BENSONHURST'S PREMIER NEWS BLOG

by Jack Rydquist via flickr

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle is reporting that, thanks to Councilman Vincent Gentile, the NYC Parks Department and Mayor Bloomberg, Ben Vitale Fields – a sports complex near where Poly Place meets 14th Avenue – can now host night games.

The stadium lights, which cost a cool $1.7 million, were the brainchild of local youth sports advocate Nick “Buff” Maglio, who died earlier this year on April 17, at age 65.

From the Eagle:

“Buff made sure the Parks Department and I made this happen and I know he’s smiling up in heaven as we switch the lights in his honor,” Gentile said, as Maglio’s widow, Carmen Maglio, looked on.

Maglio was a founder of the Kiwanis Flag Football League, now known as Brooklyn Extreme Flag Football. He also promoted safety in sports and advocated for the use of wooden bats, as opposed to metal bats, in little league baseball.

Gentile secured $1 million in the city budget for the lights. Mayor Michael Bloomberg had the rest put into the budget.

At an emotional ceremony, Field 1-A was dedicated in Maglio’s honor.

In addition to Carmen Maglio, attendees included underage athletes from several local youth athletic organizations which will benefit from the lights. They include the Meyerstein/Brooklyn Kiwanis League, the Dyker Heights Athletic Association/St. Bernadette Knights, and the Brooklyn Extreme Flag Football program.

Members representing both New Utrecht High School and the High School of Telecommunication Arts & Technology, who both use the fields, were also at the ceremony.

Councilman Vincent Gentile represents City Council District 43, which includes Bay Ridge, as well as parts of Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Bensonhurst

(image courtesy of reader Howard W.)

In the wee hours of this morning, reader Howard W. sent us these photos, as well as an account of some major police activity, complete with a low flying helicopter, last night at 85th Street and 24th Avenue at around 11:30 p.m.

Howard says both 23rd Avenue and 24th Avenue were being blocked off to car traffic and the shirtless man in boxer shorts shown below was being taken into custody by police. He also told us that NYPD reportedly recovered a black bag from the scene.

(image courtesy of reader Howard W.)

We’ve reached out to the NYPD’s press unit and, while we have yet to receive a confirmation, word around town is that the suspect was being arrested for an alleged home invasion.

Anyone who has anything they’d like to add to this story can e-mail us at jteutonico [at] bensonhurstbean [dot] com.

By Nasa Goddard Photo and Video via flickr

Yesterday, FEMA released their list of counties eligible for emergency aid following Irene. Included on the list was every borough of New York City except for Brooklyn, where the tropical storm made landfall.

The Capitol, which covers New York state politics, is reporting that, while both local and federal disaster officials are calling it a bureaucratic error, some are theorizing that it might be the result of an Obama administration payback against “Orthodox Jews angry about his Israel policy.”

The piece quotes one anonymous elected official who said, “Maybe he realizes that [Assemblyman] Dov Hikind (emphasis theirs) lives in Brooklyn?”

NY1 spoke with Marty Markowitz, who, along with other local pols such as Councilman Gentile, expressed shock that Brooklyn could be excluded:

“I am baffled how Brooklyn could be left off the FEMA list when the Bronx is included, Manhattan is included, and believe me, we sustained in Brooklyn more than $25 million worth of damage, a lot more than Manhattan, so I have no clue how we’re not on the list,” said Markowitz.

This week’s Brooklyn Daily Eagle is carrying a posthumous piece on acclaimed 20th Century street photographer Helen Levitt, who would be 98 years old today.

Like scores of other notable figures from the last hundred years or so of American history, Helen Levitt was born and raised in Bensonhurst.

Levitt was known as one of the masters of modern street photography, with a career that spanned from the Depression era 1930′s to the dot com era 1990′s – when her limbs could no longer walk the labyrinth landscape of the city on the look out for new subjects.

From the Eagle:

Photographer Helen Levitt was born in Bensonhurst on Aug. 31, 1913. Her father was a Russian immigrant who ran a wholesale knit-goods business.

