Community Corner
🌱 Absentee Appeals + School Assembly Gone Wrong + A Giant Pumpkin
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Brooklyn.
Hey, everybody! It's Wednesday in Brooklyn and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in our community. Hope you all have a great day. Today you'll learn about these stories and more:
- Some pre-Election Day updates 🗳
- A frightening anti-bullying assembly
- Some smile-inducing Halloween news 🎃
But first, today's weather:
🌦 A shower in the morning; fog. High: 70 Low: 57.
🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Brooklyn! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.
Here are the top stories today in Brooklyn:
1. With midterm elections around the corner, here's what you need to know about the state of absentee ballots in New York:
- During the pandemic, New York passed a law allowing absentee ballots to be counted before Election Day, in order to handle the large volume of mail-in votes.
- One week before the 2022 midterms, state officials have appealed the rule; Republican and Conservative party plaintiffs are calling the pandemic-related law unconstitutional, arguing that it impedes an individual's ability to challenge ballots before they are counted.
- Their appeal on Monday has led to a temporary hold on the rule — aka, no getting a head start on ballot counting — while The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court hears oral arguments this week.
2. NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating a potential antisemitic attack that happened over the weekend. Just before 2 a.m. in the area of Penn Street and Lee Avenue in Williamsburg, video surveillance footage shows an unidentified attacker punch an 18 year old in Jewish religious garb in the back of the head. The victim's religious hat and yarmulke were knocked to the ground and the attacker fled in an unknown direction, police said.
3. We know its spooky season, but this anti-bullying assembly at a Brooklyn elementary school totally missed the mark. After an anti-bullying assembly led by safety agents at a Prospect Heights school, children returned home to their parents shaken and afraid — many believed that they and/or their parents would be sent to jail for engaging in bullying behavior, while others said they never wanted to go to middle school for fear of getting bullied. While details were 'curated' differently for a kindergarten versus fifth grade audience, students said that safety agents told stories of murder, suicide, and even showed images of a bloodied knife. New York state law does prohibit bullying, and reported cases are investigated, they do not result in jailtime unless behavior is elevated to a criminal level. Parents, school staff, and members of the Department of Education fielded their grievances against this sort of misguided, fear-monger approach to anti-bullying education.
4. What exactly does one do with an accidental, giant pumpkin? Ask Charlie of Park Slope! Charlie Pigott's family has lived in Brooklyn since 1885, and over the last decade or so Charlie has been adding a bigger pumpkin to his stoop every fall. Some may call it an obsession, others an endearingly unique passion. He's got his family in on it too; having first fallen in love with large pumpkins in the car with his daughter, Charlie now enlists the help of his son to deliver these massive seasonal stoop-toppers from a local patch that specializes in pumpkins — last year's was 600 pounds! And although Charlie aims to go bigger every Halloween, this year's was a BIG surprise: after learning that their 2022 reserved pumpkin had prematurely met its maker, Charlie's trusted patch sent him a 1,000-pound pumpkin in an utterly massive turn of events!
5. A residential building on Pennsylvania Avenue has become Transylvania Avenue. Elizabeth Figueroa has been transforming the seventh floor in one of the buildings at the Penn-Wortman Houses into a haunted hallway for Halloween. There are ghosts, ghouls, and goblins galore along with scary clowns, skeletons, and a real live werewolf! Every year, Figueroa dedicated her decorations to someone special: this year to the poll workers of America, with special mention to those at 345 Adams St. in Downtown Brooklyn.
Patch deals of the day:
The Patch Deals team scours the web for deals we think you'll love. These limited-time offers are worth a look — especially if you're doing some early holiday shopping.
- Seido Japanese master knife set (71 percent off) — This 5-piece set of chef-quality knives comes in at just under $70. They're sharp, durable and cost a fraction of what you'd pay for similar high-quality knives.
- Flux 7 TWS earbuds with wireless charging case & power bank (75 percent off) — Why pay $100+ for earbuds when you can get these well-rated wonders on sale for just $25?
- Pressure Putt Trainer (53 percent off) — Small enough to fold up and easily fit in a golf bag, the Pressure Putt Trainer was developed using drills that pro golfers use to build confidence for achieving the perfect putt.
(Patch may earn a commission on purchases. All deals are as of publication and could change.)
Today in Brooklyn:
- 🍂 Family Fall Festival by Awana Clubs, 145 Evergreen Ave., Today @ 6 p.m. | Details
- 🎷 Wednesday Night Jazz, Cafe Erzulie, Today @ 7 p.m. | Details
- Dirty Circus Variety Show, House of Yes, Today @ 7 p.m. | Details
- Hi, Nice People! Comedy Show, Brick Aux, Today @ 7:30 p.m. | Details
- 🎭 Melissa Etheridge Off Broadway, New World Stages, Today —Oct. 29 | Details
🐝 Brooklyn Buzz:
- Hurricane Sandy & Brooklyn Gentrification: POLITICO's Gloria Gonzalez walks us through how the super storm expedited gentrification in the NYC borough: "The recovery from Sandy has been particularly slow and painful for Black, brown and low-income residents, with the storm creating new challenges in an expensive city with a massive affordable housing deficit." Read more at the link. (POLITICO)
- The Fight for Children: Bronx Defenders attorney Shalleck-Klein started a family law practice just 6 months ago and won an award for it. At the link, see how he's using his $200,000 prize money to continue the fight for children in NYC. (Subscription / The New York Times)
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Events:
- The People's Money Idea Generation Information Session (October 26)
- JUST LISTED!! "Welcome Home" Magnificent 6 Bedroom Colonial in Forest Hills Gardens (October 26)
- Greene Hill School Lower School Tour (October 27)
- Kids Superhero Yoga Party for Halloween (October 27)
- Parenting Young Children in the New Normal (October 27)
- The OMNI Ensemble Begins Its 40th Season (October 29)
- Oumou Sangaré Makes Her Apollo Debut Saturday, Oct. 29! (October 29)
- Regina Opera's 'Gotta Sing' Concert (October 30)
- Add your event
You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!
— Carlie Houser
About me: I'm a recent grad based in Brooklyn, NY. I love to write, run, read, and find new restaurants and venues around the city.
Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Brooklyn Daily? Contact me at brooklyn@patch.com
