5 Things You Should Know This Week

Here are five reasons to make Mondays your favorite day of the week: "5 Things You Should Know" gives you 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.     Alternate side of of the street parking rules are suspended this Thursday and Friday, the 24^th and 25^th of December.

2.     A trains replace the S trains between Broad Channel and Rockaway Park.  Shuttle buses make all stops at Far Rockaway, Beach 25, Beach 36, Beach 44, Beach 60, Beach 67, Beach 90 and Beach 98 Sts.  Transfer between the A train and shuttle bus at Beach 98 St. Note: Rockaway Park-bound A trains skip Beach 90 and Beach 105 Sts.

3.     DC 37 AFSCME, the city's largest union, will hold a rally to protest the 6,000 projected layoffs that will result from Mayor Bloomberg's recent cut of $1.3 billion in vital services. DC 37 represents city workers, many in service industry jobs, including school aids, clerks and hospital workers. The rally will take place on Tuesday December 21^st, from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, at City Hall Park, Centre St. across from Municipal Building.

4.     This Thursday, December 23^rd, from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, the Von King Park Recreational Center will hold its annual toy and bicycle raffle and Christmas celebration. As many as 40 bikes will be raffled away to participants. Don't miss this exciting event for both kids and their parents.

5.     Celebrate the kick-off of Kwanzaa, "UMOJA," at Boys and Girls High School this Sunday, December 26^th, 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm, 1700 Fulton Street (between Schenectady and Utica Avenues). The celebration will feature a children's program, roundtable discussion on economics, education and the community,  a tribute to the ancestors, community awards and cultural entertainment.