INSIDE: PAGES AND PAGES OF COUPONS TO SAVE YOU CASH! Yo u r Neighborhood — Yo u r News® BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2012 Serving Brownstone Brooklyn and Williamsburg AWP/14 pages • Vol. 35, No. 23 • June 8–14, 2012 • FREE FAST & FURIOUS Pol: We need cameras to catch speeders in Greenpoint By Aaron Short “Drivers along McGuinness Boule- between 2005 and 2009, according to The Brooklyn Paper vard need to know that the eye in the state data. A Greenpoint lawmaker wants to MEAN sky is watching and they’ll be held ac- Lentol said the locations of the cam- tame traffic on one of Brooklyn’s dead- countable for breaking the law,” said eras would change during the tempo- liest streets by catching speeding driv- Streets Lentol. “It will be as much to their ben- rary pilot program. ers on camera. efit and safety as anyone else’s.” But before the cameras hit the street, Democratic state Assemblyman The battle for Brooklyn’s byways The proposal calls for at least two Lentol needs to win over his peers in Photo by Stefano Giovannini Joe Lentol introduced a bill last week cameras that would monitor Queens– Albany. Assemblyman Joe Lentol wants drivers on McGuinness Boulevard that would bring several cameras to hicles exceed the city’s 30-mile-per- bound and Williamsburg–bound traf- Upstate legislators have stymied to reduce their speed — and he thinks cameras will force them to McGuinness Boulevard — a danger- hour speed limit, according to a 2012 fic on a boulevard where vehicles have speed camera legislation in the past, obey the speed limit. ous roadway where two-thirds of ve- study . struck 13 cyclists and 44 pedestrians See FAST on page 5 Bow to the Queen Wimbledon forces back hot dog contest; eaters fear heat By Daniel Bush of the legendary July 4 man-versus-dog The later start could mean that gustatory The Brooklyn Paper competition. giant Joey “Jaws” Chestnut’s 2009 world Coney Island’s hotdog-eating contest is Major League Eating president George record of 68 hot dogs and buns (HDBs) in going from high noon to high tea. Shea was fuming that his contest was placed 10 minutes will be tough to beat if the San The Nathan’s Famous International on the back burner by ESPN, which will air Jose star and his 19 opponents are forced Hot Dog Eating Championship will take the event live at the later hour rather than to drink more liquid than usual to stay hy- place at 3 pm instead of its traditional compete with the tennis match and Queen drated during the hottest part of the day — noon start time to accommodate an his- Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne. potentially resulting in less stomach room toric Wimbledon quarterfinals that co- “Tennis is not as respected and elegant for frankfurters, according to Shea. incides with the Queen’s Diamond Jubi- a sport as competitive eating,” said Shea. “The heat is really what they have to lee — forcing the world’s top stomachs to “The only sport more fundamental than worry about,” he said. “It could depress play second fiddle to the world’s top ten- competitive eating is competitive breath- the numbers.” nis players and compete in fiercer mid-af- Associated Press / Carl de Souza ing, and that’s dangerous because it can Competitors fear the hot dogs and buns ternoon heat that could alter the outcome Queen Elizabeth can watch now. cause hyperventilation.” See QUEEN on page 11 Courtesy Fruin Tom Park heating up A rendering of the watertower project in DUMBO. Kickballers lobbying for grills in McCarren Light tower By Aaron Short Gilroy Field and around the Mc- though restaurants abound in the The Brooklyn Paper Carren Park track, arguing that park’s northwest and southeast Hungry kickball players are the area is “underfed.” border, there are only one or two Artist brightens the skyline urging the city to install grills in “Something needs to be done regular street vendors inside the bustling McCarren Park, claim- about the lack of food availability park offering more accessible co- By Natalie O’Neill — a glittering 14-foot Plexi- ing greater access to hot dogs and in McCarren,” he said. “There’s mestibles. The Brooklyn Paper glas-and-steel sculpture shaped burgers will improve their play. not enough to keep up with de- Dailey believes that public An artist is turning an un- like the common rooftop util- Brooklyn Kickball League mand and what we have is of lit- grills will keep his players per- der- appreciated Brooklyn icon ity fixtures — will light up Commissioner Kevin Dailey tle nutritional value.” forming at peak levels on lazy Photo by Stefano Giovannini into a statement about finding the DUMBO skyline beside has approached Councilman Kickball players have been Sunday