See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

62nd Precinct

Bensonhurst—Bath Beach

Packing steel

Police arrested a teen who they say broke into a woman’s Benson Avenue apartment on Feb. 22 — and was found armed with a machete.

The victim told police she was at her home near Bay 31st Street just after noon when she saw the intruder coming in through her fire escape window, police said. She yelled, which scared him off, then called police.

Officers later found him in the area with a blade in his backpack, according to a police report.

Light feet

A cat burglar broke into a family’s home on W. 11th Street on Feb. 19 while they were watching television in the living room, police said.

The thief crawled in through an already broken window leading to the master bedroom at their home between Avenues T and U around 10:30 pm, police reported.

The crook stole cash and jewelry and fled without alerting either homeowner watching TV, or their daughter asleep in her bedroom, police said.

Where’s my car?

Some snake broke into and stole a man’s car parked on Shore Parkway sometime overnight on Feb. 21, police said.

The victim parked his 2013 Infiniti near Bay 14th Street around 10:30 pm and returned the next night around 7:30 to move it for alternate-side parking. But he found nothing but a bunch of broken glass where his car was parked, according to police.

No shame

A reprobate stole a private ambulance service’s van parked on McDonald Avenue on Feb. 17, according to a police report.

An employee told police he parked the Ford E250 van around 11 pm near the ambulance garage between Avenue P and Quentin Road. He returned the next day to find it missing.

A neighbor saw someone driving the vehicle about 15 minutes after the employee parked it, but could not be sure who was driving it, police said.

Keys in the cupholder

A carjacker made away with a man’s sport utility vehicle parked on Bay Parkway on Feb. 20, police said.

The owner parked his Jeep outside his girlfriend’s place between 82nd and 83rd street around 5 pm with his keys in the cupholder and his trunk unlocked, he told police. On his way out he noticed that someone had stolen the Jeep. Officers found no broken glass or other signs of forced entry, a police report said.

— Dennis Lynch

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Ruth Brown

Brooklyn Daily

Police are hunting for a subway sicko who groped a straphanger in Fort Greene last Friday.

The 26-year-old victim told cops she was on a Manhattan-bound 5 train at around 6:50 pm on Feb. 12 when a creep got on board at Nevins Street, then grabbed her butt and rubbed himself against her.

She told the dirtbag to get off of her, and he moved away before exiting the train at an unknown stop, authorities said — but not before the victim snapped a photo of his face.

Cops believe the perv is in his 60s, and is around 5-foot-6 tall. He was last seen wearing a black North Face ski cap.

Authorities ask anyone with information about the guy to call (800) 577–8477, or submit tips by logging on to www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 followed by TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

The current school year began on Sept. 9 and will end on June 28 — that’s 210 days of learning by my count. Subtract 34 days for school holidays, and that leaves 176 days in which our students have to learn their ABCs.

The breakdown includes 13 Jewish holidays, one Muslim holiday, one Asian holiday, and 10 Christian holidays — the rest are Federal and non-denominational days off.

Now get this — a state senator from Queens, Tony Avella, has introduced a bill that would classify St. Patrick’s Day as a school holiday in large school districts with a significant Irish population.

Whaaaat? (Heavy emphasis on “what”)

Firstly and most importantly — what’s the criteria here? Would he extend the holiday only to districts whose student populations are 100-percent Irish? 50 percent? 25 percent? What about children that have close family friends that are Irish?

Secondly, wouldn’t that open the Board of Eduction to some very large law suits? After all, schools close for Lunar New Year in districts that don’t have a large Asian population. The same goes for Eid al-Adha in districts that don’t have large Muslim populations.

I’m not even counting the Christian and Jewish students, because practically every community in Brooklyn has a significant number of both.

And Avella wants a day off for a Catholic saint even though the Department of Education has done all that it can do to wipe out any speck of religiousness in the schools. The campaign to wipe out all ethnicity has been so successful that Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are only listed as “Winter Recess Break.” Children no longer have Christmas or Hanukkah week. Easter and Passover are usually clumped together as a combined “Spring Recess Break.” Thanksgiving is no longer a day to celebrate our forefathers but is now “Indigenous American Day.” Whaaat? (Again, heavy emphasis on “what”). And all the rest are up for grabs.

Schools are closed for Columbus Day, does that mean those schools have a high percentage of Italians or a higher percentage of Spanish people? (After all, good old Cris sailed for Queen Isabella of Spain). I’m confused.

