TONIGHT: The Beatles!

Tonight (provided it does not rain*) Yellow Submarine will be screened at the American Playground! I have been told before the main feature footage from the Beatles’s first American concert will be served up for our viewing enjoyment. This sounds like a great way to spend this Friday night, so pack up your lawn chairs!

American Playground
Franklin Street between Milton and Noble
Brooklyn, New York 11222

Be sure to get there by 8:30 p.m.

Miss Heather

*In which case, it will be shown tomorrow.

Greenpoint’s Nature Walk Gets Added Value!

To Our Newtown Creek Elected Officials (Eric Gioia, David Yassky, Nydia Velazquez & Joe Lentol — Ed. Note),

I am attaching a few photos of the oil Mike & I saw today at the DEP Nature Walk. Last week we came across some dead crabs there including ( blue crab, white crab, horseshoe crab … ) We have photos of the dead critters. Today the amount of oil ( various types ) was horrifying. We saw loads of brown oil, frothy whitish, rainbow slicks …I have a video clip that shows the oil all along the Nature Walk steps. The oil extends toward the Kills and into Whale Creek as well. We noticed that there is pile driving going on near the Motiva site by the Pulaski Bridge as well. We included a photo of the rig. We have no idea how far down the Creek the slick extends.

Mike & I made a complaint to the DEC Hot line: 1 (800) 457-7362.

I’m happy to see that the barge that was dumped by the Kill has finally been removed. Thank you for that.

Laura & Mike Hofmann

Black gold.

Texas tea.

Yummy.

Y’all come back now, you hear!

Miss Heather

Photo Credits: Mike & Laura Hofmann

Subway Poster du Jour: More Fun With Janice

From the Smith – 9th bound platform at Greenpoint Avenue.

Miss Heather

Photo Credit: Mister Heather

Hillary Clinton Says Superfund Us!

This comes courtesy of the Newtown Creek Alliance:

Senator Clinton Calls on EPA to Use Superfund Authority to Conduct Contamination Tests Along Newtown Creek

Clinton: Testing Is Necessary to Determine Whether Newtown Creek Should Be Placed on the National Priorities List

Washington, D.C. – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today urged the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use its Superfund authority to conduct preliminary tests at four known hotspots along Newtown Creek, in New York City. In a letter to EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, Senator Clinton raised concerns over the proximity and potentially harmful effects of hazardous substances regulated under the Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to New Yorkers living in communities along Newtown Creek.

“New Yorkers living in communities near Newtown Creek have suffered long enough,” said Senator Clinton.  “We know that there are dangerous chemicals in the soil, water and air at sites around Newtown Creek.  It’s time to put the resources of the Superfund program to work to conduct additional tests at known contamination hotspots to see whether a federal cleanup should go forward.

Senator Clinton is the Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health. In October, 2007 Senator Clinton held a hearing to examine the federal Superfund program’s capacity to protect public health and to investigate reasons for recent slowdowns in the pace at which sites are added and toxic waste sites are cleaned up under the program.

Here’s a copy of Senator Clinton’s letter to Administrator Johnson:

August 13, 2008

The Honorable Stephen L. Johnson

Administrator

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Ariel Rios Building – 1101A

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20460

Dear Administrator Johnson:

I am writing to request that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), use its Superfund authority to conduct preliminary tests at four known hotspots along Newtown Creek, in New York City (Attachment A).

Newtown Creek, which borders Brooklyn and Queens, is well known as one of the most polluted industrial waterways in North America, where chemicals from factories along the bed of the Creek have seeped into the soil, sediment and water.  The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Office of the Attorney General have found evidence that certain hazardous substances regulated under CERCLA have been released at the Newtown Creek site (Attachment B).  It is time the federal Superfund program conduct the testing that is necessary to determine whether Newtown Creek should be on placed on the NPL list.  As the Chair of the Superfund and Environmental Health Subcommittee and a member of the Senate’s Environmental and Public Works Committee, it is of particular interest to me.

For years, the residents in the vicinity of Newtown Creek have been forced to live, work and play with toxic fumes in the air and contaminated water, soil and sediment on the ground.  This exposure has led to community concern about potential pockets of serious illness.  Superfund was established to address abandoned hazardous waste sites.  The factories responsible for much of the chemical contamination have long since closed and as the cleanup authority of last resort, I see the federal Superfund program as the most effective way to solve this longstanding problem once and for all.  The people of Newtown Creek have suffered long enough.

I appreciate your prompt attention and response to this matter.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton. However, I am very pleased to learn she has thrown her support behind getting Newtown Creek the attention and remediation it so sorely deserves. Thanks Hill!*

Miss Heather

P.S.: Quick reminder, there will be a boat tour of Newtown Creek next month. Click here for more details. Seeing —and more importantly smelling— is believing. Trust me.

*I also LOVE these striped pants. Seriously.

A Cowboy In Greenpoint?!?

When one utters the word Greenpoint a great many things come to mind. “Little Poland”, a rather large oil spill, the eastern seaboard’s largest waste treatment plant, foul odors and the G train are all items— which for better or for worse— that are associated with the neighborhood I call home. And now you can add to the list cowboys. Yes, cowboys.

I bumped into Lenwood on Greenpoint Avenue today. Actually, I bumped into him twice. First on the south side of Greenpoint Avenue: I told him I loved his hat (because I did) and went on my merry way. Upon arriving back to the Garden Spot of the Universe three hours later I happened upon him again. This time on the south side of Greenpoint Avenue. My curiosity got the better of me so I struck up a conversation.

Miss Heather: So what’s the deal? Are you trying to take over the block or something?
Lenwood: (laughter) No, I’m just here for some film work. (comes closer, whispers) There are some very exciting things going on here. See that building across the street?
Miss Heather: Yes.
Lenwood: They’re going to be filming a television show over there. Lipstick Jungle. It has Brooke Shields in it, do you know who she is?
Miss Heather: Oh yes, I know who she is. They’ve been filming around here A LOT lately.
Lenwood: You should contact their central casting. Tell them you want to be an extra. You’ll earn $100 a day!
Miss Heather (laughing): Oh, no, no, no! I prefer to be behind the camera not in front of it. In fact, that’s what I have been doing today: taking pictures! You belong in front of the camera, not me. You have much more savoir faire than I do!
Lenwood: If you take pictures, why haven’t you taken one of me?
Miss Heather: I figured you wouldn’t want me to, so I didn’t ask.

Needless to say, Lenwood obliged. What’s more, he recommended that I take a picture of him posing in front of the Polonaise Terrace. I did. It was the best of the lot!

He was laughing when I took this photograph —as was I. I then asked him if he’d like me to send him a copy of the photographs I took. He politely declined stating that he will be “traveling soon”. (He is a cowboy after all!) My consolation prize was his business card.

I cannot honestly say I have seen many black cowboys in my 30-odd years of life in New York Shitty and beyond. Much less in Greenpoint— where people of color are slowly becoming a more and more common sight. But if I ever find myself organizing an event I will certainly give Lenwood a ring, he’s a sweetheart!

Miss Heather

Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Shhh!

George Diaz, self-professed bad ass and proprietor of Latino Laughter hams it up for the camera.

Although this is a couple years old I thought I’d leave you with this video showing Grenpoint’s one and only George in action. Enjoy!

Miss Heather