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N e w s b r i e f s :, rr\Front PresentsProposalsThe Black United Front, a newly-formed black political group in Crown Heights presented a series of proposals to Mayor Koch on July 31, dealing with police and racial problems in Crown Heights.Among the proposals was the formation of an all-black police precinct, the 77th, and the screening of all police officers before they can serve in black communities. The Front also wants the 71st Precinct to be staffed by at least 50% black and Hispanic officers.Also called for were the elimination of the present District Planning Board 9, which the Front does not feel fairly represents the Crown Heights black community; the immediate prosecution of the two Hasidim who allegedly attacked Victor Rhodes and an intensified search for his other assailants, the restructuring of the Crown Heights Community Corp., and the removal of police cars stationed in front of the Hasidic World Headquarters. Koch is said to be reviewing the proposals and will come out with his decisions in the next few weeks.Take Action toEnd RentsAfter months of delay the city says it is taking action that may eventually free it from nearly $1 million per year in rent payments on two empty downtown buildings.A spokesman for the Department of Real Estate said Monday that the agency is having both 72 and 96 Schermerhorn Street appraised this week. The city should have a %u201c concrete figure%u201d in mind by the end of the week, he said, with which to begin negotiations with St. John%u2019s University, the current owner of the two properties.The City University of New York has been paying nearly $1 million in rent on the buildings since 1971, but both have been vacant since Brooklyn College relocated its downtown facilities to its Midwood campus in 1976 following budget cutbacks.%u2014I.L.GivesRedliningTestimonyPark Slope resident Herb Steiner, chairman and founder of AID, (South Brookh Against Investment Discrimi ation) this week testified before tne House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions in support of putting %u201cteeth%u201d into the Community Reinvestment Act.On August 9, Steiner presented a brief history of his two year old anti-redlining organization and its research to the subcommittee and its chairman, Congressman Fernand St. Germain.Steiner outlined the protests AID has lodged against Park Slope%u2019s %u201clocal thrift,%u201d the Greater New York Savings Bank, and the group%u2019s most recent effort last April, the successful opposition of Greater%u2019s application to open a new branch bank in Manhattan. In his presentation, Steiner said that banks respect %u201conly muscle aiid teeth.%u201d Noting that local groups such as AID can supply the muscle, he asked that ( ngress suppiy the .teeth through %u2018effective regulations%u201d to im] .-ment the Community Reinves nent Act.%u201c We are ash, med that we have to turn to W ihington for theregulatory relief that we need,%u201d Steiner said to the subcommittee, adding that the \lobby is too powerful in Albany and since you have given us the only effective tool we have, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, we must look to Washington again.%u201dGo Ahead forFulton StreetPlans to turn the Fulton Street shopping district into a restrictedtraffic pedestrian mall moved past another hurdle last week with the Board of Estimate granting city approval to the $8.4 million first phase of the project.A spokesperson for the city%u2019s Department of Transportation said Monday that %u201c Everything is proceeding on schedule%u201d with the project proposal, adding that the application for an additional $3.1 in federal monies required for the project was currently being evaluated by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration in Washington. The federal agency is funding 80% of the costs for the first phase of construction.The Emergency Financial Control Board will also review the plan prior to state and city funding within the next two weeks. Under state law, the watchdog agency must evaluate all city contracts over $1 million before government funds can be allocated for the job.Transportation said approval from the state and federal agencies should be granted by mid-August, with construction expected to begin %u201cwithin a month.%u201d But Angelo Pegno, Jr., builder for the project said Monday, %u201cThe way these things usually go, all the paperwork should be finished by September. We%u2019re all set to go with construction by late September, early October.%u201d %u2014I.L.Fifth AvenueFair ComingThe second annual Fifth Avenue Fair, sponsored by area merchants and residents of the Fifth Avenue Committee, will be held Sunday, September 10. The Fair will feature old-fashioned sidewalk sales, international food, entertainment, arts and crafts, and other festivities and will run along Fifth Avenue- from Sackett Street to 16th Street from 11 a.m.to6 p.m.The Committee is now planning for the %u201c Fabulous Fifth Avenue Fair II,%u201d and applications are available for booths. Raindate is September 17th. Those wishing applications can contact Steve DiBrienza, Chairperson for the Fair, at the Committee office at 95 Fifth Avenue, telephone 622-1900 or 622-1901.Flatbush AvenueForms AllianceThe North Flatbush Avenue Merchants Betterment Committee has been formed by an alliance of Flatbush shopkeepers and businessmen north of Grand Army Plaza stretching to the junction of Atlantic Avenue.Carol Leshner, Director of the Brooklyn Union Gas Brownstone Information Center, who has worked with the organization, said the group is in the process of incorporating as a not-for-profit organization with an eye toward obtaining government development grants in the future. Currently the group is receiving assistance from the Downtown Brooklyn DevelopTHE MAGNOLIA TREE EARTH CENTER in Bedford-Stuyvesartt was the recent recipient of a $1,000 gift from Con Ed tofurther Earth Center programs. Here, Magnolia Centerpresident, Hattie Carthan [center], accepts the check from ConEdison%u2019s Evelyn Cruse while Con Ed and Center principals lookon. The grant will help support center programs like theafter-school garden clubs, crafts and speakers programs.ment Association, which has assigned two summer interns to survey all the businesses lining the northern stretch of the avenue.The comprehensive survey will assess the fiscal and physical shape of every store on Flatbush Avenue to help formulate longer-range plans for future revitalization efforts. A community survey and consumer analysis will also be conducted to determine the needs of local residents who rely on the store for essential goods and services. Leshner added that such community input was vital for determining future development goals.One immediate priority of the Committee, Leshner said, is to %u201cbeautify the area and improve the sanitation along that strip of Flatbush Avenue.