I know this newsletter can be unwieldy; click on these anchor links to go straight to a section you’re interested in: News & Information // Useful items // Events 
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Friends,

It’s Thursday, January 19, 2023.  Happy Lunar New Year this Sunday!

Less than 40 percent of seniors 65 and up nationwide have received the updated, bivalent Covid-19 booster, which covers both the original COVID strain and also more recent Omicron strain of the virus. That’s way too low, and it shows in the death tallies. More than 90 percent of deaths are now among Americans 65 and older. Hospitalizations are nearly five times higher among Americans 70 and older than among Americans of all ages. COVID cases are surging right now—over 470,000 new infections were reported over the last week nationwide, a 50 percent increase since Thanksgiving, and nearly 3,200 people over age 70 are being admitted to the hospital with COVID on average every day. (And the triple-demic has resulted in making long hospital waits the new normal.) 

Katelyn Jetelina compiles in her latest “Your Local Epidemiologist” a one-stop shop of rebuttals to the rumors, misinformation, and DISinformation about COVID vaccines. 

And the Times covers news that there’s No Increased Stroke Risk Linked to Pfizer’s Covid Boosters. 

The FDA last week warned that Evusheld, a preventive COVID therapy for those whose immune systems don’t respond to vaccines, might be ineffective against the currently dominant XBB 1.5 strain of COVID. 

So it's no wonder that the Biden administration extended the Covid-19 public health emergency for another 90 days. Among many cost-saving and access benefits, the emergency declaration eases access to vaccines and treatments.

We need to do more to assist the immunocompromised (Washington Post Opinion)

China, engulfed in covid chaos, braces for Lunar New Year case spike (Washington Post)

Since ventilation is a crucial defense against virus transmission, Washington Post health reporter Lena H. Sun built her own indoor air purifier to reduce the spread of pathogens. 

Use this pre-built search (at vaccines.gov) for bivalent booster availability here in the 6th Council District. We still have plenty of free test kits and masks available for pickup during business hours at my district office: 563 Columbus Ave. at 87th St., from 10 am – 5:30 pm. To order a free set of four test kits mailed to you, visit COVIDTests.gov.

CHOICE

A Peoria, IL Planned Parenthood health clinic—where no abortions are performed—was firebombed Sunday night, causing significant damage; fortunately the clinic was empty at the time, and only one firefighter had minor injuries. If you’d like to help rebuild the Peoria Clinic, this page is where to go.

News & information.

The print edition of my newsletter has hit 60,000 mailboxes! There are many, many website urls and since they are case-sensitive (it matters whether you use upper case or lower case), people often make typing errors when typing them in their browsers. That’s why I’ve created a clickable PDF—as noted on the Bookmarks page of the print edition—at this link: http://bit.ly/BrewerNewsWinter23. Download that PDF and double-click the document (it will probably open automatically on your computer) to begin clicking the urls we compiled in the newsletter. (If you didn't receive in the mail, download at the link.)

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I've been working to garner support for the desperately needed major repairs to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Riverside Park. I circulated an online petition, beginning last Memorial Day, which attracted over a thousand signatures. 

So I’m thrilled to report that Mayor Adams has included $62 million in his capital budget for repairs and renovation of the monument. The Daily News celebrated the announcement (and gave me a shout-out): “History and dignity restored: New York’s Civil War Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument is being repaired” (paywalled, unfortunately). And the New York Landmarks Conservancy heralded the news. The West Side Rag and Patch also covered it.

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Yesterday’s hearing (1/18) on “Proliferation of Unlicensed Smoke Shops in NYC” held jointly with my Oversight and Investigations Committee, the Health Committee (chaired by Council Member Lynn Schulman), and the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection (chaired by Council Member Marjorie Velázquez) received testimony from NYPD, the NYC Sheriff, consumer affairs, the Dept. of Health, parents, and store owners.

