American Idled
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LOOK FOR BREAKING NEWS EVERY WEEKDAY AT BROOKLYNPAPER.COM Yo u r Neighborhood — Yo u r News® BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2014 Serving Brownstone Brooklyn and Williamsburg AWP/14 pages • Vol. 37, No. 16 • April 18–24, 2014 • FREE BLAST FROM THE PAST Macy’s Fireworks to return this July 4th By Nathan Tempey lighting our skyline every Fourth the Brooklyn Bridge, the harbor, The Brooklyn Paper of July — and I’m thrilled that, and our skyline.” Sparks are going to fly on the after years of working with Ma- The succession of dark nights East River once again. cy’s and my colleagues to make on the United States’ birthday sad- After five years of holding this a reality, the fireworks will dened Brooklynites and borough its annual July 4 fireworks dis- return to the East River this year,” pols, who called on the city and play on barges along the distant DeBlasio said, pointing out that the Big Cotton vendor to return Hudson River, Macy’s is restor- New Jersey residents will no lon- the razzle-dazzle to its rightful ing the light show to its longtime ger bask in the glow of the re- place on the East River. home in Brooklyn’s front yard, tail giant’s largesse. “Now even This year’s spectacle will in- Community Newspaper Group / Matthew Perlman File photo Callan by Tom Mayor DeBlasio announced on more New Yorkers will get to take clude fireworks launched from Mayor DeBlasio, former Borough President Marty Markow- The old glow of American spirit is coming back to Brook- Monday. part in this extraordinary cele- the Brooklyn Bridge, according itz, and current Beep Eric Adams formed like Voltron to lyn’s doorstep and will look a lot like this. “We’re grateful to Macy’s for bration, against the backdrop of See FIREWORKS on page 6 announce the return of the Macy’s fireworks to Brooklyn. American idled Bishop Ford to close Auditioning for spotlight at Barclays After 52 years, Catholic school quits By Megan Riesz By Will Bredderman The Brooklyn Paper See a video of The Brooklyn Paper Any reporter worth the mortifying Bishop Ford High School, her keyboard is willing to tryout online at a 52-year-old Windsor Ter- make a fool out of herself race Catholic academy, will for a story. BrooklynPaper.com close its doors at the end of So when I heard that the the school year in June. Barclays Center was holding The closure, announced public auditions for the chance formance of “Colors of the more or less, but at sporting on Monday, is due to declin- to belt out the national anthem Wind,” and my cello-playing events I am usually scouring ing enrollment and income, at a Nets playoff game, there days are as distant a mem- the aisles for a beer when our administrators said. was no way I could pass up ory as my calluses. republic’s signature ditty is be- “There has not been a suf- the opportunity to throw my But pride be damned. On ing sung and I figured I could ficient revenue stream other singing voice, such as it is, Monday morning, I started stand to brush up. than tuition, which alone can- into the running. to prepare for my afternoon I then rifled my closet not support the operation,” Photo by Jason Speakman I am by no means a singer tryout as any good American for some patriotic garb and said principal Thomas Arria Bishop Ford High School served as a location for or musician. The last time I would — by printing out the came up with a black leather Community Newspaper Group / Matthew Perlman in a statement. “Thus, it was music videos by Drake and R.E.M and educated really let my pipes soar was lyrics to “The Star-Spangled jacket, because to me, there is Reporter Megan Riesz gave it her all, until the judg- determined that, despite Her- such luminaries as Prime Minister Pete Nice of the in a middle-school choir per- Banner.” I know the words, See ANTHEM on page 5 es demanded that she stop a few seconds later. See BISHOP on page 12 early-1990s rap group 3rd Bass. ‘Worst’ parks to get makeover Dumbo’s grim Bridge Parks to become part of fi tness loop By Matthew Perlman ness track. Designers can incorpo- The Brooklyn Paper rate signs, paint, custom workout Brooklyn’s worst parks ever equipment, and other elements — could be getting a temporary as long as they get people mov- makeover. ing, Sica said. The Dumbo Improvement Dis- The Bridge Parks, which we trict is looking for designers to profiled in September, live up help transform Bridge Park 1, to their Soviet-sounding names, Bridge Park 