Sunday, April 30, 2023

PARTS OF WINDSOR TERRACE AND KENSINGTON WILL NOT GET CHOPPED OFF AND STUCK INTO OTHER ASSEMBLY DISTRICTS

This is the map that was proposed previously, not the map that the Independent Redistricting Commission, the State Senate, and the State Assembly have now approved.
 
From Assemblymember Robert Carroll:
Assembly Redistricting Maps Passed
The legislature voted this week to approve Assembly District lines that were proposed by the State’s Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC).
New Congressional and State Senate lines were approved last year and remain unchanged.  My district, AD 44, also remains largely unchanged from the lines that took effect this January. 
The initial IRC proposal cut Windsor Terrace in half at the Prospect Expressway and removed large parts of Kensington that have been a part of AD 44 for decades, dividing multiple communities of interest. Thanks to efforts of many of you who offered testimony to the IRC either online or in person, we beat back this foolish proposal and were able to largely restore the current lines
I look forward to continuing to represent all the neighborhoods in the district and working with all of you on policy and quality of life matters.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
To view the approved map, go to https://www.nyirc.gov/assembly-plan-2023 and check "NY IRC Assembly 2023 Plan."
 
Quoting the first blog post about altering the boundaries of the Assembly districts,
Residents living between Caton Avenue and 8th Avenue, from McDonald Avenue to the Prospect Expressway, and residents living between Fort Hamilton Parkway and 15th Avenue, from Dahill Road to 39th Street, would be moved out of Assembly District 44. 

As we're hearing the bad news about part of us getting dumped into AD 51, Park Slope is getting this good news: the redrawn map greatly expands the boundaries of District 44 so that it includes the bulk of Park Slope. ("See How Park Slope's Assembly Districts Change In New Maps" https://patch.com/new-york/parkslope/see-how-park-slope-s-assembly-districts-change-new-maps)

So, not only will the southwest portion of Windsor Terrace be negatively affected, but the portion of Windsor Terrace that remains in AD 44 will be too, as AD 44's Park Slope constituency grows and yours shrinks. Park Slope will get even more of a voice as you get less, simply because of its size.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

J&L LANDSCAPING - GARDENING CENTER IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED

 
Update: Reopened as Diyarza Landscaping Garden Center (https://www.diyarzalandscaping.com/)
 
Update, September 17, 2023: J&L will reopen this winter for Christmas trees.

------------------------------------------
 
A message from J&L Landscaping - Gardening Center:
"Dear Customers, We are closed temporarily due to staffing shortage. We will re-open to sell Christmas trees and possibly open for the Fall season. A heartfelt thank you for your business and continued support. We look forward to serving you again.

- J&L Family"
 
The family-owned-and-operated landscaping business and garden center opened in 1969. Its President and CEO, Lawrence (Larry) Barbieri, passed away in May 2022. The funeral Mass was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and he was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery.

Location
702 Caton Avenue
at the corner of E. 7th Street
Kensington, Brooklyn
(718) 438-3199

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

COMMUNITY BOARD 12 APRIL MEETING

The information below was copied from the Community Board 12 Twitter page, where it was posted on the night of April 24, 2023:

Image

Our April board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, at 7:00 PM. In-person location is at Amico Senior Center, 5901 13th Ave (entrance on 59th St), 3rd Floor. To join on Zoom please click the following link: us06web.zoom.us/j/88205936374

To speak at the public hearing, please click on the following link & fill out the form:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSco1v1Puh042lQ69uHJ_lKGC1-DaWqXOiLe_aFLvLQobdCfbw/viewform

If you are calling in by phone (for the public only) please dial the following number & enter the Webinar ID: Phone #: (646) 558-8656 Webinar ID: 882 0593 6374

You can also access all this and other information by visiting our website at the following link: https://www.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb12/meetings/upcoming-meetings.page

   

Monday, April 24, 2023

RECYCLE TEXTILES AND ELECTRONICS, SWAP KIDS' CLOTHING AND MORE, SHRED PAPER (FREE) AT "SPRING CLEAN & GREEN"

