Taking out the Christmas Tree

The National Fire Protection Association recommends prompt removal and disposal of Christmas trees, which are flammable objects, after the holidays are over. According to National Fire Protection Association statistics, 40% of Christmas tree home fires happen in January.

During citywide Christmas tree recycling event Mulchfest on Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and 11 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

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New State Laws Taking Effect on January 1

According to an email blast from State Senator Marty Golden's office, these new state laws go into effect as of January 1, 2015:

Hire a Veteran Tax Credit – Businesses will get a tax credit for hiring qualified veterans equal to 10% of the total wages during the veteran's first year of employment. The credit is increased to 15% for disabled veterans. The credit is capped at $5,000 per veteran

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On Vacation: Back December 31

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As Grimm Hangs on, the Jockeying Begins

Representative Michael Grimm (R-11th CD), who entered a guilty plea in a tax fraud case in Brooklyn Federal Court yesterday, is scheduled to be sworn in as a third-term member of Congress on January 6, 2015.

But, as Business Insider reports, polit-watchers who regard him as one of 2015's best story lines don't see Grimm still a sitting member of the House when he's sentenced on June 8, 2015 --

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After Plea, Grimm Refuses to Resign

Reuters reports that U.S. Representative Michael Grimm (R 11th CD) has refused to resign from Congress after entering a guilty plea in Brooklyn Federal District Court today. Grimm noted that he was easily re-elected to a third term in November, despite facing a 20-count federal indictment.




As part of a plea deal, Grimm signed a statement of facts admitting to hiding over $900,000 in gross

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As Ridership Soars, MTA Schools Manspreaders, Pole Riders

As subway ridership in New York City hits record numbers, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has mounted an etiquette campaign urging passengers to be more considerate.



Called "Courtesy Counts, Manners Make a Better Ride", the campaign will roll out on MTA subways and buses next month and expand to Metro-North and the Long Island Railroad in February.



While courtesy is important,

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Gentile Calls on Bay Ridge to "Go Blue" for NYPD Officers

In the aftermath of the horrific execution-style murders of on-duty NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Saturday, City Council Member Vinnie Gentile has called on his district to "go blue" by wearing or displaying a blue ribbon to show support for NYPD officers.

Ramos and Liu were ambushed by deranged gunman Ismaaiyl Brinsley as they sat eating lunch in their

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Christian Zaino and Angelo Bonsignore Release "The History of Dyker Heights"

According to a media release today from Dyker Heights historian Christian Zaino, an HD version of his and Angelo Bonsignore's new documentary, "The History of Dyker Heights", is now available on YouTube.



In 2013, filmmaker Bonsignore began collaborating with Zaino to turn Zaino's 2006 NYU college thesis into a documentary about their neighborhood. "The History of Dyker Heights" is the result

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Grimm Cops a Plea

Reuters reports that U.S. Representative Michael Grimm (R-11th CD) will enter a guilty plea in Brooklyn Federal Court tomorrow to resolve the array of federal tax fraud and other charges pending against him.

Grimm's trial was scheduled for February 2. According to court records, a plea hearing is now set for Tuesday afternoon. 

The 20-count indictment against Grimm charges that he hired

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Will Multi-Employer Pension Cuts Affect You?

Last week, despite hundreds of thousands of emails alerting members to the effects of an amendment that would, for the first time, cut retiree pensions, Congress passed the legislation.

The new law, as Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders put it, lets “companies renege on promises they made to their workers" by cutting current retirees' pension benefits.

To find out how your Senator and

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Richmond Choral Society Presents "Follow the Star" at Christ Church

At 4 PM on Sunday, January 11, the Richmond Choral Society, under the musical direction of Marina Alexander, will present "Follow the Star", a Holiday Celebration featuring Franz Schubert's Mass in B Major; Stephen Chatman's Carols of the Nativity; and a community sing-a-long of favorite holiday songs, at Christ Church Bay Ridge, 7301 Ridge Boulevard (@73rd Street) in Bay Ridge.

General

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Make Music Winter

Make Music New York invites you to take part in Make Music Winter, 13 participatory musical parades across the city tomorrow, Sunday, December 21, in celebration of the Winter Solstice.

Here's the Make Music Winter schedule of events (rain or shine.) Brooklyn venues bolded. Click the links for full details.

11:00 AM: Winterize at Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Christopher Dylan Herbert's

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Home Candle and Decoration Fires Peak this Month

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), home fires due to holiday candles and decorations peak this month, with Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day the top three days for these fires.

Nearly half of all holiday decoration fires are caused by decorations placed too close to something hot. Nearly half of the time, the "something hot" is candles.

Christmas trees

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Year-End News from PortSide

In an end-of-the-year fundraising appeal, Red Hook waterfront advocate PortSide listed five "game-changing" accomplishments combining working waterfront, public access, community development, and economic opportunity:

Community empowerment. PortSide is helping communities plan for the future and act for themselves by providing information, services and policy advice. More...
Historic

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Christmas Music for Organ at Good Shepherd

At 1:30 PM on Sunday, December 21, Art on the Corner will present Hungarian organist and Fulbright scholar Sándor Balatoni, playing a program of German and Hungarian Christmas music for organ, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7420 Fourth Avenue, in Bay Ridge.

The program will include Christmas-themed works by Buxetehude, Kodály, Liszt, J.S. Bach, Wálther, Gardonyi, Widor, and Balatoni.

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Family Movie Night at Uncle Louie G's

Uncle Louie G's, an ice cream parlor at 8702 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host "Family Movie Night" from 6-10 PM on Saturday, December 21. (yes, I realize that Saturday is the 20th, and that the 21 is Sunday, but that's what the poster said) featuring classic Christmas cartooons like "Frosty the Snowman", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", and more.

You're

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Ride the Trolley with Santa and His Elf

From 12 Noon to 4:30 PM on Saturday, December 20, the 86th Street Bay Ridge B.I.D. will present the final day of its four-day Second Annual Holiday Celebration, featuring free trolley rides with Santa Claus and one of his elves.

You can catch the trolley at 75th and 5th Avenue or at any city bus stop along 5th Avenue from 65th to 86th Streets in Bay Ridge.

Bring your camera.

Sponsored by

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DSNY Recruiting Emergency Snow Laborers

According to a posting in the December 18 edition of the Brooklyn Spectator, the City Department of Sanitation is now registering emergency snow removal laborers at its district garages in all of the five boroughs and at the DSNY Flatbush Yard at 2900 Flatbush Avenue.


Registrations will be accepted between the hours of 7 AM and 3 PM Monday through Friday.



The starting rate is $12 per hour

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Secretly Famous at the Lockyard

At 8 PM on Saturday, December 20, the Lock Yard, at 9221 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will present live music with cover band "Secretly Famous", featuring guitarist/vocalist Kris Lauricella, guest vocalist Katie Taber, and percussionist Charlie Marine, playing songs from The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, The Band, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Wilco, and more.

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Tony Travis and Friends Play Circles' Christmas Party

Tony Travis and Friends will play the Christmas Party at Circles Cafe, at at 69th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, at 7 PM on Friday, December 19.

There will be no cover, full bar, pizza and surprises. Limited seating.

To RSVP or for more information, call Circles Cafe.

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New York Bans Hydrofracking

According to an email blast from Zephyr Teachout, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that New York State will ban the controversial, high-risk horizontal gas drilling process known as hydrofracking or "fracking'.




Teachout called the state's decision a "historic moment" and one of "the great environmental and health victories of the last decade." New York will be the first American state with

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A Golden Opportunity: See Marty in His PJs

In a media release today, State Senator Marty Golden announced that he, along with parents, friends and supporters of Pietro J. Scarso, a local 5-year-old battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, will don pajamas for a presser at Noon tomorrow, Thursday, December 18, launching the fundraiser “PJ’s for PJ”.

The event will take place at Pietro’s school, Stepping Stones – The Next Step, at 9321

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"Swish for Kids" Fundraiser for Frankie's Mission

Post updated to reflect change of venue. 

From 10 AM to 1:30 PM on Sunday, January 25, children's cancer organization Frankie's Mission will host the 4th Annual "Swish for Kids", a basketball benefit for children with cancer, at St. Patrick’s School, 95-11 – 4th Avenue, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Adult survivors of childhood cancer and children who are battling cancer are invited to enjoy a

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"Holiday Harmonies" at Dyker Branch Library

At 3 PM on Friday, December 19, the Brooklyn Public Library Branch at 8202 13th Avenue (@82nd Street) in Dyker Heights will host "Holiday Harmonies", an afternoon of holiday music by Carolyn Clark and the Dyker Singers.

For more information about the event, call the branch at 718-748-6261.

For more information about the Dyker Singers, click here.

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Rowhouse Schul, Bay Ridge Avenue

According to posters on 3rd Avenue a "Car Menorah Parade" is planned for Saturday, December 20 at 6:30 PM to "spread the light" around the Bay Ridge neighborhood.

Every night from December 16 to December 23 (except for December 19, there is a 7 PM lighting of the 10-foot Menorah.

And on Sunday, December 21 at 3 PM, the Chabad is hosting a free "Chanukah Fun House", with crafts, olive oil

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Guitarist Jason Vieaux at PS 321

On Wednesday, January 21 at 7 PM, Neighborhood Classics, under the artistic direction of classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein, will present Grammy-nominated guitar virtuoso Jason Vieaux in concert at the Auditorium at P.S. 321, 180 Seventh Avenue in Park Slope.



The one-hour program, hosted by Simone Dinnerstein, will range from Bach to Pat Metheny, including guitar favorites by Spanish

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Going Begging in Republican Washington

With Republicans taking over both houses of the U.S. Congress in January, Washington polit-watchers see Mayor Bill deBlasio having zero ability to get what he wants.

They expect DeBlasio to be ignored by Congress, although the White House is expected to help him on regulations, policy and grant distribution. "The ink in Obama’s veto pen”, said New York Congressional Representative Carolyn

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Jackson Galaxy's "My Cat from Hell" Recruiting in NYC

NYC animal welfare organization Neighborhood Cats is recruiting badass felines for animal behaviorist Jackson Galaxy's popular TV series "My Cat from Hell".


The show follows Galaxy as he turns feline bad guys into happy, contented cats Whether the problem is yowling, fighting, biting, scratching, destroying furniture or other domestic mayhem, Jackson can help.



This season, in addition to

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Electronics Recycling Becomes Mandatory in New York State

Starting January 1, 2015, it will be illegal in New York State to throw your old electronics out with the trash. The State has taken a major step to reduce the amount of e-waste in its garbage stream and to up recycling rates by banning most electronic gadgets from curbside trash pickup.

Included in the ban are TVs, monitors, VCRs, computers and peripherals, printers, video game consoles, and

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Commodore Barry Club in Staten Island

On Thursday, November 13, members of the Commodore Barry Club traveled to Staten Island’s Commodore Barry Borough Hall for a celebration of Commodore Barry’s contributions to the fledgling American republic.



At Borough Hall, Club President Mary Nolan was greeted and presented with a Proclamation from Borough President James Oddo.

John Houlihan led the singing of the Irish and American

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Brooklyn Dog Training Center Expands

As of January 1, 2015, the Brooklyn Dog Training Center will relocate to 213 21st Street (between 4th and 5th Avenues) in the South Slope. The new facility is more than twice the size of the original space, with a 1,200 sq. ft. matted training floor and better amenities.

BDTC will host a community Open House from 6 PM to 9 PM on January 23. Guests can meet the trainers, explore the new

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Frank Seddio House, Canarsie

9306 Flatlands Avenue

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Cash-Strapped Borough Park Preschool Forced to Close

According to Bensonhurst Bean, a protest this week at a preschool at 1273 57th Street in Borough Park run by The Guild for Exceptional Children (GED) drew more than 50 parents, children and friends of special needs children.



