Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Labor Dispute Leaves 10,000 Residents Without Services

According to Crain’s New York Business,?Renaissance Equity Holdings locked out 73 of their workers at Flatbush Gardens residential complex in Brooklyn, rendering 10,000 residents without the services of these handymen and porters.

Since June 15, the employees, who are represented by the property-workers union 32BJ, have been bargaining with Renaissance for a new contract after their last one expired back in April. When Renaissance did not want to move from their position that the workers get a 30% pay cut and reduced benefits (decreasing salaries from $18-20 an hour to $12-$14), talks stalled.

Despite meeting at least 10 times to hash out a compromise, agreements have yet to be made. Tenants who reside in the 59 buildings have increasingly sided with the workers. In a span of less than a day, work has ceased and garbage has already piled up, according to a union representative.

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Promenade Proposed for Brooklyn’s Southern Shoreline

Brooklyn officials are proposing a plan for a promenade that would reconnect Manhattan Beach with the rest of Brooklyn’s southern shoreline, according to the?New York Post.

Under the proposal, an eight-block walkway that was closed off in 1993 would be reopened and replaced. It would connect the neighborhood’s public beach with the Coney Island and Brighton Beach boardwalk to the west.

The proposal is one of many associated with “Vision 2010,” Brooklyn’s comprehensive waterfront development plan.

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A Pop Up Shop on Wheels

Biblioball 2010: Spellbound

The Desk Set's fabulous Biblioball returns Saturday, Dec. 4 at The Bell House and we're very excited to be the media sponsors of this fancy pants benefit. All proceeds from this magical gala go to Literacy for Incarcerated Teens (LIT), and tickets are on sale now!
Buy Tickets

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A Shiny Mobile Pop Up

Georgia Varidakis Jewelry

We’ve long admired Jessica Goldfond?and her support of emerging local designers through the?Shiny Squirrel, and lately she’s become a powerhouse of a pop-up planner, with recent events at the Ace Hotel and in L.A. Our time with the Ford Edge is coming to a close, and we wanted to do something a bit different with a car other than day trips (though we’ve had fun with those). So over drinks with Jessica, the idea for a mobile pop up shop was born.

This Saturday, December 4, we’ll be driving around Brooklyn to a few appointed stops, starting at Brooklyn Circus in Boerum Hill?and then Life:Curated in Williamsburg, ending up at the 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair in East Williamsburg. You can tweet at us on the day of to request a special stop somewhere along the route (@brooklynbased or @shinysquirrel).

mgmy studio

The Shiny Squirrel curated the trunk of the car, with pieces from nine of the designers Goldfond represents. It will feature nature-inspired jewelry from?Species by the Thousands (we love their spirit animal line),?menswear and accessories from?Wooden Sleepers, brightly colored veg-tanned leather jewelry from?Emma Carroll,?LAYERxlayer backpacks,?jewelry and accessories from?Digby & Iona (we want their?Love Compass and basically everything else from their Wanderers in a Sea of Fog: Vol. 1 collection),?Georgia Varidakis necklaces (bunnies and other good luck charms),?Elizabeth Knight‘s armor- and skeletal-inspired jewelry,?bronze and other metalwork from?WE ARE HERE, and porcelain housewares from?mgmy studio.

In the backseat will be a few special pieces from?newly launched online retailer?Of a Kind. Co-founders Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur release limited editions from independent designers and this will be a rare opportunity to check out their goods in person. They’ll have the embroidered thread?Fade Out necklace by?Cursive Design (50 of a kind) plus a few other surprises (maybe a?bunny bag or two?).

One of our favorite features of the Edge is the sweet stereo system, so we asked?Paper Garden Records to make the perfect soundtrack for your outdoor holiday shopping.

Meet up with us at any point along our route for affordable and quirky gifts: at Brooklyn Circus from 11am-noon, at Life Curated from 12:30pm-1:30pm, and at the 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair from 2pm-3pm. Check out the pop up in the car (keep an eye out for a blue Ford Edge), stop into the shops, and explore 3rd Ward’s holiday fair. From noon till 6, there’ll be live music, specialty cocktails, and vendors from around the country selling clothing, accessories, jewelry, housewares, prints, winter essentials and culinary treats. (There’ll also be 3rd Ward workshops in DIY printmaking, flocking, sewing and electronic holiday card making!)

Keep an eye on our Twitter accounts for day-of updates and announcements. See you along the route!

Details:
Brooklyn Based and The Shiny Squirrel present a Mobile Pop Up Shop
Saturday, Dec. 4
11am-12pm: Brooklyn Circus, 150 Nevins St. at Bergen St., Boerum Hill, 718-858-0919
12:30-1:30: Life Curated, 186 Grand St. near Bedford Ave., Williambsurg
2-3: 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair, 195 Morgan Ave. near Stagg St., East Williamsburg, 718-715-4961

Published on 11.29.10. Sent by Chrysanthe

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Brooklyn Morning — Macy’s on Fulton Street

By 10:30 shoppers were dodging and weaving through the displays at Macy's on Fulton Street. Every available surface seemed covered with strings of Christmas lights. Christmas Trees were ubiquitous. You can hear the endless tape of Christmas music from the bathroom. The only colors in the spectrum are red, green, and gold. The effect was warmth, even as a cold wind blew outside. (Alex Eriksen/The Brooklyn Ink)

By 10:30 shoppers were dodging and weaving through the displays at Macy's on Fulton Street. Every available surface seemed covered with strings of Christmas lights. Christmas Trees were ubiquitous. You can hear the endless tape of Christmas music from the bathroom. The only colors in the spectrum are red, green, and gold. The effect was warmth, even as a cold wind blew outside. (Alex Eriksen/The Brooklyn Ink)

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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Anti-Corporate Activist Rev. Billy Arrested in Midtown

Biil Talen also known as

Biil Talen also known as "Reverend Billy" sings anti-corporate christmas carols with his Church of Life After Shopping Gospel Choir in a Citibank office. (Manuel Rueda/The Brooklyn Ink)

By Manuel Rueda

Police arrested anti-consumerism activist Reverend Billy today on a charge of trespassing inside a UBS in midtown, as he and others sang a protest song to the tune of “Jingle Bells.” The arrest was witnessed by The Brooklyn Ink reporter Manuel Rueda.

Reverend Billy, whose real name is Bill Talen, leads the Church of Life After Shopping, a performance group that speaks out against consumerism. The group is involved in a campaign against mountain-top removal mining in the U.S.

Earlier this afternoon, Rueda reports that Reverend Billy and a group of 20 protesters dressed as “anti-shopping” angels sung Christmas carols at the offices of a few banks in midtown, including CHASE and Citibank. The protest was part of the group’s Buy Nothing Day Parade of Angels. Rueda reports that Rev. Billy was detained after his group sung carols inside UBS headquarters, located at 1285 6th Ave. The activists protested the bank because it finances mountain-top removal. About 20 others, not dressed as angels, joined in.

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Unusual Trial Concludes in Brooklyn Supreme Court

By Miranda Neubauer

“The defendant does not have the burden of proof, it’s the burden of the people to prove that a crime was committed and that I was the one who did it.”

So began the defense’s closing arguments in an unusual trial that concluded Monday in Brooklyn Supreme Court. The central figure in the trial, Neb Morrow, was in a dual role: defendant, charged with robbing a McDonald’s in Park Slope and defense attorney representing himself.

