🌱Broadway Is (Almost) Back: Study + NYC’s New Sister City

Good morning, New York City!

• 🎭 Broadway’s almost back to its pre-COVID glory.
• 🚨 The NYPD was surprised by the city’s plan to involuntarily commit more mentally ill New Yorkers, according to sources.
• The Big Apple has a new Greek sister city.

But first, today’s weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 48 Low: 43.

Here are the top five stories in New York City today:

1. Broadway show attendance is almost fully back, at 86.2 percent of pre-pandemics levels, a new study from the New York City Economic Development Corporation found. There are also similar levels of hotel occupancies, 20 percentage points higher than the same time last year. (New York City Patch)
2. The city’s plan to involuntarily commit more mentally ill people came as a surprise to some members of the NYPD, according to sources first quoted by The New York Post. The plan has also met criticism from the New York Civil Liberties Union and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams who took issue with police being the main decision-makers in mental health emergencies. (New York City Patch)
   • Separately, NYC Council Member Carmen De La Rosa called the city’s plan “unconscionable.” (New York City Patch)
3. The Independent Redistricting Commission has released a new proposed map for New York assembly districts, following a court order that the ones currently in place be revised ahead of the 2024 elections. In New York City, the biggest changes include once again splitting apart Lower Manhattan and Staten Island, and, as Patch reports, creating a district that would connect Astoria with the Upper East Side. (City & State NY)
4. The cannabis sold at New York’s illegal dispensaries contains E. coli, salmonella and hard metals, according to a study released by the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association. Experts caution not to jump to conclusions though, given that bacteria dies when smoking, and some metals are considered safe in trace amounts. The study also revealed that some product’s strength was misstated. (Subscription/The New York Times)
5. NYC’s public schools are set to spend $205 million in expanding services for students with disabilities, Chancellor David Banks announced on Thursday. The funding will go towards a “Sensory Exploration, Education and Discovery (SEED)” pilot program. Approximately 20 percent of New York City public school students receive special education. (Gothamist)

New York City pic of the day:

Remember to submit a photo from your neighborhood to newyorkcity@patch.com for a chance to be featured! We love skylines, bodega cats, coffee shops, streetscapes, parks and everything else that makes this city great. Please include your full name and an optional description.

Today in New York City:

• Check out this time-lapse video of the construction and lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. (NBC New York)
• New York City’s Billion Oyster Project is well on the way to meet its goal of placing (you guessed it!) one billion oysters in the city’s harbor and waterways by 2035. (THE CITY)
• New York City is now sister cities with Athens, Greece (the city that claims to have invented Democracy) after Mayor Eric Adams…