A mother and son were identified Monday as the two killed in a fire that tore through a home in Smithtown, Long Island, Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
Day: December 1, 2025
James Madison High School, the educational institution with an accomplished list of well-known alumni, celebrated its centennial on Oct. 24.
The post Madison High — iconic Brooklyn school whose graduates include a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and two U.S. senators — turns 100 appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.
Sunset Park’s Japan Village is gearing up for one of its most beloved community events of the year: the annual Holiday Craft Fair.
Returning on Dec. 13 and 14 on the second floor of Sunrise Market with a curated lineup of Brooklyn artists, crafters and small-batch food vendors, the fair offers free admission and helps shoppers in supporting independent makers.
On Instagram, organizers encouraged visitors to “explore beautiful handcrafted pottery, natural incense, clothing, spices (shichimi), accessories and more — all made with care and creativity.” The fair will run from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days.
Japan Village also provided specific categories for the market, which include “Handcrafted incense and aroma items, small-batch clothing and accessories, pottery and ceramic works, natural stone and gemstone jewelry, craft spices and seasonings and freshly baked goods and sweets.”
Many participants are Brooklyn and NYC-based artisans.
The event began as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, when organizer Sawami Aoki and a group of artists hoped to find a place to make their creations accessible to the public. According to a statement to Brooklyn Paper, “vendors contribute 15% of their sales to Japan Village, and Japan Village donates the full amount to the Japanese American Association (JAA), supporting community programs and cultural activities.”
Aoki told Brooklyn Paper that while “AI can produce many things today, what we make by hand holds the love and spirit of the people who create it.”
“That’s why I want to continue crafting together with this community,” she said.
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21 NYC gifts you can’t get anywhere else
The Just Brooklyn Prize was awarded to five Brooklynites who have built momentum for positive change and sustained impact in Brooklyn.
The post Barclays Center hosts Just Brooklyn Awards from borough’s biggest ‘changemakers’ foundation appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.
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Cartoon Sketchbook: December 1
Producers of the Jamaica Strong Relief Concert are aiming to raise US$1 million at their star-studded benefit event, slated for Friday, Dec. 12, at the UBS Arena in New York.
“This is New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania – the whole USA coming together,” Kacy Rankine, co-producer of the show and CEO of Roadblock Radio, told Caribbean Life on Monday.
“We’re going to send something big to Jamaica,” he added.
Rankine’s comment came just days after Jammins Entertainment CEO George Crooks declared, at the recently held “Jamaica Strong” relief radiothon in Queens, that his goal also is “to make at least a US$ million for the Jamaica Strong Relief Concert.
“That is the minimum we’re looking for at this event,” he said, stating that the goal reflects the scale of the devastation in Jamaica and the strength of the Diaspora to answer the call.
Organizers announced that the New York relief concert at UBS Arena will feature GRAMMY-winning artist Shaggy, Sean Paul, KES, Inner Circle, Ky-Mani Marley, Aidonia, Chronic Law, T.O.K., Gramps Morgan, Richie Stephens, Mikey Spice, Reggae Queen Marcia Griffiths, I-Octane, and gospel singer Kevin Downwell.
Rankine said NBC TV Voice Season 5 winner Tessanne Chin is also slated to perform at the event.
He recalled that during Chin’s reign, she was actually invited by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to perform at the White House.
The historic event, produced under the “I Love Jamaica Concert Series” in partnership with the Government of Jamaica, will raise critical funds for the nation’s official Hurricane Relief & Recovery Fund and other registered charity organizations. The specific goal is to assist families and communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa.
It’s not too early to start planning for 2026, and registration is officially open to bring in the new year the Brooklyn way — at the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge.
Thousands of people are expected to join the Coney Island Polar Bear Club for their annual New Year’s Day swim in the frigid Atlantic Ocean. The event is free and open to the public, and swimmers can sign up online through New Year’s Eve or in-person on New Year’s Day, but advance sign-up and donations of at least $30 are encouraged. While supplies last, participants who raise more than $50 will receive a limited-edition Polar Bear Plunge beanie.
Money raised at the Plunge is donated to local nonprofits — last year, the event raised $60,000 for seven groups, including the New York Aquarium, Coney Island USA, and the Coney Island library.
“The Plunge is more than a tradition; it’s a lifeline,” said Cindy Vourderis, public relations manager for the Alliance for Coney Island, in a statement. “Every dollar raised helps support things like free public programming, youth education, job training, and other initiatives that keep Coney Island thriving. We depend on the generosity of our plungers to make this impact possible.”
The Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge has been a beloved local tradition since 1903. While the Polar Bears plunge year-round, most of their events are closed to the public, and the New Year’s Day swim is the only time New Yorkers can join them. Though the weather in recent years has been warmer-than-average, ocean temps usually hover around 40 degrees Fahrenheit — well below the temperature usually considered comfortable for a dip in the sea.
Below-freezing temps don’t dissuade dedicated swimmers, who flock to the beach in thousands every year, many dressed up in costumes and festive attire. The cold waves are a good way to “wash off the old year” one swimmer, Laura, told Brooklyn Paper in 2023. It can also mark new beginnings in a new year.
“This year I want to be kinder to myself so that I can also be kinder to others,” another 2023 swimmer, Jose, told Brooklyn Paper at the time. “I think [the Polar Bear Plunge] is a good way to start that since I’m doing something fun for me but also I donated to the charities as well.”
For some, the Plunge is just good clean fun.
“It was a really good time,” said 2024 swimmer Joshua North. “Everyone was in good spirits having a good time just enjoying themselves and no one seemed to be too cold or struggling with it. I definitely think it’s going to be a new tradition.”
Online registration is open now, and will remain open up until New Year’s Day. In-person check-in and registration begins at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2026, on Stillwell Avenue near the Riegelmann Boardwalk. Swimmers of all ages and experience levels are open, though participants under age 18 must have a completed waiver signed and have a parent or guardian present at check-in. As of Dec. 1, one month before the plunge, more than 1,000 people had signed up, per the Polar Plunge website, and had raised $11,103 of the event’s $150,000 fundraising goal.
“In legendary NYC tradition, the Coney Island Polar Bear Club will once again open our den to the public for our New Year’s Day Plunge,” said Jarred Lustgarten, President of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, in a statement. “We invite all weird and non-weird folks to be baptized into 2026 with heart-pounding fun in the frigid Atlantic. No experience needed, just bring a towel, a friend, a stranger… anyone! Expect live music, hot cocoa, and epic vibes. And don’t forget to dig that paw deep in your wallet to support local charities. Swim safe, smile big!”