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Newly sworn-in Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, representing a broad swath of Brooklyn’s southern coastline walloped by Superstorm Sandy, is hosting a Post Sandy Town Hall Meeting, according to a last-minute press release his office sent out.

The release states:

Too many New Yorkers are still struggling to recover and get back to normal after Superstorm Sandy. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) will be hosting his first town hall meeting and will be joined by local elected officials and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, the Rapid Repairs Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) and other government agencies to address concerns and provide up-to-date information on Post-Sandy relief.

Jeffries will be joined by State Senator Diane Savino, Assemblyman Alex Brook-Krasny, Councilman Domenic Recchia and representatives from FEMA, the American Red Cross, Rapid Repairs Program, SBA, NYS Department of Financial Services (DFS) and other government agencies.

The event will be at 7 p.m. at Coney Island Gospel Assembly, 2828 Neptune Avenue (between West 28th Street and West 29th Street).

Watch the video above to see Jeffries urging his colleagues in the House to pass Sandy relief legislation.

Courtesy of Lisanne Anderson

Last week we reported on a letter Councilman Domenic Recchia submitted to the New York City Department of Sanitation, urging them to extend their January 14 deadline for Sandy related bulk-pickup.  Well, his pleas have been answered as the DSNY announced that they are extending their special storm debris collection deadline until Monday, February 18.

The call to extend the deadline was considered vital because many homeowners devastated by Superstorm Sandy needed more time to wait for the payments from FEMA and insurance agencies before they could begin the process of cleaning up and gutting out their damaged homes.

While the extension of the deadline is welcome, its worth noting that the Sanitation Department couldn’t push the date past February 18 because of resources needed in case of snow-related emergencies.

For additional information on DSNY refuse collection, you can call 311 or visit www.nyc.com/sanitation.

Courtesy of Lisanne Anderson

Councilman Domenic Recchia of Coney Island, Gravesend and Bensonhurst sent a letter to the New York City Department of Sanitation pleading with them to extend the January 14 deadline for Sandy-related bulk pickup services.

The increased sanitation service has been vital for small business owners and residents who are experiencing prolonged clean-ups and rebuilding efforts in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Sanitation has already extended the deadline once, having previously planned to terminate service on December 31.

In the letter, Recchia asked the Department of Sanitation to extend the increased services an extra three months.

“Over the past several weeks, I have met with many residents and small business owners in Brooklyn who have communicated to me the importance of additional sanitation pickups during this recovery phase,” Recchia wrote in the letter.

Recchia noted that delayed payments from FEMA, insurance companies and other governmental agencies have not allowed business owners and residents to begin the process of gutting out and cleaning up their properties. Assuming this money kicks in soon, and the sanitation deadline is not extended, the clean-up and rebuilding efforts for many people will be hampered and slowed.

Recchia concluded his letter praising the work of the Sanitation Department, describing their efforts as “herculean.”

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.

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Councilman Recchia, left, and Senator Adams, right.

Coney Island City Councilman Domenic Recchia is reportedly eyeing the Brooklyn Borough President’s office, potentially pitting Northern and Central Brooklyn versus Southern Brooklyn for the largely powerless position.

Sources told the Daily News that Recchia plans to announce his candidacy in January, confirming speculation that the term-limited pol was considering the seat after putting the kibosh on a rumored comptroller run.

Recchia has served in the City Council since 2002 and, in 2010, he became chair of the Council Finance Committee, one of the most powerful positions in the legislative body, responsible for directing taxpayer funds to nonprofits and community groups.

Recchia will be term-limited out at the end of 2013, as will the sitting beep, Marty Markowitz. Recchia was widely believed to be mulling a run for city comptroller, but squashed that rumor earlier this month when Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer announced his candidacy for the seat and obtained Recchia’s endorsement.

Keep reading for more about the race, and why this means a Southern Brooklyn versus Northern and Central Brooklyn battle.

Pera Cafe Loses Bid For Sidewalk Cafe: Community Board 15 denied an application for a sidewalk cafe at Pera Cafe, a new Turkish restaurant and lounge at 2255 Emmons Avenue, in a near-split vote after members raised questions about pedestrian safety and the restaurant’s own track record.

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Pictured with City Councilman Domenic Recchia (second from right) are, from left, Genesis Lodge members Lewis, Allan Greenberg, David Stanger, and Jeffrey Freese.

