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Friends,

It’s Thursday, August 4, 2022.  And it’s really hot again. There’s a heat advisory until 8 pm tomorrow night (Friday 8/5). Here’s a link to the City's cooling center finder tool. (And be sure to scroll all the way down for our new feature, “Quirk Of The Week” which is all about heat!)

COVID

(We have plenty of free test kits and masks available for pickup during business hours at my district office: 563 Columbus Ave. at 87th St.)

The FDA accelerated the release of the next round of COVID boosters, now to be distributed in September. The new shots are being reformulated to include components of the Omicron strains—BA.4 and BA.5—that have swept the country in recent months; vaccines will also include the original strain in this new “bivalent” vaccine. 

The FDA continues to recommend that everyone under 50 years of age get two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer mRNA vaccines, one dose of J&J, and a single booster, and for those over 50 to get a second booster four months after their first booster. Those who get boosters now with the current shots still will be eligible to get the reformulated vaccine later. (There are those, including Dr. Fauci, who urged a second booster for those under 50; but the FDA seems to want to get distribution of the new vaccine completed before doing that.)

MONKEYPOX

According to the new DOHMH Monkeypox data page, there are 1,630 people in New York City who have tested positive for orthopoxvirus/monkeypox as of today (8/4), up from 1,148 on 7/27.

23,000 first-dose monkeypox vaccine appointments will be available for reservation as of 6 pm today, 8/4 (check for availability here). The Dept. of Health says no new appointments will be added this week for the vaccine clinics at Sexual Health Clinics in Chelsea and Central Harlem. But five new city clinics are being stocked with vaccines, which will more than double the current capacity: 

• The Livonia (506 Livonia Ave, Brooklyn)
• The Jefferson (1300 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn)
• Long Island City (5-17 46th Rd, Queens)
• NYC Health+Hospitals/Kings (686 New York Avenue, Brooklyn)
• NYC Health+Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur (227 Madison St., Manhattan.

The Biden administration declared the monkeypox a public health emergency today in an effort to speed up vaccine distribution across the country. NYS Health Commissioner Mary Bassett declared Monkeypox an “Imminent Threat to Public Health” in NYS last week, which allows local health departments to coordinate and to use state and federal funding on mitigating the virus. Mayor Adams joined on Saturday, declaring it a public health “emergency” (after San Francisco became the first major US city to do so).  

If you have symptoms—a new or unexplained rash or sore—you should see a health care provider for testing (If you don’t have a provider, call 311 or search the NYC Health Map). More information about how you can prevent monkeypox. And Monkeypox 101 here. The main DOHMH Monkeypox page.Finally, to get text alerts about vaccination appointments and other monkeypox updates, text “MONKEYPOX” to 692-692.

News & information.

Finally, some good news! It's with great pleasure and relief that I report results of the constitutional amendment which would have allowed tightened restrictions on abortions in Kansas: 

• NO (the pro-choice position) on the amendment: 534,134  (58.8%)
• YES on the amendment: 374,611  (41.2%)

I often have to put bad news in this newsletter, so this result is gratifying. Now, the work must continue. 

As I’ve mentioned before, the Council’s new budget allocated $250,000 to support the New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF) nonprofit (212-252-4757), which helps those who need assistance traveling to NY to obtain an abortion. According to NYAAF, requests for assistance have spiked 20% since Roe’s repeal—so they need all our help.

Journalist Jessica Valenti curates a unique abortion news roundup in an “Abortion Every Day” section of her newsletter (“All in Her Head”); here’s today’s edition. 

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Next Monday, 8/15, from 10 am to 4 pm, I’m cosponsoring a pop-up location of the City’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) outside my district office at 563 Columbus Avenue at 87th St. 

OATH is the City’s administrative law court, which provides New Yorkers a place to challenge summonses they receive from City agencies, including the Dept. of Sanitation, Dept. of Buildings, Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Dept. of Transportation, among others. 

