Charles Barron Has No Business Being In Congress

Firebrand New York City Councilmember Charles Barron is running for Congress in the newly created NY8 district that includes parts of Southern Brooklyn. He's running against Hakeem Jeffries, and it's turning into a nailbiter of a primary race.

That's despite the fact that Barron has no business being in office. He's a racist and anti-Jewish at that. His new district has a significant Jewish population and I'm sure they'd be thrilled to know that Barron doesn't think highly of them at all.

The primary race is causing great consternation among local Democrats. More than a few aren't exactly thrilled about Barron's chances. In fact, a ton of money is being thrown at his opponent, Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries has support of local politicians including Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Ed Koch, Dov Hikind, and local papers have come out in opposition, including the Daily News. DC-37, former Congressman Ed Towns and the Amsterdam News have thrown their support to Barron.

The UFT is refusing to back either Jeffries or Barron.

Jeffries is getting backing from several law firms, firms representing charter schools (one of the reasons that DC 37 is backing Barron and UFT is sitting on the sidelines).

Considering that many of the residents in the new NY 8 are Jewish, Barron's potential primary win is a huge affront considering his anti-Jewish views (to say nothing of his other inanities that he regularly spews from the steps of City Hall as a Councilmember).

Barron has no business being in Congress for other reasons too. He's got a truly distorted worldview in which he praises the likes of Mumar Khadafi and Robert Mugabe and slams Israel. Jeffries capitalized on that in a recent debate.

Even Darth Vader's Got To Pay For Parking In NYC

No Jedi mind tricks here; Darth Vader tried to get a traffic cop to cut him some slack on a parking ticket claiming that he paid and put the receipt in his vehicle windshield, but the officer just didn't buy it.

Historic Cyclone Roller Coaster Getting Safety Upgrades

For the first time since the 1970s, the historic Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster will be getting significant safety upgrades as parts are replaced and upgraded. The repairs are long overdue at the famous coaster. While some think that this might dampen the ride, which is notorious for its 60 degree drop on the first hill and exciting bumpy ride, it will mean that the coaster will continue giving thrills to riders for future generations.

After all, the Cyclone is the yardstick by which all other coasters are rated - regardless of whether they're the traditional wooden coaster or the modern steel coasters. It has an unparalleled combination of speed, twists, turns, drops, and g-forces combined with a beautiful location by the Atlantic Ocean. It's that proximity to the Atlantic Ocean (the ocean spray) that accelerates the decay of parts and necessitates the replacement/upgrades.

It's not a surprise that there are people opposed to any kind of changes to the Cyclone, but the coaster does need to see safety equipment updated and parts replaced to make sure that riders can enjoy the coaster for generations to come. Yet, one should pay attention to what happens when the coasters are not maintained.

For decades the Cyclone had a "twin" just down the boardwalk; the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt fell into disrepair after cessation of business in the early 1980s and was finally demolished in 2000. That secret demolition was part of a plan to revitalize the Coney Island boardwalk, which included the construction of KeySpan Park, which is the home to the New York Mets minor league affiliate.

The Thunderbolt was notable for being among the first coasters to incorporate a steel skeleton. Imagine the kind of coaster nirvana that could have been built on the site had anyone had the foresight to preserve and maintain the coasters - a true entertainment complex (and if enclosed - a year-round entertainment complex) just miles from Midtown Manhattan with subway stops just yards away.

More Anti-Semitic Incidents In Brooklyn Have Communities on Edge

Today two separate incidents of anti Semitic graffiti was found in Brooklyn. In addition to graffiti found in Midwood, where there have been several other incidents, including a possible insurance scam that used anti Semitic slurs to cover up torching several vehicles, several swastikas were found in Floyd Bennett Field, which is part of Gateway National Recreation Area (and would make that particular incident a federal crime).

Separately, one man is under arrest after making threatening phone calls to several women in Brooklyn using anti Semitic slurs.

Police arrested David Haddad, 56, a Chelsea building manager for leaving threatening messages on the answering machines of older women in Chelsea and in South Brooklyn.