We received a post-“Shake A Can” update from our friend Errol Lewis, Past Chancellor from the Genesis Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, who informs us that the event they held benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy was a success.

The Pythians collected food, money, clothing, and more at the Pathmark Supermarket, 2965 Cropsey Avenue off of the Belt Parkway, to help out the people and communities that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

The Genesis Lodge, affiliated with the largest and oldest non-sectarian fraternal organization in the world, meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at the St. Mark School, 2602 East 19th Street.

For further information, contact Lewis at (718) 375-9229 or via email at el719@aol.com.

Some of the damage in Sea Gate, at the tip of Coney Island, left by Sandy. Photo by Erica Sherman

A news report is shining a light on Coney Island residents still left in the dark with no power, and in some cases with no heat or hot water. Public housing buildings right by the boardwalk got smashed by Sandy – flooding basements, pouring sand into building lobbies, and totaling cars – leaving elderly residents vulnerable, and causing increasing dismay as each day passes.

“Cold, no water, can’t flush my commode, I have to come downstairs and bring water up, ice, my refrigerator is not working because I have no electric. We need help,” told a Coney Island tenant to NY1.

As Sheepshead Bites’ own Laura Vladimirova previously reported, the situation on Coney Island is dire, and the area is in desperate need of supplies and volunteers like her and Bensonhurst Bean’s David Cohen, who both graciously offered their time to help out. If you are looking to donate, Laura recommends the following items: water, matches, candles, flashlights, canned goods, blankets, and clothing.

The Red Cross, FEMA, and the National Guard have set up emergency services in the area to help residents in the area with food and supplies. If you are a Coney Island resident in need of relief services, you can head to Brighton Beach Avenue and Coney Island Avenue until 4:00 p.m. Services are also being offered at West 25th Street and Surf Avenue until 4:00 p.m., and FEMA will be at the MCU Ballpark until 5 p.m.

More information can also be found on the Twitter pages of local pols, including Councilman Domenic M. Recchia, and Assemblymen Alec Brook-Krasny, both of whom are supplying up to the minute status reports and updates from Coney Island in an effort bring the area back from the abyss.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The New York Daily News released an in-depth analysis of the attendance records and bill creation frequency of Brooklyn’s local politicians, citing both high and low marks for several of Southern Brooklyn’s lawmakers.

Those leading the charge of civic responsibility include Flatbush Councilman Jumaane Williams, who came in second overall in bill creation with 19, and third in best attendance, missing only 6.9 percent of scheduled meetings.

Councilman David Greenfield of Borough Park and Councilman Domenic Recchia of Coney Island were also cited for their vigorous bill contribution and high attendance ratings. Greenfield introduced 18 bills and Rechhia introduced 25.

On the negative side of things, the Daily News pegged Councilman Michael Nelson of Sheepshead Bay as one of the least active politicians, having only introduced two bills since 2011, and having missed 14 percent of his meetings.

Councilman Lew Fidler was also cited for a low attendance record, but the Daily News failed to report Fidler’s medical problems and subsequent hospitalization in February, which sidelined him for some time.

A rendering for “Ocean Wonders: Sharks!”

After we reported to you back in 2010 that the New York City Public Design Commission approved a new 57,000-square-foot structure at the New York Aquarium to house the “Ocean Wonders: Sharks!” exhibit, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced during a press conference at the facility, Surf Avenue at West 8th Street last Thursday that the project is nearer to fruition.

Coney Island City Councilman Domenic Recchia joined Mayor Bloomberg and Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristián Samper to unveil the design for the exhibit, which will feature 115 species of marine animals including sharks, rays, sea turtles, thousands of schooling fish and more. The exhibit will hold more than 500,000 gallons of water, including 40 sharks.

According to the website, MikeBloomberg.com:

“The Mayor and Wildlife Conservation Society also announced a major private gift of $7.5 million from Wildlife Conservation Society Trustee Barbara Hrbek Zucker and her husband, Don Zucker. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the New York Aquarium, is raising $34.4 million in private funds, of which $11 million has already been raised. The City has committed $93.1 million in public funds to the project, which will transform the exhibit space to feature more than 100 different species of marine animals – including sharks – and bolster Coney Island as a premier tourist destination.”

The plans for the aquarium’s makeover include a spiral ramp connecting the facility to the boardwalk, built with a 1,000 feet of tiny aluminum squares that reflect light and move with the wind. The ramp will then go from the interior of the structure and lead out to new gathering spaces along the boardwalk.

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