The Briefly for January 15, 2020 – The "New Yorkers, Known Historically for Their Patience" Edition

Today - Low: 42˚ High: 52˚

Clear throughout the day.

Op-Ed: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams on how knee-jerk reactions have drowned out common sense conversation and reform when it comes to desegregating the city's schools when it comes to the gifted and talented program. (Jumaane Williams for amNewYork Metro) If a fire breaks out in your apartment and you flee, make sure to close the door behind you. An open door turned a one apartment fire into multi-hour ordeal that left 22 people injured in an Upper West Side high-rise. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist) An off-duty Secret Service agent shot and killed a dog in Brooklyn early Tuesday morning, claiming the dog was "unleashed and aggressive," despite photos form the scene showing a leash peeking out from under a white sheet. (Sophia Chang for Gothamist) The mayor is urging patience when it comes to the BQE panel report, saying last week's leak of the report was only partial and everyone should "see the whole thing and judge when we all get to look at it." Yes, New York City is known for its patience and ability to wait before jumping to a conclusion. (Mary Frost for Brooklyn Eagle) Next month McNally Jackson is set to open a new store in CityPoint in Downtown Brooklyn. (Craig Hubert for Brownstoner) A guerrilla art installation using decommissioned railroad corridor in Queens is meant to question the ongoing cycle of building, abandonment and redevelopment looming over the city. Railroad Eraser by Aaron Asis highlights the unused corridor with white paint on the tracks. While temporary, it'll be there until the area is redeveloped. (Michelle Young for Untapped New York) Stop eating sad salads. How to game the salad bar at lunch, from 11 hefts and food writers. (Nikita Richardson for Grub Street) Nine things New Yorkers will judge tourists for and nine things they won't. Wearing flip-flops and eating bagels at Dunkin making the "judging" list, as I'm pretty sure they are both classified as misdemeanors in Manhattan. (Mary Lane for New York Cliche) Prospect Park's Concert Grove Pavilion is getting a $2 million renovation. The pavilion was designed by Calvert Vaux, one of the park's original architects, and has been roped off from the public since 2014 due to structural issues. Along with the renovation, the "Oriental Pavilion" is likely to be renamed. (Ben Verde for Brooklyn Paper) Starting today, adoptees in the state who are over 18 can request their previously sealed original birth certificates. The law was passed by the state's legislature and signed in November, making New York the 10th state with unrestricted access to birth certificates. (Gwynne Hogan for Gothamist) The city is sending a 24-person team to Puerto Rico to assist in the relief efforts following almost 2,000 earthquakes since December 28. The team heading down are building inspectors, engineers, emergency managers, and mental health professionals. The governor also sent a team and personally went to survey the damage as well. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) A tale of two diners (and a competitive review) in Clinton Hill. (Scott Lynch for Gothamist) A man walked into a Sunday mass in Brooklyn and doused the priest and altar with bright red juice. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) Liquiteria, which claimed to be the city's first cold-pressed juice bar, closed all five NYC locations abruptly and have all but disappeared online. (Tanay Warerkar for Eater) The Bronx saw the highest wage jump in the state from the second quarter of 2018 to second quarter of 2019 with a 5.7% increase. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics report doesn't indicate a reason, but the state's minimum wage increases probably have something to do with it. (Ed García Conde for Welcome2TheBronx) The city's newest celebrity is the Staten Island Bus Raccoon, who tried to jump aboard an S44 bus and being thwarted by some closed doors. The NYPD relocated the raccoon. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist) Turn back the clock with 20 photos of the city form the 1920s. (Lucie Levine for 6sqft) The MTA is taking issue with the report that says 4/5 commutes in 2019 we're delayed due to signal issues. They've not refuted the data, instead saying "the devil is in the details." Technically, 78% of commutes delayed isn improvement from 2018's 92%. (Mark Hallum for amNewYork Metro) Six New York City corrections officers were arrested on Tuesday in connection to a drug-smuggling ring on Rikers Island. (Robert Pozarycki for amNewYork Metro) Is it the year of glowing seesaws? The city's second set of glowing seesaws have been set up next to Pier 17, each making unique sounds. The seesaws will be at Pier 17 through March. (Collier Sutter for Time Out) What's the oldest bar in Brooklyn? It's a complicated answer. (Brooklyn Eagle) Perhaps inspired by yesterday's Mama's Too meatball parm news, Robert Sietsema has declared where you can find his favorite meatball parm in the city at Faicco's Italian Specialties•. (Robert Sietsema for Eater) Rockefeller Center may be headed for a renovation, depending if owner Tichman Speyer can get approval from the landmarks commission. (Elizabeth Kim for Gothamist) How New York became Gotham City from Joker's production designer Mark Friedberg. (Ben Yakas for Gothamist) The cottage where Edgar Allan Poe wrote “Annabel Lee” and “The Bells” is in the Bronx. The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage was built in 1812 and is at 2640 Grand Concourse, where Poe lived in 1846 with his wife and mother-in-law. (Ariel Kates for GVSHP) A book that Anthony Bourdain was working on before his death with co-author Laurie Woolever will be published on October 13. (Chris Crowley for Grub Street) Congress approved a measure last month to reinstate two-way tolls on the Verrazzano, but the MTA has announced no set date for the change to happen. (Paula Katinas for The Brooklyn Home Reporter) The City owns most of the land adjacent to the Coney Island boardwalk and leases it to Zamperla, who operates Luna Park and leases to shops and places to eat on the boardwalk like Lola Star, Nathan's, Ruby's, Tom's Restaurant, and the Coney Island Beach Shop. Zamperla is trying to raise rents between 50 and 400% for the independent businesses. When the Times attempted to reach Zamperla officials for comment, they were vacationing in Italy. (Aaron Randle for NY Times) The water main that played havoc with the Upper Wets Side and Monday morning's subway commutes was 98 years old. (Jen Chung for Gothamist) Ahead of his anticipated Hall of Fame induction, two Bronx City Councilmembers are introducing legislation to rename East 161st Street as “Jeter Street.” (Alex Mitchell for amNewYork Metro) Pete Wells from the Times knocked Sushi Nakazawa from four stars to three, leaving only three restaurants in the city with four stars, Jean-Georges, Le Bernardin, and Eleven Madison Park. (Sara Boinsteel for NY Times) Brooklyn's best ramen restaurants. (Julien Levy for Thrillist)