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.

Adams Announces Launch of Delaware Aqueduct Despite Indictment

Left: Deputy Commissioner for the Bureau of Water Supply Paul Rush; Right: Sean McAndrew of the Bureau of Engineering Design and Construction. Courtesy of NYC Water

By Eloise Goldsmith

Mayor Eric Adams and other New York City officials celebrated the launch of the Delaware Aqueduct bypass tunnel, the final phase of a $2 billion project to repair the city’s water supply system at a Sept. 30 press conference in Corona, but the event was overshadowed by a federal indictment against Adams that was unveiled last week.

After Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala fielded questions about the restoration project, Adams reiterated that he intends to stay on as Mayor despite his legal troubles. Charges detailed by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York in the indictment include bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy.

When asked about whether he’s spoken with New York Governor Kathy Hochul about her ability to remove him from office, Adams said he has spoken with her “several times” but that the conversations were private.

“I never go into private conversations, that’s why people enjoy having conversations with me,” he said. When asked whether Hochul has told him she’s going to ask for his resignation he said no.

The state’s constitutions and powers she has through the New York City Charter give Hochul the ability to remove the mayor. Hochul, a political ally of Adams, has intimated that New Yorkers’ confidence in the mayor is on shaky ground.

Earlier in the press conference, Adams called this phase of the project a “great achievement we should all be proud of.” In the 1990s, the city discovered leaks below the Hudson River that were impacting the Delaware Aqueduct, which supplies roughly half of New York’s running water.

In 2010, the city announced a project to construct a bypass that would allow for repairs. During the repairs, part of the Delaware Aqueduct will shut down and water will be re-routed through the Delaware Aqueduct bypass, a 2.5-mile long tunnel. Repairs are expected to take place over eight months.

Diagram showing the existing aqueduct and the bypass tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Courtesy of NYC Water

“We have the best water in the country,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. Our system was built in the 1800s. The water is cleaned by gravity and nature, and it allows New Yorkers to enjoy a billion gallons of water every day. Its only flaw is that it has a small leak,” she added.

While the bypass is in use, the city will draw less water from Catskill-Delaware watershed and another watershed, the Croton, will cover the shortfall.

Aggarwala said that the city has planned for “every scenario” in the event that something goes wrong. “Worse comes to worst,” city officials have the ability to reconnect to the existing aqueduct without too much trouble though it would cost time and money to do so.

Aggarwala also gave a shout out to Paul Rush, DEP’s Deputy Commissioner for Water Supply, who he called New York City’s “chief mixologist”  because his job is to “determine which reservoirs we’re going to draw from and create a blend of that water that maximizes taste and safety and reliability.”

New Yorkers may notice that their water over the next few months tastes slightly different, said Aggarwala, who said the variations are due to harmless mineral differences between the water drawn from different reservoirs.

Adams drank a glass of “sample” tap water during the press conference and said he couldn’t taste the difference. “You’re not going to be able to detect it,” he said.

Businesses, Nonprofits, People Debate Weekend Open St On Bedford Slip

 

By Jean Brannum | jbrannum@queensledger.com

An application to the Department of Transportation has triggered debate among business owners, street safety advocates, community members, and nonprofits about whether to turn the Bedford Slip, into an open street on weekends. 

The North Brooklyn Park Alliance, a non-profit organization that manages parks in the community district, applied to manage the Bedford Slip as an open street for Fall 2024 per request from the Department of Transportation, which is a 100-foot street near the intersection of Nassau Ave, Bedford Ave, and Lorimer St. The slip became a temporary plaza when the G Train was shut down for six months over the Summer. 

The temporary plaza received mixed reviews from people who spent time in the street and the eleven businesses on it. While some said they wanted the slip to become a 24/7 plaza, a weekend open street is the only decision the DOT is considering.

During the six-week shutdown, the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance managed the slip, including installing tables and chairs, managing weekend vendors, and sanitation services. The Parks Alliance applied for the weekend closure at the DOT’s request for the Fall 2024 Open Streets program. The DOT makes the final decision on the Bedford Slip and other Open Streets applications based on information gathered during a review period, according to Katie Denny Horowitz, Executive Director of the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. 

