New Council district boundaries will take effect in time for local elections in 2023. To help understand the choices facing the NYC Districting Commission, I’m hosting a Redistricting Info Session this Tuesday, 8/16, at 6:30 pm, via Zoom. We’ll have reps from the commission on hand to explain the process and how people can testify at their upcoming hearings.

…

READ MORE

August 16, 2022 by Jeanmarie Evelly

New York City banned the use of lead-based paint in residential buildings in 1960—an effort to prevent the health effects identified with lead poisoning, which can cause significant cognitive and behavioral health problems in children.

But more than 60 years later, thousands of city kids still test positive for lead exposure annually.

…

READ MORE

August 15, 2022 by Alyssa

The FDNY says so far this year there have been 126 fires involving lithium-ion batteries in electric bikes and scooters. 

These fires have killed five people, including a 5-year-old girl and 36-year-old woman at the Jackie Robinson Houses in East Harlem on Aug. 3. These tragedies prompted the city’s housing authority to consider banning them altogether. 

…

READ MORE

August 15, 2022, by Bobby Panza

On August 15, Council Member Gale Brewer kicked off a press conference on West 93rd Street joined by leadership of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and its neighbors to discuss the dangers of secondhand or refurbished lithium-ion batteries that are catching fire in some e-bikes. A plan to introduce legislation banning such batteries was proposed, and if approved, it would prohibit them from being stored in NYCHA buildings — where many delivery people live — by October 15, 2022.

…

READ MORE

August 11, 2022, by Sophia Chang

New York City will close its municipal-run COVID-19 vaccination sites for children younger than 5 years old next week, citing a recent decrease in demand and greater availability of the shots via pediatricians and other health providers.

The city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed the closures, but did not specify the date the sites will close.

…

READ MORE

August 11, 2022, by Bobby Panza

One of the great joys of being an Upper West Sider is taking in the seasonal beauty produced in its abundant tree beds. Whether you’re a casual observer taking in their splendor or a gardener getting dirty, planting rosemary, trees, flowers and plants are enjoyed by virtually everybody. Thanks for the oxygen.

…

READ MORE

August 11, 2022 by Louis Finley

With congestion pricing on the horizon, Renee Baruch fears parking will become even more competitive in her neighborhood on the Upper West Side.

“Because spaces are so rare, people don’t want to leave,” Baruch said.

Drivers may begin paying a toll to get into the city as soon as late next year.

…

READ MORE

August 10, 2022 by Council Member Gale Brewer

“Last week, two people died and a third was seriously injured in a fire sparked by the lithium-ion battery from an e-bike in a NYCHA housing development in East Harlem.

It’s only the latest fatal fire sourced to e-bikes. According to the Fire Department, in 2021 there were 106 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, which injured 79 people and killed 4.

…

READ MORE

August 2, 2022 by Peggy Taylor

“It was a Saturday of nostalgia and joy as 300-plus current and former residents of the Amsterdam Houses gathered in their community house and on their shady playgrounds to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the housing complex.

The thirteen buildings were built by the city in 1947 to house 1,084 World War II veterans.

…

READ MORE

July 26, 2022 by Talia Winiarsky

While many residents see problems in their neighborhoods, a few voluntarily step up to tackle them. On Monday evening, Goddard Riverside, the longstanding Upper West Side social service agency, honored eight of these activists for their contributions to their local communities, including the Upper West Side, Harlem, East Harlem, and Yorkville.

…

READ MORE