• 93 years ago on June 26, 1927 — The Coney Island Cyclone wooden roller coaster opens to the public

<figure class='photo center'><img src='https://img.agreatbigcity.com/postcard-featuring-the-cyclone-via-boston-public-library-slash-the-tichnor-brothers-collection.jpg'><figcaption>Postcard featuring The Cyclone via Boston Public Library / The Tichnor Brothers Collection</figcaption></figure>

• 51 years ago on June 28, 1969 — Tensions between police and the gay community boil over into a revolt during an overnight raid on the Stonewall Inn

• 37 years ago on June 28, 1983 — Eight men are arrested in a $1.5 million gold heist

• 3 years ago on June 30, 2017 — A doctor opens fire at Bronx-Lebanon hospital, killing one and wounding six

• 21 years ago on July 1, 1999 — Area code 646 launches in Manhattan to supplement 212 and 917 numbers

• 34 years ago on July 3, 1986 — The opening ceremony of Liberty Weekend begins four days of celebrations around the Statue of Liberty's 100th anniversary and reopening after an extensive renovation

<figure class='video center'><iframe width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/00l8CNcDo9U' frameborder='0' allow='accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture' allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>

• 4 years ago on July 3, 2016 — A tourist steps on an explosive device in Central Park — If you have any information or photos from that day, contact NYPD CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (1-800-577-8477), via text message at CRIMES (274637), or via online form.

• 2 years ago on July 4, 2018 — A woman climbs the Statue of Liberty pedestal, causing Liberty Island to be evacuated and canceling many midday Fourth of July tours

• AGBC history:

• 3 years ago — Would $123 Convince You to Bike to Work? — Wednesday, June 28

• 8 years ago — The NYPD's Newest Helicopter Focuses on Spotting Terrorism — Friday, June 29

• 8 years ago — Occupy Wall Street - June 28th, 6PM — Friday, June 29

• 9 years ago — Blimp Race on the Hudson — Monday, July 4

• 1 year ago — A Great Big City Will No Longer Publish to Facebook — Friday, July 5

• 9 years ago — Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus detected in New York City — Thursday, July 7

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Mullaly Park — 1015 RIVER AVENUE, the Bronx — 15 acre park in West Concourse, Bronx, named for newspaperman John Mullaly, who also helped found the New York Park Association in 1881.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• There is a birth in New York City every 4.4 minutes

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 103°F on July 3, 1966
Record Low: 52°F on June 29, 1888

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Overcast, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• 123 years ago on June 15, 1897 — A fire sweeps through Ellis Island's wood buildings

• 136 years ago on June 16, 1884 — America's first roller coaster opens in Coney Island

• 72 years ago on June 16, 1948 — Australian adventurer Ben Carlin and his wife Elinore launch their amphibious jeep into New York Bay in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe

• 67 years ago on June 22, 1953 — The Hollow Nickel Case

• 45 years ago on June 24, 1975 — Eastern Air Flight 66 crashes on approach at JFK Airport, killing 113 people

• 101 years ago on June 26, 1919 — The first issue of the Illustrated Daily News is published, which would become the modern-day New York Daily News

• Manhattanhenge Photography Tips and Viewing Locations

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Michel Triangle — Clay Av bet. E 171 St and Claremont Pkwy, the Bronx — Michel Triangle is bounded by Clay Avenue, Webster Avenue, and East 165th Street. The road that is now Clay Avenue, between 164th and 167th Streets, was part of the old General Staats Morris' racetrack that had been laid out in 1750 and survived through the mid-1800s.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The largest class of Staten Island Ferry can carry 6,000 passengers

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 98°F on June 19, 1994
Record Low: 48°F on June 18, 1950

Weather for the week ahead:
Possible light rain on Sunday and Tuesday.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, TuneIn Radio, RadioPublic, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Manhattanhenge music: Anonymous420

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

• 116 years ago on April 8, 1904 — Longacre Square is renamed 'Times Square'

• 107 years ago on April 9, 1913 — The first game is played at Ebbets Field

• 154 years ago on April 10, 1866 — The ASPCA is founded in New York City, becoming the oldest animal welfare organization in the United States

• 59 years ago on April 11, 1961 — Bob Dylan plays in Greenwich Village for the first time

• 115 years ago on April 12, 1905 — The Hippodrome Theatre opens

• 103 years ago on April 12, 1917 — The Bijou Theatre opens on 45th Street at Broadway

• 38 years ago on April 12, 1982 — Three CBS employees are killed after encountering a gunman abducting a woman on the top of the Pier 92 parking garage

• 17 years ago on April 13, 2003 — Subway tokens are phased out and replaced by the MetroCard

• 2 years ago on April 14, 2018 — David Buckel, a prominent gay rights lawyer and environmental advocate, sets himself on fire in Prospect Park

• 9 years ago on April 16, 2011 — Area code 929 enters service

• 1 year ago on April 17, 2019 — A man was taken into custody after attempting to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral with cans of gasoline

• 14 years ago on April 18, 2006 — Roosevelt Island Tram suffers mechanical problems, trapping 69 people in two tram cars in the air for seven hours

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Ionia Avenue Forest — A very densely-forested triangle at the southern end of Staten Island

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• NYCHA, the New York City Housing Authority, oversees 325 housing developments citywide comprised of 2,418 buildings that house 400,000 New Yorkers

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 92°F on April 16, 2002
Record Low: 22°F on April 12, 1874

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or RadioPublic, TuneIn Radio, Player FM, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• 69 years ago on March 29, 1951 — The 'Mad Bomber' begins his largest streak of attacks, planting a series of explosive devices in public spaces across New York

• 111 years ago on March 30, 1909 — The Queensboro Bridge opens to traffic

• April 1 in History: Greenwich Village Chase after Bleecker Street Armed Robbery

• March 24 in History: Ground-Breaking Ceremony for the Rapid Transit System on "Tunnel Day"

• 5 years ago on April 2, 2015 — Two women are arrested in Jamaica, Queens for planning terrorist bombings

• 161 years ago on April 4, 1859 — The Civil War anthem 'Dixie' debuts in New York as part of a blackface minstrel show

• 87 years ago on April 4, 1933 — The USS Akron, one of history's largest airships, crashes into the ocean off the coast of New Jersey, killing 73 and leaving three survivors <figure class='photo center'><img src='https://img.agreatbigcity.com/uss-akron-flying-over-the-southern-end-of-manhattan-island-new-york-city-circa-1931-1933-via-us-naval-history-and-heritage-command.jpg'><figcaption>USS Akron flying over the southern end of Manhattan Island, New York City, circa 1931-1933 via U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command</figcaption></figure>

• 53 years ago on April 4, 1967 — Martin Luther King Jr. delivers a speech at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights titled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" — Hear the full audio of the speech.

• 47 years ago on April 4, 1973 — The twin towers of the World Trade Center officially open, becoming the tallest buildings in the world ☮️

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Haffen Park — 1750 BURKE AVENUE, the Bronx — Named after Louis F. Haffen, first Borough President of the Bronx. In 1996 Haffen Park received new modular play equipment (including slides, clatter bridges, and ladders), safety surfacing and paving. In 2006, a $1.2 million reconstruction project included the installation of a new synthetic turf field for both baseball and soccer, and a refurbished ballfield fence.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• You can take a free training course from the Department of Health to learn the right words to say to someone suffering with mental distress or substance abuse

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 86°F on March 29, 1945
Record Low: 10°F on March 29, 1923

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain throughout the week.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

• [Coronavirus monologue]

• 53 years ago on March 26, 1967 — Thousands of people gathered at Central Park's Sheep Meadow on Easter Sunday for one of the first hippie "be-ins" of the 1960s

• 5 years ago on March 26, 2015 — A gas explosion and fire destroys three buildings at Second Ave and St. Marks

• 57 years ago on March 28, 1963 — Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York at the Palace Theater on Broadway

• 35 years ago on March 31, 1985 — The First WrestleMania is held at Madison Square Garden, featuring Mr. T and Hulk Hogan

• March 21 in History: Charles Lindbergh Receives the Medal of Honor in 1928

• March 23 in History: Elisha Otis Installs First Passenger Elevator

• March 27 in History: The Disappearing House

• March 28 in History: Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Estella Diggs Park — 3436 3 AVENUE, the Bronx — Formerly known as Rocks and Roots Park, the park was named after Estella Diggs, the first African-American woman to represent the Bronx in the NY State Assembly.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• If the NYC population was spread out at the same density as Wyoming, it would cover nearly half of the lower 48 states

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 84°F on March 21, 1921
Record Low: 10°F on March 21, 1885

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain on Monday through Friday.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn Radio, Spotify, RadioPublic, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Monologue music: ＠ｈｏｔｌｉｎｅ．ｇｏｖ by Anonymous420

• Coronavirus Info for NYC — Westchester resident tests positive for coronavirus, becoming second New York case

• NYC looks at new idea to fix the BQE: An $11B tunnel through Brooklyn

• 26 years ago on March 1, 1994 — A Lebanese-born man fires two handguns at a van of Jewish students on the Brooklyn Bridge, killing one and wounding three

• 97 years ago on March 5, 1923 — "Human Fly" Harry F. Young falls to his death while climbing the Hotel Martinique as part of a movie promotion

• Upcoming Events:

• Mar 8 – Daylight Saving Time begins
• Mar 9 – Full Moon (Worm Moon) Supermoon
• Mar 9 – First night of Purim
• Mar 9 – Hindu festival of Holi
• Mar 17 – St. Patrick's Day

• Mar 19 – March Equinox

• 50 years ago on March 6, 1970 — The Weather Underground townhouse explodes while the terrorist organization is constructing a bomb

• 12 years ago on March 6, 2008 — A unsolved mystery that stands out in modern New York history: An IED explodes outside the Times Square Army recruitment office

• 3 years ago on March 7, 2017 — The 'Fearless Girl' statue is placed at Bowling Green, facing the famous Wall Street Bull statue

• 61 years ago on March 9, 1959 — The Barbie doll debuts at the American International Toy Fair in New York

• 287 years ago on March 12, 1733 — Bowling Green Park is established as the city's first official park

• 6 years ago on March 12, 2014 — A natural gas explosion levels two five-story buildings on Park Avenue

• Stories from AGBC History:

• 9 years ago — What's happening with Admirals Row? — Friday, March 4

• 9 years ago — The TLC releases the results of their Taxi of Tomorrow survey — Friday, March 4

• 3 years ago — Caught on Live Video: ABC 7 Reporter Approached by Man in Mask on Lower East Side — Saturday, March 4

• 3 years ago — Not Real Yet - Don't Get Fooled by These Trump Internment Camp Signs — Monday, March 6

• 3 years ago — FDNY Debuts New Tethered Drone with Infrared Camera — Tuesday, March 7

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• New Lots / Dumont Triangle — A possible competitor for smallest park, this traffic island features just one tree and no grass, with paving stones surrounding the tree.

Parks Events

• Astronomy: The Full Moon — Date: March 8, 2020 The wonders of the universe are ready to be discovered and New York City parks are the perfect place to stargaze and explore the night sky.

Concert Calendar

• Celine Dion is playing Barclays Center on Thursday, March 5th at 7pm.
• Dermot Kennedy with SYML is playing Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, March 5th at 8pm.
• 070 Shake (16+, Rescheduled from October 9, 2019) are playing Webster Hall on Thursday, March 5th at 9pm.
• Jane Birkin is playing Beacon Theatre on Friday, March 6th at 8pm.
• Fabolous with Funkmaster Flex is playing Apollo Theater on Friday, March 6th at 8pm.
• bbno$ is playing Bowery Ballroom on Friday, March 6th at 8pm.
• Silversun Pickups with The New Regime is playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, March 6th at 8pm.
• Omarion with Bow Wow and Ying Yang Twins and Soulja Boy and The Millenium are playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday, March 6th at 8pm.
• Celine Dion is playing Prudential Center on Saturday, March 7th at 7pm.
• Steve Hackett is playing Bergen Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 7th at 8pm.
• Moein is playing Manhattan Center on Saturday, March 7th at 9pm.
• bbno$ is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, March 7th at 9pm.
• Tchami is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, March 7th at 9pm.
• Celine Dion is playing Prudential Center on Sunday, March 8th at 7pm.
• The Brothers (Allman Brothers Band 50th Anniversary) are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 10th at 8pm.
• Dashboard Confessional with The Get Up Kids is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, March 11th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Residents or businesses can order posters, decals, and signs to properly label recycling bins and list items that are recyclable

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 77°F on March 9, 2016
Record Low: 3°F on March 5, 1872

Weather for the week ahead: Light rain Friday

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn Radio, Pocket Casts, Overcast, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Upcoming Events music: 'The Job Next Door' by Anonymous420

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Barretto Point Park — Located on the East River waterfront in Hunts Point in the Bronx, with facilities for fishing, boating, volleyball, basketball, a playground, and even a floating public pool that is made out of a barge and floats off the coast of Barretto Point Park!

Parks Events

• Bronx Winterfest — Date: February 15, 2020 Join NYC Parks for a day of family fun at the 10th annual Bronx Winterfest at Brady Playground in Bronx Park. This free, family-friendly event will include winter sports, dance performances, games, prizes, and much more! Activities include winter sports, workshops, dance performances, arts and crafts,...

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• The Lumineers with Mt. Joy is playing Barclays Center on Thursday, February 13th at 7pm.
• Marc Anthony is playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, February 13th at 8pm.
• Tove Lo with Alma is playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, February 13th at 8pm.
• The Lumineers with Mt. Joy is playing Barclays Center on Friday, February 14th at 7pm.
• Eagles: Hotel California Tour is playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, February 14th at 8pm.
• Bell Biv DeVoe with Monica and Fantasia and a Night of Love and Xscap3 are playing Prudential Center on Friday, February 14th at 8pm.
• Josh Groban is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, February 14th at 8pm.
• Falling in Reverse with Escape The Fate and The Word Alive are playing Webster Hall on Saturday, February 15th at 6pm.
• Eagles: Hotel California Tour is playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 15th at 8pm.
• Marc Anthony is playing Prudential Center on Saturday, February 15th at 8pm.
• Maxwell with Mase and Musiq and En Vogue and The Dream are playing Barclays Center on Saturday, February 15th at 8pm.
• El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico with Tito Nieves and Jerry Rivera are playing Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, February 15th at 8pm.
• Ween is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, February 15th at 8pm.
• Lil Tjay: Pop Smoke with The BK Drip and Polo G and Melii and Fivio Foriegn are playing Kings Theatre on Sunday, February 16th at 8pm.
• Eagles: Hotel California Tour is playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, February 18th at 7pm.
• Post Malone with Swae Lee is playing Prudential Center on Tuesday, February 18th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

• 95% of the city's water supply is delivered via gravity since it is stored in reservoirs at higher elevations upstate

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 73°F on February 15, 1949
Record Low: -8°F on February 15, 1943

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain today through Thursday.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, Player FM, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Upcoming Events music: 'The Job Next Door' by Anonymous420

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Benjamin Gladstone Square — Hoe Ave., Westchster Ave., W. Farms Rd., the Bronx — Named for Benjamin Gladstone (1897-1935), a New York City native who represented the Bronx's Fifth Assembly District in the New York State Legislature.

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Cold War Kids is playing Webster Hall on Tuesday, February 4th at 8pm.
• Cold War Kids is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, February 5th at 8pm.
• Dijon is playing Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, February 6th at 7pm.
• Poppy with VOWWS is playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, February 6th at 8pm.
• Rex Orange County is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, February 7th at 8pm.
• Amber Liu is playing Terminal 5 on Friday, February 7th at 8pm.
• Mayer Hawthorne is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, February 7th at 9pm.
• Apollo Music Cafe is playing Apollo Theater on Friday, February 7th at 10pm.
• Oprah with Michelle Obama is playing Barclays Center on Saturday, February 8th at 9am.
• Thrice with mewithoutYou is playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, February 8th at 7pm.
• Rex Orange County is playing Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, February 8th at 8pm.
• Michael Kiwanuka with Sammy Brue is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, February 8th at 8pm.
• J.I. Prince is playing SOB's on Saturday, February 8th at 8pm.
• Apollo Music Cafe is playing Apollo Theater on Saturday, February 8th at 10pm.
• Rynx is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, February 8th at 10pm.
• J.I. Prince is playing SOB's on Sunday, February 9th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• 1.8 million New Yorkers benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that helps families and individuals supplement the cost of their diet with nutritious foods

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 70°F on February 5, 1991
Record Low: -6°F on February 5, 1918

Weather for the week ahead: Rain tomorrow through next Friday.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Overcast, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Church Triangle

Parks Events

• Lunar New Year: 21st New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival

• Lunar New Year Celebration

• Dragon Dance audio via KrisNM on Flickr

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Teddy Swims is playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday, January 25th at 7pm.
• Mat Kearney is playing New York Society for Ethical Culture on Saturday, January 25th at 7pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, January 25th at 8pm.
• LAUNDRY DAY is playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, January 25th at 8pm.
• Goose is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, January 25th at 9pm.
• Itzy - Band is playing Kings Theatre on Sunday, January 26th at 8pm.
• Lauren Alaina is playing Bowery Ballroom on Monday, January 27th at 8pm.
• Phora is playing Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, January 28th at 7pm.
• Stray Kids is playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, January 29th at 6pm.
• Ali Gatie is playing Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, January 29th at 7pm.
• Iann Dior with Landon Cube are playing Gramercy Theatre on Wednesday, January 29th at 8pm.
• Heilung is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, January 29th at 8pm.
• The Wood Brothers with Kat Wright is playing Webster Hall on Thursday, January 30th at 7pm.
• Loud Records 25th Anniversary with Wu Tang Clan , Big Pun tribute, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep and more are playing Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, January 30th at 8pm.
• The Wood Brothers with Kat Wright is playing Webster Hall on Friday, January 31st at 7pm.
• George Dalaras is playing Apollo Theater on Friday, January 31st at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Ward's Point in Tottenville, Staten Island is the southernmost point of both New York City and New York State

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 72°F on January 26, 1950
Record Low: -6°F on January 24, 1882

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain on Saturday.

AGBC Weather

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, Podcast Addict, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Taking that same idea and expanding it, here are the top stories about NYC for each month of 2019, along with a bit of follow-up to see how things have progressed since they were first published.

January 2019

New York City's 2019 Women's March in Photos

Not quite as large as the original 2017 Women's March, but still impactful enough to earn the highest-rated news story from January 2019. The third Women's March was actually two marches after one had split from the original organizing committee. Accusations of antisemitism against organizers of the national march led local organizations to split from the group based in Washington D.C. On January 19th, both an independent group, the Women's March Alliance, and the original national group held protest marches, one on the Upper West Side and one in downtown Manhattan at Foley Square. For 2020, the Women's March Alliance plans to march near Columbus Circle, but has not released a route as of yet, and the official local chapter of the national Women's March plans a rally in Foley Square. Both events are scheduled for January 18th.

February 2019

Police detective killed by friendly fire in New York City

A chaotic robbery at a T-Mobile store in Richmond Hill in Queens led to the first NYPD killed in the line of duty in nearly two years. The death of Detective Brian Simonsen brought increased focus to the case and revealed the many strange details of what would have been a typical store robbery. Most striking was the revelation that, although a bystander correctly told police that the man was robbing the store with a gun and forcing employees into a back room, in the aftermath of the police response and the shooting of the suspect, the gun was found to have been fake, and Simonsen had been accidentally shot and killed by fellow police officers.

When the suspect emerged from the back room holding the realistic gun, officers retreated back outside, but the suspect not only raised the gun, but made movements as if he were firing it at officers. The seven officers at the scene then fired 42 shots within 11 seconds, striking the suspect eight times and hitting two officers. A second suspect, who had served as a lookout during the robbery, was captured several days later. Sergeant Matthew Gorman, who was also one of the first to respond to the robbery, was also hit in the hip by shots fired by other officers, but survived his injuries.

In an interview with local news site The City in April 2019, the suspect said he was attempting to commit suicide by cop and he expressed that he wanted to tell the family of Detective Simonsen how sorry he was, although more recently, speaking to the NY Post from Rikers while awaiting trial, he stated that the robbery was meant as a prank and that he shouldn't be held responsible for the shootings of the officers.

Although Detective Simonsen's death had been the first NYPD death in almost two years, tragedy would strike again in September 2019, when Detective Brian Mulkeen was accidentally shot and killed by fellow NYPD officers during a struggle with a suspect at the Edenwald NYCHA Houses in the Bronx.

March 2019

Manhattan drivers near new era that may include $11.52 tolls

The top story for March was about the congestion pricing plan, which was planned as part of the budget. Although the final toll price to charge vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street hasn't been decided on, a prior study in 2017 by a state-appointed task force called for a $11.52 toll, which is being used as a baseline for what the new recommendation will actually be in 2020.

The congestion pricing plan would go on to pass as part of the state budget on April 1, 2019 despite the pricing not yet being finalized. Under the current plan, pricing and enforcement systems will be studied throughout 2020 and announced at the end of the year. With details still up in the air, the earliest that congestion pricing could take effect would be 2021, but it remains to be seen how many legal challenges the various parts of the system will face, including potential last-minute lawsuits similar to those that delayed the 14th Street busway for three months this year. When congestion pricing does take effect, the funds will be used to improve the entire MTA system and install bus and bike lanes citywide. If the timeline holds true, New York will be the first city in the United States to implement congestion pricing, following world cities like Singapore, London, and Stockholm.

April 2019

Toll hike makes Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge most expensive in country

While the congestion pricing plan made headlines in March 2019 when it was finalized in the state budget, another toll jumped into the spotlight by April 2019, when the Verrazzano Bridge became the most expensive toll bridge in the country. Depending on your discounts and payment methods, may pay a variety of prices to cross, but the most expensive crossing, a Staten Island-bound non-E-ZPass trip, increased $2 and hit $19 on April 1st, 2019. If you're looking to cross the bridge on a budget, you can get a discount for using an E-ZPass, which will bring the price down to $12.24, and if you're a Staten Island resident, you can further chop away at the price by showing proof of residency to get a $5.50 price, or if three or more people can carpool together in a Staten Island-registered vehicle, the price drops to $3.40. The MTA-maintained bridge had daily traffic of more than 202,000 daily crossings in 2016, down from an all-time high of 219,000 in 2001, and in 2017, tolls on the bridge totaled about $417 million per year.

May 2019

Brooklyn, Queens neighborhoods top list of fastest growing rental markets

With May 1st being the time when New York leases traditionally expired, it's no surprise that the top story for May was about rental prices. Real estate site StreetEasy outlined their report in which housing sales were dropping while the rental market was growing, especially in Brooklyn and Queens. StreetEasy saw the biggest rental growth in the most expensive neighborhoods, which they theorized may be because people who want to live in those desirable neighborhoods are more willing to rent as sales prices have been increasing three times more quickly than rentals. Given the different rates of price increases between rentals and sales, an expensive rental may still be the smartest choice once all the costs of owning an apartment are factored in. Even with Amazon canceling plans to move to Long Island City, that neighborhood remained in the greatest demand in Queens, with Dumbo taking the priciest spot in Brooklyn.

Although May 1st is no longer official the city's Moving Day, the middle of the summer is still a difficult time to change apartments, so if you're looking for a new place, consider trudging through the snow-filled streets when the lower number of renters means you'll have more bargaining power when signing a new lease!

June 2019

Even Without Amazon, Rents Spike in Northwest Queens

Like I said, during the summer, a city's mind turns towards real estate, and for June, real estate site Mansion Global looked at data from Douglas Elliman and Citi Habitats focused on the high end of rentals in the city. Like the StreetEasy report, Douglas Elliman found luxury rents rising in Long Island City despite Amazon's decision to cancel HQ2. Long Island City will continue to grow with or without Amazon, and the new luxury buildings rising up in the former industrial neighborhood are finding tenants willing to make it the most expensive neighborhood in Queens. Luxury rentals in Manhattan stayed the same year-over-year, with the Soho and Tribeca area remaining the priciest, with a median monthly rent of $6,150, and Dumbo the priciest in Brooklyn, with a median rent of $5,100.

July 2019

NY House Dems call on city to bail out thousands of cab drivers suffering because of taxi medallion ‘crisis’

As the summer moved on, the top story for July highlighted the ongoing crisis hitting yellow cab drivers, who are being impacted by ride-share companies while being left with large investments in pricey taxi medallions and business expenses. In July 2019, the Daily News covered a letter signed by 10 U.S. Congressmembers from New York who asked the city council's newly-formed Taxi Medallion Sale Prices Task Force to ensure assistance for taxi drivers and medallion owners who were suffering from a weakening medallion market and predatory lending. The letter came after a New York Times report on the hardships faced by taxi drivers, including mounting debt that led some drivers to suicide. The city was eyed as a source of assistance after the report showed more than a decade of artificially-inflated medallion prices and the city's $855 million earned from selling medallions directly and by collecting taxes on medallion sales. After an influx of mostly-unregulated ride-share companies flooded the market, prices of medallions dropped, leaving medallion owners in debt on an asset that had been sold as a sure-fire investment. For reference, taxi medallions peaked at a price of $1 million in 2013, but none of have for more than $500,000 since 2018.

August 2019

NYPD officer shoots self in head in Queens home, ninth suicide of city cop this year

After July's story highlighting the risk of suicide among taxi drivers, in August a similar threat was revealed among NYPD officers, when an off-duty officer took his own life, becoming the ninth officer to die by suicide in 2019. Robert Echeverria was a 25-year member of the NYPD, and his death turned the conversation toward an epidemic of officer suicides that needed special attention. According to the Daily News, another officer had taken his own life just one day earlier, and four officers killed themselves in June 2019. Sadly, by October 2019 a 10th officer would die by suicide, doubling the typical rate of suicides seen among NYPD officers and leading the city to establish confidential mental health services for NYPD members, offering free counseling and prescriptions through a partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Officers interested in seeing what services the program provides can search "NYPD Finest Care" or call NewYork-Presbyterian at 1-877-697-9355 and ask for the NYPD Finest Care counseling program.

September 2019

Six hundred straphangers evacuated in Brooklyn after train's mechanical failure

We couldn't escape 2019 without a story of the subway breaking down, and September certainly delivered when a Manhattan-bound 'C' Train became stuck between stations underneath Brooklyn Heights at the High Street–Brooklyn Bridge station. Although there was also smoke reported in the tunnel, the cause was determined to have been the train's emergency brakes being activated. Although that sounds like the same work of the chronic emergency brake puller arrested in May 2019, this brake was apparently automatically activated after one of the shoes that make contact the third rail and power the train lifted off and caused sparks and smoke in the tunnel. In order to evacuate the tunnel, another train was pulled to the end of the disabled train and passengers were able to walk from one to the other and evacuate through the nearby station. Thankfully only one person was treated for a minor injury, which was a much better outcome than if a train of 600 people had come to a jolting stop, where many people would have been thrown to the ground. If you happen to find yourself crawling out of a smoke-filled subway tunnel but your coworkers refuse to believe your story, you can submit a Subway Delay Verification online to receive an official confirmation that you were late due to the MTA.

One train evacuation aside, according to the MTA's own data, major incidents are slowly trending down across the entire subway system after a spike in January 2018. Subway on-time performance has also been on the rise, with Andy Byford claiming on-time performance topped 80% for the first time in six years, a figure defined as a train arriving within five minutes of its scheduled arrival.

