BENSONHURST'S PREMIER NEWS BLOG

On the six month anniversary of Superstorm Sandy yesterday, local politicians, activists, and neighbors gathered once again to decry the waste transfer station proposed for the Bensonhurst waterfront, saying that the station could turn a Sandy-like storm into a toxic maelstrom.

Close to 200 people rallied on Sunday, April 28, on the Bay Parkway Promenade near Ceasar’s Bay to support the cause. Their message was clear: A united Southern Brooklyn will continue to fight and oppose the waste station pitched to stand by 25th Avenue and Bay 41st Street.

Assemblyman William Colton joined Brooklyn activist and New Utrecht High School teacher Mark Treyger to fight against what they say will be a “dire strain on this community.”

Treyger, a City Council candidate and the founder of the Sandy Taskforce Recovery Organized by Neighborhood Groups, or STRONG, said that Bensonhurst is not alone in their efforts.

“Today’s rally showed that this hyperlocal movement has swelled into a South Brooklyn movement.” Treyger said.

Treyger added that Sandy has taught some hard lessons that have bolstered their argument against the waste station.

“This time, our message is stronger. [Superstorm] Sandy showed us, once again, why this dumping station shouldn’t be here,” he said.

In the last big rally against the garbage station in August 2012, Treyger paired with Colton to raise awareness of the toxins lurking in Gravesend Bay that could be stirred up by the dredging required to build the station.

Last August, Colton said: “Scientists have confirmed what many in the community feared…There were unsafe levels of mercury and other harmful toxins found at the bottom of Gravesend Bay. The samples were taken by just scratching the surface rather than by digging deep below the surface where the dredging will reach. This leads others and me to wonder: What other dangers lie further below Gravesend Bay?” asked Colton. “And how will this toxic material impact the adjacent beaches of Coney Island and Manhattan Beach?”

Colton attempted to drive the point home by citing the disastrous effects caused by Superstorm Sandy. Colton stressed his anxiety about the dangerous toxins that will be unearthed in locals’ homes should another coastal storm occur.

“Mold is hard enough to clean out. Imagine if it was mercury,” Colton said.

Ari Kagan, the 45th Assembly Democratic District Leader running for City Council in Sheepshead Bay, agreed.

“It’s not just Bensonhurst that this affects. It’s Brighton… Coney Island… Sheepshead Bay… Bay Ridge. It affects all of us, all over Brooklyn,” Kagan said.

Paying tribute to the local beaches and prominent fishing community, Kagan added: “We need to help the community after Hurricane Sandy, not destroy it. I don’t see a single person in South Brooklyn who supports this. Enough is enough.”

Other activists joined in the cry to ‘Dump the dump,’ citing the neighborhood’s children, elderly, and overall residential population as reasons that the proposed waste station is unsatisfactory.

Ludger Balan, a member of the Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy, said that this quality of life issue isn’t just harmful for Bensonhurst locals, but that it will affect everybody in this borough.

Referencing another daunting idea in the completion of this project, Balan spoke in an interview with Bensonhurst Bean of the 1500 rounds of 20mm munitions discovered from a capsized WWII military barge in Gravesend Bay, the focus of a public statement made during the protest by Ida Sanoff , executive director of the Natural Resources Protective Association. According to Balan, Sanoff and Colton, dredging for this waste site could even lead to an explosion of those munitions.

“They could not have chosen a worse place to put this project,” Balan said.

And now, in the wake of an election year, activists are urging Bensonhurst locals to see where candidates running for office stand in regard to this garbage transfer site.

“We need politicians that are really for the people,” Treyger said.

“The next mayor will have the power to continue or end this. The next mayor will make a decision. Before we vote, we will listen to their position on this issue. You want our votes? Stand with our community. This location is just not suitable,” he said.

Source: Colton’s office

Local teens took to the streets on Saturday to celebrate Earth Day with a massive local cleanup, organized by Assemblyman William Colton.

The army of volunteers included members of Our Lady of Grace Teen Group, Our Lady of Grace Boy Scouts, Our Lady of Grace Girl Scouts, students from New Utrecht High School, Midwood High School’s Key and Environment Clubs, students from Brooklyn Technical High School’s Key and Red Cross clubs, students from Edward R. Murrow’s Key Club, students from John Dewey’s Key Club, students from James Madison High School’s Key Club, and members from the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn.

