09/23/15 3:09pm
Image by NY Times

Image by NY Times

Gothamist, NY Times, DNAinfo, and others reported on the second of two town hall meetings to gather feedback from the community on the preliminary rezoning proposal for District 13 (Brooklyn Heights, parts of Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO and Vinegar Hill) that would place students from Dumbo and Vinegar Hill, currently in P.S. 8 to P.S. 307 in Vinegar Hill.

The proposal has drawn intense opposition not only from the families who would be rezoned from the predominantly white P.S. 8 to the mostly black P.S. 307. The NY Times states, “Some residents of the housing project served by P.S. 307 also oppose the rezoning, worried about how an influx of wealthy, mostly white families could change their school.”

Parents and community members are asking for more time to plan for changes. One parent asked, “If you’re doubling the classroom size, what are the plans in terms of who are you hiring? Who’s going to be training them?”

Gothamist reports that a spokeswoman from The Church of the Open Door, which many residents of the Farragut Houses attend said, “We know some white people don’t want to go to PS 307 because it’s predominantly black, and some of the black people don’t want this influx of white people coming in. To do it so shockingly and so quickly… let’s stop the present plan and fight for the time to create a new plan.”

After the meeting, DOE spokeswoman Devora Kaye issued the following statement:

“These zones were created decades ago and no longer reflect the needs of Downtown Brooklyn families. We’ve proposed a solution that will ensure each school has an appropriate zone size to create better schools for all students. We’re working closely with the CEC, members of both school communities and engaging parents to collect feedback before any final proposal is submitted to best serve the community.”

Previously:
{Looking for Your Feedback on the Department of Education’s Rezoning of PS8 School Proposal}

06/30/15 3:53pm

[UPDATE: The owners have heard from witnesses that a “white haired, no teeth, and bare footed” woman walked off with the dog. Dog owners, please keep a watch.]

DOG STOLEN in Dumbo – Chihuahua Mix – Reward $$$
Our dog Charlie was stolen Tuesday morning (June 30th) at the Dumbo playground. She is a 13 year-old Chihuahua mix, fawn colored and about 8lbs. Very sweet mannered and requires some medication so hope someone can find her soon.

We tied her up for a few minutes right at the playground as we had in the past (and many others do, including outside stores), and when we returned, a lady said that a suspicious person had walked off with her. We then had 2 other individuals describe the same lady at a different time.

Our 2 year old is devastated and we hope someone will find her. If you find her or believe you have seen her, please call or text us at 718-614-5059. We are offering a cash reward for her return.

And if you have tied your pet outside somewhere (as we had many times), would urge you to reconsider next time.
Thanks, Owners

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Posting for a fellow Dumbo resident:

Our dog Charlie was lost this morning (June 30) at the Dumbo playground. She is a 13 year-old Chihuahua mix, fawn colored and about 8lbs. Very sweet mannered and requires some medication.

Our 2 year old is devastated and we hope someone will find her. If you find her or believe you have seen her, please call us at 718-614-5059. We are offering a cash reward for her return.

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04/20/15 8:30am

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If you’re interested in local produce and organic farming, this is a chance to meet Fred Lee of Sang Lee Farms in Brooklyn Heights on April 22.

  • When: Wednesday, April 22nd
  • What time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Where: 136 Lawrence Street Apt. 3B

Fred has been delivering fresh produce to our neighborhood for almost a decade through the Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA. He’s coming into town to talk about the ins and outs of organic farming, tell his family’s story, and answer questions about how CSAs work.

Please let the Dumbo CSA know if you’re planning to attend by sending a quick note to core [at] dumbocsa [dot] org.

Previously: Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA 2015 Registration Open

04/17/15 6:26am

We posted about the broken car window incidents on Water Street and Gold Street about a week ago. Yesterday, more car windows were seen broken along Plymouth and Bridge Streets in Vinegar Hill. Photos of five different cars:

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Be on the lookout for suspicious activity and call the 84th Precinct (718-875-6811 (store this number in your cell phone)) or 911 if you witness any crimes. Please continue to call so they can log/track the area.

04/16/15 3:53pm

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Get fresh, organic produce and help support a local farmer by becoming a member of the Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA for the summer of 2015. The last day to register is Wednesday, April 29.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) offers a way for people in our neighborhood to buy vegetables directly from a local farmer. The Dumbo CSA works with Fred Lee of Sang Lee Farms, a family-owned and -operated certified organic farm on the North Fork of Long Island. Last year, more than 140 families in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill signed up for weekly vegetable deliveries.

Here’s how it works:

  • Veggies: Every member receives a weekly selection of fresh, organic vegetables—approximately eight different varieties each week (though it may be more during peak harvest months). The cost is $590 for 25 weeks ($23.60 per week).
  • Optional add-ons: Fruit for $195 and cheese for $195 ($10.83 per week for 18 weeks). New this year, you can also sign up to receive a weekly selection of homemade products from Sang Lee’s certified organic kitchen, from seasonal soups and salads to dressings, pestos, and dips ($375 for 25 weeks). The CSA is also partnering with local vendors to offer bread, olive oil, and almond butter shares to members.
  • Pickups: Wednesday evenings from 5-8 p.m. at the Phoenix House on 50 Jay Street. The season runs from June to November.

This will be the Dumbo CSA’s 8th season partnering with Sang Lee Farms for organic vegetables. Briermere Farm provides the fruit, and the cheese share rotates between a selection of eight New York State dairy farms. Sali Artisans and She Wolf Bakery also provide products to CSA members.

Visit the Dumbo CSA website to learn more about how the CSA works and to sign up—it only takes a few minutes.

Feel free to contact the CSA at core [at] dumbocsa [dot] org with any questions about payment plans or details about the program.

Previously:
{Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA 2014 Registration Open}
{Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA 2013 Registration Open, 07May2013}
{Sign Up for the 2012 Dumbo / Vinegar Hill CSA, 17Apr2012}
{Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA 2011 Season Kick Off, 15Jun2011}
{Sign up for the Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA 2011 Season, 07Mar2011}
{Past CSA Posts}

04/06/15 6:21pm
Archive photo of broken car window (2010)

Archive photo of broken car window (2010)

Once upon a time, when Dumbo was pre-gentrified, by parking your car overnight on remote streets, car break-ins and window smashing was in front of mind. That was before Squarehead was caught. It’s been a while since we received reports about broken car windows, but we’ve received three emails in the past week. Three emails does not define a trend, but worth noting here. One resident says:

I’m hoping you can post something about this and get community feedback. yesterday i noticed a Audi on Water st with a broken window. Today, this afternoon, out walking and saw a Volvo on Little St and 3 cars on Gold btw John and Plymouth with broken windows. Called 311…transferred me to 911, who said they can’t do anything, back to 311…who then said to call the precinct. I just called the 84th and the operator said there is nothing for them to do, unless i’m the car owner. Seems odd that they would not want to check out the cars and perhaps notify the owners, or do some drive bys to see if the perp is still active. Basically, they said there is nothing they can do…I can’t believe that since if I saw people breaking into someone’s house, you mean they wouldn’t do anything?

Hoping we don’t have this daily rash of broken windows again now that spring is here. Looks like the police don’t care.

We’re not going to need a NYPD Sky Watch, but anyone else notice car break-ins?