October 2019

​Videos Of Teen Arrests In Subway Spur Outrage​

November 2019

City Council Grills MTA On Fare Evasion, Homelessness, And Hiring 500 New Cops

By the time October and November rolled around, the MTA was having a harder time in the news. For two months, the top stories were directed at policing in the subways. Two chaotic arrests caught on video in October spread across social media and formed protests in response to what people saw as unnecessarily aggressive actions by police in the subway. Adding to the problems raised by the videos were confusion about what the teenagers in either video were being detained for, and the confusion was amplified by the clipped nature of the videos, only showing the police response and not the events that led to any of the teens being detained. Once it was revealed that one of the arrests was over turnstile jumping, the focus turned toward the MTA and Governor Cuomo's plan to hire 500 new police officers who would be assigned to the subway system. Critics saw the 500 officers as an unnecessary addition to preexisting NYPD subway patrols and the MTA police force, and at a time when the NYPD's data showed a decrease in subway crime. During a meeting with the city council in November, the plan for the new officers was scrutinized, with questions raised on why the 500 officers, which would cost $50 million a year, were being added when the MTA was running at a deficit. The costs of police assigned to stop fare evasion could potentially put a dent in the estimated $215 million per year lost to turnstile jumping, but the methods the MTA uses to estimate those losses were also questioned, as well as whether the 500 police would even be assigned to monitor fare evasion or if they were meant for general policing. The lack of any concrete plan for the 500 officers made the public and the city council skeptical, combined with video going viral on social media at the same time showing what people already considered an overly aggressive police response to a possible turnstile jumper.

December 2019

'Bus lanes are for buses': MTA rolls out enforcement cameras on Brooklyn bus line

And, ending out a year of top stories, another MTA story, but one where the MTA gets some good-natured retaliation after so many critical stories in previous months. For December, bus-mounted cameras took the top story spotlight as the MTA's social media campaign for the cameras gave straphangers a chuckle. Back in September, the MTA first started having some fun introducing their bus-mounted traffic cameras by showing an animated bus taking a photo that actually zapped the delivery truck out of the way, sending the bus lane scofflaw off into some other dimension and leaving the bus lane clear. After a 60-day trial period where warnings were mailed out, the cameras began issuing actual tickets along the M15 Select Bus line in December, where the cameras had caught 15,000 total bus lane blockages during the 60-day trial period. The first casualty in December was Santa and his sleigh! In a second social media post promoting the expanding bus camera program, a B44 bus zapped Santa's sleigh out of the way after Santa left his delivery vehicle parked in the bus lane. In another animation, an M15 bus cleared the snowy streets by zapping a car with an ice ray and knocking it out of the bus lane. The cameras will also come to M14 buses to help enforce parking and stopping rules along the 14th Street busway.

So that was the year in New York City news! A few quick, unscientific numbers from our database of news stories: Of the 27,556 links indexed over 2019, the most common borough mentioned was Brooklyn, followed by the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and then Staten Island. "Police" and "NYPD" appeared in 3,575 stories, with firefighting keywords like "FDNY" and "fire" appearing in 1,066 stories. Both "man" and "woman" appeared in the top 25 most-popular terms, with terms like "man" and "boy" appearing 1,739 times and "woman" and "girl" appearing 1,058 times.

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Sherman Street Seating Area — 40.650827, -73.973892 — This plaza provides a nice set of benches and some old trees providing shade before you ascend the stairs to cross Ocean Parkway via the pedestrian bridge.

Parks Events

• Recycle your Christmas tree at Mulchfest — The Parks Department and the Sanitation Department are ready to take that Christmas tree off your hands with locations across the city where they will chop up real trees into mulch that can be spread around other trees to protect them from cold weather. You'll be able to drop off your tree, and at some locations you'll even be able to see the trees get chopped into mulch and be able to take some mulch home with you to either use on your own tree or to spread around a tree along the street. Remember to remove all lights and ornaments before handing over your tree, and schedule your trip for a Saturday if you want to see the mulch-making machine in action! Check out the list of locations at nycgovparks.org and drop off your tree anytime from December 26th to January 11th and visit one of the chipping sites on Saturdays beginning at 10am to pick up a bag of mulch! If you can't make it to the park, the Sanitation Department offers curbside pick-up of trees from January 6th through January 17th, when you can place your tree outside with regular trash bags. Real trees collected curbside will also be made into mulch and used in parks across the city.

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Flosstradamus is playing Webster Hall on Friday, January 3rd at 9pm.
• Dry Reef is playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, January 3rd at 10pm.
• I Love The 90s with The Fresh Kids of Bel-Air is playing (Le) Poisson Rouge on Friday, January 3rd at 11pm.
• Ja Rule with Ashanti is playing New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 4th at 8pm.
• Satisfaction is playing Bergen Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 4th at 8pm.
• Jessie's Girl is playing (Le) Poisson Rouge on Saturday, January 4th at 9pm.
• Reggaeton vs Hip Hop Night NYC is playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, January 4th at 10pm.
• Firebeatz is playing Marquee New York on Saturday, January 4th at 11pm.
• Wolfgang Gartner is playing Webster Hall on Saturday, January 4th at 11pm.
• Motion City Soundtrack with The Sidekicks is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, January 8th at 7pm.
• Yola is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, January 8th at 8pm.
• yMusic is playing Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, January 9th at 7pm.
• Smif-N-Wessun with Black Moon is playing Gramercy Theatre on Thursday, January 9th at 7pm.
• The Dead South with Legendary Shack Shakers is playing Warsaw on Thursday, January 9th at 8pm.
• Cimafunk is playing Webster Hall on Thursday, January 9th at 8pm.
• Afromondo Showcase is playing SOB's on Thursday, January 9th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• 220 West 135th Street lost its National Historic Landmark status in 2009 when it was discovered not to have been the correct address for the home of Florence Mills

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 72°F on January 6, 2007
Record Low: -4°F on January 1, 1918

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Friday through next Wednesday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Buzzy 'Auld Lang Syne' by David Fifield — 'Auld Lang Syne' by Two Ton Baker and the Maple City Four

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Franz Sigel Park

Parks Events

• Lighting of the Largest Menorah in Brooklyn

• Lighting of the World's Largest Menorah in Manhattan

• Christmas Eve Caroling

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Sunday, December 22nd at 7pm.
• A KANYE WEST OPERA - MARY is playing David Geffen Hall on Sunday, December 22nd at 8pm.
• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Monday, December 23rd at 7pm.
• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, December 24th at 7pm.
• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, December 25th at 7pm.
• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, December 26th at 7pm.
• Dave East is playing PlayStation Theater on Thursday, December 26th at 9pm.
• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Friday, December 27th at 7pm.
• PNB Rock (16+, Rescheduled from October 20, 2019) are playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, December 27th at 8pm.
• Oliver Heldens is playing Schimanski on Friday, December 27th at 9pm.
• The Disco Biscuits is playing PlayStation Theater on Friday, December 27th at 9pm.
• Gogol Bordello with Dub Trio is playing Webster Hall on Saturday, December 28th at 6pm.
• Phish is playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, December 28th at 7pm.
• Yo La Tengo is playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, December 28th at 7pm.
• The Allman Betts Band is playing Beacon Theatre on Saturday, December 28th at 8pm.
• NERO is playing Schimanski on Saturday, December 28th at 9pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• There have been 7 versions of the Times Square New Years Eve Ball: One made in 1907, 1920, 1955, 1995, 1999, 2007, and 2008

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 72°F on December 24, 2015
Record Low: -4°F on December 20, 1942

Weather for the week ahead:
No major precipitation throughout the week.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

• A moment of remembrance this week for Alelia Murphy, who I mentioned back in July on Episode 30 of the podcast when she celebrated her birthday as the oldest living American. The Harlem resident died at the end of November at the age of 114 years, 140 days old. Ms. Murphy was born in North Carolina in 1905 and has lived in Harlem since the 1920s. Her funeral was held December 6th at the United House of Prayer for all People church on Frederick Douglass Boulevard. The previous oldest American, Lessie Brown, died in January 2019. According to the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest living American is now Hester Ford, born just one month after Ms. Murphy in 1905. According to the records of the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest known New Yorker was Susannah Mushatt Jones, who was born in 1899 and lived 116 years, 311 days until her death in 2016 at a senior home in Brooklyn.

• In Uber's end-of-year report, the Empire State Building topped the list of most Ubered-to locations worldwide, with 1WTC coming in second place. — Transportation reporter Aaron Gordon wrote on Jalopnik that the Empire State Building is within a 10 minute walk of nearly every single subway line, PATH trains, MetroNorth, and the LIRR. At the World Trade Center, the second-most Ubered-to location worldwide, 12 subway lines and the PATH train stop nearby. Other proposals, like City Council Speaker Corey Johnson trying to convince Mayor de Blasio to duplicate the 14th Street busway in Midtown streets on 34th or 42nd Street would also help replace the caravan of crosstown Ubers with city buses that could alleviate the gridlock near the Empire State Building. According to the DOT's 2019 Mobility Report, on 34th, 42nd, and 57th Streets, over 50% of the traffic is composed of taxis and rideshare vehicles, and traffic speeds in Midtown are 30% slower compared to the rest of Manhattan south of 59th, with vehicles creeping along at just 4.9 mph.

• Christmas tree lightings are already happening! So check out the AGBC list of tree and menorah lightings at agreatbigcity.com/christmas or agreatbigcity.com/hanukkah, where there are currently 41 lightings across the city. If you don't see your local event on the list, drop us a note and we'll put the info up, whether it's the Rockefeller Center tree or just a neighborhood gathering to hang homemade ornaments on an evergreen in the local park!

• 5 years ago on December 5, 2014 — Korean Air Flight 86 is forced to return to the gate at JFK Airport after Korean Air vice president Heather Cho throws a temper tantrum over the serving of in-flight macadamia nuts

• Back in Episode 49 we covered the closing of Ellis Island in 1954 and how the brick buildings were almost torn down to make way for a futuristic city designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, but 119 years ago on December 17, 1900, A new Ellis Island processing center opens after a fire destroyed the original wood buildings

• 25 years ago on December 7, 1994 — Howard Stern and a passing motorist save a man threatening to jump from the George Washington Bridge

• 40 years ago on December 2, 1979 — Elvita Adams attempts to jump from the Empire State Building, but is saved after hitting a ledge 20 feet below

• 1 year ago on December 10, 2018 — The 'Fearless Girl' statue is relocated from Bowling Green to a permanent location outside the New York Stock Exchange building

• 30 years ago on December 15, 1989 — Arturo Di Modica's 7,100 pound bronze 'Charging Bull' statue is secretly installed overnight near the New York Stock Exchange Christmas tree as a gift to the people of NYC

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Haviland Playground — Haviland Ave., Watson Ave. bet. Virginia Ave. and Pugsley Ave., the Bronx — Set on land that was part of Pugsley Farm and named for earlier landowners Joseph and Mary Haviland. Serves as the playground for adjacent I.S. 125.

Parks Events

• Check out our list of Christmas tree and menorah lightings across the city for some of this week's upcoming tree lightings, since most of them are placed in public parks!

And now let's check in with our robot friend for the concert calendar:

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Summer Walker with Melii is playing Terminal 5 on Sunday, December 8th at 8pm.
• Dimash Qudaibergen is playing Barclays Center on Tuesday, December 10th at 7pm.
• Angele with Angel is playing Webster Hall on Tuesday, December 10th at 7pm.
• Holiday Cheer for WFUV Benefit Concert: Mavis Staples with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats is playing Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, December 10th at 8pm.
• CAAMP with Savannah Conley is playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, December 10th at 8pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, December 11th at 8pm.
• Idina Menzel is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium on Wednesday, December 11th at 8pm.
• CAAMP is playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, December 11th at 8pm.
• Anuel AA is playing Barclays Center on Thursday, December 12th at 8pm.
• DaBaby is playing Terminal 5 on Thursday, December 12th at 8pm.
• Omar Apollo is playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, December 12th at 8pm.
• Jingle Ball with Taylor Swift, Jonas Brothers, Camila Cabello, and more are playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, December 13th at 7pm.
• HennyPalooza is playing Barclays Center on Friday, December 13th at 8pm.
• Lindsey Stirling is playing New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Friday, December 13th at 8pm.
• Live from Here with Chris Thile is playing The Town Hall on Saturday, December 14th at 5pm.
• Tyler Childers with Liz Cooper & The Stampede is playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, December 14th at 9pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The Port Authority of NY and NJ oversees a "port district" area that is loosely defined as a 25-mile radius around the Statue of Liberty

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 75°F on December 7, 1998
Record Low: 3°F on December 10, 1876

Weather for the week ahead: Rain on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn Radio, Player FM, Podcast Addict, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• The ridership on crosstown buses at 14th Street has increased to more than 32,000 daily riders, an increase over last year's 26,000 daily riders, and now the city is looking at increasing service along the route. Now that buses are moving faster thanks to the clear streets and the installation of bus loading platforms, some are beginning to need to hold at bus stops to avoid getting ahead of schedule. The 14th Street buses will also be getting on-board camera systems that photograph any bus lane blockers and send that info to the Department of Transportation. Any scofflaws caught blocking buses by those on-board cameras or street-mounted cameras will be subject to fines. These are the same on-board cameras that made a dramatic debut recently when the Transit Authority posted a video on social media showing the bus camera zapping a delivery truck out of the bus lane. Although there haven't been any reports of disintegrating delivery vans, the cameras have been operating on the M15 and B44 Select Bus routes.

• Good and bad news for any holiday shoppers hoping for some traffic relief in Midtown this holiday season: City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said the success of the 14th Street busway should lead the city to expand the program to similar streets like 34th and 42nd, but Mayor de Blasio's view is still that instituting busways on other streets would be a premature move before the 14th street pilot program has completed. The current busway pilot program is scheduled to last 18 months, after which the DOT will examine the results and decide whether the program will continue. Midtown bus riders may still be stuck behind empty Ubers on 34th Street, but visitors to Rockefeller Center will get a bit more breathing room. The city announced on November 22nd that, beginning Friday, November 29th, movable barriers will be installed to close streets around Rockefeller Center and add more pedestrian space during the holiday season. The plan is to completely close 49th and 50th Streets from Fifth to Sixth beginning in the afternoon until midnight, when most shoppers and visitors will be in the area. Along Fifth Avenue from 48th to 52nd, a lane of the road on each side will be reclaimed for pedestrian traffic with movable barriers. On Sixth Avenue, a similar barrier setup will take over one lane of traffic, but only when the NYPD and DOT observers see that crowds are growing and more pedestrian space is needed. According to State Senator Brad Hoylman, the Rockefeller Center area attracts 125 million visitors during the holiday season. When news of the potential street closure plan leaked at the end of October, Mayor de Blasio emphasized that it had not yet been approved by City Hall and that someone at the DOT may have accidentally or intentionally leaked it "trying to further their own agenda". The plan will take effect the day after Thanksgiving. You may notice one problem when you combine the previous two stories: In response to news of the Rockefeller Center street closures, Transit Authority head Andy Byford released a short statement criticizing what he called a unilateral decision by the city that will slow down buses in the Rockefeller Center area since they are not given priority in the current plan. Fifth Avenue is a major north-south route for buses, and it remains to be seen how the four-block narrowing of the street will impact traffic or transit times.

• This week, the Port Authority announced this week that they hope to use autonomous vehicle technology to more closely space their buses through the Lincoln Tunnel. While they plan realistically wouldn't eliminating drivers, the technology would allow the buses to drive close to each other and maintain a higher speed by closely monitoring the surrounding environment and avoiding collisions with greater accuracy than a human driver.

• Today's podcast is brought to you by City Survival: The AGBC Holiday Gift Guide — Whether it's a tiny replica of a fire escape to hang on your wall or a gadget that may one day help you escape a stalled subway train, find all your gifts this year through our Gift Guide at agreatbigcity.com/gift-guide and your purchases will financially benefit AGBC.

• Coming up November 28th, the 93rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving parade will fly 16 giant balloons from 77th Street to 34th Street, with new giant balloons this year of Astronaut Snoopy, Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham, a new Spongebob Squarepants design featuring Gary the snail, and the reappearance of Smokey the Bear, but those new balloons will hopefully stop to pay their respects to some of their fallen comrades. Over the 93 years of Macy's parades, there have been three major balloon crashes:

• 26 years ago in 1993 — The Sonic the Hedgehog balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade knocks down a streetlight in Columbus Circle, injuring a child and an off-duty police officer

• 22 years ago in 1997 — Four are injured, two seriously, when a Cat in the Hat balloon from the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade knocks down a streetlight on Central Park West — Hear more about the Corey Lidle plane crash on Episode 44 of the podcast

• 14 years ago in 2005 — Two are injured when an M&M balloon from the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade knocks down a streetlight in Times Square

• Safety limits are now set on where balloons may only fly if sustained winds are below 23mph and gusts are below 34mph. For this Thanksgiving, the winds are predicted to be in the 20mph range, so it remains to be seen if high winds may ground the balloons this year. No matter what happens to this year's Macy's balloons, it won't be as exciting as the parade's end from 1927 to 1932, when parade balloons were simply launched into the sky after the parade, where the helium-filled balloons would rise into the air and Macy's predicted they would deflate and land, so they attached a note that offered a $100 reward to anyone who returned the balloon's remains. The tradition ended, however, when one of the loose balloons finally ended up getting stuck on the wing of an airplane and sent the plane into a tailspin.

• 13 years ago on November 25, 2006 — Sean Bell is shot and killed by police in a controversial shooting that raised protests over how police handled the encounter and whether anyone in Bell's bachelor party was actually armed — Sean Bell is shot and killed by police in a controversial shooting that raised protests over how police handled the encounter and whether anyone in Bell's bachelor party was actually armed. Upon leaving the bachelor party at a strip club, undercover police testified that they heard one of Bell's friends say he was going to get a gun, so police, who were outside the club investigating possible prostitution at the location, drew their guns and fired on the group, killing Bell and severely injuring two others. The NYPD response hinged on whether a gun was mentioned or displayed, with witnesses saying no one in the bachelor party mentioned a gun and none being found at the scene. Mayor Bloomberg called the shooting unacceptable and said it looked like a case of excessive force, with five officers firing a total of 50 shots, hitting Bell four times, Trent Benefield three times, and Joseph Guzman 19 times. Protests took place comparing Bell's death to similar police shootings of unarmed men and protesters called for the officers to be held accountable. Three of the five officers involved in the shooting were indicted and went before a judge in a bench trial where all charges were dropped on April 25, 2008. Despite their acquittal, all officers and their commanding officer were fired or forced to resign by 2012. Liverpool Street from 94th to 101st Ave in Jamaica, Queens was named in honor of Sean Bell on what would have been his 27th birthday.

• 109 years ago on November 27, 1910 — The original Penn Station opens to the public, with an estimated 100,000 visitors on the first day — The original Penn Station opens to the public, with an estimated 100,000 visitors on the first day The city operated a bit differently in those days, with the New York Times noting the increase in pedestrians on a Sunday in the "usually very quiet" area in Midtown between Penn Station and Times Square, and that the crowds were "impressed with the lack of confusion" at Penn Station on opening day. One aspect of the opening day report did seem all too familiar: The new station caused a notable increase in subway passengers at both the Times Square and 33rd Street stations, causing passengers to question why there had not been extra capacity added to the Seventh Avenue cross-town trolley. The increase in train traffic also relocated a large number of support personnel to the city, with many settling in southeast Queens near the newly-constructed Sunnyside train yards. This increased the population of Long Island City by at least 2,000. The original above-ground structure of Penn Station would remain until 1963, when it had fallen into disrepair and was torn down and replaced with Madison Square Garden. The loss of what was once an architectural wonder led to the formation of the Landmarks Preservation Commission that would save Grand Central Terminal from a similar fate just two years later. Today, the Moynihan Train Hall near Penn Station is being renovated into a modern version of what Penn Station once was. The new train station will service Amtrak and LIRR customers and feature a soaring glass atrium ceiling about the size of Grand Central's main hall.

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Bergen Triangle — E. 181 St., Anthony Ave., Grand Concourse, the Bronx — Named for William Bergen, one of the largest developers in the Bronx, who spotted vacant lots and bought them, constructing over two hundred homes on his land. One of Bergen's most notable achievements as a developer was the construction of the Bergen Building, built in 1915 at the intersection of Tremont and Arthur Avenues, about one mile southeast from Bergen Triangle Park.

Parks Events

• The city will be hosting Black Friday Hikes on November 29, 2019 as a way to clear your mind from any holiday stress and avoid any ravenous shopping crowds. There will be one official hike in each borough, but you're encouraged to visit any park and take your own hiking adventure.

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Snoh Aalegra with Baby Rose is playing Webster Hall on Sunday, November 24th at 7pm.
• Bob Dylan is playing Beacon Theatre on Sunday, November 24th at 8pm.
• Hozier with Angie McMahon is playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday, November 25th at 8pm.
• Jaden Smith and Willow Smith are playing Terminal 5 on Tuesday, November 26th at 7pm.
• Hozier with Angie McMahon is playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Tuesday, November 26th at 8pm.
• Bob Dylan is playing Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, November 26th at 8pm.
• Bob Dylan is playing Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, November 27th at 8pm.
• Lil Tjay is playing PlayStation Theater on Wednesday, November 27th at 8pm.
• Mega Bash with Luis Fonsi, Reik, Ozuna are playing Prudential Center on Friday, November 29th at 7pm.
• Bob Dylan is playing Beacon Theatre on Friday, November 29th at 8pm.
• Fobia is playing PlayStation Theater on Friday, November 29th at 8pm.
• Madeon with Instupendo is playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, November 29th at 8pm.
• Pentatonix is playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 30th at 7pm.
• Guster with Rubblebucket is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, November 30th at 7pm.
• Bob Dylan is playing Beacon Theatre on Saturday, November 30th at 8pm.
• Hot Tuna is playing The Town Hall on Saturday, November 30th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• You can call, text, or chat with a trained counselor 24 hours a day at the city's NYC Well program

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 77°F on November 20, 1985
Record Low: 13°F on November 22, 1880

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain this weekend, with a chance of wind on Wednesday and Thursday

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Spotify, Player FM, Pocket Casts, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• If you're one of the 26,000 people who visit the Wall Street Bull on a typical day, you may soon need to ask for a different set of directions. Back in April 2018, when it was announced that the Fearless Girl statue was going to be moved from Bowling Green to outside the New York Stock Exchange, there were also rumblings of a possible move for the Charging Bull statue. The Bull is one of the city's most popular and iconic attractions, but its location in the middle of Broadway has long caused a dangerous situation, with onlookers standing inches away from the taxis and tour buses that travel down Broadway. A small pedestrian area added along the border of Bowling Green plaza has not helped, and concrete barriers are still necessary along the border of the plaza to prevent the multiple lanes of traffic from hitting visitors to the statue. A year after the city moved Fearless Girl, the mayor's office has confirmed that the Wall Street Bull will be moving out of Bowling Green and into the plaza outside the NYSE, where visitors can more safely gather around the iconic statue. Tourists may be asking for directions to the Bull for quite a long time, as Google Maps currently still shows the Fearless Girl statue as being located in Bowling Green, despite being moved to the Stock Exchange a year ago in November 2018. If you're a fan of the Bull, be prepared for its 30th anniversary, coming up on December 15th, when the Bull was first dropped off in front of the Stock Exchange in what sculptor Arturo Di Modica called a gift to the people of New York that was meant to represent the strength and power of the American people. Despite initially placing the Bull in front of the Stock Exchange, Di Modica is no fan of the statue being relocated there again. Although no final placement has been announced, Di Modica was also critical of the placement of the Fearless Girl near his statue, and would likely fight having the statues placed facing each other again. The Parks Department does not purchase art to display in city parks, so in a unique arrangement, the Bull is technically still owned by Di Modica, but has also long outlasted the one-year limit that pieces of art are typically granted to be displayed in public parks. This unofficial arrangement over the statue's ownership will likely cause further confusion if the sculptor disagrees with the city's plans to relocate the statue.

• Checking in with the 14th Street busway, the Department of Transportation will be installing new bus-boarding platforms along 14th Street from now through December 2019. These are snap-together plastic islands that allow faster boarding of buses without taking up sidewalk space. The plastic platform extends out from the bus shelter and prevents vehicles from being able to block the bus stop and allows the bus to continue along the route without pausing to merge back into traffic. This, combined with the all-door boarding of the Select Bus Service allows faster bus stops with more room for passengers while exiting or waiting for the bus. Each platform will take about six days to install and will temporarily close the bus stop at that location, but the DOT will stagger the installations so that the nearest surrounding bus stops remain in service. The busway itself just passed one month in operation after a series of lawsuits delayed its opening. Both city Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Transit Authority president Andy Byford have publicly praised the results of the busway and see it as a template for possible busways in other parts of the city where traffic has slowed buses to a crawl. The 14th Street busway program is expected to last 18 months, after which the DOT will examine the results and decide whether the program will continue.

• If you're elsewhere in the city and can't catch one of the frequent 14th Street buses, soon you'll be able to flag down a truly unique taxi option. This week, the Taxi and Limo Commission added the 2019 Tesla Model 3 as an approved vehicle to be converted into a city taxi. The electric cars have a minimum range of 220 miles, but excel in city driving as they don't waste energy while stopped in traffic. During the Taxi of Tomorrow competition, part of the complaint against the winning Nissan NV200 was the cost of maintenance, another area where Teslas would shine, as they have no required maintenance. According to Allan Fromberg of the TLC, there are already Teslas operating as for-hire vehicles in the city, but none have gotten the full taxi treatment yet. Any potential Model 3s that will be used as city taxis will receive the same makeover as all other vehicles, from the yellow paint job to the clear partition and roof-mounted lights. It would be up to the taxi company using the Model 3 to figure out how and when to recharge the car, as Tesla explicitly prohibits taxi and rideshare vehicles from using its Supercharger network, which is the fastest way to recharge a Tesla vehicle. Taxi operators would instead need to install high-power electric hookups at their garages, much like companies install private gas pumps to refuel their fleets of vehicles.

• Coming up November 28th, the 93rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving parade will feature 16 giant balloons, 40 smaller balloons and inflatables, 26 floats, 1,200 performers, 11 marching bands, and more than 1,000 clowns. New giant balloons this year are Astronaut Snoopy, Green Eggs and Ham, a new Spongebob Squarepants design featuring Gary the snail, and the reappearance of Smokey the Bear. If you've ever followed AGBC during the Thanksgiving season, you may know that this is also the season for the AGBC Thanksgiving Parade — a page on our site that takes all 93 years of balloons and jumbles their names into a wacky new lineup. Let's hit the randomizer and see what ideas we come up with for this year's AGBC parade: Visit agreatbigcity.com/thanksgiving to shuffle the list and generate your own funny balloon names. Where else will you see the Buzz Rugrats balloon, How to Train Your Santa Claus, and Mama and Papa Doughboy? Only in a hypothetical AGBC parade, of course!

• 61 years ago on November 10, 1958 — New York jeweler Harry Winston donates the Hope Diamond to the Museum of Natural History by mailing it to Washington D.C. via registered mail

• 50 years ago on November 10, 1969 — Sesame Street debuts on public television after an earlier test period in July when episodes were shown to preschoolers in Philadelphia and NYC

• 212 years ago on November 11, 1807 — Washington Irving gives New York the name "Gotham", which means "goat's town"

• Bill de Blasio finally called it quits after attempting a Presidential run back in September, but this week former Mayor Bloomberg indicated that he may take another swing at the campaign, himself! Bloomberg has toyed with the possibility of running for President over the years, but seemed to declare his most serious effort for the upcoming 2020 election. While he has not officially declared his candidacy, this week Bloomberg filed paperwork to appear on the Alabama ballot, which had an early deadline candidates must meet, and is in the process of filing in Arkansas and is listed as a potential candidate by the Michigan Department of State. According to various reports from people close to Bloomberg, he has not made a final decision, and will soon announce his intentions. In a statement, top advisor Howard Wolfson stated that this was not a campaign announcement, but that Bloomberg was increasingly concerned that the current field of Democratic candidates are not well positioned to defeat Donald Trump. Neither Bloomberg nor Wolfson provided any specific criticisms on policies or candidates that they find troubling, earlier in October, Bloomberg had reportedly only considered entering the Presidential race if front-runner Joe Biden dropped out. With Bloomberg's recent filing of paperwork in Alabama, the latest Quinnipiac poll was only able to ask the final half of those surveyed about a potential Bloomberg Presidential run, and although the sample size is only 636 potential New Hampshire Democratic voters, the results are certainly less than encouraging: Of the 636 surveyed, 54% responded that they would definitely not vote for Bloomberg in the Democratic primary. Among the full 1,134 likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters, Joe Biden still takes the top spot, but with only 20% of those surveyed choosing him if the primary were held today. In a separate question, 61% indicated they might change their mind on which candidate they'd vote for before the primary. In a November 8th poll by Morning Consult, Bloomberg faced high unfavorability numbers, but would fare about as well as Biden, Sanders, and Warren in a hypothetical match-up against Trump if the election were held today.

• 65 years ago on November 12, 1954 — Ellis Island is closed after years of serving as a detention center after both World Wars

• 18 years ago on November 12, 2001 — American Airlines Flight 587 crashes in the Belle Harbor neighborhood of Queens on takeoff from JFK Airport, killing all 260 people aboard and five people on the ground

• In AGBC history:

• 2 years ago — Hugo Boss Rooftop Features Massive Cologne Bottle — Wednesday, November 8

• 8 years ago — Occupy Wall Street - Evicted From Zuccotti Park by the NYPD — Tuesday, November 15

• 3 years ago — NY1 is Rebranded as "Spectrum News" — Tuesday, November 15

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Ewen Park

Parks Events

• Raoul Wallenberg Forest Tree Planting — Date: November 17, 2019 Volunteer with the Stewardship Team to plant trees in Raoul Wallenburg Forest!

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Charly Bliss is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, November 13th at 6pm.
• The Charlie Daniels Band with The Allman Betts Band are playing Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, November 13th at 8pm.
• Joe Bonamassa is playing Beacon Theatre on Thursday, November 14th at 8pm.
• Jay Park is playing Terminal 5 on Thursday, November 14th at 8pm.
• Lux Prima is playing Kings Theatre on Thursday, November 14th at 8pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, November 15th at 8pm.
• Joe Bonamassa is playing Beacon Theatre on Friday, November 15th at 8pm.
• Taking Back Sunday is playing Terminal 5 on Friday, November 15th at 8pm.
• Taking Back Sunday with Frank Iero is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, November 16th at 3am.
• New York Hurling Classic is playing Citi Field on Saturday, November 16th at 12pm.
• Tool with Killing Joke is playing Prudential Center on Saturday, November 16th at 7pm.
• Joe Bonamassa is playing Beacon Theatre on Saturday, November 16th at 8pm.
• Anderson .Paak are playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday, November 17th at 8pm.
• A Day To Remember with Beartooth and I Prevail are playing Terminal 5 on Tuesday, November 19th at 6pm.
• SuperM is playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, November 19th at 7pm.
• Tool with Killing Joke is playing Barclays Center on Tuesday, November 19th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?

• Those dark green USPS sidewalk mailboxes without mail slots are called relay boxes and are used so that mail carriers don't have to carry an entire route's mail with them all at once

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 80°F on November 15, 1993
Record Low: 17°F on November 16, 1933

Weather for the week ahead: Light rain tomorrow and next Monday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Podcast Addict, Player FM, Spotify, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• It's ironically appropriate that the subway celebrates its birthday right around the spookiest time of year, as it prominently features in New Yorkers' nightmares. 115 years ago on October 27th, 1904, The original 28 subway stations opened, stretching from City Hall to 145th Street in Manhattan. From 1904 until 1948, the price for a subway ride was just 5¢, a price range that's equivalent to about 92¢ in today's dollars. Instead, you'll be paying three times that amount for a ride today, in a 100-year-old system that is struggling to keep up with modern demand. Although the subway's on-time performance recently hit a six-year high, only 81% of trains arrive on time during a typical weekday, and the subway's previous on-time figures put it at the lowest among all major cities' transit systems. In 2017, Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the New York transit system in an effort to revitalize the deteriorating subway and modernize its signal system. In an effort to avoid further increasing the subway fare, the MTA's $54 billion plan to improve the subway will rely on revenue from a congestion pricing toll on vehicles that enter Manhattan south of 61st Street. Vehicles entering central and southern Manhattan will be subject to a toll of around $12 for the privilege of sitting in traffic that has slowed to a crawl in recent years as rideshare drivers have flooded the streets, with speeds in Midtown in 2018 averaging just 4.7 mph. If streets lined with traffic and a subway running on ancient tracks make New York sound like the city for you, don't forget to pay at the door! Beginning January 2020, the cost of entering the city via bridge or tunnel will increase to $16 and the AirTrain ride to JFK Airport will increase to $7.75.

• If you've finally paid your toll to get into the city, good luck finding a place to stay! According to real estate site StreetEasy's data through August 2019, the prices of rentals are increasing while the prices of homes for sale are decreasing. The median asking price for a one-bedroom in Manhattan jumped 7.5% year-over-year, adding $233 to the monthly rent. If you end up looking at apartments more in your price range, the horrors continue. According to bedbugregistry.com, there have been 4,490 reports of bedbugs across the city, including a report from October 26th of a traveler who woke up from a lovely sleep in room 1622 of a hotel in Midtown only to find a bedbug crawling on his pillow. The hotel refused to believe him until he capture a live bug in a sandwich bag and showed it to the hotel staff. If you think you're safe from bedbugs if you don't stay in a Midtown hotel, consider the tale of a resident in Long Island City, who ordered a bed frame and headboard online, only to open the package and find bedbugs inside.

• When New Yorkers glance up to see air conditioners precariously hanging from every apartment window, a pedestrian's mind turns to tragedy, picturing their inevitable death after one of those menacing sheet metal boxes breaks free from its windowsill. If the air conditioner plummets toward you, will those days at the gym give you the nimble speed to heroically jump out of its path? In the past 30 years, there have been only a handful of documented air conditioner drops, despite millions of New Yorkers propping their A/Cs up on the hopes that the power cord will support the full weight of the machine if it ever tears loose. While you allow the fear of falling machinery to fade from your mind, consider a report from 2008 that showed the increased energy usage of air conditioning during the summer directly contributes to up to 1,000 deaths annually in the eastern United States. Without sustainable forms of energy, power-hungry air conditioning units put extra demand on coal-burning power plants, increasing ozone levels and fine particulate matter in the air, all of which will only get worse as climate change increases the frequency and duration of summer heat waves.

• New York is a world-class city that will survive far into the future, or at least some parts will survive. As the earth's climate changes and sea levels begin to rise, more and more of the city's shoreline will be regularly inundated with water, eroding the city's most valuable infrastructure. Water levels around New York have already risen more than one foot since 1900, and the rate of sea level rise is only increasing. By 2100, the waters around New York will rise from between 18 inches to over four feet, due to damage that has already been done to the planet. On a map from FloodHelpNY that uses FEMA data to estimate future flood-prone areas, water is seen flooding coastal areas across the city as water levels rise, putting areas like Long Island City, the Rockaways, and both JFK and LaGuardia Airport at risk. In Manhattan, the appropriately-named Canal Street will become a canal once again, pouring water directly into the Hudson Tunnel entrance, and in Brooklyn, the sea will wash over Red Hook and swell the waters of the Gowanus up into the surrounding neighborhood. New data shows that the elevation data used to calculate the impact that sea level rise will have on coastal cities was actually using satellite data that measured the heights of trees and buildings, mistaking them for the ground level, so much more low-lying land will be inundated with water than previously estimated.

• And all of that water is just on a good day, not when a 100-year flood hits the city. Seven years ago on October 29, 2012, the city saw how intensified natural disasters can bring an unprepared the city to its knees. When Superstorm Sandy hit the city, sweeping corrosive ocean water into basements, power stations, and subway tunnels, the city suffered a $30 billion impact, and one still felt seven years later as subway repairs continue and residents struggle to rebuild their homes. — Hurricane Sandy hits New York City, causing a five-day blackout across downtown Manhattan and damage to infrastructure across the city, on Long Island, and in New Jersey

• And now let's see what haunted happenings our robot friend has found for this Halloween night:

• Dead & Company is playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, October 31st at 7pm.

• Flatbush Zombies is playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, October 31st at 8pm.
• Dead & Company is playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, November 1st at 7pm.
• Blues Traveler is playing Beacon Theatre on Friday, November 1st at 8pm.
• King Princess with Girlpool is playing Terminal 5 on Friday, November 1st at 8pm.
• Live from Here With Chris Thile with Gregory Alan Isakov is playing The Town Hall on Saturday, November 2nd at 5pm.
• Mumiy Troll is playing Webster Hall on Saturday, November 2nd at 6pm.
• Super Freestyle Explosion with Stevie B and Expose and GEORGE LAMOND and Lisa Lisa are playing Prudential Center on Saturday, November 2nd at 7pm.
• Marc Anthony is playing Barclays Center on Saturday, November 2nd at 8pm.
• The Fab Faux is playing Beacon Theatre on Saturday, November 2nd at 8pm.
• Rosanne Cash with Ry Cooder is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium on Saturday, November 2nd at 8pm.
• King Princess with Girlpool is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, November 2nd at 8pm.
• Leslie Odom Jr. is playing Bowery Ballroom on Monday, November 4th at 7pm.
• Clairo (16+ Event) is playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday, November 4th at 8pm.
• Little Steven And The Disciples Of Soul are playing Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, November 6th at 7pm.
• Clairo (16+ Event) is playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, November 6th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

According to a 2014 study, there are approximately 2 million rats living in New York City. The common brown rat not only carries a wide variety of diseases and viruses that is spread via saliva, urine, and rat droppings, but microscopic fleas also catch a ride on rats and carry diseases like the bubonic plague, typhus, and spotted fever. Although an adult rat weighs about as much as a can of soda, they can squeeze through an opening the size of a quarter and jump three feet in the air.

Park of the Day

• Visit the former home of the king of horror, Edgar Allen Poe, at Poe Park in the Bronx, on Grand Concourse at 192nd. The poet rented the home from 1846 to 1849, just before his early death at the age of 40.

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 84°F on November 1, 1950
Record Low: 23°F on November 5, 1879

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain throughout the week.

• Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere
• Concert Calendar music: 'La beauté dans les gouttes de sueur qui perlent sur ton front' by Dancefloor is Lava
• Feature music: 'Abyss' by Demoiselle Döner — 'Hello Michael !' by Loyalty Freak Music — 'Monster Parade' by Loyalty Freak Music — 'Insomnia at the bottom of the river' by Soft and Furious

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Dunbar Playground

Parks Events

• Halloween Fest 2019 — Date: October 26, 2019 at 11am in Bushwick Inlet Park

• Halloween Pet Costume Party — Date: October 26, 2019 at noon in Jackie Robinson Park

• Fort Totten Halloween Festival — Date: October 26, 2019 at noon in Queens

• 40th Annual Halloween Haunted Walk + Fair — Date: October 26, 2019 at noon in Prospect Park

• Halloween Harvest Festival — Date: October 26, 2019

• Movies Under the Stars - Shocktoberfest: Beetlejuice — Date: October 26, 2019

• Halloween Fest 2019: Beetlejuice — Date: October 26, 2019

• Mad. Sq. Dogs Howl-o-ween — Date: October 27, 2019

• Howl-o-ween — Date: October 27, 2019

• Riverside Park Howl-O-Ween Costume Party — Date: October 27, 2019

• Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla 2019 — Date: October 30, 2019

• Glow-in-the-Dark Paint Night: Halloween Special — Date: October 31, 2019

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Power 105.1's Powerhouse with Migos, Meek Mill, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and more are playing Prudential Center on Saturday, October 26th at 7pm.
• Scotty Sire with Toddy Smith is playing Gramercy Theatre on Saturday, October 26th at 8pm.
• Bad Bunny is playing Prudential Center on Sunday, October 27th at 7pm.
• Still Woozy is playing Webster Hall on Sunday, October 27th at 8pm.
• Hiatus Kaiyote with Rich Medina is playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday, October 28th at 8pm.
• Melanie Martinez with Lauren Ruth Ward is playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Tuesday, October 29th at 8pm.
• Trey Anastasio is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium on Tuesday, October 29th at 8pm.
• Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band is playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, October 30th at 7pm.
• X Ambassadors is playing Terminal 5 on Wednesday, October 30th at 7pm.
• Pink Martini is playing Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, October 30th at 8pm.
• Trey Anastasio is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium on Wednesday, October 30th at 8pm.
• Dead & Company is playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, October 31st at 7pm.
• Flatbush Zombies is playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, October 31st at 8pm.
• Dead & Company is playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, November 1st at 7pm.
• King Princess with Girlpool is playing Terminal 5 on Friday, November 1st at 8pm.
• Blues Traveler is playing Beacon Theatre on Friday, November 1st at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The current Times Square New Years Eve Ball weighs 11,875 pounds, about as much as three Checker Cabs!

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 83°F on October 28, 1919
Record Low: 28°F on October 27, 1936

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain on Sunday through next Thursday, with high temperatures falling to 58°F next Thursday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn Radio, Player FM, Overcast, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• We've been following the 14th Street busway since it was first proposed, and after being blocked twice by legal complaints, the street has been swept free of cars and the buses have been roaming free for two weeks now. In a press release from the MTA, preliminary data shows that ridership is up and buses are moving faster along 14th Street. A cross-town trip from Third Avenue to Eighth Avenue will now take 10.6 minutes, compared to a 15 minute trip from last year. While collecting data on the Select Bus Service plan implemented along the M14 route, the MTA saw a jump in ridership, with 15% more people choosing to take the prioritized buses, and in the short time the 14th Street busway has been operating, the ridership has jumped again, topping 31,000 daily riders on an average weekday. The busway, which limits traffic on 14th Street from 6am to 10pm, is planned to last 18 months, after which the DOT will assess the impact it has had on bus transit and traffic in the surrounding area. — Also this week, independent data analysis firm INRIX evaluated traffic data from the streets surrounding the 14th Street busway and found that there was no change in traffic speeds, and zero impact on traffic to the immediate north or south of 14th. The initial objections raise by local community groups claimed the busway would negatively impact nearby streets by pushing 14th Street's traffic into their neighborhoods, but the speed increase for 31,000 daily bus riders came at no expense to traffic, with differences in average speeds on surrounding streets never slowing more than a half a mile per hour. Here's how INRIX described the results: "The impact, or lack-there-of, may seem surprising but similar projects around the world have had similar results. The reallocation of space from vehicles to buses represents a far more efficient use of a limited public resource. Whereas one urban lane in congestion can move roughly 1,000 people an hour, a transit way can hit 25,000. As a result of this project, more people are getting where they need to be faster and more reliably."

• 53 years ago on October 17, 1966 — 12 members of the FDNY are killed when a burning building collapses, becoming the largest single loss of life in FDNY history until the 9/11 attacks

• 18 years ago on October 24, 2001 — A 14-story construction scaffolding and brick building façade collapses, killing five workers and seriously injuring 10 others in a courtyard at 215 Park Ave South near Union Square

• 54 years ago on October 18, 1965 — Closing day of the NY World's Fair at Flushing Meadows Park — Bowery Boys podcast

• 24 years ago on October 23, 1995 — A Greenpeace activist piloting a "gas-powered parachute" flies a banner outside the UN building

• 88 years ago on October 24, 1931 — The upper level of the George Washington Bridge is opened in a dedication ceremony, and opens to traffic the next day — United States Marine Band conducted by Leonard Slatkin playing William Schuman's 1950 composition "George Washington Bridge"

• 60 years ago on October 21, 1959 — The Guggenheim Museum Opens on the Upper East Side

• 136 years ago to October 22, 1883 — The original Metropolitan Opera House opens

• Beginning October 18th through the 20th, you'll have the once-a-year opportunity to explore the city like never before when Open House New York brings you exclusive tours of the city's architectural masterpieces that are sometimes hidden from public view or pass by unnoticed the rest of the year. Visit ohny.org for the full schedule of events, some of which require advance registration, but most of which are open all day to the public. The choices range from brand-new developments like 277 Mott Street to historic homes like the Alice Austen House, built on Staten Island in the 1690s. Going beyond architecture, you can also tour special projects like a solar rooftop in Harlem and an urban farm run by Brooklyn Grange in Long Island City. Each site sets its own visitation hours, so visit ohny.org to plan out your weekend!

• And, if you're planning on marching in the Village Halloween Parade, you better be finishing up your costume soon! Halloween is less than two weeks away, and the city's biggest party will be stepping off Thursday, October 31st at 7pm at Sixth Avenue and Canal. The parade is unique because it lets anyone participate! If you wear a costume centered around this years theme of "Wild Thing", you'll be allowed to march is a special section of the parade, but anyone who shows up in a costume will become part of the parade, and usually more than 50,000 people show up! Visit halloween-nyc.com for full info, and if you haven't decided on a costume yet, visit the AGBC costume ideas generator at agreatbigcity.com/halloween-costumes where you can get funny New York-themed costume ideas like dressing up as a vintage traffic jam now that the 14th Street busway is open or strike fear in the heart of anyone who has walked the city streets by becoming the Starbucks Bathroom of Doom!

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Crotona Park

Parks Events

• 10th Annual Harvest Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park — Saturday, October 19, 2019 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• The Misfits with Rancid and The Damned are playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, October 19th at 7pm.
• Mana is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Saturday, October 19th at 8pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, October 19th at 8pm.
• Benin International Musical is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium in Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Saturday, October 19th at 9pm.
• 85 South is playing Apollo Theater in Central Harlem on Sunday, October 20th at 5pm.
• 85 South is playing Apollo Theater in Central Harlem on Sunday, October 20th at 9pm.
• Tidal X with Alicia Keys is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Monday, October 21st at 8pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Monday, October 21st at 8pm.
• Charli XCX is playing Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Monday, October 21st at 8pm.
• Charli XCX with Allie X is playing Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Tuesday, October 22nd at 8pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, October 22nd at 8pm.
• Dermot Kennedy with Talos is playing Kings Theatre in Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Tuesday, October 22nd at 8pm.
• Jessie Reyez is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Wednesday, October 23rd at 8pm.
• Fantasia with Robin Thicke is playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Friday, October 25th at 7pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Friday, October 25th at 8pm.
• Alec Benjamin is playing Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Friday, October 25th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• In 2016, the MTA had 5,710 buses in its citywide fleet

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 88°F on October 22, 1979
Record Low: 30°F on October 19, 1940

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Sunday through Wednesday, with high temperatures rising to 67°F next Friday.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Spotify, Player FM, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Corporal Fischer Park — Highbridge, Nelson Avenue at West 170th Street — This park honors a New Yorker who enlisted in the United States Army and served in the 75th Joint Assault Signal Company of the Army Air Corps during World War II (1939-1945), Corporal Irwin A. Fischer. The park land is undeveloped and appears to be inaccessible due to a fence around the property, but it adds a nice bit of green to the corner. Nearby Corporal Irwin Fischer Place was previously known as Highbridge Street, Hennessy Place, and briefly James R. Murphy Place.

Parks Events

• Pumpkin-picking at Decker Farm in Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island — Admission: $6, Saturdays and Sundays through October 26th from 11am to 5pm. Featuring hayrides, a hay maze, apple cider, s'mores, and of course a variety of pumpkins to choose from! The farm may be 200 years old, but it even features pumpkin chunkin with a huge bungee slingshot! Visit the link in the show notes to historicrichmondtown.org for directions and more info.

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Wilco is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Sunday, October 13th at 7pm.
• Sara Bareilles with Emily King is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Sunday, October 13th at 8pm.
• Post Malone with Swae Lee is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Monday, October 14th at 8pm.
• The Black Keys with Modest Mouse is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Tuesday, October 15th at 7pm.
• Post Malone is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Tuesday, October 15th at 8pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, October 15th at 8pm.
• Kacey Musgraves with Lucius is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Wednesday, October 16th at 8pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Wednesday, October 16th at 8pm.
• The Chainsmokers with 5 Seconds of Summer is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Thursday, October 17th at 7pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Friday, October 18th at 8pm.
• Moon Boots with Quantic is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Friday, October 18th at 8pm.
• Mahalia with Jvck James is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg in Williamsburg on Friday, October 18th at 9pm.
• The Misfits with Rancid and The Damned are playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, October 19th at 7pm.
• Mana is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Saturday, October 19th at 8pm.
• Steely Dan is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, October 19th at 8pm.
• Benin International Musical is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium in Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Saturday, October 19th at 9pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Those silver Water Sampling boxes along the sidewalk are used to monitor the quality of NYC's water — There are 965 sampling stations citywide and more than 1,300 samples are collected each month

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 90°F on October 17, 1938
Record Low: 32°F on October 15, 1876

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain on Sunday through Wednesday, with high temperatures peaking at 73°F on Monday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, Podcast Addict, Player FM, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• 9 years ago on October 4, 2010 — 🎉 A Great Big City is founded 🎉

• 99 years ago — Two young women, Beverly Bayard and Lorline Davis, complete a cross-country walk from San Francisco to New York that took four and a half months

• 20 years ago on October 1, 1999 — Area code 347 becomes active in NYC, adding to the area covered by 718 in the outer boroughs

• 44 years ago on October 6, 1975 — Diana Nyad swims entirely around Manhattan in record time

• 19 years ago on October 8, 2000 — Attackers attempt to firebomb a synagogue in Riverdale, Bronx

• 34 years ago on October 9, 1985 — The 'Imagine' mosaic in Central Park's Strawberry Fields is dedicated to John Lennon on what would have been his 45th birthday

• 5 years ago on October 10, 2014 — Construction of 432 Park Ave tops out at 1,398 feet, becoming the second-tallest building in NYC and 15th tallest in the world

• 13 years ago on October 11, 2006 — A Yankees pitcher and his flight instructor were killed when their small single-engine plane crashed into an Upper East Side apartment building

• The housing market may be moving in your favor if you can afford to buy instead of rent your next apartment. According to real estate site StreetEasy's data through August 2019, the prices of rentals are increasing while the prices of homes for sale are decreasing. In fact, the median asking price for a one-bedroom in Manhattan jumped 7.5% over last year, tagging on $233 to the monthly rent. At the same time, sale prices in Manhattan dropped 4.5%, matching price levels from April 2015. Brooklyn and Queens didn't escape the trend, so your chances at home ownership in the outer boroughs are also increasing. Brooklyn sales prices dropped 2.4% and prices stayed level in Queens, both movements that are at odds with what had been steadily increasing prices. On the flip side, rental prices also jumped in Brooklyn and Queens, a move that should really have city residents comparing the math on paying a monthly rent versus paying a mortgage payment.

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Brust Park — One of the oldest parks in the section of Riverdale known as Fieldston, this property was acquired by the City through condemnation on December 30, 1882. Today, Brust Park is often used by Manhattan College students seeking refuge from their studies in the shade of the more than 15 types of trees found in the park.

Parks Events

• 17th Annual My Dog Loves Central Park Fair — Date: October 6, 2019

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Phil Collins is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Sunday, October 6th at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Sunday, October 6th at 8pm.
• Phil Collins is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Monday, October 7th at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Monday, October 7th at 8pm.
• MercyMe with Crowder is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Tuesday, October 8th at 7pm.
• Raphael is playing Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium in Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Tuesday, October 8th at 8pm.
• Madonna (Rescheduled from 9/12) is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Thursday, October 10th at 8pm.
• Bon Iver with Yo La Tengo is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Friday, October 11th at 7pm.
• Renaissance is playing The Town Hall in Midtown on Friday, October 11th at 8pm.
• America is playing St. George Theatre in St. George / Tompkinsville on Friday, October 11th at 8pm.
• Rolling Loud Festival (2 Day Pass) with Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, Meek Mill, and more are playing Citi Field in North Corona / Flushing Meadows on Saturday, October 12th at 12pm.
• Chris Thile with Trey Anastasio is playing The Town Hall in Midtown on Saturday, October 12th at 5pm.
• Wilco is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Saturday, October 12th at 7pm.
• The Temptations with The Four Tops is playing New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Saturday, October 12th at 8pm.
• Madonna (Rescheduled from 9/14) is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Saturday, October 12th at 8pm.
• slenderbodies is playing Rough Trade NYC in Williamsburg on Saturday, October 12th at 9pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Times Square is the most-visited place in the world, with 360,000 visitors daily

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 94°F on October 5, 1941
Record Low: 35°F on October 5, 1881

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain Sunday through Wednesday, with high temperatures dropping into the 60s

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Player FM, Overcast, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Clearview's Tail — Clearview Expressway at Whitehall Terrace, Queens — A small slip of a park, this land lies at the "tail" of the Clearview Expressway at Hillside Avenue.

Parks Events

• Bronx Fit Fest — Date: October 5, 2019 Join us for free fitness and dance classes, healthy living tips, wellness screenings, and more at Bronx Fit Fest! Activities may include: Yoga Roller and Silent Disco Outdoor spin classes Chairobics Zumba Learn to Salsa Tennis Obstacle Course Line Dance* Healthy living workshops There will also...

And now let's check in with our robot friend for the concert calendar:

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, October 1st at 7pm.
• Maggie Rogers with Empress Of is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Tuesday, October 1st at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Tuesday, October 1st at 8pm.
• Carrie Underwood with Maddie & Tae and Runaway June are playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, October 2nd at 7pm.
• Maggie Rogers with Empress Of is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Wednesday, October 2nd at 8pm.
• Sandy & Junior are playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Wednesday, October 2nd at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Wednesday, October 2nd at 8pm.
• Incubus with Wild Belle is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Thursday, October 3rd at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Thursday, October 3rd at 8pm.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Friday, October 4th at 8pm.
• Maluma is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Friday, October 4th at 8pm.
• The Avett Brothers with Lake Street Dive is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Saturday, October 5th at 8pm.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, October 5th at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Saturday, October 5th at 8pm.
• Phil Collins is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Sunday, October 6th at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Sunday, October 6th at 8pm.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The Hudson River is the longest river in New York State, at 315 miles

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 94°F on October 5, 1941
Record Low: 35°F on October 5, 1881

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Wednesday through Friday, with high temperatures peaking at 87°F on Wednesday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Devoe Park — The history of Devoe Park in University Heights begins with the construction of the First Reformed Dutch Church in 1705 on the site. Although the church building was destroyed in the Revolutionary War, a new church was built near Kingsbridge Road in 1802. The Devoes were a wealthy Bronx family and congregants at the First Reformed Dutch Church

Parks Events

• 37th Annual Queens County Fair — Date: September 22, 2019 Get a little bit country at the Queens County Fair! The first county fair was held in Queens in 1693. Step back in time and enjoy pie eating and corn husking contests, tractor pulls, hayrides, carnival rides, and midway games.* Visit our Bavarian beer garden featuring...

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Lizzo with Ari Lennox is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Sunday, September 22nd at 8pm.
• Lizzo with Ari Lennox is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Tuesday, September 24th at 8pm.
• Bastille with Joywave is playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Tuesday, September 24th at 8pm.
• Mark Knopfler with Bonnie Raitt is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, September 25th at 7pm.
• Steve Hackett is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Wednesday, September 25th at 8pm.
• Brian Wilson with The Zombies is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Thursday, September 26th at 8pm.
• Heart with Joan Jett is playing Prudential Center on Friday, September 27th at 7pm.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Friday, September 27th at 7pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Friday, September 27th at 8pm.
• Massive Attack (Rescheduled from March 16, 2019) are playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Friday, September 27th at 8pm.
• Silvestre Dangond with Jessi Uribe is playing United Palace Theatre in Hudson Heights on Friday, September 27th at 8pm.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, September 28th at 7pm.
• Vulfpeck is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, September 28th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The northern part of Manhattan island was originally settled in 1658 and named Nieuw Haarlem, separate from Nieuw Amsterdam at the southern tip of the island. Even as New York City unified over the years, Harlem has kept its name.

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 97°F on September 23, 1895
Record Low: 40°F on September 21, 1871

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Monday and next Saturday, with high temperatures peaking at 88°F on Monday.

Outro

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Galileo Playground — 75 WEST 175 STREET, the Bronx — Previously named Macombs Park, Galileo Playground is located in Morris Heights in the west central Bronx. A former vacant lot, the land for the playground was assigned to City of New York / Parks & Recreation on December 30, 1993. Construction of the new playground was completed during the Fall of 1999 and features jungle gyms and spray showers.

Parks Events

• Check out some birds of prey up close at the Central Park Raptor Fest — Saturday, September 14 — The Urban Park Rangers will bring a selection of eagles, falcons, owls, and hawks to this family-friendly event on the East Lawn in Central Park, just inside the park parallel at 99th Street. The event is free and starts at noon. Call (212) 360-2774 for more info.

• And on Sunday, there will be the 39th Annual Antique Motorcycle Show in Queens at the Queens County Farm Museum — Sunday, September 15, 2019 — Over 100 antique motorcycles will be part of the show, and live music and food will be available. Tickets will cost $11 at the door to benefit the Queens County Farm Museum. The event runs from 11am to 4pm at Queens Farm Park on the border of Glen Oaks and Floral Park in Queens

And now let's check in with our robot friend for the concert calendar:

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• GRAVITY and DAY6 are playing Playstation Theater on Friday, September 13th.
• Two Door Cinema Club and Overcoats are playing Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, September 13th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Friday, September 13th.
• AmaduConcert Music Albums and Amadu are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, September 14th.
• Kamelot, Battle Beast, and Sonata Arctica are playing Playstation Theater on Saturday, September 14th.
• The Growlers, The Lemonheads, and The Nude Party are playing SummerStage NYC on Saturday, September 14th.
• Japanese Breakfast is playing NeueHouse on Saturday, September 14th.
• Low and Christopher Tignor are playing Murmrr Theatre on Saturday, September 14th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Saturday, September 14th.
• Jethro Tull is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Saturday, September 14th at 7pm.
• Brandi Carlile with Mavis Staples are playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, September 14th at 8pm.
• Gipsy Kings is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, September 14th at 8pm.
• Salt-N-Pepa with Loni Love is playing Kings Theatre in Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Saturday, September 14th at 8pm.
• Shakey Graves and Dr. Dog, Shakey Graves, and Dr. Dog are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Sunday, September 15th.
• The Body and Assembly Of Light are playing The Bell House on Sunday, September 15th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Sunday, September 15th.
• Backstreet Boys is playing Prudential Center on Sunday, September 15th at 8pm.
• Marina with Daya is playing Rumsey Playfield, Central Park in Midtown East on Monday, September 16th at 7pm.
• Angels and Airwaves are playing Playstation Theater on Tuesday, September 17th.
• Cold, Awake For Days, and University Drive are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Tuesday, September 17th.
• Phantom Planet is playing Elsewhere on Wednesday, September 18th.
• Malcolm Mooney and The Eleventh Planet and Malcolm Mooney are playing Union Pool on Wednesday, September 18th.
• Mac DeMarco is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Thursday, September 19th at 8pm.
• Madonna is playing BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Boerum Hill on Thursday, September 19th at 8pm.
• Blink-182 with Lil Wayne and Neck Deep are playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Friday, September 20th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• If you see a damaged, broken, or dying tree in the city, you can submit a tree service request notifying the Department of Parks Forestry Division of the location

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 94°F on September 13, 1952
Record Low: 44°F on September 15, 1873

Weather for the week ahead:
Possible light rain tomorrow and Sunday, with high temperatures peaking at 84°F on Monday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Eastchester Playground — Adee Ave. at Tenboeck Ave., the Bronx — This playground bears the name of one of the earliest settlements to have existed in the Bronx area. Eastchester was originally the name of the second English community, after Westchester, to be founded in what was considered the Dutch colony of New Netherland.

Parks Events

• Urban Starfest in Central Park — Date: September 7, 2019 See the universe from Central Park! Join the Urban Park Rangers and the Amateur Astronomers Association (AAA) of New York for their Annual Autumn Starfest. Our Urban Park Rangers will be your guides to the solar system, discussing the science, history, and folklore of the universe....

• 9th Annual Washington Square Park Folk Festival — Date: September 8, 2019 The Washington Square Park Folk Festival features the best of local New York and sometimes national talent in the field of folk music - including old-time string bands, Blues, jug bands, traditional Mexican and Balkan music, songwriters, New Orleans Jazz, Klezmer music and more! Washington Square...

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Vampire Weekend is playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, September 6th.
• Avail is playing Warsaw on Saturday, September 7th.
• Mitski and Lucy Dacus are playing Central Park SummerStage on Saturday, September 7th.
• 18th and Addison's Album Release Show!, 18th and Addison, Flake, Harbor Seals, Secret Tapes, and The Knottie Boys are playing Buckley's on Saturday, September 7th.
• The Raconteurs and Olivia Jean are playing King's Theater on Saturday, September 7th.
• Weyes Blood is playing Webster Hall on Saturday, September 7th.
• Saturday: Aurora Halal All Night and Aurora Halal are playing Nowadays on Saturday, September 7th.
• Morrissey with Interpol is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Saturday, September 7th at 6pm.
• Banda MS are playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, September 7th at 8pm.
• The Raconteurs with Olivia Jean is playing Kings Theatre in Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Saturday, September 7th at 8pm.
• Fletcher is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg in Williamsburg on Saturday, September 7th at 9pm.
• Kevin Garrett: BANKS is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Saturday, September 7th at 9pm.
• Mitski and Lucy Dacus are playing Central Park SummerStage on Sunday, September 8th.
• Mary J. Blige with Nas is playing Prudential Center on Sunday, September 8th at 8pm.
• T-Rextasy, Igbo, and Proper. are playing Baby's All Right on Monday, September 9th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Monday, September 9th.
• Dominic Fike is playing Bowery Ballroom on the Lower East Side on Monday, September 9th at 7pm.
• Sugar Candy Mountain are playing Baby's All Right on Tuesday, September 10th.
• BANKS and Kevin Garrett are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, September 10th.
• Deerhunter and Dirty Projectors are playing Webster Hall on Tuesday, September 10th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Tuesday, September 10th.
• Deerhunter and Dirty Projectors are playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, September 11th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Wednesday, September 11th.
• Outlaw Music Festival with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Willie Nelson are playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Wednesday, September 11th at 4pm.
• Koffee is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Wednesday, September 11th at 8pm.
• Red Hearse is playing Elsewhere on Thursday, September 12th.
• Tyler, the Creator, GoldLink, and Jaden Smith are playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, September 12th.
• God Is An Astronaut is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, September 12th.
• PUP and Illuminati Hotties are playing Terminal 5 on Thursday, September 12th.
• Joanna Newsom is playing El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio on Thursday, September 12th.
• Tyler, The Creator with Jaden Smith are playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Thursday, September 12th at 7pm.
• Day6 is playing PlayStation Theater in Midtown on Thursday, September 12th at 7pm.
• Two Door Cinema Club and Overcoats are playing Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, September 13th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The Ed Koch / Queensboro / 59th Street Bridge is the busiest bridge controlled by the Department of Transportation, with 178,000 vehicles per day. Compare that to the George Washington Bridge, controlled by the Port Authority, that carries up to 350,000 vehicles per day!

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 101°F on September 7, 1881
Record Low: 43°F on September 10, 1883

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain tomorrow through next Thursday, with high temperatures peaking at 81°F on Saturday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — News sound via Ali Imran on Youtube

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Macombs Dam Park — A large park situated next to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Macombs Dam has all the athletic amenities, including a baseball diamond that sits in the footprint of the 1923 Yankee Stadium. The Parks Department swapped land with the Yankees when the new stadium was built, so the new stadium sits atop the old Macombs Dam Park and vice-versa!

Parks Events

• Movies Under the Stars: Bohemian Rhapsody — Monday August 26, 2019 at Highland Park in Queens

• Coney Island Flicks on the Beach: Avengers: Endgame — Date: Monday August 26, 2019 near the Cyclone

• Summer Movies Under the Stars: Crazy Rich Asians — Date: Monday August 26, 2019 in Cunningham Park in Queens at the main park house.

And now let's check in with our robot friend for the concert calendar:

Concert Calendar

• Squeeze is playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Saturday, August 24th.
• Shawn Mendes is playing Barclays Center on Saturday, August 24th.
• Ted Leo and the Pharmacists and Control Top are playing White Eagle Hall on Saturday, August 24th.
• Taking Meds, Husbandry, Rebuilder, and Substitute are playing Our Wicked Lady on Saturday, August 24th.
• Prevailer, For Those Who Can See, and Secret Ion are playing Buckley's on Saturday, August 24th.
• semaphore and Dead Empires are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, August 25th.
• Legion of Skanks Podcast is playing The Stand on Monday, August 26th.
• Lenny Kravitz is playing Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, August 27th.
• Lenny Kravitz is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Tuesday, August 27th at 8pm.
• Billy Joel - In Concert and Billy Joel are playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, August 28th.
• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is playing Rumsey Playfield, Central Park in Midtown East on Wednesday, August 28th at 7pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, August 28th at 8pm.
• Mary J. Blige with Nas is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Wednesday, August 28th at 8pm.
• Kanine Records Rooftop Show, The Natvral, Bloom, Honey cutt, and Nicole Yun are playing Our Wicked Lady on Thursday, August 29th.
• Reaches, Dead Tooth, Chorty, and Painted Faces are playing Windjammer on Thursday, August 29th.
• Jonas Brothers: Happiness Begins Tour and Jonas Brothers are playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, August 29th.
• Jonas Brothers with Bebe Rexha is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Thursday, August 29th at 7pm.
• Gladys Knight with Will Downing is playing New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Thursday, August 29th at 8pm.
• Electric Zoo: Evolved, 1788-L, 4B, Above and Beyond, Afrojack, Alison Wonderland, Anti Up, Armin van Buuren, ARMNHMR, and Bear Grillz are playing Randall's Island Park on Friday, August 30th.
• Jonah Matranga, Early Riser, and Stathi are playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, August 30th.
• Electric Zoo (Friday Pass) is playing Randalls Island in East Harlem / Randall's Island on Friday, August 30th at 3am.
• Electric Zoo (3 Day Pass) is playing Randalls Island in East Harlem / Randall's Island on Friday, August 30th at 12pm.
• Jonas Brothers with Bebe Rexha is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Friday, August 30th at 7pm.
• On Da Reggae Tip with Busy Signal is playing Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Seagate on Friday, August 30th at 7pm.
• Soulfrito Music Festival with Farruko, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Arcangel are playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Friday, August 30th at 8pm.
• Dionne Warwick with Peabo Bryson is playing Kings Theatre in Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Friday, August 30th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Mobile food vendors and food trucks in the city are being outfitted with battery-powered location-sharing devices so the Department of Health can find them and conduct random inspections

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 103°F on August 26, 1948
Record Low: 50°F on August 27, 1885

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Wednesday, with high temperatures rising to 86°F on Friday.

• AGBC Weather
• Weather.gov forecast

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, RadioPublic, Pocket Casts, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Putnam Triangle

Parks Events

• FlyNYC Kite Festival in Riverside Park South — Learn to fly a kite or just enjoy the view as decorative kites take to the skies above the Hudson River at Pier I in Riverside Park South across from 70th Street in Manhattan. If you have your own kite, bring it along, or a limited number of free kites will be available for children to try. Saturday, August 17, 2019 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Joyce Manor and Saves the Day are playing Webster Hall on Friday, August 16th.
• The Catenary Wires, jeanines, and Pale Lights are playing Berlin on Friday, August 16th.
• MORRIE’s Solitude and KIYOHARU’s Elegy, Morrie, and 清春 are playing Joe's Pub on Friday, August 16th.
• Beck, Cage the Elephant, and Spoon are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday, August 17th.
• C. Tangana, Chaos in the CBD, deem spencer, Mike, and Sho Madjozi are playing MoMA PS1 on Saturday, August 17th.
• Bleeding Through, Sentinels + more at The Kingsland, Bleeding Through, Indrid Cold, Sentinels, and The Fallen Prodigy are playing The Kingsland on Saturday, August 17th.
• Rose Gold the Musical, Kitty, Ricky Eat Acid, and Vverevvolf are playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday, August 17th.
• Ex Hex and Frankie and the Witch Fingers are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday, August 17th.
• Slaughter Beach, Dog and Cave People are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, August 17th.
• Bardo Pond and Sunburned Hand of the Man are playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday, August 17th.
• Cinema Cinema, Descender, Fashion Week, Frail Body, and Marée noire are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, August 18th.
• The 5.6.7.8's and Metalleg are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Sunday, August 18th.
• Sidney Gish is playing Elsewhere on Monday, August 19th.
• Sidney Gish is playing Elsewhere on Tuesday, August 20th.
• Squeeze is playing Bergen Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, August 20th.
• KISS is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Tuesday, August 20th at 7pm.
• Mark Knopfler is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, August 20th at 8pm.
• Squeeze is playing Bergen Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, August 20th at 8pm.
• The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Bedouin Soundclash are playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, August 21st.
• Tame Impala and Velvet Negroni are playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, August 21st.
• The Mighty Mighty Bosstones with Bedouin Soundclash is playing Webster Hall in Noho / Union Square on Wednesday, August 21st at 7pm.
• Tame Impala with Velvet Negroni is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, August 21st at 8pm.
• Mark Knopfler is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Wednesday, August 21st at 8pm.
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is playing Brooklyn Bowl in Downtown Brooklyn on Wednesday, August 21st at 8pm.
• Pat Benatar with Neil Giraldo is playing St. George Theatre in St. George / Tompkinsville on Wednesday, August 21st at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Hangman's Elm at the northwest corner of Washington Square Park is believed to be the oldest living tree in Manhattan, at more than 300 years old

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 97°F on August 20, 1955
Record Low: 52°F on August 22, 1895

Weather for the week ahead:
Possible light rain tomorrow through Wednesday, with high temperatures peaking at 92°F on Monday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Great Kills Park — The Great Kills beaches along Staten Island's east coast are perfect for summer recreation or watching wildlife. The city park portion is near Oakwood and New Dorp Beach, whereas the national park, also named Great Kills, is to the south at Bay Terrace. Watch your step in the national park portion, because nearly half of the park land is closed and being tested for radioactivity! ☢️

Parks Events

• Summer Sports Experience Jamboree — Coming on Wednesday, August 14, the Summer Sports Experience brings an array of sports activities to youngsters at the Williamsbridge Oval in the Bronx. The program is geared toward children aged 6 to 13 and Parks Department will be on hand from 11am to 3pm to show kids how to use the wide variety of sports fields at Williamsbridge Oval.

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Laraaji is playing The Noguchi Museum on Sunday, August 11th.
• Iron Age, Waste Management, Candy, New Lows, Born Sinner, Iron Age, Born Sinner, Candy, New Lows, and Waste Management are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, August 11th.
• Who Do You Trust?, Papa Roach, Asking Alexandria, and Bad Wolves are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Sunday, August 11th.
• David Crosby and Anaïs Mitchell are playing Damrosch Park Bandshell on Sunday, August 11th.
• Neurosis, Bell Witch, and DeaF Kids are playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday, August 11th.
• Self Defense Family and Husbandry are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, August 11th.
• She Wants Revenge is playing Elsewhere on Monday, August 12th.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Tuesday, August 13th at 7pm.
• Rooftop show! Damn Jackals, Jonny Couch, Drager, Trash TV, Damn Jackals, Drager, Jonny Couch, and trash tv are playing Our Wicked Lady on Wednesday, August 14th.
• The Mystery Lights is playing Berlin on Wednesday, August 14th.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Wednesday, August 14th at 7pm.
• KISS is playing Prudential Center on Wednesday, August 14th at 7pm.
• Mutual Benefit is playing Mercury Lounge on Thursday, August 15th.
• Backstreet Boys is playing Barclays Center in Boerum Hill on Thursday, August 15th at 8pm.
• John Fogerty is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Thursday, August 15th at 8pm.
• Joyce Manor with Saves The Day is playing Webster Hall in Noho / Union Square on Friday, August 16th at 7pm.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Friday, August 16th at 8pm.
• Lil Tjay with Flipp Dinero is playing Gramercy Theatre in Flatiron / Madison Square on Friday, August 16th at 8pm.
• Galactic with Ikebe Shakedown is playing Brooklyn Bowl in Downtown Brooklyn on Friday, August 16th at 8pm.
• Ex Hex and Frankie and the Witch Fingers are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday, August 17th.
• Bardo Pond and Sunburned Hand of the Man are playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday, August 17th.
• Beck with Spoon and Sunflower Bean and Cage The Elephant are playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Saturday, August 17th at 5pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Manhattan, Kansas is nicknamed "The Little Apple"

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 103°F on August 9, 2001
Record Low: 54°F on August 8, 1903

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain today through Wednesday, with high temperatures bottoming out at 81°F on Sunday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Ongoing events:

• Mostly Mozart Festival (All Day Event)

• NYC Restaurant Week (All Day Event)

Thursday, August 8

• Columbia Greenmarket Thursday and Sunday

• Cortelyou Greenmarket Sunday

• HHFM East Harlem Market

• NYC Public Beaches

• NYC Outdoor Public Pools

• Guster with Rubblebucket

• ¡Arriba! Latin Dance Party with Avenida B

• A Dash of Summer: Cooking with Chef Biny

• Celebrate Brooklyn!

Friday, August 9

• The Marked Men, Bugg, Career Suicide, Criaturas, and Savageheads

• Fister, Body Void, Pyrrhon, and Sea of Bones

• David Cook

• Peter Murphy - Cascade: The Peter Murphy Residency at LPR and Peter Murphy

• Bryan Ferry

• DRAB MAJESTY, Body of Light, and Hide

• Carnegie Hall Citywide Night

• Bryan Ferry

• Barry Manilow

• Coney Island Friday Night Fireworks

Saturday, August 10

• False and Vile Creature

• Spirit Family Reunion

• Walk Up Kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park

• Great Hudson River Fish Count

• Saturday Sculpture Workshop: Plastic Bag Couture

• Ecology Park Tour

• Central Park Conservancy and Jazzmobile Present: Great Jazz on the Great Hill - Live Performances in Central Park

• My Morning Jacket with Warpaint

• Shawn Mendes

• Hootie & The Blowfish with Barenaked Ladies

• Barry Manilow

Sunday, August 11

• Laraaji

• Iron Age, Waste Management, Candy, New Lows, Born Sinner, Iron Age, Born Sinner, Candy, New Lows, and Waste Management

• Who Do You Trust?, Papa Roach, Asking Alexandria, and Bad Wolves

• David Crosby and Anaïs Mitchell

• Neurosis, Bell Witch, and DeaF Kids

• Self Defense Family and Husbandry

• Walk Up Kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park

• Urban Park Ranger Tour: The Birthplace of Hip Hop

• Ecosystem Explorers: Coastline Seining

• Basic Canoeing

• Barry Manilow

• Shawn Mendes with Alessia Cara

• Hootie & The Blowfish with Barenaked Ladies

• Neurosis with Bell Witch

• Outdoor Movie Night at Randall's Island Park: Crazy Rich Asians (PG-13)

• The goats brought in to clean up Riverside Park are taking a summer vacation! The original flock brought to the park in May was narrowed down from 24 to 18 after they cleaned out the weeds too quickly, and now the group will be meeting back up at their farm in Rhinebeck, NY while the weeds are allowed to regrow a bit on the steep slopes of Riverside Park that they were maintaining. As part of their going-away party, the Riverside Park Conservancy honored Massey the goat with an award for receiving the most votes in an online contest. The 166-pound, 10-year-old goat is the oldest of the bunch and received a bouquet of edible flowers as a prize. Watch for the goats to return later in the summer when they will be back for a second round of snacking on the invasive plants that will further weaken them and ensure they don't have the energy left to regrow again.

• In July, one day before the anniversary of Eric Garner's death, the Department of Justice, now overseen by Trump-appointed Attorney General William Barr, announced that they will not pursue civil rights charges against officer Pantaleo, who was seen in video putting Garner in a chokehold. Immediately after, the NYPD was quick to point out that their own internal disciplinary case against Pantaleo was still underway, and on August 2nd, an NYPD judge ruled that the officer should be fired due to his use of a chokehold when attempting to arrest Eric Garner, a tactic that is prohibited by NYPD policy and was listed by the city medical examiner as a contributing factor in Garner's death. Although the ruling is preliminary, Pantaleo was suspended effective immediately, after being kept employed in administrative duty during the five years since Eric Garner's death. The announcement came days after de Blasio was heckled by protesters demanding he fire Pantaleo during the second Democratic Presidential primary debates in Detroit. In response, he continued to claim that justice would be served in the next 30 days. Fellow Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand had a more decisive answer. \n\n De Blasio has been polling between 0% and 1% among likely voters. \n\n The NYPD judge's decision will now make its way to NYPD Commissioner O'Neill, who will decide whether to fire Pantaleo in the upcoming weeks. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson released a statement saying:

  This decision is long overdue. It should not have taken five years to determine what the public clearly understood in five minutes: Officer Pantaleo used an illegal chokehold on Eric Garner, which ultimately led to his death. \n\n Now Police Commissioner O’Neill must act. Pantaleo must be fired immediately. Nothing will bring back Mr. Garner, but I hope this decision gives the Garner family some peace

• 15 years ago on August 3, 2004 — The pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopens for the first time since the September 11th attacks

• You may not think of the city as harboring invasive insects, but arborists from the national Department of Agriculture have been inspecting trees in Brooklyn and Queens for Asian longhorn beetles. The beetles are thought to have originally traveled to the United States in 1996 in wooden shipping pallets, and now they threaten trees across the city. Inspectors search for the telltale signs of round holes in the wood of a tree, where the adult beetles emerge in late July. \n\n Keep an eye out for the signs of beetle infestation on your local trees: They create deep round holes big enough for a pencil to fit in and leave a collection of sawdust below the holes. The beetles themselves are about one and a half inches long, mostly black with white specks, and have distinctive blue stripes on their legs and long striped antennae. If you find a tree or piece of wood that may be infested, call the Asian longhorned beetle tip line at 1-866-702-9938 or email foresthealth@dec.ny.gov.

• 9 years ago on August 9, 2010 — Upon landing at JFK, a JetBlue flight attendant announces that he is quitting his job and exits the jet via the emergency evacuation slide, taking two beers with him

• 42 years ago on August 10, 1977 — David Berkowitz is taken into custody

• 3 years ago on August 10, 2016 — A man partially climbs Trump Tower

• And finally, thanks go out to Eric Boyo, an MTA subway operator for 27 years who stopped his train to help a woman on the tracks this week. As he approached Fulton Street on the G Train line, he noticed people on the platform waving their arms. Seeing that something must be wrong, he slowed his train early and then spotted a woman on the tracks. He stopped the train and opened the door at the front of the train to speak with the woman, and ended up helping her back onto the platform. Whether the woman intended to be struck by the train or had just fallen was unclear, but onlookers praised Eric for remaining calm and showing compassion during the rescue. According to the MTA, the recommended way to flag down an oncoming train during an emergency situation is to light your cellphone's flashlight and wave it side to side while facing the train.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Half-Nelson Playground — 1631 NELSON AvNUE, the Bronx — Named for being halfway down Nelson Avenue, this park features playground equipment built to resemble optical illusions!

Parks Events

• The Department of Transportation's Summer Streets will close streets in Manhattan from 7am to 1pm from 72nd Street down Park Avenue and to the Brooklyn Bridge. The streets will be emptied out and made available to bicycles and pedestrians, with events and activities all along the route. At Foley Square downtown, a large group will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for simultaneous people doing a handstand, which currently stands at 399 people, at 51st Street, the Asia Society will be offering free temporary tattoos, and along Centre Street downtown, you can take a ride on a 30-foot-tall zipline!

Concert Calendar

• Barbra Streisand is playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Rebelution is playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Soccer Cousins, Hurry, and Mount Sharp are playing Trans-Pecos on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Steve Gunn and Hand Habits are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday, August 3rd.
• MONSTA X WORLD TOUR 'WE ARE HERE' and MONSTA X are playing Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Bad Religion and The Explosion are playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Jenny Kern at Rockwood Music Hall and Jenny Kern are playing Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Krish Live At The Knitting Factory Brooklyn, Lucid, Corteez, Jovian, Kash, Siik Miind, and VENNESSY are playing Knitting Factory Brooklyn on Sunday, August 4th.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Sunday, August 4th at 7pm.
• The Rolling Stones and Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real are playing MetLife Stadium on Monday, August 5th.
• Tyler Childers is playing Webster Hall on Monday, August 5th.
• The Rolling Stones with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (Rescheduled from 6/17) is playing MetLife Stadium on Monday, August 5th at 8pm.
• BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, Ex Hex, and Mac DeMarco are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Tuesday, August 6th.
• Keane is playing The Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, August 6th.
• Hibou and Dolly Spartans are playing Mercury Lounge on Tuesday, August 6th.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Tuesday, August 6th at 7pm.
• Mac DeMarco is playing Prospect Park Bandshell in South Slope on Tuesday, August 6th at 7pm.
• Queen with Adam Lambert is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Tuesday, August 6th at 8pm.
• Queen + Adam Lambert: The Rhapsody Tour, Queen, and Adam Lambert are playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, August 7th.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Wednesday, August 7th at 7pm.
• Queen with Adam Lambert is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, August 7th at 8pm.
• Guster with Rubblebucket is playing Rumsey Playfield, Central Park in Midtown East on Thursday, August 8th at 6pm.
• The Marked Men, Bugg, Career Suicide, Criaturas, and Savageheads are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Friday, August 9th.
• Thunderpussy and Hollis Brown, Thunderpussy, and Hollis Brown are playing Brooklyn Bowl on Friday, August 9th.
• David Cook is playing Sony Hall on Friday, August 9th.
• Peter Murphy - Cascade: The Peter Murphy Residency at LPR and Peter Murphy are playing (le) Poisson Rouge on Friday, August 9th.
• Bryan Ferry is playing United Palace Theatre on Friday, August 9th.
• DRAB MAJESTY, Body of Light, and Hide are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, August 9th.
• Suicideboys with Trash Talk and Night Lovell and Turnstile are playing Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Seagate on Friday, August 9th at 6pm.
• Bryan Ferry is playing United Palace Theatre in Hudson Heights on Friday, August 9th at 8pm.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Friday, August 9th at 8pm.
• False and Vile Creature are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Saturday, August 10th.
• Spirit Family Reunion is playing Union Pool on Saturday, August 10th.
• One Africa Music Fest with Kranium, Burna Boy, Wyclef Jean are playing Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Seagate on Saturday, August 10th at 6pm.
• My Morning Jacket with Warpaint is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Saturday, August 10th at 7pm.
• Shawn Mendes is playing Prudential Center on Saturday, August 10th at 7pm.
• Hootie & The Blowfish with Barenaked Ladies is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, August 10th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The striped bass was declared the New York state marine or saltwater fish in 2006, in reference to their seasonal presence in the tidal portion of the Hudson River and coastal waters around Long Island

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 104°F on August 7, 1918
Record Low: 54°F on August 8, 1903

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain tomorrow through Thursday, with high temperatures rising to 89°F next Friday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• 164 years ago on August 1, 1855 — Castle Clinton begins functioning as the country's first immigrant processing center at the tip of Manhattan — Castle Clinton begins functioning as the country's first immigrant processing center at the tip of Manhattan \n\n It was operated by New York until April 18, 1890, when the U.S. government would take control. Immigrant processing moved to Ellis Island on January 2, 1892.

• Thursday, August 1 — The Rolling Stones and The Wombats — — MetLife Stadium

• Thursday, August 1 — The Summer Slaughter Tour, Cattle Decapitation, Brand of Sacrifice, Carnifex, Lorna Shore, Nekrogoblikon, Rivers of Nihil, and The Faceless — (le) poisson rouge

• Thursday, August 1 — Ben Folds and Violent Femmes — The Rooftop at Pier 17

• Thursday, August 1 — Blood Orange and Kelsey Lu, Blood Orange, and Kelsey Lu — Lincoln Center

• Thursday, August 1 — Coffee and Connections — Muhlenberg Library

• Thursday, August 1 — Central Park Tour: The Belvedere: Beautiful View — Belvedere Castle (in Central Park)

• Thursday, August 1 — Conception Art Show - New York City - August — M1-5 Lounge in Tribeca

• Thursday, August 1 — Movies with a View: Crooklyn — Harbor View Lawn (in Brooklyn Bridge Park)

• Thursday, August 1 — NYAFAIR VIP Artist Reception August 1, Tribeca’s Contemporary Art Fair NYA — NYA art center | newyorkart.com in Tribeca

• Thursday, August 1 — Open House/Open Studios: Summer 2019 Artists — Celebrate the summer with BRIC and our summer 2019 artists-in-residence! — BRIC House in Boerum Hill

• Thursday, August 1 — West African Dance Workshop — Sherman Creek Park (in Sherman Creek)

• Thursday, August 1 — The Chemical Brothers with Charlotte de Witte — Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills

• Thursday, August 1 — Twilight in the Garden: Moonflowers and Angel’s Trumpets Walk — Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill)

• Thursday, August 1 — Disco 54 Show — George Seuffert Bandshell (in Forest Park)

• Thursday, August 1 — The Rolling Stones with The Wombats (Rescheduled from 6/13) — MetLife Stadium

• Thursday, August 1 — Khalid with Clairo — Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards

• Thursday, August 1 — Herbie Hancock — Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side

• Friday, August 2 — Bad Religion and The Explosion — — Webster Hall

• Friday, August 2 — Torche, Murder Pact, and Wear Your Wounds — — Brooklyn Bazaar

• Friday, August 2 — Cayetana, Bacchae, and Katie Ellen — — Music Hall of Williamsburg

• Friday, August 2 — First Fridays: House Music Edition Honoring Larry Levan — Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Striver's Row / St. Nicholas

• Friday, August 2 — Hidden Colors 5-Film Screening — SVA Theatre in Chelsea

• Friday, August 2 — Sarah McLachlan with The New York Pops — Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills

• Friday, August 2 — Barry Manilow — Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown

• Friday, August 2 — Coney Island Friday Night Fireworks — Between West 10th Street and West 15th Street (in Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk)

• The Department of Transportation's Summer Streets will close streets in Manhattan from 7am to 1pm from 72nd Street down Park Avenue and to the Brooklyn Bridge. The streets will be emptied out and made available to bicyles and pedestrians, with events and activities all along the route.

• Saturday, August 3 — Walk Up Kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park — Pier 2 Dock (in Brooklyn Bridge Park)

• Saturday, August 3 — Brooklyn Beach Sports Festival — West 10th Street Boardwalk Entrance (in Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk)

• Saturday, August 3 — GetCoveredNYC - Table — Organization GetCoveredNYC assists New Yorkers with enrolling in affordable health insurance through in-person outreach. — Stapleton Library

• Saturday, August 3 — Bike Camp For Adults — Forest Park Visitor Center (in Forest Park)

• Saturday, August 3 — Bad Religion with The Explosion — Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint

• Saturday, August 3 — Ghana Fest-NY 2019 — Crotona Park in Tremont

• Saturday, August 3 — Ecology Park Tour — Ecology Park

• Saturday, August 3 — Central Park Tour: The Belvedere: Beautiful View — Belvedere Castle (in Central Park)

• Saturday, August 3 — Summer on the Hudson: Sweet Spot Festival — On the Pier (in West Harlem Piers),125th Street and Marginal Street (in West Harlem Piers)

• Saturday, August 3 — Movies Under the Stars: Crazy Rich Asians — Annunciation Playground

• Saturday, August 3 — Barbra Streisand — 8pm Madison Square Garden

• Sunday, August 4 — 23rd Annual Rockaway Sandcastle Championship — Beach 117th Street (in Rockaway Beach)

• Sunday, August 4 — Walk Up Kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park — Pier 2 Dock (in Brooklyn Bridge Park)

• Sunday, August 4 — Barry Manilow — 7pm Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Arcilla Playground — 991 TELLER AVENUE, the Bronx — This playground, which is jointly operated by Parks and the Board of Education, has had several names since it was first opened in 1962: JHS 145 Playground, Arturo Toscanini Playground, Clay Playground, and now Arcilla Playground, the Spanish word for "clay"!

Parks Events

• 41st Annual Thunderbird American Indian Powwow

Concert Calendar

• Kirk Franklin with Koryn Hawthorne is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Sunday, July 28th at 8pm.
• Limbo, Pixel Grip, Rare DM @ Baby's All Right, Rare Dm, Limbo, and PIXEL GRIP are playing Baby's All Right on Monday, July 29th.
• Rob Thomas with Abby Anderson are playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Monday, July 29th at 8pm.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Tuesday, July 30th at 7pm.
• Rob Thomas with Abby Anderson are playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, July 30th at 8pm.
• Snail Mail and Duster are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, July 31st.
• This Is Not This Heat and This Heat are playing Elsewhere on Wednesday, July 31st.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Wednesday, July 31st at 7pm.
• Khalid with Clairo is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, July 31st at 7pm.
• Lights is playing Bowery Ballroom on the Lower East Side on Wednesday, July 31st at 9pm.
• The Rolling Stones and The Wombats are playing MetLife Stadium on Thursday, August 1st.
• The Summer Slaughter Tour, Cattle Decapitation, Brand of Sacrifice, Carnifex, Lorna Shore, Nekrogoblikon, Rivers of Nihil, and The Faceless are playing (le) poisson rouge on Thursday, August 1st.
• Ben Folds and Violent Femmes are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Thursday, August 1st.
• Duster, Snail Mail, Duster, Sasami, and Snail Mail are playing Webster Hall on Thursday, August 1st.
• Blood Orange and Kelsey Lu, Blood Orange, and Kelsey Lu are playing Lincoln Center on Thursday, August 1st.
• Jonny Couch "Mystery Man" Album Release Show, Jonny Couch, Giggly Boys, Horny, and Shining Mirrors are playing Berlin on Thursday, August 1st.
• The Chemical Brothers with Charlotte de Witte is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Thursday, August 1st at 6pm.
• The Rolling Stones with The Wombats (Rescheduled from 6/13) is playing MetLife Stadium on Thursday, August 1st at 7pm.
• Khalid with Clairo is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Thursday, August 1st at 7pm.
• Herbie Hancock is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Thursday, August 1st at 7pm.
• Bad Religion and The Explosion are playing Webster Hall on Friday, August 2nd.
• Cayetana, Bacchae, and Katie Ellen are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, August 2nd.
• Sarah McLachlan with The New York Pops is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Friday, August 2nd at 7pm.
• Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Friday, August 2nd at 8pm.
• Barbra Streisand is playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Rebelution is playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Soccer Cousins and Hurry are playing Trans-Pecos on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Steve Gunn and Hand Habits are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday, August 3rd.
• MONSTA X WORLD TOUR 'WE ARE HERE' and MONSTA X are playing Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Bad Religion and The Explosion are playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Jenny Kern at Rockwood Music Hall and Jenny Kern are playing Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday, August 3rd.
• Bad Religion with The Explosion is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Saturday, August 3rd at 12pm.
• Barbra Streisand is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, August 3rd at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Those silver Water Sampling boxes along the sidewalk are used to monitor the quality of NYC's water — There are 965 sampling stations citywide and more than 1,300 samples are collected each month

• The West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium F and Q Train station in Coney Island is the southernmost station in the subway system

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 102°F on July 31, 1933
Record Low: 55°F on July 27, 1920

Weather for the week ahead:
Possible drizzle on Wednesday and Thursday, with high temperatures falling to 84°F next Saturday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Father Demo Square

Parks Events

• Celebrate Open Garden Day with the NYC Parks Department's Greenthumb program, where your local community gardens will open their doors and host fun events and information sessions.

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Robyn is playing The Barclay Center on Friday, July 19th.
• Khemmis and Cloak are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Friday, July 19th.
• Acid Dad, Static Static, and The Values are playing Baby's All Right on Friday, July 19th.
• Billie Eilish is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, July 19th.
• 25 Years of Mercury Lounge, The Mooney Suzuki, The Negatones, and The Realistics are playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, July 19th.
• Mal Blum and adult mom are playing Rough Trade NYC on Friday, July 19th.
• OzyFest, A R I Z O N A, John Legend, Miguel, and Tove Lo are playing Great Lawn on Saturday, July 20th.
• Saor, Falls of Rauros, and Wayfarer are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Saturday, July 20th.
• Coney Island Music Festival, Bane's World, jeanines, Los Wilds, Miranda and The Beat, The Advertisers, The Feelies, and The Mystery Lights are playing Stillwell Stage Coney Island on Saturday, July 20th.
• The Mooney Suzuki and The Realistics are playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday, July 20th.
• The Marías is playing The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, July 20th.
• The Marias is playing Bowery Ballroom on the Lower East Side on Saturday, July 20th at 8pm.
• GIMME RADIO PRESENTS Tomb Mold Superstition Ruin Lust Coagula!, Tomb Mold, Coagula, Ruin Lust, and Superstition are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, July 21st.
• JoJo Siwa with The Belles is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Sunday, July 21st at 7pm.
• Twice is playing Prudential Center on Sunday, July 21st at 7pm.
• The Protomen and TWRP are playing Elsewhere on Monday, July 22nd.
• XXL Freshman Tour: XXL Freshmen is playing PlayStation Theater in Midtown on Monday, July 22nd at 8pm.
• Broadway Rising Stars is playing The Town Hall in Midtown on Monday, July 22nd at 8pm.
• Dead To A Dying World and Dead to a Dying World are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Tuesday, July 23rd.
• Godsmack with New Years Day is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, July 23rd at 8pm.
• Chase Atlantic is playing Webster Hall in Noho / Union Square on Tuesday, July 23rd at 8pm.
• Elvis Costello and The Imposters and Blondie, Elvis Costello and The Imposters, and Blondie are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Wednesday, July 24th.
• Summer Salt, Dante Elephante, and Motel Radio are playing Warsaw on Wednesday, July 24th.
• Wavves, Sharkmuffin, and SURFBORT are playing Industry City Courtyard on Wednesday, July 24th.
• JoJo Siwa with The Belles is playing Prudential Center on Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm.
• Elvis Costello with Blondie is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm.
• Iggy Azalea is playing Bowery Ballroom on the Lower East Side on Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm.
• Michael Buble is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, July 24th at 8pm.
• Kurt Vile, Cate le Bon, and Dinosaur Jr. are playing SummerStage NYC on Thursday, July 25th.
• John Mayer Summer Tour 2019 and John Mayer are playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, July 25th.
• Imperial Teen, Liam Benzvi, and Macy Rodman are playing Baby's All Right on Thursday, July 25th.
• Kurt Vile is playing Rumsey Playfield, Central Park in Midtown East on Thursday, July 25th at 6pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• In 2016, the MTA's 6,418 subway cars traveled a total of 358,000,000 miles!

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 104°F on July 21, 1977
Record Low: 55°F on July 20, 1890

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain today through Monday, with high temperatures peaking at 98°F on Sunday.
Now that summer has arrived, so have warnings about high UV exposure: Now is the time to start protecting your skin and eyes from ultraviolet radiation, which will be higher during the summer months. Look for a skin protectant that is labeled as "broad spectrum" and at least SPF 50 and wear sunglasses with both UVA and UVB protection.

Outro

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, RadioPublic, Player FM, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• If AGBC has kept you informed over the years, make a contribution at agreatbigcity.com, and if you're a local business, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to view rates and learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Jennings Park

Parks Events

• Find a new viewing location for the upcoming Manhattanhenge by leaving Manhattan! There will be a unique perspective available across the East River in Hunters Point Park. Located in south Long Island City along the coastline, the new park offers a view straight across the water to 34th Street, giving a view of the entire Manhattan skyline with the sun glowing from within. Plan to arrive at the park early, as Manhattanhenge only shines for a short amount of time just before sundown at 8:21pm, and visit the AGBC Manhattanhenge page for more viewing locations — LIC Henge 2019

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• The Psychedelic Furs, Dear Boy, and James are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Friday, July 12th.
• Heize US and Canada Tour 2019, Heize, and 헤이즈 are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, July 12th.
• Charly Bliss is playing The Bowery Ballroom on Friday, July 12th.
• Freezepop and Nullsleep are playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday, July 13th.
• The Weeks is playing Baby's All Right on Saturday, July 13th.
• Marissa Nadler and Wild Pink are playing City Winery on Saturday, July 13th.
• Jennifer Lopez with World of Dance is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, July 13th at 8pm.
• Nick Murphy with Beacon is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Saturday, July 13th at 8pm.
• Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr. are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Sunday, July 14th.
• Public Practice and The Ritchie White Orchestra are playing Our Wicked Lady on Sunday, July 14th.
• Lynyrd Skynyrd with Hank Williams Jr. is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Sunday, July 14th at 6pm.
• Lohai is playing Brooklyn Bowl in Downtown Brooklyn on Sunday, July 14th at 8pm.
• Chai and Bodega are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Monday, July 15th.
• Legion of Skanks Podcast and Francis Ellis are playing The Stand on Monday, July 15th.
• Sad Summer, State Champs, Mayday Parade, The Maine, and The Wonder Years are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Tuesday, July 16th.
• David Allan Coe is playing Sony Hall on Tuesday, July 16th.
• Coyle Girelli and Riley Pinkerton are playing Mercury Lounge on Tuesday, July 16th.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Central Park's Great Lawn was originally a reservoir of fresh water for city's water supply system. In 1931, it was filled in with material excavated from Rockefeller Center and the Eighth Avenue subway

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 102°F on July 15, 1995
Record Low: 54°F on July 13, 1888

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Thursday and next Friday, with high temperatures bottoming out at 85°F on Monday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Manhattanhenge music by Anonymous420

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• The Big Park in Staten Island — Big Park was originally named Grandview Playground, but was always called "the big park" by locals, so it was renamed during renovation in 2017. The park has a wide array of playground equipment and sports fields. Positioned at the southwest corner of the Mariner's Harbor NYCHA houses, Big Park adds a welcome recreation area to the neighborhood.

Parks Events

• Central Park Tour: The Belvedere: Beautiful View — Date: July 6, 2019 Enjoy the sweeping vistas of the Great Lawn from the newly restored Belvedere Castle while learning about its history and preservation. Plus, explore the surrounding landscapes and landmarks, including Turtle Pond, King Jagiello, and the 3,500-year-old "Cleopatra's Needle." Details Meet: Belvedere Castle (mid-Park at 79th Street)....

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Morningside Lane, Mike Lawlor Banned, and Space Junk is Forever are playing FM Restaurant Bar and Lounge on Friday, July 5th.
• KCON NEW YORK 2019, ATEEZ, EVERGLOW, IZ*ONE, NU'EST, THE BOYZ, and TOMORROW X TOGETHER are playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, July 6th.
• Summer School: Jonny Couch and GRITS. Outdoor Patio Show!, Jonny Couch, and grits. are playing Hard Times Christmas Liquors at the Sunset Bar on Saturday, July 6th.
• Dirty Bass is playing Schimanski in Williamsburg on Saturday, July 6th at 9pm.
• KCON 2019 NEW YORK, AB6IX, fromis_9, (G)I-DLE, Seventeen, SF9, and VERIVERY are playing Madison Square Garden on Sunday, July 7th.
• Got Ice Summer Fete is playing Knockdown Center in Maspeth on Sunday, July 7th at 2pm.
• Anberlin with I The Mighty is playing Irving Plaza in Noho / Union Square on Sunday, July 7th at 7pm.
• Legion of Skanks Podcast, Joe List, and Mark Normand are playing The Stand on Monday, July 8th.
• Los Campesinos! and Nervous Dater are playing Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, July 9th.
• Surfaces (16+) is playing Mercury Lounge in Lower East Side on Tuesday, July 9th at 6pm.
• Earth, Wind & Fire are playing Beacon Theatre in Upper West Side on Tuesday, July 9th at 8pm.
• Dar Williams and Susan Werner are playing City Winery on Wednesday, July 10th.
• Earth, Wind & Fire are playing Beacon Theatre in Upper West Side on Wednesday, July 10th at 8pm.
• Jason Mraz with Ripe is playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, July 10th at 8pm.
• Alana Davis is playing Rockwood Music Hall on Thursday, July 11th.
• CHVRCHES and Charly Bliss are playing Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, July 11th.
• MajorStage Presents: Live Hip Hop @ The Paper Box (Late Show), Dylie Dollas, and EMO-G are playing The Paper Box on Thursday, July 11th.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Thursday, July 11th at 8pm.
• CHVRCHES with Charly Bliss is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Thursday, July 11th at 8pm.
• Operators (18+) is playing Bowery Ballroom in Lower East Side on Thursday, July 11th at 8pm.
• Soulive (21+) is playing Brooklyn Bowl in Downtown Brooklyn on Thursday, July 11th at 8pm.
• The Psychedelic Furs, Dear Boy, and James are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Friday, July 12th.
• Charly Bliss is playing The Bowery Ballroom on Friday, July 12th.
• Kevin Johansen (21+) is playing Mercury Lounge in Lower East Side on Friday, July 12th at 6pm.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Penn Station is the busiest rail station in North America, seeing over 500,000 passengers per day

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 106°F on July 9, 1936
Record Low: 53°F on July 5, 1979

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain tomorrow through Thursday, with high temperatures rising to 91°F tomorrow.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Podcast Addict, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Park Avenue Malls (59th Street)

Parks Events

• Freshkills Park Open Hours — Date: June 30, 2019

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• LadyLand Festival, Allie X, bottoms, Clara 3000, COI LERAY, Dorian Electra, FEE LION, Gossip, Honey Dijon, and HU DAT are playing The Brooklyn Mirage on Friday, June 28th.
• Screaming Females and Swearin' are playing Industry City Courtyard on Friday, June 28th.
• Astronoid and Infinity Shred are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Friday, June 28th.
• Liz Phair, Caroline Rose, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Saturday, June 29th.
• Adam's Atoms, Bitters and Distractions, New Lives, Sharp Violet, Steve and the Not Steves, and Stugots are playing Buckley's on Saturday, June 29th.
• Wreckless Eric is playing Union Pool on Sunday, June 30th.
• Lithics and the wants are playing Union Pool on Sunday, June 30th.
• The Rock and Roll Playhouse with Karina's Funk Revue For Kids are playing Brooklyn Bowl — 61 Wythe Avenue — Downtown Brooklyn on Sunday, June 30th at 12pm.
• NYC Pride Island is playing Pier 97 — Hudson River Greenway at W 57th Street — West Village on Sunday, June 30th at 2pm.
• Tini & DeWalta is playing Knockdown Center — 52-19 Flushing Avenue — Maspeth on Sunday, June 30th at 2pm.
• Black Label Society (18+) is playing Bowery Ballroom — 6 Delancey Street — Lower East Side on Sunday, June 30th at 6pm.
• Guaco is playing Irving Plaza — 17 Irving Place — Noho / Union Square on Sunday, June 30th at 7pm.
• Bathiya with Santhush is playing St. George Theatre — 35 Hyatt Street — St. George / Tompkinsville on Sunday, June 30th at 7pm.
• Phony Ppl (18+) is playing Mercury Lounge — 217 East Houston Street — Lower East Side on Sunday, June 30th at 7pm.
• Hillsong United with Amanda Cook are playing Madison Square Garden — 4 Pennsylvania Plaza — Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Tuesday, July 2nd at 7pm.
• New Kids on the Block with Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Debbie Gibson, and Tiffany are playing Prudential Center — 25 Lafayette Street — on Tuesday, July 2nd at 7pm.
• Anberlin is playing Irving Plaza — 17 Irving Place — Noho / Union Square on Saturday, July 6th at 7pm.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• In June 2018, Citi Bike riders took an average of 65,098 rides per day, with each bike making about 6.2 trips per day

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 103°F on July 3, 1966
Record Low: 52°F on June 29, 1888

Weather for the week ahead:
Possible light rain next Thursday, with high temperatures peaking at 93°F on Saturday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Charlton Garden — EAST 164th and Cauldwell Avenue in Morrisania in the Bronx — This garden honors the heroism of Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton.

Parks Events

• Summer Solstice Celebration — Date: June 21, 2019

• If you've got Coney Island on your mind, don't miss the 37th Annual Mermaid Parade — Saturday, June 22, 2019

Concert Calendar

• Tank and the Bangas / Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles, Tank and the Bangas, and Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Thursday, June 20th.
• Liturgy, Luminous Vault, lutkie, and M. Lamar are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Thursday, June 20th.
• The Lonely Island is playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Friday, June 21st.
• Skankfest NYC and Legion of Skanks Podcast are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Friday, June 21st.
• Calexico and Iron and Wine / Adia Victoria, Calexico, Adia Victoria, and Iron and Wine are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Friday, June 21st.
• AC2: An Intimate Evening With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, and Andy Cohen are playing Beacon Theatre on Friday, June 21st.
• Titus Andronicus are playing Rough Trade NYC on Friday, June 21st.
• Alt 92.3 Summer Open, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Sharon Van Etten, The Lumineers, and The Revivalists are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday, June 22nd.
• Punk Island 2019, Abrupt, All Torn Up!, Alouth, Anxious? Anxious!, Babe Patrol, Bethlehem Steel, Bigspender, Bint, and Bushies are playing Randalls Island Park on Saturday, June 22nd.
• Frank Iero and The Future Violents, Frank Iero And The Future Violents, and Reggie and the Full Effect are playing Rocks Off Concert Cruise on Saturday, June 22nd.
• Skankfest NYC and Legion of Skanks Podcast are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday, June 22nd.
• Jawbox and LAPêCHE are playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, June 22nd.
• Culture Abuse, Dare, Lil Ugly Mane, Tony Molina, and Young Guv are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, June 22nd.
• Bambi kino is playing Union Pool on Saturday, June 22nd.
• ALT 92.3's Summer Open: The Lumineers with The Revivalists and Sharon Van Etten and Catfish and The Bottlemen are playing Forest Hills Stadium — 1 Tennis Pl — Forest Hills on Saturday, June 22nd at 5pm.
• Diana Ross is playing Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Avenue — Midtown on Saturday, June 22nd at 8pm.
• The Lonely Island is playing Kings Theatre — 1027 Flatbush Avenue — Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Saturday, June 22nd at 8pm.
• Camilo Sesto is playing United Palace Theatre — 4140 Broadway — Hudson Heights on Saturday, June 22nd at 8pm.
• Regina Spektor is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre — 205 West 46th St. — Midtown on Saturday, June 22nd at 8pm.
• Jackson Browne is playing Beacon Theatre on Sunday, June 23rd.
• ALT 92.3 Summer Open Day 2, The Head and the Heart, Chris Carrabba, Fitz and the Tantrums, Smith and Thell, and Young the Giant are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Sunday, June 23rd.
• Skankfest NYC and Legion of Skanks Podcast are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Sunday, June 23rd.
• The Ocean Blue and Suburban Living are playing Rough Trade NYC on Sunday, June 23rd.
• The Head and the Heart with Fitz and the Tantrums, Young The Giant, and Chris Carrabba are playing Forest Hills Stadium — 1 Tennis Pl — Forest Hills on Sunday, June 23rd at 5pm.
• Dead & Company is playing Citi Field — 123-01 Roosevelt Avenue — North Corona / Flushing Meadows on Sunday, June 23rd at 7pm.
• Jackson Browne with Lucius is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Sunday, June 23rd at 8pm.
• Lady Gaga at the Apollo Theater and Lady Gaga are playing Apollo Theater on Monday, June 24th.
• slayyyter, Robokid, and Umru are playing Elsewhere on Monday, June 24th.
• Pelican, Cloakroom, and Planning for Burial are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Monday, June 24th.
• Jackson Browne with Lucius is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Monday, June 24th at 8pm.
• Regina Spektor is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Tuesday, June 25th.
• Regina Spektor is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre — 205 West 46th St. — Midtown on Tuesday, June 25th at 8pm.
• Foxwarren and Hannah Cohen are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, June 26th.
• Jackson Browne with Lucius is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Wednesday, June 26th at 8pm.
• Joey Dosik/ Kat Wright, Joey Dosik, and Kat Wright are playing Industry City Courtyard on Thursday, June 27th.
• GOT7 is playing Prudential Center — 25 Lafayette Street — on Thursday, June 27th at 7pm.
• LadyLand Festival, Allie X, bottoms, Clara 3000, COI LERAY, Dorian Electra, FEE LION, Gossip, Honey Dijon, and HU DAT are playing The Brooklyn Mirage on Friday, June 28th.
• Screaming Females and Swearin' are playing Industry City Courtyard on Friday, June 28th.
• Astronoid and Infinity Shred are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Friday, June 28th.
• Masters of Ceremony with 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg and DMX and The Lox are playing Barclays Center — 620 Atlantic Avenue — Boerum Hill on Friday, June 28th at 8pm.
• Liz Phair, Caroline Rose, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Saturday, June 29th.
• Adam's Atoms, Bitters and Distractions, New Lives, Sharp Violet, Steve and the Not Steves, and Stugots are playing Buckley's on Saturday, June 29th.
• Wreckless Eric is playing Union Pool on Sunday, June 30th.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• JFK Airport was previously called "Idlewild Airport" in reference to the golf course it replaced, but it had also been named Major General Alexander E. Anderson Airport and New York International Airport before 1963

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 100°F on June 26, 1952
Record Low: 49°F on June 20, 1914

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain through Tuesday, with high temperatures rising to 86°F next Thursday. Saturday and Sunday will be clear to partly cloudy with highs in the 80s.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Hollow Nickel music: 'Abby as in Abigail' episode of 'I Was a Communist for the FBI' from June 17, 1953

AGBC is more than just a news website — It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• DeRosa–O'Boyle Triangle — Dewey Ave. bet. E. Tremont Ave. and Edison Ave., the Bronx — This triangle honors William Anthony DeRosa and Andrew O’Boyle, two Throgs Neck natives who were killed during World War II.

Parks Events

• Father's Day Classic Car Show — June 16, 2019

Concert Calendar

• Feed Me and BlackGummy are playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, June 13th.
• The National and Courtney Barnett are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Thursday, June 13th.
• Marissa Nadler and Stephen Brodsky, Annie Hart, and Russian Baths are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Thursday, June 13th.
• Full of Hell, elizabeth colour wheel, and Primitive Man are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday, June 14th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Barclays Center on Friday, June 14th.
• MxPx, Rehasher, and Unwritten Law are playing Irving Plaza on Saturday, June 15th.
• Death Cab for Cutie and Jenny Lewis are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday, June 15th.
• Church of Misery and Toke are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Saturday, June 15th.
• Deceased, Attacker, Ruthless and Eat Lead at Brooklyn Bazaar, Deceased, Attacker, Eat Lead, and Ruthless are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday, June 15th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Barclays Center on Saturday, June 15th.
• Thompson Square is playing Meadowlands Racetrack — 1 Racetrack Drive — on Saturday, June 15th at 4pm.
• Death Cab for Cutie with Jenny Lewis is playing Forest Hills Stadium — 1 Tennis Pl — Forest Hills on Saturday, June 15th at 6pm.
• Ariana Grande are playing Barclays Center — 620 Atlantic Avenue — Boerum Hill on Saturday, June 15th at 8pm.
• James Chance and The Contortions, Ice Balloons, and James Chance are playing Our Wicked Lady on Sunday, June 16th.
• Wisin Y Yandel are playing Prudential Center — 25 Lafayette Street — on Sunday, June 16th at 7pm.
• DaBaby (16+) is playing PlayStation Theater — 1515 Broadway — Midtown on Sunday, June 16th at 8pm.
• Wu-Tang Clan is playing Amphitheater At Coney Island Boardwalk — 3052 West 21st Street — Seagate on Sunday, June 16th at 8pm.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, June 18th.
• Minuit Machine, Milliken Chamber, and silent em are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Tuesday, June 18th.
• JoJo Siwa with The Belles is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Tuesday, June 18th at 7pm.
• Ariana Grande are playing Madison Square Garden — 4 Pennsylvania Plaza — Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Tuesday, June 18th at 8pm.
• Soundgarden (21+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Tuesday, June 18th at 8pm.
• A R I Z O N A and morgxn are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, June 19th.
• Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, TOUR, Billie Eilish, and Denzel Curry are playing Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday, June 19th.
• Ariana Grande - Sweetener World Tour, Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, June 19th.
• Kishi Bashi and Takénobu are playing Murmrr Theatre on Wednesday, June 19th.
• semaphore, Bonsai Trees, Stay Inside, and Synapses Firing are playing El Coretz on Wednesday, June 19th.
• Jason Isbell with Father John Misty is playing Prospect Park Bandshell — 95 Prospect Park West — South Slope on Wednesday, June 19th at 6pm.
• Ari Lennox (18+) is playing Bowery Ballroom — 6 Delancey Street — Lower East Side on Wednesday, June 19th at 7pm.
• Billie Eilish with Denzel Curry is playing Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Avenue — Midtown on Wednesday, June 19th at 7pm.
• Ariana Grande are playing Madison Square Garden — 4 Pennsylvania Plaza — Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, June 19th at 8pm.
• Tank and the Bangas / Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles, Tank and the Bangas, and Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Thursday, June 20th.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• You may apply to ride along with NYPD officers during their shift if you are a New York resident and at least 18 years old — Visit the link in the show notes to the NYPD site to find out more

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on June 14, 1956
Record Low: 48°F on June 15, 1933

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain throughout the week, with high temperatures rising to 89°F on Monday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Roller coaster music: "Transit of Venus" (1883) by John Philip Sousa, performed by the United States Marine Band

Park of the day

• Patrick O'Rourke Park — 12 Avenue in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn — Former site of a WWII victory garden where residents grew food, this park was renamed in 2003 for local resident Patrick O'Rourke, whose medical injury when he was a child impacted medical practice worldwide by drawing attention to the necessity of blood oxygen monitors.

