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By Colin Mixson

Brooklyn Daily

The Department of Finance is considering loosening restrictions preventing motorists from introducing new evidence when appealing parking tickets, which is currently forbidden after a defendant’s initial challenge fails.

Proponents of the amendment say that it’s about time the city’s treasurer’s, who are responsible for collecting revenue for the city — and overseeing the judicial body charged with ruling on the merit of parking tickets — craft policies that help New Yorkers keep their money out of the city coffers.

“I’m actually surprised,” said Alan Maisel (D–Marine Park) who has been critical of the Department of Finance’s role in appointing judges to the Parking Violations Bureau, and submitted legislation in 2014 to transfer control over the adjudicatory body to the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. “Basically over the last decade or so, its always about raising money, justice doesn’t always seem to be the top of their agenda. But we have a new mayor and a new administration, so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.”

Current rules allow recipients of parking tickets to request a hearing, either online or in person, during which they’re allowed to present photographic evidence to prove their case.

If judges with the Parking Violations Bureau rule against a defendant during the initial hearing, they’re given the opportunity to appeal the ruling, but appeals judges only consider errors of law that may have occurred during the initial ruling, and will not consider new evidence.

Adding insult to injury, the treasury instructs defendants to pay their fines before pursuing appeal — if they don’t, and the appeal fails, they’re liable for any late fees associated with the fine.

The Mar. 18 announcement of the proposed change kicked off a public comment period ending April 22, when the Department of Finance will host a public hearing in Brooklyn where New Yorkers are invited to discuss the change.

Until then, anyone with an opinion is encouraged to write, e-mail or fax their point of view to the city’s revenue harvesters.

Raise your voice about parking rules at the Department of Finance hearing room [345 Adams St. between Boerum Place and John Street Downtown] April 22 at 11 am. If you can’t make that, comments can be e-mailed to rubing@finance.nyc.gov, faxed to (718) 403–3650, or submitted online at rules.cityofnewyork.us. Comments can also be sent by mail to NYC Department of Finance, Legal Affairs, Division, 345 Adams Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201, Attn: Garret Rubin.

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By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

60th Precinct

Coney Island—Brighton Beach—Seagate

That’s my spot!

Cops cuffed a man who they say sent a guy to the hospital after a heated argument over a Mermaid Avenue parking spot on March 30 turned violent, according to police.

The two got into an argument about a parking spot near W. 23rd Street around 2:20 pm. It took a turn for the worst when one driver grabbed a metal pipe and hit the other over the back, prompting a trip to the emergency room, police said.

Muggers nabbed

Police arrested two men who they say beat up and robbed a guy on Shell Road on March 30.

The robbery happened between Avenue Z and Shore Parkway around 9 pm — the thieves ganged up on the guy and stole some electronics he had on him and even his eyeglasses, according to police.

Fast and infuriating

A car thief sped off in a man’s ride from its Surf Avenue parking spot on April 1, police said.

The car owner parked his wheels between W. 15th Street and Stillwell Avenue around 11 am with the keys in the ignition. He got out was less than a block away from the vehicle when he turned around to see it was missing.

What a nightmare

An opportunistic pickpocket stole a dozing commuter’s backpack, cellphone, and cash out of his pockets somewhere between Harlem and Bay 50th Avenue on March 30, according to a police report.

The victim boarded the D train at the 125th Street station in Manhattan, but fell asleep and woke up at the station near Stillwell Avenue missing all his stuff, police said.

— Dennis Lynch

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By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

61st Precinct

Sheepshead Bay—Homecrest— Manhattan Beach—Gravesend

Pancakes, eggs, and money

There were two break-ins at a Kings Highway diner two days apart, police said.

Cops cuffed a guy on March 31 who they say broke into the diner near E. Eighth Street at 5:10 pm on March 28 and removed $1,500 from the cash box, according to a police report. A cook was in the diner at the time of the burglary but did not see anything, police said.

The next day, a man made his way into the same diner through a window sometime between 1:30 and 5 am and removed $1,000 from the register, according to police. A manager got to the restaurant around 5 am and noticed the register was open and the window was broken, a police report states.

Police arrested a suspect on March 31.

Scared out

Two bad guys used a crowbar to break into an Emmons Avenue diner through a window on March 31, according to authorities.

The nogoodniks made their way into the eatery near E. 29th Street at 5:25 pm and walked around, police said. But an employee who was in the diner at the time confronted the two bandits and they fled through the same window without stealing anything, the witness told police.

