🌱 'Defend Democracy' Rally + Public School Attendance Drops

Hey, Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO! Let's get this day started. These are the most important things happening today in Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO.

First, today's weather:

Turning cloudy. High: 39 Low: 32.

Here are the top four stories in Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO today:

1. Today, January 6th, marks the one year anniversary of the right-wing Capitol insurrection. To mark the day Brooklyn politicians and civil rights leaders are holding a "Defend Democracy" rally in Grand Army Plaza at 12 p.m. (NYC Patch)
2. Overall attendance at public schools in Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, and other neighborhoods has dropped significantly since classes began this week, with 72% attendance on Tuesday. 12,723 positive cases in schools were reported on Tuesday. (Brooklyn Bridge Parents)
3. The Brooklyn Heights institution Iris Café is now open at Pier 6, serving a limited menu. The reopening has been a long time coming after first being announced in May 2020. (Brooklyn Bridge Parents)
4. A long-delayed affordable housing lottery opened up at a Two Trees development along the Williamsburg waterfront, although many of the units marked as affordable are for people earning over 100% of area median income. (Brooklyn Paper)

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Today in Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO:

• "Light Year 81: Love Cycles" – a one day only international video art exhibit in the Pearl Street Triangle (2 p.m.)
• Open hours at the Brooklyn Bridge Park environmental education center (3 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Check out the stunning work of third-generation Argentinian upholsters Hector and Ana on Montague Street. (Instagram)
• Stephen Levin is now the CEO of One Solar, a nonprofit dedicated to "sustainability and resiliency in urban neighborhoods." (Twitter)
• Lincoln Restler toured P.S.8 yesterday. The school is fortunate to have the resources to buy high-quality air filters. (Twitter)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you soon!

— Dashiell Allen