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BP Weekender: Six things to do in Brooklyn July 9-11

Friday, July 9 Brazil beneath the bridge: The Dumbo Archway beneath the Manhattan bridge will become alive with Brazillian music and art on Friday and Saturday nights. The two nights will feature some of the biggest names in New York’s Brazillian music scene including Luan Barbosa’s Roda de Samba, and Batala, an all women’s percussion ensemble. Fri-Sat, 6-9:30 pm at 155 Water Street. Free.  Saturday, July 10  Yoga on Eastern Parkway: Start your Saturday with a stretch at Brooklyn Museum with ‘Yoga on the Stoop.’ Local yogis lead classes on the steps of the Brooklyn Museum covering yoga and guided meditation. The fee for the class includes admission to the museum, so you can check out the KAWS exhibit when it…

PETA will promote, not protest, Nathan’s at hot dog eating contest, handing out free vegan dogs in dramatic shift

PETA, the animal activist organization known as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, will refrain from its usual tradition of protesting Nathan’s Famous at the annual Hot Dog Eating Contest this weekend and, in a shocking twist, will actually give out free wieners…of the vegan variety. The animal rights group will set up shop at the century-old sausage purveyor during the storied contest, slinging the vegan hot dogs which Nathan’s recently started selling at select stores, including the Coney Island flagship, for free to hungry passersby …

Flatbush locals raise awareness of African burial ground with art

The Bedford-Church African Burial Ground Coalition in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 19 hosted a Juneteenth celebration at 2286 Church Ave., a site where bones of enslaved Africans have been repeatedly found. The coalition told Caribbean Life that the celebration was designed “to bring Flatbush’s rich Black history to light from colonial times to the present, and to raise awareness of the existence of an African burial ground in the heart of Brooklyn.” The Bedford-Church African Burial Ground Coalition said its petition to stop city development of the site already has over 830 online signatures and over 200 signatures on paper collected on…

Navy Yard looks to add museum, health club, and more via rezoning

The managers of the Brooklyn Navy yard are seeking a rezoning to add more amenities to the sprawling waterfront complex.  The Department of City Planning reviewed an Environmental Assessment Statement at an online meeting on June 7 that would allow for the creation of a Special Brooklyn Navy Yard District to foster “the introduction of compatible community facility and commercial uses.” No specific project is being proposed, and the rezoning application states that approval is “not expected to result in new development density beyond that which is permitted…

SEE IT: MTA bus removed from PLG house after four days to crowds of onlookers

Crowds of spectators gathered to watch as workers finally removed the city bus that had been lodged into a Prospect Lefferts Gardens townhouse for four days. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority towed the B49 bus out of the historic home on the corner of Lincoln Road and Bedford Avenue shortly after 11 am on June 11, while a crowd of dozens of locals and reporters looked on and took videos. “It’s something new, it’s different, it’s exciting to see something like this in the neighborhood,” said Flatbush resident Tamra Sangster, who stopped by to watch the bus get yanked out of the…

One year later, Jamel Floyd’s family vows to sue MDC for wrongful death

Activists joined the family of Jamel Floyd outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park Thursday night to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death — where Floyd’s parents vowed to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the federal lockup. “I am in so much pain, I couldn’t even describe it,” Floyd’s father James said to the crowd of about two dozen people. “But, life goes on and we’re here to fight and let the folks in this facility know that we’re gonna fight with all our might.” Floyd died on June 3 of last year at MDC, after being pepper sprayed in the face by jail…

Violent robbers beat pair with cane, steal $18K from them in East W’burg caper

Detectives in Brooklyn need the public’s help in finding two violent crooks who ambushed a couple outside a jewelry store and stole tens of thousands of dollars from them. The NYPD released on May 12 video footage of the suspects sought for the caper, which occurred on the afternoon of May 10 near the Star Jewelry store at 44 Graham Ave. in East Williamsburg. According to police, the two victims — a 30-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man — shopped for jewelry at the location at about 2:44 pm that day. One of the suspects was inside the store as they browsed items. A few minutes later, authorities said, the perpetrator followed the pair out of the store, and was …

