University President Minouche Shafik joined Morningside Heights nonprofit leaders and policymakers on Tuesday for a jointly hosted community breakfast in what marked a shift from what some community organizers have characterized as infrequent interaction with the surrounding community by former University President Lee Bollinger.

Riverside Park Conservancy board members, volunteers, and enthusiastic residents gathered Thursday for the retirement of the park’s herd of grazing goats. The goats, which have been in Riverside Park since early July, will be returning upstate to Rhinebeck on Saturday.

As the 2024 fiscal year budget deadline approaches, advocates and experts are pressuring the mayor’s office to increase funding for New York City parks. Mayor Eric Adams promised during his campaign that 1 percent of the city budget would go to parks—over a year into his tenure, parks are currently receiving less than 0.6 percent. Some advocates say this shortfall places an economic burden on parks such as those in West Harlem, which receive less funding compared to parks in wealthier neighborhoods.

Mayor Eric Adams signed legislation this month to expedite the phaseout of fuel oil No. 4, a composition of heavy fuel oils used for indoor heating that produces harmful air pollutants when burned.

Mayor Eric Adams announced his $102.7 billion preliminary budget for the 2024 fiscal year, which includes significant budget cuts for the public library system, on Jan. 12. New York City libraries will lose a total of $13.6 million in cuts by the end of the 2023 fiscal year and $20.5 million in each of the next three fiscal years.

Every Thursday evening from April to October, a group of West Harlem residents gather in a small lot between West 126th and 127th Street. The group transformed the once unused space into an urban garden in 2021, providing a place for the community to purchase affordable fresh produce and learn about agriculture, wellness, and sustainability.

On Dec. 4, community members, elected officials, and students gathered just outside of Columbia’s gates, drawn there by a lively jazz band, warm apple cider, and homemade spice cake—but mainly by the fight for affordable housing.

Spatial Equity NYC, a newly released online tool that allows community members to view environmental indicators in their neighborhood, has revealed environmental and health inequities between community boards in New York City. The data shows Community Board 9, which includes Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and West Harlem, has one of the highest levels of traffic volume in the city, contributing to air pollution and putting residents at a higher risk for asthma.