Parks Events

• 2019 NYC Parks Pickleball Festival — June 8, 2019

Concert Calendar

• Geographer and Manatee Commune are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Friday June 7th.
• The Marcus King Band is playing Brooklyn Bowl on Friday June 7th.
• Alexisonfire and Angel Du$t are playing Terminal 5 on Friday June 7th.
• Coheed and Cambria with Every Time I Die and Mastodon are playing Amphitheater At Coney Island Boardwalk — 3052 West 21st Street — Seagate on Friday June 7th at 6pm.
• Empire of the Sun (16+) is playing Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square on Friday June 7th at 7pm.
• Local Natives with Middle Kids (16+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Friday June 7th at 9pm.
• Alexisonfire and Drug Church are playing Terminal 5 on Saturday June 8th.
• Remo Drive, Slow Bullet, and Slow Pulp are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday June 8th.
• Frankie Cosmos and ian sweet are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday June 8th.
• Empire of the Sun (16+) is playing Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square on Saturday June 8th at 7pm.
• The Mavericks is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Anthony Santos is playing United Palace Theatre — 4140 Broadway — Hudson Heights on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Machine Gun Kelly (16+) is playing PlayStation Theater — 1515 Broadway — Midtown on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Alexisonfire is playing Terminal 5 — 610 W 56th St. — Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Bobby is playing Kings Theatre — 1027 Flatbush Avenue — Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Beach House and Ed Schrader's Music Beat are playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday June 9th.
• godmaker, Somnuri, Stonecutters, and Yatra are playing Sunnyvale on Sunday June 9th.
• India.Arie is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Sunday June 9th at 8pm.
• Beach House (16+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Sunday June 9th at 8pm.
• Beach House and Ed Schrader's Music Beat are playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday June 10th.
• Tim McGraw with Jon Meacham is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Monday June 10th at 8pm.
• Beach House (16+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Monday June 10th at 8pm.
• Spirit Adrift, Coagula, and High Command are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Tuesday June 11th.
• Pink Sweat$ (16+) is playing Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square on Tuesday June 11th at 7pm.
• The National and Courtney Barnett are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Wednesday June 12th.
• The National with Courtney Barnett is playing Prospect Park Bandshell — 95 Prospect Park West — South Slope on Wednesday June 12th at 7pm.
• Feed Me and BlackGummy are playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday June 13th.
• Marissa Nadler and Stephen Brodsky, Annie Hart, and Russian Baths are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Thursday June 13th.
• The National with Courtney Barnett is playing Prospect Park Bandshell — 95 Prospect Park West — South Slope on Thursday June 13th at 7pm.
• Full of Hell, elizabeth colour wheel, and Primitive Man are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday June 14th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Barclays Center on Friday June 14th.
• Death Cab for Cutie and Jenny Lewis are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday June 15th.
• Church of Misery and Toke are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Saturday June 15th.
• Deceased, Attacker, Ruthless and Eat Lead at Brooklyn Bazaar, Deceased, Attacker, Eat Lead, and Ruthless are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday June 15th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Barclays Center on Saturday June 15th.
• James Chance and The Contortions, Ice Balloons, and James Chance are playing Our Wicked Lady on Sunday June 16th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday June 18th.
• Minuit Machine, Milliken Chamber, and silent em are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Tuesday June 18th.
• A R I Z O N A and morgxn are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday June 19th.
• Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, TOUR, Billie Eilish, and Denzel Curry are playing Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday June 19th.
• Ariana Grande - Sweetener World Tour, Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday June 19th.
• Kishi Bashi and Takénobu are playing Murmrr Theatre on Wednesday June 19th.
• semaphore, Bonsai Trees, Stay Inside, and Synapses Firing are playing El Cortez on Wednesday June 19th.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Roosevelt Island was named "Welfare Island" in 1921 after the Penitentiary Hospital located on the Island. It was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1977

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on June 4, 1925
Record Low: 45°F on June 3, 1929

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website — It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.

Park of the day

• Devanney Triangle — E. Burnside Ave. bet. Creston Ave. and G, the Bronx — Devanney Triangle is in the historic central Bronx neighborhood of Tremont, which includes the smaller neighborhoods of Claremont, Mount Eden, and Mount Hope. On February 1, 1888, the City of New York acquired the land that is now Devanney Triangle as a street by condemnation. Bounded by Burnside Avenue and Grand Concourse, Devanney Triangle opened as a small sitting park with a series of walkways, 12 benches, and 15 decorative trees and greenery, encompassed by a pipe rail fence.

Parks Events

• City beaches opened last weekend, and now the countdown begins to the opening day of city's public pools. In one month, The Parks Department's free outdoor pools will open on Thursday, June 27. The city's 53 free pools will be open from 11am to 7pm, and the Parks Department even provides learn-to-swim programs and free sunscreen!

Concert Calendar

• The Distillers and Starcrawler are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, May 29th

• Weyes Blood is playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, May 29th

• Apocalyptica is playing Bergen Performing Arts Center on Thursday, May 30th

• Anderson .Paak with Earl Sweatshirt and The Free Nationals and Thundercat are playing Madison Square Garden on Thursday, May 30th

• Hippo Campus is playing the Warsaw in Greenpoint on Thursday, May 30th

• L7 and Le Butcherettes are playing Elsewhere on Friday, May 31st

• Bikini Kill is playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, May 31st and Terminal 5 on Saturday, June 1st

• Trade Wind, Only Sibling, and semaphore is playing Knitting Factory Brooklyn on Friday, May 31st

• Kevin Morby and Sam Cohen are playing The Town Hall on Friday, May 31st

• Anthony Santos is playing United Palace Theatre in Hudson Heights on Friday, May 31st

• Yanni is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Friday, May 31st

• Soccer Mommy and Pom Pom Squad are playing the Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday, June 1st

• Sunflower Bean is playing the Mercury Lounge on Saturday, June 1st

• Glen Hansard is playing the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, June 1st

• Twenty One Pilots are playing the Barclays Center on Tuesday, June 4th

• David Gray is playing the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, June 4th

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?

• New York was the most populous state until the 1960s, and is now the fourth-most-populous state, behind California, Texas, and Florida

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on June 4, 1925
Record Low: 42°F on May 30, 1884

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain through Thursday, with high temperatures rising to 84°F on Saturday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Overcast, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Manhattanhenge music: "I Hate Him So Much" by Anonymous420

AGBC is more than just a news website — Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming explosion sounds. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts

Park of the day

• Astoria Boulevard Concrete Triangle — A sad bit of property, this park is little more than a traffic island situated next to busy Astoria Boulevard. Sometime around 2011, the park lost its small trees, leaving only one surviving tree and four other square patches of grass amidst the concrete where other trees used to stand. Even more depressing, there are now 4x4 wooden posts in the patches of grass with a small Parks Department logo attached, marking where trees used to be planted as far back as the 1950s.

Parks Events

• Washington Square Park May Tour — May 25, 2019

Concert Calendar

• Mono and Emma Ruth Rundle are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, May 22nd.
• American Football and Pure Bathing Culture are playing Warsaw on Friday, May 24th.
• American Football and Pure Bathing Culture are playing Warsaw on Saturday, May 25th.
• Greta Van Fleet is playing Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday, May 25th.
• Dr. Lonnie Smith and The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Lonnie Smith, and The Jazz Orchestra of the concertgebouw are playing Birdland on Saturday, May 25th.
• Cornucopia and Björk are playing The Shed on Tuesday, May 28th.
• The Distillers and Starcrawler are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, May 29th.
• Apocalyptica is playing Bergen Performing Arts Center on Thursday, May 30th.
• Gov Ball After Dark and Jack Harlow are playing Baby's All Right on Thursday, May 30th.
• L7 and Le Butcherettes are playing Elsewhere on Friday, May 31st.
• Governors Ball Music Festival, 070Shake, Aaron Aye, Amber Mark, Bazzi, Best Coast, Blood Orange, Bob Moses, BROCKHAMPTON, and Calpurnia are playing Randall's Island Park on Friday, May 31st.
• Bikini Kill is playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, May 31st.
• Trade Wind, Only Sibling, and semaphore are playing Knitting Factory Brooklyn on Friday, May 31st.
• Kevin Morby and Sam Cohen are playing The Town Hall on Friday, May 31st.
• Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Flasher, and RVG are playing Warsaw on Friday, May 31st.
• Bikini Kill is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, June 1st.
• Björk is playing The Shed in Hudson Yards on Saturday, June 1st.
• Soccer Mommy and Pom Pom Squad are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday, June 1st.
• Sunflower Bean is playing the Mercury Lounge on Saturday, June 1st.
• Devastation On The Nation Tour 2019, Dark Funeral, Belphegor, Hate, Incantation, Nightmarer, and Vale Of Pnath are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Sunday, June 2nd.
• Twenty One Pilots is playing Barclays Center on Tuesday, June 4th.
• Gloryhammer and Æther Realm are playing the Knitting Factory Brooklyn on Tuesday, June 4th.
• Local Natives and Middle Kids are playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, June 6th.
• The Rural Alberta Advantage is playing the Mercury Lounge on Thursday, June 6th.
• Alexisonfire is playing Terminal 5 on Saturday, June 8th.
• Remo Drive, Slow Bullet, and Slow Pulp are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, June 8th.
• Frankie Cosmos and ian sweet are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday, June 8th.
• Beach House is playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday, June 9th.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

• Mobile food vendors and food trucks in the city are being outfitted with battery-powered location-sharing devices so the Department of Health can find them and conduct random inspections

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 96°F on May 22, 1941
Record Low: 39°F on May 24, 1963

Weather for the week ahead: Light rain on Thursday, with highs in the 80s for Sunday and Monday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Manhattanhenge music: "I Hate Him So Much" by Anonymous420

• 8 years ago on May 11, 2011 — Two potential terrorists are arrested after acquiring weapons and expressing interest to attack city religious sites and the Empire State Building

• 9 years ago on May 1, 2010 — Terrorist attempts failed Times Square car bombing

• and 10 years ago on May 20, 2009 — Four men are arrested in a terror plot to shoot down military planes and bomb Bronx synagogues

• In what was initially thought to be a real terrorist attack, 2 years ago on May 18, 2017 — A man high on PCP drives a car into pedestrians in Times Square

• We've been following the back-and-forth on Macy's plans for their flagship store in Herald Square, and this week the CEO confirmed to Bloomberg News that the company is moving forward with a plan to place a skyscraper on top of their existing landmarked store that was built in the early 1900s.

• 108 years ago on May 23, 1911 — Opening ceremony for the main branch of the NY Public Library

• A Change.org petition aims to bring a statue of the comic book legend to NYC

• 136 years ago on May 24, 1883 — Opening day for the Brooklyn Bridge

• 33 years ago on May 25, 1986 — Hands Across America takes place, forming a human chain from Battery Park in NYC to Long Beach, California

AGBC is more than just a news website — To provide better information about what's going on in the city, AGBC watches FDNY data and automatically sends out an alert if a fire or emergency becomes a serious event, and posts that info to social media along with a map, the neighborhood name, and the nearest intersection, so that you know what is happening if you see smoke rising into the sky. Follow AGBC on Facebook or Twitter to stay up-to-date everyday.

Park of the day

• Castle Hill Playground — Castle Hill Av and Parker St in Parkchester in the Bronx — This playground, like the adjacent school, takes its name from the surrounding neighborhood, Castle Hill. During the Revolutionary War, the Castle Hill area was owned by wealthy landowner and politician Gouverneur Morris Wilkins, who constructed a home at what is known today as Castle Hill Point.

Parks Events

• Learn the basics of canoeing at Harlem Meer in Central Park — New York is surrounded by water, but it can be intimidating to think of paddling in the Hudson. Take a lesson from the Urban Park Rangers in the calm waters of Harlem Meer at the northeast corner of Central Park, beginning at 11am on Sunday, May 19th. The event is free and open to all ages, but opportunities may fill up quickly, so arrive early.

Concert Calendar

• Garbage, LCD Soundsystem, Mercury Rev, Phoebe Bridgers, The Messthetics, and Wye Oak are playing the Festival of Disruption at Brooklyn Steel on Friday, May 17th.
• The Dream Syndicate and 75 Dollar Bill are playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, May 17th.
• Mr Twin Sister and Ava Luna are playing the Warsaw on Friday, May 17th.
• Tacocat and Sammi Lanzetta are playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, May 17th.
• Uniform, Blame God, and Wear Your Wounds are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Friday, May 17th.
• Sidewalks and Skeltons are playing H0L0 on Friday, May 17th.
• BTS are playing MetLife Stadium on Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th.
• Worriers and awakebutstillinbed are playing Baby's All Right on Sunday, May 19th.
• Juice WRLD and SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD are playing the Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday, May 20th.
• Chromatics, Desire, and In Mirrors are playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday, May 20th.
• Chromeo is playing Webster Hall on Monday, May 20th.
• Sum 41 are playing Gramercy Theater on Tuesday, May 21st.
• Chromatics and Holy Ghost are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, May 21st.
• Mono and Emma Ruth Rundle are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, May 22nd.
• American Football and Pure Bathing Culture are playing Warsaw on Friday, May 24th and Saturday, May 25th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The striped bass was declared the New York state marine or saltwater fish in 2006, in reference to their seasonal presence in the tidal portion of the Hudson River and coastal waters around Long Island

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on May 19, 1962
Record Low: 38°F on May 19, 1976

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain today and Monday, with scattered showers tonight ending overnight, leading to a mostly dry and sunny weekend.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC is more than just a news website — Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming explosion sounds. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar!

Park of the day

• Triborough Bridge Approach Triangle — A small piece of Parks property that contains one big road sign! This triangle at the corner of 93rd and FDR Drive is nicely landscaped and surrounded by a low, decorative fence, and inside is a large stone monolith that reads "East River Drive Triborough Bridge Approach". This marker is from the 1930s when both the East River Drive (FDR Drive) and the Triborough Bridge (RFK Bridge) were built and is giving drivers some very advance notice that this road leads to the bridge on-ramp at 125th Street, much like the green overhead highway signs do today.

Parks Events

• Movies Under the Stars: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) — Date: May 17, 2019

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Knuckle Puck, Citizen, Hunny, and oso oso are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, May 15th.
• Yungblud is playing The Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, May 15th.
• John K. Samson and Shannen Moser are playing Rough Trade NYC on Wednesday, May 15th.
• Architects, Thy Art Is Murder, and While She Sleeps are playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, May 16th.
• Broken Social Scene is playing Webster Hall on Thursday, May 16th.
• The Hold Steady are playing White Eagle Hall on Thursday, May 16th.
• Cory Branan and Trapper Schoepp are playing Coney Island Baby on Thursday, May 16th.
• Perturbator is playing Irving Plaza on Thursday, May 16th.
• Meshuggah and The Black Dahlia Murder are playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday, May 16th.
• Björk is playing The Shed at Hudson Yards on Thursday, May 16th.
• Garbage, LCD Soundsystem, and Mercury Rev are playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, May 17th.
• The Dream Syndicate and 75 Dollar Bill are playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, May 17th.
• Mr Twin Sister and Ava Luna are playing Warsaw on Friday, May 17th.
• Tacocat and Sammi Lanzetta are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, May 17th.
• Uniform, Blame God, and Wear Your Wounds are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Friday, May 17th.
• Sidewalks and Skeltons is playing H0L0 on Friday, May 17th.
• BTS are playing MetLife Stadium on Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th
• Worriers and awakebutstillinbed are playing Baby's All Right on Sunday, May 19th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The highest temperature ever recorded in New York State was 108°F on July 22, 1926 in Troy, NY

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on May 19, 1962
Record Low: 38°F on May 19, 1976

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain today through Thursday, with high temperatures rising to 82°F next Monday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website — Did you know that we also run Cityblimp, an automated Twitter bot that uses data about the city to teach residents about historic sites, weather conditions, and even draws a picture of the city before bed each night! Visit agreatbigcity.com/cityblimp or follow @cityblimp on Twitter to learn more about the city around you.

Park of the day

• Daniel Boone Playground — 1340 WEST FARMS ROAD, the Bronx — American Frontiersman Daniel Boone (1734-1820) pioneered the exploration of and settlement in Kentucky in the 18th century. Commissioner Stern named the playground after Daniel Boone in 1987 because of its proximity to Boone Avenue.

Parks Events

• Sheep Shearing Festival

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming weekend:

• Riverside are playing White Eagle Hall on Thursday, May 9th.
• Björk brings Cornucopia to The Shed in Hudson Yards on Thursday, May 9th.
• Ex Hex and Versus are playing Elsewhere on Thursday, May 9th.
• adult mom, gobbinjr, and Long Neck are playing The Park Church Co-Op on Thursday, May 9th.
• Primitive Weapons, Bangladeafy, Netherlands, and Thoughtcrimes are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Thursday, May 9th.
• Idles are playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, May 10th.
• Nitzer Ebb are playing Elsewhere on Friday, May 10th.
• Overkill, Death Angel, Life of Agony, and Mothership are playing the Playstation Theater on Friday, May 10th.
• Riverside are playing Warsaw on Saturday, May 11th.
• Night Beats is playing the Knitting Factory on Saturday, May 11th.
• Lee Fields and The Expressions and !!! are playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, May 11th.
• Lizzo and Tayla Parx are playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday, May 12th.
• Broken Social Scene is playing Webster Hall on Thursday, May 16th.
• The Hold Steady are playing White Eagle Hall on Thursday, May 16th.
• Meshuggah and The Black Dahlia Murder are playing the Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday, May 16th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The FDNY is the largest fire department in the United States and the second-largest in the world, after Tokyo, Japan

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 94°F on May 9, 1979
Record Low: 35°F on May 9, 1947

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Sunday and Monday, with high temperatures rising to 71°F next Wednesday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Asteroid impact music: 'I Hate Him So Much' by Anonymous420

• Tribeca Film Festival (All Day Event)

• May 3, 4, 5 — Frieze Art Fair

• Summer on the Hudson:

• Saturday, May 4 — Summer on the Hudson: Monuments Tour of Riverside Park — General Grant National Memorial (in Riverside Park)
• Saturday, May 4 — Shape Up NYC Dance Fitness Class in West Harlem Piers Park at 11am
• Sunday, May 5 — Tai Chi at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Riverside Park in Manhattan

• Sunday, May 5 — Summer on the Hudson: Irish Arts Center New York City Irish Dance Festival — Pier I (in Riverside Park South)

• Monday, May 6 — Björk’s Cornucopia — The Icelandic artist will perform eight shows backed by a chorus and cast of musicians at The Shed — Hudson Yards

Friday, May 3rd

• 83 years ago on May 3, 1936 — Joe DiMaggio makes his major league debut, playing center field for the New York Yankees.

• 59 years ago on May 3, 1960 — 'The Fantasticks' premiers at Sullivan Street Playhouse and would go on to become the longest-running musical with 42 years and 17,162 performances.

• Friday, May 3 — 97 street Greenmarket Friday — 97 Street Between Columbus Avenue And Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan

• Friday, May 3 — Columbia Greenmarket Thursday and Sunday — Broadway Between West 114 Street And West 116 Street in Manhattan

• Friday, May 3 — Cortelyou Greenmarket Sunday — Cortelyou Road Between Rugby Road And Argyle Road In Brooklyn

• Friday, May 3 — Infest, Scapegoat, and The Fight will play a hardcore punk and post-hardcore show at The Kingsland in Greenpoint

• Friday, May 3 — TR/ST brings dark electronica to Elsewhere in Brooklyn along with Juno Award-nominated artist Lydia Ainsworth

• Friday, May 3 — Old Cathedral Outdoor Market — Prince Street Between Mott Street And Mulberry Street in Manhattan

• Friday, May 3 — St. Anthony Flea Market — West Houston Street Between Thompson Street And Macdougal Street in Manhattan

• May 3–4 — Bike Expo New York — Basketball City along the East River at 299 South Street in Manhattan

• Friday, May 3 — Free Adult Lessons in Fencing at Bryant Park — Learn the basics of the sport of fencing beginning at 1:30pm in Bryant Park on the rear terrace of the library. Registration is required at the Manhattan Fencing Center website manhattanfencing.com

• Friday, May 3 — Cinco De Mayo Celebration at Sunset Park — Sunset Park Recreation Center (in Sunset Park)

• Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 — Jerry Seinfeld plays the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side as part of his ongoing series of monthly appearances

• Friday, May 3 — callie oochies / georgia Smith Kali Uchis with Jorja Smith — The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden — Midtown West

• Friday, May 3 — Maren Morris with RaeLynn (16+) — Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint

• Friday, May 3 — Morrissey — Lunt-Fontanne Theatre — 205 West 46th St. — Midtown

Saturday, May 4th

• 60 years ago on May 4, 1959 — The first Grammy Awards are held in a simultaneous ceremony in New York and Beverly Hills, California. In New York, the event took place in the Park Sheraton Hotel at 870 Seventh Ave, just south of Central Park.

• Saturday, May 4 — NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally will march down Broadway starting at 32nd Street and end in Union Square, where there will be speakers and performances beginning at 1pm to bring attention to marijuana legalization.

• Saturday, May 4 — Run the Bronx will bring runners and walkers to Bronx Community College in Morris Heights. Registration begins at 7am, but the run will begin at 10am. The event will also honor Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., a former member of the Tuskegee Airmen and president of Bronx Community College for 17 years who established the run in 1978.

• Saturday, May 4 — Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution and Streetlight Manifesto — Radio City Music Hall

• Saturday, May 4 — DIJON and SACHI — Zone One at Elsewhere

• Saturday, May 4 — The Lemonheads, The Restless Age, and Tommy Stinson — Brooklyn Bowl

• Saturday, May 4 — Sharon Van Etten with Heather Woods Broderick (16+) — Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square

• Saturday, May 4 — Conference House Park - Green Neighborhood — Swinnerton Street and Billop Avenue (in Conference House Park)

• Saturday, May 4 — Governors Island's 1st Annual ShinDIG

• Saturday, May 4 — The Dept of Transportation's Weekend Walks and Circle the Square Movie Night will take place at Westchester Square on Lane Ave at Tremont Ave in the Bronx, with a fashion show and a showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

• Saturday, May 4 — Mayo Day 2019 — Irish Hunger Memorial — North End Ave & Vesey St — Lower Manhattan

• Saturday, May 4 — Urban Wildlife Festival — West 172nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue (in Highbridge Park)

• Saturday, May 4 — Arlo SoHo's 2019 Kentucky Derby Party with Woodford Reserve — Arlo SoHo — 231 Hudson Street — Tribeca

• Saturday, May 4 — 16th Annual Brooklyn Derby — Greenwood Park — 555 7th Ave — South Slope

• Saturday, May 4 — Movies Under the Stars: Star Wars: The Last Jedi — St. Catherine's Park

• Saturday, May 4 — Horseshoe Crab Monitoring — South end of the Calvert Vaux Parking Lot (in Calvert Vaux Park)

• Saturday, May 4 — Horseshoe Crab Monitoring — Park Entrance at Bayview Avenue and W 33rd Street (in Kaiser Park)

• Saturday, May 4 — Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution with Streetlight Manifesto — Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Avenue — Midtown

• Saturday, May 4 — Maren Morris with RaeLynn — Terminal 5 — 610 W 56th St. — Hell's Kitchen / Midtown

Sunday, May 5th

• 128 years ago on May 5, 1891 — The first performance is held at a newly-constructed music hall on 57th Street that would later be renamed Carnegie Hall after Andrew Carnegie, who funded its construction. For the grand opening performance, Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky served as a special guest conductor. Although only initially named "Music Hall", board members for the performance space convinced Carnegie to allow the building to be named after him two years after opening.

• Sunday, May 5 — TD Five Boro Bike Tour — The 40-mile ride begins at Franklin and Church in Lower Manhattan, heads north through Central Park to the Bronx, back down Manhattan along the East River, across the Queensboro Bridge to Astoria, all the way south through Brooklyn to the Verrazzano, and across to Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, where there will be a festival with food, music, and free bike repair.

• Sunday, May 5 — Cinco de Mayo Parade will take place at 106th and Central Park West in Manhattan from 1pm to 3pm with music and dancing in celebration of Mexican culture.

• Sunday, May 5 — Broadway Spring Festival is coming to Broadway between 86th and 93rd in Manhattan

• Sunday, May 5 — Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation's Court Street Festival will take place on Court Street between Union and West 9th from 10am to 6pm.

• Sunday, May 5 — Boardwalk Barrels of Fun — West 10th Street Boardwalk Entrance (in Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk)

• Sunday, May 5 — Tulip Time — Queens Botanical Garden

• Sunday, May 5 — Cinco de Mayo - Herbs of Mexico — H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park)

• Sunday, May 5 — Riverside Park Overlook Concerts: Manhattan Jazz Combo — 116th Street Overlook (in Riverside Park)

• Sunday, May 5 — Al Green with The War and Treaty — Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Avenue — Midtown

• Sunday, May 5 — Vampire Weekend (16+) — Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square

Intro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Event Planner music: 'The Job Next Door' by Anonymous420

• 106 years ago on April 24, 1913 — The Woolworth Building opens, becoming the tallest building in the world for 17 years

• 122 years ago in 1897, on what would have been Grant's 75th birthday, Grant's tomb is first dedicated

• 230 years ago on April 30, 1789 — George Washington was inaugurated as the first U.S. President at Federal Hall on Wall Street

• "Babe Ruth Day" is held at Yankee Stadium

• Macy’s in talks to build 1.2M sf office tower atop Herald Square flagship.

• 79 years ago on April 28, 1940 — 'Pennsylvania 6-5000' is first recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra — Here's the Ithaca High School Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Bill Makin performing Pennsylvania 6-5000 for their winter concert in 2016

• New York City Missing Persons Day

• 80 years ago on April 30, 1939 — The first New York World's Fair opens at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park — Bowery Boys podcast on World's Fair history

• MTA posted a Twitter thread with info on upcoming L Train changes — If you're an L-train rider, get in touch at agreatbigcity.com/contact and let us know how you're dealing with the changes and if the delays have changed your routine.

• Check your special blue MetroCard this week for a chance to win a trip to Hawaii

• May 1, 1931 — The Empire State Building Officially Opens for Business — Empire State Building Run-Up

• Some updates on the attempted attack at St. Patrick's Cathedral

• April 26 in History: Bouncing Baby Boy Bombed!

