A Great Big City — New York City News, History, and Events

We looked at the city's number of measles cases last week on episode 21, and new numbers this week show that the outbreak continues to grow. Within the city, there have now been 498 total confirmed cases, and increase of 32 over last week, and in data from the CDC, the nationwide total is now at 839. A new school has been ordered closed this week for failure to follow the city health commissioner's public health emergency plan introduced last month. On May 13th, the city ordered the Yeshiva of Central Queens closed for failing to "exclude unvaccinated students for 21 days following a known exposure at the school." This is the 9th school closed by the city, and all others have since been allowed to reopen after modifying their practices to comply with the emergency plan.

This outbreak is the worst the United States has seen since 1994, when the yearly total was 928 cases nationwide.

In response to the ongoing outbreak of measles, the city has partnered with local (hut 'zu lah) Hatzolah emergency medical groups and the Maimonides Medical Center to make the measles vaccine available to the community, regardless of medical insurance or ability to pay. Various times and locations are available on a poster provided by the city that you can view online, or you can call 311 for more information or stop by the Hatzolah offices Boro Park, Williamsburg, or Flatbush.

Within the city, Orthodox Jewish communities are hardest hit due to a combination of unvaccinated individuals and travelers returning from Israel, where there has been an outbreak of measles since last year. In the city health department data, Williamsburg has the highest total number of cases, at 379, and has added 20 new cases just in the previous week. The city has also carried through with restrictions outlined in an official health department declaration from last month, closing multiple schools and citing 98 individuals for failing to show proof of vaccination or to obtain a new vaccination. Measles is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air as sick individuals cough or sneeze. The measles vaccination is included in MMR shots, standing for measles, mumps, and rubella, that contain a specially-weakened form of the virus that trains the body's immune system on how to defend against that virus in the future. For information on where to obtain a measles vaccination, call 311 or view information from the Department of Health at nyc.gov/doh.

100 years ago on May 16, 1919 — Members of the "Russellites" religious sect living in Brooklyn receive reduced sentences after being charged with distributing anti-war materials.

135 years ago on May 17, 1884 — P.T. Barnum leads a parade of 21 elephants across the Brooklyn Bridge, which had opened just one year earlier

Wegmans supermarket comes to the Brooklyn Navy Yard on 7am on October 27th, when the 74,000 sqft store opens where Admiral's Row once stood.

An update to last week's deadly Harlem fire at the Frederick E. Samuel Apartments that claimed the lives of four children and two adults in the early-morning hours of May 8th. FDNY fire investigators determined the cause to have been an open flame on the stove, and that Andrea Pollidore had a habit of disabling the smoke detector while she cooked because it would begin to alarm so easily. A source told NBC4 that the stove was found in the "on" position, so it seems to have been left burning at some point that day and eventually fire spread late in the night, when smoke overtook the apartment before the family inside could escape. Killed in the fire were 4 y/o Elijah, 6 y/o Brooklyn, 8 y/o Andre, 11 y/o Nakyra, their mother Andrea Pollidore, and family friend 32 y/o Mac Abdularauph, who was previously reported as a step-son. A GoFundMe page has been set up by a family member to cover the funeral costs and has received over $40,000 in just six days.

80 years ago on May 17, 1939 — The first televised sporting event takes place at Columbia University

57 years ago on May 19, 1962 — Marilyn Monroe performs "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" as part of John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden

Mayor de Blasio held an announcement at Trump Tower on May 13th: In what was either a shortsighted location choice or an attempt to draw attention to a possible presidential run, de Blasio faced a cacophonous scene for his New York City Green New Deal press conference, with Trump Tower turning up the music in their lobby speakers and about a dozen protesters taking endless rides on the escalators behind the podium while carrying "Trump 2020" and "Worst Mayor Ever" signs. The city's Green New Deal plan would fine large buildings like Trump Tower for the pollution they emit, and buildings account for 70% of carbon emissions within the city.

73 years ago on May 20, 1946 — A twin-engine military plane crashes into 40 Wall Street, killing all on board

AGBC is more than just a news website — Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming explosion sounds. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar!