We learned just how prevalent it is to sell illegal cannabis from these shops. Police have identified 1,400 stores selling illegal cannabis citywide—more than Dunkin and Starbucks stores combined (936, according to the 2022 “State of the Chains” report by the Center for an Urban Future in their chainstore report). Clearly, the number of legal cannabis sellers needs to be ramped up—there's only one in the state right now—to meet some of this demand, and so does enforcement against illegal sellers. (I will discuss it all on Inside City Hall tonight, in the 7 pm and 11 pm hours on NY1.)

City Councilmember discusses NYC's crackdown on unregulated cannabis shops (WNYC)  

Legal Marijuana Sales Have Begun in New York; What to Know About the Launch of the New Industry (Gothamist)

Illegal pot shops selling goods on the cheap pose major challenge to legal stores, NYC Council warns (NY Daily News, paywalled)

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We need volunteers to help with our FY2024 Participatory Budgeting process! We’ve received cost estimates and feedback from city agencies on dozens of citizen suggestions, and we now need your help to manage the balloting and voting. We’re hosting a brief volunteer training next Thursday, 1/26, at 5:30 pm over Zoom. If you’d like to contribute a few hours a week over the next two months, please RSVP for the ZOOM here. (If it doesn't autofill, use meeting ID: 846 7204 3687 and passcode: fX01Gt. If you can’t make the Zoom, please email district6@council.nyc.gov with “I’m a PB volunteer” in the subject line.) 

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On 2/14 at 6:30 pm, Community Board 7’s Transportation and Parks committees will hold a hearing on the proposed e-bike charging station at Verdi Square. They will take testimony and discuss the impact of this needed infrastructure. Call (212) 362-4008 for information.

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Volunteers are also needed from 10 pm – 4 am on the night of Tuesday, 1/24, for the City’s annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Survey, a point-in-time census undertaken each winter that helps identify the number of unsheltered New Yorkers living on the street on what’s historically one of the coldest nights of the year. Visit the link to learn more and register to help.

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Online on Tuesday, 1/24, from 10 am–1 pm: the Council’s Finance office has scheduled a Budget Workshop for Nonprofits seeking funding from the Council for the fiscal year 2024 budget. It will cover…

• FY24 Expense Discretionary Application
• Overview of the Discretionary Budget and Contracting Process
• Capital Requests and Guidelines

RSVP at the link to participate. 

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Borough President Mark Levine’s State of The Borough will be held Tuesday, 1/31 at 6 pm at The City College of New York (160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031, for those using an app). Click the link to RSVP.

And he has opened the 2023 Manhattan Community Board application period, now through 3/17/23. Current members who wish to serve another term must reapply. Community Boards provide New Yorkers with an opportunity to participate in local democracy and decision making, helping to shape the future of Manhattan. Community Boards touch every aspect of life: parks, sanitation, education, land use, and public health. (I recommend it! I served on Community Board 7 myself back in the 1990s.)

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The wonderful nonprofit Advocates for Children released “Sustaining Progress for NYC Students: A Call to Action for Policy Makers,” which outlines $700 million in programs funded by the COVID stimulus which are going to expire in 2024, including:

• Double 3-K enrollment and open new preschool special ed classes 
• Hire 500 new school social workers, expand restorative justice practices, and enable every school building to have a nurse;
• Bolster supports for students with dyslexia, students with intensive sensory needs, and homeless
• Bilingual programs and translation and interpretation services for immigrants.

Click the link to download the full report.
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A constituent has begun a petition drive calling on media outlets to stop using the term “Pro-Life” and “Right to life” to describe those who oppose abortion. Here’s a link.

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Wednesday, 1/25, 1 – 2 pm, on Zoom: Join Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, Commissioner Cecile Noel (Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence) and Rebecca Bender, a nationally recognized survivor, author, and advocate, to discuss responses to human trafficking and finding ways to empower survivors and communities impacted by human trafficking. Register for this webinar here.

