Page 1: Hope is alive in Brooklyn, thanks to the new president. The Brooklyn Paper provides full coverage of the local angle, plus major stories on Brooklyn Bridge Park and the mayor’s Coney Island plan (hint: Nathan’s could be torn down). This issue is packed, and features all the arts stories, listings and columns you expect from The Brooklyn Paper, Brooklyn’s real newspaper for 30 years. Keep hustlin’, Brooklyn!

Council: Bloomy Coney rezoney is no baloney

By Mike McLaughlin

Department of City Planning

Coney Island: A City Council committee approves the city’s plan to revive Coney Island. Comments (3).

Smartmom’s kids: Write is so wrong

Parenting: Smartmom’s kids have dropped a momshell! Comments (24).

Dog gone? Nathan’s could be victim of Coney success

By Mike McLaughlin

Coney Island: The iconic Nathan’s hot dog stand, which has been in Coney Island since 1916, has emerged as the test case in the city’s quest to spur a renaissance in the People’s Playground by rezoning the limping area. Comments (3).

HOPE! Obama inspires Brooklynites — blue or red and black or white

By The Brooklyn Paper staff

Politics: From a packed assembly at a Clinton Hill elementary school to a full crowd at Borough Hall to even the apartment of a John McCain supporter, Brooklyn lived up to its adopted name — Baracklyn — on Tuesday, cheering as Barack Obama finally received his new title: president of the United States. Comments (1).

Make ‘park’ a real park

Editorial: Our editorial board calls for the Brooklyn Bridge Park development to be scrapped and reconceived as a real public park. Comments (8).

Brooklyn Academy of Music seeks the big bucks in hard times

By Ben Muessig

Fort Greene: One year into an ambitious, five-year, $300-million fundraising mission, the Brooklyn Academy of Music has already netted half of the coveted cash. But can the arts center raise the rest at in a time when other arts institutions are seeing sharp declines in donations? Comments (1).

All drawn out

By Cristian Fleming

Atlantic Yards: Our cartoonist Cristian Fleming offers his take on the mayor’s Coney Island plan. Comment.

The Brooklyn Paper mailbag

Letters: The mailbag is filled as usual with letters. Obviously, people have a problem with some of our stories, like the lady from Kensington, who didn’t like our front-page story on “Stable Brooklyn.” Also, check out more angry mail about Gersh’s takedown of Peter Luger. Comment.

Rock of aged: Bay Ridge bands never die — and they don’t fade away either

By Ben Muessig

Music: Neil Young said that it’s better to burn out than it is to rust. Obviously, he’s never rocked in Bay Ridge. Comments (7).

Brook-vin opens tonight!

By Gersh Kuntzman

Dining: A new wine bar opens on Seventh Avenue — so lift a glass of the great house red. Comment.

Council $eat becoming two-man race

By Mike McLaughlin

Park Slope: Just-released campaign finance filings by the six candidates seeking to represent a broad swath of Brownstone Brooklyn in the City Council show a shift in momentum. Comments (1).

A one-block landmark in W’burg

By Ben Muessig

Williamsburg: The city is aiming to protect at least one Williamsburg block from the high-speed development that has forever changed the neighborhood’s shape. Comment.

Big arts: Two new galleries open

By Sarah Portlock

Art: The economy may stink, but that isn’t stopping the owners of two new art galleries. Comment.

Eat here

By Sarah Portlock

Dining: It’s on an unlikely block — yet Vinegar Hill House has become a destination restaurant almost overnight. Comments (3).

‘Circuit’ breaker

By Ben Muessig

Shopping: Bay Ridge’s booming 86th Street is about to be unplugged. Comments (9).

Drunk drivers are no match for this cop

By Sarah Portlock

Brooklyn Heights: The only people not toasting police officer Larry Santiago are the drunk drivers he busts. Comments (1).

Our exclusive family calendar!

By Susan Rosenthal Jay

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comments (1).

Civic calendar

All the community meetings you should be going to. Comment.

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009

Here they are — your Police Blotters

Crime: If it’s Wednesday, it’s Police Blotter day on BrooklynPaper.com. Find your neighborhood below or click the link above to get a full list.

Dog gone? Nathan’s could be victim of Coney success

By Mike McLaughlin

Coney Island: The city’s plans for turning Coney Island into a year round tourist destination may lead to the demolition of the world famous Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand. Comments (9).

Cartoonist has gone country

By Gersh Kuntzman

Music: One of the coolest acts to come out of Brooklyn’s music scene is a country-crooning Jewish cartoonist from the New Yorker magazine who has two creaky chords and a voice that sounds like it was run over by the kind of beat-up Dodge that rumbles through his songs. Comment.

Care Bears on Fire are ready for prime time (even on a school night!)

By Gersh Kuntzman

Music: Finally, the Care Bears on Fire are not just for kids anymore. Comments (8).

Death claims woman — and pet store

By Christina Long

Brooklyn Heights: It looks like the Tailored Pet is going to die with Serena Bellino. Comments (1).

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009

Smartmom’s family hates her column

By Louise Crawford

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Smartmom says her family is revolting — revolting against her column, that is. Comments (10).

From ‘Green Church’ ruins, a school will rise

By Ben Muessig

Bay Ridge: The plan to build a school on the site of Bay Ridge’s now demolished “Green Church” earned an A+ from an influential neighborhood group last week. Comments (6).

Monday, Jan. 19, 2009

Yes you can — can watch the inauguration, that is

By Evan Gardner

Event: Everyone keeps asking us, “Where can we watch the inauguration?” Well, here’s where. You’re welcome. Comment.

Hotel is true bleu!

By Gersh Kuntzman

Park Slope: Something’s up at Hotel LeBleu on Fourth Avenue in Park Slope — but it’s not the occupancy rates, as this exclusive podcast reveals. Join Brooklyn Paper Editor Gersh Kuntzman and Señor Editor Vince DiMiceli as they uncover the blue news at Hotel LeBleu. With video … Comments (1).

Friday, Jan. 16, 2009

Sour ‘Cherry’: BAM’s Chekhov is a big slog

By Gersh Kuntzman

Joan Marcus

Theater: Our critic has a problem with the Sam Mendes-directed production of Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” at BAM. Comments (2).

Ace of clubs! Author Henkin will visit your book group

By Zeke Faux

Books: Call him the anti-Salinger. Call him a shameless self-promoter. Hey, just call him — he’ll show up at your book club! Comment.

Marty to CB2: Let’s drink liberally

By Zeke Faux

Nightlife: A look at Community Board 2’s strict approach to drinking. Comments (2).

The weekender! Here’s what you should do on Saturday and Sunday

Weekender: Once again, the invaluable Brooklyn Paper is back with some nice tips for this weekend. Keep hustlin’, Brooklyn! Comment.

Methodist Hospital rolls a lucky seven with Park Slope Parents

By Zeke Faux

Park Slope: New York Methodist Hospital has pacified the famously irascible Park Slope Parents. Comment.

Most egg-cellent podcast! Paper team makes news on coldest day

DUMBO: The Brooklyn Paper’s “Stormtracker 2009” team hit the streets on the coldest day of the year to see once and for all whether you can freeze an egg on the sidewalk. The results — disgusting! With video … Comment.

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