We continue to have problems with our webhost, which continues to provide us with an astounding amount of down time, usually in the morning and usually for several hours. We were hit again yesterday starting around 9:30AM. We apologize if you’ve been tuning in to GL and finding nothing and hope that you come back later if you do. We have no idea if we’ll be victimized by the vile lunarpages again, but have our fingers crossed.

[Image courtesy of acsweet/flickr]

Tomorrow (Saturday, 8/9) is the next and final installment of Williamsburg Walks, which is the car-free Bedford Avenue experiment that will be taking place from Noon-7PM between Metropolitan Avenue and N. 12 Street. Check it out. Tomorrow is also the first installment of the city’s Summer Streets program, though that ambitious initiative is confined to Manhattan. In Park Slope, meanwhile, the Park Slope Civic Council and the merchants associations are working on a Park Slope Promenade proposal for 5th and 7th Avenues for the fall.

The Times looks again at one of the Freaks of Shoot the Freak in Coney Island. “Jose lives in East New York, Brooklyn, and is going into his senior year at Progress High School for Professional Careers, in Williamsburg. He wants to become a police officer, a profession in which the whole dodging shooters thing might come in handy.”–NYT

[Photo courtesy of kmf221/flickr]

Here the National Night Out Against Crime from Greenwood Playground in Windsor Terrace the other night. The photographer has posted a really big photoset of the festivities over at flickr.

[Photo courtesy of stellag/flickr]

No description is needed here for the Brooklyn Bridge + Waterfalls courtesy of stellag via our GL Flickr Pool.

It’s only going to be 71 today and there will be “times of clouds and sun with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm.” It will be partly cloudy with a low of 64 tonight.–Accuweather

We don’t know what happened to the signs at the corner of N. 9 Street and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg, but it does seem like it was violent. We are guessing they are victims of a vehicular homicide.

[Photo courtesy of Erinmelina/GL Flickr Pool]

This specimen comes from Second Street near Bond in Gowanus. It came our way via GL Flickr Pool contributor Erinmelina.

[Photo courtesy of Adrian Kinloch/Brit in Brooklyn]

This is Ram’s Roti Shop in Ditmas Park, offering the taste of a mother’s love. The image comes to us from Brit in Brooklyn blogger and GL Contributor Adrian Kinloch.

Red Hook blogger Callalillie, who shut down her blog earlier this year, is back, but won’t be a Red Hook blogger much longer. As for her return, she writes:

Yeah, so I’m back. I think. For now. At least I think I am. Over the past two months I’ve been thinking a lot about blogging- how I hate the term blogger and generally the word blog, how relieved I felt when I shut this thing down…but also how, after a while, I started to miss it. I began callalillie during a very new time in my life- Brooklyn was (fairly) new to me, I had undergone a lot of life changes and continued to do so for about three of the five years that callalillie existed. It got tougher to write naturally once I had settled into things. To put it succinctly, a contented, stable life helped me run out of things to say- and that’s not a bad thing.

Read more, including…gasp…the purchase of a house, which is not in Red Hook.

With 111 Kent, the mid-rise condo that has gone up at N. 7 Street and Kent Avenue across from East River State Park, the Williamsburg waterfront sales fight is going from two combatants–Northside Piers and The Edge–to three. Not that there’s any comparison between the relatively diminutive 111 Kent, which only has 62 units and the behemoths to its south. (Also, the building is one of the few big ones in Williamsburg to be known simply by its address.) Here’s a rundown on the building from a long profile in the new Real Deal:

Sixty percent of the building’s units are two-bedrooms between 1,100 and 1,200 square feet; there are some one-bedrooms, a handful of ground-floor duplexes between 1,500 and 1,800 square feet, and a few three-bedrooms. The 720-square-foot one-bedroom units on the south side are the apparent value plays, starting at $575,000. The living rooms in the waterfront two-bedroom units jut out from the building façade…so residents can position furniture toward the Midtown Manhattan skyline, which is slightly north of the building…The condo will have a rooftop outdoor pool with two south-facing sundecks and private cabanas for sale, a gym, window-walled lounge, underground parking with valet service and a 3,000-square-foot private garden in the back.

There’s a sales office opening across the street in the fall.

