It can be said that the latest culture war between North Brooklyn’s Hipster and Hasidim factions has gotten a bit out of hand, this time in person. Read more about this meeting of the minds, after the jump.
January 25, 2010 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, Environment, Multi/Media, The People, Video
Beth Fertig, a senior reporter on education for WNYC, tackles the issue of state education funding and the Campaign for Fiscal Equity’s four year plan.
January 21, 2010 City Politics, Classic, Guest Authors, The People
Part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Race to the Top is a $4.35 billion grant program that rewards states that are making strides in turning around struggling schools and enhancing education standards. Here’s what some of the players in New York’s education system are saying about the state’s application.
January 14, 2010 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, State Politics, The People“Brooklyn is the ‘Caribbean Capital of America’—by some counts, we have the largest Haitian population in the United States—and our hearts go out to our Haitian brothers and sisters in need,” said Borough President Marty Markowitz and Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham. “Brooklyn and Haiti share the common motto ‘In Unity There is Strength,’ and Brooklynites have been united once again—as we were in 2008 following a series of devastating hurricanes and a tropical storm—in opening up their hearts, wallets and pantries to the victims of this catastrophic earthquake. Our office will be working closely with the Caribbean community in the days ahead to lend support to Brooklyn and New York City-based relief efforts.”
To find out what you can do to help relief efforts in Haiti, call 311 or visit Brooklyn-Usa.org. If you are trying to connect with a loved one in Haiti, call the U.S. State Department hotline at 1-888-407-4747.
January 13, 2010 City Politics, The People
Beth Fertig, a senior reporter on education for WNYC, continues her Reader in Residence series with us this month with her second of four posts about literacy and education in New York. The author of Why Cant U Teach Me 2 Read?, Ms. Fertig tackles the issue of federal education funding this week under the Obama Administration’s Race to the Top program.
January 13, 2010 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, Guest Authors, The PeopleShot last month, this seven minute short features skateboarder Mike Vallely lamenting the soon to be shuttered Brooklyn Banks, a lengendery NYC spot for generations of skater kids at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. The Downtown Express reported last October that “The city plans to use the internationally known Brooklyn Banks skate park as a staging area during the Brooklyn Bridge reconstruction, which is starting later this year and will last until 2014, said Ralph Musolino, a district manager for the city Parks Dept.” The city plans to shutter the area beginning this Friday, January 15, and it will remain closed until 2014.
January 12, 2010 Classic, Multi/Media, The People, VideoAs the local political dust of 2009 settles, Brooklynites will begin to see their city council choices at work (or not) in the new year.
Former councilman Bill deBlasio ascended to the role of public advocate this month, and stood with some of the council’s newest members to announce his intentions of reform for the office. “You have to engage the grass roots, and my office will be the leading edge of that,” he told the New York Times, of his desire to train city residents as community organizers. Now, residents of our fine borough will see the representation of three new incumbents whose rise to local leader began in the very same place.
An excerpt and note from journalist and author Beth Fertig, senior reporter on education for WNYC Radio, New York’s NPR affiliate, from her book, ‘Why Cant U Teach Me 2 Read? Three Students and a Mayor Put Our Schools To The Test.’
January 7, 2010 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, Guest Authors, The PeopleWhile you might only afford to dream of your next getaway in this very cold post-holiday season, the folks at Get Gay Travel – a group of young travel know-it-alls who are catering to the queer travel community – are planning to transform the way gays and straights alike get from state to state or country to country. Queerespondence was able to grill Get Gay Travel’s President Ari Warshawsky to find out what they are all about and to also get some hot destination picks, so whether you’re jetsetting or roadtripping there is a thrilling adventure in your (not so distant) future!
January 4, 2010 Bars, Queer Life
Applying for public health insurance, a process that normally takes up to three months, can now take two weeks or less with Health Plus’s new paperless enrollment. “We all know this is the future,” said Borough President Marty Markowitz at a press conference this week, calling it “a big step toward achieving what we hope will be some form of universal health care.”
December 9, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, State Politics, The PeopleThanks to everyone who came out to BrooklynTheBorough.com’s almost birthday to celebrate our brand new features at Public Assembly on December 2. We were excited that so many Brooklynites came out to support this independent brand, and we hope you will continue to show your support and trust BTB as a source for all things Brooklyn. Click through to read more about our terrific performers and view the party pictures!
December 2, 2009 The People
Brooklyn The Borough felt it was about time to send a Vanderbilt to Vanderbilt Avenue. And what better place to kick-off this adventure in gentrification, family history, and neighborhood love than with dinner and drinks at The Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights.
November 30, 2009 Bars, Boroughing, Classic, Culture, RestaurantsLocal chef and musician Jessie Gold has been cooking for almost an entire lifetime. The Brooklyn resident has established some local celebrity and a pretty savory cooking gig at locally owned and operated Ortine in Prospect Heights. A sturdy bike, a flare for the fabulous, and a penchant for cooking make it obvious Jessie is going places. As we kick off the holiday season this weekend, and friends and family come together around their dinner tables, I thought I’d ask for some cooking help from a master, and luckily it got me some yummy perspective from this talented chef.