But it was unclear Monday night whether Haddad is tied to the half dozen swastikas and a “Die Jew” that appeared on two homes, an apartment building, and a school near the intersection of Avenue L and E. 5th Street.

“This first arrest is an empowering development,” said City Councilman David Greenfield (D- Midwood). But “it seems this is happening all over the city. All at the same time. It seems this individual is responsible for a section of it.”

Cops said Haddad - who knows some of his victims - is considered a suspect for the weekend swastika spree.

But Midwood victims said they never heard of Haddad.

“I don’t know the name,” said Steven Miltz, whose E. 5th Street white garage door had “Die Jew” and three swastikas spray painted on.

These incidents are on the heels of a spate of attacks in Northern New Jersey, including one attack that is classified as an attempted murder when a firebomb was thrown at a shul/home of a rabbi. New Jersey investigators have some leads on those attacks, but so far no arrests have been made.

Investigators Looking at Whether Brooklyn Butcher Is Serial Killer

So much about the tragic end of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky remains unanswered despite claims that admitted killer Levi Aron kidnapped and then killed Kletzky when he panicked over the reaction of the local community to the disappearance.

The boy was apparently lost and but for a wrong two, their paths may not have crossed. The two were together for several hours before Kletzky was killed.

According to the obtained statement, Aron told police he wanted a ride to a bookstore but then lost interest.

"So I asked if he wanted to go for the ride -- (a) wedding in Monsey -- since I didn't think I was going to stay for the whole thing since my back was hurting. He said OK," Aron told police.

They returned to Aron's home around 11:20 p.m. Monday night and watched television before going to sleep in separate rooms, Aron told police. Police said Aron, who is divorced, lives alone in an attic in a building shared with his father and uncle.

Aron told police he planned to return Kletzky to his home Tuesday.

Apparently unaware that a search was already in progress for the boy, Aron left his home Tuesday to find photos of the missing boy on fliers distributed in the neighborhood.

"When I saw the flyers I panicked and was afraid," he told police. "I was still in panic ... and afraid to bring him home. That is when I went for a towel to smother him in the side room. He fought back a little bit."

Now with the body of a dead boy in his home, he told police he panicked again "because I didn't know what to do with the body." He detailed to police how he dismembered the body.

A day-and-a-half search led police to Aron's home after midnight Wednesday morning after seeing him on a surveillance video with the child. They asked: Where is the boy?

The man nodded toward the kitchen, authorities said, where blood stained the freezer door. Inside was the stuff of horror films -- severed feet, wrapped in plastic. In the refrigerator, a cutting board and three bloody carving knives. A plastic garbage bag with bloody towels was nearby.

Aron's actions aren't one of a panicked individual who murdered someone in an act of desperation. Instead, it seems fully calculated and methodical. Parts of Kletzky were found in Aron's fridge, which was empty besides the remains and bloody instruments used in the dismemberment. The rest of the body was found in luggage discarded in a trash bin outside an auto parts store two miles from Aron's home.

It's little wonder then, that investigators are looking at whether Aron is a serial killer and are reexamining cold cases in New York and in Tennessee where Aron lived for several years. Aron's actions and behavior gave people the willies, but he had but one police citation for public urination.

The break in the Kletzky case came when video showed the boy getting into a car outside a dentist's office. Police tracked down the doctor to his New Jersey home, and that led to a tip on Aron.

Kletzky was buried yesterday as thousands of people from the tight-knit Jewish community came to pay their respects. He would have been nine next week.

Mayor Bloomberg Releases Fire Department Closure List; Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Hardest Hit

After days of stalling over whether a tentative list of closures even existed, Mayor Mike Bloomberg and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) relented and released the list, and the news isn't good at all.

20 firehouses would be closed, including two in Lower Manhattan and eight in Brooklyn.

