Today is Monday, August 10th, 2026
Today’s forecast calls for hazy sun with a high of 89. The rest of the week should be similar: Highs in the 80s every day, high humidity, and a mix of sun and clouds. Thunderstorms possible tomorrow and Wednesday.
On this date in 1939, the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” based on L. Frank Baum’s bestselling book and starring Judy Garland as Dorothy, held its worldwide premiere in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It would go on to be nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and would win two: Best Original Song for “Over the Rainbow,” and Best Original Score. In addition, Garland received an Academy Juvenile Award, which was a special honorary Oscar bestowed at the discretion of the governing board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences between the years of 1934 and 1960. She was one of 12 young actors to receive the award, which has since been discontinued.
Notices
Our calendar has lots of local events. Click on the link or the lady in the upper righthand corner to check.
News Roundup
Compiled by Laura Muha
It isn’t often that Lancaster Farming — a Pennsylvania-based publication focused on agricultural news — has reason to turn its attention to New York City. But it did just that last week, taking a look at how the proposed ban on Central Park carriage horses could affect horse-related industries in the Mid-Atlantic region.
As it turns out, the ripple effects could be significant — and not in a good way. Businesses throughout the region provide everything from the horses themselves to the wheelworks for the carriages, to the transportation companies that ferry the horses to and from their state-mandated rest breaks, the publication reported.
“It’s gonna be terrible for everybody,” Rich Fountaine, who owns a horse farm in Oak Ridge, N.J., told Lancaster Farming. For decades, he’s been transporting carriage horses back and forth to farms in the Mid-Atlantic region for their state-mandated five-week vacations each year.
He said he’d heard from farriers who shoe the horses, harness shops, and buggy hardware shops, all of which are worried about the ban. “They’re very upset about it, and it will definitely have a trickle-down effect,” Fountaine said. “No doubt about it.”
The City Council is currently considering a law that would ban carriage horses in the park. Called Romanch’s Law, after 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan, who died after falling from a carriage in Central Park in May, it also includes a provision to help “retrain” the carriage drivers for other work.
Read the full story — HERE.
Earlier this summer, the City Council approved a new law allowing the sanitation department to quite literally stick it to the half-million vehicles that violate alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules every week. It’s now gone into effect and City Councilmember Gale Brewer and Department of Sanitation Commissioner Greg Anderson recently hit the streets together to help launch it, affixing neon green “stickers of shame” to the windows of cars that were in the way of street sweepers.
The stickers had been in use for years by the Department of Sanitation, and “were one of the City’s most effective tools for improving [parking] compliance,” said Brewer. But they were banned in 2012 after drivers complained that they left gummy residue on the glass that was difficult to remove.
The glue used on the new stickers will be easier to remove — but Brewer still thinks it will be effective.
“I have hope that this will encourage the scofflaws to move their damn cars!” she wrote in her weekly newsletter.
Read The New York Times’ coverage of the new law — HERE, and Gothamist’s coverage — HERE.
The owners of the Mermaid Inn have signed a lease on the West 74th Street space formerly occupied by Patsy’s Pizza, the Commercial Observer reported.
Husband-and-wife restaurateurs Danny Abrams and Cindy Smith “secured the 2,300-square-foot lease, plus a basement space, at $130 per square foot,” the publication reported, quoting Carson Shahrabani, a senior associate with Meridian Capital Group, who represented the couple in the negotiations.
Shahrabani told the publication that the restaurant, at 61 West 74th Street (between Columbus and Central Park West), remains unnamed and its concept undecided. “Abrams declined to share additional details on the new lease,” added the publication.
Read the full story — HERE.
The Central Park Zoo has some new additions: two rare black-and-white ruffed lemurs, who were born April 5 and recently made their public debut.
The fraternal twins – a male named Masco and a female named Tonga — belong to a species native to Madagascar, which are critically endangered in nature, reported Popular Science. Scientists estimate their population in the wild has shrunk more than 80 percent over the past three generations, due largely to poaching and habitat loss. The twins were born as part of a zoo-based breeding program and species survival plan.
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs play a critical role in the ecosystem of Madagascar, feeding on the nectar of a palm-tree-like plant called a Traveler’s tree. Its pollen sticks to their faces, then moves with them to other plants, pollinating them, Popular Science reported.
“Lemurs play important roles in protecting plant species and maintaining healthy ecosystems through seed dispersal,” Central Park Zoo Animal Curator Susan Cardillo told the publication. “In addition to the spread of pollen from their snouts, they are highly frugivorous [fruit eaters] and pass seeds in their feces across forest landscapes. They are sometimes called the ‘rainforest gardeners.’”
