Coney Island sand sculpting contest brings cut-throat competition to beach
The 34th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Competition delighted beachgoers on Saturday, inviting dozens of artists of all skill levels to transform Coney Island’s beachfront into works of art. “For over 30 years, the Coney Island Sand Sculpting event has brought New Yorkers and visitors from abroad down to South Brooklyn to view and take part in a day full of fun and magic,” said Kalvis Mikelsteins, executive director of the Coney Island Business Improvement District. Photo: Ariel Penzer Milgroom
Happy Wednesday in NYC, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s head matters quite a bit more to people than it did this time last year.
The bike-loving mayor has made cycling a major part of his public persona, frequently commuting to public appearances via bike and participating in cycling events throughout the city. Videos of him cycling through city streets have racked up millions of views on social media. In one viral video from April 21, Mamdani revealed his Citi Bike stats: 2,428 rides; 3092 miles, 444 hours. “This guy bikes,” the mayor said.
But there’s one problem: the mayor doesn’t use a helmet. Mayors in the past have been wary of undermining their carefully-cultivated image with a dorky-looking lid, but few have made cycling so central to their brand. What’s more, Mamdani’s administration regularly hosts free bike helmet giveaways throughout the city. “Safe cycling starts with the right gear, like a well-fit helmet and bike light,” Mamdani said in an April announcement.
New Yorkers noticed the discrepancy. Social media videos frequently draw hundreds of comments pleading with the mayor to protect his civically-indispensible noggin.
Mamdani has heard the criticism. In typical fashion, the mayor released a social media video yesterday announcing he’s turning over a new leaf. “You’re right. I’ve got to do better,” Mamdani announces in the video, alongside the caption: “I'm listening, I'm learning. Safety first, NYC.”
WNYC Transmitter Park in Greenpoint could be the site of a new restaurant and a 40-slip marina.
City councilmembers blasted the Mamdani administration for not sending a representative to Tuesday’s hearing on the botched rollout of the mayor’s new pied-à-terre tax.
One of NYC’s two emergency call centers broke down for seven hours on Tuesday, leading to the failure of 1,700 calls made to 911.
NY AG Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation released its report on the death of Andre Mayfield, who died in Bushwick on May 26, 2024, after being shot by two members of the NYPD.
Gov. Hochul and the NYS Dept. of Financial Services warned Holocaust survivors and their families about a potential fraud scheme targeting them.
Police are asking the public’s assistance in finding Santos Flores, 65, last seen leaving his residence on Avenue V in Gravesend on Sunday, July 26.
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Our World In Photos
Photo: Andreea Alexandru/AP
ROMANIA — This feeling is better than AC: A migrant worker from Sri Lanka cools off in a cascading river on a torrid day, outside Bragadiru, Romania, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.
For more pictures like this, see Our World in Photos.
Brooklyn Heights 2026 Designer Showhouse to be held at restored One Monroe Place
The Brooklyn Heights Association will be holding its 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse at the restored 1852 mansion, One Monroe Place. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
The Brooklyn Heights Association has secured a remarkable location for its 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse: the 1852 landmarked One Monroe Place (aka 100 Clark St.), which has recently completed a 10-year gut restoration.
The Designer Showhouse, held every two years since 2017, is BHA’s primary fundraising event, and like the civic organization itself, the project combines an appreciation of the historic with an awareness of emerging trends and talent. This year the event opens to the public from Oct. 2 to Nov. 1.
The corner mansion’s nine bedrooms, seven baths and rooftop terrace will present a distinctive canvas for 17 designers and architects to show off their creativity.
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Cartoon Sketchbook
By Paul Duginski
For the Road
Happy Birthday ““The Closer” star Kyra Sedgwick!
On this day in 1946, the Eagle reported, “SOUTH HADLEY, MASS. (U.P.) — Wanna buy a dinosaur footprint? Carlton Nash has ’em for sale — five-inch baby ones for $7.75; 17-inch ones for $90, and dinosaur size 12EE, the largest, for $1,250. A Smith College professor attests the authenticity of the prints, which are millions of years old.”
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