Extra Extra: Rikers Island is named after an infamous slaveholder who led NYC's effort to capture people who'd escaped slavery

James Ramsay

Published Feb 16, 2023

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A protester calling for the closing of Rikers Island

Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

James Ramsay

Published Feb 16, 2023

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Good Thursday afternoon in New York City, where we're looking for a new Night Mayor. Here's what else is happening:

A new book by CUNY Law professor Rebecca Bratspies about the namesakes for famous roads, bridges and landmarks in New York City highlights the fact that the Von Rycken family, after whom Rikers Island is named, not only built a fortune off slave labor, but played a crucial role in enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act by capturing Black people who'd escaped slavery.
Gov. Kathy Hochul needs to pick a new nominee for chief judge.
Five Queens men were arrested in New Jersey for possessing half a ton (the equivalent of a concert grand piano) of weed.
A judge has ordered a health insurance-related company co-owned by Frank Carone, Mayor Eric Adams' former chief of staff and longtime confidant, to fork over $726,000 in unpaid rent for a Manhattan office it was leasing.
Curbed has a great photo slideshow of FDNY EMS trainees on their last day of instruction.
They're opening an H Mart at the American Dream megamall in New Jersey.
Spain passed a law today granting workers paid menstrual leave.
Doctors said an American man who recently died from prostate cancer mysteriously developed an Irish accent during treatment, marking the latest case of a rare phenomenon called "foreign accent syndrome," wherein patients who typically have strokes or head trauma start speaking in accents from countries or regions they have no connection to.
What's the deal with Propecia jokes?
"I had to accept [my firing] because I was going to kill everybody including myself. Things can consume you. Italians are so passionate. There is damage that is relatable, there is damage that is un-relatable to people that I have to deal with, that I am working on.": Chris Cuomo opened up on the Anthony Scaramucci podcast about being fired (while Italian).
Wilco is selling a bunch of old instruments, including a century-old organ, from their Chicago studio.
"I don’t really know what to do with myself, I usually just roll a joint. Sometimes, when I’m really high, I think of a theme and start debating with myself out loud.": Vice interviewed some people about "what they do when no one's watching."
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And finally, a TikTok tutorial for getting attacked by sharks:

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James Ramsay

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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