Presiding Judge Joel Goldberg, in an interview, said self-representation in such a criminal case is “very, very rare” and said it was the first time he was handling such a case in 23 years on the bench. “Usually I manage to talk them out of it,” he said, noting that in most cases “attorneys don’t even represent themselves”. Before allowing self-representation to proceed, Goldberg explained that the court had to ensure that the defendant understood the risks of such a choice.

Defendant Morrow was exercising his sixth Amendment right to represent himself, called a “pro se” defense in legal parlance. While he sometimes struggled to reconcile his duties as his own attorney with his personal interest in winning an acquittal, Morrow displayed a good grounding in courtroom conventions that ensured that his performance was far from amateur hour. As for the outcome? Read on.

He had experience: Morrow had previously represented himself in federal court. In that case which concluded in early November, a jury convicted him of a felony charge of interference with commerce by threat or violence in connection with robberies of Radio Shack stores in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan in summer of 2009.

Still Judge Goldberg saw the need to lay out the ground rules. “You have to sum up as an attorney, not as a witness,” Judge Goldberg had instructed Morrow on Monday just ahead of the summations, in which the prosecution and defense each summarize the evidence and makes its best argument, respectively, for conviction or acquittal. “You’re free to argue the evidence shows I’m telling the truth, but you can’t say I was telling the truth,” Goldberg told him.

Morrow was charged with first degree robbery of a McDonald’s restaurant on 4th Avenue in Park Slope on Oct. 13 of last year. The indictment alleged that Morrow had entered the establishment around 9 pm and pointed a gun at the manager and demanded money.

“You have to argue what the evidence shows, you can’t give personal opinion in the case,” Judge Goldberg told Morrow, who earlier in the trial had testified on his own behalf.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that the individual entering the restaurant had obscured his face with his hand and a hood so that none of the store’s employees got a clear look at the suspect. According to the prosecution, the suspect left the store with two McDonald’s bags filled with the proceeds from two cash registers.

Police responded quickly and arrested Morrow a short distance from the crime scene after the manager, riding along with police, identified him walking in the street. Police said Morrow was in possession of the weapon and the McDonald’s bags containing $1,526, according to the prosecution.

Morrow was in control of his own defense throughout the trial, cross-examining prosecution witnesses and presenting his own argument for acquittal to the jury. Goldberg assigned a stand-by lawyer with whom Morrow could consult about legal questions and who could take over in the event he changed his mind about representing himself. A defendant does not have a federal or state right to hybrid representation.

From the start, Morrow sought to do justice to his dual roles as defendant and attorney, making an effort to show competency in legalese. Before the summation went under way, he made a motion alleging prosecutorial misconduct that violated his 14th and sixth Amendment rights.

He argued that the Assistant District Attorney had “intentionally withheld Brady and Giglio” material. Those terms refer to evidence favorable to the defense or unfavorable to the prosecution’s witnesses that the prosecution is required to turn over to the defense. Morrow alleged that the prosecution had not provided him with contact information for one witness, another employee at the McDonald’s, and that a second witness had become unreachable by phone after a conversation with the prosecution.

The McDonald's that Ned Morrow was charged with robbing. (Miranda Neubauer/The Brooklyn Ink)

The McDonald's that Neb Morrow was charged with robbing. (Miranda Neubauer/The Brooklyn Ink)


He said he submitted “a request for a full acquittal since it’s obvious that this constitutional violation occurred in this courtroom, with the knowing intention of keeping me in the dark, knowing that I’m in the pro se defense, [withholding evidence until it is ] too late for me to do say or do anything about it.”

Judge Goldberg denied both requests.

When it came time for summations, he explained that Morrow had the option to sit either at the Defense table or at the podium to start his closing argument, adding quickly, when Morrow started to move, “when the jury comes in.”

Once the jurors were seated, Morrow began his defense argument, attempting to paint the prosecution’s remarks as extraneous and distracting.

“What the attorneys say is not evidence, what the witnesses say is evidence in the case,” he said. “Nothing that I’m saying right now is evidence in this case… In this case I took the stand and testified in my own behalf, everything I said on that stand is evidence in this case. [ADA] Hillary Schaeffer is going to say that some of things I said are not true, but what she says about what I said is not evidence.”

But when Morrow suggested that he would begin directly refuting the prosecution’s statements, Goldberg interrupted, cautioning him to “comment on the evidence, not what she said. “ Later, Schaeffer objected to an effort by Morrow to argue that that the prosecution could have called rebuttal witnesses. “The jury should not speculate about what people who didn’t testify would have said,” Judge Goldberg concurred.

Morrow’s major task was to refute the most damaging evidence about his arrest, allegedly in possession of the stolen money, and it was an uphill battle.

Morrow argued that the police had framed him when two other men had tossed the stolen goods near where he was walking.

Morrow also tried to raise doubts about his identification by police and the McDonald’s store manager. He emphasized that a police officer had indicated in his testimony that the officers had been searching for a suspect wearing a gray hoody, whereas he was wearing a black jacket.

“[What I was wearing] was black on the inside, and it’s jacket and it’s not sweatshirt type material, all of the witnesses testified that the individual had worn sweatshirt type material.” As Schaeffer objected, Judge Goldberg reiterated that it was the jury’s recollection that took precedence. “I’m not asking you to recollect, go to the record look it up,” Morrow continued, “all of this evidence clearly establishes that there is a reasonable doubt in this case to believe I committed this crime.”

While Morrow had used some of the exhibits showing his jacket in closing statement, Schaeffer showed footage from a security camera to illustrate the sequence of events, arguing that the “perpetrator was smart and the crime was well planned out.”

“The evidence is clear that an armed robbery was committed…The only issue for your consideration is who committed this robbery,” she continued.

“[The Manager] obviously does not get a good look at the perpetrator,” Schaeffer said, in discussing the footage. Judge Goldberg sustained an objection from Morrow with regard to the use of the word “obviously”. She added that his focus was also on the fact that “he’s got a gun in his face” and the suspect was saying “Give me the fucking money” and “Do you see the fucking gun in my hand?” Nevertheless, she said “He is able to give some descriptive information.”

Schaeffer noted that another one of the employees who had followed the suspect out of the McDonald’s had observed him in the dark. “Something that may be gray might appear black,” she said. When Morrow objected to that description, Judge Goldberg overruled him.

Schaeffer stated that Morrow had spent 18 years of his adult life in prison and that he lied to police about his identity in a 1991 arrest. “He will tell you what he needs to tell you, he [has an interest] to falsify, to exaggerate and to lie,” she said. “He does not take responsibility for this actions. [All he talks about] are all the people who have wronged him.”

At this point, Goldberg sustained an objection from Morrow, emphasizing that “character is not an issue, but credibility is.” Every defendant in a case is entitled to a day in court,” she concluded. “But that doesn’t mean you’re missing something, the case is simple and the evidence is overwhelming, now it’s time he be held accountable for his actions.”

An hour later, the jury indicated it had reached a verdict. “You have been a gentleman throughout the trial and I respect that,” Goldberg told Morrow before the jury came back.

The Jury foreman announced that the jury had found Morrow guilty of robbery in the first degree. Morrow asked that the jury be polled. One after another, the twelve jurors confirmed that, yes, this was their verdict.

