SAFE DISPOSAL EVENT: GET RID OF HARMFUL HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS AND ELECTRONICS SAFELY

Safe Disposal Event

Sunday, April 2nd, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The NYC Department of Sanitation holds a SAFE Disposal Event (Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics) in each borough to provide residents with a one-stop method to dispose of harmful household products safely.

Materials accepted at the event include common household products, such as auto fluids, motor oil, automotive batteries, batteries, electronics, mobile phones, compact fluorescent bulbs, thermostats, thermometers, strong cleaners, medications, medical items (including syringes and lancets), paint, and more.

Appliances, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, and tires are not accepted.

The event in Brooklyn will take place on Sunday, April 2nd, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be at Prospect Park Park Circle, at the corner of Parkside Avenue and Prospect Park Southwest. Cars can enter along Parkside Avenue from Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Road.

The event will be held rain or shine. Because so many people participate in these events, be prepared to be on line for a while.

Only New York City residential waste is accepted at SAFE Disposal Events. No commercial vehicles will be allowed. Residents must provide proof of their New York City residency, such as a New York State driver’s license or utility bill.

MONETARY REWARDS FOR YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY BRANCH

New York City residents can nominate their local library branch (or a branch that's near work, school, or anywhere else in the city) for the 4th Annual NYC Neighborhood Library Awards.

Being nominated gives a library branch a chance to be a grand prize winner of $20,000 or a finalist who wins $10,000.  Five grand prize winners and five finalists will be chosen.

Nominate only one library, and nominate it only once. Nominations can be made until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 13th.

Read about the Awards Guidelines and Selection Process before you fill out a nomination form.

Nominations will be accepted in these ten languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, English, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Polish, Spanish, and Urdu. Click the link that will take you to the nomination form in your preferred language.

The library branch that you nominate has to be within any of these systems: Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Library, or New York Public Library (which operates in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island).

When you fill out the nomination form, explain why that library branch should win. Give examples of how it helped you or changed you or the effect you saw it have on other users. Winning isn't based on the number of votes; it's based on the quality of the nominations.

The winners will be selected and announced in June.

People who don't live in New York City but use the city's libraries can also submit a nomination.

AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S COMMUNITY BOARD 12 GENERAL MEETING

Community Board 12 General Meeting

                    Tuesday, February 28th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Community Board 12's monthly general meeting will be held tonight, Tuesday, February 28th, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

Do 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. so that you can sign up to speak during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. You'll have three minutes to present your topic.

General 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., at Amico Senior Center.

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.

The goal of a community board is to help resolve issues involving pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, housing, land use and zoning, outdoor lighting, potholes, sanitation, libraries, crime, police presence, social services, rodents, trash collection, public litter baskets, street and sidewalk conditions, etc.

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
at the corner of 59th Street
Borough Park, Brooklyn

Community Board 12
phone: (718) 851-0800
fax: (718) 851-4140
e-mail: bk12 @ cb.nyc.gov
website: http://www.brooklyncb12.org
Chairperson: Yidel Perlstein
District Manager: Barry Spitzer

CHILDREN'S ART & BANGLA RECITATION CONTEST (FREE)

Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts Inc. and M&M Academic Support Tutoring Center will jointly present Children's Art & Bangla Recitation Contest on Saturday, March 4th, at 2:00 p.m.

Children in different grades in school will be given different subjects to draw. Art paper will be supplied, but the artists should bring their own coloring tools.

The competition is free and open to all.

Event location

P.S. 179 Cafeteria

202 Avenue C

between McDonald Avenue and E. 2nd Street

Kensington, Brooklyn

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING SUSPENDED ON WEDNESDAY

Alternate side of the street parking regulations--normally in effect on weekdays and Saturdays so that streets can be cleaned--will be suspended on Wednesday, March 1st, for Ash Wednesday.

Parking meter regulations and all other parking regulations will be in effect.

BREASTFEEDING CONVERSATION AT NURTURE (FREE)

La Leche League Meeting
Wednesday, March 1st, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women who are planning to breastfeed, babies, grandmothers, and other women who are interested in breastfeeding are welcome at La Leche League meetings. The meetings are free of charge.

The Windsor Terrace group meets at Nurture{BKLN} on the first Wednesday of each month, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Upcoming meetings in 2017 have been scheduled for

• Wednesday, March 1st,
• Wednesday, April 5th,
• Wednesday, May 3rd, and
• Wednesday, June 7th.

At the meetings, you can feel free to share your thoughts, your questions, your feelings, and your experiences. Frequent topics of interest have been

• How can I get breastfeeding off to a good start?
• How do I know if my baby is getting enough?
• How often should I expect to feed my baby?
• What does a "typical" feeding look like?
• What is paced bottle feeding?
• How can I work with family's and others' expectations about feeding my baby?
• What about solids?

