WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City the city THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: Federal Monitor Overseeing Department of Correction Wants Adams Administration Held in Contempt

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, The federal monitor who oversees the city Department of Correction wants the Adams administration held in contempt — in order to force jail officials into implementing much-needed reforms.  Citing “pervasive dysfunction” behind bars, Monitor Steve Martin requested that Laura Taylor Swain, chief judge for the Southern District of New York, “initiate contempt proceedings” against the city. “The current state of affairs and rates of use of force, stabbings and slashings, fights, assaults on staff, and in-custody deaths remain extraordinarily high,” Martin wrote in a 288-page report. “They are not typical, they are not expected, they are not normal.”  If Swain moves forward, the contempt proceedings could lead to fining the city if changes aren’t made.  Last month, Swain ruled that The Legal Aid Society could make a case this summer for transferring at least part of the department to a third party known as a “receiver” and overseen by the court.  Mayor Eric Adams and Correction Commissioner Louis Molina are vehemently opposed to the appointment of a receiver. Read more here. Some other items of note: New York’s first openly transgender party official, Émilia Decaudin, is running to unseat a scandal-scarred assemblymember. Decaudin, a 24-year-old democratic socialist, will announce today that she is running for the Assembly seat in District 37, which covers parts of Long Island City, Sunnyside, Maspeth and Ridgewood. Her campaign comes amid questions about current Assemblymember Juan Ardila’s ability to effectively serve his 141,000 constituents following allegations of sexual misconduct. The freshman legislator has been effectively sidelined since the allegations surfaced in mid-March. A bigger pool of city money will help up to 6,000 more kids learn to swim this year — while also training teens to become lifeguards amid a continuing shortage at public beaches and pools. As part of the new city budget, the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Learn to Swim program is set to receive a $5.3 million boost. And, for the first time, public school pools will open for free lessons. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday’s Weather Rating: 7/10. All right! Still a bit warm, with high temps in the upper 80s. But we’ve got a nice breeze, much more comfortable dew points and only widely isolated showers. We’ll take it, the vibes are on the way up. Things To Do Here’s what’s going on around the city this week. Wednesday, July 12 and Thursday, July 13: Manhattanhenge is back. Brave the tourists and find a spot facing west to catch the view. Get there at sunset; 14th, 34th, 42nd, 57th and 79th streets are said to be the most photogenic.  Saturday, July 15: The Queens Night Market continues, with more than 100 food and art vendors showcasing the diversity of the borough. It runs from 5 p.m. to midnight, every Saturday through the summer, at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Plates are $5-6. Saturday, July 15: NYC Audubon is hosting several events, from “Intro to Birding” in Marine Park to “NYCHA in Nature” birding at Beach 43rd Street and in Bay View. Details here. Free. THE KICKER: Before buildings were required to have ventilation, and when two out of three New Yorkers lived in tenements, it was even harder to sleep during heat waves than it is now. Here’s a historical deep-dive into how New Yorkers tried to cope — from city officials giving away ice blocks, to a night in 1922 when six thousand people slept in Central Park. (Friendly reminder: check on your neighbors during heat waves.) Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday. Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc

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