Morrow has filed an appeal with regard to the federal case and remains in police custody awaiting sentencing in the state case. He could face between one to nine years in prison.

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Brooklynites campaign for Haitian Presidential Candidates

Dr. Fannel Alerte, in his campaign 'war-room' in Flatbush. Alerte is backing Haitian Presidential candidate Jean-Henry Ceant. (Manuel Rueda/The Brooklyn Ink)

Dr. Fannel Alerte, in his campaign 'war-room' in Flatbush. Alerte is backing Haitian Presidential candidate Jean-Henry Ceant. (Manuel Rueda/The Brooklyn Ink)

By Manuel Rueda

From 9am to 5pm, Felina Backer works as an assistant principal at an elementary school in Brownsville. But since Haiti’s campaign season began in August, she has used her spare time to campaign for Presidential candidate Charles- Henri -Baker, a successful garments impresario and tobacco farmer, who is promising to improve security in Haiti and bring foreign investment into the poorest country in the hemisphere.

When Baker visited New York in October, Ms Backer helped organize three town hall meetings that also doubled as fundraising events. She regularly uses the internet to forward election news to members of Brooklyn’s Haitian community and occasionally calls potential donors to talk about the campaign.

“I’m not expecting anyone to do miracles,” she admits, “But he wants to see a change. I’ve spoken to him personally and you can see his willingness to do something good for the country.”

Haitians living outside their homeland cannot vote in this Sunday’s elections. But with the help of local volunteers like Backer, Haiti’s top presidential candidates are reaching out to the Diaspora in Miami, Boston and New York. They seek financial and political support that could be crucial in an election that is still too close to call.

With Haitian Americans sending approximately $1 billion in remittances to their country –whose GDP did not surpass $12 billion in 2009– it is easy to see how the émigrés’ economic clout can turn into political influence.

“Anybody who finances your daily life, will have a certain influence over you and certainly over the way you vote” says local Haitian Radio host Rico Dupuis.

In a recent poll commissioned by a Haitian business group, the Economic Forum of the Private Sector, Baker came in at fourth place with an estimated 9 percent of the vote.

Polls are difficult to conduct in Haiti and they are sometimes unreliable due to the large number of people without phones.

Other leading candidates who have visited the borough include Jean Henri Ceant, a real estate lawyer who helps U.S. companies investing in Haiti, and front-runner Mirlande Manigat a former first lady who led the Economic Forum poll with a paltry 23 percent of the vote.

Elections at a Glance (Source: Haiti Economic Forum, BRIDES)

Elections at a Glance (Source: Haiti Economic Forum, BRIDES)


Michel Martelly, a singer who is also known as the “president” of Compas music, ranked third in the poll with 10 percent. He also came to Brooklyn in October and organized a fundraising dinner attended by about 200 people.

According to the World Bank, three quarters of Haiti’s 8 million inhabitants live on less than $2 a day. Unemployment figures are not available, but the State Department estimates more than two thirds of the population doesn’t have formal jobs. Illio Durand, a columnist for Brooklyn based newspaper the Haitian Times, says the dire economic conditions at home, prompt candidates to come to the U.S. in search of funding from the wealthier Diaspora.

Haitian-Americans volunteering for candidates in this year’s election, say they are also trying to tap into immigrants’ influence over friends and relatives back at home.

“We want to connect with the people here, and when we do that it will have an effect,” says Fanell Alerte, a retired doctor and Brooklyn resident who campaigns for Jean Henri Ceant.

Alerte has raised about forty thousand dollars for Ceant’s campaign at town hall meetings in Brooklyn and through his connections with Haitian American businessmen.

He feels it is also important to create “awareness” about the candidate and his policies among Haitians who do not donate money but who could simply talk about the candidate to friends and relatives in Haiti. “On November 28th, the issue will not be how much money you have” he says “but how many votes you can mobilize.”

Illio Durand says there is a lack of interest in these elections amongst Haitians in the United States, because there is no high profile candidate to energize voters. “In 1990 when Jean Bertrande Aristide was running for the first time it was different,” he says, because Aristide represented a popular movement that sought power after almost forty years of military rule.

Many Haitians in Brooklyn are disappointed with their country’s political leaders. In Flatbush, most Haitians approached by The Brooklyn Ink were reluctant to speak about the November elections. “I don’t even know those people” said baker Marie Mangolat, when campaigner Felina Backer asked for her views on the upcoming vote. “I love my country,” she concluded, “but I don’t see any hope.”

Radio host Ricot Dupuis explains that Haitians are often hesitant to express their political views in public, due to their country’s violent political history. Dupuis contends that in private circles, however, it is an issue that everyone is talking about.

Radio Optimum’s Eder Debas has interviewed some of the country’s 19 presidential candidates on Haiti D’abord, a daily talk show out of Flatbush. Listeners flood the two-hour program with calls when Debas talks to leading candidates like Mirlande Manigat.

“They ask about people living in tents in the city. They ask about education. They ask them about the lack of electricity and how they’re going to solve that problem,” explains Debas. When Manigat was on the show, he took twenty calls in about ninety minutes.

If they are going to participate in the elections, Haitian Americans also want to hear what candidates have to say about the country’s high crime rates and the rising number of kidnappings.

“What I want to do is to be able to invest in Haiti” said Dr Fannel Alerte, when asked what motivated him to campaign for candidate Jean Henri Ceant.

Alerte has 200 employees working at Citi Health, his home services company in Flatbush, and feels that the lack of security prevents him from setting up any sort of company in his home country.

“I want to go to my country and come back peacefully without worrying about having to be shot at because there is a kidnapping, or getting sick because the water is dirty,” he said, as if attempting to envision another destiny for his disaster stricken homeland. “I just want to go hiking and snorkeling there and do the same things you do in any other country.”

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Friday, November 26, 2010

Plan to revitalize once crime-ridden Myrtle Avenue

Myrtle Avenue, the center of the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project. The project aims to make the avenue more attractive to residents and visitors. (Caitlin Kasunich/The Brooklyn Ink)

Myrtle Avenue, the center of the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project. The project aims to make the avenue more attractive to residents and visitors. (Caitlin Kasunich/The Brooklyn Ink)

By Caitlin Kasunich

When Clinton Hill resident Ellie Balk first moved to the neighborhood eight years ago, Myrtle Avenue was very different from what it is today.

“Murder Avenue,” she called it, was not a place where residents could walk around and shop, as they do now. Crime was high. Trash was a problem. There were few light posts, benches or trees in the area. People simply didn’t cross over from Clinton Hill to Myrtle Avenue, she said.

But in 1999, with crime rates dropping, the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project (MARP) was established to make the avenue more attractive to residents and visitors. Now, Myrtle Avenue is one of the main commercial spots in Brooklyn with boutiques, restaurants and close access to the Pratt Institute.

The next step in the revitalization effort is to develop a pedestrian plaza that will stretch from Grand Avenue to Emerson Place, said Sarah Farwell, program manager of MARP’s Preservation and Streetscape Initiatives. The plaza, targeted for completion in 2012, will be part of a four-block, $6 million street renovation that will stretch from Hall Street to Emerson Place.

Once it’s finished, Farwell said the plaza will likely have a performance area, space for temporary art installations for revolving art shows, bicycle parking, bus shelter and more newly planted trees.

