For years, concerns about PCBs shaped strict consumption limits along much of the river. The revised advice allows people to eat some species more often than before, especially in areas where cleanup efforts have reduced contamination levels. Striped bass and other commonly caught fish remain subject to limits, but the guidance now varies more by location and species instead of applying broad rules across the entire river.

Health officials continue to warn that sensitive groups, including pregnant women and young children, should follow stricter limits or avoid certain fish altogether. Even for others, the recommendation is to keep intake moderate rather than treat the river as a regular food source. The guidance also encourages anglers to trim fat, remove skin, and cook fish in ways that reduce exposure to lingering pollutants.

Environmental groups and local anglers have welcomed the shift as a sign of progress, while acknowledging that the river’s history still matters. Cleanup work tied to decades of industrial discharge has improved conditions, but the legacy of contamination remains uneven along different stretches.

The updated rules aim to balance access with safety. Fishing remains a central part of life along the Hudson, and the new guidance recognizes both the river’s recovery and its limits. Residents are being asked to stay informed and make choices that reflect where and what they catch.

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At the center of the exhibition is a small violin built in Salzburg around 1746 by court maker Andreas Ferdinand Mayr. Mozart likely held it as a young child while learning from his father Leopold. The instrument remained in the family before moving through private collections and later joining the Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg. It is now on view in Manhattan alongside items that seldom leave Austria.

The exhibition runs through May 31 and fills two galleries with manuscripts, first editions, letters and personal objects. Visitors can see the clavichord Mozart used while working on The Magic Flute, which has traveled to New York for this show. Nearby are early keyboard works he composed at age five along with the manuscript of his Symphony No. 25 in G minor, and pages of variations on the tune many people know today as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star highlight exercises that became lasting music.

The show also brings new attention to Mozart’s sister Maria Anna, known as Nannerl. Conservators have recently identified a long‑overlooked fragment of a piece in her hand that had been attributed to her brother, bringing one of her works into clearer focus. The completed work offers a rare view of her musical voice. Seen up close, these objects present Mozart as a working composer and not a distant figure from history.

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The mega event for Siyum Shas was sponsered by a number of supportors including Ralph Rieder of Monsey, New York. Large-scale events can also unite communities in shared celebrations in New York, and around the world.

Local communities thrive on connection and shared values. Several innovative learning initiatives are fostering unity and providing support in New York. Supporters of these programs, recognize the importance in strengthening community bonds.

The Orthodox Union’s All Mishnah Jr. (AMJ) program engages middle school students in Torah learning. With over 2,100 participants, AMJ makes learning accessible and fun, fostering an appreciation for Torah and Jewish heritage among young students from Monsey and around the world. The program even pairs participants with Israeli soldiers, encouraging support for Israel and its defenders.

These community initiatives demonstrate the power of community and the importance of bridging divides. By providing platforms for connection and learning, these initiatives strengthen community bonds and build a more unified future.

Kesher Yehudi is a notable example, bridging gaps between religious and secular Jews in Israel by pairing individuals for learning and friendship. Since its inception in 2012, they’ve created over 17,000 connections, fostering understanding and unity. Additionally, Kesher Yehudi works with pre-army programs in Israel, creating connections between students and Haredi individuals, further bridging societal gaps and fostering mutual understanding among future leaders. The organization Kesher Yehudi also offers healing retreats for survivors of tragic events like the Nova music festival massacre, providing a supportive environment for connection and recovery.

Attribution: By Shemtov613 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85518893
13th Siyum HaShas 2019 In MetLife Stadium

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The Rise of 50/50 Raffles in the Sports World

The Islanders’ raffle is just one example of how sports teams have embraced 50/50 raffles as an effective way to raise money for the community and engage fans. The model has proven successful over time, as these types of raffles have become increasingly popular at professional sports games. Fans get the chance to win the jackpot, and can also feel good knowing their participation is helping people in need.