Not for Nuthin™, but if the Department of Education is so hell-bent on homogenizing our school system and turning it into one big, soggy, glutenous mess of white bread, then why on god’s little green acre are there so many religious holidays celebrated? Let’s take out all the religious holidays and only leave in the Federal dates. This way the children will have more than 176 days of getting an education.

Follow me on Twitter @JDelBuono.

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Allegra Hobbs

Brooklyn Daily

Dear diary, today a group of strangers got to hear all about you!

A Bushwick playwright has turned her teenage diary into a multi-media musical about the pains of high school romance. “I’ll Never Love Again,” opening at the Bushwick Starr on Feb. 24, provides a window into the hyper-emotional adolescent brain that it is rarely seen in the mainstream media, says the playwright.

“I don’t see my true weird teenage self reflected in any of the books or popular movies that I’m consuming,” said Clare Barron, who also acts in the show. “I remember it being a really existential time of life where you’re thinking about the big questions.”

The play focuses on the diary pages scribbled in the days after 16-year-old Barron was dumped for the first time. She compulsively wrote down every detail of the time she spent with her high school sweetheart, terrified of forgetting how it felt to be in love for the first time.

The production narrates the heartbreak through both quirky musical numbers and straight theater — the first act features a 12-piece choir singing the words of the journal gospel-style, while the second act features more traditional scenes, with diverse characters acting out dialogue taken word-for-word from the lovelorn entries. The play uses actors of different ages and genders to express Barron’s teenage thoughts, as a way of making the story speak to a broad range of audience members.

“I didn’t want it to be about me,” said Barron. “I want to share it among many different voices, and I wanted to let the language live in the bodies of many different actors so it didn’t become about this singular person’s experience.”

Barron hopes that the place can help audience members better understand their present selves by confronting their formative pasts.

“I wanted to investigate the psyche of someone changing the way they thought about love and sex in very small increments,” she said.

Barron did omit a few particularly embarrassing passages, she says, because she feared the hyper-personal anecdotes might detract from the show’s universal appeal.

“I wanted the emotional truth of what I was saying to land,” she said.

“I’ll Never Love Again” at the Bushwick Starr [207 Starr St. between Irving and Wyckoff avenues, (917) 623–9669, www.thebushwickstarr.org]. Running Wed–Sun at 8 pm until March 19. $18.

Comment on this story.

Note: More media content is available for this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

They weren’t monkeying around!

Tens of thousands of revelers rang in the Year of the Monkey during the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association’s Lunar New Year parade on Feb. 21.

More than 500 young dancers and senior singers kicked off the party with a performance at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue. The singers belted New Years songs and selections from popular Chinese opera while dancers performed traditional steps.

Local leaders and representatives from community groups hopped on stage to bid the crowd a happy new year after the performances. Guests this year included Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer, state and local legislators, police officials, and members of the local community board.

Then celebrants marched down Eighth Avenue to 61st Street. The procession literally started with a bang — or thousands of them. The Fire Department lit off more than 50,000 firecrackers in the street — a tradition said to scare off evil spirits — and organizers released thousands of red and yellow balloons into the air.

Traditional lion dancers in their colorful costumes held a ceremonial dance and then led the procession down Eighth Avenue, which was lined with partiers throwing confetti and intoning noisemakers.

The New Year was Feb. 8, but the association postponed its party due to cold weather.

Comment on this story.

Note: More media content is available for this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Allegra Hobbs

Brooklyn Daily

Armed goons tried and failed to stick up gas stations in Bushwick and Greenpoint within two hours of each other on Sunday afternoon.

Cops’ descriptions of the near-identically dressed bozos in both bungled heists are similar, but authorities could not confirm whether they might the same person.

The first would-be robber walked into a Greenpoint gas station at Morgan and Meeker Avenues at around 11:15 am, grabbed a customer and put a gun to his head, authorities said.

The low-life then turned the pistol on the store clerk and demanded cash from the register, cops said. The employee refused to fork over the dough, and the clod tried to grab the cash himself, but ended up fleeing empty-handed, according to a police report.

A second gun-toting miscreant then hit a Bushwick gas station at Bushwick Avenue and Troutman Street around 1:09 pm. The baddie pulled a handgun on the 63-year-old employee and demanded money, but the clerk also refused, and the galoot ran off with nothing, authorities said.

Cops released separate surveillance footage of suspects in both crimes, who they describe as men of medium build standing between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10 tall, both wearing blue gloves, black ski masks, dark gray hoodies, dark pants, and dark sneakers. The dope in the Bushwick robbery is also described as sporting a red shirt under his sweater.

