The Briefly for December 24, 2019 – The "Your Cheapest Ride to the Airport is a Helicopter" Edition

Today - Low: 30˚ High: 46˚

Clear throughout the day.

I'll be taking Christmas Day off and The Briefly will return with a new edition on the 26th. What's it gonna cost to get to the airport? UberX: $126.84. Uber Pool: $102.56. Uber Copter: $101.39. Wait, what? (@nicoleej0hnson) Gramercy Park opens its gates for one hour tonight, Christmas Eve, from 6-7pm. It's the only hour the park is open to the public for the entire year. (Ameena Walker for Curbed) 16 restaurants that will be open on Christmas Eve and Day. (Claire Lampen for Gothamist) No trash pickup, public transit on a Sunday schedule, alternate-side parking suspended. What's open, what's closed on Christmas day. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) Where to celebrate Kwanzaa 2019 in NYC. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft) New York City trades killing for reforms like they were both commodities. After six deaths in two days, the city is willing to enforce its traffic laws against drivers of trucks and SUVs. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist) There are more than 5,300 open citations for buildings failing to maintain safe exterior walls, but it was the death of Erica Tishman that moved the city to try to figure out how to make building inspections easier and prevent more deaths. (Elizabeth Kim for Gothamist) It was four deaths of homeless men in Chinatown that caused the city commit to spending $21 million to attempt to treat more mentally ill New Yorkers, up to an additional 900 people a year. The city will use Kendra's Law, which allows courts to mandate treatment for individuals with a history of violence and hospitalizations. (Mirela Iverac for Gothamist) How New York City celebrated Christmas in 1910. (Ephemeral New York) A New Nightmare: Streets near Columbus Circle are closed thanks to falling ice. (Jen Chung for Gothamist) How much would you pay to hear something you already know? If you're the MTA,you paid $900,000. (Dave Colon for Streetsblog) Female detainees at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan say they're being forced to endure intolerably frigid conditions, as a creaking HVAC system blasts air conditioning into their cells on one of the coldest days of the year. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist) The cost of necessary repairs of the NYCHA were estimated to be $32 billion two years ago, one year ago it was $45 billion, and the latest estimate has hit $68.5 billion through 2028. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist) Two major parole reforms are possible in 2020. The first would give a parole hearing to anyone over 55 who's served at least fifteen years of their sentence and the other changes the consideration for release based on rehabilitation, not sentence. A look at three advocates with firsthand experience on why the reforms are necessary. (Noah Goldberg for Brooklyn Eagle) Congrats to Bernadette DeVito, the new Deputy Editor-In-Chief of Kings County Politics. (Kings County Politics) Photos of the hawks in Tompkins Square Park on the hunt never cease to fascinate and horrify me. (Laura Goggin Photography) Photos and Videos: In all honesty, the Insane Clown Posse party yacht looks like it was pretty darn fun. (BrooklynVegan) Jimmy Van Bramer earned Cynthia Nixon's endorsement for Queens Borough President. (Allie Griffin for Jackson Heights Post) So what's with all the new restaurants that chose a "diner" theme this year? (Emma Orlow for Time Out) The city's open enrollment for Fair Fares program will start Jan. 27, allowing anyone at or below the Federal Poverty line to purchase half-price MetroCards. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft) Sometime you hear a story the reminds you that New York City truly has everything. The next time you're in the East Village, stop in at Casey Rubber Stamps on E 11th, a rubber stamp store that also makes custom stamps. (Gabe Herman for The Villager) Newly elected Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz is promising a big shakeup when she takes office on January 1, replacing most of the current executive staff to ensure they support her more progressive policies. (Beth Fertig and George Joseph for Gothamist) Indoor pools? Marble walls? Movie theaters? Old news. The porte cochère is the perk the mega-rich want. (James Barron for NY Times) Photos: Le Fournil, the French bakery that opened yesterday in the former Moishe's space on Second Ave, is open. (EV Grieve) Looking to climb the Vessel? Here's how to get tickets. They're free, but you still need tickets. (Amy Plitt for Curbed) The developer of the Vessel agreed to increase accessibility beyond the three of the 80 platforms currently available by January 31, 2021, thanks to an agreement with the Department of Justice. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft) The 30 best Chinese food restaurants. (Eater) Thanks to