FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE NEXT FOUR HOURS

The National Weather Service issued a Flood Warning for New York City at 5:55 p.m. It will be in effect until 9:45 p.m.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low-lying spots.

Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely. Move to higher ground. 

For the latest information, see the National Weather Forecast for New York City.

PROSPECT PARK CRAFT FAIR IS A FEW DAYS AWAY ON MAY 3RD

The handmade work of more than fifty local artists and crafts people will be for sale at the Prospect Park Craft Fair this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.

The work will include
art                                              ceramics                   stationery
home decor/housewares        body products           jewelry                  
accessories                              clothing                     
items for babies and kids      face painting

Part of the money that is raised will be donated to help support the arts and enrichment programs at P.S. 154, The Windsor Terrace School.

The event will take place in the Bartel-Pritchard Square entrance to Prospect Park at 15th Street and Prospect Park West.

http://www.prospectparkcraftfair.blogspot.com/

MOHAWK TAVERN OPEN TONIGHT

Mohawk Tavern's grand opening is underway right now, with cocktails, wine, and beer. New York State beers and wines are featured.

The tavern is in the former location of Crossroads Cafe. 

The official Grand Opening will be this Saturday, May 3rd, at 4:00 p.m. or so.

Credit cards are accepted.


Mohawk Tavern
1241 Prospect Avenue
between Greenwood Avenue and Reeve Place
Windsor Terrace
https://twitter.com/Mohawk_Tavern

ARTS ENRICHMENT BENEFIT ON MAY 3RD

Sip into Spring

Saturday, May 3rd, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

P.S. 230's annual Sip into Spring fund raiser will benefit the school's arts enrichment program. All funds will be used to support P.S. 230's Artists in Residence.

Food

Beverages

Auction

Buy tickets from Brown Paper Tickets.

    Admission Level              Price (plus a service fee)
PS 230 Teacher/Staff                         $20.00
General                                               $40.00
Dreamer Tickets                                 $60.00
Your name will be included on the Sip into Spring website.

Visionary Tickets                                 $100.00
Includes the dreamer benefit plus a prominent listing on the Sip Into Spring website and event signage.

IN SPIRIT                                              $20.00
Show your love of the arts at P.S.230 by purchasing as many non-attending tickets as you like.

at Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture 53 Prospect Park West between 1st and 2nd streets Park Slope

                                                            Arts Residencies

School’s Programs	Information
Ms. Suzie Shelton	Ms. Shelton is known as “Ms. Suzie” among the P.S. 230 children. “The benefits of music take children into an inner experience and move it into a shared creative experience…”
Jill Reiner (From Singing Winds) 2nd Grade	This program integrates storytelling, folklore and crafts with social studies curriculum. Each second grade class creates a dramatic presentation based on their study of early New York history.
Arts Connection (3rd Grade)	Creative Dramatics and Playmaking – Students chose a favorite storybook, adapt the storyline for stage, broke into small groups and wrote their own lines for each scene, cast each other in roles, embodied the characters, rehearsed, and performed the scenes for an audience of their peers. Along the way, peer feedback strategies and literature-related common core strands were woven into the class for a truly creative theatrical experience that was thoroughly grounded in the classroom.
Arts Connection (4th Grade)	Play Writing – Students write and develop their own scenes, and then perform them in front of an audience of their peers. Along the way, peer feedback strategies and literature-related common core strands were utilized to ground this work in literary traditions and equip students with skills on which they can draw throughout their future academic journeys
Arts Connection (5th Grade)	Creating Character in Scripted Work – Students learn to do close readings of literature, finding clues in texts about various aspects informing character such as the historical and cultural forces impinging on characters, their family, community, and inner world. This work helps build a strong skill set for not only theater work, but for the literary criticism around which so many English and World Literature classes in middle school, high school and college are based. Performance and public speaking skills are taught, and formative assessment strategies are incorporated throughout

KENSINGTON'S BENGALI C0MMUNITY WILL CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR AT P.S. 230 ON MAY 2ND

Boishakh 1421: A Bengali New Year Celebration

Friday, May 2nd, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Singing Winds @ P.S. 230 and Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts will celebrate the Bengali new year with a joint presentation of music and dance from Bangladesh.

The performance is open to the public. It will take place in the auditorium of P.S. 230 at 1 Albemarle Road, across the street from Foodtown.

Admission fee: a $2.00 donation

For more information, visit singingwinds.org or call (718) 564-4983.

MISSING SENIOR: JOHN COCCHI

 John Cocchi

The NYPD issued a Silver Alert for John Cocchi at 9:50 tonight.

The 74-year-old white male is from Gelston Avenue and 90th Street in Brooklyn. Mr. Cocchi suffers from depression. He is described as 5'7" tall and weighing 190 pounds. He was last seen on April 16th, wearing a black hat, a  blue jacket ,and blue jeans. If you see Mr. Cocchi, call 9-1-1.

