Constantino Novala horses and mural in Wise Towers public plaza. The playground adjacent has recently been declared private. ( lifeiswondertastic Instagram) So Much Llama Drama: Wise Towers Bars Non-residents from New Playground A newly renovated playground is supposed to bring nothing but fun to New York City kids. Instead, the renowned “Llama Park”—... News 17 Jun 2024 | 05:47
The outside of popular Jewish owned, Effy’s Cafe, located at 104 W 96th street in the Upper West Side, vandalized by fake blood over the restaurant shed and anti-semitic hate crime written on the concrete with black graffiti paint saying “Form line here to support genocide” on March 18. Photo Credit: Twitter of Mark Svensson, attorney. Brewer Decries Spate of Hate Crimes on UWS After 3 Incidents in 24 Hr Period Sunday morning, [March 17] the NYPD 24th Police Precinct alerted me to anti-Israel graffiti painted on cement bollards in... Voices 25 Mar 2024 | 04:29
Council Member Gale Brewer speaks at a rally in support of Ukraine in 2022 at P.S. 145, The Bloomingdale School. ( Credit: Will Alatriste via NYC City Council Flickr) Gale Brewer Reelected to City Council with Over 81% of vote Gale Brewer will be serving another term as a member of the New York City Council, after winning Nov. 7’s general election... Home 09 Nov 2023 | 09:32
All sides agree West Park Presbyterian Church, located at 165 W 86th Street on the corner of Amsterdam Ave. is deteriorating, but whether it should be sold to a developer and torn down or whether money can be raised and spent to save it is a subject of hot debate before the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Photo: Google Street View. Battle Lines Harden Over West Park Church in Hearing before Landmark Commission The debate continues to rage. Advocates looking for a way to save West Park Presbyterian Church called on the Landmarks Preservation... News 14 Jun 2023 | 04:36
A car boot on the wheel of a Volkswagen. Photo: Hiram Alejandro Durán/THE CITY $2 Billion Owed to City in Unpaid Fines As Mayor Adams Asks for Budget Cuts As City Hall looks to cut back on spending, scofflaws owe more than $2 billion in fines incurred over the last five years,... News 06 Apr 2023 | 01:37
Cyclists and pedestrians in Riverside Park. Photo: Flickr (Howard Brier) Chelsea, Upper West Side Most Perilous to Cyclists and Pedestrians in Manhattan Chelsea and the Upper West Side neighborhoods were among the most dangerous in Manhattan in terms of traffic injuries for... News 13 Mar 2023 | 05:14
Firefighters use a daring rope roof rescue to save two people from a 20th floor high rise on East 67th St. on November 5, 2022, after a four-alarm fire started by a lithium ion battery blocked rescuers from reaching trapped civilains from inside. Photo: FDNY. City Council Passes Bills Regulating E-Bike Batteries The City Council passed a bill regulating the lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and scooters, in an action aimed at stopping... News 06 Mar 2023 | 12:32
An hours-long virtual hearing attracted concerned New Yorkers. Photo via Mayor’s Office Webex Locals Find Fault With New Short-Term Rental Regulations Clandestine Airbnb rentals are doomed, thanks to the rollout of new legislation that more strictly governs stays under 30... News 12 Jan 2023 | 12:48
Council Member Gale Brewer celebrated the discovery that a Key Food supermarket would soon fill an UWS vacancy near the intersection of West 88th Street and Broadway, left by the delivery app company Jokr. Photo via Gale Brewer’s Twitter The Problem With Chain Stores On the Upper West Side, vacant storefronts mark the spots where chain stores died. Council Member Gale Brewer can easily... News 05 Jan 2023 | 02:24
Mayor Eric Adams (at podium) and NYS Senator Cordell Cleare (left) delivered remarks. Photo: Abigail Gruskin ‘Gate Of The Exonerated’ Honors Central Park’s ‘Exonerated Five’ Central Park’s entrances bear names intended to represent the people of New York: Scholars’ Gate, Artists’ Gate, Engineers’... News 20 Dec 2022 | 05:00
A stretch of West 103rd Street has been part of the Open Streets program for two-plus years. Photo: Abigail Gruskin A Clash Over Open Streets In some parts of the city, an “Open Streets” designation means a chance to walk freely through neighborhoods that might otherwise... News 16 Dec 2022 | 03:41
A panel of speakers, including NYS Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal (at podium), addressed questions about new cannabis regulations on Tuesday, December 13 at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Photo: Abigail Gruskin Less-Than-Legal Pot In New York, it’s no secret that when it comes to cannabis, “every day, there seems to be a new, budding development,” as... News 15 Dec 2022 | 03:37
UWS Council Member Gale Brewer (at podium) announced her intent to revitalize the “Schoolyards to Playgrounds” program outside of P.S. 9 on Tuesday. Photo: Abigail Gruskin What If Schoolyards Stayed Open? Schoolyards in all five boroughs boast precious outdoor real estate, with a catch: an overwhelming number aren’t open beyond... News 19 Oct 2022 | 01:03
Mayor Eric Adams (center) with delivery workers’ rights activists on Monday. Photo via the Mayor’s Office’s YouTube ‘Hubs,’ A Haven For Delivery Workers Wearing a light puffy jacket on Monday, in the midst of the season’s first days-long stretch of heavy skies and chilly temps,... News 06 Oct 2022 | 01:06
Traffic on the West Side Highway near Hudson Yards. Photo: Abigail Gruskin The Crackdown On Loud Cars Is On A Roll Noise in New York City, like the vibrating drilling of construction or the booming sound of music coming from the apartment... News 30 Sep 2022 | 12:18
