NEW MEMBERS OF BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY BOARDS ARE SWORN IN

On June 15th, Marty hosted an orientation program and swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed Brooklyn Community Board members at Brooklyn Borough Hall. The orientation program offered information on the new members; responsibilities and their role in the city budget process, land-use-review procedures and service delivery. Representatives from the Mayor’s Assistance Unit, the Conflicts of Interest Board, the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, the Department of City Planning, and the Board of Standards and Appeals were also on meet the new members.

MARTY DEMANDS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR BROOKLYN’S IMMIGRANTS

On June 17, Marty again demanded that the federal government provide adequate funding for immigration offices in New York State and Brooklyn to maintain proper staff levels to help ease the backlog of citizenship cases. According to the government figures, there is a backlog of more than 100,000 pending citizenship cases in New York City, more than any other district in the country. Brooklyn is home to one of the largest populations of immigrants anywhere in the United States. Marty demands that President Bush keep his 2000 campaign promise to eliminate the backlog of immigrants waiting to become citizens. “Everyone benefits when immigrants become citizens and gain the right to vote. Citizens are able to participate fully in our democracy by having a strong voice in our legal and political processes, and by earning a greater stake in their communities,” said Marty. “Brooklyn is home to everyone from everywhere, and we should be the model for successful immigration, not the poster child for delay and frustration.”

VICTOR MOONEY ROWS FOR 48 HOURS FOR NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY

On June 25, Marty praised Brooklynite Victor Mooney as he began his rowing marathon in preparation for his journey from Senegal to Brooklyn to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. Mooney started his 48-hour “rowathon” on the steps of Borough Hall to commemorate National HIV Testing Day on June 27. The rowing marathon simulated Mooney’s planned 8,000-mile transatlantic journey from Goree Island, Senegal, in West Africa to Brooklyn beginning in February 2005 to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. “Victor Mooney is truly showing the spirit of Brooklyn with his rowing project to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, and I know he’ll stay right on course,” said Marty. At Borough Hall, Mooney alternated rowing for two hours and resting for one hour, as he will do on the specially designed rowboat he’s taking on the solo journey from Africa to Brooklyn. Regarding his transatlantic excursion, Mooney said, “My trip ends when I cross under the Brooklyn Bridge — that’s how I’ll know I’m home.”

THE 21ST ANNUAL MERMAID PARADE GETS WACKY AT CONEY

On June 26, Marty joined thousands of Brooklynites celebrating the official start of summer in Brooklyn at the nation’s largest art parade: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. The Mermaid Parade was founded in 1983 by Dick D. Zigun and Coney Island USA, a not-for-profit arts organization, to pay homage to Coney Island’s Mardi Gras festival, which was held from 1903 to 1954. The parade celebrates the beach, the beginning of summer and Coney Island pride, and represents everything Brooklyn is known for nationally: modesty, subtlety and shyness. Parade revelers dress in handmade costumes as mermaids, the sea god Neptune and various sea creatures, and are led by a celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid, who assist in the opening of the beach for the summer season. This year’s King Neptune was renowned musician Moby and Queen Mermaid was Theo from the rock band Lunachicks.

PROSPECT PARK PARADE GROUND REOPENS

On June 26, the newly renovated Parade Ground at Prospect Park was officially re-opened to the public. Located across Parkside Avenue from the South edge of the park, the upgraded facilities include 11 athletic fields, including a baseball diamond with covered dugouts, bleachers, scoreboard and night lighting; two softball fields; an artificial-turf football field; a soccer field; five are artificial turf to be used year-round; basketball, volleyball and horseshoe courts; New York City’s first netball court; and a snack bar, picnic area and new drainage system. Many future baseball legends got their start playing at the Parade Ground, including the Dodgers southpaw Sandy Koufax, Frank and Joe Torre, and Manny Ramirez. The four-year reconstruction project was launched by the Prospect Park Alliance along with neighbors and local sports teams, with $12.5 million in assistance from Borough President Emeritus Howard Golden.

BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCHES “READ BROOKLYN!” SUMMER READING LIST AT BOROUGH HALL

On June 28, Marty joined Brooklyn Public Library Deputy Executive Director Siobhan Reardon in kicking off “Read Brooklyn!,” BPL’s summer reading program highlighting books about Brooklyn and by Brooklyn authors. Before some of Brooklyn’s great writers read from their work in Borough Hall Plaza, Marty encouraged Brooklynites of all ages to read about Brooklyn. “In a city, the city of Brooklyn, with more characters than anywhere else in the world, of course Brooklynites have the best stories to tell, and the most creative minds to spin those tales,” said Marty. Some of the authors who read from their work include: Maggie Estep, D.V. Bernard, Alexander Chee and Joanna Hershon.

BROOKLYN MORNS

Gloria Halloway was an outstanding educated and community leader, and she will be missed.