Day: January 21, 2025

ARTS GOWANUS WILL HOST “Tides At Gowanus Wharf” from Friday, Jan. 24 to Sunday, Jan. 26 at Union Channel.

The post Gowanus culture highlighted at local artists exhibition appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

The New York Blood Center (NYBC) declared a statewide blood emergency on Tuesday as donations hit a critical low.

Amid National Blood Donor Month, the NYBC reported an “alarmingly low donor turnout,” with participation plummeting nearly 30%, leading to 6,500 fewer donations.

According to NYBC, donations tend to slow down during the winter due to holidays, cold weather, and seasonal illnesses. This year, the state faces additional challenges as Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surged across New York City over the past two months. Potential donors with the flu, a cold, or COVID-19 are ineligible to donate until their symptoms subside.

“The drop in donations serves as a critical reminder of the fragility of our nation’s blood supply,” said Andrea Cefarelli, NYBC’s senior vice president, in a statement. “We’re urging all eligible New Yorkers to start the new year by saving lives — schedule a donation today and bring a friend to double the impact!”

The call for donors includes all blood types, but there is heightened urgency for Type O-negative and Type B-negative donations. Supplies of these critical blood types have dwindled to dangerously low levels, with just a 1-3 day reserve remaining.

Low donation rates have become a persistent national problem, according to the American Red Cross, with the organization logging its lowest donation levels in two decades.

Blood supply shortages affect more than trauma and surgical patients. Low donations significantly impact individuals who need consistent blood transfusions, including people who live with chronic illnesses, cancer, and sickle cell anemia. 

“We thank and encourage all community blood donors to roll up their sleeves to meet our patients’ transfusion needs now and throughout the year,” said James Martone, assistant vice president of clinical laboratory operations at Northwell Health. “Countless lives are saved thanks to the selfless generosity of these individuals.” 

Who is eligible to donate?

According to NYBC, donors must be at least 17 years old — or 16 with a guardian’s written consent — and weigh at least 110 pounds. Those over 76 must provide a doctor’s note to donate. Donors must be in good health and are ineligible if taking antibiotics (except for acne medication) or if they have been ill or infected within the last 72 hours. Blood donations are permitted every 56 days, while platelet donors can donate twice a month, per NYBC guidelines.

As of 2023, the NYBC has extended donor eligibility to the LGBTQIA+ community. The organization now uses an Individual Donor Assessment to determine eligibility rather than barring individuals based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

President Richard Nixon established National Blood Donor Month in 1970 to highlight the lifesaving impact of blood donations. To honor the month and increase donations, NYBC opened a state-of-the-art donation center at 253 W. 35th St. in Midtown Manhattan.

To find your blood donation location and book an appointment, visit the New York Blood Center online or the Donate Blood City of New York website.

A weekend-long series of manhole explosions on Willow Street in Brooklyn Heights was finally resolved early Monday morning.

The post Manhole explosions in Brooklyn Heights toast cars, worry residents appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

Andrew Pashinin, 19, faces a second-degree murder rap in connection to the Dec. 7 attack on a 33-year-old man at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station, cops said. 

APPROXIMATELY 300 JEWISH young singles gathered in Crown Heights on Monday for a speed dating event.

The post Chabad speed dating event in Crown Heights appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

A NEW NON-ALCOHOLIC BAR IS COMING to Greenpoint this spring, serving specialty mocktails, with a focus on wellbeing.

The post New non-alcoholic bar coming to Greenpoint this spring appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

Transit detectives arrested a knife-wielding teen Tuesday for allegedly shoving a man onto the tracks at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station last month, and the suspect had plenty to say about the incident.

According to police sources, 19-year-old Andrew Pashinin was arrested by the NYPD Warrant Squad at his mother’s house in Yonkers, and booked on a laundry list of charges, including attempted murder.

At his perp walk on Jan. 21 at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, Pashinin answered reporters’ questions about the why he allegedly committed the crime.

“He pushed me and said mean things to me before I arrived at the station,” Pashinin said before being stuffed in the back of a police vehicle, claiming that the victim was publicly intoxicated and had threatened him.

“He said he was going to beat my ass and that I was a little kid,” he added.

A police source with immediate knowledge of the incident reported that this was not the case and that they believed Pashinin initiated the confrontation.

Cops say the teen allegedly approached a 33-year-old straphanger from behind at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station at around 11:35 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 7, 2024.

Police reported that the pair got into a verbal dispute, during which Pashinin allegedly pulled out a knife; when the older man saw the weapon, he backed away. However, police said Pashinin was not finished.

Moments later, authorities said, Pashinin allegedly approached the victim again on the southbound platform of the D/N lines and shoved him onto the track before fleeing.

Police sources say the victim managed to pull himself back up to the platform just before a train arrived. He suffered minor injuries.

This story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site amNewYork. 

A THREE-STORY BUILDING at 436 Union Avenue is currently being demolished to make way for a new seven-story apartment building.

The post Demolition is underway at 436 Union Avenue in Williamsburg appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS TELLING RESIDENTS to stay away from thin patches of ice and to be cautious near lakes, ponds and rivers in parks.

The post City: Stay off the ice, it’s not safe appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION IS CONSIDERING USING DRONES as a tool to deter violations like illegal dumping or “ghost car” abandonment.

The post Sanitation is considering drones for trash enforcement appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.