Day: April 4, 2025

ABOUT A DOZEN 5TH AVENUE merchants seek tweaks to Park Slope’s 2025 Open Streets plan, according to Brownstoner.

The post Park Slope shops push for Open Streets shift appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

A 27-year-old man was fatally struck by an R train after falling onto the tracks at the Prospect Avenue station in South Park Slope.

The post Man struck by R train in Park Slope appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

AN INNOVATIVE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, the first-of-its-kind in New York State, was launched on Friday.

The post Borough President, Brooklyn College launch new Certificate in Prenatal Mental Health Program appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

This summer, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame will host its first-ever All-Star Summer Band Camp, offering high school students a unique opportunity to learn, perform and explore the region’s rich musical heritage.

The week-long camp, which runs from July 28 through Aug. 1, is designed for vocalists and musicians in grades 9-12 and will culminate in a final performance on Aug. 3.

The camp will be held at LIMEHOF’s museum in Stony Brook and will provide students with the chance to rehearse and perform songs from legendary Long Island inductees like Billy Joel, Blue Öyster Cult, Mariah Carey and Twisted Sister.

The immersive program combines musical education with an appreciation for the local artists who shaped the region’s music scene.

“We are thrilled to offer this opportunity as part of LIMEHOF’s mission to foster education and celebrate Long Island’s musical legacy,” said Tom Needham, vice chairman of LIMEHOF and manager of the organization’s educational programs. “This program provides students with a rare chance to perform in the same space where iconic artists have performed, learning their music in the museum that honors them. It’s an unforgettable, hands-on experience.”

The camp will be coached by Jack Licitra, a LIMEHOF Long Island Sound Award recipient and founder of South Bay Arts. Licitra, who has been coaching youth bands since 2008, is known for his ability to nurture young talent and prepare them for live performances. His approach emphasizes teamwork and skill-building, ensuring students gain both confidence and experience.

The camp will run for two and a half hours each day, five days a week, with students rehearsing and refining their skills in a collaborative environment.

On the sixth day, participants will perform a live concert in the museum, which will be open to the public. This immersive experience will allow students to develop their musical abilities and gain real-world performance experience.

“The camp is a perfect opportunity for high school musicians who are serious about their craft,” Needham explained. “We are looking for students who already have some experience with their instrument or vocals, whether they’ve been part of a band or have attended other music programs. At the same time, we welcome beginners who have the passion and enthusiasm to learn alongside more experienced musicians. It’s about giving all participants the tools and platform to grow.”

Ideal candidates for the program include high school vocalists, guitarists, bass players, drummers and keyboardists who are eager to develop their musical skills in a collaborative setting. The camp’s diverse approach ensures that students of varying experience levels will have a chance to thrive.

“There’s something for everyone,” Needham said. “Whether you’re just starting out or already an experienced musician, this camp will provide you with the opportunity to stand out, improve your musical abilities and make lasting connections with other young musicians.”

Applications for the All-Star Band Camp are open until June 1, with a participation fee of $350. Students from Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Kings (Brooklyn) counties are encouraged to apply. To apply, students must email their name, age, instrument and contact information to Needham at info@limusichalloffame.org or call 631-689-5888.

As LIMEHOF continues to celebrate and preserve the island’s musical heritage, this summer camp offers an exciting new way for students to engage with the region’s vibrant music scene. For young musicians seeking to connect with their peers, improve their craft and learn about the artists who shaped their musical world, the All-Star Band Camp promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 

EIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK campuses, including SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, are developing departments.

The post SUNY campuses awarded $5M total to advance use of AI for the public good appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN’S SCHOOL ATHLETIC TEAMS eagerly awaited the naming of this year’s Tablet All-Star Basketball Team.

The post Tablet newspaper to announce athletes chosen for Catholic schools’ All-Star Basketball Team appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

A seven-count indictment was unsealed charging José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as “Fito,” with international drug and gun charges

The post Leader of Los Choneros transnational criminal organization indicted in Brooklyn federal court on international drug and gun charges appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

The inaugural Hon. Reinaldo E. Rivera Award for Public Safety was held at the Appellate Division, Second Department, in Brooklyn.

The post ‘Public Safety’ award — named after first hispanic associate justice — honors several in Appellate Division ceremony appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Brooklyn College President Michelle Anderson joined forces at Brooklyn Borough Hall on April 3 to announce a milestone development in the Beep’s quest to address the borough’s maternal mortality crisis.

Reynoso’s office partnered with Brooklyn College to develop the Advanced Certificate in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH), working alongside Reynoso’s Maternal Health Task Force, the college’s Early Childhood Education/Art Education Department, and the Departments of Psychology and Health and Nutrition Science.