 

 
At the event,
  • DSNY shredded 2500 lbs. of documents,
  • Lower East Side Ecology collected 5,000 lbs. of electronic waste from 226 households,
  • DEP gave away hundreds of eco-friendly totes, bottles, etc. plus held a sign-up for flood barriers and rain barrels,
  • GrowNYC’s Stop and Swap accepted 1,300 lbs. of donated children’s items, of which 1,000 lbs. went home with attendees and the other 300 lbs. were dropped off at local family shelters,
  • Wearable Collections collected 2,500 lbs. of textiles.
 

Sunday, April 23, 2023

RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONICS LEGALLY (FREE)

E-Waste Recycling Event
Sunday, April 30th, 10:00 a. m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
It's illegal to discard electronics (also called "e-waste") with trash or recycling. Under New York State law, disposing of e-waste with trash or recyclables subjects you to a $100 fine. Recycle yours legally on Sunday, April 30th, between 10:00 a. m. and 2:00 p.m., rain or shine.

Accepted
working and non-working consumer electronic equipment
  • Computers (laptops, desktops, servers, mainframes)
  • Monitors (CRT, flatscreen)
  • Network devices (routers, hubs, modems, etc.)
  • Peripherals (keyboards, mice, cables, cords, chargers, etc.)
  • Tablets and e-readers
  • Components (hard drives, CD-ROMs, circuit boards, power supplies, etc.)
  • Printers under 100 pounds, scanners, fax machines, etc.
  • TVs, VCRs, DVRs, DVD & Blu-ray Players
  • Digital Converter Boxes, Cable/Satellite Receivers
  • Portable music players
  • Audio-visual equipment
  • Video games
  • Cell phones, pagers, PDAs
  • Telecommunication (phones, answering machines, etc.)
 
Not accepted
  • Batteries (except lead-acid batteries from UPS (uninterrupted power supplies) systems). Rechargeable batteries can be dropped off for recycling at any store that sells them; also check IKEA and Staples stores for battery recycling.
  • Media, such as disks, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, etc. See greendisk.com to purchase a shipping label to get these items recycled.
  • Home appliances, such as microwaves, refrigerators, air conditioners, ionization smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors (the ones labeled as containing radioactive material).
 
The event will be hosted by Lower East Side Ecology Center and co-hosted by Assemblymember Robert Carroll and New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif.
 
For more information, visit the LES FAQ page at https://www.lesecologycenter.org/programs/ewaste/ewaste-faq/.
 
Location
Prospect Park Southwest
between Ocean Parkway and Greenwood Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
 

"FITNESS WITH AKWESI": FITNESS FOR OLDER ADULTS (FREE)

 Akwesi M Asante

"Fitness with Akwesi"
Wednesdays, May 24th and 31st,
June 7th and 14th,
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
"Fitness with Akwesi" is a free four-week program for older adults that will incorporate chair yoga, standing exercises, and other gentle movement practices, under the able guidance of Akwesi Asante.
 
Akwesi has served in the health and wellness community for thirty years and has worked with seniors since 1992, teaching them movement and exercise.
 
He has also worked as a professional performance artist as an actor, dancer, acrobat/stuntman, musician, circus arts performer, and martial artist.
 
Akwesi has served as a consultant for Catholic Charities, Services for the Aging, and Arthritis Foundation.
 
Location
Windsor Terrace Library
160 E. 5th Street
corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
(718) 686-9707

INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL FINANCE (FREE)

Introduction to Personal Finance
Tuesday, May 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th, Tuesday, June 6th and 13th,
Thursday, June 29th
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
 
The Kensington Stewards will present the multi-part course "Introduction to Personal Finance" on Tuesday, May 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th, Tuesday, June 6th and 13th, and Thursday, June 29th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
 
The course will cover a variety of topics pertinent to modern-day life, such as banking, indebtedness, investment, individual taxation, insurance, retirement planning, and estate planning.
  • May 9th: reviewing the basics, including a discussion on the current banking crisis
  • May 16th: how your utility bills are computed, the cost of debt, and understanding other important everyday living expenses

