The following is from the Sheepshead Bay-Plumb Beach Civic Association:
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
CompStat reports are produced by the New York Police Department on a weekly basis. We summarize the week’s statistics for the 61st Precinct reports every Friday. The 61st Precinct is the police command responsible for Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Kings Highway, Homecrest, Madison, Manhattan Beach, and Gerritsen Beach.
Photo By Erica Sherman
Bayfest, Brooklyn’s largest waterfront celebration, is coming to Emmons Avenue this Sunday, May 19. This incarnation of Bayfest marks its 22nd year in existence as eight blocks of Sheepshead Bay’s waterfront will be filled with music, fun, and vendor-free booths giving out a slew of samples and product information.
This year’s Bayfest will include the usual mix of musical performers, raffles and kid friendly activities, but will also feature a big selection of Sandy-related recovery organizations looking to help rebuild the community.
You can also say hello to your friends at Sheepshead Bites as we’ll have our own booth and be giving away a few goodies.
Here are all the relevant details from the organizers:
SANDY RECOVERY INFO
We admit we got a very late start preparing for BAYFEST because we were so involved with post-Sandy efforts. At the same time, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to support the community’s long-term recovery from the disaster, and the event has come together beautifully. We’re grateful and pleased about the number and variety of Sandy recovery organizations that will be on hand, and their eagerness to meet with and assist residents still suffering from the disaster.
At this writing, two dozen organizations will participate in Investors Bank BAYFEST (with more signing on), making it the largest event of its kind in Brooklyn to date. We were able to put this list together with the cooperation of the Brooklyn Long-Term Recovery Group, which brings together organizations that focus on coordinating to address the various unmet needs of Brooklyn’s Sandy survivors.
Here is the list so far of the two dozen organizations that will attend Investors Bank BAYFEST, with brief descriptions of the types of assistance they offer:
- Alzheimer’s Association – scholarships for Medic Alert bracelets/necklaces (part of the Safe Return program)
- Arab-American Family Support Center * – case management
- American Red Cross * – case management including housing assistance, appliances, financial aid, referrals
- Asian Americans for Equality – loans and grants
- Bridge Street Development – temporary housing
- Brighton Neighborhood Association – mold remediation and other assistance
- Brooklyn Jubilee – pro bono legal assistance
- Brooklyn Long-Term Recovery Group – referrals
- Catholic Charities * – case management and a variety of resources and services
- Coney Island Hospital medical van – free checkup with a doctor, blood pressure screening
- Department of Financial Services
- Diabetes Education and Resource Center – healthcare
- Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol – emergency preparedness
- Lutheran Social Services – case management and a variety of resources and services
- Met Council – case management and a variety of resources and services
- Neighborhood Housing Services – loans; referrals
- Neighborhood Revitalization – professional mold remediation
- New York Cares – muck-outs, mold remediation, repairs, tax advice, volunteers
- NIA Community Network Services – financial counseling, debt management and reduction
- NYS Energy Audits – free insulation, appliances, weatherization
- NY Mortgage Coalition – foreclosure prevention, mortgage assistance, legal support
- Operation HOPE – insurance counseling, financial management guidance and support
- Project HOPE – counseling, and emotional and psychological support
- YaDestiny Treasure Chest – children’s clothing
Eligibility for services offered by some of these organizations is income-based. Some may require a FEMA number; others work with undocumented residents.
The organizations with an asterisk (*) do case management, meaning a trained, compassionate case manager works one-on-one with you to:
- Answer your questions about recovery
- Develop a plan to address your needs
- Connect you with appropriate community resources
- Determine what financial assistance may be available to you
- Advocate on your behalf with service and benefit providers
All of the case management organizations are 501(c)3 non-profits and participate in CAN.org (Coordinated Assistance Network), the American Red Cross’ membership database that works to prevent duplication of services. It may not be accessed by the government for any reason.
MUSIC
ReverbNation.com supported us again this year in our search for bands. Over 1,600 bands from as far away as Japan applied through their platform to play Investors Bank BAYFEST. We narrowed the list down to 300 bands within 25 miles of Sheepshead Bay that were family friendly and that sounded good in videos of live performances. We listened to all of them–twice. There’s a lot of good music out there! But we had to choose. In total, Investors Bank BayFest will offer 23 performances on two stages and eight blocks of Emmons Avenue.
