Golden NYPD Letter Contradicts Statement On Mosque Spying

By on October 24, 2012  Featured story, Politics
Oct 242012
 

The dome of a Bay Ridge mosque peaks into the middleground, with church in background [Image source: Wikipedia Commons].

At a recent candidate forum, State Senate hopeful Andrew Gounardes pointed out some contradictory statements made by his opponent Marty Golden about the New York Police Department’s mosque surveillance program.

At the forum, which was hosted by the Arab American Association of New York, State Senator Marty Golden claimed to be against the NYPD Demographics Unit’s controversial infiltration of Muslim groups – An initiative that has once again come under criticism after a former NYPD informant told the Associated Press that he was paid to “create and capture” terrorist suspects by “baiting” fellow Muslims to discuss waging attacks. Continue reading »

After a Resounding Primary Victory in the 46th District, a Brief Look at Tom McCarthy

By on September 17, 2012  Featured story, Politics
Sep 172012
 

Image source: assembly.state.ny.us.

After “political newcomer” Tom McCarthy’s resounding 70 percent victory over local district leader Lucretia Regina-Potter for the 46th Assembly District’s Republican primary, some of you might be asking yourselves, “Who is Tom McCarthy?” Continue reading »

Have Drug Dealing, Flower Pot Wielding Goons Taken Over 73rd Street?

By on September 4, 2012  Featured story, News
Sep 042012
 

Beautiful but deadly (Image source: *水華* via Flickr).

Residents of 73rd Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue say police from the 68th Precinct haven’t done enough to stem all the drug dealing, noise, and WWE-style violence on their formerly peaceful block, as reported by Will Bredderman for Brooklyn Paper. Continue reading »

Vendy Awards Name Food Cart Vendor Most Heroic, Despite Alleged Illegality

By on August 22, 2012  Business
Aug 222012
 

The last time we checked in on the 5th Avenue food cart battle, elected officials including Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and City Councilman Vincent Gentile had begun to weigh in. Then Brooklyn Paper’s Will Bredderman reported the news that Sammy Kassen – who doesn’t actually have a vendor permit, was renting his Middle Eastern Halal Cart from the permit holder which, according to city law, is illegal.

But that didn’t stop the Vendy Awards – an annual rundown of the best mobile food vendors in NYC, from naming Kassen the “Most Heroic Vendor” of 2012 for defending his turf from an alliance of brick and mortar businesses organized by Lone Star Bar owner Tony Gentile [no relation to Councilman Gentile] called Save Our Streets. Continue reading »

With Neighbors Fed Up, Another Victorian Slowly Bites The Dust

By on August 16, 2012  Real Estate
Aug 162012
 

Every time someone neglects an older home, “This Old House” host Kevin O’Connor quietly weeps.

Homeowners living on either side of a neglected 83rd Street property fear their Victorian-era wood frame neighbor could be in danger of an imminent Ovington Avenue-style collapse, and are asking the city for help, as reported by Will Bredderman for the Brooklyn Paper.

After dealing with insects, animals and trespassing teens for years, residents Danielle Basso and Siu Leung say that enough is enough, as it looks like the historic home might have to be brought down before it falls under its own weight.

“I’m scared,” Basso, a mother of three, told Brooklyn Paper. “It’s unfortunate, because it’s a beautiful structure, but it should be torn down.”

Basso said she and her husband have paid to have the bee and termite-infested house fumigated in order to prevent the pests from crossing over the property line to their home. Continue reading »

Two Cars Go Wheeless In One Week As Thefts Continue To Pose Problem

By on August 6, 2012  News
Aug 062012
 

In the Youtube video shown above, which was apparently taken in May of 2010, thieves make quick work of a complete set of car wheels on 73rd Street.

More recently, two different Bay Ridge drivers returned to their parked cars only to find them sans wheels during the last week of July – as car rim and tire thefts continue to pose a major headache for car owners in Southwestern Brooklyn and beyond.

According to Brooklyn Daily’s Will Bredderman, who writes about both incidents in this week’s police blotter, one crime occurred on Shore Road sometime on or before July 26, with a second happening on Bay Ridge Parkway on July 26. Continue reading »

The Condemned House With 100 Fathers – Gentile and Golden both take credit for demolition of vacant 79th street home

By on August 1, 2012  News, Politics
Aug 012012
 

It wasn’t long after neighbors learned that a vacant raccoon-infested house on 79th Street would be demolished that Democrat City Councilman Vincent Gentile, and Republican State Senator Marty Golden both began to take credit for it. And not in the “caring means sharing” kind of way either.

In an article posted yesterday on Brooklyn Paper’s website, Will Bredderman writes that just “moments after the city’s Housing, Preservation, and Development announced its plans to condemn the derelict house between Third Avenue and Ridge Boulevard, Golden (R–Bay Ridge) put out a press release claiming responsibility for the decision.”

The statement put out by Golden’s office, which made the claim that they have worked “over the years to see that this property is regularly inspected and conditions are checked by the Health and Buildings Departments,” lead Councilman Gentile – who says he has recently spent time tracking down the property’s owner, to fire off a statement of his own. Continue reading »

Mad At Mousa: Bay Ridge residents fed up with owner of collapsed Ovington Ave property

By on July 17, 2012  Real Estate
Jul 172012
 

“It’s still good, it’s still good!” (Image Source: Bobolink via Flickr)

Some call him “controversial.” Others, notorious.

No matter how contentious a label you pin on neglectful Bay Ridge landlord Mousa Khalil, you can be sure to find others who agree with you, as reported by Will Bredderman in a pleasingly pointed piece for the Brooklyn Paper.

As owner of the Ovington Avenue property that collapsed on Sunday night, Khalil – and his real estate holdings – have once again been thrust into the local media spotlight.

Of course Khalil’s investments have incurred the scorn of neighbors for years. And locals claim that Khalil – who currently owns more than 20 parcels in Bay Ridge – has been buying up properties only to let them fall apart for at least as long. Continue reading »

Ridiculous iRobberies Abound: Muggers can’t seem to get enough iStuff

By on July 6, 2012  Featured story, News
Jul 062012
 

Image source: Tony Buser via Flickr.

The Brooklyn Paper’s Will Bredderman reports that the current trend of ithefts – perpetrated by muggers who seem to be almost exclusively on the lookout for Apple products – continues, although the incidents are certainly not limited to Southwestern Brooklyn.

Here are a few examples from the weekly newspaper’s Police Blotter:

Brutal beating

A pair of lowlifes battered a Bay Ridge woman for her iPhone in the middle of the afternoon on June 30, according to police.

Apparently, a woman was walking along one of Bay Ridge’s avenues in the vicinity of 64th Street and 65th Street at around 2:30 in the afternoon when she was thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly. While the victim managed to hold onto her purse, her “$800 phone” was taken. Continue reading »