🌱 NYC Stalls Vital Overdose Data: Advocates + NY Gun Laws Continue

Good morning, New York City!

• The city's been slow to report any drug overdose deaths last year, causing concern for advocates.
• The Supreme Court allows New York to continue restricting guns in sensitive locations — for now.
• Patch speaks to a Brooklyn tenant who says her landlord's neglect almost made her homeless.

But first, today's weather:

Occasional rain and drizzle. High: 49 Low: 48.

Are you a business owner or marketer in New York City who wants to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales? If that's you, then I invite you to see how our newsletter sponsorships combine our local audience reach with your expertise to attract new customers. Click here to learn more.

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

1. New York City has been lagging behind releasing the number of drug overdose deaths, advocates with VOCAL-NYC charged. Publicly available information doesn't include deaths from the last three months of 2021 or any of 2022. The group thinks the lag gives "political cover" for Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul, who have failed to provide a coordinated response to likely hundreds of deaths. (New York City Patch)
2. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to prevent New York from enforcing its gun laws Wednesday, while a lawsuit plays out in a lower court. The laws allow the state to prohibit firearms in "sensitive locations" such as Times Square and schools. In a statement accompanying the court's ruling, however, conservative justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas said the law "presents novel and serious questions." (Associated Press)
3. Long Island and New York State Republican Party leaders both called on Rep. George Santos to resign on Wednesday over his numerous lies during his campaign for Congress. "I will NOT resign!" Santos tweeted in response. (Gothamist)
4. Montefiore Hospital threatened to fire newly hired nurses that are union members if they went on strike, according to a complaint filed with the federal National Labor Relations Board. Nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai continued their strike for a third day on Wednesday, requesting better staffing ratios among other demands. (THE CITY)
5. In Bed-Stuy, residents of one building say that their landlord's longtime negligence has left them vulnerable to becoming homeless. That almost happened back in November when the city temporarily issued a permanent vacate order due to the building's crumbling facade. (New York City Patch)

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:

• The FRIENDS Experience: The One in New York City (10 a.m.)
• MoMA Hosts 19th Annual “To Save and Project” Film Festival (10:30 a.m.)
• Salsa Thursdays at Time Out Market New York (6 p.m.)
• Golden Girls Bingo: A Betty White Celebration at Crystal Lake (7 p.m.)
• Winter JazzFest NYC begins today (multiple times)

From my notebook:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is next Monday, Jan. 16. There's lots of ways to volunteer and celebrate throughout the city, from the city's parks to the Apollo Theater, to the Jackie Robinson Museum. (AMNY)
• The Upper West Side grew by a whopping 30 percent over the course of the pandemic — the most of any Manhattan neighborhood — a new study found. You can check out the changes in your neighborhood here. (New York City Patch)
• Hundreds of flights were delayed and some canceled at JFK and LaGuardia Airports yesterday morning amid a nationwide Federal Aviation Administration outage. (New York City Patch)
• An NYPD officer jumped to his death in LeFrack City, Queens, on Tuesday, the Police Department confirmed. (QNS)
• This man tracked the price of pizza in New York City from 2014 to 2022, finding a 19 percent increase in the average price of a plane slice and 37.5 percent for pepperoni. (NBC New York)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Chronic Foot Pain Center - Dr. Robert Kornfeld — (Visit website)
• Silver Stars Fitness — (Visit Website)
• Church of the Heavenly Rest — (Visit website)
• Jerry McTigue LinkedIn Profile Writing Service — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• Showcase From Space (January 12)
• Overcoming Burnout/Compassion Fatigue: A Workshop for Caregivers (January 14)
• Marble Church to Present ‘Justice and the Church: Women and the Social Gospel’ (January 15)
• Introduction to Judaism (January 18)
• Berkeley College Honors Program Information Session (January 18)
• Add your event

That's it for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update!

— Dashiell Allen

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