Good evening, New York City!

I hope you and your family are doing alright after the rainy weekend we had. If you want to get real-time alerts about severe weather in the future, you can sign up for NotifyNYC here or call 311. If you would like to learn about your home’s flood risk, check out this interactive flood zone map for everything you should know.

Here's how we Got Stuff Done for you at City Hall this week:

We named a new NYPD Commissioner, Edward Caban. He’s a 30-year NYPD veteran and the first Latino NYPD commissioner in New York City history, who has held nearly every position within the NYPD and will work to keep us safe and improve quality of life across NYC.
The Brooklyn Public Library unveiled a free immersive exhibit dedicated to Jay-Z. You can listen to original song recordings, view never-before-seen photos, and explore personal artifacts from the rapper’s life. There’s also limited edition Jay-Z library cards available.
The City is investing $15.6M into transforming the Staten Island Zoo! There will be new experiential exhibits, new kiosks, new pathways, and a redesigned entranceway that will resemble a temperate forest.
Rise Up NYC is returning with eight free concerts in all five boroughs! We’re excited to bring back these free and safe events for communities to gather and enjoy phenomenal performances together. Browse the full lineup here.

🔅 🌞 🌼 Sunnier days soon 🌼 🌞 🔅

This week, I wanted to keep you in the know on how to have an island getaway right here in New York City, where to expect faster (and even free) MTA bus routes, an opportunity to spend time with friendly goats in Brooklyn, and so much more. We’ll get into it all below!

↳ Three initiatives to know:

Stopping Shootings Before they Start – By investing in ways to help our youth feel like they have a sense of purpose, we’re keeping our communities safe. Our Crisis Management System combines resident-led violence interruption, school conflict resolution, mentorship, mental health services, career planning, and enriching programming to decrease the risk of violence among young New Yorkers. Our recent record investment in this system will help the program operate in 31 neighborhoods that account for more than two-thirds of shootings citywide.
Third Avenue Redesign – Upgrades are coming to a bustling stretch of Third Avenue in Manhattan! Bicyclists, bus riders, and pedestrians will have safer and more efficient travel experiences with a dedicated camera-enforced bus lane, a bike lane protected from traffic, and new pedestrian islands that will shorten your wait time crossing the street.
Live Tenant Helpline – Our Public Engagement Unit (PEU) announced a major update to their tenant helpline: callers will now be connected with a live representative. Previously, tenants would wait up to 72 hours for a call back. This will make a significant difference for New Yorkers seeking to learn about their rights and access critical resources, such as legal services and cash assistance. You can reach them by calling 311 and requesting the “Tenant Helpline.”

↳ In case you missed it:

Our e-cigarette lawsuit – We called out the smoke and mirrors of Big Vape, which continues to illegally sell harmful and addictive chemicals to our youth using enticing flavors, like pina colada, strawberry milkshake, and cola. We filed a federal lawsuit against these companies that are breaking our laws and getting young New Yorkers addicted to nicotine.

↳ Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach:

Fast ferries – There's no need to “hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach” when you can take the Rockaway Reserve by the NYC Ferry! For $10, plan a trip in advance to have an expedited boarding experience and guaranteed spot on board. The Rockaway Reserve will take you to and from the Wall Street/Pier 11 and Sunset Park/Brooklyn Army Terminal stops. Once you’re there, check out the Rockaway Bazaar for delicious local bites, exciting free sights, and live music seven days a week.

↳ Don't forget:

Public questions for public safety – New Yorkers like you can submit questions for the weekly Friday public safety briefing here. Our leaders will answer these during the Friday livestream, available on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

↳ FREE events this weekend:

Bronx: Attend a still life sketching open studio
Brooklyn: Meet a friendly goat in Greenpoint
Manhattan: Take an outdoor watercolor class
Queens: Go to a Kool And The Gang concert
Staten Island: Learn canoeing basics

☞ Of note: This is the perfect weekend for an island getaway staycation. Randall’s Island, Governors Island, and Little Island all have free live music and scenic views this Saturday (7/22).

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Head to Randall’s Island’s annual Waterfront Festival to celebrate nature, spend time with family, and enjoy water-themed activities.

⛴

Take the ferry over to Governors Island for the Rite of Summer Music Festival, where you can hear live Irish guitar quartet harmonies on the Nolan Park lawn.

🎤

Cross the Hudson River Greenway and get to Little Island for music for everyone, from melodic singer-songwriter tunes to infectiously energizing Brazilian dance music.

🔥 Where to barbecue in City parks

It’s BBQ season! If you want to have an outdoor barbecue, here’s where you can grill in our NYC Parks. Remember to keep a safe distance from others, clean up after yourself, and keep your gathering to under 20 people. For parties larger than 20 people, you’ll need a special events permit!

🚏 Five free bus routes coming soon

The MTA is bringing a free bus line to every borough! Starting on September 24, you can catch a free ride on the following buses: B60, M116, Q4 LCL/LTD, S46/96, and BX18 A/B. This program will run for at least six months, and you’ll be able to spot it with new “Fare Free” signage at the stops.

🌳 New green space

Theodore Roosevelt Park outside of the American Museum of Natural History just reopened with completed renovations to make for a more enjoyable experience. Now, there are more trees, green areas, and benches for locals and visitors to take in the outdoors. Remember: the museum is pay-what-you-wish for NYC residents, so you can have a wonderful affordable museum day before exploring the new park features.

🗽 Come work with us (really!)

We’re hiring, and we want talented New Yorkers like you to work with us! Come join us at our Hiring Hall on Tuesday (7/25) in the Bronx, or explore City job openings here. If you’re eager to learn something new to be a more competitive applicant in your job search, check out our free career training and discovery programs. You can also take advantage of free one-on-one remote career help through our Workforce1 services, which includes interview preparation and assistance identifying jobs that fit your background.

🛶 Go boating in the Bronx

Enjoy beautiful nature and warm weather when you go canoeing or kayaking with the Bronx River Alliance. This Friday (7/21) and next Friday (7/28), they’re hosting free community paddling sessions for beginner boaters! Take friends and family to get a shared canoe, or arrive solo to paddle in a personal kayak.

Before you go, did you know…

At least 700 language varieties are spoken across New York City? Check out this interactive map to explore where in NYC these languages are spoken, based on significant locations in the speakers’ communities. The map pays special attention to Indigenous, minority, and endangered languages, giving deep insight into the hundreds of cultures that make up the greatest city in the world! Make sure to tap on different pins to learn more about the histories of these diverse languages.

🌎 🌍 🌏

Have a fantastic weekend, New York City! The weather should be nice and sunny, so get outside if you can and go enjoy it.

Your Mayor,

Eric

P.S. Have a question, comment, or request? Contact my office here. I look forward to hearing from you.