April 16 2012 issue

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

April 16 - 31

SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Spring flowers beautify the Hook

FREE

Political pressure reverses faulty decision by US Customs

by Kimberly Gail Price

C

ustoms and Border Protection, (CBP), and the Port Authority signed a five year agreement on April 5, 2012, that keeps the customs operation in Red Hook Terminal open. Since early January, the Red Hook Container Terminal (RHCT) has been in jeopardy of losing services that allow them to inspect cargo brought into the piers, which would have been a crippling blow to the shipping operation here.

Blooming tulips and flowering trees harken the coming of the warm weather in our beautiful spot in the world. Our container terminal is seen behind pink blossoms. Star-Revue photo by Elizabeth Graham.

Justice Center expands

by Matt Graber

T

o cope with a larger caseload resulting from the Adolescent Diversion Parts (ADP) pilot program, the Red Hook Community Justice Center is looking for a fourth social worker for its clinical staff.

The Justice Center has traditionally processed cases in the 72nd, 76th, and 78th precincts; but this has recently expanded.

The ADP pilot, which was initiated by the Center for Court Administration and began earlier this year, is sending 16- and 17-year-old offenders from all over Brooklyn to the Justice Center for rehabilitative services.

The program is a statewide experiment in juvenile justice reform that represents a more “problem-solving” approach to processing youth offenders in which judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors and social workers work toward the shared goals of rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.

Young defendants that until a few months ago would have been processed in the criminal courtroom at the Brooklyn Criminal Courthouse on 120 Schermerhorn Street are now being sent to the 8th floor to participate voluntarily in the pilot. If they accept the terms of the program - in many cases a few days of community service and a few days of social service - they are then expected in Red Hook the following day.

“We’ve been busy, but in a good way,” said Gerianne Abriano, Bureau Chief for the District Attorney at the Justice Center. She added that on Wednesday April 11th, the pilot saw a record high of 45 cases brought to APY2 (the location at 120 Schermerhorn Street).

Jessica Kay is a social worker and the Clinical Coordinator at the Justice Center. She admits that the increase in clients has been a challenge, but dismisses the notion that kids in Red Hook and nearby neighborhoods are getting less from the Center than they would have gotten before the pilot. “We’ve somehow managed to provide the same clinical care and expertise,” Kay said. “Having this new influx is invigorating. It’s challenging but the bottom line is that we’re still doing good work.”

(Anyone interested in observing the Adolescent Diversion Parts process should visit the Brooklyn Criminal Courthouse at 120 Schermerhorn on Wednesdays between 2-5 p.m. Hearings take place on the 8th floor in the STEP courtroom, and are free and open to the public.)

Without political intervention, CBP would have relocated to Staten Island last January 6th. A 90 day moratorium was granted, and the new agreement was made one day before its expiration.

The impact of this loss would have been severe. RHCT handles $3.8 billion in revenue annually. Many containers would have had to be transported to Staten Island and elsewhere by truck for inspection, at extra cost to the shipper. This would have put many trucks on the roads, causing extra pollution, more traffic and damage to roadways, and could also have been a security threat.

Original decision excluded pols On January 6, Customs announced they would consolidate services into Staten Island and New Jersey centers.

CBP held meetings for more than a year prior without involving local politicians and other stakeholders.

Congressman Jerry Nadler was supposedly banned from these meetings from November 2010 through December 2011, but the Star-Revue could not verify that allegation.

Marty Golden tipped Gerard Kassar, Chief of Staff for NY State Senator, Marty Golden was informed unofficially of this decision on January 2. Kassar met with the Republican Congressman for Bay Ridge and Staten Island, Michael Grimm, the following day. Grimm and Long Island congressman Peter King quickly drafted a letter to Customs citing the decision as, “a problematic development that could lead to a loss of jobs and create new and public security concerns in Brooklyn and other nearby communities.”

Reportedly, Grimm was banned from an early meeting involving the decision. After insisting on being admitted,

Also In This Issue:

Good Friday Processions, pages 10, 11

Interview with Daniel Squadron, page 9

The

CBP cancelled that meeting.

Grimm pressured customs by holding press conferences and starting coalitions. He also met privately with Homeland Security in Washington along with other local politicians to save Brooklyn’s only active port.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez wrote a letter to CBP stating, “The RHCT inspection station will have significant community impacts and security risks.”

She also noted that “the consolidation of facilities cannot come at the expense of public safety.”

Governor announces decision CBP finally announced their decision in a press release from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office. The agreement, “which followed extensive collaboration between the Port Authority and CBP,” ensures the terminal “will continue vital economic activity, protect jobs, and maintain security operations.”

The overturned decision was lauded by local politicians. Congressman Jerry Nadler, who has supported the Brooklyn Waterfront for more than 30 years, said, “I have worked for months, along with Governor Cuomo and Port Authority Director Foye, to resolve this crisis and ensure that shipping would not be disrupted. This facility is the only container port on the East Side of the Hudson River, which houses 2/3 of our region’s population, and it must be preserved.”

Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Peter King and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez also released statements relating to the security risks of uninspected cargo. “[The] announcement ensures at-risk cargo will not be transported throughout the New York metropolitan area without having undergone a thorough inspection by Customs and Border Protection officers,” wrote King. Transporting “dirty boxes,” or uninspected cargo, across bridges and highways would increase the risk of international terrorist threats.

Congressman Grimm released a state(continued on page 5)

Blue Pencil Lunar Revue page 14

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

April 16 - 31 2012

SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Hammerman says participatory budgeting not a perfect plan

Volume 3 No. 8

N

Table of Contents

ew York City Councilmembers and residents have lauded the participatory budgeting program that concluded earlier this month.

But some in the community still aren’t entirely on board.

Calendar..........................20 Newsbriefs....................3 Classifieds.......................19 On Politics....................6 Crossword.......................16 Police Report................7 Dining Out Guide.............18 Satire page..................14 Letters.............................15 Restaurant revue.........17

Staff

Kimberly G. Price...................... Senior Editor/Publisher George Fiala......................................Graphics/Publisher Matt Graber............................................Senior Reporter Elizabeth Graham........................Reporter/Photographer Curtis Skinner......................................Political Reporter Vince Musacchia............................................ Cartoonist Eric Ruff..................................................Calendar Editor Erik Penney...........................................Restaurant Critic Angelika Mitchell........................... Advertising Specialist

Contributors

John Burkard, Mary Anne Massaro, Mary Ann Pietanza, Danette Vigilante, Michael Racioppo, Reg Flowers

Member @RedHookStar

718.624.5568 - Editorial & Advertising 101 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Captain Lewis moves on from the 76th Precinct

www.facebook.com/ redhookstarrevue

917.652.9128 News Tips editor@redhookstar.com

NASA scientist to speak at Red Hook Initiative

On Wednesday, April 18, the Red Hook Initiative (RHI) will be hosting Jay Dickson, research analyst and planetary scientist at Brown University’s Geology Department. Dickson will pay a visit to RHI’s teens, staff and the broader Red Hook community and introduce them to his work as a Mars scientist, working with various NASA missions over the last decade, and conducting field work in the most Mars-like place on Earth: Antarctica. At RHI, he will be talking about what it’s like to work on Mars and live in Antarctica.

Jack Lewis chairs a recent precinct council meeting.

On Thursday, April 12th, Captain John Lewis of the 76th Precinct was reassigned to the 71st Precinct with a promotion. The 71st lies in Crown Heights.

He spent a fruitful 18 months as our police precinct captain, representing the police force in many public events, the most recent being the Good Friday processional at Visitation Church.

It is standard police procedure to reassign captains suddenly anytime after 18 months at one precinct. The new captain is Jeffrey Schiff, who comes to us from the 67th precinct, serving parts of Flatbush and Prospect Lefferts Gardens, where he was the station’s executive officer. He has previously been with the 76th, also as executive officer.

The announcement was made by Captain Lewis in the latest station newsletter. He said “I have found my eighteen month tenure as Commanding Officer of the 76th Precinct to be rewarding both personally and professionally. “ He continued “I made every attempt to address every issue that was brought to my attention.”

A product of public schooling in suburban Boston, Dickson did his undergraduate work at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he was part of the Five College Astronomy department. There, he produced a senior thesis on the role of water in carving the surface of Mars which eventually led to a research position at Brown.

His work there has taken him (figuratively) to Mars, the Moon and Mercury and to the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica (literally), the largest icefree region on the continent where he uses high-frequency, long-duration time-lapse photography to document small amounts of melting at the coldest place on Earth, in an effort to better understand recent flow of liquid water on Mars.

This special presentation is a part of the RHI Visiting Scholars program that focuses on exposing Red Hook residents to entrepreneurs, visionaries and successful individuals in various fields. The goals are to expose young leaders and the rest of the Red Hook community to some of today’s relevant local and national topics of interest. Through this program, RHI seeks to 1) create a space that exposes those in attendance to in-

Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue

by Curtis Skinner

The participatory budgeting initiative allowed residents of four council districts to plan $1 million of their representative’s discretionary capital funds. Brad Lander took an active role throughout the Residents from council district participatory budget process. Here he is shown 39, represented by Brad Land- at one of the first meetings at PS 58 last October er (D—Park Slope), divided (Star-Revue photo) year. But the boards have no budget of the total over seven community projects ranging from repairs and their own, meaning their outlined ditechnology upgrades for neighborhood rectives are ultimately a laundry list of schools to a large scale community com- recommendations—some, like requests posting project near the Gowanus Ca- for increased funding to workforce denal. The total accounts for only about a velopment centers in Red Hook, have third of Lander’s entire capital budget, languished for over a decade. Hammerwith much of the rest wrapped up in man suggested that funding the boards long-term would make for a more efficient particic a p i t a l patory budgeting process. c o m m i t - “If you were to prorate the amount of ments, ac- money that councilmembers would be cording to willing to pool into the PB model, you his chief of could reallocate that money to commustaff. nity districts,” he said. He continued to C o u n - say that the distribution could be based c i l m e m - on how much of a council district’s popbers and ulation falls within those community r e s i d e n t s boundaries. r e c e n t l y Some boards are less critical, however, held a saying that participatory budgeting is A list of potential projects press con- supplemental to the work community drawn up at an early particpatory budget meeting at ference on boards do and ultimately a step toward PS 58. the steps of more civic engagement.

City Hall to applaud the success of the “I don’t see the two as mutually exproject. But District Manager of Comclusive,” said Jeremy Laufer, District munity Board 6, Craig Hammerman, Manager of nearby Community Board took a slightly different tone. He said 7, which represents the lower half of that while the program was certainly inCouncilman Lander’s serpentine counnovative and didn’t want to be seen as cil district. “We had board members a “wet blanket,” planning community who participated, voted and took part. projects by City Council districts is inWhile the residents aren’t beholden to herently flawed. what the board voted on, we were able “Community districts were set up to be to lobby on our behalf.” the local municipal planning districts A press release from Councilman Landin the city,” he said over the phone.

“People think of themselves as part of er’s office said that over 2,200 people a neighborhood. But City Council dis- from across the district came out to vote. tricts are political and drawn largely And both politicians and residents conon lines of race. Fifth Avenue in our tend that while participatory budgeting district for example, is divided by our might not be perfect, it has opened the council members. But I don’t think that door to more community involvement the people on Fifth Avenue think of in local government. themselves that way.”

“Participatory budgeting gave my comCommunity boards have long been the munity a voice in how the city invests city’s unofficial planners—they are re- in this neighborhood,” said a budget sponsible for proposing a list of neigh- delegate from Lander’s district, Mamborhood priorities to the Mayor every nun Haq, at the press conference. teresting career options and to 2) stimulate dialogue that will get the youth thinking about higher education.

(kilometers) long through close observations of new images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Dickson, having published several papers and committing over 10 years of his life to planetary research, is a proven scholar and leader in his field. He and his colleagues have contributed tremendously to a handful of recent discoveries in space. His research in Antarctica, specifically, lead to remarkable findings uncovering valleys more than 800 feet wide (250 meters) and tens of miles

The valleys look as though they were carved by running water, indicating the possibility that life could at one point have existed in Mars. He will be sharing his enthusiasm, his work and, most importantly, his educational path. The Red Hook Initiative welcomes everyone to join them Wednesday, April 18th from 5-7pm for this exciting presentation.

www.RedHookStar.com April 16-31, 2012

Stop and Frisk policy questioned statewide the same week that police officers are shot at in Red Hook

by Matt Graber

T

he debate over the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy continues, both locally in Red Hook and at the state government level. In the neighborhood, Occupy Red Hook activists are beginning a campaign to raise awareness about the practice. And according to the Daily News, State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has assigned a team of investigators to review the policy based on publicly available data. The investigation fulfills a campaign promise made by Schneiderman in 2010, when he vowed to “crack down on unjustified stop and frisks.” The year 2011 saw a record high of 685,724 stop and frisks in New York City.

For the policy’s opponents, the guns recovered do not come close to justifying the intrusion into people’s everyday The New York Civil Liberties Union lives and the apprehension that a gen(NYCLU) is one of many organizations eration of young black and Hispanic that have been counting incidents caremen are growing up to feel instinctively fully and analysing the stats based on when they see a police car. variables like the ethnicity of people being stopped, whether the stop led to Recent violence against police an arrest or summons and what these officers makes for a touchy practices are accomplishing, measured climate of debate by the number guns recovered by police. The debate is escalating while cop-killings are on the rise nationwide, even as Of those stopped last year, 53 percent violent crime is falling, according to a were black, 34 percent were Hispanic NY Times article published on April 9th. and 9 percent were white. Only 12 As the article cites, the four officers that percent of stops led to an arrest or sum- were shot in Sheepshead Bay in early mons. And by the end of 2011, 819 guns April brought the number of city cops are reported to have been removed from shot since December 2011 up to eight. the city’s streets.

“This is a dangerous job,” said 76th Pre-

Civil rights advocates see racial injustice in the policy

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg point to the recovered guns as evidence that stop and frisks are saving lives. The elevated contact between police and residents of high-crime communities also functions as an intelligence-gathering system, despite Kelly’s program to create a digital database of every individual stopped by police, (including the vast majority of innocent civilians), being struck down by the City Council in 2010.

cinct Captain Jack Lewis at the scene of a shooting that took place on Columbia Street on Saturday, April 7th at approximately 3 p.m. The gunfight was the product of a routine stop gone bad.

According to the Community Affairs Department, two patrolling officers spotted a man with an open alcohol container near the Red Hook Houses.

When they approached, the man ran in the opposite direction, then turned and shot at the officers.

Promised B61 improvements seem to be real this time

by Matt Graber and Kimberly Gail Price

Changes will soon be coming to the notorious B61 line that many locals rely on - often in vain - to get in and out of Red Hook.

According to elected officials, the MTA has committed to installing “BusTime,” a tracking system that “provides real-time bus arrival and location information.” Starting no later than June 2012, B61 riders will be able to track the nearest bus on their cell phone or computer. BusTime was first implemented in New York City last year on the B63 line; it is also used in Staten Island.

