🌱 Regulation On Utility Bills + Evidence Warehouse Fire Solved

Hey, everybody! It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Brooklyn Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening these days in town, including these top three stories.

But first, today's weather:

Windy and cooler with rain. High: 47 Low: 45.

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Here are the top three stories in Brooklyn today:

1. New York lawmakers are passing a bill that is meant to make utility bills more predictable for residents in the city. This new law is being passed to address the fluctuations of bills month-to-month that can make it challenging for residents to properly budget their bills. With the way utility bills skyrocketed this summer due to the war in Ukraine, officials have kept a close eye on the fluctuations throughout the winter. The Public Service Commission will be required to create a formula to use as the industry standard and it will be expected by Nov. 1 this year. (Spectrum News NY1)
2. The flame that occurred in the NYPD Evidence Warehouse in Brooklyn has now officially been determined to be an electrical blowout causing the exit sign to catch fire. On Dec. 13, a huge fire on Columbia Street sent black clouds all over Red Hook, and over 100 firefighters spent hours on the scene fighting the flame. Eight total people were injured, including EMS, firefighters, and two civilians. Although the fire destroyed a decent amount of biological evidence, a lot was linked to cold cases dating back 20-30 years ago; there is no estimated cost of damage. (NBC New York)
3. Elizabeth Perez, a well-known figure in her community, was struck and killed by a vehicle late Wednesday on what appeared to be her walk home. Perez was crossing Dahill Road near 63rd Street in Brooklyn when Yerlin Garcia allegedly veered onto the opposite side of the road to avoid a group on the road and slammed into Perez. Police say Garcia never stopped on the scene, but they found him and the Acura nearby. Perez was beloved in her community; a worker at Dollar General, she was a light for her coworkers as well as her family during her life. (New York Daily News)

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Today in Brooklyn:

• Fitness With Malvia - Brooklyn Public Library (10:45 AM)
• Homework Help - Brooklyn Public Library (11:00 AM)
• Mindfulness Meditation With Phyllis Trout - Windsor Terrace (11:30 AM)
• Comedytown - Caveat (9:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Attention, Brooklyn artists: Six Foot Platform proposals will be due this coming Monday. Don't miss this opportunity to show off your talents for the neighborhood. (Brooklyn Arts Council via Facebook)
• Stop by Kings Highway Library today at 1 p.m. for a "Music of My Soul" performance. Keeping the trend of Women's History Month, the performance will be led by soprano singer Anna Voevoda and pianist Victoria Ulanovskaia. (Brooklyn Public Library via Facebook)
• The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office continues to welcome newly arriving individuals and families in the city. If you would like to assist in welcoming all into the neighborhood, please consider donating to the Toiletry Drive in collaboration with Cobble Hill School of American Studies. (Brooklyn Attorney District's Office via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Cool Hand Movers — (Visit website)

Featured events:

• Comedytown (March 25)
• The Kalief Browder Story: Talk and Screening w/ Akeem Browder (March 26)
• Night Market : East Asian food & Sakura Festival (March 31)
• Post Nets Game - Live Music at McMahon’s (April 7)
• Kids Easter Party Queens NY (April 9)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday. See you all soon for another update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.