The Briefly for August 29, 2019 – The "Fried Chicken Sandwich Ridiculousness Ends This Week" Edition
A ban on foie gras is working its way through the city council and could come up for a vote in the fall. More than half of the council has so-sponsored the bill and it has support from the mayor, but there are questions about the ability to enforce the bill. (NY Times)
Despite the ever-changing nature of the city, Gem Spa is swimming upstream on the corner of St. Marks and 2nd Ave in a struggle to survive. (NY Times)
New construction can't stop the rats. (Bowery Boogie)
This week ends the Popeye's fried chicken sandwich frenzy that took over August, as all locations will be completely sold out of the sandwich. (Grub Street)
Google Pigeon is turning to crowdsourcing to solve real-time public transit information, kinda like Waze for the buses and trains. It might be hard to log a delay between stations without a connection to the internet. (Streetsblog)
Photos: Inside Borough Park's Torah Animal World, which is full of taxidermied animals mentioned in the Torah. (Untapped Cities)
Don't be distracted, the classics are still the only real way to enjoy a meal at Katz's Deli. (Eater)
The Department of Buildings blames construction materials stored on the roof for the building collapse on Tuesday in the Bronx, calling it a "preventable tragedy." (Gothamist)
Here's what eliminating the city's schools' gifted programs would look like and what would take their place. (Chalk Beat)
The 21 most anticipated restaurant openings of the fall. (Time Out)
The United States could lose its measles elimination status by October if more cases of the disease are discovered in NYC or NY state. (Huff Post)
Greta Thunberg, the teenage climate activist, arrived via a solar-powered boat on Wednesday after a 15-day trip across the Atlantic to attend the United Nations Climate Action Summit. (NY Times)
It's rare, but every now and then you come across a subway busker actually worth listening to, like these two guys nailing Prince's "Kiss." (Gothamist)
How "public" is New York City's public transportation? If it doesn't serve all, who is it meant to serve? (The Indypendent)
No one wants to hear it (except the Halloween-obsessed spooks), but summer is coming to an end. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
How to spend a day eating, drinking, and enjoying Snug Harbor in Staten Island. (NY Times)
The police union passed a vote of no confidence Wednesday in Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O’Neill, calling for O’Neill to resign and for Governor Cuomo to remove Mayor de Blasio from office. This is in protest over the firing of Daniel Pantaleo, whose illegal chokehold on Eric Garner lead to his death. (Politico)
The history of the West Indian-American Day Carnival. (6sqft)
The NYPD announced safety measures for the West Indian Day Parade, summarizing their approach with "There will literally be a cop everywhere." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
What happened to the city's safe injection sites? The mayor announced them in May of 2018, but none have opened. Activists that gathered outside Cuomo's Manhattan offices are blaming the governor for intentionally delaying the state's mandated review of the program. (Gothamist)
Did you talk shit about Amazon after they announced their Long Island City HQ2 plans? If you did, you're probably in a secret "NY Negative Statements" dossier the company kept. (Gothamist)
The Notorious B.I.G., but in Funko Pop form. (Brooklyn Vegan)
What the Dodgers meant to Brooklyn. (Brooklyn this Week)
The New York Fire Department forced a Muslim firefighter to shave his beard in violation of his religious beliefs, according to a new lawsuit. (Patch)
15 trendy restaurants you can get into. (The Infatuation)