OATH can assist people with their existing summonses and educate the public about what to do if they receive a summons from a City agency. OATH staff will also be able to check and determine if someone has an outstanding summons and advise as to their options on how to proceed. OATH will provide materials for individuals on its remote hearing options and other free resources.

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The Council’s Committee on Finance, of which I am a member, yesterday (8/3) approved Int. No. 524, which would create a $150 property tax rebate for homeowners’ primary residence (as long as their household income is not more than $250,000). I voted for this modest rebate; it’s scheduled to be considered by the full Council next week (8/11). 

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The Dept. of Sanitation is considering a rule change that pushes back the hour at which garbage in plastic bags can be placed at the curb for pickup (at residences and buildings)—from 4 pm to 8 pm instead (garbage cans would be allowed earlier). They are also suggesting that they will add crews to do pickups faster. One goal is to reduce the amount of time that rats can feast on easily-obtainable food in those bags. 

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The Center at West Park, the primary tenant of the West Park Presbyterian Church, has written an appeal urging the community to support efforts to save the landmarked building from demolition. You can see the letter here and/or click the first link to learn more about this great organization. 

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You have four days! This Monday—August 8—is the deadline to request an absentee ballot. You can do that online or download and print an application form, complete and mail it (postmarked by 8/8). If you need to, request an Accessible Ballot here. (Return the completed ballot by mail, postmarked by 8/23, or in person at an early voting site or regular voting site.)

Also, due to a recent change in the law, if you request an absentee ballot, and then change your mind and decide to vote in-person, you’ll have to use an “Affidavit Ballot” at the polling place. You COULD, however, complete the absentee ballot and just deliver it to that same polling site, and avoid the affidavit nonsense.

If you don't feel comfortable mailing your completed ballot, or can't drop it off in-person, Invisible Hands volunteers will deliver your ballot for free! Click here to request a volunteer. 

Early Voting for the August Primary runs 8/13 – 8/21. Some polling locations for early vgoting may have changed since June; to find out where, do a lookup here; hours vary by day during the early voting period as follows:

• Saturday August 13 9 am – 5 pm
• Sunday August 14 9 am – 5 pm
• Monday August 15 9 am – 5 pm
• Tuesday August 16 10 am – 8 pm
• Wednesday August 17 10 am – 8 pm
• Thursday August 18 10 am – 6 pm
• Friday August 19 7 am – 3 pm
• Saturday August 20 9 am – 5 pm
• Sunday August 21 9 am – 5 pm

Questions? Call the Board of Elections at 1-866-868-3692. Assistance is available in multiple languages.

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The New York City Districting Commission has announced hearing dates for those interested in testifying about the preliminary maps for 51 new City Council districts (click the link); one in each of the boroughs to receive more public input. Besides testifying in person, or by Zoom, at the meetings, the public may submit written testimony and maps by email to PublicTestimony@redistricting.nyc.gov, and by mail at NYC Districting Commission, 253 Broadway, 3rd Floor, NY, NY 10007.

• Tuesday, 8/16 5:30 to 9 pm: Museum of the Moving Image, Sumner Redstone Theater, 36-01 35 Ave Astoria, Queens.
• Wednesday, 8/17 5:30 to 9 pm: Lehman College (CUNY), Gillet Auditorium, 250 Bedford Park Blvd West, The Bronx.
• Thursday, 8/18 5:30 to 9 pm: Staten Island Borough Hall, 10 Richmond Terrace.
• Sunday, 8/21 3:30 to 7 pm: Medgar Evers College (CUNY), School of Science Health & Technology, Dining Hall, 1638 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn.
• Monday, 8/22 5:30 to 9 pm: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., Manhattan.

Residents who would like to submit maps for their testimony may draw their own maps using DistrictR, a mapping tool available on the commission’s website.

