Yesterday's high of 84 degrees came within two degrees of tying the record high at Central Park. Record highs were set at JFK, LaGuardia, Islip, and Newark, but all of those stations have been taking observations for a much shorter time than the park so records there aren't as impressive. Although the ridge of high pressure that's produced all the sunshine and warmth is beginning to flatten, this afternoon will still see another summer-like day with highs in the lower to mid 80s across the region. A few thin cirrus clouds may build in over the course of the day but they won't much affect the temperature. more ›

As Carl Paladino "reels from [his] gay gaffe" (as the Wall Street Journal describes this strange madness), Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo got to trumpet his inclusive stance. During yesterday's Columbus Day parade, he said of Paladino's remarks criticizing gay marriage, homosexuality as a lifestyle, and the gay pride parade, "New York celebrates our diversity. Today we have parades to celebrate diversity, today we have the Columbus Day -- the Italian parade. We have the Gay Pride Parade. We have the Israel Day Parade. We celebrate our diversity. You're not going to make it a negative. Not going to play one off against the other. We won't let it happen in New York." more ›

Today is Columbus Day, and the annual parade up Fifth Avenue (from 47th to 72nd) starts at 11:30 a.m. It's a federal holiday, which means public schools and government offices are closed (the Farley Post office at 8th Avenue is open, though) and there's no garbage pickup, street cleaning or recycling and alternate-side parking is suspended. The NYSE is open, banks may or may not be open, and mass transit is running on regular weekday schedules. Factoids: The first recorded Columbus Day celebration in the U.S. was on October 12, 1792, organized by the Society of St. Tammany but it was in 1892 (the 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage) that was the first official U.S. celebration. more ›

Today is Columbus Day, and since it's a federal, state and local holiday, there are many closings. Public schools and public offices are closed. There is no mail delivery, but the James Farley Post Office at Eighth Avenue and West 33rd Street is open. There's no garbage or recycling pick up or street cleaning. On the other side, the stock market is open, the MTA is running service on a weekday schedule, and many people are expected to work today. more ›

Today is the 64th Annual Columbus Day Parade: According to the Columbus Citizens Foundation, the parade is on Fifth Avenue, from 47th to 79th St, between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., with 35,000 marchers and over 100 bands, floats and contingents. Government offices and schools are closed; there's no mail delivery and sanitation pickup and recycling are suspended today, as is alternate-side-of-the-street parking. However, the stock market is open and many employers do not generally offer this as a holiday. Columbus Day was first celebrated in 1792, on the 300th anniversary of Columbus's voyage; more on the history of Columbus Day from the History Channel. more ›

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a baby was struck on 120th St. in Queens, an auto extrication on Wilson Ave. in Brooklyn, and a shooting on Sherman Ave. in Manhattan. Forgetting the name of the 13-year-old boy injured in a game of Quiet last week, his middle school principal just referred to him as "spleen boy" during a faculty meeting. A former concierge at a Central Park South residential building is suing building owner... more ›

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a carjacking at Tompkins and School Rds. on Staten Island, a person was killed by a 5 train at Bowling Green station in Manhattan, and an armed robbery at 51st Ave. and Northern Blvd. in Queens. Bidding closed at $2,600 for the new owner of the Seinfeld ASSMAN license plate prop on eBay. Another Mister Softee driver was busted for selling drugs out of his ice cream truck, this... more ›

Today is Columbus Day, which means that your employer is probably not giving you the day off (according to the Society for Human Resources Management) but many government offices and schools are closed. The stock market is open, some banks are closed while others are open, and alternate side of the street parking is suspended. Here's a list of closures, but this sort-of-holiday is confusing. And, of course, there is steady opposition to Columbus Day overall. more ›

In time for next week’s Columbus Day festivities, the Post’s Steve Cuozzo lets his Ital flag fly with two gushing columns on Italian cuisine. He points out that Italian restaurants outnumber all other kinds of restaurants in New York by a big margin (and that’s not because of the ever-metastasizing Olive Gardens.) He cites seven “marvelous” eateries – Del Posto, A Voce, Abbocatto, Insieme, Fiamma, L'Impero and Alto – that “establish Italian as the cuisine to beat.” Nobu can sleep with the fishes. more ›

Yesterday's low temperature of 69 degrees was higher than the normal high for the day. A high pressure system that's now centered over Connecticut should make today and tomorrow slightly warmer. Highs will be in the mid-80s, which is typical for July. more ›

