Glacial Pace of Change”: Judge Holds City in Contempt for Inaction on Rikers Closure, Paving Way for Fed Takeover

By Jack Delaney | jdelaney@queensledger.com

In 2019, lawmakers gave one of the largest jails on earth until 2026 to shut down completely. Five years later, officials are still dragging their feet on reforms — so the federal government is poised to wrest control of the facility from New York City officials to ensure the closure actually happens.

On November 27, Manhattan federal judge Laura Swain held the city in contempt on 18 counts for its handling of Rikers Island, ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in Nunez v. the City of New York, a case first brought in 2012 that alleges “a pattern and practice of using unnecessary and excessive force against incarcerated individuals.” The decision paves the way for a federal receivership, which would strip local agencies of jurisdiction over Rikers.

The case was settled in 2015, with the stipulation that the Department of Correction (DOC) take concrete steps to fix what critics have described as a culture of impunity for officers within the jail. As part of the deal, a monitoring team was created to track compliance with the plan.

But in a 65-page decision, Swain observed that the monitors had consistently found DOC unwilling or unable to implement changes. “Progress will likely not be achieved,” they wrote in December 2021, “no matter how many remedial orders or other potential sanctions may be imposed,” because of “foundational” problems within the department.

If anything, Swain noted, progress has trended backward. “The use of force rate and other rates of violence, self-harm, and deaths in custody are demonstrably worse than when the Consent Judgment went into effect in 2015,” she wrote, with cases in which corrections officers used force against inmates climbing from around 4,500 incidents in 2016 (or a rate of 4 per 100 people) to nearly 7,000 (more than 9 per 100 people) in 2023.

These issues have been compounded by DOC’s unreliable record-keeping. Last year, the New York Daily News reported that the monitor had “no confidence” in the department’s in-house data on violence at Rikers and cited six attacks made with blades that had not been classified as slashings or stabbings.

At two recent hearings in September and October, City Council members pressed DOC leadership to explain why reforms recommended by watchdogs had not been fully implemented, and why a track record of abuses appeared to be continuing unabated.

At the October hearing, several formerly incarcerated women testified to what they said was a decades-long system that abetted sexual abuse of inmates by corrections officers at Rikers. Over 700 sexual lawsuits have been filed to date against the DOC through the 2022 Adult Survivors Act (ASA), which amended state law to allow sexual assault victims to file civil cases even if the statute of limitations had lapsed, for a one-year window.

Representatives for the corrections officers union argued that the federal judge’s concerns were mislaid.

“Seventy percent of our inmate population is facing violent felony charges,” said Benny Boscio, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association. “That same population is driving the hundreds of assaults on our officers, including sexual assaults, as well as inmate on inmate attacks, which requires necessary, not excessive force, to keep everyone in our jails safe. Outsourcing control of Rikers Island to a federal receiver will not be a silver bullet and will not solve any of these problems. Giving correction officers the manpower and resources to enforce law and order in our jails will.”

Historically, the union has wielded significant power over any changes within city jails. As The CITY reports, it has previously stonewalled reforms that would have introduced stab-resistant vests and reduced cases in which solitary confinement can be used to punish inmates.

Even when fixes are implemented, many do not last long. Federal monitors argued for years that body cameras were necessary to keep corrections officers accountable, and it eventually won out: by 2020, nearly every officer in city jails was required to wear one. But in 2024, the 3,500 devices were recalled by DOC Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie after a camera caught fire. According to Vital City, the review was slated to take at most two weeks; months later, the body cameras are still out of circulation.

While the initial target date for closure was delayed by a year until 2027, the city has maintained it is on track to close Rikers. Yet the federal judge’s decision reinforces broader skepticism that the DOC’s plan to redirect the island’s inmates to four borough-based jails will be feasible.

Per Swain’s order, the next step will now be for the Legal Aid Society, which filed the initial case back in 2012, to negotiate the terms of the receivership—including who will helm the effort—with city and federal officials. The relevant parties have until mid-January to do so.

Malt Drive Park Opens: Once a Sugar Factory and Beer Depot, Now a Waterfront Green Space

Attendees at the Malt Drive Park opening party on Saturday, November 16 / Credit: Nicholas Gordon

By Nicholas Gordon | ng639@georgetown.edu

If the beautiful, new sweeping waterfront space of Malt Drive Park wasn’t enough to entice locals for its grand opening block party on Saturday, November 16, the heaps of free oysters, caprese salad, tiramisu, chocolate fondue, and an endless well of craft beer and Prosecco were thrown in to sweeten the deal. Upwards of 300 attendees mingled over their drinks and snacks, shimmied to the live music, and explored the new park all afternoon. 

“Celebrating the ribbon-cutting here at Malt Drive Park shows the power of our community,” said Julie Won, a New York City council member for District 26, which covers the western Queens neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, and Woodside. “This is also a celebration of the development of the entire Hunter’s Point South Park where we have new public amenities to enjoy,” Won added.

