🌱 NYC Increases Access To Abortion Pills + 7 Train, Tunnel Closures

Good morning, New York City!

• NYC is increasing access to abortion pills at public health clinics.
• City investigators are being investigated for taking large amounts of sick leave.
• What’s the latest with gas stove bans in New York City?

But first, today’s weather:

Partly sunny and breezy. High: 50 Low: 38.

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

1. Abortion pills will soon be available for free at NYC public health clinics, Mayor Eric Adams announced, as part of his “New York City Women’s Health Agenda.” They’ll first be offered on Wednesday at the Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic in The Bronx, followed by sites in Brooklyn, Queens and Upper Manhattan. (New York City Patch)
2. The city has issued an Upper East Side cancer center a citation for spraying white smoke and a sulfuric smell into the surrounding area, after months of neighbors complaining to a City Council member and one day after Patch published a story describing the situation. (New York City Patch)
3. The city investigators hired to look into how NYC corrections officers allegedly abused paid sick days off turn out to also have taken long periods of time off from their own jobs, according to officials with the Department of Investigation. (Subscription/The New York Times)
4. A 16 year old was arrested in The Bronx after a shooting that left a NYPD cop with a gun wound on Tuesday, police said. A manhunt was ongoing for two other suspects. (New York City Patch)
5. Two transit updates for NYC commuters:
   • In order to finish incomplete repairs from damages caused by Hurricane Sandy, the Holland Tunnel’s westbound lane will be closed for six days per week through 2025, beginning on Feb. 5, the Port Authority announced. (AMNY)
   • The 7 train will shut down service from Manhattan to Queens for six weekends starting next month. (AMNY)

New York City pic of the day:

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1. A bald eagle has been spotted recently taking up residence in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, according to resident accounts. (New York City Patch)
2. Gas stoves and other appliances have become a burning topic of discussion across the country in recent weeks since a federal government agency suggested they should be cut off. But the idea is nothing new for New York City, with a local law prohibiting gas appliances in new buildings set to go into effect in 2024. (THE CITY)
3. The number of handguns confiscated at NYC area airports has increased from 2021 to last year — from just four to 11 at LaGuardia. (New York City Patch)
4. A subway station in Upper Manhattan features a tunnel full of colorful graffiti that the MTA says it’s not responsible for and has been likened by some to the subway back in the 70s. (Subscription/New York Daily News)
5. Recently-arrived migrants, many of whom were sent in buses from states such as Texas to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, are returning to the terminal days and weeks later in search of resources. (THE CITY)

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Alrighty, you’re all caught up for today! I’ll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update.

— Dashiell Allen

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming New York City Daily? Contact me at patchnyc@patch.com