One of a dwindling number of state-funded area schools serving children with developmental disabilities, the GED facility is scheduled to close on January 23, 2015, in

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Children's Holiday Art Project at the Art Room

The Art Room, a fine arts school for children at 8710 Third Avenue in Bay Ridge, is offering a special children's holiday art project for ages 4 and up on Saturday, December 13.

Your child can create while you shop or dine in the neighborhood.



Reservations are recommended, but not required. You can drop in anytime between 12:00 - 5:00 PM.

The cost is $40 for a 90-minute session, including

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A "Ring-a-Ding-Ding Christmas" at the Schnitzel Haus

From 6-9 PM on Sunday, December 14, vocalist Martin McQuade and piano accompanist Pete Sokolov will celebrate Ol' Blue Eyes' birthday and a "Ring-a-Ding-Ding" Christmas at the Schnitzel Haus,  at 7319 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge.

For more information, call 718-836-5600.

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The Brooklyn Bards at Hunter's

From 5-9 PM on Sunday, December 14, The Brooklyn Bards: Donal Nolan on tin whistle and Kiernan Hamilton on guitar and vocals, will play Irish songs and ballads at Hunter's Steak and Ale House, at 9404 4th Avenue in Fort Hamilton/Bay Ridge.

John Heffernan remembers choirmaster Aldo Bruschi, who mentored Donal Nolan and Kiernan Hamilton as choristers at St. Patrick's Church in Fort Hamilton

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Joe DMartino's "Light of Hope" Holiday Display

Joe DiMartino's "Light of Hope" Holiday Light Display, in loving memory of his wife Debra, a 9/11 victim, is open from 5-11 PM every evening at 107 Sharrotts Road (between Bloomingdale and Arthur Kill Roads) in Staten Island, through through January 4, 2015.

Called Staten Island's most spectacular outdoor holiday display, the Light of Hope is a fundraiser to support the Outpatient Children's

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Santa's Mail Box, Kaleidoscope

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From Advent through the Feast of St. Stephen at Trinity Lutheran Church

At 7 PM on Saturday, December 13, Trinity Lutheran Church, at 9020 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host a Classical Christmas Concert featuring Christmas carols, traditional holiday songs, and selections from Handel's Messiah.

The suggested donation of $10 will help cover the performers' expenses.

For more information about the event, contact Roman Borgman at 410-458-8770.

Also at Trinity

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Holiday Concert at Union Church

At 5 PM on Sunday, December 14, Union Presbyterian Church of Bay Ridge, at 7915 Ridge Blvd. (@80th Street) will host a Christmas Holiday Concert, featuring Christmas carols; Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus"; and special performances by the Union Church adults' and children's choirs, a Baroque ensemble, Speed Bump, and the Highland Divas.

Adult admission is $10 per person. Children will be

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Pick up a Zipcar at the Bay Ridge Branch Library

Through a new partnership with Zipcar, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) now offers Zipcars at its Bay Ridge, Bedford and Park Slope branches. There are two Zipcars parked at each branch -- totaling six, all named for famous literary figures.


Members of the Brooklyn Public Library who join Zipcar at www.zipcar.com/nycbpl will get $20 off their first year annual fee, plus a $25 driving credit.

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Santa Lucia Festival at First Free Evangelical Church

From 4 to 5:30 PM on Friday, December 12, Ridge Creative Center and the Scandinavian East Coast Museum will co-host the annual Santa Lucia Fest, a traditional Scandinavian holiday celebration, at First Free Evangelical Church, 66th Street and Sixth Avenue in Bay Ridge.

For a $20 donation, children can join the Lucia procession, which will be rehearsed from 3-4 PM on Thursday, December 11,

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The Bella Voce Singers Premiere "Rhythms of the R" at Good Shepherd

At 3 PM on Sunday, December 14, Art on the Corner will present “Inspire,” a choral concert by Brooklyn women’s choir the Bella Voce Singers, under the direction of Jessica Corbin, featuring the world premiere of “Rhythms of the R”, commissioned by composer and former Brooklynite Joshua Davis, at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 7420 Fourth Avenue (@75th Street) in Bay Ridge.

The

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Golden Says the System's Working

If Albany Republicans have their way, the "soup to nuts" review, called for by Governor Andrew Cuomo called for after a Staten Island jury brought back no indictment against NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in the Eric Garner homicide, would be an empty gesture.

"You don't want to fix something that's not broken," commented Conservative Republican State Senator Martin Golden, NYPD retired, who

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Literary Potluck Supper at the Old Stone House

At 8 PM on December 18, Brooklyn Reading Works and Louise Crawford will host a Literary Potluck Supper at the Old Stone House, at 336 Third Street in Park Slope/Gowanus. (F to 4th Avenue/R to Union.)



All guests are expected to bring along a food dish to share. 



Refreshments will be served.



Literary guests include Susan Glauberman LaRosa (A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn); Blair Fell (Queer as

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Bridging New York City's Digital Divide

Broadband Internet access, called "the fourth utility" of our age, is now as central to our lives as electricity, gas and water. Yet, as reported by the Daily News and a new study by NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, tens of millions of New Yorkers still have no high-speed Internet access.



Compared to upscale, broadband-saturated Manhattan neighborhoods like Chelsea, the Village, Battery

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Gentile's Statement on Bensonhurst Brothel Sweep

In a media release this week, City Council Member Vinnie Gentile announced the arrests of 15 sex workers at nine brothels fronted as massage parlors in Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights:


Fenny Beauty, 6701 11th Avenue
Happy Beauty/Lyn Spa, 7110 20th Avenue
On Hung Beauty Center, 7303 18th Avenue
Ocean Beauty Spa, 7312 18th Avenue
Yan Yan Spa, 7901B 17th Avenue
Josomodo Spa “Happy”, 7401 New

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Winter Wonderland at St. Anselm Academy

From 11 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, St. Anselm Catholic Academy, at 83rd Street and 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will present its annual Winter Wonderland, featuring a Christmas boutique, a 25-foot Christmas tree, a live Nativity scene, children's games, arts and crafts, food and refreshments, a visit from Santa Claus, and a free toy from Toyland for every child.

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Here's What I Don't Understand

Getty Images

Why did five NYPD officers go so far as to tackle an unarmed, non-violent man who was, at worst, guilty of selling loose cigarettes: a ticket?



When the obese, asthmatic Garner, face down on the concrete being throttled by Officer Daniel Pantaleo, said -- at least 10 times -- "I can't breathe", why didn't Pantaleo release the pressure on his neck? Why didn't the cops roll

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Annual Scandinavian Christmas Market at Nordic Delicacies

From 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, December 13, the Scandinavian East Coast Museum will host its annual Scandinavian Christmas Market, featuring special Christmas items and gifts, at Scandinavian specialty market Nordic Delicacies, 6909 Third Avenue in Bay Ridge.

Next-door at Circles Café , at 69th Street and 3rd Avenue, the Museum will host a "Frozen" sing-along from Noon to 1:00 PM, featuring

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Staten Island Philharmonic's "Festipalooza"

At 3 PM on Saturday, December 6, the Staten Island Philharmonic Winds, joined by Brooklyn's Dyker Singers and the Noble Martitime Collection's Helluva Choir, will present "Festipalooza", a holiday concert celebrating Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice, at Snug Harbor Music Hall. (They'd have done Festivus, too, but it seems no one's written any music for it.)

Guest

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Children's Chorus of Bay Ridge Winter Holiday Concert

The Children’s Chorus of Bay Ridge will present its winter concert, “Holiday Songs and Sounds,” at 3 PM on December 20 at Art on the Corner, a community-based arts ministry of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd at 7420 Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge.


The suggested admission donation is $10 per family.



This interactive, family-friendly program features winter and holiday-themed songs,

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Teachout, WFP Join Forces against Cuomo and the Charter Schools Lobby

The Working Families Party, which dropped Fordham law professor Zephyr Teachout for Governor Andrew Cuomo last fall in trade for Cuomo's (failed) promise to help Democrats regain the State Senate majority, has rejoined Teachout in an effort to stop Cuomo from raising the cap on charter schools again.



Teachout warned, with Cuomo apparently trying to change education policy on the sly and on

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Stasi: It's Not about Horses; It's about Real Estate

As Daily News columnist Linda Stasi breaks it down, Mayor Bill deBlasio's drive to ban carriage horses from Central Park, which would put 300 people -- not to mention the horses -- out of work, is just a backdoor real estate deal cooked up by parking lot magnate and big-time deBlasio campaign donor Steve Nislick.

Nislick wins even if no one ever rides in the fake antique electric cars now

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Vito, Shelly in Federal Court Settlement Talks

Magistrate Judge Michael Dolinger barred the New York Post from settlement talks this week involving ex-State Assembly Member Vito Lopez and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in a lawsuit brought by two former Lopez staffers who claim that Lopez groped them and Silver covered it up.



Lawyers for the state and Kevin Mintzer, a lawyer for ex-Lopez aides Victoria Burhans and Chloe Rivera, told the

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How Does "Mayor Adams" Sound?

Described by the New York Observer as a "Mister Clean" lookalike, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is characteristically up front about his ambition to be the city's next mayor. It's something he's dreamed about, he told the Observer, since his days as a beat cop.

A former state senator like his predecessor Marty Markowitz, Adams follows the same playbook, hamming it up at every photo op

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Brooklyn Preservation Council Meets at Scotto's

At 6:30 PM on Wednesday, December 10, the Brooklyn Preservation Council will host its monthly meeting at the Scotto Funeral Home, at 106 First Place in Carroll Gardens.



On the agenda are the Second Avenue parole center, the Sunset Park Historic District, the Carroll Gardens landmarking, and the Marylander Memorial Park Plan.



For more information, or to add a community concern to the

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Return of the Canadian Christmas Tree Guys: 3rd Avenue and 93rd Street

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Gerrymandering? There's an Algorithm for That

Gerrymandered electoral districts, like the 11th CD in Staten Island and southwest Brooklyn, have evaded legal review for at least a decade due to the open refusal by the Conservative bloc of the U.S. Supreme Court to address the partisan gerrymandering issue -- even where there is a complete disconnect between the composition of a congressional delegation and the outcome of an election.

But

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Holiday Swap Meet at Industry City

From 8-11 PM on Friday, December 19, Holes in the Wall Collective and Industry City Distillery will co-host the "Not For Sale Holiday Party", a night of cash-free gifting at City Foundary, 33 35th Street (6th floor) at Industry City in Sunset Park (D/N/R to 36th Street).


The price of admission? Something you can barter. You’re a hairdresser? Bring your shears. You make wearables, liqueurs,

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Bay Ridge Democrats' Holiday Party at Longbow

According to an email today from President Justin Brannan, local progressive Democratic club Bay Ridge Democrats, in lieu of its monthly meeting (on Thursday, December 11), will host its 2014 holiday party on Wednesday, December 17 at one of the club's favorite venues: the Longbow Pub and Pantry at 7316 Third Avenue in Bay Ridge.



Bringing along one or more cans of food for the holiday food

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Gentile: Hire More Police Officers

In response to Mayor de Blasio's release this week of an update to the city's financial plan, City Council Member Vinnie Gentile called on the deBlasio administration to allocate money in the New York City Police Department's budget to hire more police officers.



There are 6,000 fewer police officers on the streets today than on September 11, 2001, Gentile said. During the Bloomberg

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The South Brooklyn to the Rockaways Beer Tour

According to an e-mail blast today from Faye Penn, founder of Brokelyn, the webmag has released its first paper publication, "The South Brooklyn and The Rockaways Beer Book".

Inside this limited-edition, pocket-sized booklet, you will find 28 vouchers, redeemable for 28 beers at 28 bars in Gravesend, Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and the

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Christmas Craft Fair at St. Andrew the Apostle Church

From 9 AM to 6 PM on December 6, and from 9 AM to 2:30 PM on December 7, St. Andrew the Apostle Church, at 6713 Ridge Blvd. in Bay Ridge, will host its annual Christmas Craft Fair to benefit the St. Vincent De Paul Society.