afternoons. Kickballers want grills to be installed in McCarren Park, beauty in gritty urban environ- the Manhattan Bridge start- Steve Levin (D–Greenpoint) to known to fuel their bodies with “It’s a matter of basic biology like this new outdoor cooking fixture in Williamsburg’s ments. ing next week. request charcoal grill stations near suds more than sports drinks, and See GRILLS on page 11 Cooper Park. Tom Fruin’s “Watertower” See TOWER on page 6 Barron gets Cups runneth over Towns nod Slope’s Tea Lounge wants to go international By Natalie O’Neill “People have shown interest The Brooklyn Paper all over the world.” Incumbent gives surprising Park Slope’s answer to Spiel says nothing will Starbucks is about to be- change at the sprawling flag- endorsement in House race come a bit more like, well, ship shop on Union Street Starbucks. near Seventh Avenue, where By Aaron Short gave his blessing to Barron The Tea Lounge — the comfy couches host freelanc- for The Brooklyn Paper on Sunday , saying he hopes neighborhood’s longtime ers, musicians — and just Councilman Charles Bar- the firebrand pol — who was home for laptop-clacking about any Park Sloper look- once his bitter rival — will ing to escape the house for a ron landed the endorsement Courtesy of Amadi Ajamu writers and mommy meet- of retiring Rep. Ed Towns, succeed him in Congress be- Retiring Rep. Ed Towns (left) endorsed Councilman up groups — will become a couple hours. giving the charismatic and cause of his history as a po- Charles Barron in the race for his seat. chain with in-the-works fran- But the shop’s new transi- controversial Canarsie pol- litical maverick. chise locations under consid- tion to a franchise business itician a major boost in his “Independent voices are eration in Long Island, Vir- model will allow would-be House race against state As- needed more than ever in to- support to Charles Barron, the interests of the people of ginia, and Kuwait, said owner Photo by Bryan Bruchman partners to tap into their own semblyman Hakeem Jef- day’s political environment,” who has been an independent this district at heart.” Jonathan Spiel. Jonathan Spiel, owner of Tea Lounge, enjoys a creative and entrepreneurial fries. Towns said in a statement. voice over the years. He is Barron — a former Black “This could turn into cup of coffee in front of his soon-to-be chain spirit by making small com- Towns (D–Fort Greene) “That’s why I am giving my unselfish and definitely has See TOWNS on page 11 something big,” Spiel said. shop. See TEA on page 12 Hungary no more RATS! Greenpoint landlord folds planned eatery Rodents running wild By Aaron Short is the neighborhood’s strong op- closed last December. The Brooklyn Paper position to any type of liquor li- Jakab had hoped to turn the near arena, locals say A Greenpoint landlord dropped cense at this location due to the sleepy street corner into a foodie residential character of the area,” destination for Central European his proposal to open a Hungarian By Natalie O’Neill he wrote in a May 29 letter. cuisine — but Newell Street res- restaurant in his Newell Street The Brooklyn Paper building last week because of Neighbors said they were “de- idents argued that the restaurant loud opposition from neighbors, lighted” by his decision. should not be allowed to stay Big fat rats are building elaborate underground schoolteachers, and nuns. “We’re feeling a great sense open late or serve booze across colonies, gnawing through trash cans, and even Peter Jakab informed Commu- of relief,” said Saint Stanislaus the street from a Catholic school climbing into cars near the under-construction nity Board 1 that he will rescind Kostka parish sister Dorothea and a block from a church. Barclays Center arena, where a booming rodent Aaron Short / Community Newspaper Group his liquor license application for Jurkowski. “Prayer works. We Diplomatic relations fell apart infestation has gone from gross to totally out of Sisters Colette and Doro- his storefront on the largely res- prayed very hard.” two weeks ago when Jakab and control, neighbors say. thea from St. Stanislaus Ko- idential block and will instead The building had been the restaurant critics failed to reach “It’s a huge, insane invasion,” said Emilia Sher- stka parish in Greenpoint convert the ground floor of the longtime home of the Conti- an agreement over the proposed Photo by Elizabeth Graham ifova, who lives in north Park Slope. “They’re get- successfully fought to keep building near the corner of Driggs nental, a rowdy restaurant and eatery’s operating hours. Denise Morales points to a rat hole that ting bigger and bigger — and more brazen.” a Hungarian restaurant from Avenue into an apartment.