Caroline Hirsch (right) co-founder of the New York Comedy Festival, with comedian Bill Maher, who is among the headliners at this year’s shows which starts Nov. 7 at the Apollo. ( Photo: Courtesy Caroline Hirsch) New York Comedy Festival Celebrates 20 Yr Anniversary Melissa Rivers says her mom told her never to be afraid to laugh at herself. If you don’t, mom warned, “You could be missing... City Arts 25 Oct 2024 | 06:46
The Vessel, in an evening view facing East on Oct. 17. Four days later, on Oct. 21, the 150 ft. structure was reopened to the public for the first time in three years. ( Photo: Kathleen Corless/Courtesy of Vessel) Vessel Reopens with New Steel Mesh Safety Netting to Prevent Suicide Leaps The Vessel in Hudson Yards reopened to the public this week for the first time in three years, partly encased in a steel... News 21 Oct 2024 | 03:09
A rally at Madison Square Garden planned by Donald Trump on Oct. 27 has stirred controversy from a local Democratic state senator, who said it was akin to a Nazi rally held in the old MSG in 1939. He called on MSG to cancel the event for security reasons. MSG has stayed silent on the matter. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly) Trump Rally Slated for MSG Stirs Controversy Say this for Donald Trump, he is no captive to conventional campaign thinking. The conventional approach for presidential... News 19 Oct 2024 | 11:41
The long-under-construction new entrance to Penn Station on the Seventh Ave. side finally opened late last year. ( Photo: Ralph Spielman) Big Three Rail Cos Join in Bid to Make New Plans for Penn Station The three railroads who use Penn Station kicked off a new effort to rally support for their plans to improve and expand the... News 30 Sep 2024 | 06:51
Who is on the Railroad SWAG list? The Railroads who use Penn Station have convened what they call a Station Working Advisory Group (SWAG) to considder plans... News 29 Sep 2024 | 12:55
Amtrak, the owner of Penn Station which only recently opened the newly redesigned Seventh Ave. entrance to the underground rail hub, says it will convene a new study group with the MTA’s Long Island Railroad and NJ Transit to come up with a joint solution on the future development of the nation’s busiest rail hub. ( Photo: Ralph Spielman) Big 3 Railroads Plan to Work Together on New Plan for Penn Station; Activists Still Wary The railroads that use Penn Station are convening a working group of outside advocates to review, and support, their complicated... News 14 Sep 2024 | 05:18
NYS has already spent $500 million installing the congestion pricing cameras such as these installed in 2023 on Ninth Ave. to record vehicles entering lower Manhattan below 60th St. But toll readers have not gone live following Gov. Hochul’s pause of congestion pricing in June. Now it appears she may be moving forward with the plan afterall. ( Photo: Jim Henderson/Wikimedia Commons) Hochul Drops Broad Hints that Congestion Pricing Could Make Comeback Later this Year Congestion pricing lives. Governor Hochul announced an “indefinite pause” last June, blindsiding the MTA as it was about to... Home 04 Sep 2024 | 12:17
The big three railroads, MTA, Amtrak and NJ Transit, say they will need to expand Penn Station in coming years to accommodate booming demand, expecially from NJ commuters. ( Photo: Amtrak) Railway Giants Finally Unveil Why They Need to Expand Penn Station Demand for rail service into Penn Station is growing quickly again, post-covid, and the three big railroads told a community... News 05 Aug 2024 | 06:11
Filmmaker Claire Read found remnants of the old Penn Station at a storage yard in Newark, NJ. ( Photo by Lina McGinn) New Film, Penn F***ing Station Captures Rail Hub at Its Most Decrepit Glory Claire Read lived in Penn Station for four years. Well, not literally. She is neither homeless nor a character in an updated... News 20 Jul 2024 | 12:17
City Council member Christopher Marte is pushing back somewhat on the “City of Yes” Housing plans of Mayor Eric Adams. Photo: Ballotpedia Marte’s Wary of Key Parts of City of Yes Plan Pushed by Adams, Stirs Debate City Council member Christopher Marte says Mayor Adam’s City of Yes for more housing is a definite maybe. Marte, who represents... News 27 Jun 2024 | 06:08
Borough president Mark Levine tried to quell a rebellion at Community Board 5 when a majority of its 50-member board urged him to rescind the ouster of two long time board members, Craig Slutznik and Mary Brosnahan. Levine defended his move and labeled as “reprehensible” a resolution that Slutznik supported last month at Educational Community Advisory Council District 2 urging the DOE to study its stance that allows transgender individuals to compete on girls sports teams. Photo: Community Board 5 Chaos at CB5: Boro Pres Levine Refuses to Reverse Decision Ousting 2 Longtime Board Members So why did Borough President Mark Levine dump two long-serving members from Community Board five, one just as he was running... News 21 May 2024 | 07:50
An overwhelming majority of Community Board 5 members have dispatched an urgent letter to Borough President Mark Levine, urging him to rescind his decision to bounce first vice chairman Craig Slutzkin from the board. Prior to the ouster, Slutzkin was seen as the favorite in the race in the race against interim chairman Samir Lavingia for the board’s top office in the June election. Photo: Linkedin CB5 In Revolt Against Boro Pres Mark Levine, Fires Off Letter Urging: Rescind Craig Slutzkin’s Ouster A majority of Community Board five’s members demanded that Mark Levine, the Borough President, reverse his decision to oust... News 08 May 2024 | 07:27
Manhattan borough president Mark Levine has bounced two members of community board 5: Craig Slutzkin who was an announced candidate for the chairman spot, and Mary Brosnahan, who was an advocate for the homeless. Photo: Office of Manhattan Borough President Levine Shakes Up CB5: Ousts Slutzkin Who Was In Running for Chairman vs Lavingia The Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levine, has refused to reappoint a leading member of Community Board Five, even as... News 07 May 2024 | 04:17
Samir Lavingia ended up as the unlikely interim chairman of CB 5 in March, but is facing a contested election when board members vote on a new chair in June. Photo: courtesy Samir Lavingia. CB5 Chairman Vote Heads Toward Contested Election in June Contested elections are rare at the city’s community boards. But Samir Lavingia, interim chair of Community Board Five, appears... News 29 Apr 2024 | 04:21
Longtime activist tells of the 50 year battle to create Hudson River Park in a just released new book. Photo: Amazon A 50 Yr Battle to Create Hudson River Park Captured in New Book by Activist Tom Fox It’s been a mere half century since a repair truck, laden with asphalt, plunged through the elevated West Side Highway on... News 29 Apr 2024 | 03:28