The Briefly for January 15, 2019 – The "8% Rate of Success" Edition
10 short interviews about congestion pricing with state legislators. (Streetsblog)
The annual No Pants Subway Ride happened. There are photos. (Gothamist)
Voting reform passed the state legislature, which adds 10 days of early voting, consolidates state and federal primary dates, and pre-registers 17 and 17-year-olds when they sign up for a driving permit. A constitutional amendment was proposed that will allow same-day voter registration and allow anyone to vote absentee without an excuse.(CBS New York)
Signal problems caused delays during 92% of weekdays in 2018. Since the city enacted the Subway Action Plan, delays have increased. (Daily News)
The state is doubling the amount of speed cameras in the city's school zones as part of Governor Cuomo's state budget, increasing from 149 to 290, which matches the number of cameras the state's legislature was trying to pass last year. (Streetsblog)
The best winter brunch spots. (Thrillist)
This is why we can't have nice things. The city is suing Metropolitan Property Group for running an illegal Airbnb network in 130 apartments, which housing more than 75,000 guests from 2015 to 2018. (The Real Deal)
Okay, so "Amazon" is the new default answer for any question, but who will be the Chrysler Building's new tenant? Yup, Amazon. (6sqft)
Here's what to know about the city's new, updated and existing ferry routes. (amNY)
Meet Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the the Metropolitan Opera new openly gay conductor. (NY Times)
Say farewell to Westsider Books on Broadway in the Upper West Side. Not every closing bookstore has a Lin-Manuel Miranda. (West Side Rag)
"Being from Staten Island gives you that ability to brush it off." Being from Staten Island made the cast of MTV's "Made in Staten Island" immune to criticism that they are tarnishing the pristine public image of Staten Island. (amNY)
The secret economy of diabetes test strips. (NY Times)
Everyone wants to be the one that fixes the subways, but no one wants to pay for it. (NY Post)
Do you have what it takes to drink this $375, 20 pound spiked hot chocolate? (Time Out)
Five things to look for in today's state budget address today (Tuesday). (amNY)
The Port Authority removed the Saudi Arabia part of the "Candy Nations" art installation due to its proximity to the World Trade Center due to complains that point out the Saudi connection to the 9/11 attacks. (NY Post)
JFK and Laguardia airports have been providing food to TSA and Federal Aviation Administration workers while they aren't paid during President Trump's government shutdown. (Airport Voice)
The government shutdown means no family visiting at Metropolitan Correctional Center, the high-security federal jail in Manhattan that houses terrorists, white-collar criminals, and El Chapo. Prisoners are on a hunger strike after the second week of canceled visits due to staffing shortages. (NY Times)
Turns out a plan similar to governor Cuomo's new L train non-shutdown was considered and rejected five years ago because of serious safety concerns. (NY Times)
He can decide the L train shutdown isn't happening and declare emergency meetings of the MTA board, but Governor Cuomo still claims that he's not in charge of the MTA. (Second Ave. Sagas)
The person handpicked by Mayor de Blasio to head up his BQX streetcar project left the United States for a new job in Saudi Arabia. (Politico)
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