Marty Markowitz and Steven Levin teamed up to give some cash to further the cause of building North Brooklyn’s first Town Hall.
September 27, 2011 Boroughing, City Politics, Theater
Author Jhumpa Lahiriwas was honored with a Bobi Award today at the 6th Annual Brooklyn Book Festival, for a body of work that exemplifies or speaks to the spirit of Brooklyn and has had a broad impact on the field of literature.
September 18, 2011 Authors Speak, Digital/Read, Multi/Media, The Read, Video
Today, with the resignation of Schools Chancellor Cathie Black, it seems like a lot of folks are toppling over each other to point and yell at Mayor Bloomberg. Here’s what arrived in our inbox today.
April 7, 2011 City Politics
Borough President Marty Markowitz loves to make a splash – especially at his annual State of the Borough address, known for its fanfare. This year, Marty rode into the Sunset Park High School Auditorium on a tricycle to the tune of Queen’s “Bicycle Race.” Click through for the video and full text of Marty’s speech.
February 4, 2011 Boroughing, City Politics, In Brooklyn, Multi/Media, Video
Through December 11, local investigative theater company The Civilians are staging In The Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards at Fort Greene’s Irondale Center, mere blocks from where this long-debated project is currently underway. We caught up with Michael Friedman, the show’s lyricist and composer, to ask him about process, community dialogue and his personal views on the project.
December 2, 2010 Boroughing, Classic, Theater
On a nondescript block of Lafayette Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which was an empty lot less than a year ago, sits Habitat for Humanity’s current $6.8 million construction project of four row houses in Bed-Stuy, which received a $50,000 donation from Absolut Vodka. Read about Habitat’s work in Brooklyn here.
June 10, 2010 Classic, Real Estate“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 PeopleAs 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.
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 PeopleDid 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 NewsDr. 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 LocalsSenator Chuck Schumer, Beyonce and Jay-Z were the notable guests at Williamsburg’s final pool party of the summer. Check our our highlights, plus video.
August 30, 2009 Brooklyn Beats, City Politics, Classic, Music Profiles
At Brooklyn’s celebration of Michael Jackson’s 51st birthday in Prospect Park today, Borough President Marty Markowitz stood with director Spike Lee to proclaim August 29 Michael ‘King of Pop’ Jackson Memorial Day in the borough.
August 29, 2009 Brooklyn Beats, Culture, Music ProfilesAt the end of May, we learned that Mayor Bloomberg thought a reporter asking a question about term limit extensions was “a disgrace.” While it’s no surprise that the mayor’s campaign twitter account links to his press releases, a curious tweet popped up today, linking to the Cobble Hill Blog.
Bloomberg-subscribed tweeters, including Brooklyn The Borough were pointed by the campaign via twitter, to read about the mayor’s, and Borough President Marty Markowitz’s, efforts to revitalize the Brooklyn waterfront. What readers didn’t know is that the Cobble Hill Blog merely re-posted, word for word, a press release sent out by the borough president’s office.
July 21, 2009 City Politics, Classic, Real Estate, The LocalsBrooklyn-born Frank McCourt, pulitzer prize winning school teacher and the best-selling author of Angela’s Ashes, died Sunday of cancer at age 78.
July 20, 2009 Read FeaturesRead what Marty Markowitz, who spent 23 years in the State Senate, has to say about the partisan scuffle in Albany.
June 23, 2009 City Politics, State PoliticsThe future is here: Marty’s minions clap while the borough president chats with his buddies in the Netherlands via Skype. It’s proof that Marty is the next Oprah.
June 5, 2009 City PoliticsMarty Markowitz finally divulged this year’s list of participants in the 4th Annual Brooklyn Book Festival at Thursday night’s Literary Mingle at Borough Hall. The festival, scheduled for September 13, boasts a list of notable authors and participants that reflects the borough’s talented literary population. Brooklyn The Borough is excited to cover another gathering of Brooklyn’s bookish stars. The full list after the jump.
May 30, 2009 Read FeaturesIf the young hedonists of Brooklyn could have a cheerleader – one that works his mysticism in the form of a Marty Markowitz – it’s Mike Edison.
