Real Men Love Cats: Meet Mario

kentaveJust over a month ago I posted an item noting the destruction, rendered with extreme prejudice, of the feral cat condo complex on Metropolitan Avenue (as seen at left). Those of you who are not in the know can see the aftermath for yourselves by clicking here.realmenlovecats

I have frequently wondered exactly what happened. Well, as it would happen I recently met the fellow who oversees this colony. He calls himself Super Mario and he had quite a tail tale to tell. You see, Mario tends a number of feral colonies hereabouts. He has done so for a long time and feeds no less than 76 cats (!) daily. Despite his slightly intimidating physical presence one can clearly see Mario loves the critters under his care. And anyone who loves cats, well, is a friend of mine.

Hence why I am writing this post.

Mario has names for all the kitties under his care. Without argument the “queen” of the colony is a lass named Spotty.

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Her “boyfriend”, as Mario explained to me, is this formidable fellow whose name I do not recall.

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Mario told me he is, at seven years of age, among the older inhabitants of this pride. As such he generally stays close to “home” and spends his golden years lounging in the sun and napping.

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After I took the above photo a chap sporting a black and white tuxedo coat slipped by. He had neither the time nor the desire for my photo-taking. He was hungry! Mario explained to me his “girlfriend” seems to have gone missing. However, he was sporting some scratches on his paw (which Mario is tending), so this might be due to feline fisticuffs over her affections. Such is the world of cats.

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When I asked Mario what happened to the colony last month, he explained to me that there is a fellow thereabouts who dislikes cats. So much so, he saw fit to not only render their home into rubbish.

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…but took the added measure of throwing some of it over the fence of an adjacent lot for good measure. What’s more, once the colony was moved onto the premises in question he saw fit to enter and destroy that as well. So now the gate is padlocked. I know what you’re thinking, gentle readers:

Did Mario contact the police?

Answer: yes. As Mario explained to me they explained to him that they could not do anything because (and I quote) “the man is crazy”. That may very well be. However, trespassing and destruction of property do strike me as being criminal acts and therefore a police matter.

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In closing, those of you who happen to reside near this facility please help keep an eye on it. If you see something suspicious, say something! Ultimately it is up to us humans to advocate for the welfare of Spotty and her furry friends. They do not have the ability to blog much less call 311.

P.S.: It should be noted that Mario created a memorial for the feral furkids who died during the demolition of Monster Island. This too was destroyed. Mario has informed me he will be replacing it. I have asked him to contact me when he does.

And Now A Word From Our Assemblyman…

levinmailer2

 

Every evening the Mister checks the mail. And every evening he faithfully presents the latest campaign “material”— with commentary— for my delectation. I will refrain from publishing what he had to say about this one. No worries, I have plenty to say…

  • On the subject of “safer” streets: the last I checked a LOT of people— including not one, but TWO Transportation Chairs of Community Board 1— were quite vocal and pro-active about the manifold number of pedestrian/bicyclist safety and traffic woes hereabouts. Methinks both preceded Mr. Levin’s tenure as our City Councilman. While it is laudible that he helped push the matter, the fact of the matter is what has been accomplished thus far (there’s still a long way to go) is not, by any means, exclusively his handiwork. Plain and simple. Step back, Steve.
  • While I am on the subject of safer streets, Levin fails to note that it was under his watch that crime has increased in the 94th Precinct. Specifically, Greenpoint— his “home”. I attended the Community Council meetings. The idea of bringing back “block watchers” and “neighborhood watch groups” was presented by concerned citizens. Nonetheless, our City Councilman saw fit to do nothing until the problem got too much publicity to ignore. And even then meeting he conducted with Mr. Lentol conflicted with a Land Use Committee meeting regarding Greenpoint Landing and 77 Commercial Street. Hmm.
  • “Fairer Budget”: the concept of participatory budgeting is a good one. The way it is implemented, however, is not. Since (for all intents and purposes) all the outreach is done online, less affluent/tech-savvy citizens and communities are precluded from the process.
  • Greener Brooklyn: the repaved pathways and benches at McCarren are nice— but what about essentials like trash cans, port-o-lets and, yes, toilet seats? These may not be the stuff of excitement (or campaign mailers), but they are necessary. As for WNYC Transmitter Park: this has been on the table (so to speak) for decades. I know this because awesome ladies like Irene Klementowicz fought long and hard for it to happen. This is not Mr. Levin’s achievement by a long shot. Above all, calling a walkway, benches and one new park a “win” for his north Brooklyn constituency is laughable. Really.
  • Stronger education: while I find his rhetoric (especially as it pertains to charter schools) compelling, I have to wonder whose work he is taking credit for on this one?

