5 Things You Should Know This Week

"5 Things You Should Know" may turn your opinion of Mondays around, with information to jump-start you into a productive week. Be the first to know about parking changes, traffic changes, important meetings, and the hottest events in Bed-Stuy. After all, there's no better way to arm oneself than with information:

1.  Today, April 18, is tax day—the last day to file your tax returns. Taxpayers have President Abraham Lincoln to thank for the Internal Revenue Service's decision to give everyone an extension from April 15 to 18. Since Emancipation Day fell on April 16 this year, a Saturday, it will be observed on Friday, April 15.

2.  Alternate side parking (street cleaning) regulations will be suspended from Tuesday, April 19, through Friday, April 22, for observance of Passover, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and on the following Monday and Tuesday, April 25-26 for observance of Passover. All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.

3.  On Tuesday, April 19, Mocha Moms Brooklyn will host a family fundraiser to benefit Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees. Special invited guest is Council Member Letitia James. The event will be held at the Macon Branch Public Library, located at 361 Lewis Avenue (between Macon and Halsey, from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. There will be music, food and a raffle of Haitian art. Raffle items have been donated from local businesses like The Federation of Black Cowboys and Frosted Moon and from organizations like the National Book Foundation.  The cost is $10 per family.

4.  MillionTreesNYC, in partnership with the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation will host a tree giveaway to all residents of New York on Saturday April 23, 2011 (Rain or Shine)
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. The event will be held at Restoration Plaza, located at 1368 Fulton Street. Free trees will be given away on a first-come first-serve bases, one per family Limited quantities of redbud, magnolia and pear trees will be available. Please note that trees are intended for planting on private property, and cannot be planted along streets, on rooftops or terraces, or in city parks. Simple tree planting and care instructions come with each tree. All you need is a place to plant, a shovel and access to water!

5.  For two days, beginning Friday, April 22, through Saturday, April 23, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, at Antioch Baptist Church, located at 828 Greene Avenue between Lewis and Stuyvesant Avenues, a judge and court attorneys will be on hand to vacate all warrants that have resulted from summons for minor offenses, no questions asked. The program is called “Project Safe Surrender.” The offenses under consideration may include trespassing, spitting, loitering, disorderly conduct, walking an unleashed dog, drinking alcohol in public, underage drinking, riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, making unreasonable noise, etc.