The Fair is the main source of funding for the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, which serves an average of 30 families a month.



At the Fair, you'll find unique,

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Burglars Hit Churches in Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst and Sunset Park

The New York Times reports that during October and November, eleven churches in the southwest Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst and Sunset Park have been burglarized.



Marks, including Roman Catholic basilica Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sunset Park and Fourth Avenue Presbyterian in Bay Ridge, have been chosen without regard to denomination.




In each break-in, cash and

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WTC Disability Law Application Period Extended

In a move praised by first responders, Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law S7628-A/A9562-A, a bill that amends state law governing the injuries and illnesses of those who took part in the 9/11 rescue, recovery and cleanup at the World Trade Center.

The legislation re-opens the filing period and extends the deadline for those with WTC-related conditions who have not yet applied for

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Park Slope BID a Small Business Saturday Star

A handful of Park Slope shopkeepers are starring in a national ad campaign for Small Business Saturday, the “shop local” alternative to corporate retail’s Black Friday doorbusters.

The national promotion, created by credit card giant American Express, highlights mom and pop shops and boutiques in Park Slope's Fifth Ave. Business Improvement District, from 18th St. to the Barclays Center, as a

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City's Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens Overwhelmed

Due to Congress' drastic cuts to food stamp benefits, 80% of New York City's food pantries and soup kitchens face increased demands for emergency food.

The impact of the food stamp cuts on the city's emergency food resources is widespread and ongoing. In September, 60% of the city's food pantries ran out of at least one kind of food, and at more than a third of them, hungry people had to be

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Stolen Verrazano Relief Replaced

At 11 AM on Wednesday, December 3, Council Member Vinnie Gentile, with other elected officials and community leaders, will officially unveil a replica of the long-lost bas relief of Giovanni da Verrazano at the Memorial Flagstaff at John J. Carty Park, at 95th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway in Bay Ridge.

Installed when the bridge opened in 1964, the Verrazano Memorial Flagstaff, a

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Decorations for the Departed, Green-Wood

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NYC on the Short List to Host the Democratic National Convention

According to an email blast today from City Council Member Vinnie Gentile, New York City has been named as a finalist to host the Democratic National Convention in 2016.

Gentile attributed the city's placement on the short list of contenders to Mayor Bill de Blasio's spirited pitch for Brooklyn, where the convention would be hosted at the Barclays Center on Atlantic Avenue.



Announcing the

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Ribbon Cutting at The Dyker Park Dog Run

Good news for Fido. Council Member Vinnie Gentile will be on hand at 11 AM tomorrow, Tuesday, November 25, to cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Dyker Park Dog Run, at the corner of 86th Street and 7th Avenue in Dyker Heights.



Raffles and prizes for your best friend from favorite local pet stores Vinny’s Pet Shop, Petland Bay Ridge, the Animal Pantry, and Paws Truly.

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Parking Lots as Shared Public Spaces

According to one study, there are eight parking spots for every car in America, and 30 for every resident of Houston, Texas.

In his 2012 book “Rethinking a Lot,” MIT urban planning professor Eran Ben-Joseph points out that parking lots cover more than a third of the land area in some U.S. cities, which he calls the "single most salient landscape feature of our built environment.” There could

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"I Hope He Spins in His Grave When We Get this Bike Path"

Although originally designed for a pedestrian walkway, the Verrazano Bridge is open to foot and two-wheeled traffic only two days a year: during the New York City Marathon and the Five-Borough Bike Tour.

Interviewed by a Brooklyn Paper reporter at a 50th anniversary party for the Verrazano at Bay Ridge's Yellow Hook Grille on November 20, Linda Sladek, of cycling advocacy organization Harbor

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What Does It take to Replace a Street Tree?

The New York Post reports that for four years now, Bay Ridge resident Mary Ann Walsh has been trying to get the city Parks Department to replace the 100-year-old street tree in front of her home on 76th Street, which fell during a storm.



After approving her request, the NYC Parks Department has failed to replace the tree, instead coming up with a string of excuses that Walsh says make no

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Li-Lac Chocolates Targeted by UPROSE

When ninety-one-year-old Li-Lac, Manhattan's oldest chocolatier, found itself priced out of manufacturing space in Manhattan, it moved to Sunset Park. The move was at least partly motivated by the fact that Master Chocolatier Anwar Khoder, a longtime Bay Ridge resident, would have a shorter commute.

After ten years, Li-Lac outgrew its factory space at 50th Street and moved to Industry City on

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WCC Project Elf Fundraiser at Brooklyn Brewery

Superstorm Sandy hit just two months before Christmas, 2012. In the aftermath, thousands of displaced families were either unable to provide gifts for their children or couldn't replace gifts destroyed by the storm surge.



Two years later, contrary to the public perception of recovery and resiliency, many of those families are still struggling to pull their lives back together.



From 7:30

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Trottenberg Wants Better Bike Access to City Bridges

As reported by AMNY, the city Department of Transportation, in a move sure to give hope to advocates for a bike lane on the Verrazano bridge, will study ways to improve bike access to the city's four East River bridges and the Harlem River bridges.



In accouncing the study to the City Council last week, DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said that DOT would also work with MTA to install bike

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Local Toys for Tots Drop Off Sites Open Through December 19

According to Toys for Tots Brooklyn, the following Bay Ridge sites are now accepting toy drop-offs through December 19:



Fort Hamilton High School Key Club: Tanja Larsen
11/10/2014 - 12/19/2014
8 AM - 3:40 PM
8301 Shore Road, Brooklyn, New York, 11209
347-400-5476
Bay Ridge Honda: Mime Quinones
11/26/2014 - 12/19/2014
Mon- Thur 9am to 9pm, Fri 9am -7pm, Sat 9am - 6pm Sun 11am -5pm
8801 4th

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Brooklyn Housing Preservation Alliance Meets

At 7:30 PM on Monday, November 24, in the basement meeting room at St. Ephrem's Rectory at 929 Bay Ridge Parkway in Dyker Heights, the Brooklyn Housing Preservation Alliance will convene to plan a town hall meeting in January, 2015 on illegal home conversions in Brooklyn.

Members, concerned local residents and their friends, family and neighbors are welcome to attend the meeting.

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Gentile Bucks City Council on Chokehold Bills

In a statement issued by his office today, City Council Member Vinnie Gentile, a former prosecutor and State Senator, strongly opposed the legislation, which he said would "handcuff" the NYPD.



If passed, the new City Council legislation would make it a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine, for a New York City police officer to use a chokehold, and would

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Jeff Samaha Theater Presents True-Crime Musical "Parade"

Coming off of its enormously successful production of musical "Les Miserables", Jeff Samaha Theater Productions/Ridge Chorale will open a limited run of the powerful, Tony Award-winning musical "Parade", the rarely-presented true story of an infamous miscarriage of justice in the American South, at 8 PM on Friday, December 5 at the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology (Bay Ridge

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Golden: Flatbush Fire Illustrates the Illegal Conversion Problem

In the aftermath of an early-morning fire on Wednesday at an illegally-subdivided building at 1434 Flatbush Avenue that killed a young father, left six in critical condition, and injured a total of 15, State Senator Marty Golden again called on Mayor Bill deBlasio to create a multi-agency task force to confront the illegal conversion problem in his district and citywide.

Continuing to ignore

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Free Flu Shots at NYU-Langone in Cobble Hill

The best way to avoid coming down with a winter flu, which can be life-threatening for someone who is elderly or has chronic lung disease, is to get an annual flu shot. 



NYU-Langone in Cobble Hill (formerly Long Island College Hospital) is offering free flu shots to adults 18 years and older on Saturday November 22 from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday, November 23 from 10 AM to 2 PM.


Enter

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Small Business Saturday in Bay Ridge

Started by American Express in 2010 as a promotional event, Small Business Saturday, on November 29, has intersected with the "Buy Local" movement and taken on a life of its own. American consumers are increasingly aware that small businesses hold down Main Street, giving back to the community well beyond the retail value of what they sell.


As Black Friday looms, Madie Hodges, the community

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Find the Nearest New York Cares Coat Drop-Off

The 26th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive began this month and will continue through the end of the year. You can drop off your old (but not too old) coats at 280 locations citywide, including precinct houses and car dealerships.

To find the drop-off location closest to you, visit this searchable map.

If you're a local merchant and want to host a collection site or start your own New York

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Christmas Tree Lightings at McKinley Park, Lady Moody Square

Brooklyn Media Group Photo

At 6:30 PM on Wednesday, December 3, State Senator Marty Golden will host a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at McKinley Park, at Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton Parkways in Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights.

Golden will host a second Christmas tree lighting at 6:30 PM on Thursday, December 4 at Lady Moody Square, at Van Sicklen Street and Avenue U in Gravesend.

Santa Claus is

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Annual Christmas and Novelty Sale at Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church

From 9:30 AM to 3 PM on Saturday November 22, the Women's Association of Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church (between 68th and Senator Streets) in Bay Ridge, will host its Annual Christmas and Novelty Sale in the Church Hall at 6753 4th Avenue (R train to Bay Ridge Avenue.)

The sale continues on Sunday, November 23 from 1-3 PM; Monday, November 24, from 12-2 PM; Wednesday, November 26 from

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Thanksgiving Dinner for Families of Childhood Cancer Victims

On Friday, November 21, the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation will deliver Thanksgiving dinner to 23 families in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area who are coping with childhood cancer, including families in Williamsburg and Prospect/Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn.

The Jay Fund's mission is to ease the financial, emotional and practical impacts of a childhood cancer diagnosis on families.

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Mathylde Frontus Honored

USA Network/Eugene Gologursky

At a ceremony last night at Garguilo's attended by Council Member Mark Treyger, Coney Island resident and founder and executive director of Urban Neighborhood Services Mathylde Frontus was honored by the USA Network for her impactful work in combating racial injustice.



Mathylde received a $5,000 grant from the USA Network and will be featured in a PSA and

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ESL Conversation at Fort Hamilton Branch Library

Starting today, Monday, November 17 through January 12, 2015, the Fort Hamilton Branch Library, at 9424 4th Avenue (@ 95th Street) in Fort Hamilton, will host weekly Monday meetings from 2-4 PM of the Chinese American Club, a bilingual conversation group.

Activities include language practice, music, movies, and discussion of current events.

All English-Cantonese and English-Mandarin

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Sidewalk Parking, Fourth Avenue

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Local School Overcrowding Linked to Illegal Home Conversions

According to a Brooklyn Daily report, residents of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst who blame an epidemic of illegal home conversions for overcrowded local schools complain that the city is failing to connect the dots.



To see if it could make Community Board 10 education chair Bob Hudock's point that school overcrowding and illegal conversions in Community Board Districts 10 and 11

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"The Life and Times of Enrico Caruso" at BRHS

At 7:30 PM on Wednesday, November 19, the Bay Ridge Historical Society will present "The Life and Times of Enrico Caruso" at Shore Hill Neighborhood Center (in the Community Room between the East and West Buildings), at 9000 Shore Road in Bay Ridge.

The event is free and open to the general public. Light refreshments will be served.

The featured speaker is Aldo Mancusi, founder/curator of the

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Lola Star Pops up in Williamsburg for the Holidays

The Raw Space

Lola Star will bring the glamour and glitter of Coney Island to Williamsburg this holiday season with a new Wonderland Holiday Gift Boutique at 193 Bedford Ave between N6th and N7th.



