Squadron Narrowly Wins Carroll Gardens Greenmarket Burger Cook-Off

Who makes a better burger?  State Senator Daniel Squadron or Councilman Brad Lander?
The question was settled this Sunday morning at the  Carroll Garden's Greenmarket 'Better Burger Challenge'.
With the help of sous-chefs from the Brooklyn School Of Collaborative Studies, both Lander and Squadron impressed local residents with their cooking skills their burger creations, which were quite different from each other.
Each politician started the cook-off with grass-fed beef from Grazin' Angus, one of the Green market vendors, but they were allowed to add one cheese and one specialty item.
Squadron's creation included garlic, Pawlet Cheese, mushrooms and a drizzle of duck fat.
Lander seasoned his burger by mixing in cilantro, scallions, garlic and finishing it off with a dollop go goat cheese.
After the burgers were cooked, local residents tasted and voted for their favorite.
Squadron's burger narrowly won by 7 votes.

Read More

Big Burger Cook-Off Between Lander And Squadron At Carroll Gardens Greenmarket This Sunday

I am a vegetarian, so I won't be able to vote for either State Senator Daniel Squadron's or Councilmember Brad Lander's burger during their "Epic Burger Showdown" on Sunday, but it sounds like a fun event, especially because local teens will join the two electeds as Sous Chefs.

Here is more info:
This Sunday at 11:30am, State Senator Daniel Squadron and City Councilmember Brad Lander will face off in a showdown of epic proportions: who makes the better burger?

Squadron and Lander, each assisted by two teen sous chefs from local high schools, will grill up their best burgers. Then it's up to the crowd to vote on who will be named the Better Burger Champion.

Squadron and Lander will use the event to highlight the success of the NYC Greenmarket program, including the fact that markets now accept EBT payments.
WHAT: Senator Daniel Squadron, Councilmember Brad Lander face off in the Better Burger Challenge

WHEN: Sunday, September 16 - 11:30am

WHERE: Carroll Gardens Greenmarket, Smith and Carroll Streets, Brooklyn

Read More

Kathleen Henderson, Carroll Park Playground Associate, To Be Honored In Albany Tonight

Nobody is more deserving of this!
Kathleen Henderson, beloved Carroll Park Playground Associate, will be honored in Albany tonight as a New York Woman of Distinction. She has been selected by NY State Senator Squadron as this year's 25th Senate District honoree. Way to go, Kathleen.
As a member of Friends of Carroll Park  for the last twenty years, I can only say wonderful things of Kathleen. During her many years in the park, she has become the neighborhood Mom, Grandma, Sitter, and Friend to many. She has turned her job into more than a job and improved Carroll Park in ways no one anticipated. We have seen the park go from being a neglected and avoided park to becoming the heart of the neighborhood and Kathleen has had a lot to do with that. The kids who spent time with her, connected to the park in ways we had not seen before so that we have very little graffiti or other vandalism and increased community spirit and support for the park.

Below is the award announcement by Senator Squadron's office.

Tonight marks the New York State Senate’s 15th annual Women of Distinction celebration. This year, Senator Squadron is proud to honor Carroll Park Playground Associate Kathleen Henderson as the 25th Senate District's Woman of Distinction.You all know how invaluable Kathleen is to our community. Over the last 16 years, the community has seen Carroll Park turn from a neglected and avoided park to become the heart of our neighborhood -- and Kathleen has been a key force behind that transformation. Kathleen is a treasure to the Carroll Gardens community, and a most deserving honoree.Created by the Senate in 1998, the Women of Distinction program recognizes the historic contributions of New Yorkers as part of National Women’s History Month.In a celebration that recognizes outstanding women throughout the state, the Senate will be honoring Kathleen in Albany tonight with a ceremony and reception at the State Capitol.Senator Squadron looks forward to hosting Kathleen and her family at tonight's celebration of notable New York women -- whose contributions continue to shape our communities and our state and inspire our residents.

As promised, here are some photos of the event from Senator Squadron's office.

Read More

Columbia Waterfront Residents Get Opportunity To Meet New Red Hook Container Terminal's Stevedore

On February 9th, Columbia Waterfront residents will have the opportunity to meet with Phoenix Beverage Company, the new stevedore of the Red Hook Container terminal at a community meeting to "help build and maintain a good relationship between the port and its neighborhoods."

This past fall, the beverage distributor replaced American Stevedoring, Inc. (ASI) as the group responsible for operating the Red Hook Container Terminal on behalf of the Port Authority.

This meeting has been organized by the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association (COWNA), Congressman Jerrold Nadler and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Councilmember Brad Lander, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblywoman Joan Millman as well as Community Board Six.

