COMMUNITY STREET SAFETY MARCH ON MCGUINNESS BLVD
GREENPOINT — Street safety advocates and other local groups were set to hold a rally on McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint Thursday in support of a DOT-planned safety redesign for the busy street. along with local elected officials including Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, Councilman Lincoln Restler and State Senator Kristen Gonzalez. The redesign plan, which would eliminate two of the street’s four lanes to make way for bike lanes and pedestrian islands, took two years to develop and was unveiled in May; some residents of the area, however, have campaigned against the changes, one that a report from the City Council this Wednesday revealed is backed by film production company Broadway Stages and its owners Anthony and Gina Argento, longtime political supporters of Eric Adams, raising fears among the plan’s supporters that the mayor could face pressure to discard it completely.
The march is scheduled to begin on June 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Bayard Street and McGuinness Boulevard; a town hall meeting at Broadway Stages is also scheduled for June 15 to discuss the future of the redesign plan.
✰✰✰
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON NEW ABOLITIONIST PLACE PARK IN WILLOUGHBY
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Workers have begun construction on a long-delayed new park next to City Point Mall in downtown Brooklyn. reports New York SONGS, with a drone shot showing the organic layout of the future green space of Abolitionist Place, set to open this fall. The park, formerly called Willoughby Square Park, was originally proposed in 2019, but was met with community rejection over claims that the plans did not adequately honor the area’s legacy of involvement in abolitionism: the site was home to houses believed to be part of the Underground Railroad.
The park will also feature a sculpture themed after the quest for freedom, designed by artist Kameelah Janan Rasheed, and inscriptions throughout the space meditating on its history.
✰✰✰
THE EXHIBITION “THE POWER OF TREES” EXPLORES NATURE’S CAPACITY TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE
PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s 2023 Summer and Fall Program Series: Power of Trees, which opens this Saturday, June 17, focuses on the ways in which trees serve as pillars of the natural and cultural world. Developed in collaboration with AnkhLave Arts Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Areas Conservancy, Climate Museum, I AM CaribBEING and Moskehtu Consulting, the launch of this series on June 17 will include a celebration with a specific exhibition of six sculptural works titled “Branching”. Out: Trees as Community Hosts,” an interpretive signage exhibit, titled “Power of Trees: Stories from the Collection,” where visitors can learn more about BBG’s collection of more than 3,700 trees and their role in climate change mitigation, and a pop-up window. installation in the Conservatory Gallery with an interactive sticker wall that aims to inspire learning, dialogue and climate action.
Running through October 22nd, Power of Trees will highlight unexpected facts about specific tree species found in the Garden that New Yorkers live with in Brooklyn and beyond. Notable species include the common horse chestnut, which produces spiky, inedible fruit, and the giant sequoia, which has adapted to fire.
✰✰✰
PROSPECT PARK TO HOST THE JUNE CELEBRATIONS
PROSPECT PARK: The historic Lefferts House Museum in Prospect Park will host a Juneteenth celebration this weekend with African and African-American cultural events in honor of the national holiday, which celebrates the end of slavery. Presented by the Prospect Park Alliance and the Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation, Saturday’s free event will feature African dance and drumming, tap, gospel music and theatrical readings, as well as cooking and historical games; while on Sunday, One Love Little Caribbean Day will highlight local artists and DJs, along with games, children’s activities and refreshments.
Saturday’s event will take place on June 17th from 1-6pm at the historic Lefferts House on Flatbush Avenue, and free tickets are available. online at EventBrite; Sunday’s festivities will be at the LeFrak Center inside the park on June 18 from 2 to 10 p.m.
✰✰✰
ON-GRID BIOGAS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT LAUNCHED IN NEWTOWN CREEK
GREENPOINT — An innovative new project has emerged that turns wastewater into renewable energy from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility in Greenpoint. Officials from the city, DEP, EPA-Region 2 and National Grid joined on Wednesday, June 14 to celebrate the start of this renewable on-grid biogas project at the facility. The project, the first of its kind, has already begun to produce a reliable source of clean, renewable energy, reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills and improving air quality.
This effort has the potential to produce enough renewable energy to heat nearly 5,200 homes in Brooklyn and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90,000 metric tons, the equivalent of taking nearly 19,000 cars off the road. ‘year or grow 1.5 million trees for 10 years. .
✰✰✰
DOG CAFE EXPANDS TO WILLIAMSBURG
WILLIAMSBURG — A new pup-friendly restaurant, the second outpost of East Village cafe Boris & Horton, opened in Williamsburg last week, reports Time Out New York, with a sit-down restaurant for humans, a dog shop, and a large space for pets to socialize and play. The cafe also offers a range of treats for dogs and people alike, with standard fare like coffee, salads and toast joined by food-themed dog biscuits, as well as more unusual offerings like dog-friendly ice cream and french fries.
The original location is known for cross-species events like their bi-monthly dog comedy nights, which raise funds for local shelters; hours for the Williamsburg location can be viewed online at the cafe’s website.
✰✰✰
BROOKLYN’S OLDEST BUTCHER IS LOOKING AT BANKRUPTCY
COBBLE HILL – The historic Staubitz Market butcher shop, which opened in 1917, is on the brink of bankruptcy, reports the New York Postwhich says its owner, John McFadden Jr., is trying to raise $150,000 in GoFundMe platform to save the store from closing. McFadden, who inherited the store when his father died the following November 65 years behind the counter, writes that the business is struggling to compete with larger chains and needs cash to finance city-ordered emergency repairs; the shop is Brooklyn’s oldest butcher shop and has changed hands several times over the years, with McFadden Sr. being the third owner.
“We are reaching out to our beloved community, loyal patrons, and anyone who appreciates the value of small, local, mom-and-pop and specialty stores that are dying out. This iconic family business will become another storefront empty without your generous support,” McFadden wrote; Loyal supporters have responded, donating more than $27,000 so far.
✰✰✰
REP. CLARKE, NY SUN WORKS INVEST IN CLIMATE EDUCATION
MIDWOOD — Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-09/Flatbush) and NY Sun Works will jointly announce a major investment in climate education throughout Brooklyn on Friday, June 16. The project will expand climate and sustainability education through new hydroponic labs and workforce development programs at the high school level in its district, which includes Edward R. Murrow High School, where the presentation of the check friday
Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn has a newly renovated greenhouse and hydroponics lab, according to its website.
✰✰✰
THE CITY COMPLETES THE ELECTRIC MICROMOBILITY PROGRAM IN PARKS AND GREEN VINEYARDS
CITYWIDE — The electric micromobility pilot program in the city’s parks, runs and greenways, as part of the City Council’s work to make it easier and safer to use electric micromobility, it will start on June 20. Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue made the announcement on Wednesday, June 14. The pilot was first announced in March as part of Mayor Adams’ “Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York’s electric micromobility plan,” which includes ways to support rapid adoption of these devices
While the city touts the greenways as a “scenic, comfortable and safe path for cyclists and pedestrians,” it did not specify how it will protect pedestrians from increased bicycle and e-scooter traffic, other than to recommend that everyone be considered
Scibetta passes the torch to Guadagnoli at the annual Columbian Lawyers gala
June 14 | Rob Abruzzese
Eric Landau was re-elected as president of Brooklyn Bridge Park
June 14 | Brooklyn Bridge Park Special
Hole in One: The Guild Golf Outing is a huge success
June 14 | Helen Klein
Our world in photos: June 14
June 14 | Daniel Cody
