P3 P6 P9 Nets P4 THE BROOKLYN SMART NOTHIN’BUT drop two By Gersh Bright ideas ETS more ANGLE Kuntzman mom A holiday gift guide N games BROOKLYN’S REAL NEWSPAPERS Including The Bensonhurst Paper Published every Saturday — online all the time — by Brooklyn Paper Publications Inc, 55 Washington St, Suite 624, Brooklyn NY 11201. Phone 718-834-9350 • www.BrooklynPapers.com • © 2005 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 16 pages BRZ •Vol. 28, No. 48 • Saturday, December 10, 2005 • FREE PAGE 7 THE SURVEY SAYS... BORO’S BIZ Andy Sachs FEARS 2006 The Fort Hamilton Tigers celebrate their championship. By Gersh Kuntzman • Nearly 70 percent of businesses believe they The Brooklyn Papers will hire new employees next year. Un-happy New Year! • The city needs to do a better job in Brooklyn. That will be the cheer of many Brooklyn busi- Nearly 80 percent cited poor streets conditions as a nesses as the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, 2006, problem. Litter was a concern of 64 percent. according to a just-released report by the borough’s • Amajority — but not a strong majority — be- lieves the city school system is moving in the right Tigers Chamber of Commerce. Only 31 percent of business owners believe they direction. The 53 percent who said the school system will have a good year in 2006 — a marked contrast is getting better is a jump from only 40 percent who to the 80 percent of companies that expected good answered that way last year. things as they went into 2005. • Only 18 percent of business owners oppose Roughly 55 percent think 2006 will be worse or Bruce Ratner’s plans for a 24-acre commercial, resi- about the same as 2005. dential, retail and athletic complex at Atlantic Yards; Chamber President Kenneth Adams attributed the sixty-one percent support it — numbers almost iden- pessimism to higher energy and real estate costs. Fuel tical to last year’s poll results. take expenditures jumped to number three on the business • Wal-Mart still has a lot of ’splaining to do. The owners’ list of “obstacles to growth,” right behind company is in the midst of a large public-relations health care and insurance costs, those perennial rev- campaign, yet only 33 percent of Brooklyn business- enue-sappers. es support a big-box Wal-Mart in the borough — “Brooklyn businesses did well in 2005, but and only if “a suitable location could be found.” they’re looking at 2006 with caution,” Adams said. Forty-four percent oppose the discount retailer. ‘Produced’ “Brooklyn is a small-business economy, and those Big support for Ratner, but little support for Wal- PSAL types of economies are very dependent on external Mart — but Adams did not see a contradiction forces. We don’t have large margins for error. If the “Small business owners support projects they think in Brooklyn bills go way up, it’s a big deal.” will strengthen the marketplace by bringing in new The survey was sent to all 1,200 Chamber mem- customers or new investment, but they think Wal-Mart Nathan and Uma star in first bers, but answered by only 177 businesses. threatens the vitality of marketplace,” Adams said. film shot at Steiner Studios The survey also showed that: “And some just don’t like the company.” crown By Lucky Ngamwajasat for The Brooklyn Papers Bay Ridge’s Fort Hamilton High School football Tigers shocked the city gridiron world by winning the Public School Athletic League championship Saturday Less Vegas, more Coney with a stunning 46-22 win over the heavily favored — and undefeated — powerhouse, Herbert H. Lehman HS. It was an amazing end to a season that could’ve gone south on the Tigers. After starting the season 2-0, the team lost to the Another new plan for beachfront Mecca scales down original mediocre DeWitt Clinton HS in the third week. But head coach Vincent Laino said the loss actually energized By Ariella Cohen a longtime player in the sea- his young squad. “It was only at that point that our leadership started to crystal- The Brooklyn Papers side attraction’s future. Sitt’s plan for a 19-story lize,” Laino told The Brooklyn Papers. “Our boys realized they Reality has already hit couldn’t let it happen again.” Joe Sitt’s development plan condo tower and retail center has drawn intense fire from Indeed, that loss to Clinton would be the last of the season, as for Coney Island. Fort Hamilton trampled the competition the rest of the way, Where only a few months community members. rolling off six consecutive regular-season wins, and three more in ago, Sitt was hawking an in- “I don’t know why they the playoffs, before taking