On Thursday, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz held a press conference about the latest crackdown on ghost guns in Queens. Chaz McMillan, 20, a Queens resident, was charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a stockpile of 25 ghost guns in his home. This is the fifth seizure of ghost guns in Queens since August, as the rate of ghost guns has increased in New York City.

In 2019, New York City passed legislation that made owning the equipment needed to create ghost guns illegal, but the amount of ghost gun seizures has only steadily increased. In 2019, only 48 ghost guns were recovered, miniscule compared to the nearly 200 ghost guns recovered in 2021.

The standard practice of purchasing a gun comes with rules and regulations. A gun handling license is required, along with a federal background checks Purchasing a ghost gun bypasses all these security checks. Ghost guns are weapons for the DIY enthusiast, or really anyone who cannot legally buy a gun. They are incredibly easy to make, with instructions on how to assemble the kits all over the internet. As these guns are not fully assembled, they are not labeled as functioning guns and don’t require a background check or a serial number. Without a serial number, it is impossible for cops to track who has bought and sold the gun. They are untraceable, hence the moniker “ghost” gun.

“This is not a passing fad,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “These illegal weapons endanger our citizens, our police and our kids. Snapping together semi-automatic pistols and assault weapons from kits that are ordered from out of state is not some kind of hobby. We are seeing hundreds of ghost gun, ordered online and shipped directly to New York City.”

Katz said law enforcement is determined to find and imprison those profiting from ghost guns. “We will find you,” said Katz. “We will continue our relentless pursuit of those who think that they can get away with bringing these tools of death to our community…We will dismantle the ring and we will prosecute you.”

At the district office of City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on Thursday, workers were organizing toys they had collected, toys that they were planning to give away.

In collaboration with Johnson’s office, the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen created the toy drive. The idea is to distribute toys around the district.

“We have a great relationship with them,” said said Jordan Feiner, who works with Johnson. “A couple of years ago, they (Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen) wrote out about a potential toy drive. We loved the idea, and ever since then every December we’ve been collecting a whole bunch of toys to be distributed to the people who go to Holy Apostles (church).” The church is in the Chelsea section of Manhattan.

The district office has successfully collected and disturbed toys for the past four years, including throughout the pandemic. Feiner said, “Last year when we did, it was actually the biggest year, and I think definitely a lot of that was people looking for something nice to sort of rally behind, especially after the pandemic this entire time.”

The first drop-off for this season’s toy drive took place on Dec. 2 and it lasted till Thursday. Thursday was the last day. It ended at 5 p.m.

Johnson’s district covers the West Village and Chelsea and neighboring communities.

The annual toy drive will continue to occur next year, except it will be with a new councilmember and a new council speaker.

On Thursday Mayor Bill de Blasio went live on Hot 97’s “Ebro in the Morning;” Dreamforce New York 2021 Conference; and MSNBC’s “MTP Daily with Chuck Todd” to talk about new COVID-19 mandate requiring all children ages 5 to 11 be at least partially vaccinated in order to enter most places. Those children who are not vaccinated, need to do that in the next five days.

De Blasio told Hot 97 that the mandate is crucial, especially since the appearance of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. It is especially important during the winter season when everybody gets together to spend the holidays, and the weather is cold enough to weaken the immune system, de Blasio said.

“This new variant moves fast. We have to move faster…,” said de Blasio.

The question is, is it right to make vaccinations mandatory for kids? In the interview with MSNBC, de Blasio mentioned that even though the vaccination for kids was always in a category of emergency use, it is important to make it mandatory now. “I trust parents entirely…but I’m going to tell you, in the end, we are thinking about what’s going to stop a pandemic from once again causing our city to shut down.” De Blasio also mentioned that vaccination is only required for children if their parents want them to go out to places like restaurants, cinemas, etc. It doesn’t affect going to school, so it’s up to parents if they want to get their kids vaccinated, or not.

The big problem is if a kid brings COVID-19 home and infects an elder member of the family, who might be in danger. “I do have empathy…but I’ll tell you something, Chuck, our medical leadership [in] one voice says we need stronger mandates…,” said de Blasio.

