John Trumbull’s famous painting showing the Declaration of Independence’s drafting committee presenting its work to the Congress. Source: Wikipedia

The staff of Sheepshead Bites and Bensonhurst Bean wishes all its readers a happy and safe Independence Day, a.k.a., the holiday Ned likes to refer to as “the day the colonies outgrew their British britches and threw on some American denim.”

Whatever you may end up doing today — and from the look of the weather outside, going to the beach does not appear to be any of those things — please take a moment’s pause to consider the freedoms we Americans enjoy, particularly in contrast with other not-so-free nations, and let us be grateful to those who have sacrificed so much in order to ensure that we remain free.

Just a few reminders: On July 4, all subways, buses and the Staten Island railway operate on a Saturday schedule. There will be no alternate side of the street parking today, and no meters.

Stay safe and Happy Fourth everyone! We’ll be back on Monday.

We had quite the dramatic storm yesterday, chock full of sudden downpours, dramatic clouds and a hell of a thunder and lightning show.

Local videographer Bona Weiss filmed in time-lapse the menacing clouds as they rolled over his apartment, not far from Avenue Z and Ocean Avenue.

Pretty cool video, though we wish some of that lightning could have made a cameo. But cool nonetheless.

Source: frankly frank/Flickr

JULY 4, INDEPENDENCE DAY: All subways, buses and the Staten Island railway operate on a Saturday schedule.

Additionally, alternate side parking rules and parking meter regulations are suspended.

Q LINE

There are no subway service advisories scheduled at this time.

F LINE

From 9:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, until July 14, Jamaica-bound F trains run via the M from 47-50 Sts to Roosevelt Ave. There is no Jamaica-bound service at 57 St, Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island and 21 St-Queensbridge.

From 12:30 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday, F trains run local in Queens.

Jeremy Davis & The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra

John Beasley. Click to enlarge

On Stage at Kingsborough once again presents its “Hot Summer Nights” concert series, taking place every Saturday night in July. The concerts, which start at 8:00 p.m., are held at Kingsborough’s outdoor bandshell, in the shadow of the lighthouse, and steps from the sea wall (offering a delightful breeze in the face of generally blazing July temps). And good news, music lovers: No reservations are necessary. The concert schedule will be as follows:

July 5: Jeremy Davis & The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra, The Great American Swagger. Celebrate Independence Day with this Big Band tribute to America and great American music.

July 12: Grammy-Nominee John Beasley’s MONK’estra. Catch MONK’estra, a 16-piece big modern jazz band that captures the spirit of Thelonious Monk’s unique quirkiness and offbeat accents.

Swingadelic

July 19: Carole J. Bufford In Speak Easy Featuring Grammy Award-Winners Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks. This nightlife award-winning show features critically-acclaimed cabaret singer Carole J. Bufford and the Grammy Award-winning Jazz Age band from “Boardwalk Empire.” Come on back to a time when love was for sale but liquor was not.

July 26: Swingadelic, With Guest Vocalist Gina Fox. Known as New York City’s greatest “little big band,” Swingadelic delivers the traditional Big Band and Great American Songbook music of Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack in swingin’ style!

Kingsborough Community College is located at 2001 Oriental Boulevard. You can find On Stage at Kingsborough on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter (@OnStageAtKCC). To learn more, call (718) 368-5596 (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or check out www.OnStageAtKingsborough.org.

Police are searching for Robert Decarlo, a 26-year-old Gravesend resident suspected of being the driver in a hit-and-run yesterday on Flatlands Avenue that left a 12-year-old girl dead and her mother and 9-year-old sister in critical condition.

The New York Times reports:

Detectives are searching for Robert Decarlo, 26, whom they described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds, with brown eyes and short black hair. His last known address was at 114 Avenue U in Gravesend, Brooklyn, a few miles from where the crash occurred Wednesday, on Flatlands Avenue and East 46th Street.

Around 4:40 p.m., a stolen 2005 Dodge Caravan minivan that was speeding westbound on Flatlands Avenue jumped the sidewalk on the north side of the street, the police said. The vehicle plowed into the mother and her daughters, and the driver fled on foot, the police said

The minivan was reported stolen from Tommy’s Auto Repair at 2029 McDonald Avenue last week.

ABC News has more details on the accident:

Police say the victims were walking on the sidewalk when the stolen 2005 Dodge Caravan jumped the curb and mowed them down. The driver, believed to be DeCarlo, fled on food.

“He lost control, he turn two times, boom boom, and then he go on top of the kids,” an eyewitness said. “We saw the two girls laying there bleeding, and like yo let’s move the car, there might be a third.”

