Free Republic

Peter Martins, who picked up the mantle from the famed choreographer George Balanchine to lead New York City Ballet over the last three decades, is taking a leave of absence in the wake of a sexual harassment accusation, the company confirmed on Thursday night. City Ballet and its School of American Ballet had started an investigation into Mr. Martins, 71, after receiving the accusation of past harassment, which was made in an anonymous letter. The two organizations jointly retained Barbara Hoey, the chairwoman of the law firm Kelley Drye’s labor and employment practice group, to conduct the inquiry. The specifics...

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio offered free access to some of his city’s famed cultural destinations on Thursday in a bid to coax illegal immigrants to join an identification card program aimed at helping them do ordinary things like sign a rental lease. Among the perks offered by the Democratic mayor were free or reduced-price admission to places like the Bronx Zoo, New York City Ballet, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Carnegie Hall for all of next year. New York is joining other U.S. cities with large immigrant populations including Los Angeles and New Haven, Connecticut, with municipal ID...