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

The measles outbreak continues to grow as new cases are identified. According to the city health department, there have been 466 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens since September, and New York is a major contributor to the nationwide total of 764 cases, the highest number in 25 years. Within the city, Orthodox Jewish communities are hardest hit due to a combination of unvaccinated individuals and travelers returning from Israel, where there has been an outbreak of measles since last year. In the city health department data, Williamsburg has the highest total number of cases, at 379, and has added 31 new cases just in the previous week. The city has also carried through with restrictions outlined in an official health department declaration from last month, closing multiple schools and citing more than 80 individuals for failing to show proof of vaccination or to obtain a new vaccination. Measles is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air as sick individuals cough or sneeze. The measles vaccination is included in MMR shots, standing for measles, mumps, and rubella, that contain a specially-weakened form of the virus that trains the body's immune system on how to defend against that virus in the future. For information on where to obtain a measles vaccination, call 311 or view information from the Department of Health at nyc.gov/doh.

142 years ago on May 8, 1877 — The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is held in Manhattan

170 years ago on May 10, 1849 — A rivalry between Shakespearean actors fuels the Astor Place Riot at the Astor Opera House

136 years ago on May 12, 1883 — The Brooklyn Grays hold their first baseball game

116 years ago on May 15, 1903 — New York becomes the first state to require vehicle registration numbers

78 years ago on May 15, 1941 — Joe DiMaggio begins what would become his famous 56-game hitting streak

City data on DSNY salt usage: In the DSNY data, storms are loosely grouped into numbered storms when road clearing takes place over multiple days. From November 2018 to March 2019, there were eight significant storms that required an average of around 41,000 tons of salt per storm, for a season total of 329,849 tons.

A deadly fire at the Frederick E. Samuel Apartments in Harlem claimed the lives of four children and two adults in the early-morning hours of May 8th. In what appears to have been an unfortunate accident, fire marshals found the cause to have been an unattended stove that was left lit. It was unknown whether the stove was being used for cooking, to heat the apartment, or if it was left lit for religious reasons, as was the case in a similar overnight fire in Midwood, Brooklyn in 2015 that killed seven children. Speaking to PIX11, an FDNY source said that the smoke alarm was found disconnected, which could explain why the family was not alerted by the alarm, which was inspected just five months earlier.

42 years ago on May 16, 1977 — A New York Airways helicopter crashes while loading passengers from atop the Pan Am building

Planetary Defense Conference in College Park, Maryland simulates a hypothetical asteroid impact on ol' New York City

Manhattanhenge Photography Tips and Viewing Locations

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website — Did you know that we also run Cityblimp, an automated Twitter bot that uses data about the city to teach residents about historic sites, weather conditions, and even draws a picture of the city before bed each night! Visit agreatbigcity.com/cityblimp or follow @cityblimp on Twitter to learn more about the city around you.

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming weekend:

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Asteroid impact music: 'I Hate Him So Much' by Anonymous420

Tribeca Film Festival (All Day Event)

May 3, 4, 5 — Frieze Art Fair

Summer on the Hudson:

Sunday, May 5 — Summer on the Hudson: Irish Arts Center New York City Irish Dance Festival — Pier I (in Riverside Park South)

Monday, May 6 — Björk’s Cornucopia — The Icelandic artist will perform eight shows backed by a chorus and cast of musicians at The Shed — Hudson Yards

83 years ago on May 3, 1936 — Joe DiMaggio makes his major league debut, playing center field for the New York Yankees.

59 years ago on May 3, 1960 — 'The Fantasticks' premiers at Sullivan Street Playhouse and would go on to become the longest-running musical with 42 years and 17,162 performances.

Friday, May 3 — 97 street Greenmarket Friday — 97 Street Between Columbus Avenue And Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan

Friday, May 3 — Columbia Greenmarket Thursday and Sunday — Broadway Between West 114 Street And West 116 Street in Manhattan

Friday, May 3 — Cortelyou Greenmarket Sunday — Cortelyou Road Between Rugby Road And Argyle Road In Brooklyn

Friday, May 3 — Infest, Scapegoat, and The Fight will play a hardcore punk and post-hardcore show at The Kingsland in Greenpoint

Friday, May 3 — TR/ST brings dark electronica to Elsewhere in Brooklyn along with Juno Award-nominated artist Lydia Ainsworth

Friday, May 3 — Old Cathedral Outdoor Market — Prince Street Between Mott Street And Mulberry Street in Manhattan

