The scary incident occurred Wednesday morning, as Jordan Cannon was at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station. The 30-year-old professional rock climber from Las Vegas was visiting New York City to celebrate his birthday when he saw a man collapse on the opposite platform and fall onto the tracks.

“Too much time was going by, we don’t want to see somebody die on the subway in front of all this people,” Cannon told NBC New York in an exclusive interview. “You don’t know how much time you have before a train comes.”

Cannon said he didn’t hear any trains coming and felt he had to do something, then a friend started to record the underground action. That cellphone video shows the moment when Cannon and two others hoisted the man up onto the platform.

“Bleeding from the head, very limp, felt like lifting up a dead body. I was definitely concerned,” said Cannon.

After getting the unconscious man back to the safety of the platform, Cannon then came just inches away from imminent danger. As he raced back across the train tracks, he came incredibly close to touching the third rail. But Cannon was unaware of the dangers that the third rail carries in the NYC subway system, with up to 625 volts of electricity running through it.

“I just thought if I step on the tracks it will be fine, so I wasn’t thinking about it all to be honest. Then somebody informed me about it later on that day and I felt really stupid,” Cannon told NBC New York.

Despite now knowing the risks of the danger that lurks on the tracks, Cannon said he would not hesitate to help again in the situation.

“I guess most New Yorkers know about that at this point. I mean, now I know, hopefully other people can learn from this as well,” he said. “Trying to pay my dues as a visitor of New York…I encounter that in rock climbing all the time you can come close to death.”

As for the man who was rescued, Cannon told News 4 that when police officers arrived at the station, the man was still breathing before getting rushed to the hospital with an injury to his head.

The Povolo quintuplets received their degrees Monday from Montclair State University, where they all had received full academic scholarships. Born just minutes apart on the Fourth of July, the two girls — Victoria and Ashley — and three boys — Ludovico, Michael and Marcus — admit it’s been an “emotional” time as a chapter of their lives comes to a close.

But the tight-knit Totowa family says the school also gave them the chance to discover their own academic interests and extracurricular activities.

“We are fortunate enough to all be graduating with diplomas and that kind of thing, and doing it with our very best friends — these are definitely my best friends, so doing it all together is awesome,” Ludovico Totowa said about his siblings. Their college commencement was also special because they missed out on their graduation from Passaic Valley Regional High School, which did not held a ceremony that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asked what they tell people who are curious about life as a quintuplet, Ashley Totowa says, “It’s like a large friend group that you can’t leave.”

Their parents, Silvia and Paul, came from Italy to the United States in 1988, have described having quintuplets as “crazy, beautiful, perfect, and chaotic”

“Went very fast — went very fast with headaches, up and downs, now we’re here,” Paul Povolo said about his children’s graduation.

His wife has similar views.

“I don’t see it as my accomplishment, but their accomplishment,” Silvia Povolo said. “I’m just sitting in the corner and waiting for them to take off.”

When it comes to New York City baseball, the Subway Series rivalry is a tale as old as time pinning the Yankees and Mets against each other in hopes of winning over the city, but what makes this Major League Baseball (MLB) matchup so engaging?

NBC New York spoke with several comedians from the Big Apple to get a sense of the inner fan base competition, and it seems that the Mets have more comics cheering from the stands.

Sal Gentile works on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” as a producer and supervising writer for the segment, “A Closer Look.” Gentile believes the cathartic nature of comedy is a remedy for “suffering Mets fans,” whereas the Yankees boast 27 World Series championships, not leaving much comedic material.

“The Mets are the favorite team of famous comedians. I think one of the many reasons is that comedy comes from the indignities of daily life, and there’s so much suffering in being a Mets fan, and the way to cope with that is comedy,” Gentile told NBC New York during an interview in 30 Rockefeller Center.

Famous Mets fans include Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Hank Azaria, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Maher and Kevin James. Over at Yankee Stadium, celebrities like Jay-Z, Adam Sandler, Jennifer Lopez and Brad Pitt have been spotted in the seats.

Citi Field in Queens may steal the hearts of food lovers and, according to these comics, the overall game experience offers more authentic New York cuisine and entertainment options, like the T-shirt canon and home run fireworks.

Originally from Long Island, Mike Feeney is now a Queens comedian who performs at the reimagined Rodney’s, formerly known as Dangerfield’s, the oldest comedy club in the country. Feeney describes both stadiums as contrasts, one serving as a mecca for baseball, while the other gives that classic ballpark touch.

“Objectively, speaking as a Yankees fan, Citi Field is a better place to enjoy a baseball game. It’s smaller, beautiful and gives local food options. It has more things to do, whereas Yankee Stadium is sterile and corporate,” Feeney told News 4 at Rodney’s comedy club, “Who cares about the score — if it’s 12 to 1 in the second inning — you’re eating a Shake Shack burger at Citi Field. Enjoy!”

The Mets have introduced a new addition to the game experience, The Queens Crew, a dance team meant to increase fan engagement from the Jackie Robinson Rotunda to the dugout at the stadium. Other MLB teams, like the Braves and Astros, have launched similar hype groups.

The 19-member crew is garnering both support and raising eyebrows from serious Mets fans, who either are all in or question if necessary, but ultimately, are willing to “give it a try.” Comic and owner of Rodney’s, Mark Yosef, thinks that the mascot “Mr. Met” is enough fun at the games.

“I think Mr. Met is the best mascot in baseball, and he’s just human and represents the Mets. His head is a baseball, looks like a balding guy, kind of a sad sack. Kind of represents the Mets really well,” Yosef laughed as he described his love for the very first mascot in MLB history, which began in April 1964.

Through the good, bad and the ugly, New Yorkers hold tried-and-true to their teams, whether it be the Amazins or Bronx Bombers. When it comes to the Subway Series, Gentile says the Yankees fans don’t have to care as much, but for the Mets, it may be all the team has in a season.

“New York loves baseball. It’s fun to see the whole city come together and focus on the same thing at once. I love the Subway Series — it’s painful for me, but I love it,” said Gentile.

Firefighters, police and operation teams are the first to assess these extreme weather situations, making instant decisions and lifesaving calls to action. These men and women in uniform are on the frontlines of tragedy, mitigating dangers to the forests, coastlines and surrounding neighborhoods.

Chasing Our Climate: On the Frontlines is a 30-minute documentary sequel that focuses on the weather disruptions after a tumultuous year, including the devastating Canadian wildfires and Hudson Valley flooding, while featuring New York and New Jersey climate heroes who rush toward danger in order to save our communities.

Over 3.6 billion people live in areas highly susceptible to climate change, and by 2050, these weather impacts could result in an additional 250,000 deaths per year, according to research by the World Health Organization (WHO), just from instances like heat stress and undernutrition alone.

Health complications related to alterations in climate are costly, estimated to be up to $4 billion per year by 2030, based on WHO. findings, not including added values from sectors like agriculture and sanitation.

The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) released a new report on Friday, for the first time, analyzing the social inequalities in the boroughs. The Environmental Justice NYC (EJNYC) Report is a byproduct years in the making by the city and a team of researchers for the MOCEJ.

Almost half of the city’s population lives in neighborhoods labeled “environmental justice areas,” or areas that have experienced disproportionate negative impacts from environmental pollution due to historical and existing social inequities, based on the report.