A Leader in 50/50 Raffles: The Edmonton Oilers

The model for these types of raffles has been taken furthest by the Edmonton Oilers. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) runs the largest 50/50 raffle in all of professional sports, and it’s a model that has reshaped how these raffles can be run. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic limited in-person attendance at games, the Oilers took the 50/50 raffle online. The Oilers’ decision allowed fans across Alberta to participate, not just those attending home games.

This move online, combined with major investment and innovation from the EOCF in marketing, prizing, technology and operations, has driven some astounding results. With the ability to sell tickets to fans across Alberta, the Oilers’ raffle often generates multi-million-dollar jackpots. The money raised goes toward various community initiatives, from youth sports programs to healthcare services and food security efforts in Northern Alberta. The Oilers have turned their 50/50 raffle from a small in-venue operation to a fundraising powerhouse, with the largest jackpots seen in any NHL raffle.

The success of the Edmonton Oilers’ raffle isn’t just about the size of the jackpots, but also about the impact it has on the community. Proceeds support a range of causes that improve the quality of life for individuals and families in need across Alberta. The raffle has become a key part of the team’s efforts to engage fans and create positive change, highlighting just how powerful sports can be in making a real-world difference.

The Impact of 50/50 Raffles in the Community

These raffles provide an example of how sports teams can leverage fan passion and engagement to make a lasting impact in the community. The raffles connect fans to their teams while supporting causes that matter. The Islanders Children’s Foundation funds programs focused on education, health, and community wellbeing in New York, while the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation has generated unprecedented jackpots that support initiatives across Alberta, from youth sports to food security. The funds raised through 50/50 raffles are a testament to the power of community-focused sports philanthropy.

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The skatepark is part of a broader city initiative to expand recreational spaces for skateboarders and young people across New York. City leaders announced the program as part of a $24 million effort to build or improve four skate facilities in Brooklyn and the Bronx, with the Mount Prospect site envisioned as the largest of the group.

Located on a hill between the Brooklyn Public Library and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Mount Prospect Park serves as a gathering place for nearby neighborhoods. The original concept called for a large 40,000 square foot skate facility designed in collaboration with the Skatepark Project, a nonprofit founded by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk. Supporters say new parks like this can give young skaters a safe place to practice while helping the city’s skate community grow.

As plans became public, some residents raised concerns about preserving green space in a borough where parkland is limited. Community members who use the park for walks, sports, and gatherings asked city officials to reconsider the size and placement of the project.

In response, the city revised the design and reduced the scale of the skatepark while continuing to move forward with construction plans. The updated approach aims to introduce new recreation opportunities while preserving the character of the park, reflecting the careful tradeoffs cities often make when shaping shared public spaces.

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Often described as daylife, this shift centers on meeting for movement instead of drinks. Apps are helping make that decision easy. Sweatpals presents itself as a social discovery tool for fitness and wellness meetups, attracting people who want structure without the pressure of nightlife. The appeal is simple – you show up, move, and leave having connected with people in a setting that makes conversation natural.

Studios and trainers across the city are building around that desire for connection. Concepts emerging now emphasize fitness as a shared experience, with community-focused workouts and open-air group conditioning sessions that feel closer to weekly meetups than solitary routines.

Recovery culture has followed suit. Othership’s Flatiron location runs guided sauna and ice bath sessions designed around a communal flow, including time in shared spaces meant for conversation and rest. Remedy Place positions itself as a social wellness club, where saunas, ice baths, and tech-free lounges function as gathering spaces as much as recovery tools.

Daybreaker keeps the same idea in motion with sober morning dance events that treat joy as part of health. Across neighborhoods and professions, social wellness is becoming a practical response to long workdays, crowded commutes, and constant screens. It fits the pace of the city while giving people a reason to show up in person and actually linger.

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Since 2013, the Brooklyn Lakeside Curling Club has operated at the LeFrak Center, converting outdoor hockey rinks into curling sheets each winter. Volunteers install portable boards, prepare ice, and run leagues in whatever weather arrives. Rain, snow, and freezing winds are routine. So are packed Try Curling sessions, sold out rookie leagues, and full competitive seasons. Each winter, about 120 regular members commit to league play, joined by hundreds of newcomers through classes, open events, and private bookings.

