Following up on yesterday's theme that the last week of December is just dead, today, we feel that this week is a bit like the title character in Ivan Goncharov's celebrated novel, Oblomov. But unlike Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, the prototypical superfluous man of 19th-century Russia, we promise to get out of our beds today and do some real work for the people.
Until then, here's the news:
- First, we'd be remiss if we did not thank our donors from yesterday (and urge you to join their elite status by clicking the yellow logo above): Thanks, Christopher! Thanks, David!
- A federal judge ordered the city to make streets safer for blind residents to cross — which makes you wonder why a federal court ruling is required to provide basic decency and safety. (NY Times)
- Mayor de Blasio spent most of his morning press conference on Monday complaining that state officials, including Gov. Hochul, aren't moving congestion pricing along fast enough. But, as the Daily News pointed out, the slow process of writing the environmental assessment required by the federal government is moving along on the pre-determined schedule, as frustrating as that is. Looks like someone's running for governor!
- The MTA is predicting transit delays as a new wave has hit its workers (NYDN). How serious is the omicron variant? Well, Apple just closed all its mega-lucrative retail locations in New York City (NY Post).
- A hit-and-run driver killed a man who had exited his car on the Bruckner Expressway. (NYDN)
- It's OK to sleep on the job if you're an Long Island Rail Road worker — says someone who oughta know! (NY Post)
- The city pledged $75 million more to finish Bushwick Inlet Park in Williamsburg. (Brooklyn Paper)
- From the assignment desk: Hey, New York Times Metro Editor Jim Dao, this is as good a story as you can get: Dick Zigun is out at the Coney Island Sideshow and Coney Island USA, the arts group he founded! This story has everything: carnies, conspiracies and guys who eat lightbulbs! (Brooklyn Paper)
- And, finally, on the first workday since Friday's fatal crash caused by a driver for Baldor, our spy spotted one of the company's drivers doing the wrong thing:
