The Briefly for October 4-5 2020 – The "Is It Finally Time To Find A New Apartment?" Sunday Edition

Today - Low: 54˚ High: 67˚

Clear throughout the day.

Have you been seeing comedy shows popping up in unconventional places? Well, it's because comedy is technically illegal anywhere food and drinks are sold. (Sasha von Olderhausen) The $100 million cut to the Sanitation department seems to have hit the Bronx the hardest. (Ed García Conde for Welcome2TheBronx) Is this a good time to find a new apartment? (Meredith Craig de Pietro for Brooklyn Based) Yeah, rents might be seeing a temporary drop, but it seems like New York City is still on its way to having the highest rent in the country. (Matt Troutman for Patch) A Human Rights Watch report called the NYPD’s actions against protesters on June 4 in Mott Haven "intentional, planned, and unjustified.” The mayor continues to defend the NYPD's actions, but finally admitted the NYPD's targeting and assault of legal observers was wrong. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist) The mayorally controlled city Economic Development Corporation diverted tens of millions of dollars in rent receipts from publicly owned Times Square real estate holdings to help operate the costly NYC Ferry system. In the middle of a pandemic and budget crisis, maybe it's not the best time to steal from the city to pay for Mayor de Blasio's pet projects. (Rosa Goldensohn for The City) The MTA honored Medgar Evers by renaming the Franklin Ave and President St stations after the civil rights icon and the college that bears his name. (Ben Verde for Brooklyn Paper) There's been enough happening this week before Rock Moranis was randomly punched in the head by a random attacker on Friday morning. (Bill Pearis for BrooklynVegan) If you need some comforting words, try ordering from Vinnie's. In addition to your pizza you can get comforting words for $1. (Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner for Greenpointers) The house where Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny was written in is in Greenwich Village. On March 5, 1967, it was put on a flatbed truck on the Upper East Side and moved to where it sits today. (Sydney Rose for Atlas Obscura) The MTA is getting some work done ahead of schedule at the Sutphin Blvd.-Archer Ave E train station, taking advantage of the moment's low ridership. The work will conclude by November 2. (Alex Mitchell for amNewYork Metro) "The local government’s responsibility is to enforce the law." - Governor Cuomo is making more threats towards the city, this time accompanied by a $10,000 daily fine for lack of enforcement. (Matt Troutman for Patch) Add the nearly 70-year-old Old John’s Luncheonette on the Upper West Side to the list of restaurants that have closed in the pandemic. (Tanay Warerkar for Eater) Things are awful. It's okay to talk about art sometimes. Here's an interview with Hillary Clinton about her love of Broadway. (Michael Paulson for NY Times) A guide to better understanding the city's Covid-19 data. (Elizabeth Kim for Gothamist) Something strange is happening in Boro Park when it comes to Covid-19. Anonymous Yiddish robocalls are targeting Boro Park and Williamsburg urging people against getting tested "as this drives up the numbers," in the Bobov Hasidic community, leaders are encouraging anyone who already had the virus to get tested to also drive the numbers down, and there are reports that some providers are withholding reporting test results. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist) Alright, it's currently flu season and it's been Covid-19 season since February. Here's how to identify different symptoms of either. (Donald G. McNeil Jr for NY Times) The biryani delivery guide. (Nikko Duren for The Infatuation) This story is about how the governor sent Trump a "recovery basket" of buffalo wings, bagels, and cheesecake, but also did you know that Cuomo declared the official state snack to be Greek yogurt in 2014? (Christopher Robbins for Gothamist) Holy shit, Cellino & Barnes' Steve Barnes died in a plane crash. (Juliana Kim for NY Times) Brooklyn's Third Avenue claimed another life as a bicyclist was hit and killed by a motorcyclist on Saturday morning. (Gersh Kuntzman for Streetsblog) Staten Island to NYC regarding budget woes: "Don't tread on me." (Amanda Farinacci for NY1)

"The time to address this challenge is now – before the area’s growth and changes cause even more displacement. Industry City will grow and change even without their proposed rezoning. The campus will continue to attract more jobs and more residents. We cannot pretend these changes aren’t occurring. Sunset Park must vigorously preserve the affordable units it has, better protect tenants and begin to support development without displacement that creates truly and permanently affordable housing."

-Michelle de la Uz, Executive Director of Fifth Avenue Committee & Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Industry City is dead, but Sunset Park still needs help for amNewYork Metro

NYC has a corn maze. (Michelle Young for Untapped New York) The Bronx Zoo’s holiday light show is returning this November for something to do outdoors while we're still locked indoors. (Collier Sutter for Time Out) Everything is canceled, so here are 8 places to personally celebrate Oktoberfest. (Davin Gannon for 6sqft) Thanks to reader Sarah for today's featured photo from the Staten Island side of the Verrazzano.