GENERALLY SPEAKING: Week of April 26

Five Boro Bike Tour bypasses us

This year, America’s largest bicycle event, featuring over 32,000 cyclists, won’t be stopping in or passing through Bay Ridge streets.

For the past decade and a half, the cyclists would exit from the Belt Parkway near the Verrazano Bridge, heading to Fourth Avenue, then to the rest stop at John Paul Jones Park, at 100th Street. They would then skip or continue down 100th Street, past the main gate at Fort Hamilton, then move along Fort Hamilton Parkway to 92nd Street and over the Verrazano Bridge to Staten Island.

Instead, the 17th annual TD Bike Tour on Sunday, May 6 begins north of Battery Park in Manhattan. When it gets to Brooklyn, the official rest stop will be at the Brooklyn Bridge Park at Furman Street. Cyclists will have the option of resting there, and then continuing the route along the BQE and Gowanus Expressway directly across the Verrazano Bridge.

While this might not be good news to the hundreds of Bay Ridgeites who usually come out to see and cheer the riders, it may be a blessing for the folks at the Bay Ridge Community Council, who are also holding their annual Family Picnic on the Bluff inside the Fort Hamilton Army Base on the same date. Entrance for the picnic is through the main gate of Fort Hamilton, at 100th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway.

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Commenting about the council’s Family Picnic which is open to the general public, we just came from a Bay Ridge Community Council press conference held by council President Alex Conti and President-elect Renee Dorsa promoting three key events that will be taking place at the picnic.

There will be a tug-of-war contest between the local elected Republican and Democratic officials vying for the three-foot-tall Vincent Kassenbrock Trophy.

Another event will be an antique car show where picnic goers will be able to choose the winning historical autos on display. The car show is sponsored by members of the Antique Automobile Association of Brooklyn headed by Lenny Shiller.

And the third event will be a dance contest with a professional dance couple teaching some dance steps, and later judging the dance competition which also will be open to picnic attendees.

During the council press confab, Conti thanked Jennifer Abad and Joseph Russo for making the premises in front of their Beyond Dance Performing Arts Studio on Third Avenue near 88th Street available.

Among the elected officials taking part were State Senator Marty GoldenAlec Brook-Krasny and Nicole MalliotakisVincent GentileFran Vella-Marrone representing Congressmember Michael Grimm. Council officers present included Al AsfazadourLinda Orlando and Frank Lombardi. See the council’s ad elsewhere in this paper for more details.

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On Sunday, April 29, we will be joining 78 fellow third degree members of the Knights of Columbus, from K of C councils throughout the borough, as we are inducted into the 4th degree or patriotic arm of the Knights.

Also being formally knighted during this exemplification ceremony at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Williamsburg is Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano. He was born and raised in Gravesend, and today serves as the vicar general of the Brooklyn Catholic Diocese.

Induction ceremonies will be conducted by the Long Island Assembly #703, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, as the oldest 4th Degree assembly in the tri-state area.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic fraternal and service organization. Officers and directors of the assembly include Frank StrauchLloyd AdonicamBob VezzusoJames NaniaRichard OakesRoy BarroneRichard PagnottaRobert CaragherJoseph PolitoJohn KayArmando SpazianiBetran DerrickJoseph PelusoLouis PepeGerard Cardinal and John Maloney.

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City Councilmember Peter Vallone

Well, I have news for him. Some licensed taxi drivers are also limited in that regard. While in Manhattan for a press conference with OPSAIL, I took a cab from near Battery Park and asked the driver to take me to the South Street Seaport. With his broken English and not knowing where the Seaport was, it was quite a challenge for me, guiding him street by street.

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Fort Hamilton High School Army Junior ROTC program is holding its17th annual military ball in the Jackson Room, Community Club, at the Fort Hamilton Army Base, 101st Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway, on Saturday, May 5, from 7 p.m. to midnight. All JROTC graduates are cordially invited. Reservations are $45 each and you must RSVP to 1st Sergeant J.D. Lewis (Ret.), as soon as possible. Email: JDVARK@aol.com

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Next month, the 68th Precinct Community Council will be holding its annual election. The nominating committee has tapped Ilene Sacco as president for re-election, David Ryan for vice president, Arlene Keating for treasurer and Jackie Tirotta for secretary.

During his report to the council, Precinct Commander, Captain Richard DiBlasio said he is working with other city agencies, to resolve the food cart situation at Fifth Avenue and 86th Street peacefully.

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To reach Ted General via the Internet, his e-mail address is:

General@Journalist.com

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