🌱 NYC Considers E-Bike Battery Crackdown + Rockefeller Christmas Tree

Good morning, New York City!

• The City Council is considering banning sale of the batteries that have caused over 100 fires this year.
• NYC has spent nearly $600 million on the recent arrival of asylum seekers, a report finds
• Some New York Democrats want to oust the state party's leader after the midterm elections.

But first, today's weather:

Becoming cloudy. High: 46 Low: 41. It's getting cold out there. 🥶

Check out what our local sponsor can do for you:

Looking for opportunities to volunteer or to be more involved in your community in New York City? Check out Humbler.co, a New York-based platform that matches volunteers with nonprofits and local organizations hosting events and volunteering opportunities around the city. Sign up is free, there are no monthly fees, no long-term commitments and with over 90 local orgs currently participating, it’s never been easier to make a difference. Visit Humbler.co and do some good today.

Click here to get your business featured in this spot.

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

1. The City Council is considering a bill that would ban the sale of second-hand lithium-ion batteries that are frequently used to power e-bikes used by many delivery workers. This year alone 166 fires have been tied to lithium-ion batteries, Councilwoman Gale Brewer said. Safer e-bike batteries often cost hundreds of dollars, according to testimony given at a Council hearing. (New York City Patch)
2. Mayor Eric Adams presented a sweeping set of reforms to a New York City housing voucher program aimed at families, which he says will now be open to single adults working full-time on a minimum wage. Meanwhile family work requirements will be lowered from 30 hours a week to 14 hours, monthly contributions to rent will be capped at $50. (New York City Patch)
3. Providing shelter, education and additional resources to thousands of asylum seekers that have arrived in New York City since the spring has so far cost the city $596 million, instead of the $1 billion previously estimated by Mayor Adams, an audit by the Independent Budget office found. That includes close to $500 million on shelter alone. (New York City Patch)
4. NY lawmakers and party members are calling for the resignation of New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs, saying he and the party didn't do enough during the midterm elections to prevent Congressional seats from flipping to Republicans. Governor Kathy Hochul, who a letter calls on to oust Jacobs, appears uninterested in doing so. (AMNY)
5. Asylum seekers looking for a job in the construction industry would be required to take a 40-hour safety course. However, the few free classes are already overwhelmed leaving many without a clear alternative. (THE CITY)

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.

Today in New York City:

• Lunch + Learn: Thin Brick for Precast Applications (12 p.m.)
• Harlem Holiday Lights celebration and parade (6 p.m.)
• Rhonda “Passion” Hansome To Direct “Dust of Egypt” @ NY Theater Festival (6:15 p.m.)
• Bonsai Bar @ Brooklyn Brewery (6:30 p.m.)
• Black Artists on the Great White Way: The First Golden Age - 92nd Street Y (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• An 82-foot-tall Christmas tree arrived in Rockefeller Center on Saturday. Its lighting is set for Nov. 30. (New York City Patch)
• Speaking with Patch, Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead said that more lawsuits were to come, after he recently sued a New York disk jockey for $50 million after she allegedly called him a "drug dealer." (New York City Patch)
• Shops and vacant storefronts on the Upper East Side will be brightened up this holiday season by art displays in their windows. (New York City Patch)
• "Shucks," a new "corn-prone" musical coming soon to Broadway, "finds laughs in a worrisome alliance between a hick and a huckster." (Subscription/The New York Times)
• New York City has an estimated 21,000 unfilled government jobs amounting to a seven percent vacancy rate, according to a report from the State Comptroller. (City & State)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Historian Stacy Schiff at Sarah Lawrence College (November 15)
• Organic Cold Process Soap Making Class - New York City (November 16)
• National Geographic’s Limitless: Screening and Conversation with Chris Hemsworth and Dr. B.J. Miller (November 16)
• Candle Making Class - New York City (November 17)
• Hootenanny: A Celebration of Jewish Music (November 17)
• "Spirit Drenched in Gold" 5Rhythms Dance & Movement Meditation Class (November 18)
• Paul Feig and Ellie Kemper: Cocktail Time! (November 18)
• Berkeley College Open House (November 19)
• Rizos & Coquito Holiday Pop Up Shop (November 19)
• Add your event

Gigs & services:

• Puppy and Dog Training and Behavior (Details)
• Add your gig or service

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update.

— Dashiell Allen

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