Money snatchers

Police arrested a man who they say broke into a Coney Island Avenue business on March 29 and stole cash.

The suspect broke the rear glass door to get inside the business on Avenue P at around 3 pm and removed $400 in cash from the register and then $300 in cash from a drawer in a back room, police said.

The suspect was arrested on March 31.

They stole thousands!

A punk made his way into a grocery store on Avenue U sometime between April 2 and 3 and stole a lot of cash, according to police.

The prowler broke into the bodega on E. 78th Street sometime between 6 pm on April 2 and 7 pm the next day and removed $30,000 from a safe, according to authorities.

There was no visible forced entry, but video surveillance captured two guys in the store, a police report states.

Bad friends

Three weasels robbed a teen of money and her phone on Avenue V on April 2 after she posted a picture of the cash on social media.

The 16-year-old girl posted a picture of $2,000 on social media and received a call from a guy asking to meet up and take pictures of the moolah, she told police.

The victim told officers she met up with the creep near Brown Street at 4 pm, but he brought a second guy with him. A third goon then showed up and said he had a firearm and told the teen, “I know you have money,” according to authorities.

He stole the dough and her iPhone from her pocket and fled with the three other jerks, police said. The teen ran home and called police, according to a police report.

She told police she knew two of the crooks from school. She had no injuries and said she didn’t see a gun, according to authorities.

— Julianne Cuba

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By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

68th Precinct

Bay Ridge—Dyker Heights

Crossing boroughs

Detectives arrested a pair of suspects from Queens who they say came broke into an 87th Street home on March 29.

They took pricey jewelry from the home between Narrows Avenue and Colonial Road in a quick hit just after noon, police said. But detectives nabbed them on the way back to Queens and found them with the jewelry, a police scanner, and tools in their vehicle.

Diamond heist

An intruder stole cash and jewelry out of a woman’s 86th Street home on March 29, police said.

The woman left her home near Gatling Place around 8 am and returned around 5:30 pm to find a rear window wide open. Police later found pry marks on the window sill.

A wallet with $8,000 inside and diamond rings were missing.

Register raid

Looters broke into a Third Avenue restaurant in the early morning hours of March 28, police said.

Surveillance video at the restaurant near 92nd Street shows the thieves cutting the locks and breaking in through a side door just after 2 am. They broke open the registers and grabbed a total of $5,000 before dashing, according to police.

Cash grab

A home invader broke through a Seventh Avenue home’s kitchen window on April 1 to steal cash, according to a police report.

The homeowner was gone from around 6 am on April 1 until around 4 pm the next day, and when he came back to his house between 70th and 71st streets he found someone had removed metal bars on the window and ransacked the entire house.

The looter found a series of envelopes containing cash that were hid around the house and got away with roughly $2,000, police said.

— Dennis Lynch

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By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

Cadets, vets, and instructors from the United States Military Academy at West Point came down to Fort Hamilton Army Base on April 2 to give local middle and high school students the inside scoop about the Army academy up the Hudson River.

The superintendent of the 214-year-old military academy, Lieutenant General Robert Caslen Jr., was the keynote speaker at the event, and spoke to his goal of making West Point “the city’s academy.”

“Our goal is that West Point Day is an opportunity to connect with the diverse people of New York City, and to continue to build a relationship with the city, so that we become part of [the city’s] cultural makeup and that New York City starts thinking of West Point as their city’s academy,” he said.

The event included a performance by the academy’s drill team and displays by other school cadet clubs, including the men’s boxing club, the fencing team, the Latin dance club, and the pipes and drums club.

Attendees also got to meet folks with the Department of Defense’s Warrior Games — an eight-sport event for injured veterans that the academy is hosting in June. Around 250 athletes from all branches of the military will compete in events including archery, cycling, shooting, and wheelchair basketball, among others.

The games are open to the public, and judging by the enthusiastic response from locals, there should be some Brooklynites in attendance, according to a retired sergeant who represented the games at the base on Saturday.

“We had a good response from people, it sounds like a lot of people will be coming up,” Stefan LeRoy said.

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By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

62nd Precinct

Bensonhurst—Bath Beach

Teen troubles

Police arrested three of four teenagers who they say held another adolescent at gunpoint and roughed him up on 20th Avenue on April 4 for two pairs of sneakers, police said.

The victim told cops he thought he was meeting up with them to sell the pricey kicks, but when he showed up at 86th Street just after 9 pm, one of the teens came up behind him brandishing a handgun. The other three allegedly shook him down, beat him up, and fled with the trainers, but police later rounded up three of them, according to a police report.

