mybedstuy

2011-12-14T08:07:00.008-05:00

TALENTED TEENS & TOP PERFORMERS ULIMINATE HARLEM STAGE FOR
35th Annual Harlem Tree Lighting Ceremony
By Keith L. Forest

On Monday, December 12, 2011, the holiday season in Harlem came to life as Harlem’s own Grammy and Oscar nominated music group Impact Repertory Theatre; youth groups Vy Higgins Gospel for Teens and the Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts’ Voices of Excellence choir took center stage for the 35th Annual Harlem Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Hosted by NY1 News leading anchorwoman Cheryl Wills, the festive, outdoor, family-affair also featured a soulful holiday greeting from balladeer Alyson Williams who moved the crowed with her own personal rendition of “This Christmas.” Three-time Tony Awards winner Hinton Battle was also on hand. Broadway community’s most respected musical stars debut his first inspirational single, “When I Walk,” and later introduced cast members from his latest off Broadway production Sistas. NY Assemblyman Keith Wright, the legendary Roxanne Shante, radio personalities DJ Marley Marl and WBLS own Dr. Bob Lee and other luminaries were also in attendance.

The event, which was sponsored by the New York State Office of General Services, Melba’s Restaurant, Harlem Community Development Corporation, American Express, Harlem Arts Alliance, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Healthfirst, Chez Lucienne and City College of New York, highlights Harlem’s profound legacy and majestic future. As in the past, organizers will once again use this affair as an opportunity to give back to those less fortunate. “This is the community’s tree,” stated Willie Walker, committee member of Holidays in Harlem. “During these difficult economic times, many families in our community are unable to put food on their tables. This ceremony and this tree is our gift to them.”

The history of the Harlem Tree Lighting Ceremony dates back to 1976 when a group of prominent Harlemites decided to celebrate their beloved neighborhood with a ceremonial festival similar to the annual Rockefeller Plaza event. In 1978, with the assistance of New York State office of General Services, Con Edison and the 369th Army National Guard, the first tree was placed in front of Adam Clayton State Office Building. 35 years later, with corporate and community support, the tradition lives on.

The Holidays In Harlem Committee is comprised of concerned citizens from both the public and private sector, in concert with NYS Office of General Services. Each year a committed body of good spirited citizens’ come together to create this amazing tree lighting event in hopes that the affair captures the spirit of all who visit the historic village while reflecting the true essence of Harlem. The main event is the tree lighting ceremony, which will feature a magnificent 30 foot balsam fir tree adorned with an array of cool LED lights, followed by an after party in the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building sponsored by Melba’s Restaurant.

Pictures by Hubert Williams of Images of Us

Pix 1: Cheryl Wills (centered Right); Vy Higginson (centered Left) and the Vy Higginson Gospel for Teens take a bow before the Harlem community’s illuminated 35 ft. balsam fir tree.
Pix 2: Harlem’s own Impact Repertory Theatre delivered yet another energetic performance
Pix 3: Soul singer Alyson Williams raised the frigid temperature with her stylized version of “This Christmas”

2010-12-18T10:19:00.001-05:00

Deputy Chief Michael Marino threatens cops at 79th Precinct who want to go on summons strike
By Rocco Parascandola - New York Daily News

A top NYPD supervisor drew a line in the sand, daring Brooklyn cops to carry out a threat to stop writing summonses for a day, police sources said Tuesday.

The Daily News reported Sunday that officers assigned to the 79th Precinct were so angry over alleged ticket quotas that they talked about not writing summonses for 24 hours in protest.
The sources said Deputy Chief Michael Marino marched into the Bedford-Stuyvesant precinct at roll call Monday with a deputy inspector and read cops the riot act.

"Just try it," a police source quoted Marino as saying. "I'll come down here and make sure you write them."

Another source said Marino vowed to transfer people, like he did when he was the commanding officer of the 75th Precinct in East New York.

In 2006, an arbitrator ruled that Marino broke state labor laws by punishing cops who did not meet ticket and arrest quotas.

"A lot of guys were really [angry] by the time he left," said a 79th Precinct police source, referring to the Monday tirade. "The younger guys, they're scared. They'll listen. The older guys are not going to stand for this."

Marino - second in command in Brooklyn North - didn't respond to requests for comment.
Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said Marino never threatened anyone with a transfer. Instead, he came to roll call to remind officers that issuing summonses was about "protecting people, not numbers."

The 31-year NYPD vet was named in a $50 million lawsuit filed by Officer Adrian Schoolcraft, who accused cops of forcing him into a psych ward for blowing the whistle on quotas in the 81st Precinct in Brooklyn.

Audio tapes showed that Marino was one of the cops who pulled Schoolcraft from his Queens home.

Lt. Robert Gonzalez, president of the NYPD chapter of the National Latino Officers Association, was outraged that Marino attended Monday's roll call. He wants Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly to investigate Marino's conduct.

2010-12-18T10:10:00.003-05:00

Irate cops at 79th Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant threaten boycott over quotas

By Rocco Parascandola - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tensions over tickets have reached a boiling point at a Brooklyn precinct where officers are considering a day-long summons boycott.

"We've talked about it," said one police source familiar with the possible slowdown in the 79th Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant. "Nobody feels this is right, asking us to write summonses just to meet a quota."

A second source said that about six weeks ago, some officers did not write summonses for one shift to protest shift changes targeted at low-performing cops.
The changes were later scuttled.

Cops at the precinct, like those in other commands, insist their supervisors impose quotas, which are illegal, to churn out revenue for the city and impress higher-ups. The bosses have a different perspective.

Sources said supervisors have grown frustrated that too many cops ignore quality-of-life problems - such as public boozing - that could be quashed with so-called "C" summonses.
A longtime flashpoint, quotas have come into the spotlight recently as officers in at least three precincts have griped publicly about having to meet quotas or be punished.

In the 79th Precinct, the number of C summonses issued this year compared to the same period last year has dropped 22.5%, to 15,906 from 20,521. Parking tickets are down 11%, while moving violations are up 3%.

Two recent internal papers from the precinct obtained by the Daily News illustrate the clash between cops and brass.

Deputy Inspector Peter Bartoszek, the precinct's commanding officer, recently complained in a note to a sergeant about three cops on the midnight shift.

"In 4 months, and after 70 tours on patrol, P.O. Denis has not written any C summons?" Bartoszek wrote about one of the officers. "How is that possible?"

Bartoszek ends by writing he'll "stop here before my blood pressure gets raised higher than it already is."

Officer Jeanmarc Denis said he was well aware of the note. "I guess he's feeling the pressure from Compstat," he said. "He feels the pressure and it goes down" to the officers.

Denis would not comment on the number of summons he has written. Bartoszek didn't respond to requests for comment. The NYPD has denied using quotas and said Bartoszek was doing his job.

"With virtually no arrests or criminal summonses from three officers in a busy precinct for over four months, it's no wonder the sergeant received a note and the [commanding officer] has to keep his blood pressure down," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne.
The second document is a mocked-up monthly performance report that Lt. Maureen Donohue gave officers on the day shift, sources said.

Cops saw it as a push to meet a monthly quota, including 11 arrests, four for felonies, plus 22 tickets for parking, 26 for moving violations and 2 C summonses.

"We've been doing activity reports for years, and now she decides she needs to describe it to us," the first source said. "She tells us, 'This is how you fill it out and this is how it should look at the end of the month.' She spoke very carefully because of everything that's being written about quotas, but it was so obvious she was trying to get us to get more numbers."

A second source said officers believed the lieutenant was "suggesting" certain numbers be met.
Donohue did not respond to a request for comment.

2010-12-13T10:19:00.000-05:00

New Bakeries and Cafes in Bed Stuy Face Uncertain Prospect
By La Toya Tooles - BROOKLYN INK

The outside of Ms. Dahlia’s Café on the 440th block of Norstrand Ave in Brooklyn is a sign of changing times. There are wicker and metal benches nestled in the nook of bay windows with colorful cushions placed around. It’s an unusual sight on the otherwise bustling but often grimy street.
“There’s curb appeal with the pillows on the bench,” said Margo Lewis, co-owner of the one-year-old café. “Nobody is doing that around here.”

2010-12-13T10:02:00.004-05:00

Tenants at city housing project apartment in Bed-Stuy wonder who'll stop rain?

BY Jake Pearson - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

When Joseph Jones looks at his ceiling in his city housing project apartment, he can see the sky.
That's because there is a gaping, 3-by-4-foot hole in his top-floor apartment in the Weeksville Gardens Houses in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

"It makes me go crazy at times," said Jones, 30, a security guard who lives in the three-bedroom apartment with two siblings. "I can't believe this; I know we need to get out of here."
Jones is one of at least a dozen tenants who live in fourth-floor Weeksville apartments with leaky ceilings at the 256-unit public housing project on Dean St. between Troy and Schenectady Aves.
The tenants said they have repeatedly complained for years as the cracks have grown larger, but it took until October before the city Housing Authority sent workers who put tarps up to cover the holes.

Tenants said the tarps don't catch all the rain water, which has damaged floors, beds and other furniture.

"It's dangerous, all that water, because you never know if one day the ceiling will just come down," said Mildred Ponder, 62, who said she complained 20 times before workers came.
After the Daily News asked about the holes in Weeksville's roofs, NYCHA spokeswoman Heidi Morales said that despite its tight budget the agency is looking to find the $3.5 million to repair the roof.

Morales also said Friday that inspectors were sent out to Weeksville to offer temporary transfers to residents who need them.

But resident Phelisa Benjamin said there's no way she would move her family - especially during the holidays.

"They should've fixed this years ago .... I don't think I need to move around at all," said Benjamin, who lives in a top-floor apartment where NYCHA workers plastered a piece of cardboard over a hole in her bedroom in October - a hole that continues to leaks.

"The plasterer who came was upset and he said, 'Why are they sending a plasterer when you need to send a contractor here to fix the roof?'" Benjamin said.

For Jones, the white tarp NYCHA workers put over the hole hasn't done much good. He said on days when it rains heavily he has filled a 30-gallon jug full of rain water at least three times.
"This is really wild," he said. "It wakes me up in the morning: The sound, the water splashing on my face, the debris."

"It's horrible," added Ponder, who said she's getting sick of repeatedly calling about her cracked ceiling. "They always say, 'Somebody will come and take care of it,' but they never do."
The tenants use pots and garbage cans to catch the dripping water.

Tenant advocate Reginald Bowman said a lack of funding was no excuse to let dangerous conditions continue at Weeksville.

"I think the Housing Authority needs to find the money to fix the problem immediately," said Bowman.

"In a situation like this where there's actually life-threatening damage to the building itself," said Bowman, "the Housing Authority should immediately find a way to get permanent repairs."

2010-12-13T09:52:00.002-05:00

After-School program in Bedford Stuyvesant provides care and counseling to kids whose parents are in prison

By Josie Raymond - Tonic

Almost 2.5 million kids in the US have a parent who is in prison. So who steps in to fill the void? With any luck, it's you.

"For children who experience other kinds of separation from their parents, there's some level of sympathy. The children of incarcerated parents don't get that. They're also serving time," said Sharon Content, the founder of Children of Promise, NYC, a three-year-old organization committed to doing everything it can to make sure that the children of incarcerated parents don't end up behind bars themselves.

An after-school program and summer day camp in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn are focused on developing the children's social, academic and leadership skills to ensure that they've got opportunities for success. It's the first program of its kind in New York City and it currently serves 135 kids from ages 6 to 18, including the cute ones in the photo above.

2010-12-13T09:37:00.003-05:00

Group of Bed-Stuy men, We Make Us Better, escorts pedestrians in wake of robberies

BY Jake Pearson - THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

They're not part of a political club, they don't come from any one church and they've never been particularly active in the community - until now.

After a spate of recent muggings and robberies, a group of 20 Bedford-Stuyvesant men started escorting people home as they got off the train and are walking through the neighborhood reaching out to young men.

2010-12-13T08:25:00.004-05:00

More Officers Getting Sick Of Quotas, Threaten Boycott

It’s the end of the year and for those of us who live in Bedford Stuyvesant and other large minority populated communities, we are quite aware that the end of the year means police quota season. Every year police take to the street taxing the poor by writing up bogus summons in an effort to meet their annual quota. Although law suits have been filed and police officers have come forward, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg continually deny that such a system exists. A recent article in Gothamlist.com quotes police in the 79th Precinct planning a possible boycott.

2010-05-25T12:55:00.003-04:00

MODERN DAY MATCHMAKER BRINGS DATING TOUR TO THE BIG APPLE
Top Relationship Experts to Share Dating Advise!
By Keith L. Forest

What better place to fall in love than New York City! As the media capital of the world it is the setting where many romantic movies were made which makes it the most spectacular backdrop for two hearts to join as one. However, since the majority of New Yorkers live such fast-paced, complex lives, finding that special someone can be daunting. Although many have turned to modern technology as a tool to schedule love in their lives, a few hopeless romantics are holding out for that knight in shining armor.

Life coach and modern day matchmaker Paul Carrick Brunson, the visionary behind One Degree From (dot) Me - a relationship and lifestyle coaching firm for upscale, urban professionals who are looking for like-minded individuals - is aware of the many challenges people in big cities face. “When you look at the number of singles in major cities, it appears it would be a gold mine for people looking to get hitched,” Paul says. However, according to Paul, marriage rates are much higher in suburban areas. That, Paul says, is because most people move to big cities searching for something other than a romantic relationship which places many urban dwellers on the “single but not available” list.

For those singles who seek the perfect spouse to compliment their career, Paul suggests you alter your priorities. ”When working with clients, I love using the analogy of securing a job,” Paul says. “What would you do to get a great job? Would you work day and night for it? Would you hone your skills?” He muses. “So if having a committed relationship now has priority over career and education, ask yourself what are you (willing to do to) secure a great Relationship?”

For those living in New York who are struggling in the dating arena, Paul Carrick and his intellectually astute crew beckons you to join them at “The Modern Day Matchmaker: Real Relationship Talk” tour. The seven city tour, which kicked off in DC, will touch down in the Big Apple Thursday, June 3 at Providence, 311 West 57th Street. “When we originally planned the tour earlier this year, we asked the viewers of our web series where they wanted us to stop,” says Paul, who is also hosts the popular “The Modern Day MatchMaker” series on You Tube. “New York was a fan favorite.” Upcoming touring cities include Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and London, England.

The evening will include live entertainment, a panel discussion from top relationship experts and a VIP after party immediately following the forum. Panelists lined up for New York are: writer, relationship blogger Anslem Samuel of Naked with Socks On; columnist, author and blogger Demetria Luca of A Belle In Brooklyn; motivational speaker, writer and blogger Kenya Stevens; writer, blogger Damon “The Champ” Young of “Very Smart Brothas”; writer and blogger Lola ADesioye; and writer, blogger Jozen Cummings of “Until I Get Married.” For additional information and to register for the event, log onto onedegreefrom.me.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2010-04-28T13:38:00.003-04:00

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Starring Kerrie Washington; David Allen Greer; James Spader & Richard Thomas

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The creator of Glengarry Glen Ross, The Verdict and Speed-The-Plow returns to Broadway with a new play that proves nothing is a simple as black & white.   Three-time Emmy® Award winner JAMES SPADER (Boston Legal), DAVID ALAN GRIER (In Living Color), KERRY WASHINGTON (Ray) and Emmy® Award winner RICHARD THOMAS (Democracy) star in this incendiary story about the perceptions and realities that color our world – and the subtle shades between being a victim and being victimized.

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2010-04-20T12:23:00.003-04:00

"Two Brooklyn school co-workers share one dream to adopt in Haiti,"
By Ben Chapman - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

For five years they've shared an office at a Brooklyn school - and now they share a dream.

Assistant Principals Henry Renelus and Regina Tottenham only recently learned they are both adopting young children victimized by the Haiti earthquake.

The two, administrators at P368K Star Academy in Bedford-Stuyvesant, have already traveled to Haiti together with their spouses and are working toward adopting kids they met.

"I guess we're more alike than we thought," said Renelus, 36, who was born in Haiti and lives in Nassau County with his wife and their three kids. "We're both blessed to be able to help."

As colleagues, the two worked just a few feet apart at the K-12 school for children with autism and other issues.

They were friendly but never spent time together outside work, until they left for a week-long trip to Haiti last month.

When Renelus told Tottenham of his plan to adopt a Haitian child during a school meeting on Feb. 22, she was shocked.

"You're flippin' kidding me," recounted Tottenham, 43, who lives in Williamsburg with her 3-year-old son and husband. "I was thinking the same thing."

The couples' trip to Haiti was tough to take.

"What we saw there broke our hearts," said Renelus, who moved to Brooklyn when he was 12. "The destruction is unbelievable."

The couples visited Bon Samaritan, an orphanage where 55 kids sleep in tents about 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince.

Tottenham plans to return in six months to adopt an 8-month-old girl, Charlinde, who was left in a basket by her mother after the quake.

Right now, the docile baby with braided hair gets only one small meal of rice each day - and has no diapers.

Renelus visited his cousin, Fitzner Renelus, 46, who lives with his wife and six kids in Croix-des-Bouquets, about eight miles outside the capital.

The family's house was flattened by the earthquake, and they now live in tents made of bedsheets, with little water and food.

After a tearful reunion, the family decided Renelus will adopt two boys, Obedson, 5, and John Peterson, 16, chosen because the younger is Renelus' godson and the older boy can look out for his younger brother in America.

"I'd send all of my children away if I could," their father Fitzner told The News in a phone call. "Only God knows when life in Haiti will return to normal."

2010-04-19T16:48:00.005-04:00

FEDERAL, LOCAL AND CIVIC OFFICIALS & LEADERS TEAM UP WITH WHITE HOUSE
TO PUSH FRESH FOOD TO NEW YORK CITY’S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

By Keith L. Forest
It has been reported that over 3 million New York City residents live in so-called Food Deserts – areas where they have no access to fresh, nutritious food. Anyone living in Bedford Stuyvesant or other communities of color can attest to that. Our corner stores and bodegas are packed with soda, processed and often outdated food, literally leaving no options to eat or prepare a healthy well-balanced meal.

