The Spirit | Your local newspaper for the Upper West Side

Smartwatches are now allowed in NYC pools, if they have don’t have cameras, the Parks Department told <i>Straus News</i> (pictured above, Thomas Jefferson Pool).

Smartwatches are now allowed in NYC pools, if they have don’t have cameras, the Parks Department told Straus News (pictured above, Thomas Jefferson Pool). ( Photo: NYC Parks )

The Parks Department said that smartwatches, which can provide key measurements to casual and dedicated swimmers alike, are now permissible to wear in city pools.

Smartwatch Ban Relaxed: Now Allowed At City Pools, If Camera-Free

03 Jul 2025 | 07:15

Big news: you can wear a smartwatch to Parks Dept. swimming pools this summer, for the first time.

Straus News heard a tip that a swimmer was reportedly denied entry to a public pool in Brooklyn for wearing an Apple Watch, and has sought out whether or not they fall underneath the Parks Department’s...

Photos of the suspects wanted in connection with a June 25 armed robbery at a UES garage. Two luxury vehicles, a black 2024 Audi Q5 and a black 2025 BMW X7, were stolen. As of now, no arrests have been made.

Photos of the suspects wanted in connection with a June 25 armed robbery at a UES garage. Two luxury vehicles, a black 2024 Audi Q5 and a black 2025 BMW X7, were stolen. As of now, no arrests have been made. ( Photo: Crime Stoppers)

4 Suspects Wanted in Armed, Grand Theft Auto Heist on UES

02 Jul 2025 | 06:02

Two luxury vehicles were stolen, and a garage attendant suffered minor injuries when four unidentified...

Sweat can be unpleasant but experts are discovering it has a lot more beneficial effects than just cooling down the body in hot weather.

Sweat can be unpleasant but experts are discovering it has a lot more beneficial effects than just cooling down the body in hot weather. ( Photo: Sasener)

Summer is Here and the Sweat You Hate Is Actually Good For You!

03 Jul 2025 | 03:14

Summer is here and while high heat and humidity can be unpleasant and energy sapping, the sweat that...

Water spouts from the top of <i>“Foot Fountain (pink)” </i>the latest public art on display on the High Line, sparking talk and some controversy over what some feel is a phallic symbol.

Water spouts from the top of “Foot Fountain (pink)” the latest public art on display on the High Line, sparking talk and some controversy over what some feel is a phallic symbol. ( Photo: X @highlinenyc)

Artistic Fountain or Eyesore? High Line’s Pink Statue Stirs Debate

03 Jul 2025 | 02:05

Found on the High Line near West 30th Street, a towering pink sculpture has been turning heads and drenching...

Zohran Mamdani wins the New York City mayoral primary

Zohran Mamdani wins the New York City mayoral primary ( Photo: Madison Stewart, Zohran for New York City )

Five Person Sprint to November Begins as Mamdani Secures Dem Nod in Mayoral Race

03 Jul 2025 | 11:54

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani officially won the Democratic primary as of July 1 after the third round of...

Broadway Mall Association Ribbon Cutting Ceremony opening the three contiguous medians at W. 73rd Street (Second from left: Ian Olsen, Second from right: State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal.)

Broadway Mall Association Ribbon Cutting Ceremony opening the three contiguous medians at W. 73rd Street (Second from left: Ian Olsen, Second from right: State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal.) ( Photo: Samuel Kingsland)

The Great Green Way Is Revitalizing Broadway’s Medians

02 Jul 2025 | 03:08

A quiet but dramatic transformation is unfolding along Broadway. The Great Green Way—an initiative led...

Gallery view of “<i>Vermeer’s Love Letters</i>,” the first show in the new Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries, on the first floor, off the Garden Court in the former Music Room. That space is now reserved for the revolving temporary exhibits.

Gallery view of “Vermeer’s Love Letters,” the first show in the new Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries, on the first floor, off the Garden Court in the former Music Room. That space is now reserved for the revolving temporary exhibits. ( Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr.)

Mistresses and Maids at the New and Improved Frick

02 Jul 2025 | 01:35

“There are five Vermeers in the building,” John Updike Curator Aimee Ng proclaimed at a recent preview...

Gay Officers Action League protest the exclusion of gay NYPD officers near start of Heritage of Pride Parade, June 29.

Gay Officers Action League protest the exclusion of gay NYPD officers near start of Heritage of Pride Parade, June 29. ( Photo: Gay Officers Action League)

100s of Thousands Celebrate Pride Weekend, Cops Present yet Excluded

Pride Month 2025 came to an often rousing, sometimes raucous and in parts contentious conclusion on the weekend of June 28...

03 Jul 2025 | 03:17

Protesters gather outside the RGB meeting at El Museo del Barrio, advocating for a rent freeze on June 30.

Protesters gather outside the RGB meeting at El Museo del Barrio, advocating for a rent freeze on June 30. ( Photo: @housingjustice4all on Instagram)

Rent Board okays hikes by 3% on one-year stabilized leases and 4.5% for two-year leases

Just a week after the NYC primary, a race largely dictated by the issue of affordable living, the Rent Guidelines Board voted...

