The top 10 Brooklyn stories of 2012
1) Hurricane Sandy
While the entire New York City area was hit by the hurricane, parts of canada goose outlet Brooklyn were left devastated. Red Hook and the neighborhoods of south Brooklyn felt the effects of the storm long after the water receded and the winds died down.
The hurricane caused $37 billion in damages. After all was said and done, 48 New Yorkers lost their lives and 100 homes in canada goose outlet Breezy Point were burnt to the ground.
Many residents were left without power and heat for weeks. With the destruction around Brooklyn, the volunteerism of local community members became evident quickly. Signs on temporary shelters read, “No More Clothes Please,” and some volunteers were being turned away because there were simply too many people willing to help.
Over three weeks after Sandy hit New York, residents of Red Hook lined canada goose outlet online up for a free Thanksgiving meal to eat and one to take home. When asked, one resident said she needed the food because the grocery Canada Goose Outlet stores in the area had been destroyed and she didn’t know where to get food.
But it was heat and electricity that was needed the most. Many criticized the city’s “Rapid Repair” program for not getting anything done, as many residents were frustrated by weeks without utilities in their homes.
Looting and other criminal activity resulted in the wake of the storm, as criminals targeted those in need. However, with the extensive volunteerism and charity from a multitude of areas, the storm helped illustrate how Brooklynites canada goose outlet online uk will take care of one another canada goose clearance when the time comes.
2) Barclays Center
The Barclays Center opened it’s canada goose black friday sale doors in the fall and brought with it a home team. While Brooklyn’s own Jay Z christened the new arena with string of sold out concerts, it’s the Nets who are the stars at the Barclays Center.
Controversy surrounded the Barclays Center from the day it was proposed, and opening day was no different. Residents with oversized masks of elected officials handed out fliers stating that Forest City canada goose outlet parka Ratner, the developer of the arena, didn’t fulfill its promises of job creation.
And it was announced shortly after it opened, that the Nets will have some company in the Barclays Center, cheap Canada Goose as the New York Islanders announced that they too will be moving out of Nassau County and will be using the arena as a home venue in a couple of years.
And the arena has already canada goose clearance sale hosted a bevy of start, such as The Who, Lady Gaga, Neil Young and even Barbara Streisand, who made her Brooklyn debut.
3) Vito Lopez
Longtime Brooklyn political boss Assemblyman Vito Lopez found himself in hot water at the end of the summer, as allegations came to light of sexual misconduct. In mid July, two women who worked in Lopez’s office filed sexual harassment complaints saying that the inappropriate behavior began as early as June of 2012.
Lopez wasn’t the only one disgraced by the allegations; Assembly Speaker Sheldon canada goose outlet sale Silver was also roundly criticized for organizing a $103,080 taxpayer funded settlement.
Despite being publicly accused of sexual harassment, Lopez continued to flex political muscles, and to no one’s surprise he still maintained significant power in the borough. During the redistricting of the City Council, he worked to have the new lines drawn in his canada goose outlet new york city favor, and even had Kings County Democratic Party events moved in an attempt to make it difficult for opponents to fill his old position a chairman.
In November, despite the controversy, Lopez won re election as he trounced his lesser known Republican opponent Richy Garcia by a margin of 90 to 10 percent.
4) Gas Shortage
Following Hurricane Sandy, Brooklyn residents quickly noticed that getting gas for their cars and generators would prove to be a difficult task. A chore that normally took little time resulted in hours of waiting on line for a tank of gas.
Police had to be sent to some stations to control the crowds and keep the lines moving, and gas rationing measures were put into place. At the height of the shortage, tempers flared and a fistfight broke out at a canada goose outlet reviews gas station in Brooklyn.
One gas station owner said that he witnessed past shortages, but this was the worst he had seen because it resulted from a natural disaster. People were getting gas not just for their cars, but also for generators to canada goose factory outlet heat their homes.
5) McCarren Park Pool
When McCarren Park Pool reopened this summer it seemed likely that it would close again. After just one canada goose outlet store day being open to the public, a lifeguard was punched in the face. Three days following that incident a brawl broke out between pool goers and police canada goose outlet uk sale officers. It resulted in six arrests. A few weeks later, a swimmer experienced diarrhea that caused a day long closure of the pool.
Other problems surrounded the pool. In one case, a storeowner claimed that a few boys came into his store and stuffed bags of chips into their swimsuits. There were even reports of lockers being broken into, which resulted in a more obvious police presence in https://www.georg-godorr.de the locker rooms themselves.
Even so, the pool was a huge success, as long lines wrapped around the block. Let’s hope next summer goes a little smoother.
6) Building 2
The Barclays Center isn’t the only addition to Downtown Brooklyn this year. Forest City Canada Goose online Ratner, the developer of the new cheap canada goose uk arena, also broke ground on a project across the street on Flatbush Avenue and Dean Street.
This project, known as Building 2 (B2), is set to be the tallest modular building in the world, standing at 32 stories. The modular pieces that will be stacked to create the building will be constructed off site at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and transported to the site itself.
The project brought with it concern from local residents canada goose outlet toronto factory who feared that the B2 would not include the affordable housing that was promised to the community. To help ease canada goose outlet uk the canadian goose jacket concerns, Forest City Ratner has promised that of the 363 rental units, 50 percent will be affordable.
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