The "Little Los Angeles, Go to Hell" Edition
The "Little Los Angeles, Go to Hell" Edition
The mayor unveils a city budget that everyone hates, the nurse strike comes to an end, the next city dispensary, what to eat at the new Union Square food hall, and more
I’m back in New York after a few days in Los Angeles and then Austin. I’m glad to be back on the East Coast.
• Mayor Adams released a $102.7 billion budget proposal, calling for a 2% increase in spending over last year. The budget will move if the City Council does not vote it down in the next 30 days. There is plenty of criticism of the budget, including a lack of funding for currently vacant positions in city government and a lack of investment in affordable housing, despite a campaign pledge to do just that. At this point, it feels like only a fool would take the mayor at his word. (Elizabeth Kim, David Brand, and David Cruz for Gothamist)
• The Mayor's budget calls for $452 million of police overtime in the 2024 fiscal year, while the NYPD already spent $412 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. (Greg B. Smith for The City)
• There is an idiot out there who wants to name a portion of NoHo "Little Los Angeles," or LiLA. After spending some time in LA, I can easily say Michael M. Grynbaum should go fuck himself. Let me, once again, quote Mayor Clotch from Ghostbusters 2: "Being miserable and treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker's God-given right." (Anna Rahamnan for Time Out)
• Nurses at Montefiore Medical Center and Mount Sinai Hospital ended their three-day strike. They returned to work Thursday morning after reaching a tentative agreement with both hospitals for improved staffing standards and a 19% wage increase over three years. (Claudia Irizarry Aponte for The City)
• The city cares so much about preventing the BQE from crumbling into dust that it delayed the automated ticketing of overweight trucks indefinitely. Despite making a promise it would be in place by the end of 2022, the Department of Transportation doesn't know how to fulfill its promise from a technical standpoint. At this speed, the highway will collapse before the city takes action. (Stephen Nessen for Gothamist)
• LIRR trains in Grand Central Terminal were also supposed to be a thing before the end of 2022. It's already eleven years and $7.3 billion past the original expected opening date and price. The problem? There's an issue with an exhaust fan, and a new opening date is unknown. (Stephen Nessen for Gothamist)
• The Interborough Express is not dead and will use light rail to connect Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights, which was the latest news from Governor Hochul's State of the State address. (Aaron Ginsburg for 6sqft)
• Looking back on Blimpie in Downtown Brooklyn. (Kevin Walsh for Forgotten New York)
• The city's next dispensary will be on the corner of Broadway and E 13th. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)
I’m still actively looking for stories from people who worked at companies who were purchased by Schneps Media. You can email me at thebriefly@gmail.com, it can be any level of anonymity you’d like. I’ve gotten a few stories already, so you wouldn’t be the first. Let’s see if they still award me “The Best in Brooklyn” after making this public call.
• Rendering: A casino, a giant Ferris wheel, a lawn, apartments, and a hotel, all on the East side from 35th to 41st. Why the hell do developers love the idea of a Ferris wheel so much? This can't possibly be an efficient use of our space. (Christopher Bonanos for Curbed)
• NYC went from #3 to #2 most bed bug-infested city in the USA. Chicago is #1. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the most loved landmark in America, according to Tripadvisor. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)
• A Shake Shack is opening in Bed-Stuy on Bedford and Fulton. (Luke Fortney for Eater)
• The Amazon Labor Union Vote in Staten Island took another step forward by receiving certification from federal regulators. Playing the role of Donald Trump, Amazon plans to appeal the election, claiming it was unfair and illegitimate. (Phil Corso for Gothamist)
• Where to Go: Next Stop Vegan. What to Order: El Plato, a classic lunch-counter rice-and-beans platter with sweet, sticky plantains, avocado salad, and hunks of portobello done up pepper steak-style. (Scott Lynch for Hell Gate)
• Hazardous pollutants were up to 130% higher in subway stations near river tunnels than those even two or three stops away. The culprit is poor ventilation. Maybe we keep our masks on while riding the subways? (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• Ample Hills is (once again) turning its indefinite closures into permanent ones. Who would have imagined that a company that designs and manufactures test, measurement, and process control systems wouldn't be able to run a chain of ice cream stores it bought in 2020? (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• The City breaks down getting help for Long Covid as part of their "Missing Them" project. (Sarah Luft for The City)
• The MTA opened nine of its 133 public bathrooms in the subway system. They're open from 7 am to 7 pm but closed from 12 to 1 for cleaning. The list: 161 St–Yankee Stadium, 14 St–Union Sq., East 180 St., 42 St–Bryant Park, Jay St–MetroTech, Kings Highway, Jackson Hts–Roosevelt Ave., Forest Hills–71 Ave., and Fulton St. (Aaron Ginsburg for 6sqft)
• This year's No Pant Subway Ride was canceled. If you see someone without pants, it's not an improv thing, it's just New York. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• The five best dishes to try at the new food hall in Union Square. (Robert Sietsema for Eater)
• How do drugs get into Rikers? A seventh officer was arrested after a 2019 investigation into drug dealing in the jails. (Matt Katz for Gothamist)
Top clicked Links in the Last Edition:
For $1.9M, this cozy Chelsea prewar co-op is surrounded by beauty
How to Join a Community Board, and What to Know Before You Apply
Featured Pet: Blue!
Thanks to reader Barbara for sending in this photo of Blue, who looks pretty cozy! Send in your pet pics to thebriefly@gmail.com