According to the New York City Department of City Planning, approximately 3 million New York City residents live in communities where there is consistent and reasonable access to nutritious and non- processed food. Over 83% of Brooklyn districts, inclusive of Bedford Stuyvesant, East New York and Bushwick, fall short of the city’s average. This lack of access to healthy food continues to wreck havoc in our community and contributes to the alarming rate of obesity, diabetes and heart disease that is already rampant in our neighborhoods. A 2008 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report estimated that 21.5% of New York City’s population and over 55% of adults were overweight or obese. The report estimates that obesity cost our nation close to 150 billion a year in increased healthcare cost.

In an effort to combat these startling statistics and reduce the rising rate of obesity and food insecurity, US Senator Christine Gillibrand (D-NY), Representative Nydia Velazquez(D-NY) joined City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce Both, RWDSU President Stuart Applebaum, and PolicyLink Founder & CEO Angela Glover Blackwell to launch the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. The new legislation authored by Christine Gillibrand invests over 1 billion through loans and grant to help build over 270 stores in the metro area creating over 2,600 jobs in the City.

“Millions of New Yorkers do not have access to healthy food,” stated US Congresswoman Christine Gillibrand. “By building new grocery stores in underserved areas across the state we can give people the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives, save billions in health care costs, and create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. “

“We have a health crisis in this country, in terms of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, that it disproportionately impacting low-income people and communities of color, said Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder & CEO of the national research and action institute PolicyLink “Nationally, only 8% of African Americans currently live in census tract with a supermarket, and far too many Black and Latinos reside in areas underserved by a grocery store. To ensure that people are eating healthy diets, we must push to make healthier choices available in their neighborhoods.”

Modeled after a successful program in Pennsylvania, The health Food Financing Initiative gives priority to state and localities that have already begun efforts to build new grocery stores in food desert area. Under Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Christina Quinn leadership in enacting zone and land=ise change designed to encourage the development of fresh food retail, New York City is well positioned to begin receive immediate funding.

New York State has already established a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to administer over $10 million in loans and grants for new grocery stores. The CDFI will help local and state partners identify areas in need of healthy food option and support project to bring fresh food to house areas. These projects will be financed through a mix of loans and one-tine grants to help businesses start u or expand their operations. Grants will likely range from 30,000 up to $250,000 with loans ranging $50,000 to 5 million.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2010-04-09T15:06:00.001-04:00

"COMMUNITY BOARD THREE STUMBLES INTO SPRING,"
Census Numbers Falter; Tax & Water Liens Increases & Test Scores Drop
By Keith L. Forest

Spring might have sprung since the last time Community Board 3 met collectively. However, when it comes to the community being actively engaged in issues concerning the health and vitality of the neighborhood, residents seem to be hibernating. School test scores are drastically dropping; Census numbers are trending towards a record low; and many home owners are once again facing tax and water liens.

After a brief intro and welcome, Chairman Henry Butler took a deep breath. Something heavy was on his heart. The district test results were in and Bedford Stuyvesant scores were at an all time low. Adding insult to injury, the twelve- member Community Education Council (the collective that shape district wide educational policy), only has 2 Bed Stuy residents on its board. “We got to do better people,” he said.

In the shadows of a major ad campaigns specifically targeting hard-to-count communities - Bedford Stuyvesant’s Census numbers once again are trending towards a record low. According to the Coalition for the Improvement of Bedford Stuyvesant (CIBS) as of Monday, April 5, 2010, less than 20% of applications were returned. Although residents have been warned via print and radio ads, posters and celebrity pitches of the importance of filling out the Census forms, Bed Stuy residents are still lagging behind. Without accurate numbers, our community stands to lose billions of federally funded dollars. Yet, the urgency to complete the form and mail it in remains low priority.

In an eleventh hour dash to get residents to fill out their Census form, Melissa Lee, an associate from the Coalition for the Improvement of Bedford-Stuyvesant (CIBS) is keeping hope alive and demanding the Bed-Stuy be heard. Her organization is making a commitment “to spreading the Census message by mobilizing residents of Bed-Stuy around the importance of achieving a complete count in 2010,” stated Ms. Lee. Over the next few days Ms. Lee and her street team will canvas the community with an arsenal of posters and postcards urging residents to “BE Heard and BE Counted.” Deadline for turning in The Census forms is April 15.

Its tax season again. Although this time of the year is often celebrated with an anticipated refund check courtesy of Uncle Sam, for many homeowners who have fallen behind in their taxes, it could easily result in the loss of their homes. The Brownstoners of Bedford Stuyvesant has teamed up with New York City Department of Finance to make sure that Bed Stuy residents remain in their homes.

During the month of April, the Brownstoners’ foot soldiers will be knocking on doors personally inviting homeowners to the annual “Know The Facts Don’t Lose Your Home,” tax lien night. The event takes place 5:00 PM, Thursday, April 22, at Boys & Girls High School, 1700 Fulton Street. Lien candidates will have an opportunity to receive individual counseling and guidance from HPD, Department of Finance and DEP where they will have an opportunity to set-up installment agreement and payment plans.

On a more up-beat note, Deputy Inspector Donald V. Lyons from the 79th Precinct dropped by to thank the community for helping take a bite out of crime. According To Deputy Inspector Lyon incoming calls to the precinct’s crime tip line are at an all time high and have resulted in taking several criminals off the streets including a high profile rapist who had attacked two women in the area.

Other agenda item included two co-naming public hearings. Velma C. Armstrong of the Alliance of Panamanian Organizations in the United States petitioned the CB3 for a letter of support to co-naming Franklin Avenue between Fulton Street and Atlantic Ave “Avenida Republica de Panama,” to commemorate the 107th anniversary of the Independence of Panama.

The other co-naming was for Jefferson Avenue, between Throop and Tompkins to be co-named in honor of Bertram L. Baker. The presentation was given by Altovise Fleary, Jefferson Avenue TNT Block Association. Berttram L. Baker was Brooklyn’s first black elected official representing Bedford Stuyvesant in the New York State Assembly where he wrote this nation’s fist laws barring race discrimination. The board voted 35 for co-naming Franklin Avenue and 5 against. The Jefferson Avenue co-naming received a glowing 34 for with no votes cast against it.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2010-04-09T14:16:00.000-04:00

"Suspect Arrested In Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy Rapes," - Gothamist

Police arrested a man suspected in two Brooklyn rapes. According to the Daily News, "Dupree Nicholson was charged with rape, assault and robbery after his DNA matched evidence taken from the March attacks near the border of Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant, police said."

On March 16, a man, wielding a gun forced a 56-year-old woman at Fulton and Franklin Avenue to go a park, where he raped her and struck her in the head with the firearm. On March 23, a man matching the description of the March 16 attacker threatened a 42-year-old woman with a gun on Gates Avenue between Classon Avenue and Irving Place at around 5:30 a.m., dragging her to an alley where he raped and sodomized her. Acting on a tip, police brought in for questioning— and he voluntarily offered a DNA sample.

City Councilwoman Letitia James, who is concerned about crime in her district, said, "I applaud both the 79th and 88th precincts for their joint efforts in bringing about a speedy arrest, though I remain concerned that this individual seemed to be conscious of the gap that exists in these few blocks between Bedford-Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill. It is clear that we must do what we can to prevent any similar occurrences, and I continue to call for more police presence throughout the district."

2010-04-09T14:03:00.006-04:00

"Bed-Stuy Med Volunteers Step Up in Haiti," - The Indypendent

Within 48 hours after the Jan. 12 earthquake hit Haiti, the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corp had already gathered $30,000 worth of supplies and registered 200 volunteers to travel there as part of the relief effort.

“I’m leaving behind all my bills, all my family, and I had a whole team to worry about,” said Chief Colin Raeburn, who led the group’s relief effort in Haiti. “I thought, ‘What the hell am I getting myself into?’”

2010-04-09T13:07:00.004-04:00

"After Fight, a Brooklyn Brownstone’s Costly Rescue,"
By KAREEM FAHIM - New York Times

When he worked at one of New York’s most respected preservation firms, Timothy Lynch would have spared no effort to save brownstones like the two that stood before him on a January morning.

They were landmarks on one of the prettiest streets in Brooklyn. But contractors renovating one of the three-story buildings had accidentally knocked down a load-bearing wall, threatening both with collapse.

2010-04-09T12:24:00.002-04:00

"Brooklyn 'jail' playground could be rebuilt as White House to mark one of America's historic moments,"
By Michael Daly - New York Daily News

The word "jail" has been painted over, but on close examination you can still see the letters.

And there remains the mystery of how the city allowed a jail to be part of a play set at a Brooklyn housing project for six years.

Another question is: What should be done with that playground now?

How about putting in something to mark a giant leap forward the whole country took, a leap that still seemed all but impossible when the "jail" was installed back in March of 2004?

How about replacing the city's only jail playground with its very first White House playground?

Until Barack Obama was actually elected, many people believed that an African-American could not become President.

Obama proved that America had finally become a place where anybody really can grow up to become President.

A kid-sized White House would have a perfect backdrop with the huge portraits of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X that presently adorn a handball court wall facing the playground.

And, where steps and a bridge once led to a jail cell, youngsters would be ascending to the highest office in the land, one no longer barred to a person of color.

I was lucky enough to be down in Washington on inauguration weekend and I remember watching 5-year-old Marcus Scott of Brooklyn, a descendant of slaves, doing a happy dance with an American flag.

"It's nice to be able to wave the flag and say we belong here," said his mother, Alison Scott.

I also remember seeing Elaine Cope of South Carolina point her camera between the iron bars surrounding the White House.

"How many times I've been to Washington and I've never wanted to take a picture of the White House," Cope said.

Obama remains our President even if the Tea Party nuts rail against him with such fury that you have to figure race is involved.

As the health bill was finally nearing passage last week, some of that came to the surface. A tea party protester spat the N word at Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga).

"It surprised me that people are so mean and we can't engage in a civil dialogue and debate," Lewis said afterwards.

Lewis is a civil rights champion who addressed the same rally where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. The modern day haters seem exasperated by the reality that part of the dream has been realized with Obama's election.

I do not include Sarah Palin in that group. She is even worse. She fans the flames to her own ends.

She is no hockey mom.

She is a hockey player and she looks to win.

But maybe she was a blessing during the election. She was such a bad candidate that whites who probably would never have voted for a candidate of color ended up going for Obama.

The right wing has grown so wild and wacky that the one-time embarrassment Palin is stepping in to help her former running mate, Sen. John McCain.

In the midst of this mad meanness, we would do well to remind youngsters of the continuing victory that preceded it.

That will becomes all the more important as the city and state budget cuts begin hitting the schools and leaving the streets more dangerous. As always, the poorer neighborhoods will feel the cuts most keenly.

Doing well in school could become even tougher. Falling into trouble could become even easier.

Just as the playground "jail" carried a bad message, a White House would carry a good one: However tough things may get, we have overcome one obstacle that was so important because it never should have been there in the first place.

In the meantime, even a city going broke can afford to replace the ragged American flag flying in front of Public School 59 across Throop Ave. from the playground.

As a playground White House would remind the kids, the flag does indeed belong to everybody, as much to them as to Sarah Palin and her Tea Party pals, or anybody else.

2010-03-31T15:35:00.004-04:00

"Playground ‘Jail,’ Drawing Outrage, Gets a Face-Lift," - The New York Times

Playground controversies usually involve bickering parents, unruly dogs or bullies.

One exception is at the Tompkins Houses, a housing project in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. An orange jungle gym there, adorned with a cell door, prison bars and the word “jail,” has set off outrage in the neighborhood and the blogosphere, along with a hasty official response.

Children may play cops and robbers all the time, but putting a pretend jail in a public housing playground in a historically black community struck some residents as an insult.

“We started complaining because it was like promoting kids to go to jail,” said Natasha Godley, 37, who has a 6-year-old son.

The prison look was part of the original design of the playground, which was made by a company called Landscape Structures and erected in March 2004, the Housing Authority said.

But it had not elicited complaints until this week, said Sheila Stainback, an agency spokeswoman.

Lumumba Bandele, a lecturer in black history at the City University of New York who lives nearby, said he complained about the playground to the Housing Authority and local officials last weekend.

“The fact is that this community, along with six others in New York City, makes up the majority of the prison population in New York State,” Mr. Bandele said. “And to have this here under the auspices of Nycha is absolutely insulting.”

The jungle gym, tucked behind a building near Throop and Park Avenues, sits opposite a handball court decorated with paintings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

On Sunday, the Web site Black and Brown News published a photograph of the jungle gym by Mr. Bandele’s wife, Monifa Bandele, and a critical article about it.

“There is no kind, gentle, diplomatic way to describe the offense against a community by this ‘jail playground’ on a New York City Housing Authority property,” the article began.

Some residents said that complaints about the play set were actually not a new phenomenon. One Housing Authority grounds worker who declined to give her name said her mother had been so incensed about the inscription two years ago that she covered the word “jail” with gold spray paint. It was not clear how the word came to be restored.

But on Wednesday, after the Black and Brown News article was picked up by Brownstoner and other Web sites, Housing Authority workers arrived to paint over the word “jail.” Later, another worker showed up and began permanently taking off the word “jail” and the fake bars, which appeared stenciled into the play set, with steel wool and paint remover.

The authority, Ms. Stainback said, “painted over the equipment as a temporary solution to replacing this part of the playground.” The authority is also looking into who ordered the equipment, she said.

Calls to the main office of Landscape Structures were not returned. A woman who answered the phone at one of its sales offices, in Carle Place on Long Island, said the company provided playgrounds for the Housing Authority, “but only by their approval.” She said she had never seen one of the company’s play sets adorned with the word “jail,” but emphasized, “I’m only answering the phones.”

Somewhere in the city’s public housing universe, the playground has a twin, Ms. Stainback said. She would not divulge its location, but said that its “jail” sign and bars would be painted over, too.

2010-03-31T15:11:00.001-04:00

"Ratner breaks ground! Jay-Z celebrates! Others protest!" - Community Newspaper Group

Bruce Ratner and a deep bench of supporters of his Atlantic Yards mega-project broke ground on a basketball arena for his Brooklyn-bound New Jersey Nets on Thursday afternoon, drawing to a symbolic close to more than seven years of delays for the developer.

Gov. Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, Borough President Markowitz, and rap mogul, Jay-Z, an owner of a very small portion of the Nets, were the luminaries on the dais. Meanwhile one hundred or so protesters rallied within earshot, calling the project a boondoggle.

2010-03-03T14:08:00.003-05:00

"CB3 URGES RESIDENCE TO STAND UP & BE COUNTED

By Keith L. Forest

The US Census count is underway and civic leaders, clergy, elected officials and citizens are joining forces to make sure that the village of Bedford Stuyvesant is well counted.

During Community Board Three’s monthly meeting, Dr. John Flateau, Deputy Director of the New York State Senate and Census Coordinator, urged residence to stand up and be counted. According to Dr. Flateau, the Bedford Stuyvesant community continues to be poorly represented in the Census count. This constant miscalculation has not only cost the community billions of dollars in federal funding, but has resulted in the loss of political representation and major cuts in much needed social service programs. “The math is easy,” said Dr. Flateau. “If we continue to be undercounted, we will continue to be underfunded.”

According to City Councilman Al Vann, less than 35% of Bedford Stuyvesant residence responded to the 2000 Census. This resulted in the community having the lowest response rate in the country. A Census Sunday is schedule to take place March 7, where Pastors across Bedford Stuyvesant will address the Census from the pulpit. The 2010 Census forms will be mailed out on March 15. Other events and activities include the following:

DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION
Wed. 3/10 Harriet Tubman Day/Census Rally 9 – 11 Boys & Girls High School
Sat. 3/13 Public Housing Census Rally 11 – 1 Van Dyke Community Ctr.
Sat. 3/20 Yes We Count” : Bed Stuy “ 10 – 12 Boys & Girls High School
Sat. 3/20 “Yes We Count” Crown Heights 12 – 2 Medgar Evers College
Sat. 3/20 Yes We Count” Brownsville/E NY 2 – 4 St. Paul’s Baptist Church

The Housing and Land Use Committee gave an update on the marketing of the New Foundation Houses located on Herkimer and Albany Avenue. Bridge Street Development, the faith-based nonprofit organization based in Central Brooklyn, will hold a lottery for the 3 family homes that include an owner’s duplex and two (2), two bedroom rentals. Selling prices for the units range from $500 – $600,000.

In addition to the update, the committee also held an informational forum for Providence House. The nonprofit organization that provides transitional housing for homeless, recently incarcerated and special needs female clients and their families, is seeking a letter of support for a new units it wants to build at 273, 275 & 277 Kosciusko Street (between Tompkins Street & Throop Ave). The presentation, which included renderings and floor plans of the 40 unit complex, was given by Sister Janet Kinney. The Community Board voted 31 in favor with 6 opposing.

Under the guidance and direction of Chairman Henry Butler, with persistence from Rev. Robert Waterman, CB-3 recently launched an Ad Hoc Ecumenical committee. The group, which includes CB3 board members Pastor Ayana Ajanaku, Rev. Jesse Sumry and Rev. Waterman, will meet the third Monday of every month to discuss community issues. “Information historically travels quicker through the church,” stated Rev. Waterman. “We want to continue this tradition in an effort to connect the community with services.”

(more)
Other scheduled community events and activities include the following:

Tuesdays, March 2 – 30: 6:30 – 8:30pm - Wealth Building Tuesday Workshops; Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street. For registration and additional information, please call Bernice McRae @ (718) 636-6924 or email at bmcrae@restorationplaza.org

Tuesdays, March 2 – 30, 7:30 pm sharp, Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA FREE Healthy Living Series, 1121 Bedford Avenue. For additional information, please call (718) 789-1497.

Monday, March 29: Congressman Ed Towns & Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA present Women’s History Month. To RSVP or for additional information, call Debbie McFarland @ (718) 789-1497 Ext. 4006 or Edna Johnson @ (718) 855-8018.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2010-03-03T13:26:00.005-05:00

"Obesity hits New York's poor neighborhoods hardest," - RUETERS
New Study Shows Bed Stuy Rate Soars Past 30 Percent

Between 2003 and 2007, the prevalence of obesity citywide increased from 20 percent to 22 percent, according to the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

In more affluent areas like the Upper East Side, Chelsea and the West Village, obesity rates hovered around 8 percent across the study period.