The is an opportunity to talk with about building and maintaining a good relationship between the port and its neighborhoods.

Meet The New Stevedore!

Thursday February 9, 2012, 6:30 pm

Postgraduate Center for Mental Health

177 Columbia Street at Degraw Street

Read More

Local Politicians Urge NYC Office Of Emergency Management To Reconsider Evacuation Route Out Of Carroll Gardens

 

New York City Office Of Emergency Management map showing hurricane evacuation zones 

Flooding on Third Street near bridge over the Gowanus, September 23, 2011

During most heavy rain events, Third Street near the Gowanus Canal has a tendency to flood, making it difficult or nearly impossible to drive over the 3rd Street Bridge, towards Park Slope.  Yet, in case of a hurricane or flood, the New York City Office Of Emergency Management  has designated Third Street as the Coastal Evacuation Route for the Carroll Gardens Community. 
I first noticed the Coastal Evacuation sign on Third Street near Smith Street more than a year ago and was immediately struck by the fact that the indicated route directed people to one of the lowest points in the neighborhood. When flood warnings and evacuation orders were given prior to Hurricane Irene in September, I wrote about this badly thought out plan, which potentially could put local residents in harm's way.
Community Board 6 took note, and promised to follow up with the Office of Emergency Management. And just yesterday, State Senator Squadron's office forwarded me a letter sent to Commissioner Joseph Bruno on this matter, signed by the Senator,  Councilman Lander, Assemblywoman Millman and Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz.  It reads:

Dear Commissioner Bruno:The recent evacuation order issued by the City in preparation for Hurricane Irene caused residents across the City to consider their preparedness in the event of an emergency. Several of our constituents raised concerns regarding the current "Coastal Evacuation Route" (CER) out of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.
As indicated by the signs posted in the area, the CER is via the Zone A area of Third Street, over the Gowanus Canal. This is problematic because the low-lying streets surrounding the Gowanus Canal are prone to flooding, even during moderate rain storms.
Our top priority is getting people out of harm’s way as safely and efficiently as possible. To that end, we are writing to request that your office reevaluate the evacuation route for this area and provide information as to possible alternative routes.
We look forward to hearing from you and please let us know if we can be helpful in resolving this matter of concern to our constituents.
Sincerely,  Daniel Squadron, State SenatorJoan Millman, Member of the AssemblyMarty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough PresidentBrad Lander, Member Of The City Council.

I am glad and relieved that our elected officials are helping to shine a light on this issue and are asking  for  a re-evaluation.  As far as finding alternate routes,  that may be a difficult task. Most of the local roads leading out of the neighborhood are congested on a regular day. In the case of a stronger hurricane with evacuation of Flood Zones A and B, traffic would probably come to a stand still.

Read More

A Fond Farewell To John Raskin, State Senator Squadron's Chief Of Staff

Julie Raskin, John Raskin, Jeff Erickson

As many of you may already know, John Raskin has stepped down as State Senator Squadron's Chief Of Staff to pursue new opportunities and "to get some sleep." In a statement sent out at the beginning of May, Raskin writes:

It's sad because I will miss working with so many dedicated community members, with our entire Team Squadron, and, most importantly, so closely with Daniel. It has been a unique privilege to work for such a dedicated, hardworking elected official and such an aggressive advocate for reform in state government. I will, of course, continue to consider him a close

friend and offer him my advice and counsel--whether it's solicited or not! I will also remain as Senator Squadron's appointee to the board of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation and its Committee on Alternatives to Housing.

Fortunately, I am able to leave my responsibilities in immensely qualified hands: Tim Roberts, who has served as chief of staff to Council Members David Yassky and Jimmy van Bramer, will take over the chief of staff role.

Amy Spitalnick, who is joining our office this week, will serve as communications director and press secretary. A great thanks to everyone who has made this adventure in state government so rewarding over the past couple years. I look forward to working with many of you again, in new capacities, down the road.

Best, John

Personally, I was sad to hear the news that John is moving on, since it was always a real pleasure dealing with him. I appreciated his professionalism and the fact that he was always accessible to neighborhood bloggers like me. I am glad to know that he will stay involved in local issues.

I was able to say good-bye to John personally at a gathering on Friday night, where I got to meet his lovely sister Julie and her boyfriend Jeff Erickson, who, it turns out, is an avid Pardon Me reader.

John, Julie and Jeff, I hope that we bump into each other often in the future.

Read More

At Long Last, Victory For Red Hook And Columbia Street Waterfront Communities. Agreement To Bring Shore Power To Red Hook Cruise Terminal Reached

At a protest demanding end to idling cruise ship at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, January 2011

Good news! The New York Times just reported that a multi-agency agreement has been reached, which would supply cruise ships with shore power from specially built electrical port outlets at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook.