The mandate not only touches children, but also small businesses and their employees. De Blasio maintained small restaurant owners appreciate the mandates. “It actually brought a lot of customers back, because they knew they are going to the safe environment,” he said.

In an interview with Hot 97, de Blasio said that the new variant is affecting him emotionally. “It takes me right back. March 2020, April 2020. We were living on the edge…,” said the mayor. “It’s a lot better now compared to then, but what we have learned from these diseases is never take it lightly. Never take your eye off COVID….”

The mayor said he hopes that this situation will soon change. “I think this is a transitional phase,” he said. “But the irony is, if we are not aggressive now, then we are going to live in this reality a lot longer.”

De Blasio also said he believes the newly elected mayor of New York, Eric Adams, agrees with the measures de Blasio has taken. “He will make his own judgment at his own time, but he said very clearly: His greatest concern is what are healthcare leaders saying. He wants to follow data and the science.”

State Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz held a rally Thursday in Bedford-Stuyvesant to promote the “Clean Slate Act,” legislation that would seal certain conviction records after offenders have “paid their debt to society,” according to the proposed bill.

Senate Bill S1553, in conjunction with Assembly Bill A6399, calls for the records of certain misdemeanors to be sealed after three years and felony records after seven, as long as there is not another felony charge pending.

Registered sex offenders and those on probation or parole would not have their records sealed.

“If we want a stronger, safer and more vibrant state, then it is time we pass the Clean Slate Act,” said Myrie, whose district is in central Brooklyn. “Every day we wait means more New Yorkers are condemned to punishment, pain and hardship that destroys our communities and hurts economic growth.”

Cruz and Myrie gathered with community leaders, small business owners and formerly incarcerated residents to gather support for Clean Slate. One speaker at the event was Ames Grawert, senior counsel in the Justice Program at The Brennan Center for Justice (at New York University). Grawert conducted research that showed formerly incarcerated people earn about half as much as those who haven’t, and people convicted with a felony, a quarter. The intention of Clean Slate is to seal and eventually wipe past records so that ex-felons will have an easier time finding gainful employment.

“In New York a criminal record is almost always permanent and publicly accessible, causing long-term economic hardship,” said Grawert. “At least 2.3 million New Yorkers have a conviction record of some kind…This problem affects all of our communities and our state’s economy suffers because of it. The Clean Slate Act gives us a rare chance to build a fairer, safer, and more prosperous New York.”

The Brennan Center estimates that those who serve time in prison lose an average of $484,000 in wages over their lifetime. This contributes to income inequality and perpetuates poverty in black and brown communities, where incarceration rates are disproportionately high.

A study by the Social Science Research Network in Michigan, where expungement laws similar to Clean Slate already exist, showed that formerly incarcerated individuals were 11 percent more likely to have jobs and earn 22 percent higher wages.

Though the study showed that 96 percent of ex-felons with expunged records in Michigan were never convicted of another crime, Clean Slate has received its fair share of detractors. Political Strategist Hank Sheinkopf expressed concerns about the effect expungement could have on law enforcement.

“Sealing records sounds like a great idea. It also tends to make it more difficult for detectives to do their work because determining patterns of crime and previous arrests is often helpful,” Sheinkopf told Brooklyn New Service. “Sealing those records will just make it much more difficult for inner-city detectives and other detectives around the country to do their work.”

Beyond concerns of public safety, some New Yorkers, such as Anthony Guarino, are concerned about fairness to small business owners.

“I personally feel as though, on the topic of employment, I don’t agree with the bill,” Guarino said. “I feel like you should be able to know who you’re hiring and their background. For instance, even if it’s something as small as petty theft, I feel like that’s something an employer has a right to know because otherwise, it could present a liability issue in the future.”

Both S1553 and A6339 are currently in respective committees and will be a top priority when the New York State Senate returns to session in January 2022.

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams talked about his bid to become the Democratic candidate for New York governor. The Public Advocate was on the Brian Lehrer show on Thursday, discussing key issues, such as good cause evictions and rent regulations.

“There are . . . many tenants that don’t have the necessary protection they should have,” Williams said.

“When we think about rent regulations . . . (p)eople have to have the protection of having a home everyone needs a safe place to live.”

