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*/4*%&1"(&40'$0610/4504"7&:06$"4) Yo u r Neighborhood — Yo u r News® BrooklynPaper.com U (718) 260–2500 U Brooklyn, NY U ©2010 DOWNTOWN, PARK SLOPE & BAY RIDGE EDITIONS AWP/16 pages U Vol. 33, No. 16ÊU April 16–22, 2010 U FREE £(03*--"¤8"3'"3& rilla blends. Neither would comment, but Scherer said that the pair is “still Entire staff quits Slope coffee bar figuring everything out” and would reopen as soon as possible. By Kristen V. Brown ing work environment” that was “un- Earlier, however, Scherer told The for The Brooklyn Paper Read the healthy” and “unworkable.” employees’ New York Times that the employees A coffee war erupted over the week- The workers added that the whole- statement at sale walkout was not meant as a bar- had made “an unreasonable request, end when employees at Park Slope’s and then they didn’t have any way to beloved Gorilla Coffee staged a walk- BrooklynPaper.com gaining chip. Indeed, they have no in- tention of returning to the coffee bar, go but out.” out, leaving java lovers jonesing for a which is at Park Place. She added that McLaughlin was of- caffeine fix — and the owners scram- to-day operations at the Fifth Avenue Since issuing their broadside, the em- ten “like a drill sergeant,” but only be- bling to find new baristas. coffee bar. ployees have dodged all press calls. cause training a barista is such a rig- On Friday, a longstanding conflict Many longstanding issues have “re- McLaughlin and co-owner Dar- orous undertaking. between the staff and one of the business peatedly been brushed aside and ig- leen Scherer have been plotting their In a world where Japanese slow drip Photo Paul Martinka by partners came to a head when employ- nored,” the workers wrote in a missive. next move at their Sunset Park roast- coffee, manual espresso machines and Customers gathered at the locked gates of Gorilla Coffee on Fifth ees demanded that the partner, Carol The result, they said, was “a perpet- ing facility, where they’re still crank- perfect foam hearts on every latte are Avenue to read a posted missive by the staff, which walked out in McLaughlin, be removed from day- ually malicious, hostile, and demean- ing out beans for retailers who sell Go- See COFFEE on page 15 unison over the weekend, shuttering the shop. Pol: Nyet to Nets deal But NBA says he’s ‘misinformed’ about Mugabe link By Stephen Brown entities in that country.” The Brooklyn Paper Bass said there’s no indication that Bruce Ratner’s sale of his financially Prokhorov, who is awaiting league ap- troubled Brooklyn-bound New Jersey proval for his purchase of the Nets, dealt Nets hit a major obstacle on Sunday as with any of those people or entities. a New Jersey congressman brought a Regardless, on Sunday, Pascrell had full court press of allegations involv- demanded that the Treasury Depart- Photo by Stefano Giovannini ing the would-be new owner’s shady ment investigate Prokhorov’s invest- business dealings in Zimbabwe. ments in Zimbabwe. But the National Basketball Asso- ? “This is of great concern,” Pascrell ciation immediately slammed back, told Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner saying that Rep. Bill Pascrell (D–New in a letter dated April 11. “Mr. Prok- 3FBMJUZDIFDL ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION? Ratner, Prokhorov, Mugabe. Jersey) is “misinformed” about Rus- See NYET on page 15 sian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov’s investments in the notorious rogue na- tion — and not fully aware that Ameri- can sanctions against Robert Mugabe’s GPS.VTFVN regime still allows some corporate in- Suit: ESDC lied about Yards volvement in Zimbabwe. Institution will give wall space “Congressman Pascrell was misin- By Stephen Brown about the mega-development’s con- opment Corporation and developer formed,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass The Brooklyn Paper struction timetable from a judge, a new Bruce Ratner that allows Ratner to to Bravo’s ‘Next Great Artist’ told the New York Post. “Companies The state development agency lead- appeal filed last week charges. take 25 years to finish the project, in- are not prohibited from doing business ing the Atlantic Yards project got a The missing information was stead of the 10 years that the lawyers had argued during the suit itself. By Thomas Tracy search for a New York museum to in Zimbabwe; rather, they are prohib- favorable ruling in a key opposition contained in a “closing document” lawsuit by withholding information signed by the Empire State Devel- for The Brooklyn Paper show off the winner’s work. ited from conducting business with See APPEAL on page 15 specifically identified individuals or Some