A certain magic whirled around a particularly windy night in Bushwick recently as winter pushed its way into spring, if only briefly. Along with a mix of sidewalk debris, groups of people hovered near featured galleries, marking their otherwise undetectable entrance ways. The light of the full moon was a nice extra as I made my way to view the participating galleries in Bushwick’s Beat Nite.
The Census Bureau estimates that poverty afflicts at least 13% of the country, including one in five people in Brooklyn. Income impacts nutritional health throughout life, and poor nutrition, especially prevalent in low-income neighborhoods, is a direct cause of heart disease and diabetes. Now, the slow food, urban farming and organic movements act as catalysts for a healthier America. Here are the policy changes, present and future, necessary for a healthier Brooklyn and beyond.
Bushwick is one of those New York neighborhoods that everyone always talks about, but doesn’t always go to. This weekend, spend a day exploring this local blend of artsy-hipster, Latino immigrants, and industrial warehouses.
At a local meeting on crime, the message was clear: citizens, engage your community and get involved or these tough times will only get worse.
What are the cops in your neighborhood up to? In the past 30 days, there have been 21 homicides in New York City – 29 less than the same period last year. Twelve of the homicides in the past 30 days took place in Brooklyn. Specifically Brownsville, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill – and it’s clear that more officers are on the streets of Crown Heights these days after a summer punctuated by the sound of gunshots.
A secret garden lurks in Bushwick while city legislators introduce a bill to make community gardens an integral part of the city’s supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. The Secret Garden – its actual name – which is part of the Linden-Bushwick Community Garden, is one of hundreds of community gardens in Brooklyn that has the potential to nourish its community both nutritionally and mentally. The FRESH Zoning amendment, if passed, would make it easier for the fruits and vegetables grown in these gardens to travel from soil to plate.
In light of the increasing number of newly painted bike lanes, and the cars who like to defile them, we’ve created a list of new road rules for everyone to help prevent catastrophic crashes between bikes and cars.
