🌱 NY Schools Stay Mask-Optional This Fall + Ivana Trump's Funeral

Good morning New York City! It's another hot day out there. It's so hot that city buildings are even cutting power in the hopes of staving off a blackout. If you're braving the high temps in the next couple days here's the "16 Best Water Playgrounds and Sprinkler Parks" in the city.

In the news today: Ivana Trump's funeral took place on the Upper East Side, schools are going mask-optional this fall, and the City Council and Mayor are close to reaching a deal restoring funding to the Department of Education.

First, today's weather:

A gusty t-storm in the p.m.. High: 93 Low: 77. Heat indexes could reach as high as 104.

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

1. New York's schools are likely to remain mask-optional in the fall, while public transit is expected to continue its current rules, Governor Kathy Hochul announced at a COVID briefing on Wednesday — although she reserves the right to change her mind. She noted that the state has 20 million at-home tests stockpiled for the start of classes. (New York City Patch)
2. In other school news, Mayor Eric Adams and members of the City Council are inching closer to reaching a possibly $250 million deal that would restore much of the funding recently cut from the Department of Education's budget. (Chalkbeat New York) While it has been reported on that NYC's public schools are facing dropping enrollment, the opposite was true of charter schools during the first two years of the pandemic, according to reports. (New York Post)
3. Mourners from across New York traveled to attend the funeral of Ivana Trump, the former wife of Donald Trump. The former president and his family were also in attendance. Many mourners expressed admiration for Trump, who grew up in the former Soviet Union. (New York City Patch)
4. Traffic accidents in the city disproportionally take place in The Bronx, according to a new study. So far this year alone 28 people in the borough were killed in crashes — a 22 percent increase over last year. Overall the city's expected to see fewer accidents this year than last. (Gothamist)
5. One in four NYC children is not getting enough food to eat — that's up from one in five before the start of the pandemic. During the summer months while school is out, the city offers free meals at 300 sites — open to anyone under 18. Here's how to find the site nearest to you. (THE CITY)

New York City pic of the day:

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Today in New York City:

• The MoMA Presents: “Slow Looking: Suzanne Jackson From Home” (8 a.m.)
• Tech and Startup Networking Mixer (5 p.m.)
• Healthy on the Hudson x lululemon: Yoga Thursdays in Chelsea (6:30 p.m.)
• Twelfth Night - Free Uptown Shakespeare in the Park (8:30 p.m.)
• First Ladies Of Disco Retro Music Box Tour at The Public Theater (9:30 p.m.)

Crime and safety corner:

• A man from Queens could face life in prison for sexually exploiting five children who he targeted online by falsely pretending to be a modeling scout. (New York City Patch)
• Two teenage boys aged 14 and 15 were shot on Tuesday — one of them fatally — in East Harlem, in what appears to have been a targeted attack. The gunman remains at large. (New York City Patch)
• Rudy Giuliani was ordered by a New York judge to testify in Georgia's probe of whether Donald Trump attempted to interfere in the 2020 election. (New York City Patch)

From my notebook:

• The Central Park Boathouse will be closing permanently this fall, its current owner announced, stating the economics no longer added up. (New York City Patch)
• We're in the middle of a scorching July heat wave — and it's already time to start thinking about Christmas, at least if you want to score a ticket to the “Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes.” (AMNY)
• It's not just the sharks — humpback whales are also making their presence known in NYC's waterways, and sticking around for as long as a month. (New York Post )
• Shark sightings shut down the city's beaches on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a dead shark's body washed up on the shore of a Long Island. (Pix11)
• In Astoria, the owner of a beloved Palestinian restaurant known for its free falafel samples, aptly named King of Falafel, is going to be sold. Freddy Zeideia, the owner and master of falafel and shawarma, says he's ready to move on with his life. (New York City Patch)
• Be warned — just twelve days from now NYC's speed cameras will begin issuing violations 24/7. (NYC DOT via Facebook)

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• WEBINAR: Family Bonds: Your Financial Therapist (July 21)
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• "Murdered By The Mob" Dinner Theater Show / Party (July 23)
• NYC Hip Hop vs Reggae® Jewel Yacht Saturday Cruise Skyport Marina 2022 (July 23)
• The Master Speaks by Swami A. Parthasarathy (July 24)
• Hell Gate Walking Tour (July 24)
• NYC Sunday Sunset Crowd Control Edm Techno House Jewel Yacht Party (July 24)
• “SIX Totally Rules!” Get Tickets to Broadway’s Tony Award®-Winning “Euphoric Celebration!” (July 29)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Dashiell Allen

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