The man whom police say was involved in a fatal fight with a LaGuardia Community College student at the Bedford Avenue L train station on Friday night won't face murder charges. Ryan Beauchamp, 33, has been charged with attempted assault and harassment in connection with the incident, which ended with Joshua Basin, 20, struck by a Manhattan-bound L train, getting pinned between platform and the train. (Attempted assault is a misdemeanor, while harassment is a violation.) As the charges were filed, new details emerged about the tragic incident. more ›

Yesterday, police arrested a suspect in the death of Joshua Basin, who was fatally hit by an L Train after a verbal and physical altercation with a fellow straphanger spilled onto the subway tracks on Friday night. Charges are pending against 33-year-old homeless man Ryan Beauchamp, but one piece of erroneous information has been corrected: cops told the Village Voice that Beauchamp was NOT associated with Occupy Wall Street, despite early reports by the Post. more ›

The suspect in the death of Joshua Basin at the Bedford Avenue L train stop on Friday night has been arrested, sources tell the Daily News. 33-year-old Ryan Beauchamp was allegedly taken into custody on Bushwick Avenue in Bushwick at 2 p.m. today. We called DCPI to confirm the arrest but a police spokesman denied it. "We're just talking to someone," the officer said. more ›

Last night, the police released a photograph of the suspect in Friday's L train murder and identified him as Ryan Beauchamp, 33. more ›

This newly-released surveillance video shows the man whom investigators say started a fight at the Bedford Avenue L station Friday night that ended in the death of Howard Beach resident Joshua Basin. The suspect seen in this video does not exactly resemble the police sketch released over the weekend, which depicted a man with what investigators said was longish dirty blond hair, but this man does appear to have pockmarks on the right side of his face. more ›

Last night, a fight between two men spilled from the L train, onto the Bedford Avenue platform, and then onto the subway tracks. What started as a verbal altercation on the train, eventually escalated and resulted in both men falling onto the tracks—while one managed to get out, the other was hit and crushed by a Manhattan-bound train. The victim, Joshua Basin, 20 of Howard Beach, was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital, while the other man, described as a white male between 30 and 35 years old, fled. [Update] Police released a sketch of the suspect. more ›

A fire in a residential building near the intersection of Bedford Avenue and North 7th Street in Williamsburg was brought under control a few minutes before noon. Despite reports of the fire starting in the basement of the structure, an FDNY spokesman said it originated on the second floor, and didn't believe that Fornino Pizza, located on the ground floor of 187 Bedford Ave, had anything to do with the blaze. more ›

An "Occuparty" at a half-finished apartment complex at Driggs and North Eighth Street in Williamsburg was broken up by the police last night, as a "few dozen" protesters moved trash cans, chanted and pondered a march down Bedford Avenue. While the Daily News and the Post both report arrests and injuries to the police, the NYPD couldn't confirm how many or what the charges were, and declined to say whether or not any service members were injured. more ›

The creepy/sexy Williamsburg mainstay Savalas—where a man once publicly displayed his pierced foreskin—closed in January after six years of DJs, dancing, and debauchery on Bedford Avenue. A nation mourned. And everyone wondered, what would take its place? If you've been observing the ongoing Manhattanization of Williamsburg, you may not be shocked to see that Savalas has been completely gutted and transformed into some sort of bourgy cheese, wine, pasta, and protein restaurant called Masten Lake. more ›

There's nothing like discount drunk-shopping at Marshalls after downing a few beers at your local Duane Reade. THIS IS YOUR FUTURE, Williamsburg. Just like the Mayans predicted. According to the Real Deal, the discount department store is interested in moving—along with a CVS—into a currently stalled development at 242 Bedford Avenue, which is right there in Williamsburg proper. This basically means that the neighborhood is turning into a strip mall, and not the kind with an Apple Store in it. more ›