Authorities ask anyone with information about either incident to call (800) 577–8477, or submit tips by logging on to www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 followed by TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

They say something fishy is going on.

The city must stop a Prospect-Lefferts Gardens deli owner from store-housing fish and produce in a residential garage, area residents say. The owner of Nostrand Avenue’s Gobwa Exotic Imports — previously Labay Market — is keeping fish and vegetables in an adjacent, Midwood Street garage, but locals say they’re fed up with the smell and garbage and want the city to finally do something about it.

“The garbage and filth and the fact that it’s a garage that they’re using to store people’s foods — crazy,” said Nathaniel Lewis, a neighbor and member of the Midwood Street 300 Block Association, which has filed complaints with the mayor, health department, and the state agriculture department to see if what the owner is doing is even legal — and if not, to shut it down.

But deli and garage owner McDonald Romain says the complaints are a red herring and blamed block association member Asim Muhammad for mounting a quixotic campaign against him.

“This guy has called every agency in the state on me, and we’ve been vindicated,” he said. “It’s an envy situation. He doesn’t want my business. He’s going to shut my business. We comply with all regulations.”

Nineteen block association members have petitioned the mayor, seeking relief from garage’s alleged stench.

“He’s not supposed to use that garage for that purpose,” Muhammad said.

Locals lodged eight complaints toward the garage since 2010 — two of them citing a dirty sidewalk — according to the city’s 311 records.

But the garage is zoned for commercial use, city records show. And state agriculture inspectors found no problems in a Feb. 5 inspection, an agency spokeswoman said.

The market appears to comply with city and state regulations, but smell is having a ripple effect on the neighborhood, Lewis said.

“This morning there were about 20 seagulls — we are not near the sea here on the corner — eating whatever it is that’s dripping down in the gutter,” he said.

Comment on this story.

Note: More media content is available for this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

This landmark application is taking on water.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission has no immediate plans to designate the Coney Island Pumping Station, commissioners announced Feb. 23 during a hearing to clear backlogged applications that have been on the commission’s books for decades. The commission isn’t interested in the station, which preservationists credit with helping save Coney Island from burning down in the mid-1900s, because owners made significant alterations and have let the building rot since it went out of commission in the 1970s. But the Parks Department owns the structure and should have taken care of it, one preservationist said.

“It’s a city-owned property, so it’s completely within their realm to fix this,” said architect Sean Khorsandi, who advocated the landmarking during hearings last fall. “It’s their responsibility that it was not better protected.”

Refusing to landmark based on the Parks Department’s apparent negligence is the latest example of the city’s neglect for Coney Island — at least the parts that aren’t slated for redevelopment as an amusement park — an area historian said.

“I think it’s a great disappointment and continuation of the city’s record of neglect for Coney Island’s West End,” said historian Charles Denson. “It was the last building that has architectural significance. The entire West End was destroyed by urban renewal. All the beautiful buildings were torn down in the 1960s, but this one survived, and it should have been recognized. It’s a real slap in the face to the community.”

Architect Irwin Chanin designed the Art Deco pumping station, and the city built it in 1937 to provide a high-pressure water to put out the many fires that routinely flared up in the sprawling, mostly wooden amusement area. Preservationists first filed an application to landmark the structure in 1980.

Four marble Pegasus sculptures once guarded the station’s entrance, but the city moved them to the Brooklyn Museum in 1981 to protect them from vandalism. Commissioners also cited the statues’ absence from Coney as reason not to designate the station — a notion that left Khorsandi incredulous.

“It’s more appropriate for them to sit in a parking lot on the other side of the borough than to grace the front of the building that they were specifically commissioned for?” he said.

The commission will quietly remove the pumping station from its backlog rather than outright denying the designation — the latter would hurt future landmarking attempts, the commission’s leader said.

“It’s just sort of a recognition that, during the public hearing process, we did receive a lot of support in terms of designating this building,” said chairwoman Meenakshi Srinivasan. “So I think that that’s the reason why we are not voting on it being taken off the calendar on the basis of merit. Maybe at some point it time, if it happens, it could be restored,” she said.

Six proposed Brooklyn landmarks avoided the chopping block on Feb. 23:

• The Lady Deborah Moody House in Gravesend (first proposed in 1966).

• Green-Wood Cemetery (first proposed in 1981).

• St. Barbara’s Roman Catholic Church in Bushwick (first proposed in 1980).

