BUILD ON THE PROGRESSIVE WAVE WITH OCCUPY KENSINGTON

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From Occupy Kensington

Let’s Build on the Progressive Wave!   Join Us to Shape a Fresh Activist Agenda for 2019.   Sunday January 27 @ 7:30 309 E5th St Dear Neighbors and Friends, 2019 is already shaping up to be a year of grave challenges and hopeful opportunities. The progressive wave that swept a solid Democratic majority into Albany for the first time in years opens up new opportunities to push forward a people's agenda. Meanwhile, the plight of our brothers and sisters seeking refuge in this country, as well as our own citizens and noncitizens living under threat of racism and poverty, cries to us out for redress. Given the new landscape of state-level politics, Occupy Kensington would like to propose adding to our foci — while still remaining at the ready to address immigration or white supremacist issues arising in Kensington. Join us to discuss this and more Sun. Jan 27th at 7:30, 309 E. 5th Street  5th Street. Three proposed areas of focus: Housing crisis: There is a fresh opportunity and urgent need to review rent laws in Albany. Middle class and poor families alike in our neighborhood, across lines of race and citizenship status, live under the stress of rapidly rising rents. Amazon’s invasion of NYC: The proposed corporate headquarters in Queens includes a deal that not only will suck up much needed tax dollars, placing them in the pockets of the richest corporate mogul on the planet, but will also act as a gentrification juggernaut — which connects directly to the housing crisis. It also relates to the less publicized, ongoing efforts to rezone nearby Sunset Park's industrial district (in which Amazon was at one point interested) — with the inevitable loss of industrial jobs and displacement of longtime residents through higher rents. Healthcare: Stakes couldn't be higher. The New York Health Act has already passed the State Assembly four years in a row. Grassroots pressure is needed to ensure State Senate passage and Gov. Cuomo's (not-so-easy-to-get) signature. Passage in a state the size of New York would reverberate throughout the nation. Canada's healthcare system became inevitable when a single province (Saskatchewan) passed its own, successful, single-payer plan. Don’t Miss: Eye Witness Report on Refugee Crisis at the Border by Sofya Aptekar (Second Half of the Meeting)  Occupy Kensington · 309 East 5th street · Brooklyn, NY 11218 · USA https://www.facebook.com/occupykensington occupy11218@gmail.com

CITY SERVICES CANCELED FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

On Monday, January 21st, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, government offices, courts, public libraries, public schools, and the Department of Education Parent Support Hotline and Family Welcome Centers will be closed.

Post offices will be closed, so mail won't be delivered.

Subways will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

Buses will operate on a reduced weekday schedule with minor timing changes. "X" express routes will operate on a special schedule with minor adjustments in departure times. 

Regulations for alternate side of the street parking for street cleaning will be suspended. All other regulations, including those for parking meters, will remain in effect.

Trash, recycling, and organics won't be collected. If your trash or organics are normally collected on Mondays, place them curbside after 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 21st. If your recycling is normally collected on Mondays, place the material curbside after 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 27th.

COMMUNITY BOARD 12 WILL MEET NEXT WEEK

Community Board 12 Public Meeting

Tuesday, January 22nd, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Community Board 12 (representing Kensington, Borough Park, and Midwood) will hold its monthly public meeting on Tuesday, January 22nd, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The board's monthly meetings are open to the public.

If you have any concerns, questions, solutions, needs, or problems that you'd like the community board to address, arrive at the meeting before 7:00 p.m. and sign up to speak during the public comment period that takes place toward the beginning of the meeting. You'll have three minutes to present your topic.

Some issues you may be concerned about are

•     pedestrian safety,
•     traffic congestion,
•     housing,
•     land use and zoning,
•     construction sites,
•     outdoor lighting,
•     potholes,
•     sanitation,
•     libraries,
•     crime,
•     police presence,
•     graffiti,
•     social services,
•     rodents,
•     trash collection,
•     public litter baskets, and
•     street and sidewalk conditions. 

