That's what someone scrawled on the car of a Jewish family in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. This is the latest in a string of reported incidents that have come throughout the month of November. First, there was the firebombing of cars and antisemitic graffiti in the largely Jewish neighborhood of Midwood. Then there was vandalization of a sign at the Avenue J train station to read "Avenue Jew." Last week, vandals scratched swastikas into an elevator in a building in Williamsburg. Now there's this; "G-d don't like Jews." According to WCBS, this is the sixth antisemitic incident in Brooklyn this month alone.
Swastikas were found in an apartment building elevator on Friday afternoon in Brooklyn's latest antisemitic hate crime. This time, the incident occurred in Williamsburg, a mixed neighborhood with a large Hassidic Jewish population. This incident comes on the heels of the firebombing of cars and antisemitic graffiti in Midwood and graffiti changing a sign at the Avenue J train station to "Avenue Jew" earlier this month. Moreover, this is the second such incident in this particular building this month.
That is what some vandal or vandals changed a sign at the Avenue J train station in the Midwood neighborhood in Brooklyn to read. As of now, the sign has been removed and police are investigating this as a bias incident. This is the second incident in Midwood in less than a week. Last Friday, antisemitic vandals firebombed several cars and spray painted swastikas and "KKK" on other cars and benches less than a mile away (also see fizziks' diary about the incident and the neighborhood).
Brooklyn Democratic Party leader Vito Lopez is the latest pol to jump on board the Occupy Wall Street movement.
A reader passes along the following invitation from the longtime assemblyman for a "Making a Difference Rally" with Brooklyn legislators and union leaders. The group is slated to meet at Brooklyn Borough Hall and march over the Brooklyn Bridge, where they will join the folks down at Zuccotti Park.
You know, when I think about blatant and rampant corruption, cronyism and backroom deals and such, the first name that pops into my head is "Vito Lopez."
Voters View Turner Favorably & Are Evenly Divided on Weprin;
Say Turner's Campaign is More Positive & Weprin's is More Negative
Heading into the final days of the special election for New York's 9th Congressional District seat, Republican Robert Turner has taken a 50-44 percent lead over Democrat David Weprin, according to a Siena (College) Research Institute poll of likely 9th CD voters released today. In Siena College's previous poll on August 10th Weprin had led Turner 48-42 percent.
Turner is viewed favorably by 48 percent of likely voters and unfavorably by 34 percent, while Weprin has a 41-41 percent favorability rating. By a 43-32 percent margin, likely voters say Turner is running the more positive campaign, and by a similar 39-30 percent margin, they say Weprin's is the more negative campaign.
"Republican Turner heads into the final days of the campaign with a six-point lead in this heavily Democratic district after having trailedDemocrat Weprin by six points just four weeks
ago," said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. "Turner holds a small five-point lead in the Queens portion of the district, where he was trailing by 10 points in the previous Siena College Poll, and he has increased his lead in Brooklyn from six points previously to a now healthy 12-point bulge.
"While Turner has an overwhelming 90-6 percent lead among Republicans, Weprin has only a 63-32 percent lead among Democrats, and Turner has a 38-point lead among likely independent voters," Greenberg said. "Currently, Turner enjoys a slightly larger lead among independent voters than Weprin has with Democrats. Weprin needs to find a way to win a larger share of Democratic and independent voters if he's going to turn
the race back around in the final days."
"While a plurality of voters says New York State is on the right track, nearly three-quarters of voters say the country is headed in the wrong direction," Greenberg said. "The voters' mood on the direction of the country, coupled with the unfavorable rating of President Obama - particularly among Republicans and independents - makes this a tougher election for Weprin, or for any Democrat running in this district or a district like it.
That's troubling. If a Dem running for the seat vacated by Anthony Weiner (Pelosi's decision to force him out is looking pretty dumb right about now, no?) is facing such a headwind, Dems in less friendly territory across the nation are in trouble. According to Siena, Obama's approval rating in the district is a mere 43%. In NYC.
