The Briefly for October 11, 2019 – The "A Questionable Subject for a Broadway Musical" Weekend Edition

The Briefly will be taking Columbus day off this year. See you on Tuesday morning!

This weekend's subway disruptions are on the 2, 5, A, D, E, F, J, N, Q, R, and W trains. (Subway Weekender)

A look around the city for what will be closed on Columbus Day. (Patch)

A Michael Jackson musical is headed to Broadway next summer. Yikes. (NY Times)

The tree-killing beetle that was infesting the city's forests for two decades has finally been beaten, according to the Parks Department, who hasn't seen the bug in the city since 2010. (Patch)

Gem Spa, its egg creams, and the constant fight for survival were put on the Atlas Obscura map. (Atlas Obscura)

The City Council voted to prohibit Rikers Island from housing any incarcerated individuals past 2026, giving the city very little wiggle room when it comes to closing the jail. Nothing like a deadline to keep you motivated. (Gothamist)

There are groups and elected officials in the city that are pointing out that if the city's jail population can be reduced from 7,000 (where it is today) down to about 3,000 we can shut down Rikers Island without a need to build any community jails. (Jackson Heights Post)

Keith Haring's "Crack Is Wack" mural is back in the appropriately named Crack is Wack Playground on E 129st St and Second Ave. (Gothamist)

Summer is barely over and here comes winter. The rink at Rockefeller Center opens this weekend. (amNY)

The 10 best apple and pumpkin picking spots near NYC. (6sqft)

In an attempt to lower the number of fatalities along the West Side Highway, the city will lower the speed limit from 35 to 30. There have been ten people killed by drivers on the West Side Highway since 2013. (Curbed)

The city's last Tad's Steaks, on Seventh Ave near Times Square, will close in January. (Gothamist)

Peter Luger launched online reservations to alleviate the stress of being one of the 6,000 daily phone calls they get to attempt to get a table. They aren't fully joining the 21st century, as they still cash only. (amNY)

16 and 17-year-old are no longer supposed to be automatically prosecuted as adults, but Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island's courts have been seemingly unable to follow the law. (The City)

There is no easy way to check liquor licenses and a new law seeks to change that. The governor signed a bill into law that will create a public database of information for on-premises liquor licenses. (Bowery Boogie)

Finding a new apartment sucks, but now it quantifiably sucks. (StreetEasy)

How Uber and Lyft cheat drivers out of minimum wage, explained. (The Indypendent)

The 19 best beer bars in the city. (Eater)