  • May 23rd: investment (e.g., bonds, stocks, real estate)
  • May 30th: to be announced
  • June 6th: taxation
  • June 13th: estate planning, wills and trusts
  • June 29th: property, casualty, and liability insurance
Peter Gomori, who taught courses in finance at St. Francis College for thirty-five years, will lead the classes. His courses included Principles of Finance, Advanced Finance, Personal Finance, Managerial Finance, Security Analysis, Portfolio Management, Introduction to Financial Derivatives, International Finance, and Financial Institutions.
 
Guest speakers may also be invited to speak on special topics. Questions from participants will be encouraged.
 
If you have any questions about the content of the course, send an e-mail to Peter Gomori at peter.gomori@gmail.com or Jodi Cook at Jodi.cook@corcoran.com.
 
Location
Windsor Terrace Library
Meeting Room
160 E. 5th Street
corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 686-9707

Saturday, April 22, 2023

CHURCH AVENUE STREET FAIR (FREE ADMISSION)

 

Church Avenue Street Fair
Sunday, May 7th, noon to 6:00 p.m.

The annual Church Avenue Street Fair will be held outdoors on Sunday, May 7th, from noon to 6:00 p.m., rain or shine. It will run from Coney Island Avenue to Argyle Road.
 
The fair, designed for people of all ages, will feature
 
  • music, 
  • live performances from 
    • Alden Moves Dance Theater,
    • Flatbush Community Theater,
    • Prospect Gymnastics,
    • P.S. 249: The Caton School,
    • Tiny Acorns Preschool,
    • and more,
  • a bounce house,
  • a Lego station and street stencils from Street Lab,
  • vendors,
  • food,
  • and more.
 
Anyone interested in vendor opportunities can fill out an application here
 
The sponsors are the Church Avenue Business Improvement District and the 70th Precinct Community Council.

CELEBRATE EID WITH A MUSIC CONCERT BY JALIKUNDA (FREE)

Eid Celebration
Sunday, April 23rd, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.


Jalikunda is Salieu Suso on Kora, Ebrima Jassey on Balafon, and Bah Bailo on Fula Flute.
 
Location
Kensington Plaza
114 Beverley Road
between McDonald Avenue and E. 2nd Street
Kensington, Brooklyn

MUSIC IN THE PLAZA: A PERFORMANCE SERIES


 

Friday, April 21, 2023

FLEA MARKET AND USED BOOK (AND PLANT) SALE AT P.S. 130 (FREE ADMISSION)

Flea Market and Used Book (and Plant) Sale
Sunday, April 30th, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

From the P.S. 130 PTA:
 
The Flea & Book (and Plant) Sale returns Sunday, April 30, from 1-4 PM at the Upper School at 713 Caton! If it rains, the event will be held indoors.
 
To SHOP:
Doors open at 1pm and close at 4pm. In addition to all the flea market items, you can also buy PS 130 merch, plants from the gardening committee, and food and drink from the 5th Grade Committee to help pay for the graduation BBQ and 5th-grade dance.


TO DONATE:
We will accept donations on Sunday, April 30 at the PS 130 Upper School at 713 Caton Ave. from 9-11 am. 

We are accepting the following in clean and good condition: 
  • Gently used baby/children’s clothing or shoes (no stained or ripped items, no socks or underwear, please!) 
  • Books (adults, kids, educational) 
  • Toys, games, puzzles (please put loose pieces in a plastic bag) 
  • Sporting goods (soccer, basketball, baseball, etc.) 
  • Accessories (purses, belts)
No items can be donated after 11am. Unsold items will be donated to charity.

FLEA MARKET AT THE EAST FOURTH STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN (FREE ADMISSION)

Flea Market
Saturday, May 6th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 7th, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
 
Books, clothing, toys, housewares, knickknacks, and seedlings will be for sale at the East Fourth Street Community Garden's sidewalk flea market.
 