The MTA is promising other improvements to our highly flawed B61 after a report in December confirmed the community’s complaints that the line is unreliable. We can soon expect more frequent buses in the evening rush hour. The MTA is taking measures to increase efficiency, such as having drivers switch shifts at the end of the line, instead of at the midpoint.

We can also expect “countdown clocks” to be installed eventually at every stop. The clocks will display the waiting time for the nearest bus. These clocks were scrapped from the Participatory Budgeting project list earlier this month, when residents of Councilmember Brad Lander’s district voted on how to allocate $1 million in project funds. But the MTA has since approved the project.

We spoke to several Red Hook residents about their experiences with the B61 and their reactions to the coming improvements. Here’s what they had to say.

Feelings about upcoming improvements?

“It sounds like just another band aid.

There should be another way to fix the problem instead of making us spend money on texts.”

Your experience with the B61?

I think this community often gets neglected. And I think it’s really hard to understand why it’s so inconsistent.

And I don’t understand why it has to pass the IKEA twice. Why do we have stop at IKEA?”

Red Hook Star-Revue

The cops returned fire and grazed the man’s shoulder; he managed to get away, but not without dropping his cell phone on the sidewalk. He was apprehended at his girlfriend’s house in Far Rockaway the next day after detectives used the phone to contact and locate her.

Occupy Red Hook focusing on stop and frisks The 76th Precinct Community Council meeting in early April was the second such meeting in a row in which members of Occupy Red Hook came out in numbers to voice their opposition to stop and frisks, and police misconduct in general.

Several Red Hook residents recounted disturbing incidents in which they were stopped by uniformed or plain clothes officers without being given a reason.

Many asked for clarification on specific legal issues, such as whether an individual being stopped has the right to ask for an explanation from the officer before deciding to comply. “I just want to separate myth from fact as far as that goes,” said one Occupy member.

Captain Lewis promptly debunked the myth, pointing out - much like he did in the March meeting - that every situation is different and that in many cases officers do not have to provide an explanation right away.

“It depends,” he said. “There’s a million different scenarios. If I give a reason before the arrest, I can endanger myself, or escalate the situation prematurely, so in many situations you don’t need to give the person an explanation.”

For the past few years the NYCLU has been circulating a pocket-sized pamphlet called “What to do if You’re Stopped by the Police.” The handbook is part of a broader public education campaign meant to inform citizens of their rights, and to council citizens on how to conduct themselves in encounters with the police.

Candice Sering, Coffey Street.

“I’ve been relying on the B61 for seven years to get in and out of Red Hook.

It has been consistently inconsistent.

Sometimes I have bus-magic, but it’s mostly not on time. I was around when there was a B61 and a B77 and they were both bad, and now there’s just one.

A furious investigation followed the police shooting at Columbia and Lorraine.

Francisco Marin, Dikeman Street.

Ana Ocampo, Wolcott Street.

Your experience with the B61?

Your experience with the B61?

“I rely on it to get to high school, on Baltic and Court. It’s been bad since I started at school, since September I guess.”

“It’s good except on weekends, and between 8-10 a.m. on weekdays. I mean sometimes they get behind schedule and you get two at the same time.

Feelings about upcoming improvements?

Feelings about upcoming improvements?

“It’s not going to make a difference though. It’ll still come late, I’ll just know how late it’s going to be now.”

“I have my friend giving me a ride to the city every day now, so it doesn’t affect me as much.”

www.RedHookStar.com

The pamphlet inspired Occupy Red Hook to start its own campaign, which will include t-shirts reading things like “Am I Being Detained or Am I Free To Go?,” and lines taken directly from the handbook such as “I Do Not Consent to this Search.”

(To learn more about legal issues surrounding stop and frisks and what to do if you find yourself being subjected to a stop, attend the workshop hosted on April 25th at 7 p.m. at PS 15.

As part of its Community Education Workshop Series, the Red Hook Community Justice Center has partnered with the Red Hook Civic Association and invited a speaker from the NYCLU to come to the workshop. Local police will be there as well.)

April 16-31, 2012 Page 3

our

Local Beat

news items written and collected by the Star-Revue editorial staff

Youth softball league to open on schedule.

After much close consultation with the Parks Department, the Youth Softball League coordinated by the Red Hook Justice Center will have their season as scheduled despite the temporary closing of four fields due to lead contamination.

There will be practice on Saturday the 21st. The season will officially begin on Saturday, April 28th with opening ceremonies at 9 am at Field #9. For more information or to sign up, contact Viviana Gordon at 718 923-8274 or vgordon@courts.state.ny.us

Love Your Library book sale

The Carroll Gardens Library will be hosting their second annual book sale on May 19th. At this time they are looking for volunteers to help on the day of the sale, as well as to bake for the bake sale and help sort the books.

For more information and to volunteer, contact Nina Guralnick at NGuralnick@gmail.com or 917-951-8194.

Local Post Office to reopen as a private postal center

For 17 years, Rita Faraone operated a satellite post office station at 257 Columbia Street. On March 30th she was forced to close as postal union issues demanded that stations like hers cease operating. She has now reopened as a private postal facility, where packages can be mailed and stamps can be purchased. A USPS truck will still stop by on a daily basis to collect mail. However, since this is now a private facility, an extra fee will be tacked on to each purchase because it no longer has an official affiliation with the post office.

Rita is now operating as a private business. In the future she will add services including making copies and selling money orders.

The hours have been extended, Monday to Friday from 10 am - 4 pm, and Saturday noon to 4 pm.

Youth Summit

State Senator Velmanette Montgomery will be holding a Youth Summit early next month at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University in Metrotech.

The event, scheduled for May 3rd, will feature special guest speaker Hon. H. Carl McCall, who serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at State University of New York, (SUNY). The Youth Summit will take place between 4-6 pm in the Pfizer Auditorium at 5 Metrotech Center in Brooklyn. For more information, contact the Senator’s office at (718) 643-6140.

RHI celebrates 10th birthday

On Thursday, April 26th, the Red Hook Initiative, (RHI), will be celebrating their 10th anniversary providing services for Red Hook youth with a gala party at 797 Hicks Street on the corner of West 9th Street. The party begins at 6 pm and will include a tour of the building as well as genuine community fellowship. Saturday the 28th, from 11 am - 3 pm is the annual RHI Health Fair. There will be free health

Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue

screenings as well as prizes, music and entertainment.

Opening Day of the Red Hook Youth Baseball League

Opening Day Ceremonies will be held on Saturday, April 28th at 9 am at Field #9, (at the corner of Bay and Henry Streets.) The Red Hook Youth Baseball League is a collaboration between the Red Hook Community Justice Center, Kings County District Attorney’s Office, local businesses, and community volunteers. The league is about more than balls and strikes; everyone involved works to instill in the young ballplayers the highest standards of sportsmanship, leadership and respect.

The philosophy of the league is to provide Red Hook youth with structured, competitive baseball, while at the same time encouraging their continued success in school by supporting them in becoming contributing members of the community. This league is for boys and girls aged 10-12. There is still time to sign up. Call Viviana at 718-923-8274 for more information.

CB 6 on Barclay’s Center

On Wednesday, April 11th, CB 6 board members met to vote on committee recommendation, including liquor licenses. Of interest was discussion of the previous night’s presentation by Barclays Center regarding the State Liquor Authority application. They are bound by something called a “500 foot rule,” which refers to the already existing three establishments selling alcohol within 500 feet. Several board members pointed out that the approval was no doubt a foregone conclusion. However, Gary Reilly, committee head, explained that this gives the community a chance to add stipulations to the recommendation, seeking concessions from Barclay’s such as sound amelioration and such.

Brad Lander and Joan Millman both attended the session, as did Dan Wiley from Nydia Velazquez’s office, who spoke a bit about the recent post office satellite station closing, as well as the results of the recent redistricting, in which Nydia was given more of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights in her district.

partnered with the Red Hook Civic Association to create the workshop, which will address the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy, as well as provide information on citizens’ rights in police encounters and advice on what to do when subjected to a stop. The learning process is dual purpose: Red Hook residents should look at the workshop as a chance to educate their local police officers, community leaders and court staff on what they are experiencing in the street.

PortSide takes an office

Hicks Street Tragedy

PortSide has been constrained by its location in a high security area. They wish to berth the ship in a location more accessible to the public. For more information call Carolina Salguero at (917) 414-0565.

On Saturday, April 12th, a deaf couple visiting from Washington DC suffered a terrible tragedy when their five-yearold son was hit by a cab as he darted into the streetl. The son, also deaf, suffered brain damage and at press time was fighting for his life at University Hospital of Brooklyn -SUNY Downstate Medical Center, after being transferred there from LICH, where his parents brought him.

Joseph and Eva Keith, and their son Timothy, were staying at the Comfort Inn on Seabring Street in Red Hook.

They were walking towards the Brooklyn Bridge along Hicks Street when the accident occurred around 5 pm. The driver told police that he could not stop in time and was not charged.

Working Moms Support Group

A support group for working moms will be starting on April 17th at Madison Rose, 313 Court Street. The group will meet for seven consecutive Thursdays from 7:30 - 8:30 pm. There is a fee of $175 for the sessions.

The purpose of these sessions is to bring together mothers who are trying to balance new motherhood with their career and meet others in the same situation.

Madison Rose is a maternity and children’s resale boutique. They host support groups and classes for mothers and expectant mothers. For information call (347) 689-3365.

PortSide is the organization that operates the Mary A. Whalen. The ship doubles as a museum and sits off the Red Hook Container Terminal. This month they moved their corporate office off of the ship to a donated space at 145 Columbia Street.

According to a poster seen on Van Brunt Street, the reason for the move is “so we can more easily meet with the community and work with volunteers... and because we have a large collection of maritime artifacts and art to sell.”

New tree guards on Van Brunt

Gary Baum, of City Beautiful Carpentry, was part of a team that built 40 wooden tree guards across a one mile stretch of Van Brunt Street. The guards were part of a beautification project Baum’s company was contracted for by SBIDC and RHED. Installation was completed near the end of March. The tree guards have a durable exterior and are sealed with timber oil. They will require very little maintenance and can be resealed as needed.

Baum says they should last for years as they are and add a sense of history and artistry to the neighborhood.

City Beautiful Carpentry is a Brooklyn company specializing in unique projects throughout the city. “We do high end carpentry for rooftop gardens and we like to give back to the community by doing projects like this,” Baum says.

Garden carpentry and is known for their unique work throughout the area. The reclaimed timbers used to make the guards were from the Coney Island board walk, NYC water towers and cooling towers from just outside of the city. The grove Redwood Timbers from the 1930s not only enhance the appearance of the streets, but also serve to protect the trees.

Ralph F. Amendola (August 22, 1934 - March 30th, 2012)

The Red Hook community laments the passing of Ralph F. Amendola, who died late last month at the age of 77.

Nicknamed “Dock” because he always carried band aids, Amendola grew up in Red Hook and worked on the piers before opening his own deli on Van Brunt Street. He attended services at Visitation Church and frequented the VFW Post, where in recent years he could usually be found sitting at a table near the front window.

Important justice workshop

A speaker from the New York Civil Liberties Union will be a special guest at the Red Hook Community Justice Center’s April Community Education Workshop Series event. The workshop will be held at PS 15 on April 25th at 7:00 p.m. The Justice Center

Added Value holds a Harvest Festival every October at their Red Hook farm where this photo was taken (Star-Revue photo)

Added Value to move

Added Value, the non-profit organization that promotes a sustainable Red Hook, is looking for a new office space after receiving notice of an unaffordable rent increase at the current location on the corner of Van Brunt and Wolcott Street. According to Executive Director Ian Marvy, they are looking for a new space by September.

Added Value runs the community farm across from Ikea, providing educational and work opportunities for local teenagers. They provide fresh vegetables and produce to local restaurants, operate a farmer’s market and host community events throughout the growing season.

www.RedHookStar.com

April 16-31, 2012

Home/made continues to recover from fire

by Kimberly Gail Price

must be scrubbed and soaked; things need to be put back in their respective places.

The community continues to support the project. Employees drop in to help; neighbors stop by for words of support.

And helping hands continue to be available.

Home/made is already open for weekend brunches as this recent photo attests.

H

ome/made continues to make progress after a fire threatened their restaurant earlier this month. Monica Byrne and Leisah Swenson have been working tirelessly along with many of their neighbors and friends to renovate and reopen their respected eatery and wine bar.

Most of the major work has been completed, including painting, plumbing and electrical work. The smaller things must still be tended to. All of the dishes

The couple was able to reopen for brunch starting Easter weekend. They will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm, and will reopen for lunches beginning April 23. They are still waiting for the stove to be replaced, a necessity to be able to serve dinner.

Amy Haimerl, a neighbor and close friend, called Monica and Leisah the same night of the fire. Within hours she had set up an online fundraiser for home/made that received an enormous amount of support. Amy is a “phenomenal” photo journalist who lives and is very active in the community. She continues to check in and offer support.

Even though they have their hands full with cleaning, Monica and Leisah still find time to cater events and attend community meetings. They hope to fully reopen by the end of the month at which time they are planning a great big thank you party for all of the helping hands.

They are more touched by their gratitude than the disaster. There are so many they wish to thank, one person after another contributing in special ways. When asked what one thing they would like to say to the community, they both chimed in immediately with words or gratitude. Monica responded first. “We love you.” Leisah added, “our abundant love.”

CORRECTION: In our last issue, the Star-Revue misspelled Leisah’s name.

We apologize for the mistake. Also, we regretfully omitted Amy Haimerl out of the enormous pile of thank- you’s that were mentioned.

Federal agency finally cooperates with container terminal bringing security to shipping operations (continued from page 1)

ment saying, “For those of us fighting to keep Red Hook Terminal open and operating effectively, this five-year agreement is exactly the kind of solution we need to maintain the stability and security of the terminal’s operation.”

Grimm thanked Governor Cuomo, Port Authority and CBP for their combined efforts, partnering together “to promote economic growth.”

Original agreement claimed to save money CBP originally decided to consolidate claiming that having fewer facilities would reduce travel time, improve cost effectiveness for shippers and provide faster services for inspected cargo. However, the extra cost of sending cargo requiring inspections would have cost the trade community more; with an overcrowding of facilities, sensitive shipments would he held up longer. Travel time would have increased.

However, in their press release in early April, CBP stressed the importance of keeping RHCT functional because of the “potential economic impact,” the “overall flow of trade” and the “unique geography and operations” in Red Hook. Robert Perez, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations stated, “our collaboration with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a good example of Federal and State/Local authorities working together to increase security and safety, while reducing transaction costs and expediting trade to the benefit of the local and regional economy.”

Foye of Port Authority followed the statement with words of gratitude. “We thank CBP for its commitment to Red Hook and for listening to us and the Congressional delegation and doing the right thing for the region’s port.”

CBP maintains that the reason the consolidation was not made public was due in part to the idea that this was a business deal between Homeland Security and the current stevedore. But speculation suggests that Customs may have wanted to

Red Hook Star-Revue

make the move quietly in order to avoid rallying the opposition. Once the consolidation had been finalized it, would be too costly to reverse the relocation.