This pop-up offspring of Coney Island Boutiques will launch a new collection of Brooklyn-themed tee shirts, jewelry and collectibles, as well as offering an array of gifts, accessories, quirky

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"PJs for PJ", a Pajama Party for Pietro's Fight

State Senator Marty Golden has partnered with Pietro’s Fight to announce “PJ’S for PJ”, a December 18 fundraiser on for Pietro J. Scarso, a Bay Ridge boy battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The event organizers are calling on local schools to ask students to wear their pajamas to school on December 18 and to make a suggested donation of $5 to support medical research to find a cure for DMD

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Consumer Reports Rates the Affordable Care Act

According to Consumer Reports, "Obamacare" (The Affordable Care Act) for which the second annual enrollment period opened today, has been a godsend for the neediest Americans, but for higher-income families, not so much.

The White House reports that more than 100,000 people applied for healthcare coverage on the first day of the second enrollment period, with few complaints about the website -

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50th Anniversary Celebration for the Verrazano at Yellow Hook Grille

From 7:30 to 9:30 PM on Thursday, November 20, you're invited to join the Harbor Ring and the Third Avenue Merchants in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Verrazano Bridge at Yellow Hook Grille, at 7003 Third Avenue in Bay Ridge.

While toasting the Bridge's 50th, you can learn about the campaign to create a bicyle/pedestrian pathway on the Verrazano as part of the Harbor Ring, a 50-mile

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Bay Ridge Democrats Compile a List of Suspects

At a lively, well-attended post-election bull session last night at the Bridgeview Diner, progressive political club Bay Ridge Democrats and an invited panel of political wonks mulled the causes of the midterm rout on November 4 that saw Conservative Republican incumbents Marty Golden and Michael Grimm re-elected and Republicans seizing control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress and the New

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Enrollment Opens for New York State Health Plan Marketplace

NY State of Health, the New York State Health Plan Marketplace, provides individuals, families and businesses with under 50 employees with access to quality health insurance.

The Marketplace, administered as part of the Federal Health Care Reform Law, is for those who have no insurance coverage now or who have insurance (other than Medicare) but want to look at other options.

The Open

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Open House at Visitation Academy

On Thursday, November 20, Visitation Academy, a girls' Catholic academy (nursery through grade 8) at 8902 Ridge Boulevard in Bay Ridge, will host an Open House for prospective students and their parents. The Lower School will be open at 9 AM and the Middle School at 11:30 AM.

Visitation, a Gilder Lerhrman Affiliate, offers STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), web-based

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"First Bite" at Contrada

On November 17 at 7 PM (doors open at 6) Contrada, at 84 East Fourth Street at Second Avenue in Brooklyn, will host "First Bite", a reading of the first page of a selection of books published this fall, curated by Louise Crawford.

Free appetizers, a cash bar and a small plates menu from Contrada.  


Featured authors, who will be on hand to chat and sign books, are:  John Benditt, Cathy

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Fundraiser for Holy Cross Brookyn Outreach Center at Burger Up

On Tuesday, November 18 from 7-9 PM, Burger Up, at 8812 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host a Community Fundraiser to benefit the Holy Cross Brooklyn Outreach Center, a tax-exempt not-for-profit providing a wholistic program of spiritual, social and economic help to individuals.

For more information, call 718-866-7280 or email info@hcboc.org.

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Bay Ridge Tops Brooklyn in Rent Increases

According to AMNY, a new report from real estate firm MNS showed average monthly rent increases in Bay Ridge topping every other Brooklyn neighborhood last month.



Bay Ridge saw a 9.4% spike in average rents for studios and one-bedroom apartments in October compared to the same month last year. An average studio in Bay Ridge rented for $1,389 last month, compared to $1,157 just a year ago.

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Hunter's Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Verrazano Bridge

From 7-10 PM on Thursday, November 13, vocalist Martin McQuade, accompanied by pianist Pete Sokolow, will offer a program of song hits from the year 1964 ("Downtown", "Goldfinger", "Sunrise, Sunset", and more) at a Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Verrazano Bridge at Hunter's Steak and Ale House, 9404 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge.

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The Santa Shuffle 5K in Bay Ridge

On three days in three Brooklyn locations, Rockapulco Run will host the annual Santa Shuffle 5K, featuring walking, running, eating, drinking, and dancing.

The Bay Ridge event is scheduled for Saturday, December 6. The race starts at 11 AM. Registration and suit pick up are at Pipin's Pub, at 9701 on 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, from 9:30 to 10:45 AM.

The run will start and finish on the Shore

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Cornice, 7th Avenue

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"Just Like Embers"

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Bullshots Has Fired Its Last

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Bensonhurst Landlord to Serve Time in Deathtrap Fire that Killed Five

In a precedent-setting outcome, Vasilios Gerazounis, owner of the illegally-subdivided three-story brick building at 2033 86th Street in Bensonhurst where five Guatemalan immigrants died in a fire on January 30, 2010, pled guilty on October 15 to criminally negligent homicide and will be sentenced in February 2015 to 1-3 years in prison.

As part of the plea deal, Gerazounis’ real estate

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Curling Club Launched at Lakeside

The LeFrak Center at Lakeside, the only New York City skating facility to offer officially-sanctioned curling events, has announced the official launch of the Brooklyn Lakeside Curling Club.



The club hosted an open house on November 9 for curlers looking to brush up on their skills or to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, and hopes to add curling clinics and

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Small-Time Weed Possession Now a Ticket

As reported by the Daily News, the NYPD, starting November 19, will stop arresting people caught with 25 grams or less of marijuana, issuing a $100-200 ticket (summons) instead.





You can still be arrested for smoking weed the street, for looking stoned or for refusing to sign a ticket.



The practice of routinely arresting people caught with a baggie of marijuana goes back to the Guiliani

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The Gowanus E-Waste Recycling Center

As of January 1, 2015, it will be illegal for New Yorkers to put their old TV sets, VHS tapes and desktop computers out with the trash.

What then? One option is the two-year-old E-waste recycling center run by the Lower East Side Ecology Center at 469 President Street (@Nevins Street, a block from the Superfunded Gowanus Canal.)

E-waste recycling advocates Christine Datz-Romero and husband

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Ferns, Sterling Place

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Prop. 1 and the Illusion of Reform

On Tuesday, New York State voters, by a margin of 57-43%, approved an obscure ballot proposal that will establish a legislatively-appointed 10-member panel to draw the states' electoral districts.

Some good government groups supported the proposed constitutional amendment as an effort to end gerrymandering. Opponents countered that a legislatively-appointed eight-member commission that could

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Bush Terminal Pier Park Now Open

The ribbon-cutting for Brooklyn's newest park, the long-awaited Bush Terminal Pier in Sunset Park, will be on November 12.

The Sunset Park Restoration group, a park advocate since the 1990s, will be part of the celebration.

The city quietly opened the 11-acre green space earlier this week.



Open hours are from 8 AM to 4 PM.



Bush Terminal Pier is a former toxic waste site extending from

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Veteran's Day Celebration at PS 216

The public is invited to a Veterans' Day Celebration honoring the Jewish War Veterans of New York City and the members of American Legion Marlboro Post #1437, at 9:15 AM on November 18 in the auditorium at PS 216, at 350 Avenue X in Gravesend.

The event is an outgrowth of the bond of friendship and gratitude between the students of PS 216 and the members of Marlboro Post #1437.


RSVP to

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The Gentrification of a "Plague-Stricken Spot"

An 1833 Quarantine on Staten Island.

Writing for BKLYNR, a subscription-based indie site, Bay Ridge journalist Henry Stewart revisits the 19th century Yellow Fever epidemic that led to Bay Ridge's emergence as the "Greenwich Village of Brooklyn."



One of the most feared diseases of the 18th and 19th centuries, Yellow Fever is believed to have followed the slave trade out of Africa, killing

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Bay Ridge Democrats' Post-Mortem at the Bridgeview

In an email blast to its members, the Bay Ridge Democrats asked the pertinent question what happens, now that Republicans have seized control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress and the New York State Senate, in an election that saw a Republican overthrow of Congress for the first time in 8 years, and the state's lowest voter turnout since the early 1970s?


The club will convene a special

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"Gentrification Bingo" Arrives in Southwest Brooklyn

Brooklyn Magazine reports, based on new figures from Massey Knakal Real Estate, that with Crown Heights, Bushwick and Williamsburg having fallen to gentrification, southwest Brooklyn is its new target.

Building sales in Sunset Park, Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge have risen by 57% percent, according to M-K. And even with north Brooklyn real estate still red hot, southwest Brooklyn accounted for 25%

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Free Regina Opera Performance of Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" at OLPH

Free Performance with "Covers"

At 7:30 PM on Tuesday, November 18, Regina Opera Company will stage a free performance of Giuseppe Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" at Our Lady of Perpetual Help auditorium at 5902 6th Avenue in Sunset Park.





This performance, sung in Italian with English super-titles, will feature understudies (covers) in the featured roles, with piano accompaniment.  Gregory

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Brooklyn Preservation Council Meets at Scotto's

The Brooklyn Preservation Council will host its monthly meeting at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, November 12 at the Scotto Funeral Home,  106 First Place in Carroll Gardens. 


On the meeting agenda are reports on community concerns; the Sunset Park Historic District; the Carroll Gardens landmarking project; the Marylander Memorial Park Plan; and a related documentary film and book.


For more

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Vince Mazza One-Act Festival at St. John's Parish Hall

Brooklyn One Productions presents the 2014 Vince Mazza ONE/Act Festival November 7, 8 and 9, with performances on Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and on Sunday at 3 PM, at St. John's Parish Hall, 461 99th Street in Fort Hamilton/Bay Ridge.

Tickets are just $5.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit the website.

Check #mazzafest14 for Twitter updates.

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Ecce Cuomo

Will Democrats remember, four years down the road, Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez wondered, how Machiavellian Andrew Cuomo sailed to a second term as governor by throwing progressives under the bus?

To wrest the Working Families Party endorsement away from progressive Democrat Zephyr Teachout, Cuomo made a deal with the WFP's backers, including labor unions and other progressive groups, to

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PIYO at Baby Mama

On Sundays at 9, 10 and 11 AM and Thursdays at 8:30 PM, Baby Mama, at 90th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host hour-long sessions of PIYO Live, an aerobic hybrid of Pilates and Yoga.

All levels are welcome. Bring water, a yoga mat and a towel.

To register (advance registration required) email fitmomcoachk@gmail.com

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Greek School of Plato Texas Hold'em Fundraiser at Tom's

At 8:30 PM (doors open at 7) on Friday, November 7, Tom's Coney Island, at 1229 Boardwalk West, will host a Texas Hold'em Tournament as a fundraiser for the Greek School of Plato, at 479 81st Street in Bay Ridge.

Directions: Belt to Exit 68/Cropsey Avenue South/right onto Cropsey/straight to Coney Island/left onto Surf/right on Stillwell Avenue/restaurant at end of block on the Boardwalk

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A Grimm Reality

In a race that one Staten Island voter, interviewed by the Daily News, characterized as a contest between a "guy who can't speak" and a "criminal", the criminal won.

Conservative/Republican Congressional Representative Michael Grimm won a third term in a Republican-dominated U.S. House of Representatives yesterday, largely thanks to the Staten Island end of the 11th CD.


U.S. House - District

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The Lineage Project: Teaching Mindfulness to Incarcerated Youth

From November 12 - 25, Social Sutras, an online community-building portal for the New York City yoga community that curates yoga and philanthropic events, will host a series of discount classes to raise funds for the Lineage Project, a non-profit organization teaching yoga and meditation to at-risk and incarcerated youth.



This first-ever "Restaurant Week"-style celebration (@ #YogisUnite),

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Writing War: a Veteran's Day Reading at the Old Stone House

At 8 PM on Veterans Day, November 11, Brooklyn Reading Works, partnered with Words After War, will present 'Writing War," a special Veteran's Day reading featuring Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who write fiction and memoir, at the Old Stone House/Washington Park, 336 Third Street in Park Slope (F to 4th Avenue/R to Union Street.)

