Brooklyn Bridge Park: Two arrested following Pier 2 Melee [Brooklyn Eagle]

Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 2 Evacuated Following Reports Of Gunfire [Gothamist]

Gunman who fired shot in usually tranquil Brooklyn Bridge Park arrested: officials [Daily News]



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BP Adams to Set Up a Public Breastfeeding Station at Brooklyn Borough Hall

Wikipedia.org

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is set to support the city’s expansion of public breastfeeding zones, at a Brooklyn Borough Hall press conference this morning.

To show his committment, Adams will be setting up a public breastfeeding site inside Borough Hall.

This support is paralled to "The Brooklyn Breastfeeding Empowerment Zone" in Bedford Stuyvesant, funded with a $1.2 million grant by the WK Kellogg Foundation. The city is working with local businesses and organizations to establish areas where women can breastfeed.
 
Adams is calling his program Family Friendly Brooklyn. According to the United States Census, there are roughly 200,000 Brooklynites under the age of five, a figure higher than the New York State average.

Advocacy organizations supporting Borough President Adams’ Family Friendly Brooklyn initiative include 1199/SEIU Healthcare Workers East; A Better Balance; Brooklyn Perinatal Network, Inc.; Citizen Action of New York; Community Service Society of New York; Delta Children; New York Working Families; New York Paid Family Leave Insurance Campaign; New York Paid Leave Coalition; Seleni Institute; Worksites for Wellness; and YWCA of Brooklyn.

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Basset Hound Targeted; Fort Greene Pop-Up Playdate; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Thank you for delivering a new Brooklynite, Officers Coscia and Sferrazza. Welcome to New York City, baby Izaine. pic.twitter.com/2Hc3J2Xffg
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) April 15, 2015

- Basset hound targeted for death in neighbors’ dispute. [Brooklyn Paper]

- During his "testy" debate with Gentile, Donovan appeared not to know the federal minimum wage. [Bensonhurst Bean]

- U.S. Attorney investigating NY Senate leader Dean Skelos. [NBC]

- Live at BAM: Ibsen’s ‘Ghosts’ retains youthful vigor after 134 years. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Community pop-up playdate in Fort Greene Park this Sunday. [Fort Greene Focus]

- A homeless man was found dead on the L train early Wednesday. [NY Daily News]


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This is Participatory Budgeting Vote Week in NYC

This is the week to vote for Participatory Budgeting projects in your district.

Participatory Budgeting is a process which allows residents to directly decide how to spend part of the public budget -- money that comes from their taxes.

This year, twenty-four NYC councilmembers are letting residents allocate part of their capital discretionary funds, giving the community the chance to decide how to spend over more than $25 million.

The seven Brooklyn Councilmembers participating this year include David Greenfield (District 44); Brad Lander (District 39); Steve Levin (District 33), Carlos Menchaca (District 38), Antonio Reynoso (District 34), Mark Treyger (District 47) and Jumaane Williams (District 45).

Look up your Councilmember and projects to vote on here.


Related:
- Why Are Working Toilets for Brooklyn School Children a Participatory Budgeting 'Maybe'?

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Demonstrators Shut Down Brooklyn Bridge, in March to Protest Police Violence

Photos by MK Metz

Hundreds of demonstrators marched over the Brooklyn Bridge during Tuesday's rush hour to protest the recent wave of police shootings of unarmed civilianss.

Dozens climbed onto the the Manhattan-bound roadway, leading cops to shut it down and make arrests.

According to reports,  two police officers were assaulted by protesters.

"Violence or threats of violence against the police are unacceptable and will absolutely not be tolerated," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement late Tuesday, adding that the incidents are being investigated and perps will be prosecuted.

Photos by MK Metz

The woman shown above is one of dozens led off the Brooklyn Bridge roadway in handcuffs. NYPD opened the bridge again around 6 p.m., but demonstrations continued as the marchers headed along Flatbush towards Barclays Center.