To Balk, the plaza will put the finishing touches on Myrtle Avenue’s development and make its violent past only a dim memory.

“It’s like when you only notice your apartment’s dirty when you look at the corners, but otherwise it looks OK,” she said. “When you start cleaning up all the corners, you take care of things that maybe you wouldn’t notice unless it got out of hand. It just has a nice feel to it.”

The entire process of planning the plaza began four years ago. From May 2006 to June 2007, MARP launched the work on the plaza with Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit organization that helps people to plan and design public spaces in their communities. A major first step was the study that identified the best place to locate the plaza on the avenue.

Once that was done, Farwell said that MARP raised $3.5 million for the project, and $2 million also came from the Federal Congestion, Mitigation and Air Quality Fund. Additionally, Council Member Letitia James and Borough President Marty Markowitz both contributed city money to the project – $1 million from James and $500,000 from Markowitz.

In September 2008, the Department of Transportation’s Plaza Program also notified MARP that it would participate with the development.

With the Department of Transportation on-board, MARP held a three-month Call for Ideas from local residents who submitted design proposals and programming ideas. During the first two weeks of February this year, the results from this workshop were displayed at a week-long “pop-up exhibition and workshop space” at a vacant storefront at 352 Myrtle Avenue where residents could view the proposals and offer feedback, said Farwell.

On Oct. 13, AECOM, the plaza’s design team, held a community meeting at a local high school, which MARP attended, to outline even more specific aspects of the project. Some of these aspects included the placement of bus stops, dangerous intersections in the plaza space and other potential problems that residents brought up.

“People are definitely really excited about it,” said Farwell. “Who wouldn’t be excited about a new place to walk with your kids and play or just stop after you get your groceries and linger? It will be great for Pratt students, too, and I think business owners are excited about it.”

One such business owner is Hamdy Mahmoud, a 22-year resident of Vanderbilt Street – a side street off Myrtle Avenue – who has operated his Liberty Pizza shop for as long as he has lived in the neighborhood. His shop rests on the future plaza site at 482 Myrtle Avenue.

“I would like to plaza to be built, because it’s going to bring more feet, and it will make the neighborhood look really nice,” said Mahmoud, who attended the most recent community meeting regarding the plaza. “The neighborhood is changing for the better.”

In the upcoming months, Farwell said that MARP plans to meet with the New York City Department of Design and Construction, Department of Transportation and AECOM to review the work and move forward with the plan. The organization will also have another community workshop once they have produced work that is ready for review.

Farwell said that it is too early to tell exactly when the construction will start, but she hopes that it will be underway within a year.

“Myrtle Avenue has a really vibrant history, and right now it’s just a very dynamic neighborhood,” she said. “It’s always important to have public spaces where people can experience that and enjoy that. Even if it’s just sitting outside to have your coffee, we need to make sure that people have access to that space.”

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Our Heartfelt Thanks

We’re eternally grateful for our readers–without you there would be no point to BB. But this Thanksgiving we’d also like to give a big shout out to the following businesses, organizations and venues who supported Brooklyn Based this year through advertising, event sponsorship or production. Thanks y’all.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden: The Linnaean Libation League series of parties at BBG were some of the most fun, glamourous parties we helped throw this year.?
Conde Nast/Ford: We were one of a handful of bloggers picked to be part of a social media ad campaign for the new Ford Edge. We’ve taken quite a few road trips with the car, are planning a mobile pop up with it Dec. 4, and have blogged about many talented people in Brooklyn as part of the campaign.
BAM and particularly BAMcinématek has been one of our most frequent advertisers, which is a treat for us because we love their programming. We hope we’ve inspired you to see more of their performances and films.
Brooklyn Brewery sponsored and provided the excellent brews at the Franklin Street Immersion, one of the best bar/shopping crawls ever.
The Bell House: We’ve thrown and sponsored a bunch of great events here this year–Wedding Crashers, the Mad Men Finale Party, the UnFancy Food Show. We love the staff at The Bell House and their kickass venue!
HarperPerennial: It’s been very fun to run dedicateds about HarperPerennial authors like Marcy Dermansky, Sean Ferrell, Ben Greenman, and Tony O’Neill, and to advertise their new blog, The Olive Reader. ?
Columbia Commons, a brand-new building in the Columbia Street Waterfront District, sponsored one of our guides to the area. We took a tour of the building before running a dedicated about it; it’s truly a sweet place to live.
Toren, that sleek, amenity-filled tower in downtown Brooklyn (which is awaiting LEED Gold certification) advertised with us, too.
Lillet sponsored our awesome female foodie cocktail party at Huckleberry Bar. It’s a yummy, classy drink, and makes a pretty gift!
3rd Ward recently advertised their new?membership deal with us. If you need workspace or yearn to learn a new skill, check out their offerings.
Stoli and Glenfiddich: These two brands provided the stiff drinks at our Mad Men viewing party.
Heights Chateau: This impressive wine shop sponsored our wedding fair, Wedding Crashers, with flutes of sparkling wine and provided wine for the PortSide fundraiser on July 4. They have a lot of innovative tastings, not just of wine. Sign up for their list.
Textile Arts Center chose to announce their grand re-opening at their new Gowanus Space through us. They’re now offering studio space for rent, and have a series of holiday gift-making workshops coming up–check them out.
Brooklyn Public Library recently advertised their gala after party with us, proof that their programming goes beyond books.

SkinnySkinny Soaps advertised the opening of their first storefront in Williamsburg in BB. Their deliciously scented soaps are completely organic, and make a perfect gift.
Picada y Vino, a great, local Park Slope wine shop, sponsored a number of Park Slope deals this summer.
These restaurants, cafes, publishers and food artisans all donated gifts to our Foodie Swap raffle, which helped us enormously: Roman’s, Frankies, Roberta’s, Cafe Grumpy, Robicelli’s, The Meat Hook, Brooklyn Grange Farm, Anarchy in a Jar, MilkMade Ice Cream, First Prize Pies and?Stewart, Tabori and Chang. Also, Saranac sponsored the event with their craft beers!
20×200, a new advertiser, offers really affordable, covetable art. (p.s. There’s a new photo series of Prospect Park by Brooklyn-based artist Jospeh Holmes coming out tomorrow–get on their list to get first dibs.)
The Parlour Brooklyn, in Greenpoint, is a cool salon and event space that’s advertising with us next month.
Jennifer Schonborn, a holistic nutritional counselor, has run a number of sponsored tips with us. She offers a free session for BB readers!

Thanks again! And our apologies if we omitted you by accident.

Published on 11.25.10.

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Art – in a non-traditional sense

Miguel Luciano with his piragua cart, which plays music and videos. The Bushwick-based artist has turned heads with his “Pimp my Piragua” project. (Amaris Castillo/The Brooklyn Ink)

Miguel Luciano with his piragua cart, which plays music and videos. The Bushwick-based artist has turned heads with his “Pimp my Piragua” project. (Amaris Castillo/The Brooklyn Ink)

By Amaris Castillo

The floor beneath Miguel Luciano is covered with dried paint blotches.? Behind him are rows of clear plastic containers filled with brushes, pins, and other materials.? Dressed in a grey t-shirt and jeans, the Bushwick-based artist appears comfortable in his studio.? He spends a lot of time here.

