Celebrating Community
There has never been more uncertainty about the future of our federal government in my lifetime, than right now. In 1980 Ronald Reagan gave an inaugural address that included the phrase, “government is not the solution, it is the problem.” That same speech also included a very powerful, upbeat message, as follows: “I believe we, the Americans of today, are […]
Red Hook’s Recreation Center and enormous outdoor pool, open during the summer through Labor Day, is named after Sol Goldman, who was a real estate mogul in New York City. Born in Brooklyn in 1917, Goldman dropped out of Brooklyn College to run his father’s grocery store in 1935, and later on started buying foreclosed properties at low prices in […]
Terence Williams grew up in East New York, Brooklyn. Five years ago, Williams joined the New York Police Department, and on December 8 Officer Williams will graduate from the Red Hook Justice Center’s Peacemaking program. The Peacemaking program adapts Native American conflict resolution strategies to New York City court cases within the Justice Center’s catchment area – police precincts 72, […]
Valentino Park & Pier, at the foot of Coffey Street in Red Hook is no doubt one of New York City’s smallest but also one of the most extraordinary assets. Its unobstructed vistas of the harbor – including the Statue of Liberty, the Verrazano Bridge, Ellis Island, Governor’s Island, the Manhattan skyline, State Island and New Jersey – are what […]
On October 29th 2012, Superstorm Sandy decimated the neighborhood, with over 6,000 residents losing power for 3 weeks. There was catastrophic flooding everywhere. The financial destruction caused by Sandy has only been surpassed on a per capita basis by that of Hurricane Katrina. While the forces of Mother Nature can’t be controlled, it does not mean people shouldn’t plan for future […]
The Red Hook Volunteers (RHV) have played a crucial role in the recovery efforts since Sandy. The group originated as committed individuals who came to Red Hook to help after the storm. They helped coordinate the flood of volunteers who came from all over to help. But nearly two years after, the Volunteers are fighting to keep their doors open. […]
Dimitri Verteouis was once 330 pounds. At 28, he was pre-diabetic, had a slightly enlarged heart, and even had a temporary pacemaker at one point. His doctor told him if he did not lose 100 pounds in one year, he would need gastric bypass surgery. His poor health opened Dimitri’s eyes. He became a participant with The Food Network’s “Fat […]
The first time I heard about “Night Out Against Crime,” back in the 1980’s I didn’t take it seriously at all. I really didn’t know what it was about, I thought it was some kind of feelgood event that did nothing to cut down on the rampant crime that was plaguing America’s cities. I left tonight’s celebration at Coffey Park […]
A plan to divide the Red Hook library that has been in the works for two years has finally come out in the open. A committee meeting of Community Board6 (CB6) was held at the library on July 24th to discuss a Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)/Spaceworks proposal to take what is claimed to be underutilized space from the book area, […]
Gowanus means many things to the community. For most it is a neighborhood, to others a polluted canal, but to the Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC), it represents more. To the GCC, Gowanus is a watershed. A watershed, also known as a drainage basin is an area where water from rain and melting snow or ice converge to a single point […]