Politicians, especially Grimm and Nadler, pressured Customs to overturn this decision. They reprimanded CBP for the exclusion and expressed “annoyance” toward the situation. Several private meetings in Washington were held over three months to persuade Homeland Security of the necessity of the inspection station in RHCT. CBP did not respond to the Star-Revue’s inquiries on these matters.

Improvements underway Under the new agreement, CBP will continue inspections in RHCT until January 8, 2017. New investments are underway, including more modern ways of ship-

ping in and out of the port. On March, 20, 2012, Tideworks Technology ®, Inc. launched their top of the line software, Software-as-a-Service at the terminal.

Red Hook has access to the software through a data center in Washington.

The container terminal is the first in the

New York/New Jersey area to implement the new technology. Politicians remain committed to maintaining and strengthening the terminal. However in five years, RHCT may once again have to fight for its viability if CBP does not renew their agreement with the Port Authority.

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April 16-31, 2012 Page 5

Curtis Skinner

On Politics

B61 Gets a Watch: The MTA announced this month that buses on the B61 line will be equipped with “BusTime”—a GPS system that tracks the locations and arrivals of buses in real-time—no later than June of this year. The system should give Red Hook riders more accurate pictures of their neighborhood bus route, making finding buses easier and more reliable.

This is in addition to the increased number of buses on the line promised earlier this year by MTA officials. A press release from the three Brooklyn politicians— Brad Lander, Nydia Velazquez and Sara Gonzalez—that have been out front on the issue, attributed the changes to their “Next Bus Please” report, published late last year. Those improvements were scheduled to start this month.

New York Fails to Stand It’s Ground: In the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting, critics have railed against Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, suggesting that the loose definition of self-defense included in the bill led to the slaying of the unarmed teenager. But only a few months ago, a bill sponsored by upstate Republican George Maziarz brought the “Stand Your Ground” debate to New York. “[This bill] authorizes a person to use physical force, including deadly physical force in defense of a person, in defense of premises or in defense of a dwelling, residence or vehicle,” the bill reads. Currently state law has a “duty to retreat” clause, which requires a person to show that reasonable attempts to flee an attacker were made before resorting physical or deadly force. This bill aimed to strike out that clause.

The legislation has not moved from committee since early January of this year, meaning it won’t likely see the light of day. But it should serve as a reminder that the gun regulation is a New York issue as well, and that it will have to be dealt with responsibly. And hopefully it won’t take a Martin to do it.

Crossbow Control: Another firearms bill to come out of this year’s legislative session was sponsored by a former state police officer, Patrick Gallivan (R) from upstate New York. The act aims to legalize the use of crossbows for hunting game in the state.

“Many people start out hunting with crossbows and eventually switch to longbows or compound bows,” the bill reads. It continues to say that that legalizing the crossbow—a sexy weapon for novice hunter—could potentially swell the ranks of upstate New York’s sportsmen’s clubs. This would, the bill contends, lead to a positive fiscal impact for the state by increasing the number of licenses that are issued. The bill was sent to the environmental conservation committee in late March.

PS 15 PTA PRESENTS

THE RED HOOK SPRING FLEA Saturday May 5th, 2012, 10am to 5pm Located in the PS 15 School Yard on Van Brunt Street between Wolcott & Sullivan

A Brief Update on Rent Control: Earlier this month, Mayor Bloomberg enacted legislation sponsored by 37 members of the City Council—including Brooklyn councilmembers Gonzalez, Levin and Lander—that will continue the long-standing rent control for the nearly 1 million affordable housing units across the city for another three years. The program goes back decades and has allowed long-time residents from dramatic rent increases occurring around the city.

After the successful Fall Flea, Red Hook’s local community school PS 15’s PTA will be hosting the “Spring Flea” flea market. Come and find that missing treasure, browse, chat, eat, and enjoy the many activities available. The day promises to be a joy-filled celebration of the unique community of Red Hook.

Sellers of all stripes include: VINTAGE, NEW AND USED CLOTHING & FURNITURE, JEWELRY, HAND CRAFTS, BOOKS, DVDS, TOYS AND LOTS OF LOCAL EATS AND SWEETS! Activities for the whole family throughout the day include: Yoga & Swing Dancing by Cora Dance, Triomph Fitness Kick Boxing, ZumbAtomic Zumba Dancing, as well as Art Projects, Robot Making, Music, a Bouncy House, “NEEDS Fitness” by Sessions Fit and More!

Visit us online

Catch breaking news, read our archives and more at

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April 16-31, 2012

Bicycle Safety

The following is courtesy of the 76th precinct:

Children & Bikes: Children under age 14 must wear a helmet. Children 12 and under may ride a bike on the sidewalk.

Some Hazardous Violations: Disobeying traffic signals or signs. Riding in the wrong direction against traffic and riding on the sidewalk. Cyclists may not wear more than one earphone attached to an audio device while riding.

Commercial Bicycles: Utilizing a bike for business; the company must be identified on the bike by name & identification number. The operator must wear upper-body apparel with the business’s name & operator’s number on the back. The operator shall wear a helmet provided by the business. Motor-assisted bikes are not permitted. The bike operator must carry & produce, on demand, a numbered ID card with the operator’s photo, name, home address and the business’s name, address and phone number.

Bike Security: When leaving a bike unattended in public, the bike should be securely chained to a bike rack. Do not chain a bike to a parking meter.

Bike Lanes: Bicyclists must use bike lanes when provided, unless they are blocked or otherwise unsafe. When riding on Greenways, stay in the designated path. Do not ride on pedestrian paths.

Bicycle Accidents: A cyclist involved in an accident that results in injury or property damage must stop & supply information to the other party.

For the Motorist: Vehicles may not obstruct marked bike lanes. Crossing bike lanes is permitted in limited circumstances. Motorists should look for oncoming bicyclist before opening the car door. Drivers should exercise due care to avoid hitting a biker on a roadway & should give warning by sounding the horn when needed.

Criminal Activities

written and collected by Elizabeth Graham

She yelled on the bus A bus driver and passenger teamed up with cops to bust a thief who allegedly snatched another rider’s phone on the B57 bus. The rider, 23, and her 2-yearold daughter boarded the bus on April 14th at 11:30 a.m. at Smith and W. 9th Street, where Bryan Medina offered to help her with her bags. The woman declined, and Medina sat behind her. A short time later, she felt a tug on her purse and turned to see Medina holding her phone. The woman yelled, prompting the bus driver to pull over and dial her number to confirm the phone was hers. The driver locked the bus and called 911, but Medina, 30, escaped out of the emergency exit. He was followed by another passenger, who chased him down and held him until cops arrived.

70 year-old steals diapers A determined woman tracked down the man who she says lifted two bags from her car, parked in the 200 block of Sackett Street around 2:15 p.m. on April 6th. The woman, 37, identified Jack Johnson, 70, of Union Street, as the robber who took off with her iPhone, wallet, clothes and a diaper bag. Johnson, who was arrested hours later after the woman pointed him out to police, admitted to the heist.

Hit me hard A Red Hook man was handcuffed on April 3th for allegedly beating his girlfriend with a banana after an argument between the two got physical. Amir Stanley, 41, was arrested when cops arrived at 80 Dwight St., where Stanley’s girlfriend, 32, told police he hit her with a green banana on her arm and back at around 6:50 p.m.

Too good for Sackett Street A man arrived home at his residence on the 300 block of Sackett Street on April 3rd to find no sign of the fancy car he’d parked there hours earlier. He told cops someone took off with his black four-door BMW worth $75,000 sometime during the night.

Stole the drills also A burglar made off with a laptop, two drills, a diamond ring worth $500, three small loose diamonds worth $500 and two pearl necklaces worth $2,500 from a home on the 100 block of Luquer Street on March 30th. The haul took place in broad daylight, from 1 to 2 p.m., when someone crawled into the apartment through a front window and fled through the basement, the female victim said.

Red Hook Star-Revue

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April 16-31, 2012 Page 7

Avanzino & Moreno, P.C.

Reg Flowers

Occupy the Hook

26 Court Street, Suite 205, Brooklyn, NY 11242

718 802-1616 jkvanzino.com

When he plays reveille

T

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The firm’s bilingual attorneys have handled a variety of negligence, medical malpractice and complex litigation cases throughout New York City and upstate New York, achieving numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Avanzino & Moreno, P.C. has also had the privilege to be trial counsel to some of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in New York.

The

Reg Flowers

he on-growing Occupy Wall Street movement has been called a leaderless movement. It is an understanding that seems to raise passion in some camps and suspicion in others. It has generated controversy among both supporters of Occupy and its detractors. My friend Ian Marvy, who runs Added Value and the Red Hook farm, refers to Occupy as a “leader-full” movement. I like the sound of that. It implies every one of us taking responsibility for the future that we are trying to make.

It also implies we must be accountable for

the outcomes of this movement.

These days, at every turn it seems, I find myself being assumed in, thrust into, accused of seizing or otherwise saddled with a leadership role. I can’t deny I am in part to blame. I tend to make my presence known. This column and the suit I’m wearing in my photo, might be evidence a desire to be perceived in charge to some folks. I guess, as they say, if the shoe fits. I admit it’s pretty cool having a platform, and I do hope my words have impact. However, I don’t speak for all of Red Hook, or even all of Occupy Red Hook. Visit any Wednesday Occupy meeting and you’ll see I’m not the boss of anyone.

I believe it was by consensus, (a sometimes painful process), that the group decided to visit the 76th Precinct and consented to meet with the NYPD on Wednesday, April 25 at 7:00 pm. The group continues to democratically plan actions to address transportation, traffic, economic development and ways to gain access to natural resources that include Red Hook’s waterfront. You can check out the public awareness campaign that is being funded through the sale of t-shirts, (www.indiegogo.com/policeproof). You may see one in the window at home/made restaurant, which is opening this week! You might also stay tuned for activities planned for May Day.

Red Hook StarªRevue SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

I don’t want to be confused as interested in acts of charity. My participation in these various community-centered activities is not for kindness of heart. I am an extremely ambitions. I don’t believe any self-respecting queer, radical, theater artists and karaoke host is without ambition. Seeking to cultivate a safer and more convivial Red Hook may seem altruistic, but that’s just a coincidence. I am working to realize the world I want to live in and I need all the help I can get. I want to harvest the rewards of that work…for me! If it happens that a community that is organized for positive change will benefit others, then so be it.

Instead of offering my own perspective on the current social movements, I’d like to share an excerpt from Saul D. Alinsky’s Reveille for Radicals—that’s REV- ah – lee, like what gets played on the bugle when it’s time to wake up— in which he describes a program for the people.

Alinsky says: “If we strip away all the chromium trimmings of high-sounding metaphor and idealism which conceal the motor and gears of a democratic society, one basic element is revealed—the people are the motor, the organizations of the people are the gears. The power of the people is transmitted through the gears of their own organizations, and democracy moves forward.

member

@RedHookStar

By their own organizations, we mean those organizations in which they participate, which they own, and through which they express their interests, hopes, sentiments, and dreams. These are organizations that are genuinely of the people, by the people, and for the people—organizations that by their character formulate and articulate a dynamic democratic philosophy.”

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I’ll pass the book around when I’m done. It’s a great read so far. Please go to the community meeting on April 25. It’s at PS 15, 71 Sullivan Street. I’d love to see lots of folks walking around in the t-shirts we’re selling. In the meantime, I hope people will continue to attend the Wednesday meetings at Added Value, 370 Van Brunt Street at 7:15 pm.

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April 16-31, 2012

Star-Revue political reporter Curtis Skinner catches up with a Carroll Gardens politican

A Conversation with Daniel Squadron In the Star-Revue’s efforts to connect readers with their elected officials, we caught up with State Senator Daniel Squadron during the legislature’s recent recess. His job and his 1-year-old boy, Theo, keep Squadron busy, but he found time to talk at a café a few blocks from his Carroll Gardens home about civic engagement, campaign finance and the Jets.

RHSR: There is plenty of information on your legislation and causes in the senate, but it’s hard to find much about your personal life. What do you do for recreation?

Hobbies? How about sports?

State Senator Daniel Squadron: I’m a huge Jets fan, or you could say a longsuffering Jets fan, but I’m very concerned about this media market’s inevitable quarterback controversy. (Referring to the Jets’ recent acquisition of star quarterback Tim Tebow). I mean, Sanchez’s numbers were comparable to Eli’s at the beginning of his career. I’m just not sure that a permanent controversy is a good idea.

You recently wrote an editorial on the impact community engagement can have on policy. I’m interested to get your take on the Occupy Wall Street movement and the sister groups it has spawned around the city.

“Look, campaign finance in New York State is a disaster...” ous to get your take on the new coalition for reform that the [New York] Times wrote about recently.

It’s great news. I’m really proud of the accomplishments I’ve had on ethics and rules reforms, but the most fundamental change that needs to happen in Albany is campaign finance reform. We need all hands on deck. In New York, the amount that people can contribute to political campaigns is way larger than what can be contributed to federal elections.

I’ve looked at some of the bills and one interested me. You called for the reduction of personal contributions from $150,000 per person per year to $75,000. And while that is clearly a huge reduction, 50 percent, it’s not like the average New Yorker spends that much on elections.

Look, campaign finance in New York State is a disaster and that is just one of the ways to fix it. Another bill I introduced reduces the enormous LLC (Limited Liability Company – a business that is a hybrid between large corporations and partnerships or sole owned companies) contribution limit. [The $150,000 to $75,000 reduction bill] is not the most serious problem. And my strategy has been to push every change and hopefully this stuff will get done.

By any measure, they’ve changed the conversation. Occupy Wall Street was in my district, and there were some serious quality of life issues there. Lower Manhattan is not just this totem, but a neighborhood. So I tried to work with all the parties to make sure that the protests didn’t interfere with that. But they have been enormously effective.

Can you explain why campaign finance is such a big issue? I think the idea is kind of abstract and a lot of people might not understand.

Yeah. It’s not about reform for reform’s sake. It’s to make the government concerned about the needs of individuals instead of a small group of special interests. Most people are out there, busy living their lives, and when they aren’t watching, that’s when the government can be stolen by these special interests.

Campaign finance reform has been a big issue for you this session, so first I am curi-

Which groups have you found to be the most aggressive in Albany?

It’s not about one of them; it’s about all of them. Some of the smaller ones that fall below the headlines can be the most damaging.

Now I have a question that is somewhat more technical that I was hoping you could walk me through. So one of the bills you sponsored lowers the amount that LLCs can donate to campaigns, but how does that relate to B-corps? (Benefit corporations are businesses that pursue profit and social good—something which is not allowed for traditional corporations.) Since they are a different kind of corporation, are they not considered LLCs under the reform?

B-corps would be treated like any other corporation on campaign finance. The difference is that traditional corporations are charged with maximizing profits for their investors. B-corps still make profit but have social goals, too. If you want to make money and do some good in the world, than B-corps are the way to do that. With a traditional corporation, it’s very hard to not just pursue profit; B-corps solve that problem.