Luciano’s love for art stems from childhood, when he first formed romantic ideas about creating work that can spur social change.? Now 38, Luciano’s work has been displayed internationally in countries such as France, Slovenia, and Russia.? Through his artwork, Luciano has examined colonialism, consumerism, and the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, where he was born.

However his most recent work focuses on community-interaction.

“I very much like the idea of democratizing the experience of art by making it accessible – by showing them in non-traditional art spaces,” he says.

By non-traditional, Luciano means streets, the insides of bodegas, and the gum-spotted sidewalks of New York City.? These pieces of artwork include a kiddie ride, vending machine, and an ice treat vending cart.

The vending cart is currently in the middle of Luciano’s studio.? No one can miss it – it is large and painted in a rich orange, with smooth rounded edges around its speakers.? Neon lights are installed underneath and there are flat-screen monitors along its sides.? It is pushed by a bike and its twisted handles are mounted onto the cart, with side-view mirrors.

It is one of Luciano’s most beloved pieces.

Cleverly dubbed “Pimp My Piragua”, the piece is a public art project that was commissioned by the Queens Museum of Art in 2008.? “Piragua” is the Puerto Rican term for the treat, which is made by scraped ice that is placed in a cup and filled with flavored syrup.

Piragua carts were one of the first Latino start-up businesses, according to Luciano.? “It was an easy business to create – a homemade cart, some ice, some syrups,” he says.

Tall glasses filled with different colored liquids fill the hollow circles on top of Luciano’s piragua cart.? In the middle is a large rectangular space on which a large block of ice is placed.

The “Pimp My Piragua” project, built my artist Miguel Luciano. The piece is a public art project that was commissioned by the Queens Museum of Art in 2008. (Amaris Castillo/The Brooklyn Ink)

The “Pimp My Piragua” project, built my artist Miguel Luciano. The piece is a public art project that was commissioned by the Queens Museum of Art in 2008. (Amaris Castillo/The Brooklyn Ink)


The project, which Luciano built himself over several months, was inspired by Bushwick, where he has lived for the past nine years.? Luciano says piragueros – owners of piragua carts – are somewhat of an endangered species.? “You don’t see as many of them as you used to,” he says.

In Bushwick, however, Luciano says there are still plenty in the summer.

The “Pimp My Piragua” project is meant to be community-interactive.? The vending cart was on display as a mixed media sculptural project in the Queens Museum of Art, but Luciano would pedal it into the Corona neighborhood of Queens.? He turns heads and pedestrians eagerly buy his piraguas.

“When he’s parked there, people are looking at those videos and they’re asking him questions,” says Juan Sánchez, an artist and professor of art at Hunter College who has known Luciano for several years.

Sánchez, who has had artwork displayed in museums such as the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, has observed Luciano interact with the community through his art.? He calls Luciano an educator and provocateur because his artwork fuels discussion.

“The point is that that project [“Pimp My Piragua”], among his other works, is about initiating that kind of dialogue and that kind of discourse,” Sánchez says.

Luciano’s Coqui Kiddie Ride is another piece that serves as both a sculpture and a community-interactive piece.? The coin-operated kiddie ride plays ambient sounds of the coqui, a tropical tree frog and a symbol of Puerto Rico.? Luciano has allowed the kiddie rides to be placed outside bodegas throughout Bushwick and East Harlem for periods of time.? He says he looks at projects that can have a life directly in the community that don’t have to exist in a gallery or museum but can actually exist in the public realm.

Last month, Luciano was featured on an episode of “Art Through Time: A Global View,” a 13-part series that examines the themes of art created around the world through time.? The artist was featured in the first episode, titled “Converging Cultures.”

In El Museo del Barrio, an art museum located in East Harlem, one of Luciano’s paintings is currently on display.? Titled “Pelea de Gallos” (Cockfight), the painting pits the rooster of the Kellogg’s brand against the mascot of a Puerto Rican fast food chain named Pollos Picú. Both are bleeding from an apparent fight.? The painting, which became part of El Museo del Barrio’s permanent collection after the museum purchased it in 2004, is a representation of the complex relationship between Puerto Rico and the U.S.

Rocio Aranda, associate curator at El Museo del Barrio, has shown Luciano’s painting during exhibition tours.? She said the way Luciano carries the image makes it more accessible to people.

“Using those kinds of images that people recognize is always a positive thing because then people see the discussion and argument that’s being made in a more familiar way,” she says.

“Pelea de Gallos” will be on display at El Museo del Barrio through Dec. 12.

“Platano Pride”, a photo from Luciano’s series titled Pure Plantainum, is currently on display in the Museum of Art and Design.? The series centers on actual plantains that are covered in platinum.? Plantains, for many Puerto Ricans and people of the Caribbean, symbolize both national pride and references to race and class, often in a negative light.

Sánchez said Luciano’s work represents an artist of conscious, conviction, and one who’s committed to society in a very real and artistic way.

“It goes beyond the art says – beyond the rhetoric of what the artist says about his work,” he says.? “He’s actually doing it.”

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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Upcoming Biography to Chronicle Jay-Z’s Business Path

Riding the wave of publicity following this month’s release of Jay-Z’s Autobiography, “Decoded”, Penguin imprint?Portfolio announced the March 2011 release of “Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office.” It’s a Jay-Z biography by Forbes writer, Zack O’Malley Greenburg, whose covered the business side to the platinum Bed-Stuy rapper. Rap website XXLMag.com says the book will include the rapper’s “Ten Commandment for Business.”

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As vote nears, local students pressure Congress on DREAM Act

Amanda Quichimbo calls members of the Senate to ask them to approve the DREAM Act at Make the Road New York's office in Queens. Originally from Ecuador, Quichimbo has lived in the U.S. for the past three years. (Manuel Rueda/The Brooklyn Ink)

Amanda Quichimbo calls members of the Senate to ask them to approve the DREAM Act at Make the Road New York's office in Queens. Originally from Ecuador, Quichimbo has lived in the U.S. for the past three years. (Manuel Rueda/The Brooklyn Ink)

By Manuel Rueda

As Congress prepares to vote on the DREAM Act next week, undocumented students in New York are making hundreds of calls to nudge politicians to pass this piece of immigration reform. In addition, demonstrations are planned for next week.

“With Thanksgiving coming up, we want to say we are grateful for what the congressmen have done for us,” said 18-year-old high school senior Francisco Curiel. “But we also want them to approve the DREAM Act, so that we can study and give something back to our communities.” A dozen other students, immigrant families and members of the press attended a pre-Thanksgiving press conference at the offices of the immigrants rights group Make the Road New York.

The DREAM Act would grant legal residence to undocumented immigrants between the ages of 18 and 35 who have finished high school in the United States and are pursuing a college education or have served two years in the military. Although the bill was introduced in 2002, it has been turned back several times by Republicans – and some Democrats – who say it will encourage more illegal immigration into the country.

The proposal was last rejected by the Senate in September, when Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) unsuccessfully attempted to attach the DREAM Act to a defense authorization bill.

But calls for the DREAM Act to be passed were renewed after November’s mid-term elections, in which Hispanic voters – who generally support this proposed law – saved several high-profile Democrat congressmen, including Reid, from losing their seats to Republicans.

After the elections, House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would bring the DREAM Act to a vote on November 29th, this time as a stand-alone proposal. Senate majority leader Harry Reid also promised he would step up efforts to take the DREAM Act to the Senate floor, and its supporters across the country once again stepped up the pressure on Representatives and Senators who may be on the fence about this issue.

