Friday, September 20, 2024

AUTHORS WILL READ FROM THEIR WRITINGS (FREE)

 
Ditmas Lit
Wednesday, September 25th
8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The monthly reading series Ditmas Lit is dedicated to showcasing established and emerging writers in all genres. 
 
Four writers will read from their work at this month's installment of Ditmas Lit on Wednesday, September 25th, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
 
From Ditmas Lit

Ditmas Lit is back, and in our new beautiful home, The Urbane Arts Club! Doors open at 7:30PM, show starts at 8PM.
 
Colin Dickey is the author of five books of nonfiction, including Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places, and, most recently, Under the Eye of Power: How Fear of Secret Societies Shapes American Democracy.
 
Ananda Lima is a poet, translator, and fiction writer born in Brasília, Brazil, now living in Chicago, IL. She's the author of the poetry collection Mother/land, winner of the Hudson Prize. Her work has appeared in The American Poetry Review, Poets.org, Kenyon Review Online, Gulf Coast, Witness, and elsewhere. She has been awarded the inaugural WIP Fellowship by Latinx-in-Publishing. She has an MA in Linguistics from UCLA and an MFA in Creative Writing in Fiction from Rutgers University, Newark. Craft: Stories I wrote for the Devil is her fiction debut.
 
Lena Valencia is the author of the short story collection Mystery Lights (Tin House Books, 2024). Her fiction has appeared in BOMB, Electric Literature, Ninth Letter, Epiphany, the anthology Tiny Nightmares, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a 2019 Elizabeth George Foundation grant and holds an MFA in fiction from The New School. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she is the managing editor and director of educational programming at One Story and the co-host of the reading series Ditmas Lit.
 
Olivia Wolfgang-Smith is the author of Glassworks, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, and the forthcoming Mutual Interest. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Florida State University and lives in Brooklyn with her partner. 
 
Location
Urbane Arts Club
1016 Beverley Road
between Coney Island Avenue and Stratford Road
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn

BANGLA FOLK FESTIVAL IN KENSINGTON

 
Bangla Folk Festival
Sunday, September 29th
noon to 8:00 p.m.
 
A Bangla folk festival in Kensington will feature
  • live music: singing performances by renowned artists,
  • dance: traditional folk dances of Bangladesh,
  • BIPA showcase: students and teachers of Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA),
  • shopping: clothing and crafts,
  • food: authentic cuisine and treats,
  • and much more!

Admission to the fair is free. All members of the public are invited to attend.

For a stall booking, call any of the four phone numbers on the flyer: 718-930-0688 or 917-674-4746 or 347-237-1628 or 917-673-1105.

 
Location
McDonald Avenue
between Church Avenue and Avenue C
Kensington, Brooklyn

Thursday, September 19, 2024

RENT REGULATION STATUS RECONFERRED ON SOME KENSINGTON AND WINDSOR TERRACE APARTMENTS


New York City landlords illegally removed rent regulation status from some rent-stabilized apartments in Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and other neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.

The scheme involved building owners, management companies, and contractors.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on September 17, 2024

the return of 263 apartments to rent stabilization and reduction of rent for an additional 43 apartments throughout New York City.

The apartments, located in 21 buildings in Central Brooklyn, Upper Manhattan, and Queens, were either illegally deregulated or were subjected to illegal rent increases by the former owners.

The addresses of the nearby apartment buildings are

  • 70 Dahill Road
  • 230 Ocean Parkway
  • 483 Ocean Parkway
  • 31 Ocean Parkway
Know your rights as a tenant. Protect yourself from illegal  housing practices. Visit https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/tenants-rights-and-responsibilities.page.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

ARROW LINEN REZONING WILL BE VOTED ON TONIGHT AT THE COMMUNITY BOARD 7 MEETING


Community Board 7 Board Meeting
Wednesday, September 18th
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
 
From Community Board 7
 
The regular monthly board meeting of Community Board 7 will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 @ 6:30 p.m. in the CB7 Meeting Room located at 4201 4th Avenue (enter on 43rd Street & 4th Avenue).