STUDENTS AT BISHOP FORD CAN MEET HIGH SCHOOL REPS

Information on Area High Schools

Tuesday, April 29th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Because Bishop Ford High School is shutting down at the end of June, its uprooted freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and incoming freshmen need to find new schools to attend.

For that purpose, representatives from most of the area high schools will meet with parents and students next Tuesday at Bishop Ford for a "High School Information Evening." They will provide information about the programs at their schools, and they will be able to start the enrollment process.

St. Agnes Academic High School (for girls) in College Point, Queens, is one of the schools that will be represented.

Bishop Ford has asked the schools to streamline their application process for its students.

The event will take place in the school gym.

RALLY FOR WORKERS, CHILDREN, IMMIGRANTS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT

 

Pre-May Day Rally

Friday, April 25th, 6:00 p.m. 

Occupy Kensington's second annual pre-May Day rally takes place this Friday in Kensington Plaza, the outdoor community space on Beverley Road, in front of Walgreens.

The speakout aims to provide a platform for activists and campaigns in this neighborhood. Issues of concern are

• a worker's right to a liveable wage and decent working conditions,
• providing children with a quality education--not one focused on high stakes testing,
• fair and inclusive immigration reform, and
• protecting the environment from further harm.

Speakers have been lined up from the Golden Farm boycott, Green Party of Brooklyn, immigrant rights movement, and Change the Stakes as well as parents who opted their kids out of this year's high stakes tests.

Rally page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/802868986407603/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

TWO-DAY SPRING FLEA MARKET AT THE GARDEN

Flea Market and Plant Sale

Saturday, April 26th, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

(with an event for kids from 10:00 a.m. to noon)

and

Sunday, April 27th, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 at the

East Fourth Street Community Garden

on E. 4th Street

between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue

Windsor Terrace

"THE LOST SYNAGOGUES OF BROOKLYN" REMEMBERED

"The Lost Synagogues of Brooklyn" 

Sunday, April 27th, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Many buildings in Brooklyn that once housed synagogues now serve other purposes. As synagogue membership throughout New York City declined, some buildings were razed while others were repurposed, with quite a few being converted to churches.

This Sunday, Ellen Levitt will talk about her book The Lost Synagogues of Brooklyn, in which she has documented in words and photos ninety-one of those former synagogues. Her book stands as a tribute to Brooklyn's Jewish history.

The featured synagogues were still standing as of 2008 and 2009 when the author was gathering material for her book. Avotaynu published the book in 2011.

This talk is part of a series presented by the Institute for Living Judaism: "The History of Brooklyn's Jews."

Attendees are invited to share their memories of the congregations they once belonged to.

Location:
Flatbush and Shaare Torah Jewish Center
327 E. 5th Street, corner of Church Avenue
Kensington

Enter the building via the door on E. 5th Street closest to Church Avenue. 

phone: (718) 871-5200
fax: (718) 871-5204 
e-mail: fandstjc @ verizon.net

http://www.flatbushjewishcenter.org
https://www.facebook.com/FlatbushJewishCenter 

Rabbi's blog: http://rompinrabbi.blogspot.com 

calendar of events: http://www.flatbushjewishcenter.org/index.php?p=50 

The contact person for the event is Dr. Howard Honigman, the founder of the Institute for Living Judaism. E-mail him at dochh214 @ aol.com or call him at (718) 339-0230.

SAVE BISHOP FORD--RALLY AND PETITION

Some people aren't quietly accepting the imminent closure of Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School: aggrieved alumni, distraught parents of current students, and stunned parents who were planning to send their children to the school that their own parents sent them to for a Catholic education. 

Meet for what is shaping up to be a large "Rally to Save Bishop Ford" on Monday, April 28th, at 1:00 p.m., in front of the school. After the rally, everyone will walk over to the Diocese of Brooklyn Office, a block away on Prospect Park West.

Parents and alumni have been communicating with each other on the rally's Facebook event page. Many people are unhappy about the demise of the fifty-two-year-old school, announced just a few days ago without warning, and they have been busy mustering support for the rally. 

An additional way to voice your thoughts is to join the more than 1800 people who have signed a petition to "Keep Bishop Ford's Doors Open!" Leaving comments is encouraged.

NEW SCHOOL SITES SOUGHT WITHIN COMMUNITY BOARD 7 BOUNDARIES

Community Board 7's Site Selection Committee

Tuesday, May 6th, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sites need to be found to accommodate 2,000 additional students--and even more when Universal Pre-Kindergarten is implemented.

Community Board 7's Site Selection Committee would like to know about locations within CB7's boundaries that could accommodate new schools. The Department of Education and School Construction Authority will then conduct studies on the suggested sites.

Make your suggestions at the committee meeting on May 6th or send the property's address and a description of it to CB 7 via e-mail at communityboard7 @ yahoo.com.

Meeting location

Community Board 7 Office
4201 4th Avenue
Entrance to the building is on 43rd Street
Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Locations Already Identified as Potential School Sites

Approval voted by Community Board 7/Brooklyn on April 17, 2013.