In contrast, obesity was a more common and growing problem in other city neighborhoods, many of which are lower-income. In 2003, only one neighborhood -- East Harlem -- had an obesity rate higher than 30 percent. By 2007, six neighborhoods had joined it: three in the Bronx, the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, Rockaway in Queens and northern Staten Island.

2010-03-03T13:13:00.002-05:00

"Gov. Paterson scandal gives lawmakers chance to push bills on state police and domestic violence," - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Three state lawmakers seized on Gov. Paterson's problems Sunday to push bills seemingly ripped from the scandal headlines.

Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Eric Adams, both Brooklyn Democrats, said their new bill would crack down on mismanagement of the State Police.

Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) held a press conference to draw new attention to a domestic violence bill he first introduced in 2007.

Both bills play on the scandalous allegations that Paterson and the State Police abused their power by intervening in a domestic violence case after a woman obtained an order of protection against a top gubernatorial aide.

Jeffries said the bill he'll introduce this week would create a temporary commission "to investigate systematic misconduct, abuse of power and political interference with respect to the New York State Police."

Modeled after the Knapp Commission, which probed police corruption in the 1970s, the commission would have subpoena power and would report to the Legislature.

State troopers "have engaged in acts that undermine the very fabric of our democracy," Jeffries charged, referring to allegations in the Paterson, Spitzer and Pataki administrations.

In a press conference outside the state Supreme Court building in Lower Manhattan, Adams said the bill was not specifically intended to censure Paterson. But he said last week's news, which led the governor to abandon his election bid and prompted calls for his resignation, "was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"From Buffalo to Bedford-Stuyvesant, our state troopers have the responsibility to don gray uniforms, but they enforce laws that are black and white," Adams said.

Ortiz said his Sunday press conference on the City Hall steps had been scheduled for weeks and had nothing to do with Paterson.

Still, he said the latest scandal "will give us a better opportunity, a better shot to now get the bill the consensus that is needed in order to get it done in both houses and send it to the governor for a signature."

The Ortiz bill - called Erika's Law after Erika Delia, a woman murdered by an abusive ex-boyfriend - would force abusers slapped with protection orders to wear electronic monitoring devices.

The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island), has twice passed the Senate but has been stalled in the Assembly.

"I don't believe that the bill is aiming at any particular individual," Ortiz said, adding: "We hope that in this session, with everything that's been happening throughout the state and with everything that's been happening in Albany, that we can take a moment ... to honor this particular bill for Erika."

2010-03-01T15:18:00.001-05:00

"Fed-up tenants sue, demand city fix nightmare Bedford-Stuyvesant apartments,"
By Jeff Wilkins - New York Times

A city housing project in Bedford-Stuyvesant has been a horror for residents who have lived with rats and mice, lack of heat, water damage and mold for years.

Tenants of the Bed-Stuy Rehabs, a three-building complex on Willoughby and Throop Aves., filed a lawsuit against the city Housing Authority in December after living with the conditions since the 1980s.

"We're tired of being treated like NYCHA's foster children," said Cassandra Harrell, president of the Bed-Stuy Rehabs Tenant Association, who said years of living in her mold-filled apartment left her stricken with asthma. "We want our apartments fixed."

The three small buildings with 81 apartments were originally part of Woodhull Hospital, and were converted into public housing in 1983.

Right from the start, said longtime tenants, their apartments had problems. They said Housing Authority officials promised fixes that were never made.

If the work is done, they added, it's shoddy or takes a long time to get scheduled.

In one case, a tenant at 281 Throop Ave. said workers showed up as late as 9 p.m. to repair a collapsed ceiling.

"Every time they say they're going to fix something, they don't do anything," said Luisa Figueroa, 33, pointing to a hole in her wall that isn't scheduled to be repaired until June. "It's just talk, talk, talk."

Retired postal worker Kathleen Green, who has lived at 675 Willoughby Ave. since 1983, has gone without heat three or four days at a time for years.

"It gets really cold in here in the winter, like you're living outside," she said. "I wake up and turn my oven on at 6 a.m. just to get some heat."

Green said she has phoned in countless complaints. Workers have come and looked at her radiators, promised to send someone to make repairs - and rarely do.

"Ten years ago, I gave them a list of all my problems," said Green. "Ten years later, they're still not fixed."

Housing Authority spokeswoman Sheila Stainback denied the agency had neglected the buildings, and said they have repeatedly responded to tenants' requests for repairs.

"NYCHA staff has addressed and worked on the repairs needed for Bedford-Stuyvesant Rehabs and will continue to do so," Stainback said in a statement.

Residents of 281 Throop Ave. used a lawsuit to force the Housing Authority to repair the building's leaky roof in 2005.

2010-03-01T15:02:00.002-05:00

"Rally To Keep Volunteer EMS Services," - Brooklyn Eagle

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley (D-Queens), chair of the Fire and Criminal
Justice Committee, along with Brooklyn Council Members Lew Fidler, Vincent
Gentile and Al Vann as well as dozens of community-based volunteer ambulance
leaders, recently called on the FDNY to utilize the city’s neighborhood
volunteer ambulances. In January, the Fire Department booted the city’s
volunteer ambulances from its 911 system, which is seen as another step towards
phasing them completely out of the emergency medical response.

“FDNY’s move will inevitably result in backlogs, which will mean delays. And when it
comes to patient care, every second counts,” said Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer
Ambulance Corps Commander James Robinson.

2010-03-01T14:56:00.001-05:00

"Mayor's New Plan for Affordable Housing: Overnight Delivery?," - Gothamlist

Rather than building new affordable homes in the city, Bloomberg now wants to spruce up those that already exist. His revamped plan will cost $8.5 billion and seeks to preserve 165,000 units by 2014. One Bed-Stuy housing development would have been a good candidate for the program, until it called a press conference to address its long list of complaints and the repairs were miraculously completed. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” said Cassandra Harrell, the president of the Bed-Stuy Rehabs’ resident association, who has lived in the project for 27 years. “They put up Sheetrock, they painted the walls, they knew the press was coming.”

For years residents of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Rehabs complained about "mold, leaky pipes, stained ceilings, holes in the walls, puddles in the hallway and long spells in the winter without heat or hot water," according to the Times. The vermin problem was so bad that one resident lost his pet bird to a rat. “Yeah, it ate the bird,” said David Caban. “The cage was on the floor.” But the night before a press conference was scheduled, 8-12 repairmen appeared at the projects and got to work. “[We are] a 24/7 operation,” said a spokeswoman for the housing authority in an email, adding that the work had been scheduled ahead of the press conference.

Under Bloomberg's plan, affordable housing tenants shouldn't have to sic the press on the housing authority to get their repairs. The New Housing Marketplace Plan will "preserve" affordable housing, meaning that "its housing agencies refinance and renovate buildings in return for keeping rents locked in for long periods, usually decades, as opposed to letting the units rent or sell at market rates" as the Times puts it.

The city will build 60,000 new homes and preserve 105,000 amending a cheaper 2005 plan to build 92,000 units and preserve 73,000. “The extra money will go toward allowing us to save projects that otherwise would’ve gone to market rates, and keeping rents low, and locking that in 30 or 40 years,” said housing commissioner, Rafael Cestero. “We have the opportunity right now to step in at a way that we weren’t able to before.”

2010-02-23T14:17:00.001-05:00

"When Your Dad's Behind Bars," - CITY LIMITS
To one boy in Bed-Stuy, a program for children of the incarcerated makes a difference.

Bedford Stuyvesant — Mickel Marchan stands about two inches taller than any of the other six- and seven-year-olds in his after-school group at Children of Promise, a Brooklyn program for children with parents in prison. This past fall, his creative movement class had barely begun when he decided to use that physical advantage to test the limits of “creative.” Mickel sent one boy tumbling into a cluster of desks with a fierce shove. Then he tussled with one of the teenage interns, scowling beneath the lid of his red baseball cap.

Darci Adams, who leads the class, yanked Mickel into a smothering hug. He briefly stiffened to the embrace before melting into it, like butter on toast.

2010-02-18T13:26:00.001-05:00

"Boro teens vie for poetry crown,"
By Jake Pearson - New York Daily News

They've rhymed their way to the finals.

Some talented Brooklyn teens will perform their spoken-word poetry for a shot at a $10,000 scholarship during the final round of the annual Knicks Poetry Slam competition at Manhattan's New Amsterdam Theater on Thursday.

"The theater is enormously huge and majestic looking," said Bedford-Stuyvesant poet Ishmael Islam, 18, a college freshman at the Pratt Institute. "It's a lot of stage and a lot of history to respect."

The four Brooklyn wordsmiths beat out 500 young people, ages 13 to 19, from the tristate area who auditioned last November for a shot at the college scholarship.

Last month, they were among 75 poets in the semifinal round who performed for the final 10 slots.

Their poems range from social commentary about the gentrification of Clinton Hill to deeply personal insights about saying goodbye to a beloved and deceased relative.

"It hasn't hit me yet," said Dominique Briggs, 18, of Bushwick, who is putting the finishing touches on a poem called "Dad," a cautionary tale about the evil powers of money, that he'll perform.

"We're on Broadway, which is every performance artist's dream."

Flatbush native Kedene McLeod, 17, a junior at the Secondary School for Research in Park Slope, is the youngest of the four Brooklyn finalists - and the only girl.

"My friends say I am good with words because . . . when they have a paper, they ask me for synonyms," said McLeod, who never wrote poetry before taking a class in school last fall.

"I auditioned a piece . . . and I didn't think anything of it, but they called me back and I was on top of the world."

The untitled piece is full of advice one girl gives to another before she learns important life lessons - like how to maintain a high self-esteem - the hard way.

"So when you realize that you are healed and made in His image, then you can show your beautiful you," wrote McLeod.

Islam's poem "Clifton" is an ode to the Clinton Hill he remembers growing up in, on Clifton Place - one without Manhattan transplants and luxury condos.

"The new modernism is hitting Brooklyn hard, but it hit home even harder," wrote Islam. ". . . [H]alf the block turned into high estate condos and more to come. It's become a ghost town with gold mines of new-age buildings."

Those three and Julian Pena, 19, of Park Slope, a freshman at Kingsborough Community College, will vie for the top prize - a $10,000 scholarship. Second place takes $7,500, third $5,000, and the remaining seven will get $1,000 apiece.

"They're all extremely talented," said Mike Cirelli, 34, executive director of Urban Word, a nonprofit that teaches poetry to young people and co-sponsors the competition.

"At this point, the level of poetry and performance is so high you can literally pick winners out of a hat," he said.

2010-02-18T13:10:00.002-05:00

"Saving a Place to Bump Into People,"
By DIANE CARDWELL - The New York Times

On Wednesday afternoon, as the snowstorm rested between squalls, all seemed as it should at Bread Stuy, a coffeehouse on Lewis Avenue in Brooklyn.

The small wooden tables were occupied by patrons in earphones tapping away at laptops, as a line formed for lattes, panini and fresh-baked pastries. Beneath the warm orange glow of the walls and a heat lamp, one of the owners, Hillary Porter, quietly directed workers from a banquette while her 16-month-old daughter, Maclemore, slept on her lap.

2010-02-18T12:50:00.002-05:00

"Every tenant's nightmare: No heat, hot water for months in Brooklyn apartment that's in foreclosure,"
BY JAKE PEARSON - New York Daily News

Their Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment building is in foreclosure - and these tenants are feeling forsaken.

Tenants at 874 Greene Ave. have suffered for months without heat or hot water even though a court-appointed receiver hired a managing company to make repairs and collect rents.

"The only way I get heat is to turn the stove on," said Paulette Walker, 36, who lives in her freezing fourth-floor apartment with her husband and 13-year-old son, Jacob.

"I boil water for the steam, turn on the grill and let the burners go."

The eight-unit building has been without heat or hot water since the boiler, which has broken countless times, failed again, tenants said.

Even their original landlord had a better track record than BPC Management when it came to making repairs, they added.

The tenants charge that BPC Management has ignored complaints about the broken boiler, roach infestations and even a leaking roof.

"They don't listen; they don't care," said Natasha Favorite, 25, who is eight months pregnant and lives on the second floor with her 3-year-old son, Adonis. "I'm sick of being in this house with no heat and no hot water."

Favorite said she has complained to BPC at least 10 times over the past year.

Angry tenants in the building have lodged 65 complaints with the Housing Preservation and Development Department since last February.

They are working with organizers from Pratt Area Community Council, who are trying to negotiate a timeline for improvements and repairs.

"This is the complication of foreclosures," said PACC organizing director Elana Shneyer.

"The tenants haven't done anything [wrong], but they get caught in the middle ... without basic services."

A BPC Management spokesperson declined to comment.

"We can't even bathe the way we want to bathe," said Walker, an unemployed security guard who dumps six big cooking pots full of boiling water into the tub and adds cold water to take a bath.

"We really shouldn't have to live this way."

2010-02-18T12:43:00.003-05:00

"Nostrand Avenue bus initiative gets federal stimulus money,"
By Stephen Witt - Courier Life Publication

An infusion of federal stimulus dollars could provide the jolt to get the Nostrand Avenue Select Bus Service (SBS) project jump-started.

That after the Obama administration’s 2011 budget included $28 million for the proposed SBS along the Nostrand Avenue corridor.

2010-02-18T12:29:00.007-05:00

Bed-Stuy bakes up dough to save beloved Bread Stuy eatery
By Mike Mclaughlin and Sam Goldsmith - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Neighbors of a beloved Brooklyn coffee shop are working on their own bailout for the local hangout.

Bread Stuy on Lewis Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant was shuttered last week because owners fell behind on more than $20,000 in back taxes.

The neighborhood stepped in, donating and lending owners more than $10,000, and the shop reopened Saturday.

"It's more than just coffee," owner Lloyd Porter said of his shop. "We host gatherings for new neighbors. We do a Christmas tree lighting every year, and my wife and I dress like Mr. and Mrs. Claus."

Peaches, a restaurant down the block from Bread Stuy, hosted a Super Bowl party fund-raiser for the coffee shop and eatery last night.

"It's not just a business thing, it's a personal thing," said Peaches co-owner Craig Samuels, 40. "Lloyd is the unofficial mayor of Bed-Stuy."

"It has become such a part of the neighborhood," said Claudia Siambert, 24, a regular customer at Bread Stuy. "Everyone is really happy here."

The owners say they were blindsided by late fees and penalties that piled up from their tax woes.

Java lovers were stunned last week to find a "seized" notice posted on the storefront in the trendy Stuyvesant Heights area.

2010-02-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

"Brooklyn's 81st Precinct probed by NYPD for fudging stats; felonies allegedly marked as misdemeanors,"
BY Rocco Parascandola - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS P

A Brooklyn precinct is under investigation for manipulating statistics to make its cops look like better crimefighters, the Daily News has learned.

Two probes are centered around whether Bedford-Stuyvesant's 81st Precinct recorded felonies as misdemeanors and refused to take complaints from victims - all in an effort to drive down the crime rate, sources said.

2010-02-03T15:36:00.001-05:00

"Teen uses dance to inspire kids in foster and homeless systems,"
By Jake Pearson - New York Daily News

Whenever Davida Walker wonders why she was abandoned by her birth mother and dumped into the foster care system, she dances.

"I get to be myself ... when I'm dancing," said Davida, 17, who still remembers waiting in vain for her mother to show up for weekly visits at the foster care agency. "I don't have to explain myself."

For the past year, Davida has been sharing her love of dance and its power to soothe anxiety and stress by teaching 15 kids who live with their families at the Flatlands Family Shelter in East New York.

"The dance is lyrical; it's expressing your feelings through music," said Davida, who was placed into a foster family at just 2 years old along with her three brothers after her drug-addicted biological mother neglected them.

"I take the kids and ask them what they're feeling and to put it in a dance move instead of speaking it."

The dancers, ages 11 to 18, are currently rehearsing for a Feb. 11 dance recital at Medgar Evers College. Since February 2009, they have turned a second-floor room of the shelter on Linden Blvd. and Avenue D into a dance studio.

Once a week with Davida - and almost every day on its own - the troupe practices moves to R&B and gospel music. "When I'm up there, I just do me," said dancer Shantelle Thomas, 12, who came to the Flatlands shelter with her mom eight months ago after they were evicted from their Flatbush apartment.

"These are great kids ... When we dance, we're just getting out all the problems we went through in our lives." Davida and her brothers were placed through the Miracle Makers foster care agency on Atlantic Ave. in the home of Bedford-Stuyvesant foster mom Catherine Walker, where she has been ever since.

2010-02-03T14:55:00.004-05:00

"Borough Pres wants to turn Sumner Armory into rec centers,"
By Erin Durkin - New York Daily News

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will push the city to turn two more borough armories into sports and recreation centers in his State of the Borough address Wednesday night.

The cavernous Bedford-Atlantic and Sumner Avenue Armories - which now house homeless shelters but have plenty of vacant space - would be rehabilitated to include gymnasiums, running tracks, and art exhibition space or swimming pools for schoolkids and neighborhood residents.

2010-02-03T14:21:00.003-05:00

"New Exhibit at MoCADA Tackles Gentrifictaion,"
By Meredith Deliso - Courier-Life Publications

Gentrification in Brooklyn is like a topic you shouldn’t bring up at dinner.

For their next exhibition, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) confronts the issue right head-on with “The Gentrification of Brooklyn: The Pink Elephant Speaks.”

Through the works of over 20 different artists in nearly as many mediums, the issue is broken down into its conglomerates – real estate development, eminent domain, class issues related to income and housing – through literal and abstract explorations in photography, painting, video, sculpture, poetry and music.

2010-02-03T12:32:00.002-05:00

COMMUNITY FORCES ILLEGAL SHELTER OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
By Keith L. Forest

A victory took place in Bedford Stuyvesant this week. Resident, merchants, civic leaders and elected officials joined forces to express their concerns about a rehabilitation center that covertly moved into the area the top of January. Standing in solidarity, the collective succeeded in forcing the Gelzer Foundation that ran a temporary housing facility for recovering alcohol and drug addicts, at 332 Malcolm X Blvd out of the neighborhood.

