New York Today: Water Weather

Bryan Thomas for The New York Times Remember this? You may need to find novel ways on Thursday to shade from a blistering sun.

Today the temperature continues to climb.

It is expected to reach 87 degrees, still a far cry from that scorching stretch of July.

When it gets hot, New Yorkers get soaked. Behold, the beloved park spray shower.

Back in 1926, kids cooled off in grand fashion: they dove off a City Hall statue into the fountain below.

But their high dives were officially banned after one boy hit his head in the shallow pool, according to a  New York Times article from that year.

Women of old New York seemed to have an even harder time cooling off.

An 1889 Times article described their favored (and likely sweltering) swimming get-up: a bodysuit with a blouse and a skirt over top.

Or, perhaps, a flannel top and a skirt, the writer said, complete with “equestrian tights, made with feet, the latter being of extra heavy weave.”

Here’s what you need to know for your Thursday.

TRANSIT & TRAFFIC

- The City Council will be voting on an override of mayoral vetoes of two police-related bills: one calling for the creation of an inspector general for the Police Department and the second making it easier for people who believe they have been racially profiled to sue the agency.

- The City Council will also be voting on a package of legislation to make city vehicles cleaner and greener, and reducing harmful emissions.

- President Obama heads to Buffalo to deliver remarks at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.

- Tonight there are a lot of outdoor movies. One, “West Side Story,” will be shown in Central Park’s Sheep Meadow at 8 p.m. There’s free popcorn! [Free]

- In fact, there are so many outdoor movies tonight, you might want to click here for a round up of what’s showing this y night and beyond.

- Get an education on education at a discussion of New York’s school testing scores, teacher evaluations, and contract negotiations. At 8:00 a.m. at 101 Park Avenue. Speakers include top officials and educators. R.S.V.P. [Free]

- Learn Citibiking street skills at this class that comes with a free 24-hour bike pass. Click here for locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, 7 p.m. [Free]

- Meet “The Girls in the Band,” in a documentary about female jazz instrumentalists through history. At the New School 55 W. 13th St., 5th Floor at 6:30 p.m. There’s a discussion afterwards. [Free]

- A free screening of “Amélie” surrounded by French â€" wines that is. At Brooklyn Winery in Williamsburg at 7 p.m. [Free]

- Check out an art installation on the High Line and get a sneak peak of the new final section of the park, so you can say you knew it before it was cool. Registration required. [Free]

- It’s baaaack “Drinks to Die For,” a cocktail party at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn at 6 p.m. [Free]

IN THE NEWS

- If you need to make a call about animal abuse you can now call the New York Police Department. [New York Times]

Long Island College Hospital, which was stayed from a shutdown by a judge, is looking for new operator. [Brooklyn Paper]

The Rockaway ferry will have its run extended until the end of January [NY1]

5Pointz, the city’s de facto museum of graffiti is really over this time. Condos have been approved to take its place. [The Real Deal]

Queens Highway Patrol launches “Operation Cold Sober” through Labor Day [Queens Gazette]

http://www.qgazette.com/news/2013-08-21/Features/NYPD_Launches_Labor_Day_Zero_Tolerance_Enforcement.html

Flying in the face of yesterday’s poll indicating New Yorkers are less than awesome, three strangers help a family drive from Detroit to New York to make a father’s funeral. [Huffington Post]

The cronut king gets book deal. [Grubstreet]

AND FINALLY…

The day, like today, was August 22. The year was 1966. The Beatles were young and famous and in New York City.

The entire week before they faced news media questions on such unmusical topics as war and austerity measures.

And in the then-Warwick Hotel in Manhattan, they met with about 75 children, winners of a radio contest. It was a junior press conference, of sorts.

(The interview and many others are transcribed at wwwBeatlesInterviews.org.)

The questions, such as one for George Harrison, were similarly obtuse:

“George, do you have a cousin named Maggie?”

But perhaps more answerable:

“No.”

Nicole Higgins DeSmet contributed reporting.

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