This year's program includes writers/memoirists/veterans

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The Disappeared

"Mid-Life Missing Persons", an item from Daily News columnist Linda Stasi, is the first mainstream media mention I've seen of something I've puzzled over in recent years: has the number of missing people in New York City been going up, or are we simply more aware of the disappearances now due to the proliferation of social media outlets like Facebook?

According to Stasi disappearances of

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Local Parochial Schools Get State Funds for Security Equipment

According to a media release from State Senator Marty Golden, he has awarded more than $68,000 in State funding to five local Catholic schools: St. Anselm Catholic Academy, St. Bernadette Catholic School, St. Ephrem Catholic School, St.Patrick Catholic Academy, and Holy Angels Catholic Academy.

The schools will use the funding to help buy surveillance cameras, intercoms, lighting, replacement

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A Choice We Can't Afford to Make

A cynical Daily News Editorial Board, chanting "Anybody but Recchia", has recklessly endorsed federally-indicted Conservative/Republican Michael Grimm over Democratic challenger Domenic Recchia in the bitterly-contested, high-stakes congressional race in the 11th CD.




While desperate times, as the Daily News says, call for desperate measures, the times aren't so desperate as to justify

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Happy Hallowe'en!

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Rachel Barton Pine at PS 321

Rachel Barton Pine in Concert

At 7 PM on Tuesday, November 18, Neighborhood Classics will present violinist Rachel Barton Pine in concert at P.S. 321’s Auditorium at 180 Seventh Avenue in Park Slope. Artistic Director Simone Dinnerstein hosts.

Pine will perform Bach’s Sonata in G Minor and selections from Paganini's 24 Caprices, Op. 1, plus new works dedicated to her by New York composers

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Metrocard Van at Marty Golden's Office

On Monday, November 3 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, State Senator Marty Golden will host the MTA MetroCard Van at his Bay Ridge district office at 7408 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge.



The Metro Card Van gives local residents the option of doing all their MetroCard business, including refilling Reduced Fare or regular MetroCards and getting MTA information, right here in the neighborhood.



For more

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PHDR Endorses Hawkins for Governor

According to an email from Raul Rothblatt of Prospect Heights Democrats for Reform, the progressive Democratic club, having "zero" interest in any other gubernatorial candidate, has endorsed Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for governor of New York.

It feels good, he said, to stand up for your beliefs.

Hawkins, Rothblatt said, is "thoughtful', "well-versed in the issues, and a "great

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EDC Kills the Rockaway Ferry

Addressing a crowd of local residents at a town hall meeting at Beach Channel High School days before the second anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Kyle Kimball, president of the city’s Economic Development Corp., said the $5 million a year it would cost the EDC to subsidize a schedule of weekly ferry service from Rockaway to Manhattan “didn’t make sense.”



According to the Daily News report,

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DiNapoli: Shorefront Mental Health Board Shorted Patients' Wages

In a Daily News exclusive today, State Controller Tom DiNapoli announced that Shorefront Mental Health Board, at 532 Neptune Avenue in Coney Island, a non-profit group that contracted with the state to provide mental patients with janitorial jobs, has for years been ripping off their wages.

According to DiNapoli's office, Shorefront has been paying its janitors only a third of the wages and

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Commodore Barry Club at Staten Island Borough Hall

At 12 Noon on Thursday, November 13, the Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn will parade to Staten Island’s Commodore Barry Borough Hall for a celebration of Barry’s contributions to the fledgling American republic.

Brooklyn club members will meet up at 95th Street and 4th Avenue in Fort Hamilton/Bay Ridge for a shuttle to Staten Island.

Wexford native John Barry immigrated to America as a cabin

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Dog and Bones, 95th Street

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Haunted Hallowe'en Walk and Fairytale Forest at Owl's Head Park

State Senator Marty Golden has announced the schedule for the 2014 Hallowe'en Walk and Fairytale Forest, from 3:30 to 9:00 PM on Friday, October 31 at Owl’s Head Park, 67th Street and Colonial Road in Bay Ridge.



Now in its 19th year, the event will again feature the Haunted Walk, the Fairytale Forest, a pumpkin patch, costumed characters, kid’s activities, arts and crafts, and a costume

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Yellen: Income and Wealth Inequality Fundamentally Un-American

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, speaking at the Conference on Economic Opportunity and Inequality on October 17,  voiced concern that the U.S. now has the greatest income inequality of any first-world country -- and the trend is seemingly irreversible. Higher than in the last 100 years, income and wealth inequality may now be at their highest point in our nation's history, she said.

While

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"Monkey See" at Tabla Rasa Gallery

Matthew Couper, Dead History, Oil on metal

Tabla Rasa Gallery, at 224 48th Street (between 2nd and 2rd Avenues) in Sunset Park, will present "Monkey See", a group show featuring the work of five painters opening on Wednesday, November 5 and running through Saturday, December 13.



Tabla Rasa Gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 1-5 PM. 

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5th Annual Small Business Saturday

This year, Small Business Saturday events will take place on Nov. 29 in communities across the U.S.  Small Business Saturday has emerged in just five years as the kickoff date for the holiday shopping season.



As an incentive for local merchants, American Express has again partnered with national advocacy organizations to recruit Neighborhood Champions in more than 2,000 American communities

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Frankie's Mission Fundraiser at Good Shepherd

At 7 PM on November 14, The Soul Cafe at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, at 7420 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host a fundraiser to benefit Frankie's Mission, featuring raffle baskets, a birthday board and a 50/50.

Admission is $15, and includes food, refreshments and door prizes.

For tickets, call Donna at 347-860-0301.

All proceeds will go to benefit Frankie's Mission, dedicated to

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"Cupcakes and Cocktails" at Garguilo's

At 7 PM on Friday, November 24, Visitation Academy, at 8902 Ridge Blvd. in Bay Ridge, will host an evening of "Cupcakes and Cocktails" at Garguilo's Restaurant, 2911 West 15th Street in Coney Island.

You're invited to bring family and friends for a sit-down dinner and the chance to win luxurious prizes, including designer goods from Tory Burch, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Salvatore Ferragamo,

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Fall Colors

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"Frozen" on Ice at Barclays Center

Disney's "Frozen -- On Ice" will play the Barclays Center, at 620 Atlantic Avenue, from November 11 through 16.

As every Brooklyn kid probably knows by now, "Frozen" is the story of two royal sisters, one with the power to turn the world into ice and the other with a team and a plan to thaw it out.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000, or at the Barclays Center box

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"Budrus" Screened at Good Shepherd

Peace Action Bay Ridge will host an interfaith screening of award-winning documentary "Budrus" at 1 PM on Sunday, October 26, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7420 4th Avenue (@74th Street/77th Street stop on the R) in Bay Ridge.

Budrus tells the story of Palestinian community organizer Ayed Morrar, who unites Fatah and Hamas members and Israeli supporters to save his village, Budrus, from

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Hallowe'en Party at Kelly's Tavern

Venerable dive Kelly's Tavern, at 9259 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host a Hallowe'en Party on Thursday, October 30.

The party starts at 8 PM, with dancing, a DJ, a guest bartender, drink specials, and a costume contest.

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Investors Bank, GEC Partner in Care2Share Affinity Program

According to a media release today from The Guild for Exceptional Children at 260 68th Street in Bay Ridge, it has partnered with Investors Bank, at 7123 3rd Avenue, in the Care2Share Affinity Program.



Care2Share helps tax-exempt non-profits like GEC by giving new and existing bank account holders the option of donating a portion of their account interest to a favorite charity.

Executive

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National Pit Bull Appreciation Day at AC&C

2-Year-Old "Missouri"

Pit bulls face a grim reality in New York City.  Due to their bad rap, they are forced into fighting, used as guard dogs by drug dealers, or get dumped at shelters. Last year, about 45% of the 10,864 stray dogs brought to New York City Animal Care and Control were pit bull mixes.

AC&C ends up with most of the pit bull mixes because, unlike the ASPCA, the Humane Society

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Brooklyn Lyceum Sold at Auction

According to an email from Eric Richmond, the Brooklyn Lyceum, the funky former public bath house at 227 4th Avenue that he re-purposed as a community arts and cultural center, has been bought at auction by a group of developers.



The buyers, collectively known as P.B. #7, LLC., got a windfall, Richmond said, given that the current value of the building+air rights far exceeds the underlying

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Lottery Opens for 1 BR Apartment at Shore Hill

State Senator Marty Golden announced today that a lottery has opened for a 1-bedroom unit (maximum occupancy two people) at Shore Hill Apartments, a Mitchell-Lama Section 8 housing complex at 9000 Shore Road managed by New York State Homes and Community Renewal.



The unit will go to an applicant selected by lottery from a 200-application wait-list. Golden urged all eligible local seniors to

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Scandinavian East Coast Museum's Annual Viking Essay Contest

Gunnar Sonsteby

The Norwegian population of southwest Brooklyn dates back to the original Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam more than 400 years ago.  Brooklyn Norwegians founded Lutheran Medical Center, the Norwegian Christian Home and Health Center and many other local institutions.

Every October, the Scandinavian East Coast Museum hosts an Essay Contest for children grades 4 through 6

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Subway Ridership Broke Records this Year

Subway ridership in New York City is at record levels. Last month, the record for single-day ridership was broken five times. On Tuesday, September 23, 6,106,694 customers rode the subway: the highest ridership on record. On four other September days, ridership passed 6 million, and the 149 million riders that month topped every other September for over 60 years.



The previous subway

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Jazz Nite at Good Shepherd

The Afro-Latineers

At 8 PM on November 8, Art on the Corner will host "Jazz Nite" at Good Shepherd Lutheran's Soul Café, behind the red doors at 7420 4th Avenue (at 75th Street) in Bay Ridge, featuring Latin-Jazz fusion group the Afro-Latineers and stand-up comic Addie Chung and Friends.

Doors open at 7:30 PM and performance begins at 8 PM. Admission is $30 per person, and includes food and

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Hallowe'en Crafts, Election Day Program at Ridge Creative Center

Hallowe'en Crafts

The Ridge Creative Center, at the First Free Evangelical Church, 6501 6th Avenue in Bay Ridge, is offering a Family Hallowe'en Crafts Event from 3:30 to 5:30 PM on Thursday, October 30.



For an admission price of $20 for two, plus $5 for each additional person, families will be provided with all necessary materials to create three boo-tiful Hallowe'en projects.

For more

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Golden Bill Would Enable Access to Decedents' Online Accounts

State Senator Marty Golden, who chairs the Senate's "Select Committee on Science, Technology, Incubation and Entrepreneurship", has introduced a bill, S. 6176, that would enable an executor to access a decedent's Internet accounts, including email and online bill-pay.

The legislation reflects a growing concern that, as more and more New Yorkers pay their bills and manage their finances online,

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Gentile Calls for Full "R" Line Audit

In a letter to the MTA, City Council Member Vinnie Gentile has called for a full audit of the R train line, the commuter lifeline for Bay Ridge.

Now that R service through the Montague Street Tunnel has resumed, after a year-long suspension due to Superstorm Sandy, Gentile said, riders complain that service is worse than ever:  not enough trains, late trains, and overcrowded old cars.

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Commodore Barry Club's Annual Dance Social at St. Patrick's

Bay Ridge-based Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn will host its Annual Dance Social from 4-8 PM on Sunday, November 16 at St. Patrick's auditorium, 97th Street and 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge.

Frank Keegan and Mary G. will perform Irish and American tunes. BYOB. Tea, coffee, beer, Irish soda bread and set-ups will be available.

Admission is $25.00 per person.

For more information, call 

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Bay Ridge Cat on Death Row

ID # A1017773

According to an email blast today From Neighborhood Cats, someone brought the spayed, ear-tipped feral cat in the photo at right to Brooklyn Animal Care and Control, where she is now on death row.

