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The long-awaited Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center is officially opening for limited lobby service on Tuesday, October 20.

The brand-new site will serve as both a full-service library and a community hub for environmental awareness, activism and education.

The 15,000-square-foot library doubles the size of the previous building, and provides significantly enlarged indoor and outdoor spaces, according to Brooklyn Public Library.

Some of the many new amenities include a gardened reading deck, windows that act as sun dials and a cistern to collect rainwater for the rooftop demonstration garden.

Inside the library, there are adult, young adult and children’s reading rooms, as well as collection spaces, community spaces and lab spaces. You’ll also find event spaces, lounge seating, small meeting rooms and staff spaces.

Read more about the new Greenpoint Library on their website here.

Churches United for Fair Housing, an influential organization in north Brooklyn that advocates for tenants, has launched a 501c4 sister organization called CUFFH Action.

CUFFH Action will leverage its political power for important local, state and federal elections, the group said. It will try to change the political landscape to the benefit of low-income, immigrant communities of color.

Its mission is the following: “to educate and mobilize community members and to build grassroots political power that will promote housing equity and justice among low income communities of color.”

“CUFF was born in 2009 when a group of churches and community leaders came together to fight the racist Broadway Triangle rezoning, and we won!” the group wrote. “Eleven years later, as our grassroots network spans across NYC, we know more than ever that housing justice is racial justice.”

“We continue to fight everyday to preserve and create vibrant communities that are not exclusive and are truly affordable in NYC.”

The field in the race for Brooklyn borough president just got a little more crowded.

Last week, Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon threw her hat in the ring in the contest to succeed term-limited Eric Adams, who is making a mayoral bid himself.

If elected, Simon would be the first woman to lead Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Simon was elected to represent the 52nd Assembly District, encompassing parts of Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Park Slope and Prospect Heights, in 2014.

Prior to that, she served as the female Democratic District Leader for the area for a decade. She is also a former teacher for the deaf and a civil rights attorney.

Simon will compete with Councilman Antonio Reynoso, Councilman Robert Cornegy and several other expected candidates in the race. First Lady Chirlane McCray was reportedly interested in the role, as is Councilman Mathieu Eugene.

According to city health officials, the Williamsburg ZIP codes of 11211 and 11249 are seeing “a faster increase” in COVID-19 cases compared to other parts of the city.

Despite the neighborhood’s test positivity rate is only at 1.89%, below the 3% mark, health officials are still raising concerns.

As of Tuesday, the city’s reported citywide seven-day percent positivity rate is 1.38%, and the daily percent positivity is 3.25%, the highest daily report since early June 2020.

Last week, the health department issued a commissioner’s order to non-public schools in six Brooklyn and two Queens ZIP codes, requiring non-public schools to follow COVID-19 risk reduction measures.

The city is working with community leaders and community-based organizations to distribute face coverings and combat misinformation.

The 13th annual Bushwick Film Festival, the virtual to be virtual, will offer a full slate of programming this coming October.

The festival, which will run from October 21 to 25, includes over 100 independent films from 30 different countries.

The films can be viewed at watch.bushwickfilmfestival.com, a secure streaming platform.

Accompanying the films is a two-day movie industry conference with speakers, screenplay readings, industry mixers, movie trivia nights and filmmaker Q&As.

Local elected officials, as well as local celebrities, will offer remarks.

Participants include Katori Hall (Starz’ P-Valley), Deniese Davis (HBO’s Insecure & A Black Lady Sketch Show), Shakira Barrera (Netflix’s Glow & Orange is the New Black), Alia Shawkat (Fox/Netflix’s Arrested Development) and Roy Wood Jr. (Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah).

For tickets and passes, visit their website here.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is calling on all middle and high school students in her congressional district, which includes Greenpoint, to participate in this year’s Congressional App Challenge.

The challenge accepts computer program apps written in any programming language for any platform.

Winners will be selected by panels of judges from the local community and honored by their member of Congress.

The apps may be featured on display in the U.S. Capitol building, and on the House of Representative’s website.

“Since its founding, this competition has inspired thousands of students nationwide to learn to code,” Maloney said. “I encourage all students, no matter how much or how little experience they have with coding, to give it a shot and create the app you believe we need.”

The submission portal is now open. The deadline for student submissions is October 19.

The competition is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements.

If your child is interested in joining a local scouting troop, here’s your chance!

BK Scouts Troop 26 (boys) and Troop 1G (girls) are hosting an open house this evening from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The open house will take place at McCarren Park, at Driggs Avenue and Manhattan Avenue.

Not only do scouts learn skills like camping, fishing, hiking, riding horses, shooting arrows, skiing and more, but they also learn important life lessons on community, making friends and becoming a good citizen.

RSVP to the open house here.

With the summer winding down, take advantage of a family-friendly program this weekend.

On Saturday, September 19th, at 6 p.m., Town Square will host a drive-in screening of Pixar’s “Toy Story 4.”

The movie will be shown at The Lot at Broadway Stages, located at 211 Meserole Avenue.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the movie starts at sunset (typically after 7 p.m.)

There are only 30 parking spots and 6 seating pods. Tickets are $35 for a car/seating pod. Concessions will be available for purchase at extra cost.

Masks and social distancing are required outside of your car. Tickets are selling out quickly, so get yours now!

Purchase tickets here.

The 13th annual Bushwick Film Festival will go virtual for the first time.

From October 21 to 25, the five-day affair will feature virtual screenings, events and panels for audiences from around the world.

This year’s theme, which is so fitting, is transformation. The festival chose the symbol of a butterfly to embody the theme.

“Our butterfly glows and emerges from the electricity surrounding it, symbolizing profound transformation and honoring the energy it has to manifest to get there,” said festival director Kweighbaye Kotee.

Films will be available to watch on a secure streaming platform sponsored by Spectrum. Panels and conversations can also be watched on an online events platform. Live music and other content will be available to livestream.

The Bushwick Film Festival, since its inception, has showcased films by the best and most diverse emerging filmmakers in Brooklyn and across the world.

Select passes to the film festival are available now, and individual tickets will go on sale September 15.

For updates and notifications on ticket sales, visit their site here.

Town Square is hosting a back-to-school swap on Saturday, September 12 between noon and 3 p.m.

The event will take place during Greenpoint Open Streets on North 15th Street between Nassau Avenue and Banker Street.

Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes and books are all welcome. One person’s trash is another’s treasure!

Here are the rules:

• Only cleaned, gently used and usable items
• No need to bring anything to take anything
• May limit folks to 1 bag or the number of bags brought to donate to the swap
• Do not allow taking donated items to resell. All remaining items are donated to local homeless shelters
• Sign up to volunteer for an hour or more with this link.

Partners for this event include St. Mary’s, NBK Mutual Aid and the 94th Precinct.

A $10 suggested donation per family will help cover costs.