Slashed on 79th

A pair of good-for-nothings cut up and robbed a guy on 79th Street on April 2, police said.

A witness saw the victim getting into an altercation with the two robbers in front of a home near 18th Avenue around 12:30 am. The victim ran down 79th Street, but the louts caught up with him on 19th Avenue and slashed him in the chest and leg, according to a police report.

They then grabbed his wallet — with $100 in cash inside — and hopped in a dark sedan waiting for them, and fled, said police.

Cut-rate cab ride

An irate cab patron slashed his driver during a fight over the fare on 17th Avenue on April 4, according to police.

The victim told police they were at the end of the ride near 74th Street just before 8 pm when they started arguing about the fare.

Before taking off, the rider pulled out a knife and cut the driver’s hand open, police reported.

No Gucci

A pair of shoplifters hit a high-end boutique store on Avenue T on March 28, police said.

The two thieves — a man and a woman — came into the store between W. Seventh and W. Sixth streets around 2:20 pm, said police. When the owner walked to the back of the store, the duo grabbed one Chanel and one Gucci bag and took off, security footage shows.

The owner did not notice the theft until she checked security footage the next day, according to police.

Basement dweller

A jewel thief hit a Bay 10th Street home on April 4, a police report said.

The thief broke into the home between Benson and Bath avenues around 9:30 am through a basement door and and got away with some jewelry, police said.

— Dennis Lynch

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By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

My Uncle Phil always told me to use the right tool for the job. True, sometimes his right tool was a rubber mallet, but for him it got the job done.

I decided to try my hand at knitting a sweater. Now, I have started many a knit-one-and-purl-two, but never have I finished any sweaters, leaving my knitting skills to blankets, scarves, and dish towels. I prefer to crochet sweaters and clothing, because the work goes quicker, the instructions are easier to understand, and I generally don’t have patience or the attention span for long projects.

However, I have discovered that my avoiding knitting all these years was not based so much on quicker, easier, or lack of an attention span, but for the fact I never had the right needles for what I wanted to accomplish — the right tool for the right job. My stash of supplies is mostly from what was passed down to me from my mom or grandmother. The tools are sentimental, but lack modern comfort and ergonomic efficiency.

After watching many knitting tutorials and discovering the tools that the pros used, I decided to order a pair of Knitter’s Pride circular knitting needles. When the set came in the mail, I immediately cast on and set about making the project. Lo and behold, I was able to knit and purl my way to a finished sweater and discovered my own rubber mallet.

What great needles! The points are smooth and the cord is flexible. I didn’t get caught up and tangled in inflexible plastic cords — the needles were sharp and didn’t split the yarn. The work flowed smoothly, and I had a comfortable grip on the just-right length of needle. Knitting with that circular set was a joy — so much so that I finished the project with ease and can’t wait to start another one.

Not for Nuthin™, Uncle Phil was right on the money. In order to do a job well done, you first need to have the right tools. Knitter’s Pride wound up being my rubber mallet.

Follow me on Twitter @JDelBuono.

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By Giaco Furino

Brooklyn Daily

Brooklyn draws the line!

A new online comic launching today imagines a super-charged Brooklyn, reversing the Mistake of ’98 to create a world in which the borough secedes not just from New York City, but from the entire United States.

In the opening panels of “The Red Hook,” which launches its first chapter today, a seismic shock shatters the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and separates Kings County from Queens. The comic’s creator came up with the earth-shaking idea in July 2014, when artists replaced the American flags on the top of the Brooklyn Bridge with white flags.

“I joked to a friend, ‘Oh my God, Brooklyn gave up!’ ” said Dean Haspiel. “That’s a really interesting idea, what if Brooklyn was sentient? And it literally and physically decided to secede from America?”

The Carroll Gardens cartoonist began to imagine life in the new Brooklyn, and the new lives that people might build in the broken borough. But he decided not to be worry about being too realistic.

“I’m not a scientist, I’m not going to fact-check how this could actually happen. I’m romanticizing the fantasy of a seceded Brooklyn,” he said.

Haspiel has been in the comics biz for more than 25 years, and has drawn superhero books including “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “Batman Adventures,” along with original characters and personal stories about living in Brooklyn. His new comic bridges those two worlds, introducing superheroes and super-villains to his home borough, starting with the title character of “The Red Hook.”