The cat, about five years old, was taken from between 3rd Avenue and Ridge Blvd. No cross street given.

If you are her caretaker, can assist in finding her colony or caretaker, or can

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State Board of Regents Approves New Graduation Option

Today, the New York State Board of Regents approved new regulations, applicable to current high school seniors, that will change the State's high school graduation requirements.

Where high school students once had to pass five Regents exams in order to graduate: one each in English, science and math and two in social studies, the new regulations offer a "4+1" option, requiring only four

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Box of Gourds, Sterling Place

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The Great Pumpkin at the Eco-Dock

From 2 to 6 PM on Sunday, October 26, you're invited to the "Great Pumpkin Sail and Oyster Fest" at the Bay Ridge Eco-Dock, at the 69th Street Pier in Bay Ridge.

Pirate costumes are encouraged.

The historic Hudson River sloop Clearwater will dock at 3 PM with a cargo of pumpkins and remain dockside for tours. The pumpkins will be distributed for children to decorate.


The tentative

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Mourning the Passing of Black Bed-Stuy

In a poignant Daily News editorial, Bedford-Stuyvesant native Ron Howell confronts his iconic Brooklyn neighborhood's passage from black to white.



According to the 2010 Census, Bed-Stuy's white population rose by 700% over the previous decade. That trend has only accelerated since. Thousands of blacks, priced out of the neighborhood where they and their parents grew up, are being forced to

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City Sees Record Level of Eviction Prevention Cases

In FY 2013, the Human Resources Administration, the City's Social Services Department, disbursed an unprecedented $121.6 million in rent to private landlords on behalf of tenants facing eviction. By comparison, HRA paid landlords only $48 million in FY 2005.




Housing advocates say they've never seen this many New York City tenants in trouble. One Bronx agency reported serving more than 1,300

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Brooklyn Housing Preservation Alliance Meets

At 7:30 PM on Thursday, October 23, the Brooklyn Housing Preservation Alliance will host its 5th meeting, in the basement meeting room at St. Ephrem's Rectory, at 929 Bay Ridge Parkway in Dyker Heights.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss ways of broadening the coalition, including community outreach and a possible town hall meeting in early November.

According to the announcement, a

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Blind Witch, 95th Street

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Local Fracktivists Host Kemmerer Fundaiser at Owl's Head

Owl's Head Fundraiser


Local fracktivists John Avelluto, Seth Kavanagh, Bob Muldoon and Cindy Trinh are aware of the huge implications fracking would have for New York State. That's why they're backing Democrat Jamie Kemmerer, the anti-fracking candidate, for State Senate on November 4.



They invite you to join them from 7-9 PM on Monday, October 20 at the Owl's Head Wine Bar, at 479 74th

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Commercial Re-Zonings, Exploding Nightlife, Threaten Mom and Pop

What can be done, beyond ranting about the hipster invasion, to preserve local small businesses in Brooklyn and beyond?

Mom and pop stores are part of the glue that holds neighborhoods together. They anchor the local economy; they play a role in neighborhood life; and they help create a sense of place.

In some parts of the city, like the Upper West Side, chain stores have practically been

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Oktoberfest at the Danish Athletic Club

Update: This event may have been cancelled. Call the DAC for further information.

You're invited to celebrate Oktoberfest from 6:30 PM on Saturday, October 25 to 11 PM on Sunday, October 26, at the Danish Athletic Club and Dining Room (DAC), at 735 65th Street in Bay Ridge.



The evening includes dinner, wine, Oktoberfest beer on tap, and soda. Live music by the Breidenbach Band, with the

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The "Vinnie Gentile" Lioni's Newest Hero

Brooklyn's legendary Lioni's Italian Heroes, at 7803 15th Avenue in Bensonhurst, will host a special Sandwich Naming Ceremony for Council Member Vinnie Gentile at 1 PM on Friday, October 17.

The "Vinnie Gentile" will join Lioni's menu of 150 sandwiches, all named for famous Italian-Americans, including the Frank Sinatra, the Robert deNiro, the Sophia Loren -- even the Scott Biao.



All are

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Recchia Fundraiser at Burger Up

At 7 PM on Tuesday, October 21, Burger Up, at 8812 3rd Avenue (between 88th and 89th Streets) in Bay Ridge, will host Democratic Congressional candidate Domenic Recchia's last fundraising event in Brooklyn before Election Day.

Recchia is challenging indicted Conservative-Republican Michael Grimm in the 11th CD.



You can RSVP online here.

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Important High School Admissions Dates for Parents

2014


Oct. 15-22 -- Late registration period for the Selective High Schools Admissions Test and LaGuardia High School audition.

Oct. 18-19, 11 a.m. - 3 PM -- Borough high school fairs:


Brooklyn: Sunset Park High School, 153 35th St., Brooklyn, 11232
Staten Island: New Dorp High School, 465 New Dorp Lane, Staten Island, 10306

Oct. 22 -- Release of SHSAT ticket and LaGuardia High School

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Donovan Cued to Replace Grimm?

Dan Donovan, Rudy Guiliani, Michael Grimm


Some Democrats have speculated that Michael Grimm’s bare-knuckle re-election campaign is driven as much by his fear of federal prison as his desire to serve a third term in Congress.  



Grimm's lawyers have moved to delay his trial, set to begin in December, to avoid the jury pool being tainted by Democratic opponent Domenic Recchia's negative

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David McCallum to Be Freed

Rubin (Hurricane) Carter's dying wish has been granted.

As reported by the Daily News, Bushwick native David McCallum, who has served 29 years for murder, is expected to have his conviction thrown out today.

Carter's advocacy, and a documentary by filmmaker Ray Klonsky, are credited with playing a role in Brooklyn D.A. Ken Thompson's decision to review the case.

Based solely on conflicting

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6th Annual Poetry Fest at Irish Arts Center

From November 7 to 9, the Irish Arts Center, at 726 11th Avenue/553 West 51st Street in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, and Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann, will co-host "Poetry Fest": the 6th Annual Irish Arts Festival , a three-day celebration of the Irish-American literary connection.

The event features 11 acclaimed contemporary Irish and North American poets, including Pulitzer Prize nominee

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Durian Man, Hester Street

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Call for Original Research Papers on Commodore John Barry

The Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn is calling for submission of 1,000-word research papers from college undergraduates interested in Irish-American history, incorporating their original research on the accomplishments
and life challenges of Commodore John Barry, father of the American Navy.

The contest opens on Monday, Dec. 1, 2014 and closes on Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. Entries must be

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Salvation Army Fall Flea Market

Starting at 9:30 AM on Saturday, November 1, the Salvation Army Bay Ridge Corps, at 252 86th Street in Bay Ridge, will host a Fall Flea Market, featuring shoes, handbags, jewelry, clothing, books, CDs and DVDs, holiday decorations, linens, toys and games, funky fashion, and a bargain table.

Refreshments will be offered for sale.

For more information, call 718-238-2991.

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Sandstone Ornament, Henry Street

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Howie Hawkins Hopes for 7-10%

As reported by Capital New York, Howie Hawkins, the 61-year-old UPS worker and fracking foe running for governor on the Green Party line, is starting to look like a real candidate, raising five times more money than he did in 2010: enough to staff up to 10 and score the support of a record 9% of voters in a recent Quinnipiac University poll.



Hawkins' 2014 rise began when the progressive,

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Superheroes Sought for 5K Fundraiser

The Super Ridge 5K Run/Walk will muster at 9 AM and step off at 10 AM (rain or shine) on November 16 from Narrows Botanical Garden in Bay Ridge.

Register for the event online here. Registration closes on November 11.

All proceeds of the event will go to the Making Headway Foundation, dedicated to the care, comfort and cure of children with brain and spinal cord tumors.

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Painting Pumpkins at Harvest Fest

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"Half-Way to St. Patrick's Day" Fundraiser at the Salty Dog

Starting at 3 PM on Sunday, October 19, the Bay Ridge St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee will host "Half-Way to St. Patrick's Day", a fundraiser for the parade at the Salty Dog,  at 7509 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge.

Live music by the Canny Brothers Band and Clann Eireann Pipes and Drum Band.

The donation is $20 at the door.

For more information, contact Frankie Marra at 917-975-5691.

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Gowanus Open Studios

From 12-6 PM on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, the studios of participating Gowanus artists will be open during the Gowanus Open Studios 2014 event, hosted by Gowanus Arts.

For more information and event listings, visit the Gowanus Arts website.

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BHPA at Candidate Debate at St. Phillips

Members of the Brooklyn Housing Preservation Alliance will be at the Dyker Heights Civic Association candidates debate on Tuesday, October 14 at 7:30 PM, at St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 11th Avenue and 80th Street in Dyker Heights (use side entrance on 80th).

At the debate, the BHPA will take the opportunity to question the candidates about how they would curb illegal home conversions in Bay

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Prop. 1 Pro and Con at Prospect Democrats for Reform

I first realized after the Bay Ridge Democrats meeting on Thursday that there is a split between two respected New York good government organizations, Citizens Union and Common Cause, on whether to vote "yes" or "no" on Prop. 1, a ballot proposal on November 4 that would amend the State Constitution to incorporate a new decennial redistricting process.  



That seems pretty important, given

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Regina Opera's "Gotta Sing" at OLPH

At 3 PM on Sunday, November 2, Regina Opera company continues its 45th season by welcoming 8-year old guest soloist Amaru Tupacyupanqui, an award-winning classical pianist, Sunset Park resident, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help student, at "Gotta Sing", a 2-hour concert of classical music, opera and Broadway favorites at OLPH auditorium, 5902 6th Avenue (N/R train or B-9, B-63, B-70, B-11, B-64

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Ridgewood's Rudy's Bakery and Cafe Turns 80

During the Seneca Avenue Oktoberfest Stroll from 12 Noon to 5 PM on October 25, Ridgewood's oldest German bakery, the venerable Rudy's Bakery and Café at 905 Seneca Avenue (M train to Seneca), will celebrate its 80th Anniversary by rolling its prices back to 1934, the year it opened.

On sale at just 80 cents a piece will be miniature jelly donuts, Linzer tarts, Black Forest cake, strudel (

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Annual Rummage Sale at St. Patrick's

Court St. Patrick of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas will host its Annual Rummage Sale from 8:45 AM to 2 PM at St. Patrick's Church, 9511 4th Avenue in Fort Hamilton, on Sunday, October 12.

If you have donations of costume jewelry, glassware, china, household items, holiday decorations, linens, collectibles, stationery, toys, artwork, etc., you can drop them off at the Rectory Meeting

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Norwegian-Americans Sought for Season 6 of Alt for Norge

Chicago-based O'Connor Casting Company has casting Norwegian-Americans from across the country for Season 6 of Alt for Norge: "The Great Norway Adventure," the Emmy-winning #1 Norwegian reality TV series.

Alt for Norge follows 12 Norwegian-Americans who have been flown to Norway and dropped into Norwegian culture to compete in a series of Norwegian-style adventure challenges. The winner takes

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Hallowe'en Spooktacular in Prospect Park

On Saturday and Sunday, October 25 and 26, the Prospect Park Alliance will host a weekend of spooky family-friendly events.

At the beloved Haunted Hallowe'en Walk on Saturday, October 25, zombies, wolf men, headless horsemen, witches, and other scary creatures will be lurking high on Lookout Hill.  Those brave enough to encounter them should head for Lookout Hill and Center Drive between 12

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WNYC Launches Online Public School Application Website

With 1,800 schools, New York City has the most extensive school choice system in the country, but it’s also the most complex and confusing for families


Now, WNYC has partnered with WNBC, Telemundo 47 and the Daily News to launch a new, improved version of award-winning SchoolBook.org, a public service website that offers parents the most comprehensive tools available to navigate the New York

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Mary Nolan a Paul O'Dwyer Award Winner

Brian O’Dwyer, Mary Nolan, Martin Cottingham 

At the Great Irish Fair in Coney Island on September 13, Mary Nolan, president of the Commodore Barry Club, received the Paul O’Dwyer Award from event chair Martin Cottingham.