That grassroots operation now feeds into a larger effort, the Brooklyn Curling Center. Co-founded by former club president Charles Donefer and run by many of the same volunteers, the project aims to build New York City’s first dedicated curling facility. The proposed center would include six sheets of ice, a bar and restaurant, and flexible space for tournaments, leagues, and community events. Organizers are working toward a $10 million fundraising goal, with hopes of creating a permanent home.

Since curling became a permanent Olympic sport in 1998, participation across the United States has grown steadily, fueled by television exposure and expanded youth and adult programs. Many cities now support permanent clubs, and New York, with its deep sports culture, is laying the groundwork to do the same.

If the Brooklyn Curling Center becomes reality, local players will finally leave behind improvised rinks and unpredictable weather. The cooperative and welcoming culture built in Prospect Park remains the project’s strongest foundation as it works to move indoors.

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In Central Park, the temperature dropped to around 3°F this morning, the coldest reading there since February 2023, while “RealFeel” values in the city bottomed out near −10°F. That’s actually colder than the North Pole—the one in Alaska—during the same window, a comparison you don’t often get to make with a straight face. Streets are mostly clear but brutally windy, with gusts over 20 mph turning short walks to the subway into full‑body endurance tests.

City agencies have shifted to full winter‑emergency mode. NYC Emergency Management has its Emergency Operations Center activated through at least Monday, coordinating sanitation, transit, and outreach teams. Dozens of warming centers and mobile warming units are open around the city, alongside overnight spaces at select public schools and community sites for anyone who needs a heated place to ride this out.

If you have to go out, limit time outside and cover every bit of exposed skin. It’s also a good idea to check on neighbors who may not have reliable heat. This isn’t the longest deep freeze New York has ever recorded, but it’s one of the most persistent and punishing cold stretches the city has dealt with in years, keeping daytime highs near or below freezing for much of late January through early February. With the Extreme Cold Warning set to lift this afternoon, and an expected warmup by midweek bringing highs into the upper 30s to low 40s, here’s hoping the worst of this brutal snap is nearly behind us.

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On Kids’ Night, anyone 18 and under can attend a participating Broadway performance for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. Tickets are typically sold as pairs (one adult, one child). Instead of a separate “free” ticket being added at checkout, the offer is shown as 50% off each of the two tickets, which works out to the same value.

The official Kids’ Night on Broadway site notes that tickets are not on sale yet, and the participating show list is released closer to the on-sale window. Families who want updates can sign up for the Broadway Fan Club to receive announcements and ticket information.

The evening often extends beyond the theater. The program highlights special offers from Times Square area restaurants and attractions, along with pre-theater learning opportunities and a Kids’ Night Activity Guide created in partnership with The New York Times.

For visitors and locals alike, Kids’ Night on Broadway is a simple way to build a memorable Midtown night around live theater—complete with city energy, bright marquees, and a shared show to talk about afterward.

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The strategy describes potential areas where blockchain systems could be reviewed for government use, including digital records verification, credentialing, and limited pilot initiatives. It also outlines considerations related to governance, cybersecurity, privacy, and legal compliance, emphasizing that any proposed use should be evaluated against operational needs and regulatory requirements.

According to the plan, the city aims to take a coordinated, interagency approach when reviewing blockchain proposals. It recommends shared standards, centralized expertise, and consistent documentation practices to support cross-departmental alignment. The document also references internal training and public-facing educational resources to support understanding of blockchain technology among city staff and residents.

The strategy follows earlier actions, including the establishment of a city office focused on digital assets and blockchain coordination. That office was created to support research, policy development, and collaboration among agencies exploring emerging technologies.

With the transition of city leadership at the start of 2026, the blockchain strategy now functions as a reference framework rather than a binding policy. Under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the document remains available to inform future evaluations of whether and how blockchain technology may align with the city’s operational and administrative objectives.

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