BK Reader

09/02/2021

Brooklyn’s Tremaine Wright to Lead State’s Ma*****na Policy

Tremaine Wright, the former assembly member for Brooklyn’s 56th District, has been appointed to lead the state’s implementation of its new ma*****na policy.

Governor Kathy Hochul, who appointed Wright and policy expert Christopher Alexander to leading roles, said one of her top priorities was to “finally” get New York’s cannabis industry up and running – “this has been long overdue, but we’re going to make up for lost time..."

“I know they will do a tremendous job of outlining and implementing regulations that are safe, fair and transparent, and that recognize the need to remedy the impact that prohibition has had on communities of color,” Hochul said.

#ma*****na #legalweed #brooklyn

Wright will serve as the chair of the Cannabis Control Board

09/02/2021

New York Extends Eviction Moratorium Through January

BREAKING: Tenants that have fallen behind in rent have been given a lifeline to avoid eviction with the state’s renewal of the eviction moratorium Wednesday.

The bill, that will bar residential and commercial evictions until January 15, 2022, will be signed today by Governor Kathy Hochul.

#eviction #moratorium #rent #tenants #newyork

The new legislation includes changes to abide by two Supreme Court decisions that said the original moratorium was unconstitutional

09/01/2021

East Flatbush Village to Get $20K for Community Vaccine Outreach

East Flatbush nonprofit East Flatbush Village is getting $20,000 from the city for referring almost 500 neighbors to get a COVID-19 vaccine at a city-run site.

The award is part of the city’s Vaccine Referral Bonus program, which offers $100 to the organization that refers someone to a city-run vaccination site and also to the person getting the vaccination.

#COVID19 #vaccine #nonprofit #community

The city offered community groups $100 for every person they referred to get vaccinated – East Flatbush Village came through with almost 500 people

09/01/2021

Medgar Evers Faculty, Staff Protest Unresolved COVID Safety Concerns

“What do we want? Safer conditions! When do we want them? Now!” protesters demanded Tuesday at Medgar Evers College, CUNY campus in Crown Heights.

With pickets in hand, faculty and staff, many of them members of CUNY Professional Staff Congress union, voiced their concerns about what they said was the college administration’s failure to fully comply with COVID-19 ventilation protocols at several campus buildings.

#COVID19 #schoolreopening #virus #protest #safety

New college President Dr. Pratricia Ramsey has promised to meet with union leaders and come up with "a path forward"

08/31/2021

BKLYN Sauce-- Electric Anvil Tattoo

Swing by Electric Anvil Tattoo in Brooklyn with $100 in your pocket and adventure into your heart!

$100 gets you a token to pop in the "Get What You Get" machine. Just turn the dial to seal your fate! [if you aren't happy with the first go, slide them another $20 to change the future and give it another spin!

Not only do you get a new tattoo, you get to brag about how adventurous you are for weeks to come!

Come by any day to 648 Franklin Avenue, 12pm-8pm to have a go!

Check them out in this latest BKLYN Sauce!

Electricanviltattoos Michi Chassagne C. Zawadi Morris
#tattoo #Brooklyn #electricanviltattoo #bkreader #brooklynnews #bklynsauce

08/31/2021

Family Enrichment Centers to Expand Across 8 New BK Neighborhoods

The expiration of the eviction moratorium Tuesday has added pressure on many financially strapped Brooklyn families struggling to make ends meet.

To alleviate the ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is expanding its Family Enrichment Centers (FECs) from three to 30 across the boroughs.

However, parent advocacy group Rise opposes FEC expansion because of ACS’s child welfare role.

#childwelfare #family #familycenter #brooklyn

Opponents to the centers welcome the resources, but not the child welfare system’s involvement

08/31/2021

Serial Burglar Sentenced for Three Brooklyn Break-Ins

A man who broke into three Brooklyn apartments stealing jewelry, electronics and more has been sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.

Staten Island man Casey Knight, 53, was sentenced in Brooklyn for the string of residential burglaries of Brooklyn apartments, that took place while owners weren’t home.

#burglary #thief #brooklyn

A Staten Island man has been sentenced for up to 12 years for breaking into three Brooklyn apartments

08/31/2021

National Grid Avoided 'White' Neighborhoods for Pipeline: New Complaint

Brooklyn residents are calling on the federal government to turn off the gas running through National Grid’s controversial new North Brooklyn pipeline, alleging the pipeline is unsafe and was forced through communities of color.

On Monday morning, more than a dozen residents gathered at Brownsville Playground to announce a new federal complaint laid against the utility.

#pipeline #brooklyn #lawsuit #energy #gas

Brooklynites want the federal government to turn off the gas in the North Brooklyn pipeline, alleging gas leaks, Civil Rights Act violations

08/30/2021

Brooklyn, Here’s How to Apply for Rental Assistance Now

With New York’s eviction moratorium expiring tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 31, New Yorkers who have fallen behind on rent are being urged to apply for rental assistance as soon as possible.

Tenants who file an application for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program cannot be evicted while the application is under review, housing nonprofit IMPACCT Brooklyn says.

