Congressman Anthony Weiner visited the Sheepshead Bay / Plumb Beach Civic Association last night during their April meeting. His two main topics of conversation were the erosion at Plumb Beach and its threat to the Belt Parkway, and his vote on health care reform. He also briefly discussed immigration and other topics.
The above is an unedited video. Later today we will release an edited version of just the Plumb Beach/Belt Parkway information to go alongside an article, and other parts of his appearance will also be published in shorter clips later on.
Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association invited Congressman Anthony Weiner to tonight’s meeting in order to get some answers about the fate of Plumb Beach. While the congressman himself isn’t likely to show, a representative may be dispatched to discuss progress on the issue. Since pounding waves tore away a section of the bike path in the wake of Hurricane Ida – and during more recent storms – little has been done to secure the beach or the particularly vulnerable section of the Belt Parkway. Sandbags were added, and now there is a request to add boulders as support, but beyond that a long-term solution hasn’t moved forward. The inaction is angering many in the community who want to see both the important ecological reserve and the vital transportation infrastructure preserved.
The civic association will also be discussing this year’s Memorial Day parade, scheduled for May 23.
When: Tonight, April 6 @ 7:30 p.m. Where: Baron DeKalb Knights of Columbus; 3000 Emmons Avenue
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED!
The civic group is meeting at Baron DeKalb – Knights of Columbus at 3000 Emmons Avenue (off of Nostrand Avenue). Kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Call 718-891-1937 for more information.
Though a member of SBPB Civic said they hadn’t received confirmation as recently as yesterday, if the official does come it may be interesting to see the interrogation he faces as the project moves forward simultaneously with other projects. In addition to the work we wrote about yesterday, other parts of Belt Parkway are seeing changes to drainage systems and road repairs, possibly leading to detours into the streets. And in 2011, several overpasses in our neighborhood will be renovated as well.
When: Tonight @ 7:30 p.m.
Where: Knights of Columbus Baron DeKalb; Nostrand Avenue and Emmons Avenue
Contact: (718) 891-1937
The Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association is holding their annual holiday get together tonight. Kicking off at 7:30 p.m., members of the civic association invite residents of the area to the Baron DeKalb – Knights of Columbus to celebrate the December holidays. They’ll be serving up free grub to all in attendance, and all who come will be entered into a free raffle for a specially prepared holiday basket and prizes donated by local businesses. So come and get your groove on with SB/PB!
There will also be a meeting with a light agenda.
When: Tonight @ 7:30 p.m.
Where: Baron DeKalb – Knights of Columbus
3000 Emmons Avenue (intersection of Nostrand Avenue)
Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic’s attorney, Gene Berardelli, was arrested on June 6 on disorderly conduct charges while defending the rights of black youths to use Manhattan Beach.
According to Berardelli, police were blockading the Sheepshead Bay and Manhattan Beach foot bridge and other access points to Manhattan Beach, turning away black students. The students, who converged on the beaches in celebration of Senior Cut Day, were being told that they could access the beaches at 2:00 p.m., while white students were told they should return at 1:30. Black students were also being directed to Brighton and Coney Island beaches.
The outraged Berardelli met a handful of black students who were turned away, and told them that he would escort them to the beach front. What ensued was several instances of harassment from police officers, who treated both the kids and Berardelli inappropriately. The officers also attempted to misinform or outright lie about the reasons black students couldn’t access the beach, though no mind was being paid to white students attempting entry. On their journey across the footbridge, on Oriental Blvd., and at the entrance to the beach, they were stopped numerous times, the last ending with a Lt. Harrington attempting to physically intimidate Berardelli, shoving him, and ordering his arrest.
Berardelli was put behind bars before being issued a summons. He told SheepsheadBites.com he found the incident “disgusting”, and plans to report the affair to the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board, among other groups. He has also refused the help of politicians, requesting no special treatment, and indicated he plans to fight the charges all the way, and potentially sue the lieutenant who ordered his arrest.
As GerritsenBeach.net noted earlier this week, several neighborhood civic associations in southern Brooklyn are planning to form an alliance. It is tentatively titled the South Brooklyn Civic Alliance, and is being established on the principle that “there’s strength in numbers.” Apparently, the alliance will help the groups coordinate their efforts and more effectively lobby members of the community boards and local politicians.
The whole plan is currently very… abstract. Ed Jaworski, the Vice President of the Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic (one of the organizers of the alliance), notes, “The initial idea is for this to simply be an informal opportunity for a small number of civics to get together, get to know something about each other, and see if we share any common concerns.” There have been no discussions about governance or structure of the group, and, so far, there has been no explanation as to why the Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Association was not invited to be a member (Manhattan Beach Community Group has been).
At the most recent Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach civic meeting, leaders expressed their eagerness to adopt strategies from other groups, including the formation of a safety committee and an education committee, to more effectively convey residents’ concerns and needs to safety officials and school administrators.
Ok, maybe not the most profound headline, but I think it captures the situation pretty well. Following my post on Best Western buying up adjacent properties on Emmons Ave., a commenter claiming to exclusively represent the seller on the sale of the four lots 3027-3033 Emmons Avenue which include the Cappuccino on the Bay building, wrote in saying that, while the properties had been sold, Best Western was not the owner. Well, Gene Berardelli of the Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association has done some digging into the matter and, well, to quote from his findings: “The answer is yes… and no.”
A fuse is lit for a potentially explosive showdown between Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association (SBPB) and the owners of the Best Western on Emmons Ave. and Nostrand. News broke on SBPB’s forum that Cappuccino on the Bay is being bought out by the hotel’s owners, as part of an unfolding initiative to purchase the entire strip along Emmons Ave. for further development.
