Paul Spencer Byard, a land-use lawyer who returned to school in his late 30s to be an architect and who became an important figure in the renovation of some of New York’s most prominent landmarks, died on Tuesday at his home in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. He was 68.

Published by New York Times on July 18, 2008.

“If you’re running for mayor of the city of New York, you have to address the issue of affordable housing,” said Councilwoman Letitia James (D–Fort Greene), backed by anti-Catsimatidis protestors chanting “You won’t win” across the street from the construction site, between Prince Street and Ashland Place.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 18, 2008.

Taryn Kapronica - who goes by the stage name Bettie B. Goode - slammed into a metal chair 15 feet above a confused Williamsburg audience just seconds into her July 9 performance of Scorpion's "Rock You Like a Hurricane."

Published by New York Daily News on July 18, 2008.

The participating churches are: Helping Hands Ministries, 326 Junius St.; First Baptist Church of Brownsville, 357 Chester St.; Grace Baptist Church, 181 New Jersey Ave.; First AME Zion Church, 54 MacDonough St.; Southern Baptist Church, 798 Stanley St.; and Brown Memorial Baptist Church, 484 Washington Ave.

Published by New York Post on July 17, 2008.

That’s why Williamsburg’s 3rd Ward is hosting “Pig Out,” its first annual “pig roast and dance party” in the courtyard of its space on Morgan Avenue on Sunday, July 20 from 4 pm to 9 pm.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

A Pratt Institute architect and his students say they have come up with a way to preserve a row of decrepit, historic buildings in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, yet still allow the city to go ahead with a plan to create a big-box supermarket.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

Since developing Q Tonic Water back in 2002 in his Fort Greene yard, Silbert has come a long way. He moved to Prospect Heights, and now his tonic — made with organic agave, Peruvian quinine, lemon juice and triple-purified water, and distributed out of a loft in DUMBO — is up for the “Best New Product” prize at this week’s “Tales of the Cocktail” festival in New Orleans.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

All you drivers out there are a bunch of selfish, thoughtless jerks — at least that’s what one Fort Greene resident thinks.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

On July 27, Fort Greene locals will have the chance to become better acquainted with the history behind their picturesque neighborhood.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

Since developing Q Tonic Water back in 2002 in his Fort Greene yard, Silbert has come a long way. He moved to Prospect Heights, and now his tonic — made with organic agave, Peruvian quinine, lemon juice and triple-purified water, and distributed out of a loft in DUMBO — is up for the “Best New Product” prize at this week’s “Tales of the Cocktail” festival in New Orleans.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

National Guard hearing. On the agenda: Public comment about the city’s plan to acquire and demolish the historic Admirals Row houses in the Brooklyn Navy Yard to make room for a supermarket. Borough Hall (209 Joralemon St., at Court Street in Downtown), 7 pm. Call (703) 607–2780 for info.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 17, 2008.

The sheer number of these rezonings - from Columbia University to Hudson Yards to Greenpoint-Williamsburg to Willets Point, boggles the mind.

Published by New York Daily News on July 16, 2008.

Two weapon-wielding ladies were injured and arrested in a dust-up on Cambridge Place on July 8. Their donnybrook turned in an armed exchange between Gates and Putnam avenues at 4:30 pm, with each gladiator brandishing an unidentified weapon.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 16, 2008.

At Newswalk, a 168-unit condominium building in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, doormen have for years let residents know they have packages by putting little yellow sticky notes on their mailboxes.

Published by New York Times on July 16, 2008.

Then came the ill-fated show in December 2007, at the Sea Breeze Manor club in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a venue also known as Club Attraction.

Published by New York Daily News on July 16, 2008.

A real–deal cat burglar broke into and pilfered a Vanderbilt Avenue restaurant on July 7. Security cameras show a nimble man descending into the eatery on a rope inserted into the building through the skylight that he broke around 7 am.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 16, 2008.

His bottom line: Work hard, and you'll see the results. Recently, Siriano nixed his closet-sized apartment/sewing room for a Williamsburg loft he has come to adore. "It took a whole year of my life," he says of the show, "and now my life's fabulous. But before, my life was a serious struggle."

Published by New York Daily News on July 15, 2008.

Councilwoman Letitia James now says “some” of the tumbledown, historic houses in the Brooklyn Navy Yard should be saved, though she still supports the city’s plan to tear down the rotting Admirals Row to build a much-needed supermarket.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 15, 2008.

July 22 will mark the latest public showdown over the fate of the Navy Yard's Admirals Row -- the string of old mansions along Brooklyn's Flushing Avenue that has pitted preservationists who extol the homes' dilapidated grandeur against the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and residents of the Farragut Houses, who support a plan to raze the buildings and erect a much-needed grocery store.

Published by The New York Observer on July 15, 2008.

"I'm a single parent in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but I saw the article and told myself that I had to do something," one woman said.

Published by New York Daily News on July 15, 2008.

"Michael Kors is Mugatu from 'Zoolander,'" says the Williamsburg-based 25-year-old, likening the renowned designer to the maniacal fashion mogul played by Will Ferrell in the 2001 fashion spoof. "They're identical - I don't know if that character was based on him."

Published by New York Daily News on July 15, 2008.

The 25th District includes parts of the Lower East Side, Alphabet City, the Financial District, Tribeca, Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn. It is home to two of the largest and most controversial development projects in the city: the World Trade Center site and Atlantic Yards.

Published by Gotham Gazette on July 14, 2008.

The two friends offer up flavorful and inexpensive tacos and burritos out of a truck in the heart of gentrified Williamsburg, satiating neighborhood bar hoppers, and their visiting parents, alike.