The kids worked their way along Kings Highway, from McDonald Avenue to Stillwell Avenue, and Avenue U, from McDonald Avenue to Stillwell Avenue, sweeping sidewalks and picking up trash with bags and other cleanup equipment from the Department of Sanitation and Home Depot.

“Our sustained Speak-Up! and Clean-Up! Campaign encourages residents to alert us about areas in need of cleaning up while mobilizing our neighborhood’s youth to get the job done. This is surely a win-win for our community,” said Colton in a press release.

It is the ninth cleanup event organized by Colton, and the initiative is the brainchild of Colton aide Priscilla Consolo.

Image courtesy of Assemblyman William Colton

From the offices of Assemblyman William Colton:

Declaring the B64’s return to Southwest Brooklyn a “victory we can all be proud of,” Assemblyman William Colton (D-Bensonhurst) and his Transportation Improvement Coalition Co-Chairs Mark Treyger and Priscilla Consolo have organized a Celebration Rally to mark the first day of the bus line’s return to Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Coney Island. The community celebration is scheduled for Sunday, January 6, 2013, at 11 A.M., on the corner of Bay 50th Street and Harway Avenue. Colton’s coalition is celebrating the MTA’s July 2012 decision to completely restore B64 service in Southwest Brooklyn, which was partially eliminated in 2010 due to budget cuts and sparked community uproar. The 2010 MTA cuts eliminated B64 service from 25th Avenue in Bensonhurst to Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island, which negatively impacted thousands of riders and the local economy.

The Brooklyn legislator is helping organize the victory gathering to show his appreciation to the enormous support the successful B64 fight received from community leaders, groups, and residents. “Together with the help of countless individuals and community organizations who fought hard to restore B64 service in Southwest Brooklyn, we proved that there is truly strength in numbers,” asserted Assemblyman Colton. “Our formula of success was having families, children, seniors, small businesses, community groups, and concerned residents work together toward accomplishing a common goal, added Colton. “This victory marks the beginning, not the end, of our work ahead to ensure further transportation improvements in Southern Brooklyn,” Colton went on to say.

“The B64’s complete restoration is a victory that solely belongs to the families and small businesses of Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Coney Island,” insisted Co-Chair Mark Treyger, who along with Co-Chair Priscilla Consolo, assisted in organizing residents against the MTA cuts. “The MTA often loses sight of the impact its reckless decisions have on families, children, disabled persons who rely on public transportation, and small businesses. To have cut service from Bensonhurst to Coney Island, especially at a time when Coney Island’s amusement district is being revamped, was an unconscionable decision made by the MTA. I am so proud of our community for coming together and successfully pressuring the MTA to reverse course,” added Treyger.

“The restoration of the B64 is a victory for the entire neighborhood to celebrate. With the return of this vital bus line, the lives of many people, ranging from students to senior citizens to the disabled to working people, will have their quality of life improved. Restoring the B64 will mean residents will be able to travel easier and more people will have access to public transportation,” stated Co-Chair Priscilla Consolo.

From collecting thousands of petition signatures, to holding rallies, to even requesting the federal Justice Department’s intervention on behalf of people with disabilities, Colton and his coalition did not relent in their successful fight to restore bus service for Southwest Brooklyn residents. Additionally, they are determined to keep this alliance in tact to make further transportation improvements that are greatly needed.

Some of the organizations involved in helping make this victory possible include; Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church, Transport Workers Union, United Progressive Democratic Club, Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, Bensonhurst West End Community Council, Harway Terrace Apartments Board of Directors, Contello Towers residents, Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church, Castellammare del Golfo, Aidone Social Cultural Association, ASU of New York, Community Education Council – District 21, NIA Community Services Network, Southern Brooklyn Democrats, and the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn.

Click to enlarge. Image courtesy of Mark Treyger

From the offices of Assemblyman William Colton:

Declaring the B64’s return to Southwest Brooklyn a “victory we can all be proud of,” Assemblyman William Colton (D-Bensonhurst) and his Transportation Improvement Coalition Co-Chairs Mark Treyger and Priscilla Consolo have organized a Celebration Rally to mark the first day of the bus line’s return to Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Coney Island. The community celebration is scheduled for Sunday, January 6, 2013, at 11 A.M., on the corner of Bay 50th Street and Harway Avenue. Colton’s coalition is celebrating the MTA’s July 2012 decision to completely restore B64 service in Southwest Brooklyn, which was partially eliminated in 2010 due to budget cuts and sparked community uproar. The 2010 MTA cuts eliminated B64 service from 25th Avenue in Bensonhurst to Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island, which negatively impacted thousands of riders and the local economy.

