July 14: Michael Blake... And Friends

Join your friends and neighbors at the latest edition of the festival today at Fort Greene Park. 

On tap for GreenLeaf's outdoor performance space at Dekalb Avenue and Washington Park is Michael Blake and fellow musicians Ben Allison and Nicole Mitchell, who will also be joined by Teachers & Writers Collaborative member Bushra Rehman. See you there!

Here are your 5 Things for this beautiful mid-summer Thursday:

1. In response to a rash of muggings in Fort Greene Park in recent weeks, one local sensei is looking to teach residents the right karate moves to put the brakes on crime. 

2. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you really explored the Gowanus Canal? In his new novel, "The Blow-Off," Jim Knipfel writes about a journalist who claims to discover Bigfoot near the Gowanus Canal, causing neighborhood hysteria. A founding editor of Patch, Adam Bulger, at Greenlight Bookstore tonight. 

3. In case you missed it: opponents of the Atlantic Yards project were handed a in a ruling handed down Wednesday.  

4. continues with Swamp Dogg, who brings on the funk for a lunchtime crowd today in Downtown Brooklyn.

5. Alternate side parking rules are in effect today.