🌱 NYC Scaffolding Crackdown Coming Soon + Wash. Heights Subway Tunnel

Good morning, New York City!

• NYC wants to pull down some of the pesky scaffoldings cluttering up the streets.
• A call for artists to paint the Washington Heights subway tunnel (that city agencies painted over a few months ago).
• Advocates are suing the NYPD for not releasing public records on its protocols for involuntarily committing people with mental illnesses.

But first, today's weather:

Clouds giving way to some sun. High: 54 Low: 31.

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

1. The city might soon be cracking down on the 280 miles of scaffolding that cover New York City's buildings, in many cases for more than a year. One bill introduced by Manhattan City Councilmembers would require owners to file work permits within six months of erecting a scaffold, while another would create timelines to take down scaffolds where no work is being completed. (New York City Patch)
2. Cannabis advocates in The Bronx are concerned the borough is being left last in the legal weed industry. The first three dispensaries have opened just blocks from each other in Lower Manhattan, and it looks like the next one is slated for Queens. They're worried the regulations might be too confusing and the cost of opening a business too costly for the people most impacted by the war on drugs to profit from the industry. (New York Daily News)
3. The Department of Transportation is looking for artists to paint the 191st Street 1 train station tunnel in Upper Manhattan, following backlash when it was painted over in January. They're looking for designs that "reflect the local community and the rich cultural identity of Washington Heights" by April 14. (Washington Heights–Inwood Patch)
4. The New York Civil Liberties Union is suing the NYPD and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell in order to access public records detailing the department's protocols for involuntarily committing people who are believed to be having mental health issues to hospitals. They had initially asked for the information through a Freedom of Information request in December. (Gothamist)
5. New York City wants 100 percent of its for-hire taxis, Ubers and Lyfts to be electric by 2030. But drivers say there's not enough charging stations–a majority of which are exclusively for Teslas and many of which are far from where most drivers live. The city plans to build 6,000 quick chargers by the end of the decade. (THE CITY)

New York City pic of the day:

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This weekend in New York City:

• Saturday: The Bloody Mary Festival- near Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn (12 p.m.)
• Saturday: Queens Short Play Festival - Woodside, Queens (7:30 p.m.)
• Saturday: Krasno Moore Project ft. Eric Finland - Blue Note Jazz Club (8 p.m.)
• Sunday: Irish Arts Center St. Patrick's Open Day - Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan (12 p.m.)
• Sunday: "Turangalila-Symphonie" at the New York Philharmonic - Lincoln Center, Manhattan (2 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Local and federal security agencies, including the NYPD, New York State Court Officers, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, are preparing for the possibility that former President Donald Trump could be indicted next week or soon after, according to sources. (NBC New York)
• A seven-by-four foot touchstone is set to be placed temporarily on Hart Island, to commemorate the people who have been buried there in unmarked graves during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Bronx Times)
• A small Christian school in Manhattan, The King’s College, looks like it's likely to be closing due to low enrollment. Administrators are starting to tell students to find another place to enroll next year. (Subscription/The New York Times)
• The NYPD is now arresting more people for major crimes than anytime since Rudi Giuliani was mayor, although the total number of arrests remains low. (City & State)
• In a strange coincidence, this unknown green substance appeared to have leaked into a Q train subway stop in Park Slope–just in time for St. Patrick's Day. (Gothamist)

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Featured events:

• Concert: Celebrating the Works of Black, Indigenous, and Latin Composers (March 18)
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• Rejoice Resist: BIPOC Films and Filmmakers (March 20)
• White Collar Week: Scott Semple, Former Connecticut Correction Commissioner (March 21)
• SRFF 2023 - 10th anniversary edition Closing Awards Night (March 23)
• Water Week Boat Tour: Ocean Stewardship from the Bronx to Brooklyn (March 24)
• Miss Bomba Claudie, The Jamaican Talk Show Host (March 24)
• EAST END WEDDING & EVENT EXPO WEEKEND: 3/25 NoFo & 3/26 Hamptons (March 25)
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• Kids Easter Party Queens NY (April 9)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday. I'll be back in your inbox on Monday with a new update!

— Dashiell Allen

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