Below are the fire companies on the endangered list:

E004 42 South St. Manhattan
E026 220 West 37th St. Manhattan
E046 460 Cross Bronx Expwy. Bronx
E060 341 East 143rd St. Bronx
E157 1573 Castleton Ave. Staten Island
E161 278 McClean Ave. Staten Island
E205 74 Middagh St. Brooklyn
E206 1201 Grand St. Brooklyn
E218 650 Hart St. Brooklyn
E220 530 11th St. Brooklyn
E233 25 Rockaway Ave. Brooklyn
E284 1157 79th St. Brooklyn
E294 101-20 Jamaica Ave. Queens
E306 40-18 214th Place Queens
E328 16-19 Central Ave. Queens
L008 14 North Moore St. Manhattan
L053 169 Schofield Ave. Bronx
L104 161 South 2nd St. Brooklyn
L128 33-51 Greenpoint Ave. Queens
L161 2929 W 8th St. Brooklyn

That's absolutely staggering in its consequences. Not only would response times become that much longer in the affected areas, but the Lower Manhattan closures would directly affect response times to incidents in and around Ground Zero, which remains a top terror target. It's absolutely inconceivable that the Fire Department can't cut management positions to save firehouses or institute other efficiencies rather than hit manpower that directly affects public safety.

Moreover, it reduces the margin of safety when additional alarms are called for emergencies because it means that responding engine and ladder companies have to come from that much further away to provide backup and additional manpower to deal with rapidly changing emergency situations.

I'm hardly alone in my incredulity over the plan proffered by Mayor Bloomberg and his Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz slammed Bloomberg and the FDNY for the Brooklyn closures and their disproportionate impact on Brooklyn (the City's most populous borough):

“I am flabbergasted that eight engine and ladder companies—nearly half of the 20 proposed closures citywide—are in Brooklyn. If there is any serious thought being given to closing these houses, it needs to be extinguished like a three-alarm fire. Just in the last week, Engine 284 in Dyker Heights—one of the companies on the hit list—assisted with an area fire and their quick response no doubt saved lives. I know we are experiencing challenging economic times, but the truth is, in Brooklyn we need the FDNY now more than ever. Brooklyn is growing by leaps and bounds, which means that in the coming years there will be an ever greater need for New York’s Bravest. It is our collective responsibility to ensure maximum safety for all of our residents—and that means no firehouse closings!”

While the City's budget is strained, three areas should not be compromised - fire and police safety and education. Yet, these are areas where Bloomberg is cutting deepest. It's a mistake and it needs to be resolved in a way that doesn't put the public at greater risk.

Sheepshead Bay Mosque Project Clears Another Hurdle

Despite complaints from the usual suspects including Pam Geller, a judge has cleared the way for the mosque project on Voohries Avenue in Sheepshead Bay to move ahead.

On Tuesday, Judge Mark Partnow dismissed a lawsuit filed by the anti-mosque organization Bay People and neighbors of the as-of-right project on Voorhies Avenue between E. 28th and E. 29th streets, ruling that the mosque wouldn’t adversely effect the neighborhood.

The ruling came shortly after the lawyer for mosque builder Ahmed Allowey accused opponents of the plan of acting like racist terrorists.

“This is entirely motivated by racism,” said attorney Lamis Deek. “[The Bay People] has forced my client to expend his resources for no good cause and terrorize people with the vitriolic rallies that they hold.”

She added that the anti-mosque group would never have complained if a church or synagogue was being constructed.

“[They] claim that the mosque will be a nuisance and will be out of character with the neighborhood,” she said. “They’ve held rallies, protests and filed repeated complaints with the city, but have never done anything like this to a nearby church that doesn’t have any on site parking or a nearby synagogue that’s twice the size of the mosque.”

The Bay People do have a reputation of holding protests laced with anti-Muslim sentiment. Some protestors have even claimed that the Muslim American Society — which will take over the operation of the community center once it’s built — has ties to terrorism, although no direct evidence connecting the two has ever surfaced.

On top of that, the decision comes on the heels of a vandal spray painting a “happy face” and the words “He is dead” on the fence surrounding the mosque site in an apparent attempt to taunt mosque supporters over the death of bin Laden.

The opposition had further claimed that a lack of on-site parking would have been a burden to the local community, but the backers of the mosque project noted that many of the congregants lived in a 10 block radius around the mosque and there was little evidence that they would be driving to the mosque.