And those goals are detailed in the corporation’s purpose itself. For instance, there is a bakery that makes all the brownies for Ben and Jerry’s, and also does workforce development in neighborhoods that have high unemployment. The ways that social or environmental projects are pursued is detailed when the corporation is founded.

I understand that you’re probably running late so I’ll just ask what programs or projects are you really active on right now and that people should know about.

I’ve been working hard on a bill that cracks down on repeat domestic violence offenders. Now they just cycle through the court system as long as they don’t kill or maim their victim. This bill is simple: if you have two offenses in five

State Senator Daniel Squadron lives in Carroll Gardens with his family.

years, you get put into the [prison] system to prevent you from injuring anyone else.

Residential permit parking is another (the RHSR covered this issue last November). Today, if a community wanted to have this program, they couldn’t under state law. Communities would vote on a proposal for the project in their neighborhood, not on a community board-wide basis but on a block-byblock and street-by-street basis. Streets that have businesses or meters wouldn’t have permits and a certain number of spaces would be left open to the public.

It’s really about allowing the communities to begin to pursue it if they want it.

(Senator Squadron will be hosting an annual community meeting on Sunday, April 22 at the High School of Economics and Finance in lower Manhattan. There residents can participate in any of the dozen or so issue-focused groups for discussion. RSVPs are open on the Senator’s webpage.)

The Star-Revue joins the New York State Press Association

by George Fiala

T

he Red Hook Star-Revue was accepted as a full member of the New York State Press Association this past March. This professional organization was founded in 1853 for the betterment of the weekly newspaper industry throughout the state of New York.

an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Acceptance into this professional trade organization is a confirmation of a newspaper’s dedication to its mission. It means that the publishers are committed to high journalistic standards and business practices. They are always open to new ideas, especially in these days of rapid advances in communication.

In addition to the big city daily newspapers that were so important in the success of the American Revolution, smaller country weekly newspapers also proliferated. The Association was founded in order to band together 32 of these weeklies throughout New York State for the purpose of continually upgrading the editorial and business practices through education and fellowship.

Free and open communication in a democracy was deemed so important to the founders of this country that it was among the rights protected in the very first amendment to the US Constitution.

“Congress shall make no law respecting

The organization has grown over the years, today over 700 newspapers are represented by NYPA. Some of the privileges of membership are: invitations to two annual conventions; a Better Newspaper Contest where outstanding

Red Hook Star-Revue

efforts are recognized; participation in group display and classified advertising sales; group health and libel insurance; and information about public laws important to the operation of a newspaper.

In addition, the Association is active in placing interns, and lobbies on behalf of the industry on state and national levels.

The Better Newspaper Contest includes categories such as coverage of local government, education, business, financial and economic news, health, crime, sports, and science. In addition, excellence in writing and photography, as well as presentation of news and advertising are recognized with first, second and third place awards.

As the Star-Revue joined the Association this year, we sat and watched as the awards for 2011 were handed out during the spring convention that we attended. We will be eligible for the contest

www.RedHookStar.com

Publisher Kimberly G. Price proudly hangs membership plaque behind her desk

next year, with entries drawn from the current year. Our report next year will be on the prizes we will have won.

April 16-31, 2012 Page 9

The Good Friday Processions

Carroll Gardens: Sacred Hearts and St. Stephen Church

S

t. Stephen’s annual Good Friday procession is an Italian funeral demonstration held on the streets just before dusk. People gather on the sidewalks to witness the event. An Italian funeral band plays. Mourners walking in the procession are dressed in black, carrying candles and singing Italian hymns. Cameras flash; the crowd speaks in hushed voices. The body of Christ and Mother Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, emerge into the streets.

The procession claims its roots from Mola di Bari, Italy. St. Stephen’s held its first processional in 1948. Every year on Good Friday, the reenactment hoists the beloved statues into the air and carries them through the streets of Carroll Gardens.

The statuary symbols represent the steps of Christ to his final resting place.

The church incorporates two of its most beloved statues into the event. The body of Jesus lies in a glass coffin, carried on the shoulders of his devotees. Mother Mary follows in the procession as the light casts shadows on her face and the dagger through her heart that represents the prophecy of Simeon the Righteous. She is dressed in black and followed by devotees called the Sisters of the Congrega Maria SS Addolorata. The final death of Christ is marked by his body meeting at the feet of his mother three times.

This past Good Friday, spectators gathered on the streets and in the procession to accompany the funeral procession. Many were active members of St Stephen’s.

Others were folks who had moved further away, but still come out to watch every year. And others were brought into the streets by mere curiosity. The procession lasted for more than two hours; onlookers stood reverently by until the last moments when the holy statues were carried back into the church.

Brooklyn Dockworkers

applaud the hard work of our elected officials in rescinding the decision of U.S. Customs to relocate from Red Hook to Staten Island, which would have imperiled jobs on the Brooklyn Waterfront.

Thanks to: Marty Golden Michael Grimm Peter King Jerrold Nadler Charles Schumer Nydia Velazquez

Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue

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April 16-31, 2012

The Good Friday Processions

Red Hook: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary On Easter weekend, Visitation Church held their annual Good Friday processional. The walk began just outside of the church into the streets and through the parks. Father Claudio observed each of the fourteen stations of the cross both in Spanish and English. A crowd gathered around and followed as the procession wound its way from the Church through Coffey Park over to the Red Hook Houses. Music also accompanied the procession.

14 Stations of the Cross 1. Jesus is Condemned to Die 2. Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross 3. Jesus Falls the First Time 4. Jesus Meets His Mother 5. Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross 6. Veronica Wipes Jesus’ Face 7. Jesus Falls the Second Time 8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem 9. Jesus Falls the Third Time 10. Jesus is Stripped 11. Jesus is Nailed to the Cross 12. Jesus Dies on the Cross 13. Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross 14. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

We are across from Coffey Park (718) 923-9880

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April 16-31, 2012 Page 11

Opinion:

Irrational Choice Part 2

by Michael Racioppo n my previous column, I wrote about low voter turnout and how it is an irrational choice (disputing Mancur Olson’s theory of rational choice) for people to participate at such levels. I ended by saying that I would discuss some possible solutions next. So here goes.

The fix for low voter turnout is to force, or mandate, all eligible voters to vote. If they do not want to vote for any of the candidates, they would still be required to show up and be recorded as having abstained. In countries that have such a system, the largest being Australia, this is known as a spoilt vote.

How can this be enforced? By having voters who do not participate face a punitive measure such as a fine or perform community service. This would be coupled with enforced requirements for employers to let employees vote. “Enforced” being the operative word. This is made easier by the fact that the employers themselves are also being required to vote.

I will concede that, knowing the American political system, implementing this is highly unlikely. Especially when you consider that the political system is controlled by those currently benefiting from low voter turnout. But that does not mean people should not be made aware of the benefits of compulsory voting.

One benefit would be that there is potential to decrease the numbers of uninformed and apathetic citizens. Surveys have shown that even with the proliferation of cable and online news sources, 30 percent of Americans cannot identify Joe Biden as our vice president. Under a compulsory system, since they have to vote anyway, it is hopeful that people will take some time to find out about the person they are giving a power to. Compulsory voting may encourage voters to research the candidates’ political positions more thoroughly. Either way it can’t be any worse than close to 100 million people not knowing who the person a heartbeat from the presidency is.

Another, and probably greatest, benefit is that compulsory voting would push American democracy closer to it’s highest ideal - a government for the people by the people. With everyone voting the elected candidates have more of a mandate and democratic legitimacy to implement policy. Those elected also know that the people have firing power that cannot be avoided by discouraging or making participation more difficult for specific groups that would not support them. This is the true consent of the governed.

I know people reading will instantly see the parallels with the argument over the health-care mandate that was just argued for three days before the Supreme Court. And those who disagree with my argument are likely to dismiss the benefit of high participation and ask what can the government not force us to do if we would allow this? To quote Antonin Scalia: “can the government require that we eat broccoli?”

The answer is that unlike broccoli, those who do not participate in democracy, and those who do not buy health-care affect those who do, very directly. We all deal with the policies and laws elected officials implement. Many of those laws themselves are mandates we accept. The level of government can be different but they are forced upon us none the less.

We accept that we must pay into Social Security and Medicare, move our cars for street cleaning so they do not get towed, attend jury duty, and be vaccinated to attend school. We accept these things as part of the basic social contract in America and though these laws are implemented by different levels of government, they are restrictive of liberty in its purest sense. If you really oppose any of these “mandates” or compulsory polices and want it to change, I recommend supporting compulsory voting - because clearly the current system is not working for you.

Michael Racioppo teaches political science at Brooklyn college

I

Immigration

I

by JJ Burkard

n late 1847, the worst famine in history began to have effects on America including our Village of Red Hook.

The deluge of Irish immigration began, flooding the country with desperate people desiring that chance at a new life. The immigrants doubled, tripled and then quadrupled. At its peak year 1907, the number of immigrants rose to one and a half million people. City and State governments began to worry. Some saw this influx as good for our nation. They anticipated a flood of skilled workers to bolster the American workforce. Others saw starving people with all types of ailments that would burden the economy.

From the years 1882 through 1907 our state and federal governments began to panic and sought to implement many restrictive rules. Perhaps one of the cruelest was the rule, “Paupers not admitted.” Think of families spending their meager life savings on a grueling trip across the Atlantic to live in squalid quarters where they were subject to humiliating examinations, detained for another couple of weeks under inhumane deplorable conditions and then be denied entry. Some were said to have froze to death while on the unheated barge in sub-zero weather.

On New Year’s Day 1892, fifteen-yearold Annie Moore from County Cork, Ireland became the first immigrant to enter the just completed Ellis Island Station. Just a short time before, the immigration inspection process was done wherever the ships docked. The U.S. Government decided to rebuild the entire center in time to accommodate a group of Irish Catholics arriving for the sole purpose of joining the Brooklyn Diocese at Visitation Church. Father Kiely joyfully welcomed them; he thanked God for sending them to his new parish where

The massive immigration also brought many Italians to Red Hook. Similar stories were heard about their plight in parts of Italy. When the Italian immigrants arrived, instead of welcoming each other, they saw the Irish as outsiders who didn’t belong. The Irish and Italians had their own way of living, and friendship was a word not uttered between the two groups. Astonishingly they toiled at the same occupations.

Eventually, the Irish and Italians did make up. They had no choice, because of the younger generation. The Kelly’s boy married the Romanelli’s daughter.

That good looking Nunzio boy dated the young blond kid Mary Gerrity. The Irish and the Italian forgot they were enemies. Soon they were integrated and together they found it was easy to find others who did not belong in their neighborhood.

On Nov 19, 1954, Ellis Island closed its doors. The last detainee, A Norwegian seaman named Arne Peterson, was pardoned and transported to the mainland. The entire building was completely restored after eight years, costing $156 million and converted into a beautiful museum that opened September 10, 1990. It is the fourth largest museum in New York City as well as the most expensive restoration.

The Wall of Honor displays 400,000 names of immigrants. It is the largest wall of names in the world.

Important Reminder: On August 27, 2012, we will be celebrating Fort Defiance Day, our own official holiday, which was designated by Borough President Marty Markowitz. Many events will be planned. Last year we were wiped out because of a severe storm; this year’s event will run all week long to make up for it. Watch the Red Hook Star-Revue for details.

Growing up Red Hook - Visitation Days

by Mary Ann Massaro

It was great growing up in Red Hook as a kid. Sunday mornings would find me in a dress with a kerchief over my head. Mom and I went off to Visitation Church for Sunday morning mass.

I can remember my mind wandering off in thought as I sat in awe of the stained glass windows around me. I can remember the sense of pride that I felt as I stretched out my arm to drop change into the poor box. And though it was never really a lot of money, to a kid at that age, I felt like I was helping to feed thousands of poor kids in the world. And then there were the Holy Sacraments that I made. I can recall 1972 when I made my first Holy Communion. Wednesday afternoons found me at Visitation School after class for religious instructions for 6 weeks prior.

And then as the day grew close, my house was full of anticipation. It was like there was a wedding being planned.

There was so much to do. And we began finding just the right flowers and rosaries. There was the bible and the

Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue

they quickly adapted to their new village of Red Hook.

www.RedHookStar.com

veil and of course the dress - oh yes it had to be the perfect white dress! So on my first Holy Communion Day, I found myself back at the church. My mother looking on so proudly as I marked another milestone in my life. I’ll always remember that day. if my mother were alive today I would thank her by saying “Thank you, Mom for teaching me to pray and standing beside me on my Holy Communion Day.”

April 16-31, 2012

Playing ball amid the ghost of Ebbets Field

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here is no doubt that Red Hook was part of the golden age of urban “ball” games during the 50s and 60s, most particularly stick ball, handball and stoop ball. It was a past time that definitely defined us as “city people.”

We ruled at these games, and we surely dared anyone to dispute that.

It was the most outdoor fun of our youth starting in the spring months.

No adults, no leagues, no schedules. It was very inexpensive, too, bearing no costs for uniforms, equipment or fees, with the exception of some pink rubber Spaldeen balls or mop sticks.

I could be wrong about this, but I personally think the obsession of these urban ball games was probably heightened in Brooklyn after our beloved Dodgers were relocated to California in 1957, and blissfully, for a while at least, restored by the Mets with their miracle World Series win in 1969. All I know for sure is, these games kept us kids occupied for hours on end, and I can’t say it was always limited to the boys. Although on our block the girls didn’t take religiously to stick ball, we were no strangers to stoop ball and hand ball. There were a couple of reasons for this. First, stoop ball could be played solo. Secondly, we had the perfect wall, or so we thought, at the corner of our block to play handball. It was not that high, but the brick naturally formed sections with its cement seams, which made it easy to measure the ball’s placement within “courts.”

My favorite was stoop ball and I suppose it could have been called curb ball since I only played the game solo as the pitcher and the catcher. The boys would play solo too, but they would more often be found playing with fielders, scoring runs.

I thought that I had the perfect stoop for stoop ball. It was wide with three large steps leading up to the doorway with a platform as the top step.

Then another step framed the front door entrance. In those days, when other kids couldn’t come out to play for one reason or another, (we were truly punished for our sins back then), and I found myself bored and alone, all it took was one Spaldeen to keep the clock moving. I remember challenging myself to hit the ball on the back of the same step repeatedly and catching its return each time. Could I do it ten times in a row without missing? Maybe twenty? And so on.

It was pretty safe to play stoop ball, too, because the “pitching mound” was on the opposite sidewalk across the street. The time of day for fewer interruptions of cars passing by was key, too. Mid-day probably made the most sense for other blocks in Red Hook, but not for mine because busy lunch-time traffic for Defonte’s and John & Frank’s - sandwich shops both located on nearby Columbia Street - emptied out later in the day. So it wasn’t unusual, especially in the summer months, to get the best playing time in the evening after supper. That is, until the adults came downstairs

Red Hook Star-Revue

by Mary Anne Pietanza with their lawn chairs ready to enjoy their evening harbor breezes and gossip time.