The other day I told someone privately that I believed that Bob Turner, a man I pretty much despise despite my publicly stated lack of interest in this race, had about a 1 in 5 chance of pulling out a win in NY-9.
The GOP hopeful running for ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner's seat says the $4.3 billion Zadroga 9/11 health law is too broad - and shouldn't cover volunteers sickened at Ground Zero.
....
"I think it is a little too broad," Turner said.
"My call would be to protect police, fire, emergency workers, construction workers, etc.
"If someone said, 'I volunteered' or walked through there, it's just not the type," added Turner, who faces Democrat David Weprin in the Sept. 13 special election.
This is the same guy who has been trying desperately to make the phantom "Ground Zero" "Mosque" (he even uses the Pam Gellar-tastic phrase "Victory Mosque") an issue in this campaign. He even cut a TV spot using the images of the burning towers to slam Weprin over it. Classy, right?
"That day [9/11], and for months after, there were no uniforms. Volunteers worked next to rescue crews for weeks," said John Feal, a 9/11 activist and former construction supervisor who lost half his foot at Ground Zero.
"For Bob Turner to turn his back on those New Yorkers, but use images of the burning towers in campaign ads - a circus monkey can out-politic Bob Turner, he's an embarrassment to the Republican Party," fumed Feal.
So, to recap, 9/11 is perfectly OK to exploit for political gain, but those everyday New Yorkers who risked life and limb to rush the scene of the crime and do anything they possibly could to help, who spent months sifting through the smoldering rubble in Lower Manhattan to help someone's family somewhere have something they could bury with dignity, those people, well, those people are moochers who should be on their own.
I just don't. Admittedly, I haven't followed the race all that much. After watching Bob Turner drag up the "Ground Zero" "Mosque" nonsense early on, I kinda tuned out. Then it just seemed that both candidates were seemingly running for the Knesset instead of the US House of Representatives.
This morning I read that (shockingly!) the race is now a measure of how pissed off people are at Obama which makes me care even less, really. I mean, there are plenty of working class folks in NY-9 that have plenty of reason to be pissed off at Obama and DC in general, though all the quotes from angry voters in that piece seem to suggest that they are pissed off over Fox News bullshit rather than anything, ya know, real.
Can the GOP steal a seat in NYC? I don't really care. What would either outcome mean for redistricting both downstate and upstate? Eh. Can corrupt machine douchebags like Vito Lopez and Joe Crowley pull out a win? Yawn. If they fail, could it mean the beginning of the end for those two and their empires of corrupt suckage? Now maybe you've piqued my interest some.
I guess what I'mn trying to say is that I've spent all summer ignoring this race for various reasons. The race looks like a typical bullshit fest with pretty low stakes from all angles.
So I'm asking you, am I wrong? If so, how?
Why should I or anyone else outside of NY-9 give a crap about this race?
State Senator Carl Kruger and seven other defendants pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to corruption charges in what federal prosecutors described as a "broad-based bribery racket."
The defendants remained largely silent during the 20-minute hearing in Federal District Court in Manhattan, as their lawyers entered pleas on their behalf. Some of them told Judge Jed S. Rakoff that they were considering asking for separate trials for their clients.
One lawyer has already filed papers asking that his client receive a speedy trial. But Mr. Kruger's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, asked the judge for extra time to prepare for the case, saying that discovery materials were expected to include 100,000 pages of documents and recordings of 30,000 intercepted conversations.
After the hearing, Mr. Kruger declined to comment, but Mr. Brafman denied that his client had ever accepted bribes or abused his position.
In early March, federal prosecutors charged Mr. Kruger, a Democrat from Brooklyn, and the seven others with participating in a scheme in which Mr. Kruger accepted bribes in return for favors. Last week, the United States attorney's office in Manhattan filed a superseding indictment that expanded on the original charges. Some of the new charges were derived from assertions by prosecutors that the defendants had used interstate phone calls, e-mails and money transfers while engaging in bribery, but they offered few new details about the case.
It really looks like the feds have him pretty well nailed and you just know the thought of spending the next decade or three in prison has got to be weighing rather heavily on his bald, fleshy head...
