Munsee

This current iteration of Greenpoint Library (107 Norman Avenue), with its focus on sustainability and environmental education, took years to be fully realized. The original library building opened in 1906, before undergoing demolition in the early 1970s. A replacement building was constructed shortly after.

In 2014, the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund awarded the library a legacy grant worth around $5 million. With almost $18 million of matching funds, construction started in 2017, and after asbestos and pandemic delays, the new building opened in October 2020. 

The library building earned LEED Gold certification, the second-highest level of LEED certification, due to its environmentally conscious design.

The Greenpoint Library serves as a hub for environmental education. It hosts the Greenpoint Environmental History Project, which “is dedicated to documenting and preserving the environmental history of Greenpoint through oral histories and community scanning” according to the library’s website. You can also access the collection online here. 

The library’s Document Repository is home to a wealth of information concerning environmental injustice in the area, such as reports and studies concerning the Newtown Creek Superfund site.

While the pandemic hampers the library’s full use as an in-person event space, events and activities still take place. February 3rd will see a workshop entitled “Herbal Remedies for Heartbreak” (though unfortunately, it has already sold out). The next meeting of the virtual sewing circle takes place on January 25th, the same day that Solar One kicks off a three-part series of talks dedicated to helping teens and young adults explore careers in climate justice. 

On January 20th, a first-of-its-kind exhibit called Lenapehoking opens at the Greenpoint Library. The exhibit, named after the Lenape name for their homeland that the city of New York currently sits on, “features masterworks by…

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Image courtesy of Gregg Richards

The first-ever Lenape-curated exhibition in New York is coming to Brooklyn. Presented by the Brooklyn Public Library and The Lenape Center, Lenapehoking features a collection of masterworks by Lenape artists and educational programs that teach visitors the story of the Lenape community. The collection is curated by Joe Baker, the co-founder and executive director of the Lenape Center and enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. The exhibition opens on Thursday, January 20 at the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center and runs through April 30.

Bandolier Bag by Joe Baker, 2014; Image courtesy of the artist

The educational programs will be held at different points throughout the winter and spring. Visitors can learn about the crisis of missing Indigenous persons through a panel conversation with Gloria Steinem, listen to original music by Brent Michael Davids and poetry readings by Rebecca Haff Lowry, and learn about Lenape food ways with Farm Hub. Guests can also listen to lectures by Curtis Zunigha, Heather Bruegl, and Hadrien Coumans, in addition to others.

“The exhibition site is a library branch, a public space, a very democratic space, a place where grandmas gather, and children gather; it is in many ways kind of messy and noisy and it’s a part of a community and it is really alive,” Joe Baker said. “And that to us was very important in terms of disrupting the historical hierarchal museum model and placing this work at the very ground level of human experience.”

The collection…

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Woodrow Wilson 55, Seneca 33: Zoe Holman (15) and Will Love (14) combined to score 29 points as visiting Woodrow Wilson (3-1, 3-0) defeated Seneca (1-4, 0-2) in an Olympic Conference National Division game Jan. 10.

Sam Justice and Tyler Klym had nine points apiece for the Golden Eagles.

Olympic National Division

Jan. 10, Tabernacle

Woodrow Wilson 55, Seneca 33

Wilson (3-1) 10-13-13-19 – 55

Seneca (1-4) 8-4-11-10 – 33

Woodrow Wilson: Jacier Proctor 7, James Proctor 5, Will Love 14, Alijah Smith 10, Adrian Woloshin 4, Zoe Holman 15; 3s: Smith.

Seneca: Sam Justice 9, Tyler Klym 9, Grant Sevening 6, Owen Eberman 1, Caleb Roseboro 6, Tiernan Blesi 2; 3s: Klym 3, Justice.

Cherokee 43, Overbrook 36: Shane Winkelman led the way with 15 points (4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist) as visiting Cherokee (3-5, 1-2) snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Overbrook (3-2, 1-0) in a nonleague game Jan. 11.

Bryce Nwobu chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal for the Chiefs.

Nonleague

Jan. 11, Pine Hill

Cherokee 43, Overbrook 36

Cherokee (3-5) 9-12-9-13 – 43

Overbrook (3-2) 3-13-3-17 – 36

Cherokee: Bryce Nwobu 12, Shane Winkelman 15, Judd Holt 3, Will Carr 3, Daniel Leonard 2, Chase Rouito 3, Zach Distel 5; 3s: Winkelman 2, Holt, Carr, Rouito, Distel.

Overbrook: Devon Johnson 16, Jaylan Hornsby 13, David Haywood 4, Dillon Dixon 3; 3s: Johnson 3.

Lenape 61, Winslow Township 44: Tayvon Gaither led the way with 18 points as Lenape (9-1, 3-0) defeated visiting Winslow Township (1-8, 0-3) in an Olympic Conference interdivision game Jan. 11.

Olympic Interdivision

Jan. 11, Medford

Lenape 61, Winslow Township 44

Winslow (1-8) 7-11-8-18 – 44

Lenape (9-1) 25-14-15-7 – 61

Winslow Township: Eric Hagans 16, Terrell Hurst 2, Hajir Davis 4, R. Robinson 1,…

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Who will be the Morris/Sussex Athlete of the Week?

Nominations were provided by coaches, and are presented in alphabetical order. Voting closes at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Jake Benitz, Newton junior forward

Benitz averaged 15 points, four rebounds and two blocks as the Braves went 2-1 last week. He shot 54% from the field, and 30% from long range.

Mikayla Caruso, Kittatinny senior forward

Caruso averaged 10 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, two steals and three assists as the Cougars knocked off Wallkill Valley, St. Elizabeth and High Point.

Lucci Ferrara, Hackettstown senior forward 

Ferrara averaged 9.3 points and 9.9 rebounds as the Tiers beat North Warren and Wallkill Valley, and lost to Lenape Valley.

Pat Ferrare, Montville junior guard

Ferrare averaged 17 points and 4.7 assists as the Mustangs went 2-1 last week. Ferrare hit key free throws and a late 3-pointer to upend host Roxbury, 41-40, on Monday. He also sank the game-winning basket with 2.4 seconds left at Pequannock.

Abby Hawes, Mountain Lakes freshman guard/forward

Hawes averaged six points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals as the Lakers lost to Pequannock, 38-35, then defeated Dover and Morris Tech.

Madison Jenisch, Randolph junior guard

Jenisch averaged 11.7 points, three rebounds, 3.3 steals and 1.3 assists as Randolph went 2-1 last week.

Julia Johnson, Lenape Valley senior guard

Johnson averaged 11.7 points and three steals as the Patriots went 3-0, defeating Hackettstown, Newton and Sussex Tech.

Eddie Karpinski, Park Regional senior defender

Karpinski had four goals — including a natural hat trick — and five assists in Park Regional’s 10-0 defeat of Parsippany on Wednesday. The Hanover Park senior also had a power-play goal in a 1-1 tie against Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown on Monday, and a hat trick and three assists versus High Point/Kittatinny/Wallkill Valley on Saturday. The Hanover Park/Whippany Park co-op finished the four-game week 2-1-1.

Brynn McCurry, Sparta junior forward

McCurry averaged 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as Sparta swept Montville, Jefferson and Wayne…

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