A Tipping Point in the Taxi of Tomorrow Design Competition?

Does the fact that Turkish automaker Karsan plan on building their Taxi of Tomorrow for the New York City taxi fleet in Brooklyn mean that the company should get an edge in the competition.

I think it most certainly does. The company plans on building the taxis in Brooklyn's Marine Terminal.

Automaker Karsan, hoping for an edge in the three-way race to design New York City's newfangled cabs, has told city officials it would put its auto plant in the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.

Karsan bigwigs claim the Sunset Park assembly line would immediately create several hundred jobs and later "as many as 800."

"Karsan is unconditionally committed to producing the 'Taxi of Tomorrow' at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal," Karsan USA President Bill Wachtel pledged last month in a letter to David Yassky, chairman of the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Wachtel also sent a copy of the letter to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Ford and Nissan also are competing to design the city's exclusive yellow cab model for the next decade, but it wasn't immediately clear whether either had made a similar build-it-here pledge.

The city launched the "Taxi of Tomorrow" project four years ago, with a goal of selecting one iconic design that's fuel-efficient and comfortable. The cab will replace the 16 models now authorized, including the Crown Victoria. The Crown Vic is the most dominant model on the road, but Ford is halting its production.

None of the three designs would have been initially built in the United States, let alone in New York. Now, Karsan has proposed building the taxis in New York City, and that could be a major factor in deciding to give the deal to Karsan. It would also mean that the manufacturer could tweak the design as it gets feedback from the Taxi and Limousine Commission and drivers who use the vehicle on a daily basis and incorporate the changes. It would also bring back a manufacturing operation to the City that has been shedding manufacturing jobs for decades.

It would likely take several years to transform the Marine Terminal into a manufacturing plant for vehicle production.

Brooklyn Democrats Indicted on Corruption Charges

Two influential Brooklyn Democrats in the State Legislature are being indicted today along with an influential lobbyist and two hospital officials on corruption charges stemming from improper assistance to businessmen in exchange for raising campaign contributions. Sen. Carl Kruger and Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr. were expected to turn themselves in to authorities later today:

State Senator Carl Kruger, a powerful and at times controversial Brooklyn Democrat; a state assemblyman; and an influential lobbyist are expected to turn themselves in on Thursday to federal authorities in Manhattan on corruption charges, according to several people briefed on the matter.

Mr. Kruger had been under investigation by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn who were looking into accusations that he had helped businessmen surmount bureaucratic hurdles in exchange for assistance raising campaign money, but the charges stemmed from an investigation by Manhattan federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Others, including William F. Boyland Jr., a four-term Democratic state assemblyman from Brooklyn, and Richard Lipsky, a lobbyist, and two hospital executives, were also expected to face charges in the case, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the charges had not been made public.

Some of the charges were expected to center on actions that the men took supporting the activities of hospitals in Brooklyn and Queens, the people said.

Mr. Kruger led the powerful Senate Finance Committee until Democrats lost control of the chamber last year, a position from which he amassed the Senate’s largest campaign war chest.

In the Brooklyn investigation, one of Mr. Kruger’s campaign donors, Michael Levitis, who is suspected of serving as an intermediary between the senator and those seeking favors, pleaded guilty this month to lying to federal investigators in the case.

Details of the Manhattan case against Mr. Kruger and Mr. Lipsky were not available on Wednesday night. The United States attorney in Manhattan, Preet Bharara, and officials with the F.B.I. were expected to hold a news conference on Thursday to announce the charges.

Mr. Kruger’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, declined to comment on Wednesday, as did Gerald B. Lefcourt, who represents Mr. Lipsky. It could not be determined Wednesday night who represents Mr. Boyland.

Kruger's name came up in connection with the investigation into Queens Democrat Tony Seminerio, who was later convicted on corruption charges (and died in prison in January). Boyland was fingered because his name came up in talks with David Rosen, who was the chief executive of MediSys Health Network and several of its subsidiaries, including Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Rosen allegedly paid Boyland between $10,000 and $50,000 for work as a consultant and MediSys had also paid Mr. Seminerio more than $300,000 for work as a consultant for his efforts supporting its bid to purchase other hospitals. Rosen claims that Boyland suggested to Rosen that he could be hired as a consultant.

