The NYC Marathon in Bay Ridge

The Marathon in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

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John Quaglione & Real Estate Board SuperPac

Kings County Politics wrote: PAC Money Aids Qugalione  (see here)  reported about John Quaglione being backed by the Progress Now New York Inc. That’s REBNY, the Real Estate Board of New York PAC.  Fantastic reporting by Kadia Gobia as our local papers like to glorify candidates, rather than tell us the truth.

I didn’t think Quaglione would go this low.

REBNY backed Mark Treyger in Coney Island and we can see what has happened to Coney Island – it’s owned by developers.  Like Treyger, Quaglione is denied that he is associated with the group. The flyer they created has a picture of John and his family. If you live in Bay Ridge, you know that Quaglione would have been crying all over social media about then taking a picture of his family without his permission.  Yet, Quaglione has been SILENT about it.  Quaglione told Kings County Politics: “I have no idea and no knowledge of any groups doing any such activities.”   Since Quaglione is aware of the situation, he should have addressed it and denounced REBNY, but John Quaglione is silent. 

John Quaglione is aware that Senator Golden wrote a bill with distinct wording to give certain developers in Manhattan huge take breaks. No one in our area of Bay Ridge or Brooklyn benefited from that deal. John Quaglione continued to work for Senator Golden even after he saw how corrupt this was. Quaglione’s job involves writing press releases and telling the public about what the Senator is doing. John Quaglione was silent because he would rather work for a corrupt politician, than find a new job working for an honest one. We understand it’s hard to leave someone you have been working for 400 years, but when the level of corruption has been exposed, it’s time to move.

My family owned a business property in Downtown Brooklyn for many years. In 2003, developers came into the area, the City tried to illegally use eminent domain to seize my family’s property. The developers wanted the property at an extremely discounted price. The property owners in Downtown Brooklyn were not told about the plans to use eminent domain through a letter or any type of mailing, a flyer was placed in their mailbox about a public meeting at a hotel. When my family and two other property owners showed up at the morning meeting, the politicians and developers were toasting each other over a model of Downtown Brooklyn with huge skyscrapers placed over my family’s property.  The suits didn’t appreciate the business owners’ candor and desire to keep their property.  They fought eminent domain for years. My family won in court without an attorney because they were able to present that eminent domain was being misused, others were not so lucky and lost their property for less than half the value. 

In 2015, after Mark Treyger was elected (supported by REBNY), eminent domain was threatened on property owners in Coney Island. The city used the term “blighted” on a property with a beautiful and  fully functional amusement park. The owner, Carol Murray was a senior citizen whose family had owned the property for 100+ years. Carol Murray stood alone at a meeting where the city threatened to use eminent domain by having representatives of different NYC departments speak in favor of eminent domain. That week, Murray quickly sold her property.

In 2015, NYC did away with 421-a,  yet Bay Ridge’s Senator Golden and Senator Simcha (from Borough Park/Midwood) keeps proposing 421-a bills (December 2016). These bills give huge tax breaks to developers in exchange for a few low income apartments to be included in the development.  Thankfully, Senator Golden’s bill on this has not passed.  Senator Golden also attends REBNY’s banquets.

From Kings County Politics. “It is not clear how much the PAC contributed to the mailer for John Quaglione because there is no record of the listing on the city’s Campaign Finance Board yet. The New York State’s Board of Elections has listed the funding on their site, but doesn’t give a dollar figure on how much was spent on the mailing.” 

Special interests don’t pour thousands of dollars into a politician’s campaign without expecting something in return. John Quaglione has not admonished  REBNY – that shows our neighborhood is up for grabs, just as Downtown Brooklyn and Coney Island have been.

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Donate Halloween Candy to Soldiers

Do you have too much Halloween candy and want to donate it?

Donna is collecting Halloween Candy and Cards to send to soldiers. You can drop off candy and cards for soldiers to Noma’s Craft Store. Last year 80 lbs of goodies were sent overseas.

They will be collecting until November 13th.

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Suicide from the Verrazzano Bridge – November 13, 2017

David Mahoney committed suicide on the Verrazano Bridge this morning. He was 63 years old and from Rosebank. David stopped his sedan on the lover level of the bridge. He got out and walked over to another car. The other drive asked if he was okay. He answered yes.  He got back in his car, drove a few feet and then climbed over the railing. Another driver attempted to talk with him, but he left go. RIP David. Prayers for his family and friends. 

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Bravo Ambulance Needs Volunteers

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BRAVO Volunteer Ambulance Service is seeking members. They are seeking non-medical professionals to hold positions as our dispatchers.

As a dispatcher for BRAVO, you will be trained on how to answer the emergency phone, provide medical care over the phone care, dispatch the ambulance, and other easy tasks.

They will be hosting our interview evening on December 4, 2017 at 7pm. Please view our website at www.bravoambulance.org for our online application and details.

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Bay Ridge Free Concert – Narrows Gardens – November 5th

After the Marathon, head to the free concert at Narrows Botanical Gardens on Sunday, November 5th from 1-5 pm.   Shore Road between Bay Ridge Ave and 72nd Street

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Pumpkin Smash in Brooklyn

Bring your pumpkin to the The Greenmarket on Smith Street in Brooklyn. They are having a Pumpkin Smash on November 5th – fun free family event!

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Do You Have a Free Turkey To Donate?

Do you have enough store credit to get a free turkey, but you don’t need that turkey because you are going to someone’s house or maybe you don’t like that type of turkey?

Donate it to #GrandmasLoveInc. They make “Thanksgiving Meal Bags” for families. ?? Call Theresa for a pick up. ??  347-432-2408. ??  That’s a win – win situation.  I’ve seen Grandma’s Love do a lot of nice things for children in the area.

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Halloween in Bay Ridge was Fantastic!

I love everything about Halloween. We had about 170-180 trick-or-treaters from 4 pm – 9 pm. My husband and his friend stood outside for five hours giving out candy. It was a great day!

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Bay Ridge Candidates Debate on Errol Lewis

Justin Brannan and John Quaglione debated on Errol Lewis.

Thankfully, John Quaglione didn’t speak about broken windows on Errol Lewis.  It was awful to hear Quaglione didn’t understand what broken windows policing was at the last debate. Yet, Quaglione thinks he is qualified to be on the Public Safety Committee for City Council.

Brannan looks annoyed by Quaglione’s nonsense. I had the same expression when John Quaglione said he wanted to be on the Education Committee on City Council.    AYE   YAI   YAI.  

At one point, John told Errol Lewis that he doesn’t agree with his wife. What does Mrs. Quaglione think of the backroom politics that her husband is involved in for our election?  It must be hard to teach kids to be fair when your husband is scheming with the Conservative Party to stop a free election in Bay Ridge where your family and friends live. See the debate here and here 

I saw this on Twitter – glad everyone is seeing what we saw!  We always see Justin smiling and laughing, but the  “The Brannan Frown”  came out because Justin is listening to so much nonsense!

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Swimming Classes in Brooklyn

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Kids Can Learn to Crochet in Bay Ridge

Children 8-12 can learn to crochet and create their own hand made items. The Bookmark Shoppe has a for Kids Crochet class on Saturdays from 11:00am to 12:15pm. The Bookmark Shoppe is at 8413 – 3rd Avenue.

Enrollment is for 6 weeks

Seating is limited, stop in or call for more info

$125 per child – See here

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