Hand ball on the corner was a blast and the all the girls on the block enjoyed playing together. KINGS was the game of choice for us. Of course, there was also the choice of Chinese handball - a version where the ball has to bounce first before it hits the wall or American handball, where the ball has to directly hit the wall first. We played Chinese handball most of the time. The game of KINGS was really a simple concept for handball, which was the beauty of all these ball games. fill this abysmal void left by the DodgThe main object of handball was to ers in some way, (out in Queens of all get the ball back into the adjacent “friggin” places), the guys were obplayer’s “court.” In KINGS, every miss Skills like decision making, problem into a player’s court solving and cooperation combined with gained a letter of the word “kings.” The the confidence and personal achievement first player to receive all of the letters, was one gained from the absence of adult out. There were various versions where supervision and “organization” was worth players were rotated around, for instance, its weight in gold. or the loser had to play “asses up”, (I think that was a boy thing), but that was the basic idea of sessed over this sudden abandonment for a very long time. It seemed readthe game.

When I think about my own children’s ing their baseball cards more seriously experiences of baseball, with their took precedent over “flipping” them Little Leagues and uniforms, barking for a while, as a way of hanging onto coaches and over-the-top screaming their glory. parents, I can’t help but think that I never really explored the reason they lost out on the treasure of val- why the team was relocated until one ues and skills that we acquired from day about ten years ago, while readplaying our street ball games. Skills like decision making, problem solving and cooperation combined with the confidence and personal achievement one gained from the absence of adult supervision and “organization” was worth its weight in gold.

Now in the neighborhood when I go to visit a friend of mine who has returned to live in Red Hook for various reasons, we sit on the stoop - she, her sister and I - and we reminisce about our youth there and the differences we see today. The streets are void of children playing as we did. The warm weather and spring breezes we’ve been having lately reminds me of the approaching baseball season and the die-hard Dodgers and Mets fans that greatly defined my mother and brother. I was too young to remember Ebbets Field, but my brother was lucky to have attended many games with my mother.

They romanticized often about the camaraderie of the Dodgers and their exciting games, stories I heard about endlessly when I was a little girl. But they mostly mourned the loss of the team along with their iconic stadium that was located in Flatbush on Bedford Avenue. I think of all the things I could remember about baseball back then, it was this common collective, deep-rooted heartbreak of everyone on the block for this never-forgotten ghost team I never knew. Even though the Mets weren’t far behind, trying to

www.RedHookStar.com

ing about our friendly power broker, Robert Moses, I discovered that the Dodgers’ owner attempted to build a new stadium for his team in Atlantic Yards back in 1956. Remarkable. I never would have known that. He whole heartedly wanted his team to stay in Brooklyn. Robert Moses, however, denied his attempts because he was ear marking Flushing Meadows for a new ball park. Of course, we all know that Robert Moses got what Robert Moses wanted. The power struggle that ensued ultimately led Walter O’Malley, the Dodgers’ owner, to influence the New York Giants to flirt with California - along with his Dodgers - as a new hometown for their teams. How sad when one thinks it was probably done out of spite. This makes me wonder sometimes if my mother ever knew that her precious Dodgers could have been playing baseball practically in Red Hook’s back yard back in1959, had Robert Moses been a little more empathetic to Brooklyn’s age of innocence.

April 16-31, 2012 Page 13

The

Blue Pencil Lunar Revue A spoof publication of the Red Hook Star-Revue, no information below is meant to be true

Tourists spotted at Columbia Street’s brand new Pok Poklatch

by Maggie Mede

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his past week Portland Native American Andikuital Rukukeril was spotted on Columbia Street preparing a traditional potlatch to celebrate his upcoming 50th birthday. As word got out about this enormous gathering, hordes of strangely garbed visitors from the surrounding area made their way through the New York jungle to take part in this celebration. They were spotted carrying unusual merchandise to be exchanged with Mr. Rukkukeril in the traditional potlatch way, which developed as an economic system prior to the concept of money.

In preparation for this feast, the local chicken slaughterhouses were emptied of all their living merchandise as wing after wing were ripped from the just passed chickens and dipped into vats of spicy Far East spices. In anticipation, costumed and in some cases scantily clad guests were seen at local airports competing for the largest cabs in order to bring some highly unusual items into the neighborhood. These items ranged from large trees with ornate carvings

and leaves still on them, to ivory crossbows to be used upstate for hunting, as well as dishes of steamed cabbage and kohlrabi. In one unusual case, a darkskinned man was seen wearing the kohlrabi on his face, with hot cabbage atop his head. Divebombing crows had to be shood away, which was done by aiming pointy chicken wings in their direction.

So far, the media coverage of this event has been fantastic. At first, people were doubting whether the traditional baked bean dish could be prepared in time, as fifteen natives from British Columbia had to be brought in to prepare chicken wing sauces and had problems at the border. However, after intervention with customs officials was made by local politicians, especially Jerry Nadler, the natives were allowed entry as was their luggage consisting of unusually shaped mortars and pestles.

Interviewed by this newspaper, Mr. Rukukeril was only able to utter phrases in his native Portlandish indigenous language: “Lin lin, huv huv mu mu pok pok.” He went on saying “ru ru ke ke

LETTERS Dear Editor: I was walking on Court Street last week and would like to let your readers know about something very disturbing. In fact, so terrible that I haven’t been able to sleep since. As we all know, our society has of late become very environmentally conscious.

Everything is going green. Not just the NY Jets, but factories, ships, cars and trucks, and even frogs named Kermit. We all know that when you have a cold, your body even turns green, at least from the nose.

When I take my kids to the dentist these days, all we get

are green lolly pops. The only thing you hear on the radio is Green Day, and I just read that one of my favorite bands just changed their name to the ‘Green Hot Chili Peppers.’

And of course, we all know about ‘Fried Green Tomatoes,’ a trend setter from years back.

Well, as I was saying, I looked up while walking past Mooburger the other day, and what did I see-you won’t believe it-now even the trees are getting into the act. The beautiful brown spiny branches are covered with little green shoots.

Everywhere. What’s next -

la la louie” after which he retreated to the kitchen to experiment with a curried cabbage and apple strudel dessert.

On his way to the kitchen he was heard repeating the phrase “Ku karu karu karu” over and over again.

The Poklatch is expected to go on for at least several years, long enough for food reviewers Loppy Lou and Brenda made it in from Fort Greene to take part and cable tv food in the opening day poklatch. Loppy was hoping to trade his red shows to spread hand for a good pair of Coach gloves. the word about Norman Fox, head of Cowna, was this new/old form of barter which Ron said to be lobbying for an economic Paul expects to be replacing the US conference in the area “as long as the Greenback. guests arrive in limousines, not trucks.”

slime? Disgusted, Mr. Green Genes, Orange County, NY To the editor: As someone who has worked at your paper since it was a negligible rag virtually useless to the Red Pencil community, except perhaps as an occasional destination for cat urine, I feel it is my moral duty to inform our readers of the complete disregard for human dignity with which you treat the entire news staff. I’m choosing to remain anonymous to protect myself from retribution, but I’m sure I speak for everyone in this letter. We are all equal victims of your insensitivity, perversity and stupidity on daily basis. And so on behalf of all of us, I’m am requesting that you please desist

MJUBLE by David L Goyt & Ffej Runk Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square to form four ordinary words.

from the following practices: 1. Stop bringing your dogs to the office and then asking one of us to walk them and pick up their poop. It’s demeaning and it isn’t in any of our job descriptions.

2. Stop inserting the word “panties” into every other sentence. As in, “Hey, it’s not lunch time yet, so keep your panties on!” Or, “What’s gotten into you today? Did you forget to iron your panties?”

No one thinks it’s funny and if just makes everyone uncomfortable.

3. Stop forwarding videos of animals of different species trying to have sex with each other. Again, none of us find

Blue Pencil Classifed Ads To place your own ad in our next issue, please go see a shrink because you are obviously out of your mind.

ZQJPB

WANTED:

Synonym for lasagna. Contact chefboyardee@ redhookstar.com with possible suggestions Tasty Chicken seeks line cook. Must have 2 yrs exp with grease and be med-school dropout. For more info, do your research like you should have in med-school.

OUIE

Hungry hungry hippo seeks full figured mate to bathe and eat with. To view my profile, visit www. bluepecillunatics.com Elephant that blows bubbles and eats crackers.

I got a broken one for Xmas. Send additional complaints to santaisameanoldman@redhookstar.com

BOUNCE Grixl mixl mokley pukeli

597634

ANSWER

Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue

these videos amusing and we also find it unsettling that you mark the subject line as “URGENT.” 4. Stop sending the female reporters to cover stories about prostitution, strip clubs or other illicit activities and telling them to use the method of “participant-observation.”

5. Finally, stop placing cups of chocolate pudding at our desks and thinking that is going to make up for whatever crass comment or abusive act you inflicted the previous day. We don’t want your f*cking pudding.

Sincerely, Disgruntled Employee

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer as suggested by this cartoon

Loan wanted. $300 trillion to reimburse China. Contact: federalgovernment@redhookstar.com Seeking bomber underwear. Most be wholly and in poor condition. Call (718) 624-5568 and ask for Franny.

Leather pants for sale. Size 36. My new girlfriend is a vegan.

A list of local intersections without stoplights for background material at the next Civic Association meeting as I’ve got nothing else to say. Call Wobert Beerios 834-6798. Will also accept streets without speed bumps.

www.RedHookStar.com

Empty restaurant seeks customers. Apply in person, 127 Sackett Street

FOR SALE:

6 pairs of dirty gym sock. Makes lovely dining room table center piece. Excessively fragrant.

Comes as set. $546. Contact: buymycrap@redhookstar.com Three handed pencil sharpener for sale. Requires assistance to sharpen pencils.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The mice family at the Star-Theater is happy to announce the birth of their fourteenth littler. To donate, please send cheese and mousetraps.

Blue used to be my favorite color. After a leaky pen disaster, I have changed my mind. Green highlighter is now my favorite color.

Help Wanted

Looking for someone that can change ‘B’s to ‘A’ without charging $300 an hour. Freddies Diner, 1428 Elm Street.

Empty restaurant seeks invisible waiters and waitresses who don’t need pay. Apply in person, 101B Union Street

April 16-31, 2012

give him a week to think about it.

Letters from readers:

The picture attests to the beautiful burger with its cheese, lettuce and tomato. I went to the bakery the day before the party. True to his word, and the picture will show, proud Antonio with his unbelievably realistic hot dog cake. Even the ends of the frankfurter were slightly indented.

The Red Hook Star-Revue welcomes submissions from readers in the forum of letters and op-eds. Please send your

To the Editor, I recently made a trip into Brooklyn, where I was introduced to a copy of your local paper. A friend of mine told me they have it at a place called Baked. Like the name of that establishment, I dug the paper, and in particular was compelled to give a nod towards Michael Racioppo’s opinion piece. I found it to be thoughtful and a good refresher on the complicated concept of implicating unions into the working world. Again nice paper, nice piece. Bill Zsunkan Boston, MA Editor: After the success of the hamburger cake for my 16-year old grandson, his about to be 8-year old sister wanted one for her birthday also. I did not want to detract her from the hamburger, so I went to see Antonio at Monteleone’s Bakery. I explained why I did not want another birthday burger which is always available. I requested a hot dog. He smiled, said he never [did] one and to

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Problem #2: After carefully carrying it into my kitchen, it would not fit in the refrigerator. Correction, the box fit in the fridge, but I could not close the door.

Problem #3: I called my neighbor, but he didn’t answer his cell. I send an email, but no reply. So key in hand, the cake goes into his refrigerator with many apologies.

At the birthday party, Problems 1, 2, and 3 add up to zero. The birthday girl is telling her guests [that] she is having a hamburger birthday cake. As I walk in with the cake, her friends are saying, “that doesn’t look like a hamburger!!”

The look on her face was spectacular as she finally saw the hot dog. Great fun.

For a good looking cake that even tastes great, visit Monteleone’s Bakery.

Tell Antonio the “Hot Dog Lady” sent

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Across 1. Valentino ________ 5. Abbr. for East Northport, LI. 9. Dentist concern 14. Gumbo vegetable 15. Capital of Qatar, home of diplomacy 16. Camel rest stops 17. X-ray protection 18.` Golf clubs 20. Wide 21. Preceeds Vegas 22. Instruction for alley cat 23. Two words for a genie 24. Local NYCHA site 26. Home of Rome (abbr) 27. Finance company 30. Old McDonald had this 33. Police weapon 37. Boat propeller 38. Mimic 39. Snake oil 41. Mamma ______ 42. Earl and Ray Hall started this 44. Peyton’s brother 45. “Two and a Half Men” co-star 46. Less crazy 47. Web portal 48. Facial features 49. Spanish coin 51. Half of a British farewell 53. Alias 55. Orange soda brand 59. Not strong 62. Done to get the job (with ‘on’) 63. Height times width 64. A kind of flower 65. Colt’s mom 66. Travel the country 67. Russia before the 1990’s

DOWN 1. Survey 2. Local furniture purveyor 3. Wipe clean 4. Cool 5. King’s command 6. Cobble Hill singer Jones 7. Picture 8. Sunbathers reward 9. Just ___ Stories (Kipling) 10. Pops Staples’ daughter 11.S imile words

Red Hook Star-Revue

you. If you are a vegetarian, the flower cake with magnificent butterflies may be more appealing. Everything in the showcase is artistic and tasty. A nice place to visit to purchase some goodies or to enjoy coffee and a delicious pastry.

Harriet Libstag Brooklyn, NY Editors Note: The Star-Revue received a complaint from Susan at the Lobster Pound that our satirical poke appearing in our last issue was anti-Semitic. We assume that she is referring to our statement (made in all fun, as was everything in that 8 page April Fools spoof) that Jews cannot resist coffee and cake.

Just to set the record straight, that joke was taken directly from a Jackie Mason routine. Jackie Mason has been called many things, not all complimentary, but anti-Semitism has never been one of them.

In advance of Mother’s Day

Last Issue Answers 1

Problem #1: I could not fit the cake box in my shopping cart, so I left it in the bakery and got my car.

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Add local media to your marketing plan.

Angelika Mitchell will show you how The Red Hook Star-Revue can lead to increased profits.

Call her today

718 624-5568 angelika@redhookstar.com

by George & Kimberly

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12. Grateful Dead bassist 13. Brooklyn time zone 19. Bro’s sibling 22. Airplane of yore 25. Of the womb 27. Housewives 28. Loses 29. Business magazine publisher 30. Satire 31. Act of mockery 32. Color again 33. Also 34. Inquires 35. Bra part 36. Schemes

www.RedHookStar.com

39. Neither’s partner 40. Parisian mother 43. “____ a jolly good fellow” 50. Spanish menu category 51. Brat 52. Smith prefix 54. Computer brand 55. Steal 56. Time period 57. Singular pronoun 58. 007 creator 60. Balloon filler 61. Teenage girl band 62. Dallas university

April 16-31, 2012 Page 15

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On Location with imberly & eorge: lika!

George: Long ago, I toiled for another community newspaper that brought me to my first Press Association Conventions. Turn the clock forward and I’m back to the same convention in late March in Saratoga Springs.

NYPA members was first on the agenda. I offered to refill Kimb’s iced tea, and because of a faulty pitcher, the ice and tea spilled loudly all over the table. The whole room turned and looked directly at me, including the speaker.