Levitt became a master of street photography, capturing stunning shots of her native New York, with some of her most lasting images being of children. Photography historian Keith Davis wrote, “Levitt responded to this protean theater of the street by creating photographs that are lyrical, uncontrived, and mysterious. Fascinated by the simplest marks and the most fleeting gestures, Levitt made images of children’s graffiti that suggest the timeless human need for self-expression, as well as the surprising insights of unselfconscious artists.”

Books containing Levitt’s work include In the Street: Chalk Drawings and Messages, New York City, 1938-48, as well as Mexico City and A Way of Seeing, which included an essay by James Agee.

The story also notes that DUMBO publisher Powerhouse Books has recently published some hardcover collections of Levitt’s, including Crosstown (2001); Here and There (2004), Slide Show (2005) and Helen Levitt (2008).

Levitt passed away in her Manhattan apartment on March 29, 2009.

Her shoes have yet to be filled.

This is Bensonhurst Bean’s monthly blogwrap, where we highlight some of the stories that have affected Bensonhurst over the last month, as covered by both local and mainstream media.

Carmela ‘Millie’ Zazzali, 89, Served Bohemian Artists – Brooklyn Daily

In Brooklyn, A House Rescued From The 1840′s – New York Times

Southern Brooklyn Bounces Back – Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Don’t Believe The Blogs! The 18th Avenue Feast Is On! – Brooklyn Paper

Shocker! Organizers Cancel 18th Avenue Feast – Brooklyn Paper

City Formally Challenges Census Count – WNYC

Driver Arrested In Fatal Wreck – Wall Street Journal

Curtains For The B64? – Home Reporter

(image by Reliant for Home Reporter)

The bloody crime scene that greeted police on the night of Wednesday, August 17, while shocking, may just be the latest in a series of domestic violence cases in Southern Brooklyn that have ended in the worst possible way.

According to an article in the Home Reporter last Thursday, He Xiao-Bao, age 25, the suspect in the Dyker Heights murder, allegedly stabbed his 24-year-old girlfriend multiple times, killing her. The unidentified victim’s screams escaped the couple’s apartment at 935 71st Street, leading concerned neighbors to call 911.

He, the suspect’s family name, had reportedly slit his own wrists and brandished a knife as first responders arrived on the scene, but was fortunately disarmed and arrested by quick-thinking police officers.

From Home Reporter:

This incident was apparently just the latest in a series of escalating violence between the couple, who reportedly filed domestic violence complaints against one another as recently as March of this year, within the 72 precinct, which serves the communities of Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace. There is no word on what type of action was taken on those complaints.

According to Captain Richard de Blasio of the 68th Precinct, the suspect was disarmed at the scene by responding officers, who used “great tactics” to subdue and arrest him after he had apparently slashed his wrists. The weapon – a knife – was recovered at the scene and police “do have the right person arrested.”

He – the suspect’s last name – was taken to Lutheran Medical Center for treatment. According to the District Attorney’s office, he is currently awaiting arraignment on charges of second degree murder – which carries a penalty of 25 years to life in prison – and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree – a misdemeanor.

The most basic details of this case are eerily similar to at least two other domestic violence murders that have shocked Brooklynites this year. Click Here To Find Out More, Including What’s Being Done To Stop Domestic Violence

Hit and run suspect found in Bensonhurst backyard (image by Ken Murray for Daily News)

[UPDATE 5:45 p.m.] The suspect has been identified as Brian Pittsley who, according to Brooklyn Daily, may have been squatting in a house on Bay 20th Street between Benson Avenue and 86th Street. The Post is reporting that Pittsley has an arrest record which includes five priors since 2003, including grand larceny, assault, resisting arrest and petit larceny.

It looks like we finally know what all that police activity before – near 18th Avenue and 83rd Street – was about.

According to the Daily News, police were nabbing a hit and run suspect from a Monday night crash in Staten Island. The suspect (pictured above) is currently unidentified.

From the News:

A Brooklyn man has been arrested as the driver in Monday night’s horrific hit-and-run crash in Staten Island that killed a teenager and injured six others, a police source said.