The Bronx has the most environmental justice areas with low-income Latinx and Black residents reporting the inability to afford transit fares, the highest rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases.

In New York City, there is an average of 370 deaths per year due to hot weather, based on the 2022 Heat-Related Mortality Report, with Black New Yorkers twice as likely to die from heat-related issues and lack of access to home air conditioning.

Elijah Hutchinson is the executive director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice. “Heat is one of the biggest killers in New York City. By 2030, we are expecting a tripling of days over 90 degrees, and our climate has been officially categorized, according to the National Climate Assessment, to now be humid subtropical,” Hutchinson told NBC New York in an interview.

The New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) is projecting new climate predictions for the boroughs with more precipitation and hotter temperatures as soon as the 2030s.

Coastal storm surge, chronic tidal flooding and extreme rainfall are expected to rise within the next decade says climate scientist Radley Horton, who is a professor at Columbia University’s Climate School and a member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC). 

Horton says New Yorkers to plan for more heavy, destructive rain events similar to Hurricane Ida in 2021.

“The worst rainy day of the year now contains about 50% more rainfall than it did just a couple of generations ago, so in the next 10 years, we won’t necessarily detect a big change relative to right now, but on balance, the risk of these types of dangerous rain events is going up,” said Horton to NBC New York.

NYC sea levels are projected to rise almost to a foot with annual precipitation to increase by up to 10% by the next decade. By the 2050s, sea levels could rise by two feet. Temperatures could go up by nearly 5 degrees.

Read more about the new report by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice here.

Chasing Our Climate is an NBC New York special that first aired in 2022 during the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. The four-part series highlighted dozens of tri-state leaders and nonprofits finding solutions to lessening the carbon footprint, including the NYC Department of Sanitation and the Billion Oyster Project. Watch the first part here.

Lunch time at a school for 5-, 6- and 7-year old has its own set challenges every day, and longtime aide Francesca Augello thought she had seen them all in her nearly six years at Wood Park Primary School. That is, until, a frightening few moments on Friday.

“He was just staring at me so I asked if he was OK. He didn’t respond,” she told NBC New York. “He just opened his mouth, he couldn’t talk, so right then I knew he was choking.”

The boy in distress was Grayson Molina. The 7-year-old had been eating pizza when Augello realized he was choking. He said Tuesday that he remembered not being able to breathe and being scared, until Augello followed the instructions on a cafeteria poster to free the food lodged in his throat.

“She saved his life…She did exactly what she would’ve done if it was her children. So our family is eternally grateful,” said Grayson’s mother, Alexa Molina, who went to the school with her husband to meet Augello for the first time.

The relieved parents got the chance to thank her in person on Tuesday, with words almost not seeming enough to express the depth of their thanks.

“To know that people think and care about others and want to make sure you are doing OK, it makes you proud to be here,” said Paul Molina.

The scary incident marked the first time Augello, a mother of three, had to come to the aid of a choking student.

“I’m a mom. My natural instincts kicked in so I did what I did. I saw a child needing help and I helped him,” said Augello.

Grayson is back to normal after his frightening experience — though he said he doesn’t want to have pizza for lunch any more, and his mom is always reminding him to chew his food.

“They’re like family and actually care and love our children just like we would,” said Alexa Molina.

The 29-year-old, who came in second in the Global Solo Challenge, is an East Hampton native. Her teachers at East Hampton High School watched her heavily documented journey with awe.

“It brings pride to the whole school and whole community,” said principal Sarah Smith.

“All the same things we are seeing with her now,” said video production teacher Jeremy Quitko, “Is what I saw in the classroom where she was on camera and also edited her own videos.”

Teachers and administrators remembered her determination and drive. She was voted most unique in the senior class, was on the track team, and a member of the Art Honor Society.

There was a sailing club at school, but ironically, Brauer did not participate — although her twin sister Dalton did. Brauer learned to sail when she lived in Hawaii, which kicked off a passion that she has been pursuing ever since.

Brauer set sail in October and sailed 30,000 miles, starting from Spain, down the west coast of Africa, to Australia, and around the tip of South America before returning to the starting point.

Brauer’s 130-day journey was treacherous at times, facing 30-foot waves and hurricane-force winds. Cameras at one point showed how rough seas threw her across the boat, injuring her rib. Another time she was so dehydrated, she needed an IV, which she inserted herself.

On the TODAY show, she was asked how she managed to continue with the journey.

“There really is no option at that point you’re so far away from land, there is no rescue,” said Brauer.

Adam Fine, the superintendent of East Hampton schools, used to be Cole’s principal and remembers a time when she stopped to help a stranger who got into a car accident.

“It was really indicative of her personality — there was no fear, somebody involved in the accident, she went over to help,” said Fine. “So when I watch videos of her putting in her own IV, I know she can handle these sorts of things.”

For current students who watched her journey, Cole is an inspiration.

“She obviously has the motivation and determination,” said sophomore Maya Taveras. “It’s nice to see her accomplish her goal.”

“It shows even if you come from a small town you can make a big impact on the world,” said Ryleigh O’Donnell, a senior, “Get your name out there and make a big difference.”

Celebrating Cole’s accomplishment has inspired administrators to recognize other graduates and their accomplishments.

Dr. Ruth Gottesman donated $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine — it’s believed to be the largest financial donation to any medical school in the country.

The gift has a single purpose: provide free tuition to all students.

The funds have an almost immediate effect. According to Monday’s announcement, students currently enrolled for a fourth year will receive a reimbursement for their spring semester tuition. Then, come August, all students going forward will receive free tuition.

“This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it. Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive,” Dr. Yaron Tomer, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said.

During Gottesman’s tenure at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, dating back to 1968, she worked for the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center where she developed screening tests used to help tens of thousands of children. In the 1990s, she started the Adult Literacy Program at the center and was named founding director of the Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities.

The $1 billion donation was made possible by Gottesman’s late husband, David Gottseman, also known as Sandy. Her late husband died in 2022 after a long career in Manhattan working at investment firms, according to The New York Times.

“I am very thankful to my late husband, Sandy, for leaving these funds in my care, and l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause,” Gottesman said.

The Times reports yearly tuition at the college is more than $59,000, with many graduating from the institution with debt surpassing $200,000.

“Each year, well over 100 students enter Albert Einstein College of Medicine in their quest for degrees in medicine and science. They leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care to communities here in the Bronx and all over the world,” Gottesman’s statement said.

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Well, one woman has now officially walked every single one of them in Manhattan.

Maya Gonzalez Berry is an avid hiker and began her quest to step foot on all of the borough’s many, many streets in Oct. 2018. Each morning, Berry would set out from her apartment with a fitness tracker, a water bottle and a snack.

When she returned home, she would trace the completed streets on a paper map with a black Sharpie.

Berry paused her project during the pandemic, but continued her regular walks to run errands. And she was never deterred by the weather, walking in rain, wind, snow or sunshine.

“There’s always that hustle and bustle, but there’s another side of New York once you get off that beaten path. And just seeing all the faces of it — the architecture, really looking at all the details of buildings and finding little gems that you wouldn’t know,” said Berry.