George “accidentally” gave me the Kimberly: The long awaited con- evil eye. vention was preceded by 36 hours of writing, editing, and correcting Despite the fact that there were Geo’s mistakes, interrupted by a eight different sessions going on, four hour restless nap and a five George kept popping into mine. I’d hour round trip to pick up papers. shoo him away, but he quickly returned like an ant on a sugar hill.

Angelika: I replied to a text from a friend saying they were picking I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired, me up at 3 am. I followed by saying but I wanted to learn, I turned on how awesome it was. These are my my voice recorder and downed at kind of people. Crazy, f-ing crazy! least a gallon of coffee.

busy devouring.

An hour later we found George snoozin in the lobby.

We couldn’t resist posing behind him.

Back at the gala, dessert was being served. The bar was still open when we arrived. I had a drink served in a small chocolate cup with gold foil around it. This was something I had never encountered, so I swallowed the whole thing – foil and all – before I realized my error.

After we ordered a cocktail -- and finished laughing at George -- Angelika and I stumbled upon a photo booth. A FREE photo booth, comAfter a long and stormy all night Following the afternoon sessions, plete with black and white AND session of April Fool’s deadline, we napped in preparation for the color options!

Kimberly and I headed towards gala dinner at the Museum of Manhattan to pick up Angelika.

Dance. I made an exploratory trip Kimberly and I went straight for to the museum while the girls slept. the photo booth. After seeing how stunning we looked in the first set, They didn’t realize until the next day that I was smooched into the I went to sleep and woke up to an we were addicted. back seat on top of all the bundles extremely animated George anof papers. I was too tired to care. nouncing that we were officially The party broke up around 11:15.

NYPA members. Woohoo! Yeeee! Before leaving, we scooped up a carload full of zebra stripped balKimberly volunteered for driving duty -A lavish appetizer spread of crab loons. legs and shrimp awaited me. I also I did not volunteer; I refused to let eagerly partook in the variety of I got yelled at by a dude for taking the balloons.

George drive. beer and whiskey.

Kimberly and I stopped talking and Kimberly and I took a disco nap. gave Mr. Bingle Bear to George so I think George knew he couldn’t he would sleep. win that battle and also did not want two sleepy grumpsters for –and sleep overcame me some- dates that evening. where in the Bronx.

I mingled and chatted with other After a hilarious search we found guests, waiting to hear from Kima motel, I was too tired to eat and berly and Angelika. The phone retoo scared to get under the ques- mained quiet. The seafood quickly tionable covers. began to disappear; when I inquired, the manager prepared a tray of Albany arrived just before sunrise. shrimp and crab as well as cocktail The convention began in less than sauce. I returned triumphantly back two hours. We sacrificed the mornto the hotel with my feast of Neping and succumbed into sleep. tune for the sleeping angels.

Since we missed the main course, we drove into town for a late night dinner. Carolina Street was full of noisy bars; I was drawn like a moth to firelight. We walked past many before the girls decided on Dango’s.

I woke up and opened the drapes.

Kimberly called me a whore and threw a shoe at me. I have never seen anyone take so long “haulin ass” getting ready.

No! George ordered the clam chowder and had at least 9 french fries, (a few dipped in ranch and at least one in the cheese sauce.)

We arrived at the convention just before lunchtime.

We woke up to a massive tray of seafood that George brought back for us. (He knows he has to bring presents, if he wants to live through waking up the Princesses.)

FOOD! That’s all we could think, (maybe a cocktail.)

Angelika and Kimberly, of course, ordered everything fried; being the old man, I took onion soup because I knew there would be tons of extras.

We were very hungry. And maybe a little indecisive. We solved both problems by ordering everything

We didn’t have time to thank A luncheon with all of the other George for dinner; we were too I watched Kimberly get protective

Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue

www.RedHookStar.com

of George when the waitress start- what the other papers looked like. ed flirting with him.

A courteous hotel employee informed us they had been taken out Our waitress had long exposed back. So there may be some piclegs, which Kimberly explained was tures of the three of us dumpster for tipping purposes. diving...

She was throwing George a huge sob story, which he totally fell for.

Angelika and I kept rolling our eyes.

After receiving her tip, she quit conversing, smiling and eventually just abandoned us.

They tossed our newspapers from the conference. We went to rescue them.

We celebrated being accepted to the Press Association at the hotel bar. Afterward we craved a midGeorge got the car, and Kimber- night snack. All I can say is that ly went to pee. A sexy frat guy what happens at Denny’s stays at thought they had abandoned me Denny’s! and offered a ride home. I don’t I was really touched when George know if he was being nice or trying put his arms around Kimberly and to pick me up.

I and said “Thank you”. It was a I can’t remember anything after once in a lifetime moment to see him so proud. that, except the balloon monster.

Angelika and I discovered a new While George parked the car, Anexercise routine: Laughter. And for gelika and I went back to the room. the second time that weekend, we I was showing Kimberly how to were still awake to greet the break stick a balloon to the wall with of day.

static electricity by rubbing it on Kimberly and I stayed up playing my head. Then we set up a balloon with a hilarious app on my phone, trap above Geo’s bed. until we finally laughed ourselves into exhaustion.

We were both secretly hoping they would fall, awakening him into an Sunday, we had a beautiful day of awful fright. Sadly, they never did. adventures planned. Unfortunately, the rain soaked through our agenBummer. da and exhaustion enveloped our left over energy. But not before we The next day, I spent time learn- were able to scoop up some dry dirt ing about online. Since our return, for Senior Reporter, Matt Graber.

I’ve been tweeting like a parrot on meth. Kimberly forbade me to at- We had lunch at the Circus Restautend any of her seminars, although rant. We had so much fun eating I snuck into one about narrative and playing with our massive cotwriting –which I don’t think I’m do- ton candy desert! ing correctly.

Two snoring sleepyheads accompaThe next morning we had a nice nied me for the rainy drive back to long silent RHSR meeting that Brooklyn. But along the way, they lasted until about 11. Then we all indulged me with one last stop for went to separate seminars. I was fried food. called an overachiever in one of my sessions for making the best We came back even more proud of snowflake. I carry scissors in my what we do here in Brooklyn. purse; so what?

I’m so excited to be a part of the Saturday night was the big coup- RHSR; amazing things are happendes-gras of the convention week- ing here! end. We had a nice steak dinner George and Kimberly are publishand glasses of wine for $6 each. ers of the Red Hook Star-Revue, Upstate, that’s kind of steep.

Angelika Mitchell is our advertisAfter dinner, we wanted to see ing specialist and friend.

April 16-31, 2012

Dining: S

Park Slope’s Applewood hits all the right spots

by Erik Penney

erendipity. Sometimes the best and most interesting events in your life happen as a result of random chance, by simply being in the right place at the right time.

When it comes to finding interesting restaurants you can read the blogs and the mainstream press, you can listen to suggestions from friends, but you can also do what I did when I found Applewood – you can walk around the neighborhood until you happen upon a place that strikes your fancy, that calls out to you from the street.

chef and owners, and which rotate constantly. Here came three - a sharper hard one, a softer one that was on this night a goat cheese with some age to it, and a runnier one with a blooming rind, like you find on brie. These will change often through the season and on multiple visits you’ll likely not find the same one twice, but I get the sense that on any given night you’ll be as impressed with what’s set in front of you. They were all terrific, interesting, and a great start to what by then we knew would be a memorable meal.

I recently spent an afternoon walking around Park Slope, passing by restaurants, reading menus and looking in windows and found Applewood this way. It’s a small, charming little spot tucked into the ground floor of a townhouse on a leafy side street. At the time of my snooping, they hadn’t yet opened for dinner, but the restaurant was buzzing with activity as the staff got ready for service. A man I now know to be front-of-the-house manager Geoffrey Young noticed me, came outside and we started chatting. Turns out that Applewood isn’t new; in fact it has been around for a few years. I instantly got a positive vibe from him and the whole scene. I knew I needed to come back and try it, and a day or two later, I did.

House-made Vermont goat sausage?

Well, I had to get that. It’s grilled and sliced, and when we were there it came with braised cabbage and a grainy mustard fondue. I like goat generally (all the gamey meats really… actually, to be perfectly honest, if it’s got legs and fur I’ll probably eat it). But I’ve never had it in sausage form, so my curiosity was seriously piqued. It was delicious. The flavors were restrained, refined even, and held almost none of the roadkill taste that people sometimes feel comes with some of the off-the-run animal meats. And with the cabbage and mustard, this evoked a choucroute-garni kind of taste and style. I loved this and would get it again. It’s still on the menu, though with a different presentation of accompaniments that I am sure are equally terrific.

I visited Applewood during Brooklyn’s version of Restaurant Week and the place was packed. This was a good sign, especially considering that it was Sunday and many other restaurants close by were nearly empty. These people must know something, I thought. We mentioned to Geoffrey that we didn’t have any reservations and he graciously offered to keep an eye out for spots opening at the bar, and set us up in the meantime with cocktails at a table outside in the unseasonably warm evening air. We were being taken care of from the moment we walked up, the hospitality was tangible and endearing, and it worked. Not even halfway into a glass of wine Geoffrey came outside to get us, and he ushered us to two choice seats at Applewood’s cozy bar.

The room has a warm, soft, comforting feel, like a New England B’n’B. Bookshelves and other rustic decorations on the walls have no kitschy cheese value whatsoever – everything here seems totally appropriate and authentic. (This is the difference between a restaurant that has been around for seven years and a new one that is trying to build a Potemkin Village version of one.) The crowd was mostly on the young side, and had that classic neo-Sloper look – young, couple-y, educated, prosperous and progressive, and at least on a night like tonight, clearly into wonderful, creative farm-to-table American food.

We had an attentive bartender who steered us through the menu and who patiently offered his thoughts and answered all of our probing, annoying questions. He suggested we start with some of their carefully selected artisanal cheeses, all of which are chosen by the

Red Hook Star-Revue

Pan-roasted Atlantic striped bass came set atop a bed of crushed red potatoes, wilted spinach and a bright-orange carrot puree and a citrus salad of orange and grapefruit suprémes. I must say, I wish American chefs did more with fruits in cooking. This was an amazing dish. First, the colors. The plate as canvas, and the bright orange carrot puree at the base like a Kandinsky, with the pale yellows and oranges of the fruit, partially obscured by this beautiful potato smush, like a storm cloud, and then the fish on top, salty crispy skin pointed towards us. Now, the taste. You have everything here, and the citric acid from the fruit helps moderate both their own sweetness and that of the carrot puree. The potatoes are cut with plenty of butter to add some fat to an otherwise very skinny dish, and the fish is perfectly cooked, tender and fresh, and the skin is crisp and salty, like a beautifully fishy potato chip. This dish could stand with any I have had over the last year.

It’s A-1, first-class, Michelin star-type stuff, expertly conceived and flawlessly executed.

“The kale was wonderfully toothsome, retained the perfect amount of textural backbone and with enough acid tang to enhance both its own flavor and cut through some of the fattiness of the beef.” ficult to work with. It’s a tough, sturdy green, and needs either to be cooked for a great long while or an acid must be used, like vinegar or a citrus juice, or speed the wilting process. Many chefs go overboard and kale can come either overcooked into a texture-less pile of olive drab slime or they go too heavy on the vinegar and the dish comes out tasting too bitter. Here the balance was perfect. The kale was wonderfully toothsome, retained the perfect amount of textural backbone and with enough acid tang to enhance both its own flavor and cut through some of the fattiness of the beef. Again, this was a superlative dish both in conception and execution.

Applewood hit all of my culinary erogenous zones that night. It’s a welcoming and comforting room, the staff was friendly, accommodating, attentive and knowledgeable, and they really outdid themselves with the food. This place would impress anyone, from anywhere.

It’s the kind of place that, when someone asks you for a recommendation, or when someone comes to town and you want to show off your local restaurantpicking acumen, you’d bring them here.

You’d bring a date here that you want

to impress, friends from out of town, or even just come solo and sit at the bar, ask the bartender what’s good that night and just order what they tell you to order. The menu changes often and you realize as you go through it that everything looks good. You really can’t go wrong here.

Applewood 501 11th Street (just off of 7th Ave) Park Slope, Brooklyn www.applewoodny.com Recommended dishes: Vermont goat sausage, pan-roasted sea bass, short ribs, and anything, really anything else will likely knock your socks off.

Red-wine braised beef short rib came next, with a cannellini bean ragout, sautéed green kale, the plate spotted with chimichurri. Another success here, the beef cooked slowly for hours into complete, flavorful submission. The braising liquid takes on many of the best, beefy qualities that the ribs have to offer, and develops a wonderful, life-giving sheen from the marrow and connective tissue that has melted off the ribs to fortify the juice. The kale spoke to me most, however. Kale can be surprisingly dif-

www.RedHookStar.com

April 16-31, 2012 Page 17

Star-Revue

Guide to area restaurants

Red Hook BAKED 359 Van Brunt St., (718)222-0345.

THE BROOKLYN ICE HOUSE 318 Van Brunt St., (718) 222-1865.

Botanica 220 Conover St (at Coffey St), (347) 225-0147.

DEFONTE’S SANDWICH SHOP 379 Columbia St., (718) 855-6982.

DIEGO’S RESTAURANT 116 Sullivan St., (718) 625-1616.

F&M BAGELS 383 Van Brunt St., (718) 855-2623.

FORT DEFIANCE 365 Van Brunt St., (347) 453-6672.

THE GOOD FORK 391 Van Brunt St., (718) 643-6636.

HOME/MADE 293 Van Brunt St., (347) 223-4135.

HOPE & ANCHOR 347 Van Brunt St., (718) 237-0276.

IKEA One Beard St., (718) 246-4532.

John & Franks, 367 Columbia Street, (718) 797-4467 KEVIN’S 277 Van Brunt St., (718) 5968335.

MARK’S PIZZA 326 Van Brunt St., (718) 624-0690.

New Lin’s Garden Restaurant 590 Clinton Street, (718) 399-1166 RED HOOK LOBSTER POUND 284 Van Brunt St., (646) 326-7650.

ROCKY SULLIVAN’S 34 Van Dyke St., (718) 246-8050.

Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie, 204 Van Dyke St, (718) 852-6018 Sunny’s Bar in Red HOok, 253 Conover Street, (718) 625-8211

Columbia Waterfront District

ALMA 187 Columbia St., (718) 643-5400.

Bagel Boy Cafe 75 Hamilton Avenext to Chase, (718) 855-0500.

CALEXICO CARNE ASADA 122 Union St., (718) 488-8226.

Casa Di Campagna 117 Columbia Street (718) 237-4300.

CASELNOVA 214 Columbia St., (718) 522-7500.

FERNANDO’S FOCACCERIA RESTAURANT 151 Union St., (718)855-1545.

HOUSE OF PIZZA & CALZONES 132 Union St., (718) 624-9107.

JAKE’S BAR-B-QUE RESTAURANT 189 Columbia St., (718) 522-4531.

KOTOBUKI BISTRO 192 Columbia St., (718) 246-7980.