The unidentified suspect sparked a police dragnet around 11 a.m. Tuesday after he fled his Bensonhurst home when detectives tried to question him, a source said.

He was caught hiding in a backyard a few blocks away.

He is still being questioned and has not been charged.

Cops believe the man was speeding in a 1992 Chevy Suburban carrying seven passengers at about 9:30 p.m. Monday when he blew through a stop sign at the intersection of Hillside Terrace and Hylan Blvd. in Eltingville.

A 2009 Nissan Sentra, which was traveling northbound on Hylan Blvd., struck the back of the SUV, causing the Suburban’s driver to loose control and careen into the back of a parked 2003 Chevy Trailblazer.

The Suburban then bounced off the parked SUV and flipped over, ejecting at least one passenger onto the street, cops said.

Angel Rivera, 17, was thrown from the rear seat on driver’s side of the vehicle. He died a short time later at the hospital, police said.

A 17-year-old-girl lost part of her right arm in the accident, police said. Five other passengers suffered cuts bruises and fractures. None of those injuries were life threatening.

The driver of the Suburban climbed from the wreck and fled on foot leaving his injured passengers behind. Cops said the vehicle was not registered.

The 20-year-old driver of the Nissan suffered only bumps and bruises. He was not charged with a crime.

[UPDATE 2:15 p.m.] Our tipster says that police have a suspect in custody. Anyone else know what went down?

We just received word from a tipster that there appears to be a lot of police activity on 18th Avenue near 83rd Street. We’re being told that police are advising people to stay in their homes. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear more.

The Post is reporting that those who lived or worked as far uptown as Canal Street will now be able to receive compensation for health problems resulting from the collapse of the Twin Towers.

Sheila Birnbaum, who oversees the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund, expanded the eligibility zone 10 blocks north to Canal Street. The previous northern cut-off point was Reade Street.

The $2.8 Billion fund could potentially help thousands of additional victims.

From the Post:

Birnbaum said compelling public comments, as well as scientific and medical evidence, persuaded her to expand the zone.

Evidence suggests “that prolonged exposure to dust between Reade and Canal streets created a demonstrable risk of physical harm,” she said.

She also noted there are already a substantial number of patients who live between Reade and Canal receiving treatment in the federally funded World Trade Center Environmental Health Program.

“My goal is for the Victim Compensation Fund to be fair, transparent, and easy to navigate for those who have been affected the most by the devastating events of Sept. 11,” Birnbaum said.

One group who will still not be covered by the fund are those suffering from cancer. In July, Bensonhurst Bean covered the decision by the fund’s head physician to not include cancer stricken 9/11 victims, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.

Bensonhurst Bean would like to know our readers’ thoughts on this matter.

With the knowledge that toxic dust created by the collapse of World Trade Center buildings 1, 2 and 7 contained known carcinogens, do you think it’s wrong for the fund to exclude cancer victims?

Or do you think cancer is far too common in our chemical-laced society to sort out which illnesses specifically resulted from the 9/11 attacks?

Eric Schneiderman (from Jerrold Nadler's office)

If you’ve heard about New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman being kicked off a committee that was supposed to be investigating mortgage abuses and negotiating a settlement with some of the country’s largest banks, then you might be interested in what your local elected representatives think.

Below is a press release from Jerrold Nadler’s office:

NEW YORK, NY – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, and 20 members of New York’s congressional delegation chided Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller for his dismissal of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman last week from ongoing mortgage settlement negotiations, demanding that Attorney General Miller explain how he intends to ensure that New York’s interests are represented during the remainder of the negotiation talks.  The national committee of state Attorneys General are working to settle numerous complex legal matters arising from the 2008 housing collapse.

 “As members of the New York congressional delegation, we are united in fighting for a fair resolution of the housing crisis that has devastated tens of thousands of families across our state,” the members wrote.  “That is why we are deeply troubled by your recent action to silence New York’s voice by removing New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman from an executive committee negotiating a nationwide settlement with the banks.  We ask that you explain how New York’s interests will be protected as negotiations move forward.”

 

Below is the full text of the letter: Continue Reading »