Blogger Norman Oder Honored by Park Slope Group

The Park Slope Civic Council honored blogger and journalist Norman Oder last night with a Lovgren Volunteer Award. Mr. Oder is the founder and writer of Atlantic Yards Report, which he has developed as New York City's most authoritative source of Atlantic Yards reporting, information and analysis. Just this week, Mr. Oder combed through documents and found that the project is getting nearly $1.4 billion in tax-free bonds and that the level of bonding is so large that parts of the project will create intense competition for tax-free financing resources in the city and could be delayed.

The award was presented by Lumi Rolley of No Land Grab and by outgoing PSCC President Lydia Denworth. Ms. Denworth praised Mr. Oder for "the thoroughness and conscientiousness with which he took to the task" of doing the city's only in-depth Atlantic Yards reporting. "Very few individuals have had such an impact on the public debate," Ms. Rolley noted.

Mr. Oder said that he viewed his work as "challenging some complacency" and described his reporting as "watchdog journalism that the market is not providing." He said that Atlantic Yards Report offers "the skepticism and persistence that's needed to keep government accountable."

We were very happy to see Mr. Oder get recognition for his invaluable and superb work. He received sustained applause when he finished his remarks.

Kim Maier, who has done superb work running the Old Stone House in J.J. Byrne Park and has turned the facility into a site for a myriad of community activities during her tenure, was honored with a Lovgren Professional Award.