Public meetings of Community Board 12 are normally held on the fourth Tuesday of the month, from September through June, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., but that's subject to change.

Every neighborhood in New York City is represented by an all-volunteer community board, which serves as the neighborhood's liaison to city agencies. Board members are appointed by the neighborhood's city councilperson and the borough president.

Community Board 12's committees are

•         Planning, Zoning Variances and City Map
•         Education, Library, Cultural Affairs
•         Sanitation & Environmental Protection
•         Fire, Safety & Police
•         Health & Social Services
•         Housing & Buildings
•         Legislation
•         Parks, Capital Projects & Site Selection
•         Transportation & Franchises
•         Youth & Community Development

Meeting location
Amico Senior Center
5901 13th Avenue, 3rd floor
corner of 59th Street
Borough Park, Brooklyn

Enter the building on 59th Street. The meeting room is accessible by elevator.

Community Board 12's office is at 5910 13th Avenue.
phone: (718) 851-0800
fax: (718) 851-4140
e-mail: bk12 @ cb.nyc.gov
https://twitter.com/BrooklynCB12
https://www.facebook.com/BkCB12

66TH PRECINCT (KENSINGTON, BOROUGH PARK, MIDWOOD) PUBLIC MEETING IS THIS WEEK

66th Precinct Community Council Monthly Public Meeting
Thursday, January 17th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Crimes and other policing matters in Kensington, Borough Park, and Midwood can be reported by the public at the upcoming 66th Precinct Community Council meeting. 

The 66th Precinct's commanding officer, Captain David Wall, will update residents on recent crimes in those neighborhoods, but the input of people who live within the boundaries of the precinct is essential. 

At the meeting, the public can learn about the various programs available to the community through the precinct. 

The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 17th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It's free, and it's open to the public. 

Boundaries of the 66th Precinct:

The purpose of the 66th Precinct Community Council is to provide the critical interface between citizens and police through regular monthly meetings. Meetings are normally held on the third Thursday of the month, from September through June. The Community Council does not meet in July or August.

Meeting location
Community Board 12 Office
5910 13th Avenue
between 59th and 60th streets
Borough Park, Brooklyn
(map)

To get to the meeting, take the B16 bus to 13th Avenue at 56th Street and walk three blocks along 13th Avenue to 59th Street. To return home, take the B16 on 14th Avenue (schedule).

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Contact information for the 66th Precinct:
phone: (718) 851-5611
5822 16th Avenue
between 58th and 59th streets
Borough Park, Brooklyn
e-mail: 66precinctcc @ gmail.com
website: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/bureaus/patrol/precincts/66th-precinct.page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYPD66Pct or @66precinctcc

BUTTERFUNK KITCHEN'S, BROOKLYN COMMUNE'S, AND SUMNER'S LUNCHEONETTE'S FORMER HOME IS FOR SALE

The building recently vacated by Windsor Terrace restaurants Butterfunk Kitchen, Sumner's Luncheonette, and Brooklyn Commune is for sale.

601 Greenwood Avenue, also known as 1293 Prospect Avenue, is a four-story, mixed-use, non-elevator building comprised of nine apartments and two storefronts. Meridian Capital Group LLC, a Manhattan-based commercial real estate finance and advisory firm, has the exclusive listing.

Seven of the nine apartments are rent-stabilized and two are free-market. Six of them have two bedrooms and three have three bedrooms.

The benefits cited for the location on Meridian's prospectus are "immediate access to prime transportation with the F & G train located right in front of the building, offering easy access to Manhattan," the "renowned Prospect Avenue retail corridor," and Windsor Terrace's "reasonable rent prices and classic Brooklyn vibe." 

No asking price is listed.

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 PUBLIC MEETING ON WEDNESDAY

Community Board 7 Public Meeting

Wednesday, January 16th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The regular monthly board meeting of Community Board 7 will be held on Wednesday, January 16th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Board meetings are open to the public.

