SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

In addition to break-ins and thefts, Sheepshead Bay residents need to worry about out of control drivers at night. One reader sent in these photos of cars that were struck by traffic. The BMW was hit as recently as Sunday night on Coyle Street and Shore Parkway, while the van has sat at Avenue Y near Bedford Avenue for more than a week. We’ve seen dozens more like this in the area. Sheepshead Bites is reminding you to park in a well-lit section of the street whenever possible, and avoid the corners. Not only will it protect you from break-ins, but cruddy drivers will have an easier time seeing you.

See more photos of overnight accidents

For those goys among us, “Hetsken zich!” is Yiddish for “Shake and dance with joy!” And there’s good reason to do so: Orthodox hip-hop maven DeScribe is coming to the Chabad of Sheepshead Bay this Sunday to drop some knowledge bombs on Jewish youth. Oh, and there’ll be sushi, too.

In the vein of the Jewish reggae megastar, Matisyahu, DeScribe blends the experiences and beliefs of the chosen people with hip-hop beats. Also known by his real name, Shneur Hasofer, he’s been called a “homeland grown gangsta for peace,” by Jewcy.com. DeScribe was born in Australia, moved to Israel as a child, and served as a sharpshooter in the Israeli army, before moving to Seaside, Brooklyn. It’s those experiences, specifically his ties to the Orthodox community and his service on the Israeli frontlines, that he’ll be discussing with younguns on Sunday.

Chabad House, located at 1315 Avenue Y, is inviting all from the community to join them at 7 p.m. and to make the deal sweeter, it’s a suggested donation of only $5.00.

Below is a music video from DeScribe’s iSong. For more of his music, check out his website.

As Niklas, the reader who sent this in, said, “How many traffic signs are needed to get the message to a driver?”

Gross waste of taxpayer money #938

Shopping carts photographed early New Year's Day. (Photo courtesy of a reader)

We would have had our picture posted since last week, but we were recovering from a serious hangover that lasted a couple of days.  Believe me, I would take a serious hangover like that one any day over having to spend a night in the slammer – which is where I and Party City, over here, were almost headed.

You see, we figured we would roll out the old year and ring in the new one by doing what everyone else in the neighborhood is, apparently, doing – drink it up — when some rookie cop started walking toward us at the corner of Avenue Y and East 27 Street. Just before he made eye contact, I threw my drink cup on the ground (if you look closely, you can see the cup in the picture).  He started questioning us, “Don’t you guys know it’s illegal to drink alcohol on a public street?, How old are you kids, anyway?, Where’s your ID?, Don’t you guys have a bed you can find yourself in, tonight?”

We were already drunk, but we managed to come up with some answers real quick: “See a drink in my hand, officer? We’re older than you think.  Don’t let our good wheels fool ya. Check our ID right there on the handle. That cart over there is Party City. He lost his voice when a car hit him, a couple months ago. Sure, officer, we’ll get right home, just this minute.”

Man, was I scared, ‘cuz Party City is a minor. I just wanted him to keep quiet, so I lied to keep him from having to talk. We tried to roll off into the night as the flat foot walked away, but, to tell the truth, our wheels were like liquid and we both just crashed right into the pole and the postal box.

Man, that was a rough New Year’s Eve and a tough couple days after, but would we do it again? Apparently, research shows that terrible hangovers don’t limit future liquor consumption. So, yes, I guess, you’ll see us drunk as a skunk around the streets of Sheepshead Bay, sometime in the near future.

Happy Belated New Year’s, everyone!

One good thing about all the new condos in the area? They get rid of trees.

Wait, what? How can that possibly be good? Well, it appears Sheepshead Bay has an ongoing battle with trees falling on cars. This sucker (the branch, not the car owner) fell on top of a fancy-shmancy BMW on East 21st Street and Avenue Y. For the most part, it appears the car is undamaged. Except for the gaping hole left in the windshield.

I suppose the owner can always tell his friends it’s the latest accessory to compensate for his impress the ladies. “Look, gals! Who needs a spoiler? Ground effects are for pussies. I have the Air Circulator 4000GS. My hair will look like I drive a convertible with the top down, but I don’t!”

Here’s the rest of that sucker (again, the branch – not the car owner).

The sidewalk is being repaired on Avenue Y near the corner of East 18th Street in front of Super Stop and Shop. Continue Reading »

The photo above shows a large amount of Autumn leaves collected on East 19 Street between Avenue X and Avenue Y. In the late afternoon of Thursday, November 5, 2009 many of the car owners have already moved their vehicles in preparation of the alternate side of the street cleaning rule that prohibits parking from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The following picture was taken Friday, November 6, 2009 at about 10:30 a.m., before cars even had a chance to rush into some of the spots. It’s quite apparent that no street cleaning truck came by during the designated hours, because the leaves from the day before are still there.

It is quite a common occurrence to see the streets remain unswept. Meanwhile, residents who need a parking spot are forced to go scrambling or risk a swift ticket slapped on their cars at 8:31 a.m.