Earlier this month word got out that the Williamsburg mainstay Deli Mart would be closing after 25 years on the corner of Bedford and North 7th Street. The business, like many others, was allegedly priced out when the landlord raised the rent to a whopping $25,000/month (up from $12,000). Well, locals, at least you don't have to worry about a Starbucks taking over the space (yet!), as the Brooklyn Paper reports that Khim's Millenium Market will open in the space. Just what the neighborhood needs... a 5th Khim's location. But it could always be worse. Not sure what this means for Williamsburg's soul, however. more ›

The website WalletPop claims to know the 29 safest neighborhoods in America's major cities, and yes, New York has earned a spot in the top. more ›

Yesterday we got an email about some kids knocking down garbage cans in Williamsburg over the weekend... but it never mentioned ninjas! Over at Free Williamsburg they have a more detailed and intriguing tip regarding the incident:

"I wanted to see if you had heard anything about another vigilante attack on N 6th St last night (Sat 4/17) between Bedford and Berry. I live on the block, and my friends and roommate reported seeing a 'Ninja looking' crew dressed in all black run[ning] down the street from Bedford to Berry and smash[ing] the drivers side window of every car on the block. I saw patches of glass all the way down N 6th."

Pedestrian plazas might be all the rage in midtown, but in Brooklyn one is causing nothing but trouble. Last year's Williamsburg Walks was terrorized by local skateboarding teens, and this year organizers of the temporary pedestrian plaza on Bedford Avenue are considering changing things around, following criticism from local merchants. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] Hipster olde tymers may recall the big Williamsburg Starbucks scare of Aught One, when anti-chain activist Reverend Billy rallied his troops to protest outside a rumored location at the corner of North 5th and Bedford. Funny enough, during the rally, the new tenants suddenly appeared to explain away the rumor—it was "Fabiane's Pastry and Cafe, an Independent Pastry Experience," on the way, not Starbucks. Nine years later, the ubiquitous coffee corp. has yet to find a foothold in the neighborhood, but all that may be about to change. more ›

Egads, behold these infernal hip-sters clogging Bedford Avenue with their fixed-gear "safety bicycles." And good heavens, there is a slatternly dressed female cyclist pedaling among them, a sight that's certain to scandalize the local Hasidim (someday)! This photograph—probably taken during one of their incessant political demonstrations demanding fanciful traffic regulations—clearly shows these ped-HELL-ers' wanton disregard for pedestrians and locomotives alike. Reached for comment, one Wiley Ignatius Norvel, who represents a criminal anarchist group in favor of bicycle proliferation, stridently asked, "How many bicyclists must be injured after slipping in manure before the Brooklyn carriage industry equips their horses with absorbent diapers?" more ›

Hotly-anticipated peace talks between supporters and opponents of the recently-erased Bedford Avenue bicycle lane fell short last night when both parties left a discussion at Pete's Candy Store in Williamsburg with the same seemingly irreparable differences that they brought to the table. Supporters of the Bedford Avenue lane insisted that a biking path on Brooklyn's longest road is necessary for both transportation and safety, while a community activist representing South Williamsburg's Hasidic Jewish residents expressed concerns about dangerous biking etiquette. more ›

"I want to see some boobs," shouted a lone NYPD officer (seen here) who pulled up to our photographer at Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg, ironically blocking the former bike lane in the process. "I've been trying to find out online when this is happening and nobody had the start time! Did I miss it?" Minutes later, a group of 15-20 fully clothed cyclists pedaled by, trailed by almost twice as many photographers, TV news crews, and assorted media. The "topless" protest over the controversially removed bike lane was not the NC-17 provocation the media and others had hoped for. At one point, two men in a parked car near Division Street shouted at the cyclists, "We've been waiting for two hours! Where's the skin?" more ›

Demonstrators have promised to ride bikes down Bedford Avenue naked this evening to protest the recent removal of a bicycle lane amidst mounting pressure from South Williamsburg's Hasidic community. But will the so-called "Freedom Ride" actually happen? more ›