DA Bragg wrapped up his office’s 2022 accomplishments in this year-end newsletter (which also announced a revamped website at manhattanda.org; there’s a newsletter signup box at the bottom of that main page, if you’re so inclined).  

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The Dept. of Transportation is proposing an amendment to Section 4-08 of the Traffic Rules to establish loading zone regulations. There's a hearing at 10 am Tuesday, 2/7. Here is the link to the Zoom; use meeting ID: 957 2139 4822 and password: 649782

Useful items.

New York State will stop accepting applications under the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (knowwn as ERAP) at 9 pm tomorrow night (1/20). 

Also tomorrow (1/20), starting at 6 am, “The Blacklist” TV series will be filming between Riverside Blvd. and West End Ave. and using parts of W. 70th, W. 71st, and W 72nd Streets, and the west side of Riverside Blvd. between W. 69th and W. 72nd Streets for production vehicles. 

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PS/IS 191 The Riverside School for Makers and Artists (300 W. 61 St by West End Ave) recently received an influx of refugee families from nearby shelters. The school is collecting coats—new or unused—for the students and families in women’s and men’s sizes small and medium; girl’s and boy’s sizes 14-16, 12-14, 10-12, 9-10, 7-8 and 5-6. Donations of backpacks for elementary-aged girls and boys are also needed. Items can be mailed (300 W 61st St, New York, NY 10023) or dropped off at the school, open each weekday until 6 pm (c/o Damaris Carrion, Parent Coordinator, DCarrion@schools.nyc.gov).

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The NYC Dept. of Finance has mailed its annual Notice of Property Value (NOPV), which allows property owners to review the Department of Finance’s assessment of their properties, challenge the market or assessed value, update their property information, and apply for a property tax exemption if eligible. They are conducting in-person NOPV outreach events, which include a presentation followed by breakout sessions for constituents to meet one-on-one with staff from the Department of Finance, including assessors, exemptions and property staff, and the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, as well as the New York City Tax Commission, a separate City agency. If you have any questions contact Kieran Mahoney, at outreach@finance.nyc.gov.  

Manhattan NOPV event: Wednesday, 2/15, 5 – 8 pm, in person at the David Dinkins Municipal Building Mezzanine (1 Centre St. North Entrance). 

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The NYC Economic Development Corporation has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a license agreement or lease or other agreement to operate one or more Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs) with at least 60,000 usable sq ft. The RFP and Q&As are available to download at this link. Responses are due Friday, 1/27. 

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My office’s February (2/1) virtual Housing Clinic topic is “Getting Repairs.” Register for the Zoom by clicking the title link. 

Also, my district office has a trained volunteer to assist with Senior Citizen and Disabled Rent Increase Exemption applications and renewals for those in rent-regulated units every Monday from 2–6 pm, and we also have a representative from the City Dept. of Finance in the District Office on the second Tuesday of each month who is also able to assist. We take appointments at (212) 873-0282. 

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Applications are open to run for a community or citywide education council; applications are due and are due by 2/13. Learn more at the links.

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These are the remaining DOE virtual information sessions covering 3-K, pre-K, kindergarten, and gifted and talented programs at NYC public schools: 

• 1/26/23, 6 – 7 pm | Chinese (Mandarin), French, Urdu 
• 2/1/23, 2 – 3 pm | Arabic, Haitian Creole, Russian 
• 2/15/23, 6 – 7 pm | Bangla, Korean, Spanish  

The only difference in content among events is the interpretation languages provided. Each event will be hosted live online; check your email or visit schools.nyc.gov/ESEvents the day before the event to find the password and any other information you’ll need to join, as well as how to receive interpretation. Log onto Zoom at the event’s start time here. They’ll post a recording of the presentation in January.  

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The 2023 Open Streets application, if your plan is to launch on or before 6/30/23, is due 1/31/23. If you plan to launch on or after 7/1/23, or for a school applying for next fall’s 2023-24 academic year, apply by 4/14/23. Visit www.nyc.gov/openstreets#apply to access the application and to learn more about the program.