For updates on the meeting schedule and other information on La Leche League of Windsor Terrace, check the calendar here.

Suzanne Najarian Goodson leads the group. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a Certified Lactation Counselor.
http://www.suzannegoodsonibclc.com
suzanne.najarian @ gmail.com.

Meeting location
Nurture{BKLN}
78 E. 2nd Street (green door on the second floor) 
near the corner of Greenwood Avenue
http://www.nurturebklyn.com

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PROTECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS IS OCCUPY KENSINGTON'S FOCUS

Occupy Kensington Monthly Meeting

Sunday, February 26th, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The near-term focus of Occupy Kensington is on protecting Kensington's most vulnerable neighbors--Muslims and immigrants. To that end, the agenda for tomorrow night's Occupy Kensington meeting includes 

• skill-sharing,
• resource-sharing,
• planning a public meeting,
• working on the list of sanctuary spaces,
• preparing for the second bystander intervention training, and
• discussing its response to a hate crime that took place in the neighborhood earlier this week.

Also on the agenda are

• updates on Kensington as a Hate Free Zone, 
• the Know Your Rights flyer, 
• a free health clinic, 
• the Immigrant Accompaniment Program of the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City,
• rapid response, and 
• Occupy Kensington's plans for March 8th (International Women's Day).

The meeting will be in the house at 309 E. 5th Street, between Church Avenue and Albemarle Road, in Kensington.

Occupy Kensington is a community-based movement that stands in solidarity with other Occupy, 99%, and liberation movements in New York City , across the country, and around the world.

Occupy Kensington
occupy11218 @ gmail.com
https://occupykensington.com
https://www.facebook.com/occupykensington

DON'T PUT AWAY YOUR PUSSY HAT YET

Pussy Hat Fashion Show
Saturday, March 18th, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Pussy Hat Fashion Show will pay tribute to the work of the fiber artists who created pussy hats for the Women's March. In an homage to Judy Chicago's work of art, The Dinner Party--a celebration of women's history and women's contributions--each hat will be decorated to honor an inspiring woman.

The event is a fund raiser for Planned Parenthood of New York City in support of women's reproductive health.

Kettle and Thread, located on Church Avenue, will host the Pussy Hat Fashion Show on Saturday, March 18th, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

More hat models are needed. Model your own pussy hat or borrow one of the extra ones that will be on hand. Hats will also be sold; the cost is a donation to Planned Parenthood.

Location
Kettle & Thread
1219 Church Avenue
between Argyle and Westminster roads
Brooklyn
(347) 789-3108
info @ kettleandthread.com
https://www.facebook.com/kettleandthreadbrooklyn
https://www.instagram.com/kettleandthreadbk
http://www.kettleandthread.com 

About Kettle & Thread
Kettle & Thread is a performance venue, cafe, and artspace. Its menu includes tea, coffee, and comfort food. It offers live music, art that can be purchased, a gift shop, and a patio garden.

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SIP WHILE YOU PAINT, MOMS

                 Mom's Night Out! Wine Tasting & Art Making Class
                   Tuesday, February 28th, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Taste some California wines and hand-paint your own wine glass at the next "Mom's Night Out! Wine Tasting & Art Making" class.

Spend a few hours unwinding with other moms, learn the art of hand-painting a beautiful wine glass, and taste California wines from the Boisset Collection, presented by Wine Ambassador Liz Howng.

Light snacks will be provided at the tasting, but feel free to bring your own if you want to or need to.

The event will happen at Barking Cat Studio on Tuesday, February 28th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Seating is limited, so pre-registration and pre-payment of the $55 fee are required. To reserve a spot, call the studio at (718) 686-1132, send an e-mail to info @ barkingcatstudio.net, or register online at barkingcatstudio.net.

Karen Merbaum is the Founder and Creative Director of Barking Cat Studio. She offers a variety of classes for toddlers, children, and adults.

Location
Barking Cat Studio, Arts & Crafts for Everyone!
219 Greenwood Avenue
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
Brooklyn, NY 11218

(718) 686-1132
karen @ barkingcatstudio.net
https://twitter.com/barkingcatbklyn
https://www.facebook.com/Barking-Cat-Studio-Inc-Make-It-Take-It-Arts-Crafts-for-Kids-89296467638/
www.barkingcatstudio.net
create •  discover • think • imagine

Winner 2016 Red Tricycle
Most Awesome Art Class in NYC!

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WINDSOR TERRACE LIBRARY CLOSING TEMPORARILY

UPDATE: The Windsor Terrace Library didn't reopen on Monday, April 10th, because the weather prevented work from proceeding at the predicted pace. It will reopen within the next few weeks.

