🌱 Three Pretenders Attack Homeowner + The Return Of Mulchfest

Happy Thursday, people of Brooklyn! I am your host, Patrick Murray, here to bring you the top 4 headlines for today.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy with a high of 49 and a low of 44.

Here are the top stories in Brooklyn today:

1. Three men pretended to be COVID-19 surveyors before attacking a Brooklyn homeowner. The NYPD says the 28-year-old victim opened the door for one man when the other two forced their way inside and attacked the victim with a knife. It is unclear if anything was taken from the residence, or if the three suspects knew the victim. (NBC New York)
2. Mulchfest has returned with curbside pickup, as well as 23 Brooklyn drop-off locations. Last year, New York City's Sanitation Department collected over 29,000 Christmas trees, and reused them throughout the city to enrich the soil. The event will take place between Jan. 6 and Jan. 15. (Brooklyn Paper)
3. The omicron variant has added significant strain on many local businesses. 59 percent of local small businesses have reported employees calling in sick in the last three weeks, while 77 percent have seen their sales decrease from 2020 figures. (Brooklyn Paper)
4. Seven new COVID-19 testing sites have opened across New York City in light of the recent nationwide spike in cases. The Kings Plaza Mall at 5100 Kings Plaza has opened its doors to allow more access to testing for Brooklyn residents. (WPIX 11 New York)

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Today in Brooklyn:

• Karaoke Thursdays at Bellyful NYC. (All Day)
• Fen's Open Mic Explosion, Eastville Comedy Club. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Congratulations to Brooklyn native Steve Buscemi for being honored with the key to the city! (CBS New York)
• Read a review of Brooklyn's own Ace Hotel. (Daily Mail)
• Dec. 29 in the history of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update.

— Patrick Murray