A major sponsor was the Stop Mass Incarceration network.

UPDATE: The group says dozens of key organizers in NYC have been arrested, and are being held at:
NYPD 78 Precinct: 65 Sixth Avenue, Brooklyn.  718-636-4611
NYPD 7th Precinct: 19 1/2 Pitt Street, Manhattan. (212) 477-7311


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Jim Henson's Giant, Adorable Dinosaurs Coming to Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts April 26

Courtesy of Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train LIVE!

Got kids? (If not, borrow some.) Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College presents what looks to be an adorable show -- Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train LIVE! - Buddy's Big Adventure on Sunday, April 26 at 12pm and 3pm.

The PBS KIDS series comes to life for what organizers call an interactive "pre-hysterical" musical. The performance is recommended for ages three and up.

"... Little Buddy is a proud Tyrannosaurus Rex living happily in the Pteranodon family nest. But, what exactly makes Buddy a part of this family and just what will happen when he gets bigger and can't fit in the nest anymore? Buddy wants to know, so the Pteranodons decide to hop aboard the one and only Dinosaur Train and set off on an adventure..."

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at BrooklynCenter.org or by calling the box office at 718-951-4500 (Tue-Sat, 1pm-6pm).

The show is part of the Target Storybook Series.

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Gentile to Debate Donovan Tonight for Grimm's Seat; Vinnie Endorses Hillary

Brooklyn Councilmember/ Congressional hopeful Vincent Gentile will be facing Staten Island DA Daniel Donovan in a televised debate tonight (April 14) at the College of Staten Island at 7 p.m. The two contenders are going after Michael Grimm's 11th District seat.

On Monday, Gentile endorsed Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.

Gentile (who calls himself "Vinnie" in his releases) says Hillary "has always been a champion for hardworking Americans like those in Brooklyn and Staten Island."

He adds that he and Hillary "share many of the same values -- raising the minimum wage, providing access to well-paying jobs, affordable housing, and good quality education and healthcare for all."



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Equal Pay Rally at City Hall Today (April 14)

NYC officials including Councilmembers Laurie Cumbo, Elizabeth Crawley, Darlenee Mealy and Corey Johnson, and Assemblymember Michele Titus will rally for Equal Pay laws Tuesday morning on the steps of New York City Hall.

They'll be joined by a number of groups, including the YWCA of Brooklyn.

If you want to join, bring a red sign.


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Brooklyn Ballet Dances in Brooklyn Heights on April 13

St. Francis College is hosting the Brooklyn Ballet for Dances at Half Past Twelve with the performance "Roots and New Ground" on Monday, April 13 at 12:30pm in the College’s Founders Hall in Brooklyn Heights.

Under Artistic Director Lynn Parkerson, Brooklyn Ballet will perform six pieces including the premier of "This Dance Goes Like This" with choreography by David Fernandez and featuring dancers; William Cannon, Miku Kawamura, Savannah Lee, and Christine Sawyer.

Other works include "The Green Dress" choreographed by Lynn Parkerson and the work in progress, "Earth and Crown," with choreography by Matthew Powell.

Musicians will accompany the dancers on piano, mandolin, violin and bass.

It's free, and a reception will follow.


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All Day House Party Saturday at Brooklyn's BRIC

All-Ages, All-Day Party at BRIC on Saturday
BRIC continues its series of House Parties this upcoming Saturday -- with special daytime activities, including family dance classes, film screenings, art making, and other participatory activities; followed by a nighttime musical main event, with a live band, DJ, and dance party.

2-8pm: FREE PROGRAMS
8pm-12am: DANCE PARTY $10 Adv | $14 Door


The evening dance party features I Love Vinyl ... their approach is described as "disco, house, soul, boogie, jazz/funk, hip hop, techno, no wave, new jack swing, Latin, electro and Afrobeat" woven into a cohesive, funky and irresistibly danceable sonic manifesto."

Full schedule

Buy tickets here for the nighttime fun.