You can attend in person or register to attend the board meeting virtually: https://bit.ly/4eiWLgD 

**Due to limited capacity, virtual attendance is strongly encouraged for the September 18 board meeting**
 
Following is the proposed agenda:
 
  1. Pledge of Allegiance
  2. Roll Call
  3. Opening of the meeting
  4. Adoption of the agenda
  5. Adoption of the minutes of the June 12, 2024 board meeting
  6. Adoption of the minutes of the September 9 & September 12, 2024 public hearing
  7. Public Comment (3 minutes to speak on topics covered in the agenda)
  8. Elected Officials and Representatives
  9. Committee Reports – A) Land Use/Landmarks Committee (Vote required) – 1. Presentation from Arrow Linen Supply Co., Inc., owner of 441 & 467 Prospect Avenue to request approval of the following actions:
a) Zoning map amendment changing an R5B zoning district to an R7-1 zoning district on the midblock of Prospect Avenue between 8th Avenue and Prospect Park West,
 
b) Zoning text amendment to zoning resolution to establish the rezoning area as a mandatory inclusionary housing,
 
c) Zoning special permit pursuant for a waiver of required accessory off street parking spaces to facilitate affordable housing within the transit zone
 
B) Transportation Committee – 1. Presentation from MTA on the 36th Street ADA elevator project, 2. Presentation from Councilmember Alexa Aviles’ Office on Local Law 171
 
C) Joint Committee Meeting with Public Safety & Executive Committees (Vote required) – 1. Discussion on an adult-use retail dispensary application from the Brooklyn Green Project located at 512 55th Street, 2. Discussion on an adult-use retail dispensary application from the First Class Cannabis LLC to be located at 754 4th Avenue 
 
10. Roll Call
11. Chairperson’s Report
12. District Manager’s Report
13. Old Business
14. New Business
15. Public Comment (3 minutes to speak on any topic)
16. Adjournment

You can view the board meeting on the Brooklyn Community Board 7's YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3uQlAtq
 

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

BANNED BOOKS WEEK: QUIZ OFF AT WINDSOR TERRACE LIBRARY


Banned Books Quiz Off
Thursday, September 26th
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

From Windsor Terrace Library

We all know the reasons behind book bannings are, to put it kindly, dumb. Very dumb. But do you know how dumb?

Swing by Windsor Terrace's celebration of Banned Books Week via the Banned Books Quiz Off. If you're a teen, you're invited! 

 
Location
Windsor Terrace Library
160 E. 5th Street
between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 686-9707
 
 
 

BANNED BOOKS WEEK: LETTER WRITING, BUTTON MAKING, AND TRIVIA AT KENSINGTON LIBRARY

Posted by Kensington Library

Banned Books Week: Letter Writing
Monday, September 23rd
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

This week is Banned Book Week, an annual event which highlights the value of free and open access to information.

As part of this, we are offering a chance to write letters to politicians asking them to oppose attempts to ban books (and access to information in general).

We will provide the stationery, envelopes, stamps, addresses for local and national politicians, and a template for letters (if you want one) and will collect your completed letters and mail them off (or you can send them yourself, if you desire).

All you have to do is express why you are opposed to book banning and censorship. 

All ages can participate, and we will have supplies available at the front desk starting Monday, September 23, until they run out (and even then, we'll be happy to give you a template and addresses for your own letters).
 
Banned Books Week: Button Making
Tuesday, September 24th
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Teens and tweens! As part of Banned Book Week (an annual event which highlights the value of free and open access to information), we will be making buttons to show support for keeping books unbanned.

Come down to the Kensington Community Room from 3:30 to 4:30 and make buttons expressing your support for books and your opposition to censorship.

You can make your own original design, and we will also have some ready-made designs for you to use if, that's what you prefer.

Banned Books Trivia
Friday, September 27th
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Come play a game of Banned Books Trivia at Kensington Library! Learn about the history and trends of book banning and what you can do to stop them! All are welcome.


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

Saturday, September 14, 2024

HIGH-RISE REZONING APPLICATION FOR PROSPECT AVENUE WILL BE REVIEWED BY COMMUNITY BOARD 7'S LAND USE COMMITTEE

Land Use/Landmarking Committee
Monday, September 16th
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Arrow Linen Supply is preparing to sell its property at 441 and 467 Prospect Avenue, just a few doors down from Prospect Park West.