LILLA CAFE 126 Union St., (718) 8555700.

MAZZAT 208 Columbia St., (718) 8521652.

PETITE CREVETTE 144 Union St., (718) 855-2632.

Sugar Lounge, 147 Columbia Street, 718 643-2880 TEEDA THAI CUISINE 218 Columbia St., (718) 643-2737.

Carroll Gardens/ Cobble Hill

Abilene, 442 Court Street, 718-5226900, Angry Wades, 222 Smith Street, (718) 488-7253 Bacchus, 409 Atlantic, (718) 852-1572 Bar Bruno, 520 Henry St., 347-7630850, Bagels by the park, 323 Smith Street, (718) 246-1321 Bar great harry, 280 Smith Street (718) 222-1103 Bombay Dream, 257 Smith Street (718) 237-6490 Bourgeois Pig, 387 Court Street, (718) 858-5483 Brooklyn Bread Cafe, 436 Court Street (718) 403-0234 Buddy’s Burrito & Taco Bar, 260 Court Street, 718-488-8695, Buttermilk channel, 524 Court Street (718) 852-8490 Casa Rosa, 384 Court Street, 718-7971907 Chestnut, 271 Smith St., (718) 2430049 cobble grill, 212 Degraw Street, (718) 422-0099 Cobble Hill Coffee Shop, 314 Court Street, (718) 852-1162 Cody’s Ale House Grill, 154 Court Street, 718-852,6115 Court Street Grocers, 485 Court Street, (718) 722-7229 Crave, 570 Henry Street, (718) 643-0361 Cubana Cafe, 272 Smith Street (718) 718-858-3980 Downtown Bar & Grill, 160 Court street, 718-625-2835 Dubuque, 548 Court Street, (718) 5963248 Em Thai Kitchen, 278 Smith Street, (718) 834-0511 Enotica on Court, 347 Court Street, (718) 243-1000 F Line Bagels, 476 Smith Street (718) 422-0001 Five Guys, 266 Court St., 347-799-2902 Fragole, 394 Court Street, (718) 6227133 Francesco’s Restaurant, 531 Henry Street, (718) 834-0863 Frank’s Luncheonette, 365 Smith Street, (718) 875-5449

Ghang, 229 Court Street, 718-875-1369 Gowanus Yacht Club, 323 Smith Street, (718) 246-132,Closed til spring Hana cafe, 235 Smith Street, (718) 643-1963 Le Petite Cafe, 502 Court street, 718596-7060 Ling Ling Young, 508 Henry Street, (718) 260-9095 Marco Polo Ristorante, 345 Court Street, 718 852-5015 Mama Maria’s Restaurant, 307 Court Street, (718) 246-2601 Mezcals Restaurant, 522 Court Street, 718-783-3276 Natures Grill, 138 Court street, 718852,5100, Nine-D, 462 Court Street, 718-488-8998, Oaxaca Tacos, 251 Smith Street (718) 222-1122 Osaca Restaurant, 272 Court Street (718) 643-0055 P J Hanleys, 449 Court St, 718- 843-8223 Palo Cortado, 520 Court St, 718407-0047 Prime Meats, 465 Court Street, 718254-0327 or 0345, Palmyra, 316 Court street, 718-7971110 Red Rose Restaurant, 315 Smith Street, (718) 625-0963 Sals Pizza, 305 Court Street, (718) 852-6890 Sam’s Restaurant, 238 Court

Street, 718-596-3458 SOul Spot 302 Atlantic Ave 718 5969933 Savoia, 277 Smith Street, 718-797-2727 Seersucker Restaurant, 329 Smith Street, (718) 422-0444 Smith & Vine, 268 Smith Street (718) 243-2864 South Brooklyn Pizza, 451 Court Street, 718 852-6018 Stinky Brooklyn, 261 Smith Street, 718 522-7425 Sweet Melissa, 276 Court Street, (718) 855-3410 Tripoli, 156 Atlantic Ave, 718 596-5800 Vinny’s of Carroll Gardens, 295 Smith Street, 718 875-5600 Vinny’s Pizzeria, 455 Court Street, 718 596-9342 Vino y Tapas, 520 Court Street, 718407-0047 Vinzee’s, 412 Court Street, 718 855 1401 Zaytoons, 283 Smith Street, 718 875-1880

Gowanus

Michael and Pings, 437 Third Avenue, (718) 788-0017 Cotta Bene Pizza, 291 3rd Ave, 718 722-7200 Littlenecks, 288 3rd Ave., (718) 522-1921 Canal Bar, 270 3rd Ave, (718) 246-0011

CASELNOVA -the neighborhood trattoriaMOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH Sunday May 12th, 2012 3 COURSES $25

Complimentary Brunch Cocktail for MOM.

Follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook and check out our menu.

Join us Sunday Evening for a Traditional Italian Sunday Supper $20/pp

Reservations Recommended

www.caselnova.com

WE FEATURE A GLUTEN FREE ITALIAN MENU!

Home of the Carbonara Pizza

Come check out our amazing brick oven pizzas and homemade pastas • Mon buy a pizza get a beer for $1 • Tues 2 for 1 pizza • Wed 1/2 price bottles of wine • Thursday Kids eat free off the Kid’s Menu Free Delivery/Take Out

215 Columbia Street

(718) 522-7500

Now Open Mondays 5-10:30!

Hours: Noon to 10:30 pm Tues. to Thurs. Noon to 11pm Friday.

4pm to 11pm Saturday & 4pm to 10:30pm Sunday.

Page 18 Red Hook Star-Revue

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April 16-31, 2012

Star-Revue Classifieds Help Wanted Freelance Writers: The Red Hook Star-Revue is looking for freelance writers for both the arts and news sections. We want to buttress our news as well as local theater and arts coverage. Email Kimberly @ redhookstar.com Outside Salesperson: The Red Hook Star-Revue seeks an ambitious person who likes to walk, talk and make friends in the neighborhood to sell display advertising. Commission to start - work around your hours, no pressure. Call 718 624-5568 and speak to Kimberly or George.

Hair Dresser with Following. Licensed hairdresser needed for huge opportunity in very modern and elegant Van Brunt Street Salon. Opposite PS 15.

Call Nayda at 718 935-0596 for more details.

Neighborhood Services Laundry Service Movers

COOL HAND MOVERS Friendly local guys that

DELVAN DROP-OFF SERVICE

Guitar Lessons Learn guitar with Billy Maloney - Canadian guitarist with 17 years experiences. Rock, classical, blues, folk. Learn basic theory, chords, triads, arpeggios and finger picking, open tunings, songwriting, etc. 917 860-1763 can relocate your life, or just shlep your new couch from Ikea. We’ll show up on time, in a truck or van if necessary, and basically kick ass -- you might even have a good time! Call for a free estimate at (917) 584-0334 or email at coolhandmovers@gmail.com Customer reviews on YELP.COM The Red Hook Star-Revue now publishes twice a month - classified advertising is one of the best and least expensive ways to get your message across.

Special yearly contracts available for

New HeigHts CoNstruCtioN LLC

NYC Licence # 1191201

Free Estimates

siding • Windows • Roofing • Fences • Kitchens • Painting • Baths • Basements • Decks • Doors • Awnings • Patio Enclosures • Brick Pointing • Concrete Stucco Visit our online showroom www.newheightsConstructionny.com

Ask about our Window Specials!

service businesses such as plumbers, electricians for as little as $500 annu-

800-525-5102 718-767-0044

ally. Email Kimberly at Kimberly @redhookstar.com or call 718 624-5568

DEBORAH BUSCARELLO Licensed RE Salesperson REALTOR©

289 Columbia St. (at Summit) 718 797-1600 • Laundry, Dry Cleaning & Alterations • Laundry done same day!!

• Regular Dry Cleaning in 2 days!!

FREE Pick-up and Delivery www.delvandropoff.com

(917) 578-1911 CELL (718) 921-3100 OFFICE (347) 710-3453 EFAX dbuscarello@aol.com

RELIABLE

Licensed Electrical Contractors Commercial • Residential • Industrial Free Estimates

Violations Removed All Types of Wiring Emergency Service EMERGENCY SERVICE 137 King Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 Fax: (718) 935-0887

Vito Liotine (718) 625-1995 (718) 625-0867 aliotine@aol.com

No job too big or too small

Toilets, Boilers, Heating, Faucets, Hot Water Heaters, Pool Heaters.

B & D Heating 507 Court Street 718 625-1396

Each Office is Independently Owned & Operated.

7428 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209

www.cbreliable.com

Visit us online

Catch breaking news, read our archives and more at

www.RedHookStar.com

Here’s My Card

Introducing Business Card Classifieds in the Star-Revue. Your card categorized as below.

The Star-Revue is read by over 10,000 individuals in zip code 11231 every two weeks, as it is the leading source of community news. We offer highly affordable rates - contact Angelika Mitchell at 718.624.5568 or Angelika@ redhookstar.com to get your card in our next issue.

Your Cost: 2 months $400; 4 months $750; 6 months $1000; one year $1750.

Take an extra 5% off if paid all in advance. We take all charge cards.

Movers

Business Groups

Put Your Ad Right Here by Calling Angelika at

718 624-5568 CALL RIGHT NOW Don’t Miss Out!!!!!!!!!

Car Service

Red Hook Star-Revue

Leasing

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Framing

April 16-31, 2012 Page 19

Art & Community Calendar If you have an event you would like listed in the Red Hook StarRevue calendar, please email redhookstarcalendar@gmail.com.

CHILDREN

Bethel Baptist Day Care Center 242 Hoyt St. (718) 834-9292 ACD funded Early Childhood Education Programs, Family Services, and Day Care Services for the Gowanus Community. Call for more info.

Kentler International Drawing Space—353 Van Brunt St. (718) 8752098, kentlergallery.org FREE Weekend Art Workshops for Families. Every 1st & 3rd Sat. Sat. 4/19 10-11:30am Drawing Together Family Art Workshop. FREE. Register in advance @ sallie@kentlergallery.org

CHURCH/ SYNAGOGUE

Kane St. Synagogue 236 Kane St. (718) 875-1530 kanestreet.org Torah Study every 2nd Shabbat of the Month 11amNoon. Every Fri. &/or Tues. Through 5/18 Fri. 3/23, Tues. 3/27 10-10:45 Bialy Rock: Jewish Music for kids 6mos.-3 yrs.

6 six classes. $90 for members, $120 for nonmembers. Registration required.

Fri 3/23, Sat. 3/24 Scholar-in Residence Teaches. Services begin @ 9am FREE Pre-registration required @ kanestreet@ kanestreet.org St. Stephen’s R.C. 108 Carroll St. (718) 596-7750 delvecchiorc.com & brooklyncatholic.blogspot.com Every Wed. 6:30pm Choir rehearsal, if interested contact jlake@delvechiorc.com or evelyntroester@gmx.net Visitation of Our Blessed Virgin Mary R.C. 98 Richards @Verona (718) 6241572 Every Thurs. 6pm Choir Practice w/ Emiliana In-Home Blessings and Masses, by appointment. Languages available: English, Spanish, Italian, German. Contact: Lori Burkhard at (917) 971-5522

CLASSES/ WORKSHOPS

Brooklyn Collective Gallery 212 Columbia St. (Union/Sackett) (718) 5966231 brooklyncollective.com. Sun. 4/22 3-5:30pm Sewing Workshop for Beginners Pt.2 Brooklyn General—128 Union St. (718) 237-7753 brooklyngeneral.com Classes and Workshops for all things Sewing.

Call or contact their website for more info.

The Gowanus Studio Space 166 7th Street (347) 948-5753 www. gowanusstudio.org Sat 4/21 12-4pm Chine Colle One Day Intensive $95 non member, $65 members. Sat. 4/28 8pm Springowanus: Benefit Keg Party: Pre War, DJ Chewrocks, DJ Longfellow $10.

Cora Dance 201 Richards St. (Coffey St./Van Dyke St.) #15 (718) 858-2520 coradance.org New Adult Classes. Every Sun.5:30 - 6:45pm, Restorative Yoga w/ Jolene Festa (child care available) Every Monday 10-11am Yoga w/Tessa Wright, 6:30-7:45pm Yoga w/Jolene Festa (childcare available)Every Tues 5-6:30 pm Company Class (rotating teachers) Every Sat. 10:30-11:30 Zumba w/Sarah Folland. Classes are pay-what-you-can.

(Suggested donation: $10 per class, $15 per class w/child care.)

Ger-Nis Culinary & Herb Center 540 President St, (3rd/4th Ave.) (347) 4220337 ger-nis.com Mon. 4/17 6:30pm On The Lamb $65. Tue. 4/186:30pm The Great Grains $65. Wed. 4/19 6:30pm The Art of Meringue $50. Sat. 4/21 11am Homemade Granola, Muesli & Dried Fruits $50. 2pm The Vegan Bakery $50. 3pm The French Bistro $65. Tue. 4/24 6:30pm The Street Foods of Delhi $75. Thur. 4/26 6:30pm Pizza From NY to Italy to Chicago! $65. Fri. 4/27 6pm Spring Happy Hour At Ger-Nis w/Kitchensurfing $18. Sat. 4/28 11am World Series Cuisine: Central American Breakfast $65. 3pm Organics For Fido $30 adult, $15 child. 3pm The Soups & Salads of Asia $65. Sun. 4/29 11am Bloody Mary Brunch $65 adult, $20 child. Noon Spring Fling & Pesto Competition $25.

Jalopy School of Music 315 Columbia St. (Hamilton Ave/Woodhull St.) (718) 395-3214 jalopy.biz Sat. 4/21 1pm Shaky Dave’s Harmonica Workshop for Beginners $100 4 weeks, $30 drop in.

Sun. 4/22 3pm Del Rey teaches Blue Uku Workshop $35. Sat 4/28 1pm Shaky Dave’s Harmonica for Beginners $100

4 weeks, $30 drop in. Sun. 4/29 Noon Vocal Harmony Basics $20, $40 for both classes. 2pm Vocal Harmony Duos & Trios $25, $40 for both classes. 2pm Keyboard Accordion for Beginner w/Hannah Temple $25.

Yoga Classes 201 Richards St. #15 www.tessamwright.com /yoga. Join Tessa with morning yoga for every one!

Hatha style style for all levels. Mondays @10am. Suggested donation - $10.

YWCA Brooklyn 30 3rd Ave (Atlantic Ave/State St.): (718) 488-1624 ywcabklyn.org

COMEDY

Littlefield—622 Degraw St littlefieldny. com Every Monday 8pm: Hot Tub w/ Kurt & Kristen $5 adv. $8 dos. Tue. 4/17 8:30pm Plants & Animals, This is The Kit, Indians $12. Wed. 4/18 7pm Gregory Porter $15. Brooklyn Tattoo 10 Yr. Party w/ Activator, The Brought Low and others. FREE. Fri. 4/20 7pm The Permanent Festival: Gaspar Claus w/ Friends $12 adv. $15 dos. 10pn Raya Brass Band, Banda de los Muertos $10 Sat 4/21 8pm Mice Parade, Curtis Harvey $10. 11:30pm DeRobert & The Half Truths, The Revelations $10 adv. $12 dos.Sun 4/22 12:30pm $15. $5. Family Admission. 3pm Same. Tues 4/24 7pm Benefit for Brooklyn Free Space Janeane Garofalo, Jon Glasser Heather Lawless, and many more. $8 adv. $10 dos. thur. 4/26 8:30pm Matt Singer & Friends CD release party $10 adv. $12 dos. Sat. 4/28 11:59pm Throwing Snow, Grenier, Frite Nite, Mike Slott $12 adv. $15 dos.