Read the full story — HERE and see a video of the twins in action — HERE.
In Other UWS News
- The Boston Herald did an in-depth interview with filmmaker Penny Lane about the documentary Wild Inside, about Flaco the owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo. Read it — HERE.
- Gothamist took up our challenge, to find the bolt in the Central Park rock. Read about it — HERE.
- Secret NYC recently published a guide to what it called an end-of-summer UWS “rosé crawl” — for those who want to “drink some pink,” as the publication termed it. Read the story — HERE.
ICYMI
Here are a few stories we think are worth a look if you missed them last week — or a second look if you saw them. (Note that our comments stay open for six days after publication, so you may not be able to comment on all of them.)
How an Upper West Side Widow Found Comfort and Herself Through AI
‘Everything Must Go’ Signs Appear at UWS Barzini’s: Store Says it’s Not Closing
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The sidewalk shed around the Patsy’s building is approaching 20 years old! Must be a building issue.
They removed the scaffolding months ago, yet the shed remains. Was thinking maybe they’re awaiting another inspection?
Streets need to be cleaned no question.
So why is the City permitting restaurant sheds in the streets?
Can’t clean streets there
Not much need to clean that which is covered.
stuff gets underneath
🙁
They hose that – not trying to argue, but that doesn’t seem to be a major issue.
Just walked by Cafe Luxembourg (70th Street) which has a street shed structure with a floor – don’t see how that could be reliably hosed?
In addition, debris can accumulate under the floor.
Same issue with other restaurants with that type of structure.
Ah, a performative gesture with no real impact–of course Gale Brewer is front and center!
If that was my car I would take her to court for vandalism… is she deputized to do this?
It’s not her fault so many drivers are selfish. Of course, ticketing in meaningful amounts is more productive
Agreed. The stickers are pointless. How about enforcing collection of tickets that are given for not moving your car? And don’t cut special bulk deals with businesses who do this and basically don’t care. And maybe do a double fine for unmoved cars with out-of-state plates.
and triple the base parking ticket, it hasn’t changed in ~15 years
We have no obligation to endure horse manure all over the park to prop up the horse industry in PA & NJ
Barzini’s has closed.
It closed? When? The owner told me they were negotiating the lease!
It’s going to be terrible for everybody… except the horses.
Exactly…I’m not feeling sorry for an industry that puts horses in dangerous situations and basically makes them do the same thing over and over and over…..I look in the eyes of the horses and they look so sad. I’m sorry to all the people whose livelihood will be affected but may I suggest a job that doesn’t exploit animals?
Where will the horses go? I know everyone says there are sanctuaries but are there enough spots for these horses to go and be properly cared for for lofe of the city shuts them down tomorrow?
Exactly – a horse without a job, is a horse on a trailer heading to Mexico for slaughter. People for get that. People think it is so easy to just dismissively say “they can go into retirement” – it’s not that simple. Feeding horses is crazy expensive and there are not many retirement situations out there. These horses are loved and cared for which is more then they will have being thrown out in a field somewhere without true care. The city is a tough environment but overall the horses are well cared for and looked after and loved.
Compared to the overall horse population the number of working horses in NYC is trivial. They will be fine. This is far from a good reason not to do this.
The glue used on the new stickers will be easier to remove — but Brewer still thinks it will be effective. “I have hope that this will encourage the scofflaws to move their damn cars!” she wrote in her weekly newsletter.
Yeah, hope and encouragement is what compels scofflaws in this city… And easily removable stickers.
We should tow cars that are in the way of street sweepers. That’d take care of the issue nicely.
“…forcing horses to haul people around in traffic, with all the stressors and dangers it presents, is fundamentally unacceptable.
“No regulation on the books can make this barbaric, abusive and archaic industry ever meet the standards of who we are as a city,” said Daniel Kurzyna, chief of staff for city council member Robert Holden, primary sponsor of Intro 573.“
– from Lancaster Farming Aug 2026.
This says it all. The TINY number of people who make horseshoes and harnesses can be retrained A dead horse cannot be brought back to life.
In traffic? I thiught the carriage rides were confined to Central Park. Granted they travel to/from their stables each morning and evening but they aren’t “hauling people” at that time.
I’m not coming down as for or against the carriages but would like to have all the facts straight.
While I am sympathetic to the various people and businesses that will be adversely impacted by ending the horse-and-carriage industry in NYC, the balance is not in their favor.