Berry finished her mission to walk on every Manhattan street in December, totaling 640 miles.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) said in a Facebook post Wednesday that a badly injured seal was spotted laying on the beach in Surf City in Long Beach Island on Christmas. The harbor seal was found with gashes on his left hip, plus smaller wounds to his abdomen and around his tail.

The MMSC said the seal appeared to be a yearling, probably born last spring. It was taken to the group’s facility in Brigantine, where staff gave the seal fluids and flushed out its wounds, using medication to prevent any infections.

During the veterinarian’s examination, the doctor determined that the likely cause of the injuries was a shark bite, the group said.

The seal, which arrived at the center weighing just over 57 pounds, was being kept in the MMSC’s intensive care unit before it will be released back into the wild once it recovers.

The group is asking for donations to help its life-saving work with marine mammals and sea turtles.

From the Fifth Ave. window displays to Dyker Heights lights, New York City celebrates the season in style, but one pop-up is returning to add some “chutzpah” to the mix with a location decked out for Hanukkah.

The Maccabee Bar is nestled in the West Village and was founded by Naomi Levy, a now Boston-based entrepreneur who loves ringing in the holidays, but, in the past, often felt out of place.

“I also kind of felt like a tourist. It wasn’t for me. I never celebrated Christmas. I celebrated Hanukkah, so I thought to myself, what if I did something that was just completely about Hanukkah?” Levy told NBC New York.

Levy launched the Hanukkah pop-up in 2018 in Boston for one week, which was a success. She brought the Maccabee Bar concept to New York last year, making it the first-ever Hanukkah-themed bar in the city.

The menu features all types of classic Jewish eats, like latkes, bamba and Reuben, and gives a festive flair on nine signature cocktails, like the “Ocho Kandelikas” and “Papa Nosh.”

Patrons can spin the dreidel to decide which alcoholic drink to choose and purchase a bag of “gelt” chocolate coins.

While this holiday season brings joy, the conflict overseas is not to be forgotten as the Isreal-Hamas war continues. Levy notes the need to bring family and friends together to move forward.

“Given the geopolitical landscape, people are feeling really heavy, right? They’re walking around with this extra weight — no matter where you fall on the political spectrum. In a way, it’s kind of self-care to come and let yourself be a little lighter,” Levy said.

The founder and award-winning bartender hopes to expand Maccabee Bar’s footprint in 2024 with a few more locations, including a second pop-up in the greater New York area.

Reservations can be booked until New Year’s Eve under the online site and app Resy.

Stacey Toussaint is the president and founder of Black-owned business Inside Out Tours, an NYC-based tour company that takes guests off the beaten path to explore the hidden history of the Big Apple.

Tip #1: Specialty museums & free events

If it is your first time visiting New York City, try to orient yourself around the city. However, if you have been to the city before, Toussaint suggests taking in the smaller neighborhood museums to get a sense of the different cultures.

Here are a few suggestions:
The Bronx Museum of the Arts
Brooklyn Museum
El Museo del Barrio
The Jewish Museum
The Met Cloisters
The Museum of the City of New York
New Museum
New York Transit Museum
Queens Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art

Free festivals and activities hosted by museums or local markets are fun ways to interact with New Yorkers.

“Tourists think about going to the iconic locations, which is a great thing to do, but some of my fondest memories have been at places like the Brooklyn Museum mingling with all the other Brooklynites and checking out what’s going on culturally,” Toussaint previously told NBC New York.

Tip #2: Take public transit, prepare to walk (a lot)

No need to rent a car, save the money. One of the most affordable ways to maneuver uptown to downtown streets is by traveling underground by subway.

“Uber prices change during the holiday season. There are surges depending on the time you’re going out and depending on the time of year,” Luke Miller, owner of Real New York Tours and NYC native, told News 4.

Wear comfortable shoes to avoid any blisters, and remember that NYC sidewalks can be jam-packed with two-sided traffic this time of year. Make sure you stay on the right side and be aware of your surroundings on crosswalks.

Rockefeller Center Dec 1, 2023

Iconic 5th Avenue is car-free once again Sunday for holiday shopping

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Nov 29, 2023

Meet the family who donated this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

Christmas Nov 30, 2023

This is the history of why we hang Christmas stockings

Tip #3: Utilize online resources

Online travel blogs and sites offer tons of information for building a more personalized itinerary.

Benji Sills is a tour guide for On Location Tours and suggests looking on LocalAdventurer.com, a site to find pop-up museums, restaurants and shops in the area.

When it comes to catching a Broadway performance, Sills recommends Playbill.com and searching “Broadway Rush” for a list of all available shows and how to get the cheapest tickets.

Tip #4: Observation decks

The gorgeous panoramic views are not to be missed by anyone, whether or not you are a tourist or a resident.

Locations to check out:
City Climb
Edge
Empire State Observatory
The High Line
Hudson Yards
One World Observatory
Top of the Rock
Summit

Tip #5: Holiday Markets

Browsing or shopping at the holiday fairs is an enjoyable way to get in the spirit and support small businesses.

Find anything from new jewelry to delicious sweets:
The Bryant Park Winter Village
BIPOC Holiday Marketplace
Dumbo Flea
Grand Holiday Bazaar
The Makers Show
The Urbanspace Union Square Holiday Market

Tip #6: Eat Outside of Times Square

Times Square may be the heart of Manhattan, but there are numerous restaurants to explore when it comes to world-class dining.

NYC is a melting pot of cultures and tasting new cuisines is a great way to soak in all the flavor. Besides, you may want to avoid any over-priced subpar dishes at some populated city locations.

If you want a more out-of-the-box holiday experience, Sills recommends Serendipity 3 or Squish Marshmallows, while Miller says Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant in the East Village serves a festive occasion year-round.

The established practice began in 1971 after the American entomologist and origamist, Alice Gray, built a three-foot tree decorated with hand-folded paper insects. She showed off her craft to a volunteer, who happened to be a board of trustees member, and the rest is history.

The 13-foot origami tree is produced solely by international volunteers in partnership with the nonprofit, OrigamiUSA. The models used are a collection of years past, as well as new additions from members.

NBC New York spoke with the two co-designers, Rosalind Joyce and Talo Kawasaki, of the beloved installation as the duo prepared a quilt of hundreds of leftover origami elephants before the public reveal.

“It’s magic. It’s a marriage between math and art and some science. Many of these [models] have stories to go with them — who folded what, how we got it from all over the world,” Joyce told News 4, who continued to say the art is donated by amateurs and professionals.

This year’s theme coincides with the new museum exhibit, The Secret World of Elephants, and features 1,000 trumpeting elephants within over 2,000 folded models in total. Popular museum highlights can be spotted within the tree, such as the blue whale and woolly mammoth.

Joyce and Kawasaki begin planning the next season’s theme a year in advance, paying special note to model alignment on the tree.

Every September, new origami pieces are expected to arrive at the museum, and the co-designers sift through the collection. In November, the two have just a handful of days to put the pieces and final touches together.

“Origami, whether you’re folding it or just seeing it, it’s just going to make you happy, and that’s all of the reasons we are involved with the tree, as well,” noted Kawasaki.

The tree is free to visit with general museum admission starting on November 20 and is located on the first floor at the Ellen V. Futter Gallery. 

How to fold origami: the ‘trumpeting elephant’

Want to learn how to shape a beautiful piece of origami art?

OrigamiUSA’s Talo Kawasaki demonstrates how to fold the “trumpeting elephant.” Watch below.