The last seven items have not yet been voted on by CB7 as of 4/8/2014. 

1)      Parking lot on 21st^st Street between 4^th and 5^th Avenues

2)      Empty Midas Service Station at the SE corner of 4^th Avenue and 28^th Street

3)      1 – Story warehouses at 138-160 35^th Street, opposite Sunset Park High School

4)      Bush Terminal Piers Park floating school

5)      Medical center, SE corner of 4^th Avenue and 62^nd Street (immediately adjacent to PS 971)

6)      Holy Name Convent (empty) at  243-245 Prospect Park West---5,000 SQ FT

7)      482 39^th Street, south side between 4^th and 5^th Avenues

8)      Old 68^th Precinct at 4302 4^th Avenue

9)      449 - 453 20^th Street

10)   Empty lumber yard at 4902 8^th Avenue

11)   Abandoned building at 214 25^th Street

12)   Parking lot at 250 24^th Street

13)  Empty lot extending onto side streets on the west side of 3^rd Avenue between 59^th and 60^th Streets

14)   Former Speedy Rent A Car at 822 4^th Avenue (at 29^th Street)

15)   Former White Castle at 850 4^th Avenue (at 30^th Street)

16)   Empty corner building North/East side of 4^th Avenue and 18^th Street

17)   Empty lot corner of Ft. Hamilton Parkway and Mc Donald Avenue

18)   Build above Sunset Park Library South/West corner 51^st Street and 4^th Avenue

19)   Our Lady Of Czestochowa empty Catholic School 24^th Street between 3^rd and 4^th Avenue

20)   5020 4^th Avenue between 50^th and 51^st Street West side of 4^th Avenue

21)   Empty Mechanics Shop East side of 5^th Avenue opposite 64^th Streets

22)   Our Lady of Perpetual Help parking lot East side of 60^th Street and 6^th Avenue

23)   Our Lady of Perpetual Help two Convents West side of 6^th Avenue between 59^th and 60^th Streets

24)   Decking over Rail Tracks South /West Side of 38^th Street at 4^th Avenue

25)   Empty Mechanics Shop West side of 4^th Avenue corner of 32^nd Street

MISSING AUTISTIC CHILD: DANIEL GHABRA

                                                                                                 NYPD photo

UPDATE: 
About four hours after he disappeared, Daniel was found approximately four miles away in a Rite-Aid pharmacy in Sheepshead Bay.


April 18, 2014
Autistic child missing from Borough Park

Daniel Ghabra is 14 years old. He does not speak. He is Asian and has black hair and brown eyes. He is about 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weighs about 100 pounds. Daniel was last seen wearing black jeans, white sneakers, and a blue and green checked shirt with a red collar. 

Daniel likes to go shopping.

He was last seen in front of the laundromat that his mother was inside of, located at 6214 11th Avenue in Brooklyn, at about 4:30 p.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS or call 911.


Thank  you for sharing, Mike.

CALENDAR FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

The 2014-2015 school year will start on Thursday, September 4th, and end on Friday, June 26th. In between those two dates are Thanksgiving Recess on Thursday, November 27th, and Friday, November 28th; Winter Recess, from Wednesday, December 24th through Friday, January 2nd; Mid-winter Recess, from Monday, February 16th, to Friday, February 20th (includes Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays); and Spring Recess, from Friday, April 3rd, to Friday, April 10th (includes Good Friday, Easter, and Passover.

See the full calendar on the NYC Department of Education website here.

PARKING RULES ALTERED FOR PASSOVER, APRIL 21ST AND 22ND

Alternate Side Parking regulations will be suspended citywide on Monday, April 21st, and Tuesday, April 22nd, for Passover.

All other parking regulations, including those for parking meters, will remain in effect on those days.

No alternate side parking days are scheduled again until Monday, May 26th, for Memorial Day.

SO SAD TO SAY, BISHOP FORD IS CLOSING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 14, 2014 – The Board of Directors of Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School has unanimously voted to close the school at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year. For the past several years, Bishop Ford has experienced significant decline in enrollment. In 2006, Bishop Ford had 1,347 students. Today, that number is 499, a loss of 75% of our student population since 2006. The projected enrollment for next year is 422, a further decrease.

 

Enrollment projections predict further decline in the future. It is with great sadness that the Board of Directors of Bishop Ford Central High School unanimously voted to close the school at the end of the current school year.

 

Thomas Arria, principal, expressed this commitment to the students and their families: "Our greatest concern is for our current students and we are committed to making the transition for them to other schools for the next school year as smooth as possible. To that end, we have asked that other Catholic high schools in the area give special consideration to Bishop Ford students who may be enrolling next school year.  We intend to meet with each family to ensure that students are placed in a school environment which will best meet their academic and personal needs." 

Bishop Ford was founded in 1962 and is proud of its many alumni who have made a difference in service to their communities and to the Catholic Church.

Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School

    1962 - 2014