This is hardly the first time that Brooklyn's political representatives have found themselves in hot water. Assemblyman Clarence Norman was previously found guilty of campaign violations. State Senator Kevin Parker was found guilty of misdemeanor assault for hitting a photographer.

Assemblyman Vito Lopez is the subject of a federal and state and local investigation on corruption.

Going back 20 years, Assemblyman Speaker Mel Miller of Brooklyn was convicted on corruption charges, but the verdict was subsequently overturned on appeal. For more on New York's political corruption through the years, see here.

Some of the issues with corruption at the state level deals with the fact that the state legislature is technically a part-time position (a well paying one at that). Legislators are allowed to maintain outside jobs, and some are extremely lucrative. Speaker Shelly Silver is counsel with Weitz and Luxenberg, but has never revealed his salary (or potential conflicts of interest). Thus, New York politicians are able to boost their salaries considerably.

Making the job full time and eliminating any outside consulting gigs or other potential sources of income would reduce the chances for corruption seeping in. Don't expect the legislature to move on that anytime soon.

Another issue may stem from the need for politicians to raise considerable campaign funds to run for office - but there's no easy or quick fix to that.

UPDATE:
The copy of the complaint is now available.

The Times reports that Kruger is facing two counts of depriving NY citizens of their their legislators' honest services (corruption) and one count of money laundering, while Boyland is facing one count of corruption.

Mr. Kruger, a Democrat from Brooklyn, is accused of “receiving a stream of bribes totaling at least $1 million in exchange for taking official actions.” Among the charges in the complaint is that he shared fees paid to the lobbyist, Richard Lipsky, and then took “the very official acts in favor of which Lipsky had been paid to lobby.”

Indeed, the detailed 53-page complaint portrays Senator Kruger as a lawmaker who offered a full range of corrupt services in exchange for bribe payments, performing official acts that included sponsoring and supporting legislation, lobbying other elected officials and directing state monies for the benefit of Mr. Lipsky and the lobbyist’s clients.

Assemblyman Boyland, also a Brooklyn Democrat, accepted $177,000 in bribes from a hospital executive, according to the charges.

Horndog High School Teachers Finally Fired

It's taken just over a year, but two teachers involved in a sex romp have been fired.

A second "Horndog High" teacher was fired Wednesday amid a new allegation that her sexual relationship with another teacher started years before that fateful night.

Cindy Mauro was found guilty of "extremely serious misconduct" for having a sexual encounter with fellow teacher Alini Brito in November 2009 at James Madison High School in Brooklyn during an evening student performance.

An arbitrator found Mauro's defense - that she was aiding her diabetic friend by getting her candy and that custodians and security agents were mistaken when they said they saw them naked in a classroom - "lacking in basic truthfulness."

Another Madison teacher, Maria Bucca, testified Mauro had told her she had "fooled around" with Brito eight years earlier. Mauro denied having told Bucca the two had ever been intimate.

Mauro claimed that she was escorting Brito, who is diabetic, up to her room to give her sugar and an insulin injection. The arbitrator didn't buy that argument, particularly when it is completely unnecessary to provide a diabetic with insulin by taking off their clothes. Indeed, the custodian noted: "(Brito) was naked on the floor... and I saw the blond between her legs, and when I opened the door, she looked up and told me to shut the door."

The two teachers were discovered by a school custodian in a classroom during a SING performance in a state of undress.

Had this occurred in Brito or Mauro's home, this would never have become an issue, but because the incident occurred on school property and during a time when students could have found the two in the midst of the act of passion, it showed a clear disregard for discretion and a complete lack of common sense.

This case highlights the ongoing problems in disciplining teachers who engage in inappropriate or illegal behavior in the schools. It took more than a year to complete the disciplinary process, and Brito, who was fired on December 27, 2010, is now suing to get her job back. That's absolutely absurd and she has no business in a classroom after this incident.

