The Briefly for December 27, 2019: The "Rudest City? I'll Show You How Rude This City Can Get" Weekend Edition
Today - Low: 39˚ High: 52˚
Overcast throughout the day.
This weekend - Low: 35˚ High: 48˚
It's not the weekend without subway disruptions. (Subway Weekender) The city's lights never dim, but why? Turns out New York earned the nickname "The City That Never Sleeps." (Derek M. Norman for NY Times) New York City has a idling problem. Yes, idling trucks have been in issue for years, but one truck is nothing compared to cruise ships, which pump the city's air full of 1,200 tons of toxic fumes every year. (Lisa M. Collins for NY Times) New York City is the rudest city in America according to the dumb yokel idiots at Business Insider. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out) If 2019 was the year of the "pied-à-terre tax" debate, 2020 will be the year of the gentrification tax debate. Currently, homebuyers pay taxes based on the assessed value of the home, which is usually lower than the market value in gentrifying neighborhoods. The lead to change the law is being led by Republican City Councilmember Joe Borelli. Speaker Corey Johnson has said it's "highly unlikely it will get fixed" this session. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft) We missed a white Christmas and it looks like we'll miss a white New Year's Eve as well. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) What were the top restaurant standbys of the year for the staff of Eater? (Eater) Don't play on the ice in city parks. Two boys earned that lesson the hard way, but they were rescued by a friend. If you're ever in this unfortunate circumstance, these are why there are rescue ladders all around. (Jen Chung for Gothamist) Did you recently buy Egg White Salad and Old Fashioned Potato Salad from Trader Joe's? There's a recall. (Adam Nichols for Patch) They've been mum on details, but the NYPD has located the third suspend in Tessa Majors's stabbing. (Mark Hellum for amNewYork) What's in a nickname? What's the origin of The Big Apple? (Zachary Solomon for StreetEasy) Governor Cuomo wants to put a high-speed train system to connect New York City with upstate and is assemble a panel of engineers to review feasibility. For a low cost of $14 billion, the trains will go 77 mph instead of 51 mph. The current average speed of the subway is 17mph. Maybe we could use $14 billion to improve that instead. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) The governor vetoed the electric bike and scooter bill that overwhelmingly passed the legislature in Albany. The legislature is out of session, so despite veto-proof majorities, it's nearly impossible to override the veto. (Gersh Kuntzman for Streetsblog) Congratulations to the jackass who drove their car into the protected pedestrian lane of the Pulaski Bridge. (Greenpointers) Mulchfest has begun! (Todd Maisel for amNewYork) Meet Greenpoint's Emily Gallagher, an activist and primary challenger against the 77-year-old Joe Lentol who has been in the State Assembly since 1973. Gallagher is running on a progressive platform of environmental sustainability, housing justice, and transit improvement. (Claudia Irizarry Aponte for The City) The most beautiful restaurants of the year. (Serena Dai for Eater)