In Bed-Stuy News This Past Week

Here's a chance to catch up on all the news highlights you may have missed throughout the week. To follow is a quick recap of what made the headlines on Bed-Stuy Patch. Even if you recognize some of the stories, feel free to review and share your feedback.

1. Bed-Stuy resident Kameron Walker claims he was assaulted by a group of plain clothes police officers he thought were thugs. He said, on his way home from getting something to eat, two officers that didn’t identify themselves, forced him on to the ground. They cuffed him, then one of the men shoved his face forcefully into the snow, causing bruises and cuts on his cheek. Eventually, they took his information and let him go. But Walker is extremely upset by the incident, and has retained a lawyer and is filing a CCRB (Criminal Complaint Review Board) notice against the City. To read the full story, click .

2. Bushbaby café on Fulton Avenue usually is crowded with brunch-goers, many with ethnic backgrounds clearly not native to Bed-Stuy. Despite the nice décor, variety of food options, and non-stop amazing mix of music, a lot of native residents have yet to visit Bushbaby. Te, the owner, has noticed that many native residents peer through the window but seldom come in. On one occasion Te wrote the words, “What’s your excuse for not coming in?” on the ad outside of Bushbaby, as a way of prompting the community to challenge themselves. In her , our gentrification columnist, Syliva Harvey, explores the reasons why so many native Bed-Stuy residents choose not to patronize the new businesses popping up and around Bed-Stuy.

3. More than 400 community members -- including block associations, committee members and elected officials -- attended Wednesday night's meeting with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) at Restoration Plaza, a key event in LPC's consideration of whether to landmark proposed historic districts in Bed-Stuy. The last serious effort to landmark districts in Bed-Stuy was almost 20 years ago, in 1993. At that time, the commission calendared and held a public hearing on the proposed extension. However, since there wasn't a true consensus in the community of what the boundaries should be, LPC shelved the effort. This year, since the mission has been revived, there has been a rousing sense of support. Click for the full story.

4. GROCERYworks is an eight-week program that trains qualified job seekers in New York City and prepares them for positions in the food retail industry. Students gain knowledge in customer service, cashiering, product recognition and store maintenance. They also obtain licenses in occupational safety and food handling. For people like Bed-Stuy resident Kay Solomon, the steady support is a stepping stone to a promising future. Read , for more information about this successful new program.

5. Friday marked the final day of Fall/Winter Fashion Week in New York City. If you didn't get a chance to catch any of the shows this year, no worries, because our very own local fashion director and style expert Billie Causieestko was there every day, and she is sharing with Bed-Stuy Patch all of this year's .