https://www.otdowntown.com/news/archdiocese-turns-down-100g-donation-for-historic-little-italy-church-stirring-speculation-FE6251016 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-03T23:08:59-04:00 Archdiocese Turns Down $100G Donation for Historic Little Italy Church, Stirring Speculation https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/most-precious-blood-church-in-2025-4_4-11159022_20261003225041.webp The church of Most Precious Blood on Baxter Street has been merged with the Basilica of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mulberry Street but the Archdiocese has turned down a $100,000 donation from the San Gennaro Festival that was earmarked for Most Precious Blood. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/img-2454-4-11139394-20260928021136_4-11160846_20261003225446.webp The feast of San Gennaro in the Little Italy, the oldest and largest Italian-America festival in the city, celebrated its 100th anniversary this September. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-10-02-152209_4-11160843_20261003223157.png Bishop Edmund Whalen, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York ordered the $100,000 check earmarked for the church of Most Precious Blood to be returned to the San Gennaro Festival. Festival organizers said they were “stunned.” https://www.otdowntown.com/news/one-nomination-could-put-a-manhattan-teacher-in-line-for-25000-NC6253483 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-04T14:04:12-04:00 One Nomination Could Put a Manhattan Teacher In Line for $25,000 https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/3e0a7475-4-10814127-20260612132232_4-11160868_20261004140416.webp Ian Weissman, a social studies teacher at Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts, received the 2025 FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence. The winner is always handed the award in a surprise ceremony. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/3e0a7481-4-10821215-20260612132249_4-11160952_20261004140416.webp The winner of the 2025 FLAG award in Manhattan, teacher Ian Weissman poses with Risa Daniels (left) and Laura Twersky (right), Co-Presidents of The FLAG Foundation for Excellence in Education. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/img-0766_4-11160872_20261004002132.jpg Ian Weissman, a teacher at Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts, holds his giant $25K check in 2025. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/ukrainian-refugee-students-face-uncertainty-as-tps-deadline-nears-LC6253926 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-04T22:28:05-04:00 Ukrainian Refugee Students Face Uncertainty As TPS Deadline Nears https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/saint-george-academy-ukraine-refugee-tps-1_4-11161332_20261004203621.jpg Saint George Academy, owned by St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic School, has provided unique support to Ukrainian refugee students. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/saint-george-academy-ukraine-refugee-tps-2_4-11161335_20261004203623.jpg The issue is close to the heart for Andrew Stasiw, the principal of Saint George Academy, who is Ukrainian American. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/saint-george-academy-ukraine-refugee-tps-4_4-11161340_20261004203626.jpg The Ukraine flag is seen throughout Saint George Academy’s cases and stairwells. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/saint-george-academy-ukraine-refugee-tps-3_4-11161339_20261004203629.jpg Catholic mosaics and photos of past classes decorate the walls of Saint George Academy. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/saint-george-academy-ukraine-refugee-tps-5_4-11161341_20261004203631.jpg On a bulletin board, a sheet of paper saying “We stand with UKRAINE” is pinned up on the cork. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/saint-george-academy-ukraine-refugee-tps-6_4-11161338_20261004203633.jpg Saint George Academy keeps much of Ukrainian culture alive. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/tunnel-to-towers-run-honors-9-11-victims-despite-nor-easter-rain-XB6245707 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-05T00:26:32-04:00 Tunnel to Towers Run Honors 9/11 Victims Despite Nor’easter Rain https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-start-fieri-portnoy_4-11160983_20261004161403.jpg Tunnel to Towers starting line in Red Hook, Brooklyn, with Frank Siller, Guy Fieri, Dave Portnoy. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-9-11-john-herold-red_4-11160979_20261004161354.jpg John Herold, brother of 9/11 victim Gary Herold, whose photo he’ll carry with him along with a folded flag through the Battery Tunnel. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-firefighter-gary-box_4-11161010_20261004162646.jpg 9/11 Moring: FDNY Firefighter Gary Box of Squad 1 in Park Slope, Brooklyn—the same unit as Stephen Siller—making his way on foot through the Battery Tunnel as the Squad 1 truck waits in traffic behind him. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-nypd-banners_4-11160990_20261004161413.jpg Banners of fallen 9/11 first responders await those exiting the Battery Tunnel in Manhattan. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-2026-start_4-11160980_20261004161356.jpg Runners await the start at Tunnel to Towers 5K, Sept. 27, 2026. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-start-red-hook-court_4-11160981_20261004161358.jpg Runners on Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn, soon to enter the Battery Tunnel to Manhattan. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-start-flags-prosthes_4-11160982_20261004161400.jpg Runners making their way past the flag festooned border of the Battery Tunnel. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnels-to-towers-zscottyb-insta_4-11160984_20261004161407.jpg The view up West Street after exiting the Battery Tunnel in Manhattan. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnels-to-towers-zscottyb-inside_4-11160987_20261004161409.jpg Tunnel to Towers 2026 from inside the Battery Tunnel https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-terror-fdny-ray-case_4-11160988_20261004161411.jpg A memorial card for FDNY firefighter and 9/11 first responder Ray Casey on the helmet of Bridgehampton volunteer firefighter, Captain Kari Vecsey. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tunnel-to-towers-nypd_4-11160989_20261004161411.jpg Cops and other await the start of Tunnel to Towers 2026 in Red Hook, Brooklyn. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/relic-of-archbishop-sheen-heads-to-st-patrick-s-cathedral-FB6254007 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-05T00:47:00-04:00 Relic of Archbishop Sheen Heads to St. Patrick’s Cathedral https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-10-04-at-6-13-12-pm_4-11160929_20261004181435.png Archbishop Ronald Hicks received the remains of the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen at St. Patrick’s Cathedral following a recent event in Peoria, IL where the late archbishop was elevated to “blessed” status. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/archbisohop-sheen-wikimedia_4-11161408_20261005001735.jpg Archbishop Fulton Sheen on the set of his popular syndicated weekly tv talk show “Life is Worth Living” which at its peak had 30 million prime time viewers. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/global-citizen-won-t-be-rescheduled-but-still-hauled-in-200m-for-charity-LD6252863 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-05T11:29:51-04:00 Global Citizen Won’t Be Rescheduled but Still Hauled in $200M+ for Charity https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/global-citizen-festival-2025_4-11160783_20261002173206.jpg Shakira performs last year during the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on Sept. 27, 2025. This year’s concert was cancelled due to the nor’easter that drenched the city and won’t be rescheduled. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/global-citizen-festival_4-11160791_20261002173208.jpg Festivalgoers stand in the rain during the Global Citizen Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Central Park in New York. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/20-year-old-man-falls-to-death-from-uws-building-MY6230196 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-05T12:32:25-04:00 20-Year-Old Man Falls to Death from UWS Building https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/2182-broadway_4-11138611_20260925171738.jpg The intersection of Broadway and West 77th St. where police said the body of a 20-year-old man was discovered outside the Larstrand Building, a luxury rental building at 2182 Broadway on September 23. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/rift-widens-between-amtrak-s-byford-and-mta-s-lieber-over-penn-rebuild-plan-FN6258142 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-05T14:35:24-04:00 Rift Widens between Amtrak’s Byford and MTA’s Lieber over Penn Rebuild Plan https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/andy-byford-wikimedia-commons_4-11164299_20261005142710.jpg Andy Byford is pointing a finger at the MTA, saying its intransigence will end up boosting the cost of the Penn Station rebuilding plan. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/janno-lieber-at-press-conference-anno_4-11164838_20261005142710.webp MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber at a subway improvement press conference at 125th Street in May, is balking at joining NJ Transit as a partner in the Penn Station rebuild. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/nadler-with-mock-up-daily-news-cover_4-11164841_20261005143008.webp Local elected Democratic officials, led by Congressman Jerry Nadler, say there is a lack of transparency on the Penn Station rebuilding plans and don’t want to cede state and local property tax authority for buildings surrounding Penn Station to Amtrak, which is a federal operation. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/new-penn-station-rendering-4-10912598_4-11164844_20261005142713.webp An artist rendering of the Penn Station redesign which proposes tearing down the Madison Square Garden owned-theater on Eighth Avenue and replacing with a new grand entrance (above). https://www.otdowntown.com/news/e-bike-violence-victims-rally-for-regulation-vilify-lobbyists-LN6249973 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-10-05T15:28:39-04:00 E-Bike Violence Victims Rally for Regulation, Vilify Lobbyists https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/e-bike-violence-victims-rally-broken_4-11164975_20261005144131.jpg E-bike violence victims showed their battered faces suffered after accidents at Sept. 27 City Hall rally. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/e-bike-violence-victims-rally-gerbino_4-11164971_20261005143940.jpg Protestors gathered on the steps of City Hall at a rally sponsored by the E-Vichicle Safety Alliance calling for registration of e-bikes and tougher enforcement. Many victims who were seriously injured by e-bikes said their accidents were never recorded and e-bikers often drove away after the collisions. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/e-bike-violence-victims-rally_4-11164992_20261005144348.jpg E-bike violence protesters and their signs at City Hall, Sept. 27. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/e-bike-violence-victims-we-are-the-ma_4-11164995_20261005144518.jpg E-bike violence victims declare “We are the majority!” at Sept. 27 City Hall rally. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/e-bike-violence-victims-report-margo_4-11165086_20261005150221.jpg E-bike violence report from Margo, Pedestrian, at Sept. 27 City Hall rally.