BRIC House

647 Fulton Street

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Fireworks Over Brooklyn, NYC, NJ Thursday, April 9

Photo: MK Metz

Those fireworks you might catch from Brooklyn, Manhattan or New Jersey on Thursday night around 9:15 p.m. (April 9, 2015) are being shot off from the Liberty Island Safety Zone, near the Statue of Liberty.

Some good viewing spots in Brooklyn include the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Red Hook and the Brooklyn Bridge.

The fireworks are sponsored by Empire Force Events, which plans events and parties. The organization says: "Forget mere events, we create unforgettable experiences that achieve our clients’ objectives and then some."


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South Brooklyn Marine Terminal Deal Cut; Vegie Pop-Up Dinners; and More Brooklyn Briefs

South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, courtesy NYCEDC

- Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration finally cut a deal with City Councilman Carlos Menchaca to develop the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park. [WSJ]

- Packer purchases 100 Clinton St. in Brooklyn Heights, currently home to  doctors, for a pre-K and Kindergarten. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Brooklyn teen arrested in connection with causing subway explosions, as well as beating another kid with a metal pipe. [Gothamist]

- A plant-based pop-up dinner series begins in Brooklyn. [The Daily Meal]

- Great review of the Mapping Brooklyn exhibition in Hyperallergic.

- A Brooklyn bus driver is facing charges after police say he choked a passenger who tried to bring a dog in a bag on board. [NY1]

- Nokia Networks will be demonstrating a futuristic 5G network at a private telecom conference in Brooklyn this week. [LightReading]

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'Emerging Talent' Coming to Brooklyn's Revamped LIU Paramount Theatre

Rendering courtesy LIU

 With Brooklyn's Barclays Center already the nation’s No. 1 venue in terms of of tickets sold and gate revenue, news of another major Downtown Brooklyn performance venue, operated by the same folks, promises to open the gates to a different level of performance.

The legendary Brooklyn Paramount Theatre, once a venue for the first movie talkies and performers like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby, is being restored and rebranded (by partners LIU, Ratner and Barclays) as LIU Paramount Theatre.

What acts are planned for the LIU Paramount? Not Barbara Streisand or the Rolling Stones, who have appeared at Barclays.

The owners say they will be booking “emerging talent” for more than 120 annual events, including music, comedy, boxing, and private programs for students, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

The venue will have a flexible capacity of up to 3,500. (Barclays Center holds roughly 18,000.)

While no events are yet scheduled, Ticketmaster has a page for LIU Paramount Theatre ready and waiting, as does StubHub. So stay tuned.

One thing is for certain -- Juniors Restaurant is gonna love this.

Photo: Rendering of Flatbush Avenue facade of LIU Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Paramount signage.


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Snowden Again in Fort Greene Park; Brooklyn Paramount to Reopen; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Guerrilla #Snowden sculpture removed from Brooklyn park replaced by projection from @illuminator99. pic.twitter.com/coVpyP7Yg9
— As It Happens (@cbcasithappens) April 7, 2015

- Hours after police removed a 100-lb bust of Edward Snowden from Fort Greene Park on Monday, artists replaced it with a hologram. [Gothamist]

- The Brooklyn Paramount, at Flatbush and DeKalb avenues in Downtown Brooklyn, will undergo a 24-month renovation and reopen as the Paramount Events Center -- and operated by Bruce Ratner and Onexim Sports. [CBS] [Brooklyn Eagle]

- In one day: Fires in Flatbush, Bushwick and Prospect Park. [Brownstoner blog wrap]

- PETA is giving Brooklyn Councilmember Stephen Levin an award for his selfless cat rescue. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Unequal justice in Brooklyn under the reign of DA Ken Thompson: Longer sentence if you're not Jewish? [Failed Messiah]

- A pair of bald eagles have taken up residence just off Staten Island, building the city’s first eagle nest in at least 100 years. [Bensonhurst Bean]

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Why Are Working Toilets for Brooklyn School Children a Participatory Budgeting 'Maybe'?