The following is the proposed agenda:

1. The Pledge of Allegiance
2. Opening of the meeting
3. Adoption of the agenda
4. Adoption of the minutes of the Board Meeting of December 19, 2018
5. Public Comment
6. Committee Reports:
A) Executive Committee (no vote required)
1. Priorities and goals for 2019
2. Personnel & Internal Budget spending proposals
3. Youth Recognition Award selection
B) Public Safety Committee (Vote required)
1. New liquor license application for an entity to be formed for a business located at 225 47th Street
C) Membership and Attendance Committee
1. Review video
2. Further discussion on complaint against a board member (Murphy)
3. Denny Chen
4. Leticia Reyes
D) Ad Hoc Committee on Homeless Issues
1. Finalizing plans for shelter liaisons
7. Elected Officials and Representatives
8. District Manager’s Report
9. Chairperson’s Report
10. Old Business
11. New Business
12. Public Comment
13. Adjournment 

Location

Community Board 7 Office
4201 4th Avenue
entrance on 43rd Street
Sunset Park, Brooklyn

phone: (718) 854-0003
fax: (718) 436-1142
communityboard7 @ yahoo.com
website: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb7/index.page
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-Community-Board-7/195263140637225

COMMUNITY MEETING ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE WINDSOR TERRACE LIBRARY FOR RENOVATIONS

Windsor Terrace Library Closure and Repairs
Thursday, January 17th, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A community meeting regarding the upcoming one- to two-year closure of the Windsor Terrace Library will be held at the library on Thursday, January 17th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

To RSVP that you'll be attending the meeting, send an e-mail to Mike Fieni at mfieni @ bklynlibrary.org or call (718) 230-2052.

Meeting location
Windsor Terrace Library
160 E. 5th Street
corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn


The Windsor Terrace Library will be closed for one to two years for renovations. Its last day of operation will be Friday, February 1st; closing time is 6:00 p.m. It will reopen sometime in 2020.

While the library is closed, bookmobile service will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., starting on Tuesday, February 5th.

The branch's building--its first and only one-- is located at 160 E. 5th Street, at the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway. It opened forty-nine years ago on October 22, 1969.

Renovations will include a new HVAC system (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), electrical upgrades, and improvements to the library's interior.

Previous closings of this branch include

• a one-month closing in part of March and part of April in 2017 while the green roof was being installed,
• a one-week closing in December 2016 for computer and furniture upgrades, and
• a one-month closing in 2011 to install self-check machines and book return slots.

The names and addresses of nearby branches, along with the buses and subways that will take you to them, are the

• Cortelyou Branch, 1305 Cortelyou Road at Argyle Road (B11, B16, B35, D),  
• Flatbush Branch, 22 Linden Avenue at Flatbush Avenue (B12, B16, B35, B41, B49, B, Q), 
• Borough Park Branch, 1265 43rd Street at 13th Avenue (B11, B16, B35, D),  
• Kensington Branch, 4207 18th Avenue at E. 2nd Street (B8, F), and  
• Park Slope Branch, 431 6th Avenue at 8th Street (B61, B67, B69, F, G, R).

REPRESENT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON A COMMUNITY BOARD

Applications for membership on every community board in New York City are now open. February 15th is the deadline for applying.

Apply online here or download an application here, fill it out, and e-mail, fax, or mail it.

A community board serves as a liaison between residents and city agencies. It presents its constituents' complaints and suggestions to the city agencies that have authority over those issues.

Some issues that are of concern to residents are

• pedestrian safety,
• traffic congestion,
• housing,
• land use and zoning,
• construction sites,
• outdoor lighting,
• potholes,
• sanitation,
• libraries,
• crime,
• police presence,
• graffiti,
• social services,
• rodents,
• trash collection,
• public litter baskets, and
• street and sidewalk conditions.

To become a member of a community board, you have to

1. live in New York City,
2. live, work, or have a professional or other significant interest in a neighborhood within the board’s district, and
3. be at least sixteen years old.

