Upper West Side Weekly: Carriage Ban Debate, Flaco Documentary, and Local Tributes

As the city enters a week of moderate temperatures, the Upper West Side remains a focal point for both local reflection and broader municipal debates.

### Carriage Ban Legislation City Council is currently weighing 'Romanch’s Law,' a proposed measure that would prohibit horse-drawn carriages in New York City. The legislation, named in memory of Romanch Mahajan, who died following a carriage accident in Central Park this past May, includes provisions for driver retraining. However, the proposal has faced significant pushback. Recent editorials from the *New York Post* and *amNY* have criticized the move, with the *Post* characterizing the potential retirement of the horses as a logistical 'fantasy' and questioning the necessity of a total ban compared to other transit-related risks.

### Remembering Lois Van Epps This month marks the 30th anniversary of the TWA Flight 800 tragedy, which claimed the lives of 230 people. Among the victims was Lois Van Epps, a dedicated Upper West Side resident and educator. Friends and former students, including actor Joe Mantegna, recently shared tributes on NY1, recalling Van Epps’s profound influence on her students at Edgemont High School and her adventurous spirit during her daily commutes.

### Neighborhood Happenings In local media news, Jacob Soboroff of MS NOW recently visited the 97th Street Greenmarket on Amsterdam Avenue. Soboroff filmed a segment for his 'Prediction Markets' series, engaging shoppers in lighthearted forecasts regarding political races and pop culture trends.

Additionally, the documentary *Wild Inside*, which chronicles the life and freedom of Flaco the owl following his escape from the Central Park Zoo, is set for a public debut. A free outdoor screening is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, at the park’s Great Hill. Attendees are encouraged to arrive by 7:30 p.m. for the 9:00 p.m. showing. For those unable to attend the outdoor event, the film is slated for a theatrical release at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village on July 31.