Since 1982, there have been 120 documented accidents involving H&Cs, leading to: THIRTY dead horses (though a handful did die of natural causes); many other horses injured; several drivers injured; and now the actual death of a tourist. There is a point at which all of this is NOT okay. And that point was reached long ago.
The harmful and even inhumane aspects of this unnecessary anachronism far outweigh the few people and businesses that will be affected. It is hardly the first industry to face something like this, and vendors for those other industries survived. These will, too.
The actual lives (as opposed to livelihoods) of people and horses come first. Everything else is second. Not one more horse or person needs to die, or even be injured. It is way past time to end this quaint but harmful industry.
Let’s ban cars as well in the city. They kill and injure many more people each year.
A ban would obviously be impossible, even were there the political will for it. But the focus on bikes and bike lanes (although being “managed” and rolled out poorly) – among other new programs and policies (congestion pricing, new parking violations, possible residential parking permits, etc.) – all add up to an attempt to make NYC more car-free than it has been – not least because, as you note, cars are responsible for the overwhelming majority of accidents that lead to pedestrian and biker injuries and deaths.
So you may be making your comment with your tongue at least partially in your cheek, but there are many who believe that we DO need to start limiting and even reducing the number of cars in the City.
All or nothing is not a good way to manage society – that’s a big part of what’s wrong with our country right now.
There’s much room to improve how we control and derive revenue from precious parking resources , but we need to pilot new idea and see which work.
Unfortunately, the stickers won’t be used on the cars of the worst scofflaws: the people who sit in their cars and refuse to move, even when the street cleaner beeps at them. The don’t get ticketed (because they are STANDING, not PARKING) and the street doesn’t get cleaned.
I don’t know about YOUR traffic enforcement agents, but the ones in my UWS neighborhood absolutely DO ticket ANYONE who is either parked, or in their car and refuses to move. That is why the line of double-parked cars on the opposite side of my block literally stretches from one avenue to the other. NO ONE messes with an UWS traffic agent. 😉
Technically they are parked. Here’s the definition:
“ Parking. “Parking” means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading property or passengers.”
And if they refuse to move they should be ticketed and, perhaps, booted. THAT would drive the lesson home.
I’m a big fan of booting. Without the tow pound in the West 30’s anymore, it’s too much of an effort and inefficient to tow cars. A vehicle can carry many boots and is a more efficient strategy than towing.
They should be ticketed – if the rules are written such that they aren’t, then the rules should be changed.
There should also be a database of those who get these tickets and the cost should go up for each repeat offense.
Perhaps Mermaid will bring back their pizza concept, Pizzeria Sirenetta. Anyone here remember that place?
Yep – used to live around the corner and went there quite a bit. (Often when Mermaid was too busy! lol)
I went there once. I really liked their atmosphere but there is a lot better pizza all over the place
Yes! It was really good! Sad when it closed. This location would be very close to Parla, though, so not sure it would work
Methinks the Lancaster Farmer doth protest too much.
There must be plenty of work in and around Lancaster County itself for the farriers, harness makers and buggy hardware shops. Other much larger industries have had to adjust to changes in the economy and the zeitgeist.
Lancaster County is the center of the Amish community in PA. So I agree; there must be a lot of work and sales for the vendors, with or without the NYC carriage trade.
I invite all of the people who will be so terribly affected by the end of the carriage horse industry to join the rest of us in 2026 and leave the poor horses out of it.
Man I wish I got as good of vacation time as the horses. Can we work on state mandated 5 week vacation for ALL workers please? This discrimination against humans is unlawful
I think the stickers of shame are great and could have wider application. I think bikes, e-bikes and scooters that are parked blocking the sidewalk should get the stickers. I suppose it’s just not practical to put them on people. A shame.
PS. They should go back to the heavier adhesive. People will think about why they got the sticker while they scrape it off.
The proposed horse-carriage ban will have a ripple effect on horses, too. What do you think will be their fate if a second career in Central Park is no longer a possibility? Don’t ask.
Maybe Mermaid will bring back Sirena which was very good. While they are at it – Mermaid – if you are reading this – please bring back the mini gratis chocolate pudding at the end of the meal!! At Sirena they gave mini panna cottas. It was such a gracious gesture and made me want to come back and back and back. The new Mermaid is so much closer to my house – but lacks the warmth of the original UWS location (not to mention the OG East Village location).
Sadly a horse without a job, is a horse on a trailer being shipped across the border for slaughter.
There is no easy retirement set-up for horses. They are expensive to keep fed – bales of hay are very very expensive. These horses are well cared for and have a job. People seem to think it is easy to just dismissively say “no more carriage horses” but the reality is harsh and not so simple.
People forget that.