The "Welcoming 'Daddy' to Politics" Edition
OMNY's unlimited ride option, mask mandate enforcement, revisiting Burger Joint, how to stop package pirates, baby Komodo dragons, the hottest new restaurants, and more
Hello: I’d love to see photos of your decorations for the holidays this year, inside or out! Reply to this email to send in your photos!
Today - Low: 40˚ High: 52˚
Clear throughout the day.
• Farewell to the R32 subway car, set to ride into history on January 9, 2022. The R32 cars are among the world’s oldest active subway cars and have been a part of the NYC subway system for six decades. (trains.com)
• A look at the indoor mask mandate's impact on NYC. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• Enforcing the state's new mandate will be left up to local counties and businesses, which is akin to saying it will not be enforced in some places in the state. Two upstate counties already declared they won't be enforcing the mandate. (Nick Reisman for NY1)
• A quick update on maskless fines given out on the subways: "very few," according to Transit Bureau Chief Kathleen O'Reilly, who did not provide an actual number. (Kevin Duggan for amNY Metro)
• After the rollout of the OMNY system for pay-per-ride options, it seems as if the MTA has stalled on progress. The MTA admitted it is facing "struggles" to offer discounted subway and bus fares to riders with disabilities and seniors. (Jose Martinez for The City)
• One other bit of news about OMNY is that the MTA is planning on implementing a $33 cap on weekly fares creating a de-facto unlimited ride option. (Stephen Nessen for Gothamist)
• Why was "Daddy" trending in political figures on Twitter? Huge Ma is running for State Assembly. You know Huge Ma's work from the TurboVax website. The City looks at Ma's story from programmer to candidate. (Katie Honan for The City)
• Zephyr Teachout dropped her campaign for Attorney General after Letitia James announced she will not be running for governor. Teachout endorsed James for AG. (Nick Reisman for NY1)
• Governor Hochul announced a $9.5 billion overhaul of JFK Terminal One, funded through private money with construction set to begin next year, open by 2026, and completed by 2030. (Jon Campbell for Gothamist)
• A point-by-point refutal of Councilmember Mark Treyger's statement about the ferry stop location in Coney Island. The controversy over the ferry stop is not if it should exist but where it should be. (The Coney Island Blog)
• How to fight package theft in NYC. (Mimi O'Connor for Brick Underground)
• If you've been immersing yourself in Peter Jackson's series about The Beatles, here are 10 remaining Beatles historical sites in NYC. (Noah Sheidlower for Untapped New York)
• Facial recognition isn't universally hated. A look at Diego Beekman Mutual Housing Association, where it's not only tolerated but welcomed by tenants. (Claudia Irizarry Aponte for The City)
• Baby Komodo Dragons at the Bronx Zoo! The six hatchlings mark the first time in the zoo's 122 years that two Komodo dragons successfully bred. (Aidan Seiden for Bronx Times)
• Eric Adams is already running behind schedule for announcing appointments of aides, deputies, and commissioners compared to the last few mayors. This headline comes from NY1, I would not expect to see this kind of coverage in amNY, the Brooklyn Paper, Bronx Times, or any of the Schneps-owned news sites, as Founder, President, and Publisher of Schneps Media Victoria Schneps is sitting on Eric Adams's transition committee. I’ll be avoiding linking to any coverage of the mayor-elect from a Schneps Media source for a while. When I do, I’ll make sure to include a footnote. (Gloria Pazmino for NY1)
• One challenge Mayor-Elect Adams will be facing is New York City's jobless rate is double the rest of the country's. (Matthew Haag and Patrick McGeehan for NY Times)
• Real Estate Lust: A $3.795 limestone in Park Slope with many of the original details from construction in 1908, four beds, two and a half baths, a deck and garden, clawfoot tub, and more, including a surprisingly dated-looking kitchen. (Susan De Vries for Brownstoner)
• Ten light installations to find in the Meatpacking District as part of the "Lights on the Cobbles" by Theresa Rovera Design. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• Review and Photos: "Really, it's all perfect — just totally hits the spot." Scott Lynch revisits Burger Joint in Midtown after its pandemic reopening last month. (Scott Lynch for Gothamist)
• The most expensive city in the world is... not NYC! It's actually Tel Aviv. New York placed sixth in a recent list of the most expensive cities to live in across the world. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• Photos: The wildest Dyker Heights Christmas lights. (Scott Lynch for Brooklyn Magazine)
• Are garbage disposals illegal in NYC apartment buildings? Technically yes. Can you install one? Probably not. (Brick Underground)
• Ten indoor public spaces in Manhattan to get some air without chilling your bones. (Attila Sary for Untapped New York)
• The hottest new restaurants this December. (Eater)
Featured Pets: Garfield and Lewis!
Thank you to reader Alicia for sending in today’s featured photo of Garfield and Lewis, who were rescued with the help of PS9 Pets in Williamsburg. I always seem to comment on how cozy pets look in these photos, especially in they’re taking napping. Maybe I should nap more often? Maybe we all should.
Send in your pet photos to thebriefly@gmail.com! I’ll always need more!
Oh my goodness, thank you so much to the four readers who contributed to The Briefly using this Ko-Fi link since Sunday’s edition. Your contributions mean so much to me and are the regular highlights of my week.