The "Monitors on Monitors on Monitors" Edition
NYCHA nightmares, more NYCHA nightmares, the NYPD's most expensive lawsuits of the year, Mayor Adams's "quality of life" arrests, J'Ouvert returns, MetroCard machines have an expiration date, and more
Today - Low: 66˚ High: 75˚
Rain and humid throughout the day.
• Photos: J'Ouvert and the West Indian Day Parade. (Reece T. Williams, photos by Rashida Zagon for Gothamist)
• Four misconceptions about congestion pricing. Do some people think this is a cash grab? Yeesh. (Stephen Nessen for Gothamist)
• What the hell is happening at the NYCHA? Arsenic was found in the water at the Jacob Riis Houses, and the NYCHA waited two fucking weeks before notifying tenants. Unfortunately, an ongoing mayoral tradition is to poison tenants in NYCHA housing. (Greg B. Smith for The City)
• NYCHA tenants in Coney Island are suing NYCHA over issues dating back to Hurricane Sandy, including no cooking gas for over a year due to a remediation project gone wrong. It's been a full decade since Hurricane Sandy. This should be embarrassing to the city, but it doesn't seem to register. (Michelle Bocanegra for Gothamist)
• The NYPD is quick to point to bail reform as the reason for an increase in crime in the city, but this story in the Times shows how NYPD delays resulted in a rape and the murder of a nurse from Queens. The Special Victims Division is already the subject of a federal civil rights investigation, which could result in a court-appointed monitor overseeing the division. There's already a monitor overseeing the NYPD's stop-and-frisk and surveillance practices. The NYPD "takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously." Maybe "extremely" isn't serious enough. (Ashley Southall for NY Times)
• Misdemeanor arrests in New York City jumped 25% in the first six months of Mayor Eric Adams’s administration. Unsurprisingly, Blacks and Hispanics represent a larger year-over-year increase than whites. (Fola Akinnibi, with assistance by Raeedah Wahid for Bloomberg)
• The most expensive NYPD lawsuits of the year and officers named in the most lawsuits. (Samantha Max for Gothamist)
• The National Labor Relations Board official recommended rejecting Amazon's claims that the Staten Island unionization vote was invalid. The decision is 144 pages. I wonder if it's available for Kindles? Amazon has until September 16 to appeal the decision, which will only be an attempt to delay this process as long as possible. (Claudia Irizarry Aponte for The City)
• Farewell MetroCard machines. They'll be history by the end of 2023. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• Gothamist looks at the closing of the Knitting Factory, being pushed out of Williamburg by ridiculous rents, where it's been since 2009. A double-edged sword, as the Knitting Factory was one of the reasons the neighborhood is what it is today. Any vegans still mourning Foodswings? (Catalina Gonella for Gothamist)
• The Cort Theater is being renamed the James Earl Jones Theater as part of an agreement between Black Theater United and landlords to name at least one theater after a Black artist. (Shanelle Genai for The Root)
• Where to Go: The Monkey King. What to Order: The pan-fried chicken dumplings with cinnamon red-oil infused soy sauce. (Christine Fiala for Bushwick Daily)
• University Open Air is back, organized by the Brooklyn Public Library and the Prospect Park Alliance. The "pop-up" university offers classes and workshops taught by immigrant professors and experts in Prospect Park. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft)
• Facing louder calls for a ban on carriage horses, the union representing carriage horse drivers proposed a series of changes to the industry. They're calling the platform a "pro-horse platform." It entails better oversight, enhanced driver training, and a stable in Central Park. (Catalina Gonella for Gothamist)
• When you start seeing jaguar statues across the city, the reason is Jaguar Parade NYC 2022, an open-art installation. Multiple conservation organizations are raising awareness and funds to help jaguars and their habitats. (Rossilynne Skena Culgan for Time Out)
ª 19 more exciting restaurant openings this fall. (Liz Provencher for Thrillist)
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Featured City Pet: Trudy!
Check out Trudy on the Staten Island Ferry! Thank you to Meg for sending in today’s photo. Send in your pet pics to thebriefly@gmail.com.
