City Reverses Course on UWS Middle School Closure

Big win for UWS families this week. Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced the DOE will not go through with its plan to phase out the Community Action School (M.S. 258) at 300 W 61st St. The reversal came after racist remarks were caught on a hot mic during a February Community Education Council 3 meeting — a parent on Zoom was heard saying students were "too dumb to know they're in a bad school" while an 8th grader was testifying. Video and multiple witnesses identified the speaker. The Chancellor said the community "needs meaningful and comprehensive support" right now, not a closure. The school serves 127 middle schoolers, the majority Latino. Parents had been fighting the proposal for weeks.

"New Absolute Bagels" Is No More — Sort Of

The shop at 2788 Broadway (near 107th) that opened in December as "New Absolute Bagels" has been forced to change its name. A manager told West Side Rag that the original Absolute Bagels owners threatened legal action over the name. The shop is now going by "2788 Broadway." The original Absolute Bagels, a neighborhood institution, permanently closed in December 2024. Owner Sam Thongkrieng has never publicly commented. The bagels at 2788 Broadway? Still good. The name? Still evolving.

Rat Control on the UWS: It's All About the Bird Feeders

City health department official Caroline Bragdon held a public session in Straus Park this week about how to deal with rat infestations. The short version: stop feeding the birds. Several residents in the area routinely scatter birdseed, which is essentially an open buffet for rats. The city has been ramping up mitigation efforts on the UWS after last year's notorious W 96th Street swarm. If you see a problem, report it through 311 or the NYC Rat Portal.

Saturday, March 7

Brahms Requiem + Carlos Simon's Elegy — Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam at 112th. 7pm. Cathedral Choirs and Orchestra. $45–$125.

Columbia Women's Basketball vs. Harvard — Levien Gymnasium, 3030 Broadway at 120th. 2pm. Tickets from $22. If you haven't been paying attention, now's the time: Columbia women's basketball is a three-time reigning Ivy League champion, won the program's first NCAA Tournament game last year, and guard Riley Weiss just dropped a school-record 40 points against Dartmouth last month. This is the regular-season home finale — bring the kids, it's electric.

Columbia Men's Basketball — Final home games. Levien Gymnasium. Friday 7pm, Saturday 6pm. Tickets from $22.

Sunday, March 8 International Women's Day

Central Park Skate Season Finale — Last day at Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center. Finale party 3–7:30pm with live DJ, figure skating performance by Harlem's Florence "Flo" Ngala, warm bites, and swag. Skate rentals available. Book at centralparknyc.org.

cOsmO — updated March 6th 11:06pm this was canceled 😭. Lincoln Center's Clark Studio Theater. Family-friendly. Sunday at 2pm (relaxed performance). Ages 3+.

CWP Writing Workshop — The Center at West Park, 263 W 86th St. 4–6pm. A bimonthly workshop taught by Charlotte Fiehn — Cambridge-trained writer, Yeshiva University instructor, and author of George Eliot and Her Women. Open to all. Reserve a spot on Eventbrite.

Stroller Rating: ☀️☀️☀️☀️ (4/5) — Best weekend weather in weeks. Riverside Park paths should be clear. Leave the puffer at home by Sunday.

Central Park: Skating at the Davis Center ends this Sunday, March 8. Don't miss the Skate Season Finale — book your session at centralparknyc.org.

➡ Urban Park Rangers are running free birding walks Sunday mornings at 9am, entering at West 100th Street & Central Park West.

Riverside Park: Free yoga with instructor Meg SantaMaria at the 102nd Street Field House — Saturdays at 9:30am.

West Side Community Garden (89th between Amsterdam & Columbus): The garden is closed to visitors through early spring, but the big news — the Tulip Festival is on track for an April 12 opening. 13,000 bulbs, 70+ varieties, planted by volunteers last November. Mark your calendar. This is one of the best free things on the UWS every year.

⏰ Clocks spring forward this Sunday, March 8. You'll lose an hour of sleep but gain evening light on the Hudson — and if you have kids, you already know the next week is going to be chaos at bedtime.

Meanwhile, British Columbia just announced that this Sunday will be their last time change ever. The province is making daylight saving time permanent. Premier David Eby put it plainly: "Every parent knows that changing clocks twice a year causes a significant amount of chaos on already busy lives. This decision isn't just about clocks. It's about making life easier for families." A 2019 survey found 93% of British Columbians supported ending the switch. Washington, Oregon, and California are working on similar legislation. A U.S. bill — the Daylight Act of 2026 — has been introduced in the House but hasn't moved yet.

Can we be next? Asking for every parent on the UWS.

Tuesday, March 10

Stand Up for West Park — The Landmarks Preservation Commission holds a public hearing on the fate of West Park Presbyterian Church (165 W 86th at Amsterdam). The 135-year-old landmarked building has been wrapped in scaffolding for 20 years. The congregation wants to sell to a condo developer for $50M; the Center at West Park — the nonprofit arts hub inside — has raised $12M to restore it. Gale Brewer and 200+ public commenters have spoken against demolition.

✅ They need West Siders to show up! Be there in person at the Landmarks Preservation Commission by 9am at 253 Broadway, 2nd Floor, or join online by 9:30am via Zoom/YouTube. Details and links at centeratwestpark.org/lpc.

Wednesday, March 11

Dog Run 142 x NYPD Zoom Q&A — Officer Sarah Frankel, the 24th Precinct's crime prevention officer and the city's expert on dangerous dog enforcement at 6:30 pm. Follow @dogrun142 on Instagram for the Zoom link.

Congregation Shearith Israel Monthly Synagogue Tour — 2 W 70th St at CPW. 5:45 pm. The oldest Jewish congregation in North America (founded 1654). Free.

Thursday, March 12

Symphony Space: Tony Trischka In Residence — NY Banjo Night — 8 pm. 2537 Broadway at 95th.

Friday, March 13

Symphony Space: Global Women in Music 2026 — 7:30pm. A Women's History Month concert.

Saturday, March 14

Selected Shorts: The Getty Museum — Symphony Space, 3:00pm and 7:00 pm. Literature lovers, this is your afternoon.

West Side Community Garden: Still closed, but tulip bulbs are underground doing their thing. April 12 is coming.

🍪 IT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME

You've seen the tables on Columbus and Broadway. You know the drill. Ask at drop-off or ping your school WhatsApp group to find your nearest troop.

Want to do more than buy a box? Meet Troop 6000 — the first Girl Scout program for girls living in NYC shelters. Weekly meetings in 20+ shelters across all five boroughs. Badges, field trips, camp — all free. 2,500+ girls served since 2017. Buy cookies directly from Troop 6000, or donate/volunteer at girlscoutsnyc.org/troop6000.

📣 SHARE THE WEST SIDER

Know someone who should be reading this? Forward this email to a neighbor, a parent at drop-off, or the person you always run into at Zabar's. Good newsletter karma comes back as good parking karma. We don't make the rules.

Share The West Sider and next week everyone will have the opportunity to get our 2026 Summer Camps Guide — the most comprehensive guide to day camps, and specialty programs across the city and beyond. Share now, thank us in June.

That's Issue #1. We're just getting started.

See you next Friday.

— The West Sider