#rentalassistance #rent #tenant #brooklyn

NY's eviction moratorium is expiring on Aug. 31, and NYers are being urged to apply for rental assistance before they risk eviction.

08/30/2021

Calling All BK Nonprofits: Apply for $25K Awards for Orgs Helping Parents

Do you know a nonprofit that helps families with small children?

Robin Hood, New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization, is gearing up to give away 50 awards of $25,000 to local nonprofits that do work that supports families with children aged zero to three years old.

And it’s not only talking about early childcare providers. It’s also asking the nonprofits of New York City to think expansively about what they do, and if they might be eligible.

#childcare #newyork #NYC #nonprofit #grant

Robin Hood is gearing up to give 50 awards of $25K to NYC nonprofits that do work supporting families with children aged 0 to 3 years old.

08/27/2021

BKLYN Sauce-- Harlem Week

BKLYN Sauce goes to Harlem for its annual Harlem Week festival!!! We thought it was only right we brought a little of our Brooklyn flavor to Harlem to taste a little of their sauce!

Just a reminder: We know BK is the illest. But there are four other boroughs, and we sometimes get an itch to explore... Hope you enjoy our little trip Uptown!
Michi Chassagne C. Zawadi Morris

08/27/2021

With Elder Abuse Rising, NYers Are Urged to Care for Older Neighbors

Elder abuse is on the rise, affecting more than one in ten New York seniors.

Although alarming, RiseBoroNYC's Michael Velez said the figures didn't come as a surprise to staff at the BK nonprofit who have seen seniors become more vulnerable to abuse -- especially financial -- over the last decade.

#seniors #elders #brooklyn #community

Elder abuse impacts more than one in ten New York seniors, a new study has shown

08/27/2021

BK's Best Window Boxes Celebrated in Greenest Block Competition

It might not have been the traditional scope, but local gardeners gave the Greenest Block in Brooklyn competition their all with creative displays in the “small but mighty” window box.

#gardening #brooklyn #green #Block

The annual competition was delayed last year due to the pandemic, but this year organizers persevered with an adapted focus: the window box.

08/26/2021

Pawfect Pairings: BK ACC Matches Owners with Pets For Adoption

Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) has seen a sharp rise in surrendered pets across the city since springtime. In February, it took in roughly 600 animals. By June, that figure skyrocketed to about 1,500.

“These are not the pets that were adopted during the lockdown and returned once the lockdown was lifted and people began going back to work,” Katy Hansen, of ACC, told BK Reader. “These are pets that people have had for years.”

She blamed the ballooning number of surrenders on several factors, including people losing their homes and jobs.

#pet #adoption #brooklyn #animals

Riley, an adorable 4-month-old kitten, hopes to soon have a forever home. She’s friendly, good with kids, and enjoys playing with toy mice.

08/26/2021

What We Know About the City's School Reopening Plan

On September 13, all 564 Brooklyn public schools will return to full-time, in-person classes, without a mainstream remote option.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the decision was made to help the economy recover by sending parents back to work, and to make up for the learning loss children experienced -- adding numerous precautions will be in affect to keep students and staffers safe.

However, a rise in coronavirus cases across the city due to the Delta variant and lagging vaccine rates has some families and educators wondering if de Blasio’s school reopening plan is safe enough.

Let us know your thoughts below!

#coronavirus #school #reopening

New York City's public school students are being sent back to the classroom with no remote learning option, so how does the City plan to keep them safe?

08/25/2021

A BK Grandfather Subjected to Deed Theft Can Keep His Home

Dairus Griffiths had been in his Halsey St home for almost three decades when he said he was duped into signing the title over to a development company.

After fighting the company for 7 years, Griffiths has reached a settlement that will see him regain ownership of his home for himself, his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

#homeowners #brooklyn #housing

Dairus Griffiths had been in his Bed-Stuy home almost 30 years when he says he was duped into signing over the property's title to a development company

08/25/2021

Devastated Son Raises $10K for Mother Fatally Shot in Crown Heights

A devastated son who started a fundraiser for his mother’s funeral costs after she was fatally shot at her Crown Heights home last week has raised more than $10,000 from the community.

24-year-old Janse Joseph’s mother, Limose Dart, was coming home from her work as a home health aide on Thursday and was almost on her doorstep when she was shot in the chest on St. Johns Place in Crown Heights. She was taken to hospital where she died from her injuries.

#brooklyn #community #help

A devastated son who started a fundraiser for his mother’s funeral costs has raised more than $10,000 from the community

08/25/2021

Emergency Rental Assistance Is on the Way, Sen. Persaud Says

An estimated 500,000 New York City households are in arrears on their rent, owing landlords more than $2.2 billion, and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program has been slow to come to their aid.

But this week, “at least 41,000 notices [of emergency rental assistance approval] are going out this week. If you have a case pending against you in court, you can show that letter,” Senator Roxanne Persaud told BK Reader.

#rent #tenant #pandemic #brooklyn

After long delays, the BK senator expects the state agency administering the program to expedite the process.

