Wfuv's Cityscape

Kids today confront age old problems -- abuse, drugs, gang violence, living with dysfunctional families, teenage pregnancy. The list goes on and on. Many organizations in New York City work to keep young people out of trouble, some with more unique approaches, including one that uses basketball to keep kids on the straight and narrow.  On this week's Cityscape, a panel discussion on youth issues in New York City.

Even in today’s digital age, chalk is still a common instrument for communication and artistic expression. Teachers use it to write out lessons. Kids use sidewalks and chalk to let their imaginations run wild. On this week's Cityscape, we’re exploring chalk as a powerful tool for communication and self-expression. The show includes: An interview with a sidewalk artist. A look at a program in Northern Manhattan that uses chalk art to spread a message about living a healthy lifestyle. A look at why doctors on Ellis Island put chalk marks on immigrants they deemed ill.

It’s a summer tradition for a lot of New Yorkers – escaping the city for the serenity of the Hamptons. Dan Rattiner knows all about the summer hotspot. He’s been writing about it for years. Dan founded the free weekly newspaper, Dan’s Papers, in 1960. He was just 20 years old then. He’s still a staple on the East End of Long Island and out with a new book called Still in the Hamptons: More Tales of the Rich, the Famous and the Rest of Us. Dan's our guest on this week's Cityscape.

No doubt there are a lot of political junkies out there who spend a good deal of time flipping between cable news channels. But, you also have people who are deeply concerned about issues like the economy and education who don't follow the political process too closely. Getting people more engaged is critical to ensuring candidates address the issues facing ALL Americans. With the November elections inching closer, many organizations are in overdrive working to get people more excited to head to the polls and have their voices heard. And they have their work cut out for them. Voter turnout here in New York City is low with a capital "L". WFUV's Strike a Chord campaign on electoral engagement continues this weekend on Cityscape with a look at various efforts to boost political consciousness in New York City and beyond.

Inspired by the furry friends they work with every day, the New York City-based band Pet-Rox is made up of pet professionals of all stripes. The group was founded by a veterinarian, but also includes a cat rescuer and a whole host of others in the animal welfare community. Pet-Rox has just completed their first album called "Just Sniffing Around.” The group’s founder, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Doctor Jeffery Levy, as well as two members of the band, Jackie Krim and Leslie Hughs, recently joined us in WFUV’s very own studio A.

On this week's Cityscape, author Andrew Goldstein talks about his debut novel, The Bookie’s Son. The coming of age tale draws on Goldstein’s own childhood in the Bronx in the 1960s. It's told through the eyes of 12-year-old Ricky Davis, who wants to rescue his parents from themselves -- and from the ravages his father's gambling habit threatens to wreak on his family.

Street food in New York City has a long and rich history. In fact, pushcart vending in New York dates all the way back to the late 1600’s. Fast forward more than three centuries, and street food is as popular as ever. On this week's Cityscape, we’re digging into street food culture in New York City, and exploring what it takes to get into the food truck business. Also, a cemetery might be the last place you’d think to go to explore the city’s culinary past. But, Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx is the final resting place of a veritable who’s who of culinary greats. The cemetery recently held a tour of noteworthy gravesites related to the city’s food history. On this week's show, we'll pay the cemetery a visit to learn more about the famous foodies buried there.

Saturday is “It’s My Park Day” in New York City -- an annual event in which New Yorkers give a little back to their favorite parks. Residents in all five boroughs will be taking time to spruce up parks and playgrounds in their neighborhoods. It’s volunteer efforts like this one that New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe says make a big difference in the care and upkeep of parks. Commissioner Benepe is our guest on this week's Cityscape. He'll talk with us about the state of the city’s parks system and a whole bunch more, including how music helps to inspire him to build and maintain parks.

It’s the kind of story that keeps moviegoers on the edge of their seats -- a lethal pandemic quickly spreads through a crowded city as the medical community races to stop it. But, throughout history, health officials in New York City have had their own real-life dramas dealing with disease, including bouts with smallpox.  Today there are vaccines available to protect adults and children against at least 17 diseases, but health officials sometimes struggle to convince people that vaccines are safe. A new exhibit set to open Tuesday at the New-York Historical Society explores the history of vaccination, including the conflict between the need to manage disease in an urban environment and the rights of individuals to resist government interference in their private lives. Joining us on this week's Cityscape is the exhibition’s team, as well as an immunization expert from the New York City Health Department.

