WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - Brooklyn Public Library connects families to locked-up loved ones, Queens principal steps down after knife incident, FAQ NYC talks George Santos

 

Dear New Yorkers,

When the pandemic hit, New York state prisons banned in-person visits in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus, and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision expanded the use of video visits.

While in-person visits are now back, remote visits are still used to help detainees stay connected.

And recently, the Brooklyn Public Library began a program to make it even easier for people to connect online with loved ones behind bars.

Michael Carey, BPL’s justice initiatives coordinator and the driving force behind the venture, stressed that the video visits in no way should be used to completely replace in-person visits.

“When someone is sent upstate it's very difficult for families to stay connected,” he said. “The telestory program is a supplement to that.”

BPL has a few part time staff who help families register for the visits and some equipment like 42-inch screens that currently can connect to nine state facilities; the hope is to eventually connect to all 44 of them. Operating expenses are between $130,000 and $150,000 annually, incorporated into the library’s overall budget.

People interested in scheduling a video visit can call or text the BPL at 718-916-9408 or email telestory@bklynlibrary.org. Before an initial visit, they must fill out an intake form and sign a consent form before contacting the library.

Read more here

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 5/10. There's that chill in the air again! High temperatures only reach the mid 40s with mostly cloudy skies and a noticeable northwest breeze. No rain or snow, but grab a jacket — the vibes are very chilly out there today!

Our Other Top Stories

Erica Ureña-Thus, the embattled principal of P.S. 398Q in Jackson Heights, announced on Friday she would step down. That news came weeks after parents mounted a campaign for her ouster, telling THE CITY that she had “covered up” an incident where a second-grader brought a knife to school, allegedly with a plan to attack a fellow student. As THE CITY previously reported, teachers had been complaining since the summer about what they said was a “hostile” environment fostered by the school’s founding principal. Is Eric Adams really in political trouble? Will George Santos ever really go away? Are the Mekons truly golden? All that and much more is discussed on the latest episode of the FAQ NYC podcast.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Thursday, Dec. 7: Holiday Wreath Making hosted by NYC Parks GreenThumb. All supplies are provided. Free with RSVP from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center in The Bronx. Friday, Dec. 8: Exhibit opening of Byzantine Bembé: New York by Manny Vega, a celebration of the mosaicist and muralist whose work also appears in subways, street walls and businesses in East Harlem. Pay what you wish (at the museum’s in-person ticketing counter) at the Museum of the City of New York in Manhattan. Friday, Dec. 8: Parranda and Poetry Liberation Celebration, a walk through the Sunset Park community that celebrates both the holidays and the spirit of struggle for liberation. Free from 4 p.m. (walk begins promptly at 4:15 p.m.) at UPROSE in Brooklyn.

THE KICKER: Ever wanted to feel like a 1930s ironworker, posing for a publicity photograph on a steel beam more than 800 feet above street level? If so, “The Beam,” an interactive experience that lets visitors pay $25 to recreate an iconic New York image, is now open at Rockefeller Center.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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