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The Sanitation Foundation’s upcoming Rat Academy sessions:

• Thursday, 1/26, 6 – 8 pm
• Tuesday, 1/ 31, 5 – 7 pm
• Thursday, 2/9, 5 – 7 pm

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The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations has launched the call for applications for the 6th edition of its Young Peacebuilders programme in Latin America and the Caribbean (2023), aiming to tackle violent extremism by building inclusive societies with understanding and respect among cultural and religious communities. Those between 18 – 25 years who are citizens and residents of a Latin American or Caribbean nation are invited to apply by 2/19 here.

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Worth a reminder: the Dept. of Buildings’ “Buildings After Hours” (PDF) continues every Tuesday from 4 – 7 pm at their Manhattan office at 280 Broadway, with DOB staff from the borough commissioner’s office, borough operations, development inspections, enforcement inspections, plan examination offices, and the Administrative Enforcement Unit. This is an opportunity for homeowners, tenants, small business owners and building managers to ask questions about DOB rules and procedures about a home renovation or construction project, address an open violation on a property, obtain more information about a property, and use online resources including the Buildings Information System (BIS) and DOB NOW.

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Applications are now open for Rise!—a global initiative that finds brilliant people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they work to serve others and build a better world. An initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Rise is the anchor program of a $1 billion commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to find and support global talent. The program starts at ages 15–17 and offers those chosen access to need-based scholarships, a fully-funded residential summit, mentorship, career development, and potential funding. Applications are open until 1/25; learn more at https://www.risefortheworld.org/

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The applications are open for NYCHA's Resident Training Academy (NRTA), which provides employment-linked training opportunities to NYCHA residents, on three tracks:  

Construction and Janitorial. A collaboration between NYCHA, the Robin Hood Foundation, and employment training providers across the city, the NRTA provides residents with technical training. Click the title link to learn more and click here to learn more about the entrance exam, prescreening appointment, and interview process. Applicants must have valid working documentation, be able to lift 50 lbs or more, and 100% available during the work week to participate. 

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The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is available to New Yorkers facing high home utility bills. Eligibility and benefits are based on income, household size, the primary heating source and the age and ability of household members. Click the title link to learn more or click here for application details—apply online, in person or in writing.

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The deadline to file co-op or condo property tax abatement renewals is 2/15. Most properties must also submit a prevailing wage affidavit to qualify for the abatement. 

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Next Friday, 1/27, 10:45 am–1pm, 86th St.: Volunteer with the JCC at the West Side Campaign Against Hunger. Help distribute bags of healthy food and fresh produce to WSCAH’s customers on the sidewalk of 86th Street. Volunteers will be standing outside on concrete under tents in the same general spot for the entire shift, should feel comfortable interacting with the public, and lifting roughly 15 pounds. Spanish proficiency is helpful, but not necessary. Sign up at the link.  

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Registration has begun for the NYPL’s free English classes which start 1/30 and run through April. They have all kinds:  

• ESOL (for non-native speakers seeking to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing)
• Adult Basic Education Classes (for those who already speak English but want to improve their reading and writing)
• English for Work (for intermediate and advanced speakers looking for work or who want a better job), and
• Informal English Conversation Classes where intermediate and advanced English language learners practice by watching We Speak NYC videos and talking about them. Held both in person (often at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in midtown) and online. In January, no sign-up is needed for in-person classes—just drop in. View the schedule here (being careful to note which are in person and which are online). 