“I was aiming for a superhero but what I came up with is a super-thief,” said Haspiel. “I thought about Red Hook and how difficult it is to live there. And I thought about what kind of superhero would be in Red Hook and I kind of created a bad guy. He’s kind of like a Robin Hood, but he only takes care of himself and his girlfriend.”

Haspiel drew on his biggest influences, artists Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, and Alex Toth when designing the Red Hook’s solid costume — in red, naturally.

“I like that simplified, streamlined look,” said Haspiel. “I can’t get into all the bells and whistles of the new superheroes designed today. I like simplicity and clarity.”

The super-thief’s epic story will appear weekly on the Line Webtoons site, with new installments coming for the next 26 weeks. Each chapter is a long line of images, optimized for viewing on mobile devices, but Haspiel plans to collect adapted versions of the pages into a graphic novel after the end of the online run.

Two more comics set in the same world as “The Red Hook” are planned to start in the fall: “The Brooklynite” and “The Purple Heart.”

“The Red Hook” is now available at www.webtoons.com.

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By Zach Jones

Brooklyn Daily

Love stinks — and this dating service is out to prove it!

A pair of Brooklynites are running a low-fi alternative to Tinder that matches up prospective lovebirds based entirely on their body odor — a measure of compatibility they say is far more reliable than convoluted algorithms or online dating profiles.

“Data can lie. Smell doesn’t lie,” said Greenpoint artist Tega Brain, who created the Smell Dating service with Williamsburg writer Sam Lavigne.

The pair have sent T-shirts to 100 participants around New York — mostly Brooklynites — who will stink them up by wearing them for three days straight without deodorant or cologne. Brain and Lavigne will then cut up the soiled shirts into strips and distribute them back among the dating pool.

Participants won’t know the gender or sexual orientation of the people behind each sample — they will simply take a whiff and note which fragrances, if any, they find most pleasing. Brain and Lavigne will then match up any mutual attractions.

The whole thing is partially a tongue-in-cheek art project, the pair admit, but they say they are also serious about seeing whether it works. They interviewed several scientists beforehand, and say they are eager to find out if any of the odor-based couples form real relationships.

“This is an exploration of what happens when the only piece of information you have about a person is intimate, very mundane data,” says Lavigne, who is an editor at a website called Useless Press, where he will publish the results.

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By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

You can’t fight catering hall.

Mill Basinites are demanding the city crack down on a raucous, late-night catering hall on the corner of Avenue N and E. 51st Street. Neighbors, all of whom wished to remain anonymous, say they have been lodging complaints against Carib Catering Hall for nearly three years, but claim police are doing little to curb the noise, double-parking, and litter that revelers leave behind. It’s so bad that another homeowner said he and his neighbors are considering moving to the ‘burbs for some peace and quiet.

“Our homes are something we invest in and pay a lot of money, and we just want some results from the precinct,” said another E. 51st Street resident. “It’s making people just want to pick up and move somewhere.”

Locals lodged 30 noise complaints against the hall between May 15, 2015 and March 27, 2016, city records show.

Police respond to the hall, but they do not have a lasting impact, locals say.

“They lower the music when the cops come, and when they pass, they raise it up again,” one resident said.

The 63rd Precinct is aware of the problem and working on it, according to community affairs officer Ronette Benjamin.

A woman who identified herself as the catering hall’s manager said she wasn’t aware of the issue — and went on to say people just like to kvetch.

“I don’t know about anything,” said the woman, who declined to give a name. “People are always going to complain.”

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By Dennis Lynch

Brooklyn Daily

It’s a slice of real Brooklyn in hipster Williamsburg.

A red-sauce Bensonhurst restaurant expanded into the borough’s so-called epicenter of cool this weekend with a menu that eschews arcane antipasta, primi, and secundi in favor of the do-it-yourself ethos that so many work-from-home types profess to adore by letting customers build their own pizza from a smattering of traditional and not-so-traditional (hotdog anyone?) toppings, an owner said.

“We changed the concept up a bit with the assembly line style, but it’s still the same great recipe — the pizza is legit,” said Carlo Alaimo, who owns 20th Avenue’s Europa and opened Pie Smith on Grand Street in Williamsburg on April 1.

And the beard-brunch-and-bicycle set is eating it up, he said.

“We ran out of food on Friday [opening day], which is a good sign, I think,” Alaimo said. “We sold out and put up a sign on the door said we’d be back around 7:30, and when we opened, we ran out again by 9.”

Alaimo, his brothers Marco and Alex, and a friend spent about a year hunting for a new location that was far enough from Europa’s home in Italian enclave Bensonhurst.