After a week-long battle, neighbors were thrilled to learn that the beat up van that dropped off the wayward clan returned to reclaim the bed frames and mattresses it left behind. Earlier in the month members of the community met with two representatives from the Gelzer Foundation. Unfortunately, the meeting only raised more questions and suspicions about how this organization, which apparently receives some city funding and holds no certificate with the state, was able to enter a neighborhood undetected.

After the request for a second meeting and documentation of the agency’s legitimacy was declined, the collective swung into action. True to the time in which we live in, there were no picket signs or bull horns demanding justice. Instead, the fight played out in cyberspace with e-mail campaigns fired off at jet speed to elected officials and civic leaders; and numerous blog postings and text messages soliciting support. New York Daily News, Our Time Press, the Real Deal Newspaper, and News 12 covered the action; phone calls were placed to the agency; forcing elected official to take action. By Friday, Gezler Foundation had enough and permanently closed its doors.

Program housing is a major concern in Bedford Stuyvesant and other low income communities throughout the city. Although the City and state has placed a fair share clause which monitors the number of program agencies committed to one region, developers and venture capitalist are able to exploit the lucrative market by secretly setting up such agencies in privately owned homes.

Community Board 3, which meets regularly with several city agencies during its closed session meeting, promise to address the issue in a public forum soon. Chairman Henry Butler commended Bainbridge Street & Malcolm X Blvd Block Association and the Malcolm X Merchants Association for their unwavering commitment in tackling the issue noting that it was the community’s acting in the early stage that made the difference.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2010-02-03T12:17:00.005-05:00

MTA ON TRACK TO INSTALL ELEVATOR AT UTICA AVENUE
Community outraged by plans That Calls for Ramps to Individual Platform
By Keith L. Forest

After 20 years of negotiating, Community Board 3 is finally on track to having an elevator installed at the Utica Avenue A&C train station. Representatives from Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) attended CB3’s monthly meeting to share the good news. However, they were in for a surprise when their plan, which calls for an elevator to be installed on the North East side of the station and ramp access leading to the individual platforms, was not well received.

Attending members were outraged and felt the MTA once again short-changed them. The installation of ramps, members expressed, jeopardizes the health of the elderly and physically challenged by forcing them to navigate inclined slopes. Members demanded that the plans be revised to include elevator access from the street to the individual platforms. frustrated MTA members agreed to take suggestions back to the drawing board. Construction is set to begin spring 2011.

Community Board 3 also conducted a public hearing to address the 2011 City Budget. Although the board presented over 10 capital budget items and 9 expense items, due to recent citywide budget cuts the city only green lighted two (2) of its capital budget items. They are: installation of the elevator on Utica Ave and reconstruction of Nostrand Ave from Flushing to Atlantic. Board members took the opportunity to educate the public on the process and encourage the community to fight for alternative ways to support other projects such as Von King’s Cultural Art Center and the rehabilitation of Sumner Avenue Armory for community use.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2010-01-29T15:04:00.004-05:00

"Neighbors protest new Bed-Stuy housing facility for recovering addicts," - REAL DEAL NY

332 Malcolm X. Boulevard (Source: PropertyShark) A new temporary housing facility for recovering alcohol and drug addicts in Bedford-Stuyvesant has the surrounding community up in arms over its potential impact on the neighborhood.

Roughly 20 new residents of 332 Malcolm X. Boulevard "came in over night," said Eric Smith, president of the Bainbridge Street Block Association. Bedford-Stuyvesant "needs that place like a hole in the head," he said. Neighbors say they've seen the men throwing out empty beer cans and liquor bottles from the home, though the Gelzer Foundation, a private organization that runs the facility insists the men had not been drinking and have been undergoing outpatient treatment for drug and alcohol abuse.

There's already a men's shelter one block away from the three-story building, whose safety is already in question as it has also been hit with a temporary stop work order for building without a permit. "Why would you bring a shelter on a block that has a history of drug issues that we're trying to kill?" said Henry Butler, chair of Community Board 3. Butler is meeting with city agency representatives this evening about the stop work order at the site

2010-01-29T14:52:00.002-05:00

"Bedford-Stuyvesant residents and merchants fuming over facility for former alcohol and drug abusers,"
BY Jake Pearson - Nwe York Daily News

Bainbridge Street Block Association President Eric Smith stands outside the recently opened facility for former drug and alcohol abusers.

Bedford-Stuyvesant residents and merchants are fuming over a new residence for alcohol and drug abusers that suddenly opened earlier this month without any community notification.

"This [neighborhood] needs that place like a hole in the head," said Eric Smith, president of the Bainbridge Street Block Association, about the residence at 332 Malcolm X. Blvd. "They came in over night.

"Why would they feel this place is a good choice to rehabilitate men?" said Smith, 51. "You don't want to bring these guys into a poppy field or a distillery."

Neighbors said that on Jan. 1, about 20 men arrived at the two-family home in a beat-up white truck and moved in with used mattresses and bed frames. Since then, the men have been seen discarding used beer and liquor from the home, according to neighbors.

"I have nothing against them but I'm very worried right now," said Framary Reynoso, 40, who lives across the street. Reynoso's 9-year-old daughter walks right past the residence every day on her way to nearby P.S. 266.

"I didn't used to worry because just two blocks away, but we don't know anything about these guys," she said.

The temporary housing facility, which emphasizes sober living, is run by the private Gelzer Foundation.

Foundation program director Jerry Williams, 38, claimed there are only 13 men living in the Malcolm X Blvd. home and said they attend outpatient treatment programs for drug and alcohol abuse.

"We help people that are addicted and we clean up their lives," said Williams, who insisted the men living in the home were not drinking any alcohol.

But neighbors said that a transitional home for recovering addicts is the last thing the block needs - especially since there is already a men's shelter just a block away on Malcolm X Blvd. and Decatur St.

"Why would you bring a shelter on a block that has a history of drug issues that we're trying to kill?" said Community Board 3 chair Henry Butler.

Butler has organized a meeting tonight with representatives from various city agencies to determine whether the building - which has been slapped with a temporary stop work order for building without a permit - is even safe to house the tenants.

"It's very counterproductive," said Butler. "We're trying to build up Malcolm X (Blvd.), not bring it down."

2010-01-29T14:35:00.004-05:00

"Double Dutchers jump back: Financial woes threaten Brooklyn's legendary Jammin' Jumpers team,"
BY Jake Pearson - New York Daily News

Adams IV for NewsRuth Payne (c.), coach of the Jammin’ Jumpers, with her Double Dutch team. Related NewsSchools looking to make Double Dutch into a varsity sportThe Jammin' Jumpers are in a real jam.

The world-famous Bedford-Stuyvesant Double Dutch team is flat broke, scrambling to raise money for its 10th annual Celebrate Jump Rope competition in March.

"We're hurting big time," said Ruth Payne, 65, executive director of United Families, and coach of the Jammin' Jumpers. "I have to turn kids away because...I don't have the staff. It doesn't feel good."

Almost every year, the Jammin' Jumpers make it to the world championship Double Dutch competition in Sumter, S.C. Last year, the fourth-grade team placed fifth and the seventh-grade team took second place overall.

"We get to go to worlds every year, but people can't volunteer like they used to," said Payne, who is known boroughwide as the Joe Torre of jump-rope coaching. "Someone who gave six hours a week, now I'm lucky if they give six a month."

The Celebrate Jump Rope competition in March brings about 200 youngsters from across the borough - and even from other parts of the country - to participate.

"Every team from all over comes out to this," said Kyaisha Murray, 25, a former Jammin' Jumper who now volunteers one day a week coaching the team.

"The Jazzie Jumpers [from North Carolina] and Stan's Pepper Steppers [from Rockaway.] They all know about the competition."

Last March, Celebrate Jump Rope was held in Von King Park in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Payne received enough donations to pay judges, provide lunches and give trophies to the winners. "Ruth always tries to make it possible for the kids to get medals," said Murray. "She doesn't want any kid to walk away with nothing."

Families United operates out of the gym at St. Peter Claver Church on Claver Place and Jefferson Ave. They are four months behind on rent, and though never flush, Payne said the group can usually scrape together enough private and government grants to stage the event.

But so far this year, they haven't been able to raise much.

"We're in debt, and we don't have a budget," said Payne, who persuaded St. Francis College to donate gym space for this year's competition. She said she hopes to raise about $10,000 - enough to fund the competition and pay the rent owed.

"We're doing fund-raisers and sending out letters. Somehow we'll get by," she said.

United Families coaches 400 children annually from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, who participate in its jump rope, basketball and art programs.

Donations may be sent to Families United, 175 Adelphi St., Brooklyn, N.Y., 11205.

2010-01-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

"City Rushing Surprise Demolition, Residents of Landmark Bed-Stuy Block Claim,"
By Samuel Newhouse - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

ADAMS STREET – Over forty concerned residents were in Brooklyn Supreme Court Friday afternoon, trying to stop the city from demolishing two historic Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstones after a wall in the basement collapsed earlier this week.

A load-bearing wall that was shared by two homes, 329 and 331 Macdonough St., collapsed and broke a gas line during renovations in the basement on Wednesday morning at about 5 a.m.
Click link to read the rest of the story!

2010-01-29T13:56:00.003-05:00

"Brownstone is down zone, says new report,"
By Andy Campbell - The Brooklyn Paper

It’s all spelled out in a new report from the real-estate consulting firm Miller Samuel, which conducts the quarterly study for the Prudential Douglas Elliman real-estate firm.

The main findings:
• The price of the average one- to three-family brownstone in so-called “Brownstone Brooklyn” — covering everywhere from Brooklyn Heights to Windsor Terrace — declined by 22 percent in one quarter, from $1.48 million to $1.15 million.

Other types of units in the same geographic area dropped in price by an average of 16.7 percent.

The good news is that the number of total sales increased by nearly 10 percent, though the number of brownstone sales was the same as last quarter.

• The only neighborhoods reporting an increase are the average price of all housing were Williamsburg and Greenpoint, where the average price increased by more than seven percent between summer and the end of last year. But the increase is based heavily on an influx of high-priced condo units, which aren’t selling well.

“It’s the new-development versus resale question — when you look at north Brooklyn, it’s 83.6 percent luxury condos,” said Jonathan Miller, president of the appraisal firm that conducted the study. “When prices slip, you’ll see more buyer activity, and affordability improves.”
Breaking down the data from apartment sales is even more revealing: Apartments with sales prices on the lowest end of the scale — say studio units for an average of $371,000 — saw their prices increase by nearly 20 percent. But apartments that sell at the top end of the housing market — say three-bedroom luxury units that sell for close to $1 million — saw their prices plummet by 10 percent.

• Values can be found right now in Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the average sale price for all housing dropped by nearly nine percent. People are obviously picking up bargains there, as the number of sales in the last quarter of 2009 soared by nearly 24 percent.
Overall, Miller said, it’s definitely a good time for buyers — and yet another hard year for real-estate agents. Sales are up (meaning good business), but prices are down (meaning lower commissions).

“That’s becoming the trend in Brooklyn,” he said.

Other types of units in the same geographic area dropped in price by an average of 16.7 percent.

The good news is that the number of total sales increased by nearly 10 percent, though the number of brownstone sales was the same as last quarter.

• The only neighborhoods reporting an increase are the average price of all housing were Williamsburg and Greenpoint, where the average price increased by more than seven percent between summer and the end of last year. But the increase is based heavily on an influx of high-priced condo units, which aren’t selling well.

“It’s the new-development versus resale question — when you look at north Brooklyn, it’s 83.6 percent luxury condos,” said Jonathan Miller, president of the appraisal firm that conducted the study. “When prices slip, you’ll see more buyer activity, and affordability improves.”

Breaking down the data from apartment sales is even more revealing: Apartments with sales prices on the lowest end of the scale — say studio units for an average of $371,000 — saw their prices increase by nearly 20 percent. But apartments that sell at the top end of the housing market — say three-bedroom luxury units that sell for close to $1 million — saw their prices plummet by 10 percent.

• Values can be found right now in Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the average sale price for all housing dropped by nearly nine percent. People are obviously picking up bargains there, as the number of sales in the last quarter of 2009 soared by nearly 24 percent.

Overall, Miller said, it’s definitely a good time for buyers — and yet another hard year for real-estate agents. Sales are up (meaning good business), but prices are down (meaning lower commissions).

“That’s becoming the trend in Brooklyn,” he said.

2010-01-29T13:24:00.001-05:00

"Bed Stuy Entrepreneurs Win Second Place in Brooklyn Library
6th Annual Power Up! Business Plan Competition," - Brooklyn Eagle

Evelyn Oliver and Darell Brown, proprietors of Organic Bed Stuy were $5,000 richer as they claimed second place in Brooklyn Public Library’s 6th Annual Power Up! Business Plan competition. Answering a growing need for healthy eating choices in a community over saturated by fast food, the pair opened their Organic Bed Stuy which offers fresh and local produce while focusing on the cultural make up the neighborhood.

2010-01-22T07:41:00.001-05:00

McDONOUGH STREET(between Stuyvesant & Lewis)

Property owners, residents on historic Bedford Stuyvesant brownstone block in uproar over Buildings Dept "hasty" decision, "overnight" Wednesday/Thursday (21), to demolish brownstones. Building's Dept has offered no explanation why they can't be saved, says elderly property owner Ms. Doreen Prince, whose quick-thinking saved lives at 1:00am, Wednesday (20). She is restricted from returning to her house since then, though she keeps vigil outside on the block which as of midnight has not been roped off. And she awaits answers.

Stream of demolition "Vultures" have arrived on site to bid on demolition oppty, says Ms. Prince, but longtime homeowners have not been informed of "why buildings can not be shored and saved. If Buildings are in eminent danger, why aren't streets roped off, and police on scene."

Ms. Prince currently is on the scene keeping watch over buildings 329-331 McDonough Street, Brooklyn (Stuyvesant and Lewis). There are reports that Buildings Dept (360 Adams) set to have hearing at 2p.

For details and updates:
To reach Ms. Prince, contact her son, Allen: 718-360-6166
To reach a next door property owner, contact Krystal Coddett at 347-489-6551

2010-01-22T00:42:00.006-05:00

FOR RENT!!! STYLISH STUDIO APARTMENT IN HISTORIC BED STUY!!!

Fully renovated studio garden apt with private entrance; features chic stainless steel Lghting fixtures, wood flooring throughout; Kitchenette accented in stainless steel appliances, wood cabinets & glass breakfast bar; Fullsize sunny bath with tile flooring & wood trimmings;

Accessible to A/C Utica Ave train station and Express bus stop to 3/4 Utica Ave train station less then 15 minute commute to Manhattan; Within walking distance from popular restaurants, boutiques and shops Accessible to 24 hour laundry facilities, supetmarkets and grocery stores; Bed Stuy open farmers market and Jackie Robinson Tennis Court and outdoor recreation area right around the corner!Heat & hotwater included References & credit check reCquired Call 917-714-8998 or e-mail bainbridge268@aol.com for appointment!!!

2010-01-22T00:34:00.001-05:00

"Bed Stuy Resident Carmin Colon Donates doughnuts to troops,"
By Erik Slavin, Stars and Stripes

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Very few of the sailors aboard the USS Shiloh knew who paid for the 408 doughnuts that showed up in their mess hall on Friday.
But judging by all the jelly-glazed smiles and sugar-dusted fingers, a Brooklyn woman’s gift to a ship she’s never even seen was greatly enjoyed.
"This probably just made everybody’s Friday," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Nagel.
With help from United Service Organizations, Carmen Colon purchased $240 worth of doughnuts for the sailors — something she says made her feel so good, it was like buying a Christmas present for herself.
"Wherever they’re serving … I want to say that we appreciate you, we miss you, and we can’t wait for you to come home," Colon said last week from her home in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
One year ago, Colon reconnected on Facebook with a friend she graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School with nearly 30 years ago.
Colon’s friend is now a master chief petty officer aboard the Shiloh. She asked if there was anything she could send him, but he always declined.
She kept up with her friend’s descriptions of life aboard the Shiloh through the summer, when tragedy struck. On July 8, Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Geathers died while on duty.
Colon heard how devastating the loss was to the crew and resolved to do something for the sailors. When the Shiloh returned from sea last month, Colon’s opportunity came.
However, Colon’s focus isn’t just on the Shiloh. She plans to spread the word and would love to see every command "adopted" like the Shiloh.
"I love them, but I love the entire base, too," Colon said.
Shiloh sailors said they were sure other ships would happily accept the support.
"Some people here go straight to work in the morning, and to be able to take a break and enjoy free doughnuts — it really makes me feel like somebody cares," Seaman Amber Cage said.

2010-01-22T00:22:00.005-05:00

"The B25 bus line could be brought back from the brink," - Courier Life Publications

State Senator Daniel Squadron’s office has announced that the MTA reversed its proposal to cut service along the B25 bus line, though an MTA spokesperson would not confirm whether individual lines are being rescinded.

“The MTA is reviewing the package of service cuts adopted by the MTA board adopted in December,” said MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan. “As far as cuts to individual subway lines, everything is under review. The bus is still running.”

2010-01-22T00:06:00.003-05:00

"More Bed-Stuy volunteers Haiti-bound as group seeks donations,"
By Jake Pearson - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

When news of last week's catastrophic earthquake in Haiti reached Commander James (Rocky) Robinson and his group of Bedford-Stuyvesant emergency medical technicians, they knew they had to go.

"We've got (44) members down there now," said Robinson, 69, co-founder and president of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BSVAC). Noting that BSVAC spent its last $20,000 equipping the volunteers who flew to Port-au-Prince this weekend, Robinson said: "We're probably the poorest volunteer corps in the nation."