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Mayor Adams nominated John Samuelsen to the Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB) last week; he is President of the Transport Workers Union of America and a non-voting member of the MTA Board. This completes the six-member TMRB after the MTA made its appointments last week:

• Carl Weisbrod, former Chairman of the City Planning Commission and Director of the Dept. of City Planning, was named chair of the TMRB. 
• John Banks, former president Emeritus of the Real Estate Board of New York. 
• Scott Rechler is chair of the Regional Plan Association and CEO of RXR, a real estate developer. 
• Elizabeth Velez is president of a major construction firm.
• Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City.

I'm disappointed that no one who lives in or around the proposed congestion zone was named to the board; I started a year ago pushing this idea the the Governor and te Mayor. The TMRB will make recommendations about the long-delayed congestion pricing program (known formally as the “Central Business District Tolling Program”). The MTA is scheduled to release the program’s Environmental Assessment next week, and will mount a series of six virtual public hearings:   

• Thursday, Aug. 25, 5 – 8 pm. 
• Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 am – 1 pm. 
• Sunday, Aug. 28, 1 – 4 pm.
• Monday, Aug. 29, 1 – 4 pm. 
• Tuesday, Aug. 30, 5 – 8 pm. 
• Wednesday, Aug. 31, 10 am – 1 pm. 

Watch the hearings at mta.info/CBDTP at the dates and times listed above. Comments at these sessions will also become part of the formal record. Comments will be accepted online as well as email, mail, voicemail, and fax.

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Last week I attended the National League of Cities (NLC) Summer Board and Leadership Meetings in Atlanta, along with 200 local officials from across the US. I’m a member of the Human Development Committee, and member (and former Chair) of the NLC Large Cities Council . 

Useful items.

The Bloomingdale branch of the NYPL will reopen on Tuesday, 8/9, following necessary building repairs. The St. Agnes branch will then close temporarily at the end of Saturday, 8/13, for floor replacement and building repairs; it’s expected to reopen in December. 
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If you’re a car owner, you’ll want to read Why So Many Cars Have Rats in Them Now from the NY Times yesterday (8/3).

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This short video provides an overview of the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity program which offers low-income households a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service. Call the “Aging Connected” hotline at 877-745-1930 for more information and help signing up for the program. (Hat tip to SeniorPlanet.org for the item! It’s a great newsletter and website from AARPNew York.)

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The heat wave this summer means sky-high ConEd bills. The NYS Energy Affordability Program provides income-eligible consumers with a discount on their monthly electric and/or gas bills. You may be enrolled automatically if you receive benefits from a government assistance program; for more information visit this ConEd webpage and click the “download form” button in the Energy Affordability Program box (or click this link directly to download the pdf). Or call 1-800-752-6633; the seniors-only direct line is 1-800-404-9097, M-F, 8:30 am – 5 pm. 

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You can make a difference for fellow New Yorkers by volunteering for the Red Cross—helping people forced from their homes because of home fires, storms and other emergencies. Learn more and apply to become a volunteer here. 

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Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has launched a pilot $50,000 Composting Initiative to support composting throughout Manhattan, funding projects between $5,000 – $7,500 aimed at composting education programs for youth, for seniors, or general community engagement. Apply here by close of business 8/26/22 (use code: MCI2023). Learn more here. 

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You may have already noticed: Con Edison has closed W. 85th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam from 10 am – 2 pm, scheduled to finish 8/9. Con Edison is also doing work affecting the following streets: 

• W. 83rd St. bet. Riverside and Broadway continues until mid-August.
• W. 83 St. bet. Broadway and Columbus, until the end of September. 
• W. 83 St. bet. Columbus and Central Park West until the end of October.
• W. 71st St bet. Broadway and Columbus until the end of August. 

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New York City’s speed cameras began operating 24/7 this week. And the Sanitation Department has started to enforce the City’s food waste law, requiring commercial food establishments to separate and process their organic waste. 

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The lottery for 53 affordable apartments at 117 W. 79th St. closes tomorrow (8/5). Apply online here or request an application via mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to: Fairstead Management c/o: Park 79, 560 Lenox Avenue, New York, NY 10037. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online.

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Lower Manhattan Cultural Council announced the launch of its three 2023 grant programs: Creative Engagement, Creative Learning, and UMEZ Arts Engagement. 