Located on a brand new block in Hunter’s Point South, Malt Drive Park features spacious sidewalks and winding waterfront paths with seating areas, a playground and a dog park, and an open lawn with picnic spaces and views of the water. Malt Drive Park was created by the real estate development company TF Cornerstone (TFC), which has its two newest luxury residential buildings, 2-20 and 2-21 Malt Drive, flanking the space. 

“As someone who was born and raised in Queens, I’m really proud to be here with you today for the opening of Malt Drive Park,” said New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, addressing the crowd. “I’ve seen this neighborhood grow and thrive, and I think it represents the best of us in New York City, showing that through public and private partnerships we can have greenspace and public amenities, and a high quality of life.”

Featured Speakers at the Malt Drive Park opening party, from left to right: Edjo Wheeler, Executive Director of CultureLab; Julie Won, New York City council member for District 26; John McMillan, TFC Senior Vice President and Director of Planning; Kristen Gonzalez, New York State Senator; Kate Orff, founder of the landscape architecture firm SCAPE / Credit: Nicholas Gordon

John McMillan, TFC Senior Vice President and Director of Planning, echoed the praise for the public and private partnership, noting that Malt Drive Park is unique for East River waterfront parks in being developed by a private company on private land.

“The park shows what good zoning can inspire a private developer to do,” McMillan said. “We like to think we’ve been part of the growth and evolution of this community and of the astonishing civic and public character that has taken root in this part of Long Island City.”

Also astonishing is the transformation of the real estate along Newtown Creek in Long Island City.

“When we talk about Newtown Creek, on both sides, Brooklyn and Queens, what we’re doing is taking a legacy of barren land and polluted spaces, or inaccessible waterfront, and creating something new and beautiful to give us the better life that we here in Queens deserve,” Senator Gonzalez said.

While there seemed to be little doubt about the beauty and usefulness of the new park, some attendees expressed skepticism about the nature of Long Island City’s rapid growth.

“The so-called affordable apartments being presented here, to me it’s baffling,” said a member of a local community group and a long-time resident of Long Island City who asked to remain anonymous. “If I lost my current living situation, I’d be priced-out of Long Island City, which is unfortunate because we moved here many years ago because it was so affordable.”

On the TFC website, the new Malt Drive studios are listed at $3,760.

Malt Drive’s 1,386 new residences brings TFC’s total in Hunter’s Point South to over 5,000 units across several properties. 

Lisa Goren, a member of the Long Island City Coalition and a board member of the Hunter’s Point Community Coalition, questioned whether Long Island City’s unfettered growth has preceded a comprehensive management and services plan. 

“All of the things that should come with upzoning where you have a tremendous number of new units built are being dealt with after the fact,” Goren said in a phone interview, acknowledging that she and her coalitions have had some difficult conversations with the developers. “When you build, it needs to be part of a comprehensive resiliency plan in the face of climate risk, so that the neighborhood is sustainable, not just a plan protecting particular buildings.” 

Goren said that through community engagement events and ideas-sharing sessions with locals she and her teams have come up with vision plans for equitable development, resiliency, and sustainability. Their vision plan for Hunter’s Point North is available at hunterspoint-north.com.

Malt Drive Park features a dog park, playground, paths with seating and waterfront views, and a lawn with picnic areas / Credit: Nicholas Gordon

Named after the site’s history as a sugar cane processing plant turned beer distribution facility, Malt Drive Park expands park space from Hunter’s Point South Park by over three acres, adding roughly 700 feet of public access along the shoreline.

Kate Orff, the founder of the landscape architecture firm SCAPE which collaborated with TFC for Malt Drive Park, said that the ecology and legacy of the waterfront’s importance as the site where the East River meets the mouth of Newtown Creek was at the forefront of their design.

“With a focus on resilience, we created a sloping grade, sculpting the ground plane in a way that protects the building and brings you down closer to the water,” Orff said. “We wanted the idea of a living shoreline pulling all the way up to the buildings’ edge, and then carving pockets of open space out of that so you could really experience the feeling of being on the edge of the natural creek system.”

In their collaboration with SCAPE, TFC also prioritized the development of a greener waterfront by taking measures to stabilize the shoreline from erosion and protect marine life, as reported by the New York Real Estate Journal. 

The Moving Dance Company performing at the Malt Drive Park opening party, from left to right: Payton, Jaylon, and Nika Credit: Nicholas Gordon

Young couples, families with strollers, and people walking their dogs passed through the new park as the last musical act finished up and the sun began to set. Earlier in the day, Council Member Won had made an appeal to them.

“All of this development continues to create an infrastructure and an entire knit community, so what we’re saying to you is that we want you to stay and we want to see your family start here and grow here,” Won said. “We want this to be a place that you call home long-term.”