Courtesy NYC Council

In Participatory Budgeting, community members directly decide how to spend roughly $1 million (or more) of their tax dollars.

For seven lucky Brooklyn districts, vote week is April 13 - 17, reports the Brooklyn Eagle.

The process can be used to pay for improvements to schools, sidewalks, community centers and parks, for example.

When checking out the ballots, we were pretty shocked to read that in Councilmember Stephen Levin's booming District 33 (Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown, Boerum Hill), schools were begging for funding to provide working toilets for the children (P.S. 38, M.S. 447).

A school in Councilmember Jumaane Williams' District 45 (Midwood, Boro Park and Bensonhurst) also needs money to repair bathrooms, and to move hot radiators out of the bathrooms used by young children for safety reasons.

P.S. 15 and P.S. 94 in Councilmember Carlos Menchaca's Red Hook neighborhood need bathroom renovations "to maintain the hygiene" of the schools.

Since when did functioning public school bathrooms need funding from a participatory budgeting vote?

Shouldn't the upkeep and repair of children's bathrooms be a regular part of the city budget? Kids could get sick!

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Riders Alliance: Subway Service Sucks -- 'Send Us Your Horror Stories'

Photo by MK Metz

The Riders Alliance wants you to share your subway horror stories, reports the Brooklyn Heights Blog.

The transit advocacy group says that subway service has been a disaster this week. (Trains not arriving, hours spent underground...)

They’re collecting riders’ stories to take to Governor Cuomo and members of the state legislature, who have to decide whether or not to fully fund the next MTA capital plan before the end of the legislative session in June.

Background: The recently-passed budget failed to address the $15 billion gap in the MTA’s capital program.

The $750 million allocated was already expected as part of the funded portion, not new money to fill the gap. An analysis by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and New York Public Transit Association found that final budget also raided $20 million in operating funds that were supposed to be dedicated to public transportation, says RA.

(Cuomo and legislators  also rejected $100 million that had been proposed for faster bus service known as Bus Rapid Transit.)

If not filled, the shortfall will mean increased transit fares and further reductions in service, something that John Raskin, executive director of the Riders Alliance called, “1970s-style service."

See Riders Alliance for more.


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Is This Gowanus Canal Cleanup Plan Half-Assed? And More Brooklyn Briefs

The #ConsultantsCorner graded the rollout of Hillary Clinton's #Brooklyn campaign headquarters: http://t.co/tyU6Ww8tyz
— Inside City Hall (@InsideCityHall) April 7, 2015

Hillary's decision to locate her campaign HQ in Brooklyn Heights: Good? Bad? See above.

- New York conservation officials are inviting public comments on proposed plans to continue cleaning up contamination along the Gowanus Canal. [Brooklyn Eagle] ..... But ... Is DEC's plan half-assed? [PMFA]

- Rich people's problems: One Brooklyn Bridge Park couple can't find each other in sprawling 11,000-foot condo, made by putting together 9 smaller condos. [Gothamist]

- An Edward Snowden bust was briefly erected in Fort Greene Park by gorilla artists, then carted away by city. [AnimalNY] .... "Personally, I think it's pretty cool," said a parks source. [NY Daily News]

- Smorgasburg food porn from this past weekend's opening at Brooklyn Bridge Park. [Brooklyn Eagle]  

- The NYC Department of Transportation announced it has been throwing away all those “love locks” that couples attach to the Brooklyn Bridge. [CBSlocal]

- The Parks Department has agreed that the best site for a contentious set of boardwalk bathrooms is at the Coney Island Avenue entrance, not in front of a posh condo. [Sheepshead Bites]

- Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, and Massachusetts are all poaching New York's major medical researchers -- along with their funding, staffs, and projects. [Gotham Gazette]


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Philadelphia Pissed at Brooklyn Boulders' April 1 Joke

Announcing #BKBQV. Brooklyn Boulders is coming is #Philadelphia @phillymag http://t.co/6rVcv3vlTB #climbing #bkblove pic.twitter.com/eGWx6iEMFb
— Brooklyn Boulders (@BKBoulders) April 1, 2015

Brooklyn Boulders confessed on April 2 that their announcement that the company planned to build a rock climbing location in Queens Village, Philadelphia was actually a “cruel April Fools’ joke, Philly.”