The annual Tompkins Square Park Halloween Parade is back on, a week after organizers said the beloved canine event was going to be canceled.

Early Wednesday morning, the group announced that the parade will go on as initially planned thanks to the support of the community and a dog wellness startup from Fairfield County, Connecticut.

“We are beyond thrilled to announce that the 2023 Halloween Dog Parade is back on. This wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, Mayor Eric Adams, city agencies, the NYPD, and with the generous support of Get Joy,” said Joseph Borduin, parade organizer and Tompkins Square Park Dog Run (TSPDR) volunteer.

TSPDR shared the good news in an Instagram post, saying they “actually have the zoomies just thinking about it.”

This year will be the parade’s 33rd year. It is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21.

Gothamist previously reported construction in the park would force the parade into neighboring streets, a move that brought a hefty permit price tag of $50,000.

Ahead of the parade’s grand return, here’s a look at some of the best costumed canines from last year’s parade:

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Firefighters are used to getting calls for cats stuck in trees, but this one was just a bit different. A driver pulled up to members from Ladder 158 at their firehouse in Queens on Monday as they were observing a moment of silence during a 9/11 ceremony, saying there was an animal in his engine, according to Lt. Robert Schlaffer.

That’s when firefighter Anthony Caliendo, who is also a mechanic, stepped in. He took at look at the car and found a kitten stuck in the wheel well, the department said in an Instagram post.

Unfortunately, getting the frightened feline out wasn’t as simple as reaching in and picking it up. Firefighters broke out their tools and were able to get the wheel off — but the difficulties didn’t stop there.

They needed help from an unlikely source.

“There was some kind of bar pinning it down and keeping it from getting out so we used Dawn dish soap and lathered him all up and eventually I was able to pull the kitten out,” said Caliendo.

Video showed Caliendo pulling the kitten out from where it was stuck, as others stood by to help out.

And there was a happy ending for the feline as well: A member of Engine 311, which shares the firehouse, adopted the kitten.

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The Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY) will host New York City’s first community pop-up market, panels and workshops to celebrate Chuseok, one of the most significant Korean holidays.

Chuseok, otherwise known as Hangawi or Korean Thanksgiving, is when family and friends gather to share stories and give thanks to their ancestors during the autumn equinox.

The KCCNY is partnering with the NYC Department of Small Business Services and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce on the weekend festivities.

“Working together with the NYC Department of Small Business Services and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, we hope this will be an opportunity to foster economic growth and also celebrate the beauty of cross-cultural exchange,” said Michael CheonSoo Kim, Executive Director of the Korean Cultural Center New York.

Entry is free and open to the public, but online RSVPs are requested for attendance under the KCCNY website.

The event is broken down into two days. Saturday, Sept. 9 is led by MAUM Market at Denizen Bushwick from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This open-air market features 50 AAPI-owned small businesses within art, fashion, home and food.

The next day is the Hangawi Korean Festival at Samsung 837 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will have several cultural demonstrations, culinary tastings, interactive activities and live panels.

“As the son of immigrant New York City small business owners, I know first-hand how important it is for government to partner with organizations like KCCNY and MAUM to lift up the entrepreneurial talent in our communities,” said Kevin D. Kim, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

MAUM translates to “heart and mind” in Korean. The headlining project “MAUM Market” is a local-oriented company that advocates for Asian-owned small businesses and establishes a broader awareness of Korean culture.

Visitors can expect a showcase of traditional clothing, embroidery and ceramics, while a chance to learn Korean calligraphy.

Contractions began at 1 a.m., but by 7 a.m., Andrade called her husband who was at work.

“I said you have to come home, you can’t leave me here,” said Andrade. “I’m going to have this baby right now.”

And she wasn’t kidding. She called her sister, who called 911, and the dispatcher at Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services, Corine Batista, helped talk her through it.

“As soon as she got situated on the floor, I had her put a towel towel underneath her,” explained Batista. “And we started delivering the baby.”

Andrade’s first baby was delivered via cesarean section and she was worried there might be a complication. Then there was the issue of the pain: She was doing this with no anesthesia, the pain excruciating — but she said she didn’t even feel it.

“I would like to tell you it was a 10 but the intensity and the adrenaline that I was feeling it didn’t allow me to feel pain,” said Andrade. “I was just like I have to push and that was my mission to make sure the baby was okay.”

Andrade says hearing Batista walk her through the breathing was greatly helpful.

“The more she spoke the more calm I felt, and I was like you know what, I have to follow what she’s telling me, she knows what she’s doing and I have to trust this,” said Andrade.

Andrade’s husband Chris Castro walked into the bathroom just in time. She was ready to push. It took anywhere between five and 15 minutes, depending on who you ask, and baby Cali was born with three quick pushes.

That’s when Suffolk County police officers arrived.

“We heard the baby cry,” said officer Diego Montero. “That was the biggest relief meant she was healthy.”

“With the help of the police dispatcher we were able to tie off the umbilical cord with a shoe string inside the apartment,” said Officer Michael Stroehlein. “To basically stop the bleeding.”

Notable events include Salt-N-Pepa discussing the role women have played in the hip-hop movement and special performances from KRS-One, Chuck D, Kool G Rap and Onyx.

“As the birthplace of hip-hop, New York City is proud to host these free block parties and events as a celebration of that spirit that started 50 years ago,” Mayor Adams said in a release.

Mayor Adams emphasized the role New York City played in the birth of hip-hop, which he shares was born from a back-to-school jam hosted by brother and sister Cindy and Clive Campbell in August 1973.

The 70s party hosted in the Bronx on Sedgwick Avenue spilled into the street — and hip-hop was born.

“Through the block parties and edutainment conversations with seminal artists, we are celebrating the core pillars of the culture — DJing, MCing, breaking, and graffiti,” said ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS, “engaging intergenerational audiences in the greatest city on earth.”

As the birthplace of hip-hop, New York City will honor the genre’s cultural influence with citywide initiatives.

One of these initiatives includes a collaboration with LISA Project NYC to create 50 murals honoring the music and its impact across all five boroughs.

‘ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS’ is an entertainment and education media platform that hosts live events dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the rich history of the Black experience. Through events, storytelling, and education, the company aims to explore the past, present, and future of influential genres of music and culture.

You can learn more about the block parties and how to RSVP here.

Mia needed a heart transplant, so when one became available, the Skaats family felt overjoyed their daughter, born in September 2022, would have a new chance at life. They also were given the unique opportunity to help another family with a very sick infant by donating part of Mia’s original heart. When doctors asked if they’d help, they immediately agreed.

“There was no hesitation at all,” Nicole Skaats said in an Aug. 8 segment on TODAY. “We had waited so long for that gift, so to be able to give to somebody … that made the moment that much more special.”

On May 10, 2023, Baby Mia received a new heart in a domino transplant procedure, the first one performed in babies. A domino transplant surgery occurs when one person is both a donor for a transplant and a recipient of another organ.

Mia donated a heart valve to baby Brooklyn Civil, born in March 2023 with one heart valve, not two, and needed a partial transplant.

“At first, we were kind of overwhelmed,” Samantha Civil, Brooklyn’s mom, told TODAY. “(But) once we talked to her cardiologist and her … surgeon, we had so much trust in them, and we knew … this is the right thing to do.”