The flea market will take place on Saturday, May 6th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Sunday, May 7th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
 
The proceeds of the garden's spring and fall flea markets are used to fund garden maintenance as well as the community events that are offered free to the public.
 
Location
East Fourth Street Community Garden
179 E. 4th Street
between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn
 

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

CLEAN UP KENSINGTON ON APRIL 30TH

 

Clean Up Kensington
Sunday, April 30th, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
 
Join your neighbors to Clean Up Kensington at the springtime volunteer litter clean-up on Sunday, April 30th, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. You're welcome to stay for as long or as short a time as you like.
 
Meet up with the other volunteers on the southeast corner of Beverley Road and E. 9th Street and end up at the newly-reopened Lea.
 
The route begins at Beverley and E. 9th, goes north on E. 9th to Cortelyou Road, turns left onto Cortelyou, goes to Stratford Road, and ends at Lea, located at 1022 Cortelyou.
 
The organizers will provide gloves, trash bags, trash pickers, brooms, and dustpans. But you can bring your own reusable gloves and picker, if you have them.
 
Jenny, Clean Up Kensington's founder, writes
"Clean Up Kensington is a volunteer-driven community group that meets to clear litter and care for street trees in Kensington. 

I had been going out once or twice a week and picking up litter around our block while listening to podcasts for about a year, and I kept running into friendly neighbors who wanted to help out, too, or asked if I was part of a group they could join. I was also feeling inspired after joining the New York Parks Stewardship program and taking a class on street tree care. 
I welcome the partnership and expertise of anyone who's already been doing work in this space."
Clean Up Kensington

Friday, April 14, 2023

FREE LIVE MUSIC SERIES IN KENSINGTON PLAZA: BROOKLYN BLUEGRASS COLLECTIVE


Press Release
 
Brooklyn Bluegrass Collective
to perform at Kensington Plaza 
Sunday, April 16, 2023, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
Spring has landed full force, bringing with it the first Sunday afternoon musical performance at Kensington Plaza on Sunday, April 16th, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., by Kensington local bluegrass ensemble “Brooklyn Bluegrass Collective.”
 
Called MUSIC IN THE PLAZA, the series is produced by The Singing Winds and is underwritten by NYC Dept of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the NY City Council. The Sunday afternoon concerts will happen every Sunday, except April 30th and May 28th, until mid-July. Mothers’ Day, May 14th, will feature a performance by Grupo Wayno, Music from the Andes.
 
The Brooklyn Bluegrass Collective was a favorite of Diana Sanzone, the recently deceased chair of The Kensington Stewards. The Bluegrass Collective will perform a set of lively, danceable tunes that will get your toes tapping and hands clapping.
 
Four members of the Collective will perform on guitar, fiddle and other traditional American folk instruments. Musicians will be Jason Borisoff, Ellery Marshall, Jack Devereux, and Kells Nollenberger. The ensemble just played The Knitting Factory and performed at Avenue C Plaza several summers ago.
 
The Music in the Plaza concert series highlights mainly local and immigrant Brooklyn musicians presenting a diverse soundscape to our neighborhood and has done so at Kensington Plaza for the past 3 years.  Among the performers are two groups from Africa –and even an afternoon of circus performers, plus Andean flute musicians a women’s acapella choir, a  hammered dulcimer player, a Latin guitar ensemble, and an oud & hand drum duo.
 
The Kensington Plaza is the area in front of Walgreens at Church Avenue and Beverley Road. It is around the corner from the F/G subway stop on McDonald Ave at Church and adjacent to Denny’s Bar. 

Saturday, April 8, 2023

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT PROSPECT FARM (FREE)

Earth Day at Prospect Farm
Saturday, April 22nd, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Rain Date: Saturday, April 29th, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Prospect Farm's annual Earth Day celebration will be held on Saturday, April 22nd, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

See what your neighbors are growing, and join in these activities:

  • arts and crafts
  • garden tours
  • plant swap/sale (trade clippings of your house plants)
  • stoop sale
  • bake sale
  • compost demonstrations
  • compost giveaway.
 
