AdvertisementThe restaurant industry . Indoor dining was pushed off this summer, and it when restaurants may be able to open their indoor spaces to customers again. So the dining establishments that have not fully shut down during the pandemic, or closed for good, are solely relying on takeout, delivery and outdoor service, and even that is not enough for many. The outdoor dining component itself has been a headache for restaurant owners — part of the city's Open Streets and Open Restaurants Plan, some have called out for , and over the months it has come with quickly changing...…AdvertisementThe restaurant industry . Indoor dining was pushed off this summer, and it when restaurants may be able to open their indoor spaces to customers again. So the dining establishments that have not fully shut down during the pandemic, or closed for good, are solely relying on takeout, delivery and outdoor service, and even that is not enough for many. The outdoor dining component itself has been a headache for restaurant owners — part of the city's Open Streets and Open Restaurants Plan, some have called out for , and over the months it has come with quickly changing...WW…

AdvertisementNYPD officers bludgeoned, pepper-sprayed, and picked fights with protesters marching peacefully through the streets of Midtown. Thousands of people were trapped on the Manhattan Bridge during an hours-long standoff with cops. Outside Barclays Center, a massive police presence went "berserk" on a group of demonstrators, according to one organizer.So went the sixth straight day of protests against racist police brutality in New York City — and the first night of an 8 p.m. curfew that Mayor Bill de Blasio says will Thousands of New Yorkers, spread throughout the city, defied that...…AdvertisementNYPD officers bludgeoned, pepper-sprayed, and picked fights with protesters marching peacefully through the streets of Midtown. Thousands of people were trapped on the Manhattan Bridge during an hours-long standoff with cops. Outside Barclays Center, a massive police presence went "berserk" on a group of demonstrators, according to one organizer.So went the sixth straight day of protests against racist police brutality in New York City — and the first night of an 8 p.m. curfew that Mayor Bill de Blasio says will Thousands of New Yorkers, spread throughout the city, defied that...WW…

AdvertisementIf you've walked around New York City at all in the last couple weeks since Governor Andrew Cuomo all non-essential businesses, you've probably seen them: stores that have been boarded up with plywood, papered over their windows, or even placed barricades outside their entrances. A recent look at SoHo showed that pretty much every luxury brand had emptied out their storefronts and/or boarded up, though this is happening all over the city.This is of course not wholly unique to NYC: stores around the world, in , , , , and other major cities, are all boarding up in response to...…AdvertisementIf you've walked around New York City at all in the last couple weeks since Governor Andrew Cuomo all non-essential businesses, you've probably seen them: stores that have been boarded up with plywood, papered over their windows, or even placed barricades outside their entrances. A recent look at SoHo showed that pretty much every luxury brand had emptied out their storefronts and/or boarded up, though this is happening all over the city.This is of course not wholly unique to NYC: stores around the world, in , , , , and other major cities, are all boarding up in response to...WW…

AdvertisementNearly 500 mayoral staffers, including Bill de Blasio himself, will be placed on a weeklong furlough in the coming months, as the city attempts to chip away at a $9 billion revenue gap sparked by the pandemic.The new measure will require all Mayor's Office staff to take five unpaid vacation days between October and March of next year. The policy is expected to save "in the neighborhood" of $1 million, according to the mayor.De Blasio announced the furloughs on Wednesday, framing the move as a gesture to labor union leaders, who he has called on to find $1 billion in recurring...…AdvertisementNearly 500 mayoral staffers, including Bill de Blasio himself, will be placed on a weeklong furlough in the coming months, as the city attempts to chip away at a $9 billion revenue gap sparked by the pandemic.The new measure will require all Mayor's Office staff to take five unpaid vacation days between October and March of next year. The policy is expected to save "in the neighborhood" of $1 million, according to the mayor.De Blasio announced the furloughs on Wednesday, framing the move as a gesture to labor union leaders, who he has called on to find $1 billion in recurring...WW…

AdvertisementThis is our daily update of breaking COVID-19 news for Friday, September 25th, 2020. Previous daily updates , and .New York City is in , which includes , , and . A look at , and if you have lingering questions about the virus, here is our . Here are some local and state hotlines for more information: NYC: 311; NY State Hotline: 888-364-3065; NJ State Hotline: 800-222-1222.4:30 p.m. In a worrying sign about the upcoming November 3rd election, a New York City Board of Elections official told City Council members on Friday that he expected absentee ballot counting—which will play...…AdvertisementThis is our daily update of breaking COVID-19 news for Friday, September 25th, 2020. Previous daily updates , and .New York City is in , which includes , , and . A look at , and if you have lingering questions about the virus, here is our . Here are some local and state hotlines for more information: NYC: 311; NY State Hotline: 888-364-3065; NJ State Hotline: 800-222-1222.4:30 p.m. In a worrying sign about the upcoming November 3rd election, a New York City Board of Elections official told City Council members on Friday that he expected absentee ballot counting—which will play...WW…