• The cast iron-clad 183–195 Broadway Building in Williamsburg (first proposed in 1980).

• The Ukranian Church in Exile in Williamsburg (first proposed in 1966).

• St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church and Rectory in Park Slope (first proposed in 1966).

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Joseph Staszewski

Brooklyn Daily

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

Downtown

Hail to the chief

Put your hands together for Joseph Bruno, the new president and chief executive officer of Helen Keller Services.

Joseph is the former commissioner of the New York City Office of Emergency Management and succeeds Thomas J. Edwards, who is retiring from Helen Keller Services after six years of service.

Christopher Maher, chairman of Helen Keller Services, let Standing O know the good news.

“I want to thank Tom for his many years of service” he said. “I look forward to working with Joe as he takes the helm. Joe has been an extremely active board member for over 16 years. His many years of public service and devotion to Helen Keller Services will serve the organization well as it continues to help clients develop independence and adapt to the ever-changing environment. ”

Standing O pal Joseph shared his happiness on his appointment.

“I am deeply honored to serve as president and chief executive officer,” he said. “The same enthusiasm and leadership that I have shown throughout my many years of public service will be directed to the important work that Helen Keller Services provides individuals in need in New York and across the country. It is a great responsibility, and I could not be more pleased by my new role in the organization.”

Standing O congratulates Joseph on his appointment and wishes Thomas Edwards a happy retirement.

Helen Keller Services for the Blind [57 Willoughby St. Downtown, (718) 522–2122].

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

Bay Ridge

Hip, hip, hooray for Mildred Goldberg. The nonagenarian celebrated her milestone birthday with friends, family and very special guest State Sen. Martin Golden, (R–Bay Ridge), who presented Mildred with a proclamation hailing the auspicious occasion.

Roy Hansen, the manager for the Guild for Exceptional Children’s Olga House, where Mildred resides, gifted the 90-year-old with the most delicious cake adorned with lots of candles to make happy wishes on.

Mildred isn’t allowing any silly age to slow her down — no siree. She is very active and enjoys arts and crafts, painting, shopping, and going to Atlantic City.

Standing O wishes Mildred many more happy birthdays and good luck in Atlantic City.

The Guild For Exceptional Children [260 68th St. and Third Avenue in Bay Ridge, (718) 833–6633].

Borough wide

Fastest fingers in the east

Congratulations to Anita Trombetta for earning a Certified Realtime Reporter certification from the National Court Reporters Association.

The fleet-fingered Anita was rewarded for her knowledge of cutting-edge technology, proficiency, and accuracy of reporting. Realtime uses a stenograph machine connected to a computer to facilitate an immediate transcription of the spoken word convert to text — who knew?

The certification will help Trombetta’s job prospects, according to National Court Reporters executive director Mike Nelson.

“Certified reporters are highly sought-after because of their proven precision in reporting and ability to deliver high-quality, real-time services.”

Anita has flexed her reporting skills for the last two-and-a-half years, working as a freelance court reporter. She also holds a professional certification of Registered Professional Reporter, too.

“I am grateful to the association for encouraging reporters to acquire national certification and providing a unified means to test and measure our skills,” Anita said.

Standing O says, “Congratulations Anita — keep on reporting.”

Windsor Terrace

Green flag

A green thumbs-up to the students at the Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School who received national recognition for their environmental efforts by winning the Green Flag award, presented by the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Eco-School USA program. The award, which is the highest distinction possible in the program, is given to top schools who show exceptional leadership with sustainability by integrating green principles throughout the school and curriculum. The award came with a $4,000 grant from the Department of Education’s Office of Sustainability.

The students and staff demonstrated their success in addressing a number of sustainability initiatives that included creating an “eco-action” team, completing an environmental audit, and generating an “eco-action” plan.

The Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School [500 19th St. in Windsor Terrace (718) 280–9556].

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

East New York

Last year Standing O announced that Boston Market was opening at Spring Creek Plaza. To make the construction site a bit more pleasing to the community, the folks at Boston Market partnered with artists Miss BoomBox and LadyKFever — who worked with students from IS 364 Gateway Middle School, Frederick Douglass Academy VIII Middle School, and PS 346 Abe Stark Elementary School to create murals depicting family meals and good things to eat.

George Michel (a.k.a. “The Big Chicken”), chief executive officer of Boston Market said. “We were thrilled to collaborate with Gateway Middle School and Frederick Douglass Academy to showcase the talent of these students who captured the essence of what family mealtime means to them.”