Over at The Alternate Side Parking Reader, blogger MJN is busy tracking his/her parking adventures around an even more remote part of New York City — the Rockaways. With the city’s many annoying and nightmarish parking regulations, we could probably turn Sheepshead Bites into a similar site documenting residents’ complaints about how car owners are being penalized for simply owning a vehicle. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have many other things to complain and brag about.

Let’s hear from you, readers: Should the NYC Department of Transportation turn over a new leaf and abolish Alternate Side of the Street Parking rules or would you prefer for them to continue cleaning up (your wallets, that is)?

One early morning not so long ago when we would normally expect school children to be settling into their first class, an entire school of them were instead calmly but determinedly walking the streets.

Normally, for a school fire drill, P.S. 254 students line up in the schoolyard and on the sidewalks around the school. Since the schoolyard is under construction, we figured that the children had to wait somewhere else for the drill to be over.

Supervisors and teachers, were holding manuals, binders, instructions, and signs while directing traffic and leading the children all the way to Ocean Avenue from the school at 1801 Avenue Y. They were concentrating so intently on getting the children away from the school that none of them heard me as I tried to ask about what was going on. Adding to the seriousness of this drill were a number of police cars parked at the major intersections.

Later, a conversation with one of the school crossing guards revealed that this sober march was actually nothing out of the ordinary. Since the September 11 tragedy, the Department of Education has instituted a special evacuation drill. The evacuation drill differs from a fire drill in that students are escorted to another school in the area, instead of waiting at the building’s perimeter.

The evacuation drill is similar to regular fire drills in that the students are given no warning and are not given any time to get their coats or bags, thus allowing for the speediest exit. This particular fall morning was chilly, but the sun and the brisk walk seemed to keep the kids from shivering.

Pedestrians and drivers, unaware of these drills, might find the situation alarming. So to keep informed about the safety procedures and drills, you can check the September 2007 Safety and Discipline Procedures memorandum and the Safety Plan (Section A-415) of the Chancellor’s Regulations. The NYC DOE also has a Safety Plan Guidelines for Early Childhood Centers which outlines rules for safe evacuation for community-based organizations.

Next time you’re driving down Ocean Avenue and find streets closed with children and their teachers moving hurriedly with police escorts — don’t worry — it’s just children being well-prepared for emergencies.

Blockbuster has some new competition in the neighborhood, but it’s nothing for the few remaining ma-and-pa video stores to cheer about. The ARM – automatic rental machine – known as RedBox is spreading like wildfire across the country, and is growing its presence in Sheepshead Bay. RedBox is an instant $1/day DVD rental kiosk containing approximately 200 of the latest DVD movie releases. While the company has had one machine operating at the Stop & Shop on East 17th for a number of years now, two new RedBox kiosks have popped up: one at the Knapp Street 7/11 (on Voorhies Avenue), and the other at the  Coney Island Avenue 7/11 (on Avenue Y).

According to the company’s corporate history, RedBox was originally owned by McDonalds but sold to Coinstar in 2007. If any more kiosks come to the neighborhood or it’s surrounding environs we can expect them to show up at other 7/11’s, and possibly McDonalds or Walgreens.

So, where does that leave Blockbuster, the last of which in the area is on Nostrand Ave between Y and X? Considering they’ve been reinstating late fees, it doesn’t leave them with much of a leg to stand on. And so the Blockbuster death clock ticks away…

(FYI: You can get a free RedBox rental for signing up for the service’s newsletter or SMS alerts)

Ed. Note – The original article listed the Nostrand Avenue 7/11 on Avenue Y as having a RedBox. It doesn’t.

I always knew this job would be the death of me.

One fine day, some heavy load these slavedrivers so mercilessly put on me is going to be like the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

I guess it’s a good thing that Abraham Hollander Monuments is right next door. That made it convenient for me to arrange for my final epitaph to be carved on my grave marker. My best friend, Shelley Wheely — named after Percy B. Shelley — was appointed by Marty Markowitz as the Poet Laureate for all shopping carts in Brooklyn.  Being the neurotic poet he is, one wintry day when we all would have rathered to stay inside, he rolled over from his home at the Super Stop and Shop across the street, handed it to me saying, “Dear Brother, I felt a premonition that you were on your last revolution.” Was that eery — because, other than being a little chill to the bone, I was feeling not too bad.

Here Lies
Orange Sunshine

A Monument To Hard Work

199?-200?

In bright orange and shiny steel
On all fours you did wheel
Every night and every day
Serving Sheepshead Bay
Adding to the spirit of the community
Now, a spirit in the sky of unity

Roll In Peace
Lovely Shopping Cart

When I finally collapse under this backbreaking work, obviously, I’ll need your help in letting the staff know. They speak English, Russian, Hebrew, Hungarian and Yiddish.

Abraham Hollander Monuments
2558 East 17 St
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 934-2770
(718) 615-1007
Office hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9am-6pm
Friday: 9am-4pm
Sunday: 9am-5pm

Located between Avenue Y & Avenue Z

Email: mail@ahminfo.com