They looked in Park Slope and Downtown — where real estate is hotter than a coal-fired oven — but settled on the relatively low-key section of Grand Street between Williamsburg’s sickeningly hip waterfront and too-hot-to-handle East Williamsburg.

The pizzaiolos will have some heated competition — gastro-media darling Roberta’s is a 15-minute stroll away and free-beer-with-your-PBR bar Alligator Lounge is practically around the corner — but the pie smiths are confident their old-school recipe will top the other pizza slingers’ pies.

“We think the pizza is some of the best in New York, so we wanted to get it out there some more,” Alaimo said.

Pie Smith [679 Grand St. between Manhattan and Graham avenues in Williamsburg, (929) 295–0472]. Sun.–Wed., 11 am–10 pm; Thurs.–Sat., 11 am–11 pm.

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By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton addressed more than 300 boisterous Brooklynites at a “Women For Hillary Town Hall” at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights on April 5.

Clinton shared the stage at the historically black college with several prominent local women of color, positioning herself as an ally to women and minorities — groups her primary opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders has ignored, critics have charged. But when it came to talking points, the former Secretary of State largely looked past the primary and directed criticism at potential Republican opponents.

“I am thrilled to have a chance to be here in Brooklyn, and here at Medgar Evers College — and the values of New York are the values of America,” Clinton said, rebutting Republican Ted Cruz’s suggestion that New Yorkers are morally inferior.

Rep. Yvette Clark (D–Flatbush), Public Advocate Letitia James, and First Lady of New York Chirlane McCray — all of whom are black — flanked the former secretary of state as she hammered Republicans for marginalizing women and minorities. Clinton called for workplaces to report employees’ wages as a means of high-lighting the gender pay gap, raising the federal minimum wage — which advocates say would help close that gap — and bolstering minority- and women-owned small businesses — all positions her Republican opponents refuse to take, she said.

“Now everything I just said, the Republicans disagree with,” Clinton said. “My goal is to knock down every barrier preventing every American from fulfilling his or her potential — especially women.”

But she managed one swipe at Sanders — who is gaining on her in polls — for his call to make college free.

“I have a plan for more young people to go to college … but not ‘free’ college,” Clinton said.

Clinton will debate Sanders in the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 14 — five days ahead of the New York primary.

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By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is making her pitch to Brooklynites — ahead of her April 14 debate with adversary and Brooklyn native Bernie Sanders — by hosting a town hall on women’s issues with Rep. Yvette Clarke (D–Flatbush) and First Lady Chirlane McCray at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights. Tenacious political reporter Julianne Cuba is on the scene. (This story is changing every minute! Hit refresh on your browser for the latest.)

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Joseph Staszewski

Brooklyn Daily

Ed D’Alessio left when the time was right.

The High School of Telecommunications Arts and Technology baseball coach decided to call it quits after 15 seasons, because the sport — which has long been a part of his life — was starting to become a job in recent years.

“I like coaching, but it is a long haul over that,” D’Alessio said.

Tele has long been the “program without a field,” and the task of maintaining it and managing his players while teaching at Grady was beginning to take its toll, the soon-to-be 60-year-old D’Alessio said. He described going down to the Yellow Jackets’s home field at Ben Vitale Park with buckets and boots to get it ready for a game.

“I got too old,” D’Alessio said. “I couldn’t do it anymore. My back was killing me.”

He had family concerns and wants to spend more time with his 12-year-old son, who has a budding baseball career. D’Alessio stressed that he needs to be there for him and does not want to lose those precious years.

“He’s a really good ball player,” the captain on the 1978 St. John’s University College World Series team said.

He leaves the Yellow Jackets program as one of the best of the Public School Athletic League and a winner of a 2013 city title. D’Alessio’s program was able to compete with the likes of Tottenville, James Monroe, Madison, Cardozo, and George Washington — schools that all have their own fields. It’s something he will always be proud of.

“The job that we did over the years was very impressive,” D’Alessio said. “I think people realized that. They couldn’t believe when we won the championship. I think that gave hope to a lot of the small schools that someone could win there than the same big schools all the time.”

It is the legacy he leaves behind — and that the school will look to continue. In his eyes, Tele made the right choice to replace him with long-time junior varsity coach Robert Calise, who paid his dues for 10 seasons.

The Yellows Jackets are off to flying start at 2–0 with wins over rival James Madison, a semifinalist last season. Tele pitchers Mark Barillas and Frank Campanelli combined to allow just one run in 14 innings. D’Alessio plans on going to some games once the weather gets warmer.