May 28, 2009 Brooklyn Beats, Classic, Music Profiles“President Obama’s historic nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is an inspiring New York—and American—success story. Her outstanding judicial record and reputation as a moderate jurist make her an ideal candidate for our nation’s highest court, and her appointment would add much-needed diversity to the bench. Judge Sotomayor may be from the Bronx, but I know Brooklyn’s proud Latino population joins all Brooklynites in wishing Judge Sotomayor well as she makes her way through the confirmation process to become the nation’s first ever Latina Supreme Court Justice.” -Borough President Marty Markowitz
May 26, 2009 City PoliticsBorough President Marty Markowitz was in Coney Island today, promoting the Ringling Bros Circus. Insert joke here.
April 30, 2009 City Politics, Real Estate, The Locals“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Reverend Timothy Wright, the Grammy-nominated ‘Godfather of Gospel’ who was equally known and beloved in Crown Heights and throughout Brooklyn as the spiritual leader of the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ. The same terrible accident that claimed the lives of Reverend Wright’s wife Betty and grandson D.J. last summer, has now silenced another of our bright, shining lights. All of Brooklyn, the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center family and the gospel community mourn Reverend Wright—now of blessed memory—and our prayers are with his loved ones as they carry on his spiritual work and legacy.” – Marty Markowitz
April 24, 2009 Culture, The Locals, The People“I’ve always said that ‘Brooklyn is in the house’ and now it’s official—Brooklyn saw New York City’s biggest increase in the number of residents who prefer to call the borough home. I can’t say I’m surprised. After all, Brooklyn has more character and characters than anywhere on the planet—and we just added 17,392 more. From Williamsburg to Red Hook, from Victorian Flatbush to the shores of Coney Island, from Bedford-Stuyvesant to Brighton Beach, who would want to live anywhere else?” – Borough President Marty Markowitz
March 19, 2009 City Politics, Classic, Culture, The Locals, The PeopleYou always hear about the State of the Union, the State of the State and even the State of the City, but damnit, doesn’t anyone care about the State of the Borough? Well, we do.
Here’s some of Marty’s talking points from the State of the Borough address – via his press office – which took place at Kingsborough Community College tonight.
February 12, 2009 City Politics, Real Estate, The LocalsLike many things, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s price tag seems a little heavier these days. Yesterday, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, and Council Members Bill de Blasio and David Yassky issued a statement after meeting with Regina Myer, president of the Brooklyn Bridge Development Corporation, the ESDC and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe regarding the release of the current financial status for Brooklyn Bridge Park at a public meeting this Thursday.
January 27, 2009 Real Estate, The LocalsBoerum Hill resident and the city’s Commissioner of Housing, Preservation and Development Shaun Donovan, was confirmed late last night by the senate to fill the role of HUD Secretary under President Obama.
After the city struggled with slashed HUD resources under President Bush, let’s hope that Mr. Donovan can forge a healthier relationship between New York City and HUD, whose federal dollars keep roofs over the heads of many Brooklyn residents.
January 23, 2009 City Politics, Real Estate, The Locals
“WE ARE IN A RECESSION!” screamed the words from my in-box back on Nov. 16, and whether it was official yet or not, the wardrobes of Brooklyn’s 20-somethings were feeling it.
December 13, 2008 Boroughing, Culture, Fashion, The Original BTB
Recently, the door to the new and expanded Beacon’s Closet, a consignment shop now on the corner of Warren Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, opened. Along with a burst of cold air came not a customer but a stink bomb.
November 21, 2008 Boroughing, Classic, Fashion, Real Estate, The Original BTB, The People
“First off, there’s no question—in my humble opinion—that the literary center of New York has moved to Brooklyn,” said our oh-so-humble Borough President Marty Markowitz celebrating the Brooklyn Book Festival in the ornate lobby of Borough Hall this past Sunday. “The authors live here, the illustrators live here, and the energy—there’s that energy!—among residents of Brooklyn.” And of course, Marty is the first to throw a party for them.
September 16, 2008 Boroughing, Read Features, The Original BTB
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