The band Protectors of the Wood will provide live music from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 
This is an outdoors event. It's free, although donations are always happily accepted. Prospect Farm is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; contributions are tax-deductible.

Location
Prospect Farm
1194 Prospect Avenue
between Vanderbilt and Seeley streets
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
(map)
prospectfarmbk@gmail.com

CHAND RAAT FESTIVAL (FREE)



Chand Raat Festival
Thursday, April 20th, 6:00 p.m.

On the last night of Ramadan, Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts will present a free Chand Raat Festival outdoors. The festival, which is open to the public, will take place on Thursday, April 20th, at 6:00 p.m. 
 
The festival will feature melody & rhythm, henna art, and small vendors selling clothing and jewelry.

For additional information, call (917) 674-4746 or (347) 488-2835.
 
Location
Kensington Plaza
114 Beverley Road
between Church Avenue and E. 2nd Street
Kensington, Brooklyn

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY'S SPRING AND SUMMER HOURS HAVE GONE INTO EFFECT

As of April 1st, Green-Wood Cemetery's entrances are open during these hours:

  • Fort Hamilton Parkway entrance (Fort Hamilton Parkway at Micieli Place) and
  • Prospect Park West entrance (Prospect Park West at 20th Street): 
    • Mondays through Fridays, : Only pedestrians are admitted from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 
    • Saturdays and Sundays: Pedestrians are admitted from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Vehicles are admitted from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
  • Main Entrance (Fifth Avenue at 25th Street): 
    • Seven days a week: Both pedestrians and vehicles are admitted from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Sunset Park Entrance (Fourth Avenue at 35th Street):
    •  Seven days a week: Only pedestrians are admitted from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Vehicles are admitted from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Leave the cemetery ten minutes before closing so you don't get locked in!
 
Not allowed:
  • children without adults,
  • pets,
  • bicycles, scooters, rollerblades, etc., 
  • running, jogging, or exercise other than walking, 
  • music playing, 
  • picnicking,
  • littering,
  • touching, sitting, or walking on monuments or mausoleums. 

The complete set of Green-Wood Cemetery's rules is posted on its website at https://www.green-wood.com/rules/.

Green-Wood Cemetery

72ND PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL APRIL MEETING

72nd Precinct Community Council Meeting
Tuesday, April 11th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
 
The 72nd Precinct Community Council's next meeting with the public will be held in person on Tuesday, April 11th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Talk with the precinct's Commanding Officer, Captain Krystin Suarez, its Community Affairs Officers, and the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) for each of the precinct's sectors.

Everyone who lives or works in Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights, South Slope, and Sunset Park is invited to the meeting to discuss past crimes and learn the precinct is doing to prevent future crimes. Find out about the types of crime that have been taking place, their frequency, any enabling factors, and how to prevent them.

Members of the public are invited to voice their concerns about criminal activity, including armed robberies, rape and other forms of sexual assaults, home break-ins, burglaries in local stores, bank robberies, speeding drivers, stolen bicycles, package theft, and other crimes.

Receive e-mail announcements about future meetings by sending an e-mail to Council President Tina Ponce at tinaponce76@gmail.com or calling her at (570) 540-5016.

Location
Marien-Heim Senior Center of Sunset Park
4520 4th Avenue
between 45th and 46th streets
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
(map)
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72nd Precinct contact information
 
 

Monday, April 3, 2023

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING COLLECTION EVENT (FREE)

Free Electronics Recycling Collection Event
Monday, April 3rd, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
 
Bring your broken or simply unwanted electronics to the Community Board 12 District Office today between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for them to dispose of.

Because some electronics contain hazardous materials, including lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium, they can't be thrown out with either your regular trash or your recycling.

The Department of Sanitation chart in this blog post shows which items will be accepted (televisions, computers, etc.) and which won't (air conditioners, appliances, etc.).
 
Location
Community Board 12 Office
5910 13th Avenue