Friday, May 3 — St. Anthony Flea Market — West Houston Street Between Thompson Street And Macdougal Street in Manhattan

May 3–4 — Bike Expo New York — Basketball City along the East River at 299 South Street in Manhattan

Friday, May 3 — Free Adult Lessons in Fencing at Bryant Park — Learn the basics of the sport of fencing beginning at 1:30pm in Bryant Park on the rear terrace of the library. Registration is required at the Manhattan Fencing Center website manhattanfencing.com

Friday, May 3 — Cinco De Mayo Celebration at Sunset Park — Sunset Park Recreation Center (in Sunset Park)

Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 — Jerry Seinfeld plays the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side as part of his ongoing series of monthly appearances

Friday, May 3 — callie oochies / georgia Smith Kali Uchis with Jorja Smith — The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden — Midtown West

Friday, May 3 — Maren Morris with RaeLynn (16+) — Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint

Friday, May 3 — Morrissey — Lunt-Fontanne Theatre — 205 West 46th St. — Midtown

60 years ago on May 4, 1959 — The first Grammy Awards are held in a simultaneous ceremony in New York and Beverly Hills, California. In New York, the event took place in the Park Sheraton Hotel at 870 Seventh Ave, just south of Central Park.

Saturday, May 4 — NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally will march down Broadway starting at 32nd Street and end in Union Square, where there will be speakers and performances beginning at 1pm to bring attention to marijuana legalization.

Saturday, May 4 — Run the Bronx will bring runners and walkers to Bronx Community College in Morris Heights. Registration begins at 7am, but the run will begin at 10am. The event will also honor Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., a former member of the Tuskegee Airmen and president of Bronx Community College for 17 years who established the run in 1978.

Saturday, May 4 — Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution and Streetlight Manifesto — Radio City Music Hall

Saturday, May 4 — DIJON and SACHI — Zone One at Elsewhere

Saturday, May 4 — The Lemonheads, The Restless Age, and Tommy Stinson — Brooklyn Bowl

Saturday, May 4 — Sharon Van Etten with Heather Woods Broderick (16+) — Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square

Saturday, May 4 — Conference House Park - Green Neighborhood — Swinnerton Street and Billop Avenue (in Conference House Park)

Saturday, May 4 — Governors Island's 1st Annual ShinDIG

Saturday, May 4 — The Dept of Transportation's Weekend Walks and Circle the Square Movie Night will take place at Westchester Square on Lane Ave at Tremont Ave in the Bronx, with a fashion show and a showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Saturday, May 4 — Mayo Day 2019 — Irish Hunger Memorial — North End Ave & Vesey St — Lower Manhattan

Saturday, May 4 — Urban Wildlife Festival — West 172nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue (in Highbridge Park)

Saturday, May 4 — Arlo SoHo's 2019 Kentucky Derby Party with Woodford Reserve — Arlo SoHo — 231 Hudson Street — Tribeca

Saturday, May 4 — 16th Annual Brooklyn Derby — Greenwood Park — 555 7th Ave — South Slope

Saturday, May 4 — Movies Under the Stars: Star Wars: The Last Jedi — St. Catherine's Park

Saturday, May 4 — Horseshoe Crab Monitoring — South end of the Calvert Vaux Parking Lot (in Calvert Vaux Park)

Saturday, May 4 — Horseshoe Crab Monitoring — Park Entrance at Bayview Avenue and W 33rd Street (in Kaiser Park)

Saturday, May 4 — Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution with Streetlight Manifesto — Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Avenue — Midtown

Saturday, May 4 — Maren Morris with RaeLynn — Terminal 5 — 610 W 56th St. — Hell's Kitchen / Midtown

128 years ago on May 5, 1891 — The first performance is held at a newly-constructed music hall on 57th Street that would later be renamed Carnegie Hall after Andrew Carnegie, who funded its construction. For the grand opening performance, Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky served as a special guest conductor. Although only initially named "Music Hall", board members for the performance space convinced Carnegie to allow the building to be named after him two years after opening.

Sunday, May 5 — TD Five Boro Bike Tour — The 40-mile ride begins at Franklin and Church in Lower Manhattan, heads north through Central Park to the Bronx, back down Manhattan along the East River, across the Queensboro Bridge to Astoria, all the way south through Brooklyn to the Verrazzano, and across to Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, where there will be a festival with food, music, and free bike repair.

