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Cooling Centers are once again open in Brooklyn as a short but intense heat wave takes hold of the borough. 

A heat advisory is in effect for New York City for Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15, with temps expected to rise into the high 90s and heat indexes predicted to peak Wednesday at around 102 degrees Fahrenheit, per the National Weather Service. The borough is also under an Air Quality advisory until Tuesday night, with AQI expected to rise above 100, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” 

Though this heat wave won’t be as extreme as the one the city faced earlier this month, officials are still urging New Yorkers to be cautious. Prolonged heat and humidity can cause severe illness, especially in seniors and people with chronic health conditions. 

Symptoms of severe heat illness include confusion and delirium, a fast heart rate, difficulty breathing, hot dry skin, and nausea and vomiting. Anyone experiencing those symptoms may be suffering from heat stroke, and should call 911 immediately, officials said. 

“As we stressed just two weeks ago during our city’s record-breaking temperatures, high heat can be life threatening,” said Christina Farrell, commissioner of NYC Emergency Management, in a statement.  “Temperatures forecasted this week will feel above 100 degrees, so New Yorkers should be vigilant about staying safe and cool.”

The city fielded hundreds of heat-related 911 calls and ER visits during the last heat wave, according to Gothamist.

Brooklynites should drink extra water, limit their time outside, and spend as much time as they can in air conditioning, officials said. The National Weather Service warned that homes without air conditioning can be even hotter than it is outside.

For locals without air conditioning, dozens of free public Cooling Centers are open across the borough on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The most reliable way to find a nearby cooling center is to call 311 or enter your address on the city’s Cool Options website, which will bring up a list of options near you. Hours of operation may vary, and it’s a good idea to call ahead to make sure the Cooling Center is open before you brave the heat. 

Most Brooklyn Public Library branches double as Cooling Centers, and all Cooling Centers welcome service animals. Select centers, like the Petco on Gateway Drive in East New York, are pet-friendly. 

The city has also activated a Code Red, and will be expanding outreach to homeless New Yorkers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Anyone who sees a homeless person in need of assistance can call 311 for help. 

Additionally, new COOL Vans will be roaming the boroughs, offering mobile wellness checks, medical care, and resources like electrolytes, sunscreen and food. The vans can also give people a lift to a medical facility or local cooling center. 

“Extreme heat doesn’t affect everyone equally, and that’s why our COOL vans meet New Yorkers most at risk directly where they are,” said Dr. Ted Long, senior vice president at NYC Health+Hospitals. “COOL’s clinical teams bring cooling supplies directly to you, and can then immediately transport you somewhere safe. Whether you are an unhoused New Yorker on the street or an older adult that needs help at home, the COOL initiative shows that New York City will do everything in its power to help you.” 

Stay cool at the pool

There are more ways to stay cool than seeking out air conditioning. Cool Options also include outdoor spray showers at parks and pools, and public pools are open daily from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, July 14 and 15, intermediate and Olympic-sized pools — including Bushwick Pool, Commodore Barry Pool, Douglass & DeGraw Pool, Howard Pool, Betsy Head Pool, Kosciuszko Pool, McCarren Pool and Sunset Park Pool will be open late, until 8:30 p.m. 

Beaches are open daily, and lifeguards are on duty until 6 p.m., though parts of Brooklyn beaches are closed for swimming. Check online before you head out, don’t swim between red flags, and stay out of the water when lifeguards are not present. 

“This heat may not reach the levels we experienced earlier this month, but it can still be deadly,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in a statement. “Every New Yorker should make a plan today. If you have air conditioning, turn it on. If you don’t, head to one of the hundreds of cooling centers opening across the city, visit a pool or cool off at a spray shower. And look out for your neighbors, especially seniors. If you see someone outside who appears to be in distress, call 311 so we can get help to them.”

Risks can be minimized by washing produce thoroughly, avoiding pre-cut or bagged fruits and vegetables, and cooking vegetables before eating.