Currently, the ships dock for hours and sometimes days, continually burning diesel fuel to provide electricity onboard.

For more than two years now, Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin, State Senators Daniel Squadron and Velmanette Montgomery and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez have called for such a comprehensive shore power agreement. In January 2011, our local officials were joined by community organizations at the Red Hook Cruise terminal to demand an end to idling cruise ships and to the resulting pollution that chokes nearby residential neighborhoods.

Thank you to everyone who worked on getting this agreement. It will make a big difference right in our own community, but especially in Red Hook and the Columbia waterfront.

In a statement released earlier this morning, Senator Squadron stated:

"With this agreement to bring shore power to the cruise terminal, Brooklyn can finally breathe a little easier. The noxious diesel fumes that cruise ships in port have been spewing are bad for Brooklynites and bad for the environment. I have worked with Council Member Brad Lander, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, our colleagues in government and the entire community to advocate for an expedited agreement to implement shore power. I commend Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Cuomo, the Port Authority, the New York Power Authority, the Economic Development Corporation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Carnival Cruise Lines for working together to find this important solution."

°°°°°°°°

Read More

NY State Senator Squadron's 3rd Community Convention Well Attended

State Senator Daniel Squadron

Congressman Jerrold Nadler

State Senator Daniel Squadron's third Community Convention was held at St. Francis College yesterday and once again, attendance by his constituents was impressive, especially for a Sunday afternoon. His district straddles both downtown Manhattan and parts of South Brooklyn, including Carroll Gardens.

In his opening speech, Senator Squadron noted that connecting and sharing ideas with residents from his district at these conventions allows him to understand what to focus on and provides his office guidance for the coming year. "I am grateful that you have volunteered your Sunday afternoon to help me continue to build a better and brighter future for our district" he told the crowd.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler, whose Manhattan/Brooklyn district overlaps Squadron's, also attended. In a brief speech, he spoke of this time of turmoil and economic upheaval facing the City and the State.

Councilman Brad Lander attended as well and joined Squadron for the conference's closing remark.

Later, constituents had the opportunity to join discussion groups covering 18 different topics such as MTA issues, health care, social services, jobs, economic sustainability, marriage equality and quality of life.

I chose to attend the discussion group entitled "Neighborhood Preservation and Zoning." Ironically. Most of those in attendance came from Carroll Gardens, though there were a few residents from Chinatown, Dumbo, South Street Seaport and Williamsburg.

However, some of the issues regarding preservation and zoning seem to be universal, including the lack of community involvement in planning the future of our neighborhoods, the unsustainable nature of the current policy of building at all cost, especially in sight of this city's failing infrastructure.

Carroll Gardeners addressed the uncertainty about the 340 Court Street site now that developer Clarett has pulled out of New York. More importantly, the issue of Public Place came up. The site is one of the most polluted sites along the Gowanus. It was once used by Brooklyn Union Gas for coal liquefication. The site has been slated by New York City for development. The Gowanus Green project, as it is ironically named, would bring 770 units of affordable housing to the shores of the Gowanus. Many in the community are sceptical that even after the NYS Department of Environmental Conservancy's remediation, Public Place will ever be safe for human habitation.

The Carroll Gardens residents at the Zoning discussion strongly urged that the plan to re-zone the site from manufacturing to residential be abandoned.

Some risks are not worth taking, especially if that risk involves human health.

Public Place was also brought up at the "Parks and Open Space" discussion group. There, the issue of why the site, which was given to the community by the former Brooklyn Union Gas for "recreational use" through the Parks Department, was transfered without public review to the NYC Housing Development Corporation.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Read More

This Sunday, State Senator Squadron Invites Constituents To Community Convention. Don't Forget To RSVP

photo credit: office of NYS Senator Squadron

State Senator Daniel Squadron at his first Community Convention in 2009

REMINDER: THIS SUNDAY!

Don't Forget To RSVP

Now in his second term as our State Senator, Daniel Squadron has kept his promise to keep an open dialogue with his constituents to discuss pressing legislative and community priorities. He held his first Community Convention in February 2009 and followed up with a series of neighborhood specific meetings in 2010. His office has just announced the third annual convention, scheduled for March 13th.

Here is Squadron's email with the pertaining information.

Dear Friend:

Please join me on Sunday, March 13th, for the third annual 25th Senate District Community Convention. I am hosting the convention at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street in Downtown Brooklyn, from 2:00-5:00PM.

