This obituary was originally published in the July 2017 print edition. After almost a century of living in Red Hook, Rose Valenti (née Yodice) passed away on June 5, 2017 at the age of 98. Rose was born on February 1, 1919 at 343 Van Brunt St. Rose was one of seven children with three sisters (Millie, Anne, and Fannie) […]
Month: July 2017
Large Snakes Found Dead at Valentino Pier, by Sarah Matusek
If you stumbled upon a cluster of decapitated snakes in a park, what would you do? This bizarre question confronted Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse (BBPB) volunteers on a cleanup day at Valentino Pier on Saturday morning, May 6. The beach cleaners found around five to seven lifeless – and headless – snakes on the rocks just south of the pier. […]
Justice Center celebrates Bridging the Gap birthday, by Sarah Matusek
Bridging the Gap co-leaders, Sabrina Carter and Gleacy Mejia, take the podium at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Photo by George Fiala. The woman wears a laurel crown and a long white robe. Though serene, she cradles an ax. Beneath her feet, a motto in outdated Dutch reads: Unity makes strength. This old flag commemorates Brooklyn’s stint as an independent city in the […]
MIKE DROP: Two Teams on the Dole, by Michael Racioppo
Buffalo, New York and New York City (specifically 31st Street between 7th and 8th Avenue) are separated by more than 350 miles. Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets, is about ten miles from 31st Street between 7th and 8th Avenue, and Buffalo is still over 350 miles away. Let’s take a quiz: if a sports team […]
Comments re Beard Street bar situation, edited by George Fiala
In our July issue we published an update to the situation on Beard Street regarding the potential opening of a brew-pub in the middle of a mixed-use block which has a lot of residents. We remarked in our article that some people thought that Victoria Hagman’s presence, or at least comments, at the CB6 committee meeting that was considering the […]
The Hook to be invaded by thousands of racing fans, by Nathan Weiser
UPDATE, July 14, 12:52 pm: WEEKEND TRAFFIC ADVISORY – According to the 76th Precinct, the following streets will be closed all weekend, starting at midnight tonight. Imlay from Veronica to Pioneer Conover from Pioneer to Sullivan Ferris from Wolcott to King Pioneer from Van Brunt to Conover Sullivan from Conover to Dead End Wolcott from Ferris to Dead End Van […]
Brooklyn Greenway Initiative knows how to throw a great fundraiser, by Sarah Matusek
For BGI’s summer fundraiser, it’s a good idea to come hungry. Photo by Sarah Matusek. There’s more to Brooklyn than brunch. Just ask Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, whose annual summer fundraiser, Brooklyn Waterfront Tastes, combines the boozy weekend meal with bicycles and grassroots activism. In its thirteenth year, BGI’s brunch-tasting event lucked out with a day of sunshine and drew a […]
Pioneer Works’ Garden Offers a Haven in the Heat, by Sarah Matusek
Pioneer Works’ garden entrance. Photo by George Fiala. Pioneer Works’ public garden offers visitors a space for summer zen. For a moment, the rumble of trucks beyond the wooden lattice fence nearly disappears. A brief walk from the NYC Ferry and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the garden sprawls next to the art nonprofit’s 150-year-old red brick building at 159 Pioneer St. […]
Secret Polish love letters, performed at Jalopy, review by Sofia Baluyut
The unique nature of “The Story of Two Poets” was clear even before Jalopy Theatre’s lights went down. The musical is entirely in Polish with English supertitles. Polish and English versions of the playbill were passed out, and Polish sweets called drożdżówki z serem (sweet cheese pastries) were set out on a table for audience members. The show is an […]
Remembering George, by George Fiala
I think this is the first obituary type of writing I’ve ever done, and I don’t exactly know how to go about it. The fact is that Red Hook has lost one of the special people that make this the community special to so many. Just before the 4th of July, George was found unconscious outside of his bar, Rocky […]