The grants offer Manhattan-based artists and arts organizations access to up to four sources of funding, opportunities to combine multiple grants for a single project, and one of LMCC’s largest overall regrant budgets in recent years. Click the links below to RSVP for nformation sessions about the programs:  are on the following dates; RSVP at the links below. 

• Creative Engagement & UMEZ Arts Engagement (Virtual): Tuesday, August 16, 4 – 6 pm: Hosted in partnership with Harlem Arts Alliance. ASL interpretation available.
• Creative Engagement & Creative Learning: Tuesday, 8/30, 4 – 6 pm (Virtual): Hosted in partnership with Community Word Project & NYC Arts in Education Roundtable. ASL interpretation available.

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Applications are now open for the year-long “Teen Leader Program” at the American Folk Art Museum. If you know (or are) an NYC high school student curious and passionate about the arts, the Teen Leader Program introduces students to the Museum’s collection and exhibits, as well as to careers in the arts through activities, guest speakers, workshops and field trips. Learn more at the link. 

JOBS

The NYS Dept. of Civil Service has a wide range of Open-Competitive Examination Announcements. Learn more about civil service jobs on its website. There are way too many to list here!

<< PHOTO>>

Rafael Castellanos, president of the Central Park Medical Unit, received the NYPD Civilian Commendation Award as part of National Night Activities. In addition to his volunteer work with CPMU, Castellanos is a member of the Central Park Precinct Community Council. He has been active with CPMU since the unit was formed as a bike patrol.  The unit is often first on the scene of medical emergencies and also works the many special events held in Central Park each year.  The CPMU is all volunteer and supported entirely by donations.  

Events.

Tomorrow, Friday, 8/5, 3 – 5 pm, at the Museum of the City of New York: A matinee screening of “Little Satchmo” presented by New Heritage Theatre Group, in partnership with the Museum of the City of New York, Jazzmobile, and Harlem Heritage Now. The story of famed trumpeter Louis Armstrong by his daughter Sharon is open to senior centers. Free, but reservations are required; click this link. Enter the MCNY enter through the 104th St. entrance b/w 5th Ave. & Madison Ave.

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The next three Saturdays in August (8/6, 13 and 20) from 7 am – 1 pm: NYC Summer Streets is back. Everyone is invited to play, run, walk, and bike on Park Avenue and feeder streets, from Brooklyn Bridge to East Harlem. Public art installations, performances and activities will be along the route. Check out the activities, art and performances happening during Summer Streets 2022. On Saturday, 8/6, Citi Bike will be offering free day passes. Use the code SUMMER22 in the Citi Bike app to receive unlimited 30-minute rides on a classic Citi Bike for 24 hours. Click the links for more information.

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Next Thursday, 8/11, 6 – 9 pm, at The High Line: ¡Arriba! with DJ Mickey Perez and Bulla en el Barrio. They will perform, engage, and celebrate life through Bullerengue music, dance, and the stories these songs tell. Join them to dance or just enjoy the music. On the High Line between 15th and 16th St. (enter at 14th St).

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Next Saturday, 8/13, and Saturday 8/27, 1 – 4 pm: Family Workshops at the High Line. These hands-on art-making workshops explore what moves us to create, drawing inspiration from the public art and horticulture on the High Line, facilitated by the High Line’s summer teen staff and its education team. Workshops are free and open to the public and are intended for all ages; you may drop in at any time.  

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Saturday, 8/13, 4:30 pm, Grant’s Tomb: Bloomingdale School of Music summer students present a free concert, in partnership with NYC Parks. 

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There's still some Shakespeare around town...  This year’s second production of Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park is As You Like It, opening 8/10 and running through 9/11. Ticketing options:

• In-person distribution in Central Park;
• In-person lottery at The Public Theater;
• In-person distribution in the boroughs;
• A digital lottery with TodayTix; and
• In-person standby line in Central Park.

The Hudson Classical Theater Company is performing “Macbeth” at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, 89th St at Riverside Park, Thurs. – Sun, at 6:15 pm, until 8/21. 