Well, the joke backfired, and now Philly is pissed.

Says Philly Magazine: 

"Brooklyn Boulders thinks Philly is a joke. They announced today, more than 24 hours after their “prank” post went live (and in a bald-faced breach of April Fools’ Day etiquette), that their 'announcement' of a Queen Village location was a 'cruel April Fools’ joke, Philly.' They’re, of course, pleading for Philadelphians to sign a petition to bring a Brooklyn Boulders location to Philly, which is the last you’ll hear about this company on PhillyMag.com. Ever."

Way to go, Boulders.

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3-Day Brooklyn Folk Festival Headed to Brooklyn Heights April 17-19

Photo: MK Metz

Save the date, music lovers: The 3-day Brooklyn Folk Festival includes 30 bands, vocal and instrumental workshops, a family-friendly square dance and swing dance, jam sessions, film screenings, the "famous Banjo Toss contest" and more.

Here's your chance to hear old-time string-band music, folk, blues, a jug band, bluegrass, traditional Irish and Balkan music etc.

Some notable performers include Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton and Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens.  Here's the full lineup.

This year the festival will be held at St. Ann’s Church located at 157 Montague St. between Clinton and Henry in Brooklyn Heights. The venue is wheelchair accessible.

Special events and workshops here.


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Brooklyn Chamber: Hillary HQ in Brooklyn 'Great for Business'

In this video by the Brooklyn Eagle, Carlo A Scissura, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce discusses the business boost the neighborhood will get if Hillary Clinton sets up her potential presidential campaign HQ at 1 Pierrepont Plaza in Brooklyn Heights.


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Memorial Service for Brooklyn Heights Blog's John Loscalzo ('Homer Fink') on Wednesday

John Loscalzo, from Twitter

We were saddened to hear about the death of a unique and admired Brooklynite --  the founder of the Brooklyn Heights Blog, John Loscalzo, AKA "Homer Fink."

He died suddenly this past Wednesday at the age of 52.

Condolences are pouring in at BHB.

Loscalzo was the Brooklyn Heights Association's 2011 recipient of the BHA's Community Service Award. BHA says in a statement:

"With his creation of the Brooklyn Heights Blog, Brooklyn Bugle, and Cobble Hill Blog, John played a significant part in unifying and supporting our neighborhood, providing a ready forum for residents to communicate with one another on local issues. We will miss his commentary, and his often-irreverent and hilarious posts and tweets." 

There will be a memorial service on Wednesday evening, April 8, from 7:00 to 9:00, at Scotto’s Funeral Home, 106 1st Place, at Court Street, Brooklyn. There will be prayers and remarks at 8:00. The blog asks folks to bring any pictures and stories you’d like to share.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the education fund for John's daughter Gracie. Checks made out to Grace Loscalzo may be deposited directly to her savings account, number 3044158243, at any Chase branch, or sent to her mother, Tracy Zamot, at 33 Willow Street, Apt 1, Brooklyn, NY 11201-1367.

For his daytime job, Loscalzo was director of music at CBS Local.

UPDATE: An obituary has been published at the Brooklyn Eagle.

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The Blood Moon Video, for Folks on the East Coast

On Saturday morning, people in the western US and Canada were able to observe a 5-minute total lunar eclipse and a so-called "blood moon."

Here in the East, we caught only a partial eclipse.

NASA says this was the shortest eclipse of this type -- where the Earth's shadow obliterates our view of the moon -- of the century, according to CNN.