Another day, another child and nanny story from a local park. (Hey, it’s summer.) This one comes from Carroll Park and the BoCoCa Parents Group. Here are some excperts:

This morning around 10:15, I was taking my son into the little side at Carroll Park and when I opened the gate a little boy wearing a red Plymouth Summer Camp t-shirt ran out. I stopped him and asked where him “Where is your grown-up? Where is your mommy? Where is you babysitter?” He just shrugged and giggled and ran away. I went around to every person in the little side asking if they were with the boy, and nobody knew him.

Then I walked around asking each of the people in the sprinkler area, nobody there knew him either. He ran into the big side and laid down on the bridge without making contact with an adult. I went around that side as well and still nobody knew him. I finally went to get Kathleen [the park caretaker], and she did the same thing– she went around asking everyone and talking to the boy but not getting answers about his name or his caregiver’s name. She headed toward the middle monument area with him and FINALLY a babysitter appeared. I am not exaggerating that 20 minutes had passed since the boy ran out of the gate. I have no idea how long he had been inside the little play area before I got there.

The caregiver was not only MIA, but rude.

This vid documents the party Fido held in Prospect Park last weekend in celebration of the dog advocacy group’s 10th anniversary. Borough President Marty Markowitz waxes poetic about Fido’s achievements, but the pooches steal the show. There’s also a Flickr set of the festivities here.

Although it depresses us to post anything to do with things that take place after Labor Day, as our decompression period from summer is long and our capacity for denial that it has come to an end is high, it’s worth noting that the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association has a new meeting place and has announced its meeting schedule for September and beyond. Here’s the info from CGNA:

Just a quick reminder- we resume the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association general meetings on Monday, Sept. 8 at our new location: Hannah Senesh Community Day School, 342 Smith St (entrance mid block between First and Second Place), First floor Gym, 7:30 PM. We will continue to meet on the second Monday of each month, barring holidays, which are noted(*). 2008 meeting dates: Sept. 8, Oct. 6* , Nov. 10, Dec. 8. 2009 meeting dates: Jan. 12, Feb. 9, Mar. 9, Apr. 6 *, May 11, June 8.

Given the number of issues at any given time in Carroll Gardens, the meeting are often quite interesting.

McBrooklyn points to a story in the Eagle about the hotel planned for Degraw Street between 3rd and 4th avenues, noting that the developer says the property will be operated by Choice Hotels, “the worldwide franchiser of Cambria Suites, Comfort Inn, Econo Lodge and others.” There’s already one Comfort Inn in Gowanus, as well as a Holiday Inn Express, and a Fairfield Inn is under construction on Butler and 3rd Avenue.–McBrooklyn

This all comes courtesy of Animal, which has images of fake American Apparel ads that have sprung up in Carroll Gardens. One of them is at Union and and we’re not showing either before the jump. Animal writes:

Brooklynites! The fake American Apparel ad artist is saving his/her dirtiest and headiest works for you. Here, on Smith Street at Union, the prankster, again tweaking AA’s Legalize LA posters, references the dirty Damien Hirst double penetration photo “Ho ho ho.” Ha! Porny AA CEO Dov Charney does love dildos. We even get a cameltoed bikini and the opening lyric from “Dress You Up.”…

We’ve got one of the ads from Court & Warren after the jump, but we’re hereby warning you not to go there (a). at the office or (b). if the kids are around. Click over to Animal for the Camel Toe-DP ad. Again, you’ve been warned.

Click here for the full ads that is cropped above. WARNING: Not family-friendly.

This is the possible future site of 399 Third Avenue in what might the heart of industrial Gowanus. We like the way the current Gowanus (junk removal sign and the landmark Eagle Clothing sign) juxtapose with the possible future, an office building that would be designed by Karl Fischer and would open (yeah, right) in Spring, 2009. The building would be 70,000 square feet and if one looks closely at the rendering (an enlargement of which appears after the jump) one can see other tall buildings reflected in the glass. Brownstoner had some detail on the Possible Hot Karlification of Gowanus last month.

For a closer look at the Gowanus Hot Karl goodness, click here.