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                                    Windsor Terrace Library Closed
                   Monday, March 13th, through Sunday, April 9th

From Monday, March 13, 2017, through Sunday, April 9th, the Windsor Terrace Library will be closed to install a "green" roof. The library will reopen on Monday, April 10th, at 10:00 a.m., its regularly scheduled time.

Bookmobile service will be provided near the Windsor Terrace Library on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, March 15th. 

The green roof will reduce energy use, limit stormwater run-off, improve air quality, add wildlife habitat, and beautify. Residents of City Councilmember Brad Lander's district approved funding it during the 2014 participatory budgeting process.

In the meantime, you can use any of these nearby libraries:

Cortelyou Library
1305 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn, NY 11226
(718) 693-7763
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/cortelyou

Flatbush Library
22 Linden Boulevard
Brooklyn, NY 11226
(718) 856-0813
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/flatbush

Kensington Library
4207 18th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 436-0545 
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/kensington

KENSINGTON STABLES' NEXT EVENT: SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC

Spoken Word Open Mic

Friday, March 3rd, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Kensington Stables is still open for business, and "Work" is the theme for its next spoken word open mic night. The theme is there for inspiration; readers and speakers shouldn't feel constrained by it.

Support Kensington Stables, the only remaining horse stable in the Prospect Park area, by showing up to tell and listen to great stories on Friday, March 3rd, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Introductory riding lessons will begin at 7:30. Readers and speakers can start signing up at 8:00. Reading and storytelling will kick off at 8:30.

A $10 cover (or more, if you're so inclined) will help support the stables. Wine and cheese will be served.

Location
Kensington Stables
51 Caton Place at E. 8th Street
(718) 972-4588
info @ kensingtonstables.com 
http://www.kensingtonstables.com 
https://www.facebook.com/KensingtonStables
https://twitter.com/bklynpony?lang=en

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DANCE TO THE DJ AT 773 LOUNGE

                               773 Lounge welcomes DJ Chet
                              Friday, February 24th, 9:30 p.m.

Dance to the music as DJ Chet spins tunes from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, upon request. Head to 773 Lounge this Friday, February 24th, at 9:30 p.m.

773 Lounge is an Irish pub and neighborhood bar. Its kitchen is open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m from Sunday through Thursday and from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Location
773 Lounge
773 Coney Island Avenue
between Cortelyou and Dorchester roads
on the border of Kensington and Ditmas Park
(718) 462-9746
773lounge.ditmaspark @ gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/773Lounge
Twitter @773Lounge 

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OSCARS PARTY AT CHURCH AVENUE'S HINTERLANDS BAR

Oscars Party

Sunday, February 26th, 7:00 p.m.

Cheer for your favorite Oscar nominees at Hinterlands Bar this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted for the first time by Jimmy Kimmel, will be shown on the bar's projector, with sound. Get in on the Oscars pool by getting to Hinterlands long enough before the show begins to fill out your ballot.

Red carpet coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. The ceremony begins at 8:30 p.m.

And the nominees are...

Location
Hinterlands Bar
739 Church Avenue
between E. 7th and E. 8th streets
Kensington, Brooklyn
(718) 633-0550
hinterlandsbar @ gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/hinterlandsbar
https://twitter.com/hinterlandsbar

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DITMAS LIT IS TONIGHT

                                                          Ditmas Lit
                  Tuesday, February 21st, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Ditmas Lit is a reading series and a literary party. Poets, fiction writers, essayists, and storytellers--most of them local--read their work in The Lodge at Sycamore Bar. Tonight's readers will be Evan James, Rebecca Schiff, Lisa Marie Basile, and Miracle Jones. 

El Super will serve their LA-inspired Mexican fare of tacos and tamales.

The co-founders and co-hosts of Ditmas Lit are Rachel Lyon, a writer of fiction and creative nonfiction, a teacher, and a copy writer, and Sarah Bridgins, a poet and essayist.

The next and final event in the series will be held on Tuesday, March 21st, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Event location 
Sycamore Bar
1118 Cortelyou Road
between Stratford and Westminster roads
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
(347) 240-5850
sycamorebrooklyn @ gmail . com 
http://www.sycamorebrooklyn.com 
https://www.facebook.com/sycamore.brooklyn 
https://twitter.com/SycamoreBklyn 
http://instagram.com/sycamoreflowershopbar

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UPDATED FEBRUARY 21ST AND 23RD: A BANKRUPT KENSINGTON STABLES MAY NOT BE AUCTIONED OFF

UPDATE, February 23rd:

Windsor Terrace Patch, 'Kensington Stables' Owner Expresses Optimism About Business' Future 

"Walker Blankinship said he's had multiple offers that would leave a horse stable on the property."

