Brooklyn’s biggest stories of the week: Ariana Grande makes Barclays history; free World Cup Final watch parties pop up across Brooklyn; Red Hook Pool finally reopens Saturday; a mid-week heat wave sends families hunting for shade; a teenager is injured in a Bed-Stuy shooting; police make an arrest in the moped chain-snatching spree; a Brooklyn Heights townhouse sets the year’s price record; Riverside tenants demand repairs; Sichuan dim sum favorite Breeze is coming to The Ashland; a pizza-and-wine bar readies on Atlantic Avenue; weekend focaccia lands in Red Hook; parents get their say on smaller class sizes; and the Liberty, Nets, Cyclones and Brooklyn FC keep summer sports humming. Read on for the latest!
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Events & Entertainment
Ariana Grande makes Barclays history
Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour parked at Barclays Center for five nights this week (July 13–19) — the longest run by a female artist in the venue’s history, complete with a “BKLYN ❤️S ARI” flyover and pastel takeover of Atlantic Terminal. It’s her only NYC-area stop.
Where to watch the World Cup Final this Sunday
Brooklyn is bursting with free ways to catch Sunday’s Final — outdoor screens, watch parties and family-friendly viewing all over the borough, including Montague Open Streets (noon–6 p.m., with youth soccer clinics). See our roundup of free public viewing events this week and our guide to where to watch the World Cup in Brooklyn.
City Hall
Red Hook Pool reopens this Saturday
At last: after repairs kept it dry all season, the Olympic-size Red Hook Pool reopens Saturday, July 18 at 11 a.m. Adult lap swim starts Monday, July 20 at 7 a.m. Pack the towels.
Another heat wave tests Brooklyn’s cool spots
A short but intense heat wave hit the borough mid-week, sending families to pools, sprinklers and cooling centers. City officials urged residents to check on neighbors and limit outdoor activity during peak hours — worth bookmarking for what’s shaping up to be a long, hot summer. And with wildfire smoke drifting into the city this week, check the air quality index before longer outdoor stretches.
Police Blotter
Teen injured in Bed-Stuy shooting
A 17-year-old boy was shot in the arm in front of 63 Jefferson Avenue just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14. He was taken to Kings County Hospital and is expected to recover. The investigation is ongoing.
Arrest made in moped chain-snatching spree
Police arrested one of two men suspected of 29 daytime robberies across Brooklyn and Queens since mid-June — most of them necklaces snatched off pedestrians by a duo on a moped. The second suspect is still being sought; until then, consider keeping chains tucked in.
Real Estate & Development
Brooklyn Heights townhouse sets 2026 price record
A historic townhouse at 192 Columbia Heights sold off-market for $24.5 million — the borough’s priciest residential sale of the year, and reportedly among the highest in Brooklyn history.
Riverside tenants demand repairs
Rent-stabilized tenants of the landmarked 1890 Riverside Apartments in Brooklyn Heights rallied this week over rodents, mold and crumbling stairs, citing dozens of open violations at 10 Columbia Place as roughly 20 families fight eviction proceedings in housing court.
Openings & Closings
Breeze bringing its Sichuan dim sum to The Ashland
Greenpoint favorite Breeze has signed a 15-year lease at 590 Fulton Street in Fort Greene, joining Peaches Prime and Fulton Hall at the base of The Ashland. The new location — expected to open this fall — will be the restaurant’s flagship.
Frenzie nearly ready on Atlantic Avenue
Signage is up at 129 Atlantic Avenue for Frenzie, a vintage-inspired pizza-and-wine bar from the team behind neighboring Confidant. No opening date yet, but it’s close.
Weekend focaccia lands in Red Hook
Red Hook Focacceria is now open Saturdays and Sundays at 421 Van Brunt Street, baking small batches of long-fermented focaccia with Italian flour. Quantities are limited — go early.
Schools
Parents can weigh in on smaller class sizes through July 28
Public hearings on the city’s Class Size Reduction Plan — the roadmap to the state’s 25-students-or-fewer mandate, backed by $1.5 billion in new capital funds — continue through July 28. Brooklyn parents who want a say in how it rolls out can find details on the NYC Public Schools site.
Sports
On the Court
The Liberty’s Jonquel Jones was named to the WNBA All-Star Game (July 26 in Chicago), joining Breanna Stewart, as the defending Commissioner’s Cup champions use the break to get healthy for a playoff push. Meanwhile in Las Vegas, Nets rookies Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin have been lighting up Summer League, powering wins over the Knicks and Kings.
On the Diamond
The Cyclones are back at Maimonides Park this weekend, hosting the Hudson Valley Renegades July 17–19 fresh off the All-Star break. Perfect excuse for a Coney Island evening.
On the Pitch
Brooklyn FC battled to a 1-1 draw at Rhode Island before bowing out of the USL Cup in a penalty shootout — a gutsy finish to the club’s cup run. The squad returns home July 25 against San Antonio.
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