How Not To Tow A Stuck Front End Loader

This intrepid video should be exhibit A by the owner of a snowed in SUV in Brooklyn for why the Department of Sanitation tow truck operator and "operator" of a front end loader should be on the hook for all damages sustained by a parked and snowed in SUV.

The front end loader was stuck in snow drifts, and the tow truck is attempting to extricate the loader to poor results. Someone better explain why that front end loader wasn't equipped with tire chains given the poor conditions. Moreover, whoever was driving that equipment didn't have the first clue as to what he was doing and the tow truck operator was just as clueless.



BTW - there is quite a bit of cursing involved.

Four Brooklyn Businesses Hit With Felony Charges For Dumping Raw Sewage

Manager/owners of four Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn businesses were arrested and face up to four years in prison and fines of $75,000 per day for dumping raw sewage into Shell Creek, which runs into Jamaica Bay. They had been warned since 2003 to repair sewer lines but had resisted such efforts for years despite their private sewer system regularly breaking down and leaking into neighboring streets.

Investigators used a green dye to trace the dumping of raw sewage, including toilet waste, into the creek:

Craig Novoa, manager of the United Artists Sheepshead Bay Stadium 14 movie theater; Simon Shin, manager of Knapp Street Bagel; Alex Spivak, landlord for the TGI Friday's, and David Matalon, manager of Deuville Marina, were arrested.

The criminal complaint accuses the shops - all in or near the same strip mall - of dumping human waste, restaurant grease and other refuse into the creek.

Neighbors of the shops had complained for years about noxious odors coming from the creek, which is home to bluefish, crab and striped bass.

"I've been living here for 12 years. That creek stinks," said Minnie Colon, 36, who had just bought a ticket to see "Burlesque" at the theater.

"It smells like a backed-up toilet. On a rainy day, forget about it. You have to carry Febreze," said Colin, who added that she was shocked to hear about the allegations.

Jamaica Bay is home to a segment of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and is home to one of the East Coast's most important migratory birding habitats. It is habitat that has been under tremendous strain and pressure - with researchers trying to figure out why marshland was disappearing at a frightening pace over the past decade.


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What makes this dumping all the more odious is that these businesses are located just blocks from the Coney Island Wastewater Treatment Plant and that it took so long to trace the source of the problem. The movie theater denies the charges, and points to the fact that it repaired a section of the sewer line in 2009.

End of an Era: Kings Plaza Diner Closes

It's a sad day in Brooklyn as the landmark Kings Plaza Diner served its last meal over the weekend. This has been an institution in Marine Park for 35 years and my friends and I used to head there to grab a bite to eat after movies, playing ball, or just hanging out.

We weren't alone as it became a meeting place for the neighborhood and it was an easily identifiable meeting place.

"It's like a family here," said Zitter, who has patronized the Avenue U eatery several times a week for as long as he can remember. "They know your name and treat you so well. The food is great, too."

Ann Kirchner, 49, of Bergen Beach, had tears running down her cheeks for the diner she's been coming to since she was 13.

"I've been here since they had hair," said Kirchner, pointing to the two bald managers at the cash register.

"It wasn't the food that brought me back. You always saw people you knew, and we made new friends here," said Kirchner, adding that she planned her wedding and the renovation of her home at one of the tables.

Opened in 1975, Kings Plaza, with a fully stocked cocktail bar, is one of the only New York diners to win back-to-back Daily News' Diner of the Year Awards. It won in 1995 and 1996.

Nick Stathos, 58, one of the original owners, leased the land earlier this year to a national developer.

Stathos and his new partners plan to open another diner in the neighborhood soon.

"We've been very busy," said Stathos, who has clocked 70 to 80 hours a week at the diner since it opened. "This has been a very successful location. It's a very sad day."

Faithful customers packed the joint one last time, many hugging their favorite waitresses and reminiscing about old times.

Hopefully, Stathos and his partners are able to find another location and start up another diner.

They knew how to please their customers with plentiful platters and well prepared burgers and fries.

