Starting Saturday, Jan.10, Brooklyn’s weekends begin with The Paper Look for the next issue of Saturday, Jan. 10 INSIDE Including The Bensonhurst Paper Toast the new year with GO! Published weekly by Brooklyn Paper Publications Inc, 55 Washington St, Suite 624, Brooklyn NY 11201. Phone 718-834-9350 AD fax 718-834-1713 • NEWS fax 718-834-9278 © 2003 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 12 pages including GO BROOKLYN • Vol.26, No. 52 BRZ • December 29, 2003 • FREE Bill to outlaw TRUCKIN’ PROBLEM Nazi Low turnout, giant concerns over rigs symbol By Jotham Sederstrom oversized truck, which was making Gilley didn’t see signs that said partment’s director of community The Brooklyn Papers a left turn onto 79th Street. Fourth Avenue wasn’t a truck affairs, said at the meeting. “Not By Jotham Sederstrom The driver of the Staten Island- route. only is this a quality of life issue, The Brooklyn Papers One day after a 69-year-old based S&F Towing Services truck, “We’re very sorry that it hap- it’s an issue of life and death. We Bay Ridge woman was struck John Gilley, 29, received sum- pened,” said Sherry Ucelli. “It was take this seriously.” Following a rash of anti-Semitic and killed by a tow truck while monses for failing to yield to a a pure accident, but there were no Edwards and Kelcey, the con- vandalism in southern Brooklyn — crossing 79th Street, a handful pedestrian, failing to perform a signs.” sulting firm hired by DOTto per- including the painting of swastikas of irate residents gathered at a pre-trip inspection and operating “There was a tragedy on Fourth form the Truck Route Manage- on apartment doors — Assembly- truck route management meet- off a truck route. The wife of the Avenue that underscores the seri- ment & Community Impact man William Colton has drafted ing to sound off on the long- company’s owner told The Bay ousness of this issue,” David Reduction Study, surveyed busi- legislation that would make the standing problem of truck driv- Ridge Paper last Thursday that Woloch, the Transportation De- creation of the Nazi symbol on See TRUCKS on page 6 property without permission a ers not following their felony. designated routes. The legislation, which would The city Department amend a penal law involving the des- of Transportation-spon- ecration of religious institutions, sored meeting on Dec. would raise swastika-related vandal- 18 was the second of ism on property from a misdemeanor four meetings in Brook- 69-year-old woman to a class-E felony, punishable by lyn since June, and offi- one to four years in prison. Except in cials hope that findings cases that can be proven to be hate- from the meetings will crimes, graffiti is a class-A misde- help solve truck traffic meanor, punishable by little more problems citywide. than community service. Held at the Shore Hill killed by tow truck “It should be a felony,” said Community Room on Colton, who represents parts of Shore Road at 91st Gravesend and Bensonhurst. “There By Jotham Sederstrom “If anything, it’s negligence. It’s not criminal,” said shouldn’t be a need to prove that it Street, the discussion fo- Deputy Inspector Matthew Pontillo, commanding officer cused on off-route truck The Brooklyn Papers was made with a bias intent. It’s a of the 68th Precinct. “The motorist just didn’t see the symbol of hate, intimidation and fear traffic and confusing sig- A 69-year-old Bay Ridge woman was killed woman, and there was nothing that indicated excessive nage, two issues that that leads to violence, historically.” while crossing 79th Street when a tow truck driver speed or reckless driving.” / Greg Mango / Greg may be at the heart of The proposal, said Colton, comes Gilley stopped and waited for police to arrive when he the Dec. 17 tow-truck barreled into her last Wednesday afternoon. in response to several high-profile death. Janny Mak was on her way to a music lesson in Man- realized that he had hit Mak. Police arrived after he used acts of anti-Semitism across Brook- The fatal accident hattan on Dec. 17 when she was struck at 2:20 pm. his radio to call his tow company, which called 911. lyn. Since a tire-slashing incident on happened around 2:20 The tow truck hit her after making a left-hand turn onto See TOW on page 6 See SWASTIKA on page 6 79th Street from Fourth Avenue. She died less than The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn pm when Janny Mak was crossing 79th Street an hour later at Lutheran Medical Center. at Fourth Avenue. Mak The driver, John Gilley, 29, was issued sum- Happy Hannukah was on her way to China- monses for failing to yield to a