Participatory budgeting voting this weekend!

It’s finally here!

Starting this weekend, residents of Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn and others within Councilman Stephen Levin’s district can vote on their favorite neighborhood projects.

This year, Levin has allocated $1.5 million that will fund the top projects voted by residents in the participatory budgeting process.

Projects include improvements to parks, new equipment for local schools and safer streets.

To vote, the only requirements are to be over the age of 14 and to live within the district. Check the listed places and times when you can cast your vote for your favorite projects.

Voting will run through April 2nd, so don’t forget to let your voice be heard.

If you want to volunteer or have any questions, contact Benjamin Solitaire at 718-875-5200 or [email protected].

Sign up for Newtown Creek-a-thon

On Sunday, April 9, the Newtown Creek Alliance (NCA) is hosting a day-long walking tour of the Newtown Creek.

The 14-mile walking tour will cover the full perimeter of the creek. It’s the first organized journey of this length for the alliance.

The Creek-a-thon will begin in Long Island City and end in Greenpoint. Along the way, they’ll hit Blissville, Maspeth, Ridgewood, East Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint.

The tour will include numerous bridges and all five tributaries that connect to the creek.

The guides for the 14-mile trek will be Mitch Waxman and Will Elkins of the Newtown Creek Alliance.

Along the way, they’ll take a break at Goodfellas Diner in Maspeth.

Interested attendees are encourages to wear study and comfortable closed-toed shoes, hats and sunglasses. Sunscreen and water bottles are also recommended.

To register for the Newtown Creek-a-thon, click here.

Bronx man fatally shot in Bushwick

Screen shot via Google Maps

A 22-year-old Bronx man was fatally shot inside a Bushwick industrial building yesterday morning, according to the NYPD.

Police say Jefferson Exantus from 1466 Grand Concourse was shot inside 1269 Flushing Avenue, pictured above, at about 5:20 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Cops found Exantus with a gunshot wound to his face. EMS took him to Woodhull Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

There are no arrests at this time. The investigation is ongoing, authorities say.

Grand Street St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl

The Grand Street BIG is hosting its 6th annual St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl on Friday, March 17 from 5 to 9 p.m.

The pub crawl features drink specials at bars down Grand Street, from Bar Mcondo to Lady Jay’s and Huckleberry Bar.

You can enjoy a $5 Green Match Soju Shot and Hite Korean beer from Mahji, an $8 Rockaway Gold Black Stout and a shot of Tullamore Dew Whiskey from Noorman’s Kill, and even a free hot dog from Bushwick Country Club.

Spend your St. Patrick’s Day evening on Grand Street, and enjoy!

Queens man fatally struck crossing Meeker Ave

Police are investigating the death of 71-year-old Joseph Ranieri from Long Island City.

Ranieri was discovered lying on the road near 958 Meeker Avenue unconscious and unresponsive by police officers early Tuesday morning.

He was taken to Woodhull Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

A preliminary investigation founds that he was trying to cross Meeker Avenue (from south to north) when a 30-year-old driver of a 2012 Jeep struck him.

The operator remained on the scene.

There are no arrests at this time, police say. The investigation is ongoing.

Dispute leads to robbery at Brooklyn bar

A verbal dispute in the early morning hours in front of an East Williamsburg bar led to some violence and lost money.

Police say that on February 8, at approximately 4:07 a.m., a 33-year-old man was among many patrons standing in front of Duck Duck, a bar on 161 Montrose Avenue.

The 33-year-old victim struck up a conversation with one of the two suspects. As the dialogue got heated, one of the two suspects approached the victim from behind, grabbed him by the neck and dragged him to the ground.

The first suspect then hit the suspect as he was on the ground. The suspects removed $1,350 from the victim’s pants pocket.

After the suspects fled the scene, the victim refused medical attention.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

 

L-Mo’s Market robbed in February

Police are looking for a man who robbed an East Williamsburg market last month.

Authorities say that on Wednesday, February 1, at approximately 8:20 a.m., an unidentified man walked into L-Mo’s Market on 51 Morgan Avenue.

Once he was inside, he snuck into the store’s private office, where he took $800 from a desk.

The man left the office, exited the store and walked west on Grattan Street.

See if you can help identify the suspect in the video above.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

TONIGHT: L Train Alternatives Forum

The MTA and Department of Transportation (DOT) are hosting another public workshop tonight to brainstorm alternative transit options when the L train shuts down in 2019.

The MTA is currently mulling over and developing plans for additional subway, ferry and bus service in advance of the closure.

Residents are invited to share their thoughts on the alternative options.

According to the MTA website, the analysis will be completed in spring 2017. Results and proposed alternatives will be reviewed with elected officials, community boards, local stakeholders and the larger community for feedback, the MTA website says.

During the shutdown, which is for the Canarsie Tube to be reconstructed after Sandy damaged much of the tunnel, this is how the L train line will change:

  • The L will operate between Canarsie-Rockaway Parkway and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn,
  • No L service in Manhattan, or between Brooklyn and Manhattan,
  • Additional service will be added to the G, J and M lines
  • Free transfers between Livonia Avenue on the L and Junius Street on the 3, and between Broadway on the G and Lorimer Street on the J, M and Z.

The workshop will be hosted tonight at 6 p.m. at Progress High School for Professional Careers (850 Grand Street) in East Williamsburg.