In closing I have to say I am disappointed in Mr. Lentol for endorsing Steve Levin. Then again, I was also disappointed when I read this from the New York Times a couple months ago…

Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, Democrat of Brooklyn, sponsored a bill to retroactively extend tax breaks to developers who had converted old factories into luxury lofts. That bill passed the State Senate. Alas, it foundered in the Assembly. And that, he noted, broke the hearts of a few developers.

“Was this proposed tax break for these properties a good thing or not? I can’t say,” Mr. Lentol said. “I don’t have enough knowledge to say it’s a good thing or bad thing.”

And if legislators don’t ask, why should anyone else?

That is an excellent question.

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Why should we ask about luxury loft conversions of old factories? I have. Over and over. Mr. Levin attempted to assuage yours truly regarding 239 Banker Street some time ago:

Heather,

I have noticed your posts and am glad you continue to bring light to the issue of lofts in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The Loft Law was designed to protect residential tenants who, knowingly or unknowingly, moved into manufacturing or commercial spaces and it may grant rights for tenants to save and stabilize their housing and avoid the excessive costs associated with being vacated.  With regard to 239 Banker Street, I cannot say whether they will be covered by the Loft Law.  (As the law stands presently, no. — Ed. Note) However, when the building was vacated in 2009, many tenants suddenly lost their living spaces as well as thousands of dollars in rent and security deposits.  I do not want to see a repeat of that event.  I will work to ensure that all building code issues at 239 Banker are addressed, but I hope to avoid seeing another vacate order if possible.  All I can do is try to spread the word about the Loft Law…

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216siegelstreet

…so that tenants in such spaces can apply for coverage that they may be legally entitled to.  Of course, the Loft Board will make final determinations about each application individually.

When queried about the rather notorious property that is the former “Sweater Factory Lofts” last November by the New York Times, Mr. Levin had nothing to say. In the meantime the owner(s) of this illegal loft conversion are getting $2,700 – $3,400 month in rent— and, no, the living conditions are not so hot the last I heard


The former “tenant” of this “room” (which I can assure you is QUITE illegal) paid $925.00 a month. Loft law application FAIL.

The Word On The Street, Part II: STOP

bogartstreet

Taken August 29, 2013.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Saw Something, Said Something

August 23, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11211, Criminal Activity, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

iay17h56

A person we’ll call “X” writes today at 6:09 p.m.:

Hi Miss Heather. I am a lurker on New York Shitty and I pay special attention to your posts about crimes in the area.

I was jogging near the Williamsburg Bridge today and I spotted this guy:

http://www.newyorkshitty.com/williamsburg/95049#respond

He was unmistakable. I remembered him from your post a few weeks back. The yellow bike with the blue seat was the first thing I noticed. I trailed him for a little while and watched him pull on doors, checking if they were open. We made eye contact and that’s when I stopped and called the police.

I met with the police and showed them the guy’s picture and the posting and then I kept on running. Hope they get this punk today!

First off I want to thank X for contacting the police. Well done! Although I sincerely hope he/she made a spot-on identification and the police caught this fellow, the fact of the matter is someone trying doors (so as to find one which is unlocked) is bad news. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: please, please make sure your front doors are locked/secured. Do not simply “buzz” people into your building without discerning who he/she is— or better yet: meet/greet anyone desiring access to your building in person. Ask questions. If you see anything amiss, say something to the police. STAT.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Word From The NYPD

suspects

(via an anonymous tipster):

The New York City Police Department is asking the public’s assistance identifying the suspects wanted for a burglary within the confines of the 94 Precinct. Details are as follows:

On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 1945 hours the 3 suspects broke the front door lock of an apartment building in the Greenpoint Section of Brooklyn, went to the garage and removed 3 bicycles. The suspects then fled the scene.

