Seems like Mother Nature isn’t done with rainy weekends in NYC, as a storm is on track to hit the city this Sunday. Heavy rain is in the forecast with winds greater than 40 mph.

Temperatures on Sunday could reach as high as 60 degrees. However, by nightfall they will drop into the mid 40s. Light showers are forecasted to start in the morning. By the afternoon, steady rain is expected to fall with a total of 1-2 inches by night. Unfortunately, the rain will most likely conflict with Fifth Avenue’s Open Streets yet again.

However, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy a rainy day in NYC.

According to NBC 4 New York, the heavy rain could threaten low-lying and vulnerable areas with coastal flooding. And though some may be hopeful to see snow this weekend, it doesn’t seem likely. Yet, since the storm is still a few days out, the forecast is subject to change.

Though Sunday will most likely be a soaker, Saturday at least looks dry with temperatures in the mid 50s during the day before dropping into the low 40s.

As for the following week, expect sunny skies with temperatures in the 40s and yup, you guessed it, more rain to come by the weekend.

The post Heavy Rain & 40+ MPH Winds Expected To Rattle NYC This Weekend appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Governors Island is a true New York City gem with its lavish day spa complete with outdoor infinity pools open year-round, its seasonal restaurant and beach club that proves year after year to be the ultimate summer destination, and the most amazing glamping experiences.

Though come wintertime the island takes on a whole different persona–equally as stunning as in the warmer months–which is seen each year through its festive Winter Village.

And as we prepare for a frosty, flakey, and slushy winter, Governors Island is giving us a reason to put on our black puffer coats and brave the cold.

The Trust for Governors Island and Governors Island Arts announced today, December 7th, that it will, for the first time ever, give us New Yorkers a reason to celebrate the shortest day of the year as it’s gearing up to host its inaugural Winter Solstice Celebration on December 16, 2023.

Next weekend a day-long festival will take over the island, featuring art installations, performances, a scavenger hunt, and more, and the best part–it’s all free of charge!

Clare Newman, President & CEO of the Trust for Governors Island, stated:

Even the shortest day of the year is a fantastic time to visit Governors Island and join us for a day of free fun for the entire community. This celebration, kicking off the week of the solstice, will feature innovative and provocative performances and installations alongside the traditional fun activities Governors Island is known for, and we invite all New Yorkers to join us for this wonderful inaugural event.

Visitors who hop on the ferry to the island will be immersed in a winter wonderland of fun. Activities will include games, a collaborative art activity, a nature scavenger hunt, a workshop and performance from Cora Dance, and guided walking tours to experience the beauty of the island.

And, of course, there will be tons of food options, fire pits to cozy up next to, and DJ sets to distract you from the chilly weather and keep the party going.

For those looking to immerse themselves in a bit of the arts, a collaborative art installation Paggank Wik (Nut Island Home), will also be open to explore. Paggank Wik is a structure built from a combination of various types of elm, cedar, chestnut, and evergreens, all harvested from Governors Island, inspired by the original inhabitants of the Island’s ancient dwellings, known as Wigwam.

Round-trip ferry tickets to Governors Island cost $4 for adults and are free for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and up. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all.

Governors Island’s Winter Solstice Celebration will take place on December 16th, from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. You can find the full schedule of events here.

The post Governors Island To Host Its First Ever Winter Solstice Celebration appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will again vote Thursday on punishing one of their own, this time targeting Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman for triggering a fire alarm in one of the U.S. Capitol office buildings in September when the chamber was in session.

If the Republican censure resolution passes, the prominent progressive will become the third Democratic House member to be admonished this year through the process, which is a punishment one step below expulsion from the House.

“It’s painfully obvious to myself, my colleagues and the American people that the Republican Party is deeply unserious and unable to legislate,” Bowman said Wednesday as he defended himself during floor debate. “Their censure resolution against me today continues to demonstrate their inability to govern and serve the American people.”

He added that he’s since taken accountability for his actions. “No matter the result of the censure vote tomorrow, my constituents know I will always continue to fight for them,” he said.

Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich. — who introduced the censure resolution — claimed Bowman pulled the alarm to “cause chaos and the stop the House from doing its business” as lawmakers scrambled to pass a bill to fund the government before a shutdown deadline.

“It is reprehensible that a Member of Congress would go to such lengths to prevent House Republicans from bringing forth a vote to keep the government operating and Americans receiving their paychecks,” McClain said in a statement.

Bowman pleaded guilty in October to a misdemeanor count for the incident that took place in the Cannon House Office Building. He agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and serve three months of probation, after which the false fire alarm charge is expected to be dismissed from his record under an agreement with prosecutors.

The fire alarm prompted a building-wide evacuation when the House was in session and staffers were working in the building. The building was reopened an hour later after Capitol Police determined there was no threat.

Bowman apologized and said that at the time he was trying to get through a door that was usually open but was closed that day because it was the weekend.

Many progressive Democrats, who spoke in his defense, called the Republican effort to censure him “unserious,” and questioned why the party decided to target one of the few Black men in the chamber and among the first to ever represent his district.

“This censure is just the latest in this chamber’s racist history of telling Black men that they don’t belong in Congress,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley. D-Mass.

The vote is the latest example of how the chamber has begun to deploy punishments like censure, long viewed as a punishment of last resort, routinely and often in strikingly partisan ways.

“Under Republican control, this chamber has become a place where trivial issues get debated passionately and important ones not at all,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said during floor debate. “Republicans have focused more on censuring people in this Congress than passing bills that help people we represent or improving this country in any way.”

While the censure of a lawmaker carries no practical effect, it amounts to severe reproach from colleagues, as lawmakers who are censured are usually asked to stand in the well of the House as the censure resolution against them is read aloud.

If the resolution passes, Bowman will become the 27th person to ever be censured by the chamber, and the third just this year. Last month, Republicans voted to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan in an extraordinary rebuke of her rhetoric about the Israel-Hamas war.

In June, Democrat Adam Schiff of California was censured for comments he made several years ago about investigations into then-President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.

The post Lawmakers to vote on censuring Rep. Jamaal Bowman for pulling a fire alarm in House office building appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here