Remembering 9/11, Beautifying Brooklyn’s Parks & More Lunchtime Links for Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018

Today, New York solemnly remembers those lost 17 years ago in the 9/11 attacks—our hearts are with the families and friends who carry on their memories.

Ahead of the Manhattan commemorations, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams held a 9/11 remembrance at Brooklyn Borough Hall, honoring the memories of those from Brooklyn who answered the call to serve that day and lost their lives helping others.

Adams also called on the New York City Police Pension Fund to relax its rules on disability pension claims for NYPD personnel with 9/11-related illnesses. The amount of red tape and bureaucratic hurdles needed to make a claim have excluded claims made by those who need assistance after their roles on 9/11 and in post-9/11 clean-up, he said.

In local news…

A suspicious package sent to FDNY’s Brooklyn headquarters led to an evacuation of the MetroTech building in a bomb scare—luckily, the package was harmless, but the episode served as a reminder about the realities of safety in a post-9/11 world.

Another rash over overdoses linked to the synthetic drug K2 broke out over the weekend at Broadway and Myrtle, the border of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick. This is the second time this year, and local politicians gathered to announce a major crackdown targeting the distributors of the tainted drugs.

A Clinton Hill mansion, which once served as a home for Civil War veterans, has emerged from its makeover into a McMansion… and it’s quite the site. The modern building with off-center Corinthian columns and a dark facade is certainly a departure from the nearby historic district.

Jackie Robinson Park in Bed-Stuy got some TLC over the weekend as community groups teamed up to weed, pick up garbage and repaint parts of the neighborhood space. Part of the NYC Parks Department’s  “It’s My Park” Neighborhood Restoration Program, the effort was undertaken by employees of Municipal Credit Union, the NYPD and the youth Law Enforcement Explorers program this Saturday.

Brooklyn City Councilmember Jumaane Williams has secured the NY Times’ endorsement in his run for Lieutenant Governor, but more importantly: he’s shared with amNY what’s in his ever-present backpack!