Sam Raskin

brownsville

@BrownBikeGirl On Bike Lanes, White Guys, And Educating All

Courtney Williams at a press conference in Brownsville (Image by Zainab Iqbal/ Bklyner)CLINTON HILL — A few years ago Courtney Williams was unemployed and about to leave New York City. “I remember putting up the posters trying to leave the city, trying to sell stuff out of my apartment, and

brownsville

Woman Stabbed To Death in Brownsville

Street where the victim was stabbed. (Image via Google Maps)BROWNSVILLE — A woman was stabbed to death overnight in Brownsville, according to police. The victim was found just before 2:30 a.m. in front of 376 Mother Gaston Boulevard. The woman, who was 33 years old, suffered a stab

hate crimes

Police Investigating Series of Attacks on Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg

Image courtesy of NYPD[UPDATE: Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 10:15am] The police have arrested two suspects in connection with the below incidents. Deandre Diagle, 19, of East New York is being charged with four counts of robbery and four counts of assault. Michael Bellevue, 20, of Flatbush is

Central Brooklyn

More Delays For Atlantic Yards – Pacific Park Development?

Assembly Member Walter Mosley speaks at a press conference next to Pacific Park/ Atlantic Yards (Image by Sam Raskin)PROSPECT HEIGHTS — After elected officials and local residents demanded that the state halt the approval of recreation space at Pacific Park, an advisory board came to a deadlock on the proposal.

brownsville

‘We Need a Crisis-level Response’: Myrie, Richardson Call on State to Cough Up More Anti-Gun Violence Funding

State Senator Zellnor Myrie speaks at a press conference outside his office (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)PROSPECT LEFFERTS GARDENS — Brooklyn-based anti-gun violence groups need more money from the state, local elected officials said Friday. While announcing the allocation of hundreds of thousands in state funds to neighborhood-based anti-gun violence

Central Brooklyn

“Would You Like To Live in This Community?” – Frieda Vizel On Tour Of Hasidic Williamsburg

Vizel shows tour takers around Williamsburg (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)WILLIAMSBURG / FLATBUSH — Frieda Vizel left the Satmar community roughly ten years ago. But these days, she is giving tours of Hasidic Williamsburg four days a week for a living. “I definitely never fit into the community very well,” she

bath beach

Colton’s Undetectable Knives Ban Bill Gets Gov’s Rubber Stamp

Assembly Member William Colton at a rally last summer (Image by Zainab Iqbal/ Bklyner)SOUTHERN BROOKLYN — A bill pushed by a Brooklyn politician that bans the possession and production of undetectable knives was signed into law Tuesday. The measure— which is aimed at preventing people from evading detection of metal

Central Brooklyn

Crime Continues to Fall in Brooklyn As Shootings Rise: NYPD

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O’Neill hold a media availability on crime statistics at One Police Plaza on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography OfficeAhead of the annual National Night Out Against Crime, the NYPD released statistics showing crime is still down 4% compared

Central Brooklyn

Cops Find 1-Year-Old Boy in Stolen Car

CROWN HEIGHTS — A 1-year-old boy who was in a stolen vehicle was found safe in Crown Heights Monday evening. At around 7 p.m. Monday, the boy’s mother left her child in a car in the area of Kingston Avenue and Dean Street as she went to buy groceries,

affordable housing

Briefly Noted: More de Blasio Real Estate Woes And Other News

Mayor Bill de Blasio holds a press conference at City Hall after an NYPD judge recommend firing Officer Daniel Pantaleo on Friday, August 2, 2019 . Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography OfficeMayor Bill de Blasio is yet again facing scrutiny for his real estate dealings, but this time it’s about his

Central Brooklyn

4 Shot in Crown Heights

Imago by BklynerCROWN HEIGHTS — Four people were shot at a vigil in Crown Heights early Monday morning, police said. At around 1:50 a.m. in the area of Buffalo Avenue and Sterling Place, four mourners were shot, two men and two women, all non-fatally, according to police. The NYPD

Central Brooklyn

Brooklyn Pols Call for Pantaleo to be Fired

Jasmine Robinson speaks into a microphone with a protester holding a sign that reads “Justice for Eric Garner Now! Your Silence is Violence” (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)After a police judge recommended the firing of Daniel Pantaelo, the NYPD officer who during an arrest killed Eric Garner five years

Announcements

Hochul Announces $10 Mil in State Funds for Downtown BK Public Spaces

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul makes an announcement at Brooklyn Navy Yard (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that the Brooklyn Navy Yard area will get $10 million in upgrades to its streetscape and to neighborhood institutions. The 6-part project is part of a

affordable housing

Borough President Adams Calls Third Party Transfer Program ‘Racist’

