New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh held a virtual town hall for South Brooklyn this December. He has represented South Brooklyn and some parts of Lower Manhattan in the senate since 2017, having replaced Daniel Squadron. One of the issues that came up a few times was the increased street traffic caused by lane closures on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. […]
News
“All they will call you will be deportees,” column by George Fiala
The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer is known for concluding that earthly life is mostly misery, but making it all worthwhile is art, specifically music. While I’m a bit more positive about life, his comment about music resonates. Last week I took time off from everyday living to travel to Washington DC to hear Robert Earl Keen, who brought his Christmas […]
Red Hook Recreation Center closes for a while because of Ida
The Red Hook Recreation Center has closed indefinitely as Hurricane Ida which hit Red Hook in early September left the recreation center with a damaged boiler. I called the Parks Department but they weren’t able to give me much information on the situation and told me that the Recreation Center has no hot water and they’re not sure how long […]
Hope remains for a better resiliency plan by George Fiala
Last month we wrote that a long-planned plan to protect Red Hook from future hurricanes failed to protect places like Food Bazaar, the Beard Street Warehouses, and the Red Hook Container Terminal, despite the city’s claim that they consulted with the stakeholders from all those places. The claim was true, but they didn’t listen to the stakeholders. A major property […]
A talk with District 38 Council Member-Elect Alexa Aviles, by Brian Abate
BA: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Is it all right if I jump right in? AA: Yes, of course, I’m happy to. Go for it! BA: You went to Somos, the annual political conference that takes place in Puerto Rico. Did you make some good connections? AA: It’s a good question. Somos is a very […]
DoorDash, Alexa Aviles Give Away Turkeys at Red Hook Neighborhood Senior Center, by Brian Abate
DoorDash gave out turkeys along with the Red Hook Initiative and Council Member-elect Alexa Aviles in honor of Thanksgiving at the Red Hook Neighborhood Senior Center. “We’re proud to have supported the Red Hook Community Senior Center, the Red Hook Initiative, and Council Member-elect Aviles in their work to provide seniors with nourishing meals ahead of Thanksgiving,” said a DoorDash […]
Thanksgiving in the schoolyard, by Nathan Weiser
PS 676 held a Thanksgiving celebration on a windy day in the schoolyard for community, parents and students. The food at this event was a real group effort provided by many people and local organizations. The food was a combination of homemade dishes from parents and school staff as well as donations from Redemption Church Red Hook, Red Hook Art […]
Column: It seems to always end up with politics, by George Fiala
In the earlier days of this newspaper, I only occasionally wrote a column. There either had to be something compelling in the local news that I wanted to opine on, or there was extra room in the paper that needed to be filled. But now, as I’m starting to grow up, along with the paper, I’ve made a commitment to […]
Update on Flood Protection, Last-Mile Warehouses and The Stephen Siller Run By Brian Abate
Flood Insurance I’ve been in contact with with Jim Tampakis of Tamco Mechanical for the past year regarding the issue of numerous last-mile warehouses moving into Red Hook. He has been pushing for them to use green modes of transportation, including using the waterfront rather than relying solely on trucks. Tampakis has become an advocate for the Red Hook community, […]
Flood wall plan bypasses Food Bazaar and the Beard Street warehouses, by George Fiala
Hurricane Sandy provided headline opportunities for New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo. In January 2014, Vice President Joe Biden came to Albany to announce a statewide program to protect against natural disasters. As the online news site Politico wrote: “The state would build a $200-million flood protection system in Red Hook, Brooklyn, an area particularly hard-hit by flooding during Hurricane Sandy, […]