He also addressed public safety. WNYC host Brian Lehrer asked if Williams agreed with de Blasio’s boast that New York City remains the safest big city in America.

Williams responded, “I do agree we are one of the safer big cities but wouldn’t say the safest. We need to learn how to use law enforcement more appropriately. We need to address issues that deal with gun crimes and have the courts be strict with them, so these incidents do not occur again.”

As Willams looked to make a run for governor race, Fox News reported that New York State Attorney General Letitia James had suspended her campaign for governor.

James said that she would run for re-election as the attorney general.

With James now out of the picture, the race is for the Democratic nomination for governor is between incumbent governor Kathy Hochul and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, though others are said to have ambitions for the state’s highest position also.

New polls indicate that incumbent governor Kathy Hochul remains the front runner in a crowded 2022 primary field.

Williams was third, behind James.

On Thursday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference about Covid-19.

Hochul reported an emergency of Covid surges in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties in upstate New York. Clinton has had a devastating 8,216 cases, with 51 deaths, and these numbers are slowly rising. Essex has had a total of 3,375 cases, and Franklin county reported a total of 6,002 cases.

This is happening amid the growing fear of the new Omicron variant.

“Millions of teenagers will now be eligible for extra shots and they should take them before the holidays,” Hochul said.

“We have 20 confirmed cases in the state of New York of this new (Omicron) variant,” Hochul said.

“(W)e expect these numbers to continue to rise.”

Hochul added, “At this point we know it is community spread. It is not from people traveling. We are watching what is happening in other countries and it is spreading quickly. We are prepared for this and working very hard.”

Dr. Mary Basset, New York State Health Commissioner, said, “We have over half of states reporting Omicron. It’s been reported in more than 60 countries. I do want to stress that . . . our largest numbers are the delta variant . . . (W) e do not know if Omicron will out compete with Delta or not.”

Hochul stressed that Delta is the stronger variant hospitalizing the majority of New Yorkers. She urged New Yorkers to continue wearing masks indoors, and to get vaccinated and to remain cautious and safe.

The New York City Council is set to pass a bill that will allow 800,000 New York City residents who are not citizens to vote.

Per the bill, people who are legal permanent residents in the U.S. — such as green card holders, individuals with workers permits and DACA holders — will be allowed to vote in municipal elections, including for mayor, public advocate, borough president and city councilmembers.

Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and the biggest advocate of the legislation, told CNN that this bill is about fighting under the banner of “no taxation without representation.”

Rodriguez, a former green card holder himself, was inspired to help those who live now as he once did, without voting rights. “If they pay their taxes, they should be able to elect their leaders,” he said. Rodriguez represents Washington Heights and Innwood in Manhattan.

In a phone interview with Brooklyn News Service on Thursday, Clark Monzon, a New York City resident and non-citizen, expressed gratification for the measure, saying, “My parents moved from the Philippines to New York when I was seven. All I know is New York City. This is home. I’ve been calling this place home for more than twenty years, so it would mean a great deal to be finally feel seen and heard.”

Though the bill would only give non-citizens municipal and not federal voting rights, Monzon believes that the bill would offer hope to immigrants across the country. He is a beneficiary of DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Those are immigrants who came to the U.S. at a young age, remained, but never had documentation. DACA gives them rights.

“As a DACA recipient, this is a small step in the right direction. Hopefully, this bill would eventually lead to a path to citizenship,” Monzon exclaimed.

If the bill is passed, it would take effect on January 1, 2022.

It’s been weeks into the strike against Columbia University, conducted by unionized student workers who are demanding a living wage, dental and health insurance and support against discrimination and sexual harassment on campus. The Brooklyn News Service was on campus Thursday morning as the protest entered its sixth week. (Columbia University’s endowment is listed at over $14 billion dollars.)

Despite this being one of the biggest organized protests currently in America, this strike hasn’t been huge news.

The Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers Local 2110 (SWC-UAW) is the labor union behind these protests that began back in mid-March. Formed in 2016, the union wasn’t officially recognized by Columbia University until 2019, when negotiations over labor contracts began.

Disagreements between the two side prevented an agreement from being finalized.