Sun 4/29 11:30am KindieFest: A Family Music Festival $12 adv. $15 dos. Tue. 5/1 7:15pm Punderdome $6 adv. $7 dos

original drawing & works on paper. Exhibition viewing through 5/13 Thur.-Sun. 12-5pm. FREE. Benefit Event 5/19 6pm (ticket holders only). $200 per ticket.

Come Celebrate RHI’s 10th Anniversary!, Thursday, April 26, 2012 6pm 8pm at the Red Hook Initiative 767 Hicks Street Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY 718-8586782.

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative 153 Columbia St., Kane/Degraw St. (718) 5220913 brooklyngreenway.org Sun. 4/22 1-4pm. Celebrate Spring in Kings Benefir Brunch @ Pok Pok’s, 127 Columbia St. $50, 2 for $85. Through 5/25 The Ceramic Arts of Kathryn Robinson-Miller.

30% of the proceeds will go to support BGI’s work.

Library Events

Brooklyn Public Library - Carroll Gardens 396 Clinton St. @ Union St. (718) 596-6972 brooklynpubliclibrary.org/

Sun 4/29 6pm Harvestworks Presents: No Input Summit w/ Toshimaru Nakamura, Philip White, Bob Bellerue, Bonnie Jones, Philip Stearns. 6pm panel discussion. 8pm performance. $15, $12 members. Mon. 4/30 8pm. Sister Spit w/Michelle Tea & Justin Bond. $15, $10 members.

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music 315 Columbia St., (718) 395-3214, jalopy.biz. Every Wed. 9pm Roots & Ruckus FREE. Mon. 4/16 8pm, Bob Hoffner, Tim Luntzel’s Baker’s Dozen, The Biscuit Grabbers. $10. Tue. 4/17 8:30pm Ballads & Cranki9es w/Jan Bell & many others. $10. Thur. 4/17 7pm Red Hook Ramblers: Live Music w/Silent Films $10. Fri. 4/20 8:30pm. Shotgun Wedding $5. Sat. 4/21 Radio Jarocho $10. Sun. 4/22 4pm The Ullage Group: Long Island Beyond The Pale - The Montauk Project $5. 8pm Del Rey $10. Tue. 4/24 8pm SkuFlix presents Actitainment $10. Thur.

4/26 8pm Kris Delmhorst $12 adv.,$14 dos. Fri. 4/27 9pm Sweet Soubrette &

Falconworks Kidd Studio 133 Imlay St. (718) 395-3218 falconworks.com redhooktheater.org Off The Hook: Youth theater and plawrighting workshop now accepting applications. Red Hook Story Project: Community based documentary theater project open to all Red Hook residents. Donation accepted for all events unless otherwise noted.

Gallery Small New York---416 Van Brunt, (347) 782-3729 smallnewyork. com Gallery hours are Thurs. - Sun. 11am - 6pm.

Invisible Dog---51 Bergen Street, theinvisibledog.org (347) 560-3641 Through 4/22 365: The Work of David Horowitz.

Through 5/5 Distorting (A Messiah Project, 13C), The Artists of The Invisible Dog Kentler International Drawing Space —353 Van Brunt St. (718) 875-2098, kentlergallery.org 10th Annual Benefit: 100 Hundred Artists donate original drawing & works on paper. Through 5/13 Thur.-Sun. 12-5pm. FREE Benefit Event 5/19 6pm (ticket holders only). $200 per ticket.

Look North Inuit Art Gallery—275 Conover Street, Suite 4E, (347) 7213995, looknorthny.com Polar Light: Greenland. The Greenland photography of Rena Bass Forman and the Greenland drawings of Zaria Forman. A climate change awareness exhibition held in conjunction with Al Gore’s ‘The Climate Project’.

Sunny’s Bar Backroom 253 Conover St. (Beard/Reed St.s) (718) 625-8211 sunnysredhook.com & Sunny’s Bar on facebook. Through 4/23 Sunny’s Red Hook: Photos by Bettina Magi.

FUNDRAISERS/ PARTIES

Kentler International Drawing Space—353 Van Brunt St. (718) 8752098, kentlergallery.org 10th Annual Benefit: 100 Hundred Artists donate

Page 20 Red Hook Star-Revue

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Community Board 6 250 Baltic St. (718) 643-3027 brooklyncb6.org Wed. 4/18 6:30pm P.S. 32 317 Hoyt St., Union/President Sts. Public Safety/Environmental Protection/Permits/Licenses.

Thur. 4/19 6:30pm Prospect Park Residence 1 Prospect Park West Transportation Commiittee Meeting. Mon 4/23 6:30 Prospect Park YMCA 357 9th St. 7th Fl. Public Safety/Environmental Protection/ Permits/Licenses. Wed. 4/25 6:30pm Youth/Human Services/Education Committee Meeting. Thur. 4/26 6pm 78th Precinct 65 6th Ave. Bergen/Dean Sts. Landmarks/Land Use Committee Meeting. Mon. 4/30 6:30 pm Prospect Park Residence 1 Prospect Park West. Economics Waterfront Community Development & Housing Committee Meeting.

CoWNA (Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Asso.) cowna.blogspot.com

READING & LITERARY EVENTS

The Gowanus Studio Space 166 7th Street (347) 948-5753 www. gowanusstudio.org Sat 4/21 12-4pm Chine Colle One Day Intensive $95 non member, $65 members. Sat. 4/28 8pm Springowanus: Benefit Keg Party: Pre War, DJ Chewrocks, DJ Longfellow $10.

440 Gallery 440 6th Ave. (Park Slope) (718) 499-3844, 440gallery.com Gallery hrs. - Thurs., Fri. 4-7pm, Sat., Sun. 11am - 7pm, or by appointment. Through 5/13 Recent Work by Vicki Behm.

Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition 499 Van Brunt St. (718) 596-2506 bwac.org Through April: Wide Open 3: A Juried Art Show. FREE. Sat. 5/12-6/17 Celebrate.

Union Hall 702 Union Street @5th Ave (718) 638-4400 unionhallny.com Every Sun. 7:30pm Pretty Good Friends. Comedy host by Eugene Mirman $7. Every Fri. Midnight Karaoke Killed The Cat FREE. Every Sat. 11pm CRAZY $INCE DA 90$ FREE.

Red Hook Civic Association. Led by John McGettrick, meets at the PS 15 auditorium on Wednesday April 25th, 7 pm. An opportunity to say what’s on your mind about the neighborhood as well as see what the politicians are up to.

EXHIBITIONS

Brooklyn Collective Gallery 212 Columbia St. (Union/Sackett) (718) 5966231 brooklyncollective.com Fri. 4/27 6-10pm Brooklyn Collective’s Spring Blowout. Opening 30 New Collections of Local Artists. Cocktails & Live Music.

FREE.

music.. Every Sat. 10pm Bluegrass/Folk Country Jam.

It was a celebrity-filled night last week at Bait and Tackle as Rosanne Cash and her husband John Leventhal sat in the back booth to watch her daughter, alt-country singer Chelsea Crowell enchant the crowd with her original music. In addition, she sang songs from Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams and John Prine. The crowd was a mixture of her fans and B&T regulars. Photo by George Fiala locations/carroll-gardens Knitting Club (all ages) Every Tues 4pm mezzanine.

Memoir Writing (adult) Every Wed. 6pm Chess Club (all ages) Play and improve your game. Bring your own clock. Mon 4/16,23,30 11:30am-12:15pm Babies and Books (RIF) Tickets required. Pick up ticket day of progam. Fri. 4/20,27 4-5pm Storycraft Listen to book being read and create art related to book. Tue. 4/17,24 3-5pm English Conversation: English for ESOL students

MUSEUMS

Micro Museum—123 Smith Street, (718) 797-3116 micromuseum.com .

Above and Beyond, a three-year retrospective of the art of William and Kathleen Laziza, every Saturday from 12-7pm, refreshments from 5-7pm,.

Admission by donation, suggested donation $2. Say you like “Red-Hook Star Revue” and get a free gift bag.

The Waterfront Museum Lehigh Valley Barge No.79, 290 Conover Street. (718) 624-4719 ext. 11 www.waterfrontmuseum.org. Free boat tours & open hours all through the year. Thursdays 4 - 8 pm and Saturdays 1 - 5 pm in Red Hook. Fri. 4/27 8pm Waterfront Museum Benefit Contra Dance w/ Brooklyn Swing Ensemble & Caller George Marshall. $15, $12 Students. For more info., call 917-679-3572.

MUSIC

Bait & Tackle 320 Van Brunt Street (718) 451-4665 redhookbaitandtackle. com Fri. 4/20 9pm Pony of Good Thiung.

Sat 4/21 9pm Natalie York & Myles Manley. Fri 4/27 9pm Bryan & The Haggards.

Sat 4/28 9pm The Shoestring Band.

Sun. 4/29 9pm Megan Palmer.

Hope & Anchor 347 Van Brunt St., (718) 237-0276. Every Wed. 7pm, Jazz Jam. Every Thurs. through Sat. from 9pm-1am Karaoke.

Issue Project Room @110 Livingston St. (718) 330-0313 issueprojectroom. org Sat. 4/21 4pm Unsound Labs, Zavoloka w/Andrea Pensado Nondor Nevai & Black Rain.Sun. FREE 4/22 Unsound Labs: Denis Kolokol/Tomek Choloniewski Duo & Friends. FREE. Sat. 4/28 8pm Yarn/Wire with Tristan Perich Chalk. FREE (sugested donation $10).

www.RedHookStar.com

Friends $10. Sat. 4/28 9pm NYC Barn Dance. Sun. 4/29 8pm Geoff Muldaur/ Clare &The Reasons $25.

Montero’s Bar 73 Atlantic Ave. @ Hicks St. (718) 534-6399 monteros-bar@facebook.com Karaoke w/Amethyst every Fri. & Sat. 10pm. Every Wed. after. 8pm - Midnight. The raucous musical concoctions of The Red Hook Irregulars. All Acoustic. Guest Players invited.

The Rock Shop—249 Fourth Ave. (President St./Carroll St.) (718) 2305740 therockshopny.com Every Sun. 8:30pm Trivia Twist FREE. Every Thur.

9pm Kings of Karaoke FREE. Tue. 4/17 8pm Surgeons In Heat, Pre War $8. Fri. 4/20 8pm Miniboone, Lost Gloves $8.

Sat. 4/21 7:30pm Happy Lives, Captain Baby $8 adv. $10 dos. Sun 4/22 8pm Chris Pureka, Sonya Kitchell $9. Wed. 4/.25 8pm Holy Ghost Revival, Ball of Flame Shoot Fire, Gary B & The Notions $8 adv. $10 dos. Thur. 4/26 8pm Americana Pie, Bucky Hayes & The Radio, Mail The Horse, High Irons $10. Fri. 4/27 8pm The Brown Rice Family, The Zing Experience $10. Sat. 4/28 8pm Edmund II, Appomattox, Simple Shapes, Jac $8 adv. $10 dos. Sun 4/29 8pm Chris Pureka, Mitten $9. Mon. 4/30 7:30pm Gun N Hoses, New York’s Finest $8.

Rocky Sullivan’s—34 Van Dyke St., (718) 246-8050. Every Mon, Tues, Wed 8pm Live Irish Music Every Last Wed 8pm Readings By Authors.Every. Thurs.

9pm Rocky’s World Famous Pub Quiz, Every Sat Live Rock ‘n Roll. Fri. 4/20 9pm Nice Ones. Fri. 4/27 9pm Union.

The Star Theater Acoustic Jam & Hootenanny 101 Union St. btwn Columbia and Van Brunt (718) 624-5568 Every Monday Night 8pm. C&W to Jazz (with a healthy dose of Blues in the middle).

Bring your Axe & Your Favorite Beverage!

The Star Theater Electric Jam 101 Union St., Columbia / Van Brunt Every Thur. Night 8pm Hard rock, Jazz, Blues.

Full Back Line. Refreshments provided.

Donations accepted.

Sunny’s Bar 253 Conover St. (Beard/ Reed St.s) (718) 625-8211 sunnysredhook.com & Sunny’s Bar on Facebook.

Fridays and Saturdays, live local roots

The Community Bookstore 143 7th Ave. (718) 783-3075 communitybookstore.net Wed. 4/18 7pm Author Reading: Anne Korkeakivi/An Unexpected Guest. Wed. 4/18 7pm World Book Night w/Nicole Krauss. Mon. 4/23 7pm World Book Night.

SCHOOLS

PS 15 71 Sullivan St. (Columbia/Van Brunt Sts.) (718)330-9280 schools.nyc. gov 1/20 (& every Fri.) 11am - noon Toddler Time Programs: 1 hr of playtime & storytelling.Open to everyone. .

PS 29 425 Henry St. (718) 330-9277 ps29brooklyn.org Summit Academy NY 27 Huntington St. (718) 875-1403) summitacademycharterschool.org

TASTINGS

Botanica—220 Conover St (at Coffey St), 347-225-0147. New cocktails, specialty liquors & Exotic Chocolates featuring Cacao Prieto Chocolate. Sat-Sun: Afternoon cocktails. Now Open!!

Dry Dock Wine + Spirits---424 Van Brunt St., (718) 852-3625, drydockny. com Tastings of the exotic every Fri. 6:30pm, Sat. 4pm, Sun 3pm. FREE MikNik Lounge 200 Columbia St. (917) 770-1984 ‘Rebel! Rebel!’ (Gay Night) every First & Third Thurs. 9pm - 2am Cheap Beer, $6 well drinks, friendly crowd.

THEATER

The Heights Players 26 Willow Place, heightsplayers.org (718) 237-2752 Fri. 4/13, 20, 27 8pm Sat. 4/14, 21, 27 8pm.

Sun 4/14, 22, 29 2pm Sunrise At Campobello $15 Adults, $13 Seniors & Children under 18.

WALKING TOURS

A Tour grows in Brooklyn 1212 64th St.(212) 209-3370 brooklynwalkingtour. com A historical walking tour of Brownstone Brooklyn featuring the childhood home of Al Capone, the history of the Williamsburg Bank, and the Revolutionary War battle site The Old Stone House.

Real Brooklyn Pizza Lunch included.

Daily 10am-1pm, $40 Urban Oyster (347) 618-TOUR (8687) urbanoyster.com Sat. 2/4,11,18,25 Noon-3:30, Brewed in Brooklyn Tour (Williamsburg) Brewing, Bottling, & bootlegging in historic Williamsburg.

Samples, pizza and fresh lager lunch included. $60

April 16-31, 2012