🌱 Grant Benefits BK LVL UP + Video Released Of Man Beat By Teens

Hey, neighbors! Dashiell Allen here with a brand-new issue of the Ditmas Park-Flatbush Daily.

First, today's weather:

Cooler with periods of rain. High: 45 Low: 39.

Here are the top stories today in Ditmas Park-Flatbush:

1. The organization CitizensNYC is launching a total of $1 million in small grants to neighborhood groups and small businesses. One group that's benefited from their last round of grants is BK LVL UP (Brooklyn Level Up), which used the funds to develop a program to vaccinate at-risk community members in East Flatbush and raise awareness about the pandemic last spring. (Amsterdam News)
2. A new video released shows a group of teenagers beating a 67-year-old man East Flatbush after exiting a bus. According to a witness the conflict started after the teens fired a nerf gun. One local resident expressed he isn't used to seeing this type of altercation in his neighborhood. (News 12 Westchester)
3. Friday marked the start of the city's annual "tax lien" sales, when homeowner's unpaid property taxes are sold to third parties who try to collect on the debts. In past years it has often led moderate to low-income homeowners to sell their property, and now many lawmakers across the city would like the annual practice to end. (Brooklyn Eagle)
4. COVID-19 cases in New York State skyrocketed to over 10,000 on Friday, with more than half of all new cases coming from New York City. New York City Council Member Mark Levine said that one-day total sets an "all-time record." At the same time, city and state officials made clear that they have no intention of instituting additional restrictions — as of now — and schools probably won't be going remote. (NYC Patch)

Today in Ditmas Park-Flatbush:

• Farmhouse Family Day: make your own candle at The Wyckoff House Museum, 5816 Clarendon Rd. (11 a.m.)
• Free yoga class at 840 Flatbush Avenue (12 p.m.)
• "Brownsville’s Fight Against Environmental Racism" virtual town hall (12 p.m.)
• Ray Dejon & Talent's 30 for 30 comedy show at King's Theater (8 p.m.)
• Winter masquerade party at 550 Remsen Avenue (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The local group Equality for Flatbush is rallying support to help save a community member's home, which is in the process of being acquired by Emigrant Bank. (Google Forms)
• Flatbush City Councilmember Farah Louis congratulated Adrianne Adams for becoming the first Black woman City Council Speaker. (Twitter)
• State Senate candidate David Alexis will be canvassing tomorrow to pass "right to remain" legislation, at the Flatbush YMCA. (Twitter)

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That's it for today! See you tomorrow morning for another update.

— Dashiell Allen