Laura Silver

New York, NY —

City Comptroller Bill Thompson is calling for immediate action to clean up a city-owned athletic center in Brooklyn that houses day care and pre-kindergarten programs.

He says his auditors found decrepit and dangerous conditions during a routine financial audit of the Paerdegat Athletic Club in Canarsie ...

New York, NY —

The city's Department of Environmental Protection says trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in New York's water supply do not pose significant health risks.

At a City Council hearing, Deputy Commissioner Paul Rush said, among other drugs, New York tap water contains very minute amounts of caffeine and ...

New York, NY —

On your mark, get set, paddle.

A dozen kayakers hit the water at Valentino Park to celebrate the city's water trail — 30 sites where it's legal — and safe — to launch a canoe or kayak in the five boroughs.

Kayaker Jerry Dunne of Queens says ...

New York, NY —

City officials say it's no different from punching a clock. But crime scene investigators are complaining about having to use palm-print scanners to track how many hours they've worked.

The palm-print system is called CityTime and it's now being used by thousands of city workers ...

New York, NY —

Now, it's more than just a place to dance. Webster Hall became a landmark yesterday.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission has added the Queen Anne-style brick and brownstone building to its roster.

Melissa Baldock, of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, says Webster Hall's history ...

New York, NY —

This preserves what's become a weekend tradition of sidewalk snacking for soccer players, spectators and foodies.

Ed Levine, founder of seriouseats.com, says Red Hook's fields are a great place to sample goat tacos, ceviche and huaraches - cornmeal dough piled high with vegetables and meat.

But, Levine ...

New York, NY —

A new survey shows New Yorkers may be more inclined to go green than the rest of the country, with 78 percent believing global warming will have a direct effect on their lives, compared to 72 percent nationwide.

Anthony Leiserowitz, head of Yale's project on climate ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks, Christian DiPalermo, says artificial turf contains black pellets made from recycled tires, which are potentially harmful.

DIPALERMO: There are health risks, just alone with the synthetic turf. There's concern about runoff into our water system, and also, they ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: The city will pay more than $20 million to black and Hispanic Parks Department employees to settle claims that they were promoted less than white co-workers.

Kathleen Walker has been with the Parks Department for 27 years. She says she was demoted after joining the ...

New York, NY —

A nine year old class action lawsuit against the city's Parks Department for passing over minorities for promotion has been settled. The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund says the city will pay $21 million.

REPORTER: Kathleen Walker has worked in the Parks Department for 27 ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: The groups say funding cuts will reduce English language classes for non-native speakers, who already have disproportionately high dropout rates.

Claire Sylvan, the executive director of the Internationals Network for Public Schools, says budget constraints will reduce enrichment programs for students from 90 countries who ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: The city says it will change the way it funds subsidized daycare centers.

Instead of paying each facility based on total capacity, it will pay only for children who attend each day.

Administration for Children's Services Commissioner John Mattingly says each center will manage its own ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: 4 city hospitals have increased their language services for non-English speakers with the help of immigrant advocate organizations.

Aida Torres, of Brooklyn, hopes improved access to interpreters will help bridge the language barrier in healthcare.

Torres brought her 35-year-old special needs daughter to the emergency room ...