“Me and a couple of other guys pushed the car up onto the hydrant,” another witness said.

Under the car, they found Joey Sellers.

“Her eyes were open and she wasn’t moving at all,” Shamar Brooks said. “She wasn’t blinking.”

DeCarlo has prior arrests for robbery and drug possession, and is currently out on bail for the March 21 assault and mugging of a 65-year-old woman in Brighton Beach. Cops say he kicked and punched her multiple times before fleeing with her purse.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website, or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

Photo by Randy Contello

Looks like it’s going to be a heck of a day, especially for anyone stuck working outside. Neighbors across Brooklyn are facing a double threat today, with the National Weather Service warning of both high temperatures and the threat of flooding.

With temperatures expected to hit the high 80s and the heat index pushing that further up into the mid-90s, the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for all of New York City from noon today until 5:00 p.m. tonight. The conditions can be dangerous to health, and residents are advised to avoid strenuous activity. People without air conditioning, older adults and those with chronic health conditions are most at risk. Make sure to check on elderly or disabled neighbors. It does not appear that New York City has opened its cooling centers, and the Office of Emergency Management’s cooling center locator website is not currently activated. Libraries are always a safe bet for those in need of cooling off, though. The city also has these tips on staying cool.

And while we bake, we await the rain. All of New York City is under a Flash Flood Warning today through Friday morning. According to the National Weather Service:

A cold front will slowly move across the region today before departing late tonight through Friday morning. This front will interact with some tropical moisture streaming into the region from the south, resulting in periods of heavy rainfall. A total of one to three inches of rainfall is expected, with locally higher amounts. Thunderstorms will be possible, helping to enhance these rainfall totals.

Low-lying streets and roadways, and areas with poor drainage, could quickly fill with water. Residents are advised to clear out any drainage systems on their properties.

Remember, folks: check on your neighbors, and lend a hand where you can!

Shot near Coney Island Hospital. As the official curator of this Morning Mug business, it pleases me to no end that I get to drop not-so-obscure musical references to my favorite rock group of all time.

Photo by Dmitri Kalinin

Morning Mug is our daily showcase of photographs from our readers. If you have a photograph that you’d like to see featured, send them to [email protected].

The Brooklyn Public Library has expanded its annual Summer Meals Program, offering no-cost lunch to children and teens ages 18 and under.

It’s a major expansion for the program, run by the New York City Department of Education with federal funds, more than quadrupling it from the six sites available last year.

The program is made to ensure that during the summer months, when kids are out of school, no child or teen will go hungry. The season kicked off June 27 and last until August 29, with lunches served every weekday from 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at each of the libraries.

It’s a no-questions-asked policy, and citizenship status is not a factor.

The following local branches are part of the program. Those with asterisks only offer meals from Tuesday to Friday.

• Sheepshead Bay* (2636 East 14th Street)
• Midwood (975 East 16th Street)
• Gerritsen Beach (2808 Gerritsen Avenue)
• Coney Island (1901 Mermaid Avenue)

For the full list of participating branches, look here.

It appears a driver lost control of his car on Monday, swerving across Avenue Z and slamming into the garage door of 1702 Avenue Z at East 17th Street.

The accident happened at approximately 6:30 p.m., according to tipster Mike Nemoy, who sent the photos and the following note:

I didn’t see the accident itself, only the immediate aftermath. People who saw it said the guy just randomly slammed into the building. Possibly lost control or hit the wrong pedal. He immediately ran out of the car, holding his head, and into the car wash across the street. I left before the cops came but he didn’t return for the 10 minutes I was there.

The damage and debris are still there, and it appears little effort has been made to clean it up.

I’ve long wondered about those garage doors, which were a late addition to the structure. The building wrapped up construction in early 2010, and shortly thereafter began advertising indoor parking. However, there was no garage, and the newly paved sidewalk lacked curb cuts and sported a group of freshly planted trees. All of that work was ripped out in 2011 when they finally decided to add the garage doors – which appear fairly flimsy, with thin glass and light metals.

Apparently my concerns were unfounded – it handled a car ramming into it without the car going fully through it, right?

Photo by Robert Fernandez

A new Mexican restaurant, Sante Fe Mexican Delicatessen, is now open at 1206 Avenue U.

The new eatery replaces Eddie’s Hair Salon, on the southside of the block between East 12th Street and Homecrest Avenuue.

Has anyone been there yet? Let us know how it is. Here at Sheepshead Bites, we’re always looking for a good taco. We’ve been informed by the owner that there are no tacos. They have deli and grocery items, hot and cold sandwiches and soups and will add a salad bar.

And welcome to the neighborhood, Santa Fe!

This article was amended on July 3.