🌱Broadway Is (Almost) Back: Study + NYC's New Sister City

Good morning, New York City!

• 🎭 Broadway's almost back to its pre-COVID glory.
• 🚨 The NYPD was surprised by the city's plan to involuntarily commit more mentally ill New Yorkers, according to sources.
• The Big Apple has a new Greek sister city.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 48 Low: 43.

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

1. Broadway show attendance is almost fully back, at 86.2 percent of pre-pandemics levels, a new study from the New York City Economic Development Corporation found. There are also similar levels of hotel occupancies, 20 percentage points higher than the same time last year. (New York City Patch)
2. The city's plan to involuntarily commit more mentally ill people came as a surprise to some members of the NYPD, according to sources first quoted by The New York Post. The plan has also met criticism from the New York Civil Liberties Union and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams who took issue with police being the main decision-makers in mental health emergencies. (New York City Patch)
   • Separately, NYC Council Member Carmen De La Rosa called the city's plan "unconscionable." (New York City Patch)
3. The Independent Redistricting Commission has released a new proposed map for New York assembly districts, following a court order that the ones currently in place be revised ahead of the 2024 elections. In New York City, the biggest changes include once again splitting apart Lower Manhattan and Staten Island, and, as Patch reports, creating a district that would connect Astoria with the Upper East Side. (City & State NY)
4. The cannabis sold at New York's illegal dispensaries contains E. coli, salmonella and hard metals, according to a study released by the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association. Experts caution not to jump to conclusions though, given that bacteria dies when smoking, and some metals are considered safe in trace amounts. The study also revealed that some product's strength was misstated. (Subscription/The New York Times)
5. NYC's public schools are set to spend $205 million in expanding services for students with disabilities, Chancellor David Banks announced on Thursday. The funding will go towards a "Sensory Exploration, Education and Discovery (SEED)" pilot program. Approximately 20 percent of New York City public school students receive special education. (Gothamist)

New York City pic of the day:

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Today in New York City:

• The MoMA Hosts UNIQLO NYC Night (4 p.m.)
• “LEAVES” by Victor Vauban Jr @ NY Theater Festival (6 p.m.)
• BJC @ Pelham Parkway Hosts Shabbat Dinner (7 p.m.)
• New York Theatre Ballet: Keith Michael’s "The Nutcracker" — Brookfield Place (7 p.m.)
• Violinist Curtis Stewart with Experiential Orchestra — The DiMenna Center for Classical Music (8 p.m.)

Crime and safety corner:

• An actor's body was found dumped on a Bronx street this week, according to police and a report. Frank Vallelonga Jr., an actor in the Oscar-winning film “Green Book,” died of a suspected drug overdose. (New York City Patch)
• A teenager died while surfing on top of a J train in Brooklyn on Thursday, police say. (Gothamist)
• A police officer fractured his leg after falling 20 feet from a helicopter during a training exercise in College Point on Thursday, the NYPD said. (New York City Patch)

From my notebook:

• Check out this time-lapse video of the construction and lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. (NBC New York)
• New York City's Billion Oyster Project is well on the way to meet its goal of placing (you guessed it!) one billion oysters in the city's harbor and waterways by 2035. (THE CITY)
• New York City is now sister cities with Athens, Greece (the city that claims to have invented Democracy) after Mayor Eric Adams signed an agreement with his Athenian counterpart, Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis. Next stop on his world tour: Qatar. (New York City Patch)
• A new musical production of 'The Wiz' will make its way to Broadway by spring 2024 after traveling on the road across the country. (Spectrum News NY1)
• New York City is hiring a 'rat czar' to manage the city's approach to its rodent crisis. And it sounds like not having previous "rat experience" isn't necessarily a dealbreaker — especially if the candidate has swagger. (New York City Patch)

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• The Harlem Night Market at La Marqueta (December 3)
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• Sonic Sanctuary: The Luminous Darkness A concert by Tyrone Birkett | Emancipation (December 3)
• HSS Online Workshop: De-Stress & Express Yourself with Art! (December 6)
• We Didn't Start The Friars — Comedy and Karaoke at The Friars Club (December 6)
• Berkeley College MBA Information Session (December 6)
• White Collar Week Speaker Mike Kimelman All About Crypto, FTX, etc. (December 6)
• Living: Advance Screening and Conversation with Actor Bill Nighy and Director Oliver Hermanus (December 6)
• Learn About Exercise & Complementary Therapies for Inflammatory Arthritis Pain! (December 7)
• Manage Your Hip Pain: Tips from Hospital for Special Surgery (December 8)
• Dan Wilbur - Live Album Recording (December 8)
• A Service of Lessons & Carols (December 11)
• Berkeley College Legal and Justice Studies/National Security Career Seminar (December 14)
• Cristina Fontanelli's 19th-annual "Christmas in Italy®" (December 17)
• Arts and Jazzfest NYC — Community Christmas Caroling & Year End Holiday Celebration (December 18)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you tomorrow for another update.

— Dashiell Allen

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