https://www.otdowntown.com/news/school-aides-10000-pay-bump-becomes-law-city-hall-vows-legal-challenge-YD6137111 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-24T13:25:39-04:00 School Aides’ $10,000 Pay Bump Becomes Law; City Hall Vows Legal Challenge https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/paraprofessional-demonstration-chalkb_4-11033333_20260824130135.jpg New York City teachers union members rally for paraprofessional raises in January, 2025. A bill that would grant $10,000 one-time pay bumps became law last week. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/man-wielding-large-meat-cleaver-shot-dead-by-nypd-on-les-DY6133849 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-24T14:24:29-04:00 Man Wielding Large Meat Cleaver Shot Dead by NYPD on LES https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/mdman-wielding-large-meat-cleaver-126_4-11030469_20260823175640.jpg Madman wielding large meat cleaver, Wei Chan, was shot dead by NYPD inside 126 Ludlow St. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/madman-wielding-large-meat-cleaver-be_4-11030473_20260823180010.jpg Patrol Borough Manhattan South C.O. Chief Melissa Eger at press conference on the 126 Ludlow St. shooting. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/madman-wielding-large-meat-cleaver-es_4-11030472_20260823180012.jpg Front door of 126 Ludlow St., note Esther Apt. and 1930 in mock Hebrew-style script above the doorway. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/madman-wielding-large-meat-cleaver-cr_4-11030478_20260823180617.jpg Crime scene tape still affixed to sign post outside Pretty Ricky bar on Aug. 17. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/madman-wieldman-large-meat-cleaver-be_4-11030481_20260823180619.jpg Direectrly Opposite 126 Ludlow St., a mural honoring the Beastie Boys “Paul’s Boutique” and this specific corner, 99 Rivington St. https://www.otdowntown.com/features/tennis-loving-local-teens-land-coveted-ball-crew-jobs-at-us-open-DI6138713 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-24T19:59:58-04:00 Tennis-Loving Local Teens Land Coveted Ball Crew Jobs at US Open https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/4961082406-7a9602a7c4-c_4-11035244_20260824170213.jpg Two Manhattan high school students, Daria Isajeva and Jeremy Orlicki-So, talked to <i>Straus News </i>about serving on the ball crew at the U.S. Open. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/49332313-8099dc2c3e-c_4-11035360_20260824170828.jpg The U.S. Open, held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, takes place between August 23 and September 14. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/five-mole-people-emerge-from-manhattan-manhole-in-dead-of-night-NI6138069 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-24T22:23:56-04:00 Five “Mole People” Emerge from Manhattan Manhole in Dead of Night https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-24-at-3-11-42-pm_4-11034756_20260824153112.png Five people were seen coming out of a manhole near Madison Square Garden and Penn Station on Aug. 18. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/manhole_4-11034283_20260824145805.jpg The manhole where a group emerged on Aug. 18 is pictured across from Madison Square Garden on Aug. 24. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/multimedia-tiktok_thumb4-11034759_20260824151951.jpg https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/multimedia-tiktok_4-11034759_20260824151951.mp4 https://www.otdowntown.com/home/central-synagogue-attacker-charged-with-federal-hate-crimes-too-FD6126733 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-25T08:36:40-04:00 Central Synagogue Attacker Charged with Federal Hate Crimes Too https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/e-55-st-oct-2023-22_4-11023540_20260819173418.jpg A Bronx resident has been hit with new federal hate crimes charges in connection with his August 14 attack on Central Synagogue, prosecutors announced on August 18. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/hp3d5ipxkaaq1pt-4-11018119-2026081716_4-11023488_20260819173418.webp Larry Montes reportedly punched an elderly worshipper and hurled a racial slur at a security guard during the attack. The NYPD said that Montes told them about being motivated by antisemitic and anti-Black sentiment. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/machete-man-nypd-respond-to-hudson-river-park-harassment-report-LI6138508 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-25T17:09:20-04:00 Machete Man, NYPD Respond to Hudson River Park Harassment Report https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/close-up-of-soccer-players_4-11036762_20260825164134.jpg A youth soccer league game in progress is underway on the Gansevoort Peninsula Athletic Field in Hudson River Park on Aug. 25. Earlier that morning, a machete-wielding man appeared, telling a coach he was there to protect the park. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/img-7566_4-11036771_20260825132757.jpg One NYPD officer patrols the the Gransevort Penninsula Athletic Field in Hudson River Park on foot around 10 a.m. on Aug. 25. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/fullsizerender-3_4-11036763_20260825132755.jpg Benches where homeless people have been spotted sleeping are pictured outside of the athletic field on Aug. 25. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/img-7541_4-11036766_20260825132753.jpg Hudson Plate Cafe sits next to the athletic field where a report in the New York Post said vagrants, some with vulgar masks, were harassing local girls playing soccer field. https://www.otdowntown.com/home/hug-shake-hands-or-wave-hello-greeting-is-harder-than-ever-XF6135231 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-25T17:25:29-04:00 Hug, Shake Hands or Wave? “Hello” Greeting Is Harder Than Ever https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/working-from-home_4-11030585_20260824150126.jpg The COVID-19 pandemic upended the work habits of people around the world, with millions working from home. Workers have returned in waves back to the office on some days, but navigating that transition is a significant hurdle for employers and workers alike. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/nyc-s-e-bike-battery-fires-on-pace-to-pass-last-year-s-record-JF6142964 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-25T17:32:39-04:00 NYC’s E-Bike Battery Fires on Pace to Pass Last Year’s Record https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/bs4i0129-4-10895689-20260706154901_4-11037389_20260825172236.webp E-bike battery fires, such as one that occurred last month on W. 23rd Street (above), are on pace to achieve record highs in New York City this year. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/charred-lithium-ion-bikes-4-6524297-2_4-11037431_20260825190448.webp In an e-bike fire in June, 2023, four people were killed and two others hospitalized after fire erupted in an e-bike shop in Chinatown. The year was the deadliest on record for fatalities caused by lithium ion batteries. Here are the charred remains the day after the fire. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/5ee8f457-fe84-4bcf-8ccf-bffa40760c30_4-11037434_20260825190449.webp Fazil Kahn, a 27 year-old journalist from Delhi, India, was killed in his fourth floor apartment in Harlem when a deadly lithium ion battery erupted on the third floor. Fire fighters had to use three rope roof rescues to save other trapped residents in the building. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/dot-4-9119011-20250612144551-jpg_4-11037398_20260825172715.webp The NYC DOT also runs an e-bike safe battery swap program, which serves as part of the “Charge Safe, Ride Safe<i>”</i> action plan. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/chelsea-downtown-manhattan-events-aug-27-sept-2-YY6144809 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-26T12:10:54-04:00 Chelsea &amp; Downtown Manhattan Events: Aug. 27 - Sept. 2 https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/high-line-via-highline-org_4-11038649_20260826121056.jpg high line via highline.org https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/wagner-park-via-bpca-ny-gov_4-11038655_20260826121057.png Wagner Park via bpca.ny.gov