MARTY: “ BROOKLYN — THIS IS YOUR MONEY!”  

On February 7, Marty, Senator Charles Schumer, Independence Community Bank President and CEO Alan Fishman, New York State Banking Superintendent Diana Taylor and Executive Director of FoodChange Richard Murphy officially opened a free tax preparation center in Downtown Brooklyn. The center, Money Central, will help working families get the city, state and federal Earned Income Tax Credits they have earned. “Very often, low- and moderate-income families don’t take advantage of financial breaks in the tax code that can amount to thousands of dollars. Missing out on the EITC can mean less money for the basics — food, clothing and transportation,” said Marty. “ Brooklyn — this is your money!” Last year, the program helped Brooklyn families receive more than $6 million dollars in refunds. Marty was joined at the opening by representatives from the FDIC, Independence Community Foundation, Bedford - Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, CAMBA, Fifth Avenue Committee, Faith Center for Community Development and Make the Road by Walking. In addition to the Montague St. center at Independence Community Bank (195 Montague St. between Court and Clinton St.), there are free tax preparation sites in Bedford-Stuyvesant at Restoration Plaza (1368 Fulton St. at New York Ave.) and in Sunset Park at the Center for Family Life (5505 Fourth Ave., between 55th and 56th St.). For more information, call (877) 837-8299 .

BROOKLYN HOSPITAL LEADS THE COUNTRY IN PROVIDING EXCELLENT CLINICAL CARE

On February 9, Marty commended Maimonides Medical Center and its president, Pam Brier, for being designated in the top five percent of U.S. hospitals for clinical quality, which earned it a “Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence” from the nationwide survey conducted by HealthGrades. “ Brooklyn ’s hospitals and health organizations work hard to protect Brooklynites at every stage of life,” said Marty. “And Brooklyn Healthlink continues to connect Brooklynites to the excellent health care they need — close to where they live. The top-notch care and facilities at Maimonides represent the best of Brooklyn ,New York City and the United States .”

BROOKLYN ’S GOLDEN COUPLES CELEBRATE ENDURING LOVE

On February 11, Marty and his wife, Jamie Snow-Markowitz welcomed 230 Brooklyn couples married fifty years or more to the Grand Ballroom of the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge to renew their vows. The Markowitzes honored the devotion of these couples with a champagne toast and wedding cake reception. Brooklyn ’s most romantic couples shared the secrets to staying together for more than half a century. Elected officials including State Senator John Sampson, Assemblymember Clarence Norman, and Councilmember Vincent Gentile also attended. The Ray Rivera Jazz Quartet added even more romance, performing love songs from the days of the couples’ youth. “Today, we salute love,” said Marty. “We show young people that it is possible for two people to be in love, stay in love, and be good friends for all these years. I t puts a huge smile on my face, a spring in my step, and a glimmer of hope in my heart to officiate as these inspirational couples renew their vows .”

FIRST EVER NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME TO HIT HOME RUN IN BROOKLYN

On February 11, Marty joined Brooklyn Cyclones Senior Executive Vice President and COO Jeff Wilpon, KeySpan Energy CEO Robert Catell, New York-Penn League President Ben Hayes and baseball legend, new Brooklyn Cyclones Manager Mookie Wilson, and City Councilmembers Lewis Fidler and Domenic Recchia to announce that the Cyclones will host the first All-Star Game in the history of the Class A New York-Penn League. The event, sponsored by KeySpan Energy, will take place August 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Coney Island ’s KeySpan Park. The game will be the first professional all-star game played in Brooklyn since 1949, when players like Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson and Yogi Berra graced the diamond at Ebbets Field. “It’s been 56 years since the Brooklyn Dodgers hosted the major league All-Star Game, and we are proud to bring the all-star tradition back to Brooklyn where it belongs,” said Marty. “ Brooklyn is the perfect home for the first New York-Penn League All-Star Game because we have the best sports fans in the world.” All-Star Game tickets are currently available through the purchase of season tickets or mini-plans. Individual All-Star Game tickets will go on sale in late spring. Fans should call (718) 449-8497 or visit the team’s website at www.brooklyncyclones.com for more information. 