Main Stage
On the Main Stage The Voice will meet American Idol, as Brooklyn’s own Adriana Louise(The Voice, Season 3) and Good Day New York’s Michael “Big Mike” Lynche (American Idol, Season 9) share the stage, backed up by the pro outfit East Coast Band. We’re bringing back two BAYFEST favorites: Stout, with their traditional songs of the sea, and rock ‘n’ roll fire-fighting bagpipers The Shots. New will be feisty, bluesy Amy Lynn & The Gunshow and Vinny Jett, who will give his rap song “Sandy The Homewrecker” a Brooklyn twist. Early in the day we give the DSNY a Lifetime Achievement Award and at 3:15pm the FDNY fireboat will do a display in the Bay.
Mobile stage
Indie sensation Darnaa is donating her performance and will perform on her mobile stage, which she is allowing other bands to use. Defying categorization, Band Droidz will warm up the stage for her, while top flight jazz artist Onaje Allen Gumbs and his band New Vintage, as well as soaring arena-rock band Face The King, will open the day.
Pier performances
Pier bands will include:
- Inner Situation
- January Jane
- Jose Polo
- SpinBox
- SanzEnd
- Two Cent Sam
- Annika Vitolo
- Giant Flying Turtles
- Michelle Ferreira
- Ghosts of Eden
- Nando Griffiths & Pure Fyah
- Daddy Rocker
KIDS FUN
- Arts & Crafts with A2Z Party and ScribbleShop (Tucker Park)
- Strolling cartoon characters
- Giant Bounce
- FDNY Smokehouse
- Face Painting
- Brooklyn Public Library storyteller (at their table)
- Harborlore “Fish Tales” storyteller (2pm, pier 4)
- NY Aquarium
RAFFLES & GIVEAWAYS
- 50/50
- Brooklyn Brewery gift certificate
- Circle Line tickets
- Intrepid tickets
- GNC men & women’s vitamin packs ($50 value each)
- Wheeler’s gift certificate
- JoMart Chocolates gift certificates
- More coming in…
The All Community Arts event will be taking place simultaneously east of BayFest on Emmons Avenue.
Blue387 via Wikimedia Commons
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is joining the effort to junk the new digitized voting machines in favor of bringing back the older and supposedly more reliable lever machines. NY1 reports that Bloomberg said during a press conference that bringing back the old machines might prevent a voting disaster in the upcoming 2014 elections.
We’ve previously reported State Senator Marty Golden and Councilman David Greenfield’s efforts to bring back the old machines, with Golden successfully leading the passage of a bill to bring them back in the senate. The bill then went to the Assembly, which has been lukewarm on it.
“We are not prepared in the Assembly at this point to bring back the lever machines. We think it would be a step backwards,” State Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh told NY1. “We are prepared to work with the city and the city Board Of Elections to change some of the rules that may allow them to run the runoff more quickly and more smoothly.”
Mayor Bloomberg’s voice adds to the growing groundswell of support to the return to the old machines. The decision would be costly as the new digitized voting equipment, mandated by federal law, cost taxpayers $60 million.
The Board of Elections has warned that it is unprepared for the upcoming mayoral elections, citing that votes cast with the new electronic machines cannot be certified fast enough to account for a potential runoff after the primary.
While the new voting equipment wouldn’t be ditched forever, an exception could be made just once for a local election.
Bloomberg urged that returning to the old machines could prevent a voting catastrophe.
“If we don’t do that, we are running a real risk of not knowing who the mayor is for months,” Bloomberg said at the press conference.
This image makes me feel so conflicted. On the one hand, “Yay, Nikon!” On the other hand, “Booo, smoking!” I like to tell myself that he is using the cigarette merely as a prop to lend a smoky effect to whatever he is shooting.
Photo by Max Bolotov
I’m Convinced.
Are we alone? Are the aliens visiting Southern Brooklyn? Here at Sheepshead Bites we have informed you on cases of mysteriously missing UFO hunters and the launching of a specialized UFO hotline but never an actual sighting.
Well, it looks like extra-terrestrial activity is indeed buzzing about our area. A reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent us the following e-mail concerning a UFO her grandmother was convinced she saw hovering over Manhattan Beach this weekend.
