Author: GreenpointBlog

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Councilman Antonio Reynoso are hosting a town hall at the Williamsburg Community Center on Wednesday, August 30.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the event begins at 7 p.m.

Co-sponsors of the town hall include El Puente, Los Sures, St. Nicks Alliance, Make the Road, Churches United for Fair Housing (CUFFH), Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A and Grand Street Settlement.

It’s a perfect opportunity to ask the mayor or his agency commissioners about a number of local issues, including the controversial Pfizer development sites and affordable housing opportunities for Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint.

The 3rd annual Grand Street Restaurant Week is back!

From August 21 to 27,  diners can enjoy two-course lunches or three-course dinners for special prices at a dozen local eateries.

The price for lunch ranges from $9 to $15, while dinner will only cost you from $12 to $30.

You can find the participating restaurant menus here.

New restaurants taking part this year include Wafa’s Express, Ammazza Caffee and Lolita Grand. Coming back are local favs like Bahia, Masha and the Bear and Ryujin.

Take advantage of the great deals before Restaurant Week is over!

State Senator Daniel Squadron, who represents the 26th Senate District announced in an op-ed in the New York Daily News that he will resign on Friday.

Squadron was originally elected in 2008 in what he later called a “season of hope and change,” in a statement he posted online, but will resign to launch a national political effort.

In his resignation statement, he touted the progress made in nearly a decade in the State Senate.

Though progress has sometimes been slow — and there is much more to do in this much less hopeful time — the many constituents, colleagues, and staff with whom I’ve partnered have kept that enthusiasm, and pride in public service, alive.

Together, we’ve secured millions for public housing, storm resiliency, and waterfront parks. We’ve won a Lunar New Year school holiday, and a more equitable parks system. We’ve fought to hold Albany accountable, cut through red tape, advocated for subways, and tried (and tried, and tried) to fix a corrupt campaign finance system. I’ve been grateful for every chance to support a local school, make an intersection safer, or stand up to a bad landlord.

Squadron’s resignation will not impact the power balance in the Senate currently, which is under GOP leadership. The seat will be filled during the November election.

District 26 encompasses parts of: Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, the Columbia Waterfront, DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn, Fulton Ferry, Greenpoint, the Navy Yard, Vinegar Hill, and Williamsburg, and the Manhattan neighborhoods of Battery Park City, Chinatown, the East and South Villages, the Financial District, Little Italy, the Lower East Side, SoHo, and Tribeca.

Assemblywoman Maritza Davila is partnering with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce this morning to bring services to local small businesses.

As part of the Chamber On-the-Go program, trained specialists will connect with small business owners across the city, providing needed resources to better serve customers.

Davila and the Brooklyn Chamber will be stationed at Knickerbocker and Stanhope in Bushwick to meet small business owners from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.

Join the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF) and Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG) on Saturday, August 12 for their third “Curb Your Litter: Greenpoint” event of 2017.

Partners in this event include Evergreen Exchange, Investors Bank, Newtown Creek Alliance and North Brooklyn Boat Club.

The clean will focus on Northeast Greenpoint, east of McGuinness Boulevard and north of Norman Avenue. The meeting spot is Broadway Stages, at 203 Diamond Street.

All volunteers will get a free lunch as well.

To RSVP, see here.

Free movie Friday continues this summer, courtesy of Town Square’s SummerStarz series.

This Friday at Transmitter Park, bring your kids, friends, family and loved ones to catch “Kung Fu Panda 3.”

Here’s Town Square’s description: “When Po’s long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters and defeat supernatural villain Kai.”

Bring a picnic blanket, and enjoy!

The Greenpoint Star caught up with rising hip-hop artist, Derek ‘CantStop’ Atson, to talk about his recent music, performances, the state of hip-hop, and his movement in Brooklyn.

See full story here.

Also… Come out tonight to see Can’t $top gang Ru$ Grey and Derek Atson Live at the Aloft Long Island City-Manhattan View for the “BEFORE The Fame” concert.

Town Square’s SummerSTARZ free family movie night series continues tonight with a screening of Disney’s “Moana.”

The movie detail the adventures of a strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian tribe who is chosen by the ocean to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess.

Feel free to bring a picnic blanket and bring friends with you to enjoy the film.

Popcorn, hot dogs and cotton candy will be available for sale by Franklin Pizza.

North Brooklyn drivers, rejoice!

Assemblyman Joseph Lentol announced today that the Department of Sanitation is reducing alternate side parking restrictions from four days a week to two in Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

The decision was made based on the area’s street cleanliness rating, which has been above 90 percent recently. That was enough for the de Blasio administration to agree to a reduction.

“I believe that our streets are cleaner than they have been in years,” Lentol said.

Keep in mind the changes won’t affect 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. parking rules or meter regulations.

After a grueling 4,200-mile, 54-day journey across the United States, the C2C4FSHD team is preparing to make its triumphant return to Brooklyn.

The Chris Carrino Foundation for FSHD is extending an invitation for everyone to join us as we celebrate the team’s arrival at the Barclays Center on Wednesday, July 19 at 2 p.m.

There are two exciting, free opportunities to be part of this special day.

The first is by joining the team at the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge (near City Hall) and bicycling over the bridge to help “break the tape” after a short, 3-mile ride to the Barclays Center promenade.

All you need to do is bring a bike and a helmet, and you are welcome to ride with the team.

The second is by simply joining us at the Barclays Center and cheering for the team as they complete the final few minutes of their 4,200-mile odyssey. Once at the Barclays Center (near the Flatbush Avenue subway entrance), the celebration continues with a huge party, complete with food, beverages and entertainment.

Here is the projected event schedule (which is subject to change, please check www.chriscarrinofoundation.org for complete details) for Wednesday, July 19:

• 2 p.m. – Gates will open for all event guests at the Barclays Center Promenade. Food and refreshments will be available.
• 2:30 p.m. – Meet the team at the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge (near City Hall plaza). This will be for all potential bicyclists. There will be a complete police escort to ensure the safety of all riders from any traffic.
• 3:30 to 4 p.m. – Team arrives at the Barclays Center. The party will last until at least 6 p.m. Food, beverages and entertainment will continue to be served.

Please remember that while all of these events are free and open to everyone to share in this wonderful celebration, we encourage you to RSVP to Daniel Ferrity at 917-836-2022 or Kristin Healy-Haufmann at 347-723-8281 by Tuesday, July 18.

In addition, we would appreciate your consideration to help us support the C2C4FSHD team’s efforts and assist the foundation in its fundraising to fight and find a cure for FSHD by making a donation.

Simply text C2C to 71-777 or visit the foundation’s website at www.chriscarrinofoundation.org. No donation is too large or small. Every dollar counts.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you at either the Brooklyn Bridge or the Barclays Center on Wednesday, July 19.