Column by George: All hail our new Civic Association!

I‘ve often written that Red Hook needs an organization that represents the viewpoints of everyone in our pretty unique community. An institution that presents our views to the rest of the world, including those outside entities looking to change things here, including real estate developers, government agencies and large corporations.

Also a place where our local politicos can come and hear for themselves the issues that concern us (as Alexa Aviles so graciously did at our first meeting).

Right now, the most local government entity we have is the community board, which also takes care of Gowanus, Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill. Our next most local is the City Council, where our district also includes Sunset Park, some of Windsor Terrace and even parts of Bay Ridge.

There is governance over Red Hook East and Red Hook West via the tenant organizations, the business community via the Alliance, as well as our local court, the Justice Center.

Up until three or four years ago, we had the Red Hook Civic Association, which did its best to include everyone.

So it was very exciting last month to attend a meeting at PS 15 which revived the Civic Association—a meeting packed with residents from just about all areas of the neighborhood. This was a meeting which I promoted and orchestrated and which was ably led by our local District Leader (a volunteer Democratic Party position), Jacqui Painter.

The next meeting will take place on Monday, March 13 at 6:30. It will be a little easier to get in than the first one as there will only be one check-in line. Also you won’t have to worry about bringing proof of vaccination. There are plenty of seats, so bring as many people as you like. It’s a great chance to meet your neighbors and contribute to the goings on of our great community.

Our most important task will be to develop a set of rules for the management of the group—in other words a way to consistently run the meetings for maximum benefit for the most people.

And we’ll go from there.

Our writers

I never really take the time here to acknowledge the most important contributors to this publication—our writers! I am indebted to a faithful crew of part-timers and free lancers, which has been lately buttressed by two new part-time beat writers—Katherine Rivard and Oona Milliken. Katherine’s beats are the community board and the police precinct, Oona begins this month with a report from Gowanus.

Nathan Weiser has been covering local events, especially in our schools for many years. Brian Abate is our utility infielder, who can write about anything.

Erin DeGregorio as also a long-time Star-Revuian, and a welcome monthly contributor. Kurt Gottschalk writes a music column that could just as well be in Rolling Stone or Pitchfork, same for our jazz guy George Grella, who has written the definitive book on Miles Davis.

Roderick Thomas keeps us on topic with Black style and issues and is our most-read online contributer. Dante Campagniella is not only our film guy – but he’s part of the industry himself.

Then there’s Michael Quinn, book reviewer, Marie Hueston, our Crafts Mistress as well as a local teacher, Joe Enright, our Visions guy who keeps me laughing and learning, and finally a nod to our former Religion editor, Laura Eng, who contributed a timely article about the future of the Al Capone church for this issue.

My eternal gratitude to all!!!

George Fiala

Founder and editor of the Red Hook Star-Revue. George is also a musician and one-time progressive rock disk jockey, in York, Pennsylvania, also birthplace of Mrs. Don Imus.