The strike had been stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it resumed in November and is now reaching a boiling point, as an email from campus administrators was sent out to union members, stating that they will ultimately be replaced if the strike persists.

“Tonight we received an email from HR threatening to withhold some appointment letters for the Spring semester if we do not end our strike by December 10th,” the SWC-UAW posted on its website.

The SWC-UAW further declared that the threat from the university is illegal and that the protest is working. “Make no mistake that this threat is a form of retaliation and intended to break the power of our strike,” workers wrote. “It also shows that our strike is working and the university is desperate to end it.”

A protester on campus, who asked for anonymity, explained to the Brooklyn News Service what the key demands are for the union.

“In our contract [in negotiation], we are asking for four key items…One of them is a living wage in New York City, in agreement with a living wage that Columbia itself has calculated for the city.”

Currently, the legal minimum wage is $15 an hour, but that can be slightly higher for highly educated student workers. Many argue that the $15 minimum isn’t enough to cover the living expenses of student workers New York City. The union is asking for a wage increase to $26 an hour.

Many students have come out publicly since the beginning of the protests, sharing stories of struggling to teach with an ever-growing list of demands.

The unnamed protester who spoke to the Brooklyn News Service said that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the governmental body responsible for enforcing U.S. labor law in relation to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices, recognizes all student workers at Columbia. The protester said the administration has “tried to exclude undergraduate workers from our union” to limit benefits that graduate students would exclusively receive.

As protesters shouted on Columbia’s campus about the injustice of the university’s controversial email, it was more and more clear that strikers will not be swayed. They are preparing to file a Unfair Labor Practices charge against the school if a contract is not agreed upon.

“We know this can be an incredibly anxiety-provoking email to receive, and that is [Columbia’s] intention,” wrote the SWC-UAW. “Our strength is in our collective power, and it is critical that we hold the line.”

(Related breaking story: “Starbucks workers in Buffalo win watershed union vote”)

There was shout for help this past Thursday, at the Coney Island Houses, as residents teamed up with Assemblymember Mathydle Frontus, urging the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to restore the heat and hot water at the public housing complex.

The event was organized by the office of Frontus, who represents the 46^th assembly district that covers Coney Island and surrounding neighborhoods.  A flyer sent out by Frontus’ office was posted on social media sites, including Twitter and Facebook. The posts indicated the press conference would be a place where residents facing a lack of heat and hot water could voice their frustration.

Frontus stood up for residents during other challenging times.

The conference was held in front of the Community Room of the housing complex. About a dozen residents showed up. Frontus was the first to speak. She highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying NYCHA has to move to correct it because it’s seriously and adversely impacting the residents.

Some of the residents have been without heat and water for several weeks, having to adapt by wearing coats to in bed and going to other families’ houses to shower.  Frontus was joined at the podium by tenant leaders, including tenant association president Lauretta Brumfield, who echoed the pain being felt by her and other residents.

Max Guadalupe Jr., a resident who has lived within the housing project for 24 years, explained that this is something that repeatedly happens.

“It’s just getting to the point where we expect it, we got hit hard during Sandy in Coney, and it’s like ever since then the buildings gave up.”

This problem exists even though NYCHA put together a “heat action plan ”that was supposed to establish a protocol for its workers to respond to such emergencies.

Frontus, however, said lack of heat and hot water are among many painful challenges residents are dealing with. There is a need to make building repairs so that tenants will live there with the respect they deserve.

The beginning of the holiday season means big things for Dyker Heights, Brooklyn! Each and every year, hundreds of thousands of people come from all over the country and beyond to visit Dyker Heights for their incredible display of Christmas lights.

Typically, each year, going all the way back to the 1980’s, Dyker Heights lights up the neighborhood the day after Thanksgiving.

You can find homes all throughout the neighborhood decked out in lights, but you’ll find the most extravagantly decorated homes between 80th and 86th Sts., between 10th and 13th Aves., otherwise known as “the hills” of Dyker Heights.

One homeowner from Dyker heights, Lucille DiLorenzo, spoke on why this tradition means so much to her and the neighborhood.

“The holidays are the one time of the year where everyone in the neighborhood really comes together. We all love Christmas here, we all decorate, usually together, the day after Thanksgiving, and there is such a sense of warmth and community. I’ve been living here for 20 years, and I always look forward to being a part of this.”

