Brooklyn’s biggest stories this week: Coney Island roars back to life with Luna Park, Deno’s Wonder Wheel, and an adorable endangered penguin chick at the Aquarium; NYC schools release their first-ever AI guidance for educators; a Park Slope preschool director is accused of embezzling $2.75 million in tuition and construction on the new Brooklyn Detention Center enters a visible new phase. Read on for the latest!
Events & Entertainment
Luna Park Opens Saturday
Luna Park launches its 2026 season on Saturday, March 28 at 11am. On Sunday, the legendary Cyclone gets its annual egg cream christening — and since the coaster turns 99 this year, the first 99 riders get a free spin and a classic egg cream. Admission is free; rides start at $4. The park will be open weekends through spring, then daily during Spring Recess (April 2–12) and from Memorial Day onward.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Opens Sunday
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park opens its 106th season on Sunday, March 29 at 10am with the annual Blessing of the Rides ceremony, led by Pastor Mary Smith. The first 106 guests ride the Wonder Wheel free. Kids from the Sea and Salt Mission ride free on Sunday. Open weekends and school holidays through Memorial Day, then daily all summer.
Endangered Penguin Chick Debuts at NY Aquarium
Just in time for opening weekend in Coney Island: a four-month-old critically endangered African penguin chick has made his public debut at the New York Aquarium. The male chick, hatched in December weighing just two ounces, now tips the scales at 7.5 pounds and has joined 36 other African penguins in the Sea Cliffs exhibit. He’s the 19th African penguin to hatch at the aquarium, part of a species survival program — only about 9,900 breeding pairs remain in the wild. (Tip of the hat to BBP’s Corey for the find.)
Prospect Park Carousel Returns Saturday
The beloved carousel at Children’s Corner opens for the season on March 28. Thursday–Sunday and holidays, 12–5pm. $3 per ride, $13 for a book of 5. Free with a Prospect Park Alliance Family Supporter membership.
The Yard Opens Its 10th Season on Governors Island
NYC’s only adventure playground, The Yard, opens its 10th anniversary season this Saturday, March 28 at Governors Island. Kids get real tools — nails, hammers, saws, paint, tires, wood — and the freedom to build, explore, and imagine, supervised by trained playworkers. Weekends 12–4pm through mid-November. Suggested $5 donation per child. Sign the waiver online before you go — data on the island is slow.
Schools
NYC Schools Release AI Guidelines for Educators
NYC Public Schools released its first-ever guidance on artificial intelligence in schools this week. The new framework uses a “traffic light” system to help educators decide which AI uses are appropriate: brainstorming and drafting non-sensitive communications get the green light, while AI for grading, counseling, behavioral monitoring, and IEP development is off-limits. Families, teachers, and school leaders can submit feedback through May 8.
Police Blotter
Park Slope German Preschool Director Accused of Embezzling $2.75 Million in Tuition
The director of KinderHaus Brooklyn, a German-language immersion preschool in Park Slope, has been charged with embezzling more than $2.75 million in tuition payments from the families she served. Murielle Misczak, 43, a Swiss national, allegedly directed parents to send tuition to accounts she controlled, then transferred the funds to her personal accounts and deleted the school’s accounting data to cover her tracks. Prosecutors say the scheme ran from January 2022 through October 2025. Misczak pleaded not guilty and was released to home detention with GPS monitoring. According to federal prosecutors, she spent the money on first-class travel, luxury goods, $150,000 in rideshares, $150,000 in food delivery — and more than $350,000 on professional wrestling tickets.
16-Year-Old Fatally Shot Inside Sheepshead Bay NYCHA Building
A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed inside the Sheepshead Houses on Monday evening. Officers found the teen with a gunshot wound to his chest; he was pronounced dead at the hospital. A teen suspect has been arrested.
Two Teen Girls Shot Outside Coney Island McDonald’s
Two teenage girls were shot outside a McDonald’s in Coney Island this week. Police are searching for the gunman. The shooting comes days before Luna Park’s opening weekend draws thousands of families to the neighborhood.
Anti-Muslim Hate Crime on Subway
Police are hunting a suspect who attacked a straphanger and smashed their phone in what investigators are treating as an anti-Muslim hate crime in Downtown Brooklyn.
Real Estate & Development
Prospect Park’s East Side Gets Protected Bike Lane and Pedestrian Plaza
Construction broke ground this month on a $15.5 million project to transform the eastern edge of Prospect Park along Ocean and Parkside Avenues. The project includes a two-way protected bike lane connecting to existing park paths and a new pedestrian plaza that will be home to the forthcoming Shirley Chisholm monument — a 32-foot-tall sculpture honoring Brooklyn’s own, the first Black woman elected to Congress. Expected to take 18 months to complete.
Brooklyn Detention Center Rising in Boerum Hill
Façade installation is now underway at 275 Atlantic Avenue, where a 15-story, 1,040-bed jail is taking shape as part of the city’s plan to close Rikers Island. The $3 billion facility, designed by HOK, will include 30,000 square feet of ground-floor community space. The project is designed to keep detained New Yorkers closer to their families, attorneys, and courts — a core recommendation of the Lippman Commission, which found that 80% of people held in city jails have not been convicted of a crime. Neighboring families have raised concerns about round-the-clock construction noise, with elected officials urging the city to limit overnight work. Completion is expected in 2029.
Brooklyn Museum Plans $13M Renovation for African Art Galleries
The Brooklyn Museum announced a $13 million renovation to create new African art galleries, with a 2027 opening date.
Sports
On the Court
The Nets’ road trip continued with two more losses: Sacramento held on 126–122 on Sunday, and Portland ran away with it 134–99 on Monday night. Brooklyn fell again on Wednesday at Golden State, 109–106.
On the Pitch
Brooklyn FC men dropped a heartbreaker at home Saturday, falling 2–1 to Hartford Athletic despite controlling 70% of possession and putting 11 shots on target. Markus Anderson scored the club’s first-ever goal, assisted by So Nishikawa. Wednesday night at Lexington brought more pain — the men fell 0–3 after a scoreless first half gave way to three late goals, with goalkeeper Jackson Lee making six saves to keep it close. The men are now 1–0–3.
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