Firstly Paloma, at 60 Greenpoint Avenue, went up in flames on presidential election night after an alleged electrical fault. According to New York Magazine, the fire at the popular local eaterie owned and run by TV chef Camille Beccerra, began upstairs and spread to the rest of the building. Patrons celebrating Barack Obama’s victory had to be evacuated but nobody was injured, press reports stated.

Meanwhile, further along trendy Franklin Street, the renowned Queen’s Hideaway restaurant closed in late October due to “lease issues”, reported blog-site Gothamist.  Owner Liza Queen is allegedly blaming her landlord, who increased the rent “astronomically,” for the forced closure. She told Gothamist: “People have been very sweet and sad about it. I think we’re the last of those kind of vaguely scruffy places.”

The Milton Street church hands out 175 bags of food produce to anyone turning up on Wednesday afternoons and estimates it has reached around 1,100 people.

Staff say they have seen a huge increase in need recently and blame the rise on city authorities shutting homeless shelters in Manhattan and sending people out to Brooklyn, as well as the worsening economy.

Local residents spoke up in favor of the church’s actions at the October 6 Community District One gathering. “There’s a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street but no bailout for us,” said Rolf Carl, of Milton Street. “It’s always the same – the community has to do it for themselves.”

Anyone eager to volunteer or donate food can contact the Greenpoint Reformed Church, at 136 Milton Street, on 718.383.5941.

Earlier this month around 70 people turned out to brainstorm for a community group called NAG. Neighbours Allied for Good Growth has been working to improve Greenpoint and Williamsburg since 1994 and on October 2 invited residents to help formulate the group’s new key priorities.

During the 90 minute forum – held on the same evening as the vice presidential debates – participants split into workshop groups to highlight an array of problems afflicting the area. By my reckoning the three most consistent complaints concerned:

1. Transport to, from and within north Brooklyn
2. Lack of access to the waterfront
3. Disappearance of affordable housing

“I was blown away by the number of people who turned out wanting to talk about the issues,” said Michael Freedman Schnapp, 28, one of the organizers. “Clearly there’s a need for community associations like ours.”

What do you think are the biggest issues facing north Brooklyn and the best way to address them?

We are part of TheBrooklynInk.com series of websites serving Kings County communities with local news, election ’08 coverage and dispatches on the gathering economic storm.

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