01 Jul 2025 | 04:54

”Summer Streets” weekends are back, and this year’s main Manhattan route extends all the way up to W. 200th St. from the Brooklyn Bridge, its longest route ever, stretching more than 10 miles.

”Summer Streets” weekends are back, and this year’s main Manhattan route extends all the way up to W. 200th St. from the Brooklyn Bridge, its longest route ever, stretching more than 10 miles. ( Photo: DOT)

Summer Streets Will Stretch From Brooklyn Br. to W. 200th St.

The NYC Department of Transportation’s annual “Summer Streets” program is gearing up, meaning that dedicated stroll-takers...

02 Jul 2025 | 10:48

<i>Daily News</i> reporter Christopher Sommerfeldt, at the 115th Pct in Jackson Heights where Mayor Eric Adams held his off-topic press briefing on June 24. Adams let Sommerfeldt take a seat at the weekly press briefing after threatening to bar him a weekly earlier for speaking out of turn. But Adams still refused to call on him.

Daily News reporter Christopher Sommerfeldt, at the 115th Pct in Jackson Heights where Mayor Eric Adams held his off-topic press briefing on June 24. Adams let Sommerfeldt take a seat at the weekly press briefing after threatening to bar him a weekly earlier for speaking out of turn. But Adams still refused to call on him. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly)

Adams Continues His Absurd Feud with Daily News Reporter

Mayor Eric Adams continued his feud with Daily News reporter Christopher Sommerfeldt at his weekly off-the-record press briefings...

30 Jun 2025 | 10:17

Here are the best viewing areas in Manhattan, according to Macy’s, which urges you to arrive early. The city gave away 100,000 free tickets via lottery to the prime viewing areas starting July 1, but by July 2, all the tickets were gone. The fireworks this year are being fired from the Brooklyn Bridge and four barges in the lower East River, putting them further south than the last time the display was on the East Side.

Here are the best viewing areas in Manhattan, according to Macy’s, which urges you to arrive early. The city gave away 100,000 free tickets via lottery to the prime viewing areas starting July 1, but by July 2, all the tickets were gone. The fireworks this year are being fired from the Brooklyn Bridge and four barges in the lower East River, putting them further south than the last time the display was on the East Side. ( Photo: Macy’s)

Looking to Pick a Spot to Watch the Fireworks? Start Here!

As Manhattan gears up for its annual July 4th fireworks celebration, New Yorkers should rest assured that they have multiple...

03 Jul 2025 | 02:31

3 Sheridan Square. Police believe the attack was not related to any Pride marches despite its proximity to the Stonewall Inn that is the center of gay rights activism.

3 Sheridan Square. Police believe the attack was not related to any Pride marches despite its proximity to the Stonewall Inn that is the center of gay rights activism. ( Photo: Otto Fritton)

Two Teenage Girls Shot Near Stonewall Inn Following Pride March

Two females were shot Sunday night, June 29, in front of 3 Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village, blocks away from the historic...

01 Jul 2025 | 11:47

Carmen De La Rosa, who currently represents City Council’s District 10, cruised to victory over a challenger in this month’s Democratic primary.

Carmen De La Rosa, who currently represents City Council’s District 10, cruised to victory over a challenger in this month’s Democratic primary. ( Photo: carmenfornyc.com )

Incumbents Coast to Victory in Upper Manhattan Primaries

Two incumbent City Council Members representing parts of northwest Manhattan, District 7’s Shaun Abreu and District 10’s...

30 Jun 2025 | 09:16

Zohran Mamdani speaking at a Resist Fascism rally in Bryant Park on Oct. 27, 2024.

Zohran Mamdani speaking at a Resist Fascism rally in Bryant Park on Oct. 27, 2024. ( Photo: Bingjiefu He/Wikimedia Commons)

Opinion: The Threat of Zohran Mamdani

Thoughts on the staggering out-of-nowhere victory of Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral primary—I say “out of nowhere”...

30 Jun 2025 | 01:52

Zohran Mamdani Speaking at a Democratic Socialists of America meeting at the Church of the Village in NYC in November 2024.

Zohran Mamdani Speaking at a Democratic Socialists of America meeting at the Church of the Village in NYC in November 2024. ( Photo: Bingjiefu He/Wikimedia Commons)

Opinion: Zohran Mamdani Being Unfairly Branded

For those who’ve been on a media blackout, New York City’s Democrats last week overwhelmingly nominated a candidate who just...

30 Jun 2025 | 01:19

Left: Migrant busted for menacing in front of this gift shop. Right: Alleged podophile, Dexter Betancourt.

Left: Migrant busted for menacing in front of this gift shop. Right: Alleged podophile, Dexter Betancourt. ( Photos: Google Maps, NYPD)

Menace Arrested Near Madison Square Garden; Subway Podophile Busted!

The alleged foot-loving sex pest sought by cops, as reported in last week’s Crime Watch, has been caught. His name is Dexter...

30 Jun 2025 | 12:19

Go back

1
2

Go forward

MOST COMMENTED