reality TV stars give up their Producers also asked the New Mu- dignity. The Brooklyn Museum will seum to participate, but a spokes- be giving up its wall space. man for that museum, which is on The borough’s premier cultural the Bowery in Manhattan, said that institution has agreed to host a those talks never got past the earli- solo show for the winner of Sarah est stages last summer. And Bravo did ask the Metropoli- Jessica Parker’s soon-to-air real- tan Museum of Art to set aside some ity show, “Work of Art: The Next "£MPU¤PGQBJO space for filming at the institution’s Great Artist.” PS 1 Contemporary Art Center in On the Bravo network show, art- Queens, but that fell through. Supermarket bans cars in ists in various media will get down The Brooklyn Museum’s role in a and dirty in a 13-week war to be reality TV show follows a recent pop- crowned the next Picasso, Rodin or cultural trend at the cash-strapped its empty spaces overnight Haring — or at least “out-art” their museum, including last year’s “Who quirky rivals. Shot Rock & Roll” photo exhibit, a By Gary Buiso As a result, locals are now forced The winner will get the solo show graffiti exhibit in 2006, and hosting for The Brooklyn Paper to search for scarce on-street parking at the Eastern Parkway art Mecca — a “Star Wars: The Magic of Myth” The free ride is over in a Red Hook spots, which have been harder to come as well as $100,000 in prize money, costume and prop tour in 2002. parking lot — and it has some resi- by since the opening of the IKEA me- producers said. The Brooklyn Mu- That said, a museum spokes- dents overheated. gastore in 2008. seum’s involvement was announced woman said that the institution One of the owners of the Fine Fare “I’ve been in Red Hook since 1966, during the show’s launch party last will not be paid for its participa- supermarket on Columbia Street has and this has never been a problem,” said Wednesday. tion in the show. overturned a decades-old policy and Lillian Marshall, the president of the The Brooklyn Museum wasn’t And Charles Desmarais, the mu- Photo by Stefano Giovannini will no longer allow locals to park their Red Hook West Tenants’ Association. Bravo’s first stop in the network’s See ART on page 14 Lillian Marshall is upset because the owner of Fine Fare on Colum- cars in his lot overnight, when the su- “Now all of a sudden, it’s a problem? bia Street no longer lets neighbors park in his lot overnight. permarket is closed. See LOT on page 5 $)011&3 Go jump in a creek! Lawmaker will take the plunge to woo Google 45011&34 By Aaron Short cial to do something peculiar polluted waterways this spring. The Brooklyn Paper in hopes of convincing the It is the latest stunt in what has be- Heights battles helicopters Towns all over America Internet behemoth to give come a nationwide race after the hi- are doing wacky things to Greenpoint the super-fast tech company announced plans to win Google’s offer to in- fiber connection. give one lucky community a fiber- By Andy Campbell could lead to brain damage, stall an ultra-high-speed In- “You know what, if The Brooklyn Paper the city’s Economic Develop- optic network that is 100 times faster ternet network, but none we can get a guarantee than what is currently being provided Call it a hangar hang- ment Corporation is “look- of them — so far, at least of broadband service — for free. over! ing at options” to put a stop — have an elected official from Google, it would Brooklyn Heights resi- to the chop. Photo Callan by Tom who’s willing to jump in a be worth it for the cause,” Public officials throughout the coun- The complaints — from try have carefully filled out their appli- dents and nearby park-go- licopters zoom right overhead The EDC blames several toxic waterway. said Lentol. ers are covering their ears Heights residents as well as Assemblyman Joe Lentol It started as an April Fool’s cation, but some mayors have tended like a scene out of ‘Apoca- factors. and screaming at the recent Brooklyn Bridge Park-go- (D–Greenpoint) has commit- joke, but Lentol confirmed on toward outrageous gestures and dan- upswing of tourist helicop- ers at Pier 1 — are piling lypse Now.’ ” For one, April is the sec- ted to wading into Newtown Creek Tuesday afternoon that he will in- gerous stunts in order to set their town ters flying over the area — up faster than the injury re- Some blame the weather, ond-busiest month, behind this spring — the latest elected offi- deed swim in one of the city’s most- See CREEK on page 14 all coming from the Down- ports coming from the play- some blame the pilot-allur- December, for helicopter town Manhattan Heliport on ground in the new park.

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