• Expanding signature education initiatives – I grew up in our public school system, and I know the importance of getting our students the vital foundational support they need to thrive. I was proud to announce that we’re expanding our high-quality, evidence-based reading and math curricula to nearly 500,000 students, including bringing our phonics-focused NYC Reads curriculum to middle schoolers for the first time.
• Taking down gangs, destroying illegal guns – Working closely with city, state, and federal law enforcement, the NYPD helped take down a dangerous, terrorist gang that was wreaking havoc on our streets. And, along with the NYPD, community leaders, and faith activists, we destroyed more than 3,500 illegal guns, ensuring they will never harm another New Yorker or take another life. We will continue working every day to drive down crime and make our city safer by removing violent gangs and illegal guns from our streets.  
• Protecting New Yorkers from flooding – In celebration of Earth Week, we announced the completion of our $42.3 million safety project to reduce street flooding in Brooklyn. With 1,200 new flood-fighting tools, like rain gardens and infiltration basins that absorb and collect water during storms, we’ll be able to prevent 122.5 million gallons of water from flooding our streets in East Flatbush and Canarsie — enough water to fill 184 Olympic-sized swimming pools!

↳ Three things to know this week:

1. It’s never been easier to sign up for NYC’s free real-time emergency alert service, Notify NYC! While over 1.2 million New Yorkers are already enrolled, you can now simply sign up by texting “NOTIFYNYC” to 692-692 and, for the first time ever, receive neighborhood alerts by sharing your zip code once prompted. 
2. A total of 54 city streets will go car-free on Saturday, April 26, in celebration of Earth Week. The NYC Department of Transportation’s annual Car-Free Earth Day brings fresh air and free programming to New Yorkers across the five boroughs from 10AM to 4PM, and will provide them with free 30-minute Citi Bike rides (use code CARFREENYC25)! Find an Open Street near you. 
3. Times Square’s popular free summer concert series returns in May! TSQ Live brings hundreds of talented performers, bands, and DJs to the “Crossroads of the World” with open-air programming on Tuesdays-Fridays. They also have free dance workshops on Thursdays, hosted by Ailey Extension! 

↳ FREE events this weekend:

...you can pick-up $1 slices of pizza across the city for the next month? NYC-based food delivery app, Seamless, has partnered with more than 40 local pizzerias for New Yorkers to enjoy $1 cheese slices through May 20th. Once a day, New Yorkers can order up to five $1 slices for a pick-up order at one of the eateries. See who’s participating here!

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