2010-01-21T23:57:00.002-05:00

"Teen son of NYPD Detective Sean Lawrence slain near Brooklyn playground," - New York Daily News

Sean Hayes Related NewsArticlesCop shoots and kills man in parking lot of Times Square hotelRocker shot in heart Up-and-coming musician found slain in B'klyn homeHudson, Bublé perform duets in Christmas specialWyclef Jean's foundation lends helping hand in HaitiDetective was worried he'd lose son to Brooklyn neighborhood's mean streetsA veteran NYPD detective spoke of his devastation Monday night after his teenage son was shot dead just a few feet away from children playing at a Brooklyn housing project.

Sean Hayes, 19, was struck at least twice in the chest yesterday afternoon steps from a playground at the Marcy Houses in Bedford-Stuyvesant, cops said.

2010-01-13T18:02:00.008-05:00

"Bed Stuy Entrepreneur James Rocky Robinson Featured in Healthleader Magazine"

As crime and violence ravaged 1980s New York City, EMT James "Rocky" Robinson realized there was a vast disparity of emergency response care between poor and affluent neighborhoods. So in 1988, Robinson founded Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BSVAC). After starting off with two volunteers who responded to emergencies on foot, BSVAC now boasts emergency and preventive care services, EMT training courses, and a community outreach program that works with at-risk children. Benefactors have donated funding, ambulances, and a trailer, but Robinson and his volunteers struggle to scrape money from wherever they can. "We still don't have a lot of money," he says. "But we got a lot of stories to tell."

On what he learned from the Jewish community: One of the cultures I admired was the Jewish community. We used to respond in their area and by the time EMS got there, the patient was already in the hospital [because of their volunteer ambulance corps]. In my community [Bedford-Stuyvesant], the ambulance service would take half an hour to an hour, with people just lying in the street watching their blood spill out into the gutter. So I said, if I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem.

On the obstacles BSVAC originally faced: We were an ambulance corps without an ambulance. We didn't have any funding, we were in an abandoned house—but know what we had? We had skills, we had tennis shoes, we had trauma bags, and we had radios. And when we heard that someone in the community was shot or stabbed, we would literally run and get there. Even though we couldn't remove the patient, we could stop the bleeding.

On BSVAC's community outreach: What I train the kids at risk to do is to pull up your pants and raise your mind and turn your hats back around. We make sure they have a military-type appearance; we make sure they're in school. We expose them to life-saving techniques. We expose them to professional people, so instead of having idols like drug dealers, they got idols like President Obama and other people who have made it from nowhere. We are trying to give a different atmosphere and teach them how to save a life instead of take a life.

2010-01-13T17:55:00.002-05:00

Habitat For Humanity To Host 11th Annual BUILDING ON THE DREAM Salute To Dr. Martin Luther King

The public is invited to join Habitat for Humanity - New York City on Sat., Jan. 16, for its 11th Annual "Building on the Dream" salute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The free festive program is set for Sat., Jan. 16, 2 pm - 3:30 pm at PS 54 at 195 Sandford Street (between Willoughby Street & DeKalb Avenue) in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

The celebration includes:
Keynote address by the Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood
Rousing music by the Brooklyn Steppers - Blackfire Drumline
Soul-stirring performances by PS 54 Gospel Choir and Dancers
Inspirational speeches on Dr. King's legacy
And much more

The Jan. 16 program is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required. Please RSVP Tristan Dreisbach, 212-991-4000 x. 318 or tdreisbach@habitatnyc.org

In addition to the program, volunteers will spend the Martin Luther King weekend building new Habitat-NYC homes nearby on Hart Street, part of 16 new Habitat homes under construction in Bedford-Stuyvesant. These volunteers are members of diverse faith groups from congregations throughout New York City. (Volunteer slots for the weekend are filled and no longer open).

Habitat for Humanity - New York City transforms lives and our city by building quality homes for families in need and by uniting all New Yorkers around the cause of affordable housing. With the help of thousands of volunteers every year, Habitat-NYC has built more than 220 affordable homes in the five boroughs of New York City. Learn more at www.habitatnyc.org.

2010-01-12T18:00:00.003-05:00

NYer Of The Week: Watchmaker Teaches Brooklynites The Gift Of Time
The latest New Yorker of the Week teaches the study of timekeeping and watchmaking to the residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
By Roma Torre - NY-1 News

Local watchmaker Steven Richardson wants to teach people in his neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn the joys of horology, the study of timekeeping, and the history, mechanics and art of watchmaking.

"Time is one of the most precious things that we have and to study it, to study horology is just a great thing," says Richardson. "It's a great passion of mine and I thought I could just share it with the community."

Last year at the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA, Richardson started a free watchmaking class called the "Art of Horology Project."

"He is a reflection of the people who live here in Bedford-Stuyvesant and is a role model for the youth and gives them a chance to know that there's other jobs, other opportunities that are out there," says YMCA communications director Sharlene Brown.

Ten years ago, Richardson started learning gemology, the study of jewels, and soon after he became interested in making pocket watches.

"I think I always had the mechanics instilled into me, because my father was an auto mechanic and my uncle was an auto mechanic and they specialized in transmissions," says Richardson. "So at a young age, I would always be hanging around the shop."

Richardson owns a watchmaking company called Nkiru America Watches, which he believes is the only one in the country owned by an African-American. He hopes to inspire people like 13-year-old participant Amadeus Fiazier.

"There is not a lot of people doing this and we need a lot of people to get involved in this," says Fiazier.

Constance Jackson signed her whole family up for the class.

"I often wondered why there were watchmakers in Europe but not in the Americas," says Jackson.

Richardson estimates that 5,000 watchmakers are needed in the United States to keep up with the demand.

"I see hopefully building a school of watchmakers, where they can come and take a one-, two-, or three-year course. learning every area," says Richardson.

So, for giving his time to his community, Steven Richardson is the latest New Yorker of the Week.

2010-01-08T15:36:00.006-05:00

COMMUNITY BOARD 3 KICKS OFF THE NEW DECADE WITH PUBLIC HEARING
Neighbors Voice Their Concerns Regarding Oversaturation of Public Programs
By Keith L. Forest

Community Board 3 opened its 2010 meeting with a public hearing that addressed the growing concern for the oversaturation of Public Programs in the area. For the past 10 years, residents have been constantly on edge about the abundance of programs being allowed into community.

As a resident and home owner in Bedford Stuyvesant I can certainly attest to this growing concern. On our block of Bainbridge Street between Malcolm X Blvd and Patchen Avenue there are 4 Single Room Occupancy residents, 2 half way homes and several other social service programs in operation. Unfortunately, our concern for the quality of life for our neighbors and safety for our children is shared by numerous other blocks. Yet, our cries are going unanswered.

Demetrius Mills who resides on the Northern tip of Bedford Stuyvesant was one of the first to speak. Since 2000 Mr. Mills has been fighting an unending battle to have some of the numerous programs infiltrating the community designated to other areas. Currently his area alone houses a women’s shelter, domestic violence facilities, a methadone clinic and numerous other. According to Mr. Mills there were over 1 thousand agencies listed in Bed Stuy in CB3 alone; today that number is estimated to have doubled.

As a father and home owner, Mr. Mills has witnessed drug usage and sexual acts performed right under his window. On more than one occasion he as well as his teenage son has been propositioned. In addition to the prostitution, Mr. Mills fears for the safety of his family and had an alarming encounter when a mentally ill patient wandered into his home and confronted his wife and son.

Nancy Russell, a former manager at NYC Department of Homeless Service, and current President of The Tri Block Association, argued that the concern of most residents is not “rejection of the homeless, needy or poor, but equality and fairness.” She suggested that CB3 identify alternative sites where these programs can be housed.

Linda Simmons, Vice President of Jefferson Avenue Block Association lives in fear. Within a 2 block radius, she share residence with 2 schools, 3 daycare centers and several level 3 sex offenders. This fear has created an unhealthy lifestyle for her children who are forbidden to go out and spend most of their time in the house.

Ms. C. Doris Pinn, who co chairs The Housing Land/Use Committee, assured those in attendance that their complaints have been heard and that Community Board 3 has been and will continue to utilize all of its resources to combat and resolve the issue.

Other concerns addressed included the renaming of The Bradford Apartments which is schedule to undergo construction this year. The site, which is located on the corner of Fulton Street and Albany Avenue, is currently scheduled to be named after the unsavory “Bradford” pear tree that produces an inedible nut and large white flowers with a pungent odor. CB3 is currently holding a contest to rename the block in honor of something, or someone with significance.

Pradine Content, a representative from the Census Bureau ended the evening by asking everyone to encourage others to fill out their census form. According to Ms. Content, Bedford Stuyvesant is considered a “hard to count” community with less than 60% of its residents participating in the 2000 census.

There are many events, activities and initiatives that are taking place the month of January. However, one in particular merits mentioning. On Saturday, January 16, Voices of Action Against Violence, Parents United to Rally for Gun-Violence Elimination (PURGE) and Calvary Fellowship AME Church are joining forces for Step Up and Take a Stand. The special forum will address the issue of the growing concern of gun violence in our community and will include special guest speaker Graham Weatherspoon of Black Law Enforcement Alliance.

Other event and activities taken place in the community include:

Saturday, January 9, 2010
Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA “Saturday Morning Story Time Featuring Rob Walker”
Monthly story book reading featuring a new artist each month. Event also includes arts and crafts, refreshments and more.
Time: 11:00 – 12:00 PM
Location: Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA @ Airel Mathis Membership Concierge
Contact: (718) 78-1497- Ext. 4016

Saturday, January 16, 2010
YMCA Family Night at the Movies
Enjoy a family night at the movies compliments of Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA
Location: Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA @ Airel Mathis Membership Concierge
Contact: (718) 78-1497- Ext. 4016

Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bridge Street Development Corp. & HSBC Present: Understanding Your Mortgage Documents
A review workshop for homeowners that go over the various mortgage forms and documents
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Location: HSBC, 2 Hanson Place, Room 13F
Contact Info: Call (718) 6367596 Ext. 14 to confirm (Seating is limited)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
NY State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries “State of the District Address”
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Pratt Institute Higgins Hall, 61 St. James Place (corner of Lafayette Avenue)
Contact Info: Refreshment will be served, space is limited, call (718) 596-0100 to RSVP

Tuesday, February 10 – March 3, 2009
Bridge Street Development Corporation First Time Buyers Series
A four week courses helping potential homeowners develop a better understanding of the home buying process. Course includes information on understanding ones credit; getting a mortgage; shopping for a home and more
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: 456D Nostrand Avenue (entrance on Jefferson)

2010-01-08T14:23:00.003-05:00

Is Punditry a Prelude to a Race in New York?
By MICHAEL BARBARO - The New York Times

Robert F. Kennedy possessed the biggest brand name in American politics. Hillary Rodham Clinton boasted eight years in the White House.

But Harold E. Ford Jr., the former Tennessee congressman who is weighing a run for the United States Senate from New York, represents a new breed of out-of-town political aspirant in the Empire State: the TV pundit.

His stature undoubtedly derives from his five consecutive terms as a United States representative and a bitterly contested campaign for the Senate, but Mr. Ford, 39, has introduced himself to New Yorkers as a self-assured, nattily dressed political insider on Fox, NBC and MSNBC.

Over the past two years, he become a regular on shows like “Morning Joe” and “Meet the Press,” pontificating on everything from death panels to Barack Obama’s popularity.

The appearances have given Mr. Ford’s name a familiar ring but have revealed little about his politics, which will become the subject of intense scrutiny over the next few weeks as he decides whether to run against Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand this fall. He has given himself 45 days to sound out potential donors and party leaders about a campaign.

“The question is: Can a guy who is not a movie star but a TV personality from Tennessee, not from New York, who happens to be African-American win a race against a well-funded incumbent with support from a large part of the political establishment?” said Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime New York political consultant.

Several influential Democratic donors, like the financier Steven Rattner and the co-president of HBO, Richard Plepler, have encouraged him to run, and New York City’s billionaire mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, has signaled he is open to supporting Mr. Ford.

Mr. Bloomberg, who carefully parses out his praise, on Wednesday called Mr. Ford “a very smart guy” who had been “very helpful” to the city.

Those who have examined Mr. Ford’s record in office describe him as a conservative Democrat with positions that might raise a few eyebrows in the Democratic Party’s liberal wing. He is a member of the National Rifle Association who voted to protect gun makers against litigation; he has voted against gay marriage, but is for civil unions; and he supported a ban on partial-birth abortions. (He describes himself as in favor of abortion rights.)

“He is more conservative than most people imagine him to be,” said Basil Smikle, a top aide to Mrs. Clinton when she was a senator in New York.

Mr. Ford’s supporters, many of whom have criticized Ms. Gillibrand as undistinguished, said that they were drawn to his charisma and conviction, not a handful of votes on hot-button issues. “It’s much more personal,” said an executive who has promised to back Mr. Ford if he runs.

His initial challenge may be selling voters on his very New Yorkness. He moved to the city three years ago, after losing the Senate race in Tennessee.

“It’s not clear to me that he knows the difference between Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brookhaven and Buffalo,” said Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn. “He’s got a lot to learn about New York State in a very short period of time.”

Yet Mr. Ford’s claims to the state are, by historical standards, better than average. Mrs. Clinton won her Senate seat after having lived in Westchester County for about a year.

Mr. Ford is in the process of getting his driver’s license in New York. But there is at least one hole in his New York civic life: He did not register to vote in the state until a few weeks ago, skipping the Democrats’ historic — and successful — bid to retake the State Senate, as well as a mayoral race in which the party sought to retake City Hall after 15 years of Republican control. He kept his registration in Tennessee in case he decided to seek office there again.

As he tries to sell skeptical donors and voters on the viability of his candidacy, Mr. Ford, who declined to comment for this article, is likely to be helped by his TV appearances.

It was telling that Mr. Ford, who has repeatedly declined to discuss his Senate ambitions publicly, broke his silence on TV on Wednesday morning, under questioning from his on-air colleagues, who warmly teased him, calling him “senator.”

“I’m absorbing a lot of thoughts, listening to a lot of people,” he said of his discussions with supporters. “I have a little time to think about it.”

2010-01-08T14:03:00.003-05:00

CURBE.COM posted that the "FHA-approved condo buildings at 111 Monroe Street, which claims to be the Federal Housing Authoritie's firt experiment, has sold 50% of its 1 & 2 bedroom units. The 14 remaining one- and two-bedroom units start at $375,000.

2009-12-22T13:29:00.009-05:00

BAINBRIDGE ST/MALCOLM X BLVD BLOCK ASSOCIATION HOST HOLIDAY PARTY!
Block Devastated by Tragedy Join Forces in Unity to Serve as Instrument of Change
By Keith L. Forest

Although the weather outside was frightful, the love and unity inside New Destiny Housing was warm and neighborly as members of Bainbridge Street/Malcolm X Blvd Block Association faced one of the city’s worst storms to attend its inaugural Christmas party. Inside the sprawling basement recreational hall, block member Chiquina Richardson, a talented and creatively gifted event planner, decked the halls with holiday splendor magically capturing a “Winter White Christmas” theme complete with snow caps, a frosty, glittering tree and candle lit motifs.

The affair was truly a collaborative effort and everyone enthusiastically pitched in. Whether it was shopping for food, assisting with decorations or cleaning up, all hands joyfully came together for a day of reflection and celebration. During the get together all attending children kept busy playing numerous board games, while adults mixed and mingle. Young resident Erica Smith - a shining member of the prestigious Noel Pointer School of Music - led the crowd in a solo violin performance of “Jingle Bells” while her father, Block President Eric Smith honored all with a holiday toast. In addition to the delicious food and festive treats, all attending children received a complimentary gift from City Councilwoman Darlene Mealy.

Earlier this year Bainbridge Street/Malcolm X Boulevard Block Association made headlines when three (3) of its youth were gunned down in broad daylight in what was classified as a gang-related shooting. In honor of such tragic lost neighbors joined forces demanding stronger police presence and a complete investigation.

Bainbridge St/Malcolm X Blvd Block Association, which just elected all new officers, was recently rewarded a Love Your Block grant. In addition to cash funding, the grant includes expedited support from various city agencies for block improvement which includes cleaning up vacant lots, replacing worn out litter baskets, removing graffiti and replacing worn out street signs. The block association plans to use the funding to continue its beautification efforts in making Bainbridge Street a safe and respectful place to call home.

2009-10-29T18:01:00.002-04:00

BEDFORD CENTRAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT KICKS OFF
4TH ANNUAL HOME BUYERS SEMINAR SERIES
By Keith L. Forest

Bedford Central Community Development kicked off its 4th Annual Home Buyers Seminar Series. The comprehensive 16 week program which provides the tools needed to turn qualified potential home shoppers into financially astute home owners took place at Bedford Central Presbyterian Church. During the opening ceremony Nannearl Blackshear, Communications Associate, Brooklyn Borough President Office, joined Bedford Central Community Development Executive Director Wayne Devonish in presenting Home Buyer Seminar Series graduate Maxine Bernard with a financial grant and citation for successfully completing the program and purchasing a home. Program alumnae Josetta Penston, who owns a home in Brooklyn and Yolanda McFadden, who know calls Newark, NJ, were also in attendance encouraging the new recruits to stick to the program.

The goal of the workshops, which are taught by a team of seasoned professionals, is designed to provide participants with comprehensive training in debt management while placing them on a managed savings program in an effort to help them secure prequalification for a low-interest rate loan. In addition, participants received home maintenance training and are able to network with housing professionals. Each graduate receives a certificate upon completion. “This program helps get them into a home in a structured and safe manner that ensures success,” states Mr. Devonish.

Bedford Central Community Development Corporation (BCCDC) is a non-profit agency that aspires to strengthen the lower and middle income populations in the Central Brooklyn areas. This specific population continues to endure tremendous adversities and often lack the resource and opportunities afforded to more affluent New York neighborhoods. Bedford Central Community Development Corporation recognizes the importance of empowering these neighborhoods in the hopes of fueling the local economy and fostering relationships within the community, participants of (BCCDC) programs and funders. (BCCDC) aims to combat the stereotypical phenomenon by assisting individuals with tangible assistance on realizing their dreams and ultimately living to their fullest potential.

