Happy Monday in Brooklyn, where a dangerous stretch of roadway detested by cyclists, pedestrians and farmers market shoppers alike may be getting a major overhaul.
Grand Army Plaza, with its iconic Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch and Bailey Fountain, was originally designed as a grand entrance to Prospect Park. But it’s become something far different — a whirling carousel of car lanes and bike paths, enclosing the archway in a near-constant stream of vehicles.
Nearly all Brooklynites know the feeling of dodging cars and leapfrogging between pedestrian islands as they cross the outer ring of the plaza’s roadways in a real-life game of Frogger.
According to the New York Times, there were 219 traffic-related injuries on the roadways surrounding the plaza between 2021 and 2025.
Today, Mayor Mamdani announced a major redesign that would eliminate the four-lane stretch at the southern end of the park, opening up a car-free corridor between the park entrance and the Memorial Arch. The new plan would increase the pedestrian footprint of Grand Army Plaza and reduce the overall number of crossings from 39 to 24.
“Anyone who’s tried to cross here knows how dangerous and chaotic the streets can be,” Mayor Mamdani said in a statement. “This redesign is long overdue and will provide a sense of ease and enjoyment to one of Brooklyn’s most important public spaces.”
And in other news, congratulations to the newest Albanian citizen, Eric Adams!
About two dozen men rallied in front of the Appellate Court in Brooklyn Heights, angry about what they call the justice system’s “systemic alienation” of fathers and children in child custody and visitation matters.
A woman was discovered face down and unresponsive in the water near Pier 12 in Red Hook shortly before 4 p.m. on Saturday. Investigators have not determined how the woman entered the water.
Boro taxis — also known as green cabs — are at their lowest level in years as Uber and Lyft gain more prominence. Boro taxi trips dropped 98% from peak.
A new Marshalls is coming to Sunset Park at Liberty View Industrial Plaza, also known as Liberty BKLYN, 850 Third Ave. It opens April 23.
Chap-A-Nosh, the kosher Chinese-American mainstay in Midwood, permanently closed after more than 40 years, owner Elie Pollak announced Tuesday.
Our World In Photos
Photo: Chan Long Hei/AP
HONG KONG — Does this portend a new reality TV game show? A humanoid robot squares off against a visitor during a demonstration at an exhibition in Hong Kong on Monday, April 13, 2026.
For more pictures like this, see Our World in Photos.
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Psilocybin mushrooms are going mainstream, but scientific research and regulation lag behind
Marine Corps combat veteran Matt Metzger, who grows his own mushrooms for microdosing psilocybin, displays prepared doses in packets Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Olympia, Wash. Photo: Lindsey Wasson/AP
Amid a renaissance in the science of psychedelics, public interest in psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, as they’ve long been known, is surging.
One study found that rates of psilocybin use increased 44% among adults ages 18-29 from 2019 to 2023, and 188% among those over age 30. This amounts to more than 5 million adults using psilocybin in 2023 alone. And those numbers are rising: A study published in early 2026 found that about 11 million adults in the United States used psilocybin in the previous year.
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Cartoon Sketchbook
By John Darkow
For the Road
New Home for Puppets: Beloved marionette theater company Puppetworks is being forced to shut the doors of its Sixth Avenue playhouse this fall after nearly four decades at the location. The building has been sold to a developer, according to staff. Learn more.
Happy Birthday to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Al Green!
On This Day in 1867, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Although base ball is the favorite American game, cricket is an object of increasing interest.”
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