Carl Kruger has got to be feeling the heat this morning as the Daily News revelas that the FBI listened in to 30,000 of his phone calls and collected over 100,000 pages of documents in his corruption and bribery investigation. In fact, I'm pretty sure Carl isn't the only one getting a little twitchy in Albany today...
Determined to nail state Sen. Carl Kruger, the FBI intercepted a mind-boggling 30,000 calls during the corruption investigation, it was disclosed Monday.
Manhattan federal prosecutors said they amassed 100,000 pages of documents during the probe, which culminated in the arrest of Kruger, fellow Brooklyn Democrat Assemblyman William Boyland and six others on corruption charges.
Prosecutors said Kruger often spoke cryptically, at one point, warning his co-defendant, lobbyist Richard Lipsky that he was "anti-mail ... emails are never innocuous ... even the weather report."
That's quite a bit of documentation, folks. It looks more and more like the feds have Kruger right where they want him, which is sweating a long stretch in prison.
Given how Kruger has played footsie with both parties for so long, all while being a corrupt scumbag, I'd say that the chances that there are more than a few folks in Albany sweating bullets this morning is pretty good.
I'll just say that a man accustomed to living the way that Kruger has over the years, what with a mansion and a Bentley and all, probably isn't too keen on spending the rest of his natural life in the Big House...
Now that everyone has some time to digest the complaint against Carl Kruger, there's a lot more information on what he and the others are accused of as well some more info on just what genuinely odd fellow Kruger is.
Like Joe Bruno, Carl Kruger and William Boyland were charged by federal prosecutors with corruption and "theft of honest services." But while Bruno's conviction is being appealed after a Supreme Court ruling that many believe will lead to its overturning, experts familiar with both cases argue that Kruger is not likely to have the same legal grounds to push back.
....
In Skilling vs. United States, the Supreme Court nullified certain applications of the "honest services" law, but left in place those applying to "bribery and kickbacks."
Federal prosecutors appear to be targeting Kruger on these exact charges, legal sources say.
"The Skilling decision specifically allowed prosecutors to continue to go forward on bribery cases and kickback cases," said one person close to the Bruno case. "That's exactly what Kruger is being charged with here."
....
"Over the course of time, there were individuals involved in business and lobbying that basically had Senator Kruger on the payroll to do their bidding, while they were supposed to be serving the interest of the public," Bharara said, arguing that the pattern of abuse set Kruger apart.
But there was something unusual about Mr. Kruger. He rarely socialized with fellow senators, seemed uncomfortable in crowds, frequently took his lunch alone in the drab Capitol cafeteria and, in an age of ubiquitous cellphones, could be spotted whispering into public pay phones.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors unveiled a 53-page criminal complaint against Mr. Kruger, 61, that unlocked many of the mysteries of his life - but deepened others. It portrayed a man who had amassed at least $1 million in bribes in return for political favors: helping hospitals seeking to merge, obtaining state money for real-estate developers, expanding the business hours of liquor stores.
And it revealed, prosecutors say, that the seemingly measured senator was using the bribes to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, financing a four-door Bentley Arnage and a $2 million waterfront home originally built for a boss of the Luchese crime family.
...
Despite listing his official residence as his sister's home on Avenue L in Mill Basin, Mr. Kruger had all but moved in with the Turanos in their 7,000-square-foot home, which towers over others in the neighborhood and features ostentatious sculptures of frolicking children and soaring seagulls.
....
And it was Michael Turano, the complaint said, who established shell companies to conceal the bribes, and later used the money to finance the Bentley, pay credit card bills and make mortgage payments on the house. One of the accounts bore the name "Bassett," the name of the street on which they lived.
....
He has also faced unusually intense criticism from gay rights activists for his 2009 vote against a Senate bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Activists traveled last year to the Turano residence and the Brooklyn home of Mr. Kruger's sister, protesting loudly and saying Mr. Kruger himself was gay. Mr. Kruger has said he is not gay.