Amanda Quichindo, a 17 year old junior from Cuenca, Ecuador, who has been in New York for the past three years, said she was happy to be in the United States, because this was a country that “provided educational opportunities,” adding that without legal residency, she would not be able to access scholarships and financial aid that she urgently requires if she wants to fulfill her dream of studying medicine. After attending the press conference in Queens, Quichindo headed to a phone bank at the back of Make the Road New York’s offices, along with Francisco Curiel and half a dozen students belonging to the immigration group’s youth project.

Staffers at Make the Road New York are concerned that if the DREAM Act does not pass now, it will be extremely hard to get it approved next year, when Republicans become the majority in the House next January.

But even passing it this year it is a complicated affair in the Senate, where Democrats need 60 votes to pass the law and only hold 59 seats.

Natalia Aristizabal, a youth organizer for Make the Road New York, remains cautiously optimistic. “I think you need people, the community not just organizers taking action,” she says. “And the best way that representatives from New York or anywhere else are going to know that this is what the community needs is if they get the phone calls from the people and they – the people – get active.”

Aristizabal says her youth group of twenty to thirty – depending on the week – is regularly making calls to Senators Reid and Schumer and to a group of Republican congressmen.

She says her volunteers make hundreds of calls every week and managed to make 300 calls on Monday, when volunteers from a local high school gave them a helping hand.

Calls into representatives’ offices are flooding from across the country, according to Aristizabal, who gets a daily report on how many calls were made through the toll free line used by several immigrants rights groups. She says that on Monday, 7,000 calls were made across the nation.

In addition, immigrants rights groups are planning to stage rallies around the country, and in Texas a group of students has been staging a hunger strike in Austin for the past two weeks.

Despite the large number of activities, it will not be an easy task to get the House and Senate to move on an issue that is not a priority for congressmen from both sides of the political aisle.

Javier Borja, an 18-year-old volunteer from Ecuador at Make the Road New York’s offices, says he has U.S. citizenship because his dad is Puerto Rican. Still, he says he regularly attends organization’s calling sessions because he has friends and family who live without papers and has seen how they struggle to get jobs and educational opportunities.

“What I do is not much,” he says, “but with the heart and the soul, you can achieve thousands of projects.”

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A Brooklyn Shop Girl’s Guide to Black Friday

I spend a lot of time in retail stores. Probably because I work in one, but also because the only thing I do more than help others shop is shop myself. I’m your neighborhood shop girl and with years of retail experience on both sides of the cash register, I can give you all the tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way.

Since everyone is looking to score a deal this week, I thought we’d start things with some tips on shaking off the tryptophan hangover and hitting the stores this Friday. The day after Thanksgiving is the holiest day on the shopping calendar, the Olympics of retail, the day when dreams of designer fashions and home electronics at affordable prices are made and broken. This isn’t just a President’s Day Sale people—this is Black Friday.

1-Mentally prepare for the melee. Have coffee, tea, a yoga session, or a meeting with your spiritual advisor or palm reader. Whatever it takes for you to be in top mental condition at 4 AM, do it.

2-A little reconnaissance work can go a long way. Make a list of stores and the items you want from each one. Check store web sites and Facebook pages this week—there may be extra coupons and savings if you’re on their mailing list, or some extra deals you can print out and take with you. It doesn’t hurt to know the floor plan of the store either. Sales don’t count if you’re lost in the wrong elevator bank.

3-Use credit cards. It’s faster than cash and harder to steal. Use this opportunity to get your frequent flier miles, sale price protection, extra warranties, or points (but don’t use it as an excuse to buy everything in sight—trust me, you do not, under any circumstances, need harem pants).

4-Bring back up. Alexander the Great was nothing without his army, so there’s no way you’re going to conquer the furniture gallery at Macy’s on Fulton Street without some help. Divide and conquer, my friends (and all the better if there’s a group to carry home your spoils of war).

5-Wear the right clothes. Leave the five-inch heels at home and travel light. Don’t waste time waiting in line for dressing rooms—wear clothing you can slip items over. Avoid bulky coats and bags because they’ll weigh you down as you maneuver the sale sections.

6-Be nice to the sales people. The only thing more frightening than shopping Black Friday is working it. Sales associates are the only people who know where that last Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer in pink is, or where an extra cashmere sweater in your size is hiding.

7-Bring sustenance. You can’t shop ‘til your drop if you’ve already dropped from low blood sugar, so stick an energy bar in your bag and bring some water. Door busters are almost as important as your health. Almost.

8-Confrontations. You and a fellow shopper grab the same dress. Be polite, but firm. That dress is going home with you because the shopping gods told you so and it’s fashion destiny. If all else fails, tell her you’re pregnant, have cancer, or you “just want to try it on for size” before bolting (but only if you think you can outrun her—that’s where tip #5 comes into play).

9-Stay home. If it all seems too overwhelming, stay in your sweatpants and score some Black Friday deals online. Sites like retailmenot.com and couponcabin.com have additional savings, and most stores have the deals available on their websites, sometimes starting the night before. Get your online bargain hunting practice in before Cyber Monday (the Black Friday of internet shopping).

I hope these tips have you geared up and ready to go for the biggest and baddest shopping day of the year. Above all, remember to play nice. No one wants to end up like that lady who got trampled at Wal-Mart last year. Happy shopping!

Lauren Soroken is your friendly neighborhood shop girl. She lives in Prospect Heights with a very large collection of vintage accessories.

Published on 11.24.10.

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Turkey Day Game Plan

It’s always fun to compare notes about Turkey day techniques and plans. Here’s what we have cooking at our homes. We’d love to hear what you’ve got going on at yours…

Nicole’s Menu (for 10)
I’ve never done a Turkey day for 10, so I got super serious and began prepping last weekend and this weekend, making chicken stock, chopping veggies ahead of time etc. Now I just need to clean like a banshee.

Starters before we sit down:

Drinks, including a Whisky Cocktail I’ve Yet to Name (It’s similar to this recipe, except there’s no basil in the simple syrup, no pernod, and I’ve substituted Orange Bitters for Peychaud’s Bitters.)

Cheese and charcuterie, brought by a friend

Stony Brook Delicata Squash Oil and bread for dipping (My neighbor introduced me to this oil and it’s pretty delicious dipped in bread. If I’m on top of my shit I’ll make it to Scratchbread today, which is opening their window from noon to 5pm.)
Leek and Celery Root Soup topped with creme fraiche and chives (recipe from Fine Cooking, I plan on serving in small cups that I plan on getting at Ikea very soon)

The Feast (served with lots of wine)

A DiPaolo Turkey (I dry brined this baby with Bay and Sage Salt using the LA Times recipe. Fingers crossed it’s good, cause dry brining is way easier than wet brining.)

Roasted Brussels with Bacon

Orange Halves Stuffed with Sweet Potatoes (A friend made this last year and can’t recall how he did it so I’m going with what seems right–mashing the potatoes with orange rind and orange juice, a little nutmeg, butter and topping it with brown sugar and walnuts. Or pecans.)

