Community Alerts 6.26.24

Cooling Centers

As temperatures remain high this summer, make sure to stay cool. The City opens its cooling centers when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory with a forecasted heat index of 95 degrees or higher for two or more days or 100 degrees for any period of time. Find your nearest NYC cooling center here. If you or someone you know has any symptoms of heat illness (heavy sweating, lightheadedness, decreased energy, loss of appetite, etc.), call 911. 

Macy’s Fireworks for July 4th

The Macy's 4th of July Fireworks will be launched from barges along the Hudson River, lighting up the NYC Skyline and providing miles of prime viewing along the West Side of Manhattan. The City of New York is offering free tickets to the general public to view the 4th of July Fireworks from Pier 45 in Lower Manhattan or Pier 84 in Hell's Kitchen. Each member of the public is limited to two tickets, and their guest's name is required upon registration. Click here to view the ticketing website. General Public Viewing is on a first-come, first-served basis. No ticket is required. The entry points for public viewing include Christopher Street and Washington Street, West 11th Street and Washington Street, West 12th Street and Washington Street, West 29th Street and 11th Avenue, and West 40th Street and 11th Avenue. The fireworks show will also be broadcast on NBC. Visit the Macy's website to learn more, or call 311. 

2024 Fresh Food for Seniors Program

Council Member Gale Brewer’s office offers $15 worth of locally grown fruits and vegetables for just $10 for older adults on the West Side every two weeks. The program is pay-as-you-go, not a subscription. The first pickup day is Wednesday, July 10, at Goddard Riverside's Older Adult Center (593 Columbus at 88th St). You can place an order for that first day at the District Office (563 Columbus Avenue) on Monday, July 1, and Tuesday, July 2, then pick up your first bag of produce on July 10 from 1–3 pm. (You can then place your next order at Goddard on that day for pickup on July 24). Orders and pickups are also available at DOROT (171 W 85 St.; 212-769-2850); Project FIND Clinton Older Adult Center (530 W 55th St.; 212-757-2026); NCJW Council Lifetime Learning (241 W 72nd St.; 212-687-5030); Lincoln House Outreach (303 W 66th St.; 212-875-8958); hours will be different than Goddard, so call for details.   

Restaurants: Last Chance to Join Dining Out NYC

August 3 is the deadline for food service establishments with existing temporary outdoor dining setups to apply to continue operating. All food establishments with outdoor seating, even self-serve tables, must apply. Learn more about the program and deadlines here. 

NYC Businesses: Train and Retain Employees

The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) provides federally funded grants to help NYC-based businesses train and retain their employee through its Customized Training Grant. This grant reimburses up to 60 percent of the total training costs in one or more of the following areas: learning how to use recently purchased equipment or software; offering new services/products to reach new markets; providing new skills to help current staff advance into hard-to-fill positions; or updating outdated skills to help the business be more competitive. Learn more and apply or register for a training webinar. 

Deadline Extended! Truck Route Transportation Survey

In 2023, NYC Council passed Local Law 171 requiring NYC DOT to redesign the city truck route network to enhance safety, increase visibility, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the overall freight roadway network. NYC DOT’s Truck Route Network Redesign Public Feedback Portal will allow the public and freight industry to learn about the City’s truck route network and provide feedback. The public can comment and provide feedback through identifying issues and concerns of the current network via an interactive map. Feedback will help inform NYC DOT on how and where we can look to improve movement of trucks on city streets. The deadline to provide public feedback is now July 31, 2024.

It’s Festival and Parade Season

In the warmer months, streets are often closed due to local festivals, parades, and fairs. Visit Manhattan Community Board 7’s website for a list of events scheduled for the Upper West Side, or find a full list of NYC street fairs here. 

Traffic Advisories from DOT

Need to know about upcoming bridge and street closures? Visit DOT’s webpage for the weekly traffic advisory and weekend traffic advisory.