Leaving a good team behind won’t draw D’Alessio, who went 221–53 in league play, to return.

“I always had good teams,” D’Alessio said. “Sometimes you have to go. I couldn’t see myself doing it any more. I just got tired. It’s a long time, 15 years.”

The time was right to end the run there.

There would be no hanging on too long in search for another crown. D’Alessio knew it was time and didn’t fight it, allowing the program to continue to grow in his absence.

Another good decision in a career of them.

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By Joseph Staszewski

Brooklyn Daily

Everything Syracuse did to power its historic season couldn’t be replicated against the UConn juggernaut.

The Orange reached its first-ever national title game with superior shooting, offensive rebounding, and the ability to create turnovers. But the team didn’t do enough of those things in an 82–51 loss to the top-seeded Huskies in the National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s basketball tournament final in Indianapolis on April 5. UConn finished the season 38–0 and won its record fourth-straight crown.

“We were just rushing some shots,” Syracuse guard Brittany Sykes said. “And then we weren’t really in our defense settle and we had to crash the boards.”

Former Nazareth star Brianna Butler, who in the semifinal set the league’s single-season record for three-pointers made, was held to just three points and 1 of 8 shooting from the field. She added three rebounds. Former Lady Kingsmen teammates Taylor Ford chipped in three points in her last game at Syracuse.

“It’s bitter-sweet,” Butler said. “It still hasn’t hit me just yet. It will definitely hit me Wednesday morning that Tuesday was the last time I put on a Syracuse jersey.”

Syracuse went just 2-for-19 from three-point range and was out-rebounded 43–27 for the game. UConn star Breanna Stewart notched 24 points and 10 rebounds. It’s the second time a Stewart-led team ended Ford and Butler’s season. Her Cicero-North Syracuse team beat the Lady Kingsmen in the Federation Class AA semifinals in 2012.

This loss halts a magical March run for the duo and the No. 4 Orange, which was looking to be come the lowest seed to ever win the crown.

“I think what this year has done for our program, it’s made all of us better,” Orange coach Quentin Hillsman said.

UConn opened up a 35-point lead, but Syracuse narrowed the gap to within 17 by using a 16–0 run in the third quarter — but it never got closer.

The Orange reached the final with an 80–59 drubbing of No. 7 Washington on April 3. Butler, a former McDonald’s All-America, dropped in 12 points (all three-pointers), grabbed six rebounds, and dished out four assists.

Her four treys were part of a Final Four-record 12 makes from behind the arc, and Butler set the league’s single-season record for three-pointers with 128 in the contest. Ford chipped in eight points of her own, including two treys.

The duo is part of the most successful group in Syracuse history. The Orange collected five of its seven total tournament wins during the run. The team’s 30 wins are the most in the history of the program. The 2016 senior class finished with 99 wins, the most of any class in program history. It’s an accomplishment none of them will forget.

“It’s unbelievable,” Butler said. “It’s something you dream about as a kid, to finally be here.”

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By Dan McSweeney

Brooklyn Daily

Recently, I was asked why veterans should receive special consideration and benefits from local and state government. Shouldn’t they be they looked after exclusively by the feds, in light of their contracts and service at that level?

The short answer is no. Members of the military are drawn from our local communities. They make a conscious decision to leave home and serve, often overseas, often in harm’s way. The massive system supporting this process removes them, step by step, from their communities, ultimately to accomplish missions far beyond the normal expectations America places on its citizens.

But they don’t simply disappear at the far end of that process. They must make the journey back to their neighborhoods, and that requires every bit the level of attention and support they received on the way into the military. Actually, it requires more.

The federal government simply does not have the reach or infrastructure to ensure this is a well-integrated and effective process. State and local government must play a role to ensure the investments we make in the men and women who serve are not wasted and that their substantial needs in reintegrating in civilian society are met comprehensively.

We’ve seen what happens when this doesn’t occur (think Vietnam) and it’s not good. Resources expended locally in support of veterans are an investment in the greater good. It’s a moral imperative and a way of capitalizing on the talent and culture of service veterans develop while in uniform.

A perfect — and very effective — example of this is New York’s Veteran Treatment Courts, which provide mentorship and services to low-level offenders as a way of squarely addressing both the causes and effects of the actions that got them arrested. Often, the causes are related to their military service. Regardless, the vast majority of veterans have a strong disposition toward community involvement. They wouldn’t have survived in the military without it.

