SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

The National Weather Service issued a sudden Flash Flood Warning shortly before 8:30 a.m. and lasting until 9:15 a.m., as a torrent of rainfall came down on Brooklyn, flooding homes, highways and and streets.

There was major flooding on the Belt Parkway near Cropsey Avenue, and the highway ultimately shut down for short period because of it. Eventually one lane in each direction reopened. Also near Cropsey Avenue, there were reports on the police scanner that cars were submerged on Shore Parkway, and even drifting in the current.

We heard about flooding from Plumb Beach all the way to Dyker Heights. Now that it’s over, we’re still waiting to hear about conditions in certain parts of the neighborhood, like the Plumb Beach bungalow courts and areas around Cropsey Avenue. If you know how it is, please fill us in in the comments!

Readers have kept us updated so far, sending in the following photos.

This one’s from the entrance to the Belt Parkway at Bay Parkway, going west:

Photo by Regina Sorkin.

Things aren’t much better on the Belt Parkway, even now that the rain has stopped. Reader Rachel Tarantul sent us a photo taken just a few minutes after 10:00 a.m. that shows water sitting in two lanes of the highway, and only one lane is open in each direction. She says traffic is terrible.

And this was by the Cropsey bus depot:

Photo by Regina Sorkin.

Along the border of Coney Island and Brighton Beach, this is from the parking lot of 601 Surf Avenue:

Photo by Regina Sorkin.

We’re also hearing about homes and building basements flooding. A reader tweeted to us that a Sheepshead Bay apartment building on Homecrest Avenue near Avenue Z had several inches of water. Our own Elle Spektor is dealing with a flooded basement in her Bensonhurst home. Here’s what it looked like in the streets near her:

And here’s one of a flooded Sheepshead Bay garage, on Avenue W and East 26th Street, from reader Danil Rudoy:

Nearby, on Avenue V between Brigham Street and Brown Street, reader nolastname snapped this. There’s about two inches of water filling up the alleyway.

In Manhattan Beach – an area that has certainly seen more than enough water lately – Albert Hasson sent us this photo of a car trying to get through what appears to be at least a foot of water on Ocean Avenue:

Hopefully now that the rain stopped – and almost exactly at 9:15 a.m., as the National Weather Service predicted – the water is receding and things getting back to normal. Make sure to let us know if there’s any lasting damage or floodwater in your area, and send photos and other information to nberke [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com.

Updated (10:49 a.m.) to add the photo from nolastname.

City Council analyst John Lisyanskiy officially threw his hat in the ring for Coney Island’s 47th District on December 16 with an e-mail blast to supporters, making him one of two candidates for the district to forego the political hand-wringing over redistricting and jump in the race. Meanwhile, others in what was expected to be a somewhat crowded field for the Democratic nod, are reconsidering their runs – and almost all are urging constituents to turn out to tomorrow’s Districting Committee hearing to oppose the plan.

Lisyanskiy is one of four Democratic contenders vying to replace term-limited Domenic Recchia that have registered committees with the Campaign Finance Board. Lisyanskiy is joined by activist Todd Dobrin; Michael Treybich, an attorney and deputy legal director for the New York State Young Democrats; and Brian Gotlieb, former chairman of Community Board 13.

Lisyanskiy, who serves as a legislative budget aide in the City Council under Speaker Christine Quinn, jumps in the race with tens of thousands of dollars collected for a 2009 run that ultimately fizzled after term limits were extended. The campaign’s announcement came weeks before the council’s district lines are set to be finalized, a process which could see a campaign’s key constituencies flung into a neighboring district.

But Lisyanskiy said the latest district lines were of little concern in determining whether or not to run.

Continue Reading »

Source: Google Maps

Richard Cohen, 31, of Midwood stabbed his mother in the torso on Saturday evening. He then dialed 9-1-1 to report the murder.

His mother, Anne Cohen, 64, was a Bath Beach resident who recently sold her home to the tune of $800,000. She also had money from a malpractice suit involving her late husband. Police believe that the argument erupted over her financial standing in Richard’s apartment at 1220 Ocean Avenue.

Richard has a history of mental health issues and domestic violence involving his mother. He was sent to a mental hospital after threatening his mother with a knife some time ago. She has also filed several complaints against him in the past.

Anne kicked Richard out of her Bay 25th Street property because she didn’t get along with his girlfriend. Neighbors say that Richard was normally very quiet and unapproachable.

Autopsy reports reveal that Anne died of 41 stab wounds to the torso and neck.

Anne was taken to New York Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to DNA Info.

Her son was charged with second-degree murder.

A man drowned in Gravesend Bay on Sunday, after a freak accident left him helpless in the waters.

Police believe Florijan Kasumovic, 73, of New Jersey, may have fallen overboard just before 1:00 p.m., getting his leg caught in the railing. He dangled over the side of the 21-foot-vessel with his head submerged in the waters, unable to pull himself back up.

Kasumovic was dead when police arrived, and authorities towed the boat back to a Sanitation Department pier in Bath Beach.

[Daily News via Bensonhurst Bean]

Do you recognize the woman in the sketch above?  She is the victim of an unsolved murder, her body having been found on July 17 in the waters by Shore Parkway and Bay 20th Street, near Caesar’s Bay.