‘Mother of All D.I.Y. Fairs’ Will Make Winter Stop in Brooklyn This Weekend

By Jack Delaney | jdelaney@queensledger.com

One of the most influential craft markets in the country is returning to Brooklyn this weekend, drawing over 150 creators from the borough and beyond.

The Renegade Craft fair will be setting up shop in ZeroSpace, a venue that straddles Gowanus and downtown Brooklyn, for December 7 and 8. It will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.

Renegade was founded in 2003 by Susie Daly, an aspiring therapist who began making jewelry after college and created the event’s initial edition in Chicago as a means to sell her work. The first time the market came to Brooklyn, in 2005, it took place in the drained-out pool at McCarren Park in Williamsburg, where customers descended the sloped sides to peer at handmade offerings.

Now in its twenty-first year, and dozens of installments later, Renegade has grown from its humble roots to become an institution — in 2008, Brooklyn Paper was already dubbing it the “preeminent D.I.Y. fair in the world.” And as of this year, casting a historian’s eye on the now-ubiquitous genre of small creators, SFGate described it as “arguably the mother of all contemporary craft fairs.”

Today, Renegade throws events in Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, along with summer and winter bonanzas in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. The company expanded to London and Portland, Oregon, but the former proved too logistical because of the distance and the latter simply didn’t catch on as fervently as it did elsewhere. Austin, Texas and Boston were cut due to the pandemic.

Part of what makes the fair such a draw no matter the locale is the careful vetting process for vendors. Renegade’s art director, Madelon Juliano, and her team combed over 600 applications for the upcoming winter fair at ZeroSpace. She said they juried based on quality alone, and had no hesitation including early-career artists alongside seasoned veterans, like long-time Etsy darling Wren Handmade.

The backgrounds of organizers like Daly — accomplished artists in their own rights, but ones who may have taken winding paths — speak to the grit of the participating vendors, many of whom seemed to have conjured a creative livelihood for themselves out of sheer force of will.

Attendees examine patterned tote bags earlier this year, at Renegade’s first of two bi-annual markets in Brooklyn. Photo: Renegade Craft

The Monday before the fair, Kelsie McNair spent the morning making stained-glass martini glasses. “[As Brooklynites,] we live in a place where there aren’t as many windows [being commissioned] as there might be in other parts of the country,” she explained, “because we’re mostly renting apartments.” So as an artist working with glass, she’s had to branch out: other items include languidly colorful forks, frames for mirrors, and even album art for the singer Jake Wesley Rogers.

McNair, originally from Virginia, started a vintage store out of college, at age 22. “I learned so much about small business, and about trying to be creative when you’re also trying to pay the bills. How do I find my joyful experience in the vast landscape of all the minutiae that the processing of owning a store brings?” After four years, she closed the shop and embarked on a range of other creative endeavors — photography, a job at a florist — before a friend recommended a glass residency program.

At first, it was “just something to do.” McNair had just wrapped her time as a shop owner, which she felt was “the best thing I was ever going to do,” and was feeling burnt out. But this residency, and the medium of glass, offered a way forward. “It sharpened my understanding of what kind of work I want to always have in my life,” she reflected.

McNair eventually landed a gig as a social media manager for Renegade, and began vending her own pieces in 2021.

The experience has been “wonderful” so far, she said. But she was sober about the acrobatics that creators must perform to remain marketable without compromising their personal style or message.

“We’re all in our own different challenging bubbles,” she said, “because we’re creating a path for ourselves that are uniquely ours. We are all looking for our own objects that work within the dialogue of the buyer or of the consumer or the customer, and we’re also constantly having to work to stay true to ourselves and to our brand.”

Similar themes resonated with illustrator Daili Shang, though her route to Renegade differed wildly from that of McNair.

Shang left China to study physics in a PhD program at UCLA, specializing in cancer treatment — much of her work centered on CAT scans and MRIs, she said. But she’d never thought of herself as a science person, and “didn’t really feel passion for it.”

When the pandemic struck, Shang found herself coding all day from home. It was miserable, yet it also offered a chance to reconsider her career. “I was just wondering about what I liked to do before [science],” she said, “what would bring me joy? And drawing is one of those things.”

The only issue? The last time Shang had picked up art supplies was in elementary school. Undeterred, she began to teach herself to draw — in her 30s, she wryly observed — by taking every online class she could find. Despite the difficulty of finding her own style, the pressure was manageable, because she had taken the leap and left physics for a new job, as a store manager for the high-end biking company Specialized.

Her first Renegade market was in Los Angeles in the spring of 2022, while still working at the bike shop. Initially, she focused on selling small stickers, which often incorporated the motifs of cats, bicycles, and self-help adjacent puns. But the margins were too slim when she decided to switch to art full-time, and she also began to have qualms about the stickers’ environmental footprint.

Serendipitously, Shang stumbled across linocut printing, her current medium of choice, though she is beginning to shift again towards acrylic painting. The cats are still there, but they’ve grown more whimsical, and the colors are bolder. And though cancer research, bikes, and illustration may seem impossibly disparate, Shang was adamant that the twists and turns were part of her work’s appeal.