Good Morning Ned and Sheepshead Bites,
Ok before you send this e-mail over to trash bin, hear me out. I’m not one of those UFO believers who wear tin foil on their head walking around with a transistor radio.But yesterday night, around 9 pm, my grandmother, who lives in Brighton beach (Brighton 13th) with windows facing Sheepshead/Manhattan Beach area, drove me nuts last night, telling me that there was something cigar shaped, red/pale red in color hanging over one of the buildings towards the Manhattan beach area.She had somehow convinced my mother that there was something there as well, she lives in the same building as me, with windows facing the same way. I did not see anything.Today, when grandma figured out how to e-mail pictures, she sent me the picture attached – Apparently whatever the blue rectangle is with some light around it, is what she claims was glowing red and not something she had seen before.Anyways, was there any one else reporting something amiss in the neighborhood(s)?Sorry for the grainy image, granny’s phone is not the newest model.Also, please don’t use my name if you add this to the blog or facebook,( i feel ridiculous e-mailing this as is) You can use the picture tho.Thank You.
Well, clearly, based on the image above, it is time to call in Mulder and Scully, or the Men in Black or the Ghostbusters. Maybe we should call all of them. I think it’s important to catch these aliens before anyone gets unnecessarily probed.
Clockwise from top left: Theresa Scavo, Igor Oberman, Chaim Deutsch, Ari Kagan
It’s a crowded race to replace term-limited Councilman Michael Nelson of the 48th District, which, come next year, will represent almost all of Sheepshead Bay.
But, so far, it’s been quiet as the campaigns are just gearing up. But a good indicator of a campaign’s strength and public support is their fundraising, and yesterday the candidates submitted their finance disclosure forms to the Campaign Finance Board, revealing their fundraising success – or struggles – and giving a better idea of who’s in it to win it.
Shaniesha Forbes. (Source: Facebook)
An arrest was made regarding the murder of Shaniesha Forbes, the teenager found naked and burned on the shores of Gerritsen Beach. The New York Daily News is reporting that the suspect in question had thought Forbes was pregnant with his child.
The 14-year-old Forbes had disappeared from her Flatlands home last January after saying she was going to school. Her body was found a few days later, badly burned, on Gerritsen Beach.
City medical examiners found that Forbes had been asphyxiated before being burned on her arms, hands and legs in an apparent attempt to disappear her body.
The man arrested, identified as 20-year-old Christian Ferdinand, is said to be from Maine. Police sources told the Daily News that he killed Forbes after fearing she had become pregnant with his child. Medical reports later indicated that Forbes was not pregnant.
The arrest is the first step in the long road to justice being sought by Forbes’ devastated family. Forbes’ mother, Sandra Price, had spoken at a January press conference and expressed frustration at the NYPD’s failure to make headway in the case.
Ferdinand was charged with second-degree murder.
Source: The Snapper
The Shorefront Y will be teaming up with the Brooklyn Autism Spectrum Disorder Initiative (BASDI) to host its Third Annual Walk for Autism, this Sunday, May 19 at 11:00 a.m. along the Coney Island boardwalk, starting at West 10th Street. Registration starts at 10:00 a.m.
The annual walk aims to raise awareness and funds in order to create new programs and maintain vital ongoing services and programs to families living with autism and other developmental disabilities. All proceeds from the walk will benefit programs at participating BASDI organizations serving children with special needs throughout southern Brooklyn.
The 1.2 mile walk will conclude at the Shorefront Y, 3300 Coney Island Avenue, where there will be a chance to learn more about special needs programming, network with peers, and enjoy refreshments.
To register for this event, or to make a pledge, click here. To learn more about the Shorefront Y, visit www.shorefronty.org.
Park Ranger Colleen Sorbera Set Coley Free (Source: jamaicabayosprey.org)
The privacy of Coley, the majestic Osprey, has finally been restored after months of intense and warrentless government tracking. Coley’s release was seen as a calculated move by the Obama administration in their overall effort to quiet critical response to the revelations that the Justice Department had secretly subpoenaed the Associated Press’s phone records. Park rangers tracking Coley removed the GPS tracker attached to his leg, according to scientists updating the status of the bird.
Outside of being caught in the middle of a brewing Washington scandal, Coley has had an eventful year. Highlights included his winter migration to sunny Colombia, his dramatic flight back to Jamaica Bay, the discovery of his loose GPS tracker that if left unchecked could have endangered him and his mating habits, which has produced a new family of little ospreys.
Lately, the priority set by Coley’s trackers was the removal of his GPS tracker, which they successfully managed after weeks of difficulty in catching him. It took several attempts, but once park rangers finally nabbed him, they were able to safely remove the tracker, which hadn’t hurt him, and set him free.
With Coley set loose, the scientists now plan to track a new osprey to help complete their research. Whether or not the government researchers get direct permission from the future osprey in question remains to be seen.