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This weekend (8/6 – 7) at 6 pm, The West Side Community Garden hosts the Greenhouse Ensemble in their 6th “Ten Minute Play Soiree” featuring 17 actors, six directors, and seven short plays—each by a different author. That means 7 chances to laugh, to cry, or to be inspired, all in one evening of theater!

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The Riverside Clay Tennis Association's 2022 Sunset Concert Series continues every Saturday at 7 pm; here's the lineup:

• 8/6, 7 pm: Mimi & The Podd Brothers
• 8/13, 7 pm: Jacob Varmus Quintet
• 8/20, 7 pm: Cynthia Sayer
• 8/27, 7 pm: Leon & The Peoples

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Sundays from 2 – 4 pm, at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center at the Harlem Meer in Central Park, 110th St. near 5th Ave.: The Harlem Meer Music Festival. Remaining performances: 8/7, Johnny Rodriguez and the Dream Team (New York Salsa); 8/14, Clean Money Music; 8/21, Despers USA Steel Orchestra.

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Saturday, 8/6: One day, five boroughs—The New York Public Library’s biggest-ever summer program, “Dance Party NYC,” is a citywide festival of music and movement, taking place at more than 80 venues across the city (including Governors Island, see below), at many library locations and a K-pop dance party at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at the Main NYPL. Click the link to learn more.

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This weekend, 8/5 - 7, Gov­er­nors Island Arts will bring togeth­er more than 15 cul­tur­al part­ners for a week­end-long cre­ative cel­e­bra­tion, House Fest, in the his­toric Nolan Park and Colonels Row areas on the Island, fea­tur­ing free dance and music per­for­mances, out­door instal­la­tions, inter­ac­tive work­shops, open stu­dios, and pan­el dis­cus­sions. The three-day cel­e­bra­tion will also fea­ture the incred­i­ble line­up of works already on dis­play from the two dozen Orga­ni­za­tions in Res­i­dence in the his­toric hous­es in Nolan Park and Colonels Row—click here to meet them all.

Cen­tral to the weekend’s fes­tiv­i­ties is Dance Par­ty NYC on Saturday, 8/6, 3 pm, at Nolan Park. Performances from Brooklyn United Marching Band and Brass Queens, tunes from DJ Aguapanela Mami and DJ Yung Mayne, food trucks, and a beer garden. RSVP for the dance party here. 

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Also on Governors Island, ArtCrawl Harlem invites all to open studios every Saturday-Sunday, Noon – 5 pm, at 406b Colonels Row through October.

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Saturday, 8/6, 1 – 3:30 pm, Ft. Tryon Park (Enter at Ft. Washington Ave/Margaret Corbin Circle): Stanley Michels Memorial Jazz Concert sponsored by Ft. Tryon Park Trust. Join the Ft. Tryon Park Trust, NYC Parks, and the Michels family to honor the late Council Member Stan Michels at the 14th Annual Stan Michels Memorial Jazz Concert. Enjoy live jazz by local impresario Marjorie Eliot, her son Rudel Drears, and their ensemble. In the event of rain, the concert will be held indoors at Our Saviour’s Atonement/Cornerstone Church: 178 Bennett Ave. 

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Tuesday, 8/9,  5 pm, virtual: Rat Academy Training. Free training for community gardeners and learn more about rat prevention methods. Click the top link to register, or click here to learn more. To request additional accommodations, email ratportal@health.nyc.gov.

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Saturday, 8/13, 12 Noon – 9 pm,  Pier 76 (at 34th St.): Hudson River Park’s Blues BBQ Festival, the longest-running free blues festival in the New York area, dedicated to bringing in the most celebrated blues artists from across the country. This year the event will be hosted by guitarist Binky Griptite, with performers including Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Don Bryant, Bette Smith, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers and Jackie Venson. Five restaurants will participate: Blue Smoke, Jase’s BBQ, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Kimchi Smoke, and Big Papa Smokem—along with beverages from  Allagash, Bronx Brewery, Sunday Beer Lager, Archer Roose Rose and Sparkling White Wine and Two Robbers Hard Seltzer. 