Published by New York Sun on July 14, 2008.

The annual Festa del Giglio in Williamsburg began last Wednesday - but the first ceremonial lifting of the 80-foot giglio tower wasn't until yesterday afternoon and the streets were packed. Afterall, this is the main event.

Published by amNY.com on July 14, 2008.

Meanwhile, a rival organization tied to Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum in Williamsburg saw its funds slashed amid citywide budget cuts.

Published by New York Post on July 14, 2008.

He sold off one of his four Brooklyn stations four months ago. "With prices going up and down, I wasn't making any money," he said of the Bedford-Stuyvesant station. "The best thing to do was to close it down."

Published by New York Daily News on July 13, 2008.

The incident happened at about 8:45 p.m. Saturday on Hancock Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Published by WNBC on July 13, 2008.

The armed man was shot once in the head. Cops found his weapon - a .38-caliber handgun - at the scene on Hancock St. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, police said.

Published by New York Daily News on July 13, 2008.

Prospect Heights is among the city’s smaller neighborhoods, but it is home to numerous attractions and to a vibrant dining scene.

Published by New York Times on July 12, 2008.

The hardest-hit part of Brooklyn is the region including Crown Heights, East New York and Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the number of sales dropped 53.7 percent and median prices plunged from $561,350 to $499,902.

Published by New York Post on July 11, 2008.

Dan Santiago, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, had no plans to give up his Camel Lights.

Published by New York Post on July 11, 2008.

The B24, which makes an odd run from Williamsburg into Queens and back into Greenpoint, had 60 percent more riders, yet had a 6-percent service decline.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 11, 2008.

Among the still relatively bright spots are the Williamsburg-Greenpoint area, with a 9 percent upswing in median price from $532,500 to $580,402.

Published by New York Post on July 11, 2008.

A Catholic high school on Clermont Avenue reported that someone stole $7,000 from its vault between June 25 and 26.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 11, 2008.

The hugely popular comic was the headliner at the $75-and-up fundraiser, but Powell, who is aiming to unseat 13-term incumbent Ed Towns (D–Fort Greene) in the September primary, said Chappelle missed two flights in his effort to get to Manhattan’s hip-hop club, Eugene.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 10, 2008.

“We deal with various smokehouses, like Acme, Service and Banner, all of which are located in Brooklyn,” said Zabar, a former Brighton Beach resident. “We get smoked salmon, sturgeon and sable. We’re getting most of our smoked fish products in Brooklyn — we also have a great producer of kosher meat products in Williamsburg.”

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 10, 2008.

Urbanite talked to some waaayyy pissed off folks this morning who attended the Dave Chappelle fundraiser last night for Kevin Powell, who is running to unseat 8-term incumbent Ed Towns in the 10th Congressional District covering Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy.

Published by amNY.com on July 10, 2008.

“When I lived in Williamsburg, it was 1999, so it wasn’t quite as built up as it is now,” he said. “The plan was to see if I could get a job or if somebody would jump at putting out the record and neither of those things would happen, so I went back [to Austin, Tex.].”

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 10, 2008.

Home prices in Williamsburg and Greenpoint grew more in the last 12 months than prices in any other Brooklyn area, according to a new report.

Published by The New York Observer on July 10, 2008.

Last week, General Greene, a new restaurant specializing in comfort food and cocktails, opened at 229 DeKalb Ave. in Fort Greene.

Published by Brooklyn Paper on July 10, 2008.

On Tuesday, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission is slated to vote to "calendar" a proposed historic district for the neighborhood, the first significant step toward the area receiving the protected historic district status. Running from Flatbush Avenue to Washington Avenue, between Eastern Parkway and Atlantic Avenue, the area is filled with houses and other buildings built in the early 20th century and mid-19th century.

Published by The New York Observer on July 10, 2008.

For Davis, who at the depth of his nightmare weighed 718 pounds, and was bedridden and had to wrap a bedsheet around himself for a lack of other clothing, the will to lose weight came only after firefighters evacuated his third-story Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment.

Published by New York Daily News on July 9, 2008.

White was killed when gunfire erupted during the cookout, which left four others wounded in Bedford-Stuyvesant Sunday.

Published by New York Post on July 8, 2008.

A $12,000 dollar reward is being offered in connection with the shooting of five people at a Bedford-Stuyvesant over the weekend.

Published by WNBC on July 8, 2008.

A Bedford-Stuyvesant man who weighed more than 700 pounds and puffy "Sopranos" actor Joe Gannascoli will strut their stuff Tuesday as the latest beneficiaries of Borough President Marty Markowitz's Lighten Up, Brooklyn campaign.

Published by New York Daily News on July 8, 2008.

A courtyard cookout ended in chaos and bloodshed early Sunday morning, with a young woman killed and four people wounded in a Bedford Stuyvesant shootout, the police said.

Published by New York Times on July 7, 2008.

Some residents of Bed-Stuy are ready to zip off in one of several cars available from the “wheels when you want them” company. [Bed-Stuy Blog]

Published by New York Times on July 7, 2008.

For example, a nonprofit looking to acquire space in Williamsburg for industrial use would need to get the OK from the council, and then work closely with the city's Economic Development Corporation, providing a step-by-step breakdown of the progress of the project.

Published by Gotham Gazette on July 7, 2008.

House of the Day: 125 Cambridge Place

Published by Brownstoner on July 7, 2008.

Timothy Wright, his wife, and grandson were headed home to Roosevelt, Long Island, from a church conference in Detroit.Wright, known as the godfather of gospel, is pastor of Grace Tabernacle Christian Center in Bedford Stuyvesant.

Published by WNBC on July 7, 2008.