A new bill in the New York State Senate aims to require New York City to expand its gifted programs at elementary and middle schools to help more students better compete for selective public high schools. The effort draws support from groups pushing to preserve the current admissions system for Stuyvesant High School and seven other specialized high schools that determine entry by a single exam. They argue that the city should do more to support gifted children from disadvantaged communities rather than changing the admission... … [Read more...] about Lawmaker Seeks to Expand Gifted Programs in New York City
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Four people, including boy, killed in New York City shooting
(Reuters) - Four people, including a young boy, were shot and killed on Monday in a New York City apartment, police said. Two females, one male and a boy, about five years old, were found dead from gunshot wounds inside the apartment in the borough of Queens, after police and emergency crews were called to the scene a little before 9 p.m., New York City Police Department Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea told a news conference. Police are investigating if the shooting was a murder-suicide, Shea said. “We will take the evidence where ever it leads us,” he said. “We don’t want to leave any stone unturned.” Reporting by Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore … [Read more...] about Four people, including boy, killed in New York City shooting
The Best Things to Do in New York City This Weekend, July 26-29
A Drake-themed cruise, a Brazil-themed street fair, a glow-in-the-dark dance party and more of the best things to do in New York City this weekend. Watch anime all weekend It’s the 15th anniversary of Animation Block Party, BAM’s annual survey of what’s new in the cartoon world with four days of shows and movies by professional, indie and student artists here and abroad. This year highlights female animators, and will have a screening dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the anime classic Akira. There’s also a night just for experimental films and music videos. The fest kicks off with a free Opening Night Party at Littlefield on Thursday. July 26-29, BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, $15, animationblock.com Prospect Park holds a fish(ing) fry Some people love fishing for the sake of catching fish, and some just like to hang out and knock back a cold one with friends, then enjoy the spoils later with someone’s secret family recipe. … [Read more...] about The Best Things to Do in New York City This Weekend, July 26-29
New York City basketball legend Robert ‘Bob’ Williams transitions
Robert A. “Bob” Williams was a giant of a man. Not in his stature, although he was an imposing 6-foot-4. Bob’s eminence is defined by the many lives he influenced, boys and girls, men and women —this writer among them—who have, in turn, paid it forward by positively influencing others. Bob transitioned last Wednesday at the age of 77, after enduring a long illness that had him bedridden, as his close friend, New York City basketball legend Tom Konchalski, movingly expressed at Bob’s memorial service in the Bronx Tuesday evening, “for 31 very painful months.” He is survived by his wonderful wife Milda, a shining example of a spouse, and children Robert, Scherece and Tiffany. “Bob was the truest representation of a friend,” expressed longtime New York basketball fixture Ernesto Morris, speaking at the service. “He epitomized character… and giving to others,” said his childhood … [Read more...] about New York City basketball legend Robert ‘Bob’ Williams transitions
Daily News cuts drive fears New York City’s becoming ‘local news desert’
Zach Haberman, who was laid off Monday morning from the New York Daily News, acknowledged shortly after leaving the newsroom that the situation “sucks.” But the real story, he stressed, is “not about any individual.” “This is about this city. This is about this institution,” Haberman, who was the Daily News’ breaking news editor, told POLITICO. “And this is about the people who live here, and they lose from this.”Story Continued Below The decimation of the Daily News follows a familiar storyline in a struggling industry, as a national newspaper chain — in this case, Chicago-based Tronc — announces a “restructuring” (aka layoffs) of a paper that’s already been downsized in recent years. Tronc, which just bought the Daily News in September, laid off staffers at its Chicago Tribune in March and recently sold the Los Angeles Times, which was spared the axe as a result. But Tronc’s decision to cut the … [Read more...] about Daily News cuts drive fears New York City’s becoming ‘local news desert’