Westboro Baptists Return To New York City To Hate On Jews and Gays

Westboro Baptist Church is in the news again after their free speech case has been taken up by the US Supreme Court this session and they're returning to Brooklyn to hate on Jews, and will then show their hatred and intolerance for gays and lesbians in Manhattan. They're scheduled to protest outside a couple of synagogues and yeshivas in Brooklyn before heading into Manhattan:

The Kansas-based fringe group plans to stage anti-Semitic and anti-gay demonstrations in Brooklyn and Manhattan on Monday - and counterprotests are expected.

Fred Phelps and his band of rabid bigots will set up shop outside Jewish schools and a synagogue in Kensington and Midwood, in Brooklyn, Hebrew Union College in Greenwich Village, and a gala for a gay and lesbian support group in Tribeca.

Drew Tagliabue, executive director of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG NYC), said his group plans to ignore Westboro's presence.

"They manufacture these controversies," he said. "They do it for publicity and attention."

Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Borough Park) plans to attend counterprotests in Brooklyn - where Westboro says it will preach that Jews are destined for hell.

"This is a fringe group. These guys are crazy and the schools are nervous," Hikind said.

"I have to be there. There's a lesson to be learned that there are haters out there."

Outside Chabad of Kensington on Ocean Parkway, members were horrified by Westboro's plan.

This is the same despicable church that protests US soldiers, sailors, and Marines who have died in the line of service because they consider gays to be immoral and against the Bible. Along the same lines, they consider Jews to blame for the spread of all manner of immoral and unethical actions in their view.

They're entitled to their opinions and to express them, but I can just as surely call them freaks who have misinterpreted the Bible and ignore the messages of love and tolerance contained therein.

Others covering the moron-a-thon: L Magazine, Gothamist, Media Matters.

As if that isn't enough, the group has taken upon itself to appropriate the Ozzy Osborne song Crazy Train, which has sent Ozzy into a tizzy. It's not without a certain amount of irony that Osborne is taking a church to task for showing intolerance and hatred.

Brooklyn Brewery Goes Big

Brooklyn used to be the epicenter of brewing beer in the United States. From the late 1800s through the mid 1950s, Brooklyn was home to dozens of major brewers, but from the 1950s through 1987, there wasn't a single successful commercial brewer located in the borough.

That all changed with Steve Hindy's Brooklyn Brewery.

The brewery has run a successful business expanding its operations to the point where much of its product is actually brewed in upstate New York because of a lack of capacity in Brooklyn.

Within the next few weeks, the acquisition and soon to be opened expanded brewery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn will add 16,000 sf of space to their operations.

It's amazing to see the gradual growth of the craft brewing industry in Brooklyn that reaches back into the borough's heritage and history. Moreover, it's good beer and has revitalized a moribund beer scene in the City.

In fact, the current recession may have played a role in enabling the brewery to expand. Businesses that are on solid fiscal ground can afford to expand because they can take advantage of lower real estate prices and other business costs.

Let's just hope that the expanded brewery doesn't compromise on the taste and quality of its products.

Concerns About Census Fraud In Brooklyn Spur Investigations

The Census Department had already fired two people in Brooklyn for fraudulently counting nearly 10,000 households in Brooklyn forcing a recount of those households. Now, Rep. Ed Towns (D-NY) wants additional investigations because of additional accusations of fraud.

Towns then started his own investigation. He found even more accusations of fraud, including claims that workers at the Northeast and Central Brooklyn offices completed forms on individual households without actually talking to residents.

Census spokesman Burton Reist said the department is redoing counts in those areas and "conducting a nationwide investigation to determine whether this happened anywhere else."

"They could be undercounting thousands and thousands of people," Towns said. "A lot is riding here. Money for schools, food stamps, everything is connected to this count."

That's especially troubling during tough economic times in New York, where funding is being slashed in the city and statewide, he said. "We are still providing resources for people that we did not count," Towns said. "We want to make certain we count everybody so the resources will be there."

While Towns thinks this could result in undercounting, it is possible that such fraud could result in overcounting. The Census Department is tasked with accurately counting the population, and any determinations of fraud or malfeasance have to be addressed adequately. Hopefully, they'll be able to sort this mess out and get an accurate count.

