The Briefly for February 28, 2020 – The "I Got About Five Friends Left" Weekend Edition

Today - Low: 28˚ High: 41˚

Clear throughout the day.

This weekend - Low: 26˚ High: 43˚

What was the point of making the NYPD to wear body cameras if the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the very people who are supposed to have oversight of the NYPD, have to request the footage form the NYPD? (Erin Durkin for Politico) There are a lot of things that contributed to the Lower East Side gaining near-mythical status. Each story isn't enough to turn a set of streets into a phenomenon on its own, but when combined into one tightly-packed neighborhood, it almost seems impossible that it was ever real at all two decades later. One of those places was Rainbow Shoe Repair, a cobbler's shop that became the place to be photographed. Now some of those photographs have become an exhibition that will be touring the Lower East Side, including some displayed outside the Abrons Arts Center. (Untapped New York with photos by Daniel Terna) Why is it that Chipotle is always front and center when it comes to labor law violations by fast food companies? (Grant Lancaster for amNewYork Metro) Are New York governors and city mayors destined to feud forever? Governor Pataki, in his new books, says Mayor Giuliani asked him to cancel the 2001 mayoral elections so he would be able to stay in office longer after the 9/11 attacks. Giuliani denied the claim, but forgot to hangup the phone and said "I got about five friends left." I'd feel bad for him if he wasn't such a ghoul. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist) If you want one last taste of receiving plastic bags when shopping in NY, make a point to do your shopping on Saturday. Sunday starts the plastic bag ban. (Emily Davenport for amNewYork Metro) Are you one of the 9% of New Yorkers that would give up sex if you never had to deal with parking a car in the city? (Beth Dedman for amNewYork Metro) This is a true Trump to City: Drop Dead moment. The Trump administration stopped a feasibility study, looking at how New York and New Jersey could be protected from future weather events like Superstorm Sandy. (Alex Williamson for Brooklyn Eagle) A driver killed a seven-year-old boy in East New York, making it the second child killed by the driver of a vehicle in three days in the neighborhood. (Kevin Duggan for Brooklyn Paper) The Chinatown building that housed the Museum of Chinese in America archives and was destroyed by a five-alarm fire in January will be demolished and rebuilt. (Sophia Chang for Gothamist) In 2018 the city enacted a program where you could get paid 25% of a fine to report idling cars and trucks, which would be a payout ranging from a $75 to $500. There was the billboard campaign featuring cartoon birds reminding everyone to stop idling their cars. Clearly that didn't work, because the city is back with a new campaign featuring Billy Idol entitles "Billy Never Idles." Despite the campaign, filing a complaint through the city's 311 app is not possible. (Bill Pearis for BrooklynVegan) The "I Wanna Quit the Gym" bill passed the state senate and i headed to the assembly. Pretty soon you'll be able to cancel that NYSC membership that accidentally renewed because you forgot about it. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) No one has tested positive for coronavirus in the city or state, but that hasn't stopped the growing anxiety of knowing it'll be on our doorstep sooner or later. The city and state say they are prepared with plans for hospitals, schools, mass transit, businesses and mass gatherings along with supplies at the ready and $40 million in funding to fight the virus. (Joseph Goldstein and Jesse McKinley for NY Times) The NYPL is about to debut their first-ever permanent exhibition entitled "Treasures," with items from the archives like a copy of the Declaration of Independence in Thomas Jefferson's handwriting, original Mozart and Beethoven sheet music, Sumerian tables, and more. "Treasures" will open in November. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out) The Department of Transportation rejected an idea to move the Queens Blvd bike lane to the road's median, but that didn't stopp the mayor from publicly asking "what's the harm in considering this idea that the DOT already said was a bad idea?" (Garsh Kuntzman for Streetsblog) This weekend starts the first #Never Bloomberg march at his townhouse on the Upper East Side, protesting his police surveillance of Muslims, stop and frisk, the homelessness spike under his watch, and the list goes on and on. The march is being lead by multiple groups, including the Working Families Party, who never endorsed Bloomberg for mayor in 2001, 2005, or 2009. (Erin Durkin for Politico) Congrats, Brooklyn. You've officially made it, being named TripAdvisor's #5 trending destination in the United States. (Irina Groushevaia for BKLYNER) The Brooklyn Public Library and the Brooklyn Historical Society have announced a new plan to merge. Jennifer Schuessler for NY Times) As if having to go to New Jersey wasn't enough of a punishment, a broken signal added insult to insult on Thursday's evening rush hour commute, causing hour-long delays that began at 5:30. Sounds lovely. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist) Mayor Bloomberg took credit for getting gay marriage passed in New York, Governor Cuomo remember a different version of that story. (Zack Fink for NY1) Video: A slide show on New York in the 1910s. (Matt Coneybeare for Viewing NYC) A week-long staycation in NYC. (Pardon Me For Asking) Here are all the ways you pay taxes when you buy a home in the city. (Localize.Labs) Who does New York support for president, financially? (RentHop) The best cocktails for $10 and under. (Julien Levy for Thrillist)