Also present were Brian O’Dwyer, the late Paul O'Dwyer's son, and State Senator Marty Golden, who presented a state citation.



Paul O’Dwyer was an Irish-American

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"Early Autumn" at Ridge Creative Center

From 6-7 PM on Friday October 10, the Ridge Creative Center, at First Free Evangelical Church, 6501 6th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host "Early Autumn", its first children's art show.



In September, the RCC, a family-centric creative learning center, launched "All Arts After School," which focuses on artistic exploration, innovation and creation, incorporating culture, language, history, and

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Teachout, Wu Join Kemmerer at Presser

Bay Ridge Democrat James Kemmerer, challenging incumbent Republican/Conservative State Senator Marty Golden, was joined by Fordham Law Professor Zephyr Teachout and Columbia Professor Tim Wu at a presser at noon today at 76th Street and 5th Avenue, steps from the Bay Ridge Manor, the Golden family banquet hall at 476 76th Street.

The event drew about two dozen people, including half a dozen

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Thirsty Skull

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City Council Passes Tax-Free Transit Benefits Bill

According to Riders Alliance, the New York City Council has passed a bill, Intro 295-A, drafted by Council Member Dan Garodnick, that would save an estimated 450,000 MTA commuters an average of $443 a year on bus and subway fares by allowing them to set aside up to $130 a month in pre-tax dollars to buy Metrocards.


Under federal law, this tax break is available to workers only if their

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Restaurant Showcase Dinner at St. Bernadette

From 7-10 PM on October 18, St. Bernadette Church, at 8201 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights, will host a "Restaurant Showcase Dinner" in the church auditorium.

The menu will include delicious food, wine and desserts from some of the neighborhood's best restaurants.

Adult tickets are $35.00. Tickets for children up to age 10 are $20.00.

Seating is limited, so reservations are required.  The

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Sacred and Classical Music at Trinity Lutheran

At 7 PM on Saturday, October 11, Trinity Lutheran Church, at 9020 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host "A Night of Sacred and Classical Music", as part of its Monthly Classical Concert Series.

Each month, members of the La Forza dell' Opera Company perform selections from opera and classical music. Admission is free, but your $10 donation would be much appreciated. All donations go to support

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Annual Holiday Bake Sale and Boutique at Our Lady of Lebanon

The Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Cathedral, at 113 Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, will host a Holiday Bake Sale and Boutique on Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7.



Hours on Saturday are 10 AM to 6 PM, and on Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM.



The sale will offer baked goods, holiday gifts, clothing, crafts, plants, and holiday

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Brooklyn Lyceum Faces Auction

A 10-year-old legal battle that will determine the fate of the Brooklyn Lyceum, at 227 4th Avenue in Park Slope/Gowanus, could end this month.

According to a recent email from Eric Richmond, owner of the embattled community arts venue, he is back before Chief Judge Carla Craig in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York at 11 AM on October 16.

In a MoveOn petition,

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Sanders: American Electorate Heading into the Rapids

Addressing the disaffected American electorate in a campaign fundraising appeal last month, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, a leading progressive Democrat, cited the reasons why the threatened Republican takeover of the U.S. Congress in November would be disastrous for working families.

How disaffected is the American electorate? According to a recent Gallup poll, he said, 64% percent of

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Pumpkin Bin, Foodtown

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Thrift Sale at New Utrecht Reformed Church

On Friday, Oct. 17 from 4-8 PM and Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 AM to 3 PM, the New Utrecht Reformed Church will host a 2-day Thrift Sale at the church, on 18th Avenue between 83rd and 84th Streets in Bensonhurst.

Expect great prices on clothing, linens, shoes, Christmas items, and a lot more.

Kindly park your shopping wagons at the door.

Refreshments available for purchase.

All proceeds go

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Second Annual "Cancer Can't Kill Love" Benefit at the Leif

From 2 PM to 10 PM on Sunday, October 12, the Leif Bar, at 6725 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host the Second Annual "Cancer Can't Kill Love" Benefit Concert, honoring the memory of Joanne and Butch McGoldrick.

Free food, raffles and live music.

Donations will be collected at the door. All proceeds will go to "Stand up to Cancer" via the Cancer Can't Kill Love team.

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Bay Ridge Democrats at Bridgeview

The Bay Ridge Democrats' monthly meeting is scheduled for 7:30 PM on Thursday, October 9 in the back room of the Bridgeview Diner, at 9011 3rd Ave in Bay Ridge.



Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause NY, an organization dedicated to restoring core American democratic values and fostering open, honest, transparent government, has been invited to speak.

Local candidates James

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News from PortSide

You are invited to join Red Hook non-profit PortSide New York, headquartered aboard historic tanker Mary B. Whalen, at Hometown Bar-B-Que, at 454 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, for a Sandy recovery fundraiser from 6:30-9:30 PM on Tuesday, Oct 28. Your $100 donation buys you Hometown Bar-B-Que, beer and wine, and Dixieland jazz by the Red Hook Ramblers.



Your donation will support PortSide's

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The Commodore Barry Club Travels to Philadelphia

Phil Gilson Photo

The Bay Ridge-based Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn traveled to Philadelphia on September 3, where, for the past several years, it has taken part in ceremonies honoring the club's namesake, Commodore John Barry, the first flag officer of the U.S. Navy.


The commemorative event, hosted by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, took place at Penn’s Landing, at

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Gingko Berries

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Blessing of the Animals at Fontbonne Hall Academy

From 1-3 PM on Saturday, Ocober 4, you are invited to join students, faculty and friends in the Courtyard at Fontbonne Hall Academy, at 9901 Shore Road in Bay Ridge, for a Blessing of the Animals ceremony on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi.

All are welcome.

All pets must be leashed or in carriers. Owners are responsible for keeping their pets secured at all times.

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Maybe Monday at No Quarter

Tomorrow night, Saturday, October 4, at 10 PM, popular local bar band Maybe Monday, with special guest Charlie Kay, will play the No Quarter Tavern, at 8015 5th Ave in Bay Ridge.

Follow this link to hear samples of the band's recorded work.

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"He Resisted Arrest", 4th Avenue and 95th Street

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Golden Hosts Free October Events

State Senator Marty Golden will host the following FREE community events in his district this month:


MTA MetroCard Van. On Monday, October 6, from 1 to 3 PM, the MTA MetroCard Van will be at Senator Golden’s Bay Ridge office at 7408 5th Avenue. 
Free Flu Shots. Coney Island Hospital and Senator Golden will co-host a free flu shot clinic from 11 AM to 3 PM on Tuesday, October 7, at Our Lady of

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New Evening Hours at Gentile's Office

Acknowledging that working people may not be able to come in during regular hours, Council Member Vinnie Gentile has announced that, starting this month, his new office, at 8018 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will be open until 8 PM every Wednesday evening.

Here's the new office schedule:

Open Hours, effective 10/1/14 

Monday 9:30 AM – 5:30 PMTuesday 9:30 AM – 5:30 PMWednesday 9:30 AM – 8:00

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Big Changes at the Danish Athletic Club

According to the Home Reporter, there are big changes at Bay Ridge's last Scandinavian restaurant: the dining room at the 122-year-old Danish Athletic Club, at 735-42 65th Street.

The venerable club's president, Anne Mette Wisman, reported that the DAC has hired professional chef James Hotaling, whose resume includes the Sheraton Hotel, to head its kitchen team.

Under Chef Hotaling's

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Gentile's Illegal Conversion Bills

In an interview this week with CityLand, City Council Member Vinnie Gentile discussed two bills he has pending before the Council that would make it easier for the city to penalize developers who illegally subdivide single and two-family homes to create multiple dwelling units or single-room occupancy (SRO) facilities.

The problem the Gentile bills would address, according to Brooklyn

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Brooklyn Preservation Council at Scotto's

At 6:30 PM on Wednesday, October 8, the Brooklyn Preservation Council will meet at the Scotto Funeral Home, at 106 First Place in Carroll Gardens.

On the agenda are reports on the Battle of Brooklyn Blog, the Sunset Park Historic District, the Carroll Gardens landmarking, and the Marylander Memorial Park plan.

For more information contact Bob Furman at 917-648-4043 or email him at bobfurman1@

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Windsor Trio, S.L.I.C.E. Family Night at Good Shepherd

Windsor Trio and Friends




Keiko Asakawa-Golden


Chamber music group Windsor Trio will return to Art on the Corner, at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 7420 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, with "The Art of Transcription", a program of music for piano, cello and viola, at 3 PM on Sunday, October 12.

Windsor Trio members Mary Robb (cello) and Keiko Asakawa-Golden (piano) will collaborate for

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Demolition: 95th Street and Fourth Avenue

According to signage that appeared at the site this week, the two-story tan brick building at 401 95th Street (corner of 95th Street and 4th Avenue) in Fort Hamilton, owned by "J and J Property Management Group, LLC", will be demolished for a project to be completed in the summer of 2015.



The general contractor is Total Structure Management at 718-709-8400.



Originally built as a convent,

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Fumeroism NYC

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Itty Bitty Kitty Committee Seeks Volunteers

The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, a grassroots Bay Ridge animal rescue organization doing Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return (TNVR), cat rescue and adoption, seeks local volunteers willing to foster and socialize rescued feral kittens.



Once weaned, feral kittens need to spend quality time with humans, being regularly handled and petted, in order to become socialized. The cat-to-human

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"Mercy in the City" Author Kerry Weber at St. Augustine

Kerry Weber, author of "Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job", will give a talk on Monday, October 6 at 7:30 PM at St. Augustine Church, at 116 6th Avenue (between Park Place and Sterling Place) in Park Slope.

Weber is an associate of the Sisters of Mercy and the managing editor of America Magazine.

The event is

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How Charter Schools Became Political

Based on a Daily News report, only about 5% of public school students nationwide attend charter schools. Despite the rapid growth of privatized public education in New York City in recent years, charters still make up just 6% of the city's public schools.  So most city public school students will be in district schools for the foreseeable future. And while some charter schools are good, many

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Blessing of the Animals at Good Shepherd

At 10:45 AM on October 5, the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, at 7420 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host a "Blessing of Household Pets" event.

All are welcome.

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#BKFit Health and Fitness Expo at Industry City

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce will host family-friendly #BKFit Health and Fitness Expo, Day One of a week-long wellhess initiative, starting at 10 AM on November 9 on the Factory Floor at Industry City, 241 37th Street in Sunset Park.

The free event is open to the general public. For a nominal fee, vendors can join the Brooklyn Chamber and help grow its health and fitness sector.

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Protest March in Sunset Park

From 12 noon to 2 PM on Saturday, September 27, a protest march organized by El Grito de Sunset Park, Uprose Brooklyn, the New York City Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, Young Progressive Democrats, Sunset Park Restoration, New Yorkers against Bratton, and other organizations, took place from 46th Street to the 72 Pct. House at 29th Street along 5th Avenue in Sunset Park.

The protest was

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Cuomo Will (Probably) Debate Astorino

Rob Astorino

The well-deserved criticism heaped on Gov. Andrew Cuomo for stubbornly refusing to debate -- or even acknowledge -- primary opponent Zephyr Teachout has given the advantage to Republican challenger Rob Astorino, who Cuomo has agreed (after elbowing by the Daily News, Channel 7, Univision, and the League of Women Voters) to debate between now and the November 4 general election.

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Perch, 59th Street R Station

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CCRB Logged 1,128 Chokehold Compaints from 2009-2013

According to the Village Voice, the number first came to light this summer in the wake of Eric Garner's July 17 chokehold death: from 2009 to 2013, the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) logged 1,128 chokehold complaints.