08/24/2021

Tickets are only $7 when you use the promo code "bkreader"!

BK Readers, we all need a laugh these days! Check out
@bigbreakstandup, a raucous comedy show every 2nd & 4th Saturday in The Nest at Bluebird, a wild punk rock basement speakeasy that also feels like your childhood friend’s downstairs fun room.

They've got three gracious, hilarious hosts @carolyncastiglia @gabepac1 & @khalidsays, comedians from HBO, Showtime, and late-night and warm friendly bartenders. You’ll have an amazing time!

Again, tickets are only $7 when you use the promo code "bkreader"!

7:30: Happy hour in The Nest
8:30: Showtime

8/28/21 Lineup
@professordoye (Comedy Central)
@adookie (Gotham Comedy Live)
@theotherkendra (Last Comic Standing)
@Charlesmcbee (MT

08/24/2021

PHOTOS: Kool Keith, Mari World Light Up the Stage at Prospect Park

One had a full jazz band, the other had a knack of turning the slightest observation into a catchy riff. And they both had the ability to get the crowd going.

Kool Keith Mari World Prospect Park #Brooklyn #music

One had a full jazz band, the other had a knack with turning the slightest observation into a catchy riff. And they both had the ability to get the crowd going.

08/24/2021

Free Wheelin' Brings Free Bikes to Teens in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill

Free Wheelin’, a new summer camp program in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, pays teens $15 an hour to learn how to fix bikes and safely navigate city streets on two wheels.

And at the end of the free program, participants get to keep the bike they rebuild.

#teens #jobs #bikes #brooklyn

Brooklyn teens can get paid to learn how to fix bikes — and then keep the bike they learned on.

08/23/2021

Bed Stuy’s New Wellness Cafe Brews 'Coffee That Grounds Your Day' | BK Reader

Family, friends and neighbors gathered Saturday morning in Bed-Stuy for the grand opening celebration of On Dekalb, a new wellness cafe on Dekalb Ave.

Behind the cafe are the founders of BK Yoga Club, a body-positive yoga studio, Alicia Ferguson and Paris Alexandra. The pair met in 2018 at a yoga teacher training, where they noticed they were two of only three people of color; the next year they founded a yoga studio of their own in Brooklyn.

#cafe #yoga #community #conversation #brooklyn

Founders of the popular ‘BK Yoga Club’ celebrated the grand opening of their new cafe “On Dekalb” with an all-day block party in Bed-Stuy. | BK Reader

08/23/2021

NYC’s Lack of Preparedness for Pandemic Left Residents Unprotected: Comptroller

The lack of planning for a pandemic, weak resource management, inadequate data collection, expired stockpiles of PPE, and more left the City unprepared to protect its residents against COVID-19, a new report by Comptroller Scott Stringer found.

#COVID19 #NYC #pandemic Comptroller Scott M. Stringer

The lack planning for a pandemic, inadequate data collection, expired stockpiles of PPE, and more left the City unprepared to protect its residents against COVID-19.

08/23/2021

Seniors Who Started Phone Chats During Pandemic Meet for First Time

It was a blind date of sorts, but with a lot more excited squealing.

On Wednesday, a group of senior women from Brooklyn who have been chatting on the phone since October — but have never seen each other’s faces — met in person for the very first time.

#community #spreadlove #seniors #brooklyn

The women have been talking on the phone once a week since last October to fight isolation. On Wednesday, they finally put a face to a voice.

08/20/2021

PHOTOS: Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Kim Show Love the BK Way in Biggie Tribute Concert

"WE OUT HERE FOR BIG."

And Lil Kim got that right; Brooklyn showed up for hometown hero The Notorious B.I.G. at a tribute concert that attracted rap royalty to the borough on Thursday night.

Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes, The Lox, Junior Mafia and more took to the stage at Prospect Park’s Lena Horne band shell for the Celebrate Biggie show sponsored by Budweiser as part of BRIC's free summer-long concert series, Celebrate Brooklyn.

#biggie #brooklyn #spreadlove #music

Rap royalty – and huge crowds – turned out for the Celebrate Biggie concert in Prospect Park on Thursday

08/20/2021

BKLYN Sauce-- Patrick Dougher

BK Readers, the BKLYN Sauce team is so excited to present to you Patrick Dougher!

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Patrick is a self-taught Artist, Musician, Poet, Educator & Spiritual Activist. Patrick has played and recorded with Grammy award winners Sade, Chuck D (Public Enemy) and Dan Zanes as well as many other notables. He is the drummer on “Dub Side as the Moon” one of the best selling Reggae LP’s of all time.

But that's not all... Wait until you check out his art! Patrick seeks to inspire and to celebrate the noble beauty and divine nature of people of African descent and to connect urban African American culture to its roots in sacred African art, spirituality and ritual.

Click this link to learn about yet another icon in your nabe!

Patrick Dougher Michi Chassagne C. Zawadi Morris

#brooklynart #brooklyn #brooklynartist #bedstuy #bkreader #bklynsauce