At the convention, I will ask you about your thoughts and ideas on legislative and community priorities.

Last year, more than 400 community members attended and offered valuable feedback on topics as far-ranging as school overcrowding, park planning and nightlife. We divided into small discussion groups so each attendee could participate actively, and the great ideas I heard influenced my work at home and in Albany.

I hope you will join me this year to offer your input on those topics, as well as affordable housing, health care, Albany reform and more than 20 others. For a complete list of topics, please visit http://www.nysenate.gov/community-convention.

Will you join me at the community convention on Sunday, March 13th? Please RSVP to Rosemarie Diaz in my office at 212-298-5565 or rdiaz@nysenate.gov. I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Daniel

Daniel Squadron

State Senator

25th District

°°°°°°°°°°°

Read More

State Senator Daniel Squadron Releases Statement Regarding LICH

photo credit: LICH

Seems as though our representatives are right on top of this issue. Here is State Senator Squadron's statement:

Statement from State Senator Daniel Squadron on Long Island College Hospital:

"The deal to save Long Island College Hospital was a huge win for our community, Brooklyn and the state. Simply put, it must move forward. LICH has helped keep Brooklyn healthy for more than 150 years, and it must not be forced to close its doors now. I will continue to work with the governor, my colleagues in government and the hospitals as the merger moves forward."

Related reading:

Neighborhood To Lose LICH After All?

Councilman Brad Lander Issues Statement On LICH's Potential Closing

°°°°°°°°°°

Read More

Local Politicians Start The New Year By Calling For Agreement On Shore Power For Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

On this clear, but cold first working day of the year, our local politicians gathered at the Red Hook Cruise Terminal with representatives from community associations to demand an end to idling cruise ships and to the resulting pollution that chokes nearby residential neighborhoods.

With the gargantuan Queen Mary 2 as a backdrop, Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin, State Senators Daniel Squadron and Velmanette Montgomery and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez called for comprehensive shore power agreement that would provide the necessary infrastructure to allow cruise ships docked in the harbor to plug right into an onshore electrical grid. Right now, the ships dock for hours and sometimes days, continually burning diesel fuel to provide electricity onboard.
According to the politicians, the money has been set aside to put the infrastructure in place, the Port Authority, Carneval Cruise Lines and the New York City Economic Development Corporation are all 'on board', but after two years of negotiations, a final agreement has yet to be signed. "It is a complex issues, but two years is too long." stated Councilman Lander.

Considering that a docked cruise ship running on diesel fuel puts out as much air pollution as 12,000 idling cars, two years is definitely way too long. As one Red Hook resident stated at the rally: " Why wasn't the infrastructure put in place when the cruise terminal went into operation in 2006?"

°°°°°°°

Read More

Public Park Or Private Enclave? Last Night's Public Hearing On Alternatives To Housing In Brooklyn Bridge Park

i

From left, Seth Pinsky President of New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC),

2nd from left: Paul Nelson For Assemblymember Joan Millman,
3rd from left: a woman sitting in for Robert Steel  

4th from left: Regina Myer, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corp.

second from right: John Ruskin of State Senator Squadron's office

Councilman Steve Levin

Councilman Brad Lander

Last night at Long Island College Hospital, the first of two public hearings on alternatives to housing in Brooklyn Bridge Park took place. In front of Regina Myer, President of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation, representatives of NY State Assemblywoman Joan Millman and State Senator Squadron, and the Mayor's office, residents shared their ideas on how to generate revenue for the park to fund its operation and maintenance. Most also took the opportunity to voice their frustration with the City's hijacking of a public park for development.
In 2002, New York State and City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which requires that the Brooklyn Bridge Park "be financially self sufficient with annual operation and maintenance expenses funded by revenue generated from within the project."  In order to accomplish this, five sites within the park were identified for development.  This idea met with immediate resistance from many in the community.
In March 2010, State Senator Squadron and Assemblywoman Joan Millman were able to convince the City to sign another Memorandum Of Understanding which prompted the formation of a Subcommittee on Alternatives to Housing (SHA.)  It also called for two public hearings.
Though some speakers last night supported the idea, many in the audience had worked tirelessly for the last twenty-five years to secure the park along the waterfront and were strongly opposed to residential luxury condos of 15 to 31 stories in the park.  The overwhelming sentiment expressed by the community was that Brooklyn Bridge Park should be a public park and not a "private enclave with tastefully arranged landscaping around it."
Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin spoke out against the housing as well.


Written testimony will be accepted till Monday, December 13th at 5 PM.  Submit to Bay Area Economics Consulting at bbptestimony@bae1.com


Below are some of the testimonies (and alternatives) given last night.

Read More