The "Mayor Argues Against Himself" Edition
The city and state have surrendered to Covid-19, the governor limits city class sizes, rent Baz Luhrmann’s $75,000 a month townhouse, de Blasio knows how we feel about him, and more
Today - Low: 67˚ High: 78˚
Clear throughout the day.
This weekend - Low: 70˚ High: 78˚
Thanks to reader Jennifer for contributing to The Briefly since the last edition!
• Masks are no longer mandatory on subways. The rule also extends to shelters, airports, for-hire vehicles, commuter rails, and correctional facilities. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• Another sign of the city and state completely giving up on helping people navigate the ongoing pandemic is that they offer zero guidance on who can get another booster shot and when they should get them. We're sitting at a 5.4% positivity rate as of writing this. Remember when over 3% was supposed to be a sign of trouble? It's an unambiguous message, "you're on your own." (Christopher Robbins for Hell Gate)
• The Jacob Riis Houses' water supply has now tested negative for arsenic, according to the city, but it could contain the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' Disease. Differing reports are saying yes and no, so the city continues handing out water to replace drinking or cooking water. For sure, the city has lost the trust of the tenants, and this story is not over. (Gwynne Hogan for Gothamist)
• Speaking of not over, City Council passed a resolution to pressure Mayor Adams to reverse a $469 million budget cut to city schools. The resolution calls for a reversal of the budget they voted on, arguing the mayor misled them and is non-binding. (Kathleen Culliton with contribution from Matt Troutman for Patch)
• No more snow days in city schools. When it snows, classes will be held online. I don't see this going poorly at all. (Isabel Song Beer for Brooklyn Paper)
• Streetsblog highlights the difficulties of closing a street outside of a school during specific hours to protect children coming and going to school and during lunch, despite having support from a city council member, community board, and the Department of Transportation. Who is the villain in this story? The NYPD, of course, has been blocking the closures for months. (Jesse Coburn for Streetsblog)
• Governor Hochul signed a bill this week limiting city schools' class sizes, but it won't be implemented for a year, and the class size will be implemented gradually until 2028. (Jon Campbell for Gothamist)
• Support Planned Parenthood's Actin Fund by shopping at the Super Tag Sale on Humboldt Street at Skillman Ave on Saturday from 11 to 5. (Emma Davey for Greenpointers)
• The owner of the Knicks, Rangers, MSG, and one of the worst songwriters you'll ever experience James Dolan, is supporting Nicole Malliotakis's congressional campaign against Democrat Max Rose. Two assholes. (George Joseph for The City)
• While Staten Island has to suffer through being represented by Malliotakis in Congress, they're getting their first Krispy Kreme this month in the Staten Island Mall. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• Interview: Julio Torres from Los Espookys on his favorite NYC spot, season two of Los Espookys, how comedy has changed in the last ten years, and more. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• Great N.Y. Noodletown reopened after months of renovations on the corner of Bowery and Bayard, where it's been for the last forty years. (Karlin Chan for Bowery Boogie)
• House Porn: A $3 million Prospect Park South Victorian house with three stories, 3,400 square feet, a two-car garage, gas fireplace, an actual yard, a "mini hiking trail," finished basement, and more. (Michelle Cohen for 6sqft)
• Where to Go: Gus’s Chop House in Carroll Gardens. What to Order: Bo Bo Chicken, served "Buddhist style," which includes the head and feet. (Scott Lynch for Brooklyn Magazine)
• Mayor Adams, who fought for a smaller jail in Brooklyn than originally proposed, is starting to make public comments that the jails replacing Rikers Island are too small. His focus appears to be on needing more room for prisoners instead of how to reduce the prison population. (Nick Pinto for Hell Gate)
• 378 convictions could be vacated because of thirteen NYPD officers accused of misconduct. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez noted serious misconduct by the officers, calling into question every court case where they were primary witnesses without other independent evidence. One officer who pleaded guilty to murder and falsifying business records, Jerry Bowens, is linked to 134 cases. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• Work is underway on Terminal One at JFK, a $9.5 million project projected to open in 2026 and be completed in 2030. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft)
• The city's Economic Development Corporation is looking for a new operator of NYC Ferry, looking for "creative thinking from private sector respondents" when making revenue. In the past, each $2.75 trip was subsidized by about $13. (Katie Honan for The City)
• An unsellable acid-trip nightmare apartment now includes an NFT with its sale, asking the question, "What if we add something with zero value to something no one wants?" The formerly $7 million apartment can become your problem for only $3 million. Yes, there are photos. (Zach Schiffman for Curbed)
• Farewell to Bed-Stuy's Brooklyn Skates, after it could no longer operate out of the Salvation Army gym where it had been for the last decade. (Gwynne Hogan for Gothamist)
• Eleven of the most anticipated restaurant openings of fall 2022. (Emma Orlow for Eater)
• Bill de Blasio knows we are tired of him. (Michael Gold for NY Times)
• “Whether or not de Blasio was a good mayor, he can still be a valuable fellow,” the students at Harvard, where he’ll be a visiting fellow, aren’t exactly jazzed about him either. (Hannah Davis for the Harvard Independent)
• Apartment Porn: Baz Luhrmann’s $75,000 a month Gramercy townhouse, with five stories, six beds, five fireplaces, impeccable design, whatever a "butler's pantry" is, whatever an "English basement" is, and much more. (Aaron Ginsburg for 6sqft)
• Comedy in a funeral home? No, it’s not in Bushwick. (Kirstyn Brendlen for Brooklyn Paper)
• Fourteen places to celebrate Oktoberfest. Hit two per weekend, and you've got your weekend plans through November! (Aaron Ginsburg for 6sqft)
The Most Clicked Links in the Last Edition:
It's time to say goodbye: NYC MetroCard machines will be phased out by 2023
The most common congestion pricing misconceptions from marathon public hearings
Featured City Pet (for Adoption): Valentina!
Check out Valentina, sent in by reader Maddy, who is currently being fostered and is available for adoption! Send in your photos of adoptable or not pets to thebriefly@gmail.com
