The Briefly for July 13, 2020 – The "A Summer Without Street Fairs" Edition
Today - Low: 71˚ High: 86˚
Clear throughout the day.
You'll see some headlines that some areas of Queens are seeing a 58% or 68% positive rate for antibodies. While this seems like good news, having antibodies is no way to guarantee that you can't get the infection again or even that you've had the infection in the past. The hope would be that neighborhoods may develop herd immunity. (Joseph Goldstein for NY Times) The city has not built up herd immunity, which is the message from Jay Varna, the Senior Advisor for Public Health, NYC Mayor's Office, and a vast majority of New Yorkers are still susceptible. (Brendan Krisel for Patch) The city's ban on events means a summer without street fairs. This also includes Celebrate Brooklyn!, the Dominican Day Parade, San Gennaro, and the West Indian-American Day Carnival. (Collier Sutter for Time Out) As you might expect, the Electric Zoo 2020 has been canceled. (Amanda Hatfield for BrooklynVegan) Saturday was the first day since March 13 that no one was recorded as dying due to the coronavirus. Since March 23,283 were reported dead. (Nick Visser for HuffPost) A look at the more difficult side of the Occupy City Hall, as the organizers have realized that their roles include caretakers for dozens of the city's homeless that have taken to making their home in the occupation. (Alan Feuer, Juliana Kim and Byron Smith for NY Times) Kudos to Sasha Baron Cohen, who hasn't let the pandemic stop him from freaking out Rudy Giuliani so badly that he called the police. (Amanda Hatfield for BrooklynVegan) An overview of The Montefiore Family Resilience Fund, which supplies assistance for households that have lost a breadwinner or caregiver to Covid-19. The fund will assist 375 families. (Norwood News) Officer Ernie Moran, an off-duty NYPD cop was arrested in Queens during the early hours Wednesday morning for harassing and stalking his ex-girlfriend. (Michael Dorgan for Queens Post) Mayor de Blasio's cuts to the NYPD included killing off the parking placard abuse unit, ensuring that he will do absolutely nothing as a mayor to end this form of low-level corruption from the NYPD. The mayor and the City Council have announced multiple initiatives to curb this type of corruption, but literally nothing has been done so far. (Julianne Cuba for Streetsblog) The NYPD has seized streets all across the city that are adjacent to station houses. Why? Don't ask the mayor, who refuses to confront the NYPD on this theft of public space. (Gersh Kuntzman for Streetsblog) Is the Staten Island Ferris wheel returning from the dead? The details haven't been released, but it seems like a smaller version of the original idea might still have life. (Howard Halle for Time Out) Financial struggles brought on by the coronavirus pandemic will keep 15 Catholic schools across New York City closed for good. (Alex Mitchell and Robert Pozarycki for amNewYork Metro) The MTA is turning to the public for ideas for how to keep trains and buses virus-free. Have any ideas? (Mark Hallum for amNewYork Metro) A look at the work of the Brooklyn Conviction Review Unit, whose job it is to correct hundreds of years of wrongful convictions in Brooklyn of Black and Latinx Brooklynites. (Christopher Robbins for Gothamist) “We take responsibility for what happens in our stores—both on and off our sales floors—and we are committed to doing the work to improve how we treat our employees and customers.” Greenlight Bookstore co-owners Rebecca Fitting and Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo have made a public apology for creating an unwelcoming environment for Black customers and employees. (Brooklyn Reader) 15 New York City pools that will be reopening in August. (Jenna Fanelli for amNewYork Metro) Here’s what a car-free, pedestrian-friendly NYC could look like., according to a plan from Architect Vishaan Chakrabarti and his firm Practice for Architecture and Urbanism. (Davin Gannon 6sqft) Another look at the mass die-offs of fish in the Hudson river. A combination of sewage being dumped into the waters, lack of rain, and the heat are creating an extreme situation leading to the massive deaths of fish. (David Cruz for Gothamist) Wo Hop returns today for takeout orders. (Elie Z. Perler for Bowery Boogie) Who isn't filling out their census forms? It might be the rich. (Dana Rubenstein for NY Times) Jose Barrera, a 50-year-old Brooklyn man was fatally run over in Borough Park while unloading his car outside his home on Saturday night. The driver was taken into custody, passed a DWI test, and was released without being charged Barrera is the 29th pedestrian to be killed by someone driving a car in 2020. (John Del Signore for Gothamist) Video: Drone footage of NYC's Black Lives Matter murals. (Ben Yakas for Gothamist) Alt-side parking is suspended until July 19. (Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech for amNewYork Metro) 22 public libraries in the city are reopening today. (Gillian Smith for Patch) 14 unique outdoor dining options. (Matt Tervooren for The Infatuation) Thanks to reader Nai for today's featured photo!