The Brooklyn legislator is helping organize the victory gathering to show his appreciation to the enormous support the successful B64 fight received from community leaders, groups, and residents. “Together with the help of countless individuals and community organizations who fought hard to restore B64 service in Southwest Brooklyn, we proved that there is truly strength in numbers,” asserted Assemblyman Colton. “Our formula of success was having families, children, seniors, small businesses, community groups, and concerned residents work together toward accomplishing a common goal, added Colton. “This victory marks the beginning, not the end, of our work ahead to ensure further transportation improvements in Southern Brooklyn,” Colton went on to say.

“The B64’s complete restoration is a victory that solely belongs to the families and small businesses of Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Coney Island,” insisted Co-Chair Mark Treyger, who along with Co-Chair Priscilla Consolo, assisted in organizing residents against the MTA cuts. “The MTA often loses sight of the impact its reckless decisions have on families, children, disabled persons who rely on public transportation, and small businesses. To have cut service from Bensonhurst to Coney Island, especially at a time when Coney Island’s amusement district is being revamped, was an unconscionable decision made by the MTA. I am so proud of our community for coming together and successfully pressuring the MTA to reverse course,” added Treyger.

“As a young community activist, I am deeply proud and encouraged to see the power of people coming together to fight for important services that help make our neighborhoods stronger,” stated Co-Chair Priscilla Consolo, who helped raise community awareness on the B64 issue. “I am eager to continue working with Assemblyman Colton, my Co-Chair Mark Treyger, and community residents to fight to make further improvements to our transportation system,” Consolo added.

From collecting thousands of petition signatures, to holding rallies, to even requesting the federal Justice Department’s intervention on behalf of people with disabilities, Colton and his coalition did not relent in their successful fight to restore bus service for Southwest Brooklyn residents. Additionally, they are determined to keep this alliance in tact to make further transportation improvements that are greatly needed.

Some of the organizations involved in helping make this victory possible include; Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church, Transport Workers Union, United Progressive Democratic Club, Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, Bensonhurst West End Community Council, Harway Terrace Apartments Board of Directors, Contello Towers residents, Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church, Castellammare del Golfo, Aidone Social Cultural Association, ASU of New York, Community Education Council – District 21, NIA Community Services Network, Southern Brooklyn Democrats, and the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn.

Source: Leon V.

Assemblyman William Colton is sponsoring a local Sandy volunteer-based cleanup as part of his continued “Speak-Up & Clean-Up” campaign efforts.

The event takes place on Saturday, November 3 at 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at 155 Kings Highway. The efforts will be focused on cleaning up Kings Highway between Stillwell Avenue and McDonald Avenue.

Tools and materials will be provided by the NYC Department of Sanitation and Home Depot. Further,
pizza and service credit will be given to all volunteers. They will also receive a NYS Assembly Certificate of Achievement.

For more information or to register for the event, please email Assemblyman Colton’s Special Assistant, Priscilla Consolo at priscillaconsolo@gmail.com or check out Colton’s Facebook page.

Source: Chmee2 via Wikimedia Commons

The neighborhood clean-up campaign sponsored by Assemblyman William Colton continues on October 27 at 29 Bay 25th Street from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The “Speak-Up & Clean-Up” campaign is looking for volunteers to participate in beautifying the neighborhood. As a reward they’ll get to see some sparkling streets and chow down on free pizza.

Volunteers will also receive a NYS Assembly certificate and community service hours.

The work will take place throughout 86th Street and in Bensonhurst Park. Tools and materials will be provided by the NYC Department of Sanitation and Home Depot.

For more information, please email Assemblyman Colton’s Special Assistant, Priscilla Consolo at priscillaconsolo@gmail.com.

Groups are encouraged to attend, please let Consolo know if you are part of an organized group.

