Generally Speaking: Local four-way race for the New York State Assembly

Democratic Assembly Member Pamela Harris is facing a four-way race in the general election to hold on to her seat in the 46th Assembly District, which takes in parts of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Seagate. She is being challenged by Republican Lucretia Regina-Potter, Conservative Mikhail Usher and Green Party candidate Patrick Dwyer. The Assembly post was formerly held by Alec Brook-Krasny, who resigned to accept a job in private industry.

Former Brooklyn Historian John Manbeck, a journalist, the author of nine books, and professor emeritus at Kingsborough Community College, was the guest speaker at the October monthly meeting of the Bay Ridge Historical Society. Manbeck discussed the history of the Brooklyn Bridge, including how it was financed and constructed. He mentioned the little known fact that William “Boss” Tweed came to the rescue when there were insufficient funds to get it completed. However, Tweed, a former congressmember and state senator, was later jailed for corruption.

Two presidents of the Bay Ridge Historical Society will be running in the 2016 New York City Marathon on November 6, current BRHS President Tom McCarthy and his immediate predecessor Andrew Gounardes, now the general counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

Travis Lamprecht, City Councilmember Vincent Gentile’s communications director, has been bumped up to become Gentile’s new chief of staff. The post was held until recently by John Mancuso who moved over to the Sanitation Department as deputy director of community affairs.

Our congratulations and a hearty handshake to fellow Society of Old Brooklynites’ life member and longtime civic leader Salvatore “Buddy” Scotto who is being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Brooklyn Bridge Rotary Club at the Dyker Beach Golf Club on November 3.

The Brooklyn Cathedral Club, which is currently headed by Mark Cipolla, held its annual Fall Social at the Salty Dog Restaurant on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge. Unfortunately, the event was held on the same night as the Alfred E. Smith Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria so several members of the Board of Governors and former presidents weren’t in attendance.

Among the few of the top brass that did attend were Frank Keating, Jim McHugh, Joe Bova, Tom McCarthy, Michael Perrette and George Prezioso. The group, which was founded in 1900, will be holding its annual Memorial Mass on Saturday, November 19 at the Visitation Monastery, 8902 Ridge Boulevard at 10 a.m., with a communion breakfast to follow at the Bay Ridge Manor on 76th Street.

Don’t forget that this coming Saturday, October 29, in celebration of the school’s 75th anniversary, the doors at Fort Hamilton High School will be open starting at 11 a.m. for tours of the school. At 1 p.m., there will be commemorative ceremonies in the Larry Laurenzano Performing Arts Theater (Auditorium) hosted by Principal Kaye Houlihan.

While researching information about the school’s history, we saw an item that famed graduate Janet Yellen, today’s Federal Reserve chair in Washington, D.C., played saxophone in one of the school bands.