MARTY’S BIRTHDAY BASH BENEFITS CAMP BROOKLYN

On February 14, Marty celebrated his 60th birthday in Brooklyn ’s Chinatown , raising funds for disadvantaged Brooklyn children to attend camp in the country for two-week stays. The evening was a tremendous success, raising enough money for 68 camp scholarships. Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year were also celebrated. Guests enjoyed a delicious banquet, traditional Chinese dances, music, and special gifts. “I was delighted to celebrate my entrance into the senior c lub with so many special Brooklynites,” said Marty. “ Camp Brooklyn gives our kids the chance to have the experience of a lifetime and to participate in activities they never dreamed possible.” In 2004, Camp Brooklyn sent 202 Brooklyn kids for two-week stays in the country. The New York Summer Camp Opportunities Provide an Edge (SCOPE) program of the American Camp Association is Camp Brooklyn ’s partner in the project. The children, between the ages of 7 and 16, attended 15 camps throughout the New York region.

BROOKLYN MOURNS THE LOSS OF POLICE OFFICER DELGADO

On February 16, Marty joined Brooklynites in mourning the loss of Police Officer Jehova Delgado of the 75 Precinct in East New. Delgado, age 27, lost his life on Sunday, February 13, when he was struck by a car driven by an alleged drunk driver. “Officer Delgado dedicated his life to making the streets safer for all of us in Brooklyn and in New York ” said Marty. “Our heart goes out to Officer Delgado’s entire family and to all those who hold him dear. If indeed it is proven that he lost his life to a drunk driver, that individual should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

MARTY HOSTS PUBLIC HEARING ON SCHOOL OVERCROWDING

On February 17, Marty hosted a public hearing to allow teachers, parents, school administrators, members of the Community Education Council (CEC) and education advocates to voice their concerns about the Department of Education’s proposed five-year capital plan. Kathleen Grimm, Deputy Chancellor for Finance & Administration at the Department of Education, and School Construction Authority President Bill Goldstein presented the plan. The hearing, chaired by Assembly Member Jim Brennan, gave the public a chance to describe problems relating to overcrowding and other facility-related issues that must be addressed in Brooklyn public schools. Brooklyn continues to await its fair share of capital funds to address the state of emergency in our schools,” said Marty. “Our students deserve an immediate and comprehensive response to this emergency.” To view the Department of Education's Five-Year Capital Plan, visit www.nycsca.org.

THEATER GROUP FINDS NEW HOME IN BAM CULTURAL DISTRICT

On February 16, t he Irondale Center for Theater, Education, and Outreach unveiled plans for its new 7,300 square-foot space on the second floor of Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church’s Parish House, a landmark built in 1860. Marty was joined at the event by Councilmember Tish James. The space, former home to the Church Sunday school, features a central open area surrounded by a grand wraparound balcony and stained-glass Tiffany windows. The church was founded by abolitionists, and served as a safe haven on the Underground Railroad in the 19th Century. The first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation was written there by Pastor Theodore Cuyler and Frederick Douglass. Irondale, an experimental/research theater ensemble founded in 1983 by Terry Greiss and Jim Niesen has produced 40 major Off-Broadway shows. “The Irondale Center will add a theatrical flair to the performing arts community in Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene ,” said Marty. “Alongside the BAM Opera House and Harvey Theater the Mark Morris Dance Center and the spectacular new Theater for A New Audience at Flatbush and Lafayette, we can truly say that ‘All of Brooklyn’s a stage!’ ”

BROOKLYN MOURNS

Mary Laverne Allman, beloved wife of Nathaniel for 37 years, was a valued member of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats Executive Committee, president of the Block Association, and a Park Slope resident for many years. Mary was also a social studies teacher at John Jay High School and an active member of St. John-St. Matthew-Emanuel Lutheran Church. She will be dearly missed.

David Nacmias ,volunteer and bookkeeper for the Seaside and Martin Luther King, Jr., concert series, and son of Eila and Joseph, was a beloved Brooklynite