Um, he's gay. Duh. (He was one of the "three men in a closet" who voted against marriage equality, by the way. He was the only Dem in that group. I'll leave it to you sort out who the other two were.)
Not sure what exactly his sexual orientation has to do with him likely being a crook, but the Post...goes there anyway.
Closeted Brooklyn state Sen. Carl Kruger, a Democratic powerhouse, traded political favors for more than $1 million in bribes over the last five years -- which his live-in boyfriend helped launder, the feds charged yesterday.
Kruger and his secret longtime companion, Manhattan gynecologist Michael Turano, were among eight men arrested in a sweeping government "pay-to-play" corruption scandal.
....
Neighbors said that Kruger clearly lived in the massive Mill Basin home owned by Michael Turano, while neighbors of Kruger's "official" residence in the Georgetown section of Brooklyn said either that they did not recognize him or that he was rarely, if ever, there. The feds, meanwhile, said Boyland accepted a no-show job that paid him $177,000 over five years from health-care provider MediSys in exchange for trying to secure millions of dollars in grants to its hospitals.
....
The criminal complaint revealed that on Monday, FBI agents raided Lipsky's Upper West Side residence, where they found $102,000 in cash from a safe in a closet and $4,000 "in crisp, large denominational bills from the pocket of a suit belonging to Lipsky."
At about 9:54 a.m. that same day -- as the search was ongoing -- a call was made from Kruger's phone, which was tapped by authorities, to Lipsky's phone, the complaint said.
....
"Immediately afterward," the complaint said, "26 calls were placed from the Kruger phone to the Lipsky phone every few minutes from approximately 9:55 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. These calls were unanswered."
Seven minutes after that last call -- and right after Kruger was told by a "known New York state political operative" that Lipsky had asked that Kruger stop calling him because the FBI was at his house -- Kruger called Michael Turano and told him about the raid, the complaint said.
"I suggest you don't answer the door until I find out more about what's going on," Kruger told Turano, the complaint said.
Nice catch by NYPIRG here. It would seem that some, if not many, of the campaign donations reported by Carl Kruger to other pols may not have ever actually reached their intended recipients. Celeste has the story at DP.
NYPIRG's Bill Mahoney put together a list (which you can see here or below) of those who have benefitted from under-fire state Sen. Carl Kruger's political generosity. Initally, he noted that only a few Senators, namely NYC Sens. Mike Gianaris and Liz Kruger, appeared not to have gotten any donations.
But here's the catch, and maybe it's a big one: I got a call (and perhaps others did, too) from the office of state Sen. Jose Peralta of Queens, insisting that he never got any KrugerBucks. HOWEVER, Kruger reported giving Peralta a donation. Peralta's committee never reported receiving it. Where did it go???
Says Mahoney in an email: "It has come to my attention that the list I sent around earlier might not be the most accurate place to find out who Carl Kruger donated to. Nearly $50,000 of the donations he reported making were never reported as receipts by the committees he claimed he was sending checks to. There's a chance this is a massive typographical error- perhaps dozens of campaign treasurers forgot to include donations from Kruger in their records. However, I've spoken to a staffer for one of the legislators who never got a check - Sen. Peralta - who was adamant that their filings were correct and Kruger's claim that he once gave them $1,000 was not true."
Um, weird, huh? Some other pols that Carl Kruger was supposedly donating to (and reporting), but for which a check never seemed to arrive include Senators Dilan (a JV Amigo) and Hassell-Thompson.
Money appears to have been disbursed and reported, but somehow the checks never arrived where they were supposed to.
It looks to be a rather interesting day in Albany corruption. We now know that not one, but two Brooklyn pols are answering to the Feds this morning. Added to this morning's perp walk is four term Brooklyn Assemblyman William Boyland, who will be facing charges along with lobbyist (and Committee To Scam New York flunky) Richard Lipsky and Senator Carl Kruger (D-Crooklyn).
Here's a roundup of the latest. Also do check out the awesome new blog about all things Brooklyn politics, cleverly named The Brooklyn Politics
State Senator Carl Kruger, a powerful and at times controversial Brooklyn Democrat; a state assemblyman; and an influential lobbyist are expected to turn themselves in on Thursday to federal authorities in Manhattan on corruption charges, according to several people briefed on the matter.