Sunday, May 5 — Cinco de Mayo Parade will take place at 106th and Central Park West in Manhattan from 1pm to 3pm with music and dancing in celebration of Mexican culture.

Sunday, May 5 — Broadway Spring Festival is coming to Broadway between 86th and 93rd in Manhattan

Sunday, May 5 — Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation's Court Street Festival will take place on Court Street between Union and West 9th from 10am to 6pm.

Sunday, May 5 — Boardwalk Barrels of Fun — West 10th Street Boardwalk Entrance (in Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk)

Sunday, May 5 — Tulip Time — Queens Botanical Garden

Sunday, May 5 — Cinco de Mayo - Herbs of Mexico — H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park)

Sunday, May 5 — Riverside Park Overlook Concerts: Manhattan Jazz Combo — 116th Street Overlook (in Riverside Park)

Sunday, May 5 — Al Green with The War and Treaty — Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Avenue — Midtown

Sunday, May 5 — Vampire Weekend (16+) — Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square

Intro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Event Planner music: 'The Job Next Door' by Anonymous420

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

106 years ago on April 24, 1913 — The Woolworth Building opens, becoming the tallest building in the world for 17 years

122 years ago in 1897, on what would have been Grant's 75th birthday, Grant's tomb is first dedicated

230 years ago on April 30, 1789 — George Washington was inaugurated as the first U.S. President at Federal Hall on Wall Street

"Babe Ruth Day" is held at Yankee Stadium

Macy’s in talks to build 1.2M sf office tower atop Herald Square flagship.

79 years ago on April 28, 1940 — 'Pennsylvania 6-5000' is first recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra — Here's the Ithaca High School Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Bill Makin performing Pennsylvania 6-5000 for their winter concert in 2016

New York City Missing Persons Day

80 years ago on April 30, 1939 — The first New York World's Fair opens at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park — Bowery Boys podcast on World's Fair history

MTA posted a Twitter thread with info on upcoming L Train changes — If you're an L-train rider, get in touch at agreatbigcity.com/contact and let us know how you're dealing with the changes and if the delays have changed your routine.

Check your special blue MetroCard this week for a chance to win a trip to Hawaii

May 1, 1931 — The Empire State Building Officially Opens for Business — Empire State Building Run-Up

Some updates on the attempted attack at St. Patrick's Cathedral

April 26 in History: Bouncing Baby Boy Bombed!

A Great Big City is more than a news blog. Did you know that every day, AGBC automatically checks the lighting schedule for the Empire State Building and sends out an alert at sundown, letting you know how the building will be lit and what the lights represent.

Captain Rivera Playground

Brooklyn Botanic cherry blossom festival — Sakura Matsuri 2019: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Cherry Blossom Festival

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email [email protected] with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Overcast, Pocket Casts, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Visit agreatbigcity.com to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

I hope you enjoyed the roundup of baseball history on last week's episode. Today I have a selection of events from New York history and a discussion of two of the biggest news stories this week. Today's podcast does make mention of murder, but there will not be graphic details described.

16 years ago on April 13, 2003 — Subway tokens are phased out

37 years ago on April 12, 1982 — Three CBS employees are killed after encountering a gunman abducting a woman on the top of the Pier 92 parking garage

13 years ago on April 18, 2006 — Roosevelt Island Tram suffers mechanical problems, trapping 69 people in two tram cars in the air for seven hours

1 year ago on April 14, 2018 — David Buckel, a prominent gay rights lawyer and environmental advocate, sets himself on fire in Prospect Park.

8 years ago on April 16, 2011 — Area code 929 enters service in the outer boroughs

112 years ago on April 17, 1907 — Ellis Island sets a record for most immigrants processed in one day

A man was taken into custody on April 17th after attempting to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral with cans of gasoline.