The restaurant asked locals to cast votes on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to say which mural made their mouths water most.

Standing O is happy to announce that on Feb. 1 at the grand opening Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna announced the winner and presented a $3,000 check to the Frederick Douglass Academy VIII Middle School. IS 364 Gateway Middle School received $2,000, and local elementary PS 346 Abe Stark Elementary School received $1,000.

“It was a joy to see our local schools, artists, and community come together to support the students and their artwork,” the deputy beep said. “These murals showcased an immense amount of talent by our young people.”

Borough President Adams is excited about the prospect of new dining options in Spring Creek.

“I look forward to Boston Market joining the community and offering our residents a family-friendly dining option,” he said.

Standing O agrees Boston Market is a great, family-friendly place to eat. What are you waiting for? The counters are open, and the sides are waiting!

Boston Market in Spring Creek Plaza (1340 Pennsylvania Ave. in East New York).

Comment on this story.

Note: More media content is available for this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

The singers are doing it for themselves!

The Regina Opera, now celebrating its 46th season, began in 1970 with a group of performers and opera lovers who were tired of leaving their southern Brooklyn neighborhoods for quality operatic performances. Instead, like any do-it-yourself garage maker, they built their own company.

The pastor at Regina Parcis Church in Dyker Heights allowed the group to perform inside the gym at the attached school, and Regina Opera had its name. The shows were a hit from the start, said the company’s president.

“Many of the people at the beginning were Italian-Americans, so opera was part of their heritage and it was very well-received,” Francine Garber-Cohen said. “They had a lot of community support — people came to see the shows, to join and sing, build scenery, donate money, and it’s been continuing ever since.”

In 1976, the company moved from the gym to the school’s auditorium, where it stayed there until 2012, when the school converted the space into classrooms. Now the company performs at the 600-seat auditorium at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy in Sunset Park.

Unlike many companies, Regina Opera does not charge performers to audition or perform in any of its thrice-yearly full-length operas. That makes the shows extremely attractive to young conservatory grads and to experienced performers looking for experience with particular plays, Garber-Cohen said.

“We don’t charge for costumes, coaching or anything — all they have to do is learn the music,” she said.

And lucky audience members might catch a future superstar. In 1980, a young Dolora Zajick, now considered one of the greatest mezzo-sopranos in the industry, auditioned and won a part in the Regina Opera’s production “Cavalleria Rusticana.”

“The day that Ms. Zajick auditioned for the role, there were many other mezzo-sopranos in our auditorium who wanted to be considered for the role,” recalled Garber-Cohen. “After hearing Ms. Zajick’s fabulous voice, they all walked out of the auditorium, figuring that they didn’t have a chance at the part.”

Comment on this story.

Note: More media content is available for this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

It’s time to get opera close and personal!

Brooklyn’s Regina Opera Company aims to draw in new fans with a swashbuckling Scottish tale of murder, betrayal, and astounding arias. The tragic love tale “Lucia di Lammermoor,” opening in March, is an ideal introduction to opera for newcomers, according to its stage manager.

“There are some sword fights and it’s all love, madness, and murder,” Linda Lehr said. “And even though they’re in a different time period, all of the things people go through in relationship are there. You’re going to find this more accessible that you think it will be.”

The lyrics of the opera, written by 19th century composer Gaetano Donizetti, are in Italian, but every line of “Lucia di Lammermoor” has been translated into English and will be projected above the stage during performances.

The production is a no-brainer for those looking to get their operatic feet wet. But visitors should not let the affordable price tag and all-volunteer lineup of performers fool them — the group is as professional as it gets, the company’s president said.

“You can call us a small or a medium-size opera, but do not call us an amateur opera company,” Francine Garber-Cohen said.

The company’s singers, accompanied by a 35-piece orchestra, create a night the audience will never forget, Lehr said.

“The first time you sit in a theater with an orchestra and singers performing without microphones is a pretty thrilling and visceral feeling,” she said. “The emotion is so strong in the music in this opera — it carries you along.”

Donizetti loosely based “Lucia di Lammermoor” on Sir Walter Scott’s novel “The Bride of Lammermoor,” about a woman whose love for a man from a rival family is thwarted by her ambitious brother, who wants her to marry a local lord. As Lehr describes the plot: “Nothing ends well, but there is some really cool singing in between.”

The opera features some famously challenging arias, and the cast of promising young singers and stage veterans are sure to impress.

