Monday’s Headlines: ‘Columbus’ Day Edition

To us, it's Indigenous Peoples' Day, so the Streetsblog staff is off today. But it seems like the big story over the weekend was the complete implosion of the City Council's Italian Caucus over, you guessed it, the holiday formerly known as "Columbus Day." (The Post and 1010WINS covered it.)

If you believe Bay Ridge Council Member Justin Brannan, he was kicked out of the Caucus by Chairman David Carr, a Staten Island Republican, because he didn't show "fealty" to Christopher Columbus. And Carr refuses to allow any debate over whether Columbus Day should indeed become Indigenous Peoples' Day (in New York City, it's officially "Italian Heritage Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day"; St. John's University also canceled Columbus, The Post reported).

Let's set aside for a second that Brannan and Carr should be running a roast beef restaurant not an Italian caucus. But it seems every year, some people want to relitigate Columbus, despite a well-documented legacy that is anything but holiday worthy. (In the end, he may have even been a Spaniard ... and a Jew, the BBC reported over the weekend).

The imbroglio ended with Brannan giving the Italian Caucus the ultimate bacio della morte, in a tweet that roughly translates to "get your head out of your ass."

In other news:

• The best story that you might have missed was Friday's post by Bloomberg that explains in minute detail how Uber and Lyft are screwing with taxi drivers in retaliation for the passage of the minimum wage bill.
• Backers of the Eastern Queens Greenway are preparing for a massive "culture war" fight over a completely non-controversial plan to give kids and families more greenspace in Queens — a fight being picked for no reason by Council Member Vickie Paladino. (Eastern Queens Greenway blog)
• Speaking of battles, advocates took to the Queensboro Bridge to demand that the Department of Transportation make good on its promise to create more space for cyclists and pedestrians. (amNY). Streetfilms was also there, as it has been year after year:

• The Daily News had more on Felix Mendez, the 49-year-old Brooklynite who was run down and killed by a hit-and-run driver last week, as we reported. Turns out, Mendez lost his father to a hit-and-run crash, too.
• We've long covered state Sen. Jessica Ramos's refreshing, non-driver perspective on the streetscape. But it looks like she needs a livable streets re-education camp after telling Hell Gate that if mayor, she'd favor city-build, multi-level parking ramps in commercial zones.
• MTA Eagle team fare inspectors want you ... to pay your fare. (NY Post)
• Those mysterious Trump street signs that happened to pop up in MAGA neighborhoods? It was LoBaido, of course. (NY Post)
• And, finally, set your calendar for the "Miracle on 42nbd Street" scavenger hunt on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. Help find was to make The Deuce better for pedestrians, bus riders, and bike riders.
• Two people on a motorcycle were killed by an SUV driver in Manhattan (NYDN, NY Post), and two people in a car were killed in a different crash in The Bronx (NYDN).
• It's time for the DOT's annual contest for students to create safe-driving public service announcements. (Gothamist)
• The Port Authority is going to need more money for its new bus terminal, says former federal transit man Larry Penner. (Mass Transit)