New York City Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio said that one of his first acts after taking office this week will be to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park. Speaking at a news conference Monday, de Blasio said it was inhumane to expose the horses to the city's dangerous streets. "We are going to quickly and aggressively move to make horse carriages no longer a part of the landscape in New York City," de Blasio said, according to NBC New York . "They are not humane. ... It's over." Animal rights advocacy groups lauded de Blasio's pledge. "We believe that the use of carriage horses in 21st century New York City is unnatural, unnecessary, and an undeniable strain on the horses’ quality of life," Stacy Wolf, senior vice president of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group, said in an email to NBC News. Carriage operators beg to differ. Stephen Malone, who's been in the business for 26 years, told NBC News that he anticipates a long and contentious bout with de Blasio over … [Read more...] about ‘It’s over’: New York City Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio vows to ban horse-drawn carriages
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Man arrested near home of Iranian dissident faces gun charge
NEW YORK (AP) — A man arrested in New York City last month near the home of an Iranian opposition activist and writer has been indicted on a weapons count. The indictment charges Khalid Mehdiyev with one count of possessing a firearm, a Chinese-made AK-47-style assault rifle, with an obliterated serial number. Police arrested Mehdiyev last month after he was seen lurking near the Brooklyn home of Masih Alinejad, looking in the window and trying to open the front door. Mehdiyev initially claimed he was in the neighborhood looking for a room to rent but later admitted he had been in the area “looking for someone,” according to the criminal complaint. He has been held without bail since his arrest July 29. A message was left with his attorney Thursday evening. Alinejad became a U.S. citizen in 2019 after working for years as a journalist in Iran. She fled the country after its disputed 2009 presidential election and has become a prominent figure on Farsi-language satellite … [Read more...] about Man arrested near home of Iranian dissident faces gun charge
Tips for saving on your commute amid high inflation
NEW YORK (AP) — Gas prices are falling but still higher than they were a year ago. And inflation has made most everything else more expensive. If you're looking to save money on your commute, here are some tips: IF YOU HAVE A CAR: MAKE A DRIVING STRATEGY AAA recommends avoiding traffic and adjusting your normal route in order to avoid unnecessary driving. When possible, visit “one-stop shops” where you can run multiple errands in the same space and only use premium gas for cars that either recommend it or require it. “Paying for premium gas for a car that is regular is a waste of money and is of no benefit to the vehicle,” according to AAA. MODERATE YOUR SPEED Driving the speed limit can help you save money. Most vehicles reach optimal fuel economy at 50 mph. For every 5 mph you drive over that, it can cost an additional 30 cents per gallon, according to fueleconomy.org. For more tips to save on fuel, the U.S. government offers recommendations such as how to choose a … [Read more...] about Tips for saving on your commute amid high inflation
The Pride of “The City That Works”
0 This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own. Sports Stamford's Bobby V is still a civic treasure. Scott Benjamin , Community Contributor Posted | Updated Reply By Scott Benjamin STAMFORD, CT – Twenty years ago, S.L. (Scott) Price wrote in Sports Illustrated that from the time he was a teenager, Bobby Valentine "was seen as a civic treasure" in a city that in the 1960s Time magazine called "a dingy factory town." Stamford, where Valentine and later Price grew up, is now called "The City That Works" and over the last 15 years has jumped over Waterbury and Hartford to become the state's third most populated city. The signs near Interstate-95 on the high-rise buildings for Henkel, Indeed, WWE, UBS, NBC Sports and Thomson-Reuters make you think, "This isn't Connecticut." "Over the last 25 years we did what successes do, and that is we were able to adjust," … [Read more...] about The Pride of “The City That Works”
Home prices hit a new record high in the second quarter
(CNN) Despite rising mortgage rates that dampened sales, home prices continued to climb higher in the second quarter, with many more cities seeing double-digit price gains than in the first part of the year. The median single-family existing home price in the second quarter was $413,500 -- the first time this quarterly price has ever risen above $400,000, according to the latest quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors. Home prices for the quarter were up 14.2% from a year ago, slightly slower than the 15.4% year-over-year price increase experienced in the first quarter. A majority, 80%, of US metro areas saw double-digit home price increases last quarter, or 148 out of 185. That's up from 70% of cities in the first quarter. "Home prices have increased at a pace that far exceeds wage gains, especially for low- and middle-income workers," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. Read More Together with rising mortgage … [Read more...] about Home prices hit a new record high in the second quarter
‘I Was So Embarrassed’: Crystal Kung Minkoff Slams ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Eating Disorder Jokes
When does a cliffhanger cross the line? It’s a question some viewers of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills want to know. Last week’s episode ended with “to be continued,” Bravo’s oft-used dramatic signal to the audience that a cliffhanger of drama would continue. There are numerous times this has been used successfully to engage the audience in heightened drama—on The Real Housewives of New York City alone it was shown during a meltdown in the Berkshires, the nearly-capsized Boat Ride from Hell in Cartagena, and when Luann de Lesseps discovered it was, in fact, about Tom —but the recent dramatic embellishment on RHOBH landed differently, because of the topic on hand. Beverly Hills Housewife Crystal Kung Minkoff had opened up on the show about her struggles with bulimia and body dysmorphia. And over the last two episodes, Minkoff was approached with questions and comments from her cast that could be deemed inappropriate to direct to someone with an eating disorder. … [Read more...] about ‘I Was So Embarrassed’: Crystal Kung Minkoff Slams ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Eating Disorder Jokes