40 years ago on April 18, 1979 — New York Airways helicopter crashes upon takeoff at Newark International Airport

58 years ago in 1961: Bob Dylan Plays in Greenwich Village for the First Time

7 years ago — New Evidence Brings FBI and NYPD Investigators to SoHo in the Search For Etan Patz

Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd and Arbor Day is on the 26th and the Parks Department has events in every borough over the next two weeks to celebrate! There will be an events ranging from an Earth Day egg-hunt in Co-Op City in the Bronx, pizza-making with a solar oven in Harlem, and you can even learn how to take care of a bee hive at the Queens County Farm Museum. View the full schedule of events.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email [email protected] with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Podcast Addict, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

106 years ago on April 9, 1913 — The first game is played at Ebbets Field

A devastating fire sweeps through Polo Grounds stadium

96 years ago on April 18, 1923 — The original Yankee Stadium officially opens

10 years ago on April 16, 2009 — The newest Yankee Stadium opens — The new Yankee Stadium opens

55 years ago on April 17, 1964 — Shea Stadium opens in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens

72 years ago in April 15, 1947 — Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in baseball

68 years ago on April 17, 1951 — Mickey Mantle makes his major league debut

115 years ago on April 8, 1904 — Longacre Square is renamed 'Times Square'

153 years ago on April 10, 1866 — The ASPCA is founded in New York City, becoming the oldest animal welfare organization in the United States

114 years ago on April 12, 1905 — The Hippodrome Theatre opens

There are at least six parks or city areas named in honor of Jackie Robinson:

Jackie Robinson Recreation Center in Manhattan's Jackie Robinson Park

Celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at the Jackie Robinson Recreation Center this Monday, April 15 from 5pm to 7pm at Bradhurst Avenue and 146th in Sugar Hill. The event will include arts and crafts and information on the history of baseball. Call (212) 234-9607 for more info.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

New York will become the first American city to instate congestion pricing — Quinnipiac poll shows little support for congestion pricing

39 years ago on April 1, 1980 — 33,000 transit workers go on strike, bringing subways and buses to a standstill for 12 days

34 years ago on March 31, 1985 — The First WrestleMania is held at Madison Square Garden — WrestleMania 2019 — Sunday, April 7th at MetLife Stadium

160 years ago on April 4, 1859 — The Civil War anthem 'Dixie' debuts in New York as part of a blackface minstrel show

Deterioration of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial in Riverside Park

86 years ago on April 4, 1933 — The USS Akron, one of history's largest airships, crashes into the ocean off the coast of New Jersey

52 years ago on April 4, 1967 — Martin Luther King Jr. delivers a speech at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights — Hear the full audio of the speech.

46 years ago on April 4, 1973 — The twin towers of the World Trade Center officially open ☮️

101 years ago on April 5, 1918 — Glass and pieces of wire are found in various foods in Brooklyn

98 years ago on April 1, 1921 — Greenwich Village Chase after Bleecker Street Armed Robbery

Bridge Park (Brooklyn)

Coney Island Volunteer Beach Grass Planting — April 6, 2019 — 9:30am — RSVP by emailing [email protected] or (718) 965-8976

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email [email protected] with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or RadioPublic, Spotify, and Castbox or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

108 years ago on March 25, 1911 — The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire kills 146 people, becoming the deadliest industrial accident in the city's history — Disturbingly, a similar deadly fire would occur on the same day 79 years later at the Happy Land Club, a story covered in episode 14 of the podcast

4 years ago on March 26, 2015 — A gas explosion and fire destroys three buildings at Second Ave and St. Marks

March 26 in History: Central Park "Be-In" on Easter Sunday in Sheep Meadow

One year ago on March 26th — NTSB Releases Report on Deadly East River Helicopter Crash — Listen to episode 12 of the podcast for the full story on the East River helicopter crash

110 years ago on March 30, 1909 — The Queensboro Bridge opens to traffic

34 years ago on March 31, 1985 — The First WrestleMania is held at Madison Square Garden — WrestleMania 2019 — April 7th at MetLife Stadium

39 years ago on April 1, 1980 — 33,000 transit workers go on strike, bringing subways and buses to a standstill for 11 days

4 years ago on April 2, 2015 — Two women are arrested in Jamaica, Queens for planning terrorist bombings

March 27 in History: The Disappearing House

March 28 in History: Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York

March 29 in History: The 'Mad Bomber' Puts Manhattan on Edge

Great Kills Park in Staten Island

If you're looking for a scare, try your hand at paranormal investigating! The Morris–Jumel Mansion in Upper Manhattan is holding a night of ghost hunting where you can learn about the history of the house and see the equipment ghost hunters use when investigating old properties. Tickets are required and the event takes place from 8pm to 11pm on Saturday, March 30th — Morris–Jumel Mansion Paranormal Investigation

This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the week of Tuesday, March 26

Billy Idol and Steve Stevens are playing Town Hall on Wednesday, March 27th at 8pm.