A vendor from Renegade’s fair at McCarren Park in 2006, its second year in the borough. Photo: Renegade Craft

“What I want to offer the public is not just my art,” she said. “I want to offer them my story. Then they can also prioritize happiness and reflect on what they really want in life, and then live a happy life. Not everyone has to live a life they don’t want to be because they’re supposed to live a certain way.”

Juliano emphasized that the possibility of forming personal connections with the artists is one reason why Renegade has been so successful, enduring for over two decades.

In that vein, she was thoughtful about the unavoidable context for the fair, given its timing: Black Friday. On the one hand, she noted that many of the vendors were relying on the event to make their yearly budgets even out, and was candid about the imperative to sell items. On the other, she viewed the economy of independent creators that Renegade has fostered as an alternative to a more wasteful commercialism.

“Because of how long I’ve been working at Renegade, buying from small businesses has become a habit,” Juliano explained. “And I think something so cool about continuing to support things like Renegade and artists that participate in them is that once you keep doing it, you really can’t go back to buying stuff that you know is going right to the landfill, or you know isn’t going to last, or is so trendy that you feel like it’s not going to stick around your closet anymore.”

NYC’s Guide To The Best GMC Lease Options For 2025

GMC is transforming New York City’s automotive scene with its premium, versatile vehicles that meet diverse urban transportation needs. It offers everything from compact SUVs to full-size trucks; these models combine luxury and functionality. GMC has also revamped its offerings for 2025 to satisfy city dwellers who are seeking sophisticated design and advanced technology. Here are our top picks for New Yorkers looking for the best 2025 GMC lease deals.

The Rugged-looking Terrain  

The redesigned 2025 GMC Terrain emerges with bold styling inspired by its larger Yukon sibling, elevating GMC’s compact SUV offering. Powered by a 175-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder, it pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) in front-wheel-drive configuration or an eight-speed automatic with all-wheel drive. The 2025 GMC Terrain’s upscale interior distinguishes itself from its Chevrolet Equinox cousin, with premium materials and a striking 15.0-inch vertical-style infotainment display dominating the dashboard.

The Family-Friendly Acadia

The 2025 GMC Acadia returns to its full-size roots, offering adult-friendly third-row seating and generous cargo capacity. It is powered exclusively by a 328-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with an eight-speed automatic, and delivers adequate performance. The rugged AT4 trim adds off-road capability with specialized suspension and protective elements, while the available Super Cruise brings hands-free driving assistance across all trim levels.

The Luxurious Full-Size Yukon

The 2025 GMC Yukon and extended Yukon XL blend full-size SUV capability with near-luxury refinement. Engine choices include a 355-hp 5.3L V8, a muscular 420-hp 6.2L V8, and a newly enhanced 305-hp diesel inline-six delivering 495 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains are mated to a 10-speed automatic with available all-wheel drive. The independent rear suspension ensures composed handling, while the AT4 trim adds serious off-road hardware. Inside, three rows accommodate up to eight passengers, with Denali trims offering premium appointments.

The Capable Mid-Size Canyon Pickup Truck

The 2025 GMC Canyon elevates the mid-size pickup segment with premium aspirations and robust capability. Its sole powertrain, a 310-hp turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder producing 430 pound-feet of torque, leads the class in muscle. Available exclusively with a crew cab and a 5.5-foot bed, it offers a class-leading 7,700-pound towing capacity in most trims. From the versatile AT4X off-roader to the luxurious Denali, precise steering and composed handling distinguish it from traditional truck competitors.

Elevate your driving experience with a 2025 GMC lease in New York City. Our premium lease packages feature well-appointed SUVs and trucks, tailored to discerning urban drivers. Our dedicated specialists handle everything from model selection to contract signing, delivering unmatched rates and same-day convenience. Contact us now at VIP Auto Lease, 1204 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10305. 718-477-7888.

Digital Impressions Vs. Traditional Molds: The Impact On Dental Labs

The technique for taking a patient’s dental impressions has changed dramatically in the dental sector. For many years, traditional molds—typically composed of silicone or alginate—have been the norm. But the emergence of digital impressions is changing dental lab operations and affecting the patient experience in general.

Knowing the Procedures

Using traditional molds, a patient’s teeth and gums are physically imprinted. The dentist puts the impression material in the patient’s mouth after filling a tray with it. The substance solidifies after a few minutes, forming a negative impression of the teeth. After that, the mold is delivered to the dental lab, where technicians utilize it to make crowns and bridges, among other restorations. Digital impressions, on the other hand, make use of sophisticated 3D scanning technologies. An almost instantaneous digital model is produced by taking comprehensive pictures of the teeth and gums using a handheld scanner. Before shipping it to the lab, this model can be precisely measured and adjusted using computer viewing and manipulation.