Each community board has up to fifty volunteer members who are appointed by the Borough President. Half of those appointees are nominated by the City Councilmembers who represent the district covered by that community board.

An hour-long meeting of the full community board is held once a month,except during July and August. Meetings are open to the public.

Community Board 7 covers Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park. Website: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb7/index.page 
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BrooklynCB7

Community Board 12 covers part of Kensington, Dahill, Borough Park, and part of Midwood.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BkCB12
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooklyncb12

Community Board 14 covers Flatbush, part of Midwood, and part of Kensington.
Website: http://www.cb14brooklyn.com

MISSING SENIOR: MARIE WALTERS (UPDATE: SHE HAS BEEN FOUND)

UPDATE: Marie Walters has been found, and she has been reunited with her family.

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A Silver Alert was issued for Marie Walters at 4:25 this morning. The 79-year-old black female was last seen on Ocean Parkway and Beverley Road in Brooklyn,  Ms. Walters has Alzheimer's and may be in need of medical attention.

Description: Ms. Walters is 5'6" tall. She weighs 100 pounds. She has gray hair and brown eyes. She is wearing a mint green Gap sweat suit, black Skechers, orange and yellow socks, a long black coat with a fur hood, and a black knitted hat.

She was last seen at approximately 2:10 p.m. on January 2, 2019.

If you see Ms. Walters, call 9-1-1. Or call her daughter Tracy at (347) 551-5921 or Maxine at (917) 951-5356.

CHRISTMAS TREE DISPOSAL METHODS: AT THE CURB OR IN A PARK

Curbside Collection 

Wednesday, January 2nd, through Saturday, January 12th

Discarded Christmas trees will be picked up for composting during the Department of Sanitation's annual Christmas tree curbside collection program. Weather permitting, collection will begin on Wednesday, January 2nd, and end on Saturday, January 12th.

Before putting a tree at the curb, remove the tree stand and the netting, tinsel, lights, and other ornaments and decorations. Don't put the tree in a plastic bag.

Clean, non-bagged trees will be ground into wood chips, mixed with leaves, and recycled into compost for use in city parks, institutions, and community gardens.

Trees that still have decorations on them will be collected as garbage and not composted.

Trees put out at the curb before January 2nd or after January 12th will also be collected as garbage and not composted. 

Artificial trees that are mostly made of either metal or rigid plastic can be put next to your recycling container on regular recycling days, after removing ornaments from them. But if the tree is taller than four feet, schedule a bulk pick-up appointment.

Artificial trees that aren't mostly metal or rigid plastic will be collected as part of your regular garbage. 

Artificial trees that are four feet or smaller can be thrown out with your regular garbage.

Artificial trees in good condition can also be donated or sold. See donateNYC for details.

Mulchfest

Saturday, January 12th, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 13th, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

At its annual Christmas tree recycling event, the Department of Parks and Recreation will accept trees and recycle them into wood chips to nourish trees and plants on city streets and in community gardens.

Bring your tree to any of the chipping locations throughout the five boroughs on January 12th or 13th between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Remove the tree stand, netting, tinsel, lights, and every other ornament or decoration before you bring the tree to Mulchfest.

Among Brooklyn's chipping locations are one at Prospect Park (Third Street at Prospect Park West) and one at Park Circle at Parkside Avenue.

All of the chipping locations are listed on the Parks Department's website. Scroll down the page and choose a borough.

The Parks Department will give you a free bag of mulch, if you want one, to use on your own trees or on street trees. The department will provide the bags.

Drop-off
Friday, January 4th, through Sunday, January 13th

Not all of the Parks Department's locations have chipping equipment on-site during Mulchfest; those locations are for drop-off only. Sometime after you drop off your tree, it will be recycled.

Drop-off sites will accept Christmas trees during the two days of Mulchfest (January 12th and 13th) as well as every other day from Friday, January 4th, through Sunday, January 13th.

Before you bring your tree to a drop-off site, remove the tree stand, netting, tinsel, lights, and other ornaments and decorations.

