Daily News is reporting that a fifth staff member at James Madison High School is under investigation, this time a female gym teacher accused of “feeling up” a 14-year-old girl.
The latest scandal involves Madison High gym teacher Lisa Guttilla, 37, who was arrested Friday for feeling up a 14-year-old girl, police sources said.
The student attended private Poly Prep Country Day School, where Guttilla was a part-time volleyball coach.
The abuse came to light when the teen’s mother started asking questions about a hickey on her neck – and she confessed to sexy sessions with Guttilla between Jan. 4 and 9.
A complaint filed in Brooklyn Criminal Court says the teacher did “touch, grab, squeeze and kiss the [girl] about the breast and buttock.”
Guttilla has been charged with sexual abuse and child endangerment and sent to the infamous rubber room, a much maligned “reassignment” center where teachers continue to receive pay while awaiting disciplinary actions.
As you probably remember, back in December two female teachers, Alini Brito and Cindy Mauro, were caught in a classroom having a naked affair during a SING performance. Two days later it was revealed that another teacher, Allison Musacchio, was accused of inappropriate relations with a male student. Then, within days of that, Daily News discovered that a teacher had accused Assistant Principal Michael Edelman of sexual harassment.
Courtesy of MarineParker.net
We’ve been getting a lot of e-mails asking if we knew when the planned Walgreens on Avenue U and Bragg Street will open up, so we contacted management to ask. They’ve finally answered us and the plan is to open doors in the middle of March.
As MarineParker.net points out, the Bragg Street location will have a parking lot for 27 cars and landscaping, much like the Coney Island Avenue and Avenue W store. Unlike that store, which was the 7,000th Walgreens in the nation, there is no special grand opening planned. It’ll be a humdrum day with a few managers from the district office to welcome customers.
Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Association has invited principals from the community’s schools to come and speak at tonight’s February meeting about education issues. Those coming are Arthur Forman, principal of P.S. 195; Marie Timo, the principal of Bay Academy; and Joseph Zaza, the principal of Leon Goldstein High School. Though all three schools are in relatively good shape, it’s still a good opportunity to pick the brains of local leaders in education about all the madness our school system is going through, including closures and the rising influence of charters.
When: Tonight, February 1 @ 8 p.m.
Where: P.S. 195 @ 131 Irwin Street
Courtesy of Wikipedia
We haven’t been able to confirm it, but GerritsenBeach.net is reporting that Sheepshead Bay High School, John Dewey High School, William E. Grady High School, and FDR High School are set to close by the end of 2010.
We first wrote in November that administrators were considering Sheepshead Bay H.S. (3000 Avenue X) for closure, but at the time the principal denied the claims. Since then, the city’s list of “persistently lowest achieving” high schools swelled from about a dozen to 34, including the addition of the three other southern Brooklyn high schools.
The list of targets was created as part of a proposal for Race to the Top, a federal grant program aimed at encouraging states to be aggressive in fixing or closing their lowest performing schools. New York State stands to gain about $500,000 for every school it reforms using one of the federal government’s four models. New York Times describes them as follows:
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What is up with Chase Bank? Is it just me or is it spreading like a virus through the city?
Everywhere I turn in Sheepshead Bay and the surrounding area is another Chase Bank. Normally this might be considered a good thing, but I don’t think so. It was bad enough that Chase took over every Washington Mutual location when the FDIC handed the company to them. The logical assumption was that Chase would consolidate all their accounts, merge the staff together, and close locations that overlapped with another store. Boy was I wrong! Not only did they assimilate every location, they’re opening new ones!
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Employees at Brand Z For Less have confirmed that the business is closing on January 31st. There’s a big sign up at the 1805 Avenue U location. We haven’t been able to reach an owner to find out whether it’s a lease, business, personal or some other issue, but we wish the owners and employees the best of luck. ‘Til then, any speculation about what will become of the space?
A Tern photographed near the nature center by PhotoJeff via Flickr
…and you should answer! The Parks Department is having two local events this Saturday that you should consider attending with your family.
If you’re into bird watching then head over to the Salt Marsh Nature Center (Avenue U and East 33rd Street, directly across from Marine Park) at 8 a.m. The Park Rangers will be holding a “Birding Event“. Don’t ask me what that means but you’ll learn everything you need to know about birds!
After you’re done learning all about the birds (I wonder if they’ll teach you anything about bees too?), head over to the Coney Island Boardwalk (West 10th Street entrance) for a Marine Mammal Watch. You’ll be looking for seals, whales, and dolphins. Don’t expect any people in the water unless the Polar Bears are out and about!
Both events are courtesy of the City Parks Deparment and provide a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning. If you need any more information then call (718) 421-2021.
If you’re still looking for more to do, the Salt Marsh Nature Center will also hold a Book Blitz on Sunday at 3 p.m. and a Nature Lecture with Dr Judith Weiss on Monday @ 7 p.m.
Below is an e-mail exchange I had with a reader today regarding the controversial plans to build a mosque at 2812/2814 Voorhies Avenue (and here). The reader believed I reported on the issue with a preconceived opinion that supported the plans to build. In reality, the situation is more complicated, and I caution against any knee-jerk responses in any direction. I’m publishing these letters because in my conversations, people who were against the mosque couldn’t believe that I’d defend it, while people who were for it couldn’t believe that we thought the opposition was anything more than racist. I believe the letters below explain, at least in part, the thought process guiding our coverage. I welcome your input.
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Last week we wrote that we walked by Fuel Restaurant & Juice Bar at 1715 Sheepshead Bay Road and they appeared to be closed. We said we weren’t sure if it was a permanent closure, a renovation, or something else. As luck would have it, they reopened. Apparently there was a problem with a broken pipe that forced them to close for less than a week. They’re now fully reopened and operating as usual.
On a side note, we got a call from the business’s owner, Talyan Yialztz, who was none too happy about our reporting. He claimed it was inaccurate and made him lose business. If that’s true, we regret any inconvenience and remind all of our readers that unless we note confirmation from the business owner or an authority (which we usually attempt to provide), all of our information is based on simple observation.
- with additional reporting by Arthur Borko, who demands credit for everything but never gets it. Ever.
Courtesy of GerritsenBeach.net
Approximately 300 people turned up for Tuesday night’s Community Board 15 meeting, where opponents of a Sheepshead Bay mosque were expected to seek the board’s support.
Sheepshead Bites couldn’t make it to the meeting, but we asked GerritsenBeach.net (GB.net) to check it out for us and we’ve also picked up additional details from attendees and board members.
From attendee reports, we’ve learned that of the nearly 300 people who came out, 75 percent were in support of the mosque. GB.net writes, “There was nothing really to report other than this was a show of force. A lot of people who may or may not be from the area in question supporting the mosque.”
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