🌱 Sunset Park Daily: P.S. 958 + No Masks For NY Businesses + BQE

Up and at 'em, Sunset Park! Diane Witek here to get you started this Thursday with everything you need to know going on around Sunset Park today.

First, today's weather:

Variable clouds; breezy, mild. High: 49, low: 31.

Here are the top stories in Sunset Park today:

1. There's a new school in town — coming September, P.S. 958. The Brooklyn Eagle reported that the school will serve 3K, 4K, Pre-l and kindergarten grades in the first year. The school is intended to provide support for diverse learning styles, including children with Individualized Education Programs, and who are multilingual. A virtual session will be held Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. Registration for the forum: here, as reported by the Brooklyn Eagle. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
2. Due to a dramatic decline in NYC COVID-19 cases, Gov. Kathy Hochul is lifting the indoor mask mandate for New York businesses. The policy shift comes as New York makes "tremendous progress" in the fight against the coronavirus with sharp drops in new cases, positivity and hospitalizations, the governor said Wednesday. Businesses can still require masking on their own, Hochul said. (Patch)
3. Early this year Patch announced an exhibit by the Institute for Public Architecture on alternative to the BQE. As many of you who live under the highway know that the BQE, especially the elevated portion in Sunset Park, has long been thought of as an impediment to the area's rebirth. There are five proposals that are generating quite a bit of discussion in the Brooklyn and Queens communities; read about them. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
4. According to the latest NYPD statistics, nearly every single city police precinct has seen spikes in crime so far this year — including five in which the rate has doubled. Police data shows that 72 out of the city's 77 police precincts saw crime rise, leaving just five at 2021 levels or dipping below their figures for the same period a year earlier. Crimes remain up with a surge in car thefts and an uptick in felony assaults and grand larcenies citywide, police data shows. (New York Post)
5. NYC Parks announced plans to expand upon and add new greenways in Brooklyn and Queens. In Brooklyn, the proposed plan would improve access to the waterfront by connecting Shore Parkway from Leif Erikson Park to Coney Island. The goal is to make it easier to get around the borough by walking and biking by connecting these existing greenways. (Time Out New York)

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From my notebook:

• Sunset Park 5th Avenue BID: "Repost from @cflsunsetpark. More information about the 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit, Economic Impact Payments, and the Excluded Workers Fund form 1099-G can be found on IRS.GOV. You can call our office with questions at 929-480-7127." (Facebook)
• Sunset Park BID: "Repost from @nyc_dob. No matter your immigration status, it is illegal for someone to pressure or force you to leave your home without going through a formal court process. Call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline." (Instagram)
• Sunset Park BID: "Repost from @lwrenbar. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Enjoy our $40 Prix Fixe at L’WREN! Starter shaved brussel salad, bleu cheese, pear, candied walnuts, champagne vinaigrette Or Tuna poke scallions, cilantro." (Instagram)
• Sunset Park BID: "Repost from @mmitaynes. Español abajo | 中文翻譯如下 🌱SAVE THE DATE!🌱 This Saturday I will be joining UPROSE and Councilwoman Alexa Aviles for our virtual Sunset Park Climate Justice Townhall." (Instagram)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• The Last Stargazers: True Stories and Adventures of Astronomy. Caveat, 21 A Clinton St., New York. (Feb. 10)
• Office & Home Furniture Liquidation Warehouse Sale. Route 1 North Brunswick. (Feb. 12)
• Help Us Improve Your Health | Ayúdenos a mejorar su salud | Помогите нам улучшить ваше здоровье. (Feb. 16)
• Add your event.

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Diane Witek

About me: Impassioned Writer, Website Designer, Social Media Marketer and newly proclaimed Baker. Lover of nature and animals of all kinds.