Businesses Push Back

 

This debate heated up at two Community Board 1 meetings where several members of the public spoke for and against the slip. One of those places was Awoke Vintage. Owner Rachel Despeaux spoke to the board about how the 6-week closure caused her store to lose business. She said the shutdown diverted customers from window shopping and was worried that she would have to move her business if there is a weekend shutdown, which is her busiest time. 

“Why would I willingly pay rent to have a street removed, have my sidewalks essentially removed, and people rerouted into the street?”

Despeux noted that all 11 businesses at the DOT meeting were against the slip. This was repeated by Mignar Tsering, owner of ID Menswear. 

Tsering said he was always against the shutdown, even on weekends. He said business was down about 40% during the full-time shutdown. The lack of car access also hindered deliveries. Tsering said on weekends, he has to carry stock into his store, which includes heavy candle-making supplies and candles. He said parking is already an issue in the area and carrying supplies in would difficult. 

Tsering also said that when the slip was pedestrian-only, street vendors would set up shop directly in front of his store, which led to a further loss of business. Tsering also said he did not see many people use the slip during the G-train shutdown. 

“Every day we were there, and we hardly saw anybody using it, just a few people that were using other delivery guys,” Tsering, whose store is open seven days a week, said. 

Lediona and Elona Zharku, who own Tired Thrift, wrote a letter to Councilmember Lincoln Restler expressing their opposition to the shutdown. The Zharku’s said that they pay rent specifically for a storefront with high foot traffic and that the closed slip diverted people from the storefront. A 2019 study from the DOT shows the slip area has one of the highest pedestrian volumes in Brooklyn at around 2,000 people. They also said they hardly saw anyone use the slip and saw more people using McCarren Park. 

“We find it unnecessary to have an open street here with a public park so close by.  Also, it was very difficult to load necessary supplies and stock into our shop when the street was closed since we could not park our cars outside of the shop.”

Activists Push For The Open Street

 

This sentiment was a surprise for activist Benji Lampel from North Brooklyn Open Streets Community Coalition, who is for a 24/7 shutdown. He said that in the beginning of discussions about the potential open street, feedback was mostly positive. During the G train shutdown, a petition from Transportation Alternatives pushing for the Bedford Slip garnered over 3000 signatures. 

“I was taken very off guard because none of them who I had spoken to had an indication that they absolutely hated it.”

Lampel said that most businesses, except for Billy’s Locksmith and one other place, were on board with the open street. Tsering from ID Menswear said he told some of the advocates that he opposed the idea.

Kevin LaCherra, another resident who was involved in advocating for the shutdown, said that many businesses lost revenue due to the G train shutdown, even outside of the slip. Other reports say the same thing since the G train is the main subway line in and out of Greenpoint. 

“I believe that their business was down,” LaCherra said. “They would have no reason to lie, but I don’t think that that is because of the plaza. I think that is because the primary mode into and out of the neighborhood was cut for six weeks. “

While some businesses affirm that they are against it, those for the shutdown continue to say that the open street would help businesses. A report from the DOT in Oct. 2022 said that open streets benefitted businesses overall. LaCherra said he and others spent more money at the restaurants on the slip during those six weeks. 

Dan Elstien, a Greenpoint resident who was involved in North Brooklyn Open Streets Coalition, said that while he received pushback from businesses, he thought the six-week shutdown went well and reduced congestion. Elstien said he was at the slip at least once a week.

“It was a lot safer, it was much nicer and helped the bus keep moving,” Elstien said. “We were able to do things you weren’t able to do before,  like put down semi-permanent infrastructure.”

LaCherra said that in 2020,  the idea came after an accident in which a woman was hit by a car. Many people and activist groups discussed the idea of turning the slip into a pedestrian plaza. Advocacy for Banker’s Anchor, a new pedestrian plaza, was also being discussed among residents at the time. 

Crashmapper shows nine accidents at both ends of the slip between Aug 2016 to Aug 2024. 

