26: The High Line is Complete and a Tourist Floats Away

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

• 24 years ago on June 5, 1995 — Just after 6am, a 'J' Train headed into Manhattan rear-ends an 'M' Train on the Williamsburg Bridge, killing the train operator and injuring 64 others

• With New York hosting the World Pride Festival in June and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots approaching at the end of the month, Police Commissioner O'Neill made a public statement on June 6th formally apologizing for the actions of the NYPD in 1969.

• 10 years ago on June 8, 2009 — The first section of the High Line opens, from Gansevoort to 20th Street, 8 years ago on June 7, 2011 — The second section of the High Line opens from 20th to 30th Street, and this week, the final section has been opened, completing the park. On June 4th, a ribbon-cutting ceremony opened the final section, a small spur that extends to the east at 30th Street toward Tenth Avenue. This section of the High Line can safely be accessed now that construction on the eastern part of Hudson Yards has been completed, since the Spur of the High Line passes underneath one of the new buildings. After emerging from the building, the walkway opens up to a large plaza area above Tenth Avenue that will host a rotating selection of public art, with plans for more upcoming events to be held there. And, in case you were wondering: Although the other sections opened on June 8th, 7th, and 4th, The third section of the High Line, from 30th Street through the west side of Hudson Yards, wasn't able to open on a June date, and instead opened in September 2014.

• The number of new measles cases in the city continues to decrease, but cases nationwide in 2019 have surpassed the number last seen 25 years ago in 1994, with 971 reported cases as of May 30, 2019. New York still represents the majority of the yearly cases, but the outbreak in Brooklyn seems to have begun to slow. Within the city, there were only 17 new cases reported since May 29th, with Williamsburg, Boro Park, and Sunset Park being described as Neighborhoods with Ongoing Transmissions. New cases peaked in March and April, and have continued to decrease in May and June. You can view more information about measles at nyc.gov/doh or call 311 for information on where you or your child can get vaccinated against the disease.

• Some of the city's newest residents are moving back to upstate NY after losing their jobs! — Riverside Park Goats Sent Back To Farm

• 3 years ago on June 9, 2016 — A British tourist floats for two hours in New York Harbor after a piece of Jersey City dock he was standing on breaks loose

• A man was arrested by the Joint Terrorism Task Force for planning to attack Times Square. NBC New York identifies the man as Ashiqul Alam, a 22-year-old resident of Jackson Heights, who had been under surveillance and stated a desire to attack Times Square, first suggesting grenades, but settling on firing a gun into the crowd. The FBI arrested Alam after he allegedly tried to buy guns with the serial numbers removed.

• 22 years ago on June 12, 1997 — Sri Chinmoy creates the world's longest certified footrace, the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, in Jamaica, Queens

• 8 years ago on June 6th, 2011 — Video of Zelda the Battery Park Turkey. She survived the flooding of the park during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 only to be killed by a car in 2014 on South Street

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Park of the day

• Patrick O'Rourke Park — 12 Avenue in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn — Former site of a WWII victory garden where residents grew food, this park was renamed in 2003 for local resident Patrick O'Rourke, whose medical injury when he was a child impacted medical practice worldwide by drawing attention to the necessity of blood oxygen monitors.

Parks Events

• 2019 NYC Parks Pickleball Festival — June 8, 2019

Concert Calendar

• Geographer and Manatee Commune are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Friday June 7th.
• The Marcus King Band is playing Brooklyn Bowl on Friday June 7th.
• Alexisonfire and Angel Du$t are playing Terminal 5 on Friday June 7th.
• Coheed and Cambria with Every Time I Die and Mastodon are playing Amphitheater At Coney Island Boardwalk — 3052 West 21st Street — Seagate on Friday June 7th at 6pm.
• Empire of the Sun (16+) is playing Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square on Friday June 7th at 7pm.
• Local Natives with Middle Kids (16+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Friday June 7th at 9pm.
• Alexisonfire and Drug Church are playing Terminal 5 on Saturday June 8th.
• Remo Drive, Slow Bullet, and Slow Pulp are playing The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday June 8th.
• Frankie Cosmos and ian sweet are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday June 8th.
• Empire of the Sun (16+) is playing Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square on Saturday June 8th at 7pm.
• The Mavericks is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Anthony Santos is playing United Palace Theatre — 4140 Broadway — Hudson Heights on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Machine Gun Kelly (16+) is playing PlayStation Theater — 1515 Broadway — Midtown on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Alexisonfire is playing Terminal 5 — 610 W 56th St. — Hell's Kitchen / Midtown on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Bobby is playing Kings Theatre — 1027 Flatbush Avenue — Ditmas Park / Flatbush on Saturday June 8th at 8pm.
• Beach House and Ed Schrader's Music Beat are playing Brooklyn Steel on Sunday June 9th.
• godmaker, Somnuri, Stonecutters, and Yatra are playing Sunnyvale on Sunday June 9th.
• India.Arie is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Sunday June 9th at 8pm.
• Beach House (16+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Sunday June 9th at 8pm.
• Beach House and Ed Schrader's Music Beat are playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday June 10th.
• Tim McGraw with Jon Meacham is playing Beacon Theatre — 2124 Broadway — Upper West Side on Monday June 10th at 8pm.
• Beach House (16+) is playing Brooklyn Steel — 319 Frost Street — Greenpoint on Monday June 10th at 8pm.
• Spirit Adrift, Coagula, and High Command are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Tuesday June 11th.
• Pink Sweat$ (16+) is playing Webster Hall — 125 East 11th Street — Noho / Union Square on Tuesday June 11th at 7pm.
• The National and Courtney Barnett are playing Prospect Park Bandshell on Wednesday June 12th.
• The National with Courtney Barnett is playing Prospect Park Bandshell — 95 Prospect Park West — South Slope on Wednesday June 12th at 7pm.
• Feed Me and BlackGummy are playing Brooklyn Steel on Thursday June 13th.
• Marissa Nadler and Stephen Brodsky, Annie Hart, and Russian Baths are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Thursday June 13th.
• The National with Courtney Barnett is playing Prospect Park Bandshell — 95 Prospect Park West — South Slope on Thursday June 13th at 7pm.
• Full of Hell, elizabeth colour wheel, and Primitive Man are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday June 14th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Barclays Center on Friday June 14th.
• Death Cab for Cutie and Jenny Lewis are playing Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday June 15th.
• Church of Misery and Toke are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Saturday June 15th.
• Deceased, Attacker, Ruthless and Eat Lead at Brooklyn Bazaar, Deceased, Attacker, Eat Lead, and Ruthless are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Saturday June 15th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Barclays Center on Saturday June 15th.
• James Chance and The Contortions, Ice Balloons, and James Chance are playing Our Wicked Lady on Sunday June 16th.
• Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday June 18th.
• Minuit Machine, Milliken Chamber, and silent em are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Tuesday June 18th.
• A R I Z O N A and morgxn are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday June 19th.
• Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, TOUR, Billie Eilish, and Denzel Curry are playing Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday June 19th.
• Ariana Grande - Sweetener World Tour, Ariana Grande, Normani, and Social House are playing Madison Square Garden on Wednesday June 19th.
• Kishi Bashi and Takénobu are playing Murmrr Theatre on Wednesday June 19th.
• semaphore, Bonsai Trees, Stay Inside, and Synapses Firing are playing El Cortez on Wednesday June 19th.

Thanks for listening! Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

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New York Fact

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

• Roosevelt Island was named "Welfare Island" in 1921 after the Penitentiary Hospital located on the Island. It was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1977

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on June 4, 1925
Record Low: 45°F on June 3, 1929

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