NYPD released the sketch yesterday, according to Bensonhurst Bean, and they’re looking for neighbors’ help to identify the woman and develop leads in the case. Bensonhurst Bean has a photo of the jeans she was wearing, as well as additional descriptive information.

Anyone with information that may help in the ongoing investigation is asked to please call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 577-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted to NYPD’s Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.com or texted to 274637 (Crimes) and entering TIP577

Façade of 47 Bay 26th Street in Bath Beach. Source: Google Maps

File this one under “Really Dumb Things That You Should Never Do.”

The name of a man, who scaled the roof of his Bath Beach building, and then fell four stories as he tried to get into his locked apartment, is being withheld by police, and that’s probably a good thing (just think of his damaged pride!), because, unless you are Peter Parker, Phillippe Petit or Harry Houdini, recklessly climbing building roofs will almost always end in someone getting very badly hurt, or worse.

The 30-year-old resident of 47 Bay 26th Street, who is incredibly lucky to be alive, was rushed in critical condition to Lutheran Medical Center by the FDNY after attempting to climb through his window by repelling from the building using an electrical cable.

The New York Post reports that, minutes after the man hit the pavement, a roommate of the victim’s, identified at Tomas Chan, ran up to a Post photographer to tell him that he was the roommate and that he, too, was locked out of his apartment.

“We heard a loud thump and went outside into the yard and saw a guy on the ground. He was groaning and moaning. I told him to stay still, that the ambulance was on its way,” said neighbor Dorothy Nation.

A painful lesson learned the hard way.

Intersection of West 9th Street and Avenue T. Source: Google Maps

There is no shortage of tragic reminders about how dangerous reckless bicycling can be in New York.

Thirty-nine-year-old Bath Beach resident Joseph Granati was pronounced dead after the bike he was riding collided with a 2002 Nissan Altima at the Gravesend intersection of West 9th Street and Avenue T just after 3 p.m. on Sunday, according to The Daily News.

Police officers on the scene reported that the unidentified 24-year-old driver who Granati crashed into had the right of way and that Granati — whose head reportedly “smashed through the rear passenger-side window of the car” when he tried to turn onto Avenue T off of West 9th — had gone through the red light and was killed upon impact.

The driver stayed at the accident scene and was not charged with any crime.

It is unknown whether or not Granati was wearing a safety helmet.

Reader JL sent in this photo of an accident today involving an Audi R8 on Harway Avenue and Bay 46th Street. Yeah, it’s Bath Beach. And no, we don’t have any other information that might make this relevant to Sheepshead Bay.

But, hey, it’s not every day you see a $115,000 car all smashed up.

Looking for information to help you deal with the housing crisis? Assemblyman William Colton is inviting all Brooklyn residents to a Spring Homeowner Workshop and Foreclosure Prevention Conference this Thursday, May 14th. Colton represents the 47th District in the State Assembly, which includes parts of Sheepshead Bay.

The workshop will inform residents and offer support to homeowners in the community. Speakers are going to talk about government-funded resources to help families affected by the housing crisis. They will dispense advice on issues including housing scams, banking and legal issues, short sales and loan modification programs.

The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. The United Progressive Democratic Club is located at 29 Bay 25th Street in Bath Beach.

For more information, please contact event coordinator Maria Mirra at (718) 667-9090, ext. 114.

[via Brooklyn Daily Eagle]

(Do you have an event to promote? E-mail us!)

(Photo by Ray Johnson)

Six Belt Parkway bridges, including four in the Sheepshead Bay area, will get a $6.8 million face lift by Fall 2011, says Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The mayor made the announcement during the unveiling of the Stimulus Transportation Projects on Monday. The list of projects includes construction sites in all five boroughs, racking up a total price tag of $1.1 billion and, according to the administration, will keep or create 32,000 jobs. The projects are funded in part by $271 million in federal stimulus money for transportation projects.

(Photo by Ray Johnson)

The city is replacing the protective coating on the overpasses’ steel skeletons, an update expected to extend their lifespans by 20 years. Work on the rust and salt encrusted metal begins this spring and will also see the removal of the lead-based paint. The bridges involved are the Bay 8th Street, Cropsey Avenue, Sheepshead Bay Road, Ocean Avenue, Bedford Avenue, and 14th Street Pedestrian bridges.

In addition to these works in Sheepshead Bay, the city is pushing $15 million to continue renovating the Coney Island boardwalk. Planks along the historical walkway were torn out months ago, and empty spaces have remained. The spaces line many of the boardwalk’s restaurants and bars, worrying communities members over whether or not the establishments will open in time this season. In January, officials said the boardwalk would be restored by Easter, but with that date fast approaching little progress has been made.

(Photo by Jonsey PabloJonsey)

The injection of $15 million is expected to end the need for such “band-aid” repairs, instead favoring sustainable materials that have a lower carbon footprint, lower maintenance costs and will reduce future deterioration to unsafe conditions. Reconstruction work will take place from West 31st to West 37th Street, West 15th Street to Stillwell Avenue, and Surf Avenue / Ocean Parkway to Brighton 2nd. Construction will finish in Spring 2011.

Meanwhile, in Bath Beach a $14 million project seeks to reconstruct the 67-year-old access ramp to the Belt Parkway. The city says the work here will address deficiencies and substandard features, bring the bridge into compliance with current safety standards, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the useful life of the ramp. It will finish in Spring 2011.

[info via Gotham Gazette's The Wonkster]