Two babies with heart troubles

The Civils felt overjoyed to learn they were having a baby. Samantha and Andre Civil were living in Roosevelt, New Jersey, where he worked as a police officer and she as a teacher. During an anatomy scan before their baby was born, though, they learned that her heart was missing a valve.

“It was very hard,” Samantha Civil said. “You just don’t imagine that when you find out you’re pregnant.” 

After Brooklyn was born, the Civils learned she’d need a partial heart transplant — where she’d receive a healthy valve to replace the missing one — in order to live.

“It was terrifying,” Andre Civil told TODAY. “They gave us a lot of information that we didn’t quite understand.”

Around the same time in Massapequa, New York, Nicole and James Skaats were enjoying life with newborn Mia. Then, one day, Nicole Skaats noticed Mia struggling to breathe.

“She did this fast breathing. I saw it and I couldn’t unsee it,” Nicole Skaats said. “I was talking to doctor after doctor — cardiologist, emergency department, and everyone kept telling me she was fine.”

But Nicole Skaats, a nurse, knew her daughter was not fine and kept pushing for answers. Finally, she learned what was wrong with Mia: She had cardiomyopathy and was in heart failure. To survive, she would need a heart transplant.

“The wait is the toughest part,” Nicole Skaats recalled. 

Both the Skaatses and Civils took their daughters to New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City. Still, waiting for a heart that matched Mia took seven months. When the call came, the doctors and Skaatses sprung into action.

“The timing was actually very serendipitous,” Dr. Andrew Goldstone, a pediatric and congenital cardiac surgeon at New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, told TODAY. “I received a donor offer for Mia that was about 2 in the morning.”

Nicole Skaats immediately woke her husband.

“I was sleeping, and Nicole grabbed me. She’s like, ‘James, James … we found a donor, and we think it’s a very good match for Mia,’” James Skaats recalled to TODAY.

As Goldstone was reviewing Brooklyn’s case, he realized something: Mia’s valves worked perfectly and could help Brooklyn.

“I said, ‘Well, I’m doing a heart transplant tonight. … Maybe we should do this as a domino,” he said. 

Doctors had never performed a heart domino transplant surgery in babies before, so Mia and Brooklyn are a first. After a nine-hour surgery, both families received good news.

“The moment they told us that the heart was implanted in her and was working — well, I don’t think there’s really anything that can describe it,” Nicole Skaats said.

The Civils feel grateful to the Skaatses for their generous donation.

“Words can’t explain how much we appreciate you,” Andre Civil said.

Samantha Civil agreed: “They got such incredible news, and they were able to think of somebody else in that moment.”

Now, their girls will always share a connection.

“One of the nurses said that Brooklyn will always have a piece of Mia’s heart,” Nicole Skaats said. “They’ll always be bonded.”

Koreans traditionally have followed three different systems of counting age: “international age,” “Korean age” and “calendar age.”

“International age” is regularly accepted across the globe and refers to a person’s date of birth, starting at zero when born. Under the “Korean age,” a person is labeled one year old at birth. With “calendar age,” a person would add a year to his or her age every January 1.

For example, an infant born on December 31 would be considered two years old on the next day, January 1. Some Koreans have adopted a mix between the “Korean age” and “calendar age,” which has caused social confusion and disputes.

The new South Korean law that went into effect on June 28 has scrapped two out of three aging-counting methods. Only the “international age” will be used administratively to avoid any back-and-forth debates.

The change seemed to be accepted by most Koreans with over 86% agreeing to eliminate any confusion by sticking to the international system, according to a poll by the Ministry of Government Legislation.

Mickey Hyun is the senior manager of external relations at the Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY), a branch of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. The KCCNY promotes Korean arts and culture through concerts, educational programs and art exhibitions.

In an interview with NBC New York, Hyun explains that for legal and administrative purposes, not to expect drastic change since Koreans have been using the “international age” for most documentation.

“However, even with the new standardization, certain things like the year that you enter school, military service, as well as age-restricted products like alcohol and tobacco, that’s still going to be based on the ‘calendar age’ system,” Hyun told News 4.

Instead, Hyun believes the impact will be more on a personal level on how the Korean community will engage in relationships moving forward.

“Culturally and socially, Korea has traditionally been a very age-focused, hierarchy-focused society. That means a lot of social relationships and how we think about each other, relative to one another, is based on age,” said Hyun, who continued to note a shift in person-to-person connection.

The current exhibit at the KCCNY is called “A New Family: Curating Korean Diaspora,” guest curated by Jae-won Choi and includes artist Yoo-ah Park. The installation focuses on Korean migrants who were displaced from their native homes and transformed through their journeys.

In one of Park’s works titled “Ubermensch,” a combination of portraits explores the identity and familial issues of each featured Korean immigrant, including “year of birth,” “year of adoption,” and “country of adoption.”

“I don’t think we need 186 days, I think that’s a bit too much. There needs to be a balance between academics and kids being kids,” Brown said.

Brown pleaded with the Jericho School District’s Board of Education at a meeting in March, arguing that New York state only requires 180 days of instruction while Jericho had 186 days of school. And no snow days were used this year

“Ethan stood up with the mic with poise and confidence and he said he was nervous, but I couldn’t tell he was nervous,” said Jericho Superintendent Hank Grishman.

The Board and the superintendent were so swayed by Brown’s persuasive speech that they deemed Friday the Ethan Brown Snow Day, making Memorial Day break a four-day weekend.

Since this was announced, Brown has become the most popular kid in school, gaining praise from fellow students and even teachers.

A group of his elementary school teachers surprised him at his home with signs thanking him for the extra day off and praising him for his bravery in speaking up to the board and advocating for himself and others.

“I’m getting a lot of thank yous, people are appreciative,” said Brown. “A kid from Manhasset messaged me for advice on how to get a snow day in his school district.”

That is exactly what 74-year-old environmentalist and self-taught forager “Wildman” Steve Brill is cooking and taking residents on an organic, urban culinary journey living off the land.

Brill travels through the boroughs, Connecticut and Long Island to areas like Prospect Park, Inwood Hill Park, Sheldrake Lake and Hempstead Lake State Park on the hunt for nature’s free bounty.

“Wild foods are incredibly delicious. They are very nutritious, as well. From a culinary point of view, they are unexplored and totally renewable,” Brill told NBC New York in an interview before a guided tour kicked off.

On a sunny Saturday in March, Brill embarked on one of his many four-hour expeditions in Central Park with a collection of around 30 New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds. This time the group gathered on the Upper West Side walking towards Harlem.

Of the various edible plants plucked from the ground were delicacies like garlic mustard, Poor Man’s Pepper, violet leaves, bitter dock greens and Burdock root. Summer and fall may be more of mushroom season, but enoki mushrooms, tree ears and oyster mushrooms could be spotted.

Foraging is prohibited in New York State parks, but this vegan leads excursions through public areas to educate people that savory plants and mushrooms are hidden treasures often passed by on neighborhood walks or daily commutes.

The wild plants expert has been foraging for over 40 years and even encountered a run-in with the law. On March 29, 1986, Brill was arrested for eating a dandelion in Central Park.

