🌱 NYC COVID-19 Cases Rising + Dyker Heights Christmas Lights

Good morning, New York City!

• 🦠 COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, just in time for the holiday season.
• 🗓 Part-time faculty are entering the third week of a strike at The New School.
• 🎄 Be sure to check out the Christmas lights in Dyker Heights.

But first, today's weather:

Windy with periods of rain. High: 57 Low: 34.

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

1. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in New York City, having increased everyday since Thanksgiving to an average of over 3,200 per day. The uptick around the holiday season is in keeping with trends over the past two years, although this winter it could be combined with RSV and a stronger flu season. (New York City Patch)
2. Hey, big spender! NYC households spent $13,000 more on average than the rest of the country in each of the past two years for a total of $77,000, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. New Yorkers tended to spend a greater percentage of their budget on housing, but less on transportation, compared to the country. (New York City Patch)
3. Entering the third week of a strike, the union representing part-time professors at The New School is entering mediation after 95 percent of its members voted to reject the school's final offer for a new contract. The faculty are asking for higher wages and health benefits, with their contract having expired in 2019. (THE CITY)
4. The Chief of Staff to New York Attorney General Letitia James announced he's quitting his job on Friday, following allegations that he sexually assaulted at least one woman, according to reports. Ibrahim Khan, who has worked for James since 2013, said in a statement that his resignation was not connected to the allegations. (Gothamist)
5. A City Council bill that would ban landlords from conducting criminal background checks on potential tenants (excluding NYCHA public housing) is facing opposition from a small group of council members, while a majority appear to be in support, ahead of a public hearing scheduled for next week. (AMNY)

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:

• Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular: Midtown Manhattan (10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
• Brooklyn's 3rd Annual Santa Land Parade: Crown Heights, Brooklyn (11 a.m.)
• The Harlem Night Market at La Marqueta (4 p.m.)

Sunday:

• Free Washington Square Music Festival Holiday Concert (4 p.m.)
• Parade on Rockaway: Jamaica, Queens (5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• A man punched a 21-year-old woman unconscious while she was participating in a protest against China's COVID-19 lockdown laws at Columbia University earlier this week, police said Friday. (New York City Patch)
• Heat and hot water complaints made to 311 so far this season have tended to occur more frequently in Upper Manhattan and The Bronx, data shows. There's been more than 40,000 complaints in total since Oct. 1, 17 percent more than by this time last year. (City Limits)
• The New York Times is soliciting New Yorkers' help in drawing where they think their neighborhood begins and ends, to create an interactive map. (The New York Times)
• NYC Patch reporter Peter Senzamici captured the magic of the Christmas lights in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, in this photo series that includes one skeleton. (New York City Patch)
• You'd better watch out! Here's where Santa Claus is coming to town in New York City, Brooklyn and Queens. (New York City Patch)

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Events:

• West Park Holiday Tag Sale! (December 3)
• 36th Annual Miracle on Madison Avenue (December 3)
• The Harlem Night Market at La Marqueta (December 3)
• Holiday Tree Lighting in St. Nicholas Park (December 3)
• POSTPONED: 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)
• Fine & Decorative Arts Auction | Jewelry | Artwork | Furniture | Silver (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)
• Mid-Century Modern and Design | Online Auction (December 15)
• Cristina Fontanelli's 19th-annual "Christmas in Italy®" (December 17)
• Arts & Jazzfest NYC — Community Christmas Caroling At Montefiore Park & Year End Holiday Celebration (December 18)
• Holiday Lights At The Bronx Zoo (December 23)
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Announcements:

• John’s Crazy Socks Celebrates the Holidays with 12 Days of Giving Back (Details)
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Gigs & services:

• Home Health Aide (Details)
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Job listings:

• Personal Assistant for Older New Yorkers in Manhattan (Details)
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Other classifieds:

• Behind The Scoreboard — Play Hockey, Ref Hockey, Eat Pizza (Details)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all on Monday for another update!

— Dashiell Allen

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