If you wondered how much the DOT has spent so far to add and subtract a controversial 14-block stretch of bike lane on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg, here's your answer: $11,000 to install and $15,000 to sandblast it away. As NBCNewYork.com observes, "That's $26,000 of taxpayer money that isn't making bicyclists any safer." But at least now that the bike lane's gone, the Hasidic rabbis in the neighborhood can protect their flock from immodestly dressed outsiders—that is, unless bicyclists do something crazy like ride without a bike lane. This weekend, some are planning to do just that. And without clothes. more ›

After a demonstration last weekend drew more police officers than protesters, cycling activists will rally again to show their support for the Bedford Avenue bike lane — but this time they'll do it in less clothing. more ›

The saga continues: At some point last night or early this morning, the impromptu bike lane painted by activists on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg was painted back to black by the DOT. This Sunday, bereaved cyclists will hold a "New Orleans-style funeral procession" for the deceased bike lane, so perhaps the black paint is fitting? Baruch Herzfeld, an Orthodox Jew who runs a South Williamsburg bike clubhouse, tells us, "I can't believe they are dedicating resources to make sure cyclists are less safe than more safe. There are tons of bike lanes that need repainting and they spend their time repainting one away? Whoever is in charge of the DOT bike lane painting must have a consignment deal with the Malach ha'mavess (angel of death)." more ›

Two cycling activists suspected of repainting the Bedford Avenue bike lane turned themselves in at the 90th Precinct in Williamsburg yesterday. According to the Post, 26-year-old Quinn Hechtropf and 24-year-old Katherine Piccochi were among the bikers who used paint rollers, spray paint and stencils to recreate the South Williamsburg cycling path, which was removed by the city last week with little explanation. more ›

Williamsburg cyclists got a new bike lane on Bedford Avenue yesterday morning, but they lost one last night when dozens of cars obstructed the cycling path on Kent Avenue. Just hours after biking activists repainted a cycling path on Bedford Avenue that was recently removed by the city, the equally controversial Kent Avenue bike lane was blocked by parked cars for a major Hasidic celebration. more ›

The biking activists responsible for repainting the Bedford Avenue bike lane have shared video of their actions with Gothamist. After the city controversially decided to remove the bike lane from a 14-block stretch of Bedford Avenue last week, the guerilla cyclists walked up and down the avenue with paint rollers and spray paint to recreate the cycling route. more ›

We haven't been able to verify this one with the NYPD yet, but sources tell Gothamist that police — and South Williamsburg's Shomrim Patrol — arrested two men suspected of attempting to repaint the recently-removed Bedford Avenue bike lane this morning. more ›

Just when it seemed like the hoopla over bike lanes in Williamsburg had come to a close, Gothamist has learned that the Department of Transportation is planning to remove a 14-block section of the Bedford Avenue cycling route. A spokesman said that the agency will remove the "small portion" of the bike lane between Flushing and Division avenues in South Williamsburg "as part of ongoing bike network adjustments in the area." more ›

In a real world example of supply and demand economics, the proliferation of Southeast Asian eateries on and around Williamsburg's main commercial street has hurt business, according to neighborhood restaurateurs. The pad thai business is ailing in a three block area centered around Bedford Avenue and North Sixth Streets, where four Thai and three Asian fusion restaurants compete, according to the Brooklyn Paper — which dubs the enclave "Brooklyn's Little Bangkok." more ›

Poster Child has finally brought a planter box to New York City! This dwarf pine is now planted outside of the Bedford Avenue L stop in Williamsburg; he explains his project: "If you are new to these FlyerPlanterboxes the idea is to take the empty & disused newspaper and flyer boxes that litter our sidewalks and put them to a better use than say trashcan or Space-Filler." And check out that newspaper dispenser, it's from The National, which debuted in January of 1990 and folded 18 months later. He notes, "this empty, useless box has somehow managed to consume valuable sidewalk space in New York for 16 odd years." more ›