The courts tap into that mindset in getting veteran offenders back on track. By signing contracts requiring classes, counseling, community service commitments, and other forms of tough love, they have reduced recidivism to 20 percent and saved taxpayer money that would otherwise be wasted on incarceration. It works.

The newest court in New York will open April 12 in Manhattan. It will join successful programs in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx in helping our veterans lead productive lives as civilians.

Is this a form of special treatment? Does it conflict with our notions of blind justice? Yes. It considers the military service of its participants as both a challenge and an opportunity. In doing so, it squarely addresses reality over tradition in order to achieve a universal benefit.

Just as we have asked members of the military to go “above and beyond” as veterans, they have the right to ask the same of us.

April 12 will be a good day in New York City.

Dan McSweeney is president of the United War Veterans Council.

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By Julianne Cuba

Brooklyn Daily

These grapes Concord Brooklyn!

Those who sip Manischewitz wine — the sweet kosher wine that is a staple of the Seder table — are partaking in a local tradition. A food historian will reveal the Brooklyn origins of the Jewish vino at “Man-O-Manischewitz” at the Brooklyn Historical Society on April 12, and his personal history with the beverage.

“As a boy, I encountered Manischewitz at our annual Passover Seder. While the children could celebrate the special occasion by drinking Coke, the adults drank Manischewitz,” said Roger Horowitz, the author of “Kosher USA: How Coke Became Kosher and Other Tales of Modern Food.”

The wine began under a different name — the Monarch Wine Company started producing it during Prohibition, when sacramental wines were still legal, but could not be marketed or advertised, Horowitz said. But once the country’s dry spell was over, the Monarch wanted to set itself apart in the thriving new market for alcohol. So in 1934, it licensed a name from a company well-known within the Jewish community — the Manischewitz food company from Ohio, known for its kosher food products like matzo and noodles — but not wine.

“We can have the name on our wine, we will be recognized by Jews and they will trust us,” was the company’s reasoning, said Horowitz.

So in Sunset Park’s Bush Terminal — now known as Industry City — Monarch Wine Company began mass producing its concord-grape wine under the Manischewitz name in 1939, said Horowitz, and doing well with the city’s Jewish population.

“New York City is a great market for kosher wine,” said Horowitz.

Wine sales increased in the late 1940s, when the wine became popular among African-Americans, said Horowitz.

“During World War II, there’s a big migration of African-Americans to the north, and what starts to happen during the 1940s, they seek out Manischewitz wine, which starts to increase demand in ways that surprises the Monarch Wine Company,” he said.

Monarch jumped at the new market, advertising in African-American publications and hiring black celebrities to hawk the product. The most prominent figure to endorse Manischewitz was Sammy Davis, Jr. The comedian and singer recorded a series of catchy television commercials for the wine, said Horowitz.

By 1954, Manischewitz had quadrupled its production space and was manufacturing seven million gallons of wine per year, said Horowitz, finding an audience well beyond its Jewish origins.

But just like disco and shag carpeting, the supremely sweet wine struggled to make it out of the 1970s, said Horowitz.

“Concord grapes are difficult to make into wine because you have to use so much sugar — they’re not the best grapes to use for making wine,” he said. “American consumers start to shift away from sweet wine, and by the early 1980s, there are declining sales. Different generation, different taste.”

“Man-O-Manischewitz: Brooklyn’s Wine in a Kosher USA” at the Brooklyn Historical Society [128 Pierrepont St. at Clinton street in Brooklyn Heights. www.brooklynhistory.org. (718) 222–4111]. April 12 at 6:30 pm. $5.

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By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

Downtown

Borough President Adams put out the challenge and hit the mic for the launch of BK Sings, his first-of-its-kind, borough-wide karaoke competition to find out who has the best amateur singing pipes in the borough.

Bars and restaurants in the burg will offer budding song birds an opportunity to perform their favorite songs, and compete to represent their neighborhood, leading into a final musical showdown crowning Brooklyn’s king or queen of karaoke.

Karaoke gives amateur singers a shot at stardom, claimed the beep, tossing down the gauntlet.

“So you think you can sing?” he asked. “Well, we’re about to find out!”

Participants must be Brooklyn residents, 18 years of age or older, and not engaged in a professional singing career. They will be judged on their execution of the song, which cannot contain any explicit content, as well as their stage presence and audience appeal. Champions of local contests will move on to the regional semifinals, which will determine singers for the final round on May 1 at Hill Country Barbecue Market in Downtown.

