2nd Annual PS 58 PTA Flea Market, SATURDAY 4/24

The 2nd Annual PS 58 PTA Flea Market
Saturday April 24th, 10-4, no rain date
PS 58 Schoolyard, Carroll at Smith

Even bigger than last year- more vendors, more food and more fun!

All vendor proceeds and donations go to the school. Stop by!

Red Hook Mercado

Oh yes. Mia and I will definitely be checking this out. I really miss the old atmosphere at the Red Hook Ballfields food vendors. The Parks Department did us all a serious disservice by forcing the vendors into trucks.

A seasonal outdoor weekend market will open on Van Brunt Street, the main drag of Brooklyn’s once-barren Red Hook neighborhood. Called Red Hook Mercado, for the Spanish word for market, it will include the open-air cooking of some of the vendors who cater to the weekend crowds at the Red Hook ball fields, as well as other well-known food vendors.

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/a-market-for-red-hook/?ref=dining

Thanks to Barbara Brookhart for passing this on.

9th Street Bridge Overnight Closure May 6-7

From CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman:

Please be advised of the following upcoming planned bridge closure...

9th Street Bridge Over Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn

The NYC Department of Transportation Division of Bridges will fully close the 9th Street Bridge over the Gowanus Canal on Thursday, May 6, 2010 from 11pm until Friday, May 7, 2010 at 5am.

This closure is necessary to adjust counter weights and repair the lock system. Due to the full bridge closure traffic will be detoured to the Hamilton Avenue Bridges.


Additional information available by clicking here, or at the following link:
http://www.brooklyncb6.org/announcements/#12

YES! Espada Slush Operation Raided By FBI, IRS

Fare Hike Four member and Senate turncoat cum Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada may finally face justice. In a state with no shortage of seedy political actors, Pedro Espada may be the sleaziest of them all. He is an out and out scumbag, thief, liar, and worse.

Espada conspired with Hiram Monserrate to swing control of the Senate to the Republicans, and ultimately extorted his current leadership position. He conspired with Monserrate, Carl Kruger, Ruben Diaz (each of whom have primary challengers I'm supporting this year) and Senate Republicans to block sustainable transit funding last year. He is directly responsible for the upcoming bus service cuts in Brooklyn.

Espada claims to represent a Bronx district, but in reality lives in a fancy house in Westchester. Perhaps that's why he has shown little sympathy for the needs of working New Yorkers: he lives in the suburbs! And for many years Espada has been operating a crony and family controlled slush fund in the form of Soundview Healthcare Network, which he has bled millions in public funding.

I am excited beyond words that Espada, a public menace, might finally be brought to justice. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's actions yesterday and the raids by federal agents this morning give me a renewed sense of hope.

FBI, IRS raid state Sen. Pedro Espada's Bronx clinic
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/fbi_irs_raid_ny_state_senators.html

Brooklyn Bridge Park Meeting Tomorrow 4/21

Via Cobble Hill Association:

Tomorrow, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21

Regina Myer, President of the BBP Development Corporation, will be coming to discuss the transfer of the park to the city and update the community on development plans and activities for Pier 6.

6:30 PM
LONG ISLAND COLLEGE HOSPITAL
339 HICKS STREET
(ATLANTIC & HICKS STREETS)
BROOKLYN,NEW YORK 11201

We encourage residents to attend this meeting and ask questions about this transfer, the continuing lack of community input on park elements and design (particularly the recreational facilities for which our association has long advocated), the extraordinary costs to build and maintain this park, and the continuing endorsement by the Mayor of private housing inside park borders.
Posted by Dave 'Paco' Abraham at 4/20/2010 01:01:00 PM

Brooklyn Bridge Rehab Is Coming

Most people are blissfully unaware that a major rehab of the Brooklyn Bridge is coming up. The bridge is due to have it's lead paint blasted off in specially designed vacuum enclosures, and then to get a jaunty fresh coat of paint.

I'll have more on the Brooklyn Bridge rehab later - I have an independent report that I've been meaning to post about for oh, about a year. Interesting stuff.

http://www.tribecatrib.com/news/2010/april/578_first-phases-of-brooklyn-bridge-rehab-will-soon-begin.html

City Charter Revision - Brooklyn Meeting Tuesday 4/20

Is it just me or has this gotten next to zero publicity? I consume a lot of news, and this would have slipped right by me if fellow CGNA board members hadn't emailed about it.

This is a big deal; it's not every day that the City Charter is revised. Details below:

Tuesday, April 20

• Place: St. Francis College, Founders Hall, 180 Remsen Street (between Court and Clinton Streets), Brooklyn, NY 11201-4398
• Time: Public Hearing to begin at 4 p.m., Public Meeting to begin at 6 p.m.
• Directions: By subway, take the 2, 3, 4, or 5 to Borough Hall, or A or C to Jay Street or R to Court Street. By bus, take the B25, B26, B38, B41, B51, or B52 to Court Street, or B37, B45 or B75 to Livingston Street or B54, B57, B61 or B67 to Jay Street or B103 to Adams Street.

The meetings and hearings are open to the public and anyone may sign-up to speak during the hearing segment of the evening. Individuals who wish to give testimony may begin signing-up one half-hour before the hearing. Everyone wishing to speak will be afforded an opportunity no matter what time they arrive during the hearing. Written testimony is encouraged and can be submitted at the hearings or submitted through the Contact the Commission link on the Commission’s website at www.nyc.gov/charter.

Brooklyn Greenway - Red Hook Workshop TONIGHT

The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is one of my favorite organizations in our fair borough. Against the odds, local activists formed a nonprofit to advocate for a 14-mile continuous Greenway to connect Brooklyn communities from Greenpoint to Sunset Park to our waterfront and parks. BGI's efforts have paid off big, and the Greenway momentum is gaining steam: thanks primarily to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, more than $20 million of Federal funding has been secured for the project. NYC DOT has agreed to build the greenway - and now YOU have a chance to put in your two cents.

Workshop: Red Hook (CB6)
Tuesday, April 13th
6:30-8:30pm
Red Hook Recreation Center
155 Bay Street

RSVP to brooklynwaterfrontgreenway@dot.nyc.gov.

CBID Honors South Brooklyn Coalition

The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats had their Annual Awards Dinner this past Sunday night. Among the honorees was a confederation of community activists that spanned several neighborhood civic organizations (dubbed the South Brooklyn Coalition for the sake of brevity) who united to support Superfund designation for the Gowanus Canal. Katia has the summary, pics, and video.

The dashing fellow in the blue shirt? That's me.

The Sarah Palin Network

Very funny.