A record-breaking 1,500 people hit the shores of Coney Island on Saturday for the Polar Bear Club’s annual swim.
The waters were a brisk 35 degree, but that didn’t stop revelers from diving in, with many wearing nothing more than a speedo.
Ever wonder what that must feel like?
“It was like 10,000 knives stabbing you at once!,” Tim Henshall told the Daily News. “It’s a great way to remind you you’re alive.”
It’s true; when I need a reminder that I’m not dead, I stab myself repeatedly.
Luckily for us, reader Lloyd Mitchell was on hand to take these shots. Thanks Lloyd!
See the photos.
Alishba Waseem (Source: CBS 2)
Brooklyn’s first baby was born at Coney Island Hospital just seconds after the stroke of midnight, hospital officials said.
Weighing in at 7 pounds and 3 ounces, Alishba Waseem Rasool, arrived at Coney Island Hospital at 12:00:05 a.m. on January 1, making her the third child of Mill Basin couple Mehnaz and Muhammad Waseem Khan.
“I was about to do my last push and then the whole staff counted down for me like when it was 10 seconds left [to midnight],” Rasool told 1010 WINS.
Both the child and her mother are doing well, the hospital reports. Big brother Aimen, 7, and big sister Anisha, 6, await the homecoming of their little sister.
“We are honored to deliver baby girl Rasool at Coney Island Hospital and want to wish her a very happy birthday,” said Dr. Toni Stern, Chair OB/GYN, Coney Island Hospital. ”In 2010 we helped bring over 1200 newborns into the world and today we join Mr. and Mrs. Khan in celebrating the birth of their little girl in the first few seconds of 2011.”
But baby Rasool isn’t the only “first Brooklyn baby of 2011.” The honor is split this year between her and another little girl, delivered at SUNY Downstate, named Princess Avana Andrews.
City Hall (Source: council.nyc.gov)
With just about all of the roads finally clear, outrage at the city’s bungled response to the December 26 blizzard is now spreading beyond the Mayor’s office and the Sanitation Department. Flatbush Scoop, a blog owned by Yeshiva World News, is laying into our local City Council representatives for being MIA as residents struggled to cope.
Continue Reading »
January 3. The first Monday of the New Year. That’d be 2011, if you hadn’t figured it out.
And if you hadn’t figured it out, your number one resolution should be to work on your powers of observation.
But that’s what this is all about. Resolutions. Because it’s the first Monday of the New Year, and that means we’re obligated to talk about resolutions.
What’s yours? Wait. Before you answer that, we don’t want to hear about the stuff like, “I want to quit smoking,” or, “I want to lose weight.” What do you think this is, News 12?
No, we want to hear your more interesting resolutions. “This year I will give money to homeless people, not syphilis,” or, “I want to reduce the number of hookers I bury in my basement.”
Stuff like that. Lay it on me. What’s your crazy New Years resolution?
Feel free to make stuff up. This is a no judgement zone.
This year was a terrific time for Sheepshead Bites, as the site grew beyond expectation and its content matured. We’re writing stronger pieces every day, burrowing deeper into the heart of the community. We’ve welcomed some talented new additions to our team, and launched new features we hope help you feel more connected to the neighborhood. Expect more of that in 2011.
All of it, every single bit, is thanks to each and every one of you. On these joyful occasions - New Years, Thanksgiving, etc. – I get to embark on the task I enjoy most: thanking all of you. The readers, commenters and tipsters make this site so much more than just a news site. It’s a hub where the Sheepshead Bay community is reflected and strengthened; it bridges the divide between digital communities and concrete neighborhoods.
Thank you all for being a part of this rewarding endeavor. I look forward to serving all of you in 2011.
Have an excellent New Year, filled with happiness, health and prosperity!
Budget cuts will cause major Sanitation problems in 2011. (Photo by Paypaul)
Heading into 2011, there are already some hints to which issues will drive local news coverage throughout the year. Here’s what we think will be the major focus for the next 365 days.
Read our list of stories to expect in 2011.
My favorite photo of 2010. In just 10 hours, the year is as over as this fish.
With 2011 just hours away, it’s time for Sheepshead Bites’ Top 10 list. It’s been a huge year, too. We had mosques, garbage, plows and concerts. Television shows and meeting videos and movie theater shutdowns (not to mention bed bugs!). It was the year of dead bodies found floating in the Bay, disastrous storms and douchebag eyeglass retailers.
It was also the year Sheepshead Bites was named Best Local Blog in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and was put on a list of most promising local news initiatives nationwide.
It’s been a good year.
We’ve gone through the site’s statistics for 2010 and discovered that these 10 stories snagged the most eyes from those in the neighborhood and beyond.
See our Top 10 stories of 2010 list!
Five days after the Boxing Day Blizzard dumped two feet of snow on Sheepshead Bay, numerous side streets in Southern Brooklyn communities still have not seen a plow.
My street – photographed today above, as well as in the photo comparison to Mayor Bloomberg’s block – has seen the snow level off and compacted as numerous cars made the attempt down the road since the snowfall. Some vehicles are still getting stuck – we witnessed one as recently as late last night – but most get down the icy path at a cautious 5-or-so miles-per-hour.
With more vehicles on the road today and a nice 40+ degree weather forecast, it looks like nature and wear will do would the city couldn’t.
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.