The first prize winner will receive a karaoke machine and a chance to sing at MCU Park in Coney Island, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones. Runners up will receive a tablet computer, and gift cards for dinner at Suede Restaurant in East Flatbush.

The Cyclones trilled their approval.

“We are happy to team up and happy to host the winners, and look forward to hosting karaoke nights this summer at MCU Park,” said Gary Perone, assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

For a full list of participating locations, dates, and regulations, sign up for BK Sings at brooklyn-usa.org/karaoke.

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By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

Clinton Hill

Welcome aboard

Standing O is acing and spiking for Louis Sepulveda, the new head coach of the women’s volleyball team at Pratt Institute.

The talented, former high-school coach will lead the Cannoneers — much to the delight of his new colleagues.

“We are thrilled to add Louis to our coaching staff,” said athletics director Walter Rickard. “Louis is an accomplished, experienced coach on the club, high-school, and collegiate levels, and we think that personally, he is a great fit for us at Pratt.”

So does Standing O.

Standing O pal Louis comes to Pratt from Baldwin High School, where he was the head coach of the girls varsity volleyball team, leading them to 24–8 victories and a 49–21 record overall in five seasons.

He hopes to do even better at Pratt.

“I’m extremely excited to take over the program here,” said Sepulveda.

Standing O wishes him many winning seasons at his new sports home.

Pratt Institute [200 Willoughby Ave. at DeKalb Avenue in Clinton Hill; (718) 636–3420].

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By Joanna DelBuono

Brooklyn Daily

Park Slope

A shout-out and a warm welcome goes to Dr. Sebron Harrison. The board certified surgeon has joined the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at New York Methodist Hospital as chief of thoracic surgery. Dr. Harrison specializes in traditional and minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of cancer and benign diseases, in and around the lungs and esophagus.

“I was drawn to thoracic surgery because of my interest in lung cancer treatment,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize that lung cancer kills nearly twice as many people as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer combined.”

The physician explained that the lungs are a very high-stakes area, with delicate structures that make it difficult to safely remove tumors and lymph nodes, and that he was fortunate to receive training from world-class thoracic surgeons.

“I wanted to join the field and do my part to help patients whose lives have been turned upside down by this disease,” he said.

Dr. Harrison graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, and completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His accolades include the University of Alabama General Surgery Humanitarian Award and the university’s General Surgery Teaching Award. He was also lauded as his program’s most outstanding chief resident.

After completing a second residency in cardiothoracic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Harrison joined the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he served as an attending thoracic surgeon prior to joining New York Methodist.

His new bosses couldn’t be happier.

“Dr. Harrison has distinguished himself as a talented physician with a passion for helping patients confront challenging diagnoses,” said Dr. Robert Tranbaugh, chairman of cardiothoracic surgery at the hospital. “We are delighted that he has joined our outstanding lineup of surgeons.”

Standing O is delighted too! Wishing the good Dr. Harrison a very successful stay at the hospital.

New York Methodist Hospital [506 Sixth St. at Eighth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 780–3000].

Borough Wide

Boola boola

Three cheers and a rah-rah-rah to Sophie Sharps. The borough daughter — and daughter of David Sharps and Sarah Burd-Sharps — received the highest academic honor from Connecticut College, where she is a senior, when she was named a Winthrop Scholar — academia’s highest accolade.

Winthrop Scholars are graduating seniors who demonstrate exceptional scholarship and promise. Our very own Sophie is a 2012 graduate of the Beacon School, and a sociology major. She was also selected for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the national honor society of undergraduate higher education.

President Katherine Bergeron offered the new inductees the benefit of her wisdom.

“As your life as a student is quickly coming to a close, don’t forget that you love learning,” she said. “That is what is going to keep your life on course.”

Standing O is moving over the tassels for Sophie. She can now add a Standing O to her roster of awards.

Marine Park

Save the Date

Help knock out colon cancer with a new coif.

Get your locks trimmed and rock a new ’do at the Marine Park Barber Shop on April 10 to benefit the Colon Cancer Alliance Blue Hope Financial Assistance Program. Standing O pal Dan Foster, a 20-year survivor and the group’s Brooklyn ambassador, will hand out 50-50 raffles, T-shirts, and slices of pie to the first 100 attendees.

Don’t be square, be there for your hair — and a great cause — on April 10, from 10 am to 3 pm.

Marine Park Barber Shop [3010 Avenue U and E. 30th Street in Marine Park, (718) 891–5789].

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