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Mr. Junkersfeld’s Further Survey of Pier 1′s Fauna and Flora


Karl, our man with cam, returns to Pier 1 and finds a breeding ground for monarch butterflies, perhaps deliberately encouraged by the planting of common boneset.

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Brooklyn Green Roofs: Sitting On Top of the World

I recently met up with Inger Yancey, architect and founder of Brooklyn Green Roofs, a company that designs and installs green roofs atop city homes and offices. Green roofs not only bring a bit of nature back to the city, but create more energy-efficient buildings as well. More information after the jump! (more…)

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Promenade Pruning Demo Friday at Noon

Flickr photo by Jonathan Landsman

This just in from the Promenade Gardner, Jonathan Landsman:

Congratulations, Brooklyn Heights, the garden at the Montague Street entrance to the Promenade won Parks Department’s Garden of the Month last April!

This season, to keep the garden excellent, I’ll be  putting some finishing touches on that garden’s shrubs. On Friday at noon I’ll prune the garden’s specimen hydrangeas—the best two shrubs on the Promenade—and make my best effort to demonstrate good pruning, giving tips and answering questions for anyone interested.

Friday, Aug 20 at about noon to 1: You’re invited to bring your lunch to the nearby benches and enjoy a little live-action gardening, and ask questions if you like.

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Pizza for Pigeons on the Promenade

BHB photo by C. Scales

BHB photo by C. Scales

Feathered friends feast on deep-dish Sicilian.

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Joralemon Street Sunflowers

From Joralemon Street Sunflowers

In front of the David Chauncey House.

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Tree Stalker Nabbed

Courtesy New York Times

Courtesy New York Times

A man described as “one seriously disturbed individual” was recently caught after police and local bloggers followed his trail of torn branches. The assailant was identified as Steve Maynard, a Prospect Heights resident who had been hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation, then released only to vandalize the trees on Livingston St. from Flatbush Ave. to Hoyt. Maynard had been spotted at night literally tearing trees limb from limb. More after the jump.

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Flowers in the Hole!

Before, with Loch Ness Monster

Before, with Loch Ness Monster

[caption id="attachment_20249" align="alignnone" width="420" caption="After, with flowers"]After, with flowers[/caption]Clark Street Restaurant’s Harry Sgantzos showed off his green thumb, bringing a heartwarming ending to the saga of the Clark and Henry hole in the ground.

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Con Ed Called: We’re Back In Business

Con Edison just made a friendly automated phone call alerting Heights residents that the full power has been restored. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming in the A/C.

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Power Reductions Continue

This just in from Con Edison via the BHA:

CON EDISON REDUCES VOLTAGE IN ADDITIONAL BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS NEW YORK – Because of problems on electrical cables supplying power to eight Brooklyn neighborhoods, Con Edison has reduced voltage by 8 percent to that area.

The neighborhoods are Vinegar Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill.

The affected area is bounded by the East River on the north and west, South Oxford Street and Fifth Avenue on the east, and Third Street/Fourth Street on the south. The area includes approximately 51,500 metered customers.

Last night, the company announced voltage reduction in a number of other neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. Company crews are working now to repair the problems. Con Edison has asked customers in the affected areas to turn off electrical appliances to help reduce electricity usage until equipment problems can be resolved.

The equipment problems in the affected areas have no effect on the rest of the Con Edison system. Con Edison will provide updates to affected customers both directly and through the media as the situation warrants. The company is in constant communication withthe New York City Office of Emergency Management.

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Running the Heights!

cadman-track1With the nice weather finally upon us, it’s prime time to explore the beauty of Brooklyn Heights and squeeze in a workout at the same time: go for a run! As a BHB contributor and avid runner, I pose to my fellow pavement pounders a thread to share routes short and long, intense and easy, at sunrise or sunset. Sick of the crowds on the Brooklyn Bridge? Ready to throw a tourist over the Promenade railing? Share your hidden gem of a trail!
To begin, here’s one of mine: Julie’s 4-miler

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