Two New Yorkers Arrested and Indicted For Trying To Aid Al Qaeda

1010wins.com is reporting that authorities have arrested two Brooklyn men for trying to aid al Qaeda. The men, Wesam el-Hanafi and Sabirhan Hasanoff, are charged with conspiring to provide material support to al Qaeda. The focus was on their efforts to assist al Qaeda in overseas terror operations and to apparently recruit others to al Qaeda.

A copy of the indictment is here. They are first appearing in a Virginia federal court and will be transferred to New York to stand trial.

The charges include references to accepting money transferred from an unnamed co-conspirator who was not included in the current legal action, and meeting with al Qaeda terrorists during a meeting in Yemen. It is alleged that one of the men took an oath of allegiance to al Qaeda while in Yemen.

Kings County Hospital Submits To Consent Decree For Court Oversight In Green Case

In the hopes of averting what would otherwise be a massive lawsuit by civil liberties groups, Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, will submit to five years of court supervision to ensure that conditions improve at the facility. the consent decree is part of the fallout from the heinous death of Esmin Green who died in a psychiatric ward waiting area while hospital employees ignored her plight for almost an hour.

Under the court settlement, KCH has agreed to more reforms including: banning psychiatric ER stays beyond 24 hours; using restraints only when patients pose an imminent threat to themselves or to others; protecting whistleblowers; paying attention to patient grievances; making staff more accountable and preventing patients from continually cycling through the hospital by starting appropriate discharge planning.

Staff at KCH could face criminal charges for allegedly faking medical records and lying as they scrambled to cover up their apparent neglect of Green, who died of a blood clot, according to a devastating report by the city's Department of Investigation and law enforcement sources.

"The systematic reform outlined in this settlement should ensure that another tragedy, like the one that claimed Esmin Green's life, never happens at this hospital again," said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, which had sued KCH along with Mental Hygiene Legal Services and Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

The consent decree is an attempt to avoid further litigation and help bring the hospital into compliance with basic standards, though the standards are pretty much common sense - common sense and basic human decency that was sorely lacking throughout this entire episode on behalf of hospital employees. The City and the hospital had agreed to a $2 million settlement with Green's family.

Madison HS Teachers Have Company; Ass't Principal Accused of Harassment

What is in the water at James Madison HS in Brooklyn? First, two teachers were caught with their bras off and pants down; then a third teacher was accused of inappropriate contact with a student. It got to the point where the teachers' sexual hijinks made the late night talk show rounds.


Now, we've got an assistant principal accused of sexual harassment.

What a mess.

Brooklyn HS Teacher Sex Scandal; Now With More Inappropriate Conduct

The scandalous news of two female teachers discovered during a SING performance at James Madison HS in Brooklyn embracing the language of love in a state of undress has apparently touched off additional investigations, which have discovered that another female teacher apparently engaged in inappropriate conduct with a male student.

Social studies instructor Allison Musacchio is under investigation for having an inappropriate relationship with a male student, sources said.

It is the second scandal in as many days to rock the Midwood school where New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and Major League ballplayer Frank Torre once walked the halls.

School sources said they learned of Musacchio's alleged antics in March, after a female James Madison student saw her ex-boyfriend's phone number on the tenured teacher's cell phone.

Officials found more than 200 texts and calls between the teacher and the male pupil and yanked her from the classroom, sources said. They said the amount of contact was inappropriate.

Musacchio, 31, was also investigated for having a fling with a former student but the probe was dropped because the teen was of legal age and no longer at the school, school sources said.

Attempts to reach Musacchio at her home were unsuccessful Wednesday, but she has told a neighbor the allegations were untrue.

Lawyers for the two other teachers, French teacher Cindy Mauro, 33, and Spanish instructor Alini Brito, 29, claim no wrongdoing and deny the allegations.

Also, the Daily News omits the fact that the most famous attendee of the school is none other than Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

UPDATE:
Musacchio has also been sent to the Department of Education's rubber room pending investigation.