 
UPDATE, February 21st:

Pictaram, Kensington Stables
"To all our customers concerned with the recent press the stable has gotten: Everybody's reservations are safe. Thursday's auction has been postponed, and regardless of when that takes place there will be horses here for quite some time. We have had our customers in mind throughout this whole process. Thank you for your support."

Windsor Terrace Patch, Kensington Stables Could Stay A Horse Habitat, Auctioneer Says
"multiple prospective bidders are interested in the property, including those looking to redevelop it into a mixed use residential property, a warehouse, and at least one who would maintain it as a stable."

News 12 Brooklyn, Kensington Stables bankruptcy prompts community support
The owner is "about $1 million in debt." 

---------------------------------

After one hundred years of operation--with more than twenty of them (since 1993) under the ownership of the Blankinship family--Brooklyn's Kensington Stables has declared bankruptcy.

The real estate listing for the property states that it will be auctioned off this Thursday, February 23rd, at 2:00 p.m., but Curbed says that the auction has been postponed. The starting bid had been set at $2,000,000.

COMMERCIAL WAREHOUSE / POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. This property will be auctioned at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, 2017 in the office of Backenroth Frankel & Krinsky LLP, 800 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

To participate in the auction sale you must submit a bid no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21, 2017. Please contact broker/auctioneer, MYC & Associates, Inc., for a copy of the Bid & Sale Procedures and Contract of Sale.

A bit of history from the Kensington Stables website:

Our barn at 51 Caton Place was built in 1930 as the last extension of the riding academy at 11 Ocean Parkway founded in 1917. The first extension was torn down to make the foot bridge over Ocean Parkway. The original riding academy closed in 1937 and is now a warehouse.

Today, Kensington Stables is the only remaining stable in the Prospect Park area. We continue to offer friendly, accessible, and affordable equestrian activities for New Yorkers and New York’s many visitors from all walks of life.

Walker Blankinship is the owner and manager of Kensington Stables. In 2005, land was sold that Walker was using for a barn (the Little Gray Barn), a pen outside the barn, and parking for horse trailers. The horses that were living in the barn were moved into the main building.

The Kestrel apartment building now occupies that land as well as the land formerly housing a tire factory.

These articles delve into the stables' history, what it offers to people of all ages--pony rides, lessons, trail rides in Prospect Park, children's programs, teen horsemanship, horses for special occasions, and, in the past, therapeutic riding lessons to people with disabilities--and what might become of the property: 

DNAinfo: Prospect Park's Only Horse Stable Faces Closure as Bankruptcy Sale Looms

Daily News: City Councilman urges future buyers of Brooklyn’s Kensington Stables to keep building open

Curbed: Locals want to save Prospect Park's endangered horse stables

Kensington Stables is located at 51 Caton Place at E. 8th Street.

phone: (718) 972-4588
e-mail: info [at] kensingtonstables.com
website http://www.kensingtonstables.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KensingtonStables
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bklynpony?lang=en 

"ROMEO AND JULIET": A BALLET ON FILM (FREE)

"Romeo and Juliet"

Monday, March 6th, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The "Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance" series presents "Romeo and Juliet." The San Francisco Ballet performs artistic director and choreographer Helgi Tomasson's interpretation of playwright William Shakespeare's tragedy, set to a score by Sergei Prokofiev.

The performance was filmed at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco on May 5th and 7th, 2015.

The running time of the movie is 2 hours and 17 minutes.

This program for adults is free. Registration is not required.

Event location 
Kensington Library
4207 18th Avenue
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 436-0545
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/kensington

VIDEO ABOUT BANGLADESHIS IN KENSINGTON

"Bangladeshi community grows in Kensington"--a short article and video about Kensington's Bangladeshi community--is posted on the News 12 Brooklyn website here.

APRIL IS GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME

UPDATE #2: The cookie sale in front of Immaculate Heart of Mary has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 29th, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

UPDATE #1: The cookie sale in front of Thai Tony's has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 6th.

--------------------------------------------

Girl Scout cookies will be for sale in our neighborhood in April at Thai Tony's and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

IHM Brownie Troop 2662 will sell them in front of Thai Tony's on Saturday, April 1st [rescheduled for Saturday, May 6th], from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

IHM Girl Scout Troop 2700 will sell them in front of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on Sunday, April 23rd, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Program goes to Girl Scouts of Greater New York (the local Girl Scout Council) and the neighborhood troop.

Locations
Thai Tony's
3019 Fort Hamilton Parkway
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn
http://thaitonys.com

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
2805 Fort Hamilton Parkway
between E. 4th and E. 5th streets
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn 
website: http://www.ihmbrooklyn.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Immaculate-Heart-of-Mary-Roman-Catholic-Church/1432137603707177

Find other sales locations by entering a zip code here.