Many residents of Dyker Heights agree that the lights are a beautiful way to ring in the Holiday season. It gives them something to look forward to each year.

Another Dyker Heights resident, Johnpaul Paramo, said, “My brother and I every year decorate the front of our home, ever since we were kids. The payoff of seeing everyone looking at the decorations we worked so hard to put up has to be the best part. I love to see people’s reactions, taking photos, and just enjoying the season.”

Apart from the homes, you can find ice cream trucks, hot cocoa stands, holiday merchandise for sale, and even visits from Santa Clause himself, which really gives off the feeling of the holidays!

If you’re looking to make your holiday season “Merry and Bright” this year, don’t pass up going to see the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights! The lights are a short walk from the 79th Street stop on the D and N trains, and are accessible as well via the B16 and B4 bus routes.

Every Thursday since May 2020, Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright has been hosting a free mask event, giving away masks to people who live or work on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, or to anyone in the general public.

The event is from 12:00pm to 2:00pm and it is open to all. This event doesn’t only provide free masks, but the constituent liaison who works with Seawright also gives out hand sanitizers and flyers about other events happening soon in the neighborhood that anyone is welcome to join.

From time to time, Seawright also gives a gallon of hand sanitizer to local businesses if they need it.

Locals are very appreciative of the event. Brooklyn News Service was at this Thursday’s.

An Upper East Side resident who did not want to be named said, “I like how convenient it is for me to get a mask. Nowadays masks cost a lot and I don’t have time to go out and buy some. Every Thursday when I pass by here I can just grab a couple of masks and go.”

The constituent liaison, who is 23 years old and did not want their name used, said, “Get vaccinated, mask up, everyone has to do their part…”

To learn more about what Assemblymember Seawright is doing and about other events this week, the public on Saturday can go to the southwest corner of 78th St. and First Ave, between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. That rally will be about transforming a neglected property space into a beautiful community garden. If you want to know more about it or want to join in, you can email seawrightr@nyassembly.gov.

A bleak, rainy Thursday morning was a fitting backdrop to the fourth day of the trial against Ghislaine Maxwell, British socialite turned ex-girlfriend and corroborator of convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Court staff and press set themselves up at the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse in downtown Manhattan around 8:00am on for this trial moving at its rapidly progressing pace.

The testimony of Paul Q. Kane is what began.  Serving as the Director of Finance for the Professional Children’s School, a non-profit college prep school in Manhattan originally aimed at children with careers in theater, performing arts or Vaudeville, Kane has been a part of the school since 2019. He was called to the stand to testify because a child’s application to the school listed the financial contributor as Epstein. Kane stood by the review process of applicants at the school, but he admitted that there was “no verification method” as to the people applying to the school and their credibility with respect to financial matters, such as who backed them financially.

Dr. Lisa Rocchio was called next. She’s a clinical psychologist and human behavior professional of over 30 years, dealing with victims of childhood abuse, and post-trauma and eating disorders. She was brought in by the prosecution to describe how abusers “groom” their targets and the many levels, stages and variations of grooming that occur.

By far, the most noteworthy testimony of the day was from Juan Alessi, former manager of Epstein’s Palm Beach, Fl. estate.

Alessi, 72, was in charge of essentially everything during his time as manager and caretaker of Epstein’s Florida property from 1991 to 2002. Almost acting a butler at times, his responsibilities included cleaning the property, as well as multiple adjacent structures and the neighboring pool; preparing breakfast for Epstein, Maxwell and other guests; shopping for food; keeping cars clean; and making sure cars physically had money inside.

Already retired and working as a manager for other wealthy families in the Palm Beach area — after he had moved from New Jersey in 1984 — Alessi had met Epstein in 1990. He was told a year later to work full-time for Epstein and cease all communication with other clients.

It was with his introduction to Maxwell in 1991 that “the dynamic changed,” he said from the stand.

By the end of his tenure, he was working full-time alongside his wife doing whatever was demanded by Epstein and Maxwell, including tending to the house as topless women walked around.

“There were many, many females…most of them appeared to be in their late 20’s.” said Alessi.

