This June, Liz Galvin and Jaimie Walker partnered to open up Basin Gallery & Studios at 344 Van Brunt St. Both were kind enough to talk to me about their beginnings, Basin, and their friendship. “We were casually looking for a place for an art studio but we didn’t have time pressure so there wasn’t a sense of urgency,” Galvin […]
Author: Brian Abate
Successful return of the Red Hook Bar League, by Brian Abate
B61 defeated Bait & Tackle 29-7 in an impressive offensive display to win the championship in the Red Hook Locals Softball League. This was the first season softball was back in Red Hook after years without any leagues while everyone waited for the fields to re-open as they were shut down due to toxins in the soil. B61 had contributions […]
Mitaynes answers McGettrick on warehouses, by Brian Abate
Last month I wrote about District 51 Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes’ proposal for a bill that “Establishes an indirect source review” for last-mile warehouses. This month, two members of Mitaynes’ team reached out to me to clarify what the proposal would accomplish. “We believe it’s very important to update the community on what’s going on around them and we want to […]
RHAP becomes a Van Brunt neighbor, by Brian Abate
In 2009, the Red Hook Art Project (RHAP,) a non-profit was founded in order to provide free visual art and music classes, as well as academic and stress management instruction to children in the neighborhood. Now, thirteen years later, RHAP is going strong and is opening up a new building on the corner of Van Brunt St. and Pioneer Street, […]
Addabbo workers want a piece of the pandemic pie, by Brian Abate
Healthcare workers gathered outside the Addabbo Family Health Center, 120 Richard Street on July 28th to picket as cars driving by honked in support of their cause. They chanted, “What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now! If we don’t get it? Shut it down! If we don’t get it? Shut it down!” “Our contract expired […]
Calabrese’s court goes back live, by Brian Abate
Red Hook’s Community Justice Center has been an important part of the neighborhood since opening on Visitation Place in 2000. I had the opportunity to get a tour of the Center and speak to Judge Alex Calabrese, attorney Edna McGoldrick, and Director of Housing and Civil Justice, Ross Joy. I got to witness some of the housing court cases that […]
Thoughts on Ukraine, by Brian Abate
Before the February 24th Russian invasion of Ukraine, I really didn’t know too much about Ukraine. Even though the war has been going on since 2014 and I have family members who are originally from Lviv (one of the biggest cities in Ukraine), I didn’t know anything about the history of the country or the gruesome details of the battles […]
Biddybros achieve big, by Brian Abate
Sports have always been an important part of the Red Hook community. Melvin Goddard has been helping kids in the neighborhood reach their potential in sports. Goddard coaches basketball players ages 6-10 on his team, the Biddybros. He has also organized flag football and softball events in Red Hook. His partner Karl Sanders, who played college basketball for St. Francis […]
ALBERT KING COMES TO RED HOOK’S MICCIO CENTER
The Brooklyn Nets held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Red Hook’s Miccio Community Center on May 4th to celebrate renovations, including new gym equipment they donated, after the center’s fitness room was damaged by Hurricane Ida in 2021. The Nets worked together with Good Shepherd Services, which runs the Miccio Center. The work was done as part of the NBA’s 75th […]
Shevchenko Expertise-a-thon for Ukraine, by Brian Abate
The Shevchenko Expertise-a-thon for Ukraine took place via Zoom on April 29th as Russia continued its attack on Ukraine. According to Halyna Hryn, who hosted the event, the Shevchenko Scientific Society has more than 400 members in different scientific fields and all money donated during the event will go towards an emergency fund for Ukraine. The Shevchenko Expertise-a-thon featured more […]