In Bed-Stuy News This Week

The weekend is here: Time to kick back, relax and catch up on all the news highlights you may have missed throughout the week. To follow is a quick recap of what made the headlines on Bed-Stuy Patch. Even if you recognize some of the stories, feel free to review and share your feedback.

1. This is the last weekend to catch "" at the Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza. You don't want to miss this one, as this may be one of the theatre's best plays yet. "Brothers from the Bottom" is a play that peels away the layers of controversy surrounding gentrification to reveal a lot of uncomfortable truths. It is smart, thought-provoking, while letting the audience draw its own conclusions on a topic that is polarizing, controversial and relevant. The play is written and directed by Jackie Alexander. It opened October 14th and runs through December 19th, 2010.  Snag a ticket now before it is sold out.
2. The 81st Precinct met on Tuesday. The precinct's new inspector Juanita Holmes reported that the largest number of crimes over the past month were larcenies, with electronics being the number-one target: "Try not to talk on your cell phone when walking down the street," said Holmes. "When you are talking and not paying attention is when you become a target." Holmes also talked about the precinct's Gun Amnesty Program where residents who have found or are in possession of a firearm may turn it in, no questions asked, for $100. Also, confidential informants who provide information leading to a gun arrest could receive up to a $1,000 reward. Read full story .
3. Police also announced on Tuesday they were looking for a man who raped two women and sexually assaulted a third. Police believe the same man is responsible for an assault earlier in the year, on May 2, near the intersection of Bedford and Flatbush avenues. In all three cases, the women described the men as black, in his late 20s, between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a medium build, medium to dark skin tone and short black hair, according to the NYPD. To see the full story and a description of the suspect, click .
4. On Thursday, Bed-Stuy's own Colvin Grannum, president and CEO of the , brought home the first-place trophy at "The Stars of New York Dance" competition in Brooklyn. Grannum joined four other local "stars" from across New York City, all of whom put on their dancing shoes to raise money for at-risk children. The fundraiser event was held at the New York City Marriott in Brooklyn, and was an ode to the popular "Dancing With The Stars." This event was a loads of fun! Check out the story and videos .
5. Also on Thursday, The state agency that oversees the Atlantic Yards announced that the mega-project may take 15 years longer than originally promised. Even worse, they tried to say that 15 more years of construction would have little impact on the surrounding community. Local residents were incensed. "Do you, ESDC people, have any responsibility, any shame, for the actions you have taken with regard to this? …  I wonder how you can present your analysis today against a new environmental impact statement and not factor in the blighting, totally disruptive effects of a 25-year buildout on what had been a stable and coherent community. I think you have an obligation to go back to the drawing board," she concluded. Read the story .