When asked by the prosecutors whether or not he saw underage women, he said he saw only two individuals who appeared to be underage, and he even “knew their names.”

He recalled having to make multiple appointments with many massage therapists on Epstein’s behalf, setting up three massages a day for him with 98 percent of the therapists being women.

After one massage session, given to Epstein in his personal bathroom, Alessi remembered finding something unusual.

“I remember finding a large dildo. It looked like a large man’s penis, with two heads.”

After cleaning up the bathroom, Alessi recalled putting on plastic gloves and rinsing the dildo off in the sink before putting it in Maxwell’s closet. He placed it into a wicker basket containing pornographic tapes and a black leather costume.

Alessi had spoken to no one back then about the incident because that. would have been against the rules of the workplace, he said.

A critical piece of evidence shared with the court was a 58-page manual given to Alessi by Maxwell, with do’s and don’t’s, detailed guidelines on how to behave as a member of Epstein and Maxwell’s staff.

Fine presentation was required: How to dress, for example.

Of special importance, listed in the “House Manual,” were orders such as “NEVER DISCLOSE Mr. Epstein’s or Mrs. Maxwell’s whereabouts or actions to anyone” and “Phones need to be set to ‘Do Not Disturb.’”

After he read an entry in the manual saying, “Remember that you see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing, except to answer a question directed at you. Respect their privacy.” Alessi stated that he saw all this as a “fair warning.”

Alessi also told the jury he had signed an agreement with Epstein and Maxwell to stay silent about anything going on with the couple. “I was told to be blind, deaf and dumb,” he said. “To say nothing of their lives.”

Alessi left his position in December of 2002, after degrading health began weighing on him, as well as the pressure that weighed on him mentally after receiving the “House Manual.”

In 2004, after dealing with emotional and financial troubles, Alessi was caught breaking in and stealing $63,000 worth of cash stacks from the Epstein residence. Epstein then notified Alessi and informed him to pay him back the money, rather than be formally accused of a crime. Epstein indicated he would considered that money a loan, and promised Alessi that cops would not be involved. Police officers in Florida interviewed Alessi but never charged him with a crime.

During the nine hours of testimony, Maxwell sat in the courtroom, calm and collected, dressed in a black sweater and facemask. Maxwell remains steadfast in asserting that she became a scapegoat after Epstein committed suicide while in custody back in August of 2019.

Maxwell, born in 1961 in Maisons-Laffitte, France, was supposedly introduced to Epstein sometime between the late 80’s and the mid 90’s. Accounts differ. Maxwell had a romantic relationship with Epstein for several years and remained closely associated with him for decades.

Much about the relationship remains known, but was actually well-known was how important Maxwell was in the Palm Beach residence. “She was the main girlfriend…she was The Lady of the House,” Alessi said.

There were some supporters for Maxwell in attendance, as well as on-lookers, including Christopher Mason, a journalist and former friend of Maxwell who has been covering the trial.

“I met her in November 1989 when she was visiting New York and we were good, social friends in the 90’s and early 2000’s but last time I saw her was about four of five years ago,” Mason said.

In 2020, Maxwell was charged by the US federal government with the crimes of enticement of minors and sex trafficking of underage girls.

In April 2021, US District Judge Alison Nathan ruled that Maxwell will face two separate trials, one for the sex trafficking charges and another for perjury. In May 2021, Nathan delayed the trial till Nov. 29, after Maxwell’s defense lawyers argued that the sex trafficking charges added in March 2021 gave them insufficient time to investigate the new charges.

If convicted, Maxwell could be imprisoned for up to 80 years.

Thursday was the grand reopening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Paley Center for Media. The center will be open to the public on Saturday, for the Center’s fifth annual special exhibit, PaleyLand.

The Paley Center for Media is a nonprofit organization that allows visitors to experience discussions about the significance of television, radio, and emerging media. The Center offers programs designed to educate, entertain, and impact the public.

Thursday was the first time in 21 months that the museum had been opened to the public, the shutdown due to the pandemic. Frank A. Bennack Jr., chairman of the Paley Center and vice chairman of the Hearst Corporation, said, “Today we celebrate a new chapter for the Paley Center, as we kick off our first in-person event since the beginning of the pandemic.”