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Preserve New York (PNY) grants provide funding to eligible nonprofits and municipalities in New York State for projects that identify, document, and preserve New York’s cultural and historic buildings, structures, and landscapes. Pre-applications for the 2023 PNY grant cycle are due Friday, 3/31. Learn more about eligibility requirements, types of projects funded, and how to apply at either a Zoom webinar on Wednesday, 1/25, 12–1:30 pm, or a drop-in help session for personalized assistance:

• Wednesday, 2/8, 12–1 pm, Click here to register
• Thursday, 2/23, 10–11 am, Click here to register
• Wednesday, 3/15, 12–1 pm, Click here to register
• Monday, 3/27, 9:30–10:30 am, Click here to register

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The Wildlife Conservation Society has launched a new Supplier Diversity Program, which enables certified diverse vendors to gain access to procurement opportunities at WCS zoos and the aquarium. Among the many categories of certified diverse vendors which the new program plans to engage includes Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs); Veteran-owned Business Enterprises (VBEs); Service Disabled Veteran-owned Business Enterprises (SDVBEs); Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender-owned Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs); and several others. Read more in their news release.

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Wednesdays are the free admission day at the Bronx Zoo (and at the NYC Aquarium from 3–7 pm). Timed tickets are available at this link starting Monday mornings at 9 am on a first-come, first-serve basis using the promo code WCSFREE. Maximum of four tickets per order; premium features—including the Children’s Zoo, Monorail, and Zoo Shuttle—require additional fees. For complete visit information, BronxZoo.com/planahead.

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The City Dept. of Transportation has issued an Open Call (PDF) for applicants to paint public artwork on DOT property throughout New York City under their Asphalt Art Activations program; selected artists may receive up to $20,000. Apply at the link by 2/1. 

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Last week we linked to the NY Times’ NY Today newsletter item, “Bike New York Offers Used Bicycles to Asylum Seekers” and now Bike New York’s Bike Donation Program has officially kicked off. If you or anyone you know would like to donate a bike to be refurbished and given to an asylum seeker, Unlimited Biking stores is accepting bikes seven days a week, from 9 am to 5 pm, at their Manhattan locations: 

• 56 W 56th St 
• 346 W 57th St 
• 79 Chambers St 

The City’s DCAS agency is accepting bikes in Queens at 66-26 Metropolitan Ave (take the ramp up one level) from Monday-Friday 10 am – 2:30 pm. And Recycle-A-Bicycle at 858 Fulton St. in Brooklyn is taking bike donations from Tuesday-Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, and Sunday 9 am – 5 pm. 

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The Simon Wiesenthal Center announces the eighth year of its Government Advocacy Internship Program, educating the next generation of Jewish youth about the mechanisms of advocacy. Twenty-five to 50 college and graduate school students from the tri-state area will be selected, receiving hands-on experience in offices of local legislators, governmental agencies  and  issue-based  advocates, learning  about  the mechanisms  of  political  movement. Learn more at the link; application deadline 3/1/23. 

JOBS

Saturday, 1/28, 9 am – 4 pm: Housing Preservation and Development Hiring Fair.  Learn more about becoming a Housing Inspector.

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Friday, 2/3, 10 am – 2 pm, 55 Water St., Concourse Level/BID Room: the City Dept. of Transportation (DOT) is hosting a Job Fair to fill full-time entry-level engineering positions. Please RSVP by Friday, 1/20 at: http://on.nyc.gov/dotjf. Those unable to attend can complete the online form and attach their resume for consideration for future job openings and agency events. Candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree in civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering by June 2023, and be authorized to work in the U.S. The salary is $59,125 for a 35-hour week with robust benefits.
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Saturday, 2/4, 10 am – 3 pm, online: “Youth Jive” job, internship and volunteering expo sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the nonprofit behind the city’s zoos (Bronx, Central Park, Prospect Park, Queens) as well as the NYC Aquarium. It’s an opportunity for New Yorkers ages 14–26 to learn about paid and unpaid positions at their facilities. Participants can attend employment workshops to gain important skills; attend career panels with a variety of WCS staff; and connect directly to hiring managers from a variety of departments. Fourteen and 15-year-olds can learn more about WCS's volunteer opportunities and how to use volunteer positions as a springboard into paid positions down the line. 16-26 year olds can meet hiring managers and learn about the many jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities available at the WCS Zoos and Aquarium. Register at the link above; also check out WCS's job, volunteer, and internship opportunities anytime. Email youth@wcs.org with any additional questions.

