23: Terrorism Arrests, Hands Across America, and a Stan Lee Statue

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

Over the years, there have been three major terror arrests just the month of May, 8, 9, and 10 years ago:

• 8 years ago on May 11, 2011 — Two potential terrorists are arrested after acquiring weapons and expressing interest to attack city religious sites and the Empire State Building

• 9 years ago on May 1, 2010 — Terrorist attempts failed Times Square car bombing

• and 10 years ago on May 20, 2009 — Four men are arrested in a terror plot to shoot down military planes and bomb Bronx synagogues

• In what was initially thought to be a real terrorist attack, 2 years ago on May 18, 2017 — A man high on PCP drives a car into pedestrians in Times Square

• We've been following the back-and-forth on Macy's plans for their flagship store in Herald Square, and this week the CEO confirmed to Bloomberg News that the company is moving forward with a plan to place a skyscraper on top of their existing landmarked store that was built in the early 1900s.

• 108 years ago on May 23, 1911 — Opening ceremony for the main branch of the NY Public Library

• A Change.org petition aims to bring a statue of the comic book legend to NYC

• 136 years ago on May 24, 1883 — Opening day for the Brooklyn Bridge

• 33 years ago on May 25, 1986 — Hands Across America takes place, forming a human chain from Battery Park in NYC to Long Beach, California

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Park of the day

• Castle Hill Playground — Castle Hill Av and Parker St in Parkchester in the Bronx — This playground, like the adjacent school, takes its name from the surrounding neighborhood, Castle Hill. During the Revolutionary War, the Castle Hill area was owned by wealthy landowner and politician Gouverneur Morris Wilkins, who constructed a home at what is known today as Castle Hill Point.

Parks Events

• Learn the basics of canoeing at Harlem Meer in Central Park — New York is surrounded by water, but it can be intimidating to think of paddling in the Hudson. Take a lesson from the Urban Park Rangers in the calm waters of Harlem Meer at the northeast corner of Central Park, beginning at 11am on Sunday, May 19th. The event is free and open to all ages, but opportunities may fill up quickly, so arrive early.

Concert Calendar

• Garbage, LCD Soundsystem, Mercury Rev, Phoebe Bridgers, The Messthetics, and Wye Oak are playing the Festival of Disruption at Brooklyn Steel on Friday, May 17th.
• The Dream Syndicate and 75 Dollar Bill are playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, May 17th.
• Mr Twin Sister and Ava Luna are playing the Warsaw on Friday, May 17th.
• Tacocat and Sammi Lanzetta are playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, May 17th.
• Uniform, Blame God, and Wear Your Wounds are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Friday, May 17th.
• Sidewalks and Skeltons are playing H0L0 on Friday, May 17th.
• BTS are playing MetLife Stadium on Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th.
• Worriers and awakebutstillinbed are playing Baby's All Right on Sunday, May 19th.
• Juice WRLD and SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD are playing the Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday, May 20th.
• Chromatics, Desire, and In Mirrors are playing Brooklyn Steel on Monday, May 20th.
• Chromeo is playing Webster Hall on Monday, May 20th.
• Sum 41 are playing Gramercy Theater on Tuesday, May 21st.
• Chromatics and Holy Ghost are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, May 21st.
• Mono and Emma Ruth Rundle are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, May 22nd.
• American Football and Pure Bathing Culture are playing Warsaw on Friday, May 24th and Saturday, May 25th.

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:

• The striped bass was declared the New York state marine or saltwater fish in 2006, in reference to their seasonal presence in the tidal portion of the Hudson River and coastal waters around Long Island

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 99°F on May 19, 1962
Record Low: 38°F on May 19, 1976

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain today and Monday, with scattered showers tonight ending overnight, leading to a mostly dry and sunny weekend.

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