2, and Bridge Park 3, tucked as they are into the shad- barren concrete parks at the base ows of the Brooklyn and Man- Photo by Stefano Giovannini of the Brooklyn–Queens Express- hattan bridges and the elevated Bridge Park 1, off of Jay way, into a workout loop. expressway and consisting of lit- Street in Dumbo, looks “These are very under-utilized tle more than cracked pavement, more like a place to curl up areas,” said Alexandria Sica, exec- a rusty playground, and a soli- next to a warm trash barrel utive director of the pro-business tary basketball hoop. A few well- than a city park. group. “We’re hoping to breathe placed touches could turn the area some life into them.” from a dump into the perfect place tute for Graphic Arts, which is The organization wants to take to get your heart pumping, a de- helping with the project. “Graphic eight small parks in the area, in- sign firm honcho said. design could really help enhance cluding the Bridge Parks, which “It’s an urban environment. It’s its sense of place.” are a far cry from the nearby lux- pretty nasty. It’s tough. It’s noisy,” The planned workout course is ury of Brooklyn Bridge Park, and A map of the fitness route planned to criss-cross around said Laetitia Wolff, program di- supposed to remain in place for a turn them into a mile-long fit- Dumbo, with stops in some of the borough’s worst parks. rector with the American Insti- See PARKS on page 11 It’s van-demonium Cyclist killed “Most drivers are Caribbean Activists blast police over or people of color,” said Imani Henry, an organizer with the com- ‘racist’ dollar-van crackdown munity group Equality for Flat- Photo by Tyrone Z. McCants bush, which is campaigning to By Megan Riesz in hit-and-run Sandra Jivcovic plays with Lady at the Bark Avenue pet stop the anti-van initiative. “This The Brooklyn Paper adoption event in Carroll Park. is their income and people are try- By Danielle Furfaro the cyclist unconscious and Park Slope cops have been tick- ing to feed their families.” The Brooklyn Paper unresponsive in the street, ac- eting and seizing unlicensed dol- A longtime dollar-van rider A hit-and-run driver cording to authorities. An am- lar vans since January, a move echoed Henry’s concerns, say- slammed into a bicyclist in bulance took the bike-rider activists are calling a racially mo- ing that the city is trying to scrub Bark in the park Bushwick last Wednesday to Woodhull Hospital, where tivated blow against drivers try- Flatbush Avenue of its trademark medical staffers declared him ing to make a living. conveyances to appease future morning, killing him on im- dead, officers said. Pet adoptions for C’Gardens Prospect Heights’ 78th po- residents of luxury developments pact, cops said. lice precinct has cited nine un- Photo by Steve Solomonson along the thoroughfare. The motorist behind the After smashing into By Megan Riesz Adopt-athon in Carroll Park on credentialed drivers and seized Cops are ticketing and seiz- “This is gentrification 101,” wheel of a 2014 Bavarian Mo- the cyclist, the driver hit a The Brooklyn Paper Sunday afternoon. The match- 14 of the permitless vans, which ing dollar vans on major said Derrick Edwards, who has tor Works buggy hit 46-year- parked car at the same inter- Carroll Gardens got a special making session was a tail-wag- these days charge $2 for some- thoroughfares such as Atlan- lived on Flatbush Avenue for old Angel Torres, who was section, cops said. Then he delivery of more than a dozen ging good time, according to times-wild rides along major thor- tic and Flatbush avenues. four years. cycling at the corner of Broad- turned down Chauncey Street furry bundles of joy at a pet the organizer. oughfares such as Atlantic and Another veteran dollar-van way and Halsey Street at and onto Boyland Street and adoption event last weekend. “It was a huge success,” Flatbush avenues, according to ist reaction to black and Carib- commuter said the no-frills rides 7:50 am, police reported. slammed into a 2000 Toyota The fidos and felines found said Marion Fiore, a Brooklyn cops. A community organizer ar- bean people who are just looking fill in the gaps left by the Metro- Emergency services found See CYCLIST on page 4 new owners at the Bark Avenue See BARK on page 6 gues that the crackdown is a rac- to bring home a paycheck. See VANS on page 11 A showdown at the BK corral Williamsburg board snubs on-street bike racks, claiming car-park poverty By Danielle Furfaro The four businesses that requested owner Jason Merritt.