Community Corner

This Week in News

Towns comments on AZ shooting spree; GOP takes over the State Senate and Video of Bed-Stuy Homeless man goes viral

Here's a chance to 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.     An Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in the head at close range on Saturday while hosting a public event outside a supermarket in Tucson. Giffords was hosting a "Congress on Your Corner" event and talking to constituents when the gunman, 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, moved his way through the small group gathered around her and began shooting, killing six and injuring 17 others. Congressman Ed Towns issued a statement shortly afterward, stating, “My thoughts and prayers go out to Rep. Giffords, her family, as well as to the others who were injured and lost their lives. I remain prayerful that Rep. Giffords has a full and complete recovery, and that justice will prevail." Click to read the full story.

2.     Bed-Stuy native Ted Williams became an Internet sensation this week, when a YouTube video of him panhandling went viral. Williams, an ex-radio announcer, became homeless after falling prey to drug and alcohol addiction. But after one videographer from Ohio recorded him holding a sign off of the highway and showcasing his unbelievable radio voice, the video received 4.5 million hits in two days, earning him job offers from the Cleveland Cavaliers, MTV and NFL, among others. Williams returned home to Bedford-Stuyvesant this past Thursday to reunite with his estranged mother. Click to read the full story.

Find out what's happening in Bed-Stuywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

3.     Winston Cox was arraigned and pleaded not guilty today to attempted murder and robbery charges linked to a hair salon shootout with an off-duty NYPD officer. Cox went before a judge and pleaded not guilty, despite a videotaped confession, property recovered from the robbery, bloody clothing and the gun found in Cox's apartment. If found guilty, Cox faces 40 years to life in prison. To read about the botched robbery and arraignment, click .

4.     The GOP took over the senate State Senate on Wednesday, with a 32-seat majority in the 62-seat chamber, while Senate Democrats faced a $7 billion deficit. Their overspending will force them to drastically slash their payroll by up to one-third, in order to close the deficit. This will mean at least 200 Democrats will receive pink slips. To read the full update, click .

Find out what's happening in Bed-Stuywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

5.     The bicycle advocacy group Transportation Alternatives estimated that more than 236,000 people bicycle across the five boroughs — 28 percent more than the year before. But as the number of cyclists rises across the city, so have the number of bike accidents. And the problem finally caught the attention of the mayor's office. In a borough-wide crackdown, cyclists in Bedford-Stuyvesant soon should be on the lookout for police targeting two-wheelers who don't obey traffic laws. If cyclists even so much as fail to signal before turning, they will be ticketed. The law will go into affect in about a week. Click to read the entire article.


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