Johnny’s Pizza and the Papa Johns that moved in next door in Sunset Park aren’t exactly good friends, but there has been no bloodshed and there appears to be an uneasy coexistence between the neighborhood business and the chain pizza place.–NYT

Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images:

· Two Teens Surrender in Crown Heights Shooting of 9 Year old [NYT]
· Big Brooklyn Cockfighting Bust [NYDN]
· Guess What: Subway Stations are Filthy [CityRoom]
· Stop Work Order at Avalon Myrtle [Brownstoner]
· CB1 Votes Unanimously Against Studio B Cabaret License [New York Shitty]
· Jim Mamary BBQ Restaurant Coming to Lincoln Road [Hawthorne Street]
· Wednesday Food & Drink Roundup [Brownstoner]
· Trader Joe’s Looking Good for Late September [Racked]
· New Dumbo Business Helps People Coping with Cancer [Dumbo NYC]
· Bed-Stuy Backyard Makeover [Bed-Stuy Blog]
· The Disappearing Bodega/Corner Store [Clinton Hill Chill]

[Photo courtesy of William Allatriste]

Public officials and community activists called on Long Island College Hospital at a rally in Cobble Hill to reconsider its decision to shut down its maternity ward and to come up with a plan to deal with its financial problems. The hospital has been closing and/or selling off buildings in Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. Two more buildings will be put on the market as part of the closure, bringing the total put up for sale in the last two years to four. (Curbed had a guest post yesterday by Lost City featuring a flier that’s been showing up in neighborhood mailboxes about LICH, in effect, helping to develop condos in the neighborhood.) LICH is run by Continuum Health Partners, which also manages Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan. Among those at the event were City Council Member Bill de Blasio, who’s taken a lead role in criticizing the shut down, along with Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, City Council Member Letitia James, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and State Senator Martin Connor.

LICH is not the only hospital in Brooklyn to close a maternity ward in recent years. Last December, Victory Memorial Hospital in Bay Ridge shut down its labor and delivery unit. Interfaith Medical Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant closed its maternity ward in 2004, and St. Mary’s Hospital closed down entirely in 2005.

“I am deeply disturbed by LICH’s recent decisions to close its maternity ward and rape crisis intervention program,” said Mr. de Blasio, who is running for Borough President. “Without these important components of the hospital, Brooklyn residents will not have access to the direct health care services they need and deserve. LICH must stop taking services away from Brooklyn families and work with the community to create a long-term plan for combating its financial problems.”

More from the LICH Rally, Ahead.

The controversial Dock Street building planned by Two Trees Management developer David Walentas has picked up some support from the School Construction Authority. Per today’s Daily News:

School Construction Authority President Sharon Greenberger announced the agency’s support for a school at the Dock St. tower project, raising neighborhood hackles. “It’s not an excuse for a building that most people in the district I represent would oppose,” said Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn Heights), citing concerns about skyline views from the Brooklyn Bridge alongside the proposed tower.

The development has sparked some bitter opposition in the neighborhood, particularly from those who say it would block views of the Brooklyn Bridge. The luxe condo project would include a school..

[Photo courtesy of Rubys Host/GL Flickr Pool]

All we can say about this astounding sunset pic that was dropped into our GL Flickr Pool by the wonderful Rubys Host is this: Holy. Crap.

“A friend of mine was actually on the playground and apparently it was pretty scary. Police were called when there was no adult claiming the kid for almost 45 minutes. Not the typical ‘not doing her job’ thing from what I heard. Looked like the kid could have ended up on the cover of the NYPost. Hope if/when I have kids that never happens to me.”–From the Slope: “Disturbing Incident at Ninth Street Playground”

For those who enjoy watching a film in Brooklyn Bridge Park with the Financial District skyline and Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop, the Movies with a View series is screening Pleasantville tonight. Per their site: “Back to the past imperfect. Pre-superstardom Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon time travel to a black-and-white ‘50s sitcom world, and the times, they end up a-changin’. With William H. Macy and Joan Allen.”

There was a baseball game at the Parade Ground in Prospect Park to celebrate the publication of Andrew Mele’s book “The Boys of Brooklyn” (Author House), which chronicles the history of baseball in the spot. Per a release about Field of Dreams Day from Eugene Patron:

Mele and members of the The Old Boys of Summer, a group of former minor league baseball players (ages 50s – 70s) who get together regularly to practice and play ball, enjoyed a game against the front office staff of the Brooklyn Cyclones. It was a friendly but serious rematch, with the Cyclones staff – who the Old Boys beat last time they met for a game – out to avenge their previous loss. The Cyclones staff won today’s game, but the Old Boys are already calling for a new rematch! Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz came to the baseball diamond to greet the players and present them with a proclamation honoring all the generations of great Brooklyn Baseball players…2008 is also the 125th anniversary of the only professional game ever played at the Parade Ground. OnMay 9, 1883 the Brooklyn team then known as the Grays took on the team from Harrisburg, Pa. in an official league contest. Brooklyn came away with the victory, 7-1.

Looks like a fun afternoon in the park.