Tuesday’s Headlines: The Polk’s on Us Edition

In case you missed it, there was really only one important story on the livable streets beat on Monday: Our investigative reporter Jesse Coburn won a Polk Award for his three-part, seven-month "Ghost Tags" investigation.

Our coverage played it straight, but I'd be remiss if I didn't remind everyone what a big deal this is. Streetsblog is a relatively small operation — there are just six of us here in the New York City newsroom. Yet Coburn's victory in the Local Reporting category means he bested not only the entire Metro desk of The New York Times, but the local reporting teams at major metropolitan dailies all over the country (the full list of winners is here).

Plenty of heavyweights took notice at Streetsblog's reporting coup:

Even some of Streetsblog's frequent critics gave Coburn the hat tip he deserved (or, as Mayor Adams might have put it, our doubters have become our grouters at the Sink of Success or our deniers have become our suppliers at the Bodega of Bounty. You get the idea):

All of us here at Streetsblog work every day (and many nights) to spotlight the fight for safe, livable streets, to bolster transit and to enhance equity. So it's nice when the journalistic world shines a spotlight on us on one of its biggest stages. And lest anyone think I deserve any credit as Streetsblog editor, let's be clear: As anyone who knows me already knows, if there was any credit for me to claim, there'd already be a billboard with my picture in Times Square.

All credit goes to Coburn.

In other news:

• Best story of the weekend: The Post looked at reckless drivers among our public servants, including Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The paper quoted Council Member Robert Holden complaining about his colleagues; too bad its reporters didn't run the plate on his car!
• The Daily News did a "next steps" for e-bike regulation which focused mainly on the Adams administration's vague promise of creating an entirely new city agency. Why didn't the piece mention that there is a City Council bill that would require app giants to provide save bikes for their workers?
• The Post will literally cover a neighborhood association meeting in Peoria, Illinois if they get wind that someone will complain about congestion pricing. The latest example? The tabloid traveled far upstate to hear from residents appalled by a toll that very few of them will ever pay. The local Congressman says he wants more "input" ... beyond the years of public study and the five upcoming public hearings. By the way, the meeting was about 15 miles south of Albany.
• Former President Trump is in legal trouble all over the country, but apparently a few truckers are targeting New York City — and are vowing not to make deliveries to the Big Apple. (Not even Staten Island, guys? Come on!). (NYDN, NY Post)
• Like Streetsblog, amNY covered the disastrous ship pollution in Red Hook that city officials haven't fixed in more than a decade.
• Gothamist covered the city's slow-moving redesign of Kimlau Square in Chinatown with credulity. We took a different tack.
• It's amazing how many people want to live along the Gowanus Canal. (The City)
• Here's one Tom Wrobleski column that, at least, isn't actually inaccurate, albeit speculative and defiantly pro-driving. (SI Advance)
• Bodyless leg on elevated tracks. (NYDN)
• Streetsblog contributor Samuel Santaella wrote up his recent lobbying trip to Albany, with the emphasis on the trip part. No wonder so few people are actively engaged in government.
• Cops arrested a hit-and-run driver who later admitted he struck a moped rider in The Bronx. (NYDN)
• Finally, some weird SUV lover got dunked on all over the internet over the weekend. Here was one of the best responses to his original gross tweet: