New year, new schedules for some NYC schools

Plus: NYPD searching for UES synagogue vandalism suspect. [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.]( [NYC schools change up arrival, dismissal times for students]( [first image]( [Today's newsletter curated by Emily Nadal]( Today's weather: ☁️ The humidity may be fierce today with clouds blocking the sun, but fear not, rain isn't in the forecast until tomorrow (hopefully). Expect a high of 88 degrees and a low of 68 degrees. It’s Monday morning in New York City where the 2023-2024 school year is approaching and bringing a [change in start and dismissal times for some students.]( A new contract with the teachers union allows for tweaks to the timing of school days to make way for 100 minutes of required professional development and planning. The changes were typically no more than a half-hour, but some surprised parents were scrambling for childcare arrangements. Here’s what else is happening: - The NYPD is searching for a man who they say [vandalized an Upper East Side synagogue]( while services were in session on Saturday in a potential hate crime incident. - A Brooklyn open mic titled “Kan Yama Kan,” which means “once upon a time” in Arabic, attracts many Palestinian, Arab and Muslim writers who have [found a community of words and a shared struggle of identity.]( - The walrus pup rescued from a frozen Alaskan oil field — that stole so many hearts on the internet — [died from malnutrition complications]( despite 24/7 cuddles and other rescue efforts. - Mayor Eric Adams called on White House officials Sunday to [expedite work authorization permits]( for migrants, adding that not allowing tens of thousands of new arrivals in the city to legally work is “anti-American.” - Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one elected official pushing for [changes to federal sunscreen regulations]( that would make it easier to obtain quality products here in the U.S. - Some residents of a New Jersey town that was hit hard by Hurricane Ida two years ago are no longer eligible for federal aid money, so [homeowners are now faced with the decision]( to either pay for repairs themselves or sell their property to the state so it can be razed to the ground. - NYC’s rat czar hosted the city’s first anti-rat day of action on Saturday where attendees [learned about what they could do to prevent the rat population]( from continuing to thrive. - NYC 911 dispatchers are exhausted and [feeling burnt out]( as they say they routinely work double shifts and are often dissuaded from taking sick days. - Thousands of Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire fans were disappointed Saturday after the performers’ [Madison Square Garden concert was canceled]( an hour after it started because severe weather prevented Richie’s plane from landing in New York. - Elsewhere in the performance world, the Apollo Theater will be [hosting auditions next month]( for a coveted spot on their 2023-2024 Amateur Night roster. - Fewer migrants may be crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months, but [even more are coming to New York]( as the city continues to try and manage the situation with a projected cost of more than $12 billion by the end of June 2025. - It’s been 10 years since a [federal court ruled]( the NYPD’s “stop-and-frisk” practice violated people’s constitutional rights and discriminated against people of color. The number of stop-and-frisks have been [creeping up under the Adams administration]( despite an overall decrease, and police watchdogs say car stops are the new frontier to watch. - Penny for your thoughts? The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is dropping $500,000 on Walgreens, Target and Amazon [gift cards to distribute in return for sharing your opinions.]( - If you’re still holding out hope that you will witness a Mark Zuckerberg vs. Elon Musk cage fight, keep wishing. [Zuckerberg says Musk isn’t serious]( about the fight, so he’s moving on. “All employers want more hours on both sides so I am assuming all families are challenged." - Penny White, parent at PS 130 in Brooklyn, [DISCUSSING NEW CHANGES TO NYC SCHOOL START AND END TIMES.]( More from Gothamist [second image]( [Funeral for NJ’s late Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver concludes 3-day state service]( Speakers including Gov. Phil Murphy and the Rev. Al Sharpton recalled Oliver’s impact. [Lithium-ion battery fire in Ozone Park kills 93-year-old woman]( A fire that engulfed a residential building in Queens Friday left one person dead and another injured, according to police and fire officials. [We Rely On Your Support]( [A robot in Greenpoint made my coffee because why not]( On a hot afternoon in mid-July, I walked into Botbar on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint to watch a controversial robot make me some coffee. [Rent in NYC just keeps going up]( Rents in Manhattan and other parts of the city are at all-time high — again. That’s according to a new report from Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel. [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [New York Public Radio] [WNYC]( | [WQXR]( | [NJPR]( | [GOTHAMIST]( [WNYC STUDIOS]( | [THE GREENE SPACE]( Copyright © New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 [TERMS OF USE]( You can update your [PREFERENCES]( or [UNSUBSCRIBE]( from this list.