Advantages of Digital Images

Compared to conventional molds, digital impressions provide a number of benefits. Accuracy is among the biggest advantages. Because digital scans are so comprehensive, they are less likely to contain flaws like distortions or bubbles that can happen with traditional molds. Better-fitting restorations result from this, potentially increasing patient comfort and happiness. The process’s quickness is another benefit. Dentists can finish operations in a single visit because to the speedy capture of digital impressions. Restoration turnaround times can be shortened by sending the digital files to the lab virtually immediately. Patients can get quicker outcomes and spend less time waiting for their treatments because to this efficiency.

Dental Labs Affected

Dental labs are being profoundly impacted by the transition to digital impressions. Labs can increase productivity and streamline processes with digital files. Restorations can be designed and manufactured more quickly thanks to the use of CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing) technology. In addition to improving the caliber of the job, this aids labs in better resource management.

Conclusion

The dentistry sector is undergoing a revolution as a result of the switch from conventional molds to digital impressions. This modification improves accuracy, productivity, and teamwork for dental labs. Digital impressions will probably become more significant as technology develops, improving restorative dental patient happiness and care quality.

Top 2025 Infiniti Lease Options For NYC Residents

Infiniti is carving a distinctive niche in New York City’s luxury automotive landscape. The brand’s recently revamped lineup, ranging from sleek sedans to jaw-dropping SUVs, embodies Japanese precision and urban refinement. As urbanites increasingly seek premium vehicles that balance style and practicality, Infiniti’s growing popularity reflects its ability to meet the demanding expectations of discerning metropolitan drivers. Looking to lease a 2025 Infiniti in NYC? Here are our top picks.

The Elegant Mid-Size QX60

The 2025 Infiniti QX60 presents an alluring blend of style and value in the mid-size luxury SUV segment. With its distinctive curved design and refined interior featuring available quilted leather and massage functions, it offers upscale comfort at a competitive price point. The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine delivers 268 horsepower through a smooth nine-speed automatic transmission. While European rivals may command more prestige, the Infiniti QX60’s serene cabin environment and generous feature set make it a compelling choice for luxury-minded buyers seeking affordability and value.

The Jaw-dropping QX55

The 2025 Infiniti QX55 brings distinctive coupe-like styling to the luxury crossover segment, offering a more dramatic interpretation of the QX50’s design language. Its sleek, sloping roofline creates an elegant profile that emphasizes sportiness. Powered by a sophisticated 268-horsepower turbocharged engine with variable compression technology, the QX55 delivers a smooth, comfortable ride. Standard all-wheel drive and well-tuned suspension ensure confident handling, while the refined interior provides a serene environment for daily commuting.

The Sensational Full-Size QX80

The 2025 Infiniti QX80 emerges as a stunning luxury flagship SUV, showcasing a bold transformation with its commanding presence and sophisticated design inspired by the QX Monograph concept. The muscular exterior features an imposing grille, dramatic LED lighting elements, and a striking full-width light bar. Under the hood, a potent 450-horsepower twin-turbo V6 with 516 lb-ft of torque delivers exceptional performance while boasting a class-leading 8,500-pound towing capacity. The opulent interior dazzles with three high-tech displays, available massage functions for both first and second rows, and an innovative climate control system with infrared sensing. A standard 24-speaker Klipsch audio system rounds out this remarkable luxury package.

QX50

The 2025 Infiniti QX50 continues to impress with its striking exterior design and luxurious appointments. This sophisticated compact luxury SUV features standard all-wheel drive and a pioneering variable-compression turbocharged engine producing 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Its comfort-focused suspension delivers a composed ride quality that excels on both city streets and highways. Inside, the well-appointed cabin offers premium materials and amenities at a competitive price point in the luxury segment.

Elevate your New York City commute with a 2025 Infiniti lease from VIP Auto Lease. Our collection features the latest performance luxury models, each customizable to your specifications. With market-leading prices and guidance from our performance vehicle specialists and finance experts, you’ll find the perfect Infiniti that balances luxury and dynamism within your budget. Contact us now at VIP Auto Lease, 1204 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10305. 718-477-7888.

Brooklyn Football Club Raises Awareness for Breast Cancer Survivors, Loses Home Match to DC Power FC

Local breast cancer survivors (from left to right) Naita Semaj-Williams, Charmaine Deshong, and Judith Hinds attended BKFC’s “Pink Game for Breast Cancer Awareness” on Friday, October 11, at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium. Credit: Nicholas Gordon

By Nicholas Gordon

In a hard fought, physical match that appeared to be ending in a stalemate, DC Power FC eked out a 1-0 victory in the 98th minute of stoppage time on a BKFC own goal. It wasn’t the prettiest victory, but DC Power FC got the job done for their first win of the inaugural USL Super League season. In a league of eight clubs, BKFC (3-1-2) is currently in third place, and DC Power FC (1-3-4) is ranked seventh. Approximately 300 hundred fans attended the match on Friday, October 11, at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.