A Great Big City is more than a news blog. Did you know that every day, AGBC automatically checks the lighting schedule for the Empire State Building and sends out an alert at sundown, letting you know how the building will be lit and what the lights represent.

Park of the day

• Captain Rivera Playground

• Brooklyn Botanic cherry blossom festival — Sakura Matsuri 2019: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Cherry Blossom Festival

Concert Calendar

• Danava, Dommengang, Elder, Mirror Queen, Monolord, The Atomic Bitchwax, The Skull, Windhand, and Worshipper are playing The Well on Friday, April 26th.
• Pup, Diet Cig, and ratboy are playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, April 26th.
• Orville Peck is playing Elsewhere on Friday, April 26th.
• Hot Water Music, Errortype:11, and Iron Chic are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, April 26th.
• Now, Now, Daddy Issues, and Foxing are playing Warsaw on Friday, April 26th.
• Kris Kristofferson is playing City Winery on Sunday, April 28th.
• Will Haven, Architect, Locked In A Vacancy, and Nerveshatter are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, April 28th.
• Neotheater Album Release Show and AJR are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Monday, April 29th.
• Sasami is playing Elsewhere on Tuesday, April 30th.
• The Mountain Goats and shana cleveland are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, April 30th.
• Kalmah, Vreid, and Winter Nights are playing Gramercy Theater on Tuesday, April 30th.
• Stephen Malkmus is playing 92nd Street Y on Tuesday, April 30th.
• Patti Smith is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, May 1st.
• Infest, Scapegoat, and The Fight are playing The Kingsland on Friday, May 3rd.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• One World Trade Center is the tallest building in NYC, the second-tallest building, 432 Park Avenue, actually has a higher roof since Midtown is at a higher elevation

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 92°F on April 26, 2009
Record Low: 29°F on April 23, 1872

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain on Friday through next Tuesday, with high temperatures falling to 61°F on Monday. This week, UV levels are starting to climb into the High and Very High categories, so now is the time to start protecting your skin and eyes from ultraviolet radiation, which will be higher during the Summer months. Look for a skin protectant that is at least SPF 50 and labeled as "broad spectrum" and wear sunglasses if you'll be venturing outside the shadowy caverns of Midtown.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Overcast, Pocket Casts, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

I hope you enjoyed the roundup of baseball history on last week's episode. Today I have a selection of events from New York history and a discussion of two of the biggest news stories this week. Today's podcast does make mention of murder, but there will not be graphic details described.

• 16 years ago on April 13, 2003 — Subway tokens are phased out

• 37 years ago on April 12, 1982 — Three CBS employees are killed after encountering a gunman abducting a woman on the top of the Pier 92 parking garage

• 13 years ago on April 18, 2006 — Roosevelt Island Tram suffers mechanical problems, trapping 69 people in two tram cars in the air for seven hours

• 1 year ago on April 14, 2018 — David Buckel, a prominent gay rights lawyer and environmental advocate, sets himself on fire in Prospect Park.

• 8 years ago on April 16, 2011 — Area code 929 enters service in the outer boroughs

• 112 years ago on April 17, 1907 — Ellis Island sets a record for most immigrants processed in one day

• A man was taken into custody on April 17th after attempting to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral with cans of gasoline.

• 40 years ago on April 18, 1979 — New York Airways helicopter crashes upon takeoff at Newark International Airport

• 58 years ago in 1961: Bob Dylan Plays in Greenwich Village for the First Time

• 7 years ago — New Evidence Brings FBI and NYPD Investigators to SoHo in the Search For Etan Patz

Park of the day

• Castle Hill Park — Barrett Ave., Hart St. bet. Olmstead Ave. and Zerega Ave., the Bronx — Castle Hill Park lies at the tip of Castle Hill Neck, a peninsula named by English settlers for a fortified Native American village located on a hill overlooking the East River. Castle Hill Neck was owned by the Cromwell family until the late 1700s, during which time the area was known as Cromwell's Neck.

Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd and Arbor Day is on the 26th and the Parks Department has events in every borough over the next two weeks to celebrate! There will be an events ranging from an Earth Day egg-hunt in Co-Op City in the Bronx, pizza-making with a solar oven in Harlem, and you can even learn how to take care of a bee hive at the Queens County Farm Museum. View the full schedule of events.

Concert Calendar

• Children of Bodom, Summoner's Circle, Swallow the Sun, and Wolfheart are playing Irving Plaza on Friday, April 19th.
• Hatebreed, Cro-Mags, Fit For An Autopsy, Obituary, and Terror are playing Playstation Theater on Friday, April 19th.
• Black Lips, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Wooing, Black Lips, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, and Wooing are playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, April 20th.
• Soul Clap and Dance-Off, Sheer Mag, Mighty Fine, and Smarthearts are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday, April 20th.
• A Special Evening with The National and The National are playing Beacon Theatre on Monday, April 22nd.
• Ufomammut and Kings Destroy are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Tuesday, April 23rd.
• Girlpool and Hatchie are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, April 24th.
• Injury Reserve @ Elsewhere (Zone One) and Injury Reserve are playing Zone One at Elsewhere on Wednesday, April 24th.
• Girlpool and Hatchie are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, April 25th.
• As Friends Rust, ageist, and Somerset Thrower are playing The Kingsland on Thursday, April 25th.
• Hot Water Music, Errortype:11, and Iron Chic are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, April 25th.
• Camp Cope is playing Warsaw on Thursday, April 25th.
• Health, Pictureplane, and Youth Code are playing Elsewhere on Thursday, April 25th.
• An Evening With Oh Land and Oh Land are playing (le) Poisson Rouge on Thursday, April 25th.
• Desertfest NYC, Danava, Dommengang, Elder, Mirror Queen, Monolord, The Atomic Bitchwax, The Skull, Windhand, and Worshipper are playing The Well on Friday, April 26th.
• PUP, Diet Cig, and ratboy are playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, April 26th.
• Orville Peck is playing Elsewhere on Friday, April 26th.
• Hot Water Music, Errortype:11, and Iron Chic are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, April 26th.
• Now, Now, Daddy Issues, and Foxing are playing Warsaw on Friday, April 26th.
• Kris Kristofferson is playing City Winery on Sunday, April 28th.
• Will Haven, Architect, Locked In A Vacancy, and Nerveshatter are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Sunday, April 28th.
• Neotheater Album Release Show and AJR are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Monday, April 29th.
• Sasami is playing Elsewhere on Tuesday, April 30th.
• The Mountain Goats and shana cleveland are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, April 30th.
• Kalmah, Vreid, and Winter Nights are playing Gramercy Theater on Tuesday, April 30th.
• Stephen Malkmus is playing 92nd Street Y on Tuesday, April 30th.
• Patti Smith is playing Webster Hall on Wednesday, May 1st.
• Infest, Scapegoat, and The Fight are playing The Kingsland on Friday, May 3rd.
• TR/ST is playing Elsewhere on Friday, May 3rd.
• "Out of the Vein" Live w/Tony Fredianelli (XEB), XEB, and Tony Fredianelli are playing Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday, May 4th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Today's fact about New York

• Allen Kay of advertising agency Korey Kay & Partners brainstormed the slogan "If you see something, say something" one day after September 11th, and it would debut as an MTA awareness campaign one year later

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 92°F on April 19, 1976
Record Low: 22°F on April 19, 1875

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain today through Saturday, with high temperatures bottoming out at 56°F on Thursday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Podcast Addict, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Park of the day

There are at least six parks or city areas named in honor of Jackie Robinson:

• Jackie Robinson Community Garden in Harlem
• Jackie Robinson Park (Manhattan)
• Jackie Robinson Park (Brooklyn)
• Jackie Robinson Parkway in Queens
• Jackie Robinson Playground near the former site of Ebbets Field

• Jackie Robinson Recreation Center in Manhattan's Jackie Robinson Park

• Celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at the Jackie Robinson Recreation Center this Monday, April 15 from 5pm to 7pm at Bradhurst Avenue and 146th in Sugar Hill. The event will include arts and crafts and information on the history of baseball. Call (212) 234-9607 for more info.

Concert Calendar

• Less Than Jake, Mest, and Punchline are playing The Liberty Belle Rocks Off Concert Cruise on Sunday, April 14th.
• Foals, Omni, and Preoccupations are playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday, April 14th.
• Susto, Frances Cone, and Illiterate Light are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Monday, April 15th.
• Telekinesis, SONTALK, and The Royal Arctic Institute are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday, April 16th.
• Priests and Gurr are playing Elsewhere on Tuesday, April 16th.
• The Claypool Lennon Delirium is playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, April 16th.
• Broods are playing Irving Plaza on Thursday, April 18th.
• Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets is playing Beacon Theatre on Thursday, April 18th.
• Copeland, From Indian Lakes, and Many Rooms are playing Gramercy Theater on Thursday, April 18th.
• Actor Observer, semaphore, Sparrows, Tree River, and Warpark are playing The Kingsland on Thursday, April 18th.
• True Widow is playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Thursday, April 18th.
• The Coathangers is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, April 18th.
• Children of Bodom, Summoner's Circle, Swallow the Sun, and Wolfheart are playing Irving Plaza on Friday, April 19th.
• Hatebreed, Cro-Mags, Fit For An Autopsy, Obituary, and Terror are playing Playstation Theater on Friday, April 19th.
• Black Lips, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, and Wooing, are playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, April 20th.
• and The National is playing Beacon Theatre on Monday, April 22nd.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Brooklyn is the most populous borough, with an estimated population of 2,648,771 in 2017 and would be the third-largest city in the U.S. after Los Angeles and Chicago

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 96°F on April 17, 2002
Record Low: 22°F on April 13, 1874

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain throughout the week, with high temperatures falling to 58°F on Wednesday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Park of the day

• Bridge Park (Brooklyn)

• Coney Island Volunteer Beach Grass Planting — April 6, 2019 — 9:30am — RSVP by emailing BKspecialevents@parks.nyc.gov or (718) 965-8976

Concert Calendar

• Towers are playing Rockwood Music Hall on Friday, April 5th.
• Whitey Morgan and the 78's is playing Gramercy Theatre on Friday, April 5th.
• Teen Body, Sean Nicholas Savage, and Romantic Thriller are playing Sunnyvale on Friday, April 5th.
• Arthur and Ghost Orchard are playing Baby's All Right on Friday, April 5th.
• Broncho is playing Elsewhere on Saturday, April 6th.
• Patty Griffin and Bayard Rustin are playing The Town Hall on Saturday, April 6th.
• The Royal They, Lumps, Stuyedeyed, and The Next Great American Novelist are playing Our Wicked Lady on Saturday, April 6th.
• The Rott N Roll Tour: Zomboy, Badklaat, Habstrakt, and Space Laces are playing Avant Gardner on Saturday, April 6th.
• Real Clothes, Plastic Waves, Stefa, and Von Sell are playing Bowery Electric on Sunday, April 7th.
• Japanese Breakfast and Long Beard are playing White Eagle Hall on Sunday, April 7th.
• Ulthar is playing Saint Vitus Bar on Monday, April 8th.
• Muse and Walk the Moon are playing Madison Square Garden on Monday, April 8th.
• Andrew Bird is playing National Sawdust on Monday, April 8th.
• Aldous Harding is playing Rough Trade NYC on Monday, April 8th.
• Steve Wilson & Wilsonian's Grain is playing Village Vanguard on Tuesday, April 9th.
• Colleen Green and Degreaser are playing Mercury Lounge on Wednesday, April 10th.
• Jozef van Wissem is playing Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, April 11th.
• Arturo Sandoval is playing Blue Note on Thursday, April 11th.
• SWMRS, Beach Goons, and The Regrettes are playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday, April 11th.
• Aphex Twin is playing Avant Gardner on Thursday, April 11th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

• 1.8 million New Yorkers benefit from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, that helps families and individuals supplement the cost of their diet with nutritious foods

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 92°F on April 7, 2010
Record Low: 20°F on April 4, 1874

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain tomorrow through Monday, with high temperatures rising to 70°F on Tuesday. Now that Spring has arrived, so have weather warnings: Now is the time to start protecting your skin and eyes from ultraviolet radiation, which will be higher during the Summer months. Look for a skin protectant that is labeled as "broad spectrum" and at least SPF 50 and wear sunglasses if you'll be venturing outside the shadowy caverns of high-rise buildings in Midtown.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or RadioPublic, Spotify, and Castbox or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Park of the day

• Great Kills Park in Staten Island

• If you're looking for a scare, try your hand at paranormal investigating! The Morris–Jumel Mansion in Upper Manhattan is holding a night of ghost hunting where you can learn about the history of the house and see the equipment ghost hunters use when investigating old properties. Tickets are required and the event takes place from 8pm to 11pm on Saturday, March 30th — Morris–Jumel Mansion Paranormal Investigation

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the week of Tuesday, March 26

• Billy Idol and Steve Stevens are playing Town Hall on Wednesday, March 27th at 8pm.

• Failure and Swervedriver are playing Warsaw on Friday, March 29th at 7pm.

• The Cure, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson, Radiohead, Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks, and The Zombies are playing The Barclay Center on Friday, March 29th at 7pm.

• Methyl Ethel and Teen are playing Elsewhere on Friday, March 29th at 7pm.

• HalfNoise, Liam Benzvi, and Lip Talk are playing Market Hotel on Friday, March 29th at 8pm.

• Nils Frahm is playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, March 29th at 8pm.

• Better Oblivion Community Center, Christian Lee Hutson, and Lala Lala are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Friday, March 29th at 8pm.

• Sasha Sloan is playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, March 30th at 8pm.

• Zoë Keating are playing Joe's Pub on Sunday, March 31st at 7pm and 9:30pm.

• Simple Creatures is playing Public Arts on Monday, April 1st.

• Avey Tare and Nathan Bowles are playing Market Hotel on Monday, April 1st at 8pm.

• Cradle of Filth, Raven Black, and Wednesday 13 are playing Irving Plaza on Wednesday, April 3rd at 6pm.

• Ex Hex and Moaning are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, April 4th 8pm.

• Matmos and Keith Fullerton Whitman are playing Pioneer Works on Thursday, April 4th at 7pm.

• Whitey Morgan and the 78's is playing Gramercy Theatre on Friday, April 5th at 7pm.

• Teen Body and Sean Nicholas Savage are playing Sunnyvale on Friday, April 5th at 7:30pm.

• Arthur and Ghost Orchard are playing Baby's All Right on Friday, April 5th at 8pm.

• Broncho is playing Elsewhere on Saturday, April 6th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Central Park's Great Lawn was originally a reservoir of fresh water for city's water supply system. In 1931, it was filled in with material excavated from Rockefeller Center and the Eighth Avenue subway

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 86°F on March 29, 1945
Record Low: 10°F on March 29, 1923

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Sunday, with high temperatures rising to 68°F on Saturday.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Park of the day

• Brook Park

Concert Calendar

• Ulver is playing Irving Plaza on Friday, March 22nd at 7pm.
• Weakened Friends, coping skills, Hit Like a Girl, and Nervous Dater are playing The Kingsland on Friday, March 22nd at 7pm.
• Hollis Brown is playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, March 22nd at 7:30pm.
• Homeshake, pink siifu, and Yves Jarvis are playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, March 22nd at 8pm.
• Jawbreaker, Pohgoh, and War on Women are playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, March 23rd at 7pm.
• Vhs Collection and Future Generations are playing Irving Plaza on Saturday, March 23rd at 8pm.
• Mariah Carey is playing Radio City Music Hall on Monday, March 25th at 8pm.
• Music and Conversation and The Zombies are playing The Cutting Room on Tuesday, March 26th at 6pm.
• Yves Tumor is playing National Sawdust on Tuesday, March 26th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• At 33 square miles, Manhattan is the smallest borough, but has the greatest population density of any city or county in the U.S.

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 84°F on March 21, 1921
Record Low: 10°F on March 21, 1885

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain today and tomorrow, with high temperatures rising to 60°F on Sunday. Gusty winds will be of concern on Friday the 22nd and may reach 40mph gusts overnight into Saturday

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, and RadioPublic or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

History

Hudson Yards is a unique development. Other areas in Manhattan may change names, like the Lower East Side splitting to become the East Village, and new areas may be built, like Battery Park City, but Hudson Yards will be the last neighborhood to grow from previously undeveloped land. The site has been a railyard since the turn of the last century and had been the target of many developers over the years, but only recently did plans come together to build the largest private real estate development in the United States on top of the block-long open area of train tracks. A cutaway model shows the multiple layers at the site: Amtrak and NJ Transit trains at the deepest level in the Hudson Tunnel, 30 tracks of LIRR storage just below ground level, then an elevated platform constructed over the tracks that contains machinery to run the complex, support structures drilled into the bedrock, and the street-level parks and building entrances. If you take the new 7 Train extension to Hudson Yards, you'll emerge from even deeper under the complex since the new station is 125 feet below street level, making it one of the deepest in the subway system. The part of the development opening now is really only half of what will ultimately rise from the rail yards. This section, east of Eleventh Ave, was developed first, but more residential towers and open public space will be added in the next phase west of Eleventh. In this episode we'll learn about a few new features opening this weekend in this new neighborhood.

Stores

Shopping at Hudson Yards will be pretty similar to the retail space that has opened at the new World Trade Center complex, with high-priced fashion brands filling most of the space. A multi-story Neiman Marcus will anchor the shopping areas, with stores like Louis Vuitton, Coach, and Zara showing up along the mall's corridors and stores from luxury watchmakers Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Piaget. Visit B3ta on the second floor where shoppers have the ability to try out products that are usually ordered online and produced by smaller companies that can't afford to open an entire storefront.

The Shed

The structure sitting along the High Line that looks like an inflatable ice cube is the art, performance, and event space at Hudson Yards, called The Shed. It's a transforming building with sliding panels and a rolling canopy that can host a variety of events. There's a very cool video animation on the Hudson Yards site showing how the Shed transforms to change from an indoor venue for concerts and art to an open-air plaza for watching movies, and the Shed will even announce on social media when it will be transforming the building for a new event, so you'll have advance notice if you want to stop by watch the four-story structure move. The Shed will be opening in early April with a five-night concert series.

The Vessel

The Vessel sculpture has fast become one of the most recognizable features of Hudson Yards. 150 feet tall with 154 interconnected stairways, visitors can climb onto dozens of observation platforms and view Hudson Yards from multiple directions. It's sure to become a favorite of photographers. The name may be "The Vessel" for now, but Hudson Yards will be accepting suggestions for a more-fitting name for the sculpture. During the opening ceremony where Big Bird helped Anderson Cooper officially open the Vessel to visitors, Big Bird compared the sculpture to his own Sesame Street bird nest, which is an interlocking nest of brown branches. Visiting the sculpture currently requires making a free reservation, but it's unclear if this will continue into the future or if it's only intended to keep crowd numbers low during ongoing construction at Hudson Yards. If you take any innovative photos of the Vessel or have a suggestion on a better name than "The Vessel", send them in to A Great Big City on social media!

Observation Deck

If you're longing for a higher vantage point, make your reservation for The Edge, an observation deck at Hudson Yards that will become the highest public balcony in the city. Jutting out to the southeast corner from 30 Hudson Yards, the triangle-shaped deck will offer a variety of views across the city and the Hudson River, all from a height of 1,100 feet. The glass walls surrounding the observation deck will lean outwards at the point of the triangle, giving daredevils an opportunity to lean forward and look straight down from a point 65 feet away from the building. The deck won't open as part of the Hudson Yards grand opening, but you can reserve a spot on the list to be one of the first visitors when it does open.

The Future

It may look out of place at the moment, but just like the World Trade Center complex, Hudson Yards will begin to blend in with the New York around it as construction is finished and more open spaces are added. The plaza is open to visitors and will have wifi access, so it may prove popular as a place to take a rest in Hell's Kitchen, which otherwise had a limited amount of public green space. The upcoming parkland along the High Line and the Hudson River will add a much-needed boost to an area where pedestrians were either relegated to a narrow sidewalk next to the highway and the only was the concrete rear wall of the Javits Center. Much like the open lawns along the Hudson in Battery Park City, the green space at Hudson Yards will likely prove to be a popular space for watching the sunset or having an afternoon picnic, and will really come to life when attendees from various Javits Center conventions explore the new spaces instead of trying to catch a cab out of the area. Welcome to the neighborhood, Hudson Yards!

• 5 years ago on March 12, 2014 — A natural gas explosion levels two five-story buildings on Park Avenue

• 3 years ago on March 12, 2016 — 84-foot tugboat 'The Specialist' sinks after colliding with a barge near the Tappan Zee Bridge

Park of the day

• Davidson Playground — Morris Heights in The Bronx — Little is known about Oliver Mathias Davidson for whom this playground and the adjacent Davidson Avenue are named. Davidson served as Chief Engineer of Streets from 1867 to 1872, and at one time owned land in Fordham. The small neighborhood park contains playground equipment and many lush trees providing shade.

• The Queens Botanical Garden will be holding a Backyard Composting Workshop on Saturday, March 16th where you can learn what goes in a compost bin, how to maintain it properly, and how to use the compost after it has had time to develop. Registration is required, but the event is free. Call (718) 886-3800 for more info.

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar:

• Teenage Fanclub and The Love Language are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, March 14th.
• The Movielife and Travis Shettel are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday, March 15th.
• THE 1ST WORLD TOUR ‘WARNING’ and Sunmi are playing The Town Hall on Friday, March 15th.
• Have a Nice Life, Consumer, elizabeth colour wheel, Midwife, and Planning for Burial are playing Market Hotel on Friday, March 15th.
• Massive Attack is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, March 15th.
• The Purple Tour and Lukas Graham are playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, March 15th.
• DEATH CULTS, Husbandry, and LAPêCHE are playing Union Pool on Friday, March 15th.
• Have a Nice Life, Consumer, elizabeth colour wheel, Planning for Burial, and Wreck and Reference are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Saturday, March 16th.
• The Bouncing Souls and Strike Anywhere are playing White Eagle Hall on Saturday, March 16th.
• Massive Attack is playing Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, March 16th.
• Youth of Today, Glitterer, KRIMEWATCH, and Line Of Sight are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Sunday, March 17th.
• Kenny O’Brien and The O’Douls and Kevin Devine are playing Mercury Lounge on Sunday, March 17th.
• This Heat, This Is Not This Heat, and Yvette are playing (le) Poisson Rouge on Monday, March 18th.
• 20 Years: An Intimate Conclusion To Thursday's 20th Anniversary, Thursday, and American Pleasure Club are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Monday, March 18th.
• An Evening with Fleetwood Mac and Fleetwood Mac are playing Madison Square Garden on Monday, March 18th.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Sidewalk food carts have those classic large umbrellas because Department of Health regulations state that food being prepared outdoors must be covered by an overhead structure to prevent contamination

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 83°F on March 20, 1945
Record Low: 7°F on March 18, 1916

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain tomorrow, with high temperatures falling to 46°F on Sunday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Podcast Addict, Spotify, and Castbox or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Park of the day

• Railroad Park (Queens) — Rochdale, Queens — A densely-wooded area named for the nearby LIRR tracks and Locust Manor station, Railroad Park is mostly a wooded area with no fountains or plazas, but it does have a few hiking trails winding through the trees. Not to be confused with Railroad Park in the Bronx.

• Outdoor Skills: Navigation at Willowbrook Park in Staten Island

Concert Calendar

• Weezer x Pixies Spring 2019 Tour, Weezer, Basement, Pixies, and TV on the Radio are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 12th
• Ella Mai "The Debut Tour", Ella Mai, Kiana Ledé, and Lucky Daye are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, March 12th
• Todd Snider and Reed Foehl are playing Blender Theater at Gramercy on Wednesday, March 13th
• Teenage Fanclub and The Love Language are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, March 14th
• The Movielife and Travis Shettel are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday, March 15th
• Have a Nice Life, Consumer, elizabeth colour wheel, Midwife, and Planning for Burial are playing Market Hotel on Friday, March 15th
• Massive Attack is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, March 15th
• The Purple Tour and Lukas Graham are playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, March 15th
• Death Cults, Husbandry, and LAPêCHE are playing Union Pool on Friday, March 15th
• Have a Nice Life, Consumer, elizabeth colour wheel, Planning for Burial, and Wreck and Reference are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Saturday, March 16th
• The Bouncing Souls and Strike Anywhere are playing White Eagle Hall on Saturday, March 16th
• Youth of Today, Glitterer, KRIMEWATCH, and Line Of Sight are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Sunday, March 17th
• Kenny O’Brien & The O’Douls and Kevin Devine are playing Mercury Lounge on Sunday, March 17th
• This Heat, This Is Not This Heat, and Yvette are playing (le) Poisson Rouge on Monday, March 18th
• Thursday and American Pleasure Club are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Monday, March 18th
• Fleetwood Mac are playing Madison Square Garden on Monday, March 18th
• Lucy Dacus, Fenne Lily, and Mal Blum are playing White Eagle Hall on Wednesday, March 20th
• José González & The String Theory are playing Apollo Theater on Thursday, March 21st
• Ulver is playing Irving Plaza on Friday, March 22nd
• Weakened Friends, coping skills, Hit Like a Girl, and Nervous Dater are playing The Kingsland on Friday, March 22nd
• Hollis Brown is playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, March 22nd
• Jawbreaker is playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, March 23rd

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The NYC Department of Education is the largest school system in the United States, with 1.1 million students — larger than the entire population of San Francisco

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 85°F on March 13, 1990
Record Low: 6°F on March 13, 1888

Weather for the week ahead:
Mixed precipitation on Friday through Monday, with high temperatures peaking at 58°F on Friday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Castbox, Overcast, and TuneIn Radio or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Park of the day

• Captain Rivera Playground — 156th Street in Woodstock in the Bronx — This playground honors Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr., a Marine pilot from the Bronx who died during a training mission in Operation Desert Shield.

Parks Events

• If you're interested in keeping the city's parks clean, visit Canarsie Park for the Forest Restoration event on Saturday, March 9th. Volunteer with the Stewardship Team to protect natural areas in Canarsie Park and learn how to identify and safely remove invasive plants in order to help create a healthier ecosystem. Come dressed in sturdy boots or shoes, long pants, and clothing that can get dirty. Please bring your own water bottle to this event. Space is limited and registration is required. Start time: 10:00 am End time: 12:00 pm Contact phone: (718) 392-5232 Location: Seaview Avenue and East 108th Street in Fresh Creek Nature Preserve in Canarsie, Brooklyn.

Concert Calendar

• Cold Cave, ADULT, Psychic TV, and Sextile are playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday, March 4th
• The Monochrome Set and The Jetbeats are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Monday, March 4th
• Ice Cube is playing Terminal 5 in New York City on Wednesday, March 6th
• Morbid Angel, Blood Incantation, Cannibal Corpse, and Necrot are playing the Playstation Theater on Thursday, March 7th
• Nothing, Candy, and Tony Molina are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Thursday, March 7th
• State Champs and Our Last Night are playing the Best Buy Theater on Friday, March 8th
• The Black Queen, Kanga, and Uniform are playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, March 8th
• Robyn is playing Madison Square Garden on Friday, March 8th
• Trisomie 21 and Brighter Death Now are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Friday, March 8th
• The Sound of Animals Fighting is playing Terminal 5 on Friday, March 8th
• Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, and The Cringe are playing Irving Plaza on Saturday, March 9th
• Weezer, Basement, the Pixies, and TV on the Radio are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 12th
• Teenage Fanclub and The Love Language are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, March 13th
• The Movielife and Travis Shettel are playing the Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday, March 15th
• Massive Attack is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, March 15th
• The Bouncing Souls and Strike Anywhere are playing White Eagle Hall in Jersey City on Saturday, March 16th

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Fact

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• Central Park's Great Lawn was originally a reservoir of fresh water for city's water supply system. In 1931, it was filled in with material excavated from Rockefeller Center and the Eighth Avenue subway

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 79°F on March 10, 2016
Record Low: 3°F on March 5, 1872

Weather for the week ahead:
Mainly dry and well below normal temperatures are expected through mid-week.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

• 229 years ago on February 23, 1790 — George Washington moves to the second presidential mansion, the Alexander Macomb House, at 39-41 Broadway lower Manhattan

• 26 years ago on February 26, 1993 — A truck bomb explodes in the World Trade Center underground parking garage

• 30 years ago on February 28, 1989 — The Riverdale Press in the Bronx is firebombed

• 1 Times Square to be remodeled

• 147 years ago on February 20, 1872 — The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens to the public in the Dodworth Building at 681 Fifth Avenue.