pedestrian, failing to town for her weekly lute perform a pre-trip inspection and operating off a Children from Hannah Senesh School in Brooklyn Heights sing lesson, at the time. She truck route, according to the police Highway Motor during the lighting of Downtown Brooklyn’s massive menorah died at Lutheran Medical Carrier Safety Unit, which handles most automo- on Friday, the first night of Hannukah. The Jewish festival of Center less than an hour bile-related incidents. light runs through Saturday. after being hit by the He was not arrested, according to police. Indicted Dem big switches lawyers By Deborah Kolben Feldman replaced former Brook- would be taking on the case involv- The Brooklyn Papers lyn Supreme Court judge Ronald ing a Gowanus plumbing company The executive director of the Aiello, now a defense attorney, with accused of stealing more than $18 Robert Benjamin Brafman, a high- million from the MTA. Brooklyn Democratic Party, under in- Mango / Greg dictment along with the party’s leader profile defense lawyer who has repre- “He’s in good hands,” Aiello said. in a corruption probe, appeared in sented rap mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Bronx Supreme Court Judge Mar- court this week with a new attorney. Combs and turncoat Mafia hit man tin Marcus [tk!!], who was brought in Jeffrey Feldman, second in com- Sammy “The Bull” Gravano. to preside over the case, noted in Outside the courtroom Feldman court that he had worked with Braf- mand of the Democratic Party in Papers The Brooklyn / Tom Callan / Tom Brooklyn, and Assemblyman Clar- declined to comment on the change man in the Manhattan district attor- ence Norman Jr., the party’s chair- in representation but Democratic Par- ney’s office 25 years ago. man and leader were in court last ty spokesman Bob Liff said Feldman Feldman and Norman are due Thursday for a scheduling hearing. “did not drop Aiello.” back in court on June 3. What’s in a name? Both are charged with extortion, Aiello said he had told Feldman in The pair, who each face up to sev- This week, Bay Ridge celebrated the 150th anniversary of the neighborhood’s naming. At the grand larceny and conspiracy in con- advance that something else might en years in prison if convicted, plead- Brooklyn Public Library on 73rd Street and Third Avenue, a plaque memorializing the moniker The Brooklyn Papers File The Brooklyn nection with the selection of judicial come along, and then two weeks ago, ed not guilty last month after being was unveiled by Library Executive Director Ginnie Cooper, George Fontas, state Sen. Marty Gold- Clarence Norman candidates. he said, he told Feldman that he See NORMAN on page 6 en, Ted General and Councilman Vincent Gentile. See page 3 Heisman’s keeper is Ridgite Riska By Ed Shakespeare “Basically, our sports were stick- York and got a job as a sporting We’ve for The Brooklyn Papers ball, punch-ball, things with the goods salesman for Rawlings. His Spaldeen, so I never had a chance mentor at Rawlings told him of an From this year’s Heisman win- to play organized sports until high opening at the Downtown Athletic ed ner, Oklahama quarterback Jason mov school,” he says. “I made the base- Club as a part-time gym instructor. White, to Yankee Clipper Joe ball team in my first year in high That job soon grew into a full-time DiMaggio, and from Casey Stengel school.” position as the athletic director of the to to Bill Bradley, Bay Ridgite Rudy Then, in his senior year he club. Because the Downtown Athlet- Riska has met nearly every sports pitched a no-hitter against the city ic Club is the home of the Heisman great of the last 50 years. champs, George Washington High Trophy, Rudy became involved in UMBO! Between a fledgling baseball ca- School. “And in the stands was the award and his involvement grew D reer with the Yankees in the late- Paul Krichell, the famous Yankee until he became the executive direc- 1950s and the last 20 years spent as scout,” Riska recalls. “ I went to the tor in 1984. executive director of the nation’s [Yankee] Stadium to work out and Riska has helped the Heisman Please note our NEW address highest college football honor, the when they signed me I eventually Award grow in popularity. It is now Heisman Memorial Award, Riska wound up at Kingsport, Tenn.” televised on ESPN and receives ex- has hobnobbed with some of the The next year, the Yankees invit- / Greg Mango / Greg tensive media coverage. “What I 55 Washington Street biggest names in sports. ed Riska to join their rookies at think I have been able to do is guide The story starts in lower Manhat- spring training.