5 Things You Should Know This Week

"5 Things You Should Know" may turn your opinion of Mondays around, with information to jump-start you into a productive week. Be the first to know about parking changes, traffic changes, important meetings, and the hottest events in Bed-Stuy. Afterall, there's no better way to arm oneself than with information:

1.     Department of Transportation traffic advisory for Atlantic Avenue between Ralph Avenue and Utica Avenue: One lane may be closed westbound except peak hours between 9pm and 3am weekdays. One lane may be closed eastbound except peak hours between 2pm and 9pm weekdays. These closures are limited to the actual work area, two blocks at a time, to facilitate MTA-LIRR viaduct rehabilitation project until the end of 2011. One lane will be maintained westbound between Ralph Avenue and Buffalo Avenue on the weekends from 10pm Friday to 5am Monday.

2.     Beginning this past Saturday, April 1^st, shoppers in Brooklyn and throughout New York City can once again enjoy buying clothes and footwear under $55 tax-free, saving the nearly 9 percent tax previously levied on all clothing purchases in the city.

3.     On Wednesday, April 6, at 6:30 pm, do not miss this historic moment at The Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA! The YMCA will hold an in-depth interview with BET TV host and Emmy award winning journalist, Ed Gordon and decorated Tuskegee Airman, Lt. Colonel John Mulzac. History will unfold as Mr. Mulzac recounts his years as a fighter pilot in WWII and the struggles of his famous unit. The event will take place in the community room and is free.

4.     On Friday, April 8, at 7:30 pm, the student organization, Latinos Unidos of the LIU Brooklyn Campus will host “Latin Fusion,” an annual concert to celebrate the rich diverse rhythms and sounds of Latin America. This year's concert will feature local artists performing Bomba from Puerto Rico, authentic New York City salsa, the sounds of Afro-Cuba, and the exciting movements of Capoiera and Flamenco. Tickets: $15, $10 for students with ID

5.     Saturday, April 9, at 8:00 pm and Sunday, April 10, at 4:00 pm, the Kumble Theatre presents “Call Me Crazy: Diary of  Mad Social Worker,” written and performed by Helena D. Lewis: After being assigned more work than she can handle, social worker Lewis has a nervous breakdown, tries to kill her boss, and is committed for psychiatric observation. After being restrained, Lewis recalls her true-life experiences working with prostitutes, drug addicts and prisoners, portraying twenty-five different characters from pimps to menopausal women. It is a unique look at the highs and lows of working for peanuts while trying to save the world one poem at a time.