Maureen J Reidy, president and CEO of The Paley Center introduced the new exhibition to the media. “Just steps from Rockefeller Center PlayLand has taken its place on the holiday calendar as a favorite New York holiday tradition. We invite visitors to hop aboard the Paley express and experience four floors of holiday magic,” Reidy said.

The four-floor multimedia interactive exhibit will run for a month. The exhibit consists of photographs with Santa Claus or the menorah, arts and crafts, character meet-and-greets, PaleyGX Gaming, a Paley Archive Holiday Collection, magical backdrops for social media — and The Paley Express, which is a holiday train display.

This holiday season PaleyLand will be filled with special events such as LEGOMasters Build Demo, Celebrate the Dollidays with American Girl, and an audience Q&A with Scarlett Estevez from the new Disney Channel Original Movie “Christmas Again?!” “PaleyLand truly offers a one-stop-shop holiday extravaganza for visitors of all ages. There’s something for everyone here to enjoy,” Reidy said.

Anne del Castillo, the commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s office of Media and Entertainment and Fred Dixon, president and CEO of New York City & Company. “The Paley Center remains a leading voice in the discussion about how people experience media and entertainment committed to the idea that radio, television and emerging media platforms are an important part of cultural and social landscape that should be preserved, discussed, debated, and enjoyed for many generations to come,” said Castillo, a member of the Paley board of trustees.

The Paley team has been monitoring city, state, and federal guidelines to keep PaleyLand COVID safe. Everyone 12 years of age and older will need to be vaccinated to be able to attend, and children over the age of two must wear masks indoors.

The conference ended with a surprise visit from Santa Claus, a ribbon cutting; photo-ops and a tour of the PaleyLand exhibit.

New York City has officially opened its first overdose prevention centers, in East Harlem and Washington Heights. The decision to open them was related to the increase in drug overdose deaths, there having been 596 deaths in New York City in the first quarter of 2021. A city Health Department study showed that the OPC’s (Overdose Prevention Centers) would save 130 lives a year.

The rate of overdose deaths increased to 30.5 per 100,000 New York City residents in 2020, compared to 21.9 in 2019.

“New York City has led the nation’s battle against COVID-19, and the fight to keep our community safe doesn’t stop there. After exhaustive study, we know the right path forward to protect the most vulnerable people in our city. And we will not hesitate to take it,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Overdose Prevention Centers are a safe and effective way to address the opioid crisis. I’m proud to show cities in this country that after decades of failure, a smarter approach is possible.”

As prevention centers have been used and proven to be helpful in different places around the world, the health department is now more thrilled than ever to be providing multiple services at these sites in the hope of saving lives. The Health Department has referred to OPCs as a “safe place for medical care.”

City officials have maintained that another benefit of the OPC’s would be reducing syringe litter.

“Overdose Prevention Centers can turn the tide in the fight against the opioid crisis, and New York City is ready to lead the way,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog. “We have lost too much to rely on the same playbook. It’s time to take bold action to help our most vulnerable neighbors and the communities they call home.”

The Bronx actually made up the highest rates of overdose death cases in 2020. The East Harlem location, called the New York Harm Reduction Educators, is at 104-106 East 126th St.

A 17-year-old was busted with a loaded gun and more than $30,000 in cash in downtown Brooklyn, at the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice, a New York City Police Department spokesman told Brooklyn News Service on Thursday.

A school staffer witnessed what she believed was a weapon inside the student’s backpack as the high school student was running late to class. At around 11:50 a.m. on Wednesday, police responded to the report. The address is 283 Adams St.

“When law enforcement arrived, the 17-year-old male was in an office and was immediately arrested without incident. The weapon, along with the surplus of cash, was confiscated,” the officer with DCPI (Deputy Commissioner for Public Information) said. BNS agreed not to use the officer’s name.

Police have confirmed that the weapon was a “ghost gun.” Ghost guns are untraceable, without serial numbers. They can be bought online and assembled at home.

The student was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest, the DCPI source says. However, his name will not be released due to his age.

According to a Daily News report, there has been an increase in weapons seized in New York City public schools this year.