• Payless shutting down

• Staten Island’s five-mile seawall will move forward with federal funding

• Will Macy's sell the top floors of their iconic building? — Macy's sells store in San Francisco — Macy's stock lost 12% in January on low holiday sales

• Condo owners at 120 Riverside Boulevard vote to remove Trump name from their building

Park of the day

• Calvert Vaux Park

• High Line Park: Past and Present

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• George Spanos is playing the Bushwick Public House on Monday, February 25th at 7pm.

• Amoeba Earhart, Modern Whale, and Slmbr are playing the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg on Monday, February 25th at 8pm.

• John Mellencamp is playing the Beacon Theatre on Monday, February 25th at 8pm.

• Bread Pilot, Net, and Waveform are playing Trans-Pecos in Ridgewood on Monday, February 25th at 8pm.

• Bueno, Bethlehem Steel, and Lost Boy are playing the Mercury Lounge on Tuesday, February 26th at 9:30pm.

• Aaron Carter and Max Muscato are playing Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday, February 27th at 8pm.

• The Roofer's Union, Deep Sea Peach Tree, and RFA are playing the Mercury Lounge on Wednesday, February 27th at 9pm.

• The Cat Empire and Neal Francis are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Thursday, February 28th at 7pm.

• The Monochrome Set and The Jetbeats are playing the Bowery Ballroom on Monday, March 4th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know? The sea scorpion was declared the New York state fossil in 1984, in reference to the first known specimen being found in Oneida County, NY in 1818 http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/reference/emblems.htm

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 75°F on February 24, 1985
Record Low: -1°F on February 24, 1873

Weather for the week ahead:
Mixed precipitation today through Saturday, with high temperatures falling to 32°F on Wednesday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

• 14 years ago on February 12, 2005 — "The Gates" open in Central Park

• 44 years ago on February 13, 1975 — A three-alarm fire burns in the World Trade Center North Tower for three hours

• Timothy Caughman is stabbed with a sword and killed on 36th Street in Hell's Kitchen by a white man from Baltimore who had traveled to Manhattan planning to kill black men — White supremacist will face life in prison

• 7 years ago on February 16, 2012 — Crane Accident at the World Trade Center

• 3 years ago on February 21, 2016 — A Great Big City began tracking the outbreak of knife slashings that had begun in late 2015. Slash Tracker: Following the Outbreak of Knife Slashings in NYC — Woman slashed on the face after being harassed in Williamsburg by an unknown attacker

• Building numbers go unposted in Manhattan

• Update on plans for New York City headquarters — A December 2018 survey of 1,075 New Yorkers showed a 57% approval for Amazon's HQ2 in Long Island City — Amazon posted a 2018 profit of $11.2 billion and will pay $0 in federal income tax for 2018 thanks to strategic tax avoidance using reinvestments and carrying forward tax credits from previous years

With your support, you can guarantee that A Great Big City will be here to give future generations of New Yorkers tips on how to figure out the address of the unnumbered building they're standing in front of.

Park of the day

• Crotona Parkway Malls

• 20th Annual New York City Lunar New Year Parade and Festival

Concert Calendar

Concert Calendar for the weekend of Friday, February 15

• Sevendust, Cane Hill, and Kira are playing the Starland Ballroom on Saturday, February 16th beginning at 5pm.

• Owen is playing Rough Trade in Williamsburg on Saturday, February 16th at 9pm.

• Interpol, Car Seat Headrest, and Snail Mail are playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 16th at 8pm.

• Beirut is playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, February 16th at 8pm.

• House of Waters are playing Joe's Pub on Saturday, February 16th at 7pm.

• Tim Hecker and The Konoyo Ensemble are playing National Sawdust in Williamsburg on Monday, February 18th at 7pm.

• Bob Mould and Titus Andronicus are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Thursday, February 21st at 7pm.

• Julia Holter is playing the Warsaw in Greenpoint on Friday, February 22nd at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

New York Facts: Citi Bike riders traveled 3,590,472 miles in June 2018 https://www.citibikenyc.com/system-data/operating-reports

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 78°F on February 21, 2018
Record Low: -8°F on February 15, 1943

Weather for the week ahead:
Mixed precipitation on Sunday through Thursday, with high temperatures falling to 37°F on Wednesday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

• 55 years ago on February 7, 1964 — The Beatles land at JFK, beginning the British Invasion in American music culture

• 23 years ago on February 7, 1996 — The Concorde supersonic aircraft sets a record for fastest transatlantic crossing, traveling from New York to London in 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds

• Harry Macklowe plans new tower across from St. Patrick's Cathedral — "Mechanical voids" are used to increase building height — The city is moving to regulate the "mechanical voids" loophole that has allowed these massive buildings to be built

• 63 years ago on February 8, 1956 — Eastern Air Flight 663 swerves to avoid an oncoming aircraft and crashes near Jones Beach

• 77 years ago on February 9, 1942 — SS Normandie catches fire and capsizes into the Hudson River

• Vintage New York Travel Tips Featured in a 1977 Newspaper

• Boy Genius Report on Waze features coming to Google Maps — On episode 6 of AGBC News: Waze adds beacons to city tunnels — NYPD sends letter to Google regarding police checkpoints

• NYCHA finds 5,799 apartments with kids under six that need repairs to prevent possible exposure to lead

Park of the day

• Haviland Playground — Haviland Ave., Watson Ave. bet. Virginia Ave. and Pugsley Ave., the Bronx — Set on land that was part of Pugsley Farm and named for earlier landowners Joseph and Mary Haviland. Serves as the playground for adjacent I.S. 125.

Concert Calendar

• Toni Braxton and SWV are playing Kings Theatre in Flatbush on Sunday, February 10th
• Pete & The Stray Dogs are playing Sunny's Bar in Red Hook on Sunday, February 10th
• Gang Gang Dance, Geologist, and Weak Signal are playing the Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, February 12th beginning at 7pm.
• Rachael Yamagata is playing the City Winery on Tuesday, February 12th
• Real Clothes, Danny Tre, Motteo, and The Afterbirth are playing The Well in Bushwick on Wednesday, February 13th at 7pm.
• Lydia Lunch, Matt Nelson and Tim Dahl are playing El Cortez in Bushwick on Thursday, February 14th at 7pm.
• Sevendust, Cane Hill, and Kira are playing the Starland Ballroom on Saturday, February 16th beginning at 5pm.
• Owen is playing Rough Trade in Williamsburg on Saturday, February 16th at 9pm.
• Interpol, Car Seat Headrest, and Snail Mail are playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 16th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at https://agreatbigcity.com/events

Today's fact about New York: In 2016, the MTA's 6,418 subway cars traveled a total of 358,000,000 miles! http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 73°F on 02-15, 1949
Record Low: -15°F on 02-09, 1934

Weather for the week ahead:
Mixed precipitation on Monday through next Saturday, with high temperatures rising to 53°F next Saturday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

• Staten Island Chuck predicts an early Spring

• Episode 5 — MTA will install turn-key ignitions on city buses — Serial MTA bus joyrider caught

• Gansevoort Peninsula — Manhattan is getting its own beach

• Court rules NTSB must be allowed to examine limo wreckage — 3 months after deadly NY crash, NTSB has yet to inspect limo

• 62 years ago on February 1, 1957 — Northeast Air Flight 823 crashes on Rikers Island after takeoff at LaGuardia

• 27 years ago on February 4, 1992 — Area code 917 is introduced, originally used only for cell phones

• Cannonball on Governors Island

• Winter Storm Nemo Hits NYC

With your support, you can guarantee that A Great Big City will be here to tell future New Yorkers whether or not Staten Island Chuck's premonitions come true.

Park of the day

• James J Walker Park

• NYC Parks will be holding their rec center open house week

Concert Calendar

• Karolina Rose is playing the Parkside Lounge on the Lower East Side on Monday, February 4th at 7:30pm.

• The Roots are playing the Highline Ballroom at the final Highline Ballroom show on Tuesday, February 5th at 8pm.

• Dawes is playing the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, February 5th at 7pm.

• Four Tet is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 5th and 6th at 8pm.

• Reindeer Castle, The Hague, and Dog Petter are playing Gold Sounds Bar in Bushwick on Tuesday, February 5th at 7pm.

• Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Jason Isbell, and many others will be playing the Tibet House U.S. Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium on Thursday, February 7th beginning at 7:30pm.

• El Ten Eleven and Joan of Arc are playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, February 7th at 9pm.

• Eyelids, Brower, and Hurry are playing Union Pool in Williamsburg on Saturday, February 9th at 8pm.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Did you know?: The George Washington Bridge is the busiest motor vehicle bridge in New York City and in the world, carrying almost 290,000 vehicles per day

Weather

Weather for the week ahead:
Temperatures will remain above average on Tuesday and Wednesday, with mixed precipitation on Wednesday through next Monday. High temperatures peaking at 61°F on Friday.

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 70°F on February 5, 1991
Record Low: -15°F on February 9, 1934

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

• 74 years ago on February 1, 1945 — The north tube of the Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic

• Staten Island Chuck — a second female 'hog named Charlotte died in September 2018 of kidney disease — Buffalo Bert

• 173 years ago January 29, 1845: 'The Raven' by Edgar Allen Poe is first published in the New-York Evening Mirror — Competing plaques claiming two different locations for where the home where he wrote 'The Raven' once stood.

• After surviving since 1984 in the East Village, world famous St. Mark's Comics will be closing at the end of February

• Waze Beacons installed in tunnels

• AGBC News Episode 5: Subway Car Problems, A Long-Distance Phone Call, and Ride a Lime — Bombardier resumes subway car deliveries to New York City after manufacturing problems caused a temporary halt in deliveries last week. Bombardier has delivery about half of the initial 300 cars ordered by the MTA, but the delivery schedule is now years behind.

• Lime has a new, rugged scooter that the company says is built for New York City roads

Park of the day

• Havemeyer Playground: "Triangle park near the Cross-Bronx Expressway in Unionport, Bronx. Features a playground, basketball court, and spray shower. Located at the Cross Bronx Exwy and Havemeyer Ave and has been a city property since 1946-01-31

It's a bit too cold to play a game of basketball at Havemeyer Playground, so check out a Parks Department rec center:

• Starting next week on February 3rd, NYC Parks will be holding their rec center open house week. Everyone is welcome to try out any of Manhattan's 13 recreation facilities that have exercise equipment, swimming pools, sports fields, and a calendar full of classes like Zumba, yoga, and water aerobics. The Parks Department rec centers offer a fantastic alternative to gyms, at a fraction of the cost: The most you would pay is just $150 for a year, which is $12.50 per month, then there are discounts for people young and old, veterans, and people with disabilities. You even get a 10% discount if you have a New York City ID card!

Concert Calendar

• Bring Me the Horizon, The Fever 333, and Thrice are playing the Hammerstein Ballroom in Midtown on Wednesday, January 30th starting at 7pm.

• Infected Mushroom is playing the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg on Wednesday, January 30th at 8pm.

• Igloo Ghost, Umru, and Dasychira are playing Elsewhere in Bushwick on Wednesday, January 30th at 8pm.

• Brasstracks, Pell, and Kemba are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Thursday, January 31st at 8pm.

• White Rope, Upsetter, Blood Blush, and Amen are playing Alphaville in Bushwick on Thursday, January 31st at 8pm.

• Sad Baxter, Long Neck, Keep Score, and Benchmark are playing Gold Sounds Bar in Bushwick on Friday, February 1st at 7pm.

• Ted Leo, Slingshot Dakota, and Supernatural Psycho are playing the Brooklyn Bazaar in Greenpoint on Friday, February 1st at 8pm.

• Poppy is playing Irving Plaza in Union Square on Saturday, February 2nd at 7pm.

• The Roots are playing the Highline Ballroom at the final Highline Ballroom show on Tuesday, February 5th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

• If you're a street artist who wants to paint without keeping an eye out for the cops or if you just have an idea for a joyful mural, the NYC Dept of Transportation is searching for artists to brighten up some of the city's concrete surfaces. Submit your idea for a piece of public art by February 15th and you may be selected to receive up to $12,000 for the project. Visit nyc.gov/dotart for more info.

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 69°F on January 29, 2002
Record Low: -3°F on February 2, 1881

Weather for the week ahead:
Mixed precipitation throughout the week, with high temperatures bottoming out at 17°F on Thursday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, suggestions, or corrections. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

• Test Ride a Lime Scooter

• 14 years ago on January 23, 2005 — The FDNY suffers "Black Sunday" when three firefighters are killed are four are injured in two separate fires. It was the deadliest day for the FDNY since the September 11th attacks. In the Bronx, at 236 East 178th Street at Grand Concourse, an early-morning three-alarm fire erupted in a building containing illegally-converted apartments. The frigid temperatures caused difficulties with frozen hydrants and firehoses. When the fire flashed through an apartment door, firefighters had no escape and jumped from the building. Firefighters Curtis Meyran and John Bellew were killed by the fall, with four others severely injured. The firefighters' deaths renewed interest in a safety device that is designed for those exact evacuation procedures but had been discontinued by the FDNY in 2000, but was still carried by one of the firefighters that survived the jump. Over the next year, the safety ropes were tested and issued to every firefighter. Later that day, temperatures became too high as a group of firefighters were investigating a basement fire on Jerome Street in East New York, and Richard T. Sclafani was killed in the blaze. Candles, holiday decorations, and electric heaters cause an increase in home fires during the winter, and the FDNY asks that all residents take precautions and inspect fireplaces, smoke alarms, and decorations for any potential hazards.

• Bombardier subway cars delivered with manufacturing defects — MTA will stop taking orders of Bombardier subway cars until manufacturing defects are solved

• MTA installing key-start ignitions on buses following string of thefts

• Alexander Graham Bell places the first transcontinental long-distance telephone call from New York to San Francisco.

• In Episode 1, the most expensive real estate sale of the week being the 95th floor apartment at 432 Park Avenue for $41.25 million, but this week's top sale broke an entirely new record. Hedge fund manager Ken Griffin bought the penthouse at 220 Central Park South for $238 million, setting a record for the highest price paid for a home not just in New York, but in the entire country.

• Survey Says: Bring on the Marijuana, But None For Me, Thanks

• Flights Delayed at LaGuardia Over Staffing Issues — Friday, January 25

With your support, you can guarantee that A Great Big City will be here to tell future generations about manufacturing defects in the next next generation of subway cars.

Park of the day

• Church Triangle

• Winter Tree ID

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the weekend beginning of Friday, January 25

• Les Savy Fav and Patio are playing Elsewhere in Bushwick on Saturday, January 26th at 7pm.

• Rubblebucket and Diet Cig are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Saturday, January 26th at 8pm.

• Cindy Cane, Material Girls, ZZZwalk, and Kissing is a Crime are playing Baby's All Right in Williamsburg on Sunday, January 27th at 8pm.

• Bring Me the Horizon, The Fever 333, and Thrice are playing the Hammerstein Ballroom in Midtown on Tuesday, January 29th starting at 7pm.

• Infected Mushroom is playing the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg on Wednesday, January 30th at 8pm.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

• Precycle bulk food store

The historic extreme temperatures for the week were -2°F on January 28, 1925 and 72°F on January 26, 1950

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: "Start the Day" by Lee Rosevere

• Federal workers food bank in Morrisania — The city has also put together a directory of resources for city residents impacted by the shutdown at nyc.gov/federalshutdown

• Supreme Court will hear challenge to NYC gun law — Amy Howe at SCOTUSblog.com

• 62 years ago on January 21, 1957 — The Mad Bomber is arrested after planting at least 33 bombs that injured 15 people

• 49 years ago on January 22, 1970 — The first Boeing 747 enters commercial service on a Pan Am route from JFK Airport to London Heathrow

• 44 years ago on January 24, 1975 — The terrorist group FALN plants a bomb at Fraunces Tavern killing 4 and injuring 50

• Episode 3 — Green Dot MoneyPak scam targeting ConEd business customers — Consumer Alert: Check-Cashing Scam Targeting Job Seekers

• Do you remember the New York Wheel? — New York Wheel goes to auction

With your support, you can guarantee that A Great Big City will survive to tell future generations of the giant New York ferris wheel that never was 🙏🏻

Park of the day

• Queensboro Oval — Bounded by York Ave and between 59th and 60th, this park uses the bridge as a covering for baseball and tennis facilities.

If you'll be on the Upper East Side this weekend, stop by:

• Winter Jam NYC — Saturday — Skiing, sledding, live ice sculpting, and more at our annual winter sports festival at the bandshell area in Central Park! — Learn to Ski, Go Snowshoeing, race on snow shovel sleds, Try Curling, Ice Bowling, and Dodgeball — There will be a Winter Food Market and food trucks onsite. —Learn more at nyc.gov/parks/winterjam — Saturday, 11am to 3pm at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park at 72nd Street, just south of Bethesda Terrace.

Concert Calendar

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the week of Wednesday, January 23

• King Princess and Banoffee are playing Warsaw in Greenpoint on Wednesday, January 23rd at 7pm.

• Holy Ghost are playing Elsewhere in Bushwick on Thursday, January 24th at 8pm.

• Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Friday, January 25th at 9pm.

• The Black Flags Over Brooklyn festival is coming to Brooklyn Bazaar in Greenpoint on Friday, January 25th and Saturday, January 26th

• Kacey Musgraves is playing the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Friday, January 25th at 8pm.

• Petal, Sir Babygirl, and Cave People are playing Rough Trade in Williamsburg on Friday, January 25th at 8pm.

• Damien Rice is playing Town Hall in Midtown on Friday, January 25th at 8pm.

• Les Savy Fav and Patio are playing Elsewhere in Bushwick on Saturday, January 26th at 7pm.

• Rubblebucket and Diet Cig are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Saturday, January 26th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

• BigRentz skyline survey

Weather

The weather for the week ahead will be rain on Thursday, with high temperatures rising to 54°F on Thursday.

The historic extreme temperatures for the week were -6°F on January 24, 1882 and 72°F on January 26, 1950

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: "Start the Day" by Lee Rosevere

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

• Food carts get Dept of Health grading system

• The only total lunar eclipse of 2019 will be visible from the city and will happen overnight from Sunday into Monday

• The Amateur Astronomers Association of New York will be hosting viewing opportunities where you can see the moon through a telescope: Find them in Manhattan in Lincoln Center Plaza and in the Bronx at Skyview on the Hudson near 259th and Riverdale Avenue, and you can check their website for more info at aaa.org.

• NYC Parks - The Supermoon — NYC Parks' Urban Park Rangers will also be holding an event to view the eclipse on Central Park West at 106th Street, beginning at 7pm. Call 718 360 1444 for more info.

• New York City has more millionaires than any other city in the world.

• NYPD 110th Precinct shared a recent scam targeting ConEdison customers — NYPD info on "Green Dot" MoneyPack scams

• 28th Street subway mosaics

• Federal workers food bank in Morrisania The program offers free delivery anywhere within the five boroughs, or furloughed workers may come to 488 East 164th Street in Morrisania between 9am and 5pm.

• The city has also put together a directory of resources for city residents impacted by the shutdown at nyc.gov/federalshutdown.

• The NY Hotel Association is also offering free rooms to federal employees impacted by the shutdown who may need to visit New York City during a health or family emergency situation. Email sandy@hanyc.org with the subject "GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ROOM APPLICATION" — situations are evaluated on an individual basis.

• 18 years ago on January 17, 2001 — A 2.4 magnitude earthquake strikes the Upper East Side of Manhattan

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2011, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

Thank you. A Great Big City would not be what it is today without your support.

Park of the day

• Abingdon Square — A pleasant piece of green in between some classic low-rise West Village apartment buildings. The park comes to life in late April when 10,000 tulip bulbs bloom and create a spectacular display. Stop by during Halloween to see the yearly Pumpkin Patch, a large display of jack-o-lanterns carved by local residents. In November, there is a tree lighting with food and caroling. Abingdon Square may not be as famous as some larger parks, but it ranks as one of the oldest parks in the entire city!

• If you're interested in starting a garden in your community, attend the Find your Green Thumb: Starting a Community Garden presentation on Tuesday, January 22. You'll learn from community gardeners how to develop an empty lot in your neighborhood into a green garden and how to follow the GreenThumb community garden rules and regulations. The presentation starts Tuesday at 6pm at GrowNYC's Project Farmhouse at 76 East 13th Street in Manhattan. Contact 212 602 5300 for more info.

Concert Calendar

• Grails, Helen Money, and Upper Wilds are playing Saint Vitus in Greenpoint Sunday, January 20th at 7pm.

• Gnash, Mallrat, and Guardin are playing Irving Plaza on Tuesday, January 22nd at 7pm.

• King Princess and Banoffee are playing Warsaw in Greenpoint on Wednesday, January 23rd at 7pm.

• Holy Ghost are playing Elsewhere in Bushwick on Thursday, January 24th at 8pm.

• Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks are playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Friday, January 25th at 9pm.

• Kacey Musgraves is playing the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Friday, January 25th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: "Start the Day" by Lee Rosevere

• With an explosion, a splash, and cheers, one more piece of the old Tappan Zee Bridge dropped into the Hudson on Tuesday.

• Ford's "Chariot" van service is shutting down February 1st, 2019.

• Record Tourism in NYC.

• It's the 10th anniversary of Captain Sullenberger's skilled landing of USAir Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, an event that would become known as the Miracle on the Hudson.

• Two suspects were captured doing a burnout in Times Square and striking a police officer as they tried to flee.

• The news wasn't so different one year ago, when Governor Cuomo Pledged State Funds to Re-Open Statue of Liberty.

Park of the day

• Park Avenue Malls at 59th Street — The third section of three total Park Avenue Malls, this section begins just across 59th Street from the second section, but was completed two years later. It's the longest section, stretching from 59th to 97th Street, adding a bit of green between the north and south-bound lanes of Park Avenue. At the northernmost tip of the malls, train tracks re-emerge between Park Avenue that take trains north out of Grand Central Terminal.

• Power to the People Exhibition at the Arsenal in Central Park at 63rd Street on the east side. Curated by NYC Parks' Ebony Society, this selection of art and historic photographs shows how New York City's parks have featured in public demonstrations and protests over the years. The exhibition is free and open to the public from January 17 to February 28. Call 212 360 8163 with any questions.

Concert Calendar

• Handguns are playing the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Thursday, January 17th, starting at 6pm.

• Huntertones are playing the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg on Thursday, January 17th, starting at 6pm.

• Tishmal and Glitch Cake are playing the Delancey on the Lower East Side on Thursday, January 17th, starting at 6:30pm.

• Dizzy Bats are playing The Meatlocker in Montclair, NJ on Thursday, January 17th, starting at 7pm.

• Panic At The Disco is playing the Prudential Center Newark on Friday, January 18th, doors at 7pm.

• The Glitch Mob are playing Schimanski in Williamsburg on Friday, January 18th at 10pm

Weather

The historic highs and lows for January 17th
Record High: 63°F in 1990
Record Low: -2°F in 1977

Weather for the week ahead: Mixed precipitation tomorrow through next Wednesday, with high temperatures peaking at 48°F on Sunday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to send in feedback or topic suggestions. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening. Have a great day!

Intro and outro music: "Start the Day" by Lee Rosevere

• The Highline Ballroom is Closing

• 58 years ago on January 11, 1961 — The Throgs Neck Bridge opens to traffic, carrying 20,000 vehicles and generating $5,000 in tolls in the first 12 hours, which helped put a dent in its $92,000,000 cost to build — In other bridge news, the old Tappan Zee, first opened in December 1955, is set to be demolished this Tuesday at 10am, weather permitting.

• 66 years ago on January 16, 1953 — A Staten Island ferry and a freighter collide due to heavy fog, injuring 13. The foggy conditions would cause another collision involving a Staten Island ferry and an Ellis Island ferry four days later on January 20th.

• In happier ferry news, the city announced that the NYC ferry system will expand over the next few years with new routes connecting all five boroughs and a new Staten Island route bringing ferry service to the Hudson River at Battery Park City and Midtown. A Coney Island route will depart Wall Street and make one additional stop in Bay Ridge. The Astoria route will add a stop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard before sailing over to Wall Street. The Navy Yard stop is expected to open by May 2019, while the other routes are projected for 2020 and 2021. The fare will remain at $2.75 per ride, despite figures showing that the average cost of each ride was almost $9 in previous years.

• The Port Authority will be relocating candy sculptures from downtown to JFK Airport after the sculpture bearing the Saudi Arabian flag drew online criticism for its placement near the site of the September 11th attack. The sculptures depict the flags of every G20 member nation and have been displayed in 25 countries since 2011, including the Garment District in Manhattan in October 2018. The sculptures were scheduled to be displayed outside the Oculus at the World Trade Center complex through February 2019, but will now move to locations along the JFK Airport Airtrain.

• According to Olshan Realty’s Luxury Market Report, someone purchased apartment 95A on the 95th floor of 432 Park Avenue for $41.25 million, making it the most expensive sale of the week, at almost double the second-most-expensive sale. The corner apartment is just under 4,000 square feet and has three bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a library, an entry foyer, and views of Central Park. But hey, it's a north-facing apartment, so even with windows providing a panoramic view of the city from east to west, it won't get the invigorating rays of sun in the winter that your sixth-floor walk-up gets! If you're still in the market, there's a similar rental unit on the 70th floor for just $70,000 per month.

• 10 years ago on January 15, 2009 — Captain Sully Sullenberger lands USAir Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, an event that would become known as the Miracle on the Hudson. An investigation determined that an engine had been damaged after striking a flock of Canada Geese on takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. Sullenberger told ABC News in an interview ahead of the 10th anniversary that during pilot training, flight simulators did not simulate a water landing, and he had only received classroom training on how to handle the situation. Upon hitting the water, Sullenberger and co-pilot Jeff Skiles simultaneously said "That wasn't as bad as I thought!"

• 62 years ago on January 21, 1957 — The Mad Bomber is arrested after planting at least 33 bombs that injured 15 people. He attacked various public locations across the city for 16 years with small bombs, justifying his crimes as retribution for an injury he received while working for ConEd in 1931. He was found incompetent to stand trial and was committed to a mental hospital. Metesky was identified by a ConEd clerk named Alice Kelly who had been searching employee records for someone who matched the police profile based on details revealed in the bomber's letters.

Park of the day

• Winston Churchill Square — 10 Downing Street at Bleecker and Sixth Avenue, Manhattan — A small and intimate park that is filled with greenery and surrounded by a high iron fence. Named for Sir Winston Churchill because of the nearby similarly-named "10 Downing Street".

• Skate Night: Disco Get Down — Date: January 18, 2019 Join NYC Parks for a fun skate night at Tony Dapolito Recreation Center. Dance and enjoy a night of disco roller skating! Skates will be provided but are limited. Feel free to bring your own skates. The use of socks is required. Socks will not be provided on site. RSVP only for one session. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. // Family Skate 6:15 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. // Adult Skate Only Please note: RSVP is required at skatenighttd.eventbrite.com. Contact Colleen Flood at colleen.flood@parks.nyc.gov or at (212) 242-5228 for more information regarding accessibility. Start time: 5:00 pm End time: 8:00 pm Contact phone: (212) 408-0243 Location: Tony Dapolito Recreation Center

Weather

The historic highs and lows for Monday, January 14
Record High: 70°F in 1932
Record Low: -5°F in 1914

Weather for the week ahead:
Snow (4–8 in.) over the weekend, with high temperatures peaking at 46°F on Friday.

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

Intro and outro music: "Start the Day" by Lee Rosevere