The innovative program — the first of its kind in New York State — is tailored for licensed professionals such as doulas, midwives, OB-GYNs, nurses, mental health counselors, and early intervention and early education professionals to support pregnant mothers and birthing parents experiencing mental health conditions. Brooklyn College will pilot two PMH courses this spring and host its first full cohort in fall 2025.

The credit-bearing, one-year program includes 120 in-person clinical hours and features a flexible, innovative synchronous online format, allowing students to continue their careers while learning.

The maternal mortality rate among Black and Brown mothers in New York City is alarmingly high — Black and Brown women are nine times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers. While many associate maternal death with causes such as infection, hemorrhaging, embolism, or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, mental health conditions are a frequent underlying cause. In 2021, out of 58 pregnancy-associated deaths in New York City, 21 were attributed to mental health conditions — one suicide and 20 overdoses.

The PMH program aims to address maternal health disparities and improve child health outcomes, particularly in underserved areas of Brooklyn, the borough with the highest maternal death rate in the city.

The initiative includes community engagement, cultural competence, and mental health screenings. Healthcare professionals will be equipped with the tools to identify and implement preventive and intervention strategies for women and pregnant people experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and other forms of emotional distress, as well as the compounded impact of economic disparities and systemic racism.

Reynoso, whose office allocated his FY2023 capital budget of $45 million to create state-of-the-art neonatal units at three public hospitals in Brooklyn and launched initiatives like the Born in Brooklyn Baby Boxes and the Healthy Pregnancy Resource Guide, expressed enthusiasm about taking his mission to make Brooklyn the safest place for pregnant mothers and birthing people to higher learning.

“This program is particularly special to me because we got to do it in partnership with a CUNY School, where this education would be accessible to students from our own communities [and] to students of all backgrounds,” Reynoso said. “New and expecting mothers in Brooklyn deserve culturally competent, high-quality care, and they should be able to access it in their own neighborhoods, from providers who are integrated into the communities they serve.”

Brooklyn College President Michelle Anderson explained that PMH offered a “unique” opportunity to “create meaningful community outcomes.”

“The initiative underscores [Brooklyn College’s] enduring commitment to delivering compassionate, community-centered education and training that enacts positive social change,” she said.

Brooklyn College Associate Professor of Early Childhood/Early Intervention Jacqueline Shannon said the program includes six interdisciplinary perinatal health and mental health courses and aims to recruit and train current and future healthcare and mental health professionals, particularly those from racially and linguistically diverse backgrounds and underserved communities.

“We will incorporate mental health screenings, support, and referrals as standard practice in prenatal and postnatal care, making mental health core components of maternal well-being, rather than a secondary concern, and provide culturally responsive care which recognizes and respects diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and practices of the families they serve,” said Shannon, who spearheaded the program’s development.

Two students participating in the pilot program highlighted its impact on improving maternal and child health outcomes in underserved communities.

Georgina Wodden, a member of the family advisory board and early intervention ambassador with United for Brownsville in Brooklyn, said the coursework sharpened her ability to observe, reflect, and engage families from diverse cultural backgrounds without bias.

“This ensures that every family I work with receives personalized, equitable, and effective support,” Wooden said. ” This education is not just theoretical. It has immediate applications to the work I do every day. It strengthens my ability to advocate for families and pushes for systematic change in maternal perinatal health.”

Keema Wiley, a full-spectrum doula and the lead for the WIC Equity Initiative at United for Brownsville, has a passion for community service that evolved into a commitment to health equity, particularly in maternal and child health. Recognizing the importance of mental well-being during and after pregnancy, Wiley, who also serves as a sergeant in the New York Army National Guard, immediately took the opportunity to enroll in the PMH pilot program.

“These courses are equipping me with critical knowledge to better support both my clients and families I engage with in the WIC Equity Initiative and my doula clients,” Wiley said. “By integrating evidence-based research into my practice, I help parents understand how their lived experiences influence their baby’s health, both during pregnancy and beyond.”

Mental health advocate Christina Sparrock, who serves as the Mental Health Chair and a member of Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s Maternal Health Task Force, emphasized the importance of recognizing mental health conditions as illnesses, comparable to cancer and diabetes.

“This program is vital to teach students about social determinants of health and their impact on new and expecting mothers,” Sparrock said.

A superseding indictment accuses Combs of using force, fraud, or coercion to compel a woman to engage in commercial sex acts.

The post Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs hit with new sex trafficking charges a month before trial appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.