Mr. Kruger had been under investigation by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn who were looking into accusations that he had helped businessmen surmount bureaucratic hurdles in exchange for assistance raising campaign money, but the charges stemmed from an investigation by Manhattan federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Others, including William F. Boyland Jr., a four-term Democratic state assemblyman from Brooklyn, and Richard Lipsky, a lobbyist, and two hospital executives, were also expected to face charges in the case, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the charges had not been made public.
...
Mr. Levitis, who owned the Rasputin nightclub on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, was accused by prosecutors in Brooklyn of lying about a discussion he had had with an F.B.I. confidential informant who was posing as a businessman looking for help with an inspection. The discussion was secretly recorded.
During that conversation, according to the charges, Mr. Levitis, a personal-injury lawyer, solicited a $3,000 payment, telling the informant that he would pass on $2,000 to an aide to Mr. Kruger and keep the rest. Mr. Levitis also told him that he might have to hold a fund-raiser for the lawmaker.
Mr. Kruger has for years been a wily fixture in the Capitol. His ability to reach across the aisle and form close alliances with Republicans helped him earn a committee chairmanship when Democrats were in the minority. When his party won control of the chamber two years ago, Mr. Kruger joined two lawmakers from the Bronx in withholding votes from fellow Democrats until given perquisites and leadership positions, including the chairmanship of the Finance Committee.
State Sen. Carl Kruger, one of the most powerful players in Albany, and Assemblyman William Boyland are expected to surrender Thursday to face charges in a long-running, broad-reaching bribery conspiracy, sources told the Daily News.
Federal prosecutors are expected to charge Kruger, a veteran Brooklyn Democrat, with using his clout as a public official to line his pockets, several sources said. Several of those who allegedly paid the bribes will also be charged.
Boyland, also a Brooklyn Democrat, was hired as a consultant by companies seeking influence in Albany, sources said.
The feds have been eying Kruger since 2007 amid allegations he collected campaign cash in exchange for political favors.
Sources said Kruger took bribes to do favors for hospital executives, a Brooklyn-based developer and a lobbyist, Richard Lipsky.
The payoffs were funneled into checking accounts that Kruger had access to, the sources said.
State Senator Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) surrendered to federal authorities to face corruption charges.
Kruger, flanked by his attorney Ben Brafman and two other men, turned himself in to the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Manhattan around 8:30 a.m.
The senator, looking solemn and wearing a dark suit, walked silently into the building.
"He's saddened because he's one of the most dedicated public servants for the past 25 years with an impeccable reputation," Brafman said. "This obviously is a difficult day for all of us."
....
When asked about the pending charges against him, he said, "I have no comment. My attorney will be releasing a statement later today." He then walked off with his head down.
....
A Democratic operative said, "Everyone knows that Carl has been using his post to take money for years, so this isn't surprising. What's more surprising is that it didn't happen 10 years ago."
Kruger has one of the Legislature's largest campaign war chests: $2.6 million as of last July.
Lipsky was fired yesterday by The Committee to Save New York, a coalition lobbing for Gov. Cuomo's budget. Committee spokesman Bill Cunningham said Lipsky, who was retained three week ago, was booted "to remove any distraction."
Kruger demonstrated a propensity for bucking the wishes of Democratic conference leaders unless his demands for more clout -- including the committee chairmanship -- were met. In late 2008, he formed a caucus known as the "four amigos" along with Democrats Hiram Monserrate of Queens as well as Pedro Espada Jr. and Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx. The renegade quartet refused to back Sen. Malcolm Smith as majority leader unless they were given additional perks.
In June 2009, Espada and Monserrate defected to the Republican conference in a coup that would have tipped control of the Senate -- as well as attached perks and legislative authority -- to the GOP. That day, Kruger was seen asking Espada why he was not offered the opportunity to participate in the coup.