You can see why it's called a blood moon about halfway through this video. The moon takes on a slightly reddish hue during eclipses.

NASA says the fourth of this series of four eclipses will come September 28.


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2 Alleged Female Terrorists Arrested & Arraigned in Brooklyn Court

Two women allegedly into violent jihadist ideology were arrested in Queens on Thursday by the Joint Terrorism Task Force after an undercover investigation discovered they were trying to build homemade bombs.

The women wrote terrorist poetry, were “obsessed” with pressure cookers and the science of bomb making, and discussed killing cops and military targets, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

The charges were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in Downtown Brooklyn.

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Celebrate Brooklyn! Schedule Announced; No Funds for MTA 5-Yr Plan in Budget; More Brooklyn Briefs

Can we expect you back in Brooklyn. "All in good time" @hillaryclinton
— Andrea Bernstein (@AndreaWNYC) April 1, 2015

- BRIC announces 2015 Celebrate Brooklyn! events at Brooklyn Bridge Park, starting May 14. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Nitehawk is doing a two-month tribute to Jeff Goldblum. [Brokelyn]

- Teacher calls lawmakers spineless for allowing Cuomo to gut the profession. [Curmudgegucation]

- Now we're in for it: Someone forgot to fund the MTA's five-year capital plan in the NYS budget. [Brooklyn Eagle]  

- About ten percent of McDonald’s restaurants will raise wages for workers by more than 10 percent beginning July 1.  [Slate]

- President Obama signed into law the Slain Officer Family Support Act of 2015. [Jeffries]

- Sen. Al Franken urged David Letterman to run for the opening Senate seat in his home state of Indiana. [The Hill]


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NYS Budget Includes $500 Million for Central Brooklyn Hospital; LICH Not Cold Yet

Gov. Cuomo.

The state budget passed during the wee hours on Wednesday morning included $700 million for capital spending on hospitals in Brooklyn – including $500 million for a new hospital in East New York, the Brooklyn Eagle reported.

The budget "does not specify which hospitals would actually receive the money, which would be distributed 'at the discretion of the Commissioner of Health without a competitive bid or RFP process,'” the Eagle reports.

This opens the door to the corruption Brooklynites are so used to, as witnessed during Gov. Andrew Cuomo's appalling and tragic closure of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) in Cobble Hill.

LICH is being sold to a politically-connected developer for about that same amount of money it will cost to build a new hospital.

The facility is closed but still not cold. The Eagle reported that the LICH lawsuits continue.


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Google Turns Any Map into PAC-MAN Game for April 1

Playing PAC-MAN on the streets of Brooklyn Heights. Google

Google has done a bang-up job this year for April 1, allowing Google Map users to turn any neighborhood into a maze for the classic arcade game PAC-MAN.

Avoid Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde and eat the dots as you swerve around the streets of Brooklyn Heights, Bay Ridge or even someplace in New Jersey. (Whatever.)

Just go to Google Maps, enter an address and look for the little PAC-MAN icon to start play.

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Debate Between Would-Be Grimm Replacements; Levin Cat Saga Continues; and More Brooklyn Briefs

Loretta, rescued by Levin.

- “If anyone saw anything on the BQE or recognizes this cat, come forward so the person who did this can be caught.” The aftermath of the Councilman Levin cat rescue. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- The first debate between the two guys vying to replace Michael Grimm was Tuesday night. [NY1]

- Under the radar tasting menus, mostly in Williamsburg. [BK Magazine]

- Watch out: Two thugs robbed and then repeatedly stabbed a man at a pizza chain restaurant on Smith Street at Bergen Street at 5:45 pm on March 18. [Brooklyn Paper]

- Stringer audit: NY Sandy relief program paid $6.8 million for flawed work. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Key components of the NY State budget. [Gothamist]

- Singer and composer Joni Mitchell is in intensive care in an LA area hospital. [JoniMitchell]

- The guy who invented the 70s craze the Pet Rock died. [AP]

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