The Briefly for April 2, 2020 – The "Is Governor Cuomo's Nipple Pierced?" Edition
Today - Low: 46˚ High: 57˚
Clear throughout the day.
Don't ask AOC to make a TikTok. (@AOC) Farmers' markets are still happening across the city, but with stricter rules. (Anne Barnard for NY Times) The Right to Counsel NYC Coalition and Housing Justice for All have released a guide for tenants interesting in organizing a rent strike. (Brendan Krisel for Patch) The NYS Bar Association and the state’s Unified Court System announced they partnered to create a network of pro bono lawyers willing to help out with the surge in legal matters that are expected to come out of the coronavirus pandemic and the likely economic fallout. (Alex Williamson for Brooklyn Eagle) One of the weirder things to come out of this whole pandemic will be the unanswered question “Is the governor’s nipple pierced?” No one is shaming the governor, I think we all need something to distract us from the state of the world for a few moments. (Jelisa Castrodale for Vice) Sanra Lee, his ex-girlfriend, took to Instagram to talk about it and while she didn't say they were pierced, she didn't deny it either. (Charlie Nash for Mediaite) Queens' demographics may be the reason why it has become the epicenter of the city's coronavirus outbreak. (Clodagh McGowan for NY1) The city released hard numbers of positive COVID-19 cases per zip code, exposing the tale of two cities as wealthy neighborhoods have rates at 44%, while lower-income zip codes have infection rates as high as 77%. (Howard Halle for Time Out) Imagine you move into a 600-square-foot Manhattan shoebox apartment and two days later the two of you are locked down together. (Anne McCarthy for HuffPost) “I basically want to address the idiots out there, and you know who you are.” Watch Larry David's COVID-19 PSA. (Devon Ivie for Vulture) Spring break is canceled for public schools. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) "During a crisis, cocktail hour can be almost any hour." -Ine Garten, hero. (Nikita Richardson for Grub Street) Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have added their voices to the cause of ending the ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. (LIC Post) The New York City burger delivery guide. (Matt Tervooren for The Infatuation) Video: Lower Manhattan's skyline from 1903 through today. (Matt Coneybeare for Viewing NYC) In the state's budget, which passed on Wednesday night, is the legalization of electric bikes and scooters in the state, allowing municipalities to regulate electric bikes. Electric scooters that travel up to 15 miles per hour are legalized. (Dave Colon for Streetsblog) Also in the budget is a new state campaign finance system, with public matching money for candidates who choose to participate and lower individual contribution limits. (Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette) Say farewell to legal weed in 2020. The state failed to put it in the budget last year. A good lesson in not procrastinating. (Rebecca C. Lewis, Amanda Luz Hanning Santiago for City and State) What New York City looked like, including a startling infographic about daily deaths, during the 1918 flu pandemic. (Michael Wilson for NY Times) You can now call 311 to report physical distancing violations. Of the 289 complaints in Manhattan in the first three days of the week, the NYPD "took action" on 88 of those complaints. (Zijia Song for Bedford + Bowery) A man in the Bronx attempted suicide-by-NYPD after receiving a COVID-19 diagnosis. After multiple warnings, the NYPD shot the man in the stomach and is in stable condition at NYC Health & Hospitals/Jacobi. (Ben Yakas for Gothamist) Former Police Commissioner James O’Neill is returning to public service to be a senior advisor in charge of distributing medical equipment and protective gear to city hospitals. (Erin Durkin for Politico) 210 of Coney Island Hospital's 317 beds are full of COVID-19 patients and the facility is low on staff, gear, and space, as each employee is being issued one masks every five days. (Rose Adams for Brooklyn Paper) Mayor de Blasio waivered on closing down the city's playgrounds, Governor Cuomo did not. All playgrounds, swing sets, basketball courts, and similar spaces are closed. (Allie Griffin for Sunnyside Post) Mayor de Blasio continues to be a punching bag in the media and doesn't help himself when his public wavering constantly ends with Governor Cuomo making difficult, but right, decisions. This Times piece starts with an anecdote about Mayor de Blasio walking in Prospect Park on the morning of April 1, which means he was driven from the Upper West Side to Park Slope just to walk in Prospect Park when Central Park is one mile away. (Ben Smith for NY Times) Love to color? Here are a few free coloring books from NYC artists. (Collier Sutter for Time Out) Thanks to reader Francesca for today’s featured photo!