Oh dear. Carl was upset he didn't get to come out and play in the coup. Sad. That episode further illustrates that Albany's corruption problem is most certainly bipartisan. So do this, also from the Times Union:
Prosecutors have made a cottage industry of scrutinizing members of the Senate. Espada, who was given the title of majority leader after the 2009 coup, was charged in December with embezzlement and conspiracy for taking money from the Soundview health clinic he runs with members of his family. Espada has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges; his case is pending. He lost a 2010 Democratic primary to Sen. Gustavo Rivera.
Espada was indicted a week after Sen. Vincent Leibell, a Republican from Putnam County, pleaded guilty to shaking down a lawyer in his district for partial kickbacks of money received from groups that received taxpayer-funded "member items" the senator had steered toward them.
Another of the so-called amigos, Monserrate, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault for manhandling his girlfriend during a domestic dispute at their apartment. Monserrate was expelled from the Senate in February 2010, and lost a special election to Sen. Jose Peralta, a Democrat.
Sen. Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn, is awaiting sentencing on a December 2010 misdemeanor conviction of criminal mischief related to an altercation with a New York Post photographer. He was re-elected last year and continues to serve in the chamber.
Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno was found guilty of federal charges that he deprived the public of its right to honest services. Jurors sustained charges that Bruno accepted $200,000 in business-consulting fees from a company that later did state business, and was paid $80,000 for a horse prosecutors said was "virtually worthless" from a man seeking racing business from the state.
What a mess. Like I said, it should be a rather interesting day.
A Brooklyn lawyer pleaded guilty Tuesday to lying to the feds in a corruption probe of state Sen. Carl Kruger.
The FBI had been investigating whether Michael Levitis received favors from the powerful Brooklyn pol in exchange for campaign contributions.
They also asked whether he discussed holding a fund-raiser at the popular Rasputin's supper club with Kruger.
Levitis denied having talks with Kruger about a fund-raiser, but admitted Tuesday that he lied.
Kruger is not named in papers filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, but multiple sources confirmed he was a subject of the investigation.
....
"Michael had the great misfortune of getting caught up with the wrong, dirty group of people - Albany politicians," said defense lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman.
UPDATE II: Cap Con has more, says Kruger will be processed "on several charges" tomorrow.
The person said Kruger would be "processed on several charges," but details regarding them were not immediately clear. Kruger has reportedly been in the cross-hairs of federal prosecutors since 2008 for allegedly requiring political campaign contributions in return for officials favors.
I don't know that anyone's made this connection yet, but it's noteworthy that Brooklyn, America's hometown, has been the scene for two extravagant displays of bigotry in the last few days.
Why does this coincidence of timing and place matter?
Because it shows the underlying mindset of the bigot. It's not that big of a step from declaring LGBT Americans 'dysfunctional' and not something you want your children exposed to to picketing funerals and synagogues. The only distinction is one of degree.
That's what New Yorkers need to consider before casting their ballots in November.
It's not exactly a big secret that among the Senators who need to be replaced in the interest of what amounts to political hygiene, Brooklyn Republicrat Carl Kruger is at or near the top of the list. After years of colluding with the then-republican Senate majority, he may have finally crossed the last bright line in his 2009 vote against marriage equality.
"I'm not intimidated, although I'm a first time candidate," Oberman said. "When my candidacy really rolls out, the defining moment will not come from Carl Kruger's big bankroll, but on September 14 when the people make a choice."
As of his January filing, Kruger has $2.2m in his campaign account, an amount sure to be swelled by any number of backscratchers.
What might make this challenge different from the usual tilting at windmills that is any New York primary campaign against incumbents is the confluence of two factors: one, the 27th Senate district is the largest Russian community in the United States, and two, the sheer fury of the LGBT community at Kruger over his abject betrayal on equality.
And given that gay dollars made the difference in getting the Democrats their majority, this is not a threat that Kruger should take lightly. However, it appears that that is precisely what he's doing.
"He wants to run for something and get it out of his system," Kruger said. "But I've never met him and don't know his view of the world."
"I don't know of one organization, one issue, one scintilla of community involvement he can lay claim to," Kruger said. "I'm Carl Kruger. I'm the state senator."
