The Word On The Street: Relax

RELAXnys

This piece (which hails from West Street) is as good as reason as any to remind everyone about this evening’s debate…

flyerNYS

From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Word From The NYPD

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(via an anonymous tipster):

The New York City Police Department is asking the public’s assistance identifying the suspects wanted for a burglary within the confines of the 94 Precinct. Details are as follows:

On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 1945 hours the 3 suspects broke the front door lock of an apartment building in the Greenpoint Section of Brooklyn, went to the garage and removed 3 bicycles. The suspects then fled the scene.

Anyone with information in regards to this burglary is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

Reader Contribution Du Jour: Rainbow Over The Polish Slavic Credit Union

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As taken today by Sherry Wasserman.

From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part II: Join Us!

Earlier today I noted the meeting regarding crime scheduled for this evening has been cancelled —and a public forum regarding crime has been organized by our city Councilman, Steve Levin, is scheduled for August 27th. Well, it has been brought to my attention the previous evening, August 26th, there will be a sunset “meet and greet” at 475 Kent Avenue, replete with cocktails, on the rooftop!

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A few thoughts/observations:

  • This email blast (which was in turn forwarded to yours truly) was sent to someone who is not a resident of 475 Kent Avenue.
  • However he/she has attended Loft Law workshops publicized by NAG (Neighbors Allied For Good Growth).
  • NAG is a recipient of city funding for activities like Williamsburg Walks.
  • The tenant organizer for NAG also happens to be a member of Community Board 1— and she was appointed by Councilman Levin.
  • The NYC Loft Tenant Group is a city-wide group.  Are they conducting “meet and greets” for all city councilmembers up for reelection this year— or only Steve Levin?

From The New York Shitty Inbox: CANCELLED

flyerCANCELLED

For those of you who are not in the know (I wasn’t until Eric, the wonderful proprietor of Red Star Bar informed me): this evening’s meeting regarding crime in Greenpoint has been cancelled. Whether or not this had anything to do with the Public Safety Forum scheduled by Coincilman Levin’s office which will to come to pass on the 27th at the Polish Slavic Center and a conflicting campaign event in DUMBO is anyone’s guess. Nonetheless, mark your calendars, folks!

Forum On Crime
August 27, 2013 starting at 6:00 p.m.
Polish Slavic Cultural Center
176 Java Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222

The Word On The Street: Meat

satanisreal

I have long been remiss sharing some of the rather interesting wireless networks to be found hereabouts (such as this one). This I discovered while walking home from the recent ULURP meeting.  As you probably notice, my apparel is festooned with kielbasa. This did not go unnoticed that rather contentious evening. I put it this way:

This meeting is all about making sausage. And making sausage is a very ugly affair.

Now jump forward to today, August 17, 2013. I go to the local McDonald’s (so as to use their ATM). While I am waiting— and WAITING— I spy this wireless network.

meat tree

MEAT TREE.

Well, that would not be that interesting in and of itself. However, a short distance from there I happened upon a tree…

Meat Tree 1

And it had meat (specifically, kielbasa) in it.

MORE MEAT

So it goes in Greenpoint…

Another view

Now On Manhattan Avenue: Christine Quinn

August 17, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11222, Crosstown Local, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

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As the Mister and I were coming home from taking one of the furkids to the vet this morning, we spied a most interesting sight: Christine Quinn and Councilman Levin and Bramer speaking at the India Street stop of our very own Crosstown Local. I went in for a closer look and spied my buddy Charlie, the block mayor of India Street.

Charlie: She wants to cut the fare for the ferry in half on weekends.*
Me: Of course she does. This is because it is an election year. The rest of the time she could not give a fat rat’s ass about this neighborhood.

Charlie nodded in agreement and I went home.

*This is all well and good— but is it really going to be an effective replacement for no G train service (as opposed to, say, more buses)? This is thinking in triage terms at best…

UPDATE: Here’s what CBS has to say:

“The MTA should step up and help with financial to accelerate CitiBike; to make sure that the CitiBikes come to Long Island City and Greenpoint immediately,” Quinn told 1010 WINS’ Carol D’Auria. “That would help people get to where they need to go more easily while the train tunnel is under reconstruction.”

Quinn also said a ticket for the East River ferry should cost the equivalent of a MetroCard swipe while G Train service is partially down…”

This is all well and good— but it does not really address the transportation needs for seniors, those who are mobility-impaired (the ferry stop hereabouts is kind of a schlep) or do not have credit cards so as to secure a Citibike in the first place. We need more buses. Plain and simple.

Quicklink: From The Greenpoint Gazette

August 17, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

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Interesting quote/teaser:

Land Use committee chair Del Teague questioned the allocation of affordable housing units. At the highest bracket, 25% of the units would be available only to those Greenpoint residents whose income equals 120% of the average median income for the area. For a two-bedroom unit this translates to $66,000 – $103,000. She questions whether a greater percentage of the units can be allocated to residents at lower income levels.

Teague said later that Greenpoint has suffered a “horrific displacement of people who cannot afford to stay.” She says the income median, “is skewed because of gentrification,” and worries that the standards for awarding the affordable units may not be “meaningful.”

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As I pointed out in this post, the median household income at Green Street and Manhattan Avenue per the 2010 Census is $56,690. Thus at 120 AMI a great many people hereabouts would not qualify for these units because they simply do not have a high enough income. Doesn’t sound very “affordable” to me. You can read the Gazette’s tome in its entirety by clicking here.

QUICKLINKS: A Couple Of Items From The New York Daily News

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  • A take on the recent “crime wave” in Greenpoint. Interesting quote/teaser:
    “We always have these waves (of crime),” said Community Affairs Officer Steve Truglio of the 94th Precinct. 

    Truglio declined to discuss if the precinct is altering its tactics to combat the crime increase. But he did say criminals are attracted to the neighborhood for the same reason as Willie Sutton robbed banks — that’s where the money is.

  • A run-down of the pistol-whipping which came to pass this weekend.

 

Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Seeing Double

August 15, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

josef

Late this afternoon while running errands on the fly I bumped into my good friend Josef. He simply had to have me see the above portrait which I agreed was quite wonderful. I asked if I could take a photo of Josef holding Josef. As you can see he happily obliged. Our conversation caught the attention of a passerby. Josef invited him to join us. More specifically, he told this fellow that I (and I quote):

Take pictures of the stuff I do around the neighborhood.

To wit I countered:

No Josef, you do site-specific installations. I am going to write a list of terminology and buzz phrases. I want you to learn and start using them.

Now if you do not mind, gentle readers, I am off to put that MFA to work…

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