Pictured Left to Right: Home Owners, Yolanda McFadden & Josetta Peniston; joined Executive Director, Wayne Devonish (Center) and Brooklyn Borough President Representative, Nannearl Blackshear (Right) in presenting homeowner, Maxine Bernard (second right) with a grant and citation.

2009-10-29T17:55:00.002-04:00

"The De Berry's family of Bed Stuy perform at Lincoln Center,"

BY Elizabeth Lazarowitz - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Finkelstein, KatherineThe five De Berry children, Meghan, 16, Morgan, 9, Priya, 14, Taylor, 10, and Brian, 12 will be taking their show to Lincoln Center. Related NewsArticlesMom, dad out of work but future looks bright with prodigy siblingsThe De Berry kids are heading for Lincoln Center.
A group of four violin-playing Brooklyn sisters and their cello-playing brother have so inspired folks at the prestigious performance hub that they've invited them all to be their guests. (click to read full story)

2009-10-29T17:32:00.002-04:00

"Developer order to pay 10.9 Million to Bed stuy Condo Owners,"
By JOE WALKER - New York Times

A Brooklyn developer who took advantage of a faculty-housing exemption to build oversized condominium buildings, then sold the units on the open market, will be barred from selling apartments in New York State, according to an agreement between the developer and the attorney general’s office.

Along with barring him from selling real estate securities, the settlement requires that the developer, Mendel Brach, pay $10.9 million to the residents of the 72-unit development to repair structural defects. (click for full story)

2009-10-29T17:13:00.003-04:00

"Speech by Bed Stuy's Own - William C. Thompson Jr.," - New York Times

The following speech was delivered by New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., the Democratic candidate for mayor, at Hunter College on Thursday night:

"Tonight I want to talk to you about what I believe is a key issue in this campaign – Republican Mike Bloomberg's self-serving desire to do away with the term limits law that New Yorkers voted for not once, but twice. He ignored New Yorkers' voices and votes in a clear violation of the will of the people.
Elections are an opportunity for voters to differentiate between candidates and their vision for the office that they seek. And this is an issue that I believe clearly defines who my Republican opponent is and who I am. (click link for full speech)

2009-10-21T16:18:00.003-04:00

BED STUY ALIVE! ENDS WITH HISTORIC BROWNSTONER’S HOUSE TOUR
By Keith L. Forest
The Brownstoners of Bedford Stuyvesant, one of Brooklyn’s most active civic organizations, held its 31st annual House Tour and Bazaar Saturday, October 17. Themed “The Legacy Continues: Restore, Revitalize, Rejuvenate.” the Brownstoners once again showcased a collection of the community’s finest brownstone and limestone homes while making a declaration of the vibrant familial ambiance that has traditionally been rooted in Bed-Stuy

Prior to the kick off of the self guided house tour, attendees were able to participate in a Homeownership Workshop where they received professional advice and resourceful information on surviving the turbulent economy; weatherization; how to maintain their current home and buying smart. The annual Bed Stuy Bazaar was also in full swing offering a variety of arts and crafts while showcasing various neighborhood goods and services.

The highlight of the day was the house tour which historically draws thousands of visitors from all over providing the house enthusiasts a sneak peek into some of New York’s most lavishly restored brownstone and limestone homes. Each participant received a Tour Brochure which in addition to granting them access to the touring homes, also served as a reference tool that documents the unique story behind each home on tour. Attendees once again experience, first-hand, the luxury and sophistication embodied within Bedford Stuyvesant’s brownstone and limestone homes, many of which date back as far as the early 18th century. Participants had the opportunity to speak directly with homeowners to learn about restoration, landscaping, general maintenance and many more of the practicalities of owning a brownstone.

The mission of The Brownstoners of Bedford Stuyvesant, Inc, which has been operating for 30 years, is to faithfully serve this Brooklyn community. Dedicated not only to instilling pride in Bed-Stuy residents, this non-profit, volunteer, civic organization has performed a variety of community services which span from literacy programs to their annual Tax Lien Project. In fact, proceeds from the house tour will benefit the McDonald/Glee Memorial Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to college bound graduates of Boys and Girls High School. The Joan Maynard Scholarship is also benefited, which awards college bound graduates of the Historic Boys High School.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2009-10-21T15:29:00.003-04:00

Brooklyn home values slide, sales up
Despite Slight Increase in Sales Bed Stuy Property Value Waivers
By Gary Buiso - Courier-Life Publications

Home values in Brooklyn continued to slide, but sales activity is showing signs of life, surging for the second consecutive quarter, according to a recent report.

The median sales price of all residential properties in the third quarter fell 6.7 percent to $476,000 from $510,000 last year during the same period last year, according to the report, issued by broker Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate and Miller Samuel Inc., a Manhattan-based appraiser. The number of sales declined 19.6 percent to 1,847 from 2,298 sales from the prior year’s quarter — but increased 29.3 percent from 1,428 units in the second quarter of the year.

“The jump in the number of sales from the prior quarter reflects a release of pent-up demand from an unusually low level of sales activity seen in the early part of the year that began with the Lehman bankruptcy tipping point on September 15, 2008,” said Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel. “The Brooklyn ‘spring’ market was pushed forward and occurred over the summer as a result.With the increase in activity, listing inventory fell sharply but remains above typical levels.The increase in median sales price from the prior quarter caused by the increased level of sales is the first increase after seven consecutive quarterly declines,” he stated in the report.

There was a 1.7 percent dip in condo median sales price to $496,860 borough-wide compared to the same quarter last year, according to the report, released October 14. Compared to last year’s second quarter, condo sales tumbled 29.8 percent to 463 units — from 660 units in the same period last year, but 24.5 percent above the 372 units in the second quarter.
The median sales price of 1-3 family properties dropped 10.6 percent to $536,300. Sales declined 9.4 percent to 944 units, compared to last year. Still, this figure is up 31.8 percent from last quarter.

North Brooklyn, which includes Williamsburg and Greenpoint, saw a median sales price of $564,110, down 12.1 percent than the prior year quarter. Northwest Brooklyn, which includes neighborhoods such as Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Park Slope, and Gowanus saw a 14.2 percent decline to $565,000. The number of sales dropped 19.6 percent to 415 units, but surged 69.4 percent above 245 units in the second quarter.
In the southern portion of the borough, sales slipped 4.2 percent to $445,479. Sales fell 14.4 percent to 1,060 units, up 25.3 percent above the 846 units in the prior quarter.

The eastern section of Brooklyn, which includes neighborhoods like Bedford Stuyvesant and East Brooklyn, saw home prices decline 3.5 percent, to $425,962. Sales fell 26.6 percent to 259 units, just 6.6 percent above the 243 units in the prior quarter.

Borough-wide co-op median sales price was up 1.1 percent, to $283,210, compared to last year at this time, while sales fell 26.5 percent, up 29.4 percent from the second quarter.
The median sales price of luxury properties, representing the highest 10 percent of all Brooklyn co-op, condo and 1-3 family home sales, was $1,210,000, down 13.7 percent, according to the report.

2009-10-21T15:14:00.002-04:00

Bed Stuy authors pins book: ‘Packing Sneakers and a Gun,'
Memoir chronic life as stick up kid turned model
By Catlin McNamara - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

BROOKLYN — When Henry Morales was orphaned at 6 years of age, he left home carrying sneakers and a bag of toy guns. Little could he know how accurately this moment foreshadowed his violent youth — that he would be funneled through institutions and have to fight to make his way on the streets of Brooklyn.

In his just published memoir, Journey of a Man: Packing Sneakers and a Gun, Morales narrates the horrors of his childhood and criminal past, and describes how he overcame them to find peace. It is a story of abandonment, abuse, robbery and murder.

2009-10-21T14:45:00.002-04:00

"10 Questions with Tracy Morgan," - TIME Magazine
Up Close & Personal with Bed Stuy's own Tracy Morgan

How much does your 30 Rock character, Tracy Jordan, resemble Tracy Morgan? —Azeem Khan, Karachi
Tracy Jordan is a lovable comedian. So is Tracy Morgan, I guess. Tracy Morgan doesn't exist in Tracy Jordan. Tracy Jordan exists in Tracy Morgan. Everything they write about my character is ripped right out of the headlines. If I sneeze, next week it's in the script. So that's cool, man. I'm a 40-year-old black man. I'm from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. What do the young white writers know about me? I have to give 'em the ammo.

2009-10-21T14:31:00.004-04:00

BED STUY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDES SHELTER & COMFORT TO GROWING POPULATION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN

BY Meredith Kolodner - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Budget cuts forced many schools to ax after-school programs, but almost every child at one Brooklyn school is dancing, cooking, fencing or building robots until 6 p.m.

Parents at Public School 636, where one in five kids is homeless and living at one of 10 area shelters, say the after-school program has transformed their lives.

"This is the best thing that could have happened to us," said Lakisha Samuels, whose third-grade daughter, Jolissann, and first- and fifth-grade sons, Kevin and Ludlow, attend the school.

The year-old after-school program is funded mainly through a federal grant, enabling PS 636 to maintain the extra programming other schools have been forced to trim because of budget cuts.
Hallways once filled with fistfights are now calm, and test scores are rising.

When the Bedford-Stuyvesant school replaced the failing PS 304 last year, only about a third of fourth-graders were reading at grade level. Now, 44% of the fourth-graders at PS 636 are reading at grade level.

Unlike many after-school programs, however, academics is not the central focus.
"I just knew that the kids did not have successful experiences academically," said Principal Danika Lacroix.

"They needed to feel good about being at school," added Lacroix, who took over last year.
Still, the after-school workers try to link enrichment activities to what's going on in the classroom.

In one after-school cooking class, the instructor reinforced a reading sequencing lesson by having the kids photograph the steps of making guacamole and arranging the images in correct order.

"When we first started, the kids were extremely aggressive,," said Tameeka Ford-Norville, director of the after-school program at University Settlement, a social service organization that runs PS 636's after-school program.

"Enrichment allows for team-building and respect, and that helps them work in the classroom together."

The school holds biweekly town hall meetings and monthly social gatherings attended by about 60 families. Parents and teachers play volleyball at those gatherings, or watch their children play basketball or perform in the cheerleading squad.

The shift toward a "community school" has changed parents' relationships to the school.
"We have families who come in who need shelter," said Lacroix. "We have mothers who come in and say, 'My husband's beating on me.'

"We make sure they get help."

The after-school program costs $1,700 a year per student, most of which is covered by a federal grant from the After-School Corp. PS 636 also chips in about 10% of the program's costs.

Marilyn Medina had searched for a school for her mildly autistic fourth-grade daughter, Naydene, for two years before she came to PS 636.

"Since she's been here her self-esteem has grown," said Medina. "She's reading at a third-grade level. She's dying to be a cheerleader. I'm at peace."

2009-10-07T23:27:00.003-04:00

FIFTH ANNUAL BED-STUY ALIVE! WEEK RETURNS
Culturally Enriched Invitation to “Embrace Our Treasures”
By Keith L. Forest

Brooklyn NY (September 9, 2009) – The Bed-Stuy Alive! Collective is proud to present the 5th Annual Bed-Stuy Alive! Week, celebration scheduled to takes place Saturday, October 10 - Saturday, October 17th. The Collective includes: Bridge Street Development Corporation, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the Brownstoners of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Inc., Community Board 3, Bedford-Stuyvesant Artists’ Association, Project 17 Realty and Associates, and the Central Brooklyn Community Services Corporation. “We are pleased to be a part of this event, which will showcase our great businesses, restaurants, artists, and homes,” stated Rhonda Lewis, Executive Director of Bridge Street. Themed, “Embrace Our Treasures,” which reflects the history and growth of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bed-Stuy Alive! Week is designed to promote economic development, neighborhood pride, tourism, our fine arts community, and the rich heritage of the people who live here.

Bed-Stuy Alive! Week begins Saturday, October 10, with an annual Gala Kick-off and street festival. This outdoor event, complete with an open vendors market, health fair, kid’s corner and awards program, takes place from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM on Fulton Street between New York and Brooklyn Avenues. It will include a food court, health and wellness screenings; outdoor kid’s activities and games; and the First Bed-Stuy Healthy Heart Community Dance line. Hosted by Community Board 3 and the Brownstoners, this family friendly activity will add excitement and joy, as block associations, senior centers, and groups from all over collectively compete to create the longest Cha Cha Slide line in the City. There will also be various cultural performances from local schools and community organizations and a special live concert featuring some of Brooklyn’s hippest, hottest and funkiest bands. Sponsored by Restoration Rock, patrons can “Rock” to the pulsating sounds from a variety of established and emerging talent.

In addition, Bed-Stuy Alive! Week will also include the first annual Tohma Y. Faulkner Community Award. Named after Bed-Stuy Alive! Week founder this award presentation pays homage to Ms. Faulkner’s unswerving commitment, dedication and service to the people and places of her beloved Bedford- Stuyvesant neighborhood and is presented to individuals that truly embrace Ms. Faulkner’s profound commitment to “serve and not be served.” This year’s honorees include: Hardy “Joe” Long, President of the Fulton-Nostrand United Merchants’ Association; Peggy Alston, Program Director of Restoration’s Youth Arts Academy; Deon Davis Harris, owner of Everything Scratch Café; Catherine Arline, President of the 81st Precinct Council; Frederick Pena, member of the 79th Precinct Explorers; Leroy Darby, owner of Leroy’s Framing Shop, and Bernice Green and David Greaves, publishers of Our Time Press.

A healthy community is a happy community and Bed-Stuy Alive! Week encourages runners, joggers, and walkers of all ages to join them for Restoration Plaza’s annual 10K Run & Fun Walk. This healthy excursion, which takes place Sunday October 11, is for people of all fitness levels, travels along a scenic picturesque route through historic Brooklyn. Participants are encouraged to register on-line www.restorationplaza.org. For additional information, please call Restoration Plaza at: (718) 636-6972.

There is no need to travel outside the neighborhood for fine dining and unique shopping, when Bed-Stuy has everything you need within walking distance. In celebration of the 5th Annual Bed-Stuy Alive! Week, local merchants in association with Bridge Street Development Corporation; participating shops on Lewis Avenue; Tompkins Avenue and Malcolm X. Merchants’ Associations; are joining forces to offer the ultimate shopping and dining experiences while providing a variety of discounts and special offers. Visitors and neighbors will have a golden opportunity to pick up the latest fashion and gift items from numerous boutique an shops; taste a variety of mouth watering dishes and delectable treats from special eat-in and take-out menus. Patrons are encouraged to look for the Bed-Stuy Alive! Week posters which will be on display at participating venues.

In addition to the abundant shopping and entertainment opportunities, on Saturday, October 17th, the Bedford-Stuyvesant Artists’ Association (BeSAA) will host its 6th Annual Studio Strut. This festive community affair honors Bed-Stuy’s culturally rich artistic talent with an outdoor art exhibition at Junior High School 35, located at (number) MacDonough Street, on the corner of Lewis Avenue.

Bed-Stuy Alive! Week culminates with the Brownstoner’s 31st Annual House Tour of Bedford-Stuyvesant, which takes place, Saturday, October 17th. The theme for this year’s event is “The legacy Continues: Restore, Revitalize, Rejuvinate. ” The self guided tour will begin at 10:00 AM with a free homebuyers’ seminar at at Old Boys High School, (number) Marcy Avenue at Putnam Putnam Avenue. Tickets for the house tour are $15.00 (until October 15th), and $20.00 on the day of the tour. Proceeds benefit scholarships for graduates of Boys and Girls High School and the programs in the “Old Boys High School” building.

Bed-Stuy Alive! is funded by New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, New York State Assemblymember Annette Robinson, and New York City Councilmember Albert Vann. Sponsors include: Our Time Press, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Central Brooklyn Lions Club.

2009-10-07T23:18:00.007-04:00

Bedford Central Community Development Corporation
Presents Its 4th Annual Home Buyers Seminar Series
Program provide participants with tools to secure & sustain homeownership
By Keith L. Forest

Purchasing a home in today’s current economy seems like a long shot. With banks strict lending policies and foreclosures abound, the American Dream seems more like a nightmare. However, according to Wayne Devonish, Executive Director of Bedford Central Community Development Corporation now is the perfect time.

“There is no better time to become a homeowner than today,” affirms Mr. Devonish. “Mortgage rates are at an all time low, purchasers have more negotiating power and there are grants and funding available for qualified first time home buyers.”

On October 20, Bedford Central Community Development Corporation will host its 4th annual Home Buyer Seminar. The courses will take place at Bedford Central Presbyterian Church, 1200 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY. The workshops, which are co sponsored by Assemblywoman, Annette Robinson and Assemblyman, Karim Camara, includes a comprehensive 16 week program designed to turn qualified potential home shoppers into financially secure homeowners. “Homeownership is an excellent community stabilizer that provides an excellent incentive for homeowners to take an active role in their community,” says Mr. Devonish, who is a Bedford-Stuyvesant homeowner.

As part of its Literary Institute, which takes a holistic approach to educate Central Brooklyn residents in money management, Bedford Central Community Development Corporation instituted its Home Buyers Program. The 16 week workshops, which are sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, Carver Federal Savings Bank, Nau Corp Properties, HSBC, Wells Fargo, Home Market Realty, Flateau Realty, and Delta Sigma Theta Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter, are divided into four- four week courses covering such topics as: Getting Ready for Home Ownership – which goes over the financial qualifications and the role of realtors, attorneys and home inspectors; Repairing Your Credit – covers budgeting, saving and paying down debt; Budgeting for Your Home Purchase & Getting Pre-Qualified or Approved – addresses contracts, applications, predatory lending and insurance; and Minor Repair & Maintenance of your Home or Apartment - which covers basic repairs and upkeep.

The goal of the workshops, which are taught by a team of seasoned professionals, is designed to provide participants with comprehensive training in debt management while placing them on a managed savings program in an effort to help them secure prequalification for a low-interest rate loan. In addition, participants received home maintenance training and are able to network with housing professionals. Each graduate receives a certificate upon completion. “This program helps get them into a home in a structured and safe manner that ensures success,” states Mr. Devonish.

