🌱 Park Slope COVID Rate + MTA Mask Mandate + Canarsie Shooter

Good morning, Brooklyn! I am your host, Patrick Murray here with three stories to kick off your day.

First, today's weather:

Sunny and warmer with a high of 57 and a low of 44.

Here are the top stories in Brooklyn today:

1. Positive COVID-19 rates have risen throughout the city, and Brooklyn's Park Slope 11217 has reached the highest in Brooklyn. Seven-day rates stood at 9.45 percent, nearly twice the city-wide rate of 4.8 percent. Though nowhere near the levels of the winter outbreak due to the omicron variant, this latest surge could lead to new restrictions. (Patch)
2. The MTA will continue with its mask mandate after a federal judge in Florida on Monday struck down the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s nationwide face-covering requirement on airplanes and public transit. The transit authority intends to keep its mandate in place on its buses, subways, and commuter railroads. The Port Authority also announced that masks are still required at its New York facilities, including JFK and LaGuardia Airports, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station, and the Oculus. (Brooklyn Paper)
3. An off-duty NYPD officer is accused of shooting a man during an argument early on Monday morning and fleeing without reporting the incident. Larry Valdemar was identified as the gunman who shot a 32 year old in Canarsie, leaving him wounded. Several witnesses reported to other officers that they believed the shooter to be a cop. (New York Daily News)

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Today in Brooklyn:

• Daze Summit Festival at HQ Lounge. (6 p.m.)
• Live music at Elsewhere. (6 p.m.)
• Adia Victoria, live at Brooklyn Made. (7 p.m.)
• Jazzwerkstatt Festival live at Roulette Intermedium. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Cherry blossoms at Brooklyn Bridge Park. (Instagram)
• Big Thief played two nights at Kings Theatre. (Instagram)
• Check out the Brooklyn area real estate roundup. (Brooklyn Patch)
• Fun ways to celebrate Earth Day in Brooklyn. (Brooklyn Paper)
• World-renowned restaurant Noma is opening a Brooklyn pop-up. (Time Out)

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You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Patrick Murray