November 25, 2009 Boroughing, Classic, Queer Life, Recipes
Matthew Maher is a brave man. Along with three other members of the Civilians investigative theater troupe, based here in Brooklyn, Mr. Maher interviewed his parents about their marriage and subsequent divorce for a new project entitled You Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents’ Divorce.
The show will run at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo from November 12-14 and will be filmed and edited for online release. Mr. Maher will portray his own parents’ story, as will fellow actors Caitlin Miller, Jennifer Morris and Robbie Sublett. The show, director Anne Kauffman, aims to be a unique event in the world of theater, and promises to “reveal the stories behind the statistics.” Mr. Maher tells us about it, after the jump.
November 9, 2009 Boroughing, Theater
Brooklyn is a borough of bars and rumor has it, we have many other things too. Be that true or not, Brooklyn is a unique hub of distinct neighborhood taverns, each filled with its own pack of fiercely dedicated locals. It’s no surprise, then, that Brooklyn is also a borough of bartenders. In Love Your Bartender, we’ll take a look at men and women who stand out as they stand behind our Brooklyn bars. We’ll also find out where they choose to let their hair down, and let someone else pour the pints for a change.
November 2, 2009 Bars, Classic, Culture, Restaurants, The PeopleMark Winston Griffith, 45, a native New Yorker and long time resident of Bedford Stuyvesant, ran against Councilman Al Vann along with seven democratic party challengers during the primary season, and since losing sought the endorsement of the union-backed Working Families Party and will appear on the ballot on November 3. His third party candidacy has built momentum in a race that has historically been settled on primary day.
October 27, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic
At a local meeting on crime, the message was clear: citizens, engage your community and get involved or these tough times will only get worse.
October 21, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, State Politics, The PeopleAt the corner of 20th Street and 5th Avenue in Windsor Terrace is an unassuming and apt place for Quarter Bar, named for its cross streets (20 + 5!). I recently rolled in very close to last call after working a bartending shift.
October 20, 2009 BarsDavid Byrne played Prospect Park this summer, bringing with him a version of his Radio City show that has been turning heads with Talking Heads classics and tunes off of his latest Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. He chose Park Slope spot High Dive for his nightcap and for good reason.
October 13, 2009 Bars, ClassicDid you know that Brooklyn is the only borough of this great city that does not have a gay pride center? On Thursday, the steps of Borough Hall played host to a collection of Brooklyn heavy hitters to talk about plans to change that.
October 9, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Queer NewsIssue Project Room, an art collective based in Gowanus, lost Suzanne Fiol, the organization’s founding artistic director, to cancer on Monday. Ms. Fiol, 49, dedicated herself to creating an experimental, avant-garde space for performing and visual arts in Brooklyn.
October 6, 2009 Brooklyn Beats, Music Profiles, TheaterThe new HBO series Bored To Death, based on the life of Brooklyn author Jonathan Ames, has a lot to offer in contrasts between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
October 5, 2009 Classic, Film, The LocalsThis weekend marks the 9th annual Coney Island Film Festival, and so we caught up with Rob Leddy, the festival director, to ask about his favorite festival moments, and for a sampling of this year’s fare. As always that includes a hometown screening of The Warriors by the beach.
September 30, 2009 Film, The LocalsDespite the recession, business on Washington Avenue – the recognized border between Prospect Heights and Crown Heights – seems to be booming. Not sure the same could be said for its brand new condos, but if you build it, they might come (or not). Ahead of the October installment of First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum – a boon to local businesses who often pay their entire rent from first weekend festivities – here are some new offerings on Washington Avenue.
September 29, 2009 Bars, Boroughing, Classic, Restaurants, The Locals
What are the cops in your neighborhood up to? In the past 30 days, there have been 21 homicides in New York City – 29 less than the same period last year. Twelve of the homicides in the past 30 days took place in Brooklyn. Specifically Brownsville, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill – and it’s clear that more officers are on the streets of Crown Heights these days after a summer punctuated by the sound of gunshots.
September 28, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, The Locals, The People
Residents, elected officials and family members gathered at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Fort Greene this week to remember Shem Walker’s life – an innocent Clinton Hill resident fatally shot by an undercover police officer – and discuss the implications, policy and the prevention of tragedies like this one.
September 24, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, State PoliticsDr. Karen Gould, the brand new and first female president of Brooklyn College, joined Borough President Marty Markowitz at Borough Hall yesterday to kick off a new partnership with the White House Project that will culminate in a day long conference called Go Lead next January. The program aims to inspire and engage woman across Kings County to run for political office.
September 23, 2009 Classic, Culture, The Locals, The People
The Secret Garden – its actual name – is part of the Linden-Bushwick Community Garden, is one of hundreds of community gardens in Brooklyn that has the potential to nourish its community both nutritionally and mentally.
September 22, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, Environment, Food, Real Estate, The Locals
In light of the increasing number of newly painted bike lanes, and the cars who like to defile them, we’ve created a list of new road rules for everyone to help prevent catastrophic crashes between bikes and cars.
September 15, 2009 Classic, Culture, Environment, The Locals, The People
“Great reporting and great journalism have always been the exception to the rule,” Carl Bernstein said after a screening of All The President’s Men at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Saturday night. For more of the discussion, click through to watch a short video clip.
September 14, 2009 Authors Speak, Boroughing, Classic, Culture, Film, Multi/Media, Video
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