The match served a higher purpose as the “Pink Game for Breast Cancer Awareness,” a partnership between Brooklyn Football Club and the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. As stated in the press release, “Making Strides is a nationwide movement that unites communities to end breast cancer by celebrating courage and hope.” BKFC had the signature pink of Making Strides added to their jerseys for the match in a show of solidarity with the breast cancer survivors in attendance who were also wearing the pink t-shirts of the partnership.

“We’re really grateful to be able to honor these women who have survived breast cancer,” said BKFC midfielder Mackenzie “Mack” Pluck. “We want to thank everyone who came out tonight. We’re really blessed to have our fan base here in New York.”

Local breast cancer survivors Charmaine Deshong, Judith Hinds, and Naita Semaj-Williams attended the match together and with their family members. 

Hinds said she enjoyed the match and appreciated the cause. “It’s women supporting women,” Hinds said. “We value their support in helping raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer, and it’s great to support a women’s soccer team from Brooklyn.” 

Semaj-Williams brought her 7-year old daughter, Adara, who’s also a soccer player, to the match to witness the level of grit and skill in the women’s pro game.

“People are always telling little girls to be nice and gentle, but they can be athletic and tough too. You can see that with this women’s soccer team,” Semaj-Williams said. 

BKFC midfielder Mackenzie “Mack” Pluck controls the ball against DC Power FC Credit: Azra Sheikh

If the teams on the pitch had comparable possession of the ball throughout the match, it was BKFC who delivered the more exhilarating goal-scoring chances, particularly in the closing minutes of both halves.

In the 43rd minute, BKFC midfielder Sam Kroeger found forward Isabel Cox on the far post with a cross from the left corner of the box. Cox connected on a volley that went just wide of goal.

A minute later Pluck fed forward Mackenzie George with a nice pass through traffic into the box. George dribbled past her defender and created space for a solid strike that sailed just over the crossbar.

With a new squad and a new coach in a new league, BKFC is still experimenting with player rotations in the young season. BKFC head coach Jessica Silva noted that pre-match plans for player substitutions often shift based on the flow of the game. 

“We have a deep squad, and we have a lot of ladies that are capable of stepping in,” Silva said. “We saw it today. Players stepped in and made a difference. Sam Rosette came in on a position she hasn’t trained at once and made a difference there. So I’m very comfortable rotating my players.”

If Rosette was playing a new position up front for BKFC, she did well to position herself for quality scoring opportunities as a substitute in the second half. 

In the 88th minute, BKFC full-back Leah Scarpelli lofted a deep cross from the left wing perfectly placed in the box for an on-the-run Rosette who volleyed a shot in mid-stride that got past the keeper but knocked off the far post.

In BKFC’s last best chance, Rosette carried the ball into the box on the right side and faced a 50/50 conundrum that every attacking player confronts at some point: to take the shot one’s self from a good look albeit a reduced angle, or lay the ball off across the box for an oncoming teammate to have the open shot. Rosette opted for the latter on this occasion and the score remained 0-0.

The trouble came for BKFC on a DC Power corner kick, when what appeared to be mixed signals between players on a clearance at the near post led to the own goal.

“That’s just football, sometimes,” Rosette said, on the gut-wrenching loss. “We created some great opportunities, but sometimes that’s just how the game lands. We’re going to regroup for the next match and go in with confidence, knowing that we played well today and just didn’t put the ball in the back of the net.”

Players from BKFC and DC Power FC go airborne challenging for the ball on a corner kick Credit: Nicholas Gordon

Silva said the disappointing loss is salvaged by the strong overall effort she saw from her club. 

“I felt like we deserved better today. Our ladies definitely put in quite the performance,” Silva said. “I’m really proud of them, and we’re going to build off of this.” Silva added that it was a great start for the team’s run of seven matches to come. 

DC Power FC will also look to build on their first win in what has been a frustrating string of draws and losses to start the season.

“It means everything for us to get our first win tonight,” said Claire Constant, center-back for DC Power FC. “We’ve been working so hard for months and our coach has given us the plan. Now we have the belief that we can win.”

Despite the losing effort, the game meant everything to BKFC too in helping raise awareness for the cause.

“This game was so important to us as women,” said Allison Pantuso, BKFC center-back. “You know so many women that have been through breast cancer and fought against it, so we’re always really proud to be able to wear pink.”

Christian Orellana, the development manager of Making Strides of Brooklyn, said the “Pink Game for Breast Cancer Awareness” was a great lead up to the annual 3-mile walk on the Coney Island boardwalk to honor breast cancer survivors on Sunday, October 27 at 8a.m. 

“Every year we get about ten thousand people who come out for the walk to support breast cancer survivors,” Orellana said, noting that Making Strides has a “natural relationship” with BKFC and the local minor league baseball club, the Brooklyn Cyclones, as their post-walk festival area is located in the parking lot of Maimonides Park, the teams’ home field.

