By Dana Schulz, Fri, September 18, 2020 Photo by Richard R. Schünemann on Unsplash
On September 30, the same day that indoor dining resumes, indoor pools in New York City will be able to reopen at 33 percent capacity, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. “Swimming pools are a community anchor, an exercise center, and an oasis in their neighborhoods—both literally and figuratively. New Yorkers have worked hard to fight back COVID-19. As transmission rates remain low, we’re proud to offer more ways to slowly return to business as usual,” said the mayor in a statement.
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By Dana Schulz, Thu, September 17, 2020 Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc
Just days after he expanded the city’s popular Open Streets program to 87 streets and nine pedestrian plazas, Mayor de Blasio announced that 40 of these locations will now be open on weekdays to accommodate outdoor dining. Previously, the car-free streets were only allowed to operate on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. “Restaurants deserve every chance they can get to serve more customers this fall – and, as the weather gets cooler, New Yorkers deserve every chance they can get to enjoy outdoor dining,” said Mayor de Blasio.
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By Devin Gannon, Thu, September 17, 2020 Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza tour New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn to observe the school’s PPE delivery and reopening preparations; Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
New York City schools will no longer open in-person instruction for most students on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. Just four days before city school buildings were set to physically reopen for students, the mayor delayed in-person learning for the second time after complaints from school staff over safety and staffing. In-person instruction will now start in phases, with preschool students starting on Monday, K-8th grade students on September 29, and high school and some middle-school students on October 1.
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By Devin Gannon, Mon, September 14, 2020 Rockwell Group’s DineOut NYC in Manhattan’s Chinatown; Photo courtesy of Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group
Even as the city prepares to resume indoor dining this month, more restaurants will be able to take advantage of the program that allows expanded street and sidewalk seating. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week seven new locations for outdoor dining on open streets across the five boroughs, bringing the total to 87 streets and nine pedestrian plazas designated for restaurant use on weekends. The latest batch of outdoor dining streets will be overseen by a number of neighborhood restaurants, including Gertie’s in Williamsburg, Kheo-Yo in Tribeca, Ray’s Bar on the Lower East Side, and others.
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By Devin Gannon, Thu, September 3, 2020 St. Marks Place outdoor dining; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr
Indoor dining could resume in New York City only if police are able to enforce compliance of coronavirus regulations at restaurants, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. During a call with reporters, the governor said he could allow restaurants to open for indoor dining if the city creates a task force of NYPD officers designated to oversee compliance. Cuomo said he plans to discuss the issue with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who on Wednesday called for an immediate start of indoor dining, which has been allowed in every region in the state except the five boroughs.
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By Dana Schulz, Thu, September 3, 2020 Photo of Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons; Photo of Governor Andrew Cuomo via Wikimedia Commons
“Forget bodyguards, he better have an army if he thinks he’s gonna walk down the street in New York,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said last night in response to Donald Trump’s new claims that he’s planning to defund New York City. After sending a five-page memo to the U.S. Attorney General and the Office of Management and Budget about Portland, Seattle, Washington, and New York City, Trump Tweeted, “My Administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses.”
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By Dana Schulz, Tue, September 1, 2020 By Pictures of Money via Flickr cc
The plot continues to thicken over when and if indoor dining will resume in New York City, with New Jersey starting indoor restaurant operations this Friday and Mayor de Blasio hinting that it won’t return in the city until a COVID vaccine is approved. And now, a group of 337 restaurants has signed on to a lawsuit that is seeking $2 billion from the city and state. As Crain’s reported, the main plaintiff is 28-year-old Queens Italian restaurant Il Bacco, which is just 500 feet over the Nassau County border where restaurants were allowed to reopen indoor dining.
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By Devin Gannon, Mon, August 31, 2020 Image by Hucklebarry from Pixabay
The city’s parks department will resume issuing permits for outdoor youth sports next month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. While the fields and ballparks have been open throughout the coronavirus pandemic, NYC Parks will issue permits for organized, low-risk sports played outdoors starting on September 15. Sports leagues for baseball, softball, and soccer will be issued permits, but indoor sports, including swimming, will not be allowed.
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By Devin Gannon, Mon, August 24, 2020 Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza tour New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn to observe the school’s PPE delivery and reopening preparations; Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
New York City schools can use backyards, streets closed to cars, and certain parks for outdoor learning, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. Unveiled just weeks before school is expected to open next month, the new option takes the “best ideas from around the world” to make school safe for students, teachers, and school staff, according to the mayor. “We know the disease doesn’t spread the same outdoors,” de Blasio said. “We want to give schools the chance to do as much outdoors as they can.”
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By Devin Gannon, Wed, August 12, 2020 Photo by Sam on Flickr
The city will intensify test and trace efforts in Sunset Park after health officials identified over 220 cases of the coronavirus in the Brooklyn neighborhood over the last two weeks. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday announced that members of the Test and Trace Corps will knock on every door, call all 38,000 households, and direct residents to expanded testing in the community. “Our idea is to saturate Sunset Park over the next few days, literally reach every member of the community we possibly can, get as many people tested as possible, as quickly as possible,” de Blasio said.
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