Green beans Lyonnaise, coming from a friend (I’m excited for this, since I’m used to almondine or old school casserole-style)

Mashed potatoes, coming from a friend

Dressing (This is the first time I’m going to try to replicate my mom’s southern-style stuffing, made with saltines, buttermilk biscuits, and cornbread. Since I predict only me and my folks will appreciate it, I’m also making a sausage, raisin and fennel stuffing, based on this NY Times recipe)

Giblet gravy, made by mom

Cranberry sauce from mom, one jarred, one made with Cointreau, oranges and pecans (yum)

Dessert

Salted Caramel Apple Pie and Chocolate Pecan Pie from Four and Twenty Blackbirds (I plan to get this at 8am Thanksgiving day, so if you beat me there save me some)

Vanilla and Blackberry Ice Cream

Port

Annaliese’s menu (for 20+)

My Thanksgivings are always a whirl of delicious chaos. A lot of my friends, and my husband, sister and brother-in-law, work in and around the food industry and this in an insane time of year for them, so I tend to anchor the meal with an enormous turkey, mashed potatoes and large amounts of wine and let rest fill in. This year we’re all feeling a little trashy it seems. Also, I just got an email saying someone wants to cook a rabbit on the grill, so, that should be interesting.

To start, while we mill around and cook and drink

Raw oysters and shrimp cocktail from my sister and her man, mimosas and bloody marys.

Stuffed mushrooms from a friend

70s spinach dip from a friend (trashy!)

Turkish fig and Greek cheese peace plate from a friend

Cocktail: Oaxaca old-fashioneds with tequila, agave nectar and burnt orange from a bartender friend

The meal, served family style

Meat Hook turkey, brined, rubbed with goose fat

Garlic, red-skinned mashed potatoes, made by my husband-they’re the best, ever

Brussels sprouts with almonds and bacon

Sweet potato gratin brought by a friend

Oyster stuffing from a friend from Maryland

Parker house rolls from another Southerner

Kale “lesbian” salad from a sapphic pal

Green bean white trasherole from a friend

Wine

Rosé

Cava

Raatz Cab Franc

Beer bought by a friend who manages a fancy beer store

Assorted other bottles for fun

Dessert

Cheese plate with American cheeses, plus a Vacherin Mont D’or, heated in the oven

Maple walnut pie

Cranberry sour cream pie

Lemon cream tart from a friend

Sweet potato pie from a friend

Published on 11.24.10.

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Turkey Trot

Thursday November 25th, 2010

09:00:00 AM

PROSPECT PARK To burn off your Thanksgiving feast before it even touches your lips, enter the annual five mile Turkey Trot through Prospect Park. You can register at any Jack Rabbit store (in the Slope, Union Square or the Upper East Side, if you happen to work up that way) to save $5 off the $30 fee day of. (Members of the Prospect Park Track Club save a little more.)?The race starts at 9am, at the Lincoln Road entrance at the Oriental Pavillion, and typically finishes with a celebratory pint at Farrell’s. For registration info, click here?

Published on 11.24.10.

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Brooklyn Cop Suspended and Fined for 2009 Beating

By Camilo Smith

Two NYPD officers were arrested yesterday and pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment in connection with the beating more than a year ago that left a man with a broken ankle.

The officers are Sean Hurley, 40, a housing officer with Police Service Area 9, and Brian Murphy, 37, who works in the Brooklyn Courts Section. According to court documents, they attacked a man identified as John Kenny, in the early morning hours of June 12, 2009. The assault occurred near 1696 Second Avenue, which is the address for a popular Irish pub named Marty O’Brien’s, according to police.

Two NYPD Officers were suspended for 30 days and fined $120 each for an assault that occurred over a year ago. They attacked a man near an Irish pub. (Photo courtesy of NightLifeRatings.com)

Two NYPD Officers were suspended for 30 days and fined $120 each for an assault that occurred over a year ago. They attacked a man near an Irish pub. (Photo courtesy of Marty O'Brien's)


Jennifer Kushner, spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney, said the officers were arrested yesterday, pleaded guilty and were released with time served. She said she could not provide further details about the victim and did not explain why the arrests took place more than a year after the assault.

The court documents states that the officers “recklessly caused physical injury,” “with intent to harass, annoy and alarm.” Kenny, who could not be located, was left with “cuts and bruises to his face and body and a broken ankle.”

The New York Daily News reported that the officers were suspended without pay for 30 days and each paid a $120 fine.

Harassment in the second degree is a violation punishable by up to 15 days in jail.

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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Hung Jury in 19-Year-Old Murder Case

William Smith, then 22, was shot and killed on Jan. 1, 1991. (Photo courtesy of Denise Thomas)

William Smith, then 22, was shot and killed on Jan. 1, 1991. (Photo courtesy of Denise Thomas)

By Michael Del Castillo

On Monday, Nov. 22, a jury at the Kings County Supreme Court failed to reach a verdict in the 19-year-old case of a security guard who was shot and killed outside of a New Year’s Eve Party in Brooklyn. The jury was split, eight guilty, four not-guilty.

Early in the morning of Jan. 1, 1990, William Smith, 22, was shot in the face by alleged shooter, Derrick Lloyd, while talking with a group of friends at the Glenwood Housing Projects in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. The group had gathered around a bench in front of a New Year’s Eve Party hosted by Lisa Lloyd, the alleged shooter’s sister.

Witness Rukaya Long, 38, remembers the shooter saying, “I want to know where’s the drunk guy that was beefing in the party? I want answers.”

She said Smith responded, “Everybody wants answers, but you can’t. We don’t know them.” The shooter then drew a handgun and Smith said, “If you’re going to bust me, bust me now.”

Immediately following the shooting, the suspect, Derrick Lloyd, 55, calmly left the scene and disappeared for 15 years.

Smith was a running back at Sheep’s Head Bay High. His sister, Denise Thomas, 48, said her brother was the biggest 12-year-old she had ever seen. He won dozens of trophies that she still keeps in her home. “William was the center of our family. The only boy, the only uncle,” she said.

Smith’s nephew, Maurice Smith, 33, said, “Me and him did everything together. He taught me football at the Big Park in the Glenwood Projects.” His uncle’s murder has had a big impact on his life.

“I went through therapy because of this. I cried a lot. The trial has brought back a lot of deep down feelings,” he said. “He was only 22 years old, didn’t have any kids, didn’t even get to start his life.”

During the time since Lloyd vanished, he moved to Montgomery, Ala., found a job, fathered a son, and appeared on America’s Most Wanted. And then, in 2007, he was arrested with a fake social security card at Montgomery’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

District Attorney Jonathan Kaye prosecuted his case for four days, during which he called three witnesses who identified Lloyd as the shooter. A fourth witness, Teshia Drakes, 50, failed to identify Lloyd as the man she saw at the party.

Kaye later said, “I believe she recognized him but she’s scared.”

Lloyd’s defense lasted only one day. His attorney, Calvin Simon called Karen Wynter, 55, and Isaac Daniel, 50, to testify.

Lloyd sat calmly as he listened to Wynter, his alibi witness, recount the night of the murder.

Wynter, the mother of Lloyd’s son, had known the suspect as Rashad Hamid, the name taken when he converted to Islam while incarcerated for another murder. And the name he used during his 15 years on the run. She said that on New Year’s Eve of 1990, the two had watched a Twilight Zone marathon at her apartment. Lloyd, or Rashad, as she called him, allegedly left her home around noon the following day, well after the murder.