“Hearing so many stories of breast cancer survivors over the years inspires me to do what I can to support them,” Orellana said.

Domino Square Opens With a Blast

By Annabelle Underwood

Thousands of people gathered on Tuesday evening, Oct. 1 to celebrate the opening of Domino Square, the newest addition to Domino Park in Williamsburg. The event was free to attend and featured a live DJ, food from Roberta’s Pizza, empanadas from Melanio, ice cream from Oddfellows, and drinks from Other Half Brewery. There was also a selection of activities for children from A Rosie Day. “I know it was a long work in progress and to finally see it become reality is really a wonderful thing,” said Senator Julia Salazar about the new space. “I am privileged to get to represent this beautiful place in the 18th Senate District.”

The public plaza has an egg-shaped concrete center featuring tiered seating along one side with space for vendors underneath. There is additional seating in the opposite corner surrounded by raised garden beds. Above the central area is a canopy for shade during the day and hanging lights for the evening.

It also features a scenic overlook with views of the Manhattan skyline and Williamsburg Bridge. “The only downside is I know there’s going to be less parking, but it’s fine,” said Crystal Ramirez, a Williamsburg resident. “It’s a nice, walkable neighborhood, so I enjoy it.” The space is now open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will host a variety of events like farmer’s markets, outdoor movie screenings, and graduation ceremonies for local schools. The concrete center will be converted into an ice-skating rink in November. Also, a salsa night with over 800 attendees was already hosted in September, according to a published report.

Some residents of Williamsburg who attended the opening celebration said they look forward to more family-oriented, community-building, and cultural events at the venue.

The acre of land is located next to The Refinery at Domino Sugar Factory, a historic building that was reopened as office spaces last fall and constructed by the same developers, Two Trees Management. The developers also constructed the rest of Domino Park, a six-acre waterfront esplanade, and a neighboring residential building, One Domino Square. “There was a big fight over many years over the future of this site,” said the 33rd District City Council Member Lincoln Restler. “We are really lucky that Two Trees came in and for such a bold and visionary plan for this space.” Domino Square was designed by Field Operations, the same architecture firm that worked on the High Line. The company also collaborated with another architecture firm, Studio Cadena.

Two Trees Management purchased the entire Domino site in 2012 for $180 million. The final part of their project to redevelop the area will be another residential building on Kent Avenue. The newest development was initially going to be a 45-story residential building.

“More and more condominiums are not something I like,” said Avi Friedman, a Williamsburg resident. “But it’s nice to see that they can incorporate public spaces.”

Greenpoint Board Says EPA Creek Plan Still ‘Kind of Stinks’

By Jack Delaney

Little detail given to environmental committee members – worries Newtown Creek advocates

At a meeting last week, community leaders raised a flurry of questions about the EPA’s proposal for cleaning up the East Branch of Newtown Creek. Members of the Community Board No. 1 Environmental Protection Committee met at Swinging Sixties Senior Center in North Williamsburg on September 30 to draft a comment to submit to the EPA as part of the plan’s public review period, which was recently extended. While the committee was enthusiastic that work might begin as soon as next year, those present voiced two main concerns: frustration over a lack of details around technical aspects of the proposal, and a desire for more community input going forward.

Efforts to clean the 3.8-mile Newtown Creek are relatively recent, given its long history of pollution. It was a hotspot for heavy industry during the 19th century, housing over 50 factories and processing plants along its banks. In 1856, the city began dumping raw sewage into the estuary, and contamination worsened as commercial boat traffic steadily increased, reaching a fever pitch with World War II.

 

Prefer Action Over Waiting

 

The waterway was named a Superfund site in 2010, and plans for remediation began in 2011. The Record of Decision, which is the final stage before full-scale work on the creek can

proceed, was originally due to be completed by 2023, but was later pushed to 2028. The proposal up for debate on Monday was an early action plan for the East Branch, one of Newtown Creek’s five tributaries. While limited in scope, members of the Environmental Protection Committee praised the concept of beginning now, rather than waiting for a plan encompassing the entire creek. “That part is kind of exciting,” said board member Katie D. Horowitz. “That there could actually be something started in 6 months to clean up.” Board chair Stephen Chesler agreed. “This could act as a study for treating the rest of the creek. That’s one of the key things here.”

The East Branch proposal outlines several possible approaches, ranging from no action to a $500 million, 7-year plan to dredge the entire tributary. The EPA’s preferred alternative is a compromise of dredging deep enough to place a cap over the sediment, a $250 million, 3-year improvement. But at Swinging Sixties, the consensus was that the EPA’s presentation of this option at a public meeting on September 18 had left much to be desired. “You walked out of the meeting, and you don’t really know what’s going to happen,” said committee member Christine Holowacz.