EMPOWER YOUR COMMUNITY WITH CITY GOVERNMENT DATA; A TRAINING SESSION

     Brooklyn Community Board 7 Data Empowerment Training Session
                 Monday, January 7, 2019, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The New York City government has many web pages that provide helpful data to residents, but sometimes these portals are confusing or overwhelming to use. And sometimes New Yorkers don't know that they exist, making the sites unusable to the communities they're trying to serve.

Community Board 7 board member and urban planner Fred Wolf will help you empower your community by teaching you how to navigate some data sites that have a lot of reliable and useful information. These data portals can be valuable tools when conveying your ideas to City agencies or advocating for or against the issues that matter to you.

The data empowerment training session will take place on Monday, January 7, 2019, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Sunset Park Library, 4201 4th Avenue. The entrance is on 43rd Street.

Agenda:

• What is "data" and how can it be used
• Introduction to some of the City's data portals
• How to navigate the websites to find the information you want
• Questions and further discussion

If you'd like to attend the training, make a reservation. The Sunset Park Library will provide some laptops for participants to use during the training session. To reserve one, you'll need a current and valid Brooklyn Public Library card. 

Or you can bring a laptop or other Wi-Fi-enabled device with you to use during the training instead of reserving a laptop.

Send an e-mail to bk07 @ cb.nyc.gov with the subject heading "Attn: Natasha - Reservation for January 7" to reserve a spot. State in the e-mail that you need to reserve a laptop (with your Brooklyn Public Library card) or that you'll bring your own device.

Send your e-mail reservation no later than Friday, January 4, 2019. No reservations will be accepted after January 4th.

F TRAIN SERVICE CHANGES THIS WEEKEND

F train service in Brooklyn will be affected from 10:45 p.m. on Friday, December 28th, until 5:00 a.m. on Monday, December 31st, because of electrical improvements.

The F train between Bergen Street and Stillwell Avenue will be replaced by the G train. 

The F train will run between 179th Street and Jay Street-MetroTech* and via the A local, C to and from Euclid Avenue.

The G train will replace the F train between Bergen Street and Stillwell Avenue.
• Transfer between the F train and the G train at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn A, C, G station.

*The Jamaica-bound F train will run via the A from Jay Street-MetroTech to W. 4th Street during this time.

This service change affects one or more ADA stations.

LIBRARY CLOSING FOR RENOVATIONS

The Windsor Terrace Library will be closed until sometime in 2020. Its last day of operation will be Friday, February 1st; closing time is 6:00 p.m.

While the library is closed, bookmobile service will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., starting on Tuesday, February 5th.

The branch's building--its first and only one-- is located at 160 E. 5th Street, at the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway. It opened forty-nine years ago on October 22, 1969. Renovations will include a new HVAC system (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), electrical upgrades, and improvements to the library's interior, another librarian reports.

Previous closings include a one-month closing in part of March and part of April in 2017 while the green roof was being installed, a one-week closing in December 2016 for computer and furniture upgrades, and a one-month closing in 2011 to install self-check machines and book return slots.

The names and addresses of the branches located closest to the Windsor Terrace branch, along with the buses and subways that will take you to them, are the

• Cortelyou Branch, 1305 Cortelyou Road at Argyle Road (B11, B16, B35, D),  
• Flatbush Branch, 22 Linden Avenue at Flatbush Avenue (B12, B16, B35, B41, B49, B, Q), 
• Borough Park Branch, 1265 43rd Street at 13th Avenue (B11, B16, B35, D),  
• Kensington Branch, 4207 18th Avenue at E. 2nd Street (B8, F), and  
• Park Slope Branch, 431 6th Avenue at 8th Street (B61, B67, B69, F, G, R).

PARKING RULE CHANGES FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY

Alternate side of the street parking regulations AND parking meter regulations will be suspended on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, for New Year's Day.

On most holidays, when alternate side parking rules are suspended, rules for parking meters still remain in effect. Rules for parking meters are only suspended on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.