Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
From The Community Board 1 Combined & Public Hearing: Newtown Creek CAG
Filed under: 11101, 11206, 11222, 11385, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens, Newtown Creek
This item was brought forth by our board’s Environmental Chair (and all-around nice lady), Ryan Kuonen. What is the Newtown Creek “CAG”, you ask? Very simple: as it name indicates it is a panel consisting of members of the greater Newtown Creek community whose purpose is to oversee the clean-up of this waterway and provide a forum to discuss any pertinent environmental concerns.
Perhaps this may not strike some of you as being terribly exciting, but I assure you it is very much needed. And Newtown Creek CAG needs you! Simply put, they want as diverse a panel as possible and to this end are seeking new members. You can learn more about “CAG” and how you can get involved by persuing their “about” page.
Otherwise (and to close on a related note): follows is footage of our Community Board Chair’s opening remarks from said convocation which, among other things, condemns the city’s consideration of a site in Greenpoint (Lombardy Street at Varick Avenue to be specific) for the placement of a “Green Energy Facility” (READ: an incinerator).
NOTE: What Mr. Olechowski fails to mention initially— but does mention in his “letter”— is a second proposed site is just across the creek south of the Kosciuszko Bridge. While not in Greenpoint per se, its impact will undoubtedly be felt here. Something to consider, folks!
UPDATE, 6:20 p.m.: A commenter has raised a very salient question. This being: Exactly how does one become a CAGer? In this respect this web site appears to be vague. However, I have been advised that any/all interested parties should show up at their next meeting. This has yet to be announced. Thus, joining Newtown Creek CAG’s mailing list is the way to go. This you can be done by going to their web page, entering your email address in the field highlighted below and hitting “follow”.
OUTRAGE(d) Help/Vollies Wanted
Filed under: 11206, 11211, 11222, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Laurel Hill, Laurel Hill Queens, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
I suspect many of the people who follow this site are familiar with OUTRAGE (Organization United for Trash Reduction & Garbage Equity). For those who are not in the know the following, their mission statement, should give you a general idea of who they are and what they do:
OUTRAGE is a coalition of more than two dozen community and civic groups dedicated to the reduction of Waste Transfer Stations and Waste Truck Traffic in the communities of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. OUTRAGE members advocate for a more equitable and sustainable solid waste management plan in the City of New York.
This may not seem like a big deal— but I assure you it is. North Brooklyn has the dubious honor of shouldering a disproportionate amount of our fair city’s “dirty work”: be it truck traffic, waste “treatment”/transfer and of course trucks bearing waste. 40% of this New York City’s garbage finds its way to our proverbial doorstep. Thus it should come as no surprise that our community:
- sports asthma rates well above the norm.
- has seen a disturbing increase of pedestrian/motorist accidents as a result of this traffic and a woeful lack of enforcement.
OUTRAGE addresses just these things— and a lot more! But this post is not about the manifold number of environmental issues in our community. Instead, they need help of a highly specialized (and preferably free/cheap) nature. Which brings me to the image gracing this post: it is a screencap culled from OUTRAGE’s site on Blogspot. Simply put, they want to step-up their online presence in the hope they can more reach people. People like you and me. And to this end they need the help of a good Samaritan to design a web site for them.
Trash talk seldom is (or should be) pretty. Instead, this is an opportunity to help a wonderful coalition of organizations build a web site that is user-friendly, author-friendly and informative. Those of you who have the skills to make this happen can contact Courtney via email at: crenken (at) stnicksalliance (dot) org.
Otherwise you can (and should) follow OUTRAGE on Facebook by clicking here. Among other things you will learn that two of nine prospective sites for an incinerator (as under consideration by powers-that-be) are right in our backyard! Follows is one of them:
The land gracing the Queens side of the Kosciuszko Bridge. If implemented this will abut proposed park space and a kayak launch. Nice, eh?
Quicklink: Black Gold Flows In Queens
Filed under: 11101, Blissville, Blissville Queens, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens, Newtown Creek
It would appear Newtown Creek just can’t get a break! Click here and read about the latest “gusher” to grace the Seine of north Brooklyn!*
*And southern western Queens, of course.
The Word On The Street: Alien Nation
Filed under: 11222, Criminal Activity, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens
From Gem Street.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Dispatch From Maspeth
As I noted recently, McGuinness Boulevard is no longer the record holder for stolen access covers. This dubious distinction is now held by Maspeth’s Grand Avenue. I spied a whopping thirteen missing covers in a mere half mile stretch. That’s the bad news. Now onto the good news: if the following email forwarded to yours truly via an anonymous tipster is any indication, our friends across the creek are taking this matter quite seriously.
If you see someone plundering your man hole access cover, fellow north Brooklynites, say something! Call 911.
From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part II: Replaced!
Filed under: 11222, 11378, Criminal Activity, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens
Jay writes:
New access cover on Monitor street. Third replacement this year. There’s still a month left in 2011 for this one to get swiped, too.
Closing on a related note, yours truly recently went on a sojourn in Maspeth. Follows is a revue of my findings from Grand Avenue between 57th Street and 47th Street. Enjoy!
For those of you who are keeping count this tops the number of plundered man holes gracing our very own McGuinness Boulevard (the previous record holder at 12).
Mazel Tov, Maspeth!
P.S.: If it is any consolation to us north Brooklynites, the plaque gracing the King’s Country end of the Grand Avenue/Street Bridge has been “liberated”.
Special thanks goes out to Brooklyn Imbecile, my traveling companion for the day, for allowing me to post the above two photos. Thanks!
The Word On The Street: Good Advice
Filed under: 11378, Laurel Hill, Laurel Hill Queens, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens, The Word On The Street
From Laurel Hill Boulevard.
New York Shitty Day Ender: Maspeth
Filed under: 11378, Laurel Hill, Laurel Hill Queens, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens, Newtown Creek
Taken November 25, 2011.
New York Shitty Day Ender: Newtown Creek
Filed under: 11101, 11222, 11385, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Maspeth, Maspeth Queens, Newtown Creek
Taken October 23, 2011.
NYS Flickr Pool
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