🌱 Homeowner Assistance + Sunset Park Raised Novelist Debut Novel

Get on up, Sunset Park! It's Wednesday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on in town today.

First, today's weather:

Rain and drizzle in the a.m.. High: 46 Low: 35. There's projected to be 1-3 inches of snow overnight into Thursday.

Here are the top 3 stories in Sunset Park today:

1. Sunset Park born-and-raised novelist Xochitl Gonzalez speaks about her debut novel, 'Olga Dies Dreaming,' which tells the coming-of-age story of a woman in her 40s, like the author herself, who discovers writing after being a high-end wedding planner. Gonzalez grew up in a working-class Latino household, and the novel also explores those elements of her background. (Los Angeles Times)
2. New York State's homeowner assistance fund is now open–but Brooklynites had best act quickly. The state says it’s expecting to receive far more applications than it can supply economic relief to. (Brooklyn Reader)
3. Down in Bay Ridge local residents and politicians–including newly-elected Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov and Democrat Ari Kagan–marched against anti-semitic violence, after a physical attack last week on two 21-year-old Jewish men. (Brooklyn Paper)

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Today in Sunset Park:

• Monthly mental health workshop for parents, from the Brooklyn Chinese American Association, on Zoom (3 p.m.)
• Live music at Industry City (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The Fifth Avenue Committee reminds everyone that it's important to get tested regularly for COVID – you can find a testing site here: NYC.Gov/COVIDTest or by texting "COVID TEST" to 855-48. (Facebook)
• "Mulchfest," the program that allows New Yorkers to recycle their Christmas trees to be turned into mulch, is up and running through next weekend. There's a drop-off site in Sunset Park and Owl's Head Park. (NYC Parks)
• The Bay Ridge Community Development Center is beginning its free produce giveaways this Saturday. (Twitter)

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That's it for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with your next update!

— Dashiell Allen