To make the purchase more desirable to a developer, Arrow has filed a rezoning and land use application that would allow two luxury apartment towers to be constructed. Those towers could be anywhere from thirteen to nineteen stories tall on a block of two-, three-, and four-story homes.

Community Board 7's Land Use/Landmarks Committee will discuss and review Arrow's proposal at its meeting on Monday, September 16th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The meeting will be both in person and virtual.

The committee will then present its recommendations at the upcoming meeting of the full board, where the application will be voted on.

Neighbors are invited to attend the committee meeting, either in person at Community Board 7's office or virtually on Zoom. To attend on Zoom, register at https://bit.ly/3Xfx3mr.

You can also view the meeting on Community Board 7's YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/3uQlAtq.

Additional information about the rezoning request is available at https://karmabrooklyn.blogspot.com/2024/08/public-hearing-on-zoom-for-arrow-linen.html.

Location
Community Board 7
4201 4th Avenue (entrance on 43rd Street)
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 854-0003
fax: (718) 436-1142
bk07 @ cb.nyc.gov
 

Friday, September 13, 2024

72ND PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL WILL MEET IN WINDSOR TERRACE IN OCTOBER


72nd Precinct Community Council Meeting
Tuesday, October 8th
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The next meeting between the 72nd Precinct Community Council, the public, and officers of the 72nd Precinct will be held on Tuesday, October 8th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Talk with the precinct's Commanding Officer, Deputy Inspector Krystin Suarez, the 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 what 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.

You can receive e-mail announcements about future meetings by contacting Council President Tina Ponce at tinaponce76@gmail.com or (570) 540-5016.

Location
Holy Name of Jesus Church
245 Prospect Park West
at Prospect Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
 
------------------------------------------
72nd Precinct
phone: (718) 965-6311

 

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

JAZZ AND MODERN MUSIC PLAYED ON PORCHES THIS WEEKEND

From Operation Gig!
 

Jeff Miles Group 
Friday Sep 13, 2024, 6-8 PM
492 Marlborough Rd

Having heard guitarist and composer Jeff Miles play many times, we know you will always hear something new and unexpected in his virtuosic, fierce playing, which defies genre and all your expectations about Jazz.


The Kobi Abcede Quartet
Saturday Sep 14, 2024, 4-6 PM
189 Argyle Rd


An improvisational quartet, reimagining the contours of modern music. This ensemble fuses ancestral and contemporary soundscapes.

Kobi Abcede
Alfredo Colon
Kengchakaj Kengkarnka
Steve Williams


The Max Johnson Quartet
Sunday Sep 15, 2024, 4-6 PM
131 Buckingham Rd

Described by the NYC Jazz Record as “an intrepid composer, architect of sound and beast of the bass…”, bassist, composer, and Barbes mainstay Max Johnson is one of the most prolific music makers today.

Neta Raanan - Tenor Saxophone, Mariel Bildsten - Trombone, Max Johnson - Bass, Jeff Davis - Drums
 
-----------------------------------------
 

HELP BRING OG BACK IN 2025

We want to bring back OG for a 6th season in 2025! But to do that we MUST rebuild our Musician Guarantee Fund, which allows us to pay a minimum respectful fee when crowd donations don't suffice (often). We need to raise $10,000, which will make possible 60, yes SIXTY, concerts next year, with all money flowing directly into the pockets of working local musicians.


 
 
Operation Gig! concerts sometimes get canceled because of weather conditions that aren't suitable for outdoor activities. Before you go to the concert, check the Operation Gig!'s website or Facebook page to see if it's been canceled.
 
Operation Gig! provides live music performances outdoors on weekends.
 
The series, held on the porches of private houses in Ditmas Park, started in July 2020 in order to offer a venue where musicians could perform during the pandemic. This provides them with a source of income and provides a safe space for people to gather to enjoy live music.
 
Although the performances are free, the suggested $10 donation to the musicians is more than welcome. Donate either at the performance itself or to the tax-deductible Operation Gig Musician Guarantee Fund on GoFundMe.
 
Operation Gig t-shirts can be purchased here; the proceeds go to the Operation Gig Musician Guarantee Fund.
 