A four story building has "completely collapsed" maybe a half mile up Washington Ave from my house. Apparently the collapse is on Ryerson St633 495 Myrtle Ave just south of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. There has been a steady stream of FDNY emergency vehicles fighting north through the post church traffic in front of my building. Reports are that there are people trapped in the rubble.
So hope they make it out and everyone walks away from this one.
Some very sad news. Robert Guskind, publisher of easily one of the best blogs in New York City, Gowanus Lounge, and a reader of this site as well, has passed away.
Rumors have been swirling around for the last 24 hours about the whereabouts of Bob Guskind, the journalist who runs Gowanus Lounge.
I found out yesterday that his immensely popular blog, which focused on real estate and development issues in Park Slope, Gowanus, Williamsburg and Coney Island, was non-operational.
Readers and fellow bloggers were concerned that their phone calls, and texts were not being returned.
This morning, Susan Fox of Park Slope Parents received an anonymous text that Bob was dead.
His death is now confirmed. A communications official at the Medical Examiners Office told me that he died on March 4th, 2009.
This is very sad news for the Brooklyn Blog community. My condolences to his wife and loved ones.
This picture was taken at last year's Brooklyn Blogfest. I know the year of his birth because we talked about the fact that we were both born in 1958.
Though I never actually met Bob in person, I used to exchange email with him pretty often and I read his site everyday. When my old building was evacuated by the FDNY, I knew exactly who to tell first in hopes of getting the word out quickly. That was Bob and he covered the story better than anyone in the traditional media.When I started getting media inquiries about the story, they were all directed my way by Bob. The trad-med reporters all knew to go to Bob first too. When I had a question about anything Brooklyn related, he was the go to guy. When I was organizing a blogger get together with a candidate last year, he was the first person I invited.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has been one of the most vigorous supporters (and, to be honest, one of the most obnoxious ones as well) of Bruce Ratner's mega-suck development. It seems that the realities of the economic meltdown are finally catching up with this boondoggle and even a pro-Ratnerville putz like Markowitz has noticed. From the folks at Gothamist:
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, a fervent champion of an embattled plan to build an ambitious $4.2 billion plan to build a Nets basketball arena, office towers and thousands of apartments in Brooklyn, has for the first time muted his enthusiasm for the development. Could this be the canary in the coalmine for the controversial project, which throughout 2008 struggled to gain momentum against repeated setbacks? Markowitz issued a statement this afternoon opining that, because of the economic tailspin and all, developer Bruce Ratner should conceive of a "sports and entertainment venue that is more economically feasible but provides the modern amenities our residents and visitors to Brooklyn demand and deserve."
Longtime critic Daniel Goldstein of Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, tells the Times that Markowitz's statement is "bewildering...We're in the midst of the most severe recession since the Great Depression and he's discussing what a publicly subsidized arena should look like? It is indefensible to subsidize a luxury housing project and an arena when so many other vital city services are being cut or going begging."
A source close to Ratner recently admitted that the developer would not be able to build the Nets arena at the proposed cost of $1 billion. Last month all work stopped at the site, despite Ratner's repeated vows to break ground in December, and architect Frank Gehry dismissed all his staff. Forest City is now trying to negotiate with the MTA over the Vanderbilt Yards, an essential part of the project site which the developer still hasn't paid for. According to the Times, Forest City wants to pay the $100 million for the property in installments. Come on MTA, you know Ratner's good for it; it's just a bad streak! He can win it all back! With interest!
It looks increasingly likely that this project, at least the project as we've known it these last few years, just ain't gonna happen.
Turner is viewed favorably by 48 percent of likely voters and unfavorably by 34 percent, while Weprin has a 41-41 percent favorability rating. By a 43-32 percent margin, likely voters say Turner is running the more positive campaign, and by a similar 39-30 percent margin, they say Weprin's is the more negative campaign.
Rumors have been swirling around for the last 24 hours about the whereabouts of Bob Guskind, the journalist who runs Gowanus Lounge.