“We had undercover agents on my tour. They were plants, but not the kind I was looking for,” said Brill who continued, “At the end of the tour, I ate the dandelion, and the male ranger ducked behind the tree with a hidden walkie-talkee.”

The NYC Park rangers placed handcuffs on Brill who was charged with criminal mischief for removing vegetation from the park. According to Brill, the city “turned a new leaf” by dropping the charge and hiring him to lead the same tours under NYC Mayor Ed Koch’s administration.

Since then, the longtime naturalist has been crafting how-to forage guides, children’s publications, and cookbooks sharing his expertise and trial-and-error.

One of the biggest misconceptions he believes about foraging is the idea of poisoning, which people should proceed with the utmost caution, but identifying the species is key. He suggests for any foraging beginners start slow, taking small bites the first time to avoid any potential allergies or side-effects.

“It’s a gateway drug into conservation. They learn to identify and use plants, become more comfortable in the environment, and work for a more sustainable environment” said Brill.

Kevin Kapela was hitting the links and was on the 9th tee at Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn Heights when he suddenly felt ill.

“I took out my driver, I swung for the stars — as soon as I swung, I felt lightning bolts going down my arms honestly,” Kapela said. “And I thought maybe I just pulled muscles. I took two steps and I was barely breathing.”

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The 64-year-old somehow managed to walk with his clubs to his car, and then drive three-and-a-half miles to North Shore University Hospital. He was even able to call his wife.

“He said ‘I don’t feel good, meet me at North Shore.’ I said what’s the matter, he said ‘My elbows are killing me, I can’t even talk, just get there,'” said wife Gina Kapela.

The pain was excruciating, and Kapela thought it could only be one thing: his heart.

“I see the ambulance, I just leave my car. The attendant said don’t park it here, I said ‘I’m having a heart attack!'” Kapela recalled.

Dr. Guarav Rao said Kapela was exhibiting classic signs of a heart attack, as he was sweating and clutching his chest. But pictures immediately showed something even more dire: He was suffering what’s referred to as a “widow maker” heart attack, with his artery completely blocked.

“This artery, in movies and newspapers, is referred to as the widow maker because it’s the most important heart vessel that anyone has,” Dr. Rao said.

The doctor put in two stents and then used a machine to deliver supersaturated oxygen to help heal Kapela’s heart muscle — marking one of the first times that kind of therapy has been used.

Surprisingly, Kapela said that playing golf probably helped save his life because had this happened at home, he would have probably taken a nap and not gone to the hospital to get the life-saving attention he needed.  He said that it’s a “miracle that I’m here.”

The American Heart Association says only 12% of people suffering the so-called “widow makers” outside the hospital survive. And while doctors are glad Kevin made it to the ER in time, they recommend others call 911.

“We are very lucky that Kevin is here today, but I do not recommend driving to the hospital while you’re having a heart attack,” said Chief of Cardiology Dr. Rajiv Jauhar.

“Summer for the City” kicked off for the first time last year, offering dozens of free, live performances and family events for New Yorkers to engage in. This year, the festival is back for round 2 to celebrate the city’s communities through multi-cultural art.

Starting this June, Lincoln Center will transform its entire campus for three months under the Visual Director Clint Ramos, infusing the outdoor spaces with botanical inspiration, al fresco dining, neon lights and a vibrant art installation with 200 flamingos near the Paul Milstein Reflecting Pool. Nearby the pool, the giant 10-foot disco ball returns from last summer’s silent disco under the moonlight.

According to Lincoln Center, the inaugural season welcomed over 300,000 audience members — more than 75% of whom had never before attended a presentation at the venue.

“We were thrilled to welcome so many New Yorkers and audiences new to campus last summer with hundreds of free shows, and we are doubling down on that welcome with this year’s programming and schedule,” said Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, to NBC New York.

With a city as diverse as New York, there is something for everyone to enjoy with genres like K-pop, jazz, salsa, merengue, Broadway and more, including a rendition of Company entirely performed by actors using American Sign Language.

The campus plans to honor Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary by celebrating the cultural influence of the genre, including a live mixtape with Brooklyn DJ J.PERIOD performed with artists Rakim and Big Daddy Kane.

“This summer, we have a real understanding of how all our spaces work at full capacity and we’ve programmed multiple evenings throughout the summer that have simultaneous, overlapping shows—whether on The Dance Floor, in Damrosch Park, in the new David Geffen Hall, or in The Underground—bringing all of these different New Yorkers together in the same space,” said Thake.

In addition to the music and dance segments, couples are invited to celebrate love, relive their wedding day or get hitched during a ceremony brought together by Tony, Grammy, and Olivier award-winning director Scott Wittman.

While most of the performances will be free, select indoor options will have Choose-What-You-Pay tickets built from last season’s model with a $5 minimum. There is a Fast Track line to give those who register early for shows priority access to events before general admission, which is first-come, first-serve.

It’s a big honor for the small town of Metuchen, which was just named among the winners of the Great American Main Street Award. The prize caps off a big turnaround for the town, which just seven years ago saw one in every five storefront vacant, victims of the Great Recession that left the downtown area on the ropes.

Downtown Metuchen’s Main Street is just two blocks long, but it’s now vibrant and booming. Pastry Lu’s is one of the new businesses that have filled nearly every empty space, and the co-owner said they are “absolutely” there to stay, and are planning on doing more locations with different businesses.

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Ever since the town created a special improvement district nearly seven years ago — with an extra tax on downtown property, typically of maybe $1,000 a year or so — the downtown has seen a revitalization.

“When we say proud, we’re proud of who we are and we’re proud of our community for helping us get to where we’ve gotten,” said Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch, addressing how the town has gotten the 22 percent vacancy down to just 4 percent in 2023.

Even he was caught by surprise by just how much the town was able to turn around in a relatively short time.

“I bet we could improve things, but the idea of going from 22 [percent] to 4, think about that. It’s just incredible,” Busch said.

The town was one of three winners of the award, along with Danville, Virginia, and Florence, South Carolina.

Leaders especially praise the volunteers who help stage a dozen events a year at a plaza a block off Main Street, which is flanked by brand new apartments that bring more life downtown.

Borough workers put up the award signage on the marquee of the truly dusty and long-abandoned Forum Theater, which was once a vaudeville showcase. Now there are hopes to make it the center of a new arts district two blocks from the business district, thinking the water-stained walls can give way to a playhouse.

And across the street from the theater sits another small business that the town bet big on seven years ago, Angie Restaurant. That risk clearly has paid off, as new restaurants have popped up on side streets.

“You look around you — the bones are excellent. You’ve got a 100-year-old theater, Victorian homes and we’re at the hub of activity here,” said Dawn Mackey, the executive director of the Metuchen Downtown Alliance.

Especially with a major mall just two miles away, the small town of just over 15,000 people is clearly punching above its weight with a great American Main Street. So how do they plan on celebrating? With a street party, of course, set for Juneteenth weekend — a week after downtown pride and a week before the Juneteenth celebration.

Nicknamed “The Unpredictable,” John Rodriguez was faced with an unforeseen circumstance regarding his heart that almost knocked him out. Throughout a nearly 40-year career, Rodriguez has traveled around the world and was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the World Wrestling Federation (WWE) in 1996.

Also known as Johnny Rodz, the 81-year-old first emigrated from Puerto Rico at the age of 12 and currently resides in Staten Island with his family.