down Lehman. door, Vegas-style complex keep trying this in Brooklyn,” Throughout the year, the Tigers had an unforgiving, balanced with a water park, a climbing said Zigun, “Don’t they ever approach on offense, led by sophomore quarterback Jeffrey wall, a blimp port, and a learn that amusement parks Legree and junior running back Antonio Walcott. House of Blues theme restau- and bars where people get Walcott led the PSAL in rushing on the season and racked up rant, new schematics now drunk and loud don’t mix 211 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ playoff win over show a more subdued face well with housing.” Midwood. for his proposed amusement For now, the condos are Legree saved his finest performance for the title game, throw- Mecca. just another sandy mirage — ing for three TDs and running for two — an easy pick for the Sitt’s “Stillwell Walk” unless Sitt can get the city to game’s Most Valuable Player award. would run from Surf Avenue change the zoning to even al- “One of my offensive linemen used to tell me ‘relax, relax’,” said to the Boardwalk, from W. low a residential use. See TIGERS on page 4 15th to W. 12th streets. If it’s built, Coney land- marks such as Ruby’s Bar on the Boardwalk, and Faber’s Fascination, an old-time game salon on Surf Avenue, would be demolished. New plans for development along the Boardwalk in Coney Island (above) have been scaled-down since original glitzy Instead of those vintage plans were revealed in September (below). amusements, Sitt bets on bringing in the Board- walk’s only movie theater or even a circus. Sitt owns 12 acres of prime, albeit faded, Board- walk properties near Still- well Avenue. He presented the plans to Community Board 13 last Thursday. Sitt did not return re- peated calls from The Brooklyn Papers. Coney Island insiders Callan / Tom — who’ve seen plenty of “renewal” plans burst faster than balloons in a carney sideshow — viewed the new designs with some optimism. Papers The Brooklyn “It’s better than it was, but it still needs some work,” said Dick Zigun, A winter welcome founder of the Coney Is- A snowman either has his arms raised in glee or is shooing away some pesky Canadian geese land Circus Sideshow and after the season’s first snowfall, at DUMBO’s Empire Fulton-Ferry state park on Sunday. – Henry David ‘We were born to succeed, not to fail’ Thoreau BE A WINNER IN 2006 – JOIN THE PAPER TEAM Great people, great company, great career – great life! January openings in EDITORIAL, SALES and WEB departments Go to BrooklynPapers.com and click on Job Opportunities ©The Brooklyn Papers. Established 1978. Phone 718-834-9350. Celia Weintrob, Publisher (ext 104) • Gersh Kuntzman, Editor (ext 119) • Lisa J. Curtis, GO Brooklyn Editor (ext 131) • Vince DiMiceli, Senior Editor (ext 125) • Ed Weintrob, President (ext 105) 2 BRZ THE BROOKLYN PAPERS • WWW.BROOKLYNPAPERS.COM December 10, 2005 Under New Management. Owner - Frank; Chef Manny still here Hold the mustard FREE By Lilo H. Stainton ingly, the files contained on it. A 23-year-old man, con- Workers closed the office, CALZONE & ROLLS, The Brooklyn Papers Hospital heist fronted by a stranger brandish- near 87th Street, around 4 pm 2-liter soda ing a broken bottle on 86th on Friday, Nov. 26, an em- HEROES, BAKED PASTA, with purchase of any large ABay Ridge man was 62/68 BLOTTER Awoman who went to a Street near Bay 23rd Street ployee told cops. When they WRAPS pie (1 per order) Bay Ridge hospital ended up robbed of $700 in the old early on Nov. 30, was told, returned on Monday morning, Catering menu available on request MENTION AD WHEN ORDERING with even greater pain than “ketchup scam.” On Dec. tim remove his coat and check before midnight on Dec. 2. they found the door to the sec- when she entered. “Give me your money or I 1, police said, a thief pre- for the non-existent stain, ac- One man grabbed the vic- ond-floor office has been Asneaky thief stole the 78- will kill you.” tending to help his victim cording to police. He then tim’s arm and punched him in opened. The lock had been re- year-old’s wallet during her The victim simply turned 8504 5th Avenue remove a condiment stain helped the man back into his the face while another showed moved and tossed on the floor. Nov. 28 trip to the Brooklyn over his wallet and the robber (across the street from municipal parking) on his jacket instead coat — but the cash was al- off a handgun and demanded They surmised that they’d VA hospital, off Seventh Av- ran off. The wallet held $100, picked his pocket. ready gone. By the time the he get down on the pavement.