 

This Description Is A Red Flag

 

In drafting the public comment, the EPC Committee honed in on several specifications they believed had been omitted. “By now, [the EPA] should be able to at least discuss the composition of the cap,” member Laura Hofmann remarked. For his part, Chesler wanted to know more about why the proposed bulkheads were only temporary. “This description is a red flag for me,” he said, pointing to a bullet point on the projector screen. “I asked this at the [September 18] meeting — what’s the permanent solution, then?”

Yet another debate erupted over the plan’s decision to add six inches of biota, a layer of living organisms reintroduced after dredging, rather than the state standard of two feet. Zooming out, Horowitz called for a clearer sense of how the EPA will monitor results after implementation.

 

Boats on creek?

 

The three members also on the Newtown Creek Community Advisory Group (CAG) — Chesler, Holowacz, and Hofmann —were just as focused on the issue of navigability. If the East Branch were designated for commercial use by boats, the plan would need deeper dredging, and discussions about replacing nearby structures such as the aging Grand St. Bridge would have to accommodate this status. Chesler worried about what he saw as a disconnect between governmental agencies involved in the cleanup. The Army Corps of Engineers released a report in January 2024 designating the East Branch as non-navigable, he noted, but the city was continuing with discussions of a movable bridge, under the assumption that it would be navigable. Was the EPA taking this into account? “We should wait for the bridge design,” he said, “because that would change the game.” “If you have to dredge navigable water,” seconded Hofmann, “forget it.” 

Community Board 1 members Eric M. Bruzaitis, left, and Stephen Chesler spar over the finer points of the EPA’s Early Action cleanup plan for the East Branch of the Newtown Creek. Photo by Jack Delaney.

Amidst all the minutiae, the main point everyone on the committee agreed upon was that active dialogue with the public should continue. “We just need to make sure that this is a robust plan that will give us what we need,” said Holowacz.

The EPA will accept written comments on the Proposed Plan during the public comment period, which now ends on October 28. Written comments should be addressed to Caroline Kwan,

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 18th Floor New York, NY 10007.

ICL Fair Shines in East New York

 

Arlene Ortiz and Kim Figueroa

 By James Sienkievic

On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Institute for Community Living (ICL) hosted a Children and Family Resource Fair at the East New York Health HUB. Tucked away in a room off the courtyard in the back of the sprawling three-story community HUB building, the event was an exciting opportunity to introduce the ICL and its partners—including the Food Bank for New York City, the Community Healthcare Network, VNS Health, HealthFirst, and Black Veterans for Social Justice—to families in the area and provide support on a range of issues. Booths lined the walls while games and balloons were arranged around the room, and children played Connect Four on small tables on the floor.

After serving for 15 years …. struggled for years to get proper help from the VA

The fair was an opportunity for the ICL to introduce itself to a wider segment of the community and showcase its wide range of resources to the East New York community, including activities for kids, expert advice on parenting, mental health, substance use disorders, as well as opportunities to win exciting prizes and giveaways.

Natalie Primus, a former Air Force and Marine Corps service member, attended the event that morning after being invited by an ICL veterans outreach member. After serving for 15 years and being medically retired due to an injury, she had struggled for years to get proper help from the VA. She was there that morning hoping to hear about different resources available to her and her child that she may not have known about.

Natalie Primus

“Sometimes you need to hear about all the other programs that are available to you. Sometimes when one person doesn’t have it, another person may be able to provide that information. So that’s one of the things I hope to get from today.”

Built in 2018, the East New York Health HUB is part of ICL’s approach to what they call a whole health approach to wellness. The site provides comprehensive, integrated services to address a full range of primary health and behavioral health needs, as well as children and family, employment, housing, mental health, and veteran services. Across the three floors, various departments specialize in addressing the specific needs of the community.

Toni Kimpson, a social worker with the ICL, says that some of the most pressing issues lately have been housing and helping people deal with stigma regarding mental health and substance abuse.

The HUB has helped her get through some of the roughest times of her life

“We’re just trying to really educate the community about what mental illness is, what it can look like. It touches all of us, and we need to support each other with where we can go for help and make sure people know where those resources are.”

Ray Wade

Martha Salgado shared how the HUB has helped her get through some of the roughest times of her life. The daughter of Chilean immigrants, she had worked steadily in the banking industry for over 25 years before she suddenly lost everything. The ICL became her lifeline and helped her get her life back on track. As a foster mother of three who has cared for more than 20 children, Martha has found the support provided to her by the HUB invaluable. They assisted her with Medicaid, helped resolve human resources issues, and provided essential food bank access. “Their food bank is amazing,” she said.

The Children and Family Resource Fair highlighted the vital role that organizations like the Institute for Community Living (ICL) play across New York City and the nation. As the nation continues to grapple with mental health and substance abuse issues, stories like Natalie’s and Martha’s shine a spotlight on the hard work and dedication of ICL staff in supporting their communities. Resources are plentiful for those in need, and organizations like the ICL assist individuals in accessing them every day.