Why hadn't the CCRB sounded the alarm, before Garner's death, about the number of chokehold complaints it had been receiving? Good question.

The CCRB, the only

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October 5-11 Is Fire Prevention Week: Does Your Smoke Alarm Work?

October 5-11 is National Fire Protection Association Fire Prevention Week. NFPA's theme this year is “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!”

Having a working smoke alarm in your home cuts your risk of dying in a fire by 50%.  Most American homes have at least one smoke alarm, but nearly 2/3 of people who die in home fires have no smoke alarms or non-working smoke alarms.

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Commodore Barry Club On the Irish Heritage Trail at Green-Wood

The Bay Ridge-based Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn took part in the Irish Heritage Trail on Saturday, September 6 at Green-Wood Cemetery.

The Green-Wood Trolley provided transportation; Ruth Edebohls guided the tour; the Irish-American Parade Committee's Kathleen McDonough coordinated the program; and Cemetery president Richard Moylan greeted club members.

Fr. James Cunningham, Pastor of

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Golden Hosts Hurricane Sandy Recovery Assistance Events

Town Hall Meeting at PS 277

At 7 PM on Thursday, October 2, State Senator Marty Golden will host a Town Hall meeting at PS 277, at 2529 Gerritsen Avenue. Representatives from a host of invited agencies will be on hand to meet with homeowners and help troubleshoot construction, financial or other problems that may have come up in the course of the Hurricane Sandy rebuild.


Build It Back Open

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8th Annual Senior Idol Competition at Xaverian

Update::

According to a media release from event host State Senator Marty Golden, Bobby Valli, brother of doo-wop legend Frankie Valli, in addition to serving as celebrity judge for this year's event, will perform a selection of "Four Seasons" hits during the intermission.

The fourteen senior idol finalists will perform a variety of songs, from Italian opera to American pop favorites.

The

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"The Great Bay Ridge Debate" a Republican Romp

"The Great Bay Ridge Debate", a poorly-publicized yet well-attended, media-swarmed event hosted last night by the Bay Ridge Community Council at Our Lady of Angels, a Catholic school at 74th Street and 4th Avenue, was a Conservative/Republican romp.



First up at the mike was embattled Conservative/Republican Congressional Representative Michael Grimm, who turned his "debate" with an absent

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Christmas Oldies Concert at St. Athanasius

At 7 PM (doors open at 6:30) on Saturday, December 6, St. Athanasius Church, at 6120 Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst, will host its 6th Annual Christmas Oldies Concert, featuring Herb Cox and the Cleftones ("Heart and Soul"), the Marcels ("Blue Moon"), LaLa Brooks of the Crystals ("De Doo Ron Ron"), the Manhattan Skyline ("Don't Take away the Music") , and Randy and the Rainbows ("Denise.")

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Middle School Art Test Prep at the Art Room

If your child is interested in auditioning for middle school art but you don't know where to begin the process, the Art Room, at 8719 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, has added to its regular private lessons a special group session for young artists preparing for the middle school fine arts test.

Starting on October 22, the Art Room will host a 12-week middle school art test prep course on Wednesday

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Blue and Black: Not Your Pappy's Barbershop

For starters, master barber Anthony DeAngelis' and retailer Keith Krystofolsky's Blue and Black, open Wednesday through Monday at 488 Court Street between 4th Place and Luquer Street in South Brookyn, is a barbershop and men's apothecary that welcomes walk-ins. But it offers residents of Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Red Hook and beyond a lot more than a haircut.



As highlighted in the Sept 22

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Bova: Golden a Straw Man

Speaking at last night's well-attended campaign launch for James Kemmerer at Bay Ridge bistro CEBU, Joe Bova, president of Bensonhurst's Stars and Stripes Democratic Club and a Democratic district co-leader in Brooklyn's 49th AD, characterized Kemmerer's opponent, longtime incumbent Republican/Conservative State Senator Marty Golden, as a straw man.

While he appears to be an unshakable local

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"Stations of the Elevated" Returns to BAM

From October 17 to 23, BAMcinématek will present Manfred Kirchheimer's newly-restored 1981 classic "Stations of the Elevated," returning by popular demand after a sold-out screening in June. Kirchheimer's 1968 short film "Claw", which critically examines urban renewal, will be screened in the same program.


Click here to view all showtimes and to buy tickets.

Kirchheimer will be present for a

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Poll: Recchia and Grimm Neck-and-Neck

According to a Daily News exclusive, an internal Democratic poll shows challenger Domenic Recchia, with an assist from some hard-hitting TV ads, pulling up next to incumbent Rebublican/Conservative congressional representative Michael Grimm, who had been leading him by 6 points.

The sample of 400 likely district voters, taken by GBA Strategies for the Democratic Congressional Campaign

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Closing Reception for "Outside, Inside" at Tabla Rasa

Aislap



From 2-4:30 PM on Saturday, September 27, Tabla Rasa Gallery, at 224 48th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) in Sunset Park, will host a closing party for "Outside, Inside" A Detour from Graffiti and Street Art," curated by Alan Ket. Admission is free.



The show features the work of artists Aislap, Cekis, Cern One, GHOST, Jan Kala, KET, Sofia Maldonado, Queen Andrea, Wane COD and

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"Black Radical Brooklyn" at Weeksville

Both "Funk, God, Jazz and Medicine: Black Radical Brooklyn", the free public art exhibition that opened today at 158 Buffalo Avenue in Crown Heights/Bedford-Stuyvesant, and its host, Weeksville Heritage Center, embody Black self-determination.

An intentional Black community founded by abolitionist James Weeks in 1838, Weeksville bestowed the right to vote (then limited to land owners) upon a

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Regina Opera at Dyker Library

Soprano Jessica Sandidge

On October 7 at 6:30 PM, soloists from the Regina Opera Company will perform a free one-hour concert at the Brooklyn Public Library Dyker Branch, at 8202 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights. (Public transit: Subway - D to 18th Avenue and 86th Street / transfer to B1 to 13th Avenue and 86th Street / walk 4 blocks to the branch, at 13th Ave and 82nd Street; Bus - B64 to 13th

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Bay Ridge Dems at CEBU

With Election Day on November 4 less than two months away and campaign season coming to a boil, Bay Ridge Democrats president Justin Brannan has convened a campaign launch event for Jamie Kemmerer, endorsed by the club in a run against incumbent Republican/Conservative State Senator Marty Golden in the 22nd District.

The event is scheduled for 7-9 PM on Monday, September 22 at CEBU Bistro,

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"Funk, God, Jazz and Medicine: Black Radical Brooklyn" at Weeksville

Creative Time and Weeksville Heritage Center will present "Funk, God, Jazz, and Medicine: Black Radical Brooklyn", a walkable month-long art exhibit featuring four community-based art commissions: Xenobia Bailey, Simone Leigh, Otabenga Jones and Associates, and Bradford Young.

Black Radical Brooklyn will launch from Weeksville, a historic Brooklyn community established by free and

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Brooklyn Republican Party at War with Itself

According to the 49th AD's Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Club, this empty storefront is the "disgraceful" result of a power struggle between Brooklyn GOP Chair Craig Eaton and State Senator Marty Golden, both from Bay Ridge.

The Brooklyn Paper appears to have sourced the story in April, 2013, after Golden, who suspected that Eaton was an unnamed player in the federal corruption case against

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Bay Ridge Jewelry Designer an "American Made" Finalist

Skyler Man, a jewelry brand created by Bay Ridge designer Alina Skyler, is a finalist in the Martha Stewart "American Made" Awards competition.



Through the 20-year-old competition, Martha Stewart and Martha Stewart Living celebrate innovative American design and spotlight the next generation of American makers.

Launched last year, Skyler Man is a fine jewelry brand featuring sylish, edgy,

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Expanded Hours at Some BPL Branches

According to an email blast from president Linda Johnson, the Brooklyn Public Library, thanks to additional city funding, will expand the hours of operation of some Brooklyn branches.



As of October 4, 41 of the BPL's 60 branches will be open for six or seven days a week -- up from just 25. Click here to see a PDF listing the branches with expanded hours. The Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton and

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Fundraiser for Domenic Recchia at the Lock Yard

At 7 PM on Thursday, October 2, the Lock Yard, at 9221 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge, will host a campaign fundraiser for Democrat Domenic Recchia, challenging incumbent Conservative-Republican Congressional Representative Michael Grimm in New York's 11th CD, comprised of Staten Island and Bay Ridge.

The suggested minimum donation is $75.

To RSVP, email Jeff Lewis at jeff@recchiaforcongress.com, 

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The 41st Annual Third Avenue Festival

From 10 AM to 6 PM on Sunday, September 28, the Third Avenue Merchants Association will host its 41st Annual Third Avenue Festival along Third Avenue in Bay Ridge.

The event features more than twenty blocks of rides, games, food, merchandise, outdoor refreshments, and live entertainment for the entire family.

For more information, call 718-745-3511.

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Ridge Creative Center Offers Rosh Hashana Holiday Programming

From 8 AM to 6:30 PM on Thursday, September 25 and Friday, September 26, Ridge Creative Center, at the First Free Evangelical Church, at 6501 6th Avenue in Bay Ridge, is offering full-day creative arts programming for children during the two-day Rosh Hashana holiday vacation break.

Included in the two-day creative arts program will be two art projects, a daily class trip and a daily snack.

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7th Annual St. Jude Children's Hospital Motorcycle Run

Registration will take place from 10 AM to 12 PM on September 28 at the 69th Street Pier on Shore Road in Bay Ridge for the 7th Annual St. Jude Children's Hospital Motorcycle Run.

The block party, hosted by the Spartan Greek Restaurant, will be at 6820 8th Avenue in Brooklyn, starting at 1 PM. Featured will be a pig roast, BBQ and other food, live music, a gift auction, and a 50/50.

The

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Marty Golden Hosts Chinese Cultural Week Celebration

From 12-5 PM on Sunday, September 21, State Senator Marty Golden will host the 12th Annual Autumn Moon Chinese Cultural Week Celebration in Leif Ericson Park, at 66th Street and 8th Avenue (N or B70 to 8th Avenue) in Brooklyn.

The event will feature Chinese song and dance performance, handicrafts, sweets, and food.

For more information, call 718-238-6044.

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20th Annual Bay Ridge Center Walkathon

Starting at 10 AM on Saturday, September 20, the Bay Ridge Center will host its 20th Annual Walkathon at 411 Ovington Avenue (6935 4th Avenue) in Bay Ridge.

Registration begins at 10 AM, with kick-off ceremonies at 10:30 AM.  The walk begins at 11 AM, with prize-winners to be announced at 12: 30 PM.

The walk will step off from the Bay Ridge Center, at 411 Ovington Avneue (Bethlehem Lutheran

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Ben Holmes Klezmer Trio at Bay Ridge Jewish Center

At 11 AM on Sunday, September 21, the Bay Ridge Center, at 405 81st Street (@ 4th Avenue) in Bay Ridge, will host a family-friendly concert by the Ben Holmes Klezmer Trio.

Advance tickets are $8 per person and $20 per family. At the door, tickets will be $10 per person ad $25 per family.

For more information, call 718-836-3103 or visit the BRJC website.

The Ben Holmes Klezmer Trio features

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Flea Market at the Bay Ridge Center

From 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, September 20, rain or shine, the Bay Ridge Center will host a Flea Market at 6935 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge.

For more information, call 718-748-0873.

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Fall Tennis Lessons at McKinley Park

Starting on Saturday, September 20, the Brooklyn Tennis Academy will offer Fall Tennis Lessons at McKinley Park, at 75th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway in Dyker Heights.

The programs offered include Pee Wee (ages 4-60, Junior (ages 7-16) and Intermediate (all ages). Adult Beginner Clinics will also be offered.

Call 718-745-7776 or visit the website for more information.

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