The Briefly for January 24-25, 2020 – The "If You Can't Beat 'Em, Switch Parties" Sunday Edition

Today - Low: 26˚ High: 34˚

Clear throughout the day.

There are currently 54 of the city's zip codes with a Covid-19 test rate over 10%. Remember when Governor Cuomo said he was gonna lock down areas that hit over 4%? (Sharon Otterman for NY Times) The number of the city's elementary schools and classrooms that are closed keep rising. (Jessica Gould for Gothamist) Bill O' Reilly and Rudy Giuliani have radio shows in NYC? Yup. After failed Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis bought the station in 2019 they pivoted to right wing talk. (Azi Paybarah for NY Times) New Yorkers United for Change is trying to change the 1.6 NYC million Republicans' voter registration to Democrat because rather than build viable candidates that appeal to the city's population, they've decided "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." (Clifford Michel for The City) 2021 Election: Who's running for mayor? (Rachel Holliday Smith for The City) Franklin Ave's Crown Heights community space Public Assistants is facing eviction so the landlord to make room for a gourmet supermarket. (Ben Verde for Brooklyn Paper) In 2019, the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office quietly purchased software from Clearview AI, a controversial facial recognition company. Critics argue Clearview AI violates rights by using photos from social media and image searches without knowledge or consent. (George Joseph for Gothamist) The new NYPD discipline rules will make chokeholds a fireable offense will apply to all future chokeholds. (Matt Troutman for Patch) Meet the couple walking a marathon every day for a year. Yes, they're from Bushwick. (Raanan Geberer for Brooklyn Eagle) Documentary: The story of how artists, organizers, and neighbors all came together to reclaim their streets with Bed-Stuy's Black Live sMatter street murals. (Mustache) The 31-story building above the old J&R Music World sold for $140 million. (Rich Bockman for The Real Deal) Sarah Jessica Parker misses restaurants "so much it hurts." The more interesting part of this piece about what she ate from January 14 through 18 is Matthew Broderick's bean obsession. (Chris Crowley for Grub Street) Don't let the real estate lobby convince you that casinos in Manhattan are a good way to raise tax revenue, because the data doesn't support that. Most of the state's "gaming revenue" comes from the lottery. (Christopher Robbins for Gothamist) Be wary of "NY Forever," a PR campaign dressed up with celebrities, but funded by NY's real estate trade association, Goldman Sachs, and co-founded by Ivanka Trump's public relations adviser. (Norman ODer for Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report) New York City Restaurant Week is back for winter as NYC Restaurant Week To Go with 571 restaurants, all offering specials for $20.21. (Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner for Greenpointers) Farewell to the original Big Gay Ice Cream location in the East Village. The company isn't closing, just the location. (Tanay Warerkar for Eater) A look at Bellucci Pizza, a new pizza spot in Astoria with a pedigree that runs through Rubirosa and Lombardi's. (Scott Lynch for Gothamist) Museum of Natural History is displaying the Subway Garnet for the first time in 40 years in the Mignone Halls of Gens and Minerals. If you're looking to impress your friends, you can tell them that the garnet was found when exhumed during the sewer excavation and it was renamed later. I guess it depend on your friends if they'll be impressed by that. (Stephanie Simon for NY1) The Hunts Point Produce Market strike is over with an agreement to a minimum 70-cent-per-hour raise in the first year, eventually rising to a $1.85 bump by the third year. (Claudia Irizarry Aponte for The City) The Bernie meme has materialized in real life. You can find it in the East Village. (EV Grieve) 2,600 New York City public school students have completely dropped off the radar this school year, according to a Department of Education at a City Council hearing last week. The students are "still being pursued." (Sophia Chang for Gothamist) Video: The history of the Times Square Toys "R" Us. (Defunctland) In praise of the rise of NYC's flour tortillas. (Luke Fortney for Eater) Video: Walking over Washington Bridge, NYC's most confusing bridge. (ActionKid) 6 NYC rooftops with outdoor heating lamps. (Nikko Duren for The Infatuation) Thanks to reader Lindsey for today's featured photo!