The company will also offer two free performances before the official start of the run: a selection of opera and Broadway numbers at Vesuvio restaurant in Bay Ridge on Feb. 27, and a free preview of “Lucia di Lammermoor” on March 1 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 7:30 pm, but with a piano accompaniment instead of a full orchestra.

“Lucia di Lammermoor” at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School auditorium [5901 Sixth Ave. between 59th and 60th streets in Sunset Park, (718) 259–2772, www.reginaopera.org]. March 5–6, 12–13 at 3 pm. $26 ($21 seniors and students, $5 teens, kids free).

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

Sunset Parkers celebrated Mexican heritage with film, food, and a free performance by a local traditional dance company at Industry City on Feb. 20 — the second in a series of family events called Sunset Park Cinema Club for Kids that Industry City and Rooftop Films are sponsoring. One mother who brought her son said was an “action-packed” day that will bring her back.

“I plan to tell my mommy group that they missed out and should come next week — I’ll definitely be coming back and bringing friends,” said Anney Ozar of Windsor Terrace.

Benito Bravo Dance Company’s Ballet Folklorico Quetzacoatl provided the main event. Around 30 of the Sunset Park troupe’s younger dancers — aged 5 to 18 — performed eight numbers for a crowd of roughly 70 people.

The dancers’ outfits and steps offered a visual and aural tour of Mexico — some dances originated in Chiapas state at the southern tip of the U.S.’s southern neighbors, others in the central state of Jalisco, and some in the northern state of Chihuahua, Bravo said.

After the performance, organizers screened “The Book of Life,” an animated film inspired by a Mexican folktale of love and divine intervention. Maria’s Bistro Mexicano and Green Fig Bakery sold grub and face-painters and balloon-makers kept children entertained the rest of the day.

Organizers will bring in Brooklyn Salsa to give kids free dance lessons and will screen Disney’s animated hit “Up” this weekend.

Sunset Park Cinema Club for Kids at Industry City (241 37th St. between Second and Third avenues in Sunset Park, rooftopfilms.com). Feb. 27 at 10:00 am. Free.

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Allegra Hobbs

Brooklyn Daily

What a plot twist!

City preservation bigwigs have buried a controversial proposal to landmark the entirety of Green-Wood Cemetery, instead opting to keep just three structures on the site in the running for the designation — and that is just fine by historic-building buffs, who say the famed burial ground would be hellish to maintain under the full protective shroud.

“I think this is a very good decision and compromise,” said Simon Bankoff of preservation advocacy group the Historic Districts Council. “We are acknowledging and protecting the importance of Green-Wood, while the agency is not overburdening the cemetery.”

Landmarks Preservation Commission officials revealed at a hearing on Tuesday they are now only looking to landmark the graveyard’s Gothic chapel and a couple of 19th-century gatehouses.

Cemetery honchos had been dead-set against an earlier plan to bestow the historic designation on every inch of the sprawling graveyard, which holds hundreds of thousands of tombstones and still functions as an active cemetery.

The graveyard is already home to one city landmark — a giant archway at 25th Street and Fifth Avenue — but they feared turning the entire property into one would make it difficult for grieving plot-holders to change loved one’s gravestones, as landmarked structures can’t be visibly altered without going through a lengthy city approval process.

The caretakers indicated they are open to adding a few more individual landmarks to their collection, however, and welcomed the commission’s change of heart.

“We look forward to our continued conversations with staff of the Landmarks Preservation Commission about the future landmarking of extraordinary Green-Wood-owned structures,” said cemetery president Richard Moylan in a statement.

Green-Wood is one of seven storied sites around the borough the city had been considering bestowing the protected status upon as part of a recent push to purge its backlog of languishing suggestions.

The agency announced on Tuesday that five other Kings County structures had also made the cut — dropping only a Coney Island’s 1930s Art Deco pumping station from its list — and it will hold final hearings on each sometime before the end of the year.

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

Here’s something to chew on.

Queens specialty Asian grocer Jmart bought the former Waldbaum’s in Bensonhurst, and many locals protested — sometimes callously — on social media that the specialty grocer would not adequately serve non-Asian shoppers. Local leaders have publicly condemned the xenophobia and called for calm, claiming the store will offer household essentials Bensonhursters have long relied on.

“I believe this store will offer more than just milk, eggs, and bread, and as someone who is into cooking, I know I could go there and make delicious ethnic cuisines, I encourage residents to embrace this as an opportunity to explore those options,” said Councilman Mark Treyger, who addressed the issue along with Assemblyman Peter Abbate (D–Sunset Park) during a recent Community Board 11 meeting.