Bedford Central Community Development Corporation (BCCDC) is a non-profit agency that aspires to strengthen the lower and middle income populations in the Central Brooklyn areas. This specific population continues to endure tremendous adversities and often lack the resource and opportunities afforded to more affluent New York neighborhoods. Bedford Central Community Development Corporation recognizes the importance of empowering these neighborhoods in the hopes of fueling the local economy and fostering relationships within the community, participants of (BCCDC) programs and funders. (BCCDC) aims to combat the stereotypical phenomenon by assisting individuals with tangible assistance on realizing their dreams and ultimately living to their fullest potential.

Photo Caption – Left to Right – Josh Lockwood, Executive Director, New York City Habitat for Humanities(left) and Rodheyse Bichotte, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Alumnae Chapter (right) congratulate a 2008 Home Buyer Graduate.

2009-10-02T15:28:00.003-04:00

"Brooklyn’s Stimulus Money: How It’s Being Spent,"
By Dennis Holt - The Brooklyn Eagle

BROOKLYN -- For the first time, the public is beginning to get a sense of how Brooklyn is benefiting from the federal stimulus funding on public works projects.

As of now Brooklyn has been allocated more than $308 million in federal funds in two areas -- transportation and public housing. The housing allocation comes to 4.65 percent of the total national government grant. Brooklyn has more public housing than any other borough.

2009-10-02T13:48:00.002-04:00

"Amid a Citywide Slump, a Local Exception,"
By CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY - The New York Times

Through the building frenzy that transformed some of the city’s long-neglected patches into lustrous new neighborhoods, few frontiers struggled to reap the benefits of gentrification more than working-class Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

homes rose, but never as much as in Fort Greene. Its long-neglected brownstones attracted renovators from Manhattan, but often only after they were priced out of Park Slope. While cafes and boutiques opened, the pace never matched that of Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.

2009-10-02T13:29:00.004-04:00

"A tribute to tragedies brought to life in play 'Yesterday I died' performed by teens in Bed-Stuy,"

By Jake Pearson - New York Daily News

A group of Brooklyn actors has taken a series of murders of young people in the borough for the play "Yesterday I Died." The play will run this weekend in a Bedford-Stuyvesant church.

The monologues and vignettes feature murder cases that captured much media attention - like Chanel Petro-Nixon, 16, strangled to death and stuffed in a garbage bag in Crown Heights over Father's Day weekend in 2006, and Robert Grant, 19, shot to death on Christmas Eve in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens in 2007. (more)

2009-09-23T15:54:00.004-04:00

MEALY MISSING WHEN SHE'S NEEDED MOST

By Keith L. Forest

So I wrote this long glowing article in support of Council Woman Darlene Mealy winning the 41st Council seat the other day and was about to post it to my blog (mybedstuy.blogspot.com) when reality smacked me in the face.

My outrage originated from the fact that voters in our community would rather waist their vote re-electing Tracy Boyland, who in the 8 years she held office, did very little for us and continues to run on her family legacy.

My argument was that Ms. Mealy deserved another chance.

In the past month alone our community has been under siege by gang violence which has claimed the lives of 4 young men, killed in 2 separate gang related shootings. Both tragedies took place in broad daylight with the last young man 18 year old Jahlil Lee, life cut short only 4 days after the 81st Precinct removed the watch tower.

In the midst of these grave tragedies one significant voice has been missing – Council Woman Darlene Mealy. For the last few weeks concerned citizens, civic and community leaders have been working feverishly arranging a meeting with residents, shop owners and elected official with Deputy Inspector, Steven M. Mauriello of the 81st Precinct. All area elected officials were sent updates and agendas requesting their presence including Ms. Mealy whose office forward a response stating that she is on vacation and will be sending a representative in her absence.

During the primaries, candidates seeking the 41st Council seat common complaint was that Darlene Mealy lacked visibility in the community. Her flip flop on term limit; constant hiring and firing of chiefs of staff; and awarding her sister $25,000 were also key points. Needless to say these recent tragic killings were a golden opportunity for Mealy to seize the moment and show true leadership. Yet, she opts to send a representative and take vacation.

After a long election, I am sure Ms. Mealy deserve a much needed rest. However, she owes the families forced to cancel their plans, tap into their savings and life insurance plans to bury a child to put her personal life on hold and do the job she was elected and that our tax dollars pay her to do. She owes it to the traumatized children in our area to negotiate strong, skilled police presence in our community and provide them and their parents with a safe environment to call home.

Ms. Mealy we’re watching.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2009-09-23T15:37:00.003-04:00

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD HOST FIRST ANNUAL
“Men’s Health Awareness Fair”

By Keith L. Forest

Who said men are not concerned about their health? Whoever it was needed to have attended the International Christian Brotherhood first annual “Men’s Health Awareness Fair” where over 300 men eagerly participated in a variety of free health screenings and tests, while enjoying numerous demonstrations and activities.

The event was sponsored by International Christian Brotherhood and Christian Cultural Center’s health ministry. Held in Brooklyn on Christian Cultural Center’s campus, the event offered free hypertension, diabetes and PSA testing and screenings and provided nutritional counseling and fitness exhibitions. Partakers were also able to pick up the latest health information from various participating health agencies and attending Veterans were able to sign up for additional health services. There were also live Jujitsu, martial arts and personnel weight training demonstrations as well as, yoga and aerobic warm up exercises.

It is a known fact that men are less likely to seek medical help then women. This can lead to delayed diagnosis which hinders the treatment of sickness. Current statistics show that heart disease, cancer and diabetes top the list of leading causes of death among men. Of the 292,000 African American men who die each year, ½ succumb to heart disease and cancer.

Founded by A.R. Bernard, pastor, founder & CEO of the Christian Cultural Center, the International Christian Brotherhood (ICB) is a fraternal organization that seeks to train men in Christ-likeness as the standard for manhood. With its motto, “We Train Men,” ICB is dedicated to establishing a global network of Christian men, who, regardless of race, denomination or nationality, commit their knowledge, influence and affluence to affecting positive change in their society. ICB mission is to establish local chapters in cities and churches around the world.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner and member of International Christian Brotherhood (ICB) who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2009-09-23T15:33:00.002-04:00

"Vacant Lot in Bed-Stuy Revitalized with Affordable Housing," - Real Estate Rama

Albany, NY - September 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen recently joined elected officials and community leaders at 1825 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood to celebrate the opening of Atlantic Avenue Apartments. The once blighted block is being revitalized thanks to the seven story building with 149 units of ENERGY STAR-rated affordable housing.

DHCR provided $3 million for the development, which will have gross rents ranging from $196 to $1,430 a month. The 30 three-bedroom, 74 two-bedroom, 34 one-bedroom, and 12 studio apartments reserved for mentally disabled tenants, will help alleviate the housing needs of this neighborhood.

2009-09-23T15:19:00.001-04:00

"Bette Midler Opens Redesigned Community Garden in Bed-Stuy," By Brooklyn Eagle

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing and revitalizing parks, community gardens and public spaces in New York City, opened Brooklyn’s redesigned Bedford-Stuyvesant Community Garden to the public Thursday.

Ms. Midler, in addition to her theatrical and musical activities, gained fame among environmentalists when, in the 1990s, her organization and the Trust for Public Land bought more than 100 community gardens that were due to be auctioned off by the Giuliani administration. Of these gardens, 55 went to the Restoration Project — the Bedford-Stuyvesant garden among them.

2009-09-23T14:42:00.002-04:00

No Running Water For Weeks
By Kathy Carvajal

BROOKLYN - Since early July, residents of 274 Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn have been without running water.

A pipe broke in the building and the city shut off the water so the street wouldn't flood.

2009-09-23T14:38:00.003-04:00

"Bed-Stuy biz district to get an upgradeBy Amanda Fung," - Crain's New York Business

The commercial heart of Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant is getting a major makeover—plus two affordable-housing developments.

Next month, the neighborhood's brand-new business improvement district, called Bed-Stuy Gateway, will officially begin operations with a $675,000 annual budget. Its top priority is to ensure that the stretch of Fulton Street running from Bedford Avenue to Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Nostrand Avenue from Halsey Street to Atlantic Avenue are redone with new sidewalks, benches, trees and bike racks, according to Edmon Braiehwaite, the chairman of Bed-Stuy Gateway. The city awarded roughly $9 million to spruce up the area.

2009-09-23T14:27:00.002-04:00

"Bed-Stuy Shooting Victim's Mother Wants Justice," - gathamist.com

After the early evening drive-by shooting that killed two and injured another on Thursday night, a victim's mother spoke out. Antoine Stokes, 20, and 15-year-old Steven Hill were fatally shot by gunmen in a SUV as they sat on their Bedford-Stuyvesant stoop, while Derrick Henry, 14 or 16, was wounded. Stokes' mother Ernestine said her son was in the wrong place at the wrong time, adding he even worried about the violence in the neighborhood, "I just want you to
catch his killer and get these crimes off the street because it's too bad that you have to lose your child over stupidness that he didn't do." Yesterday, the Daily News said that locals were weary of the drug-related violence, with a school principal saying, "There's a street turf war around here. We've been putting up with this for too long."

Bed-Stuy Banana: Comments Policy

2009-09-15T16:32:00.000-04:00

Bed-Stuy Banana: Comments Policy

2009-09-14T00:39:00.005-04:00

Drive by shooting Claims 2 Lives
Devistated Community in an Uproar
By Keith L. Forest

There’s something about summer in the city. The heat seems to bring out the worst in people. With unemployment at an all time high and folks feeling the strain of a stressed economy, tempers are bound to flair. God knows Bainbridge Street has seen its share of confrontations. That is why many of its neighbors greeted the arrival of fall with a sigh of relief. I’m sure they were grateful for the warm weather and time away from work the summer months brought. However, most are thankful that this summer passed by without incident and looking forward to the fall in hopes that the cooler weather would force the kids hanging on the stoop at 217 Bainbridge Street to seek new territory.

There’s nothing wrong with them hanging out on the stoop. After all, the majority of the kids lived in the building. Besides, the entry way provided a safe and watchful place for them to commune. However, as the crowd grew over the summer and unfamiliar faces joined the fray, danger was sure to follow.

There were a few concerned residents who tried unsuccessfully to address the matter. Those that did were greeted by threats while others allowed fear to prevent them from saying anything. Yet, each day the crowd seemed to grow larger and more rambunctious.

Merchants complained of mild harassment and of objects being thrown from the roof of the building while tenants silently suffered the noise, loud music, mischievous pranks, and unlawful transactions taking place in the halls.

As summer ended last weekend ushering in fall, the police presence seemed to have slowed down. After all they had raided the building several times and made a few arrests. What more could they do?

So when a cruiser drove by around 5 on Thursday, there was nothing strange to report. Nothing seemed suspicious. Just inner city kids, with no where to go and nothing to do, hangout on the stoop.

Yet, the bomb that the 81st precinct, resident and the community tried to designate all summer was about to explode. A few weeks ago, a shoot out took place in Brevoort Houses. It was reported to be gang related. The New York Daily News reported that an SUV carrying members from a rival gang drove down Bainbridge Street just before 6:00 PM and opened fire.

After hearing the gun shots, Ms. Stokes a single mother and tenant of the building rushed downstairs. Her worst fears were answered when she found her 20 year old son Antoine Stokes, in the lobby covered by a pool of blood. Another mother’s child lied motionless in the street. Not too far away a 16 year old fought for his life. Chaos followed. Screams filled the street as people frantically searched for their loved ones.

I'm still somewhat traumatized,” stated Eric Smith an outspoken tenant at 217 Bainbridge Street. “The sight of the young men sprawled out on the stoop and in the lobby, mortally wounded and critically injured seemed almost surreal... I've always advocated that the issue of activity on the stoops of apartment buildings was one that should concern us all because it’s counterproductive to the security and serenity of our block.”

The stoop at Bainbridge Street, the summer hangout spot, is now a crime scene. The front door is riddled with bullets holes from an unsolved murder mystery. A picture of the victim Antoine Stokes looms over a row of burning candles that illuminate a makeshift memorial. The cardboard-structured- monument contains hand written condolences for the deceased.

Anthony Herbert, a local politician seeking the 41st Council Seat, held a gathering on the stoop on Sunday. A kind gesture fueled by his own political agenda. Nevertheless neighbors used the meeting as an opportunity to comfort and celebrate one another. With a police tower keeping surveillance a block away, parents felt safe to let their children stay up late and share a laugh in the midst of sorrow. The score was settled. Two young lives were cut short. Life goes on for now.

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bedford-Stuyvesant home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blog space mybedstuy.blogspot.com seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.

2009-09-14T00:31:00.007-04:00

"No water for two months! Bed-Stuy tenants fill up jugs at hydrant as city waits for pipe fix,"

By Erin Durkin - New York Daily News

Residents at a Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment building are piping mad after nearly two months without any running water.

City officials shut off the water at the 274 Malcolm X Blvd. building after a pipe sprung a leak in July - and say it won't be turned back on until the owner makes repairs.
But tenants say the eight-unit building has been effectively abandoned since their landlord, Carl Plata, died last year.

"I'm pulling my hair out," said Connie Peters, 57. "We need water."

Residents have resorted to filling jugs of water from a fire hydrant that was broken open across the street.

"I have pride. I usually try to go out while it's still dark so nobody will see me," said Peters, who also stockpiles bottled water, and showers at friends' apartments.

"Everybody does what they have to do and that's the bottom line. You gotta take a bath, you gotta cook, you gotta drink."

Estella Taylor, 46, said she's been lugging jugs of water from the fire hydrant or the water fountain at a nearby park, and giving her four kids baths with buckets of water heated on the stove.

"I go by the park and I collect water and come back," Taylor said. "I have no choice."
"I have four children living with me," she said. "It's not acceptable to live under these conditions."

City Council candidate Mark Winston Griffith, the former director of the Drum Institute for Public Policy, plans to lead a protest at the building Monday.

"There is literally no excuse for what is happening there," he said. "The tenants are completely in the dark."

Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla said the water had to be shut off to prevent a broken pipe from causing leaks in the street and in a neighboring building.

"It creates dangerous conditions," she said. "The owner of the property has to make the necessary repairs."

DEP records still list Plata as the building owner. Padilla said someone at the building was served with a notice ordering the repairs before the water was shut off, but she couldn't say who.
"Everybody's passing the buck," Peters said.

Department of Housing Preservation and Development spokesman Eric Bederman said the agency would step in and repair the pipe. A contractor was hired yesterday and work will start as soon as they get a permit, he said.

"We are going to do what we can to help expedite that process," Bederman said.
The water outage is the latest in a series of problems that have plagued the building. Tenants said the electricity was shut off for a month last winter after illegal wiring was discovered.

2009-09-10T15:59:00.004-04:00

"A sorry excuse for a leader: Councilman Al Vann is neglecting his Brooklyn neighborhood,"

By Errol Louis - New York Daily News

As Primary Day approaches, it's time to declare openly what many political, religious and civic leaders are saying quietly: City Councilman Al Vann, who has spent a total of 34 years in the state Assembly and the City Council, has long since lost his fire, energy and effectiveness.

And his central Brooklyn district, which covers Bedford-Stuyvesant and part of Crown Heights, has paid a terrible price for returning an apathetic, semiretired pol to City Hall over and over.

The problem was on display this week at a candidate forum I co-moderated. Vann skipped the event, as he has half-a-dozen debates, including two televised ones.

A standing-room-only crowd of 100 or so anxious residents listened to six candidates challenging Vann in next week's primary talk about the district's pressing problems.

There was a lot to talk about.

Near the top of the agenda is the violent crime, including gangs and street crime, that continues to take a dreary toll on families and communities, in ways that are rarely reported on in mainstream media outlets.

One of the latest casualties, a 19-year-old named Royal McFadden, a reported member of the Bloods, was gunned down in the Marcy Houses in late August.

It happened a few blocks from the Tompkins Houses, a place I wrote about in 2007, when the Bloods had completely overrun the development, painting signs that read "DEATH ROW" in foot-long letters to mark a central walkway used for ambushes.

This is the same community where a 16-year-old honor student named Chanel Petro-Nixon left her home in 2006 and was found strangled days later. The slaying remains unsolved.
People are fed up and scared out of their wits by the gang violence. They have every reason to be.

Vann, who draws a salary of more than $112,000 a year, should have the decency to show up in public and explain what he plans to do about the crisis of violence.

But his refusal to speak out on crucial neighborhood issues - or even to show up - is nothing new.

According to the Council Web site, the committee met only seven times in the past year and introduced no legislation of any kind.

Vann, in fact, rarely shows up for work. He has the Council's second-worst attendance record (after the Bronx's Maria Baez), missing 30% of meetings between 2001 and 2006.
The good news in all this is that voters can choose among half-a-dozen replacements for Vann next Tuesday.

An ex-cop named David Grinage is running, as is Adrian Straker, an aide to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Another candidate, Robert Cornegy, an ex-pro basketball player, puts the issue bluntly on his blog: "What more can Al Vann do in four more years that he hasn't done or tried? Isn't it time for a new perspective?"

The leading challenger, community organizer Mark Griffith, is the former executive director of the Drum Major Institute think tank.

Griffith actually raised more campaign money than anybody else in the race, including the longtime incumbent - $58,000 to Vann's $44,000 - and has run an intensive door-to-door campaign with help from ACORN, the Working Families Party and other left-leaning political groups.

He, like the other challengers, must convince voters that doing the familiar, lazy thing - returning an absentee pol to City Hall - will spell disaster for a part of the city in desperate need of new, active leadership.

2009-09-10T15:02:00.002-04:00

"Girl saved during Brooklyn police chase by cop's cool trigger finger,"

By Wil Cruz - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

A quick-thinking Brooklyn cop who had a fleeing armed robber in his cross hairs didn't pull the trigger - because a 6-year-old girl jumped into his line of fire.

Ashanti Williams ran out of her Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment just as police were chasing ex-con Robert Davis for allegedly robbing a teenager. Gun drawn and ordering Davis to stop, the 32-year-old police officer saw Ashanti and held up.

"It looked like he was about to shoot," said mom Monddy Pollas, 29. "He had a clear shot but I feel like he didn't shoot because my daughter was there."

Instead, he told his partner - who cut Davis off at Marion St. and Howard Ave. - to open fire, said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.

