The "An AK-47 in Times Square" Edition
The "An AK-47 in Times Square" Edition
Lincoln Center gets a lawn, Salt Bae gets sued, a Predator drone for the High Line, Coney Island's new tentacles, where to go for a drink after a year, and more
Today - Low: 50˚ High: 60˚
Mostly cloudy throughout the day.
• Advice on how to get your marijuana-related convictions expunged from Emma Goodman, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of New York. (Emily Lang and Sean Carlson for Gothamist)
• How to get an absentee ballot for June's primary election. Anyone is allowed to request an absentee ballot this year, no need to worry about an excuse. (Allison Dikanovic for The City)
• Live music is slowly making its return to the city. You won't find shows everywhere just yet but places like Littlefield and The Shed's calendars are ramping up. (Alexa Shahrestani for Bedford + Bowery)
• Lincoln Center's inside performances remain on hold but they announced this week that their plaza will be covered with a synthetic lawn, calling it "The GREEN." The GREEN will open on May 10 and will feature a snack bar. (Matt Stevens for NY Times)
• Brooklyn artist and hero William Hicks is suing the Salt Bae for $5 million for copyright infringement by displaying his artwork in the Nusr-Et restaurants and on its menus, takeout bags, and signs without a license. (Luke Fortney for Eater)
• Apartment Lust: A $2.8 million Flatiron loft with two beds, 11-foot ceilings, a distinctive kitchen but the value may also be in the column in the apartment autographed by Kurt Cobain, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, and others. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)
• Can't quite finish your pandemic novel without some atmospheric inspiration? Here are nine cafes frequented by influential authors. Breathe in the atmosphere, but also keep your mask on. (Belle Druckman for Untapped New York)
• "Piazza di Belmont" returns to the Bronx’s Little Italy on April 30, bringing al fresco dining to Arthur Ave, running through the fall. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft)
• The Costume Institute exhibition at The Met is happening this year, with “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” debuting on September 18. (Will Gleason for Time Out)
• Where to drink with people you haven't seen in a year. (Nikko Duren for The Infatuation)
• An 18-year-old was arrested in the Times Square subway station for carrying an AK-47. Some reporting says he had a gas mask with him, others say the gas mask was part of a bong. (Justin Rohrlich for The Daily Beast)
• A sculpture of a Predator drone is going to be installed on the High Line. "Untitled (drone)" is meant to make you think about the invisible wars America has been fighting and will be on view through August 22. (Will Gleason for Time Out)
• "I looked over just in time to see a black geyser shooting out of the sink, onto the ceiling, onto everything." Oh god no. There is a photo. (James Ramsay for Gothamist)
• The rate of Covid-19 hospitalizations for New Yorkers 65 and over has fallen 51 percent since mid-January, which tracks right around when they became eligible for the vaccines. (Anna Quinn for Patch)
• What's causing the increase in shootings and murders in the city? Gothamist takes a look at possible answers to the question from Mayor de Blasio, academics, advocates, and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea, whose answer is mathematically impossible. (Christopher Robbins for Gothamist)
• Commissioner Shea also spent a part of the week defending "no-knock" warrants. (David Cruz for Gothamist)
• I am 100% in support of the inflatable tentacles above the Coney Island Boardwalk. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)
• There will be a public memorial for DMX at the Barclay's Center on Saturday, April 24. Details are still being worked out. (Amanda Hatfield for BrooklynVegan)
• Interactive Map: NYC's linguistic diversity as the world’s most linguistically diverse metropolitan area from the Endangered Language Alliance. (Christopher Robbins for Gothamist)
• The temporary restraining order against the Gowanus Rezoning may end this week as a State Supreme Court judge is in favor of allowing the public review process to move forward. Opponents of the rezoning argue virtual hearings violate the city's charter and are also asking for a racial impact study. (David Cruz for Gothamist)
• Do your part to track the Brood X cicada emergence with the Cicada Safari app. (Adam Nichols for Patch)
• Detective Fabio Nunez was caught on cameras using a banned chokehold in 2018. He's being allowed to retire with his pension and without a disciplinary trial while only having his overtime and vacation stripped. (David Cruz for Gothamist)
• Times reporter Dana Rubinstein is interviewed about the influence of Super PAC funds in the mayoral race. (Giovanni Russonello for NY Times)
• City-run Covid-19 vaccination sites are now accepting walk-ins from New Yorkers over 50. (Sophia Chang for Gothamist)
• This might be the oldest manhole cover in the city, dating back to 1961. (Nicole Saraniero for Untapped New York)
• The mayor asked “Why are people allowed to be police officers if they don’t know how to handle their weapon?,” which is a great question to ask. Especially because the new chief of the North Brooklyn Detective Unit killed a young Black man in 2008 after "accidentally" firing his gun. (Eileen Grench for The City)
• Bird, Lime and Veo are starting pilot programs for e-scooter rentals in the Bronx. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• Justice Democrats, who helped AOC's rise to congress, is backing Rana Abdelhamid’s 2022 primary bid against Carolyn Maloney, who was first elected to Congress in 1992. (Katie Gluek for NY Times)
• Where to have a big night out after cooking at home for months. (Hannah Albertine for The Infatuation)
Featured Pet: Cosette!
Thanks again to reader Courtney for sending photos of Cosette! I couldn’t resist this adorable photo. Want to see your companion featured? Maybe you’ve got a fish or a lizard? Email me a photo!