Failure and Swervedriver are playing Warsaw on Friday, March 29th at 7pm.

The Cure, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson, Radiohead, Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks, and The Zombies are playing The Barclay Center on Friday, March 29th at 7pm.

Methyl Ethel and Teen are playing Elsewhere on Friday, March 29th at 7pm.

HalfNoise, Liam Benzvi, and Lip Talk are playing Market Hotel on Friday, March 29th at 8pm.

Nils Frahm is playing Brooklyn Steel on Friday, March 29th at 8pm.

Better Oblivion Community Center, Christian Lee Hutson, and Lala Lala are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Friday, March 29th at 8pm.

Sasha Sloan is playing Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, March 30th at 8pm.

Zoë Keating are playing Joe's Pub on Sunday, March 31st at 7pm and 9:30pm.

Simple Creatures is playing Public Arts on Monday, April 1st.

Avey Tare and Nathan Bowles are playing Market Hotel on Monday, April 1st at 8pm.

Cradle of Filth, Raven Black, and Wednesday 13 are playing Irving Plaza on Wednesday, April 3rd at 6pm.

Ex Hex and Moaning are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, April 4th 8pm.

Matmos and Keith Fullerton Whitman are playing Pioneer Works on Thursday, April 4th at 7pm.

Whitey Morgan and the 78's is playing Gramercy Theatre on Friday, April 5th at 7pm.

Teen Body and Sean Nicholas Savage are playing Sunnyvale on Friday, April 5th at 7:30pm.

Arthur and Ghost Orchard are playing Baby's All Right on Friday, April 5th at 8pm.

Broncho is playing Elsewhere on Saturday, April 6th at 7pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

23 years ago on March 17, 1996 — The city hospitals and the FDNY combine emergency response units to form the FDNY EMS and provide ambulance service citywide. In February 2019, the Daily News reported that the city EMS handled 83% of calls to the FDNY, and did so with a workforce less than half as large as the number of firefighters.

61 years ago on March 19, 1958 — A fire at the Monarch Underwear Company kills 24 and injures 15 — Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

2 years ago on March 20, 2017 — Timothy Caughman is stabbed with a sword and killed on 36th Street in Hell's Kitchen by a white man from Baltimore who had traveled to Manhattan planning to kill black men

Pro-Trump graffiti vandal nabbed with fake wall

29 years ago on March 25, 1990 — The Happy Land nightclub fire kills 87 in West Farms in the Bronx, becoming the city's deadliest fire since the Triangle Shirtwaist fire

March 21 in History: Charles Lindbergh Receives the Medal of Honor in 1928

March 23 in History: Elisha Otis Installs First Passenger Elevator

IKEA comes to Manhattan

March 24 in History: Ground-Breaking Ceremony for the Rapid Transit System on "Tunnel Day"

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email [email protected] with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, and RadioPublic or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

Hudson Yards opens Friday, March 15th, with the public being able to visit the new shopping mall and food court, the massive sculpture of stairs (tentatively) called the Vessel

Hudson Yards is a unique development. Other areas in Manhattan may change names, like the Lower East Side splitting to become the East Village, and new areas may be built, like Battery Park City, but Hudson Yards will be the last neighborhood to grow from previously undeveloped land. The site has been a railyard since the turn of the last century and had been the target of many developers over the years, but only recently did plans come together to build the largest private real estate development in the United States on top of the block-long open area of train tracks. A cutaway model shows the multiple layers at the site: Amtrak and NJ Transit trains at the deepest level in the Hudson Tunnel, 30 tracks of LIRR storage just below ground level, then an elevated platform constructed over the tracks that contains machinery to run the complex, support structures drilled into the bedrock, and the street-level parks and building entrances. If you take the new 7 Train extension to Hudson Yards, you'll emerge from even deeper under the complex since the new station is 125 feet below street level, making it one of the deepest in the subway system. The part of the development opening now is really only half of what will ultimately rise from the rail yards. This section, east of Eleventh Ave, was developed first, but more residential towers and open public space will be added in the next phase west of Eleventh. In this episode we'll learn about a few new features opening this weekend in this new neighborhood.

