Friday’s Headlines: Support Local Theater Edition

It’s a bit off topic, but the New York International Fringe Festival opens today with serious and funny shows all over Manhattan, so why not peruse the offerings and take in a show? (Full disclosure: I’m a supporter of the festival and have produced two hit Fringe shows: the prescient “SUV: The Musical” in 2005 and “Murder at the Food Coop” in 2017.)

Now, to paraphrase Lin-Manuel Miranda, can we get back to street stuff, yo:

• State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says that the MTA can’t just fare-raise itself out of its cash crunch. He also said that the $1-billion in Subway Action Plan hasn’t done much to improve service. Boy, what a downer he turned out to be! (amNY)
• The Port Authority is trying to justify Gov. Cuomo’s backwards AirTrain from LaGuardia to Willets Point by saying it will reduce millions of car trips, but reporter Dana Rubinstein’s coverage offers some skepticism about the project. (Politico)
• Not sure why, but solid transportation reporter Dave Colon offered a primer for cycling in New York City for Bicycling magazine. Most controversial line (h/t Aaron Gordon): “Run reds to your heart’s content.” Now, Colon did later add that it’s only cool to run a red light after “checking for cars and people crossing the street.” “Seriously,” he added, “don’t antagonize pedestrians.”
• The mayor and the Economic Development Corporation issued a press release that said they’re still building the East River Greenway, but not much has changed since we wrote about the project last year. (Curbed) Gale Brewer tweeted her support, but was immediately reminded by cyclists of the flaws.
• Sometimes I hate-read Gridlock Sam on Fridays in the Daily News because I love knowing where all the drivers are going to be tied up this weekend.
• To me, anything that puts Council Member Mathieu Eugene in the spotlight is good. So thanks, Bklyner.
• I was the first to get the story up, but News4NY’s Adam Kuperstein had a much fuller account (with video!) of the city Sanitation driver who ran over and killed a Crown Heights pedestrian on Thursday morning. (News4NY)
• State Senator and street safety pariah Marty Golden got some support on Twitter for that time he ran over a pedestrian who later died.
• And finally, I’ll admit I’ve become obsessed with Los Angeles since my trip to the NACTO convention last week, but here’s a great story about the challenge of cycling in that city that’s a must-read for any urban cyclist. (Bicycling)