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Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaks in front of the Brooklyn War Memorial at Cadman Plaza Park. Photo: Gregory D'Agostino, Brooklyn Eagle

Weather: Day 36°, Night 12°, Mostly Sunny then Mostly Sunny and Breezy

The Lede: Good morning. City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams on Wednesday released his annual “Worst Landlord Watchlist,” spotlighting the landlords in the city with the most widespread and repeated violations in their buildings.

The Rundown

  • The New York Times’ Wordle was developed by Brooklyn software engineer: Developed by a Brooklyn software engineer named Josh Wardle, the addictive puzzle known as Wordle requires players to guess a five-letter word by eliminating potential letters.

  • Public advocate releases annual ‘Worst Landlord Watchlist’: This year’s number one and two, Margaret Brunn and Donald Hastings, are both associated with the same company, A&E Real Estate Holdings, and account for 60 buildings with an average of nearly 9,000 open violations during the list’s assessment period.

  • Judge tosses lines of NYC’s only Republican House seat, as state enters redistricting wars: A judge on Wednesday threw out the boundaries of the only congressional district in New York City represented by a Republican, ordering the state to redraw its borders because its current composition unconstitutionally dilutes the votes of Black and Hispanic residents.

  • Nathan’s Famous hot dogs sold to Smithfield Foods for $450M: Iconic hot dog brand Nathan’s Famous has been purchased by the Chinese-owned packaged meat producer Smithfield Foods at a cost of $102 per share, for a total of around $450 million, CBS News reports.

  • BBP to host guided Brooklyn Bridge tour: Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Education Department will host a guided lesson on the history and engineering of the Brooklyn Bridge this weekend, as part of its expert-led Explorations series.

  • Restaurant Week returns with 58 Brooklyn eateries: Brooklyn highlights include longtime local favorite Henry’s End in Brooklyn Heights, bistro French Louie in Boerum Hill, brunch staple Miriam in Park Slope, Nick’s Lobster House in Mill Basin, and many more.

  • Brooklyn Museum set to launch First Saturdays 2026 season: This free after-hours series, founded in 1998, is the museum’s marquee public program, held on the first Saturdays of select months throughout the year.

  • Our world in photos: Lights, trains, waves and more.

Our World in Photos

GREENLAND — Aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the sky above Nuuk. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

More Brooklyn News

  • “Dig Into the Perfect Japanese Hamburg Right in Greenpoint(Eater)

  • "Opinion: How 459 Smith St. Could Set a New Standard for Gowanus Redevelopment" (City Limits)

  • “Are school snow days back in NYC? Mayor Mamdani weighs the 'fun' factor.” (Gothamist)

Staff Picks

  • READ: "Plume: A Tale of Murder and Martyrdom in the Everglades" (The Bitter Southerner)

  • EAT: Here are 18 fun activities to do in Brooklyn this weekend. (BKMAG)

  • CARTOON: Aliens land on Earth. (The New Yorker)

  • LIVE: "Historic Brooklyn diner for sale while similar greasy spoons disappear" (Crain’s)

The Wrap

⌛ ON THIS DAY
In 1936, the Eagle reported, "The bitterest cold wave of this Winter, intensified by a 40-mile gale, held the city in its grip today. Three men were frozen to death in Brooklyn. Another succumbed in Manhattan." Click here to see what else happened on this day in history. 

📔 IMPRINT
American actress and model Camila Morrone poses for Glamour Mexico. 

👑 ROYAL WATCH
"Prince William’s ‘bulletproof sunshine’ fixer marks a turning point for the royal family: experts" (Fox News)

🏀 SPORTS
Nets not ‘prepared’ for latest loss to Knicks (Brooklyn Eagle)

  • “MacGyver” star Richard Dean Anderson

  • Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)

  • “Saved by the Bell” star Tiffani Thiessen

  • “Dexter: New Blood” star Julia Jones

  • Model and actress Doutzen Kroes

Click here to see a full list of birthdays!

Brooklyn Today’s editor is Scott Enman. Contact him at [email protected].

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