GREAT IRISH FAIR WILL BE IN WINDSOR TERRACE AGAIN THIS YEAR

43rd Annual Great Irish Fair of New York
Saturday, September 14th
Mass: 9:00 a.m.
Fair: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Great Irish Fair of New York, billed as "New York City’s largest, longest running, and most popular Irish Music Festival," will again be held in Windsor Terrace, in the outside areas of Holy Name of Jesus  Parish.
 
Mass will be held in Holy Name at 9:00 a.m., followed by the family-friendly fair from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
 
This year's honorees are announced on the website of the fair's host, the Irish American Building Society.
 
Tickets, which cost $20 each, will be on sale at the door. The ticket gives you access to all of the day’s events, which include Irish music, vendors, Irish step-dancing, and bagpipes.
 
Location
Holy Name of Jesus Church
245 Prospect Park West at Prospect Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
 

Monday, September 9, 2024

KENSINGTON COMMUNITY STREET TREE CARE EVENT

 
Kensington Community
Street Tree Care Event
Sunday, September 22nd
10:00 a.m. to noon

A street tree care event will take place in Kensington on Sunday, September 22nd, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, hosted by Clean Up Kensington, New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif, and Big Reuse.

Meet at Kensington Plaza/Beverley Road Plaza to lend a hand in picking up litter, sweeping the streets, and applying finished compost to street trees in the area.

All cleanup supplies, such as gloves, trash bags, trash pickers, brooms, rakes, and dustpans, will be provided.

The event will start and end at Kensington Plaza/Beverley Road Plaza, located on Beverley Road, between E. 2nd Street and McDonald Avenue (map).

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

Clean Up Kensington is a volunteer-driven community group that gives neighbors an opportunity to work together to clear away litter and care for street trees.

Clean Up Kensington
e-mail: cleanupkensington@gmail.com
 

Saturday, September 7, 2024

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT LOFTY PIGEON BOOKS










 

 

Lofty Pigeon Books Birthday Party
Saturday, September 7th
10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

From Lofty Pigeon Books:
Lofty Pigeon is turning one . . . let's get ready to paaaaaaaarty! 🎉🎉🎉 
 
To celebrate our first birthday, we're throwing an all-day party for our community and celebrating and giving back to the local businesses, artists, authors, and people that have lifted us up. Join us! ❤️ 

📆 Saturday, September 7
✨ALL DAY✨ (10am to 7pm)
RAFFLES: Win gift cards to our neighborhood businesses, including @der_pioneer, @thegildedgrape, and us! Every $10 spent at the store that day, in-store or online, gets you one raffle ticket 🎟️
TREATS: Free cookies from @malickasbakes, just like on our grand opening day 🍪
GIVEAWAY: Special anniversary bookmark with every purchase, in-store or online, designed by local artist @spencil 🐦🔥
DISCOUNTS: 20% off local author books and 15% off Lofty Pigeon merch 📘👕 

✨MORNING✨ (10:30am to 2pm)
STORYTIME (10:30am): Pigeon-themed anniversary storytime! 📖
FACE PAINTING (11am to 2pm): Face painting with local artist @hellofacepaintingnyc 🦄
FUN: LPB coloring pages, temporary tattoos, and more! 🖍️ 

✨EVENING✨ (5 to 7pm)
LIVE MUSIC: With Emilio Teubal (@emilioteubal) & Horacio Martinez (horacio_martinez_new_york), playing South American Music 🎸🎹
PARTY: Drinks from @thegildedgrape, cake from @der_pioneer, snacks, and more! 🍾🎂
 
You're only one once! Join us in the store or from afar 🫶
Location
Lofty Pigeon Books
743 Church Avenue
at the corner of E. 8th Street
Kensington, Brooklyn
info@loftypigeonbooks.com
 

Thursday, September 5, 2024

FREE DANCE SAMPLER AT CYNTHIA KING DANCE STUDIO


Free Dance Sampler
Saturday, September 7th
10:00 a.m. to noon
 
Cynthia King Dance Studio will offer a free dance sampler for ages four to twelve this Saturday, June 7th, from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Dancers will have an opportunity to try different styles in this demonstration class.

There will also be refreshments and showings by current students.

RSVP here (required).

Location
1016 Beverley Road
between Coney Island Avenue and Stratford Road
Brooklyn