The Briefly for May 27, 2020 – The "The Last Region Under PAUSE" Edition

Today - Low: 62˚ High: 70˚

Overcast throughout the day.

Queens has a new Cold Case Unit under DA Melinda Katz, dedicated to solving the borough's oldest and unsolved homicide cases. There are currently about 2,200 unsolved homicides in Queens. (Queens County Politics) "I"m going to tell them there's an African-American man threatening my life." The story of the Central Park Karen, Amy Cooper, whose week started with a threatening to use the NYPD as a weapon, and two days later she was fired for her job and surrendered her dog. (Zack Linly for The Root) It's no surprise, but today it's a reality. New York City is the only region of the state still under the PAUSE order by Governor Cuomo. (Mark Hallum for amNewYork Metro) Have you filled out the census yet? Only 50% of the city has and we're lagging 10% behind the rest of the country. In an effort to bump up the numbers, NYC Census 2020 is giving away $1,000 Seamless gift cards. More than a gift card, I'm sure you're seeing photos and videos from around the country of idiots getting together without masks. These are the people who will have more representation and funding in and from the government because they filled out their census this year. These yahoos are gonna fly to NYC from whatever podunk, backwater town they live in, and infect more New Yorkers while they go out for SantaCon or take photos with the Naked Cowboy or puke on the floor of a bathroom in the East Village or walk extremely slowly on the sidewalk right in front of you. These are the people that can fill in their census and yet we can't seem to get our shit together and need gift cards to Seamless as an incentive. Rant over. (Robert Pozarycki for amNewyork Metro) Want to bring a smile to someone? Send some letters to some older Upper West Siders. (Claude Benjamin for I Love the Upper West Side) Uber and Lyft drivers are suing the state for timely payment of unemployment benefits. Currently, drivers have to wait months to receive standard unemployment benefits, unlike the standard two to three weeks like most workers. (Noam Scheiber for NY Times) Video: Watch former New Yorkers try L.A. bagels. (Matt Coneybeare for Viewing NYC) The city has hired more than 1,700 contact tracers to get the city closer to the metrics necessary to start its reopening. (NY1) How good of a salesman is Governor Cuomo? We're about to find out, as the governor heads to Washington to convince President Trump to fund the extension of the Second Ave subway, the new Penn Station, and a train to LaGuardia. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) A quick look at the 80-year history of the Copacabana. (Maria Sherman for Jezebel) The Obie Awards, honoring Off and Off Off Broadway theater, is going virtual. You can catch the Obie Awards on YouTube on June 4, hosted by Cole Escola. (Michael Paulson for NY Times) Alt-side parking is suspended through June 7. (Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech for amNewYork Metro) What if no one wants to save New York's restaurants? (Alan Sytsma for Grub Street) ConEd is trying to raise rates this summer and the City Council is having none of it. ConEd is warning that demand may exceed last summer where brown and blackouts plagued portions of the city. (Kathleen Culliton for Patch) Video: A pre/post Covid-19 comparison walk around Midtown. (ActionKid) Seventeen of the city's 20 hate crimes against Asians in 2020 have been coronavirus related. 20 may not seem like much, but compare that to 2019's hate crimes against Asians at 3. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist) The mayor signed a package of bills into laws intended to protect small businesses by imposing limits on third-party food delivery services, extending the suspension of sidewalk cafe fee collection, and protecting commercial tenants from harassment and personal liability. (Emily Davenport for amNewYork Metro) Would you go to a concert if it meant having to wear this weird neon spacesuit? How do you drink or go to the bathroom if you're sealed inside a spacesuit at a show? (Erin Christie for BrooklynVegan) Video: New York's "Wear A MAsk" PSA contest has a winner. (Howard Halle for Time Out) The New York Stock Exchange partially opened on Tuesday and is prohibiting employees and visitors from taking mass transit, something extremely impractical to use as an example for other businesses. (Ben Yakas for Gothamist) The Nets opened its training facility in Sunset Park to players for voluntary workouts with a limit of four players in the facility at a time. (JT Torenli for Brooklyn Daily Eagle) Restrictions on third-party delivery companies like Seamless or Uber Eats caps fees at 15 percent per order for delivery and 5 percent per order for any other charge while the city is under emergency and for 90 days beyond. (Chris Crowley for Grub Street) Actors’ Equity Association barred its 51,000 members from in-person auditions, rehearsals, and performances and says they will not lift that restriction until there is fast, reliable testing for the novel coronavirus and widespread contact tracing. (Michael Paulson for NY Times) A breakdown of the costs of what's recommended before you move to NYC. (Localize.City) Why hasn't Mayor de Blasio visited Rikers Island at all during his second term? (Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette) Recreating recipes from restaurants is a long-standing tradition which has seen a revival under stay-at-home orders. Are we chasing the recipe and a meal or are we chasing a feeling and trying to rekindle memories? (Pete Wells for NY Times) Video: Recreating New York's best pancakes from Clinton St Baking Company. (Matt Coneybeare for Viewing NYC) Thanks to reader Alexa for today's featured photo!