After retiring in the mid-1980s, this lifelong athlete continues to spend his time in the ring at the renowned Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. He is noted for training the next generation of wrestlers like Cowboy Bad Billy Walker, Damien Demento, D-von Dudley, Tazz and Tommy Dreamer.

The former heavyweight champ was unstoppable until late 2021. At the time, Rodriguez was visiting an Ohio rest stop during a family road trip when, without warning, he found himself gasping for air.

“All of a sudden, I got this feeling about breathing that – wow – I could not breathe,” Rodriguez told NBC New York.

He knew to prop himself up as best as he could before promptly beginning quick, repeated breathing exercises for ten minutes before returning to the car.

Unknown to him, the longtime competitor was suffering from silent ischemia, a lack of adequate and oxygenated blood flowing to the heart. That episode was just one example of the events to follow with his stamina slowly depleting.

A silent heart attack with class four congestive heart failure had Rodriguez on the ropes with a heart function at a mere 15%. In comparison, a normal heart function should be at least 50% with anything falling below 40% hinting as a sign of heart failure, according to Penn Medicine.

In the United States, over 805,000 heart attacks occur each year with 170,000 of those being silent, according to the American Heart Association. These unrecognizable attacks are more common in women and diabetics with certain ranging symptoms like indigestion, fatigue, and strain in the chest muscles.

“The fact that he was an athlete and had done so much physical work in his life, gave him a bit of an advantage, at least in some part. But he had a history of high blood pressure and history of diabetes. He was an ex-smoker,” Dr. Rohit Shahani, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Staten Island University Hospital, said to News 4.

Rodriguez’s heart disease was too far gone for additional coronary stents, tube-shaped devices used to open arteries. Besides surgery risk factors and old age, he decided to take a chance with Dr. Shahani, who performed the triple bypass surgery on a heart-lung machine.

“You stop the heart and you bypass the blockages. You’ve got blocked pipes, which bring blood to your heart by coronary arteries. We bring new blood supply, fancy plumbing,” explained Dr. Shahani.

The Unpredictable made an incredible recovery doubling his heart function and still working at his corner office at Gleason’s Gym.

“The guy [Dr. Shahani] beat the hell outta me, but I’m never gonna forget him because you know what? Not everybody can take a broken-down person who should have died already and bring him back to life,” Rodriguez said.

The fast-food chain is offering to pay for 100 percent of college tuition for its employees who enroll at Western Governors University, the company announced on Tuesday.

Employees will have access to the program through the KFC Foundation starting day one of their job, the company said, and they will be able to choose from more than 60 difference bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at the private online university based in Utah.

The program is also non-competitive, meaning that all eligible employees who apply and enroll will get their tuition covered, the company explained.

Because Western Governors University offers rolling start dates each month, KFC employees can choose to enroll and start taking classes whenever they like after they’re accepted.

“Every year we look for new ways to support and enhance the lives of KFC restaurant employees,” said Emma Horn, Executive Director of the KFC Foundation. “What better opportunity to be able to offer team members than a flexible college degree program from Western Governors University that can fit seamlessly into their schedule. The program at WGU is perfect for someone who may not have enough hours in the day to balance a traditional college experience on top of a full- or part time- job and other life priorities.”

There are 157 KFC restaurants across New York, including 40 throughout the five boroughs.

Completing a degree program can change lives, families and communities,” said Rebecca L. Watts, who oversees WGU’s operations in New York. “But not everyone has the same access to education. Time, location and cost are some of the biggest barriers keeping our neighbors—especially those already in the workforce—from attending college. We’re proud to partner with the KFC Foundation to address those obstacles and expand pathways to opportunity for KFC restaurant employees.”

Employees can find out more about the program at the KFC Foundation’s website.

New York City parents Jason and Elysa Hochman crafted the idea to practice their flamenco and Spanish guitar skills as a familial unit with sons, Joseph and Noah, when the city first went on “PAUSE” in March 2020.

The group fashioned the name “Quarantined Quartet” and documented their progress by filming and posting daily efforts on Instagram.

“We began documenting our journey together just practicing every day at home. We thought it would last two weeks, but we inspired a lot of people and that kept us going,” father Jason Hochman told NBC New York.

What took off as an at-home bonding experience transformed into over 1,000 days of performances, booked nights at restaurant venues like Tavern on the Green and special concerts called Candlelight.

The Hochmans founded the Manhattan music school New York Guitar Academy in 2009. This father believes pivoting to remote classes was a necessary step but forming the quartet was what truly saved the business.

“Thankfully our unexpected family project, really has helped our school stay afloat, and now we have students from all around the world and in the U.S. saying that they are part of our classes because they found us through our Quarantined Quartet,” noted Jason Hochman.

To date, this Midwood neighborhood household has surpassed day 1,080 musical posts on social media gaining nearly half a million followers on Instagram, which still pleasantly surprises the team with how far they have grown.

“We’re inspiring people and it motivates us to keep going. We have really cool experiences from doing this,” said son Joseph Hochman.

This modern-day Partridge family has already produced ten original songs together, including a live extended play record, with eyes set on preparing a studio album.

Residents can catch the next in-person Candlelight performance this month on March 30 or this summer on July 14 both at 9 p.m. at the Irondale in Brooklyn.

Two-year-old William Long laughed it up at a press conference on Thursday, with a smile that can light up any room. But he and his family weren’t so joyous not too long ago.

“Two months ago, if you asked me how I was feeling, I wouldn’t be in as good a place as I am right now,” said mom Alex Long.

That’s because at that time, she was watching her toddler undergo brain surgery.

William was born at the height of the pandemic. In 2021, when he was just 8 months old, he and his parents contracted COVID. He was sick with a high fever, then suffered a seizure — which at the time, his parents thought was a result of the virus.

His parents rushed him to the hospital, starting a chain of events that saved his life. Because that seizure was a symptom of something much worse.

As doctors at Cohen Children’s Medical were treating the seizure, they discovered an abnormality on the right side little William’s brain. After a year of testing and monitoring, that abnormality was diagnosed as an egg-sized brain tumor.

“Devastating, in a word. I don’t think there’s another word to describe it,” said dad Michael Long.

But with the devastation came a glimmer of hope. Thanks to William contracting COVID, the tumor was caught early on.

“It could keep spreading to other parts of the brain that would make it inoperable. So clearly, an early diagnosis was a silver lining here,” Dr. Shaun Rodgers said. “Miraculously, COVID might have saved his life.”

William still sports the scar from the six-hour surgery he underwent in December. The result: The brain tumor was removed with no damage to the boy’s memory or speech. An MRI showed the empty space where the tumor once grew.

“He’s not gonna have any problem from this,” said Dr. Rodgers.

Doctors will have to monitor William’s brain for the next 10 years to make sure the tumor doesn’t return, meaning he will have to undergo years of tests. But he’s expected to have a normal life. So now when little William smiles, his parents feel lucky — despite the struggle they have endured.

“We know a lot of families aren’t as lucky as us. So we count our blessings every day,” said Alex Long. “We’re just so lucky.  There’s really no other way to put it”

The Longs know very well the pain COVID caused for so many, but for them this virus may have helped preserve the long-term health of their family.

The family who installed the bench in a Norwalk park thought it was gone forever after a November nor’easter — until late January, when they received a phone call.