LaCherra said he was also part of a group from the Parks Alliance that helped with cleanup after events. The Parks Alliance hosted pedestrian events in the slip before the six-week pilot. When the G Train shutdown began, advocates for the open street wanted to show that the idea was good after several failed applications for the open street. LaCherra also commented that the slip would be nice on Saturdays when McCarren Park was full. 

“There’s barely enough room for a picnic blanket next to the next picnic blanket,” He said referring to the crowds at McCarren Park on Saturdays. 

LaCherra also said that while he ultimately wants the slip, he does not see the issue as a battle between business owners and residents. He believes that regulation of the space would make the space good for everyone. 

“I think that this is something that, like most things, can be solved with some good communication and trying some things out,” LaCherra said.



Elected Officials Speak Out Against Cement Mixer That Causes Dust, Noise For Residents

By Jean Brannum | jbrannum@queensledger.com

Outside the DKN ReadyMix facility, Councilmember Lincoln Restler, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, and other community members spoke out against the cement mixing company for polluting the area and causing intense noise.

The facility, which has several Department of Buildings complaints for spraying dust into the air, and banging concrete blocks against the ground causing noise and shaking, has received repeated requests from elected officials and residents to be better neighbors, the officials say. However, the facility has allegedly failed to meet with the community and has not fixed the issues.

The situation has escalated to the point where Restler called for the company to shut down the Greenpoint location.

“They’ve provided no substantive information, no real answers, most of all, no improvement,” Restler said. “We are gathered as elected officials, the united front, as community leaders, community-based organizations, all together demanding that this noxious business get the hell out of Greenpoint.”

Jens Rasmussen, who lives next to DKN, told Greenpoint Star in a previous interview that he saw workers slamming cement blocks onto the ground, which caused shaking and cracks in his building. The dust in the air has also caused respiratory issues for his two-year-old son.

Another resident, Laura Hofmann, said she could write her name in the layer of dust that coats her car. She lives a few blocks from the facility.

The DOB fined DKN $620 for performing work with a certificate of occupancy for the sale of used cars and car parts. The dispute was resolved, according to the DOB, and the certificate was corrected.

However, elected officials and residents say they have not seen improvement in the air quality or noise levels. Elected officials sent a letter to DKN demanding a meeting. The meeting was supposed to take place Aug 14 but was canceled the day before, according to Restler. He said that DKN hired a lobbying firm” to assist them. There has not been a meeting, or discussion of one, since then.

The air quality index (AQI) readings have been startling at the exact location of DKN. Lael Goodman, director of environmental programs at North Brooklyn Neighbors, saw a spike with an AQI reading over 500, which she said was worse than readings during the wildfires in Canada that turned city skies orange in 2023.

Air quality monitors measure for particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which is small enough to be inhaled, Goodman explained in a previous interview. An acceptable air quality reading is an average of 35 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) over 24 hours, according to NYC Environment and Health. Air quality readings on Purple Airshow the average 24-hour amount to be 59 µg/m3as of Sept 20. The one-week average is 55 µg/m3.

The issues with DKN reflect repeated environmental justice issues in the neighborhood. Gallagher spoke about how she is tired of companies causing environmental issues for nearby residents. She also encouraged DKN to start working with the community to protect residents’ health and well-being.

The DKN ReadyMix facility at 270 Green St. Credit: Jean Brannum

“They can either work with us and keep their business, or they can work against us and see what happens,” Gallagher said.

Willis Elkins from the Newtown Creek Alliance agreed that Greenpoint already has many environmental issues from an industrial history.

“It’s not that this is anti-business. This is being a bad neighbor, and DKN ReadyMix has this proven history of polluting our air, polluting our waterways, and congesting our streets, making it dangerous for everybody in the community, Elkins said.

Elkins referred to DKN’s previous establishments at Maspeth Ave and in Long Island City. Riverkeeper, a nonprofit that advocates for the protection of the Hudson River and its tributaries, sued DKN in 2016 for allowing stormwater runoff from their facility to pollute nearby waterways in Long Island City. A judge ruled in favor of Riverkeeper and DKN had to pay $10,000 to the Newtown Creek Alliance.

