🌱 $4K Median January Rent: Manhattan, BK + 3rd Cannabis Shop Opens

Good morning, New York City!

• The rent reaches record highs in January
• Masks will no longer be required in New York hospitals, ending a pandemic era mandate
• The city's third legal dispensary is opening on Monday in Manhattan

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Now, today's weather: Mostly sunny and cooler. High: 47 Low: 36.

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Here are the top five stories today in New York City:

1. The rent really is too damn high, a new study found, putting median rents in Manhattan and Brooklyn at a record of over $4,000 in January. Many New Yorkers were not surprised by that news. The luxury median market in Manhattan, on the other hand, saw rents as high as $11,000. (Subscription/New York Daily News)
2. Masks will no longer be required in health care setting in New York State starting this Sunday, including hospitals and nursing homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had lifted a federal health care mask mandate in September. (Subscription/The New York Times)
3. A 22-year-old man was shot dead near Times Square on Thursday evening, leading a large group of people to run away in a "stampede." No arrests were made as of yesterday. (New York City Patch)
4. The NYPD plans to station more police officers outside of "problematic" schools during dismissal time, following recent shootings involving school children across the city, according to an interdepartmental memo. (Subscription/New York Daily News)
5. New York City's third cannabis dispensary will open on Monday in Manhattan, just a short walk away from the other two already in service, while the other boroughs wait their turn among a large number of unlicensed weed shops. It will be operated by a subsidiary of the nonprofit the Doe Fund, which provides services like job training and housing. (Gothamist)

New York City pic of the day:

Remember to submit a photo from your neighborhood to newyorkcity@patch.com for a chance to be featured! We love skylines, bodega cats, coffee shops, streetscapes, parks and everything else that makes this city great. Please include your full name and an optional description.

This weekend in New York City:

• Saturday: Cupid Undie Run: Lower East Side, Manhattan (11:30 a.m.)
• Saturday: NYPD Vs. FDNY Annual Volleyball Game: Maspeth, Queens (4 p.m.)
• Saturday: Gregory Porter Valentine's Day Concert: Flatbush, Brooklyn (8 p.m.)
• Sunday: 25th Lunar New Year Parade & Festival: Chinatown/Little Italy, Manhattan (1 p.m.)
• Sunday: Watch the Super Bowl on a Giant Screen In Times Square: Manhattan (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• In Harlem, a landlord has filed housing court cases against 54 tenants who owe thousands in back rent-but for some of them the rent they owe was supposed to be paid by a city-run Department of Social Services program, that they say has failed to make promised payments. (THE CITY)
• Brooklyn's got some weird Valentine's Day events planned — from speed dating to blacksmithing classes, check them out here. (New York City Patch)
• In other Valentine's Day happenings, you can name a cockroach after your ex. (New York City Patch)
• MTA subway cleaners hired during the pandemic and given just a few days' notice before being abruptly laid off are now getting some backpay from New York City. (THE CITY)
• Federal investigators say they are issuing subpoenas to oblige American Airlines pilots to sit down for an interview after their plane almost collided with another plane on a JFK airport runway. (NBC New York)

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Featured events:

• Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway (February 11)
• Bach Vespers Presents J.S. Bach’s Cantata "Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort" (February 12)
• Charles Darwin versus the British and American Scientists of his time (February 13)
• FREE WEBINAR | "Portraits of Power in Renaissance Italy" (February 14)
• Love Can Really Hang You Up the Most (February 14)
• Transfer Open House (February 15)
• EMPIRE BEATS LIVE at SILVANA in HARLEM ! (February 17)
• Coppélia (February 18)
• Coppélia (February 19)
• Competitive Jenga® Tournament Lands at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport (February 25)
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• Over 60? Do you care for a relative with dementia? Virtual research study available! (Details)
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You're all caught up for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Dashiell Allen

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming New York City Patch newsletter? Contact me at patchnyc@patch.com