%u201dBeth Goldberg is the Director of Programs for the new association, which has its offices in BUG%u2019S Brownstone Information Center at 93 Prospect Place.Halloween onCourt StreetCourt Street now joins the group of local urban celebrants with a large scale street festival, planned for the Columbus Day Weekend. On Monday, October 8, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Court Street will be closed to traffic from Atlantic Avenue to W. 9th Street, when the streets will be lined with artists, craftspeople, and vendors. Entertainment and a Halloween preview are part of the plan, with a costume contest for children. Prizes will be awarded to the scariest, most newsworthy, most colorful, biggest noisiest, best tasting, funniest, most beautiful, and best couple. Court Street%u2019s own stores will be participating, with foods and other wares. Artists and vendors may rent 15 teet ot space at rood vendors for $35 and community group fundraising booths for $15. Information booths are free for community groups, but must be applied for. For further informationor application forms, call Bette Stoltz at 789-6811 or write Columbus Court, 466 Court Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11231.Golden RequestsRequirementsBorough President Howard Golden has asked the City Council to amend the City Charter to provide uniform quorum and voting requirements tor both the borough and community boards. In a covering letter enclosed with the proposed amendment sent to Mayor Edward Koch, Council Majority Leader Thomas Cuite and other city officials and community leaders, Golden said that a recent opinion on this m atter by the city%u2019s corporation counsel %u201cwould severely limit the ability of borough boards and community boards to take action.%u201dThe corporation counsel concluded that with regard to matters of Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), a majority vote of the members present and entitled to vote during the presence of a quorum is necessary; but that on non-ULURP matters, a majority vote of the entire membership of the board entitled to vote is required for the board to take official action.Golden said that the community boards and borough boards are now functioning under two different sets of voting regulations. The rules regarding ULURP matters, which deal with major issues of land use, zoning and mapping, were included in the new City Charter with the approval of the City Planning Commission, which has extensive experience at the community level in these areas. It is this voting procedure, Golden said, which he proposes be used in all matters at official, meetings of the community boards and borough boards.The Borough President%u2019s suggested amendment of the City Charter would make official amajority vote of members present and entitled to vote during a quorum of community and borough boards, on both ULURP and non-ULURP matters, rather than solely on questions of ULURP.Black GroupProtests atCarter VisitDemonstrators with the Black United Front, undaunted by mounted police who attempted to stop them, marched over the Brooklyn Bridge last Tuesday, August 8, and proceeded to drown out President Carter%u2019s speech at City Hall with Routing.! Police had cleared the roadway going towards Manhattan for the marchers, but when they reached the Manhattan side of the bridge, the demonstrators, chanting, %u201c ain%u2019t gonna let nobody turn us around,%u201d found that the road had been blocked by mounted police. When the demonstrators climbed onto the pedestrian walkway, the police blocked that, too. It was only when marchers entered the Brooklyn-bound side of the bridge, tying up traffic, that the police relented.Reverend Herbert Daughtry, leader of the Front, said that the rally and march were organized to point out to Carter that there is a lot of injustice in this country and that %u201chuman rights should begin at home.%u201d He cited police killings of blacks such as Arthur Miller as examples. Daughtry also expressed anger over the fact that neither Carter, Attorney General Griffin Bell or Drew Days, head of the Committee for Human Rights, had answered any of his letters until the demonstration had been threatened. He was further upset because Carter%u2019s appointments secretary had told him that the President would not have time to see him while in New York, yet would be able to attend a performance of %u201c Ain%u2019t Misbehavin%u2019.%u201dOnce at City Hall everything went peaceably. Of the several protest groups present, the blacks were by far the most vocal. Chants of %u201c human rights,%u201d %u201c Arthur Miller%u201d and %u201cwe%u2019re all fired up, won%u2019t take it no more%u201d made it difficult for most of the audience to hear speeches by Carter and Mayor Koch.-D.H.ReganNamed V.P,Park Slope resident Margaret A. Regan has been named a vice president of the New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry, according to an announcement by Oscar Dunn, chairman end chief executive officer of the Chamber. Regan will direct the Human Resources Division. Until joining the Chamber on July 17, she was director of personnel administration at Consolidated Edison. The Chamber%u2019s Human Resources Division investigates trends and issues in the field.5th Avenue CommitteeGets GrantThe Campaign for Human Development has awarded a $76;000 grant to the Fifth Avenue Committee for its Housing Services Office. The additional staff afforded by the grant should enable the Office to get into the areas of housing abandonment and renovation.%u2014D.H.Page 18, THE PHOENIX, August 10,1978