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Saturday, 8/13, 11:30 am – 7 pm, E. 120th Street & Harlem Art Park (Between Lexington & 3rd Ave.): The Afribembé Festival, an all-day Pan-African celebration of the African Diaspora's creativity, musicality, intellectuality, and artistry, sponsored by the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute. The festival's Bembé Stage will feature live DJ sets and artists representing various regions.

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Sunday, 8/14, 1 – 4 pm, Amsterdam and 109th St. Open Street: Homemade History Exchange, a project of the Columbus Amsterdam BID and the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group. View a treasure chest of historical photos, articles, and maps related to the Bloomingdale neighborhood. Be an active participant—bring along any historical photos or other items that you have that might be of interest to others. 

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Tuesday–Friday, 8/16 – 19, 6:30 pm, the 19th annual Central Park Conservancy Film Festival will happen on the landscape between Sheep Meadow and the 72nd Street Cross Drive. Sponsored by National Geographic, this year’s festival features documentary films:

• Tuesday, August 16: Premiere of The Territory (Rain date for The Territory is August 17 in lieu of America’s National Parks.)
• Wednesday, August 17: America’s National Parks (If Tuesday’s premiere of The Territory is shifted to Wednesday, it will substitute for America’s National Parks.)
• Thursday, August 18: Fire of Love
• Friday. August 19: JANE

Gates open at 6:30 pm; programming and music from 6:30 pm until the film starts at dusk. Register at this link for any or all films.

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Wednesday, 8/17, 1 pm: Jazz+Wednesdays at the American Folk Art Museum. Guitarist Bill Wurtzel and Jay Leonhart perform standards from the American Songbook. Limited seating is available but admission is free if you register in advance.

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Saturday 8/20, Pier 76: Kids Learn to Ride sponsored by Bike New York. Registration typically opens up a week before the scheduled class; click the first link to register. 

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Saturday–Sunday, 8/20 – 21, 2 – 6 pm, Morris Jumel Mansion: 30th Annual Jazz at the Mansion Concert. The lineup:

• Rudel Drears – Piano, Vocals, Founder & Musical Director
• Marjorie Eliot – Piano, Founder & Artistic Director
• Sedric Choukroun – Saxophone
• Nicholas Mauro – Trumpet
• Jeffrey Michels – Guitar
• Yuma Takagi – Bass
• Will Glass – Drums, Percussion

This outdoor event is free and open to the public, but has limited capacity, so arrive early to obtain a seat. In case of rain, the concert will be canceled. 

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The listings above are a small sample of just what WE know about. Find out more from these sources:

• The West Side Rag has a consistently great weekly events listing here. 
• Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City programming continues; check this link for calendar. Every Wednesday from 8 – 10pm on Jaffe Drive, Comedy Underground presents new standup comedians. Film at Lincoln Center screens several movies outdoors each week. 
• The Riverside Parks Conservancy and NYC Parks offer dozens of free “Summer on the Hudson” events all summer long. View their calendar here and follow them on Twitter @summeronhudson for up to the minute event information (including cancellations).
• Hudson River Park events can be found here; sign up at the top of their webpage to receive their weekly newsletter with dozens of free events listed. 
• Battery Park Conservancy also sponsors lots of events; view their calendar here.
• The Columbus Avenue BID has a variety of events.

Quirk of the week: Our tax dollars are at work in an extraordinary new federal website, heat.gov which maps all things heat-related in a user-friendly way. Their mapping tools allow users to customize maps so you can see an immediate neighborhood or the entire world. The maps are configurable; you can see the “real” weather as of 2020, and the projected weather many decades from now. And the maps can be combined; you can overlay a map of likely future flood zones, or many other categories such as areas of economic and social vulnerabilities. Learn more at the link (and hat tip to James Fallows’ “Breaking the News” email newsletter).