“It was sitting right under this protected area,” said Diane Wattecamps, of East Setauket. 

She and her husband noticed the bench on Jan. 27 while taking their daily stroll at West Meadow Beach on Long Island.

The bench, made of teak wood was covered in sand and seaweed but found under a pavilion, indicating it had been moved from shore.

“Hanging on the back of the bench was a bronze plaque just hanging by the tip of a screw and hers was in the sand,” explained Wattecamps. “I picked it up from the sand, wiped it on my corduroys and I Googled her name and the obituary came up with her beautiful photo.”

One plaque was for Nahum Hacohen and it read, “What a view.” The other was for Judy Hacohen, with the words “I’ve said that since 1936” inscribed.

“I could almost just hear them talking like that and I knew that it was special, and I had to find where it belonged, I had to send it home,” said Wattecamps.

What the Wattecamps did not know at the time is that the bench used to sit on the banks of the Long Island Sound, twenty miles away in Norwalk. The Hacohen family of Bell Island had been searching for the bench for months.

“It’s like a landmark, a family fixture, everything is about taking photos at the bench, sit on the bench,” said Dean Hacohen, the son of Nahum and Judy.

Hacohen believed the November storm tossed the bench into the Long Island Sound. He searched and searched for it and figured it was gone forever until he got Diane’s call.

“I said where are you? In Darien? Westport? Are you in Stamford?” he recalled. “She said ‘No, I’m in East Setauket, Long Island.’ That’s when we knew the bench somehow made this 20-mile journey across Long Island Sound for a couple months.”

Days later, Hacohen made the trip to Long Island where he met the Wattecamps, who comically placed a sign on the bench that read, “U.S.S Hacohen.” He brought his parent’s bench back home to Bell Island, where Nahum and Judy’s story began.

Hacohen says he is so glad the Wattecamps found the bench, because Diane was so determined to find them. She looked up their names on the obituary and tracked down their phone numbers.  

Hacohen said his parents loved to travel and above all they loved cruises.

“They loved taking cruises,” said Hacohen. “All we could think about this was just one more.”

Skai Nzeuton, 16, is a senior at Stuyvesant High School who launched the Food Security Club last year after seeing the impacts of the COVID pandemic mixed with inflation. Nzeuton noticed the number of meals left behind in the school cafeteria and felt compelled not to let these products get scrapped.

“I was seeing the same people on the train asking for food every day, and I felt really guilty not being able to help them, not having money because I am a student. At the same time, I was seeing a ton of food waste with perfectly good food being thrown away at school,” Nzeuton told NBC New York during a group interview on the Upper East Side at NYCHA Holmes Towers.

This teen first got the idea to stock pantries from a history teacher who recommended working with community fridges, a public space that houses a variety of “take what you need” groceries, such as bread, produce and canned goods.

The club began its first donation on the Lower East Side at the Loisaida Community Fridge, and since then, has gained up to 50 student members traveling across the city handing out upwards of 3,000 pounds of rescued food from Stuyvesant High School.

“It’s about delivering fresh produce because low-income families usually can’t afford these necessities, so we’re not only feeding the families but promoting a healthy life,” said 18-year-old Stuyvesant senior Ben Pan.

These Stuyvesant students wish to lead by example, inspiring other city peers to do the same with their school surplus.

“We have over 1,700 public schools in New York City. If every single public school could have a club like this, we would be able to feel so many more people and then donate over a million pounds of food each year,” noted Nzeuton.

Nzeuton and the team got in touch with Daniel Zauderer, a former South Bronx middle school teacher turned founder of the nonprofit Grassroots Grocery, which helps transport fresh food to over 30 distribution sites and six NYC-based community fridges.

Zauderer takes pride in the fact his organization is based on a “neighbors helping neighbors” approach when it comes to filling its fridges, not solely relying on government response or big business contributions.

Residents can simply take what they need and leave donations when feasible, no questions asked. Any donations are encouraged to be pre-packaged in a transparent container and properly labeled, including the date of preparation and potential allergens.

“We try as best as we can at Grassroots Grocery to eliminate this sort of hierarchy that exists in many food access solutions where it’s people who have are giving to those who don’t. We try to level the playing field where you can give back but, other days, you might have to take,” Zauderer told News 4.

On top of the food sharing, visiting these community fridges provides a space for residents to connect on a personal level, an aspect that Sandra Pérez, president of the tenant association at NYCHA Holmes Towers, added is vital for her community.

The dog, whom the group called Allie, was stranded outside Des Moines International Airport in Iowa four days after Christmas, on Dec. 29. Her owner apparently left her in front of the terminal when he was told he couldn’t fly her home without a crate.

It didn’t take long for other travelers to report Allie’s abandonment to authorities. One of the families who spotted her that day adopted her Wednesday, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa says. The rescue group, which cared for more than 10,000 pets last year, says the new family reached out to say Allie has been settling in quite well.

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As previously reported, Allie’s original owner had been returning home via Newark Airport after working in Iowa. He could face a dog abandonment charge in Iowa, though there were no indications of abuse, the rescue group has said.

The Associated Humane Societies shelter near Newark International Airport says they see abandonments too often.

“We get dogs tied up, left at parks and we get them constantly. You get four out, you get 10 more in,” Lindsay Papa, the manager of the shelter, said.

Still, staffers expressed outrage that such a sweet and kind puppy, as the Iowa group described Allie, would be left so haphazardly.

“You buying a dog, to give it love, care. Just to drop if off — that would be like dropping my kid off,” Associated Humane Societies Newark Supervisor Hakim Green said.

Shelters just like the one in Newark have plenty of dogs ready for adoption. Learn more about adopting pets here.

The pastor for the Ridgewood couple was in the middle of delivering the wedding vows at the Great Falls Center in the days after Christmas, when he collapsed at the altar.

“I said it would require patience, love, kindness and then I passed out,” said Rev. Anthony Palmer.

It was more than just passing out; Palmer went into cardiac arrest.

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Thankfully for him, Valeria Franco — an EMT in West Paterson — happened to be working catering during the wedding. Her mother, Brenda, was working as well, and yelled for her daughter to come help.

“Go now, go do it, that’s your thing, they’re waiting for you,” she recalled telling Valeria.

Franco worked without any EMT equipment on Palmer for roughly half an hour, performing chest compressions by herself, until paramedics arrived. Palmer survived the scare, and is now recovering.

City officials said they not sure why it took so long for paramedics to get there that day, but said they looking into the matter.

On Tuesday, two weeks after the ordeal, Palmer and Franco reunited at Paterson City Hall, where she was recognized by the city for saving the pastor’s life. Palmer is now a living testament to her training and skill — and saw the parallel with what happened to the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin a few days later.

“But I also had a feeling, a good feeling that that they would be able to save him…based on my experience” he said.

As a five-year EMT, Franco has made CPR saves before — and even did so the following day. But off-duty, alone at first, this one stands out for her.

“Hopefully people will see this and be inspired to be an EMT or take CPR training,” said Paterson Mayor Andrew Sayegh, who presented her with a certificate for her life-saving move.

The couple, meanwhile, elected to move on to the cocktail hour after Palmer was treated — but have yet to say their vows. Palmer told NBC New York he wants to finish the job, probably at their home in Ridgewood in the not too distant future.