While Restler ultimately called for DKN to relocate, he and his elected counterparts clarified that they are not against all businesses or industrial establishments in the area. He simply wants these businesses to be good neighbors. Gonzalez said that DKN can choose to comply with regulations and be a better neighbor.

“We want a new industrial business providing good jobs to our community, who will be a good neighbor for Greenpoint, Restler said.”

DKN ReadyMix did not respond to requests for comment.

G Train is Back and Running Its Full Route

By Jean Brannum | jbrannum@queensledger.com

The G Train officially fully reopened the morning of Sept 3, after a series of partial shutdowns for repairs.

The MTA Interim President Demetrius Crichlow and MTA Construction Development President Jamie Torres-Springer greeted customers at the Metropolitan Ave station to celebrate the reopening. The nine-week project allowed the MTA to add Communications-Based Train Control to improve train service reliability.

“I was so happy this morning, I got into the ​​ train station, took the train here and had Pharrell’s “Happy” song in my head with an extra bounce in my step,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler.

Work will continue until 2027, but the critical work is complete. Many signals on the G train route date back to the 1930s. Assemblymember Emily Gallagher and State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, along with other elected officials, said that these changes have been necessary for a while.

“I think this will set a new standard for what the future of the MTA can look like, the future of transit can look like; something that is on time, reliable, fast, and of course, as you heard modern,” Gonzalez said.

In addition to adding Communications-Based Train Control, the MTA also replaced 9,495 tiles in G stations, painted 1,802 columns, and repainted 233,645 square feet of platform, track, and mezzanine ceiling.

Some weekend and overnight outages will occur as work continues from 9:45 pm to 5 am the week of Sept 16.

 

DOT Approves Compromised McGuinness Redesign That Fails To Address The Problem, Community Members Say

By Jean Brannum | jbrannum@queensledger.com

After a long battle between two opposing organizations, politicians, the mayor, and the Department of Transportation, McGuinness Blvd will finally receive some modifications intended to improve safety. 

But the modifications failed to address key issues according to advocates from Make McGuinness Safe. 

The DOT informed elected officials on Aug. 20 that it would move forward with a compromised plan to end the cycle of deadly accidents, injuries and near-misses on the street. 

A  letter from the DOT to Community Board 1 shared details of the modifications. One of the two travel lanes will become parking overnight from 7 PM to 7 AM. There will be protected bike lanes and loading zones, but Make McGuinness Safe supporters believe that the bike lanes will continue to be blocked by trucks unloading due to a lack of parking during the day.  

Longtime Greenpoint resident Kevin LaCherra explained that with two travel lanes and no parking until the evening, trucks may have no choice but to park and unload in the bike lane or block the travel lane. 

The DOT proposed three possible solutions to decrease collisions on McGuinness Blvd. Make McGuinness Safe and elected officials supported Plan B. The DOT approved Plan A.

Currently, the road has two travel lanes and one parking lane. The DOT proposed three different solutions and Make McGuinness Safe supported Plan B, which is to replace a travel lane with a parking lane and make the current parking lane a bike lane. The DOT studied the idea in 2021 and found that the plan may cause more congestion, but would divert more cars to the BQE and the Long Island Expressway. The study also found that cut-through traffic comprised 30% of total traffic. 

However, the DOT approved Plan A, which was implemented in the northern part of McGuinness in the Summer of 2023. Make McGuinness Safe continued to advocate for one travel lane and one parking lane with loading zones and said that Plan A does not work to reduce collisions. 

“We’re getting a plan that we already know doesn’t work because it’s been installed along the northern portion of McGuinness Blvd,” A statement from Make McGuinness Safe said on Instagram. 

LaCherra said that the DOT’s solution essentially just added a bike lane that would be blocked by trucks unloading during the day. 

“We are not adequately addressing the problem on McGuinness Blvd, which is not a lack of bike lanes, it’s speeding traffic and congestion. It is traffic being moved off of the highways onto local streets and speeding”

Councilmember Lincoln Restler, Gallagher, and State Senators Julia Salazar and Kristen Gonzalez are longtime advocates of the proposed changes. They released a statement with other elected officials. 