For those lucky enough to be enjoying this three-day weekend, let’s take a moment to raise our glass to Christopher Columbus, who arrived in the Americas, this time back in 1492. For many, the second Monday in October just means another day to work off our hangover and spend the majority of the afternoon in p.j.’s watching the Food Network (or is that just me?). But for Italian-Americans, Columbus Day marks an opportunity to celebrate their heritage with fun things like parades, food, more food and some good vino. That’s reason enough for us to get off the couch (as soon as this episode of “Incredible Edible Mansions” is over). more ›

). In David Carr's NY Times column, Grove does admit, "New York is not Washington, obviously. There are about 20 different major industries that are headquartered here, and I am still on a New York learning curve." And he says he will be doing something multimedia-ish. Now, we imagine the Daily News will get to really usher in the era of Ben Widdicombe, "New York's hottest young gossip columnist." more ›

Today is Columbus Day, and since it's a federal, state and local holiday, there are many closings. Public schools and public offices are closed. There is no mail delivery, but the James Farley Post Office at Eighth Avenue and West 33rd Street is open. There's no garbage or recycling pick up or street cleaning. Things that are open: The stock market and many offices (based on the grumblings we've heard). more ›

-- Tomorrow is Columbus Day, if that is your thing. more ›

- The Village Voice gets director Victor Buhler (he did the documentary Rikers High) to do a feature about the kids getting their GEDs at Rikers more ›

New York's favorite AM radio station that gives us the world if we give them 22 minutes, 1010 WINS, is 40 years old. Newsday asks 1010 WINS about the famous line "Give us 22 minutes, we'll give you the world," because "the station does three segments per hour, each one the same length" (it was probably a marketing hook). What's fascinating is that 1010 WINS was the first major all-news radio station in the country, and the blackout helped solidify its position as a news leader, as they were able to broadcast by hooking up a phone to the station transmitter. Fun fact: 1010 WINS was actually started in April, but they wanted to make their birthday on 10/10...however, Columbus Day forced them to have a party today - with Rudy Giuliani as the most important newsmaker in the past 40 years. We wonder if their 44th birthday will be a big one, as that's 22 + 22. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg is pulling out all the stops to appeal to the minorities, and today's rumor that he's hired Brian Ellner to join his campaign proves that he wants to show he's a Democrat in Republican's clothing. And suddenly, the Mayor's Republican supporters reach for their Zantac. But this could be the start of a brilliant new ad: Mayor Bloomberg stepping out with his girlfriend Diana Taylor and Ellner with his partner Simon. more ›

- The ME's examination of the body found in a Pennsylvania dump is inconclusive about whether or not it's the body of Monica Lozado-Rivadineira more ›

With Mayor Bloomberg's reelection spending at $46 million - and that's weeks before the actual election - it's hard not to feel bad for Fernando Ferrer, no matter how questionable he may be as a politician. It's this NY Times story about how Ferrer had to march after Bloomberg in yesterday's Bronx Columbus Day parade that lays out the disparity: Here Ferrer is, son of the Bronx, former Borough President, and he's waking in a sea Bloomberg posters. Clearly, the Bloomberg campaign knows how to emasculate a candidate on his home turf. And the Mayor's campaign is also trying to shame Ferrer into giving back thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from tobacco companies; we're not very convinced by Ferrer's reason for not wanting to do so (besides needing the money), as they just cited the party where there were people smoking around the Mayor but he claims no one was? Huh? But Ferrer may be able to spook Bloomberg, if the Mayor happens to decline an invitation from the Hispanic Federation to debate on October 27. The debate would be for Univision, and one would think the Mayor would want to snatch up the Hispanic voter base, but a debate on a Spanish language network would give Ferrer an unfair advantage in that he can speak the language, whereas the Mayor would stumble through it. Gothamist can't wait to see what excuse the Mayor gives this time! more ›

- Tomorrow is Columbus Day. Or Thanksgiving, if you live in Canada. more ›

The Washington Post had an article about Miers earlier this summer: "low-key but high-precision style." And in other Supreme Court news, Justice Antonin Scalia will lead next Monday's Columbus Day Parade here in NYC; Scalia was born in Queens. more ›

The Library of Congress on Columbus Day, another website about Columbus's journey and one we like better about the food he ate. more ›

With rain postponing yesterday's Game 4 of the Yankees-Red Sox ALCS, the Yankees and Red Sox mull the nutty antics from Saturday, as fines were levied against Yankees Karim Garcia and Don Zimmer and Red Sox Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez. Both front offices of the teams did their share of fingerpointing. Even Mayor Bloomberg got into the act, saying Martinez should have been arrested for pushing Zimmer: "." more ›