AdvertisementPolice are still searching for a driver who fled on foot after slamming a Lamborghini SUV into a sedan, killing a 54-year-old Ozone Park woman who was taking an Uber ride to visit relatives on Christmas Eve, NYPD said.Around 7:10 p.m. Thursday, Ritawantee “Rita” Persaud was a passenger inside a 2018 Toyota Camry heading east on Rockaway Boulevard. The driver of a Lamborghini Urus SUV was heading westbound on Rockaway Boulevard and smashed into the Camry making a left turn onto 103rd Avenue, police said.The driver of the Lamborghini flipped the vehicle and then fled on foot,...…AdvertisementPolice are still searching for a driver who fled on foot after slamming a Lamborghini SUV into a sedan, killing a 54-year-old Ozone Park woman who was taking an Uber ride to visit relatives on Christmas Eve, NYPD said.Around 7:10 p.m. Thursday, Ritawantee “Rita” Persaud was a passenger inside a 2018 Toyota Camry heading east on Rockaway Boulevard. The driver of a Lamborghini Urus SUV was heading westbound on Rockaway Boulevard and smashed into the Camry making a left turn onto 103rd Avenue, police said.The driver of the Lamborghini flipped the vehicle and then fled on foot,...WW…

AdvertisementIt's that time of year again, as New Yorkers gather round the crackling flames to observe the ancient Yuletide tradition. That's right. We're talking about The city's creaky tangle of underground utilities is once again under siege from salty water. The result, as we've seen in the last few days, is an abundance of manhole explosions. fromjust heard an explosion and told brittany it was a truck going over the speed bump but she is smart and said it was a manhole exploding and she was right! — Timothy Wynne (@bruv__)manhole fire in front of 154-42 22 avenue Whitestone — ph*lp...…AdvertisementIt's that time of year again, as New Yorkers gather round the crackling flames to observe the ancient Yuletide tradition. That's right. We're talking about The city's creaky tangle of underground utilities is once again under siege from salty water. The result, as we've seen in the last few days, is an abundance of manhole explosions. fromjust heard an explosion and told brittany it was a truck going over the speed bump but she is smart and said it was a manhole exploding and she was right! — Timothy Wynne (@bruv__)manhole fire in front of 154-42 22 avenue Whitestone — ph*lp...WW…

AdvertisementMore than 12,000 New York City residents have died from COVID-19, and that number increases by several hundred every day. Funeral homes and temporary morgues are overwhelmed. Last week the city was at a rate of almost five times more than usual on Hart Island, which has been used as a potter's field . Since the pandemic, Hart Island has been completely shut off to the press, but even under normal circumstances, access is limited to outlets who can fly their own helicopters over the island or hire one for $1,000 an hour.At dawn on Wednesday morning, aerial photographer tried to...…AdvertisementMore than 12,000 New York City residents have died from COVID-19, and that number increases by several hundred every day. Funeral homes and temporary morgues are overwhelmed. Last week the city was at a rate of almost five times more than usual on Hart Island, which has been used as a potter's field . Since the pandemic, Hart Island has been completely shut off to the press, but even under normal circumstances, access is limited to outlets who can fly their own helicopters over the island or hire one for $1,000 an hour.At dawn on Wednesday morning, aerial photographer tried to...WW…

AdvertisementThis week, a rumor spread that Gem Spa would be closing up shop for good, and today that rumor was sadly confirmed. The corner store has been a fixture at St. Marks Place and Second Avenue for around 100 years, but in 2019 had been struggling to pay the rent, which had gone up. They'd also lost their license to sell cigarettes and lottery tickets, which was another devastating blow.Parul Patel, the daughter of owner Ray Patel, had been running the store and made some pushes through Instagram and last year — these efforts garnered some attention, along with held by Jeremiah...…AdvertisementThis week, a rumor spread that Gem Spa would be closing up shop for good, and today that rumor was sadly confirmed. The corner store has been a fixture at St. Marks Place and Second Avenue for around 100 years, but in 2019 had been struggling to pay the rent, which had gone up. They'd also lost their license to sell cigarettes and lottery tickets, which was another devastating blow.Parul Patel, the daughter of owner Ray Patel, had been running the store and made some pushes through Instagram and last year — these efforts garnered some attention, along with held by Jeremiah...WW…

Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist, is matching all donations to Gothamist, up to $50,000, made by December 31st. Support Gothamist with a year-end charitable contribution today.Health care providers who fraudulently obtain and distribute the coronavirus vaccine could lose their licenses and face up to $1 million in fines, under a new executive order announced Monday by Governor Andrew Cuomo.The threat comes amid a widening fraud investigation into ParCare Community Health Network, a chain of urgent care clinics catering to Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Orange County. Over...…Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist, is matching all donations to Gothamist, up to $50,000, made by December 31st. Support Gothamist with a year-end charitable contribution today.Health care providers who fraudulently obtain and distribute the coronavirus vaccine could lose their licenses and face up to $1 million in fines, under a new executive order announced Monday by Governor Andrew Cuomo.The threat comes amid a widening fraud investigation into ParCare Community Health Network, a chain of urgent care clinics catering to Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Orange County. Over...WW…