“After repeatedly changing his mind and undermining DOT’s evidence-based redesign, Mayor Adams is going forward with a plan that fails Greenpoint by preserving the most dangerous elements of this roadway that runs through the middle of our community,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, a deleted tweet shows Keep McGuinness Moving retweeting the news about the redesign with a “peace” sign emoji and kissing face emoji. 

An Ongoing Battle

The road has been plagued with injuries and deaths since its construction, according to Make McGuinness Safe and previous reporting. New articles log deaths and injuries on the street as far back as 1995. Since 2011, over 2,000 accidents have been reported including three deaths, according to CrashMapper

In 2021, then-Mayor Bill DeBlasio pledged $40 million to redesign McGuinness after the death of PS110 teacher Matthew Jensen. His death sparked members of the community to form Make McGuinness Safe, which has garnered 10,000 signatures from residents to make the street safer. 

In response to calls to remove a travel lane, a coalition of local businesses banded together to oppose the redesign called Keep McGuinness Moving. Participating businesses are not listed on the website citing harassment claims from those supporting Plan B. 

In its statement against the redesign, Keep McGuinness Moving says that McGuinness is a coastal evacuation route and that removing a travel lane could cause congestion. The group has also said that cutting a travel lane would hurt local businesses. 

LaCherra said that Make McGuinness Safe surveyed 103 local businesses, most were within 1000 feet of McGuinness, who supported the redesign. One of the reasons the group advocated for Plan B was due to the added loading zones incorporated into the parking lane. 

The statement from Keep McGuinness Moving also urged the DOT to listen to all members of the community and recently published its own survey on X claiming that many local businesses were opposed to the redesign. The groups also released a statement on Aug. 27 opposing the elimination of permanent parking for bike lanes. 

“We urge the DOT to broaden their approach and move the bike lanes to the safer residential streets. reinstitute parking, and focus on redesigning intersections.”

In 2022, the DOT implemented some changes while discussing street design solutions. Changes included extending medians so people would have a place to wait to cross midway and banning lightly-used left turns. 

Make McGuinness Safe pushed for several changes to improve pedestrian safety. Mayor Eric Adams initially agreed to the changes verbally but walked back his agreement in 2023. He instead encouraged the Department of Transportation to work with both opponents and supporters of the plan, according to The CITY. The CITY reported that the campaign against the changes was backed by Broadway Stages owners Gina and Tony Argento. The Argentos have donated over $15,000 to Adam’s campaign. 

The DOT eventually replaced a parking lane with bike lanes north of Freeman Ave in the Spring of 2024, according to Make McGuinness Safe. This modification matched Plan A. Still, the organization wants the bike lanes to extend to Meeker Ave and, more importantly, wants the second travel lane gone. 

Despite a major setback for Make McGuinness Safe, LaCherra said that this is not the end of the fight for the redesign. 

“As far as we’re concerned, nothing has changed. We’re going to continue fighting. We’re going to continue pushing. We’re going to continue to make our presence known and say that this is unacceptable.”



National Grid Gets “OK” from PSC on Rate Hike, Sparking Protests From Environmentalists

 

By Jean Brannum | jbrannum@queensledger.com

The Public Service Commission unanimously approved a rate increase for gas usage in the state on Aug 15, which will affect people in Brooklyn and parts of Queens. The PSC determined that the rate increases were necessary and consistent with Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals. 

The three-year plan increases the average monthly gas bill by about $30 in the first year, nine dollars in the second year, and $22 in the third year, according to department staff who negotiated the terms of the rate plan. The new rate should increase National Grid’s annual capital to $833 million, $924 million, and $960 million.

Energy company National Grid, which provides electricity and gas in certain parts of New York State, but only provides gas in Kings County, proposed a rate hike in 2023 and with minor modifications was approved on Thursday. In a press release, National Grid said that the rate hike will fund infrastructure improvements, reduce emissions, and improve customer service. The company reasoned that the funding was necessary to ensure safe and reliable gas delivery in its service areas. 