Anyone with information in regards to this burglary is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

QUICKLINKS: A Couple Of Items From The New York Daily News

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  • A take on the recent “crime wave” in Greenpoint. Interesting quote/teaser:
    “We always have these waves (of crime),” said Community Affairs Officer Steve Truglio of the 94th Precinct. 

    Truglio declined to discuss if the precinct is altering its tactics to combat the crime increase. But he did say criminals are attracted to the neighborhood for the same reason as Willie Sutton robbed banks — that’s where the money is.

  • A run-down of the pistol-whipping which came to pass this weekend.

 

Mark Your Calendars: Meeting On Crime

August 13, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11222, Criminal Activity, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn 

flyer

 

Be there!

Meeting On Crime
August 19, 2013 starting 6:30
Church of the Ascension
127 Kent Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222

From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part III: A Word From The 94th Precinct

August 10, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11211, Criminal Activity, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

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iay17h56

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This comes via anonymous tipster:

The New York City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating the following suspect wanted in connection with a burglary that occurred within the confines of the 94th Precinct.  The details are as follows:

On Saturday, August 3, 2013, at 1030 hours, the suspect entered a commercial establishment at 242 Wythe Avenue by impersonating as a messenger and removed $1121.83, credit and debit cards from a cash box before fleeing.

A photo of the suspect and his bicycle are attached.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).  The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part IV: A Word From The 94 Precinct

Although this has gotten a nice clip of attention elsewhere I feel compelled to pass it along here anyway:

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating two (2) male whites wanted in connection with twelve (12) burglaries that occurred in the 94 Precinct.

The suspects forcibly enter commercial establishments by gaining entry through the street level entrances, remove unknown amounts of USC from cash registers, and flee in a minivan.

Incident #1 – Between approximately 0400 hours and 1000 hours on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 158 Norman Ave. (Connie’s).

Incident #2 – Between approximately 0300 hours and 0630 hours on Friday, June 28, 2013 at 160 Franklin St. (Mrs. Kim’s).

Incident #3 – Between approximately 1700 hours on Tuesday, July 2, 2013 and approximately 0340 hours on Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 224 Franklin St. (TBD Bar).

Incident #4 – Between approximately 0057 hours and 0300 hours on Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 457 Graham Ave. (Grandma Rose’s).

Incident #5 – Between approximately 0437 hours and 0500 hours on Sunday, July 21, 2013 at 134 Kingsland Ave. (One Stop Beer Shop).

Incident #6 – Between approximately 2300 hours on Sunday, July 21, 2013 and approximately 0630 hours on Monday, July 22, 2013 at 94 Franklin St. (Cookie Road).

Incident #7 – Between approximately 0153 hours and 156 hours on Monday, July 22, 2013 at 257 Driggs Ave. (Freddy Food Market).

Incident #8 – At approximately 0533 hours on Monday, July 22, 2013 at 579 Meeker Ave. (Boulevard Tavern).

Incident #9 – At approximately 0309 hours on Friday, July 26, 2013 at 125 Wythe Ave. (Fat Goose).

Incident #10 – Between approximately 2300 hours on Thursday, July 25, 2013 and 0600 hours on Friday, July 26, 2013 at 103 N. 3 St. (Modca).

Incident #11 – At approximately 0150 hours on 133 Roebling St. (Osilo Coffee Shop).

Incident #12 – Between approximately 2000 hours on Thursday, July 25, 2013 and approximately 0930 hours on Friday, July 26, 2013 at 183 Norman Ave. (Ameenas Florist).

See attached video (captured during Incident #8).

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Word From The 94th Precinct

missingNYS

From the NYPD via an anonymous tipster:

The New York City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance locating the following individual who was reported missing on July 27, 2013 in the confines of the 94 Pct.

Dana Bonanno F/W/33 of 100 Freeman Street Brooklyn NY

She is 5’2 115 lbs.

If you have seen Miss Bonanno or know of her whereabouts, please say something to the 94th. STAT. 

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