Night Trip: Train Yards to Marcus Garvey Park to Urban Gravestones

Danielle Bremner of Woodside, Queens, is an international criminal of sorts. Newsday's account of her recent arrest (and that of her boyfriend, Chicagoan Jim Clay Harper) for decorating New York transit facilities with graffiti -- causing an alleged $100,000 worth of damage -- reveals that Bremner has also been arrested for tagging in Boston and Toronto, and is wanted on suspicion of similar endeavors in France. Harper is believed to be associated with Chicago's "Made U Look" crew.

In May, Runnin' Scared reported a protest over the City Council's rezoning plans for 125th Street. One protestor told us, "The renovation of Marcus Garvey Park is a real red herring. We never heard people ask for that." Red herring or no, it's happening: The Marcus Garvey Park bandshell, at least, is getting a makeover. UptownFlavor tells us that Mayor Bloomberg will announce the project at a press conference tomorrow at the Bandshell, near W. 122nd St. and Mt. Morris Park West.

Speaking of which, the New Zealand Herald writes about the "Slow gentrification of blacks' cultural capital," refers to the aforementioned 125th Street rezoning (which it notes has led to "building of hundreds of chic apartments"), and quotes Chris Cullen of Harlem Fur, a blog which keeps track of developments in the neighborhood ("New Unique Harlem Venues Hold Own Against Chains"). The Herald takes a watery stand on the issue, citing the benefits of both preservation and gentrification.

Bed-Stuy Banana continues its lovely series of "Urban Gravestones" -- memorials to fallen homies painted, faded, or scrawled on walls, sidewalks, and street signs.