SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

“Bullet Points” is our format for Community Board 15 meeting coverage, providing takeaways we think are important. Information in Bullet Points is meant only to be a quick summary, and some issues may be more deeply explored in future articles.

Neighbors Demand Board Rescind Support For Drug Counseling Center: Residents of East 17th Street near Kings Highway rallied at last night’s Community Board 15 meeting, demanding the Board rescind a letter of support for a proposed drug treatment facility at 1670 East 17th Street.

Led by Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association President Ed Jaworski, a group of residents took to the podium, claiming that the Board failed to inform the community that the issue would be discussed and voted on in December.

“The City Charter and the Community Board bylaws say that the Community Board should serve the community, should communicate within the community, should act as a liaison agency, should review services, should develop plans for the community. None of this was done regarding the drug center being located on East 17th Street,” Jaworski said. “What took place at the November meeting was a shortcut. It was cutting the community’s input.”

The center, One World Counseling, received a letter of support from Community Board 15 in November with a 31-4 vote. Dmitri Oster, a rep for One World, told the Board then that they intended to target immigrants in the Sheepshead Bay area who have turned to drugs to cope with cultural integration. They would offer only counseling and would not distribute medication.

Keep reading about this story, and summaries of other actions from last night’s Community Board 15 meeting.

Community Board 15 voted in favor of permitting one drug rehabilitation center in the neighborhood, but voted down another, saying that the owners’ attitudes made all the difference.

At the November 27 meeting, the Board gave the nod to One World Counseling, a newly-formed entity proposing to develop a drug and alcohol abuse treatment center at 1670 East 17th Street, just off Kings Highway. The Board’s 31-4 vote came just minutes after nixing plans of an existing center, First Steps to Recovery at 2990 Brighton 12th Street, to move to 2634 East 21st Street, with a no vote of 34-1.

During the hearing for First Steps, representatives for the outpatient addiction treatment clinic explained that they served “elderly” Eastern European patients who have turned to drugs or alcohol to cope with the struggles of integration. The clinic dispenses medications and has been operating in Brighton Beach since 2002. They were seeking to move to the 2634 East 21st Street location because their current space is too small.

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This is a sale announcement paid for by The Part Monster, a new auto parts store founded by Sheepshead natives. The Part Monster offers inventory on just about all car models, including BMW, Mercedes, Acura and Nissan.

Details of the stealth wiper blade (Click to enlarge)

You’ve survived the earthquake, now it’s time to prepare for the hurricane.

(UPDATE [5:07 p.m.]: The Part Monster has reduced the price even further, to just $20!)

The Part Monster is offering to get your car ready to withstand Hurricane Irene, expected to hit the area this weekend, with a great deal on two Michelin Stealth Hybrid Wiper Blades for $24 $20, including installation. Michelin’s expertise in creating a rubber compound that allows your tires to grip the road in all kinds of weather has inspired the development of a high-performance, hybrid all-weather wiper blade with many innovative features and benefits – just what you need if you find yourself on the road when the storms hit. List price for these is $35 or more with no installation.

The Part Monster is also offering all readers an extra 10 percent off all other purchases placed when ordering the Michelin Stealth Hybrid Wiper Blades. They carry a full line of brakes, rotors, exhaust, batteries, shocks/struts, alternators, starters, oils and every other part under the sun. They also stock OEM and aftermarket parts and all products are new.

Sale expires September 1, 2011.

The Part Monster is located at 2367 Mcdonald Avenue (off of Neck Road) and can be reached at (718) 801-6378. Ask for Barry.

Hours are as follows:

Monday – Friday: 8 - 6 p.m.
Saturday:  8 - 3 p.m.
Sunday: By appointment

TO REDEEM THIS OFFER, USE THE FOLLOWING PROMO CODE WHEN CALLING FOR ORDER/APPOINTMENT: SB001

The above is a paid sale announcement by The Part Monster. Sheepshead Bites has not verified the claims made in this advertisement. If you own a business and would like to announce a special offer to tens of thousands of locals, e-mail us at advertising [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com.

Cymbrowitz with members of the Kings Highway Beautification Association | Source: Cymbrowitz's office

Twenty-two antique light poles are being installed along Kings Highway between Ocean Parkway and McDonald Avenue, replacing all existing street and traffic lights. It’s part of an effort to make an oft-ignored stretch of businesses more appealing to shoppers.

The project is being done with $228,000 allocated in 2007 by Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz, and will be completed in approximately one month.

“It’s always important to enhance our commercial strips, but now with the economy taking its toll on shopkeepers’ bottom lines, it’s even more important that we do what we can to encourage local shopping,” Cymbrowitz said.

Cymbrowitz told Sheepshead Bites that this stretch of Kings Highway is not covered by the Kings Highway Business Improvement District, which spends thousands annually on the stretch east of Ocean Parkway for beautification and revitalization. Meanwhile, the western portion’s more grisly aesthetic is turning off shoppers, evidenced by rapidly shuttering businesses. The antique lights – and other recent initiatives – are part of an effort to restore the area’s economic viability.

Keep reading for a complete explanation from Cymbrowitz’s office, as well as some background on the problem.

A lot of people have been asking for updates from yesterday’s attempted robbery of Sovereign Bank. From Vos Iz Neias:

Reports from the scene confirm that there are two hole in the roof with a ladder going down into the bank. The crooks crawled through a heating vent but were unable to gain access to the vault and fled empty-handed.

And yes, we ripped off their headline, too. Just one question: why is the Jewish press covering this better than anyone else (including us), and why do both Jewish press sources put the location in Flatbush?

Regardless, we’re not criticizing. They whipped our butts on this one fair and square. Here’s a link to a Yeshiva World News photo gallery that even shows the holes on the roof. Kudos to my khaveyrim.

Sovereign Bank at McDonald Avenue and Avenue U has been robbed. Sometime late this afternoon or early evening, robbers cut through the roof of the bank. According to a reader who passed by and sent in the above photo, observers were whispering that the culprits may still have been inside the bank. Yeshiva World News notes that police from the 61st Precinct were assisted by ESU and K9 units, and that a Level 1 Mobilization has been called.

Thanks to Yury for the tip and photos.

Photo of Cho, 40, killed in a car accident on Sunday (Courtesy of 1010 Wins)

A 40-year-old woman was killed on Sunday when a car reversed too quickly and slammed into her and four others.

The black 2010 Mercedes SUV was driven by a elderly parishioner (reports of his age vary between 62 and 73 years old) of Pyeong AHN Presbyterian Church (2407 McDonald Avenue). He was pulling out of a parking space around 3 p.m. when he accelerated too quickly and plowed into four other parishioners – three women, a 10-year-old and an infant.

Forty-year-old Sung Won Cho died of her injuries at the scene, while the other four received only minor injuries.

No charges were brought against the driver, and no alcohol or drug use is suspected.

[via Daily News, 1010 Wins, and Fox 5]