For an artist, inspiration can strike at any moment. Something as simple as a sunset might inspire a painter to reach for a brush. The birth of a child might prompt a musician to pen a new song. But, it’s not always happy occasions that spark an artist to launch a new project. On this week’s Cityscape, we’ll talk with New York City artists who are turning cancer diagnoses into artistic statements.

On this week’s Cityscape, host George Bodarky's conversation with author Steven Schrader, whose dad was known as a "king of 7th Avenue fashion." Schrader’s new book, called Threads, explores his childhood in Washington Heights in the 40’s and 50’s, his strained relationship with his dressmaking guru father, and the road he took to becoming a published writer.

We’re all familiar with the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle.” But, for some people, that goes far beyond just separating their trash into paper, plastic and glass. On this week’s Cityscape, we’re talking with people who keep New York City’s history and character alive by turning the old into something new, including an artist who turns newspaper bins into aquariums and police barricades into tables. 

We couldn't find a time-traveling portal to take us back to 19th century New York City, so we did the next best thing.  On this week's Cityscape, we're talking with New Yorkers who incorporate the 19th century into their modern-day lives.

Late 19th century New York City was not the city we know and love today. In 1895, when Theodore Roosevelt began his stint as police commissioner, corruption was rampant, and the city was teeming with prostitutes and gambling joints.  On this week's show, we’re looking back on those sin-loving days in New York City, with the author of a new book called Island of Vice.  We'll also hear about opportunities to walk the same floor boards as those who came before us from the Executive Director of the Historic House Trust of New York City.

St. Patrick's Day is a big deal in New York City. Even people who don't have a drop of Irish blood in their veins wear green and celebrate the day. On this week's Cityscape, we're getting into the spirit of the Irish with an exploration of Irish history and culture in New York City.

The subject of bullying frequently dominates the headlines, but coming up on Monday, March 19th, the issue will take center stage on Broadway. A non-profit organization called What’s the Benefit has created a fantasy-rock musical that explores the effects of bullying. The one-night only performance will benefit Operation Respect, an anti-bullying group founded by Peter Yarrow of Peter Paul and Mary fame.

Over the last few weeks, and continuing through mid-March, WFUV has been giving animals a voice – by showcasing organizations that work to care for and protect animals in public service announcements. And this week, we're featuring a series of special reports on animal welfare in our daily newscasts. On this week's Cityscape, we’re continuing our coverage of animal welfare issues. Our program includes a look at efforts to reduce New York City's feral cat population, as well as a peek inside a pet food pantry in Westchester County.

We've all heard the saying "birds of a feather flock together" -- meaning people of similar tastes hang out with each other. On this week's Cityscape, we catch up with "birds of a feather" groups in New York City, including a ukulele meetup and a juggling club. We'll also talk with a psychiatrist to get a better understanding of what drives the "birds of a feather" mentality.

New York City’s saturated with advertisements. They’re on buses, in the subways, atop taxis, and along highways. But, it’s not the newest Calvin Klein ad that catches the attention of acclaimed photographer and urban documentarian Frank Jump. He likes to document so-called ghost signs in the city. These ads from a bygone era are visible, but often overlooked -- and for Jump, they’re also a metaphor for his own long survival with HIV. Several of Jump’s photographs are included in a new book called Fading Ads of New York City. Jump is our guest on this week's Cityscape.

We’ve all come across bad manners in our lifetime, the straphanger who spits in front of us on the subway platform – the man or woman who cuts into the line at the deli. But, while it’s easy to spot bad manners, it’s harder to recognize good manners in today’s fast-paced, digital society. In his book, Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?: A Modern Guide to Manners, author Henry Alford aims to find out what good manners look like in an era of constantly beeping cell phones and live-tweeting. Alford's our guest on this week's on Cityscape.