Monday Bulletin: UWS Daycare Workers Accused of Abuse; Liam Neeson’s UWS Apartment Finally Sells; AMNH Offers Free Membership to Some NYers; Columbia Adopts New Definition of Antisemitism

Monday, July 21

Mostly sunny and less humid, high 84 — a great day to be outside.

Tomorrow should be much like today, but temperatures will climb later in the week, with a high of 95 expected on Friday and Saturday. No rain in the forecast until the weekend.

On this day in 1853, the New York State Legislature authorized the city’s use of eminent domain to acquire more than 700 acres in the heart of Manhattan for the creation of an urban oasis to be known as “The Central Park.” It wasn’t without controversy; the park displaced an established African-American community called Seneca Village as well as 1,600 poor residents living in shanties along its borders. But 172 years later, the resulting park — the first landscaped public park in the country — is an essential part of the daily life of many New Yorkers, as well as the city’s No. 1 tourist attraction, visited by more than 42 million people every year.

Notices

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UWS News

By Laura Muha

Three employees of a Columbus Circle daycare center have been arrested in connection with a series of incidents in which toddlers allegedly were dragged by their arms and hair, force-fed ginger shots, hit in the head with metal bottles, and sprayed in the face with a mixture of soap and bleach.

People Magazine identified the three as Evelyn Vargas, 47; Shakia Henley, 36; and Latia Townes, 23, who were employed at Bright Horizons at Columbus Circle, a local branch of one of the largest daycare providers in the country. All three women are facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child, and Vargas also is facing several assault charges, the magazine said.

As many as nine children between the ages of 1 and 2 may have been victimized between October 2024 and February 2025, when the city’s Department of Health received a complaint about alleged abuse at the center, located at 910 Ninth Avenue, city officials confirmed. The department began an investigation the same day, though the employees already had been fired by the time the complaint was received.

Vargas is accused of covering a toddler’s mouth and part of her nose with packing tape from “ear to ear.” She also is accused of dragging a toddler by her hair for several feet, and of dragging several others by their arms. She also allegedly force-fed two children ginger shots, stuffed their mouths with tissue, and tied them to chairs, according to the complaint against her. Her attorney told CBS News that Vargas has been working with children for 21 years, and “maintains her innocence.”

Townes, whose attorney was not available for comment, is accused of hitting three toddlers in the head with a metal bottle, and Henley is accused of spraying a toddler in the face with a mix of soap and bleach. Her attorney told People she will plead not guilty.

In an email to CBS News, a Bright Horizons spokeswoman was quoted as saying that it learned of the situation in February; the company fired the employees and contacted investigators immediately. “Our concern has always been for the children and families involved and we remain committed to supporting them. Our most important responsibility is to provide a nurturing and safe environment for children,” the spokesperson said.

Read the full story — HERE and HERE.

If you were considering buying Liam Neeson’s Lincoln Square apartment, we’re sorry to tell you that you missed your chance. The five-bedroom, five-bath apartment finally is in contract, nearly 18 months after the Irish actor first attempted to sell it, the New York Post reports.

The apartment, located on the 28th floor of the Park Millennium building at 111 West 67th Street, first was listed for sale for $12.75 million in early 2024. However, Neeson pulled it off the market when it failed to find a buyer. Four months ago, he relisted it for $10.75 million with a new broker, Matthew Coleman of Coleman Real Estate. The buyer and the price the apartment sold for won’t be known until the sale is complete.

The 4,524-square-foot apartment reportedly features wrap-around windows with views of the city and of Central Park; an eat-in chef’s kitchen with a pantry; a great room and a master bedroom suite that includes two spa-like baths, a home office/library and a gym.

Neeson reportedly bought the apartment for $3.9 million in 1999. Past residents of the building have included Howard Stern and Jon Bon Jovi.

Read the full story — HERE.

The Museum of Natural History says science belongs to everyone — and it’s backing its words with a free membership tier for people who might not otherwise be able to afford it.  

New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program –SNAP, for short — can present their electronic benefits transfer card at the museum to receive a free one-year “Discoverer” membership. It will allow them to bring up to four guests per visit, and also grants them entrance into special exhibitions that would otherwise require paying an extra fee for a ticket.

“The new Discoverer membership exemplifies our conviction that the Museum, and science, belong to everyone, and everyone belongs at the Museum. I hope our new Member families will enjoy many days of fun, learning, and enrichment here,” said Museum President Sean M. Decatur in announcing the initiative.

The museum already allows New York State residents to pay what they wish for general admission to the museum, though the suggested donation is $25 for adults and $14 for children ages 3 to 12. Non-New York State residents pay $30 for general admission.

Read the full story — HERE.

Columbia University will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-semitism, and in a related move, says it will no longer recognize the student coalition that has organized the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

In addition, the university says it will appoint coordinators to oversee compliance with Title VI and VII laws, which prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The university also said it would provide additional antisemitism training for faculty, staff, and students; and to affirm a zero-tolerance policy for hate and antisemitism on campus.

The actions stem from ongoing negotiations with the Trump administration over millions in federal funding canceled by the administration, which alleges the university failed to protect Jewish students from harassment in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. The New York Times reported that the two parties are nearing an agreement that would restore at least some of the funding.

Read the full story — HERE and HERE.

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