The judge halted Wynter’s testimony to wake up a sleeping juror.

District Attorney Jonathan Kaye cross-examined the witness, during which time Wynter confirmed that she had never offered her alibi to law enforcement. Judge Albert Tomei explained to the jury that although she was not obliged by law to bring “exculpating” information to law enforcement, the fact that Wynter had failed to do so spoke to her credibility.

During the cross-examination, Kaye violated Tomei’s prohibition and mentioned that Lloyd was currently incarcerated at Riker’s Island. Tomei informed the jury that Lloyd’s current place of residence was not to be considered regarding his guilt or innocence.

The defense’s other witness, Daniel, said he has known Lloyd for approximately 35 years. He testified that he heard the shot from Lisa Lloyd’s apartment but did not see the defendant at the event.

Noticeably absent from the defense was Lisa Lloyd, the defendant’s sister, and the host of the party outside of which Smith was killed. Judge Tomei addressed the jury regarding the absence. “The fact that Lisa Lloyd was not called gives you the right to infer that if she had been called her testimony would not have supported the
defense,” he said.

Also missing was the 911 tape from the night of the killing, which was destroyed 90 days after the call, and a video of a man matching the defendant’s description which Michael Massay, 56, allegedly took at the party.

Thomas, the victim’s sister said, “God is the judge, the ultimate judge. They had three eyewitnesses who identified the suspect without hesitation. Two that actually saw the shooting.”

A retrial is expected to start in December.

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Break Dancing

Sunday November 28th, 2010

03:00:00 PM

WILLIAMSBURG Elizabeth Streb’s body-slamming, extreme movement dance company, STREB, has a new show,“Falling Sideways”, at their Brooklyn theater through Dec. 19th, and audiences will be invited to get in on the action. This could very well mean falling one story onto floor mats, spinning and jumping in human-size hamster wheels, and basically defying gravity with every breathtaking step, which was what transpired in their spring show, “Walking Up Walls,” a performance that captivated even the preschoolers in the crowd. Whether STREB is appropriate for them is another story, but gawd is it fun.

Published on 11.23.10.

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The Freaks Come Out at Night

Saturday November 27th, 2010

10:00:00 PM

PARK SLOPE The skint’s DJ Patty Hearst is spinning an 80s dance party–for free of course!–at Union Hall at 11pm. You’ll hear none of the schlocky songs from that decade, only awesome new wave bands, break dance classics, synth pop, and freestyle hits that will make you want to dance like it’s 1982. Technicolor clothing optional.

Published on 11.23.10.

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War of Words

Tuesday November 30th, 2010

07:00:00 AM

COBBLE HILL On Tuesday night at 7, BookCourt’s discussion series, “Civilization and Its Discontents” reconvenes with four philosophers, pyschoanalysts, and writers who’ll pick apart the subject of War. Donald Moss, author of Hating in the First Person Plural, moderates big thinkers like novelist and philosopher Simon Van Booy, (Why We Fight) and Elizabeth Rubin, who’s reported extensively for the New York Times on the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Published on 11.23.10.

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Father Gets 20-Years-to-Life for Murder of Child

A sentence of 20-years-to-life was given to Michael Jimenez today at Kings County Court. The 28-year-old was convicted of murdering his four-year-old daughter and assaulting his one-year-old son. Jimenez’s son was given a 60-year order of protection by the judge. The Ink’s reporter Evan MacDonald was at the sentencing today and will follow up with a story later.

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Lunch, a Call, Then a Plea for Leniency

By Joi-Marie McKenzie

A court officer walks off of the elevator of the Kings County Courthouse onto the 19th floor. “Do you want a table for that,” he asks William Martin, a defense attorney.
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“Oh no. I’m fine. I don’t want to get too comfortable,” Martin replies. The officer chuckles loudly and walks into a courtroom.
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At 2 p.m., Martin is finally taking his lunch. Wearing a yellow polka dot bow tie and grey suit, he hunches over, slurping noodle soup. He sneezes and grabs a tissue to wipe his nose.
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On one end of the hallway is a breathtaking view of the Brooklyn Bridge. Martin sits close to the window to take in the view while reading The New York Times. On the other end of the hallway is the courtroom where his client Marien Theophile Mbossa Kargu, 40, will learn his fate.
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Kargu, a native of the Republic of Congo, was charged with killing Antonio Guzzardi, 34, in September, 2001 by beating him to death in an apartment they shared with their girlfriends in Sunset Park. He was convicted of manslaughter in the second degree.
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Martin has argued that the death was an accident—a heated argument gone too far. Kargu discovered that Guzzardi had been giving his girlfriend, Melle Leila Grison, cocaine. At this sentencing hearing, Martin hopes to convince the judge to give Kargu the minimum sentence of five years in prison.
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Martin’s phone rings and interrupts his lunch. He chats briefly about hiring a new receptionist then rushes off of the line.
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“I have a sentencing and I need to get my notes together,” he explains.
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Martin picks up his brown leather folder and walks with a slight limp toward the courtroom. He meets the French interpreter who will help his client understand the proceedings. Martin sits outside the courtroom with him, refining his statement and going over his notes.?He coaches the interpreter as he reads aloud a letter from Kargu’s family. He hopes this letter will help humanize his client. Martin places his hand on the interpreter’s back.
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“Hold on because you’re going to have to read this on the stand,” he says to the interpreter, who continues to read the letter in a thick French accent.
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At 2:35 p.m., Judge Raymond Guzman has called the court to order. Martin takes his place, standing behind the wooden table with matching chairs. His client, Kargu, is brought in by three court officers’ moments later. His hands are cuffed behind his back. Wearing a dark green sweater with a collared shirt paired with jeans, Kargu seems calm. One of the officers unlocks the handcuffs and motions for Kargu to take a seat. Martin looks over to his client and gives him a light pat on his back.
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Assistant District Attorney Melissa Carvajal reads a letter from the victim’s father: “Angelo deserved a better life than to end up in a garbage dump.”
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Guzzardi’s decomposed body was discovered in a nearby dumpster on Sept. 6 2001. Because of the events of Sept. 11, Guzzardi’s body wasn’t identified until the following January, nearly four months later. His family, living in Sicily, worried about their son and hoped he wasn’t killed with the thousands of others on 9/11. Guzzardi’s family could not attend the hearing because of financial reasons but they hoped their letter would suffice.
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Martin sits on the other side of the courtroom with his legs folded. When Judge Guzman asks for his statement Martin stands up. He notes that several of the statements made by Carvajal, the prosecutor, were inaccurate. He wants to correct them for the record.
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“This is not the act of a cold calculated individual,” he says. “He panicked, pure and simple.” The French interpreter reads two letters from Kargu’s family, who lives in Paris. Martin continues.
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“What kind of person is this that would care about if a person walked down the road to drug addiction?” he says. He closes with the Latin phrase: Fiat justitia ruat caelum. It means, Martin explains, “Let justice be done if the heavens must fall.”
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Judge Guzman asks if Kargu wants to make a statement. The interpreter mumbles the question into his ear. Martin leans over intently, trying to understand. After a moment, the translator answers, “He said, ‘Not really.’”
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Guzman says that while the defense asserts the killing was an accident, “There was never a moment where he said I’m sorry.” He sentences him to five to fifteen years in prison.
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After another moment, Kargu drops his head. Martin grabs his client.

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