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The City Dept. of Administrative Services (DCAS) manages job recruitment for city government, including examinations for Civil Service. Start at this page. Here are a small selection of jobs currently available: 

Administration for Children’s Services

• Youth Development Specialist (50 positions) – Salary $47,393 (annual) - Job ID# 554430
• Child Protective Specialist (125 positions) - Salary $50,757 (annual) -Job ID# 556821
• RA (Reasonable Accommodations) Specialist – Salary $71,423.00 - $ 82,137.00 (Annual) - Job ID# 557385 

Office of Management and Budget Office of Management and Budget

• Unit Head for Sanitation Unit – Salary $103,307.00 (annual) – Job ID# 563683
• Budget Analyst for the Labor Contracts Analysis Unit -  Salary $51,550.00 – $73,806.00 -  (annual) – Job ID# 554394

Office of Technology and Innovation 

• Director, Agency Solutions – Salary: $80,931 - $140,000 (Annual) – Job ID# 535255 
• Associate Data Engineer – Salary: $54,281 - $77,250 (Annual) – Job ID# 520079 
• Chief Engineer, Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment – Salary: $58,700 - $100,000 (Annual) – Job ID# 538050 

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The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District is searching for a Senior Program Manager (PDF) to work on some issues including public realm, planning, and transportation. Click the job title for the desription and how to apply. 

Events.

Tonight, Thursday, 1/19 at 7:30 pm, virtual: Julliard’s The New Series: “A Fiddler's Tale” with students from the Dance, Drama, and Music Divisions. Click this link to view the free live-stream at the time indicated. Their in-person January concerts below are free (first come, first seated) and supported with funding from my City Council office: 

• Monday, 1/23, 4:00 pm, Morse Recital Hall: String Quartet Haydn-a-thon
• Wednesday, 1/25, 6:00 pm, Paul Hall: Sonatenabend
• Tuesday, 1/31, 8:00 pm, Paul Hall: Ziggy and Miles Johnston, Guitar Duo

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Saturday, 1/21, 2:30 – 5:30 pm, Museum of the Chinese in America (220 Centre St.): Celebrate the coming Lunar New Year by attending the free Lunar New Year Family Festival.  

ALSO that day, the Metropolitan Museum’s Lunar New Year Festival celebrating The Year of the Rabbit runs from 11 am to 5 pm, with performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages. All activities are free with Museum admission (which is pay-what-you-wish for NY residents), and no registration is required. 

For more: “Lunar New Year in NYC: Where to Celebrate in 2023” (DocumentedNY)

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Saturday, 1/21, join the Cathedral of St. John the Divine community from 12–4 pm for a family-friendly afternoon carnival culminating in a peacock celebration at 4 pm to celebrate longtime avian residents Phil, Harry and Jim, who are moving to the suburbs. Their amazing plumage and clarion calls have delighted all but in the hope of ensuring continued safety and the best quality of life, the Cathedral is partnering with Animal Nation, a volunteer-run nonprofit wildlife sanctuary to give the trio a happy and healthy retirement in South Salem, NY.

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Saturday, 1/21, York College (Academic Core Building, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Queens): Saturday Citizenship Event. Free screening for citizenship eligibility and help completing applications. Call (646) 664-9400 or (212) 652-2071 to register.

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The American Folk Art Museum (2 Lincoln Square) has a number of upcoming events, including:

• “Closer-Look Exhibition Tour” on 1/22 (at 1 pm each date), which will offer new perspectives on the work of Morris Hirshfield. To register, email education@folkartmuseum.org. 

• Friday, 1/27 from 11 am – 5 pm: “Unexpected Partners: Self-Taught Art and Modernism in Interwar America” a full-day virtual symposium where panelists will revisit a vital moment of American cultural history and highlight the important contributions that unconventional artists such as Morris Hirshfield made to the development of modern art. Click the link for a full list of speakers and schedule.

