Monday, June 24, 2024
Sunny. High 84 degrees.
The heat will break slightly on Monday, before rising back above 90 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Notices
Our calendar has lots of local events. Click on the link or the lady in the upper righthand corner to check.
No major federal holidays this week, although there has been a continuing push in Congress to make Election Day a federal holiday, by those claiming it would increase voter turnout.
Election Day in New York City is on Tuesday. A portion of the Upper West Side and a larger chunk of Morningside Heights will have a chance to cast their votes in the Assembly District 69 race. (More to come on that below). You can find your polling site — HERE.
Upper West Side News
By Gus Saltonstall
Over the last few months, Bob Eckstein has become a stellar part of West Side Rag with his WSR Cartoons. The writer, illustrator, and author is also a longtime cartoonist for The New Yorker.
Eckstein recently published a new book called “Footnotes From the Most Fascinating Museums,” an illustrated guide to cultural and artistic centers across the country, which he sat down to discuss with The New York Times last week.
The book includes 75 museums that Eckstein spent more than a year visiting, photographing, and sketching.
“He envisions families using it as their ‘summer vacation bucket list’ to discover the riches available at institutions,” The New York Times wrote about the book. “His illustrations capture the feeling of walking through galleries or pausing to consider an artwork.”
Check out the full Times story — HERE.
A new art installation was up on the UWS over the weekend on the West End Avenue steps of St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church on West 86th Street.
For those locals who might have walked by and had questions, here’s some information.
The installation included multiple doors by the artist V.L. Cox, created in response to the proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which would have allowed discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community in Arkansas on the basis of religious beliefs.
The “End Hate Door Installation” was up from Friday through Sunday night.
You can find out more about the installation — HERE.
Last week, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office dropped the majority of charges against dozens of people who were arrested on the last day of April for occupying a building on the Columbia University campus during a pro-Palestine rally.
At a hearing on Thursday, the DA’s office said it would not pursue charges for 31 of the 46 people that were arrested on trespassing charges after taking over the Hamilton Hall administration building within the Morningside Heights campus.
Those charges were dropped largely due to a lack of evidence, prosecutors said. Additionally, prosecutors told the 14 other people that their cases would also be dropped if they did not get arrested over the next six months, but the group of defendants rejected the offer and instead will have another court date on July 25.
Columbia University confirmed to NBC that of the 46 people arrested, at least 14 were undergraduate students, nine were graduate students, six were students of affiliated schools, and two were school employees.
Columbia has also said their own internal disciplinary process for students is still ongoing.
You can read more about the situation — HERE.
With Election Day almost upon us, the Upper West Side Coalition, a group of local block associations and community groups, hosted an Assembly District 69 candidate forum last week to give voters another chance to hear viewpoints.
Steve Anderson, president of the coalition, moderated the forum, reading questions submitted by community members. Candidates Eli Northrup, Jack Kellner, Melissa Rosenberg, and Micah Lasher all took part, while the fifth Democratic candidate in the race, Carmen Quinones, did not. Following introductory statements by the four candidates, questions covered public safety, pedestrian safety, housing, cannabis, seniors, education, and more.
You can watch the entire candidate forum for yourself — HERE. It makes a difference seeing and hearing the candidates, even virtually.
And here is the Rag’s coverage of the race leading to the election:
- Daniel O’Donnell, Longtime UWS and Morningside Heights Rep, Won’t Seek Reelection
- Race to Replace Danny O’Donnell: Candidates Competing to Represent the UWS and Morningside Heights
- Micah Lasher Announces Candidacy for UWS, Morningside Heights Assembly District With Slew of High-Profile Endorsements
- The Race for Danny O’Donnell’s State Assembly Seat Is On: Endorsements, Fundraising Totals
- Incumbent Danny O’Donnell Endorses Eli Northrup For District 69
- Eli Northrup Conversation
- Micah Lasher Conversation
- Melissa Rosenberg Conversation
- Carmen Quinones Conversation
- Jack Kellner Conversation
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here.
I would have bet big money that Bragg would drop all the charges. Palestinian rioters get a free pass in this city.
If a group of individuals collectively occupy a place illegally and all are present when police enter, there should be no necessity for them to be on film to bring a case against them.
No evidence, no case. Meanwhile, millions spent on police overtime to appease Columbia’s Board of Trustees and big money donors.
Seems like a great use of taxpayer money
The cameras were turned off as soon as the protestors entered the building, hence the lack of evidence. Bragg didn’t turn them off, but his office did need that footage to pursue charges from his office. That does not mean they are off the hook. Columbia can still pursue its case against them
Actually, the cameras were not “turned off”. These protesters painted over the lens so the cameras couldn’t film anyone.
Sounds like you would have lost big money. And what evidence do you have that all of the individuals charged were Palestinian? What it sounds like happened is that the DA’s office is only pursuing cases where there’s enough evidence to make a conviction likely. Isn’t that exactly how it’s supposed to go?
No. The protestors arrested in the building trashed the cameras. Meanwhile, they were arrested INSIDE the building. That’s all the evidence anyone needed. Now they can go commit crimes again with no repercussions. That’s why we have so many repeat offenders in this City. Can’t wait for a new District Attorney so we can get some law and order back. It’s ridiculous.
Except they’re all getting suspended or expelled. Good luck getting a job.
Thanks for putting this all together. Can you please talk to Carmen Quinones again? She’s on the ballot twice. She put together a slate of candidates from the Frederick Douglass Houses for the judicial nominating convention, but I can’t find any decent information anywhere on the race. What is she hoping to accomplish? How would she vote at the convention? What does she look for in a judge? She doesn’t have enough candidates for a full slate, so what does she want supporters to do with their other votes? On what grounds was her eligibility for the position challenged, and why was that challenge dismissed? I tried reaching out to her campaign email address but got no response. How are we supposed to vote if no one is covering the race, there are no campaign websites for it, and the candidates don’t have a public social media presence?
It is unfortunate that there wasn’t notification of the End Hate art installation on the Rag at the start of the installation. I ran across it Saturday and am glad I did. It is extremely powerful. I recommend that readers of the Rag click on the link and see the photograph there, since the photo on the Rag doesn’t convey the full power and message of the work. It is remarkable
I’m sorry I missed it too. It says so much so simply and with such power. Thanks to the Rag for bringing it to our attention.
The big problem I have is that there are Muslims that have nothing to do with the pro Palestinian protests and condemn stuff like ripping down the hostage posters yet they still get profiled and made to feel unwelcome on the UWS. Call Gale Brewer’s office about those type of incidents and she does not care and tries to pass the buck onto other entities. Muslims should not be collectively punished on the UWS for the pro Palestinian protestors many of whom are not even Muslim or have any vested interest in the middle east
I’m comment probably won’t be t published – let’s see. The thing is it is not politically correct in this country and in this city at this time to stand up for Muslims – that’s the sad truth. She won’t stick her neck out near election time
As a community leader, sometimes leadership is about not inflaming the situation further and working to diffuse tension. Any elected official could work very hard to do that privately and resolve concerns privately without them even being made public. I am sure the last thing anyone wants is WSR or some other news outlet doing a story on an incident involving Muslims because the community leadership would not lift a finger for Muslims.
Bragg not pressing charges was pretty much the most predictable thing ever. NYC is operating under completely politicized justice. If you’re far Left enough or are (or claim to be) part of an “oppressed” group, you can commit whatever crimes you want with impunity. The concept of justice has died in NYC.
If you are Muslim you get seen as less American in this country.
People destroy property and there is no consequence. That is why it keeps happening.