This reporter took the excruciating excursion to the Jmart in the hinterlands of distant Queens to test that hypothesis by making a Bensonhurst classic — meatballs and Sunday sauce (or is it “gravy”).

I found canned tomatoes (whole, peeled) and tomato paste with no problem, and there were a few different brands of Italian-labeled olive oil, including the highly-rated Basso brand. Seasoned bread crumbs were also in high supply. Mounds of red, white, and yellow onions — along with garlic and all different types of peppers — were at my disposal. I picked up some ground beef and would have grabbed a couple of packaged steaks if they were on my list, because they looked great. Butchers were also slicing up fresh meat any way patrons liked. Razor clams, mussels, and other shellfish waited on ice for hungry gourmands, Mediterranean and otherwise.

That’s the sweet — here’s the sour:

Jmart lacked a crucial resource — formaggio! I found only cheap mozzarella and no Romano or Parmesan. Che peccato! (Everyone knows Bay Ridge is where you go to get good cheese anyway). They didn’t have any Italian sausage or veal as far as I could tell.

But overall there were certainly more than just the bare essentials — one aisle, for instance, boasted American breakfast cereals, oatmeal, and Poptarts.

Treyger suggested that the coming market will help Bensonhursters branch out in the kitchen. Now, I’m no chef (and I’m not just known for my shoe-leather reporting) but I did grab some great grub for the newsie on the move — Pocky brand Japanese chocolate-covered biscuits sticks, frozen spring rolls, and a couple selections from the great wall of instant noodles from around Asia.

The verdict: Jmart is no one-stop shop for a serious Italian chef, but it has everything the average cook needs and a whole lot more.

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Joseph Staszewski

Brooklyn Daily

The regulation buzzer washed away any uneasy feelings of déjà vu Bishop Loughlin was feeling and carried it to a win.

The last time the Lions faced Christ the King, the team let a 17-point second quarter lead get away on Valentine’s Day. This time — with a trip to the diocesan final on the line — it was a seven-point advantage in the fourth that evaporated, but Loughlin was able to get to overtime, which allowed the players to take a deep breath and refocus.

“We were saying we are not losing the game,” junior wing Keith Williams said. “Win. Win. Win. That all we were cheering.”

Third-seeded Loughlin came out pumped for overtime, jumped on defending champions and No. 2-seed Christ the King early and held on for a 77–71 victory in the Brooklyn-Queens boys’ basketball semifinals at St. Francis Prep on Feb. 24.

The Lions will try to win a second crown in three years when the team faces top-seed Archbishop Molloy at 7:30 pm in Queens today.

“If [Christ the King] didn’t win it in overtime, it was a breath of fresh air because we should have lost the game,” Lions coach Ed Gonzalez said.

The Lions began the extra session flying up and down the floor during an 8–2 run capped by a layup from Williams that made it 69–63 with 1:25 to play in the game. Christ the King never got closer than three.

Loughlin (18–7) needed scorching-hot shooting from Marquis Nowell and Williams to get back in the game after Christ the King (17–8) built a 31–23 at by the first half’s close. Nowell (35 points) and Williams (25 points) combined to makes seven three-pointers after the break.

Gonzalez called them the best backcourt in New York City and compared them to the last dynamic duo to win a diocesan title in Khadeen Carrington and Mike Williams. The dynamic powered a 17–4 run over the third and fourth quarters that put the Lions up 50–45 with 7:42 to play in the game.

“Coach always tells me when the lights are on, the lights are on, and I have to preform,” Nowell said. “I tried to get my team the W and that’s what I did.”

The Royals didn’t go away. The squad held the Lions to just two points over the final four minutes of the fourth quarter, after Loughlin went up 59–52. Christ the King closed regulation on a 9–2 run to force overtime and left Gonzalez unhappy with his team taking too many quick shots with the lead.

“It is a good that we came back, but we almost shot ourselves in the foot with the decision making,” he said.

When given a second chance his players didn’t let the opportunity to play for a title get away and now can avenge a late-season loss to Molloy also.

“I think it is going to be us this time,” Nowell said. “We are not losing two in a row.”

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Shavana Abruzzo

Brooklyn Daily

Damned if we do, damned if we don’t.

Apple’s refusal to comply with a court order and design new technology to hack the iPhone of one of the California terrorists is as much a battle between privacy, national security, and progress — without a happy ending.