Source: Flickr upload bot via Wikimedia Commons

From the offices of Assemblyman William Colton and Councilman David Greenfield:

ASSEMBLYMAN COLTON AND COUNCILMAN GREENFIELD ORGANIZE MAJOR BENSONHURST NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP EFFORT WITH HELP OF LOCAL YOUTH GROUPS AS PART OF AN ONGOING“SPEAK-UP! & CLEAN-UP!” CAMPAIGN ACROSS SOUTHERN BROOKLYN

Date: Sunday, September 23, 2012

Time: 12:00 noon – 3:00 p.m.

Meet-up location: Assemblyman Colton’s community office at 155 Kings Highway (between West 12^th and West 13^th Street)

In response to neighborhood concerns about cleanliness across Bensonhurst, Assemblyman William Colton (D-Brooklyn) and Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) have organized another major neighborhood cleanup project with the help of local youth groups on Sunday, September 23, 2012.  An army of volunteers has signed up to help clean up the following areas: Seth Low Park, Kings Highway from McDonald Avenue to Stillwell Avenue, and Bay Parkway from 65^th Street to 78^th Street. Assisting the two elected officials in organizing this effort is Priscilla Consolo, a young dynamic community activist and college student.

“There is no better civics lesson for our young people than to take ownership of their neighborhood by keeping it clean for all residents to enjoy,” stated Assemblyman Colton. “Our sustained Speak-Up! and Clean-Up! campaign encourages residents to alert us about areas in need of cleaning up while mobilizing our neighborhood’s youth to get the job done. This is surely a win-win for our community,” Colton added. “I am thrilled to work with Assemblyman Colton and our youth groups to ensure that our neighborhood remains beautiful and vibrant to the benefit of Bensonhurst residents,” stated Councilman Greenfield. “I am so proud to be a part of this important effort to revitalize our neighborhood with the help of Assemblyman Colton, Councilman Greenfield, and my friends,” added Priscilla Consolo, who helped recruit volunteers for the cleanup effort.

The list of volunteers include: Members from Our Lady of Grace Teen Group, members from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, students from New Utrecht High School, students from Midwood High School’s Key Club, students from Brooklyn Technical High School’s Key and Red Cross clubs, students from John Dewey’s Key Club, students from Edward R. Murrow’s Key Club, members from Bensonhurst Cluster Youth Ministry, and members from the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn.

The scheduled cleanup is the sixth cleanup initiative undertaken by Assemblyman Colton’s youth group coalition. Previously, hundreds of teenagers led successful cleanup efforts along 86^th Street, Bath Avenue, Kings Highway, Bay Parkway, and Avenue U.

Additionally, the Department of Sanitation and Home Depot have indicated that they will supply the groups with tools to assist them in the clean-up effort. For more information about this clean-up campaign, please contact Priscilla Consolo at priscillaconsolo@gmail.com.

Source: Bobamnertiopsis via Wikimedia Commons

The Bensonhurst West End Community Council (BWECC) is holding its monthly open community meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m., at the Harway Terrace Community Room at 2475 West 16 Street.

The BWECC guest speakers will be Assemblyman William Colton’s Special Assistant Priscilla Consolo and TWU Local 100′s Henry Butler, who will discuss Assemblyman Colton’s Battle to Get the B64 Bus service restored, and the introduction and meeting with newly appointed Congressman Michael Grimm.

All local residents are encouraged to attend the open meeting and discuss any neighborhood grievances or occurrences with the BWECC. Residents may also prepare and email questions beforehand to DiegoRivera [at] aol [dot] com.

Source: Areyn via Wikimedia Commons

The Bensonhurst West End Community Council (BWECC) will hold its monthly community meeting on Monday night, 7:30 p.m., April 30 at the Harway Terrace Community Room at 2475 West 16th Street, just opposite of John Dewey High School. To note, this meeting is not occurring on the usual fourth Monday of the month.

The BWECC guest speaker will be Assemblyman William Colton’s Special Assistant Priscilla Consolo and TWU Local 100′s Henry Butler who will discuss Assemblyman Colton’s battle to get the B64 bus service restored.

The BWECC open community meetings act as informal local Town Hall meetings. Residents are invited to attend and speak to the guest speakers, as well as air their neighborhood grievances and community concerns.

If readers have any specific complaints, requests or questions they are encouraged to send them to Diegovega@aol.com prior to the meeting.