• Free Music Fridays concert  2/10, 6 pm, Facebook Live. Enjoy new performances by Belle-Skinner, Gramercy Arms, and Belu-Olisa. Register at this link. 

Recordings of past events are at this Vimeo link. 

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Monday, 1/ 23, 11 am, in person at the Kips Bay Branch of the NYPL: Weill Cornell College of Medicine’s Wellness Series: Parkinson's Disease with Dr. Harini Sarva, Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine. Parkinson's Disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's, with approximately 60,000 Americans diagnosed each year. Learn more by RSVPing for this seminar at the link.

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Tuesday 1/24, noon–12:30 pm, virtual: Rabbi Joanna Samuels Interviews the Interviewers: Antisemitism + Journalism Today. Hear from top Jewish journalists exploring how they cover the important issue of antisemitism through the lens of journalism. Click the link to register.

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Tuesday, 1/24, 4 – 5:30 pm, virtual: Fundraising Energy: Using Events to Engage Donors. Kimberly Goodis, former Senior Program Officer of Individual Giving at New York Foundation for the Arts, will share key strategies for artists planning fundraising events this year. Learn tips for planning in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, and discover tools that can work in tandem with your project development to maximize its reach and impact. 

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Tuesday, 1/24, 6–7:30 pm, online: “The Little Ice Age in the Dutch North Atlantic” A panel on how periods of severe cold and drought in the 17th century led the Netherlands and New Netherland to deal with profound environmental change more effectively than most other countries. Moderated by Manhattan Borough Historian Rob Snyder with historical geologist Chelsea Teale and environmental historian Dagomar Degroot. Click the title above to register and be sent a viewing link; learn more about the sponsor, the New Amsterdam History Center, here.

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Wednesday, 1/25, 6:30–7:30 pm, New-York Historical Society (170 Central Park West):  James C. Cobb discusses his book “C. Vann Woodward: America’s Historian” with Eric Foner, part of the NYHS Bernard and Irene Schwartz Distinguished Speakers Series. Use discount code D623 for free tickets at the link. 

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Wednesday, 2/1, 6:30 pm, NYC Fire Museum, 278 Spring St: Person Place Thing podcast taping with guest Gary Urbanowicz, the FDNY historian, in discussion with Randy Cohen, the Person Place Thing creator (and former Ethicist columnist at the NY Times Magazine). Click the link to RSVP. (Coming 2/22: NYC Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh at the Municipal Archive.)

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Sunday, 2/5, 12 – 3 pm, Congregation Rodeph Sholom (7 W. 83rd St): At Family Fun Day & Camp Fair, kids can play and participate in fun activities—games, raffles, arts & crafts, face painting, balloon animals, and music—and parents can meet day, sleepaway and specialty camp exhibitors all in one place, in one afternoon.

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Thursday, 2/9, 7–8:30 pm, in person, Marlene Meyerson JCC (334 Amsterdam Ave at 76th St): Banned Books Panel with PEN America (part of the Books That Changed My Life Festival). PEN America champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Join Jonathan Friedman for a timely panel discussion with banned authors and topic experts, including YA author David Levithan (Boy Meets Boy, Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, Dash & Lily) and additional guests TBA.

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Thursday, 2/16, 4 – 5 pm, online: Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series: Heart Health Practical, effective tools to avoid, reduce and manage heart health will be discussed by Tracy K. Paul, MD, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. Click the link to register. 

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Quirk of the week: swurl.com is a new search engine with a few twists. It is optimized for smartphones and instantly searches all of Google, LinkedIn, Instagram, Amazon, YouTube, Images, News and Reddit all at once. And instead of clicking what interests you, all results are viewed by scrolling or swiping (which the designers think is easier than clicking). If you’re digitally adept, it’s worth a look.