It would be great if the FBI could use decryption codes to unlock the terror phone — and sniff out and stop other jihadists from attacking us. But what if the software fell into the wrong hands or was upgraded to infiltrate businesses protecting corporate secrets, governments securing classified information, and John and Jane Doe safeguarding personal information, as Apple’s boss warned?

One scoundrel is all it takes: Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan confessed to passing confidential nuke-building knowledge to North Korea, Libya, and Iran, his lone-wolf action positioning the entire free world on a collision course with its sworn enemies for eternity.

The government’s lawsuit wouldn’t exist — and 14 innocent people would still be alive — if immigration officials had thoroughly employed the technology at their disposal to investigate the terror couple’s Islamo-ties to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, before letting them breeze through the fiancee-visa screening and waltz into the country to commit the worst terrorist attack since 9-11.

And Apple wouldn’t have any problem right now if leaders in San Bernardino had installed software they owned on the government-issued iPhone the terrorist left behind that would have given free access to higher-ups.

We advance at our own gain and peril, and when University of California lab workers in the late 1960s watched test information pass between two computers through a 15-foot cable, little did they know the miracle moment would zoom us into the kingdom of science fiction — allowing us to video-chat with people across the world, store the Declaration of Independence on a chip the size of a blood cell, and perform surgery using robots — but also take us to the edge of a tech-fault line bubbling with the lava of human error.

It is only a matter of time before scientists harness human brainwaves to unleash the power of telekinesis, and mind-controlled software rolls around. Then Apple’s lawsuit will seem like the good old days.

Follow me on Twitter @BritShavana

Comment on this story.

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Shavana Abruzzo

Brooklyn Daily

Sports columnist and Brooklyn Dodgers’ chronicler Tom Knight, who shared his passion for the team with generations of sports lovers and was instrumental in forming its hall of fame, died on Feb. 17 at the age of 89.

The affable Bay Ridge resident authored the popular nostalgia column “Diamond Reflections” for The Brooklyn Eagle, The Record of Staten Island, the Staten Island Advance, and The Spectator, enjoying an illustrious career that spanned more than 30 years. His gift of the gab and deep knowledge of the team, whose players’ autographs he collected as a boy, made him a coveted guest speaker at Society of Old Brooklynites’ annual luncheons, local podcasts, and community tributes.

The Park Slope native, whom then-Brooklyn Borough President Sam Leone appointed Brooklyn Dodgers’ historian in 1976, knew many baseball greats personally, but his chief interest remained the average Joes and Janes who went to see the team play.

“The Dodger fans were more rabid than the average fan, and more informed,” he wrote in “When Baseball Returned to Brooklyn” by Ed Shakespeare.

Knight helped Marty Adler, the late assistant principal of Jackie Robinson Intermediate School 320, create the Brooklyn Dodger Hall of Fame after the team headed west, donating memorabilia to the Brooklyn Historical Society and the baseball gallery at MCU Park in Coney Island, and keeping the Dem Bums’ flame alive with annual induction ceremonies at Grand Army Plaza. He was the guest speaker when the Brooklyn Cyclones hosted a memorial service for former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider in 2011.

Knight grasped every opportunity to take a trip down memory lane, sharing with sports fans and historians that he attended his first baseball game at Ebbets Field in 1936 at age 10, paying 55 cents for a bleacher seat to see the Dodgers lose to the New York Giants, 8–3.

He attended up to 50 games a season, before the arrival of radio, television, or commercial breaks between half-innings, he added.

“We used to go to Sunday doubleheaders and leave the house at noon for a one o’clock start, and we’d be home at six for dinner,” Knight recalls in “When Baseball Returned to Brooklyn.”

The never-married, dyed-in-the-wool Brooklynite relished sharing stories about Ebbets Field and its unique characters, said borough historian Ron Schweiger.

One side-splitter involved a man he once saw stomp on a woman’s foot while wading through the aisles to get some refreshments, making her squeal in pain. The man — according to Knight, says Schweiger — returned a few minutes later with a beer in one hand and a hot dog in the other, and asked the woman if he had stepped on her foot a short while ago, and when she nodded, said, “Good, this is the right row!”

“Tom loved telling that story!” Schweiger said with a laugh. “He was a very warm and gentle man with a big sense of humor, and he loved promoting Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Dodgers.”

Thomas Knight, who was cremated, is survived by nephew Harold J. Johnson and nieces Catherine Kubasak and Elizabeth Manocchio.

Comment on this story.