The approval process and proposal were met with opposition, primarily from environmental activism groups like Sane Energy Project, which has protested numerous times against National Grid. The nonprofit based in Williamsburg sports the slogan “We Won’t Pay to be Poisoned.” Leaders of the organization are pushing for New York to support more renewable energy projects and shut down National Grid’s Greenpoint Energy Center. 

The majority of the 2100 public comments opposed the rate hike citing concerns about affordability, and investment in fossil fuels despite the passing of the CLCPA. The joint proposal includes steps to mitigate the impact of energy affordability, according to PSC Chair Rory Christian. National Grid already has an established program to help customers burdened by energy costs. 

However, multiple labor unions and other businesses supported the increase citing that the extra cash would help National Grid meet its environmental goals and improve community safety. 

In Albany at the PSC meeting, Sane Energy Project Director Kim Fraczek and other protesters stepped in front of the commission. Fraczek’s speech was mostly inaudible. The meeting was paused after Christian warned the group that they were disrupting the meeting.  

“This is a testament that those who hold the power to protect us from predatory corporations defying environmental justice turn on the very people they are entrusted to protect,” Fraczek said in a statement. “The financial, health, and safety costs of the climate crisis are not considered in the equation, disregarding the demands of the people.”

Julia Salazar at the protest at the Atlantic Ave Terminal

Downstate at a National Grid office across the street from the Barclays Center on the same day, Sane Energy Project Director of Communications Priscilla Grim led a rally with State Senator Julia Salazar and members of 350 Brooklyn against the rate hike. Salazar accused National Grid of trying to generate more profits. 

“They care about profits for their shareholders and do not care about our futures or our abilities as New Yorkers to make ends meet and pay our bills every month. It’s completely unsustainable,” Salazar said. 

Agreement To Go Green?

Salazar touched on the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which was signed into law in June 2019 and mandates the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050. 

Several environmental organizations including Sane and the Newtown Creek Alliance have spoken out about closing National Grid’s Greenpoint Energy Center, saying that the center causes pollution. 

National Grid and the commission concluded that the energy center was necessary on peak usage days, but the commission recommended that the company close the center if alternative solutions are found. 

Greenpoint resident Katherine Thompson said that funding fossil fuel infrastructure will delay the city’s progress towards CLCPA goals and that there should be more investment in green energy.

Greenpoint resident Katherine Thompson.

In the proposal, the PSC disagreed that investment in gas infrastructure would take away from CLCPA-related infrastructure, and even said that infrastructure funded by the rate increase was necessary to reach CLPCPA goals. 

The Commission approved the new proposal with the agreement that the company would try to use alternative energy sources in the future. 

One of the ways National Grid agreed to reduce its environmental impact is by adding additional renewable natural gas interconnections. Renewable natural gas (RNG) is fuel derived from natural waste that emits methane. The Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant produces RNG for National Grid but commenters said the project was incomplete, according to the joint proposal. The City reported in May that the system was offline 46% of the time from April 2023 to May 2024.  

The RNG connects with existing gas lines called interconnection points. The joint proposal includes an agreement with National Grid that excess profits from RNG production will be refunded to customers. If the company does not profit from RNG, then the cost will be mostly recovered by shareholders. Another provision was that National Grid pursues non-pipeline alternatives. 

In addition, National Grid agreed to cease gas marketing to encourage customers to use alternative energy sources and will provide information to new customers. 

The environmental changes should reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 880,000 tons, according to an information presentation at the commission meeting. 

Commissioners approved the proposal with the environmental provisions saying that the rate increase was necessary to provide safe and reliable energy to National Grid customers. However, Fraczek said the PSC is continuing to listen to corporations rather than find alternative energy solutions. 

“Stop clinging to a law that favors industry, and instead follow a law that offers numerous options for releasing that grip,” Fraczek said. “The solutions are abundant. We just need leaders who are willing to lead.”

Officials from National Grid did not comment on the rate increase but did send press releases.