Shopping at Hudson Yards will be pretty similar to the retail space that has opened at the new World Trade Center complex, with high-priced fashion brands filling most of the space. A multi-story Neiman Marcus will anchor the shopping areas, with stores like Louis Vuitton, Coach, and Zara showing up along the mall's corridors and stores from luxury watchmakers Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Piaget. Visit B3ta on the second floor where shoppers have the ability to try out products that are usually ordered online and produced by smaller companies that can't afford to open an entire storefront.

The structure sitting along the High Line that looks like an inflatable ice cube is the art, performance, and event space at Hudson Yards, called The Shed. It's a transforming building with sliding panels and a rolling canopy that can host a variety of events. There's a very cool video animation on the Hudson Yards site showing how the Shed transforms to change from an indoor venue for concerts and art to an open-air plaza for watching movies, and the Shed will even announce on social media when it will be transforming the building for a new event, so you'll have advance notice if you want to stop by watch the four-story structure move. The Shed will be opening in early April with a five-night concert series.

The Vessel sculpture has fast become one of the most recognizable features of Hudson Yards. 150 feet tall with 154 interconnected stairways, visitors can climb onto dozens of observation platforms and view Hudson Yards from multiple directions. It's sure to become a favorite of photographers. The name may be "The Vessel" for now, but Hudson Yards will be accepting suggestions for a more-fitting name for the sculpture. During the opening ceremony where Big Bird helped Anderson Cooper officially open the Vessel to visitors, Big Bird compared the sculpture to his own Sesame Street bird nest, which is an interlocking nest of brown branches. Visiting the sculpture currently requires making a free reservation, but it's unclear if this will continue into the future or if it's only intended to keep crowd numbers low during ongoing construction at Hudson Yards. If you take any innovative photos of the Vessel or have a suggestion on a better name than "The Vessel", send them in to A Great Big City on social media!

If you're longing for a higher vantage point, make your reservation for The Edge, an observation deck at Hudson Yards that will become the highest public balcony in the city. Jutting out to the southeast corner from 30 Hudson Yards, the triangle-shaped deck will offer a variety of views across the city and the Hudson River, all from a height of 1,100 feet. The glass walls surrounding the observation deck will lean outwards at the point of the triangle, giving daredevils an opportunity to lean forward and look straight down from a point 65 feet away from the building. The deck won't open as part of the Hudson Yards grand opening, but you can reserve a spot on the list to be one of the first visitors when it does open.

It may look out of place at the moment, but just like the World Trade Center complex, Hudson Yards will begin to blend in with the New York around it as construction is finished and more open spaces are added. The plaza is open to visitors and will have wifi access, so it may prove popular as a place to take a rest in Hell's Kitchen, which otherwise had a limited amount of public green space. The upcoming parkland along the High Line and the Hudson River will add a much-needed boost to an area where pedestrians were either relegated to a narrow sidewalk next to the highway and the only was the concrete rear wall of the Javits Center. Much like the open lawns along the Hudson in Battery Park City, the green space at Hudson Yards will likely prove to be a popular space for watching the sunset or having an afternoon picnic, and will really come to life when attendees from various Javits Center conventions explore the new spaces instead of trying to catch a cab out of the area. Welcome to the neighborhood, Hudson Yards!

5 years ago on March 12, 2014 — A natural gas explosion levels two five-story buildings on Park Avenue

3 years ago on March 12, 2016 — 84-foot tugboat 'The Specialist' sinks after colliding with a barge near the Tappan Zee Bridge

Davidson Playground — Morris Heights in The Bronx — Little is known about Oliver Mathias Davidson for whom this playground and the adjacent Davidson Avenue are named. Davidson served as Chief Engineer of Streets from 1867 to 1872, and at one time owned land in Fordham. The small neighborhood park contains playground equipment and many lush trees providing shade.

The Queens Botanical Garden will be holding a Backyard Composting Workshop on Saturday, March 16th where you can learn what goes in a compost bin, how to maintain it properly, and how to use the compost after it has had time to develop. Registration is required, but the event is free. Call (718) 886-3800 for more info.

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Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:

Weather for the week ahead:

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Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com