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New York City small businesses facing months-long waits for permits, inspections, and approvals could soon get relief under two proposed bills aimed at cutting bureaucratic hurdles and speeding up the process of opening and operating a business.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Council Member Susan Zhuang (D-Brooklyn), the New York City Hospitality Alliance, and small business owners announced a pair of bills on July 13 aimed at supporting small businesses by cutting red tape, reducing fines, and streamlining inspection, permitting, and approval processes.

Introduction 955-A, also known as the Red Tape Relief Act, is sponsored by Zhuang and calls on Mayor Mamdani to establish a program modeled after the Bloomberg-era New Business Acceleration Team (NBAT). NBAT served as a single point of contact to coordinate reviews and inspections across relevant city agencies simultaneously. More than 1,500 restaurants opened ahead of schedule as a result of the program, which was discontinued under former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration.

The Red Tape Relief Act would cover food service establishments and child care programs, with the potential to include additional business types over time. The legislation would coordinate inspections and plan reviews among city agencies to reduce the time it takes for small businesses to open. It builds on previous measures supporting small businesses, including repealing the requirement that commercial storefronts replace traditional solid roll-down gates with visible security grilles, establishing a small retail business security system program for financial assistance, and streamlining child care program permitting.

The bill would also require the city to publicly report on the program’s effectiveness to advance transparency and accountability, while providing an online application portal for prospective businesses to enroll.

Currently, opening a small business in New York City typically requires approvals from multiple city agencies, including the Department of Buildings (DOB), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the FDNY. Reviews and inspections often take months to complete, and permitting timelines for food and beverage establishments frequently exceed six months. Navigating the city’s complex bureaucratic system presents another hurdle that disproportionately impacts immigrant entrepreneurs and first-time operators.

Speaker Menin is also the sponsor of a preconsidered introduction that would create the Quadrennial Regulatory Review Commission. The commission would be chaired by a small-business representative and include appointees from the Council and city agencies to study the regulatory framework for businesses and issue recommendations to ease permitting, licensing, and inspections, as well as reduce fines and fees.

The commission would meet every four years and issue recommendations aimed at improving government processes, policies, and rulemaking to make it easier to create, operate, and grow businesses in New York City.

Menin said the “innovative” legislation would establish thoughtful, periodic reviews of city regulations, fines, and permitting processes, with the goal of reducing barriers so small businesses can succeed.

“Small businesses are the economic drivers of our local economy and of vibrant neighborhoods, which is why we must be focused on making it easier to start and sustain them in our city,” Menin stated. “At a time when New York has lost thousands of businesses to other cities across the country, our city must take proactive steps to support them.”

Zhuang shared that, as the daughter of a small business owner, she has experienced firsthand what it takes to build a business in New York City. She noted that too many entrepreneurs, especially immigrant entrepreneurs, spend months or even years getting lost in red tape while trying to open a business.

“I introduced this bill because our small business owners deserve a city government that works with them, not against them. This legislation brings back a model that worked before and gets restaurants and childcare programs open faster. I thank Speaker Menin and my colleagues for their partnership in getting this done, and I’m proud to champion small businesses across our city,” Zhuang said.

According to a January 2026 economic snapshot by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), only 3,500 new businesses started in the five boroughs during the second quarter of 2025, marking the weakest quarter of new business formation in the past five years. With an estimated 8,400 businesses closing during the same period, New York City lost a net of nearly 5,000 businesses, underscoring the importance of supporting small-business creation.

Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, said delays in permitting and inspections have prevented restaurants from opening, affecting job creation and neighborhoods.

“Opening a restaurant in New York City means navigating an alphabet soup of government agencies, from DOH and DOB to FDNY and many more,” Rigie said. “This commonsense legislation will help coordinate and streamline the permitting process so restaurants can open faster and create jobs sooner.”

The bills will be introduced at the City Council Stated Meeting on July 16 and, if enacted, would take effect 180 days after becoming law.

Slowing the pace of service “lets us spend more time with each guest and better share the stories behind the coffees we’re serving.”

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THE NATION’S FIRST MORATORIUM on new hyperscale data centers was established on Tuesday when Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order.

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The lectures will take place at gardens, bars, parks and cafes in various neighborhoods and include free refreshments.

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NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL Letitia James on Monday joined 11 other attorneys general to sue Paramount Skydance Corp. and Warner Bros.

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