BOROUGH Hall — Borough President Eric Adams on Thursday said the city housing agency’s implementation of a controversial property transfer program is “racist,” and that its practice of taking homes away from black and brown homeowners is “intentional.” “What they’re doing to black and brown property owners is malfeasant

Central Brooklyn

Ranked-Choice Voting More ‘Democratic’ Than Current System, Progressive Brooklyn Groups Says

A New Kings Democrats monthly meeting in 2018 (Photo Courtesy of New Kings Democrats President Brandon West)In November voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on 19 proposed changes to the city charter, including one that, if approved, would alter how the city’s officials are elected. The

affordable housing

Unimpressed With City’s Third Party Transfer Hearing Answers, Cornegy Pledges to Fix Program

Council Member Robert Cornegy at a press conference before last week’s Third Party Transfer Program Hearing (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)BED-STUY — After presiding over a hearing on the recently scrutinized Third Party Transfer Program, Council Member Robert Cornegy said Monday he was unimpressed with the city’s response

affordable housing

4 New Developments Going Up in Central Brooklyn

160 Clarkson Avenue, where a new apartment building is planned (Image via Google Maps)FLATBUSH — Since we wrote about an eight-story apartment building that’s set to rise in Flatbush at 290 Linden Boulevard, a series of new residential developments have been planned for the neighborhood and the neighboring Prospect

Central Brooklyn

Adams Sides With NYPD And Mayor on Diversion Program

Eric Adams. (Photo: Zainab Iqbal/Bklyner)Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams on Monday aligned himself with the mayor and NYPD—and opposite the borough’s district attorney—on the use of a controversial alternative-to-prison program. Asked about District Attorney Eric Gonazalez’s defense of his office’s directing first-time illegal

affordable housing

NYCHA Botched Fixing Roofs That Had Warranties, Wasting Millions – Comptroller Finds

Comptroller Scott Stringer at a press conference outside Ingersoll Houses in Fort Green (Image by Sam Raskin/Bklyner)FORT GREENE — The city’s housing authority has been ‘botching’ maintenance of its buildings’ roofs, Comptroller Scott Stringer said Friday. “NYCHA wasted millions and has put tens of millions of dollars at

affordable housing

Fred Baptiste Hopes To Rein In Dysfunctional Crown Heights Community Board

Fred Baptiste by Sam Raskin/BklynerCROWN HEIGHTS —On Tuesday, one of New York City’s most dysfunctional community boards got a new leader. Fred Baptiste took the helm of Brooklyn Community Board 9 at a special meeting earlier this week— a meeting that was called after the board ran out

Bay Ridge

‘It’s An Emergency’: De Blasio Unveils ‘Green Wave’ Plan After Spate of Cyclist Deaths

Mayor Bill de Blasio alongside DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and City Council Member Ydanis Rodirguez at a press conference in Bay Ridge (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)BAY RIDGE — Following a series of cyclist deaths, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday rolled out a plan aimed at making streets safer

brownsville

Adams Says He Would Have Immediately Arrested People Who Dumped Water On Cops

Borough President Eric Adams. Todd Maisel/BklynerBorough President Eric Adams said Thursday that he would have arrested the men who over the weekend doused water on police officers. During the heat wave, two videos were recorded and posted to social media of people dumping water on police officers. One incident

affordable housing

‘Nothing Has Changed Since the Previous Election’: Bklyner Speaks With Clarke Challenger Adem Bunkeddeko

Adem Bunkeddeko. (Photo: Zainab Iqbal/BKLYNER)CROWN HEIGHTS — Rep. Yvette Clarke will next year again have to fight for her seat. Adem Bunkeddeko announced over the weekend that he would challenge Clarke for the second cycle in a row. The New York Times on Saturday broke the news that Bunkeddeko

Central Brooklyn

Fred Baptiste Elected Chair of Tumultuous Community Board 9

Fred Baptiste, Community Board 9’s new chair, speaks before the votes were cast (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)CROWN HEIGHTS — The notoriously tumultuous central Brooklyn community board has chosen a new leader. Community Board 9, which covers Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens, on Tuesday elected Fred Baptiste as

Central Brooklyn

Power Not Fully Back on Prospect Lefferts Gardens Block, Residents and Pols Say

Assembly Member Diana Richardson and State Senator Zellnor Myrie at a press conference outside 245 Hawthorne Street in Prospect Lefferts Gardens (Image by Sam Raskin/ Bklyner)PROSPECT LEFFERTS GARDENS — Residents of a block in Prospect Lefferts Gardens still lack full power nearly two days after the weekend heat wave-induced Con