"He's telling him, 'Shoot him, Shoot him!'" Browne said.

The 31-year-old cop fired two shots, hitting Davis once in the stomach. Davis underwent surgery early Friday and was in serious but stable condition at Kings County Hospital. Police recovered a 10-mm. Glock at the scene. Davis, who has prior arrests for marijuana, was charged with robbery, possession of a weapon and menacing.

Davis' namesake grandfather happened to be walking by when the gunfire erupted at 6:45 p.m. - but didn't realize his grandson had been shot.

"I saw the youngster on the floor, not knowing it was my grandson," said Davis, a 66-year-old retired plant manger. "I just walked away."

"If he's wrong, arrest him," said his grandmother, who didn't want her name used. "But don't shoot him."

The cop who pulled the trigger passed a Breathalyzer test, police said. The NYPD's internal affairs unit is investigating the shooting. Ashanti, meanwhile, was grateful for the veteran cop's grace under fire.

"Thank you for not shooting when I was there," she said.

2009-09-10T14:37:00.002-04:00

"Is Mo'Nique's Performance Oscar-Worthy in 'Precious'?," - VIBE.COM

Comedian, actress, Mo'Nique performance in Lee Daniel's critically acclaimed movie Precious is getting Oscar Buzz. The film also stars Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, a young Bed Stuy actress who credits Mo"Nique as one of her role models. Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz round out the cast.

2009-09-01T10:51:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to share with my MYBEDSTUY family that I will be a call-in guest on The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC-FM Radio this morning discussing BED STUY POLICING. The interview stems from a letter I wrote to the editor of CITY LIMITS

2009-08-31T01:53:00.002-04:00

"YOUNG LOCAL (Haitian) DESIGNER Debuts at FASHION’S NIGHT OUT EVENT,"

NEW YORK, NY (August 18, 2009) -- Fashion’s Night Out promises to be the most celebrated night of the year for the global fashion retail business. In 13 fashion capitals across the globe, fashion designers and fashion followers will imbibe in a shopping feast unlike no other. The co-creation by US and international VOGUE, this night will put local designers looking for an opportunity to make a name in the fashion world the chance of a lifetime. Two Brooklyn locations are coming together to offer support and ensure that shoppers have an experience they will remember!

Carla’s Creative Workshop will be the central Bedford Avenue location where local designers can retail their fashion, accessories and craft items! Designer Carla Selby will lead the lineup of local talent offering up “impromptu” attendee giveaways, fashion shoots and the latest fashion accessories and clothing designs for sale.

Another retail establishment focused on addressing the multi cultural needs of her Brooklyn neighborhood is Calabar Imports. The proprietresses of Calabar Imports will focus on Brooklyn’s unique global African aesthetic. They will have local stylists on hand to help shoppers select items and share styling tips to meet their own global aesthetic fashion and home styling needs!
One local designer has already confirmed her place with Carla’s and Calabar Imports. Natacha Jospitre never planned on being a part of an official New York Fashion Week event this early in her career.

Bonnie Sandy, Fashion Editor of Calabar Magazine, project designer of Demarketplace; a virtual incubator and collective and one of the coordinating designers of Brooklyn Fashion Week has come together with these leading entrepreneurs in Brooklyn’s fashion hub to ensure that Brooklyn’s independent designers and other local creative talent have not just a presence but a space to offer their products. In the last two years close to 20 local retail businesses have closed their doors. That loss vibrates throughout the community!

The event starts at 6pm and runs till 11pm. Designers, models, artists, crafters and stylists who wish to show, sell and celebrate the sector, have until August 31st to get on the roster for this official Fashion’s Night Out Event. Selection is on a first-come basis and space is limited.
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP online for updates and design previews or simply walk or take the MTA’s B45 bus between the two events.

2009-08-31T01:47:00.002-04:00

"B'KLYN'S SUPER PROBLEM SOLVER,"

By LIZ SADLER and YOAV GONEN - New York Post

Brooklyn's much-maligned PS 35 yesterday got a double dose of good news -- it is no longer on the state's list of dangerous schools or its list of academically struggling ones.

The Bedford-Stuyvesant facility, a k a Stephen Decatur Middle School, has come a long way since Principal Jacklyn Charles-Marcus took over in 2004.

Its percentage of eighth-graders passing state math tests has just about doubled, from 32 to nearly 62 percent.

2009-08-31T01:31:00.004-04:00

"Renowned archetic opens cutting edge gallery in Bed Stuy,"

Cover story by Sebastian Howard in Architectural Record, on Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation graduate, V. Mitch McEwin whose current Superfront gallery, located in a 950-square -foot storefront in Bedford stuyvesant, serves as a cultural art exchange between architecture and other art forms. Success and notoriety of current space has led to plans for second location opening in Los Angeles.

2009-08-31T01:11:00.002-04:00

"Young green thumbs sprouting bounty:
Months of work bring harvest of veggies around borough,"
BY Elizabeth Lazarowitz - New York Daily News

It's been a green, green summer for a group of Brooklyn teens.

The eight high school students - interns in the Green Guerrillas' Youth Tiller program - spent the past two months working in about a dozen food-growing gardens around the borough.

"You wouldn't think that you could grow fresh vegetables in the city," said Terrance Downing, 18, a Westinghouse High School graduate who joined the program after volunteering at a garden on his block in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

"But a lot of things can be done if people just get to it," Downing added.

The group weeded and planted, and they even built and installed five compost bins.
At Farmer's Garden on Bergen St., they removed rubble and pulled out sections of filthy carpeting that they found mysteriously buried beneath a layer of dirt, so that they could plant vegetables.

"It makes you feel good that you've given your time and that you're making the world - or even just that one area - a better place," said Downing, who plans to enlist in the Air Force in the fall and has been trying to spread the word about city agriculture in his neighborhood.

The internship program - which is in its second year - isn't all digging. The students also worked weekly at the new farmer's market at the Hattie Carthan Community Garden.

A mural the group helped create, featuring a view of the market, will soon hang in the garden.

2009-08-31T01:06:00.001-04:00

"POLICING IN BED-STUY: RACIAL INEQUITIES PERSIST,"
A neighborhood resident says current rime-fighting strategies that largely rely on police rookies inflame racial tensions.
By Coriel Gaffney - City Limits WEEKLY

I don’t know what New York Police Department officer training covers, but I know what it’s lacking. I know because I live in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a neighborhood plagued by the NYPD’s mistreatment of its residents. At its least harmful, this mistreatment could be called contempt. At its most harmful, police brutality. In my three years as a resident of Bed-Stuy, I have witnessed examples of both.

2009-08-31T00:56:00.002-04:00

"History, With Hipper Retailing in Bed-Stuy,"

By JEFF VANDAM - New York Times

“BED-STUY” — as in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the sprawling brownstone neighborhood and hub of African-American life in Central Brooklyn — once upon a time evoked apprehension.

In Spike Lee’s 1989 film, “Do the Right Thing,” the area was depicted as a simmering pot of racial tension; in the stories, told through rap, of artists like Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G., it seemed there were few tougher places. Even Billy Joel described walking through the neighborhood alone as evidence he may be crazy in his 1980 song “You May Be Right.”

2009-08-31T00:43:00.002-04:00

"Cashing in on Catering," - By Lekiesha Carr, CGR Magazine.com
With diners staying home to save money, catering has become a cheaper option for entertaining.

While much of the food industry continues to see traffic slow, Aaron Owens Sr. says this has been one of the best years for his 6-year-old catering company.

"I keep telling people I thank God we haven't experienced any recession," he says. His business, Hilda's Fine Foods and Baked Goods, located in Brooklyn's historical Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, provides Southern-inspired cuisine and desserts for special occasions like parties and weddings. Though statistics show more people are eating-in, Owens says consumers still seek out help when it's time to feed groups.

2009-08-24T15:35:00.003-04:00

"Luis Catana Jr. finds stability in Bed-Stuy group home before college,"

By Ian Begley - New York Daily News

Luis Catana hopes to find success as pitcher at Sullivan County Community College, and also aims to reunite with family he has been separated from for more than a decade.

Luis Catana Jr. leaves for Sullivan County Community College on Monday. The former Morris HS pitcher will be living about 100 miles from home, playing baseball and studying at the two-year college near the Catskills.

Ask him if he's going to miss his family, and he shrugs.

"Ever since I was small I wanted to go away, I wanted to experience new things because my whole life has been crazy," Catana says. "I just wanted to experience something new."

Catana has been separated from his family for virtually all of his life; his existence has been nomadic, and anything but stable. It wasn't until recently, he says, that he started to feel an inkling of stability. Like any college-bound athlete, he hopes to find success on the field, but his bigger ambition is to find the means to bring his family back together.

He was born in Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx and lived with his mother, Fatima De Los Santos, until he was 3. His father, Luis Catana Sr., left the family when Luis was a baby. De Los Santos had a drinking problem, and he says that the city Administration for Children's Services pronounced her unfit to raise her children.

He became one of his mother's 10 children placed in foster care, first living with an aunt, Elba De Los Santos, in Jersey City, N.J., for three years. From there, he bounced around to two other foster care homes in the Bronx and a group home in Brooklyn.

For the past year, Catana has been living at the group home on Malcolm X Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant. There, he says, he's found a considerable measure of stability. During his senior year at Morris, he woke up each morning at 5, ate breakfast and hit the F train by 6 to get to the Bronx by 7:30.

And he didn't mind the commute.

Authorities tried to place Catana in yet another group home, but he says he begged them to stay in Bed-Stuy. He liked the people who run the place, he says, and liked the kids he was living with.

Most of all, he didn't want to have to move again.

"I felt attached to the kids there," Catana says. "They wanted to move me but I wanted to stay there until I graduated."

Catana graduated last spring after pitching in meaningful baseball games for the first time (as a junior, he pitched mostly in non-league games).

The 5-11, 165-pound righty went 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA for Morris last spring, striking out 15 and allowing 17 hits in 16 innings pitched.

Catana inspired his teammates at Morris, who knew about his unstable home life.

"No matter what was going on with him, he was there for practice and games, even when he was struggling," said Efrain Bautista, who will room with Catana at Sullivan CC.

"This year, he came to the team willing to do what he had to do in order to pitch. He got his opportunity and he surprised us."

Catana credits Bulldogs coach Richard Corbo with helping him deal with things on and off the field during his two years with the team. Corbo says that Catana emerged as a leader, a player respected for his on-field performance as well as his perseverance off of it.

"Everything pointed towards him being on the corner, but he continued to be an example for kids in the school and kids on the team," Corbo says.

Catana says he wouldn't change a thing about his upbringing. He wouldn't change the fact that he had to leave his mother when he was 3. He wouldn't change the separation from his nine siblings, nor being shuttled between three foster homes and one group home. He wouldn't change the fact that the ACS said his mother's ability to raise children had been compromised.

Catana says he used to "curse at God" for his family's troubles, but adds that he's "grateful" now for everything that's happened along the way.

"If I didn't go through it, I never would have been the person I am now," Catana says.
"If I was still with my mom, I would have been lost. I don't think I would have finished high school."

As of May, there were 16,426 children in the city's foster care system; Catana would like that number to decrease by at least five in the near future. That's how many of his siblings remain in foster care. The others have either been adopted or raised by Catana's grandmother, Argentina De Los Santos.

"My main goal, I just want to make it as a professional," says Catana, who plans to study computer information systems or sports management. "I could take my siblings and make them stay with me in my house, and I could help my mom at the same time with what she's going through.

"Now, I know what I have to continue to do going forward," he added. "I want my family to live with me under one roof. I just want the family to be back together again."

2009-08-24T15:29:00.001-04:00

"Unhealthy glut of options: Fast food dominates eating choices in vulnerable Brooklyn neighborhoods,"
By Jake Pearson - The New York Daily News

In Brooklyn, you are where you eat.

Close to 60% of the borough is overweight or obese, according to recent state Health Department data.

Small wonder: Brooklyn is loaded with fast-food restaurants serving up unhealthy dishes.
When the Brooklyn News mapped the greasy joints, downtown and central Brooklyn came up packed with fast-food outlets.

"These areas are often referred to as healthy food deserts," said Dr. Aletha Maybank, director of the Brooklyn District Public Health Office in Bedford-Stuyvesant. "There are very few food supermarkets and there's an abundance of fast-food restaurants."An abundance indeed.
The Brooklyn News counted 116 McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Taco Bell restaurants in the borough — with 41% of the fast-food chains downtown and in central Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Brownsville and Crown Heights.

"It's a health epidemic," said Maybank, adding that in central Brooklyn, the overweight and obesity rate is higher than the borough's average of 63%.

Maybank said the availability of fast food — and the lack of access to supermarkets — affects the decisions people make when buying and eating meals.

"I know I shouldn't be eating McDonald's and my son shouldn't be eating it neither," said Kim Walker, 42, while finishing off a large fries at a Court St. McDonald's with her son Javue, 9.
Walker, a special education teacher from Brownsville, is also a diabetic who weighs "over" 300 pounds, she said. She eats fast food "at least" twice a week.

"I'm trying to get ahold of it but it's hard," she said.

"I know something's got to give. If there was fresh foods available at a quality place where I live, of course I'd buy more."

Maybank's office has found that in Bedford-Stuyvesant, fast-food places make up 13% of all restaurants. In Bushwick, fast food makes up 11%.

The statistics ring true for local residents.

"I live by fast food and my school lives by fast food, so it's easy," said Nu'Nauvia Peacock, 15, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, while dining at a McDonald's on Utica Ave.

"We can't avoid it because everywhere you go it's there," added her friend, Jacqueline Marshall, 17, of Flatbush while munching on a Big Mac.

2009-08-24T15:21:00.002-04:00

"New York's 'Biggest Loser' lovebirds, Nicole Brewer and Damien Gurganious, get married,"

By Nicole Lyn Pesce - New York Daily News

They may not have taken the $250,000 jackpot, but these "Biggest Losers" are winners.

Brooklyn lovebirds Nicole Brewer and Damien Gurganious, recent contestants on "The Biggest Loser: Couples," are tying the knot in Long Island City Sunday after losing a combined 264 pounds!

"I'm finding a good rhythm of balancing life with exercise," says Brewer, 38, who was almost 300 pounds in 2006 when she met Gurganious, 32, then pushing almost 400 pounds himself, in a senior water aerobics class at the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA.

2009-08-24T15:15:00.002-04:00

"A Greening-Up Project In Brooklyn: The Prologue By Alec Appelbaum," - The Faster Times

The Pratt Center, a cohort of planners and activists who demonstrate way to develop New York City more fairly, has started a project to inspect homes in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant, find ways they waste energy, and train ex-convicts to make energy fixes.

This is the sort of project that makes self-styled greenies slobber and self-styled free-marketers snort. So I hope we can spend the fall examining how it works- for the people who use it and as a model.

Now, the project has barely started- so far, its work area consists in a two block zone. But it’s worth tracking. Since I maintain some ties to Pratt, though, I’m seeking questions to put to the project’s managers as it proceeds.

2009-08-24T15:08:00.001-04:00

"Bedford-Stuyvesant housing development residents say they've gone eight months without hot water,"

By Michael Lipkin - New York Daily News

Tenants in a Bedford-Stuyvesant housing development say they’ve been without hot water for eight months — and that countless calls to fix the problem were ignored by city officials.

Residents in one Kingsborough Houses building at 708 Seventh Walk said the lack of hot water has forced them to wake up at 4 every morning to boil water for bathing.

2009-08-24T15:01:00.002-04:00

"Jay-Z To Be On Oprah Winfrey Show?! Tours Oprah Thru Marcy Projects,"

Jay-Z takes Oprah Winfrey, TV show host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, on tour of his stomping grounds in Marcy Projects in Brooklyn! Pictures of the hip hop music mogul Jay-Z and media mogul Oprah Winfrey hit the Internet today (Sunday, August 9, 2009) showing the two walking through the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, New York as Jay-Z real name Shawn Carter, 39, takes her on a tour of his old hood where he grew up.

Also in one of the pictures, music executive Kevin Liles can be seen in the background while reportedly wifey, R&B singer Beyonce Knowles as well as Pop singer Rihanna were somewhere seen as well whilst Jay-Z was with Oprah Winfrey.

2009-08-24T14:47:00.004-04:00

"Old Feuds Resurface in a Brooklyn Rezoning Fight,"

By KAREEM FAHIM - The New York Times

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has made a plan to create housing for half a million low- and moderate-income New Yorkers one of his signature initiatives, driving the rezoning of swaths of New York City to create what city planners call the largest municipal affordable housing plan in the nation.

But in one neighborhood, the rush to build affordable housing, which rarely attracts opposition, has done exactly that — and the rush seems to be part of the problem: A coalition of community groups in Williamsburg say the city and its powerful allies have charged forward with a plan to rezone a 31-acre patch called the Broadway Triangle, ignoring vociferous protests about a planning process they called opaque.

2009-08-24T14:39:00.004-04:00

"Saving The Bed-Stuy Farm: Choose Better Nutrition, Not Demolition,"

By Kerry Trueman - Huffington Post

Give Mother Nature a vacant city lot, and she'll fill it with weeds and wildlife. Then human nature comes along and dumps clumps of consumer goods-gone-bad and construction debris on top of the pigweed and pigeons.

It takes visionaries like Reverend DeVanie Jackson and her husband, Reverend Robert Jackson, to convert a garbage-filled Brooklyn lot into a productive urban farm that provides 3,000 people a month with fresh, healthy food. The Reverends Jackson, who run an emergency food pantry in Bedford Stuyvesant, the Brooklyn Rescue Mission, became urban farmers out of sheer necessity back in 2004, challenging the 'charity' of serving poor people even poorer food.

2009-08-24T14:30:00.003-04:00

"Bedford-Stuyvesant rapper wins $1G in Worcestershire sauce jingle contest,"
By Elizabeth Lazarowitz - DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Local lyricist DeStorm Power had the skills, and now he's got the
sauce.

The Bedford-Stuyvesant video producer and hip-hop wordsmith is bringing
home $1,000 and a case of Worcestershire sauce for his rap about the spicy
condiment.