Rent deals in NYC (home of the country's greatest/worst heat islands)

Plus: witness claims the NYPD involvement in Malcolm X’s death. [View this email in a browser.]( Gothamist relies on your support to make local news available to all. Not yet a member? [Consider donating and join today.]( [New York City has America’s greatest heat islands. By great, we mean the worst.]( [first image]( [Today's newsletter curated by Emily Nadal]( Today's weather: ☀️ It'll be hot and sunny today as we [approach a heat wave]( the next few days, so appreciate temperatures in the 80s while you still can. Welcome to Wednesday in New York City where it’s not a great day to live on a “heat island.” Our miles of concrete and dozens of skyscrapers make the city even hotter, by at least 8 degrees, in a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect, and we happen to be the [U.S. city known for exhibiting the worst of it.]( These hot temperatures are not stopping the hot rental market in the city from slowing down, though, with the median rent in Manhattan in May coming in at $4,500. But there may still be ways to score a deal, [we’ll tell you how.]( Here's what else is happening: - A man who says he was a witness to Malcolm X’s murder nearly 60 years ago alleges the [NYPD was involved in the civil rights leader’s assassination]( igniting calls for the case to be reopened and investigated. - A crane collapsed this morning in Hell's Kitchen, [injuring at least two people.]( - The New York City Housing Authority is piloting a program this fall that will [replace gas stoves with induction ones]( in public housing apartments. - An Upper East Side woman rents out a van parked on the street through Airbnb for $96 a night, and her [neighbors are not happy about some of her guests resorting to using the streets]( for their bathroom business. - Conditions at emergency migrant shelters around the city are bad, with complaints of no working showers or air conditioning, as some [speculate the city is intentionally letting the shelters get worse]( as a way to deter more asylum seekers from coming. - Whenever a drop of subway water gets on me, I feel an immediate need to shower, but as it turns out, the water is actually [not as dirty as we seem to think it is]( Curbed discovered. - One of the men who pleaded guilty to charges connected to the overdose death of Michael K. Williams was [sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison]( with one of those years being spent in a drug treatment program. - The late actor's loved ones asked the court to go easy on [sentencing the four men who were charged]( in connection to Williams' death, arguing Williams would've wanted the judge to show mercy. - It’s been a big couple of weeks for social media platforms. Meta introduced Threads, Twitter rebranded to become X, and now [TikTok is letting users post text-only content.]( - An “urban retail landscape” is coming to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn at the site of a former Century 21 store. The redeveloped area will [include mixed-use commercial and retail businesses taking up around 150,000 square feet.]( - Over in candy land, Skittles announced a [bizarre new limited-edition mustard flavor]( that I might have to try for research purposes. - And beware of your other sweet treats: Trader Joe’s recalled two types of cookies with a warning of [possible “rocks” in the dough.]( - In tastier news: this Jersey City eatery, where focaccia is the star of the show, [encourages you to fill up on bread.]( - At 89-years-old, D’yan Forest is the world’s oldest working female comedian and she’s [celebrating her birthday]( with a NYC show next week. - Next week also marks the start of a Coney Island circus camp for adults interested in [living out their childhood dreams]( of sword swallowing or fire breathing. “It's not that New York is just off the charts in every way than other cities, it's that you have to go further out of the city to get away from the really intense spots." - Jen Brady, research manager at Climate Central, [DISCUSSING NYC'S URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.]( More from Gothamist [second image]( [9 easy getaways from New York City if you don’t have a car]( If you find yourself craving a chiller vibe and a little less concrete, we have good news: It’s very easy to escape NYC, even if you don’t have a car. [Is Airbnb allowed in your building? Our map shows which NYC addresses ban the rentals.]( New York City landlords are adding thousands of addresses to a list that will keep tourists from crashing in their apartment buildings under a new anti-Airbnb law. [We Rely On Your Support]( [A jail grows in Brooklyn, but at the expense of people with mental illness]( More detainees at Rikers means more space at new jails when Rikers closes, but less for people with mental illness. [New NYC record label provides a platform for differently abled artists]( Just Call Me By My Name, jointly formed by Daniel's Music Foundation and The Orchard, urges the music industry and audiences alike to focus on the person, not on the disability. [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [New York Public Radio] [WNYC]( | [WQXR]( | [NJPR]( | [GOTHAMIST]( [WNYC STUDIOS]( | [THE GREENE SPACE]( Copyright © New York Public Radio. 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