Ferry crashes into barge at Brooklyn Bridge Park

A city ferry crashed into a docked barge while carrying over two dozen passengers at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 on Thursday night. The NYC Ferry smashed into the vessel as the transit boat was attempting to dock at the berth near Atlantic Avenue at 8:35 pm, shattering the ferry’s side windows, according to US Coast Guard Petty Officer John Hightower. #NYCFerry issues life jackets after appearing to get pinned against a moored barge in the east river while leaving the Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 / Atlantic Ave dock in Brooklyn. The boat was able to safely return to the dock after a few minutes. pic.twitter.com/Ld483SVYeV — Daniel (@djbeadle) May 14, 2021 Luckily…

SEE IT: ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ films in ‘old’ Coney Island

Coney Island was transported back in time this week as stars of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” took to the historic Riegelmann Boardwalk to film scenes for the show’s upcoming fourth season. Set in the late 1950s and 60s, the Amazon smash hit centers around Miriam “Midge” Maisel (played by Rachel Brosnahan) as her seemingly idyllic life is turned upside down to make way for a new love —  stand-up comedy. Her passion — and talent — take her on a journey from her comfortable family life on the Upper West Side through the cafes and nightclubs of Greenwhich Village, on a path she hopes will lead her to a life of fame. Actors Rachel Brosnahan and Michael Zegen…

Mayor’s office brings live performances to vaccination sites with launch of ‘Music Heals’ program

A handful of the city’s vaccination sites will play host to special performances for those looking to get the jab — and those distributing it! The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and AFM Local 802 have launched “Music Heals,” a new program where musicians are paid to play for vaccine recipients and healthcare workers. The program follows in the footsteps of the Music for the Soul of NYC’s Health + Hospitals Heroes, a series launched by MOME and Local 802 AFM in spring 2020, in which local musicians performed virtually to support staff and patients at the city’s public hospitals. “Understanding the value that art and music can have on healing, …

Indoor dining capacity to increase to 75 percent on May 7

New York City restaurants can allow more patrons to dine inside starting next week. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that starting May 7, indoor dining in the city will be expanded to 75 percent capacity. This increase brings the city to the same level of capacity as the rest of New York State. “After a long and incredibly difficult fight, New York State is winning the war against COVID-19, and that means it’s time to loosen some restrictions put in place…

Firefighters battle blaze at Bay Ridge supermarket

A popular Bay Ridge supermarket drew crowds Friday afternoon as dozens of firefighters worked to battle an all-hands-on deck blaze on the roof. Smoke-eaters arrived to battle the blaze at the Bay Ridge MetFood near 96th Street and Third Avenue at around 2 pm, and the inferno was deemed under control shortly after. No injuries were reported, and it is not yet clear what damage the supermarket sustained.

New plaque draws attention to Revolutionary-era well in Boerum Hill

Pedestrians walking through Boerum Hill will now see a newly installed plaque that memorializes an 18th century well that was originally constructed as part of a Revolutionary-War fort.  The plaque, at the corner of Bond and Pacific Streets, commemorates the historic infrastructure that was discovered underneath the street’s concrete during a construction project in 2017, before being covered up again.  Now, the local assemblymember is hailing the addition of the celebratory signage, while also pushing city construction honchos to adorn the site in plexiglass for all the world to see.  “Ideally what we would like is for the city to open it up and encase it in a very sturdy, thick plexiglass, like they do at other historic sites, so you could see what’s beneath …

Brooklyn bigot charged with hate crimes for alleged role in two anti-Asian attacks

A Brooklyn man was arrested on hate crime charges for allegedly assaulting two Asian-American New Yorkers in separate attacks. Joseph Russo, 27, was charged with assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime in both incidents.  According to police, at 7:45 am on March 22, a 32-year-old Asian woman was in front of Ruby and Jenna, located at 1308 Kings Highway, when she was allegedly approached by Russo who grabbed her and pulled her hair. Russo let go of the victim and walked away down Kings Highway. No words were exchanged between Russo and the victim prior and nothing was stolen, authorities said. The victim suffered pain to her head and neck but refused …

Staten Island man arrested for attempting to bribe city employee to lease Mill Basin Wharf

A Staten Island man was arrested Thursday for allegedly bribing an employee of the city’s economy-boosting arm to fast-track his approval to lease the Mill Basin Wharf.  “Bribery and gift-giving are not the ways to do business with the City of New York. Today’s arrest demonstrates that City employees are one of our most valuable tools to combat corruption,” said City Department of Investigations Commissioner Margaret Garnett. “This investigation underscores the value and importance of New York City’s mandate that City employees must report corruption.” In July 2020, Bachir Bourabah reportedly offered an employee of the Economic Development Corporation a boat and …